Top 9 Moments of 2015

The other day on Instagram and Facebook people started posting their "2015 Best Nine."  If you are looking for the site to create your 2015 Best Nine you can find it right here - 2015bestnine.com.

I generated mine and it was all photos of June.... annnnnnd one photo of an easter egg...😂

While I do love all of these photos of June and the one of the Easter egg, they aren't exactly my personal top nine moments.  So, I thought I would share my actual top nine moments that touched, moved and challenged me the most in all of 2015.  Enjoy!

TOP nine MOMENTS OF 2015:

1. The birth of June Morrow! February 12, 2015 @ 8:39pm

Nothing has changed my life more this year than the birth of June!  She is unbelievable and is constantly teaching her mother and I what love is and how full our hearts can be.  Here are a few posts I wrote this year about all the things June taught me.  Having a kid will open up parts of your heart that you didn't know existed.

• 9 Tips for New Dads
• Marvel at the Light
• Don't Miss The Little Moments
• Cranky In A Carseat

2. Watching Brooke give birth to June! February 11 + 12, 2015

Brooke giving birth to June was unbelievable.  I tried to describe all the things she taught me while in labor and delivery but I don't know if words will ever fully articulate the feelings I get in my heart when I think of all Brooke went through to bring our sweet June into this world.  Here is the post about all she taught me - DAD'S BIRTH STORY : ALL THE LESSONS MY WIFE TAUGHT ME

3. One Night Only. October 27, 2015 

One Night Only was born out of a call that God placed on my heart while I was washing dishes.  It was definitely a challenge for me to trust God and walk through the calling He placed on my heart.  God will always walk us through things that are otherwise impossible without Him.  I learned that in a big way this year by trusting Him while planning One Night Only.  It was a true lesson in faith and obedience for me and I am so thankful for it!

4. Saying Goodbye to Weddings. March 2015

This is the year that Brooke and I decided to retire from shooting weddings.  We felt God calling us into a new season of life.  We are forever thankful for what our career in weddings brought and taught us, but are excited for what God will lead us into next!  Here is the full post about our decision to move on - Seven Years For a Footnote!

5. Throwing Away All The Things. October/November 2015

In October/November of this past year Brooke and I purged our house and yard-saled/gave away/threw out most of our things.  We felt like this whole year God has called us to simplify our life and instead of just talking about it, we backed it up with action.  Here is the full post about the process and decision - Throw Away All The Things.

My favorite line from the post - "When I think about the end of my life I don't think that I want to end with a giant house, a boat and a gold toilet.  I think that I want to end knowing that I lived for Jesus and am ending with Him and Him alone.  Physically getting rid of my things is helping me realize more and more that I don't need any of it."

6. Brooke's Voice Surgery. November 2, 2015

This year Brooke had surgery on a vocal polyp. It was followed by 10 days of voice rest.  I was so proud of her willingness to face something so challenging with so much grace.  I have tried many times to write about the voice rest and the surgery, but it's a little too hard for me to verbalize.  Brooke is constantly showing me what real love is.  Her strength to stay silent while loving June and I for 10 days was remarkable and unbelievable!  While I have yet to write about the actual voice rest, I did write a post this year about the hope that we have for Brooke's voice - Brooke Will Sing Again.

7. Having A Post Go Viral - September 16, 2015

The 10 Hard Steps to An Awesome Marriage (that are totally worth it)! post I wrote in September went viral this year, which was incredible!  It is still my most read post and every now and then my website hits spike upwards because a new group of people are passing it around.  I love writing about marriage and loving my wife as well as I can.  I think if more husbands valued their wives by loving them well, a lot of issues in our world would be fixed.

Here are some other posts I wrote about marriage this year:

• Hey Married People! Go On More Walks!
• Why My Wife Is Awesome!
• Marriage and Babies! Best Things Ever!

8. Eating Pizza In California - May 2, 2015

This year we were able to travel to California and shoot the marketing material for our summer collection with the coolest group of strangers we've ever met.  The wonderful world of the internet hooked us up with these people.  They are all chasing their dreams as models and actors in southern California!  After we were done shooting we all sat down to eat dinner at a pizza shop.  During that dinner we spent time sharing our hopes, goals and wild dreams.  It was one of the most inspiring conversations I had all year.  We left that dinner table with six new friends.  I hope that all the dreams God placed on our heart to share that night come true with Him at the center of it all and for His eternal glory!

9. You - All Year

I read all the comments, saw all the likes and was honored by all the shares.  I look at all the #iwearwalkinlove photos.  I am forever thankful that I have an audience of people who care about what I do and say.  I know that all my posts aren't home runs, or even singles, but I hope that at times my words can inspire you to chase your dreams, live with passion and end with the amazing and overwhelming love of Jesus!  Thanks for following along in 2015 and I hope you stick around for 2016!

