Archive for the ‘Strong Husbands’ Category

Complacency – Have you Activated Auto-Pilot?

Posted: October 2, 2026 in Strong Husbands
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If you’ve ever worked the night shift or stood on guard duty, you know firsthand that the hardest enemy to fight isn’t the cold or even the darkness—it’s the heavy eyelids that tell you, “Nothing is happening, it’s safe to take a nap.”

It’s a simple analogy for today’s post where I make the statement that, “a lot of men are asleep on the watch right now in their own homes”.

You and I wake up each day, we go to work, we come home and eat dinner, scroll away on our phones in the evenings, maybe watch the game and then go to bed, and the next day, we repeat.

Day after day. Month after month. Year after year.

We aren’t necessarily doing anything “bad,” but we aren’t paying sharp attention and actively guarding our lives either. It is like we have drifted off this state of a spiritual dormant comfort. We are literally wide awake and complacent, but on auto-pilot.

Guys, now don’t confuse complacency with being lazy. To clarify, a lazy guy just doesn’t want to exert any effort. But a complacent guy can actually still be working 60 hours a week! But he is comfortable for very different reasons; like his bank account looks good or he likes his daily routine, so he just stops watching for the landmines sitting right in front of him. He stops checking in on his wife’s heart. He stops having important conversations with his son or daughter.

And then he stops praying.

In Matthew 24, Jesus gave all of us a direct command:

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” — Matthew 24:42

Jesus stressed for us to be vigilant and focused. Why? Because Satan loves it when you and I are relaxed. When a man goes on autopilot or he just stops paying attention, the small issues in his family go unnoticed, small compromises in his character get overlooked, and before you know it, disaster strikes.

Do you remember the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25? This is a great example of how the master gave resources to 3 of his servants. Two of them were active and invested and grew what they were given. But one servant took what he had, and instead buried it in the dirt, and sat back. He didn’t waste the money; he just didn’t do anything with it. When the master returned, he called him lazy and wicked for his inactivity.

Guys, God didn’t give you your marriage, your kids, or your talents so you could bury them in some comfortable routine.

Vance Havner once said, “The alternative to self-discipline is disaster.” Staying passive or not present in your own life will lead straight to a disaster you never saw coming.

Guys, I am asking you to wake up. 

Your family needs a leader who is awake at the wheel, paying attention to the dangers in life, and actively pursuing God’s best every single day. I want that to be you.

This is my request of you today: 

When you come home from work today, the first thing I ask of you is to put away your distraction tonight. Whether that is your phone or something else, tonight, just sit down with your wife or your kids, look them in the eye, and ask them how they are really doing.

Plain and simply I am asking you to wake up, stay alert, switch off auto-pilot, and guard your home.

Until next time, guys…

IMS team

Complacency – Are you Already Satisfied?

Posted: September 28, 2026 in Strong Husbands
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One of the most common and successful strategies Satan uses against men is when he whispers in your year and tells you that things are just fine and no more effort is needed. There is a reason he does this and over the next few weeks, I want to take you on a short, 3 part journey about the dangers of thinking that you are “Good Enough” or you are “Satisfied” in life so now you can coast.

Let me give you an example: Have you ever caught yourself sitting on the couch, looking around your house and thinking, “You know what? Things are fine. My job pays the bills, my wife isn’t complaining too much, and the kids are doing okay in school… Maybe I’ve actually made it to my destination?”

On the surface, you may think that sounds like peace. But if we are honest with ourselves, that feeling often isn’t peaceful at all. Rather, it is what we call complacency and what I want to unpack some of this topic with you.

What exactly is complacency? Webster’s defines it is “a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements”

That is about right.

Complacency is a subtle, sneaky feeling of self-satisfaction with where you are. It is a comfortable zone where you convince yourself that you’ve “arrived”. But here is the brutal truth, guys: in life, in your marriage, and in our faith, we cannot ever just sit still and do nothing.

