A few weeks ago I shared (read the post here) that I am reading through The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges. It’s been quite a journey these past few weeks as I’ve encountered truths about sin, holiness and the struggle we each face inside. I’d like to share with you one of the lessons I’ve learned just this week.

In chapter five of the book, Bridges discusses the power that sin has over us. He talks about the “dominion of sin” and reminds readers that once we are saved, sin’s hold us on is broken. Now, I’ve heard this said over the years and while I believe it to be true, I have always wondered what, then, is wrong with me? Why do I still struggle with sin? In fact, I’ve often thought to myself, “I must not be a very good Christian if I’m still struggling with such-and such. I’m sure so-and-so doesn’t struggle like I do.”

Over and over I’ve barraged myself with thoughts like these until I truly believed there was something wrong with me – that somehow sin DID still have power over me. Read the rest of this entry »

My first step into the work-at-home world was as a data extractor for a company in my local area. Believe it or not, I found that job in the Classified Ads section of the newspaper. That, however, was ten years ago. A lot has changed in the last ten years – the internet alone has grown by leaps and bounds. So, what are some of the best ways for people in today’s market to find a telecommuting opportunity?

Classified Ads
One good thing about the technology available to us today is that most Classified Ads are now not only listed in print newspapers, but online as well. Take a look through these to see if there are businesses in your area looking for local at-home workers.

Online Job Sites
Most online job websites now offer telecommuting listings. Use the search term “telecommute” to help give you the best results. There are even websites that cater to the work-at-home crowd such as HireMyMom.com. Remember – always be sure to read the fine print, and research each company/opportunity that interests you.

Freelance
More and more at-home workers are freelancing on a contract basis. Writers, web designers, graphic artists, and more are finding this a viable option to allow them to work from home. There are websites, such as elance.com, that cater specifically to the freelance community and make it easy for freelancers to connect with companies and individuals looking to hire them.

Start A Business
Other trend among telecommuters is heading out on their own. Taking the data entry and executive assistant skills that they’ve gained over the years, these at-home workers are now launching their own Virtual Assistant (VA) services, Copy-writing services and other such businesses.

There are an amazing amount of resources for telecommuters today. These positions are in high demand, so be sure to polish your resume and tailor it to fit the type of work that you’re searching for. Be persistent – it may take a while to locate the right opportunity, but it will be well worth the wait.

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Jill Hart’s entrepreneurial career began in her teens when she spent a summer working with her father who ran his own business. When he put her in charge of a Coke machine and allowed her to keep the profits, she saw the benefits of being her own boss. She is the founder of the popular Christian work-at-home website CWAHM.com and mentors business owners at http://SuccessfulChristianWomen.com. Jill is also the co-author of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom (Beacon Hill Press, 2009).

by Jill Hart and Diana Ennen

Over the last several years blogging has become the foundation for social media campaigns of businesses big and small. Where Facebook and Twitter help keep companies in the limelight, spreading the word about special events, discounts and newsworthy items, blogs are the place where companies build their reputation and make sales.

As popular as blogging has become, I often hear from home-based business owners who are trying to figure out exactly what a blog consists of and how they can use one to benefit their business. Below are three tips that can help maximize the impact of your business blog.

1. It’s All In The Name

Be sure to choose a name for your blog that is both descriptive and easy to remember. Try to stick to either your business name or the name of your star product/service. If none of these are available consider using your name or business tagline.  Also, consider possibly adding in your keywords … such as Publicity Virtual Assistant. Read the rest of this entry »

From my Christian Momlogic blog:

I’ve just started reading “The Pursuit of Holiness” by Jerry Bridges. I actually read the book while I was in college, but obviously not enough sunk in because I still struggle with the topic. So, I thought I’d re-read it and see what I can glean now that I’m a “grown up.”

In my life, holiness feels overwhelming and unattainable. My mind can’t completely wrap itself around the concept of “being Holy as He is Holy” (my paraphrase of 1 Peter 1:15, 16 ..which comes from Leviticus 11:44). I know what a sinner I am, so why would God ask for perfection when He knows it’s not something that can be attained while we’re on Earth? As a wife and mother how do I achieve godly holiness in my own life – and even more importantly, how do I help to develop holiness in my children?

The author of The Pursuit of Holiness (thankfully) helped me begin to think through these tough questions. He shares these three truths about holiness:

Truth#1: We must realize that sin is against God, not just a personal failure to do right. Read the rest of this entry »

Social Media is quickly growing into one of the most-used marketing tools for work-at-home moms. One of the largest social media websites, Twitter.com, can be an effective way to spread the word about your business and learn from other top representatives in your business niche. However, it can take a lot of time to determine the best ways to use Twitter effectively for business. Below are ten tips to help shorten that learning curve.

1. Choose a Meaningful User name
If possible, grab your business name as well as your own name for use on Twitter. Having an easy-to-find and easy-to-remember username is essential.

