2019 Approaches

2019 is literally just around the corner and with as much hype as we place on the new year celebration I , too, look forward to it because the new year, in a way, brings a new set of changes, challenges, and simply a desire for some things to be different. For many, this is “the year” that things happen—whether good, bad, or uncertain. But as I think about it, I think that at times we plan for hope in the new year more than we desire for the hope that we have in the gospel; that the new year is going to bring an opportunity that God may not be able to deliver.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t make goals or turn it up to 11 in 2019. I am, however, saying that our desire for these things should be first rooted in what God is doing in you, for your good, and His glory. There is something amazingly comforting about the holiness of God; that His actions are free from corruption, impurity, and failure which means that we can totally, utterly, and freely trust Him, worship Him, and rest in Him.

As 2019 arrives, I hope that you write your goals down. I hope that you think deeply about some of the changes you’re looking to make and that they turn out well for you in the coming year, but more importantly I hope that this new year will be a year for you that is rooted in what matters most: that God is and will always be constant and faithful.

You Need A Morning Routine

I love my morning routine. I’m telling you, I need it. I’ve been on vacation where I’m supposed to relax and get away from the hustle of life and have felt slightly miserable because my morning routine was thrown off. Realistically, I know that’s not how everyone is wired, but this is something I try my hardest to stick to.

For me, clarity is crucial. If everything is simply thrown together at random times, then I can’t function properly. And I’m also aware that my days, particularly my mornings, aren’t always going to look as clean or as tight as I’d like them to be. So, to give you a quick glimpse, here’s what my mornings look like 95% of the time:

6:30 A.M.

I want to be up early enough to where I can take my time getting up and thinking through some of the things I may have on my docket.

7:30 A.M.

At this time, I’ve hung out with Chango, my son, for awhile. He has his own morning routine too and once he’s good to go, it’s off to take him to school.

8:00 A.M.

This time is my jam. I’ll get home after taking Chango to school and I’ll start my brewing some coffee. A friend once came over and saw me make coffee and was annoyed at how long it took me. I’ll spend about 5-10 minutes preparing, grinding, and pouring coffee. This helps me keep the morning quiet and slow. I have no deadlines so I’m taking my time and enjoying the process.

Coffee - 9:00 A.M.

I’m sipping on my coffee and reading my Bible and/or writing until 9. I may put some music on, but still haven’t logged on to my email account or looked at my calendar. I have zero deadlines during this time, but shortly after 9 I begin working on something. Depending on the day, I may have meetings already scheduled or I’m working on developing content or my sermon.

I like my mornings to start off slow and quiet because I know I may not necessarily get that kind of an environment the rest of the day so I take advantage as much as I can. And again, these aren’t all of my mornings so there’s plenty of tweaking throughout the week. As you think through whether or not you should have a morning routine, here are 3 reasons why you should:

1.) Motivation

One of the hardest things for people is waking up and looking forward to something. For me, I genuinely look forward to the coffee making process. For others, it may be working out and getting it all out of the way before the day even begins. Everyone is different, but once you find that one thing you actually look forward to in the morning, waking up becomes easier and less of a pain.

2.) Completion

Mentally, by creating a morning routine you are now able to build a daily habit of starting and accomplishing tasks. Often, we can get swamped in our days where we feel like we’ve done a lot and have finished nothing. A morning routine helps you with a sense of accomplishment.

3.) Quiet Time

Many of the people I talk to with they could have some quiet time whether that would be for 20 minutes or an hour. A morning routine helps you with that. Depending on how you plan it, a morning routine will help you create an environment of silence and solitude.

THINGS TO THINK OF

1.) Prepare

You need to think about what is realistic for you and what your week looks like. For me, my morning routine happens 3 days out of the week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Generally, on Tuesday’s, my first appointment is at 7:30 a.m. and then at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday’s. I try to make changes ahead of time so that I don’t feel thrown off.

2.) Time

Not everyone can have a long morning routine and that’s okay. Think through what it is your time will realistically look like in the morning.

3.) Adjust

Like many things, you’ll need to make adjustments as you move forward and that’s part of the morning routine. Adjustments are okay, but once you’ve found your sweet spot, enjoy!

The morning routine is all about catching momentum for the rest of your day. And often, we’re constantly on the go and looking for convenience and speed. In the mornings, however, it’s all about you. Give it a try. I’d love to hear about what you’re doing doing or trying in the comments!

Four Reasons To Drink Coffee

Let's face it, coffee is basically a source of life for many. In fact, as I write this I'm enjoying a good cigar with a giant mug of freshly brewed coffee. Today's post is going to be super sweet and simple. My hope is to get your brain moving a little and if you're already part of the elite 54 then this should be encouraging.

