Psalms 23 Group Writing Project Download

As promised I have combined all of the entries in the first ever Faithful Blogger's Group Writing Project into a downloadable special report.  It has over 40 pages of devotions all focusing on Psalms 23. You can download it below by clicking on the download link.  Also feel free to give it away to your readers on your blog.  If you need help with this, just let me know by emailing me by using our contact form.

I want to take a moment and thank all of the bloggers that contributed to this wonderful and moving special report.  The emotion and words that went into each person's writings is amazing and obviously led by the Lord.

For those who contributed to the group writing project, I also created a badge for you to place on your site, if you wish, stating that you are a contributor.  You can find it under the badges page.

DOWNLOAD HERE (Right Click and Save As)

If you were not able to join us on this writing project, I hope you will join us next time.  I'm in the planning stages of the second group writing project to start in August.

Is Your Blog "Established?"

"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands." -Psalm 90:17

Recently this verse especially spoke to me while I was reading God's word. You see, I have a problem called tryingtodoitonmyownitis. Perhaps you can relate? I see something that looks interesting and I start making plans and lists and goals. I set my sights on achieving my goal and away I go. As I am going on my merry way I usually stumble and fall. Picking my bruised self up I attempt to try again. As always I fall again and soon I am complaining about why everything is going wrong.

When this happens it is usually because I have forgotten something: my attempts and goals and dreams must be established by God. Going at it on my own will never be a successful venture. He created my life, and He ordains it and sustains it. Everything is guided through His hands and I can either willingly follow or muddle up my journey with human attempts.

Now since this is a web site dedicated to blogging I will speak specifically about that. However this is a godly concept that needs to be applied to all of life so keep that in mind. And just for a little background we'll go ahead and look up in Noah Webster's handy-dandy 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language just what "establish" means.

"Set; fixed firmly; founded; ordained; enacted; ratified; confirmed."

Do you remember the podcast with Sarah Mae? She touched upon in an eloquent way how our blogs need to be given over to Him. And what she said was plain truth. If you have not dedicated your blog, your words, your posts and pictures to Him what are you truly trying to accomplish?

We must give our everything, including our blogs, over to Him. He will direct you where to go with your blog. Read His word daily and make sure you are writing according to how He would have you write. Pray about it. Pray about it some more.  Ask our heavenly Father if your blog is accomplishing what He wants it to accomplish. Talk to Him. Give your blog over and say "Here it is, Father! You can have it! Show me what to do."

I would go so far as to say that each and every time you write a post you need to pray that God will give order and foundation to what you are about to write. (And yes, I am doing that with this post. Promise!)

In the end, this is all for His glory.

Photo credits: djweitzner

Not Popular

Blogging is an exciting, challenging world.  One can learn much from those who write about experiences.  You are also able to share and encourage and shine for Jesus in a way that has the capacity to reach people all over the world.  I don't know about you but I find that pretty exciting!

Something that might quickly come to your attention is the fact that there are bloggers who are more popular and those who are, well, not popular.  This is an unfortunate consequence of living in a sinful world.  The good news is that you do not have to be popular in order to spread the Good News!

We are called to be different.  As Christians we must reject worldliness and change our sinful desires to holy ones.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:2

This should be reflected in blogging.  Our faith should be evident whether or not we are writing specifically about God's word or are just sharing stories of our lives.  Our blogs will be different because of this.

So what does this have to do with being popular? (Yes, there really is a correlation!)  Simply this: strive not to be in the popular crowd.  It may feel good to be a blogger who everyone wants to meet.  A blogger in which companies are scrambling to get your attention.  A blogger in which a crowd follows whenever you are at a blogging conference.

But in the end, that is not what matters.  Being a Christian blogger will probably put you in the category that will not get all of the attention.  And that is okay.  God says that we belong to Him.  Wow!  I don't know about you but that is all the reward I want.

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." -1 Peter 2:9

Photo credit: lusi

Faithful Bloggers Show #4 - Sarah Mae from Like A Warm Cup of Coffee

We're back!  Yay!  As many of you have heard by now Kelly's and my hosting account got hacked and it affected all of our sites including Faithful Bloggers.  After a lot of hard work we got everything straightened out and we are ready to roll once again. To start things out this week we have a great podcast for you.  Kelly and I were able to chat with Sarah Mae from Like A Warm Cup of Coffee.  Sarah Mae was such a joy to speak to.  I know you will love this interview and the chance to get to know Sarah Mae a little better.

