Stuck DVD Study

By Jennie Allen

Read the Back:

We are often so stuck in invisible struggles in our hearts and minds, we barely have space for God. These deep struggles, these stuck places, are familiar to every one of us: brokenness, anger, discontentment, fear, and sadness. Stuck takes on these struggles within us so that we can encounter God. Because until we recognize that we are stuck and in need of God, we will miss what He has for us.

Jennie Allen's Bible studies are designed to draw women close to God and to each other. These shorter studies dig deep quickly, creating experiential conversations and allowing women to wrestle with Scripture in a deep and authentic way throughout the week.


Features include:
- 8 sessions on DVD
- Study Guide with story-driven teaching, Scripture study, and short
five-day-per-week lessons
- Leader’s Guide for facilitating group study
- Conversation cards help to facilitate more spontaneous and authentic
conversation
- Promotional resources for churchwide campaign

Additional Stuck study guides can be purchased separately (ISBN 9781418548742).
One kit is recommended for each group of 8-12 women.

My Thoughts:
This study is really different from many studies I've done and that's a good thing :D The chapters in the study are: Intro, Broken, Mad, Discontent, Scared, Overwhelmed, Sad, and Unstuck. The titles really describe what the chapter deals with. I was given the chapter of Mad, which was really ironic as I have been talking with my husband about anger management and this really spoke to me.

Basically the best way for me to review this is to explain how it is I think this curriculum would best work. I could see a group of women gathering and opening with prayer for the session. Then the video clip for the chapter (which ranged from 5-10 min. long) would be played. The corresponding scripture listed in the book would then be read. There are responses to the scripture that could be discussed with the group as a whole. The next section of the book is an inward reflection on yet another scripture and each individual's life. This would work well as a "take a few minutes by yourself and think on this, we'll then come back together as a group and share if you feel comfortable" section. Then there is a section with projects that could be done at the gathering or at home as a sort of "homework".

I enjoyed the DVD clips greatly as the pictures that accompany Jennie's speaking are so metaphorical and really drive home the point that she is making.

I definitely think that the conversation starting cards that come with the kit would give an added value to it, but I didn't have the opportunity to see those. This is not designed to be a solo study, and although you could do it by yourself, I feel that the encouragement and discussions that would come from doing this in a group would be greatly beneficial to anyone.

This curriculum would definitely be great for any group of women. It would be a nice retreat curriculum too if you broke it down into several chunk sessions.

Samplers of the Book and DVD have been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. DVD-Based Study available October 2011 at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson.