I’m so happy to announce the winner of the Blogiversary Give-Away. Congratulations, Gena! I’m so glad for you and for the opportunity to thank you for all your support along the way.

While I’m on that note, my blogiversary has still been on my mind a lot lately. I can’t really believe it’s lasted this long, though I’m not sure why I’m so surprised. God told me to do it, and He always equips us with just what we need when we need it. I know that.

Speaking of things I know makes me think on all I’ve learned. I use emphasis because sometimes you know something and then you know it. Maybe it’s a head and heart kind of thing. Or a faith kind of thing.

Things I’ve Learned Blogging

#1 – To trust God in the waiting

I’ve waited for a good bit in my life—like most people. You’d think I’d be good at it by now.

Writing HISsparrowBlog has shown me a different side of things: a making-my-faith-my-own kind of thing. It’s one thing to say, “Be patient because God’s got it.” It’s another thing to practice that good advice.

Each post is the same struggle. I’m excited, thankful, relieved to hit publish. But my next thought is what I’ll write about for the next one. The one that’s two weeks away. Panic builds as the two weeks pass and I still don’t have anything to write about. I know you know because this isn’t the first time I’ve talked about it.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned that it’s getting easier, though. I’m better at telling myself it’ll come. Much better. I’m also better at following through and not worrying about it. Worrying really doesn’t help the process.

#2 – I rely too much on numbers

Do you ever post something on Facebook—something you’ve put a lot of thought into and feel that people really need to see—then it gets two likes, one of which was your mother (no offense, Mom!). You get your feelings hurt because those who post what they ate for breakfast get 50. Yeah, me too.

Ravi Zacharias mentions in his book Beyond Opinion that we westerners rely too much on numbers. He says:

To those in the West, the bigger the number of respondents, the more replicated the technique. The bigger the statistic, the greater the success.

Westerners are enamored by size, largesse, number of hands raised, and so on.

He’s so right. I’ve found in fervently watching my numbers for this blog, I forget why I’m doing this, and numbers won’t prove I’m doing it right anyway. In fact, I think there’s scriptural precedent to support the conclusion that higher numbers could indicate I’m doing the opposite of my duty. I love how my pastor put it a few Sundays ago:

The gospel is offensive. If you have no opposition, you may not be doing it right.

After all, Jesus wasn’t concerned with numbers in John 6. Because He said what needed to be said, instead of performing more miracles or telling the crowd what they wanted to hear, most of them left in a huff. He could have kept them from leaving by changing His words but then that wouldn’t have helped anyone.

Those who wanted what He had stayed, and everyone was better for it.

#3 – I really can do all things through Christ

There are days when I feel like a fraud. There are days I tell myself that I can’t do this. What can I tell anyone that’ll help them? I need help myself.

Then I remember I haven’t been given a task with no way to complete it. God is with me the whole time: supporting me, growing me, guiding me. He won’t leave me to stumble around helplessly.

It’s amazing when I think back on this journey so far. So much of what I’ve learned isn’t exclusive to blogging, it’s universal.

I’d wanted to help someone else through HISsparrowBlog. As it turns out, I’ve learned more than I can really say.

And for a little more reading…

• 5 Unexpected Ways Blogging is Just Like Real Life from HISsparrowBlog
• 5 Things I Wish I’d Known Earlier in Life from HISsparrowBlog