Three years ago on February 1st, 2018 I launched The Encouraging Mom Blog. Actually, at the time, my blog had a different name (Beauty from Ashes), but my goal for my blog has always been the same: to bring encouragement, truth, and hope to all of my readers.
When I started this blog, I really had no idea how the Lord would use it. Several months after I lost my daughter Hannah the Lord kept placing it on my heart to begin a blog, and honestly, I responded with a big “No!” I wasn’t a trained writer, and I didn’t journal much either.
I mean, surely the Lord wasn’t calling me to be a writer??
I was so afraid to put my writing out into the world for others to read. I wrestled through a lot of insecurities and doubts. Would people think I was a bad writer? Would they judge me for the things I wrote about? Would anyone even want to read my writing?
After some (more like A LOT of) encouragement from my husband, I began the process of learning how to start a blog. I really didn’t read many blogs myself so I literally had no idea what I was doing!
Through a frustrating amount of trial and error, I fumbled through the technical side of blogging, something that I never thought I would need to learn how to do. I’m not techie so pretty much everything dealing with the tech part of blogging was (and still is) a struggle. But God has been faithful to guide me through every issue which I’m grateful for!
After spending a couple of months building my blog and writing several pieces, it was time to launch it!
I literally felt sick to my stomach the morning I posted the link to my blog and made it visible to the outside world. Silly, I know, but all of the doubts and fears exploded inside me. I knew, though, that the Lord had called me to launch it so there was no turning back!!
Some of my readers have been with me since the beginning which is just amazing to me! If that’s you, thank you for being so supportive and encouraging these past few years!!!
Others of you have joined more recently, and I’m so grateful for you as well!!!
Whether you’ve been reading my posts for three years or just the past three weeks, it’s incredibly encouraging to me that anyone would take the time to read my posts. I hope and pray that each time you do, you walk away encouraged!
It’s Giveaway Time!!!
As a special way to celebrate my blogiversary and thank all of my subscribers, I’m gifting one of you with a copy of my devotional called She Laughs: A 40-Day Journey to a Heart Filled with Joy and Peace along with a set of my She Laughs Bible Verse and Prayer Cards!!!
I’ll pick one lucky subscriber on Friday, February 5th!! If you’re the winner, I’ll contact you through email!
As we start a new year of The Encouraging Mom Blog, if there is something you would like for me to write more about, please let me know! I would love to know how to best serve you through my writing.
Thank you so much for being a part of my blog community! It really means so much to me!
Pressing on in faith, Jennifer
I just happened upon your blog this morning. I’m launching my blog in the next couple of weeks and I was searching out other bloggers. I am utterly amazed at the similarities of our stories. I am 61 and constantly told I look like the picture of health. However, I have heart disease and Parkinson’s. I felt so strongly that God was telling me to share my story through a blog. Like you, I’m not a techie and did not know where to start. You took the words right out of my mouth on how you went through the process and your feelings about how the blog would be received. I’m writing to provide encouragement to others facing diseases. This blog post really spoke to me this morning. I pray God continues to bless you and your family.