Category Archives for "blogging"

Blogging All-Stars

Yesterday, Major League Baseball celebrated its best players with the annual All-Star Game.

As a fan of the game, I have always enjoyed the All-Star Game. It’s an opportunity to recognize the outstanding players and the fan-favorite players of the league. This year’s game only featured one player from my team – Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies. It was also the last All-Star Game for New York Yankees shortstop, Derek Jeter.

The players in this game are well-loved and recognized throughout the sport and its fan base.

Don’t you think it’s time we recognize the all-starts of the blogging world?

If I were going to choose a Blogging All-Star Team, it would include the following bloggers:

Joe Lalonde – Joe writes a great blog designed to encourage leaders. I love Joe’s insights and encouragement. If you are looking to learn and be inspired in your leadership, go check out Joe’s blog.
Matt McWilliams – Matt writes about life and leadership. He is an entrepreneur who passes along excellent advice. Matt is also the founder of the Thank You Revolution.
Larry Carter – Larry “The Deuce” is one of the most consistent bloggers I know. His blog is a great mix of humor and faith. He will get you thinking twice about things in your everyday life.
Dan Erickson – Dan is one of the most creative bloggers I know. He blogs about communication, social media, and a variety of other topics. Dan doesn’t follow the trends followed my many other bloggers. I like the way he goes against the flow.
Jeff Goins – Jeff is one of the premier bloggers in the blog world. He blogs about writing, and he shares practical advice and stories about being a writer.
Rob Shepherd – Rob is a pastor, a father, a husband, and a comedian. He’s also a Lakers fan, but I try not to hold that against him. I love the way Rob makes you laugh and think. He is also a movie buff, so I appreciate the movie reviews he occasionally brings to his blog.
Shawn Smucker – After an absence from the blogging world, Shawn is back at it. This guy can write. He will inspire you. He will stretch you. And he will make you smile.
Seth Barnes – Seth is the leader behind Adventures in Missions. His blog challenges readers to live radical in a comfortable world.
Dee Riggs – Dee is a friend from years ago, and she is one of the most gifted writers I have ever read. Her blog takes life from many different angles.
Dustin W. Stout – Dustin is a social media and blogging guru. He is also a creative designer. He provides practical tips for improving your blog and your social media presence.
Michael Hyatt – Michael is the Babe Ruth of the team. His blog is one of the most followed blogs in the whole blog world. He blogs about intentional living and leadership, and he also shares a lot about building your platform. I have learned a lot over the years from Michael, his community, and his guest bloggers.
Carlos Whittaker – Carlos is a worship leader, songwriter, author, and creative family guy. He also approaches life with creativity, intentionality, and passion.
Eileen Knowles – Eileen writes about the “scenic route” of life. She is an amazing writer who writes on a variety of topics.

There are many people who I could add to the list. If you are a blogger and you are not on the list, don’t take it personally. I follow so many blogs, and it is a challenge to narrow it down to the very best. Having said this, I hope you will check out the blogs mentioned above.

Who would you add to the list? Who would be on your Blogging All-Star Team?

June 2014 – Top Posts and Commenters PLUS BOOK GIVEAWAY

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 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!

<br />

Summertime Blogging – Request For Guest Bloggers

The summer months are a time for vacations and day trips. I am thankful for this season when things relax a little.

I have seen fellow bloggers handle their vacations in different ways:

Some bloggers take off the whole summer. Summer blog reader traffic is typically lower, and many bloggers use this time to be refreshed and to accumulate new ideas for the fall.
Some bloggers take off for a week or two while they are on vacation. Michael Hyatt takes off for a month each summer. He generally does not post during this time with the exception of a few guest posts. Again, this in an opportunity to recharge.
Some bloggers write in advance and schedule posts to go live while they are away. This can lead to a little craziness trying to write and schedule content ahead of time, but it helps keep the blog community active even when the blogger is away.
Some bloggers simply become more inconsistent with their posting schedule during the summer. When the fall comes, they become motivated again to be more consistent, and they resume a normal writing/posting routine.

I try to keep the blog going, even while I am away. Sometimes a re-post popular blog posts from the past. This provides newer readers the opportunity to catch up on some of my older content. My preference though is to feature guest bloggers during my vacation time. This gives me the opportunity to introduce my blogging community to others around the blog world. It provides fresh perspectives on life’s stretching experiences. And it keeps my readers engaged as guest bloggers participate in the dialogue that goes on in the comments.

This summer, I am heading back to Guatemala, and I am looking for guest bloggers to help fill the gap while I am away. Specifically, I need guest bloggers for July 21-25 and July 28th. If you would be interested in helping out during this time (or at another time), please leave a comment or reach out to me at jon@jonstolpe.com, so we can connect. (For more about guest posting, click here.)

