I don’t have a lot to say about this, but it was such a profound time in my life it needed to be included in the 40 days.  Kevin and I got to be included in a three year Bible study of 1 & 2 Peter.  We did not set out to take three years, but it is how it unfolded.  We met almost weekly throughout the school year.  Kevin and I  had tried to be in other groups, but when you work at the church I found it really hard to open up and be vulnerable.  The Peter group was made up of middle school volunteers and their spouses.  We not only had being followers of Jesus in common, but we also shared a heart for working with students.  Even with that in common, I still had a hard time opening up at first.  The beginning of this group coincided with the begin of my Ethel episodes (see day 6).  I didn’t want to share that with them.  I didn’t want to be vulnerable, but I couldn’t help myself.  This group was so warm, inviting and genuinely cared for each other.  It took us 3 years to get through 8 books of the Bible because we pulled every verse apart, wrestled with hard questions and put it back together again.  It was a lot of work, but one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

I am so thankful for the leadership that took the time to prepare each week and spurred us on to dig deeper, pray harder and care deeply for each other.  We have yet to find another group so invested in the process of growing together, but we try really hard to emulate what was modeled for us so well.