We enjoyed some very lovely weather this week. It was in the mid to upper 70s for a few days which is rather unusual for us. Thankfully it is now falling back into the 50s for the next week. I’m not ready to give up my fireplace weather and turn on the air conditioning. Caroline is thrilled we have lots of rain in the forecast this weekend. She loves rainy days. I do, too, but not as much as she does! They feed her soul and make her very happy and peaceful.
I spent this week re-assessing my simple life. LOL! I’m somewhat joking, but that’s the truth of it. The problem was I missed the big picture for a few days. I was feeling frustrated and discouraged, but then the lightbulb went on. It was something I already knew from life experiences and had even discussed with Caroline this week. But I hadn’t put two and two together in this particular situation for myself. Thankfully the Lord reminded me.
When you are in battle, where do you get the most flak? When you are over the target, right? I can tell you right now that the enemy of our souls does not like me sharing Scripture and hymns with you all on a daily basis. He doesn’t like the other very positive things happening spiritually in our family right now. He doesn’t like the little community of truth seekers coming together in my forums. I finally realized why there was so much flak in my life this past week and it was very encouraging. It affirmed I was doing something right.
Something else he doesn’t like is when we disconnect from the systems that enslave us and choose to step out in faith in God as our Guide, Provider, and Defender.
I’ve apparently been shadow banned by Pinterest. I’ve gone from 500,000 views a month on there to 29,000. No views equals fewer click throughs to my site which equals fewer sales which equals lower income. I’ve submitted help requests multiple times the past few months to no avail. I can only conclude my name is on a Bad People List, probably because I’m a Trump-supporting conservative or a Christian. Who knows how these things work. I’m also pretty sure my site has been slammed by Google. We know Big Tech all talks and works together to blacklist the undesirables so I’m assuming I’m now on at least some of the lists.
So I’ve been assessing my situation. In the process, I discovered I felt very free. No more sucking up to platforms and companies who despise me. I made a short video several weeks ago about why we should stop giving our time, energy, and money to organizations and companies who hate us (Stop Giving Yourself to a Culture That Hates You). I’ve been working my way through my own personal to-do list regarding this. I’m not going to preach one thing here and not follow through myself. So I’m slowly doing what I’m advocating.
This week I also started doing something else. I began actively praying for the demise of specific companies and organizations that promote evil and engage in activities that are contrary to God’s Word. If they cannot be quickly reformed by Him moving in the situation, I am praying God will allow them to be destroyed so they can no longer lead others astray, promote evil, and bring about greater division in this country. I am praying He will bring about their destruction so other companies and organizations can arise and take their place.
I’m either actively promoting and advancing the Kingdom of God or I’m not. There is no middle ground right now.
Likewise, you are either deliberately advancing Christ’s Lordship over the earth or you are allowing the enemy to advance. That’s it.
You’re serving someone and you are teaching your children to serve someone. Do you serve the Lord or do you serve the culture? Look at where your time, money, and energy goes each day. Look at the content of your prayers. Where are your thoughts? What are you watching? What are you reading? Who are you sending God’s money to as you pay your bills?
Whose kingdom are you advancing as you go about your life each day?
Artist: “Apple Dumplings” by George Dunlop Leslie
Morning Hope – Matthew 14:22-32
I appreciate your post, and I would like to share some concerns that follow along with what you are doing and thinking about . I do a Bible study from Proverbs 31 ministry, and I also read their First Five devotions. Both of those APs are on my phone. I also listen to KLove. The problem is both of these ministries use and so promote Facebook ! Why? Does that make any sense to you?
Hi Melinda,
Those are good questions. I can’t answer why ministries use Facebook or other user-suppressing platforms such as Instagram. That’s between them and God. I can only do what I can do. I can only encourage other people to evaluate their own lives.
I know someone who has a small ministry on Facebook and feels compelled to stay. I know of someone else who had multiple ministries to women on Facebook (some very large) and left because they spent so much time battling Facebook policies. She moved to Gab after Facebook continued to limit their reach, flag posts with Scriptures, etc. They both answer to God regarding how they use their talents and time.
I’ve been banging the drum against the problems with social media for a long time so this isn’t new to me. I do support Gab because I want to see other platforms succeed. I will be signing up for Mike Lindell’s Frank tomorrow and plan on supporting it as well.
As long as Christians and Conservatives keep using these platforms, they keep making money. And as long as they keep making money, they can keep using those platforms to sow division and lies, deprive people of their First Amendment rights, etc.
When I started doing the nightly Evening Blessing posts, I deliberately did not go to YouTube to find videos to share. I went to Rumble. There is a limited selection, but I’m fine with that. I’ll also peek at BitChute and Odysee. I am committed to doing whatever I can in my small ways to reduce the reach of these Big Tech companies.
If we’re not willing to be inconvenienced now when very little is at stake, how much would we be willing to put up with when a great deal is at stake? Faithful in the small choices leads to faithfulness in the bigger choices.
Those are a few of my thoughts. What are your thoughts?
Sallie
This is so good, Sallie. I so enjoy your content, because you are always pointing to the truth!
Thank you, Cheryl.
I’ve always been a truth teller online. It’s how I’m wired so I don’t know how to be any other way. But I made a commitment recently that I’m going to use the place God has provided online to encourage and bless women every day as much as I can. My goal is to point people to the love of Christ. That’s the only thing that will last. ♥
Sallie
Amen. God is using you for His purpose. Thanks to your willingness to obey, Christian women are finding the truth. You were the first person I heard about all of this from, so thank you for shining the light.
Cheryl