Hi!
I haven’t been in the blogosphere for awhile. For a few months really. But I feel like it’s the one good friend you don’t see for months or even years but can pick up right back where the friendship left off.
I hope our virtual friendship can do the same, but there will be changes.
You see, I walked through a tumultuous season the last few months, and I’ve changed. Necessary changes brought about by the ebbs and flows of the Christian life. Valleys full of the struggles, frustration, and exhaustion we feel. There is potential for maturity and growth as we mold to the season’s refinements. After all, as a Christian, Paul reminds us to rejoice in the trials and the tribulations. So, in the middle of my lamenting, I also tried to remember to rejoice (yep, I failed a lot).
Countless times I debated quitting the blog world all together. I allowed comparison to become the thief of my joy. I lost sight of why I even started this blog. Contented Gypsy is a space created with you in mind.
To inspire and encourage other women to live in this hectic and chaotic world with a contented mindset.
I couldn’t even follow my own advice. I became stats crazed, and would write fiddle with posts until I deemed them “perfect.” I obsessed over SEO (search engine optimization). When I stumbled upon wonderful blogs doing the very thing I hoped to accomplish, I became discouraged. And dare I say a tad envious?
God promises us that He is faithful always even when we are not. That’s what makes His love so awesome.
In the middle of the pity party I was throwing for myself, a dear friend of mine went missing shortly after my move to NYC (and is still missing to date). Her disappearance among other struggles popping up began to infiltrate this idea I had of what living in New York City would be like. Grieving the loss of friendship, realizing I had no well for my soul in my current life situation, and no escape from both the literal and figurative constant noise. My apathy only grew. I lost all motivation to blog. To keep up with friendships. To rejoice in God’s glory. I started simply existing while waiting patiently for this season to end (without making any real strides of growth during this waiting process).
But, I’m fortunate to have dear friends. A beautiful friend of mine spoke this truth into my life when I told her about my struggles. She told me her pastor said:
the cool thing about God during this time is He is just as faithful, just as loving, and growing us just the same in these moments when we feel apathetic towards life and Him. God promises us that He is faithful always even when we are not. That’s what makes His love so awesome. So be encouraged! This part of your life is just as grooming and awesome as the seasons in your life when you feel you are being a “super christian” and on fire, etc.
As I debated long and hard about the next steps needed for this space I laboriously built, I began to get a note here and a message there. Strangers and friends letting me know how much they enjoy my authenticity and vulnerability in my writing.
Forget numbers. Forget stats. Eventually, a realization hit me. Even if only one person is gaining encouragement from reading my blog, that is still somone I am reaching. According to the old cliché, “life is a marathon, not a sprint.” Using the saying’s logic, I decided to stick around for the long haul.
I’m here to offer encouragement because we all have hard seasons and need people to listen and show us love and grace. We all need the “we are not alone” feeling because we really are not alone. We have an incredible savior who promises us hope for a future in eternity beyond this temporary world (please use my contact form if you would like to chat more about Jesus).
What does this mean going forward? My blog will no longer suffer from an identity crisis. I’m an adventurer by heart (and profession). You can expect to still see travel posts, but what really makes me tick is organization and being artsy fartsy. Yes, I get all giddy when I get the chance to organize and clean a mess (feel free to hire me to come organize your life!).
I have added a store (go check it out after you finish reading this post!). I will be offering tips based on my own experience. I’ll share ways to foster contentment and peace by organizing your space and life. Within this space, I will also offer encouragement I’ve discovered during whatever season of life I’m trekking through.
But the most important facet of my blog will be the stories from women in my life. My life is hugely blessed by an amazing community of women. Each of these gals brings a fresh perspective on life, and I cannot wait to share their thoughts and words with you.
I hope you keep coming back because I want to build a community for you and with you. A space where you can connect and interact with others. If you ever want to chat, use my contact form. I usually respond within 48-72 hours, and I would love to hear from you!
We can’t really go out for coffee dates, but we can have virtual ones!
Thank you for reading. It was each of you who kept me encouraged during a time it was so desperately needed.
xoxo, C
