After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

1. A temptation is a test. How do tests prove who we are?
2. Discuss the differences between tests that come from external and internal sources.
3. After listening to this podcast, how would you rewrite this prase of the prayer in a meaningful way for a contemporary audience?
4. Spend a few minutes praying and journaling individually. Ask God to reveal your weaknesses, any areas of bondage, and any areas in which you have pride that may become temptations.
5. When everyone has had adequate time to process, share with each other.
6. Authoritative prayer attacks enemy territory. What about this is scary? What is exciting?
7. Pray authoritative prayers over eachother. Exercise the authority you have in Jesus to bind the enemy. 

After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

1. Talk through the five “types” of sin. How do you see those at play in your own life?
2. Are you as good a wife, daughter, husband, son, sister, brother, friend, worker, disciple of Jesus as you could/should be?
3. Do you feel sorrow for your sinfulness? How does that affect you?
4. Read Romans 4:2. How do you respond to that?
5. How does living in unforgiveness affect us?
6. Spend some time individually processing and praying. Consider journaling. Ask God to reveal to you anyone you need to forgive. Ask God to reveal any sins in your own life that are keeping you from fellowship and intimacy with Him. Ask God to give you the gift of tears - the ability to be broken over sin.
7. When you have completed your individual reflection and prayer, pray over eachother. After praying, declare over eachother: “In the Name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.”

After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

1. What does worry reveal about our hearts?
2. Why don’t you trust God? What would it take for you to increase your trust?
3. What do you need from God right now? Would God agree - or would He amend your list?
4. Do you struggle more with worry for the future, or the pride of self-sufficiency?
5. How can you train yourself to go to God with every need you have?
6. Respond to this quote:  “God gives where He finds empty hands.” - Augustine  
7. Petionary prayer is prayer we pray for ourselves. But it is powerful when we do this in community. Take turns praying in your group. Ask God for what you need right now. Be open and honest with God. If you sense there is more He wants you to ask for, do so.

After listening, we encourage you to sit down with a friend and process what you’ve learned. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

1. Define “the Kingdom.” 
2. How do we seek the Kingdom practically? 
3. Why do we cling so tightly to “our will”? 
4. Do you know God’s will? How can we better seek and discern God’s will? 
5. Do you know anyone who lives seeking the Kingdom first? What does that look like? What about that lifestyle is appealing? What about it makes you squirm?
6. Spend some time praying together.  Pray about a specific situation or two that you can relinquish to God.
7. How does it feel to relinquish control and leave these situations to the will of God? 
8. How will you know if you have actually relinquished these requests to God? What will be a sign that you are still trying to control?

1. How does the word “our” impact the way you pray? What does “our” communicate? (Ephesians 4:4-6)
2. Are you able to approach God as Father (Abba)? How does your own relationship with your dad impact how you view God?
3. Discuss God as holy. What does this mean? How does it affect how we relate to God?
4. Why do we need to understand the deeper meaning of “name” in this prayer? What part do we play in keeping God’s name holy?
5. Is it easier for you to relate to God as holy, or as Father?
6. What box are you in? What keeps you from relating to God in prayer?

We are at the end of our Life Group semester here at New Life, so we will be taking a break from the podcast, however, we will be dropping a few new bonus episodes on the Lord’s Prayer in a few weeks! Subscribe, so you are sure to get the alert when those drop.

Listen in, and then take some time and have a conversation with a friend or small group using these questions:

1. What routines or things in your day could serve as reminders to pause and pray? When are you already apt to think about God during your day? Could those times be prayer prompts?
2. Do you have any experience with breath prayers? Can you tell the group what your experience has been?
3. Spend some time as a group brainstorming a few breath prayers you could use in different situations (when disciplining a child, in an argument with a spouse or coworker, sitting in traffic, when overwhelmed…)
4. Read some of the passages about unceasing prayer. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 12:12, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2, Philippians 4:6-7) What about unceasing prayer feels overwhelming?  What about it feels exciting?
5. Discuss practicing the presence of God. When are you most prone to talk to God? What is it about those situations? How might you become more aware of God in you and in others?
6. Who do you know that lives in this type of continual communication with God? What do you notice about their life? 
7. Unceasing prayer is very much a hidden prayer, not seen by others. How might humility be grown in us as we enter into this discipline?
8. What step will you take this week toward unceasing prayer? (ideas: add prayer to specific parts of your day, use an app or alarms, pray for every person you meet, pray as you go through doorways)

As always, we encourage you to process the podcast with a friend or small group.

1. What in this podcast was encouraging to you?
2. Do you agree with the phrase “prepare for the bad days on your good days?” 
3. How do you feel about bringing your questions to God? Is this easy or hard for you? Why do you think that is? 
4. Have you ever experienced not feeling an “emotional response” to worship, the Bible, devotions,  etc…? How did you respond? 
5. Do you feel like you’ve been in a desert before? What was it like when you came out of it? 
6. What purpose might God have in allowing us to go through desert seasons?
7. How do these desert seasons build trust in God?
8. What is something you want to do to prepare for harder days now? (Connect with others you can share with, memorize the word better, attend church regularly, etc…)

After listening to the podcast, we encourage you to discuss it with a small group.  Use these questions to facilitate discussion: 

1. Have you seen God heal someone? Tell the story.
2. Where do we see God/Jesus heal someone in the Bible? (Tell as many examples as you can.)
3. What did you learn in this podcast?  What encouraged you? 
4. Do you find it easy to believe God for healing, or are you more skeptical? Why do you think that is?
5. Read James 5:13-18. Spend the bulk of your time praying for healing over each other.
   1. Take turns sitting in the center of the room.
   2. Is there anything you need to confess, anything you need to bring into the light?
   3. What needs healing in your life?
   4. *The rest of the group should surround that individual, lay hands on them, and pray over them. Remember to pray in faith, believing that healing will happen.  Give God thanks for the healing He will perform.
   5. Commit to continued prayers for each other until the healing happens.

Brooklyn and Karen are talking today about a form of prayer that is a lot like marinating chicken. Listen in as they discuss how Scripture and prayer meld together in meditative prayer. After watching the podcast, find a friend and discuss these questions:

1. Do you process Scripture with your head or your heart first? What does that look like?
2. When you read the Bible, are you able to read it as if it was written to you?  How might putting yourself in the stories change how you engage with them?
3. Have you ever meditated on a passage until God unlocked a box and taken the concept from head to heart knowledge? Encourage others with the story of how God enlightened your heart.
4. What are you struggling with in life - what aspect of God's nature might help you with that situation? In what attribute of God do you think you need to spend a little time marinating? 
5. Work together to find a Scripture that each of you could meditate on this week. (Then do it! Spend time in meditative prayer each day.)
6. How do you feel knowing that you cannot "make" God open your heart to new understanding, you can merely put yourself in a position for God to speak to you?
7. God loves you so much that He wants to have a personal encounter with you that will look different than how He encounters others. Respond to this truth.  Does that relieve you? Make you jealous? Excite you?
8. Do you try to rush the process or get frustrated when God doesn't work on your timeline? How can you work to slow down and marinate more intentionally? What steps might you need to take? How can you remind yourself that it is about process not productivity?
9. Pray for each other before you leave.

1. Jesus is our Great High Priest (see Hebrews 4:14-16). What does that mean in regards to our prayers?
2. Our prayers affect things. Does it excite you or scare you to know that you can partner with God? Have you considered the fact that our prayers are powerful or that you have authority?
3. What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?
4. We are hoping to affect the life of someone else, but every time we pray, we are being changed. How has prayer changed you?
5. Listening and abiding are vital elements to intercessory prayer. How are you doing at abiding?
6. 1 Peter 2:5 tells us we are all priests. Intercession is for all of us. Who is it easiest to intercede for? 
7. Intercession often means we pray for the long haul. How can you discipline yourself to persist? How can you encourage each other to persist?
8. Can you tell a story of a time when someone’s prayers on your behalf affected your life?
9. Share a prayer request and commit to praying for each other this week.
10. Get brave and pray for each other before you leave your time together.

In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen discuss a form of prayer that you may have never considered, the prayer of rest. In this form of prayer, we enter into the stillness of God’s presence and learn to be with Him. It is a prayer of entering into Sabbath rest by letting go of distractions and becoming increasingly aware of God’s presence. This form of prayer strips us of our need to be productive and teaches us a new trust in God. After listening to this podcast, find a friend or small group and use these questions to continue the discussion:

1. Prior to this spring, what “forms” of prayer were you familiar with? What type of prayers were you most apt to pray?
2. Are there certain types of prayer that feel more or less comfortable to you? (like love languages)
3. Have you ever prayed “genie” prayers, expecting God to grant your wishes? What is the faulty view of God that underlies these prayers?
4. Have you ever prayed “vending machine” prayers, trying to figure out the “exact change” needed to get the object of your desire? What is the faulty view of God underlying these prayers? 
5. How does the prayer of rest begin to free us from bondage to wrong views of God and thus change our prayers?
6. Read Psalm 40:1, 4 How does the prayer of rest build trust?
7. Why are we prone to activity instead of waiting on God?
8. Have you been able to achieve a place of stillness and focus and listening in prayer? What has been helpful to you? What have the benefits of that time been in your life?
9. Make a commitment to attempt the prayer of rest each day this week. If you have never done this before, start small (a few minutes). Tell your group what you are committing to.  Keep trying, even if you struggle to stay still or quiet.

After listening, we encourage you to use these questions to continue the conversation with a friend or small group:

1. Draw a diagram of your relational spheres. How many spheres are you juggling?
2. How do you “change” when you enter the different spheres? Can you recognize the toll it takes on you to manage these transitions from one sphere to the next?
3. Do you put God in His own sphere? How often do you think about the fact that God is with you at all times? What might be the results of living with God in a box?
4. How does your life change in the times when you are more aware that God’s presence goes with you throughout your day?
5. Have you ever thought of your work (your vocation, your chores, your volunteering) as prayer? How does this concept change the way you work?
6. Have you ever spent a day looking for God in the midst of the ordinary? Where did He show up? As you have practiced the prayer of Examen, where have you seen His presence in your week?
7. How does looking for God in life's ordinary experiences change how we live?
8. We can pray the ordinary by praying amidst the mundane parts of our day. What things are catalysts for prayer in your ordinary life?
9. How will you implement the Prayer of the Ordinary in the coming week?

