Blogging Prayer Journal

I have always been a firm believer in prayer. I have seen prayers answered. I've experienced answered prayers.  Praying to the Lord works.  James 5:16 tells us, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words the word avail as used in James 5:16 means "to be of force, to be effective, capable of producing results".  Prayer is effective and produces results!

If we want our blogs to be effective and to produce results, then we need to pray for it!  I don't know about you, but I always forget about what I need to pray about.  I remember the big stuff, but not always the little things.  So I have a prayer journal to keep track of all of my prayer requests.  I have even recently started a business prayer journal to keep track of all my business prayer requests. So why not have one for your blog?

Here are some benefits of having a blogging Prayer Journal:

• If you are praying for content ideas, list your ideas in your blogging prayer journal to pray about.  Not only will it help you to remember to pray, but it will also help you to remember what those ideas are and to listen for God's answer.
• Makes it easier to see how God is working in your blog.  When a prayer get’s answered, I cross it off the list.
• It will help you to focus on your blog.
• If you are praying for God's will in your blog, then that is a sign that you are giving your blog over to the Lord for His use.

Can you think of any other benefits?  Do you have a blogging prayer journal?  If so, what kind of things to you pray about?

Posting About Arts and Crafts to Celebrate Easter on Your Blog

How will you celebrate Easter this year on your blog?

Yesterday, we discussed using your blog to creatively inform and educate your readers about the Biblical events of Christ's last week.

Today, consider using your blog to discuss Easter arts and crafts.

Easter is a perfect holiday for arts and crafts—either to do with the kids or to decorate your home.

Discuss Easter Arts and Crafts on Your Blog

• Post your favorite ideas for fun projects to do with the kids: things to make, egg-dying activities, and so on. Think easy and inexpensive. These can be tried-and-true activities from your family or links to favorite posts you've discovered online.
• Find good deals on arts and crafts supplies—either online or in retail stores—and post these for your readers.
• Create themed project posts, assigning a different theme to each day: egg activities, baskets, outside decorations, and so on.
• Choose several of the Christian symbols of Easter (cross, crown of thorns, palm branches, and so on). Post about projects involving these specific symbols. Encourage your readers to use their arts and crafts projects to tell the story of Easter (whether to children or visitors to their homes or church).

What kinds of Easter arts and crafts posts will you include in your blog this year?

Later this week, we'll discuss sharing Easter recipes and family traditions with your readers.

image: Crestock.com

Celebrating Easter With Your Blog

The Christian calendar presents a wonderful opportunity to share your faith with your readers.

I have found that—even though some of my readers may not be Christians—most of them celebrate Christian holidays in a "secular" manner. What a great opportunity to tell them more about the true meaning behind the holidays (while encouraging your Christian readers, too).

A highlight of the Christian calendar, Easter is April 4 this year. Make plans now to include special Easter-related posts during the days leading up to the observation of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.

Scripture is so rich with details of the events surrounding Easter. Simply focusing on the Biblical account is a great way to inform and educate your readers.

Celebrate Easter on Your Blog by Re-telling the Bible Story

Use your blog to re-tell the events of Christ's last week by:

• Planning posts for each day of the week, using Scripture references to outline Jesus' final days.
• Using the different gospel accounts to compare/contrast details about Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.
• Having a movie marathon. Post clips from the various accounts on your blog and tell the story through film.
• Asking your pastor or Bible study teacher or another guest to write a post on the events of Holy Week.
• Posting a Bible study, outlining the Old Testament Scriptures that foreshadow Christ's death and resurrection.
• Researching and writing about the medical account of how Christ would have died by crucifixion (a terribly painful thing to read but also important at understanding the sacrifice of our Lord).

How will you incorporate Easter into your blog this year?

Tomorrow, we'll look at celebrating Easter on your blog with arts and crafts ideas. Later in the week, we'll discuss sharing Easter recipes and family traditions with your readers.

Image: Crestock.com

Tonight's the Night

vintage 3d microphone from Crestock Stock Photography

Tonight we host our very first live radio show!  And we have a special guest joining us as well, Dr. Mommy, aka Daisy, from Dr. Mommy Helps You.  Daisy is a great and faithful person that I am privileged to call a friend.

