I am writing because I believe we are at a critical juncture for boys.
It has been said, “Difficult times make strong men.” The present challenges facing our nation create a unique opportunity to cultivate the men of tomorrow. Will we grow men of character and courage who are competent to face the challenges of the future?
Pastors and ministry leaders: Raise your hand if college or seminary prepared you for protecting children from abuse, religious liberty battles or the culture war over gender and sexuality.
No? Well, you’re certainly not alone! As America seems to be transitioning to a post-Christian era, our churches and ministries walk a slippery and perilous tightrope.
“Strength is the glory of manhood. Manhood and strength are synonymous.” – James Isaac Vance
The boys came prepared in teams of four for a highlight challenge of the Daniel Boone Base Camp Event. Each year Trailmen compete to build a fire tall enough to burn a marker string, boil water, and steep coffee for their Troopmaster to drink. This year, however the planning team added a twist. The fire had to be started by friction.
Will McCarty and his father Britt worked together to begin the first Trail Life Troop in the state of Mississippi. Now six years later, a dream has come true. Will has become the first Freedom Rangeman in Trail Life Troop MS-0009, and a new legacy has begun.
We all want our boys to become good, hard-working, intelligent, kind, happy people. But we want more than this don’t we? We want them to become men; men who possess all these qualities and more. What parent would ever say “I don’t really care whether my boy becomes a man just as long as he’s a good person?” The road for boys leads toward manhood. It’s important for men to consider what fathers do for their sons to help them along that road.
As parents, we have a choice to teach our boys to live in fear or teach them to rise above life’s challenges and act in faith. COVID-19 has added many obstacles to boys getting together to do the things they love. But right now, our boys don’t need to hear more “you can’t do XYZ.” They need opportunities to positively overcome the restraints imposed by the pandemic... creatively, safely, and responsibly.
On the journey to manhood, boys need to be a part of a mission bigger than themselves. They need significant challenges. They need men who can cast vision, celebrate milestones, and help them see who they can become. In the midst of Coronavirus shut-downs and virtual meetings, a group of leaders in Trail Life Troop TX-1160 were able to help the boys in their community dream and accomplish just such a project.
"Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
- Romans 5:3-4
The weather on the mountain was brutal. The windchill was at four degrees below zero. Forty mile per hour winds hurled snow and ice pellets straight down the mountain. Whiteout conditions had set in. One climber after another passed us coming down the mountain saying it was impossible to continue. They were turning back.
