HAPPY BLOGGY-VERSARY
By Gail K. Kachnycz 26 September 2024
The end of
September marks one year since A Map Through The Valley was launched. I would
like to thank God for blessing this endeavor and using it to encourage and
bless other care-givers and those they support.
I would
especially like to acknowledge my husband, Mike, for being open about the
challenges he faces in his journey of chronic illness. He has been brave and
generous in allowing me to share our experiences on a public forum.
Sincere thanks
also go to those people who have given of their time to be Beta Readers. Their
thoughtful comments result in improvements before the posts are published. I
cannot speak highly enough of my blog mentor and tech support, Julie. She makes
the website look great and easy to navigate.
Finally, thank
you to all our subscribers. Many of you have responded with comments of how the
posts have encouraged you. Some have shared resources or suggestions that have
been featured on the website. A few have allowed me to relate your own stories. I
have been reminded that many of you are praying for Mike and me, and for the ministry
of the blog; thank you so much.
It took almost
three years from the time I first began to write essays until A Map Through The
Valley was launched. During this first year going live, I have had a steep
learning curve as far as technical information and entering the blogosphere.
But, I have learned other lessons as well:
Mike and I are
not alone.
There is a
wonderful group of supporters for us.
There are resources, support groups, and practical help in the wider community—often initiated by people who saw a need, based on their own experiences.
A Map Through The
Valley has been active now for one year, but it is not my first effort at
blogging. In 2017, I took a road trip with my younger son to Wyoming to see the
total eclipse of the sun, and wrote a blog about our trip. Several months
afterward, I published a post summarizing the experience titled, “Was It Worth
It?” I recently read over that post, and realized that it set the stage for the
current blog for care-givers. That trip and blog were important “Because I
pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, daring to plan, and pray, and finally believe
that this amazing trip could happen.” These same elements resulted in A Map
Through The Valley.
In the coming
weeks I will be doing some self-care for refreshment and restoration. During
that time, a couple of recipes will be published on the blog. They are very
easy ones I developed as a busy care-giver. The butternut squash combination is
one of my favorites for this time of fall harvest. You may also enjoy my blog
from 2017. Here is the link:
Now to Him who is able
to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the
power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all
generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV
