I know that I have told this story before... but I just want to re-tell it again. About 1 1/2 years ago... I was not attending a Bible study, but I was so hungry for God's Word. It was then, that God put on my heart to have a home Bible study. I started looking around for a study and sent out some invitations to about 8 or 10 women. I couldn't wait for my plan to come together. When the first classtime arrived... only two women showed up.
(Teri and Rita)
My heart was troubled. I didn't understand.... I had this all planned this out. What happened ??
Well... over the next week or two... I invited another person.... and one lady dropped out. So we still had the same little group of three, including me. (Teri, Regina in... Rita out)
Within a month or so... one of my dear ladies invited another lady. Yeah! We were up to four. After a few weeks... this same lady and her guest told me that they had never read the Bible. When class was over that night... I couldn't keep from doing a praise dance. (Teri, Regina, and now Mary)
This was not the plan that I had... BUT it was the exact plan that God had.
Within a few weeks one of those ladies accepted Christ as her Savior after class. Another praise dance!!
After our second study together... God added to our group. I felt God impress on my heart to invite this certain lady down the street... the problem was... I had never met her. One afternoon I saw her outside helping her little girl learn to ride a bike. I circled back around and invited her to join us for our next study. I couldn't believe it when I answered the door on our first night... and it was her!! (Jennifer) My friend from church also invited a friend to come... and you know what her answer was?.... "I have been praying that you would invite me!" (Beverly) I then invited another total stranger that I met out in bloggy world. She accepted. (Pamela) So... now we were up to seven! And we completed our next study.
THEN... God added to our group again. One of our newest members taught Sunday School... and she actually had two of her members ask if they could attend. (Louise and Ellen) Wow! Now we were up to nine. I invited another friend to come.... up to 10! (Lisa)
Due to other commitments we will have to say goodbye to Lisa for now.... and Ellen has joined the Thursday morning Bible study group at church... But God has graciously added to us again. Teri's has invited another friend to join us. (Heather) And one of my close friends (Crystie) has also joined us. We are right back to 10!! God is so good.
We were so sad to hear that Pamela would be sitting this study out.... but God in his faithfulness sent us Jennifer Hayes. 10 again.
So... we just started our 5th study.
You know... God is all about His plan!! Not ours. And... I am so glad. The group of ladies that He has put together is amazing. We are all at different places in our spiritual walk. We are from different denominations. We are at different stages in our lives.... BUT... we are so much in love with God and His Word!!
I am so humbled that God has allowed me to be a part of His Plan. I have been so blessed....
Thank you Father for allowing me to be a part of what you are doing in each of these ladies lives. Do not ever let me take this for granted... or pretend that I have anything to do with any of it. It is all by you... and about you. I praise YOU!
Now... many months have passed by... and we are up to 14. An old friend of mine joined us... Leigh. And there were three other ladies at church that wanted to be a part.... so God added them too.... Mary Beth, Jodi, and Patti. God is continuing to do a great work in us. We are finishing up our.... 6th study. ( I think... I have lost count)
This is the group that currently makes up the Sweet Tuesdays... Me, Regina, Teri, Mary, Beverly, Jennifer Nolan, Pamela, Louise, Crystie, Leigh, Jodi, and Patti. God has been so faithful. I pray that He will find us faithful too.
*** Just a quick little update ***
AS of April 13th... our little group has grown to a grand total of 20. We moved from my living room to Calvary Baptist Church. Same time, Same purpose... just a different place. God is blessing His work!!
***Another update***
As of January 18th, 2011 Our little group has now grown to a total of 26. God is really blessing!!! This is just evidence that
God is up to something HUGE in our time on the Kingdom calendar. I praise Him.
*** Another update ***
As of January 17th, 2012 We have moved our meeting place to Pilgrim's Inn in hopes that we can include and encourage the ladies that are being helped there. Our desire is to share the gospel and our lives with as many ladies as God will bring our way.