Weekly Email: January 6, 2025
Happy new year! 2025 is starting strong as snow (and possibly ice) is expected to blanket Louisville on Sunday, and by the time you read this on Monday, Southern might be closed for a snow day! However, online classes unfortunately do not get to enjoy snow days and will continue as usual. Whether you're dealing with 10 inches of snow or enjoying the mild 60–70° temperatures in the southern states, I hope your week gets off to a great start.
Here is what is in this email:
Student Tip: Removing friction to make better progress
Program News: Promotions in the online learning department
Faculty Devotional: Dr. Hershael York
Student Tip: Removing Friction
Every January, I dive back into five productivity books that have helped shaped my life. This annual ritual helps me reset, revisit the basics, and refresh my memory on principles that have moved me forward. If you’re anything like me, you might adopt a helpful strategy, only to drift away from it over time. It happens. I’ve found that the key is to realign and refocus. The beginning of the year is a perfect time to do this.
One strategy I find particularly effective is writing down three tasks I want to tackle the next day before leaving work. Placing this list on my desk ensures I start the day with clear objectives. Whether it’s making progress on a project or writing an encouraging note to someone, having these tasks outlined keeps me focused. This is similar to the concept of “parking on a downhill slope,” which I’ve discussed before, which is ending your day in a way that makes starting the next one easier.
Today, I want to spotlight an idea from one of my favorite reads, Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s about removing friction to make good habits more convenient. Simple actions, like laying out your workout clothes the night before or prepping healthy snacks in advance, make sticking to your goals easier. This principle of reducing friction can significantly boost your consistency.
When it comes to schoolwork, think about how you can minimize obstacles to starting. Maybe it’s setting up your study space so it’s ready to go, or placing the book you need to read in a visible spot. If you’re working on a writing project, “park on that downhill slope” by leaving yourself an easy starting point for the next session.
Personally, my focus this year is advancing my dissertation. As we kick off the new year, I’m tweaking my schedule and identifying friction points that hinder my writing. This involves a mix of “downhill parking” and setting specific goals for each writing session.
So, as we start this new year, consider the friction points in your studies.
How can you smooth the path to better success? James Clear advises in his book, “Redesign your life so the actions that matter most are also the actions that are easiest to do.”
Program News: Promotions and Student Story
This week, I’m excited to share two significant promotions that took effect at the start of the year.
First, Jonathan Ahlgren has been promoted to Associate Vice President for Online Learning. Jonathan is a dedicated leader who manages the day-to-day operations of our online learning department. He oversees our team of Instructional Designers and assistants with great skill, always seeking ways to enhance our courses. His reliability and commitment make him a cornerstone of our team. This promotion reflects Southern’s commitment to strengthening our online program, ensuring it meets the highest standards for you, the student. We believe this change will have lasting positive impacts.
Next, John Baker has been promoted to Lead Instructional Designer. Our team of four Instructional Designers work closely with faculty to develop online courses. John has excelled in his role over the past four years, and we are thrilled to elevate him to this new leadership position. John is known for his thoughtful approach, attention to detail, and strong leadership skills. He will continue to guide our team effectively while working alongside faculty to develop courses.
At Southern, we are committed to investing in our online program. These promotions are a testament to that commitment. As we begin this new year, we have many plans, from small course improvements to major new initiatives.
Your feedback is invaluable to us. We want to know what’s working, what isn’t, and how we can enhance your experience as a student. Our online team is dedicated to keeping your needs at the forefront of our efforts here at Southern.
You can always reply to these emails, I look forward to hearing from you.
Unrelated, this past week, I had an unexpected encounter at the Louisville Zoo while visiting with my son. I met an online student who recently moved to Louisville from Houston with his family to complete his Master of Divinity on-campus. It’s always encouraging to see students relocate to Louisville to pursue their studies in person.
While online education offers great flexibility and I’m a strong advocate for it, there’s something uniquely enriching about being on campus if you’re able. The opportunity to connect with fellow students who share similar goals, enjoy coffee or lunch with faculty, and immerse yourself in campus life is truly special.
If you’re considering a move to Louisville for your studies or have any questions, please feel free to reach out. I’d love to chat with you.
Faculty Devotional
This week’s faculty devotional is from Dr. Hershael York, Victor and Louise Lester Professor of Christian Preaching and the Dean of the School of Theology.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24, CSB).
Sometimes my wife, Tanya, says something so profound and yet so simple that it startles me and makes me wonder why I never saw it before. One night as we were studying in the same room, she spoke aloud, “Satan is a profound incrementalist.” “What?” I asked, a bit confused by her sudden interjection. “Satan is a profound incrementalist,” she repeated. “He gets you to take a tiny step, to make a small concession, to tolerate a single graceless attitude, to commit a little sin.” As I began to weigh her statement, mulling it over, she continued “Jesus is the opposite. How would I say that?” she asked. Now realizing she was right on both counts, I suggested, “Jesus is a perfect absolutist.” “That’s it!” she replied. “He demands you leave everything, forsake all, take up a cross and come to die.”
She is precisely right. Nothing shows the difference in the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of Peace more than the contrast in the clarity of what they ask. Satan always asks for the small thing–a bite of fruit, a strike of the rock, self-pity under the juniper tree, turning a stone into self-satisfying bread, a simple kiss of betrayal–so he can steal everything. Jesus, on the other hand, never asks for mere concessions. He is never satisfied with a part of us, a slice of our time, a share of our possessions. He is uncomfortably clear, if nothing else. He demands everything–all of it–so He can give much more and much better in return. “Take up your cross and follow Me. Leave your father and mother. Forsake houses and lands. Let the dead bury their dead. And if you even look back once you’ve put your hand to the plow, you aren’t fit for the Kingdom.”
Perhaps the great sin of so many pulpits and churches today is that they have adopted the wrong strategy. They’re telling people that they can have Jesus and hang on to their own priorities and proclivities and sins, too. They invite people to make Jesus their friend, but not their Lord.
But we know better. “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” Nothing could be more absolutely true than that.
That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading and check in next Monday. You can find an archive of each week’s email here.
