This is why I love the blogging community:
This morning I got up early to read my Bible and take a shower {thanks to the Maximize Your Morning Challenge at Inspired to Action}. Right now I’m reading Ann Voskamp‘s One Thousand Gifts so I went to the (in)courage site to check on the Bloom Book Club schedule (they are doing 2 videos a week and I wanted to make sure I was caught up with my reading). Surprise, surprise there was a new post by Shuan Groves–and a video of him singing a song inspired by Ann’s theme of “grace”. It was something I totally needed to hear and worked as a meditation for me this morning. Anywhoo, I jumped over to twitter to share the link to Shaun’s post with my Maximize Your Morning ladies when I saw my friend Melissa Beaver tweet about a giveaway from the adorable Gussy. I met Melissa and Gussy at the (in)courage party at Blissdom. Within 10 minutes 2 other people had said Good Morning and re-tweeted the link to Shuan’s post. {Oh, and I entered the Gussy contest, too.}
Where else in the world would you come in contact with more than 6 heart-friends before you even ate breakfast?
I can’t tell you how encouraged I felt this morning. Does that sound weird? Well, it might be. But it’s where I am.
Anywhoo-the reason I tell you this is because I had already planned to tell you about some other fun bloggy connections. This month, as part of ohAmanda Gives {is that title ok?}, I had really been wanting to do something for The Mercy House. But I just couldn’t put my finger on a specific project…
There are plenty of monthly needs {like electricity bills},
Several immediate needs {like an oven and a filing cabinet},
Or even gifts {like this awesome necklace}.
I already signed up to do the $3 on the 3rd thing…and I just wanted to do something tangible. A REAL GIFT.
Then I suddenly remembered another blog, The MOD Squad. This is a beautiful blog for Mothers Of Daughters. Their purpose is to help mothers raise daughters with purity, character and a heart for God. They recently designed a beautiful MODsquad journal to raise money for mattresses at the Mercy House. They are selling journals to raise money for the NINE mattresses the Mercy House needs! I don’t know why but this put tears in my eyes!
A group of women writing about raising their daughters for purity are raising money to help daughters in Kenya to raise their own daughters. It’s just too beautiful. A perfect God connection.
So, the February gift from ohAmanda is going to be a mattress. We’re going to buy one mattress for the Mercy House. That’s $65. Then, I’m going to buy one journal from the MOD Squad and give it away to one of you. If you don’t have a daughter, you can pass it along to someone that does!
To win the journal just leave me a comment about your favorite online connection–maybe the best friend you’ve ever made online, a post that changed your life or a campaign that is doing big things online. Please leave a link so we can all enjoy!
One more thing? If you consider little old me an online heart-friend, will you visit The Mercy House? Will you see their amazing vision? Will you consider giving or participating in their February Collection Drive?
Thank you to Savings Lifestyle for partnering with ohAmanda. Their support makes this kind of fun bloggy connections happen. And Andrea from Savings Lifestyle? She’s a heart-friend. {And oooh, check out her fun 3 Year Blogiversary Giveaways!} Even the little paid campaigns I’m a part of goes to this kind of give. {Who knew Rice Krispies would help girls in Africa?} But even more than that YOU do this. You click, you read, you share. Thank you.
Buy your own MOD Squad journal and support daughters in Kenya!
why this post is awesome: blogs do more than sit on your computer
I know…now I’m tearing up too! {your kind mention of @modsquadblog and words touched my heart!}
Thanks for hitting the nail on the head – this is community in action!
Praying right now for the precious ones that lay their heads on that mattress! That she will know how loved she is by the One who holds her whole life in His hands!
Blessings sweet Amanda!
Yes! Isn’t it awesome to think a REAL girl will be on those mattresses?!!
My little geeky heart loved all those links in the first paragraph 🙂 I know they are a lot of work when you have so many so thanks for doing that 🙂 Also, I want to go buy a journal, I haven’t hooked up with MOD squad yet but I need to!
I was hoping someone would comment on that. We share the geeky heart. 😉
LOVE this and LOVE you. My best online connection? Um, really? I cannot possibly narrow it down to one. So I’m going to say two large, sweeping ones: my (in)courage sisters and my Sisterchicks. LOVE.
LOVE you!
