Breaking news!

When I was a young, small-town newspaper reporter, a lifetime ago, I used to love being in the know, working on a story under a tight deadline, and breaking the news to the public. When the paper came out, I would run to the local coffee shop or courthouse to watch people’s faces as they scanned and read my story. 

I loved seeing their reaction. What they liked, what they didn’t like, what moved them? Yes, it was a bit narcissistic on my part, but I found it helpful for my writing.

I haven’t picked up a printed newspaper in years and I rarely get to watch someone read my blog now, unless you count my wife, but I do have some news. The funny thing is that I’m a day late with it, but it’s exciting nonetheless.

I’m excited to announce a new blog site called The Heart of the Matter, created by two great writers — Wynne Leon of Surprised by Joy and Vicki Atkinson of Victoria Ponders — launched this week. The purpose of the blog is to share insight, personal stories, and diverse perspectives on what really matters (and what doesn’t matter) in our lives. The goal will be celebrate connections and the power of community.  

Wynne and Vicki have created a wonderful site and I’ve been invited to be one of the regular The Heart of The Matter (HoTM) contributors. The theme falls in line with many of the reasons why I love writing and why I started my blog, so I’m beyond excited that they’ve asked me to join their team. 

I encourage you to check out Wynne’s post on Monday, The Small Decisions That Matter, where she talks about our connections with others and how everyday concerns like responding to emails and bills go out the window when we’re thrust in the middle of an emergency, and Vicki’s post today called Depth Matters, where she touches on the value of “depth over breadth” and being driven by hope to listen, love, and learn from others. Both will be well worth your time.

My first post on the HoTM site will be coming out tomorrow, Wednesday, January 4. Yikes! And oh yea, I’ll still be posting here on Writing from the Heart with Brian. My tentative plan is to continue to post four times a week in 2023. I’ve come to love my little blog, I can’t imagine ever giving up the blog or this community.

In any event, thank you and I hope you’ll join me on this journey.