One of the wonderful, and sometimes horribly embarrassing things about being a young man putting your thoughts on the internet, is that once they’re out there, they’re kinda out there (and my thoughts are out there in more ways than one)

There are quite a few things I don’t agree with 2008 Ryan about, and yet his thoughts are here right with the thoughts I’m having today. 2004 Ryan also had a blog. Boy was that guy a pompous idiot! I’m often relieved to know most of the stuff he wrote is lost to the sands of time before Google had a memory

Of course I’m actually just as much of a pompous idiot right now. In the scheme of the universe the amount of knowledge I’ve gained in the last 7 years in insignificant. But I like my ideas now, even if 2018 Ryan is going to think they’re awful.

This is the Art of the Blog. This is how it is. A few superstars like Arianna Huffington might elevate the format to the lever of true journalism, but the rest of us just shout out opinions at the wall and hope in instigates an interesting thought in someone else.

Last year at this time I found myself in no position of leadership for the first time since high school. I was transitioning out of Church Ministry into Parachurch. I had one foot out the door on my way to Kansas, and without any students I needed an outlet for my interesting thoughts. So I brought the blog back (it had been inactive)

Then I moved to Kansas and I didn’t know anyone, I was unsure of the landscape, I didn’t know what comments were appropriate to share, and this forum needed to mutate into a mouthpiece for thoughts I couldn’t say our loud for any reason.

Now I’m drifting into inactivity again and I think I know why. I have a chapter now, and a mission, and friends. I have stuff to do, and I’m just not angsty enough to bleed on the page most days. I’m going to try to shift again. This time into a more official capacity. My identity as Campus Minister, is getting more integrated into my central identity and I think it’s time to start preaching from the blog. Posting fewer edgy opinion pieces, and more biblical interpretations.

At least I hope that’s what’s going on