MANTURITY

The Spiritual Leader!

2012-03-17T05:44:00.003-07:00

2010

Church wasn't on the schedule, it was an after thought. You see my wife came from a family where her Father was the spiritual leader and I came from a family where my Mother was the spiritual leader. How does that dynamic translate into marriage? Well for us, it meant confusion. We both grew up in the Church, so we thought going to Church would be easy after we got married. Well we both quickly found out that the process was not so easy. Due to the family structures, I would wait for her to mention something about church and she would wait for me to say something about church. I wasn't leading, I wasn't setting an example as the leader of the household, and I was being a coward.

Sunday morning would roll around, and although the church thing was on our mind, we would maybe ask each other if we were going to church or not. Sometimes one of us would say yes, sometimes we would decide not to go. We would even consider doing other things, like going out to breakfast or playing pool. We would try to find something to fill in the time slot, when in reality we knew we should have been at our Fathers house.

This back and forth process went on for some time. We really did not even have a specific church to go to. We would try a new church once and awhile, but we would complain about the way the pastor preached or complain about the people that we saw. How selfish. We finally found a new church online and checked it out one day. This church felt different and the people were really nice too. We met another young couple who invited us to attend a small group marriage class at the church. They were not pushy or condescending in any way, just friendly. We ended up going to the marriage class on a weekly basis, which by the way was 'Love and Respect'. Notice I did not say we were going to the regular church services. Although we did not know it yet, this class was great for our marriage but it was also a way to say we were at church without being, at church. The class helped us form new relationships and opened us up to the ideas that other couples our age were struggling and having to work hard to keep their marriage going on a strong and steady path. We were invited to go to service now and then, and we did, but only to satisfy the pressure from our piers. In a sense, we would go for all the wrong reasons.

2012

Notice my lack of leadership as the man of the house. Or should I say the 'Spiritual Leader' of the house. That's right men; you are the 'SPIRITUAL LEADER' of YOUR household. Your wife should not be waiting for you to make the decision about Sunday or your walk with Christ; you should be the one to have the decision made and your faith ESTABLISHED! Don't hesitate. I can't tell you exactly why I hesitated, but I did and I did it every week. This did not show my wife strength by any means, but rather showed my lack of leadership and ultimately my inability to make a solid decision as the husband. These issues are not only noticed in this situation, but become more pronounced with all of your other decisions. She will doubt you more often, and your role will become less and less important as she has to take on the role (your role). Think about it men. The less you take the lead, the more she will have to take the lead. You are setting your own self up for destruction of your personal confidence and your marriage. YOU are called to lead. YOU are called to serve. So Do It! This is your challenge and you had better take it serious! There is no question about who will lead my household, I am the husband, I will!

READ EPHESIANS 5:21-33

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. -1 Corinthians 11:3

On The Floor

2012-03-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

My legs were tired from working out the week before. Therewere 100 other men around me and the last thing I felt like doing was puttingmy knees on the floor and bowing before the Father. We were all instructed toget on our knees though and that is what I proceeded to do. When I initiallywent down, I could feel my sore legs cry out and I could feel my bad knee startto sing. I just did not feel it. I did not feel the need or the push. Finally Iasked myself, where were all of these excuses coming from? Where was all thisselfishness coming from? I finally put my face to the floor.

The floor was dirty, so I put my hands on the floor in frontof my face. For a minute, I thought about how dirty the floor was and the factthat my face was only inches from it. It was after this point that I started toget angry. I started to ask myself why I felt this way and why was I letting itdominate my every thought. This should be a moment of pure and selflesssacrifice to Christ. Nothing else should matter at this point. Nothing elseshould be so important.

With my eyes closed, I looked far into the distance and Icould see the enemy. I could see him smirking at me and enjoying every momentof my doubt. I raised my hand and pointed my finger at him and told him to “Leaveme” and “Get out of my site!” I could feel my heart beat getting faster andfaster. As I battled with him and felt him slowly moving away, I would look toChrist and ask him to forgive me and help me. As I spoke to Christ the enemywould slowly move back towards me; trying to take advantage of my connectionwith the Father. I would then look back down again and face the enemy straighton and force him back again and again and again. He was relentless.

The Lord finally gave me enough strength to cast him out ofmy site. With my eyes closed and the vision still very real, I fell to my kneesand asked God for his help. I told him that I was tired of the soft food. I wastired of the basics and I wanted to know more. I asked him to show me who hereally was and is. I asked him to take away my doubt and free me from the powerof the enemy. He has no right in my life and he knows it. Christ heard myprayers and answered my prayers. I had no longer felt the pain in my legs orknee. I could no longer feel the stronghold of doubt and fear inside of my head.I had fought that battle with Christ and he was again victorious. I arose fromthe floor with a renewed sense of strength and a renewed sense of love for myGod. He is strong and He is good.

Again, Christ showed me his strength. He showed me that Ican always depend on him and that he will always fight for me. His is on myteam.

How has Christ brought you to the floor before? How has He protected you in times of need?

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This article is also featured today at

'Extant Magazine' and 'bravefaith.org'!

Why the Train Tracks?

2012-03-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

If you haven't noticed, a few of my profile pictures on my sites show a train or the tracks in the background. This is, of course, is by no accident. My wife and I were actually traveling along the top of West Virginia. We decided to take some back roads due to some potential traffic hazards that were showing up on our phones. These backroads turned out to be pretty cool. We left our house in Virginia to go Pennsylvania really early in the morning. When we ventured out on these back roads, it was just getting light outside and there was some fog in the air. We passed some really cool fields, where the fog was settling just right. We traveled along the rivers edge for a few miles and enjoyed the eeriness of water ripples. Eventually we came to a point of the road that traveled alongside the rail road tracks. You see, for some time I had been praying and hoping for an opportunity to find the perfect setting for a photo of myself on the train tracks. We came up to a little side road that crossed the tracks and decided to stop.

There were two sets of tracks at this particular location and the slight fog in the air added the right touch of softness. I told my wife that I wanted to run down the tracks a ways and have her take a picture of me with my arms out and my head faced up looking to God. I proceeded to run down the tracks thinking "I hope a train doesn't come now." I looked back, struck my pose and my wife toook a few photos of me standing on the tracks. Let me go back in time a little bit.

A little over a year ago, you would not have known this man who is now writing this blog. I was an angry, doubtful and hopeless man. My marriage was literally on the rocks and at the verge of divorce. My heart was long gone from any emotion and I was ready to move on with my life away from everything I knew. I had been raised in a Christian home and school my entire life, but I never actually knew who Jesus really was. Marriage only brought out this fact more and in a much stronger way. I know why now, but I had no idea then and did not care to. As I considered the idea of divorce, I had a few brothers that would continue to press into me and lead back down a straight path. I would meet with one of my buddies on a weekly basis and listen to him try to sway me. (Note, he may have few guest posts here in the very near future). Near the end of this madness, I started to meet with my pastor. This was honestly one of the last things I wanted to do on my list, but for some reason I just went with it.

I entered his office thinking this was a waste of time. There was no way he was going to convince me to change my mind. I went forward and discussed the whole story with him and got into most of the gory details. He proceeded to talk to me about what real marriage is, what it stands for and what it is suppose to mean. He challenged me with reading the book of Proverbs and to start researching what it really meant to walk and worship with Christ. Towards the end of the meeting, I told him the following phrase "In order to change, I am going to have to get hit by a Freight Train." His answer was perfect. God gave him the other half of that phrase and it was at this moment that something shifted. Something in my heart, my realist, logical heart broke. He said the following phrase:

In order to get hit by a freight train,

you have to put yourself on the tracks.

I know it doesn't appear to be mind blowing, but for me it was life changing. The train can only hit me if I am willing to stand on the tracks. In other words, I will not find God unless I am willing to go to Him. How am I to find God if I am not willing to take the first steps to get onto the tracks? How am I to find God if I don't have the courage to stand on those tracks until the train hits me? How am I able to love God, if I don't give him my heart? Think about it. Thats all I did when I left his office. I thought about it over and over again and I started to realize what my answer was. God was, has and still is waiting for me to get on the tracks. He was was waiting for me to take the first, bold step of faith. Ever since I decided to take that first step, my life has been forever changed.

What step of faith is God waiting for you to take? Are you willing to step on the tracks?

O, and I forgot to mention that as we were taking the final photos, a train did 'ring' in the distance and about 5 minutes later a train came right past us, on the same set of tracks we were standing on........

Quality Construction: What are you building?

2012-03-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

Wow, this holiness and righteousness requirement of Godseems like such an impossible task to live out. In my own strength, I try tobuild a resistance to the attitudes, temptations, and the daily pulls I encounter. However, an examination of my heart showsme that my best attempts are just flesh-driven habits, mantras, and resolve, easilyevaporated in the heat of spiritual battles. I need something more; I’m dependent on something greater than myself. Icannot walk this road in my own power.

What the Lord continues to do is break me, with eachbreaking, I become weaker in the flesh but stronger in the Spirit. My fleshlyattempts at holiness have been similar to that of a man who builds his home witha faux-brick exterior but expects the performance of a real brick home. Hownaïve. As an exterior adornment, faux bricks and stonework’s look great andgive the appearance of a well-built structure. What’s even more attractive isthe fact that the materials are lightweight, less costly, and install quickly, havingmany of the aesthetic and resistive benefits of the “real thing.” From theoutside, everything looks great.

However, true brick homes take time to build right and requiremore of an investment from those who desire this type of construction. Thoughcostly, the investment in the “real thing” provides an increased resistance to infestation,rot, and harsh weather while providing some thermal benefits.

Translate this analogy over to your spiritual walk and youwill see that we are faced with those same decisions as we choose to allow Godto build our lives—or just settle for something that costs less. Have youconsidered the cost? Psalm 127:1 tells us, “Unless the Lord builds the houseits builders labor in vain.” Are you allowing the Lord to be the architect andbuilder of your spiritual life? We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and weneed a wise architect, a strong builder, and quality materials. Through grace, they’reprovided through the power of God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Paul tells us in Hebrews 3:10-13 (NIV), “By the grace Godhas given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else isbuilding on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹ For no onecan lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood,hay or straw, ¹³ their work will be shown for what it is, becausethe Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the firewill test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴ If what has beenbuilt survives, the builder will receive a reward.”

It this relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that buildsthe type of life and treasures that moths, rust, and thieves cannot destroy orsteal. Pull the sign out of the yard, I’m buying!

Are you allowing the Lord to be the architect and builder of your spiritual life?

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This has been a guest post by a very good friend and brother in Christ, M. Coffin. Look forward to more great posts in the near future!

MM: Complete the Work

2012-02-27T05:18:00.000-08:00

I’m sure about this:the one who has started a good work in you will stay with you to complete thejob by the day of
Jesus Christ.

>>Philippians1:6<<

How refreshing is it to hear that God completes his work inus? For me, personally, this is a powerful verse to end the Maintenance ManSeries. I have had to build a few buildings in my time of construction. Somebuildings that are only a few stories high and some that are much higher.Starting out the projects is usually not too bad, there are definitely someissues along the way of the building process, but the end is always thehardest. All you want to do is get away from the project and finish it, butproblems just keep coming and coming. In the construction world, we call this apunch list. This includes a list of all the items that still remain to becompleted. It is the hardest and most painful part of the project, but it isabsolutely essential and eventually very rewarding. I believe this is the same idea in our Christian walk. We will have to jump some hurdles along the way, but we have to remain faithful that God will help us finish the punch list, the race.

Have you ever felt the power of God working in you? Have youever been sent on a mission from God? Have you ever been assigned a task or ajob from God?

For most Christians, I think the answer to the abovequestions would be yes. Shortly after my wife and I dedicated our marriage toChrist, we could feel the push to go to work for him. We were asked to lead asmall group at Church that would be directed to young married couples. We hadnever done this before, but it absolutely felt like the right thing to do. Godhad called us to a place we had never been before, a place we never imagined wewould journey to. It was uncharted territory for us, but we followed God’s leadand ended up leading the class for two semesters!

We prayed, Goddirected, we performed and God finished.

I have also seen God place particular men in my life toassist and walk with. These men could be family, friends or someone from work.We honestly don’t know who God will send our way or when He will send someoneour way, but we have to be ready. We have to stay in close relationship withHim and watch out for these specific ‘job placements’. An important thing toremember when God places these jobs in our life is that God is in control ofthe timing. He is the one who calls the shots; we just have to remember that Heis faithful to complete the work. God is Faithful!

The Maintenance Man Series has been a great way to explorethe work of Jesus Christ in my life and in other people’s lives. I hope youhave been challenged in some ways and learned some helpful tips in other ways.I pray that all men can become a Maintenance Man for Christ in one way oranother. Stay consistent. Stay challenged. Stay alert. And stay motivated inyour walk with Christ!

I AM A MAINTENANCEMAN! ARE YOU?

