Thanks to Ecclesiastes
If you read my previous blog, “Less Chasing the Branches,” you know I’m doubting social media for this season, and you know I’ve been working on a website over the past few weeks. Well, that is finally finished. It’s called Zijn Leerschool. (You can click on it and get directed to the website)
It’s a name I’ve had in my heart for over a year now, and that in itself has been a whole journey as well, one I’ll tell another time.
At the beginning of 2026, I decided to read the Bible from front to back, but not just read it, I wanted to deep dive into every single book. Some books, like Leviticus, I made book charts for, and I’ll come back to them another time, but most of the books I studied very seriously, verse by verse. And when I came to Ecclesiastes, it cut me. I am still in awe of that book. Everything is vanity. King Solomon, who could ask God for anything, asked for wisdom. He experienced it all: the money, the houses, the women, the parties, whatever this good life has to offer, only to realize that none of it was worth anything.
His conclusion was simply: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
So stay with me, because there is so much I want to say, not only about Ecclesiastes, but also about my whole thought process.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not the type of person who will tell you to leave your brain at the door and stop caring about money, your house, your job, or your responsibilities. We have been given minds, so let’s use them wisely and steward well what has been entrusted to us. But if, God forbid, you were to lose everything, then Jesus is, and always will be, the only One who can truly sustain you. And if King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, concluded that everything is vanity, then whether you lose everything or own everything, Jesus remains the most important.
I don’t really know how to explain it, but while thinking about all of this, I started remembering my life before I even knew God. I remember how often I dreamed about what I thought would be my “dream life.” It would be staying home, not working, taking care of my household and my child(ren), but at the time it felt completely impossible. Then I met God, and honestly, I didn’t even pray for those things because they didn’t even seem like an option. But God knows the desires of our hearts, and all of those things slowly came into existence.
And I can tell you, He gave me even more.
I remember thinking back then about all the things I would do if that ever became my life. I would study as much as possible on all kinds of different subjects, I would cook healthy meals, go for daily walks, help people, write, learn, and simply enjoy the ordinary moments. Am I doing most of those things now? Yes.
But the most important part of this page has always been Jesus. My heart was never to build a platform for myself. It was always to lead people to Jesus, to invite them into church, to baptize them, to walk alongside them during the beginning of their new life with Him, and simply point people back to Christ. And although those things have happened, I have had the privilege of baptizing people and receiving beautiful messages almost daily but I don’t want to become “the girl you know from social media.” I genuinely desire to go deeper, both in my own walk with God and in my relationships with others.
You might think I’m a very social person, but I actually do terribly with shallow conversations. I’m not the person who starts with, “So… how was your day?” I long for conversations that matter. Conversations that sharpen us, challenge us, and ultimately point us back to Jesus.
At the same time, God slowly started working on these things in my heart. And it’s funny, because for years I prayed, “Lord, keep me humble. If You ever need to take away this platform, You can.” I never expected that one day I would be the one willingly laying it down.
And believe me, I’m still debating all the practical questions. I made this website… but are people even going to look for my blogs on a website or on Substack? Will people still send me messages? How am I going to meet new people? Will anyone even notice? But then I’m reminded that if people genuinely want to follow along, connect, or have a conversation, they’ll reach out. That’s exactly how we used to do it before social media existed.
The truth is, I absolutely love, love, love writing. I always have. It allows me to slow down, process my thoughts, study Scripture deeply, and communicate things in a way that short videos or quick posts simply can’t. For this season, I want to invest more in writing than trying to keep up with the constant pace of social media. Maybe that’s where God is leading me right now, to create fewer quick moments and more meaningful ones.
A little side note, though. I’m getting married in just a few weeks, and maybe God is simply setting me apart for this particular season. Maybe you’ll suddenly see a picture appear in a few weeks saying, “I’m back.” That’s honestly a very real possibility too. I’m holding all of this with open hands.
But for now, I truly just want to sit with God. I’m craving a deeper relationship with Him. I’m honestly beyond words grateful for the life He has given me, and I want to spend as much time with Him as possible without constantly being distracted.
So what does this mean for you?
Keep an eye on my blogs, you’ll find them on my website www.zijnleerschool.be (link in bio) or on Substack/discipelvrouw. If you’d like to get in touch, please send me an email, don’t be shy. I’m also thinking about using my podcast more as a place to simply voice my thoughts and share what God is teaching me.
Please feel free to reach out, I’d love to hear from you, hi@zijnleerschool.be.
I’ll see you again, in His perfect timing.
Love always,
Charlotte