Scripture: John 15:5 (NIV)
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing”
Preparation
Place praying hands statues, pens, crayons, colored pencils, and blank paper along with the verse, John 15:5, on each table. Purchase “shovel” spoons and tie on a tag that says “Dig Deeper.” These can be taken home as a reminder to spend time in God’s Word daily.
Ice Breaker: M&M Game
Give each woman a baggie with the following colors of M&M: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and brown. Instruct the women to pick one M&M out of their baggie without looking. If they pick red, they say something about their childhood. If they pick orange, they say something they do well. If they pick yellow, they tell something they’ve learned recently. If they pick green, they tell something they watch/listen to on TV. If they choose blue, they share something they can’t live without. If they pick brown, they tell something interesting that they did yesterday. In doing this exercise, the women learn more about each other.
Digging Deeper: Scripture Writing
To go deeper in our relationship with God, we first need to saturate ourselves with His presence. How can we do that? We can go to church and enjoy the rich fellowship that comes from being with God’s people and worshipping together. We can read our Bible and pray. Something a little different is Scripture Writing. This is a practice where you take a verse or passage of Scripture and copy it. But you can make it meaningful by adding your creative flair to the copying. This gets our minds thinking differently when we read the verse and then copy it using our senses. (See Facebook page “Scripture Writing 2022” or check Pinterest.)
You can keep these verses in a notebook or sketch pad. They give fresh fire to our time with God. Start by reading the verse several times. Write out the words. Then, take a pen, crayon, or marker and draw around the letters using different mediums. Ask yourself, what is this verse saying to me? There is no wrong or right because as you do this, you grow deeper in your relationship with God. It might feel awkward at first, but it will get easier. Remember to pray and thank God for making this verse come alive for you.
Growing Closer to God Together
When I was a kid, neighbors used to sit out on the porch and talk. They shared baked goods, stories and much more. They were available to help one another. You could go to your neighbor if you needed a ride or ran out of sugar. We need to be doing this with our church family. We can offer help when things are looking down for our neighbors, or we find ourselves in need. We can eat together. We can pray together. We can worship together. We can cry together. We were meant to share life.
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37:38). Authentic relationships start with loving God. Every relationship we have should have God at the head of it.
Authentic relationships allow us to let people pray for us. We need to come as we are. We need to be real. When we share our struggles, we will find that we are not alone and that others struggle with similar issues. When we share with others, ask the following questions: Can I trust them? Do they really care? Can they help? Then we need to examine our answers to these same questions. Am I trustworthy? Do I really care? Are we willing to help?
How often do we listen, really listen? Instead of trying to think of a one-up story to share. We should ask questions to get to know the person better. Remember, God wants us to develop a deeper relationship. If you don’t know how to respond, ask the Lord. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:5-7).
Cell phones can be a blessing. Using them lets us keep in touch with family and friends no matter where we are. However, sometimes this is just communication, but we are not connecting. We don’t see people’s expressions or the anguish they are expressing when we don’t hear their voices. We miss out on so much if we’re always staring at a screen. So put the phone down, and spend time face to face.
So, if you are looking for a deeper relationship, remember, like branches of a tree, we are all connected in Christ. Be aware! Be intentional! Be available! Be honest! This could begin a beautiful relationship with God and a friend.
- Do you want to experience authentic relationships with others? If so, are you actively practicing the five relational concepts that Paul lays out in Philippians 2:1-2? Encouraging, comforting, participating, affection, and sympathy.
- Which one of these concepts is your most significant struggle?
Prayer
Share prayer requests and pray for each one.
