Thank You, Friend

"What should we do to celebrate? We should totally celebrate!!"

"What do you want to do? How do you want to celebrate?" was my husband's response. 

Because I'm me and I love the simple life I replied,

"I want you to cook me hashbrowns for supper and buy my favorite movie, "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" and we'll watch it after we eat."

This conversation happened in our kitchen a couple weeks ago. I had been talking about how many views my blog had received at that point and how amazed I was that it had been read so many times. "into me, breathe" was between 1,600-1,700 views, which meant it was only a few hundred views away from hitting 2,000. To be honest, I was stunned. I had no idea my words would ever be read anywhere near that many times!

I'd always felt like people wouldn't care about what I had to say. I struggled with feeling insignificant and unimportant, like my voice didn't really matter. I thought God had lost His marbles when He started telling me to start a blog. Read "crazy", people. That's what I'm saying, I thought God was C-R-A-Z-Y. 

*Photo found on Pinterest.

"Not being able to fully understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to something we are capable of comprehending." Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Out of all the wonderful and godly people in this world, He was choosing me. He was calling me. Little ole me from my little hometown, living my little simple life. His choice of me, His calling, is one that I'm not sure I'll ever understand. The whole thing brings to mind the first verse from Francesca Battistelli's song, "He Knows My Name".

"Spent today in a conversation

In the mirror, face to face with

Somebody less than perfect

I wouldn't choose me first if

I was looking for a champion

In fact, I'd understand if

You picked everyone before me,

But that's just not my story.

True to Who You are

You saw my heart

And made

Something out of nothing."

Little ole me from my little hometown, living my little simple life. 

Little, maybe, but not too little to escape His notice. Not too little to be His chosen one, to be used by Him. Never too little to have a purpose and a plan for my life. He saw me, He saw my little, and He called me forth into my future in Him.

It's Who He is. The One Who makes much out of our little. 

When I finally surrendered and stepped out in obedience, I had no idea the impact this blog would have on lives. I didn't know how it would touch other people's lives nor how it would affect my own. Honestly, I wasn't even sure anybody would read it. I didn't know what I'd write about. The only thing I knew was that He had set this task in my heart and I needed to do it, no matter what the outcome of it was. 

*Photo found on Pinterest

When it came to that moment of realizing my blog might actually reach 2,000 views, you better believe I wanted to celebrate! It's not just being read in the U.S. either - it's being viewed in different countries, different nations. This leaves me astounded! Not because of me, but because of Him. God's been stretching my boundaries and taking me out of my comfort zone through this whole blogging process. I wanted to celebrate the numbers because it's like He's saying, "It's worth it. Opening yourself up, being real - there's a purpose in it. Trust Me." 

I don't know each person who has read my blog and continues to do so, but I love you for it. I'm so thankful to every one of you who has taken the time to read what's on my heart. Thank you, thank you, a thousand times, thank you!!

You guys don't know this, but you're literally the embodiment of a prophetic word that was spoken over me a couple of years ago. Through one of His obedient children, God told me that I would one day speak to crowds of people and that my words would go all over the world without me being present there. That I would travel there in spirit and minister to people.

I honestly had no idea what that meant until recently. I'd actually kind of forgotten about this part of the prophesy. But then God reminded me about it, about His promise in that, and has been showing me how this season of my life is a fulfillment of that prophecy over me.

Are you understanding now why I wanted to celebrate?! God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!

*Photo found on middleplaces.com

Last weekend (Oct. 4th, 2014) the blog hit over 2,000 views. We set aside one evening for our celebratory date night this past week. We made our dinner, enjoyed each other's company, spent time reconnecting. Then we settled in and watched the movie. A simple celebration for a very significant moment in my life.

 As I'm writing this post now, the blog has reached 2,168 views. And it just.keeps.climbing.

God is faithful, Friends. If He's calling you to do something, then trust that He has a purpose and plan behind why He's calling. I encourage you to surrender and walk in obedience. I'm speaking from experience - God will take your little and make much of it. Let go, Friends, and enjoy the ride.

Celebrate with me! Not necessarily about the views on my blog (although I'm perfectly okay with you celebrating that), but celebrate the goodness of our Abba. This is a Truth worthy of celebration! Sing, dance.. whatever feels right. 

I love this movie!

Or get yourselves a copy of "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" and celebrate like we did. You never know, you may just encounter a new favorite movie :)

I'm writing this post for two reasons: (1) To testify to the faithfulness and goodness of my Heavenly Father and (2) to thank you, Reader. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your days. I am both honored and humbled by each and every one of you. I pray I can continue to offer encouragement and hope through my openness and honesty on here. 

*Photo found on Pinterest

Thank You, Lord, for each and every person who has read my blog. Whether they've only read it once or they've become faithful readers, I thank you for the sacrifice of their time on my behalf. I am so honored by their sacrifice, Father. I am so blessed by them all. I wish to return the blessing, Lord. Will You touch each reader as they're seeing these words? Cause Your peace to rest upon them. Saturate them in Your grace, immerse them in Your love. Help them to feel You, Abba, in such a way that it leaves them in awe. Bless these friends of mine, Lord. I love you and I'm so grateful to You. Thank You for seeing and choosing my little, Lord, and doing Your wonderful works and making it into much. Thank You for helping me step out and be real in this blog. Use me, Father, in whatever way You choose. I love you, Abba. Amen.