1. How are we being intentional about change? (p.43)
2. What gifts that you already have, are you giving thanks for?
3. What do you need to name in your life in order to give it value? Is it a hard season? An action by another? Not in the way of calling it evil, but in a sense of it's refining power in your life?
4. Perseverance means to "remain under". What practice is God calling you to? Are we being transformed by persevering and learning in the process? Or are we be transformed through rebellion?
5. "Do not disdain the small. I discover slapping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for VERY FEW things in my life." (p. 59) What "small" blessings do we need to give thanks over? Are we missing the joy of the moment because we just look over these minute details?
6. When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace and let joy penetrate our cracked and dry places, let joy soak into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows. (p.58) What parts of our lives need to be laid open so that God can make life grow there?
7. It's our lives that are little and we have falsely inflated self, and in thanks we decrease and the world returns right." (p.59) John 3:30 How big are you in comparison to God in your life right now? Are you living that out?
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Chapter 2
Hi everyone! I have been away because of work so I'm not exactly sure where you all are in the book. I thought I would go ahead and post some reflection questions from Chapter 2. Feel free to post anything that you all talked about at your meeting, since I was not there.
1. We "wrestle to get it all done, the relentless anxiety that I am failing. Always failing." (p.27) How do we live our lives in contentment with the things that we are accomplishing, and without guilt of failing?
2. "Would I ever be enough, find enough, do enough?" How do we define "enough"? (p.27)
3. "It's the life in between, the days of walking lifeless,...simply going through the hollow motions, the self-protecting by self-distracting" The numbness...if we feel what would we experience? Isn't that the reason God calls us to bring our burdens to him?
4. "I gasp for more time, frantic for more time. But I have to wonder: more time for more what?" (P.29) If we had more time, what would we do with it? Would it be productive time, or more wasted time?
5. How do we get to the point like Jesus where he "offers thanksgiving for even that which will break Him and crush Him and wound Him"? (p. 36) How often do we give thanks in the those times....not after those times..but IN those times?
6. How do I not only say my "yes" to God, but also LIVE my "yes" to God? (p.40)
I'd love to hear your thoughts on these. Just post your thoughts in the comments section.
1. We "wrestle to get it all done, the relentless anxiety that I am failing. Always failing." (p.27) How do we live our lives in contentment with the things that we are accomplishing, and without guilt of failing?
2. "Would I ever be enough, find enough, do enough?" How do we define "enough"? (p.27)
3. "It's the life in between, the days of walking lifeless,...simply going through the hollow motions, the self-protecting by self-distracting" The numbness...if we feel what would we experience? Isn't that the reason God calls us to bring our burdens to him?
4. "I gasp for more time, frantic for more time. But I have to wonder: more time for more what?" (P.29) If we had more time, what would we do with it? Would it be productive time, or more wasted time?
5. How do we get to the point like Jesus where he "offers thanksgiving for even that which will break Him and crush Him and wound Him"? (p. 36) How often do we give thanks in the those times....not after those times..but IN those times?
6. How do I not only say my "yes" to God, but also LIVE my "yes" to God? (p.40)
I'd love to hear your thoughts on these. Just post your thoughts in the comments section.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Video Interview
Here is a video interview of Ann on Chapter 1. Very moving to hear own words. (I couldn't get the link active, so you'll have to copy and paste it into your browser)
http://www.incourage.me/2011/02/one-thousand-gifts-1.html
http://www.incourage.me/2011/02/one-thousand-gifts-1.html
Chapter One
Please share your thoughts...
* "Every sin is an attempt to fly from the emptiness."
* Has there been a time that you were "snapped shut to grace?" (p.10)
What does that mean? How does it play out in my life?
* How do we live our lives with our "hands clinched tight"? (p.12)
* How do we actually live out our beliefs? Are we living out what we truly "say" we believe?
* How are we filling the "holes" in our lives?
* We are meant to live a "fuller" life? What does that mean to me personally?
What does it look like lived out?
* "Every sin is an attempt to fly from the emptiness."
* Has there been a time that you were "snapped shut to grace?" (p.10)
What does that mean? How does it play out in my life?
* How do we live our lives with our "hands clinched tight"? (p.12)
* How do we actually live out our beliefs? Are we living out what we truly "say" we believe?
* How are we filling the "holes" in our lives?
* We are meant to live a "fuller" life? What does that mean to me personally?
What does it look like lived out?
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Welcome!
This is a place that we can all blog our thoughts about the book One Thousand Gifts. We welcome your thoughts, your questions, and your reflections. May this be a place of encouragement. Please invite others to join us even if they are not in the area to attend our book club locally. This is a great forum for people that live away from NWA to connect with us all.
Each week there will be a post about that particular chapter. The responses to that post will be in the comments section. You will have to scroll through the comments to see other's thoughts.
Enjoy!
Christi
Each week there will be a post about that particular chapter. The responses to that post will be in the comments section. You will have to scroll through the comments to see other's thoughts.
Enjoy!
Christi
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