trust

"Having chosen our course, without guile and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear and with manly hearts."

It was so fleeting that I scarcely even realized that it had passed through. Yet I do remember shaking my head as I fluffed the pillows.

Although there was a certain expectation that this much loved writing site could announce their closure at any time; there was also the understanding that there would be plenty of warning. The Terms of Service had clearly stated that 30 days notice would be given prior to the cessation of operation. That would give us all more than enough time to tie up any loose ends and let people know where we were going.

With a last flick of my hand over the bedspread I smiled and walked into the Office. All the housework was finished and now it was time to start writing.

As I skimmed through the e-mail to check for anything urgent, one message leaped out and grabbed my attention. The subject line told the story. Themestream was closing down.

Leaning back in my chair I read my friend's message and knew that the other shoe had finally dropped. There was no shock or disbelief, just a sense of acceptance that what had been predicted by so many for so long had come to pass. What amazed me was the wave of sadness that flooded my soul.

The vision and direction for Breath of Fresh Air that had expanded and blossomed in that time left me in constant awe.

The opportunity to glorify God through the simple act of writing had blessed me as much as, and maybe even more than, those who faithfully read each article.

"Goodbye old friend!" I thought and whispered a quick prayer for those who had created this second home for so many of us on the Internet. I could only imagine the stress they'd lived with during the final death throes of this popular, but struggling, site.

Over the next 24 hours the shock waves began to hit as people logged on and discovered the news for themselves. Then came an avalanche of e-mail like nothing I'd seen before and to be honest, I contributed to it as well. Amazingly the Community of Themestreamers came together and started to make contact with friends and favorite writers before the door was permanently shut on Good Friday.

The promised 30 day notice had shrunk to barely two and contact was restricted to using the "e-mail author" facility provided at the site. As we all rushed to save articles and send messages, Themestream groaned under the load.

The reactions ranged across the spectrum from calm understanding to furious anger. But in spite of what some people thought, I truly believe that the owners of Themestream only ever wanted the Site to be beneficial for everyone involved.

They wanted something that would be an avenue for enthusiasts to share their passions, and they most certainly provided that.

They wanted a site where people from all around the world could come together and read and learn from others with the same interests. There's not a question that they achieved this.

Every person who accessed Themestream had an expectation of what they wanted from it. For the most part, we had a confidence that each time we visited we'd find what we were looking for. Whether it was community, information, financial reward or an avenue for our writing, we freely linked our lives with those unseen business people in California.

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm."

Though I was sad to see this Company fail and found the five days after the announcement some of the busiest I've ever experienced on-line, I was full of thanksgiving. From the start my trust was never in the "horses" of Themestream or the "chariot" of my ability to communicate through writing. From the beginning my trust and confidence has been in my God and He's been faithful to constantly stay a step or two ahead of every development.

My thanksgiving to Him came as I looked back over the months and saw His almost continual leading in my decision making. Without those gentle whispers of direction I may never have started the Breath of Fresh Air - Inspirations newsletter. In recent months I've felt as though the Great Master of the dance has been carefully choreographing every movement so that the final production will be a reflection of Him in every way.

Learning to trust our Heavenly Father's leading is vital for our growth as Christians. As we begin to rely on His faithfulness and guidance, He will direct us in all our ways. At times we may not see the reason for doing some of the things He may have us do, but eventually His wisdom in every situation will be revealed.

In the last hours, as I slipped back to my Contributor's page for one last visit, there was almost an awareness of the echoing corridors and the whistle of a breeze blowing through the now empty site. My imagination could almost see the cyber tumble weeds bouncing along.

Thank you Lord for the wisdom, the direction, the confidence and the future. While everything else may crumble and fall, with You there's the certainty that the best is most definitely yet to come!

Thanks Debbie... We agree 100%. God is so good, and His gentle whispers are life savers!! We say goodbye to Themestream along with you, and wish them only blessings for giving us the opportunity to spread our writing wings and even more so, for bringing us together as sisters in Christ! What our readers see here is just a small sample of the Christian community that came together while writing at Themestream, God reached His arms all across the world and made us a family. And add to all of this our wonderful newsletter subscribers... God's arms are mighty big!!