"Captivating" Chapter 9

Are you guilty of taking your "question" to Adam......(so to speak)? In what ways have you found yourself seeking validation in the oposite sex?

"Captivating" Chapter 9

Which category do you relate to the most as a woman "desolate," "dominating," or "arousing?"

"Captivating" Chapter 8

Have you asked Jesus to show you your beauty? If so, what is he revealing to you? If you haven't asked.....ask Him now.

"Captivating" Chapter 8

"Our God finds you lovely, Jesus has moved heaven and Earth to win you for himself. He will not rest until you are completely his. The Kings is enthralled by your beauty. He finds you captivating" (Taken from "Captivating" p.146)

What does this passage speak to you?

"Captivating" Chapter 8

Read 1Peter 1:22-25 what does this passage speak to you?

"Captivating" Chapter 7

What does worship look like or mean to you? Is there something else keeing you from worship with God? Take a moment or two now - and spend some time in worship with HIM!

"Captivating" Chapter 7

What are you doing (or what could you be doing) in your life to pursue an intimate relationship with God? Think about Martha and Mary........have you found yourself busy with Casserole dishes when maybe all God was asking for is your true devotion and a committed heart? What are your thoughts?

"Captivating;" Chapter 7

In what ways have you experienced God "romancing" you in your life? Can you look back now and see ways in which he may have been "wooing" you in the past?

"Captivating" Chapter 6, Healing the Wound

OK. I don'tknow about ya'll but this Chapter was HUGE for me. Instead of asking questions this round...I thought it would be better to re-read through this chapter and really let the words soak in. I encourage you to read the prayers in this chapter out loud......read them with your heart. Perhaps God has you "Hemmed in" somewhere....and he is waiting with open arms.....turn to him. Lay your burdens down......He is waiting.........

Gear up for another round!

Hey there Divas! Sorry my "pause" was longer than expected......we are now settled in for the moment on South Padre until we find a more permanent place to live! Oh well, we will enjoy the moment as long as it will last! In between the beach and pool visits with the kiddos I look forward to picking back up where we left off with "Captivating." I will continue to post chapter questions at the end of each week.......but please please please feel free to add your own input, ask your own questions......this BLOG is for us to share and have an open conversation......so let's start talking!

"Captivating" Chapter 5, A Special Hatred

In this chapter John talks about Satan's "special Hatred" for Eve. "Satan fell because of his beauty. Now his heart for revenge is to assault beauty. He destroys it in the natural world whenever he can.....He wreaks destruction on the Glory of God in the Earth like a psychopath committed to destrying great works of art. But most especially, he hates Eve."

How does this revelation of Satan's hatred towards Eve( which is really you, me, every woman) make you feel? What does this reveal to you?

And Now For A Slight Pause

Hello Ladies! I hope you are really digging into "Captivating" and hopefulling having some deep "Ah Ha" moments.... I want to encourage you to really take these discussion questions and meditate - I mean really stop and take time to reveal what God wants to speak to you.

My family and I are just about all packed up and we will be loading the Uhaul for our big move back down to South Texas.....The Blog and discussion will of course continue! I do want to take a week to pause so that I might have time to get my family settled before posting more questions. So the discussion questions will pick back up the second Friday in May. In the meantime PLEASE email, text, facebook, or call me if you need to talk or have any questions.

My Love to everyone! My prayer for you all is that this book discussion will open doors for your spiritual growth...and that it may stregthen your relationship with our Lord, God!

Blessings!
Ashley

Chapter 4 "Captivating" , Wounded

Every woman asks, "Do you see me? Am I captivating? Do I have a beauty all my own? Am I lovely?" Ask God these questions, not the world! Read Isaiah 62:1-5, but replace "Zion" and "you" with your own name. Jesus came to heal and to restore. Turn to Him now and let Him begin to come into your pain and begin the restoration process. Eldredge points out that we don't have to wait until we are in Heaven to begin to feel His healing. It will be perfect there, but He can start to remove pain while we are still on earth. "There is hope. There is healing. There is life." All we have to do is turn to Him!

Chapter 4 "Captivating" , Wounded

What are the core questions that every little girl asks? How was your question answered when you were little? Do you remember a certian incident or messages that you somehow receieved that caused pain or wounded your heart? How did this change the way that you viewed yourself? Take some time to ask God how events in your life changed or shaped how you viewed yourself or your beliefs. (This can stay between you and God, if you prefer, but work through it with Him. Turn it over to Him.) Are you willing to consider that these messages are not true? What does the Father say instead? Ask Him!

Chapter 4 "Captivating" ,Wounded

We often compare our lives to other women that we know, which can become very dangerous. Often, they might look better than ours and discourage us, when reality, they have similar struggles--their lives are not perfect either. Other times, when we hear about the hardships and difficult or painful pasts that another woman has suffered, we minimize our own pain. In reality, our pains and sorrows matter to the Father...You matter to Him. Read Psalm 56:8. What does this tell us about how precious our tears are to our Father? Eldredge reminds us that we shouldn't revisit our pains to feel sorry for ourselves; however, it is necessary to allow ourselves to go there so that we are able to turn them over to God and He can restore and heal those areas of our hearts. This will open us up to his loving truth and to better things that He has planned for our lives.

