Ones: The Perfectionist

• Ethical
• Responsible
• Industrious

Ones have high standards for themselves and others, which can come across as judgmental or critical. High quality work, honesty, and trustworthiness are important to them. They can have a hard time receiving negative feedback because of their perfectionism, which may seem odd since they can be so quick to point out the flaws in others. However, Ones might be doing it to comfort themselves, giving themselves a reminder that they’re only human and others make mistakes too.

Twos: The Helper

• Supportive
• Generous
• People-oriented

Twos can come across as selfless martyrs, always making others feel secure and finding countless ways to meet the needs of those around them. They are perceptive, expressive, and vulnerable. Sometimes it feels like they can read minds because they’re so naturally gifted at sensing needs. Problems can occur when Twos expect people to do the same for them, as this can be unrealistic for others to achieve.

Threes: The Achiever

• Optimistic
• Inspirational
• Charismatic

Threes are often seen as determined, passionate go-getters. They might come across as wildly successful and ambitious people, full of energy and always looking to get ahead. Threes have an unmatched ability to focus relentlessly on a goal until it’s achieved, which can make others feel alienated when Threes distance themselves and set aside feelings or relationships in order to complete a task. They are driven and enthusiastic, and usually feel uncomfortable showing vulnerability.

Fours: The Romantic

• Sensitive
• Creative
• Introspective

Fours tend to be seen as melancholic and deeply emotional. Although they have a strong desire to belong, the methods they use attempting to do so often make it seem like they want the exact opposite. They’re expressive and eccentric, often are interested in aesthetics and they have a flair for originality. When Fours seem to be procrastinating, it might be because they lack finding meaning in their work or they don’t feel appreciated for their unique contributions.

Fives: The Observer

• Observant
• Private
• Innovative

Fives are usually seen as thoughtful and perceptive. They are uncomfortable being caught off-guard. They want others to know they’re always prepared, ready to share their unique insight and add something interesting to the conversation. In social situations, they might come across as detached or standoffish, when in reality Fives simply prefer observing and gathering mental notes, rather than participating.

Sixes: The Loyalist

• Dedicated
• Consistent
• Responsible

Sixes can come across as worriers, usually planning for the worst and expecting calamities at any moment. They are dedicated and cooperative, and seek out security. When they seem indecisive or self-doubting, it’s often simply because they’re brimming with questions. This skepticism can at times feel like a wet blanket to others, but it can help Sixes spot potential catastrophes and get things back on track before a project has a chance to fall apart.

Sevens: The Enthusiast

• Joyful
• Spontaneous
• Charming

Sevens are energetic and usually on a constant lookout for their next adventure, which might make them seem scattered or unfocused. Wherever the excitement is happening, Sevens are likely to be found right in the middle of it. They often try to evade complicated or stressful situations in favor of something they find more enjoyable. Sevens see possibilities everywhere. Their ability to bounce back quickly when life has them down for the count makes them the kind of person that others want on their team.

Eights: The Challenger

• Assertive
• Intense
• Courageous

Eights can seem like they have a hard outer shell, sometimes coming across as aggressive or stubborn in their ways. While it may feel intimidating, intense discussions are what help them relate to others. Their dominant demeanor makes them natural leaders. Even when they’re not actually in a leadership position, people may still look to them for direction because they have an uncanny ability to take charge and influence people.

Nines: The Peacemaker

• Warm
• Cooperative
• Harmonious

Nines come across as easy-going, gentle, and accommodating people. Because they are so relaxed and adaptable, indecision often plagues them. Nines may often agree with the opinions of others in order to avoid conflict and keep the peace, which might make it seem difficult to get to know them or have a genuine conversation with them. They are optimistic and supportive, and can see things from many points of view.

Enneagram Perceptions By Type was originally published in My User Guide on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

“Your Name is higher, your Name is greater, ALL my hope is in you.” A variation of that will be my next tattoo, that’s how strong it resonates in my soul. Why?

What if “all my hope is in you” were the practical theology with which I lived my life? Emphasis on the ALL. Sure, I can sing that Christ is the “anchor of my soul,” and somehow I’d provide a faint echo of Hebrews 6. But what about ALL my hope…is that true?

Is ALL my hope in Christ?

I confess, in my life, it isn’t.

