Blog 0: We Gotta Start Somewhere

Why are we here? No, I don’t mean the great existential question of origin and meaning in the cosmos? Rather, why are we here on a website that contains my blog? My reason for being here is that God has equipped me with a mind that is constantly trying to process information and I need a place to unpack it. I need a place to put on paper (or computer screen) the things I am thinking so I can try and figure out if I am thinking correctly about those things. I am hopeful that the people God brings to this blog will engage with the things I am writing and will offer both encouragement and correction/guidance if needed in equal measure. I think this will be an opportunity to teach and be taught…a place to counsel and be counseled…a place to talk about the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in life with each other. The journey has begun but the destination is simply the journey itself.

Why are you here? Maybe you are a close friend that simply wants to offer that encouragement. Maybe you are a friend of a friend that has heard about this Robin character and want to see if he really is as funny (or as crazy) as you have been led to believe. Maybe you’re someone from church that has been encouraged by teaching I have done in the past and you’re hoping to find more here. Or maybe you’re just a huge fan of that Bobby Day (and more famously Michael Jackson years later) song, “Rockin’ Robin” and loved the blog’s punny name. Regardless of why you are here, WELCOME!

So before we get started, a few expectations/ground-rules:

• I will be operating through a worldview that is Christian, evangelical, and conservative. I understand that this may be a deal-breaker or non-starter for you…I would still love to hear from you and have a dialogue about something on the blog or otherwise. I also understand that there is baggage attached to each of those 3 terms in our current society and my prayer is that you will allow this blog (and what you know of me personally if we know each other personally) to inform the definition of those terms for the purposes of this blog. I will be doing everything I can as I write to avoid painting in broad strokes and my hope is that you will do the same.
• Name calling and rock throwing will not be tolerated. I am cautiously optimistic that visitors will actually come to the blog and that some of them will actually leave comments. Please do! However, they must be civil and respectful. There will be opportunity for discussion and difference of opinion and I sincerely hope that we reach that level of engagement. It will be much more productive for me if I can spend time writing, not moderating comments because someone is being an internet bully. Please and Thank You!
• My personal contact info is posted…please be respectful of this as well. I debated this for quite a while but came to the decision to post it due to my long-term goal of entering pastoral ministry. My calling is to help people and if something you read here creates a need for deeper or more private discussion I want to be able to provide that. You are welcome to text or email me any question or concern you might have but please don’t make me regret this decision. J
• Finally, I want to know what you are thinking. I also want to know what you would like to see me write about. As long as it is not about something like supralapsarianism I will gladly consider your suggestions. Let’s figure out how to do this blog-thing together.

So that’s it! Let’s get started! My anticipation, at least until I get my blog legs under me, is 1 post a week to start. Due to where we are on my personal calendar, my first post is on the topic of grief and should be posted by the end of this week so make sure to check back regularly. Please send me an email if you would like to be placed on an email mailing list for new posts. Thank you so much for your presence on my blog and I look forward to “Living our Inward Thoughts Outward” together.