Thanksgiving is here upon us. It forces us to stop and reflect. This year it's hitting me a little harder. In a good kind of way. I have found that I am going one step beyond thankfulness - I'm moving on to contentment. It's taken a long time, a lot of miles and heartache. There have been lots of twists and turns, bumps and bruises along the way. Life doesn't look quite like I expected it would. Yet, by the grace of God, I find that as I sit here tonight, I am content.
Let me see if I can explain this briefly. In my junior year of college I decided that my destiny was to become a Social Studies teacher. I didn't pray about this decision. I just loved high school. Numerous teachers had such a significant impact on me, that I knew I wanted to go back to my high school and do the same thing. I eventually did just that - became a teacher and landed back at my alma mater - Brunswick High School (via Bainbridge High School where, even though I was only there a short time, I have very fond memories of my friends and students there).
In 2000-2003 my life took another series of twists and again by the grace of God I landed right smack in the middle of a incredible group of mentors and MotherWise Ministries. I quit teaching for a brief few years and stayed home with my two children, and worked from home for MotherWise. And I LOVED it. I loved being mentored by these godly women, ministering to other women, and doing whatever they asked me to do - editing, writing, speaking, or organizing. I have never felt so purposeful and like what I was doing had so much meaning.
Then came a bump in the road and I had to go back to teaching and MotherWise really didn't need me anymore. That was HARD. Excruciating. Devastating. A real pruning the vine kinda event. It took me years to get over it - like close to a decade. But this time, when life finally settled down and the fog lifted, I realized something. I am EXACTLY where I am supposed to be. I always loved teaching, and people have no idea how much fun teenagers can really be (and yes I even have a teenager of my own.) But this time, it's different. I see my purpose differently. I have become more than just an economics teacher to many kids. I have become mother figure to many - and they have become like children to me.
I can't explain it, and I certainly can't conjure it up. It just is what it is. I love to watch them mature throughout their senior year, and go on to become contributing citizens of society. I love when they show up in my classroom to share their college and military stories. I love to watch the ones who play college sports. My heart swells when I see some of my former students becoming teachers with their own classrooms. I love to see them get married and see pictures of their children. I really love to hear "I miss school, I wish I was still here" because they swore they couldn't wait to graduate! Education is not perfect, and some days it's just down right hard and discouraging. But if it's your calling you stay because it's not about you, it's about the kids.
Some of my colleagues will read this and think I'm nuts, and then many more will get it because they feel the exact same way. A few years ago a senior class nicknamed me "Mama G" and it's stuck and been passed down the line to the current class. I have decided that I'm content with it. I used to be the young, cool, hip teacher, but now with a 16 year old and a 12 year old of my own, not to mention I am now teaching the children of my former students, " school mom" is pretty accurate. From MotherWise to Mama G has been quite the transition back. I have come full circle back where I started at my alma mater not once, but twice, with a very different purpose attempting to influence kids in the most positive ways possible with so much of what I learned during those MotherWise years, and I find myself very content. Happy Thanksgiving, and may you be content where you are.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
No Smell of Fire on Them
By now, many of you probably know that my parents' house was hit by lightning and caught fire a couple of weeks ago. It has been a traumatic and devastating event for my family. There are no words to describe such a sudden and unexpected loss. Certainly, it could not compare with losing a loved one, but to find yourself suddenly displaced with almost none of your belongings or clothes, is a life-altering circumstance.
Thank God my parents were home when it happened, for certainly if it the lightning had hit either when they were asleep in the night, or not home, the house and all of their belongings would have been totally destroyed. As it stands, the fire was put out quickly thanks to my mom's quick thinking and the immediate response by the fire department. (Blessings to those men who worked tirelessly in the rain and lightning to stop it.) But, the damage by the smoke from the fire and the water is extensive.
