For My Mentees!

This is for my three mentees (you know who you are). I love you fantastic young women of God! I'm not sure how I'm going to "help you unpack your life story," but I'm trusting God to show us! Let me know if you get any insights!

Your Life on the Movie Screen
by Dr. Katie Brazelton (counselor on Rick Warren's staff)

Imagine you're sitting in a movie theatre this summer. The lights go dim, the advertisements roll onto the screen, and finally the movie title flashes in large letters. But it appears this is no ordinary movie. It's the story of your life! What would you do? Would you feel like crawling under your seat? Would you laugh hysterically, anticipating an emotional rollercoaster performance full of drama at every turn?


All movies have screenplay writers and producers. The movie of your life happens to have been written by God Almighty, who also intends to be your Producer. This brings up some important questions: Have you acknowledged that God is the author-producer of your life movie? Do you understand he has the ultimate say-so in assigning your role and in screening your fellow actors? Are you following God's direction?

If you're anything like I was for nearly two decades, you may answer with a blunt no to those types of questions. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't understand why I couldn't be the designer of my own life plans. That's actually the softer way of saying I was a controlling woman who had tons of preconceived notions about what I wanted to do for God. Recently God revealed to me the three basic reasons I couldn't let go of control:

1. I wasn't discussing deeper life issues with anyone. I had an incredible family who all but lived in church, a close circle of friends, and gifted teachers and bosses—but we didn't talk about God's plan for our lives. We mostly talked about details of our daily grind: Who's in love? What task is next on the priority list? How can I help grow profits? Where are we going for lunch? I needed a mentor to help me unpack my life story and offer me guidance about what God might want me to do and be.

2. I didn't understand there was merit in my "todays." Why didn't I have a clue that God took great delight in my attempts to fulfill my life roles as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, employee, student, neighbor, ministry leader, etc.? In fact, after years of being a faithful church-goer, why hadn't I internalized that he loves me unconditionally, whether I perform well or not? I distinctly recall my confusion about the value of my life when I was in a pizza parlor one day with my two children. As I dropped them off for another birthday party, I thought, This can't possibly be what God wants me to do with my life: chauffeuring my kids around day after endless day! I know for a fact this doesn't count toward his greater glory.

3. I didn't know how to identify the many Sneak Previews God had given me about his plans for my future. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Sneak Preview, those glimpses God shows us of what he'd like us to do for him. I couldn't see his hand on my life; instead, I journaled about what I felt were unrelated, disjointed feelings, and I stored them away in boxes that got dusty over the years. I didn't know why he bothered to show me hundreds of Bible verses about seeds, vines, harvests, budding, pruning, etc. I didn't understand he was introducing my life verse to me: "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor" (Isaiah 61:3). I didn't know he was trying to communicate my life mission to me, that he wanted me to help Christian women blossom into all he intends them to be.