The Alpha Chick Bible Study Group ...

[barb dwyer]

By the Grace of God ... and His obvious love of a good laugh ...

I am now in a Bible Study Group.

First, I must make clear -
I am not a religious person.
I am exceedingly SPIRITUAL ... but not religious.
I have had a deeper than 'usual' awareness of the Livingness within all things all my life ... an active knowledge and connection with A Power Greater Than Myself - but was not raised within the parameters of a 'religion' being a person of mixed blood, or to even call It ... God.

I seek daily to deepen and strengthen my connection with what I call God - the God of my understanding, but I do not practice religion.

At the same time - I must announce - I am having a BLAST with this group!

All I did, when invited to join was make it clear that I was not seeking to 'join up' with anything, but that I've had a lifelong fascination with the writings of the Bible. I did not expect this to be acceptable to these women. IT's been my experience in the past that there's a 'join us or literally go to hell' attitude with religious people, and I have to tell everyone here =-

there has not been a BIT of that ... with these women.

There's a 'study guide' that we loosley follow, and we read certain chapters, and then we discuss how that particuar passage relates to us in our present. Imagine everyone's suprise when it quickly becam obvious that I've done more research into the origins of what we're reading than they! It's not a 'competition' thing - we come together and ... learn. We share. We try to apply what we're reading ... and ... it's GREAT!

Each woman shares her understanding/experience and relates it to her own religious beliefs. When it comes MY turn - I share from within what I've been taught within other Spiritual Paths of Knowledge .... and how well ALL of it fits into what I have learned in the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous.

It makes for a lively group, as not one of us is ... retiring or shy.
We can get, at times .. downright rowdy!

It occurs to me each week, as I listen to these strong, intelligent women share their perceptions of the Infinite how very LUCKY I am to have such a deep and long standing connection with the God of my understanding.

And ... that it might very well make for a great sit com!

Thanks=- I just wanted to share that - and thank those of you on this forum as well for not trying to 'recruit' me ... but instead treat me with respect and acceptance.

[dave47]

Thanks for sharing that Barb,it sounds like a great study group.Personally i find theres nothing worse than being bored,and if you can have an intelligent conversation which makes you think about everything,and enjoy yourself as well then it can only be good.

[best]

Sounds like you found a church that knows what church should be like.

Just like Deborah of the bible... lead the charge but remain open to what others have to say.

[cmc]

barb,
I'd like to come visit your group. I love the name too!
cmc
ps
barb...I've been on an interesting journey too...I'm in a denomination that I would not have considered in my wildest dreams....or nightmares!! hehe No offense intended. And it's just the right one for me;perfect in fact, which makes it even more weird. My mommy is probably laughing her halo off up there in heaven! Grandpa too.

[barb dwyer]

LOL cmc -
youre always welcome!

week before last - the 'hostess' (we kinda switch around whose house ya know) was 'being considerate' of another woman's having sensitivity to the cold weather .... so she fired up the woodstove -
and the rest of us .. could only be in the room for like ... fifteen minutes at a time - then we'd have to go outside and cool off!
I'd never worked up a sweat ... reading the Bible before - LOL

I was like - kewl - study word - lose that annoying water weight...LOL

[barb dwyer]

you know what? I don't even know what church they are with ...

[butterflyby]

sounds like real church to me!! so awesome that you have found such a great connection! you just made me all giddy inside!

[mike_mass]

That sounds like a great group. It's been 10 years since I've been in a bible-reading group. Maybe time to start looking again.

[barb dwyer]

... we had a great meeting last night ... last week - there was a freak windstorm in the town we met in - and the woman hosting the group ... lost her carport.

I mean... big noise ...
she went outside - and no carport.
lost.
gone.
blew away.
Just some pipes left.
Down the street.

Just in case anyone in the group ....
was unsure of exactly WHO ...
is really running things.

So what was the study?
Mark 6 something.
The big storm on the water.

:mock