Don’t miss church on Sunday! Oh, how sad it would be to miss a great worship experience by just an hour — because you forgot to “spring” your clock forward an hour and, therefore, overslept! But, it doesn’t have to be that way. Just remember to set your clocks ahead one hour before bed on Saturday.

Did you know?

The time change officially takes place at 2:00am on Sunday morning. That’s the moment when it suddenly becomes 3:00am. Even so, most folks simply choose to set their clocks ahead before heading to be on Saturday — though I have to admit I have stayed awake through Time Change more than once in my life.

Daylight Savings Time (DST) runs from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November in the United States. This has been the pattern since 2007. And, the the inquiring minds among us, the US Naval Observatory has made a chart available with the time change dates list through 2025.

The idea of Daylight Savings Time has been around for more than 100 years. It was used in a few places around the world before it was brought here in the early 1900s. It’s early use was inconsistent though, wreaking havoc on train times, bus times, and even broadcast networks because localities could pick and choose if and when they participated in the time change. This was all finally resolved with the passage of the Uniform Time Act of 1966. And for nearly 50 years, it’s been running like clockwork (pun intended). You can read more about the history of Daylight Savings Time here.

Getting ready for time change

For some folks, the time change messes with their internal clock as well. In fact, one study has tried to make a connection between time change and an increase in heart attacks. So what can we do to help our bodies make the transition more smoothly? Here are a few ideas:

1. Get up incrementally earlier in the week leading up to the time change. Getting up 10 minutes early, then 20 minutes early, and so on will get your body accustomed to the change. This will keep you from feeling like you lost an hour all at once.
2. Go to bed incrementally earlier in the week leading up to time change. This goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip, and again, I recommend 10 minute increments. This will also keep you from feeling like you’re “not tired” on Saturday when you’re trying to go to bed an hour earlier than normal.
3. Adjust meal times accordingly. In addition to sleep, our bodies rhythm is affected by when we eat. So, adjusting your mealtimes a little will also help to ease your body into the new normal.
4. Prepare mentally for the change. While there is debate in the world about whether or not DST is a good thing, don’t focus on that. Unless you’re a United States congressman, you probably don’t have much control over Daylight Savings Time anyway, so don’t focus on the loss of sleep and what-not. Instead, focus on what an extra hour of daylight means for you and your family. All spring and summer long we get to enjoy some extra daylight at BBQs, beaches, parks, and more. Mentally prepare for the fun that you’re going to have because of time change. It’s going to be great!

So, let’s do this. Be ready. Save the daylight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw96oBPvIfQ

What do you do when conflict fires break out?

They’re bound to happen. Conflict itself is unavoidable because  we all walk through life with our own set of desires, expectations, and values. So, what do you do most often when the tension of conflict springs up?

Photo courtesy of Fran

The Tale of Two Buckets

“Conflict is unavoidable, but combat is optional.” – Max Lucado

Photo courtesy of Thomas Northcut at GettyImages.com

We need people who are F.A.T.

Well, in this book, he explains that when people meet you for the first time they ask themselves three important questions. Keep reading to find out what they are…

Photo courtesy of marrio31 at GettyImages.com

In my context, we are welcoming people to our church experience. People who come for the first time ever are considered our guests. We want them to feel welcomed and wanted. To that end, we want to be ready to answer the three big questions when they arise. So, here they are…

Three Questions Our Guests Will be Asking Themselves Today:

1. Do you care about me?
2. Can you help me?
3. Can I trust you?

Let’s plan to answer these questions today! (And everyday)

Buy John Maxwell’s Book:
Everyone Communicates, Few Connect

Why not pick up a copy of John’s book for further insight? Click the affiliate link to buy it today!

Perry Noble has earned the “right” to write this book. From humble beginnings, God has uniquely gifted him with the capacity and desire to pastor one of America’s largest and fastest growing churches. In reality, Perry has experienced first-hand the kind of unleashed living that he explains in the book.

The book itself will challenge your current condition and compel you to embrace God’s unleashing grace. You don’t have to be stuck in duty-oriented religion or in the chains of your past experiences. You can move forward, see triumph in tragedy, and take your next step in your relationship with God.

This book is filled with practical principles as well as Perry’s personal experiences. The book flows well, and it’s an easy read. You will stay engaged, especially because of Perry’s storytelling abilities. Because of these things, it’s worth the read. You will get something out of it. In fact, here is one of my favorite excerpts:

One of the quickest ways to forget what God says about me is to focus on what the enemy says about me.

Buy the Book

This is just a small sampling of the message of the book. Get your copy today!

(Click here to buy the book right now, using my affiliate link.)

Go to the Unleash Conferences!

As an aside, I have also personally benefited from attending Perry’s Unleash Conference in the spring and the NewSpring Leadership Conference in the fall. These are great church leadership events. Google these event names to learn more. The NewSpring folks are hospitable, and I promise that you will learn something from your time in Anderson, SC. Invest in these experiences. You won’t regret it. I promise.

Stay Tuned for More

In the coming days, I’ll be posting a review that includes my personal insights and favorite quotes from the book. In the meantime, keep reading!

This post is the seventh in a series from my time at the Exponential Conference in Orlando, FL last month. I will post several others in this same category. I invite you to browse all of the notes that I took.

Exponential – Day 1

1. Do a gut check (5:11-12)

2. Stay a little crazy for God (5:13)

Notes & Quotes

This post is the sixth in a series from my time at the Exponential Conference in Orlando, FL last month. I will post several others in this same category. I invite you to browse all of the notes that I took.

Exponential – God’s Sifting

Preparing for God’s Sifting (3 Lessons)

1. Learn to self–correct.

2. Learn to suffer.

Notes & Quotes

• “One of the truest tests of a servant is how we respond when we’re treated like one.”
• For some of you, God called you to ministry, but not senior pastoring.
• Some of us are confusing the work of God in transforming us and the work of Satan in troubling us.
• God most often takes us by the hand and leads us through the challenging times, rather than picking us up and allowing us to miss them. Even so, He never lets go of our hand!
• The best vegetables grow from sifted soil. The same is true in your life.
• God grows the best stuff in sifted soil.
• You don’t train for the start of the race. You train for the moment that you most want to quit so that you will decide to push forward to the finish. The same is true in ministry. You have trained through books, messages, and conferences so that you will continue on when you are most discouraged and closest to quitting.

This post is the fifth in a series from my time at the Exponential Conference in Orlando, FL last month. I will post several others in this same category. I invite you to browse all of the notes that I took.

Exponential – Shawn & Trishia Lovejoy

4 Things God Taught Us About Marriage & Ministry

1. Intimacy is worth fighting for.

Notes & Quotes

This post is the fourth in a series from my time at the Exponential Conference in Orlando, FL last month. I will post several others in this same category. I invite you to browse all of the notes that I took.

Exponential – Family, Marriage & Ministry

1. Cast vision for your kids.

Notes & Quotes