Category Archives for "giveaway"

Christmas for 7000!

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Have you started making plans for Christmas?

Have you started putting your Christmas list together?

My wife is getting our Christmas list together.  In fact, she has already started listening to Christmas music.  It seems a bit early to me, but I was reminded by a recent correspondence that it is time to get ready for the Christmas season.

This brings me to today’s post.  I suppose it is more of a challenge.

My friend, Dave Sgro, has been working and serving in the village of Santo Domingo Xenacoj in Guatemala for the past several years.  Each year, he has been conducting a Christmas giveaway for the children in the village.  It started out small, and it has grown to a few thousand.  This year, GO Ministries (Dave’s mission organization) has expanded into a nearby village.  They plan to giveaway Christmas gifts to 7,000 children.  This is a major endeavor with tremendous opportunities to touch the lives of children and their families.

Your help is important to make this happen.  And you’ll need to act fast in order to pull this off for a late December giveaway.  Check out Dave’s video and instructions below for more details.

These gifts will go to kids I have played with and served the past three years in Guatemala.  You will make a difference if you decide to help out.

 

Here’s a list of the items Dave is looking for in each shoe box:

CHRISTMAS ITEMS (Remove packaging as possible)
1. Tooth Brushes
2. Tooth Paste
3. Combs
4. Brushes
5. Marbles
6. Stickers
7. Jump Ropes
8. Plastic Animals
9. Playing Cards
10. Nail Polish
11. Pens
12. Pencils
13. Erasers
14. Rulers
15. Matchbox Cars
16. Crayons
17. Travel Shampoo
18. Travel Soap
19. Hair Things
20. Lip Gloss

To help you see the impact of past Christmas giveaways, check out this video:

What’s on your Christmas list?

October 2014 – Tops Posts and Commenters PLUS BOOK GIVEAWAY

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Here are the highlights from October 2014.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!

It was a record-breaking month!

Overall, traffic was way up from September (125.24%).  Traffic was up 123.77% compared to a year ago.  The top 10 posts included posts from 2014.  Most of the posts were from late September and early October.  There was one post from February.  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  The posts with the most engagement were two which made the top 10 list below – The Platform Problem – More Of You And Less Of Me.

Top 10 Posts:

    1. Experience The Supernatural  September 29, 2014 (1260)
    2. 3 Steps To Take Before You Can Serve Effectively  September 30, 2014 (281)
    3. Redefine Rich  September 29, 2014 (263)
    4. Ice Breaker – Homecoming  October 3, 2014 (253)
    5. 5 Things To Remember When We Say Or Do Something Stupid  February 12, 2014 (245)
    6. September 2014 – Top Posts and Commenters PLUS BOOK GIVEAWAY  October 1, 2014 (244)
    7. No Excuses!  October 2, 2014 (241)
    8. A Tribute To Grandma  October 8, 2014 (217)
    9. From The Mountain To The Valley – Life After Short-Term Missions  October 7, 2014 (196)
    10. Knowing God So We Can Make Him Known  October 9, 2014 (195)

Top 10 Commenters:

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of  On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field by ME!  The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Steve Y.  Congrats to Steve!

For the month of November, I’ll be giving away another copy of On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field by ME! This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to November with The Stretched Community!  The month of November will include more STRETCHING posts.  More than likely, I will continue to focus on having a mission mindset in many of the upcoming posts.  I’ll also take some time to reflect on thankfulness.

If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in October?

In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about October (based on Google Analytics):

  • Users – Increased 3.95%
  • Sessions – Increased 167.30%
  • Pageviews – Increased 165.99%
  • Pages Per Session – Decreased 0.46%
  • Average Session Duration – Increased 3.39%
  • Bounce Rate –Decreased 14.54%
  • New Sessions – Decreased 36.08%

On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is now available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle.  Click the link below to get your copy today.

As a reminder, I am offering a FREE pdf copy of the interior of the book to subscribers of The Stretched Newsletter.  Head over to the main page of the blog and sign up on the right hand menu bar to get your copy today for FREE!

Help Wanted: Track & Field Coaches and Cross-Country Coaches

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I have a crazy idea, and I need your help.

I am in search of track & field coaches and cross-country coaches who would be (or might be) interested in reading my book.  On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field takes observations from the track and field and uses them to encourage readers to live a life on track.

