woman you’re

meant

to

be

Sick of seeing the latest supermodel who looks like a poster child for anorexia? Tired of the cinema’s newest action hero who womanizes his way around the world and guns down opponents while leaping from building to building? Everywhere you turn, culture adds more pressure and higher expectations for both genders. Each perfect smile and glistening six-pack shouts out another unrealistic ideal. In the middle of all this “noise,” where can a teen guy hear God’s perspective on the strength of a man? Where can teen girls discover God’s vision for true womanhood?

In God Guy and God Girl, Michael and Hayley DiMarco cut through the illusions and offer much-needed wisdom on what it means to be a real man or woman of God. They

unique concerns of both guys and girls. Combining personal anecdotes, scriptural wisdom, and insight into current teen trends, the DiMarcos challenge teens to live out their most important identity—as a follower of Christ.

So how exactly do you live as a “God Guy” or “God Girl”? If you know a group of teens who’d like to answer that question together, this study guide is just for you. Whether you’re an adult youth mentor or a student

designed to help you lead a thoughtful and fun study. So print off a copy of this guide and get your crew together for a life-changing look at the genders, God’s way.

Becoming the Woman & Man You’re Meant to Be

A DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR CO-ED GROUPS

By Michael & Hayley DiMarco

woman you’re

meant

to

be

OverviewFor this study, your male group members will be reading through God Guy while the females read through God Girl.

The study is broken into six sessions, each one mirroring a chapter in God Girl and God Guy.

Here’s how it breaks down week by week:

SESSION ONE: Do You Know Any GGs? (God Guys/God Girls)

SESSION TWO: Guys and Girls Who Know Love

SESSION THREE: Guys and Girls Who Know True Happiness

SESSION FOUR: Guys and Girls Who Know How to Communicate

SESSION FIVE: Guys and Girls Who Know Themselves

SESSION SIX: Guys and Girls Who Know God

Each session should take you approximately 1 hour. (Although you may want to add an extra 5 minutes to inhale some pizza and chocolate if you think food will draw people in!)

Note: We don’t want to kill a whole forest of trees by writing out the term “God Guy/God Girl” all the time. To keep things simple, we’ll

use the term “God Guy” or “God Girl.”

woman you’re

meant

to

be

How It WorksWe’ve broken down the sessions into four main parts:

1. Getting Started: This section provides an activity idea to get your group thinking about the week’s topic in a fun and interactive way. There are follow-up questions for each activity to help you transition into a discussion about the book.

2. Conversation Starters: conversation about the week’s topic. This isn’t a lesson plan that you “have to get through,” so if the

lengthy conversation about last weekend’s homecoming dance: Then you may need to steer things back toward the question list!) You know your group the best: If some questions are irrelevant for your crew, feel free to skip them and move on to something else.

3. Split Point: Some issues are more comfortable to address with just members of the same sex,

about 10 minutes of discussion time to split your guys and girls for these questions. Please note that some questions have been labeled “For Guys Only” or “For Girls Only.” When it’s a question for both genders to discuss, we’ve labeled it “For Guys and Girls.”

4. Wrap It Up: At some point, all the talk needs to affect your walk. So this section offers you ideas for wrapping up the session with a call to action for the week to come. Depending on the dynamics of

A Note on ReadingTo get the most out of your group discussion, group members should read their chapter before your study. Now, some of you rolled your eyes when you read that sentence, we know. Wait a minute, you’re thinking, do you really expect teenagers to read this ahead of time? Have you talked to a teenager lately? Do you know how busy they already are?

Try these ideas if your students need a little encouragement:

Break It Down: Challenge students to think through their schedule and identify one half hour to read each week. Could they pick one day of study hall to do their reading? Or maybe they could stay up an extra half hour on Fridays since they probably get to sleep in on Saturday anyway? Have students write down their commitment time on an index card that you can keep. Then connect with them through a text message, phone call, or Facebook post to remind them of their reading time during the week.

