And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:32


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

More On the New Blog

For the last few weeks I’ve been thinking and praying about the possibility of teaching a class on my blog. In the beginning I was excited. I love to teach, and I was looking forward to getting to know some of you through your comments on the blog. So what’s not to like about teaching a class on my blog?

Well, it turns out there are a couple of things: writing and keeping a schedule—neither of which I’m very good at.

The closer it got to when I said I would start my class, the more I began to dread it. I can stand up and teach a one-hour class with a 3 X 5 index card of notes, but put me in front of a computer screen, and my mind goes blank.

What shall I write? I have no idea.

Here’s the interesting thing though: the whole purpose of this class is to learn how to work with God in getting rid of the sins, idols, weaknesses, and bad habits in our lives that keep us from loving God and others well.

We can’t do that in our own strength—just like I can’t write this blog in my own strength. In fact, just to write this post today, I had to spend an hour with God working through my fears.

I know—that sounds pathetic—but it’s the only way I can do it if I want to do it with God, and I’m not the type of person who can do it without Him.

If I were a person who loved to write, who checked off things right and left on her to-do list, and who didn’t mind having the world laugh at her if she said something dumb—then I could write this blog in my own strength.

But I’m not that type of person.

So as I teach and write, I’ll be doing the same thing I’ll be asking you to do: renewing my mind so I can break free of the things that bind me and keep me from loving God and others well.

I’ll be starting the new class, God willing, on February 27th. Here’s my idea: I’m thinking of starting with a few weeks of foundational material on transformation and the renewing of the mind, and then I’d like to use that material to work through various emotions and habits, a few weeks at a time.

Another thing I’d like to try, if I get enough volunteers, is to have Fridays be sharing day. This would be an opportunity for you guys to share something: it could be a truth journal entry, a Scripture prayer, or even a testimony of what God has done in your life through the renewing of your mind.

If you have anything you want to share, e-mail me at barb.raveling@gmail.com. I’ll probably start a new blog for this since it will have a broader range of topics than emotional eating, so I’ll share that address with you when I have it.

Looking forward to visiting with you in a week and a half!

Barb

P.S. If anyone know an easy-to-use free blogging site, let me know. I'm not a techie!

7 comments:

CJ said...

Keep me posted! I would love to share on a Friday, FYI.

Lil said...

What about blogger? Easy to use and free! ;)

Unknown said...

Thanks, Lil - I think that's what I use now, and I will probably just stick with it. They changed things recently and every time I make a post and then correct it, my double spaced paragraphs become single spaced paragraphs - if that makes sense. I guess I can live with that though!

Anonymous said...

There is a way you can go back to the old formatting. Check your tabs and maybe it is simple? I hope so!!!

Have a great day!

Unknown said...

Thanks, I'm actually thinking of being daring and switching to wordpress!

Loren Pinilis said...

Good luck with the new venture! It is very difficult for me to stick to a regular blogging schedule and to invest the time into the blog that I need to invest. You have to continually keep other people's benefits in mind and continually remind yourself of your devotion to the blog as a form of ministry. I think everyone wants to throw up their hands and quit more than once - but we've got to stick it through.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the encouragement, Loren. I think I'll actually enjoy it if I think of it as a class - it's just harder to think of it that way when I don't get to see everyone face to face or listen to the people in the class talk back to me! (Although comments help - thanks for leaving them!)