Reagan's Roundup

Reagan’s Roundup: February 6, 2025

February 6, 2025by Reagan Rose5 min read

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Your weekly roundup of insights and resources to help you get more done for the glory of God.

In Today’s Issue:

Time Management for Pastors
High-Fructose Communication
Encouragement for Job-Seekers
App: Calendar, To-Do List, Habit Tracker
“The secret to concentration is elimination”

Dear steward,

I had big plans for this week.

I finally had a lull in my schedule. No travel, no calls, nothing. I’d been looking forward to finally having a clear calendar for a week so I could finish up some big projects.

I had my deadlines all set and the perfect plan for what I would do each day of the week. I was primed and ready to dig into some serious, deep work! #Productivity

Then I threw out my back…

I’ve still been able to get some work done, but laying flat on my back for the past few days has meant this week didn’t exactly turn out to be the productive paradise I’d been dreaming of.

I was reminded (again) of Proverbs 16:9:

The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.

Planning is excellent and wise, but if we genuinely believe in providence, all plans must be held with an open hand.

It’s a point I often tell others, but I guess the Lord knew I was due for a more personal reminder of this important truth.

It’s frustrating when our plans get scuttled. But what a comfort to know that we serve a God who is in control of all things! And when he changes our plans we can trust that His plans are always better than ours.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Dwell

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The Roundup

The best links & resources I found this week.

3 Time Blocks Every Pastor Should Schedule in Their Week (7 mins)

Reagan Rose / The Focused Pastor

My latest for The Focused Pastor.

“Stagnation happens by degrees. We don’t typically fall into massive sin out of the blue, develop a weight problem overnight, or find ourselves in deep debt from just one bad money move. More often than not, our failure to be faithful in the most vital domains of life is a slow erosion. These big problems grow out of small neglect. Because when you don’t make time for growth, you are planning for decay.”

Don’t Get Addicted to High-Fructose Communication (5 mins)

Nicholas J. Weyrens / The Gospel Coalition

I’m currently reading Nicholas Carr’s latest book, Superbloom, and I’m really enjoying it. This review does a good job hitting the high points and comparing Carr’s arguments about communication (and especially social media) within a Christian worldview.

“At times alarming, Superbloom is a profound reminder of what’s at stake if we consume only ultraprocessed communication at the expense of real, embodied community.”

How To Press on After an Unsuccessful Season of Job Seeking (4 mins)

Russell Gehrlein / Institute for Faith, Work & Economics

Encouragement for frustrated job-seekers.

“There may be some who are looking for work (or a new job) and need a biblical perspective on how to deal with a long and disappointing job search. Perhaps it’s time to share my experiences and some scriptures that apply to these situations and offer a bit of hope and encouragement.”