Why I’m Rethinking My Blog Schedule

This month marks two years since I launched Bethany J’s Journal and became a blogger.

Since October 2017, I’ve made pages of mistakes. I’ve fought discouragement. I’ve tried to craft better sentences. I’ve been enraptured by who God is and how he chooses to use me.

And this month, I’ve realized it’s time for a change.

I’m rethinking my blog schedule by choosing to produce fewer articles now. Starting today, I’ll be posting one full-length article each month.

Here’s why:

1.       I want to avoid pride and laziness.

Two weeks ago, I gave Brett Harris permission to tear apart an article I wrote. It hurt, but it also opened my eyes. Brett’s edits and comments struck me with the weight of my role as a writer. I don’t just type words to make people smile or think or cry.

I write to teach. And a teacher’s responsibility is serious.

Not many of you should become teachers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with a greater strictness (James 3:1).

I’m held accountable for every word I scratch onto paper and share with you. But it’s tempting to sacrifice truth on the altar of “freshness.” Brett showed me that I tend to hinge my article messages on punchy titles or relevant topics.

I often try to be “catchy” or “gripping” without burying my hands in the hard work of study. I’m choosing to write fewer articles so I can write richer articles that don’t give pride or laziness a foothold.

2.       I want to study deeper and pray more.

I can’t let my own emotions or opinions or ideas manipulate the holy, beautiful truth about God. I must write cautiously.

Brett didn’t just edit my writing; he corrected my misuse of God’s Word. I had embellished my article with Scripture, not let Scripture shape my article.

I need to be poring over God’s Word and praying for the Holy Spirit to work.

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual (1 Cor. 2:12-13).

On my own, I’m incapable of interpreting spiritual truths to you.

By limiting my blog schedule, I can devote more time to studying God’s Word deeper and asking his Spirit to pilot me.

3.       I want to serve you better.

Clear thinking produces clear writing. Muddled thinking produces writing that may sound good, but says nothing new. Or nothing at all.

It’s easy for me to flaunt my writing skills while letting my message’s clarity suffer. But that’s not loving you, my readers. Because writing is more than an art; it’s an act of service. I’m not just a wordsmith.

I’m a servant.

Writing is more than an art; it’s an act of service.

Jesus modeled this supremely. The Author of Scripture didn’t spend his time on earth flexing. Jesus came to serve, heal, feed, clothe, touch, teach, care for, and love. He calls his followers to mimic him:

…Whoever would be great among you shall be your servant, and whoever would be first among you shall be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matt 20:26-28).

If the Creator condescended to teach us and love us and bear our cross for the Father’s glory, how much more should I be using my words to serve people and glorify God?

Stopping to rethink how I blog is a way I can love you with quality and truth, not just quantity.

4.       I want to write for God’s glory, not my own.

Brett’s criticism is painful, but I know it’s doing a deeper work than refining my writing. It’s forcing me to continually ask the question, “Why do I write?”

My answer stems from Colossians:

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Col 3:17).

Exposing pride, killing laziness, studying harder, and seeking to serve are all ways I can glorify God as a blogger.

By his grace, Christ has empowered me to write articles that teach and uplift you. I’m so thankful for that. I don’t regret blogging for two years.

But today, I’m turning to a new chapter in my writing life. Christ continues to chisel and carve on my heart and my writing. He’s sanctifying me, sculpting me, exposing me, instructing me.

I’m choosing to rethink my blog schedule because no glory belongs to me. Every ounce of praise and adoration belongs to the glorious God I live and write for. He is worthy of my humility and hard work— the hard work of writing truthfully.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness (Ps. 115:1)!