Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
I’m asking myself this question because exactly 10 years ago, I published my first post on this blog. Frankly, I feel like the answer to this question is “no” sometimes. Yes, I press on, even when I notice an inexplicable drop in blog views…and when I lose blog followers…and when I remember my plan to become a famous author remains unachieved. But what if I shouldn’t press on? What if this isn’t worth it?
It’s been nine years since I started Tizzie’s Tidbits of Truth. It’s been almost three years since Real Recovery was published. It’s been over a year since I started seeking a publisher for my second (yet-to-be-published) book. And while I certainly haven’t learned everything about writing, I have learned this: It’s. A. Long. Haul.
Later this week, TTT will turn eight years old. Though each blogiversary post I've written has been a bit different, they normally have a common theme: my writing dreams (i.e., how I hope to achieve them, what God is teaching me through them, etc.). This blogiversary post celebrating eight years of TTT posts follows that theme.
From movie reviews to poems to personal reflections, I started writing blog posts to encourage people in their relationships with God. Eventually, I began focusing specifically on reaching young women by sharing my struggles and relevant Bible verses. All along, I’ve wanted to bring readers to the place where God's Word meets their messes—as His Word always meets mine.
Well, my dream finally came true this year. In July, I signed my first book contract. I’m a published author now. Yet this season of life actually feels unexpectedly anticlimactic.
But one thing hasn’t changed in five years: I still want to be a writer. And honestly, there's enormous hidden pressure on me to get a book deal, see my name on the front cover, and be famous. This pressure doesn’t come from my parents, sisters, or friends. It comes from my Try-Harder Self—and she’s the dogmatic, degrading, and demanding type.
I wouldn’t say that I've “arrived.” I don’t have thousands of blog followers—not even close. I haven’t been published on lots of “big” Christian websites like Christianity Today or Desiring God. I don’t have a book proposal ready (or even started, ahem). But I’m here—and "here" is a good place to be because this is where God has brought me. He's the One who helped me say “yes” to this journey.
Today (well, December 16th technically) is a very special day because it marks the three-year anniversary of Tizzie's Tidbits! Three years, 155 posts, and multiple redesigns later, I admit that I've made a lot of mistakes as a blogger—but I've also learned so much. This blog (and life in general!) has changed significantly since December 16, 2015. God has done amazing things for this blog and has provided so many other writing opportunities as well. I'm thankful to Him—and to you—for this amazing journey so far. To celebrate my three-year blogiversary, I want to share some thank-yous and details about a giveaway!
I feel unsure about my blogging future because I don't know if blogging will take me where I want to go. I worry that I’ll keep writing and blogging but never get a book deal or become a well-known author. I fear that all of my efforts will be wasted.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 