All good things must come to fin… or the end.
Bruce: This is the end… my friend. But even more so, a very exciting beginning!
It has been one year since I launched The Whole Man blog. During this past year, I have learned a lot. My writing and focus have improved dramatically, mostly thanks to my copy editor and coach, Isabelle. Isabelle, you are phenomenal, and I have grown so much as a writer under your tutelage. Just a quick note on Isabelle’s commitment over the last year. She was one of the first people to read and comment on my first post.
After I had posted it, she messaged me and said that she loved it. She found a couple of grammatical issues, but overall it was a great piece. I told her that I would love any feedback she was willing to provide and she, I think reluctantly at the time, reciprocated. To make a long story short, after a couple of emails back and forth, we knew we were supposed to work together. She has become so much more than an editor and a coach; she has become a dear friend. I’m thankful that she lets me be a part of her life. Thanks, Isabelle.
Editor, coach, mentor… friend
Isabelle: Bruce, when I read your first post, I was taken with your sincerity! Your love for Jesus, and desire to encourage others with His love, was so evident that I could not turn away. I never expected a note of encouragement to build a new friendship, but thank you! I am grateful to have shared this past year with you. You never waver in your transparency, your confession, and your desire to redeem any part of your history, regardless of the topic’s sensitivity or potential discomfort.
You honor your Savior, your lovely wife Sarah, and your children, in all that you do. Thanks for your patience when I can’t find a document in our Dropbox LOL, and for never allowing me to rest in my discovery of the depth and mystery of our Savior. I look forward to the next year as we both grow in our service and relationship to Jesus. My commitment to you is to do whatever I can to encourage others to hang out with you more – as you share how the Love and Person of Jesus are as relevant and true today as ever before.
Hopes and Dreams
Bruce: My hope when I started The Whole Man blog was that it would be a place where men could collaborate, through a community discussion, focused on helping other men find healing and wholeness in Jesus. During the last year, I have had the opportunity to talk with some guys that have been impacted by my writing. It never ceases to amaze me that I get to be a part of what God is doing in others’ lives. Over the last year, there were a couple of times when the possibility arose to collaborate with another guy, who had a ministry or a platform directed at caring for men, but ultimately it was never the right timing. At the same time, I began noticing that while I was intentionally directing my writing toward guys, per my demographics, about 65% of my readers were women.
Back When it was New
Before launching The Whole Man blog, my writing was directed at the Christian community “at large.” I often wrote to The Church with the hope of encouraging it towards love; as in loving God, others, and each other. My blogs were written with the intention of supporting, commending and guiding the fellowship of believers. Occasionally I wrote to those that were not Christians, with the desire to witness to Who Jesus is and His love for them.
Over this past year, I realized that my writing for The Whole Man blog is just one vein of what I desire to write about. My audience has remained consistently 65% women and 35% men. It has become apparent to me, that in at least this season of life, I am supposed to be writing to our church as an all-inclusive community of believers. I look forward to writing directly as the Spirit leads me, speaking on the many topics that impact all of us; regardless of where we are in our journey, who we are, or how we serve.
Starting… again.
With that said, I’ll begin making our transition toward blogging at BrucePagano.com. By mid-September, 2016, TWM link will effortlessly redirect you to BP.com. After the transition, I also have some book manuscripts I am working on, and will have chapter previews up soon. Later, I intend to develop the TWM website into a blog-sharing site directed toward guys. However, that is a bit of a ways off. In the meantime, please join me at BrucePagano.com and the podcast, I co-host, The (G)odd Show.
Thanks for all the support at The Whole Man, and I look forward to seeing you at BrucePagano.com!
Isabelle: We have lots of plans for BrucePagano.com and look forward to having you join him. Please feel free to email Bruce with any topics that you would like for him to consider writing about in the future.
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