Let’s Hear it For The Boys!

Giving thanks for some men that have made a difference in my life,
past and present.

I have been considering how grateful I am for the men that God has allowed to be a blessing in some way in my life. So often, we as woman enjoy the company of other women and that is good and as it should be; however we all are greatly impacted and influenced by men who touch our lives. I am thankful today for the “Few Good Men” God has given me to challenge, inspire and lead in my life and want to dedicate this post to them!

I was always a tomboy. I always loved hanging out with the boys more than the girls and this was great until puberty. I remember the day I went to play neighborhood touch football…6th grade. The boys seemed different and mischievous. We were growing up. I started receiving a few “tackles” when I was not receiving the ball. Not to mention it was “touch” football. It was so sad, although we laughed, it was as if we all knew we were growing and changing and somehow the boys would be boys and I was now not going to be on the inside anymore. I sullenly found the only girl in my neighborhood to hang with…I hated it. I wanted to run with the boys, but they were onto other things and acting a little more secretive…as if all of a sudden over the Summer we had developed different languages. We had. We understood. No more would I get to be one of them. They knew it, I knew it. It made me a little mad…at them, at God, at life.

Time went on. I grew up. Kinda. I found my way back into the boys club. It was mostly good. Competitive Bodybuilding and Powerlifting leads you to places where there is clashing of metal, grunting and loud groans of pain. I loved it! The guys I trained with treated me like a sister in the club because I was willing to endure it all. I earned their respect because I was able to do well in these realms. Yet at the same time, I could not deny, I was a woman, now. Sometimes that meant I would interject my input. Sometimes I would correct them, or they would correct themselves as not to offend. Sometimes they preferred I was not around. They were unguarded and relaxed, yet aware. The prevailing attitude seemed to be, we accept you, but you are still not one of “us”. Real men always remain sensitive to the presence of a woman. Even if we do get ourselves into their clubs. It’s in their God given make-up. Even if we want to believe otherwise. But the time was valuable to me in helping me understand and gain insight into men, women, and myself…the differences between us and the similarities we share- as well as accept God’s plans and design for my life.

So without further adieu, I shall give recognition to those men who have left their imprint on my life. To the glory of God and for His good purposes.

I am thankful for

each of them.

1. My God, Father, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ- No list would be complete without Him, He is my beginning and end, my portion and passion.

2. My husband- He is the bravest man I know, after all – He was courageous enough not to be scared off by me and all my stuff! He is my faithful friend and companion.

We belong to each other, for better AND worse!

3. My Dad- I did not meet my Dad until I was 38 years old as my parents divorced when I was still a baby! How great God has been to bring us together again and give us a wonderful relationship which I now treasure. The verse comes to my mind from my Bible: “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten…” Joel 2:25.

4. My fellow bodybuilding friend, Joe – who shared the Lord and spent time encouraging me in truth.

In reality he is my spiritual father.That is funny. He would get a kick out of that one! However his early informal discipleship and wisdom shaped me and always brought me closer to the Lord.

I am eternally grateful for him.

5. My Powerlifting coach, Dave – God used Him to remind me of how He is able to take us places, we did not want to go, or believe we could go and do amazing things as we submit and trust Him completely. It was under Dave’s specific guidance, instruction, leadership, coaching and belief I was able to set a record at my first Powerlifting competition. The reality is God used Dave to teach me more about myself and His character through this endeavor and this man.

6. Pastor John – I am grateful for each of the pastors God has given me in season. But without a doubt, I am most grateful for the pastor who now teaches myself and my family. I have a future Post this month dedicated to him and his wife so I want to hold back here. I will only say He is the clearest example and model of true, humble, servant leadership in this role I have seen and experienced.Grateful for the teaching and the teacher, God has led us to in this season of our lives.

7. The godly writing and wisdom of Chambers, Spurgeon, Powell and Lewis.

There are many more but I will say these men’s writings have influenced my faith and spirituality in significant ways. Thankful for the gifts God has bestowed upon them and that they did not withhold sharing them.

This list would also be incomplete if I did not recognize a A Few Good Men from the blogosphere who have been a blessing to me by sharing their unique views, gifts and talents in the bloggy world. Thank you, gentlemen!

1. Dakota over at A Look at Life from a Deerstand

2. Ben at Life (General and Specific)

3. Stephen P. Porter at Manifest Blog

Today I give thanks for the men who have shaped my views both from near and faraway, both personally and professionally, by their lives, examples, gifts and talents. May God continue to bless, protect and lead each one them.