The time has finally come, and I am so excited to welcome you all to our Bible study on the life of Elijah, the prophet, Elijah: Spiritual Stamina in Every Season, by Melissa Spoelstra.

I am sure you will all agree that life has its ups and downs, and we all need spiritual stamina to endure through every season in our walk of faith. Sometimes our emotions may swing to high and low extremes multiple times throughout the day, or we may experience those swings more seasonally. We have seasons when our faith is invincible, and God feels so close, but there are also those times when despair may overtake us, and God can seem quite elusive. How can we remain steadfast and even thrive during these seasons?

Elijah experienced highs and lows himself, and by studying his life and character through Scripture, we will learn strategies that will help us be unwavering in our faith through every season of life. This Christian walk is more like a marathon than a sprint, and it is the consistent, daily habits we employ that will fortify our faith and help us persevere to the end.

Some of the topics we will explore are Prayer, Choices, Soul Care, Surrender, Mentoring, and Legacy.

Here are our assignments for the first week:

1. Click here to register, purchase the book, join our Facebook group, and subscribe to the blog to receive future updates.
2. Read the introduction and background information in the member book on pp. 5-10.
3. (Optional) View Introductory Video
4. Read 1 Kings 1-8
5. Study Week 1, pp. 14-46
6. Memorize Hebrews 11:6
   And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (NLT)
7. Participate in a small group in our Heart to Heart Women’s Bible Study Facebook page. This week is just an introduction to get to know each other and prepare our hearts for the study.

Introductory Discussion Questions

Here are the questions we will be discussing in our small groups this week:

ICE BREAKER: Tell us where you are from and something unique about where you live.

QUESTION 1: What do you hope to gain from this study and our time together?

QUESTION 2: What are some things you already know about Elijah, and how has his story impacted your life? Or, is this Bible character new to you? What would you like to learn?

QUESTION 3: Why do you think the faith walk is more like a marathon than a sprint?

QUESTION 4: In what ways is the spiritual life comparable to Olympic training? What practices come to mind that help to build our spiritual stamina and endurance?

QUESTION 5: How would you describe your current season of life? Is it a dry and weary season, a season of abundant blessings, or somewhere in between? Explain.

QUESTION 6: Do you have any questions for us? Or, do you have any words of advice for new members?

Some Things to Remember

This is a place where women from all over the world can come together for fellowship, worship, and growth through in-depth study of the Word of God. This is a place where women strengthen and encourage each other in their faith and develop deeper intimacy in their relationship with God. We are not divided by theological differences or denominational backgrounds, but we grow together through our mutual love for Jesus.

As a diverse group of women, we have different church backgrounds, preferred Bible translations, and opinions.  This is a place to respectfully disagree, rather than judging or condemning one another, so that you may grow and understand different viewpoints. It’s okay to question and see things differently; however, we ask you to be kind and respectful of the feelings of others.

In essential matters, such as the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must be in agreement. However, in the non-essential areas or opinions that are not explicitly stated in Scripture, we can agree to disagree without being disagreeable. We are to love and accept each other as sisters in Christ regardless of differing opinions. As the saying goes, “You don’t have to be my twin to be my sister!”

Our philosophy at Heart to Heart is, “In essentials, UNITY; in opinions, LIBERTY; and in all things LOVE.”

Let’s get started! I hope to see you in a small group this week! May God add His richest blessings on your study time, and may you experience spiritual growth and stamina like never before!