S11 E13 Bride Part 1: Freely in Love

Abiding Together

In this episode, we wrap up our identity collection and begin a four part series on Bride. We discuss how God created us for intimate communion with Him no matter our vocation or state in life. We break open the risks of vulnerability and exposure and the deep communion and love we can only experience through intimacy.

Sister Miriam’s one thing - Kale Salad

Heather’s one thing - The Hidden Life Playlist on Spotify

Michelle’s one thing - Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers

Discussion Questions:

1. What stood out to you from this week’s episode?
2. How have you witnessed a bride and groom give themselves freely to one another?
3. How can you grow in a commitment to continue to grow in the school of love?
4. How do you experience God as a lover?

Journal Questions:

1. How are you a gift to God? How can you exercise freedom in choosing to love God and give yourself to Him?
2. If married - how do you allow your spouse into your inner garden to bring your hearts to the Lord together? How do you love your spouse with your whole heart and God with your whole heart- bringing deeper communion in both relationships?
3. For those that are hard to love - ask “how is this person a gift to me?””

Quotes to Ponder: “Limitation of one's freedom might seem to be something negative and unpleasant, but love makes it a positive, joyful and creative thing. Freedom exists for the sake of love.”

― John Paul II, Love and Responsibility

Scripture for Lectio Divina: “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man[a] there was not found a helper as his partner. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bonesand flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.” Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

- Genesis 2:18-25

This episode is sponsored by Chews Life.

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