We are going to be talking about the fruits of the Spirit and how we can incorporate them in our blogs.  So come join us at tonight at 8:30pm CST.  You can join us one of two ways, online at TalkShoe, or by calling in.

If you would like to join us online you will have the option of also joining the live chat.  To join us online just go to our Faithful Bloggers Show page.  If you would like to call in, call (724) 444-7444 and use the call ID: 72153.

Hope to see you there!

But don't worry if you can't make it, we will be posting a recording on Thursday to the blog.

Discover Your Blog’s Purpose: To Equip

Have you discovered your blog's purpose yet? This week we've talked about ways your blog can encourage others and educate others.

Today we conclude with ways your blog can equip others for ministry.

How Can Your Blog Equip Others for Ministry?

• Know your audience. Survey your readers. You can create a free, simple, and functional survey using a website such as Survey Monkey. Ask general demographic questions and questions about why they read your blog. In what ministries are they engaged (these can be as vast and varied as overseas missions to writing children's curriculum)?

• What's your area of expertise? Do you have a particular area of knowledge about which you can write? Think about how your audience's needs match your skills and experience. Your entire blog doesn't have to transform into "The Blog About _____." But you could begin to devote one post a week to this goal of equipping others for ministry.

• With each post you write, answer the question, How does this equip others for the good works God has prepared for them? Writing with the goal of equipping others will give your posts new depth and breadth.

• Frequently feature meaningful and important Scripture in your posts. When you do, you help others:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. --2Timothy 3:16-17 (emphasis mine)

How does your blog equip others for ministry?

image: crestock.com

Join Us Live!

Grunge microphone from Crestock Photos

We are changing things up a little bit here at Faithful Bloggers.  Mary, our contributing editor, and I are going to start a live radio show!   This will replace our weekly podcast, though we will still post the shows on the site for you to listen to and download if you are unable to attend the live show.

We have a great line up of Christian bloggers to interview and are excited to add this new interactive feature to Faithful Bloggers.  Our show will broadcast on Blog Talk Radio on Monday evenings at 8:30pm CST.  If you attend the show live, you will have the opportunity to call in with questions and to chat with other listeners as well.

I hope you will join us Monday, March 1, 2010 for our first show on Blog Talk Radio!

Don’t Be Someone Else

beauty from Crestock Royalty Free Images

Yesterday while I was searching on Google for some Christian blog related topics I came across a post at Magnanimity about Safe & Secure Christian Blogging. It is a great post but one sentence stood out to me:

"Christian blogging is not a place to be someone else, or create an alter ego who is some fantasy person. It IS a place to continue to be real and honest."

Wow! How true is that statement? Romans 12:2 instructs us to be, "..not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

If we are trying to be someone we are not, we are conforming to "the world" and not God's will. God made us they way He wants us and that is what is important. He gave us each talents to use and if we are not being true to ourselves, we may never discover those talents. (Romans 12:6).

Besides it going against the will of God, why would you want to be someone else in blogging? Why wouldn't you want to be yourself? I'm not talking about using made-up names to keep your identity safe, but creating a persona that is not you. I've never done it, I've always been myself and pretty transparent, so I just don't understand the appeal. It seems like it would take a whole lot more work trying to be someone else then yourself online.

Discover Your Blog’s Purpose: To Educate

Yesterday we discussed focusing your blog's purpose towards a ministry of encouragement.

Today, let's look at the purpose of education.

Maybe you've never thought yourself much of a teacher, but don't sell your blog short. Your readers can learn a lot from your insights and experiences. You can also create an atmosphere at your blog where your readers learn from each other.

Has God called you and your blog to a ministry of education?

Some ways that your blog can educate others:

• Host Bible studies by making "assignments" from a Scripture selection. Discuss your thoughts and insights on the Scripture, then invite comments from your readers. Continue until you've studied an entire book of the Bible.
• Host book studies and discussions. Choose a favorite book (either Christian or non-Christian) and post discussion questions. Engage in conversation about the book's objectives and themes. If the book is not a Christian book, ask your readers to make contrasts and comparisons to Christianity, find Christian symbolism, and so on.
• Explore church history with your readers.
• Write about today's culture from a Christian worldview. Tackle tough topics (politics, entertainment, money, etc.), offering ways to navigate today's world while living biblically.
• Offer your readers a steady stream of your favorite Christian websites. These can be in your particular area of interest (sermons, homeschooling, devotions, etc.) or from multiple topics. Do some research and give your readers suggested sites that will teach them something new.

