I have a friend, a “blend” (as Lindsay calls them), a blogger friend, across the country whom I have never met, and most likely will never meet. We are both fortysomething & enjoy healthy living social media, but only know each other via blogs and Instagram and Twitter. This week she lost her beloved dog, and I cried for her. I have prayed intently for her and her husband as they go through their mourning. I am not even a huge pet fan (we have none), so the tears were not shed over my sadness for a wonderful pet. My tears were shed because I feel the pain of her loss from across the country, and I care about what she is going through, even though I have only experienced this loss through seeing an Instagram photo and caption. Someone I don’t even “know”, and I’m crying for her and praying for her. That’s astounding to me. (the Lindsays list link above also has a story about the craziness of caring for people you’ve never met, you should read it). Social Media is affecting people in both good and bad ways. I want to use it positively, to make a difference in people’s lives. I want to encourage and bless. As my pastor has encouraged me to do, I want my blog to be a blessing, not a “success”! There is already plenty of negative and hateful “noise” out there, pulling us down and apart and away from love and compassion. I want to contribute to the positive. I want God to use my life and my blog to help and encourage, and I’m figuring out what that looks like as I go…. and that’s all He wants me to do: give Him my everything, which is essentially “nothing” but a willing spirit (most days:), taking that next step and trusting Him as I do it. For me, it’s the way I must do everything in order to be a true success. So, I’m thankful for blends, and social media, and blogs. I’m thankful for the encouragement, inspiration, motivation, and joy I find there (because I am careful about who I “follow”).  Five years ago I couldn’t even have imagined it. So, I will pray for a friend I have never met, and strive to always make this OE social media thing an encouragement to everyone who may ever come across it. And those are my thoughts on Thursday, but I’m barely making the cut-off before Friday gets here:) Have a great weekend everybody!!

I would love to hear your thoughts on how social media has impacted your life, and your WHY behind your own social media accounts and/or blog!

Encouraging Health,

Dana (aka Organic Eater)

PS: incase you missed it, TinaB was the grand prize Zevia winner, but EVERYONE who left a comment is getting a coupon from Zevia! They rock!! So if you left a comment on the Zevia post on this blog by 10-22-12, then email me ASAP at organiceater@me.com with your address, so Zevia can mail a coupon to you! Thank you all for sharing your life-change stories with us. You guys are amazing!!