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Why We Blog

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Why We Blog

You, my friend, have something to say.  You are created with a purpose all your own, with a story written into your DNA that only you can tell.

Do you believe this – that He has given you a voice?  Do you believe you have a story?  Do you believe He is working in you?  Do you believe your vulnerability — your trusting Him with your words — will bring forth something amazing?  Do you believe you are enough?

You are beautiful.

You do have a voice.

You are His beloved.

You are perfectly enough.

You are a work of His creation, designed exquisitely in His image, to communicate, with that heart of yours, His words He gives.

Isn’t that, at our core, why we blog?

The ‘why we blog’ question might bring to mind the word “mission” or “ministry”. The purpose might be to generate income, or to share a personal passion with the world.  But, at the core of it all, the motivation for blogging stems from one thing: The Father gives each of us a language, all our own – His voice in us — to share. 

So we do.

We blog because we must.

We blog because we believe it glorifies Him and brings healing, through Him, if we entrust these words He’s given us, poured into our hearts, and share, with our family, in Christ.

We blog because we trust that He shapes our hearts when we write.

We blog because finding words to articulate ourselves helps bring us closer to Him and helps us to process the work He is doing in us.

We blog because our hearts written down might model, for His children how, in whatever place they are, they have a voice, a story, a passion to give up to Him, too.

We blog because we can’t keep His words in us to ourselves.  We blog because we believe that by hitting “publish” and sending His words in us for the world to see, that He will carry the message to whom it is meant.

We blog because we have been given a gift and we can’t hold it in.  To accept the gift, we must give it back, on His terms.  He has a good plan, and we believe it.

We blog because we were made for this.

He is the giver of all good things.  He gives — and for us to keep the gifts locked up, squandered away, the talent buried in the ground, what glory is that?  What obedience is that?  What faith is that?  (Matthew 25:14-30)

And friend, in the act of surrender, in our blogging, He translates our hearts. It is an act of obedience to trust Him with our words, trusting that our surrendering them, for His glory, will bring healing, through Him. 

There is a beauty in vulnerability, in rawness, in hearts stripped bare – for then, we are desperate for Him, and we can be used, for His glory.

We feel most alive, most filled up by Him, when we do.

With what He gives, give back to Him, for His kingdom, and He will multiply the gift, in us.  He will use it.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

You have a story – one that continues to unfold, growing richer, with more healing, more beauty, with each word you surrender.

Only you can tell the story the Father writes on your heart.  He makes you an author of your life, with each action you take, each word you express.  Deciphering the life-story, articulating, through language, the life He gives, is for you to do.

This post shared by Jennifer Camp, a contributor for Sisters In Bloom. You can find Jennifer blogging at You Are My Girls, where she writes to remember the truth of her identity in the Father’s eyes and to encourage other women to remember this as well.

Comments

  1. Yes! I am finding God helping to tell my story and I love the feeling of letting Him translate His message. Love this post. Thank You. 

    • Love that — letting Him translate the message that He poured into us from the start!  So fun to be blogging with you, listening close and transcribing, Alia!

  2. Oh my this was beautiful to read! I’m printing this as my mission statement for when I blog. This is why I blog, to bring not only others an encounter with The King but myself as well. Thanks for sharing!

    • Oh, beautiful!  How amazing to be doing this listening together, in community, reading the words He has poured into each of us, uniquely.  What a rich, priceless blessing that is. Thank you!

  3. Yes…such truth, freedom and love in those reasons, Jennifer…great post, my friend 🙂

    • Yep, He is just always wanting to free us, free these hearts of ours, isn’t He — or, even, remind us how we are always free, in Him?!  Thank you so much, sweet Dolly.

  4. Thank you so much for this post!  It is absolutely a beautiful reminder of why I blog.  I want to use my blog as a place to speak truth and life, to encourage, and if what I say happens to speak directly to someone who needs to hear what I have to say then I am so blessed.  It’s not about me.  It’s about sharing His glory and being a light to others.

    • Sarah, you say this so beautifully.  Your words gather me close, reminding me of the freedom that exists in us trusting Him to work in us, perfectly, all for His good plans. And for us to be a part of His plan is so humbling and huge and joy-filled.  All in the surrender.  Thank you so much.

    • Lisa, I love that you know who you are — that confidence in you regarding whom He has made you to be!  What a beautiful metaphor, being a window to Christ.  May we each be that, letting His light shine through us, as we trust Him to give us words as we write.  Thank you for this hope-filled picture.  

  6. Oh yeah baby!  This is why I blog.  This is why I burst forth with thoughts and ideas.  Thank you Lord for giving me this gift.  I give you praise for who you are and for what you are doing in my life.   May I never take it for granted.  And may I always shine the light back on you, for you are the true author.  Hallelujah! 

    • Yes!!  And this bursting forth — with Him leading — is contagious.  We can’t help but see Him, be gathered up by Him, then!  Glorious!  Thank you, Debi.  Your enthusiasm, your smile, through these words, brings me joy!

  7. “We blog because we trust that He shapes our hearts when we write.” YES!! All the reasons you stated are true of me as a blogger/writer. But this is the reason I began writing (journaling) years ago. It shapes the person I am! It helps me figure ME out! And maybe, just maybe, it might help someone else, too? So I write for me, and my audience of One–then I publish to share with others what God has shown me, in hopes that they too will find what they’re looking for.

    Ann Voskamp wrote many things I couldn’t find the words to say! She wrote my heart–and in turn taught me to write in deeper ways. We learn from one another, as the Body of Christ! 🙂

    • Christin, you express this all so beautifully! Yes! We so need each other, as we listen and obey and write and then recognize His words in us, in the scratched out words of a sister or brother!  Amazing!   So humbled and blessed, here.

