Showing posts with label manup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manup. Show all posts

Friday, June 19, 2015

Final Thoughts {Man Up - A Father's Day Series & Giveaway}



Today is the final day and I wanted to share some great resources with you. I also want to thank my husband Jeremy, Tom and Bill for joining us for this series. 

Here are some great resources for men that my husband {and I} love:
  1. All Pro Dad. All Pro Dad, lead by Mark Merrill and including NFL players and coaches, is on a mission to help you love and lead your family well. With regular blog posts and social media posts, you will be encouraged and challenged.
  2. He Reads Truth. I am in love with the She Reads Truth app for women. With the Word of God and devotions at my finger tips, this is one my favorite apps! I am so excited that He Reads Truth for men will be launching this summer. This is going to be a great tool for men on the go. My teenage sons will even have this app!
  3. Husband Revolution. Husband Revolution is helping you to take the road less traveled in marriage. Regular blog posts and social media make it easy to get encouragement.
  4. Power of a Praying Husband. This prayer resource teaches you how to pray for your wife according to the Bible.
  5. Happy Habits for Couples. This book by Roger and Kathy Lipp gives great advice, encouragement and projects for husbands and wives.
  6. Pure Eyes, Clean Heart. This resource is for those who have struggled with p*rnography. Craig and Jen Ferguson share their real struggles and how they overcame the addiction with God.
  7. Man Stuff. This is a great devotional for men by singer Josh Turner. My husband actually hates reading. I mean hates reading. But this devo is one he really likes.
  8. 5 Love Languages for Men. If you've ever read the 5 Love Languages, you know what a fantastic book it is. Now there is a men's edition! This is another one my husband likes!


One blessed man will win:
5 Love Languages for Men
Not Of This World t-shirt
Matt Maher - Alive Again cd
Mercy Me - Lovewell cd
Hawk Nelson - Crazy Love & Light Sides cd
Jars of Clay - The Shelter cd
Group 1 Crew - Outta Space Love cd
Disciple - Horseshoes & Handgrenades cd

To enter the giveaway, complete each task in the rafflecopter below.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

It’s Time To Get Our Priorities Straight {Man Up - Father's Day Series & Giveaway}


It's day 3 of the Man Up series and I am excited to have the husband, Bill Miller, of one of my best friends, Shari from Shari A. Miller. Please help me welcome Bill!


We have all heard the, “Cats in the Cradle” song; “a man living life, taking care of his family, but being too busy to play with his son, the son wants to be like his dad, years later the dad wants to spend time with his son, but the son is too busy and the father realizes that the son grew up to be just like him.” It wasn’t too long ago that I was headed down this path.

I’m a father of two young adults now; one is a junior in college and one a senior in high school. As I write this I think back over the years to the time I wasted with putting other things first. For me it was work, I have worked a full-time job and have done side work since before the kids were born.

When does it stop?

When we as fathers and husbands think that the next job, the next payday, the next promotion, or whatever it may be, are more important than spending time with family, we are too late. When we do this, we miss the mark and have put work and status before family.

It’s time for us as men of God to do an about face.

We as fathers and husbands need to take time to cherish our families, love our spouses and put God first, family second and work after that. Time passes in a blink of an eye. If you focus on work or other things first, you will blink and the next thing you know the kids are graduating and moving on.

“Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.” 
Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)

If we make the decision to put God first in our lives, we can lead by example and show our children what is more important, so they in turn can teach this to their children. We can break the cycle and move towards a generation of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren who will follow God.
I have to admit that putting work first has been a downfall of mine in the past, but God has given me a wakeup call that it’s time to stop and change the direction I am headed. I’m so thankful that He daily reminds me to put my priorities in the right order, with Him being at the top of the list.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day
has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

If we as fathers and husbands give our worries to God, instead of trying to fix everything on our own, we can watch an amazing transformation take place. We need to let God take care of things and remember to have faith. Once we understand that faith is believing what one can’t see, and put our trust in God for everything, we will realize that we do not need to work so hard.
Join me men, as we put God in control of every fiber of our being, once we do this, all other things will fall into place.

Bill Miller grew up in the small town of Stevensville, Montana, right in the middle of the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. He's a Montana boy at heart and loves the great outdoors. He graduated from Trend College in 1990, with an Associates of Arts degree in Travel and Tourism.

