Back in the Study Again:)

I am so excited that I could just scream and do a dance around the den! After 8 loooonnnnng months of not being in a Bible study, I started a new one last night. I can already tell that it is 100% God ordained and that the 3 of us studying together were brought together for such a time as this:)

For years I have been in a Bible study group that I affectionately refer to as "My Fab 5". And believe me, they are fab! This was a group of women who became some of my closest friends. Each week I looked forward to Wednesday mornings when we would gather to chit chat, pray, and study the Word of God. They became like a lifeline in my life. Once a year, we'd try to get away, just the girls, for a weekend. We got to know each other's families. We cried, laughed, and shared life together, all in the name of Jesus. I thought I'd be in this group forever, but it was not meant to be.

Last October, it was necessary for me to return to the workforce. This was both a blessing and a hardship. The blessing was that our family needed the money and I got the best job in the world working in the Proverbs 31 Ministries office. The hardship was that I had to give up my beloved Fab 5 Bible study. Even though I knew this was the will of God, I still cried and it was very hard. Each Wednesday I would think about my group meeting together without me:( Now this may sound crazy to those of you who don't know the joy of a closeknit group of friends, but I tell you the truth. I went through a grieving process! They tried to keep me in the loop by including me on emails and social events, but of course it's just not the same when you can't be there each week.

I prayed God would remove the pain and sadness I felt over leaving this group. I thanked Him for my wonderful job at Proverbs, which I hope to never leave.

A glimmer of hope came my way, when my former group entertained the thought of switching to night time. It turned out to be just a passing thought however. Most of them could not do a night group, and I totally understood. This did get me thinking though. Why couldn't I just start a new group? I had a good friend, Alexa, who had just gone back to work. I knew she really missed her friends and she loves to read the Word of God. I mentioned it to her. She prayed about it.

In the mean time, I was telling another friend, Julie, about it. Although she doesn't work during the day (well she works alright, just not outside the home!) she felt led to join our study. She had been leading a group for a few years and needed a break from leadership.

The 3 of us met together last night for the first time. When the night was over, the Lord had made it crystal clear why the 3 of us had come together. The timing couldn't be better, it's God's timing. And I'm glad I waited for it.

We are studying "30 Days to Taming Your Tongue" and if my tongue is indeed tamed in the next 30 days, my husband and children will be doing a happy dance around the den!

Although over the past 8 months, I never quit studying God's Word, there's just something special about studying it with others. Especially when you can open up and encourage each other in your daily Walk and help hold each other accountable. I'm a people person. I need me some peeps!

I will always miss my former group, but the good thing is, we will always be friends and continue to see each other on occasions. If you are reading, Amy Wangs, Mary Beth, Julie Kav, Denise, LeGena, Michelle, Angie, and DeAnnah, you guys rock. It was fun, deep, meaningful, and an incredible journey studying with you. I'll be Miss Piggly Wiggly 1985 for the rest of my life because of y'all! I miss you and love you all to pieces. I hope one day our paths will cross in study again. You all taught me so much. Some of which I'll pass on posting:)

And looking back, I thank God for the 8 months I went without a group for I needed to seek Him alone and deal with some issues in my life. It didn't seem fun, but I know I needed it in order to realize that God was indeed in control.

Julie Kel and Alexa, if by chance you are reading, thank you so much for giving your time on Wednesday nights to meet together. I can't wait to see what God has in store for us!

If you are not in a group or have never been in one, I encourage you to find one. You just don't know what you are missing. I didn't either...until I didn't have it anymore. So glad I'm back in the study again!

Now I'm off to practice taming my tongue!

Much Love,

Melissa