9 Writing Tips for Bloggers
Blogging is ultimately about sharing good content and developing relationships. Invite your reader into a great conversation, with the feel of having coffee with a friend.
There are tips and tools of the trade that can make writing effective. Recently I’ve had some great opportunities to encourage new bloggers. So today, I’m changing things up a bit and sharing tips I’ve learned about blogging.
Use this post as a resource and overview. If you’re new to blogging, give yourself permission to grow into using these tips with confidence. Take advantage of the curated content and helpful links to additional information and examples.
1. Content is key.
What do you have to say and why is it important? Is your content relevant, and does your post give a single, clear message? Though there are bloggers that make their living by rambling opinions and random thoughts, most readers want to read a clear, relevant message.
Types of blog posts for inspirational sites.
- Share an experience with a take away
- Reflect on a meaningful message
- Devotional post on scripture
- How-to post/Tutorial
- List Post/ 5 Reasons to ______.
- Solve a problem
- Provide a benefit
- Resource list
I love this list from Scott Aughtmon of Recession Solution in this infographic I found years ago on Pinterest. I keep coming back to it as it offers so many great ideas at a glance. I’ve tried to find current information on this content, but have not been successful.
2. Write a great headline.
The headline is your first, and sometimes last chance, to catch the attention of readers. A compelling title generates interest. Use key words in your title and be clear about the benefit of your post. Numbers, power words, and clear benefit are places to start when writing a good headline.
3. Hook the attention of the reader with a strong beginning.
There are many good ways to start a blog post: (The following links include examples from this blog.)
- Ask a question
- State an interesting fact
- Tell a story
- Relate a struggle or need
- Share a quote or verse
- Arouse curiosity or grab attention.
- Describe an experience
- Invite to share a common situation
4. Keep it short.
500 words is the average blog post. Try to stay within a 500-700 word range. It is better to divide into two shorter posts, than wear out the reader with a marathon post.
5. Write tight.
Shorter sentences and paragraphs work well. Keep your paragraphs 1-3 sentences as a general rule. Aim for 5 sentences as your max in one paragraph. Pull out all the extra words, wordy phrases, repetition, unnecessary adverbs, and passive language. Part of writing tight is developing a good proofreading routine.
6. Avoid weak language and use power words:
Choose strong verbs:
7. Make your post screen friendly.
Create visual space on the page. Chunk your text using titles, short paragraphs, images, and bullet lists. Add space between each element. Any time there is a large mass of text on the page, it can appear to be hard or boring to read.
8. Be yourself.
Write with your personality in a conversational tone. Blogging isn’t teaching or preaching, so avoid any hint of the formality of lecture. Encourage and invite your reader into your experience, come along side and share rather than write like one who has all the answers. Read your post aloud for a readability check. You will naturally hesitate over words that don’t fit.
9. Finish with a call to action.
A call to action is where you clearly ask your reader to do something:
- Subcribe or sign up
- Leave a comment
- Share post on social media
- Like on Facebook
- Click on a link
If you are new to blogging, your head is probably spinning if you’ve made it to the end of this post. Keep this list as a guide and enjoy writing great blog posts.
Share this post using the social media icons. Have fun writing!
4 Ways to Make Time with God in a Busy Life
Four simple ways to spend time with God in a busy life. Time spent reading God’s word and listening to the insight of the Spirit at work in our hearts is a key ingredient in getting to know God better. A regular Quiet Time is the training ground in which we learn to listen to God with confidence. What do you do on days when you can’t find the time, or don’t have the energy to read your Bible? In this post I’m sharing four simple ways to connect with God in your busy life.
There’s an old Gospel hymn that starts out, “Read your Bible every day.” Time spent reading God’s word and listening to the insight of the Spirit at work in our hearts is a key ingredient in getting to know God better. A regular Quiet Time is the training ground in which we learn to listen to God with confidence.
But sometimes life doesn’t cooperate.
