Friends! I have been looking forward to this post because there is much goodness on tap for today! Today marks six months since this blog really got up & running, and somehow became a thing. For several months prior to that, I did get my feet wet sending out copy for various advocacy and humanitarian ministries, but I had not yet added my own voice. I made that leap last October, after the pivotal opportunity I had to attend the Influence conference. That’s when I knew the Lord had this planned for me and it was time to start writing! I never could have imagined that you would come from all over the world to visit and bless me with your presence. I just want to thank you for showing up here and encouraging me with your comments! I never, ever wanted this blog to exist as a one way conversation into cyberspace. My hope has always been for two way communication in this space because truly, I want to know you and what is on your heart. I want to be an instrument for God to use this blog for purposes far beyond anything I could do or hope for on my own.
I thought it would be fun to mark this little blog’s first six months with a 1/2 year in review, top ten list style! Since I appreciate any good excuse for a celebration, naturally I then thought, this calls for a giveaway! So I have put together a collection of items from some talented and generous friends for you to enter to win – and the best part is, I get to introduce you to the talented women who are generously sponsoring this giveaway! So it may be a long one today but who doesn’t love top ten lists, giveaways and meeting new people? All that & more to be found below! 🙂
Top Ten Most Read Posts To Date
1. Dear Single Mom
2. Snow Day Kids Crafts
3. Six Ideas to Love the Life You Live
4. Inspiring Kids to Pay It Forward
5. Cold Weather Clothes for the Warm Weather Lover
6. Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World
7. Get Ready to Garden with Kids
8. When Dying to Self Leads to Life
9. Random Acts of Kindness Week 2014
10. Reading List for 2014
1. Dear Single Mom
2. Snow Day Kids Crafts
3. Six Ideas to Love the Life You Live
4. Inspiring Kids to Pay It Forward
5. Cold Weather Clothes for the Warm Weather Lover
6. Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World
7. Get Ready to Garden with Kids
8. When Dying to Self Leads to Life
9. Random Acts of Kindness Week 2014
10. Reading List for 2014
Ten of my favorite search phrases
sending visitors to the blog
1. Love the life you have
2. Be thankful for people who help you
sending visitors to the blog
1. Love the life you have
2. Be thankful for people who help you
3. Acts of kindness day
4. The only one who can make it bearable when life is simply anything but
5. Fun crafts for girls
6. Don’t just talk Jesus walk with Jesus
7. Gifts for people who miss warm weather
8. Raising grateful kids when others get more
9. Be thankful for everyday – we don’t know when it will be our last
10. Happy Week Ideas
Sweets by the Ro started as a hobby but quickly turned into more after friends and family couldn’t get enough of owner Rokia’s decadent creations. Sweets by the Ro has quickly grown to serve many individuals through large organizations {and happens to be single-handedly run by one of the sweetest people on earth, IMHO}. 🙂
4. The only one who can make it bearable when life is simply anything but
5. Fun crafts for girls
6. Don’t just talk Jesus walk with Jesus
7. Gifts for people who miss warm weather
8. Raising grateful kids when others get more
9. Be thankful for everyday – we don’t know when it will be our last
10. Happy Week Ideas
Giveaway Time, read on for item descriptions!
Sweets by the Ro started as a hobby but quickly turned into more after friends and family couldn’t get enough of owner Rokia’s decadent creations. Sweets by the Ro has quickly grown to serve many individuals through large organizations {and happens to be single-handedly run by one of the sweetest people on earth, IMHO}. 🙂Marianne Tolosa is a studio artist and owner of White Peach Pottery. Having worked in the coffee industry for years, her favorite things to make are coffee and latte mugs, which give her a place to pour her morning cappuccino. She’s also a firm believer in using the handmade in everyday life, so almost everything she makes is functional, because pottery can be one of the easiest ways to integrate art into your routine.Marianne is a full-time extrovert, so if you like meeting new people too, or just have a question drop her a line – she’d love to get to know you!
“Dear Wife: Letters from a Help Meet” is written to wives through many of the emotions they face throughout their marriages. Each letter points to God’s Word and encourages wives to look to Him when faced with emotional struggles.
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“Unfulfilled: A Help Meet’s Journey” Where do we find fulfillment? In things, people, our spouse etc? Unfulfilled is the journey God took me through in order to find true fulfillment!
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“Tidbits from Help-Meets’ Hearts” The first multi-author eBook from the Marriage, Motherhood and Missions teams, written to teach and encourage wives in their callings. Chapter topics cover making time for God, marriage, motherhood and much more! Learn more at Marriage, Motherhood and Missions.
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Kids on Mission is a plug-in resource designed to add a global missions element to your home or school programming. I was recently blessed to win a prize package of Kids on Mission resources myself and truly couldn’t say enough good things about them! My kids and I now love Kids on Mission because they have developed remarkable products that give kids an incredibly unique window into missionary life, right from their own living rooms at home.