We encourage you to dig deeper into this discussion by continuing the conversation with a friend or small group!

Questions for discussion:

1. Have you heard of the prayer of examen before or was this a new concept? What stood out to you in this podcast?
2. Why do you think we are so resistant to this practice (why has the American church not made this a common practice)?
3. Do you go through your days largely unaware of God’s presence? What practices do you use to remind you of God’s presence throughout the day? When are you most aware of God’s presence?
4. The examen of consciousness (consolation) aids us in becoming more aware of God and how God uses events, people and places for our good.  Think back over the past 24 hours.  Can you share an example of how God blessed you or showed Himself to you in the past day?
5. The examen of conscience (desolation) reveals those things in our lives that are not working for our good, such as selfishness and sin. What about this process sounds daunting?  What about this process sounds good?
6. Psalm 139: 23, 24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of life.” These verses are helpful as we go before the Lord in the process of examen. Why do you think David is so eager to have the Lord search him? What do we know about God that can help us be more eager? (What attributes of God make Him trustworthy in this process?)
7. Psalm 24 “Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?  Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.” Brooklyn cautioned that we cannot do this process without God.  What is the danger in reflecting on our day without God’s help? Have you ever done this?  How did it go? Do you tend toward making excuses or shaming yourself?
8. Are you a journaler?  Why do you like or shy away from journaling?  How could journaling be beneficial in the process of examen?
9. Last week you made a covenant to pray daily.  This week we encourage you to practice the Prayer of Examen each day. Follow the five steps discussed in the podcast as you allow God to examine you.

We encourage you to listen and then discuss the podcast with a friend or small group. 

1. Begin your time together with prayer.  Invite the Holy Spirit to guide your conversation.
2. Do you thrive in routine and order (like Brooklyn) or resist them (like Karen)?
3. Do you fear committing to daily prayer?Why? Which of the fears about commitment do you most resonate with? (fear that boundaries take away freedom, fear that commitment will take away spontaneity and joy, fear of failure)
4. Have you ever made a covenant to pray? 
5. How does knowing God is gracious and merciful help alleviate your hesitancy to commit?
6. Talk about the Covenant of Time. Think about your schedule, what might work for you as an established time for prayer? What would you need to do to make this commitment (how will you protect this time?)?
7. What might you need to eliminate from your schedule to make time for prayer? What distractions do you anticipate?
8. Talk about the Covenant of Place. Do you have an established place for prayer? If you do, tell the group about it.  If you don’t, what might your ideal place be like?
9. Have you made a covenant to this group?  Have you fully committed to meeting with this group, or do you go when it is convenient? Consider making a covenant with each other.
10. Talk about the Covenant of Heart Preparation. How might you better prepare yourself to meet with God each day? How can you cultivate a holy expectancy for your times of prayer?
11. Make a Covenant to Pray daily for the next week.  Tell your group when and where you will pray.  What are you committing to? Hold each other accountable to this commitment.

In this episode, Brooklyn and Karen talk about some of their experiences with prayer and then discuss “simple prayer.” Many of us have never thought about or discussed different types of prayer.  We just pray. Join us as we learn how we can deepen our prayer lives as we gain a greater understanding of prayer.

If you want to go deeper still, we encourage you to find a small group of friends and have a discussion after listening to this episode. Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

1. Can you remember the first time you prayed? (or the first time you prayed out loud?) Share that experience.
2. What is your history with prayer? What have you been taught about prayer?
3. Do you have any big prayers you have prayed that come to mind? Were they answered as you desired? Were they answered in the timeframe you desired?
4. How do you feel when God “doesn’t” answer a prayer, or doesn’t answer as you expected? What do you tell yourself about that experience (for example “Maybe I didn’t pray right.” )
5. Why don’t you pray (or don’t you pray more often)? What does that reason reveal?
6. When you do pray, what do you pray for?
7. Do you pray “simple” prayers? Are you authentic with God, or do you feel the need to tone down, filter, and sterilize your prayers? 
8. In simple prayer “we” are the focus.  We pray for ourselves and about ourselves. We bring our needs, wants, concerns, hurts, sorrows, joys, complaints, anger, raw emotion, and unfiltered words to God.  What about that feels scary?  What about that feels freeing?
9. Read Psalm chapter 6.  We see the Psalmist being quite authentic with God in this Psalm. What feelings does he express? What does he ask God to do for him?
10. What do you need most from God right now? 
11. Take turns praying for yourself. Pray a simple prayer. Don’t make it pretty. Just be honest.  Tell God where you’re at and ask Him for what you need from Him.
12. Practice simple prayer this week. Have short conversations with God throughout your day.  Tell him your feelings. Ask Him for what you need.  Work to start building a habit of talking to God like you would your best friend. 

After listening, find some time to gather with a friend or small group and discuss these questions:

1. Why does disunity come naturally? 
2. Have you ever been around or a part of a group that was very unified? What was that like?
3. Read Matthew 22:37-38. What does it mean to love God? How can we pursue this? What are some steps we can take to better love God?
4. Read John 13:34. What are some examples of times that Jesus loved others? What can we learn from those?
5. Read John 13:14. How can we (the members of your group) serve each other better?
6. Read Philippians 2:2-4. What does it look like to actively pursue someone else’s best interest? What choices can we make to “die to self”?
7. Read Ephesians 4:4-6. There is no room for competition in the Kingdom. Why do you think there is such competition between churches, or ministries or individuals? How could we foster a better spirit of camaraderie?
8. Read Ephesians 4:32. Why does God call us to forgive each other in the same manner that He has forgiven us?
9. Take some time to pray for unity in your relationships.

We encourage you to join us for this discussion and then carry on the discussion with a friend or small group!  Here are some questions to guide you:

1. Do you own hyggebukser? (Comfy pants) Are you the type of person who puts on your comfy pants as soon as you get home?
2. In your own space (home, apartment, room) do you feel at peace? Are you able to rest and create in that space, or does the space itself thwart your efforts to slow down?
3. Have you ever allowed your "space" to become an idol? What is the danger in this? How do we fight this temptation?
4. Which of these ways of filling your life do you relate to most? (Filling your life with: things, tasks/ serving, achievement, relationships, experiences, search for knowledge, numbing/escaping, micromanaging/control) Are you able to recognize that pursuit as stemming from a longing for purpose?
5. What skills do you have that could be used to create beauty or make meaning? (cooking, cleaning, decorating, gardening, painting, homemaking, writing, teaching, counseling, baking,...any skill that adds beauty or meaning to the world) Do you use those skills well? How might you better utilize those skills?
6.  How does creating things of beauty and making meaning contribute to resilience? How does consumerism (on the other end of the spectrum) make us less resilient?
7. Discuss some of the ways the world is dark and broken.  How could you, personally bring light, hope and love into those situations and partner with God in His work of redemption and beauty making?
8. Read Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 3:23. We are called to be creative, to raise children, to use the world well, and to enrich the world around us. Discuss our job description as given by God. Are we (the people of God) doing a good job at leading the way in these endeavors?

We encourage you to listen in and then chat about this podcast with a friend or small group.  Here are some questions for discussion:

1. Have you ever woken up and thought, "There has to be more to life"?
2. Talk about boredom and escapism.  Why are we bored? What is boring us? What are we using to escape? What are we escaping?  What are we hoping to find?
3. "Our heart is restless until it rests in you" - St Augustine.  What does your restless heart chase after? What pursuits do you fill your life with?
4. All our longings point to Jesus and to beauty. How have you encountered beauty in your life? Where are you most apt to notice beauty? How does beauty drive us to God?
5. Read Ephesians 2:10. You were created with a purpose and a calling. What good things did He plan for you? What is keeping you from doing that?
6. You were made to create beauty, life, and light. Assess this past week.  How did you bring beauty into the world?  How did you fail - when did you have an opportunity to create beauty, but instead fixated on darkness or brokenness?
7. Have you ever gone through a season of wilderness/ silence/ loss? How did you experience God there?
8. Make a plan to experience beauty this week.  Where will you go, what will you do?

We encourage you to process this podcast with a friend or small group, and have provided these questions to guide your discussion:

1. Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. What does resistance training look like for an athlete (if you've been an athlete, share your experience)? What might resistance training look like for the Christian?
2. "When our appetites are in charge, we respond with instinct and craving instead of with discipline for the greater outcome." (Rebekah Lyons, Building a Resilient Life) If your appetites ruled your life - what would your life look like?
3. "We are wired to take the easiest path." p148 How does this play out? Why does the easiest path make us less resilient?
4. What would our lives look like if we started to see comfort and ease as the Enemy and instead sought the hard?
5. Which of the "rest rhythms" do you participate in regularly? Which are the hardest for you? (Tech detox, Quiet, Confession, Sleep Rhythm, Morning routine, Sabbath
6. Which of the "restore rhythms" do you participate in regularly? Which are the hardest for you? (Play, Clean eating, Knoing identity in Christ, Walking, Intentional adventure, Exercise, Getting outside your comfort zone)
7. Which of the "connect rhythms" do you participate in regularly? Which are the hardest for you? (Friendship, Be the friend you wish to have, Vulnerability, Hospitality, Process pain with others, Hugs, Marriage Retreat, Apologize first)
8. Make a plan to implement one new rest rhythm, one new restore rhythm, and one new connect rhythm this week.  What will you do?

As always, we encourage you to process this episode with a trusted friend or small group. And, if you are struggling with anxiety, we encourage you to talk to a healthcare professional. 

