Pen to Papher Turns One!
This February marked one year since we started our Pen to Papher journey. We cannot believe it has been over a year already; time really does fly by! We have been reflecting on what we have learned this past year and to celebrate this milestone, we decided to share a few of these reflections with you.
Jourdan’s One-Year Reflections:
I have read the Bible more in this past year than ever before. I have gained a deeper understanding of the consistency of the Gospel’s message and the nature of God’s character. I have realized that trying to live a Christian life without reading the Bible is like putting together a piece of furniture without the instruction manual. Literally every question or concern that we have can be answered by referring to the Bible!
Now, possibly more than ever, people are in need of positivity, encouragement, and accountability. People desire connection and they are often turning to the internet to try and find it. If you are one of those people, we are so glad you found us. That is why we are here!
Going viral is not the same thing as building community. Organic growth takes time.
Comparison is the thief of joy. When I saw that there were already blogs similar to ours, I feared that our message would be lost or not needed. And then I heard someone explain it this way: “The next time you feel like what you are doing is already being done, walk down the bread aisle.” The lesson here is that people like options and there is room for everyone at the table (or should I say the bread aisle).
Creativity strikes on its own time. You cannot force it, yet at times you cannot hold it back, so now I always have a pen and paper ready!
When it comes to creating content, aesthetics are important, but sustenance is more important. (Read that again, fellow perfectionists!)
There is a big difference between blogging as a hobby versus blogging as a business. Starting a proper business involves things like setting up an LLC and filing taxes, which can get complicated very quickly!
If you are interested in starting your own blog or business, I highly recommend hiring a graphic designer to help you establish branding, including creating a logo, color scheme, fonts, etc. It is an investment that is well worth it!
Nohemi’s One-Year Reflections:
Communication - GOD leaves me in awe of how He communicates - there have been so many times where Jourdan or I have an idea and when we go to share it with each other, it turns out to be the same idea. It literally gives us goose bumps every time. We always laugh, but it has shown me that GOD is leading us in the same direction and is speaking to us on what to share, which adds a level of confirmation in what we are doing.
Vulnerability - there is some level of risk/openness that makes me hesitate or question myself. I notice that I question myself a lot because I am not the strongest writer or have the “strongest” relationship with GOD that leads me to doubt whether I should be the one speaking on certain subjects. This reminds me of Moses and how he struggled with his calling from GOD. He kept questioning and coming up with excuses, but GOD always had a rebuttal to let Moses know that he was chosen and meant for this!
Hard Work - This one piggybacks on my last statement because it has been hard work to overcome my self-doubt. I am learning how to not be so critical of myself when it comes to my writing and just allow my thoughts to be portrayed in words.
Creativity - I have always loved to create things and put a flare on anything that I do. With the blog, it has been shocking how creative I can get and how ideas sometimes just flow so naturally. It’s scary good 😊.
Gratitude - Last but not least, there really has been a sense of gratitude in what we are doing here. I am beyond grateful for Jourdan because she has been patient with me, she allows me to brain dump ideas, get wild with creativity and she really has just been an awesome friend/sister! I know why GOD placed her in my life and I am beyond grateful 🥹.
As you can see, we have learned a lot in this past year! We believe that GOD truly has a purpose for Pen to Papher and there is so much more for us to learn and do. Thank you all for following along with us on this journey. We cannot wait to see what GOD has planned for this community.
Be on the lookout for more blog posts. Also, feel free to check out our Instagram page for day-to-day Christian lifestyle content and to get to know us on a more personal level ❤️.
