Today we’ll kick off the fall semester of one of my favorite groups…. a group of moms who get together for Bible study. This group started about 5 1/2 years ago when I was the young mother of an 18 month old. We met in my family room and quickly learned that being part of a group of moms meant we were each others’ support, encouragement, and sometimes lifeline to the outside world.
This group has morphed over the years. Some of the women have changed, the location has rotated, and the childcare usually baffles me. I used to be one of the youngest moms in the group and now…. well, in my head I’m still one of the youngest. But as I’ve grown with this group, I’ve also grown as a mother. Now I can give helpful advice and reassurance. I can be the one who promises they’ll survive the toddler years and cry with them when they send a child to kindergarten. We’ve completed many different studies together and grown as Christian women as well as each others’ confidants.
As I typed up an attendance sheet this weekend I took time to pray for these women. Pray they’ll be comfortable in this group, pray we’ll be sensitive to each others’ needs, and pray for them to truly feel community as God intended.
I love being part of a group who chooses to live life together.
Just curious how many of you are part of a community group of some form? What are you studying and how often do you meet? What’s your biggest benefit of living a life of community?
Oh Brandi,
This post made my heart soar/sore. Wow. It rocks that you are in a healthy, thriving ministry like this. Yay for you and the women who serve along side you. I am not able to be in a community group. It isn’t possible for me to be in a small group at the moment. Daniel and I were very active when we lived in the States, but in our new home, we haven’t found a suitable home church yet…so nope. But I have however found an awesome network of believers in this crazy world of blogland and even though it isn’t ideal…God has allowed me to find REAL friends who are now in my real life and who keep me accountable and who pray and seek the Cross beside my Groom and me. I love that. I love how He opens new avenues for us when sometimes it seems like we are so alone. Bla bla…this sounds like a cheesy greeting card. No, not a good Hallmark one, like a daysprings one. Dang.
By: kristiapplesauce on October 6, 2008
at 8:11 am
Hey Brandi- I would really like to talk to you after Bible Study tonight!!
By: Laura Davis on October 6, 2008
at 8:25 am
I am apart of the college community group at C3 chruch. I love the group. We meet every other week and it is such an encouraging fun time!
By: ditr45 on October 6, 2008
at 8:38 am
We’re studying He Loves Me by Wayne Jacobsen. we meet every other week.
By: Tommy Sircy on October 6, 2008
at 9:32 am
I lead a mom’s group twice a month and we are doing Beth Moores Daniel. Hubby and I co-lead a couples group and we are doing a study along with our church called “thru the Bible” … we LOVE LOVE LOVE community and the friendships and accountability we have within our groups. I fully believe that we are able to live authenticly in front of these folks and they us … when life is hard they are there … when life is easy they are there and for the inbetween times as well. It is nice to have a shoulder when needed and give one when needed as well. Life lived in seceret is a ground for Satan to enter and do his worst havoc …
By: Heather on October 6, 2008
at 9:35 am
I’m part of an online women’s lifegroup. We meet on Thursdays at 9:00pm CST.
I like it because my kiddos are already in bed therefore I don’t have to worry about childcare and I’m meeting with women from different areas that I wouldn’t have otherwise gotten to know.
It’s different but I look forward to Thursday evenings.
By: tabitha on October 6, 2008
at 10:39 am
My husband and I each meet with a small group (mine women, his teens). Each of the groups meets informally a few times a month. We are just getting ready to add a more formal meeting. Your post is encouraging. We used to lead formal community group and I miss it! Thanks for sharing.
By: Anita on October 6, 2008
at 10:39 am
OH – this makes me miss mom’s group so much! That group was life transforming for me! Some of my closest friends came from there!
Heath and I lead a group on Sundays. We take every third Sunday off. We are now studying Grace Based Parenting. We have been with this group for a year now. I dread parting with them. They were our first group at the Dickson campus and we all have grown into a great community for each other…now some of my closest friends are in my group!
I love that you are still leading the mom’s group! There are moms out there who were like me and just needed another mom to smile at them, hold their hand when they were sleep deprived and remind them who God fashioned them to be!
By: fullofboys on October 6, 2008
at 10:52 am
I SOOOOOOO remember that group….back in “the day”…. I remember going around the room and everyone saying the name and age of their child(ren) “Sara-7 mos old/ Maddie 10 mos old/ Jett, 18 mos old and then there is me…Kyla, 10 YEARS old…hahahhaha… yep, I was the older one back then and STILL am. hahahaha…but I sure learned A LOT from you women and I KNOW that’s a fabulous group!!
I am actually leading my own group now…and this “semester” we’re doing “The Shack”… I can’t say enough good things about the book OR the women who have been blessing my life!!!! I have a FREAKIN AWESOME GROUP!!!!!!!!
