photo credit: Eric RiceIf you are a Christian wanting to make money online it can be hard to find an opportunity that aligns with your faith. One way of doing this is to create your products such as ebooks.  By creating your own products you can mesh the product to fit into your personal standards.    You are then promoting not only a product that aligns with your faith but something you can be proud of.

I just recently released my first ebook, Start A Christian Review Blog.  I was able to take a basic subject, starting a review blog, but add my faith to it, Christianity.  It is a product I am proud to promote because it aligns with my faith.

Writing an ebook is tough.  The process is long and there are many decisions you have to make along the way. But writing is just half the job. If you’re self publishing, after you’re done writing, you have to promote and market it to.

One of the best tools to use when working on a project as large like writing an ebook, is a checklist. It helps you figure out what you should be doing, where you’re heading and how far along in the process you are.

Here’s a checklist I found, created by people who are experienced in ebook writing and marketing. They’ve allowed me to share it with you.   Download ebook writing & marketing checklist

photo credit: mtsofanIn the Sunday service yesterday at church the preacher was teaching on the characteristics of a new believer in Christ.  2 Corinthians 3:9-10 teaches us that we are to put off the old man and put on the new man - meaning that once we are saved we become a new person.  In 2 Corinthians 3:12:-25 the Bible gives us a list of virtues that a believer in Christ should strive for.

While the preacher was teaching on each of these virtues described in 2 Corinthians 3:12-25 it became apparent to me that each of these virtues could, and should be, incorporated in our blogs. The fist virtue I want to talk about is mercy and how we can incorporate mercy into our blogs.

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” 2 Corinthians 3:12

The verse above tells us that we are to put on “bowels of mercies”.  So, what is mercy?  God shows us mercy by forgiving our sins and not punishing us for them.  God withheld judgment from us.  Mercy is not receiving the judgment you deserve.  As a Christian we are not to judge others.  According to the Webster online dictionary mercy is:

1 a: compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power ; also : lenient or compassionate treatment <begged for mercy> b: imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder

2 a: a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion b: a fortunate circumstance <it was a mercy they found her before she froze>

3: compassionate treatment of those in distress <works of mercy among the poor>

As a believer in Christ we are to show mercy to others.  We are not to judge others but to show compassion.  So how can we incorporate this into our blog?

1. Dealing with hateful and rude comments.
   Have you ever gotten some rude or down right hateful comments on your blog? I’m sure most of us has at some point in our blogging careers. It is a fact in the blogosphere that everyone is not going to agree with you and your opinions.  The real question here, though, is how do you deal with those comments?  Are you quick to judge the commenter based on just those typed words?  Instead of being judgmental next time you get a rude or hateful comment respond in a kind and loving fashion.  Let the commenter see the Jesus in you.
2. Be respectful to other bloggers.
   Did you often make assumptions about other bloggers?  I am guilty of this.  It is easy to assume that just because a blogger is getting invited to events, have obtained sponsorships, have a large large Twitter following, and great blog traffic, that they have the perfect life.   Or that they are stuck up and snobby.  Or that they are undeserving of such success.  None of those things are for us to decide.  Assuming things about a person is the same as judging them unfairly.  We should be respectful to fellow bloggers regardless of their success or lack of success.
   
3. Support other bloggers.
   Genuinely supporting other bloggers is often easier said then done.  Sometimes we think we have nothing to offer to help or we think we just don’t have the time.  Of course, another reason could be, “Why help them if it isn’t going to help me?”  Part of showing mercy is having compassion for others.  This includes helping when you are able to.  Many times we are only supportive because we get a reward for it, whether it be some link love, getting contacts, or just for kind words.  Part of showing mercy is to be compassionate.  By being compassionate we support and help others without looking for a reward.  We do it because it is the right thing to do and it is what Jesus would do.

Of course there are many additional ways we can incorporate mercy in our blogs.  By incorporating mercy in our blogs we are become the type of person God wants us to be and thus will also bring us closer to the Lord.

The next virtue I will be talking about is kindness, something the blogoshpere definitely lacks at time and excels in at other times.

photo credit: Annie Mole With the explosion of blogging across internet today people blog for different reasons, as the trend continues to grow we are seeing more and more Christian blogs and people who classify themselves as Christian bloggers. Why would one become a Christian blogger or focus just on Christian blogging?

