WHY I WRITE

"I write for the joy of it."

Much of my life as a pastor and mentor involves writing. I have written poetry and song lyrics-denominational doctrinal statements and letters to the powerful. Countless academic papers and a doctoral thesis that went to over 400 pages in length. Scripts for musicals and comedy/drama teams. I cannot tell you how many sermons I have written in over 39 years of ministry nor how many funeral meditations. I have written devotionals for well over eight years and countless magazine articles on Christian living (including a column on Christian parenting). I penned the definitive history of my denomination's work in central and eastern Europe, and our denomination's youth ministry.
I have written textbooks on evangelism, transformational leadership, mentoring, and more. I currently write blog posts for a denominational evangelism blog. I also write posts for 11 blogs of which I am the author. There are at least two unfinished manuscripts on Christian discipleship and two mystery novels on the hard drive of my computer. That doesn't count Facebook postings, responses to blogs, personal notes of encouragement. I have journaled almost every day of the last 37 years of my life and those volumes now occupy at least two file cabinets (not drawers, cabinets.)

Needless to say, I wrote a whole lot.

I write because I observe my world, savor ideas, reflect on almost everything.

I write because God often gives me inspiration. (Sometimes I wish He had equipped me to be a better writer, not just a prolific one.)

I write because the world has a story that God is writing and I believe I am called to pen some of it chapters.

I write because it is my calling.

And when you follow your calling from God, you have great joy.

I wrote for the joy of it at all.