I mentioned Lysa TerKeurst’s new book Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl in passing back in December when I read it but when Lysa offered for folks to share their posts on it, I realized I never did a detailed review.
As I said in my initial reaction, some things didn’t blow me away. I’ll clarify that a bit and say it’s not that she wasn’t dead-on. Some things I profusely shook my head in agreement but wasn’t necessarily challenged by. However, that doesn’t discount the many things that did prick and challenge me. I earmarked a few pages while reading and thought I’d share a few of them:
The first comes from the In My Walk with God –Beyond Sunday Morning chapter. Here is the quote. “Instead of looking at the ministry options our church offers and asking, “Which one will meet my needs and feed me the way I need to be fed?” we must look at our church and ask, “Where can I make a difference in the body of Christ?” Ouch, ouch, ouch! Get OFF my toes! After spending part of last year looking for a new church I have to say I am guilty of this one. If everyone would look for ways to serve instead of looking for all the ministries the church doesn’t have, we’d all be happy.
The next three are from In My Thoughts section. I think it’s curious now that I look back. I’m not surprised that’s the case though. I’ve been told a time or two I think too much.
From the “What Do I Do When I Don’t Feel God?” section. I loved the closing comments. “Becoming more than a good Bible study girl means…being able to sit in the noise of the arena of life with every worldly distractions imaginable bombarding you and suddenly thinking of Him – talking with Him, smiling with Him, and realizing that every longing you’ve ever had in life to be more than just the girl in row 116, section R, seat 24 is already filled. By Him. The One who chooses you.” He chooses me. He chooses me. He chooses me. I’m not sure if I could hear that enough. So many women need to know they are chosen.
From the “Learning to Simply Like Me”, Lysa encourages us all to share our worst mistakes. Some of us have been through pits and made it back out with God’s help. So many others are in the same pit but don’t know how to get out. If we just share our story, the help we are able to offer will far outweigh the shame we may feel from judgment of others. “There are women in your sphere of influence who need to hear your story.”
In “A Glorious Sense of Possibility”, Lysa invites “each of us into the possibility of seeing God. Not his actual physical form, but rather evidence of His activity.” So many times we see credit God’s movement to luck or coincidences. Not so. God is moving and reveals Himself sometimes in the smallest, very physical ways. Look for Him. And credit Him. A verse that she doesn’t mention but has helped me in this is James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
I think this book is one we could read once a year and depending on where we are in our journey, take something completely different away from it. It’s definitely staying in my bookcase and I’m happy to give it my full recommendation.
