Glory
Girls Reading Group Questions
Cover Girls by T.D. Jakes
-
Have
you ever known a woman like Michelle, who made clear "no
one was going to control her or ever hurt her again"?
Have you felt like Michelle yourself? What kinds of defense
mechanisms do emotionally scarred women create?
- Michelle's earthly
"savior" is Miz Ida. Do you know someone who is "full
of God in the world"? Ho can you tell this about her or him?
- Has anger been a powerful force
in your life? How did/do you handle it? How would you answer the question
Miz Ida asked Michelle: "Do you want anger to be the end of your
story?" Why?
- Do you think "holy people"
like Tonya are "out to make...life so miserable"? How do they
do or not do this? How do you try to avoid doing this yourself?
- Are you waiting, like Tonya, "for
[your] change to come, waiting for [your] time to shine"? What
are you hoping for? Have you waited so long that maybe you've given
up? Can you feel a flicker of faith for a "brighter day"?
- How did you respond to the "bun
is dead" song? Did it cause you to reflect onn ways your own appearance
has become outdated and stale? Will you do something about it? What
might happen if you do?
- Delores Judson used professionalism
to shield her from real emotions--and real friends. What harm did this
do to her? To those around her?
- If you had to face Delores's nightmare--someone
in your family suffered an unwanted pregnancy caused by circumstances
out of her control--how would you handle it? Would you believe the victum,
even if what she said scared and angered you?
- How might Delores have convinced
Carl to stay? Would you have tried, or do you agree with Delores's assertion
that Claudia's pregnancy was not their responsibility?
- Delores is a complex character.
She can't seem to love and respect her husband, but she offers unconditional
love to her wayward son. Have you ever sacrificed one relationship for
another? Was it worth it?
- Michelle admits, "I've always
been somebody's hurt. I've never been anybody's help before." How
do you feel when you help someone? Honestly, which do you do most: hurt
or help?
- Miz Ida underscores the fact that
age has no effect on a person's spiritual power or influence. No matter
how old you are, do you believe you cannot outlive your usefulness?
What do you think of women like Miz Ida?
- Do you agree with Michelle's conviction
that "women deciding which man they want by what kind of car he
drives rather than looking at how big his heart is are just missing
the boat"? How much should a man's financial success play into
a woman's decision to date/marry him? Why?
- When you've finished the book,
do you have hope for Delores--that she will ever find peace in the Lord,
reconnect with her husband and granddaughter, tear down her walls?
- Are you, in any way, a "cover
girl": a woman "who want[s] to conceal what God wants to heal"?
Whose example in the book can you follow to begin changing this about
yourself?

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