Chapters 8 and 9

Ch. 8
1.  How do you help your husband confront/overcome his fears?

2.  What significant things have happened in your life as a couple when you cast off fear?

Ch. 9
3.  How do you help your husband hear God's call?

4.  How are you called to help and support his purpose?

Personal Reflection-What is the purpose to which God has called you?  How does that mesh with your husband's purpose?

Action Point-Identify an area of fear in your life as a couple and take steps to combat it.

Chapter 8: The Hemorrhage Woman

Mk 5: 21-43

1.  What helps you not to be overcome by despair or anxiety for your children as you send them out into our fallen world?

2.  Why does the image of the hemorrhage woman introduce the Catechism of the Catholic Church on The Celebration of the Christian Mystery (i.e. sacraments)?  See image following page 276, paragraphs 1115 and 1116.

3.  Share an example of the power of the sacraments.

4.  In what area are you being challenged to increase your faith?

Chapter 8: Spiritual Desolation: A Time for Patience (Rule 8)

1.  What helps you be faithful to the "God given tasks" of your vocation as wife and mother?

2.  How do you work to persist in patience?

3.  Do you have any tricks to counteract negative thinking or self-talk?

4.  Examine a grace spiral (page 109) that has occurred in your life.  Meditate on the actions/events in light of St. Paul's words (1 Cor 15:10), "His grace to me has not been ineffective.  Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me."

Chapter 8: Inspiring a New Kind of Love

1.  What are some of the needs of the people that you interact with throughout your week?

2.  How can we better see people through the lens of their need and love them as Jesus does?

3.  What do you do to encourage empathy and compassion in your child(ren)?

4.  Do you put out your 'spiritual antennas' and look for people in need?

5.  Reflect on a time in which Christ's love compelled you to action.

6.  Read Mt 9:36 [When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.]  Can you think of some fears or prejudices in your life or your particular culture that might keep you or your children from seeing people as Jesus did?  (What kinds of people do you tend to shy away from or find it hard to care about?)  What might help you overcome these attitudes?
Action Point-Take a concrete step to stretch yourself in love.

Chapter 8: The Spirit and Preaching and Prayer

Definitions:
sirocco (page 142) dust storm
breviary (page 143) a book of prayers to be recited daily by priests and members of certain religious orders (in Latin pre-Vatican II)
importunity (page 144) insistent solicitation and entreaty
gibbet (page 145) an execution instrument

1. What concrete actions do you do on a daily basis to renew your faith in Christ? (page 133)

2. How can we stop the "busy-ness" of life from becoming an excuse for laziness, especially in our spiritual life? (page 133)

3. Share a time when a biblical passage has been particularly pertinent to your life. (page 134)

4. How is penance a part of your devotional life? How do you encourage your child(ren), especially in this season of Lent? (page 136)

5. When dealing with those in our household, including ourselves, do we have a "gentle hand for correcting those who are obstinate in their errors (2 Tim 2:24-25)? (page 136)

6. Think of a time when the illumination of the Holy Spirit has brought you into harmony with God's will. How did this experience enrich your soul? (pages 139 and 142)

7. Do we expect too much of our husbands? (page 146)