Friday, January 28, 2011

God is BUSY!

Last night was the second night of 5 for a Wellness class that I am teaching for IWU.  Don't laugh.  I tell them upfront that IWU doesn't hire me to teach this class b/c I am a great physical specimen of physical health but rather the emotional and spiritual side of wellness (and unfortunately that is more book knowledge! :)  ).  We all smile and laugh and yes for this class the students have to figure out their BMI and some other stuff.  Let's just say that I am so glad that I am teaching and NOT taking the class - that BMI thing is rather depressing for me.

Anyway, in this class there are only 4 students.  The three women I would say are in their early 40's and there is a guy in the class that is 22.  Out of the 4, there is only one woman who MIGHT be a Christian.  At least she seems to "talk the talk".  The other 2 women are searching and this class talking about SPIRITUAL wellness is pushing that search.  This young black guy - a kid really.... he served in the military and is married and has a nine-month old son and is getting a divorce.  He is the typical 22 year old - thinks he knows everything, but his is a likable kid really - I am able to joke with him.... you know those jokes where you say something funny that the person knows is serious..  When I teach (especially the kind of classes I teach with such a small number of students) I am  able to really get to know my students and they start sharing in ways that they haven't before thru out the series of classes (this program is set up that they stay with the same students the whole time).   When I shared that I am a counselor - specifically a Marriage and Family Counselor he rolled his eyes and you could SEE him groan - not just hear him.  :)

Last night was the night that they were to have read about Spiritual Wellness.  I like to take the class even further than than the textbook.  So I showed this clip from "Fireproof"
When this kid said that while he was in the military that he and his wife went to a marriage retreat and this movie was shown.  I jokingly/seriously said that he obviously isn't applying anything from the movie - he smiled (guiltily) and we watched the clip.  We talked about what it means to love someone and that LOVE is a choice it isn't a feeling.  I think that this was the first time that many of the them had truly heard about what Jesus had done for them.  I shared again with them about how much I learned thru Maggie's treatments HOW MUCH GOD LOVES US as He was willing to let His Son die for ME, be humiliated FOR ME.

Then we watched this clip for Facing the Giants....


We talked about how willingly we give up on things as it is "good enough" and how God wants our best and how He tells us that WHATEVER we do we are to work at it with ALL of our Hearts.  We had a really good discussion.

This kid (I'll call him "Jack") started saying that everything I was saying were things he was already thinking - basically saying that the things I was saying were challenging him.  I told him that it was GOD.  And he said "I am starting to think that you are right."   You see, as I was driving in that stupid snow I started praying that God would use me to work in my students.  And He did.  Not because of anything of who I am but because of How BIG God is.

Several times throughout the night "Jack" asked me if I would be his Marriage Counselor.  Can you believe it?  The kid who wanted nothing to do with a counselor is now asking this white lady to be his Marriage Counselor?  For the record, I don't know if I can ethically - dual relationship stuff.  But I see God working.  During our break, he started looking for the book Love Dare from the FireProof movie.  I am in tears just thinking about how God was busy last night.

Two of the other ladies I believe were just in awe - I truly do not believe that they had ever heard about God's love this way.  What a truly humbling experience to be used this way.  I absolutely love making people think in different ways and challenging them and I am in awe when God gives the opportunity and then uses me to challenge us all.

God is so busy challenging me in so many ways lately.  And these movie clips were just that additional push to get moving.  God wants me to run our home differently, do this blog differently, love our home more completely, parent a little bit stronger, love my husband a little LOT more selflessly, share of my frugal finds more frequently,  give of myself more freely.  And to do all of these things wholeheartedly.

As I look at ways to revamp this blog - I am looking for suggestions.  Are there things that you want to hear about more than others?  Please share your thoughts. :)  Pretty please?

1 comment:

  1. Hi Rachel! I just wanted to thank you for adding me to your blog list. I have enjoyed reading through your posts and this one is very timely because my husband and I along with a few other couples from our church are getting ready to start one of the "Fireproof" Bible studies. I don't think it's the Love Dare (although I wish it was because I've heard that's really good) so it must be a different one.... thanks for sharing this very encouraging post with us :)

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