MM: The Way of Quality

2012-02-23T06:56:00.000-08:00

I had no intention of making the ideas of Quality, a blogpost with two parts, but I guess God had other plans. This part of ourChristian walk is so important and is also such a challenge. I am alwayslooking for new ways to get closer and take my relationship with Christfurther. Of course, the enemy knows this about myself and increases his fightagainst my quality walk everyday. Well this is a battle he is not going to winand here are some of the ways I have found helpful in keeping a quality walk withChrist.

~Experience~

Just like the example I talked about in the first post about quality, I believe the more experience you have in your walk with Christ the more you will love Him. Again, this could be the oppositeeffect and experience can take you down a path of decaying desire and loss ofinterest. But God never stops working, even if we stop. Over the course of mywalk with Christ, He has continued to show me Himself in many situations andevents. He has shown me His power and love in my marriage, my friendships, myfamily and just people in general. In my opinion, the more you experienceChrist and his work in your life, the more you will pursue Him and you walkwill maintain a higher level of quality.

~Journaling~

Believe it or not, before Christ got a hold of my life I wasnot one to read or write. I had no desire to read a book or write for thatmatter. But over the course of the last year, the processes of reading andwriting have become one of my most powerful tools in having a higher qualityChristian walk. You would never see me taking notes in Church; you would neversee me caught with a book in my hands. I think I can honestly say though thatthis is the new norm for me. As though it is some kind of weakness to becaught dead with a book or known for writing. These men have a completely wrongidea of true weakness and strength. I have learned so much and have a powerfulback log of keeping a journal from the Sunday sermons. I keep a section in theback of my journal specifically for Manturity blog ideas. I use these tools ofreading and writing to learn more, to understand more and to have a the highestquality of understanding possible. These things have worked for me immenselyand I would highly recommend all men considering these tools while they excelin their walk with Christ.

~Accountability~

In a recent blog post titled “The Job”; I talked aboutmaintaining an accountability partner. Someone who knows what you have beenthrough and someone you can talk about anything with. The idea ofaccountability in this instance is ways to keep you accountable. I have areminder set on my phone at the end of each month titled “Battle Plan Check”.It reminds me about my past and the way things were. It reminds me to stayfaithful and don’t turn back to my old ways. I try to stay involved in readinga new book or following up on a really good classic. I am always trying to comeup with new ideas for the Manturity blog. I try to spend some time in prayereach day. These are just a few ways I keep myself accountable. These thingshelp me from turning back to my old habits and ways. They also help me maintaina high level of quality!

~Desire~

For men, Desire is a constant issue. We are so susceptibleto the false desires of this world. The sex, the drugs, the music, the fame,the “image” and more. I have done a series on Desire in the past because it wasone of the main topics when I started my walk with Christ. Psalm 37:4, is oneof my favorite verses and it says “Delight yourself in the Lord and He willgive you the desires or your heart.” Going back to the example in the firstpost about quality, a man can either maintain his desire for Christ or he canlose his desire over time. Knowing this idea, I have to always be mindful ofwhere my hearts desire is and make sure it is in line with the desires ofChrist. A great way to look at desire is to not ask God what YOU desire, butrather what would God have you desire. This is not a normal way of thinking,but it is the correct way of thinking, Pray for God to show you the desires ofyour heart and it will change your life. Take some time to research more aboutdesire, live it out in your life each day and watch your life change.

These are just a few ideas of how to maintain a quality walkwith Christ, I’m sure I could go more in depth and talk about many more ideas,but I would love to hear your ideas instead. Can you relate with these ideas ornot? What is your experience as a new or old Christian? What has helped youhave a high quality walk with Christ?

MM: The Quality of the Work

2012-02-20T11:03:00.000-08:00

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

~Hebrews 6:10~

Having the ability, having the tools and being given the jobdoes not say anything about the work that you can actually do. There is adifference between being new at a job and having done the work for some time.The man who has recently started working in a new career taking on a newproject has some mercy. There is an understanding that it will take some timefor the beginner to learn the new trade and get use to the tools he is using. Iremember when I first started working in construction; there is freshness to itand a desire to want to learn it. I wanted to get better at the type of workand prove myself to everyone that I was capable of the job given to me. It wasas though I was extra driven to do a really good job and show everyone. But nomatter how hard I could try at the beginning it was very difficult to match thequality of someone who had done the same type of work for years and years. Thistakes me to my next point about the man who had done the work for years andbecome comfortable with the work and the final product produced. This type ofexperience can go one or two ways. The first way is that the man still has agreat drive to produce a quality product and is excited to see thingscompleted. This man has found a way to overcome the “comfortableness” of thejob and ultimately has not gotten bored with the work. This man truly enjoyswhat he does and it shows with high quality work. The second man is the man who hasdone the work for years, but has lost the quality of the work over time. He hasbecome comfortable with producing an “alright” product and ultimately has lostthe drive to move forward. He knows the work, he knows what it takes, but hehas no real desire left to produce and produce well. So I have to ask, whatdoes this have to do with our walk with Christ? What does this scenario have todo with our relationship with Him that could last years and years?

I remember when I first really felt the power of the HolySpirit come upon me. It was the most powerful and life-changing thing I have everfelt in my life. It felt as though I was losing everything, but in reality Iwas gaining everything. Sound familiar “For whoever wants to save his life willlose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” Luke 9:24. These arepowerful, powerful words that were spoken by Christ himself and they are sotrue. After that point I had a passion for Christ like I had never had beforein my life. I was like the new worker that was learning a new trade, I wantedto learn as much as I could and I wanted everyone to know about my results. Thefire was intense and everyone around me could see it and feel it. My pursuitfor Christ was of great quality and included reading the Bible, attendingChurch classes and talking about the subject with friends. This was a time ofchanging my habits to get more in line with Christ and getting out of my oldways. It included finding desires that God would have for me rather than whatthe world would have for me. And finally, adjusting the dial on what I allowedto influence me and how much I let it affect me. It was truly a time of highquality pursuit for Christ.

How do I maintain this walk?

How do I keep things interesting and inviting?

How do I maintain my walk with Christ at this level?

How do I become a Maintenance Man?!

I had to ask myself these questions and more. How could Ikeep myself from becoming the man that had done the work for years and yearsand lost the desire for it? I know for myself and for a lot of men, this is oneof the biggest challenges. I am still young in the faith myself, so in realityI will face this “quality” issue for years to come. I will face the challengesof the Enemy, the temptations of the world and whatever life tries to throw atme.

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Christ has showed me some amazing ways to stay faithful andthe ‘Maintenance Man’ series will continue with in depth ideas in the nextpost.

---Experience---

---Journaling---

---Accountability---

---Desire---

Share some ways you maintain a quality walk with Christ.

MM: The Job

2012-02-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

Jesus said "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." John 6:27

I have a good job; one that I have to go to everyday and put in my time. I get paid by salary, so it really doesn't matter if I work 40 or 60 hours, it is going to pay the same. My job keeps me busy and puts money in my pocket. If I had a way to not have a job, I would jump on it. We make our lives work around our jobs, because for most of us we really don't have a choice.

The job I want to talk about in this post is about our work for the Lord. The opening verse is pretty clear in saying that we are to work for food that brings life, not spoils. How often do we work all week only to buy something we don't need? I am reminded of a line from 'Fight Club' that goes like this 'We work jobs we hate to buy stuff we don't need'. This is so true for so many people. This is so true for me sometimes. I forget about the everlasting gift that God offers us when we truly go to work for Him. Being a Maintenance Man means being more than just a 40 hour a week work man. It means going above and beyond that and searching for that food that won't spoil. It means working hard for the Lord whenever the opportunity is there and available. I came up with a few "jobs" that I think are very important when you are walking with Christ and helping others walk with Christ.

Fighting for Hearts!

We live in a world that is in a constant state of battle. There are so many distractions and so many things to do, that it does not take much to get us off our course. The enemy is always at work and trying to figure out ways to make us fall. He doesn't care if it's a new way or a proven old way, He wants your heart. As men we have to be aware of this. We have to be ready for this fight, not only in our own heart, but the hearts of others. In my opinion this is part of the job, this is something you absolutely sign up for and must learn to be ready for. I have local brothers that check in with me and I have men that I check in with. It should not be a question of why, it should become a mandatory thing for you. We are in a battle and its part of our job as Men of Christ to serve and protect.

Setting an Example

Each day we are a witness for Christ. Each day we have a new job, a new opportunity to be more than just an average man. We have the opportunity to be an example of what a man is supposes to act like, talk like and like. This is not a job that we should take lightly. It could be an example to a younger man looking up to us, it could be an example to another man our age who needs affirmation or it could be an example to an older man who respects what you are doing. Christ is our ultimate example and what a strong example he portrays for us, each and everyday. Being an example doesn't mean sitting back and watching everyone else, it means standing up for what is right and fighting for it. Pray each day that God would show you how to be a better, stronger example to the world.

Accountability Partner

We are not in this walk alone. First of all, Christ is always there for us. And second of all there are always other brothers in Christ out there. Walking with God means that we are able to walk this path with other men. My local group of men takes the job of accountability partner seriously. In my opinion, it is a crucial part of our walk. My brothers know what makes me fall and they are available to help me if I ever feel I am leading down that path. It could just be small prayer for strength, it could be a long conversation over the phone, or it could be a 'get in the car and pick me up' moment. Whatever it is, wherever it is, whenever it is a brother is available. Take the time to pray and ask God for a solid set of local men to help and guide you along your walk. Check out an older post titled "Locking Shields" for more on this subject!

Jesus knew the power of fighting for hearts, setting an example and having brothers. He and His disciples are a great example of how this system works and works really well. I encourage you to get in the word and ready the stories. I also encourage you to start making your own stories with your brothers. Take this job seriously and learn to do it well. We'll discuss more ways of how this work can be done well and be done with a high level of quality next.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart. Colossians 3:23

MM: The Tools

2012-01-28T13:47:00.000-08:00

Being a builder has taught me some very valuable things over the years. One of the main things I have learned is that you need to right tools for the job. As soon as I know what the project is, I start figuring out what materials I will need and what tools it will take to get the job done. The right tools will make all the difference. You need the right ingredients to make delicious food. You need a map to help you get from one place to the next. You need... well you get my point. In order to be a Maintenance Man for Christ, you need to have the right tools and you need to maintain them. God has provided us with so many options and there just waiting for us to grab them and use them. I have come up with a few ideas on some really great tools!

>THE BIBLE
I know that is sounds basic, but the Bible is an amazing tool to help you stay on your path for Christ. You can buy a Bible at the store, you can download apps and you can read it on your Nook or Kindle. The Bible is powerful and available. One of the best things to do is to pray before you read it and see what God might have in store for you. There are multiple programs to make your way through the Bible. The point is to stay in it! Find the time and maintain it!

>PRAYER
I have written about prayer a few times and still agree that this is a wonderful tool that God has given to us. I use to think it had to be military, eyes closed and head bowed. But prayer goes way beyond those things. God wants us to be in a relationship with Him. Just like any good relationship, you should be able to go to your friend anytime and seek help. I came to realize that I can go to Christ anytime I need or want to; when I am walking, when I am playing, when I am working and so on. Use this tool and use it DAILY!

>FRIENDS
If it were not for my friends from Church, I don't think I would still be married. God put's people in our live for a reason. We may not always know or understand that reason, but we have to be faithful. We can not isolate ourselves and think that we can do life on our own. We need to be in relationship. Our friendships on earth are a great reflection of how we should be in relationship with Christ. Friends are willing to help, give up their time, listen to the hard things and pray for you when you are down. Having great friends takes time and patience on both sides, but the rewards are great and worth it. Check in with your friends often!

>CHURCH
Find a Church and get involved! Our Church is a second family to my wife and me. We have met some great people and have made some great friends. Some of the great tools you can find in Church are classes, groups and simply the Sunday message. My wife and I do a marriage class at Church every year now and in between we try to stay involved with something else for the Church. Doing these classes challenges you to stay consistent and keeps you honest. They are great for conversations, discussions and more. Find a Church, use the resources and become a resource. Go weekly and see the fruits!

These are just some quick and easy examples of some of the great tools God has provided us with. Being a Maintenance Man means you are staying active and using the correct tools. I was always told 'If you don't use it, you lose it.' You need to use the tools available to you. The main theme at the end of each point goes back to consistency with the tools. How can we use these tools for The Job Christ gives us?

What are some tools you use to stay active and involved with Christ? Share what has worked for you or something you would like to try!

MM: The Type of Man

2012-01-11T06:21:00.000-08:00

What type of man needs to be a Maintenance Man? Anyone? Every man!

No man is ever finished being worked on. No man is ever finished learning new things. Each day is a new opportunity to learn, grow, fail and succeed and so on. We all know this and are aware of this, but how do we take all of those examples and truly learn from them? How do we use these daily things to help us mature and move on? If you haven't been successful in learning from these daily things, than maybe you need to approach life a different way. Maybe instead of trying to tackle these issues by yourself you consider asking for help. You consider finding a way to keep track of some of these things and find a way maintain your knowledge.

