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Living in the Midwest, winter time driving is a unique seasonal experience. It may be due to black ice hiding over a hill crest, or a pile of strategically placed slush – sooner or later a Michigan winter driver will find himself sliding sideways across lanes of traffic, praying desperately for a patch of dry pavement. For example, while navigating a four lane expressway, I looked out my passenger side window just in time to see my trailer sliding up along side my van. I had just changed lanes, and a heavy slush ridge lurking where the dotted white line should have been launched my trailer and van sideways.
While you may not know the out of control thrill of traveling sideways at 65 MPH, how do you respond when your life looses traction, like a car on ice? Suddenly you’re sliding backwards, surveying the landscape of where you’ve been, rather than calmly enjoying today, and joyfully planning for tomorrow? Something or someone has thrown you the proverbial curve ball, and all you can think about is getting the car over to the curb, and drawing a few deep, cleansing breaths.
Forged in the Fire - Shaped by the Master
digs into this question. Life is not always placid. When we expect that unplanned ice patches will never happen, a life changing event can be just like the slush pile that sent my van sideways. What I didn’t expect erupted directly in my path. Now I’m skittering sideways down the life’s highway. WHERE IS GOD NOW? Why did He let this happen? Why do my prayers for help, healing, courage of change fall on the floor like stone balloons?
Forged in the Fire – Shaped by the Master, by Hensley Publishers, 2004, declares that these events are not evidence that God has deserted you. Rather, our loving Father uses these events to cultivate your character. Through the lives of four Old Testament kings, God demonstrates his purpose - how these events can transform you for better, or reveal the serious fault lines in your spiritual foundation. In the end, what comes out of these events is not about how God answers your prayers, but how you respond to what God has allowed. Do you respond, draw on God’s resources, and live from the lessons he has taught you? Or do you react, reverting to your own wisdom and character, and “become filled with the fruit of our own doing” (Prov 14.14)
Forged in the Fire is a 12 week work book, suited for personal study or as a small group guidebook. Each week, you will read a specific scripture, dig deep to unpack the events, and then answer personally penetrating questions. Through this book, you will:
1. Learn to see God’s hand in the midst of challenging life-events.
2. Ask and answer the question of “What is God up to?”
3. Develop an individual action plan to draw closer to your Father God.
4. Participate with Him as you are changed into his image.
You can read a chapter at http://www.inkwellcommunication.com/forgedinthefire.htm. Copies can be purchased through major online retail outlets such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or you can get signed copies directly from the author. Discounts available for small groups.
Teena Stewart, Editor DreamBuilders Ministry in Motion Blog
Author, Successful Small Groups from Concept to Practice
http://www.ministryinmotion.net/teena_stewart.html
