DuAnneSeeley.com

For the past several weeks I have continued to receive requests on FB to complete the 25 Random Things About Me. I don’t know if I can even think of 25 things.  This week I have been getting email asking why I have not done this. Okay, I give in. Here goes…

1.  My immediate reaction to requests like this is to hit the delete button. How many are really interested in reading this and who has time?

2.  I was not raised in a Christian home (did not go to church and lived in an ungodly environment) but felt God begin to speak to my heart when I was 5.  That is when the Lord begin to call me to full time ministry.

3.  I am a very ordinary person with an extraordinary God.

4.  Throughout my life God has amazed me with the doors he has opened up for me.  He has put amazing people in my life to mentor me. Most I am still close friends with.

5.  I have lived my life in Alabama, San Diego, Colorado for 6 months and now NYC for almost 3 years.

6.   I spent 9 years working with The Navigators at UCSD and could not believe I was getting paid to share Christ and disciple students in La Jolla, CA.

7.  I love the beach though ankle deep while walking is all I do.

8.  When I was 21 I wrote out 30 year goals in every area of my life. I have been blessed to see everything happen except one…by now I should have had 3 books published.  I have written a day planner that was published called Living On Purpose and Todd and I have a discipleship tool called Life To Life that was published in 2008.  I have been working on a book for two years.

9. When I worked with John and his staff team every day we laughed so much we cried.  Through working with them I became more fun, more balanced and more relaxed.

10,  The first couple times my husband asked me out on a date I said heck no.

11.  I met the love of my life through Dan Reiland who suggested that Todd help out in the college ministry with me at Skyline.  Thanks Dan.

12.  Before my husband I was proposed to 3 times by guys that were just friends but believed God wanted us to marry.  Until meeting my first love (Todd) I thought I had the gift of celibacy.

13.  I have been in 26 weddings. One I fainted in from not eating and one I was 8 months pregnant and looked like a huge bottle of pepto -bismol.

14.  My husband is an excellent cook and taught me how after we married. Since moving to NYC I have become a better cook than he is.

15. With my first child I was in labor for over 26 hours and during it told Todd “this baby had better be a boy because I am not doing this again!”  As soon as I held Matthew in my arms I could not wait to have #2.

16.  I love classical music, opera and ballet.

17. When I was at UAB I wanted to join a chess club with physicians. They told me women could not play chess and would not let me join. They did seek me out to play before and after appointments and surgery and I won 80% of the games.

18.  I have an insatiable appetite for personal growth and development. A result is that I read every day.

19.  I went years without owning a television and could not care less if we owned one or not.

20  My top strenths in the Strength Finder are Achiever, Command, Communication, Developer, Maximizer and Strategic.

21.  At one time I sold Mary Kay to help us get out of debt and while my husband was raising support to go on staff with The Navigators. Won two cars. Thrilled not to be in MK today but excited we are still debt free.

22.  After I got married and had sex I realized what all the fuss was about.

23.  Out of all the little boys in the world, I have the best two.

24.  My passion is mentoring and leadership development.

25.  Being a wife and mother is the most challenging thing I have ever done and the most rewarding.

26.  I will never understand why Christians and Churches forget their purpose…reaching the lost and making disciples.

27.  One of my dreams is to take my children to Disney World.

Recently I had the following conversation with Matthew.  Other than knowing Christ and having a Biblical self image, there are some important characteristics I would like you to think about.  No matter what God calls you to do or where you end up, doing your very best with excellence will glorify God and serve you well.  I want you to know that I am praying you will apply these things in your life today and forever…

1.  The Ability To Make And Keep A Commitment is at the top of my list.  When I was at UCSD I used to have this quote by Chuck Swindoll posted on my frig “Integrity is keeping your commitment even when the circumstances surrounding your commitment have changed.”  As you grow older people will tell you what you should and should not do, what you should continue or what you should quit. Remember that your word is your bond. Finish what you start. And remember that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% attitude.

2.  Learn to Stay Focused. You love watching and playing sports.  Remember how important it is in playing a game to stay focused and not think about people watching or what you are going to be doing after the game.  If you learn to focus and avoid distractions you will see greater results in everything.

3.  Dream Big.  God has put big dreams in your heart. Follow them. As you journey to your big dreams I will cheer you on. Often, the enemy of those in pursuit of their dreams is not the competition, but rather a lack of courage and commitment.  Jesus will show you how to rise above the ordinary, conquer  your fears, and overcome the obstacles that  keep you from living your big dreams.

