Thanksgiving 2017

I'm always on the hunt for a good piece of writing that encapsulates what I'm thinking and feeling at any given moment. While reading On Writing Well, last year, I came across this beautiful bit of wordsmithing from Governor Wilbur Cross. His Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1936 is a masterpiece of fine writing and expression of gratitude to God for His goodness and grace to us. 

“Time out of mind at this turn of the seasons when the hardy oak leaves rustle in the wind and the frost gives a tang to the air and the dusk falls early and the friendly evenings lengthen under the heel of Orion, it has seemed good to our people to join together in praising our Creator and Preserver, who has brought us by a way that we did not know to the end of another year. In observance of this custom, I appoint Thursday, the 26th of November, as a day of Public Thanksgiving for the blessings that have been our common lot and have placed our beloved state with the favored regions of earth—for all the creature comforts: the yeild of the soil that has fed us and the richer yield from labor of every kind that has sustained our lives—and for all those things, as dear as breath to the body, that quicken man’s faith in his manhood, that nourish and strengthen his word and act; for honor held above price; for steadfast courage and zeal in the long, log search after truth; for liberty and for justice freely granted by each to his fellow and so as freely enjoyed; and for the crowning glory and mercy of peace upon our land—that we may humbly take heart of these blessings as we gather once again with solemn and festive rites to keep our Harvest Home.” 

— Governor Wilbur Cross, Thanksgiving Proclamation 1936

I pray that you enjoy this day with those you hold most dear, but also that you'll pause to give thanks to the Lord for His many blessings. He has sustained and provided far beyond what we deserve. May we rightly express our humble gratitude to Him this and every day.

3 Things Goals Should Have

You've read and heard a thousand different things about goal setting. You know how important it is, yet the majority of you don't have written goals. Far too many of you are playing around when it comes to your goals. You have a few nice ideas about where we want to go and what you want to do in life, but you haven't committed to them enough to write them down. The upside is you aren't discouraged when things don't pan out. We never put ourselves out there and as a result we think we're safe from the pain of failure. 

The down side is, that its an illusion. Not committing to something, is a type of failure all its own. "Its hard to fail," Roosevelt said, "but it is worse to have never tried to succeed." Its' a failure in courage and it leaves you even more defeated than they guy who dared to take on the mountain and failed. Your neither hero nor villain. Instead, you're irrelevant. No one will remember or pay attention to the things you never dare to try. Should you live your life begging for the attention and appreciation of others? No, but we weren't put here to stay on the sidelines either.

Daring to do great things is about more than deciding to give it a shot and see what happens. Achieving great things is all about setting the right type of goals and pursuing them with everything you've got. As you sit down and hammer out what you want out of 2017 ensure your goals include at least three aspects.  

1. Energizing

Whatever it is you want to get done in 2017, make sure you're focusing on things that fill you with energy. You want them to cause you to leap out of bed each day, ready to get after it. Many of the goals you fiddle around with each year don't inspire this type of want to and energy. No wonder 92% of Americans fail to achieve their new years resolution. That's a an utter shame. If you're going to have any shot at reaching your goals in 2017, you can't afford to waste your time on things that don't get you out of bed before the sun, or keep you up long after its set. If they don't make you want to get after it, you need to set some bigger goals. The first step to making big moves in 2017, is to set your sights on mega goals.  

2. Measurable

How do you know who wins the Super Bowl each February? That's not a trick question, you look at the scoreboard. The team with the most points, walks away with the Lombardi Trophy. If you're going to make big changes in 2017, you have to define exactly what a win is going to look like. Be as specific as you can. You've got to find a way to turn that energizing goal into something tangible, something that can be measured. It's hard to hit a target you can't see. The second step to a great 2017, is making your goals something you can measure. 

3. Time Bound

You don't have forever to get things done. Life doesn't work that way. It might make you feel good to set goals without a definite time table, but it doesn't help you achieve much. How many of your friends have goals to "some day" do this, or that? Ask yourself how likely it is they'll ever get them done. If your not introducing time to the discussion, your not serious about the goal. Give your goals deadlines that make you uncomfortable. This will motivate you to work harder and get it done. Step three is to ground your goals in time, while remembering that if you don't get there you can always reevaluate and set a new time table. 

What are you most looking forward to in 2017?

