Read Galatians 6:9.

A person's responsibility to serve his or her family can provide purpose, and will often result in delight and fulfillment. A mother is the center of the home, and God has given her a unique ability to create an atmosphere of peace and love that only she can bring. Honor your mother by telling her or someone else how she accomplished this in your home.

Read Ruth 1:16.

Our relationships with other people usually are a reflection of our relationship with God. Loyalty comes from the heart.

It is motivated by a love that wants the best for the other person. Loyalty is also precariously lacking in stability or security, because it demands trust. When someone is loyal to another, their relationship is strong and deep. Discuss the concept that loyalty is a choice.

Read Isaiah 50:4.

It is through our thoughtful and prayerful Bible study, reading and quiet meditation that God speaks to our hearts. He gives us the "tongue of the learned" (KJV) in this way so we have something to share with those who may be hurting or desperate. Recall and share the last time you used a spiritual truth with someone and how the Lord used that act in yours and the other person's life.

Read Philippians 3:13-14.

God wants your life today, and every day in the future. God loves you with an everlasting love. You can turn to Him for strength, wisdom, patience and self-control. Do you live in the present, or does the past still hold you captive? If the latter is true, how can you become free from the hurt and bitterness and un-forgiveness that have you bound?

Read Genesis 1:1.

The doctrine of creation contains the sovereignty of God and His relationship to the world. The created world receives its value from its Creator and His declaration that it is good. One way God demonstrates His love for His creation is through His providence and direction of it, even through times of human pain and suffering. The sun has risen every single morning since God created that cycle. Compare this concept of creation and care with a parent's love for his or her child. What challenges are raised by this comparison?

Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.

T.M. Moore has observed "In a world without

God, the relationships that all people crave are bound to end in disappointment. Sinful men and women are more concerned with their own interests than faithfulness to one another, and friendships often degenerate into rivalries. Even marriage, the best relationship for which secular people can hope, is vulnerable apart from the true love of

God. People become means rather than ends, precluding true community." Is this general statement true, in your opinion? Can you share examples of why you believe so?