I was recently asked where I get my blog ideas, or, more explicitly, are all the things I post my own original ideas?

Many of these ideas are my own. I make notes on each idea in a notebook, and I have already filled 2.5 notebooks. These are things I thought of when I was outside walking that I have been feeling lately. Sometimes I notice things in Scripture as I read. Others are responses to questions and conversations that I want to type up for future reference.

Also, some of my posts are ideas I have taken completely from someone else. I hear a line in a sermon or podcast. It is a thought that struck me in an article or a book. It is something I heard another pastor say, and it left an impression on me. I try to give credit if I know the source.

Finally, some ideas are a conglomeration of the two. I grew up attending Church, Sunday school, and youth group. I spent five years in Bible college. I have been in ministry for over 32 years and have spent almost my entire life absorbing Christian thought. Some ideas are from somewhere, but I have no clear idea yet. My thoughts have been shaped by every interaction throughout my life, and I have no clear idea of their origin.

So are my thoughts on this blog original? It’s hard to say. But wherever they come from, I hope you find one or two of them helpful, and maybe one day you will use the information. It’s okay if you don’t exactly remember the source, either.