The Why

I’ve always found the idea of blogging to be vaguely narcissistic. The idea of writing something every week with the expectation that people will actually read it seems kind of vain, as if I actually have something worth saying. I’ve also never really been comfortable with the idea of bloggers developing a “following”; that’s an uncomfortable term, and I never really wanted that responsibility. These feelings, coupled with time constraints, have kept me from following the advice of others and starting a weekly blog.

Until…

This summer, God really began pricking and prompting me that maybe He had something to say. That maybe God wanted to use me and this position at Grace to share some things about His nature and character, how much He loves us and our kids, and how He works in our lives.

Frankly, that just made things worse. Because, it never comes across as narcissistic when someone says, “God told me to tell you…,” does it?  And, everyone who actually does say something on God’s behalf tends to be mocked and derided for doing it.

Then, the mom in the pickup line the other day (you know who you are—I am truly grateful for you) told me that I changed the way she parented her kids for the better by something I wrote a few years ago. Then, I knew it was God, because I had no idea, couldn’t even remember what I wrote. So, God does still speak, and He still uses really, really fallible people to do it. That way, you’ll know it’s the Author of the message, not the messenger.

Here’s how this is going to work:

• I’ll write weekly. I’ll try to say something worth reading. If I do, keep reading. If I don’t, please stop reading (but, check back every now and then to see if it’s become worthwhile).
• I’ll spend time daily in God’s Word and pray diligently that what I say is from Him and consistent with His Word. You read His Word, too, so that you’ll know the difference. If I say something that needs to be reproved or corrected, send me an email and correct me. If I persist in inaccuracy, stop reading.
• Don’t EVER assign my opinions any more weight than the opinions of anyone else who loves Jesus and is in His Word. God made me head of Grace; I didn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it, and I’m really not an expert at anything. If anything I say resonates with you, pray through it, test it with Scripture, and then apply it, if you want.
• If anything I say helps you, please don’t tell me (except for the mom in the pickup line, who God used to affirm me to do this). I am a vain, prideful man, and if you tell me that this is helpful to you, it will just puff me up and make me unfit for use. If it helps you, just pray that the Holy Spirit will encourage and affirm me in continuing to do it.
• Know that, even though I don’t know some of you well, I’ve had conflict with others of you, and I’ve probably made decisions that have made others of you mad and I don’t even know it,  I love you and I love your kids and I’m praying daily for all of you.

Steve Rumpf, my former community group leader and one of my faith heroes, used a phrase that I think captures the spirit that I hope to offer every week: one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. Let’s never forget that we’re beggars, but beggars in disguise: we’re really children of the King, and we’ve been entrusted with His children, to raise them nobly and well.

I hope y’all had a great start to school. Here we go…