You have a stretching story worth sharing. Your stretch story could be the catalyst for significant encouragement for the Stretched Community. And I’d love to share it here!

If you are a blogger, how do you handle your blog when you are away?

Do you have any vacation plans this summer?

What Would You Like Me To Write About?

Yesterday, I received an email from a member of The Stretched Community. He mentioned an idea for a future blog post.

The idea was interesting, and something I will probably pursue in a future post.

The email gave me another idea: What does The Stretched Community want to read?

So today’s post is all about your feedback.

What would you like me to write about in a future Stretched blog post?

Leave your answer to the question in the comments. Thanks!

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

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 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 Goff. 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 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.)

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

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 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 Appling. 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 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.

ADVENTure Day 11

Today’s ADVENTure post comes from Bill Grandi. Bill is a pastor in the great state of Indiana. He blogs regularly at CycleGuy’s Spin, and he has become a friend over the past couple of years thanks to the wonders of the blogosphere. Today, he offers a post to get you thinking about your ADVENTure from a different angle.

(If you’re interesting in guest posting as part of the ADVENTure series or in general, please leave me a comment. I’d love to connect with you. Thanks!)

It is said everyone has a story. Here is part of my Christmas one.

I grew up in what was commonly known as the projects in West Mifflin, PA. They were nothing more than glorified low income housing units built for the steel workers during the war. My father grew up in Fort Wayne, IN, was the product of an abusive home, and joined the Navy. After his discharge he attended Findlay College for a year or two for journalism, but dropped out in order to marry my mother. My mother was raised by godly parents and her desire was to be a missionary. We always joked because her mission field wound up being 4 sons (all of whom are serving the Lord today). They moved back to her hometown and found housing in the projects. We moved to the one I remember most because it was while living there that my father lost his job as a yard clerk on the railroad. Times were lean…no make that very lean. Mom went to work in a mom & pop grocery store. Dad was jobless for several years, until my aunt eventually paid for him to go to computer school to learn the growing field of computers. That was the time computers were as big as a house and took huge rooms kept almost frigid to house them.

Through it all my mom’s faith upheld her. My dad was nominal at best, but my mother’s faith was real and deep. She made sure Christmas was special in more ways than one. While they were both conscious of the “material” aspect of Christmas, mom made sure we knew the deeper story of Christmas. Yes, we had Santa Claus. Yes, we had lights and a tree and trains (those was my father’s responsibilities). But I had a mother (and grandparents) who made sure we knew what Christmas was all about. I learned early on that it did not depend on what you did/did not receive, or what others got that you didn’t. I learned how important it was to be grateful for whatever it was I received, whether I asked for it or not. Even after my father found a computer job, that focus never changed.

I have a lot of good memories from Christmas morning-of games being played; of breakfast being eaten before we could even open a gift; of staring in amazement at the sight that greeted my eyes (when we went to bed there was N-O-T-H-I-N-G); but most importantly of loving parents who sacrificed so their children could have a “nice” Christmas.

ADVENTURE Question: What do you remember from your early years which shaped your impression of Christmas, and is still affecting you today?

ADVENTure Activity: Do you know a family you can reach out to who may have run into some tough times lately? Do they have children whom you can help them with? Can you help them anonymously? Do something.

October 2013 – Top Posts and Commenters

Here are the highlights from October 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 up from September (5.31%). Traffic was up 44.70% compared to a year ago. The top 10 posts again included two posts from 2012 and one post 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 #6 from the list below (The Power of A Positive Attitude).

Top 10 Commenters:

David Paul Stolpe (51)

As promised at the beginning of the month, I have randomly chosen someone from the top 10 commenters list to receive a copy of The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing [A Spiritual Memoir] by Jeff Goins. The winner of this book is…(drum roll)…David Stolpe. Congrats to David!

For the month of November, I’ll be giving away a copy of In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars. 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 a couple of book reviews, more reflection on my Guatemala trip, and opportunities to express gratitude. If you’re interested in guest posting here, leave a comment to connect with me. November 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 October?

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

Visits – Increased 7.93%
Unique Visitors – Increased 7.26%
Pageviews – Increased 3.93%
Pages Per Visit – Decreased 1.24%
Average Visit Duration – Stayed the same
Bounce Rate – Increased 3.74%
New Visits – Decreased 0.83%

The Stretched Blog Visits DanErickson.net

You may have noticed that this week’s Ice Breaker was moved to Thursday. Today, I have the honor of guest posting for my friend Dan Erickson. Dan lives in the state of Washington, and we had the blessing of meeting each other this summer when he traveled to the east coast with his daughter to visit family and to visit NYC. In my post titled Connecting Through Writing, I share about the connection I’ve found through my writing. Here’s a glimpse of my post:

Connecting Through Writing

I never thought I would have a passion for writing.