  8. I agree with your post, The only concern I have — we do have a story, and one being written right now – *with our children*, and the more we blog without boundaries and time constraints the more we miss out on that story that is STILL being written.  Because we can’t live life behind a monitor because we’re consumed with a story to share that has yet to be finished.  We’re all in the middle of it – none looking back recapping.  And to miss them (our precious blessings for the sake of blogging) – we miss a story to share later during a different season of our life — one that will bless others who are coming up eager to read it !!

    • Stefanie, thank you for addressing this. Yes, this is so, so important.  What He gives for us to do is always beautiful, always fulfilling and life-giving — and the story we write with our children, each word said and unsaid, each hug or action prompted by frustration, is the story we, as parents, also write upon their hearts.  What we do affects them, absolutely.  And if the Father has called us to be parents, He will give us the wisdom to parent well. But it is up to us to obey, and heed His voice, His heart in us, to help us use our time, as parents, as sisters in Christ, effectively — and for His glory (not ours).  

      If blogging is getting in the way of us loving the people right in front of us, right now, then, yes, I can’t help but feel that the Father would be nudging us toward letting Him show us what new boundaries should be constructed — remembering that all of this time He gives us is a gift and everything is an opportunity to give back to Him, on His terms, not ours.  He has given us each a voice, and heeding His voice, saying ‘yes’ to it, is trusting that everything He gives us to do is an act of love.  

      Writing at the expense of loving others in our lives, without boundaries, would likely not be listening as closely as He would hope.  We are each writing a story, and it is so much fun to trust that He will help us write each word, blogging, parenting, and all.  And when we do it, in His name, and not for our own glory, we are loving others, and the boundaries He makes for us to do what He calls us to do will help us to love. Then our stories will be acts of love — completely beautiful — and shine!

  9. Thank you for this. I really needed the reminder. I’m a new blogger and some times get discouraged because I think “I’m not a writer” and yet I know I also have a story to share and because I love His words and I really don’t want to keep them to myself. Thank you for the encouragement!

    • I completely understand this place! Recognizing that stirring of your heart, and then stepping into it, even without knowing the path ahead, can be so hard.  I love how He shows us more what we love, when we trust Him with these stirrings, these passions He has planted, from the beginning, for us to discover.  Blessings to you, Zohary, as you continue to listen to His voice, finding words He puts on your heart! So exciting!

  10. Thank you for this, Jennifer. Full of encouragement!  He is writing our story and what a blessing it is that He gives us words to somehow translate it that we might encourage others to live their story, and that hopefully, by His grace, seeds are planted for Him. 

    • Love, as always, how you put words together, Kris. 🙂  Yes!  By His grace, according to His will, let us be used by Him.  Without Him, we have no story; we have no words.

  12. Yes, this is exactly why I blog. These are the thoughts that run through my mind when I think about quitting. It is so good to find a place where others are blogging for the same reason- to bring glory to God. It’s just so not about me that I sometimes feel like a fraud when someone compliments one of my blog posts. Because, while my name is listed as the author, there is no way I’m smart enough to come up with anything that profound on my own. 😉

  14. ” But, at the core of it all, the motivation for blogging stems from one thing: The Father gives each of us a language, all our own – His voice in us — to share. 
    So we do.We blog because we must.”  Yes, yes, YES!  This is why I blog.  Thank you for putting words to something I am so passionate about but can’t always find the words to explain why.  He has given me a voice and I am going to share it as long as He keeps giving me a voice.  

  15. Absolutely beautiful Jennifer!  I found myself saying, “Yes Lord, this is why I blog” all throughout the post.

    • To let Him write on our hearts, to let Him help us discern the translation of them . .. just beautiful, isn’t it?  Thank you for your sweet encouragement, Kasey.

  17. This post is incredible!! I started blogging about a year ago because I thought I was going to explode if I didn’t get to do something.  This is my first time on this website and I love it! 🙂 thank you for following your heart…

    • I love that — that you felt like you were going to explode!  That’s when you experience the discovery of a passion.  Can you imagine His delight when you stepped into this love for writing He planted in you so long ago?  Just amazing!  Bless you, Diana!

  18. “But, at the core of it all, the motivation for blogging stems from one thing: The Father gives each of us a language, all our own – His voice in us — to share.” 
    Yes Jennifer!!! I’m soooo thankful I found you 🙂 Your post is filled with Scripture I can tell you are born again and your light shines brightly even through this computer! These are my reasons for blogging too–I didn’t really know what a blog was when He called me to share my journal entries ‘stones of remembrance’ I’ve been writing since I was 13 but born again just recently (Feb 2009) 

    I just started blogging as an act of obedience and He’s teaching me to follow Him in all areas of my life and to keep my eyes fixed on Him, even in the blog world and to share what He has entrusted me. I’m thankful you posted here today, it is NO mistake I found you!
    Jeremiah 20:9 and Romans 1:16 I love you my sister in Jesus Christ!

    • Oh, so beautiful, Arcelia! Yes, let us not become weary and overwhelmed by trying to hold it in!  His love just can’t be contained!  You bless me dearly through your words here.  Thank you so much, sweet friend.

  19. Ah, thank you, thank you. I needed this reminder. I just got back from a writing conference feeling discouraged and full of “tasks” but it was an incredible time where God asked me to trust him, to just pray! Why do I let my doubt speak louder than His gentle words? Thank you again! I’m putting this on my Pinterest board To Inspire Writers. 🙂
    Jessie at JessieGunderson.com

    • I know this place so well, Jessie, our doubts making us deaf to His gentle, loving whispers.  I pray we continue to lean in to His voice, heeding only His truth, remembering that His love is our strength.  I am so happy to meet you here, Jessie.  Bless you!

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