Beginning to Blog Again

I started blogging for three reasons. First and foremost, I needed the practice in writing, and having the discipline of developing an online journal would help in that process. Secondly, I wanted a way of recording my thoughts and opinions in an articulate way before they escaped me. Third, before Facebook was open to the public, blogging offered a unique way to network socially.

Since December 2004, I have slowly dropped off in my writing production on Friar Tuck's. Part of this is due, I am sure, to the rise of social networking. I am also confident that part of this lack of blogging discipline is due to different priorities in my life from when I started the practice. However, another reason is that I have not done as well at time-management and reflection to have this as a priority.

Also, the nature of blogging has changed. In the early days of this blog, it was highly confessional. That was a good thing and led to some raw, honest, powerful conversations. As my ministry profile has increased, and my personal life has expanded, it has been harder to share more openly about what is going on in my life. Moderation is good. Just like our President doesn't need to tweet his every thought, I don't need to blog all of mine.

However, I do feel convinced that my personal journey and my ministry journey will be benefitted if I choose to blog more often. So I am going to try and make at least one post a day for the next month or so, and see if I can make blogging into the powerful tool for intellectual growth and professional development that it once was.