Why Do I Write?

Why do I write?

This is a great question.

I’ve always had a stronger pull towards math and science.  This drove me to become an engineer.

But I must have had some writing pulsing through my veins along the way.  I made it through four years of high school honors English although this was a struggle for me as I fought to keep up with my creative and competitive classmates.  I still remember the crushing blow of my first (and only) “D” in my second marking period of honors English with Mr. Minnear.  I finished the class with a “B” thanks to lots of effort and some help from my father who majored in English literature during his undergraduate studies.

Strangely enough, I’ve been drawn to writing over the last few years.  If I’m honest, I must confess that I want to be noticed through my writing – to one day write a book and to be known as a writer.  But writing is so much more than that for me.  Writing is an outlet – a place to process my joys, my struggles, my ups and downs, my faith, my thoughts, and even the mundane aspects of life.  Through my writing, I hope to stretch myself and to stretch others along the way.  My writing helps me keep track of life as it moves along at an ever quickening pace.

This is all part of it, but there is something more.

Why do I write?

I write to honor God.  I write to bring God glory.  I write to grow closer to God.

This is why I write.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:17

Why do you write?

Help Me Write My First Book

Yesterday on Michael Hyatt’s blog, Mary DeMuth guest posted about setting goals for the future and going for it now (Why You Should Be Living for the Future Now).  Through the comments that followed the post, I had the opportunity to interact with Mary and other readers about my own passion for writing.  I shared in the comments that I was considering the possibility of taking my writing to a different place by writing a book someday.

Through the on-line dialogue, my friend Tom asked me about the subject of my book.  I threw out a few ideas that I’ve considered, and I shared that I wasn’t all together sure.  The conversation continued with a suggestion that I use my blog as a stepping off point for my book.  To which Mary proposed that I ask my readers to give me feedback on which Jon Stolpe Stretched blog posts resonated with them the most.

Hmmm…. (That’s the sound of me thinking).  Maybe this isn’t such a bad idea.

So what do you think?

Can you help me?

What Stretched blog posts resonate with you the most?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.  You could help write my first book!