In which I realize the blog is 6 months old

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Single Threads is half a year old!!! And to celebrate, here's the top 5 things I've learned since taking the plunge. Keep reading, and you'll find some pretty cool blog stats too! 
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So you want to write a devotional blog? You'll need...

1. A cheerleader

Cuz sometimes you're not gonna want to write. Or the idea will be there, but you'll find the words are huddled tightly together in some small yurt in Antarctica: oh so far away from your poised hands and the blue glow of your screen.

At that time, you'll need someone to burst upon you with pom-poms waving and lungs belting some corny personalized cheer. REALLY. Like this recent email from a friend: "bated breath waiting for tomorrow's article." That's all it said. And my heart did that happy skip thing. No matter if I've wrestled for 3 hours with this thing already, I thought. Someone's waiting for it. 

Get a few of these bated-breath people. They really help. 

2. An "easily blessed" attitude

We had just watched a whopper "sermonic egg" being laid in chapel. My undergrad classmates and I sat in our lecture hall ready to pounce all over the speaker with merciless critique. Practically licking our chops. Then our professor walks in, draws himself up to his lanky height... and quietly says, "When it comes to the Word of God, be easily blessed." You could have heard a pin drop as those words sunk in. I never forgot that challenge. What a mindset to apply to all of life!

As a blogger there's this constant pressure to hurl words into the vast reaches of cyber-space oblivion. And nothing will fill the what-to-write-on-next void like thoughts that are bent on being easily blessed. Reading the Bible, observing the world, interacting with people...do it with a heart that anticipates blessing. You'll never lack inspiration. 

3. A thick skin

Because someone's going to misunderstand what you write. And feedback will weasel inside you and eat away until there's nothing left but a keyboard clutching skeleton. Ain't nobody wants THAT. 

So grow a thick skin. One with a healthy layer of "thinking no evil." With a cell structure of "esteeming others better than yourself." With poochy blubber of brotherly-love-continuing. With that skin, you'll be insulated enough to warmly consider misunderstanding. (Instead of letting it eat away at your very existence.)   

4. A short- term memory

At some point you'll look back on your past writings and find they've dissolved into moldy heaps of garbage. This will cause a full-body sweat. Did I write that? Certainly NOT. And the real clincher: Who READ that?

Because as humans, we're constantly changing. And as Christians, that change should be from glory to glory. A clearer reflection of Christ today than we were yesterday. A richer dwelling of the Word of God in us. This change is good. 

So press on. Press forward. To some extent it's healthy to forget what we've done in the past. Reach forward to those things that are before. They are better. And there will always be fresh grace. 

5.  A collection of sturdy storehouses, preferably as wide as football fields and several stories high. You'll need them to hold all the blessings. 

Because you can't predict where God will wing it

I had no idea that Single Threads would spread to TEN different countries with a faithful readership in seven of them. Over four THOUSAND page views. (no, they're not all my Mom. I checked.) And so many messages testifying of what God is doing with these simple thoughts. 

Because you'll increase your interaction with a living book 

Want to nail down what you believe? Start writing it out in a way that has to be clear for others. In a way that has to be Biblically clear. 

Now the blog has me digging deep and finding out how sure my belief is. It's got me thinking "what does God say about this?" when I normally wouldn't. There's been a lot of tasting and seeing at God's table the last six months, and it's added a rich 'fatness' to my life I didn't know was lacking. Blessings indeed.

Because you're working a work God loves

I love to write about what God is teaching me in life. Love. It. 
But six months ago I realized I would not let God use this thing I loved. Not let Him wing it where He would. I wouldn't share it because, well, it didn't fit my standard of perfect. Certainly no shades of Elisabeth Elliot or Nancy Leigh DeMoss around here. Why bother?

Start a blog and people will rush out of the woodwork screaming, "I am NOT a blogger!!!" I get this. But every believer has an active role to play in God's work. Every 'joint' is to supply something that will make increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Wrestle with your role. Figure out what you love to do, and do it for the Body of Christ. Hold it out for the Lord to use. God will be well pleased. He loves this work. He laid down His life for it. 

And...who knows where it will find you six months from now. :)

Beth