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Welcome to One Day Out, a weekly newsletter to help deepen your faith, enhance your health, and guide you in pursuing a purpose-filled life.

Opening Prayer

Lord, thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for putting breath in my lungs, for giving me opportunities to know, love, and serve you. Thank you for providing all that I need in this life. Thank you for showing me through Your word that you will never leave or forsake me. Help me to drop my worldly desires to the floor and chase after the ambitions that you have for my life.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

The 9 Most Impactful Lessons of 2024

This was the best year of my life. Yet, it was also the hardest year of my life.

All of it was exactly how God intended.

Today I want to share the 12 most impactful lessons learned in 2024 and how they can be applied in 2025.

Lesson #1: Stop living as a lukewarm Christian

After some tough conversations and reflection on this past year, I’ve realized I haven’t always lived in alignment with how I say I want to: in a Biblically sound way that honors Christ and keeps Him at the center of everything I do.

I’ve shied away from conversations where I knew I should’ve spoken up. I’ve acted selfishly at times, putting my ambitions ahead of what it means to live in a Godly way.

It’s a humbling realization, but one that reminds me of the importance of daily striving to walk the talk and let my actions reflect my faith.

Solutions:

• Listen to a sermon daily from Bible teachers like RC Sproul, John MacArthur, or Paul Washer and take notes to grow in my theology and knowledge of God’s character

• Get involved in serving at my local church

• Seek discipleship from men further along in their walk with the Lord

Lesson #2: Live more in the present moment

I’ve struggled with this ever since I started creating content almost five years ago.

I love sharing my life on social media and capturing moments to create content that educates, entertains, and inspires. But too many times, it’s pulled me away from actually experiencing the beauty of the moment.

There are also days when I can’t fully be present with the people around me because my mind is on the next piece of content I need to create or the never-ending to-do list I’m trying to tackle. It’s something I’m still working on.

Solutions:

• Do a better job of reading the room and knowing when it’s appropriate to film and when to enjoy the moment

• Plan and batch content together to take the stress off of what to post

• Ask permission to film/use the phone when with people

Lesson #3: More stuff doesn’t mean more happiness

In February, I was blessed to spend a month living in Tanzania, Africa.

The people there had almost nothing—just the clothes on their backs. But they were the happiest people I’ve ever met.

The kids didn’t have cell phones, and they all wore the same school uniforms. There was no status, no comparison—just pure joy.

It reminded me of how happy and content I was as a kid with just a Wiffle ball and bat, spending hours playing by myself.

Now, my house is full of stuff—none of which brings me the kind of inner happiness that only comes from Jesus.

I want fewer things to worry about, less clutter, and more time and mental energy to put into the important things in life.

Solution:

• Monthly purging of clothes, desk items, etc. to remove clutter

Lesson #4: deeper relationships > more connections

I’ve never been fond of the word “connections.” It feels forced.

In college, I was told to “make connections” and “network.” I can’t even count how many business cards I’ve tossed or LinkedIn connections I don’t even remember meeting.

Don’t get me wrong—networking events and getting in the room are valuable. But my goal now isn’t to collect as many cards as possible. It’s to build real relationships with people.

“Connections” feel one-sided, like a list of emails you hit up when you need something. Relationships, on the other hand, are intentional—they’re about getting to know someone and focusing on giving more than you take.

Solution:

• I am going to reach out to one new person I already know each day and ask how they are doing and how I can support them

Lesson #5: There is no failing—you either win, or you learn

A mentor shared this lesson with me during an internship in college, and it’s stuck with me ever since:

Failure teaches you more than success ever will.

For me, running has proven this over and over. I’ve missed more goals than I’ve achieved since picking up the sport. This year, I set out to run a sub-42-minute 10k in the spring and a sub-1:35 half marathon in the fall. I missed both.

After surviving a sudden cardiac arrest in August 2023, I took 7 months off running. I wasn’t in the shape I was before, but I still set running goals that felt challenging and within reach.

Even though I missed my goal times, I came away with invaluable lessons. I learned what needed to change in my training, nutrition, and mindset to improve. Because of those lessons, I’m a better runner now than I was before.

