(in)courage - Courageous Kindness: Live the Simple Difference Right Where You Are

H ave you ever looked at the worlds limitless problems in comparison with your limited resources and wondered if its even possible for one person to make a meaningful difference? Or maybe you think about todays culture and feel disheartened by all the critical voices and division. Maybe kindness seems like a long-lost virtue without enough power to impact a single life let alone change the world. If thoughts like these swirl through your mind as you pick up a Bible study called Courageous Kindness , youre not alone.

The good news is that you dont have to come to this study with all your doubts resolved. You dont have to already know what it means to be courageously kind. All you need is a willingness to show up with an open heart and let God share His heartbeat with you.

Through the pages of Scripture and stories from women just like you, well discover how Gods kindness is an unrelenting pursuit of human hearts and an invitation to partner with Him.

God is absolutely wild about peopleincluding you ! His kindness is the catalyst for our salvation; His work in our lives is like a love letter inviting others to repentance and relationship. Throughout this study, well see how God goes to unimaginable lengths to wow and woo and call His children to Himself. Does this mean life is easy, peachy, and pain-free? We all know the answer to that is a resounding no. Yet when we learn to live with eyes wide open to the evidence of Gods kindness, it will not only change our view and understanding of God but will transform the way we see and relate to others.

How we treat people at work and church, how we love our kids and help a neighbor, how we give what we have even when it feels painfully insufficientthese things matter. God wants to use your ordinary daysas you go on your wayto accomplish more than you could ever expect.

Kindness is like stones being tossed in a pond. Each one of us will make temporary ripples when we obey Gods call to be kind. But all of us together can create waves of lasting change in Jesuss name. Courageous Kindness is a journey unlike anything youve experienced. Lets dive in together.

How to Use This Study

If you found Courageous Kindness by reading The Simple Difference by Becky Keife, hooray! This study will help deepen your biblical understanding and life application of what it means for every small kindness to make a big impact. If you havent read the book, no worries. This Bible study is complete on its own. But if you like Courageous Kindness , consider furthering your exploration of the topic by reading The Simple Difference .

Courageous Kindness is a great study for personal or small group use. If youre doing it with a group, we recommend allowing at least forty-five minutes for discussion, or more for larger groups. (We think groups of four to ten people work great!) Enhance your community study experience with our Courageous Kindness leader guide and videos. Go to www.incourage.me/leaderguides to download your small group resources. Whether youre an experienced small group leader or brand-new, weve got everything you need!

As you begin each day of this study, take a moment to be still and pray. Ask God to meet you, teach you, and convict you. Since there will be a lot of material to digest, take your time and feel free to go at your own pace.

Each week focuses on a different aspect of living with courageous kindness:

• Week 1 encourages you to start right where you areGods kindness is waiting for you.
• Week 2 empowers you to use exactly what you haveeven if it seems not enough.
• Week 3 shows the power of bending low and lifting others up.
• Week 4 equips you to put on compassion and embrace inconvenience.
• Week 5 explores the impact of offering kindness for the long haul.
• Week 6 shines a spotlight on Gods ability to do more than you could expect.

Each week has a cadence that will help you get the most out of this study:

• Day 1 looks at our call to courageously explore that weeks theme.
• Day 2 focuses on how Jesus lived out kindness and what we can learn from Him.
• Day 3 addresses what the world says about that weeks topic.
• Day 4 shows us Gods heart for us in the weekly topic.
• Day 5 explores how we can become courageous women through each aspect of kindness.

We at (in)courage are excited to begin this Courageous Kindness journey with you. Youll see that each day opens with a story from one of our writers sharing her experience of offering or receiving kindness. Our hope and prayer is that these stories will help you feel less alone and more inspired as you look for God in your own story.