Today: Why I Blog (My Personal Blogging Experience)

I got started blogging several years ago.

I got involved with some online business ventures and used a blog as a way to track my progress and to share tips and tricks with the rest of the world. When that season was over I let that blog go.

During the same time I ran 2 other blogs. Both were worship ministry relates and I had a great time posting my thoughts, ideas, and comments on those blogs. Unfortunately, I also let those fall by the wayside, the weeds of busy-ness choked out my commitment to blogging regularly.

Which brings us to the beginning of last year, January 07. I decided to give it a go once more. We were kicking off the new year here at House of Joy with a series on honoring God with our bodies called “Body for God.” I decided that part of my contribution to blogdom would be a blog chronicling my journey to “get in shape” before I hit my 30th birthday (which was in April 07).

So for 4 months, I blogged at least twice a week on a nice wordpress blog and I loved it. I did manage to shed a few inches over the four months and had a great time charting my progress on the blog. But again after I hit 30, the blog kind of lost it’s luster for me and I, once again, let another blog fall by the wayside.

So here I am about a year later, with a blog I’ve been running since August of last year. The “ordinary-radical” or “the rad” as I like to call it. It’s a little bit ordinary, and a little bit radical.

But the question still remains: Why Blog?

Why do I blog?

Personally, I love blogging. I always have. But like a lot of things in my life I get on “kicks” where things are extremely engaging and interesting to me, and then sadly that fades. My wife thinks we could be millionaires If I’d just stick with my ideas for longer than a week or so. Maybe.

This go round I’ve decided to keep “the rad” running forever. Or at least for a really, really long time. I’ve really seen some neat stuff since starting this blog and I’ve really made some great connections with other bloggers through this blog.

1) I blog to journal. Everyone is on a journey. Everyone’s life is a story. Personally, I like the fact that I can invite you along for the ride. I love to let you in on the “backstage” of my life. My thoughts, my ideas, my rants, my dreams, my hopes, my sorrows…You get the picture.

My blog is my journal. It’s a window into my world. For me first, and then for anyone that might dare to journey with me. It’s an outlet. It’s the place where I can come and freely discuss what’s on my heart.

2) I blog to journey. Yep, that’s right. I want to hear YOUR story. I want to ride with on your journey through life. My blog is a portal to YOUR outlet. I can hear your songs, see your paintings, and feel your sculptures. I can dream with you. I can laugh and cry with you.

My blog is a window into YOUR world (your blog). Some blogs I regularly journey with are: Tall Skinny Kiwi, Ragamuffin Soul, and Fred McKinnon.

3) I blog to connect. This is definitely part of number 2, but in a different sense. I blog specifically to connect with like-minded individuals. With people who are traveling the same journey I am. In life, in love, in faith.

I’ve made some wonderful connections while blogging, and though I may never meet these people face to face, I would call some of them true friends. People like: Billy Chia, Joel Klampert, Mud Puppy, and such.

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I blog for me first. I really don’t care if I ever reach thousands of readers. It’s not about that. It’s definitely an outlet.

Then, if by some miraculous chance, you find yourself a reader of the rad, I do love the fact that I can share some of my creativity with you. Especially, if you’re a worship leader, creative type, or just someone who breathes.

Occasionally, I’ll share a worship confessional - which is a brief video about my involvement in our worship ministry at House of Joy that particular week. You might benefit from hearing how we did a song, or stage design, or what we did as a transition, etc.

Also, I love to share kitchen confessionals - this is almost the same as a worship confessional, except I just share about a specific dish I prepared and how it turned out. I’ll also list the recipe. If nobody ever cooks the dish, I’ll still be happy, because it’s all about just “sharing” it.

If I could boil down all of these reasons into ONE main reason for blogging it would probably be this:

I blog because it’s fun.

I don’t post when I don’t feel like it. I don’t post to accumulate readers. I don’t post when I have nothing to say. I blog for fun. It’s something I enjoy.

I hope you enjoy it too.

Tomorrow, I’ll continue the “Why Blog?” series with “Why Blog? Blogging As A Worship Leader”