Thursday, October 11, 2007

Thank you, men.


I'm writing this to thank all the men in my life whom I admire and cherish for truly walking in your manhood. A four-pillared man. No, not a monster; a modern day superhero.
a man of character and vision – a king.
a man of strength and power – a warrior poet.
a man of faith and wisdom – a mentor.
a man of heart and love – a friend.

Thank you for being an example of a real man. Thank you for being today's William Wallace, fighting for the honor of women and children through your thoughts, words and actions. It seems to me that shouldering the burden of manliness in this generation is a tough mandate. Choosing to be different and walk in the way of a William Wallace is not a path that gets much applaud these days. So I want to applaud you.

Thank you for broadening your shoulders—and walking in the discipline of heart something unseen but known in your thought life, and allowing your actions to reflect genuine manliness – everything from thinking rightly about women, opening doors, offering to carry things, listening with joy to our stories and being a protector of feminine mystique and dignity.

Barlow Girl's "Guy Song"recently reminded me that this world has tried to discourage and distract you. Yet it's so powerfully attractive and admirable when you live with a bigger purpose than just what teyes can see in the natural. There's something so admirable about a man who does not conform his lifestyle to this world which devalues things of faith and real life. Every time you embrace a way of life that's counter-cultural, by what you choose to do and not to do, you are speaking volumes to so many watching eyes. You are to be admired, valued, and highly esteemed because you choose to look straight ahead and meditate on healthy things. Your life cannot be equaled to the man who just indulges his flesh. You far surpass this man on every level!


I want to applaud you. You mean so much to me! This kind of man walks with confidence to protect and provide a place for women to flourish in feminine beauty. Because you're willing to be a warrior and fight for a woman's honor and beauty, you are a king, a warrior poet. You don't indulge in porn or empty relationships to make yourself feel like a man. You choose to say no to these things and yes to real relationships, building with women as individuals and seeing them as image bearers – God's creation reflecting something of God's purpose and character - God's daughters. You guard and cultivate this in the women around you because you are God's son.

Thank you men. To those of you who are fathers and husbands, thank you for loving your wives and children with a supernatural love and choosing to be a king, a warrior poet, a mentor and a friend to your wife and children as well as the men and women around you. To those of you who are my single brothers, thank you for honoring women by not taking advantage of their emotions or their physical bodies for your pleasure. Instead you have chosen the harder way, seeing women as hand-crafted for a unique purpose, who need to be prized and treasured, our honor kept intact. You are a man of character, vision, strength, power, faith, wisdom, heart and love. To all the men in my life! Like the "Guy Song" lyrics sing….."This world distracts you, lies to you and hopes to keep you from your call….don't be fooled….you can stand up to it all…..this is your day! Don't let them take it away…."Thank you for fighting the good fight, taking the narrow way and clinging to God's promises which keep you from falling. I admire you, I respect you and I want to honor you today. Thanks for being His four-pillared man.

5 comments:

No(dot dot)el said...

your welcome, oh wait... i am not a man. i just wanted to comment first and to say hi:) love you.

TimmyMac said...

That was very powerful . . . the men in your life are truly blessed by your encouraging spirit . . . I just wanted you to know that it encouraged me also and probably many more who don't know you well enough to risk a commment . . .

Jen in Budapest said...

Well, risk away....willingness to risk reveals strength! I appreciate that. I have to say that some of this came from reading a few different books and websites on what makes us uniquely men and women but every word printed here I genuinely mean from my own life...I'm so grateful for you - the men who make this world a better place.

Matty C. said...

Wow, that was like, perfectly written. I think you have an encouraging gift. I agree with Tim. That was powerful! Get that published.

Jen in Budapest said...

thanks Matty. I did get some of this from reading a few books but it would be great to publish something someday. Just don't know what that would be right now. But yeah, I'm very thankful for the men God has placed in my life who exude the things written here...I'm sure you're one of them so thanks to you too.