Unglued Bible Study-Remember and Let God Chisel

July 8, 2014 by 10 Comments

220px-CHISELHello Divas!  Welcome to week four of our Unglued Bible Study!  During our last discussion, Lysa Terkeurst (the author of our study), explained the true purpose of unglued moments: “God doesn’t allow the unglued moments of our lives to happen so we’ll label ourselves and stay stuck.  He allows the unglued moments to make us aware of the chiseling that needs to be done.”  AMEN!

At the end of our time together, Lysa challenged us to practice pausing and whispering “Let God Chisel” before reacting to difficult situations.  We added our own twist to the challenge with the addition of the word REMEMBER.

Taking the time to pause allows us to remember how God has worked things out before and that He is in control.

Last session, we read about the disciples coming unglued and fearful even after they experienced the miracle of Jesus feeding thousands of people with very limited resources…two fish and five loaves of bread to be exact. (Matthew 14:13-21)

They, just like us…did not remember.

Psalm 106:13 describes how the Israelites became unglued after God parted the Red Sea and allowed them to cross yet drowned the Egyptian soldiers chasing them:  But they soon forgot and did not wait for his plan to unfold.

Too often, we come unglued and forge ahead into rash decisions, mean-spirited words, and anxiety because we forget to wait for His plan to unfold.

Let me be clear…..I have had PLENTY of opportunities since our last meeting alone to come UNGLUED.  I wish I could tell you I  remembered to let God chisel every time, but I did NOT!  This study is just what I need right now and it is stepping all over my diva toes!

Thank God for imperfect progress…”slow steps of change wrapped in grace”.

What are some things you can do to help you Remember to Let God Chisel in unglued moments?

Tell me in the comments….I need some fresh ideas!

Homework for this week: Chapters 4,5 &6

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Unglued Revisited

June 24, 2014 by 2 Comments

 

Welcome Back Divas!!!  Yep, our summer Bible Study is back in session!!! We are revisiting UNGLUED by Lysa Terkeurst!  This study was life changing the last time we completed it 2 years ago.  After many requests…. it’s BAAAAAAACCCK!

The tag line for the book Unglued is:  “Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Raw Emotions”. Perhaps it is just me but I have quite a few, “raw emotions”.  What do we do with these raw emotions? Is it really possible to make emotions work for us instead of against us?

Yes, and the Unglued Bible Study turns us to God’s Word and shows us how!

During our first session, we focused on Joshua 5:13-14(NLT)…just before the battle of Jericho.

When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?”

Just prior to meeting the man, Joshua led the people of Israel across the Jordan River after God parted it for them  [Joshua 3:13-14] (just like he did with Moses and the Red Sea).  With such a spiritual victory, it is quite plausible that Joshua may have been feeling victorious and ready for battle.  Yet before he acted, he was required to chose a side.  

“We tend to approach our battles and causes backwards; we turn things all around and try to marshal God to support us rather than to submit and follow Him.”-bible.org (OUCH!)

Just before becoming completely unglued about a work situation, bills, something that someone has done to us or an interruption in our schedules, we have an opportunity to choose God’s side by submitting to HIM right then. We can ask God what HE wants us to do BEFORE we do what we want to do in the moment.

Our prayer for the week:

God, help me choose to be on YOUR side, trusting that YOU will help me face things outside of my control without acting out of control.  

Homework for the week:

Read chapters 1-2 in the Unglued Book.

Don’t have the book?  Purchase it for $5 from Christian Book Stores .

If you are close to Kernersville, NC..join us in person!  Visit our Meetup Page for more info..otherwise just follow along online!

Let us know in the comments about your week!

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My Soul Needs to Exhale-Chapter 11 Unglued

November 27, 2012 by 18 Comments

Hello Divas and welcome to our discussion on chapter eleven (My Soul Needs to Exhale), of the book Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst.

Reading the title “My Soul Needs to Exhale” made we want to say “Amen”.  My soul needs to exhale majorly.   Lysa began chapter eleven by sharing a story about her son telling her that he wasn’t thinking about anything and she was amazed. 

I totally understand her amazement.  I am not sure of the last time I wasn’t thinking about something.  I always seem to have something that needs to get done.  Since the demands never stop, I go and go until I am exhausted.  

I run on adrenaline to get the next thing done and then the next. 

Running on adrenaline is celebrated in our society.

Bill Gaultiere describes it best: “Adrenaline gives us confidence when we are giving a big presentation. It energizes us when we need to overcome a challenge or work through a stressful conflict. It cushions us when we get bad news. We need adrenaline to handle real life emergencies like these. But it’s a problem for us when we live our lives in a continual state of urgency, viewing daily stresses as emergencies………….the most serious consequence of an adrenaline-driven lifestyle (one with eternal significance) is that it crowds out God. You become a “human-doing” instead of a human being.