The baby wakes too early, the kids are sick, the house is a wreck, and a neighbor has a need. The chaos of life swirls in our heads making it seem impossible to find time to be still and listen to God.
Some days are just that way–it’s the free-for-all frustration zone. We all have them.
God knows our schedules, challenges, and motivations better than we do. He doesn’t need our excuses, because He knows and He cares. He knows our hearts.
I’m learning to trust Him with the process of spiritual growth, rather than feeling like it is all dependent on doing all the “right” things. Pray, read my Bible, memorize a verse, obey, keep a good attitude… These are few of the things that make that list in my head.
Grace is letting go of the feeling that we have to earn God’s approval with our religious behavior. His love and acceptance isn’t dependent on how well we perform the Christian life, but this can be a hard mindset to shake. It sneaks in the back door of my thoughts on those days I feel distant and disconnected with my Father.
If you would be more regular with your Quiet Time, if you had more faith when you pray… These are thoughts that lurk in the corners of my mind–out of sight, but easily heard. Have you had these thoughts?
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#devotions #timewithGod”]4 ways to make time with God in a busy life.[/tweetthis]
4 Ways to Make Time with God in a Busy Life
When struggle to make a daily time with God, consider these practical tips for connecting with God in the midst of a busy day.
Get more out of your time with God by trying a few simple tips for engaging with God in the practicalities of your day.
1. Reach for consistency, but walk in grace in your time with God.
Something is better than nothing. I try to at least read a short verse or devotion on a regular basis. Some days I have time and enjoy it. Other days it is more like grabbing a coffee at the drive-through window at Starbucks.
A quick sip and I’m on my way.
Cup in my hand, I sip my coffee as I do other things. One day, I realized that I could do the same thing with my time in God’s word–sip on it as I go about my day.
2. Keep talking to God about what you read in the Bible.
Later in the day, mentally re-visit your Quiet Time conversation with God. Continue the conversation. If you like games, call it the “Can I Remember?” game. What did you talk with God about this morning? What did you read in His Word?
Look for connections linking God’s truth with what is going on in your day. Can you remember the thought, the topic, or part of a verse you read?
One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to bring to our remembrance God’s Word. We can develop spiritual habits to cooperate and actively participate in this process. If you can remember what you were talking about, you can continue the conversation with God wherever you are, whatever you’re doing.
3. Continue the conversation on your busy days.
On those crazy days you don’t have time to sit still to read Scripture, you can find time to continue the conversation from yesterday while you are doing something else. Engage with Him in prayer as you go about your tasks or drive the car during the day.
Continue to reflect on and pray about the last thing you learned. Look for connections between what you recently learned and what’s going on in your life. You could try this while waiting in line, completing a menial task, or taking a walk. You could even share your thoughts with a friend and include them in the conversation.
4. Glance back and pray about what you read yesterday.
Begin each Quiet Time by glancing back at yesterday’s main point God showed you. Begin your prayer with a brief comment from the previous day before asking God to teach you today. Each time we review a truth or insight, we are reinforcing it. Personally, my brain is like a colander with too many holes for information to leak away. I need lots of repetition to hang on to truth.
Here’s a few examples:
Lord, thank’s for reminding me ________.
Lord, I praise you for ________.
Lord, help me to ________.
Try one of these easy ways to get more out of your time with God. Let me know how it works!
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#devotions”]When it comes to a regular Quiet Time, we reach for consistency, but we walk in grace. [/tweetthis]
How do you connect with God when your life is busy? Leave a comment and continue the conversation.
Get the Free Deeper Life Spiritual Growth Pack
Want more practical ideas to go deeper with Jesus in your busy life? Tip sheets to help you cultivate a deeper life with God. This power pack is filled with ideas to thrive in your relationship with God. Print the resource sheets to incorporate into your spiritual practices as you depend on the Holy Spirit to help you.
