The Second Year

This Thursday, March 20th, marks my official one-year anniversary here at this blog. The blog was purchased and created a little before March 20th, but that’s the date that marks my first post at this site. I’d like to take just a few minutes and reflect on what a wonderful first year this has been, and I’d like to look ahead to where I feel God is leading me for the second year.

A year ago, I started on this writing venture for the sole purpose of being obedient to God. I felt a strong call to write about more than just my kids, my life, and special needs. I didn’t know exactly what shape the writing may take, but I went into it fully committed to write what I felt God wanted me to say.

Looking back, I can definitely see God’s hand at work. He has opened doors to write at several other sites, and He has challenged me in my own writing - both the grammatical side of it and the content of it. I have found several wonderful groups of writers with whom to associate - those who can build me up spiritually and those who can encourage the actual craft of my writing.

What a blessing this year has been!

As I was looking ahead to year two, I asked God for something clear. My one word for this calendar year is Hope. But I was asking God for even more clarity for year two of writing. I wanted to be challenged, I wanted to be obedient and I wanted to be genuine.

A few weeks ago, someone mentioned a song that I hadn’t heard yet - Hillsong United’s “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”.

Oh, how that song has resonated with me.

This has been a year of learning (or maybe re-learning) trust. Life sometimes takes turns we never expected, and we’re left clinging to Jesus. My prayer is that God continues to lead my heart to full trust in Him.

The opportunity to share my faith in Jesus has come up many times this year in my conversations with people. This has been unexpected as I have a small life. I’m mostly home with our kids, or driving one to a therapy appointment, or taking each of them to various activities. My life is quite full of people who already know Jesus - and that is truly a blessing! This year, though, God has put people inside our church who need salvation, and I have had the privilege of speaking with a few of them about their need for salvation and then praying with them to receive the Lord. This has renewed my heart for the lost.

As I mentioned in another post, this blog has taken a trip to almost half the countries in the world. This has served as a reminder that writing provides any of us an opportunity to get God’s message out to the world. His message can truly reach the world in a method that is without borders. I don’t know how these pages ended up in some of the countries they have been to, but the internet truly makes this a world without borders.

So as I head into the second year of writing, my prayer is in the words of “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”:

“You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand….

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior”
-Hillsong United

I will continue to share my life, and I will endeavor to be even more bold in following God’s leading for what He places on my heart to share with you. The reality is that we only walk through life one time, and we aren’t any second chances if we miss out on an opportunity to boldly share our love for Jesus.

Without borders - unlike even a generation ago, you and I have the opportunity to reach around the world. We can encourage others who walk with Jesus, and we can reach out in His name to those who maybe have never heard of His love. We may not know who we minister to, but God does, and all He asks is that we are faithful.

“Spirit, lead me…
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior.”
-Hillsong United

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