Christian blogging or reading a Christian blog can affect the life of those who write it and those who read it as well. Someone who begins a Christian blog does so with a purpose. That purpose being to spread the word of the Lord. This will impact their life far beyond just words on a page. God will speak through them and guide them not only in the development in their blog but with everything they do in their daily existence. Writing a Christian blog is more than just writing a blog geared towards the values of God, it’s a heartfelt ministry. Christians are called by the Lord to begin this ministry as per His will. Being so chosen by God to spread His word will change and impact everything they now do in their daily existence. They will now have a closer relationship and they will lead their life according to His purpose, things will never be quite the same.

As you can see beginning a Christian blog is truly an act of love and devotion, but what impact does it have to those who choose to read it? Because of the fact that the Christian blog is a blog full of words spoken from God, it has the distinct possibility to speak to those who read it as well. The only prerequisite is that the reader must have an open heart. The Lord is capable of effecting the lives who those who seek Him, even through something as simple as a blog. The Lord can show them that to follow His word and His teachings will change their lives in more ways that they can possibly imagine. All this can be achieved through an online weblog, more than possible if you have faith and believe in the Lord’s blessings.

A believer who pens a Christian blog and those who are open enough to read it can truly have their lives impacted and changed through the Lord’s strength and love. Not just a simple journal but a journal that can bring both the reader and the writer closer to the one who loves us the most.

photo credit: weshargroveI recently did a search on Google for Christian based Wordpress plugins.  I only found 2! I wasn’t expecting to find a ton but I was expecting more than 2.  Maybe I should try my hand at writing a plugin.  I have a ton of ideas for Christian based Wordpress plugins.

The 2 plugins I found:

1. Bible Verse of the Day WordPress Plugin- This does just as the title suggests.  It adds a verse of the day to your blog.
2. The Sermon Browser Wordpress Plugin - This plugin “allows churches to simply upload sermons to their Wordpress website, where they can be searched, listened to, and downloaded. It is easy to use with comprehensive help and tutorials.”  Sounds pretty cool to me!

So Christian bloggers, what type of plugin would like to see available for your Wordpress blogs?

photo credit: rknickmeAs I was driving home from picking up my children from Vacation Bible School a song became stuck in my head.  That song was “Is Your All On The Alter?”  Many of you probably know this song as it is often played during a church invitation or alter call.  It is really a beautiful song and when I got home I immediately did a search on YouTube for it.  I hoped that by listening to the song I might have some chance of clearing it from my mind.  But no luck - it continued to stay in my mind asking me “Is your all on the alter?”

This got me thinking.  Is there something in my life I have not fully given over the Lord?  My house, my children, my finances, my blog?  There is room for improvement in all these areas of my life.  While I may have initially given an aspect of my life to the Lord over time I discovered I was taking it back.

One verses of the song goes like this:

O we never can know
What the Lord will bestow
Of the blessings for which we have prayed,
Till our body and soul
He doth fully control,
And our all on the altar is laid.

It just hit me!  How can I expect the Lord to answer my prayers if I have not given everything to him?  Or if I keep taking it back.  It is like giving a child a toy, letting the child play with it for a while, and then telling that child he or she can no longer have the toy.

The same principal applies to our blogs.  One of things I highly advocate for a successful blog is to pray for your blog.  But if you have not given your blog over the Lord you are not reaping the full benefits.  So what are the full benefits of giving your blog over to the Lord?

1. The Lord will bestow blessings on our blog as just as He would if it were you life you were handing over.  Some of use may even feel like we are handing our life by handing over our blog.
2. You will have less worries.   There is no need to worry about something if you know the Lord is in control. You don’t have to worry about your blog.  See Proverbs 3:5-6
3. Your faith will grow and not only will this benefit your blog but it will also benefit your personal life as well.

Have you ever wanted to start a product review blog but didn’t know where to start?  I just recently released my first ebook - Start A Christian Review Blog.  It teaches you how to start a Christian based product review blog. It covers everything from setting up your blog, getting products to review, to writing reviews.

