Lessons Learned in Women's Bible Study

The Bible study I teach will begin in a few days, and I am both thankful and excited.  Working through notes for this class, it occurred to me that in addition to learning the truth of Scripture, I learn many other things. My friend, Tonya, once made this statement reflecting the atmosphere of Bible study: Friends Show Up!

No doubt, friends do show up at Bible study.  I could never put into words the depth of friendship that I have been privileged to find while studying the Bible next to women I love. I have laughed, cried, and ate my way through many, many hours of fellowship. I have been blessed immeasurably. Years ago, I started keeping a list of the many extra things I’ve learned along the path of participating in Women’s Bible Study, and I thought I would share my top 55 with you: 

55 Life Lessons in Women’s Bible Study:

• How to use the push-in tabs on boxes of aluminum foil, saran wrap, etc. 

• How to make flaky, homemade pie crust. (Not that I can do this successfully, but I was given a great recipe and a great lesson!)

• How to cook oatmeal in the crock pot overnight.

• How to use a round brush and a hair dryer to pull your hair straight and give it that smooth salon look. 

• Where to find coupons and how to use them to maximum efficiency.

• Where to find ginger snaps at Christmas time.

• How to organize a laundry room.

• Where to find the best seasonal plants in town.

• Where the best hair colorist in town work!

• How much better coffee taste when shared with friends. 

• How much lighter burdens feel when shared with friends.

• Where to have family portraits taken. 

• How to tie a scarf around my neck with pizzazz. 

• How to grow older with beauty and grace.

• What kind of personal hygiene items will NOT clear airport security.

• What real women look like at 6:45 in the morning.

• What real women look like at 6:45 in the evening.

• Where to find a seamstress who does great work for a great price.

• How to decorate my home on a budget.

• That women will feed you when they need to comfort you, and you will in turn, be very grateful.

• That diets are more appealing when shared with friends.

• That I am not the only woman who struggles with running on time.

• That a fantastic shoe can indeed make an outfit!

• That a girlfriend will not only always notice when you cut your hair, but she will also listen to the details.

• That I should never be embarrassed to look in the table of contents in my Bible.

• That I should show up for Bible Study when my homework is fully completed and when it’s not.

• That I can physically feel the prayers of others.

• I have learned the difference between lip balm, butter, gloss, stick, and stain.

• Confession is absolutely freeing and a path to vast peace.

• Confidentiality among a group is golden and priceless.

• Help is often the only prayer one needs to whisper.

• Help often shows up in the form of a Bible study friend carrying a casserole and a box of tissues. (And maybe a bottle of wine, depending on your personal beliefs and your friend group).

• I am never alone. Ever.

• As Christians, we live between the advents!

• If your lipstick is the wrong shade for your skin, you need to be told. This most definitely qualifies as speaking the truth in love.

• There is no wrong question to ask when studying Scripture. No one knows it all. Learning about God is lifelong.

• From week-to-week, your women friends will notice if your toenail polish changes, or you had your nails done! 

• That trick about touch-up-painting only the toes that show – I learned that in Bible study.

• One can be inspired to buy an air fryer! I know this to be true.

• When someone has the true gift of hospitality, it shows. They can make you feel like you’re having dinner in a Southern Living Advertisement.

• Friends will not only listen to, but also love hearing about all your Christmas tree ornaments. And they will “ooh and aahh” over the ones your children made.

• “Weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who will rejoice.” will come naturally to friends who study Scripture together.

• Among friends, you will discover who makes the best pound cake. This might turn into a serious discussion/debate. And, if you’re lucky: a competition.

• Growing older with women, you will appreciate the many, beautiful seasons of a woman’s life.

• A discussion of menopause, pregnancy, or anything hormone related can easily take over the weekly lesson discussion!

• The leader is always grateful for that one woman in the group that can clear her throat in just the right way, thereby communicating, “It’s time to refocus.”

• No one ever complains when someone shows up with donuts.

• Your friends would rather you walk in late than not at all. We’ve all had those mornings.

• The girl chatter before the study begins is one of the most beautiful sounds on earth.

• Women talk about everything from football to fat cells and finances to the Food Network. In manicured nails, they tackle tough issues with grace and intelligence.

• Use your Bible. Dog ear the pages. Underline. Highlight. Circle in red. Draw pictures if needed. Learn. Learn. Learn. Keeping it pristine is a beautiful thought, but you will learn to long-love the pages stained with your handprints, coffee, or tears.  

