The God is Real Project.

I am starting a blog....what in the world is going on?

intheVine is the Women's Ministry that I am part of and we did a Bible Study like a book club with the Hiding Place, and it was good and it was powerful and now we are going to try to get it beyond the walls of our church and in order to do that we are going to need a place where we can put up a link and people can get access to it.  So, tonight, in an effort to prepare for that, I start a blog.

It’s crazy because for most of my life I have wanted to be a writer, but I'm not a writer yet!! I am still very much just me!! – and that includes: a lot of mistakes, a lot of mess, a lot of emotion, a lot of…kids.  Five of them!  And not a lot of time and not a lot of finesse and not a lot eloquent speech or even proper comma usage. 

How does it happen like that? Your dream starts to unfold before you start to unfold.  "I am a runner people!"….ready to close shop when things get close and uncomfortable and intimidating.  And they are all of those things right now. 

Close – in the last week, we have found a woman who knows a friend that is willing to edit, a simple marketing plan that won’t cost a lot to get started, and a timeline that has us getting this Bible Study out by July and hopefully into women’s hands in the early fall.

Uncomfortable – in every way.  People know about this and therefore I am uncomfortable. I am desperately fighting against the temptation to make this about me – about my dream being up there for everyone to see and available for my failure to steal.   Uncomfortable because I have to wait for God to open doors and teach us what steps to take, but I just want to plow through and rip the bandaid off!  Uncomfortable because I am being held accountable to a schedule and deadlines and other people, and I can't quit because I am tired or lazy. Uncomfortable in every way!

   

Intimidating – I don’t know what I am doing.  I have a logical plan of action to take; a lot of great people that are willing to help, but every step we take – beginning with this blog - are leaving footprints in paths I have never before been on.

But, I am going to do it and I am not going to run.

Why?  I can't not do it. 

It is in my veins; like fire. Stronger than my fear even.

God is Real. 

Corrie Ten Boom lived through more than worrying if people were going to like what she did or give her some kind of props for her skills.  She lived through the concentration camps and she didn't just survive them – she lived through them, and she brought life with her into them. 

I’m finally at a point, where I want to bring life to my family, to my church, and to anyone else that I have the privilege to speak it to. 

We live with so little life around us; such small fragile belief in God.  

I first wanted to share Corrie’s story, so that together with other women, we could start to ask – if this is the God that she believes in – and He was real enough to bring her through that time in our history – who is He to me?  That is what this project is all about – bringing us around a book that is real and helping us slow down to ask – then what does that mean for me? 

This blog is about getting us all into the same room from time to time to share our experiences.  In the beginning it will be just my voice, sharing with you the process of getting this workbook ready for “mail date!” But hopefully, it will eventually grow into a place where we share evidence of the God that we serve, stories from the story we read together, and encouragement to each other to live this life fully – to trust this God wholly and to battle every day to believe His love.

Thank you for showing up.  This is going to be a crazy ride!

Jodi L. Mikel