Have you ever received a package from someone (or from Amazon, let’s be honest) that was destroyed when it showed up at your house? Maybe you didn’t even have to “open” it because it was mostly open from its shipping journey…tape not working and completely torn up…maybe the cardboard even had big holes in it or was soaking wet, ruining the structural support that was needed to carry the valuable items inside. Maybe the contents of your package were even missing because of how disheveled the container was. If the intended contents were inside, you probably had to make sure that nothing was ruined or damaged in any way. Whatever the case is…we all know this is NOT how important content is supposed to be delivered!

In the same way, as we walk in obedience and faithfulness to the calling of the Lord on our life, we don’t want the content of what we are trying to deliver to be hindered, damaged or missed simply because the vessel, our body, is not handled with care.

In His immense grace towards us, the Creator of the universe has given us life, breath, a body, a family and offers us rescue and reconciliation to Him through Christ. He also gives each of us a unique calling and purpose to bring glory to Him for all that He is worth. We can show gratitude and value to the Lord in our lives as we steward these good gifts with care and attention.

And we can specifically show God immense honor in our calling as we seek to steward our bodies and our health since our body is the vessel that carries His powerful message. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 encourages us to honor God in this way, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Though the cardboard box that a package is sent in is not the ultimate point of a delivery, it is still vital for the container to be functional and in good condition to be used properly and effectively. As is our physical health. It isn’t ultimate, like 1 Timothy 4:8 reminds us, but it is an essential part of effectively sharing what God puts inside of us. Taking care of our body, the vessel, shouldn’t be obsessive since it is not the focus, but it also shouldn’t be dismissed or discarded as inconsequential to our mission. Our health can become a distraction or barrier to our mission whether it’s out of obsession or out of negligence.

Be encouraged that exercise and movement, proper nourishment as well as mental and physical rest all connect to the health of our soul and our capability to deliver what the Lord has called each of us to. Our motivation doesn’t have to be (and shouldn’t be, in my opinion) for aesthetic but rather for purpose. We can more faithfully fulfill our purpose when our bodies are cared for well thus functioning the good way God has designed them to. Just through exercise we can balance our blood sugar, balance our hormones, boost our immune system, settle our nervous system, increase our focus, increase our ability to handle stress and help the natural detox function that God has designed in us. Fueling our body with nourishing foods gives our bodies what they need to do all of our work without being depleted. And incorporating things like fascial care, sabbath, solitude and adequate sleep will give us the proper rest that our limited bodies need.

Just as we do our best to steward our gifts and calling, may we steward our health holistically in order for the vessel that carries His valuable message to honor the Sender.

So, ladies, are you giving diligent attention to the red label “handle with care” that the Lord has given all of us as we carry His hope to the world? Let’s steward the vessel that delivers His goodness and glory to others as an act of worship like Romans 12:1 says. He is worthy, His message is valuable, and so it’s vital to take care of the vessel that offers His good news.

Steward your calling by stewarding your health. It’s worth it and so are the people and purpose in your life. Let’s honor the mission, message and beautiful gift of life that the Lord has given each of us by handling our health with care.

My prayer for you is from 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”

Written for Declare by Lauren Wilson, from Olive Tree Pilates and Wellness, a sponsor of the 2025 Declare Conference.

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SPECIAL EDITION CUSTOM DECLARE RALLY 2024 WOMEN HOODIE

Our friends at GabbyAndGiadaDesigns designed this beautiful Special Edition Hoodie Sweatshirt for the 2024 Declare Rally Retreat! So cozy and cute! Get yours today! Let’s wear it to the Rally Retreat in February!

The post Rally Sweatshirts! appeared first on Declare.

Social media, blogging, podcasting, and speaking have all evolved in many ways over the years. And it’s still constantly changing. There was a time when social media was simply liking our friend’s over-filtered pictures, and blogging was a way to share cute updates and anecdotes with family far away. A surge of creatives hit the scene, niche communities cropped up, and then came the complexities of affiliates, influencers, and the good ole’ algorithm. Like for like, share and repost, grow your audience, learn a TikTok dance, add the link, pay for verification, cycle giveaways for followers, and keep up with all of it. Everywhere online, there is something for everyone, either as a creator or as a consumer. But just when you think you have it all figured out, it changes.

What worked in social media, blogging, podcasting, and speaking then, does not work anymore. The game is the same, but the rules have changed.

