Saturday, December 29, 2007

This Isn't Working!

So, Have you noticed that I haven't been here lately?

Me too.

I need to ask for your advice; I'm really struggling with this task.

Here's what's happened. Before I started to blog, I was in the Bible every single day. It wasn't hard. It wasn't work. It was my life, and I loved the regularity of it -- hearing from God in his word. Applying it to my life. The encouragement. The correction. The LIFE! I thought that if I blogged through the word, I could share that LIFE with you.

But it isn't working.

Here's what happens!

I get reading ahead of where I'm blogging. For instance, I went through the book of Judges while I was blogging through the book of Romans. And while I was finishing blogging Romans, I went ahead and read 1st Corinthians. So, here I am. Two full books ahead of where I'm blogging. What's a writer to do?

Here's what happens. I start feeling guilty. I can't ever catch up. And then...

I stop reading the word, so that I can "catch up" with myself.

It isn't working. My life has fallen out of balance. I'm like a dog chasing my own tail. I eat too much. Sleep too much. Work too hard. Struggle with my prayer life. And find my emotions directing my life instead of following it.

I know what's missing. It's the quiet time in the word! The regularity of it. The stability of it. The LIFE in it.

But how can I get this whole thing to work? Do you have any ideas? Any suggestions?

I'm thinking that I ought to stop feeling responsible for commenting on every single important idea in the Word. For your whole experience with God's word. Maybe I ought to just do what I can, when I can, and let God do the rest.

I can tell you this. Once you start to experience the LIFE of the word of God, there is no going back. Maybe that's the whole point of my entire experience. I need to do something different.

Any ideas?

5 comments:

Christina Tarabochia said...

I'm kind of feeling this myself. There are days where I have so much to blog that I keep putting it off and never get a blog done.

I say, take your quiet time, feel the LIFE again, and if it happens to make it here, then great. If not, don't stress. I would not be bothered at all if you jumped around as long as you gave me the reference and background of what you talk about.

Anonymous said...

My dear Bette, get back to what you do the best and never mind blogging. The thing that you do best is your wonderful novels that get a great message across. The message that your books portray are from the Lord. Time spent with the Lord is when He speaks to you and then you can hear that wee small voice.

Anonymous said...

What if you lower your expectations? Your blog doesn't have to be a commentary on the whole Bible, verse by verse. What if you saw the blog as emailing a friend to share something you've discovered during your quiet time and leave it at that? Short. Simple. No stress. No expectations. Lots of gaps. However it needs to look.

Share out of the joy of what you're learning...and leave it at that. This whole thing shouldn't be like a ball and chain around your neck! Give yourself permission to have it look different than you first imagined it...and be FREE.

Petunia

Anonymous said...

Gostei muito desse post e seu blog é muito interessante, vou passar por aqui sempre =) Depois dá uma passada lá no meu site, que é sobre o CresceNet, espero que goste. O endereço dele é http://www.provedorcrescenet.com . Um abraço.

Sherrie Ashcraft said...

I agree with the others, Bette. This should not be something that is "one more thing to do" in your life. Just share with us nuggets that the Lord gives you. It can be a thought-provoking devotional rather than a chapter by chapter commentary. We're all very flexible around here and just enjoy hearing what you have to share with us. Cut yourself some slack, lady!!