Peace of Christ!
As the folks from the JV na Estrada podcast would say, we are back! That's right! On the last day of the year, here comes a new post!
At the beginning of 2012 we started with many new developments and plans. There were more than 200 days of uninterrupted posts! That's right! A lot of material published here with great effort and only by God's grace!
It was an incredible experience that I will carry for the rest of my life. I may be talking this way, but I certainly do not intend to stop!
I say this because I believe that in 2013 God will lead me into new plans and guide me to do everything His way. I planned many new things for 2012, such as bringing this message in video form, but not all of them came to pass, and I am very grateful to my beautiful Lord, who only let me proceed with what was in accordance with His will.
This year I met many people who took part in memorable moments, people with whom I cried from laughing so hard, or even cried in tense situations! I received and gave hugs, smiles, advice, handshakes, emails, and unexpected phone calls, among so many other things! I have even lost touch with some of these people, but they remain with me in my heart and thoughts, and I pray to God that He will be with them wherever they are!
How I love blogging! I also like talking, but writing is so natural that I do not even know what my life would be like today without this art. On this blog I always try to pray before publishing something I wrote or sharing someone else's video or text. Often I do not even understand how, but God uses me for a purpose in someone else's life, and I can only thank Him, because I do not deserve so much grace, love, and mercy, yet He still allows me to be an instrument in His hands. And this is an enormous responsibility! During 2013 I will address this theme in the posts.
I participated in worship ministries for many years, as you may already have noticed here on the blog, and I have sought to pass on to everyone what I learned there. I discuss subjects such as the quality of Brazilian music categorized as Gospel and how much it has suffered in recent years. I will completely review the posts here on the blog on this subject and try to do something even better in 2013!
In 2012 my brother Jefferson joined the blog and took on two music-related columns with great responsibility! I glorify God for this young man's life!
I am very happy to know and be able to get in touch with such wonderful people in my life. Now I am talking about bloggers such as brother Wallace, who helped me so much with his words in difficult moments; the iPródigo and Voltemos ao Evangelho teams; Zágari; Raíssa and her incredible texts inspired by God; and so many other people, such as Lygia and Rafael, and other bloggers who accompanied me along the way!
And the comments, huh? Wow, what wonderful gifts!
This year the blog was also attacked by someone, a hacker, and they took us down for a few weeks. Not everyone rejoices when we work in the Lord's work, and they try to bring us down! But we overcame that barrier, thank God, and continued!
At the end of the year some very sad things happened that shook me deeply, in my studies, family, health, and work. As a result, I suspended blog posts for 76 days! There were very few days when I did not think about the blog and returning, but I tried my hardest to come back only when I was again standing firm in the Lord's presence.
Yes, brothers and sisters, sometimes we take very painful blows and almost lose heart. Some people I love are without direction at the moment, and I have been striving to bring Christ's light to them again. In this process, the world's temptations took the opportunity to bring me down, but I thank the Lord that He has helped me this far and cared for me at every moment. And if He cared for me, He can care for you too!
We live in a time when we only hear sermons about victories, and when we suffer defeat we do not know what to do. I always try to convey the following message, especially to young people and those new to the faith: what matters is not winning, but having the Savior and the Comforter beside you at every moment. God does not always remove the thorns, but grants us His grace to keep going and glorify His holy name! And as a very old worship song that I really like would say… I go through the trial giving glory to God! : )
I still do not know God's vision for the Autoridade Cristã blog in 2013, but I pray to the Lord that I will never stray from the center of His will. And to you, my dear friends, may God bless you and pour His grace and love upon you. May 2013 be a much better year than 2012 was. May we be more and more in the Lord's presence.
It is almost midnight now, and I will try to do what I learned this morning from a blessed woman: Begin 2013 on my knees! And what I have to thank God for would be enough to remain that way until 2014! Hahaha.
May God bless you!
Wishing you success!
João Victor