The Blogger Trap I Fell Into

The blogging world is hard. It’s full-time. It’s time-consuming. I have shared what it’s like to be a blogger, including lots of the struggles I face. But here I am 5.5 years in, 800+ posts later, hours and hours and hours spent and I am still blogging 3x a week.

I am so thankful for this space for so many reasons. It’s a privilege to be able to encourage others and lead them to Christ. I have been able to connect with people all over the world. It’s been quite the journey, but I am thankful that when Father prompted me, I said yes.

But there is also a lot that goes on that a non-blogger might not know about. This post will reveal some of those things, but I am mainly writing this post for the woman who got caught in the same trap as me in hopes it brings freedom.

There are hundreds of blog groups on facebook and I am a member of several. In those groups, many bloggers talk about all the tips and tricks to grow a following, gain readership, build engagement, etc. Hear me out, absolutely none of those things are bad, none of them. Also hear me out, my reason for blogging is different from the women in many of these groups as I blog because it’s my ministry. 

No matter why anyone is blogging, I have been disappointed at what I have seen throughout the months; influencers who love to play the “games.” What games? Well for example, paying for “likes” on instagram or using apps that follow instagram users and then when they receive a follow back, they unfollow them. Yes, it’s baffling the measures people go to and the things people do all to gain a follow. It’s honestly sad to see so many cheat their way through gaining readership and a following. Thankfully I am not responsible for those people or behaviors as I’m only responsible for my actions and decisions. I am happy to say I never participated in those methods and that nothing I have done has been immoral or wrong.

You are now probably wondering, “what trap did you fall into?” The trap was participating in what all the other bloggers were also participating in. This included joining engagement groups on instagram, like threads on facebook, and comment threads on blogs. Why would one do any of this? I don’t know! I honestly don’t. Before I knew it I was spending time on things that were building no spiritual fruit. I had no reason to be involved any of those things. 10 extra likes on a picture doesn’t further the Kingdom. A few extra comments on my blog didn’t help anyone either. But, I spent time trying to build engagement because I was told that as a blogger, that is what I needed to do. Everyone else was doing it and so I did too. Talk about the trap of peer pressure.

Again, if you are a blogger and reading this, I am not here to tell you what you are doing is wrong, because if you are spending minutes or hours in engagement pods, I don’t think it is. But if you too are evaluating your day and how you spend your time and realize 30 minutes of your day is spent on something that is unimportant, then I hope you feel the freedom to leave the trap that you might feel like you are a part of. Just because there is a list of 10 things that you need to do to be a good blogger, doesn’t mean you have to follow them. I’m well aware that what this world tells you that you need to do and what God desires is way different. The extra likes? They don’t gain you anything. More time with him? It will gain you everything.

My goal is to always be as real and vulnerable as possible. Trust me, that isn’t fun or easy. If you follow me on instagram, then hopefully you have realized that I am an every day, messy person. I have always said that if one post takes me hours to write, it’s worth it if at least one person reads it and it helps bring revelation or freedom to them. So whether you are a blogger and reading this, realizing you too fell into the trap of what you should be doing and you find freedom in realizing you don’t have to do any of those things, then this post was worth it. Or maybe you are a not a blogger, but have realized some of the things you spend time doing in your day are also unfruitful, then I hope this post meant something to you too. Please don’t fall in the same trap I did and participate in something that doesn’t further the kingdom. And if you have? Please know there is always a way out and the freedom on the other side is much more rewarding than anything you experienced during the trap you were in. 

PS. If you are going through infertility, please head over to ministry to join a faith-based support group!

PPS. Have you picked up a copy of my book? Buy In Due Time, a 60-day devotional for hope + encouragement in the waiting.

PPPS. I created a group on facebook as an extension of my book + blog to discuss anything + everything. Women only! Come join us!

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