How does your blog educate others?

image: www.crestock.com

Discover Your Blog's Purpose: To Encourage

Maybe you've been blogging for a few months now and are bored.

Or stuck. Or distracted.

You'd like your blog to be something more, except you can't quite put your finger on exactly what that is.

I want to challenge you to intentionally seek to define your blog's purpose.

As a Christian who blogs, your primary purpose should be to glorify God (as is our primary purpose for all that we do).

But exactly how can your blog glorify God?

This week, we'll highlight three specific missions for your writing that are unique to blogs by Christians.

You may want to devote a specific day each week for each "purpose" with targeted posts or simply keep them as an underlying standard for everything you write.

Writing with a purpose in mind keeps your writing focused and effective.

Today we'll look at the gift of encouragement.

Has God called you and your blog to a ministry of encouragement?

Some ways that your blog can encourage others:

• Sharing your trials and triumphs of experiences that are common to your readers
• Writing about ways God has blessed you, revealed an answer to you, and/or answered your prayers
• Emphasizing the significance of otherwise "mundane" tasks and events
• Posting your favorite Scripture verses and what they mean to you
• Highlighting experiences of women from Christian and church history

How does your blog encourage others? What types of posts encourage those who need to be lifted up? In what areas do you see today's Christian woman needing the most encouragement? How can your writing help?

Does Social Media Create Authentic Christian Fellowship?

I coach my daughter's Upward cheerleading squad (Upward is a Christian-based sports program). At each practice we have a devotion, recite Scripture memory verses, and pray.

This season's theme has been light. I'm sure you can guess what we've discussed: God is light, live in the light, walk in the light, moving from darkness to light, and so on.

This week's devotion was centered around Christian fellowship. Our memory verse this week was

If we live in the light, we share fellowship with each other (1 John 1:7b).

The verse in its entirety and from the ESV is this:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

I thought our week's memory verse was a perfect tie-in to this week's Faithful Bloggers' discussion on the use of social media to grow our blogs.

Obviously, Facebook and Twitter are social media—meaning they are designed to function best when people are engaging others and giving of themselves.

But I got to wondering: How do these interactions contribute to authentic Christian fellowship? Or should it even matter?

I'll answer the second one first: Yes. I think it does matter.

Created for Community

We know that God created us for community. According to the verse above, walking in the light with others who are walking in the light brings fellowship. We need each other for encouragement, especially in the Blogosphere.

I have actually seen my activity on Facebook and Twitter contribute to authentic Christian fellowship. I wrote about the opportunities for prayer and worship as I engaged in a few communities on Facebook.

And who would have thought that only 140 characters (typed in the form of a meaningful Bible verse or quotation) would be just the word I needed for encouragement on a difficult day?

Finding Courtney and Kelly here at Faithful Bloggers has been the beginning of wonderful Christian fellowship that only God could have orchestrated.

So I would say, YES! Authentic Christian fellowship is not only possible through social media; it's inevitable when you approach your participation with that as your goal.

Use these and other social media platforms to invite your followers to walk with you in the light. When you do, you'll find authentic Christian fellowship.

How has your participation in social media brought you into authentic Christian fellowship?

Image: www.crestock.com

Show #6 – Meet Amber from The Run A Muck

Mary and I were privileged to have an opportunity to chat with Amber from TheRunAMuck.com, 0r @amberrunsamuck as you may know her on Twitter.  The one take away I got from speaking with Amber is that God's Grace is sufficient.  So pull up a chair, grab your coffee, and listen in.

Use Facebook to Grow Your Blog

A friend and fellow blogger told me the other day that, in her opinion, Facebook is like the "Cheetos of social media." I think she's on to something.

Facebook is tempting and tasty, fun and filling. Only after you've logged hours on the site do you have a stomachache and orange fingers.

Facebook, like all social media, can be a helpful tool in growing your blog. Moreover, I have witnessed incredible ministry happen on that platform.

I had a friend who was trapped in the ruins of the Hotel Montana after the Haiti earthquake last month. Facebook was my primary connection to updates on recovery of his body and ways to pray for his family. Truly, my faith was strengthened through the power of words expressed by complete strangers brought together for a common purpose on Facebook.

