Guests: Sir Duncan, William Price, Brady Taylor, Dakota Kennan, Ty Olsen, Jake Edwards, Nathan Litwiller, and Grayson Frank

This is the continuation of our conversation from last week with some of the guys from Parker’s wedding party. Last week we heard  from Sir, William, Brady, Dakota, and Ty - this week we’ll hear from Jake, Nathan, and Grayson.

Guests: Sir Duncan, William Price, Brady Taylor, Dakota Kennan, Ty Olsen, Jake Edwards, Nathan Litwiller, and Grayson Frank

Wow, what an exciting weekend celebrating the wedding/marriage of our son Parker. I wish we could have recorded the incredible speeches at the rehearsal dinner - funny, uplifting, encouraging, and challenging - and that got me thinking that I needed to catch the guys in Parker’s wedding party and record some of their thoughts - so, on Saturday afternoon, I tore the guys away from watching college football to record and share their thoughts and wisdom about marriage, relationships, life together with friends and family…and these young men shared some remarkable insights and wisdom.

I hope that you are encouraged as you listen - these young men are all in their mid-to-late twenties and doing life well - in a godly community, pursuing Christ, serving in their churches, loving God and others well. They haven’t bought into the lie that Biblical headship means putting others down to elevate self, or that submission means “less than.” They believe that leadership means serving and they aren’t just about talking the talk, but they are walking the walk…not perfectly, but in the grace of God and the truth of His Word.

Enjoy these two episodes of Wisdom from the Wedding Party - and be encouraged to build your own godly community of men who will strengthen and encourage you to be the best men you can be!

Mark chapter 3

As you read about the crowd that followed Jesus, Mark turns his attention to those whom Jesus called out to be His disciples - and then listened them by name. Those twelve moved from the crowd, to the CALLED-OUT - from darkness to light, from death to life - and that is my prayer for each of you. Being called out means that you have been called INTO the family of God, INTO a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, INTO a new identity as a child of God, and INTO the meaningful, eternal work that the Lord has prepared before hand for you to walk in!

But, Jesus also reminds us that we should “count the cost” of following Him - of moving from the crowd of interested and intrigued to the family of God. Think about what it costs those twelve disciples that we mentioned earlier - the eleven that stayed faithful to Jesus all paid a tremendous cost for their relationship with Him. But, as Peter reminds us in John chapter 6, there is no other alternative to following Jesus that makes any sense at all! As Jesus says in John 14, He is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE - if you want access to the Father, it is available through Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son (John 3:16).

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Proverbs 27:6 - The wounds of a friend are faithful…

What does it mean to be a “friend” and why is it important to use that word with precision and clarity? I think about the biblical admonition to be a friend…and George Washington’s statement that “True friendship is a plant of slow growth that must withstand the shocks of adversity before it is given the name.” A proper understanding and expectation of what a “friend” is will be helpful in finding good friends…and being a good friend!

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Guest: Dr. Steven Lytle, Sparrow House Counseling

Far too many young men struggle seeing a clear and accurate picture of God, as their Heavenly Father, because of the real or perceived shortcomings of their earthly fathers. Dr. Steven Lytle reminds us that the role of the father is to provide for this family, but it is so much more than just putting food on the table and a roof over their head. A father is also meant to provide his attention, affection, and affirmation. Listen as Steven and I discuss how men can be the best father-figures for their boys, but also how the greatest calling of every father is to point their children to the loving embrace of their Perfect Heavenly Father!

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Guest: Jordan Salim, Founder and CEO of 3:23 Financial Services

The views expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice. 3:23 Financial Services LLC is a registered investment adviser in the state of Texas. 3:23 Financial Services LLC is not affiliated with this podcast, and any financial advice is only provided through a formal advisory relationship with the firm.

Continued our great conversation with Jordan Salim, this time we talked about various financial missteps and pitfalls to avoid. This is helpful advice for every young man as you look to not only live well within the financial resources that the Lord has blessed you with and that you’ve worked hard for, but also as you look to be a mindful and cheerful giver meeting the needs of others and advancing the Kingdom of Heaven!

Some resources that were referenced and recommended during this podcast include the following:

Your Life…Well Spent: The Eternal Rewards of Investing Yourself and Your Money in Your Family by Russ Crosson

Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work by Tim Keller

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Guest: Jordan Salim, Founder and CEO of 3:23 Financial Services

The views expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice. 3:23 Financial Services LLC is a registered investment adviser in the state of Texas. 3:23 Financial Services LLC is not affiliated with this podcast, and any financial advice is only provided through a formal advisory relationship with the firm.

Had a great conversation with Jordan about what financial “stewardship” is and what it means today. This is helpful advice for every young man as you look to not only live well within the financial resources that the Lord has blessed you with and that you’ve worked hard for, but also as you look to be a mindful and cheerful giver meeting the needs of others and advancing the Kingdom of Heaven!

Some resources that were referenced and recommended during this podcast include the following:

Your Life…Well Spent: The Eternal Rewards of Investing Yourself and Your Money in Your Family by Russ Crosson

Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work by Tim Keller

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

1 Samuel 16:18 - David was described as “a man of good presence.” God was telling me to go back and look at that definition of “good” again - there is MORE there! What does it truly mean to be a man of good presence…listen to this episode and think through the concept of goodness, God’s design and purpose for His creation (including you and me) and if we are truly being the men that God has designed and purposed for us to be!

Referenced The Awe of God by John Bevere - check it out, powerful read.

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

God’s Word speaks about the importance and value of work - we are demonstrating to a watching world the character and nature of our God when we work and are creative and use our gifts and talents for the betterment and wellbeing of others, too! Let’s appreciate that we can be rewarded for our labors - if you need an accurate description of the problems with a socialistic economic system, check out Frederic Bastiat’s The Law - great, and short, read!

Young men, now is the time to develop your biblical worldview of work - before you give yourself to a world system that will take your youthful years and leave you little to no time for developing your relationship with the Lord, your family, friends, or for taking care of others in need. The world system will reward you for sacrificing your family (and your morals) to the advancement of your career - don’t play the fool and sacrifice the eternal rewards for the temporary ones! Remember the question from Jesus in the Gospel of Mark - what does it profit a man to gain the whole world…and lose his soul?

If you want to know more about how divorce adversely affects children, check out Between Two Worlds: The Inner Lives of Children of Divorce by Elizabeth Marquardt (with a foreword by Judith Wallerstein, author of The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: The 25 Year Landmark Study)

T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle ([email protected]) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.