Melanie Shankle - Church of the Small Things Bible Study Guide: Making a Difference Right Where You Are

W hen I was growing up, my grandparents were fixtures in my life. My moms parents, Nanny and Big Bob, lived in the same town with us for many years. Big Bob was an appliance repairman and a man of little speech and much listening. When the females in the family gathered at his house to chatter, he would retire to the next room but tune in to every word that reflected a need among his granddaughters. Once when I was in college, I confided to Nanny that I was broke and overwhelmed, and the next day Big Bob sent me on my way with $100 in cash. Nanny and Big Bob also had a house by a lake, and our family spent weeks there in the summer catching fish, floating in inner tubes, and visiting the local Walmart. So many small, simple things that added up to a stable life where knew I was loved no matter what.

This study is about the small things that can add up to a life well lived and a legacy worth passing down to your children and grandchildren. Many of us think life is about the big things: the college graduation, the proposal, the wedding, the right number of kids, the kids achievements. But the substance of a life is found in between those big things as we wash the familys clothes, make tacos, and read a childrens book at bedtime. If you feel your life is too small, get ready to think of it in a whole new way. A little attention to the small things in life, including friendships and the parts of you that may feel broken, can make a huge difference in something many of us struggle with: a deep sense of contentment and even joy.

Each time you meet with your group, youll follow this pattern:

Getting Settled. A short introduction will orient you to the theme of the session. Youll read this aloud.

Checking In. Youll start interacting with an icebreaker question that leads into the video teaching. Beginning in session 2, your check-in time will include an opportunity to talk about what you gained from your reflections on your own between meetings.

Video Notes. This guide contains space for you to take notes as you watch the video.

Kicking It Around. This discussion time after the video is where your real growth will take place.

Trying It Out. Each group meeting ends with an exercise youll do with one or two partners or on your own to put the weeks insights into practice. If youre leading the group, please note that in the Trying It Out exercise for session 4 each person will need a sheet of paper and a pen. Otherwise no extra materials are needed. The Bible passages for the discussion are printed out in this guide.

In between group meetings youll be able to dig more deeply into the small things of your own life. If you can devote a few hours a week to this solo work, youll surprise yourself with the benefits. The between-sessions exercises come in three sections: Listen to Your Life (reflecting on your past and present experiences), Listen to the Word (some time in the Bible), and Respond to God (a chance to summarize what youve learned through writing, drawing, or other media).

If youre a discussion leader in your group, watch for the highlighted instructions immediately following each section heading. They will tell you when to read something aloud or how much time to allot for an icebreaker question.

A group of women gathered to share life with each other can be a small thing that offers big rewards. Its essential, though, that you make your group a safe place for participants to share openly. A few simple ground rules can help with that. First and foremost is confidentiality: what is shared in the group stays in the group and is not repeated to anyone outside for any reason. Second, be honest about what you think. Third, listen closely to what others think; dont dominate the discussion. Fourth, say no to the temptation to fix or correct others in the group. Youre not there to solve others problems. If you follow these simple guidelines, you can expect to have a great group experience!