One of the wild things about blogging is how quickly posts come and go…even your best ones. If you thought beauty was fleeting, try a blog post!
We bloggers spend hours–days, sometimes–on a single post that we’re passionate about. If we’re really lucky, it goes “viral.” I’ve never had a post go take-over-the-world viral, but for the first time this past year, a few of my posts seemed to strike a chord with people. Honestly, I attribute the blog’s increasing popularity all to God this year. Last spring, I felt strongly that He wanted me to step out in faith and re-design my site, and soon after to start up my own podcast. The blog’s new look (including a new logo) and especially the podcast really seemed to draw new readers. Amazing and humbling!
So, find a quiet table in the corner on your lunch break, or grab a cup of coffee when the babies go down for their naps, and enjoy this collection of readers’ favorite posts from 2015. Maybe you’re new to Humble Handmaid, or maybe you’re like me and you love coming across a blog post again that you really connected with before. Either way, I pray you will find encouragement and draw just a little closer to God today through one of these.:)
10 Ways to Encourage Your Husband – A major Christian blogger linked to this post a few years ago, and the traffic from her site has made this the most popular post of all time on Humble Handmaid. I’ve revamped the original post a few times, now, including once this year. I think it’s really telling that this post has been so popular. It speaks to what many good-hearted Christian wives are interested in.:)
When We Have to Trust that a Barn is Best – I never thought this post would resonate with readers as much as it did. It is a great example of why I love to blog. Writing is often a wonderful outlet for me to figure things out spiritually, and I have been reminded by many readers over the past six years that being able to put spiritual things into words is a gift that God uses to help others sometimes. God works in such wonderful ways.
A Holiday Relationships Survival Guide – This is actually one of my favorite posts of the year. Probably because it has lots of sassy St. Josemaria wisdom sprinkled throughout it! Really, this post isn’t just about surviving family drama during the holidays. I could tweak a few words, make a new post image, and you’d see that it’s really about navigating every single one of our relationships with the right perspective and with real charity. This post is about living out our faith where the rubber meets the road.
Are You Doing What You Think You’re Supposed to Be Doing? – This wasn’t even a headliner post, really, but the main idea of it is a simple reminder that we all need to hear from time to time, especially when we start to compare ourselves to others.
The Post I’ve Been Waiting to Write for Two Years – Ahhhh! This post! After more than two years of living with my parents and getting back on our feet financially, we had the keys to our own home again. And it’s beautiful and covered with God’s fingerprints. The story of how we finally got into this house has formed my life deeply. I give all praise and glory to God that I have the opportunity to share the joy and hope of this story of my life.
5 Tips for Suffering Like a Saint – This post is my humble offering of tips and advice that have helped me through some times of spiritual and emotional suffering in my life.
Why I Don’t Hate NFP Anymore – This post was hands-down the most popular post I wrote this year. I think that speaks to how difficult and complicated love, sex and marriage can be. With the blessing of my husband, I wrote about my honest thoughts and struggles with NFP over the years, and how realizing that our–and my–problems with the various Natural Family Planning methods we’ve used all ultimately come because we live in a fallen world.
3 Social Habits That Can Make or Break a Culture of Life – This was arguably the second most popular Humble Handmaid post of 2015. I wrote about three simple things we can do–or not do–that can consistently build up the vocation of marriage and family.
A Vacation Survival Guide for Catholic Moms – I wrote this post for CatholicMom.com. Its practical tips for being realistic (and right-hearted) about family vacations seemed to resonate with lots of fellow mommas out there tempted to disenchantment with family trips that can often be more work than relaxation.
When We Make Idols Out of Waiting – I wrote this post smack-dab in the middle of a long period of waiting in my life. It’s tough to wait for something you want–even need–when you have no end in sight. I had no idea when and how God was going to work out a major cross in my life, but I was trying as hard as I could to wait His way.
How Domestic Church Changed My Marriage – This post was easily one of my top 3 in 2015. It was actually even translated into Polish for the worldwide Polish-speaking Domestic Church community! God has used the Domestic Church movement to allow Michael and I to tap into the grace of this sacrament together during the time in our marriage so far when we have needed it most. I am grateful beyond words for the changes that consistent prayer and real commitment to everyday connecting with God and each other have brought to my marriage.
Rest that Renews: Taking Back Sunday – This is a post that I have gone back to again and again this year. Making Sunday the kind of day God intended it to be is tough. It takes honesty, commitment, creativity, prayer, and unity with your spouse for sure. It something my family is still working out, more slowly than I’d like. The beautiful, helpful quotes from Pope St. John Paul II on “The Lord’s Day” are really something to meditate on.
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