With this blog being public facing, I know that anyone could potentially read it. It’s an odd concept to be sure. I’m trying not to let that affect what I write or don’t write here. My goal is to be open and transparent with my thought process, both the good and the bad.

Still, it crosses my mind now and then that it might feel strange knowing others could read about my insecurities and personal moments. But it is what it is. If I’m going to be open, then I want to be open all the way.

Sunday afternoon’s Gospel message at The Willows went reasonably well. I did get a bit flustered partway through, but I managed to recover without too much issue. I veered off my self-written script a little, which I actually see as progress, I’d rather move toward speaking from notes than relying entirely on a word-for-word draft. It ran a little shorter than usual, around 10 minutes, but those in attendance seemed to be listening attentively.

Monday brought a mix of frustration and satisfaction. I set out on a 13 km bike ride in the afternoon, but it turned out to be too hot for comfort, and not having a water bottle holder didn’t help. I barely made it home. On a more positive note, I installed a handlebar extender, which has made things slightly more comfortable.

This past weekend was the Halifax Bible Conference, and I came away both refreshed and challenged. The focus of the Bible study and ministry was 2 Corinthians chapters 1 through 6. These chapters are rich with instruction and comfort, and the ministry was both clear and deeply rooted in Scripture. As usual, the conference delivered on all fronts; spiritually uplifting messages, good food, far too many sweets, and wonderful fellowship with believers from across the region.

For me it was also a new experience. I traveled with several from my local assembly that I haven’t spent much time with before. A mix of adults and teens, a little convoy in five vehicles. Our group stayed in the home of one of their friends, a beautiful place tucked just off the water and only twenty minutes from the Gospel Hall.

Saturday morning I had the opportunity to share the Gospel during a Zoom meeting for the Philippines. The whole session ran about 30 minutes, with my portion taking around 15. I tried something new this time: instead of just a single camera feed, I used a dual-window setup. My video was in the lower-left corner, and the main screen displayed Bible verses in both English and Tagalog. I used FreeShow for the Scripture display and OBS to tie everything together.

I think it went well, but I’m never the best judge of my own speaking. I tend to second guess how it landed. Sometimes I wonder if people say the message was good just to keep from discouraging me.

Lately I’ve been working on my Gospel message for the upcoming Zoom meeting with the Philippines, scheduled for May 31st. It’s been on my mind more than usual. I tend to second-guess my messages, not because I don’t believe them, but because I often lack a bit of confidence in my delivery.

My friend Timmy, who passed away earlier this year, used to review all of my messages before I shared them. He was a trusted sounding board, and I leaned on his input more than I realized. Knowing someone else had read through what I had prepared always gave me some peace of mind, that I was on the right track. I miss that encouragement.

So, it’s been a bit since the last post.

The Island Gospel Conference just wrapped up this past weekend. It was held at Bluefield School, and as always, it was a blessing. Solid ministry, a clear and faithful gospel message, more good food than any of us needed, sugary desserts that tested everyone’s resolve, and most of all, amazing fellowship with other believers.

I had some deep, meaningful conversations with a few preachers whose words and lives have been a great inspiration to me. Moments like that stick with you.

Just a short note for now, nothing major to update, but still a few small things in progress behind the scenes.

I’ve been working on formatting some new design options for this site. Mostly layout tweaks and trying out different ways to display things better, especially the poetry section. Speaking of which, I plan to upload a few more poems this week, some older, some recent. I’m trying to get better at sharing them, rather than letting them sit forgotten in folders.

Not a whole lot to report today, but I’ll put a few things down while I’ve got the time and clarity.

Thursday night’s meeting was encouraging, though I didn’t get up to speak this time. The prayer portion ran longer than usual, which is a good problem to have. After that, another Brother stood up and shared a message that really uplifted the assembly. So while I stayed quiet, I don’t see that as a loss, the message that was needed got spoken, and I was glad to hear it.

Friday was the usual grocery day: expensive, dull, and necessary. Not much else to say there.

Today marks six months since I started changing my diet.

It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been worth it. I’m down another 3.9 lbs this week, bringing the total weight lost so far to 77.6 lbs. It still surprises me seeing the number go down like that, but I’m learning not to question good progress. Just keep at it, day by day.

Running into Sunday with absolutely zero sleep is a special kind of disorientation. I’m not sure how I managed to function, but I did. And somehow, the Lord’s Day worship and breaking of bread was good, peaceful, weighty, needed.

I had something on my heart to share during the meeting, but once again, I kept quiet. I don’t know why I freeze up when it matters. It’s frustrating, because it felt like something I was meant to say. And I didn’t.