Top Posts for a Deeper Relationship with God
- When You Long for God to Speak to You
- Simple Ways to Meditate on God’s Word
- 8 Powerful Ways to Connect with God When He Is Silent
- Moments to Pray, Listen, and Think Bring Us Closer to God
- 15 Simple Ways to Overcome Distraction to Focus Your Attention on God (with printable)
- 10 Benefits of Reviewing What We Learn from God
- Simple Ways Silence Can Deepen Your Faith
- Discover Six Important Truths About Listening to Go
- How to Stay Focused in Prayer
- 8 Powerful Ways to Connect with God When He Is Silent
True Confessions of Super-Mom Syndrome
This week I have the honor of sharing on The Stay-At-Home-Mom Survival Guide. My talented friend, Jaimi Erickson has been a huge supporter of my blog–gotta love that!
An early childhood expert, Jaimi asked me to help celebrate the three year blog-a-versary for her awesome blog by sharing some words of encouragement for moms. Her super-practical website is filled with tips and activities for kids.
Now I am all about celebrating, and way better way to celebrate than bare you soul for the world to read?
True Confessions
They say confession is good for the soul. I’ve always been the sort of gal who struggles to get it all together. Disorganized, usually late, inconsistent, often air-headed…
So you can imagine my surprise, when I began to realize that I was struggling with a common, but little talked about syndrome. So it’s time to come clean with a true confession here:
I struggle with Super-Mom Syndrome.
The wonder of holding my son for the first time quickly turned into fear at the thought of actually leaving the hospital–this is the fear that sets us up for Super-Mom Syndrome.
What if I can’t be a good mom, was the silent question in my heart.
There is something wonderful and awful about the responsibility of raising children. Joy and terror can drive the most level-headed into a state of vamped up perfectionism.
Wanting to get it right, quickly morphed into Super-Mom Syndrome. For you see, Super-Mom Syndrome thrives on doing all the right things to build the perfect family.<Tweet.
I wanted to be a good mom. I wanted to honor God with my best. We used cloth diapers and I made our own baby food. I baked bread, read Bible stories, started my kids on chores and read books on discipline. I would have made my own Kleenex if I had thought of it.
All the while, I’d watch other moms, compare myself, and find fault with my efforts.There was always a gap between the ideal and the reality of life with three small children.
Continue reading this tell-all confession… Make sure you click over to Jaimi’s blog because you don’t want to miss this!
Living Miracles at Summer’s End
A warm welcome to my new friends visiting from The Stay-At-Home-Mom Survival Guide, where I have the honor of posting today!
Arthur Rubinstein writes, “I have adopted the technique of living life from miracle to miracle.”
From family vacations to quiet mornings on the porch, I am grateful for the miracle of moments with family and friends.
Summer days have slipped by all too quickly. My kids are all back to school and the house is quiet. I’m thankful for God’s goodness that has shown up in so many ways.
One of the most precious parts of this summer was having our Scottish friend visit for a month of great times. The miracle of friends that become family and hearts that become new. We praise God for salvation and life.
The simple joy of laughing girls splashing in water is a miracle of ordinary goodness.
“Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.”–Ruth Ann Schabacker
Coming and going, it is sweet to be together. These days, time together is a rare and extraordinary grace.
Though our son was gone for the summer, it was fabulous to know he was living life full with joy and heart. Here he is pictured with a few other counselors from the special needs camp he worked at.
I simply can’t get enough of the beach. Glory displayed in the miracle of creation–water, earth, and sky.
love it. love it. love it. Soak up the moment and live.
Sand on my toes, I dip into joy. Whether walking the beach or the streets of my neighborhood, I find wonder in the small things.
Summer walks around the neighborhood are vibrant with the color of summer. And though life has questions and uncertainties, appreciating God’s world reminds me His is faithful.
The grace of a butterfly and the wonder of flowers reminds me God is here. Surgery and seeking employment are things we trust into God’s hands. Life isn’t perfect, but it is filled with miracles large and small.
Visits with family and friends create memories and bring miracles of joy.
