On February 9, I posted about praying through shutting my comments off during Lent. I felt like I was developing an unhealthy ego (or lack thereof) due to some of the response my blog has received. Good or bad. The good would make me get all puffed up, and the bad would make me internalize untruth.
After speaking with some close friends, and ultimately, what I had sensed in my heart from the beginning, I decided to not blog or Twitter or update my Facebook during the Lenten season.
This will be my last post until April 13.
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Many people look at Lent as an old law, one of which we are free. I grew up Baptist, and we never celebrated it. A new friend of mine explained to me that one of the reasons people fasted from food during Lent was because of the time they would spend in preparation for their meals. By sacrificing their food, they were able to devote more time to God and to each other.
It takes me five minutes to make my famous grilled cheese sandwich, or I can drive and get something from McDonald’s in three minutes round trip. I’ve fasted from food before. It’s a big deal, but not what I needed to fast now.
So, where do I spend my time? What distracts me from my communion with God?
The Internets.
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There are a couple things I want to leave you with:
WHY I’M DOING THIS
1) During this technology fast, I am going to be preparing my heart and mind for my upcoming trip to Calcutta, India with Compassion International. We leave at the end of April, and I don’t want any distractions to interfere with how God is going to move within us and how we are going to respond on this trip.
2) Also during this technology fast, I am going to be praying and focusing on my next writing project – which doesn’t only include writing a book, but truly communicating a message that has been on my heart for a very long time. Writing a book is multi-faceted and I want to be clear and focused and open to what words God is using me to write, and the steps he is having me make.
3) Not as a part of Lent, but during this season of fasting, I am participating in the Forty Days of Water campaign by Blood:Water Mission. From March 1-April 9, all I will drink is water. I encourage you to explore and pray about it as well. The premise is what you would have spent on other drinks during these forty days, you will spend on providing clean water in Africa.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1) I am going to be downright bold here and make a big ask. There is so much technology noise in the world right now. What if we shut off our part of it, just for this season? I am going to ask you to fast from blogging, Twitter, Facebook — whatever consumes your time the most. Is this something you need to do? There is something stirring within the blog world. Several high traffic blogs are taking breaks or have shut down completely. Let me assure you, we didn’t just sit in a room and plan this out. It’s not a publicity stunt. I don’t think this is the answer for everyone, but I would ask that you seriously consider taking a break to see what God can do offline while we take a break online.
2) Pray for me. Pray for me as I focus on those things listed above. It is going to be weird being unplugged. As I mentioned in my Out of Ur article today, sometimes when we’re not plugged in online, unfortunately, we miss offline experiences as well. I am not going to feel as connected to those around me and that adjustment, although I believe is completely necessary for me, will be difficult.
3) Sponsor a Child through Compassion. If you know anything about me, you know this is my heartbeat.
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MY BOOK
Obviously my book Mad Church Disease isn’t taking a break. You can see what’s going on with it here, or order a copy.? I’m honestly REALLY nervous because essentially, I am not going to be able to talk about my book online during this time, and that’s where my tribe – you guys – are. I am really having to let go of the “control” I think I have over spreading the message.? God is in control of it. Not me. Not my blog.? So, if you can, do you part to spread the word about it.? If you can, leave a review.? Or order a few more copies.? Download and email a free chapter to all your friends. Grin.? Must…let….go….deep….breath….
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IF YOU HAPPEN TO STUMBLE ON THIS BLOG DURING THE BREAK
I’d like to say hi. This blog won’t be active again until after Easter and when it does return, might have a different focus. Who knows? At the same time, there are three years of conversation tucked away. I am going to point you to some of the more thoughtful categories where you’ll find these discussions below:
Anxiety and Depression
Sex and Porn Addiction
Church
Authenticity
Leadership
My trip to Uganda with Compassion International
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WHERE YOU WILL FIND ME
I do have some speaking or other events scheduled during this time, so if you live around one of these places, I’d love to say hi. You can click here to see where I’ll be visiting.
CONTACT
You can still email me. Sometimes it takes me a while to respond, and especially during this time, I won’t be super plugged in. But that door is always open.
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See you after Easter.
And Love God. Love Others.
Comments
50 responses to “Closing Down FlowerDust.net”
No blogging, twitter or facebook for entire Lenten season: http://is.gd/kHns Could you?
http://tinyurl.com/b2rc53
@looneytunes She gave up Twitter for Lent. http://tinyurl.com/b2rc53
Great example Anne.
The world will (surely) be a different place on April 14th.
May God renew you as only He can.
