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Blogging with a Vision – Part 2

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Yesterday I told you I had a vision for Intentional By Grace. Today, I want to try to flesh out my vision for you.

As I mentioned yesterday, I love writing. Blog posts are constantly percolating in my mind when I’m doing dishes, washing clothes, changing diapers, etc. I’ve often told Mark that my mind is like a Ferris Wheel. Sometimes ideas hop off, while other times the thought stays on the spinning wheel and keeps on turning until I find a way to put it into words for others to understand. Ideas come and go with each pass of the cart. It’s a joy for me to sit down and try to put on paper what is mulling around in my mind.

But you know all of this already. What about Intentional By Grace?

Well my vision is two-fold.

Fold #1: Take the Gospel to all the nations

Psalm 96:3 says:

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

All throughout the Book of Psalms, the psalmist writes of sins forgiven (Psalm 103:10), the mercy of our God, and the steadfast love and faithfulness of our Heavenly Father (Psalm 86:15). He pens his thoughts and prayers so that others could benefit and praise God with him (Psalm 150:6). He records all that the Lord is doing so as to give glory to God!

Mark 16:15 says:

And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’

I think that blogging is a wonderful way that we can proclaim the goodness and mercy of our God. More specifically, it is a way that we can fulfill The Great Commission.

Technology is a powerful thing. William Wilberforce would have given anything, I’m sure, to have blogs, Twitter, and Facebook to get the word out about the abolition of slavery! I wonder what the apostle Paul could have done with all this at his fingertips?! I can guarantee you that they wouldn’t have squandered these gifts.

Fold #2: Take the Gospel to all the nations Together

My heart’s desire for this blog is that it would be a place where dialogue happens. My fear is that this blog will be one that people visit and only read what I write. Instead, I want the articles that I post to be a spring board for conversation. I don’t want what I say to be the end all be all. In essence, I would love to see a virtual community evolve.

I think that there are many of you out there who have a lot of wisdom to share. Maybe you have your own blog. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you’re just starting out in your Christian walk. Maybe you’ve been around the block a time or two. Maybe you know just the remedy for getting a baby to sleep through the night. Or maybe you know the perfect recipe for a spectacular hospitality dish. Maybe you read something that encouraged you and want a place to share it. The possibilities are endless.

What does this have to do with the Gospel?

EVERYTHING!!!

Before I became a Christian, I didn’t know what the Christian life looked like. What do “those people” talk about? How am I supposed to walk in a manner worthy of my calling? I would love for a new Christian to come to this blog and taste of the goodness of God that comes the through the fellowship that is being shared.

In addition, sharing with one another is a wonderful way to build one another up in our faith. We can help each other be better stewards of all that the Lord has blessed us with. I know that blogging has made me a better wife, mother, cook, friend, etc. I don’t want these benefits to just be for me!

How does this practically play out?

Here are a few thoughts that I have for doing this practically.

  1. Comment on posts. Answer the questions that I ask. Ask questions of your own. Share your thoughts! If you love a post, tell me. If you hate a post, tell me. Did a post encourage you? Convict you? Exhort you? Confuse you? Leave a comment. I bet you’re not alone.
  2. Comment on other people’s comments. Do you see a comment that you can relate to? Tell them! Have you been there done that? Tell them! I know I love hearing that I’m not alone in something. It always builds my faith. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Solomon should know. So help each other to not feel alone and share what you’re thinking.
  3. Like us on Facebook, then start sharing. Have a scripture that encouraged you? Post it on our wall. Have a question you want some input on? Post it on the wall. There have been countless people who have told me that they learn so much by the questions asked by others on Facebook! So get on Intentional By Grace’s Facebook page and start talking.
  4. Follow N10tionalGrace on Twitter. If you prefer Twitter, same rules apply as said above for Facebook.
  5. Share what you’re reading with others. At the bottom of each post, there is a cool little gadget that makes it easy to share what you’ve read with others. Use it to spread the word!