By: OCD-ism/Obsessive Christian Disorder on October 6, 2008
at 11:15 am
Aww this group sounds so fun! I will have to try and sign up for it next time around. My husband and I just joined a couples group that meets at Miranda’s house on Thursday nights. We are going to be studying “Love Beyond Reason”. This is our first community group so we are really excited about it!
By: arauch on October 6, 2008
at 11:26 am
I used to attend a women’s bible study group for about two years and then this group dissolved for reasons beyond my control and I now host a group at my house which my husband and a friend lead.
Although the women’s group was ideal and a life-saver at the time I was part of it, I am in a different place now, spiritually and emotionally speaking, and it is wonderful to be able to share with my husband our spiritual journey as we are both part of the same group.
We are currently doing a series on “Authenticity” and following a book written by Bill Hybels. We meet every Monday evening and we worship the Lord together, have a laugh together, cry together, but most importantly we pray for and with each other. I would not be without it! Every Monday evening as I am putting the kids to bed I feel like I could really do without the commitment, but the moment people walk through our door, I feel that confirmation inside that not only our group is a blessing to those who attend but also to us.
God bless you!
ransom33 @ http://www.ransom33.wordpress.com
By: ransom33 on October 6, 2008
at 11:44 am
Oh – so sad not to be there!!! I miss each and everyone of you. I pray that the “newbies” in the group will be as blessed by it just as much as I was in my 5 years there. Brandi – you do a wonderful job as do all the other facilitators. I will be thinking of all of you!
We haven’t joined a community group yet here in our “new church” – we are still feeling it out, but I’m certainly craving community – hopefully soon…
By: Holly on October 6, 2008
at 12:33 pm
I used to go to bible study at my church, and now that I can’t get out and about I am sooooo incredibly lucky that I have some good friends who come to my house for faith sharing. There are just four of us, but it’s nice to keep it small so everyone has a chance to speak their heart and be comfortable.
We don’t have access to a lot of materials and are always looking for something to help us stay structured… do you have any books or resources you could recommend? I think that’s often what holds people back from starting groups… the idea of not knowing where to start.
By: sara on October 6, 2008
at 12:37 pm
We are in a community group that meets on Sunday nights with 5 other couple in the same “season of life” as us! It’s great….
Also, we are starting a mommies of children with special needs group to meet about once a month!
By: hollie on October 6, 2008
at 12:47 pm
Matt and I are in a couples’ group that the Singletons lead and absolutely love the community that has formed there. We took a break over the summer and missed them all soooo much! I also lead a women’s group that’s been together for 3 years…it’s morphed in that time, but I find so much encouragement and challenge to grow with these women. I am a groups junkie! But really, I think that God designed us to do life together and that he uses others to help us become more like Him.
I hope you’re still doing the mom’s group when that life situation applies to me!
By: ash on October 6, 2008
at 1:50 pm
I lead a Tuesday morning Bible study at my home for a lot of moms. Just started last month! Your post encourages me. I hope we’ll be together for years to come with some new additions to keep it flowing.
By: Cindy Beall on October 6, 2008
at 1:51 pm
We are trying to form a community group with about 5 couples. It’s so tough to find a night that works for everyone. That’s awesome you have had the same group for 5 years!! Good for you:-)
As for mom groups, we do MOPS at my church. We just got back from the national convention and it was such a wonderful experience.
By: Amy From Texas on October 6, 2008
at 8:48 pm
i am not involved in any type of womens group. when my kids were babies i helped lead at MOPS. but here at my church, no, no womens things.
By: tam on October 6, 2008
at 11:14 pm
I am in a women’s group that started meeting 9 years ago at my old church. We have had some people leave and some new people come in, but there are 4 of us that have been together the entire time. We are reading The Shack and enjoying every page of it. The best thing about being in a group this long is we have been through so much with each other. Births, deaths, weddings, job changes. It is one of the few places where I can really be me and know they all except me just the way I am. Althought we now go to several different churchs, we all lean on each other in good and bad times. It is one of the rocks in my doing this life thing.
By: Beverly on October 7, 2008
at 7:10 am
I’m teaching a 9 week bible study and wow has it been inspiring and extremely encouraging. I find such an empowerment when women are able to get beyond their differences and fellowship.
By: Kelli on October 7, 2008
at 1:31 pm
I’m a team leader for MOPS at our church and my husband and I are in a small group that meets weekly. AND I have a group of women that we all read the same book or bible study and then talk about it with each other. I love meeting w/ believers and growing from those relationships.
By: Angela on October 8, 2008
at 7:54 am
my women’s group that meets throughout the school yr was cancelled this yr!
i’m a part of MOPS, but loved the closeness that came w/ the regularity of the other group.
right now we are studying gary smalley’s homes of honor in our small group. love this one also!
By: wanita on October 8, 2008
at 2:06 pm
My husband and I attend a Growth Group twice a month that just completed a video series called Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage. I also attend a Women’s Bible study twice a month and we are just beginning a study on apologetics.
By: Angela on October 9, 2008
at 12:09 am