One Sunday, our local church service was canceled due to inclement weather. A friend organized an impromptu "church service" on Facebook, where several of us discussed Scripture.

I follow several pastors' pages and get daily edification from their posts.

Tread with caution, though. Facebook can be a wasteland of sorts, where every person you've ever known from infancy on is tending farms and sending hearts. Indeed, Facebook can suck away all of your free time.

Facebook, too, has a powerful ability to remove filters. I have found that there, people have a tendency to say what's on their minds with little regard for the way their messages are received. I have been hurt by the words and actions of so-called "friends."

How Facebook Can Be Useful to You

• Obviously, all of your "friends" will see your posts in their feed. Use your updates to pique readers' interest about your blog. I find that most of my Facebook friends are eager to read my blog because they know me in real life.

• Create a Facebook fan page for your blog. Persons who you do not want to "friend" can still receive your blog's feed.

• Use the Networked Blogs feature to send blog posts directly into your friends' feeds.

How do you use Facebook to grow your blog? How do you guard against wasting time on Facebook?

Make sure you're a fan of the Faithful Bloggers page on Facebook.

Use Twitter to Grow Your Blog

Most Twitter users I know fall into one of two camps: completely overwhelmed or hopelessly addicted. I've been in both spots myself. But I think I've finally found a happy medium. I enjoy tweeting, and I've had some blog visits, solely from my links posted to Twitter.

Once you're up and running on Twitter:

• Use Tweetdeck or HootSuite or a similar application to keep all your contacts organized. Sorting your contacts into groups will allow you to closely follow those conversations of most interest to you. The Lists function on Twitter performs a similar function and is also useful when using Twitter through the web.
• Search for keywords and/or hashtag (#) terms to find conversations about topics of interest to you. This is particularly helpful to "introduce" you to potential readers for your blog.
• Monitor hot topics, issues, and questions for possible blog post ideas.
• Ask a question to get people interested in your topic so they'll click to your blog to read more. Resist the temptation to just tweet the ordinary, "New Blog Post" tweet. (Read more ideas like these in this article* by Chris Brogan.)
• As I said above, I think Twitter can be quite addictive. My best tactic for this is limiting myself to short bursts of tweeting. If possible, set aside twenty minutes morning, noon, and night to tweet. Engage in conversation, re-tweet interesting posts, and follow people who follow you. I don't get to do this consistently, but when I do, I usually always add at least ten followers.

What are your favorite aspects of Twitter? How has Twitter helped your blog?

And don't forget to follow @faithfulbloggrs ;-)

*This article is featured on a website that does not necessarily contain Christian content.

Christian Bloggers Meet-Up & Community

Lady In Front Of Computer from Crestock Stock Photos

Last week Kelly, Mary, and I all had the privilege of attending the Blissdom Conference. It was a great learning and networking experience. Overall, I was very happy with the experience and hope to be able to attend again next year. For me, however, the highlight of the conference was the Christian blogger meet-up we organized.

On Saturday evening, after the last conference session, a group of over 50 Christian blogging women converged on T.G.I. Fridays.   It was great and the waitstaff and management at Fridays were on their toes.  Just being in a room with other bloggers like myself was an amazing experience for me.  It's so easy to feel alone in the blogging world and when I sat in that restaurant with all those other Christian bloggers, I realized just how many of us there must be online.

We hope to host more meet-ups in the future, but until then, I'm excited to introduce the Faithful Bloggers Community!  The community is a place for all Christian women bloggers.  You can ask questions about blogging, about your faith, or your life in general.  We also have a spot for prayer requests since we all know how powerful prayer can be.  Each week we will also have a "Question of the Week" to help us get to know each other.

So come on over to the forums and introduce yourself.  You won't be sorry.

Create a Media Kit for Your Blog

Besides discovering a natural niche for my blog, I have another bloggy item on my to-do list following this year's Blissdom '10 conference: create a media kit.

Conversation about having a media kit began at lunch on the first day of the conference with Faithful Bloggers co-founder Kelly from Wisdom Begun. She gave me a great list of media kit must-haves. Simple Mom, Tsh Oxenreider, also spoke in one of the sessions about the importance of a good media kit.

