Write the Blog

Write the Blog

This is the short story of how God put on my heart the desire to write and share, can't wait to see where He takes me!

Ok Ladies of the 360 Challenge, you are my chosen audience…

I am a word girl, one of my favorite pastimes is reading - pretty much anything, but I do like to stick to something that will make me think, something that will introduce me to a new part of history, or a good novel with themes that point to Jesus. Putting words together whether by speaking or writing is something that I enjoy.

When I started this challenge, I was feeling restless. Not quite sure of my purpose, recognizing that my kids were not needing me in the same way and wondering what God wants me to do next. So, I started taking steps that I thought were the right ones. I dusted off my resume, dug through old files for my employment paperwork, and spent hours on the phone with my son revamping my resume. I applied for two jobs in the field of education, which is where I had my last full time job. When I pushed the button to submit my information, I felt a sense of dread, not excitement about new possibilities, but an unsettled wondering…Is this really what the Lord would have me do next? Does He has something different for me? What could that look like?

Then - LIFE! I have been looking in different directions for job opportunities, and it seems like the Lord just keeps narrowing down and closing doors. In the course of the past 6 weeks, I have had two meetings in different areas of my life that were not positive. They did not go well - however, I was able to leave those meetings and ask myself the question. What is it that you want me to learn from this experience? How do You, Lord, desire me to change the way that I interact with people so that YOU get the glory? What does that look like in the middle of hard, hurtful, and just plain wrong things!

Could it help me to relate a bit better to people in my life who feel “clobbered” by Christianity? People who need to be shown and feel the love of Jesus more than being beat down with verses? Are you allowing these hard things to firmly close doors that I am not supposed to walk through? If you are closing the doors that I thought would swing wide open for me…what in the world am I supposed to do now?

I have been doing lots of learning and growing in the past few years, and because of that and the guidance from the Lord. I was able to walk away from those two meetings and reflect instead of implode or shrivel into silence. Are there things that I should have done differently? What is it that You want to teach me?

I don’t have the answers to those questions HA! You thought this would be easy - read and repeat….But, each of us has a job to do. A job to live in this world, created for His purpose, unique in the ways that He made us…and point others to Jesus. That’s it.

As part of this discipleship class, I became in the past 6 weeks, much more in tune with what the Lord was speaking to me. And…the Holy Spirit spoke a phrase to me that I don’t fully understand how He is going to work out in my life. But, my job is to walk in obedience with Him. So what is that amplified thought that keeps whizzing through my mind? Write the blog. In random times during the day, when I am sitting quietly and praying, having a conversation with a friend, or doing the regular tasks of life, this thought keeps coming to mind. It is something that I have had quick thoughts about, but never felt like God speaking this next step to me. So…this is my first “blog” post and you all get to read it!

The full phrase that I continue to hear is “Write the blog, and I will take care of the rest.” What does that look like in everyday life? Between piles of laundry, dirty dishes, a business to run, jobs to do, what exactly do you mean, Lord? And…then…..my questions start. I thought you wanted me to add to our income, how exactly are you going to do that?

On Monday evening when Carolyn started to ask the question “What is your next small step of obedience?” I don’t even think that the words for the question were out of her mouth before that thought - “write the blog” popped into my mind again.

I think I am taking those words as my next small step. I don’t know what it will look like, I don’t know how to write a blog…I like writing, and if my words can help encourage someone else to step into their purpose or to connect more fully with Jesus - then what am I waiting for?

Just

Like

He

Said

Write the blog (me taking a tiny step of obedience)

I will take care of the rest (God has got to make the pieces fall into place, I certainly don’t know how!)

So, what about you? What is that phrase or word that the Holy Spirit has been whispering to you? Maybe your word is

REST

DO

SURRENDER

TRUST

What is your next tiny step of obedience? What is God calling you to do?

12 Month Update: Yes, this is how I roll....it has taken me months to step out and share, but here goes, God keeps putting the thought in my mind, I told you to write a blog...just do it!

* It won't be perfect

* What if people don't like it?

* What if someone says mean things?

* What if no one reads it?

* What if...

* What if...

* What if...

BUT GOD

* What if you just do what I told you to do and I will take care of the rest?

* What if you just post it already and don't worry about perfection (more on that later!)

* What if no one reads it - so what? You know that your mom, your aunts, and your friends will read it, lol!

* What if someone says mean things, you are doing what I told you to do...so just do it already!