Friday, sweet Friday. I had a lot of fun blogging this week. I mean, it’s always fun, but it seemed like I had many more meaningful interactions with you all, whether in emails, on Facebook, or via Twitter.
It is always so encouraging to feel like I know some of you, without having met you in real life. It makes blogging so worth it.
I also happened upon some good reads and a few other interesting tidbits this week. Here’s my Friday Findings…
Don’t Invite Jesus into Your Heart. I listed this phrase on my Top 10 Christian Phrases I Never Want to Hear Again post, which was syndicated on Churchleaders.com, where a few readers attacked politely disagreed with me for adding that one. Well, lo and behold a pastor wrote about the same thing, only much more in depth, and I love it!
Feminists Make Bad Christian Wives. The lovely Nikki Weatherford, blogger, wife, and mom extraordinaire, wrote a great post called 10 Reasons Why I’d Make a Terrible Feminist. I’m not gonna lie…I wish I had written this.
Social Media and Evangelism? When you think of evangelizing, is social media one of the last things that comes to your mind? It is for me, but Peter Guirguis started the relevant, challenging, and practical site called Not Ashamed of the Gospel which exists to encourage believers to reach people with the Gospel via social media. I think it’s a brilliant idea.
Jesus Has Blue Eyes. One of the most beautiful, compelling, convicting, and inspiring things I’ve read in a long time. I don’t want to give anything away. Just go read it!
All Kinds of Awesome. The other night, I seriously lost 20 minutes of my life on Buzz Feed, perusing lists like this one and this one. I was laughing out loud, tears were streaming down my face, and it was pure awesomeness.
Measuring Yourself. And it wouldn’t be a true Friday Findings if I didn’t mention something from Frank Viola. His post The Peril of Measuring Yourself Against Others is a pitch perfect commentary on the dangers of comparison, stats, and rankings, and the need for true discipleship. If you are a blogger especially, read this.
I’m Getting Ads. Okay? First, a bit of MR housekeeping…If you ever signed up to receive posts directly to your inbox, only to find you never received a single one, I apologize. I suck. Well, technology sucks sometimes. Anyhoo, it’s fixed, along with some other buggy things that were bogging down this here blog. Also, I wanted to ask you all if you would be terribly offended or run away if I started running ads on Modern Reject?
Because, I think it’s time. I used to feel conflicted about the issue, like Christian bloggers shouldn’t make a penny for writing. They should just be all pious and poor and stuff. But after reading a post from Micheal Hyatt about monetizing your blog without selling your soul, I changed my mind and have decided that ads aren’t immoral. So, hopefully you won’t mind once those precious little money-makers pop up in the next week or so.
Hi Nicole! I’m glad to hear you had a good week blogging. Those weeks seem to keep the momentum going. I think it’s a great idea to have some ads. In fact, I’d pay for one!
Looking forward to reading the posts you shared this week, especially the one about Jesus. Happy Friday!
Thanks Malisa!
Just found your blog recently after you followed me on Twitter!
i LOVED the Jesus w/ Blue Eyes post. love, love, love. One of many posts I wish I had written myself.
On my own blog, I wrote this week about my dad, who passed away when I was 18, two weeks before I moved off to college: “An Unnecessary Introduction” http://www.lifebeforethebucket.com/2012/04/unnecessary-introduction.html
Adrian,
Thank you for stopping over and thank you for sharing that lovely heartfelt post about your father with me.
I should read that Frank Viola piece, ’cause I tend to do that a lot! In fact, if I may be blunt, sometimes I even measure myself against you.
As far as stuff to share, well, I hope this isn’t blatant self-promotion, but I did write a new blog post about what we talked about yesterday: http://www.travismamone.net/2012/05/queer-and-beloved.html
Travis,
Yes, do check out Viola’s post. You’ll be blessed by it. And you measure yourself against me, huh? In what way? I’m surprised anyone would measure against me, to be honest.
Anyway, thank you too for sharing the post. I’m gonna check it out.
Thanks for sharing those post Nicole. I think ads are cool as long as they are not all in your face and intrusive. Maybe some text ads on sidebar. No flash ads, those are horrible.
I think this post was good, considering all that is going on with the NFL and the death of Jr. Seau: http://www.esquire.com/the-side/opinion/jr-seau-dead-8546574
Moe,
Well there goes my plan for all flash ads, like a Vegas show in your face. No, honestly, I don’t even know what they’ll be yet. The space for them is already built out on the blog, so it wont look much different.
Thank you for the link too. I was reading a bit about that tragedy yesterday. I’m interested in reading this too.
This made my day. :-)
Ha! I’m so glad. I loved the post and was happy to share it with others.
What a great blog & article. I’m very new to this and really glad to have found your posts! If you have time check ou
Teri,
Thanks for stopping by. Look forward to seeing you around here again.
Nicole,
I can’t wait to look at these. It’s wonderful to have Friday as my day off so I can peruse these recommendations.
Two things to share. The first is a really great post on gender-based marketing in the church, and what really matters in gender related conversations as God moves our lives to reflect Christ more and more. You will be saying amen audibly. As a fun side note, Michael Horton, the author, is also the author of a systematic theology that is pretty freaking awesome as of page 47. http://tinyurl.com/6qfkc5z
The second is a post of my own on my blog, Daily Leaps, about God claiming idols in our hearts. A work that He can only do in most cases. http://tinyurl.com/89q48ql
Thanks for the plug last week by the way. You’re too kind!
