| Wounded Healer Book Club Discussion Questions A few things to ponder . . . |
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?
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?
| I would love to hear about how you and/or your book group answered these questions. And about how reading Chris and Erin’s story affected you (if at all!). : ) Please feel free to send me an e-mail to continue the discussion, if you’d like. donna at donnafleisher dot com |
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| 1 Timothy 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope, To Timothy, a true son in the faith: grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. |
| Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. |