Saying goodbye to Facebook

As a foster parent for 3+ years, Facebook was my much needed support group, ministry tool and orphan advocacy platform. I believe that it served it's purpose and God has been laying on my heart since we closed our home, that it was time to officially end it.

Recently, when I asked my kids what my favorite thing was, one of the top things they said was, "Checking your Facebook." So not cool. I refuse to be one of those parents who can't stop looking at their phone or checking "likes" on posted pictures of their kids who are growing up right before their eyes. I will not look back 10 years from now and regret the impact of technology on my relationship with Christ, my marriage or my parenting.

Facebook and other social media outlets are addictive for many people. This was how I successfully broke my addiction and regained my focus.

How to deactivate your account and lessen the temptation to return:

• Post a goodbye message, admitting that Facebook has become too important to you and you are deleting your account. Include your email address or cell phone number so those who want to stay in touch can. If someone truly wants to be your friend, they will keep in touch with you outside of Facebook. Otherwise, it's not a real friendship and you shouldn't mourn the "loss" of hundreds of friends. 

• "I know it gets old that I say goodbye so often on Facebook. It's obvious that it's a struggle for me. I have so many things that I need to focus on, besides social media and to do that, I have to deactivate my account. I often share with the kids the verse about if something causes you to sin, you must turn and flee from it. Facebook causes me to waste time, and engage less with my children and husband. I spend more time on here than I do with God and that is unacceptable. This is not the example I want to set for my children. My favorite part about Facebook is be able to connect with so many of you, so quickly and be updated on your lives. I hope that some of you will email, call, text or visit instead. Part of me is already questioning how long I need to stay off and if I will come back. I think it's better if I just plan on that not happening. This is an act of obedience for me, one that God has wanted me to do for some time. I would love to have your email if you would like to message it to me or leave it in a comment below."

• Create an anonymous account with 0 friends so that you can still be up-to-date on news, weather or friend's special circumstance pages. 

• Create a social media book before saying "goodbye." I used Facebook almost like a journal and photo album, so that was one of the reasons why I kept it going longer than I should have. I had these made and it is so neat to have a hard copy of the past few years of our lives. 

If you struggle with this like I did, please rest assured that once you take the first step of obedience, God gives you SO much peace. I can't adequately explain it. I struggled with daily anxiety, that I assumed was thyroid related. The day I posted my goodbye message, my anxiety left me and hasn't returned since. I genuinely believe God rewarded my obedience with answered prayers, as He always does. In addition to that, 2 of my children within a week of closing my account had a breakthrough with an issue they were struggling with in school. I have been more engaged with my children, my brain fog has lifted and the productivity level in my house is through the roof. I really wasn't on it that much compared to the world, but it distracted my brain just enough to put all of my other priorities lower than they should have been. I feel so free, like a weight has been lifted! I don't have to worry about what people are thinking constantly, if I forgot to write happy birthday to someone on their wall, or "liked" an important post. I can focus on what is right in front of me and it is an answered prayer. Thank God I'm at this point. I will never go back.