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FAVORITE THINGS FROM 2015

Favorite Album - Del Rio by Armon Jay

Favorite Song - Cecilia and the Satellite (Canyon Versio) by Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness

Favorite Movie - Star Wars : The Force Awakens

Favorite New TV Show (For Me) : Person of Interest

Favorite Photo of Brooke and I 

Some of my favorite photos of June!

Favorite New walk in love. t-shirt

Favorite Message - Grace, Grace! Two Steps To Your Left by Levi Lusko

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Let's Dropkick 2016 in the Throat!

I am pumped up for 2016!  It will be the first year that Brooke and I don't have to shoot weddings and can focus all of our work time and creative attention on walk in love.  It is going to be awesome!  We are so excited!

Every new year brings the opportunity to achieve something great, but only as long as you set yourself up well and follow through on your words with action!  It's all on you to set, plan and achieve your goals.  No one else can do it but you.  Yep, just you.  Not your husband, wife, mom, dad, teacher, coach, mentor....just you!  

Will you crumble under the pressure and spend another year half heartedly living your life? Or will you finally rise up and achieve, or at least try to achieve, some of those things you've always said you would do?

Now I am not talking about general "check list" New Year's resolutions that are abandoned the second week in January like, "Eat healthier! Watch less TV! Run more."  I am talking about big, radical and amazing goals like "Lose 100 pounds. Increase sales by 20%. Write a book. Run a marathon!" Goals that are scary to say out loud because to most they would sound so outrageous.  Goals that require faith in God and trusting in Him because on your own it would be impossible.  THAT is what I am talking about!

So, do you have it in you to reach for that kind of crazy-amazing goal?

Because it's one thing to tell someone a goal out loud or on Instagram for the praise and applause, but it's another thing to actually walk and grind it out.

I want to be the type of guy that walks out his goals and grinds away at them until they are achieved. And then once celebrated, I am on to the next one.

Here is the thing though, unfortunately (for many reasons!), I am not Harry Potter.  I can't just wave my wrist while holding a twig and expect things to magically happen just because I said they would.  It takes action and I have to set myself up for success.  I have to put one foot in front of the other, step by step, so one larger goal can be achieved!

Here are a few tools I am using this year to help achieve a few of my crazy goals for 2016:

1. Lara Casey Power Sheets : Lara has been a great friend of mine for many years.  She is an amazing woman who has dedicated her life to helping people make it happen.  If you want to get fired up about business and life you should be following Lara!  Buy her Powersheets and start on them the second they arrive!  She sent Brooke and I the 2016 booklets and we are 16 pages in and can already feel the impact they are having on our next year!

2.  Dapperdesk Planner / Simplified Planner : Another good friend of ours, Emily Ley, is also a champ at providing tools and resources to help people achieve goals.  She has a really basic planner that is so powerful and helpful -- reminding you daily what to do and allowing room for grace as you try and work.  The dapper desk version is better suited for men and the simplified planner is her girlier version!  I hope to carry mine all year!

3. Wunderlist : One of the best to-do lists planning platforms out there.   A lot of them can get so busy and overwhelming.  I love Wunderlist because it is so simple and straight forward! I'm sure you will to!

Cranky In A Carseat

All parents know that the struggle is real when your child is cranky in the car seat - especially when they are too young and small to face forward.  This past Sunday I took June with me to run some errands, giving Brooke some alone time at home.

First, we went to visit my brother and get a few things at his place of work, then we were off to do some Christmas shopping for Brooke, and then a quick stop at Starbucks before heading home.  Like most things this time of year, everything took a little longer than I had hoped it would, especially the Starbucks drive thru.  I knew that I was pushing the limit on the amount of time June could spend in the car. Her nap was fast approaching and we were still waiting for our coffee in the drive thru lane... and she started to fuss. Normally when Brooke and I are both in the car the passenger can talk to her and she'll turn slightly in her seat and be able to see the passenger with one eye. It's so cute.  But I was riding solo and I couldn't see her, and she couldn't see me. 

After I got the coffees, we started driving home and June was not enjoying the ride.  She was crying and whimpering, so I was trying to sing to her, say her name, clap my hands, pass back any toys to her that I could reach.  I totally get why she was upset.  She is in the back of the car and she doesn't know where we are, or where we are going, and she can't even see the direction we are headed!  I kept telling her, "Don't worry June, we are on our way home, we will be there soon."

That's when it hit me.

My beautiful daughter was teaching me a new lesson.  She is really good at that.

I started to think about how often I am frustrated with God because I have no idea what He is doing or where He is going.  I am June, facing the wrong way, unaware of what is around me. All my toys have fallen on the floor, which only entertained me for so long, and I feel I've been in my seat for way too long. I am frustrated.  I start crying out for help because I am confused and lost and it would seem that I am totally alone.

