Raising Godly Boys Minute

Are you hanging on …too tightly? In 1956, Jim Elliot was murdered by Indians in the jungles of Ecuador. Newspaper reporters wondered why this missionary would risk his life for uncivilized Indians. Though Jim Elliot died at only 28 years old, he had a proper perspective of life. He said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Too often, we hold tightly to posses...

Microwave much? In today’s society, we expect immediate results. When we try something new, we want instant success. But life doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes life is hard and tough. Sometimes failure crashes over us like an avalanche. During these times, it’s easy to grow discouraged. Maybe even angry. But if you are wise, you’ll use times of fatigue, frustration, and failure to teach your...

“Trust your instruments.” This mantra is repeated all through flight school. While flying, it’s easy to get disoriented visually, especially in thick fog. Pilots must learn to trust their gauges, not their vision. Boys today are also “flying through fog,” so to speak. In the confusion of cultural relativism and gender fluidity, young men don’t know where they are or where they are going. So they o...

In 2010, a man named Forrest Fen buried treasure in the Rocky Mountains, and published a book with clues to its whereabouts. Thousands went searching for it. Four men even died during the hunt. Finally the box was found in 2020. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that most of the people who embarked on that search were male.  From the time we are very young, boys love a good challenge. If young men...

In 1899, an inventor put batteries in a tube and created a portable electric light. There was only one problem– the light would only stay on for about three seconds. The device did not sell well, and people jokingly called it a “FLASH light.” Today, of course, the flashlight is a household staple, with some models staying lit for at least 50 hours. As the parent of a teenage boy, it’s easy to feel...

A college student accidentally solved an impossible math problem. George Dantzig arrived late to class to find his peers working silently on several math problems written on the chalkboard. George worked through the problems and turned his paper in. Later, he learned that one of those problems wasn’t homework after all, but was an equation that mathematicians considered unsolvable. George solved t...

Cultures all around the world have rituals to signify a boy becoming a man, and they range from straightforward to extreme. Some societies have young men go on a hunt. In one small country, a boy participates in a primitive form of bungee jumping. In another, he must successfully jump over a cow to prove his manhood. Others simply send their sons into the wilderness to survive. Although those ritu...

Do you remember the day your son took his first step? Perhaps he had already been standing for a few weeks while holding onto the couch. But at some point, he took a wobbly step toward your outstretched arms. You clapped and cheered and gave him a giant hug. Learning to walk is a key milestone in a boy’s physical development. But learning to walk worthy is just as important for a boy’s spiritual d...

Boys love action and adventure. That’s why paddling a canoe across a lake or along a river is a time-tested way to exercise their minds and bodies. But have you ever heard the phrase “Up a creek without a paddle”? It refers to being in a difficult or dangerous situation where you can’t get yourself out of the problem or predicament. As your son grows up, don’t let him be stranded “Up a creek witho...

If you’ve ever taken your son to an archery range, you know that hitting the bullseye is harder than it looks. After you knock the arrow, you draw the bowstring back—then take careful aim. Your goal is to successfully hit the target. The same is true in parenting your son. Zig Ziglar, an author and motivational speaker, understood this principle well. He said, “You hit what you aim at, and if you...

What does a cactus have to do with your son? The Saguaro cactus is an amazing desert plant. It stretches high into the air like a telephone pole, reaching heights of 40 feet or more. But did you know that this colossal cactus grows slowly? It isn’t unusual for it to be 2-inches tall on its 10th birthday. Soon after, the saguaro begins growing faster and keeps up this steady growth until eventually...

How do YOU feel about … puzzles? When putting together a 500-piece puzzle, you don’t normally complete it all at one time. You work on it a few minutes here and a few minutes there. But gradually, the pieces start coming together until—at long last—you see the entire puzzle in all its glory. Too often, we expect our children to mature faster than what is realistic. We wish to see the entire pictur...

