2010 Review & Update

To my daily devotional friends,
My intentions for beginning this devotional blog, at the start of 2010, was to inspire others to experience the joys and growth of a daily devotional life. After heralding the benefits for years, I committed myself to sharing every day, the ways God was using one of the best devotionals I'd ever used, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young ( 2004.) Thank you, Jan Boomer, for gifting it to me in 2008. God has used it to change my life!
So, from day to day, I pondered and prayed over what I sensed He was speaking into my heart and tried to journal those thoughts into this devotional blog. The response has been surprising. Here are some audience statistics, to date (12.30.2010).
Daily average pageviews ranged around 50. This year 5,687 different viewers tapped into the blog. (I was hoping for at least 100...over 5,000 absolutely amazed me!)
The majority of viewers were from the United States, however, they also came from the following countries (in descending numerical order): Russia, Canada, Denmark, South Korea, Ukraine, China, Guatemala, Romania, Lithuania, Croatia, Denmark, Malaysia, Germany, France, Poland, South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland.
For years I've felt like my devotional life was such a sweet, yet solitary journey, until this year! I've always gained great strength from solitude and quiet times. Sharing my devotional thoughts throughout this year has been a new and very vulnerable thing to do. In the process I have grown considerably.
I am especially grateful for those who were willing to make comments, sharing the journey of their own hearts. What an encouragement and blessing you have been! My thankfulness will echo into eternity. Your responses often gave me the courage to continue.
I am also grateful for a most understanding, encouraging husband who understood my passion for this project, protecting my time and often waiting "in the wings" for me to complete the next day's blog. (I started blogging a day ahead after I realized that people were starting their day hours ahead of me, in time zones on the other side of the world! Yikes...)
I've been asked about my intentions for blogging during 2011. By "popular request" we will continue to use Sarah Young's Jesus Calling daily devotional. There will be a posting for each day, using entries from this last year, adding thoughts or insights along the way, as I am led. I encourage your participation and invitation for others to join us. This year a children's version of Jesus Calling was published which could encourage entire families to spiritually grow together!
Along with my regular counseling schedule, I am also completing credentialing as a Master Life Coach. I will be working toward that goal and will be creating a website or new blog in the near future. That will require considerable time and effort so I will soon be sharing that with you, also.
Our daily walk with Jesus makes such a HUGE difference and I want to inspire as many as possible to step into His Presence EVERY day! Thank you for your prayerful and considerate support. Please share your thoughts or any helpful suggestions.
Celebrating 2010 & Headed for Heaven in 2011...dmc
PS -Read the previous entry for the December 31st devotional blog. Happy New Year's Eve!