Knit and Crochet Bible Study

Tag: bible study

  • Felted in Jesus

    Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. Hebrews 10:36

    (download a copy of the lesson FELTED here)

    Project Suggestion: knit or crochet a square with wool and felt it, then cut out a shape to use as a reminder you are felted.

    Wool felts with water and agitation which causes the scales on the wool to swell, rub against each other and bind together. This process creates a denser, shrunken fabric. Felting is the name of the process that give us the finished product.

    Have you ever noticed in Bible stories that a person is often put in situations that can be described as felted, often rubbing against someone or something? In the end, they become stronger in the Lord.

    Think about King David. Before he slew Goliath, before he became king he was a shepherd boy. How did David know he could take down Goliath? By the many years he spent protecting the sheep from wolves, bears, and other torments. He had been in danger, in agitating situations, many times and had learned how to handle himself. (see 1 Samuel 17:12-30)

    What about Shadrach, Meshach and Abendnego? Imagine the agitation they felt standing in a fiery furnace. (see Daniel 3)

    Ruth went through the loss of her husband, leaving her family and hometown. She cared for her mother-in-law and moved to a country where she was an unwanted foreigner. She went on to be a part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. (Read the biblical book of Ruth for the full story)

    Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He gained the confidence of the Pharoah and was promoted to being second in command. He was imprisoned when Pharoah’s wife falsely accused him of rape and still, years later, he was back in a position of authority again. Talk about being agitated.

    What other Bible persons can you name? How about persons in your life you have witnessed experience this felting in their life? Do you remember Martin and Gracia Burnham? They were missionaries from Kansas who serves as missionaries in the Phillippines. They were captured and held hostage for over a year by a militant group of Muslims in 2001. Martin was killed during their rescue. (You can read the story in Gracia’s book In the Presence of My Enemies. You can also read more about this on her website GraciaBurnham.org .) They endured because they were felted with the Lord.

    How have you been felted? Have people around you created the hot water and agitation in your life? God doesn’t give you the people you want, He gives you the people you NEED – To help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be.

    Can these discouraging periods of our times remove us from God? Read Romans 8:35-39.

    Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness or peril or sword? As it is written: For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    Once a piece is felted it cannot be torn. It can be cut and shaped as desired. Once you are felted with God, nothing can rip you away from Him.

    Are you felted into Jesus?

  • Through My Headset–Crash the Chatterbox

    “..and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

    Recently my small group did a 6 week study that so impacted my life I have to share it.

    After we completed the study I plugged in the headphones to hear the book, read by the author.  I particularly liked that what the stories the author used in the video were not the same as in the book, so I am not just rehashing what we had covered.

    Pastor Steven Furtick really shed light on that chatterbox we listen to in our heads.  The best visual I could think of to describe the chatterbox and its constant badgering in my head is the old video game Break Out (is that what it’s called?). A  ball goes from one side of the screen to the other, breaking down bricks of the wall, smashing against them and moving in another direction. 

    In my head the ball bounces back and forth, breaking my concentration, my confidence, my self worth. Each brick it smashed created dozens of shards that attacked me, telling me I a failure, I cannot do anything right, no one wants to listen to me, I am nothing.

    In the video series, Pastor Furtick interviews “The Chatterbox” and brings this imaginary attacker to life. By seeing the chatterbox as someone I could face, I could challenge, it gave me strength to say “shut up, I am not listening to you”.

    CTCH-02

    I have heard and read many articles telling me to just trust God and everything would be okay. But I found that voice in my head was louder than God’s voice. God was speaking, but in the loud chatter of all the lies, I wasn’t hearing His truth.

    Now I tune in to God’s voice, like a dial on the radio. I am actively practicing shutting out that chatterbox that tells me I am nothing. That chatterbox that is filled with lies and deceit.

