Purposeful Living

A Free Small Group Bible Study Book for Women

Are you searching for a free small group Bible study book for your women’s group?  I have wonderful news.  You can download my new book, Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free, for free on Kindle Unlimited.

I’ll explain how the program works shortly.  First, let me tell you about this book.

Most of us have been taught that willpower is the key to transformation; however, we’re frustrated because self-effort has failed us in many realms of our lives.  We wonder why we can’t find victory over fear, worry, insecurity, and shame.  We feel stuck in destructive habits like overeating and losing our patience.

Meanwhile, God has a better invitation.  He invites us to lean into his grace, and he will empower us to accomplish what we cannot accomplish in our own strength.  Lean Into Grace will help you:

  • Break unhealthy habits by turning to Jesus in the middle of your indulgent moments
  • Overcome fear and worry by turning Satan’s attacks against him
  • Shift from insecurity to confidence by changing your focus
  • Cultivate healthy, thriving relationships by extending grace to others
  • Return to peace in your most stressful moments
  • Connect with God in ways that refresh your soul
  • Process your pain with Jesus instead of avoiding or burying your emotions
  • Grow through rejection instead of being controlled by shame

God is able to redeem our losses, renew our minds, heal our hearts, and transform our lives beyond our wildest dreams.   He invites us to lean into his grace, and he will show us the way.

A Free Small Group Bible Study Book

Invite your small group to download the free eBook version of this life-changing women’s book here on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited plan.  This book is available on Kindle Unlimited because I want every woman to have the opportunity to read this book!

Don’t have a Kindle Unlimited plan?

Not a problem!  You can sign up for a free three-month trial, which will provide ample time for your small group to enjoy this powerful book together.

Do you prefer to hold a print book in your hands?

That works, too.  Due to the costs of printing, I cannot offer the print version for free; however, you can purchase it for 12.99 today.  Keep reading below for a taste of what you’ll find inside the book.

What You Will Find Inside the Book

Lean Into Grace offers 16 chapters unpacking the areas in which many women feel stuck in life.  At the end of each chapter, several powerful questions promote group discussion.

This book is raw, vulnerable, and easy to read.

Here’s a glimpse inside the book.

A Glimpse Inside This Book

A million stars glance down from the inky canopy overhead, and I stand at the window feeling empty inside.  Today was a long day spent racing to meet writing deadlines, running errands, and keeping up with the kids.

I know what I should do to fill the emptiness.  I should go somewhere quiet and spend time with God, read a book, or snuggle up with the little ones.  Instead, I succumb to temptation and begin searching the cupboards for something chocolate.

After coming up empty in the kitchen, I head to the laundry room where my eye catches the box of candy on the top shelf.   I buy this candy with the intention of using it for Easter egg hunts and sharing it with the kids on special occasions.  Sadly, it has also become my secret source of escape and comfort.

Opening the box, I remove the foil wrapper from a peanut butter-filled Easter bunny and devour it.  The bunny is delicious, and I indulge in another.  And then another.  One at a time, I unwrap the chocolate bunnies and shove them into my mouth like an addict.

On one level, I feel numb, and feeling numb feels good.  On another level, I feel disgusting.  I hate that I keep failing when it comes to establishing a healthy relationship with food.  I fear I’ll never find freedom from this addictive cycle.  I’ve been relying on willpower to help me change my unhealthy eating habits for decades.  Sadly, willpower consistently fails me.  I wonder if I’ll be stuck forever.

Redefining Grace

Like me, perhaps you’ve been relying on self-effort and willpower for transformation in some area of your life.  Maybe you’re trying to stop yelling at your kids, heal your marriage, or cultivate a thriving relationship with God.

Perhaps you’ve been trying to lose weight for as long as you can remember, and you’re frustrated by your repeated failures to stick with any of the diet plans you’ve tried.  Despite your best efforts, nothing seems to work.  You feel stuck.  Every failure feels like one more piece of evidence that you’ll never step into the freedom and victory you long for.

