Influence
9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.
Wow I have been waiting for this one! It's going to be hard to narrow it down to 10, so if your name is not on the list, please don't be offended. Every person in my life has influenced me in some way so choosing 10 will be difficult. I will not over think it so here it goes!
1.) Rick Niessen was the first person (he was my youth pastor) to really see that I was not really ok. He asked a lot of tough questions and started the road that led to the diagnosois of the anxiety depression disorder. I am forever thankful that he didn't let me off the hook when it was time for our councelling sessions. I often wonder how different my teen age years would have been if he had not moved.
2.) Jeremy Peters had a profound impact on my life, his wife Lisa as well. I miss their presence in my life. Yeah he is a pastor as well :) Jer also challenged me in some big ways. Called me on my 'ministry butterfly' ways and encouraged me to find my true passion in ministry. He could speak into my life in a way that no one esle could. I am so thankful that God gave him to our church for a season. Best advice he ever gave me was this; "Minister out of the overflow." So often we are scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to ministry, Jer always encouraged me to be centered on Christ and be full.
3.) Brenda Lyons taught me it's ok to feel what I need to but its also important to move on from it. She helped me create the 24 hour rule when I could spend weeks wallowing in some disappointment! The 24 hour rule is that I have that time to be as miserable as I want/need to be but then I have to carry on. It has worked wonders in my life and these days I rarely need more than an hour or two to work through whatever it is. Bren has been such a huge support to me for the past 20 years. I am grateful for her friendship, her mentorship and the many many many times she has let me work through my issues even when she had so much on her own plate.
4.) Lena Davis has been an inspiration in my life. She showed me what a true lady was. Through her I saw what true hosspitality looked like. She is my angel. I lost Lena a long time ago but I miss her everyday. She will always be my Dear Lady.
5.) Nick Karchie was the neighbor who loved me. He was lonely old man who lived next door to the parsonage. Everyday I spent hours at his kitchen table drinking tea, play cards and talking and talking and talking. How he never ran out of patience is beyond me. I loved him so much. I miss him so much. He was the grandpa I never had. He was that person in my life that I knew would always be there for me. When he died, I was heart broken. All these years later, I still am but am also so very grateful that I had him in my growing up years.
6.) Trish Duncan taught me I didn't have to be perfect as long as my heart was in the right place. Very valuable lesson indeed.
7.) Colin Keess was that teacher. You know the one that pushed you to be more than you thought you could be, the one that never bought your excuses. Best words he spoke to me were "Your adversary only makes you stronger." His belief in me got me through some tough stuff.
8.) Andrew; I can't even put into words the many ways my 'big brother' influenced my life. He has been around since I was 13 and when I got married my mom thanked him for helping her raise me! He is only 5 years older than me but oh so much wiser. Now that we are older and both married, our paths don't cross as often as we'd like but it's nice to know he's out there and he'll always have my back!
9.) It goes without saying that my parents, sister and brothers influenced who I am. It would take a whole other blog entry to even begin to dig into that!
10.) By far the most influencial person in my life is Bobby. I can't really even put into words how much I love him and all the ways he has changed my life for the better. From the first day of 8th grade to the week he carried my books when I was on crutches, to letting me cry on his shoulder when that boy hurt me, to sharing our first kiss on the under the stars, to our beautiful wedding day, the birth of our daughters, buying homes together and so much more. We have shared our lives, our hearts and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Wow I have been waiting for this one! It's going to be hard to narrow it down to 10, so if your name is not on the list, please don't be offended. Every person in my life has influenced me in some way so choosing 10 will be difficult. I will not over think it so here it goes!
1.) Rick Niessen was the first person (he was my youth pastor) to really see that I was not really ok. He asked a lot of tough questions and started the road that led to the diagnosois of the anxiety depression disorder. I am forever thankful that he didn't let me off the hook when it was time for our councelling sessions. I often wonder how different my teen age years would have been if he had not moved.
2.) Jeremy Peters had a profound impact on my life, his wife Lisa as well. I miss their presence in my life. Yeah he is a pastor as well :) Jer also challenged me in some big ways. Called me on my 'ministry butterfly' ways and encouraged me to find my true passion in ministry. He could speak into my life in a way that no one esle could. I am so thankful that God gave him to our church for a season. Best advice he ever gave me was this; "Minister out of the overflow." So often we are scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to ministry, Jer always encouraged me to be centered on Christ and be full.
3.) Brenda Lyons taught me it's ok to feel what I need to but its also important to move on from it. She helped me create the 24 hour rule when I could spend weeks wallowing in some disappointment! The 24 hour rule is that I have that time to be as miserable as I want/need to be but then I have to carry on. It has worked wonders in my life and these days I rarely need more than an hour or two to work through whatever it is. Bren has been such a huge support to me for the past 20 years. I am grateful for her friendship, her mentorship and the many many many times she has let me work through my issues even when she had so much on her own plate.
4.) Lena Davis has been an inspiration in my life. She showed me what a true lady was. Through her I saw what true hosspitality looked like. She is my angel. I lost Lena a long time ago but I miss her everyday. She will always be my Dear Lady.
5.) Nick Karchie was the neighbor who loved me. He was lonely old man who lived next door to the parsonage. Everyday I spent hours at his kitchen table drinking tea, play cards and talking and talking and talking. How he never ran out of patience is beyond me. I loved him so much. I miss him so much. He was the grandpa I never had. He was that person in my life that I knew would always be there for me. When he died, I was heart broken. All these years later, I still am but am also so very grateful that I had him in my growing up years.
6.) Trish Duncan taught me I didn't have to be perfect as long as my heart was in the right place. Very valuable lesson indeed.
7.) Colin Keess was that teacher. You know the one that pushed you to be more than you thought you could be, the one that never bought your excuses. Best words he spoke to me were "Your adversary only makes you stronger." His belief in me got me through some tough stuff.
8.) Andrew; I can't even put into words the many ways my 'big brother' influenced my life. He has been around since I was 13 and when I got married my mom thanked him for helping her raise me! He is only 5 years older than me but oh so much wiser. Now that we are older and both married, our paths don't cross as often as we'd like but it's nice to know he's out there and he'll always have my back!
9.) It goes without saying that my parents, sister and brothers influenced who I am. It would take a whole other blog entry to even begin to dig into that!
10.) By far the most influencial person in my life is Bobby. I can't really even put into words how much I love him and all the ways he has changed my life for the better. From the first day of 8th grade to the week he carried my books when I was on crutches, to letting me cry on his shoulder when that boy hurt me, to sharing our first kiss on the under the stars, to our beautiful wedding day, the birth of our daughters, buying homes together and so much more. We have shared our lives, our hearts and I wouldn't have it any other way.
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