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Pigeonholing a Book (Chapter 6 of How To Read a Book)
What Kind of Book Are You Reading? It’s easy to assume you know what a book is simply by beginning to read — but it’s not always so easy. Is it a novel making social commentary or a social commentary told as a story? Is it a book on philosophy, history, or science? Is it…
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If You Could Go Back in Time, What Would You Tell Your 18 Year Old Self?
“If you could go back in time and talk to your 18 year old self, what would you say?” That’s the question I asked a few people back in 2019 when I was 18. I don’t remember most of the responses, but one of them stuck with me. “Don’t be so selfish.” That answer came…
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A Manifesto to Live By
I came up with a manifesto after reading “The Disciplined Life” by Richard S. Taylor: “A Manifesto To Live By” by Josh Mudge A ruthless elimination of the nonessential. A rescheduling of the “urgent”. A lack of care for “should”s and “could”s in the face of “must”s. A surrendering of sins, worries, and regrets to…
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Prayer: Your Steering Wheel or Your Spare Tire?
Steering Wheel? “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” ― Corrie Ten Boom Do we come to prayer first and always? All throughout our day? Or only in our most desperate times when we can “only pray”? We can never do it perfectly, but oh how we miss out on the many joyous…
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How To Make It Shorter
Have you ever struggled with how to make a piece of writing shorter? Maybe you’re writing a speech, a paper, or a song. It’s just too long and you don’t know what to do. Do this: Set aside an hour. Figure out how much you need to cut (300 words, 3 pages, etc). We’ll call…
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Is it what the teacher teaches or what the student learns?
The Teacher or the Student? “Is it what the teacher teaches or what the student learns?”* You can have the best teacher in the world, and learn nothing. You can have a terrible teacher, and learn much. What kind of student are you? Do you observe, absorb, and apply what you learn? Some teachers are…
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Give Orders That Are Likely To Be Followed
“It is better to give orders that are likely to be followed.” No, I wasn’t reading a military handbook. I was reading a star wars book that made a good point. Giving orders that your people want to follow makes them more likely to want to follow you. It earns respect that is essential when…
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Rest is as important as work.
Rest is as important as work. I would explain, but I’m sleep deprived. Josh
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Take a Step Back: What Getting Lost Taught Me About Solving Problems
Getting Lost Google Maps said I had enough time. Then I missed a turn. No big deal, I’ll adjust. Everything goes smoothly until I get to an intersection where I’m supposed to turn right onto 12300 South. I get in the rightmost lane and find that I cannot turn right onto 12300 South from that…
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How My Uncle Eldon’s Cancer Shaped His View on Death and The Gospel
My Uncle, Cancer, Death, and The Gospel My Uncle Eldon has been battling cancer for six years. Chemotherapy stopped working and they couldn’t radiate him because he has too many growths. That prompted me to reach out and start talking to him about once a month. Those conversations have been some of the most significant,…