The Cactus Series- Episode 1

My people how far?! Lol
Okay, I know we are all excited so I’ll just cut to the chase.
Click HERE if you missed the Introduction to this series

Today we are having the beautiful Amanda Pittman (Amanda’s blog) as our guest writer.

Isn’t she a beautiful bride?

Amanda is a college senior at SMU in Texas and she just recently got married to the love of her life, Michael. These two people inspire me in so many ways as they let God’s light shine through them for the world to see. I admire their God- centred marriage and they are great models for young Christians today.

Those Smiles!

 

And I gotta add that Amanda was absolutely excited about being a part of this! She was so kind too!
You should totally check out their YouTube channel and thank me later;)
Amanda is here to share her story with us, so sit back and be blessed.

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I was swarmed with emotion. Although it was my second year at college, I still had not assimilated normally into university living. Tonight, I was reminded of how much of a misfit I was. Ever since I had been at SMU, I made less than a handful of friends, with only one relationship being substantial—my friendship with Robbie. Robbie and I shared countless memories together. We’d gone to breakfast together, the gym together, and partied together more times than I could count. I learned to be vulnerable with Robbie, which is probably why we began calling each other best friends. That night, Robbie and I were doing what best friends do best—drinking.

We went everywhere and back that night. We may have partied or done some other sort of wild socializing. I can’t remember. Alcohol makes them all blur together. Regardless of the crazy expenditure we decided to have that night, by the end of the night I was miserable.

I hugged my knees as I cried. I felt sorry for myself. I was sitting outside Robbie’s room, as he watched me sulk.

“What’s wrong?”

Robbie asked me this question more times than I was willing to answer tonight.

“I just wish that I fit in. All of the people that we spent time with tonight were the ones who used to either ignore me or laugh at me last year.”

“Why do you care what others think of you?” he asked, almost angrily.

“Because I just do. I was always friendly to them and I always tried to be like them. I did nothing to deserve them treating me like I’m not cool enough. I’ve hardly made any friends here in college. People just don’t seem to like me!” I tried to hold back the pathetic sobs.

“Amanda, I care about you. Why do you care about the opinions of those who don’t matter? Care about the opinions of those who actually know you and care about you. Those are the only ones that matter!”  I could hear the strain in his voice.

“I want to be liked by people,” I said.

Robbie was getting frustrated. He looked me in the eye and said with conviction,

“You’re different, Amanda.”

He seemed to get more frustrated with me with each word. He was drunk, I was drunk, and I didn’t want to listen. Even sitting on the ground, I felt unstable. The floor seemed to spin. I kept to myself. I tried to catch my breath, but tears kept running down my face. I couldn’t erase it from my mind, though. I couldn’t remain quiet. I had one pressing question deep down in my heart.

So I asked. With a little bit of hesitation, I said, “Why do I have to be so different?”

What happened next changed my life forever.

Robbie looked in my eyes. “You want to know why I think you’re different?” He said it ever so gently.

“Yes.” I said, heart clenched.

Robbie paused. As if gathering his message outside of himself, he turned his head to the left and inhaled. When his gaze returned to lock with my eyes, I saw something powerful within him. Without breaking his stare, he said with conviction,

“Because I think God has a plan for you.”

To this day, I know that Robbie hadn’t spoken that night. I heard the voice of God.

Robbie wasn’t perfect, but despite his temptations and mistakes, I knew that he loved God. I wanted to love God the way that Robbie did. In fact, I wanted to love God more. I wanted to live for him in full. The days, weeks and months following this message from God, my life changed. First I started drinking less, then I stopped drinking all together. I started partying less, and then I stopped partying all together. I started swearing less, and then I stopped swearing all together. I didn’t know what plan God had for me, but I knew that it wouldn’t happen wrapped in sin.

