Raising Godly Boys Minute

Sometimes, the routines of life can make us feel as if we’re running on a hamster wheel.  If you had a pet hamster, you know that they love running. Give a hamster a hamster wheel, and they’ll run on it day after day after day. While there’s certainly value in developing life routines, it’s vitally important that boys experience times of adventure beyond the norms of life. Their minds and bodies c...

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...

Have you ever walked across a rickety bridge and wondered if it could manage the weight? If you are 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 the bridge -- your connection to that boy -- is strong enough to carry the weight of that truth. The reality with boys, particularly teens, is that simply...

Boys love fireworks! There’s just something about a monstrous Bang!—Boom!—and Blast! that shakes the air and excites the heart. As the sky vibrates with fiery explosions, fingers tingle with excitement, and fountains of sparkling light shine down on smiling faces. But guess what lasts even longer than firecrackers and bottle rockets? Memories do! Have fun with your son as you ring in the New Year...

As January 1st approaches, do you plan to make any New Year’s resolutions? About 32% of Americans do. Here are the top 3 resolutions they make: Get More Exercise Lose Weight Save Money Even though these are commendable resolutions, there’s something even more important that we should strive toward. That’s loving the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and mind. Of course, that’s easier said t...

Boys love statistics—the crazier the better! For instance, did you know that the average American eats around 23 pounds of ice cream a year? Talk about brain freeze! Here’s another statistic: Each year contains almost 9,000 hours! That’s a HUGE number. But do you know how YOU spent your time throughout this past year? How many hours did you stare at your phone? How many hours did you spend with yo...

Around 7,000 languages are spoken throughout the world. But to communicate with your son, you don’t have to be a linguistic expert. In fact, you don’t even have to be bilingual. All you need is a desire to spend quality time with your son. This language of love is demonstrated through action. Play catch with your son. Go fishing together. Visit a National Park and explore God’s creation. By spendi...

Boys love to wrestle. They love testing their skill and strength against other kids. As they compete, they experience the thrill of victory . . . and—sometimes—the agony of defeat.  Victory isn’t guaranteed—but that’s okay. Boys compete for more than just a ribbon. They love the challenge and excitement competition brings. Boys desperately need this. Too often the only thing they wrestle . . . is...

Nearly 2,000 years ago, an angel appeared to shepherds outside of Bethlehem. That angel declared, “I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people.” Those “good tidings” are still great news to us today. That news is that Jesus Christ is Lord. With Christmas in full swing, now is the perfect time to teach your kids that this festive season is about much more than presents. Use c...

When you were a kid, what was the best present you ever received? Was it a toy train? Maybe a bike, or perhaps a remote-controlled car. As a Christian, you now understand that the greatest of all presents wasn’t bought at a shopping mall or even on Amazon.com. When God sent His one-and-only Son to earth, He gave us the greatest of all gifts. Because of our Savior’s sacrifice, we can be redeemed by...

In Charles Dickens’s classic book, A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge hates Christmas. Whenever someone wishes him “Merry Christmas,” he responds by saying, “Bah! Humbug!” But after a visit by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, Scrooge realizes that a selfish life is a wasted life. This is a great reminder to make the most of the present. By “present,” I’m not talking about wrappe...

When you wrap a present, does the final package look like an explosion of paper—or like a decorative piece of artwork? No matter what the packaging looks like, don’t get so wrapped up in the busyness of the Christmas season that you forget what’s truly important.  As we celebrate Christ’s birth, honor Him by being the father God wants you to be. That involves spending time with your son. Here’s an...

The Christmas season is busy! There are presents to buy, desserts to bake, Christmas lights to untangle, greeting cards to write, trees to decorate, performances to attend . . . and so much more! As you know, Christmas is a BUSY time! Yet, amid all that busyness, don’t forget the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Some 2,000 years ago, God demonstrated His love to us by sending His one-and-only S...

When hikers are out in the woods, everything looks the same, especially as darkness begins to set in. Skilled hikers often rely on a compass that points north. By knowing which way is north, they can navigate through the uncertain woods to their destination. Boys are especially in need of some direction in this darkening and uncertain culture. God’s Word is our compass in life. And as we navigate...

As a kid, did you ever get lost at a busy mall? Or maybe it was at an amusement park where you suddenly couldn’t find your parents. It’s a scary feeling. Your heart begins to thump wildly. Your hands begin to sweat. You glance around in all directions, but everything looks strange and unfamiliar. It’s no fun being lost. Don’t put your son in that position. Train your son about what to do and where...

If you live up north, winter winds bring in snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. Before sending your boys outside to go sledding, you wrap them in coats, hats, and gloves. This clothing keeps them protected from harsh elements outside the home. They’re called peer pressure, bullying, and temptation. Without knowledge of how to withstand these destructive forces, boys are quickly overwhelmed. Equi...

The world’s tallest tree towers 380 feet above the ground in California’s Redwood National Park. Named Hyperion, this tree began as a tiny seed, no bigger than a grain of rice.  Growing into a giant tree didn’t happen overnight. Little by little, day by day, the tree dug its roots deep into the soil to establish a solid foundation. This foundation enabled it to grow tall and strong. Boys can also...

Did you ever play tug of war as a kid? Do you remember pulling and heaving on a thick rope, trying to yank the other team in your direction? A game of tug of war continues to this day. But instead of two teams pulling on a rope, today’s anti-Christian culture is pulling boys away from traditional, biblical values.  One of these values is the time-tested generational realization that boys and girls...

What inspires boys? It may surprise you! Competition. Tackling something meaningful—and succeeding…or even failing and getting a chance to try harder!. Truth is, the ways boys are built, something must be at stake or they quickly lose interest. If there is no risk, if nobody keeps score and everyone wins—why should boys compete? Or even try at all?  They have a built-in gyroscope that leads them t...

Be quiet and pay attention. Sit still.  Boys are noisy and love to move—because they are boys. Plus, they know they’ve got to move for their brain and learn to be activated! This God-infused characteristic of boys leads them to be misunderstood. What’s worse—boys are unappreciated. There are differences between boys and girls that are God-given. Adam was created in the wilderness, then set in the...

Boys, especially, need clear boundaries and rules to feel secure. More than ever, boys are struggling … They are ungrounded and searching for the Truth to guide them. But the Truth presented in scripture is being undermined at every turn—in our schools and in the media.  The generational norms that boys could always count on are eroding, and now, the majority in America no longer believes that God...

Where are boys to find their role models? With the number of fatherless homes, and women forming the greater number of teachers, boys are largely unguided in terms of consistent male role models and leadership. And while single moms are performing the herculean task of raising kids on their own, they too are wondering who is going to provide that example. Boys are left with the question: what does...

Trail Life USA has a Proven Process for Growing Boys into Godly Men. Boys are often unguided, ungrounded, unappreciated, and uninspired. Trail Life USA seeks to change that. Boys have big questions that routinely go unanswered: “What does it mean to be a man?” “Where do I belong?” “What are my boundaries, and why are they set?” “Why should I even try?” Trail Life USA uses its Proven Process to hel...