A man has to be WILLING. 'Psalm 119:36'

From my personal experience, the most freeing decision I have made is giving my life over to Christ. Doing that allowed me to take the focus off of myself. When the focus is "clearly" on yourself, it is so difficult to see what is going on around you. You have a harder time considering other people's decisions, situations and feelings. There is a simple term for this sickness and it's called selfishness. Selfishness can become a black hole for men. I didn't realize how it was affecting me, until I snapped out of it. Things seemed to get so clear all of a sudden. I was finally willing to give Christ the time He deserved; the time He wanted me to give Him for so long. There was no question, I was willing.

A man has to be OPEN. 'Ezekiel 36:26'
Following Christ for real, for the first time, meant new things. It meant meeting new people, exploring new ideas, changing habits, finding desire and just plain talking to Christ more. A man that finally takes the leap of faith or the man that has had the faith for a while has to stay open to what Christ is doing or may have planned for you. As a new Christian, I knew there would be things that I had never experienced before, but I knew in my heart that I had to keep climbing. A man that has been a Christian for years must still be open to new ideas. He must not get stagnant with his ideas, beliefs and values. He must learn to be open and maintain that trait.

A man must learn DEPENDENCY. 'Exodus 15:2-3'
Being willing has broken your selfishness, being open has helped you adjust to new practices, but a man must learn that giving his life to Christ means a new dependency. It is no longer "me", but Christ in me. It is He who gives me my money, and it is He who makes my path straight, and it is He who provides a way out of temptations, and it is He who died for me. There is no shame, no weakness in being dependent on Christ. For me, it has been one of the strongest moves I have ever made in my life. It made me realize that my dependency on other people gave me no strength compared to Christ's strength.

Maintain. Sustain. Guard. Keep On. Nurture. Manage. Preserve. Save. Retain. Repair. Renew.

Some say it is easier to maintain a bad behavior than it is a good behavior. I say, give me their names and let me meet them. I say, don't let what others say dominate your opinion. I say, go to the sources, go to Christ and ask Him how to maintain. Ask Him how to be a man. And you know what, He will show you. He will give you all the tools you need....

Challenge yourself to be a Maintenance Man for Christ!

Share some ways on how you maintain your walk!

Maintenance Man: The Series

2012-01-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

2011 was an amazing year for myself. February was the month that changed everything, it was the climax of events and it was the month that I said no more. I finally gave Christ everything I had and started out fresh. As hard as some of those events were, they taught me so many things. The power of the enemy, the work he is up to in our lives on a daily basis, and the strength we need to find in order to take out his army of attacks. As I pursued Christ more and more, I needed a way to maintain my walk. I needed a way to challenge myself. Manturity was created in July of 2011 and has been running strong ever since.

As I finished out my blog posts for last year, I put a large emphasis on perseverance and consistency. I related it to New Years resolutions and the daily battles we face while trying to accomplish those goals. During this time period, God brought up some great ideas for future postings. Some were just random post ideas and others were more involved. The one I chose to start out this new year is titled "Maintenance Man: The Series."

What doesn't need maintenance? Anything? Everything needs to be maintained! Our bodies won't stay fit if we don't work them out, our cars won't stay running if we don't fuel them up or change the oil, our houses won't stay clean if we don't clean them. Such simple ideas that we all have to face on a regular basis with all of our worldly possessions and bodies. But what about maintaining our heart, our walk with Christ, our inner man that we consult with daily. How many people stop and think about the importance of this idea. How many people spend more time worrying about maintaining their looks, their status at work, a certain group of people, what their wearing and more. All of these things that have no eternal value are given so much, well, value. We value them, because we can see them. But what about the inside, the heart.

My goal of the series is to break down the idea of a man that maintains, otherwise called a Maintenance Man. Topics will consist of: The type of man; The necessary tools; The job; The quality of work; Never finished and the Bottom Line.

I am looking forward to a great year of blogging and I am excited to see what everyone else has in store for the new year! I hope you find the series interesting and challenging!

The Man In The Glass

2012-01-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

As I work on the new series for 2012, I have come across a great poem while cleaning my house. I have a lot of awards from high school and college that I was rummaging through and this classic poem was found. After researching it, I have found it to be written by a man named Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.. And it dates back to 1934. According to the family, the name of the poem has been changed and the author is mostly now know as anonymous or someone else. You can check out the official site for the author and the original poem here. This version and name is slightly different, but it is the one I found so I will post it. It is amazing to read this poem and see how relevant it still is today.

When you get what you want in your struggle for self,

And the world makes you king for a day.

Just go to the mirror and look at yourself,

And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife,

Whose judgment upon you must pass.

The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life,

Is the one staring back from the glass.

Some people may think you're a straight-shootin' chum,

And call you a wonderful guy.

But the man in the glass says you're only a bum,

If you can't look him straight in the eye.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest,

For he's with you clear up to the end.

And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test,

If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years,

And get pats on the back as you pass.

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears,

If you've cheated the man in the glass.

-Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr

A Consistent Man

2011-12-31T08:06:00.001-08:00

One of my first thoughts I had after I really gave my life to Christ was 'I need to be consistent'. If I was going to be a true Man of God, I would need to maintain my walk with Him. My main two ideas were consistency and discipline. These are two traits that most people need for their job, their marriage, their kids and so on. But I knew I had to apply it to my walk with God. I had to come up with a way to make it daily and serious. I needed to find a way to separate from the False desires of this world and pursue God. It took a few months of reading books and praying for consistency, when God brought up the idea of Manturity. He presented this to me in such an easy way that it just made too much sense. He provided all the tools and showed me the opportunity for true consistency.

For me, Manturity is my way of reaching out to God everyday. I make it a point to post to Facebook and Twitter everyday, even if it's only one time a day. A few months after I started Manturity, I signed up on Digg and started reading and promoting articles about other Christian men and more. This has become a great learning tool and another way to reach people and spread the good news of how God is working in other peoples lives and around the world. Although I have not been as consistent with Google+, I have found and met a lot of great people on there and they post a wealth of information. I love to see new followers, comments and interaction on the blog and hope to take things to the next level in the new year.

Manturity has been a way to keep my mind on positive things and away from the garbage of society. As much as I hope it helps other people, it is truly a tool that has helped me refocus daily. It has pushed me to find my real desire and write multiple posts about it. God showed has shown me ways to adjust my influence and find my true identity. He continually is providing me with new information and ideas to a point that I have had to start keeping Evernotes so that I do not forget them. As I run into the new year and chase new opportunities and new ideas, I can't wait to see what God has planned. Truly the most important part of all of this consistency is my walk with Him. I know that He is always consistent with me, but the real challenge and goal is to keep Him first and allow Him to Father me.

With a new website planned, an ebook in the works and many new topics. I pray that you have a wonderful new year and are consistent in all that God gives to you.

Happy New Years!

The Resolution Battle

2011-12-28T18:56:00.000-08:00

A new year means new beginnings. Right? Whether you have publicly stated your resolution for the new year or have kept it private, only you know your resolution. Only you know the truth about it and what it really means. It might be a few of the following; to loose a few pounds, to be a better friend, to be a stronger husband, to get more involved with your Church, to spend more time with your family or kids, or pursue a stronger and more real relationship with Christ. Whatever it may be, you have come to realize that you have a goal in mind. From there you have to decide when are you trying to accomplish this goal? Is there a specific time frame you are setting yourself up for or this a year long activity that will take you to your next resolution? Figure our your resolution and apply a time frame to it. Even if it is just a few months to get you started, you have to have a goal that you are working towards.

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

2 Chronicles 15:7

Figuring out the resolution and coming up with a timeframe or goal in mind, in my opinion, are some of the easier steps in the process. The resolution is most likely something you have been thinking of for awhile and you are ready to attack it head on. The timeframe is set as a goal or a target. The real challenge is the daily battle or what I like to call 'The Resolution Battle'. This is the part of the resolution that you have to face everyday. What does it mean or even look like to accomplish your resolution? What sacrifices are you going to have to make to ultimately achieve success? What habits are you going to have to change? What relationships are going to change? What will be your driving force? I had to ask myself these same questions last year and will continue to ask these questions each year. I had to come to a place where my resolution was not just mere words that I spoke, but would become a daily way of life. This type of situation separates the men from the boys, the immature from the mature and, I believe, someone that is serious about growing up in life. Here are a few ways that can help you beat the daily battle of your resolutions. Try them out, follow them, change them, adjust them, but do not forsake any of them. You have to stay true to yourself during this process, you have to find real perseverance and you have to see the victory in the end.

1) Set up Reminders! One of the best things to do when you come up with your resolution is to define the terms. Write down and figure out the daily things it will take to accomplish your goals. If you have a smart phone, set up a reminder to come up a the end of each month. If you use another type of calendar, go through it and mark reminders for every month of the year. Incorporate your terms of the resolution and why you chose to do it at the time of decision. Remind yourself about the why!

2) Tell a Friend! This could be your wife, your buddy, your parent, sister or brother. Let someone know the conditions of your resolution and have them hold you accountable. Offer them the same option if they also have a resolution. Work together on this process and you will be that much more willing to fight for the resolutions! Make them a part of your monthly reminders!

3) Pray! "You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary." Revelation 2:3. The most powerful thing you can do is pray. Pray that God would help you in your resolution. Pray for a clear direction for your resolution. He may have another course set out for you, but it requires perseverance in other things first. Know that He has a plan for you and pursue Him. Make His presence in your life a daily, living thing.

4) Repeat! Do these things and then do them again. The courage and perseverance it will take to accomplish your resolution will not come easy, but the rewards will great.

I wish you the best for your resolutions this year and pray that you will succeed in whatever goal you set your mind too. Please share your ideas, thoughts and tips on resolutions!

The seed has been planted, now it's up to you to make it grow!

Unlikely Candidate

2011-12-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a very, very busy month and it has not left me much time to write. My most recent post I have been trying to write is titled 'A Consistent Man'. It is kind of an ironic title considering this month has been my most inconsistent month since I first started Manturity. Anyway....

Today is Christmas! Ever since I have been married, my wife and I will come home for the holidays and stay at her parents house. The week leading up to Christmas always means busy days shopping for those last minute gifts, visiting extended family and getting all of those wonderful grandparent gifts, and of course a candle light service at Church. This year was a great service. We attended my wife's families church which is 'Grace Church' in Erie, Pa. You can find the .blogspot blog from the Pastor right here. God spoke a great message to him this year about 'who or what do we magnify in our lives'. His parallel story was of course the Christmas story in the book of Luke, with an extra emphasis on Mary. He went into her story and about her powerful faith in God for the journey that she was about to encounter. Although Mary was an unlikely candidate for the task set before her, she trusted God with all her heart and knew that she had to be faithful. The same is true with us, we all feel like we are an unlikely candidate for the task Christ has before us. It doesn't matter what we look like or what we have done, if we are rich or poor, God wants us for Him. He wants us to magnify Him with all of our heart.

The Christmas season is a time of giving and sharing. Christ gave Himself for us and is gracious enough to share is unconditional love for us. Magnify Christ today for His wonderful birth and magnify Him every other day for His unfailing love.

How do you magnify Christ during Christmas? Traditions?

'The Way of the Wild Heart' Book Review

2011-12-07T18:52:00.001-08:00

God is a God of process. One of the best examples of His process is how a boy becomes a man. Author, John Eldredge explores this idea in the fantastic book titled 'The Way of the Wild Heart'. This book is a follow up to the best seller titled 'Wild at Heart'. John breaks down the masculine journey into six stages; boy, cowboy, warrior, lover, king and sage. Each step has is a new and crucial part to the development of a man. One of my favorite quotes comes from early in the book that says this, 'If you want a man, you must begin with the boy'. This statement is so simple, but so very true. The culture today seems to have a bunch of boys in men's bodies. Boys growing up without fathers, fathers that existed only in the physical aspect, and an overall culture that puts men in a lower position than they should be.

Let's take a closer look a the journey. A boy is full of energy and ready to explore. It is a time of true affirmation. It is also a time that he looks to his father and wonders if 'He has what it takes'. From there the boy becomes a cowboy. He has learned a thing or two about life now and takes his game to the next level. He learns to throw a curve ball, drive a car and catch the eye of a young woman. From there he takes on the stage of the warrior. This is when a man finally starts to see his purpose. He may get his college degree, join the military or find the woman of his dreams. He faces the battles of real life, learns discipline and some of the hardships and glories of life. In this time period he also finds the stage of the Lover. This is a time when the warrior is still fully alive, but under more control. He may put a ring on that beautiful woman's finger, he may find a good cause to support or he may take up reading or teaching. These two stages set up the man for one of the most important stages. This is the stage of the King. The time of being a King will be one of the most difficult and most gratifying stages of them all. This is the time of raising a family, coaching a sports team, being on the board at Church and being strong and humble during the process. The King will be tested and challenged thoroughly. And at the end of the stages we get to the Sage. This is not the time to give up on life, but rather a time to minister to the warriors, lovers and especially the Kings. To offer guidance, offer encouragement and remind them of his own path in life. To lead by experience.