This giveaway’s winner will be mailed two of the first two volumes of Kids on Mission (8 DVD ROMs packed full of missions plug-ins to use in a multitude of ways)!
One last thing I want to share with you!
A short intro to a new link-up starting on Monday, April 21st 2014: This is a project near and dear to my heart that I have been so excited to tell you all about! For about a month and a half, some of the most intelligent, caring, passionate women I know have collaborated from across the country to make this happen and I am so excited to introduce you to them in just over a week! If you are a blogger, we hope you will write along with us and if you are a reader, we truly hope you will be inspired to make a difference in your sphere of influence, as you read stories of what is possible when we get intentional about serving others, right where we’re at!
Our Vision:
Make A Difference Mondays is a weekly linkup designed to encourage and inspire one another to live each day on purpose—making a meaningful difference in someone’s life in even the smallest of ways.
Our Mission:
Our mission is to provide a consistent gathering place for like-minded women to build online connections, share inspiration, and provide mutual encouragement and accountability as we seek to live intentionally and make a difference in the lives of those around us.
How To:
Every Monday we will invite bloggers to link-up any blog posts that encourage women to live life on purpose. This could include testimonies or goals from your own life, small acts of kindness, creative tips or ideas for showing consideration to others—the possibilities are endless.
To “Link Up” simply enter the direct link from your post in the Link Up tool each week! Also, please remember to comment on at least one other blogger’s post after sharing your link. What better way to start each week than by making a difference and encouraging another blogger in our Link Up!
Have a great week y’all! Giveaway winner will be announced Monday, April 21st and contacted with details on how to claim this great big haul of goodies! Please let me know if you have any questions about Make A Difference Mondays! 🙂
I’m excited about this giveaway because I’ve always wanted to learn pottery!
That is so awesome Leanne, thanks for sharing!
Yay! Congrats on the blogging milestone – that’s so awesome! I’m glad you have been able to make this space your own & that you have found a love of blogging! The link-up sounds wonderful & I can’t wait to join in!!
Thanks so much for that sweet encouragement, Sarah! So excited you’ll be joining us for the link-up!! : )
Congrats on 6 months blogging! What a fun post.
Thanks so much Rachel!!
Congratulations on your six-month blog birthday. You and I began blogging around the same time it seems. What a journey! It’s encouraging being part of this blogging community for the Lord, isn’t it?
Oh yes, it is a privilege and a gift! The Lord has already used this blogging journey in my life in some of the most unexpected and awesome ways! That’s neat to know we started blogging around the same time, hope we can stay in touch & stay connected as we walk this road together! Please let me know if there’s ever anything I can do for you : )
Great link up idea! Also, giveaways are always so fun! Good stuff to give away too! Happy 6 month!
Thank you so much! So appreciate your support! : )
Hi Sybel, I have read and heard about the Influence Network so very often, at times contemplating to go. I wonder… you went there, started to blog and let your voice be heard and now it seems you’ve got an audience. How did that happen for you? God challenged me to quit writing on a private blog and now I blog openly. My voice is that of healing and being real… but it doesn’t necessarily create an audience, even though I am quite active on line. Wonder how it happened for you?
Hope, I just clicked over to your blog and love it and I so love that you have accepted that challenge and are following God’s calling on your life! I’m so glad you wrote! I’d love to chat with you all about this, feel free to email me at sybil@shelivesfree.com : )
woo hoo, sybil, congrats on your blog’s 6 month birthday! i love white peach pottery and hope i win some of her awesome mugs. 🙂 i love the way your blog encourages women in their daily life!
Awe Whitney, thanks so much! And what’s not to love about White Peach Pottery?! And Marianne too, for that matter!! ; )
Sybil,
Congratulations on six months! I’m so looking forward to your link up! Love your heart, love your passion, love your blog my friend 🙂
Oh how you bless me! I absolutely love each of those things about you as well! So very grateful for you, friend!! : )
So exciting! Congrats on your blog’s half-anniversary! 🙂 I can’t wait for the linkup this Monday as well. It’s going to be amazing!
Yayy! It IS going to be amazing! Thanks so much for all your support!
Congrats on your milestone, Sybil! Blessings!
Nikki, you are so sweet, thanks so much! Happy Easter!!
Congratulations, Sybil! 6 months of making a difference! Can’t wait to see what the next 6 months has in store for you. Happy Easter! Mary
Mary that was so very sweet of you, thank you so much! Happy Easter to you!
All this fun in one post! Thanks for keeping our Friday link ups going. Congrats on 6 months and Happy Easter to you and your family!
Thanks so much for your sweet support!! Happy Easter to you and yours!! : )