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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

influential women link up

Excuse me as I get a little bit heavy here... 

When I think of influential women, I definitely don't put myself in this category.  I look up to those women that have a strong faith, and beautiful words, and lovely photo's.  Those mom's who seem to have it all together with clean houses and organized lifestyles.  Perhaps I am selling myself short, but I look to these women as a source of encouragement and feel influenced by each and every one of these them. 

Recently, I joined the influence network, as a way to network with said women, and also better myself.  Just as the title states, to network and be influenced.  Influenced in faith, marriage, mothering, managing money and everyday life as well as my passion for blogging and anything handmade.  A place to bounce ideas off other people and to feel a sense of community.  It has been one of the best things I have done, and while I probably don't put myself out there like I should, I am undeniably the person in the corner just "taking it all in."  And taking it in I am.


What you should know about me and the reasons I joined Influence, besides the obvious, that I am a mother, wife, and friend is that I am hard on myself.  My own worst critic. I often get questioned or even teased about my love for blogging by my non-blogging friends, and I really can't give a solid answer on why I blog.  At least not on the spot, but I can sit down and write out my feelings to my heart's content and after I push publish, I feel lifted, satisfied, and hoping that I can influence others.  With the influence network, I often feel encouraged and supported by others, and can relate to other bloggers going through similar struggles and triamphs and our common desire to just put it out there.

You should probably also know that I am lost when it comes to faith and any direction there of.  I have been on this "faith" quest now for a few years and I am still just out of the loop.  Growing up in Catholicism, I never felt any "real" connection to my church, or to my faith.  Deciding to take my faith in a new direction was quite the decision, but one I feel strongly about for my family.  It has been a struggle and I probably haven't dedicated as much time to it as I should, but my heart is longing for this void to fill and to strengthen this relationship.  Again, right on cue, influence helps provide me with these amazing women of faith, encouraging words, good reads and classes, and a sense of direction.  I was blown away from Ellen Parker's 1 hour class than ever in any religion class or church service.  And to acknowledge that is the first step.

I should also probably mention, that I am a handmade shop owner and enjoy using this as a creative outlet.  Again, influence has taught me more about the "business" side of things than I ever imagined possible. From branding, social media networking, growing, and having the support from other business owners has been huge and has kept me inspired and happy. 

As I continue to strive to become more influential like the many women that influence me, I feel I have discovered a good reference point to grow.  If this sounds like something you would like to join or be a part of, you can join here, I promise it is worth it!


 
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12 comments:

  1. It's good to know more about you, Elizabeth! So thankful that you are part of the network :)

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  2. Love this! It is so great to meet you. I cannot wait to see how your journey unfolds, I know it is going to be good and I know you are going to be impacted more and more by His love for you. Let go of the criticisms, you are doing amazing!

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  3. Elizabeth,

    Thank you for being so honest about where you're at in your faith journey. What courage you have! I just want to encourage you to keep seeking. The bible says when we seek Him, we'll find Him if we seek Him with all of our hearts. God is for you and definitely not afraid of your questions. I'm excited to connect with you more in the future!

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  4. so pleased to meet you!
    this was such a beautiful and heartfelt post...with such honesty.
    praying that as you search for Him and His plan for your life, that you find it...He's faithful!
    blessings to you on this journey!

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  5. Anonymous6.3.13

    Hi Elizabeth! I'm Molly and I'm here from the link up! I must confess what you said about being lost in faith really resonates with me. I feel the same way as I am on a new faith journey. That's why I joined the network. I was hoping it would inspire me to follow other women who are filled with faith!

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  6. 1. we have twin names

    2. i love how honest you are about your faith! it is a journey and i pray that you will see & feel the Lord in ways you never expected or knew.

    I am so glad I found your blog! it is absolutely adorable and perfect.

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  7. So glad you shared your heart, Elizabeth. God wants, more than anything, to meet you in your journey <3

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  8. I can really feel your raw emotions in this post and I love it! I admire you for being so candid. So glad this network has introduced us!

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  9. I love your photo, it's beautiful. And I think it is brave and absolutely beautiful of you to share of this "faith thing". I pray you find the One for whom you currently seem to be seeking.

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  10. you're beautiful, and i'm so glad i found your blog through the link up.
    right there with ya on the non-bloggy friends. it's just simple: if you don't blog, you don't get it. i had to let that truth sink in at first, because i got teased too.
    God is so amazing and opens so many doors for us, and blogging is one of them! you're writing is wonderful, and don't stop or let others dictate your thoughts! :))

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  11. Amen to what Heather said. If you seek Him, He will make Himself available to you. In fact, He's been pursuing you all along. God bless you girl!

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  12. I think there's always a point in our faith journeys that we have to stop and reevaluate what it is we believe, and why, and how. And while it's a tough season to go through, I think it's one of the most critical. I know I wouldn't have as strong a foundation of faith now if I hadn't questioned everything in my teen years, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to have grown from that, and to keep growing from that, since many of the hurts I sustained from church are still healing.

    I'm praying for you as you walk this journey, Elizabeth! You are so brave to be fully honest with where you're at with faith, but I appreciate your vulnerability so much.

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