Often I find myself struggling to get the words out. Are they the right ones? Does it make sense? Will people like it? Maybe if I turn a phrase this way it’ll get more retweets.
The old perfectionist rises looking to claim the title of best and better while the people-pleasing wallflower stands in the corner, arms crossed against chest, eyes darting back and forth wondering, Am I good enough? Did I do it right? Will they like it?
It is so easy to get distracted by all the peripheral in the blogging world, but only one thing matters and it’s the first thing that should matter–Him.
You know the whose hands you’ve placed your life in? Yes, Him.
I’ve found that when Jesus is my focus and my joy the writing becomes so. much. easier. It’s as if I’m wearing blinders and trotting down the road with the path straight and clear.
Ann asked beautifully at Relevant last year,
What is success for a blogger?
25, 000 hits a day, thousands of dollars of ad revenue, a book contract and a movie deal? Is success measuring your self-worth in subscribers?
Whether as a blogger, or a mom, or a wife, or a single young woman, we keep striving and we keep straining and we keep struggling and we keep seeking success – but what IS success? (…)
You are a successful blogger, the most successful blogger, from the very first day you ever posted, if you simply do it as an act of loving service unto Jesus.
That. That is what you need to remember.
This big, wide world of blogging, for the faith-walker, is rubbish compared to knowing Christ and if we sacrifice the knowing Christ for a bigger, better blog that meets the world’s criteria for success then we have lost so much.
If we trade knowing Christ, if we lose sight of his purposes–even in blogging–then, we have lost knowing Him.
It saddens me when I see women straining and struggling for more links, greater publicity, and writing content that is not authentic to who they are just so they can get a following.
I know this because I have been this woman. I have cried over my blog. I know some will probably laugh at that, but I know I’m not the only one. I have struggled and sin has come out in me so strong, because I had set my sights on something less than Christ.
Jesus—He is our life and our eyes should be glued on him.
When I get wrapped up in the numbers, the money, and the popularity of blogging my eyes drop and I breathe heavier…I’ve lost my sight and the purpose. I become a slave instead of a servant.
In the upside down kingdom, you serve so you are not a slave.
When you are a servant to God alone, you aren’t enslaved by the masters of this world, self, status, satan. In the upside down blogging kingdom, we blog to serve God alone so we are released from the bondage of numbers. And in the upside down blogging kingdom, we do not keep taking our own David-like census.
– Ann Voskamp, 6 Things Every Blogger Needs to Know
Whatever your niche, whatever you write about, however you serve your readers…first and foremost, you write and serve the Lord. The life of every believer should be an out-pouring of worship.
When I’m struggling I set this reminder at the top of my draft in the largest, boldest letters,
Come to the Altar and Leave it All Bare.
That’s all I can do. That’s all I’m asked to do. I can’t be everything to everyone. I can’t be the best blogger. I can’t be the most gifted wordsmith, but I can be a servant. I can be obedient to come and write for Him.
And so I come to this altar, right here, and I type words across a screen. I lay down my life and say, “Lord, your words, not mine.”
I write because he has called me and when I do the striving ceases and no matter how well my post may or may not be I’m satisfied and filled with joy because I have found the contentment of living in service.
If you’ve struggled with blogging, may I suggest…
Ann Voskamp’s keynote speech from Relevant ’10 – You can find it in three parts on her blog (and even the audio): Why Blog? Being an Upside Down Blogger, What is Success? Life in the Upside Down Kingdom, and 6 Things Every Christian Blogger Needs to Know.
Kristen Welch (of We are THAT Family) - Why We Don’t Need More Followers
Jesus isn’t desperate for more followers. He is desperate to make the dead alive.
Jon Acuff (of Stuff Christians Like) – The Tell
Do you ever think about what an ineffective communicator Jesus was? Think about it. He could have been speaking to 5,000 people every night. [...] Instead, he wasted his time at dinner with 12 people.
April, a life-long friend of mine (we have literally known each other since diapers), shared this in the comments yesterday,
I think blogging as ministry has to be a calling. [...] if you are called to blogging as a ministry, you have to be content to let God make it what He wants. Yes, you can use the tools that are available to get the word out, but at the end of the day, if it’s God’s ministry, He’s going to take it where He wants. You could take the control yourself and make it go where you want, and maybe get what you want out of it (financial success, recognition, whatever), but I think the point of a ministry is to let God make it into what He wants.
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really good stuff Jessica. I was just thinking today about how I have a black hole for affirmation. Black hole as in…people cannot quite fill it enough. Yet, Jesus fills it just right, because the hole is a Jesus shaped hole only he was meant to fill.
When I receive comments or emails from my blog, I think that the only way I am truly grateful or filled is when Jesus has been speaking his worth into me. I appreciate you saying that we come bare to his altar. He gave me a burden to share & speak his words. He instilled me with a gracious love & story to share, so I do it. The good posts & not so good ones. Love this.
Kamille – Oh, gosh. Black hole for affirmation? Yes…me too. I love how you said the only way you’re filled “is when Jesus has been speaking his worth into me,” because it’s so true! You can have an amazing post response or even blog, but satisfaction will never be found in that!
For me, I’ve noticed the more content in who I am and walking in Jesus’ purpose for me in this itty, bitty space of blogland how much more relaxed and even surprised I am at comments and e-mails I get. It’s more like an “Oh, wow! Someone likes my stuff? That’s neat” rather than a tally mark to a new goal.
Amen and thank you is all I can say. It has been so easy to get sideways. What a shear blessing this read was! With Joy, Carey
Thanks, Carey.
I have definitely been the sideways blogger more times than I’d care to admit!
Well said, straight from a servant’s heart.
Thanks, Mom.
A resounding AMEN! Love, love, loved this post. So many good points. I am a fairly new blogger and started out writing for the passion and because, honestly, I felt called. The direction hasn’t been clear, I just started writing to be obedient…trusting that He would show me the way. But, somewhere in the journey, my vision has grown clouded by the pressure to be a somebody. Sometimes, the more I try, the more I feel like a nobody. I start trying too hard to please others.
In just a few short months of blogging, I’ve found that it is SO easy to get sucked into the vortex of trying to gain ground, achieve a presence, attain more followers, be “there” in social media. It can become so taxing and my eyes are taken off of the One who is the Source of my joy, fulfillment, inspiration, and any good thing that might come from my writing.
I can’t even describe how much I desire just to be His vessel! I love your analogy with the blinders. I want to follow hard after Him, to surrender it all…to hunger only for Him and be used in whatever way He sees fit. I’ve also read Ann Voskamp’s articles on this topic and that helped so much. Thank you for posting about a topic that the Lord has already been stirring in my heart. It’s just so encouraging! May He continue to use us for HIS glory!!
Keep writing.
Love,
ashlie
Ashlie – Keep writing! Passion is so good, because I believe that your passion and your obedience will lead you to where (or what) God has for you. Without obedience we can’t see what God has for us.
And about trying to be a somebody…isn’t always when we’re trying the hardest that we come up empty? But when we seek God we are full? It amazes me every time. Something this perfectionist wish she understood years ago.
I really, really needed to read this post today and the links you provided as I have focused too much lately on the numbers, not the message. I feel deeply that blogging is part of my calling right now and you reminded me/redirected me in the right direction. Thank you so much for your honest sharing.
You’re welcome, Jean. It’s part of the journey. Congrats on your new grandsons!
I think something important to remember is that we have an influence on those around us. And all the points made above are important. It’s the influence that has an impact. Not the numbers. Because if you have thousands of “followers” but get lost in the numbers and therefore lose your voice and in turn lose your influence…no one wins.
It’s kind of like money. The more money you have, the easier it is to lose sight of what matters.
When God can trust us with little, He may trust us with much in the future.
In addition to the above, is knowing your purpose for blogging in the first place. This has an impact on all of the above.
Are you aiming to start a business or be an author? {These are rhetorical questions and not aimed at anyone in particular}. In these circumstances, building a platform and reaching more people is important — but it’s a matter of HOW it’s done and that can take some time. It also requires a learning curve to understand the technique behind creating that influence.
Know YOUR purpose and rest in it, Jessica.
Christin – I definitely agree with you that will all have an influence and that is important. But two things come out of that, for me,
#1 – What are we doing with that influence?, and
#2 – Are we seeking to be an influence–to make an impact–more than we are seeking God’s will for our life (be it blogging or something else)?
Knowing your purpose for blogging is important, but for so many of us it’s a journey. We don’t all know what the Lord has for us when we sign up and register our domain name. And, I think, first and foremost our purpose must be dependent on what God tells us to do. We can have a plan to start a business or be an author, but if we’re pursuing that when God has said no or wait then and, ultimately, we will fail.
I totally agree that it’s good to learn the business/craft of blogging, but if we do that apart from God, outside of his will with our hearts not centered first on Him, we fail and utterly miss the point of what it means to be a servant in the kingdom of God. God first, always.
I guess what I’m trying to say is we must seek to set aside our own ambition for God’s. His will always be best. And ambition is often the forbidden fruit of blogging.
I agree 100%. I wrote under that assumption — guess I should’ve clarified.
And you know what is SO funny?! I scribbled out a post tonight at Starbucks about that second point you made.
“Are we seeking to be an influence–to make an impact–more than we are seeking God’s will for our life”
I worded it differently, but yes, along the very same lines. My sentiments exactly.
Absolutely everything should always be done within God’s will for us. Always. And like you stated, at times we don’t yet know where God is going to take us on our journey. Just like Abraham. In fact, God just gave me complete and clear direction for my blog just this past week! It’s been open for a year now! But it’s not just my blog, it begins with me and molding me.
It is so awesome to be in fellowship with women like you – who seek to please God in everything. Blessings and thank you for this series! I look forward to the next piece.
Jess, this (and the previous “Find Your Voice” post) resonates with me deeply. Thanks for the reminder, and the transparency. xoxo
I bookmarked this post. Thank you, I needed that
“Come to the Altar and Leave it All Bare.”
Lord, help us all to do this. Give all for You. For Your Glory, not our own.