Discussion Questions
for
A Place to Belong
Book Four in the Sister Circle Series
Chapter 1:
1. As a landlord, Evelyn has to deal with change constantly and finds herself both accepting yet weary of it. How do you react to change?
2. Lucinda has had quite the career change from magazine model to teaching the homeless makeup tips—yet she’s happy. What do you think about such a status change? Have you ever experienced something similar? How did you handle it?
Faith Issue:
1. Evelyn thinks about the adage: when God closes a door He opens a window. When has this happened to you? Was the window a better experience than what was left behind?
Chapter 2:
1. Has anyone ever forgotten your birthday? How did you react?
2. Valerie says her blunt nature is the fault of her characters. Sounds like an excuse, not holding herself accountable for her own flaws. Think of your own worst flaw. Do you pass over it by making excuses? What’s the real cause/effect/solution for your flaw?
Faith Issue:
1. The timing of Lucinda moving out a day early, making room for Accosta to move in . . . God’s timing is often amazing. Name an incident when God’s perfect timing was evident.
Chapter 3:
1. It is often hard for any mother to balance her dedication and loyalty to her children with the dedication and loyalty her husband deserves. How have you handled such situations?
2. Evelyn is discouraged by Wayne’s non-romantic interest in her but is hesitant to push the issue. What do you think she should do?
Faith Issue:
1. Ursola is devastated by her husband’s death, the meanness of her stepson, and life in general. How might someone with a strong faith react to such a situation? How about someone with no faith?
Chapter 4:
1. Wayne and Evelyn are taking a risk by using their savings to help a friend. What financial risks have you taken? What were the results? How do we know which risks to take?
2. Though Soon-ja is having troubles with Ringo, by hearing Audra’s no-baby news, she counts her blessings. When has someone else’s troubles gotten you to put yours in perspective?
Faith issue:
1. What do you think about Accosta’s worry box? How about making one of your own?
Chapter 5:
1. There is a time to give in and a time to stand strong. Evelyn surprises herself by standing strong against Valerie’s demands. What kind of woman are you—the give-in type? Or one who stands-strong? Or . . . one who makes demands like Valerie?
2. Evelyn is waiting for just the right time to declare her feelings for Wayne. Name a time you have been in such a waiting-position to talk about something important. How did you know when to speak up—or remain silent? Did you make the right timing choice?
Faith Issue:
1. Soon-ja and Ringo are having troubles. Ringo is hanging out with people that influence him badly. Though as believers, we are not to isolate ourselves, how do we handle the pressure and presence of acquaintances who live lives in conflict with our beliefs? How do we be a “light” in the darkness without turning them off?
Chapter 6:
1. Simon has purposely walked into Audra’s life at the point when she is the most vulnerable. She feels herself succumbing to dangerous thoughts. What should she do?
2. Ringo isn’t falling into the trap of thinking that life has to be happy all the time. He’s putting his marriage at risk. If you were Soon-ja, how would you handle the situation?
Faith Issue:
1. Peerbaugh Place is filling up—with non-paying boarders! Evelyn is a little panicked yet Wayne says it might be a God-thing. What do you think God is up to?
Chapter 7:
1. The entire time Valerie was at Peerbaugh Place she complained. Now that she’s on her own with her dream in sight, she’s discontent. Why? What went wrong?
2. Collier tells Mae that parenting doesn’t end when they’re eighteen. What’s the best thing Mae can do about the Ringo-Soon-ja situation? What’s the worst thing?
Faith Issue:
1. The ladies discuss true love. Not everyone is supposed to be married, but for those who are . . . do you think there is one God-chosen love?
Chapter 8:
1. Wayne and Evelyn are discouraged that their project to fix up and sell Accosta’s house is not working out as well as they hoped. Yet they still feel God is behind it. When have you been discouraged during a “God-project”? How did you get past it?
2. Tessa seemed to be at the right place at he right time to help Ursola deal with her anxiety and fear regarding Daryn. When has God put the right person into your path? Or when have you been that person?
Faith Issue:
1. Audra is struggling with temptation. What is the source of temptation? Is there any way to avoid it?
Chapter 9:
1. Ringo runs away. When have you run away from a situation? Did it help?
2. Society tells us to be skinny. Most of us aren’t. Yet we can still feel pretty. When was the last time you allowed yourself to feel that way? How can we sisters help each other see our own beauty?
1. We often can get so busy—even doing God’s work—that we lose the joy. What are ways we can get it back, and hold joy close?
