One way to judge the degree of power or influence that something has is to observe what happens when it is absent. God has given men, especially fathers, tremendous power to influence the lives of those around them. In particular the lives of women and children are hugely impacted by what a man does or doesn’t do with his life. For instance men who are good fathers and husbands mightily bless the lives of their wives and children. Those men... Read more
1. Lance Armstrong once believed that since he didn’t have any big-time character flaws, then after he died he could stand boldly before the throne of an all-righteous and almighty God, (if there indeed was a God), and all would be okay between Lance and God. So, according to Lance, what mattered most in God’s eyes … was that Lance was a good guy. Hmm. Let’s sift through that worldview a bit, and let’s do... Read more
I know that teenagers sometimes don’t like their parents’ rules. Sometimes they even will sneak to disobey. The question is… how far will teenagers go to get their way? According to a recent ABC News report, a California teenager was so unhappy with her parent’s guidelines, she decided to drug their milkshakes to put them to sleep so she could browse the internet. And I thought I was bad for sneaking cookies when I was a kid! The teenager and... Read more
The type of men we are determines the type of men our boys become. In his book, Man of Steel and Velvet, Aubrey Andelin talks about the importance of men being both strong and tender. He likens a man’s character to a building having a strong foundation of steel to support the structure; while the interior decorations, artwork, and landscaping are like velvet that smoothes off the rough edges, adding beauty and softness. Because boys today are not being trained... Read more
I encourage you all not to let this date pass by unnoticed—Tuesday, January 22, 2013. It marks the 40th anniversary of Roe Versus Wade, the landmark decision by the Supreme Court that effectually makes abortion legal in the USA. Since the case’s decision in 1973, roughly 50 million abortions have taken place legally in America. That’s about 1.2 million abortions last year alone. Let that number sink in—more than a million per year. Picture all the American... Read more
One of the biggest complaints I’ve been hearing from parents recently is, “My kid won’t talk with me?” I hear it again and again. Parents want to open the channels of communication in the home, but they can’t seem to get more than one word answers out of their kids. Some of you have read my tips on how to get your teenagers talking, rules like, “Don’t ask yes or no questions.” But what do we actually say? In other... Read more
Marriage today seems less binding than a cell phone contract. A significant percentage of first marriages now fail. An even greater percentage of second marriages do not last either. As if the challenges of a first marriage weren’t tough enough, anyone who has been in a blended family will tell you about the myriad of additional trials this scenario presents; two sets of kids, two separate histories, two completely different life philosophies, parenting styles, and sets of baggage. And when... Read more
Two summers ago I found myself at a book signing event seated alongside seven of the original Band of Brothers, the men of Easy Company who have become symbols of heroism in World War II. I sat near the tail end of a long table. The men and I were on one side, and a crowd of well wishers on the other. The line of people in Pennsylvania that day waiting for autographs and to shake hands with the... Read more
What do most of 2012’s top songs have in common? Take a guess. Sex? Partying? Love? Would you believe… “Heartache”? Yes, the top songs of 2012 had their share of sex and partying, but most of the songs that crawled to the top of the billboard charts echoed a common message: the heartache from lost love. Believe it or not, the number one album for the last two years straight has been Adele’s “21.” Adele sold 4.41 million of her... Read more
There is an old legend regarding the Cherokee Indian youth’s Rite of Passage. When a boy is ready to become a man, the father takes his son into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a tree stump the entire night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. After he survives the night, he is considered a... Read more
A Few Grown Men
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