OnTrack3dCover04132014I believe this book could be valuable for anyone, but I especially think the message will resonate with those close to the track and field.  I would love to send a copy of my book to coaches.  I’m targeting coaches at Christian high schools and colleges, but I would happily send it to any interested coaches – for FREE!

If you a coach any you are interested in reading my book, leave a message in the comments, so we can connect.  If you are not a coach, but you know a coach who would benefit from my book, send me a comment, so we can make it happen.  I’d love to send my book to 50 coaches before the end of the year.  I’m hoping you can help make this happen.

Who was your favorite coach?  When was the last time you received something for FREE?

September 2014 – Top Posts & Commenters PLUS BOOK GIVEAWAY

the RSS feed for updates on this topic.

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Here are the highlights from September 2014.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!

Overall, traffic was way up from August (36.36%).  Traffic was up 4.07% compared to a year ago.  The top 10 posts included one post from 2012 and one post from 2013.  The end of the month brought a post that nearly tripled the next highest post for the month.  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  The posts with the most engagement were two which made the top 10 list below – In Response To The American Dream and  5 Keys To Establishing A Routine That Works.

Top 10 Posts:

    1. Experience The Supernatural  September 29, 2014 (372)
    2. 5 Things To Remember When We Say Or Do Something Stupid  February 12, 2014 (144)
    3. Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know  March 7, 2012 (137)
    4. Ten Date Night Ideas  August 27, 2014 (76)
    5. I’m Losing My Patients – 6 Ways To Rediscover Patience  April 2, 2013 (63)
    6. 9 Essentials For Those Who Want To Start Running Long Distance  September 11, 2014 (63)
    7. Say What You Need To Say  February 7, 2013 (58)
    8. 5 Keys To Establishing A Routine That Works  September 3, 2014 (56)
    9. God-Given Appointments  September 8, 2014 (49)
    10. In Response To The American Dream  September 15, 2014 (49)

Top 10 Commenters:

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of  On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field by ME!  The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Carol Peterson.  Congrats to Carol!

For the month of October, I’ll be giving away another copy of On Track: Life Lessons from the Track & Field by ME! This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to October with The Stretched Community!  The month of October will include more STRETCHING posts.  More than likely, I will continue to focus on having a mission mindset in many of the upcoming posts.

If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in September?

In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about September (based on Google Analytics):

  • Users – Increased 21.62%
  • Sessions – Increased 52.22%
  • Pageviews – Increased 48.02%
  • Pages Per Session – Decreased 3.56%
  • Average Session Duration – Increased 37.21%
  • Bounce Rate –Decreased 5.04%
  • New Sessions – Decreased 14.54%

On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is now available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle.  Click the link below to get your copy today.

As a reminder, I am offering a FREE pdf copy of the interior of the book to subscribers of The Stretched Newsletter.  Head over to the main page of the blog and sign up on the right hand menu bar to get your copy today for FREE!

July 2014 – Top Posts and Commenters PLUS BOOK GIVEAWAY

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Here are the highlights from July 2014.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!

Overall, traffic was down from June (7.49%).  Traffic was down 29.94% compared to a year ago.  The top 10 posts included one post from 2011, one post from 2012, and one post from 2013.  The guest posts which appeared while I was away in Guatemala last month all appeared in the top ten.  This was a real encouragement for me!  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  The post with the most engagement was a post related to my book project from July 25, 2014 – Ice Breaker – One Meal.

Top 10 Posts:

    1. 7 Keys To Getting Rid Of Distraction So You Can Accomplish Great Things  July 9, 2014 (106)
    2. I’m Losing My Patients – 6 Ways To Rediscover Patience  April 2, 2013 (73)
    3. Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know  March 7, 2012 (73)
    4. Pondering Prayer  July 22, 2014 (67) (by Leah Adams)
    5. Encouraging Children To Write Than You Notes  July 28, 2014 (49) (by Heidi Bender)
    6. Living In Our Sacred Spaces  July 23, 2014 (43) (by Aidan Rogers)
    7. Marketing for the Humble-Hearted  July 21, 2014 (32) (by Carol Peterson)
    8. 5 Things To Remember When We Say Or Do Something Stupid  February 12, 2014 (30)
    9. Finding A New Normal – 5 Keys For Adapting To Change  July 24, 2014 (27) (by Kari Scare)
    10. The Power of the Next Question  May 20, 2011 (27)

Top 10 Commenters:

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life by John G. Miller.  The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Leah Adams.  Congrats to Leah!

