Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Jerralea's Journey: How It All Began

Jerralea's Journey began in cyberspace in May of 2008. Of course, the Journey began at my birth, and picked up in earnest when I gave my life to Christ at age 14. I say that because I draw upon my life experiences for a major portion of my blog posts. I always said that all this stuff had to happen to me for a reason. Little did I know it was for blog fodder!

Back in 2008, I had discovered some awesome bloggers - Boomama, Big Mama, Rocks in My Dryer, We are THAT Family - to name a few of the ones that made an impact on me - and I decided one day to give it a try. I had noticed that Boomama had as her tagline on her blog header "Read by Tens of People Everyday." Now, I know that was a tongue-in-cheek kind of saying, but I remember thinking, "Wow, if only I could get 10 people to read my stuff everyday, I'd be happy."

It's good to remember that thought when I get discouraged over the slow growth of the Journey.  My stats show that, yes, at least 10 people come to my page every day.  I've got to be truthful, I love it a lot more when there's 200 who come. But I digress.

My goal for the blog was to record a lot of family stories and history for my then non-existent grandchildren and other family members and friends to read.  I didn't want any of that stuff to be forgotten.

Can I tell you something?  Family and friends are usually not my readers. (I think out of everyone I know, I might have 4 who actually read every one my posts.) I've heard other bloggers say their family and friends in real life were not their readers, either.  In fact, some bloggers don't even tell their loved ones they write!

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think I'd want to read a blogger who was connected to me in real life - just to see if they were writing stuff about me.

One of the main struggles for me in being a blogger is to find that elusive "voice" you keep hearing about. Since my children are grown, I'm not really a mommy-blogger and certainly not a home-school blogger. I love DIY, decor, fashion,organizing and cooking blogs, and I have done a few posts on those subjects. In fact, two of my posts that have received the most page views in the history of the blog have been a recipe for pressure cooker green beans and one about setting up a tickler file.

Mostly, I write about God and scripture. I can't help it. I can see a devotional in anything. I'm not an authority, I don't have a degree in theology. But I am a student of the Word.

I've always focused on only writing encouraging positive posts. I remember writing a post, Our Peace is in Him, at Jennifer Dukes Lee's TellHisStory community that I'm glad God didn't call me to write about the controversial stuff. I've kind of regretted saying that, especially in recent days. Because I think all believers, at some point, will have to make a stand. I just hope that when I do have to write controversially, I will be able to do it in such a way that encourages.

I'm coming up on my 1500th post in a few days. My vision for the Journey has pretty much evolved to what I'm thinking of putting as my tagline in the blog header: Jerralea's Journey: Finding Him each step of the way Home.

Because He is there if you just look.


The Loft: A weekly Hangout and Link Up for Christian bloggers

I'm linking this post up at the Loft. This Week’s Topic: Blogging and You ~ (when did you begin blogging? why did you begin blogging? what have you learned through blogging? how has blogging been a blessing to you?)

If you would like to participate, visit Leah Adams' Point to Jesus website.

11 comments:

  1. Clarification please...finding Him in each step of the way home. Your home on earth? Your eternal home? That inner-space? I'm not sure I understand. We have blogged the same amount of time and I have about 1/5 the posts. So many thoughts in my mind and near to my heart. Blogging, for me, feels like I am cheating those in my life out of time. One day I will regret that I do not have a record of that time. Or that's what I think today. Always enjoy my visits to your little journey. Thank you for sharing, friend!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this. I've been blogging for a little over a year, and so I completely identify with your puzzling and pondering. Also enjoyed hearing your thoughts on establishing your writing voice. What a great topic at The Loft today!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Pretty impressive you are coming up to 1500 posts!!!

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  4. Reading along and nodding my head as I go. Lately when I see people who read my blog I have to say it's really not fair that you are all up to date about me but I don't know anything about what's been going on with you. I don't have many family members that read my blog, either. Boy you brought back a lot of memories bringing up Boo Mamma, Rocks in my Dryer, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can see a devotional in anything. I'm not an authority, I don't have a degree in theology. But I am a student of the Word.

    Similar hearts! It is a pleasure to be one of your readers today! Thank you for blogging. Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Jerralea! Congratulations on so many years of blogging! Wow, think about it...all those posts. Wow!
    You are just mirroring everything I think about too. I would love it if more people in my life read my posts, and I'm not sure how to fix that. I tell people I blog, and they act like it's Fort Knox, and they'll never figure out how to crack into it and read a 'blog'. It's not that hard!!

    Oh well, as God wants, that's how it will be. I remember reading that you wanted to blog for your family, and that's such a great thing. They'll have a record of your thoughts, faith, and the photos too. Maybe that's enough for now. Who knows what God has planned? We'll just keep at it, right? Maybe someday, we'll crack 200. Hope you get there first :)
    Blessings,
    Ceil

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jerralea!! we sound a lot alike... not a mommy blogger, finding my voice... but I do enjoy getting to begin this new season of life. Thank you for your encouragement to keep writing what God speaks to me about... I am not really a 3 steps to this or 10 things for that writer... it would be nice, I think, but it's not me... oh, well... I will keep in the direction God has unless He directs otherwise!

    Thanks again!! Blessings for your day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have loved reading your blog! I think I first discovered you via Susanne's Friday Fave Fives....which i also love doing as it forces me to look back on the week and find the things to be thankful for.
    I love blogging too. I tend to link up some of my devotional posts with my FB account so my unbelieving friends can read a bit of spiritual stuff...not that i'm a theologian or anything great but I do love to write what God is teaching me and pass it on! Congrats on your 1500th post!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, Jerralea! I love what you said about not being able to help writing about God and scripture! What a wonderful compulsion to "suffer" from.
    I'm Wendy, and I found you at The Loft Link-Up. I write at Blessed Unravelling

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hmmm, I'm coming up on my 1,200th post and I've been blogging since October 2005. Obviously, you write more than I do. Like you, I wonder if I have 'a voice'. I just blog about where I live and about knitting. I thought I wanted to do more about simplicity but that hasn't happened. And like you, I think I don't write enough about my Christian faith. Hasn't FFF been a saving grace for us?

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting! I consider each comment a gift.