Maybe you’ve heard that God’s grace is all you need, but you’re not sure how God’s grace could transform the secret sins, unhealthy habits, and behavior patterns you can’t seem to change.

In his book, Renovated, Dr. Jim Wilder redefines grace as, “God acting in our lives to accomplish what we cannot accomplish by our own abilities.”1  

The first time I read these words, Dr. Wilder’s definition of grace spoke to the part of me that was tired of failing and wondering why willpower rarely produces lasting change in my life.  I realized that God was inviting me to lean into grace, letting him accomplish what I had been unable to accomplish in my own strength.

God was waiting to heal my relationship with food, help me overcome my greatest insecurities, infuse my relationships with joy, and set me free from every stuck place in my life.

Your Invitation to Lean Into Grace

Our culture has taught us that the secret to success is mustering more willpower and self-effort. Let’s be clear: There’s nothing wrong with trying hard.  Colossians 3:23 tells us to put our whole hearts into everything we do.   However, we need to make a distinction.  Pouring our whole hearts into God’s assignments—and leaving the outcomes in his hands—is very different from relying on self-effort alone to bring the change we want to see in our lives.

This book is my story of learning to lay down self-effort, lean into God’s grace, and create more space for him to work in my life.  Additionally, these pages are your invitation to stop striving in self-effort and let God do what you’ve been unable to do for yourself.  We will create space to let God set us free from fear, worry, stress, shame, besetting sins, and more.

Before we begin our journey together, return with me to the laundry room where I’m stuffing my face with expired Easter candy.

God’s Grace Is Sufficient

Within just a few short minutes, I’ve lost track of how many chocolate bunnies I’ve eaten.  Too many.  I feel like the Apostle Paul, who wrote, “For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want” (Romans 7:19).

The last thing I want to do at this moment is turn toward Jesus.  I’m not even sure I want to stop eating this chocolate.  However, in an act of desperation, I pray these words: “Jesus, I’m stuck.  I need you to work in my life and do something I cannot do for myself.  I need you to heal my relationship with food and set me free from this awful cycle.”

Nothing particularly startling happens.  Instead, a familiar truth comes to mind: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

As I consider the words, I sense God inviting me to exchange self-effort for surrender.  I recognize that no matter how hard I try to honor God, I’ll still make mistakes.  However, God isn’t asking me to be perfect; instead, he wants me to experience his chain-breaking power as he works in my weakness.

As I hold the box of chocolate on my lap, part of me wants to eat one more bunny.  Nevertheless, compelled by a force I cannot explain, I shove the candy back inside the box, put the box on the shelf, and return to the living room to join my family.

In some ways, tonight was another failure in my relationship with food.  In another way—a deeper way—it was one small step toward the freedom I crave.  I’ll tell you more about this journey later in our time together.

God is inviting you to lean into his grace, allowing him to set you free as well.  Let’s take our first small step into grace together.

God is inviting you to lean into his grace, allowing him to set you free as well. Let’s take our first small step into grace together. #LeanIntoGrace #grace Click To Tweet

Find This Book for Your Women’s Small Group Here

To keep reading and begin your journey into God’s life-changing grace, check out Lean Into Grace right here

I pray this book richly blesses your small group and leads every reader closer to the Father’s heart of tender love.

Warmly,

Stacey

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

1. Wilder, J., & Willard, D. (2020). Renovated : God, Dallas Willard & the church that transforms. Navpress.

 

 

I’m passionate about equipping others to encounter God in powerful and life-changing ways. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me hiking, jogging, exploring wild places with my three young children and husband, leading small groups, and mentoring younger women. A certified special education teacher, I am on leave from the classroom for a season of chasing frogs and playing in creeks with my little ones. Most of all, the compassionate love of Jesus has forever ravished my heart, and I'm emphatic about making his love known to the world.