Happy New Year from Joy Let Loose! A Year in Review
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Joy Let Loose! With 2017 coming to a close, and Christmas celebrations still ringing in my ears, I celebrate what God has done this year.
Emmanuel has certainly been with us.
Just one year ago I felt purposeless, and confused in my new home. But I heard God whispering the word “Joy” to me for 2017. I imagined what that might look like. Of course, things don’t always turn out how we imagine they might, but as I review what has happened, God has still proven to be a Joy-Giver.
A New Start
I dreamt up Joy Let Loose in a season of grief. I wanted to find joy for myself, but I also wanted to spill it out for others to experience. If I had lost my joy, likely others had too. Could God use me to help them find it again?
So I took the plunge and started this blog. I’ve had my ups and downs as it has gotten off the ground. I’ve found some new communities that have helped me to learn, and to recover from disappointments, and I’ve been encouraged by many of your comments here and on my Facebook page. I have seen how much Pinterest impacts readership, and taken a course or two along the way as well. But as I review, there is still much to learn.
And even more, I keep needing to remember WHY.
- Joy Let Loose is a thing because God’s JOY is real.
- I blog because I want to live a life consistently strengthened by it.
- I write because I believe I can impact your life, and encourage you in Joy.
A Year in Review
So as year one of Joy Let Loose winds down, I took a look in the rearview mirror. I’ve posted 44 times, and here were my TOP 10 posts this year:
Joy Let Loose Readers
Joy Let Loose readers come from all across the globe, from the USA to Uganda, Sri Lanka to New Zealand. How amazing to remember that people are seeking God’s joy from one end of the earth to the next. And I pray that the things I write can be a part of how God spreads it.
Can You Help?
So this morning I sent an email to my Joy Let Loose subscribers, asking for their input. How can I best encourage them in 2018? I’d like to ask the same of you, my blog readers. What has encouraged you on this blog in 2017? What topics have I missed?
Would you do me a favor and discuss in the comments below:
- Where you are from
- How you found Joy Let Loose
- What has encouraged you here
- and what you’d like to read about in 2018
I’d love to continue building the Joy Let Loose community, and hearing how God is impacting your lives with His joy in 2018. If you’d like to hear from me in your inbox on occasion, and receive 5 Prayer Prompts to restore your JOY over the next 5 days, please click here!
Merriest of Christmas & New Year celebrations to you and to your families.
Elizabeth Joy