Another reason to blog?

I recently asked a NZ church leader via e-mail (the new principal of one of the Bible training schools) if he blogged. I asked as he would be coming to speak at my church this Sunday and being in NZ, I am particularly keen to listen to his insights and issues and learn from him and other NZ church leaders. I have only met him once last year at a pastors lunch gathering (had a one minute conversation with him and invited him to speak at my church ). He was a main speaker at a recent "denominational" bi-annual conference, and will be the speaker / guide for a pastors retreat in August.

Anyway his reply (via e-mail) was modest - something to the effect that he did not as he did not think that he had enough things of significance that would interest people to want to read his blog. My response was among other things I blogged to keep myself sane and I essentially asked him to consider blogging as he is the new principal of a Bible / pastors training school who seemed to have been called as he had fresh insights etc. To be asked to speak at a major conference and then also the only speaker / guide for a pastors conference obviously means that many people have a great confidence in him. He must have something significant to share, right?

Afterward though as I thought about his response, it made me wonder whether I had anything significant to share via my now blogging habit. Or was my blogging just an exercise in "self-absorption", a pandering to my ego? Of course I know my other reason was to let friends around the world know what I am up to- pretty valid :-) And I know that there are people who tell me they appreciate my blogging ... but still ...?

Then I read these words from one of my favourite authors ... Henri Nouwen... cool!! I think I will share this on Sunday too to encourage members to particpate in "open worship" (we have it once a month but for just around 15 minutes as most are not used to this style of worhip) ...

Making Our Lives Available to Others

One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this: "I have nothing original to say. Whatever I might say, someone else has already said it, and better than I will ever be able to." This, however, is not a good argument for not writing. Each human person is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived. Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves but for others as well. Writing can be a very creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to ourselves and to others.

We have to trust that our stories deserve to be told. We may discover that the better we tell our stories the better we will want to live them.