Tell Your Story – (in)courage

Welcome to the final Bible Study Monday in this series! We have been going through our Courageous Influence Bible Study for six weeks, and so far we’ve looked at:

Week 1, which began with a foundational statement: You are a woman of influence,
Week 2, which revealed that influence is about where God has placed you and your willingness to say yes to Him,
Week 3, which explored what it means to be a person of integrity in using our influence,
Week 4, which taught us to be generous with our influence, and
Week 5, which showed us how to be intentional with our influence.

Now we turn to the final chapter — Week 6, which explores how storytelling can be a powerful way of influencing others.

Reading Assignment

This week, read Week Six: Tell Your Story, on pages 177-208 in the Courageous Influence Bible Study. Grab your copy and start reading!

Quote of the Week

Keep this quote in mind as you read Week Six:

Each of our stories is unique to us, and they are our stories to tell.

– Grace P. Cho in Courageous Influence. Feel free to download this quote to share with a friend!

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 as they discuss each week of the Bible study. Listen in on their conversation about Week Six (and find all the weekly videos here):

Reflection Questions

Together in the comments, answer and discuss any of all of the following questions:

How does remembering and retelling narratives about your history and culture require courage from you?
In what ways have you found the phrase “for such a time as this” relevant to you?
Throughout the Bible, there is an emphasis on telling what God has done. Why do you think that is? In other words, why is telling our stories so important?

Let’s Pray Together

God, thank You for how You’ve created us for such a time as this. When the time comes for us to take a stand and use our voices and our influence for the sake of others, give us wisdom and courage to lean in even when the cost is great. Thank You for loving us so much that You did the same for us. We love You, Lord. Amen.

Remember, answer the reflection questions in the comments so we can discuss Week Six together!

Friends, thank you SO MUCH for joining us throughout these six weeks of Bible study. We will be back with another series of Bible Study Mondays starting in November as we go through the Courageous Kindness Bible Study together, right here. We hope you’ll join us! In the meantime, get a FREE week from each of the four Courageous Bible Studies and free leader resources.

Leave a Comment

Dawn Ferguson-Little says

September 6, 2021 at 3:11 pm

Thank you for today’s incourage live. I believe God has said to me to tell one of my stories. But before I do. Thank you lovely ladies for sharing some of your. My God richly bless you all for doing that. Here my story. I don’t have many friends. The 3 I have had more in school. When was at school. But the friendship didn’t keep up all thoes years after I left school at 18. Now 50. I don’t know why. But I know today God has his hand on me. Two of my best friends. Live 86 miles away from me they are two sisters. Only just 9 or so miles away from me. I hardly ever see them that often. More so the one that lives 9 miles away from me. But the other two. I used to see more of them. When they live only 12 miles away from me were I live today. I was diagnosed with a learning disability. When I was in my 40tees. I alway knew something was different about me. I am Married to the most wonderful Man. He is so patient with me. I am the only one in my side of the family saved. I pray for them all. But the way my disability works is. If I go into a shop. I didn’t get diagnosed until my 40teets with this. Because I didn’t have a clue why I did the things I do. Or why I couldn’t understand little things to some but we’re big in my world. Like when the pandemic strated it was really bad. I had been diagnosed with my learning disability by then. Over in my part of the world. When things were really really bad. You had shop for food in the big food stores one per trolley. I knew what food we needed for the weekly shopping one week. So I said I don’t drive. To my Husband to sit in the car I would go into the grocery store to do the shopping myself. Every week until a few years ago when the pandemic was really bad. Few shops open. The grocery store. Was ok. Like it was before the pandemic each week. What I call normal. Until one week they changed it too having you go in one per trolley. That part was ok. I didn’t mind. So me and my Husband go this week when the pandemic was really bad few shops open. Most closed because of the pandemic. Expect the grocery store. So I knew what I needed for the week shopping. I said to my Husband. I go in with the trolley by myself and get what we need for the weeks shopping. My Husband said are you sure. I said yes. As I can do things like that. If the shop does not change in anyway. You can walk round it any way you want to do your shopping. That ok with me. Then this day with the Pandemic being so bad a few years ago. I didn’t think anything of it. I go a trolley and went through the door of grocery store as I had always done. Then I saw all these arrows pointing one way round the shop. One way out. I could feel myself beginning to want to cry. As I didn’t understand them. Or with my learning disability. Understand what they meant. So I just went on to do my shopping as I always done when there was no arrows on the ground telling you what way to go around the shop. Then I saw everyone following the arrows on the ground. I couldn’t find my way to follow them. I did try and the more I tried with my learning disability. I got more uncomfortable in the grocery store. I had a few items in the trolley but not all I wanted. Then I decided to down this ile in the grocery store. I can remember it as plan as today. The woman came up to me said do you know your going the wrong way round the store. Your meant to follow the arrows. At that moment. I could feel the tears coming down my face. I said to myself Dawn. Even if you have not got all your groceries. Go pay for what you have. Go back to car to your Husband. I could not get to the check out quick enough. Leave the store quick enough. I go to the car. My Husband said Dawn what wrong. He knew it was something to do with my learning disabilitiy. If they not put the arrows down. I would have been ok and able to do the shopping fine. I told my Husband about the arrows that you had to follow round the store. I told him it got to me more so. As I didn’t understand them or how to follow them with my disability. What really go to me. Was a lady stopped me I told my Husband. Said your going the wrong way. You have follow the arrows. The more I tried with my disability. The more I couldn’t do it right. Then my Husband said from now on we will go a grocery store with no arrows on the ground. I knew that would be another challenge for me. To know how and where in this grocery store. If we could find one. With no arrows on the ground saying one way round the shop. But God was so so good we find another grocery store. With no arrows on the ground. That I could walk around in my own way. Not have to follow arrows. Yes it did take me time to figure out the lay out of this new grocery store. But when I done that I was ok. Then when that day me doing the shopping in that Grocery store with the arrows on floor. My Husband said Dawn. I Love you. God is proud of you for trying to follow the arrows in that Grocery store. I am also so proud of you with your disability for trying them. You will never have to go back there again while they have arrows. God was good he met our needs. Especially yours Dawn. My Husband said. God found us especially you a grocery store. With no arrows on the ground. We still do our shopping in the store with no arrows on the ground. But not the other store has taken the arrows away. We go into now and then. But God was so good. He gave me the strength to try the arrows. With my disability. God found us a new Grocery store. That never had arrows to follow. So God looked after my needs. I thank him for that. God is good all the time. All the time God is good. God did make a way for me. Because I trusted him. Like Don Moen song. You get it on YouTube. It is “God will make a way were there is no way.”. Excellent song you guys should listen to it. God made away for me. He found me another Grocery store. Thank you for what you shared. All you today. God told me tell you guys this story of mine. In my prayers all of you. Remember God loves you all no matter what shape or size we our. Our what we have wrong with us like me with my disability. Remember we are all Daughter’s or the king of kings that king is Jesus. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen N.Ireland xx

Comments

Gail says

September 6, 2021 at 7:30 am

I have loved this study and particularly this last session. As an introvert, I have been reluctant to share my stories, but you’ve made me see why it’s so important. Thank you ladies for all your insights and inspiration. I’m sad to see this one end.
Dawn Ferguson-Little says