2. Brand your Twitter page
Don’t leave your Twitter page boring and plain – spice it up. Make sure you add your logo, contact information and any other information that will be helpful for customers and visitors to your page. You can use a website such as TwitBacks.com to create a free or very low-cost background to bring life to your page.

3. Learn the Lingo
Twitter can be very useful, but it can also be very frustrating … especially if you have no idea what all those little symbols mean that fly across the screen. Take the time to research the meanings of the tags most often used on Twitter. One great place to do so is right on Twitter itself: http://help.twitter.com/portal Read the rest of this entry »

I spent today living a lie. Little thoughts kept popping into my head filling it with negatives like, “No one cares what you think. Why bother with your ministry? You should just quit now.” and “That person’s just using you, no need to be kind to them.” On and on this went until I felt tired, burdened and discouraged.

That evening as I stood at the stove fixing a “horrible mom’s” meal of Hamburger Helper it hit me – I was buying into lies. The lies that I believe about myself. The lies that society feeds us. The lies of the enemy. I stopped right then and prayed – asking God to fill me with His truth. I immediately felt a release in my spirit as I stepped away from the lies filling my mind.

I was reminded in that moment that we are to act on truth, not rely on our feelings to guide our thoughts or our actions. We’re told in 1 John 3:18-20:

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

If God’s knows everything about us (Everything! The good, the bad, the ugly!) and still loves us, why do we allow the lies to creep in? Why do we live our days in defeat? Read the rest of this entry »

by Jill Hart

Do you ever wish that you had a super power? My son, who was 4 at the time, told me not long ago that when he gets to heaven, he’s going to ask God for super powers … specifically, “laser eyes.”

I’m not sure that I’d want laser eyes (sound painful!), but maybe the power to control things – my life, my kids, my housework. This week, though, I’ve been wishing that I had the power to get it all done. So many days I feel as if I need an extra 3 or 4 hours just to accomplish the day to day tasks of life.

What super power would you choose?

As I pondered super powers and the word “Power,” I realized that although it is many times defined using words like “strength” or “might,” in Jesus we see another definition of power. He IS power in the true sense of the word. Even when he humbled Himself to be human, He didn’t use power to destroy or to have control over mankind. He was the embodiment of power, yet the power that He exemplified was a power of servanthood. Read the rest of this entry »

Because I run a website dedicated to work-at-home moms, I get a considerable amount of email filled with questions about working from home. Without a doubt the question that I get asked most often is, “Do you know of any companies that I can work for from home?” The exciting thing is that yes, I do. In part because of the hard economic times that we find ourselves in, more and more companies looking for qualified professionals to represent their businesses from their own homes. Here is just a sampling of companies currently hiring at-home workers:

1. VIPdesk (http://vipdesk.com) – This company hires home-based workers for customer service positions. They represent numerous high-profile brands such as Eddie Bauer and BlueFly. From their website: “A proven premium service provider with 20 years of experience, VIPdesk specializes in delivering Concierge and Virtual Call Center Services for national brand leaders in several industries that include travel, auto, financial services and retail, by providing high-touch, high-tech branded service platforms that deliver real results and real return on investment.”

2. wiseGEEK (http://www.wisegeek.com) – This is just one of the many websites that pay freelance writers. These sites generally pay per article written. From their website: “wiseGEEK writers get to choose the topics to write on out of a pool of hundreds of titles. You can opt to write on categories that you are familiar with, or venture out a little to explore new frontiers.”

3. Convergys (http://careers.convergysworkathome.com/WorkFromHome.aspx) – At-home agents are nothing new for Convergys, a company who also supplies customer care services to well-known companies. From their website: “As a Convergys Home Agent, you’ll interact with customers of well-known and respected top companies. You may answer questions, determine product opportunities that best meet your callers’ needs, place orders on their behalf, provide technical support, or enroll callers in health, entertainment or other plans.” Read the rest of this entry »

by Jill Hart

“Mom”

“What?” (Said with my eyes on the computer or chore I happen to be doing)

“Mom”

“What?” (Said while my attention is still on said chore)

“Mom”

“WHAT!?!” (Said with full attention….and frustration)

Sadly, that’s been the typical conversation around my house lately. One (or both) of my kids trying to get my attention and me trying to complete a task and listen to them at the same time. I know that I can’t give them my full attention 24/7, but it struck me the other day that if, at times, I looked at them, gave them my full attention for a moment when they were trying to speak to me – maybe these interactions wouldn’t end with me in my frustrated tell-me-quick-and-get-it-over-with mode. Read the rest of this entry »

My first step into the work-at-home world was as a data extractor for a company in my local area. Believe it or not, I found that job in the Classified Ads section of the newspaper. That, however, was ten years ago. Alot has changed in the last ten years – the internet alone has grown by leaps and bounds. So, what are some of the best ways for people in today’s market to find a telecommuting opportunity?

Classified Ads
One good thing about the technology available to us today is that most Classified Ads are now not only listed in print newspapers, but online as well. Take a look through these to see if there are businesses in your area looking for local at-home workers. Read the rest of this entry »