"Have you lost your senses? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law of Moses? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ." Galatians 3: 3 & 5 NLT
Welcome to our study, the My One Word project! I am so glad you are joining us. We meet here, on-line, and in person on Friday mornings at Redeemer Lutheran Church, see the church website for more detailed information. If you are unable to join us for coffee, that's okay. The study is able to be done completely on-line through the blog, comments, and your book, if need be. But a support group is vital; being held accountable for your word is part of the project. I encourage everyone to share Comments on the blog; it is a wonderful tool to keep us all connected! If you are a friend or member of Redeemer, connect with us in person on Sunday or any time we gather as a community of faith! If you are joining us from afar, welcome, I hope that you will feel in community with us through this page. Better yet, encourage a friend or two to join you, and us, on this journey!
Our format for this study will be a little different than in the past. The blog will be about the chapters and discussion questions from the book and our coffee time on Friday will be about the video.That doesn't mean there won't be any cross-over, but it will allow people to read the book at their own pace. I will endeavour to blog about 2 chapters at a time, so you can read the corresponding blog posts and comment on your current chapter! And if you are joining us on Friday morning, but haven't completed all the reading, do not worry, as our discussions will mostly be about the video we will watch.
Note: The video series is a companion to the book and not necessary to participate in the My One Word project.
Chapter one, "What is My One Word?" explains how and why the project was developed. It's not often readers get to see behind the curtain of why a book came into being. But it's not just an introduction. Mike hits us with some thought provoking statements and introduces us to ideas and phrases he will use throughout the book. I encourage you to read with a pen & notebook. Even though this is the second time I have read it, there are a few new things I noticed and a few I had forgotten. I wrote them down & underlined them, again. The one statement that caught my attention this time, and I will admit, shook me up a bit is this, "... the lens through which you examine your heart and life for an entire year." (pg 24). It's the word "examine" that has me a bit unnerved.
How about you? What is it in chapter one or the reflection questions that has you unnerved? Or excited? What have you already learned about yourself through these 9 pages?
Chapter two answers my question of, "isn't this just another self-help book?" The answer is "no", of course. And Mike shares a few stories that will make you laugh, cringe, and say, "ah-ha". Take some quiet time and absorb as much as you can from this chapter.
There are two things from chapter 2 that I hope to understand more fully, "God helps those who abide with him, those who walk with him in faith" (pg 34) and "Our efforts are not the source of the change we are after; they can't be. Rather, they get us in a position for God to change us." (pg 35). I am comfortable with doing things to make a difference, but these 2 statements are more ethereal. They require me to draw closer to God and allow Him to make the change. I can't help but recall the readings from this past Sunday on Transfiguration; where Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain and "Jesus' appearance changed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became dazzling white." (Matthew 17:2 NLT). I certainly don't expect that kind of physical transformation, what comes to mind rather is the fact that Jesus just showed up and God transformed him. He had to physically get up the mountain, which probably was not a walk in the park, it took some effort. And he had to choose to go there, rather than attend to some other more pressing matter. I think perhaps that is how My One Word will help me this year. It will be the tool I use to climb closer to God; it will be a reminder that drawing closer to God is more important than the laundry or catching up on my favorite TV shows. It will put me in a position to depend on God (pg 39).
Grab your journal and write out your answers to the reflection questions. As Mike says on page 23, "The normal, natural pace of our lives will not likely lead us toward spiritual formation." So take this opportunity, a few minutes right now, to slow down. Put pen to paper and write what's on your mind. You will be so glad you did!
I have shared some of my thoughts on these first two chapters. Won't you join me in the Comment section below? What challenges or excites you? What have you learned? What questions do you have? I look forward to hearing from each of you!
Remember, if you are reading this in your e-mail, go to the blog (click here) to post a Comment.
Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly
honey
"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24
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