Raising Godly Boys Minute

Is it time to focus?

If you have a magnifying glass, take it outside on a bright sunny day. Show your son how to raise or lower the lens until a beam of light focuses on a single point. With a steady hand and a little patience, that concentrated light becomes so intense that it can catch dry grass on fire.

Use this activity as an object lesson. Remind your son that if life ever becomes so busy that it begins crowding out his time with the Lord, he needs to refocus his attention. Sports and hobbies are a blast, but they should never consume all his energy.

By training your son to put the Lord first in all that he does, he will develop an intensity for life that will magnify God.

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

Do you have a security camera?

Around 1 million American homes are burglarized every year. That’s why home video-camera systems are more popular than ever.

But wouldn’t it be great if you could as easily monitor your son’s activities when he’s away from home? That way you could make sure he isn’t being harassed by school bullies—or tempted to do wrong when hanging out with his buddies.

Even though you can’t monitor your kids 24/7, you can do something more effective. You can pray! Ask God to guard your son’s heart and mind as he sails through the treacherous waters of today’s culture. Ask God to help him stand for truth even when it isn’t easy.

Of course, providing your son training and instruction is also essential, but never forget the importance of prayer.

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

Scared much?

The command to “fear not” is repeated throughout the Bible. Not just occasionally, but a total of around 150 times.

The repetition seems overblown, but God knew we needed the reminder. This is especially true when we consider the many secular influences that are trying to conquer the hearts and minds of our sons.

The war on gender, the ridicule of biblical teaching, the erosion of traditional values—the list goes on and on.

When the sinful ugliness of today’s world attacks your son, teach him to stand strong on the solid Word of God. By being an example to your son in word and deed, you can help him not only survive, but also thrive as he grows into a godly young man.

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

Detour ahead!

As you drive down the highway, you’ll encounter many road signs. But one of the most annoying is the detour.

When our plans of traveling to our destination are hindered, we grow frustrated by the delay and inconvenience.

But detours don’t only happen on the highway. The parenting journey also has them. Perhaps you love football, but your son doesn’t. Maybe he likes to read, but you’d rather wrestle with him.

Whatever the detour to your original plans and expectations, take comfort in knowing that God is in control. That detour that you find so annoying and frustrating may be the very thing God uses to accomplish his will in the future. Above all, trust God’s guidance even when you cannot see where life’s road is taking you or your son.

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

How do you talk to your son?

When Cynthia’s son was little, she frequently called him pet names, like “Bubs.” One day, when her son was twelve, he said “Please don’t call me that anymore.” Cynthia was surprised, but then later, she understood. Her son was becoming a man, and wanted to be treated as such.

Follow Cynthia’s lead– when your son becomes a preteen, drop any childlike nicknames and begin to refer to him as a young man, not a boy.

Pediatrician Dr. Meg Meeker also suggests using phrases such as “I like the way you think” and “You sure are a good brother.” Affirm who your son is, rather than what he does, and you will build him up even more than you realize.

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