I can still remember how it felt.

I was unsure of myself because I didn’t know what I was doing. But after many weeks of prayerful consideration, I took the plunge.

After all, I had so much more to say.

You can only get away with saying so much in a sermon. Going beyond 30 minutes is not palatable for most congregations. So what’s a preacher supposed to do?

I needed another outlet to share my thoughts.

In October of 2015, I started my journey into the world of blogging. It turns out that I enjoy it much more than I ever thought I would.

So happy blogging anniversary to me!

I’ve completed 5 full years of maintaining this blog. There are 278 posts on this site that represent many hours of my life.

In its lifetime, this site has been viewed from 152 different countries. I still find it amazing how people from other regions of the world come across these humble offerings.

After 5 full years, I’m still not sure that I completely understand what I’m doing. But why would I let that stop me now?

What’s changed?

I’ve become a much better writer. This practice has forced me to write shorter sentences. Word choice, word clarity, and word count have become three good friends. I always have to think from the perspective of the average individual reader. That person is holding a smartphone and has a shorter attention span than they think.

Unlike Sundays, I’m not speaking to a group. Instead, I’m writing to an individual. But this practice has made me a better Sunday preacher.

I’ve developed my style over these 278 entries. Yet, I’m also comfortable with exploring other writing styles. But I refuse to get bogged down into forcing myself to only write about specific themes. By nature and nurture, my personality is curious and eclectic.

However, most of my writings reflect themes from Holy Scripture. The Bible is the Book that I read most often. It alone has more influence over me than any other person or book.

5 years matters.

Some people lack the stick-ability to stay with anything for that length of time. Many pastors are looking for the next assignment long before then. But it takes time to develop in your calling and hone the accompanying gifts. For me, writing is now a natural part of my ministry that flows better than ever.

Will I ever write a book?

Several friends and associates have suggested that endeavor. But for now, I don’t see that in my near future. I might wait until I hit 60 years of age. If I’m still breathing God’s oxygen, I’ll have enough experiences to draw upon and approach the task with wisdom.

I enjoy the freedom that blogging affords me. I can write about whatever I want whenever I want, and I only have to please God.

I’ll continue to blog because it allows me to leave a piece of me behind. Should I receive my permanent address change anytime soon, my children will have this collection of thoughts, ramblings, and ministry helps to reflect upon.

Any requests?

What would you like to read about from a different perspective? Which of my past posts have been a blessing to you? Is there a specific topic you’d like for me to write more about?

Leave a comment below and let’s keep the conversation going.