WHAT ARE MY 2022 GOALS FOR "FRIEND OF THE PROPHETS" (AKA FAITH: FACTS AND FICTION)?

Passed along by author Rick Barry

 Let me start by informing you - this will be the last blog I post until next year. Hopefully you can wait for 2022 for me to resume. I do have some questions for you below.

I do have some plans for this blog. Starting the first day of 2022 (tomorrow), I'll be posting a fourteen part look at Church Fathers, influenced by Bryan Litfin's book Getting To Know The Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction. I also will be doing series on Romans 14, intriguing Bible characters, and whether prophecy exists today. There are some stand alone blogs I'll post as well.

One question I asked myself was whether I should do series for Lent (40 days) and the 50 days from Easter to Pentecost. I decided I will do them. For Lent, I'll be doing a series on Psalms, looking at various portions that I've memorized and review regularly. Starting Easter, I will be sharing favorite hymns.

Most of the blogs I've posted with the most views have been interviews. Unfortunately, most of those readers are there for the interviewee and don't read my blog regularly. But I still plan on doing more. Additionally, I'll still be posting reviews (and feeding an author).

By the way, I might interview some of my characters from my novel. I'll also check if some of my other favorite characters are up to being interviewed.

One thing I wouldn't mind if for the viewership to increase. Any ideas on how to get more viewers or more comments? I do paste a link on my Facebook wall, but I got the impression from one person that it's not obvious where the link is.

Finally, do you suggestions for blog topics, reviews, or interviews? Would any of you be interested in doing a guest blog? And were there any blogs that were favorites?

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2022

Courtesy of Enclave Publishing

 

Okay, I've spent a few days looking back at 2021. What am I looking forward to the next year?

First off, since I'm a writer and do a lot of writing, I'll start off with what I'm looking forward to reading. As I did last year, I'll set the goal of reading one non-fiction and two fiction books a month.  

As far as non-fiction, I have a few on deck. Last year, I read three 9-Marks: Building A Healthy Church books, and I'm considering reading four more. I also discovered "New Studies in Biblical Theology," and I'm planning on reading more (though I'm not planning on reading all in the series, which is at 52 last time I checked). Plus, I might reread some books such as Discipled Warriors by Chuck Lawless and Superheroes Can't Save You by Todd Miles.

On the fiction end - am I through with my reading a lot of Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense? Probably not next year. I read 9 in '19 (only 3 before that), 11 in '20, and 18 in '21; I've got 21 on my docket for next year. Nancy Mehl and Donna Fletcher Crow are tied for second on my most-read-novelist list with 16 each, and the competition will occur next year, and there's an Agatha Christie book I plan to read, slightly increasing her lead at 23. Kerry Nietz has a couple of books I'm planning to read as well, and the long awaited third installment of Janet Sketchley's Green Dory Inn is due out. Of course, I'm hoping for something new by favorite authors like Randy Singer, John Otte, Julianna Deering, J.P. Leck, J.M. Hackman, and Allistair MacLean. (Okay, I don't expect a new MacLean book.)

Three of my favorite interviews this year were with Angie Leyda of Always 1 Ministries, which hosts the Kingdom Come and Pitt Fest music festivals Becca Sugg of the band Reclaim The Day, and Devin Cunningham.  Hopefully, I can get to one of those two festivals this year and be blessed with a RTD concert either at the festival or elsewhere. There's also the Indiana Gospel Music Festival which is different stylistically, where I can hear Cunningham again. Finally, I'm looking forward to judging NCFCA speech/debate contests, and hopefully live this year.

Finally, Becky and I are talking about various ministry opportunities we can get involved with, and I'm planning on taking the next step with what seems like the never ending road to publication. 

The one thing I haven't talked about are this blog. This will be the topic for New Year's Eve, which is also known as tomorrow. 

How about you? What do you plan to read this year? Is there anything on your to do list?