Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. 

Do you have a blueprint for your life? 
Most people don't know what they are doing three days from now. God has a plan for your life and it is important that we work with God to get a clear vision. Once we have the plan, it's time to follow the details and set up systems to manage our time and energy the best way possible.

In this sermon I touch upon an incredible story found in the book of Acts. Jesus gave His disciples a blueprint to help people through sharing the good news.
Peter and John are on their way to a prayer meeting when they see someone with a need. A big need. Find out what happens by watching the video below. 

The next 7 blog entries are about my system to being healthy and living a life that is organized. 
Each day of the week there is a focus. If you need to get healthier than you are right now, give them a read through and see if there is something there for you to use for your own life. 

Sunday -       Rest. I aim to get 9 hours of sleep a night. 
Monday -      Exercise. Workout Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Tuesday -     Nutrition. No eating till 11:30 a.m. and no eating after 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday - Education. Study for self improvement. 
Thursday -   Work. Manage my time and get my work done with excellence. 
Friday -        Adventure. Get outside and explore this beautiful planet. 
Saturday -    Leisure. Make time to relax and enjoy life.

​Scroll down to Rest as that was the first entry in this series. 

Leisure refers to the free time that we can spend our own way, not working but instead resting, relaxing and enjoying life. 

Proverbs 16:20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful.

Listening to the Holy Spirits instruction for your day to day life should put things in order - eventually. 
There are times in our life, especially when we are young, that we need to work overtime. We manage a lot of learning. All of us have to earn our keep and work our way to a position where money increases and free time also increases. 

Leisure comes with hard work and planning. I did what Proverbs 16:20 said to do and worked my way into living a debt free life. I make my own schedule because I paid my dues and worked hard in building a good life for my family and for myself. 

Wether you can plan to have 2 hours of leisure a week or two days of leisure, it will serve you well to plan for it. 

Trust the Lord that you can make some time to relax. 

Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

As this proverbs says - A cheerful heart is good medicine. My renewal system has helped me to maintain a cheerful heart. 
Getting more than enough sleep, good exercise, healthy nutrition, keeping my mind sharp with continues education, working smarter, going on adventures and planning out some time for leisure is a recipe for a cheerful heart. 

Live an organized life and watch the stress fade away. 

Matthew 6:25-27 Do not worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 
Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Hang around a young person and it is likely that you will see that they worry about a lot of things and have a difficult time because they dwell on the things they worry about. Hang around an older person and it is likely that you will see that they do not worry about things and can manage their thoughts better. 

So why wait till you are old! Learn from Jesus and be get it together. 
Lean on scriptures like this when you find yourself worrying about stuff. Do not let the cares of everyday life rob you of the blessing of some leisure time. 

Use a calendar or daily planner and book yourself some leisure time. Plan for it so that when something or someone attempts to take your time you can protect it. 
At the end of your leisure time take a moment and thank God for the life He has given you. Ask Him to help you to manage it well. 

​Love, Pastor Max

Friday I have a focus on adventure. 
The logo I created for the Renewal system was inspired by my love for adventure and the great outdoors. 

When was the last time you went for a hike and tuned out of "the noise," and tuned in to nature? It makes a world of difference in the way you feel. 
Climbing a mountain and getting to the summit is a great feeling. Some of the best adventures I have been on are with friends and family, navigating our way to spectacular views. 

Jesus said in the gospel of John 10:10 My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
There is something so satisfying, so valuable, to exploring this beautiful planet. Don't miss out. We all have people that we can minister to and help. The needs never stop. I learned from Jesus that He would lead his disciples away from the crowds from time to time. They would rest and they would pray. Such a great example for us to follow.

Some people in ministry get burned out. The time I spend on my adventures may be one of the biggest reasons I feel so good. Strong in faith and stable in my emotions.  

Where I live most people are busy. Their schedules are filled day and night seven days a week. No time for adventure. 
Yet all around our area there trails that lead to peaceful rivers, ponds and fields. Beautiful quiet areas where the wildlife and the wild flowers thrive. 

I try to get out there every day for at least 30 minutes. I have been doing this since my outdoor challenge back in 2020. 
Here is a photo I took of Maddox on his Kayak late one night in October of 2020. 
We went Kayaking on the Charles River on a night when the moon, and mars were visible. 