Group Reading Time: Build the reading time into your group sessions by starting 15 or 20 minutes earlier. Play some low-key music while your crew spreads out and reads through the week’s chapter before diving into the opening activity.

“Pop” Quiz: As you start each session, ask the students a quiz question about the week’s reading material: Pick something that wouldn’t be obvious to someone skimming the headings, but try to keep it easy for someone who actually reads. Give a free soda pop (and maybe a little candy, to sweeten the deal) to any group members who know the answer.

woman you’re

meant

to

be

Stay Connected

Ifuse.comConnect with other God Girl and God Guy study leaders to share questions and encouragement.

Hungryplanetmedia.comCheck out the latest news and resources from the authors of God Guy and God Girl.

Leader Tips:

fest? Here are a few pointers to help you be an SGL (that’s a Superb Group Leader, for those who wondered):

Prep. Make sure you’ve read through the book chapter and the discussion guide for each session. As you prepare, consider one or two personal anecdotes you could share during the group’s discussion.

Be yourself. Thank group members for sharing their opinions, but don’t feel the need to agree with every one. Be honest about the lessons you’ve learned in your own experiences—even if they may not seem like popular ideas with your crew.

Keep digging. Don’t settle for simple responses: Ask follow-up questions such as “Why do you feel that way?” “What do you mean when you say _________?”

Silence never killed anybody. Count to 10 before you move on to another question: Someone else may decide to break the awkward silence before you do!

Steer the ship. If the conversation gets way off course, try saying something like “Hey guys, can we talk about that after the study time and talk a little more about that last question” or “I really want to talk about this later, but for now, let’s stick to our book study.”

Help the shy ones. Invite quiet students to talk by saying something like “Michelle, I’m curious what you think about this too” or “Nate, I’d love to hear what you have to say about that.”

Listen more than you talk. Show group members that you’re really trying to hear what they say. Try asking “mirror” questions that ask people to clarify what you’ve heard. For example, say “What I hear you saying is this. Is that what you mean?”

Don’t force your opinion. Encourage your group members to think through their own perspectives, even if

Get God on the team. Pray for your group before and after each session. And be open to the Spirit’s leading: God may take you in an unexpected direction, so don’t get too hung up on “the plan.”

SESSION ONE: Do You Know Any GGs? (God Guys / God Girls)

Getting Started – The Perfect Pair What You’ll Need: Separate the guys and girls into groups for this activity. Give each group a piece of posterboard and several markers.

Start the activity by asking both groups to describe “Miss Perfect” on their piece of posterboard. What do they think the ideal female looks like? What’s her personality like? What’s her life like? Encourage groups to draw a picture and jot down words and phrases that describe their idea of Miss Perfect. After about 5 minutes, have the groups turn their posterboard over. Repeat the process for “Mr. Perfect,” drawing and describing the ideal guy this time.

Perfects” with each other. Ask these follow-up questions as you go:

1. Were there any differences between the guys’ description of Miss Perfect versus the girls’ description? Did any of these differences surprise you? Why or why not?

2. Were there any differences between the girls’ description of Mr. Perfect versus the guys’ description? Did any of these differences surprise you? Why or why not?

3. Where do you get your ideas about manliness and femininity from?

4. How much pressure do you feel to live up to the male and female ideals presented in magazines/movies/TV shows/etc.?

5. What makes a GG look different from the world’s version of the ideal guy or girl? What might look the same?

Conversation Starters:1. In God Guy, Michael says this about God Guys: “The most crucial moment in his life was the moment he said, ‘Yes, God, I believe.’ The second most crucial? When he realized he can’t do it alone.” Do you think this could apply to God Girls as well? Why or why not?

2. Both Michael and Hayley talk about a time in their life when they believed in God but didn’t really act like they

living a lie” (p. 13). Have you ever felt like you were faking as a Christian? Why?

woman you’re

meant

to

be

3. Both authors say that “God changes lives. There is no question.” “If he hasn’t changed yours, then it’s your own fault, not his” (God Girl, p. 14, God Guy, p. 13). Do you agree? Why or why not?

