I’ve recently contacted a couple of companies via e-mail. And guess what? I’ve gotten no response.

Unresponsiveness is a personal PET PEEVE. Along with companies who only unlock one of the two side by side doors. If there’s TWO DOORS they should both be operational! [/rant]

If you are a business owner and do not plan on responding to e-mails don’t put your e-mail address on your business card or website. Do not have a fancy contact form if no one is checking those messages and responding.

I strongly dislike talking on the phone. So that’s why I’ve never listed my phone number on my business cards. Will I lose some business because some people would much prefer to pick up the phone? Yes. But I maintain my peace by drawing boundaries.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!!!!

We are now residents of Clarksville TN.  I’ll have to give you a tour soon.  My parents visited from South Carolina and were our first overnight guests.

Want to hear the story of how it happened?  Sign up for our e-mail ministry updates if you aren’t already and hear the whole amazing story.

Want our new mailing address?  Shoot us an e-mail and we’d be glad to give it to you.

Sorry this isn’t a video update, my ipod touch died the night we moved

Here’s a photo of my parents visit and Jess and me and Karl.

– Jim and Jess (and Karl)

If you are having problems viewing this please click on this link to see it in your web browser.

https://jimjessbaker.com/linky-wednesday-02-17-16

My friend Nate has been making videos about his time in Korea. I loved how this video took a normal every day occurrence and visually told a beautiful story.

Nate is using this sony point and shoot camera and imovie.  I wish I had some video skills.

==

I had the privilege of leading Kaylia’s local outreach to Waikiki every week. Now she is in Greece with a team working with Syrian refugees. Check out this informative blog post about what they are doing on the ground. –> answers to your questions http://bit.ly/1Sy7V4C

This pretty much sums up the Missionary lifestyle that Jess and I have led.  –> The Little Blue Suitcase: Obedience is Easy, but Uprooting is Not http://bit.ly/1PQvhNb

==

The rebranding process is going amazingly.  Working with Bryan from www.swissco.us is a JOY and I highly recommend their team.  Click on the link above to see the progress of the site, and comment and tell us what you think of the new logo.

Here’s a tip when hiring a web designer: Hire someone that has a real eye for design. they will be able to tell you if you are communicating visually what you really want to be communicating.

==

Did you find something in this week’s Linky Wednesday useful?  Please click the LIKE and SHARE button below!  

IMG_7477.MOV from Jim and Jess Baker on Vimeo.

You won’t believe what we announce at 1:36

If you are having problems viewing this please click on this link to see it in your web browser.

https://jimjessbaker.com/linky-wednesday-02-10-16/

Our friend Jeanette talked about this video last time we saw them in Louisville.  Really really crazy.

As you probably know I’m pretty big on safety.

You do have a fire escape plan, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in the house right?  And you’ve used a fire extinguisher before as well?  If not now might be a really good time to get some of those things in order.

==

I picked up these two books at Costco.  I remember my friend Joanna posting an instragram pic of the book before she moved to Korea and said it was really helping.  And our house mate Corrin said she’s reading it right now to.  I really do want to be tidy, a good clean environment is peaceful and productive.

==

How to Connect with Your Audience – Holistic Honey http://bit.ly/1KVOVVX 

I’m working on applying the 80/20 rule that Samantha talks about in this post.  Great content.

==

Doing ministry Well is on a break from posting new episodes while we rebrand.  In the mean time check out the company we’ve chosen to help us in our entire digital rebirth.

==

Did you find something in this week’s Linky Wednesday useful?  Please click the LIKE and SHARE button below!  

I was hanging out with Jimmie Turner the other day and he told me about impromptu phone recording of a Bethel Church staff meeting.  Jimmie talked about how full of honor the meeting was and how good it was to see what happens behind the scenes.

Bill Johnson the senior pastor was asked this question, “Being younger than you, if you were us, in that desire to be friends with the Lord what would you advise us to do now”

Bill quietly responded: “Grow in your affection for Him and stop evaluating yourself, (laughter) just get over yourself.  Just the affection is the adoration it’s the willingness to spend time without asking for anything.”

A follow up question was asked  “Why is getting over yourself connected with friendship with the Lord.”

“If you’re constantly evaluating yourself you’ll never feel qualified for that friendship cause you’ll live with this awareness of what doesn’t work what’s not right.  You just always disqualify.  When there is constant evaluation of how I’m doing somehow I’m going to disqualify myself… you end up disqualifying yourself for the significance He has for you, it just comes down to being impressed with His significance over your own insignificance.  One has to stand up stronger than the other and it makes up for what you feel you lack.  I live with an awareness of what I lack I don’t known if you ever escape that but grace means He more than makes up for that lack.”

I needed to hear that segment of the interview.  I need to be reminded that friendship with God is a real thing.  I need to go spend some time adoring Him before I turn this blog post into a list of things I should be doing.

When was the last time you spent time with God and didn’t ask for anything?  Let us know in the comments.

If you are having problems viewing this please click on this link to see it in your web browser.

https://jimjessbaker.com/linky-wednesday-02-03-16

They literally called me “indoor boy” in my boy scout troop.  But look at me now… when I’m not outdoors camping I’m watching videos of other people camping… and I’m indoors… DANG IT!

Anyway, survival lilly has a fun educational channel and made this cool “survival shelter”  aka epic tree house on the ground… ground house… anyway, just watch the video and enjoy.

==

My miracle computer lives on.  If you haven’t heard the miracle computer story take a second and click that link its the craziest step of faith I’ve ever taken.

