authentic influence

"In our routine comings and goings as followers of Jesus, God wants us to naturally influence those around us for Jesus."

i've been reading this new book by Jonathan Murphy, Authentic Influencer, and it has stirred something up in my heart. since the day i first established my social media presence, i've prayed and determined to be an authentic influencer to glorify God through my life. and, as a more challenging endeavor, i sought to follow and surround myself with influencers with the same heart and purpose. finding and following authentic influencers is like finding a treasure in a field.

as i'm reading Authentic Influencer, i'm discovering biblical principles that define someone who influences authentically. using Barnabas as our example, Murphy shows us how to practically detect and launch the potential in others, and to stand for truth while loving like Jesus. 

some of the lines i've highlighted in the book so far:

"The issue is not just whether we are impressionable and malleable. That's a settled matter. The question is, Who shapes us? ...Moreover, who do you shape? What influence spreads from you?"

"Authentic godly influence can occur anywhere: in vans that become gospel tanks, from pulpits that brings spiritual revival, at kitchen tables one-on-one, and even in sea caves. and that influence can occur by anyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ: next-to-nobody preachers, mailmen, stay-at-home moms, CEOs, grannies, gardeners, and the list goes on."

"Jesus' first sermon to us is simple: Be my influencer. Don't be a tasteless Christian. Don't be a closet Christian. Saturate culture for Christ by influencing those around you."

and that's just in the first few chapters! this book is a call and an encouragement to shape our world for Jesus! and personally, it's helping me be more aware of who i'm letting influence me.

as believers, we have the unique opportunity and responsibility to leverage our influence for the Kingdom. our influence has more impact than we will ever know this side of heaven. so it's crucial that we are careful about how we use our influence and how we are influenced by others.

by studying the life of Barnabas, we see how he influenced the world for Jesus Christ in practical and doable ways. become encouraged to shape our world for Jesus— beginning with whoever happens to be close by. 

if you desire to be more intentional with the way you influence and are influenced, i highly recommend this book! to purchase AUTHENTIC INFLUNCER by Jonathan Murphy: http://bit.ly/3EgYkvZ

i'm looking forward to digging deeper into this book and being even more inspired to live a life of influence for the glory of God! 

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, 

out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” -John‬ ‭7:38‬

*i was provided a copy of the book for the purposes of offering my honest to goodness review.

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the 11 emails i always open and why

there are 717 unread emails in another open tab on my laptop right now. i'm trying my darndest to get through them all, marking most as read, leaving just a few unread, which is what prompted this post.

the majority of the emails i receive are ads. but there are some that at one point in time, i intentionally subscribed to for a reason. out of 700+ emails, besides the ones that are PERSONAL, SCHOOL RELATED, or WORK RELATED, which ones do i always want to open and read? and why? for what it's worth, here they are:


☆⮚ Target "There is a sale on something you saved!" obviously i'm opening this one asap.

 

☆⮚ iMom Minute very practical emails with tips, encouragement "to help you to love your family well," and biblically based parenting, marriage, and relational truths. i love their Ask Your Child section and the printables! i have been a subscriber for years and i don't see that ever changing even as my seasons of parenting change.

☆⮚ The Newsette a quick rundown of news, recommendations, and conversations that are mostly fun but also relevant. a lot of hot takes in this one. not all that i agree with but it keeps me in the loop.

☆⮚ The Pump Daily a daily digest from Arnold Schwarzenegger (yep) "designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes." these emails consistently bring fresh science-backed tips for physical and mental health. we trust arnold!

☆⮚ Seth Godin these brief daily emails have thought-provoking quips regarding business, communication, tech, culture, and i guess overall humanity. it's smart food for thought.

☆⮚ Live Original from Sadie Robinson and her team, these weekly emails recap the stories, advice, and encouragement shared on the LO blog. i am 100% out of their age demographic but still truly enjoy reading their thoughts on relationships, faith, and life as a young adult pursuing Jesus. 

☆⮚ Shelley Hitz i am not sure how i got on her email list but i very much appreciate the way she generously offers Christian writers creative tips to share the gospel through our work.

☆⮚ Memo to Me Reminder is actually an email reminder service that lets you email yourself something on an ongoing and recurring basis. i have prayers for my family written out and emailed to me daily. i love the simple functionality of Memo to Me, even if the interface is somewhat antiquated.

 
☆⮚ Letters of Note emails feature history's most interesting letters, most of which were never intended to be published. apparently i love reading other people's personal, unedited words.

☆⮚ New York Times and Dallas Morning News morning and weekend roundups offer just the headlines and briefs so i can be somewhat caught up on what's going on locally and worldwide. tbh most days i just skim and yes there are days i absolutely do not want to open this email so i don't. but it's there for when i do.

maybe someday i'll unsubscribe to the ads or figure out a way to better organize my incoming emails but for now i just look for these favorites and mark everything else as read ;) 

what emails do you always open and read?