You Are the Girl for the Job Week 1 — Let’s Quit

God places fallible humans in purposeful places so they can be used by Him to change the world. ~ Jess Connolly

Welcome, friends! I’m so glad you’re here with us for the You Are the Girl for the Job Online Bible Study with Jess Connolly.

My name is Laurie McClure, and I’m the editor at FaithGateway and one of your Online Bible Study (OBS) leaders. Just in case you’re new to this sisterhood and we haven’t met before, I’m a Jesus follower, a Bible study junkie born into a family full of preachers and Bible nerds, I love sand between my toes, road trips, and ice-cold Perrier, and my favorite comfort foods are movie theatre popcorn (I miss going to the movies!) and pizza with sausage, artichokes, fresh tomatoes, and tons of garlic.

If Jess is new to you, you’re going to love her zeal and joy. She is wild for Jesus and fiery about going flat out for the Kingdom of God. And she’s an advocate, an encourager, an exhorter, and a champion of women! Jess and her husband, Nick, lead Bright City Church in South Carolina and have four kids, and this is her second Bible study with us!. As if that wasn’t enough, she is a speaker and life coach who loves to see women of all ages dream, aspire, stretch, and reach goals that are impossible without God launching them.

So, are you ready?

I’m not. I do not have what it takes. I’ve failed. I’ve flopped. I’ve flailed. I’ve stunk.

To tell you the truth, I thought I was going to sort of skate through this study. I’ve been studying the Bible and leading OBS for a while now and didn’t expect this topic to smack me in the face. But here’s the secondary truth. I feel like some of the junk I’ve been through and some of the galactically stupid mistakes I’ve made have disqualified me. Sidelined me from any true good and purpose. The voice of the enemy in my pain and through my sin has caused me to duck my head down low and just be quiet and do my work. Shrink smaller. Stay quieter.

The good news that’s sinking in again is that it’s not about me and my mess. God Himself, our Father, does have what it takes. He’s ready. And He’s ready to equip stain-smeared me and to empower complicated you for great things for His glory.

Because He is good and because He is a restorer, no harm that has come your way bad decision you have made has the power to define you. ~ Jess

God loves to use failures. He really likes flops. He’s drawn to those who’ve been humbled and disqualified. He loves to work with hot-heads like John and James, outcasts like Levi, bigots like Jonah, prostitutes like Mary, murderers like David, tricksters like Tamar, quitters when the going gets rough like John Mark, betrayers like Peter, and those hiding out on the back side of the desert like Moses.

Friend, this season isn’t a mistake. We were created to be a blessing to others and to the Lord.

He’s really good at creating beauty from chaos. He’s got stuff for us to do!

God has called each of us to be His ambassadors. ~ Jess

I love the Lord with all of my heart and I choose to trust Him. I’m thankful for that because He knows my story far better than anyone and He’s still weaving it together. He saw the beginning. He sees the tangles and brambles in the middle. And, He’s already working toward the finale. Beautiful. Redeemed.

Queen Elizabeth I, in her tumult said, “This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our sight.”

Do you believe that? Can you declare the Word of God over your own life?

Even if you feel inadequate. Even if you want to quit. Even though you can’t do it on your own. Even if you think it would be crazy for God to choose you to do [that thing].

You have what it takes. In Him.

YOU are the girl for the job. Through Him.

You, the broken you, the messy you, the you filled with past regrets and mistakes… you’re the girl for the job. ~ Jess

Let’s do this!

God is who He says He is. How could He use me? He’ll be the One doing the heavy lifting. ~ Jess

This week in your study:

1. Watch the video for session one on our study home page and take notes in your study guide on pages 7-15 but DON’T GO AWAY just yet! Hang out for the conversation with our OBS community afterward!
2. Grab your Bibles and enjoy the personal study this week in pages 16-30. There are just 3 days of personal study every week! This week’s companion reading in the book: chapters 1-3, and if you’re reading ahead for next week, read chapters 4-6.* Still need study materials? FaithGateway Store has them on sale at 40% off!
3. You’re invited to join the private Facebook group (hosted and moderated by our team) for more community and daily discussion about the study. The group is now open and everyone is welcome. Come join the conversations and get to know our fellow participants!

Scriptures this Week

Exodus 3:1-14

Prayer for the Week

Jesus, we love You. And, we do not have it in us to do good without You. We can’t. But, You can. We are full of mess. But, You can and will use us anyway. Right in the middle of our real-life stories. Help us to quit dreaming about being the “ideal self” and step into Your leading for our lives, mountain or valley. We just want to be Your girls doing Your thing with You. We love you, God. Amen.