Oh friends, thank you for sticking with me for 31 straight (ahem…minus one missed post while I was at Allume) posts about community! I know for a gal who normally only posts two or three times a week, this was a lot, and I’m so thankful you came along for the journey.
Here are some things I learned through this process:
1. Write ahead! I created a content calendar and knew what I was writing about, when it would post, and which days I would actually need to write “live” (my two link up days). The rest I wrote in advance & scheduled and it was a life saver.
2. Simple is ok! I didn’t necessarily want to write full posts for all 31 days, so I gave myself room to include a simple photo & quote overlay, or a quick list.
3. God surprised me. I wrote the posts thinking that I would be sharing something with all of you, when in fact God planned to use this series to heal me in some unexpected ways. I would see a post pop up that I’d written the month before on just the day I needed to read my own words – often surprised at just how perfectly it was timed.
4. I love this topic. I am passionate about community but I wasn’t sure how I’d feel after a whole month writing about it. God used this series to speak a very important lesson into my heart – I have had my heart broken by community so that I can now have a heart broken for community. And I “may” have spent well over my scheduled time with some wonderful women at Allume talking about exactly that 😉
I will definitely do a 31 Days series again next year, but for now, I think it’s time to retire my cute little button and call it a month! In case you’d like to go back and catch up on any posts you might have missed, here are all the links (and I’d love to know what you thought – did you have a favorite post?).
Day 1: Introducing 31 Days of Community
Day 2: Behind the Scenes: Color Run Fun
Day 3: Embracing My High C
Day 4: When You Don’t Have It All Together
Day 5: Five Minute Friday: Write
Day 6: When Community Hurts
Day 7: Are You a Planner or a Guest?
Day 8: Boundaries, Grace & a New Focus
Day 9: Behind the Scenes: A College Glimpse
Day 10: Letting it Go
Day 11: What the Bible Says About Community
Day 12: Five Minute Friday: Ordinary
Day 13: Finding Authentic Online Community
Day 14: Finding Community at Church
Day 15: When It’s Not Like You Imagined
Day 16: Behind the Scenes: The Call
Day 17: When Your Community Is Small
Day 18: Being Brave
Day 19: Five Minute Friday: Laundry
Day 20: Why Mentors Matter
Day 21: When We Aren’t There
Day 22: It’s Not a Competition
Day 23: Behind the Scenes: Shadows
Day 24: Finding Community in the Crowd
Day 25: Encouragement Matters
Day 26: We Need Your Story
Day 27: A Community Quote
Day 28: Community Building Tools & Tips
Day 29: Behind the Scenes: Allume
Day 30: A Message From My Community: Cease Striving
Day 31: We Made It!
Thanks for doing this series, Crystal. I came in late, so I’m going to have to go back and read the earlier posts. And thank you for mentioning the need to write ahead. It’s something I need to get down pat so as to ensure my (fleeting) sanity when it comes to blogging.
So I came late to the party!!! Going to start back at the beginning today 🙂 As I was in my women’s bible study this week I realized how much I need community and then I realized I had this right at the tips of my fingers! You rock crystal! Thank you <3
So proud of you girl!!! And so blessed by the love you bring this community. You are a light on a hill friend and I pray that God will continue to show you just how He intends to use you to shine!!!! You inspire me.