Man Up- On The Trail

It was THE coldest day of this year as a group of 30 men stood at the base of Crowder’s Mountain to ascend the steep Rocky Top Trail.  You can see some of them in the pictures that are in this blog post. It was ON THE TRAIL with Pastor Ray- the January edition. The temperature was in the single digits as the sun gradually rose to take it’s place in the morning sky.  And these die hards (or live hards depending on your point of view)walked through stiffness and the cold to ascend the tallest mountain around here. And every one made it.

There’s something about men being with men that makes a difference in their lives. God says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  Something happens when men conquer a big challenge together. If you want to have men open up, you don’t just sit around in circles to have a conversation.  You climb in the car and go on a long journey. You put on your gear and do something that tests your strength. Or, you give them a project to do so they can reach the goal.

When we got to the top of the mountain, I challenged the men to do three things to improve the relationships with the ones they loved.  Just three questions to ask regularly.

First, “What are you DREAMING about?”

Second, ” What are you most CONCERNED about?”

Third, “H0w can I DEMONSTRATE LOVE to you in the next seven days in ways that are not costly in monetary terms?”

Then, Barry Pomeroy, one of our key leaders led our men in a prayer that challenged us to “MAN UP.” Another one of our men, Scott Johnson immediately said, “Be prepared for battle. These questions aren’t easy to hear the answers to and the evil one will come to block it.”  It is freeing to acknowledge that there is a fight between good and evil and that we are not alone in the fight for living our lives to the max.

It was great to hear the conversations that sprung up that day on the way up and on the way down the mountain. Men got real about their lives, their victories,  and their struggles.  I’ve heard men ask for months now “When are we going on another hike?”

The wait is over. On Saturday, April 24th, beginning at 8:45, ON THE TRAIL with Pastor Ray will lead us back to the same place for a longer journey on the Crowder’s Mountain trails. The group of men will go up and OVER  the mountain on the first leg of the journey. Those who need to leave for further commitments will be through in just over an hour as we finish the first leg of our journey.  For those who want to go further, we will hike the second leg along the brand new Ridgeline Trail.  The first leg is about 2 miles and the second is approximately 5 1/2 miles further.  Overall, the journey is about 8 miles! If you or a man you respect and admire would like to go on the journey, e-mail Pastor Ray at p[email protected] or call 704-825-1709 and leave a message at my extension.

Plan to bring water and snacks to give energy along the way. Our Men’s Ministry Team will also have some for men that will be there as well. I look forward to seeing you or the men in your life there. Again, make sure to sign up by e-mailing the name and contact information to [email protected] or by calling 704-825-1709.