I firmly believe that the few days surrounding Independence Day are their own space - they don’t belong to July. It’s when the fireworks die down that the rest of the month gets started. Anyone else? ...just me? Okay.
Here’s your monthly recap:
Best Book I Read This Month
We are killing ourselves with convenience. So many of the things in our daily lives that we take for granted are incredibly bad for both our health and the planet. Darin Olien dives into all of this in his brand new book, Fatal Conveniences. You can find it here.
Best Article I Read This Month
I’m all for setting boundaries, being honest, going to therapy, and fostering emotional health. But unwarranted therapy language has the potential to pervert our relationships with friends and family in dramatic ways. “Is Therapy-Speak Making Us Selfish?” was a great read. You can find it here.
Tip + Trick of the Month
I don’t need to give you a lengthy caption for this, so I’ll just leave it here:
“A good rule to follow: If a certain food did not exist before 1900, don’t eat it (i.e. industrial seed oils and most junk food), and if it existed but [was] rarely eaten (i.e. sugar), eat it rarely. You’ll be healthier than 90% of the population.” -Dr. James DiNicolantonio
Quote of the Month
“Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not.” -Cal Newport, Deep Work
Kelvey’s Thought for the Month
My pastor recently said, “Serving is our calling. You aren’t called to change the city. You’re here to serve the city. Change comes through serving.”
What would life look like if you set out to serve, not just change, the area around you? How would your heart change? How would your calendar change?
Hate how your city handles homelessness? Show the homeless love.
Concerned about injustice in the criminal justice system? Love and serve prisoners.
Heartbroken about the number of kids in the foster system? Become a foster parent or support foster parents in your community.
Service might seem quiet in comparison to advocacy. But service changes both the heart of the one being served and the one serving. And, when hearts start to change, so does the culture.
Enjoy the rest of your July! I’ll catch you next month.