Live Original. Live Maverick.
As a family we talk about Matthew 5:14-16 quite often. I would say that this portion of scripture is our family’s life verse. These few verses from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount remind us that we represent Him to a dark world, and how we conduct ourselves matters. Whenever we leave the house we typically […]
As the new year begins, the question of how this year will be different naturally arises. While we do not need a new year to start making changes or leaving ungodly habits behind, this season often invites reflection. Rather than outlining a list of resolutions to attempt or avoid, as we did in a previous […]
As a family, we aim to incorporate age-appropriate lessons about the Christian faith each day. Throughout, Advent we revisit the wonderful Christmas story and the good news that it brings by incorporating fun nativity crafts, seasonal devotional books, and videos. From our family discussions, we wanted to share three Old Testament prophecies and the corresponding […]
Every family should have some type of outlined budget. Simply, the amount of money coming in and money going out could suffice. If you don’t have a budget you should look to create one. I wrote about how we keep track of our budget expenses in a previous blog post here. Abby and I talk […]
Importance of family devotionals The Bible charges parents to “train up” their children (Proverbs 22:6). It is not the responsibility of a church, a pastor, grandparents, or some other institution. This is an area all Christian parents should feel compelled to create an environment that encourages faith to flourish and grow within the walls of […]
The case for lifelong learning: I’ve personally held onto the belief that learning shouldn’t stop after completing formal education. In fact, I would say, from the moment of graduation, life begins to expand at an exponential rate. Educating yourself should keep in step with your ever-changing life. The type of education I’m referring to focuses […]
There are many important reasons to personally read and study The Bible outside of a formal church service. In doing so, we learn more about the character of God and how He wants His followers to act, speak, and conduct themselves. If you have chosen to put your faith in Jesus, then you represent Him […]
The climax of events seemed over as Jesus was taken off the cross and buried in a tomb on Friday. Saturday was dark and gloomy as they were still unpacking all that occurred. The disciples watched their Rabbi, friend, and the man they believed to be the Messiah die at the hands the Romans. Jesus […]
Jesus gathered with His twelve disciples to eat the Passover meal in Jerusalem. A meal to remember what God had accomplished by providing a way for the Jewish people to be set free from slavery and no longer under Egypt’s control (Exodus 12). As part of this celebration the Jewish people would sacrifice and eat […]
The act of giving is often associated with the expectation of getting something back in return. However, the Bible teaches us the complete opposite perspective: giving generously to others and expecting nothing in return. Typically, the subject of giving is talked about and encouraged more frequently around Christmas time, but as Christians, we should live […]
I joined the Air National Guard after graduating from high school. It wasn’t always easy throughout the eight years that I was in, but I am grateful for the discipline and mentorship that shaped me into the person I am today. The military took who I was and broke me down in order to bring […]
Have you ever asked yourself, “where did my money go?”. You just got paid, but your bank account balance says otherwise. Your paycheck was deposited, but expenses quickly eroded it. Month after month you find yourself in the same financial predicament, living paying check to paycheck or not getting ahead. I want to talk about […]
I recently was reflecting on my Christian walk. The man that I am today compared to the person that I used to be. I thank God that there is such a drastic difference! The Christian walk is a journey in which we strive to become more like Jesus through a process called sanctification. It is […]
Every Christmas season, American households plan to spend $1,300 shopping for gifts on average. In most cases, spending money, they don’t have to buy roughly $400 worth of presents per child. American culture always seems to find a way to take a nice gesture and grossly blow it out of proportion. Leading me to ask […]
Have you taken a moment to evaluate what you’re opening yourself up to lately? What are you allowing to influence you?Influence is defined as: the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself. There are so many things constantly trying to compete for your […]
Why Being Partial is Wrong The simple and straightforward answer is, because God says so. However, let’s define what partiality is and dive into the topic a little further using what the Bible has to say. 11 For God shows no partiality. Romans 2:11 A Quick Side Note The book of James is one of my favorite […]
The purpose of this post isn’t necessarily for you to cancel your membership but to evaluate if having a Prime membership makes sense for you. Analyzing your spending habits or canceling your membership all together could save you more money annually. If Amazon makes shopping too convenient for you, you could end up buying more […]
Every year, as the midway point approaches, I can’t help but think about the goals that I had set earlier in the year. Evaluating if I’m taking the proper steps to achieving those goals. Identify areas that need some fine tuning and adjustments. Outside of my professional goals that I set annually. There is one […]
Adding in new exercises or workouts can help keep your fitness journey feel fresh and exciting. Here is a list of my favorite exercises, workouts, programs and fitness applications. My hope is that something might help motivate you in your fitness journey. Read about our other fitness posts here. Exercises: The list of exercises are […]
I used to have a gym membership, but I realized that I could save money overtime by investing in my own home gym. Some people need a gym to stay motivated. I understand it isn’t for everyone. It can even be difficult for me at times to sneak away and workout in my home gym. […]
An annual fitness challenge gives you something to measure yourself against. Each year competing in a certain competition can help gauge where you are at in your fitness journey. The outcome will tell you year after year if you are maintaining your fitness or if it needs some attention. I think, we have all been […]
Fitting workouts in throughout a week can sometimes be very difficult. I would love to do five, one-hour workouts without any interruptions each week, but it’s not always feasible. Busy schedules, kids, and other responsibilities take priority; I’m sure you can relate. A motto that I’ve come to live by in my fitness journey is: […]
Beyond the basic necessities of providing for a family, there are 4 things that all parents need. All too often I hear of stories of people not having one of these items. Life can throw some series curveballs at times. Having the proper things in place could help ensure you can handle the unexpected. Abby […]
Money doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. I do my best to be a responsible steward of my finances, time, and other resources, especially since my household primarily relies on a single income. I make a conscious effort to stick to a budget, track expenses and build passive income, while also maximizing what […]
Donating has shown to increase overall mood and sense of wellbeing [1]. Helping others is empowering! There is no question that charities make a difference in the world. Charities are able to function because of generous donors. You could help make an impact by contributing to them financially. But, there may be seasons of life […]
