Book/Bible Study Review: It’s Not Supposed To Be This Way by Lysa Terkeurst
Remember last week when I told you about the bible study Job by Lisa Harper?
And do you remember when I mentioned I was also in another one that Ironically was overlapping with Job? Well, this is it.
Both bible studies were teaching me to consider trials and disappointments as a privilege from God that He is allowing us to go through them. The whole time I am going through both studies I am floored that they are delving into the same verses and sinking the whole thing into my brain as if it’s a 3-D puzzle that I will never forget how to put it together in case I need to assemble it again for later use.
What a gift from God this all was!
Now wait a moment here…. I was literally in 5 studies at once… figure it this way….
I signed up for Job BEFORE it was announced that It’s Not Supposed To Be This Way was announced it would also be a study. So, when it was announced I hesitated for a brief moment and said.. heck, it’s winter lets go for it! How bad could it be!!!!
I also signed up for the small group portion again! Score!!!! I got in!!!
So since they were going to offer the bible study video’s I might as well get the bible study book also right? (are you starting to think of the ‘if you give a mouse a cookie deal?)
Stick with me here….
I am going through Job.
I am reading the book as a bible study on Be This Way.. (Our nickname in the group for the study.)
I am now doing the complete bible study guide book….
And now they are offering a ‘companion’ bible study to the actual bible study.
Lets add that all up to 4…. And now lets divulge the fact I started doing Timothy bible studies again so I am recreating all of my Timothy books from 25 years ago….
Let this be the total…. 5!!!!
Would I change any of it???
Nope.
Was I swamped… ?
Yep!!!
And let me just say this.. if one is going to be swamped in life… it’s best to be swamped in the word of God.
I sadly, after the first week had to put a project I was doing down to pick up later to concentrate on.
What did I learn?
So much!!!!
The best part of the whole thing was I learned that I did 2016/17 very well…
I was beating myself up over how I reacted to things and how I shut myself off from some things and through the book I learned I was right on the money. I retreated into the arms of my Father and allowed Him to refill me with His love!
That was the right thing to do. Even if people thought I was a ‘crazy Christian’. It was the right thing to do.
I will say, while I loved the bible study book that went with it.. it was slightly confusing. Most especially, the last week. What she was saying in the video and the scripture were not actually in the bible study book in the way it was said. But, it was a test I am sure for this CDO AAA Gal to get a grip and let it go and just soak in His love for us.
In regards to the book…. I love the fact she put all the scriptures in the back of the book by chapter for us to gleam from. It was/is a great reference.
I especially love how raw she is about her colon detaching and how she prayed God to take away her pain… but later, after He didn’t, realized it was for her safety.
He has a reason for it all my dear sisters.
He has a reason for everything that is done… and He will… if we allow Him… work it all out for His good.
This book is powerful. Like, hello…. Very powerful!
This is powerful also… look at the clouds and the sun getting ready to set over the mountain across the way from me…. #nofilter my friends.
While I gained healing from this book, being over a year away from our pain and massive disappointment this book was more of a confirmation that God is working in me to bring about something very good in the future. What that is I don’t know yet. But I do know as long as I follow Him I can’t go wrong. I can’t say that for everyone that I knew that was going through this study however.
You see, while I was going through this study I would sit….. watching a video… and get the strongest feeling someone needed to see this video… so I sent certain video’s to friends all over the globe… What I started to see, was God was bringing people into my thoughts… and as I sent the link to them with a cute little line… not sure why… but just feel I needed to share this with you…. I was met with teary eye’d messages of thank you… how do I get more… you have no idea what I am struggling with right now!!!
No sister… I don’t… please… tell me… let me pray for you..
One hit me especially hard… when a friend called in tears… she was going through this study and smack towards the end.. her husband announced he wanted to leave her.
Stop… how do I even!!!!!!
You fall flat on the floor and hold the phone so tightly to your ear as you hear her sobbing and hoping she doesn’t hear the tears falling from your own cheeks.
Sweet Jesus… she is too far away for me to hug physically!!! I say this as I mentally calculate how long it would take for me to get out of the house and to her place… and look at the pot on the stove with the broody girl I just put on. While calculating my return time for the appointment I can’t cancel that is …
It didn’t calculate well.
I don’t know what God has in store for her…. I do know that if she keeps focused on God.. that He will turn her present circumstances into a beautiful work of art for her to one day look back on and say…. Remember when? And I am praying right now she will be saying that to her man…. When they are old… and gray… Together.
My one massive take away…. Don’t be so quick to run from the pain and escape it…. Let the process work in and around you. Allow God to work His plan to turn the evil and disappointment that is going on around you into a perfect plan of redemption for you. In the process… read the book…. Curl up with a comfy sweater and a really warm cup of coffee and some tissue… and read the book.
Don’t forget the highlighter… I needed 2 for this book.
It’s a 2 highlighter good book!
And when it gets really hard to read any further… Here’s a little moment of laughter… Because sometimes you just need to laugh… I don’t drive in the snow.. California girl and well.. it really really scares me.. but I am working on that… I am trusting God and moving one day at a time… The first day it snowed.. I just allowed myself to go outside in it and take photos.. I told myself the next time it snowed I would go drive in it… well.. here you go… little steps my friends…
Please…. enjoy the time you have on earth… don’t let satan win.
The Bettencourt's 