heaven has celebrity magazines

The bigger this blog gets, the more I struggle with basking in the fame.  And I'm getting pretty sick of my attitude.  I don't want to care about "followers".  I don't want my heart to do leaps and dances each time the number of my "fans" goes up.  And I don't want to have this sinking feeling when someone unsubscribes.  In fact, it would just be easier if I could delete the following terms from my mind and conversation:

• ~ fans
• ~ followers
• ~ subscribers
• ~ readers
• ~ and stats

I don't want you to read that and think I don't care about YOU.  YOU, the one with blonde hair who sits each morning at her computer with her coffee to catch up on Better Life.  Or YOU, the one with seven adorable kids that clamor for your attention all day long.  Or YOU, the one that comments and emails and encourages.  I KNOW that behind each of these posts are thousands of eyes.

Eyes that belong to people.

And honestly, that makes it all worth it.  If I can encourage your heart and soul for the five minutes it takes to read a Better Life blog post, then I will keep on keeping on.

But I've got to get it out of my mind that I NEED you here.  To build me up.  To encourage me.  To tell me I'm a great person.  I can't/shouldn't get that from all of you.  I can only get that from Him.  Enter my memory verse for the week.  John 12:43...

Remember this post?  I'm so embarrassed I started that lovely, giveaway post off by complaining about lack of comments.  And that I ran that Facebook promotion to get more fans.  Forgive me for seeking your praise above God's.

What do I want to be famous for anyway?  The "reach" of my blog?  My 3,000th follower?  The 400th bag sale?  no.  I can't take any of that with me when I die.

I want to be famous for loving.  For encouraging.  For inspiring other to love God more and love people more.  This blog may have thousands of readers, but I only blog FOR one.  Him.

He must become greater; I must become less. {John 3:30}

{help me remember that.}

So...
I've deleted the little box on my blog that shows how many fans and followers I have.  It seems that Google Friend Connect is going away anyway on March 1st and who knows what Google is going to do to all you lovely readers.  If you want to be sure to get my updates after March 1st, the best way would be to subscribe to the newsletter which will deliver the blog posts to your email.  {But, I'll try not to care if you unsubscribe}.

And I'd delete my Facebook fan number if I could, but you can guarantee there will be no more "I'm only 5 fans away from ...."  {usually someone deletes themselves immediately after I post that, anyway - Murphy's Law}.

It's funny... as I was writing this post I was reminded of a certain vice I had in college... celebrity gossip magazines.  You know the kind.  I'd go to the bookstore to "study" and find my self hidden behind piles of them.  I went on a fast from them once I realized it was out of control.  It was then that God shared something with me.

Heaven has celebrity magazines that are all the rage.  Except, instead of Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson covering every page, there are pictures and articles about us.  Us... people who are doing good.  People who are loving with all their heart.  People who are giving when it seems they have nothing left to give.  People who are doing it all for God and His Glory.

And we are famous.
 

Linking to Journey of Faith Friday.