Questions for discussion:

1. Growing up, was there any talk of mental health issues in your home? What was the typical attitude toward mental health?
2. Discuss the differences and similarities between stress and anxiety.
3. Rebekah says, “Anxiety is a friend.” Can you see anxiety as a friend? Why/why not?
4. Have you struggled with anxiety?  What tactics have been most successful in helping you manage your anxiety?
5. Is anyone brave enough to share something that causes them anxiety(or that has caused them anxiety in the past)? Can you work through the five whys together? (Identify the situation “I feel ____ when ____.” Then ask “why” five times to work backward to the root.)
6. How can anxiety draw us closer to God?
7. In Exodus 3, when Moses is feeling anxious about facing Pharoah and going before the Israelite leaders, God does not tell him not to fear the situation, God does not assure him of Moses' own abilities.  God reassures Moses that He (God) will go with Him. How can we apply this to our own situations? How can a proper knowledge of God help us face anxiety?
8. What step will you take this week to know God more so you can trust Him in times of anxiety and stress?

As always, we encourage you to go deeper into this discussion with a friend or small group.  Here are some questions to facilitate that discussion:

1. Do you accept the Bible as God’s Word and therefore totally true? If not, why not? If so, how did you come to this belief? (John 14:6, John 8:31-32, 2 Timothy 3:14-17)
2. Give an example of something you have thought (about yourself, life, whatever) that actually isn’t true when you hold it up to Scripture.
3. Give an example of something that you have felt, that isn’t actually true.
4. Give an example of something that someone has said, that you maybe believed, but isn’t actually true.
5. Do you have any verses memorized? How do those verses help you?
6. How does meditating on Scripture make us more resilient?
7. Have you ever been able to recognize a lie in your thoughts and replace it with the truth?  Can you share about that experience?
8. Identify one lie you have been believing.  Work together to find a truth in Scripture that speaks to that lie.  Work on memorizing that verse this week.

As always, we encourage you to go deeper into this discussion with a friend or small group.  Here are some questions to facilitate that discussion:

1. What are some of the mantras you hear touted by society? (Be true to yourself. You can be anything you want to be. It's all about me. Etc.)
2. Are you aware of your thoughts, or do they just kinda run without a filter? When you do notice your thoughts, are they mainly positive or negative?
3. What is a frequent thought you have about yourself? (for example: I can't do this.  I'm not good enough.) Share that thought with the group.  Put it through the filter of Philippians 4:8. Is it true? Is it noble? Is it right? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it admirable? Is it excellent? Is it praiseworthy?
4. What is influencing your thoughts? Who? What podcasts? What shows? What music? Are those influences helping you focus on God and live as a holy and pleasing sacrifice? How do those influences show up in your thoughts?
5. Read Philippians 4:6-7. Are you a grateful person? How does gratitude counter anxiety?
6. Read Romans 12:1-2. When we are talking about our thought patterns, what does it look like to conform to the pattern of the world?  What does it look like to be transformed by the renewing of our minds?
7. How does our thought life affect resilience?
8. What is one step you will take this week to preach to yourself?

As always, we encourage you to go deeper into this discussion with a friend or small group.  Here are some questions to facilitate that discussion:

1. Do you struggle with forgiveness, or are you quick to forgive? Does it depend on who you are needing to forgive?
2. Why is forgiveness hard? Why do we want to cling to our pain?
3. After hearing what Karen and Brooklyn shared, what are some misconceptions you have held about forgiveness? (ex. Forgiving means forgetting.)
4. Have you ever been mad at God? Discuss why God doesn’t need our forgiveness.
5. Have you ever felt the need to forgive yourself? React to hearing Karen explain that this is not a biblical idea, but instead that we need to “live forgiven” (accept God’s forgiveness).
6. Why do we need to have a proper understanding of our own sinfulness and need for forgiveness? (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13)
7. Are you able to see that forgiveness is God’s mercy - that God asks us to forgive so that we can live free from past hurts and trauma?
8. Without naming names, briefly share a situation in which you struggle to forgive.  What is your next step toward forgiving that individual?

We encourage you to discuss this episode with a friend or small group! Here are some questions to guide your discussion:

 Do you resonate more with Brooklyn (you are familiar with shame) or Karen (shame isn’t really a struggle for you)?

1. How do you experience shame?  What does shame feel like to you?
2. Can you look back to childhood and see how rejection grew a shame response in you?
3. What is the link between shame and resilience?
4. Why do we isolate in our shame? (Genesis 2:25, Genesis 3:7-10)
5. Read James 5:16.  Confession and vulnerability are essential to combatting shame. What about confession scares you? What about this process gives you hope?
6. Do you have people with whom you can share your shame and struggles? How might you go about finding those people? Or, how did you find them?
7. Have you noticed that when you have “people” you are better able to withstand the turbulence of life? Talk about a time when having people helped you be more resilient.

If you’re discussing with a group, here are some questions to guide your discussion:

1. How would you define “resilience”
2. Do you think most people your age are resilient? Why/why not?
3. How has our society made us less resilient?
4. How is resilience different than persistence?
5. Why do we want an easy life when we know that adversity is what grows us up and makes us stronger?
6. How do you feel about John 16:33? Does it give you comfort or concern?
7. How have you faced/dealt with adversity in your life?  Who do you turn to? What emotions do you feel? 
8. Have you watched someone else go through adversity and cling to Jesus? What did you notice about them during that season? What can you learn from them?
9. What current situation are you facing in which you need to be more resilient? How can we pray for you?

1. What does restlessness look like for you? 
2. How do you most often behave when you're restless? - do you go(take a vacation, move, get a new job, change something), do (serve, volunteer, help someone, take a class, add activities) or buy(a new house, a new car, a new outift, food, acquire something)?
3. What lies do you believe about rest that keep you from resting? (Things will fall apart.  You need to help others.  You need to be worried. Everything depends on your work. Rest is lazy. Prove your worth. It won't be good unless you do it. Etc.)
4. Read Isaiah 28:12 and Jeremiah 6:16.  God offers rest, but we are reluctant to obey.  Why are we more likely to do what the world suggests than to do things God's way?
5. Has your restlessness ever led you back to God? How so?
6. "Jesus is inviting us to rest.  But please understand what this rest is that He offers.  It is not rest from life - but rest in life." - Warren Wiersbe 

So many of the world's options are to rest from life (an escape), but God offers rest in the midst of life. Why is that the better option?

7. Discuss the story of Jesus and the disciples in the midst of the storm.  How did their responses differ?  Who are you more like - the restless disciples, or the resting Jesus?
8. Read Psalm 91:1 How do we live in the shelter of the Most High and develop the habit of resting in God? How do we train ourselves to turn to God and maintain a peace amidst a storm?  What part does prayer play?
9. Are you an agent of rest or an agent of restlessness? Do you help others find rest? Or are you more prone to working for the enemy? Why is this? 
10.  What can you do this week to be an agent of rest?  How can you help someone else find rest in God amidst their storm?

1. Do you think you have a naturally high or low tolerance to sensory stimulation?  Which of your senses is most likely to be overstimulated?
2. In what season of your life have you felt the most sensory overload? 
3. Do you put on "comfy clothes" when you get home?  What other examples can you think of of ways you may try to rest your senses without even being aware that it is what you're doing?
4. Respond to this quote: “We accept the health benefits of avoiding junk food, but we rarely consider the effects of the junky cluttered sensory impressions we receive from our choices of entertainment of living environment.” (Sacred Rest, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, p 89) What type of "junk food" have you been allowing to bombard your senses?
5. What evidence of sensory exhaustion can you see in your life right now? Think through each of your senses. Which senses are most in need of a rest?
6. How does sensory exhaustion affect you mentally? Physically? Relationally?
7. God gave us our senses so that we could interact with and receive information from the world around us.  In what ways could we better care for our senses, so they are best able to serve us?
8. How might constant sensory stimulation lead to a spiritual dullness?
9. Read Isaiah 30:15.  Reflect on this phrase, "In quietness and confidence is your strength." How does quietness produce spiritual strength?  How might depriving our senses lead to greater strength?
10. Is it possible that we are intentionally (or unintentionally) crowding God out of our lives, by filling our environments with so much noise and sensory stimulation that we are no longer able to see and hear Him? What steps are you willing to take to lessen your sensory input?

1. Are you more of a mountains or ocean person?
2. Think about the most beautiful or breathtaking thing you've ever seen in creation.  Describe it to the group.  What were your emotions when you first saw that thing/place?
3. Do you think you have lost appreciation for the simple beauty of creation as you have gotten older?  What is still able to captivate you?
4. What about your life is the most creatively draining? (When do you have to think outside the box, trouble shoot, or be creative?)
5. Respond to the idea that wasted time is not a waste.
6. Do you ever feel like the darkness and sin in the world are overwhelming?  How do you cope with that?
7. Read Psalm 19:1-4. How does creation point you to God?
8. Respond to this quote from Sacred Rest, "His presence is how He connects us to His rest.  It is part invitation and part prescription." (Dalton-Smith, 99)
9. Do one of these options this week: a. Set aside an extended time for creative rest.  Make a plan and do it;  b. Practice the flow-break rhythm.  Set a timer and take a break every ninety minutes to two hours.

1. Have you ever thought about how social media affects your emotions? Consider it now.  What do you think the effect is?
2. Discuss empathy.  Are you someone who is highly empathetic? How do the emotions of others affect you? Are you able to recognize when you are absorbing someone else's emotions and making them your own?
3. Respond to this quote: "Research show that introverts are more likely to be affected by others' positive emotions whereas extroverts tend to be more affected by others' negative emotional expressions.  Women tend to be vulnerable to absorbing the stress and negativity of those around them." (p.62-63 Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD)
4. Can you give an example of a time you entered into the emotions of a friend or loved one (either positive or negative emotions) similar to Karen and the older gentleman? How is this Scriptural? What was the outcome for you?  What was the outcome for them? 
5. Do you have a group of friends with whom you can be emotionally authentic? What does this look like?
6. Do you regularly feel like you are managing your emotions?  Where do we cross the line from managing our emotions (so we have appropriate responses in different situations) to hiding and being inauthentic with our emotions? Relate your own hiding to how Adam and Eve hid.
7. Read Exodus 14:14.  Discuss the gift of cessation.  How does ceasing bless us in relation to our emotions?
8. Read Matthew 11:28-30 and Philippians 4:6-7. Discuss the gift of exchange.  What is God promising in these verses? Why do we not take Him up on this offer more regularly?
9. Try journaling this week.  Spend a few minutes at the end of each day and be authentic with God as you share your emotions with him.  Ask Him to exchange your negative emotions for rest and peace.

