As I write this blog from the north woods of Minnesota, I realize that most of the men who are reading this blog with any kind of consistency, are located in busy urban areas, living a very busy life with family and career obligations. I lived in that kind of context for many years as…
Kenny Luck, who is head of Every Man Ministries, wrote an interesting blog entitled, “Eating Men Alive: Powerful Men, Common Fears.” He makes reference to the recent “fall from grace” of both Tiger Woods and Gen. David Petraeus. Wood and Petraeus in the words of Luck, “were two of the most revered and respected apex…
As I write this blog the day after New Year’s from our retreat house in Northern Minnesota, I sense what Paul describes in Romans 8 as the whole creation in “groaning.” “The difficult times of pain,” says Paul, “throughout the world are simply birth pangs” ( Romans 8:22). The moral and spiritual drift in our…
This post is being sent out on Christmas Eve. I am aware that there are young men reading this blog who have young children. Many of you have done some soul searching with you wives, as you contemplate the events in Newtown. My burden in this blog is to give each man a renewed sense…
As some of you know, I have been a Lutheran Pastor for over forty years. As Lutherans, we pay attention to the liturgical year. The 28th of December is designated as “The Holy Innocents, Martyrs” day. On this day we remember how wicked King Herod went on a rampage and killed innocent baby boys after the birth of…
Thomas Merton was one the great spiritual voices of the 20th century. He died in 1968 by accidently electrocuted himself in Bangkok, Thailand. He rarely traveled. But he had received permission to speak at a religious conference in Bangkok. He gave this parting advice to those in attendance. “If you forget everything else that has been said,…
From my post as “a watchmen” on the wall (Is. 62:6) here at Canaan’s rest, I sense along with a lot of other biblically orientated folks that the recent presidential election revealed a major shift in American culture that we might not have seen coming. But the evidence is in. As Jim Daly, Focus on…
I heard this term for the first time when James Houston, from Regent College referred to its important for the spiritual journey. He said it has been lost to the Western church, but has always been an important ingredent in understanding spiritual growth. What double knowledge implies is that a knowledge of God and a knowledge…
I have found in men’s work that men like the truth straight, rather then having it sugar-coated. Every man I have ever known has had to face failure, disappointment and woundedness. So instead of lamenting the fact that life is hard, we should embrace trails, because they teach us humility and honesty. So let face it –…
One our my favorite images of Jesus is in the book of Revelation, chapter 18:11-16. Let me share with you, the vision from The Message. Bear with me; I have my reason for giving the whole vision. “Then I saw Heaven open wide – and oh! a white horse and its Rider. The Rider, named…