Where Are All The MEN?

Three scenarios:
1.) I had Valentine's alone at an Outback in Atlanta. Being a big date night, I had to eat at the bar. A guy next to me, who was an obvious regular, was having a conversation with Stacey the bartender. I was half paying attention when their conversation turned to the night and something about fighting for her. She made the comment "well, maybe my son will fight for me, but..." and her voice trailed off.
2.) Without naming names, a friend of a friend has been involved in a tragic situation involving a collegiate coach that is verbally abusive to his female atheletes. As the women have begun to request intervention on their behalf, the following events have happened.
- A father of one of the girls, who holds a high national position in a religious establishment, has refused to support his daughter because of his reputation.
- The head of the athletic department has said "there can't be a problem, the coaches teams win!"
- It's been discovered that some former students have had to go to therapy to work through the trama from years past.
- A mother of one of the girls, with full support of the dad, has asked her daughter "why are you doing this to him, do you want to ruin his career?" The parents are also extremely concerned with their reputations.
- This same girl has since convinced the girls to lie and say nothing happened.
- The coach was suspended with pay for 6 months, but then was fully reinstated after a week.
- Other faculty have stated that this has been going on for years.
3) In looking around, I'm struck with the amazingly high number of single moms on MySpace.

So I ask you, where are the MEN?

Why is it that a woman can count on her young son to defend her, but not an adult. Why are fathers unwilling to lay their lives - in the form of reputations - on the line for the protection of their daughter's hearts. And why do men freak at the birth of their children and leave?

There are a myriad of reasons, but the one on my heart tonight is the absense of truly masculine role models. As a society, we do not honor husbands, fathers and workers, and we don't do any better in today's churches. So instead of men who know their calling in life is to passionatly love their wives, devote themselves to their children and agressively apply themselves to work, we have a generation that struggles to get by without the world discovering that they are unaware of what it is they should be doing, and scared that they're probably unprepared for it anyway.

It's tragic.

What I Believe

I believe in you because I know your Creator.

I believe you to be uniquely endowed with talents, gifts and abilities for specific times, places and situations. I don't mean in the sense of "being in the right place at the right time", I mean life. A life that is needed. Your life is needed by the world and the people that surround you. If you do not live this life, those needs will go unmet. You fill a specific place in history that is yours and yours alone.

I also believe that we - individually, corporately, religiously - have fallen tragically short in encouraging you, and all people, to live life. Oh sure, we scream "you only live once, so go for it", "just do it" and "live life to the fullest", but I am not talking about reckless abandon and partying until dawn.

I am talking about boldly answering the cry of your heart. Boldy living a life that manifests the power, glory and effectiveness of the Creator. A life that the world desperately needs you to live.

Live your life, and live it to the full. Look inside and find your heart's cry.

With all that said, I wish you an especially meaningful Holy Day's Season. A season of insight, encouragement and personal commitment to live the life you were meant to live.
God Bless,

Steve

The Advantaged

What would you call a person who was:

Saved, redeemed, loved, holy, whole, victorious, alive, redeemed, victorious, eternal, triumphant, healed, rescued, active, success-full, given to, encouraged, joy-full, peace-full, strong, deeply touched, fully known, cared for, remembered, needed, beauty-full, provded for, guided, protected and generally living life to the full?

I would call such a person advantaged. Wouldn't you?
Do you know such a person?

Welcome

Welcome!
Why "the advantaged"? Because we are.