I came home from Relevant with many goals. New friendships to pursue, stories to tell, and a blog to redesign. But my main goal, inspired by every conversation and speaker, but especially Ann‘s session, was to become an upside-down, spirit-led blogger.
It took several months of processing and prayer and sweat and tears, but in the new year I finally felt like I was getting the hang of it. I felt like I’d found my voice, my footing…but some days it feels like a very, very small piece of property.
I feel myself lean too far one way {pride} or the other {fear} and I’m lost again.
I want each and every post I put up on this blog to be led by the Lord and bring encouragement and cultivate community with my readers. But it’s so easy for me to get sucked in to passionate pursuit of my own goals, and miss His leading. It’s made me very cautious about what I write and hit ‘publish’ on.
But that’s another form of fear. I want to let go and trust that He will be faithful to inspire and equip and direct my words. I want to enjoy this journey, not spend it cowering behind the publish button, worrying that I didn’t get it right {again}, doubting I can hear His guiding voice. So, I vow to trust, to embrace who He made me {a writer} and dance in this new space.
{Stop}
I broke all the rules for Five Min. Fridays today (I edited and went over time – gasp!), but the prompt helped me get to the root of what I wanted to express as I welcome you to my new space.
The address is the same and hopefully you don’t have too much trouble coming in and feeling right at home. We’re celebrating some great improvements just for my readers…
- Comment threading – this means we can actually dialogue back and forth in the comments – yippee!
- Better organization and access to archives – this is still in process, but feel free to explore the links (and let me know where you see room for improvement)
Thanks to my tireless and always cheerful webmistress, Gretchen, and my patient husband who have both put in hours helping this non-techy gal get all set up in WordPress. Love you guys!
I pray you and I can connect and grow here – to learn to breathe, to celebrate everyday beauty, to listen for His voice, and to trust.
So come on in and make yourselves at home! Oh, and don’t miss signing up for my newsletter, right there in the sidebar It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while – it will be different content than the blog and monthly-ish. It’s gonna be fun!
Love the look and the heart of what you’re saying. And writing rules are just made to be broken anyway. I did this week too 🙂
Hi, Lisa-Jo! You’ve given me so much inspiration with your permission to break the rules. Thanks for stopping by!
It looks great Trina! Love the new layout and color scheme!
Thanks for your friendship and for visiting me here, Jess!
Wow Trina! Simple & lovely. Just like the girl who blogs here. 🙂 The quality of your content was definitely worthy of a site remodel. Props to Gretchen, too. When I get the Arctic AK blog up and running, we’ll have to do some phone consults for brainstorming purposes…
Miss you. So wish I could pop down for a visit on my way to or from the warehouse!
I can’t wait till you start blogging, Erin! I’m excited for you to open up a window into your world so me and Jesse can peek through and learn about Alaska!
Love the new blog look, Trina! It looks so you…and your posts have been such a blessing and encouragement to me lately! I love being able to come on over and have nice “visit” with you! 🙂
I love when you visit, Rachel. Ever since you told me that my posts are like a visit together, it’s made blogging even more fun.
It looks so nice, clean and professional! Wow. A great space to expand into. So glad you are starting to finally feel comfortable in this calling if yours. Love it. 🙂
Thanks, Jyl!
I love it, Trina! It’s beautiful. And sometimes a passionate pursuit of our goals and His leading are one and the same. A beautiful dance between sovereign and servant!
Oooh, thanks for continuing the metaphor. I’m not dancing alone, am I? Love the picture – thanks, Anne!
I love, love, lovey our new space, Trina! It’s clean and fresh.
As usual, your honesty and transparency bless me. When I read what you write, I can still hear the passionate voice sitting next to me in our small writing group at Relevant. I so enjoyed meeting you and have loved keeping up through your blog.
Thank you for being you…
That was such an incredible hour we spent together, Stefanie. I’ve often wished we could have stretched it into a whole day! Thank you for popping over to encourage me here and carrying on with the camaraderie we found that day.
Your new digs look fabulous!!!!!!!! And you are doing upside down blogging very well. 🙂 Loved talking with you the other day . . . I think we would be good coffee shop buddies if we lived closer! Guess phone conversations will have to suffice!
Hey, Jodi – thanks for your encouragement, here and in our conversation. You have blessed me.
Ooooo, lovely new design 🙂 I paticularly like the new title font!
Catherijn – thanks! So nice to have your kind compliments in my new space!
Oh, Trina, it’s lovely. Here’s to Spirit-led blogging! All for Him. As always.
Grateful we’re on this journey together, Tasha…
The new look is lovely! I like it very much.
Thank you, dear! Hey, I miss you blogging…where ya’ been? Always enjoy the glimpses into your life…
Looks lovely! Very “Trina” indeed!
thank you, lady. 🙂
I love the new look! Clean and refreshing. I wish you the best of luck my dear. I always enjoy reading your blog and look forward to reading your entries.
Thanks, Debbie, for the encouragement! ‘Clean’ is what I was going for, although it’s feeling a bit austere while I decide what to put in my sidebar LOL
Wow, I love how it looks! All the hard work has really payed off!
Thanks, friend.
I like the new look and space :). And I relate to the difficult balance between pride and fear. Pride is the pet sin of all men, and it is at the root of almost all our other sins. Beautifully written. Keep writing!
Thanks for your encouragement, Rachel!
I’m just loving how it’s looking! 🙂
(I’ve also loved the umpteen phone conversations this week’s project has produced. ;))
It’s seems only right that you would be my first comment – thank you for everything, dear!
Yes, I’m going to go in withdrawal after this project is done…unless we can think of another to do together? LOL