Immediately after the fire was put out, we attempted to retrieve some items, some of which were in the attic. I cannot even describe to you how bad the smoke was. My eyes immediately started stinging and pouring water from the heaviness of the smoke. Every item in the house reeked of smoke - clothes, furniture, papers and pictures. It all STUNK. Looking around I became overwhelmed very quickly with the task of figuring out the best plan of action. I knew I was in over my head and I made two fast calls to friends from church: "I need help" was all that I said.
Within less than an hour, more than 50 people - men, women, youth, kids, from my church showed up to help. And they showed up with coolers, boxes, trucks, and trailers. These selfless people worked in the heat and the stench to completely pack and empty my parents' house of 25 years within about 2-3 hours! They packed an entire house that fast! It's one thing to plan on moving and packing when you have some notice, you acquire boxes and packing materials, and you know WHERE to which you are moving. This was not the case at all. When I was close to a breakdown moment, one friend suggested a storage building was needed. And he took care of it.
Another friend made sure everyone, workers and my family, was fed dinner. Many other people showed up with water and Gatorade. Another brought clean pajamas and necessities for my parents to have to sleep in that night. Some packed, some lifted, and some organized. People came, they served, and they met needs.
I hate that everything revolved around loss and stress, but my parents and I have never been so blessed to witness the body of Christ at work. The response was overwhelming. From food and material items, to physical work, gift cards, and rebuilding help, the love of Christ was poured out like an expensive perfume from an alabaster jar on my family. It reminds me of the story of Daniel and his friends in the fiery furnace. They stood the test of their faith, and when Nebuchadnezzar released them from the fire, Daniel 3:27 says,"...no smell of fire had come upon them."
That was First Baptist Church, Brunswick. We are not perfect because we are a body made up of human beings, but on August 10, 2014, as bad as the house they were working in and the belongings that they were packing smelled like smoke, there was no smell of fire to be found on those who served out of love. Instead, their service was much more like a fragrant offering drifting up to the Lord above.
With much gratitude and love,
Pam
Thank God my parents were home when it happened, for certainly if it the lightning had hit either when they were asleep in the night, or not home, the house and all of their belongings would have been totally destroyed. As it stands, the fire was put out quickly thanks to my mom's quick thinking and the immediate response by the fire department. (Blessings to those men who worked tirelessly in the rain and lightning to stop it.) But, the damage by the smoke from the fire and the water is extensive.
Immediately after the fire was put out, we attempted to retrieve some items, some of which were in the attic. I cannot even describe to you how bad the smoke was. My eyes immediately started stinging and pouring water from the heaviness of the smoke. Every item in the house reeked of smoke - clothes, furniture, papers and pictures. It all STUNK. Looking around I became overwhelmed very quickly with the task of figuring out the best plan of action. I knew I was in over my head and I made two fast calls to friends from church: "I need help" was all that I said.
Within less than an hour, more than 50 people - men, women, youth, kids, from my church showed up to help. And they showed up with coolers, boxes, trucks, and trailers. These selfless people worked in the heat and the stench to completely pack and empty my parents' house of 25 years within about 2-3 hours! They packed an entire house that fast! It's one thing to plan on moving and packing when you have some notice, you acquire boxes and packing materials, and you know WHERE to which you are moving. This was not the case at all. When I was close to a breakdown moment, one friend suggested a storage building was needed. And he took care of it.
Another friend made sure everyone, workers and my family, was fed dinner. Many other people showed up with water and Gatorade. Another brought clean pajamas and necessities for my parents to have to sleep in that night. Some packed, some lifted, and some organized. People came, they served, and they met needs.
I hate that everything revolved around loss and stress, but my parents and I have never been so blessed to witness the body of Christ at work. The response was overwhelming. From food and material items, to physical work, gift cards, and rebuilding help, the love of Christ was poured out like an expensive perfume from an alabaster jar on my family. It reminds me of the story of Daniel and his friends in the fiery furnace. They stood the test of their faith, and when Nebuchadnezzar released them from the fire, Daniel 3:27 says,"...no smell of fire had come upon them."