But, I think, it has to be.

Because there is hope in the promise of the Cross. But until that semblance of hope becomes ALL the hope you will know, it isn’t really hope…it’s just insurance. Hope isn’t insurance. Hope isn’t a backup plan. Hope isn’t Allstate.

Netflix got it right — it’s “All or Nothing.” Either ALL my hope is in Christ or it doesn’t matter. Because what Christ accomplished either matters to the utmost, or is just another side note in historical textbooks.

The point is this: is it ALL? Think about it from a poker perspective…am I holding anything back? Am I playing all my chips holding a stack back?

I’ve pretty much doubled down on this Jesus thing. But any logician worth his/her salt will show you that you have to be true to your argument. In mine, it’s either ALL or NAUGHT. There is no in-between.

In Hebrews 6, we remember Genesis 15, when the Almighty God walked among the pieces, signifying the severity and ultimate promise of His covenant — that if God Himself failed in his promise He Himself would be killed afterwards — He (God) cemented the final idea that hope will not disappoint.

So it has to be ALL my hope. It can’t be some of my effort, my talent, my smallish-offensive-line-touchdown-drive push into the endzone. If that were it, it wouldn’t be hope, it would be drive…work ethic…grit…desire.

My hope points not to an emotion, or a gumption, or a feeling on a particular day. My hope points to a man, a living hope, a resurrection. A hope that never, eternally, disappoints.

Jesus.

That’s the jam. That’s where ALL hope has either already died…or lives eternally.

— — — — —

I’m happy to talk, answer questions, or share about this or anything else I’ve posted. Feel free to reach out. 💙 You can also follow me on Twitter

ALL My Hope was originally published in Real Christianity on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I recently sold my house. Despite reading my fair share of Architectural Digest, I really don’t know much about real estate. I’ve run and sold small businesses, but this was my first real estate transaction. Basically, I didn’t know what I didn’t know…or should know. I guess that’s the point; I just didn’t know. The value of hiring a real estate professional wasn’t to sell the house, it was to be the expert.

I’m an experienced businessman; I negotiate, sell, and close transactions every day. I suppose I could “sell” a house, but ask me if a particular red flag on an inspection report is a “make-or-break, oh-sh*t-buyers-walk,” issue and I’d be stumped. I’m paying a real estate professional not for the transaction, but for the expertise. To make the right decision, I need the right information, and remember, I don’t know what I don’t know.

Actually, it’s more than the right information…right? It’s the right information with the proper amount of confidence. That “talk-myself-off-the-ledge” sort of confidence that, when heard, makes it seem okay.

It’s the same in any client services business. Our clients aren’t ultimately paying for a website. They’re paying for expertise, peace of mind, solutions to problems, reports to their bosses, sighs of relief. The extent to which we understand the internal angst of our clients, the better service we’ll provide.

And that’s the business we’re in. It’s not a client service(s) business, it’s a client service business. Sure, they’re paying for the end result — if I didn’t actually close on my house I’d be the emotional equivalent of 😢😭🤢😡 — but ultimately, really, in their heart-of-hearts, our clients are paying for our ability to assuage their fears. And trust me, they have fears, doubts, misconceptions…they don’t know what they don’t know.

Be the expert. Consult. Advise. Inform. Placate. And if we don’t know the answer, make it up…I’m joking…kind of. No, seriously, find out the answer, but act professional. I didn’t really care if I had to fix the roof or not, I just wanted to be assured that it wouldn’t tank the deal. We have to listen to what our clients are saying, and then listen again to perceive what they’re actually fearing.

Question: “Does this CMS have [XYZ] feature” is often translated to “I’m so strapped for time, there’s no way I can manage this website if I can’t update this page quickly.”

Answer: “This is the most efficient CMS on the market, we have 15 clients on it and they constantly talk about how easy it is to maintain their site…in fact, they rarely have to call us to make any changes.”

We are client-emotions managers. We aren’t building a $100k piece of software, we’re building a $100k cornerstone of trust. Be the expert; be trustworthy; be humble; be informed; be perceptive.

The result? Great work: yes. Reduced stress-inducing-ahhhhhhhhhhs: no doubt. Long-term, profitable, satisfying client relationships: you betcha.

