printquestionsWoH

How do so many people live without hope? Without something to
believe in? What does living without hope do to us? What has it
done to our world? Chris thought she had found peace in the
mountains, only to find out that, once again, for her, peace was a
fantasy. A hopeless dream. Is it possible for a person to find peace
without hope?

Do you think Chris was really ready to end her life? If Erin hadn’t
shown up, do you think Chris would have pushed herself off the
couch and continued on with her life as if nothing had happened?

Why do you think Erin stopped her life, disappointed her husband,
risked her health and the health of her unborn child, and spent a lot
of money to fly to Colorado? What do you think would have
happened in her life if she had stayed home?

What do you think would have happened to Chris if Erin had stayed
home?

Was it disturbing to you that Erin took off her wedding ring? Do you
understand and agree with her motivations for doing so? Do you
think she was wrong for breaking her promise to her husband? What
do you think would have happened if Chris had noticed the ring as
soon as Erin stepped in the door? If she had noticed it, would that
have changed anything?

Is there someone in your life who needs a visit from you? Do you
need to make an “insane trip”? Is there someone who needs your
perseverance? Are you intimidated by the risk?

In May, I paid my taxes, was summoned for jury duty, and received
my ballot in the mail for a rinky-dink county election. All three
things left me grumbling. We hear a lot about our freedoms as
Americans. We’re told to never take them for granted. Yet, we do.
Will we ever fully realize and appreciate the sacrifice of our
Armed Forces down through history to give us these freedoms,
however rinky-dink they may be? In your world, is there a veteran
you need to thank? If so, do you already know how he or she will
react to your gratitude?

In our culture today, are we truly able to love our brothers and
sisters as Christ commanded? Are we able to love those who don’t
know Christ and don’t understand His love or how it should be
received? With the way our world has tainted love, do you feel
hindered in expressing what you know to be the true love of Christ?
Do you allow anything to intimidate you from loving others as
Christ loved his disciples?

We hear the statistics. Millions of children in our country live with
abuse and neglect. Billions of people carry scars from physical,
spiritual, mental, emotional, and sexual abuse. Is it hard for you to
show your scars to your brothers and sisters? Is it right for us to
hide what we carry from others? Is it ever right to hide our true
feelings about our scars from our Father God?

Do you remember how you felt when you first read John 14-16?
Has it been awhile since you’ve read it? How do you feel when you
read it now? When Jesus prayed that His brothers and sisters would
be one even as He and His Father were one, what exactly did that
mean? What exactly was He asking the Father to do through us?
What was He asking us to do?

What really does it mean to have childlike faith? Have you ever
stood before your Father God and raise your hands to Him, asking
to be picked up and carried? Have you ever truly found yourself
sitting on His lap, leaning against His chest, so close to Him that
you heard His heart beating?

Erin witnessed the result of her own faithfulness and obedience.
Through her perseverance, God drew Chris to Himself and made
her His own. Is there someone in your life who needs you to remain
faithful and obedient? Does God need you to persevere in
someone’s life? Have you, like Erin, witnessed the result of your
faithfulness? Because of your perseverance to love as Christ loved,
was He able to make that one His own? Would you be willing to
share this experience with the group?

Do you feel as if you fully understand Chris after reading her story,
or are you frustrated by unanswered questions about her? She is not
one to reveal her thoughts, and she hasn’t in this story, not even to
Erin. Do you see a hint of what Erin sees in Chris? Do you share
her frustration about not knowing more about Chris’s past? Do you
understand why Erin still remains?