May you be filled with God, his presence, and enjoy reconnecting with yourself and those close to you.
See you in April …
Thank you for asking others to do the same. I have been considering this and now I’m going to pull the trigger. Twitter is probably the biggest for me. I am looking forward to see what God does during this time of giving Him and those closest to us more attention. Thank you.
Anne, over the last several months, I have grown to really appreciate your voice, among others online. We will miss you, but I know God will refresh you, only to give you a more relevant and influential voice for the blogosphere. Listen to his prompting and respond immediately; that’s where the joy is. May God richly bless you as you give up your mirrors (Exodus 38:8) in order to create a sacred space for our Lord.
I’d decided to do much the same thing. I created a bunch of auto-posts to go up on my blog while I’m gone & am just about to head over to FB to write my “see ya later” status update. hooray for unplugged!
Wow, first Carlos, now you. What am I going to read all day? j/k
It’s a bold move. I look forward to reading about what you learn about the impact online community has on offline community through this experiment.
– Paul
i think it’s great anne. Praying for you today.
i suspect He has some transforming stuff for you and Chris during this. blessings…
I was thinking the same thing some of the other commenters were thinking, first Carlos and now you, hummmm… it’s like there is a black hole being created. I understand the reasons and think they are good, if based in scripture and led by God, but it doesn’t mean I won’t miss that part of my normal reading. Enjoy the time away, have a great time at the Off the Blogs meeting. I’ll be back in April for sure.
I am giving up RSS feeds for lent so all is good!
We’ll miss you. Enjoy Jesus.
I have been thinking about something similar. I’ve got a big ministry transition coming up between now and Easter. I think I might unplug myself as well.
I’m giving up facebook and myspace (I actually gave those up last Saturday night) and also meat! I had recently decided that I should probably only drink water during Lent, so when you mentioned Forty Days of Water I KNEW that it was something I need to do. I had even told God, I will start drinking only water when I get my new water bottle, which will be Saturday. Forty Days of Water doesn’t start until SUNDAY, which was further confirmation that this is something I need to do. I will be praying for you!
Wishing you all the best during your fast! I’m looking forward to see how God is doing to lead when you start back on your blogging journey. Take care. :)
Thanks everyone. I will still be in the comments today, but after tonight, won’t be visiting my blog back to respond.
I appreciate everyone’s support and think it is rad so many of you are taking a similar direction.
wow. first ragamufffinsoul, now this. i will have less to read. which i guess is good for the mean time….
have a wonderful time with God. can’t wait to read what you got out of it when you get back.
Anne, your book is rocking my world. you been following me around? seriously, enjoy your break. listen…never know what yoiu might hear…much like I did at recreate this year
I’ll miss your thoughts, but I’m sure it will be an awesome experience for you. :)
good for you, girl. praying for you. :)
I’m gonna miss you, Anne!
Thanks for all the thoughts, and I’m looking forward to reading more after Easter.
Anne,
I’m wondering if any of this has to do with your publisher and your book. A non-traditional approach to marketing your book is to ‘not’ market it, right? You’ve always said that you had an awesome PR person at your publisher. I find it near impossible to believe they would sign off on a blog blackout right after the big book launch. There must be something here…some other type of plan in place to drive book sales. Also, they have you signed on for a second book so they have a vested interest in plugging you and your ‘tribe’ so something hear doesn’t sound right.
I appreciate all you do and am praying for spiritual renewal for you, but if I’m honest this looks and sounds more calculated for gain than for renewal. Please prove my skeptical side wrong…don’t sell out that badly. Good luck.
Nope. Nothing like that. I had to apologize TO my publisher for doing this. They don’t own me :)
And actually we haven’t signed a second book.
no publicity stunt. it would be ideal for Anne to keep blogging, tweeting, facebooking, and such, but at what expense? i whole-heartedly support what Anne is doing and hope that she has an amazing time not only in india with compassion, but on her hiatus from social media, getting closer with Jesus..
one of the most pressing questions that anyone can ask of themselves is “what is interfering in my communion with Christ?” when you find the answer to that question, regardless of what it is, i would hope that the questioner would reassess that area of their life.
Anne is a great promoter, but she is no sell out – i hope this proves your skeptical side wrong Johann!
(Chris is my PR guy at Zondervan) :) ^^
As a relative newbie to all this social media stuff (well, the current breed of it – FB/Twitter/blogging communities), I’ll miss what you do here.
On the other hand, I’m well aware of the importance of fasting. I do tend to do food fasts (water only for 5-20 days…need to do a 40 day one some time…), but I totally understand fasting from whatever keeps you from being intimate with God, from what sustains you in the physical.