I’m not sure if I blogged about it, but someone recently gave me a 13″ macbook pro.  So I sent my old miracle computer to a friend and bought them a solid state hard drive to speed things up a bit.  Solid state hard drives are seriously a must upgrade if you don’t have one.  Tangible difference in speed and not to pricy.

==

Take The First Step – Christy Wright on Dave Ramsey’s Blog

So simple, yet so necessary to remember and implement, worth the quick read.

==

If you haven’t already check out this weeks episode of Doing Ministry Well! This week we interview Justin White and he shares 3 tips to doing ministry well.  Check it out.   If you haven’t yet PLEASE rate, comment and subscribe on Itunes to keep up with the most recent episodes!

==

More actual content besides Linky Wednesdays is coming soon, life’s been a bit crazy but I can tell you more about that in a month.

==

Are you liking Wednesday links?  Did you find any of these links useful?  Share with us some of the links you’ve been finding interesting this week!  Let us know in the comments!

If you are having problems viewing this please click on this link to see it in your web browser.

https://jimjessbaker.com/linky-wednesday-01-27-16

I found this drummer recently and she’s amazing.  I originally saw her drum lesson on quintuplets and the first 2 minutes of her playing blew my mind.  I love the musicality of her drumming.  A lot of people have chops and play super fast and it sounds like noise, there is a real musical aspect to her drumming.

==

We survived the snowpocolypse!  We stayed indoors the whole time.  Our grass that we haven’t cut in a while still showed through the snow so it was no big deal.  We went to wal mart the night before it was going to snow, not thinking and it was a MAD HOUSE.  After living in Hawaii I try and make sure we have enough of all of the essentials in the house and so we didn’t need to run out and buy more toilet paper or anything like that.  Jess and I kept asking ourselves what we needed and we couldn’t think of anything.

==

I had no clue that by moving the mainland I was going to have to buy so much winter gear.  I think when I lived on the mainland before I was younger and had to prove that I was tough or something and bare the cold.  Not anymore!  Hawaii thinned out my blood.  I bought my first pair of wool socks and they are AMAZING.  So soft and warm and breathable.  I tried synthetic winter socks once when I was a kid and didn’t like them because my feet go to hot and sweaty.

71% Merino wool socks 

I also needed something to keep my head warm so I bought this “toque” as the Canadians call it.  I bought one with a brim because my face is to round to wear a beanie.

==

If you haven’t already check out this weeks episode of Doing Ministry Well! This week we interview Steve Gregg, he shares 3 tips to doing ministry well.  Check it out.   If you haven’t yet PLEASE rate, comment and subscribe on Itunes to keep up with the most recent episodes!

==

Are you liking Wednesday links?  Did you find any of these links useful?  Share with us some of the links you’ve been finding interesting this week!  Let us know in the comments!

Taylor’s legit. I remember my dad saying that a good song should be just as good stripped down to an acoustic guitar and vocals than it is full band. And she does it. I’m so impressed with her as a musician and a business woman. Her voice is SPOT ON.

These icons in whatever field they are in, super star athletes, jeopardy stars, have natural talent but then have put hours and hours and hours into perfecting their trade.

Is everyone capable of reaching this level of talent/success if they put the time in?

When I see excellence it does two things. It inspires me and then instantly discourages me. Am I willing to put in the hard work to be that good at anything. And what should I be putting that effort into?

Hesitation is sticky. “A car is easier to steer once it’s in motion.” Maybe it requires throwing yourself fully into something and let God do the steering.

I’ve dabbled in a lot. And I see all of those things as tools in my tool belt. Different gifts come out at different times. Maybe I need to dust off my guitar and start running some scales, or bust out the drum pad and work on my paradiddles.

This question goes through my mind often:  Am I pursuing the right things?  Am I putting my energy and hard work where it needs to be going?  Am I putting in the hard work?  Or is fear of putting my hard work into the wrong thing my excuse so that I never have to work hard.

As I thought about this blog post before scheduling it, I remembered making a phone call one evening on a cool summer night from a porch in Ohio.  I was talking to my friend Jeff and he shared a quote that is appropriate here.

“God’s not looking for perfection, just faithfulness.”

Thoughts?  Share them in the comments.

If you are having problems viewing this please click on this link to see it in your web browser.

https://jimjessbaker.com/linky-wednesday-01-06-15

Happy New Year everyone.  I was recently interviewed for the Engaging Missions podcast you can check out that interview by clicking on the link below.

==

I bought Jess a diffuser for Christmas and we have been diffusing On Guard which smells amazing.  Orange and clove is what I smell and it’s suppose to help your immune system.  A great natural alternative to the cancer causing glade plug ins.  Do you diffuse?  What’s your favorite oil to diffuse?  Let us know in the comments.

==

So I found out I’ve been violating Amazon’s terms and conditions previously and want to make things right and clear things up.

1.  It’s against amazon’s terms and conditions for me to give you a direct link.  You have to come to this site and then get to amazon.
2. Book marking the amazon direct link will only work for 30 days because of cookies.  So you’ve got to come back here and click on it again, better to… ah, never mind I’m not allowed to ask you to bookmark anything.
3. I also can’t ask you to “help us out” by using our amazon link because that provides “incentive.”

So uh… we’re amazon affiliates.  There’s also a link over there –>

==

If you haven’t already check out this weeks episode of Doing Ministry Well! This week we interview Pastor Emory Gaskins, he shares 3 tips to doing ministry well.  Check it out.   If you haven’t yet PLEASE rate, comment and subscribe on Itunes to keep up with the most recent episodes!

==

Are you liking Wednesday links?  Did you find any of these links useful?  Share with us some of the links you’ve been finding interesting this week!  Let us know in the comments!