For October, I am once again participating in Five-Minute-Fridays 31 Days of Five-Minute Free Writes challenge. The word prompt for day one is...Why.
Kate switched up a bit this year, meaning we had to register, which allowed us access to the prompts for the whole month. This allowed time for the building a platform, create a landing page, maybe add a table of contents and new pages to our blogs. Unfortunately, I am not as far along as other writers in this area, and our goals are different as well. Some have already written a book or books, and surely have more knowledge on how to do all these things blogging can include.
I didn't start my blog over ten years ago to write a book. I had no intention to make money from my blogging. It was something I started back in 2007 when we found ourselves on a journey we had no idea where it was leading. Blogging was just beginning to develop into what it is today. No way did I ever expected to be contacted by a Christian publisher a few years ago asking if I was interested in publishing something. I had no idea how to even begin something like that. Assured there would be people to help me with this new endeavor, and after talking it over with my husband, I started learning what this would entail.
I am still learning!
Life seems to throw us some roadblock every now and then, causing me to step back and reorganize. I will continue to create what God has on my heart, feeling the call to share how He guided me through some dark and confusing times, from childhood to growing up into a young adult, becoming a mother, raising children and now a grandmother. It's become a series of many stages of our journey through life.
Just when it looked like I was on a roll, WHAM, we were hit with yet another detour. Hopefully, by the end of October, we should know just how this new chapter will affect our journey ahead.
As I read over the prompts for the month, trying to figure out how to put it together, prompts assigned to specific days seem to have become an outline of some kind for this journey ahead...
"GO..."
Why do I continually challenge myself?
Why am I always pushing myself to go beyond my comfort zone?
Why is God guiding me toward a place I am not confident I belong?
Why did I ever think I could write a book?
Why?
Because God doesn't give us more than we can handle, and it's not just a cliche turned into a meme. It is so true! I can remember many times along this journey to where I am now, feeling like I couldn't handle it, but I did!
Doubt was a shadow, creating shade at times, but it didn't win!
He's not challenging me, I am challenging myself. He already knows these challenges are part of my path and allow me to end up just where He wanted me all along.
In reading the Bible, doing Bible Studies, I am not the only one who encountered distractions, setbacks, bumps, or mountains to overcome. Not everyone will write down the challenges they fought or embraced. So when I read the Bible, I am forever thankful that those whose writings made it into the most important book that will ever be written, creating a guide of how we can get through our journey through life with the faith, hope, and love He promises, I'm comforted.
His plan for us isn't all wrapped up in a pretty package with a bow on top! Through our journey toward eternity, there will be times we won't recognize His plan. We are only human, and we will question the direction we are on. Following His words will allow us a way through it. All we have to do is read His words, apply His teachings, learn from those who walked before us and know His reward, His promise, will be worth all the work we do here, in His name.
My doubts have always been part of the stepping stones on this journey. I don't see them ending anytime soon because, in a way, they are the way to Him! Writing, even for five minutes, pouring my soul into a few paragraphs, is always for His Glory...
"STOP!"
As you can see, I didn't figure out how to add a page to my menu or do a table of contents. I've done it before, I should know this? Instead, I'll start where I am and see what develops over the month. Maybe some fog will lift off my brain and a switch will turn on the lightbulb.
Why are we sitting here? Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there! For the Lord our God has doomed us to perish and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against him. We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror. The snorting of the enemy’s horses is heard from Dan; at the neighing of their stallions the whole land trembles. They have come to devour the land and everything in it, the city and all who live there. ...
“Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for, in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
It is so true that God never gives us more than we can handle. He authors our dreams. Thanks for sharing. Good luck with the challenge.
ReplyDeleteHi Elisabeth,
ReplyDeleteI like your post and hope to read more of your writing in the coming days.
I haven't taken a challenge like this before, though I have survived many kinds of challenges in my life.
I've been blogging on and off with stops and starts. I have some dormant blogs on Blogger. I've closed several blogs on other sites - and started new ones, hoping to share stories of God's faithfulness "to all generations".