Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry – but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Ephesians 4:26-27 The Message

Chapter 1

1. Emma says she’s looking for a thrill or trying to get attention. Do you ever feel something is lacking in your life? What do you do to try to fill that void?
2. Read Romans 15:13 
3. Habakkuk 3:18 
4. How does God say we’re supposed to fill ourselves up, and where we are supposed to find excitement, joy and acceptance?

Chapter 2

1. Emma struggles with how she should handle the fight she thinks her Mom and Dad had. Have you ever heard your parents fight? How did it make you feel?
2. Read Romans 5:3-5 
3. Psalm 55:22 
4. Who can you always go to with problems? How will He make you feel?

Chapters 3-4

1. There is something that really excites Emma and changes the way she approaches almost everything. What is that?
2. What is the thing that puts a spring in your step? The thing that helps you escape your problems or stresses and brings you great joy?
3. Read 2 Timothy 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 12:7-8 and Romans 12:6-8 and Ephesians 1:11-12 
4. What is your special gift?
5. According to these passages, how does God want you to use your special gift?

Chapter 5

1. How does Emma’s dad make her feel? Has anyone ever made you feel guilty or uneasy when you haven’t been at fault?
2. Read 1 Peter 3:9 and Romans 12:21 
3. What does the Bible say about handling people who aren’t acting kindly?

Chapters 6-8

1. In these chapters Emma is finding out about and reacting to the disruptive news of her parents’ divorce. Have you ever felt like your world has been turned upside down? If so, when?
2. Read Psalm 34:4 and Psalm 46:1-3 and Philippians 4:19 
3. According to the above passages, where can you go if your world is crashing down?
4. How will God take care of you?

Chapter 9-10

1. In this chapter we meet Natalie. She is not Emma’s favorite person, partly because of her personality, but partly because Emma is jealous of Natalie’s singing talent. There will always be people we meet who get under our skin. Is there anyone who drives you crazy? Keep their name to yourself, but imagine them in your head.
2. Read James 3:16 and Galatians 5:26 
3. After reading these passages, how should you deal with your feelings about the person you imagined in #1?
4. How would you counsel a friend to handle someone who drove them as crazy as Natalie drives Emma?

Chapters 11-12

1. Emma asks God how He could let her dad cheat on her mom. Sometimes life deals us some pretty crummy cards.
2. Read 1 Corinthians 1:9 and 1 Peter 4:19 and James 1:2 
3. How do you think God wants us to handle the tough times?

Chapter 13

1. How does Emma feel when she gets the part?
2. Read Philippians 4:13 
3. When was the last time God did something great for you (it could be something as minor as getting a great parking spot on a rainy day or something huge like making a team or getting a job)? Did you acknowledge the greatness was because of Him? If not, take a minute now to thank God for something great he has done or is doing in your life.

Chapter 14

1. Emma feels like she should pray, but that she doesn’t have time to pray in the midst of all the craziness swirling around her. Have you ever felt too busy to pray? If so, describe that time.
2. Read Romans 8:26 and Thessalonians 5:16-18 and Romans 12:12 and Philippians 4:6 
3. What does the Bible say about finding time to pray?

Chapter 15

1. Melissa goes out on a limb by offering that she would pray with Emma. Melissa is usually timid and Emma is clearly in a snit. Describe a time you felt you should pray with someone, but were intimidated.
2. Read: Romans 1:12 and Acts 1:8 and Acts 4:10 and Matthew 18:20 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11
3. How do you think Melissa found the strength to offer prayer?
4. The next time you feel God nudging you to pray with someone how will you act?

Chapters 16-18

1. Emma’s attention is grabbed by the Third Day song “My Hope is in You”. What does the word “hope” mean to you?
2. Read 1 Corinthians 13:13 and Hebrews 11:1 and Philippians 3:14 
3. God sees that hope in your heart. What are you truly hoping for right now? Can you share it?

Chapter 19

1. Emma is scared to eat dinner with her dad, angry at him for all he’s done, confused about how she feels towards her mom, lonely and sad about how all of this makes her feel. Is it okay to get upset?
2. Read Psalm 55:5 and Job 3:24 
3. King David and Job were both in anguish. Read on to see how they handled it in Psalm 44:16 and Job 1:22 
4. Read: 2 Corinthians 12:9 and Romans 8:31 
5. How does God tell us we can handle our grief in the above passages?

Chapter 20-21

1. Emma feels defeated and abandoned. Money’s tight. No one seems to notice her exciting role in Les Mis, even though it means everything to her. She challenges God’s grand plan when things continue to go downhill.
2. John 16:33 and 2 Corinthians 12:10 and 2 Corinthians 4: 8-9 
3. How are we instructed to handle God’s plans when everywhere we look appears bleak?

Chapter 22-23

1. Things have been really tense in the McMonaghan household. Laughter, started with a silly comment from a five-year old, breaks the tension. Can you name a time when things were stressful and something funny totally changed your mood?
2. Romans 12:15 and Job 8:21 
3. What does God have to say about laughter?
4. How can you bring more laughter into your life?

Chapter 24-25

1.  Emma hears God telling her, “I don’t care what you’ve done. We’re going to start right here, right now. I will give you the gifts to help you get to the next place—not silver, but what you need, and I will trust you to do what’s right. Don’t worry; you’ll make some mistakes. But I’ll help you get back up when you fall. All I ask in return is that you love Me.”
2. Insert yourself into this conversation and listen to God telling you these same words. Do you believe Him? Do you believe that He will completely forgive you?
3. Read Colossians 1:21-23 and Ephesians 2:4-5 
4. Do you believe He’ll give you what you need?
5. Read: 2 Thessalonians 1:2 and Jeremiah 30:22 and Romans 10:11 
6. Do you believe that all He asks in return is for you to love Him?
7. Read: Matthew 6:33 and 1 John 4:16 and Romans 10:9 
8. After reading these passages name somewhere in your life you need God to take care of you. Turn it over to Him.

Chapter 26

1. Emma blows her rehearsal, gets home late, has dishes to do, but none of it bothers her tonight, despite how usually high strung she can be. What kinds of things drive you crazy?
2. Did you know that no matter how insane life can get, God can calm you down and give you the same kind of peace He gave Emma?
3. Read Romans 8:37-39 
4. What are the empty spaces in your life you cannot fill by yourself?
5. Read Psalm 121: and Ephesians 3:18-19 
6. Take a minute now to pray to God that He will fill in all the crevices in your life, and that you will allow Him to.