Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Why am I blogging?

 

I recently had a chat with a good friend about blogging, the act of blogging rather. How it's essentially laying yourself bare to the world. Opening, not just yourself, but your family and everything that you as a woman and head of your household represent, to criticism, snarkiness, and judgement.

On the other hand it also opens you up to this crazy beautiful world of people you never would have had the chance to know otherwise. Blogging allows you to use your voice (for good or bad), and to put that voice on a platform for the world to hear. It's super scary and exciting and overwhelming all at the same time.

As a writer, blogging is definitely the most vocal thing I've attempted thus far. I literally have a trunk full of journals, scribbles, and scraps of paper; I've been chronicling my story since fifth grade. I have all of it. Every note, every sad teenage poem. I've let certain people read it over the years, but never attempted to publish or share my words on this sort of level. I'm afraid. I'm afraid you won't like me. That I'll misrepresent my family, friends, and most importantly, my faith. It suddenly feels like a huge responsibility.

So I asked myself, why am I blogging? What am I trying to gain from this? What's the point?

Me being me, I pulled out one of the three journal/notebooks I'm currently keeping, and started to jot down some answers to these questions. I bought a special notebook specifically for my blog, it's got this wicked cool woodgrain paper (in keeping with the woodgrain background I've got going on here). I can literally find any excuse to buy new paper products. Isn't it pretty?

Anyway, I initially began blogging to help bring attention to my brandsy-newsy Esty shop. Why I started the shop is fodder for another blog post entirely, but it basically boils down to wanting to make pretty things and give glory to God in the process.

The goal was to drive traffic to the shop. That was it. And then I started writing. I've had this image in my mind of the 'The Hipster Housewife' and all of a sudden, I could be her. I am her. It's almost like getting to have an alter ego. And it frickin rocks.

I really feel as though I have something special to offer, and I promise when I figure out exactly what that is you guys will be the first to know! Ha! No, seriously though, I can see and feel God at work in my life right now. When I shared my testimony (which you can read here) I received such amazing encouragement and feedback from friends and strangers alike. It was a powerful experience, hearing how my story has blessed others. I pray that it will continue to be shared and read, and hopefully show who Jesus is to someone who may need him as much as I did then. As much as I continue to need him everyday.

I was fooling around with my new calligraphy set last week and I opened my bible for inspiration. My eyes fell on this verse :

"I waited patiently for The Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the muck and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." Psalms 40:1-3

This is my prayer for the 2014. I have resolutions and to-do's; lists and new apps. But this is my true hope for the New Year.

So yeah, that's why I'm blogging. To take that risk and share my life. To close my eyes and take a giant leap of faith, knowing he will catch me.

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