As you watch Inside Out, imagine the voices of the emotions Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness, and others running around crazily in your mind. Just like Riley from the movie Inside Out, what you and I tell ourselves and believe during the wild ride of life ultimately determines the direction of our lives.
(Except from the Introduction of "Self-Talk")
The "Self-Talk" workbook is designed for individual use and group discussion. Your role as a group leader is a valuable blessing. Consider this: As group members listen to one another and discuss the answers to the weekly questions, their thinking and understanding can be challenged and improved. Through discussion, individuals test and further develop their reasoning and decision-making skills and learn how to reach definitive answers. Also, through committing to and participating in group discussion, members take ownership of their self-talk. They hold each other responsible and accountable. Group discussion can help members develop communication and teamwork skills and can also help members plan more effectively and manage their time.
Jesus endured great suffering for you and me. His blood was shed for you and for me. The death Jesus died was for us and in our place in order to pay our sin debt in full. Jesus who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf, yours and mine, so that we could be right with God.
The heart cannot love what the mind does not know. −Jen Wilkin
(Excerpt from Chapter 4 of "Self-Talk")
As a young woman of the “me generation”, it was hard wrapping my mind around womanhood as taught and modeled by my mother versus what I was learning in school and from the world. Each concept was mixed and often contained conflicted words or messages. Because the messages I heard said life was all about “me,” I took a little from here and a little from there all for the sake of the emotion Joy. In the end, I came up with what felt right to and for me at the time.
(Excerpt from Chapter 1 of "Self-Talk")
When I was a young woman growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, a popular song was I Am Woman Hear Me Roar by Helen Reddy and the most watched commercial was Enjoli.
Each decade and generation have a voice—new messages. For example, the sexual revolution, down with marriage, the rise of drugs, everyone gets a trophy, LGBT, and same sex marriage. Yes, each generation has a voice, and that voice shapes our thinking and fuels the wild ride of life.
My generation spoke loudly about sex, drugs and rock and roll, about not trusting government, racial pride, self-sufficiency, and equality for all people of Black and African descent. At the same time I was hearing all those messages, the church in general was silent. Go figure!
Words power the of wild ride because they fuel our emotions. All day long you process verbal and non-verbal messages. Some positive and some negative. False information, helpful information, and too much information. Up, up, up you go. Down, down, down you can fly. But here’s the thing. Whether riding up or down, your self-talk during the ride becomes what you believe about yourself, others, your life, and the world in general. Your self-talk determines your behavior, actions, your future, and everything.
(Excerpt from Chapter 1 of "Self-Talk")
I've recorded for you a beautiful description of what it looks like for a community of believers to walk and work in the world - holy in truth! As you listen, imagine the impact this kind of community can have in our lives and in the world around us!
