New August Study

Our new Bible study will be Stepping Up:  A Journey through the Psalms of Ascent by Beth Moore.  Here is key insight into how we selected Stepping Up as our next study - finances.  Those DVDs are expensive!  To the tune of about $150.  That is "beyond the budget" for a budgetless small group.  But God!  He had a way!

This is the study description from www.lifeway.com.

Stepping Up: A Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent - Member Book by Beth Moore provides a personal study experience five days a week plus viewer guides for the group video sessions of this in-depth women's Bible study of Psalms 120-134. Traveling pilgrims sang these psalms both on the way to the great festivals of the LORD and as key elements of the worship at those festivals. Just as a song or poem can express feelings of fear, doubt, hope, and joy, these 15 psalms model how we can voice our own petitions and praises to our God, who is always available and ready to hear us.

Explore the major feasts of Israel and journey with Beth through this 7-session study. Themes of unity, joy, gratitude, redemption, repentance, the power of blessings, facing ridicule, and more are explored in detail. Modern-day believers in Jesus Christ can learn much from these treasured Psalms in their journey toward greater intimacy with God.

Five or so years ago, I saw the Stepping Up study guide on the library shelf, checked it out and recorded my answers on notebook paper.  Those sheets are in the POD, by the way.  I hope to unpack them before August, but back to my story.  I never viewed the DVDs.  Just last summer a friend of mine lead this study in another friend's house.  I was not able to meet with them, but we worked it out that I could watch the DVDs.  Well, I only was able to watch the first session.  I was disappointed.  It did not work out because it was not God's timing.  I see that now.

When I approached my fellow seekers about doing another study, they said they were willing, so I presented Stepping Up because I knew where I could secure the DVDs.  I also knew the workbooks were still available since I just happen to see them on the shelf at LifeWay when I bought the Revelation studies.  (Yea.  Right.  Just happened to see them.  A.K.A. God.) The study was originally released in November of 2007.

With their yeses in hand, I placed a call to my friend who lead the Stepping Up study and asked about borrowing the DVDs.  She said it would not be a problem.  So, we are set for the new study to begin on Sunday, August 19. 

Join us!!!  Children are welcome.  My husband oversees them.  This last study we had children playing in the hall, in our room, in the pool, and even in the lobby.  One gentleman dropped in to see us and brought a friend.  "See," he said, "when they are out in the hall (meaning the children) that means they are in here doing a Bible study."  We got a reputation!  A rep for doing a Bible study.  What a way to be known!!!!