Create a Media Kit for Your Blog

One of the best ways to create your own media kit is to study others. Simple Mom's media kit was touted at Blissdom as a great example of what to do. I would agree; the media kit is attractive, easy-to-read, interesting, and thorough.

As you work on your media kit, consider these suggestions:

1. Think of your "social media footprint." Make sure to include all numbers of followers/subscribers/contacts on your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and similar accounts.
2. Think of your contacts in real life. How connected are you in your community? Many Christian women bloggers, especially, have many opportunities for relationships in the Church and in para-church organizations.
3. Regard your media kit as a "digital resume." Just as you wrote every activity and honor on your college application, do the same for your blog's media kit.
4. Note any previous campaigns in which you've been involved and how you achieved your goals with your blog. Record all conferences attended.
5. Statistics are important, of course, and Google Analytics is the recommended tool for gathering them. Do find out who your audience is. Advertisers are more concerned about who is receiving your message (and ultimately their ads) than they are concerned with you.
6. Even if your blog is small, create a media kit! It gives you a professional profile and it's important to have on-hand.

Check out these articles* about creating a media kit for your blog:

Problogger

The Write Gal

Mom Bloggers Club

A Cowboy's Wife

Do you have a media kit? What's in it? What's your best piece of advice for a blogger creating a new media kit for her blog?

*The articles listed here are from websites that do not necessarily contain Christian content.

Image: www.crestock.com

Niche Blogging

Blissdom "10 is over, and I"ve come home with some great tips and ideas for my blog. One of those is discovering my niche.

I"m sure you"re familiar with what a niche is: a special area of passionate interest where your particular voice is effective.

I"d like to think that the Apostle Paul would have loved niche blogging! He tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that God gives everyone separate and distinct callings and gifts. Why should blog topics be any different? The Bible outlines the beneficial necessity of the diversity of gifts among the Church body.

Defining your niche not only allows you to "stand out from the crowd;" it increases your effectiveness as a communicator. Blogging in an online casino area of a God-given strength glorifies God.

The Nester offered a helpful set of self-searching questions to discover your niche. Thought-provoking and relevant, they should help you hone in on where your God may be directing your blog. (I"ve edited them a bit, but most are from the Nester and the Blissdom "10 session, "Niche Blogging: Experts Talk About Blogging Your Passions and Expertise.")

Find Your Blog"s Niche

1. Which posts make you nervous when you hit the publish button? (this may be your niche)
2. Which posts feel like work or drudgery? (this is not your niche)
3. Which posts have received the most comments?
4. Which posts have received the most comments that are meaningful to you?
5. What are your top favorite posts?
6. What are your readers" favorite posts?
7. If you could write anything, what would it be?
8. If you chose a certain niche, could you commit to it long-term? (you don"t want to get bored a few months in)
9. What do you search for online?
10. What do you talk about when you"re not writing?

Does your blog have a niche? What do you think of these questions? How can niche blogging make you a more effective blogger for the Kingdom of God?

Image: www.crestock.com

How to Become an A-List Blogger: One Post at a Time

When our twins were born, my husband and I were completely overwhelmed. We had a rambunctious two-year-old plus two needy infants whose demands were simultaneous. Everything more than doubled; the laundry and dirty dishes quadrupled, it seemed.

My best friend said  something I'll never forget when I explained how overwhelmed I felt. She said,  "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

That one piece of advice got us through the thick of surviving the first years with twins, and it's still a helpful reminder for me.

How Do You Grow Your Blog?

I've decided growing a blog is a lot like eating an elephant.

You must do it one bite at a time.

It's way too easy to shove lots of tasty "food" into your mouth when it comes to blogging; but try to eat too much and you are sure to choke.

We've already talked about how God defines "success" and determining God's purpose for you and your blog. We've looked at the importance of minding your priorities and watching for the creeping sin of idolatry.

Now, you're ready to take the next step. You want to grow your blog. How should you begin?

Baby Steps

I'd recommend focusing on two important aspects of blogging:

• content
• community

Devoting the cream of your energies to these two will not only reap "blogging" rewards; they will also sharpen you spiritually.

Delivering well-written and thoughtful posts will bring readers back to your blog for encouragement and edification. Developing a community with your readers will allow you to better write to their needs. Writing for a specific audience forces your writing into a posture of other-centeredness, which is what the Christian life is all about.

