God’s Imprint on Our Lives

1. God’s Imprint on Our Lives Fearfully & Wonderfully Made “For you created my inmost being;    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;    your works are wonderful,    I know that full well.”Psalm 139:13-14 Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 …we were made for God’s glory, pleasure & purpose

2. Review: The Lion This personality likes to lead. The lion is good at making decisions and is very goal-oriented. They enjoy challenges, difficult assignments, and opportunity for advancement. Because lions are thinking of the goal, they can step on people to reach it. Lions can be very aggressive and competitive. Lions must learn not to be too bossy or to take charge in other’s affairs. • Strength: Goal-oriented, strong, direct • Weakness: Argumentative, too dictatorial • Challenge: Doesn’t understand that directness can hurt others, hard time expressing sympathy • Dominating, Extrovert & Choleric

3. Review: Lions in the Bible • Describe those occasions when Jesus was a “lion” . • 40 days in the wilderness – Satan’s temptation of Christ • Confronting the Pharisees and the Sadducees • Confronting the money changers and thieves at the temple • Confronting Peter about His death • Casting “Legion” out of the two demon-possessed men; healings, raising of the dead • While hanging on the cross • Who are some others “Lions” in the Bible? • Paul • King David • Deborah, Judge of Israel

4. The Beaver Organized. Beavers think that there is a right way to do everything and they want to do it exact that way. Beaver personalities are very creative. They desire to solve everything. Desire to take their time and do it right. Beavers do not like sudden changes. They need reassurance. • Strength: High standards, order, respect, task-oriented • Weakness: Unrealistic expectations of self & others, too perfect • Challenge: Seeing the optimistic side of things, expressing flexibility • Cautious, Introvert & Melancholic

5. Beavers: Controlled Emotions • Beavers are “hard-side” love personalities. • Positive: Beavers can be hard on problems. • Negative: Beavers can be hard on people. • Beavers keep a close watch on their emotions. • Beavers are reserved, cautious and controlled when it comes to displaying emotions and affection. • Beavers are committed and loyal but often have difficulty communicating that “softside” warmth to others. • Beavers tend to stand back in relationships.

6. Beavers: Read Instruction Books • Beavers carefully read instruction manuals; they do things “by the book”. • Beavers reduce their stress by having a “manual” to follow; standard operating procedures and doing things orderly and in clearly identified ways = comfort zone. • Beavers don’t handle change well, or it takes them time to adjust to new demands. • Beavers are firm like Lions but not for the thrill of victory, but because they’re committed to doing what they think is right. • Beavers’ natural strength of doing things right can make them God’s quality control experts.

7. Beavers: Careful Decision-makers • Beavers are good at thinking through all sides of an issue. • Beavers have excellent instincts when it comes to decision-making. • Beavers can let the enthusiasm of others to talk them out of their well-thought-out plans; don’t want to disappoint. • Beavers can appear to be slow and overly cautious; but can head off problems by their sure and steady thought process. • Beavers’ can be hesitant to take risks; fear of failure or angst about doing itwrong…especially if pressured or rushed.

8. Beavers: Problem-Solvers • Beavers have a “hardside” ability to look at issues critically. • Beavers are determined and possess a strong work ethic; will pursue their objective with steadfastness and complete the task at hand . • Beavers believe that there’s a solution. • Beavers love to go into detail, enjoy reading maps, and drawing up diagrams. • While being good at breaking down the problem, they can demand high standards of others, become overly critical and break peoples spirits.

9. Beavers: Let’s Do it Right • Beavers believe that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right! • Beavers are very organized and methodical. • Beavers tackle the task with precision and accuracy. • Beavers spot things that are wrong and strive to make them right; they often head off many mistakes. • Every group needs a beaver, but like lions, beavers can get so wrapped up in the process, work & the results that they can fail to see how they’re hurting and disregarding others. • Beavers’ have a perfectionist bent but can become overly critical of others.

10. Beavers: Turn Anger Inward • Beavers are most prone to times of depression & self-deprecation • Beavers can be hard on others but are often most hard onthemselves…especially when they make mistakes. • Beavers like to have clear directions and be able to ask questions, but they also need to feel a strong sense of support and be in a noncritical atmosphere to do their best work; sensitive to criticism • Beavers slow down under pressure and can get overwhelmed when demands become, in their minds, unachievable. • Beavers need to learn that it’s all right to fail and it’s healthy to call for help when they’re struggling.

11. Beavers: Focus on the Past • Beavers like knowing how it was done in the past; if it works, they stay with it. • Beavers want a track record; success in the past breeds success . • Beavers can fear the future, the unknown, the untried; not risk-takers. • Faith is more of a challenge for a beaver since faith focuses on the future. • Beavers like controlling their environment and preventing unpredictable outcomes.

12. Beavers in the Bible • Describe those occasions when Jesus was a “beaver” . • When preaching the Sermon on the Mount • When preparing for the Last Supper • When teaching in the Temple • When in the Garden of Gethsemane • When carrying the cross • At His Ascension • Who are some others “Beavers” in the Bible? • Moses, Boaz • Esther • Martha, Joseph, Thomas