Yes, you read that correctly. This is the final Still Waters Blog.

Why now? Is there something wrong? Am I burned out?

Nah – there isn’t any big reason, just several little ones: The time involved creating and editing, wanting to try some other self-publishing writing projects (a Best of Still Waters Devotional book is in the beginning stages), focus on some other creative outlets, and also coming up with a shorter, positive newsletter to eventually replace the blog. So, I won’t be disappearing. I also don’t want to be like the rock groups that say, “This is our last and final farewell tour”, but they keep reappearing every few years. Still Waters 2.0 -The Sequel (coming in Fall of 2028)????? 🙂

I started this blog in December of 2013 due to the encouragement of a wonderful, godly woman I attended church with at the time. I didn’t even know what a blog was. It kept going all this time due to you, the reader. I joked with people that I write a blog that me and my mom read. Many times through the years I was going to quit – and someone offered me a written or verbal word of encouragement that kept me going. And so – a mighty thanks to you for reading, encouraging, subscribing, clicking, commenting, sharing, and forwarding!

Because of you – this written word has truly gone to the ends of the earth!!! I’ve included the map showing the geographical regions reached and the number of clicks and hopefully reader engagement. 22,000 plus “hits” in the U.S. alone! Again, it all goes back to you! 🙂

So, what would be a great final quote to leave you with? There are way too many to chose from. I’d like to go back to some of the questions that we all spend a lifetime contemplating: What is the purpose of life? Why do some seem to thrive and others undeservedly go through struggles and pain? Should our life’s goal be the unending accummulation of things and experiences and breakthroughs? Are we doing something wrong if it isn’t? What about a healthy 401(K)? Surrounded by loving family and friends? Kids that don’t go wild? Those can all be good, even great things. But what about those who can’t because of short or long term difficult life circumstances? What about those that will never have the opportunities? One of my favorite all-time quotes about this topic comes from the book Moving Mountains by John Eldredge:

The goal of human existence is union with God, an absolute union of heart, soul, mind, strength, the union Jesus knew with his Father: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). God is waning us to the place we will be able to say like David, “Your love is better than life” (Psalm 63:3), to truly and actually believe in the marrow of our bones that God’s love surpasses anything this world has to offer. To find Jesus Christ as our absolute all-in-all. The ability to be able to say with Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21) . . .

The mighty victory is staying true to God. It is maintaining a mature perspective – where God means everything to you – through glorious breakthrough and in the midst of terrible affliction. If you do not hold fast to this, you will be shaken when your prayers do not seem to prevail; you will fall prey to feelings of failure or despair. Or, you will be grasping at promises of unending victory, looking down on those who do not see things as you do. You will be forced to ignore the sufferings of Christ, and our honor in sharing in them.

And you will miss the goal of this life, which is not unending breakthrough, but something far more beautiful and everlasting – the beauty of Jesus Christ, which your Father is committed to forming in you: “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humaniity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him” (Romans 8:29 MSG).Quote from pages 223, 227.

Blessings and signing off,

Dave 🙂