Reflection & Discussion of Chapter 3, The Prisoners:

Answer these questions in your notebook. Select one to share with the group in the comment section. (If you receive this post via email, click here to go directly to the blog and leave a comment.)

1. Lysa shares the story about her friend Tina going to prison. She writes, “A prisoner. This label states so much. And I didn’t want that ‘so much’ to forever define my friend.”

Have you ever been given a label by someone else or even yourself? What are some of the labels that have negatively impacted your life? Have you escaped them? Explain.
My weight has always been a issue (around 17/18 yrs old) for me and I have labeled myself unlovable because of being overweight, always beating myself up about how i look, never thinking i'm beautiful I'm overcoming my weight issue right now after many many years (I'm 41 now) I see myself the way my husband sees me oh yeah I'm married now, it seems I was lovable even at the weight I was, God proved me that I was wrong about that and we will be married 15 yrs December 6th. So I'm starting too see my beauty that was on the inside on the outside as well.. but I know that I tell my daughter since the day I found out about having her that she is going to be beautiful inside and out most importantly on the outside because that is the way God made her and she is smart and God loves her and her Mom and Dad does too. My Mom tells her this as well. My brother tells her always that she is very intelligent and beautiful. So no negative labels for my daughter and if anyone tries too place them we handle them right then.


2. “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” This statement was reported to have been said by Michelangelo about his creation of the seventeen-foot statue of David.

Another sculpture in this same collection was unfinished and titled, Prisoners.

Write the analogy Lysa shares about this moment when she saw these two sculptures.



3. “Oh God, _________ me. I don’t want to be locked in my hard place forever.”

Define “chisel.” to chip away

Why could it be a good thing that chiseling needs to be done in our lives? Because we can see what God has seen all along. How beautiful he has made us.



4. Read the Bible passages Lysa refers to straight from your Bible. Make notes in your Bible if you want to. List these verses in your notebook and record any thoughts you have as your read and study them. If you have a Life Application Bible, look at the application portion for ideas how you can personally apply this to your life.



Read Matthew 14:22-32.

Read John 18:15-17.

Read John 18:25-27.

What do we see happen to Peter? Can you relate to his doubt and then denial (fear)?

“I can almost hear the Master’s chisel clink and chip and smooth.”

Read John 21:15-17.

What happens to Peter now?

Read Acts 2:14, 40-41.

Listen to Peter now.

Does Peter’s story give you hope? I hope so :) As Lysa writes, “God is chiseling us, making us new, releasing us from our hard places—those places that make us feel so stinkin’ defeated, so we can do good works.”

Do you feel like you are being chiseled a bit right now? Maybe being prepared for good works?



5. Write our memory verse for Chapter 3 in your notebook or on some notecards to post around the house or car. (the dash board is a great place for Scripture!)

Ephesians 2:10~ “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” NIV 1984

What does this verse mean to you?



6. Was there a label you listed for yourself from question #1? In the section of Chapter 3 titled “Call it Grace” (p.40-41 in the book), Lysa did 3 things to untangle the root of what was making her feel like the label she placed on herself. Apply these 3 things to your label to untangle the root of your feeling.





****I realize this will take you a while (and I was late in posting). Don’t rush through these questions just for the sake of finishing them. Take your time. You have until Friday to complete them. Then on Friday, your assignment will be to read Chapter 4 and take notes about What Kind of Unglued Am I?