A thanks before sleep

I wanted to pop in here and thank you the readers, who have been a part of my story here for nearly six years. 

This place kind of has an ongoing identity crisis and it's not sure what it wants to be when it grows up, but I enjoy the simple opportunities it gives me.

I like sharing a part of my life here, not because I am in any sense an exhibitionist but because I believe life can be tough and sometimes followers of Christ can tend to come off as having it all together, and we really don't. Sometimes us pastors especially can come off like that, and I really don't have it all together. I can be an ass and I don't listen and I really don't like to say I was wrong as often as I have been wrong. You know, just stuff.  I don't have it all together and most often I'm ok with that.

But lets face it, I still tell you only the things that I want to tell you. You still only know the things I or Lauralea mention in our blogs, so that is a little biased too.

In a world of narrative where stories of peoples lives happen all around us every day, my story is just another one. Not better, not worse, depending on the day, it's just another one. It's valid simply because it's my story and hopefully it doesn't devalue other lives and stories that are out there. My life is really all I have to offer others, because it's made up of me, of who I am. Yes I can offer information to people, but I think that the real offering is me, my life. My friendship or care or love or listening ear or prayer, it's just me. My existence is all I have to offer, because it's all that I am. So I suppose in some way that is why I do this here. It's just an offering of my story, such as it is.

What has happened as a result is that a number of you have trusted me with your stories and allowed me to walk with you through different seasons of life. Some of you make contact when your stories are in difficult seasons and you need a friend for your soul. You make contact with me and we walk together for a while and then we part and don't talk again for some time. It's been fun to see how that group just constantly changes as old friends are ok and walk on their own again and others contact me anew.   

Others contact me with questions and desire some wisdom for a situation they are facing. Still others simply need someone to pray with them, and I do that then too.

It's really just allowed me to be me here in this space. It's been a way for my strengths and graces to come out, and as you need them you have had the courage to email or call or make contact.

I'm grateful that you have felt free to make contact, because when I am able to be who God has made me to be, with my gifts and graces being used to help others, I am fulfilled, and in turn I look to God with a grateful heart. 

Thank you, for trusting me with your lives and stories because in some way God provides through who he has made me to be, and then I am fulfilled.

 

And with that I think I better get to bed.

Tomorrow is our first day off in a while and I don't want to mess it up with a tired fight with Lauralea.

 

Night.