This day last year I had slow night and randomly decided to register studentministry.org and build a blog. There really wasn’t any direction or purpose behind it, which my first two months of blogging easily indicate, but now 152 posts and 392 comments later it’s clearly become a journal of my life and thoughts concerning church and youth ministry.

Even though this has only been around for a year, I’m amazed at how the Lord has used it thus far: the encouragement readers have extended to me as my posts encourage them, connections with other youth pastors for sharing resources, being cited in sources such as the Dallas Morning News and Youth Specialties publications, and even the potential ministry to the astounding 30,000 visitors that have stopped by this year just for a peak. If last year I had known about all the benefits of ministry blogging I probably would’ve started a lot sooner. But I guess God does His own things and His own timing, for which I am very grateful.

Who knows what God has in store for this next year, but I look forward to making my life available as a resource and encouragement to others as Dana and I now venture on together.

My Top 10 Most Significant Blog Entries of this Year
September 30, 2005: Stress is building
October 28, 2005: Rules for fighting
November 5, 2005: My former pastor apologizes
November 10, 2005: The life of America’s teenagers
November 26, 2005: Family segregation in the church
December 5, 2005: Ministry: Grind or Glamour?
January 3, 2006: Back together with Dana for 2006
April 10, 2006: Conclusion of my media fast
April 24, 2006: I’m engaged!
May 22, 2006: Where REAL ministry takes place

• Two year anniversary of this blog
• Podcast: One year wedding anniversary
• Podcast: One year anniversary show of LIVE YM Talk
• Lessons from my 3 year anniversary at Alexandria Covenant Church
• So many transitions in my life during 2006