“If any of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God…”
“Lord I need clarity. I’m not sure where I need to focus my writing.”
You might be surprised what an honest prayer for wisdom brings.
Had coffee this morning with the small group of women whom I meet with monthly. We don’t get together to just have coffee and talk about anything and everything; our focus is to encourage each another in our writing and speaking endeavors. Each month a different woman is the focus of our time together; we listen, give specific feedback, challenge and/or encourage as needed. We’ve each benefited in various ways through the six or seven times we’ve met and one of those benefits for me has been the honesty.
I came today and simply stated my need for clarity and focus. Because it is a serious matter for me my emotions are right on the surface, so I teared up in sharing my need. (I actually do that a lot; anyone who spends more than 30 minutes with me can attest to that! I am very empathetic, but I digress)
What I received was not a chorus of “oh but you are…” or “that must feel awful…” Instead I was asked good open-ended questions that helped me articulate my thoughts. I received very specific ideas for my writing topics and specific feedback /encouragement for moving forward.
And now I am armed and encouraged to take the next step!
This, my friends is exactly what a focus group can do for you. Your focus group might be for parenting. Or organizing your home. Or exercise. Or the education of your children. But having a small community where you can sharpen your focus, where you can be honest and you are heard and cared for, is essential for personal growth and change.
Want to know more? Invite me for coffee!