I’ve been quiet around the fence lately. My heart hasn’t been able to connect with the keyboard, and I’ve been feeling very small in the blog world. And so I share recipes and a giveaway, which brings me joy, but I know it’s not my norm and I feel that.
But here’s the thing:
my voice matters.
It rings loud and clear about my stories, my experiences, my life and heart. When I feel niche-less and un-expert on any particular topic, I’m confident in knowing that I am an expert in my life & stories. And I know that in sharing those things, you feel open to sharing your own life and experiences and stories. I know this because you tell me, both online and off:
- You thank me for telling you that my Boy still doesn’t sleep thru the night because yours doesn’t either, and then you don’t feel like a failure or alone in the wee hours.
- You’ve thanked me for sharing about my postpartum healing nightmare, and told me you feel less like a freak because your body didn’t bounce back from birthing a child, and that you didn’t feel alone when you started hooha therapy.
- You confide a miscarriage to me because I’ve shared about mine. Both times.
- You make recipes I share and tell me that your family gobbled it up.
- You feel like you know my family, even without their names, because of the pictures and stories, and so we skip the small talk and dive into the real.
And THAT? Those stories? They are the reason I write. You, and YOUR voice, matters to me and mine. Because it is in each others voice that we find our own. Your stories matter. Your voice, written on the pounding out on the keys, is important. And when we feel like we’re losing that passion, that drive, that voice… we can look to one another to find it.
Mary DeMuth said a few weeks ago that if we clam up, if we don’t share our stories and words, that part of God’s Kingdom is not being ministered to. People will miss out if you don’t write. Not only do your stories matter to me finding my voice, your stories may provide oasis to others. I follow blogs because I find myself in their words, and it’s a solace to me to find a kindred spirit who provides comfort to me, even unbeknownst to them. That’s what we do offline, right? Choose and make friends who share a common thread, who give us a shoulder to lean on, who give space in which to vent, who rejoice with us, who grieve with us, who do life with us. And believe it or not, that can happen online too.
But we need to be brave and bold and sit down and write. Community can’t happen here if we don’t write. Friendships can’t grow if we don’t share. Even when we don’t know what to say… we need to show up. This is what I’m learning:
Show up.
Write.
Be an expert of your own life.
Share your stories.
This is all we need to do. There’s no need for pin-able graphics or polished editing or endorsements. All we need to do is come to the fence.
-Anna
{girl with blog}
Community can’t happen when we don’t write…yes I can relate with that so much. I have struggled finding or making the time myself!! And btw my girl who will be 3 in December still cries out in the middle of the night for her mama. I haven’t had a full nights sleep in years! 🙂 Somehow we mange though don’t we?! 🙂
Somehow, we do! Good grief. It’s holy energy, I believe =)
I have been in a blogging funk too. But I have been trying to focus on the reason I started which was to just document life for my boys as their baby book – since none of them have one. haha. And decided to focus less on having some deep message or perfectly edited piece of writing. You told me to take a break, and I did that too. I always enjoy your words. See ya soon!
Thanks, friend. Can’t wait for Fridays to get here! =)
Thanks for the encouragement; I have been in the same boat lately. I love reading your posts!
Thank you, Jaimie!
I recently had a miscarriage, and in the fog of starting to heal (and write) about the experience, I remembered a post of yours that I had read when you shared your story. Coming back here and finding it was a source of hope…I am amazed at how little I knew about what this sad and painful loss would be like, because many of the women in my life had NOT shared their stories with me, so I am infinitely grateful for the mother-writers I know who live up to the vulnerability and courage that this story-telling takes. Thank you.
Oh Laura. I just clicked over and read your words. I am so, so sorry. Thank you for coming here and letting me know that you did – I’ll be praying for you and your family. Grateful to have met you.
I love this: “People will miss out if you don’t write”. This is a wonderful and encouraging post! Thanks for the reminder that we all matter.
Thank you for YOUR encouraging post here!! I needed that reminder from Mary. It’s been running on repeat in my head ever since =)
Just what this soul needed – it has been overyly sporadic on my blog…just haven’t had the time and haven’t felt the NEED to write. But as you say, when we don’t speak our story isn’t told. When our story isn’t told the lives of those who need your story aren’t reached.
community!
It’s so worth it, to dig deep for words even when we swear there aren’t any.
Anna, I can’t thank you enough for writing this post. I’m sitting here at my desk (at work!) trying not to just sob (that doesn’t go over well with the customers!).
This is exactly the encouragement I needed. I’ve had parts of my story stirring around in me for awhile now but they are so hard to write down. I imagine there will be great healing for me and if even one person can be helped by reading my story then it is all worth it isn’t it?
Thank you for your open heart!
Vicki, I think you have it in you to share. I know you do. I hope you do it one day. So glad I know you =)
Wow, girl. This touched me in the depths of my souls. I am a blogger that never blogs. Thank you for reminding me that my voice is important. Thank you for using your voice to give importance to mine.
Thanks, Kelly. I so appreciate your kind words =)
So true! Coming to the fence, show up and write! Thank you for the encouragement! 🙂
Thank YOU for coming to my little fence! =)
Such powerful words. Thank you for sharing. I need that reminder as I’m just starting my blogging journey.
Deanna, I’m so glad you stopped by! You’ll hear so many things from so many different people, and as a blogger it’s up to you to sift thru them and create the space you want. Blessings as you start out – it is SO, totally, 100% worth it!
Love it. Thank you.
Anna, thanks for this post! There are so many days when I just don’t feel like writing; that I don’t have anything worthy to blog about. Yet I find that when I do blog, there is something so incredibly holy about spilling my guts out on the page! Thank you! Miss you guys! Love ya friend!
Amen! Too often I write posts in my head and worry to much over what people will think, and then they never get written. But when I just let the words spill out, let my story be real, somehow God shows up. Thanks for sharing your story here, and for encouraging me to share mine! Love you friend.
Thanks for the encouragement to write.