I Gained 25,000 Followers on Instagram in a Year Without Trying.
I gained 25,000 followers on Instagram in a year without trying. Here is my story.
Back when I started Coffeewithrach, I really didn’t know how to go about things. If I am being honest, I still don’t, LOL. Creativity doesn’t come naturally for me. I am not naturally an aesthetic person. I also don’t fit the mold of the typical influencer. I have acne. I’m not into fashion or makeup. I don’t care about shoes except my 3 shoes I wear religiously. I’m not a size small.
I am not naturally “qualified” or “equipped” to be an influencer that the world wants. The world seems to love the type of influencer who has nice clothes, a great house with literally nothing in it because #minimalisticgoals, perfect makeup, oh and maybe has a bible verse in the bio. To me, these things have never been desirable. I genuinely could care less what people wear/look like, what people’s houses look like, and the materialistic THINGS people have. I actually think if you have a platform of any kind, we are called to glorify God in it. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
So where does that lead a girl who just loves the Lord and has a calling over her life?
It COULD lead me in wondering if I will ever measure up.
It COULD lead me into striving to be like other influencers.
It COULD lead me into trying all the influencer growing schemes like engagement pods, those fake giveaways, and buying followers. (lol, if you know you know)
It COULD lead me into being inauthentic.
It COULD lead me into hopping on the bandwagon of what everyone else is talking about rather than what God leads me to talk about.
Point is, there is always a temptation to depend on self, instead of God. That’s the root of it all. Do we want to depend/ rely on ourselves or depend/ rely on God? If we rely on ourselves we will feel inadequate, burn out from TRYING to be enough, and constantly be comparing ourselves to everyone else around us. If we rely on God we will have peace throughout the process, humbly see God move in ways we never could, and be confident because it’s God, not self.
Ephesians 4:7, “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”
God gives each of us the grace to do what we are called to do. Just like He told Joshua to be bold and courageous, He calls us to be strong and courageous, because He is with us. He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us. (John 14:15-31)
So where does this all relate to me and my 25,000 new followers?
It relates because I am me following God’s direction.
I don’t try to be Sadie Robertson or the big name speakers/influencers.
I don’t try to create the same way someone else does because I see it working for them.
I don’t try to dress like the group of “cool hipster christians” we see all over Instagram and Pinterest.
I don’t do the #followforfollow game.
I am me.
I am who God has created me to be.
I have a lot of passion when it comes to exposing the darkness that is sin. But the hope and light that is found in repentance through Jesus Christ.
I don’t compromise truth because it doesn’t align with what’s popular.
Throughout the last few years, God has humbled me….so much. He has exposed insecurities in my heart, major pride, and darkness that dwells in small rooms within my heart.
He has taught me to be obedient in the small nudges that actually lead to the big moves of God.
Unfollowing everyone. Literally I have unfollowed everyone LOL. No, I don’t expect everyone to do this. This was specific for what the Lord had for me.
Humbling myself and asking for financial support.
Posting things (or not posting things) that have led me to having hundreds of people unfollowing me and calling me hurtful names.
Losing friendships over standing for biblical truth.
The truth of the matter is that nothing in this world matters to me if God isn’t leading it. I used to be all about the “gaining followers” game. Because I wanted to glorify God and reach as many people as I could. But I didn’t realize that if I can’t steward the 1,000 well, what makes me think I will steward the 1 million well? Well, one day, God put a message on my heart so clearly. “Rachael, if you gain followers by all these schemes and by your own doing, how will I be able to get the glory if you did all the work?”
It changed my whole perspective and ever since then, I haven’t done those strategies that people do. If asked, “How did you gain all those followers and get so big?!” I would rather tell someone, “obedience to God” than, “Oh! I took matters into my own hand and did the dang thing.”
While God CAN BE glorified through both, I would rather have the easier route that puts more pressure on God than more pressure on me to perform. So when you come to me and ask “How’d you do it?” I will respond, “He did it and continues to do it.”
Ever since I stopped the games, took the pressure off of myself, and was just obedient with the platform God has given me, I have had so much more peace. John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
In the world, I have striving. In the world, I am insecure.
In God, I have peace. In God, I have confidence.