As a creator, where are you in it all? Have you felt the shift? Do you long to reclaim your platform – your online territory?

Maybe you’ve seen and done it all. Or maybe you are just getting started. Wherever you are on the spectrum of content creation, at some point you’ll experience a shift in it all. And sometimes the shift can be discouraging.

However, just because your platform looks different that it once did, doesn’t mean there isn’t room to reclaim it and make it new. If you are just getting started and you already feel behind, be encouraged: you’re not. There is always time to reclaim and start again.

Isn’t that what Jesus did and is doing in our lives daily? Yes.

As online creators, we want to curate something meaningful. We want our little space on the interweb to reflect the beauty and love of Jesus. We want to be the light. It’s hard to do with so much digital noise, chaos, and overcrowding. It’s even harder to do when the rules keep changing.

But stay in the game, sister. Let’s reclaim our space as influencers for the Kingdom. Reignite your passion for communicating the message that God gave you. Start again. Renew your lease online. Reclaim your message.

How you do that is up to you and the Lord. Spend time praying about the message God gave you, the testimony He asked you to share, and the people He wants you to reach. Is your audience thousands or is your social media account private? Are you writing a book or a series of blog posts? Is that message for a podcast or is it for a conversation with friends? How much time and attention is God calling you to dedicate to being online in this season? Are you stewarding your time and talents wisely?

If you feel the need to reclaim your passion for communicating the good news of Jesus, ask Him to show you the way! Pursue God’s purpose for you. The world needs your message. Let’s rally together and reclaim our territory!

Join us at Rally Retreat 2024! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN:

The post Reclaim Your Territory appeared first on Declare.

So many of us have been given beautiful God-sized dreams, or a heart to meet a need and ideas of ways to do so. We learn from mentors, coaches, and experts, read all the books, listen to podcasts, and hear from wonderful speakers at conferences. We get in community with others like us. But often, we simply don’t have the time to sit with our dreams and do the work to see them to fruition. We don’t have the space to put the wheels into motion.

At Rally Retreat, you are invited to shut out the noise of the world, pause, and focus solely on what God has called you to. We are providing you with the time and the space to do that. You will meet other women there that are doing the same, and that are eager to encourage one another. We will work together, share ideas, gain clarity, streamline visions, and make progress in our individual work. At the end of the weekend away, you will feel accomplished, fulfilled, rested, and ready.

So, whether you are just getting started with an idea, need time and motivation to get unstuck, help working on social media or content creation, want to brainstorm next steps, or just need a weekend away to rest, pray, and reclaim your vision- Rally Retreat is for YOU!

Declare has been serving Christian women influencers and communicators for more than 10 years. And while a lot in the industry has changed, our heart remains to encourage and equip you in your call to declare the good news of Jesus Christ. You are an ambassador for the Kingdom of God and your influence is needed!

Join us at Rally Retreat and let’s accomplish the work He set before us!

The post Are you going to Rally Retreat? appeared first on Declare.

Are you going to Rally Retreat next month? Tickets are limited – a few tickets are available! CLICK HERE TO SAVE YOUR SPOT.

Here are 5 ways to make the most of your time at Rally Retreat: 

1 / BRING YOUR GAME PLAN. Have in mind specific goals or things you want to accomplish by the end of the weekend. Create a checklist for yourself. Writing out and prioritizing your goals will help you manage your time and stay focused at the retreat.

2 / PREPARE TO BRAINSTORM. At Rally Retreat, you’ll be with other like-minded women, which is great for brainstorming and sharing ideas. Come with questions, thoughts to run by others, and ideas to pitch out, and be open to feedback and inspiration from the other women at the retreat. It’s so fun to bounce ideas around!

3 / CONNECT AND DISCONNECT. You’re going to meet some incredible women at Rally Retreat who will now be in your corner cheering you on throughout your journey! That’s what we love about the Declare community To make the most of your time at retreat, allow yourself to connect with the new friends! We also recommend disconnecting from distractions and demands such as social media or email notifications while at retreat. Allow yourself to be fully present, step into this sweet community, and focus on what God has put before you.

4 / TRUST THE PROCESS. Whether you’re just starting out, are well experienced and just need some time to work, or you’re somewhere in between, trust the process of it all. Everyone starts somewhere, goes through periods of growth, and experiences roadblocks and redirects along the way. Avoid comparing your progress to anyone else’s, but instead, try to learn from what they’ve been through. Your action steps will look different than the next person, because the call God has on your life is unique to you!

