Guy E. Wood

Do Good. Do Well. Honor God.

Resources

You Need the Right Tools

As an old[ish] guy who loves to learn new tricks, I read a lot and use a wide variety of different tools to help me work, play, fund, and generally manage my time and activities.

I’ve tried a lot of things that just didn’t work for me — they were too complex or expensive or failed to deliver on their promises — so I’m sharing my list of tried and true resources with you so you don’t have to spend your time and money trying things that won’t work for you.

The things I’ve listed below are my most recommended resources for keeping your life on an upward track.

Please note that this list will be revised constantly as I add materials, rationale for the resources I share, links, discounts, free offers, and more, so you’ll want to check back periodically to make sure you don’t miss a beat.

Applications — Computer, Tablet, Mobile Phone

  • Evernote
  • Amazon Kindle Reading App
  • Feedly
  • The Bible Study App
  • SimpleMind (mind mapping)

Blogging and Writing Tools

  • Bluehost
  • StudioPress Themes
  • Scrivener – This is a wonderful and inexpensive tool for writers that has too many features to even mention in this space. It’s like having an all-in-one word processor, binder system, and filing cabinet, plus it can compile your work for hard-copy publications and many ebook platforms (e.g., Kindle, EPUB, MOBI, etc.). Many have called Scrivener the best writing software in the world. NOTE: So you know, it took me a while to figure out how to best use Scrivener so the program sat unused on my computer for several months until I stumbled upon the Learn Scrivener Fast training program (see below). You might take to Scrivener right away but if you find yourself needing help, Learn Scrivener Fast is the best way I know to get you up and running quickly.
  • Buffer
  • Jetpack
  • Missinglettr
  • Lumen5

Miscellaneous Resources That Make My Life Easier

  • Amazon Prime – I honestly don’t know what we would do without Amazon Prime! From Prime Video to Prime Music to Special “Members Only” Deals and fast FREE Prime Shipping on millions of items, we’ve used Prime nearly every day for years.
  • Wanderer Financial – This service, run by Patrick Schulte (see below), provides coaching and up-to-the-minute recommendations for swing trading in the markets. The profits we make with their trading advice help fund our nomadic lifestyle. If you use use my link and my special offer code, REF18ANPUAZDF, those nice guys will give you $50 off your first year’s subscription. Check it out!
  • Action Day Planner – This planner has been my daily go-to for several years now. I’ve tried many different planners, but this is far more useful than all the others.
  • Bullet Journal – The Original Bullet Journal is the perfect adjunct for my Action Day Planner. If you’re unfamiliar with the Bullet Journal, check out the 5-minute introductory video and more at the Bullet Journal site. It’s really an elegant, all-in-one system, and if you really master it you may not even want the Action Day Planner!
  • Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones (Series II) – My “happy place” for writing, grading papers, engaging online with my students, or whatever includes music and the elimination of extraneous noises. With my Bose QC35 headphones on and their active noise-cancellation engaged, I’m able to escape the sounds of coffee shop crowds, noisy airports, and thunderous jet engines so I can get my work done without distractions.
  • Bose SoundLink Mini II Bluetooth Speaker – Sometimes my happy place includes others so I’m also a fan of our Bose SoundLink speaker. It’s small enough to carry anywhere, but its sound belies its diminutive size. The system’s highs are pure and sweet while its lows are deep and throaty without any sense of artificial heaviness.
  • eBags Professional Slim Laptop Backpack – I’m not kidding; this backpack is the bomb! I’ve taken my “office” all over the world inside this extremely durable, good looking, and user-friendly backpack. I’m a compartment freak and this thing has compartments to spare for your laptop, tablet, phone, cords, cables, notebooks, file folders, passports, books, water bottle, and miscellaneous gadgets. In fact, I’ve carried ALL the above PLUS our full-sized Nikon D3200 camera with its 200mm lens! By the way, eBags has thousands of products that will help you pack lighter and smarter for your everyday activities and world travel — and their customer service is second-to-none.

Lifelong Learning Resources

  • Udemy
  • Lynda
  • Khan Academy
  • Learn Scrivener Fast – Scrivener (see listing in Blogging and Writing Tools above)
  • YouVersion
  • Bible Hub

Favorite Websites

  • Christian News Digest – Reliable up-to-the-minute headlines from multiple Christ-centered sources (think Drudge for Christians!) and news analysis from a Christian worldview. [Full Disclosure: This is actually one of my sites, but I would be a fan even if it belonged to somebody else.]
  • Wanderer Financial
  • Smart Passive Income
  • Bumfuzzle
  • The Art of Manliness
  • USCCA

Books — Leadership | Management | Business | Entrepreneurship

Books — Writing | Creating

Books — Personal Development | Lifestyle Design | Personal Finances | Healthy Living

