Equipping Women

Mini-Courses

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Mini-Courses are small group classes for women that meet in homes in March and April. Most courses run once a week for four to six weeks, and classes are no larger than 15 participants (exceptions are noted). There is no fee to sign up, but each participant is responsible for the cost of any materials their course requires.

We are excited to offer three types of courses: Book Studies, Bible Studies and Practical Courses. Participants may register for up to two courses.

REGISTER HERE


Course Descriptions

Book and Bible Studies:


These studies will take place in designated homes and run for four to eight weeks beginning in March. Classes are limited to 15 people each, unless otherwise noted. Unless specified, ladies are responsible for bringing their own books. Most of the books are available for purchase at Covenant Life’s bookstore.

A Praying Life by Paul Miller
Tuesdays, 7:30-9 p.m. (six weeks) | Course led by Lu Ann Pengidore (Gaithersburg)

This is as fine a book on prayer that you will ever read, but it is so much more. It is the story of our struggle to actually live like we believe that our heavenly Father really does love us. If we did, nothing could keep us from being committed to the day-by-day hard work of prayer. Paul Miller exegetes our struggle in a way that is convicting, insight giving, and encouraging. This is a book on prayer that actually makes you want to pray!

Because He Loves Me: How Christ Transforms Our Daily Life by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Thursdays, 7-9 p.m. (five weeks) | Course led by Theameta Jenkins & Carol Nelson
(Germantown; limited to 10 registrants)

This book shows that a heartfelt desire to live a godly life flows out of a recognition of how we’ve been loved and transformed through Christ. God’s love has the power to change lives. Christians, then, should exhibit the greatest transformation of all because, rightly understood and cherished, God’s love makes them increasingly more like the One who has lavished his love on them. So why do we so often struggle to exhibit God’s love? Biblical counselor Elyse M. Fitzpatrick asks one simple question: “In your pursuit of godliness, have you left Jesus behind?” We need to be rescued from our “identity amnesia” and pointed to our true identity as God’s beloved children—adopted by the Father, united with the Son, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Fitzpatrick shows how a genuine transformation of identity leads to a transformation of our daily lives. Those who struggle with either legalism or lawlessness will find encouragement to return to God’s love, the source of authentic and lasting change. Study questions and invitations to further discovery conclude each chapter.

Beloved Unbeliever by Jo Berry (not available at Covenant Life’s bookstore)
Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. (six weeks) | Course led by Marcia Lima
(North Potomac; limited to 8 participants)

Discover positive ways to approach the problem of being unequally yoked. Now there’s help, truly godly help! Using the scriptural framework of love, Beloved Unbeliever shows how to love your husband with faith-filled affection. Author Jo Berry shares how to be a suitable helper, shoulder spiritual responsibility, and deal with hurts, heartaches and hindrances. Delivering reassurance, this inspiring book will bring hope to any woman. New hope for Christian wives married to unbelieving husbands.

Crossroads: A Step-By-Step Guide Away from Addiction by Ed Welch (book available through course leaders)
Tuesdays, 7:15-9:15 p.m. (eight weeks) | Course led by Janet Crow & Yvonne Wyzga
(Gaithersburg or Monrovia; limited to 10 registrants)

Every one of us is a potential addict. Eventually, every addict finds himself at a crossroads. In a pressure-filled world, the prospect of instant escape can be exhilarating. No matter the object – drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, or sex, just to name a few – addictions lure us. They extend the promise of pleasure. In the end, they deliver emptiness, death, and destruction. What began as an escape from the hassles of life becomes a form of bondage. Addiction is a voluntary slavery. Change doesn’t come easily. But change is possible! No matter how many times you have tried and failed, there really is a way through the addictive fog. There is a guidebook for living, and, contrary to what many think, it is available to anyone, even to those enslaved by an addiction. God is not silent on this issue. His Word offers hope, and that hope is the basis of Crossroads: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction.

Dig Deeper: Tools for Understanding God’s Word by Nigel Beynon and Andrew Sach
Tuesdays, 1-3 p.m. (six weeks) | Course led by Linda Benjamin & Beth Kelley (Gaithersburg)

Christians who wield these sixteen Bible-reading tools will better understand God’s guidance for their lives, come to know him better, and grow to love him more. It is true that without some care in your interpretation, you can “make” the Bible say almost anything. Dig Deeper is written out of the conviction that there is a right way to understand the Bible and a wrong way, and the authors show us how to read it correctly. Dig Deeper offers sixteen “tools” readers can use to get to the bottom of any Bible passage and discover its intended meaning. Examples show how each tool helps readers discover something exciting and relevant in a passage, and the “dig deeper” exercises offer the opportunity to practice using the tools. The book’s brevity and easy-to-read format make it ideal for Christians who want to get the most out of their Bible.