"Captivating" Chapter 3, Fallen Eve

In the book they talk about how we all have aches, pains in our hearts and unmet longings. God desires for us to bring our aching hearts to Him so that He can speak into our lives and touch our hearts. Where do you tend to turn when you have that ache and don't take it to the Father? How can you change that in the future? Read Hebrews 4:14-16. What is this scripture speaking to you?

"Captivating" Chapter 3, Fallen Eve

Why do you think that Eve really decided to take the forbidden fruit? Read Genesis 3:10. Do you ever find yourself hiding? If so, how do you tend to hide?

"Captivating" Chapter 3, Fallen Eve

Eldredge talks about women either becoming crontrolling and driven or desolate and needy? Can you relate to this and which direction do you tend to go? How does it play out in your life? Eldredge says, "We are in this together, gals. We need to look at our fallenness in order to find the redemption available to us in Christ and become the women we are intended to be. Thee is mercy for us. Even here."

"Captivating" Chapter 2, What Eve Alone Can Tell

If you read the story of creation, you will see that afterAdam was created, God wanted to bring him a "helpmate". God said that it was not good for man to be alone and brings him all of the animals that had been created to be named, but no suitable helper was found. Eldredge points out that Eve was His final creation, "She is the crescendo, the final, astonishing work of God. Woman. In one last flourih creation comes to a finish not with Adam, but with Eve. She is the Master's finishing touch. Eve is....breathtaking. Woman was not created as an afterthought, but as the pinnacle of creation."Have you thought of the creation of woman up until this point as an afterthought or as something more? What do you feel in your heart when you hear "crown of creation"?

"Captivating" Chapter 1 The Heart of a Woman

Has there ever been an event or moment in your life where you felt you stepped outside of yourself and felt like you were "Sacagawea, Indian Princess of the West" like Stasi did?

"Captivating" Chapter 1 The Heart of a Woman

What do you feel it means to be a woman?

"Captivating" Chapter 1 The Heart of a Woman

When (and if) did you know in your heart that you were no longer a girl but a woman?

"Captivating" Chapter 1 The Heart of a Woman

Eldredge talks about our desire to be romanced. Are you aware of a longing to be somone's priority? Think about that for a moment. What would you like for that to look like?

"Captivating" Chapter 1 The Heart of a Woman

Who is beautiful to you and why? Can you relate to what Eldredge says about all women wanting bo be beautiful, to unveil your beauty to someone?

"Captivating" Chapter 1 The Heart of a Woman

Most of us have felt pressures from the world to "be more" or "be less", "try harder"....Can you relate to this feeling? Do you believe that this message is from God? If you were to replace that message that the world is sending you, what do you think God really thinks and feels about you?Eldredge wrote in the study guide, "God did not place these longings in our hearts to torment us. Rather, they reveal the secret of who we truly are and the role that is ours to play. There is so much hope here, hope to become the woman you secretly long to be, the woman who is romanced, irreplaceable, and utterly beautiful!" What does this make you feel?

Welcome!

Welcome to the Divas in Devotion Book Blog! My decision to start this Blog came after finding inspiration in my amazing sister-in-law. My heart has had such a deep desire to connect more with my fellow Christian sisters, but like every other woman in the world I was struggling to find the time. I then remembered a Book Blog I was invited to (and participated in) by my sweet sister-in-law and I thought to myself ".....THAT is the answer!"

The idea of the Book Blog is to be able to read at our own pace....and interact through Blog comments with each other. So....in between work, husbands, children, cooking, cleaning, laundry, dirty dishes,__________(you fill in the blank!), perhaps we can steal suitable moments in our day to come together for devotion and encouragement.

I would like to start with the book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. So grab a copy and join in.....discussion questions will be posted weekly, but feel free to share as needed! I so look forward to this journey with you!

Love and Blessings!
Ashley

"Captivating" a Preview

Hello Ladies!

Here is a look into what the book is about.....I will be kicking the study off by posting the first discussion questions on Friday April 2nd. Let me know if you need help finding a copy of the book!



Every woman was once a little girl. And every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. She longs to be swept up into a romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, to be the Beauty of the story. Those desires are far more than child's play. They are the secret to the feminine heart.

And yet--how many women do you know who ever find that life? As the years pass by, the heart of a woman gets pushed aside, wounded, buried. She finds no romance except in novels, no adventure except on television, and she doubts very much that she will ever be the Beauty in any tale.

Most women think they have to settle for a life of efficiency and duty, chores and errands, striving to be the women they "ought" to be, but often feeling they have failed. Sadly, too many messages for Christian women add to the pressure. "Do these ten things, and you will be a godly woman." The effect has not been good on the feminine soul.

But her heart is still there. Sometimes when she watches a movie, sometimes in the wee hours of the night, her heart begins to speak again. A thirst rises within her to find the life she was meant to live--the life she dreamed of as a little girl.

The message of Captivating is this: Your heart matters more than anything else in all creation. The desires you had as a little girl and the longings you still feel as a woman--they are telling you of the life God created you to live. He offers to come now, as the Hero of your story--to rescue your feminine heart and release you to live as a woman, fully alive.

A woman truly captivating!