One Bite at a Time

Decide on a "game plan" for working on these aspects of your blogging, then start eating your elephant one bite at a time. Guard yourself from devouring every article about blogging and focus your efforts on these activities*:

• Participate here at Faithful Bloggers by writing guest posts and commenting on posts you like. Visit blogs in our Blog Directory and leave comments for those writers.
• Join the Faithful Bloggers Facebook Group.
• Build your community by connecting with others on Twitter and Facebook. Create a fan page for your blog on Facebook.
• Comments build community. Set aside 30 minutes each day to read and comment (meaningfully) on friends' blogs.
• Follow some blogging mentors and study the craft of blogging and the art of writing. I really enjoy and learn a lot from these bloggers:
  • Problogger
  • Copyblogger (this article is particularly good and addresses our topic)
  • Michael Hyatt
  • Chris Brogan

Blog to the Glory of God

Once you've decided to grow your blog, then work at it with excellence!

Scripture says that whatever we do, we are to do it to the glory of God. We Christians should have the best blogs, the most well-written, creative, and beautiful blogs!

One of my favorite passages is this one from Isaiah that reminds us to take baby steps:

“To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

--Isaiah 28:9-10 (ESV)

Isn't that how God teaches us? Here a little, there a little.

One bite at a time.

*Please note: Some of the websites mentioned do not necessarily feature Christian content.

Image: crestock.com

How to Become an A-List Blogger: Prioritizing Your Blog

“I’ve got laundry and groceries down. Got it all figured out,” my friend said when I asked how she manages to get it all done.

“You do? Well, tell me!” I was eager to hear her technique.

“Well, my parents pick up the kids for church on Sunday mornings. That’s when I do the laundry and then do my grocery shopping.”

“Oh,” I said, disappointed that hers was one “technique” that I wouldn’t use.

Priorities, Priorites

Church attendance is a non-negotiable for me. But by skipping church, my friend gets her laundry and shopping done. That’s how she’s chosen to prioritize her schedule and responsibilities.

We all must make those same types of decisions with the time, energy, and resources God gives us. In other words, making “room” for something means something else has got to go.

I would never sacrifice church to get the chores done, but sometimes I’m convicted that choices I make about my blogging and online time may not advance—and sometimes hinder—my growing in the Lord.

Put Your Blog in Its Proper Place

Your blog is a blessing and gift. It is not to be an idol. It is not to distract you from your primary responsibilities.

When I get flustered about my “blogger status” or the “future” of my blog, I have to pull back and put it all into perspective. We must remind ourselves that:

• Our priorities are to: God, husband, family, the Church, and all the rest. More often than I care to admit, “all the rest” floats to first position.

• You can"t do it all. You aren"t perfect and are not Super-Woman. Nobody is.

• The so-called A-List Bloggers have made different choices than you have. Not that those choices are necessarily good or bad, but they are different. Because they spend many hours each day online, these women sacrifice something in their lives. Something. It may be a television show or a clean bathroom, but something is not being done.

• As Christians, we have those non-negotiables that must not be sacrificed. Spending time alone with God, loving your husband, taking care of your family, participating in corporate worship—all of these are distinct calls to the Christian wife and mother. To compromise in any of these areas in the pursuit of an "A-list blog" may be a red flag for you. Take a close look at your motivation and see if blogging is becoming an idol.

• Blogging is not bad. Writing a blog that has hundreds of readers is not bad. In fact, blogging is good!

Tomorrow

Now that you've discerned God"s call for your blog and you've got your priorities straight, you"d still like to grow your blog.

Tomorrow, we"ll look at some practical tips for increasing your online presence and readership while always keeping your primary responsibilities and glorifying God your top priorities.

Image: crestock.com

How to Become an A-List Blogger

If you were reading here to find the magical solution to writing great content, becoming a technical pro, or amassing huge amounts of subscribers and followers on Twitter and Facebook, then you’ll be disappointed.

But I hope you won’t be disappointed when I tell you that--even if your content won’t win a Pulitzer, you don’t know what SEO or HTML mean, and the only people who read your blog are your best friend and your mom--you’re already an A-List blogger.

You read that right.

You are already an A-List Blogger.

Trying to Fit In

We’ve all been there, trying to find our place and feeling unpopular in the blogosphere.