Meanwhile my heavenly father is in the front seat telling me, "Don't worry T.J. I am driving, I got this, I got you, I love you.  You'll be okay."

Life is a confusing road that has its ups and downs, it's dead ends, it's u-turns, and its wrong ways.  So often I think I know exactly where I am going, so I start to drive and end up frustrated at the dead ends or with a smashed up car on the side of the road.

Other times I simply take the advice of Carrie Underwood and say "JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL!!!!!!", but usually end up sitting in the back seat, facing the wrong way, complaining the entire time.  I want the credit for trusting God but I don't actually want to follow through. I act like an infant unaware of where we are going and who is driving; however, I am an adult, and I need to have an adult relationship with Jesus.  I need to stop being cranky in a carseat and sit up front. At least if I am in the front seat I can lean into the driver for comfort instead of screaming in the back seat because I am lost and confused.

God, through Jesus, wants to take you places you never dreamed of.  Maybe He is on His way there but He wants you to jump in the front seat to help navigate.  Maybe He wants you to see all the mile markers along the way so you can have some idea of where you are going.  I don't know. But, I do know that the ride of your life will always be more enjoyed in the front seat hand in hand with the driver, instead of in the back facing the wrong way.

If you haven't even given up the wheel, what are you waiting for?  How many accidents and dead ends do you have to run into before you do?  And like I said before, listen to the wise Carrie Underwood - let Him take the wheel and when He does, sit in the freaking front seat and enjoy the ride, regardless of where it takes you.

June never stays upset for long!

9 ALBUMS THAT I LOVE RIGHT NOW! // V. 3

My current playlist.  I have to say that out of all of them I am probably listening to Armon Jay the most.  Brooke says there is something about it that makes her feel like we are dating again!  Enjoy!

1. Del Rio by Armon Jay

2. We Are Young + Free (The Remixes) - EP

3. Delirium by Ellie Goulding

4. Strange Love by We the Kings

5. The Canyons EP by Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness

6. Encounters by Pathway Music

7. You by Phillip LaRue

8. Ready for You by Hunter Hunted

9. Soak by New Life Worship

Open app - Post - Close app - Go live life - Follow Jesus

About three weeks ago, I unfollowed every single person I was following on Instagram with the exception of Brooke, June, and our two companies.  I didn't do it with any malicious intent, or out of annoyance, or anything like that.  I have simply been having this overwhelming feeling like I waste too much time - too much time checking in on other people and places, on multiple social avenues, that I end up missing out on what is happening in front of me or what I should be doing.  So I wondered that if there was literally nothing new in my feed, would I check it a lot less? Turns out, I would!

Prior to unfollowing everyone though, I had already noticed that when I was checking my feed I found myself totally disengaged.  I would just mindlessly scroll and scroll down a feed with a mixture of baby photos, intense political views, sports victories and advertisements for a new outlet cover that allows you to plug your iPhone right into it.  I was checking on everything more and more, and yet caring a whole lot less.  I haven't read Craig Groechell's book "#Struggles" yet, but I heard him speak on the topic and that apathy I mentioned is definitely a big aspect of that book. And I totally get why!

I started to think about all the other things I could do instead of social scrolling.  

I could probably work out in the amount of time I spend on social.

I could probably write a few more blogs in the amount of time I spend on social.

I could probably finish a few house projects in the amount of time I spend on social.

I could probably play with June more in the amount of time I spend on social.

I could probably rub Brooke's shoulders in the amount of time I spend on social.

I could probably do the dishes in the amount of time I spend on social.

And honestly, the list could go on and on and on.

Now I fully understand that Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat are all tools that I use to do what I do, but I was finding that I wasn't using them as tool at all, but as walls.  Walls that were blocking my time and mental energy from actually doing something positive or impactful.  I totally get that social media is an important part of my business, but not as important as ideas for my business or customer service or cashflow or great products.

If I am being really honest I love that I have more followers than the average person on Instagram.  I love that I have a little "K" after my number, but lately I have been pressed by God to stop caring about such silly things of this world and start caring about the beautiful life He has for me.  I have really been trying to disconnect from a world of praise through social media and instead lean into praising the King of Kings.  It's hard.  I really enjoy when people compliment my daughter June or tell me they love my shirts.  I really do! And I think that's okay to enjoy those things.  But the question we should all be asking is "Am I enjoying those things more than the truths Jesus wants to speak to me?"

When you double tap an Instagram a little full heart shows up.  When is the last time you laid your heart before to God and let Him love on it - making it full. When is the last time you actually listened when God double tapped your heart and nudged you to move here or help that person or give away that possession.  We are quick to reply when people tell us how gorgeous we look in some new outfit, but do we have that kind of immediate response when Jesus calls us out?  We are equally quick to defend our political opinion or point of view, but are we as quick to respond with love or joy in ALL situations?