(Originally published on the Zaengle blog)

Experts Wanted was originally published in Better Through Code on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Not a lot of folks know about this part of the story, mostly because this topic (for anyone who’s experienced it) is extremely personal and, perhaps more importantly, there is still a stigma attached to anything surrounding the word “opioid” or “drug.” Even for folks who have legitimate medical conditions under the care of licensed physicians, these are things you just don’t talk about because unfortunately in a lot of minds the line between “patient” and “addict” is very blurry.

The Timeline

About 7 years ago I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, and in 2012 I blew two discs in my lumbar spine requiring surgery. I had been on painkillers on and off throughout that time as my Crohn’s flared and in post-surgery recovery but nothing chronic. My back pain increased in the years following my surgery (I realize now it was probably due to excess scar tissue rather than the actual injury) and in 2014 I began seeing a physician for pain management.

On paper I was the perfect candidate — Crohn’s Disease, blown out lower back, fairly big decrease in quality of life, inability to do certain activities, etc. I don’t have regrets per se, I think it was the right decision to seek treatment, but in hindsight I wish I had made the duration shorter, and focused more on treatments that have now brought me the most relief (consistent exercise, targeted strength training, Myofascial Release, and an anti-inflammatory diet). Nevertheless, I remained in a chronic opioid regimen for the better part of 2 years.

Things started off fine enough, I saw some relief, and didn’t have any major side effects. My doc told me I’d become dependent (which I did), but everything was wrapped in a “don’t worry, these medications are incredibly safe, just do what we say” message. What’s not communicated is how these medications dramatically affect the brain, and how little control you have over them. Sam Quinones, in his book Dreamland, writes that the morphine molecule has

“Evolved somehow to fit, key in lock, in the receptors that all mammals, especially humans, have in their brains and spines…creating a far more intense euphoria than anything we come by internally. It creates a higher tolerance with use and exacts a mighty vengeance when a human dares to stop using it.”

As more studies are conducted on opioids and related drugs, doctors are realizing how quickly a “relief” turns into a runaway train. The first rule of medicine is “do no harm” and unfortunately too many medical professionals realized too late that this directly applies to chronic opioid use. Opioids aren’t meant to be used for extended periods of time in part because their efficacy wanes with use, but the brain’s absolute need for them doesn’t.

It’s a problem on top of a problem because not only does the brain reprogram itself to need more of these drugs, it also stops producing its own “relief” agents like Dopamine and Serotonin. Why would it, when the euphoric effects from these drugs are so much more than the brain can produce on its own? Additionally, proven side effects of opioids are that they actually increase “pain” sensations — almost like a self-preservation mechanism to trick your brain into thinking it’s in more pain so that it consumes more of the drug.

I experienced all of this. I “needed” higher doses to maintain adequate pain relief, which kickstarted and cultivated this vicious cycle. I began ignoring doctor’s orders and consistently took more medication than I should (and knew that I should) which caused hellish withdrawals towards the end of the month before I could get a refill. My brain became obsessed with these medications — when was my next dose, how many do I have left, can I make through to my next refill, how can I get more? I became addicted. I even explored other methods to procure these medications outside of proper channels, something that, in my right mind, I would NEVER do. They literally made me crazy.

I can’t emphasize enough the incredibly negative impact these medications had on my brain. I mentioned before how little control you actually have over these medications. They affect you at a biological level that you have no control over, and you aren’t even aware of it. You lose control while thinking you’re in control and even when you realize you aren’t in control you somehow twist things so it doesn’t seem to matter. They cause depression and anxiety, and they wreak havoc on your gut, liver, and adrenals. I felt terrible, was moody at best and flat out diabolical towards my family at worst. I had no energy, couldn’t sleep, and had no desire to exercise or do much of anything. Ironically, what started as a desperate way to control pain and feel better, ended in a constant state of feeling far worse.

Here’s the misconception about addiction: the stigma of addiction, or of opioid use, or of pain management, or whatever, is that it’s a willpower issue, not a biological issue. Now, does that get me off the hook? No, because I’m a sinner, and certainly I recognized my sinful behavior over and over…trust me, the guilt and shame I felt when I ran out, or took too much, or got caught trying to get meds from other avenues was miserable. But there’s a HUGE biological component because of what these drugs do to the brain.