• Jesus told a great story; Jesus loves a great story; and he loves your story.

• Calories never count at Bible Study. And I’m still not a fan of pumpkin spice coffee creamer, but girl I will buy it for you!

• You need at least one friend who keeps up with Bath & Body Works candle day.

• Women (no matter the age) love a road trip, a slumber party, an overnight getaway. Give us a chance to wear our good, pajamas!

•  One of my mentors encouraged me to keep a Bible with my personal notes from study for each of my children. It can be theirs one day when I’m no longer here to tell my story of Jesus. I’m currently working on Bible #2.

In the back pages of almost every Bible study book I own, there are scribbled recipes, phone numbers, and prayer requests. These notes, alongside my written journey of spiritual growth are evidence that Jesus is not only my friend, but also, he blesses me with friendships. 

God Speaks Girl!

This year, I plan on adding to my Favorite 55 list. You’re welcome to join me.

Blessings,

Jo

Winter

Winter. I fell in love with a Winter a long time ago. Even though the details have faded, I think the magic happened during my first snow experience. My Panhandle-of-Texas-to-the-bone Mother took great delight in introducing her South GA children to all things snow including snow ice cream. To this day, I continue to marvel at all the fun this chilly season holds. From colorful camellias to mugs of hot chocolate to a great pair of boots – Winter holds its own as a beautiful season.

NEW

If we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is Devin Philbeck, and I have worked at Five Stones as the Office Administrator for over a year and a half now. Simultaneously, I have been pursuing a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Liberty University. I feel quite blessed to see what I am learning in play in John and Jo’s work. As we enter mid-May, I am stepping into a new role working in my Practicum. As I look to what is next, I have been putting much thought into new beginnings.

Often as we step into something new, there is much anticipation, excitement, and for many, fear. It’s weird to think about the fact that even good change can be hard, but it can. Whether it’s new marriage, new job, new school, or new baby, we are greeted with many congratulations. But for others, there is great fear as they step into this newness. Only those who have walked through it before us fully understand the difficult emotions that can come with something new.

As I step into this new role, I am scared. Scared of failure, scared of the unknown, scared of not managing time well, scared of not knowing the answers. But at the same time, I am excited, eager, and expectant of all the growth and goodness which God has in store.

What newness are you stepping into today?

What emotions do you feel as you step into this new space?

Where are you finding comfort in the midst of this newness?

How beautiful that we can hold both fear and excitement at the same time. How beautiful that we can fail and grow simultaneously. How sweet is our God that he sits in those mixed feelings with us. I encourage you to sit in those emotions with the Lord as you step into a new space, as I plan to do. And, let this lead you to sit in those emotions with someone else.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3, NIV

Devin Philbeck

Wednesday

It’s Wednesday. Halfway through the week. Come 5 o’clock, many will feel like they’ve turned the corner. The ideas and opportunities ahead are suddenly bigger in thought than those of yesterday or even this morning. They throw their mindset in coast mode and seemingly frolic into the atmosphere of Friday afternoon. For others, the halfway of Wednesday ensues regret, an urgency, or a quick glance back at how fast time flew leading to a fervent rush to get it all done. Anticipating the end, they run hard. Wednesday leaves some people reeling with stress and exhaustion. Time for them brings angst, and they are often bitter or dismayed that it is only Wednesday. Last, a quiet, head-down group are impervious to Wednesday. They take the day as every other day in a blur and blend of endless work, chores, and activities. For them, the list of responsibilities and expectations is endless. Halfway doesn’t really matter when there is no finish line in sight.

Have you ever been in the Wednesday of a situation?

• Halfway through a circumstance that you cannot wait to leave. In vigor, you push to the end. Getting to the last sentence is all you crave.

• Halfway through you’re aware of or at least hopeful that you’ve passed the hardest part of an event. What lies ahead for you is a better day. The better day is your focal point, and the Wednesday of a situation definitely finds you in coasting mode.

• Halfway through seems like a short amount of progress. You’re in a story that has left you crawling, curled up, or bleeding out emotionally. In great sighs, you ponder if you’ll have the energy or drive to reach the last chapter. Wednesday only serves to remind you that there is so much more to tackle.

• Halfway through your days blend into days. The circumstance is endless in perspective. Without boundaries, there is no measurement; therefore, the Wednesday of your situation is a moot point.

Maybe, you have lived enough situations that you can relate to each of these responses. At some point, we have all been in the Wednesday of a situation.