Bill currently works for Rockwood Retirement Communities as a Maintenance Engineer. He loves his job because he gets to daily serve God by helping the elderly. Bill also serves as caregiver to his wife, when needed, as she has been battling breast cancer for the past 10 years.

Bill's favorite thing to do is to be at home with his family, cherishing each and every moment he gets to spend time with them. Bill has  been married to his wife Shari for over 22 years. They have 2 young adult children.

You can find Bill's wife blogging at Shari A. Miller.



One blessed man will win:
5 Love Languages for Men
Not Of This World t-shirt
Matt Maher - Alive Again cd
Mercy Me - Lovewell cd
Hawk Nelson - Crazy Love & Light Sides cd
Jars of Clay - The Shelter cd
Group 1 Crew - Outta Space Love cd
Disciple - Horseshoes & Handgrenades cd

To enter the giveaway, complete each task in the rafflecopter below.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Fighting Marriages {Man Up - Father's Day Series & Giveaway}


Today is day 2 in our Man Up series and I am beyond thrilled to have my wonderful husband here today! Jeremy has been a very supportive part of this ministry. Please help me welcome my hubby!


When you talk about fighting in marriage, most of the time in today's society, it's talk about how a couple can not work their issues out any longer. They can't find that bond they once had. It's about two people yelling and belittling each other. If kids are involved, then the fighting is worse because the kids are forced to pick sides.

It's not often you hear of couples fighting for their marriages. We often just look for the easy way out.

Now understand, I know couples will fight. Since we will fight, we must look at what the Word of God says about it.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to
your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin:
Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
and do not give the devil a foothold.
Ephesians 4:25-27


Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,
that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all
bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every
form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:29-32


We must understand:
  1. Couples will have struggles. Every married couple will have conflict or battles no matter how well matched up you think you are. Two sinners living together will have disagreements. The question is, how are you going to deal with those struggles. Will you be full of pride? Will you pray together, talk about the struggles and work together to fix it? How much work will you put into it? You will struggle. So decide in advance your plan of attack. How you will make it work?
  2. Conflict hurts marriage is a myth. Conflict is important for every marriage. Now understand, it can destroy marriage when not handled correctly. But it also can lead to a greater intimacy. It depends on how you respond to it and how much work you want to put into it. Handle it correctly and let it bring deep intimacy.
I am going to ask you something. How much work do you put into your job, your golf game, or whatever you're passionate about? Because all of us are passionate about something. Where we spend our time, money, energy, those are the things we are passionate about. Why not put that effort into something that will last a lifetime, your marriage.


Jeremy Metzger is an associate pastor, children's pastor, high school baseball coach and sheet metal journeyman. But his greatest roles are that of husband and father. Jeremy and his wife, Jenifer, will celebrate 18 years of marriage this summer and have four teenagers. Yes, four teenagers.



One blessed man will win:
5 Love Languages for Men
Not Of This World t-shirt
Matt Maher - Alive Again cd
Mercy Me - Lovewell cd
Hawk Nelson - Crazy Love & Light Sides cd
Jars of Clay - The Shelter cd
Group 1 Crew - Outta Space Love cd
Disciple - Horseshoes & Handgrenades cd

To enter the giveaway, complete each task in the rafflecopter below.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Terra Cotta Warriors {Man Up - A Father's Day Series & Giveaway}

My writing ministry has mostly been geared toward women, though we gladly welcome our male readers. Recently God placed on my heart to do a series for men. Something to encourage men and lead them to resources that are just for them. Since I'm not a guy {my husband is pretty happy about that fact}, I asked a few guys to write some manly encouragement just for men. So men, make sure you hang around this week as you will be challenged and inspired. And ladies, lead your men here!

Share this great series and giveaway with all of the men in your family and be sure to check back on Saturday for great resources!


Today is day 1 in the Man Up series and I am thrilled to have the husband of one of my best friends with us, Tom Davis. Tom has an incredible story {which you will read part of in his bio} and I know his words will encourage you. Please help me welcome Tom.


The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.” What do people gain from 
all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

Last Summer, we took a family trip and one of our stops was to the Indianapolis Children's Museum.  Their showcase display was of the "Terra Cotta Warriors."  If you don't know, the first emperor of China built approximately 8,000 of these clay warriors in China and then they were buried until recently.  Each one is molded out of this local clay and then given individual features, weapons, and a custom paint job.   This army is complete with infantrymen, archers, generals, calvary, horse drawn wagons, civil employees, and entertainers.  The army is buried in several tombs across the countryside and also includes a massive palace for the emperor.  It really is an impressive feat considering the Emperor was just 13 when construction began and that it was constructed around 200 BC.

