I am a newcomer to the Women’s Connection and am co-facilitating the study on Wednesday mornings. I am a part of the “Girlfriends” group, which is women in their 20s and 30s. Often, as a 31-year-old working mom of two very young boys, the thought of adding anything extra to my week intimidates me. So, when I considered joining and co-facilitating a Bible study, I thought hard about if I could realistically make it work. And then I just joined.
The Girlfriends group is studying Angie Smith’s Bible study called “Seamless: Understanding the Bible as one Complete Story”. In this book, Angie lays out a user-friendly overview of the Bible that brings clarity to the long and often intimidating text of our Christian faith. Angie takes on this great task with something I’ve never experienced in a Bible study book—humor! Her wisdom and sincerity illuminate the details of the Bible, drawing us closer to God. I like how she highlights themes in the Bible—drawing attention to not only the redemptive and transformational themes from the Old Testament that point toward Christ, but also noting how numbers and phrases signal times of testing or repeated problems. Connecting the dots emphasizes the purpose and message of the Bible—to connect us to the God who saves us.
Typically, as I look back on my life, even the past few months feel pretty blurry. But when I notice what is different since I joined the Women’s Connection Girlfriends group last spring, a number of themes stand out to me. Comfort, belonging, depth, support, and spiritual growth are all the welcomed results of closely studying the Bible with new friends. These friends get it— the blurriness, the hustle, and the need for a calm sense of support and encouragement. They also desire to have God clearly emerge from the long and often intimidating times of their lives. Yesterday morning during large group, while rain poured outside, I was moved by the coziness of our group who cheered for each other as long years of prayer were answered. I am so glad I joined.
Ruthie Weiglein, Facilitator in The Women's Connection at SBCC