That was First Baptist Church, Brunswick. We are not perfect because we are a body made up of human beings, but on August 10, 2014, as bad as the house they were working in and the belongings that they were packing smelled like smoke, there was no smell of fire to be found on those who served out of love. Instead, their service was much more like a fragrant offering drifting up to the Lord above.
With much gratitude and love,
Pam
Thursday, July 31, 2014
God's Math Doesn't Make Cents
This past weekend my kids and I trekked north to Atlanta to attend and serve at the Blood:Water Mission table at the Jars of Clay benefit concert. Kendall was in the car before I could say go because Family Force Five was also playing at the concert. Colby is always up for an adventure, so he was a willing participate as well. I knew we would have a great weekend, but a couple of other events took place as well that I did not anticipate.
Colby and I had worked a BWM table before, but with this event being a "benefit" solely for BWM, it was a bit different. We got the opportunity to meet some really special and selfless people. Michael, Jena, and Jake from the BWM staff were amazing in their focus on not just the purpose of the evening, but on the people present. I found them all to be very genuine and passionate about making a difference. With ten + years on all of them, my heart is encouraged that the upcoming generations are taking their callings very seriously, and this world is seeing positive changes that people need to hear about because of their faithfulness to serve.
I also got to spend some time with the other volunteers: Jason, April, and Erik. Jason and I actually lived in the same town at one point and have many mutual friends. He and his wife April are huge supporters of Jars and BWM. Erik was a volunteer that has done bicycle rides across the U.S. promoting BWM and garnering support. He shared some unbelievable stories of what he has witnessed God doing through BWM.
And then the people attending the concert...So many who had never heard of BWM, so many who were stirred to give, some who want to go to Africa to serve, some who were beyond generous. The crowd was small, much smaller than I expected. But once again, I was reminded that God doesn't need numbers. He just uses the faithful. Person after person generously opened their hearts and their gifts grew - gender, age, race - it didn't matter, they just gave. Early on during the event as Jenna was praying, I prayed silently for God to move on people's hearts to give and to multiply whatever was given abundantly. I have had prayers answered before, but this one unfolded before my eyes. When God moves on a person's heart, and they respond in obedience, it's a powerful confirmation of faith.
If you are not connected into a place of giving or service outside your local church, BWM is a great place to begin. Providing clean water to Africans in dire need is simply humanitarian. It's a basic expression of love. How many water bottles do we go through in a day without a thought? Can you imagine not having bathroom facilities in 2014? This is a reality for many in Africa. For $1 you can provide an African with clean water for a year! As BWM partners with grassroots organizations already working in Africa, efforts are strengthened. My ladies' class has adopted this as our class ministry for the next year. Since March we have been able to provide 200 Africans with clean water for a year - just by giving a few dollars each week as a group and for some this is sacrificial giving.
BWM has a informative website and blog with amazing updates and stories of the people serving and also of the people receiving.
You don't have to change the entire world - just be faithful to serve and give where called - and allow God to do the math and multiply your gifts.
Colby and I had worked a BWM table before, but with this event being a "benefit" solely for BWM, it was a bit different. We got the opportunity to meet some really special and selfless people. Michael, Jena, and Jake from the BWM staff were amazing in their focus on not just the purpose of the evening, but on the people present. I found them all to be very genuine and passionate about making a difference. With ten + years on all of them, my heart is encouraged that the upcoming generations are taking their callings very seriously, and this world is seeing positive changes that people need to hear about because of their faithfulness to serve.
I also got to spend some time with the other volunteers: Jason, April, and Erik. Jason and I actually lived in the same town at one point and have many mutual friends. He and his wife April are huge supporters of Jars and BWM. Erik was a volunteer that has done bicycle rides across the U.S. promoting BWM and garnering support. He shared some unbelievable stories of what he has witnessed God doing through BWM.
