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The Beauty and Mystery of Prayer

3 Gifts Men Need from Mentors
Every Monday night they gather on my back porch—a small group of young men. After some hot tea and snacks, the conversation begins. My good friend Dave and I lead them through a time of telling stories from their lives. The topic last Monday was a familiar one for me—mentors. But what came out of it was a surprise. Suddenly I saw the hunger for mentors delineated into three different gifts, gifts that touch the deep places in a man’s soul.
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The Real Jesus
As we say throughout 33 The Series, Jesus is our model for Authentic Manhood. I'd be willing to bet that many of us have never fully understood who Jesus really was when he walked this earth. There are so many outside forces that can distort our view of the real Jesus. Things like stained-glass portraits, the modern media, our parents, movies, and even our religious backgrounds can give us the wrong impression of who he really was.
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3 Reasons to Go Deep or Go Home
When I taught high school, one of the science teachers told me about a fascinating assignment he gave to his class one day. They went outside and sat down on assigned places on the lawn. Then he marked out for each of them a tiny square piece of ground and told them to watch and record what happened there over the entire class period. Of course, there was resistance and exclamations of dismay. To spend 45 minutes staring at a 6“ x 6” plot sounded more like punishment than an assignment. But... read more

Ancient Paths for Seeking God — Part 4
This is the last in a four-part series describing some tried and true ways Christians have drawn close to God through the centuries (Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3). For this fourth post, I want to look at a path that taps into our most powerful mental capacity, the imagination. Because of it, we are able to dream, create, and discover. It is the reason for great art, scientific discoveries, and entrepreneurial efforts. You would be hard-pressed to have any form of human endeavor without the... read more

25 Ideas to Date Your Wife
While Valentine's Day is a nationally recognized day of romance, it's important for men to pursue their wives on regular basis, not just on special occasions. The idea is you want to show her you love her a million different times in a million different ways. No matter how long you've been married or how gray your hair is getting, your wife needs to be reminded that she is still loved, cherished, and worth pursuing.
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Finding Masculinity in the Most Unlikely Place
Every boy is trying to find it. Each young man is trying to capture it. Every man is trying to own it. It’s that elusive quality of masculinity.... read more
Gillette and Toxic Masculinity
Don’t think for a moment that the controversial Gillette commercial is attempting to redefine masculinity. I doubt that Proctor & Gamble executives met to discuss their part in helping guide the cultural attempt to construct its perfect man. As with most corporations, market share, growth, and bottom lines dictate high-level conversations. But maybe with threats like Dollar Shave Club and more bearded millennials walking around, they thought re-positioning themselves in the market by... read more

Exposing the Empty Promises of Work
Scripture is very clear; men were created to work. Work provides direction and allows us to use our talents and abilities to express ourselves and impact the world. From day one in Eden to day one hundred million in eternity, there has been and always will be work for us to do as image-bearers of God and co-creators with Him. Ultimately, to be made in the image of God is to be made in the image of a worker.... read more
