On Writing

Writing.

It’s one of those things that is seemingly on the way out.

After all, if you want words, your AI agent of choice is happy to churn them out for you, with incredible volume and skill, in incredibly short times. Need a blog post? Give AI a few sentences to describe what you want and watch as your post writes itself.

Sigh.

Sadly, life often doesn’t work that way.

At work, when I write, it’s usually technical stuff that AI has limited ability to write. I’m a truck driver, writing for truck drivers. ChatGPT simply doesn’t know the things that I know from physically guiding a truck down the road, or dragging a hand truck through the doorway of a store.

AI can read what I write and make suggestions. But it can’t replace my experience.

The same is true for this blog.

I started blogging in January 2010. Back then, I was a very different man than I am now. We do have one thing in common–a passion for following God with all our hearts. But the 2025 Joel has learned many, many things that the 2010 Joel didn’t know.

And beyond that, I’ve experienced an incredible range of things over the last 15 years.

AI could churn out a theological post explaining why we believe in resurrection, why it’s important to treat others with love, or why we need fellowship.

But AI won’t add humanity to those words.

The funny thing is that many of the events that give us that experience and humanity are also painful. I speak from experience–the last 15 years have had much more pain than anything 2010 Joel would have imagined.

But that’s where the richness of life comes from. Imagine if Frodo and Sam could have walked into Mordor, with no conflict and no challenges, and flung the Ring of Power into the fire. No one would want to read or watch The Lord of the Rings, because it would be pretty boring. Add in some challenges and setbacks, though, and it suddenly becomes an epic saga to be thrillingly told over pages and pages of writing and hours of film.

I might not be Frodo, but I’ve had my own share of challenges and setbacks. They might not be as thrilling as fighting against Sauron and his horde, but they have nonetheless resulted in stories that can give hope and inspiration to others who may be dealing with the same situation.

That’s something that an AI-generated story can never do authentically.

We must write what we know, as the old writer’s adage states.

Because that’s what AI can never replace.

And that’s what provides connection and healing.

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