And then the people attending the concert...So many who had never heard of BWM, so many who were stirred to give, some who want to go to Africa to serve, some who were beyond generous. The crowd was small, much smaller than I expected. But once again, I was reminded that God doesn't need numbers. He just uses the faithful. Person after person generously opened their hearts and their gifts grew - gender, age, race - it didn't matter, they just gave. Early on during the event as Jenna was praying, I prayed silently for God to move on people's hearts to give and to multiply whatever was given abundantly. I have had prayers answered before, but this one unfolded before my eyes. When God moves on a person's heart, and they respond in obedience, it's a powerful confirmation of faith.
If you are not connected into a place of giving or service outside your local church, BWM is a great place to begin. Providing clean water to Africans in dire need is simply humanitarian. It's a basic expression of love. How many water bottles do we go through in a day without a thought? Can you imagine not having bathroom facilities in 2014? This is a reality for many in Africa. For $1 you can provide an African with clean water for a year! As BWM partners with grassroots organizations already working in Africa, efforts are strengthened. My ladies' class has adopted this as our class ministry for the next year. Since March we have been able to provide 200 Africans with clean water for a year - just by giving a few dollars each week as a group and for some this is sacrificial giving.
BWM has a informative website and blog with amazing updates and stories of the people serving and also of the people receiving.
You don't have to change the entire world - just be faithful to serve and give where called - and allow God to do the math and multiply your gifts.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Feel Like You are Going in Circles?
Today while in line at McDonald's (don't judge me you people who eat healthy! I was getting soft ice cream for the tonsillectomy victim/patient!) Colby pointed out a bird to me that was circling in the sky high above. Circle after circle endlessly. Other birds were swooping (I think that's a word?) around in various directions and landing, but this one bird kept going around and around.
I too, have felt like that bird must feel. Like I'm in an endless, unproductive cycle. I have sensed the past few days the Lord speaking to me, reminding me of a grudge that needs forgiveness, (probably something that was a misunderstanding, but I held onto it regardless) reminding me that I cannot live in the past and continue moving ahead - no matter how good some of the old days were, nor can I continue to relive the bad days.
We can all get caught up in our own types of circling - the way we spend our time, the way we spend our money, the way we relate to others, our attitudes, or habits.
If I am going to be an effective mother, social studies teacher, Bible teacher, and follower of Christ, then it's time to stop circling. Psalm 23:3 says, "He renews my life, He leads me along the right paths for His name sake." Somewhere I forgot to follow the right path and started circling aimlessly without intentional focus. I planned for this to be an intentional year, but somewhere in the craziness of life I got lost circling not doing anything terribly wrong, but yet I have been wasting time and resources, missing needs and opportunities to share the Hope I carry.
But it's time to stop. It's safe to land and follow The Path. Anyone else need to come in for a landing with me?
I too, have felt like that bird must feel. Like I'm in an endless, unproductive cycle. I have sensed the past few days the Lord speaking to me, reminding me of a grudge that needs forgiveness, (probably something that was a misunderstanding, but I held onto it regardless) reminding me that I cannot live in the past and continue moving ahead - no matter how good some of the old days were, nor can I continue to relive the bad days.
We can all get caught up in our own types of circling - the way we spend our time, the way we spend our money, the way we relate to others, our attitudes, or habits.
If I am going to be an effective mother, social studies teacher, Bible teacher, and follower of Christ, then it's time to stop circling. Psalm 23:3 says, "He renews my life, He leads me along the right paths for His name sake." Somewhere I forgot to follow the right path and started circling aimlessly without intentional focus. I planned for this to be an intentional year, but somewhere in the craziness of life I got lost circling not doing anything terribly wrong, but yet I have been wasting time and resources, missing needs and opportunities to share the Hope I carry.
But it's time to stop. It's safe to land and follow The Path. Anyone else need to come in for a landing with me?