    It has to be a conscious effort. It doesn’t happen naturally, yet. But like everything else, I must continue to daily do this, it must become as natural to me as breathing. I must choose to listen to the truth of God’s Word, just as I choose to listen to my husband, child, or friend as we sit in a crowded coffee shop. I tune out the noise of the coffee shop to hear the one I am with; so I must tune out the chatterbox to hear the God of my life.grandma_ghetto_blaster_lg_clr

    If you have a chatterbox in your head, I highly recommend “Crash the Chatterbox” book and study.  In fact, you can go to You Tube and watch as Pastor Furtick delivers this message in a 6 part series while you are working on your latest knit/crochet project.

    Tune out the world, tune in to God.

    “..and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

  • My First Knit Crochet Bible Study Groups

    My First Knit Crochet Bible Study Groups
    I thought I’d use this month to share how I started my first groups. You could call it ‘the foundation row’. (for the story of how the Knit and Crochet Bible Studies started check out the about page on my website CLICK HERE)

    After compiling several ‘lessons’ I approached the Women’s Director of my church. She read the stories and really liked the idea. The church leaders agreed to try a semester to see if and how it would go over.
    We met in our church coffee shop where the ladies were allowed to sit in comfy chairs and on sofas instead of at a table like most other classes. This allowed for a very relaxed atmosphere.
    At our first meeting there were about 6 ladies and myself.  I gave a brief description of what the next few weeks would be like then launched into a knitting lesson. (The ladies had all been instructed to bring in a skein of yarn and set of needles.)  By the end of the evening, everyone had cast on and was working on the knit stitch. Over time, the purl stitch, increase, decrease, casting off and more were added as well as some crochet techniques.

    The routine after the first session was to have everyone working on their projects while I read the short lesson and then led a discussion.  During the first weeks there was a not a lot of discussion as many find it hard to knit/crochet and talk at the same time while in the early stages of learning. However, it wasn’t long before everyone could move their hands to the stitch and add their thoughts to the conversation without losing their place. Yes, we did learn to frog (rip it) during these episodes as well 🙂 
    By the next semester, getting started was a bit less hectic in my teaching of the craft as I now had some experienced knitters and crocheters. Instead of standing in the midst of several and trying to teach everyone, I could stand in the middle, demonstrate, and each new person would be alongside an experienced person who would help them one-on-one with what I was saying.

    Not all participants wanted to knit or crochet. We had one join our group who brought along a rug she was hooking and others brought in embroidery work.
    As in all groups, some excelled quickly into the craft; some had difficulty and lagged behind. The same applies to Bible Study and our individual relationship with Jesus Christ. We are all at various levels, no matter how long we have been involved.

    Have you hosted a Knit Crochet Bible Study?  What techniques worked for you? What didn’t?  I’d love to hear your stories.

  • Through My Headset – Twelve Extraordinary Women

    I am currently listening to AND reading in print, the book Twelve Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur.

    This books takes a look at 12 women in the Bible. He goes deep into the culture and through Scripture tells a story of each women.  I am reading it with 2 other women and we are using the corresponding workbook to add to our reading.

    I find the book very encouraging. He brings to light different angles of the stories we hear. Through Scripture he brings out how God used each woman to tell the gospel story. God’s mercy and grace abound!

    For example, consider Rahab the prostitute. She hid the Israeli spies and lied to protect them. She later told the spies of her fear of what the Lord could do that motivated her faith.  She had grown up hearing stories of the God of Israel and the triumphs in battle.

    John MacCarthur goes on to say “Hers was a healthy kind of fear. It had convinced her that YHWH was indeed the one true God.

    As a child we feared our parents discipline when we knew we did wrong. That led us to doing the right thing.

    “Fear of the Lord” can be frightening OR it can lead us to believing in the One True God. Is your ‘fear’ a healthy fear leading you into the arms of the Lord?

    John MacArthur is very encouraging of women throughout this book. He shows a respect of I don’t often find in male translations.

