God led me to start writing a book many years ago and I did.
Maybe His purpose is to add chapters now.
When I first started blogging it was to encourage others with my life. It was never to be "here's what I did this weekend" type of blog. I wanted to write about things and events that God inspired me to write hoping it would encourage someone else.
For most things in life, we aren't the only people experiencing them.
It helps if we know others out there are going through the same thing.
At this point in my life there is so so so much happening, I don't even know where to begin.
But God has laid something huge on my heart.
I want to write a series of posts about different topics that I have dealt with (or am dealing with) in my personal life. I might do a few that a personal friend or relative has been through but for the most part, it's me.
I graduated college with a counseling minor. We had to give presentations about different subjects we may encounter in our careers. I found working from personal experience proved to be the easiest and best way for me to talk about any topic.
I feel so strongly about some of these topics and that God is working in this that I want to open my home. With a lot of the trials we face in life, we want to keep them behind closed doors. I know from (again) personal experience that there's great danger in that.
I will talk more specifically about this in those posts.
Here's some of the example topics... Mental Illness, Finances, Marriage, Sibling Rivalries, Separation/Divorce, Clutter, Anger, Dementia, Step-Parenting, Infertility, Expectations
I'm positive that some will spill over into others. I'm also positive there will be more coming.
I do want to say that I haven't mastered any of these. I am not an expert and I'm not looking down on anyone.. only looking up.
***Speaking of Heaven, I am a Christian; that is a very big factor in every part of my life. I am not ashamed of it so it will be a part of my topics.***
My posts have been thrown in my face by people (yes, more than one) I love and that's just part of the struggle. I say that to really show that I'm not perfect. I don't pretend to be. I slip up just like the next person. The biggest thing I want you to see is that you're not alone in ANYTHING.
Songs are another big part of my story. Christian songs. If you go to my regular Facebook page (Amanda Cannon Hilpipre) you can see the songs I've posted recently. I believe I've made them all public so even if we aren't Facebook friends, you can listen to the song.
Music has been a part of my entire life. I have a musically talented family. I would say that listening to a song isn't just listening to the beat, but hearing the words.
I definitely love some fun, silly songs! But most songs I'll refer to here, will be the ones that actually speak to me on a deeper level.
I'm also making a Facebook group for those of us that are truly broken. Again, I'll explain more about it as the topics come up. It is called Manna for Broken People.
Manna because my younger sister calls me that. But also Manna from the Bible. God gave the Israelites manna as they traveled from Egypt (Exodus 16).
Moses is reminding them...
"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord" ... "In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth'"
Deuteronomy 8:3, 16-17
I'm going to completely open myself up... scars and all.
God uses our brokenness when we're willing to be transparent.
I look forward to going through this journey with you.
