Meaningful Mondays- Planting Seeds (Guest Post by Kelly from Oh That Mom Again!)

Things are super busy around our house this week as we are preparing for the little fella's first birthday.  We have week long house guests (aka free babysitters- score!) and so much to do.  My awesome friend Kelly has so graciously agreed to do a guest post for me!

I am so excited that she is going to be my first guest poster!  She is the one who inspired me to start blogging and has helped to motivate me to keep at it.  The subject of her post is so appropriate because she planted one of these seeds in my life.  Be sure to check out both of her blogs- 365 Days of Biblical Encouragement and Oh That Mom Again.  365 will start your day off with a little devotional thought to encourage and inspire you while OTMA will inspire you in a variety of ways.. 

Turning it over to Kelly...

You never truly know the effect something you do has on someone else’s life.  

One act of kindness

One “random” post

One simple smile

One piece of paper.

A piece of paper is what helped to change my life.

To be more specific, a link to a printable changed my life.

I’ve always gone to church.  From the time I was little—on—I was always in church on Sunday morning (save the times I was sick or on vacation).

I was saved at the age of 12 Vacation Bible School.

I’ve been a Christian for years.

I knew God—But I wasn’t serving Him.

I grew up, got married, had kids---- and began only going to church sparingly.   Due to my husband’s work schedule, he was unable to go, leaving me with the task of getting 2 small kids ready to go and sit in a nursery for an hour.  It was hard, and I failed.

I knew God---- But I wasn’t serving Him.

About two and a half years ago, I started going back to church full time. It was awesome! The girls loved it. I loved it. I was content. I was happy.

I sat in my pew.

I nodded appropriately.

I left after Sunday School.

I was happy.

I knew God--- But I wasn’t Serving Him.

Then at the beginning of this summer (May 2011), I started looking for some ‘homemaking binder printables’.  Now… ANYONE who knows me knows that I never was much of a cleaner. My house wasn’t dirty… but it wasn’t spotless either (I mean, I do have 3 small kids).  However, at that time, all I could focus on was cleaning videos on youtube and blogs.  I’m sure the Lord had changed my heart so I could come upon something--- the thing that changed my life.

I “happened” upon a site called www.moneysavingmom.com.

Her daily task sheet became my favorite.  It was easy.  It was organized.  And it was something even I could do.

However, on the bottom of the page, were 2 words… 2 words.  Extra Ministry.

Those were the 2 words that changed me.

I remember sitting there daily, writing my chores for the day, and ‘trying’ not to allow my eyes to drive to those 2 words because when they did, I became convicted.

I KNEW God--- I wasn’t SERVING Him.

I remembered thinking, “WHOA!  I don’t even have one ministry!  Much less an extra one”

So, I prayed, “God, what is my purpose?  What is my ministry?  What can I (a mommy, a teacher, a wife, a sister, a daughter) possibly do for you?”

Well….  After that… or rather because of that, I found my purpose.

A few weeks later, I started writing more faith based posts on my blog, Oh that Mom Again.  That led to another blog which is solely devotionals.  The studying and preparing for those daily ‘snippets’ ignited a desire in me to write a Bible Study—and hopefully more someday. 

It caused me to pray for confidence, wisdom, guidance, opportunities to share God’s awesomeness….

It created a greater harmony at my home—

And---

A clean house. ;)

I KNEW God—and I was SERVING Him!
 
The point of all of this is—the Lady who made that daily sheet had no idea there was a woman far away from her who needed a purpose for God--- even if she didn’t know it yet.  She couldn’t have known that those 2 little words… 2 words that could have so easily been erased, would change a life.  God uses people, even when they don’t realize it.

And God certainly uses you.

We have no idea whose lives we are affecting.  We have no idea—but God knows!   Galatians 6:7  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

And that can be turned for GOOD.  If you sow Good, you will reap Good. If you sow positive, you will reap positive. 

Lets learn to plant positive (not negative), to encourage (not discourage), to lift up (not tear down), to be a blessing (not a curse).

You never know how many lives you are reaching and how many hearts you are touching by being faithful to God…. Even if you think you aren’t doing anything big, it might just be *big* for someone else.

Kelly