1 Year Anniversary = 52 Blogs
A couple of weeks ago was my one year anniversary at New Beginnings. We have had an incredible time during our first year! It truly has gone so fast. We feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface on seeing a shift in culture to see all types of different family structures to truly begin to live out the implications of Deuteronomy 6:1-9.
Top 10 Blogs (Most Read)
- I know…I know…some of them are really long. Everyone says there is another name for blogs that go that long—it’s called chapters or research papers. Some say that there would be even more readers who would read if you can see the bottom on the same page it begins. Others have said they get carpal tunnel from scrolling so much on one of my blogs. Just last night, we were having dinner with some new close friends and she said that she told her husband that my blogs should be in “Audiobook” form—like for trips out of state!
- I don't really write or teach just to gather the greatest number of listeners. At the end of the day, if I'm not true to myself and the identity I've found in Christ and how He's formed me, then I haven't really understand the gospel. I know people turn to blogs, see the length, and decide off of that, instead of content, whether it's worthy of our time. I know for myself, I’m the same way. When I click on a blog and the little scroll bar is the size of a pencil—I’ll probably read it. When that bar has turned into a dot—I may read the first couple of paragraphs to see how helpful it is. But again, I want to stay true to myself in these blogs.
- I have enjoyed writing over the last few years as I’ve prepared many sermons, lessons, research papers, and now blogs. It was just a few years ago that I realized how much I enjoyed the time I spend writing. As you can see with the blogs, when I have 10-page papers at Southern, it usually ends up about 22 pages. If it’s a 15-pager, I usually go over 25. I’m sure it’s frustrating for the Garrett Fellows (graders) as well.
- Because of the enjoyment and thought that I hope it brings to discussions, I have contemplated the idea of starting a blog page where I have blogs on Tuesdays and Fridays. I think I can handle two a week. The Tuesday blog would be the same one I have on our New Beginnings (nbfamilies.info) site, and the Friday blog might be hitting different issues on theology, discipleship, and cultural influencers. In doing so, you’d have options! I might try to keep the Tuesday one more practical and possibly shorter, while allowing the Friday one to be covering different issues of complexity in theological discussion. More info to come on this!
That being said, we really do appreciate, but most importantly hope that these blogs are helpful in making us think through this Person, Jesus, and the implications He has on all aspects of life. We are all “in-process,” in need of thought-provoking discussion, challenge, accountability, and encouragement as we try to live for this invisible King in a fallen world.
If you've just started reading lately, here are some of the most popular blogs I wrote over the past 52 weeks. You should really check out the other guys writings as well. We let each of the pastors write for one day of the week--Matt Fowler = Matt Mondays, Sankie Lynch = Sankie Tuesdays, (coming soon Mike Krebs = Mike Wednesdays), Terry Langenberg = Terry Thursdays, Phil Sallee = Phil Fridays. Plus Phil writes a daily blog that our members use for discipleship training, sermon notes, D-groups questions. Phil has us beat by a few tens of thousands of readers (His Doctorate is dealing with discipleship through media--not fair). Great resources from some highly intelligent and gifted guys.
Here are the Top 10 Blogs the last 52 weeks:
We decided, as a staff, that we would take this week and give you a glimpse into our lives to let you know what makes us tick. I actually missed the deadline and posted mine a week later than the other staff guys—they’ve never treated me the same since!
Featuring one of the boy's favorite songs by Lecrae, this reminds us that our children are watching us and modeling after us much more than we would like to admit!
This was written a couple of weeks after we had the miscarriage at the four month point. It was touching that so many people responded to this article. Here's a quote:
"Jamie understands, though difficult at times, that she did nothing to deserve to lose a baby. And at the same time she knows she could do nothing to deserve to teach other’s children about the God who has saved her.
"Jamie understands, though difficult at times, that she did nothing to deserve to lose a baby. And at the same time she knows she could do nothing to deserve to teach other’s children about the God who has saved her.
She did nothing to deserve saving grace. She was content serving herself when Christ pursued her and the Holy Spirit opened her eyes to see Him as supreme. She’s captivated by this Christ. He captured her heart another day of loss as she sat at her own sixteen-year-old brother’s funeral. She realized that day that it was not an option to live for herself and her own small pursuits in life—but to live for something much more grand and glorious."
This was my first blog I wrote at New Beginnings.
How to you shepherd your children's hearts and help them understand that we are accepted because of what Christ accomplished on the cross--not because of our own rule-keeping? And how do you shepherd their hearts from the lies of false idols to trusting in God as the one supreme reward and treasure in all of life?
This was an update for the many friends who wanted to know how our family has transitioned with our move to Tulsa over the past year and how we're doing after the recent and late miscarriage. God is beautiful--when things could be ugly.
I'm seeing a pattern develop--when I write about my wonderful wife--the numbers spike in readers! It's alright, I think she's wonderful too!
This follows us through some real-life experiences and the unperfect and frustrating times that come with attempting to have Faith Talks as a family around the table. We hope to show everyone that these are difficult things for many of us--no super spiritual people--just fellow failures! For more info on Faith Talks, Faith Walks, and Faith Mission you can click the tabs at the top of this page.
Here I wanted to give some theological guidance as to what we personally look to when tragedy hit our lives. We had a late miscarriage and some other difficulties all hit at the same time. I try to share a Biblical understanding of grief that is not led by emotions, but instead allowing truth from God to override what we are feeling at the time.
Sankie P. Lynch
www.nbchurch.info
www.nbfamilies.info
sankie@nbchurch.info
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