It’s a brand new year. The lights and excitement of the Christmas season linger in the air, and everyone is enthralled with the excitement a new year brings. Most of us are beyond ready to turn the page on a new year. Just about everyone I talk to has the same word to describe 2016, hard. It was a year smeared with the most tumultuous and interesting presidential election any of us has seen in our lifetimes, and we all feel relatively dirty as a result.

2016 was also a year of immense personal hardships. Friends and family alike have shared stories of loss, pain and disappointment that are too numerous to count. My wife and I are no different. Family members were in and out of the hospital, loved ones passed away, and searing loss darkened our door in the form of a miscarriage. It was simply a difficult year.

We walked through the lowest of lows and lived to tell the tale because of the Lord’s faithfulness. He showed up and showed off in so many ways the last twelve months. The Lord’s goodness, faithfulness and the hope we have in Him have us chomping at the bit to see what 2017 has up its sleeve.

There are so many things to look forward to, but chief among them is seeing the birth of our first baby boy. It’s still sinking in but in a few short months my whole world will change in an instant as I look into the eyes and hold the little guy for the first time. I can’t wait. Who will he look like? What color eyes will he have? What about his hair? What will he enjoy? Who will he become? While some of these questions won’t be answered in 2017, the road to discovering what the Lord is up to in not just Hudson’s life but ours begins in a few short months.

I’ve shared what has me most excited about next year, now it’s your turn. What are you most looking forward to in 2017?

Welcome To 2017!

Happy New Year!

I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to 2017 with excitement and eagerness. I can’t wait to see what it holds and all the Lord does.

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing what has me excited about the new year, books I can’t wait to read, a little about goals, and even some advice for new and aspiring photographers. In the meantime, I’ve compiled a few posts that I hope will help you take some big steps forward this year.  

Tim Challies 2017 Christian Reading Challenge - This first caught my attention last year, and I enjoyed following along as Tim published updates throughout 2016. “Whether you are a light reader or completely obsessed, this 2017 Christian Reading Challenge is designed to help you read more and to broaden the scope of your reading.” Regardless of which camp you fall into, this challenge is a pretty awesome idea.

Do More Better Course - I took a course similar to this last year as Tim was publishing his book. This year Tim has made it even better by teaming up with the good folks at Ligonier. If you're looking to grow and improve at getting stuff done and living a life doing more good for the glory of God, this course and Tim's book by the same name, are game changers. 

Want To Be A Godly Man / Women? Here’s A Little Help - I wrote this post in answer to the question, how do I become a godly man? What I share here, is just as applicable for my female readers as it is the men and I pray that it helps you take giant leaps forward in your walk with the Lord this year.

10 Principles For Personal Productivity - We all desire to accomplish more this year, than ever before. In this short clip, John Piper shares ten principles that help him focus on the right things and get them done. “You don’t labor,” Piper says, “to get into a right relationship with God. You labor with all your might because you are in Christ.” May we keep this at the forefront of our minds this new year and as we strive to get things done.

I turned thirty this past year and took some time to reflect upon all the experiences, books and people who have shaped my journey. If you’re reaching a milestone this year or simply interested in what I learned by taking a look into my past, the links are below.

Turning 30: Three Men Who’ve Had A Profound Influence - People rub off on us every day. Some say we are the average of those we spend the most time with. I’m not sure exactly how the math works, but those we hang around impart something of themselves to us. In this post, I share how three men have impacted my life and what qualities they’ve had in common.

Turning 30: The Most Impactful Books I’ve Read - I’ve read hundreds of books over the years, yet the list of books that have truly moved the needle for me, is short. For a book to have this deep impact, so many things have to line up just right. In this post, I share which ones have had the most lasting impact on my life and some thoughts about why. These aren’t my favorite books, but simply those that have changed the path and direction of my thinking.

Turning 30: Impactful Experiences - Things happen. That’s just part of life, but often those things change you. No matter how dark or painful they may be, they make you into the person you become. In this post, I open up and share three of the most important experiences of my life.

Turning 30: Mentors From A Distance - Not every person who plays an important role in your life is someone you know personally. Their impact however, is no less meaningful than that of the people around you. In this post, I share how four men I’ve never met, shape me daily.

I’m praying that you have a remarkable 2017!

Happy New Year!