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Last week, a woman from my church shared with me how something I’d written on my blog had impacted her life.

Something I’d written had encouraged her to step back and let her husband lead.

Something I’d written had been used by God to make her a better woman, a better wife.

After reading what I’d written, she released control of an issue. She supported her husband’s decision. She experienced immediate breakthrough in the situation she’d been hanging on to.

Wow.

I’m amazed. I’m humbled. I’m blessed.

That God could use me–a single woman who feels so very messed up–to minister truth to another woman.

That God could use me to bless a marriage, a family.

It’s an awesome privilege.

Thank you, dear Lord, for using me. And thank you, dear readers, for letting God speak to you through a cracked mirror like myself.

Tim Challies had a great post this last week on How (and How Not) to Use Facebook for Ministry. While the article was primarily focused on pastors and other ministry leaders, I think a lot of the advice given within applies to “the rest” as well.

On Facebook as the easy way out

“Be sure that you are not allowing Facebook to be an easy way of getting around difficult ministry.”

I understand this temptation. I don’t want to actually relate to someone, don’t want to do the difficult work of ministering to them or dealing with conflict or whatever. But I still want to give the illusion that I care or that I’m maintaining the friendship. So I “like” something on their Facebook wall or leave a quick wall comment. It lets me pat myself on the back for being relational but at the same time allows me to escape from real relationship and ministry. Let’s not do that.

On Awareness versus Stalking

“Use it to learn about the lives of the people you love, to encourage them, and just generally to be aware of what they are doing in life. But do not use it to stalk them; and be careful how you introduce information you’ve learned from Facebook into real-world conversation.”

Do you use Facebook as a way to stay “in the loop”–or do you use it as a means of inappropriately inserting yourself into others’ lives? It’s an interesting dimension–and one that deserves caution.

On Farmville:

“Don’t Play Farmville. Just don’t. It’s stupid and it will make you stupid.”

The money quote!

What do you think…can Facebook be used as a ministry tool? How do you use Facebook as a ministry tool? How can Facebook hinder your witness? What words of counsel or caution do you have to add to Challies?

Collect more quotes from throughout the week with Barbara H’s meme “The Week in Words”.

A Cracked Mirror

WiW: On Facebook