For the month of August, I’ll be giving away a copy of Next Up: 8 Shifts Great Young Leaders Make by Jonathan Pearson. This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to July with The Stretched Community!  The month of August will include more STRETCHING posts and will feature more posts unpacking my recent trip to Guatemala.

If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in July?

In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about July (based on Google Analytics):

  • Users – Decreased 9.05%
  • Sessions – Decreased 8.27%
  • Pageviews – Decreased 1.33%
  • Pages Per Session – Increased 7.66%
  • Average Session Duration – Decreased 13.43%
  • Bounce Rate – Decreased 6.61%
  • New Sessions – Increased 0.67%

On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is now available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle.  Click the link below to get your copy today.

As a reminder, I am offering a FREE pdf copy of the interior of the book to subscribers of The Stretched Newsletter.  Head over to the main page of the blog and sign up on the right hand menu bar to get your copy today for FREE!

June 2014 – Top Posts and Commenters PLUS BOOK GIVEAWAY

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Here are the highlights from June 2014.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!

Overall, traffic was up from May (16.14%).  Traffic was down 16.07% compared to a year ago.  The top 10 posts included one post from 2012 and one post from 2013.  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  The post with the most engagement was a post related to my book project from June 6, 2014 – Ice Breaker – Last 5 Songs You Listened To.

Top 10 Posts:

    1. Ten Things Every Aspiring Book Author Should Know  June 9, 2014 (94)
    2. I’m Losing My Patients – 6 Ways To Rediscover Patience  April 2, 2013 (76)
    3. Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know  March 7, 2012 (69)
    4. Milestones  June 19, 2014 (41)
    5. Ice Breaker – Last 5 Books You Read  June 20, 2012 (40)
    6. Honor Older People  June 3, 2014 (39)
    7. 3 Ways To Respond When Someone Is Unkind To You  June 18, 2014 (39)
    8. Ice Breaker – Last 5 Songs You Listened To  June 6, 2014 (38)
    9. Summertime Blogging – Request For Guest Bloggers  June 24, 2014 (38)
    10. Ice Breaker – Last 5 Movies You Watched  June 13, 2013 (36)

Top 10 Commenters:

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of A Train Called Forgiveness by Dan Erickson.  The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Ryan Biddulph.  Congrats to Ryan!

For the month of July, I’ll be giving away a copy of QBQ! The Question Behind the Question: Practicing Personal Accountability at Work and in Life by John G. Miller. This month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to July with The Stretched Community!  The month of July will include more STRETCHING posts and will feature several guest posts while I am in Guatemala.  If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.  July should be a spectacular month!

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in June?

In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about June (based on Google Analytics):

  • Users – Increased 4.74%
  • Sessions – Increased 12.76%
  • Pageviews – Increased 14.61%
  • Pages Per Session – Increased 1.37%
  • Average Session Duration – Increased 39.58%
  • Bounce Rate – Decreased 0.83%
  • New Sessions – Decreased 5.85%

On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is now available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle.  Click the link below to get your copy today.

As a reminder, I am offering a FREE pdf copy of the interior of the book to subscribers of The Stretched Newsletter.  Head over to the main page of the blog and sign up on the right hand menu bar to get your copy today for FREE!

March 2014 – Top Posts and Commenters (Plus BOOK GIVEAWAY)

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Here are the highlights from March 2014.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!

Overall, traffic was up dramatically from February (25.15%).  Traffic was up 8.41% compared to a year ago.  The top 10 posts included two posts from 2012, one post from 2011, and one post from 2013.  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  The post with the most engagement was a post related to my book project from March 6, 2014 – Help Me Book A Book Cover Design.

Top 10 Posts:

  1. Help Me Book A Book Cover Design March 6, 2013 (225)
  2. Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know  March 7, 2012 (125)
  3. Ten Reasons To Attend FamilyLife Weekend To Remember February 27, 2012 (90)
  4. I’m Losing My Patients – 6 Ways To Rediscover Patience  April 2, 2013 (88)
  5. Second Chances – Does Pete Rose Deserve A Second Chance? March 11, 2014 (75)
  6. I’m Turning Into My Dad March 10, 2014 (73)
  7. Book Release – Learning To Release / A Call For Your Help March 12, 2014 (70)
  8. The Power of the Next Question May 20, 2011 (69)
  9. On Track Book Launch Update March 24, 2014 (67)
  10. Ten Things I’ve Learned About Writing A Book March 25, 2014 (66)

Top 10 Commenters:

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage by Allison Vesterfelt.  The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Heidi Bender.  Congrats to Heidi!

