Year One

(This post contains affiliate links where I make a small commission to help keep my blog running)

One year came and went just like that since starting Milk & Honey Faith.   I started on June 22, 2016 to be exact.  The lessons have been invaluable and the blessings have been beyond anything I could have conjured up.  If anyone had told me a year ago that I would be in the place that I am today, I wouldn’t have believed them.  That’s the way God is though.  He gives us more than we desire or or hope for.  His ways are not our ways after all.

The Challenges

I would love to tell you that it has been easy, but I can’t.  In fact it has been the exact opposite of easy.  Choice word there…did you catch it?

Opposite.

Opposition.

Oh friend, opposition comes in all different forms and sizes.  When you set out to do God’s work you will face opposition and boy did I ever!  I have been attacked in family, friendships, finances, and faith.  When you are being effective for the kingdom of God you become a solid threat to the enemy.  You become an exposer of lies and your work leads people to Jesus.  Satan hates that.  Therefore, he will make it as difficult as possible to continue.

Be that as it may, I would rather be attacked for doing God’s will than sitting comfortably in disobedience.

Obedience

There have been a few times that I have second guessed myself and wondered if blogging was worth my time and effort.  Was anyone really getting anything from the blog posts I was putting out there?  Was I really called to be a writer?

Those questions led to me having distinct thoughts about giving up.  Quick thoughts, but still there nonetheless.  Then I would feel immediate conviction because I realized it was foolish to quit something I was called to do simply based on my emotions.

Emotions are fleeting.  The call of God carries eternal weight.

So that’s when I would push through whatever funk I was in, and continue with my writing.

When I stand before Him one day, I’d like to hear “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”  It is Him I have to answer to.

Emotions are fleeting. The call of God carries eternal weight. Share on X

“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus–the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”
Acts 20:24  NLT

Hard Work

When it comes to blogging it is an absolute joy to be able to do something I love and have passion for, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard work.  It takes perseverance and faithfulness just like any other ministry.  It takes discipline to keep up to date with posts and social media, and it takes tenacity to stick it out when technical problems pop up (and believe me, they do).

Do not be disillusioned if you are thinking about starting a blog.  Blogging takes dedication and working your schedule around so that you keep God first, family second, ministry third, and work fourth.  Proper scheduling is a balancing act that I still haven’t completely conquered, but making good use of my time is certainly a lot easier than when I first started out.

“But don’t begin until you count the cost.  For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?
Luke 14:28  NLT

Accountability

This brings me to my next challenge.  Living what I am writing.

When I set out to start my blog I wanted my story to be real and transparent.  That is still very much my heart behind Milk & Honey Faith.

I knew that if I couldn’t live His truth, I would not be able to teach it.  So that is where accountability came into play.  I made up my mind to stay accountable to God and be as authentic as possible when writing about each situation.  By doing this I’m able to teach you while learning my own life lessons.

I am able to keep myself accountable to God by immersing myself in His Word and devoting myself to prayer.  He has shown me that when I allow His word to transform and renew me that I’m able to be used effectively.

It's when I allow His word to transform and renew me that I'm able to be used effectively Share on X

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2  NLT

Spiritual Attacks

Can I just be real with you…

The devil doesn’t play fair.  He’s slimy and grimy and loves to play with my emotions.

Before I started blogging I didn’t pay too much attention to the strategies of the enemy.  However, after getting involved in ministry the stakes are much higher than they used to be.  The attacks have been so intense that it has rattled my senses.

Yet, the Lord’s truth still remains and that is that He will never forsake me.  He will never forsake us.  The attacks come and go, and through it all God’s strength remains steadfast.

“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed.  We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.  We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.  We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9  NLT

The Little Things

There are also itty bitty challenges.  The little things are tiny in comparison to the real challenges, but as you know small things add up.  Small things like:

Blogging Platforms
Social Media
Hosting
Email Providers
Guest Posting
SEO
Branding

Well, I’m sure you get the idea.  If you let it, all that is involved in starting and running a blog can drive you bonkers.  All of the little extras are capable of completely overwhelming you if you are not careful.  My solid advice is to tackle one area at a time and do some studying before hitting publish.

These challenges are not mentioned here to deter you from starting a blog of your own, but so that you may learn from my experience and know what to expect.  I will be talking about the blessings in my first year of blogging in part two of my post.  Truth be told, if I could go back I would do it all over again.

Be Prepared

As a matter of fact, if I knew then what I know now I would have purchased a course, or book.  It so happens that I know the perfect book to get you started and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you.  If you are beginning to feel a tug on your heart to start a blog than I encourage you to purchase this resource “By His Grace We Blog“.  This book wasn’t even around a year ago when I began blogging!  Had it been, I would have jumped on it.

I’m also going to let you in on a little secret…

There is an upside to purchasing a blogging book rather than a course.  That is that it will save you HUNDREDS (if not thousands) of dollars.  Yes you read that correctly.  Those course prices can be over the top expensive.

This book was written by someone who has become a close personal friend whom loves the Lord dearly.  I’ve seen her literally put the details of her book into action and I’m witnessing the results.  Another perk is you can have this book in your hands and start reading today because it’s an eBook!  That means you can read it on your phone or iPad!

So without much further ado I introduce to you Carmen Brown from Married By His Grace and encourage you to purchase her eBook “By His Grace We Blog“.

Click on the image to purchase your eBook today!

Make sure you come back to read Part Two of this post about the blessings I’ve experienced in my first year of blogging.  You can also stay updated by liking and following my page on Facebook!

Be Blessed!

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