You Are the Girl for the Job: Let’s Quit

GROUP STUDY

WELCOME NOTE FROM JESS (2 MINUTES)

Leader, read Note from Jess aloud to the group.

Friends! I am so excited to be with you, to grow with you, over the next six weeks. There’s no getting around it. I believe God is going to change each of us, change our lives, and change the world through this study. Here’s how I know:

For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them. — Isaiah 55:9-11 MSG

We are the girls for the job because He is the one who starts and finishes the work in and through us. We can believe that He’ll bring fruit in our lives because His Word does not come back empty-handed.

SET THE TEMPERATURE (2 MINUTES)

Pick someone to open the group in prayer before we do our personal heart check.

PERSONAL HEART CHECK (3 MINUTES)

Before we dig into this session’s video, let’s do a quick personal heart check. Take a minute or two to answer the following questions. You don’t have to share these answers; this is just an opportunity for you to pause and get honest with yourself and God.

1. On a scale of 1–10 (1 = very little, 10 = significantly), how much do you believe God can change your life and change the world through you?
2. How does the phrase “you are the girl for the job” make you feel?

• suspicious
• doubtful
• neutral
• encouraged

1. How willing are you to be surprised by God this week? (Circle, underline, or highlight how you feel this week.)

• won’t happen
• that sounds nice
• teach me, change me, surprise me

VIDEO TEACHING (21 MINUTES)

Watch the Session 1 video. Fill in the blanks throughout the teaching if you’d like:

• God has call each of us to be His ________________________________________________________ .
• God does not make ________________________________________________________ .
• God’s ___________________________________ will combat our _____________________________________________ .
• Ideal you is not nearly as _________________________________ as __________________________________
• God is __________________ He __________________ He is.
• God is not going to stop ________________________ ____________ OR _________________ _______________ .

God is the hero. We are part of the rescue plan.

***Answer key: ambassadors, mistakes, capacity/inadequacy, strong/actual, who/says, showing up/walk away***

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GROUP DISCUSSION (30 MINUTES)

Leader, read each question aloud to the group. Take turns/volunteers for any Scripture

reading.

1. What does “ideal you” look like? In a few words, describe her to the group — her state of mind, her movement through the day, her perspective, maybe her character traits and most defined attributes.
2. In what areas of life do you currently struggle to feel adequate? Discuss what you think is making you feel inadequate. Is it the standard you have set? A standard you perceive others to hold? Is your inadequacy backed up in Scripture anywhere?
3. Where do you find yourself asking God, “Why me?” Are there burdens you feel overwhelmed by? Are there circumstances you are being called to engage or deal with that challenge you or bring you out of your comfort zone? Is there something or someone you find yourself dealing with but don’t feel equipped to handle?
4. What would change if you believed that God was going to bring you what you needed to accomplish whatever He has presented you? Would your attitude, your perspective, your willingness, your openness change? In what ways would you behave differently?
5. Look up and read Hebrews 12:1-2 aloud. Take turns sharing what you need to quit to fully embrace God’s call on your life. What do you need to throw off that hinders and so easily entangles you? With what are you engaging that is keeping you from fixing your eyes on Jesus, from acknowledging the race marked out for you? (Ex.: being the best wife, being the most servant hearted, winning at life.)

CHANGE THE LANGUAGE, CHANGE THE CULTURE

(20 MINUTES)

When we change the language, we change the culture. When we put different words in our mouths, words that agree with God’s character and capacity, things begin to shift not only in our lives but also in our communities.

Read Proverbs 18:21 aloud together.

Select one person to read a statement from the left column, and then have another person read the alternate statement in the right column. Talk about the difference you hear and feel in each change in the language. Discuss how these simple shifts in our language can effect change in our immediate culture. Commit to using language with one another that agrees with God’s Word.

Keep telling each other that you’re the girl for the job, because what’s the alternative?

Keep reminding one another that He is mighty in each of you, because you get to, because He’s placed you in each other’s lives on purpose — for His glory and the good of others.

READ THIS ALOUD IN PERSON

God is the hero. I am only a part of the rescue plan. I can quit trying to be the best, quit doubting my place in His plan of redemption, and start believing that He has placed me here on purpose. I am the girl for the job.

MY PRAYER + YOUR PRAYER (10 MINUTES)

Each week ask a volunteer to read the short prayer for the group, but because you’re the girl for the job, each of you will also write a short prayer for yourself. Where are you asking God to meet you this week? What are you hoping will happen?

Father, I thank You for our new friends and our connection through Your Word. I ask this week that You’d help each of us to see potential defeat in our lives, to perceive it in places where we may have grown numb to the lies and condemning voices in our own heads. I ask that You would also give us eyes to see areas where we are striving, hiding, and pushing hard to be our ideal selves — instead of the women You’ve created us to be. I pray You give us the boldness and belief to quit trying to be heroes, and to begin trusting Your capacity and power in our lives. Amen.

UP NEXT

Leader, before dismissing remind the group of what comes next.

• Count the fruit of what God’s done and write it down or share with someone.
• There are three days of personal study time to complete before we meet again.
• Read chapters 4–6 in You Are the Girl for the Job book if you are following along.

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Your Turn

What did you think of Session One of You Are The Girl For The Job? Come share your thoughts on our blog!