Where Is Jesus In My Blog?
I was planning to write a post tonight about how incredibly unprepared I am for the 1st of December (let’s not mention the fact that I am yet to buy a single Christmas present!) and how I thought that was OK because I think most of us are wanting to teach our kids about the non-commercial aspects of Christmas and being a bit simple was probably quite a good thing. And then I got into one of those wierd daydreams about what my funeral would be like if I died – wierd leap, I know (please tell me you occassionally do this too?) and I realised that the people who have known me in my past and everyday life would have a very different picture of me than many of those who read my blog and know me online.
People in real life would know me as a bit of a Jesus freak. Not in a preachy way (not since school anyway) but in a studied at Bible college way, was a Children & Families Minister and Authorised Lay Minister in a Church kind of way, and that up until Bear was born I was the Early Childhood Ministries facilitator for the Baptist church in the state of VIC.
Those who know me through my blog would possibly know that I have a faith of some sort – depending on how long and often you’ve been reading my blog – but mostly you’d know me as a Mum and possibly “bloggy/brandy type person”.
So why I am writing this? Because the people who could testify to my life would (I hope) say that Jesus is in my life, in my home, in my kids lives, in my husbands life – we don’t just go to church on Sundays but we are Jesus people.
Where is Jesus in my blog?
I’ve not been intentionally not talking about my faith, it’s just not been on my mind to blog about…I don’t even know what it would look like for Jesus to be in my blog – I know what I wouldn’t want it to be like – preachy, dogmatic, arrogant. Maybe it’s been my fear of sounding like that or perhaps more that it takes so much work and emotional energy to write thoughtful posts let alone a thoughtful post about faith that I’ve been putting it off…I don’t know. I don’t know what this means either but I just know that tonight I need to say Jesus is in my blog because he’s in my life.
And now I shall tell you a story, about a teenage girl in a hotel room in Darwin in 1996 on a school camp. I was that girl (did you guess?) and I remember as clear as anything the room where I was, the Bible I had with me and most significantly, I remember God telling me (not audibly, but personally) that I was to spend my life serving in vocational Christian ministry (ie my job would be working in the church). At the time I was in a Sydney Anglican church and so there wasn’t the option of becoming an ordained minister, but I knew that being in the church was where my future was. Over the 15years since I’ve moved in that direction, done ministry traineeships, Bible college, come to a theological viewpoint (which is to say, I think the Bible says it ok) that women can be ordained but that that’s not where I am at personally right now. It was only this year when I went back to the Baptists when Bear was 4 months old (who by the way – wonderful employers!!) and had a mini-meltdown going back to work with a 3yo and 4month old who were both at home with me at the time (yes, I now recognise that was not a very sensible thing for me to do) when I realised I could still be called to ministry but work doing something else through this very unique season of life. It was only then that I kind of fell into social media/blogger engagement consulting – which I love, am good at and can work around family life (yay, yay, yay!)
But it doesn’t change what and who drives me, so if I die and you happen to go to my funeral – whether you’ve known me in the past in the present or simply online I want you all to know the same thing about me – Jesus is in my blog, because He’s in me.
Mummble
Stitch Baby + Kids
Lou just wanted to let you know I so enjoy reading your blog and look forward to it each evening in my ME time
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Thanks for the insight. Keep on fighting the good fight & finish the race you are running well. I’ll be cheering you on. Look forward to meeting you at the finish line (if not beforehand) For those that don’t understand all the jargon, I’m just saying, keep following Jesus. Alex.
I’ve been surprised to meet so many bloggers outside of an explicitly Christian circle who are Christian. I’ve been a bit of a wanderer for some years so, for me, it feels like the gentle nudge I probably need to push, albeit very slowly, through my excess baggage in this area. It’s giving me insights into how people can live wholly in faith and the secular, rather than compartmentalising all the time. I guess it’s a bit like motherhood at times. There’s the mummy-part, and the me-part. And it’s a bit like work and life. So often there is talk about balancing all these sides and leaving one, going to the other, vice-versa. I guess they can, instead, be entwined as one. Sorry, I’m rambling a bit…….
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I completely agree with your last line – your faith is something in you that shines through in everything you do. Sure sometimes when you focus on it, or write/share/speak about it, it is more obvious of course, but it’s always there regardless. Lovely post x
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and that just made me cry and get those ‘Him’ shivers. It was the last line that hit me the most, ‘Jesus is in my blog, because He’s in me’. For some reason it takes guts to declare our faith in these circles more than others, so well done. Beautiful read Lou.
Louisa, your faith is the exact thing that drew me to your blog in the first place. I have a bit of a block when it comes to sharing my faith on my blog – not that I don’t want to share, but sharing in cold black and white text is so different to sharing face to face, and things can come across very differently to how you intended them.
As you say though, your faith is so tied up in who you are that it can’t help but shine through your blog. And I think it does.
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I hear ya!! That’s why I’m glad to be a part of Life on a Hill. We keep meaning to organise guest posting if you’re interested?
Alyce recently posted..Free Christmas Subway Art and Printables + Linky
Louisa you are a treasure. Love it :O)
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Hey Louisa you’re in great company…no not me ;) I mean Darren Rowse, Cath Oehlman and Kelly Burstow among others. You’re an inspiration, as you share you and your journey warts and all! Praise God for you Louisa!!
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This is sweet :)
I get put off by too much Jesus stuff. But I fully support everyone blogging to their own truth. I wouldn’t like you less as a person, but your blog mightn’t be for me any more if you did go in that direction – and that’s perfectly ok! We can’t be all things to all people. I wouldn’t be offended if people stopped rearding my blog if I filled my posts with my beliefs. But I’d hope we could still be friends.
Being an Atheist doesn’t colour everything I do – its just who I am. That’s why bits and pieces are said on my blog. Jesus ain’t in my blog, because he’s in yours!
I love reading prople’s journeys :)
xx
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I used to be a lot more vocal than I am now, but a lot of that is because my audience has changed so much. Although I still am true to who I am, I also have to find that balance between being respectful of others. That’s one of the reasons I love Life on A Hill, because we can be very open there, and that’s what people come for.
And Alyce is right; you should definitely guest post for us sometime!
Jess recently posted..A Tropical Summer
wow… I’m glad you wrote about this. I very rarely write about Jesus, or his blessings .although I should. But I’m not that preachy girl as well.. I don’t want to impose my beliefs on other people..but I realise..if I’m enthusiastic about Him.. that shouldn’t be a problem right? So.. slowly but surely…He’s been creepin’ in and out of my posts.
I was drawn to your blog, because of Christmas Island… and that your heart was so big..I knew Jesus had something to do with it. :)
Thanks for sharing, Louisa! I think you’re an inspiring woman! :)
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