Living Victoriously in the Battles of Life Bible Study (Workbook available through course leaders)
Saturdays, 10 a.m. - noon (six weeks) | Course led by Kim Bradshaw & Joan Ripley
(Montgomery Village; limited to 5 registrants)

Jesus did not tell his disciples that their problems would go away if they followed Him. In fact, He prepared them for battle, telling them what they would face, and how to walk through those trials in victory. This course is about Christians living victoriously in the daily battles and struggles of life. It is also about how to come alongside and help others through those challenging times.

Love to Eat, Hate to Eat: Breaking the Bondage of Destructive Eating Habits by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Saturdays, 9-11 a.m. (six weeks) | Course led by Linda Horensavitz & Jane Scott (Germantown)

Do you feel as though you’ve lost the battle with food? After years of futile dieting, you know there’s more to weight control than what you eat. Having discovered the power that food has over our lives, Elyse Fitzpatrick helps you identify your destructive eating habits, surrender your desire for control, break the vicious cycle of emotional eating, and develop a flexible plan suited to your unique situation. God knows everything about you … where you’ve been and where you’re going. Because He knows you so well, He can deeply transform you, giving you the contentment you long for.

Satisfy My Thirsty Soul: For I Am Desperate for Your Presence by Linda Dillow (not available at Covenant Life’s bookstore)
Tuesdays, 10 a.m. - noon (six weeks) | Course led by Marge Merryman & Sue Robb (Laytonsville)

As a Christian woman, you yearn for intimacy with God. You long to know His presence, to be satisfied in heart and soul, but you don’t know how. You want to be obedient, but you need a higher motivation than simply choosing to do right. Linda Dillow understands. And now in Satisfy My Thirsty Soul, she shares with you her lifelong discovery that both longings can be met – through worship. True worship is both a specific act and a lifestyle. As you learn what it means to bow your knee (the act of worship), you’ll gain a renewed intimacy with God. As you learn to bow your thoughts, words, work, attitudes, will, and even pain (the lifestyle of worship), you’ll be drawn into God’s holy and life-giving presence – the place where God will truly satisfy your thirsty soul.

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Tim Keller
Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. (four weeks) | Course led by Rakel Boisvert & Amanda Welton (Damascus)

Newsweek called New York Times bestselling author Tim Keller a “C.S. Lewis for the twenty-first century” in a feature on his first book, The Reason for God. In that book, he offered a rational explanation for why we should believe in God. Now, in The Prodigal God, Keller takes his trademark intellectual approach to understanding Christianity and uses the parable of the Prodigal Son to reveal an unexpected message of hope and salvation. Within that parable, Jesus reveals God’s prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and the moralistic. This book will challenge both the devout and skeptics to see Christianity in a whole new way.

The Roots of Endurance: Invincible Perseverance in the Lives of John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce by John Piper
Thursdays, 9-11 a.m. (five weeks) | Course led by Ava Rashford & Jeannette Stewart (Gaithersburg)

John Newton. Charles Simeon. William Wilberforce. They were men of their times. Men who rose to the challenges before them. Men who endured trial after trial, year after year. Men who weathered life-long opposition with joy in Christ. Our time is marked by emotional fragility. We shatter easily when misfortune comes our way. In the face of sustained contention, we have little ability to withstand the onslaught, let alone surmount it with joy. But these men were far from fragile, and they can inspire a strength that defies resistance and refuses to yield to bitterness. Like Wilberforce, we too can capture a childlike, child-loving joy in Christ. We too can learn to long for the “valley of humiliation” as Simeon did, or to follow Newton’s example and revel in utter amazement that the Lord God Almighty would “save a wretch like me.” John Piper’s Roots of Endurance gives us a picture of three men who persisted when it appeared they could not. So if for years you’ve prayed the same prayer and it seems unanswered, if it seems like one catastrophe after another claims what little faith you have, if bitterness has set in and will not budget, read about the lives of Newton and Simeon and Wilberforce, and learn not only to finish the race, but to finish it stronger than when you began.

The Unexpected Adventure: Taking Everyday Risks to Talk with People about Jesus by Lee Strobel and Mark Mittenberg
Thursdays, 10 a.m. - noon (six weeks) | Course led by Becky Faherty & Vicki Schellhase (Montgomery Village)

When we seize opportunities to talk with others about Jesus, days that start out dull and tedious can quickly blossom into exciting escapades. Written for today’s multigenerational, multicultural world, The Unexpected Adventure helps readers take easy steps into a natural evangelistic lifestyle that will energize their own faith while making an eternal difference in the lives of people they encounter. Using a devotional-style format, bestselling authors Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg tell dramatic and sometimes funny stories from their own lives and then draw out practical applications backed by Scripture. Readers will be inspired with fresh compassion for their spiritually confused friends and equipped with practical strategies for influencing others for Christ.

