Posted by on 31 Dec 2013 in Personal | 2 comments

Calendar image. source sxc.hu, by Pawel Kryj

Photo Source: sxc.hu by Pawel Kryj


Bringing our daughter home this year certainly was a huge milestone for our family. Being a parent for the first time, I’m finding out a lot about me that I never knew. And God is continuing to reveal insight into his nature as my wife and I walk through parenthood together. We celebrated our 3rd anniversary this year, dropped down to one income as she become a stay at home mom, and that has brought its own set of challenges. All of which has kept us busy and given me plenty to write about.

Back in January I relaunched my website and started blogging in earnest. Counting back I managed to post 75 blog entries, a few of which were my previously published poems, some were about our adoption and me becoming a parent, most had a biblical or spiritual teaching component of some sort, and hopefully all reflected my faith and my walk with Jesus Christ.

I also launched an official “Ben Gatrelle, Writer” Facebook page, where I post a “Proverb of the Day.” (If you haven’t yet please “like” us there).

Here are some of the blog entries I’d like to highlight for this year.

1) The Spirit Cries Abba
One of my most popular entries based on the number of views and “likes” on Facebook… Having just brought our baby girl home I reflect on a father’s love, how that’s communicated without words, and what I’ve been learning about God’s love for us.

2) There’s Dirt Everywhere
One of my wife’s favorite entries… This article is based on Jesus’ parable of the sower. The lesson here is that wherever we go we are bringing the gospel message with us. We are sowing the kingdom because all around us there are people in need.

3) Laying a Fleece Before The Lord
One of my earlier posts, originally from 2009, it’s the most popular post with the spam-bots and from web searches… Apparently a lot of people want to know what this Christian phrase means, where it comes from, and if it’s a spiritual practice we should do today.

I hope you all have enjoyed reading what I’ve written, commenting, and interacting with me on Facebook. Please continue to check back for more as we discover what 2014 has in store for us.