In counseling, the Wednesday of a situation is quite real. We look for it. Wait for it. Anticipate it. Reach for it. Regret it. Muse over it. When marking progress, halfway is a milestone. Getting stuck there is a problem. Getting obsessed with the finish line when you’re halfway can also a problem. As is having no idea where halfway exist. When the Wednesday of a situation is lost, it makes the going difficult and laborious.

Thankfully, God understands Wednesdays. He sees them. Abides within them. He cares for the journey past and forward. Halfway through is where bright, springtime colored hope can fall like rain drenching us through and watering us to the dregs of our self. Halfway through is where we often find a resting spot – a refuge to catch our breath and be filled. Halfway though is where we can find clarity that life has become blurry. Halfway through is where we are given the opportunity to be grateful for every step taken and give all the ones ahead into God’s care.

Halfway through – the Wednesday of a situation is very real place. At Five Stones, it is our joy to meet you there, get you there, or help you discern the steps forward beyond halfway.

Blessings,

Jo Crosby

The Benefits of Writing and Drawing

Recently, I posted a link on the Five Stones Facebook page about the Rewards of Journaling. You can find it in the newsfeed history or go to the website: ScribbleSheets.com. In March of this year, I presented a workshop at the National Youth at Risk Conference on the need to help clients Tell Their Story. Putting the workshop together brought a newly fueled passion for encouraging people to write more, draw more, and look for unique ways to express the fullness of themselves — to tell their story. As a person and a counselor, I would echo that writing is good for the soul. Telling your story is one way to connect, heal, and process this amazing journey of life. As people, we connect through storytelling.

Since childhood I have written. Poetry is my go-to writing style. I like the challenge of describing a complex subject/issue in a succinct format. Writing poetry forces my pen to tighten and become word conscious. Through the years, it has also greatly increased my vocabulary and improved both my spelling and my sense of rhythm/cadence. Writing poetry has been good for me.

Each season and each year, I try to write a poem. This is a writing discipline I’ve practiced for some time. In doing so, I have learned to appreciate the beauty of each one, and I have seen my own life reflected in the measurement of seasonal time.  Typically, I share deep, more serious issues on the Blog. But, today, I decided to share the lighter. The fun. The whimsy that comes from playing around with words and looking for a way to describe experiences. I hope you enjoy. But, more importantly, I hope you write. I hope the following words inspire your own thoughts on Summer or any topic of your choosing.

Stay healthy. Invest in self care. Put your thoughts on paper. Share. Let the light that is within you shine bright though your pen.

Blessings,

Jo Crosby

Summer. 

You’re hot and sticky.

Tempting. Tantalizing

like hot pepper sauce;

This year, you’re sort of 2020 tricky!

Like sauce with a kick of ghost pepper. 

A glut of new normal.

Yet; you are here. You arrived right 

on time sporting bright colors. 

Deep green grass. Yellow sunflowers. 

Ripe red tomatoes. Long blue-sky days.

Purple blackberry stained hands. 

The dogs lounge on the porch for hours. 

You are sultry. 

You bring good things.

Summer blueberries. 

Blueberry anything: I love you the best!

Kites. Sand pails. Dance the Shag. Water Play.

Cricket concerts on a starry night. 

Popsicles. Boiled peanuts. Peach ice cream. 

Tank tops. Bottle rockets. Sandals all day. 

Team flip-flops forever. Vacation dreams.

Canoe. Paddle. Nap on a float. 

Hotdogs on the grill. Campfire rings. 

Everything feels warmed and heated. Even me. 

Summer, you are an amazing muggy mess. 

Your melody is part of God’s harmony.

Welcome. Bring your bounty. 

You come with blessings.

Sit. Swing. Sleep in the hammock. Stay awhile. 

Hang around. I’ve missed your fiery charm.

My heart’s been stolen. And, 

my Spring grin has turned into a sweaty smile.  

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11a

Garden Memories

I close my eyes, and I see Mary Morrow York, my grandma, singing. I can hear her with my heart.  In my memory, she’s always singing hymns.  Often, I go to the memory of her singing hymns in church. She sits near the back on the right and to the right of my Papa; I’m between them. Even in memory, I know I’ll get pinched on the knee if I talk. It is a pinch with just enough pressure to sting my tongue into silence.   She's always standing straight in a clean, stylish dress sewn with her own hands. Her hair has been pin curled for Sunday. She used the hymnal, but by the time I was old enough to sit between them, she had long known all the words to each verse. I knew and know this, because she sang the words from her core – her gut.  Her heart. They were not mere words bouncing off the flat page and rolling off the tip of her tongue.  The words held meaning to her. My grandma worshipped, and it shaped me.  