This is a good time to recap what Renewal is about. 
Rest. I aim to get 9 hours of sleep a night. 
Exercise. Workout Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Nutrition. No eating till 11:30 a.m. and no eating after 7:30 p.m.
Education. Study for self improvement. 
Work. Manage my time and get my work done with excellence. 
Adventure. Get outside and explore this beautiful planet. 
Leisure. Make time to relax and enjoy life.

When I get good rest, I have more energy to do adventures. My workouts become more motivating because I know I will have more strength and endurance for future adventures I am dreaming about. I'm inspired to eat well so I am healthy for more adventures.

A great tip. Download the app All Trails and look what is around you. I bet you won't have to travel far in order to find some beautiful places. 
A great place to pray is in the woods, in the mountains and on the water. 

Psalm 16:11 You will show me the way of life,
    granting me the joy of your presence
    and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Plan your next adventure today. 
Love, Pastor Max

Adventure to me is

Thursday is the day I focus on my work. 
Do not get stuck in a cycle of just going through the motions. Take a look at what you do for work and make improvements.
​
Make a list of what you need to do in order to finish the week strong. 
1. Are their people that you need to communicate to. Call back. Email? 
2. Clean your work space.
3. Renew your commitment to doing things with excellence. 
4. Prepare for next week.

In the book Lead The Field (I have read it 4 times.) Earl Nightingale teaches about the power of making a list and making sure you do the important things. 
I often work late on Thursday to get things done. It feels good to wake up on Friday and know that all those loose ends are wrapped up. 

Take pride in your work. Find ways to serve people better and solve more problems. 

If you are not happy with your job, look for a way to serve God in the things you do. 
Colossians 3:23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

I've had plenty of jobs I didn't like. I imagine you have too. Serving God while I mop a floor that no one is going to thank me for is a wonderful way to look at a task. 
I am not looking for people to appreciate me or even pay me. I do what is needed and what is right. 
During these times I pray, think about a story in the Bible, listen to a sermon, or crank up some good worship music. 
When I am done with a task I feel good. There is a deep satisfaction that comes from a job well done and complete. 

Proverbs 11:25 The lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work
I have watched people over the years and the happiest are those that work and do it with a good attitude. 

Work Smarter, Work Harder.
Love, Pastor Max

Education should be a life long practice. 

2nd Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Wether you are in school or done with school, there is an opportunity to prepare yourself and equip yourself for the things you are doing now and the things you will do in the future. 

Wednesday is my day to give extra attention to educating myself. Reading the Bible and studying what I read has changed my life. 
I can testify that the Apostle Paul is 100% correct when it comes to what he said to young Timothy. 

​Decide on a system that will help you educate yourself. 
Here are a few things that I do:

1. I read the Bible, one book at a time, in small bite size pieces. For example. I will read a story in the Bible or a paragraph and ask a few questions. 
What is going on here? 
How does this apply to my life?
What am I going to do differently now that I have studied this?

2. I use a highlighter and colored pens when I study the Bible. This helps me to know what spoke to me. I come back to it often and let the teaching develop further. 

3. Think about the concept of discernment. 
Discernment is defined as the ability to judge well. 
There are false beliefs and false teachers and it is up to you to be careful not to get into trouble. Find good Bible teachers that do not take things out of context with the hidden aim to manipulate you. 
Be careful who you listen to. 

Here is a helpful scripture for you when thinking about your life. 
Galatians 5:22-23 The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.

Each of us will benefit by looking at our life and our actions and asking ourselves if we are producing these things or if we need to work on improving them. 

May each of us do the continuing education to help equip us and prepare us to be more loving. 

​Love, Pastor Max

Sticking to a healthy system of eating mostly plants and not too much was the scientific reason I lost so much weight. 

John 4:13-14 “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

When Jesus spoke these words I thought about them and asked myself, "why am I always hungry?" 
The conclusion I came to was that even though I had received the life changing message of the Good News from the teachings of Jesus, I still had a bad relationship with food. I prayed and asked the Holy Spirit to help me with this. 

