Interview with Blogger Larry Nevenhoven

By The Pakistani Spectator • Jul 15th, 2008 • Category: Interviews • No Responses

Most people roll their eyes, wrinkle their noses, and then say, “Larry who?” when they hear my surname. So, my blog’s name reflects my many experiences having to spell, pronounce and re-pronounce the name Nevenhoven. Thanks mom and dad.

I am 62 years old. A husband. A father. A grandfather. A Christian. A writer. A businessman. A California licensed real estate agent. A pizza delivery driver. A dreamer. If I had to list all of my jobs and positions since I graduated from the University of Illinois in 1968 (major in zoology, minor in chemistry and physics), the The Pakistani Spectator would need to increase its band-width. Many jobs. Many cities. Most of it can be labeled: false-starts and failures.

My blog contains my viewpoints on the Church, inner cities, African-American men, the 2008 Presidential election (especially from a pro-life slant), what I see heading toward the West Coast from a watchman’s eye, and a few other eclectic things.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

Yes, of course. My brother-in-law, Matthew Stover, author of four or five Star Wars’ books said, “A person needs to write a thousand words a day. Then when he has written a million words, he will know how to write.”

I want to write well enough to convey my heart’s inner thoughts, but simple enough so that any twelve-year old may understand what I am saying.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

Probably, my most memorable experiences (so far) have been debating with Christian Peace- Makers on whether or not Jesus is a Man of War. It was eye opening to realize how many different ways scriptures can be ignored so that the Peace-Makers’ anti-war agenda can be justified. If nothing else, the debates thickened my skin for the 2008 election campaign.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

A few emails, a couple of phone calls, and leaving comments on their blogs.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

Blogs, YouTube, and cell phones. The idea that a politician can speak off the cuff and know that no one will report his words are over. Anybody with just a little tech knowledge can be a news-breaking reporter with the aid of the internet. So, politicians have to watch what they say at all times. And we all know that’s not possible, right?

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

Yes. Look at Barack Obama’s statement about guns and Christians at a supposedly safe fundraiser in San Francisco. It was all over the internet and the media within minutes of being spoken.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

Many of my posts have a prophetic slant to them, in that they reveal what I feel the Lord has shown me about what will happen in the future. Now, how do I defend these prophetic views? To be honest, I can’t really defend them. So, these posts have a wait-and-see expectancy to them.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

Dogged persistence.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

My gloomiest and happiest day occurred on the same date, May 20, 1985. This was the day that I chose to commit suicide because of my extreme financial problems. At the time, I was trying to start up a publishing company but I was missing one vital component: money. At least $50,000 dollars.

I met with a possible investor that morning, but nothing came out of the meeting. My house and car payments were late. There was no money in the checking account. The only asset that I had was a $125,000 insurance policy. So, with a wife and two children, the only answer seemed to be suicide.

For some reason, I stopped by an insurance agent’s office that afternoon. We talked about baseball and our kids. Then without warning, he said, “You are thinking about committing suicide, aren’t you?”

His words hit me like a sledgehammer. No one knew. And yet, how did he know? Tears ran down my cheek. I asked, “How did you know?”

“Oh,” he said, “the Lord told me while we were talking to each other.”

My unbelief and agnosticism were shattered by his words. God was alive and cared about me.

Later that day, I gave my life to Jesus.

(The full story of this event may be seen at: http://larrywho.wordpress.com/testimony/

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Ireland, Israel, and China. The Irish have always intrigued me. Israel is the holy land. And China has a lot of people named Chin and Chan. I would like to see all three nations. Maybe next year, huh?

What is your favorite book and why?

The Bible would be my first choice for obvious reasons. So, I’m going to mention my second choice: Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Tenboom. This is one of the few books that I have read over and over again. Not because it contains such great prose, but rather, the stories have inspired me with their humble lessons.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

A person’s facial expression. It’s true that a person’s face is like a book’s cover, in that it reveals how the person feels at that moment in time.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?
Yeah, like everyone. But actually, the jury is still out on me; who knows - maybe they are all accurate and I am asleep at the helm in lala land.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

For me, just being a blogger probably won’t make me much money, but soon, I hope to have my first novel published. Then, I hope the blog helps to sell books.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

Probably true. Or maybe, it’s just that we bloggers have boring social lives and don’t like watching reality TV.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

It’s hard to type comments on a keyboard and aim a rifle at the same time.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

I read many different blogs. Some for backgorund. Some for ideas. Some because I just like the people. The only two that come to mind right now are: http://acrosstheflow.wordpress.com/ and http://leggnet.com/.

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?
My top post has been: Wet Blankets and Lakeland Revival. It still generates hits almost every day. It can be seen at: http://larrywho.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/wet-blankets-and-lakeland-revival/

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

When I was in college, I knew a girl from Pakistan who labeled herself as a Persian. She was pretty. So, could it be that all Pakistani women are pretty? I don’t know. But that’s all that I really know about Pakistan.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

Yes. Vox Day, a commentator on WorldNetDaily.com, has a unique blog. Leaving a comment on his site is sort of like throwing blood at sharks. Everyone gets stirred up.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

Money. The hardest thing for a developing country to do is build up its economic system. This takes years - unless of course, the country strikes oil.

What is the future of blogging?

More blogging. Hey, it’s fun to be involved and to express an opinion.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

Fortunately, I am a boring sixty-two year old man. My professional life is not inspiring and my wife does not mind me spending time on the computer.

What are your future plans?

Well, I plan to soon publish my first novel, Jonah. Then, I will finish a second one named, Pull the Plug. After that, it’s off to the big time with a long novel (for me) named LA Holocaust.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?
Stop by my blog, but be nice to me, okay? And if you think that I’m in a grumpy mood, tell me. I promise to apologise.