How’s your balance? And I'm not talking about your checkbook! In June of 2012, Nik Wallenda walked from the United States’ side of Niagara Falls to the Canadian side. Sounds easy, until you realize that he walked high above the raging waterfalls on a 2-inch tightrope. Even though Wallenda held a 40-foot balancing pole in his hands, gusts of wind and swirling spray made the long crossing menta...

What do Grammy-award winning artist Jay-Z, former President George Washington, and Olympic medalist Michael Phelps all have in common? All three men were raised by single parents.  Today, about forty percent of boys are also raised solely by their mother– an epidemic that continues to grow. If you’re one of those hero single parents, do not lose heart. God sees you and knows the challenges you fac...

A battle rages—and boys are on the front lines. They are daily bombarded by anti-Christian philosophies: Relativism—disrupts truth and biblical morality, Humanism—teaches that a person must depend on himself, not God, if this is true, then why do we even need God? And evolution—teaches that we evolved by mere chance, the very existence of a loving Creator is ridiculed. Don’t let these worldly phil...

A reporter asked Thomas Edison, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.” One of the greatest inventions of the 19th century was the lightbulb. But creating the lightbulb required lots of trial and error. Failure is a part of life. In fact, it’s normal and natural. And even though no one likes to fail, it t...

Have you ever wandered across a rickety bridge and wondered if it could manage the weight? If you're carrying something heavy, that fear can be very real. Carrying truth can be like that. Especially when you are carrying truth to a boy. Make sure that bridge - your connection to that boy - is strong enough to carry the weight of that truth. The reality with boys, particularly teens, is that s...

Everyone loves a good comeback story, so here’s one for you– paper maps are making a resurgence! With digital maps built into many of our cars, you would think paper map sales would continue to fall. But people are realizing that print maps are more helpful than GPS when you’re trying to learn the best way to navigate a new area. This concept reminds me of why young men today so desperately need m...

It was a summer day, and three dads were trying to come up with a way to keep their children occupied. They rummaged through their garages and found wiffle balls and wooden paddles. After taking their kids to a neighbor’s badminton court, the dads lowered the net, and let the children whack the wiffle balls. Those three bored fathers had no idea that they had just developed a game that would later...

Ahhh … vacation! Do you remember the last time you went on vacation? Before leaving, you probably spent time thinking about what clothes and other items you’d need at your destination. Then you probably gathered all those things together and packed them into a suitcase. On this journey called parenthood, it’s even more important to bring everything necessary. Begin by packing love. Next, fold in j...

Fore! If you’ve ever played golf, you’re probably familiar with the term “mulligan.” That’s a fancy word that simply means “do-over.” If you’re on the tee and you slice the ball off into the trees, you might shout, “Mulligan!” You’re basically saying that you want a second try. Wouldn’t it be great if you could get a parenting “mulligan” every once in a while? Maybe you chose your favorite TV show...

Parents, have you been there? Your son has tears in his eyes as he shows you that he got another “D” on his math test. You start explaining why perseverance is important, but his eyes glaze over. You decide to try a different approach. “Son, did I ever tell you about the two classes I failed in middle school?” Your boy raises his eyebrows. You’ve piqued his interest. It’s easy for us as parents to...

Your son is enjoying a day kayaking down a river. Suddenly, he hears rushing water, and sees rapids up ahead. His heart beats fast, and he begins to paddle forward, right into the waves. In life, watching your son head straight into challenging territory can be a frightening and stressful experience. But there’s a reason God wired boys to crave adventure, excitement, and risk. Child development sp...

Ever heard the phrase “match the hatch”? It reminds fishermen that the best way to catch fish is to figure out what the fish are eating. But did you know this concept could help you get your teenage son involved in church, too? Pay close attention to what activities your boy is drawn toward the most. Does he love music and playing an instrument? Encourage him to get involved in the church praise t...

Here’s something you’ll rarely hear shouted during a major league baseball game: “Great call, ump!” Even the best, most experienced umpire will face constant criticism, taunting, and ridicule for every decision. Spectators only talk them if they are angry about a call that was made. Consider this. Does your son feel like an umpire in his everyday life– constantly surrounded by criticism? At school...