How do you describe something words don’t very easily? How do you paint a picture others may see through?  How do you sing a song of lyrics others may discern?

Blogging.

Simply putting words on a page and pressing “Publish” – it should be simple – it should be easy – it should be fulfilling. And it is.

In my case it began very simply: “Write, Paul – write.”

This indwelling God, this Friend and constant Companion. A simple invitation.  One which took me a full year to embrace!

Because writing to an invisible (and probably absent) audience is scary. Writing … what exactly?  And how often?  And words … how many words? And even then – will anyone read it – how will I know – and what happens if they do – just what happens if they comment  …

“Write, Paul – write.”

So I did.

We sat and shared a daily reading of verses. Me and my God.  And as we shared the moment – as we talked – as we giggled – as we watched each other at ease – as we shared the same space – because we are a team – we wrote.

And my God Soft Hands Jesus, GSHJ, just loves to show me things.  Little details.

And I love to be shown little things. Huge God insights!

My GSHJ became “Batman” (complete with batmobile) and He did donuts in the batmobile! And on the odd occasion I was allowed to be Robin.  But I never got to drive – I never got to be the boss.  And then GSHJ gave me my own loom – one of those Victorian factory looms – clunking and clattering – a bunch of threads (of thoughts) into one end, and a simple word woven on a beautiful piece out of the other end. My God is a generous God, an abundant God, a loving God.

So just who was my audience as I wrote these moments into a post – as He sometimes dictated, always edited, and frequently asked me to press Delete (you get used to that)?

Just me – being curious.  Just me – and GSHJ

This blogging and writing is a diary, a journal, a record, a map, a chart. And more than that – it became a kitchen table.  A table shared by and with others.  Others who were also journeying with the same Lord we  love, we share, and we all know.

A living, indwelling, real God.

I was drawn to others. My GSHJ drew me to others.  And a community evolved.   A group of ordinary people with an extraordinary connection.  People who had never met.  People who never saw each other – who never spoke to each other (other than through a keyboard).  Yet a community which was the best of church.  The best of fellowship.  The best of communion.  The best of God.

Because we have just one thing in common: Our Living Lord.

Please note –

The chapters which follow are not that story. Not that community.  The chapters which follow are just a bunch of words me and GSHJ wrote together.  He asked me – “Could a book be written as a blog?”  I had no idea.  But we wrote those chapters.  And a conversation – community – took place under each.  That was in 2014.

Then today – in 2016 – someone asked where the name “God Soft Hands Jesus” had come from.  They asked where did GSHJ originate?

And I went looking. I went looking through 824 posts He and I have written together (so far).  It took some finding.

That phrase was birthed in the chapters of a book: God Soft Hands Jesus

Here is that book – 

it is stored in Google Docs

 and all you need to do

is click this link:

God Soft Hands Jesus

If you want the answer it is in Chapter Nine. But I hope you will linger.  I hope you will retrace my steps with GSHJ and me.  Maybe you will find your own God a little closer than you expected.

And a few suggestions …

At the end of each chapter is the link back to the blog page. Because the joy of community is the conversation below a “post” (technical term for one page of the “blog”).  Please feel free to pause and click into the blog  pages – share the conversation – explore the blogs of those leaving comments – maybe even leave your own comment.

This book is a blog. And these chapters of this blog are a book.  The two are the same but different.

These chapters, these posts, this book – they are “community” – and this “community” is a response to a question by someone I love as a brother.

Roland Ledoux: http://forgodslove52.wordpress.com/ asked me where the name GSHJ came from – and I thought you might like to know as well.

Thank you.

“God Soft Hands Jesus”

 and all you need to do

is click this link:

God Soft Hands Jesus