Kicking Off a Month of Crazy Obedience {a guest post}

I am thrilled to have Amanda sharing in this space today! It’s my first ever guest post and can’t think of a better way to kick it off. I first met Amanda via our blogs and loved her heart and the way she shared it through her words. Then last fall I had the chance to meet her in real life. There was an instant connection- a similar heartbeat in wanting to share about God in everyday life. Can’t wait for you to read what is in store for the month of February.

Welcome Amanda!

At the end of October, I attended a blogging/writing conference. I went hoping God would open some doors for my writing, that I would make connections and friendships. I happened to be in the middle of reading a book written by Jennie Allen, Anything. The book is premised around one woman telling God that He could do anything with her life.

One night, during the conference, I found myself in the lobby of the hotel journaling—battling my pride with a pen between the blue lines of my composition notebook. I was struggling with this desire to find my place, to be known in a world with big names when I was so small. Yet I wanted to bring God glory, make Him known. Inspired by the book, Anything, and my own desire to see God show up in my life, I penned this crazy prayer: God, I will do anything… I don’t want to be where it’s safe anymore.

Less than two minutes later, I so clearly heard God ask me to walk to the pub down the street.

I argued with God. I tried to reason my way out of it: No, this isn’t God, this is just Amanda and her crazy ideas. I tried to whine my way out of it: God. Seriously. I have never been to a pub. I am going to look so stupid. I tried throwing a few more lame excuses at Him: Um, what if someone from this conference sees me? They might judge me.

After a few minutes, I got bold and curious. I got up out of my chair, and I walked down the street to that pub.

As I walked, my path crossed with a man from the Ivory Coast, and God flung open a door for me to share the message of Jesus. God was there and that man asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior that very night. God used me in a way that was 10,000 miles outside my comfort zone, in a way that I would not consider myself talented, and I got to see His Glory.

I am wrecked. I think of Paul’s sentiments: What I once thought gain, I now count as lost.

I just want Jesus.

I was ready to walk away from writing entirely, but I heard God calling me to write here… to write my journey of learning to walk in obedience.

Crazy Obedience.

And guess what?! I met 4 other women at that conference—heart sisters—and we all plan on writing on crazy obedience for the month of February:

* On falling in love with God.

* On letting go of fear.

* On listening to God’s voice.

* On living WITH God instead of FOR Him.

* On living each day with intention.

* On living the Great Commission.

Now this might sound all super spiritual and you might have excuses already running through your mind (um, I’ve been there. Remember a few paragraphs back when I shared my internal dialogue from the lobby of the hotel??) but can I just say how normal and flawed I am?? I’m nothing special. I just want Jesus. And can I also say that this crazy-obedience journey has flowed into every part of my life, even the most housewife-ish parts with diapers and cheerios and a house that always needs cleaning? We are going there too.

We are following Jesus right where we are to right where He wants us to be—one step at a time.

Okay, so now that I’ve shared the heart behind this series, let me tell you what this series is going to look like (and do stick around, there’s some super exciting and fun stuff in store for you):

1. There’s a total of 5 of us that are committed to writing here for the month of February. Our heart is to encourage, be real, and offer some different lenses through which to see what following Christ looks like. You can follow along with Melanie (‘cause she’s pretty awesome, right?!) or really jump in and read everything from all five of us. It’s up to you!

At the bottom of each post, Melanie will leave a button. Click it, and you will find yourself at a page with each and every post from each one of us, updated daily. Psst…Should you happen to be a writer/blogger and want to contribute your heart-work to the series, email me {conqueringhousewife at the-cadence dot com} with the permalink to your post. If it fits right in with the series, I would love to add it!

The Five of Us: Shine, Sister, Shine; Blue Marble God; My Words, His Glory; Faith and Simplicity; The Cadence of a Conquering Housewife

2. You ready for this one? How would you like to set aside the next 30 days to learning to listen and obey God? To be willing to just obey those crazy promptings to talk to a stranger, to invite a co-worker to church, to have that hard talk with your child—the kind where you so need the very real presence of God to be able to have? To be willing to pray that crazy prayer each day for 30 days: God, I will do anything. To falling in love with God and seeing Him as big and powerful and active and real? What might God do with your life if you took that step of faith and let Him do anything?

Each one of the bloggers writing this series are taking this challenge and we would love for you do it with us. We are terrified and excited and could really use some more brothers and sisters to do this with together. (We’d LOVE to have you!) I truly believe God is able to change the whole planet with just a handful of people who are committed to walking out crazy obedience.

3. We are starting a Facebook group for the duration of the challenge. Would you join us? This group is designed to be a safe place for us to share our struggles and fears, to ask for prayer, to share testimonies. It’s a place to ask the hard questions. It’s a place for encouragement and discussion. It’s a place to meet Jesus-heart-sisters from all over. It’s a place where your part is needed and vital and we would seriously love to have you and to get to know you better. There are only two rules: 1) What happens in the group, stays in the group. 2) Love reigns (i.e. let’s avoid opinion bashing).

If you would like to join the group? (Do know I am letting out a super girly scream right now: YAY!!) Just click this link to visit the group page. Click the JOIN button and you will be added. As a note: we will need to cap the group at 40. We may open another group if needed.

4. Best part!! We are giving away 2 copies of Jennie Allen’s book, Anything, AND each book will be paired with a $10 Starbucks card. (Good book + Latte = A Really Good Afternoon. Amen.)

One copy of the book will be given to the 16th person to sign up for the Facebook group. The second copy of the book will be selected using a random number generator from random.org.

We want to sow this book into the life of someone who is wanting to take this challenge with us, so all we ask is that you let us know you are taking the challenge by simply signing up for the Facebook group OR by leaving a comment on this post that includes your email address and the answer to this question: What is your number 1 biggest fear in taking this challenge?

This giveaway will close at midnight on Monday, February 4th, 2013.

Thank you so much, Melanie for letting me share on your blog.

And thank YOU so much for allowing me to share my heart with you. Do know that I am praying for you, that you would know whether this challenge is for you or not, that you would fall deeply and madly in love with your Savior, that you would know Him as friend. If you choose to journey with us, I can’t wait to get know you and to grow in obedience right alongside you.

By Grace,

Amanda Conquers

Amanda is the wife to one smoking hot man and the momma to two littles. She is an imperfect girl, a notorious question asker, a huge fan of Grace, and a follower of Jesus. Also, she likes her lattes strong, with chocolate, and over ice… you know, just in case she should meet you in real life 😉 She writes her heart at The Cadence of a Conquering Housewife.