Week 1
When We Feel Unseen
Feeling unseen is awful. In college, a guy told Kathy, “I don’t see Chinese girls as pretty or ugly; you all look the same.” Ouch. At that moment, Kathy realized that even being seen as ugly would have felt better than not being seen at all.
One of the least seen mothers in the Bible was Hagar. Except of course, that she was deeply seen by God. This week, as we study Hagar, moms will have the chance to:
identify and share with God any of the ways we feel unseen, by others and even by God
debunk the lies of Satan that cause us to grasp desperately for control
learn to combat those lies by trusting in God’s promises found in Psalm 23
become an agent of shalom by standing in solidarity with those who suffer
Prep
Read through the study.
Print Bible passage. (optional)
Cue up video 1 on whatever screen you will be using. If you had an introductory week, you can start the video at minute 11. (There is a QR code in your book. Scan the code to access the video, or use this link.)
Pray for the moms in your group, especially those who feel unseen by God. Ask God to meet each woman at her “wells” just as God met Hagar.
Session
If you did not have an introductory week:
- go around the group and have each person introduce themselves with their name, the ages of their children, and one thing they enjoy about being a mom. (10 minutes)
- agree on group commitments (10 minutes)
What do you need to do as a group so you function well together? Let each woman brainstorm for a minute, then share (and write down) their ideas. Agree together which ones you want to practice. We’ve found these rules, included on page 5 of the book, helpful:
Listen actively
Let folks finish their thoughts--don’t interrupt
Don’t give advice
Take risks to share the vulnerable truth about your life
Be mindful of how much space you take up in the group (so if you’re a talker, listen more; if you’re a listener, talk a little more)
Have a learning posture
Be open to what God has for you
Confidentiality
If you had an introductory week, you can start here:
Have someone read the introduction on page 7. (2 minutes)
Complete the opening activity on pages 7 & 8. (15 minutes)
Watch this week’s video. (15 minutes if this is your first meeting, 6 minutes if it’s your second meeting.)
Have someone read Genesis 16 aloud. (5 minutes)
Answer the study questions on pages 9-11. (35 minutes)
Read the description of Holy Spirit Check-Ins and complete this week’s Holy Spirit Check-In on page 12 (3 minutes)
Read the description of Breath Prayer and practice the Breath Prayer on page 12 (4 minutes)
Pray the Leader’s Benediction over your group. (1 minute)
