Women,
With the decision not to have Mid-Week Studies this semester, I have had many conversations with women who are wondering what they will do instead. It’s easy for all of us to become dependent on external events and motivators and to lose the organic expression of our faith. This semester is a great opportunity to live out our knowledge, belief, and faith.
We will have several things on the calendar this semester for women, but today I leave you with this list of 14 simple ideas to do with your freed up midweek time:
- Choose a book of the Bible to slowly and repeatedly read this semester. Ask the Lord to literally shine a light on words or phrases that you need to ponder and obey.
- Join a D-Group (Discipleship group where you learn, with other women, how to live what the Bible says). Want to hear more about them before you dive in? Click HERE.
- Jump into one of the great Sunday morning Bible Studies at 10 am and then attend the worship service before or after. HERE are the options.
- During the time you would normally have been at a midweek study, fast and pray for our church. To learn about fasting, check out THIS article.
- Start reading one of those books on your “to read” stack. Need a recommendation? I plan to start reading The Cross of Christ by John R.W. Stott. I’m going to read a chapter a week (beginning January 20) to prepare my soul for Easter. There are oodles of great books, so shoot me an email if you need a recommendation on another topic.
- When you choose a book, grab a few friends a do a book club together. It can be great accountability to read and digest with others.
- In addition to reading the Bible, learn a new way to interact with God through His Word. For some practical ideas, click HERE.
- Use the website, Bless Every Home, and begin praying for your neighbors. Choose a neighbor that you and your family can bless.
- Using the map from Bless Every Home, walk through your neighborhood and pray for each home and the family within as you pass it. Ask the Lord for opportunities to meet them and bless them.
- Get on the App NextDoor for your neighborhood and look for ways to respond to needs or questions that come from people right where you live.
- Invite a woman in our church or from work to coffee or lunch, someone that you’ve been wanting to know better but keep putting off.
- Invite one of the widows at our church to dinner at your home with your family; offer to pick her up and drop her off.
- Ask the Lord to direct you to someone with whom you work who needs an encouraging word. Take a risk and give them that word and offer to pray for them.
- Invite a family from church to your home for supper. We need to know each other more than just chatting on Sundays. Ordering pizza is just fine! Don’t overthink it.
There are a dozen ideas for everyone I mentioned. I hope you’ll try one! My prayer is that you will find a way to live your faith “out there” where you are. Let me hear what happens!
Marcie McClendon
[email protected]
