Habits

Well the first quarter went great in many areas of my life, like finishing writing two manuscripts for books.

I realized a couple weeks into this isolation that I wasn’t reading as much as I should be. So I started. Honestly, I’ve read four of these books in the last few days. I can do way more in Q2.

It didn’t go so well for reading.

I planned to read 20 books. I read six.

These are my reading goals for Q1 (quarter 1 of 2020)…

I always start with the Bible. I just finished the year-long Bible Project plan, which was amazing. There are video intros to each book. Now I’m starting a deeper study into the new Testament. This study will go through one chapter a day, and it will remain within the New Testament. It will take all of 2020.

As far as last year’s study, I learned a few things. For one, I read 73 books. I’m pretty happy about that. I was able to find—in many ways and forms—a lot of wasted time to fill with something productive.

I also learned that I can stick to my goals better if I continue to do what I’ve done in the past and set quarterly goals. A year projection is nice, but not always the most effective. Either way, here’s what happened in 2019…

I’ve set my reading and learning goals high. The Bible is a given, and is therefore not listed. I will read through it at least once. I’ve tried to diversify the books and videos on this list. It seems like I’ve taken a particular interest in the Holocaust, the Gnostic Gospels, and evidence for the existence of God.

I’ve listed 50 books, 50 documentaries, and just over 20 debates that I want to get through in 2019. On top of that, I’ve listed the Gnostic Gospels, a few other religious texts, and some reading like the Catholic Apocrypha, which includes several books on its own. I’ll cross off each item as I make it through.

There’s plenty more that I want to absorb, but I had to cut it off somewhere. I believe a plan for growth should be intentional, and that’s what led to this list. I’m never questioning what to read/watch next; I plan ahead.

Here’s to growth for 2019!

We talk about prayer way more than we talk about fasting, yet fasting is mentioned along side prayer so often. It’s easy to read the prayer part, since praying (or at least the idea of praying) is easy.

When we’re going through a hard time, we know we need to pray. Our friends tell us to pray, and that they’re praying for us, but again… what about fasting? I know it’s not my first thought.

Fasting is an unmatched tool in the results it can bring, but it’s so often forgotten. And I don’t think it’s because everyone is fasting and keeping it to themselves. Sure, we’re supposed to fast in secret (Matthew 6:16-18), but more often that not, we’re not fasting at all.

It’s really easy to forget about something that we rarely talk about in church, and are supposed to do in secret.

Now that I have your attention, and you feel like you should be fasting more (I know I do), let’s get practical.

Minimalism is the new trend.

In a world where owning more seems to be the goal, people are fighting back, and that’s good.

Materialism doesn’t bring the happiness people think it brings.

So, is minimalism the right path? What does minimalism mean for Christians? Let’s talk…