An amazing woman. Oh, how I loved her! Grandma filled many of my spring and summer days with the garden. I am shaped by memories of eating fresh figs from the tree, peeling garden pans full of ripened tomatoes used for canning, shelling every kind of pea that grows in south Georgia, and picking blackberries for fresh cobbler. 

Her kitchen was my favorite bakery.  She created all kinds of sugared confections. A fresh cake was a staple in her kitchen.  A true seamstress, she made sundresses from light, cotton cloth in colored patterns. I recall they would barely touch skin, and they hung perfectly on my shoulders. They kept me cool and cute in the sweaty heat of June, July, and August.  

My grandma sewed. Cooked. Canned. Baked. Crocheted. Cleaned. Created. Loved. She was an accomplished, wonderful woman.  Yet, it is her singing and her gardening that line my heart’s memory like gold.  It is the memory that I pull most frequently.  She taught me to see God’s beauty in a flowerpot, and she sang hymns of his faithfulness. She sang of his love.  She sang straight into my heart so often that the words took root. And, 35 years after she told me goodbye, I can still hear her voice and see her sing.  This hymn was one of her favorites:

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.  

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
  Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
    “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me! 

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!”  

Great is the Faithfulness, written by Thomas Obediah Chisholm

Looking out at the lilies this morning, I smiled to see a fat, morning dove pecking underneath the scapes and leaves. That site is unusual in my garden. I poured coffee, grabbed my camera and went outside to join the day. As I photographed, my heart filled, and I found myself humming, Great is thy Faithfulness.  I instantly thought of my grandma. The humming message was so clear and pretty in thought that I posted an image to social media using part of the verse.  As I settled with more coffee to read from the devotion I’m working through, I smile extra big to see the key verse today is Lamentations 3: 22-23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”   

How could words written from Jeremiah’s heart, sang from my grandmother’s lips, and penned from A. Voscamp for this day and this time find their way into the hum of my heart?  God. God and his faithful love. Spoiling me with the glimpse of a morning dove. Ever reminding me that he is present. He sees me. He sings. And, he writes a long, beautiful love story to his children. To his beloved. To me.  He writes love each day new; yet it’s inclusive of all that was and all that ever will be. 

God’s message of faithfulness began in my young heart at my grandma’s side. Through the years, it has woven its way into my core. Lamentations 3 is dog-eared in my Bible, and I can see God’s beauty in a flowerpot and his splendor in a lily’s petal.  Great is his faithfulness is written on my soul. 

Perhaps today, you need God’s word.  Listen with your heart. His love is lavish. His faithfulness is without end. 

The cooing of the morning dove greets the day, and I am not the only one he spoils! 

 Blessings, 

Jo

We Moved!

Change can be a bear. It can be a difficult problem. Change can also be a beginning. It can be the first step of a new season.

We discovered in January of 2020 that we would need to relocate, and last week we moved the Five Stones office to the main house of an old dairy farm. It’s just up the road from our old office (a little over a mile), and it is a beautiful setting. We believe that it is the answered prayer to our dream for a garden, a porch, a walking trail, etc. I have already taken dozens of flower photographs on the property. We have been whispering prayers for this new setting and this new beginning for a long while. It is a new season: change.

Last week! That is correct. We moved during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been a unprecedented time, and moving during the middle of it has been a bit of a bear. For the record, I am not sure I recommend it. However, one lease ended on 3/31 and a new one began on 4/01. Amid A LOT of boxed items, books, and furniture, John and I kept looking at each other (as only spouses can), praying, persevering, praying and packing. When it was all relocated, and the last dust swept out of the former office, we breathed a deep sigh of relief and whispered prayers of thanksgiving.

We have a new “office home”; we have a safe space; and we cannot wait to host people for open house. (When it is recommended and safe to hug, have coffee together, and hang out in groups). Most importantly we are excited and humbled to see and serve our clients. (Although, this will now be exclusively via Telehealth. Please see the COVID-19 update). We have a new “office home” and a new approach to care. It’s been an interesting time.

Some of the difficulty within the move has been the transition of office services being transferred and/or newly connected. Additionally, the normal day-to-day easy decisions/issues such as purchasing simple cleaning products or shelf paper, having locks changed, running out of duct tape, having internet connection, or having the hot water heater operational have been complicated under the current conditions. Change can be a bear.

