Never Underestimate The Power of One

The Power of One.

Have I mentioned lately that I teach a bible study class for women twice a month? Well, I love it. I really do, I just love teaching this class. I never realized what a blessing it is to teach and I am glad that God has given me this gift. One of the perks of this gift is being able to hear from God more. I do not pick the topics we study. I wait until God drops something to me. Usually it is when my mind is empty and I am doing something mindless like vacuuming or washing dishes and suddenly my mind is filled with a topic, a parable, or certain scriptures. I know it is from God also because I've just experienced hearing from Him enough to know most of the time when something pops into my head whether it was me or not. So, it's pretty cool when that happens. I'll get a topic and I get excited about the fact that He loves us ladies at Hillside Community Church enough to pick our topics for us. You know, God is pretty busy but He's never to busy to stop and chat for awhile, right? Then the uber cool perk is putting the study together. Now, it is easy to purchase bible studies and just lead those and I can't tell you how many times I wish I did that too. But, it never seems to work out for us to do a pre written study and I always end up putting them together myself. After this week I have come to the conclusion that every time I suggest us doing a "professionally published study" and it gets shot down it is a God thing. Let me share why.

When I have to put a study together I know that these women are taking time out of their busy lives to come to this study and they come eagerly expecting something relevant. They are expecting a word from God. They are expecting to learn and grow. That is a huge responsibility. So, basically I stay in the mindset that God and I have to put these studies TOGETHER. I look for Him to lead me in the right direction and ask for His anointing for each and every word, scripture and question. So, when I am putting together the study He speaks to me a lot. He guides me and gives me some really awesome revelations, my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE REVELATION WAS THIS ONE!!! How cool is that? It's like He is standing behind me whispering over my shoulder "Go to this scripture." "Highlight these words, they will mean something to someone". It is such a special time for me. I am also learning the word like crazy. I don't mean just learning the story either, really learning the history, the Hebrew text or Greek text and discovering the whole story. I am really learning how to take stories in the Bible and make them applicable to our own personal lives and insert that into our studies.

I was emailing with a sweet friend yesterday and I got to thinking about what a special gift that is that God has given me. He has helped me through His anointing and wisdom see how to take each lesson we learn and then turn the table and look at each lady in the room and insert her into that story. She then becomes the main character and her life is fully inserted into the story. We then go into great discussion on what decisions we would make or currently do and discuss how we can take that lesson and make it work for our own life. I never realized before yesterday what a treasure that is. So many times we go to a study and hear something wonderful and learn but we walk out the door and it may never get applied to our life. God has taken me in the direction of leading studies that always insert our lives into the study so that not one single person can be in that class without seeing how they can live that lesson out. I really treasure that. I really treasure the time I spend putting these lessons together because He is doing it with me. I don't think I would trade that for the world.

I get so frustrated that so many people don't believe in God or just ignore Him. They say that believe in Him but never talk to Him, never worship Him. I want so much for them to know what so many of us know. Goodness, if they ever would just make it personal. Not something to do, but make it personal. Oh, they would see.

I have also been very frustrated that since we came back from the Christmas break from our bible study that our attendance has been very low. Maybe 5 to 6 ladies each time since then. I am so sad about that, God has truly been giving us some wonderful life changing lessons especially the one I linked in. I want them all to be blessed. Let me make it clear though that I am fully aware that I am a vessel only. He picks the studies, He is right there with me letting me know what to put in, what not to put in, what to highlight.....these studies are all HIM. I know that and I am adamant that they NEVER be about me. So when I say I want them to be blessed, it's not about me blessing anybody with my big bad studies. Everyone who comes says they are loving it. I asked my pastor's wife if I need to change anything or if it is me, she said no. I asked about doing a Beth Moore study so maybe more ladies would join us, they said keep doing what you are doing. So, I have to assume the ladies are honest about loving what are currently doing. I just don't understand why those that were coming have quit or that more don't come. It bugs me, I can be honest about that. I am a big believer about being honest.

These studies are very discussion based, each lady in the room talks, and I mean a lot. That is so wonderful! I ask lots of questions and not ones that people are afraid to answer 'cause you may look stupid. I hate that. My questions never have "an answer" so that someone could possibly say the wrong thing. They are discussion questions, I love that. We share lots and ask lots. This is a fantastic environment to learn in. We share very openly about our failures and what we learned from it. Nobody sits in this room and pretends they are anything close to perfect. Thank you and Amen for that. What a beautiful environment to learn in. We also, fellowship in these studies, girlfriends chit chatting and such. I can't imagine why more women do not want to come into this environment of open discussion, sharing, hot coffee, friendly banter and awesome learning. We always insert ourselves into the study and leave knowing exactly how we can live that lesson out. Why would you not want to come to that? Der, I don't know.

But yesterday I got to thinking about the power of one. How if just one life is changed what that can mean. I was thinking about the "A Woman Inspired" conference about this time last year. I blogged all about it last year but I got to listen to Lysa TerKeurst talk about "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God", her newest book at the time and I asked her a question on the computer, you know it was an online conference so you can do that after they are done speaking. They don't answer all the questions but she answered mine. I asked her how I could discover God's will for my life. I had been searching and searching and never found the answer. Well, she answered me and my life has never been the same since. Thank you Lord. So anyhoo, I got to thinking, even if nobody else at that conference's life was changed that listened to Lysa speak my life was forever changed. My one life. What has that one life changed accomplished? Well, I am not about to toot my own horn but I have taken this one changed life and I know that I know that I know I have multiplied that experience. I also teach now and this teaching I do is a direct result from her answer to me. So, how many lives can God use me to now possibly effect? See, the power of one? Lysa changed mine, even if it was mine only and I am changing lives also. It multiplies and multiplies. What if only 3 women came to class regularly but those three lives were so incredibly blessed by God by a study He puts together with me and those 3 lives go out and multiply that? It just keeps going and going, Amen.

So, I may mourn for the ladies who don't come 'cause I gotta tell you, we are getting our socks blessed off in these studies and I don't want anyone to miss out. But, I am so happy for the opportunity to share God's word with those that do and I am just going to concentrate on that and NEVER EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF ONE.

Love ya,

Jenn