Why do I blog?

Today is the 1st anniversary of this blog. It’s as good a time as any to ask, “why do I blog?” There’s lots of reasons why I shouldn’t blog: I don’t write very well; Transforming Grace doesn’t receive many hits; blogging seems to be passing fashion (I’ve noticed other bloggers have reduced the frequency of their posts); there’s lots of other, better blogs on the same subject; I’ve a handful of regular readers, probably sympathetic friends; it takes up to half an hour a day to write, three or four days a week; so why do I blog? Here’s a few reasons which have convinced me that blogging is a good thing for me to do.

1. Blogging is like an exercise bike for my mind, if I don’t use it I get flabby. I have lots of fairly vague thoughts about Christ, ministry and faith. The discipline of writing these thoughts down, where they might be read by others, helps to me to clarify and crystallise things.
2. My blog encourages me to read, study and think about these things, and then to keep a record of helpful stuff.
3. The blog is a great way of storing this stuff for retrieval. I know where to find the things I’ve written.
4. What I write might be of a benefit to someone, which it can’t be if it’s in a lever arch file on my shelf.
5. I find it really helpful when other people comment on, criticise or review what I’ve said. Iron sharpens iron.

That’s it. I’ll keep blogging, for now. Does anyone else have other reasons for blogging?