This is a very short glimpse of the stages and what they look like. The book goes into great detail and would be a great read for any man or woman. I would highly recommend! You can also check out 'The Way of the Wild Heart' manual that goes along with the book!

What are some ways you have experienced the Masculine Journey?

The Right Connection

2011-12-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

One thing that always comes along with the Holidays is decorating. I can honestly say that 'decorating' is really not my thing, but my wonderful wife enjoys it so I do my best to help out. One of my jobs this season was the outside Christmas lights. It doesn't sound like a hard project, but I always seem to mess it up. I take them all out of the box and look them over each year. I have learned from the past that it is a good, no great, practice to plug them all in first to make sure they are all still ticking and I proceed to lay them out. This is always the tricky part for me; I try to make sure that the plugs at the end of each light strand are in the right spot so that I can make The Right Connection. I really felt like I had it figured out so I proceeded to hang around the front of my house and thought they were looking great. When it was all said and done, the hanging process that is; I grabbed the extension cord and went for the power shot. It was at this point that I figured out that my calculations were, well wrong. Let's just say all ends coming together will not work. I had no plug, no prongs. I went through it a few times just to make sure and sure enough, I was out of luck.

Isn't that how it goes sometimes? We think we have gone through all the right steps, only to find out that they were the wrong steps or we didn't properly check before we started in our direction. I ended up taking all the lights down and reworking them correctly. It took me a few minutes, but the payoff is lights, that work. I don't think the lights get the full effect any other way....

How many times a day, a week or throughout the entire year do we try to do something without The Right Connection? Or should I say, how many times do we not include God in our decisions? I use to think that I could only go to God for the big stuff or the hard stuff, but the truth is He wants us to go to Him for each and everything. I came to the point of trying to just have a conversation with God throughout my day. I wanted to make sure I was connected and that what I was doing was being considered properly. I can think of so many past times that, if I had only asked, things would have turned out differently. God wants to stay in close connection to us. He desires for us to keep a close connection to Him. It's about relationship. Just like the cords could not connect, even after all the work up to that point, we can not connect to God unless we stay in prayer.

Make the right choice, make the right connection and it will help considerably!

Do you agree?

The Character of 'Captain America'

2011-11-29T07:02:00.000-08:00

I was finally able to watch the story about 'The First Avenger'. This movie was never really high on my list of movies to go watch, but I had some time one night and gave it a chance. One of my social networking buddies also gave me a nice short review of the movie after he saw it and helped convince me.

Right from the start, it is obvious that Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans) is not your typical superhero. He is by no means physically strong or very appealing. He is always getting tossed around and made fun of by other men his age. He wants to serve his country, but keeps getting denied. There is a catch about Mr. Rogers though, his character.

Steve faced challenge after challenge, but he never gave up. He pursued what he wanted to do with all of his heart. When he finally was allowed to join the military, it was not because of his physical strength but rather his mental strength. He trained with all of the other men, but showed courage in hard times and displayed knowledge when everyone else was fighting. But his training was for something else, something more. A chance to take the mental courage and combine it with the physical strength. A secret project to make a super human or superhero!

If you have seen the movie, you know the rest of the story. But if you have not, I would highly recommend taking some time to watch this movie. As men, we can learn a lot from this example. It is not always the best looking guy that gets the girl and it's not always most physically fit that is most appealing. What really matters is character and the condition of your heart. Captain America showed courage before he even fully understood it. He thought it was just the right thing to do, so he did it. When he became 'super', he was able to stay humble which only made him stronger throughout the rest of the movie.

Hollywood is Hollywood, but in my opinion this was one of the better movies released this year. It shows us that there is always hope and always a way. If you believe in yourself and can stay grounded in the truth, other people will see it, appreciate it and admire it. This story reminds me of the life of Jesus. He was not a glorified super human and He certainly did not have flashy clothes. But he spoke the truth and He spoke from the heart. His character was what people saw and believed in. As He grew older, His miracles made Him a superhero, but as we all know, there are consequences for such actions. There will always be people against you in one way or another, but we have to stay strong. We have to stay firmly rooted in Christ and follow the example that He has given us. It may not always appear to be the best way, but it will be His way.

Did you get to see the movie? Post a comment and share your thoughts below.

Be Thankful for the Small Things

2011-11-24T07:14:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving = food, family, friends, parades and more food!

Life these days seems to be so busy that we don't always appreciate the small things in life. I would say most of us say 'Thank you' each day, but todays a great day to be more specific. Spending time with family and friends is great, so take advantage of that time, be thankful for it and let everyone know what you are thankful for. Today is a great day to point out those small things that someone did for you, or be thankful again for something bigger that happened.

I want to say 'Thank You' to everyone that has liked, followed or checked out Manturity! I really appreciate the comments, feedback, encouragement and questions. I hope I can keep writing great blog posts for everyone to enjoy and be challenged by. Thank you for all of your posts and ideas also, they have been a great inspiration to me as I write and find my direction.

Be thankful for what God has blessed you with, for we are owed nothing and we never know when it could all go away.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

'Love and War' Book Review

2011-11-20T14:13:00.001-08:00

My wife and I have had the pleasure of reading and teaching from awonderful marriage book titled 'Love and War'. The authors of the book are John and Stasi Eldredge. Johnis well known for his popular book titled 'Wild at Heart' and for hisnew book 'Beautiful Outlaw'.

'Love and War' is a very real and down to earthmarriage book. The Eldredge's have been married for a long time and have hadsome hard times over the years. But through it all, they have come away withsome great insight for all other marriages. They speak from experience and fromthe heart in this book.

Right away the book gets into the idea of Desire. In order to have agreat marriage or re-gain control of our marriages, we have to have desire,desire to want the best for each other, a desire to always love each other andknow that this marriage is for the long haul. The next chapters get into what theylike to call the 'perfect storms', this more or less talks about opposites andhow they attract. The opposite part in our spouse is a way that God uses thedifferences in your partner to make your marriage stronger and make you abetter person. One of my favorite chapters is titled 'Sharing an Adventure'. Itis so important for couples to not just be married partners, but friends. Getout once and awhile, go crazy and take some dancing classes (I think this iscoming up on the schedule for us). Schedule a great vacation and be intentionalabout it. Take a walk once a week together and enjoy the wonderful nature thatGod has created. This is essential. The Eldredge's bring a very real portraitinto the book when they talk about our marriage having an enemy, and it is notour spouse, seriously. Marriage is one of the unions that the Enemy is out todestroy. We see it all over our culture today and it seems to only be gettingworse. If we can hear and talk to God, than we have to take the other monologueinto play. The enemy will step in at the most opportune times and saydefinitives like "She is never going to change" or "He willalways be like that". Definitives or agreements are marriage killers andwe have to protect ourselves and our marriage from those type of words andthoughts.

On top of just having some great material in the book to readabout, the Eldredge's have made a few items that go along with the book forsmall groups at Church or Home. My wife and I have actually facilitated a fewgroup classes on the 'Love and War' material and have had a great response.Here are some easy links to some of the great tools that go along with thispowerful book.

- 8 week DVD series Watch a video each week in your group.

- Love and War Participant's Guide Use this tostir some great conversation!

- Love and War Devotional for couples This takes five minutes! It's a greattool for your marriage.

Overall, this is a fantastic book. I would highly recommendreading this book with your spouse. Take the initiative also to see if yourChurch has the 'Love and War' small group or facilitate a class by yourself or with your spouse!

Have you read?I would love to hear your thoughts!

Pier Pressure

2011-11-17T16:47:00.001-08:00

Everyday we have to wake up and face the challenges of the day. Amongst the many topics discussed in the Manturity series of Influence, the challenge to stand up to and face other men is inevitable, at least for me. I work in construction, building commercial buildings, and for the most part men are the workers. These are a unique set of men and personalities that I have to deal with on a day to day basis, it's part of earning that paycheck. If there is one thing I learned about a year ago, it's that I do not have to take on their identity. I do not have involve myself in their immature, senseless and revolving conversations or influence. I can make the choice to walk away or stay and be "part of the group". I know that I can not change these men, but I can be mature in my decisions around them.
I like to think of this as the work pier. Work piers were made to for one reason. To get the men and the material to the ship. They were not built for pleasure, they were not build to look pretty, but they were made to get the job done. They were designed for work. And like most of us, we have to walk that work pier everyday. Is it something we want to do? Probably not, but it is something most of us have to do and do the best we can.

2 Chronicles 15:7 'Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak; for your work shall be rewarded.

When I am not at work, I get to enjoy the company of good friends and work colleagues. This is a different group of men that I more less choose to be around. They are friends from Church or friends that are my age at work and men of true strength. This is also a unique set of men. We still have to be careful how our friends influence us, but hopefully that is happening in a positive way. The conversations are generally more interesting, exciting, funny and clean. I know these men on a deeper level and is a sense, know their heart.
Proverbs 15:13 says 'A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. These are the men that you can share your high and low points with. These are the men that you put your trust into and depend on, these are men of resolution.
This is what I call the pleasure pier. Pleasure piers are made pretty much the same way the work piers are made, but they are built for comfort, enjoyment and rest. This type of pier might get built in a scenic area or might get built for fishing. Either way they are a shelter, a vacation, a getaway from the craziness of life. After a long day, it's nice to get off the work pier and enjoy some time on the pleasure pier.

Proverbs 18:24 says 'A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Some of us are forced to walk the work pier everyday, but don't forget to walk the pleasure pier also. Jesus is such an amazing example of a good friend and fellow brother amongst His disciples. If we are pursuing to be like Christ everyday, than our friends, attitude and life will show it.

How do you find a balance between the work and pleasure pier?

The Way through the Fog

2011-11-14T09:41:00.001-08:00

I have woke up the last few mornings and found the weather, well, foggy. It's still dark, I jump in my car and head off to work. The fog brings a different attitude than just the typical chilly morning. It requires me to be more aware, more alert of what is going on around. The visibility levels are much lower and the chances for an accident are increased. As I head down the highway, I look up into the tall road lights and there nothing but a distant blur. The closer I get to them, the more clear they become, but just like that they are gone. The fog gets even worse as I near the city, this is mainly because of the river that runs through it. It reminds of living in the country when I was younger. The night would be foggy, but when an opening or a clear in the woods arrived, the fog became really heavy. But beyond the effects of actual fog, I can't help but think of the fog we can get stuck in.

How often in life do we find ourselves in a fog? Caught up at work and no time for family. A couple small lies spiral into a large lie. Fighting in your marriage and can't find a way out. When the fog is heavy, we are more likely to hit the deer. How can we fight through the fog in our life and stay on the straight and clear path? I have a few ideas and would love to hear yours!

1) Turn on your lights! Just like we do when we first get into the car when the fog is heavy, we have to keep our lights on. We have to be careful to not get stuck in the darkness. The Enemy lives in the dark and is impatiently waiting for his prey, us.

2) Stay Alert! I am usually pretty alert when I am driving, but the fog makes me extra alert. I know that people are still anxious get to where they are going and not paying attention. It's important to always be on alert when we go throughout our day. We can so easily get caught up with the drama of coworkers, family and friends. The drama in their life does not need to be the verdict on ours!

3) Take it slow! Driving through the fog usually means going at a slower speed. Don't get so caught up in your day that you forget to breathe. I will sometimes read a chapter of my current book at lunch, or go for a short walk. Maybe text my wife to see how her day is going. Sometimes it is just good to stop and put things into perspective.

4) Have Faith! Navigating through the fog is hard, but keeping the above ideas in check will make the journey to your destination easier. Keeping grounded in faith is so important in life. We're going to face trouble and there are going to be patches of fog here and there, but we must remain faithful. There is always a higher power and plan at work and we must believe it, even in The Fog.

Like Flakes

2011-11-12T06:11:00.001-08:00

Like flakes of snow that fall imperceptibly upon the earth, the seeming unimportant events of life succeed one another. As the snowflakes gather, so our habits are formed. No single flake that is added to the pile produces a sensible change. No single action creates, however it may exhibit, a man's character. But as the tempest hurls the avalanche down the mountain and overwhelms the inhabitant and his habitation, so passion, acting on the elements of mischief which pernicious habits have brought together, may overthrow the edifice of truth and virtue. -Bentham

Check Your Roots!

2011-11-10T06:47:00.000-08:00

"He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." -Jeremiah 17:8

This verse is so simple yet packs a powerful message. Where is your seed planted, where are your roots headed and what type of fruit are you bearing?

It took me a long time to discover where I had planted my seed. I thought I was near the stream and I thought the the roots were being fed by a good source, but I couldn't have been more wrong. I grew up hearing about the stream. I went to a Chrisitan school, attended church and tried to keep to a value system. It's not that I didn't believe in God, I just never really knew Him. My seed had been planted in false soil. The world shows us different types of soil to plant our seed in, but doesn't guarantee the type of fruit it will produce. It's a risk we don't have to take, but many people do. We all remember the first story about fruit.

So let's say we step into the worldly journey of risk. There is no guarantee for anything good to come of it, but it looks like good soil so we jump in. Planting our seed in the soil of Christ also comes with risks, though what grows will never fail to bear good and useful fruit. Once planted in the false soil, the path of the roots are questionable at best. The direction can come from friends, family, work, money, love, sports or anything really. This is exactly the problem, there is no clear direction. This allows for fear to come in, the droughts can become long and hard and the fruit can get real bitter.

Bitter fruit does not sound good to me! The bad fruit is the result of the seed in imitation soils, and the roots not near a stream. The verse is so clear to the willing mind. In order to bear good and healthy fruit we need to be centered, we need to be rooted in something solid, we need to be rooted in Christ. Planting your seed in the soil of Christ is the best place possible. Your will grow strong, you will stay humble and it will tear down your selfishness. By having your roots spread towards the stream of Christ, you can be assured many seasons of growing. No fear of coming droughts or seasons of intense heat. And finally the fruit, the fruit that Christ can bring into our lives is more filling and more delicious than anything else we can ever experience. So I say dig deep, real deep and find out where you are truly rooted and ask your self why.

Root yourself in Christ.

Check your roots!

A Man Like Christ

2011-11-06T11:12:00.000-08:00

This year has been nothing short of a process. From struggling with who I was and almost having my marriage fall apart, to realizing the my own black selfishness. I had to go down to the bottom of a deep, dark pit in order the see the pure light of Christ. I know, now, that He put me down in that pit for a reason and that the reasons would reveal themselves over time. Christ showed me a way out of the pit and asked me to walk along with Him and just listen. Over the course of this year, I can look back and see the path He has taken me on. And like Christ, the journey has been anything but ordinary.

We are to be like Christ, but what is it to be like Christ? I didn't realize, at first, that this was the question I have been asking ever since He first took me by my heart. The earlier months of the year went something like this. Desire. I kept hearing the word desire and I had no idea why. But, everyday the word just kept coming and it only got louder. If you have been following Manturity for a little while now you will know about my series on Desire. I came to realize that because I started walking with Christ, I had actually started to 'delight' in Him. (Psalm37:4). I came to realize that life wasn't about my own selfish desires, but rather it was about asking God what I desired. I went from praying 'what do I desire God?' to 'what would You have me desire God?'. That shift made a massive difference in my view on desire. It put desire in perspective and made me less interested in the meaningless things and more interested in the meaningful things. I also began to realize that I wanted to be a true Man of God, or a Man Like Christ.

In continuing my desire to be a man more like Christ, I moved my focus to 'influence'. I really didn't understand this shift at first, but I went with it anyway. I began to think about the ways things influenced my life, behavior, emotions and so on. I wrote about music, friends and work. But God was saying more, He wanted me to take the idea of influence and persuasion further. I didn't understand what He meant by 'further' till more recently. See, Jesus had a style that he did life different than anyone that has ever lived. Jesus never said the "normal" thing and never responded in a general way. He always had a reason behind His motivation. He had a way of making people think and challenged people to do the right thing by their own means. He could be in the toughest of situations where there seemed to be no way out and He would simply surprise everybody. His style of influence is enchanting to say the least.

If I truly desire to be more like Christ, than I need to know his personality. John Eldredge's newest book, Beautiful Outlaw, couldn't come at a better time. This book gets into the wild personality of the risen Christ. I also started reading another book called 'Split Second Persuasion'. This is not a Christian author, but it gets into the origins of persuasion and influence. I am only a few chapters into each book, but they go together in a great way. Lessons from Jesus Christ himself and a hard look at how God designed influence in us since birth.

When I saw the path in the distance, God pointed to the path of desire. And in going down that path I have seen the fruits along the way of making Him my desire. But God demands more of us. As the path of desire is conquered, I can see in the distance the path of influence. The path to the deeper understanding of how to lead and speak like Christ. The path of desire was made of soft grass with only a few hills. But I have already started on the rocky, more rugged path of the personality of Christ. This is what it takes to be a Man Like Christ. To continue to seek more, to continue to work harder no matter the challenge set before you.

Our God is a God of Process.....

Strength Over Time

2011-11-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

We can never have more than we can bear. The present hour we are always able to endure. As our day, so is our strength. If the trials of many years were gathered into one, they would overwhelm us; therefore, in pity to our little strength, He first sends one, and then another, then removes both, and the third, heavier, perhaps, then either; but all is so wisely measured to our strength that the bruised reed is never broken. We do not enough look at our trials in this continuous and successive view. Each one is sent to teach us something, and altogether they have a lesson which is beyond the power of any to teach alone. -H.E. Manning

Culture says "Man Up"?

2011-11-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

It's one thing for the culture to notice that there is a problem with men these days, but it's another thing to leave it up to culture to "try" to fix the problem...

I recently started watching a couple new shows on TV that were suppose to portray a "manlier" image. The first show that came to the chopping block was 'Last Man Standing'. I have to say that out of the newer shows this is one of the better ones, but still not overly "manly". The father, Tim Allen, is surrounded by his wife, three daughters and his oldest daughters baby boy. The concept is to show men that they can still be manly amongst all those women. He also wants to show his grandson that he is in charge and that the true man is still alive..
The other show that came out recently is titled 'Man Up'. In my opinion, this show did not hit the bar at all. I don't think it even realized there was a bar to aim for... The show is loaded with immature men in their forties who are trying to grow up. Really? So the show is not about mature men doing the responsible things in life, but rather doing the irresponsible things and trying to learn from them. The show starts with the main characters playing video games and ends with them playing video games. I don't think this is hardly any example of men that are making an attempt to 'Man Up'. The networks know that a manlier image is needed back on television, but who is running the networks? I can't answer this question, but maybe someone could enlighten me with the answer.

I also find it interesting that these shows have come out while a new movie is out in theaters called 'Courageous'. Men that are struggling in life, but come to a Resolution to fix their issues. This is a true example of men becoming responsible men! Television shows are more easily accessible, but they still require an audience that wants dumb people cracking the same old jokes and making no real point. The new shows mentioned above do have some very subtle and sometimes very quick examples of men doing the right, responsible and mature thing, but the majority of the shows are fill and fluff.

So the idea is simple. The world, our family, our friends, our workplace need to see men 'Man Up'. But how that happens and where the influence comes from needs to be managed properly and responsibly. Sure, these shows can be funny and have their moments, but being a man is more than that. It's about growing in maturity, becoming a man of integrity, making the hard decisions and raising kids that know who is in charge and why. Man is ultimately responsible to God. It is the way we were designed from the very beginning. If a man can stay true to his roots, his Father, than his path will be straight and long.

So in short, Man Up! And do it carefully and according to the design God intended.

Disconnected

2011-11-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

It’s amazing how disconnected I can be in such a “connected” world.

As my wife and I drove through the mountains of northern Georgia thispast weekend, we couldn’t help the feeling of being disconnected. I’d think ofsomething to tweet or want to check my email only to find no connection and seethe “Searching” word in my top bar of my phone. After this happens a few timesfrustration starts to set in and I tell myself I can try again in a fewminutes. It’s also at this point that I realize how dependent I am on beingconnected to meaningless things and how disconnected I am to God.

I take my phone and set it aside. Instead of having my mindflooded with ideas, updates, and other small dramas. I sit back and connect toGod’s beautiful creation. The leaves are turning wonderful colors of orange,red and yellow. The mountains were all around us and went on for as far as Icould see. I turn to my wife and see her smile and I smile back. Now, I amtruly connected to what matters.

Make time to disconnect from the craziness of this world andconnect to the beauty that God has waiting for you. It’s all around us, justlook!

Book Review: 'The Resolution for Men'

2011-10-26T05:03:00.000-07:00

Up for a real challenge? One that could change you for the rest of your life? Are you sure...?

The Resolution for Men is a new book that corresponds to the new movie 'Courageous'. Courageous is still in theaters by the way and is an amazing movie to watch. In the movie, the men come together at the end to sign a Resolution. The Resolution is document in the film that outlines how a man is going to live his life from that point forward. Check out the document here. All of the men come together in a ceremony, agree and sign the Resolution. It is a way of life, an act of courage and a statement to everyone around you that you are different. And if you sign the Resolution with other men, they are your brothers that keep you accountable ( a way of Locking Shields ).

The Resolution for Men takes the document to the next level. There is a chapter for each point, corresponding verses and a challenge at the end of each chapter. The book starts off in true Kendrick brothers form by saying it is not for the weak. It goes on to say that you will be challenged, you will be brought out of your comfort zone and that sacrifices are going to have to be made. On the other side of that it says that the rewards will be great, the impact will be radical and it will be worth it all.

The book continues from there and gets into "why" we need a resolution. The need to get Fathers back and the priceless value they have in their children's lives. One of my favorite chapters early in the book talks about being a "chain breaker". This was a powerful message for me, as I had to make the courageous decision in my family line to break the chains of my past fathers. The way they had done it for years was just not working for me. I didn't feel fulfilled in life, in work and especially in my marriage. It just wasn't working. I finally gave over the chains to God and the weights of all the past mistakes from myself and before were lifted. From there it's a matter of consistency and discipline. It's a matter of figuring out how to live out the life of Christ and do it as a man should. This is where the Resolution plays a crucial role in a mans life. It's not just about saying you want to live a life for Christ, it's about truly living it out everyday! This will take more courage and strength than you have ever experienced, but this time around God is with you.

A quick over view of the chapters goes something like this: Resolve to lead your family, to love your wife, to bless your children, to live with honor, to demonstrate love, to reconcile with your past, to be faithful and to leave a legacy. The Resolution for Men is a powerful challenge for any man to embark upon, but it might just be the most rewarding experience you will ever have.

I encourage every man to pick up this book and become a man of Resolution!

THE HERO!

2011-10-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

A warrior of special strength, courage or ability!

Ask someone who a hero is and you will probably get avariety of answers. The most obvious answers might come in the form of Batman,Superman, Spiderman, etc. These are of course all fictional characters thatperform superhuman acts via computer technology. Some of them have superstrength, they fear nothing and nobody and their abilities surpasscomprehension. Many of us go to the theaters and watch these “hero’s” performand amaze us. I don’t know about you, but I leave those movies feeling morelike a zero than a hero. (bad line, sorry).

So the question is ‘What does the real hero look like andwhat are some qualities that make up the form of a hero?” The movies influenceus in a way that is unrealistic. The actors on these movies perform acts thatwe would never be able to do in real life. As a young man, living in a confusedculture, I want to be the hero. I want to be a man of real strength, realcourage and have special abilities. But what do those look like in a realisticway? How can we define the ‘True Hero’ living in the world today? Here is myopinion. I hope to hear what yours are also.

>Special Strength:Strength is defined as moral power, firmness and courage. Moral power? I thoughtthis was a great definition. Another way to look at moral power is maturity orthe ability to allow you’re self to mature. It is so easy to fall into thefalse influences of this world, but it takes strength to overcome and riseabove them. Strength knows what love is and what it takes to maintain. It’skeeping your cool in tough situations at work. It’s spending time with yourkids rather than the television.

>Firm: Truestrength is being firm. Firmness in what you believe and say. I believe theexamples of strength portrayed in the Bible are the best examples to stillfollow today. The world does not think this way, though they will try toinfluence us with the new ways. We have to hold firm, we have to be strong. Weneed to continue to keep the values that have made life worth living. Examples:Although my company might have a value system, the workers may not. We must setthe example and be the bigger man when we are faced with immoral decisions. Wemust maintain integrity and demand it from everyone else. We must teach ourchildren discipline and be consistent.

>Ability: Unlikethe super hero moves in the theaters, we have the ability to be a true hero.This starts with a choice; a choice to be intentional in our leadership anddecisions. A great way to hold this ability is to ask God for assistance. Hehas helped so many real heroes in the past and is just waiting to help make usa hero. Our spouse wants us to step up and be the confident hero, our kids lookto us as giants coming home to save the day and people around us need a realman, a real hero. This process will not be easy and will take time, patienceand prayer.

Its time for men to be ‘The Hero’.

Comment about your hero or what a hero is to you!
photo from: http://www.getnewlife.org/

Locking Shields!