Chapter 10:
1. Piper is disturbed by Esther’s constant disapproval. Have you ever had someone disapprove of you to this extent? How did you handle it? What worked? What didn’t?
2. Finally, Evelyn tells Wayne that she loves him. Why is it so hard to risk rejection? How can we find the courage we need to let others know how we feel?
Faith Issue:
1. The “sisters” pray often, in many situations. It comes naturally to them and is a part of their relationship with each other. Do you have this kind of relationship with other sisters-in-Christ? If not, how can you get it?
Chapter 11:
1. Audra’s tries to stop the consequences of her temptation but it catches up with her. What’s your opinion about how Audra handled this entire matter?
2. God hates a proud heart (Proverbs 21: 4). Valerie has just lost her dream because of her proud attitude. Name a time when pride got you in trouble. How was the situation resolved?
Faith Issue:
1. Evelyn is very willing to help the stranger Jody and her daughter in their time of need. And Jody is very gracious and unappreciative. Yet God wants us to help others whether they deserve it—or even appreciate it. Name a time you’ve dealt with both kinds of recipients of your help.
Chapter 12:
1. When Piper moves out, Evelyn asks, “Why does everyone have to leave?” It’s a life question we’ve all been through. How have you dealt with people coming and going in your life?
2. Audra is shamed and has to face the consequences of her temptation. Yet God is there. Have you ever gone through such a time of upheaval, confession, and forgiveness?
Faith Issue:
1. Accosta receives a feeling that Audra is in trouble. She could ignore it, but she doesn’t. She does all she can—and it turns out that her feeling was actually a nudge from God. When have you felt such a nudge? Did you ignore it? Or obey? Did it pan out to be a nudge from God or not? If not, what were you out but a little time?
Chapter 13:
1. Accosta told Ursola never “to pay back evil for evil”. Yet revenge is a strong emotion. Name a time you’ve let the need for revenge get the best of you. What were the consequences? What could you have done differently?
2. Daryn is a mean man. Yet at the police station Tessa gives him his due. Do you believe that what goes around comes around?
Faith Issue:
1. With Tessa’s help Ursola comes to terms with her husband’s death by thinking about the idea of him happy in heaven—in a better place. If you’ve had to grieve for a loved one, what has helped you get through the pain?
Chapter 14:
1. Satan is at work in the world. Tessa believes he was partly responsible for Ursola’s act of revenge. Do you think this is correct? What is the danger of blaming our bad behavior on Satan?
2. Audra makes a decision for adoption by seeing Summer playing with her dolls—a seemingly inconsequential moment that changes everything. What ordinary moment in your life turned out to be of huge consequence, perhaps helping you make an important decision?
Faith Issue:
1. Ursola staying with Tessa, Tessa needing help with letters from around the world, Ursola having connections with foreign students…coincidence? Or the implementation of a Divine plan? Name a time things fell into place in your life.
Chapter 15:
1. Wayne gets upset about what society expects of a widower. What are the rules of mourning now? What should be the rules?
2. Wayne finds out the truth about Piper and Evelyn. It’s a burden and he doesn’t know what to do. Have you ever discovered a truth that was a burden? How did you handle it?
Faith Issue:
1. Piper lives the Commandment “Honor your mother and father” even though Esther Baladino doesn’t make it easy. When have you had difficulty following this Commandment? How could you do better?
Chapter 16:
1. Mae tries to live out the directive that a parent needs to let a child try and fail in order to learn their own lessons. She tries… When have you let your children fail? How did it turn out?
2. The man-woman mating game… Evelyn takes extra time looking pretty, makes a nice dinner, plays the game in order to make things right with Wayne. In your own relationship, what works in the making up process?
Faith Issue:
1. God is a God of details. Thirty-six years of planning, setting up, making sure Piper, Wayne, Wanda, and Evelyn were given every opportunity to play out His plan to perfection. Name a time when you can look back and see one of God’s extensive plans in your life.
Chapter 17:
1. In preparation for marriage, Piper and Gregory told each other about their pasts. Did you do this with your spouse? Is there a time when the whole truth may not be a good thing?
2. Evelyn finds her “place to belong”, her purpose. It’s an amazing process, one that each of us will experience, if we ask for God to show us. How has God revealed His purpose for your life? What do you think about your future living in this purpose?
Faith Issue:
1. Piper goes to great lengths to combine Gregory’s Jewish heritage with their Christian faith. What do you think about combining these two faiths? Is it possible?