Do I really want to be just a “human-doing” with a life so crowded that I am nothing more than a commercial for crazy?

The bible makes it clear that we must REST from our adrenaline-driven lifestyles by preserving the Sabbath.  Plainly defined, the Sabbath is a day of rest and worship.

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the LORD has spoken”. Isaiah 58:13-14

The keys to Sabbath rest are threefold: 1. not going your own way, 2. not doing as you please, and 3. not speaking idle words.

The Sabbath allows our soul to exhale.  It is a time to reflect.  It is a time to rest.  It is an opportunity to find our joy.

Resting is a struggle for me so I know I will be imperfectly progressing but finding my joy in the LORD is totally worth it.

Is finding YOUR joy in the LORD worth it?  If so, pull out your calendar and schedule your Sabbath today!

Make sure to have chapters 11 and 12 read for our bible study and discussion on Saturday.

 

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All about Perspective-Unglued Bible Study Chapter 8

October 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Hello Divas! It is hard to believe that we are already on Chapter 8 of the book Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst. Prior to chapter eight, we have worked on identifying our “unglued” tendencies and learning how to properly process our emotions.  Chapter eight deals with the “glue” that holds identifying and properly processing together—PERSPECTIVE.

I found a definition of perspective that made my jaw drop:  The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance—WOW. 

In the book, Lysa shared a story about how her daughters used to argue over paper placements when they were out to dinner.  We all know how this goes, some one spills water or writes on the other’s placement and bam…whines, screams, and drama over a PAPER PLACEMAT! Seriously???

Cough, gag, ok …that example was VERY close to home for me.  But really, children tend to come unglued about very small things.  Have you ever watched a child melt over not getting something they really wanted or over another child not sharing?

What about us?  Do the things that cause us to come unglued DAILY really matter in the grand scheme of things?  Ok, lets say DO matter.  Can we find ANYTHING to be thankful for and then be gentle in our response?

At the beginning of chapter eight, Lysa stated: “Perspective calls forth a gentleness I can’t seem to find any other way”.  This is so true.  When you mentally grasp that things could really be MUCH worse and you have SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL for, you display a more gentle nature. 

Have you ever spoken to someone right when they return from a mission trip?  They get it!  Perhaps we need to seek out some serving activities like:  serving in a soup kitchen, going on a mission trip, or helping a family in need to help us gain some perspective.

The Key verse for the entire chapter was Philippians 4:4-5: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

In other words:

Find some reason to be thankful regardless of what is going on. Smile and don’t miss the chance to rejoice!  Gain some perspective over your situation then quiet and settle your mind so that you can respond to EVERYONE (not just the people who are nice to you) with gentleness (a sweet temper that is the result of joy in the LORD).

I think in all the times I have read Philippians 4:5, I totally missed the “The Lord is near” part. When we are able to gain some godly perspective, we realize that God IS near.  In fact, He has been here all the time! He has been making a way out of no way for eons.

Have chapters 7 & 8 read for our discussion on Saturday!

Blessings,

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Unglued Bible Study- Procedure Manual

October 22, 2012 by 3 Comments

Hello Divas and welcome to our discussion on Chapter 7 of the book Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst.

In this chapter entitled, “I need a Procedure Manual”, we learn a policy, a mechanism, or a process to follow EVERY TIME we feel ourselves coming unglued. 

In the book, Lysa refers us to 2 Chronicles 20 to observe a man named Jehoshaphat who had an “Unglued Procedure Manual” . 

When the chapter begins, we find out that Jehoshaphat is about to be attacked:

2 Chronicles 20:1-2 (NKJV)…the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat.  Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea”….

Upon hearing that a huge army was coming to wage war against him, Jehoshaphat, like any of us given his situation, just might come Unglued.

But…..

 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 2 Chronicles 20:3– (NIV 1984)

Jehoshaphat felt alarmed, then he resolved to seek guidance from God.  In the book, Lysa challenges us to also be “resolved to remember who we are”.

 For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. 2 Chronicles 20:12

Jehoshaphat realized that he was not equipped to fight the battle. So, he kept his eyes on God.

…And God answered:

 “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” 2 Chronicles 20:17

God told Jehoshaphat to keep his head up, go on do the hard thing and know that HE would be with him all the way.

 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever.”  2 Chronicles 20:21

Jehoshaphat thanked God for what He did and for what He was going to do.

And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side. 2 Chronicles 20:30
 
Jehoshaphat found peace by honoring God with his actions and reactions.
 
The following statement by Lysa made me stop in my tracks:  “My reactions determine my reach”.
 
Lysa ended the chapter by challenging us to use the example of Jehoshaphat to train our minds when we feel “unglued” coming on.  Here is my personalized Unglued Procedure Manual:
 
1.  Remember who I am.
2. Seek God’s Guidance
3. Allow God to fight the battle.
4.  Have an attitude of gratitude.

 How can you use Jehoshaphat’s example to personalize your own Procedure Manual?