Faithful Bloggers Podcast 2 - Introducing LeeAnn

In today's podcast Kelly and I chat with LeeAnn from Encouragement is Contagious.  LeeAnn has such an awesome story about how she started blogging and how the Lord showed her the way to do so.   LeeAnn is truly an encouragement to all

Using Your Blog for Good

Reasons for blogging are varied depending on who you ask. Some blog to help build their businesses, some for monetary gain, while still others blog just because they like to write. As Christians we are called to do good in all things – “Trust in the LORD and do good. . .” –Psalm 37:3a -  however I will specifically be talking about how we can benefit others through blogging. I will be covering for areas however there are many more ideas that are included in this scope. Do not limit yourselves but be creative on how your blog could be used to shine for Him. I encourage you to seek out His guidance through prayer and to discuss with your husband before you jump into anything. I bring this up because some avenues of serving through our blogs may be very involved. Do not over commit.

Speak out on a certain subject

Whether it be on food allergies, addictions, personal struggles, share with your readers and guests what you have learned. There are times when I have personally benefited from those who have taken the time to research and share on their blogs on certain topics. Two of my children have issues with food allergies. I do not personally have the time to weed through every bit of information out there yet I am able to pick up knowledge from those who have “been there, done that.”

This extends beyond health issues. If you are great at recovering a couch or chair why not make up a blog post tutorial replete with photos? Do you homeschool a child who has problems learning to read? Share in a blog series what has worked and has not worked for that child. What about cooking? Share recipes!

Other ideas might be:

Crafts (with fall and Christmas coming up, now is a good time to share those “how to” tutorials!) Baking Gardening Blogging tips For older women I cannot stress enough how much being a Titus 2 woman and sharing your wisdom with younger wives and mothers is a must. Blogging is a perfect avenue for this.

Get involved!

There are many lovely ministries set up today. One way you could help them out is by writing about them. You could become a Compassion blogger, or write a post about ministries that seek to serve. This must be done with careful and prayerful consideration. Search out the ministry fully before you advocate it on your blog.

Feature Others

Many of us remember what it was like to start up our blogs. There are many new bloggers out there who just do not know how to start. Showcasing them in a blog post would be a way to bless them and introduce them to new friends.

If you see a blog post that has touched your life be sure and share it in a link. I often see links to posts by “popular” bloggers but it would be wise to search out those who may not be considered “A-list” but still have words of wisdom that are just as beneficial. Cliques are rampant in blogland just as they are in real life. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by what you find if you take the time to look outside the box.

Speak in Love

Lastly, always write in love. I know I seem to write this often on my posts for Faithful Bloggers but I feel it needs to be stressed. There are rampant instances of petty quarreling and hateful words thrown about by women bloggers. Remember who you are and to Whom you belong! We are called to shine, to be different. Doing good to others may be as simple as just being quiet and meek when others are yelling and shouting. People will notice and it will bring glory to Him.

Have any ideas on other ways to use your blog for His glory? Please share!

Photo credit: sraburton

What Makes A Blogger A Christian Blogger?

What makes a blogger a Christian blogger?

Is it the the topic of their blog?  Do they have to blog specifically about religion or faith?  What about mom bloggers? Craft blogger?  Or even political bloggers?  Are bloggers only considered Christian bloggers if they tell their readers of their faith?

Here is my definition:

A Christian blogger is a blogger that puts God first in their blog.

There are many ways that a blogger can put God first in their blog.  And just because you may not see any faith related posts does not necessarily mean they are not a Christian blogger.  Of course if they are not writing about their faith it may not always be easy to tell.

What do you think makes a blogger a Christian blogger?

10 Ways To Pray For Your Blog

I am a firm believer in the power of prayer.  I keep a prayer journal and write everything I can think of to pray about in it.  It is so exciting to be able to cross an item off my prayer list because the Lord has answered it!  Prayer is one of the most important aspects of my relationship with the Lord.  I don't have any worries in my life because I pray and hand everything over to the Lord.  It is a very refreshing and thrilling feeling to know that my life is in the Lord's hand and that His will will be done. I also incorporate this same philosophy with  blogging.  I don't worry about my blog.  I don't get upset if I don't get the traffic I want or the opportunity I was hoping for.  I don't get caught up in the blog drama that constantly seems to be happening.  I pray for my blog.  I pray for my blog readers.  And praying makes all the difference in the world.