This applies far beyond running. Set big goals and go after them. If you fall short, don’t quit. Learn, adapt, and come back stronger. That’s where the real growth happens.

Challenge:

• Set a goal to pursue something that scares you—running a race, starting a business, asking a girl out, etc.

Lesson #6: It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing

In June, I hit one year without alcohol.

Now, I’ll have a drink here and there. I think back to college when it was all or nothing—either drinking until I was wasted or not going out at all. Back then, I didn’t see the point in just having one or two.

Now, I’ve learned it’s okay to enjoy a casual drink at dinner, a beer with friends, or a glass of wine at a wedding. Anything more than 1-2 drinks doesn’t sit well with me, so I keep it at that.

This lesson goes beyond drinking—it applies to fitness, nutrition, and life in general. You don’t have to go all out every day in training or cut out all sugar and processed foods to see progress.

Extremes can be good for building discipline and getting on track, but they shouldn’t be a forever thing. Practicing moderation isn’t always easy, but it’s the most sustainable and fulfilling approach in the long run.

Application:

• One portion of a dessert rather than the whole thing, and only having it after dinner

Lesson #7: The right person makes the wait worth it

I didn’t go on a date for two years—until I went on my first date with my now girlfriend, MJ.

During that time, I focused on my relationship with God. I needed to understand what a Godly relationship truly looks like and make sure my foundation was built on Him first.

I wasn’t actively looking for a relationship, but I was open to it, trusting that God’s will for my life would unfold in His perfect timing.

Since then, MJ has become one of the greatest blessings in my life. She’s my biggest supporter, encourager, and the person who pushes me to grow closer to God every single day. She challenges me in ways I didn’t even realize I needed and inspires me to become a better, more Godly man.

I won’t lie though—relationships take work. Ours has had its trials, and it’s not always easy. But the best things in life rarely are. Every challenge we’ve faced has drawn us closer to God and each other. I couldn’t be more grateful for her.

If you’re waiting, keep praying and trusting. God’s timing is perfect, and when the right person comes along, you’ll see why it was worth the wait.

Lesson #8: Your identity isn’t tied to what you do or what has happened in the past

It makes me cringe every time I’m in a conversation, and the first thing someone asks is, “What do you do?”

In college, I tied my identity to being a football player. After graduation, I became a personal trainer and nutrition coach and made that my identity. Then, when I started running? Yep, that became my new identity too.

For a long time, I was "the guy who made running videos online." I felt like I had to always be training for a race or chasing a new PR, or people wouldn’t care about what I was posting. I worried about losing brand partnerships and the community I’d built. That worry? It was a lack of trust in God.

After my sudden cardiac arrest, I became "the guy who almost died." Every conversation I had for months was about my heart. I was happy to share my testimony to inspire others and point them to Jesus because His testimony is so much greater than mine. But once again, I let that season define me.

It wasn’t until I truly understood this verse that my perspective changed:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

My identity isn’t in football, running, my health scare, or any title this world could give me. My identity is in being a child of God and a servant of Jesus Christ. That’s who I am, and that’s all that matters.

Lesson #9: Don’t take yourself so seriously

This year, a few people close to me told me I didn’t seem like myself, and that what I was posting online felt inauthentic. At first, it was hard to hear, but they were right.

I had been taking myself way too seriously—trying to look polished and put together all the time instead of just being myself. Letting go of that has been freeing. Life is better when you can laugh at yourself, show up as you are, and not overthink everything.

Being real will always connect more than trying to be perfect.

Surround yourself with people who will give it to you straight and tell you what you need to hear, even if it isn’t what you want to hear.

Thank you all for an incredible year and for supporting me on this journey. I pray for each one of you to trust God’s plan and timing for your life heading into the new year. I love and appreciate you all so much.

Closing Prayer

Lord, I want more of you and less of me. Help me to decrease so that you may increase. In this new year, create in me a heart that longs to know you better and be a better servant for You. Thank you for being a righteous, just, and holy God, and I pray that you help me pick up my cross daily so that I can do the work you set out for me to grow your Kingdom.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Amen.

Know others who want to grow in their faith, optimize their health, and live a biblically sound life according to God’s word? Share this and let’s grow His Kingdom!

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