Together I think we can change the world. At least, together we can tell a whole lot of people about Jesus Christ! Even so, I can’t do it alone. I need your help. I want to use this beautiful piece of technology as a way to tell the world about our wonderful God so like the Psalmist we can ascribe much glory to His name. I want to come alongside fellow believers and encourage one another. And as always, I want to have a little fun along the way!

Would you be a part of this vision? Would you come alongside me in this dream of mine? What do you think of online community? Come on! Give meΒ  your thoughts. Have I gone off my rocker? Could I be on to something? I’d love to hear from you!

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9 Comments

  1. Ok Leigh Ann…you got me! I am one of the ones that reads your posts all the time & never comments! LOL. I have followed you ever since you started with the Dutton posts! I have so loved watching you grow in your walk with Christ-especially since I got to see you begin your journey long ago when you came to church with Mary Beth! God has fully equipped you to be at this wonderful point in your journey & I look forward to seeing your walk with Him unfold! Technology is a wonderful tool to spread the Gospel!I am on board! Much love & prayers in the days & years ahead!

    1. Thank you, Mrs. Janet for your sweet words. I have often thought back to those beginning days. I confess, I was surprised to know that you’ve been reading for so long! It’s so humbling. Well, I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to comment. It has brought so much encouragement to my soul today! It’s certainly not easy “laying it all out there.” πŸ™‚

    1. @Rambling Heather, thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so glad that you have been encouraged!

  2. Amen! So amazing to see this vision unfolding and truly lived out before us over the past year! Praise God for your joyous heart in seeking and following His will!

  3. LeighAnn –

    My desire is to not only share this vision with you on your blog, but also on a plane of my own. I have been contemplating starting a full on blog for some time. I am going to be a new mother and I have a strong desire to stay at home with my baby. The world says “You won’t make it, your husband needs you to support him while he is in school”, but so many encouraging women like you say with your actions, “I can help support my family ALONG WITH my husband while raising my family in the fear and admonition of the Lord!” I know first hand, from your blog and others such as DesiringGod.com, that blogging can make a huge different in encouraging, uplifting, edifying, and SHARING THE GOSPEL! I may not be as eloquent with my words as you, but I sure hope God can use me in my rambling mess to reach at least one lost person, encourage at least struggling wife and mother, and so on and so forth! I definitely need to study up on how to be successful at blogging, but I know I have the desire and motivation to make it work for my family! I’ll continue to pray about it and read your blog for inspiration πŸ™‚ You have encouraged me beyond measure.

    God bless you and your ministry LeighAnn!

    -Kaitlyn Wright

    1. Kaitlyn, I am truly in tears right now. Just this morning I looked at my husband and said, “I don’t know if I can do this. It’s so hard. I feel like quitting.” There are a lot of things I’m walking through spiritually right now on top of life things that come with having a baby and all the things that come with the end of the year blogging sphere. Sometimes it all feels so overwhelming. It really does. But God is ever so very, very, very faithful. I believe your comment was from the Lord. It was a message to me. It was an affirmation that I needed today. I’m sitting at a coffee shop with an hour or two to work. My 3 month old asleep in the stroller, and I pray he stays that way and my toddler playing with his favorite teenage boys across town. I re-read the post that prompted this comment and felt the sweet assurance of the Lord to seek the things above for this blog, not my own plans and ambitions. I have so much planned for next year that the to do list can overshadow the purpose. So thank you for taking time to comment. Thank you for your encouragement. It was used by God in a grand way today.

      We recently sold Christian Mommy Blogger, so it is no longer something I’m actively involved in, but I co-authored a book about blogging that you might find very helpful. I moved the book to this blog so it can continue to be available to people like you. You can find it here, if you’re interested. It’s an enormous book filled to overflowing with everything I know up to this point about blogging. Many have found it useful in getting started with blogging. The archives are still available at ChristianMommyBlogger.com, and the new “management” plans to continue the vision. So those posts can still be helpful as well.

      Anyway, thanks again for your encouragement. It meant so very much to me today.