My Manhood Plan

Mission Statement:

I am a man. I was created in the image of God. Because He gave His life to me, I in return, will give my life to Him as a living sacrifice. I am Hi workmanship, His tool to be used by Him for His glory. I am called to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. I will reject passivity, accept responsibility, lead courageously and expect the greater reward, God’s reward to the glory of God the Father.

My Life Scripture:

Romans 12:1-2

A Look Back

A lot has happened since my last manhood plan. I was 31. Now I’m 43. My family has grown from 3 to 4. I lost my father back in 2005, my grandfather last year (2011) and my aunt earlier this year (2012). I’ve dealt with a lot of lost, but I have seen God move in the hearts of my family. My wife is amazing. She homeschools my three younger kids Felecia (8) Edward III (10) and Bianca (12). My son Brian (16) is entering a new challenging and exciting phase in his life as he embraces his own manhood. I’m grateful to be a part of him discovering his identity in Christ.

I have no unfinished business in life at this point. That’s not to say that I have no mountains to climb or fears to face. It simply means that I’m fully aware of my hurts, habits and hang-ups.

My past pain and regrets come up from time to time. I’ve learned to deal with my pain through prayer and openness with the body of Christ. I’m not above asking for prayer, accountability and support to keep me from isolation.

A Look at Now

God is has made it abundantly clear to me that my forties are all about surrender. My biggest challenge is to reject passivity in relation to how I come to the Father with my fears and doubts. My desire have more of God in life. I thirst for Him. And when I don’t quench the my thirst with His Spirit, my soul becomes parched and empty. My passivity is my enemy (the enemy that I passionately hate because he steals my power and joy).

The Lord God has also challenged me to get out of the boat, spiritually. To not be afraid to make mistakes and struggle to be where he wants me to be. I don’t want the Lord to say to me at the end of my life, “I wish you made more mistakes. I wish you would have trusted me more instead of always playing it safe.”

My wife continues to encourage and gives me her support as I pursue God with all of me, physically, mentally, spiritually and even creatively. I have her complete support and trust. She delights in my leadership, which in turn inspires me to walk on the water where Jesus is.

I have surrounded myself with a community of people who love me enough to share the truth in love. If and when I’m not myself, they can’t sense it because I can’t fake it around them. I suck at lying, so it’s much easier for me to simply admit that I’m having a rough day or that I need help. I’m not above asking for help. I have a couple of accountability brothers who hold me up before the LORD and that has made all the difference in my growth as a man, a husband and a father.

A Look Ahead

As I look ahead of my life, I’m convinced that I will not die an old man. I know how this sounds. I assure you that I am not suicidal, nor do I spend my time romanticizing about my death. I just believe what I believe. That being said, I do spend a lot time reflecting on my legacy. What do I want my family to say remember about me? What would be my children’s inheritance? How can I honor my wife even after I’m gone?

I don’t share these thoughts with a lot people, for fear of being misunderstood or sounding melodramatic. I simply live myself with the perspective of this is currently place is not my home. I want my children to know that their relationship with Jesus is an attainable reality. That pursuing God is greater than life on any level and that knowing him is beyond compare. My kids know that I am not a flawless man. I’m not afraid of sharing me fears and doubts with them. I invite them to pray for the needs of the family and remind them that I cannot be their God. As a result, my kids have seen God move in some amazing ways.

Specific goals for my manhood plan

1. Spend intentional time with each one of my kids and bless them with truth, love and listening ear.

2. Pray with my wife and kids at least once week.

3. Lead them in family devotionals and vision casting for our family.

4. Continue to meet once a week with my accountability brothers, keeping them informed with my life and staying connected with them.

5. Invite my brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for me and to reach out to them in return and be a blessing through serving in ministry.

6. Trust God with my creative side, (my music and writing) and using those endeavors to reach out to the Greater Austin area, by building relationships with the un-churched, “under” churched and “over” churched.