Raising Godly Boys Minute

Have you ever had a mentor or teacher that you wish you had listened to?

In a whitewater course, two seasoned veterans taught  the intricacies of draw strokes, pry strokes, reading a rapid, and the joy of eddy turns.

But five minutes onto the river, one boy panicked, ignored the calls of his mentors, and ended up capsizing his canoe in the middle of a rapid and wrapping it around a large rock, while everyone else eddied up safely on the other side of the river.

Teach your son to listen to the voice of his leaders.  This life can be a swift river with dangerous rocks at every turn.  A good mentor can make all the difference in the world.

For information about raising your son into a godly man, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

David Thomas, a psychologist, was attending an elderly grandpa’s funeral.

David watched as two of the man’s grandsons approached the casket. One boy, who was six years old, cried loudly. Beside him stood another boy– fourteen years old– who was  holding back his tears.

David overheard some adults express concern about the crying six year old. But David was more worried about the silent older boy. While the six year old was clearly processing his emotions, the fourteen year old was bottling up feelings that would have to be dealt with eventually.

When your son goes through a loss or something difficult, be sure to help him process his feelings. Let him know that it’s more than OK for men to display emotions– after all, Jesus cried openly, too.

For more ideas on raising boys to be godly men, go to TrailLife USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

What is Black Friday, really?  What is it about?

Pursuing hard-to-find items only available for a short time is a treasure hunt to many.

How can you use Black Friday to teach your children about faith in Christ?

The bible says few find the path to salvation, and this short life is the only time we have to find it.  In some ways, Black Friday is like the man who found a hidden treasure in a field and sold everything he had to get it.

Give your children every opportunity to know the love of Christ.  Teach them to cling to their faith as the most precious, hard-to-find treasure they’ll ever know by living that faith in your own life for them to see.

For more encouragement and parenting advice, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

What is your son thankful for?

The Pilgrims were thankful to be alive.  They fled from religious persecution, faced the terror of the North Atlantic in a tiny ship and potential starvation when their supplies ran out.

Today, your son faces new and harsh challenges to his faith and even his identity as a male.  How can you help him navigate past his obstacles into godly, thankful manhood?

Model Christ for him.  Live out your faith.  Teach him to love the word of God.

Also, give him godly mentors and surround him with others on the same path.  Provide carefully selected challenges to strengthen him.

The joy of his journey and his success as a godly man will make you both thankful.

For more information about raising your son into a godly man, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

“I guess I haven’t learned that yet.”

That’s a phrase coined by author Shauna Niequist.  After her two sons, Henry and Mac, had lived in a small town their whole life, Shauna and her husband moved the family to New York City.

As her sons struggled with the transition to city life, Shauna pinned a piece of paper to the wall with the phrase “I guess I haven’t learned that yet” on it. She reminded her boys that everyone is growing and learning, and that it’s fine to not know everything.

Your son might need to hear that, too. When he makes a mistake, reassure him that it’s a normal part of growing up. Remind him that God’s grace is sufficient to cover every last one of the things we haven't learned yet.

For more ideas to raise boys to be godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.