1. Read Psalm 46 together.
2. Do you have a hard time being still?  
3. What could/does being still look like for you? 
4. Who is God? Make a list of His attributes.  
5. Do you have heart knowledge or head knowledge of who He is?  
6. Do you live more so out of trust or out of obedience?  
7. What does being still or in solitude make you feel? 
8. Give an example of a storm you’ve gone through that having a foundation of who God is helped you. 
9. Where do you seek comfort or encouragement from first? 
10. What is a way you can practice “being still” this week to better know who God is? Make a goal to practice it this week.  

1. Read Hebrews 4 together.
2. What stands out to you the most in this passage? 
3. Have you ever felt as if you were “wandering the desert” when you didn’t trust God? Explain.
4. Do you live as if heaven is real?   
5. Do you live life with purpose? Or do you feel easily distracted? Explain. 
6. What are you most excited to rest from in Heaven? 
7. When you hear the phrase “make heaven crowded” what emotion does that evoke in you? Why do you think that is?
8. Do you feel like you are more focused on pleasure or purpose? Explain.
9. What scares you the most about sharing Jesus with others? How can you overcome that fear?
10. What is a way you can “spread your fire” or share Jesus with someone so they can know that peace and rest, too? Make it a goal to do that this week. 

• Read the story of Mary, Martha and Jesus again together. Luke 10:38-42 How does busyness impact your relationships?
• Has there been a time when life felt "slower"?
• How did a slower pace affect your relationships?
• Brooklyn said that God has been reminding her she isn't here to get things done, she's here to love people.  Are you more focused on tasks or people?  
• Do you allow tasks and busyness to distract you from people and from what God is doing?
• Last week we talked about the phrase "come to me" - how does slowing down relate to coming to Jesus?
• Karen suggested that the "better" thing that Mary found was rest.  Discuss the idea that true rest can only be found in Jesus' presence.
• Jesus did not live a hurried life, because He knew that God had things handled.  How would this shift in perspective change the way you live?
• Karen offered some ways to assess if your life is full or busy.  Talk through each of these (discuss each question, as well as the implications of each). 
  • a. Are people a bother or are they free to interrupt you?
  • b. Are there people who have pushed their way into your inner circles with whom you need to set boundaries?
  • c. Are there things you're doing that God didn't call you to, that someone else could do, or that don't need to be done?,
  • d. Look at your schedule and assess why you're doing each thing.  
• Do you/your kids need to be involved in so many activities?
• How might simplifying your schedule and slowing down make space for rest and God?
• Practice the pause.  Set an alarm for three or more times a day, and when it goes off, pause from your work and spend time sitting with Jesus.

1. We are all included in this offer.  Right now, would you say you're more weary from the active work (busyness) of life, or more tired from carrying the mental burden (to-do lists, shoulds, guilt, etc)?
2. Our first action step is to "come" to Jesus.  Have you come to Him?  Is your trust in Him? What does it mean to you to trust Him?
3. Talk about the analogy of a child coming to his mom for comfort when he gets hurt. Do you have this type of relationship with Jesus?
4. "Let me teach you" Are you willing to learn? Are you tired of doing things your way or the world's way?
5. Jesus says he is a humble and gentle teacher.  Reflect on that.  What does that speak to your heart?  Why might you be more willing to listen to the teaching of a humble and gentle teacher than that of a demanding or harsh teacher?
6. Jesus also says the yoke he give us is easy and burden he asks us to carry is light. Consider the "active toiling work" and "exhausting mental burden" that the world give us and contrast them with what Jesus is asking of us. Why do we continually choose the world's yoke and burden over Jesus'? 
7. Do you recognize your desire for rest?  Or are you like that new mama, just powering through, not even aware of how soul-tired you are?
8. What about this whole passage sounds appealing?  What feels daunting?
9. "Take my yoke" We have to put it into action. What is Jesus calling you to? What is your action step?

1. Prior to listening to the podcast, what did you know about Sabbath?  Have you ever consistently "Sabbathed"? (yes we are using it as a verb )? 
2. God did not need to rest on the seventh day, but He did. Why?  What does that teach us?
3. What have you learned from society (or your family) about work, busyness and rest?
4. Does the idea of Sabbath sound enticing or daunting to you?
5. Read these verses about Sabbath.   (Exodus 31:12-17, Mark 2:27, Isaiah 58:13) What do you glean from them?
6. Karen and Broolyn listed several reasons people don't Sabbath.  Which one applies to you (or do you have other reasons)? (They listed: We haven't been taught; we have accepted the lies of society;  we haven't experienced true Sabbath; we haven't tried long enough, don't like to acknowledge our limits; we make work/busyness an idol; we don't trust God; We are disobedient; we have outside forces like a work schedule)
7. Are there any legitimate reasons to not Sabbath, or are they all excuses we give to cover our disobedience?
8. If you have truly enjoyed the rest and joy of Sabbath, share your experience with the others. If none of you have practiced Sabbath, talk about (anticipate) the joy and peace it could bring to your life if you took one day each week to slow down and enjoy life.
9. What would you need to do to prepare for Sabbath (like prepping to go camping)?
10. Prior to your group meeting, look up a study on the science of Sabbath or rest.  Come to group prepared to share one way that science backs what God has shared in Scripture.
11. Sabbath.  Set aside a day this week to do only life-giving, filling activities and no work.  Come next week ready to share your experience. 

1. When we say the word rest, what do you think of?
2. Do you view rest more positively, or more negatively? Why?
3. What has contributed to that perception?
4. Would you say you are good at resting? Why/why not?
5. Has there been a season of your life when it was easier to rest? Harder to rest?
6. Has God ever “forced” you to rest?
7. Are you open to the idea of rest being a gift? If so, what does that mean for you practically speaking
8. Read Psalm 55:1-8.  Have you ever felt like the Psalmist, overwhelmed by life and wishing you could fly away and rest?
9. What in these verses do you resonate with?
10. Read Psalm 55:16-18.  What might calling out to God and trusting God have to do with rest?
11. Is this hard or easy for you? 
12. What do you think would make it easier?
13. Spend this next week praying about rest.  Ask God to show you what parts of your life might be out of balance. 

1. Do you take a Sabbath?  Why/ why not?
2. What are you looking for in a potential spouse?
3. What makes waiting for a spouse difficult?  What makes it easier?
4. Have you struggled with sexual desires? 
5. How have you been able to fight the temptation?
6. What makes it more difficult?
7. Are there things you should eliminate from your life in order to guard your heart?
8. Have you had a “numb” season? Did you run toward Jesus or drift away from Him in that season?
9. Are you someone who is excited by the future and the unknown, or someone who wants the full map? 
10. Do you trust that God will be with you in the unknown?
11. How could you take a step of trusting Him in faith right now?

1. What does good friendship look like to you? 
2. What qualities do you appreciate in a friend?
3. Have you ever had to walk away from a friendship?  How did that affect you?
4. Have you been hurt by a friend? How have you sought healing?
5. Have you ever reconciled with a friend after a period of separation/hurt? What did that look like?
6. How do you pursue friendship with God?
7. Create your own friendship circles drawing.  What did you realize from doing that activity? Are there people you should be giving more/less time and attention?
8. What is one thing that Karen or Brooklyn said that challenged you or inspired you?
9. Are you currently in a season of friendship struggle? What is your next step?

1. List (without going into detail) 3-4 difficult seasons that you have gone through.
2. Talk about how you handled each of those seasons?  What did you do well?  How could you have handled it better?
3. What have you learned through seasons of suffering?
4. How has God redeemed a season of suffering?
5. What do you believe about God? How does that affect how you suffer?
6. Do you have "valley girls" who point you to Jesus and remind you to keep looking above during seasons of trial?
7. Have you witnessed someone who suffered well and glorified God in their suffering?  What did that look like?
8. What is one thing that Karen or Brooklyn said that challenged you or inspired you?
9. Are you currently in a season of suffering? What is your next step?

1. If you're a parent, talk for a few minutes about your kids (they're ages, stages, personalities).
2. Talk for a few minutes about your parents.  What did you like about how they parented?  What will you do differently?
3. If you're a parent, what is the most rewarding aspect of parenting for you?  What is your biggest struggle?
4. What advice have you read or learned from others that you appreciate?
5. Do you excel at giving grace to your kids and yourself, or is it a struggle?  How can you remember to have grace?
6. If you aren't a parent yet, what is one thing that Brooklyn or Karen shared that you'd like to remember when you become a parent?
7. Do you struggle to trust God daily?  How can you grow in this aspect of your faith journey (so that as a parent, now or in the future, you are better able to rely on His wisdom)?
8. What has God's love for you looked like?  How can you apply that same type of love to parenting?d

1. What is one thing you loved about your wedding day?  What is one thing you wish you could have changed?
2. What do you love about being married? What is one thing (in marriage) that your spouse is really good at?
3. What is one way you could be a better wife?
4. Karen and Brooklyn shared some advice they've learned through the years.  What do you wish you knew before you were married?  What lessons have you learned?
5. Your husband is not your girlfriend.  Do you have any emotions you need to share now with your friend, to spare your husband later? :)

1. How would you have defined success when you were younger?  How do you define success now?  How do these compare to God's definition of success?
2. How would you have defined beauty when you were younger?  How do you define beauty now?  How do these compare to God's definition of beauty?
3. How would you have defined sin when you were younger?  How do you define sin now? How do these compare to God's definition of sin? How do we know what God's will or God's best is for us? Why should we be less concerned with how close we can get to the line and more concerned with how close we can get to God?
4. What does the world tell us about fun/ pleasure?  What does Scripture tell us about pleasure?  Where does true joy come from? 
5. Why do we live traumatized and broken, rather than seeking healing?  Why do we stay stuck? What is one thing you need to seek healing from?

