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The Artist’s Daughter Book Club: Week One
Hello, Darling…
Welcome friends to the July Book Club for MOPS International.
We’re kicking off the MOPS International 2013-14 theme, A Beautiful Mess, Embrace Your Story, by reading together the new theme book The Artist’s Daughter: A Memoir.
This book club is a make-it-what-you-need-it-to-be kind of club. You can watch the videos that will be posted the next four weeks and discuss them right here on the new MOPS blog Hello, Darling. Or you can use the videos to get conversation going with your real life friends as you sit and chat face to face. The videos are meant to accompany your reading of the book and offer just a few minutes of insight from me to spur some more thoughts in YOU.
The remaining Tuesdays in July we will be posting a new video right here on Hello, Darlingand I will be responding to comments and questions all day. But don’t worry, if you have a camping trip, work schedule or swimming lessons that keep you away on Tuesdays, you can comment any time and keep the conversation going.
Week 1: July 9, Sections 1-2
Week 2: July 16, Sections 3-4
Week 3: July 23, Sections 5-7
Week 4: July 30, Sections 8-11
Before the thought even crosses your mind that you can’t participate, you’re too late in the game, because you don’t even have the book yet, we’ve got big news for you! MOPS has arranged with our publisher Revell for special pricing on all forms of e-books starting right now! This won’t last long (only 10 days to be exact), but you can buy The Artist’s Daughter for 40% off and start reading on your e-reader in only two minutes. Kindle? Yes. Nook? Absolutely. You really can do this and check the “Be in a book club” task off of your summer to-do list. Besides, we will all miss out on your insights if you don’t.
So here we go friends…
Week One: How My Past Shapes Who I Am Today
There is no question where we’ve been – the things that have happened to us and because of us – shape who we are today. They impact our understanding of the world and our place in it. I also understand that my story has had some unique elements that probably don’t reflect yours. But some universal feelings and questions are mixed up in there too.
Our quest to understand Am I lovable? and Am I loved? supersede our individual circumstances. These are universal questions that we all ask. Maybe not outright, but deep in our spirits we are looking for confirmation that yes, we are not only lovable, we are loved.
How we answer those questions in the early years can often set patterns for relationships down the road. Things like forgiveness, performance, handling unmet expectations, are rooted in our identities. And our identities are rooted in these fundamental questions.
And if you’re looking for more questions for these two sections of the book simply look in the back under Questions for Reflection or download a study guide. Use them for personal time, writing down your thoughts, thinking and praying through what comes out for you. Or post them here in the comments section if you want to move the conversation in a certain direction. And of course use them with your face-to-face friends while you process where you’ve been and how you’ve been shaped.
So here we are, let’s get the conversation going…
What has uniquely shaped your answer to the questions Am I lovable? Am I loved?
Join the discussion for your chance to win a signed copy of The Artist’s Daughter PLUS two additional signed copies for your friends! Winner announced Monday, July 15.