4. “If you are a [God Girl or God Guy], it’s because of who you worship, not who you are, or what you’ve done or failed to do” (God Girl

5. Here’s a quote from God Guy: “Do you want more of God in your life? More of his love, more of his peace, more of his presence? Do you want to be different than the typical guy who just wants more of God’s presents like he’s Santa Claus?” (p. 16).

6. How much are you willing to change in order to be a GG?

7. How does the vine story of John 15 help you understand the idea of being a GG? (Check out p. 18-23 if you’re not sure what this is all about.)

8. What kind of “fruit” should be seen in a Christian’s life?

woman you’re

meant

to

be

Split Point: 1. For Guys and Girls: Discuss this quote about the Bible: “When you let it into the very center of your

for a soul renovation” (God Guy, p. 15-16).

2. For Guys and Girls: “And you know you want more. You want more of him. More of the real you, more faith” (God Girl, p. 15). Does this statement describe how you feel about life? Why or why not?

Wrap It Up: What You’ll Need:

tree or plant with a sturdy trunk. Ask the group to mention a few words that describe the branch (alone, broken, dead, etc.). Then ask for a few words that describe the large tree (living, strong, big, etc.). Ask this question: What things in your life make you feel like broken branches? What makes you feel alone or spiritually weak? Hand each group member a marker and ask them to write a word that describes their brokenness on the branch they collected. Invite them to leave their branches on the ground.

Then ask the group to stand with their hands on the tree trunk as a symbol of their commitment to quit trying to go it alone and to stay connected to God. As your group stands at the tree, end with a prayer asking God to bless your study times together and to help each person become like a strong tree, rooted in Christ.

Getting Started – Love Story What You’ll Need:

girls, if you want.) Hand out paper and a pen to each group, asking each to appoint a “scribe” who will take notes.

develop a script that will appeal primarily to females, while the guy groups should develop a story for males. Here’s the hitch: Both guys and girls need to have a “love story” incorporated into the plot. All groups should include some aspect of romance in their story.

Encourage the groups to include details such as:

Remember, both groups must have some romance in their plot, but they must also develop a plot that appeals to their gender group. Give the groups about 5 minutes to work. Then have all the groups regather to “pitch” their ideas to each other.

Ask these follow-up questions as you go:

1. Which story idea did you like the best? Why?

2. Were there differences between the kind of stories the guys came up with and the stories the girls came up with? If so, what kind of differences?

3. In general, how do you think guys and girls view romance differently?

4. Is romantic love the most important kind of love? Why or why not?

Conversation Starters:1. Both Michael and Hayley discuss the importance of fathers in a young person’s life: How do you feel about your

2. Do you believe God is in your life to stay? Or do you live with fear that he might abandon you for some reason?

SESSION TWO: Guys and Girls Who Know Love

woman you’re

meant

to

be

3. “There is no commandment, no rule, no requirement that isn’t built on love” (God Guy, p. 31, God Girl, p. 27). Is this how you usually think about God’s rules and the Bible? Why or why not?

4. What are the two greatest commandments? (Girls, you can check out p. 28 if you need a little help with this one. Guys: check p. 31.)

5. In God Guy, Michael says “The truth about love is that it makes life easier” (p. 31). How does love make life easier?

6. What makes someone a good friend?

possible.

7. When it comes to family, Michael and Hayley both say that “sometimes the hardest people to love can be the ones who are closest to you” (God Girl, p. 32, God Guy, p. 35). Why do you think this is?

8. How should GGs handle enemies?

9. Why do you think God commands us to love strangers?

10. What are some different ways that guys and girls treat each other in unhealthy or hurtful ways?

Girls:

Guys:

woman you’re

meant

to

be

Split Point: 1. For Guys Only: Discuss this quote: “A God Guy appreciates girls for who they are but also knows that he doesn’t need a girl in order to be a man” (God Guy, p. 39-40): Do you think the average teen guy thinks about girls in a healthy way? Why or why not?

