To Blog Or Not To Blog, That Is My Question

This has been an interesting journey.

After eight years and some 1300 blog posts later, I've been asking myself whether it's time to give Harvspot some rest.

For example, I've questioned whether this is a healthy outlet for recurring writing urges or a kind of compulsion that's taken too much time away from other things?

I've also needed to examine my motives. Has this form of self-publishing become too focused on the numbers of pageviews and whatever positive feedback I may get from readers?

Up to this point, I've justified the time and effort involved as follows:

1. As a committed believer and  pastor, I want to use whatever means I have available to:
    a. preach a Jesus-based repentance to the complacent and comfortable (starting with myself)
    b. proclaim a Jesus-graced healing to the bound and broken (also including myself)

2. As someone with a special concern for the health and unity and the church, this has been a way of getting some deep concerns off my chest and on the table for conversation and feedback.

3. As a citizen of the worldwide, heaven-headquartered reign of God, this has given me a forum for promoting criminal justice and other issues affecting the poor and powerless in God's world.

4. As someone who will probably never publish a memoir, I've seen this as one way I can exert some positive influence while also leaving some kind of record (for my offspring?) of what I've been occupied with during some my brief and unspectacular life.

5. I often use parts of blog posts as raw material for things like our house church newsletter and other articles, or as themes for the 90-second Centerpiece radio spots I do for the Family Life Resource Center (where I still work half-time).

For now, I've decided to just slow down a bit. Rather than feeling a need to produce any set number of posts, I'll simply write whenever, and about whatever, I find myself compelled to.

Your prayers for wisdom are always appreciated.