The Takeaway: "So we fix our eyes, not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18

Action Step: Choose one of the above topics (success, beauty, sin, pleasure, trauma), and find a verse that helps you to remember God's truth on that topic.  Write it on a note card and work on memorizing it this week.

Even though you might not be meeting with your Life Group over the next three months, we encourage you to keep listening and get together with a friend (twice a month) for coffee and to chat about whatever we discussed!  Don't let the break from Life Groups mean a break from meaningful relationship!

Here are the questions we discussed...talk about them at coffee with your friend!

What’s a skill you want to learn?
What is the biggest risk you ever took?
What is your favorite joke?
What was the last book you read?
What is your pet peeve?
What phone app do you use the most
Would you run a marathon?
What did you want to be when you grew up?
What situations make you feel most anxious?
Have you ever been close to death?
Would you rather give up eating or sleeping?

Take away:  Brooklyn is not 13 :) Brooklyn and Karen are "real" people with real feelings and real fears.

Action step: Set up coffee with a friend and discuss the Getting To Know You questions!

1. Tell a story of a fight you had with someone when you were much younger.
2. Verse 12 says our battle is not against flesh and blood enemies. Why is this important information? How do we maintain that perspective when we are "fighting" with another person?
3. When life gets hard (temptation, inter-personal conflict) who's strength do you operate in?  What "armor" do you rely on? 
4.  How have you seen relying on your own strength and on "worldly" armor to be undependable or faulty strategies?
5. Have you ever been in a situation where you know it was God's power sustaining you, because your power was gone?  Describe that situation. How might we rely on God's power in all situations (not just when our power is gone)?
6. As a group, discuss each of the pieces of armor and how it equips you to fight a spiritual battle.
7. Do you have, or have you had a spiritual mentor?  What is that relationship like?
8. How might this group work together to seek God's will in your lives individually, and God's will for the group?

The Takeaway: We all need people in our lives who will give us godly advice and remind us that we're in a spiritual battle.  Seeking guidance is a discipline. 

Action Step: Pray about seeking a mentor or spiritual director who can help you seek God's will in your life. Invite someone into this role.

On this episode, Karen and Brooklyn discuss the biblical concept of submission as presented in Ephesians chapters 5 and 6 and discuss how this view of submission is far different than our society's take on the topic.

1. Without naming names, talk about a best friend of yours. What makes him/ her your best friend? Why do you love him/her?
2. What would you do for your best friend? (Would you give him/her a kidney?  Would you suffer for him/her?  Would you give your life for him/her?) Why?
3. Talk about Jesus' submission to God.  What did that look like in His life?  What did that look like in His death?
4. Submission is a hot-button topic. Why do people in our society hate the term 'submission' so much?
5. Ultimately, we submit to each other because we are submitted to God.  Based on these verses, what does submission to God look like for husbands, fathers and masters?
6. If husbands, fathers and masters lived according to this passage, how might that change wives' children's and slaves' perception of submission and desire to submit?
7. We are called to submit to each other.  What might that look like practically in your life?  
8. How does submission build unity?
9. Submission provides protection.  How?
10. Talk about the context in which this passage was written. How is Paul actually honoring and elevating wives, children and slaves in this passage?

The Takeaway: Submission brings freedom in our relationships as we honor and esteem each other.  God desires order in the body, and submission brings order.

Action Step: Pray about your attitude concerning submission.  Who is a godly person in your life to whom you could submit?  

1. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 
2. What or who do you imitate today?
3. Do you know God well enough to imitate Him?  How do you know what you know about God? 
4. Skim thru the passage and come up with a list of "do's" and "don'ts". Can you put a reason with each item on the list-why would Paul say "to do" or "not to do" that?
5. Give an example of how someone else's shining brought your darkness to light.
6. Discuss how gratitude towards God helps us avoid sin.
7. What are some examples of the darkness of the world that we might still be tempted to participate in after coming to Christ.  How can we live as light when faced with those temptations?
8. Have you fasted? What was that experience like?
9. How can denying ourselves a physical pleasure (or necessity like food) bring us closer to God?
10. Other than food and technology, what could a person fast from?

The Takeaway: To imitate God we have to know Him.  One of the ways we can know Him more with through fasting.

Action Step: Choose something to fast from for one day this week.  Be intentional and replace the time you would have spent on that thing with time with God.

Questions for Group Discussion:

Last week you were encouraged to SOAP this week.  Take a few minutes and share something that you discovered during your Bible study.

1. Tell a story of a time when you felt deep sadness.
2. Vs. 30 says that how we live can cause the Holy Spirit to suffer deep emotional pain.  How do you feel about that?
3. When we sin, we "wander far from the life God gives" (vs.18). Why does it matter?
4. Why don't we just continue wearing our "dirty clothes" (sinful nature)?
5. We are told to "level up" and allow the Spirit raise our thoughts and attitudes to higher levels.(vs. 23) What does that look like?
6. Take some time to work thru verses 25-32.  What dirty clothes are we to take off?  What new nature are we to put on? Why does each matter?
7. Have you ever practiced the discipline of confession?  If so, what did that look like?  If not, why not?
8. What about confession sounds scary or intimidating to you?  What about confession sounds good or enticing?
9. How might this group practice the discipline of confession?
10. Each person tell the group one way you struggled this past week (could be a temptation/sin, could be an emotional struggle).  The rest of the group should respond by saying "We will not leave the room" (meaning "we are with you and your struggle won't scare us away.")
11. End by pairing up (get with a partner) and pray for each other.

The Takeaway: Confession is for our own good, so our hearts don't become callous to our sin.

Action Step: Daily confession. Begin by asking the Holy Spirit to reveal sin in your life.  Start the practice of confessing your sins to God and if so prompted, with a trusted friend.

Group activity:

This week you will work together to study Ephesians 4:1-16.  Break into pairs (two people) and assign each pair a small section of the passage to study.  Use the first portion of your time to do the things that Karen described on the podcast.  Together with your partner: Highlight words that stand out.  Ask questions about what phrases mean or why they're important. Look up a commentary on biblehub.com and read about the verse.  Possibly look up a word in the original Greek. Make notes.

Use the next portion of your time together to share what you learned during your study. Feel free to share what parts of the study process were easy/ difficult/ intriguing/ confusing to you.

Finish by discussing: Why is this important? | How can we apply what we learned? | 

The Takeaway: Baby birds grow up.  You need to too. Take the next step in growing in Bible study.

Action Step: Spend time in daily study this week.  Practice the SOAP method. (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) 

Questions to discuss with your group:

1. How does the knowledge that Paul was in prison while writing this letter change the way you read it?
2. Are you a "plan person or a "wing it" person? How do you respond to the fact that God has a plan?
3. How might remembering Paul's past help you to be more gracious with others?  How might it change your view of your own eligibility to be used by God?
4. When you think of God as Father, what thoughts come to your mind?  How do you feel?
5. You have access to God.  The God of the universe. Do you come to him boldly and confidently?  Why/why not?
6. What does it mean to you that God has settled down as a permanent resident within you? How does/should that change the way we live?
7. Have you practiced Christian meditation before?  Talk about your struggles or joys with the process.
8. How might this group put this discipline into practice this week?

The Takeaway: Disciplines take discipline.  Don't give up if meditation doesn't come easily. 

Action Step: Choose a verse or attribute of Jesus to meditate upon this week. Set aside time to practice meditation.  Come back next week and share how this practice went.

Questions to discuss with your group:

1. What does it feel like to be far away from Christ?
2. We live under the new covenant.  Because of Christ's sacrifice (vs. 13) we have been brought near.  What does this mean for us?
3. Does fellowship come naturally to you, or do you need to discipline yourself to do it?
4. The Greek word translated "peace" in this passage has to do with wholeness, and being bound together.  How can Christian community (fellowship) foster peace?
5. When have you realized your need for Christian community?
6. Why do you most often isolate or resist going deeper in friendship?
7. Have you ever experienced an unlikely friendship that was united by your love for Christ? What did that look like? How did/does that friendship bless you?
8. Talk about the beauty of fellowship.  What can happen in fellowship that won't happen in isolation?
9. Are you more naturally a "giver" or a "receiver" in friendship?  What one step can you take this week to do the one that does not come naturally to you?
10. Why is it important to give and receive?

The Takeaway: Because our souls need fellowship, we should be disciplined in seeking it.

Action Step: Get together with some Christian friends this week.  Light a candle. Engage in meaningful conversation. Take time to listen well and encourage each other. Ask good questions that help you get to know each other better. 

Questions to discuss with your group:

1. Talk about your life before Christ.  Can you look back now and see that you were a zombie -comatose-corpse?
2. How is your life different with Christ (How are you missing the mark less now that you are walking with Jesus? How are you more awake spiritually)?
3. Karen described sin as "missing the mark" and talked about how this extends beyond what we would consider "big moral failures."  What is your response to that definition?
4. Read verses 4& 5. How do you feel knowing that Jesus loved you in your sinful state?
5. Christ's gift to us is life (that begins now) and salvation from eternal death. We can't earn it.  How does that knowledge shape your desire to worship?
6. What or whom do your worship?  Are you more apt to worship God or a human/sports team/ performer?
7. How do you engage in worship (privately and corporately)?
8. What holds you back from worshipping openly and passionately?
9. How might this group engage in worship together?

The Takeaway: Experiencing God daily leads us to worship Him passionately.

