Last year our Bible study was blessed to have a church in America sort of adopt us. They sent us videos for our studies and wanted to send us the books in addition to the videos this fall.
We are preparing to do James: Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore. The church ordered the books for us in early June but they never arrived. A second order was placed early August. Again they never arrived. Then early September I called Lifeway personally and changed the shipping address to another person in the group.
Sunday I began to worry about the books because we are starting Tuesday night. While riding bikes to church I asked my husband what he thought about the situation and what I should do.
"Have faith." was his reply. Faith isn't faith when there is nothing to have faith in. Ok. Yeah, I believe that. I mulled it over trying to decided what faith actually looked like in this situation.
Monday I felt I needed to take a step in preparation for the study. I called Lifeway and was delighted to learn that they had the video sheets and week one online for the leaders in a secret spot on their website. The lady on the other end of the phone line directed me step by step through the process to find the worksheets. There they were, but ironically they only came up as "blanks" when I tried to open them.
Quickly she assured me she would email them to me. We waited. It didn't come through. "Do you have another email?" I gave her my husband's. Thankfully that came through right away and he forwarded it to me.
I hung up, eager to look at the lessons and how this study was laid out. I really felt I was cutting it to the last minute.
I opened the attachment to find only days 1 & 2. What about 3-5? I stared at the screen. I was completely baffled. I honestly had no idea how to proceed. What did faith look like?
This drove me to my Bible. I needed some answers. I know what faith is, but sometimes in the thick of life I just need to hold my Bible and stare at the verses for reassurance.
We are preparing to study James and ironically James has a bit to say about faith. What really struck me was that faith includes action. First we have the faith then that faith spurs us to move forward in life in a certain way.
James 2:17 "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."
I mulled over this all night and all morning and into the afternoon. I have faith that God has a plan here. I'm just not sure what it is or how to proceed. This afternoon I decided that my faith needed a little more action.
I called Lifeway again. "No problem" they said. They would contact another department who would email the rest of week 1 lessons to me. Yeah!
A few hours later I did receive that email. All of week 3 was scanned in and sent to me.
I am now sitting here absolutely positive that there is reason for this. I have tried every possible avenue to have the books and lessons in place tonight. But it is not going to happen.
I believe God has a purpose. That is where my faith is right now. I just have no idea what we will do tonight.
As one friend said to me, "Fortunately women like to get together for food>"!
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