Raising Godly Boys Minute

Here’s a simple language shift that can reach the heart of your son. 

When your boy is bickering with a sibling or a friend, your instinct might be to say “Son, you need to be kind.”

But author Dr. Emerson Eggerichs says that you might need to say something else.

Dr. Eggerichs is widely known for his writings about how a man’s deepest desire is for respect. He says that desire starts when boys are very young. So much so, that if you tell your son to be kind and loving – that concept may not resonate very deeply with him.

If you, however, tell your boy to be respectful to others— he may listen more closely. Young men crave respect so much that they understand why another person would need it, too.

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

Why does your son need to learn courage?

Does he need to stand up for himself?  Stand up for others?  Stand up for what is right?

In today’s world, he will need to do all of these and more.

English poet and playwright Sameul Johnson said, “Where courage is not, no other virtue can survive except by accident.”

Lead by example.  Give your son godly mentors. Provide opportunities for him to test himself with the rush of a downhill bike course, a hard-fought game of sports, or a whitewater rapid,  and he’ll push his own boundaries to new heights.  Once he gets a taste of courage, he’ll find new horizons awaiting him.  He may surprise you by what he can become.

For more information about raising your son into a godly man, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

It was just three simple words.

Evangelical Louis Palau was fighting terminal lung cancer. During that time, someone asked him, “After you pass away, if you could send a message down from heaven to all believers, what do you think you would say?”

Palau thought for a moment, then responded with three simple words: “Go for it.”

That kind of God-rooted courage is one of the most important traits to instill in our son. When he’s little, this looks like letting him climb and explore in age-appropriate ways. When he’s older, this means stepping back to allow him to attempt things and fail big.

And when our son expresses a dream to us, let us be the first one to echo Palau’s encouraging words– “Go for it.”

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

Have you ever had a mentor or teacher that you wish you had listened to?

In a whitewater course, two seasoned veterans taught  the intricacies of draw strokes, pry strokes, reading a rapid, and the joy of eddy turns.

But five minutes onto the river, one boy panicked, ignored the calls of his mentors, and ended up capsizing his canoe in the middle of a rapid and wrapping it around a large rock, while everyone else eddied up safely on the other side of the river.

Teach your son to listen to the voice of his leaders.  This life can be a swift river with dangerous rocks at every turn.  A good mentor can make all the difference in the world.

For information about raising your son into a godly man, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

David Thomas, a psychologist, was attending an elderly grandpa’s funeral.

David watched as two of the man’s grandsons approached the casket. One boy, who was six years old, cried loudly. Beside him stood another boy– fourteen years old– who was  holding back his tears.

David overheard some adults express concern about the crying six year old. But David was more worried about the silent older boy. While the six year old was clearly processing his emotions, the fourteen year old was bottling up feelings that would have to be dealt with eventually.

When your son goes through a loss or something difficult, be sure to help him process his feelings. Let him know that it’s more than OK for men to display emotions– after all, Jesus cried openly, too.

For more ideas on raising boys to be godly men, go to TrailLife USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.