The announcement of an upcoming Bible study at a Sunday gathering may have seemed ordinary to everyone else. But for Sonya Guyett, it was as if a light had suddenly been turned on in a dark room where she had been sitting for years.
Sonya and her family had been attending Citylight Sunday gatherings. They would come, receive, and leave quickly to begin another week of life. Week after week, it was the same: come in and go. Come in and go. Sonya had been away from community for so long and had closed herself off, she was reluctant to step back into it.
But that morning, the light felt like an invitation. God was inviting Sonya back, to His Word and to His people. She questioned whether she was ready. She felt inadequate and unsure of what it would look like. But underneath the questions was a deep longing. She wanted to be known. She wanted the craving she had to be satisfied. She wanted to experience the freedom she knew could only be found in Christ.
“I wanted that closeness with God again,” Sonya confessed. “I wanted to hear His voice. I knew that He was still there and always had been, but it was I who had moved. That Sunday God tugged at my heart, and I knew it was time to get back into His word. To find some kind of community. I wanted to be accountable.”
That first Bible study Sonya was nervous. At her other church she was very involved, but that was so long ago. What if she didn’t click with the table? What if she didn’t know anyone? Pushing through the questions, she walked into the room and immediately knew this was where she was supposed to be.
“I walked in and there was Pam Grabowski,” Sonya described the immediate gift God gave her. “My daughter had her as a leader in our last church’s student ministry. Pam was a table leader, and I immediately sat down at her table. I knew I was fine.”
Over the next few months, as she and her table immersed themselves in the book of Genesis, the light that come on in that dark room became brighter and brighter. God’s truth and love poured over and into Sonya’s heart.
“The ladies were so open to everyone and welcoming,” Sonya shared. “Because the study is biblically based and you are in the word every week, it encourages you to draw closer to Him. The study and the community were good. I liked hearing the different thoughts everyone shared at my table. God was impacting other people’s lives and not just mine. I also like the accountability. I didn’t want to show up without my work done. God was giving me so much.”
God was patient with Sonya. Each week, as she studied His word and was surrounded by His body, she began to recognize that He is in control of all things and that He loves her forever. In all the situations and events from the past, not only did He know about them, but He was still there and in control. She just needed to surrender it all to Him.
“I understood that I needed to give my fears to Him,” Sonya explained. “As I did, He gave me peace and told me He would take care of everything. He knew what was going on and what had happened in my life. He was going to take care of it.”
Since that first Genesis study, Sonya has signed up for each study with enthusiasm. Last year, she did something different. She signed up to be a table leader and this fall, she will continue leading a table for the Hebrews study.
“I just know the impact good leadership had on me,” Sonya concluded. “Pam was encouraging and was there for me and the table. She was consistent with her texts and having her lesson all prepared each week. She showed me faith. Her faithfulness gave me a taste and understanding of God’s faithfulness. I want to be that for others. I’m looking forward to Hebrews and diving into it and seeing what God has to teach me. My hope is for others to step out and sign up for the Bible study. I hope the ladies grow in their faith and for the entire group of women to not be afraid but instead, be vulnerable. When leaders can lead with vulnerability, it helps the ladies feel comfortable to share.”
Three years ago, a simple announcement to Bible study felt like a light turning on in a dark room. Since then, that light has only grown brighter, not just in Sonya, but through her. She continues to discover more of who God is and who she is in Him, and now she longs to reflect His truth and love to other women who are searching for the same freedom she once craved. What began as an invitation back to God’s Word and His people has become a life transformed by both. God is faithful.
Bible studies launches this week but it's not too late to register!
For more information go to citylightomaha.org/studies or Email >>> karen@citylightomaha.org