Welcome to Bible Study Mondays! We are thrilled to be walking through our newest Bible study, Courageous Influence, right here with you. Each week we will provide the reading assignment, a discussion video featuring three (in)courage writers, a quote of the week, reflection questions, and prayer prompts. All you need is your copy of Courageous Influence and an open heart, and we’ll take care of the rest!
Over the next six weeks, we will study God’s Word and answer reflection questions that will help us put into practice what we’re learning. Our faith should always have both a solid orthodoxy (what we believe) and a solid orthopraxy (how we live it out), and this Bible study aims to achieve both. Courageous Influence will guide you in the journey of living the impact you were made to have.
Pick up your copy of Courageous Influence, and let’s turn the world’s idea of influence on its head and become the courageous women of influence God calls us to be. Let’s start Week One: Me? A Woman of Influence?
Reading Assignment
This week, we will read the Introduction and Week One: Me? A Woman of Influence? on pages 7-41 in Courageous Influence. Grab your copy and start reading and working through the study!
Discussion Video
Three of our (in)courage writers invite us into their conversations about Courageous Influence! Join study author Grace P. Cho along with Becky Keife and Kathi Lipp each week as they discuss the readings. Listen in on their conversation about Week One (and find all the weekly videos here):
Quote of the Week
Keep this quote in mind as you begin reading Week One:
We are women of influence. Period. Let’s embrace the way God made us for impact.
– Grace P. Cho in Courageous Influence. Feel free to download this quote to share with a friend!
Reflection Questions
Together in the comments, answer and discuss the following reflection questions:
- What are some examples you’ve seen in your life of women living out their influence?
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How have you felt the pressure to hustle and make something of yourself? How does that kind of striving affect the way you view yourself, whether or not you’re successful? (p. 21)
Let’s Pray Together
Lord, thank You for making me a woman of influence. Thank You that I can minister to others through my spiritual gifts, my talents, and my words. I’m so grateful that You choose to do Your work through me. If I start to lose my way or forget who You made me to be, remind me of what I’ve learned this week, and may Your grace bring me back to firm ground again. Amen.
Click here to buy Courageous Influence, to get a FREE week from each of our Courageous Bible Studies (including Courageous Influence), and to get free leader resources!
Answer the reflection questions in the comments so we can discuss Week One together! Blessings as you work your way through Week One, and we’ll see you back here next Monday to begin Week Two: Not Position, but Place and a Willing Yes.
SO fun to start this series here! I think for me, one way I’ve felt the pressure to hustle and make something of yourself comes from being a mom — even a working mom. It’s hard to not compare, contrast, judge, feel judged… especially from social posts. Such a good reminder that our worth doesn’t come from our striving; it comes from His heart.
I agree it’s being a mom for me too. It’s so easy to see other moms and think they have it so easy and to want their life. We have to remember that the fact that we are struggling means we care. And that is more important to a child then anything
These books are so amazing and are helping me to dig deeper into God’s word, but also dig deeper into his love for me! Every single Bible study in this series brings something new to light!
Love hearing that, Crystal! Thanks for being here.
While I intentionally try encourage and empathize with others, it donned on me this morning that we influence whether we want to or not… feel like it or not. We do life with others, however thinly, and just being part of lives includes influence. The gravity of that has me thinking a lot. I can steer my own influence to be one that’s genuine and powerful… or… one that’s shallow and ineffective. In a world where blind rage and flared emotions dominate, we need to realize how shallow that passionate “influence” is. It’s easy, changes no one, and only adds to ones own frustration.
I didn’t think of that but it’s so true I influence whether I want to or not so I better pay more attention to how I’m influencing
One way I have seen women living out their influence is just through being encouraging. My online Bible study group has several women with different backgrounds (some are moms, teachers, nurses, hair stylists, grandparents raising their grandchildren) who each strive to just bring glory to God in little ways in whatever they do in their daily lives. I love that! It doesn’t mean you have to be popular, just obedient to Him. I think there can be pressure to be someone important, even in the church with what ministry you lead or how many women are a part of your group. It comes down to just bringing glory to God in whatever small way you can.
I am really enjoying this study and even though I am beyond week 1, it was great to watch this week’s video and receive fresh insight!
I feel like I really needed this study and I wasn’t going to do it but a lot of people who were doing it reached out to me and it was totally a sign from God I struggle with self-worth and because of it I hide my light under a basket. I pray this study helps me come out a little more and let my light shine.
I am so very thankful to have many amazing women throughout my life set an example of living out their influences, and the daily task of being present and mindful of that influence.
This week’s reading really hit home. For me, that pressure to hustle, to be more, to make something of yourself use to greatly affect my view of myself, determined my self worth, and often became the deciding factor of my success, or gave me reason to retreat and hide from the world. It has been within the last few years I have had to re-evaluate this thinking and view, and God has put a great deal more in my path recently to challenge me to move beyond it, to grow within His purpose for me, and better understand how I’m to rise to that purpose, to live it.
WOW! I read what was here & went straight to the video for Week One here & study author Grace P. Cho along with Becky Keife and Kathi Lipp…are AMAZING! So relatable, down to earth women who are passionate about God, just like I am. I felt as if I was sitting at the table with them & I truthfully watched the video twice & will watch more, I have no doubt! These beautiful women made me think of who has influenced me & who have I influenced?! My light is shining/beaming & I am so excited to get right into this bible study! Thank you, Ladies & God Bless Everyone! ENJOY!
What are some examples you’ve seen in your life of women living out their influence?
One of my friends spilled over with the love of God through the Spirit. I had never met anyone like this before, and it inspired me to show this love for Him through me. Another friend shared her love of God’s Word with me. His Word was the lens through which she lived her life. I’d never had someone show me that before, so it has made me love His Word, study His Word, and share His Word so that others around me might know Him. Finally, I have two friends that were transparent in their brokenness and what God had done and is continuing to do in their lives. They gave me a picture and an example of how God uses the broken to carry Himself to those around us. One friend showed me how her past didn’t define her. The other friend showed me how to lean into Him in those hard times and ask Him to show me what it was He wanted me to see. They both showed me what it meant to wait for God’s timing in my life. I always made my own decisions without going to Him for His direction, and because of this I failed to achieve what it was that I was trying to accomplish. However, He didn’t just leave me there. He spoke through others, through His Word, and through things said or done in my life to show me that He had a purpose for my life. He wanted me to trust Him and Him alone. What a gracious God we serve Who can take you the old and make something new. Hallelujah!
In Courage,
I’ve never felt the need to hustle & strive. My problem has been thinking I should be busy all the time. When I’m at home while hubby working-feel the need to spout off ALL the things I got done today. Sort of like a competition. Telling myself hey I worked almost as hard as hubby.
There are times I don’t feel “successful” & kind of lazy. Work part-time (mostly full-time some weeks). I push myself & use extra time to cook for/help others & volunteer. Making sure I use my time wisely.
Blessings 🙂