Monday, 02 January 2012

• Purpose: Finding Your Niche

  By Amy at Make Me a Mary

  In blogging, you’re supposed to have a niche. From what I’ve heard, it’s supposed to give you purpose and make your readership grow.

  I started this blog on a whim one day last March. I had read the words of Mary the mother of Jesus that morning in the Gospel of Luke, when she said to the angel,

  “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38

  I thought that was an admirable thing for Mary to say because the Lord has said a few things to me, too. But many of them haven’t come to pass yet, and much of the time it looks like they never will.

  So I’d been struggling with some faithlessness when I read the words of Mary that morning, but her words inspired me keep believing, no matter how long it might take Him to move.

  Since I’d been toying with the idea of writing a book (and also wondering if anyone would ever give a hoot about anything I could write), I decided to just start a blog and see what might come of it. And I thought, while I’m at it, I’ll just call it “Make Me A Mary” since that really had been one of my prayers anyway–to become a Mary Magdalene. (Perhaps all Marys are pretty cool chics? I don’t know.)

  I don’t have a very big blog, even all these months later. But as I’ve gotten a little more caught up in wanting more readers and more obsessed with interested in making my site better, I’ve grown preoccupied with wondering what my niche is, exactly.

  Is it to inspire? Too broad. Is it to share my faith? Again, too broad–even though of course I’d love to do both of those things.

  One thing I’ve been certain it is NOT (in any way, shape, or form) is a niche in which I speak from the platform of singleness. Why would it be? I hate being single. I can’t stand it. I’m jealous of every person on earth who is married. I even avoid “single blogs” like the plague because if I read them it might mean something.

  However.

  I’m starting to get lots of emails–and guess who they’re from? Single women. And guess what else? They write to tell me how glad they are to have found my blog. But then they end up saying all these things to me that I need to hear even worse than they do.

  Either that, or they are hurting so badly that the Holy Spirit takes over my fingers and I end up typing something that I needed reminding of myself. Either way, I always bawl my head off and it’s those kind of tears where you know God is moving and this is your purpose in life.

  So it must be true. There really is purpose in our pain. And furthermore, we don’t get to choose what that purpose is.

  Lord, use me. And help me stop kicking and screaming about it.

  I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.
  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.
  He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD. Ps. 40:1-3

  And that is my life verse.

  Happy new year. May we watch and wait with expectant hearts because there’s no telling what He has in store.

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