Simple is Better: The Evolution of Simple Words of Faith
Over a decade ago, one night I sat down at my desk and decided to start a blog. These were the days when blogging was the rage. Lots of people blogged about all kinds of topics. Advent was soon to start. I wanted a place where I could send out a daily email during Advent to anyone who might appreciate a short inspiration in the run up to Christmas.
Truth? I didn’t know what I was doing. I did a short search about what I could call this blog. I landed on Simple Words of Faith. I did no market research. No deep digging. I just wrote down a few words I liked and organized them in various orders until I found one that seemed to work.
And then, I wrote. I invited some people off of my email list to subscribe. I shared the blog link at the church I served. And I committed to post a short devotion throughout Advent.
Somehow, I got them written and posted. Honestly, I have no clue how many people read those early posts. The number wasn’t important to me. I just wanted to offer a simple way for people to think about more than presents, their busy schedules and all they had to do in the days leading up to Christmas.
Christmas came and went and I kept writing. I didn’t really have a schedule. I tried to post a couple times a week, most often on Saturdays. A blogger I followed encouraged other bloggers to post every Saturday. I tried to follow her advice.
Over the years, the topics on Simple Words of Faith have been all over the board. Faith reflections. How to’s. I wrote about things I am passionate about: agriculture, mentors who have encouraged me, ideas of how to make your space yours, encouragement at various times of the year. I looked at my every day life and where I learned about faith. Then, I wrote these lessons. If I was learning from them, maybe someone else might as well.
In the years when blogging was the rage, most bloggers found some way to earn money from their blog. From the beginning, I knew I wasn’t writing to earn money. I saw this as a spiritual practice where I shared one of my gifts from God. If someone found a blog helpful? That was enough.
I have never marketed my blog, even though I have a background in promotions and marketing. I’ve never felt comfortable promoting myself and continue to struggle with this. If someone stumbled across the blog, so be it. I’ve never really followed the “best principles” of blogging or writing a newsletter. I just sat down, typed out some words, added a few pictures and sent it out into the world. Some weeks, I posted a few times. Other times, it would be a couple weeks in-between.
Then, I wrote my first book. As a self-published author, it was my responsibility to market my book. If I didn’t promote it, nobody would. I leaned onto the blog as help with this. Shortly after the book was launched, we found ourselves in the middle of a pandemic. Like most ever person in the western world, I struggled with how to put my feelings into words. So, I typed them out and posted them. A couple years ago, I ran into a woman who shared with me some profound words. “Your blog got me through the pandemic,” she told me. “They are what kept me going.”
I had no clue.
There have been so many times when I’ve wondered why and if I should keep going. Do the words I type and put out there make any difference? Blogs are basically considered out-of-date these days. Most bloggers have moved onto something else beyond their blog. They post on Substack, use videos or teach classes. They figured out a way to monetize themselves. Meanwhile, I keep writing old-fashioned blogs, posting them on social media and hoping maybe someone found a sentence or two that I wrote interesting.
Writing can be a lonely job. We write in isolation and with very little feedback about our work. I purposefully have chosen not to venture into topics that I feel are divisive and one-sided. Would readership have increased more? Possibly. I remain committed to the premise that what I put out there would be mostly positive. Somehow rooted in faith and spiritual influence. I use simple words and thoughts and ideas because, well, the title IS Simple Words of Faith.
Since writing a book on grief, I have challenged myself to think about who I am. What I do. Where I put my time, energy, thoughts and ideas. It’s hard for me to call myself a grief expert. Yet, I am committed to sharing this message of helping people identify the “before” and “after” events of their lives. Best advice says that I should only focus on grief and this message. Yes, this message is very important to me. But it’s not the only thing at my core.
I’ve done some self-reflection recently. I’ve had a variety of jobs in more than one industry and line of work. When I made a list of all the different hats I wear, there were a lot. I was raised to do whatever it takes to make something work which means I know a little about a lot of things and am not an expert on anything.
This is why focusing just on sharing a grief message isn’t resonating with me. I want to talk about other things. Encouraging things. Uplifting things. I’m not a flashy person. I’m too serious and practical. Yet, I find pleasure in the ordinary things in life and have this deeply seeded belief that in the end, the little things really ARE the big things.
If you’ve stayed with me to this point, you are probably wondering what my point is. It’s this: I am nearing a birthday that ends in a zero and I’m still trying to figure myself out. What this means in practical terms is as much as it might make sense for me to narrow my focus to one niche, this isn’t me. I have never been that person and at this point of my life, it doesn’t make sense to force this.
I’d love to hear from YOU. Some feedback. Your insights. Sometimes the best information/advice we can discover about ourselves comes from others. So, I’d like to hear from YOU. Would you take a couple minutes to answer a few questions?
Taking just a couple minutes to share your thoughts would be so helpful. I promise to read every single response. Your feedback will be anonymous, and I’m so grateful that you’re willing to share it with me. Thank you so much for providing feedback. It means the world to me.
Let me close by sharing how much I appreciate and value every person who has paid any attention to the things that I share. There is a lot of information out there. Significant competition for our time and energy. I appreciate including me at times as a source for information, encouragement and inspiration. I love each and every one of you and am so thankful for YOU. You inspire and encourage me and for this, I am grateful.
Blessings –
Dianne
Holy God – Thank you for guiding me through this thing we call life. May we find community within Your family as a way to encourage, uplift and support each other. Thank you for the opportunity to be with others and share in ministry together. Amen.
Grief can be hard enough without having to navigate the things people say. Join me for November’s Grief with Grace workshop, Stupid Stuff People Say. We’ll explore how to support someone who is grieving with greater care, compassion, and understanding.
It’s a free, welcoming space to share, listen, or simply be present.
Tuesday, November 3, at 6:30 PM Central Time, via Zoom.
Comments