Trusting God Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges
Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m. (six weeks) | Course led by Johnnilyn Kutten & Susan Moran

When unexpected situations arise that appear unjust, irrational, or even dreadful, we feel confused and frustrated. And before long, we begin to doubt God’s concern for us or His control over our lives. Adversity is hard to endure and can even be harder to understand. If God were really in control, why would He allow the tragic auto accident or crucial job loss? How could He permit cancer in a loved one or the death of a child? Grappling with His concern for us we ask, “Why is God allowing this?” or “What have I done wrong?” In an effort to strengthen his own trust in God during a time of adversity, Jerry Bridges began a lengthy Bible study on the topic of God’s sovereignty. What he learned changed his life, and he now shares the fruit of that study with you in Trusting God. As you begin to explore the scope of God’s power over nations, nature, and the detailed lives of individuals, you’ll begin to acknowledge His loving control. And as you come to know Him better, you’ll find yourself trusting Him more completely—even when life hurts.

When I Am Afraid: A Step by Step Guide Away from Fear and Anxiety by Ed Welch
Wednesdays, 7:15-9:15 p.m. (six weeks) | Course led by Kellie McIntyre & Renee Rohwer
(Northeast Gaithersburg)

You know how anxiety and fear feels – your stomach drops, your neck tightens, your whole body tenses – but do you know what to do when anxiety fills your days and troubles your nights? You have probably already tried a few strategies, like denial or working harder, and noticed that they are not a permanent solution. If you are tired of dealing with anxiety and worry on your own, then this guide is just for you. As you go through each set of meditations, anxiety will gradually yield to hope, peace, and rest. Of course, this is a lifelong process, but going through this devotional guide, either by yourself or with a small group, will kick-start the process and bring lifelong change.

You Can Change: God’s Transforming Power for Our Sinful Behavior and Negative Emotions by Tim Chester
Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m. (five weeks) | Course led by Charlotte Deibel & Janice Young (Gaithersburg)

It’s about heart change, not behavior change. That’s the conviction of Tim Chester as he seeks to help everyday Christians connect the truth about God with our Monday-morning struggles. This interactive book, laid out in workbook fashion, is for newer Christians struggling with sin and for more mature Christians who have plateaued in their faith as they seek to find victory over sin in their lives. With a conviction that sanctification is God’s work and the journey to holiness is joyful, Chester guides readers through a “change project” – beginning with the selection of one area of lifestyle they would like to modify. Each chapter includes a question (e.g., Why would you like to change? What truths do you need to turn to?) to guide readers as they deal with a specific sin or struggle, truths from God’s word, and a reflection guide to help readers through their change project.

Practical Courses:


These courses will take place in designated homes and run for four or six weeks beginning in March. Classes are limited to 15 people each, unless otherwise noted. Some courses have fees associated with them, which will be collected by the instructors.

Basket and Wreath-Making
Thursdays, noon to 2 p.m. (fours weeks) | Course led by Barbara Deyhle & Terry Wilcox (Montgomery Village)
($15 fee covers basket making supplies and ribbon only. Additional cost will be incurred for the wreath and flowers.)

The goal of this course is to teach participants how to make a multi-looped bow from wired ribbon, learn the basics of wreath making, and to weave a small basket. By combining each week’s lesson into a finished product, each participant will have a beautiful wreath.

Hair Styling and Make-Up Application for All Ages
Saturdays, 9-11 a.m. (four weeks) | Course led by Bethany Smith & Roxanne Wilson
(Gaithersburg; limited to 10 registrants; $5 fee)

This course will have something for ladies of any age. Whether you are a young lady in her adolescent years just starting to be interested in wearing makeup and doing her own hair, a career lady dressing for an interview or presentation, or a lady looking for hair/makeup tips for a special occasion, you will enjoy this course. Led by a makeup artist and a hairstylist, this course is designed to assist ladies in learning how to apply their own makeup beautifully as well as style their own hair in keeping with the current fashion trends, resulting in a look that is both age and occasion-appropriate.

Hands-On Landscaping
Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to noon (six weeks) | Course led by Mary Pat Hand & Dana O’Sullivan (location varies)

While meeting at your homes, the course leaders highlight specific plants, extend a bedline, create balance in an island, prune, divide perennials, mix soil for a vegetable garden and creatively bring the outside in. The location will change week to week; we’ll meet in the homes of five of the women who register. The last class will be at leader Dana O’Sullivan’s home in Columbia.

Organization
Saturdays, 9-11 a.m. (four weeks) | Course led by Jo Speelman (Gaithersburg)

This course focuses on teaching principles of organization and project management and the application of these principles to the home and personal goals. The content will be primarily taught from the “Getting Things Done” method by David Allen. It is intended for any woman interested in learning more about how to get things done, from managing a project to organizing her home.

Walk-to-Run Program
Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9-10 a.m. (six weeks) | Course led by Corinne Huff & Marlana Titus (Laytonsville)

A six-week beginners walk-to-run program (although runners of all experience are welcome). Even if you have never run or rarely exercise, you can learn to actually enjoy running by a program that safely and gradually increases distance. Or if all you want to do is walk with a partner and explore whether running is for you, please join us! We will have both fellowship and fun with other women as we look at exercise from a biblical perspective, and encourage accountability in this area of stewardship. Group walks and runs will be on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and each lady will be encouraged to walk/run on her own or with a partner on Thursdays.