Patrick O'Connell

I Started a Blog 4 Years Ago This Month

Wow. I was just looking through some of my old posts and man has it been a journey. But I am grateful for every step of it. Perhaps I'll be inspired to write down more of my story now. I've been meaning to do it but just can't seem to find the time.

Stories from Liberty

Nate Williams, Campus Pastor of our newly launched Liberty Campus, is blogging. I love his vision to focus on story telling. I am confident that God is going to do some cool things in Liberty and Nate's going to be there for every minute of it.

Anyone Blogging or Reading Blogs?

Yeah so it's been nearly a year since my last blog post. But enough about me. Are you blogging anymore? Are you reading blogs?

I suspect the Twitter/Facebook revolution is not yet over and so I am wondering if blogging will just be something we did in the 2000s.

I'd like to hear from you on this one--if you're still out there.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

The start of a new year always compels me to reflect on the last 12 months. It also inspires me to make some resolutions. So once again, I have some things I'd like to change/revise/refocus in my life. Some of these are are small and will require little tinkering with my life, while others are quite big and will require discipline and commitment.

Keeping my blog is one of the big ones. 

In all of this reflecting and resolving my goal is to thank God for the blessings of the past year (and what a year it has been) and the grace to grow in the new one. But it's not about me. It is for His glory that I want to grow as a Jesus-follower, a friend, a leader, a husband, a dad, a ministry partner, a communicator, a runner, and a church planter, etc. To grow I need to know where I am and what I need to do differently.

What about you? Where do you come out on New Year Resolutions? What are you reflecting about? What are you resolving yourself to in 2009?

Peace and grace!

Personal Blogging

I found this post by Seth Godin helpful as I (once again) contemplate the future direction of my blog. I have two key take-aways:

1. Personal blogs ought to be about the reader. This is not a new revelation for me. But it's a good reminder.

2. The point is to share ideas, start a conversation that spreads, and share ideas.

Not Blogging--Twittering

I haven't been blogging--I've been Twittering. You can follow me on Twitter at patrickoconnell

This stuff goes in cycles for me. I'll get back to it soon.

Goodbye Atropica :(

I have finally imported all of my posts from my former Typepad blog Atropica into this new one. I have cancelled that account and now have all of the posts in one place.

What's really cool is reviewing some of these old entries. I began Atropica in July of 2006 and was never quite sure I really wanted to be blogging. When I began, I was working in the corporate world and trying to figure out what God was calling me to do with my life. And now I here in KC with Restore. It's been an amazing journey.

Although I haven't blogged about all parts of my journey, I have managed to keep at it--thanks God--and so now I have have a record of my experiences.

Priceless.

My new blog

I have started a new blog. I am posting all of my new entries here.

I will shut down Atropica in the very near future.

I pray that you will continue to follow my journey on my new blog.

Blessings.

A Month???

Yeah, I know that it's been nearly a month since I blogged. I know...I know...

12 Traits of Successful Bloggers

I thought I'd pass along a link to a post from Pro Blogger about successful bloggers that I received today. It simply listed the 12 traits of successful bloggers. 

1. Creative and Playful
2. Innovative
3. Connectors
4. Community Enablers
5. Information Mavens
6. Communicators
7. Interest
8. Entrepreneuers
9. Originality
10. Perseverance
11. Focus
12. Curiosity

If you blog you should definitely read the post here. Thanks to Troy for passing this along to me.