2011-10-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

Achilles stood at the front of his small ship. His smallteam of strong and courageous warriors worked together to paddle back andforth. His desire and determination had put them well in front of the otherthousand ships. Achilles had his eyes set on the sandy shores of Troy. The shore waslittered with men ready for battle. They had their weapons ready to fire, theyhad their fortress protected and strong, they were ready for the attack. Achilles and his men came upon shore and the war began. Allof the men jumped out of the ship as fast as they could and hurried to get intoa tight group. At this point, they were banded together. Their shields were upand locked together. Achilles gave the signal and they slowly moved forwardtowards the enemy. Arrows were being shot at them, spears were being thrown,but they continued to move forward. The locking of the shields and tightness ofthe group kept them protected and strong. Upon the call of Achilles the mendispersed and went into full attack mode on the enemy.

The example above is a great illustration for how we canstay strong and protected in our walk with Christ. Psalms 28:7 says ‘The Lordis my Strength and my Shield.’ Let’s take a look at the main points and breakthem down for today’s world.

1) Courageous:This was not a group of a thousand men; this was very small group of men thathad great strength and courage. We do not need a huge group of men to make adifference in this culture, we need a small group of men that are ready tostand up and fight. Men that are ready to face the influences of culturestraight on and say no!

2) Locking Shields:As the men gathered on the shore, they used their shields to protect them (thegroup) from the enemy. We can use the same tactics today to stand firm in our faithand using the Shield of the Lord to protect us. Brother to brother, man to man,we must put our shields together and the attacks of the enemy will not be ableto penetrate.

3) PressingForward, Together: With shields locked, the men slowly moved forwardtowards the enemy and upon the signal dispersed! Whether we are in a group ofbrothers or off on our own, we must keep our Shield up. This will take truegrit and strength, but our life depends on it. Any lowering of the shieldduring battle could result in a direct blow from the enemy. We know he iswaiting and preparing to devour..

Having brothers that also carry the Shield can help a manconquer the negative influences of our culture. It’s not a matter of if theenemy will attack; it’s a matter of when he will attack. Be Battle Ready!

Have you Locked Shields with fellow brothers?

Can you relateto these main points?

'Courageous' Movie Review

2011-10-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

Action packed, funny moments, awkward moments, tears of joy and sadness. No, I'm not talking about the new "Steel" movie, I'm talking about the latest movie from Sherwood Pictures, Courageous!

I had the pleasure of watching a pre-screening of this movie with a local Men's Group called 'Noble Warriors'. This group is a powerful men's resource for our area that prepares and engages men in our community. There was a great variety of men in the theater differing in age and race. We were all there for the same reason. And the reason is this 'We want to be courageous men!' The movie starts out with an intense scene and gets your blood pumping right from the get go. As a matter of fact, check out the video below. This is the opening scene!

Intense right! As the movie continues, you get a glimpse into the lives of four men, Policemen, and their families. Each man is at a different stage in his life and struggling to fight his own battles. An incident occurs about half way through the film that will make the lead character, Adam Mitchell, make some drastic changes in his life. After reviewing and studying the scriptures on how to be a better father, he develops an idea called 'The Resolution'. The Resolution is a like a contract, it states very specific guidelines on how a man is going to live the rest of his life. Each man in the movie signs The Resolution and they hold each other accountable thereafter. Here is an example of one of them.

'I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.'

Overall this is a powerful movie. And just like the book 'The Resolution for Men', it is not for the faint of heart or the weak. It is meant to wake men up and challenge them in every area of their life!

Are you a man of Courage?

Are you ready to take on The Resolution?

It will take courage, but it will be worth it!

Music and it's Influence

2011-10-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

The impact of music is everywhere in this culture. The age of just settling for what the radio played is long gone. The time of waiting for an artist’s new ‘compact disc’ might be remembered, but is quickly fading. The rise of MP3 music files, and many more file types, has made music accessible with great ease. And of course the inventions of the iPods and iPhones have revolutionized the whole process (rest in peace Steve Jobs). The industry has become wildly more popular and shows no signs of slowing down.

Because this is such a huge industry, it has a giant influence on people. Artists are full blown stars, popular songs top the radio charts, and some gain a cult like following. We are influenced by the singers, by the beats and especially by the words.

For example, have you ever had a bad day and put on a song that helps you get through that bad day? I use to like new alternative rock music. It seemed to fit my style and I always liked the beats. What I came to find out was that I liked the words and the singers also. Ever find it interesting how easy it is to memorize the words to a song. Now just imagine reading those same words, do you think they would have the same influence? Interesting…. The more I listened to this type of music, the more I realized the power it had over me. I had to hear certain songs after a long day, I had to hear certain songs when I was feeling down and I had to hear them as quickly as possible. The sooner I could listen, the quicker I would feel better. Strange?

Don’t get me wrong, I love music and listen to it everyday. But I have changed who I listen to and why I listen to it. For the most part I play music that has no words, otherwise known as Electronic or classical. I have found this music to still have a great beat, but I don’t have to worry about the words or the message trying to be expressed. I can have my own agenda in my head and work out my own thoughts. I still listen to music with words on occasion, but it is certainly not my first option.

Control your music, don’t let it control you!

Have you found this to be true? What are your thoughts on the influence of music?

Under the Influence

2011-10-07T04:25:00.000-07:00

Music, Media, Television, Culture, Peers, Family, Church,Past, Relationships

What do all of these things have in common? They are thethings that influence our lives, our personality, our money, our faith andmore. We are constantly ‘Under the Influence’. If we are not aware of theseinfluences and how they are affecting us, they can start to control us. Theycan dominate us to a point that they begin to shape a new identity in us.

The last series of posts talked about desire. This nextseries is based on the influences that fight for our desires everyday. God willgive us the desires of our heart, but culture will give us the desires of thisworld. The more you let the small desires of this world influence you, the moreyou become of the world. Don’t forget, we are to be in the world, but not ofthe world. I know some things are unavoidable in this culture. If we, as Christians,are to connect with the world, we have to put ourselves into the influences. Wehave to be aware of the popular music, we have to know what media and societyare now saying is “ok” and we have to be alert to what the enemy is up to.This, of course, leaves us wide open for temptation. But we have to be strongand stand up to these forces. Amongst all of the worldly influences, we have toallow Christ to influence us. We have to be intentional with our time, at alltimes. Careful to not allow the influence of culture today suck us down withit.

Let’s explore the ways we are all influenced.

So what are some ways you are influenced? Good or Bad?

Mighty Men!

2011-10-05T04:55:00.000-07:00

You can't be mighty,

if you don't have something great to overcome!

Refer to 2 Samuel 23

Have you ever heard of David's 'Mighty Men'? The 23rd chapter of 2nd Samuel gives three examples of very strong, brave and faithful men. Each man faced a different challenge, but through faith, was able to overcome their enemies. Let's take a look at each man, and see who we can identify with.

Mighty Man 1: In verse 8 we hear about a man named Josheb. He was a man who raised his spear against eight hundred men, and he killed all of them in one encounter. This was a man who faced overwhelming odds and was able to overcome.

Mighty Man 2: In verse 9 we hear about a man named Eleazar. As everyone else in his army was starting to retreat, Eleazar stood his ground. He fought and fought until his hand froze to the sword. This was a man who faced the limit of his strength and continued to fight.

Mighty Man 3: In verse 11 we hear about a man named Shammah. The Philistines started to band together in the middle of the field, and the troops from Israel fled. Shammah took his stand, though, in the middle of the field, defended himself and won a great victory for the Lord. This was a man who was not in the best position to win, but had great courage. He was vulnerable, but kept his faith.

All of these men faced great odds, each in a different way. After reading each story I had to ask myself which story related to me the most. I had to choose Shammah. It took me becoming completely vulnerable before I could ask the Lord for strength and direction. Although everything felt wrong about it, it was the best position I could ever put myself in.

So the question is simple.

Which man most relates to you and why?

'Beautiful Outlaw'

2011-10-03T05:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever considered the personality of Jesus?

Author, John Eldredge, explores this wonderful idea in his newupcoming book titled

'Beautiful Outlaw'. You might recognize John Eldredge from his popular men's
booktitled 'Wild at Heart'. 'Wild at Heart' started quite the buzz in world ofmen's ministry about 10 years ago. He has written several books since then thatI have read and highly recommend.

Eldredge said the following about his new book:

"Reading the Gospels without knowing the personality of Jesus is likewatching television with the sound turned off. The result is a dry, twodimensional person doing strange, undecipherable things".

"John Eldredge removes the religious varnish to help readers discover stunningnew insights into the humanity of Jesus. He was accused of breaking the law,keeping bad company, heavy drinking. Of being the devil himself. He was socompelling and dangerous they had to kill him. But others loved himpassionately. He had a sense of humor. His generosity was scandalous. His angermade enemies tremble. He'd say the most outrageous things. He was definitelynot the Jesus of the stained glass".

This book will help us understand Jesus in a new way and make ourrelationship with Him more powerful than ever before. Check it out!

A Resolution for Desire

2011-09-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's time for resolution! A Resolution for Desire..

September has been a month of researching and discoveringmore about the word desire. What the word means to us, how to understand it, the pressure of it and its place in relationships.In so many parts of our lives, we can attach the word desire.

But I want to maintain a true desire in all parts of mylife. I want to make a resolution to keep my desire in line with God’s plan. Sowhat is a resolution or what does the word mean?

Resolution or Resolve:

- to find an answer to

- to make clear or understandable

- to reach a firm decision about

Psalm 37:4 gives a clear definition on how to find your truedesire. How? We must “Delight ourselves in the Lord”. In going back to thedefinitions, I would say that this is a good answer on how to find desire. Thelast part of the verse makes things clearer or more understandable by saying“And He (God) will give you the desires of your heart”. So this one verse hashelped me find the resolution to desire. And finally, I am able to make a firmdecision about my resolution of desire, because God has clearly shown me.

We need to do better than just understanding the word desire; we need to make aresolution to live it out in our lives according to God’s word and design. It’seasy to talk about desire, once you have a better understanding, but we arecalled to live it out. What an opportunity! The false desires of this world canbe so loud sometimes. The enemy knows our hearts and tempts us with things thatare passing away. But God has revealed to us our true desires. It’s time totake a step of faith, a leap of courage, and get our desires in line!

Resolve to be a man oftrue and Godly desire.

Find more resolutions HERE.

Desire in Marriage

2011-09-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

As a man, I want to love her, but do I really know how to love her? Especially when times are difficult?

Before we get married, we are one separate being. We do things our own way and we desire the things in life that are pleasing and helping to ourselves. Before I said, 'I do', all I was use to saying was 'I want'. What I mean by this is that I did what I wanted. I didn't have to "do" too many things against my nature. When my wife and I were dating, the times together were free and very forgiving. We were able to look past the little quirks, the little things that actually annoyed us a lot. The only thing we wanted was to be together, but does anyone ever really know what their asking for when they take this step? Truth be told, God does and its all part of His plan. All these differences we find in our partner are actually things that will help us, as individuals, become a stronger and better person.

When we tied the knot, we said 'I do'. I DO promise to love you, I DO promise to take care of you, I DO promise to stay with you through the good and bad. I DO promise to desire you. The way we desired that person before is not going to be enough to make the marriage work and last. God has put the desire in us to find this special someone, but we ultimately don't know why. As we find out the different things about each other, we start to take a step back. What is that anger about? I never did things like that growing up! Who are you? The simple desires that brought us together have started to fade into the fog. We get caught up in the storms of life and we start to lose hope. In other words we lose our desire for that person.

The bottom line is we have to think about the desires that brought us together. We have to focus on the desires that keep us together now. And finally the desire to move forward together and get past the little issues. As John and Stasi Eldredge write in their book 'Love & War'. "Because marriage is hard, the first great battle it to not lose heart. We must recover and maintain desire. Let desire return and remind you of all that you wanted, all that you were created for. "

How have you maintained desire in your marriage?

Understanding Desire

2011-09-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

In previous posts, we discussed some of the false desires of the world. We talked about how we can discover desire and the pressure the world puts on our desires. Believe it or not, things like movies, shows, commercials, cars and more are all made to capture our desire. Advertisers understand the word and quietly build it into their branding.

If you have started to truly understand desire from God’s point of view. You will start to feel a shift in what you desire in the world. In a sense, the “desires” of this world will start to lose their luster. What you once thought was so amazing, has now been downgraded. For example; theme parks, certain hobbies, habits. Why is this? Because God is starting to reveal to you your true desires. (Psalm 37:4) You are now in a position with God that He is able to reveal your desires to you. You are trustworthy enough. As you make this shift, the desires of this world will no longer have a stronghold on you. I like to refer to bible verse for this which says ‘I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh’, Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV). Because you have delighted yourself in the Lord, he has given you a new perspective. A new outlook on the way you see and do life. And it’s good!

