Oct 7, 2016 |
Molly and Beckie
This week’s guest blogger is my beautiful friend and prayer partner, Beckie Lindsey.
We met through a mutual friend’s monthly dinner gathering, when I was invited to share my stories of how The Unemployment Cookbook and Penny Parable came about, and how I use them as missionary tools.
Beckie contacted me several months later and asked to take me to Starbucks in exchange for “picking my brain” on writing. Who am I to say no to a free Starbucks, right? Of course y’all know the answer was “Of course!”
And we’ve been friends ever since.
I asked her to write a post about blogging for God. It’s not just for writers. Read on.
How Blogging has Made Me a Stronger Christian
Heart pounding, my finger hovered just above the enter key on my laptop. I drew in a deep breath and clicked “post”. That was almost two years ago and yet I still go through some of the same angst before publishing a blog post.
I started my blog because I have fallen in love with God and His word and desire to share my journey in hopes of inspiring others. When I began writing Spotlight, I never imagined the blessings and trials that I would encounter—and yet it is both that have made me a stronger Christian. Here are a few reasons why.
Teaching Means Learning Double
“To teach is to learn twice over.” ~Joseph Joubert
Every post requires research and study of scripture. Blogging has made me a better student of the word as I teach to others what I have learned.
“Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.” Luke 6:40 NLT
I’m Accountable to My Readers
Research shows that putting a goal in writing along with sharing it with others increases our success by 85 percent. Since my major goal is learning and putting into practice scripture, blogging is a huge benefit to me in my spiritual growth.
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24 NLT
Support and Prayers from Others
I cannot express how grateful I am for the support of other writers and Christians. I’ve gained a large community of some wonderful encouragers and supporters whom I’ve also learned a great deal from.
“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” 1 Timothy 2:1 NLT
Trials—it’s not all Rainbows and Butterflies
Blogging means making myself more public, and with that have come some difficulties. I have also noticed an increase in spiritual warfare. These issues have occasionally made me want to put a halt to sharing with the World Wide Web, but I know that God has used the trials to strengthen and grow me.
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 NLT
You don’t need to be a writer/blogger to benefit in the same ways I’ve listed above. All of us are called to teach, be accountable, support, and pray for others. In addition to these, the Bible states we will go through trials and tests in order to strengthen our faith.
God uses the many things we go through in our lives to draw us closer to Him—IF we will let Him.
“But Jesus replied, ‘My Father is always working, and so am I.’” John 5:17
Even though my heart still pounds just before hitting “post”, the plusses of blogging far outweigh the minuses because God uses the process to lead me closer to Him.
[bctt tweet=”Frankly, My Dear . . . Beckie Lindsey: How #Blogging Has Made Me a Stronger #Christian.” username=”@realmojo68 @lindseybeckie”]
Beckie is a wife and mother of three adult children and two adorable cats. She is thoroughly content with a piece of dark chocolate, a cup of coffee, and a great book. She loves to encourage others to not only know the truths of the Bible but to experience them personally and practically in everyday life. Beckie is a freelance journalist, writer, and blogger with two book projects in the wings.
Connect with Beckie on:
Blog: beckielindsey16.com
Twitter: @lindseybeckie
Instagram: beckielindsey16
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Oct 13, 2015 |
So y’all know I hang with Aaron Gansky and associates, right? I mean, who could forget when Aaron, Beckie and I flew out to Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference a few months ago? [Read: And They Say Getting There is Half the Fun . . . ]
The Three Writing Amigos. . . and a Photobombing Flight Attendant
Long before the trip, I started running Aaron’s social media in exchange for his writing mentoring. Not a bad trade, eh? It has the added bonus of hanging with his family at least once a month when we play Magic The Gathering and eat food.
And, well, I am a social person. I know, I know . . . you’re shocked by this admission. What can I say? Not everyone is, however. Which makes me a great fit for Aaron’s social media ninja.
How To Do Social Media For People Who Are Antisocial
Yup. That’s a thing I’m working on. It was going to be a blog post. Then it evolved into a presentation. It’s been translated into workshops and now it’s growing up into it’s very own book. I’m so proud of my antisocial baby!
Ah, but back to the task at hand. Working for Aaron has its perks. Like pizza. Did I mention the pizza?
The Biltmore Pizza, Asheville Brewing Co.