September 6, 2021 at 3:11 pm

Thank you for today’s incourage live. I believe God has said to me to tell one of my stories. But before I do. Thank you lovely ladies for sharing some of your. My God richly bless you all for doing that. Here my story. I don’t have many friends. The 3 I have had more in school. When was at school. But the friendship didn’t keep up all thoes years after I left school at 18. Now 50. I don’t know why. But I know today God has his hand on me. Two of my best friends. Live 86 miles away from me they are two sisters. Only just 9 or so miles away from me. I hardly ever see them that often. More so the one that lives 9 miles away from me. But the other two. I used to see more of them. When they live only 12 miles away from me were I live today. I was diagnosed with a learning disability. When I was in my 40tees. I alway knew something was different about me. I am Married to the most wonderful Man. He is so patient with me. I am the only one in my side of the family saved. I pray for them all. But the way my disability works is. If I go into a shop. I didn’t get diagnosed until my 40teets with this. Because I didn’t have a clue why I did the things I do. Or why I couldn’t understand little things to some but we’re big in my world. Like when the pandemic strated it was really bad. I had been diagnosed with my learning disability by then. Over in my part of the world. When things were really really bad. You had shop for food in the big food stores one per trolley. I knew what food we needed for the weekly shopping one week. So I said I don’t drive. To my Husband to sit in the car I would go into the grocery store to do the shopping myself. Every week until a few years ago when the pandemic was really bad. Few shops open. The grocery store. Was ok. Like it was before the pandemic each week. What I call normal. Until one week they changed it too having you go in one per trolley. That part was ok. I didn’t mind. So me and my Husband go this week when the pandemic was really bad few shops open. Most closed because of the pandemic. Expect the grocery store. So I knew what I needed for the week shopping. I said to my Husband. I go in with the trolley by myself and get what we need for the weeks shopping. My Husband said are you sure. I said yes. As I can do things like that. If the shop does not change in anyway. You can walk round it any way you want to do your shopping. That ok with me. Then this day with the Pandemic being so bad a few years ago. I didn’t think anything of it. I go a trolley and went through the door of grocery store as I had always done. Then I saw all these arrows pointing one way round the shop. One way out. I could feel myself beginning to want to cry. As I didn’t understand them. Or with my learning disability. Understand what they meant. So I just went on to do my shopping as I always done when there was no arrows on the ground telling you what way to go around the shop. Then I saw everyone following the arrows on the ground. I couldn’t find my way to follow them. I did try and the more I tried with my learning disability. I got more uncomfortable in the grocery store. I had a few items in the trolley but not all I wanted. Then I decided to down this ile in the grocery store. I can remember it as plan as today. The woman came up to me said do you know your going the wrong way round the store. Your meant to follow the arrows. At that moment. I could feel the tears coming down my face. I said to myself Dawn. Even if you have not got all your groceries. Go pay for what you have. Go back to car to your Husband. I could not get to the check out quick enough. Leave the store quick enough. I go to the car. My Husband said Dawn what wrong. He knew it was something to do with my learning disabilitiy. If they not put the arrows down. I would have been ok and able to do the shopping fine. I told my Husband about the arrows that you had to follow round the store. I told him it got to me more so. As I didn’t understand them or how to follow them with my disability. What really go to me. Was a lady stopped me I told my Husband. Said your going the wrong way. You have follow the arrows. The more I tried with my disability. The more I couldn’t do it right. Then my Husband said from now on we will go a grocery store with no arrows on the ground. I knew that would be another challenge for me. To know how and where in this grocery store. If we could find one. With no arrows on the ground saying one way round the shop. But God was so so good we find another grocery store. With no arrows on the ground. That I could walk around in my own way. Not have to follow arrows. Yes it did take me time to figure out the lay out of this new grocery store. But when I done that I was ok. Then when that day me doing the shopping in that Grocery store with the arrows on floor. My Husband said Dawn. I Love you. God is proud of you for trying to follow the arrows in that Grocery store. I am also so proud of you with your disability for trying them. You will never have to go back there again while they have arrows. God was good he met our needs. Especially yours Dawn. My Husband said. God found us especially you a grocery store. With no arrows on the ground. We still do our shopping in the store with no arrows on the ground. But not the other store has taken the arrows away. We go into now and then. But God was so good. He gave me the strength to try the arrows. With my disability. God found us a new Grocery store. That never had arrows to follow. So God looked after my needs. I thank him for that. God is good all the time. All the time God is good. God did make a way for me. Because I trusted him. Like Don Moen song. You get it on YouTube. It is “God will make a way were there is no way.”. Excellent song you guys should listen to it. God made away for me. He found me another Grocery store. Thank you for what you shared. All you today. God told me tell you guys this story of mine. In my prayers all of you. Remember God loves you all no matter what shape or size we our. Our what we have wrong with us like me with my disability. Remember we are all Daughter’s or the king of kings that king is Jesus. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen N.Ireland xx
Tracy Bolwyn says

September 6, 2021 at 7:57 pm

I loved this video ladies! I got goosebumps listening to the stories you shared and the encouraging words given to share what God has done in my life. It takes courage to step out in faith and share that story, relying on Him to give me the strength and words to glorify Him through it. I have been thinking about the phrase “for such a time as this” a lot lately as it has been coming up in many devotionals and studies over the past few months. I feel like this is a more urgent time to share the stories we have because our world is so divided and it needs truth. It needs hope. This has been such an important study! Thanks ladies!
Beth Williams says

September 22, 2021 at 5:26 pm

In Courage,

Talking about our history is hard because many people are prejudiced. They don’t like certain racial/ethnic groups. In these tumultuous times people tend to be more hurtful either in words or actions.

I find myself saying “for such a time as this” quite often. For years I felt left behind success wise. Everyone had good jobs & seemed to be moving on in life. I felt stagnant. Fast forward many years & now I have a good job. God was using that time to mold me into the person I am today. It is for this particular time that I am blessed to work as ICU Step down clerical in hospital. Having gone through medical trials with my parents I understand what the patients & families are dealing with.

Telling our stories helps others believe in God. It can give them hope in their situation. They don’t feel alone. They know they aren’t they only ones dealing or who have dealt with that issue.

Blessings 🙂