Instagram

“You’ve been posting a lot recently?”

Yeah, it started back when I was writing my book. I had finished it and wanted to share it with people. So I called my sister and asked her how I should share it on social media. She suggested I do some kind of social media campaign to let people know what I was doing. Instead of just dropping the book, I should create some build up and a following and bring people into the story.

So I decided to take two weeks and post about my trip to India to gain interest as I was making final edits to the book.

And it was so cool to see what happened in those two weeks. First I had so much fun posting. I loved looking through old pictures and videos and thinking of more content I wanted to share. I got excited each morning thinking of ideas to post about for the day. Second it also pushed me to go outside my comfort zone and share more than I normally would. Which was the same thing that happened when I was in India the first time. I was more willing to share because I wasn’t sharing about myself, I was sharing what God was doing. So I took more leaps of faith to do videos, or testimonies and blogs. It also connected me with so many people. I started having people comment or send messages. People from high school or college that I normally don’t have the opportunity to talk to. But they remembered my trip and they were interested in the book. And I started to see that they were also interested in where I was now and what I was doing. And friends from my current community started learning more about me and asking about the book and my trip.

So after the two weeks I had finally finished the book and posted it and put up the links for people to find it. I told them that I was going to take a break from posting for a few days to let them read. But I also needed a break from posting and a chance to get more sleep. Also to process the whirlwind that had just happened. So I took those next few days to think about social media.

I had this great following and people were really involved in it. And I didn’t want to just stop posting completely, mostly out of fear that I would lose interest from people. And I wanted to use this momentum for good.

So I asked Jen what I should do and she just said, “Keep telling the story.”

God has really put it on my heart to share. Because when I was in India I realized that I had a heart for students and missions and that’s what led me to what I am currently doing in Student Ministry. But also, while I was in India I really wanted to share what the missionaries were doing. To show people in America how missions happens across the world. But I’ve realized that’s the same desire I have now. I want to show people what missions looks like right now here in America in Sewickley, Pa. People just don’t know what it looks like to be in full-time ministry and I want to share the incredible things that God is doing. And I want to share what God has been teaching me.

And I’ve been battling because honestly I really hate social media. I’ve gone through so many seasons of deleting it and turning it off. And I’ve watched the “Social Dilemma” so I know the harm that it’s doing. But I think there’s an opportunity for “What Satan meant for evil God intended for good.”

I want to use social media as a tool for discipleship. I’ve been sharing more about my life and ministry to let people get to know me and the ministry I get to be a part of. The cool thing is that social media is this neutral platform that people are more willing to listen even if they would never be open to stepping in a church. And I think it also allows people to get to know me. I spend a lot of time getting to know other people and hearing their stories, but I think sharing about myself could allow other people to feel comfortable and know me so they could start a conversation. And that what I’ve already seen!

I love the definition of discipleship as “follow me, as I follow Jesus.” So that’s what I’m going to use social media for. I want people who follow me to see what it looks like to follow Jesus. The fun things I do like playing soccer, or coffee, or shopping. And the intentional teaching I do or the lessons God is teaching me. And this is exactly what I do with students when I am in person with them. I share my life with them. I invite them into all the parts and allow them to see what it looks like to be a disciple when you’re grocery shopping, in friendship, fashion and makeup choices etc. But now I get to do that with so many more people through social media.

So I’m not trying to be a “social media influencer” but instead I’m trying to use the influence that God has given me through social media to point people to Him.