Just like so many stigmas are starting to fade away with mental health issues, I hope the same happens with addiction, and opioid use. It wasn’t a willpower challenge for me — I wanted to get off these monsters more than you realize, but the biological barrier was too great for a long time. I know so many folks who have been, or currently are, in the same boat. You have to realize, it’s not like I was a recreational drug user looking for the next high — I was a guy with serious health issues, serious pain, and a legitimate case for medically-led pain management. And it still happened to me.

The Aftermath

By the grace of God (and that is 100% the reason), I stopped all medications in the late Summer of 2016 and I haven’t taken a single thing since — the only things I take now are my Crohn’s medication, an occasional Tylenol, and a bunch of vitamins (like a bunch). Withdrawals were hell, and that’s all I’ll say about that. But I can tell you how great I feel and how grateful I am to not be a statistic.

There are legitimate uses for opioids, in many ways they are miracle medications. I know folks with Cancer who literally can’t do life without them. Next time I have surgery, or if I head to the ER with a bad Crohn’s flare, I’ll absolutely use them. But that’s it. No chronic use, no use for minor issues, not again. Not ever.

I’m happy to say most of my back pain is gone. For the past 18 months I’ve focused heavily on targeted leg and lower back exercises (the folks in the gym look at me funny when I do my prone Supermans on the dirty YMCA floor). For about a year I did consistent Myofascial Release with my Physical Therapist. My posterior chain is still pretty inflexible, but as long as I keep up with consistent training and stretching, I can keep the pain at bay. I’m running again, swimming, playing soccer, doing deadlifts, and even showed up my kids in a cartwheel competition yesterday.

I’ve also significantly altered my diet. I’ve had to change several things since my Crohn’s diagnosis, but I’ve become an even bigger believer in “food as medicine.” Chronic opioid use really smacks the liver and strips your body of essential vitamins & minerals. As a result, my Crohn’s flared more often because my already immune-suppressed body had less and less to work with. I’ve adopted an anti-inflammatory diet, I supplement liver support and vitamins like crazy, and make these thick green smoothies each day that my kids think are “absolutely gross dad.” But I feel better than ever.

Another Chapter

The purpose of this isn’t to stand on an anti-opioid soapbox, or die on some argument hill, or laud my new miracle diet; it’s simply to tell another chapter in my story. I like being open about where I’ve come, the challenges I’ve faced, the screwups I’ve engineered, and how, by God’s grace and Jesus’ resurrection power, I’ve overcome. I guess that’s the point — I’m an overcomer. We all are. For the better part of 2 years I couldn’t overcome this, it overcame me over and over and over. Then I overcame.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
—1 John 5:4–5

We can all overcome, not as a matter of willpower, but ultimately as a surrender. And can I say something else? If you know folks who are struggling with addiction, with opioid use, with chronic pain, with whatever, can I implore you to encourage them? Don’t judge them. Those who have faced this beast know what it’s like, they know the darkness and the hell and the shadows. If you haven’t faced this, you don’t know those things. That’s not a knock against you, it’s just reality. So don’t judge and pretend like you know. You don’t.

Encourage, love, bear up, pray.

That’s my story, and I’m so grateful to close out that chapter.

—

I’m happy to talk, answer questions, or share about this or anything else I’ve posted. Feel free to reach out. 💙 You can follow me on Twitter

My Opioid Story was originally published in Real Christianity on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Yeah, it’s a pretty self-explanatory statement, why wouldn’t you want an a healthy audience when you launch your product? But what some would say is a luxury, I say is a necessity.

Here’s why it’s important:

• It’s harder to build an audience after/while you’re building a product—mostly because time is limited, and usually the first thing to go is audience & attention efforts.
• Your audience helps guide, validate, and shape your product—getting them involved as early as possible reaps huge dividends.
• I’ve realized there’s a huge psychology component to “early success” in a product launch. The more I see traction and growth in early stages the more motivated and happy I am. The opposite is just as true. If I already have a loyal following, it helps buoy growth and my happiness level.

My most successful products all had a growing audience before we launched. My least successful products were the opposite. Here’s an example:

Rails for Zombies

RFZ was a free Rails course that allowed you to learn the framework and code in the browser without any installation. It was one of the first of its kind, and became the precursor to Code School. We could have charged for it, but for a number of reasons we decided to give it away for free, because we knew the market for this course was the same market that we wanted to target for Code School.