I have had some great feedback on it so far.  Here are some of the testimonials I have gotten:

“I just got finished reading your report “Start a Christian Review Blog” - what a great and useful resource for moms looking to start a review blog where they can share their opinions and also their faith. Starting a blog alone can be confusing enough, but this report definitely guides the new blogger in the right direction. Thank you for this report! ”
- Heather Bixler, www.CSAHM.com

“How to Start a Christian Review Blog” is a professionally written guide for the beginner to the advanced Blog Review business owner. Courtney not only gives you resources to help you start and run your business, but she includes a handy check-list to follow!”
- Stephanie Fish, Buckeye VA

If you have ever wanted to start a Christian based review blog, I would love for you to check my new ebook out!

I’m super excited about the Hot Seminar Series happening this summer starting tomorrow night at 9pm!  The Hot Seminar Series is a series of interviews with real women who are making real money online!  The line up looks great!  There are ebay experts, VA experts, internet marketing experts, and a lot more.  I’m just excited about all the great information that will be given through out the series.  I’m sure it will all be great stuff!

I just bought my ticket!  Tickets are only $10 for all eight seminars.  Not a bad deal at all!  Do you have your ticket yet?

I heard on Twitter today that DaySpring just started an affiliate program!  I have always associated DaySpring with greeting cards but found out that they offer a large array of products.  The affiliate program is being hosted through Commission Junction and it is easy to get signed up.

If you are already a member of Commission Junction then you just need to to apply to the program through Commission Junction’s site.  If you are not a Commission Junction member, it is quick to join.  Just fill out a form at DaySpring and you will get an account made quickly.

I’m always excited to find Christian based affiliates programs!

As most of you know I love Mom Masterminds! I have been a member for almost a year now and I have never once regretted my decision to join.  While it is not a Christian based organization, there are a lot of Christians who are members.  Joining Mom Masterminds was one of the smartest moves I have ever made in regard to making money online.

This year Mom Masterminds is celebrating their 5th Anniversary!  They are also giving away 5 lifetime memberships!  Check out this post on the Mom Mastermind blog and nominate a mom who you think deserves a lifetime membership.  The deadline to get your nominations in is Friday, June 12, 2009.

Also don’t forgot that you can check out Mom Masterminds for 7 days free!

photo credit: Rev GuzmanIn the blogging world you are bound to find some drama, bickering between bloggers, and plain out jealousy roaring its ugly head.  It seems even more prominent in niches with mostly women bloggers.  None of this can actually help your blog.  I know I don’t want to get in the middle of two bloggers arguing and will usually stop following that blog because that jealousy almost always ends up taking over the blog.

Let’s face the facts though.  We live in a sinful world and the bickering, drama, and jealousy is not going to go away.  It is a fact of life.  People are always going to want what others have, weather it be fame and popularity, wealth, or something else.

Thank goodness the Bible teaches us how to deal with jealousy and those same principals can be applied to blogging.

First what does the Bible say about jealousy?

• “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:26
• “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” 1 Corinthians 3:3
• “Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” 1 Corinthains 13:4
• “[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5

Basically the Bible tells us that jealousy is a sin.  We are not suppose to envy others but be content in the things we have - in what the Lord has given us. If we are too busy focusing our energy on envy or jealousy of other person then we are too busy to focus on God.

So how does this apply to blogging?

1. If we are constantly checking out other blogs to see how many comments they get, what kind of traffic they have, or what opportunities they are getting, we are wasting valuable time we could be working on bettering our blog.  The truth of the matter is that it doesn’t matter what other people are doing, it only matters what you doing.  If you are neglecting your blog because you are stalking other blogs, then your blog will suffer the consequences.
2. Be content with your blog.  Now I don’t mean don’t strive for more comments, an increase in traffic and subscribers, or to better your blog.  Just do your best.  Don’t get upset if you are not getting as many comments as your favorite blog.  Be thankful for the readers and traffic you do have.
3. Just remember we live in a sinful world and no one is perfect.  Sure their blog may look like perfection, but I can guarantee you it is not.  I’m not perfect, when I first started blogging, I suffered from blog envy and jealousy - a mean case of it.
4. Focus on the important thing - your blog.

Of course there a lots of way to deals with blog jealousy.  The age old saying “Do unto others as you would like done unto you” is very applicable in this situation.  If you start fights with other bloggers, then bloggers will start fights with you.

Prayer is a solution too.  Pray that the Lord will open your eyes and not let the envy and jealous feelings take over.

Also remember that your blog is a reflection of you.  Do you want to be known as the blogger who is always looking for fight or to start some drama?

How do your overcome blog jealousy?  I would love to hear your thoughts.