Sense of Humor
Heavenly Father has a fantastic sense of humor, doesn’t he?
I’m not talking Knock-Knock jokes, puns, or even “What do you get when you combine a shark with a snowman? Frostbite!” type jokes.
Over the last several months, per my publisher’s request, I’ve been trying to “grow my audience.” Let’s just say the endeavor has been challenging, in the least. Needless to say, I’ve spent a lot of time brainstorming and pleading with the Lord for help. I’ve got my blog, my FB page, my Instagram account (albeit inactive. I haven’t been able to figure out how to sync the two), and I have an email campaign but it’s sooo awkward to send emails to people. I feel like it’s more intrusive than social media. I’ve been told many times I need to utilize that function because it’s the only way to reach my readers that isn’t controlled by algorithm Nazis.
I’m going to be honest and raw, here, my friends.
It’s complicated.
It’s incredibly time consuming.
And it’s overwhelming.
Sometimes I get discouraged because the passion and the effort are there. The execution? Well. . .I thought I was nailing it. But maybe not. My numbers creep upward slower than a sloth on a slippery sidewalk.
I’ve been praying to know how to “grow my audience” and how to keep my focus on making friends and loving people instead of my numbers. It’s not about me. It’s about you guys. I’ve dedicated my writing to the Lord so I can help His children along their life’s journey. My mission is null and void without you.
The more I’ve prayed, researched, and kept at it the better I’ve felt about being an author. I continue climbing the vertical learning curve, slashing roadblocks with my machete. I KNOW I’m meant to do this. I KNOW the Lord will help me. And I KNOW the journey will totally be worth it.
Cue God’s sense of humor:
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, everyone from janitors, teachers, and leadership are volunteers. We believe many hands make light labor, and just like a beehive, we all pitch in and use our God-given talents to build up the Kingdom of God. Callings (what we call our jobs or assignments within the church) are prayerfully considered by our Priesthood Leadership.
It was quite ironic, actually. Almost a month ago I was sitting in church as the sacrament was being passed, and a thought suddenly smacked me in the nose. “Huh. It’s strange we haven’t received a calling yet. I can feel it. Something is going to change, and this calling is going to be very different.”
That very afternoon a member of the Stake Presidency called and made an appointment with my husband and I for that Tuesday evening. I stressed. What could the calling be? The ward boundaries in our entire stake were just shifted around, and I knew there were a lot of calling adjustments in the works. I brainstormed. I even teasingly told my husband it was his fault we had to meet with President Hanson.
The appointment came, and just as the Holy Spirit had been telling me all along, it was indeed my fault. And the calling has been very, very different.
I’m on the Stake Communications Committee as the Social Media Specialist.
You read that right.
I’m anything BUT a social media ‘specialist’, but I’ve been given incredible resources and in the last month I’ve been to five separate meetings to learn the ropes and get my feet wet. It’s going to be super fun! I’m excited about it.
Which is honestly an answer to prayers. I desperately needed to know more about social media and the techniques that work. Here I am, up to my eyeballs in meetings and trainings, teaching me that very thing.
The Lord answers our prayers, my friends.
It may not be in the way we had expected. But it happens in the way HE knows is best.
I can’t wait to share the Light of Christ with you in bigger and better ways. I love you all!
I’m off to take kids to swimming lessons. Happy summer, everyone!
Love, MJ
