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4 Characteristics Of Authentic Manhood

4 Characteristics Of Authentic Manhood

We are in our third week of week of the Stepping Up series with our church men’s group. Today we journeyed through defining what is authentic manhood?

Defining authentic manhood is tough, because we don’t see it much in our modern progressive culture. In today’s world view the very idea of manhood has been emasculated and masculinity is under attack. The dominant narrative throws out labels such as clueless, knucklehead, bumbling idiot, fill in the blank ________.

Voddie Baucham, pastor at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring Texas shares that if you could package up todays definition of “manhood” it would the three B’s: billfold, ball-field and bedroom. Being a man in today’s standards is about how much you make, what do you do (focus on athletes) and how are with the ladies. Wow, does today s culture have it wrong!

Heartstone Journey starts the conversation around authentic manhood with Jesus Christ as the model. Why? Because He is the model!

Unfortunately, most of us men don’t follow this model. We follow the Adam model and here’s why.

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February 24, 2015 Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: courage, dad, family, featured, husband, Jesus, kids, stepup

Fathers, Are You Making This 1 Huge Mistake?

Fathers, Are You Making This 1 Huge Mistake?

Another powerful snow storm with blizzard conditions was hammering us in New Hampshire this past weekend. This was another in a series of storms that have been delivering heavy snow, wicked winds and significant snow accumulations on top of an already 2+ feet of snow.

We hunkered down in the family room around the warmth of the wood burning stove and decided to rent a movie. Ready to give up on the vast listing of non-interesting moves we came across ‘The Judge’ with Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall.

Quick synopsis. Robert Downey Jr. plays Hank Palmer, a successful defense attorney in Chicago, who finds himself returning to his childhood hometown to attend his mothers funeral. Early on we see the stress fractures of his “picture perfect” life played out in a bitter divorce narrative as he walks out the door to head home.

If you go online and visit the common places for movie reviews you might skip over this movie because it got beaten up a bit by the movie critics. What do the critics know, right? I thought the movie was engaging and deeply moving and it hit a really BIG chord with me.

What chord was that?

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February 17, 2015 Filed Under: Life Tagged With: dad, family, featured, kids, relationship

Courage Robbers: The Top 10 Things Men Fear Most

Courage Robbers: The Top 10 Things Men Fear Most

I am amped up to be one of the group leaders for a 10 week series our Men’s Ministry group is spearheading at our church called, “Stepping Up”. I was encouraged to see 80+ men decide to take this journey with us to step up into Biblical manhood, despite the crazy snow storm that was raging on outside.

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” -1 Corinthians 16:13-14

After watching the inspiring session one video, which highlighted the courageous story of Red Erwin an airman of the Los Angeles B-29 Super-fortress, I met the five men assigned to my group who will be taking this journey with me. Great bunch of guys with diverse backgrounds and a ton of baggage that most men carry with them, including me. As I was going through the weekly exercises I paused at the section called ‘Courage Robbers’ because so many of us men just get paralyzed by courage robbers.

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.

—Anais Nin

Here is an excerpt from my book Heartstone where I share a snippet of dealing with some of my own courage robbers:

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February 10, 2015 Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: courage, dad, featured, heart, honor, leadership, stepup

3 Super Bowl Ads That Challenged Today’s Culture

3 Super Bowl Ads That Challenged Today’s Culture

If you haven’t noticed, in today’s culture the very idea of fatherhood is under attack. The narrative highlighted by the media, movies and society throws out labels such as clueless, knucklehead, bumbling idiot, fill in the blank ________.

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of seeing these ads that leave you with a dads biggest contribution to child rearing is the narrative “yes dear” as their wives do all the work!

Superbowl 49 was an awesome game! I’m one of those Patriots fan that jumped off the couch when Butler intercepted that pass in the end zone with seconds to go, but also I noticed major brands deciding to take on fatherhood and it got noticed. During the game that was seen by more than 100 million people, these ads showcased dads as they really are; loving, caring, supportive, helpful, courageous, protective, masculine and a major part in their children’s lives. What a concept!

Each ad pulled at my heart strings, so lets take a look at each of them.

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February 3, 2015 Filed Under: Life Tagged With: dad, family, featured, life, relationship

Being A Dad Doesn’t End After Divorce!

It’s impossible to fully understand the sorrows of divorce unless you have journeyed through its dark valleys of anguish. I have learned that these valleys only yield a desolate emptiness to anything that was once close and dear. During the agonizing process of divorce, we do not have the capacity to clearly see that we are blindly making the choice to end a marriage, a family, and are starting a vicious circle that only erodes. People have no idea of the painful realities of what lies on the other side of the violent ripping of a one-flesh covenant God intended. Divorce is always destructive, and its ripple effects are far-reaching and long-lasting. No one would argue that love and intimacy are essential to any marriage relationship, but when we assume that love and intimacy alone will sustain a marriage is when problems begin to emerge. When we build sandcastles around our hopes, dreams, and expectations, it all is violently swept away when the tidewater comes raging in. This modern culture has reduced a God-given covenant between a husband and wife into a self gratifying contract, complete with terms, conditions, indemnification and an exit clause!

(Excerpt from Heartstone Copyright © 2009 by Tim Young. All rights reserved.)

And who loses the most? The kids!

Listen to this power poem by Prentice Powell called “Good Father”. The poem dives into his personal experiences with custody battles, visitation rights, and the pain he feels when he’s away from his child.

Most divorces end with the kids staying with the mom, but kids need both parents. The courts need to understand that dads do have a voice, we care about our kids and dads do matter!

September 30, 2014 Filed Under: Life Tagged With: dad, divorce, featured, kids, love

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Favorite Quotes

Every man dies. Not every man really lives. -William Wallace

Cool Scripture

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. -Micah 7:8 (NIV)

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