Idoleyes Book Review

Hello, Everyone! A week ago I told you that I was reading Idoleyes by Mandisa. I also promised that when I was finished I would post a book review, and here it is.

Overview:
Idoleyes is an auto-biography by former American Idol contestant Mandisa. Although the book centers mainly around her experience auditioning for, participating in, and after effects of American Idol, the reader is also given stories from her path and what led her to audition with American Idol. The book is full of highs and lows, personal triumphs and defeats, and most of all Mandisa’s love for Christ and scripture.

My Opinion:
I’m just going to come right out and say it…I loved this book! From the foreword by Beth Moore to the very last page I was hooked. I am a Mandisa fan. I have been since I was first introduced to her on American Idol. So to say I was biased from the start is more than a little pointless. However, I want to make one thing absolutely clear—I didn’t read this book from cover to cover because of American Idol. I was intrigued by Mandisa because of American Idol (side note: my husband and I choose who we think are going to win once they reach the live show—I picked Mandisa), I was drawn in when I saw her sing at a Women of Faith event, but I read the book because of the candid honesty I felt from Mandisa in the very first chapter.

Mandisa is open and honest about the struggles she faced before,

during, and after American Idol and I could relate to that. It was a breath of fresh air to know there is another real person out there. So many times we get wrapped up in hiding our imperfections that we miss the opportunity to share what God has done despite us, but Mandisa does not miss a single opportunity in this book!

I give Idoleyes and highly recommend it to any woman who has ever struggled with food, self-image, or doubt because God doesn’t work in our ways or on our time tables.

I hope you will read it and be encouraged too.

Visit Mandisa's Official Website        
Read Mandisa's Official Blog

Tangled Web of Emotions

I don't know about you, but for me today was one of those days when my emotions took me on a whirlwind ride. I was happy. I was sad. I cried and cried and cried some more. It started early in the morning and lasted all day. I was an emotional wreck and there seemed nothing that I could do about it.

I wanted to share with you this little clip of Patsy Clairmont. She is one of the funniest Christian speakers I know and I relate to her. She speaks in a way that I can understand and that touches my heart. In this clip she talks a little about emotions. I wanted to find the full clip but wasn't able to, but if you want to hear more you can always check out her book I Second that Emotion.

Anyway, the most important point she makes is that God created us to have all these different emotions and He accepts us no matter our emotional state. God wraps His arms around me on days like today when I can't stop crying because we had another unsuccessful month of trying to get pregnant and all hope seems lost. He rejoices with me when I am over joyed with a great personally victory and He is there with me at every emotional stop in between. Nothing I can do will surprise Him. There is no emotion I can have that His own Son did not experience (although I know Jesus handled all his without sinning!).

Prayer for today:
Thank you, God, for creating me with the full range of emotions. Thank you for being there with me as I go through these emotions. Please help me to share my joys with others and allow others to build me up when my emotions are not so good. Most of all, God, help me to cast all my cares and emotions on You.  Amen.

Mentioning Mentoring

A few days ago, I was working in our home office when I heard my husband talking on the phone. It turns out that Jimmy was talking to one of “his boys”, the term he uses to affectionately refer to the group of young men he has invested the most in over the years. These are the students who have benefited most from the type of mentoring we discussed in “TIME and LOVE the Languages of Discipleship”. They spent well over an hour on the phone talking about life, what God is doing in their lives, the struggles he was having, and other things. I frequently hear these kinds of conversations in our home and I did not pay too much attention to what was being said, but my ears did perk up at one key statement that made me stop and think…

“I’m 34 years old and have been in the ministry for more than 10 years, but I still have older men in my life who mentor me and aren’t afraid to tell me if I am making wrong decisions in life or in ministry…” Jimmy openly shared.

The Apostle Paul on Mentoring
This simple statement made me take pause. It also brought to mind something the apostle Paul once said, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14). Even Paul, who did SO many great things for Christ, did not consider himself to be perfect. He had men in his life that taught him what it meant to be a Christian and to serve Christ. Why do you think he partnered with Barnabas on his first two mission trips? He needed someone to work with him who had been a Christian for a while and “knew the ropes” so to speak. Paul also goes on to encourage the believers to “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.” (Phil. 3:17).

Thoughts to Ponder
* Do you have someone in your life that is mentoring you?
* Do you consider yourself to be at a point that you no longer need someone to “tell you how to do things” and don’t feel you need a mentor?
* What does your attitude toward mentoring say about you and your ministry?
* How does your attitude toward being mentored affect how you mentor others?

Closing Remarks
Mentors may come and go in your life, but I personally believe you always need to have people in your life who are older, wiser, more experienced, and who aren’t afraid to get in your face about the important issues (if needed). The best mentoring relationships often grow naturally. Instead of spending all of your time seeking out the perfect mentor, spend time in prayer asking God to send this person into your life, develop relationships with people who are mentor material, and be willing to accept the leadership and challenges they will bring when your mentor comes on the scene. They may have been there all along and you just didn’t know it or just didn’t care.