The Month in Review

It feels like October started two days ago, so I’m not really sure how it’s time for this post, but according to the calendar, it is…

I have this whiteboard in my office, and every week, I write down all of these For the Journey tasks I hope to accomplish that week.  It’s always way over-adventurous.  I’ve never, nor will I ever, mark all the items off in a week’s time.  My hope is simply that if I’m shooting for an impossible amount, I’ll at least accomplish quite a bit each week.  That did not work for me in October, not at all…  I put red asterisks by the top priority items every week, and in October, there were weeks I didn’t even check off the top priority items.  I was letting personal struggles, worries, and the busyness of life impact my ministry, so I’m praying for a better November because I have some serious catching up to do.

So, there was no new podcast episodes or blog entries for the website this month.  I don’t think I wrote a single devotional for the 30-Day Devotional I’m currently writing.  (Although, can I say I’m currently writing it if I haven’t touched it in weeks?)  I did start a new Bible study guide, but by start, I literally mean I wrote one section from one chapter.  I didn’t work any on next year’s VBS.  I did write a couple of devotional posts for my For the Journey Facebook page.  My favorite was probably “Love God More.”  (Check it out if you missed it.)  Mostly, I did my best to stay caught up on adult Sunday School lessons from 1 Samuel to be prepared to print November orders, so there was a fair amount of writing and proofing and editing on those.  I also squeezed in some children’s lit crafting at the end of the month, which is always fun, especially when the craft turns out almost the way I was picturing it in my head.  (Trust me, that does not always happen…)

  

Oh, since I was writing for the winter quarter, I wrote a Christmas lesson.  I wouldn’t say it’s the best one I’ve ever written or my favorite, but it was a really neat experience for me because I thought I was just writing a Christmas skit.  Then, after it was written and I was going over it a little more, I caught myself thinking, “There’s your Christmas lesson.”  So, the skit idea turned into inspiration for the lesson, and it was a double blessing.  I love it when God does things like that.

I shared at the start that October wasn’t a great month for me, but one thing I’ve really been working on in my life for a while now is seeing and focusing on God’s goodness even in rough seasons and struggles.  I think where I saw His goodness the most this past month was in His timely encouragement through those He’s placed in my life.  There were sweet and encouraging comments to posts.  One day at work, I waited on someone at the register, and before she left, she said, “And keep doing what you’re doing.”  From knowing her outside of work, I had a pretty good idea she wasn’t referring to manning a cash register, but when she added, “I read every one of them,” I knew for sure she was talking about my writing, not my day job.  Then, a dear lady from the church where I grew up sent me a card after she finished my 30-Day Devotional study “Women of the Bible,” telling me how much she enjoyed it.  Their encouragement would have been precious to me if I was having the best month of my life, but it was all the more precious because of how much I needed it at the time.  That’s how God works.  He is so good, and He sends us what we need when we need it.  One of the 1 Samuel lessons I worked on this month was from 1 Samuel 23, in which God did this for David.  By this time, David had been living on the run for a little bit.  He had left his parents in Moab for their protection.  Eighty-five priests plus women and children of the city of Nob had died in part due to David’s actions, so he had felt the weight of that.  Then, in chapter 23, Jonathan, his beloved friend, was able to come visit him, and when he arrived, he encouraged David in the Lord and affirmed the promises God had made to David.  It’s no coincidence that, right after this, Saul came closer to capturing David than ever before.  But, when it looked like he and his men were completely surrounded, Jonathan’s words were fresh in David’s mind.  God sent him that encouragement at the moment he most needed it.  God knows life is hard.  He knows our flesh is weak.  Thus, He encourages us in our journeys, and I’m so grateful for that.  I’m also grateful for those who listen to His nudges and are willing vessels of encouragement, and I hope I can be that for others.

So, was October the best or most productive month of my life?  No.  But, God is still good, and it certainly had its moments.