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LOVESICK (WEEK 2): ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET

Bottom Line: Dating is a great thing, but it’s not everything.
Scripture References: 1 Corinthians 6:12; Proverbs 25:16

“Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket!” We’ve all heard the phrase
before, some of us have probably even used it a time or two, but when
it comes to dating, it can be pretty hard to actually put into
practice. Your goal this week is to help students wrestle with the
content from last week’s message and this week’s message to find ways
to be balanced in their approach to dating.

High School Questions:

1.      What do you remember about last week’s talk? Is there anything from
this week or last week that stood out to you?

2.      Last week we talked about how Samson was called to be a specific
kind of individual and lead a specific kind of life. If you think back
to when you were a kid growing up, what kind of person did you imagine
you would be when you were where you are now?

3.      If you could imagine what God wants for your life, what God wants
you to be experiencing in your life, what would that look like?

4.      How can a dating relationship or the idea of “girls” or “boys” hold
you back from experiencing some of the things God wants in your life?

5.      The speaker mentioned five baskets: God, family, friends,
extracurricular activities and dating. Are there any other categories
that you think are missing? (This is just to make sure students agree
and understand the baskets . . . it’s not a trick question.)

6.      Have you ever seen someone who was so focused on the dating basket
that they forgot who they were or missed out on what they might have
otherwise experienced? What happened? (Be careful not to let this
drift into idle gossip. No names please.)

7.      Do you have to be dating someone in order to be too focused on
dating, or have too many eggs in the dating basket?

8.      What happens when we put all our eggs in one basket?

9.      If you had 15 hypothetical eggs and you had to place them in the
baskets according to where you spend your time, your money, your
attention and affection, where would you place them?

10.     Do you see anything that seems unbalanced in your life?

11.     How could you begin to make changes to make your life have more
balance? Is there someone in your life who can help you find and
maintain that balance? When are you going to begin to make the changes
you need to make in order not to be so lovesick?

Middle School Questions:

1.      What did you think about the basket illustration?

2.      What did the speaker mean when he or she said that we shouldn’t put
all of our eggs in one basket? What do you think that looks like in
your world?

3.      Read Proverbs 25:16 “If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of
it, and you will vomit.” Why is it important not to put all of our
eggs in one basket?

4.      Have you ever seen someone who had all his or her eggs in one
basket—not necessarily dating, but any basket? What happened? (Be
careful that this does not become idle gossip. No names please.)

5.      Do you have to be dating someone in order to have all your eggs in
the dating basket? Why? (We want students to begin to see that where
they place their attention and affection is important.)

6.      Have you ever felt the pressure to be with someone or always
dating? Where does that pressure come from?

7.      In all honesty, which baskets do you think you are not putting
enough eggs into? Which basket or baskets are you putting too many
eggs into?

8.      What is something you learned from the lesson this week? What is
one thing you learned through this series you don’t want to forget?

New Series: LOVESICK

LOVESICK:

There’s something pretty amazing about being in love, isn’t there? The butterflies in your stomach. The dreamy gazes. No wonder so many of us are so in love with being in love. But if you look around—in the media, at school, in life—we’ve taken what God created and twisted it, morphed it and configured it into something it was never meant to be—an obsession. When romantic relationships become an obsession, balance goes out the window. We miss out on opportunities and experiences we might otherwise have had. And sometimes we even forget who we are. There’s got to be healthier way to do this. There’s got to be another way than being so lovesick.

LOVESICK (Week 1): obsessed

Bottom Line: When we become obsessed with relationships, we lose sight of who we are. Scripture References: Numbers 6:1-21, Judges 13:24-25; 13:2-5; 14:1-3; 16:4-5, 15-16

There is nothing quite like the experience of falling in love. All students in middle school and high school are trying to navigate romantic relationships and seeking the approval and admiration of those they are attracted to. Because dating is so intricately connected to who we are as individuals, there are many different ways to talk about it and when we talk about it, it raises a number of important questions. This week we are asking that you have your small group session first as a way to explore the many concerns and curiosities your students have when it comes to this topic.

WARNING: This week has the potential to be extremely powerful, as you find out what your students are dealing with in this significant area of their lives. It also has the potential to be extremely dangerous. Students may ask challenging questions relating to homosexuality, premarital sex and a variety of other moral boundaries. Students may have situations from their past or present that have caused tremendous pain in this area of their lives. Remember, you do not need to have all of the answers. Be prepared. Be honest. Be relevant and helpful, and know when to refer the student to someone else if a situation or question arises that you feel unable or uncomfortable resolving in small group.

High School Questions

1.       When you heard that we were doing a “dating series” what did you think? Do you like to talk about dating? Not like to talk about it? Why?

2.       Did you have a “love” interest growing up?  What’s your earliest memory of dating (rejection      memories count)?

3.       What do you expect this series to be about?

4.       What do you wish we could talk about more when it comes to dating?

5.       Why do you think we feel such a strong desire to be in a romantic relationship? What does dating offer that makes it so appealing? What are some of the benefits?

6.       What do you think are some of the possible dangers associated with dating?

7.       If you had to give dating advice to a friend or sibling who was three years younger than you, what advice would you give them? Why?

8.       Do you know an older couple who seems to have a strong, healthy relationship—a relationship you might want for yourself one day? If you could ask them anything, what would you ask them?

Middle School Questions

1.       When you heard that we were doing a “dating series” what did you think? Do you like to talk about dating? Not like to talk about it? Why?

2.       Did you have a “love” interest in elementary school?  What’s your earliest memory of “dating” (rejection memories count)?

3.       What do you expect this series to be about?

4.       What do you hope we will talk about during this series? Why?

5.       Why do you think people feel such a strong desire to be in a romantic relationship? What does dating offer that makes it so appealing? What are some of the benefits?

6.       What do you think are some of the possible dangers associated with dating?

7.       Do you have an older sibling who is dating right now? What have you observed about           their relationship and dating?

8.       Do you know an older couple who seems to have a strong, healthy relationship—a relationship that you might want for yourself one day? What about their relationship appeals to you?

 

 

Video Blog from Shawn

Guys, enjoy your Easter. It was what gives each of our lives hope. Anything is possible because the grave is empty! Shawn wanted to talk to each of our volunteers before this weekend. So take a quick minute and watch this video from him.