To the folks who live there, it's "the village," a small Virginia suburb where people do their best to look out for each other, keep their families together, and hold fast to their faith. For Zakia Wilkes, it's the hometown where she unexpectedly finds the success she's always wanted-and the spiritual fulfillment that will threaten it all. For her childhood friend Nikki Riley, it's the place that inspires her to a new life . . . where a younger man and unexpected conflicts will challenge far more than her courage.

For young LaKisha Mitchell, fresh from the neighborhood's toughest streets, it is where she must come to terms with her past and the kind of person she wants to be. Soon each woman's search will test the bonds and loving strength of their village as never before-and bring them God's blessings in ways none of them could have ever imagined . . .

1. Zakia tries to fill this void by coming up with new things to do, such as driving across country or redecorating the house. Is there any area in your life where you feel a void? Do you know what types of things you are using in an attempt to help you feel more fulfilled?
Read: JOHN 4:1–15

1. Jay and Zakia attend Jay’s home church. How can it be that they attend church but still have no personal relationship with the true and living God? Do you know people like this?
Read: JOHN 4:22–24, JAMES 1:22–26

2. Zakia begins to attend another church and even joins without consulting her husband. She takes her children and gets more involved with the “things” of God, such as the choir, alter guild, usher board, et cetera. Have you ever been more involved with the “things” of God than the Word of God? What was the result of Zakia’s behavior?
Read: MARK 3:25, PROVERBS 14:1

3. Zakia alienates her husband, family, and friends with her newfound zeal for God. What does the Bible have to say about our Christian lifestyle and walk? According to the Word of God, what should Zakia have done to win over her husband?
Read: I PETER 3:1–4

4. Sometimes one of the most important things we can do to solve our problems is to recognize our own part in creating them. Can you identify a problem in your life that is partly your creation? If so, what is your responsibility in owning up to and fixing it?
Read: I JOHN 1:9

In Part Two, Nikki, a divorced mother, starts over when she moves herself and her three children from Richmond to Atlanta. While she is sad to leave her extended family, she is at the same time excited and hopeful for a bright future.

5. Has God ever asked you to begin “a new thing” in your life? Describe the emotional pulls you felt to stay where you were comfortable versus going into the unknown. Were you tempted stay? Did you do it on your own or did you need support?
Read: GENESIS 12:1–5

6. We all have things in our pasts that are more difficult than others to get away from. What keeps you looking back in one particular area instead of moving forward?
Read: GENESIS 19:12–17, 26

Children can often adapt to whatever situation in which they are placed. Nikki’s twelve-year-old son, Taj, has already learned to study and imitate his mother.

7. The Bible tells us that children are a heritage of the Lord. The Word clearly tells us to bring them up in the love and admonition of the Lord. Even with the societal problems of today, how can we bring children up according to this scripture? How did Nikki demonstrate her personal relationship with God in front of her children?
Read: PSALM 127: 3, LUKE 1:80, LUKE 2: 46–47, 51–52

8. Children often learn to develop their own relationship with Christ from the examples they see from their parents. How can we emulate the love of God to children around us? Whose responsibility is it to train children?
Read: DEUTERONOMY 6:1–9, DEUTERONOMY 11:18–21

PART THREE / Out Of The Mouths Of Saved Babes In the beginning of Part Three we learn that Grace, Alexis, Jean, and Bea partied and traveled throughout the1960s. We also hear Grace and Jean discuss possible reasons why Grace’s children and grandchildren have turned out the way they have despite the fact that she loves the Lord.

9. What do you think contributed to the choices that Sharia and Karen made in their lives? Which choices may have stemmed from the behavior of their mother? Sharia was promiscuous and did drugs, and Karen was a crack addict. Too often we label people by their degree of dirt. How does God label?
Read: ROMANS 3:23, ROMANS 6:23, MATTHEW 7:1–5

10. Even though we may do things “out of sight” of the children or while they are asleep, the Word says that God is not mocked: whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. How does this apply to rearing children?
Read: EPHESIANS 5:1–10, GALATIANS 6:7–8, JAMES 1:22–25

11. LaKisha believes that her body is the way to get attention. She has been molested by one of her mother’s boyfriends and is already sexually active We are often alarmed by young peoples’ seemingly inappropriate behavior but excuse our own immoral behavior with the rationalization “I am grown!” When parents fail to recognize dangerous behavior in themselves, the children are often the ones who reap the pain. What types of adult behavior that parents think are not normally harmful can actually be destructive to an impressionable child?
Read: II TIMOTHY 2:19–22, GALATIANS 5, ROMANS 8, MATTHEW 18:6

Zachary, Micah, and Eli have grown up together and they supported each other throughout their lives. When they were younger they formed “The Executives,” a brotherhood, which helped to keep them out of trouble and focused on their goals.

12. What does the Word say about friends? In time of crisis, how important is it to have support from loved ones? How important is it for us to have Godly counsel?
Read: PROVERBS 17:17, PROVERBS 18:24, PROVERBS 11:14, PROVERBS 15:22, PROVERBS 24:6, PROVERBS 20:18