Blogs

Blogs-Out of curiosity, I checked to see how many blogs I have written. To
my surprise, this one is my 167th one! That is a lot of hours that I have
spent writing blogs. But they also have filled up lots of long hours for me.

When the idea of writing a blog was presented to me, to be honest, I didn't
even know what a blog was, though I was pretty sure that it had something to
do with computers. (I am technology "challenged" and I like it that way.) After finding out for sure what a blog is, I definitely
declined. I have really come to enjoy writing these blogs, so thankfully I
have friends who would not take no for an answer. After much persuasion,
more like nagging, I agreed to pray about it.

One thing that I have learned over the years is that, when I say that I am
going to pray about something, I need to do it as soon as possible so it doesn't
slip my mind and I end up not keeping my word. So I took it to the Lord as
soon as I could. To my chagrin, I felt that He wanted me to start writing a
blog. Somebody suggested a daily blog but writing anything takes a long
time. I would never get anything else done if I did that so I settled for a
weekly blog. Anyway, these blogs started out as an act of obedience to God
rather than something that I wanted to do.

Once it was settled in my mind that I was going to write the blogs, it was a
question of what of what on earth I was going to write about. With help
from the Holy Spirit, I decided that a good starting point was my incredible
testimony. So I wrote it and a few more blogs. But, one day, I felt that the
Holy Spirit was asking me to open up a bit about myself. Hold on. I never
agreed to this. I am a very private person and not at all comfortable with
letting other people see into my life. It was difficult at first but I made
myself do it as an act of obedience to God. Little by little it got easier and
now I have no trouble opening up about myself.

Over the years, I have written blogs on all sorts of topics, from my personal history to how wonderful God is. And all sorts of things have inspired them but my primary aim, along with obedience, has always been to point people to my wonderful God. I can't even take credit for what I write. Although I usually have a general idea what I want to write about, once I start writing, some of the things that come out are news to me too or, if I knew it, didn't think of it. Obviously, the Holy Spirit is using these blogs to speak to me along with other people.

That went on until I was diagnosed with breast cancer and eventually told that the cancer couldn't be treated. Since then, I have noticed that my blogs have changed a little. I know that God is the only One who can help me so I am even more focused on Him. I am sure the blogs reflect it. I also know that, at times, the Holy Spirit uses the blogs as a means of encouraging me. Right now, I am in a situation where I need lots of encouraging. While I sure hope that other people get something out these blogs, I have to admit that I am using them to keep myself encouraged and "hanging in there". Writing keeps depression and fear at bay, especially when it is focused on God.

I have been thinking that I should go back and reread the blogs. People often say that they are inspiring so that might be another way of encouraging myself. I remember years ago at church, I was given a word from God to use what I have. Not understanding, I promptly forgot it. Now, though, I wonder if He was referring to using my computer to share my life and beliefs in these blogs.