Spoiler alert! -- there is no right way.And I'll let you in on a small secret: (I have no idea what I'm doing.)
It's really hard for me, because I've have all of these plans, all of these ideas in my head of how things should go, what I want to make happen, and when I want it done.
I've written before about how God gave me this inspiration, and I've also written about letting Him lead. Every time I sit down and open up Blogger, I make myself surrender it.
Because I want everything I say to be led by Him. I want everything I write to be approved by Him. I don't want to post anything that is solely my own... because it's junk.
Goodness! I have so many topics I've wanted to cover. Even the fact that this is a Relationship blog bugs me, because more than anything else so far, I haven't been writing much at all about relationships, but about self and the personal commitment of following after God. Because that's what's been put on my heart. It's taking a lot of trust and a lot of patience for me to do this and not forge ahead with my own ideas. But I know it's going to be worth it... because it already has been!
What I've seen happening through my blog reminds me of that Emily Dickinson poem, If I can stop one heart from breaking... though at a slightly less drastic level. Every single time I get feedback from anyone in a comment, or see activity on one of my posts through sharing on social media, I'm flooded with gratitude. Thank You, God! Because if what He allows me to write can help even one person, none of this is in vain.
It just makes me SO GLAD to see people being able to relate, gleaning encouragement, or giving me a kind word of reassurance, too. You're all proof to me that I'm supposed to be doing this, and I can't say thank you enough.
In regards to blogging and the various technicalities, I'm learning how to improve and personalize everything, little by little. There is a lot to learn!
(Notice the new blog look? :D Let me know what you think, honestly.)
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So...
How to blog-- the right way?
Well, for me, that means giving it to God. Then blindly letting things unfold. *gulp*
At any rate, I'm going to write to you all about 4 key points of my blogging life. Everyone has their own unique quirks and strategies.
As I said, there really is no right or wrong way, there is simply what has been proven effective to draw audiences across cyberspace, for those who make a living through their website. As for me, my path has proven to be most unconventional. But it shows promise, and I'll see where it goes. :)
Where...?
Anywhere and everywhere. I'm a weird person: my most whirlwind inspiration moments come to me while milking the cows. I'll blog in my bedroom, at the kitchen table, in the barn, in the college library, or up in the woods. Internet connection or no internet connection. (I'll tell you how I do that, below.) Really, it's anywhere that I'm inspired or an idea hits me.
When...?
Most people will say set goals and be consistent, and yeah, I really wanted to be able to do that. In the beginning. But I've come to know I need to wait for the leading. If the trend so far is any sort of indicator, I post once a week (or 3/4 times a month). But that's subject to change, either by increase or by decrease. Usually I'll have a post in the works for quite a while. I write a little, leave it. Come back and edit, write more, leave it again. Sometimes I get on a role and finish it up. Then it gets published. I'm working on my blog behind the scenes most every day, it's just that things take time. And that's more than okay!
How...?
Either I'm using my father's laptop (because I'm in the process of replacing my Dell that's giving up on life), or I'm "blogging" in a notebook. Yep, I've got a leather journal dedicated to Project Patience. I can write my rough drafts, brainstorms and notes, or even just pour out some journal entries, and sometimes those evolve into posts, or spur the topics for them. While spending time in the Word, themes will stick out at me, and even some schoolwork assignments have been the inspiration for posts. As a general rule, live life, and life will present you with tons of writing material. :P
Why...?
Because you've got an awful lot to offer.
I blog because I'm being led to. Because I have a story to tell, and to each chapter there is an appointed time in which to tell it. The same goes for you. You have a story to tell, so why not blog?
Above all, remember: the point of telling your story is to Glorify God. To show how He's fulfilling His promises, to rejoice in all the amazing and often unexpected ways He reveals His plan. He is doing great things, every moment. In all of our individual lives, at our own rates, we are living and learning. There's so much to grasp in this walk with our Love, so much to obtain in knowledge and depth of insight. It's such a blessing to have the opportunity to also learn from each other! To spread the news of what He is doing, to share, encourage, and uplift one another in Jesus' name.
The question isn't why share?, it's why not?. ;)
Hannah, I am always humbled when I read your posts. God, through you, brings me back to the reality that, "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angles, and have not love, I am nothing more than a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal."(1 Cor. 13:1). No matter how good I might think I make something sound, without God directing it with His love my words mean nothing. They, instead of being sweet, are annoying and down right disgusting. That might sound a little harsh but is it?
ReplyDeleteIsaiah 64:6 says, "All our righteous acts (this includes the 'good' speech I think I have apart from God) are like filthy rags." When we think our 'good' is good enough to rise above God's grace and love then all our efforts become are dirty rags.
Francis Chan put it this way, he said, "The literal interpretation of 'filthy rags' in the verse is 'menstrual garments. Think used pads...and if you're disgusted by that idea, you get Isaiah's point. It's hard to imagine something more disgusting that we could brag about or put on display. But compared to God's perfect holiness, that's how our good deeds appear."
So, thank you for showing me, by your example, to wait for the Lord and to let his love speak through me.
Btw, I really like the pictures you have that go along with the blog posts. They're pretty. And the "new blog look" makes it look more like a professional sight.
Rachel, I've been meaning to respond to this!
DeleteAnd tonight works perfectly, because the verse you mentioned about our righteousnesses being as filthy rags is exactly what I was just thinking about on the drive home tonight... once again, just the fact that everything I try to do on my own strength to be "good enough" in my walk with God is meaningless and futile if I'm not walking by faith. It's absolutely right to want to live a more holy and blameless life, but when the focus gets put on what I can do right, how many times throughout the day I mess up, and allowing those statistics to define how I view myself as an either "good" or "bad" Christian, I've completely taken faith in God and reliance on His grace out of the equation. And "everything that does not come from faith is sin." -Romans 14:23. It can be so easy to just slip into the wrong perspective, and to measure ourselves by our own standard of "goodness" when it is the Lord alone who makes us righteous, looks at the heart, and has said "MY grace is sufficient for You!"
Well, I just went into a tangent? XD But they were some great thoughts tonight, really lifting a burden off my shoulders that the enemy keeps trying to put back.
(And thank you, I'm very glad you like the new look!) :)
Oh Hannah, I tried before to get consistent to writing on my blog but it didnt work if I push myself to write because it doesn't always come. I write only when God push me to write. Whenever and wherever I am I could write - it's called that you write from your heart.
ReplyDeleteSo totally agree with your tips about blogging. Leting God involved is a good way.
Now I can see that why your posts always inspiring people. :)
Thanks for sharing this.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Blessing,
Delvalina