Are We There Yet?
No, but we’re getting closer!
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; Colossians 1:9
Any of you who have ever played golf with me, know I’m not the most politically correct person to ever play the game. I’m not any good, and mainly play because I love being outdoors and hunting for little white balls in tall grass. I also enjoy the companionship the game offers, and try to be encouraging when one of them hits a bad shot. You know, like when they hit one that dribbles a few feet in front of them, and I remark, “Nice one! You’re getting closer!” Another of my favorite encouraging lines is, “Are we there yet?” I usually employ that one after we’ve hacked about eight shots on a par four hole and finally spot the green.
I began this year’s encouragements with the question, “Are we there yet?” I admitted then, I was definitely not there yet, and three-hundred-sixty-three days later, as for being filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, I’ve still got a long way to go. But! I can say without hesitation, “I’m getting closer!”
And that, my friends, is good enough for me.
Buy "Be Still" from WestbowPress.com
Marbles In My Pocket ~ The Official Blog of Charles L. Mashburn ~ Poems, Short Stories, and random thoughts from the author of "Be Still... and know that I am God" 
Hannah Gosselin said
I enjoyed this…an excellent life application of scripture. 🙂 A happy, hopeful, peace-filled New Year to you.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much for the comment, Hannah. It is extremely appreciated, as I am struggling of late as to whether or not I will continue to write my daily encouragements. 2014 will be the fourth (or fifth?) year I’ve written them, and it seems my readership, and especially comments, have dwindled to near nothing. In the end, I will probably keep writing them, so if you continue to see the daily encouragements on my blog, count your timely comment among the reasons.
Thank you again.
Hannah Gosselin said
I can’t help but feel that He had a part in that…I haven’t been as thorough in my reading of other blogs as I’d like to be lately but I turned on my computer with the goal to read every blog-post-update in my inbox this morning…before I did anything else…I wasn’t sure why I felt the pressing desire to do this but now I understand.
I feel that these applications are a form of growth and strengthening of relationship between you and our Creator and I know that they touch people…when I’ve been lucky enough to make time and/or catch these posts I’ve often walked away with a sense of peace and closeness of Spirit.
If you continue that is wonderful and if you don’t because you feel that something else needs to have room to be watered and have sunlight then that will be perfect, too.
It is all good.
Thank you for the conversation and I’m so glad that I could be an encouragement to you. 🙂
charlesmashburn said
Thank you again, Hannah. I often say how my encouragements encourage me as much or more as they encourage my readers, but, truth be known, it’s comments like your that really light up my day and light my way.
Hannah Gosselin said
Oh, sorry…I misnamed your posts…I think I said Life Applications and you have them as Daily Encouragements…
May I make a couple of suggestions?
You might consider having a set day or days for this intention…whatever day seems befitting to you…if the “daily” aspect of it is too much to do…I know you do other writings as well…
Maybe you could include a sound cloud of the devotional being read to your readers…
I was thinking that perhaps you could post some polls with questions to your readers about what they’d like to see from this meaningful portion of what you offer your readers.
I’ve seen some fellow bloggers doing that lately…
Or maybe, I just thought of this…you could use this portion as an opportunity to present your readers with a prompt or challenge on a weekly basis…maybe along with your thoughts a chance to share and create based on your works.
Okay…enough from me, right?!
That’s what happens if I don’t right before commenting…full of ideas fueled by the Spirit and green tea!
charlesmashburn said
Some very good suggestions! I’ll definitely ponder each one and see if they might be a way to get things going. Have a wonderful New Year, Hannah!