Bloggeriffic

If you follow every post of our blog, or just stop by once a year or so, you're at least familiar with the concept of a blog. Some of you are practically professional bloggers! My first blog was a chronicle of my three week trip to Germany as a German teacher in the summer of 2006 (http://valsavage.blogspot.com/2006/06/in-berlin.html). We then started this blog to share Phoebe's birth and subsequent events with friends and family (http://savagesavages.blogspot.com/2008/06/blue-light-special.html). After seeing the movie Julie and Julia, however, I realized that there was much more to the blogging world than I had known. In addition, as a result of joining our church here in Reynoldsburg, we have also joined a community of bloggers. I now have a list of blogs I follow on a variety of topics: preschool activities and crafts, theology and the church, literary recommendations, Mom blogs, blogs on womens' heart issues, devotionals, and mostly family blogs to keep up with local and far-away friends. Most of these blogs have been recommended to me by others, and for that I am thankful!

In response to all I learn while following these blogs, in the coming posts, I want to post a few ideas that I've gotten along the way, as an "ode to blogs" of sorts.

To start, I want to express my gratitude for the daily radio shows from Revive Our Hearts Ministries, which I subscribe to in my blog reader. In September I was blessed to attend the True Woman Conference, which was put on by this ministry, with a dear friend. The final evening of the conference, I began the process of miscarrying. When I went to a lady with a nametag (who happened to be the national conference director) for some assistance, I ended up being surrounded by 6 or so women who prayed for me and shared their similar experiences. Thankfully, my Dad was already there to pick me up (since the conference was in Indianapolis), and my Mom accompanied me to the hospital.

I share that to say that I've been able to experience the blessings of this ministry firsthand. I am also encouraged at home as I listen to the daily broadcast to walk more faithfully in my relationship with God, in my marriage, as a mother, a homemaker, a sister in Christ, and as one called to be a light in a dark world.

In light of Valentine's Day, for the women reading this blog, here is the link to this past week's program, which aired January 31st - February 3rd http://www.reviveourhearts.com/radio/roh/today.php?pid=10756. It's with the author of the book For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men. Enjoy, and from personal experience, I highly recommend taking the 30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge.