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Writer's pictureBrian Doyle

Reflecting Back on Five Years of Writing

Last year, Michaelene and I wrote 265 entries in our daily devotionals (so we missed a hundred days, it seems, not so “daily”), which comes out to 383 pages, and, according to the document, 245,372 words. When I first came to Murfreesboro, I told God that if He would provide the inspiration, I would continue to write. Since then, Michaelene and I have written, roughly, 1,600 posts. This isn’t to toot my own horn; much of the time, it seems like I’m the only person who sees it. Some posts get a lot of likes, and some don’t. It’s not about the following, it’s about giving God glory. I can look back at these posts like a journal, and I can see how God has continued to speak to me by His word and confirmed that word again and again throughout these five years. I have not always been faithful to doing this, sometimes I’m too tired, too busy, too sad, or not able, but I have seen that God has ALWAYS been faithful in these five years, and well before.

 

I say all that to say this: how do you keep track of your conversations with God? How do you record answered prayers? I need the reminder, sometimes, that God HAS spoken, God HAS confirmed, and God will continue to do so. I want to encourage you to journal, as Michaelene and I have, your journey with God. Confirm it through the word of God (for He will not contradict Himself), be prepared to be vulnerable, and be open to correction. Understand that God, through His word and the Holy Spirit, wants to mature and grow you, that your relationship with Him will deepen and mature, becoming richer and fuller throughout your entire life.

 

Colossians 3

 

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

 

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.




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