I wasn’t sure why my friend invited me to breakfast. Walking up to the locally loved but overrated breakfast spot, I noticed another friend, John, an older mentor, was here too. Hmm, why’s he here. I joined them at the booth, ordered coffee, and it happened.

If you haven’t seen Gillette’s video on the epidemic of toxic masculinity that exists in the USA—and the world—watch it. It’s a solid 1:48.

We’ve heard their tagline for years, “The Best a Man Can Get,” and like many company slogans, it reaches higher than it could ever achieve. I mean, after all, it’s only metal blades for cutting face hair. But with their new video, new website, and new commitment—they want to see men be the best a man can be. More than products, they are promoting person.

Life is loaded. Add up the ingredients of a routine day: getting kids ready for school, packing lunches, getting ready for work, traffic, co-workers, projects, meetings, helping with homework, kids extracurricular activities, exercise, church functions, and more. And this recipe alone doesn’t make it difficult to regularly read the Bible.

It’s hard to read the whole Bible in a year. Some of it is tough sledding. And if you aren’t familiar with all of the terrain, it can be daunting. But don’t give up.

I didn’t write as much as I wanted on my blog this year. Sigh. But I did write a book. Humble Calvinism: If I Know The 5 Points But Have Not Love… was my canvas, my stone block, the grizzly I wrestled for most of 2018. Early mornings, late nights, and pockets of time on planes were spent writing winsomely, creatively, and humbly—I hope—on Calvinism. I turned down requests to review books and write articles for other sites because I was up to my eyebrows in tulips.

2018 was the year of contract writing. I also wrote a handful of lessons for The Gospel Project curriculum that will be out in 2019. Thousands of people will read these lessons. It was an honor to write the Easter lesson/leader guide.

But, I did find a few slivers here and there to serve a dish on this site. So, here are the top 5 posts of 2018.

I know you are just going to scan this list and get the recommendations. So, you ready? Here we go.

C.S. Lewis Category

Yes. The man gets his own category.

Moses is a mixologist.

Back in Exodus 32, Moses takes that Aaron-crafted golden calf, the one worshiped by the Israelites, and he smashes it into a powder.

Get this scene in your eyes.

When’s the last time, as an adult, you paid attention at a kids birthday party? A youngin’ not your own?

As grown ups, we aren’t found as frequently on the trampolines that can bounce us into a major knee surgery. We aren’t hanging from obstacles and giggling over the 1,200 calorie slice of cake dressed in butter cream icing, saddled with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

So, what are we adults doing?

Studying the Final Things, the End Times, and the Eschaton can get confusing. So much jargon, spooky scenarios—an Anti-Christ, 666, stars falling from the sky, etc.—and so many charts.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.