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Battered, Broken, and Pitted - What does Jesus have to do with Jewelry?
Once upon a time a young lady (ok a 40ish aged lady) had a pair of silver cross earrings that held great sentimental value to her. They were not valuable from a monetary viewpoint, but she loved them nonetheless. After several years of wear and tear, one of the clasps began to loosen and did not close as securely as it once had. As a result it would often drop off her ear unnoticed.
The woman would always find the earring caught in her wavy hair, or perhaps somewhere on the floor. One day she even found the earring in the kitchen sink after it had gone missing for several days! But then, just what she was afraid of actually happened! It was gone once again and to her dismay, it was no where to be found. She looked everywhere she could possibly imagine - all the places she had found it before, in her car, and she even called every place she had been that day to see if it had been found and returned.
Nothing. No silver cross earring. Devastated at the loss, there was nothing she could do. Day after day went by and it never turned up. The woman took the remaining earring and tucked it away safely in a secure spot. Convinced the lost earring would never be found, she could not change the circumstances.
Then months went by and the unimaginable happened! Leaving for work one morning, she stopped the car on the driveway to pick up the morning paper. Leaning out the opened car door, as she reached down to pick up the newspaper, the lost silver earring lay next to it right there on the driveway!
In disbelief the woman quickly scooped it with joy! Her earring had shown up! From a distance it looked very much the same, but when she picked it up she felt the roughness, the pitts formed in the silver from being exposed to the elements. The clasp looked even worse than when she lost it. But she didn't care! It was back in her safekeeping!
Funny thing, she loved the earring even more in its worn state. In fact, it reminded her a bit of herself - battered by the elements of life's weather, broken from lying in the path of traffic on the driveway. Somehow, someway the earring found it's way home. And she loved it even more in its state of disrepair. She took the earring and gently polished and cleaned it. She had its brokenness repaired so that it could function properly again the way the silversmith intended for it to function. She loved the survival spirit of the silver cross.
The story of the cross earring reminded the woman oh so much of the love of Jesus. When we are battered, pitted, and left feeling rough by the elements of this world, if we just return to Jesus, He every so gently lifts us, polishes us, and fixes our brokenness. The ultimate Silversmith makes our wornness new, and don't you know, He is overjoyed at our return, just like the woman delighted in finding her lost earring. If you feel like the lost silver cross earring - broken, worn, pitted, lost, or alone, Jesus is standing with open arms! He took care of His own cross - and at the very same time He also took care of yours!
The woman would always find the earring caught in her wavy hair, or perhaps somewhere on the floor. One day she even found the earring in the kitchen sink after it had gone missing for several days! But then, just what she was afraid of actually happened! It was gone once again and to her dismay, it was no where to be found. She looked everywhere she could possibly imagine - all the places she had found it before, in her car, and she even called every place she had been that day to see if it had been found and returned.
Nothing. No silver cross earring. Devastated at the loss, there was nothing she could do. Day after day went by and it never turned up. The woman took the remaining earring and tucked it away safely in a secure spot. Convinced the lost earring would never be found, she could not change the circumstances.
Then months went by and the unimaginable happened! Leaving for work one morning, she stopped the car on the driveway to pick up the morning paper. Leaning out the opened car door, as she reached down to pick up the newspaper, the lost silver earring lay next to it right there on the driveway!
In disbelief the woman quickly scooped it with joy! Her earring had shown up! From a distance it looked very much the same, but when she picked it up she felt the roughness, the pitts formed in the silver from being exposed to the elements. The clasp looked even worse than when she lost it. But she didn't care! It was back in her safekeeping!
Funny thing, she loved the earring even more in its worn state. In fact, it reminded her a bit of herself - battered by the elements of life's weather, broken from lying in the path of traffic on the driveway. Somehow, someway the earring found it's way home. And she loved it even more in its state of disrepair. She took the earring and gently polished and cleaned it. She had its brokenness repaired so that it could function properly again the way the silversmith intended for it to function. She loved the survival spirit of the silver cross.
