Blog-Fast for September

I intend NOT to blog for the month of September. This will be my longest ever blog-fast.

Why?

- Because I feel that a new season is upon us and I need to take a breather before plunging in. If i dont, I may miss this new season through laxity and the curse of routine sameness. Does that make sense??????
- Because after my 5 year blogiversary I decided to take an extended break and rethink my blog. But it never happened and I feel like I should have.
- Because I Do suffer from blog addiction and blog fasting is a way for me to kill the old man and crucify him again - allowing God the opportunity of resurrection in his way.
- Because I have travelled FAR TOO MUCH in the last 3 months and I want to be around for my family this month. I also need to do non-blogging tasks like reading, writing, administrating and emailing and i dont want to get distracted.
- Because my blog is old and tired and not nearly as much fun as it used to be. I want to be re-inspired and invigorated.
- Because I have an idea of how blogging should be and I want my blog to catch up to my vision.
- Because I have been SELFISH in my blogging recently, concerned with building my own blog and tracking my own progress rather than being a resource on other people's blogs.
- Because the quality of my blog posts has decayed and I am posting fewer poetic posts [a sign of good spiritual health] and fewer thoughtful theological/missiological posts [a sign of rigorous thinking in my head] and I need to raise the bar.
- Because I have become infatuated [again] with my stats and my blog authority and google-ranking - a form of idolatry and narcissism that can only be harmful.
- Because my blog is becoming institutional and I want to OWN it again - as a whole-life blog and not a way of fulfilling other peoples expectations.
- Because my blogging world is more complex, involving a number of blogs, and I need to think on how to bring all these worlds together
- Because I want to PURGE my site of the thousands of visitors who are jumping in without any history and would do better reading someone else's blog written by someone who has the time to explain the basics.

Probably other reasons also. There will, however, be one or two posts to finish off the month of August that i might back-date to put them in place.

Anyway, when i come back on October 1st, I hope to be in a better place and have a smaller but more committed readership. Those of you who read TSK daily and are thinking of moving on to other blogs - God bless you all. Thanks for being a part of my life and allowing me to be a part of yours. Those who want to track with me in the NEXT STAGE of what God is doing in this crazy emerging Kingdom thing, then pray for me over the next month, hook up again on October 1st, and get ready for the next level. Together!

Peace out.

Andrew (tall skinny kiwi)

Related: Blogging Less, Living More

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The Blogger’s Prayer 1.2 by Andrew Jones

Our Father
who lives above and beyond the blogosphere

Give us this day a life worth blogging,
The access to words and images that express our journey with passion and integrity,
And a secure connection to publish your daily mercies.

Your Kingdom come into new spaces today,
As we make known your mysteries,
Posting by posting,
Blog by blog.

Give this day,
The same ability to those less privileged,
Whose lives speak louder than ours,
Whose sacrifice is greater,
Whose stories will last longer.

Forgive us our sins,
For blog-rolling strangers and pretending they are friends,
For counting unique visitors but not noticing unique people,
For delighting in the thousands of hits but ignoring the one who returns,
For luring viewers but sending them away empty handed,
For updating daily but repenting weekly.

As we forgive those who trespass on our sites to appropriate our thoughts without reference,
Our images without approval,
Our ideas without linking back to us.

Lead us not into the temptation to sell out our readership,
To see people as links and not as lives,
To make our blogs look better than our actual story.

But deliver us from the evil of pimping ourselves instead of pointing to you,
From turning our guests into consumers of someone else’s products,
From infatuation over the toys of technology,
From fame before our time is right.

For Yours is the power to guide the destinies behind the web logs,
To bring hurting people into the sanctuaries of our sites,
To give us the stickiness to follow you, no matter who is watching or reading.

Yours is the glory that makes people second look our sites and our lives,
Yours is the authority above all authorities
Yours is the ranking above all rankings

For ever and ever,

Amen

Original: Bloggers Prayer 1.0 by Andrew Jones (2002)

Comments

[Existential Punk]

Good on ya, Andrew! i applaud you, will be praying for you, and will be back Oct. 1st for the "next phase" of TSK! Be at peace, have fun with your family, and be rested to catch up on all the things you mentioned like emailing, writing, etc. May the Lord inspire and refresh you. Also, THANK YOU for your humility and honesty with your struggles. You are an example to us all. Bless you, my friend! Adele

[Kester]

Strange minds think alike. I'm planning on a similar break before the US edition of the book comes out.

Enjoy!

Good to hook up at GB.

[Jon Harris]

Before you go... any ideas as to what the new season is gonna be about?

[Andrew]

Andrew - May this blogfast be a time of refreshing and new insight for you. I think I need to take similar action, and soon. Not only a blogfast, but a podcast. I'm becoming increasingly addicted to this.

Ah, technology, you Faustian bargain!

AC

[Jamie Arpin-Ricci]

Good for you. See you in October.

Peace,
Jamie

[Adam]

Blessings to you. I look forward to your return. Use the time wisely.

[emma]

Andrew,
Enjoy this time of renewal... be inspired! I have so appreciated all your honesty here, it inspires me. Looking forward to the next stage of your journey, see you on Oct 1st.
Emma

[Dana Ames]

All good reasons.
Thank you Andrew.
May you and God be more present to one another this month- and to all the rest of your loved ones- and may your "chores" be graced with the same Presence.

Dana

[David]

RESPECT!

Fantastic. I think this is a great thing to do. I am sorely tempted to join you (will need a quick think about disappointing my three readers!)

Hopefully will find you again in October.

Christ with you in the ebb and flow.

[Mathias]

Great idea! I had a blog break during the month of june, and it really changed my unhealthy attitude toward blogging. It was all good, and I think you blog fast will be the same!

God bless your month of september! And your family's =)

[Nadia]

Wise.
Blessings on the journey.

[Alan Cross]

Good idea, Andrew. As I read your reasons why they seemed pretty appealling to me as well. I've been blogging a lot lately myself, and a disciplined break sometime soon might be a great idea. Thanks for leading the way, yet again.

I look forward to October 1st!

[maryellen]

as well as reading..take long hikes in nature

[Mike Higgins]

Andrew,

You will be missed. You have givien us some hits of what to pray for. Do you have any other prayer requests?

[Brian Heasley]

will miss it andrew, but think it is a cool step to take. Shalom

[Rodney Olsen]

I look forward to the new season.

[Bald Man]

Amen.

[suzanna Bond]

Blessings on your fast. Enjoy the angels it may invite.

[Mick Gordon]

It must be nice to have so many unwanted readers, though I am sure if they realized they were unwanted (as I did at the end of the post) They would not wish to intrude. You sound seriously depressed, maybe the blog is only the tip of the iceberg.

[michael bells]

bless you as you take time to be refreshed
you are one of the bloggers who inspired me to start blogging

[Billy Kennedy]

Thanks for your honesty and radical step Andrew. Really refreshing.

[steve hollinghurst]

my blog is so irregular i'm not thinking of joining a blog fast! (perhaps though i should consider a conference speaking fast ;o) but all you've said makes sense. nice to see you at GB, and hope the period proves time for God, family and inner refreshment.

[robbymac]

Oh, so I'm not the only one wanting to re-think the whole blogging thing?

You have no idea how encouraging it is to hear that!

Maybe we should all blog-fast for September...

[Bryan Riley]

great post. I'm glad I don't know how to get addicted to those things, like google rank, etc., because I'm sure if i did i would. My techno skills aren't high, but I do know that blogging can be addictive if you let it. May we be addicted to Him and His glory, and then the rest will work itself out.

[Aaron J. Smith]

Good on ya Kiwi!