The Unexpected Blessing of Blogging

I began this blog in the fall of 2019 when I sensed God inviting me on an adventure with Him. Excited about the idea, and not wanting to forget any lessons learned along the way, I decided to document the journey as it transpired. Little did I know of the adventure awaiting just a few short months down the road! This journey has been much more epic than I could have ever imagined, and God has been teaching me so much throughout this past year and a half.

Soon after beginning my blog, I realized what a good outlet it was for me. My family and I had already experienced nearly a year of semi-isolation due to some health issues my son was experiencing, and it was easy to feel lonely and to question why God would allow our current struggles to be part of our lives. Starting the blog gave me a sense of purpose through our struggles, however. It also provided a means of expressing my thoughts and feelings on a regular basis—something that had become harder to do now that I was home alone with my son a lot more.

Several months later, my sense of purpose in blogging grew as illness became a worldwide issue and concern. God gave me ideas throughout that time that I knew would be relevant to our current reality. He encouraged me in the months to follow with different Bible passages and insights, and I prayed that others would be encouraged and experience renewed hope alongside me as I wrote.

Now, over 18 months later, I am so grateful for what this blog has meant to me and for the comments I have received on how it has encouraged others. Perhaps one of the best and most unexpected blessings from blogging, however, has been gaining a sense of community throughout this journey.

I’ve always considered writing to be a solitary activity. It is for me, at least. But as I have posted my writings and started readings posts from other bloggers, I began to see a community forming in front of me. I started following the blogs of talented, godly women and noticed that many of them also began to follow mine. And as we all wrote and commented on each other’s blogposts, it felt like God was giving me friends through this means.

After a year like the last one, where my family and I experienced even greater isolation like many others did throughout the world, I can only say one thing about the camaraderie that I’ve gained through blogging.

Only God.

His timing for this blog was perfect, not only so that I could encourage others through a pandemic, but so that I could receive the encouragement I would need, and so that I would be challenged to grow in my walk with God amidst the present-day difficulties.

So, thank you to all of you who have been faithfully following God and sharing about your journeys while encouraging me on my own. I admire you, and you inspire me.

Sometimes I think of what it would be like to have you all over for a brunch or tea. We’d all sit around my dining room table and share about the most recent lessons God has been teaching us or the most impactful blogs that we’ve read of each other’s. And after hours of talking, eating, laughing, and deep connection, we’d pray for each other and encourage each other to keep writing for God’s glory. Perhaps we would end our time together by planning our next rendezvous several years down the road, in a different country in one of your homes, or perhaps in just another state (or city).

I don’t imagine that we’ll all get a chance to meet in person like that, much less have subsequent reunions afterwards. Not this side of heaven, at least. But if any of you are ever in my neck of the woods, mi casa es su casa. I hope you’ll contact me so that we can meet and mutually encourage each other in person, much like we’ve already been doing through our blogs.

In the meantime, I pray that God would immensely bless each of you. And may He continue to be Who you write for, guiding your thoughts and words so that you keep blessing and encouraging others through them, just like you have blessed and encouraged me.