So here’s how it all ties in together. I’m earning my way back to next year’s BRMCWC and more Biltmore pizza on my plate. See what I did there? Yeah, Naomi and Aaron are always mentioning how much I have on my plate, and how a great portion of it is his social media. But if it gets me more pizza, I’m so ready for more plates. Fine bone china, blue pattern, if you please.
I’ll take on as many plates as I can manage, if it means I’m being well fed. And let’s face it: Being well fed includes food for the body, the soul, and the creative part as well, yes?
So let me introduce you to Aaron’s Firsts in Fiction weekly podcast. Every Tuesday at 6:30 PM PST, we gather ’round the computer monitor and tell tales. Okay, sort of. We do meet at 6:30. Aaron and his dad, Al Gansky, interview guests on a live video feed while I facilitate the chat room. We cover all fiction-related topics from writing to editing to promoting to contests to favorite endings to overcoming writer’s block to . . . you get the picture.
I’m sort of a chatty cathy and I guess they picked up on that, because last month they made me official PRODUCER of the podcast. So not much has changed in what I do, just how I do it. Now I’m privy to early behind-the-scenes discussions. I get to video-meet our guests and do my ninja magic on air.
If you’ve seen the podcast recently (and by recently, I mean the last three weeks), you’ve also seen me looking at my phone a lot. No, I’m not bored. I’m tweeting. Sharing. Linking. Liking. Getting whatever visibility I can for the #podcast.
And then it dawned on me. DUH. I did. I literally said, “DUH.” To no one but the cats, but that’s another story and I’m sure Lizzie Cat will tell you all about when her computer privileges are restored. So anyway, I said DUH and figured, why not let my own peeps in on the fun?
All you have to do is follow Firsts in Fiction on GooglePlus and join the chat each Tuesday.
Which happens to be today. Huh. That worked out favorably, didn’t it?
Oh, and tonight’s guests? Bill Myers and Angela Hunt. Two of Al’s three writing partners for the Harbingers series. [Check out Al’s newest part, The Fog, at Amazon.]
So if you’re interested in writing, are a fan of Harbingers, or just like to hang out, you know where to find us. I’d love to meet you in the chat room. Let’s put some more pizza on that plate, okay?
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
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Dec 17, 2014 |
Doing the Write Thing
I sometimes feel like a circus performer, juggling more plates than a normal person would, yet artfully keeping them up in the air without fail.
For the most part, anyway. The law of averages dictates that sooner or later, the law of gravity will take hold of one or more items and, well, you know . . .
Still, I enjoy working so many angles with my writing. Social Media and Marketing for others. Promoting my own projects. Running New Inklings Press. And, of course, actually writing.
It’s when I don’t make time for writing that the rest of my world turns to chaos. And so, once the fall cleaning, the new budget, and the flu had all run their course out of Bedford Manor, I was able to get back on track by getting back into writing.
NOLA is on its third draft ~ a combination of the rough draft and the second rework which didn’t go so well. I’m learning more about my characters each day and how they think, feel, live. I’m learning to listen to my characters, and allow them more freedom in telling the story, instead of dictating every scene in my own linear thinking.
My friend Beckie and I are forming a critique group for the Writers Club. It will be another outlet for our creativity, as well as a means to offer and receive support, encouragement, and wisdom from other writers.
My GoFundMe #DoingTheWriteThing campaign is still gaining steam, which is also encouraging. It inspires me to work harder on my writings.
I recently updated The Penny Parable and A Study on the Ten Commandments for Kindle. I now have three eBooks available, and over 50 print copies of The Unemployment Cookbook still in inventory.
I’m working on a series of blog posts for January ~ potato-based recipes. I’m becoming a huge fan of boiled, baked and mashed potatoes. I’ve always loved potatoes, but lately I’ve been doing much more than I used to. I can’t wait to share some ideas with you.
For Christmas I’ll be reading my Narnia collection, a family story written by my uncle, and Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Charles Dickens
But first, it’s time to enjoy this wonderful life.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
Please share my GoFundMe #DoingTheWriteThing campaign by clicking on the poster below. If just one thousand people purchase each of my three Kindle titles (a total of three eBooks for less than $5), I’ll earn the full funding and be able to attend two major writing conferences in Spring, 2015.
Go Fund Me: #DoingTheWriteThing
You may also enjoy reading:
FIVE THINGS FRIDAY: Everything Old is NEW Again
Why I Write. Every Day.
Mojo Book Review: “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe” by C.S. Lewis
“Be Not Afraid.” Yes, I’m talking to YOU
