Series Discussion - Epic,Wk. 13

It has been an epic summer, and today we're discussing our takeaways from the last sermon in this series (from August 30), which was more or less a continuation of the story/lesson from last week. Most of us are pretty familiar with the story of Esther, but we want to explore more of Mordecai's role as a guide in her life. After all, without Mordecai, her story may have been significantly different.  So, these are the questions we're asking: How do we identify the guides in our life? How do we know which voices we can trust? Is it fair to say that you cannot effectively guide someone else if you've not been guided--in some way--yourself?  We live in a time of separation and isolation, and there's a lot of uncertainty right now, which is understandable. But community is important--we cannot go through life alone. We need alternate perspectives, alternate voices--guides to walk with us. We are meant to experience love through others, as our relationships often mirror God's love for us. But guidance does not equal control. It implies a willingness to give and take--to listen, to be patient, and to allow yourself to be vulnerable. Remember: vulnerability is not weakness. All of us go through seasons where we need guides, counselors.