I have quoted Aaron Renn often in my blogs.  He has written some very thoughtful insights regarding masculinity.  He recently posted the following, about 10 healthy pillars for masculinity.  Renn describes these pillars as, “things on which life is built.”  He believes “America needs a new vision of a healthy masculinity fit for the 21st…

Having grown up near Lake Superior, I am familiar with the sound and fury of the waves breaking on the shores of the great lake.  Ps. 93 reminds us that God is “robed in majesty and is armed with strength.  The world stands firm and cannot be shaken” (v.1).  The Psalmist seems to describe his…

“America and the West stand at a civilizational inflection point.”  These are the opening words in a guest article by Dr. John Seel at Aaron Renn’s blog.  “We are amid a 500-year historical geo-political inflection point,” observes Seel, “in which a Negative World is becoming an outright hostile world.”   There are four primary shifts believers…

The journey through my 80’s in retirement, I have found my main spiritual work has become the formation of my  own soul, that is, giving attention to the formation of my life in Christ.  I have become more comfortable resting in the mystery of my inner life, not depending on my understanding or experience.  The…

M. Robert Mulholland Jr.’s book, “The Deeper Journey,” has a wonderful prayer in Chapter 4, entitled,  “Hidden with Christ in God.”  “Gracious and merciful God, whose cruciform love has plumbed the depths of my false self, awaken me from the pervasive bondage of my false self and enable me through the power of your indwelling…

On a recent Sunday in our Sunday school class, our leader mentioning going to the local school board meeting. He told us about a conversation he had with one student.  The student revealed how many students were contemplating suicide.  That  comment struck me at a deep place in my heart.  I raised my hand and…

I read an informative review of a book for men entitled, “Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 lies that keep men from becoming fully alive.”  I was intrigued with the premise of the book.  “There’s a shadow that’s settled over the hearts of men today.  Masculinity is in crisis.  Critiques about the dangers of toxic masculinity and…

Anthony B. Bradley has an interesting article on the hoodie worn by young men, entitled, “Hoodie Nation; The official uniform of the crisis of boys and men.”  He notes the hoodie, “has become the all-purpose, all-season expression of conformist, homogeneous masculinity.”  It has become a symbol of resignation.  It’s like the uniform of boys and…

Daniel Taylor, while accepting the increasing  list of names given to the trends in the confusing expressions of contemporary Christian spirituality, suggests another name.  He notes, “The labels have proliferated: nones, dones, nonverts, New Atheists, unaffiliated, unchurched, dechurched, and exvangelicals, and the like.  I would like to add one more: yearners.”  Taylor chooses to see…

“Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, ‘Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie’” (Is. 44:20 NLT).  I just read this in my morning devotions.  In this section of Isaiah (44:6-20), the prophet is depicting the foolishness of idols.  The section begins with the Lord declaring, “I am the First and…