A Break in the Action for an EXCITING Update!

🎉Today I interrupt normal programming to bring you an EXCITING UPDATE!🎉

Have you ever stood back and watched God do His thing?

This past week I was able to do just that.

You may remember, I spent this last summer writing a Bible study to work in correlation with our senior pastor’s sermon series on David. (Read more about that here) This was a tremendous undertaking that required a lot of sacrifice, sleepless nights, spiritual warfare, prayer—lots and lots of prayer—and tears. Then I got the message, “the books are off to the printers” and fear nearly suffocated me. Fear of putting myself out there. Fear of the unknown. Fear that people wouldn’t like what I’d done. Fear of failure.

Well, this is it!

The first week of FAMOUS AND FLAWED DAVE arrived! The books are in and being distributed. The small groups are convening. And my efforts are in the hands of my beloved church. (I had no hand in the cover or the title)

Am I Excited?

Nervous?

You know it!

This is the first time my work is out there for many people to see, and I’m feeling all the feels—and insecurities.

Last Wednesday I got to spend my morning with several amazing women who gathered to do the study I wrote. I was able to introduce myself, explain the format of the study, share a snippet of my writing journey, and invite them to join my tribe and prayer team.

I just gotta say, it was overwhelmingly beautiful to see them all gathered! It squeezed my heart so so so much!

Many of these women have been faithfully gathering for years, doing studies by Beth, Priscilla, Lysa, Kelly, and others. (So, they have high expectations😬 ) Every year, others come and add to their numbers, and this year was no different! There were several new faces in this group! (How exciting is that?!?!)

The bonds between these women were evident. I could feel their mutual love and respect for each other—it just emanated from them. You can tell these women have been in the trenches together. Have supported, prayed for, and encouraged each other. And do you know what the most amazing part was as a newcomer, I couldn’t pick out the newbies from the established group! They were enveloped in the group like they’d always been there! Absolutely beautiful!

And then…to see these women with the books containing my content was intimidating, amazing, scary…and, yes, exciting.

Later, I sat in on a small group and listened to their introductory discussion—it was incredible. What I’m most excited about it how much these ladies are going to be able to learn as they go through this study. Even those who know quite a bit about David will get to know more and they will get to meet Samuel and Saul on a more intimate level. I can’t wait to hear what God has in store for these ladies—and me as we go through the next several weeks together. It’s a new a different experience for all of us.

As we were wrapping up, it was suggested I come each week and go from group to group to hear their thoughts, get feedback, and see what to improve as I rewrite—what a GREAT (and unexpected) opportunity! Then, I was asked to share a “behind the scenes” story each week. In other words, “Lady, tell us the dirt.” 😂🤣 What an honor and another beautiful opportunity I never thought I would have. But it will be a blast as there are several stories to share! My biggest challenge is choosing which ones to share.

The message series started on Saturday and Sunday, and the study I wrote was made available to the entire congregation across all four campuses. Everything I’ve worked for, everything I’ve sacrificed for, is about to be put into action.

And I would like to invite you to join us through this amazing series—here are several different options for you:

Crossroads Church MN website page

• Here you can see videos of all the sermons in this series
• Get the “small group curriculum”
• Get my study called the “daily devo content”

YouTube channel Crossroads Church MN

• Get all the messages for David
• The previous sermon series are also available (The Bucket List series is AWESOME!)

You can also go to Google Play or the Apple store and get the Crossroads Church MN app and get all the above info on the app. (sorry no link, you will need to look it up)

• You can answer all the questions for the study IN THE APP! How cool is that????

If you choose to work through this study with us

• I would love your feedback as you go–I am currently rewriting this study to submit to Harvest House to be considered for publication.
• I would also love for you to join my tribe and prayer team
• PSA–Be sure to read the introduction to understand the format of the study.
• I use the New Living Translation through the study, if I use another translation I tell you in parenthesis. But all the fill-in-the-blanks are in the NLT
• I wasn’t in control of the amount of white space to answer the questions in or any of the formatting, so be sure to use a notebook/journal if you write big, like to work through your answers, and/or if you like to journal your prayers.

Please join me in praying:

• God will use this study as a spark to start an inferno, an insatiable hunger, a passion for His Word in our church.
• My church will learn about me and my ministry and support it and me with prayer
• My church will become the heart and soul of my tribe. (It’s important for me to serve them well first and go out from there– as Paul did in Antioch.)

Blessings, xoxo

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