“Strength is the glory of manhood. Manhood and strength are synonymous.” – James Isaac Vance
"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.
A 1914 Address to the Christian Men's Association
"When I think of an association of Christian young men I wonder that it has not already turned the world upside down. I wonder, not that it has done so much, for it has done a great deal, but that it has done so little; and I can only conjecture that it does not realize its own strength.
"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning, but for children, play is serious learning.”
-Fred Rogers
Across the country schools are closing for the duration of the year leaving many parents feeling anxious about educating their children at home, and managing the extra down-time without the flurry of activities and sports that have become part of summertime in America. The truth is, this extra time at home may be just what your child needs.
1. Cultivate Relationships
Boys need dads who remember the world of backyard matchbox cars. Who can recall the time when dirt roads were carved from mulch beds, rocks became doughnut shops, cars drove to the tops of trees, and perils awaited in the grass jungles.
Manhood is in crisis today. The increasingly accurate term “perpetual adolescence” is not a reference to girls failing to grow up. We intuitively know it refers to 20- and 30-something men. Men are falling behind women in college enrollment and graduation; they’re increasingly unemployed; and traditionally male-dominated industries are disappearing. They are more likely to be homeless and to use and abuse all almost all types of illicit drugs and alcohol. Ninety-nine percent of all prison inmates are male, as well as 98 percent of death-row inmates. Men are not doing well. In many ways, they are becoming the “weaker sex.”
Happy President's Day from Trail Life! Today we celebrate the men who have lead our country and honor our first president—Statesman, Military General, and Founding Father of the United States of America.
Boyhood is a time of daring adventure, exploration, action and personal growth – that’s why adventure is a fundamental part of Trail Life’s mission. Adventure is a terrific way to capture the heart of a boy and teach important life lessons. Boys need godly men to lead the way. A boy without a mentor showing him the way is like an explorer without a compass, without a map.
In a culture that declares masculinity is toxic and struggles to provide any coherent definition of what a courageous manhood is or should be, Christmas is an incredible opportunity to talk with boys and young men about the example of Christ. What did it mean for him to become a man? What character traits did he display? What was unique about the life he lived? What implications does his life have for us as men?
We must make every effort to interdict those dangerous influences, and to build within our young men lasting qualities of character, self-discipline, respect for authority, commitment to the work ethic, and an unshakable love for Jesus Christ…Get your boys into a good program that offers Christian mentoring for them, such as Trail Life.