Love the people God showers your life with. Invest in the lives of the young ones, and you will reap great dividends.
Smile brightly and love deeply–these miracles are for every day.
Nothing says summer like family on the front porch.
Celebrate life and love. The miracle of daughters and birthdays warms my heart.
Cherish your furry friends. They are faithful friends. And truly, the waggy tail of a dog speaks joy without words.
Simple summer suppers teaching my daughter to cook. Joy in the daily things that we cherish when college days keep them gone too long.
The silly antics of cousin love. Nothing says miracle like the energy of boys that love with whole hearts. Let yourself believe that miracles still happen.
The profound blessing of generations gathering in family reunions. The miracle of family and God working through generations extends far beyond we will ever know. Share your life and give your heart.
Moments shared by uncles and cousins, grandparents and grandchildren are precious.
Summer is ripe with God’s goodness and I am grateful. As summer slips into fall, the weather will turn cool and the leaves will crackle underfoot. Joy is coming as we learn the grace of living from one miracle to another.
What miracles of life are you grateful for today?
When God Reaches In
When God Reaches In: Poetic Words and Images to Lift Your Soul
Reach.
I stand by the water in the cool of the evening. Calm like a mirror the water is smooth, collecting the sky in its reflection.
Ripples Reach
I toss a pebble, breaking the glass surface of the water. Ker-plunk, pebble creates a splash. Water ripples in circles, expanding and reaching toward the shore.
Energy Reaches
The energy of the pebble enters the water, creating motion that continues. Expanding and reaching beyond what was to what is and what will be.
Grace Reaches
A word.
A deed.
A kindness.
A prayer.
A gift.
A correction.
A change.
A blessing.
A challenge.
A smile.
A sharing.
Pebbles in the water of our days, reaching beyond what we can see. The visible becomes invisible and the temporal extends to the eternal. The actions of influence are gifts in the moment. Sharing a piece of ourselves, love ripples out.
Love reaches.
So often I wonder, what impact do the words that I write have? Do they reach out beyond what I can see? The gifts of my heart are pebbles in the water.
Yet there is another reach that I forget about but long for.
God Reaches In
This is the reach of the pebble in the water, deep below the surface we can see. I long for the weight of the pebble to sink deep into greater understanding and faith.
Though I may be concerned with reaching out, God is always reaching in. Truth breaks the surface of my thoughts, sinking into the inner depths–the division of soul and spirit, of joint and marrow.
This mysterious God-place where heaven touches earth, His infinite within my finite, where the eternal swallows time. This holy intersection of what is with what will be.
Transformation dawns when God reaches in.
Revelation is God reaching in.
Reach in Lord, past what I think I know. Past the misperceptions and the bald lies I have believed.
Reach beyond the striving of self that works to satisfy my soul in my own ways. Reach through the noise, clutter, and confusion this world stirs.
God reaches in and I understand that my availably releases God’s ability.
With the toss of a pebble, I receive His presence down deep. Evening comes as color blazes across the sky and light grows in my heart.
God reaches me.
Pray It Forward
When children are small, we hold them close and whisper words of love. We change diapers, feed hungry tummies, and kiss boo boos. We become experts at reading stories, playing games, and encouraging every effort.
The days children are babies, the issues and challenges are often physical–sleepless nights, tantrums, and the constant, “Stay out of the street” warnings. The world of a child is small–the neighborhood is the size of a universe, and the capacity for joy in the small things is bottomless.
Somehow, the world expands and the challenges facing our children change. As each year passes, adulthood calls and the future opens. My own children are making decisions, taking chances, and overcoming disappointments as this school year gets going. The good mixes with the hard, the new with the known, and there are countless opportunities to grow.
This year as I am praying my children back to school, I feel the size of coming decisions and directions. The year opens wide before us and God is in the gap.
Last week’s post seem to hit a chord with many. Letting them go is every parent’s challenge. Though we may not all be parents, we all have young people in our lives that we care about. Together, let’s pray them forward into tomorrow, laying a foundation of faith that their steps may be firm.
