Just finished this motivating book by Jocko Willink, Discipline Equals Freedom Field Manual. The book is both motivating and instructional. The book has a rah-rah feel to it – a just do it approach. It book is divided into two parts: thoughts and actions.

I love how underlining theme of self-discipline. You must will yourself to succeed and do. Discipline is a decision – a commitment only we can make. Discipline is cold and relentless, but if we submit to discipline it will make us better and strong. Keep Reading

Below is the list of books that I read for 2017. It seems that the year was about organization, kids, and discovering option-b (with a mix of spiritual encouragement here and there). I enjoyed this set of books and look forward to seeing what 2018 hold. Keep Reading

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have never been a huge Tim Tebow fan personally, but I have always been fascinated by his story and, in many ways, have been able to relate to the pressures of pursuing and pleasing God in environments that did not choose to acknowledge Him. If anything, Tim’s life is a good example of someone having lived their entire life for one dream and then have it gone and there was nothing he could do about it. He kept His faith through it all, which I believe is a tribute to the resilience he has built within himself and through his reliance on God. Keep Reading

I ran across this book during my own personal journey in search of what the Lord would have me to do next with my life. I have been going through what seems to be a death of a dream, and navigating such feelings and going through the process is not exactly simple or easy. When I saw this book, I thought it would be great. I basically read the title and thought, That’s what I need. Facing adversity, building resilience, and finding joy – all the things I have been going through. When I began the book, I was shock to find it about unexpected tragedy and began to wonder if I made the wrong decision. Then, I pretty much caught myself. I have a genuine love for the ironic. Perhaps, this was just the right book for where I am now. Keep Reading

This book is outside of my usual reading material, but a very good look at the impact of rising our children and how various people across the world do it. Parenting Without Borders by Christine Gross-Loh is divided into four parts. I will go over much of the book briefly, so if you want the stats and details, I would suggest reading the book. Keep Reading

Chapter Four :: Feeling Good – Can Self-Esteem Be Harmful?

So, as I was reading this book, I started to realize that I needed to write some of this info down because (personally) I could relate and also it was just so good. I could summarize this chapter in one phrase: Effort is a growth mindset.

I came away from this chapter with the thought to value effort over intelligence and self-worth. As an American, raised in a great home, and being the youngest, I was showered with praise and big dreams. This chapter spoke to me, because, as an adult, I find myself not quite living up to the expectations of my childhood. Anyway, that is a subject for another day.

Christine Gross-Lou, author of Parenting Without Border, compares the American culture of praise based parenting to other cultures that value effort. She wrote that 85 percent of American parents believed that “praising their children was necessary to make them feel smart.” However, this self-esteem first type of parenting can undermine the development of an important, life compelling trait: resilience. Keep Reading

I ran across this book a month ago at Hobby Lobby. When I saw it, I was intrigued. I picked it up and read the first few pages. This book is about the every day risks and persecutions Christians face in ISIS controlled areas. In the beginning, many were faced with three choices: convert to Islam, pay an extremely high tax, or death. However, in more recent days, the choice is simply convert or die. Keep Reading

This is my first read of a Freakonomics book. It was not the best book of the year by far, but it was interesting and portions of the book were definitely intriguing. So, I’ll highlight a few of the topics that I found interesting. Keep Reading

The book was perhaps my fastest read – one week. However, my wife read the 184 pages in one day. The book was an easy read, full of humor and real life engagement. The book gently, but confidently story’s their spiritual commitment that propels them through difficulty and doorways of blessing. Keep Reading