To Blog Or Not To Blog?

          It was the late 1990's when I decided, as I began to approach retirement, that I wanted to use technology to enrich my life.  I also decided that maybe the Lord would have a new ministry for me using technology during retirement.

          My niece's husband helped me purchase an expensive software program called Dreamweaver which enabled me to create websites.  Soon I created a site called fbfawana.com which allowed me to post news and pictures about the Awana program at our church which I directed.  This site turned out to be very successful with many using it weekly to follow this special program for children. 

          Over the years I added many features to it including our church history, writings for my grandchildren, writings by my son about his hunting trips and eventually even my first blog.  The problem with the blog was that it was hard for people to locate.  I soon realized that it should not be part of this website.

          In 2008 I found a free online program to create blogs that were easy for folks to access.  In September of 2008 I created Barry's Blog which eventually I began to update weekly.  This blog included stories of my experiences, jokes, puzzles and a variety of really relatively "unimportant" items.  It was really just a hobby for me and chance to use and develop my love of writing.

          The following month I decided to try another blog, "Hymns With A Message".  Each week I feature a hymn with a story about its author and its message.  I post a link to the audio of the hymn.  It has been fun to create and unexpectantly my readership grew with folks from all over the world.  I was amazed at the messages that I received.  This blog became a real ministry and a help to many.

          Over the years things have changed.  The company who hosted my website changed its operating system and my software could no longer communicate with it.  About that time I retired as Awana Commander and the cost of new software and the challenge of learning new software was just too much for me.  So, unfortunately, a few years ago, fbfawana.com was retired.

         For many years my hymn blog flourished.  Some weeks I had 900 -1000 viewers each week. I have written about 800 hymns.  But then, during the pandemic, for some reason my readership began to decline.  Now I have about 600 who visit it each week.  While the decline has been rather disappointing, there still appears to be a need and an interest.  Comments I often receive are encouraging.  

          In recent weeks I have had readers in Australia, Philippians, Canada, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Jamaica, Ghana, India, South Korea, South Afria, and many other countries. So, as long as the Lord gives me the direction ideas and motivation, I hope to continue this blog as a hobby and a ministry.

         But then that brings me to my other blog.  I admit that I have been very discouraged with this one.  You might be one of just about 20 readers who are visiting this one this week.  I am not surprised because my content has not been very interesting.

          I am considering stopping this one the end of this year but then I noticed where my readers are really from …  Brazil, Australia, South Korea, Russia, France, Ireland, India, and several other countries.

          Then, in a time of discouragement, last week, after my blog, "I'll Pray For You!", I received this comment from a reader in Brazil. "Indeed prayers are desperately needed today.  Please remember also my family and my country in your prayers, Mr. Kauffman. 🙏. Sara Santos, from Brazil."

          So, should I stop?