I am so very pleased to introduce you to my very first guest writer here at Milk & Honey Faith. Her name is Carmen Brown and she blogs over at Married By His Grace. I met Carmen the very first week I started blogging and we’ve grown to be the dearest of friends. We’ve had countless conversations about the tremendous responsibility we have by being called to blog, and have since prayed together, learned together, and even started running a Facebook Group together for Christian writers called “By His Grace Bloggers“. Please take a moment to kick up your feet and read about how Carmen started out on this precious calling we call Blogging.
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When You are Called to Blog
If you asked me two years ago “What’s a blog?” I probably would’ve looked at you and said, “I don’t know, what’s a blog?” Blogging was never an interest or even considered as a titled position to me.
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I was just like all the other 83% of internet users that found blogs to be the fifth most reliable source of honest internet review. Majority of the time I couldn’t even tell the difference between a company site and a blog.
It wasn’t till my sister told me about the many homemaking Christian blogs she followed for: recipes, homeschooling tips, and for encouragement as a stay at home mom, that I learned what a blog was.
It was at that time, she reminded me of how much I use to write and asked why didn’t I consider creating a blog?
Although, flattered that she thought I could start a blog, I immediately answered with no interest but continued to tell her about how I had been writing consistently for the past two years because the Lord kept telling me to “Just write.” I just didn’t know for what. All my writings had been put onto a old laptop that was just staying between me and God.
Quickly after that conversation with my sister, I was secretly intrigued, so I got onto Pinterest, the site that she said she always found blogs on, and I began researching. I would search: “What is a blog? What are they for? How do I start a blog? Who reads blogs?”
After months of researching, my husband nonchalantly said one day, “Start the blog.”
“What?!” I exclaimed.
He replied, “I said start your blog, it’s time.”
Although I had my husband’s support, I struggled with it. I knew the blog would only be about the priorities in my life which was: God, marriage, and parenting. But who was I? Who was I to write of these things to the public when I was still learning it all myself?
Because of my husband’s constant encouragement, I finally brought myself to start a blog but when it came to building the blog I still had no idea what I was doing. YouTube and Pinterest became my best friends. I was constantly on both sites trying to build a blog, to understand blogging, and to develop a connection with bloggers.
Behind all the research and attending free webinars weekly of how to start a blog, I felt like I finally had an understanding of what blogging was and could be and so, Married by His Grace was created.
Married by His Grace is a blog that I desire to bring inspiration and hope to wives and mothers that is working to build a home based off of the word of God. A place where my testimonies and my own trial and error could be relatable and encouraging to any mom that is raising godly children.
Just months after starting Married by His Grace I felt overwhelmed and as if there was a void in what I was creating. After seeking God; sadly, as a last resort, He showed me it was no longer about how to develop a successful blog or about how many read the words that I posted but it was about what He had asked me to do just two years prior. “Just write.”
It was time to put everything else aside and “Just write.”
Reading my bible daily became a priority and connecting with a community of other christian bloggers became a necessary resource for my blogs wellness.
I was waking up every morning excited to connect and to learn.
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I was soaking up every bit of information, encouragement, and post about Christian blogging. I engaged in anything that could uplift me as a Christian Blogger.
He was drawing me in to create a ministry that I did not know I had within me.
I feared myself with the word ministry so much that I was not able to see my blog becoming a ministry. I did not think I was capable of it.
But then in the word of God, He showed me ministry as:
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” Ephesians 4:11-13
The vision of unity between Christian bloggers that was building a blog to spread the word of God from place to place, country to country, began to develop into a passion for me. To think that I was on the same team (which is the body of Christ) with all the other Christian bloggers in this world writing to God’s people, was a remarkable vision to me. That vision alone encouraged me to continue blogging many times. The verse reminded me that He equipped me as He had prepared my heart and me as a writer the past two years. Those two years of writing was a time of intimacy and training for what He had called me to create. A blog that was being built from His mercy and grace.
