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Are you looking for an opportunity to dive in deep into the Thin Within workbook material, but value the freedom and flexibility of an online group? If so, you can join us for the launch of our Winter/Spring 2014 Thin Within workbook study starting January 6th.
To Do:
First and foremost, you will need the Thin Within Rebuilding God’s Temple Workbook Kit, available here. If you have previously completed workbook #1, then purchasing and using workbooks 2, 3, or 4 will work just fine as the workbooks are all synchronous. This post describes the workbook #1 kit in some detail. (NOTE: Many have asked if they *have* to have a workbook or can use the trade Thin Within book published in 2002 or 2005. You can use the book, but except in a few instances, there won’t be a good “fit” to match up synchronously with the workbook. For instance, the first lesson in the workbook is on “Hope.” There is no perfect fit in the Thin Within book for that–while it is true that the topic of “hope” saturates all the pages of both books, there is no chapter on “hope” in the book. Just keep plugging away in the book and I am sure it will be an encouragement to you, though!)
Secondly, please sign up to be on the online class email list. You can do this even if you are interested only and not yet committed to the study. This will be informational and you can unsubscribe at any time. I sent out an email to this list already. If you didn’t get that email and wish to view it, see it here in your browser.
If you are on Facebook and want an additional way to connect with class members, please visit this page and ask to be added.
I would love to tell you definitively that I know precisely how this class will run, but honestly? It will be an experiment! There are about 165 people currently on the mailing list. That is wonderful! I know not everyone will really be in the class and we typically end with a fraction of those we start with (life gets busy). Regardless, we have never done a class this size, so we may shift and adjust as the class unfolds. Here is how I think it will run:
Schedule:
Monday, January 6th, 2014, we will host a webinar-style meeting online at this link (it will also be sent to those on the class email list). Each Monday, we will have a LIVE online webinar-style class from 4:30-5:30pm Pacific Time (please check a timezone converter to be sure you know what time this is in your timezone!). As of this writing, we plan to use AnyMeeting for this. It currently is free, because it is ad supported (so please expect ads that Thin Within doesn’t necessarily endorse!). I will use the Class Facebook Group page, the regular Thin Within Facebook page, and the email list to share the link, agenda, and class assignments for the meeting each week. Assignments will also be posted to the blog.
You can join in the class at any time. You can leave at any time.
There is no charge for the class, though if you would like to donate to the Thin Within ministry, I am sure that can be arranged! No one in Thin Within gets a salary of any kind. We all donate our time. Any money that comes in to the ministry is used to run things. Please let me know if you are interested in donating. 🙂
On Tuesday of each week, I will post the assignment for the week here, at the blog. The assignment made on Tuesday will be the “loose” focus for the following Monday’s class. See the tentative schedule below for an idea of what we will be studying during January:
Monday, January 6, 2014 ~ 4:30-5:30pm Pacific Time ~ Online Class LIVE Presentation: Orientation
Tuesday, January 7, 2014 ~ Blog Post with Lesson 1 Assignment for the week – “Hope”
Monday, January 13, 2014 ~ 4:30-5:30pm PT ~ Online Class LIVE Presentation: Lesson 1 – “Hope”
Tuesday, January 14, 2014 ~ Blog Post with Lesson 2 Assignment for the week – “My Body, God’s Temple”
Monday, January 20, 2014 ~ 4:30-5:30pm PT ~ Online Class LIVE Presentation: Lesson 2 – “My Body, God’s Temple”
Tuesday, January 21, 2014 ~ Blog Post with Lesson 3 Assignment for the week – “Identity in Christ”
Monday, January 27, 2014 ~ 4:30-5:30pm PT ~ Online Class LIVE Presentation: Lesson 3 – “Identity in Christ”
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 ~ Blog Post with Lesson 4 Assignment for the week – “Celebration of God’s Grace, Part 1”
Additional Support:
In addition to the Thin Within workbook, I strongly recommend that you have a copy of Barb Raveling’s I Deserve a Donut and Other Lies That Make You Eat found at Amazon here and/or her I Deserve a Donut app for the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. These are optional for this study, but you will not regret having them!
Other resources that you might want to make use of include the official Thin Within audio files for the workbook. These are professionally recorded audios that are available at the Sound Cloud website. You can download these files and put them on the device you use to play audio files as an additional means of supporting you on your journey. There is no charge for this. There are a lot of other audio files available there as well…they aren’t professionally done, but crafted from my heart. 🙂
At the YouTube site, we also have the professionally recorded Thin Within files (in addition to a lot of “homegrown” instructional and supportive videos). Here is a playlist of some of the professionally filmed Thin Within videos and here is another similar playlist (though this one is older).
Our final online class meeting will be April 7th (I think).
If everything goes as I hope, I will be able to share a link for the recorded online classes each week. But that one I can’t guarantee as yet. The class email list will be the best source of news throughout the duration of the class.
Would You Like To Lead?
Now is a great time to lead your own live Thin Within group. You could use the material that we generate in our online class and lead your live group a week or two behind us so that you already have familiarity with the material as you present it to your group. What this means is that any videos that I create for our class (something I plan to do each week as part of the weekly assignment made here at the blog), the recordings of our online class (if all works as I hope), support blog posts, and assignments could be used to support you as you support others. If you are interested in this option, I would love to know about it. 🙂
If you have any additional questions, please post them here.
I hope you will join us!