4.  The Team Is Important. When you are older I want you to read John Maxwell’s book on Team Work. As you grow older you will understand how important the people around you are. It is a Biblical principle that you will become like the people you hang out with.  Be nice to everyone but choose your friends very carefully. Who you associate with will determine your level of success.  And when you have great people around  you, be grateful for the relationships.  Friends add so much meaning and value to your life.

In closing, don’t ever give up and put everything you’ve got into everything that you do.

If I ignore my hunger for food because I forget about eating or don’t want to take the time, the result is illness. The result is usually a stomach ache, headache, migraine, maybe vomiting or fainting will follow. I’ve been told I’m hypoglycemic. I once fainted while performing as a bridesmaid during a friends wedding. Sorry Janet!  If  you ignore the thirst in your marriage the result will be similar. An unhealthy marriage.  Remember the thirst when you first married? To serve, communicate, date, pray for and with, romance, weekend getaways, planning, sharing new experiences, etc.  When I don’t eat, if I ignore it long enough the feeling will pass. The end result is dangerous for me.  But when I eventually eat I do feel hungry again and the food tastes so good.  Maybe you have lost some of the thirst in your marriage but if you begin to do the things that thirsty people do, I promise you that the feelings and health will return. If you don’t quench the marriage thirst the result can be fatal.  Have you experienced or seen this?

Natural born leader’s rarely hang in the back of the pack.  Why?  Because their thirst drives them to the front.  They are on a mission, with a big vision, large goals and godly ambition urging them on.  Where does this thirst come from?  Thirst is a compilation of God’s work and call in our lives with experiences, spiritual gifts, heritage, personality, mentoring and more.  Our response to this thirst will determine how we are used to impact the kingdom.

The Lord did an amazing work in my life when He saved me. One result of His grace is that when I was 17 I had a thirst to share the Word with people in a way that would not increase knowledge but change lives. This drove me to start a weekly Bible study that high school and college students attended.  In my early 20’s this same thirst motivated me to start a ministry in a juvenile delinquent home.  My thirst drove me to invest 15-20 hours a week with those kids as I went to school and worked full time.  A combination of God’s call, His power and your thirst will enable you to do what most think is impossible.

What are you thirsty for today?   Don’t let fear keep you  seeing how God can use it for His glory.

Hunger. Enthusiasm. Drive. Determination. Passion. Synonymous with thirst, these words drip with intensity and can serve as a catalyst for effective ministry.  They are the unseen force between maintenance and growth.  In a nutshell, a thirst first strategy and approach is not optional, it’s indispensable.  In the words of Sprite, Thirst is everything. Obey your thirst!

History was made Tuesday when Barack H. Obama took the oath of office with his left hand on a Lincoln Bible held by his wife, Michelle.  The world watched.  Standing on the West Front of the Capitol as the first black sworn in as president, many reacted with emotion.  As my 10 year son and I watched the Inauguration coverage as part of our history lesson, he asked me why some people were crying.  Aaron heard again how it used to be for black people in America.  I remember as a preschool kid going to a store with my mother in Birmingham, Al.  It was so curious to me that there were two water drinking fountains with signs above them just a few feet apart.  I asked my mom what the signs said. Her reply:  One sign says “white” and the other says “colored.”  My next question:  “Why?”  She answered: “The store has one fountain for white people to drink out of and one fountain for black people.”  Even as a small child I thought that was ludicrous and as soon as she turned her back I drank out of the fountain for black people.  Yeah, I was a little sassy back then.  And yes, this is a true story!

Several years later as a young middle school kid, I was in an after school girls club at my church.  Each week I looked forward to the club of girls.  We would listen to Bible stories, pray for missionaries around the world and have snacks.  As the Lord continued to develop my heart for non-Believers I began to invite friends to our club.  One day I was so excited to have an unchurched friend attend with me.  During the snack time our adult leader pulled me aside and said DuAnne, it’s okay that you brought your classmate with you to club today but don’t bring her back.  Our church is white and she needs to go to a black church.  I left the club and never returned.  The irony of praying for those without Christ and then turning them away could not be resolved in my mind that day.  And it still can’t.

And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nations.  Revelation 5:9