When it's Time to Move On...

No, I'm not closing my blog...there's another goodbye that has arrived. The Christian Homekeeper's Message Board closes it's doors tonight. I've been with this ministry for years serving under Sylvia Britton. Before then, I was a member. 


When I found Sylvia, my children were young and my husband was the pastor of a church. He pastored and also held down a job since we were not fully supported financially. Those were tough years. I was home ALOT with my babies. At times I felt so very isolated. Then I found Sylvia and her "20th Century Christian Homekeepers." I found a group of Christian ladies that I could *talk to* via the internet any time I had a spare moment in my day. This was at least 13 years ago if not more.


I shared my days. We talked about cleaning our homes, crafts, the Bible, our faith, our families, our struggles, our joys. Older women shared with younger women. We prayed for each other. 


People in my offline life didn't necessarily understand relationships forming online. But for me, it was a lifeline. 


During a time period when there were no open ministry doors for me, Sylvia asked me to help on the message board. I discipled women online, I helped teach the Bible on the board and helped with general upkeep and encouragement. Back then we had many ladies who were kind of in the cracks. They may not have had a good church in their area or they had young children and were isolated, or lived in remote areas. It was before Facebook and other social sites. We were meeting a need.


Times have changed online and my life has changed. The past several months, I began sensing that God was telling me it was time to move on and close my time in online ministry. I was sensing that since my offline ministry was very busy, I didn't have as much time to spend online. I was sensing that I was not able to really teach online. That door was no longer open. I didn't seem to have as much to offer. 


Then earlier this month Sylvia came to the conclusion that God was calling her to shut down the board. It made perfect sense to me since I was sensing my own need to step down. 


Tonight the board closes. It's truly time to move on. I'll miss it. I'll miss the ladies there, some I have known the entire time. Perhaps I'll be able to keep up with many of them on Facebook. I hope so. Time will tell...


I am so thankful for my time there. Sylvia came into my life via the internet when I needed someone to come alongside me and help me maneuver life. She and the other ladies never stopped pointing me to Jesus. A little unconventional? Maybe. But I'll never ever forget it and I'll never stop appreciating that ministry and what it has meant to me.