We believed that this course would carry so much value that it would generate a large amount of attention, which in turn would build a large audience — we were right. It went viral, tens of thousands signed-up, played the course, and our launch of Code School several months later was categorically more successful because of the audience we built. We were able to grow sooner and with more traction, and it created a bit of a snowball effect which helped motivate us to continue investing in the product.

The best way to build an audience is to provide a disproportionately positive amount of value to your users over time.

That’s the secret: value, value, value. The best way I know to provide a disproportionately positive amount of value is to offer free content.

Offer Free Content

It can be counter-intuitive to “give away” value before you’ve even built revenue. But in this 2017 marketing world, attention is the digital currency, and it’s incredibly hard to mine. THE best way I’ve found to siphon attention towards your business is one word: FREE. By doubling down on value you’re communicating to your target audience that you care about them, that you believe in what you’re offering, and that it will have a positive impact on their lives.

If you’re building a product, put down your scope docs and focus on developing a plan to offer so much “free” value to your users without asking for anything in return.

Here are some tips when producing free content:

• It should be so valuable it hurts
• It should be similar content to what your product or business will eventually provide and ask money for—i.e. Rails for Zombies was a pre-cursor in UI/UX/Tech to our future product, Code School.
• It should be targeted at your exact audience
• It should be in a medium that matters—go where your users are, maybe it’s social, maybe it’s a blog, a podcast, or a beta platform

I’ve come to realize the extent to which you build an audience prior to building a product directly impacts your velocity of success. Every new product I build will include at least a 3–6mo “audience” phase before we break ground. And I’m evaluating how I can retroactively build an audience for every product I’m currently working on.

What are some ways you’ve build a loyal and attentive audience? Comment below or talk to me on Instagram.

Thanks for hitting the 💙 if you enjoyed this article. You can see more content like this by following me on Twitter, or on Instagram.

PS: I send these and other articles via my weekly newsletter. You can sign up anytime, I won’t spam, promise.

_
Jason is an entrepreneur, product designer, and writer // he’s starting several new businesses in 2017 and documenting the process // dad of 3 // affable

221B.8—The Case of the Attentive Audience was originally published in 221Baker on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

1. We’re a remote team, so each week we have a status call to review our progress and talk about the MVP. We’re going to share those videos with you. I KNOW, RIGHT!? You get to see our pixelated faces talking about the challenges and triumphs of building a digital product, and each Tuesday morning we’ll be sending out our email newsletter with the linked calls. So, sign-up…and all your dreams will come true.
2. This week we’re also launching Logbook, a status log of the things we did the week before — sort of like a changelog meets release notes meets Ron’s Swanson’s “Pyramid of Greatness.” This is must-see internet, folks.

A Note from Method & Craft: Thanks for taking the time to read our article and 💚ing it. If you enjoyed this post, spread the word. You can find us at methodandcraft.com, where you can learn over the shoulder of your favorite designers.

Announcing Logbook was originally published in MethodAndCraft on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Zaengle has successfully grown into a well-respected development firm over the past half-decade, and is perfectly poised to reach the next level. I’ll be continuing my product efforts with Belay, Method & Craft, and Restoried Diamonds, and we also have several product ideas on the Zaengle front as well.

I’m thrilled to jump back into the client services game, and I can’t wait to lead and help build Zaengle as a world class company.

Thanks for hitting the 💙 if you enjoyed this article. You can see more content like this by following me on Twitter, YouTube, or on Instagram.

PS: I send these and other articles via my weekly newsletter. You can sign up anytime, I won’t spam, promise.

_
Jason is an entrepreneur, product designer, and writer // he’s starting several new businesses in 2017 and documenting the process // dad of 3 // affable

As I mention in my first vlog, I might as well lay the gauntlet down. I’m going to try to produce a video blog 5 days a week (Monday — Friday) for the foreseeable future. If nothing else, I’ll have a library of documentation at the end of the year that will either make me laugh or cry (depending on how successful my business initiatives are).

So, that’s that I guess. I’m vlogging. Give it a watch if you’re so inclined, and maybe even subscribe to my channel. Otherwise it’ll just be me, and probably my grandma.

