Thursday, March 12, 2009

Guaranteed Perfect Blog Stats



Competitiveness is not necessarily a bad thing; but I have to keep it in perspective. Lately my blog stats are dropping. The glorious saint would probably not pay that any attention; and I try to be mature and say it doesn't matter. Truth: I look at those dropping numbers and start asking myself questions like:


"Did I offend someone?"



"Should I jazz my blog up with some bells and whistles?"



"Do I need to reach out and join some blog carnivals and promote my blog to win new readers or gain back the old ones?



The only question that lines up with my calling is the first one. I looked back over the last few weeks of blogs and I can't say I missed what I heard God calling me to write. So, if you're offended...I never intended to offend you; and with the blogosphere you cannot take it personally. I pray and look to the Bible with each post.



I'm here for one reason. God called me to write last year in the middle of my heart wrenching grief of the sudden loss of my husband of 43 years. In fact, in the wee hours of Palm Sunday last year he was diagnosed with lung cancer.



Blogging was a funky term I knew little about. I learned a bit about it at a women's writing/speaking conference that I escaped to while life was so hard with people missing my husband and wanting to help me. Running off to be with people who knew nothing about our tragedy gave me a weekend to breathe.



Thrive Christians was launched after that weekend. Old competitive Kay showed up shortly after I began blogging. I would stew and study how to expand the readership of my blog. I attached analytic measuring devices to monitor activity.

But in prayer I felt God calling me to relax. I was missing the purpose of my blog: Thrive Christians. This writing is an obedient response to God's calling on my life: write from my heart and spirit as He directs. I am thinking of you readers; but your traffic here does not drive my writing. Jesus Christ is the focus.

He is my source of all good life. He has given me a thriving life from birth in places where living wasn't sure; much less thriving. Widowhood has been another "desert" where all the surroundings look like death, not thriving life. But, in Him, I am thriving.






Stats are down....how far down? 27% Do I plan to change anything? No. I know why I'm here and I know Who appointed and anointed me. He and I are fine.



Why am I sharing this with you? I know from your comments that I'm not the only one with some residual over-competitiveness working on my sense of value. As my mentor groans when I dare to share some of these thoughts with her,"Oh, honey, I thought that flesh was dead in you. Well, just go to killing it. You can't tame it. Life'll be so good when it's dead and you're totally alive in Christ."


St. Paul agrees with her....“I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).

So kill it! Anything in flesh that takes away from the life giving indwelling of Christ within us!!

Status Report of Goals Achieved at Thrive Christian blog:
all goals met.
Writing: humanly imperfect.
Heart condition: totally sold out for God...mission achieved.


















4 comments:

sailorcross said...

Love it, Kay!!

Write for ONE and ONE ALONE!!!

Beth

Sarah Martin said...

I love how you are so real! I am the same way. Although, I get a kick out of seeing the locations of the people clicking on my blog. Stay authentic-its a true blessing. I am so encouraged by your posts on my blog. Thank you for taking the time to read it.

Why don't you have a profile? I would love to know more about you...I noticed that you read my friend Nicki's three girly girls blog...is that how you found mine?

So glad to "meet" you! Isn't the internet cool like that?!!

love,sarah

God's girl said...

LOL! So true! All for Him and All for His glory. A good reminder!
Love ya!
Ang

Dorothy Champagne said...

I'm sorry, I've been one of the ones dropping your stats I'm afraid. I've been on vacation and gone for the last week and haven't been checking in. So be assured I will always continue to come back and only because I know your words come from God and that's what I look forward to reading.

© 2008 Kay Martin

Thrive In Christ

Who I Am In Christ by Neil Anderson

For several months we will center on this book to pursue Thriving in our Christian journey.

Neil challenges us with: "Do you know who you are in God's eyes? We are no longer products of our past. We are primarily products of Christ's work on the cross. Who we are determines what we do.

You are not who you are in Christ because of the things you have done, you are in Christ because of what He has done. He died and rose again so that you and I could live in the FREEDOM of His love."

That's just the introduction. More to follow.