The story of the cross earring reminded the woman oh so much of the love of Jesus. When we are battered, pitted, and left feeling rough by the elements of this world, if we just return to Jesus, He every so gently lifts us, polishes us, and fixes our brokenness. The ultimate Silversmith makes our wornness new, and don't you know, He is overjoyed at our return, just like the woman delighted in finding her lost earring. If you feel like the lost silver cross earring - broken, worn, pitted, lost, or alone, Jesus is standing with open arms! He took care of His own cross - and at the very same time He also took care of yours!
Monday, January 20, 2014
Why Did the Cat Cross the Road?
This morning as I was having my 3rd cup of coffee, reading the Bible, and seeking the Lord about several things, something outside my window to my front yard caught my eye. I got up to see if it really was what I feared: my cat darting across the road in front of my house to chase who knows what - squirrel, possum, bird, anything that moves will entice her. The thought of her running across the road - and now the knowledge that she actually does it - terrifies me! What she chases doesn't terrify me - evidently she can hold her own even against possums (I like to think she gets that from me). But the speed at which cars and trucks fly down our residential road is just an accident waiting to happen - whether it's a kid on a bike, an elderly person walking their dog, or my crazy cat, Callie.
Then the Lord showed me that often we are no different than Callie. Callie is a yard cat and her boundary is supposed to be the yard. But I have no real way of keeping her confined in the yard, so she roams. We all have spiritual boundaries that the Lord allows us to roam and cross when we are as determined as Callie to chase something that we really have no business chasing. Some boundaries are very well defined - we know we are not supposed to kill, steal, lie, slander, gossip, covet etc. The Lord set those boundaries for very obvious reasons - the consequences are devastating to all involved.
But what about an area in which the boundary is not as nearly as clear? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, "Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful." Callie can cross the road all she wants and I can't stop her, but it very well could literally be the death of her one day I fear. God gives us much leeway in many things in our lives that we have to individually seek Him about whether it is appropriate in our life. My boundaries may look different than your boundaries, and probably do because there are many areas of my life that God has called me to delete some items from life.
Secular music and alcohol are two areas where I received very clear boundaries that these were off limits for me. Not necessarily because the Bible lists them as sins, but because of the consequences that these two items could have in my life. Music will typically bring strong memories associated with it that has a big impact on me that is not always positive. I cannot camp out there. Alcohol is one of those very gray areas and I don't want my "right" to consume alcohol ever have a negative effect on anyone seeking Christ in any manner. Some ladies from my Sunday school class even acknowledged once that if they ever saw me drinking, they would be shocked. If I'm going to shock someone, I hope it's in a positive way, not a negative one.
Callie really doesn't know not to run across the street, but it could be deadly for her. We know the things that are deadly for us, yet we still often flirt with how close we can get to the boundaries and sometimes ultimately cross it. Prayer requests crossing over as gossip. Small amounts of time on social media slipping into hours wasted. Missing a week or two of church/small groups turning into months. A little shopping turning into retail marathons. Small white lies leading into cover up after cover up. Innocent friendships sliding into inappropriate relationships. You get the idea. And the consequences to any of those crossing the boundary examples can be deadly - deadly financially, relationally, and spiritually.
So as a steadfast believer chasing hard after Christ, map out your boundaries, build strong walls of protection, and THINK before you cross the road.
Then the Lord showed me that often we are no different than Callie. Callie is a yard cat and her boundary is supposed to be the yard. But I have no real way of keeping her confined in the yard, so she roams. We all have spiritual boundaries that the Lord allows us to roam and cross when we are as determined as Callie to chase something that we really have no business chasing. Some boundaries are very well defined - we know we are not supposed to kill, steal, lie, slander, gossip, covet etc. The Lord set those boundaries for very obvious reasons - the consequences are devastating to all involved.
