Why My Borders Need to Expand

Six months or more ago, I viewed my blog analytics and realized my "audience" included a smaller age range than I intended. Where were the younger people? I was neck-deep in caring for Sam and writing the Caregiver Chronicles, so I assumed my blog posts might not be pertinent to 30-something's, but the problem gnawed at me.

I looked at my website one day and realized it was terrific for a woman of a certain age, but it wasn't a modern website, nor one that might catch the eye of a younger reader. I talked to a mid-twenties colleague and asked for suggestions. 

"You need to update your site," he told me, so I did. The "new" design looked much better, to my way of thinking. I grabbed my laptop and hurried down the hall to show my young friend. 

"What do you think?" I asked him.

"Do you want me to be honest?" 

"Yeah. I really do."

"Okay. It looks great. For a 1990's site. Let me show you what websites can look like now." With a few clicks, he opened up a new world of technology and design. 

"Can you make something like this for me?" I asked him, dizzied by the possibilities.

"Yep."

I hired him on the spot. It's taken a while, but the new website is finally in the process of "migration." I'm not really sure what that entails, but it's somehow moving from the old site to the new one. The domain's the same, leannahollis.com, so I don't know why this takes so long, but it does.

The new website's been a lot of work and has required a lot of thought. There's been expense, too, for the new site, the new hosting service, new software to allow me to work more efficiently and with greater skill. The blogging course to help me "up my game" wasn't free, and it's taking quite a bit of time to work through.

Why all this effort? My objective in the blog is not to have a cool bit of technology or capture millions of views, although I'd like to have both. The goal of this blog is to demonstrate the life of a disciple by sharing the stories of my faith and God at work in my life. If I can expand my audience with sharper technology, if I can draw younger people to a life of faith lived out loud, my words can help expand the Kingdom of God, change lives, and make a difference in the world around me.

This morning, I read Mark 1 and the words confirmed the importance of what I'm trying to do. Jesus was in Capernaum. He'd taught in the synagogue that morning, then healed Peter's mother-in-law. The news spread like wildfire through the little town. After sundown, the "whole city" came to His door. 

They'd heard about the miracle of healing and wanted Jesus to do a miracle for them, and He did. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and loved the people who came. 

Just after dawn, Jesus slipped away to a quiet place to pray. Before long, His disciples found Him. (Leanna paraphrase coming up.) "Hey, Jesus, everyone's looking for you."

"I know. But we need to move on to a different town."

"What? You're an overnight sensation. Everybody wants to see you!"

"I didn't come here to be an overnight sensation. We need to move to another town so I can preach the good news. That's the reason I came."

There were sick people who wanted to be healed. Jesus cared about their illnesses, but He cared about their sin-sickness even more. Preaching, sharing the good news, was His priority. He chose to move along in order to accomplish that goal.

Therein is the reason for the new website. If sharing the Good News of Jesus is my priority, I need to continue to move in a direction that allows me to share with all who will listen (or read). If I can widen my technological borders, it's important to do so.

This is Great Commission work, and one to which we're all called. Share Jesus with all who will listen, as effectively as possible, wherever we are. For me, that includes time in the digital space. 

Today, let's spend a few moments considering our own witness. How effectively are we communicating the love of Jesus and His soul-saving power? Are we living out the Great Commission in our slice of the world? Do we need to "up our game" to widen our own personal audience? 

The Great Commission is not a suggestion. It's an assignment. Let's be sure we're doing our part.

"And He said to them, 'Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, in order that I may preach there also; for that is what I came out for.'" Mark 1:38 nasb

_______________

In case you missed it, here's the most recent post: The Walk Down Memory Lane that Filled Me with Joy

The Walk Down Memory Lane That Filled Me With Joy

My life changed irrevocably on September 24, 2013, at 6:21 am, when I posted my first blog post. For more than four years, I've chronicled my adventures, faith, and the work of God in my life on a daily basis. I've shared my highest highs and lowest lows, my griefs and joys. 

The blog will soon move to my personal website. It's considerably more modern and more beautiful. This blog space, however, is very precious to me.  Last night, I spent several hours in the "old" blog's archive, and realized the photos represented every major event of the last four years. 

My fledgling attempts at fiction writing, my son's graduation from college, the time The Clay Papers e-book went to #1 on Amazon and stayed there for four days, my dogs, my trip to the Bahamas, my trips to Jordan when I fell in love with a nation and her people, holidays, Bible studies, volunteering, becoming a missionary, caring for Sam... Everything is documented in the photographs I've shared.

As I roamed through the digital archive, I re-read the stories, as well. You've lived life with me, and I'm eternally grateful. I hope you'll continue through this transition and beyond. You've made me a better writer, because you've been such faithful readers, and I hope I never stop thanking you all for such a precious gift. 

My trip down memory lane took me inevitably to my first blog post, when I trusted God and you with my writing. I'm still grateful for that leap of faith. Reading it again was a blessing to me, so I've included it below. I hope it's a blessing to you, as well. Thank you for making my life so very rich and full by reading and loving what I write.

Much love and thanks, 

Leanna 

Deadwood and Divine Pruning

The shrubs and landscaping in front of my house were overgrown and threatening to completely block the sidewalk. It seems crazy now, but even though it looked messy and was becoming an azalea jungle, I couldn't figure out how to fix it. 

I didn't realize it, but I needed an expert.

My friend, Linda Buchanan, mentioned her new yard man one day. Mr. Bailey was a wonder and a great help, she said, so I called him. That first day, I instructed him to clean up the front and trim the shrubs a little. 

I had no idea what he was about to do.

A few hours later, I walked outside to see an enormous pile of brush. Mr. Bailey had trimmed more than I expected. My heart sank as I thought, "My azaleas! He has cut down my azaleas!" I hurried around front to find, not destruction, but order. He had trimmed up the mess and brought it under control. 

Instead of a jungle, I had lovely landscaping again.

John the Baptizer's listeners were in a similar situation. They knew they had a mess in their lives and that something needed to be done. That's why they had come out to the banks of the Jordan to hear him. Their heritage wasn't enough to save them, nor their sacrifices. They were in a quandary. What then? What could they do?

He began by giving practical examples of sacrificial behavior. Shortly, however, Jesus would come for baptism, and John would recognize exactly what they all needed. The Lamb of God would take away their sin. They couldn't do anything to rectify their guilt but Jesus would do it for them and He would soon set them free.

Maybe you, too, are wondering what to do about problems in your life or in the lives of loved ones. You may not realize it, but, like me, you need an expert. 

The answer is incredibly simple. Look to Jesus. 

He can clean up the mess of your life as well as that of your loved ones. He can clean up the guilt and shame and set you free.

Today, let's pray for a heart willing to accept the kind of divine pruning only Christ can do. 

And the crowds were questioning him, saying, "Then what shall we do?" (Luke 3:10 NASB)

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 NASB)

____________________

In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: When the Lion Roars: Five Promises Christians Can Claim