20 Years of Finding Direction!

Yes, today indeed marks the anniversary of this blog – 20 years! Actually, today at 9:46pm. 🙂

Our website was actually launched in 1999. But using software known as Greymatter, in October 2002 we started The Cottrill Family Journal, which became Finding direction in 2005. The first (boring) entry is here.

Eventually, we started using WordPress (which was launched in 2003). Actually, in 2002 there were a lot of things that didn’t exist yet, such as:

• Facebook
• iPhones
• Gmail
• Greta Thunberg
• YouTube
• Tesla
• Minecraft
• 10,000 Reasons (song)

Back in 2012 I wrote a bit about what was going on in 2002 – check out Back in October 2002…

Also in 2012 I recorded a podcast, looking ahead to the next ten years, saying:

“Looking back over ten years, and now looking forward, I think it’s really likely that we as a family, and probably a lot of you if not most of you listening are going to experience more change in the next ten years than we have in the last ten years.”

10 Year Blogoversary – The Next 10 Years (podcast)

Later on in the podcast I did apply the same thing to the world in general. And both turned out to be true! I also looked ahead to future church plants (the church we’re in now hadn’t started yet). And I did explain the need for more missionaries in this area – something we still need to work on!

In 2002, we had recently applied to CAM International (we had no idea what country we would end up in). As you know, the mission joined with Avant in 2019, which means we have about a 20-year relationship with the same mission. 🙂 Hannah was 1 year old (check out her first post here).

Over the past ten years (a little easier to measure than 20), these posts have been the most popular:

• Just how Stressed are Missionaries (and what can we do about it)? I hope that this post has been a help, especially to those supporting and encouraging new missionaries on the field.
• Spanish Bible Versions – Free Online – Just what it says.
• Bugs: Why we keep our shoes on – A picture from our days in Cuernavaca. I still keep my shoes on, but bugs have more trouble surviving in Mexico City.
• Care packages – General ideas for sending care packages to missionaries.
• A Visit with Mrs. G – Still recommended for children and adults alike!
• Ixtapaluca in Art Exhibition (+ a video) – An old post – a lot of the links are defunct, but the video is still there.
• The Millionaire Missionary and “Nothing for Mama?”: William Borden (part 2) – This was a fun look at some missions history.
• 10 minute devotions . . . – This post is popular. Who knows why?
• The Greatest Christmas Song II (index/resources) – I started a new tradition – 3 years now? – of deep dives into Christmas carols. Apparently this one has gotten a little attention.

Where do visitors to this blog commonly come from? I was surprised:

1. China
2. Canada
3. India
4. United States
5. United Kingdom
6. Ghana
7. United Arab Emirates
8. Afghanistan
9. Antigua & Barbuda
10. Albania

Yep, China wins by a healthy margin.

Change in the world continues at an ever more frantic pace. And it would be naïve to think it’s going to slow down now! We face challenges today that frankly most of us had hardly thought about 20 years ago – or perhaps even 5 years ago! Our task to share God’s Word is ever more urgent.

I would venture to say once again that we will see more change in the next 10 years than we did in the last – and that goes for us as a family, for the Church, and for the world. We’re not ready, but God is. And He didn’t have to “get ready”. Nothing catches Him off guard. Nothing is outside of His sovereign control.

Recently I was reminded of a hymn that was published 131 years ago – “Faith Is The Victory”.

It seems that more than ever our focus seems to be more on our own worries and anxieties, and our songs and prayers reflect it. But remembering who our Leader is, and knowing the resources He has given us, maybe we should be reminded that victory is assured.

His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God.
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field.
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.

John Henry Yates

The Apostle John wrote: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4) He finishes his letter with this:

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

1 John 5:19-21

A great reminder as we head into the unknowns of the next 20 years.