Becoming A Woman Who Doesn t Quit

Transcription

1 5 WEEKS TO Becoming A Woman Who Doesn t Quit LESSONS FROM THE BOOK OF RUTH CONFERENCE CALL SERIES WITH NICKI KOZIARZ & LISA ALLEN

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword By Melissa Taylor... 2 Week One: You Have to Accept Your Assignment of Refinement... 3 Week Two: You Can Follow Through Despite How You Feel... 6 Week Three: You Can Trust Where God is Moving You... 9 Week Four: Being Emotionally Generous Reaps Big Rewards Week Five: Sometimes You Gotta Mix Faith with Footwork Conference Call Series Reflections

3 FOREWORD BY MELISSA TAYLOR You just made a great decision. I did, too. We re committing to something that could change our lives. Can you imagine being a woman who follows through completely? If I m being honest, I can imagine being a woman who does exactly that. I mean, when I set a goal or commit to something, I have great pictures in my mind of what it will be like at the end. For example, I can imagine: I ll be 40 pounds lighter and super fit because I followed through with my diet and exercise plan. My home will be organized because I followed through with my de-clutter plan. My house will be clean because I followed through with the family chore list. My savings account will actually grow because I ve made consistent contributions. My children will count on me because they ve learned they can. My projects at work will move from idea to reality because I didn t abandon them when faced with difficulty. I ll actually finish a Bible study and be that woman who doesn t quit. I ve imagined myself at the end of each of these things. But the reality is, I ve practically quit them all. Why? Because I didn t feel like finishing it. And now I have a good friend who has written a book about not quitting, 5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn t Quit. Thank you Nicki Koziarz. This conference call series, 5 Weeks to Becoming a Woman Who Doesn t Quit is a great tool to reinforce the habits learned in 5 Habits book. But it s also more than that. It s a study of a woman in the Bible who had every good reason to give up, but she didn t. She lived out the 5 habits we ll learn about. As we journey through the book of Ruth together, we ll sit under the teaching of two great women from Proverbs 31 Ministries. I can t think of two people I d rather learn from than Nicki Koziarz and Lisa Allen. Together, they have teamed up to take us through this thought-provoking journey through the book of Ruth. Nicki is our Bible teacher and Lisa will be challenging us to live it out and make the changes we need so that we persevere, despite how we feel. I m so glad you decided to join us on this journey! I can t wait to see the difference in our lives week-by-week as we become women who persevere and follow through! Then we will no longer just imagine what it will be like. It will actually happen! Melissa Taylor Director of Online Bible Studies, Proverbs 31 Ministries 2

4 You Have to Accept Your Assignment of Refinement WEEK 1 - LESSON 1 What to read this week: Ruth 1:1-2:12 Key verses to remember: DON T FORGET: DON T LET A TEMPORARY BECOME A PERMANENT. LESSON REFLECTION QUESTIONS [taken from A Woman Who Doesn t Quit Bible Study, Lifeway, 2016] Who are all the characters we have met from the book of Ruth? What were the six vows Ruth made to Naomi in Ruth 1:16-17? What is your assignment of refinement right now? 3

5 MAKING THE HABITS A HABIT with Lisa Allen HABIT ONE: She Accepts the Assignment of Refinement HABIT HOW-TO: The process of acceptance and refinement KEY VERSE: For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. Psalm 66:10 (NIV) NOTES: What is an example of a time you have accepted an assignment of refinement? 4

6 NOTES FROM TEACHING: 5 Victory is often found in the most unfamiliar and uncomfortable places. Nicki Koziarz

7 You Can Follow Through Despite How You Feel WEEK 2 - LESSON 2 What to read this week: Ruth 2:4-13 Key verses to remember: DON T FORGET: WHEN WE GIVE GOD OUR HE GIVES US A OF. LESSON REFLECTION QUESTIONS [taken from A Woman Who Doesn t Quit Bible Study, Lifeway, 2016] Write a summary of Ruth s story so far. What part have you enjoyed the most? What are some excuses you had when your feelings tried to convince you to give up on something? What does God s favor mean to you? 6