5 / GIVE YOURSELF GRACE. If you show up to the retreat and completely throw your game plan out the window, that’s okay! If you decide to kick up your feet and use your time at retreat to simply rest away from the distractions and demands of everyday life, that’s okay! As much as we want Rally Retreat to be a productive time for you, we also want you to let the Lord lead. There is no reward for the most work done at retreat. It’s your time and we trust God will have you use it best to glorify Him. Grace abounds!

Hope this helps! We are looking forward to our time together! God is doing something AMAZING!

Declare Rally Retreat is February 17-19, 2023 in McKinney, Texas. 

“You have given miraculous signs to those who love you. As we follow you we fly the flag of truth, and all who love the truth will rally to it. Pause in his presence.” -Psalm 60:4

The post 5 Ways to Make the Most of Rally Retreat appeared first on Declare.

After 10 years of hosting thousands of women at our conference for Christian bloggers, social media influencers, authors, speakers, and podcasters, we’ve witnessed some incredible successes along the way.

Not “success” in the mainstream sense of wealth, power, popularity, followers, or fame. And not “success” by way of hustling, competing, or performing. 

We’re talking about the kind of success that has eternal impact, is humble, can only be traced back to God’s goodness, and comes with a supernatural peace. 

At annual Declare conferences, we had front row seats to see women just starting out as “mommy bloggers” become full-blown bestselling published authors. We saw women come with open, empty hands, with hearts ready and willing to receive from the Lord and find out later He turned her heart towards Him and led her to a new passion. Some showed up burned out, weary, stuck, or lost, and we saw God refresh, restore, redirect, and renew them. Yes, sometimes the successes involved going viral, topping charts, and getting publishing contracts. Other times, success looked like narrowing the niche, changing lanes entirely, or laying it all down. The stories we could tell you! 

We watched God’s plans unfold in the lives of women as they pursued the call to write, speak, design, encourage, launch, live, and lead. And after 10 years of linking arms with women as they stepped into God’s call with wild obedience, and watching God see it through to fruition time and time again, we have discovered a secret to success.

The secret to that kind of success? SHOWING UP.

Showing up is one of the most important things we can do as daughters of the King called to declare His glory.

Growth, connection, and learning happens when you show up. 

Inspiration, clarity, and encouragement happens when you show up.

Chance meetings happen and opportunities arise when you show up. 

Plans are established, goals are achieved, and ideas are born when you show up. 

Miracles get set into motion, prayers are answered, and lives are changed when you show up. 

God is glorified when you show up. 

Perhaps He is calling you to write, speak, start a podcast, launch a product, start a business, or say yes to an opportunity? The first thing to do is show up for it. 

Ask the “successful” mentors, friends, and people in your life how they got where they are, and we guarantee their story includes having to show up somewhere.  

What does showing up mean for you? Maybe there’s a place, literal or metaphorical, where you need to be. It’s probably out of your comfort zone, literally and/or figuratively. Success is subjective and looks different for everyone, but with one thing in common: you have to show up. Present and accounted for. At the right place in the right time.  

As you pray about answering and pursuing God’s call on your life, ask Him where you need to show up and He will lead you to the place of fulfillment! 

If there is anything Declare can do to help you, please let us know!

We are agreeing with you in prayer and cheering you on! 

The post The Secret to Success is… appeared first on Declare.

Hey, Declare! It’s time to RALLY!

To rally is “to come together again in order to continue fighting after dispersion.” And wouldn’t you agree, it’s time we do just that?

Sometimes all it takes to get unstuck is to get in a new place, with friends who understand the unique call on our lives and motivate us to pursue it boldly. That’s what Declare Rally is all about! It’s about putting on the blinders, turning notifications off, getting with God, and getting to work. Whether you are just starting a project, currently working on something, prepping to launch, or anywhere in between, this is for you. What is sown in diligence will be the measure of what is reaped from Declare Rally.

Declare Rally Retreat is February 17-19, 2023 in the Dallas, Texas area. 

Declare Rally is a strategic retreat where we will withdraw in order to advance. With Jesus as our example, we are going to retreat to restore our stamina and spiritual strength. We are going to pause to purposefully pursue the call God has on our lives. We are going to RALLY!

