Raising Boys to Be Men

Here is an email I wrote in response to someone asking that question:
I am sorry to be getting back to you so late.
Did your family take in the 4-12 conference?

The best I can do right now on this important topic of raising boys is to recommend some excellent resources.
FULL of practical wisdom on how to transition our children out of the home life into the world, the following article is one of the most valuable I know of by the father of Josh, Bret and Alex Harris.
 
“Outgrowing the Greenhouse: A conversation with Gregg Harris”
www.hslda.org/courtreport/V25N3/V25N301.asp

Then I would also recommend Future Men by Doug Wilson and Raising Real Men by Hal and Melanie Young, parents of SIX boys.

Along a slightly different track, I would recommend "A Wise Woman's Guide to Blessing Her Husband's Wisdom" -- a lecture by Doug Phillips.  I think this is a very important lecture (At least it has been for me) because it clued me in (duh) on the fact that to give room for my husband to lead means that he may make some decisions that I would not have made.  (Can you believe it?)  The lecture helped me to see that I have at times been a discouragement to my husband leading rather than an encouragement.

God bless you and counsel.   Cry for wisdom and a teachable spirit.
Here is a quote from Thomas Brooks to encourage you:

"Your life is short,
your duties many,
your assistance great
and your reward sure;
therefore faint not,
hold on and hold up,
in ways of well doing
and heaven shall make amends for all."

Thomas Brooksmeone asked me about raising boys to be men.  Here is what I wrote.

A Warning for Our JOY

Oh, I love this post.   Jasmine Baucham wisely warns against defining Biblical femininity more narrowly than Scripture.   The devil is happy either way: if we define femininity without any Biblical hedges or if we plant hedges within the hedges within the hedge of God's law.  The latter will make us grumpy, self-righteous, and unfruitful.   Not very attractive to the world.   Not very salty.

When your children make you want to cry....

I found this post about wedding dresses on my daughter's blog today.

Little things can grow....

Yesterday I had the incredible privilege of seeing Lake Itasca and the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River.  We waded across!  It was narrower than my kitchen. I picked a penny off the bottom.

For our honeymoon nearly 25 years ago, we went to New Orleans, and there I saw the Mississippi River broadly, majestically sweeping into the Gulf of Mexico.  It is wide and strong there -- not to be messed with.
And so as I slipped out of my shoes yesterday, and rolled up my capris to go wading, I could not forget the admonishment to not despise the day of small things.

John Paton, William Carey, William Wilberforce, John Calvin and John Piper were all once bawling babies with running noses.   Their fathers and mothers were not famous but they were faithful, and God blessed.

Let us not grow weary in well-doing.

The Holy Spirit and allergies.

Be comforted. 
John Bunyan knew from personal experience that by nature we have an allergic reaction to the presence of God.  I love that honesty.  Rightly does Michael Haykin praise the Puritans for their "transparent honesty and in-depth knowledge of the human heart."  Listen to this quote from Bunyan, and don't miss the remedy that God provides for our allergies. 


"May I but speak my own experience, and from that tell you the difficulty of praying to God as I ought; it is enough to make you poor, blind, carnal men, to entertain strange thoughts of me. For, as for my heart, when I go to pray, I find it so loath to go to God, and when it is with him, so loath to stay with him, that many times I am forced in my prayers; first to beg of God that he would take mine heart, and set it on himself in Christ, and when it is there, that he would keep it there (Psalm 86:11). Nay, many times I know not what to pray for, I am so blind, nor how to pray, I am so ignorant; only (blessed be grace) the Spirit helps our infirmities [Rom. 8:26] (cited in p. 116). "   

"I Thank God for Bitter Things"

I thank God for bitter things;
They've been a 'friend to grace';
They've  driven me from paths of ease
To storm the secret place.

I thank Him for the friends who failed
To fill my heart's deep need;
They've driven me to the Savior's feet,
Upon His love to feed.

I'm grateful too, through all life's way
No one could satisfy,
And so I've found in God alone
My rich, my full supply!

by Florence White Willett

A FABULOUS tool for evangelism. You can do it!!

Watch this video and learn how to illustrate and give a solid gospel presentation.
It is exciting!
http://www.wtsbooks.com/content/2_ways_2_live_content_3.php