leadership | Heartstone Journey

3 Universal Desires Of Men Revealed by King Arthur

Some of my favorite movies include Braveheart, Gladiator, 300, Lord Of The Rings, Last Of The Mohicans and Lone Survivor. Another honorable mention to this list is the 2004 remake of King Arthur.

Here is a short summary shared by Claudio Carval. In 400 AD, the Roman Empire extends to Britain and the Romans become impressed with the fight skills of the warrior Sarmatian people, which are spared, but have to send their sons to serve Rome in the cavalry for fifteen years. Only after these services, these knights are free to return home. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have their last mission before achieving their freedom.

I chose this summary because it ends with a powerful word that is not always connected with authentic manhood and that is “freedom”. This theme ebbs and flows all through out history in narratives of the men who fought in the Revolutionary War and the movies mentioned above. Of course there are endless realities and tales of the bravery of men fighting for the cause of freedom, but I want to stay with this for a minute…for the men of today.

Why is this important for the men of today?

Dealing With ‘Being A Coward’ Once And For All

Had the honor of being invited to be the keynote guest of the 2014 Great Men’s Adventure Weekend founded by Russell Shiebler. Russ is a brother in Christ with a passion for missions and equipping men to discover what it means to be a Christian man in this generation.

Our journey began with a majestic ride to northern New Hampshire, deep off the beaten path where technology simply doesn’t work. Yes, a place where cell phone coverage and Internet access have yet to invade.

The purpose for the weekend was to provide a place where men can come together in a non-threatening environment to discover their true nature and the way God created them as uniquely masculine beings. A place to discover their authentic manhood in Jesus Christ. The weekend included man food, shooting events, horseshoe tournaments, fishing, whacking some golf balls, movie night, fellowship and a deepening bond of brotherhood. As Russ shared, “Come prepared for life changing stuff. Come with an open heart and prepare to do some surgery.”

The men, young and old, were just awesome and yes…I did get to share some Hearstone Journey thoughts with the men individually and for fellowship on Sunday morning.

I want to share a bit more about the movie choice for the event. Saturday night we setup a huge outdoor movie screen that was hung between two trees and our band of brothers watched Lone Survivor. This screen would rival most theaters…it was awesome!

In Lone Survivor, Mark Wahlberg plays the role of real life Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell. The mission is for his team to capture or kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. The turning point of the movie is when Marcus and his team makes the difficult and ethical choice of letting an old man and two younger men go, knowing that this decision may lead to heavy sacrifices. Sacrifices that end up telling the story of one of the most valiant efforts of modern warfare many have seen.

The movie is marked by an array of virtues that should humble any viewer, however for me, the theme of brotherhood jumped off of the screen.

Here are some thoughts that I took away from the weekend with this band of brothers.

Billy Graham

Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.

#009: How To Live With Strength And Courage [Podcast]

Join me on the Ambassadors for Christ Radio Spiritual hour with Shawn and Caroline Savage as we discuss ‘Live Courageously’.

You can accomplish anything through Jesus Christ Who strengthens you. The situations do not dictate who you are! The Word of God describes who you are in Christ! As you pursue your journey in the Christian Discipleship process, keep your heart aligned with God’s and your eyes focused on Him.

The Word of God states So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” (Psalm 31:24, NIV).

Join me as I share how to live courageously from the heart!

Do Dads Matter?

One of the foundational topics that’s shared on Heartstone Journey is fatherhood and being a dad. I was recently challenged by a friend on social media to take the “Do Dad’s Matter” challenge started by MochaDad. If there can be a viral outpouring for ALS, why not support of dads?

So, do dads Matter?

3 Universal Desires Of Men Revealed by King Arthur

Dealing With ‘Being A Coward’ Once And For All

Billy Graham

#009: How To Live With Strength And Courage [Podcast]

Do Dads Matter?

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Never Out Of The Fight!

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