For the month of April, I’ll be giving away a copy of Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob GoffThis month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to April with The Stretched Community!  The month of April will include more STRETCHING posts.  If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.  April should be another great month!

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in March?

In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about March (based on Google Analytics):

  • Visits – Increased 20.15%
  • Unique Visitors – Increased 25.04%
  • Pageviews – Increased 22.92%
  • Pages Per Visit – Increased 1.80%
  • Average Visit Duration – Decreased 23.38%
  • Bounce Rate – Decreased 3.18%
  • New Visits – Increased 0.90%

Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.  On April 22, 2014, I plan to release a book called On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field.  All subscribers to the Stretched newsletter will get it for a discount on the eBook of On Track which will also be available in paperback.  So sign up, if you’re not already on the subscriber list.  The newsletter goes out periodically with extra STRETCHED content.)

February 2014 – Top Posts and Commenters

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Here are the highlights from February 2014.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!

Overall, traffic was down slightly from January (5.62%).  Traffic was down 12.36% compared to a year ago.  The top 10 posts included two posts from 2012, one post from 2011, and one post from 2013.  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  The post with the most engagement was a fun post from February 27, 2014 – 33 Reasons To Say Thank You.

Top 10 Posts:

  1. Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know  March 7, 2012 (135)
  2. Violated February 18, 2014 (107)
  3. Ten Reasons To Attend FamilyLife Weekend To Remember February 27, 2012 (97)
  4. I’m Losing My Patients – 6 Ways To Rediscover Patience  April 2, 2013 (91)
  5. 5 Things To Remember When We Say Or Do Something Stupid February 12, 2014 (65)
  6. Send Me February 5, 2014 (51)
  7. Ice Breaker – Winter Olympics February 21, 2014 (51)
  8. Thank You Thursday – Everyone Should Give Thanks February 13, 2014 (50)
  9. The Power of the Next Question May 20, 2011 (45)
  10. 5 Suggestions For Handling Disruptions To Your Routine (#2 Is My Favorite) February 26, 2014 (43)

Top 10 Commenters:

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of Life After Art: What You Forgot About Life and Faith Since You Left the Art Room by Matt Appling.  The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Matt McWilliams.  Congrats to Matt!

For the month of March, I’ll be giving away a copy of Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage by Allison VesterfeltThis month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to March with The Stretched Community!  The month of March will include more STRETCHING posts.  (I’m also excited to announce something new coming this month – read all the way to the bottom of this post for a clue.)  If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.  March should be another great month!

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in February?

In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about January (based on Google Analytics):

  • Visits – Decreased 4.28%
  • Unique Visitors – Decreased 8.22%
  • Pageviews – Decreased 5.04%
  • Pages Per Visit –Decreased 0.89%
  • Average Visit Duration – Decreased 6.10%
  • Bounce Rate – Increased 1.91%
  • New Visits – Decreased 1.67%

Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.  (I’ll be making a more formal announcement soon, but here’s some exciting information if you made it this far.  In March, I hope to release an eBook called On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field.  All subscribers to the Stretched newsletter will get it for FREE.  So sign up, if you’re not already on the subscriber list.  The newsletter goes out periodically with extra STRETCHED content.)

January 2014 – Top Posts & Comments (Plus A Book GIVEAWAY)

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Here are the highlights from January 2014.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!

Overall, traffic was up from December (2.63%).  Traffic was down 40.1% compared to a year ago.  The top 10 posts included two posts from 2012, one post from 2011, and two posts from 2013.  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  Also, please head over to my guest post at Ray Edwards blog this month – This Is What Customer Service Looks Like.  The post with the most engagement was a fun post from January 22, 2014 – 10 Great Things To Do On A Snowy Day.