Pray them forward.
Lord, place your kindness and truth deeply into our children. May kindness make them a blessing to many. Mold their character in the shape of yours, with grace and goodness part of the way they think. Bless their relationships with others and may good character open doors of opportunity.
Help our children to trust you with confidence and faith. Give them a trust that reaches the deepest places and covers every weakness. Help them not to waver in unbelief, but to stay steady and strong in belief.
Give them wisdom to see the gap between their own understanding and your sovereign wisdom. When problems are hard and failures hurt, place their eyes on you. Teach them to remember you, to lean on you in all their ways–all the nuances of who they are.
Guide their feet on your straight path–the way that is your best. When they choose crooked paths that lead them off course, place them back on the straight path.
You have made these children we hold tight to our hearts. You know them better than we do, and you see the challenges they face. May they recognize your creative hand, learning to truly appreciate the wonder of who they are. Breathe your wisdom over our children, and give them understanding into who you are and who you made them to be.
Help them to trust your decisions, even when the no’s are painful and the yes’s are challenging. May they learn through challenges and testing that you are always faithful. Let them live whole and holy–inside and out–as they walk into the future.
Teach our children–guide and guard their hearts. Give them understanding and make truth come alive within. Give them eyes to see the real and ears to hear your voice. Thank you that we can depend on you to teach them far more than we ever could.
Place your plans and dreams in their hearts. Help them discover the passions and purposes that create life and bring joy. Give them your answers as they make decisions and wonder what to do. Uncover the false and bring forth the true motives, as our hearts often do things for selfish reasons. Enable our children to live from the presence and power of Christ.
Show our children the value of committing their effort and work to you. Help them to see beyond the temptations to please others and gratify self. Give them vision and purpose that is grounded in real faith. Guide their plans and dreams and direct their steps.
How can we pray your children forward? Leave a comment so we can all pray for one another.
Letting Them Go: Faith Prayers for our Children
Back to School.
Summer is grinding to a close and days by the pool are done. The family vacation is stored away in the scrapbook, with pictures of smiles in the sun. Facebook posts are filled with back to school pictures, and the kids are growing up. Babies are now off to kindergarden, while pre-school buddies are now seniors in high school. First day of the rest of our lives, the new year opens wide with opportunities and anticipation.
Back to College
This week, we’ve been doing a bit of back-to-schooling of our own. Sunday, I took my daughter back to college, moving into her first apartment. My son is packing as I write and leaves tomorrow. I think how empty the house will feel when they are gone, and I am so grateful that my youngest still has a little time before leaving the nest.
The future seems big.
This week, we’ve had lots of conversations about the new school year, and there has been a little anxiety about what the future holds. For my sophomore, she is feeling the weight of making that perfect decision about college majors.
Wanting to find her purpose and passion in life listed in the course selection of the college catalog–she fights the pressure of making big decisions. I understand. I remember my own sophomore year, wondering, what am I going to do with my life?
My son, has just come home from the summer-of-a-lifetime working at an amazing special needs camp in Washington state. Home long enough to do his laundry, fix his glasses, and pack the car, he’s feeling that uncomfortable transition of back to the responsibility of finishing his senior year.
The end in sight, questions for the future sit hard as the real world beckons. Graduate schools, finishing strong, and finding career paths, are all coming up quickly and he knows it. He knows how fast this last year is going to fly.
For me, I am excited for them as they discover their way, but I fight the temptation to worry.
Have we taught them enough? Are they be ready to be on their own? Why is one growing in faith and the other seem to be pulling away? I sense the awkward emotional energy of wanting to hang on but knowing it is time to let go.
All of a sudden the world feels too big. I fight down my mama-worries. Early this morning, I greet the day with my heart ready to pray. [tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#parentspray, #parentsofteens”]I cover them in prayer as these kids grow up and go out.[/tweetthis]
It’s hard to let go.
Part of me still wants to kiss boo boos and smooth foreheads. I still want to help solve problems, be there to give guidance, and be part of their daily world.
But it’s time.
It’s time to let go and cheer them on from the distance. It’s time to trust them to make wise decisions and live for the right reasons. It’s time to let them learn from mistakes and grow from struggles.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#parentspray #parentingteens”]They are ready and they will fly.[/tweetthis]
So as they leave, I smile at the days to come, and I pray like crazy. For though I am not there to watch over them, I am confident in the One who goes with them.
This morning I am praying for the spiritual foundation in my young adult children. I am watering the seeds of faith we’ve planted in their lives. May God may guard and grow faith strong and real this year. May He prepare them to launch into life. I invite you to join me in praying for the children in your life.
Prayers for our children:
Bless our children with wise and godly counsel. Teach them the difference between the false wisdom of the world and the true wisdom of God. Keep them from sinful choices and lifestyles, from things that will harm them or lure them off course. Bless them with boundaries you have set and do not let them stray.
May our children choose of their own accord to live out your Word. May they value your Word. Keep your thoughts in their minds. Grow our children grow strong in faith and may they prosper and bear great fruit.
As our children prepare for adulthood, may it come from the strong foundation of hope and confidence in you. Show them your faithfulness and guide their hearts to a confident faith.
Motivate our children to keep their hearts pure. May they seek you with a personal desire to live life with you. Make real to them what they have been taught, and don’t let them wander away in this wild world.
Thank you now for the work you are doing in these young hearts. Work in our children in an amazing way. Make your hand on their lives visible to them and to others.
May they know that you are always present, and may they believe you will do wonderful things with their lives. Strengthen and breathe life into the faith we have taught them, and may they grow strong in character and faith as you prepare them for the future.
Continue to teach our children as they go forward into the world. Guide their decisions and lead them on a level path, with the stability of faith that is their own.
Thank you that you can to more that we could ever ask in the lives of our children. Work within, guiding and working with power and grace.
Add to this post by sharing a verse and prayer for our children in the comments below. [tweetthis]Let’s join together in the power of praying strong faith in to the lives of our children.[/tweetthis]
I’m linking with Three Word Wednesday, Tell His Story, Coffee for Your Heart, and Whatever is Lovely.
Recent Guest Posts at Guideposts and Wives of Faith
Out and About
It’s always fun to get out of my corner and get out on the blog-o-spere. I have the privilege of posting regularly at several sites, 5 Minutes for Faith and More to Be. This month I’m excited to join in the fun at Wives of Faith and Guideposts. Here’s a teaser and the links. Come on over and see what’s up!
Guideposts: While They Serve
I am honored to be posting at Guideposts for the military blog, While They Serve. This regular feature is a great source of encouragement for military families and those that support them.
Excerpt:
Twenty-four years as a Marine wife has brought frequent moves and many adjustments. The Marine motto Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful) is sometimes jokingly changed to Semper Gumby–the need to be Always Flexible. For me, moving has been God’s training tool for learning to embrace change.
Moves become bearers of change as the outward trappings of life are whisked away. With the arrival of the moving truck at our new home, the inventory is checked, the unpacking begins… and life goes on as change moves in.
Yours may not be a military family, but embracing change is a lesson for all–it’s a part of every family and every life, regardless of where we live or what we do.
Continue Reading…
If you know someone who is moving this summer, consider passing this post along.
Wives of Faith
Wives of Faith is a community site by military wives for military wives. It is a great source for devotions, prayer, and encouragement.
Excerpt:
Worn out and exhausted from busy days and the stress that often comes with military life, it’s easy neglect the things that feed my soul.
Sometimes I need a change of pace as I commit to refresh my spiritual routine. Maybe you need this too?
The purpose of spiritual refreshment is to reframe our perspective, opening up our spirits to enjoy God anew. Too often, we make our spiritual lives complicated, heaping on guilt, and trying to earn what we’ve already got.
Continue reading….
