Hi Everyone! I’m back. I didn’t post for a couple of days because I was overwhelmed and tired. I was preparing for family coming into town on top of our regular October boost in activity. As much as I had hoped to post everyday in October, I realized the pressure and stress to get a daily post out wasn’t worth it. I enjoy writing everyday but writing – and publishing a post – are two different things. When just writing, I can begin a thought on one day and finish it the next…and my grammar can be absolutely atrocious! When posting something on the blog, the thought needs to be complete, edited and images need to be added…and all of that can take HOURS. If it was, say, the month of March, that wouldn’t be a big deal. But from October through December, we’re a busy family.

I have committed to write for 31 days and I still have a burden on my heart to write about identity, so I will continue to see that through. However, I will spread my posts out to every other day. This will help me with my schedule (and sanity)…and will allow for better thought out, and more prayerful, posts.

So, something interesting happened with my last post (I had a feeling it was going to be used as an example). Heather left a comment that brought sweet encouragement with a side of conviction. This is often how God has spoken to me through this dear friend (I love you, Heather!!).

Side note: Godly accountability is essential! We were not created to walk through this world alone. We need to be surrounded by people who are full of the Spirit, allowing God to speak wisdom, through them, into our lives. We rely on Holy Spirit, who is in us, for ultimate counsel; however, sometimes we need a brother or sister who is willing to talk us down from our crazy!

She wrote, “First, be encouraged! Your blogs DO have an impact!” (encouragement) “Perhaps they aren’t read by as many people as you feel is worth it.” (conviction) “But as for me…I am always encouraged or challenged by your posts. I am very grateful for them.” (encouragement)

Oftentimes, we gauge worth on popularity or the number of “likes” we can get when we put ourselves out there. And I’m not just talking about blogging. Many of us do this every time we post something on social media…or do anything socially, for that matter. We think, the bigger the audience then, surely, the greater the impact. But numbers are a poor way to measure impact because it overgeneralizes. When we focus on numbers, we tend to remove humanity and connection, and our motivation gets skewed.

For months, I have been praying that God would make the motivation of my heart pure. Whatever I do, I want to do out of love for the Father and my obedience to Him. Not MY will but Yours, O Lord! I always say – just be obedient to the Lord, and let Him take care of the numbers!

I need to practice what I preach.

Heather’s words were a reminder of what I had been asking for.

When I began blogging again, I promised myself I wouldn’t get caught up in the stats of how my posts were being read. However, in my stats, there is a map and I can see where in the world people are reading. And I’ll admit, I totally geek out when someone from the other side of the world reads something I have written; it’s one of the things I love about the internet. But above the map are my numbers. Daily, I can see how many visitors I have and which posts are being read the most. Some days I would get excited over the numbers and other days, I would be kind of sad. On the low number days, honestly, I would ask myself, “Why am I even doing this?”

It’s kind of like beginning a new diet and exercise regimen. You are sacrificing something you love for a greater gain. As you gain, you are motivated to keep going. When you plateau, it is tougher to stay motivated (accountability is essential, here). This is when you need to be able to go back to what motivated you in the first place.

It is the same with this challenge. My original motivation was that I felt led by God to begin writing about identity. He wants His children to know how He sees them and for them to be encouraged to meet with Him in His Word. The things that He has shown me over the last couple of years, concerning identity, has been life-changing and has allowed me to begin walking in the life that He has laid out for me. My original focus was on Him and the things He wanted me to write…but I took my eyes off of the one thing.

In the past, all of this would have been a blow to my identity. Now, I see it as continued opportunity to grow in Him…and it is exciting!

And I have to be willing to remain obedient to His call, even if I don’t see the full impact. If I am abiding in Him, and the words that I write are truly from His heart, then it really isn’t about me. I’m just a vessel that God moves in, and through, to bring light and hope to the world around me (as long as I allow Him to continue to purge me of my baggage). And that is how it is with all of us…no matter what God calls us to say or do. It’s not about us, it’s all about Him – because God is the only One who is worthy to receive all the glory.

I DO hope that God speaks through these posts. But more importantly, for me, is that I remain obedient to the One

who loves me,

who is for me,

  who defines me.

How about you? Is there anywhere in your life that perhaps your motivation isn’t as pure as God calls it to be? I challenge you to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal those places and then allow Him to show you what motivation from a pure heart looks like. The Holy Spirit does not condemn us, but will convict us in those places that do not line up with God’s will. And even more amazing still, He will guide us into alignment with the Father’s will if we are willing to be obedient. It is sacrificing something that we think we want for an even greater (or in this case, the greatest) gain.

May God abundantly bless you as you continue to press into Him!