Women's Bible Study

I have been really enjoying women’s Bible study the last few months.  We meet every Wednesday.  It really isn’t anything special, women usually come an hour or so late (so I go about an hour after the time they say), we have anywhere from three to eight women come, we simply read a passage and study it together…but when we read and learn from God’s Word the Holy Spirit moves!  In God’s Word we find truth, hope, peace, life!  God opens our hearts and we understand.  We receive from Him.  In a world that is hurting, angry, hungry, filled with lies and worries…we come apart for an hour into God’s truth and are refreshed, refocused, empowered.

Margaret and I are often at women’s Bible study long before others finally show up.  This used to annoy me – what a waste of time!  But now I enjoy my time with Margaret.  I find we have the same passion – Jesus and His Word.  She testifies of God and all He can do.  She talks about how women here used to be slaves before we came and taught God’s truth.  She used to worry all day long how she would feed all the kids, have money for school, how she could get a permanent home (not a hut)…  She would read her Bible on Sunday in church then it would stay in her bag until the next Sunday.  Now she knows she is to seek God’s kingdom first and then everything else will be added (Matt. 6:33).  She now reads her Bible every day and doesn’t worry.  She knows the Lord and trusts Him to take care of her.  She desires His kingdom.  She has been empowered to teach and knows God has equipped her to share His truth.  She mourns over the women who don’t come to women’s Bible study.  If they are too busy to be with the Lord for one hour, then they don’t know the Lord.  One Wednesday she shared that she wasn’t going to come.  She had grabbed her bag and was going to do her work, but on the way she realized her Bible was in that bag.  She decided to go to church first then do her work.  She testified how thankful she was that God brought her to Bible study because she was so encouraged by His Word.  It was the very word she needed.

I can relate.  So often I go because I should, but I come away energized by God’s Word.  The truth in it overwhelms me!  It is all there, so clear, so good.  I am filled by it.  Encouraged and challenged by it.  I love God’s Word!  We have been going through Philippians in our Bible study.  Most weeks no one has prepared to lead so I am asked to lead, which is fine.  I found I like to lead because I learn so much going verse by verse with them through the passage.  Growing in the Lord together with my friends is a blessing to me.

I walked home after Bible study with Kristine and she shared how her mind has been free because of the Freedom in Christ teachings.  Her mind use to go!  She could worry, fear, over think, scared…and her mind would go.  But now it is quiet and there is peace.  She knows how to control it when it wants to go back to worry.  God’s truth has changed her life.  I love hearing their testimonies.  I have a similar one.  Truth changed how I think and live.  Romans 8:6 says, “The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”  Amen!

Last week Margaret, Kristine and I were invited to go to Pingere and meet with the women’s group there.  I don’t know what it is but I get so fearful about preparing to teach, especially in a village an hour away at an all-day conference.  I really want to share God’s Word, so I prayed about my fears and chose to go and teach in faith.  It isn’t the teaching I don’t like; it is the preparing what to say and how to explain, share and show it.  Does that make me lazy?  As I wrestled over this I went through the first lesson of Freed to Lead course with people here.  In it they used the passage from 2 timothy 1:5-7 that says we have not been given a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.  I felt God telling me to give Him the fears and take the Spirit I was supposed to have. 

I knew the day in Pingere itself would go well.  I do enjoy teaching (sharing) I would just rather do it than prepare.  My problem usually is talking too long!  It took a little while for me to get into it and for the ladies to get it or interact, but we got there and the Lord taught us.  I went through Titus 2.  We are called to teach by example, so we must first have it and live it to be able to teach others.  Teach women to love their husbands and children, to be kind, homemakers, pure, and to submit to their husbands.  Then the Word of God will not be spoken of badly.  I really enjoy being with the women – the fellowship, being a part of them, worshipping and seeking the Lord, growing, sharing…

I think that is what it is; my first love, my life, my favorite topic, my joy…is Jesus and that is what my friends here talk about and live out too.  We have unity.  We build one another up, spur each other on, encourage…  Before you think it sounds too good to be true, I am not saying all women here love the Lord like this.  I am saying that my women friends from the church encourage my faith.  It isn’t one way.  I need them and they need me.  We grow together in the Lord.  We serve together.  It is a beautiful thing that I am so thankful for and blessed by.