Every day in November I am posting something I'm thankful for, and I would love to have you join me! Link to your thankful post below, or write about it in the comments. Let's be thankful together!
Today I'm thankful for the Healing Journey class I'm taking--a Bible-based class designed to bring healing to wounded hearts. God told me to take this class back when He told me to "let go of the safety ropes", and I signed up. I didn't think I needed that much healing, so I wasn't that excited about it. But I was being obedient, stepping one more step forward.
Well, you guessed it, I am learning so much. As I expected, many parts of the class are foundational to our faith and reinforce what I already believe. The part of the class I am enjoying the most though is learning new frameworks with which to understand my feelings, thoughts and actions. I'm starting to understand some of my patterns I'm stuck in. I'm learning ways to process the wounds I have received. I'm being given a vocabulary to speak about things I didn't really understand. I've been to counseling a few seasons of my life...and this is building on things I learned then and I believe giving me tools for the future. Our Small Group time each week is particularly meaningful--we listen to each other. That's it. We don't judge. It's a gift to be heard. Our small group leader then helps us with the processes we are learning to use. We have a-ha moments. We rejoice at the progress we see each other making in understanding ourselves. God is at work.
Last night at our class, the class author and teacher (we watch her on video), Cyndy Sherwood, was there to talk to us and encourage us in person. I really enjoyed meeting her and hearing what she had to say to us as a group. One of the main things I remember is the way she related the class to shopping for something like clothes or a car. She said the video/teaching is like the part of shopping when you gather information (see what's in the store, go online, see what's being offered). The small group time is like taking the car for a test drive, or trying on the clothes--seeing how the information intersects with our life, learning how to apply the teaching. But if all we did was find out the information, and test-drive it, and they go home--we don't own anything new. Instead, there needs to be a transaction. She said the transaction (the life-change) happens when we do our homework. That's where decisions are made, we do business with God, and the life-altering processing occurs. I think that is true for most Bible Study classes--without the soul-work on your own with God, all you get is information...what do you think?
I'm thankful today that God led me to this class. He is using it--along with trials and conversations with others--to help me face my "stuff", so I don't have to drag it around any more. God wants to heal me--even of wounds and destructive patterns I was barely aware of. He loves me too much to leave me the way I am. Sometimes it's hard, but I'm thankful. So thankful.
What are you thankful for today? Link up or comment! Let's fill up blogland with thankfulness!
A few simple instructions for the link up:
-please link to your specific thankful post--not just your blog
-please link back to theGoodlife in your post so others can join the fun!
-feel free to grab the 30 thankful days graphic--I haven't figured out how to make it a button yet. I'm such a techy, huh?
-feel free to grab the 30 thankful days graphic--I haven't figured out how to make it a button yet. I'm such a techy, huh?
2 comments:
I think I really would have liked this class, and learned a lot from it. There is no way I could make it work at this point, so I'm going to make a point of doing it next time it's available. Way to be obedient to the Spirit - I'm still working on listening and obeying. :)
What a wonderful opportunity you have been given. I LOVED hearing about it. Sweet blessings to you as you journey on!
Post a Comment