By Day And By Night

In my twitter bio, I write: "I fight crime by day and blog by night."

And it's true. Here's an update on both aspects.

I've been on the job about 3 months now, and it's almost hard to believe. They're keeping me busy at work. Here's just a sampling of what I've done:

• Pitched events to major media markets.
• Comprehended the budget and appropriations process in Congress.
• Learned to love Excel (sorting columns saves my life!)
• Recruited, interviewed & selected interns. (Wait, wasn't I just in the other seat?)

I am learning a ton, and so thankful for the opportunity that this job has provided me. But as for the other part of my twitter bio, I really do "blog by night." In addition to Digital Disciple, I write for 2 others.

Capital Comment Picked Up By Hyperlocal News Site "TBD"

Here's the big announcement: Capital Comment has been picked up by TBD, a new DC-based hyperlocal news site that launched in early August. I'm totally stoked for this opportunity. TBD operates on original reporting and collaboration from WJLA-TV. It has a huge emphasis on community engagement and links to local DC blogs. I'm honored to have Capital Comment part of the Community Blog Network. I'll have a more formal announcement on Capital Comment itself. I also praised TBD's launch in a recent blog post, if you want to learn more.

Here's my bio from the TBD site:

The Bluevine Collective Provides A Creative Worship Space Online

In May, I met with Stan and Matt, a pastor & media guy from St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. At the time, they were just about to launch a creative, multi-author blog project called the Bluevine Collective. I knew I was headed off to Washington, D.C. to start my first job out of school, but really didn't know my role for the Bluevine Collective.

Once I got rolling though, I wrote about themes of hospitality, caring for the poor and homeless. Now I'm in the middle of a series on the clash of the Gen-Y dating culture, feminism, and the Church. I would LOVE your thoughts on the whole topic, so feel free to stop by and leave a comment or two.

The other bloggers add insights about meditation, spirituality, music and relationships. If you haven't already checked out the Bluevine Collective, do it now.

So, between work and juggling 3 blogs, I've managed to stay pretty busy.

Blog Hopping (And My 100th Post!)

My inspiration to become a blogger started with Evan McBroom back in March 2009. I met with the church marketing entrepreneur at an Indianapolis Panera to learn about his career path.

I expected to do all the listening, but within the first five minutes I was the one put on the spot. He asked me point-blank: "So, what's your blog about?" Oops. I didn't have an answer. It was enough to get my hands to the keyboard and start whipping up an idea for one. Thanks for the inspiration, Evan! And here's what happened next:

Digital Disciple has been my primary blog to explore faith, media and ethics through the Meg Biallas lens. It started with coverage of first-ever conference: the Religion Communicators Council in March 2009. Since then, I've written about observations in technology, the future of journalism, musings on faith, and more. Thanks for reading it, too, because this is my 100th post for Digital Disciple!

I started Capital Comment in August 2009 to keep a running commentary of my adventures as a D.C. intern last fall. But all good internships must come to an end. I never believed I'd be able to resurrect the blog, but I have - and with good reason: I moved right back to D.C. for a job! I'm still working out some of the fancy kinks of Wordpress, but its been a great learning process for me.

My supervisors at National Public Radio let me blog for NPR's All Tech Considered, which covers technology and culture. I explained Facebook policy changes, wrote about iPhones that control smart homes, and even ticked off Google when I questioned if Google's free holiday airport wi-fi was truly "free."

Then in December, I met Gen-Y career blogger Heather Huhman on Twitter. She had just started a blog called the Classroom To Cubicle Project, driven by recent graduates and pending grads. That a fabulous experience - I read job hunting advice from my peers all over the U.S., and contributed what I'd learned in my search as well.

In my final semester at Butler University, I wrote a guest post for the admissions web portal. It was fun to take what I learned about social media from the NPR Social Media Desk and give tips to incoming college students.

And now? I'm a weekly blogger for The Bluevine Collective, a multi-author blog project funded by the United Methodist Church. It's run by two awesome church guys from Indianapolis - Pastor Stan Abell and Media Ministry Dude Matt Peyton. The project is experimental -- we hope to evolve into a place of spiritual growth and even a mode of worship. My most recent post sparked a series of comments about ...well, you'll just have to read it. We also take submissions - poems, commentary, musings - all of it!

Thanks for sharing the blogging journey with me!

Blessings, Cursings

There's something annoyingly paradoxical about learning the most when life is the hardest. For example, I think back on some of my toughest classes. Yet those are the lessons I remember most vividly (i.e. my freshman year philosophy class). 

In today's Beth Moore bible study lesson, I love her take on this idea. She references a psalms commentary which states:

"Biblically, one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life."

When God is present in our life, Beth says, he is ACTIVELY directing his affairs for a divine purpose. God has a purpose for me to be in Indianapolis this summer. He has a purpose for my sister to be a camp counselor. He has a purpose for you to be reading this blog post right now. And in the tougher times, his presence is to comfort us. (Matthew 5:4)

And here's a passage from Beth that I've broken down and analyzed. Her words are in bold:

Blessedness describes the condition of a person who reveres God, steeps her life in Him, and follows his Ways. 

We are blessed when we respect and put God first. If we allow him to seep into every aspect of our life, he will reward us. This means exposing everything - all sin - and laying it at his feet.

She doesn't just look to God in spiritual or religious matters. She looks to Him in every matter. He's not just the most important part of her life. He is her life. 

What percentage of your life is for God? 25 percent? 80 percent? He wants it all. After all, the Bible states that our God is a jealous God. He doesn't want just some of our attention. If we can't be engaged with Him, then we don't allow him the space or time to do good. 

The result of this divine invasion is that the life operates overall at optimum earth-satisfaction, joy and purpose without the crushing burdens of self-glory and sin. In other words, her life actually works.

Know someone in your life who seems to never have a bad day? Granted, we all have bad days. But when you are living for the Lord, your perspective on life changes drastically. There is a hope for the future, and every encounter and conversation is an opportunity to bring glory to God. 

What does it take to be blessed? Fear God (respect Him) and walk in His ways. For example, it will allow us to love our enemies. 

Holding a grudge is like letting a wound remain untreated. Letting go of that grudge, however - and learning to forgive makes us joyful givers and value healthy relationships.

Role Reversal: My S + C Podcast

As a student journalist and an intern, I conduct usually 5 - 10 interviews a week. But now the tables have turned!

While in Boston for the RCC Convention, my mentor Shirley Paulson, who conducts podcasts on her blog, Spirituality + Christianity, interviewed me in Episode 21. Enjoy listening (it's about 20 minutes long).

Shirley is a Christian Science practitioner in the Chicago area. As my mentor, she has given me great insight into the role of communicator with a faith-based mindset.