I am refreshed, renewed, and inspired when I came back from Declare Conference (8/9 – 8/10), in Dallas, TX.
I am refreshed because it was a great weekend to spend with a bunch of amazing and wonderful friends I have met online and now in REAL LIFE! It was because God has given me a time to just hang out with them, enjoy each other presence, laughed with them, sang worship to God and prayed with them.
I am renewed because God used the speakers to teach me and to renew my world view about blogging and writing and to give me encouragement I need to go on in this journey.
Jeff Goins shared about how to build a platform with words, passion and people. He says that writing is not all about finding a topic, but it is about finding your voice. Do you write? Then you are a writer. Do you blog? Then you are a blogger. For a long time I didn’t wanna call myself a blogger (a writer, maybe not yet). But from his session, I realized that I am a blogger because I blog, I write blog post. What do you call yourself? Jeff also said that our platform is about our readers, not us (the writers).
“If you are not gonna believe who you are, who would be?”
Mary DeMuth has so much wisdom sharing with all of us how God has led her step by step through all her darkest hours and use them to glorifying His name through her books and testimonies. Finding our voice is not only just write what you know for the readers/audience, but it is about knowing well what God calls you to write and to share to the right audience. Writing takes time and practice and practice and practice. Have you spent your 10,000 hours in writing? Have you read books widely?
Kat Lee (The Blogging Ninja!) shared with us blogging tips and she said that we are overwhelmed is because we are wearing too many hats (CEO, Manager and Writer) at the same time. Be an effective and efficient blogger!
Lara Williams says, “The Gospel is not only to be preached it, but to live it.” Everything begins in our prayer closet. She shared her life testimony that God is care more about changing us rather than the circumstances, but he will use the circumstances to chance us and to bless us. She also said that ask God always to fill us up every day, we need to spill it up to others and keep on being filled when we want to serve others.
Abbie Haberstadt, at the DIY Blog session, shared the importance in blogging about DIY is Clarity. What is the purpose of the blog? Why am I writing this post? Are my directions easy to follow by the readers? Are my pictures and visual aids clear and helpful? She gave us some good examples of each point. She said, “Tell a story, just talk about it, make it personal and BE REAL!” And oh briefly she showed us how to use PicMonkey, online and free photo editor. Quick and easy!
I wish I could go to every session and can give you more detail on what I’ve learned there. I am still processing every note I took at the conference. It will take sometimes for me to process as I learn to apply them.
I am inspired because of all of these women have one desire: TO DECLARE GOD’S GLORY through their writing and blog! I am encouraged to take the leap of faith to write more of what God has put in my heart, to continue writing blog with confidence knowing God is with me and surround me with all supports I will need. Looking up to these women of God, I see God and His faithfulness in their lives.
I am thankful I was there. I wanna thank every friend who prayed for me and my family. God made it happened!
And Yancy Not Nancy was there! She is my daughter’s most favorite ever! Yancy writes praise and worship songs for family and kids. If you have kids and love worship, you should get her CD/DVD! (I will have a special blog about it and a giveaway… stay tune!)
Most of all, my favorite thing from the Declare Conference is the Selah Room, sponsored by The Seed Company. It is the room where we could pause ourselves from whatever we were doing and spend time with God in prayer.
So, people says that picture worth of 1000 words… then… here are some of the pictures I took at the conference. I wish I could take a picture with everyone I met there.
I link this post at Declare link up. Over there, you can read all the stories shared by those who attended the conference. I am blessed when I read their posts and I know you will be, too!
Make sure that you visit Declare website, Twitter and Facebook to get their update on next year conference. Pray and God will make the way for you to be there!