Way back in 2017, one of my readers started sending me comments to WALK STRONG. I loved that. Whenever things would get rough along the way, she’d send me WALK STRONG. It always reminded me to hold my head up, straighten my crown, and remind myself Whose daughter I am. And, every time the enemy starts to plant ideas in my head that maybe I need to stop this whole blog thing and do something else…you all lift me up, dust off my crown, and gently place it back on my head.

Thank you for that.

The last week or two, I was feeling torn by all the negative press coming out about Facebook. And…I have to admit…I was listening to the wrong voice. The one that tears down, not lifts up. The one that condemns, not redeems. It was keeping me awake at night, which in turn was making me extremely grouchy. And you know what that means…when mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. I hate being ugly. It’s just not me. It’s not who God wants me to be.

Interestingly, after I wrote yesterday’s post and scheduled it to go live at 4:00AM like I do every day, I kissed my sweetheart goodnight…and said my prayers. I asked God to bring me peace and tell me what to do about my writing. I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep. I didn’t get up in the night. I didn’t lay there awake for hours with my mind in a whirl. I was out like a light…till 1:00 yesterday afternoon! I slept twelve hours straight. That is absolutely unheard of for me. When I awoke, I was refreshed and at ease. Totally at peace.

I finally got around to opening Facebook and there were all your wonderful, supportive messages…reminding me why I do what I do. Why God gave me this ministry. You all are so generous and loving and I appreciate you more than you could possibly know. Tears came to my eyes when you told me my writing had brought you back to your faith. I smiled when you told me you’d miss me if I wasn’t there to have coffee with you every morning. I was strengthened by your reminder that “He who lives within me is stronger than he who lives in the world.”

I know…I’ve always known…that writing is the gift God gave me. It is my way of “being in the world”. It wasn’t until my walk in grief that I really FOUND writing as one of the gems God tossed down in the flames of my pain. I picked it up and put it in my pocket and there it sits…as a forever reminder that there is a way through the pain. I found mine…through camping in the wilderness alone. Through howling in the dark at an unforgiving moon and a largely silent God…my pain oozing out every pore of my body. Through lighting a fire every night and wrapping myself in a blanket beside it….willing my heart to heal…one campfire at a time.

And…writing about it. About the journey. About learning to trust and communicate with God. About growing to be the best me I could be.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” That’s just the first half of John 10:10.

The second half says…

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

So…I’m staying here to fight with the full armor of God. Facebook would not miss me for a second if I left. But you…you who are reading this…you might. And, new widows are made every day. People become disillusioned every day. People get tired and distracted and angry every day. I can’t change the world…that’s God’s territory. However…I can work on my little corner of it and make a difference in whatever way God uses me.

WALK STRONG, GINNY!

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“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

2 Corinthians 5:6-7 ESV