For me, I need to spend less time on the social media apps, so I turned off all my notifications and only use it as the business tool that it is.  I needed to unfollow people so there was simply less to scroll through.  Now instead of mindless scrolling, I look up and go to specific peoples pages, with the intention of being totally interested in their life and I actually look at and read what they are doing! I also might try to actually reach out to people in real life instead of just letting the updates of Facebook be enough for our relationship.  Sounds pretty crazy, right?  I have simply decided to use all social media tools as exactly that, tools, and not as walls. 

Open app - Post - Close app - Go live life - Follow Jesus.  That is my social media strategy.

Three of My Favorite Christmas Traditions

Brooke and I have been doing Christmas together for seven years - one was while we were engaged and six have been while married.  This year will be our 7th Christmas together!  It is my favorite time of year and I really love some of the traditions that we have started, so I thought I would share them with you.  Please feel free to steal them or add to them or make them your own if you want!  I think traditions can be a great way to connect with your spouse over and over again.  It gives you something to look forward to and something to look back on.

The 2015 ornament to commemorate all the iced coffee we drank this year!

1. Giving Christmas ornaments!

Every year Brooke and I give each other a Christmas ornament. Currently, we have 12 ornaments (we only started exchanging them after we were married) total. Our ornaments have ranged from a weird handmade circle I made for Brooke, out of twine and wire, to a Dwight Schrute figurine, to a glittery piece of bacon.  Every year we try to highlight something that was unique to that year.  For example, one year I gave her a Marilyn Monroe ornament because that was her halloween costume at our first ever halloween party.  Last year she gave me a glittery piece of bacon, because all of last year I was trying to perfect the art of cooking bacon, which I totally did and have the 5 extra pounds to prove it! The one thing I would recommend is, if you are going to take up this tradition, to write the year on the ornaments right when you give them to each other, because when looking back we had to guess about a few of the first years and ornaments.  It doesn't take long to get them confused.  I am excited to add June to the tradition and pick out an ornament for her, too!

Arthurs sweater game is strong.

2. Decorating the tree and house while watching Arthur Christmas!

This tradition started by simply watching any Christmas movie while decorating the tree until the year we watched Arthur Christmas.  By the end of that year the tree was half decorated and Brooke and I were crying on the couch. For real. Tears of joy mostly, because the movie is so cute, awesome and amazing.  It's an animated film that really doesn't get much credit when it comes to Christmas movies, but man, we love it!  Every year we put it on in the background as we start to decorate the tree and by the end of the movie, Brooke is still decorating and I am fully sucked in to the movie.  I think putting the movie on helps us feel like decorating the tree and our house isn't a chore, but instead, it's something we can look forward to every year! There are too many people out there who have this really terrible ability to complain about everything, including Christmas decorating, and this helps us not be those people.  I look forward to watching the movie and decorating the house and tree every year!

Target + Hunger Games = Stocking shopping

3. Shopping for stockings in the most terrifying way ever.

When we were approaching our first Christmas together as husband and wife I looked to Brooke and said, “I have an idea for a Christmas tradition... What if we shopped for our Christmas stockings at the same time in the same store?”  Brooke gave me kind of a funny look, like “What are you talking about?”, to which I reiterated my idea and asked her to just give it a try.  Brooke is always so willing to just go with whatever idea I have dreamed up in my head, so we tried it. And six years later we are still doing this tradition!  The idea is simple: we walk into Target, each with a set/equal budget, each take a cart and split off in opposite directions!  What follows is the most terrifying, exhilarating shopping experience of all time because you don’t want the other person to see what's in your cart, but you want to see in there cart!  To bystanders we probably look a little crazy as we creep up and down the aisles and scream at the site of each other, turn and run. This tradition is probably one of my favorite parts of the entire Christmas season.  I love that Brooke and I can still act like kids with each other. Now that we have June, we will be able to switch off every year who gets her in their cart, only adding to the excitement!

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I don’t know what you do each year for Christmas, but I would recommend adding some traditions, mostly goofy ones, to it.  It’s easy to look at every milestone in life as another year to complain about requirements, but when we choose to live with passion, excitement and energy we can add awe back into our lives. It's easier than you think. We can make things a big deal and a good time just by changing our attitude or perspective.  I think marriage is easily one of the greatest gifts God has ever given me.  I love being married to Brooke and I always want her to know that.  I think these simple traditions we started encourage that kind of attitude!  We can look back at the ornaments and remember what we’ve been through, laugh about the one time she thought I left Target without her after stocking shopping and had me paged to the front of the store, and we can look forward to the future and what the traditions will end up looking like with little June, and at some point, June's siblings!  I hope that while you go through Christmas you can remember the good times, enjoy the right-now moments and look forward to all that God has for you!