Sometimes, joining  a Twitter conversation feels a little like your being the shy freshman wanting to hang with the popular senior cheerleaders. Maybe you just admire the so-called A-Listers, because they must be doing something right to have the steady traffic and buzz around their blogs. And well, you want to do it "right," because after all, you want people to read your blog.

But maybe you’re discouraged. Do you question that you’ve got what it takes to have a successful blog? Do you wonder, why bother?

You and Your Blog Matter

Personally, I"ve covered every one of these emotions: zealous enthusiasm, covetousness, and apathy.

I have found a certain freedom, though, in reminding myself of what I know to be true:

In God’s economy, we are all A-List Bloggers.

We are Christians who blog, and the blogosphere is just another aspect of “the world.”

We are called to go into the world as representatives of Christ. The same truths apply to us in the blogosphere as in our private lives.

I’m not sure why we feel intimidated by other bloggers—especially Christian women bloggers—who seem to have “successful” blogs. I think it has something to do with the way we tie "holiness" to perceived success. I tend to feel that if I"m not as "successful" with my activities (parenting, hobbies, or blogging, for example) as my friend, then somehow I"m falling short in the Christian living department.

In Christ, we are all guaranteed the same inheritance (Ephesians 1) and set apart for holy purposes (2 Timothy 2).

Of course your blog matters! It matters because it"s an extension of your witness of Christ.

Living the Truth

How can we better grasp these truths? Consider these ideas:

1. Earnestly seek God’s plan for your blog. Ask him how he would like it to be used to bless and minister to you, your family, your readers. Ask your husband how he sees it fitting into your family. Ask your readers why they read your blog and what is a blessing to them. Pray for and about your blog.
2. Once you discover God’s plan, accept it. The plans and goals for your blog may be limited to updates three times each week with pictures of the kids so their grandparents are blessed. God, however, may desire your blog be a central hub for inspirational writings and a prayer ministry. Approach the Lord with open hands, an open mind, and an open heart to determine his plan for you.
3. Read others’ blogs but turn off the comparisons. I have to do this with mothering. I am so quick to fall into the I-want-to-be-like-her trap. That’s sin, though. If you can’t read others’ blogs without being critical of yourself or losing sight of your goals, then maybe you should stop reading (at least for awhile). God has made other women with unique gifts and situations to unfold his purposes for them. God has given you specific gifts and situations so that only you can work the plan he has for you!
4. Blog to the glory of God. This doesn’t mean every post has to be an Oswald Chambers devotion. On the contrary! Even the most “mundane” of tasks is mentioned in Scripture as bringing glory to God. Paul says our eating and our drinking should glorify God. I’d say a mommy blog about cooking and changing diapers and loving your husband would be an excellent place to display the glory of the Lord. Your blog can be a testimony of God’s grace as you carry out his calling for you.

Tomorrow

We"ll discuss putting your blog in its proper place. How do you (or should you) make decisions about the way your blog fits into your life? Are you motivated by seeking notoriety or by seeking God first?

Image: Crestock.com

God Knows

beautiful expectations from Crestock Stock Photo

Do you notice that when you are having spiritual problems with the Lord, you have problems in other aspects of your life, including your blog?  I do.  If my heart is not right with God, nothing else in my life is right either.  My kids seem to be more argumentative and problematic.  I become unmotivated in my blog and online business.  Everything suffers.

I have found in my online business that I am not making money or living to my full potential unless I am doing God's will.  When I first started out blogging and started MomGiveaways.com, I was doing what I wanted to do and was making a decent monthly income from it.  But it wasn't God's will for me.  I became bored with it.  I never wanted to see another blog giveaway again.  So I sold the site.  The relief and goodness I felt was immediate.  I knew selling the site was God's way of getting me into His will.  I found a buyer immediately and got my asking price.  God was present through the entire process.

So what was God's will for my online business?  A faith based online business.  Almost every site I know own and operate is faith based.  My personal blog, Courtney Speaks, is about incorporating your faith in your business and blog.  Christian Mom PLR sells faith based private label rights content.  My mommy blog, A Mom Speaks, is about my life as a Christian mom.  And you know what?  I'm making more money now then I was with MomGiveaways.com.  I am more satisfied with my online business.

God knows what is best for us, including our blogs.  We just have to listen to what He is telling us and then do it.