The photo above and below courtesy of pexels and bing

Okay, so I’ve tried to hold off on this for a while because I guess I’m the type of person where I don’t like to keep bringing things up – so let me be transparent here: Over the last couple of months I’ve been getting recognized by different bloggers and the blog has received several awards in which I’m very grateful (you can see all of them including this one now, on the side over there…

 (to the near bottom – there you go =)

But have you ever felt like, things just kept coming and while people are excited at first – afterwhile, you start getting a side-eye like REALLY??? okay, you can stop now. You know, sort of like those award shows where people just keep winning and suddenly the people in the audience’s reactions are something like this:

Yeah! the awards were coming so often – I was for sure I would be getting one of those reactions…lol, could’da just been me, soooooo – I thought I’d let this one sit for a while and take a little break, know what I mean?

However, I would really really like to thank my sister from another mother Rakkelle of Racquel Writes for nominating me for this recognition – I truly appreciate you girl and so sorry it took SOOOOOOO LONG!! I love Rakkelle’s blog, it’s filled with so much insight, thought and I have to say – it’s one of the blogs that I look forward to reading every….single….week, no doubt! So go check her out and follow her pleassseeeee – you won’t be disappointed and that’s a BIG/HUGE – I PROMISE YA!!!

So, the rules of this award are very simple all you have to do is: 

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog
2. Write a post to show your award.
3. Give a brief story of how your blog started.
4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
5. Select 15 or more fellow bloggers for this award.
6. Let each nominee know you’ve nominated them and leave a link to your post.

Well, numbers 1 and 2 are good so it’s story time (a brief story that is) and here we go!

HOW DID A BLOG, A MAGAZINE. IT’S JUSTSUMINSPIRATION START: 

If you’re an avid follower of mine or if you’re not. I’ve mentioned this in a couple of blog posts such as this one – but if I can be honest, blogging honestly started as a hobby. I had never thought of starting a blog before until mid or late 2014 when I was scrolling around on my phone and seen the WordPress advertisement “Start your own blog today!” and I was like, hmmm – so I looked into it but didn’t start right away. After that instance, the thought seemed to come to me more and more and more about starting a blog. I had no idea as to what I would write about or if I even had enough in me to keep it up with consistent writing.

I’m the type of person that can be very good about starting something but a failure at finishing what I started. I went on and didn’t give it much thought until March of 2015, I was sitting at my desk and seen that annoying WordPress advertisement again but this time I heard a voice say “DO IT NOW” I was so shocked and scared.

I knew that voice was God and I knew at that moment that he wanted me to start the blog. The awkward urges I was feeling in those past months were urges signaling me to do what I felt like I was called to do and that is to “Encourage.” So as I sat there trying to figure out what name to call it, that’s when “Justsuminspiration” immediately dropped in my soul and that’s what it’s been ever since. I added the magazine aspect of it to focus on everyday things such as people, movies and inspirational acts of kindness being done in the world by amazing people who may never get noticed by the media. You can find out more here concerning the journey ahead from that start point.

GIVE TWO PIECES OF ADVICE FOR NEW BLOGGERS

• My first piece of advice for new bloggers is to be authentic – just be you. Kristi Hill asked this question some months ago and luckily my name and advice were one of the ones she chose. So here’s what I said then in which still stands now for any new blogger and upcoming blogger:

The one thing I wasted a lot of time on was not really focusing on my blog and/or the reasons why I started the blog in the first place. I lost a lot of time watching other bloggers and if I can be honest, trying to mimic their style and verbiage thinking that’s what I needed to do in order to grow my blog and get traffic. My word of advice to any new blogger would be to “keep their focus” on their own blog (at least for the first month or two) trying to make it presentable, thinking of topics to talk about and looking at what will make their blog unique. We all have a gift and we all have something important to say, my blog may not be like anyone else’s and someone else will not be like mine – but that’s what makes the bloggerverse so unique because it’s filled with different stories, genres, backgrounds, colors, and purpose.

• My second piece of advice for any new, upcoming or seasoned blogger is to read the advice from Kristi’s post “Blogging Time Wasters” – it’s a really good read that has valuable comments from other bloggers who talk about their experience’s with blogging and the pitfalls they ran into while blogging. As stated before in other posts, I don’t have answers for everything and never feel as though I have all the knowledge in the world on this blog – my experiences are mine and I share them but I also don’t mind sharing good information that I feel could help others as well, even if I don’t have the answers.

So, I would like to encourage   get that word…wink, haha – any blogger to read that post, it’s full of information that can and will help you on your blogging journey. GOOD LUCK!! 

Now # 5 & 6 states to nominate 15 bloggers and in true form, I normally would – but I’m going to take the high road like my sis Rakkelle did here and I’m going to leave this award open to anyone that would like to participate, please do. I nominate ALL THE BLOGGERS WHO FOLLOW ME for this award. Your comments, love, and readership of anything I write are very much appreciated; especially on those days when I feel as though no one is paying attention, there’s always a comment left that gives me that lemonade to keep pushing through and I’m forever grateful.

Until next time – thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to read this post.

Much Love 

Not exactly sure what the month of November will hold but I’ll be here with something =)

Since becoming a Blogger – I wrote my very first faith-based children’s book about bullying entitled:

“Billy Wolf & The Kids’s of Heavenly Hills Elementary” 

It’s gotten some really cool reviews and is a book for both a child as well as an adult, in which I’ve had quite a few childless adults to purchase it. I think you’ll like it too. You can pick up your very own copy at one of the retailers below:

NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH THESE MAJOR ONLINE BOOK OUTLETS

Books-A-Million

Barnes and Nobles 

Amazon

Purchase your copy Today!!!