In the big picture, we are deeply blessed. We are excited and humbled to serve in this ministry. We have more to be thankful for than I could list in a blog. Our hearts are full. In the immediate, we ask for continued prayer to navigate this unique season with wisdom and grace. We are working hard to be available in the best, safest way possible.

We appreciate the prayers, patience, and support of many people during the last few weeks.

As always, God leads; we follow.

If you have questions or concerns, please call the office: 912-667-5848

Many Blessings,

Jo Crosby

*As a praise: I have been newly Certified in Telemental Health. Stay Tuned!

Psalm 51

Last week the white azaleas that line the edge of our yard were in peak bloom. In the unprecedented situation that we navigate, I found myself having more time than typical to both enjoy and photograph them. Amid multiple new decisions, their bright, bold blooms served to remind me that God is present, that he loves me, and that I can trust his plan. His care for me will always hold. I wrote this original blog in 2016, but it fits today perfectly.

The white azaleas have been blooming with bold, brightness along the edges of our home.  They look so clean compared to the millions of oak leaves and pine straw that forever sprinkle the ground.

As I photographed them, they touched a thread of clean, white truth in my heart:

Jesus is my only clean! 

I need him. I need the ongoing washing of his Word and his presence to make my heart sparkle bright. Don't misunderstand, I've been washed eternally. My soul is free. But, I can get dirty and dingy in the everyday mess of life. I need ongoing cleaning. 

I love how Scripture guides the heart. Regardless of the messy, tangled, or composed nature of my thoughts, Scripture applies. God's word never falls short; it never fails to find the one crevice that needs Light. 

These beautiful words of Psalm 51 fall fresh on my heart. May they fall fresh on yours.

Jesus will make you whiter than snow.  

“Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.” Psalm 51: 7-10, The Message 

Scripture is a great place to recline, to rest, to refresh, and to perhaps reconnect with God. He is always shaping our lives with his splendor and his presence.

Blessings, 

Jo 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year,

The 2019-year has been a time of both growth and gratitude for the ministry of Priority Insight and Five Stones Counseling. As always, it is hard to encapsulate a description of the ministry that takes place each week through Bible study, teaching, writing, and counseling. However, this year, the concept of the ends surfaced.

Earlier this year, I listened as a pastor discussed the “call and the need to take the Word of God to the ends of the earth”. I listened as he passionately described the ends of the earth being places where hardship, horror, famine and fear are rampant. He was correct, and I was challenged. Immediately, my heart thought about the many ends of the earth that I witness regularly within our ministry. Each week, we see people who are at the end:

The end of themselves…the end of their marriage…the end of their fidelity…the end of their rope…the end of their resolve…the end of their career…the end of their family unit…the end of their finances…the end of their solutions…the end of their life…the end of their relationship …the end of their good health …the end of the bottle… the end of their faith… the end of their peace. (To name a few)

In each of these situations fear, hardship, horror, and deprivation often exist. The end is common, and it is not always geographically far away. Sometimes it’s just a few feet away. The end can be as near as one phone call, one set of paperwork filed, or one diagnostic scan. It is to these ends that John and I are called. Our office - our ministry – is a front row seat to the work that God is doing – the loving, healing, and leading work of his hand! We teach, write, and counsel to lead people to a relationship with Jesus. Our ministry is our mission field.

This letter, along with the annual Christmas Open House, is our primary Fundraiser. In 2019, our contributions have been lower than expected or typical. Therefore, I am asking you to prayerfully consider financially supporting our Ministry.

We need people to partner with us through prayer, financial contributions, referrals, and teaching opportunities. It will take prayer and financial support to reach the vision God has called us toward.

We look forward to where and how God will lead in the year ahead. We are at the beginning of some exciting opportunities."

Thank you and many blessings,

Jo Crosby, M.Ed., LPC

Follower of Christ

Savory Season

Savory Season

I can see my breath;

God is painting fall weather.

He is creating beauty with new colors;

in the sky, upon the ground, in the water --

the al fresco canvas is changing.

The earth is responding to the Maker of All

with trusting surrender.

I ponder the journey of my own heart

to reach such a place of trust –

a place void of battle or struggle.

As my seasons change,

do I let God paint the colors of my day?

Do I trust my Creator completely?

When what appears to be the epitome of summer

dies at my feet, do I trust my God completely?

Do I yield to his design?

Today, as the brisk air encircles me,

I ponder; I walk and wonder…

Seeking the answer, as my feet find the crunchy leaves

of this savory season.

                                                                        Jo Crosby