A Change of Pace

I was recently walking on campus before school with my daughter from one building to the next while it was raining. I wanted to move quickly, but her pace was considerably slower. I almost picked her up so I could get moving. After all, I had places to go and things to do. Instead, I slowed down with her. Life goes by quickly enough. Sometimes walking slowly in the rain is a blessing in disguise. God uses my daughter to remind me of that quite often. The whole thing reminded me of a recent viral video by Simon Sinek. This is worth watching.

I've made a few changes to my routine because of this video.

1. I removed my work email from my phone. I'll admit, I work a lot of hours. Sometimes it's hard to stop working. The demands of what I do can consume 7 days a week, but that's not healthy. I don't need the ability to get back to work in my pocket all the time. I have a laptop for that. Limiting my access helps me control when I am working.
2. I removed all notifications from my phone. I don't really need to know every time someone likes a photo or makes a comment on something I've shared. Those pesky notifications keep me distracted all day long. I have enough things to keep track of to begin with. I now do that when I find myself with 10 minutes to spare. It has been helpful to make this change.
3. I've scheduled when I check my email for work. I follow a number of thinkers in the area of leadership: Carey Niewholf, Simon Sinek, and Travis Bradberry to name a few. These men are helping me assess many things in my work day. I'm learning to be more efficient with my schedule in order to take control of it, rather than allowing it to control me. It's starting to pay off. Having a set time each day to check and answer email has helped me be more efficient.

I encourage you to slow down. A little rain won't make you melt. It might just give you some perspective on life.

A February Challenge

Many people joined me in January as we read through the Gospel of Matthew.

Would you like to keep going?

Now that you have set a pattern in your life of reading the Bible every day, why not turn that pattern into a habit? Let's read the Gospel of Mark together.

Whether you read through Matthew and you are continuing or you are beginning with Mark, today is a great day to get started.

Here's what the Lexham Bible Dictionary gives as an introduction to Mark's Gospel:
MARK, GOSPEL OF Second Gospel in the New Testament canon, but generally held to be the first composed. Traditionally ascribed to John Mark, who traveled with Paul and Barnabas. The Gospel of Mark was likely written to persuade Gentile readers in Rome that Jesus’ death on the cross - a shameful form of execution in Roman society - did not invalidate his claims to messiahship and deity or his proclamation of the kingdom of God, but rather that his resurrection, miracles, and prediction of his death vindicated his claims.

With only 16 chapters, it won't be difficult to finish Mark in the 28 days of February. Let's go.