writing – The Christian Blog

Back to the Basics

We are back to the basics

Where we believed like children

Without a wavering heart and no doubts at all

Giving out our best and blocking out the noise

Even when the situation was dire

We did not pay heed to our experiences

Neither were we attentive to our understanding

For that was what we were conscious of

But now, there are questions without answers

A lot do not make sense

Like when the word says

Give from your heart for you shall receive

Do not be anxious so we hand over our worries

Do not forsake the assembly of the saint and we fellowship together

But we begin to provide alternatives

What if I do not give to the church but to the poor?

How about if I worship but by myself and virtually?

Anxiety? I cannot do without

Then we begin to worship on our terms

Why follow the aspects that favour us alone?

Pray but not give to HIS store house?

Sacrifice but just a little aspect of ourselves?

Show kindness but only to the people we want?

Life happens, they say

Our experiences play a role and we struggle

Even with this aspect of ourselves

Where we’ve been instructed to let ourselves go

How hard is that?

Just like you, I do not have the answers

Because just like you, I am on a journey to acquaint myself with Him

I am back to where it all began

Just like a child.

Happy New Year. I know it’s been a while. Life simply happened and I lost the urge to write and publish here. I have been contemplating whether to still keep this blog or just shut it down and move on with life. It’s been challenging keeping a career, managing a home with two children and still keeping a blog.

The other reason for my silence is the fact that the blogging and social media space keeps evolving. If you’ve been in it for a while, you may have hanged your boots, changed your niche or considered leaving at some point. I was having a conversation with my husband recently about how the world keeps shifting towards fast content, thus, most people’s preference for short videos and reels instead of reading real content which may take them about 10 -15 minutes on social media. I have seen a number of bloggers who are actually shutting their pages and focusing on other things due to the low numbers of visitors and readers to their blogs.

What I am saying is that it takes a lot of willpower and conviction to keep a blog running in the era that we find ourselves in. The famous question people ask is how rewarding or lucrative blogging is and my current response is, I think it’ll be good to find other reasons to keep a blog than the money bit of it.

This year, I have come to the conclusion that I want to keep this blog. I want to write more frequently because I had a deep conviction about this space before it was birthed. My focus will not be about the number of readers I have and keep. I need this space to share what I learn as a Christian in my daily walk. Be my accountability partner – nudge me when you think I am breaking this promise. You can always find me on Twitter and Instagram (christian_blog_ghana). Let’s reconnect!

What about you? What are some of the things you hope to do this year?

Can I Write?

Uncertainty is what fills my heart

Confusion clouds my mind

Should I write?

It’s been a while and I doubt if I still have the power

That ability to touch lives with my creativity

To put those thoughts into words and pour it out as I used to

The pressures of life so overwhelming that they make me want to stay away and give more excuses.

When I know I should push myself a little more and create those beautiful pieces.

Procrastination, laziness, lack of time, self-doubt, nobody would miss me – were my justifications.

But I felt the guilt and the envy which prevented me from interacting with other content creators who were still pushing it.

How are they able to create? Even when we are unsure of our level of impact and the level of motivation so low.

Maybe they have super-powers that prevent them from giving up.

Gradually the envy metamorphosed to admiration.

I began to appreciate the tenacity of fellow bloggers who never rest and keep churning beautiful pieces so consistently.

They are the real MVPs

The break was good but deep down, I knew I had to get back to one of the most liberating passions – to create, to write and to touch lives with words.

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Blogging

Seven years ago, I fell in love with the act of blogging. I thought the most essential skill needed for blogging was to be a good writer and writing was something I enjoyed so, cool beans.

Instead of feeling proud for blogging consistently (well almost) on different platforms, here I am in 2020, sitting behind my laptop and reflecting on some of the stuff I have discovered for myself on this journey.

In 2013, when I started, I wish someone had told me that:

Blogging was not just putting words in electronic format but it was a deliberate act that required a lot of dedication and consistency. One needed basic blogging, marketing as well as some graphic designing skills.
Using WordPress (the one I am most familiar with) is like managing any other social media platform. It requires constant engagement with your readers and other bloggers.
Knowing the purpose for starting a blog is key since that would guide you to select a suitable name, design and topics for the blog.
It’s your space, don’t limit yourself. If a particular niche is restricting your creative abilities, you can gradually make changes to the blog by including other similar subjects. That should provide you with topics to blog about.
As much as you’d say your blog is not a personal one, it would be great to fold up your sleeves a little bit. Write a few things about you so readers get to know the face behind the blog.
If you are concerned about getting a lot of followers, keep being consistent and engage with other bloggers as well. Read their posts and leave fair comments. They MAY notice and follow you (stressing on ‘MAY‘).
What is the ultimate purpose for the blog you are creating? Is it for monetary gains, to market your writing and editing skills or for socialising purposes? That must dictate your tone, your choice of words and the style of writing you’d employ.
Don’t get intimidated by other good bloggers instead, engage with them and let their works inspire you.
You do not need to be present on all the social media platforms to promote your blog. That may even be counterproductive. Being present on one or two additional platforms should be enough (especially if you are the only one managing content on all of them).
The WordPress app on your phone doesn’t bite. On the other hand, it allows you to blog easily. Use it!

How long have you been blogging and what lessons have you picked up? Do share 🙂

Why I write…

I feel there is a voice in my head and it frantically wants to be ~~heard~~ read.

It is the director of the movie and I, the actress

It whispers to me when it sees prompts.

It dictates how the story should go.

It is the conductor of the choir.

The voice uses my fingers to put stuff on paper and the words jump at me even.

The voice is that extrovert author, always wanting to be heard and seen and I, the introvert.

It literally forces me to write because this voice desperately wants to be ~~heard~~ read.

I am not that voice. That voice only uses me.

Blame that voice when you dislike what you read.

Embrace the voice if you like the content.

For it is the views of the voice that you see and read. Not mine.