So I’m a day late… yesterday my schedule was kind of spontaneous and crazy complete with packing to leave for a family vacation and spontaneous company (which I love) deciding to come over the day of. I wouldn’t have had it any other way though, because I got to spend lots of time with friends that I hadn’t seen in awhile. I was also having trouble with my wifi so when I tried to watch the Day 22 video (and pack at the same time) it didn’t work. I just decided that instead of rushing through the day 22 challenge to check mark it off I would delay my challenge a day and give it better attention today.
After reading over the 3/3rds Group Format and watching the video I really think that often times in the American Church we miss the key component of keeping one another accountable to our actions. Having someone to hold you accountable can be deep and awkward so we decide we will “hold ourselves accountable” and keep our callings inside. I don’t know about you, but I am not very good at holding myself accountable. I am really good at coming up with excuses or reasons of why I don’t have to. I’m really good at coming up with justifications for staying in my comfort zone.
Through the challenge Annie has been my prayer partner, but we’ve really became almost more like accountability partners for one another as we want to continue meeting once a week with one another even after the challenge is over. I would really love to make our relationship even more intentional though as I want her to hold me accountable to the things I feel God calling me to do but I may come up with excuses for. I think it’s important for accountability partners to call excuses out and push for their friends to follow through with their commitments to God, even if it gets awkward. Using the 3/3rds Format I’m hoping to implement some of the things mentioned into our weekly meetings so that we may become better at holding one another accountable.
I also think that the 3/3rds Format has some techniques that would be good to implement into the life group I will be leading in the fall because it will begin to train my life group girls up knowing the importance of accountability and action.
Today I did my SOAP over 1 Timothy 3. My favorite part of my SOAP today was reading about the mystery of godliness because I feel like it simply explains Christ and all he has done in 1 verse…
He was manifested in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
1 Timothy 3:16
P.S. A cool thing happened today! I got two texts from different girls that I’ve shared the challenge with asking me how they could be praying for me today. It was just neat to see these other girls doing their challenges because I know that they are both reaching out to their unique circles in places I couldn’t have reached. Each day they are praying for the people on their own prayer calendars so now instead of just me praying for my 30, I’m praying for my 30 while they are each praying for their 30 so now 90 people will have been reached out to and prayed for by the 3 of us. Pretty neat to see multiplication in action!
So cool to hear about that multiplication in action!! I love the 3/3 format! It’s something we did a little of in our life group last year, and I would love to continue it!! Keep it up, Hannah! It’s okay to miss a day and catch up!
Hannah, now I understand what Paul meant when he told Timothy, “Don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. (1 Tim. 4:12)” Why? Because the concepts you’re grasping — multiplying yourself, holding yourself and others accountable, starting groups using the processes in the three-thirds format, etc. — they’re all such great processes that many others have passed by or not embraced even though they are/were years more senior and should have been as wise as you. So — now I get Paul’s message to Timothy. Keep up the good work.
I was also thinking about Paul’s teaching in 2 Tim. 2:2… about teaching faithful people who will teach others. We LOVE it that you’re hearing back from others who are now praying for still others. You’re GETTING this, Hannah! Keep it up!