First!!! READ: Corrie wrote about life as a student wife in Scotland (yes, this is dear to our hearts). She is making intentional choices in her life right now, and her story is inspiring.
A layer of this whole September series is vastly personal. It rests way way down there in the core of my being. This layer doesn’t often – and won’t often – come up to the surface of this blog.
But, today… Today I feel it’s right and good to pull back the covering and reveal a part of this layer.
I’ve been ready for change for a LOOOOONG time. If you’ve been reading my.com for a while, you might have noticed by now that I’ve not been too happy with certain elements of my life. #1 being the spiritual element. I don’t complain about this often, but the discontent is there. And it’s strong.
A few weeks before starting this series I took a hard look at my own life. I asked myself what would I want to change… What needed to change… What COULD I change? I asked myself the questions in the video.
The answer, well, surprised me.
I need to change. I’M the part of my life that needs change. In an effort to change my world, I’m working on changing ME.
But how?
I recently posted about spiritual dieting. About how when we eat less, we want less… And when we eat more we want more. (for more, read here) The thing that makes me MOST CRAZY about my life is my lack of spiritual appetite; I’ve decided that this month would be a month of increasing my spiritual hunger.
I thought through the ways we increase our real appetites (growth, increased intake, increased activity) and have implemented a plan that amps up these three areas of my spiritual life:
- Growth. I am working through some resources that are challenging and slightly above my “spiritual” head. I’ve raised the bar in my own life, hoping to rise to the occasion.
- Intake. I’ve intentionally increased my spiritual “portions” for each day – whether it be through reading, study, music, prayer, whatever.
- Activity. Largely through outside circumstances, I’m entering the fall with a number of ministry opportunities that I haven’t had since I’ve moved up to seminary. I’m really excited about these chances to reactivate my spiritual gifts, while being challenged in my own faith at the same time.
Here’s the deal. I won’t talk much about these things… But, remember that they are there. They are real. And they are a HUGE part of my life right now. Hopefully, one day, my.com will reflect the changes occuring in my real life. Hopefully, without directly exposing these layers, you’ll still see a change.
So. What about you? Are you beginning to think about what you can change about your world this month?
I appreciate your transparency and letting us peak at your soul. You are an inspiration, Mandy.
Hopefully it won’t make my post any less of a dear subject, but I can’t actually claim that I am a seminary wife. I’m a the wife of a philosopher who opted not to go to seminary in order to pursue a marriage between philosophy and theology in the ‘secular’ classroom. And he is inspirational
As are you Mandy.. To set goals for yourself is scary because there’s a chance they won’t happen – i’ve only done that about 417 times this year. I will pray that you’ll find yourself hungering and thirsting like you didn’t know was possible.
When you seek the truth within, you begin to live a life that honors your deepest desires.
Your best life is achieved by listening to the wisest part of you—what you know to be true. But how can you discover the truth? To begin, challenge yourself to look more deeply at the choices you make.
~Cheryl Richardson
i get so overwhelmed thinking about ALL that i need to change about myself,that i shake my head to dislodge the thoughts on go about my day. i need to stop shaking my head.
i love you more than i’ve told you lately.
Corrie: edited for you! sorry
@ng: funny thing is, the only person I’m trying to inspire right now is MYSELF!
H: Choice #1 for me today, get OFF the internet and get some stuff done.
Alece: That last line. That’s the one that made me wanna cry for a minute… Miss you friend.
Yeah, all that stuff that you said.
I heard this best upcoming artist this weekend (of course not as PHENOMENAL as you are!!!)… our church hosted Jason Gray… he deals with a stuttering handicap, but sings phenomenal… thought you might like in light of your heart for everyone and everybody… if you link below & click on the left where it says “Launch Juke Box” you can hear one of my favorite songs he sang called, “Losers”… it’s whimsical and incredibly meaningful all at the same time… happy Monday!!!
Link: http://www.jasongraymusic.com/site.php
Roxx
http://www.sharingnotes.blogspot.com
I found this and thought it was relevant to this post.
Your blog, date 6/18/08, Whatever Wednesday answer to the question I left the previous week.
Check it out…sounds like you are living out your dream Mandy Thompson.
I am very much in the same place right now…and have been for far too long.
I seem to have gotten this idea into my head that I can only actively change my lifestyle, etc. while I’m actually at school. So I’ve used the excuse all summer that “I’ll do it when I go back…”
But you know, I’m tired of the excuses.
Thank you for making me DO more.
re: funny thing is, the only person I’m trying to inspire right now is MYSELF!
amazing how it works that way, isn’t it.
i, too, have been doing something similar. but not as intentional as you.
1. upped my spiritual intake and have just recently embarked on that. like since last weekend. its a good thing. it feels right and i wonder what has been my problem before then.
2. i’ve been SIMPLIFYING my ministry responsibilities but only so i can really focus on those i feel God has called me to. in essence – trying to get rid of the extra (stuff i’ve said yes to b/c i felt guilty) so that what i am doing is richer and i can prepare more.
thanks mandy for your real life look at you!!
Being intentional will make a difference.
Hi mandy, how r u?
yeah, i like ur post. u r an inspiration.
This is a big thing for me right now.
I am not content…and when that happens it is time to see what is going on. SO that is what I have been doing. I have shared some serious things on my blog.Evaluating our lives from time to time is so important.
Good for you for posting this…you never know who you will make think and thus change.
Wow. I honestly wasn’t expecting a response to this one… I encourage all of you who are trying to make personal changes – keep it up!!! It takes 21 days to make a habit. That’s what I’m telling myself!!! I’ve got 2 more weeks!
I just think it is awesome how God is continuing to work in our hearts with change even as we read and comment:) How awesome is that!
I’m changing right with you sister:)
I have a snippet of my ” DO” something…I’ll let you looksie at it, and tell me what you think so far:)
Anyway, loves ya mucho grandes:)lol…not a spanish major..deal:)
Hi,
Don’t focus on the 1,000,000 things that need to change. Focus on the one thing God has for me today.
Amber
mercyrising.blogspot.com
Mandy, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how eating (in life) reflects our … intake … if you will, in God. I can see so many things … and yet so much to see. You are right on target.
How am I changing me? Well … little by little all the time. I’m not a ‘cold turkey’ person. I never have been. I admire the people (like Paul) who can go whole hog one direction one minute, change, and go whole hog the other way the next. That’s strength, determination, and will that is very uncommon. I have to make incremental changes, or I completely fall off the wagon. My only hope of winning is to drag it out. So I try to turn something over in my heart as often as I can … which sadly, seems to slow many times. still trying, this one.
You know what? You say you admire people like Paul who can change directions at any given moment…
Yes.
But, (setting Paul aside), many people “who can change directions at any given moment” do just that. I think there’s an element of strength that you’re ignoring in your own personality. That when you make a decision, you KEEP the decision. (sorry to use bad english here)… I, too, mull over decisions before making them, but when I make them I stick with them.
I’m not saying QUICK changers aren’t good at follow-through. I’m saying they have to work at follow-through, just like we have to work at actually making the decision!
Ah … the strength and the trying are at different points. Like sprinters and long-distance runners. Great point, Mandy. Thanks for the encouragement.
Pingback: Music Monday: Runaway « mandythompson.com