Here are 10 ways you can pray for your blog:

1. Posts and articles you write. Praying before you sit down to write a post or article can make the whole process go a lot faster.  If you feel you are being led by the Lord to write on a certain topic, the words just seem to come together naturally.  Just a quick prayer asking the Lord to give you the words needed is all it takes to make the writing process much more enjoyable and easier.
2. How you react and respond to comments. It is inevitable that you will get some rude and hurtful comments at some point in your blogging life.  Unfortunately not everyone understands where we as Christians are coming from and can feel threatened for no reason.  People sometimes leave rude and unjustified comments just because the can.  Whatever the reason for the undesired comment, take a moment in prayer before responding and acting upon the comment.  I response made in the heat of the moment maybe all it takes to destroy our testimony.
3. Advertisement or sponsorship. Before accepting any paid advertisements or sponsorships take some time to pray about it first.  By accepting their advertisement on your site you are referring your readers to them.  Make sure any advertiser you agree to sell ad space to holds the same values as you do.  Sure the money you can make is great, but does the ad or product align with your faith?  Would you be putting your testimony on the line by accepting the advertisement or sponsorship?
4. Product reviews and/or giveaways.  This could actually fall into the advertisement or sponsorship category.  If you are going to include product review and/or giveaways on your blog, pray before accepting the review offer.  Pray as your write the review and host the giveaway.  See if there is a way to incorporate the product or giveaway with your faith.  Most of all be honest and up front about any review or giveaway you do.
5. Your blog readers. Not only do I pray for more readers, but I pray daily that the readers I do have will find my posts helpful.  Readers are one of the main reasons we blog.  We want to be able to communicate with the world and blogging is one way of doing that.  Without the readers where would blogging be?
6. Other bloggers. We should encourage other bloggers even if it results in them becoming a better blogger than yourself. Praying for bloggers is one of the best ways to encourage them.
7. God's will for your blog. You may have a lot of plans for your blog, but if it isn't God's will then it probably won't happen.  Praying that God's will be done will bring our wills under His.
8. Partnerships. Before starting a partnership with another blogger pray about it.  Does the other blogger have the same faith and values as you do?  Kelly and I met on Twitter and were instant friends.  When we started discussions about starting this site together, I know we both spent time in prayer about it.  Of course over time and talking to each other over Skype and Twitter, it turns out we have a lot more in common than just our faith and love for blogging.
9. Ebooks, Special Reports, etc. Pray about any product or service you plan to offer to others. In the past I have started projects without praying and it was such a struggle to get everything going. The projects I have prayed about and felt the Lord leading me to do have been much more successful. I pray every step of the way from conception of the idea, to implementation, to any writings I must to do, to asking price, and marketing efforts.
10. Affiliate Programs. Affiliate programs are great ways to try to make some money on your blog.  Before you start actively promoting an affiliate product pray to make sure the product is a good fit for your blog.

Do you pray for your blog?  Are there any other aspect of blogging we should be praying about?

Setting Limits

As with anything, blogging can suck up precious time. As a wife and homeschooling mother who stays-at-home, I know all too well the struggles in balancing my blog and life.  If I am not careful, blogging can take up time that should be spent on other things.  Here are a few tips on how to set limits when it comes to your blog:

• Set the timer.  Yes, this really does work.  In the mornings I set a small amount of time to answer email.  This is usually before the children are awake.  This enables me to get important emails read and at the same time lets me know when I've done enough.
• Look at your priorities.  God has called us to be His children first, wives and mothers second, and bloggers last.  If your children have no clean clothes for tomorrow, or your husband needs lunch made, do those things first.  Before you sit down to your computer, look around and see if there is anything pressing that needs to be done.
• Set one day a week to write blog posts.  The Happy Housewife has an excellent post on this.  This goes hand in hand with meeting priorities first.  Note: If you think of post ideas before your writing day, write them down!
• Take a break once in a while.  Yes, it is okay, despite what you have heard.  It is always beneficial to take a step back and think long and hard about what you are doing and why.  Use this time to pray and ask God for wisdom in your blogging.  Ask Him to show you if you are putting blogging before Him.  If you are worried about losing readership, you can ask someone to guest post for you during that time, or you can re-run older blog posts.  Writing posts ahead of time and scheduling them for certain days works too.

I'd love to hear from you what helps you keep the proper balance in life and blogging.

Photo courtesy of spekulator

Using Your Posts for God's Glory

Let's face it, becoming a Christian is not an easy path to choose.  The Bible itself says: “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:14 NKJV As Christians, we are called to be set apart, to be holy.  It only goes to follow that what we say, or write, is an extension of our lives and therefore must be holy as well.  In view of this, there are a few important questions to ask yourself while you blog.

Before You Hit Send

• Do your words accurately represent the One whom you serve? Because we belong to our Savior our words are essentially not our own.  They should be indicative of our King.  I am not saying that each and every word should be a Bible verse – though it would be wonderful to repeat His precious words to your readers.  What I am saying is that our words should be “laced with grace.”  No vile or foul words should appear in our posts.  “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. . .” Ephesians 4:29.

