Chapter One
session 1 you are . you
For You Alone
Let's start this session with some contemplation. Turn your
mind inward as you think about who you are as an individual. Here's
a little acrostic to help you get started:
I A M M E
Under each letter write at least one word that describes who
you are. For example, one of the "Ms" would likely be mom. "E"
could be enthusiastic or entertaining or expert. For "I," think of
words like introspective and insecure and intense. Don't let the
acrostic confine you. You don't necessarily have to add only words
that fit neatly into it.
Now turn your sights away from yourself and the acrostic and
look to God. Who are you in him? What sort of relationship do you
have with him? How does this relationship affect who you are?
Being a mother can quickly eclipse all the other great things
you are as a person. Without attention to your other parts and
pieces, the task of sorting out who you are other than mother can
become more and more difficult. The most important person you
are is in your status as a believer. This first study will help you
review and recall that significant part of you as a person.
For You and God's Word
Begin your study today by reading 2 Corinthians 5:17. As you
read this verse, take every word personally. Read it as though Paul
is writing to you personally about your relationship with God, about
who you now are as a believer in Jesus Christ.
Threfore, if anyone is in Christ, [she] is a new creations; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
"If I belong to Christ and believe in him, I am a new person;
the old me is gone, the new me has come!" That's a paraphrase of
2 Corinthians 5:17. Here are a few questions to get you thinking
about what this verse means for you personally:
1. What does it mean to you to be "in Christ" in a spiritual
sense?
2. What practical implications, if any, does being "in Christ"
have?
3. How does or, perhaps more realistically, should being "in
Christ" affect your day-to-day life?
4. What is your most common response when the "old you"
rears its (sometimes) ugly head? If you understood all the
richness of this verse, what sort of response would you be
encouraged to make?
5. Only in and through Christ can you ever become all God
created you to be. Who are you as a person in Christ-as a
"new creation"? Complete at least four "I am" statements
below to help you see yourself in a more holistic way. Here
are a few ideas to help you get going:
I am creative.
I am passionate.
I am a good listener.
I am _______________________________ .
I am _______________________________ .
I am _______________________________ .
I am _______________________________ .
For You and Others
As a small group, you gather to examine Scripture and who you
are as a person in light of Scripture. Today's passages will give you
insight, guiding your thoughts and your talk and helping you recognize
what you once were and now are in Christ.
If you are in Christ, you are a new creations; the old has
gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (paraphrased)
Recite this verse together as a group, then discuss the following
questions:
1. Share with each other what being "in Christ" means to you
personally.
2. Share what you discovered spiritually and practically about
this phrase in "For You and God's Word."
Now turn to Ephesians 2:13, which speaks of being "near" and
"far away" because of your position "in Christ."
3. Near what? Far away from what?
4. How do you go from being far away to being near?
5. What does being near mean when you are doing the everyday
things of life? How does it affect your life when you're
preparing meals? Driving children around? Cleaning your
home? Getting home from work yourself or welcoming
your husband home?
(Continues.)
