blogging Archives - Page 16 of 16 - Jon Stolpe Stretched

Category Archives for "blogging"

Reflect More, Risk More, Leave A Legacy – Start Blogging

Blogging has brought several new friends into my life. One of them is Jason Fountain. Today, I’m blessed to share a guest post by Jason. Jason is an educator who blogs about living an intentional life. I have enjoyed his writing and the communication that we have shared. Jason shares his current STRETCHING story with us below. Please check out his blog here.

(If you’re interested in guest posting on my blog, please drop me a comment. I’d love to connect with you.)

John Maxwell relates a story shared by sociologist Anthony Campolo. Campolo tells about a group of 50 people over the age of 90 years old who were asked one question: If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?

The question was open-ended and the people’s answers were varied. However, three ideas consistently emerged.

1. If I had it to do over again, I would reflect more.
2. If I had it to do over again, I would risk more.
3. If I had it to do over again, I would do more things that would live on after I am dead.

I want to share with you an idea that can help you begin to accomplish all three of these goals TODAY.

I love the title of Jon’s blog – Stretched. I think much of our life is spent stretching – whether we choose the stretching or it chooses us. Recently, I’ve chosen a purposeful “stretch.” Back in April, after at least a year of talking about it, I started a blog.

Little did I know, then, what a rollercoaster of emotions were in store for me. I knew that it would be challenging to write solid content that would be meaningful, but I don’t believe that I was quite ready for the grind of continually facing a blank document on the computer screen.

A blank piece of paper is open to so many possibilities, yet appears so daunting.

Blogging has stretched me in ways that I never imagined.

I want to share four lessons (about life) that I have learned since I began blogging.

1. Blogging teaches discipline.
I consider myself a fairly disciplined person, but blogging has taken this to a new level. Blogging is not an endeavor that can be undertaken every so often. It is a discipline. Steven Pressfield says in his book, The Work of Art, that the hardest part of writing is not the writing, it’s sitting down to write.

There are always fifty things other than writing vying for my attention. But, blogging has taught me to quiet those distractions and focus on the task at hand. There are days that I want to quit and days that I feel as if I could write forever. Managing that tension has been a “stretch” for me.

2. Blogging sifts your beliefs.
I am pretty solid and consistent in my beliefs. If any of you read my blog you know that the bedrock of my life is Jesus Christ. It’s much easier to talk about Christ with my “circle” than it is to write about Him in a blog post that is out there for the world to view. In fact, bearing your soul is a little overwhelming.

Beyond my religious views, blogging forces me to work through most all of my beliefs. If I write about goal-setting or any other facet of intentional living, I really have to narrow my focus and work on being concise in my delivery. This only occurs when I am crystal clear on my thoughts.

Several times I have written a blog and then did not post it because I lacked a strong conviction about it. Before I hit the publish button, I need to believe it. Attempting to present an articulate stance on an issue has really stretched me as well.

3. Blogging is more about me than producing content for others.
When I first started blogging, I was very concerned about how I thought others would perceive my thoughts and my writing. I still worry about this, but in the few short months that I’ve been blogging I have become more focused on recording what I believe about life.

If I focus on others, then I try to copycat my blogging heroes and write as they would write and about topics that they would write about. The problem with this approach is that I am not them – I am me. For me to enjoy the process of blogging, I have to be me. If others latch on to my voice, then great. If they don’t, then I know blogging is not my future.

The longer I blog the more comfortable I become in showing more of who I really am. And that is the only way to really put my “voice” out there. Balancing this desire to write for others with the need to be “me” has been a major stretch.

4. Blogging records my thoughts for myself and others.
Finally, blogging is providing me the chance to record a part of “me” for my future self. Every time I write a post I am really just recording my life lessons so that I don’t forget them. As I continue to blog, more and more life lessons that I have forgotten from my past seem to surface. The process of blogging has really been a mining project for me.

I’m also blogging so that parts of my life will be recorded for my future kids. Every time I write I want to be comfortable with my future children reading my thoughts. From this vantage point, I write with a purpose – something bigger than just blogging. Thinking about preserving my words for the future has stretched me as well.