Shortly after I received the revelation, I came across a statistic about bloggers that nearly broke my blogging heart.
85% of bloggers fail and 50% of those bloggers fail within their first six months.
Then it became more real for me after reading, “Religion, Spirituality” genre is ranked as the fifth most written about niche in blogging.
This is when my writings, prayers, and focus began to be shared with encouraging new Christian bloggers. To hopefully reach that one person and encourage them to not give up in what God has called them to do.
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Quickly after, By His Grace Bloggers Facebook group for women Christian bloggers was created. Natalie and I lead the group with prayer, encouragement, and passion. All characteristics which God has used in our own ministries and now in the ministry of building a group that is intimately known as Grace Girls.
As a passion to serve in the Christian Bloggers community, ‘By His Grace We Blog, Christian Blogging 101’ eBook was born. It’s an eBook written specifically for soon to be, new, or experienced Christian based bloggers. The eBook is to guide you through as you create yourself as an established Christian blogger.
The eBook takes you step by step of: seeking God through your blogging, what to do before launching your blog, cultivating your blog into a ministry, how to use Pinterest for the benefit of blogging, monetizing from your blog, branding, networking, affiliate marketing, and much more.
To continue to learn more about By His Grace We blog, you may read the eBook description here.
As readers of Milk and Honey Faith, Carmen Brown is offering a 25% discount code for her eBook by using promocode: milkandhoney
Carmen Brown is the creator of Married by His Grace blog. She actively writes to women who are desiring to build their home with the word of God. Her passions involve staying connected with her family, drinking an immense amount of coffee daily, and developing content that will help and encourage new Christian Bloggers. You can connect with Carmen on her blog, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Thank you for reading along and I hope you all enjoyed this post as much as I did. Carmen has a tremendous heart for the Lord and her sisters in Christ. Remember to stop by at her blog to say hello.
Thank you,
Amen-Amein!! God Bless All my Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus ( Yeshua ) and Your Families and Friends!!
Love Always and Shalom ( Peace ), YSIC \o/
Kristi
God bless you Kristi! Thank you so much for stopping in. Have a great week!
I’ve been so encouraged by the facebook group and also by a few people, and now you, saying to just write. I also can get so caught up in everything else there is to do, that I lose my focus and it becomes a drain instead of a joy. Lovely to hear your journey.
Thank you Lizzy! That is so encouraging to read. Sometimes we can wonder if what we do is making an impact. Your kind words are reassuring!
These words hit my heart like a ton of bricks, as I felt I related to every single last sentence on this page. Thank you for sharing this! I have felt the call, have felt the anxieties surrounding that call, and have held myself back with those anxieties. This was a really encouraging read for me! Thank you!!
Amen Sammi! Looking forward to seeing where God leads you in this. Don’t be a stranger!
I really enjoyed reading this guest post and am glad I found this blog! I am in the process of getting my blog off the ground, and have struggled with the process. Everything I read says that guest posts are a great way to network with other bloggers and spread the word about your blog. This is a perfect example.
My blog is also a Spirit-driven, God-lead thing. It is refreshing to find others who share the calling and vision of encouraging other Christian women!
Blessings to you!
Thank you so much for the encouragement! This post is 100% what I needed. I was sitting today thinking about my own God given calling to blog, write music, and Christian books- feeling quite inadequate. Why would God ask me to write? I have had this calling for the past three years, and have been slowly opening up to the idea of blogging. Over the past several weeks, I believe God is telling me to start now. I have been researching the best ways to begin blogging and have come across many great Christian blogging sites that are used to encourage new bloggers. Your post by far has been the most inspiring. I am looking forward to seeing how God can use me, in a greater way, for Him. Thank you again!
Thank you for this! I am in the very early stages of my Bible study based blog and will definitely be looking to both you and Carmen for guidance.
Dearest Andera,
Please let us know when you are launched! It’s so exciting to meet one of God’s anointed and we’d love to bring you encouragement!
