I could make this list 100 people long and still feel like I didn't do it justice. But here are 10 people who inspired me this year.
1) Curtis Jones - My best friend, lover, and partner in everything. Curtis inspires me to love and live for Jesus. His faith has exploded like an atom bomb this year and it has been so exciting to watch.
2) David Platt - He inspired me through Radical. He is speaking at Passion 2011 and I can't wait to hear him preach.
3) Heather Hendrick - She introduced me to Radical. Reading her blog will make you pray and want to be involved in how God is healing Haiti.
5) Jenn Hatmaker - Her book, Interrupted, was placed in my hands a couple of months ago. I couldn't put it down. One day soon I'll tell you how it changed my life. Thanks, Missy.
6) Blessed Mommy - We've never met, but we have a childhood best friend in common. I believe it put a smile on Molly's face when we connected. She is mommy to two exceptional, beautiful children.
7) Kristen S - I heard about Kristen for years before I actually met her from our mutual friend, Allison. We finally met when we joined the As One Bible study class at our church. Kristen is facing some tremendous difficulty with courage and grace. I love her tender heart, her laugh, and how down to earth she is. She is definitely one of my heroes.
8) Kristen@WeAreThatFamily - I met Kristen last January at this little blogger meetup here in Houston. She was getting ready to go to Kenya with Compassion and Shaun (see below) had just sent me an email about Guatemala. Fast forward eleven months. We, having gone on our respective trips, met again at the Compassion bloggers reunion in Birmingham, which I just realized I have not yet blogged about. Dern! Anyway, Kristen and her family are partnering with a Compassion LPD program grad to start a maternity home for young girls in Kenya. I have loved reading the story of how it all unfolded. We serve an amazing God.
9) Shaun Groves - I will never be able to thank him enough for inviting me to Guatemala. On our last night there, Shaun encouraged us to avoid living "in the middle." Dang you for saying that, Shaun Groves! I'm still figuring that out, but the good news is that I'm not who I was. Shaun is getting ready to make a new album, which will increase his platform with Compassion. I'm so excited for him. I loved the post he wrote about it today.
10) Patricia Jones - Patricia and her husband work for Compassion. She was also my roommate in Guatemala. If I could pick one mother of older kids to shadow for a year, it would be her. I love her family's sense of purpose and I am eating up every word she says on her blog. If you're a mother, do yourself a big favor and subscribe to her blog.
Obviously, Compassion was a big part of my year! I'd say they pretty much made my year. You can make someone's year too by partnering with Compassion. You could sponsor a child from Guatemala. You could do some last minute gift buying through their Gifts of Compassion online catalog. Or you could get involved in the Child Survival Program for pregnant mothers and infants. There's no end to the blessing you could be to a child living in poverty.
Who inspired you in 2010?
29 comments:
I'm getting ready to start Radical on our drive to see DW's family for Christmas. He read it and it completely altered his life. I can't wait!
Ummm you give me way too much credit friend. I'm so blessed to know you and so thankful we were finally connected.
Amanda,
I'm not sure how I ended up on your amazing list. Humbling. Thank you for your support and sweet friendship. I'm honored to know YOU. Merry Christmas.
Oh and Nathan knows Jen. I've read a couple of her books but not Interrupted. Can't wait to read it!
I love this list! So many of these same people inspired me this year.
Such a great list! Also, got some ideas for new books I am going to read. I can think of 3 right off the bat... My husband, such a man of the word, Love how he loves God. My daughters 20 & 18 yo - Chadney and Chassity-- the Lord drew them so close to him this year, so awe-inspiring to watch! Going to ponder who my other 7 will be. Great idea for my next blog : ) THANK YOU!!
Well you have to tell me!! It changed my life too. In lots of good painful ways.
Our Sunday School class just started sponsoring a Compassion Child in Bangladesh. I am the administrator for the class for this and I'm so excited about it!
So neat! My mom was telling me about Jenn Hatmaker and I'm hoping to order that book after Christmas. Merry Christmas to your family, Amanda!
Amanda thank you so much for your honesty here. It is because of your blog, that my family now has a child in Ethiopia. Because of your blog, I too, have read Radical & yes, it is life changing. Please keep up your work here & for our Lord. I pray He continues to bless you & your sweet family. Merry Christmas.
David Platt inspired me too, as well as your mom! I just finished her bible study Esther! I am a college student and am going to Passion for the first time this year! I am beyond excited! I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!
Compassion Guatemala changed my year, heart, life too -- Shaun, Kristen, Patricia. Thank you, Amanda, for being part of that change -- you and Curtis are forging a way for us "after." *Thank you.*
I do love a top 10 list. I just made my top (however many) list of things I learned this year. But I love this. What a blessing for your friends to be able to see how they impacted your life this year. I should probably find a way to do the same for mine on some level. **sorry if this comment posted twice...my computer "burped"
You have an amazing list that includes 2 of the most inspiring people of my year too. Thanks for sharing the ones I have yet to meet on line - I'm going to check them out!
