A Book I’m Reading – The Glorious Pursuit

I started reading this book last week. Some days I read a section or two. Other days I read entire chapters. My goal in reading this type of book is to really absorb the content and allow it to change me. This book will really help you become more like Jesus.

From Amazon:

“When we practice the virtues of Christ,” writes bestselling author Gary Thomas, “we become who God created us to be.” In this classic book of spiritual formation, we encounter true discipleship―the life we were made for―by observing Jesus in his daily life: his interactions with the people around him, his reactions and responses to spiritual warfare, his thoughtful engagement of complicated questions about faith and profound temptations. Jesus embodied the virtues that God has invited us all to cultivate. This book becomes instrumental to our spiritual growth.

There aren’t a lot of books that focus squarely on classical Christian virtues; those that do often approach the topic in a scholarly, detached fashion. Gary Thomas has a deep concern for the spiritual vitality of his audience, and that concern comes through in this book.

Gary Thomas is one of the most celebrated writers on spiritual formation, with beloved books sitting alongside other contemporary classics by authors such as Dallas Willard, James Bryan Smith, and Richard Foster. In his distinct style, he provides a heartfelt survey of humility, chastity, generosity, patience, perseverance, and more, as demonstrated in the life of Jesus. These virtues are for us, and this book draws lines from our lived experience to the lived experience of Christ, and back to us, pointing the way to a more vibrant faith and a more fulfilling life.

A Great Executive Coach – Rick Forbus of Trove Inc.

Coaching has really helped me as a leader, husband, and follower of Jesus. I have had several coaches and mentors over the years and I couldn’t recommend engaging with a coach more. Our leadership team meets with coach Rick Forbus both individually and as a team once a month. He has helped us break through invisible barriers and accomplish more than we expected. Rick is funny, insightful, and a true partner in helping you and your team grow. If you have considered connecting with a coach, I’d highly recommend Rick. It will make a difference!

An App for Keeping Up with Everything – Evernote

I have used Evernote for years. It is essentially my digital filing cabinet. I store meeting notes, web articles, and random writing projects I’m working on. Development seemed to lag for a few years, but I am really looking forward to what Evernote has coming in the future.

A Quote from I’m Thinking About

The deception is that looking like you’re twenty-five when you’re fifty, or fifty when you’re seventy, is somehow worthy of more time and money and attention than growing in Christlikeness, whatever your age may be….The Glorious Pursuit—that is, the spiritual call to practice the virtues in the same way that a body builder lifts weights to shape his or her physique—is a cherished ancient practice in the Christian tradition, though it has grown out of favor as of late. Growing in the virtues won’t save us; but salvation must lead to growing in the virtues or one could question the reality of our salvation experience.” – Gary Thomas