"I don't know you.  But I know something about you."

That's what I would tell complete strangers that I'd meet at retirement benefits trainings that I lead years ago while working for another wealth management team.

I'd go on to say this:  "At some point in the future I believe that every one of us will one day either say, think, or feel one of two things:  1) I'm so glad that I did.... or 2) I wish that I would have...."

I'd go on to talk about planning for the future and why retirement planning was so important.  But the reality is that planning for the future is critical for everyone - but not just when it comes to money.

The difference between "I'm so glad that I did" and "I wish that I would have" is night and day!  The first one is light, easy, full of joy and peace.  The second is as heavy as it gets.  There is nothing in this world much heavier than regret.

That's what we're talking about in this conversation today.  How to live the...

I have a friend who lives outside of Kiev, Ukraine.  He and his family live in the midst of war.

There is a picture that they posted at the start of the war that still breaks my heart.  In it, the family had awakened to bombs going off in the distance and helicopters flying over their home.  They were now huddled together in a small hallway in their home.  Where else could they go?

That night they had to make a terrible decision in light of the war that showed up at their door:  do we stay or do we flee the country?

For some of us here in the safety of our own homes, we may think the answer is simple:  run!  get out!  

But it's not that simple for them.  They are church leaders and they run a school that helps teach children english and shares the Gospel.  So leaving isn't that easy.  Many people are looking up to them for guidance, help, and encouragement.  

In the end, leaving was the decision that they had to...

**NOTE** While this is intended for unmarried Christian men - I think those of us who are married currently will also benefit from this refresher.  Hopefully, it will help married men as well and encourage you to consider some areas where maybe you've dropped the ball and need to re-engage in the fight for your marriage again.

In part 1 of these series, we looked at 5 things that Christian men would benefit from by knowing about marriage BEFORE they said, "I do!".

Today, we're going to look at 5 more ideas that can help save you some trouble and help you plan for and prepare for your sacred vows.

(Click here if you missed #1-#5 in Part 1)

5 More Things You Should Know About Marriage

6.  Sometimes it will be harder than you think.  But don’t ever give up or give yourself an out!

Let's just be brutally honest here.  Marriage is amazing!  But...

Marriage can be really tough, too.  In fact, it may be harder than you ever imagined. ...

**NOTE** While this is intended for unmarried Christian men - I think those of us who are married currently will also benefit from this refresher.  Hopefully, it will help married men as well and encourage you to consider some areas where maybe you've dropped the ball and need to re-engage in the fight for your marriage again.

Have you ever thought, “Gosh, I wish I had know this before I got here!”? 

Maybe you thought that about parenting, or money, or some health issue that you're dealing with.  Today, though, we’re talking about how nice it would be to have some wisdom and insight about marriage before you say, "I do!".  

Hindsight is 20/20 they say.  But wouldn’t foresight be even better?!

We think so, too, and that’s what we’re doing in this post today; trying to help serve those of you who have never been married before (or maybe are hoping to re-marry again and do it better one...

"A man must have a battle to fight, a great mission to his life that involves and yet transcends even home and family.  He must have a cause to which he is devoted even unto death, for this is written into the fabric of his being.  Listen carefully now:  you do!"

Listen carefully now, men:  You do!

What John Eldredge is saying there in his book, Wild at Heart, is that God has made you this way.  It's in the very fabric of your being a man.  This battle to fight - this mission you're on here in this short life you live - transcends even home and family.  It's a fight worth fighting til the end.  Even unto death!

As I write those words 2 things stand out to me.  See if this is true for you as well.

1. I'm inspired by it.  I want to live that way.  I want to die that way.

2. I doubt it's (actually) true for me.

Do you resonate with that?  Do you sense that split-personality disorder within you too?

You see, this is one the...

Dating can be a tricky topic for many Christians.

On one hand, dating can be a beautiful experience that leads to a fulfilling marriage. On the other hand, it can be a minefield of temptation and compromise that leads to regret and heartbreak.

For single Christian men (whatever the age or circumstance), it can be particularly challenging to navigate these waters while staying true to their faith and values. However, it is possible to date in a healthy and godly way.

Let's look at five ways that a Christian single can keep himself pure in dating.

1. Set Boundaries

One of the most important things a Christian single can do is set clear boundaries when it comes to dating. This may include physical boundaries, such as avoiding sexual activity, but it also includes emotional and spiritual boundaries, too.

This means setting limits on how much time and energy you spend with your date, how much personal information you share, and how involved you become in their life. It...

As Christian men, we are called to uphold godly values and to provide a voice of morality in our society. However, we are currently facing an alarming situation where school systems are promoting and allowing - no, pushing! - sexualized content in our schools and into our children's lives.

This issue is deeply concerning.  Especially for Christian families who want to raise their children with moral, biblical values and protect them from the evil that is being promoted so forcefully today in our communities.

But what can we do?

What should our response be as Christian men who are fighting for our children?

In this blog post, we will discuss three things Christian men can do to address this issue.

1. Pray that God will do what only he can do.

As Christian men, we know that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness. Praying, then, is an essential weapon we can use in our fight against ungodly influences in our schools.  In fact,...

What's the best advice you could give to a Christian dad when it comes to parenting?

Here are 7 ideas that come to my mind:

1. Pray.

There are SO many times that my wife and I were unsure of what to do in a particular parenting situation (and still are!). It’s very challenging to know how to respond to each situation that you face as parents.  Let's be honest, actually, and say that it's impossible to know how to respond to every situation the right way. There’s no rule book or guide that you can easily look up the situation that you're facing and quickly or easily say, ‘Oh, there’s the answer I was looking for!’. So, you just do the best you can and cover each and every day in prayer.

Speaking of prayer, I would pray this consistently over all of our girls:

“God, please help my girls to love you from an early age and help them to love you faithfully all the days of their lives. Help them to never give up on you or turn away...