✝️ One resolution that will transform your 2025

Good morning, brothers - These last few days have brought wonderful times of love, family, friends, and fun for many of us, while others have experienced loneliness and sadness. But whichever situation you find yourself in this morning, be of good cheer: the message of the manger points us to the cross and, ultimately, to the empty tomb. Today, we'll encourage one another as we explore an often-overlooked attribute of our Savior and prepare our hearts for a Christ-centered 2025. Let’s go!

This week’s manly topics (5-min read):

⛑️ MIND SET God exists outside time but He uses time to train us. So let’s allow Him to make all things new in 2025 by reflecting on the meaning of Christ’s incarnation.
📰  NEWS New years prompt us to think about our habits and goals but, without the skills and a plan, we usually gas out and give up. Not this year. This year, we are going to get the skills we need to make plans and follow through.
🎁 OFFER Senescent cells are old cells that accumulate as we age. This week’s ad partner, Qualia, offer MTM subscribers 50 percent off your first month’s dose to help your body clear these unhelpful “zombie cells.”

MIND SET
2025 Resolution: Make way for the King

The Incarnation Enigma

My wife is a huge fan of author and pastor Max Lucado. Every Christmas, she opens his book God Came Near and reads the compelling stories depicting that incredible moment when the Son of God chose to leave the comfort and joy of heaven and come to earth.

In the first chapter, Lucado writes:

That’s not how I would have scripted the first hours of the incarnation. In my version, the Son of God would arrive as a 12-foot warrior on a massive white stallion, fire breathing from his nostrils, crowned in glory, and wielding an enormous broadsword (think Mel Gibson in Braveheart but with divine powers). Thousands would line the streets, heralding his entry, shouting his name, and seeking his presence.

Jesus became human to reveal the path to victory

But Jesus chose a different path. It wasn’t about radiating the glory of His divinity; it was about sharing in the mundaneness of our mortality. It was about perfect obedience to His Father, driven by love and demonstrated through a breathtaking example of humility.

The Apostle Paul captures the magnitude of Christ’s humility as follows:

This passage reveals the full arc of Christ’s humility: The perfect Son of God, wielding all power at the Father’s right hand, chose to enter our world as a helpless baby in a humble stable. He lived in obscurity for thirty years, a perfect son, brother, and friend. When He began His ministry, He gave completely of Himself, turning no one away - even spending three years loving Judas, whom He knew would betray Him. Ultimately, against His human desires in Gethsemane, He submitted to death on the cross, bearing the ultimate pain of separation from His Father for our sake.

MTM 2025 Resolution: Be nothing so He can be everything through you

As we close 2024 and look toward 2025, I’m not certain what the Lord has in store for our growing fraternity of men. But I know we share a desire to grow as men of God, becoming more like Jesus. He will honor that desire, using it for His glory and for the good of our families, churches, communities, and world.

The path begins with humility, seeing God in His perfection and ourselves as His image-bearers created for His purposes. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.”

This means recognizing that life isn't about us … our titles, bank accounts, or circumstances don’t define us. Instead, we're called to be Christ's ambassadors, serving others for their eternal good and letting the Holy Spirit work through us to manifest joy, peace, love, and self-control.

Together, let’s resolve to live in Christ-like humility. His will, not yours. The best for others, often at the expense of self. His glory, not yours. The path won’t be straight; we'll have victories and setbacks. But we'll keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, sustained by His mercy and grace. His humble example reminds us of His unending love and sacrifice - because He thinks we’re worth it. And in Him, we are.

To a Christ-filled 2025!

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THIS JUST IN
📣 NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB 📣 

2025 Planning
“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” Revelation 21:5

• When it comes to personal growth hacks, Tony Robbins is the king of the hill. Here is some practical advice from his organization that will help guide your thoughts as you consider your 2025 plans. Good news: None of them is running over a bed of hot coals! Courtesy Robbins Research International

• Our ability to acquire new behaviors and transform them into habits helps us by freeing up thinking space when going about our daily routines. The problem happens when those habits result in negative outcomes. In this 9:24 Ted Talk, Dr. Jud Brewer shares insights into how we can use a simple hack to break bad habits. What habit will you test with this simple technique?

Training
“For physical training is of some value …” 1 Timothy 4:8

• On the subject of 2025 and habits, how about establishing (or reviving) a physical exercise habit in January? You may have tried and failed at this before but, sometimes, failure isn’t because there is something wrong with you but because you had a bad plan. A very impressive guy named Colin Robertson shares some practical tips you can try to make this time THE time the physical exercise habit sticks.

Nutrition
“… your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit …” 1 Corinthians 6:19

• We touched on the topic of dehydration in a previous issue. Did you know that our ability to sense dehydration decreases? Yes, more good news about aging but this change is easily mitigated by building hydration habits and adding muscle mass. Courtesy Peter Attia, MD

Finances
“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much …” Luke 16:10

• Remember the good old days when keeping on top your finances required saving receipts and balancing your checkbook? Make 2025 the year you get a grip on your finances by using one of the mobile apps included in this Fortune review. Some of the apps are free and most offer shared accounts so you can team up with your spouse to make finances something that brings you together rather than tears you apart. Courtesy Fortune Media