My Blogging Journey

 

From time to time, I get emails from other bloggers asking me for advice on how to start their blog or grow their blog.  While it makes me squirm to talk about numbers and techniques…because truly God’s fingerprints are all over the increase of my blog…I want to spill the beans about some of the things I have done to grow my blog. 

My prayer is that this information will help other Christian bloggers grow their audience so together we can make a difference.  The internet can be a dark place but together we can pierce the darkness as we shine our lights for the world to see!

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So if you are a blogger or you are thinking about starting a blog – join me over at Allume this morning where I’m talking about My Journey to 5000 Followers.

 

Walk with the King,

34 Comments

  1. Just wondering, since you are giving blog advice today, if I were to switch my blog url would I have to essentially start over or is there a way to redirect to a new name? Here’s the thing….I had a home candle business, which is why I originally started my blog. So my blog url is ‘indulgentaromas.com’. It is titled ‘I’m staying home with my mom’. I would like to change my url to ‘home with mom’ or something like that as my blog has REALLY changed from my original intention. As I gain readership, I hate to have my url be something they would never associate with my blog. On the other hand, I don’t want to start over in the blogisphere because of a name change. Thoughts? I appreciate any advice 🙂

    1. Nicol, not to step on Courtney’s toes in replying…but I recently have been looking into a lot about blogging since I just started myself. You can redirect your url to your new site. So when anyone types in you’re old url they will automatically be redirected to the new one you created. Do you have wordpress? if so- they charge 13$ a year to do that for you. If not I there are other ways. Have you checked out Blogging With Amy? she has some great tips on all sorts of blog set up things…and she might have some notes on this as well 🙂

    2. Marlene is right! And I love Blogging with Amy too!!!

      I paid Erin from Design by Insight (her button is at the bottom of my right side bar) to migrate over all my Blogger posts to WordPress…then I had blogger forward my old address to my new address. I was a little nervous making the move – hopeful I wouldn’t lose content – but Erin does GREAT work! It was smooth sailing!!!

      1. Thanks ladies….just curious….why did you switch to wordpress? I’m not unhappy with blogger, just want to have my url reflect my current site. I have a godaddy domain to eliminate the ‘.blogspot.com’ thing. I’m just wondering if I buy another domain name on godaddy if it will mess up anything I have with ‘indulgentaromas.com’, or if by redirecting it, it’ll just continue on. Sorry if I am being confusing and I’ll definitely check out Amy’s site

        1. I was told that since blogspot is free – they could lose all my content and owe me nothing…wordpress backs theirs up plus you pay for the service so their customer service is better. That’s why I moved.

  2. Thank you for sharing your journey. I love that God uses our everyday to speak life and hope into others. I am attending She Speaks this year for the first time and I am so encouraged by this article. God is somehow able to take the ordinary and transform it into extraordinary.

    Our stories and experiences have a way of renewing and refreshing weary hearts. I began to blog out of a situation that was terrifying. My 8 year old daughter was hit by a truck as she rode her bike. During that journey God was revealing His heart to me as my “Abba Father.” If I was that broken over my daughter, how much more was my father broken for His children.

    Over the past two years God has slowly been revealing His heart to me. He has reminded me of my value as His daughter and impressed on me that I have a story to share. I love to speak and write. I too want to be obedient to God and through Him speak hope and encouragement into his children’s lives.

    Thank you for your tips!!! 🙂

    –Nicole Howes
    set-apart-for-him.blogspot.com

  3. Thanks for your wisdom, Courtney! A few months back, God clearly spoke to me to blog every day, but I have since brushed it off. Your words are confirmation that I need to get back to it, so I just did my morning blog, (which I’m going to try and do every morning from now on.) 🙂 I also had to share a praise report that a friend of mine was struggling in her marriage – God spoke to me that she needed to start following your site, and although her marriage isn’t perfect, she has told me that your advice on marriage has really helped.

  4. Hi Courtney

    In late 2009 I was going through a very dark time in my marriage and was searching for any kind of help or inspiration and found you via Dr Scott’s website. Your blog turned my life around as you were just the inspiration that I needed. I don’t believe in coincidences at all…I was desperately clinging to God and hanging on by a thread, you gave me a solid foundation and a place to go to where I felt encouraged. It was where God wanted to lead me.

    I began blogging because of you…because I wanted to be a part of the community and leave comments. I later joined GMG and it has all been such a rewarding experience. My blog isn’t big and I’ve had some challenges with getting time to write lately. (I also have one of the longest urls lol! and I’m still making rooky mistakes) It has been frustrating and earlier this year as I passed the one year mark I started wondering about whether or not I should continue. I do believe that God has me here for a reason though and, as you say, the focus is on Him. If He wants me to write something it will get written and if He wants people to read it He will draw them. If He wants my blog to grow, the doors will open for that to happen.

    Meanwhile, I have to be content in the season I am in and I am so very grateful for all that you do and for the whole world that you have introduced me to. God bless you and yours!

    1. WOW Lisa – that’s amazing how God brought you here and how much he has done in your life!!! Go God!!! Thank you for sharing this and keep writing!

  5. Thank you so much for this post. I have been praying for the Lord to help me grow my site and wondering “Where on earth do I begin??!?!” 🙂 This post was very encouraging. Thanks! Blessings to you!

