Blogging from the Heart

Many years ago, I’d write out an essay and email it out to a large group of people that had indicated, in some form or other, interest in my writing, or me and my family. These posts were often humorous, some were not, and some had some biblical nugget of truth built in.

Little did I know, 15 years ago, that I was “blogging.” I thought I was just doing what I’ve always loved to do: write.

It’s come a long way since hitting “send” on a massive email list carefully BCCd with my words in the text. Now, there are entire web-based platforms and technical mumbo-jumbo for blogging, which admittedly is a weird little word for what really happens. Writing your innermost thoughts, or carefully planned and executed DIY instructions, or something meant to encourage. Or, something meant to rile people up and generate action of some sort.

Blogging from the heart is a tricky business. It means making yourself vulnerable while attempting to lift someone else up. For me, it’s using a gift God has given me to share what He is doing in my life, with the ultimate purpose to bring Him glory and stand up for Him. Psalm 107:2 states, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story — those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.” Stories are in all of us that glorify God that need to be told.

I come from a long line of storytellers, in the grand style of Appalachian mountain storytellers. So it makes sense to me that the natural progression of my blogging profession is speaking, sharing the Gospel – telling others about Christ. I long to weave the testimonies He has given me (and they are many) to lead others to Him, using the spiritual gifts with which He’s blessed me: exhortation, pastor/shepherd, and evangelism.  The Holy Spirit freely gives all believers spiritual gifts; it is up to the believer to use them.

He also gives us other gifts, which at the time don’t seem like gifts as we know them. He gives us testimonies – tests that swallow us up, draw us closer to Him, make us scream on the kitchen floor and cry at will. Tests that determine just how strong our faith is – not how strong our God is, for that is something that never ever changes. He presents battles, suits us up in His armor and lets us battle it out – within and through His presence. He gives us these battles so that we may claim the victory in Him, for Him – not to possess in any participation trophy but to proudly declare in Jesus Name that He was victorious in our lives.

He does that so that we may not keep the victory to ourselves, but to share it – share it to show others that He is indeed the Lord of our lives. He puts our faces on His Gospel message this way, to show others that despite what the world says, He is still on the throne. He allows things to happen to sharpen us, to shape our faith, to make reflect Him more than ourselves. He does this so that we may share what He has done in our lives.

I am excited to report I’ll be doing just that at the 2:1 Conference this October 7-9, 2016 at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky. I’m part of a new segment to encourage people, in that I will share my testimony of how God has worked in our lives when and since my husband was shot in November, then lead others in a time of prayer, encouragement, and healing.

The 2:1 Conference is all about faith, homeschooling and blogging. It changed my life last year and gave me a new perspective – not just on blogging – in that God is still molding and shaping His believers to be more like Him. I instantly clicked with so many people. If you homeschool or are a blogger, or a blogging homeschooler,  you will find not just knowledge at the 2:1 Conference but community as well. People who get you. People who will pray with and over you – not just during the conference itself but all.the.time. Check the 2:1 Conference out here [aff link] – you will be glad you did!

Blogging [and speaking] from the heart takes courage – but the Lion of Judah is in the business of giving us courage in and through Him. We are to speak boldly in His name, for and about Him. I am so humbled He would choose me – someone who used to mix up her r’s and w’s and was so embarrassed by that she just didn’t talk in high school – to share Him with others. It just goes to show that God’s not done with us yet. He calls the one who’s been through stuff so they can show how He was in the stuff with them – and brought them out, victorious in Him. Amen.

If your church or Christian organization would like to arrange a speaking opportunity in which I share my testimony and how God is moving in our lives, please contact me using this form. My testimonies cover a wide range of topics, such as surviving domestic violence, God’s provision, parenting special needs, being victorious in tragedy, being a caregiver of a spouse with paraplegia, single parenthood, and being a woman with a heart for Jesus and a passion for evangelism.

All for Jesus,
Terrie 

(c) 2016 Terrie McKee

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