I also just posted a second video…

Thanks for hitting the 💙 if you enjoyed this article. You can see more content like this by following me on Twitter or on Instagram.

PS: I send these and other articles via my weekly newsletter. You can sign up anytime, I won’t spam, promise.

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Jason is an entrepreneur, product designer, and writer // he’s starting several new businesses in 2017 and documenting the process // dad of 3 // affable

221B.7—God Help Me, I’m Vlogging was originally published in 221Baker on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

That word?

Patience. Gollum.

I know, right? I’m not a fan of patience either. I’m like a walking Burger King commercial, I want it “my way” right now. Isn’t there a song about that too?

Aristotle said, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”

I’ve actually reaped the fruit of patience before, but I have such a short-term memory that it still just tastes bitter. I want things to be easy and short, rinse and repeat.

I’m a fast walker—no, not a race walker. I was at Disney recently with the family, and usually I make it a game to see how fast I can walk, while navigating the human gauntlet of Magic Kingdom pushing a stroller like I’m in some warped world of Pacman and Frogger. I find myself getting angry when I have to slow down to let my 6yr old catch up…the nerve right, seriously, what are you six!

Patience sucks.

A SITREP On My Journey:

Since I started this whole adventure, I’ve launched two products, with a third on the way (it’s a girl). Both are doing well, but like any new product, they’re slow. It takes a little longer to build, a little longer to launch, a little longer to build an audience, a little longer to grow.

Work isn’t easy. The grind isn’t easy. Patience isn’t easy.

I tell my son this all the time. Recently I told him about Justin Jackson’s (star forward of the 2017 National Champion UNC Tar Heel Basketball Team GO HEELS) work ethic—over the 2016 summer he spent 6hrs in the gym every day shooting hundreds, if not thousands, of jump shots. Work. Hustle.

The entrepreneurial journey is a hell of a lot of fun. But it’s a hell of a lot of work. In our culture we focus a lot more on the end result than we do on the journey. The journey is where character is built.

I’m trying to be more patient. I’m trying to be okay with going slower. It’s bitter, but I know I’ll reap the sweet fruit.

Thanks for hitting the 💙 if you enjoyed this article. You can see more content like this by following me on Twitter or on Facebook.

PS: I send these and other articles via my weekly newsletter. You can sign up anytime, I won’t spam, promise.

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Jason is an entrepreneur, designer, and writer // he’s starting a new business in 2017 and documenting every step // dad of 3 // affable

221B.6 — The Case of the Impatient Man was originally published in 221Baker on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Hope rises in Jerusalem. Palm branches, joyful shouts, an intimate Passover meal.

Hope fades in Gethsemane. A betrayal, a fight, an arrest.

Hope yields before the Council. Accusations, injustice, silence.

Hope wilts before the Governor. A mob, a criminal released, hands washed.

Hope dies on the Cross. A scourging, pierced feet, a final breath.

If hope ends there, I’m a fool. My faith is silly, useless, vain, hollow (1 Cor 15:14). I have no reason to believe in Jesus. He’s just a good man who succumbs to evil, malice, and injustice, like so many in history. It saddens, angers, even emboldens, but it does not spark hope.

Then came Sunday morning. Women searching, crying, running, proclaiming. It’s empty they say.

Hope rises at an empty tomb.

I believe Jesus died, was buried, and rose again in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:3–8). I believe it logically, and rationally, and historically as well. Maybe I’m crazy, but if I don’t believe this, there’s no reason to be a Christian.

If the resurrection is a farce then my hope dies on Friday. I suffer physically and mentally for what? What do I have to look towards? What helps me endure?

Yeah there are short-term salves in this world that provide some comfort. But there’s no anchor with which to belay up the slope. If you’ve suffered you know this isn’t just depressive self-pity, it’s personal reality.

You endure suffering by focusing on something greater. You believe that this too shall be made right.

The resurrection certifies the death of death. Hell’s defeat. Suffering’s silence. Injustice’s incarceration.

Without the resurrection I have no hope. But, through the resurrection, today’s sad truths become untrue wisps of memory in a metamorphosis of hope. Easter matters most because of one thing:

My hope lives in the empty tomb.

Jason is a product designer, entrepreneur, and writer // dad of 3 // Christian // UNC Tar Heel

If I Had No Hope was originally published in Real Christianity on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.