Purpose

I’d like to take a short moment to thank each of you for reading my newsletter. I do my best to provide high quality content about ways to be a better spouse, parent, or be better in our careers. Our world is full of negativity and competing ideas. My goal is to provide truth from the most reliable sources.

Not my truth, just truth.

This is meant to encourage and challenge. I hope to encourage as many people as possible to point folks towards a better way a living.

But First, a Dad Joke

I strive to tell great dad jokes and figure the only way to improve is to practice. I apologize in advance.

What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear.

Getting Salty

Followers of Christ are called to be the "salt of the earth." What does that mean? How do you get salty? I don’t think Jesus meant jump in the ocean. Here’s what it means:

• Preserve - Your uncompromising faith and rock-solid integrity should keep the moral decay at bay. Don't let your "saltiness" fade - be a preserving force in a spoiling world.

• Flavor - Bring vibrant joy, compassion, and Christ-centered character to everything you do. Add spiritual zest that makes the lives of others richer and more meaningful.

• Purify - Boldly confront sin and darkness. Your very presence should make the world a cleaner, holier place. Be a purifying agent of restoration.

• Indispensable - You have a vital, irreplaceable role to play. Recognize your essential part in God's grand plan and live with that profound sense of purpose.

The warning about salt losing its saltiness suggests that followers of Christ must remain true to their purpose and calling. If they lose their distinctive "saltiness" - their moral and spiritual influence - they become useless. The charge is to live out their faith with vigor and purpose in order to have a transformative impact on the world.

Other Ideas

I’m 7 days in on a new habit I’m trying to build.

It is frustrating to me, but I know I need to do it. The habit I’m building is counting calories. My frustration comes from the guesswork involved. I’m not measuring everything at this point, but decent tracking is better than no tracking I suppose.

I've come to see that our habits are like the individual notes that make up the melody of our lives. Just like a musician must be intentional about each note they play, we must be deliberate about the habits we cultivate.

A beautiful, captivating melody is not created by random, haphazard notes. No, it's the product of a musician who has meticulously practiced, honed, and mastered each individual note. They understand that the overall harmony depends on getting the small details right.

It's the same in our lives. The quality of the "melody" we create - our relationships, our work, our personal growth - is directly tied to the habits we've embedded. Do we habitually make time for our spouse and kids? Do we have habits that nurture our physical and mental health? Are we consistent in pursuing our passions and growing as individuals?

Our lives are not so different from a musical composition. We are each the musician, responsible for bringing all the individual notes (habits) together into a cohesive, beautiful whole. And just like a great musical performance, a life well-lived requires dedicated practice, patience, and a clear vision of the masterpiece we're trying to create.

Thank you for reading!! I hope you have a fantastic week, and like usual, please reply with any thoughts or feedback.

God Bless,
Matt Virgin