I loved this! As a new Christian blogger this post was so relevant to my current struggle, but it filled me with hope and gave me new ideas. Thank you for sharing! Find me at: https://theunhurriedwife.wordpress.com/
I’m overjoyed that this post has blessed you and given you inspiration. I hope to get to know you better as you write for His glory. Blessings new friend!
Thanks for the post. It is encouraging to hear as a Christian blogger. I started last year and fell into that failed blog category. I started writing again setting a time and at least writing on paper because I find it easier than typing it out. It is so important to spread God’s message and if he places it on your heart, obey him always.
Amen, this is so true. Writing it out on paper is a good practice. Then one day you’ll have plenty to publish online : )
Hello!
How timely it is reading your blog 🔥 God’s been prompting me for the past year and it’s been scary… I am currently at the first step… All I’m hearing is just write… Thank you so much. I needed to hear this. XO
Praise God Sandra! That is such exciting news! Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have : )
Thank you so much for this post! I was starting to get discouraged and was wondering if this is truly what God is calling me to do. I absolutely love writing/blogging, but it’s hard in the beginning. Thanks again.
-Cat Brockman (Mission Minded Madre)
You’re so very welcome Cat! I’m so glad it brought you encouragement to keep going! God bless you!
Thank you both, for the encouragement. I AM brand new at blogging. I have been called to write. Some days I find it so overwhelming, but to speak/write of what Jesus is doing in my life and sharing that with others leaves such satisfaction to my soul. Finding contentment in my situation has brought joy. I look forward to reading more of your work. I would like to get involved in your facebook group and get the ebook.
Thank you again
Sue Norris
That is such exciting news Sue!
I have to say that Carmen’s ebook is the perfect resource for those getting started with blogging. I can’t recommend it highly enough. I look forward to hearing from you and reading your blog once it’s published. Please keep us informed : )
So good! I think many of us Christian bloggers hit the wall when it comes to turning out content. The only thing that has kept my blog going is a daily connection with God. Submitting to Him. Asking for His will to be done through my work. I tell him that I will provide the writing if He will provide the audience.
Thank you so much for sharing Carmen!
That is such an honest and powerful prayer to begin each post with Bailey. I pray something very similar before I type. Thank you for showing support today : )
This absolutely speaks to my soul. Carmen, Thank you for writing this post. I remember where I was sitting when the Lord told me to begin a blog. I had no idea what I was doing or even how to begin it. I soon became trapped in the monthly views and trying to “monetize”. In prayer one day, the Lord told me to focus on what He called me to do, the writing, and everything else would fall into place. I’m thankful for a Christian Blogger community where we can share our ups and downs. You and Natalie are so encouraging!
You have no idea how blessed I am to read your words. I believe each one of us has to overcome the temptations that are attached to blogging. I’m so glad you are seeking His wisdom on this journey.
Amen! New to this blog, what a revelation ❤️
Thank you for this inspiring blog. I have made it over a year blogging and still am not sure what I am doing. But I’m still going and by the sounds of things, that’s a good thing! Thank you for all the help and resources (and prayers) to keep us going. God bless.
I’m so glad that this message spoke to you and gave you some inspiration to keep going. You are right! You are on the right track.
Love this ladies! Carem, you have always been an inspiration to me as a Christian Blogger! I myself have stepped out of blogging for months now, but can sense the Spirit calling me back, but as I talk to God about not knowing what to write, He informs me the same way “just start writing”! God is so good at how He uses His daughters for His Kingdom Ministry! God bless you both ladies!!!
God bless you as well Pamela. I’m saying a prayer for you today as you dive back into writing for His glory : )
I love the fact that relationships with people of like-minds is instrumental to growth. I appreciate the process of love, growth and bonding. God bless you both, Ma’ams!
God bless you as well! It’s wonderful to have your support : )
I had never considered blogging a calling, but after reading this, I guess it is! I have been called to write for Jesus, and am so happy to find that there are so many others being called to do the same.
Oh it absolutely is! Not everyone is equipped to do this, only those He has called. So glad you have stopped in : )