    If you are looking for a study of women in the Bible for yourself or as a group, I highly recommend this book

  • Through My Headset – Not A Fan

     

    I first learned of Kyle Idleman when my small group did a study on his book ‘‘gods at war’.  I found it well written and inspiring.

    Recently I downloaded and started listening to the audible dot com version of “Not A Fan”.  I was hooked listening to the introduction!!

    As I continue to listen, he brings out the difference in being a FAN of Christ and being a FOLLOWER of Christ. One phrase in particular really stands out. He is reading from a follower who says “I was raised in church, but not in Christ”.

    How many of us were ‘raised in church, but not in Christ’? One is the same as the other, isn’t it?  not-a-fan

    He uses a term I hadn’t heard, but understood the meaning: DTR – defining the relationship.

    Kyle uses Scripture to show us the difference between being a fan of Jesus and a true follower of Jesus and helps you to ‘define the relationship’ you have or desire to have with Jesus Christ.

    I highly recommend this book, whether in print or audio. If you are ready to take a look at  your own life, or are considering what it means to follow Christ, this book will bring to light many things you may not have considered.

  • Take Off the Grave Clothes

    The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” John 11:44

    The story of Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb after laying dead in it 4 days is a story often told. As excellent a bible story as it is, I bet you are wondering what this has to do with knitting/crochet.

    My pastor did an excellent sermon this week using the story and pointed out something I had not seen in previous readings.  At the end of the verse (John 11:44) Jesus told the family and friends with him to “take off the grave clothes.”.  He was telling them to take these off Lazarus. The point of this? We need others in our lives.

    One of the benefits of group bible studies is sharing with each other. We can talk about daily happenings and encourage one another.  You can study by yourself, but God did not create us to take life on alone. He wants to be part of our lives and he wants us to spend time with others of faith.

    The Knit and Crochet Bible Study is created to be used in a group setting. Often these groups are multi-generational. This is an excellent opportunity to learn from each other, young and old. The short story I tell in each lesson is created to be a conversation starter. Read each piece, then discuss amongst yourselves how the verse affected you; how you relate to my story; tell your own story. 

    We are in the process of making single copy studies available via Kindle and Nook. This is not to take you away from the group setting, but to allow you to each have your own copy instead of the church version where paper copies must be made for everyone.

    Many people have been hurt at one time or another by someone in the church. They have chosen this as a reason to stay away. God doesn’t want us to stay away. He wants us to help each other grow. As in all gardens there are weeds that need to be plucked, but the flowers still need to stand out and grow together, making a beautiful picture.

    Join the group, take off the death clothes, and let’s grow together.



  • Unfinished Life–Week 9

    Well, I am finished with the reading of the Gospels. I haven’t started a new reading project yet, but You Version has several to choose from. I like having this on my tablet. I can read or have the verses read to me.  I can follow a planned reading program and it records where I am at all times. I can choose from several versions of the Bible. My Bible is always with me.

    I am loving the Beth Moore study on Daniel. I have always shied away from reading Daniel because I heard others talk about how difficult a book it was. She is breaking it down and providing some excellent backup to her summation and shows us additional scripture to expand on the storyline. If you have stayed away in fear of the book of the book of Daniel I recommend trying Beth’s study.

    As far as crafts go I have finished up a couple of items.  I finished this hat as part of my lessons I teach at Michaels.  This is the hat offered in the 3rd crochet class. You learn the stockinette stitch, seed stitch and ribbing. You also learn increase and decrease.

    A new project offered in the knitting class at Michaels is this baby kimono.

    This is a garter stitch project which uses decrease stitches on the front pieces.

    I also created my own pattern when one of the employees told me about needing fingerless gloves while she was unloading the truck. So, I came up with this.

    I continue to work toward my knitting and crochet certification through the Craft Yarn Council. I have completed part 1 of crochet and hope to send in part 1 of knitting this weekend. It is then checked for accuracy and I will complete the 2nd half of both.

