Why I Plan to Keep Writing Here in 2019

I can't tell you how many articles I read in 2018 that declared blogging to be a dying art. The belief is that social media has made less people want to start their own website or blog, and it's made many bloggers give up their websites for the ease of a social media platform. 

​Despite so many naysayers, I've committed myself to continue writing and blogging here in 2019 and beyond. 

This past year was a year full of life transitions for my husband and I, and with so many transitions I did not write on here as much as I have in the past. The time away from blogging regularly gave me time to think about this space and to truly consider if I wanted to keep blogging. 

As 2018 came to an end, one thing was certain in my mind. I want to keep writing in this space, and I feel as if personal blogs are still as helpful and relevant today as they were ten years ago. This belief was solidified while reading an article that blogger Tim Challies wrote: Why You Shouldn't Stop Blogging (or Why You Should Consider Starting).

It's an excellent article, and it reminded me of why I started this blog five years ago in my college dorm. Challies gives several convincing reasons for why personal blogging is still important and relevant, especially in a world of ministry and news article sites, decreased sharing of articles found online, and changing algorithms on social media sites. 

I started this blog in 2014 and called it "Engaging Culture" and that's what it was about; engaging and talking about culture in light of being a new follower of Christ. This blog has grown and changed since then (even receiving a new name), but it has always been a place where I can share freely and without censor about what God is teaching me or what I am learning about Jesus, the Word, and the world. And I hope that it remains to be a space of sharing honestly in the future to encourage other people in their walk with Jesus or for others to understand how a Christian might think or respond to certain things. 

I'm thankful for all of you that have followed this blog from the beginning and those of you that have joined along on the journey. I hope you will continue to be a part of the community and conversation here, even if you remain silent in the comment section. 

But for now, I just want to share that I fully plan on continuing to write on here for as long as God gives me the desire to use my talents in this way, and I hope that 2019 proves to be a fruitful year for She Laughs Without Fear.