Surprising Way to Think About Emotions 👀

Welcome to the Friday Field Guide!

Hello friends.

The other day I was driving my car and noticed one of the gauges slowly going in the wrong direction. I wasn't sure what that gauge was even for. My first thought was to keep an eye on it but keep moving. When I made it home, the gauge had returned to normal. The next day, it did the same thing. This gave me the impression there might be something wrong with the gauge. Surely, if the engine had a problem, the gauge would keep going up. On the third day, the gauge immediately when to the top and stayed there. After a visit to the mechanic and paying him to fix my problem, I learned a new lesson. Pay attention to the gauges. They are there for a reason.

The same can be said for our emotions. When we feel something, our feelings try to tell us something is happening. We must slow down and experience it instead of moving on to the next thing. If we are happy, our body is reminding us something good has happened. If we feel annoyed, our body is reacting to a negative stimulus. The problem comes when we ignore these emotions. If we ignore our feelings for too long, whatever is causing them to happen will eventually make itself known at the level of a flat tire on the freeway. So, what if we thought of our emotions as gauges for our life? If we are experiencing a season of peace and joy, we should slow down and figure out why. This will give us a chance to celebrate and repeat whatever is working. If we are experiencing prolonged seasons of pain and frustration, we should stop and work out what is happening. If not, a breakdown is on its way.

So, think about it for a minute.

What are your gauges tell you about your life right now?
If you are experiencing a season of joy, why?
If you are experiencing a season of exhaustion, why?
Is there anything you can adjust or change?

This thought experiment will only work if you are willing to do something about whatever is causing the gauge to move. Perhaps some of my favorite links of the week below will give you the tools to take the next step. Never stop growing.

To all my RLC family...

1. Easter is a Month Away. Did you know that 80% of the people who normally say no to an invite will say yes on Easter? This is the time to invite that friend or family member to church. We have three services on Easter to increase the chances they will say yes: 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00. Pick your Easter invite cards this Sunday!

2. Real Men. We had an amazing time this past Saturday. Over the next several weeks, I will send out a weekly 7-day challenge on Mondays. The goal is to continually challenge men to take the next steps in becoming a man of God. Would you like to join these challenges? If so, text "rlcMen" to 94000, and I'll send you the link every Monday.

2023, Let's grow DEEP and let God determine how HIGH!

This month's 📪 Lettean excellentLC>>>

💪 From My Blog

🤔 How to Vote Like A Christian. The closer we get to the next election cycle, the more I dread it. The last presidential election was very divisive for our nation… even more so within the Body of Christ. Before the chaos begins, here are some thoughts to start healthy conversations.

💰 Worry-Free-Finances. The biggest worry in my life used to be our finances. Most nights, I wasn't sleeping due to worry over our ability to make ends meet. Slowly, the Lord has taught me to trust Him in this area of life. God has promised to supply all our NEEDS. Let's talk about how not to let our spiritual enemy win in this area of life.

🖤 My Favorite Links This Week

😂 Hilarious! Comedian talking about "Wrestling With My Perfect Older Brother." Very good!

🤔 Live for the Eternal. Video title: Eventually, Everyone Dies and will be forgotten. (Rude!) The Video talks about how we don't get to choose how we are remembered. 99% of people who live will not be remembered outside their immediate family. Therefore, live for what is eternal and live to make a difference in those closest to you.

🤔 How to Produce a Soul at Rest. I'll admit to not being good at this... but I want to improve. This article is a good resource for the journey of having a healthy soul.

🙋‍♂️ Social Media. I heard someone once ask, "Have you ever wondered why social media is free?" Perhaps it is because WE are the product. This video is disturbing and illuminating.

🕺 Men Only- Confession. I'm a massive ROCKY fan!... except for Rocky 5. We don't talk about that one. Anyway, I loved this video. It talks about learning healthy masculinity from the Rocky Movies. You're welcome!

💀 To lead Better, Eliminate Distractions. CUT THE SLACK! This is a game-changer for anyone who is in a leadership position and wants to get the most out of their limited time.

📚Book of the Week- Imagine Heaven. It would be wrong to view this book as theology. Rather, it is a book of experiences and encounters by people who have experienced a taste of Heaven. It is worth reading, especially if you have lost a loved one.

🎧 Song of the Week- Touch of Heaven. by David Funk. This video is from a worship night that must have been amazing to have attended in person. Definitely worth adding to your morning devotional time.