A Journey of Discovery

For this group of six, Hyla, Kathy, Jessica, Brian, Babette, and Jim continually discover and build a place of encouragement, a community of support, and a space of co-operation in Jesus' direction. Their group is thriving because they are experiencing and sharing good news and with the people in their workplaces, homes, and beyond!

Every week of the Good News Group Study encourages an "I will" statement about how someone will bring life and share good news. Kathy took a brave step in listening well and invited someone to take a step in Jesus' direction by exploring the stories in God's Word.  "I think it's just an awareness of taking opportunities." 

Babette is experiencing breakthroughs through her conversations at work, finding opportunities to have meaningful conversations. And Jessica is practicing greater mindfulness when she encounters people, whether at church volunteering at Guest Central or with her kids in the car or with anyone else she meets. Each week, the group gathers together to share struggles, explore challenges, and speak encouragement to one another. 

The group also practiced sharing their transformation story, a story of who someone once was and who they are becoming after knowing Jesus more and more. Jessica shared her powerful story of growing up as a Christian, then falling into a pain pill addiction. As she pursued healing with Celebrate Recovery, Jessica learned that God has a purpose for her life. "I wasn't able to walk in life. Now, I am walking in His path. Here I am, and it just gets better and better."

Hyla shared her own transformation story of religion to relationship. "Before [fully knowing] Christ, I was a workspace Christian. I thought you had to go to church, you had to sing in the choir, you had to do this, you had to do that. I heard this word 'relationship,' but I didn't understand what that meant." And since coming to know Jesus, "it's been a relationship...he's my best friend."

Having grown up as a farm boy in a small-town Catholic church, Brian has struggled to see how he can have a transformation story of his own. After hearing Hyla's story, he reflected, "it's interesting how it sets in a little bit different now...I have a different appreciation for transformation." Because someone shared their story of what God is up to, Brian looked back and looked presently at how God is bringing about transformation in his own life.

At that point, the whole table began to erupt in celebration and affirmation that God is undeniably moving and working in each person's life in real-time.

These six individuals are continually anticipating the ways God will bring about transformation in the lives of others through their transformation. Jessica ended with, "the best part of the good news group study is that I want to tell absolutely everyone what God has done for me."