Influences

Okay, so I have posted just above nothing for the month of July. Sorry girls. Here are a few of my influences.

People

My Mom
Jamie has often said that is hard to overcome what your parents are, so I have thought to myself before what was my mother that I have become? As I have considered this her faithfulness came to my mind. When I was growing up she took me to church, and it wasn't optional, we didn't skip if we were tired, we just went, and she has continued in that. So she has been a great example of faithfulness for me.

Jamie
I don't even know what to say to convey the emmense amount of life knowledge I have gained from him. There are no words, he has been a great role model and a constant friend, faithful to the Lord and faithful in his friendship with me.

Melanie Bond
She has been a spiritual mother to me, discipled me, and loved me since I was in high school. She has constantly invested her life and prayers into mine and only know that I have my own spiritual children do I realize just how much she loves me.

My Bible Study Girls
By teaching them the Lord has taught me so much. He really has blessed those relationships more than I could ask or imagine. I have got to share and pour my life into theirs for five years! I have such different relationships with each of them, but they all have such a depth of the love that I can only say the Lord has knit our hearts together.

You girls
I can't imagine going through college and not having friends that loved the Lord. I prayed that the Lord would give me godly friends before I went to college and again He gave me more than I could ask or think. You encouraged me and spurred me on so often. I love you all so deeply.

So as I reflect on what I have written here I am amazed at how the Lord has blessed my life with relationships!

Scripture
The one that is coming to my mind is the book of Ruth. I studied it several years ago with my girls and I can remember reading about Ruth and the beauty of her devotion to the Lord and Naomi, and I realized I wanted to be a woman of integrity like that.

Also the beatittudes. I want my life to be characterized by those qualities.

Books
I think John MacArthur's book The Keys to Spiritual Growth. This book taught me so many practical ways to pursue growth in my relationship with the Lord. One thing that especially stood out to me was his recommendation to study the bible by reading a book for 30 days. I didn't realize what depth there was in God's word until I did that and there was still so much left in the book of Ephesians I didn't grasp.

There are other books, but that will suffice for now.

Truths/Learning moments

One of the most important truths I learned in my life is when I began to understand grace. The Lord is so good to me that while I was yet a sinner (not seeking Him and with no desire to do so) Christ died for me because he had chosen me before the foundation of the world!

Last, learning about the supremacy of Christ. He is not a wimp and His people should not walk around living defeated lives because He has defeated sin and death and they are no longer our master. So that is all.