But what about an area in which the boundary is not as nearly as clear? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, "Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful." Callie can cross the road all she wants and I can't stop her, but it very well could literally be the death of her one day I fear. God gives us much leeway in many things in our lives that we have to individually seek Him about whether it is appropriate in our life. My boundaries may look different than your boundaries, and probably do because there are many areas of my life that God has called me to delete some items from life.
Secular music and alcohol are two areas where I received very clear boundaries that these were off limits for me. Not necessarily because the Bible lists them as sins, but because of the consequences that these two items could have in my life. Music will typically bring strong memories associated with it that has a big impact on me that is not always positive. I cannot camp out there. Alcohol is one of those very gray areas and I don't want my "right" to consume alcohol ever have a negative effect on anyone seeking Christ in any manner. Some ladies from my Sunday school class even acknowledged once that if they ever saw me drinking, they would be shocked. If I'm going to shock someone, I hope it's in a positive way, not a negative one.
Callie really doesn't know not to run across the street, but it could be deadly for her. We know the things that are deadly for us, yet we still often flirt with how close we can get to the boundaries and sometimes ultimately cross it. Prayer requests crossing over as gossip. Small amounts of time on social media slipping into hours wasted. Missing a week or two of church/small groups turning into months. A little shopping turning into retail marathons. Small white lies leading into cover up after cover up. Innocent friendships sliding into inappropriate relationships. You get the idea. And the consequences to any of those crossing the boundary examples can be deadly - deadly financially, relationally, and spiritually.
So as a steadfast believer chasing hard after Christ, map out your boundaries, build strong walls of protection, and THINK before you cross the road.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Under the Influence
Have you ever stopped to consider the people that influence your life? Or on the flip side, the people you influence? Every year I ask the Lord to give me a theme for the year, and I don't have my verse yet (but it's only the 28th) but the word INFLUENCE keeps permeating my thoughts. So, I began thinking about the people that have influenced me. I quickly divided the people into two groups: 1)people that I know and love dearly 2)people that either I have never met, or only know from a distance, yet they exert great influence on my thinking and behavior.
If I wrote about those of you that I know that have influenced me, you would quit reading because it would be so long and of course it would include many of you reading! So, I thought it would be fun to share mine, and see who your influences are that you haven't met! That means this blog is interactive so be thinking about your top influencers that you have NOT met! Here we go in no particular order:
1. Jars of Clay
If you know me well, this is no surprise, but over the last ten years, they have influenced me through music more than any other group. I have had the pleasure of meeting the guys from Jars a few times and I will tell you the day they followed me on Twitter, I did fangirl and screenshot it. But other than the few conversations I have had with the guys, and a batch of yummy vegan cookies from them, most of what I know about them comes from their concerts, their writings and the Twitter feed. This photo is really old (2006) and they have matured very gracefully, and most have much shorter hair, but I'm ten pounds lighter in this pic than the most current one, so I'm acting like it's ThrowBack Thursday even though it's Saturday.
One of my favorite Jars songs is Jealous Kind from almost ten years ago. The lyrics haunt me today still:
One hundred other lovers, more, one hundred other altars
If I should slow my pace and finally subject me to grace
And love that shames the wise, betrays the heart's deceit and lies
And breaks the back of foolish pride
Who can write like that I ask you? Pierces me every time I hear it (ok sing it) when I think of the love Jesus has for me!
Another aspect of Jars I really respect is their desire and action to serve so many unfortunate and impoverished. If you are not familiar with BloodWater: Mission you should check it out! Great ways to give and serve the least of these.
