Hey friends 👋🏼

Let's dive right in.

A Thought. 💡

I've been doing quite a bit of thinking over the past week following about a 6-week break from social media. If you've been reading for any length of time, you've probably heard (read?) me talk about it at least once or twice.

But the thing is, when something hits you down in your core, you can't stop talking about it.

So while I'm still doing some final working on my new Digital Rule of Life that will outline the habits, routines, and attitudes that will shape my relationship with technology, there's so much that keeps coming up in my life that I can't stop sharing with people. I'm actually working on a new video for my YouTube channel (you can subscribe here so you don't miss it when it's posted) that will give you all the details--and I'm pretty pumped about it.

One of the best parts about being away from social media for a time was the margin that it created in my life--along with the ability to fill that margin with things that were going to build me up instead of leave me feeling empty or that I'd wasted my time. To that end, I tried to do a bit more reading than I normally do. Now, I had a lot of really good intentions for the number of books that I was going to read during the Lent season (I didn't nearly hit my goal), but I did finish one book in particular that is turning me upside down.

Jeff Bethke's newest book Take Back Your Family is absolute gold. I'm pretty sure I've written about it in part previously and plan to dive deep into it over the next few weeks on this platform and others, but I just want to use it as an example for today. As I was reading, I found myself on nearly every page reaching for my pen so I could underline something. There were several instances where I got to reading and just. couldn't. put. it. down.

Some books are just like that. You reach the final page and immediately want to flip back to page 1 to start the whole thing over. (Anyone feel that way?)

But after being so convicted by this book, I wanted to give you a challenge--or an invitation if that's better language for you. This week, I want to invite you to stay off social media and read a book. Jeff's book would be a really great one to start with if you have a family, want a family, or if you're part of a family. (I think I covered everyone there) But the key to this invitation is to take note of the ways that your attitude and thoughts change as a result of you spending less time on social media and more time filling your mind with things that will shape you for the better.

If you choose to take me up on this invitation, let me know by commenting below or sending me a message. I'd love to know what you're reading!

A Resource. 📚

Another one of my favorite books is John Mark Comer's The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. It was published back in 2019, kind of right before the entire world shut down. You can pick up a copy of his book at the link above, but today I want to share a conversation between John Mark and Jeff and Alyssa Bethke from a couple of years ago. John Mark's book is one that I'm rereading right now--and you should totally check it out. Like right now.

You can watch this conversation on Jeff and Alyssa's YouTube channel here as they talk with John Mark about all things hurry, spiritual formation, and life with Jesus.

A Verse. ✝️

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

-- John 11v25-26 (NIV)

Blessings 🙏🏽

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