  6. Hi Courtney! I’ve been thinking recently about starting a faith-based blog and I’ve started to pray about it. I’m thinking of starting sometime this summer. One question I have is are blogs safe for computers? We do have a firewall and anti-virus software, but I’m a little nervous about the possibility of viruses and hackers. This is all very new to me so if you have any advice I’d appreciate it!

    1. Jessica – I have Norton Anti-virus installed on my computer and after four years of blogging it has worked well with no significant computer troubles or viruses. 🙂

    2. Jessica, your blog site is hosted by someone else and on their servers, which are just really fast, powerful computers). Unless you are hosting your own website or blog (a home server), then the content is stored exernally – not on your PC. Now, that is not to say that someone couldn’t maliciously post a link to a site containing malware (“bad” software programs causing computer viruses and the like). You need to have a good anti-virus and firewall software to protect yourself from accidentally clicking on a link that directs to a page with viruses and to avoid what is called “drive-by” viruses, which are viruses that can infect your computer merely by visiting a page. There are plenty of free anti-virus progams out there. If you’re running Windows I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials. It is free and it is right from Microsoft. I am in IT Security and that is what I use. More importantly is to make sure you keep that anti-virus software updated with the latest virus definitions.

  7. Great advice! I’m just worried that if I start participating in linkys that I’ll lose myself and what I want to write about. Ideas? I’ve really enjoyed blogging. A friend encouraged me to blog, her thoughts were that “I have something to say”. My writing has improved and I’m not lacking in ideas to share. Praying for HIS hand to guide me through this journey!

    1. Carolina – you can choose link-ups that are broad to join – for example Titus 2 Tuesdays is about marriage, parenting, homemaking or your walk with God – my link up on Wednesdays is broad also with the same criteria…not all link-ups are created equal 🙂 Some require you to write to their topic but some do not – find the ones that are broad and work for what you like to write about and ignore the others. 🙂 and keep praying – God will show you!!

  8. What a great post Courtney! I sure am glad I found your blog.

    The first video I ever watched of yours was one where (i think) you were talking about how to love your husband well. My hubby heard me listening and looked up from his book and said, “I don’t know who that girl is but keep listening to her! She’s got good things to say!” LOL!

  9. My story is a little different but everyone is called differently…I was called to blog after following Money Saving Mom for several months looking for deals… I bombarded my friends with deals via their email all the time,so one day a friend said you have a passion for this start a blog… now i did start to give the community more exposure to the Indian community here in this country,I blog about my shopping trips at Indian stores here in Jersey…but then being a Christian, God prompts me to write words of encouragement which i write on with what I have and that is the blog…you can read my latest god-inspired article here…
    link: http://www.desisavingmom.com/2012/05/to-see-is-to-believe-but-to-believe.html
    Lord only knows how this will go…I am excited in doing this though…

  10. I am really sorry to bother you, but I read this is the best way to contact you. I have been tring for over a week to get a download of you e-book for the Psalms Bible Study. It states that I am signed up to receive your post by email, but I have not received one. It states that at the bottom of your post will be a link to download the book. Can someone help me out or email me a copy of the e-book. My email is djahorne@gmail.com . Thanks for your time in helping me.

    Janice

  11. Hi Courtney! I don’t know if you remember me, but I used to blog on Coming Clean and you were my featured blogger a couple of years ago. 🙂 I have always enjoyed your blog and am happy that after a long break, I am back to blogging on a new site with a dear friend.

    I found your post over at Allume very helpful and I really appreciated your heart reflected in your “disclaimer” that God causes the increase. I know that to be so true as I’ve seen Him open doors in my writing and ministry. Good to be back in touch with you, Courtney. It is very clear that God has his hand on your thriving ministry.

      1. Oh my goodness – now it’s all connecting – I totally remember – you had the Bubble bath caricature like I had :)!!! Yes oh yes – I liked your writing – you made me laugh and you were honest! I love your new site and the mentoring -that is so needed!!! Wonderful!

        1. Oh, yes, I totally forgot we both had bubble bath girls in our header! 🙂 Your current design is lovely. 🙂 Thanks for visiting my new site and for your compliments and encouragement! It means alot. I have a lot of respect for you and what you do here. Looking forward to meeting you in person in July!

  12. Thank you for this post, it is great! I have a blog, I believe I only have one follower- my mother…lol. I started it as sort of an online journal for my children….kind of the whole remembering God by laying down the stones.

    I had a couple questions, if anyone who is more experienced has a comment, that is great.

    1. My blog is pretty basic design. I’m not asking for super fancy and elaborate now, but as My blog grows, will I also learn how to add different features to really make it nicer?

    2. Does anyone know how to take photos with an iPad and upload them directly to their blog? I would be so much more likely to blog if I could do it from my IPad.

    Thanks! I’d give y’all my blog…..but it’s still such a work in progress.

  13. I am NOT very computer literate, and I have somehow deleted my copy of the Proverbs 31 book. When I tried to download it again, it said I had already done this and would not allow me to get another. Can you help me??

  14. Rwading through these comments makes me realize, Courtney … you are amazing! (It’s not a very Scottish thing to do – to say *such* complimentary things about people 😉 but really and truly I had to say it!). To answer so many readers’ questions, to be such a livewire and to have so much to say to our hearts week after week after week. Yep… God really has called you to this 🙂
    A x

  15. Question about advertising. Do u think its ok to advertise on a Christian website I really need to make money while Blogging. I know u chose not to. I’m a single mom. Do u know of any Christian websites that do so I can get an idea how to do it appropriately.?

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