Raising Godly Boys Minute

Does your walk match your talk?

Nobody likes “fake,” hypocritical people. As a Christian father figure and mentor, you need to live out of your faith authentically because people are constantly watching you.

I heard about a man who heard that his Christian co-worker had an accident at work. After asking if he was OK, his next question was, “Did he cuss?”

How you act is equally as important as what you believe. How is your walk with Je...

How can we parents create margin in our families to build unity? 

Play games together. Make a collection of board games. Develop the habit of occasionally clearing the table for game night. As children get older, families can invest in games that take longer to play. Playing board games allows for lots of interaction and often leads to laughter!

Read to your children. Build the expectation into your family that everyone should be rea...

How do we raise servants?

Children learn how to serve others in part by watching adults serve.  Serving others includes stepping up to the plate and stepping out to meet needs.

An older pastor said, “When our children were young, I pastored a small church with no other children or activities. My kids were part of starting new groups, ministries, and opportunities. None of that was handed to them. Today, as adults...

We can learn something valuable about our sons from Peter Pan.

In her book Boy Talk, child psychologist Dr. Mary Polce-Lynch makes an observation about the Lost Boys in the story of Peter Pan.

These boys are seemingly living the dream. They have no parents, and no school–  just adventures all day long. But interestingly, they still long for one childhood comfort– the bedtime story.

As your son grows up...

How can we raise boys who love adventure?

Here are a few simple ways to encourage boys to not always play it safe but develop their God-given spirit of bravery:

Encourage outdoor family activities that involve a healthy level of risk.  Whitewater rafting, tubing on rivers, and waterfall hiking are a few. 

Selectively allow children to oversee their own projects.  It’s messy and not “perfect,” but they ca...

Do you remember the song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”?

The song’s lyrics talk about God, saying:

• He’s got the wind and the rain in his hands.
• He’s got the little, tiny baby in his hands.
• He’s got you and me, brother, in his hands.
• He’s got you and me, sister, in his hands.
• He’s got everybody here in his hands. 

The Bible says God holds on to us with his “righteous right hand.”

This image shows us God’s power – and our u...

Is your son able to “blend” his emotions?

When going on a hike, you bring along a bar that contains a mix of protein, carbs, and healthy fats, since your body needs  different nutrients to stay healthy.

In the same way, Child psychologist Dr. Mary Polce-Lynch says that healthy development in boys includes teaching them that they can feel seemingly conflicting emotions at the same time. For instance, when your so...

What are you most afraid of?

According to a 2014 Washington Post article, fear of public speaking was America's biggest phobia, with 25.3 percent of the people saying they were afraid of speaking in front of a crowd.

A 2022 study listed “corrupt government officials” as Americans’ biggest fear.

With the world seemingly spinning out of control, we can easily allow fear and anxiety to paralyze us.
...

Does your son struggle in math class? Did he miss the big play on the sports field that would have won the game?

Failures and fiascos will trip up your son. You wish he’d only see success, but that’s unrealistic. Even when we try our very best, disappointment and discouragement can still strike. And when it does, your son may experience frustration and exasperation. These are normal human emotions, but we don’t have to giv...

How big is your dream for your son?

Pat Williams, co-founder of the Orlando Magic, writes that a “vision is a glowing word-picture of a desirable and optimistic future.” As parents, we can paint that portrait for our kids, conveying that life is more than just existing, paying bills, and managing problems.

God created them and has a deep interest in their lives.

Boys need heroes – more than just movie a...

What comes to mind when you see these three words? “Some Assembly Required”

For many parents, these words bring back memories of a painful process of reading instructions, sorting through parts, and putting everything together — all under the watchful eye of your child as he waits with anticipation to play with his new toy.

Following instructions can be time-consuming and frustrating, but it will save you time an...

Have you ever tried putting something together without looking at the instructions?

I heard about a man who did this once with a wagon his son got for Christmas. Unfortunately, he put the wheels on wrong. 

Each time he pulled his son in the wagon reminded him that he should have read the instructions first.

Thankfully, God has given us instructions to follow in his word. The Bible is God’s big instruction book. 

“All Scripture is inspi...

How are you doing with your new year’s resolutions?

Every year many people resolve to exercise more and eat healthier.

The Bible tells Christ-followers to take care of their bodies.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” First Corinthians 3:16-17

Alo...

Are men inherently bad?

Of course not. Genesis 1:27 tells us that God created both male and female in His own image.

But there’s a troubling narrative in our society right now that masculinity is toxic. So how can we as Christians fight this damaging idea?

First, we can affirm, not punish, the natural masculine traits that appear in our sons– such as being high energy and risk seeking. Second, we can h...

Is your son experiencing “sideways” emotions?

In her book Boy Talk, Dr. Mary Polce-Lynch tells the story of an 11-year-old boy named Andrew. Andrew had suddenly started having headaches and stomachaches. His parents were baffled because– although they had gone through a difficult divorce a few years earlier– things had since settled.

Dr. Polce-Lynch figured out that the physical symptoms were a delayed reaction ...

How can you teach your son empathy?

Start by modeling this skill in your own life. If the grocery store checker is rude to you, when you get in your car, say out loud to your son, “I wonder if that checker is having a bad day, and dealing with some tough things!”

Help your son do this too. If he mentions someone at school who he doesn’t get along with, ask, “How do you think that person is feeling?” If your son ...

Have you ever seen your reflection in one of those silly circus mirrors that make you look super short or extremely skinny? Some mirrors can even make you look upside down.

Although we’re not at a circus or looking into a strange mirror, today’s culture sometimes makes us feel as if we’re living in an upside-down world. That which is good is put to shame. And that which is evil is paraded with pride.

The result i...

Who is the most generous person you know?

You may think you have to be rich to be generous, but that’s not true.

Mother Teresa said, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”

God is our model for generosity. You cannot outgive God. He freely gives and lovingly provides for his children. God will give you what you need out of his infinite riches.

In gratitude for everythin...

Crowds follow individuals who communicate well. Every business, church, school, or ministry needs such people.

Help your kids know how to speak well. Create opportunities for them to stand in front of other people and speak about anything. Ask your six-year-old to stand in front of the family at night and talk about his favorite super-hero.

We can also challenge boys to write clearly - to present an idea and sup...