Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

faith & spirituality

When this is joy

 

psalm97

Today, I’m linking up with (in)courage on the topic of “the Joy of the Lord is our strength.” You can too. Click here for details and to see what others are saying.

The rose pictured above bloomed in our seen-better-days yard of our rental home this week. Yet its beauty drew me in, and I found it impossible not to smile or stop and admire or take a sniff.

Joy is like that. It’s noticeable. Unavoidable. Worthy of pause.

And it’s only because I have seen it blooming in the most unlikely places that I believe it is supernatural and available to me no matter the circumstances.

When I surround myself with joyful people, it rubs off over time. When I take time to notice joy, it changes me. And when I stop to consider joy, the fragrant aroma lingers.

I was tempted to cut the flowers and bring them inside the house. But I left them outside for others to enjoy.

Maybe I need to do the same with my joy.

 

The kind of teaching that's so good it's almost scary: Review of Restless DVD-based study by Jennie Allen

Last week I wrote about my experience reading the book Restless by Jennie Allen. In the same amount of time it took me to read it, the DVD study kit has been sitting on my desk (or has been passing back and forth between me and a friend, who is leading our book club discussion). Finally, I had a chance to sit down and watch a few sessions and look over the material. (Disclaimer: I received a free DVD kit from the publisher through Shelton Interactive in exchange for my review.)

Since it’s designed for group use, it’s hard for me to give a fully accurate review, but I have some overall impressions, the first of which is: Uh-mazing.

If I thought Jennie’s passion transferred from the page to the reader, then I hadn’t seen the half of it. In front of a group of women, Jennie comes alive and, girlfriends, she can preach. She nearly had me in tears just by hearing her talk.

The kit includes an 8-session DVD, a leader guide, an individual study guide and a box of question cards (which I personally found to be an intriguing aspect of the kit).

restless DVD

The study is similar in structure to Beth Moore’s DVD studies, if you’re familiar with those. The workbook is designed for personal use throughout the week and the DVD sessions and question cards are meant to be used in a group setting.

And can I just say that this whole journey of discovery found in Restless–whether the book or the video teaching–is ridiculously scary because it’s so personal and important. And I believe that Jennie Allen believes what she’s teaching–that we’re all meant for more in this life, that God will use our experiences (even the hard ones) for His greater purposes and that we just might find ourselves in the middle of a big adventure if we allow God to show us what He’s up to. It’s one of those times that I’m almost afraid to go too deep because I might drown in the importance of it all.

I want to soak in this teaching, dig into my own experiences and uncover the connection between who God made me and what I can do in this world for Him.

If you’re looking for a group study for your church, I’d give this one an enthusiastic recommendation. And if you’ve been through it with a group or decide to do it, I’d love to hear what you think! Just be warned: there’s no skimming the surface here, unless that’s all you want to get out of it. Be prepared to do some honest digging into your life. I don’t think you’ll regret it.