Since I had already been saved, I began to pray and read the Bible, as suggested by Robbie. I would have Bible study a few times a week with my friend Christina. She discipled me while my cold heart thawed in the light and glory of God. I became so incredibly thankful for the grace that Christ showed me by taking my sins for me. I had never been so deeply loved before.

Eventually, my friendship with Robbie faded. He moved towns and I moved on. What God put Robbie in my life for, although, had lasting effects. As a result of what Robbie told me while I was drunk and miserable, I eventually broke up with my long-term boyfriend at the time, who was not a believer in Christ, and who kept me bound in sexual sin. As a result of what Robbie told me, I learned that there was more to life than sinful pleasures such as sex, partying, drinking, gossip and superficiality. As a result of what Robbie told me, I recognized my value in the eyes of God because of Christ Jesus. I finally knew why I was different, and I was okay with it.

Because I recognized my worth, I stopped looking for love in the wrong places. I craved Christ-like love. God blessed me with an incredible Christian boyfriend in due time. His name is Michael Pittman, and he is now my husband. Michael and I felt the call on our lives to inspire other young Christian couples to pursue God in their relationships. We knew that others needed to know that Godly couples existed, and knew that our example of a relationship would encourage many.

Aren’t they just adorable?

While we were just dating, we began making Christian relationship YouTube videos. Those videos received thousands of views, and because of our first step, God began to bless our ministry. We now write Christian blogs which receive millions of views, have accepted speaking engagements, have been interviewed for Christian magazines and YouTube series, have gained a large Christian following on social media, and have been asked to write for books, devotionals and blogs. We could never have accomplished this without each other, but more importantly, we could never have accomplished this without the help of God. All glory goes to God for choosing ME—a once promiscuous drunkard with low self esteem, to transform into an example of God’s grace, an encouragement to many, and a light to the world.

God had all of these in store for me, and to think at one point I was miserable because I didn’t fit in! I learned later that Jesus did not fit in, either.

Psalm 118:22 says, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

The Jewish leaders did not believe in Jesus. Even the chief priests, Scribes, and Pharisees refused to receive Jesus as the Messiah, and to believe in him. They rejected his teachings and mocked him. In fact, the people chose to free an imprisoned robber, Barabbas, and crucify Jesus, an innocent man, in place of him.

Little did they know that Christ was the saviour of the world. Little did they know that the very stone that they rejected would become the cornerstone.

I love what an online Bible commentary mentions about Christ’s significance as the cornerstone: “Christ is the corner stone, that unites elect angels and elect men together, Jews and Gentiles, Old and New Testament saints, saints above and below, saints in all ages and places; and he is the head stone, or chief corner stone, for strength and beauty, and the head of the corner; or of persons most eminent, who are sometimes called the corner, (Judges 20:2) (Zechariah 10:4). Christ is exalted above all; he is the head of principalities and powers, the angels; he is made higher than the kings of the earth; and is the head of the body, the church, an head both of eminence and influence.”

Just as Christ was rejected, I will be rejected. Just as Christ was exalted, the Body of Christ will be exalted as well. I should have known that I was different because I belonged to God. When I was lost in a world of alcohol and superficiality, I had no idea that God had a plan for me. Because God loved me and chose me despite my faults and failures, I was able to understand how valuable being “different” really was.

Jesus said in John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.” As followers of Christ, we’re bound to face ridicule or rejection at some point.

Living for Christ is the truest way to face rejection. With my worth in God, I was able to accomplish much for his kingdom, and find acceptance in the family of God. In Jesus’ hands, we find complete, secure acceptance.

John 6:37 “…those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.”

Much love!

Amanda Pittman

Thank you Amanda, it was nice having you on TCS. We love you and may God continue to enrich you with His wisdom.

DO NOT keep this to yourself! A lot of people need to read! Share this blog and tell anyone and everyone about it.

Guess what? You can be a part of this by just sending me an email. moyosoreaj@gmail.com. Or you just want me to pray with you about something? That’s cool too!

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Who knows? I might decide to surprise you before next Thursday 😉