9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.1. Jesus Christ, without whom I would be nothing. He modeled for me the way that I want to behave, how to unconditionally love and reach out to all those around me, how to put the Father's will above my own, and how to make the ultimate sacrifices for the ones I love. I owe Him everything!
2. My mother. A stay-at-home mom for the entire time I have known her. :) A prayer warrior who is quick to admit to her own human-ness and quick to support all those around her. Who loves everyone she ever met, and knows no strangers. Someone who has always had a hunger for learning and a talent for crafting and singing. Growing up, I didn't realize how good I had it...now, the ultimate achievement would be to be like her!
3. Betsy. This woman has a hunger and thirst for God and growing that is contagious! She is outgoing, fun-loving, and understands the value of laughter. She is quick to make fun of herself, and to share her flaws and growth and what she is learning/working through with all those around her. Making her all that much more contagious to be around. And she has some of the most interesting things happen to her...the stories she has to tell! She is even a cancer survivor (like 7 times now I think). And she is uber talented! And very encouraging! She makes me want to be more like her!
4. Charles Grosby. He was my Sunday school teacher when I was young, and he sowed some crazy important seeds into my life. He came to my high school graduation and I spent time in his house with our two families. Much of my thoughts on how a man should treat his wife, came from watching this man love and support his wife. And a lot of the Christian foundation that I have is due to the words of this man. Incredible man with a heart for God.
5. Kelly. She is one of our leaders in our community group at church. She is living a life sold-out for God, willing to come alongside anyone and challenge them in their walk. She tells it to you straight, and helps you not get stuck in your junk. She loves unconditionally. She will drop everything to help out a brother/sister in Christ. She has helped me to work through some big things and to keep moving forward. And she has a very personal relationship with Daddy God that is amazing! She is yet another gal that I would love to be compared to!
6. Heather. Have you ever had a friend who will just love on you completely, but call you on things at the same time? This is what I have in her. She knows how much I want to be growing and actively seeking God (because she is doing the same in her own life)...she knows what God has been telling me and asking of me...and she holds me to it. When I wander off the path, she lets me know, and puts her arms around me and points me back to the One I temporarily lost sight of. She would literally give me the shirt off her back (and then laugh at the sight of me in it!). And she challenges me to walk the straight and narrow. Life would not be the same without her in it...God knew that I needed a little extra help staying in line :)
7. My dad. It amazes me to no end that he could live on what little he made every year, and provide for all six of his children and his wife, debt free. And he was always helping others too. His life philosophy has always been to live for God first and foremost, and to give... we heard the comment "you can't out give God, but you sure can have fun trying" a lot growing up. The finances probably didn't "work on paper", but there was always food on the table and clothes on our backs. His example of making it work has influenced so much of my life, and helped to make me strong enough to start over when my life fell apart. And knowing that he is supporting me is huge, too!
8. My older sister. I watched my sister's life fall apart when her husband died...I had already been "watching" her my whole life by then. I saw how she went to Grief Share (support group that she ended up leading later on) and just kept putting one foot in front of the other. I watched her grow and blossom as God healed her. And then, when it was my turn, and my life fell apart, I did the same thing. I went to Divorce Recovery (twice), pulled closer and closer to God, and am able to see myself growing now. I will always be one of my sister's biggest cheerleaders!
9. Laura. She is another single woman, and leader in my community group, that teaches from the heart. My first study with this group was on God's Whispers and it literally changed my life. She taught us (and shared her own experiences) that God wants to talk to us on a daily basis. While I have known God for a long time, this had never crossed my mind. It was eye-opening and part of me wishes I had learned this years before. I have been journaling to God on one side, and letting Him journal back to me on the other, in my daily quiet times ever since this lesson. I am so thankful for the way that Laura lets God speak through her, and for the time that she spends in preparation for our Sunday classes.
10. John. Here is another of my best friends. And he will tell you that there isn't anything influential about him, that its no big deal, that he isn't doing anything special. But I beg to differ. This man is one of the most laid back, go with the flow guys I have ever met. It is hard to ruffle his feathers. He is always helping those around him, even if it is incredibly inconvenient and he never asks for a thing in return. He is quick to be thankful and appreciative when others do anything for him. He is human, just like the rest of us, don't get me wrong, but he has helped me to practice boundaries, given me a safe guy to be around, as well as a sounding board when I needed one, and has invested time into my girls that is priceless. Being around him has rubbed off on me, and I am much more able to go with the flow, without getting upset or bent out of shape. He won't ever know it, but God has used him in my life a lot!
Sorry, but I have to add an 11th...
11. Wandamom. This woman chose me to build up a relationship with when I was in college '97-'98. She was there for me when I got a concussion on a mission trip in Canada, nursing me all the way back home and then once we got back to Maryville...and I don't remember any of it. She let me tag along when she went on road trips. She has let me talk for hours, listening and giving great advice. And then, we found each other again on facebook and she started this all up again...but she is in TN and I am in MO...she still lets me talk things through with her. She and her husband have breathed so much belief back into me that it is not possible to put into words the influence that her love has had on my life.
And there are so many more people who have sowed into my life...changing it completely! There is not enough blog space or type to put them all here...so I will cut myself off now...