Top 10 Posts:

  1. Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know  March 7, 2012 (123)
  2. Ten Reasons To Attend FamilyLife Weekend To Remember February 27, 2012 (98)
  3. Thank You Notes? Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That January 23, 2014 (91) Guest post by Matt McWilliams
  4. I’m Losing My Patients – 6 Ways To Rediscover Patience  April 2, 2013 (79)
  5. 10 Great Things To Do On A Snowy Day January 22, 2014 (78)
  6. Book Review: The Noticer Returns by @AndyAndrews January 15, 2014 (52)
  7. When The Treadmill Stops Suddenly – 5 Tips For Handling Life Stopping Experiences February 11, 2013 (45)
  8. One Word 2014 – Finish January 13, 2014 (42)
  9. 90 Day Thank You Note Challenge STARTS TODAY! January 2, 2014 (42)
  10. The Power of the Next Question May 20, 2011 (39)

Top 9 Commenters:

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top commenters list to receive a copy of The Noticer Returns: Sometimes You Find Perspective, and Sometimes Perspective Finds You by Andy Andrews.  The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Joe Lalonde.  Congrats to Joe!

For the month of February, I’ll be giving away a copy of Life After Art: What You Forgot About Life and Faith Since You Left the Art Room by Matt ApplingThis month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to February with The Stretched Community!  The month of February will include more STRETCHING posts.  If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.  February should be another great month!

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in January?

In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about January (based on Google Analytics):

  • Visits – Increased 4.41%
  • Unique Visitors –Increased 13.25%
  • Pageviews – Increased 5.51%
  • Pages Per Visit – Increased 0.90%
  • Average Visit Duration – Increased 6.49%
  • Bounce Rate – Decreased 3.40%
  • New Visits –Increased 6.85%

Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.

December 2013 – Top Posts And Commenters Plus BOOK GIVEAWAY

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Here are the highlights from December 2013.  Thanks to everyone who read along and commented.  Your readership and participation in the daily discussions are what make The Stretched Community.  Thank you!  Overall, traffic was down from November (28.04%).  Traffic was down 26.88% compared to a year ago.  While the tread is lower, I’m not overly surprised or disappointed.  My posting and promotion patterns were a bit off this month based on the holidays and several other December interruptions and responsibilities.  Also worth noting, my traffic in 2013 was up 33.29% from my traffic in 2012.  The top 10 posts again included three posts from 2012, one post from 2011, and two posts from previous months in 2013.  If you missed any of these posts, I hope you’ll go and check them out now by clicking below.  The post with the most engagement was from December 11, 2013 – ADVENTure Day 11 (Guest Post by Bill Grandi).

Top 10 Posts:

  1. I’m Losing My Patients – 6 Ways To Rediscover Patience  April 2, 2013 (98)
  2. Ten Things Every Small Group Leader Should Know  March 7, 2012 (78)
  3. 90 Day Thank You Note Challenge  December 12, 2013 (76)
  4. ADVENTure Day 11 (Guest Post by Bill Grandi)  December 11, 2013 (58)
  5. Always Be Prepared – Lessons From A Smoke Alarm  August 22, 2012 (48)
  6. When The Treadmill Stops Suddenly – 5 Tips For Handling Life Stopping Experiences February 11, 2013 (46)
  7. Go To Guatemala With Me In 2014!  December 23, 2013 (34)
  8. Ten Reasons To Attend FamilyLife Weekend To Remember February 27, 2012 (34)
  9. Ice Breaker – Jury Duty  December 6, 2013 (33)
  10. The Power of the Next Question May 20, 2011 (30)

Top 10 Commenters:

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top 10 commenters list to receive a copy of Chazown: Define Your Vision. Pursue Your Passion. Live Your Life on Purpose by Craig Groeschel.  The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…Bill Grandi.  Congrats to Bill!

For the month of January, I’ll be giving away a copy of The Noticer Returns: Sometimes You Find Perspective, and Sometimes Perspective Finds You by Andy AndrewsThis month, the winner will be chosen randomly from the top 10 commenters.

Thanks to each and everyone for reading and for commenting.  I’m looking forward to November with The Stretched Community!  The month of January will include more STRETCHING posts.  If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me.  January should be another great month!

How was your month?  If you’re a blogger share a link to your top post in the comments?  What was your favorite Stretched post this month?  How were you STRETCHED in December?

In case you’re interested, here are a few other interesting stats about December (based on Google Analytics):

  • Visits – Decreased 30.47%
  • Unique Visitors – Decreased 37.29%
  • Pageviews – Decreased 33.23%
  • Pages Per Visit – Decreased 3.90%
  • Average Visit Duration – Increased 28.33%
  • Bounce Rate – Increased 5.66%
  • New Visits – Decreased 9.99%

Don’t forget to sign up for the Stretched newsletter.  Check out this post to find out how to sign up.