So…are YOU ready to start a blog? For me, it has truly been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences that I’ve ever undertaken. To say that the last three and a half months have stretched me would be a gross understatement.

If you really want to reflect more, risk more, and leave a legacy, think about starting your own blog. It won’t be easy, but I guarantee it will stretch you in ways you never imagined.

QUESTION: Is there something in your life stretching you right now? How do you manage the tension?

I’m Back…

I’m back! But maybe you didn’t even know I was missing.

I just returned from a week of vacation with my wonderful wife as we celebrated our 15th anniversary in Cape Cod. It was an incredible trip, and I hope to share some of the details in the days to come. I just wanted to send out a quick thank you to all four of my guest bloggers this week. I think they all did an excellent job sharing how they have felt “stretched” these days. If for some reason you missed it, here are the links to the four guest posts.

Monday: Norman Stolpe (my dad) – God in the Spaces

Tuesday: Beck Gambill – Faith Stretch

Thursday: Alex Humphrey – Savor The Flavor

Friday: Hannah Stolpe (my daughter) – Middle School Missions Trip Recap

Thank you!

When you go on vacation, do you prefer the mountains or the beaches (or maybe somewhere else)?

Faith Stretch

Here is a guest post by Beck Gambill. Beck is an author, mentor, wife, mother, and Christ-follower. I have enjoyed following Beck on her blog for the past month, and she graciously agreed to share her thoughts and talents with us today. Her writing is inspired and beautiful, and I love what she shares below and how she says it. Please chime in on her questions, and don’t forget to get connected with Beck. Besides her blog, you can follow her on Twitter.

(If you’re interested in guest posting on my blog, please drop me a comment. I’d love to connect with you.)

Lately the very fibers and sinews of my heart are being pulled tight in a deep faith stretch. Three months ago my husband, Chris, and I took a risky step of faith. After serving as worship pastor for four years in a Wyoming church, due to some difficult circumstances and God’s leading, we left our place of ministry trusting God had a plan. My human assumption was that the plan would be revealed quickly and before long we would be serving in a new place of ministry. I was wrong.

We are thankful for dear friends who have graciously opened their home providing a place for us to stay while we wait. Yet I’ve learned it’s not good for a man to live without fulfilling work or a woman to be without a home. God knows this.

There are moments in the waiting that fear and hurt swell, choking off my breath. There are also moments of deep joy. The difference, I find, lies in the abiding. A tenacious sitting at Jesus feet decides if I will sink in despair or soar on wings of faith. Time in the word of God fills my heart with life-sustaining truth that counteracts the lies I would otherwise believe. Lies that say; God doesn’t see you, he has abandoned you, you’re not good enough, you have failed, you will never know fulfillment.

Daily I come, I press on, my spiritual muscles stretched and strengthened. As I come Jesus is always faithful to meet me. He recently revived my heart with the words of Psalm 18. Are you weary from the journey of life, stretched by your limitations or circumstances? Let me share some of those verses with you.

But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry to him reached his ears…

He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.
Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him
and rained down hail and burning coals.
The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded
amid the hail and burning coals…

He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters…

He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.

Can you see the God of heaven leap to his feet at the sound of your voice crying out in need. Imagine him take flight on the wings of an angel, thundering his approach, reaching down his mighty hand to rescue you! Like a mother stalking across the playground, determined eyes focused, set to rescue her child from the bully, so is our God with his own children. In a purely physical sense we may not see God on the move but we can be sure when we call out in need he hears and acts.

In the midst of messy circumstances God is stretching my heart to trust him. He challenges me to show up daily to sit at his feet to be fed. As I obey, my heart is comforted that God sees me, he rescues me and it’s his delight to do so.

Are you being stretched through difficult circumstances? How has God reminded you of his care?