• Are you writing in haste?When we get passionate about something we feel strongly about it is very easy to write a post and hit send before we stop and think.  If the post you are writing is controversial, it may be wise to walk away for an hour or two and come back to it for review before you hit that “publish” button.  Perhaps your spouse or a trusted friend could read it before you post it for your readers.

• Can your words be misconstrued?

One obvious negative aspect to the online world is that words cannot express our body language and tone of voice.  While you may write with one view in mind, a reader could easily interpret it to mean something else.  Look at your post from all angles and make sure that you have done your best to avoid confusion.

• When you respond to a reader, are you using a loving tone?Questions and comments from those who seem to be rude are a fact of life in blogging.  Our replies do not have to be in like turn.  Instead of firing off an answer telling that person just what you think, temper your reply with a level head and loving words.  Turning the other cheek plays an important role.

In the end, let us make sure that our words are pleasing to our Heavenly Father.  As children of the King, we want to represent Him to a watching world.

-Kelly

Photo courtesy of: zizzy0104

Using Your Posts for God's Glory

Let's face it, becoming a Christian is not an easy path to choose.  The Bible itself says: “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:14 NKJV As Christians, we are called to be set apart, to be holy.  It only goes to follow that what we say, or write, is an extension of our lives and therefore must be holy as well.  In view of this, there are a few important questions to ask yourself while you blog.

Before You Hit Send

• Do your words accurately represent the One whom you serve? Because we belong to our Savior our words are essentially not our own.  They should be indicative of our King.  I am not saying that each and every word should be a Bible verse – though it would be wonderful to repeat His precious words to your readers.  What I am saying is that our words should be “laced with grace.”  No vile or foul words should appear in our posts.  “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. . .” Ephesians 4:29.

• Are you writing in haste?When we get passionate about something we feel strongly about it is very easy to write a post and hit send before we stop and think.  If the post you are writing is controversial, it may be wise to walk away for an hour or two and come back to it for review before you hit that “publish” button.  Perhaps your spouse or a trusted friend could read it before you post it for your readers.

• Can your words be misconstrued?

One obvious negative aspect to the online world is that words cannot express our body language and tone of voice.  While you may write with one view in mind, a reader could easily interpret it to mean something else.  Look at your post from all angles and make sure that you have done your best to avoid confusion.

• When you respond to a reader, are you using a loving tone?Questions and comments from those who seem to be rude are a fact of life in blogging.  Our replies do not have to be in like turn.  Instead of firing off an answer telling that person just what you think, temper your reply with a level head and loving words.  Turning the other cheek plays an important role.

In the end, let us make sure that our words are pleasing to our Heavenly Father.  As children of the King, we want to represent Him to a watching world.

-Kelly

Photo courtesy of: zizzy0104

Have You Given Your Blog to the Lord?

As I was driving home from picking up my children from Vacation Bible School a song became stuck in my head.  That song was “Is Your All On The Alter?”  Many of you probably know this song as it is often played during a church invitation or alter call.  It is really a beautiful song and when I got home I immediately did a search on YouTube for it.  I hoped that by listening to the song I might have some chance of clearing it from my mind.  But no luck – it continued to stay in my mind asking me “Is your all on the alter?” This got me thinking.  Is there something in my life I have not fully given over the Lord?  My house, my children, my finances, my blog?  There is room for improvement in all these areas of my life.  While I may have initially given an aspect of my life to the Lord over time I discovered I was taking it back.

One verses of the song goes like this:

O we never can know What the Lord will bestow Of the blessings for which we have prayed, Till our body and soul He doth fully control, And our all on the altar is laid.

It just hit me!  How can I expect the Lord to answer my prayers if I have not given everything to him?  Or if I keep taking it back.  It is like giving a child a toy, letting the child play with it for a while, and then telling that child he or she can no longer have the toy.

The same principal applies to our blogs.  One of things I highly advocate for a successful blog is to pray for your blog.  But if you have not given your blog over the Lord you are not reaping the full benefits.  So what are the full benefits of giving your blog over to the Lord?

1. The Lord will bestow blessings on our blog as just as He would if it were you life you were handing over.  Some of use may even feel like we are handing our life by handing over our blog.
2. You will have less worries.   There is no need to worry about something if you know the Lord is in control. You don’t have to worry about your blog.  See Proverbs 3:5-6
3. Your faith will grow and not only will this benefit your blog but it will also benefit your personal life as well.