Action Step: Watch for God this week.  Pray and ask Him to show you where He is at work around you.  Then go to church Sunday ready to worship Him for who He is and what He is doing in your life.

In this episode, Karen and Brooklyn chat about prayer and look at the prayer Paul prayed for the Ephesian church.  This prayer was quite different than the prayers that most of us pray for our friends and might change our view of what is most important to pray for.

Questions to discuss with your group:

1. How do you feel about praying out loud?  Why do you feel that way?
2. Read Acts 2:42. What do you do with what you hear preached on a Sunday morning?
3. Do you have a desire to know more about God?  Do your actions show evidence of that desire?
4. Why is it important to have an accurate, true, and thorough understanding of God?
5. Is God your first line of defense or your backup plan when you run into difficulty? Why do you think that is?
6. What is a bold prayer you're afraid to pray? How would a better understanding of God's power change your willingness to pray that prayer?
7. Talk as a group about any prayer fails you've experienced (saying the wrong words, "Burning Ring of Fire" coming on as you pray, etc.). Then take time to commit to each other that this group is a safe place to practice prayer.
8. Share any stories you have of answered prayer.  How does hearing those stories make you feel about prayer?
9. What does it mean to pray expectantly?

Pray. Go around the circle and each of you pray for the person on your right.  Pray for any prayer requests she may have mentioned as well as 

The Takeaway: Prayer can change your friends' lives

Action Step: Exchange names and pray intentionally for that one person every day this week using this passage as your guide.

It's a new season for Looking Above!  This season we'll be talking about how we grow in Christ together.  We'll focus our time on the book of Ephesians and also discuss how we can use the spiritual disciplines to grow together.  Karen and Brooklyn are discussing our blessings in Christ and how we should celebrate all that God has done for us.  It is important to recognize God's work and praise Him together.  Our faith grows from hearing the testimonies of others.

Questions to discuss with your group:

1. Together as a group go thru the passage and create a list of all the things God does (look for verbs).  Create a second list of what we receive or are offered.
2. Verses 3, 6, 12, and 14 speak of praise.  Go around the group and have each person select one word/phrase from each list and share praise.  Why does that word/phrase resonate with you?  What does it mean to receive that as a gift from God?
3. If you have time, have individuals share testimony either of how they came to Christ or of what God is currently doing in their life.  (This alone could fill your entire group meeting)
4. Celebrate.  Party.  Give high fives.  Dance.  Whoop and holler. Do something together as a group (even if you feel silly) to celebrate God's goodness.

The Takeaway: We have been so very blessed by God.  We should regularly take time to celebrate His goodness.

Action Step: How will you personally celebrate God's goodness this week?

Questions for large group discussion: 

1. Brooklyn suggested you develop a friendship with God first? Have you done this? If so, how does it relieve pressure from human friendship? If not, can you see why this should be the first step?
2. Read John 13:34-35. How is friendship obedience to God?  Have you been obedient to God's will for how we do relationship?
3. How does viewing friendship as a gift rather than something expected open us to gratitude?
4. Why is it dangerous to look to friends for worth? Have you done this? What was the result?
5. Are you tempted to compare (to your friends? to your friends other friends? to other people's friendships?)?
6. Does insecurity lead to comparison or vice versa?
7. Satan is the father of lies and uses lies to destroy our relationships.  What lies have you been tempted to believe about friends/friendships?
8. What has comparison stolen from you?
9. What are you gifted at in friendship? (Are you wise, encouraging, steady, loyal...?)
10. Read Matthew 20:24-28 How can you be a servant in friendship?

The Takeaway: Friendships are healthiest when our worth is found in Christ.

To-Do This Week: Be intentional in your friendship with Christ this week. If you find yourself comparing or struggling with placing worth in friends, take those thoughts captive and ask God to replace the lies with truth.

Questions for large group discussion: 

1. Let's talk about the positive. Share how a "friend for a season" impacted your life at just the right time.
2. At the end of the podcast, Kalaina shared, "Do unto others as you wish others had done unto you." Looking back at a pain you felt from a friendship, what did you learn to do differently in the future so you don't hurt others in the same way?
3. Why is it so hard to evaluate and admit our contribution to the friendship breakdown? | Why does Jesus instruct us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us? (Matthew 5:43-48)

Break into pairs now, so everyone has time to share. Please note, that this is a time for self-reflection not for bashing someone who hurt you.  Each person should have about 15 minutes to answer the following questions:

1. Have you had a relationship break down (recently or in the past)?  Describe the situation briefly. What were the circumstances that led to the breakdown?
2. Have you looked honestly at your involvement?  How did you contribute to the breakdown?
3. Have you forgiven your friend?
4. Have you asked for forgiveness?
5. Have you allowed yourself to grieve the loss? What did that look like?
6. What did you do well following the breakdown?  What could you have done better?
7. Are you able to pray for that friend?  If you see her do you think positive/neutral/negative thoughts about her?
8. Have you built walls around yourself? Did you get comfortable in your grief?
9. What did you learn from that friendship break-up?  What will you do better in the future?

 The Takeaway: Relational breakdown happens but you can grow through it.

To-Do This Week: Intentionally pray for any "ex-friends" (or friends you're currently struggling with) that God brings to mind this week.

Questions for discussion: 

1. Would you categorize your life as busy? Why or why not?
2. Do you agree with the statement, "Hurry and love are incompatible"? (John Mark Comer) Explain your answer.
3. Why do we choose the urgent over the important so frequently? What is the danger in that practice?
4. How could you invite friends into your life ?(ie. run errands together, clean each others' houses)
5. Read Luke 10:38-42 Do you relate more to Mary or Martha? How so? What point was Jesus making by praising Mary?
6. Are you an initiator? If not, why not?  If so, how do you feel when you are the only one who initiates?
7. Discuss this quote from Find Your People, "We've replaced intrusive, real conversations with small talk, and we've substituted soul-baring, deep, connected living with texts and a night out together every once in a while because the superficial stuff seems more manageable and less risky." (Jennie Allen) Is this true in your life? Do you feel lonely and like no one really knows you?
8. What is a step you will take this week to prioritize relationships over busyness?

The Takeaway: Combat busyness with intentionality. 

To-Do This Week:  Identify someone with whom you want a deeper friendship.  Invite her into your busyness this week.

Questions for discussion: 

1. Who do you know that is a natural encourager?  How do you feel in their presence?
2. "Don’t bite, devour, and consume one another" Galatians 5:15 How do you feel when in the presence of those who "bite" with their words? Do you bite others with your words?  Why do you think you/others do this?
3. "Don’t grumble among one another" John 6:43 What's the difference between healthy venting and grumbling? How can grumbling affect our relationships?
4. "Don’t complain against one another" James 4:11 Lindsey mentioned that the ratio of positive to negative interactions should be 5 to 1. Reflect on this.  How are you doing with your friends? (your kids? your spouse?)
5. "Encourage and build up one another" 1 Thessalonians 5:11 We have the opportunity to be like the Holy Spirit and encourage and build our friends up. Who has done this well in your life? How did they do this?
6. "Stimulate one another to love and good deeds" Hebrews 10:24 How can your Life Group "provoke" you (to love and good deeds)?  How do you need them to share courage with you?
7. Is there a friend who has been torn down, that you know you need to encourage?  What's your first step?

The Takeaway: Our words may be the most constructive or destructive force in our relationships.

To-Do This Week:  Encourage one friend daily! (You can do it!  I believe in you!)

Questions for discussion: 

Are you an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert? (remember, this has nothing to do with shyness, but rather where we gain or are drained of energy) Acknowledge how this affects your relationships.

Have you ever felt isolated relationally due to circumstances? Explain.

Have you ever isolated yourself based on lies you were believing? Can you identify the lies?

When have you had to be pushed out of your comfort zone?  What was the result?

Have you ever felt safer in your isolation than in reaching out? What is at stake in reaching out?

What is your "comfort zone" that may keep you from better relationships?

What growth/discomfort is necessary to move you from where you are (in your comfort zone)?

What do you desire in friendship? (If you stepped out of your comfort zone, what would be your desired goal/outcome)

What is one step you will take this week to move outside your comfort zone? (ie. invite someone into your messy home, tell a friend about your "messy" life situation, etc.) 

The Takeaway: "Nothing new happens as long as we are in our self-constructed comfort zone." - Suzanne Stabile

To-Do This Week:  Take one step outside your comfort zone. 

Special Guest - Darci Wilson

Let's be real, sometimes our friends hurt us.  In this episode, Karen talks with Darci about one of the most tragic killers of friendship - offense.  When we choose offense over grace, friendships weaken and frequently die.  Fighting offense requires intentionality in our thoughts and actions.

Questions for discussion: 

1. What's the silliest (most trivial) offense you can think of?
2. Are you someone who is easily offended or someone who is hard to offend?  Why do you think that is?
3. Which reason for offense are you most prone to: self-focus, insecurity, feeling left out, misunderstandings, disagreement?
4. Can you think of a time you offended someone unintentionally?
5. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take every thought captive. Is this something you do? What does that look like for you?
6. How can thinking on the truth and assuming the best change our response to potentially offending situations?
7. 1 Peter 4:8 It is most loving to be honest with our friends. Why is it important that we talk honestly about offenses rather than bottling them?
8. Colossians 3:13 Do you often think about the forgiveness and grace God extends to you?  How can that awareness change the way you offer forgiveness?
9. Do you agree with Darci's assertion that it's good for friends to fight?
10. Is there a friendship you need to repair? Can our group pray for you as you take steps to repair the offense?

The Takeaway: The Enemy wants to tear down our relationships.  We have to fight offense by controlling our thoughts, showing love in honesty, and choosing to forgive.

To-Do This Week:  Have the hard conversation you've been avoiding.  If you've offended someone, work to bring reconciliation.  If you've been offended, lovingly tell your friend and then extend grace.