2. Dave Ramsey
I fell in love with Dave during the first class I took from Financial Peace University! I have never met Dave personally, but I feel like I know him from the class, reading his blog, and following him on Twitter. His influence on my thinking about money and my resulting behavior, is nothing short of astronomical. Life-changing I tell you. I use Dave's principles (based on all Biblical principles) about money in my Economics classes daily. I try my best to teach my students all about wise money management and how to THINK and ACT differently about money, saving, spending, and blessing others. They may not remember monetary policy when they leave my class, but they won't forget Dave! A couple of my kids have even tweeted him and got him to retweet them! Yeah, they got some extra credit!
3. Beth Moore
I have lost count of how many of Beth's Bible studies I have done and/or led a group through. But they ALL influenced me in some way, and God used each one of them to teach me something unique. I have met Beth a couple of times in passing and in the pictures above she was signing a book to my firstborn, Kendall, after she taught a Bible study. This is a sweet book about a young daughter of the King of a land and of his unconditional love for his disobedient princess daughter. It's a beautiful picture of Christ and His love for us and gives great hope to all of us princesses! Beth's study "The Patriarchs" probably influenced me more than any other in two ways. One, it gave me a great appreciation and love for the Jewish people and their rich heritage. Second, God used it to confirm several promises in my life that changed my life forever.
I have never had a real sit down conversation with Beth, (though I did try to run into her at the airport in Houston, but I ran into a former student instead...stalker? I think not!) but if I did, I would probably have a hard time conveying to her how much influence she has had spiritually in my life even though we have spent no time together personally.
On another note - just as much as we are influenced, we also influence others. May we be very cognizant of that face and careful in how we influence. Wouldn't you love to make someone else's Top Three Positive Influences?
Ok - your turn! I told you this was going to be an interactive blog! Let's keep it positive - list only positive influences in your life! You can comment here on the blog, or on the Facebook page, or on Twitter, but I would love to hear back from your experiences!
If I wrote about those of you that I know that have influenced me, you would quit reading because it would be so long and of course it would include many of you reading! So, I thought it would be fun to share mine, and see who your influences are that you haven't met! That means this blog is interactive so be thinking about your top influencers that you have NOT met! Here we go in no particular order:
1. Jars of Clay
One of my favorite Jars songs is Jealous Kind from almost ten years ago. The lyrics haunt me today still:
One hundred other lovers, more, one hundred other altars
If I should slow my pace and finally subject me to grace
And love that shames the wise, betrays the heart's deceit and lies
And breaks the back of foolish pride
Who can write like that I ask you? Pierces me every time I hear it (ok sing it) when I think of the love Jesus has for me!
Another aspect of Jars I really respect is their desire and action to serve so many unfortunate and impoverished. If you are not familiar with BloodWater: Mission you should check it out! Great ways to give and serve the least of these.
2. Dave Ramsey
3. Beth Moore
I have lost count of how many of Beth's Bible studies I have done and/or led a group through. But they ALL influenced me in some way, and God used each one of them to teach me something unique. I have met Beth a couple of times in passing and in the pictures above she was signing a book to my firstborn, Kendall, after she taught a Bible study. This is a sweet book about a young daughter of the King of a land and of his unconditional love for his disobedient princess daughter. It's a beautiful picture of Christ and His love for us and gives great hope to all of us princesses! Beth's study "The Patriarchs" probably influenced me more than any other in two ways. One, it gave me a great appreciation and love for the Jewish people and their rich heritage. Second, God used it to confirm several promises in my life that changed my life forever.
I have never had a real sit down conversation with Beth, (though I did try to run into her at the airport in Houston, but I ran into a former student instead...stalker? I think not!) but if I did, I would probably have a hard time conveying to her how much influence she has had spiritually in my life even though we have spent no time together personally.
On another note - just as much as we are influenced, we also influence others. May we be very cognizant of that face and careful in how we influence. Wouldn't you love to make someone else's Top Three Positive Influences?
Ok - your turn! I told you this was going to be an interactive blog! Let's keep it positive - list only positive influences in your life! You can comment here on the blog, or on the Facebook page, or on Twitter, but I would love to hear back from your experiences!
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