The Story Behind Commit
The story of COMMIT began when 16-year-old Christianna Reed made a commitment to spend the next four years of her life in whole-hearted service to the Lord, focusing on growing in love with Him rather than other issues which so often become the focus of young ladies' lives. The resulting ministries, spiritual growth, deepened family relationships, insights, and closeness to the Lord which came into her life gave her a vision to share what she learned with other young ladies.
Christianna was able over the next few years to counsel a number of young ladies who were in difficult situations because of prior choices to seek worldly interests rather than Jesus first and foremost. She saw how this damaged their lives, and how hard it was to free these young ladies from the bondage they had unwittingly become entangled in by the desires they had pursued in earlier years. After one frustrating counseling session, Christianna talked with her parents about beginning a ministry to younger girls, while they were still forming their life purpose, before they reaped bigger consequences from wrong decisions.
And so, shortly thereafter, Christianna prayerfully began a two-month weekly discipleship group for twelve homeschooled girls ages 11 through 15. Each week she would teach how to apply a different Biblical principle into our lives as young ladies; she'd allow time for guided discussion; her sister Charity would teach a fun session on etiquette; each girl would share what we learned about Jesus from assigned reading in John's gospel; and we'd break into smaller groups for prayer.
My sister Rachel and I were in this group, and it greatly affected our lives! We had long admired Christianna from afar, because of her effervescent spirit, announcing to everyone by her very demeanor what a joy it was to live a life of seeking Christ first of all, being wholly dedicated to Him. We found that not only did she display spiritual maturity, but she was amazingly gifted in sharing to this particular audience (girls ages 12 to 15) just how we could live this life for ourselves! She is funny, witty, and joyful in her exhortations; she is able to share Biblical truth in a way very applicable to young ladies' lives.
Unfortunately, Christianna was unable to continue a local discipleship group after those two months, due to ministry trips; but her vision for ministry to young ladies remained unchanged. One day as her family was driving to Dallas, they discussed the need for seminars for young ladies, but acknowledged to one another their inadequacy to organize these. Their parents told the girls (Christianna, Michelle, and Charity) not to tell others about this idea, but just to pray. They did, and on that very trip to Dallas, Mr. Gothard (president of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, IBLP) asked their family to organize seminars for young ladies as part of IBLP!
From that point on, COMMIT ~ which stands for Cultivating Obedience, Ministering Mercy, Internalizing Truth ~ has been a family ministry for the Reeds. Since the first COMMIT conference was held in Oklahoma City in September 1999, with 100 attendees, mothers and daughters across the country have been eager to attend a conference.
When my sister and I attended a COMMIT conference in Dallas in 2000, God convicted me of attitudes that were contrary to His Word and drew me much closer to Him. I was amazed at the genuinely spiritual atmosphere, and I realized that a large factor in the personal effectiveness of the teaching to each attendee was the collection of Godly, older young ladies who were committed to the Lord and excited about serving the young ladies. Because there were so many of these leaders in proportion to the attendees, we were soaked in Godly fellowship in the hallways, elevators, food lines, and everywhere we went, not just in sessions. We were able to ask questions of the leaders, because they were there all week and loved to talk with us, to help us in any way they could.
For several years after Christianna's original discipleship group ended, I asked the Lord for another such local, weekly ministry, and in 2001, I sensed His direction to move ahead with leading one myself. With my parents' and Christianna's blessing, I led a "COMMIT Club" that summer along with my friend Angela (from the original group), serving 24 young ladies ages 11 to 15. We saw God work in young ladies' hearts in a marvelous way, developing in them maturity and a heart to know the Lord.
After that club ended, I have continued to lead COMMIT Clubs, each lasting about two months, with anywhere from six to thirty attendees. Each club is unique, but all center on teaching young ladies to apply the unchanging truths of God's word to their lives. With joy I have watched my friends from Christianna's club, as well as older members of my clubs, rise up to assist me in leading clubs, and even begin clubs of their own. We have even shared messages at COMMIT Conferences on how to lead clubs (though ultimately each leader must seek the Lord for individual direction), and have heard testimonies from young ladies in several states who are continuing this discipleship ministry through COMMIT Clubs in their own areas.
From the beginning, the story of COMMIT has been a fitting example of II Timothy 2:2 in action: "And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." Will you carry the torch of Biblical discipleship to those whom God brings into your life?
The story of COMMIT began when 16-year-old Christianna Reed made a commitment to spend the next four years of her life in whole-hearted service to the Lord, focusing on growing in love with Him rather than other issues which so often become the focus of young ladies' lives. The resulting ministries, spiritual growth, deepened family relationships, insights, and closeness to the Lord which came into her life gave her a vision to share what she learned with other young ladies.
Christianna was able over the next few years to counsel a number of young ladies who were in difficult situations because of prior choices to seek worldly interests rather than Jesus first and foremost. She saw how this damaged their lives, and how hard it was to free these young ladies from the bondage they had unwittingly become entangled in by the desires they had pursued in earlier years. After one frustrating counseling session, Christianna talked with her parents about beginning a ministry to younger girls, while they were still forming their life purpose, before they reaped bigger consequences from wrong decisions.
And so, shortly thereafter, Christianna prayerfully began a two-month weekly discipleship group for twelve homeschooled girls ages 11 through 15. Each week she would teach how to apply a different Biblical principle into our lives as young ladies; she'd allow time for guided discussion; her sister Charity would teach a fun session on etiquette; each girl would share what we learned about Jesus from assigned reading in John's gospel; and we'd break into smaller groups for prayer.
My sister Rachel and I were in this group, and it greatly affected our lives! We had long admired Christianna from afar, because of her effervescent spirit, announcing to everyone by her very demeanor what a joy it was to live a life of seeking Christ first of all, being wholly dedicated to Him. We found that not only did she display spiritual maturity, but she was amazingly gifted in sharing to this particular audience (girls ages 12 to 15) just how we could live this life for ourselves! She is funny, witty, and joyful in her exhortations; she is able to share Biblical truth in a way very applicable to young ladies' lives.
Unfortunately, Christianna was unable to continue a local discipleship group after those two months, due to ministry trips; but her vision for ministry to young ladies remained unchanged. One day as her family was driving to Dallas, they discussed the need for seminars for young ladies, but acknowledged to one another their inadequacy to organize these. Their parents told the girls (Christianna, Michelle, and Charity) not to tell others about this idea, but just to pray. They did, and on that very trip to Dallas, Mr. Gothard (president of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, IBLP) asked their family to organize seminars for young ladies as part of IBLP!
From that point on, COMMIT ~ which stands for Cultivating Obedience, Ministering Mercy, Internalizing Truth ~ has been a family ministry for the Reeds. Since the first COMMIT conference was held in Oklahoma City in September 1999, with 100 attendees, mothers and daughters across the country have been eager to attend a conference.
When my sister and I attended a COMMIT conference in Dallas in 2000, God convicted me of attitudes that were contrary to His Word and drew me much closer to Him. I was amazed at the genuinely spiritual atmosphere, and I realized that a large factor in the personal effectiveness of the teaching to each attendee was the collection of Godly, older young ladies who were committed to the Lord and excited about serving the young ladies. Because there were so many of these leaders in proportion to the attendees, we were soaked in Godly fellowship in the hallways, elevators, food lines, and everywhere we went, not just in sessions. We were able to ask questions of the leaders, because they were there all week and loved to talk with us, to help us in any way they could.
For several years after Christianna's original discipleship group ended, I asked the Lord for another such local, weekly ministry, and in 2001, I sensed His direction to move ahead with leading one myself. With my parents' and Christianna's blessing, I led a "COMMIT Club" that summer along with my friend Angela (from the original group), serving 24 young ladies ages 11 to 15. We saw God work in young ladies' hearts in a marvelous way, developing in them maturity and a heart to know the Lord.
After that club ended, I have continued to lead COMMIT Clubs, each lasting about two months, with anywhere from six to thirty attendees. Each club is unique, but all center on teaching young ladies to apply the unchanging truths of God's word to their lives. With joy I have watched my friends from Christianna's club, as well as older members of my clubs, rise up to assist me in leading clubs, and even begin clubs of their own. We have even shared messages at COMMIT Conferences on how to lead clubs (though ultimately each leader must seek the Lord for individual direction), and have heard testimonies from young ladies in several states who are continuing this discipleship ministry through COMMIT Clubs in their own areas.
From the beginning, the story of COMMIT has been a fitting example of II Timothy 2:2 in action: "And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." Will you carry the torch of Biblical discipleship to those whom God brings into your life?
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Bible Verse
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." - II Chronicles 7:14