Wonderful idea! Giving has been on my heart this week.
Stupid Radical book. 😉
My favorite online connections are the ones who still love me even though I’m not a real blogger anymore. I’ve found some deep spiritual connections that have really changed my life. I’m so introverted that I feel a ton more at ease making the close connections online. These friends, though, inspire me to want to make more IRL connections.
{i hope you’re talking about me…b/c i love you love you love you if you blogged 2 words a year or just tweeted once. xo, friend.}
Thank you for sharing the MOD Squad site. As a mom of two daughters, I’ve been looking for a resource like this.
Some of my deepest online connections came from an online expecting/parenting forum I stumbled across while pregnant with my oldest. Since moving into the blogging world I’ve gotten to know so many other wonderful and inspiring people. (in)courage specifically has brought a lot of great women into my life.
Ooh, I was in an online playgroup for my firstborn, too. They are still some of my fave people.
I feel like I’m just getting started in the whole online community. There are a lot of people I respect through their blogs, etc. but I often feel like a tiny fish in a huge sea. However, I know that through connections to Christ even unlikely people can become heart-friends.
Oooh, oooh, oooh, I love when cute stuff (like the journal and ALL the precious items at the Mercy house store)and giving comes together to help make the world a better place! Everything I’ve purchased from their etsy store has been fabulous and I can’t wait to see what God does in the lives of girls at The Mercy House! I recently found the MODsquad and am loving the insight it gives to mothers of girls. I’m still so new to this whole bloggy world but, I guess my favorite heart friends would have to be all my “sisters” (including you 🙂 http://www.bloodwaterbelt.org). I’ve never had a sister so it’s neat to feel connected that way.
I know, Dani! Little things can do BIG things for God! And YAY for the Sisterhood!
When I first met you and you invited us to your house, I remember I had just started blogging and didn’t really know what I thought of it. I was kind of freaked out by it and didn’t know if I would even continue. You told me that you had made some REAL friends through blogging and I just sort of stared at you incredulously and really could not understand what you meant. 2 years later–I totally get it. 🙂 I’ve made some amazing friendships–real friendships! (still amazed by it) and have grown to love this online community.
And I had no idea about MODsquad, so I’m off to check it out! thanks!
It’s so true, isn’t it? And how lucky…blessed are we to be IRL friends AND blogging friends? Love you!
Just in this past week, God has used so many blogs to touch my life. My friend shared “Impress your kids” back in December and then I found your blog earlier this week. I have been inspired to pour some time into blogging. This post is so timely, because in addition to what I see God doing in me, I have a huge desire to raise my nearly 8 year old daughter to love Jesus too. Thank you for sharing this and can’t wait to dig into this blog!!!
I have been blessed to have so many friends that also blog, like http://www.gillianmarchenko.blogspot.com and http://www.cassjustcurious.com. Beautiful women who love their daughters!!!
Thank you for the links! And thank you for reading Impress Your Kids! I’m right with you–I want to raise my daughter to love Jesus. That’s it!
love this! and totally encouraged as always. i bought a journal as a gift for my BFF:))))
love your heart!
Yay! Thank you!
I am totally loving this! This is so my heart let me know if i can help in any future projects. This rocks my face off!
Thanks, Katie! I’ll remember!
Seriously? Have I made an internet heart friend. Amanda dear, you rank at the very top. Shh….don’t tell all my other internet friends 🙂
Tweeted.
I recently discovered your blog through Alicia’s. And I would have to say thus far, she is my blessed bloggy friend of a friend. While searching homemaking blogs, I found hers. Well, imagine when reading one of my best friends fb pages and actually saw Alicia post! Long story short, she is best friends with one of my best friends (from hs)…and they met in college! Amazing large yet small blogging world!!! 🙂
How funny! Blogs make the world smaller, huh? I found an old HS friend once when she posted a Top Ten list on my blog! 🙂
Years ago I was in a group (i can’t remember the name of it anymore) and had a “secret sister” for Christmas. We got to really know each other & I felt like she was a best friend. The group dwindled out, and we slowly dried apart when both our lives got busy. I miss that though.
I tweeted!
(& my above post was supposed to say we ‘drifted’ apart! ..not dried! lol)
You are lovely.
That is all.