Last Friday I was reading a post on The Blended Blog by Andrea whose blog home is Living on Cloud Nine. She featured some of her favorites from the week and as I read the post and followed the links I was captivated by the post Has Blogging Gotten out of Control? by Fashion on the 4th Floor. As I read the post I found my myself agreeing with every word. I especially loved that Diane actually googled and found this definition of blogging.
A blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary. It is a place to express yourself to the world. A place where you can share your thoughts and your passions. Really, it’s anything you want it to be. For our purposes we’ll say that a blog is your own website that you are going to update on an ongoing basis.” “A collection of posts – deeply personal – fresh – off the cuff.”
I needed to hear that definition. I needed to be reminded that in my heart of hearts I want to connect with people on a deeper level. I want to share my heart with my readers and I want to hear theirs.
What’s been on my heart lately? These words {but what if….} Why those words? Well, let me share some of my thoughts.
-One day my husband jokingly said one of my best qualities was my impatience. {ouch!} I won’t go into all the details. But what if….I was patient instead of impatient? I needed to be reminded of truth.
-Almost every day my tongue gets away from when I’m traveling to and from work. Mainly it stems from the slow drivers in the fast lane. Oh my thoughts…oh my words. But what if…I offered them grace not knowing what they might be going through? Bless instead of curse? Yes, this is the truth I know.
…bless and do not curse. ~ Romans 12:14
-I completely enjoy working out and being challenged physically. My husband and I can get competitive with one another and it’s all good between us. But what if…I chose to leave that in the gym instead of let my competitiveness bleed into areas of my life where it doesn’t belong.
And here lies the real reason for this post. My impatience, lack of grace and competitiveness have been barriers for me in life, relationships and even blogging. Like most people I want to succeed in various aspects of life, like my job and blogging. I want to have faithful friends and want to be a faithful friend. I want to be a good mom and wife. But I fail. I fail often. Sometimes I withdraw and try to figure out where I’m going and answer the questions that roll around in my brain. Sometimes I want to give up on my passions…but what if?
But what if I simply remembered these other words {But God} Over and over in the Scriptures when times got bad and people got discouraged the next words are many times But God. One my favorite passages to remember is Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers and then sent to prison but all the while he was innocent. Yet, he said in Genesis 50:19 but God intended it for good….
Struggling is not fun. But the truth is I believe it has a purpose and is not in vain. Managing life’s struggles and disappoints face all of us. It’s part of the human condition. But God offers me grace {and you too} to get back up and try again. The introverted me is trying to get back up and accept a gracious offer of grace from the Lord and others in my life.
Today I will remember this truth.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
~ 2 Corinthians 12:9 ~
~Carrie xoxo
Where I’m linking up.
