Lessons I've Learned

It has been a couple of weeks since I finished my year of the Radical experiment.  Here is a quick recap of what I've done:

It all started when the young singles Sunday school class I was in read a book called "Radical: Taking your faith back from the American dream," by David Platt.  The book really challenges the way we live.  I loved it!  I had come back from Romania and was ready to live a lifestyle that did not involve me being so busy, a lifestyle that puts the right things as priority.  At the end of the book, Platt challenges readers to participate in the Radical experiment- a year of living in such a way that seems radical to our society, but that leads us towards a lifestyle similar to how Jesus lived while He was here.  There were five areas included in the experiment-
1.  Pray for the entire world.
2.  Read through the entire Word.
3.  Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose.
4.  Spend your time in a different context.
5.  Commit yourself to a multiplying community.
It was not easy, but I spent an entire year with all these things in mind and the Lord really challenged me and grew me.  I'm very thankful for all the things I learned and the ways I have been changed.  What I am going to attempt to do is summarize each of these areas (briefly) and what they have meant for me over the last year.

1.  Pray for the entire world.  This is simply a perspective changer.  I spent a small part of my day not thinking about myself.  And I also needed to truly believe in the power of prayer because that was all I could do as I read about these countries with so many needs.  I was able to learn about how God is at work all over the world.  Prayer is also obedience.  Jesus told the disciples to pray for the harvest- He didn't immediately tell them all to go to these places, but rather told them their impact would come through prayer.

2.  Read through the entire Word.  This was hard!  And let's be honest- there were days I didn't want to and days I didn't retain anything.  I wanted to be able to spend time on specific parts, but I couldn't.  I know that God wanted me to do this, an din times when it became particularly hard, I sensed Him saying, "Just keep going."  I'm so glad I did!  It's not that I now know everything about the Bible.  It's that God taught me a discipline and let me fall more in love with His Word.  For an entire year, this was my main priority and it cause the rest of my life to fall in line with Christ.  But... I want to know MORE, MORE, MORE!

3.  Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose.  Money is a tricky thing.  It always seems to hold us up somehow.  I decided to follow the budget I already had, but cut back on some personal spending so I could spend money on others.  I learned to look for where God wanted me to spend the money.  I was no longer just living for myself.  I became involved with so many people and really found my joy.  The husband God provided for me has a heart aligned with mine and worked to set up our budget so we can spend on others.  It is still a work in progress, but something that will last far beyond this one little year.  We're in it for life!

4.  Spend your time in a different context.  Because I have done this before, I did not spend much effort trying to work something in weekly.  When I started, I thought maybe I would, but my schedule became so busy that I could not commit.  Even though I was not volunteering at a ministry, God gave me a ministry of my own.  I spent so much time with girls from my Sunday school class and learned how to really invest my time in others.  I absolutely loved getting to do this and realized how much of a heart I have for others.  I also still have a desire to do missions, especially with Tim!  I hope to someday take him to Romania.  I also want to spend more time sharing the gospel, wherever I am.

5.  Commit yourself to a multiplying community.  This was already a reality for me, so no major adjustments, but I took on more of a leadership role with my young singles group.  It was exciting to see growth and changes in our group.  And now as I reach the end of this challenge, the Lord has placed Tim and I in new roles of ministry at the church.  It is so cool to me to see how He has conditioned our hearts with the desire to make disciples.  We will be joining the college ministry and praying and working to make it a multiplying community.

So, yes!  This was a life changing year!  I'm so thankful for how faithful the Lord is.  I do not feel like I accomplished any of this by my own desire or greatness.  I have experienced the mercy and goodness of my great God and He has done all these things in me.  I know I still have a long way to go in becoming a disciple of Christ, but I am grateful for this jump start!  To God be the glory!