Emily Wickham began her writing and speaking journey in 2005. She writes for Lifeway Christian Resources and enjoys serving the Lord as an author, speaker, and podcaster. She teaches via Indestructible Life, a podcast that helps women discover the life Jesus is and treasure the life God's Word gives. Emily also shares brief messages about the return of Christ on her YouTube channel. Please connect with Emily by subscribing below to her blog, Heart Stirrings.
Sight-Giver, Photos, a Retreat, & More
Dear Readers,
Sitting in the quiet of my office and overlooking my back yard nourishes my spirit. It’s not that my back yard is overly lovely this time of year, but the solitude I’m experiencing is. Perhaps you can relate. Busyness has invaded our lives, and the opportunity to enjoy peaceful moments can feel sparse.
As we embark into 2023 and all God’s plans for us, I invite you into the quiet, the peace of His presence. Recent and upcoming news will fill this update, but first, let’s ponder…
The Glory of Jesus: Sight-Giver
“They said to Him, ‘Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.’ And moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him” (Matthew 20:33-34, NASB).
Blind men in Jesus’ day might have seemed insignificant because city streets and well-traveled roads likely contained many of them. But for the Lord, these two men in Matthew 20 possessed value. He deemed them worthy of His attention and time. Although He walked toward Jerusalem, Jesus stopped in response to their cries. He interacted with these two blind men by listening to their hearts’ desire and restoring their sight. Jesus, the Sight-Giver, acted out of compassion.
In our day, we mingle with many who are spiritually blind. And how do we interact? Do we care and listen, responding with compassion and doing what we can to help? Or sometimes, we’re the ones walking in darkness, blinded by pride, selfishness, or other sinful perspectives.
Let’s ask Jesus to restore our sight wherever necessary so we can follow Him in absolute trust. Our God remains compassionate, and the Bible lights our way. As the psalmist said, “The unfolding of Thy words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130).
Year-End Joys
December flurried by, leaving highlights in my heart. Two of my children celebrated birthdays, plus we engaged in various gatherings. Needless to say, we had lots going on all through the month, and I hope you enjoy these snapshots of special family times. (Yet I’m sad I don’t have photos of our Christmas celebration with my Zachary and Danielle. We visited with them before they traveled to PA, and I failed to take pictures.)
Personal Writing Retreat
God enabled me to reserve a little cabin for four nights and five days at a very reasonable price. I’m so excited as I look forward to spending time there later this month, and the purpose is two-fold: to seek God’s 2023 plans for Proclaiming Him to Women plus write more of my Acts Bible study. Please pray the Lord will make His presence known in a special way, providing ministry direction and words for my book. Thank you!
Indestructible Life
As of yesterday, my podcast is officially listed in seven directories: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Index, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TuneIn + Alexa, and Podchaser. Praise the Lord! This will help listeners tune in on their favorite podcast player, and I’m trusting God will grow this ministry as He sees fit. Please pray more women will discover Indestructible Life, be blessed by the messages, and share it with others. Thanks!
Words of Wisdom
Shannon, an online friend of mine, is leading “A 31 Day January Journey through the book of Proverbs” on Facebook. I encourage you to follow her page, Reaching Hearts for Jesus Christ, and benefit from the biblical truths she shares. Shannon’s ministry is a beautiful light for the Lord, and I’m confident you’ll be blessed by her God-given messages.
Until Next Time
I prayed for you today, and I treasure the opportunity to connect on a regular basis. May the Lord be magnified in each of our lives. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
In Christ’s Love,
I’ve often dreamed of a small log cabin, nestled in the backwoods. Desolate, quiet, a small brook gurgling just at the edge of my hearing. I sit there and meditate, converse, and grow in the Lord. When I’m refreshed and filled, I put pen to paper and my writing flows effortlessly. In my reality, I’ve stolen away to those quiet places as a writing retreat, but I’ve found it has taken me days to fully relax, find peace and refilling in God’s presence, and reach a point that writing in His will can take place. For me, His inspiration would come the day before I was to leave to return to my job or other duties. It just never worked out. Instead, I find that it’s easier for me to steal a few minutes or an hour each day to remove myself from all the distractions of the world and focus solely on God and my relationship with Him. It’s in keeping that connection fresh each day that I find His inspiration more readily available to me. My “little cabin” is either atop the hill on the western edge of the ranch (as far away from everything electronic as I get these days) or under the boughs of the pine trees in my barnyard. Both of these naturally peaceful places provide me with the quiet and solitude I need to “tune out the world” and “tune into God.” I pray your getaway allows you to do exactly that. Prayers for a blessing-filled 2023 sweet friend.
Hi, J.D.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. God’s presence is a blessing wherever we are, and I agree: keeping close to Him on a daily basis is vital and inspires us. Thank you so much for your prayers and support. May the Lord bless you in your 2023 writing endeavors. To God be all the glory.
In Christ’s Love,
Emily