I began to see food as medicine and other food as poison. I saw that excess body weight was hurting just about every area of my life. 
Vegetables and healthy proteins became more appealing to me. 

I was had a new passion to learn how to cook. 
Studying nutrition and cooking skill has become a healthy hobby. 

I put myself on a rotation diet. Here is what it looks like. 
Monday - Plants (I usually eat them raw.)
Tuesday - Plants 
Wednesday - Beef & plants
Thursday - Chicken & plants
Friday - White fish (Halibut) & plants
Saturday - Salmon & plants
Sunday - No rules on Sunday but I still keep the calorie count in mind. 

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday I also rotate what plants I eat so nothing is repeated. This gives me a large variety of nutrients. 

Most people eat the same things each day. When was the last time you had a Beet? or a Kiwi? 

My newly discovered system is based on 7 things. One for each day of the week. Monday I focus on Exercise. 
Having a focus for each day of the week helps me to go deeper on a particular topic. Studying the science of movement will help us to exercise with greater attention to detail and meaning. 

1st Corinthians 9:23-27 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.
24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

Run with purpose. When you exercise you can use that time to do more than build strength, improve endurance, flexibility and stamina. You can also use that 30-60 minutes to think about your own personal ministry and pray. 

Mondays and Thursdays I workout lower body muscles.
Tuesday and Friday I focus on upper body exercises.

This gives me a system that is very straightforward. Easy to remember and follow. 
Besides these workouts I try to get outside each day for a walk or out on my mountain bike. Life is easier now because I have been following my R.E.N.E.W.A.L system for 4 months. 

My encouragement to you is Exercise and run your race.
Draw inspiration from the life and teachings of the Apostle Paul.
Discipline yourself like an athlete.

You have a ministry. Do not let yourself be disqualified in ministry because you are out of shape. Turn your life around today. If I can do it, you can do it. 

Love, Pastor Max

I had a goal to lose weight and feel better for a long time but it wasn't happening. December 26th 2022 I decided to create a system that would help me. I called it the R.E.N.E.W.A.L. system. 

Fast forward 3 months and I lost 34 pounds. 

Rest. I aim to get 9 hours of sleep a night. 
Exercise. Workout Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Nutrition. No eating till 11:30 a.m. and no eating after 7:30 p.m.
Education. Study for self improvement. 
Work. Manage my time and get my work done with excellence. 
Adventure. Get outside and explore this beautiful planet. 
Leisure. Make time to relax and enjoy life.

Today I will focus on Rest. 
I was not sleeping enough. My goal was to get more sleep but without a system it was just a nice thought. 
Setting an earlier bedtime that was 9 hours before when I needed to get up the next day was the new system. 

I like staying up late, but I love waking up and feeling satisfied that I took good care of the life God gave me by resting. 

This became a key factor in me successfully following the other 6 things. I was better prepared for my exercises. I found it easier to follow my nutrition system and so on. 

Genesis 2:2-3 On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

My prayer for you is that you go to bed early and get more than enough sleep. Try it for a month and see how it effects your life. 

Time for bed. 
Love, Pastor Max
​

#1. Learn to Be Present. 
I was at the gym and a friend asked me what I was doing that weekend. I answered and tried to act positive but this close friend knew me well enough to see my facial expressions said, "I am dreading this weekends event!" Her advice to me was "Be Present." Wherever you are, practice being present. 
Since that day I have approached things in this way at home, at work and at those not so fun events. Everything is better when I have this attitude. 

Hebrews 10:24 – 25 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and
good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

There is a new phobia. Do you have it? It's called talking on the phone! 
People don't meet face to face as much as they use to. My advice is use social media and texting as a tool, but don't neglect meeting up with your close friends. Be present when you are with them. Be a great listener. Show them how much you care by asking about their life and don't cut them off mid sentence. 

#2. Open Up. 
James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.   

You don't need 523 friends, but I think people do well when they have a few friends that they love and trust. 
Make time to pray. Be present while praying and ask God to help you to be a good friend, a good citizen. Ask Him not for what you need today, but what you can contribute. 

One more thing - People need you. Be the change you want to see in the world. Not everyone has a close friend. Wherever you are and wherever you go, be present and be friendly. 

Love, Pastor Max