Two days ago I sat down to write to my mailing list. It was something I have not done in months….I know, I know, Not good.

 

I should not be going months without writing to my readers. To be fair, I have sat down quite a few times to write a email but every time it sat as a draft. I never felt like it was the right email. None felt genuine enough to send. I was not willing to send out anything that did not have my full heart into it.

 

To be honest I felt pushed to write a email because bloggers are taught to consistently write to your subscribers. And although I can understand every reason why we should, I wasn’t willing to send just anything anymore. I don’t want to do what seems “right”. I desire to do as what I am led to do.

 

As I sat down the other day to write a email to my subscribers, I looked to the right hand corner and saw the out box had multiple drafted emails from the past few months. I took a breath and said, “Ok God lead the way. Let’s share my heart.”

 

My heart took me straight to my failure as a writer and blogger.

 

I just started typing and as I continued to type words, I noticed how the words were suddenly turning into a confession; which then turned to repentance, then freedom for me.

 

It turned out to be the truth to my Biggest Blogging Mistake… thus far.

 

Before clicking the send button, I prayed over it as I do with every post, email, and writing. By the end of the night I had more replies from subscribers than I have ever had and still receiving some today.

 

It has been beautiful reading each and every response.

My Worst Blogging Mistake. Share on X

I have decide to share with you the email I sent because of what happened while I wrote the email. I felt within my spirit that what I was writing was supposed to be a post but I ignored it. Yes, I went along with, “No, I am finally writing to my subscribers, I’m not going to stop to make it into a post”. Eveeennnn though the whole point of the email was about being led, I ignored the instruction….. (sigh) once again.

 

So here I am sharing the email about my biggest blogging mistake with you. Which hopefully will lead me into accountability and complete redemption to the Lord for not always taking His lead.

 

May we as Christian Writers and Bloggers take heed to where He leads us. May we not forget the purpose we began our writing journeys. And may He continue to whisper His instructions and words that is be spread for advancing the Gospel. (Philippians 1:12). I pray with my fellow writers that we can be examples of Christ through writing.

 

 

My worst Blogging mistake….

I know it’s been quite awhile since I wrote to my subscriber list. I hope you all would believe me if I told you that I had quite a few drafted emails ready to be sent out through the past two months but I just never felt like it was the right email. My worry was that through each one of them you were going to be able to feel me being pushed to write the email instead of feeling quality time of me putting a email together just for you.

 

I never want to become a blogger, voice, or person to do things just because it’s the right thing to do to get attention to the blog or to me.

 

Which brings me to sharing my worst blogging mistake so far. (Yes, I am saying so far, because this is not the end of blogging for me and I will always make mistakes)……

 

In the beginning of the year the Lord gave me a word. He said, “Be more transparent”. More transparent in my writings and in what I am posting. I was hesitate but willing to try… Unfortunately, that willingness to try has not been too successful for me. Instead I was doing what would be considered as “right” to do in this blogging world. Which is: post consistently, target the niche on your blog and all your social media platforms, create pretty graphics that will grasps attention from all the other Pins out there, and learn every hashtag possible for all marketing platforms….Incase you don’t know, even for Pinterest now, they are officially on the #Hashtag team.

 

As I write these words to you, I can feel a deep sigh coming out of me with hopes that a tear will not come down, but I need to honestly say it to you and most importantly to me. I have failed. My blog was not and will not be created on what is perfection to other “Bloggers” but is based on a foundation that the Lord told me to “Just write.” More than anything I just want my words to sound out my passion and a eager voice to proclaim my victories over my trails and my excitement to go forward in what God is doing for me and for you!!

 

This past week I have heard the same word over and over. I have a calling, it is not easy but there is a calling on my life and on your life. We must walk through it for Gods purpose not of our own.

 

A few weeks ago, I received a email from another blogger that I follow for Blogging tips. Her emails were always full of awesome tools and resources. It was one of the few subscriptions I looked forward to reading weekly. She started as a lifestyle blogger but then turned to blog about blogging. (Which who isn’t these days…. =/) Her email was to let all her subscribers know that she canceled the upcoming blogging course that she has been working on non stop for SIX MONTHS!

She couldn’t shake off the fact that creating courses for blogging was not her passion and felt like she was doing a disservice to herself and her readers by not following her passion, which was writing about style, makeup, and family trips. She humbly asked for her subscribers to stay with her but would completely understand if we did not.

 

I was completely encouraged and motivated by the email. Her transparency drew the picture of grace and humbleness. I actually responded back and told her I was so moved by her email because it is rare to see bloggers stick to their original niche and foundations of their blogs. Those darn million postings about hitting it rich through blogging. Titles of how the growth of our followers will take us to the next level as a writer can easily diverge us. Please….don’t get me wrong….. the next level and extra oncome is always good and well deserved when putting in the 80 hours a week a full time blogger puts in to make their dreams happen but is it worth it when we miss our calling? Will it all still be satisfying when we leave behind the blog’s foundation to chase the fame and income?

No because we are forgetting the in between. We can not have what others say they have if we are not doing our purpose to the fullest.

 

Let’s be real; I want to create more eBooks and I want more Christian Bloggers in my Facebook group but the purpose for all of that is build up bloggers to continue the hard race of fulfilling our ministry online. As one of the By His Grace Bloggers members stated: “The internet is our Mission field. The world wide web allows us to be missionaries without leaving our homes but impacting the world.”

 

That quote right there covers my purpose, desire, passion, and all of the above of why I created By His Grace Bloggers. It’s why I hope to write more eBooks to encourage the hearts of Christian bloggers and writers. It is to touch hearts of ones that want to touch many.

 

I can not forget this! To not forget this, I have to let God lead the way, my day, my to do list, and all my social platforms that gets my blog noticed. When I respond to emails and comments from readers, and give my 110% in my Facebook group, I am fulfilling my calling. I am responding to what God has placed in me and what needs to be first. Not what is there to do next to build more and more. You can not build without the ones that are already there to help you lay brick by brick.

 

Every blogger has their foundation and purpose, just like the blogger I mentioned above. Her purpose was to build a lifestyle blog but when she moved her focus to teaching bloggers, she missed her calling. She had to humbly go back to her readers and ask for them to stay with her. Even after completely canceling out six months of work that could have possibly made her a lot of money.

 

My worst blogging mistake was not completely taking heed to the instruction of being transparent. My instruction was not to focus on anything except the words He placed within me to write. Following that instruction would be fulfilling my calling as a writer. It will also lead to an outcome that no other blogger can teach me to build. Which is ministry, confidence, trust, and submission to the Lord.

 

I was pressuring myself so much the past few months of how to get things done the “right” way. So much so that I was missing my full potential of my calling. Don’t know about you, but I don’t want to miss it. I don’t want to miss how much joy I receive every time I can be part of encouraging someone or participating as an ambassador for Christ with other Christian bloggers.

 

Thankfully the Lord has been graceful by gently pushing me back into the right direction towards His will.

 

I humbly ask you to receive my writing to you about my biggest blogging mistake as a confession. May my repentful heart reach you. May the words I send to you and write on my blog only be to lift up and encourage you in ways that can help you grow as a writer for Christ. I pray we see our writing as a calling that is to build the kingdom, not on what man says to build. May all our training for writing and blogging not be done in vain but rather through the leading of God, which of whom is the CEO of our blogs.

 

By His Grace,

 

Carmen

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