  • The Bible – This is a link to the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible I use every day. I’m a huge fan of the ESV because of its “essentially literal word-for-word” accuracy and use of modern English. Plus, the one linked here is bound well enough to endure a lifetime of daily reading, has large print, and includes tons of helpful footnotes and references, beautiful maps, and an extensive concordance. You can learn a lot more about versions on this post at my Christian News Digest site.
  • A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller – I can’t even count the number of times I’ve read this inspirational little book. If you want to know Jesus, The Good Shepherd, then read this book. The book is getting harder to find so the link I’m sharing here includes two additional books by Keller that also draw on his first-person experiences with sheep and shepherds. Finally, if you’re up for a search, this version includes A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, A Layman Looks at the Lord’s Prayer, A Shepherd Looks at the Good Shepherd & His Sheep, and A Gardner Looks at the Fruits of the Spirit. I have this collection in my library and have found all the works uplifting and insightful.
  • The Story of Christianity Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation by Justo L. Gonzalez – This two-volume work (sold separately) provides a detailed yet readable account of the history of Christianity from its earliest roots all the way through to the modern age. If you are interested in how the Christian church got to where it is today, then these two books are a great place to start. I read these books after nearly 40 years as a Christian and nearly every one of their 1,000-plus revealed people, places, and events that I knew little to nothing about.
  • The Story of Christianity Volume 2: The Reformation to the Present Day by Justo L. Gonzalez
  • My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers – This is the classic! Over 13 million copies of this daily-devotional book have been sold. Each of Chambers‘ 365 lessons is easily read in just two or three minutes and every one of them is worth reading over and over and over again every year. If you would prefer to not buy the book you can read the devotionals at the My Utmost for His Highest site for free. I recommend that you select the updated version unless you really enjoy the Queen’s English. You can subscribe for free and receive daily each day’s readings via email.
  • Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis – While I’ve only listed two of my favorites by C.S. Lewis, you will be blessed by pretty much anything he’s written. These two books were, for me, great introductions to Lewis’ writing style.
  • The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
  • The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey – Fast-paced and easy-to-read, Yancey, a respected Christian journalist, writes about the Jesus he discovered when he put aside his preconceived notions and took a fresh look at the Son of God. You just might learn some new things about Jesus here too.
  • John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken – Even if you’re just slightly familiar with the song, Amazing Grace, or the man who wrote it, then you at least have an inkling what it means to go from disgrace to amazing grace. John Newton’s journey and God’s saving grace are shared artfully in this wonderful book. If you’re interested in more background about the era in which John Newton lived and the efforts of one of his congregants, William Wilberforce, to abolish slavery, I highly recommend the movie Amazing Grace.
  • The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, 15th Anniversary Edition: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread by Peter Reinhart – We love to bake sourdough bread (we keep live sourdough starter and bake fresh bread on our boat) and this book has been a huge help to us, taking us from novices who knew zilch about baking bread to novices who know enough to keep out of trouble. Baking bread is both art and science, and you can spend an entire lifetime trying to master the craft. This book is a great place to start.
  • Bumfuzzle – Just Out Looking For Pirates by Patrick Schulte – We live on our boat and this book played a role in helping us make the decision to weigh our anchors and become digital nomads. The Schulte family has led a fascinating life on the land and on the water. If you dream of living light and traveling, this book is a great idea generator.
  • Live on the Margin by Patrick Schulte – This is a good adjunct to Schulte’s Bumfuzzle book and to his services at Wanderer Financial (see the listing under Favorite Websites below), as it gives readers an idea of how it’s possible to fund a wanderer’s lifestyle. What if I told you that you don’t have to wait until retirement to wander around? There are ways and Live on the Margin shows you how the young Schulte family has managed to have adventures all around the world for more over 15 years now. Hey, live while you’re alive!
  • Pretty much anything by Max Lucado, including (but not limited to):
    • On the Anvil
    • No Wonder They Call Him Savior
    • God Came Near
    • Six Hours One Friday
    • The Applause of Heaven
    • And the Angels Were Silent
    • When God Whispers Your Name
    • In the Grip of Grace
    • He Chose the Nails
    • 3:16: The Numbers of Hope
    • Cast of Characters
    • Grace
    • Before Amen
    • Glory Days
    • Because of Bethlehem
    • Anxious for Nothing

Books — Miscellaneous

  • The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
  • 50 Core American Documents: Required Reading for Students, Teachers, and Citizens by Christopher Burkett
  • The Portable Patriot: Documents, Speeches, and Sermons That Compose the American Soul by Joel J. Miller and Kristen Parrish
  • Common Sense by Thomas Paine
  • Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto by Mark R. Levin
  • The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison