Let me start by saying that I have no issues with business bloggers or niche bloggers. I read and enjoy lots of them. They are needed. I simply have a problem with being told that I have to be one to be successful.
So yesterday we left off with me telling you that online ministry is something I do but it is not who I am. I also was stuck on the whole “niche” business. Who I am is Christ follower; devoted wife; mom; woman seeking to have a more efficient and productive life; I heart food and I love to cook it; I enjoy learning new things; I am a reality (challenge) TV junkie; I melt every time I look into the eyes of one of my men – okay almost every time but that isn’t the point.
The point is that I don’t specifically write on this blog for an audience. It is simply a bonus to me that you read it. When I started this journey I was asked about why I started it and I put it on my FAQS page. Those of you who visited back then may remember it. Here is what God had placed in my heart:
Question: How do you find topics to write about?
Quite a while back while I was scrapbooking, I began to ponder over what type of things would I want to pass on to my daughter (I do intend to have a daughter one day even if I have to adopt or just wait for my boys to get married). This way I could give them a book of advice without ever butting in! ;o) So I began to write down topics:
- Walk with God
- Kitchen Efficiency
- Where to get great deals and how to sell online
- Homeschooling stuff
- Beauty and health tips
- Getting out of debt
- Overcoming trials
- Recipes
- Family history (grandma, grandpas, etc)
- My planner, etc
My list was 3 pages long and I have only done about 10 of them. The rest of my blog is full of whatever I think of that day! So anyways, when I discovered blogging this was the first thing I thought of. It is a virtual scrapbook that I can pass on with all my tips tricks and anything else I can think of. Plus, I get input from all of you ladies in comments which makes it even more special.I also put special memories with pictures in there just to have that as well.
Now it amazes me how over time I would lose sight of this and then God would give me a passion to write about it again. Most recently with the whole genealogy thing. My blog is scattered with posts that are rooted in this passion. Those posts are the ones that I was excited about. Those posts are the ones that I was passionate about.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Howard Thurman
It’s also quite amazing how God orchestrated things years ago that only now affect me. As I’m going through all of these thoughts and things I realize something. I never listened to any of the She Speaks CDs I got from the 2009 conference. So I take them out and start listening. After listening to nearly all of them I come across one I don’t remember ordering, yet it was on my order form and in my handwriting. It was a session by two amazing women, Emily and Nester. They are sisters and they are as cute as can be and I absolutely adore them. Their talk was entitled “Defining and Redefining the Purpose of Your Blog”. I immediately got nauseous thinking I could not bear to hear one more talk on niches especially from two of my favorite bloggers.
I was wrong. These girls get it.
Emily talked about how we all see blogs differently according to how God wired us. Nester sees blogs as rooms. Emily sees blogs as books.
I see blogs as people.
Even when I go to a niche blog I see a person. One I can think of off of the top of my head is Laura from Org Junkie. I have followed her for years. I adore her. Even though she specifically talks about organization I get her personality through the posts. Nester is the same way. Otherwise, it is just stale journalism. Then you have the other extreme. People who seem to be just as eclectic and random as I am: BooMama. Somebody tell her to focus her niche. Ha! She has no need to because her blog is awesome just as it is, “internets”.
But… defining and redefining the purpose of your blog. That is such a new perspective. That hits home. That makes sense. I can do that. Better yet, I want to do that. So I asked God what the purpose of this blog should be. I was reminded of why I blog (as noted above). Then he reminded me of the first blog I had: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31.
I get it, God. I get it.
Forget niches, My blog has a purpose and the purpose of this blog is to reflect the life of a woman in pursuit of Proverbs 31: the pursuit of Proverbs 31 is the pursuit of Jesus Christ.
Oh there is more too but I’ll tie it all up with a pretty bow tomorrow. In the meantime, what has God spoken to your heart about your purpose? Whether it be blogging or writing in general. What are you passionate about? And just for fun what do you see blogs as: books, rooms, people, photo albums, businesses, what?
For additional reading:
- Define Your Bloggy Purpose – Take One by Emily from Chatting at the Sky
- Define Your Bloggy Purpose – Take Two by Emily from Chatting at the Sky
More topics that might interest you:
- Niche Series part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4
- What bothers you about blogs: mistakes bloggers make
- Competition in Ministry
Print 
PDF Please take a moment and visit my sponsors to see how they can help you!
- ArtBookbindery.com – Empowering writer’s to self-publish!
- Manners Mentors – Discover your purpose and influence a generation!
- Pix-O-Sphere – Family friendly photo community
Also check out:
- Missed BlissDom 2011? Get It Here. It’s just like being there!
- ? 31 Days to Build a Better Blog – Easy step by step ways to improve your blog presence!
- List Plan-It – For the list lover in you!
- E-MEALZ – Easy Meals for Busy and Frugal Families
- *UPDATED* Clutter Diet – Everything you need to tackle the clutter once and for all!
- Plan to Eat – Because eating at home should be easier
.
I see blogs as people, too. I think of the names of the people I read like “Lysa” or “Nester” not even the names of their blogs. I’m eating up this series. : ) It came at the perfect time for me. Thank you so much!
Amy, I started out blogging three years ago. I was going to help my entrepreneur husband and he needed to learn more about social media. Although most of my working life was as a nurse, I also had a degree in Management and marketing was my favorite subject. So, I read all I could and followed and consulted with people like Chris Brogan. And I began Heart Choices.
However, my blogging ‘career’ has evolved and completely changed. I started out giving heart health advice and was very involved with Wellsphere ( a health and wellness site). But the more I wrote from my heart, I had to share all about my heart relationship with Jesus. I couldn’t help myself.
So, I guess I’m all over the place with blogging too. My niche started out as health. But heart health is so much more than physical. What we put into our minds, what we say, the people we associate with, what we are learning and how we are growing ….
God is so good. I will continue to grow and change as the Lord molds me for His purposes. So, I guess Heart Choices will change along with His path for me. I guess I see blogging as stages in my life.
Loved this Amy!
Love and blessings,
Debbie
Amy – this is so great! Thank you. Like others, my blog is fairly eclectic – I write about things I love (or hate) about life & love, faith & family – and I don’t want anyone telling me I have to focus on one of those. My blog is about me – it reflects who I am and I don’t want someone to box me in. GOOD STUFF!
And it’s so funny because I was just thinking (literally – a few minutes before I read this) about the things God is doing in my life and how HE is redefining me and how I feel like He is redefining my blog because of it. I love it when God does that!!!
I see blogs as people too for the most part. And I can think of certain people’s blogs as having purpose. My purpose for blogging is to focus on God through the simple, everyday and ordinary days of my life. I use my pictures to share a written spiritual truth. Because of my life story, I feel compelled to remind others not to miss what is MOST IMPORTANT: relationship with God. And out of that comes reaching out to others, loving people, allowing God to heal where we hurt, to discover Him in play or work. Blah, blah, blah.
The bottom line is I spent too many years focused on meaningless things and I don’t want the world, or my loved ones or friends, to miss HIM with all the busyness or distractions we all have.
Make sense?
Thanks for making me think. I often think I am leaving a record for my children. I want them to see what their mom noticed and what God was teaching her.
niche vs. purpose. Sooo good! YES! Purpose trumps every time.
Thank you! I’ve been feeling bad that my blog posts are so eclectic, that maybe I shouldn’t even be doing it- since I don’t have a “niche”.
Ah, refreshing permission to just be me in my little home on the web.
Thank you, Amy!
I really enjoy reading your blog and this post is just what I needed today. I often feel the same way. I wonder what I should be writing about… but then I just end up not writing anything. I started my blog with the purpose of sharing with others what the Lord has done for me and taught me. Sometimes I forget that. Thanks for the reminder.
God bless!
Ok, can I just say how much I am loving you lately…no, not just because I won a book from you, but, just so you know, Gifts ARE my love language, heehee!
Any who, but I love your complete and utter transparency, good or bad it is what it is and what you are is a passionate woman who seeks to serve Him in all she does, and that, my friend, is something that we all love about you!
Who said we “have to have” a niche? I know I know, the literary agents, editors, publishers have told me the same thing, but you know what…I am who I am and I am a woman who is passionately pursing God each and every day and I pray that shines through my bloggy home and all I do.
I will listen to those links you gave us…thanks for that!
As far as blogs…I absolutely see them as PEOPLE…for me it is *always* about the people, the what they do or say is second to them as a person. God hard wired me to be a people person and I am absolutely certain that is why I see blogs that way.
Thanks so much for being a REAL, TRANSPARENT, AUTHENTIC woman of God…you’re pretty awesome!
xoxo,
Melissa
Girl, you keep leaving me with cliff hangers! LOL I am enjoying these series of posts because I, too, have struggled with all the “niche” talk. Feeling lacking in all areas! Thanks for addressing this! You so rock!!!