We weren't meant to do life alone.  We need to cultivate friendships in the good days and the mundane days so we have friends to lean on when life assaults us. In this episode, Karen discusses our need for what she calls Valley Girls, friends who will walk with you through the hard days. 

Questions for discussion: 

1. Why are you tempted to travel the valley alone? Think of the lies the world tells us.  Which one resonates with you?
2. Tell a story of someone who pursued you in a valley.
3. Tell a story of a time you practiced presence and walked through a valley with a friend.
4. Have you walked through a valley that you sense God wants to use - so that you can encourage others in a similar valley?
5. Proclaim hope to each other right now.  How have you seen God at work recently? Have you had answered prayers? Has He been teaching you something?
6. Are you in a valley right now?  Are you tempted to sit down in that valley?  How can this group push you and encourage you to keep walking?

If someone shared about a valley in the previous question, spend time right now pointing her to Jesus.

Go to battle for each other. Exchange names and each of you pray for another in the group this week. 

The Takeaway: We weren't created to be in the valley alone, cultivate friendships that will sustain you in the valley.

To-Do This Week:  Be someone's Valley Girl this week. Pick one of the eight roles of a Valley Girl and make an effort to do that for a friend before your group meets again.

Sawyer Poitra joins Karen today for a discussion of how online friendship might be hindering face-to-face friendship.  Sawyer is the CEO of the Women's Resource Center in Gillette, and also works in social media marketing.  Social media has its place in society, in ministry, and in friendship, however, at some levels, it is keeping us from the joy of authentic in-person community.

Questions for discussion: 

1. How many friends/ followers do you have on social media? With how many of them have you spent 90 hours of face-to-face time (the minimum amount of time required for true friendship)?
2. How much time do you spend on social media weekly? (use your phone to see your usage habits)
3. Who do you check on without being prompted by social media?  Who checks on you?
4. Respond to this statement: Social media allows us to have wide relationships (surface relationships with many) whereas in-person allows us to have deep relationships (more in-depth relationships with few).
5. Why are we willing to substitute a shallower online friendship for a deeper more meaningful in person relationship?
6. Read 1 Thessalonians 2:8 Tell a story of a time you "did life" with a friend (like when Sawyer washed Karen's dishes) and share how being side-by-side deepened your friendship.
7. How do you think Satan might be utilizing social media to destroy God's intent for relationship?
8. Karen shared the idea of social media friendships being more like spectatorship, while in-person friendships have the capacity to be more participatory. What excites you and what scares you about participatory friendship? 

The Takeaway: Investing in face-to-face relationships is more work (than social media friendships), but will result in deeper, more life-giving friendships.

To Do This Week:  Do a social media assessment (or NetFlix, or t.v., or whatever other way you choose to use your time that keeps you from face to face relationship).  Cut back your social media (or other distraction) by one hour a day and invest that time in a face-to-face relationship.

Looking above episode 13 - Becoming the Friend You Want

In this episode, Karen is joined by Katie Golinvaux, a Biblical Counselor, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Pastor's Wife, and dear friend.  If you desire to be a better friend, you'll want to grab paper and a pen so you can take notes!  Katie shares such wonderful wisdom regarding being who God created you to be.

Discussion Questions:

1. You don't need to know that Gallup lingo to know your strengths. Take turns telling the group some of your strengths (what makes you feel strong?) What do you do well? What do you enjoy? What are some of your favorite jobs or life experiences?
2. What kind of friend are you? - Do you enjoy crowds or one-on-one time? What types of things do you like to do with others? Do you enjoy helping people process emotions or are you more logical?
3. Respond to the sunglasses illustration. Are you tempted to judge others through your own strengths? How has this affected your friendships?
4. Respond to Katie's report card metaphor.  Why is it helpful/important to focus on your strengths?
5. When have you tried to be someone you are not?
6. Jennie Allen refers to six types of friends in her book "Find Your People" : The Encourager, The Foxhole Friend, The Challenger, The Fun One, The Planner, and The Sage (check out her Instagram for descriptions of each).  Which type of friend are you? Which type of friend are you most in need of right now?
7. Katie referenced these passages: Proverbs 17:17, Proverbs 27:17, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Do a self-assessment based on those passages. How are you doing as a friend?

The Takeaway: Be who God created you to be - focus on your strengths in order to be a better friend.

To-Do This Week:  Get together with a friend and ask each other:  How are we alike?  How are we different?  How do we help each other fill in the gaps?  How do we sometimes misunderstand each other? Celebrate your differences and remember God made you different!

It's Galentines Day, what better day to discuss how we love our girlfriends better?  I enjoyed my discussion, with my friend Sara McCormick, the youth pastor at New Life.  I hope this episode encourages you to love your friends well!

Discussion Questions:

1. Who followed through on the "to-do" task from last week and reached out to those in their circles? How did that go?
2. Tell the group a story about a friend who loved you well.  What did that look like?
3. Take a few minutes to re-cap the five love languages. Share some ideas of how you have seen these love languages used well in friendships.
4. What is your primary love language?  How could your friends use your love language to show you, love?
5. Re-read John 13:34-35. Why are we to love each other well?
6. Talk about how Jesus loved his disciples/friends.  Can you give examples of his love in action?
7. If we are to follow Jesus' example, how should we love our friends?
8. Have you ever been in a situation, like Sara, where you were struggling but didn't tell your friends?  Why didn't you tell them?  How might the situation have been different if you had been honest with your friends?
9. What keeps us from being honest with friends?
10. Time to get honest...how are you doing with friendships? Do you and your friends show each other love well?  If not, why not?
11. How could this group show you love?
12. Reflect back on your circles from last week.  Do you know the love languages of the friends in your circles?

The Takeaway:  In order to love each other well, friends need to communicate well.

To-Do this Week: Start having conversations with the friends in your circles, ask them how can you better love each other?

It's Season 2 of Looking Above and this spring we're taking a deep dive into the realm of spiritual friendships.  Today Karen lays a foundation for why this topic is so needed and then discusses our relationship circles.  This season you're encouraged to grab a couple of friends (or acquaintances you wish were friends) and get together each week to discuss the episode.  We hope that by the end of the next twelve weeks, you're a better friend, and you have better friendships!  Before you meet with your group - You'll need paper and a pen.  Start by making a list of all the people you're in a relationship with - anyone who potentially gets some of your relational energy in a given week (list: family, friends, coworkers, church people, gym people, school people, other acquaintances, neighbors) | On a separate page draw a large bullseye (concentric circles) and begin to place people from your first list onto this diagram as Karen described in the podcast. Bring this with you to your group meeting.

Discussion Questions:

1. How easy or difficult was the exercise for you?
2. Did you feel like you had too many people, or too few people to populate your circles?
3. What did this exercise clarify for you?
4. Do you think circles should/could change over time? (I personally like to revisit this annually)
5. What part does prayer play in discerning who gets placed in your circles?
6. Why is it good to know who is in your circles and who is not?
7. What freedom does this exercise give you concerning those on the periphery?
8. What responsibility does this exercise give you concerning those in your circles?
9. If you're willing to be vulnerable, share how you have misprioritized people and given too much time and energy to people who aren't in your circles.  How has this affected relationships with people in the circles? | Share examples of how you saw Jesus prioritize the people in his circles.
10. Read John 15:12-13 What does it mean to lay down one's life for one's friends? Why is it important to know who your friends are?

The Takeaway: You need to know who is in your circles so you can invest in the right people.

To-Do This Week: Reach out to those in your circles (text, phone call, card) and let them know how important they are to you.

In our final section of the book of John, we witness the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus completes the task for which he was sent to earth.  We'll be back in the New Year with new episodes of Looking Above, have a blessed holiday season!

Discussion Questions:

1. As you read the account of Jesus' scourging and crucifixion, what emotions do you feel? Make it personal.  He endured that for YOU.
2. Take a peek at some of the prophecies that were fulfilled in these chapters. Scholars say Jesus fulfilled more than 300 prophecies.  Why is it noteworthy?
3. Read Hebrews 4:14 - 16 and reflect on Jesus as our High Priest (John 19:23 reference to his seamless robe).  What does this tell us about Jesus? Why is it important to us to have a High Priest?
4. Discuss some of the details that John included (like the hyssop branch and blood & water).  Why were these important to his Jewish readers?  Why are they important details for us?
5. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were "secret disciples." Is there such a thing today?  Can you be a secret follower of Jesus.  Use scripture to substantiate your opinion.
6. Mary of Magdalene deeply loved Jesus and it was seen by her actions.  What do you do that clearly portrays your love for Jesus?
7. Have you ever been so immersed in your grief that you failed to notice Jesus?
8. Are you like Thomas?  Do you isolate in pain?  Do you doubt what you don't see?
9. Jesus charges Peter with caring for "his sheep."  What does "sheep care" look like today? Note that all the disciples were not given the same task.
10. "As for you, Follow me," is Jesus' admonition to Peter and to us.  Why is it so easy to be distracted by others' tasks and blessings and lose focus on what Jesus calls us to do?  How do we keep our focus so we can be obedient to our personal mission?

This week we're discussing John Chapters 17 and 18 where Jesus is about to go to the cross.  We get a sneak peek into his final moments with his disciples as he prays for them and us.  And then we witness the beginning of his journey to the cross.

Discussion Questions:

1. Did you take notice of the words "give," "gave," "given" and "gift" in this passage?  How were they used?  What do you glean from their use?

2. Similarly, take a few minutes and search for the word "glory" in this passage.  How is this word used?

3. Jesus viewed the cross as His glory.  IS it possible for us to view hardship and suffering as glory? How could that perspective change the way we suffer?

4. I shared the story of my AP Calculus test.  Can you share a story of a teacher being glorified because of their student's success?

5. How have you brought glory to God? / Can you accept that we do not get to escape this world and its struggle?  In what ways are we protected in suffering?

