As I mentioned awhile back, I'm co-leading a Tuesday morning Bible study with 7 women on campus. This isn't your typical inductive study, this is a purity study entitled Into the Light. It is not a replacement for our typical Navs Bible Studies, it is an additional optional study for women who are interested. (They've got to be pretty interested to get up and to the union at 7:30 am!! They are college students after all!) It's purpose is to help women learn how to invite Jesus into the place of pain and brokenness in their lives. When these dark places are left un-dealt with, they often manifest themselves in the forms of enslavement to different kinds of sexual sin and impurity, anxiety, and depression.
I was a bit intimated to help co-lead this study, but just three weeks in, I am already so grateful for this opportunity! It is a blessing to be a part of a small group Bible study on campus (as I haven't been involved in this capacity since the semester Ellie was born!) I also am so glad to be getting to know these women in a deeper way and able to love them as they process their pain.
We have seen the Lord use this study in so many people's lives over the past few years. We've had the privilege of watching students experience total life transformation, not just attempts at sin and behavior management. The Lord is doing a redeeming work, and we are so grateful to be a part of it!!
The final question of this weeks study was "Identify one way in which you could cultivate non-sexual intimacy skills"
One girl answered, "Discuss situations face to face"
While this may seem like a simple, 'duh?!' statement, this was very profound.
We are finding more and more each semester the need to help teach and train students to cultivate real friendships. We are seeing the need to help students live in the real world, face to face, not just screen to screen. These students so desperately want to be known, but find themselves hiding more and more than ever before, buried under shame, self-hatred, and layers of pain. In turn they are looking for something to fill their pain, this void that they are feeling.
As each woman each shared what she was desiring, this is what I heard from the seven women around the table.... A desire....
-to be secure
-to be recognized
-to be good enough
-to be someone that people are proud of
-to be accomplished
-to be wanted
-to be needed as a true companion
While we are living in a world where it is very tempting to live life behind a screen, these women are aware that they need more than that. They need a deep and vibrant relationship with God, and they need each other.
One of the woman said it well, she said she was in this study because she is looking for "freedom from temptations that consume." This freedom is only going to come through Jesus.
Thank you for partnering with us so that we can be here sharing Jesus with our students face to face .
-Katie
I was a bit intimated to help co-lead this study, but just three weeks in, I am already so grateful for this opportunity! It is a blessing to be a part of a small group Bible study on campus (as I haven't been involved in this capacity since the semester Ellie was born!) I also am so glad to be getting to know these women in a deeper way and able to love them as they process their pain.
We have seen the Lord use this study in so many people's lives over the past few years. We've had the privilege of watching students experience total life transformation, not just attempts at sin and behavior management. The Lord is doing a redeeming work, and we are so grateful to be a part of it!!
The final question of this weeks study was "Identify one way in which you could cultivate non-sexual intimacy skills"
One girl answered, "Discuss situations face to face"
While this may seem like a simple, 'duh?!' statement, this was very profound.
We are finding more and more each semester the need to help teach and train students to cultivate real friendships. We are seeing the need to help students live in the real world, face to face, not just screen to screen. These students so desperately want to be known, but find themselves hiding more and more than ever before, buried under shame, self-hatred, and layers of pain. In turn they are looking for something to fill their pain, this void that they are feeling.
As each woman each shared what she was desiring, this is what I heard from the seven women around the table.... A desire....
-to be secure
-to be recognized
-to be good enough
-to be someone that people are proud of
-to be accomplished
-to be wanted
-to be needed as a true companion
While we are living in a world where it is very tempting to live life behind a screen, these women are aware that they need more than that. They need a deep and vibrant relationship with God, and they need each other.
One of the woman said it well, she said she was in this study because she is looking for "freedom from temptations that consume." This freedom is only going to come through Jesus.
Thank you for partnering with us so that we can be here sharing Jesus with our students face to face .
-Katie
