Raising Godly Boys Minute

Have you ever seen the power of a boy?All that boundless energy is there for a reason.  Steve led a 50-mile hike with a group of boys and began to worry he might have to cut it short.  His son and some of the other younger boys were lagging behind and wanted to quit.Just as Steve  made the decision to turn the entire group back, the older boys took charge, taught the younger ones silly songs and games for the trail, and all the little ones drafted in their wake, inspired to follow young men they looked up to and admired.Give your son excellent young men to look up to, and help him become the one who inspires others.For more encouragement and parenting advice, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

Encourage your son to make only one resolution this year: to never give up. The movie A Million Miles Away tells the true story of Jose Hernandez, who grew up as a migrant farmworker and eventually fulfilled his dream of being an astronaut. Part of Jose’s story is that he applied to NASA eleven times before he was eventually accepted. While making his twelfth application attempt, the movie shows Jose delivering the application in person to NASA. As he hands his application in, he says, “You can reject me again. But if you do, I’ll be right back here next year, applying again.” Jose was accepted, and went to space only four years after that.  Remind your son that, with God, all things are possible. We must never, ever give up. For more ideas on raising boys to be godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

On this last day of the year,  reflect with your son about the 5 critical needs. First, do a check on your son’s “compass.” Ask him what he would like his life to look like in 5 years, and what he needs to do now to achieve his dreams. Secondly, ask your son about his “map.” Does he have male mentors to look up to? Third, remind your son that he needs a “guide,” positive peer relationships. Is his group of friends spurring him on in Christ? Fourth, your son needs a flashlight. Does he feel confident in his faith? Remind him that it’s more than OK to ask questions. Finally, talk to your boy about the mountains in his life. Does he feel challenged? What new activities would he like to attempt in the new year? To learn more about these 5 critical needs, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

It’s easier than you think. In her book Boys Will Be Boys, Dr. Meg Meeker jokingly describes a fictional encounter between a father and a son. The dad says, “Hey son, I’ll see you later, I’m going to a seminar on how to be a better father!” And the son answers,: “Oh, that’s easy dad, just hammer some nails with me.” Dr. Meeker’s brilliant point is that good and godly parenting is a lot more simple than we think. Although a doctor’s advice is sometimes needed, ultimately there’s only two voices you need to listen to: God’s, and your son’s. Dr. Meeker says if you pay close enough attention to your son, you will soon see what he truly needs. Combine that with a prayer for wisdom, and you can parent with confidence. To learn about the five critical needs of boys, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

How does a boy know he is becoming a man?Sometimes, life tells them along the way.Late in the dry summer, Robert looked out his back door, and saw smoke billowing across his property. A growing fire crawled across his neighbor’s pasture, and threatened to roar into the woods on his land.  He yelled for his two boys, 12 and 15, threw rakes into the truck, and drove toward the fire.Jumping into action, he and the boys beat back the flames, creating a firebreak and saving the woods - and the elementary school on the other side.Grimy, exhausted, thirsty, and hearts racing with pride they performed a man’s work that day, those two boys knew they were becoming men.For more information about raising your son into a godly man, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.