This year I dove headfirst into the deep end of the blogging pool. I committed to writing a post every week at the beginning of 2021. Some weeks I swam, others I felt like I was barely keeping my head above water. But by God’s grace, I did it.
I’m so honored that YOU, dear reader, decided to spend a few minutes reading, engaging with, and sharing my content this year.
You all have voted with your clicks, and these are the top 10 posts from this year.
I hope you’ll revisit some of your favorites, and click a few you haven’t read before.
The Top 10 Blog Posts of 2021…
10. The Beautiful Torture of Writing and Tattoos and How to Overcome the Fear of Getting Started
Writing and tattoos are both art forms that bare something of our souls. Discover 14 tips to help you get started on your writing journey by answering the important questions of What to Write, How to Write, Who Am I to Write, & When is There Time to Write?
9. How to Find Peace in the Midst of Your Storm
How can you accurately see God at work in the storms of your life? The first step is to recognize that no matter how fierce the winds and waves beating against your boat, they are nothing compared to the power of Jesus. In the instant Jesus calmed the storm, Peter and the disciples realized it was more frightening to have God in their boat than the storm that ragged outside of it.
8. Why Caesar Augustus’ Decree Should Strengthen Your Faith this Christmas
Caesar Augustus thought that a national census was a tool for Rome to exert its military control. But God was using it as a tool to fulfill a 700-year-old prophecy of where the Savior would be born. No matter how outrageously our leaders act, this lesson from the pages of history will prove that King’s decrees are nothing but water being turned in the hand of God. This renews our faith at Christmas, and all year long.
7. How to Experience Unwavering Hope Even When Your Child is Suffering
Nothing hurts a parent’s heart more than seeing your child suffer through a health crisis that you can’t fix. My friend Karen shares how she learned to see God at work both in her life and in her son’s as they grappled with the new reality of living with Crohn’s disease. The new normal wasn’t all bad, and God was renewing her hope in him every step of the way.
6. Wise Men Still Seek Jesus and How to be Like Them
An in-depth look at these fascinating characters and how their appearance after Christ’s birth proclaimed to all the world Jesus’ rightful position as King. But their seeking of the Savior was more than a symbolic gesture, they came with hearts ready to worship. Here are several ways we can follow in their footsteps and seek wisdom that comes only from knowing who this King of kings really is.
5. When Angels Aren’t Enough to Make You Believe
Zacharias and Elizabeth knew what it was like to labor in prayer. They had waited longer to become parents than most people wait to become great-grandparents. But when the time finally came for their prayers to be answered, Zacharias responded to the angel Gabriel’s announcement with disbelief. We may scratch our heads and wonder how Zacharias could’ve possibly denied the majestic angel’s message, but we do the very same thing when we don’t believe God’s word. Don’t be a spiritual dummy, learn from Zacharias…and take God at his word.
4. Why Creation and Words Frustrate Us and 4 Ways to Start Writing
The paradox of writing is that the very tools we use to point others to the infinite reality of God remind us that we are indeed finite. We’re pointing others to something that far exceeds our imaginations or limited vocabularies, and thus, the frustration. If you’re not sure what to write here are four ways to start your wonderful (albeit frustrating) writing journey: Write from the overflow of your heart, Write from the hard dry places, Write with humility to comfort others, and Write to glorify God.
3. When Reeling in Empty Nets Means You’re Doing Everything Right
Coming in at #3 might be my #1 favorite. Who can’t relate to the struggle to have something to show for your life’s work? Like Peter, we can become frustrated when our consistent efforts don’t yield the results we crave. Our nets are empty, but not for lack of effort. But when Jesus enters our boat and asks us to cast out into the deep, we learn to trust him and rely on him to rearrange all the fish to fill our empty nets.
2. How to Abide When Serving God is Harder Than You Expected
My friend Amber shares her story of living on the mission field in Tanzania. As her childhood dream to be a missionary came into real-life focus, she realized the expectation and the realization of her dream were two very different things. But that didn’t mean that she wasn’t exactly where she needed to be, learning how to abide when the way before her was difficult.
1. In Praise of the Ordinary Fathers Making an Extraordinary Difference
The number one viewed (and shared) post this year comes from the heart of my husband. Being a dad is a huge job, and the stakes have never been higher. We live in a culture that isn’t friendly to strong male leadership in the home. Yet, this has always been God’s plan. He’s always intended for imperfect men, to lead imperfectly, and in dependence on him. Consider again, the value of the ordinary father, and the extraordinary difference he makes in the lives of his children for the next generation.
What was your favorite post?
Was your favorite post in the list above? I’d love to know what content you’ve most enjoyed this past year. I’m thinking, praying, studying, and planning for 2022, so your comments are always appreciated.
Thankful for all of you,
Cara
P.S. Are you ready to start 2022 with less hustle, and more holy leisure? Grab this freebie to get started!
P.P.S. Now through the end of 2021, you can grab a FREE download of my ebook Paths of the Righteous: Psalm 23 in the Lives of Missionaries & Witnesses for Christ. Click below to download.