As I started to understand desire and realize the true desires of my heart. The meaningless things of this world started to really become meaningless (Ecclesiastes 12:8). I still enjoy going to theme parks, racing and building things for people (I do carpentry for fun). But the thing that matters most now is the people I am there with; whether its building relationships with family, making friends that enjoy similar hobbies, or seeing someone smile from a finished product. Another desire that becomes stronger is your marriage. Culture says it’s fine to look at other women and it’s alright to “search the internet”. But the truth is we are to desire our wife more than any other woman. She deserves our attention and our love. My marriage has been fundamentally transformed by God. When we allowed Him in, He revealed our desire for each other. Since then our marriage hasn't been the same and we never want to go back to the old ways. It's just that good. Finally, your desire is focused on what God would have you desire. You are no longer attached to what the enemy tries to make you desire, although he will still tempt you. Pray for God to reveal to you the desires He has for you. Pray that your desire would never stray again!

Have you experienced true desire? Have you been given a new heart and Spirit?

The Pressure of Desire

2011-09-15T04:47:00.000-07:00

So often I am tempted by my old desires or my false lovers. They come each day in the form of a poke, a nudge or a push. Some attempts by the enemy are stronger than others and some are just a quick memory. The memories of the old desires are still alive and the enemy loves to insert them whenever possible. He comes with comforting lies and soft tones, trying to speak to us in our language. This is the language you use to speak and the enemy knows it very well. He knows what made you fall before and he knows the temptations are still a chance to get us to go back to the old ways, or our old desires.

Take a can of soda for example. If you were to take this can of soda and shake it up, assuming it is caffeinated, the pressure would build inside of the can. If you were to open the can, the contents would come gushing out suddenly and there would be a mess to have to clean up or cover up. Now let’s say you shake that can of soda, but you do not open it. Sure the pressure is still there, but the contents are left inside to settle down.The same is with the temptation of our old desires. The enemy is still around and we are still human. When we are tempted, the pressure will rise and we will have to make a choice. If we make the choice to indulge in the old desire, the contents of our actions will come bursting out! We will be left with some sort of mess to clean up, or even worse we will have the guilt of trying to cover it up. If we can have the courage to stand up and avoid the temptation, the pressure will go away and the contents will calm down.

If we are recognizing our old desires and changing our habits to get our desires more in line with Gods, than we must be strong. We must be able to stand up to the pressure of the enemy, other people and so on. The false desires will tempt us; there is no question about that. But by knowing this type of thing is at work in us, we can be ready. We can have faith that God will provide a way out for us. Proof is in the His words below.

1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Discover Desire

2011-09-12T05:08:00.000-07:00

Continuing in the theme of Desire, from the book by John Elderidge. In the first discussion of our desires, we talked about 'False Desires'. This discussion is about taking desire to a new height, and discovering it on a deeper level.

Desire, at first, seems like a complicated idea. It is not a word commonly used anymore, and not really understood. But, we can only hope for what we desire. I know we all use the word hope. So how do we find out the deeper meaning of desire? How can we discover desire?

I like to refer to one of my favorite verses, which is 'Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart' (Psalm 37:4). The first part of this verse can help us understand how we can discover desire. We must delight ourselves in the Lord or find pleasure in our time with the Lord. How do we find pleasure in the Lord? Well, I'll ask another question: How do we find pleasure in hiking, reading, sports or just things we enjoy? We try it; we open ourselves up and give one of these things a try. Once we try it, and like it, we can say we took pleasure in it. Because we have taken pleasure in it, we hope or desire to do it again. When we take a vacation, we are typically longing for that time to get away. We desire to be on vacation.

So now that we have discovered the meaning of desire in our everyday life, how do we translate that into our walk with God? Let's start first with Church. As men, we need to be the spiritual leader of our household. The decision to go to Church should start with you. If you have the desire to seek God, your family will follow in your direction. They will be led, just as you are being led by God. Be open to listening to the message at Church. Hear what the Pastor is saying, and really listen closely. Try to desire, long, and know more about our Father. Become friends with the people of the Church. These people should also have a desire to delight in the Lord, which will help you maintain your desire. The more people you can wrap around you with a desire for God, the better chance you have at maintaining your desire.

How have you discovered desire in your life?

A Call to be Courageous

2011-09-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the new movie coming out called 'Courageous'? The movie will be coming out on September 30th to a theater near you.

This is not your typical Hollywood movie though. The movie is about four Police officers who are focused and confident when it comes to facing danger on the job. But when it comes to leading their families at home in a God-honoring way, they must find their true stength and true courage.

As I was walking around the bookstore yesterday, I also noticed there are some books to go along with the movie. The first book I found was titled 'The Resolution for Men'. I took this book, read the introduction and the first chapter. I had to hold myself back from trying to read it all in a day. The information just in the first few pages was intense and straight to the point. We need men to stand up and Be Courageous.
There is also a book for women titled 'The Resolution for Women'. My wife started reading the book last night and had the same reaction. Intense and to the point.

I would highly recommend planning to watch this movie at the end of this month. Also, check out the books if you can (my wife and I bought both books at 'LifeWay' last night ). Click the links, and SPREAD THE WORD!

2BB4W94MYAHZ

False Desires

2011-09-06T05:54:00.000-07:00

I recently read an awesome book titled ‘Desire’, by author John Elderidge. The book is about the journey we must take to find our true desire. The next few blog posts are a small view inside the journey of desire from my perspective.

What would the average man say if you asked him what he desired? A few ideas might be sports, like football or golf. Maybe he would say ‘women’ and give you a full download of what he means and why. Maybe he would say success. Maybe he would give you a blank look and wonder what in the world you were asking.

But, I wonder what the same man would say if you asked him ‘Are you happy?’ I imagine you would get a strange look, a rude comment or an obvious fake answer. If the word desire is in question, then the word happy has even less meaning.

The two of these questions go hand in hand with each other. The reason men are not happy, is because they are looking for desire in all the wrong places. Men spend their days at work hoping to rise in the food chain. Maybe working two jobs to try to get that “dream” house and affirmation. Men wrap themselves up in sports for weekends on end. Men go from woman to woman looking for that perfect one. They tell stories of their exterior beauty, and then say they got rid of her because she was crazy. These false desires or bad attempts at intimacy go round and round and round. The ‘desires’ are chased until they have lost their luster. Like young love, the initial tingle is gone and you move on to the next thing. The next “big” thing has the same results and you start to wonder about life and if there is even a purpose. Happiness becomes a lost word you hear once in a while from a stranger. The word itself is a stranger.

These false desire are merely addictions, and the Bible referes to them as 'adulterous'. They keep us from knowing our true desires. They keep us from knowing God.

So what are we to desire? How do we find it and make an attempt to understand it?

In the coming posts, we will discuss how to take Desire to the next level.

Please feel free to comment below and add your thoughts.

Language of Respect

2011-08-31T07:03:00.000-07:00

Respect is an understanding, an agreement, a behavior, an attitude and more.

Understanding respect is essential. It is necessary in the workplace, in marriages, and in everyday communication with people. When people are placed in charge of us, we must respect them. We must learn what respect means to them and apply those concepts daily. We must apply them in an effort to form a habit out of the process. It will be the best thing to do for yourself, for your career and for your boss. When you say ‘I do’ to your spouse, you are signing up to learn respect. We must learn what respect means to each other and, even more, learn how to apply those particular principles. Since we know ourselves better than anyone, we must be able to openly communicate what our language of respect is to our spouse. This will assist greatly in truly learning to understand each other. Once these points are found, the habit of applying them can begin.

Since the wife is designed to understand love better, we, as men, must have patience with our wife. It would be a great idea to make an agreement with your wife in regards to learning more about respect. In other words, you both agree to stop conversations when needed, in order to learn each others language of respect. For example, when your wife does something that is disrespectful to you. This can be the time that you stop and default back to the agreement. You can simply say ‘Let’s go back to the agreement. The situation or words spoken came across disrespectful to me.’ This type of agreement allows the situation to not get out of control, because the both of you are going back to the original conversation/ agreement. Any misunderstanding of the situation can be worked out at this point in a calm and understanding way. This same idea can be applied when the husband says something unloving or disrespectful to his wife.

When I referred to the word ‘calm’, I am referring to our behavior. Our behavior or attitude is also large part of respect. Keeping the situations at a calm level allow for better understanding, clearer judgment and true listening. When a situation arises that would call for the ‘agreement’, it is most likely not going to be an easy moment. Something happened that caused some tension or friction. We, as spouses or coworkers, have to be careful not to assume the worst about each other. Assuming the worst will bring about an immediate negative attitude. If we can assume the best, our behavior will stay positive and calmer. The conversation during the discussion will go smoother and the resolution will come quicker. If needed, paraphrase each others comments back to each other to allow for full understanding.

In ending, we all need to understand how to respect each other better. This can be accomplished by being aware of this and agreeing to tell each other when situations come up. And to keep a positive, calm attitude during the process. The benefits of learning each others language of respect can be life changing.

Learn more about 'Love & Respect'.

Fury of Life & Nature

2011-08-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

The week of August 22-28, was a crazy week of experiencing the fury of nature. Here in Virginia we have experienced some wild events.

Earlier in the week we experienced a 5.8 earthquake. This was the first earthquake I have ever experienced, or at least actually felt. There were a few aftershocks that followed, but nothing too major. A couple days later we had a violent thunderstorm that felt more like Tropical Storm conditions. All of these things occurred while we were listening to the forecast of the giant Hurricane Irene. Hurricane Irene is now going through Virginia and we are feeling some of her power. On top of that we have heard of tornadoes touching down due to the force of Irene in different parts of the country. I’m waiting to hear of a sudden snow storm….

With all these crazy weather patterns happening lately, I can’t help but relate them to our lives. There are many storms that we go through in life. Some examples are broken relationships, family issues, work problems and identity failures. We are never sure of what kind of storm we will face next, but we will face them eventually. This week in weather is like having a really hard week in our lives. Sometimes we get hit with storm after storm and we start to lose hope, we start to give up. We figure the storms are too large and are out of our control. Instead of going to others for help, we close up shop or we check out. Where do we go and what do we do….

The answer to all of these storms is God. We know that we have no control over the weather and we know that we are never really ready for the storms of life. If we have a rock, a solid foundation to stand on, we can be sure that we will be safe. Instead of isolation and worry, we can put our trust in Him that everything will work out for good. If we can recognize that we don’t have control of the storms, we can give Him control. We can allow him to handle the storms for us. He will guard us.

The Power of Nature

2011-08-24T03:55:00.000-07:00

In light of all the preparations for 9/11 and of course the giant Hurricane Irene coming up the east coast.
Who would have thought an earthquake was on the horizon? The answer: No one on Earth.

Right before the earthquake hit, I was walking my job site. I was reviewing the building, and seeing what preparations need to be made for the hurricane. Material needs to be covered and tools need to be stored or strapped down. As much as we think we can prepare for the hurricane, we have no idea how much of a punch it has in store for us. About 10 minutes later, the earthquake hit. A rare east coast quake that gave millions of people an unexpected jolt. In perspective, the jolt that hit Japan was about 60,000 times stronger. We should all consider ourselves blessed. Things like these hurricanes and earthquakes makes us wonder how much control we really have...

Conclusion? We have no control. As much as we try to control our lives and dictate what happens. We never, really, know what is around the corner. From the simple everyday things, to the power of nature below and around us. Hurricanes can be forecasted, but we have no control over the power or direction. The wrath that it holds is in question until it gets to its destination. An earthquake gives us no warning at all. We are at the mercy of the earth and its raw power. All of these events should be a reminder to us all to wake up. If these events are even a glimpse of the power that God holds. We are all in for something beyond imagination and certainly beyond our control. These are but the birth pains.

Marriage Conference Day #2

2011-08-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

This morning was the second day of Dr. Gary Chapman's marriage conference at the West End Assembly of God, in Richmond, Va. Yesterday he talked about 'The Five Love Languages' and the 'Five Languages of Apology'.

Todays critical marriage information was based out of his book 'The Marriage You've Always Wanted'. The main topic of the book is focused toward communication in our marriage. Communication is a necessity for a great marriage! Since we know ourself better than anyone else, we have to communicate what we like and don't like to our spouse.

Communication has to be a two way street in a marriage. This means a few things. We must be able to talk comfortably with each other. We must be able to clearly express what we are trying to say. And we must listen when the other person is talking. Are you listening yet? :) Sometimes its even a great idea to express your thoughts and have the other person paraphrase those thoughts back to you. This way you know your getting the right message across. Assuming is never a good idea.

We also discussed the topic of sex. Sex was created by God, and He even said it was very good. Notice that all the other days were good, but the day that male and female were created were really good. The culture has really taken its toll on this topic, but the Bible is very clear on the specifics of sex. Overall marriages need to keep a positive attitude on sex and keep the lines of communication open in this area. This should be an incentive to read the paragraph on communication again. Still listening?

Finally, we need to realize that marriage is a ministry. As Christ came to serve, so we need to serve. And we need to serve our spouse. The conference and the book go into a lot more detail on these subjects and many more. The experience was great and I would recommend this conference or any other marriage conference to married couples. Love accepts many imperfections. Thoughts?