Be My Guest

I am so excited to share the talents of some great guest bloggers this upcoming week. Over the past couple of weeks, I have shared guest posts by my wife and my son, and it has been remarkable to see the response. Recently, I’ve started asking people if they would be interested in sharing their “stretch marks” on my blog. This has provided an opportunity to hear what others have to share, but it’s also been an incredible opportunity to connect the blogging community. I cannot wait for you to read the posts coming up this week, and I’m looking forward to the feedback and dialogue that will be generated through these posts.

On May 27, 2011, Jeff Goins shared some tips for guest posting on Michael Hyatt’s blog. I think you’ll find this interesting, and I’d encourage you to head on over to see the full post.

Here are seven steps to successful guest posting:

Check the guidelines. Many established blogs, including this one, have a list of guidelines that you can follow to make a guest post. Before submitting your post, read the guidelines and follow them.
Study the blog. Do some research to understand the subject and voice of the blog and to see what topics haven’t been covered yet. If you know someone who has guest-posted for the blog, ask him how he did it.
Contact the blogger. Email is probably best. In the message, get right to the point. Either pitch an idea or send the whole article, but don’t waste time with unnecessary flattery or self-deprecation. Don’t say “sorry,” and don’t be arrogant. Just be yourself.
Write the best post you can. (This may happen concurrently with #3). Once you’ve made contact with the blogger, you can begin writing. Fight the temptation to hold back your “A” content for your own blog. Guest posts are your best marketing collateral, so don’t submit something less than your best. Once finished, send the ready-to-publish post to the blogger with a byline and link to your website.
Follow up. Depending on the guidelines, give the blogger some time (usually a week) before following up. When you do follow up, keep it positive and polite. You can follow up again a week or two later. If you don’t hear back in a month, tell the blogger that you’d like to take the article elsewhere.
Engage and promote. If the blogger posts your article, first thank her. Then, treat it as you would one of your own posts, if not better. Tweet it, share it, email it, etc. Post an excerpt on your own blog and link to the whole article. Interact in the comments and engage readers who respond. This is a must.
Repeat. Whether you succeed or not, start the whole process over again. If you get rejected, don’t get discouraged. And don’t let it be the last time you try to guest post. Sometimes, the topic is just wrong. Other times, it’s the wrong audience. Regardless, you need to guest post more than once for it to be an effective strategy. So, don’t give up.

If you’re interested in joining in and becoming a guest blogger on “Jon Stolpe Stretched”, please drop me a comment. I would love to connect with you!

Thanks!

Are you a blogger? Have you ever had others guest post on your blog? What tips to you have for guest bloggers?

Transformation Reminders – Looking Back Brings Perspective

Leanne and I on our Fat Tire Bike Tour while in Paris in 2006

Yesterday morning, I enjoyed an eight mile bike ride on the Perkiomen Trail with my wonderful wife. We rode on a section of the trail that I haven’t been on for a while. I used to come here often. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this out and back section between Spring Mountain and Green Lane Park. I like it, because it’s shaded most of the way, it’s fairly flat, and it’s right alongside the Perkiomen Creek.

As I consider the possibility of ramping up training to run the upcoming Amish Country Bird In Hand Half Marathon on September 10, 2011, I realize that I’ll probably return to this area to log some of my longer runs. Several years ago, I logged a lot of miles on this section as I trained for full and half marathons.

On Sunday, I returned to New Jersey with our family to enjoy a picnic/party with some friends. It was a huge blessing to see these friends and their families again. I lived in this area for almost 17 years of my life. In many way, this is my home (although I don’t have family there any longer). I grew up here around these people. Sure it was somewhat embarrassing to be reminded of some of the crazier things of my youth, but it was also gratifying to hear how my generation of teenagers made an impact on our youth leaders.

Returning to a forgotten section of trail and returning to my hometown area – how do these relate? I think it can be healthy to get back to our roots – to go back to the past.

Sometimes, this can be painful as it reveals broken relationships and failures that we’d rather forget. I get that, and I know it can hurt. But I think looking back can also show us how far we’ve come. It also gives us a chance to renew our appreciation for where we’ve come from in life.

