Welcome to Hoosier Country Christian!!

Welcome!! It's yet another blog!  The first question is, of course, "Why?".  There are already a gazillion blogs on nearly any topic, and a jillion (which is a bit less than a gazillion) on the topic of Christianity.  I've been writing Hoosier Country Home (HCH - mostly a homesteading blog) for well over a year now and have at times struggled to keep new posts on the board.  Why would I take on yet another blog writing task?

The answer is, because I feel called by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to write another blog.  One strictly dedicated to the encouragement of the Christians everywhere.  So we come already to the first note of encouragement:  "Whatever God calls us to do, he will equip us to do!"  (Dr. Charles Stanley) This means a lot to me today because, as readers of  HCH know, I really don't have time to write another blog. I really don't have time to maintain another blog.  I really don't have time to follow-up on comments and make return blog visits.  What I do have is a calling and a whole string of promises: 

• "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13 - NKJV),  
• "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen. (Eph. 3:30-21  NIV)

All that will be enough.  I'm going to write, and He's going to worry about readers, the time to do all that I think I don't have time to do, and what happens to the message after I hit the "Publish" button.  Which brings me to another promise that makes this a bit less worrisome.  It's from the book of Isaiah and was one of my Dad's favorite passages:

• As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,  so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isa. 55:10,11)

I'll have lots of logistics to work out, but they will get all right eventually.  I'll make lots of mistakes, but we've all been there before.  I welcome your comments and I suspect we'll have lots to talk about.  To God be the Glory,  we're on our way!

Col. 1:9-12,

Mark