2. For Guys Only: Michael mentions repeatedly that guys should serve as protectors for girls: Do you agree that it’s a guy’s job to watch out for the girls in his life? Why or why not?

3. For Girls Only: In what ways do girls sometimes try to orchestrate relationships with guys? Do you think this increases her value to the guy or decreases it? Why?

4. For Girls Only: Why is it important for a God Girl to be careful about how much of her heart she reveals

to a guy?

5. For Guys and Girls:

What will happen in the long run if a GG puts more energy into pursuing dating relationships than into pursuing their

Wrap It Up: What You’ll Need:

Hand every group member two index cards and a pen. Read through the Double G Checklist on p. 49-50 of God

this week. Tell them to write their goal on both of their index cards.

Have each person take one card home with them as a reminder to accomplish their goal. Collect the rest of the cards and explain that you’ll be discussing them at your next session as a way to hold each other accountable. End your session with a time of silent prayer as group members commit their goals to God and ask for his help in living them out.

SESSION THREE: Guys and Girls Who Know True Happiness

Getting Started – Million Dollar Dreams What You’ll Need:

Distribute paper and pens to everyone in the group. Ask them to imagine that they’ve just received an unexpected gift of $1,000. Ask them to write a list of the things they’d like to buy with the money. Give them 2 or 3 minutes to work.

Now ask group members to turn their paper over. This time, tell them to imagine they’ve just received an unexpected

them take turns sharing a few of the top items from their lists. Ask these follow-up questions as they share:

1. How did you feel as you created your $1,000 list? How do you feel about your $1,000 list now, after you had the chance to dream about a million dollars?

2. Would you agree that it’s human nature to always want more? How does our culture encourage this kind of thinking?

3. What kinds of material things do teenagers turn to for happiness?

4. Are there any differences between the ways guys tend to seek happiness versus the ways girls tend to seek it? If so, what are those differences?

5. Do material things ever provide lasting happiness? Why or why not?

Conversation Starters:

2. On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy do you feel with your life right now? (Students may not feel comfortable responding in front of the entire group, but encourage everyone to think of a number in their mind.)

3. Michael said about his past, “I was a believer when . . . urges and dead-end escapes tried to control me. But I had yet to truly take God’s Word and call it mine; instead I served the god of my feelings. If I felt it, it must be true. That was my motto” (God Guy, p. 53). What does it mean to serve the “god of your feelings”?

woman you’re

meant

to

be

4. Consider this quote from God Girl: “When you deep down believe God wants the best for you but you just can’t seem to muster the strength to do what you know you should, that’s when life gets rocky” (p. 53). Can you think of a time when your life got rocky because you didn’t follow God? Could you share a little about that experience?

5. Is it possible to be happy even in bad circumstances? Why or why not?

6. What are some lies teens believe that contribute to their unhappiness?

7. What are some common fears among teenagers?

8. What’s the relationship between your thoughts and your feelings?

9. Discuss this quote from God Guy: “The God Guy tells himself the truth even when everything in him argues against it. Learn the truth. Make it your weapon against failure and self-destruction. Don’t ever let how you feel dictate what you believe. Feelings lie, but God’s Word never does” (p. 63). Would you agree that this applies to girls too?

10. Discuss this quote: “Disagreeing with God’s commands can bring instant satisfaction, but over time the result of disagreeing with him and his call on your life will be emotional, spiritual, and maybe even physical pain” (God Girl, p. 62, God Guy, p. 64).

woman you’re

meant

to

be

11. Does taking revenge or holding onto grudges ever make you truly happy? Why or why not?

Split Point: 1. For Guys and Girls: How do you know when something’s become an idol in your life?

2. For Guys and Girls:

3. For Guys and Girls: What do you think of this quote from A.W. Tozer: “God does not use someone greatly until he hurts them deeply” (God Guy, p. 75)? Have you experienced or heard about any situations that hurt someone, but also made them stronger in their faith?