Amen and Amen my friend!
I enjoyed what you said about how the two sisters viewed their blogs and how you view yours: people. Caused me to pause and think about how I view my blog immediately what came to my mind is what’s already in my heart from the LORD…
…souls.
That’s how I see my blog. It’s a place to share my heart with others — to speak into the lives of other souls that are all just as important to GOD as everyone else is.
Knowing your purpose and living it is an amazing thing Amy. I remember when I “got it” as you have. I’m also in a place right now of CHANGING completely my blog, removing some things, revising, redoing and following GOD’s lead.
I don’t know about you but I have experienced this year, “a new thing”. GOD has me knee deep in the FREEDOM area! Not freedom to do whatever you want to do but the FREEDOM to live my life fully healed and whole in Christ without “revisiting” the nonsense of a painful childhood. Yes, at 44.5 yrs old I’m healed but I wasn’t quite whole YET until the journey I’m on now with the LORD…HALLELUJAH TO GOD!
So with the changes that I’m walking through…the journey that I’m on in GOD, there is great change that is in my personal life and is on the way to my blog too.
You’re writing blesses my socks off! Have I told you that lately??!! Love you! Keep writing! Keep doing your thing in the LORD!!!
P.S. Did you receive my address for the book? Thanks again! Love you much!
I love this. Because the Proverbs 31 woman is who I strive to be like. And that is why I started following your blog originally, because of the name.
I was struggling with the whole niche thing with my blog, but it is what it is, and it’s my life!
http://allthekingsblessings.blogspot.com/
http://workofheartandsoul.wordpress.com/about/
Yep, my about page says just that! EXACTLY what my blog is about, and I am so happy I have stayed true to it. I don’t care if I have a 1,000 readers or not. It’s FOR ME and my family…if they happen to get something from it, then GREAT!
Love your blog and you just the way they are!
agreed, agreed, AGREED! I’m in the same boat – thanks for articulating so well what I already know but needed the encouragement for. I blog for many of the same reasons you do. I like to refer to the proverbs 31 woman as the origional wonder woman!
~Visiting from Emily’s Tweet~
heidi
Amy,
I so have been thinking on this for the last week or so – needing to focus more on WHAT my blog is for! God lead me here… reminding me that I blog to share my life with Him, how He’s leading me, and even how I make mistakes too. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this. I’m so much more comforted and at peace hearing that I’m not alone in this bloggy journey of just sharing me!
Hugs & Prayers, HL
Great post, Amy!!
I needed to read this today! Completely. 100%.
this resonates with me, especially since i feel that my passions for life and writing are too varied for a niche anyway. but purpose? yes and yes and yes.
love that thurman quote. here’s to writing from where our hearts are hard-wired and coming alive!
I like this. I needed this. I have been feeling like I needed to “focus” my blog, but yet, it’s MY blog. I’m still not sure where I’m headed – and I may lose some readers along the way. This is definitely an area I need to spend some serious time in prayer over…
Again, I love this! I started my blog in June of ’08 because I desperately needed a creative outlet and to make connections with like minded women from my bed (at that time in my health journey). I didn’t care then about a niche, for heaven’s sake, I can’t niche myself as much as I have tried!
I completely see blogs as people..thank you so much for helping me define that. I care about the person/personality behind the blog and I share who I am, as a person, through my writing.
I am being blessed by you sharing your heart, woman! Keep it up!
Amy – what kind words you say here. I’m with you: I never felt more free in the blog writing than when I realized I just have to write what I love. And what I love just isn’t very niche-y. Thanks for the links!
All I can say is I love you – not in a stalkerish-weird way. Totally in a I-so-get-you-and-love-all-you-write-about way
I totally get it. This speaks so much of what I have felt. I have tried separating my blogs into different interests/topics however it took too much time and I am not all about that one thing. I have passions, many passions. But most important of all to me is to be the woman God has created me to be and pursue His will for my life. That encompasses all my desires/interests. That is another reason why I named my blog Sincerely Me. Because all my interests are part of who I am (homeschooling, photography, reading, and just what God puts on my heart). I am really enjoying reading your blog about this and about all you write because it is about who you are. I also think of blogs in regards of people. Thank you so much for these posts. It helps to know I am not the only one like this.