Blogger Interview Chirleen

My name is Chirleen and I blog over at A Harvest Reaped. I have been blogging for nearly 10 years on various blogs but I started this particular one back in 2012 when I was pregnant with my son, Caleb. At the time, I had just been admitted to the high-risk ward at a hospital and I was just 21 weeks pregnant. I started the blog as a journal because I knew that no matter the outcome, it would be an experience I wouldn’t want to forget. Unfortunately, I ended up delivering my son at 22 weeks, he was stillborn. So, Caleb’s Story became a way for me to express my grief and connect with other moms who have had similar experiences. In February 2014, my husband and I adopted a baby girl, Gabrielle, so the blog evolved into something much more. No longer was it a place for me to discuss our loss but I wanted to focus on all the blessings we had. Galatians 6:9 is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” I knew that Gabrielle was part of that harvest. So, A Harvest Reaped was born. I blog about adoption and motherhood, faith, and I’m beginning to write blogging how-tos.

Do you have a blogging schedule?

I maintain a schedule for a few weekly series. Sundays are for my newest series, “Meet the Blogger,” where I interview bloggers from around the web. Mondays are for “You Got This!” a motivational series of bible verses I’ve added to beautiful photographs. Wednesdays are for, “Miracle Babies,” a series where guests tell their stories of miracles surrounding their children’s birth. In between, I post as I am inspired to write. I keep a notebook with me at all times and am often found scribbling away in it. I have pages and pages of ideas for future posts. I really enjoy hosting guest series because I feel like it gives others a chance to share their story to an audience they wouldn’t necessarily otherwise have. Some guests aren’t bloggers and some are but have a different following than I do. As far as keeping all of this organized, I use a blog planner by HEDUA and CoSchedule to synch my social media posts.

I think my favorite post I’ve ever written is Caleb’s Birth Story. It’s not great in technique but it is a great story that I love to share with the world. I share my heart in that piece. You can find it here.