Go ahead and put in ads. Hopefully not too tacky … I think it’s OK and even proper for you to make a little money on these. I would refer to “do not muzzle the ox which is threshing” but that is much too close to calling you an ox. I appreciate your blog.
Dude, just the other day I noticed how you don’t have ads and wondered how you did it! Go crazy! A lot of your thought, time and energy (not to mention finances) must go into Modern Reject. We get to read, you get to advertise. Everyone wins!
Yeah, my wonderful husband has spent money on this blog without ever expecting it back. He was investing in me, and so now, I’m ready to make a little dough!
Wow, loved “Jesus Had Blue Eyes!” What a moving post and such an inspiring example of how we can experience Jesus and pour out His love into other people. Thanks for sharing!
Wasn’t it amazing? i was just crying as I read it. I felt so inspired and reminded of how Jesus meets our needs and how we must desire to meet others in the same way.
Nicole,
I can’t wait to look at these. It’s wonderful to have Friday as my day off so I can peruse these recommendations.
Two things to share. The first is a really great post on gender-based marketing in the church, and what really matters in gender related conversations as God moves our lives to reflect Christ more and more. You will be saying amen audibly. As a fun side note, Michael Horton, the author, is also the author of a systematic theology that is pretty freaking awesome as of page 47. http://tinyurl.com/6qfkc5z
The second is a post of my own on my blog, Daily Leaps, about God claiming idols in our hearts. A work that He can only do in most cases. http://tinyurl.com/89q48ql
Thanks for the plug last week by the way. You’re too kind!
Josh,
Thank you for the links. I am super interested in reading them both! You are welcome by the way. You consistently impress me and inspire me.
I love the Buzzfeed lists…have just wasted a lot of time on there laughing! And thanks for the Nikki Weatherford article, I really enjoyed reading it and knowing I’m not the only one who is ok with not being a feminist!
Please run ads and tell me how well it works. You put a lot into the development of your blog if someone is willing to pay for a spot on it go for it. It may help offset your jet-setter lifestyle. haha
Ken,
I’ll share with you all I know about advertising, which as of right now is squat. And jet-setter lifestyle? I wish!
I have to side with Moe on this one. Simple ads that do not distract from what you are saying.
Hi Nicole! Thanks for all the links. I read through most of them. I am okay with ads. I have a feeling you will be picky on who you let advertise. The biggest way I share my faith on Facebook is to share verses from what I have read, if they impact me and share worship videos of ear worms :-). I also use Facebook to pray for people, sometimes telling them outright and sometimes not. The one way people share their faith that I really dislike is when they put up those posters or memes that praise Jesus and then try and guilt everyone else into sharing it, a.k.a. “If you REALLY love Jesus, share this with your friends on FB.” I never share them.
I hope you make millions. Advertise away!
Ha! Thanks Tim. I hope I make millions too. :)
Hey Nicole! Glad to find your blog. I love your heart and desire to write about things and questions people are really asking and wondering.
I have to admit I am a little bit confused, though, of your portrayal of Christian feminism. I’m wondering if you have met a true, joy-filled, real, Christian feminist. Because we are nothing like you and Nikki describe. And I LOVE being a wife, by the way. And who knows? I may even stay at home one day as a mom! I also love love, love, LOVE my husband, and do everything possible to make him feel like the strongest, most secure, Godly man possible.
I understand your perceptions, as I used to share them before I started digging deep into the roots and history of feminism (particularly in the first wave). I think you may be surprised at what you find.
Anne,
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement. To your question, I can’t speak for Nikki, but I don’t think she was trying to draw a comparison between herself and Christian feminists, so much as between Christian women and secular feminists, as a whole.
I know there are Christian feminists. I would call myself one of them, but I do happen to agree with much of Nikki’s post, so I suspect that based on your definitions, I might not qualify.
All that to say, Jesus was the first feminist. He allowed women to be seen, appreciated, heard, and truly loved. I support that type of feminism, not the man-hating, bitter, chip on the shoulder kind of secular feminism that I think Nikki was addressing.
Thank you for the challenge and willingness to open up the conversation. I hope to see you around these parts again! Blessings to you!
Yeah, I can understand that. Unfortunately feminism has been so misrepresented and misunderstood. I think my confusion more started from the title, “Feminists make Bad Christian Wives,” I inferred you meant Christian feminists, not secular. Regardless, so glad to find you! :) Grace and peace.
Anne,
Let me just say that you’re not alone in your problems with my post. A lot of it was written tongue in cheek, but a lot was serious as well. I was addressing a specific kind of Feminism. I received a lot (A LOT) of emails from women saying, “I’m a Feminist, and I love my husband, and I stay at home with my kids, and etc.” To them, and to you, I just have to say that if you’re not the kind of Feminist that I’m describing in this post, then it’s not you that I’m distinguishing myself from. Does that make sense?
As Nicole said above, I was seeking to draw a comparison between myself and Feminism that I consider to be unbiblical. Whether it be secular or Christian women, if it doesn’t line up with Scripture I see a problem. If it does, if your beliefs and your lifestyle fit in with Scripture, then that’s great! I would not seek to criticize or rebuke you for that. My goal with everything I write is simply to challenge people to test themselves, and text their beliefs, and insure that they are in sync with the Word.
PPS-I promise this is my last comment, but here’s an article Dianna Anderson wrote in response to something Rachel Held Evans wrote that is just fabulous, called “What Feminism Is Not. . .”
http://rachelheldevans.com/what-feminism-isnt-dianna-anderson
PS-I also say that with a LOT of respect, admiration, and love for what you do. And am so thankful for women like you.