Results of Reader Survey and Winner

Thank you to those of you who filled out the reader survey last week! That data has been extremely helpful to me as I look at what I want to do with this blog in 2014. If you can read through to the end, you’ll find out who won the giveaway!

Survey Results

I will give the top three answers for each of these questions.

What is your favorite type of post on Visionary Womanhood?

1. Parenting and Family (29%)
2. Relationship with God (21%)
3. Homemaking (12%)

Which type of post on Visionary Womanhood is LEAST applicable/helpful to you?

1. Book Reviews (23%)
2. Homeschooling (17%)
3. Other (17%)

(I’ll go to my grave curious about what the “other” is.)

What is one thing you would change about Visionary Womanhood?

Most of you said “nothing” and then wrote some sweet things that made me get a little misty eyed. I think I said “Stop. It.” at least 284 times while reading these results.

I did get a number of you asking if we could go back to getting the entire post in your email in-box rather than just an excerpt. I hear you. That is how I like to get my subscriptions delivered as well.  I’m not sure what to do about that. The problem with my current RSS to Email provider is that they really mess up the formatting of the blog post when I do that – making it difficult to read (quotes are not in the blocks making you think I wrote profound things – I didn’t – the spacing is bizarre, and so forth), AND you can’t access videos or other special things. Like chocolates and roses.

Also, I just switched providers so that I could send those emails FREE instead of paying to have them sent. Since VW doesn’t advertise and I’m not making any money off it – the costs to keep it running each year and to send out the posts via email are all coming out of pocket. So all of that to say – we’ll see. For now I will stick with what I’ve got, and I’ll look into other options as time allows. I know I could use Feedburner, but that’s so ugly. So I’m dragging my feet. Whether you realize it or not, a woman’s blog is an extension of HER. Kind of like a second home, you know? I want you to feel that it is a beautiful, warm place to hang out with me – even if it is only in your email in-box. Does that make sense, or am I just loony?

One other issue that came up in different ways was the desire to have me share more personally/specifically what is going on in my life – including more personal pictures. I probably will not go too far in that direction because I need to protect the privacy and dignity of my family members and others in my life locally. Also, I do not want this blog to be primarily about me. I want it to point to Christ.

My flesh has always struggled with wanting to be noticed and approved of. One of the reasons I hesitated for a few years to even start a blog – and even then, hesitated to write anything much (my original blog was mostly just sharing links to other articles online) is because I knew of my propensity to get my strokes from the approval of others.

Even now I have doubts now and then. Mostly though, I’ve realized that I can’t be afraid to communicate to others simply because of my sin nature. That kind of fear strikes me as being from the enemy and not from God. Nevertheless, I want to be careful about what and how I communicate here, aware that I’m a sinful woman (pointing to Jesus) and knowing that I’ll never get it right all the time.

Why do you read Visionary Womanhood?

I can’t even begin to summarize the things you all shared. It was incredibly encouraging. If I ever had misgivings about whether or not to keep going – they were dissipated by the things I read here. I hardly know how to respond. I guess I’ll simply say Thank You. And I plan to tuck those things away for a rainy day.

How do you follow Visionary Womanhood?

89% follow via email.

How did you find Visionary Womanhood?

This was interesting. A lot through Generation Cedar (hat tip to Kelly – one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. We often joke that we were twins separated at birth), Keeper of the Home, Ladies Against Feminism, Pinterest, Get Along Home, Nursery of the Nation, Raising Homemakers, Thankful Homemaker, Internet searches, The Placenta Post (by far the most read post on my site – deliciously bloody – what all Wemmicks are attracted to), and more. It was fun to find out how you found out.

How would you describe Visionary Womanhood to a friend?

Some of you could do some savvy marketing for businesses! This was my favorite:

All-encompassing, Christ-centered, family-oriented, mama and woman empowering, beauty and truth and mess and reality-exposing cup of hot tea with a broken but beautiful sister in Christ with a dash of tears and a heap of laughter to keep you grounded and focused on our eternal home.

Do you have a question or issue you’d like to see addressed on Visionary Womanhood in 2014?

Thank you for loads and loads of ideas here. Loads.

How many articles per week are ideal for you?

36% said they enjoy 2-3 articles per week.

28% said one article a week is perfect.

21% said they’d read my articles every single day if they could. (You are too, too kind. And maybe just a little bit daft.)

This told me that it’s OK – and even good – if I just aim for 1-2 articles a week – 3 if I’m just itching to communicate something.

Drawing Winner

The winner of the drawing for a $30 gift certificate to Apple Valley Natural Soap is Janet N. (She has been contacted privately via email with her certificate.) Congratulations! And thank you again to all of you who responded. I look forward to spending 2014 with you!