Ok – the question may be can FaceBook be good for anything? If you ask me how I spent my Saturday, I would have to tell you that I spent several hours on FaceBook in Ministry. Even though I had a humongous “to do list” left over from last week (which is another post I need to write called: “Why Do I Make Such Unrealistic To Do Lists????”), I poured over my FB Newsfeed and my FB messages.
Ok, Ok, there was this diversion in the form of a GREAT status update, by my friend Heather (about her dear husband):
Devon said “I’m bringing back the fanny pack”
I said ” You’re old”
Devon said “It makes me feel like a super hero. It’s my utility belt.”
LOL – I just LOVED that.
But, all in all, Saturday and last week, I spent countless minutes on FaceBook. I have lots of friends, and some relatives, who are not on FaceBook. And, truth be told, a few of them believe that some very nefarious encounters occur on FB. And they are right. Some do. There are also times when people really connect and encourage one another.
I have had the chance to connect and encourage, and be encouraged by, some new great friends I met at the SheSpeaks conference. These are other bloggers and speakers and via FB we are “talking” about what is going on in our lives and how we find God’s Word in it all.
There are also some really neat women at our church – I am close friends with some, some I don’t know as well…but now I know them all of them a little better.
Then there was a college sorority sister – just my age – who had surgery for cancer last week. Her 18 year old daughter, with power of attorney and tough decisions to make, posted on FB about what she was discussing with the doctors. Me, and a lot of other sympathetic mommas, weighed in and spoke peace to her.
At one time I might have felt guilty about spending time on FaceBook. Sounds so frivolous! I delayed joining for so long because I felt like I “just didn’t have time to something so silly and narcissistic.”
And I have some other friends who have had trouble, because FB does draw them into a gigantic, non-productive time suck. They have deactivated their accounts because they were convicted by this principle: “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything (1 Cor 6:12).
Me? I am reveling in my online encounters of the past week. I have mentioned this before, but I love a line from the movie Chariots of Fire (amazon link) – it is one of my all-time favorite quotes. Ever. Sometimes it is my measuring stick as to whether or not I am operating in the will of God. In the true story, Eric Liddell used his Olympic fame as a platform for his faith, but had to defend the choice to participate in the “frivolous” activity of athletics before entering the mission field. He told his sister: When I run, I feel His pleasure.
Do you ever think about how God uses you for His plan? When you run (or FaceBook or make a phone call or send a text) do you feel His pleasure? If you don’t, you should think about how you glorify Him with your everyday stuff. Or how you don’t.
Our all-powerful God doesn’t have to rely on us to accomplish His will here on Earth…but this is what He chooses to do. My pastor in Mississippi, Scott Castleman (amazing preacher), said this: there is no plan B. Scott explained that God chooses to send US to accomplish His will and this shows His power: But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27). What a wonder!
So I know, that I know, that I know, that I was supposed to linger on FaceBook this past week. I know I wasn’t wasting time, this time. I know, because I felt His pleasure. And He knows exactly how many minutes I spent on FB this week, even though I lost track of them:
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel?and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
(Psalm 139:1-4, 16, NLT).
Tell me – did God use an unlikely means for you to minister to someone recently? Or did He work in some unexpected way to encourage YOU? I would love to hear!
Hugs,
Britta ~ I am justAgirl…just like you!
Happy Monday! It’s funny you should speak of Facebook today. I’ve been contemplating reactivating my account. After I got married I moved to a new city I deactivated my page just in case potential employers wanted to check out my personal life. Even though my page was private, companies have a way to see it… Or so I’m told. I blocked it not so much for what I posted, but my some family, high school and college friends. I didn’t want any of their “Tom Foolery” make someone think differently of me. Now that I’m remembering why I deactivated the account, it reminds me of why I had to let some people go. Not because they were bad people, but the things there were saying wasn’t pleasing to God. I was often told if you look at a person’s friend you’ll know what kind of person they are. Well, I didn’t want that to be the case for me! I’d like to get back on to follow some friends and family, new church sisters, and ministry leader; but something keeps me from doing so. Maybe God is telling me it isn’t time?…. Sorry, got off on a tangent… To answer the original question…. Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest are some unconventional ways that I use to share Christ. I post blog positions from you and other on twitter and Pinterest. It warms my heart when someone repins my pin! I feel maybe one of their followers may come to Christ just by reading a pin! I use Instagram to share events that are going on at church as sort of an invite to those in my area.
That is so neat to hear! I am hoping to become more and more Pinterest friendly on the blog here…as you probably have noticed already I am Twitter deficient!
On the friend thing…I think God calls us to different friendships depending on our season. For a long time I had NO Christian friends…I mean a LONG time. Like the first 12 years of my marriage…I had like one who was not really in a place to encourage me and then we lost touch when my hubby joined the AF. I agree with you seeking out friends who support your faith, especially if you are in a fragile place and certain people create heavy burdens you cannot bear…
Now, for the first time in many many many years (did I say many enough?) ALL of my friends are Christians and I feel like God is telling me to reach out to people I know who are not Christians…friends from the past…friends I only know about now due to FB. It is a change from what He was growing in me before.
Thank goodness we have the Spirit to lead us. You do what He is calling YOU to do! 🙂
Hugs!