Saturday, April 16, 2011

Jeremiah 15:16

This past week has been one of the most amazing weeks I have had in a long time. Amazing is a vague adjective... Spirit-filled, revelatory, joyful, stretching, growing, learning difficult lessons and learning easy ones. I can't hardly contain it all with my keyboard.

It started after meeting with my new mentor, Jenn. I was skeptical of being paired up with someone to walk through life together. However, such "contrived" community has worked so well in Circles so far! God totally surpassed my expectations in this relationship. It is already that, after 3 weeks, a friendship, fellowship, guidance, even discipleship. Our meetings are bordered in prayer, testimony, questions, therapy of sorts.

My goal in this mentorship is that I would be pushed. I have many friends who just tell me it's all going to be ok, that where I'm at with God is good, fine, sufficient. I also need someone to DECLARE the Truths of the word in my life. Jenn is an atmosphere-changer. My spirit is changed in the presence of our conversations. God is so at work here, it truly transcends my human understanding.

I unknowingly committed to quiet times with the Lord this week. Jenn kindly (...it's what I needed!!) offered to keep me accountable to carving out 6-6:45 am every morning to meet in the secret place with the Lord. It has been a transformative process. Each morning, God meets me in this obedience. He shows up in power, even when I am reluctant, sleepy and moderately to majorly distracted by the smells and sounds of my French roast brewing. Each morning, I bring my prayer requests, take time to listen, and seek to eat the Word (Jeremiah 15:16). It's a safe time and place to cry out to God about things that would usually remain beneath the surface. And He has answered very specific prayers.

Today I played on the swings with Kendall, the darling 3 year old I nanny for 4 times per week. Last week I invited her to Easter at the amphitheater. I have never seen a child so excited about a piece of cardstock before. This afternoon we spoke about prayer. She asked me what I will be doing after I graduate from college. I responded about Bible school, where we pray, sing and read the Bible. She said, I prayer in the mornings at my school. I asked her what prayer means. She said, It's when we talk to God! I said I do that all the time, and she said she likes that idea.

The main conclusion I am resting on from my times with God this week is this: To sow into heaven as I minister to God. Store up treasures that may or may not have an earthly reward or visible product. I don't know fully what this means. But I know that, in ministering to the Lord, in making him the focus of my worship in every aspect of my day, that He's glorified by that posture.

14 comments:

  1. I continue to wonder why you were so skeptical of your mentor? lol, I don't think Jesus was going to purposely give you someone that wouldn't surpass your expectations and be a catalyst for His work in your life. I'm glad that its working out so splendidly though.

    Your concluding paragraph is awesome. May we all strive to sow into heaven as we minister to God. May He be glorified. So good. Amen!

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  2. Love the verse from Jeremiah, thank you. I'm so glad to read that you're being refined in so many ways. I'm sure it can be so difficult, but remember, SO worth it. It is so wonderful that you and your mentor have had such blessed times together, what an ordained relationship! Also, how precious is the little girl you nanny for?! awwww love.

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  3. I'm stoked that your mentoring relationship has been so profitable.

    I have found that scheduled times of prayer, meditation, and Bible study completely change the landscape of my week. If I tell myself, "I'm going to find some time with Jesus this week," somehow I never get around to it. But if I schedule time from 6 til 6:45 or whatever and stick to it, my entire perspective is improved by that time.

    Nice job. Thanks for the post.

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  4. I loved your post! I am so excited for you in your growth, your relationship with your mentor and your relationship with the little girl you nanny. This is awesome! I can't wait to hear more about it! Please tell me!

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  5. Amanda! I am so excited for your mentor relationship, it sounds like it's going to be really great and challenge you in so many ways! Haha waking up that early to give time to God is just SOOOO inspiring to me!! I am not a morning person, so I really admire people who are! I also wanted to let you know I'm praying for you in regards to your decision in high school ministries and I admire your honesty with us and yourself. I think you possess a firm understanding of yourself and I know you'll make the right decision!

    And PS: This is the podcast I was talking about! I can't figure out how to send you the link to the video only....so here's the page. Just scroll down to the bottom, it's February 6th and it's called Chris Brown: Sexual Purity is For Prudes and Losers

    http://www.baysideonline.com/watch/page/2/

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  6. Encouraged by your discipline with the 6 am business. Fantastic. Also, great to hear how rad and awesome your mentor seems to be. glad she can be another person of accountability. Also, Cupcake is a pretty sweet machine. Pass the word onto em for me.

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  7. Excited for and blessed by hearing all these awesome things!!
    Keep going, Amanda!!

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  8. excited for you and how God is moving in your life!

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  9. Soo soo encouraging Amanda!! Thanks :)

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  10. Thanks for sharing your life with us.

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  11. mmm, the quiet times, the early morning. what a wonderful thing. reminds me of our beautiful sunrise service :)

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  12. scheduling and being consistent with my quiet time is something that I have been missing. I need it. Thank you for sharing and being a vote of inspiration! =)

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  13. I need to do that. Set apart time in the morning to meet with God. I NEED that. Everyone i know who does that is changed by it. Thank you for this encouragement Amanda. You are so filled with the Spirit it's amazing and Jesus glows through you! :))

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  14. That is awesome that you are being stretched and encouraged by your mentor. Also, that in your obedience God is blessing and speaking to you. I am encouraged to do the same. Thanks for sharing :)

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Thoughts, comments or questions are welcome!