The term “an open letter” often implies a letter of protest or a letter containing a strong opinion to be shared with one person but made available to the public. At first glance, my use of the term may appear harsh in its intent. However, I carefully chose this title to begin a difficult, necessary, but eventually exciting blog post.

The following backstory is not the emphasis of this post. Please do not allow it to become so.

Blogging is not as easy as it looks. It requires consistency, and it requires having something to say. Oddly, one thing it actually does not require is readers. However, few if any bloggers do not desire an audience with whom they can share their thoughts, ideas, and words. Otherwise, it would probably, in most (though not all) cases, be easier, cheaper, and wiser merely to keep a private journal.

It has been my desire from my first post in March 2012 (read it later, here) to have readers. With the goal of sharing ideas, resources, and practical lessons for everyday Christian living, I attempt to filter my post options through my initial desire to share everything and my ultimate desire to reach readers with insights from what God is teaching me.

Sometimes I succeed at that goal; other times, I fail miserably. Most of you have loved and encouraged me through both.

To the readers who look for the negative—the one “nth” of a statement that you can turn into something controversial or argumentative—I publicly apologize that for the past year, I most often allowed you to silence me. I acknowledge before God and all of you that your words left me with a lack of joy and in want of encouraging words to share.

On social media, the same “attack mode” seemed to prevail, and my heart was hurt for—and even at times hurt by—those who felt the need to take a simple statement posted with a pure motive and make it political or in some way imply that my words were posted in a way that was never their intent.

I have long said that “silence can never be misquoted.” In fact, I’m a firm believer in the fact that there often is more strength in a silent man or woman than in one whose words go on and on in an effort to prove something or to “win.”

However, the opposite also holds true in many situations: “Silence gives consent.” We recently reached a point where it became imperative to be silent no longer.

As if 2020—which I chose not to address in the midst of it—was not hard enough for the majority of us (due to its uncertainties and multiple question marks), it was then that many people of faith turned on each other—instead of reaching out to each other.

As a woman of faith, I try carefully—and with great intentionality—not to bash others of faith, even if their practice of our shared faith differs from my own. After all, Christ Himself said, “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:25, NASB). What gain can there be in making Christianity unattractive to those who look in from the outside, longing for it to be different from what they already know? Not all of my readers are people of faith, and I often select my words with that in mind—not to “hide” or to compromise my beliefs, but to graciously shine a light on them so that their truths may reach those who yet need to find the One whose grace truly is amazing.

As I conclude this portion of the letter, I will share that it was during this past year that I received more unkind replies, more out-of-nowhere comments about my posts, and more “snarky” personal and public responses than at any other time. It reached its peak when some of my family members were mentioned and brought into the conversation without having any reason to be spoken of in any way, shape, or form—though never as a slam to them personally but with strong implications that I was shaming them or, in some cases, their memory by following a certain person or by sharing a certain book or podcast. This form of response has no place on a faith-based blog or by those who profess to be people of faith. The specifics for that statement are unnecessary and shall remain private. However, because it occurred more than once and from more than one reader, the statement itself became necessary.

That said, let’s move forward. Backstory over. You did not and shall not “win.” Nor shall I. “Winning” has never been (nor will ever be) my end goal. When the goal of exalting Christ and graciously but truthfully sharing His Word is achieved, Christ wins. He is, after all, the Ultimate Victor—in all things.

Petals from the Basket—so named for all the aspects (petals) that go into making up our lives (baskets)—has morphed multiple times through its nine years. I started well, got diverted in focus by reading too many “how to blog” books and listening to too many “here’s-how-to-be-a-successful-blogger” webinars, overcompensated with contrived attempts to be the go-to everyday devotional blog, eventually overemphasized a desire to monetize, and finally gave in to being distracted by “the trolls.” I have included great posts by my husband and my mother (don’t you just LOVE them?! I do!). I have tried hard to meet all the needs, expectations, and “rules” set out for me by my followers and readers.

That ends now. It’s time to refocus on why I write these words in the first place. So…no, I’m not shutting down the blog. If anything, I’m about to get all up in the writer zone and blog ’til I’m all blogged out! (So feel free to either subscribe or unsubscribe now. That choice has always been and always will be yours.) But as Joe and I prayed about it together this morning, we came away with a renewed zeal to follow our word for the year and the lessons it has led us through the past nearly five months of 2021: purpose. And that includes this site.

This blog will return to its sole purpose: to provide ideas and resources for everyday Christian living. It is not a menu website, a political-stance website, a here’s-how-you’d-better-behave-if-you-really-love-Jesus site, or a site from which Joe and I will suddenly come into great wealth or through which we will endeavor to become the hottest trending faith-based site.

Yes, we will continue to monetize our site. Blogging in the manner that we do isn’t free, so when you click on our links (which, by law, I must always and will always label as such), the commissions we receive (at no additional cost to you) currently help to fund the site and the things we do because of the site (giveaways, upgrading our site, writing additional books, etc.). But that will never be our end goal.

Yes, we will continue to both seek and appreciate your input. Yes, we will continue to monitor those replies and comments so that we see what only we need to see and so that others may see and join in on discussion over the topics that invite such a response. This is, after all, our site, our social media platform, and therefore our responsibility. We don’t take that lightly. Nor do we desire to seek only those responses that agree with us in all things. However, the manner in which diversity of thought is presented is everything. And when someone clearly seeks to attack us, our family, or other readers, their manner of presentation will not go past our “approve-this-comment” box.

Yes, we—particularly, I, Brenda—love blogging and writing of nearly any kind. But as I continue to grow in my understanding of my purpose as a woman of faith and in my fulfilling a portion of that purpose through my writing, I choose this day and in pubic notice via this post to once again resolve to live each day on purpose, with purpose, and for a purpose. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I love you—enough to be honest and enough to show up again…soon!

Brenda Strohbehn Henderson, with full agreement and support from my beloved, Captain Joe Henderson