“You have given miraculous signs to those who love you. As we follow you we fly the flag of truth, and all who love the truth will rally to it. Pause in his presence.” -Psalm 60:4

This is not your average retreat! Instead of retreating to withdraw, get away, or even escape, Declare Rally is a retreat with intention. This is time set aside to focus, to clarify, to launch, to implement, to finish, and to come out on the other side of it stronger, motivated, accomplished, and ready to advance.

Our heart is that you will leave Declare Rally with decisions made, goals set, perspective renewed, and next steps defined. Declare Rally is a time to come together again in order to rally to the truth, pause in His presence, and fight the good fight of faith!

Are you ready to get serious about doing the work God has called you to? Are you ready to retreat in order to advance?

Declare Rally is for women who are:

• Launching a blog, book, podcast, business, or brand
• Needing brand clarity
• Aspiring authors
• Navigating social media
• Strategizing for growth
• Growing an online community, brand, or launch team
• Working on a book proposal
• Seeking a community of like-minded women

If you are any or all of the above, and you:

• Need time to work on the dreams God put in your heart
• Have a million ideas but need action steps
• Feel stuck somewhere in the process
• Want to share ideas, learn from others, and grow in your craft
• Are tired of talking about your ideas and ready to implement them
• Need fresh perspective or clarity for what’s next
• Are curious what works for others
• Are looking to connect and network with a community of like-minded women
• Need a couple of days dedicated solely to focusing on finishing a project
• Need a couple of days away from a project to strategize and evaluate

What you can expect from our time together at Declare Rally:

• Prayer
• Time to write, read, plan, work
• Sessions for brainstorming and idea-pitching
• Unstructured time for creativity, inspiration, and rest
• A community of Christian women communicators who are peers, mentors, and friends
• A productive, challenging, exciting, and intimate time of growth
• Moments of solitude, meditation, and reflection
• Long conversations with friends

Declare Rally promises to inspire, encourage, and equip you. You’ll leave refreshed, productive, and ready to take the next step in pursuing your call as a Christian communicator.

SAVE THE DATE: Declare Rally is February 17-19, 2023 in the Dallas, Texas area. Only 10 tickets available. Registration is now open! Only 10 spots available! CLICK HERE: https://declarerallyretreat23.eventbrite.com

The post Let’s Rally! appeared first on Declare.

Curious why your content isn’t getting the reactions or reach that you hoped for? Wondering why some posts get all the love while others seem invisible? You don’t have to be an analytic guru to crack the code on your content stats. Just ask yourself these questions (answer honestly!) and start creating content that connects!

1. What is the point of this post? What is the intention of the post? When we scroll social media, we can almost always derive the reason for each post. Some common ones are to share a special moment, to promote or share a product or service, to encourage others, to prove a point, to establish our alignment with a cause or group of people, for accountability, to educate, to gain insight/information, picmto state an opinion, or to subtly boast/promote self (aka “humble brag”). Determine the point of your post by filling in the blank: I’m sharing this because ________.
2. Does this sound like me? Is this authentic to who I am offline? Is this MY voice and tone and style? Or does this sound like someone else? Oftentimes, we subconsciously create content that looks and sounds like someone that we follow. We’ve watched them repeatedly and have become very familiar with their tone and style, so we “borrow” it to try on ourselves. We maybe think ‘it’s working for them so maybe it’ll work for me, too!’ Except, no. Trying to sound like someone else or share the same content in the way someone else does never works. Establish your unique voice and be confident in it! Try reading the post aloud to check if it feels naturally “you”. Check your other posts to see if this particular one is very different than the others.
3. Who is this for? Is this post for me? Is this for someone specific? Is this for my audience*? *see Question 3 If the post is for someone specific, is it better off sent as a private message, text, or email? Who do you really hope sees/watches/listens/likes/shares your post? Be honest with yourself here Oftentimes, shared content is meant to be saved to the camera roll or sent in a private text. Checking yourself here prevents oversharing! Finish this sentence: I am sharing this because _____ and I really hope ____ sees this!
4. Who actually is my audience? Who is looking, watching, listening, liking and sharing your content? Family and IRL friends? Strangers who share similar interests as me? Clients and potential customers? People in need? Who are your posts resonating with the most? One peek behind the scenes of a recent post will tell you exactly that. Your audience is made up of the people whose needs you are meeting. Once you determine who your audience is, you can create content with that specific demographic in mind to better serve them.
5. Where is my audience? Facebook? Instagram? TikTok? YouTube? Podcast? Twitter? Where are your people most active and interactive? Again, looking at where the most engagement is – comments, likes, and shares – will tell you the platform where your audience “lives.” You can then spend your time and effort on that platform, knowing you’re reaching the most people that want to connect with you. Spinning your wheels in another platform where there are crickets on your content is like selling snowsuits in Houston.