If you don’t drink coffee and you really don’t have a good reason, then I’m hoping to widen your perspective on this delicious beverage. But before I start, if you're still thinking about the "elite 54" and have no idea what that is (even if you do drink coffee), don't worry because I just made that name up. There's nothing elite about this number except that it explains our addiction. The number 54 represents the percentage of people over the age of 18 who drink coffee in this country every day!

Simply put, coffee is amazing. And this is why...

1. BE A BETTER ATHLETE

If you are training (that is correct, I did not say “working out”), then coffee can help to improve your performance.

Michael Duncan from the University of Exeter in England said (and I freakin' love this), “essentially, we found that with the caffeinated drink, the person felt more able to invest effort…”when testing the performance of athletes during training sessions. This means that athletes who did have caffeine in their system were not only able to focus more on their training, but increase their work capacity.

Additionally, the same study suggested that caffeine would also have a "striking effect on the central nervous system and on those parts of the brain involved in mood, alertness, and fine motor coordination during exercise." Furthermore and conclusively. caffeine increases fatty acids in the bloodstream which means burns those fats for fuel. 

2. LESS STRESS

An article that was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry by the Seoul National University in South Korea showed that researchers tested labs rats who were sleep deprived to inhale the smell of coffee. Researchers then found that “some of the genes expressed in the coffee-sniffing, stressed rats expressed proteins that have healthful antioxidant properties known to protect nerve cells from stress related damage.”

Now, I wish to note that this is a study that was conducted under the stress of sleep deprivation. And while there are many variables that can lead to stress, this is simply one to further prove my argument for you to drink coffee.

3. COFFEE MAKES YOU SMARTER

If you don't already know, caffeine is a stimulant which means it helps you get stuff done. In other words, caffeine helps to improve neurons, alertness, and cognitive function. One of the first things people do in the morning is have a cup of coffee; part of the reasoning is so that stuff gets done. 

4. COFFEE MAKES YOU HAPPY

A study conducted by the National Institute of Health reported that those who drank at least 4 cups of coffee a day were 10% less likely to be depressed than those who didn't. Additionally, the study surveyed other caffeinated drinks like coke, but they were unfortunately linked back to depression. 

The moral of this post? DRINK COFFEE. Don’t wait for the New Year to “try” something different” and I promise you won’t turn into a hipster if you start drinking coffee. If you do, however, turn into a hipster it’ll be because you wanted to.

Church Family: Thank You

Earlier this month, my wife, Rebecca, and I were overwhelmed with the care and generosity of our church family. After a Family Gathering (what we call our members meeting), I was surprised with a multitude of wonderful gifts, large posters full of Thank You notes, and prayer for my family and I. It was such a blessing and I am most grateful for our church for a few reasons:

First, it is such an honor and privilege to serve Storehouse Community Church as your pastor. I love our church family and it is a blessing to grow and serve alongside of you.

Second, I love our church. Simply, you are amazing and not only do you show care for me and my family, but one another; fighting for one another and I love that.

Third, I am greatly comforted by your desire to grow, love, and know Jesus more—expanding His kingdom, proclaiming the good news of the gospel, and seeking the restoration of our city.

FINAL NOTE

If you’re reading this and you’re a part of a local church and you have NOT thanked your pastor(s) for their service and care toward you, your family, and/or your church then stop reading and give them a call! Take them out to lunch or buy them a really good cup of coffee and do not set an agenda; just hangout. Let them know that you are praying for them.

Again, to Storehouse Community, Thank You! I love being your pastor!

Preaching to Yourself

Every week, I have the pleasure of meeting with people; church members, regular attendees, staff, and those in our community. One of the things that we regularly begin to talk about is the art of preaching the gospel to ourselves. 

I think preaching the gospel to ourselves sounds like something that is very easy to do, but in reality it's something we seldom consider. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul writes: 

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cepheus and then to the Twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-5)

There are two things that I'd like to focus on concerning this section: 

A REMINDER

We're incredibly forgetful. As Christians, we forget about who Jesus says we are, we forget that the gospel is good news, and we forget that Christianity is more about being than doing. 

When Paul writes "...I want to remind you of the gospel...," there's this beautiful grace in our forgetfulness. In other words, his encouragement is that if you belong to Jesus, you are not who you used to be. In Christ, you have been made new and that affects change in all areas of your life. 

Of First Importance

Paul continues and writes that the gospel is "...of first importance" and the exhortation here is that the gospel is good news and not good advice or old news. For the Christian, the gospel, that is the person and work of Jesus, is at the center of everything we are. 

Before Jesus tells us what to do, He tells us who we are and what He's done.

The art of preaching to yourself should be a constant reminder of the gospel in all things in our life. And if you belong to Jesus, then that means the Holy Spirit dwells in you so be encouraged! God is at work in you; there is grace AND the gospel is still of first importance. Preach that over and over to yourself. 

RECOMMENDED READING

• Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself by Joe Thorn