This week, Her Campus at Regent University interviewed Liz Saint-Louis (one of our chapter members) on the personal blog she recently began.
Check out her inspiring story below!
(Her Campus): What drove you to begin a blog?
(Liz Saint-Louis): It was the Lord. I definitely felt a push from Him, friends and family to start discussing His joy as part of His character and for His church.
So as I was praying and asking God what I should write about and I heard, “redeemed by joy.”
He showed me that joy was a huge element of the crucifixion, because he saw the benefit of dying on the cross, which is reconciled relationships with his children.
Afterward, I created the website redeemedbyjoy.com and started writing.
(HC): Was it challenging to find an audience?
(LS): Yes and no.
I knew that I could reach out to a lot of the students here at Regent.
A lot of my friends and family read it and tell me they are learning a lot.
However, I think the hard part is getting people to share it and reaching out to people I don’t know.
(HC): How do you brainstorm for content?
(LS): I just look for a need or a lack of something people are missing in their relationship with God or overall. I then think and pray of what I can discuss and then write it.
Usually, ideas will pop into my head as I am going about my day.
(HC): What is the hardest thing about writing a weekly blog?
(LS): Keeping up will all the writing from school, HerCampus, and my blog on top of keeping my room clean, eating three meals a day and taking care of myself.
However, the benefit is I am learning to push myself more and writing isn’t nearly a challenge as it used to be.
(HC): What has been your most rewarding moment since beginning your blog?
(LS): Having people tell me I am a gifted writer and that my blogs are positively influencing how they see God. It’s good to hear that my thoughts are helping others grow in their relationship with Him.
(HC): Do you have any advice for other ladies looking to start blogs?
(LS): Write what you’re passionate about, even if you don’t think you have anything good to say.
Usually if you think your ideas and thoughts are different than everyone else’s, it means that the world needs to hear what you have to say.
Fill the void no one else is.
(HC): Which blog post has been most impactful for your own life?
(LS): Probably the ones about joy in fellowship, how joy is an element of love and how God is joyful.
Personally, I struggled to see how God is joyful, but I am learning that’s a huge part of His personality.
(HC): Can you share a short snippet from one of your blog posts?
(LS): Sure. This is from “Joy: An Element of Love.”
“If we hold onto things that aren’t beneficial to us, we can’t run the race God calls us to. The fuel to our race (life) is joy. Jesus experienced the most joy after he sacrificed everything.
Just like Jesus, we too are living sacrifices. When we sacrifice ourselves everyday, giving up the things God asks us too, we are refreshed and renewed (Romans 12:1-2). We experience joy, love, and life; life more abundantly.
God promises us to have a life of abundance, but he asks us to sacrifice ourselves, our plans, and our lives to Him. He asks us to sacrifice control of the life we think we should have for the life he calls us to, because His plans produce life.
And when I talk about sacrificing, I’m not talking about the sacrificing things to make us seem more holy to others and to be the “good Christian,” but instead, wholehearted, no strings attached, selfless sacrifices for God that come out of our love for Him.
The sacrifice Jesus gave, came out of a love that wanted to give life to others more abundantly. He saw the eternal effect it would have on humanity and he pushed through, running the race. He experienced joy through being the ultimate sacrifice, which connected people back to the Father.
I truly believe that we experience the greatest joy when we sacrifice things out of a place of love to see others brought back to God. I think that’s what it truly means to be a living sacrifice.“