2022

2022 Library

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For a fifth year I have followed a self-developed reading strategy with the objective to read broader. The goal: read books falling under six headings. This strategy is still working for me.

For the curious, here is the library of 20 books including avenue of reading:

  • Ambiguous Loss by Pauline Boss (kindle)
  • Awe by Paul David Tripp (kindle)…an annual read
  • The Crimean Nexus by Constantine Pleshakov (hard copy)
  • The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone (kindle)…the most thought-provoking book on the list
  • Doorway to the World by Hugh Steven (hard copy)
  • The Doubting Disease by Joseph W. Ciarrocchi (kindle)
  • Fathered by God by John Eldredge (hoopla)…the most surprising book on the list
  • The Fight by John White (hoopla)
  • God’s Resting Place by Ron Marquardt (hard copy)
  • The Hollywood Commandments by Devon Franklin (hoopla)
  • The Journey: Finish Strong by Lee Ann Martin (hard copy)
  • Sermons for All Seasons by Bruce Porter (hard copy)
  • The Shallows by Nicholas Carr (kindle)
  • Shame by Josh Roggie (hoopla)
  • Shame, Guilt, and Surviving Martin Bryant by Karen Collyer (hoopla)
  • Shame Nation by Sue Scheff (hoopla)
  • Silence by Shusaku Endo (hard copy)
  • Solo by Stephen Smith & Peter Ivey (kindle)…the most practical book on the list
  • The Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson (hoopla)…my favorite book on the list
  • Try Softer by Aundi Kolber (hoopla)…the most helpful book on the list

NOTE: If you’re not familiar with hoopla, check it out: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

Top 3 2022 Word of the Year Songs

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The first year I chose a word for the year was 2020. It’s an exercise I’ve grown to appreciate. If you have yet to consider it, here are a few blog posts about it:

https://mountainmodernlife.com/word-of-the-year/

How to Choose Your Word for the Year {Printable Worksheet}

My 2022 word was “flow.” It was a great theme to follow 2021’s “reboot.” I took things a little further this year by connecting a scripture verse to go along with the word as well as creating a playlist. Often throughout the year these two tools reminded me of the “flow” focus.

At one time the playlist had about 20 songs. This month as we’ve edged closer to year end, I began deleting songs as a way of keeping focus. And in a fun way, unintentionally, I got down to the top three songs on the list that spoke the most to me along this theme. So I thought I’d share them with you. Odds are they’ll be new to you.

To share them, here’s the playlist and videos of each song. Enjoy the flow!

I’m Here To…

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Around mile 2 of my run this morning, I passed a runner who was struggling. And I might add, it’s December 31st and 70F at sunrise, so understandable. I feel you.

But what really caught my eye was his shirt. I hadn’t seen one, but maybe you have. Here’s an example:

Gave me a chuckle. And gave me something to think about the rest of my run.

Was that guy actually making a statement about his running? Or was it “just” the first shirt he grabbed?

Was his apparent struggle to be running supported by his shirt? Or was it a declaration a day early of 2022?

Whatever the case, this statement aligns with how we often show up. And it mostly has to do with that second word. That four-letter word says quite a bit. And it often says, much like a familiar bumper sticker, “I’d rather be somewhere else.” So maybe in that runner’s case, “I’d rather be sitting on my lanai, drinking another cup of coffee, watching College Game Day!”

In the spirit of improving how we show up, let me throw out a couple of suggestions.

One, drop the word “just” anytime you’re making a statement about why you’re anywhere. Whatever amount of tongue biting is involved (been there), stay silent until you can state why you’re there without sounding like you don’t want to be.

Second, on a deeper level in the spirit of New Year’s Eve, how about editing this statement to declare how you desire to show up? “I’m here to __________.” How do you fill in the blank this coming Monday at 8AM? What best completes that sentence for your hopes for the first month of 2022? The first quarter? The entire year?

Declare to yourself, to God, and to whoever else that would benefit, “I’m here to __________.”

Here’s to showing up with purpose in 2022!