Hey Friends! 👋🏼

Don't let the subject line of this email worry you; 3 Things isn't going anywhere. But something else in my life is. Keep reading to find out what.

Let's dive right in.

A Thought. 💡

There's a good likelihood that some of you have never heard of the season of Lent. (No, it's not the stuff you find in the pockets of your pants)

For any of you who fall into this category, let me put it simply. (If you want more details about Lent, check out this video)

Lent is a season leading up to Easter where followers of Jesus follow his example of fasting for 40 days in the wilderness. While I can't think of anyone I know who fasts from food completely during Lent, the point is to fast from something for the full 40 day period and spending the time you would normally allocate to that thing in prayer or reading your Bible or something along those lines. Some people give up bread, sugar, red meat, or alcohol. Whatever you choose to fast from, the intention is to set your mind on Jesus instead.

This year, I've decided to fast from scrolling on social media for Lent.

If you're anything like me, when you get your Screen Time notification each week, you're at least a little bit nervous about what it's going to say. I'm usually floored by the amount of time that I've spent looking at my phone, and I wonder what I could be doing instead. And this isn't to say that our phones are completely terrible in and of themselves, but I do find myself to be drawn to it more than I'd like to be. So this year, while I still plan to do some posting and contributing to various social platforms, I'm not going to be opening up Instagram or Facebook to mindlessly scroll.

Here's the main reason for this: I want to be more present and more open to what God is up to in my life.

Here's what I've found to be true. We often want God to speak to us or be active in our lives, but then we get frustrated when we feel like he's not. In reality, it's not that he's not speaking, its that our worlds are too loud and we can't hear his voice. And God isn't very fond of having to yell over the noise to get our attention; he chooses to whisper instead. (Check out 1 Kings 19 for a really cool story about that)

So I'm choosing to do more listening this season. I'm only a couple of days in so far and I'm already LOVING this new experience. I've gone off of social media for a time before, but this one feels different. I'm going in on the front end with a greater feeling of expectation and anticipation for what God has in store.

Maybe you're not choosing to celebrate Lent this year, but what if you took some time away from your phone anyway? Try turning it off for a day or two. At the very least, put it away when you get home from work and just be present with those who matter most to you. Trust me. It's a game changer.

A Resource. 📚

For the next 6 weeks, instead of scrolling on my phone I'm choosing to read more often. I'd like to read roughly a book per week. Here's the ones I'm working through. What books are you reading right now?

​One.Life, Scot McKnight

​Garden City, John Mark Comer

​The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer

​The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard

​How to Hear God, Pete Greig

A Verse ✝️

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

--2 Corinthians 3v17-18 (NIV)

Blessings 🙏🏽