Wow. It is hard to believe that Desiring Virtue was only started in June of this year. I counted and from my first post, A Modest Swimsuit?, to today’s I will have written over 100 posts in that 7 month period. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to share my heart with you and the opportunity we have to grow together. Thanks to technology, fellowship can take on so many forms today and this blog has been one such form in my life. More than anything I desire this blog to be a blessing to you, my reader. My prayer is that through my struggles, joys, and gleanings from scripture you too will be encouraged to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in every aspect of your life. By seeking to be pure, dignified, joyful, loving, humble, gracious women we seek to make his name famous among our communities. By honoring the Lord in our words and lives we give the God-given role of woman a luster that the world cannot deny. In this next year let’s strive even harder toward that goal as women who are desiring the virtue that only God can give and only discipline can attain.

    I don’t plan on changing much about the blog in 2010. I will start up the How to Cook Without a Book Challenge again next week (no, I didn’t forget about it...) and my posts, ranging from daily to weekly, will include the same random content they always have. Being a woman is like being a collector of many specialities. Because of our wonderful role as keepers of the home we have the opportunity to dabble in many different arts, studies, and hobbies. We are not limited to one job, one expertise, or one passion. No, our Biblical “limitations” are actually freedoms and this blog will continue to strive to encourage that. I would love to include more testimonies from other women who are desiring virtue ranging from their salvation stories to current struggles and joys they are facing. If you would be interested in contributing please send me an email and I will give you some more information. The Lord is doing miraculous works in each of our lives and it brings glory to him when we share those stories with each other!

    Something else that I have recently been challenged by is making sure that my blog (my “ministry”) is not seen as being outside of my husband’s authority and apart from his own ministry. Desiring Virtue is a part of A Strong Foundation (our family website) and I think that this is the right place for it. Here it can stand with Reverence and Relevance (by husband’s blog) and within our virtual “home.” In a greater effort to bring my writing under his authority and ensure that I never dishonor him I have asked Richard to read over my posts the night before I publish them. Though this will require greater planning and discipline on my part I know that this will be a  safeguard for me and my readers. The content and amount of time that I put into this blog will be under his control and blessing. He is my head and the one that I serve in everything-even this blog!

    I would love to get some feedback from you, my readers on what kind of content you most desire to see here at Desiring Virtue this upcoming year. Are there any particular topics in scripture that you would like to study deeper, any areas in your spiritual life that you are struggling with, any social or political topics you would like to dive into from a Christian perspective? Let’s do it! Whether you are single, married, have children, are older, or younger I want to write about what is most helpful to you. (Disclaimer: that doesn’t mean that I will already know the answers to your questions or be well versed on the topic, but it will mean that I will get to study it and discuss it with you!)

    Thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog and for the encouragement you have been to me this past year. Here is to the new year and the new blessings that will come with it.