    Did you receive the latest newsletter? I included the story of the Ax that Floated to the Top.

    All in all it was a busy week.

    Until next time, keep on stitching your life into God’s plan.

  • Unfinished Life–Week 6

    Do you ever feel like you are so busy, you have no idea what you are doing?  Does that even make sense?

    Sometimes I look back over the week and think,  ‘I didn’t get a thing done. But at the same time I remember being busy.

    I don’t think I completed any specific projects this week.  I did prepare some Jesus Love Letter Bears with a valentine theme.  I will continue to make these as requested, replacing the small heart shaped box of chocolates with some other chocolate.

    I completed week 2 of the Beth Moore bible study on Daniel. All I can say is WOW!!!  She is such an awesome story teller, and I get excited when she shows how other scripture verses written hundreds of years before relate to these verses.  I enjoy the weekly reading between videos.  If you have never participated in one of her video study, I highly recommend it.

    I was going through some of my digital pictures, trying to organize them (unfinished them of the year leading to organizing).  I found this I want to show off.

    Superbowl 2011 was watched with my grandson and daughter. He had received 4 hologram Star Wars puzzles. During the game we completed one.  Over the next 10 months we completed the other 3 and created a hanging mobile for him.  I put the 4 puzzles together like a box using black duct tape, then attached a hanging decorative chain. His mother hung it up in his room. He loves it. I took this picture before delivering it to him

    And now, the barometer is telling my hips it is at 29 and wishes I would lay down a bit.  Sorry, more news next time.

    May your hearts be encouraged, being knit together in love,

  • Colors of Salvation Knit/Crochet-along

    As a child in Sunday School we took colored pieces of construction paper and learned the story of salvation through the representation of each color.

    I have taken each of these colors and various stitch patterns to create a Colors of Salvation Afghan.

    Each stitch and color represents a segment of the story of God’s love, forgiveness, and promise of Heaven.

    Many others joined in 2 years ago for the first Colors Of Salvation Knit/Crochet-along.  It was so much fun I want to do it again.  This time, with videos demonstrations of each set of stitches.

    Whether you knit or crochet, this project is a fun way to advance your skill by learning new stitch combinations; review scripture while working through the project.

    This project is very versatile.  You can make a full size afghan or a smaller lapghan.  One person commented she made it smaller and stitched the sides to make a tote.

    Once you learn the stitch patterns, find your favorite and make that pattern into a scarf.

    I will post a video demonstration of the first set of stitches on Saturday, Sept 17, then new pattern stitches each month.  The colors will be worked as follows:

    • Sept:  Orange
    • Oct:    Gold
    • Nov:   Purple
    • Dec:   White
    • Jan:    Blue
    • Feb:  Green
    • Mar:  Black & Red Edging and Seaming

    You can download the pattern at: 

    ColorsOfSalvation_patternKC_errata1 (2017_10_02 19_31_34 UTC)

    Will you be joining us?   Follow along on the Facebook page for more information and comments.

  • All Knotted Up

    I just finished crocheting a teddy bear from a skein of knotted up yarn. Why? I don’t know.

    One of the first posts I made and actually the first writing that led to the creation of the ‘Knit and Crochet Bible Study’ book was comparing my life to a tangled mess of yarn filled with knots.

    I laughed at myself as I realized I obviously have not learned anything because here I was, once again, working on a project and instead of untangling the strands and rolling it into a usable ball, I worked as many stitches as I could from the free yarn. Then I untangled a few more feet of yarn and worked until I ran into another tangle. I worked the entire piece like this!

    Romans 7:15 kept running though my mind: “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15 NAS)   Do you find yourself doing the same thing? You know what needs to be done, you know how you should do, yet you continue in your old habits.

    I looked through my stash to start another project. I hope I have learned my lesson. You know the old saying, “The third time is the charm”. Hopefully this time I will get it right.