8 MAKING THE HABITS A HABIT with Lisa Allen HABIT TWO: She Follows Through Despite How She Feels HABIT HOW-TO: Managing our feelings before they manage us KEY VERSE: Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. Proverbs 28:26 (NIV) NOTES: 7 Feelings are indicators not dictators. Lysa TerKeurst

9 NOTES FROM TEACHING: Momentary feelings will always try to convince us to forfeit our faithfulness. Nicki Koziarz 8

10 You Can Trust Where God is Moving You WEEK 3 - LESSON 3 What to read this week: Ruth 2:15-23 Key verses to remember: DON T FORGET: LEARNING TO STAY OPEN TO GOD S BRINGS, INCONCEIVABLE TO OUR. LESSON REFLECTION QUESTIONS [taken from A Woman Who Doesn t Quit Bible Study, Lifeway, 2016] What are some situations you have seen Ruth walk through that reflected she must have been close to God? Why is it important for you to keep reminding yourself what God has done for you? How specifically is God asking you to stay open to His movement right now? 9

11 MAKING THE HABITS A HABIT with Lisa Allen HABIT THREE: She Stays Open to the Movement of God HABIT HOW-TO: What does staying open look like and how do you know it s God moving? KEY VERSE: In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. James 1:21 (MSG) NOTES: 10

12 NOTES FROM TEACHING: When we stop fighting for a formula and fight for humility and surrender, then we see God move. 11 Nicki Koziarz

13 Being Emotionally Generous Reaps Big Rewards WEEK 4 - LESSON 4 What to read this week: Ruth 3:1-18 Key verses to remember: DON T FORGET: WHEN I GIVE WHAT I, I M SOWING ANOTHER -GIVING. LESSON REFLECTION QUESTIONS [taken from A Woman Who Doesn t Quit Bible Study, Lifeway, 2016] Write down the verses from what we ve already read where you see Ruth living out emotional generosity. Who is someone who will challenge you the most in living out emotional generosity? What are some doubts you have about this process of being emotionally generous with others? 12

14 MAKING THE HABITS A HABIT with Lisa Allen HABIT FOUR: She Gives Others What She Needs HABIT HOW-TO: Generosity Dare: Emotional Generosity KEY VERSE: But few things are needed or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. Luke 10:42 (NIV) NOTES: This week I will be emotionally generous with... 13

15 NOTES FROM TEACHING: False assumptions lead us to destruction. Nicki Koziarz 14

16 Sometimes You Gotta Mix Faith with Footwork WEEK 5 - LESSON 5 What to read this week: Ruth 4:1-22 Key verses to remember: DON T FORGET: IF OUR MOUNTAINS ARE NOT MOVING, WE MIGHT NEED TO MIX OUR FAITH WITH. LESSON REFLECTION QUESTIONS [taken from A Woman Who Doesn t Quit Bible Study, Lifeway, 2016] Complete this sentence: I wish I had enough faith to... What is a promise God has given that you feel could apply to your life? What was the ultimate result of Ruth s obedience? 15

17 MAKING THE HABITS A HABIT with Lisa Allen HABIT FIVE: Sometimes You Gotta Mix Faith with Footwork HABIT HOW-TO: Create Action Steps, because moving is an action KEY VERSE: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV) NOTES: When was a time you didn t let anyone stand in your way? 16

18 NOTES FROM TEACHING: 17 Misery multiplies the desire to quit. Nicki Koziarz

19 CONFERENCE CALL SERIES REFLECTIONS What I m taking away: Something that surprised me about studying the book of Ruth was: Someone I want to help become a woman who doesn t quit is: The verses we studied which impacted me the most were: 18

20 A committed woman learns to choose what she wants most over what she wants now. NICKI KOZIARZ 2016 by Nicki Koziarz and Lisa Allen. All rights reserved.