Cathy @ Mommy Motivation sent me a few questions in email awhile back. I answered 2 of her questions with “A Wonder-filled Post” and “My God is Bigger Than Google.” Check those out if you haven’t read them yet. I was going through my email trying to clean out my inbox, and I found that I had not answered or commented on all that Cathy wrote to me.

Another thought - a lot of moms come from the other side of the coin - blogging with the purpose of putting a record down for their families. And then friends convince them to open it to the public. (they seem to be more content in their blogging! Lol)

Secretly, I wonder if my goal of “ministry” is simply ‘preachy’ and therefore not too popular! :\ Yikes!

I totally agree with Cathy — a lot of mom bloggers are starting blogs to keep track of things that happen. Back in the old days, families would actually talk to one another and pass down stories. One day our children will be reading our blogs for that family history. When I first started blogging, I didn’t really know what to do with it — that was about 6 years ago. I put recipes up on my blog so I wouldn’t lose them. I wrote things happening with my family so I would not forget. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that and everything right with it. I do think mom bloggers can be much more content with their blogging than  those who start stressing comments and number of readers.

When mom bloggers do open their blogs to the public, they need to be aware that there are mean people out there. Not everyone thinks like them or plays by the same rules (like “if you don’t have anything nice to say …”). Some people debate having pictures of their kids on their blogs or using their real names. These are very legimate concerns. I trust in God to protect my family, but I also know I have a responsibility not to be stupid with what I share. Naming specific places you go at specific times with specific names of people can get you in a lot of trouble. Be careful.

Cathy also mentions being “preachy” on her blog. If you pray before you write, God’s going to show you how to write it so you don’t sound “holier-than-thou.” One of the things I learned from She Speaks, is to write for you — write for women who struggle with the same things you struggle with — write for women who have the same interests. If you are honest about your struggles and share what God’s showed you through those struggles, you will not come across preachy.

As I was re-reading this last paragraph, it struck me that it could sound preachy. I’m going to leave it as an example, but go back and read it replacing all the yous with we. “If we pray before we write, God’s going to show us how to write it so we don’t sound ‘holier-than-thou.’ ” Such a simple change. It changes the way it’s received though. I hope you know I would never preach at you, but I’m sharing my thoughts as if we’re sitting on the couch talking.

If our focus is on God and what He’s given us to be our bloggy purpose, then it really will not matter if someone thinks our writing is preachy