This blog is undergoing a transformation. I love blogging and writing, but I’ve grown increasingly dissatisfied with this blog’s format. I’m running into the same issues I dealt with about a year ago: disenchantment with politics, finding time to do more off-blog and faith-focused writing while keeping up with client work.
My blogging has slacked off the past few months because I feel directionless. My intent in starting this blog was to share my views, and that goal has been accomplished. Plenty of people know exactly how I feel about race preferences, race hustlers, illegal aliens, child killing-supporters, and people who call “good” that which is perverse.
My focus in life is gradually shifting away from maintaining a daily political blog and everything that goes with being a “top” blogger: recognition from other political bloggers, invitations to political events, blog conferences, lots of links, high traffic, etc. It’s startling to think my desire for those things is receding when I’ve spent the past three years pursuing them. Who in her right mind, one may ask, would give that up?
Maybe turning 40 (in May) has something to do with it. Certain birthdays seem to signal big changes for me. As I approached 30, I was determined to stop drinking before my birthday. When I turned 35, I knew I had to get serious about writing. Now that 40 is approaching, it’s time for another change.
I doubt I’ll ever give up blogging, but perhaps it’s time to give up La Shawn Barber’s Corner as it currently exists. I’ve been thinking of closing shop and reopening under a new banner, so to speak, a blog that is less focused on politics and more on faith, writing, and things that make me happy instead of what makes me angry (although this blog would remain accessible as archives). While I could just as easily do that on this blog, LBC has too much baggage attached to it. Starting a whole new blog would feel like a proper “new beginning.”
I believe God gave me this burning desire to communicate through the written word because that’s how he wants me to boldly proclaim his word and reach the lost. As long as I’m able, I’ll blog. But I feel that it’s time to “mature” into something different, something better and more purposeful. I’m reminded of this passage in Revelation 2:
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
In the course of my blogging pursuits, I’ve slacked off in a lot of areas of my life. I’m blessed beyond anything I deserve, yet I’ve put my prayer life, Bible study, and the very pursuit of God on a shelf, where they sit collecting dust.
Before I make any rash decisions, I need to contemplate these things in prayer.
Addendum: In case anyone misunderstands the post title, I’ll clarify. The “first love” I refer to is Christ and my relationship with him, not this blog.
