Renew the blog :-)
I think in order to do that we need to use the blog as a step-by-step study together. It just doesn't work when we're all in different places. I think it will be the most productive/effective if we pick something none of us have read before. So, first order of business: what are we going to start the year off with?
I liked Sara's idea of using the children's bible to do a bible study with.
Captivating could be a really good one for us to work on together.
I did a little poking around with books suggested if you liked The Shack and So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore came up
Other ideas? Or does one of those stand out to you?
I'm excited that Toni is joining in this time around - I think it will be great to get more thoughts/opinions/discussion :-) Sara - in your experience, is it "the more the merrier"? Should we consider inviting other friends (Tab/Shana?) also, or do you think it will be more authentic if we keep it to the three of us for now?
So I just started Prayer by Philip Yancey. It's a pretty awesome book that gets at the heart of a lot of faith questions it seems. He's a great writer and pretty fast reading. I'm only on chapter 5, so it would be easy to catch up.
ReplyDeleteHe's also written a ton of other books including a best seller "The Jesus I never knew".
John Eldridge is a great writer. I deeply enjoyed the Sacred Romance. I would be open to captivated. From what I've seen of his work, there might not be too much to discuss from chapter to chapter but I would be open to giving it a go.
I do like reading books as an idea, but I also feel that some of the most revealing places to find God is in scripture itself. So I would like to throw out there that I would like to create space to read and open ourselves to scripture at some point. I think I could find good chapters in both the new and the old testament to read and discuss.
In regards to adding others. My thoughts are --
1. discussion works better when there are more people because it makes less pressure for you to have to comment on something that you don't really have comments for because other people are and you can just read and take in what they are sayings.
2. In dealings with of faith and deeply intimate matters it can be intimidating to share with people that we don't know as closely. I am very fine and open to discussion with anyone and wouldn't be prohibited about what I write based on other people being there, but I would want each of you to feel just as open. So take some time to think about if or how you would change what you write if other people were reading.
Good job Kels for getting this off the ground again. I really get a lot out of sharing this. and I was deeply touched by everyone's openness and the powerful space we shared on Christmas. Its truly a blessing to have such a deep connection with family.
Love you both.
Sara
If we want to focus on scripture for this year, I think either doing the Children's Bible you were talking about or My Utmost for His Highest would be good options. The Children's Bible sounded interesting because I'd like to be more knowledgeable about the ties between the Old and New Testaments. Utmost would give us extra structure with the assigned readings and hopefully we'd be able to really stay on track with each other.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think Toni?
I would be interested in the Children's Bible option, but I am also ok with a chapter book. I don't think we would necessary have to go one chapter at a time. But maybe have a goal of when we want to have it finished by and break it down to a few chapters a week and then just post on those chapters weekly (the same goes for the Bible.
ReplyDeleteAs with having more people, I agree it could be better with more people. But we are not as close with Tabitha and Shayna and I wouldn't feel as open to discuss some of these personal matters that we do. Also, what is the motive for inviting them? Is it just for more people or is it because they are dealing with some of the same issues that they want to discuss with others?
Sounds like the Children's Bible is the option that we all agree on for the time being. What was the name of it Sara? Toni and I will have to track down copies :-)
ReplyDeleteMotives for inviting Tabithah and Shana were to have more people for more discussion and because they've both been doing some religion/spirituality searching in the past year or so. But I think it's more important for now for us to ALL be comfortable - so maybe we'll invite them in the future.
The Jesus Storybook Bible.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jesusstorybookbible.com/index.php