6. Jesus prayed for you to be set apart for a special task.  Do you have any ideas about what God has chosen and set you apart to do for His Kingdom? How do you feel, knowing that Jesus asked the Father to equip you to do that task?

7. How/where do you see unity in the Church (the big "c" church - speaking of all believers)?  How/ where do you see disunity in the Church (among believers)?  Why is disunity so problematic?

8. Discuss the imagery of the blood flowing through the Kidron valley as Jesus crossed it on the way to the olive grove.

9. Discuss each of the characters in chapter 18 (Priests/ Pharisees, Soldiers/ Temple Guard, Pilate, Peter, Jesus). What motivated each to act the way they did?  What was noteworthy about their actions? Can you understand why they acted the way they did?  What would you like to ask each of them?

10. How can we be more like Jesus (motivated by obedience and love) and less like the priests and Pilate (motivated by self-preservation/ glorification)?

This week we're discussing John Chapters 15 and 16 and exploring Jesus' teachings.  

Discussion Questions:

1. Talk about the imagery of Jesus as the vine and each of us as branches.  Could you come up with a modern-day equivalent?

2. What is the purpose of the vine? Of the branches?  What type of fruit do we bear?

3. Have you ever been thru a season of pruning?  What did that look like?  Were you more fruitful afterward?

4. Discuss abiding in Jesus.  What does that look like for you?  Share ideas with each other regarding how you can arrange your lives so there is never a day you don't connect with the vine.

5. Have you ever witnessed someone laying down their life for a friend?  What could that look like?

6. How do you feel about the concept of being a friend of Jesus?  Are you a good friend?

7. Jesus warned of persecution.  Why did He do this?  What does this tell us about Jesus?

8. What are some of the roles the Holy Spirit can play in our lives?  Can you give examples of times you have experienced Him in each of these roles?

9. Chapter 6 verse 13 calls the Holy Spirit the "Spirit of Truth" discuss and contrast the work of the Holy Spirit  with the work of the "Father of Lies."

10. Why does Jesus teach to pray using His name? / John 16:33 - What hope does this verse give you?

As Jesus nears the end of his earthly ministry we witness Him preparing the disciples for His departure.

Discussion Questions:

1. Read John 13:1 and discuss how love was the motivation for Jesus' actions. How often does love motivate your actions?

2. How would you feel if Jesus washed your feet?

3. Jesus served.  Consider leaders, authors, influencers, and pastors - do they set an example of service?

4. Are you more likely to serve or be served?  There is a self-serving type of service.  Are you more like to serve with self interest or love as your motivation?

5. Jesus tells his disciples to wash each others feet.  How can we "wash each others feet" today?

6. Discuss John 13:34.  Jesus called us to love like He loved.  What does that look like?  Do the people in your church or small group love like that?

7. What is your response to Jesus preparing a place for you? / Discuss some words and actions of Jesus - consider how those words and actions are also the words and actions of God.

8. Love = obedience. Do your actions show God your love?

9. Share with the group a time your circumstances were difficult but you felt the peace of Christ.

This week we'll discuss John chapters 11 & 12 and view not only the divinity of Jesus, but also his humanity.

Discuss these chapters with a friend or your small group:

1. What does it tell you about Jesus that he had close friendships?
2. Jesus delayed going to Lazarus.  Have you ever had to wait for a response from God?  How did you feel in the waiting?  In retrospect, can you see why God may have delayed?
3. Thomas shows courage in his willingness to travel to Judea with Jesus (ch11, vs 16).  How do you respond to fear?  Do you run away or press on? What is something that God may be calling you to that will require courage?
4. Discuss Jesus' display of emotion in chapter 11, verses 33-35.  What does this tell you about Jesus?  What does this tell you about your own emotions?
5. In the story that begins chapter 12, are you more like Martha or Mary in how you show love to God?  In how you show love to others?  Can you appreciate that God made them (as well as you and those you know) and that we all show our love uniquely?
6. Jesus entrusted Judas with the disciple's accounting even though he knew Judas' heart.  Is there someone that you could entrust with more even though maybe they haven't proven themself yet?
7. Are you more like the Sadducees who were motivated by self-interest, or more like Jesus who was motivated by obedience to God?  How could you grow to be more like Jesus?
8. (Chapter 12, verse 42-43) Can people see your faith?  Do you speak about your faith?  Or do you live in fear live the Jewish leaders?  What is one step you could take this week to be more open about your faith?

This week we’re taking a look at two compelling sections of Scripture, found in John chapters 9 and 10.  In the first, Jesus heals a blind man and the encounter totally changes the man’s life and how he worships.  In chapter 10, we look at Jesus as the good shepherd and his relationship to us as such. 

Discuss these chapters with a friend or your small group:

1. What has God called you to do? (If you can’t think of specific tasks he has called you to personally, you can discuss general things that He calls all believers to.) Are you procrastinating doing those things you’re called to do?  Are you distracted?  What distracts you?  What will you do differently this week to maintain your focus?  What distractions can you eliminate?
2. The more we know Jesus, the greater He becomes.  Who is Jesus to you? Discuss the progression the ex-blind man goes through in his belief in Jesus.  Can you look back and see milestones in your life where your perspective on who Jesus is shifted?
3. The Pharisees intimidated the ex-blind man’s parents. Around whom do you hide your faith?  Who intimidates you into not speaking of Jesus? How might you work towards overcoming that intimidation?
4. Talk about worship. How does our worship reflect our beliefs about Jesus? How has your worship changed through the years? Is your worship wholehearted?  IF not, why not?
5. Jesus’ sheep recognize His voice. Would you say you recognize His voice?  Can you distinguish the voice of the enemy?
6. What lies does Satan use to attempt to lure you from the safety of the sheepfold? Discuss how every lie we believe results in death.  Can you give specific examples?
7. How have you experienced the rich and satisfying (abundant) life promised by Jesus? / What is your reaction to the Shepherd giving His life on your behalf?
8. How might you better follow the Shepherd this week?

This week we'll discuss John chapters 7 &8. We see Jesus teaching and interacting with religious leaders.  He also interacts with the woman caught in adultery and declares himself the Light of the World.

Discuss these chapters with a friend or your small group:  

1. Talk about the difference between living in judgement of others and living in such a way that your life is an accusation. What does living as light look like?
2. Jesus did not often live up to the expectations of others, instead living according to His Father's plan.  What could living like this look like for you?
3. Discuss how you are prone to judge based on actions rather than intent.  Has this ever gotten you in trouble? How can you look beyond actions?
4. Was there anything Jesus said in these chapters that surprised you?
5. Take a look at these passages and compare to chapter 7 verses 37&38 (Isaiah 55:1, Zechariah 14:8, Ezekiel 47:9, Joel 3:18, Isaiah 33:21)
6. Consider the temple guard's reaction ( John 7:46). What is something that Jesus said that has greatly impacted your life?
7. How do we avoid behaving elitist like the Pharisees?  How can we love and show grace to those who "know" less than we do?
8. Discuss the interaction with the woman caught in adultery.  How did Jesus and the Pharisees use their authority differently? How might we interact differently with "sinners"?
9. Throughout these chapters, people believe because they hear the words of Jesus.  How do your words affect others?
10. How has the truth set you free?  Respond to the quote from Barclay's commentary and the four ways we are freed.
11. Do you quickly believe Jesus' words as truth or are your more skeptical?  What does this tell you about your heart?
12. Who are you more like - your earthly father or your Heavenly Father? 

This week we'll take a look at John chapter 5 and 6.  We see Jesus as the Son of God, clearly claiming to be the Messiah and giving proof of why He can make this claim. He heals a man at the pool of Bethesda, feeds the 5,000, and walks on water.  He also explains how He is the bread of life, and that feasting on Him leads to everlasting life.  The more we know Jesus, the more we abide in Him, the more we can experience the abundant life He offers.  

Discuss these chapters with a friend or your small group:  

1. Contrast how we live differently if we want to be healed versus if we do not want to be healed (physically, emotionally, relationally, spiritually).
2. Share some examples of what faith in action looks like.  What does God ask of us, and how do we show forth our faith by our actions?
3. Jesus believed that the Sabbath was to be used for doing good - to be a blessing to others. Brainstorm what this might look like today.
4. You can know the Scriptures without knowing Jesus.  How do you get to know Jesus better?
5. Whose glory/esteem matters more to you?  How do you seek the esteem of people?  How can you begin to change your heart so that you focus more on seeking the esteem of God?
6. Are you more like Philip or Andrew?  How so?
7. The little boy offered his loaves and fish, what do you have to offer God?  In your wildest dreams, what might God be able to accomplish thru you?
8. Are you currently in a "storm"? How might letting Jesus in the boat change your view of that storm?
9. (ch 6, vs 27) Are you focus on perishable things, or do you spend your energy seeking eternal life?  What is one practical step you can take this week to "look above"?
10. How do you abide in Christ? How do you feast upon Him? Can you tell a difference in your life between the seasons where you were abiding, and those in which you drifted and focused on the things around you? 

If you're meeting with a group for discussion, here are some questions to guide you:

1. Do you know anyone who has an uncanny way of looking beyond your words and seeing your heart or your underlying pain/issues?  
2. Talk about what it is like to interact with that person. / Have you ever gone through a season where you avoided church/God?
3. As you look back at that season, do you think there could have been a sin issue in your life that caused you to stay in the darkness?
4. Discuss John the Baptist's attitude in John 3:27-30. How could you work towards having a similar attitude?
5. Is your response to Christ belief (obedience) or disbelief (disobedience)?
6.  Have you thought about the correlation between belief and obedience before?
7. Discuss the interaction between Jesus and the Woman at the well. If Jesus called you out, like He did her (John 3:16-18), how would you respond?
8. How do you attempt to satisfy your soul's thirst apart from God?
9. Share your testimony with your group.  How did Jesus change your life?
10. Do your words and actions cause others to want to know Jesus?
11. Talk about someone you know who causes you to want to know Jesus more.
12. Do you take Jesus at His word and live in faith?