8 Encouraging Excerpts from 8 Years of Blogging

Eight years ago this week, I sent my first post out into the blogosphere. So much has happened—in my life, in our country, in the world—since then. It’s almost incomprehensible, if I try to think about it all.

A blogger friend recently celebrated her seventh anniversary by posting excerpts from her top seven posts, and I thought it might be interesting to do something similar.

If I chose the posts that mean the most to me personally, the following list might look different. I’m not just writing for myself, though, so I sorted by the number of comments received and selected excerpts from among those near the top.

Many of these posts are from the “early days,” back when the blog was called Waxing Gibbous. They touch on familiar themes—fear, waiting, weariness, the fact that faith is not a feeling. I’ve linked back to the original posts if you’d like to read more.

I hope these eight snippets encourage your heart today, whether you find yourself waiting or resting, weary or rejoicing.

• • •

If You’re Fighting the Fear of the Unknown—Feb. 18, 2020

You know about the birds of the sky and the lilies of the field—that God feeds and clothes them, and yet provides for you so much more. In fact, you can probably quote from memory the grand conclusion of this section of scripture: “Therefore, don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:34)

You know these things—you really do believe them—but the fear of the unknown still throws you off. You keep thinking about what C.S. Lewis once wrote, that “we are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” …

Honestly, you’ve seen it go either way—when God’s best is really wonderful, and when His best (at least the way it affects you) is just plain hard. Chances are, what you are fretting about today is neither—a mere blip, most likely—but it still looms large in your mind.

And somehow, the enemy of your soul is aware of this and seems to be exploiting it a bit right now.  (Read more here …)

• • •

When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed and Inadequate—Jan. 24, 2017

Our sovereign God goes before us, every step of the way. He will never leave us or forsake us. He gently guides us, equips us and builds our faith for whatever lurks on the road in front of us.

He gives us what we need—wisdom, patience, comfort, love—sometimes even before we think to ask. We might be weak, but He is strength personified.

We may feel as if we are drowning—we may actually be sinking in the waves—but He is always there to pull us to safety.

We don’t need to fear what lies ahead—even if we have every reason to think it might be difficult and perhaps even heartbreaking—because He is with us. (Read more here …)

• • •

How I Feel is Not Who I Am—Oct. 20, 2015

In real life—the kind that’s lived out loud and in person—actions speak louder than emotions. When it comes to who I am, what I do is far more telling than how I feel.

And this is not just true for me, either.

Everywhere I look, I see people who show up every day, who do what’s right even when they don’t feel like it, who take hard steps for the good of someone else.

Based on how they feel at any given moment—or in any given season of life—they would never think of themselves as people of great faith, kindness, patience or generosity.

But their actions speak otherwise. Quite loudly, in fact. (Read more here …)

• • •

Hope for the Weary Ones—Sept. 19, 2017 

Don’t equate how you feel today with your worth, your usefulness, your attractiveness or your future fruit-bearing potential.

Contrary to what seems very real right now, you are not your feelings. You are not your season. You are not your trial.

Yes, you might consumed by it, tired of it, overwhelmed by it, possibly even angry at it. That’s the blunt, current truth.

But let me also tell you this. It will not always be the way it is right now. (Read more here …)

• • •

When the Response You Want Hasn’t Come Yet—Sept. 13, 2016 

When we share something important, we want a reply, and we want it now. We want the information, affirmation or confirmation we think our words warrant.

But when all we get is nothing, it’s easy to take it personally, isn’t it?

Someone very wise once told me that, when facing a lack of information, people tend to fill in the blanks with stories of their own—usually of the worst-case-scenario variety.

He was on to something, I think.

There’s always a slim chance that I actually have offended the person I am waiting on. Maybe I said the wrong thing and didn’t realize it. Maybe my carefully worded email rubbed my friend the wrong way. Maybe the last time I saw her, I looked at her funny and it hurt her feelings.

Most of the time, though, it’s nothing even remotely so nefarious. (Read more here …)

• • •

Why Faith is Not the Opposite of Fear—April 12, 2016

Faith is not reciting affirmations or thinking warm thoughts about God. It’s not crying tears of joy in a worship service or giving a bold testimony in front of a huge crowd (though those can be expressions of faith for some people).

At the moment of salvation, faith is a gift from God—wholly unearned and undeserved (Ephesians 2:8-9). After that, it’s choosing to believe what God’s Word says about Him, even when we haven’t sensed His presence in a long, long time.

It’s choosing to trust God when it hurts, when it makes no sense, when we cannot see Him working. It’s acting on what’s right—on what we know God wants us to do—even if we are half scared out of our minds to do it.

It’s taking that first step, then the next, then the next. (Read more here …)

• • •

It’s Hard to Wait for God to Rescue a Loved One—Jan. 12, 2016 

I know God could remedy in an instant the situations in which my loved ones find themselves. When He doesn’t, it makes me sad to see them struggling or suffering. To feel otherwise would be somewhat less than human, I think. …

I can’t see what’s going on behind the curtain, but I know there’s not a fake wizard back there. I believe that the God who is working in the lives of my loved ones is the same God who was with Jeremiah and all the other Old Testament prophets—the very same ones who wondered when God was going to act and yet wrote so eloquently about His compassion, protection, mercy and justice. (Read more here …)

• • •

Persevering in Prayer When there is No Answer—Oct. 10, 2017

Who God is does not change with our feelings or our circumstances. So try to turn your attention away from the notion that your prayer isn’t being answered and center it directly on what you know to be true about God—His character, His sovereignty, His love for you.

You wouldn’t let a child you love experience something painful—something that was within your power to change—if you didn’t have a good reason for it, would you?

Nor does our perfect and wise heavenly Father allow hard things to happen our lives if He doesn’t have a reason for them. There is always purpose, even if we can’t see it. (Continue reading here …)

• • •

Now that we’ve gone on this trip down memory lane, I’d love to know which excerpt resonated the most with you. As I’ve said many times before, I’m so grateful for your presence here. Blogging wouldn’t be nearly as fun without you!

♥ Lois

P.S. I’m linking up this week with #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.