I look forward to your return and whatever it brings, Anne. This will give me more time to read MCD when it arrives too :)
There is no better place than in the middle of a secreted time with the Creator. There is no doubt that this separation will be difficult, but it will pale in comparison to the beauty you see in God’s presence as you grow closer to him.
I love those amazing times with him; I know you do, too.
thank you. i’ve been challenged to do the same. :)
i think it’s good to come to india with an expectant and prepared heart.
i spent time in kolkata this week. amazing.
i can’t tell you how much i’m learning about myself and the God i was hoping to become reacquainted with. this place tends to do that for me … if i’m ready and willing, of course.
perhaps we’ll have time to chat face to face in the coming months … we could always have a fresh glass of high quality H20 on a rooftop somewhere in lala land ;)
Anne, as the Lord is working through you .. you have powerfully inspired my life in this time as I was reading your article today Feb. 24, -09, .. What you said about online and offline communtiy. .. it is true.. Just we do not admit this… We need to fast away from such stuff on internet.. Becuz the real world around us is being more ignored , (as you mentioned the ones we love , or need to love)…. being ignored, that is not good. What you say explains this in excellent detail.
Lord be with you in all you do for His Glory!!
And looking forward when you return with info on your experience of relating to the Lord!!!
In His Love,
rosamaria
see you ma?ana.
Chris Fann is awesome and I don’t even know him.
I understand your sentiments. I commit to pray you through the process. May you hear His voice more clearly during this time. I will miss you though. Written word is my main mode of communication, as a hearing impaired person. You are the ninth friend to announce ‘shutting off’. Getting even quieter in my world.
I am in the “check yes” box on this one. I just barely found your blog, but find it a terrific read. I’m a little late on the up-tick here, but admire your decision. Praying for you.
Anne
I will be praying for you and what God will show you. I dont know if I could do what you are doing. I will see you on the other side after He Is Risen, & He’s Alive.
I totally agree with what you’re doing. For some of the same reasons I’ve gotten off of Facebook and decided not to continue doing my blog. I am basically trying to ween (sp) myself off the computer for the most part. I’m working on spending less time on TV and more time with the kids and wife. I gotta get them away from the TV too.
Thanks.
Tom
?Faith is the evidence of things not seen.? Heb 11:1. But if your faith is built upon evidence, then it?s not your faith that is the evidence of things not seen, it?s the evidence upon which your faith is based that is the evidence of things not seen. And that?s faith within any endeavor, any inquiry, any science or any theology. So Heb 11:1 must be a mistake, then? Do I hear an ?Amen!? from anyone out there? :-)
AMEN ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Archie… I hear ya!!!!
It is all about Faith”””
rosamaria
whoa. no way. proud of you.
Kudo’s to you Anne for taking this bold Move! I will be pushing your book like I have been, and I too will cut back on some stuff during this time to reflect on my Spiritual Journey with God.
I’ll miss you until then! But, I will keep you in prayers while we depart ways for this short time.
Good for you Anne!
Much respect coming your way…
Praying that your heart and ears will be opened to His voice during this “quiet time” and that you will experience Him as you prepare for your trip, your next project, and your involvement in the 40 days of water project.
I have to admit, it has actually been nice not to have my google reader updated with posts from you BECAUSE I know you are doing something of obedience and adding value to your life. I am proud of you that you have not broken your commitment! I am praying that God will continue to sustain you as you take a break from your online community. Blessings Anne! :)
I really admire what you are doing too. I come from a very similar background to yours, and I never observed Lent growing up in a Baptist church either. But I sometimes to do feel like Facebook takes up a good deal of my time that should be given to God, so I considered giving it up for Lent this year myself. I decided not to, but am still considering doing it some other time, just to see if I benefit from it. I also considered doing the water only thing, but then decided in the end not to do either one, for fear of wrongful motives….
Seriously, you can come back now. *sigh*
Good for you. :]
Hi Anne! Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy this dialogue and your writings. I have wrestled with this same question as I have 2 wildboys (well, 3 counting my husband)- one that I homeschool and have had to become more cognizant of the time I spend online. I consider my time on FB and blogging to be a ministry, but sometimes need to shut it off and go “minister” to my own family. I think it all depends on each individuals lifestyle and season, as to their use and benefits of social media. I was speaking for about 3 yrs, but found that as I went out to encourage others to celebrate the special moments in their lives, I was personally missing our special moments. There is a season for everything. I still love FB and occasionally blogging, but this dialogue has helped me view my time and energies with more specific intent. Thanks for being you!