I woke up this morning early with a myriad of thoughts running through my mind. Among them was the question of this "moments" site that I have not turned my attention to in a very long time. The question of re-engaging is not simple after 2 years of silence. Who will read this? Will anyone care? What's the point? And yet, here I am writing because if I'm going to start again, why not now?
The question going through my mind this morning was around the "why" of writing this blog. I am certain my few, faithful readers have long since given up on another post showing up here, so while I can hope for re-engagement, that can't be my only "why". As I pondered this for a time I realized the why comes from 3 places for me. First, I have been reminded a couple of times over the past few months about a season of teaching I was involved with back in 2003-2009. Seems like forever ago, and yet twice this fall I have been told how deeply impactful that time was for two women who were part of that every Tuesday morning adventure. I was also encouraged about a sermon I preached in 2019 on the Woman at the Well out of John 4, and how that continues to shape and mold the thinking of a couple of my friends. Somehow, despite all the times the voice in my head says that putting my words out to the world doesn't really matter, it seems it could matter.
Adding to this encouragement, a dear friend of mine gave me this quote a few weeks ago:
"Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little." - Tom Stoppard
She said on the back of this quote "whatever you do, don't stop nudging. The world needs your words."
I have been the recipient many a time of the right words, placed in the right order, that nudged me. I know this is true, yet I let my words stay in my head too often. For fear of not putting them in the right order perhaps.
Second, and maybe as important as any impact this may or may not have on you, is that this is a place for me to put pen to paper (so to speak) and gain the perspective I need to keep moving forward. I don't know about you, but I find that my prayer life is more clear and consistent when I am writing, whether in my journal, or for a sermon or teaching. I recognize that getting thoughts out on paper, whether prayers or plans, is the only way that they begin to have any sense of order for me. My thoughts can be chaotic and quickly lose any thread of continuity, but when I turn to paper, I am forced to reign them in and focus on what I'm really trying to say or accomplish or pray.
Third is that I realized this morning lying in bed that there are a lot of things that have to happen in life and in business that can only happen with a team effort. Clients to be served, videos to make, growth to create, strategies to be implemented. There are very few projects in life that are solely up to me to either move forward or not. This blog, it turns out, is one of them. Nobody is responsible for this happening except for me. Clearly since it has been 2 years since I've written, I have some work to do on holding myself accountable, on deciding that it is important enough to carve out a space in time to make it happen.
So many things have happened in life since last I ventured my thoughts in this place. I'll share some of them in posts to come. The goodness of God through 2021 and 2022 has been immeasurable. Gifts and challenges have both been in play as always, yet His goodness wins the day every time. 2022 is coming to a close soon and time presses forward at a speed that is hard to comprehend. I remember thinking during the pandemic that 2020 was the longest, shortest year ever! Days seemed to drag on and yet looking back, it flew by. 2023 is almost upon us and the opportunities to encourage each other to keep our eyes on Jesus amidst a world in chaos will keep on coming.
I will end this re-entry blog now. I wanted to be super profound as I restarted, but really the most important thing was just to do it. To stop thinking about it, and just do it. If you are reading this, thank you. I appreciate you.
Merry Christmas!