As I look back on the last four years of my blog and the last two months of my journal, I can see God’s faithfulness. I can see areas of challenge and growth in my life. And I can see how God is chipping away at this rockhead – how God is molding me like clay – to be continually transformed into a new creation. Going back reminds me of this fact.

When you look back at your past, how can you see that God is transforming you? Where do you go to be reminded of your past?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here!  2 Corinthians 5:17

Still Stretching – Looking Back and Looking Forward

Four years ago on this Wednesday, I started this blog. So far it’s been quite a ride. Here’s how it started 416 posts ago…

Well, this is the start of it all… I’ve been contemplating doing the blog thing for some time. You might be wondering where the“Stretched” thing comes from. For starters, when I was in high school at Rancocas Valley Regional High School, I was short – 5’6″ to start my junior year. Since then, I’ve grown to almost 6’6″. Many of my friends started calling me Stretch. On a more recent basis, I often feel “stretched” by all the things going on around me – career, marriage, parenting, church, running, reading, friendships, extended family, relationship with God, etc. (in no particular order). My hope is that this blog will provide an opportunity to express some of my “stretch marks” and to possibly hear your thoughts as well. So here we go….

When I look back at all the posts and comments since the start, I believe the blog has served this purpose. Here are some of the highlights: family vacations, Supernanny parenting group, Kids Camp and Stretch, the Perelman building, several movies, Elizabeth’s adoption, blog spotlights, book reviews, small group thoughts, and personal wrestlings. Recently, I’ve also started guest posts which I think will add a lot to my blog experience.

From my tallies, I’ve had over 6600 visits to the blog since I changed to WordPress a couple of years ago, and I’ve had over 300 comments. It’s all pretty amazing.

So where do I go from here? Great question. I think it just continues. I’m quite confident that I will continue to be stretched in the coming year. So get ready, I’m sure I’ll have more stretch marks to share.

Until the next post, I’ll be stretching…

How long have you been blogging? Why do you blog? Please feel free to include a link to your blog so others can enjoy.

Bringing Consistency To My Blog

I’ve been thinking a lot about my blog. I’d like to get into a routine of writing 4-5 days per week. I’m thinking that it would be helpful to have a regular schedule for my posts in order to reach this goal. So here are some of my ideas.

One day could be a family/marriage/parenting focus. This would be an opportunity to share the “stretch marks” that go into raising my kids, investing in my best friend, and taking our family through life.

One day could be could be a church/ministry/small group focus. I’m still trying to figure out where I fit into this whole picture, but I know there’s a passion for helping people connect to each other and to God. This focus would be an opportunity to share the “stretch marks” that hit these areas.

One day could be a guest post. I value what others have to say about what is “stretching” them. If you would be interested and willing to put your “stretch marks” out there for the world to see, please leave a comment below. I’d love to get in touch with you.

One day could be a miscellaneous focus. The areas above remain primary in my attention, but there are other things that get my brain moving – leadership, blogging, hobbies, personal discipline, and other stretching points.

So this is what’s been on my mind recently. I’m realizing though that a commitment to blog more consistently will definitely require some thought and sacrifice – and some accountability perhaps.

Do you blog? Why do you blog? How regularly do you blog? Do you have a game plan for blogging on a regular basis? How has this worked for you?

Let’s Get It Started – Time To Stretch

Well, this is the start of it all… Time to get my stretch on.

I’ve been contemplating doing the blog thing for some time. You might be wondering where the “Stretched” thing comes from. For starters, when I was in high school at Rancocas Valley Regional High School, I was short – 5’6″ to start my junior year. Since then, I’ve grown to almost 6’6″. Many of my friends started calling me Stretch.

On a more recent basis, I often feel “stretched” by all the things going on around me – career, marriage, parenting, church, running, reading, friendships, extended family, relationship with God, etc. (in no particular order). My hope is that this blog will provide an opportunity to express some of my “stretch marks” and to possibly hear your thoughts as well.

So here we go….

Until the next posting….

« Previous 1 … 14 15 16