Homework:  Read chapters 7 and 8

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What Kind of Unglued am I?–Unglued Bible Study Chapter 4

October 11, 2012 by 29 Comments

Hello Divas!  Is is just me or are there just TONS of opportunities to come unglued these days?  We had a great discussion on last Saturday talking about the labels that other people place on us or that we place on ourselves.

I just love the way Lysa Terkerust (the author of our study) summed it all up:  “God doesn’t allow the unglued moments of our lives to happen so we’ll label ourselves and stay stuck.  He allows the unglued moments to make us aware of the chiseling that needs to be done.”  AMEN!

At the end of our time together, Lysa challenged us to practice pausing and whispering “Let God Chisel” before reacting to difficult situations.  How is that working out for you?

In chapter 4, Lysa discussed the ways we come unglued. We either 1) explode  by loudly or forcefully expressing our feelings or 2) stuff everything deep down inside and pretend to be “fine”.  Lysa went on to describe actual subcategories of exploding and stuffing.

The four categories of unglued reactions are:

  • Exploders who shame themselves (Yell first, feel horrible later)
  • Exploders who blame others (Yell and then blame the other person for your behavior)
  • Stuffers who build barriers (Say everything is fine but then get distant)
  • Stuffers who collect retaliation rocks ( Silent record keeping of every wrong doing only to be brought up later)

Call me crazy but depending on my audience, I can react in all of these ways.  Don’t let someone close to me like my husband or children dance on one of my nerves, I can explode and blame, stuff and build a barrier while collecting my retaliation rocks, and shame myself for it ALL  in record time.

The point is to have something Lysa calls “Soul Integrity”.  “Soul Integrity is honesty that is godly.  Soul Integrity brings balance to unglued situations.  It makes us true peacemakers–people who aren’t stuffing or exploding but rather honestly demonstrating what they are experiencing in a godly manner.

A passage in the book of James speaks about Soul Integrity:

James 3: 13-15, 17

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic….But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

How can you respond in ways that are: considerate, submissive, impartial, full of mercy and sincere this week?

Homework:  Read Chapters 4, 5 and 6 before our next study time together (October 20, 2012)

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Coming Unglued is an Opportunity to Choose!

September 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We had an ah-mazing bible study on Saturday! Sixteen beautiful women came together, studied God’s Word and shared about our own experiences with coming Unglued. One wonderful thought that has stuck with me from our last study is that when we feel ourselves coming unglued, our feelings are reminders or indicators that we need to choose whose side we are on. Are we all about ourselves and our comfort, or are we for God?

During our discussion on Saturday, we focused on Joshua 5:13-14(NLT).

When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?”

Just before becoming completely unglued about a work situation, bills, something that someone has done to us or an interruption in our schedules, we have an opportunity to choose God’s side by submitting to HIM right then. We can ask God what HE wants us to do BEFORE we do what we want to do in the moment.

When I come unglued, I fly into action to “fix” the situation. Stopping to choose a side is the last thing on my mind.  In the Unglued Participant’s Guide, Lysa gave us some action steps on how to “stay on God’s side”.

1.  Use Truth–What is REALLY true about the situation or person.  There are so many outside influences that sometimes getting a little truth about the matter is a really wise thing to do.  Remember, our perception may NOT be the reality.

2.  Use self-control.  I can only control KATINA! In Unglued situations, I often behave in ways to control the other person or the outcome: pouting, yelling, sulking, silent treatment, etc…)  As Lysa says, “Our feelings are indicators NOT dictators”.

3.  Use prayer–Pray for the person who is getting on your last nerve!  I think it is only natural to pray for the resolution of a situation that has us unglued. The only issue with that  is what if the situation does not resolve?

In addition to praying for resolution, I think we should also pray to be able to see God at work in our situation.  Andy Stanley brought out this point in his sermon on The Five Things That Grow Your Faith (Pivotal Circumstances):

“Often times, what shapes our response to these pivotal circumstances (Unglued moments) is the support that we have around us during these experiences. Is there a community? . . . Are there providential relationships? . . . that help us frame these circumstances in a way for us to see that God is not doing something to us, but is doing something in us and through us.”

Divas, I believe that we are that community of support for each other.  I can’t wait to learn more about our imperfect progress in resisting becoming Unglued!

Need info about our Unglued bible Study?  Go HERE

Homework for this week:

1. Complete the session 1 worksheets in the participants guide.

2.  Read chapters 1 and 2 before our next study ( 10/6/12).

3  If you do NOT have the participants guide:

Read John 8:10-11–Write down your thoughts.

Think about any changes that you would like to experience in dealing with your “unglued moments” and make some goals for your new normal. (Write them down!)

Here is one of my goals:

I would like for it to be normal for me to speak softly when my children get on my nerves.  (Remember, Imperfect Progress!)

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