Chapter Excerpts
"This is not a how to book. I'm not going to give you eight steps or a checklist to complete before you declare yourself a man. Oh, if only it were that simply! Instead, as we begin our journey together, let's make sure we are asking the right questions. I contend that manhood is not marked by any specific one-time event, but is rather a deliberate process... Instead of asking yourself, Am I a man?, ask yourself, Am I on the right path in my journey toward becoming a man? This simple clarification will make all the difference."
- excerpt from Chapter 1, "Stay Home" pg. 27.
I suggest every young man have an older, experienced man come alongside him to point the way and help him navigate the difficult and dark places of life. This idea might sound ridiculous. You might be thinking, "Hey wait a minute! As I near adulthood, I should experience more freedom, more independence, and the opportunity to make more decisions on my own. I've been listening to others tell me what to do all my life. Now it's my time." If you are feeling threatened by allowing someone else to speak into your life, then ask yourself, "Why do I feel this way? Why do I get tense and defensive at this thought? What are these emotions and impulses telling me about my heart.
- excerpt from Chapter 3, "The Trail Guide" pg. 49
Expecting to maneuver through life unscathed is simply naive...Not one of us is exempt from the inevitable winds and waves that smash into our lives...Do you have a band of brothers that will stand beside you when the bullets are flying about you, when you want to throw in the towel, or when you can't believe what life has just handed you? You will need friends who will throw their arms around you as if to say, "It will be alright. We are going to do this thing together!" ...True friendship is not about convenience, good feelings, or the benefits you can get from it. Instead, true friendship means being there despite inconvenience, standing alongside when your first reaction is "I don't have the time"...(to say) When you hurt, I hurt; when you win, I win; when tragedy strikes you, it also strikes me. True friendship is walking through the pain of life, softening the blows by absorbing some of their effects whenever possible.
- excerpts from Chapter 4, "Joined By A Band of Brothers" pgs. 60-67
- excerpt from Chapter 1, "Stay Home" pg. 27.
I suggest every young man have an older, experienced man come alongside him to point the way and help him navigate the difficult and dark places of life. This idea might sound ridiculous. You might be thinking, "Hey wait a minute! As I near adulthood, I should experience more freedom, more independence, and the opportunity to make more decisions on my own. I've been listening to others tell me what to do all my life. Now it's my time." If you are feeling threatened by allowing someone else to speak into your life, then ask yourself, "Why do I feel this way? Why do I get tense and defensive at this thought? What are these emotions and impulses telling me about my heart.
- excerpt from Chapter 3, "The Trail Guide" pg. 49
Expecting to maneuver through life unscathed is simply naive...Not one of us is exempt from the inevitable winds and waves that smash into our lives...Do you have a band of brothers that will stand beside you when the bullets are flying about you, when you want to throw in the towel, or when you can't believe what life has just handed you? You will need friends who will throw their arms around you as if to say, "It will be alright. We are going to do this thing together!" ...True friendship is not about convenience, good feelings, or the benefits you can get from it. Instead, true friendship means being there despite inconvenience, standing alongside when your first reaction is "I don't have the time"...(to say) When you hurt, I hurt; when you win, I win; when tragedy strikes you, it also strikes me. True friendship is walking through the pain of life, softening the blows by absorbing some of their effects whenever possible.
- excerpts from Chapter 4, "Joined By A Band of Brothers" pgs. 60-67