Mimi Wilson and Shelly Cook Volkhardt met as missionaries in Ecuador where they weekly prayed and dug into Godās Word together. In the process they discovered they were what Anne of Green Gables called ākindred spirits,ā and the two friends continued to support one another even when separated by continents. The study guide they co-authored reflects their mutual passion for helping women.
Disciple!: What was the impetus behind writing Holy Habits?
Shelly Cook Volkhardt: My passion is to help women find out who God isāand to see the difference He makes in their lives.
Mimi Wilson: We love it when we see each other ministering, and we support one another. Weāve been doing this together for 27 years. This book is an extension of that.
D!: The first eight chapters of this guide donāt really focus on the āblood, sweat, and tearsā we tend to associate with developing good habits, but on Godās character. Why?
MW: The idea is that we first need to know God personally. Itās not so much the habit thatās important, but knowing Him and learning to be obedient to what we know.
D!: The guide is divided into two parts: Making Him Our Daily Focus and Changing Us From the Inside Out. Whatās the biggest challenge in moving from āfocusā to āchange?ā
D!: I think itās the amount of time involved. Change doesnāt happen overnight.
SCV: I agree! Itās like building a sand duneāone handful of sand at a time. If you look at the results after one day, there might not be much there, but over a lifetime you see the results.
D!: Is there a difference between a āholy habitā and a āspiritual discipline?ā
SCV: In some ways theyāre the same. But a holy habit is more of an attitude or a focus on Godās characterāand responding to that character trait repeatedly.
MW: I think of it as a focus that changes my direction and produces obedience and joy. The most important holy habit for me is consistently choosing contentmentāregardless of my circumstances.
D!: Whatās the one thing you would want readers to take away with them about Holy Habits?
SCV: My hope is that women would be passionate about digging into Godās Word to find out who He is and to engage with Him based on what they discover about His character. Iād want them to understand Heās intimately involved with their lives.
MW: My desire is that women understand that God makes Himself known. This isnāt just about us reaching out to Him. God reaches out to us and teaches us about Himself. Thatās whatās really behind developing these holy habitsāis developing a stronger relationship with God.
For a closer look at Holy Habits visit my.navigators.org/holyhabits
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