Courtney
Hi Amanda, you cute girl! My girlfriend forwarded this on to me, so how about you scoot on over to Austin, and me and you and Jamie can gorge at the salsa bar at Guero's together (Jamie and I are good friends). Maybe Missy could pop over with you, then we'd certainly all land in jail.
Still thinking on this...pondering.
In Radical, I don't know if you'll remember, but at the end when he got to Genessa Wells, I got all verklempt. I knew Genessa, as a college student in Marshall. She spoke to the Acteens group I facilitated. And she was a dear girl to us. It was so wild to unexpectedly read her name there. Indeed, she lived Radically. I think of her so often.
As for your question, I can only think of one SURE response and that would be my children. As I've heard your mom say, and as I'm sure you do, as well, Amanda, I am inspired to be better and to let Him change me and shape me for their sakes more often than my own.
May God bless you, dear Amanda. You are a treasure...His very own treasure and chosen, beloved child.
Thanks, Amanda - I don't feel like much of an inspiration and certainly don't belong on this list among the others you have listed!
I love reading your blog & always appreciate your honesty & humor & grace in tales of mothering two young children!
I so hope we can meet this next year - I think Molly would love it! And I would love to compare Guatemala stories with you - how fun it would be to spend time with someone else who loves the people and culture and country as much as I do!
(ps- saw M's Aunt Bobby the other day which reminded me of you & your connection to M... what a small world!)
Hope your Christmas is wonderful - Katie
The LP blog and yours have actually been a huge vessel to me in introducing me to people who have inspired me.
-The Sunshine Chronicles
-Gypsy mama
-Rage against the minivan
-Ben Courson
-Kay Smith and Cheryl Broderson
-My mom (cheesy, I am aware - but she has taught me some things as of late that are just so valuable...maybe I am inpired by GOD giving me a teachable Spirit!)
-The challenging christian women that have given me reason to wrestle out minitry and what that is about. I have not fully come to completion with that, but I feel like they were a gift from my Abba to get to the heart of trust and ministry!
You, your selflessness and courage to break out of the ordinary to go to Guatemala and minister His compassion. Amazing - Thanks
Amanda, I just read your post about As Your Own. It's always a thrill to find other western Christians who care about the people of India! My husband has been on two mission trips there, and we support a home for abandoned girls. Those mission trips led to us adopting a daughter from Kolkata, and waiting for another daughter from India.
What city is your ministry in/near? I can't wait to read more about As Your Own.
Nancy
This was great! As a young wife & mom constantly needing encouragement and companionship in the trenches, I'm always looking for blogs/books/stories from godly folks living radically for Jesus! Your list has provided some pretty amazing examples of each :) Blessings & Merry Christmas!!
I love this list, and I'll have to think about who all inspired me this year, because it was A LOT of people.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Interrupted. It totally got to me too. I've read it twice now and plan to read it again. Can't seem to get my thoughts crystallized enough to blog about though.
Love you, friend!
Wow! I hope I can be an inspiration to others someday soon! God's still working on me and He's done some amazing healing in me in the last few months, so maybe next year instead of being needy and I can be an inspiration! That would be a nice change!
You, your Mama and lots of friends I have never met in real life have inspired me! I thank the Lord for technology and blogs. As always my constant-encourager and inspiration is my Mom. She sends me a card EVERY WEEK and most of the time there is "mad money" included, but always the words "I love you" and "I'm praying for you". She is a priceless treasure in my life. Merry Christmas to the Jones'! :)
wow you are too nice and yes I'm w/ Jenn you get up here to austin and we'll eat tex mex until our bodies explode with salsa!!!
we will meet in 2011!!!!
What a great post and list! Now you have me thinking on people who've inspired me. I don't remember if I've ever told you about Heather H. She mentored my BFF in college, so it was no shock when after she got married, moved to Africa.
Also, last summer at camp Aaron Ivey was our worship leader, it was so fun chatting with him because of our mutual friends. Jamie seems wonderful!
Ah, you already know Heather! I'm laughing, wondering if maybe I came across her blog from reading your blog...my pregnancy brain is kicking into high gear right now.
Thanks for listing these, look forward to looking at many of the links.
And as someone already said, YOU are inspiring...in my faith, in my marriage and in motherhood. Thank you for sharing your journey so openly.
Those who inspired me in 2010:
I agree with you, David Platt, and Radical, also Francis Chan, and the ongoing inspiration from your momma and Kay Arthur continued on this year for sure. My pastor as always. He has given us the Kingdom Challenge this year; and the main jist of it is to make disciples, selfless living, and giving of time and money. He introduced our congregation to Radical this year.
Blessings much to you Amanda,
katiegfromtennessee
I had never heard of Jen Hatmaker or her book til I saw it on your blog. Oh.My.Goodness. I am so glad you had her listed and I think God was in my seeing it. He has already started something in me that I don't even know how to label, and now reading this - He's about to mess me up ;) Thank you.
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