Wrap It Up: What You’ll Need:

Give each group member a pen, a light-colored crayon, and a piece of paper. Ask them to draw a large scribble on their paper with their crayon, representing all the stuff in life that makes things feel crazy and messed up. Draw a large scribble on your posterboard or whiteboard as well.

Then ask these questions: What do we know to be true about God, even when life is messed up? What do we have to be thankful for, even though life is crazy? Ask them to write down some simple answers in a dark ink, right on top of their scribbles. (Ex. “God is in control,” “God loves me,” “God forgives.”) Do the same on your large piece of posterboard/whiteboard.

Now read through Michael’s Double G Checklist in God Guy (p. 79-80) and the God Girl Checklist in God Girl (p. 77-79). Ask group members to choose one activity to try this week. Have them write this commitment beneath their “scribble art” and then write it again somewhere on your group posterboard/whiteboard. Ask group members to take their paper home and hang it somewhere where they’ll see it often throughout the week (car, locker, bathroom mirror, etc.). Keep the posterboard (or make sure the whiteboard stays unerased) for next week’s lesson.

End your lesson with a “popcorn prayer” of gratitude. Take turns jumping in with short prayers of thanks for the

happiness and contentment in the week ahead.

Getting Started – Role Reversal What You’ll Need:

Your group members will be using their drama skills for this activity as they take turns acting out the scenarios listed below. To keep things interesting, tell students to act their parts as members of the opposite gender. (Guys only act girl parts, girls only act guy parts.) Encourage group members to exaggerate their parts and have fun with this activity.

Feel free to pick and choose from the scenarios: You don’t need to complete them all. And to keep things moving, give each group a time limit of 1 minute to complete their “act.” Remember, the key to this activity is reversing the roles. So remind your guys to exaggerate their parts as girls and vice versa.

Scenario #1 (3 characters each):

Scenario #2 (2 characters each):

Scenario #3 (2 characters):

Scenario #4 (3 characters):

After everyone has had a turn to act once or twice, ask these follow-up questions:

1. How do guys and girls tend to communicate differently?

2. Why do you think guys and girls communicate so differently?

3. Guys: What drives you crazy about the way girls communicate?

4. Girls: What drives you crazy about the way guys communicate?

5. Is one gender’s style of communication better than the other’s? Why or why not?

SESSION FOUR: Guys and Girls Who Know How to Communicate

woman you’re

meant

to

be

Conversation Starters:

1. Were you able to complete your “happiness” activity last week?

2. How many different people do you talk to throughout the course of an average day? (Go ahead and list out as many people as you can think of.)

3. Discuss this quote: “When your life and your way of communicating is more like Jesus—when your words and attitude have changed how you treat people—it can have a huge effect on the lives of others around you” (God Guy, p. 84).

4. What does it mean to be kind?

Guys:

Girls:

5. Michael says that “The backbone of the God Guy is that he isn’t about ‘me’ all the time” (p. 88). Hayley puts it like this: “A God Girl isn’t self-seeking and doesn’t need the approval of others to be secure” (p. 87). So what kind of attitude should guide a GG’s way of communicating?

6. Why is listening such an important part of communication?

woman you’re

meant

to

be

8. Do you think teens are judgmental of each other? Why or why not?

9. Michael and Hayley offer this Bible verse as a standard for controlling your words: “Don’t say anything that would hurt [another person]. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you” (Eph. 4:29).

Split Point: 1. For Guys Only: Discuss this quote: “The biggest trap for a lot of guys when it comes to communication is that we don’t talk. People need us to talk in order to be heard... Listen well but also be willing to share yourself a little” (p. 90).

2. For Guys Only: Why do you think guys sometimes feel a need to make stuff up about themselves?

3. For Guys Only:

scale do you tend to land on: Holding your feelings in or dumping them on people?

