EFL, in the beginning…

For centuries, human beings have used equations to make sense of complicated things.

In physics, chemistry, and mathematics, the problems were often difficult, unpredictable, and overwhelming. Equations did not simply appear out of nowhere. They emerged as people observed the world, tested ideas, learned from failure, and refined their understanding over time. Eventually, complex truths could be expressed in a simple form.

Once an equation was understood, it could be applied again and again. Instead of solving the same problem from the beginning every time, we could draw upon the accumulated knowledge of those who had gone before us.

That is one of the beautiful things about an equation: it turns complexity into clarity. In many ways, that is also what wisdom does.

The Equations of Scripture

The same principle applies to life.

The Bible is an extraordinary collection of wisdom written across centuries, cultures, languages, and generations. It records the experiences of people encountering God, wrestling with human nature, enduring suffering, pursuing purpose, learning obedience, receiving grace, and discovering what it means to love.

When viewed through a particular lens, many biblical principles function almost like equations. They show us that certain things, when brought together, consistently produce something else:

• Grace and faith lead to salvation.
• Trust and surrender produce peace.
• Weakness combined with God’s grace becomes strength.
• Curiosity can lead to understanding. Understanding can become compassion. Compassion can become love in action.

The Bible does not reduce life to a formula. Life is far too personal, mysterious, and sacred for that. But Scripture does reveal dependable truths about how God created us to live. Equations for Life is an attempt to express those truths in a form that is simple enough to remember, yet deep enough to live by.

The First Equation

One of the first equations that became meaningful to me was the equation for contentment. I began with a question…

How do I become content?

I knew I could not expect to feel happy every moment. Happiness changes with circumstances. Contentment, however, seemed deeper. It meant being at peace, satisfied, and grounded in the life I had been given.

As I studied Scripture and examined my own life, I realized that two things needed to be present and the first was gratitude.

When I focused only on what I lacked - the better job, the newer car, the different house, the next opportunity - I became restless. But when I stopped and recognized what I had already received, my perspective changed. Food on the table. A roof overhead. People to love. Meaningful work. Transportation. Health. Another day of life.

Gratitude reminded me that so much of what I considered ordinary was actually a gift. And yet, gratitude by itself did not always produce contentment. Something was still missing.

I realized that I also needed obedience. There were things I knew I should be doing: caring for my body, making wise choices, taking walks, eating well, spending time in prayer, listening for God, and following through on the convictions placed on my heart.

When I ignored those things, I felt unsettled. Even when I had much to be grateful for, I knew I was not living in alignment with what I believed. But when gratitude and obedience were both present, contentment followed. The equation became:

It was simple, memorable, and surprisingly dependable. Whenever I felt discontented, I could return to the equation and ask two questions:

1. Am I being grateful for what I have been given?
2. Am I being obedient to what I already know I should do?

Those questions did not solve every difficulty, but they helped reveal where my heart had drifted and how I could begin moving back toward peace.

The Equation Becomes Something More

Years ago, I was part of a weekly men’s group that became very meaningful to me.

It was a season when I needed wisdom, encouragement, accountability, and the perspective of other men who were willing to share honestly from their own lives. The conversations we had and the truths we explored helped shape some of the thinking that would eventually become Equations for Life.

One of the men in the group, Drew, surprised us one day by sending everyone T-shirts featuring the contentment equation: C = G + O - Contentment = Gratitude + Obedience.

Seeing the equation printed on a shirt changed something for me. Until that moment, it had primarily been a personal idea - a simple truth that helped me examine my own life. But on the shirt, it became something visible, memorable, and shareable.

It could start a conversation. It could encourage someone. It could remind a person of a truth they needed at exactly the right moment. That was the day the idea of placing these equations on shirts, hoodies, jewelry, and other meaningful items was born.

So thank you, Drew, for seeing the possibility before I did. And thank you to Bob, Kelly, Kevin, Wade, and Mike - the other men in that group who shared their wisdom with me at a time when I needed it most.

The Beginning of Equations for Life

That simple discovery became the beginning of Equations for Life.

I began wondering whether other spiritual principles could be expressed in the same way. Could complex life experiences be broken down into their essential elements? Could biblical wisdom be communicated in a way that people could understand in seconds, remember for years, and apply when life became difficult?

Each equation begins with a word: peace, courage, forgiveness, gratitude, strength, wisdom, hope, or love. Then we ask: What biblical truths must be present for this principle to take shape in a person’s life?

The result is not intended to replace Scripture. It is designed to point people toward it. The equation is the invitation. The Bible is the foundation. Jesus is the center.

As Colossians 1:17 tells us:

Q.E.D.

At the conclusion of a mathematical proof, the letters Q.E.D. were traditionally written. They stand for the Latin phrase quod erat demonstrandum - “that which was to be demonstrated.”

In modern language, we might simply say: Thus it is shown. Or even: There you have it.

A complex truth, clearly expressed. A principle demonstrated. An equation for life.

Q.E.D.  ‘;)