It reminds me of the story of the frog in the pot. Have you heard this one? According to the myth, if you drop a frog into boiling water, it jumps out immediately. But if you put it in cool water and slowly heat it, the frog does not notice the danger and will boil to death. Apparently, over time, the frog doesn’t notice.

In this life, you are either moving forward, or you are sliding backward. When you settle for good enough or just okay, or worse, you stop putting in the effort and stop paying attention to the details, you become oblivious to the slow leaks or the heat changing as it is taking down your life.

Jesus had a very hard conversation with the church in Laodicea when delivered this strong message:

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” — Revelation 3:15-16

Lukewarm is by far the worst name one can be called by God. 

To be neither hot or cold is a first class ticket to sure destruction. Guys, Christ NEVER called us to a complacent, lukewarm or “take it easy” kind of life. He called us to be all-in and live with passionate conviction. Jesus tells us  the story of the Rich Fool in Luke 12— about a guy who built bigger barns just so he could sit back, eat, drink, and take life easy. God called him a fool because he prioritized earthly comfort over his spiritual responsibility. Did you catch that?

Guys, without a doubt, complacency will destroy what you’ve spent your life building. It will turn a loving marriage into a quiet partnership of roommates, which you won’t like. It will also distance you from your kids. And, it will make your faith a passive Sunday routine instead of a daily pursuit.

It can happen to you just like the frog I mentioned, slowly changing over time.

Remember, Satan is perfectly willing to play the long game so please don’t settle for “good enough.” God did not create you to be someone who just cruises on autopilot; He built you to lead, to love, and to serve with everything you’ve got.

So here is my challenge to you:

I encourage you to pick one area of your life—whether it is your marriage, or your role as a father or husband or even your walk with God—specifically an area where you may have been coasting. 

Then focus on it directly and stop doing the bare minimum. Ask God to help you.

I urge you all to step up, take action, and re-engage today.

Until next time, guys…

Hardwired towards Kindness

Posted: August 31, 2026 in Strong Husbands
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So if you are like me and you have ever found yourself passing the hours in an airport terminal, and because you are bored, it is easy to pass the time people-watching. For some strange reason, I find people fascinating in their own environment. Whether it is the wardrobe they decide to put on, or the companions they select as company, there is something truly telling about observing people in their element. And yet at the same time, you can’t help but notice some behaviors from so-called “adults” that are really quite shocking.

Now guys, I don’t claim to have all the answers, but in my time observing, I was frequently stunned by the way some folks decided to interact with one another—particularly those who appeared to be married. To give you an example, I witnessed a truly heart-wrenching exchange between a couple, man and a woman and I am telling you, the behavior I saw this man display was absolutely saddening.

Now you know I’ve spent quite a bit of time on this blog reflecting on marriage and the fundamental way we choose to interact with one another. In fact, I actually wrapped up a two-part series where we explored the idea of killing people with kindness and the power of paying it forward (links are down below). It’s amazing how simple, everyday choices that you and I make change everything for our friends, but especially for our spouses.

Yet as I stood there, witnessing that scene with growing frustration, seeing a husband choose to be so deliberately cruel toward his spouse, it truly broke my heart. In the end, fueled by his own anger, he simply walked away—leaving her stranded and solitary in that terminal. I couldn’t help but wonder, watching from afar, how a couple like this ever began their journey together? When you witness such a tragic decline, you have to ask yourself… were there ever any better times?

Yet when I think about this now, and everything that led up to that moment I witnessed in the terminal it hit me that all those simple, everyday choices between that couple somewhere along the way were broken. He went from kindness to cruelty. And that point alone seems to be forgotten by people who are rushing through their life and travels, just trying to reach the next destination.                                          

And what is just plain sad is that, some people’s hard wired reaction towards other people is just cruelty…

I’m telling you, it’s truly painful to witness these moments. Because when you strip everything else away, our FAMILY is our only true legacy and if we decide to treat our loved ones with the same coldness I saw in the airport that day,

You will end up being alone. 

And even though you may not see this in your present situation, it will be a tragedy in the future when it comes to pass. Guys, here is the truth, these situations can be avoided. Moreover, it doesn’t take a genius to choose kindness.

Jesus was asked what was the greatest Commandment of all, and he replied, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13

And then he said…“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:33

Or, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”  Ephesians 5:25

Or, “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” Colossians 3:19

Guys, as husbands and fathers, we are called to love, encourage, and build up our families…not destroy. 

If you have anger problems, I encourage you to seek help from your pastor…and when the opportunity presents itself, choose kindness.

Until next time Guys,

Iron-man Strength (IMS) Team

Wright, Kent, “Killing them with Kindness,” Ironman Strength, December, 24, 2024, iron-man-strength.com

Wright, Kent, “Practical ways to Kill them with Kindness – Part 2” Ironman Strength, December, 26, 2024, iron-man-strength.com

What? God’s going to Judge my Secrets?

Posted: February 22, 2024 in Strong Husbands
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So I recently found myself reading from the book of Romans. I have not spent much time in that book but I came across a scripture that hit me very hard. Honestly, like a brick in the side of the head hard…a scripture that affects all of us…

This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.    Romans 2:16

Now, if you are like me,  most of us don’t think about being accountable or the idea of being judged because maybe we don’t know? or we are just focused on what we see in front of us. Either way, this kind of verse typically isn’t at the forefront of our minds. I completely understand that because I am right here with you. 

Our lives just get in the way.

I also know with guys…well…our minds are usually running 100 mph, am I right? We tend to think about stuff like our work, kids, wife, vacation, yard work, that cute receptionist…You know I am right! You might as well admit that our brains roam all over the place and sometimes land in areas we know we shouldn’t be. These are the secrets that can get us into trouble. 

One more thing I will tell you is we can’t use the excuse “We are guys and we’re just wired that way” NOPE…I am not buying that one…Because you DO have a choice…and you DO have control.

But before I go any further, let me tell you I am NOT judging anyone out there. I fight the same battles you fight and continue to do my best I can to navigate this world just like you. But when I came across that verse…I was compelled to write because we, collectively as men, need to remember that we will be judged on OUR ACTIONS, OUR THOUGHTS, and OUR SECRETS.

That blew me away. Why? Because I thought that my secrets were MINE just like your secrets are yours. No one else knows what they are and that’s why they are secrets. The problem we have now is they aren’t just our secrets anymore. 

God not only knows about them, but He is planning on judging us accordingly…OUCH.

So why do I write this today? Here is how I see this issue; when a verse that asks us (Christian Men) to separate ourselves is NOT in our line of sight, we don’t think about it, right? Maybe some of you never even knew that verse existed. But wherever you fall on that scale now, please understand this, the reason I write is to make you aware. I just want you to think about it.

My intent is to remind you that what you have done, what you are doing, and what you will do…all of that MATTERS to God. And, more importantly, you and I will be held accountable for our lives and how we lived them…AND, for our secrets. 

That verse completely changed my mindset and I hope it does yours as well. By knowing, or just being aware, you can adjust. Every one of us has to make course corrections periodically on this journey we call life. It’s just the way it is…

Until next time guys…

It is time to take a stand…Again

Posted: July 5, 2015 in Strong Husbands
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I originally wrote this post 2 years ago in June of 2013 and yet it still has huge relevancy as America continues to change before our eyes. I am calling out the men again to take a stand in their own homes and be strong and be who you have been called to be for your family. I ask that you read this post with the same urgency it was written 2 years ago and now…

The Ironman Strength blog has always been about MEN being strong in God and taking on the challenges that this life sends our way and this post is no different. Guys, I sense some indecisiveness out there. Maybe you have some doubt in your lives that if left alone, could cause some very serious problems for you and your family down the road. Please read this post with the same urgency that I write it and please take it to heart because our America is changing. I begin with a verse for warriors that I hope you will apply today…

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NIV)

This is a great verse because it is clear and to the point. When Joshua wrote this verse, he knew he was going to die. He had fought the good fight for God and now he was old but before God took him into heaven, Joshua spoke to the children of Israel and gave them two options about their spiritual future; either serve God…or don’t serve Him. They had already experienced the power of God throughout their daily journey as they moved through the promised land and continually overcame obstacles that were more than they could have ever withstood on their own…And now, here they stood on the precipice of the most important decision any of them would ever make for their future…and with Joshua gone…would they give in and serve the gods of the existing tribes around them…or…would they take a stand and serve the God who had brought them to where they were now?

What is critical to note here though is Joshua’s final opinion on the two options he gave Israel. He said, “as for me and my household, we will serve The Lord”. As was typical of the rock who Joshua was, he did not waver or falter…he spoke from his heart and it was solid.

Joshua was one of the most powerful warriors in Biblical history who served God with all he had and when the end of his life was near, he took his final stand in front of his nation and announced who he and his household would serve…

My question to you is…which option have you chosen for you and your house?

Have you taken the stand for yourself and firmly planted your feet on the solid ground before God?

I believe that now is time to “man up” in your relationship with God…You need to make a decision and then stick with it…It is your responsibility to shield both you and your family from the harm that Satan seeks to wreak upon the people you care about. Now is NOT a time for doubt, it is a time for clarity. Otherwise you will be like this;

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6 NIV)

Everyone has seen seaweed being tossed back and forth inside waves with no stability whatsoever. That seaweed could end up anywhere because it has broken away from its stronghold under the sea. Guys, if you doubt, that will be you being thrown around in this world like broken seaweed in the waves…with nothing to hold onto…being tossed around with no idea where you will end up…

Trust me here…that is NOT God’s plan for you OR your family.

Guys, I challenge you right now to be the warrior God intended you to be by taking a stand inside your house by protecting your wife and kids from what Satan seeks to do them. It starts by clinging onto our God who is a rock and a fortress and will always be there for us…

I challenge you to be like Joshua and declare to the world…

As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord…

Who will you choose to serve?

Until next time guys…

Adding some Guardrails in your Life…

Posted: July 20, 2013 in Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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Have you ever listened to a podcast? I discovered podcasts a few months ago when I needed something different to listen to when I was working out. In the process of trying to find a podcast that actually might challenge me, I ran across Andy Stanley from North Point Community Church in Atlanta. After listening to him for a few days, he quickly has become one of my favorite pastors and one of the main reasons are the topics he chooses. For example, recently I stumbled upon one of his series called “Guardrails in your Life” that frankly has changed me and how I think about how close I want to live to the edge in this world.

Andy quickly established what guardrails are…Barriers that protect us from straying off into a danger zone. We see them all the time on the highway. They are strategically placed in center medians to keep us from crossing over into oncoming traffic. They are located on bridges where roads curve to keep us from losing control and falling over the edge. One critical point Andy makes is that guardrails are always located within the safe zone of the road only just a few feet from real danger. Have you ever seen a car that has hit a guardrail? The car is damaged; in some cases, severely, but the occupant is usually ok. The outside of the car takes the brunt of the collision; and there usually is always damage, but survival is the objective. Scrapes and bruises are ok if we live.

Guardrails in your life would function in the same way but the question is, do you have guard rails set up for your self to avoid you swerving over into your personal danger zone? In my own experiences with friends, I have watched them live right on the edge of the sin barrier of immorality. They literally balanced themselves with one foot on the line and the other moving back and forth from faith to folly. I believe all of us know guys who have fallen onto the wrong side when perched on this edge and as a result, lost their spouse and family.

Why is the danger zone so attractive? I will address that in another blog post but for right now lets talk about setting up a literal barrier for yourself so that when you run into it, sirens, alarms and red flags start going off inside you so you know you are close to going over…or at least in a place you shouldn’t be.

Let me give you some armor to put on to help you when you feel yourself swerving off into danger areas. Paul addresses this very issue in his letter to the church of Corinth.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Guys, I believe this is very simple to understand all you need to do is to claim it.

Paul was very clear when he said FLEE, RUN, GET OUT OF THERE…but there is more.

When Jesus Christ died on the cross, YOU were purchased from sin…which means SIN no longer has a claim over you.

You have power to resist the dangers in your life.

With this power…

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO WHAT YOUR DESIRES TELL YOU TO DO.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO WHAT YOUR APPETITE TELLS YOU TO DO.

As a Christian, you are the master of your body because your body is under the authority of a greater master.

I challenge you to honor God with your bodies as Paul says, by establishing your own guard rails to help you know when you are in the danger zone

You were bought with a price which gives you power and that power is what will help you overcome the wrong desires we all feel in our lives.

Claim this for you and your family today.

Who knew that guardrails were so important?

Until next time guys…

It is time to take a Stand…

Posted: June 9, 2013 in Fatherhood, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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The Ironman Strength blog has always been about being strong in God and taking on the challenges that this life sends our way and this post is no different. Guys, I sense some wavering out there…some doubt in your lives that if left alone, could cause some very serious problems for you and your family down the road. Please read this post with the same urgency that I write it and please take it to heart. I begin with a verse for warriors that I hope you will apply today…

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NIV)

This is a great verse because it is clear and to the point. When Joshua wrote this verse, he knew he was going to die. He had fought the good fight for God and now he was old but before God took him into heaven, Joshua spoke to the children of Israel and gave them two options about their spiritual future; either serve God…or don’t serve Him. They had already experienced the power of God throughout their daily journey as they moved through the promised land and continually overcame obstacles that were more than they could have ever withstood on their own…And now, here they stood on the precipice of the most important decision any of them would ever make for their future…and with Joshua gone…would they give in and serve the gods of the existing tribes around them…or…would they take a stand and serve the God who had brought them to where they were now?

What is critical to note here though is Joshua’s final opinion on the two options he gave Israel. He said, “as for me and my household, we will serve The Lord”. As was typical of the rock who Joshua was…He did not waver or falter…he spoke from his heart and it was solid.

Joshua was one of the most powerful warriors in Biblical history who served God with all he had and when the end of his life was near, he took his final stand in front of his nation and announced who he and his house would serve…

My question to you is…which option have you chosen for you and your house?

Have you taken the stand for yourself and firmly planted your feet on the solid ground before God?

I believe that now is time to“man up” in your relationship with God…It is your responsibility to shield both you and your family from the harm that Satan seeks to wreak upon the people you care about. Now is NOT a time for doubt, it is a time for clarity. Otherwise you will be like this;

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6 NIV)

Everyone has seen seaweed being tossed back and forth inside waves with no stability whatsoever. That seaweed could end up anywhere because it has broken away from its stronghold under the sea. Guys, if you doubt, that will be you being thrown around in this world like the seaweed in the waves…with nothing to hold onto…being tossed around with no idea where you will end up…

Trust me here…that is NOT God’s plan for you or your family.

Guys, I challenge you right now to be the warrior God intended you to be by taking a stand inside your house by protecting your wife and kids from what Satan seeks to do them. It starts by clinging onto our God who is a rock and a fortress and will always be there for us…

I challenge you to be like Joshua and declare to the world…

As for me and my house, we will serve The Lord…

 

Until next time guys…

 

 

It happens in a Blink…

Posted: May 11, 2013 in Fatherhood, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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it_happens_in_a_blink__by_jsf22x35-d3c4oejYesterday, I attended a memorial service for the wife of a former business owner/ friend of mine who recently passed on and has gone to Heaven. The service was great. I say “great” because it was NOT one of those very dull, dreary experiences where the person who passed had no hope and we will never see them again. Everyone in that service knew where this woman was…Heaven…no doubt about it. But yet at the same time, the service was incredibly sad because my friend’s wife was gone. Physically, she is no longer here anymore to participate in her life doing the she things she loved like running, riding bikes or spending time with her husband and her kids…instead, she went to Heaven and it happened in a blink.

 

This coming June 21st, my own daughter Kylie, will have been in heaven for 9 years but yet it only seems just like yesterday to me when she passed. She was a very happy 12-year-old girl who truly loved her family and her life but yet one day, God decided to take her up to Heaven and live with Him…and that too happened in a blink.

 

Now, I will be honest with you here..I am not one of those guys who believes that Kylie is up there watching over our family.  That has never been one of those things told to me that ever gave me comfort. I will also tell you that this post isn’t about wrestling with God or bitterness or anything like that….It’s about recognizing what is right in front of you and possibly losing your pride and being the man and asking for forgiveness…The people we know and care for can be gone in a blink and then what? Well, the hard truth is you must live without them for the rest of your lives…and for some of you, that may mean living with a mountain of regret. The “I should have talked to him/her sooner” conversation that should have happened…never happened…only now it is too late.

 

I can’t tell you how many times I have spoken to friends who were angry at their kids or their wives or their parents and that anger or pride caused them a broken relationship and then as I have experienced first hand, that special someone is gone in a blink and now they live with this bitter pill regret at never reaching out to them and mending that relationship…

 

Remember: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

 

Guys, if you haven’t picked up on the theme of this post…It happens in a blink…It’s because it does. The unexpected can happen before you blink and I assure you there isn’t anything you can do. One minute, all is well in your world and the next, someone YOU LOVE is gone. No matter how hard we try to hold on to someone, we can’t.

 

What I am saying is simple…don’t wait to save your relationships. Please consider taking the high road and do it now…because truly…life can change in a blink. I encourage you to please don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today…

 

Until next time guys…

 

Don’t just lay there…Get up!

Posted: May 4, 2013 in Fatherhood, Standing firm in Trials, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
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As I may have mentioned before, I have a second son who is 10 years old and like many of us, is learning that sometimes life isn’t easy. He is currently learning this valuable lesson through the great sport of Baseball. You see, he was drafted onto his very first Little League majors team and although he started the season with a bang, he has since fallen into one of those slumps we see major leaguers fall into now and then. This slump however, is causing him great distress. The more he tries to shake it off, the worse it gets and this past weekend…well, he just kinda hit the wall…(Anyone ever hit the wall before?…) His “hitting the wall” experience afforded me the opportunity as his father to have one of those conversations about life that I think all young men need to hear sometime as they grow up.

Now I will be honest with you…I have heard and read many of these self-help pontificator’s who put forth things like empowering yourself and “everything you need to be great exists inside you already all you need to do is find it” kind of stuff…and although there may be place for that somewhere…when you are staring into the tearing eyes of a 10-year-old boy who is trying desperately to do his best, and it’s not working…all of those empowerment ideals goes out the window.

Here is the bottom line…and it is NOT Rocket Science; Sometimes…in this life…you will get knocked down…the question is “are you going to get back up, or are you going to just lay there?” As I watched my own son, it was clear to me he had no idea where to start or what to do…and I realized right then that a lot of men in life find themselves in this same situation. We get knocked down in life…maybe at work or at home and we simply lose our direction and we truly…have no idea where to turn next. Just like my son, we have lost our confidence in ourselves and our capabilities. We forget what our strengths are both professionally and personally and this can cause paralysis from taking another step forward. As adults this can be devastating especially to a family where the father has lost his way and mom is trying to hold things together by herself.

So how does one get his confidence back? Here are my 5 steps to confidence:

  1. Get back up on your feet and take that first step forward. I assure you that confidence does NOT come while you are laying on the ground…
  1. Read Hebrews 4:16…Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. It ALL starts with God guys…He tells us to come to Him with CONFIDENCE in order that we can receive what He has for us…
  1. Spend some quality time with God. Doesn’t have to be hours…just get on your knees for a few minutes without distraction. You will be amazed…
  1. Call a buddy. Just because you are a man doesn’t mean you don’t need to talk and maybe get something off your chest. Grab a coffee and spend a minute with a good friend…
  1. Plug into a church. I know you have heard this before but it is true…God didn’t intend His people to walk through “life” alone…he intended them to do “life” as a community and that happens in a church.

 

It’s like I told my son, “I have seen you hit a baseball before and you hit well…you just need to remember that feeling”

Guys, you HAVE done some “thing’s” in your life well. Some things that should make you proud and happy of your accomplishments as a husband and father…do you remember them? You should…and you have no reason to hang your head… Remember this;

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Right now, you are running the race marked out for you…NEWS FLASH! You are going to fall down… It WILL imageshappen. That IS a part of your life…but as I mentioned before…when this happens what are you going to do then? Guys my challenge to you today is simply GET UP! Shake off the dirt and keep moving forward. God NEVER promised that our lives would be easy…He only said “He would never leave us or forsake us” which means during your darkest hour…you are not alone…

So GET UP and LOOK UP to Gods throne with confidence…

You can do this…

Until next time guys…

 

Dont Lose Your Grip…

Posted: April 21, 2013 in Standing firm in Trials, Strength for Today, Strong Husbands
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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I have been writing the Ironman Strength blog now for a couple of years and i have found that the blessing of this blog is the time spent preparing what to write and what to share. What I find interesting though is that all the time i work this blog, life is going on for me personally and the same issues you deal with everyday, I deal with as well. The stresses of life can and do take their toll on all of us…myself included…to the point where many times I can go back and read my own words from past blogs and the words seem foreign to me…in other words, on that day…God took me to a place in order for me to write what I wrote for that specific moment…why don’t I feel that now?

Life is just so full of ups and downs that it can wreck the best of us and especially Christians… both men and women.

So what am I saying? Well if you have read Ironman Strength in the past you know i constantly point out that life is a marathon journey we get to face and the point of this blog was our need for encouragement along the way. That reason continues to be the driving force for beginning and continuing to write this blog. However I can honestly tell you that i have been struggling to find my own way in recent days. The words and the inspiration to write, share and encourage just haven’t been there and yet I know there is a direct correlation in the time i spend with God and His subsequent blessings versus being to busy…

So for me, the writer of this blog…it is time I practiced what I always write to you and bear down and focus on the many blessings God has given me rather than dwell on negative things or just things that I think are important…Remember this:

The Lord knows the thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile…

Psalms 94:11

I only share this with you for one reason…Satan is alive and well in this earth and he will not rest until he has destroyed you and me…

But I will not end this post with a negative but rather I want to share with you an amazing set of verses that God led me to today that I believe are exactly what the spiritual doctor ordered…they come from Psalm 91…verses 14-16:

“Because he loves me,” says The Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation”.

Guys, if that scripture doesn’t give you a dose of encouragement for the day then I don’t know what will because honestly, God does not speak any clearer than that anywhere in the Bible.

But as you read, the answer starts with your love for Him…if you love Him in your deepest heart, then He promises toimages come to your aid when you need Him the most. That is truly the secret for receiving His protective care…a heart that is intimately attached to Him in both thankfulness and affection. By the way, He knows who you are, and He hears your prayers and will fill your life with His divine presence. Obviously, this means having a relationship with Him…

This is a very simple choice that you and I must make but it will make the difference in how we approach our life, how we deal with adversity and most importantly, how much joy life will bring us.

As I have done before…and will continue to do…I encourage you to take my words to heart by asking God for forgiveness and then asking Him for His help and guidance…He will not fail you…but once you speak to Him…then you need to listen…

Stay grounded in Him…

Until next time guys…

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