Happy New Year and What’s Next?
January 1, 2025
I wish everyone a Happy New Year! May 2025 be a wonderful year for you and yours.
I am really looking forward to this new year though I am also a little sad as I am taking this week’s article to announce I will no longer be writing a weekly blog post.
I am keeping my website and for the foreseeable future plan to post something monthly, probably on the first Wednesday of each month.
I’ve been faithfully providing a post per week since May 2019. That means I’ve written and posted around 295 articles, using that same number of original photos.
Happy New Year and What’s Next? #hope #joy #writingcommunity Share on XWhether I was using my website to work on my creativity, hone my writing skills, or provide a way to interact with you, I’ve always tried to bring hope through Scripture and what God laid on my heart. My website has been named “Encouraging Others Through Words of Hope” for that very reason.
In announcing the end of my weekly blog, I’m using this week’s photo because it’s as if the bird is asking, “What’s next?”
My answer is… “I’m not sure at this point.”
After over 5 ½ years, I truly believe the weekly blog in its current format has run its course. I am going into 2025 with the commitment to seek God’s will for new or renewed opportunities to share the hope of Jesus Christ.
If you are a subscriber and are willing to hang with me for a while, you do not need to do anything. Instead of receiving a new post every Wednesday, you should get one on the first Wednesday of the month. Once I am settled on a path forward, I’ll reach back out.
I know there are many regularly scheduled blogs out there, but if you would like to keep receiving something from me regularly, I am open to ideas. Just drop a comment on what sort of topics and how regularly you would like them, and I’ll consider providing just that as I pray about my next steps.
So, having said all that, I ask for your prayers that God will use me in new and exciting ways to honor Him and live the plan He has for my life.
In turn, though I may not know each of you intimately, I know a little about each of you, and a lot about some of you (at least my subscribers) and I commit to pray that God will bless you and keep you and also provide you opportunities to share Him with others.
Thank you for being with me and I will leave you for a moment with my life verse and prayer for myself and you.
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20, NASB)
In His service, Tim.
It’s never too late to begin again! The Lord will lead you to it, Tim. #aginggratefully
Thank you, Joy!
I’ll be here, no matter what your decision may be. I enjoy reading your posts and seeing your lovely photos. But God will never lead you astray. Listen to Him.
Blessings!
D
Thank you, Debbie.
I know God will soon reveal what His next plan is for you and your ministry of writing. I have enjoyed your weekly posts (sometimes I missed reading/opening a few of them) but I loved seeing them in my inbox. I get close to 200 emails a day with a good half that are Newsletters/Blogs I subscribed to. At my church I had 4 different group/class leaders put out a poll/survey that had to do with our email habits. about 75% admitted to never reading any emailed Newsletters/Blogs they get. That broke my heart as a writer who hears ALL the time. “As an author you NEED a newsletter/Blog”. I think the industry needs to rethink that because in my neck of the woods newsletters are deleted with having never been opened. But I look forward to what God has for you next.
Anyway…Happy New Year!
Thank you so much for your thoughts Teresa. I see what you are talking about.
You asked for what we would like to see. I would like to see a weekly Bible study. You have done that over and over, maybe without realizing, by taking a scripture or passage and explaining it. You are a great Bible teacher!
Here is an example of what I like to see in a Bible study. In my Chronological Application Study Bible, this morning, I was reading about Joseph. So I read and think… How could I be more like Joseph? The study part had things like this: “As a prisoner and slave, Joseph could have seen his situation as hopeless. Instead, he did his best with each small task given him. His diligence and positive attitude were soon noticed by the warden…” That can be linked to Luke 16:10. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much…” Lesson… To be like Joseph… be faithful in small things. ecetera
Here’s another good one… “After interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph gave the king a survival plan for the next 14 years. The only way to prevent starvation was through careful planning; without a famine plan, Egypt would have turned from prosperity to ruin. Many find detailed planning boring and unnecessary. But planning is a responsibility, not an option. Joseph was able to save a nation my translating God’s plan for Egypt into practical action.” Lesson: To be like Joseph, make a life plan with God’s help and put it into action.
You are good at interpreting the scriptures. Think on it. Praying God blesses you and leads you to what He wants you to do🙏🏻☺️
Thank you, Jane. Such good information. You are awesome!
I don’t always reply, but I am always touched by your uplifting posts. Praying for God’s guidance.
Thank you so much, Gayle!
I appreciate your thoughts and photographs, Tim. I will pray that God is clear about how He wants you to serve Him. I’ll miss your weekly posts, but will certainly read whenever you do post. Please keep me on your subscriber list. 🙂