Thankful For The Past Year

Last week marked the one year anniversary for "This Little Light of Mine". It passed without fanfare and I didn't even do this post which I had planned on doing. I have to admit that I have wondered often in the past couple of months whether I should continue this blog or not. It has been challenging to keep it up with all the other commitments that I have.

This here is a very small blog with a few followers...but as my husband pointed out...it doesn't matter how many people are reading, but WHO is reading. He is right...if I could touch one person, the one person who needs to read what I have written that particular day, then God's work was accomplished that day.

As I look back over the past year, I am grateful to God for how much I have learned and grown as a person. I have met so many wonderful Christian women, and even a couple of men, whose blogs inspire me and who encourage me. Some I have had a connection with that makes us soul sisters...across the ocean and thousands of miles...we connect and we share, we smile and we encourage.

I thank God for each of you who read this blog. I'm still praying for direction on where the Lord wants to take me, but I don't think He brought me this far for me to quit now! His command to be his light is not one that I can set aside because of my own insecurities or sense of failure. I can compare myself to others who started the same time I did and see how their blogs have grown and mine haven't, but God's will is different for each of us. Perhaps this is the year for this little blog to grow and, if so, I know that He will open the doors...in His timing, which is always perfect.

Interestingly enough, the most popular post (or rather the post that got the most hits) was The Legend of the Phoenix... the post I wrote asking for prayer for my brother-in law and his wife's marriage. I know it received the traffic because of google searches on the phoenix or on Phoenix and I contemplated removing it after I realised that, but as my husband so wisely said, you never know who will pray for them even though they didn't go to my site with that intent. So, up it stays and continues to receive hits almost daily!

This post has completely knocked out my Fairytale Part One,  first in a 3 part series, which was the most popular post I'd had before. God does work in mysterious ways!

I've had the privilege of being a part of some wonderful and affirming communities and I want you all to know that I cherish you all! You welcomed me, from a tiny island across the seas, into your midst and I have felt very much at home.  It's been an interesting year. There's been so many fantastic goings-on and I'm amazed at where I've been led sometimes!

Sometimes I've been in a quandary about just what to take part in. There have been times when, as an international blogger, I have had to step back because there have been contests and giveaways which I believe I ought not to participate in. I once, inadvertently, entered a book giveaway because I didn't realise that when I commented on the blog I was entering. I actually won the book! The hostess was gracious enough to send it to my daughter's Florida campus for me, but I felt embarrassed and have been very careful ever since to read all the fine print!

Last year, I stepped out of my comfort zone and started the new year with a new blog. This year, I'm once again stepping out of my comfort zone and beginning this new year in obedience to God's command to "expand my boundaries".  What exactly that means I'm not sure yet...but stay tuned and expect some surprises...God isn't finished with me or my blog as yet!

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