Check out more information on Dr. Gary Chapman and his ministries.
http://www.5lovelanguages.com/

Marriage Conference Day #1

2011-08-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the first part of the marriage conference. The speaker was Dr. Gary Chapman, and the topics were the books 'The Five Love Languages' and 'The Five Languages of Apology'.

I know what your thinking, what is wrong with our marriage that we would need to go to a marriage conference. Well believe it or not, our marriage is stronger than it ever has been and continues to get stronger. But we can all learn new things about ourselves, our spouse, our marriage and God. So, as a couple, we take full advantage of marriage conferences and/or marriage classes.

The first topic of the night was based on 'The Five Love Languages'. The idea with the languages is that we all love in different ways. We mostly learn how to love from our parents. We would watch how they would talk to each other, do things for each other and just spend time together. When we finally find the love of our life, we have to learn the love language of our partner. Now, the first couple years may go great because of our young love. But after that time passes, we need to start to really learn about each other. We need to learn our spouses love language. The languages are these: Words of Affirmation, Gifts, Quality Time, Acts of Service and Physical Touch. Discover which of these languages speaks most to your spouse and watch the transformation take place. Gary Chapman did a great job explaining these categories at the conference tonight, and goes into even more detail in the love languages book.

The other topic was 'The Five Languages of Apology'. Just as we grew up into a type of love language, we also grew up learning how to apologize. Apologizing is not the easiest thing to do, but is essential for our marriage to grow. Men must understand this even more as we tend to see apologizing as a sign of weakness. Most men grew up this way watching their Father, or have adjusted to the culture or male stereotype. What we don't realize is that apology is powerful and affective. As a couple we both have say sorry or admit we were wrong sometimes. None of us are perfect and we need to get this apology subject figured out for when we screw up. Notice I did not say 'if' you screw up, but 'when'. Gary Chapman has a book dedicated to learning these apology languages. I enjoyed hearing him speak about them and look forward to reading the book.

Tomorrow is day two of the conference. Check out these books when you get a chance. If you have read one or both of them, leave a comment and your thoughts. Thanks!

More information! http://www.5lovelanguages.com/

Beyond Me

2011-08-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

I know what your thinking, this term is used mostly when not understanding something or used instead of confusion. But the saying came to me the other day and it had another meaning. It was not related to confusion at all, but more about clarity. When someone says 'beyond me', they are referring to something that is beyond their knowledge or above their understanding. In a sense they are confused in the situation they are in or are currently watching.

This time was different though, it was related to complete understanding. I have begun to realize that in order to not be confused, I have to see beyond myself. In other words, I have to see 'beyond me'. I have to understand that I don't have control over anything and that I can do nothing by myself. Who gave me life, who gave me insight, who showed me love? It wasn't me. I did not reveal these things to myself, but rather they were revealed to me. Before I even saw beyond myself, I was being shown what to do.

Beyond me can be more easily stated as 'selflessness'. The removing of ourselves, our control, our own desires from the equation. We start to give ourselves over to other people or places that are in true need. These people are still using the term 'beyond me', in the way the world has made it popular.
But we must get past the world and go to God. We must go beyond ourselves and discover the path that God would have us take.

We must. We must.

Chaos of our Desires

2011-08-14T12:06:00.001-07:00

You may have heard an orchestra tuning up before a concert. It sounds like total chaos-oboes, cello, french horns, dozens of instruments all sounding off, everyone doing his own thing. Trills, groans, whistles, thumps-an absolute cacophany. This is how our desires seem most of the time. But when the first violin plays a long high C, and slowly, all of the instruments begin to join in. They become focused, centered, ready to perform.

Such is what happens with the chaos of our desires when we turn our souls to God in worship. All of the other desires find their place as we give God his place. This is why the psalmist urges us, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). Only as we truly delight in God is it safe to give us our desires, for then they are not likely to become idols. And by our delighting in God, he heals our false desires as our souls come true in the light of their Maker. Worship becomes the means by which we most deeply heal our desire.

Take from Chapter 10 of the Book 'Desire', by John Eldredge.

Talking to God

2011-08-13T06:10:00.000-07:00

As I have continued to mature in my spiritual walk, I have grown in my style of prayer. When I use to pray, I thought it had to be formal and in solitude. I thought this was the only way to talk to God, and I thought it had to be about only important things. I would pray or think of God when tough situations happen in life. How often do you see on Facebook or hear from friends that they need prayer for a loved one because they are sick or in the hospital. The next day they are doing or saying things that should not be said or done if someone is praying. How could we expect God to answer a prayer if we never visit him any other time? It would be like asking a “friend” for help all the time and never just hanging out to have fun. Ultimately, there is no relationship built up. Praying to God can be treated like talking to a friend. It doesn’t have to be only in the bad times or when we eat. How about those two examples of bad habits! Praying when something is wrong, or praying God will bless this food to your body. We might as well be wishing our sick ones farewell and have our food wonder why were talking about it. Its all dead space, it goes no where. Praying goes beyond those things and becomes a walking, talking relationship with God.

How do you get an idea or a need across to a friend? You communicate with them! How do we get an idea, thought or idea across to God? You communicate with Him. We have to ask God to help us, we have invite Him into our lives and our situations. God can help us in so many amazing ways, but we have to ask him. This concept is widely misunderstood, I know it was for me. God desires for us to come to Him with our needs and our thanks. And we were made to desire Him!

So Pray!

What Would God Choose?

2011-08-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

In order to allow God to choose, you must first ask..

Last week Chelsea , my wife, and I went on vacation for the week. It was a great and wonderful vacation! We stayed at a resort in the mountains, explored the area and had our fifth Wedding Anniversary!

There was something different about this vacation though. Instead of resting from God while we were away, we rested in God. Sometimes we can make our time with God part of our normal habits, to where it almost feels like work. So when we go on vacation, we do not visit Him because it is associated with work.
But what if you find rest in God? What if on vacation, you allow Him to choose where you go and what you do? I really didn't have this concept in mind when we went on vacation, but I knew I did not want to leave God out. So how did He choose for us? We asked or prayed each day that God would show us what He had planned for us and asked what He might have for us do. Psalms 37:4 says 'Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your Heart.'
So we had a mock schedule for the week, but no definite plans for each day. So we asked God to help show us the path, or show us our desires. I can honestly say that each day was something new! Different adventures and opportunities to relax. Decisions were made easily and we had a great time everywhere we went.
God will truly show you the desires of your heart, if you ask with an honest heart. God provided us with amazing accommodations, quality time together and a place to find rest in Him.

My challenge would be for you to do the same. This does not have to just be on vacation either, it could be each day. But if you do find yourself on vacation, invite God into your time and see what amazing things just might be in store for you!

'The True Measure of a Man'

2011-08-05T09:18:00.000-07:00

I recently completed reading a book titled, 'The True Measure of a Man'. The author of the book is Richard E. Simmons III. I had found out about this book when reading reviews for a book titled 'Wild at Heart.' This is in fact another great read that I will review another time. This was a great book and is a must read for every man! Many of the recent posts on the 'Manturity' Facebook Page have been quotes from the book. The book explores the many issues that men go through in today's world. Chapters talk about a man's identity, a man's courage and a man's truth. How men compare themselves to other men and are never content with what they have or with their current status. If men are never happy with their current situation, then they will never be content. The book has many other books incorporated into it and there is a list of them all at the end. The book is only 132 pages, it is not overwhelming or huge. Do yourself a favor and take some time to read this book. If you have read it, leave a comment below or on the Facebook page. Thanks!

Other Reviews:

"This book is for every man of every faith or no faith at all. He'll learn why he doesn't have to live with the guilt, insecurity, and fear that most men experience but often pretend they don't." Fred Barnes

"This book provides answers to men's deepest questions and helps them understand what they are feeling as they go through the storms of life. He points us to a life of contentment that can only be found in the Lord. I believe every man should read this book." Pat Sullivan

Among The Living

2011-08-03T13:25:00.000-07:00

As I sat in a graveyard the other day, I had the following thoughts....

As I sit among the dead, I can't help but think of the living. You wonder what their life was like, but you also wonder if they found the life they hoped for? What was the life they hoped for? What was the life they lived? We sit together now, but in different realms and in a different time. I know my fate is the same upon which I sit, but is that a bad thing? There's no fighting against death, but there is the life we have to fight for after death. The opportunity for who I sit among is gone, but mine is still alive and well. I live those opportunities everyday. The choices I make, the people I meet and love, the thoughts that stream through my mind. I know the end will come, but I want to be ready! I want to live, so that I may not die, but live more abundantly!

Habits & Electronics...

2011-07-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

How about electronics? We are a culture that is loaded up with electronic gadgets, widgits, etc. The push for these smart phones is through the roof these days. Media pushes everyone to have one and everybody is buying in. Sure they may cost a little more money, but isn’t it worth it? I won’t lie and say I don’t have a smart phone, but I know I have to be really careful on my usage. Check your email, your facebook, the scores, your twitter, your everything! Ever heard of the saying ‘The now network”? We are a generation of now, instant and impatient. We have access to everything on these devices, and when were without them we feel lost. When were without them we almost feel naked. What, its not in my pocket? I left my phone at home! Ever download a new game on a smart phone and get immediately hooked. Its like a trance, we don’t know where we came from or where were going, but this game.. I hear and read status updates about guys playing hours and hours on games that get them no where.

I have to be so careful, I can start racing on my phone and be hooked for who knows how long. Racing has always been one of my passions and it gets my blood flowing. The anticipation of the race, the unknown ability of other drivers, the opportunity to win! Once I start the race, I can feel my body tense up, I can sense the wild amount of concentration. I work in and around other cars, I take good turns and bad turns. When I win I feel this great sense of satisfaction, but if I lose or get wrecked I get legitimately angry. I get frustrated with myself for taking the turn incorrectly, I get mad at other cars for taking me out or I just use the intensity to race again. Only this time it will be harder, smarter and faster! Phew, all of this emotion for a game on the phone! Just imagine if I had actual game system. A system that could play on the big screen, a system that played in full HD. The cars would look more real, the tracks would be amazingly accurate, the handling would be outstandingly realistic. I could race online, establish credibility, become the fastest and best driver in the world! Yes, I could do all of this and probably do it very well. It is the nature of a man to want to succeed, to want to pull through and achieve victories. But I also know myself, and one of my passion verbs is ‘achieve’. I don’t want to experience failure, so I would push and push until I was the best. This same idea can be for any video game meant for the man and the man mentality. The problem is this, although I would be great at all of this, my marriage and personal life would completely fall apart. The game and all of its needs would pull me away from everything that is important. So I stay away. I know these truths about myself and I don’t allow them to have any part in my life. I have considered the idea of buying one many time, my wife has even offered as a possible Christmas present multiple times and thankfully it never went through. These are not the habits I want to establish or have dominating my life. The smart phone is bad enough as it is and is enough for me to wrestle with daily. Electronics are very cool these days, and always going out of date. Media always pushes us to get the latest and greatest device. This is of course the same tatics they used to get us to buy the first edition or earlier edition of the models. I’m not saying that electronics are bad, but we have to be careful to not let them dominate our time or lives. Make a choice to be aware of your usage and what is really important in life.

Are Habits a Big Deal?

2011-07-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

I have started to learn lately that habits are a very big deal. The definition of habit is as follows: an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. The last few words of the definition are pretty intense 'almost involuntary'. Meaning most of the habits we have we don't even think about or don't even realize it is a habit. So how can habits effect us as men in our daily walk?

Waking up and getting coffee, using certain shampoo, grabbing your keys from the same spot, getting your clothes from the same drawer for years and years. The longer we perform these things, the stronger habit they form in us. These are just the surface of some of the lighter habits we all have and form. They make our day go easier, they make us feel comfortable, and that could be a bad thing. We get so used to these routines that whenever something goes wrong we don't know what to do or how to react. The coffee machine did not work, the alarm did not go off, the car did not start. We MUST be careful of our habits or they will take advantage of us! We must be aware of our actions and be ready for the unexpected. We are never in control of our situations, and habits try to make the feel the opposite. "Why would anything go wrong, this is the way things always go". We can get trapped in the idea that we are free from unexpected circumstances, or will be out of harms way. These are all lies, only God will know what our future will hold. We must take our habits to God and ask him to help us break them and be more aware of them. We must make that the habit and we will be more prepared to handle our other habits.

In the posts to come, I will talk about habits more in depth and how they can affect our lives and our walk with God. Topics on ourselves, marriage, emotions and more.

What are some of your habits you have to be careful of, or what are some examples of Godly habits?

Welcome to Manturity!

2011-07-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Manturity!

What does it look like to be a mature Man of God? What are some of the attributes of a Man of God? The Mission of Manturity is to find the answers to these questions and many more. Men are led by a backwards culture and false identities. In some ways it how we were raised, how we view life and the people we surround ourself with.

People want to be led. Lets stand up and be a Man of God.

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