It is believed that Emperor Chin built these for 3 reasons:
1.  as a show of his glory
2.  to remember the army that triumphed over the other Warring States to unite China
3.  because it was believed that objects like statues can be animated in the afterlife, and because Qin Shihuang required an after-death army.

It is estimated that it took 35 years and over 700,000 workers to build this army.  I did some research online and everyone has raved about this massive find, calling it one of the greatest finds of the 20th century.

While I was greatly impressed by the exhibit and the grand scheme of all of this, when leaving all I could think of is, "What a tremendous waste of time, money, and resources."
Emperor Chin was credited with other great contributions to society including standardizing weights and measurements and building the first part of the Great Wall of China.  But, I just try to imagine what this emperor could have accomplished and contributed to the world had he dedicated the time, money, and resources to something useful.  Every one of us has been blessed with certain talents and gifts.  Obviously, Emperor Chin's was being a leader.  But, he was also filled with paranoia, vanity, and obsession.

When I look at my talents and gifts, I like to think Paralympic cycling is one of them.  Last year, I won two National Championships, rode for the US National Paracycling Team, and took a 5th place and 10th place in the UCI World Championships.  I ended up being ranked 11th in the world for my sport class.  But, winning medals and jerseys are not the reason that I do it.  My medals sit in a box in my closet.

If I don't use my talents, gifts, and resources to know Christ more, to help others know Christ, and show them the love of Christ, then my talents and gifts are just as meaningless as these clay warriors.  My talents and gifts might as well be buried too.

Instead, I try to help others become better or just learn the sport, I try to use my success to motivate others to overcome challenges in their lives, and I use paracycling to share my testimony.  I do this because of one of my favorite scriptures:

Do all things to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

So, what are other Terra Cotta Warriors?  What are my obsessions that I put before my relationship with Christ?  Material things, family, job, hobbies, sports?  None of these things, in themselves, are bad.  Yet, if they hold more importance to us than Christ, then they are meaningless.

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing
worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost
all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.
Philippians 3:8

 If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—
such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry
their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26, 27 NIV


Tom Davis grew up in Michigan and graduated with honors from Northwood University in 1999 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

After working several jobs in Management, he realized that it wasn’t the right path for him.  Ever since College, his focus was more on partying and excess.  After college Tom began to run into trouble with the law.  In order to make a better life for himself, he decided to join the Army in 2002.

Tom immediately excelled in everything the military had to offer.  He deployed to Iraq twice and was promoted to Staff Sergeant before he retired.  Tom was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2005-2006, quite literally the most dangerous place on Earth at the time.

On June 3rd, 2006, the Humvee that Tom was commanding was destroyed by a roadside bomb.  He received multiple serious injuries including the loss of his left leg, broken arms, concussion, PTSD, and TBI.  However severe these were, nothing compares to the loss of his Gunner on that night, SPC Brett Tribble.

Tom spent 15 months at Walter Reed Military Hospital where he was introduced to a handcycle.  At the time, it was just a form of exercise and therapy but it turned into much more.  After his handcycle spent 3 years in a storage shed, Tom was praying one day and heard God telling him to get the bike out and ride it to glorify God.

He has been doing it ever since.  Since 2011, Tom has competed in over 50 races across the world.  He was won every marathon he has ever competed in and has raced for the US National Paralympic Team in Europe and at the 2014 World Championships.  He was ranked 11th in the world in 2014.

But, Tom believes that it’s not about wins or medals.  But, it’s more what you do with them.   He has mentored other handcyclists, held racing clinics, and given motivational speeches.  He has spoken in schools, community organizations, youth groups, and in Churches – sharing his message of hope and his faith in Jesus Christ.

Tom is from Fremont, Indiana where he currently lives with his wife and four children. You can follow along with Tom on his paracycling journey on Facebook.



One blessed man will win:
5 Love Languages for Men
Not Of This World t-shirt
Matt Maher - Alive Again cd
Mercy Me - Lovewell cd
Hawk Nelson - Crazy Love & Light Sides cd
Jars of Clay - The Shelter cd
Group 1 Crew - Outta Space Love cd
Disciple - Horseshoes & Handgrenades cd

To enter the giveaway, complete each task in the rafflecopter below.