1st Anniversary of Toward the Goal…

Well, today marks the 1st anniversary of Toward the Goal, at least as it exists at toward-the-goal.net. It’s been an interesting year!

Here’s a few highlights…

• 239 posts, and 471 comments (almost a post every weekday, amazingly enough).
• 107 posts devoted to Baptist issues… something I never envisioned being involved in when I started this site back up last year at this time.
• Top posts of the year (by comments): “A Question I’ve Always Wondered About”, in regard to the experience of tongues / prayer language, and “Is it Really Worth It?”, where I ponder (out of frustration with conduct by many) whether we’re doing more harm than good to our convention through the rhetoric we’ve generated through our heated discussions about Baptist issues. Both posts had 19 comments (not a lot in comparison to most blogs, I know).
• Coming out from the fog of anonymnity. Looking back, it feels crazy that this was ever an issue for me (after all, given the site’s purpose of sharing my faith, it seemed like I was almost being ashamed of being a Christian by remaining anonymous), but it was a tough decision for me at the time (just ask Nancy).
• The 2006 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. What can I say except that it was an AWESOME experience? I met a ton of wonderful people there (almost like a family reunion of bloggers, strange as that may sound), had a lot of fun shooting and producing video footage for Baptists everywhere (see sbcvideos.info), met some Baptist leaders (and was blessed to pray over them), experienced a Westboro protest (and filmed an interview with Shirley Phelps-Roper), met Paul Strickland (an incredibly inspirational soul-winner if ever there were one)… oh yeah, and got lost somewhere outside Greensboro TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW after midnight on the way back to the hotel (I blame the driver, Micah).
• Implemented a complete site re-design (definitely needed!).

Most importantly though? Blogging here at Toward the Goal has brought me into contact with some absolutely awesome people. I can’t say enough about all of you. A few I want to mention in particular, though…

• Micah Fries. Yeah, you’re my pastor… but over the past year you’ve also become one of my closest friends. This blogging thing gave us yet another commonality. Tracy and Nancy may not appreciate it all that much (we both spend WAY too much time online), but hey… that’s yet one more thing we’ve got in common. I can’t wait to see how God continues to grow the friendship not only between you and I, but between both of our families. That’s not even mentioning the excitement I have about seeing how He uses us in the St. Joseph area…
• Kevin Bussey. We had some great times in Greensboro… you introduced me to Carolina BBQ (that sauce just has to grow on you, I guess!). You were fearless and incredibly composed in the interview with the Westboro folks (there’s no way I could have held my composure the way you did). But your heart man… that’s what I like best about you. You love God, you love people, and you want to make a difference in this world. Your church is blessed to have you as their pastor. I really hope we’ll have a chance to see each other again someday! In the meantime, I look forward to our continuing online interactions!
• Judah. My Kiwi friend (New Zealand for all of you that don’t know the Kiwi reference)! You’re the first person I really got to know online very well at all (good old e4god.com… too bad it got overrun by spammers / hackers). I’ve always appreciated your passion for defending and explaining the faith to the searching online. You’re solid Biblically, and you’ve challenged and encouraged me in my walk with Christ. We may not correspond much nowadays, but do know that I have appreciated our online friendship.
• Bob Cleveland. We may be seperated by a generation or so in age, but brotherhood in Christ bridges all barriers. I appreciate all of the encouragement you’ve sent my way (especially those personal experiences you’ve shared via e-mail), and I’m more than pleased to know that some of the things I’ve shared here have been of benefit to you in your own walk with Christ.
• Bryan Riley. Man… your faith is an inspiration. You and your family have made sacrifices most would find nearly impossible. I can’t help but be encouraged as I’ve learned about your journey from Arkansas businessman to missionary in Hawaii, where you’re now finding ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Your journey and sharing reminds me that honoring God by following Christ is what matters most, and that it’s worth it… no matter what the cost.
• Alan Cross. You, like Bryan, are an inspiration to me. What you and your family have gone through with Caelan would tear most people apart, but you’ve consistently shown us through what you’ve shared that God’s grace and provision is sufficient, and that He truly is there for us in our most difficult times. As I mentioned to Kevin, your church is blessed to have you as pastor.
• Dorcas Hawker. The way you use your blog is a shining example for us all. You’re open, honest… real. You share about your life… and glorify Christ through doing so. Thanks for showing all of us what blogging is all about.

I have no doubt overlooked some people I should recognize, so please don’t be upset with me if I haven’t included you on this list (or even if I have!). I appreciate everyone whom I’ve interacted with through this strange media we call blogging. As for those of you who read this blog with whom I have not conversed? I appreciate you as well. Why not introduce yourselves, though? I’d love to have the opportunity to get to know you.

As for the future of Toward the Goal? I couldn’t have imagined where God would take this last year, so I can’t begin to guess at where God will lead me with this in the coming year. The good thing? I don’t have to know… I just have to be willing to follow as He reveals each subsequent step. The future is in His hands… and I trust Him.

Anyway… I pray that Toward the Goal has been and will continue to be a blessing to all of you.