I hope you’ll enjoy checking out these great sites. As always, thanks for reading and I’d love to here from you in the comments.
Joy’s One Thing: Have You Got It?
Choose Joy: Let go of the past and reach for your ONE THING.
We’re all in this together–brethren is a family word. Paul affirms that the playing field is level, we are all in the process of growing closer to Christ. The more we reach forward, placing confidence in Christ and letting go of the pressure of the flesh, the more fully we respond to the beckoning call of God.
So much more than a feeling, joy comes by reaching for more of Christ. It seems natural to want to pull in and stay right where we are, holding onto every bit of joy we can scrounge up, as if there isn’t enough to go around.
Then we read these in-process, on-my-way words again. Joy begins to seep in through the cracks as we realize, it’s okay.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@GingHarrington” hidden_hashtags=”#choosejoy”]We don’t have to be there yet![/tweetthis]
A realistic view comes as we let go of the joy stealer that we should have already arrived. These Spirit-words of Paul echo through the ages, and we receive permission to be in process. Every single one of us is not “there” yet, and joy comes anyway.
No matter how the days stack up, there is always more to learn, more to experience in this Christ-life. Out of all the things Paul did in this life, he narrowed it all down to the right priority of ONE THING.
ONE THING
ONE THING worth first place in our desires and priorities and the ceaseless-longings of our wild hearts.
ONE THING to fill up the doing of a life.
ONE THING that shines brighter than all the things a man can accomplish or accumulate.
ONE THING that holds the joy of mercy for every failing, need, or sin.
Whether the past holds good or bad, success or failure, only ONE THING calls us forward. Letting go of the memories, guilts, wishes, and whatever else is packed away in the suitcases of our past–we let it go. Hanging on to the past holds us back and steals joy.
Friend, join me in realizing that we can’t see to move forward if we stay focused on the past. It’s hard to go forward when we’re walking backwards.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@GingHarrington” hidden_hashtags=”#choosejoy”]Walking backwards is walking blind to the future.[/tweetthis]
If we walk into the future with eyes on the past, we trip over the rocks in our path. Staying focused on the past feeds dissatisfaction, fuels guilt, prevents healing, stunts growth, and steals joy right out from under our unsteady feet.
It is in this responsive confidence in Christ that joy wells up and overflows.
This is what we’re after, what we long for with every unsettled, restless ache of the heart.
Joy Stealer: Running after the wrong prize.
How often we make prizes of goals we set for ourselves. Often with the best of intention, we veer slightly off course, twisting a good thing into a ONE THING. Our prize becomes the getting of God’s good gifts rather than the deep knowing of God.
Yes and yes, it is easy to prize the blessing of God rather than the presence of God.
And isn’t it tempting to narrow our response to God’s calling to what we can do for Him? The prize in this case becomes the work we accomplish for God rather than the life we live with God. Like squinting into the wind, the prize blurs, and we begin to believe that our value is set by what we achieve for God. The relentless chase to prove our worth steals joy as we try to run a race we cannot win.
So today, let’s choose joy.
Stop running after everything but the ONE THING
that brings true joy.
In this moment, we can let go of everything that keeps us from reaching forward into Christ and into joy. I say this to you as a reminder to myself. We can drop feelings of defeat layered with fear. Opening our hands, we release judgment and anger and misplaced priorities.
And together we will reach. We will run forward with everything we’ve got. Reach forward not to win some prize we set for ourselves, but to know the joy of fully responding to the upward call of God.
So finally, at the end of it all, choose joy in the Lord for He is with us every step of the way.
10 Steps to Choosing Joy
These steps recap insights from Philippians 3.
Finally…choose joy.
Thanks so much for joining me in discovering the power of choosing joy. If you missed any posts in this series, you can catch up right here:
Finally…Choose Joy.
Choose Joy: Let Go of Joy Stealers
Joy in Knowing: Choose Christ and Receive Joy
More Than a Feeling
What one thought about joy means the most to you?
