Saturday, June 26, 2010

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 11: Boundaries

  1. Read the eleventh point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 153-169)
  2. Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
  3. Download and complete the Personal Hedges Worksheet
  4. Post your comments on the Blog
  • How does failing to heed boundaries expose a woman to potentially dangerous or compromising situations?
  • Do you think we can come up with a hard and fast list of boundaries that are appropriate for all circumstances? Who or why not?
  • Were there any hedges on the Personal Hedges Worksheet that you liked or thought were particularly important? Were there any you disliked or thought were overly restrictive?
  • Has anyone ever pressured you to cross a boundary that you felt uncomfortable crossing? How did you respond?
  • What are some challenges you face when it comes to maintaining personal hedges?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 10: Sexual Conduct

  1. Read the tenth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 135-151)
  2. Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
  3. Post your comments on the Blog
  • Which quote from the book do you think best explains why God created sex?
  • Why do you think that wrongful sexual conduct is so offensive to the Lord?
  • How does an unmarried woman tell the story? How does a married women tell it?
  • Has this chapter caused you to think differently about sex? How do you think it will affect your sexual conduct?

© Mary A. Kassian

Friday, June 18, 2010

Summer Bible Study

It was so great to meet together Wednesday night, I'm excited that so many of you are taking this journey with me this summer! I hope you liked the first night of our study, "Living Like You Belong To God." I think it will be a great six weeks! True holiness is the key to true happiness, so I'm excited to dive in!

I have set up an email list for prayer requests and other messages that need to go out. If you have not received an email yet, and you are in our class and would like too, please email me at katew806@hotmail.com and I will get you on the list!

Here is a quick look at what we discussed in week one.

This first week of study we focused on "A God Who Separates Light from Darkness." We saw that God separated the light from the darkness in Genesis 1:4, and that spiritually speaking He has been doing that ever since. I challenged us to examine our lives this week and think about the areas that were most light and most dark in our lives.

We saw that what distinguished Israel from all the other nations was that God was going with them (Exodus 33:15-16). So what about you, what distinguishes you from the world around you?

We saw in Leviticus 10:1-5 that Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered up strange fire to the Lord. God was not pleased with their worship and they died. In this context holy means to be set apart from the common and to be treated with great respect. The priests treated God as common and with great disrespect. Do we at times treat our role as a holy person, bought with a price (the price of the blood of Jesus), as common and with disrespect on occasion?

We saw that in 1 Peter 1: 14-16 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

16because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

The way we handle these truths affects our representation of Jesus in the world! Is your holiness clearly visible to a dark world? I made this cake on Tuesday. It was very pretty, but did not have much flavor (so I won't be recommending this recipe). However, when I made it, it made me think about our lives and holiness. You see before I cut into this cake, it looked like any other cake with buttercream icing. You couldn't tell what was special about this cake. From the outside, there was nothing that would distinguish this cake from any other cake. However, when you cut into it the beautiful colors were displayed for all to see. Are you like this cake? From the outside do you look like everyone else in the world, blending in so no one can tell there is anything different about you? Or are you displaying the beauty of Jesus in you for all the world to see?

Please feel free to continue the discussion we had the other night right here on the blog. Comment below if you have anything you would like to add or discuss!

I cant' wait to see you all back next week as we talk about belonging to a Holy God!

Girls Gone Wise 9: Who Wears the Pants?

Who wears the pants? And does it even matter? Because anything guys can do, girls can do better. Right? Well maybe-maybe not. But according to the Bible, roles aren’t based on who’s more capable or competent, or whose turn it is, or who wants to have a go at it. In this Girls Gone Wise Video book blog, you’ll find out that there’s a really important reason why roles matter, and why it should be the guy pursuing the girl… and not the other way around.Read the ninth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 119-134)
  1. Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
  2. Post your comments on the Blog
  • How common is the Girls-Gone-Wild pattern of the girl “seizing” and the guy “following”?
  • Why do you think our culture reacts negatively to the idea of differing roles and responsibilities for male and female?
  • Why does it matter who “wears the pants?”
  • Has your thinking on male/female roles changed over the years? In what way?
  • How does sin make it difficult to delight in our created design?
  • Which of the 12 gender markers do you struggle with the most?

© Mary A. Kassian

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 8: Flirt to Convert

No one wants a reputation of being a BIG flirt—but what about just a bit of flirting? What if you just flirt for fun? Or flirt to convert? The ancient prophet Isaiah had something to say about women who’d perfected the art of “the walk” and “the look”—you know the look he’s talking about… that sultry, steamy, “come get me” one. In this Girls Gone Wise video book blog, you’ll find out when you should use body language to turn on the charm.
  1. Read the eighth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 93-108)
  2. Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
  3. Post your comments on the Blog
© Mary A. Kassian, Girls Gone Wise. Visit Mary’s Website at: GirlsGoneWise.com

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 7: Appearance

  1. Read the seventh point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 93-108)
  2. Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
  3. Post your comments on the Blog
  • What does it mean to dress “as a prostitute?”
  • How might the concept that clothing is meant to display deep and profound spiritual truths about the gospel change the way a woman dresses?
  • Refer to the second paragraph on page 102. Which pitfalls about the practical question of what and what not to wear have tripped you up?
  • In what way do the principles that a woman’s clothing ought to be “becoming, decent and moderate” challenge you?
© Mary A. Kassian, Girls Gone Wise. Visit Mary’s Website at: GirlsGoneWise.com

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 6: Focus

  1. Read the sixth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 83-92)
  2. Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
  3. Post your comments on the Blog
  • Can you describe a time when you went “wild” lying in wait for something?
  • At what point does the pursuit of a legitimate desire change from being wise to wild?
  • Why is laying a trap so dangerous to the one who lays it?
  • Who gets more: the woman who is focused on getting, or the woman who is focused on giving? Why?
  • What can we do to maintain a Kingdom focus?
© Mary A. Kassian, Girls Gone Wise. Visit Mary’s Website at: GirlsGoneWise.com

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 5: Habits

  1. Read the fifth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 71-82)
  2. Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
  3. Post your comments on the Blog
  • Why is it important to attend to your private world first?
  • Do you agree that God created women with a unique bent for the home? Why or why not?
  • Why do you think culture devalues the importance of a woman’s unique connection to the home?
  • What important habits and disciplines does a wise woman incorporate into her life?
  • What areas of your private life do you have a tendency to neglect? Can you share any ideas or suggestions for habits that have worked for you?

© Mary A. Kassian

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 4: Attitude

This chapter was all about Attitude! Isn't it so true that in society today if you have a sassy and defiant attitude you are considered desirable. Culture says this kind of attitude is a virtue and calls it self confidence. I delight in the fact that the Lord created me to be soft. "According to Scripture, it's woman's softness, her ability to receive, respond, and relate, that is her greatest strength (pg 64)."

So today, take a few minutes and watch the video below by Mary Kassian and then turn in your book and ask yourself, "What kind of attitude am I going to cultivate in my life?" Enjoy!
  1. Read the fourth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 57-70)
  2. Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
  3. Post your comments on the Blog
  • What type of disposition does culture encourage women to cultivate?
  • How do you feel about the fact that Adam associated manhood with “strength” and womanhood with “softness”? What do you think that means?
  • Do you delight in the fact that the Lord created you to be “soft”? Why or why not.
  • What factors might keep you from becoming increasingly gentle, calm, and amenable?
© Mary A. Kassian, Girls Gone Wise. Visit Mary’s Website at: GirlsGoneWise.com