This post is also available as a podcast: https://anchor.fm/teague-mckamey/episodes/Later–Gator-e1tga7o

I started blogging in 2006. Back then, my blog was called “The Word Was God” at thewordwasgod.blogspot.com. In 2012, the Lord prompted me to rename my blog “The Voice of One,” and I moved to my current site on WordPress. Wherever my blog has been hosted, and whatever its name, the purpose has not changed: To know and preach nothing but Christ.

Back in November, I planned to take a blogging break through the holidays. My plan was to come back in January refreshed and ready to blog. But as I prayed about the blog, I began to feel that this was longer than a break. After further praying and, probably, a little feet-dragging, I believe the Lord directed me to stop actively posting on The Voice of One.

This has not been an easy decision, and I feel conflicted even as I write. 2023 would be my 17th year blogging. I have poured myself into sharing Jesus with as much insight and conviction as the Lord has blessed me. I would be lying if I said I don’t feel a sense of loss about this change.

But more than anything, Jesus calls me to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him. My dedication to any ministry can’t exceed my devotion to Jesus Himself. Without Jesus, there is no reason for any ministry.

Why is the Lord leading me this way? I am still processing the reasons myself, and I don’t fully understand. But a few things are contributing to this. I am an elder at my church in Washington state, where I’ve attended for 22 years. For most of those 22 years, I’ve preached or taught a few times a year. Blogging was a great way for me to share what the Lord was teaching me as I didn’t have a regular outlet. But the last few years, I’ve joined a rotation of speakers at church and share every few weeks. This requires that I give more time, energy, and focus to speaking at church. (If you’d like to hear what I’m sharing at church, we post our service on Thorp Community Church’s Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064635854439. When I share, the post will list my name, Teague McKamey, and what I’m sharing about).

Another factor is that the Lord has asked me to focus more on writing poetry. Much of my writing energy is going that direction right now. I started a poetry blog last year, and have been juggling regular posts on both blogs.

The final aspect of this change is also the hardest to explain and one I’m still asking God about. Over the years, my relationship with the Lord has changed and grown. This is normal and not unexpected. One of the shifts I’ve seen is from a very Bible-study driven, message-focused relationship to something more centered on Christ’s indwelling, and spending time steeping in that union through prayer.

This is where I struggle to communicate what is happening with me, spiritually, because I’m not sure I get it. One type of relationship isn’t better than the other; I am only where I’m at because of where I’ve been. But it is different. My focus is more on withdrawing to the Lord than going out to bring a message. If God puts it on your heart, pray that the Lord gives me understanding of this shift. I would appreciate it!

What does this mean for The Voice of One? I’m going to leave the blog up as is. It contains 10 years of posts about Jesus. There are also a number of booklets I’ve written. To use a geologic analogy, this blog shows the Rock (Christ) layers of my last 10 years and more. And who knows? The Lord might have something on His heart from time to time and ask me to post it. Or, He might have me post regularly again at some point in the future. I’m open to how ever God wants to use this platform.

But it is time for this chapter of the blog to close. Thank you to everyone who has subscribed, followed, liked, or left comments over the years. You made the conversation richer. Whether you commented or clicked “like” or not, if you read, thank you for taking the time. We are one body in Christ, and are truly, truly blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3).