BACK when I started blogging there was next to no Facebook - it
was very uncommonly used in Australia at that time. I could really have
done with it, however, as blogging felt lonely without it starting back
then.
These, here below, are some of the things I've learned over my writing journey:
Blogging
has taught me to be careful with what I say. Too many times I've
written things unadvisedly, without knowing potential ramifications.
What I write has occasionally caused me problems in my marriage (early
on) and in my ministry. But I have learned the boundaries (sometimes the
hard way), hoping that I steer clear of views that might upset those I
depend upon; views that don't honour God. It's why my writing features
many fewer illustrations from real life as opposed to sermons.
I
have learned how quickly I can get an idea, how important it is to jot
it down (even at 2AM), and then I'm often surprised how the article ends
up going in different directions, as I write, than I thought it would -
the influence of the Holy Spirit I'm sure. For me, receiving an idea is
akin to revelation and I treat each such receipt as if it were gold.
It's very often how my prayer life works; God communicating to me.
I've
been able to write a 400-word article in less than 20-minutes. Many
times I've written over 1,000 pretty clean words in an hour. It's like
my brain thrives on the challenge, and once an idea comes it is fertile
ground until I've exhausted it. I've discovered it is one of the things
that lights me up. It's my healthy addiction to write each and every
day.
I've discovered I've never had writer's block. I'm not sure I
believe in it for me. There have been seasons where creativity has
ebbed and flowed, but I never felt words, themes or messages evaded me
or were drying up. In fact, quite the opposite. I've often not been able
to keep up with the flow of ideas, and have had to learn to not get
frustrated.
I've also learned that God's Spirit sifts me on
certain topics I've written on and certain positions I've come to land
in. This is the benefit of reflection, and blogging is active
reflection. I write something, and I continue to muse over it for hours
and sometimes days afterward - all because I committed myself to a
standpoint, I said something, that anyone can see. It's exposing, and it
makes me feel vulnerable. Sometimes I get some sort of revelation that
I've crossed a line into heresy, and I want to quickly re-check what
I've written. Most of the time I don't change what I've written, or
perhaps I elaborate. I have to accept that over the three million words
I've written, some of it could be better written.
Most of all I've
learned that the time I've invested in curating my craft has been a
personal blessing. The in-excess of ten-thousand hours I've spent
writing, publishing and posting has nourished me and pushed me and
encouraged me. I've had to live with that awkward reality that you get
when you receive some kudos that's over the top and, yet you hardly ever
hear of those who would like to give you a piece of their mind. They
just stop reading, for they disagree. And still I've had a lot of
negative feedback, but small in comparison to the positive. But at times
it's been just one little piece of positive feedback that's kept me
going amid the negative - that's the call; a little positive outweighing
a plethora of negative.
Interestingly, many times I've actively
sought to give writing and social media away, and each time God showed
me the value in continuing. Not that I'm not open to him showing me I
should discontinue someday soon. It's up to Him.
Writing is collaborative with God, a creative work and a contribution, all in one.
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