It’s not that I was terrible at it. I survived four years of Honors English in high school (I actually did okay). But my interest was always more towards math and science. My love for these two subjects led me to a college degree in mechanical engineering and a career in the engineering and construction field.

I had no idea that writing would become such an important part of my life. Writing has actually become a discipline that I look forward to each day.

I’ve been blogging for over six years. And I’ve started dreaming and planning to write a book (or two or three someday).

What has amazed me the most about writing is its ability to connect people. (Click here to read the rest.)

How has writing changed your world? How has writing resulted in new connections for you?

Want To Be Happier? Me too! (@DBartosik)

Today, I’m honored to present guest blogger, David Bartosik. David recently connected with me through the Team Faith Builder Facebook Group. He is Pastor to Students at Richfield Community Church, and he blogs at dbartosik.com about awakening affections for God. You can link up with him on Facebook and Twitter.

David reached out to me on this guest post following my post last week about A Different Twist on Happiness. If you want to add to the conversation through a guest post on happiness (or any other stretching topic), leave me a comment so we can connect. Thanks!

Want to be happier? Me too!

Jon recently wrote a post that directed us to think about the concept of happiness.

7 years ago I was pushed to contemplate the same thing and it changed my life and I can never go back.

Pursuing our happiness and pursuing God are not contrary ideas.

The more you pursue your own happiness it should lead you to God and lead to a deeper, more profound happiness that is contagious and limitless.

1. God designed us to Pursue Happiness.

In every person is a desire to be happy. We buy stuff. We marry people. We do stuff. Every motive of every decision of every person is rooted in their desire to be Happy. This desire was God-given.

2. He is the ultimate source of Happiness.

So if so many people are pursuing happiness, why aren’t their more happy people? Suicide rates are up. Anti depressant medications top the chart of most filled prescriptions. Monogamous relationships are a thing of the past. If that statement is true why aren’t people who believe in God happier? If God is the ultimate source of happiness shouldn’t those that believe in him be the happiest people? Reason-Christians often get wrapped up in the gifts instead of the giver of the gifts. On Christmas are you happy for the new bike, the lawnmower, the Christmas feast, or are you happy in the person who gave it to you? It is a subtle idea that creates a world of difference. God says, pursue your happiness in the giver and the gifts will be even that much more special in view of who gave it. He himself is the ultimate gift. Ultimate happiness is found in HIM.

3. Pursue Him for the rest of your life.

This is the hard part. The first one is a picture of reality. It’s just how it is. The second idea is an awakening to that reality. This third point is a battle. It is one thing to recognize a reality but it is a completely different thing all together to want to and continually pursue that reality. It is a fight, but rather than an obligatory fight that is filled with sacrifice, it is actually a fight for a deeper happiness than I am experiencing.

No one would argue that this idea doesn’t exist in the foundation of our country.

LIFE. Guaranteed.

LIBERTY. Guaranteed.

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS? Well, good luck it’s a pursuit because this is not a guarantee. But what is guaranteed is you can pursue it.

As I observe our culture, it seems as if we’ve missed it. As Jon asked last week I don’t think the question “What makes you happy?” is illegitimate, but I would twist it a little further.

Is this an accurate view of how life should be lived? Why aren’t more people living it?

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 … 16 Next »

Category Archives for "blogging"

Blogging All-Stars

Who would you add to the list? Who would be on your Blogging All-Star Team?

June 2014 – Top Posts and Commenters PLUS BOOK GIVEAWAY

Top 10 Posts:

Top 10 Commenters:

Summertime Blogging – Request For Guest Bloggers

If you are a blogger, how do you handle your blog when you are away?

Do you have any vacation plans this summer?

What Would You Like Me To Write About?

What would you like me to write about in a future Stretched blog post?

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

Top 10 Posts:

Top 10 Commenters:

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

Top 10 Posts:

Top 9 Commenters:

ADVENTure Day 11

October 2013 – Top Posts and Commenters

Top 10 Posts:

Top 10 Commenters:

The Stretched Blog Visits DanErickson.net

Connecting Through Writing

Want To Be Happier? Me too! (@DBartosik)

Want to be happier? Me too!

1. God designed us to Pursue Happiness.

2. He is the ultimate source of Happiness.

3. Pursue Him for the rest of your life.