4. For Girls Only: Discuss this quote: “Talking isn’t a sport or an outlet for your energy; it’s a tool used to convey the love of God and the kindness of his kids” (p. 93).

5. For Girls Only: What is gossip? Why is it so bad?

woman you’re

meant

to

be

6. For Girls Only: Hayley says that “emotions can sometimes be deceiving” (p. 101). What do you think she means by this?

Wrap It Up: What You’ll Need:

Read through Michael’s Double G Checklist on p. 110 and Hayley’s God Girl Checklist on p. 108-110. Ask group members to commit to one of the activities in the coming week. Have them write their commitment on two index cards. Collect one set of cards to save for your next session. Invite group members to take the other card home as a reminder to complete their activity.

Next, hand out a rubber band for each group member to wear on their wrist. (If girls prefer, offer a colorful ribbon they can tie around their wrist instead.) Tell them to keep the rubber band/ribbon on throughout the coming week as a reminder to communicate well. Encourage them to look at their rubber bands/ribbons often throughout the week as an encouragement to use their words in a caring way.

End with a time of prayer, asking God to bless all your conversations throughout the coming week.

Getting Started – A Day in the Life of . . . What You’ll Need:

Distribute a piece of paper and a pen to each person for this activity. Ask your group to think about this question: Where do you think you’ll be when you are 30 years old?

them to write a story that describes their life as a 30-year-old. To help them get started, offer them some suggested items to include in their story: 1) their occupation, 2) their hobbies and activities, 3) a description of their spouse, if they plan to be married, 4) a description of their children, if they plan to have a family, and 5) a description of where they live. Invite them to illustrate their story with a picture if they’re feeling creative.

Give group members 5 minutes to work and then gather to share your stories with each other. (If time is a concern and you have a large group, you may want to have them share stories in small groups of 3-4.) Ask these follow-up questions after the last student has shared:

1. What did you learn about each other from this activity? Did anybody’s story surprise you?

3. If you really want to have the future you wrote about, what will you have to do in the meantime to get there?

4. How much control do you have over your future? Do you think anybody’s life will actually unfold exactly according to their plan? Why or why not? Conversation Starters:

1. How did your communication activities go this week?

2. Michael says “It’s the job of every God Guy to search himself and his God to know what he was made for and what he will become. I believe who you can become has no limits other than God’s limits” (p. 114). Why is it important for a GG to think about the future and what they want to become?

3. Discuss this quote: “Listening to God isn’t always easy when the world is shouting in your ear” (God Girl, p. 114, God Guy, p. 115). What do you feel like the world is shouting at teenagers?

SESSION FIVE: Guys and Girls Who Know Themselves

woman you’re

meant

to

be

4. Why is it important to know your weaknesses?

5. What effect does sin have on your life? How does it make you weak?

6. How should a GG work through feelings of guilt?

7. What do clothes say about a person? Can you judge a person by what they wear? Why or why not?

8. Can busyness be a weakness? Why or why not?

9. What can failures teach you about yourself ?

10. Michael says that “At this time in your life you have more possibilities than you will ever have again. The world is yours to explore” (p. 135): In what way do a person’s possibilities narrow as they grow older?

woman you’re

meant

to

be

Split Point: 1. For Guys Only: Discuss this quote: “Playing is the main occupation of little boys, and work is the main occupation of men. As you move from boyhood to manhood, you make a shift to achieving and providing. If you

think most teen guys act more like boys or men?

2. For Guys Only: What does it mean to be a man of character?

3. For Girls Only: Hayley suggests that when it comes to emotional situations in life, the best way to handle them

drama in life?

4. For Girls Only: How can guys and dating relationships become a distraction in a God Girl’s life?

5. For Guys and Girls: When it comes to dating, Michael says that “Getting physical is getting distracted” (God Guy, p. 133). Do you agree? Why or why not?

