When was the last time you were without your phone for 24 hours? Since the old Nokia phones were around? How long has it been since your phone is an afterthought? I’ve worked through my phone now for about 6 years. Before Swell Coaching (my current business), I did online personal training on the side for a few years. The time spend accumulating screen time has, undoubtably, rewired my brain. The dopamine addiction I have is most likely severe, and yours probably is, too. I’m sure you’ve noticed, but people don’t have a screen pasted to their face (I mean some do, but that’s the point of this post), but they can increase your dopamine - it’s just harder to get. And before I go on, I’m not saying we should use people as dopamine hit devices. I’m implying that we can get the same pleasure (but better) by actually conversing with real people, than watching some coach on Instagram teach us how to better our golf swing (or love and lead better…cough cough). We were made for relationship. I’m about to throw out the overarching theme for this post…are you ready? Attention is Love. There it is. Let me ask you this: Is your phone almost always visible when you are hanging out with your wife? What about time spent with your kids. The notion that there is a whole world going on inside this device, sitting on the arm of the chair next to us, is massively distracting whether you realize it or not. And the person you are with, knows that, and feels it to. Here’s a piece of relationship advice that can really change your life: Whenever you are with someone, put your phone out of sight. And I’m talking to Dads, Husbands, Leaders of Companies, Pastors, etc. Everyone. If you are a manager, or leader of a company, and one of your employees come in, put your phone in your desk. They want your full attention, and honestly, they deserve it. But the focus here is that your wife and kids deserve your attention the most. Afterall, you are the leader of your family. And this can get hard, as we know.

I want to know, dudes! Share you HIGHs, LOWs, and everything in between. How can we pray for you? Do you need direction on something? What has impacted you deeply this week? How can you cultivate more depth to your life? How's your marriage? Just some pointed questions you can roll with.

I just finished reading Words of Life by Timothy Ward. It's an academic theological book I had to read to for seminary, and it prompted some incredible thoughts and understandings I wanted to share. One being: The human authors of the Bible and God's "speech act" through them. The first thing we must grasp is that the Bible is indeed God's Word. When he speaks, he acts. When we are reading the Bible, we are experiencing his presence by way of his action through the written word. Just as if I wrote you a letter, as you read it, you aren't just reading words on a paper, you are reading what I have written, therefore part of me is in the letter itself. We can struggle with the idea of humans being the ones who were the physical authors of the Bible and the Bible also being the infallible and the inerrant Word of God, but when we understand that the Holy Spirit has not only spoken through these men as they penned the Word, the Spirit has also been shaping them for that moment their entire lives. We are no different. We were meant for each moment. Our entire lives have been shaped by the Spirit as believers in Christ, for God knew before the foundation of the Earth that we would be his. Therefore, our lives have been orchestrated through our own actions by way of the Spirit to form us into who we are. We are continuously being shaped by the Spirit when we are in Christ, so know that every millimeter of life lived is orchestrated by God for you to become more and more like is his Son, Jesus, through sanctification. What are y'all's thoughts on this? I'd love to hear!

What’s up dudes!? You’re going to start seeing some DudeChat discussion posts on various topics every few days or each week where we have a chance to connect with, encourage, learn from, and support each other! With this month being suicide prevention month, I felt this topic was fitting: MENTAL HEALTH CHECK: 1. Scale of 1-10, where’s your head at in life right now? Be honest! (1 being rock bottom, 10 being absolutely fantastic) 2. What’s the biggest mountain of stress/anxiety you are facing right now? 3. How do you manage stress, and what are some strategies you've found helpful in maintaining your mental health? Would love your input! Feel free to be open and honest! This is a safe place! Plenty of guys here to learn from and be supported by! Looking forward to chatting with you guys! Hugs & High Fives! And as always, BE THE DUDE 👊🏽⚡️💪🏽

Has anyone read this book? My small group just started it.