I am SOOOO excited about this!! So many ways to fill my thoughts with good and godly principles. Thanks, Heidi, for all your hard work in preparing and presenting this to us. I’ll pray for all to go smoothly and for you to be blessed as you area blessing to all of us.
Thank you SO much, Karen. I need prayer…bunches. And I am so glad to know you will join me in praying for the class! You have always been such a source of encouragement to me. Thank you. 🙂
I would love to do this, but I can’t afford the $40.00 dollars for the books and then you have to buy workbook 2 and 3. isn’t there a way that you could put this online for a smaller price that we could print out and use for our study at home? This is a steep price for someone who is on a fixed income and especially at this time of year.
There is only a need to buy one workbook. We save dozens of dollars by eating less! 🙂 Hope you will change your mind and join in!
Hi Betty – I’m pretty sure that #1 is recommended first (and it includes all of the extra “tools”), but I think you could probably use 2, 3 or 4 (Heidi would know better). I know that they cost less. Each workbook is 12 weeks of study.
I understand the financial constraints, but I will tell you this – I have never come across a better Bible study. It’s called a workbook, but I think of it as a devotional. Studying the first workbook was pivotal to me – not only in my relationship to food but in my relationship and understanding of Christ. It truly taught me the meaning of the Gospel and brought me to Christ. I hope you’ll be able to swing it! Maybe you can request it as a Christmas present??….
I’m excited about this class too! I’m praying for you Heidi as you prepare. I look forward especially to having dedicated time each week to focus on healing and hope!
Hi Heidi,
Thanks so much for leading us again! Tell me, is the book really supposed to be $40? Do you think I might be able to get it for less somewhere other than Amazon?
Thanks,
Becky McGeorge
Sent from my iPhone
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It is only sold at Amazon or by calling joe and Pam at “Thin Within Headquarters.” It isn’t only a book. It is a workbook with daily guided quiet times, a separate book that is called the Temple Toolkit, and the memory verse cards. You can use one of the other workbooks, which cost $25. Hope this helps! 🙂
If we can’t make it to the live tapings, will we be able to listen to them later? I live in California and don’t get home from work till 7:00/8:00 pm.
I hope to have recordings available. 🙂
Never having done an online class before, I’m totally excited! Thank you for taking this ministry on, Heidi! I will pray for you, as well. So, this sounds airheadish, but do I just watch for an email and click the link to be in on the ‘live’ portion on the 6th? I don’t want to be trying to figure it out as it’s all going on. Thank you! Also, I think I’m feeling the HS nudging politely that I should also lead a class. (clearly, I’m doubtful…as I’d be more confident doing so if I’d already released the weight….but I’m trying to be obedient daily, and perhaps this is an opportunity!) Do you think it’s too much to try to enter the 21 Century and TAKE my first online class and LEAD one at the same time? I’m not very techy.
Kelli, I want to support you. Shoot me an email at heidi bylsma at gmail dot com, ok? You can DEFINITELY do this! If God is leading, he will supply all you need!
Yipee!!!! Just sold a book on Amazon for $40 called “Eat for Health” by Dr Fuhrman, so now I can buy the workbook in exchange for this. God has made a way for me and I pray for those who are struggling with the price. I totally get what Heidi is saying about in just a few short weeks, we will have already saved this much on our groceries and eating out. Count me in girls, I am up for this ride!!! Read in a devotional this morning how we need to “rule the soul” which is basically practice self control. My soul has been a spoiled brat for too many years……..time to tame the beast and rule the soul!!!!! Thanks Heidi
I LOVE your enthusiasm, Debbie! And — I love it when God makes a way where there seems to be no way. He is good!! KK
Thanks girls, I had given up on the fact I could join in b/c of the price, and God blind sides me with this blessing. I knew it was HIM when it was a $40 sale. This might help others too, put your diet books for sale on Amazon……….people are buying them this time of year…..the drawback, you have to go and stand at the long Post Office line to mail the books sold, but I will happily do that to get to join you girls in my first course with Thin Within. Super excited to get started!!!!
Wow, Debbie! That is awesome!!!! SO glad!
Really excited about starting a fresh start. I’m looking forward to it immensely.
Me, too, N! 🙂
We can start fresh NOW! 🙂 Let’s do it, N! 🙂
I’m so grateful, Heidi, for your willingness to lead this class! Thank you…really looking forward to it!
Thanks, Susan! I am looking forward to it, too! 🙂
Prayers for our group. I really feel like God has some great plans in store for 2014, not only in our eating, but it all areas of our life. I’ve been feeling very convicted of trying to “control” so many aspects of my life instead of truly submitting them to God. Been working on the submission, and it’s a work in progress, but I can tell you it feels great. And, I feel like this is a big part of what I’m supposed to be doing/learning with Thin Within. I started Thin Within last year, but I think I wasn’t totally commited, at least not all year. I did well the first few months, and then I kept struggling to do it on my own. It sounds ridiculous now, I realize, I just needed to release, and sit quietly, and listen. Hope to work on my listening skills a lot in 2014. So thankful for this group, and for you taking it on to lead this group Heidi.
Hi, N. Yes, he does! He has plans for you. I am so glad that you are here with us. 🙂
Is the class going to be on the facebook group page. Or do I need to check somewhere else.? I just want to make sure I don’t miss it. I really look forward and need this. Thank you for this group and your time. I am praying for you and your leadership.
Hi, Liz. Have you subscribed to the email list for the class? That link is here: http://eepurl.com/H9qBf