Week 2

Let Me Write that Down—The power of List-making when life is crazy and uncertain

 

If you have time before class starts, read Psalm 33.

Scriptures—

There are countless lists in the Bible from Exodus 31 listing the articles the craftsmen were to make for the Temple to a list that is Psalm 33 of why we can trust God, what He had done, and some of God’s characteristics to the list of the twelve disciples in Luke 6:13-16. Lists are legit to God. God works through lists.

List of God’s promises to care for us and give us what

Psalm 32:8 we need:

Matthew 6:25-34

Matthew 7:7-11

2 Peter 1:3-4

Deuteronomy 33:25

 

The Lists I made about lists in this season of and pertaining to the coronavirus:

What I Miss

What I Fear

Why I Fear

What I’m Learning

How I’ve adjusted/living differently

The Good

Other Lists:

How do I want to remember this season?

List of God’s characteristics

How will I handle the at-home time?

Ways I can get to know God better

Ways to grow in Christ

Ways to bless and help others

 

Discussion Questions—

 

1. At this point in the crisis, how have your feelings changed? Feeling more peace, more angst, more impatient? Have you found your new rhythm? Share where you are emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.
2. Share one thing you miss from before the coronavirus. Again, I don’t want to make you upset but connect you with your feeling so we can move forward to wholeness.
3. We talked about fear last week, but yet, share one thing you fear. Why do you fear this? Go a little deeper than the initial consequence of the fear. What causes your fear? No pressure to share; it is more important that you answer this with God.
4. What is one thing—big or small—that you are learning through this quarantine?
5. List a couple of good things that have come from this situation. Make sure one is in your own life.
6. Psalm 33—As you read through it and marked the phrases and verses that tell about God’s character, what He has done, why we can trust Him, what jumped out at you?
7. How does this truth encourage you or change the way you will move forward in this season?

Homework:

• Make a list of verses that express how you’re feeling
• Make a list of verses that tell of God’s provision and protection and care.
• Make a list of what you feel God is saying to you or nudging you towards.

Below is a poem from our Emily Bedwell. It beautifully expresses the essence of what I’ve tried to say today.

 

Contradictions

I want this pandemic to be over quickly.
I know this slowing of the peak is saving lives.
Maybe even the lives of those I love.

I want things to return to normal.
There is no such thing as normal anymore.
We will never return to the way things were.

I miss my community at it was.
I don’t know what my community will look like.
Time will heal some things and others it won’t.

I am afraid.
And yet my fear feels just out of reach.
General fear supersedes specific fear.

I think I should be trusting more.
There are so many opinions it’s overwhelming.
I’m trusting with all the mustard-seed faith I can.

I want to fast forward to “after.”
I’ve never been great at living in the moment.
But, after is a timeline that I’m not sure exists.

Link to this lesson’s recording

Brenda Garrison is an author and speaker who empowers women with the confidence to live their calling. Brenda is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ministry Leadership with a Concentration in Women’s Ministry at Moody Bible Institute. She and her husband, Gene, are the parents of three young adult daughters and live near Metamora, IL.