Wrap It Up: What You’ll Need:

By now, your group will be used to this routine: Read through the Double G Checklist on p. 136-38 and the God Girl Checklist on p. 138-40. Ask group members to choose an activity they will complete during the coming week. Hand out two index cards to each student and have them write their commitment on both cards. Collect one set of cards and have group members keep the other as a reminder. Save the collected cards for your next session.

Next, ask each person to think about one strength or ability they’d like to develop. Give them a few moments to think and then invite them to take turns sharing their strengths with the group. As each person shares, ask the group to brainstorm a few ways that person could use their gift or develop it further. Say a brief prayer for each guy or girl as they take a turn, thanking God for their unique abilities. (Note: If your group is open to public prayers, invite group members to take turns praying for each other instead of having the group leader pray.)

Getting Started – God Hunt What You’ll Need:

When your group arrives, explain that you are going to send them out on a 5-minute scavenger hunt for this activity.

thinking and to collect at least 2 “God things” to bring back to the group. Set a time to regroup at your meeting

group know when it’s time to return.)

object represents God. As they share, incorporate these follow-up questions:

1. Why did you choose the objects you did? What kind of moods or feelings do they convey?

2. If you had to use words instead of objects to describe God, what are some words you would choose?

3. In what ways is your spiritual life like a scavenger hunt?

5. Did the guys and girls tend to pick different kinds of objects? Do you think guys and girls tend to view God differently? Why or why not?

Conversation Starters:

1. Were you able to complete the “knowing yourself ” activity this past week? How did it go?

2. How do you feel about God’s commands? Do you like them? Dislike them? Why?

3. Do you pray? If so, what do you usually pray about?

4. What kind of motives do you have when you pray? What usually drives you to go to God?

SESSION SIX: Guys and Girls Who Know God

woman you’re

meant

to

be

5. What kind of situations make you feel impatient with God?

6. What’s a true confession?

7. When you think about your usual prayers, how much time do you spend giving God adoration or worship?

8. Discuss this quote: “When you worship God, you get outside of yourself. Your problems and worries all become miniscule compared to the amazing power and love of God” (God Guy, p. 154; God Girl, p. 157). How can worship help you survive the problems of everyday life?

9. What are you thankful for? How often do you stop to think about that?

10. What is grace? Is there any sin that can’t be covered by grace? Why or why not?

11. Why should a GG spend time studying the Bible?

12. What’s your current Bible study life like? How often and when do you usually read God’s Word?

woman you’re

meant

to

be

Split Point:1. For Guys and Girls: What is grace? Is there any sin that can’t be covered by grace? Why or why not?

2. For Guys Only: “The GG knows himself because he knows the God who created and purposed him for good works” (God Guy, p. 164): How does getting to know God—through things like prayer and Bible study—also help you to know yourself ?

3. For Girls Only: “The God Girl knows herself because she knows the God who created and purposed her for good works” (God Girl, p. 166): How does getting to know God—through things like prayer and Bible study—also help you to know yourself ?

4. For Guys and Girls: How can you provide support for each other as you keep trying to live as a GG?

Wrap It Up: What You’ll Need:

Hand out one index card to every group member. Read through the Double G Checklist on p. 165-67 and the God Girl Checklist on p. 167-69. Ask everyone to choose one activity they’ll commit to completing in the coming week. Tell them to jot their activity on an index card to take home as a reminder. (Since this is your last session, you don’t need to collect a second set of cards this time.)

Wrap up your study by revisiting the vinedresser analogy Michael and Hayley wrote about in chapter 1: Christ is the vine, we are the branches, and God is the vinedresser who prunes us so that we stay healthy and bear fruit. Ask your group these questions: What good “fruits” have come out of this study for you?Has God done any “pruning” through the last few weeks? And most importantly: What kind of fruit are you hoping to bear in the future?

Girl” on their piece of fruit. They may want to jot down one of their “fruit-bearing” goals somewhere on the apple as well. Ask them to take their apples home with them as a reminder of their commitment to live as a GG. Finish with a prayer, thanking God for this study and for the people who participated.