   That’s it! Now go, create, and connect! Share your unique voice and message with your people, glorifying God in it all by honoring the call on your life.

   Cheering you on! xo

The post 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Post appeared first on Declare.

…and then what? You’re the writer!

We’ve created 10 one-liners that would make great story starters – they just need to be complete! This is wonderful practice for all writers and will help you meet your daily writing word count. Use these lines to get your creative juices flowing and start writing! Get in your writing place with your favorite coffee or tea, set a timer, select a line or two, and finish the sentences! Have fun with it!

10 First Line Writing Prompts

1. Often, the best advice is the advice we need to give ourselves…
2. She knew she believed, but this was something else…
3. One moment, on one ordinary day changed everything…
4. The house was quiet, but her heart was not…
5. On this particular day, the wind blew in more than a chill…
6. She could keep waiting or she could walk on…
7. They say your life is shaped by your words…
8. Every cloud has a silver lining, and this was mine…
9. When her feet finally hit the ground…
10. Sometimes we all need to be reminded of the memories that make us who we are…

Happy writing!

If you want to share something you’ve written from a prompt, please let us know! We’d love to share your work! email eryn@ wearedeclare.com

The post 10 More Writing Prompts appeared first on Declare.

“Writing about writer’s block is better than not writing at all.” -Charles Bukowski

When you feel like writing but the words just won’t come, or you can’t find the motivation, or you just feel uninspired, perhaps the trick is to write about something different. Like a change of scenery for your mind, let your train of thought jump the tracks for a few minutes and just write about a topic that’s off-topic. Use a writing prompt (like the ones here!), set a timer for 15 minutes, and write freestyle, for no other purpose than to get your creative juices flowing. There are no rules here, no editing, and don’t overthink it. Just write. And in the process, you’ll wake up and inspire the writer in you!

Enjoy these thought-provoking writing prompts!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD/PRINT THE LIST

Write about…

• Your ideal day
• A memory from your early childhood
• Your favorite room in your home
• The last time you cried
• An embarrassing moment
• A time when a stranger became a friend
• How you spend your mornings
• A time you felt God’s presence undeniably
• A recipe that has sentimental meaning
• Something you can see outside your window
• Analyze the lyrics of your go-to worship song
• A neighbor
• A chore you love and why
• Someone who left a lasting impact on your life
• What it’s like living in 2022
• What writer’s block feels like
• What home smells like
• Something you’ve always wanted to learn
• Something that you feel strongly about today
• An award you would give yourself
• Love at first sight
• Something you can’t do that most people can
• How you got to where you are today
• How you know you’re on the path God wants for you
• A time when you had hope against all odds
• The simplest way someone encouraged you
• What community means to you
• Something mundane with symbolic meaning in your life
• What you’d say to yourself 10 years ago
• What you love about your favorite movie
• Your thoughts when you see a butterfly

Have fun! Happy writing!

Cheering you on,

Declare

PS: Who is Charles Bukowski? He was a German-American poet, novelist, and prolific underground writer who used his poetry and prose to depict the depravity of urban life and the downtrodden in American society. Bukowski’s writing was influenced by experience, emotion, and imagination, as well as the social, cultural, and economic atmosphere of his home city of Los Angeles. He is well known for his poem, “The Laughing Heart.” Bukowski also famously said, about writer’s block, “if it doesn’t come roaring out of you in spite of everything, don’t do it.” Here’s a bonus writing prompt for you: write about yourself the way this blurb is written about Charles Bukowski. Who is ____(insert your name)___? She is a ______, _____, and ______ who _______. Her writing was influenced by ____, ____, and ____, as well as the _____, _____, and ______ atmosphere of _________. She is well known for ______.

The post 31 Thought-Provoking Writing Prompts to Inspire You to Write appeared first on Declare.