Just before taking a trip of a life time with Caleb, I posted an article telling you about the adventure we had been anticipating for months.  Some have said that anticipation is half the joy of a journey.  I must admit, we had fun counting down the months, weeks, then days.  I enjoyed planning the trip for over a year.  But we have all had times when things that we have anticipated actually fall short when the event actually takes place.  You pick yourself up and roll with it. That’s what I’ve learned to do.  However, I must say this was not true of my time in Australia with Fathering Adventures. My expectations were surpassed!

At the summit of Mt Tyson, took time to process on the plane when flying back home.   “How could I explain in a simple way what a profound experience, amazing fun and bonding time Caleb and I had.  All I could say was it surpassed all that I had anticipated.  Darren Lewis is an amazing teacher, leader and visionary.  He picked just the right environment and organized the very best adventures.  Presented the lesson with simplicity and conviction.   All 22 of the sons and fathers shared epic experiences together in the rain-forest, over mountains, by the beaches, on the rapids, and below the waters (the Great Barrier reef) of Northern Queensland, Australia.

Standing in the clouds a top Mt Tyson, Tully, Queensland, Australia

I want to share first hand from a sampling of fathers and sons in their own words.  When asked what this experience has meant for the fathers and sons, they said:

• “An improvement in a better understanding and communication with my son. The start of better things to come, and an experience to refer back to in the future.”
• “We have both said this is the highlight experience of our father-son relationship. It was an epic event that took our relationship deeper and further than anything else.”
• “This has given me valuable insight into manhood and has given me a vision / goal to strive for my sons, my family, my wife, and myself.”
• “Put it back on track. Renewed the quality time of our relationship.”
• “Everything – it presently represents one of my highest priorities in life – one of leaving a legacy that proceeds me long after I’m gone.”
• “It has provided an opportunity to affirm my son & his capabilities… it would not have happened otherwise. It has built a bridge for communication into the future!”

2. When asked “What was the high point of your experience?”

• “Watching my son’s eyes light up during white water rafting and during the initiation ceremony.”
• “There were too many high points. It would be easier to list the low points.”
• “Publicly affirming my son, the initiation ceremony, and the evening presentations. Spending one-on-one time with my son.”
• “My son looking up at me and taking it all in during the initiation ceremony.”
• “Watching the joy on his face accomplishing some activities for the first time; being able to spend time together.
• “To look my son in the eyes and tell him publicly that I love him, and that I’m proud of him.”
• “The self-examination following the evening presentations, and the opportunity to realize that a good relationship can become a “great “ relationship… not only father-son, but beyond this.”

Darren has done well keeping a good balance of not making this a “church camp” but keeping it distinctive in strong Biblical values and teaching.  One last quote I will share of how a father shared the experience of a renewed relationship with God and the role He should play in his and his sons life in the future.  In his own words…

...to tell you how much of an impact last weeks trip had on me and my son. On the plane back, my son gave me a letter he wrote in Tully (which I read that night with my wife), expressing his thanks and how much he enjoyed his time with me and the other fathers and sons. It was not something I expected and was touched (which I later told him). The other positive and surprising outcome from him is his request, that he would like to understand more about Jesus and I quote “what does it mean to accept Jesus in my life”. Your program has made a big impression on us both. I consider this as a positive wake up call, and even though we are Christians we have not been practicing ones for a very long time….mostly due to life excuses etc. My wife and I plan to change this going forward…..small steps.

Men, if you are are looking for a concentrated time with your son to build character and a vision of what a man is, and maybe craft your own vision for what it means yourself, consider Father Adventures.  It may be the greatest investment you make in your sons life and your relationship.

Click here to learn more of them:  Fathering Adventures

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For a year and a half I have been planning for the next 10 days.  Actually, I have been anticipating the days since I read a book (Raising A Modern-Day Knight, Robert Lewis) 11 yrs ago.  Caleb was about 6 or 7 when I read the book.  I needed help.  Growing up without a consistent example of what a father looked like, I needed a idea.  This book put me on a path.  It gave me a plan.  It cast a vision for how I could raise men of honor.  I set in motion to be an intentional father, instead of responsive one.  I will be the first to tell you, I’ve failed in many ways as a dad, but one element I’ve enjoyed with Caleb (I will soon start the process with Joshua) is celebrating his rites of passage.  When he was about 10 or 11, we went to Beaver Lake to have “the talk.”  We did man things, built fire, fished, talked, and cooked over an open flame and made “man noises” (without having to say “excuse me”).  We finished the time with watching a inspiring man movie to encourage the soul and cast a vision. This was Caleb’s passage in to being a adolescent.  Now Josh ask when his “lake talk” is coming.  It’s now tradition.

Caleb turns 16 this summer (he is getting older, I’m not getting old).  The next 10 days we will celebrate this rite of passage into young manhood.  Anybody who is able to drive a deadly weapon (a car), has to shave facial hair, and leaves for college in 2 yrs is more than an adolescent, he is a young man.  Caleb and I are heading to Australia on Tuesday to participate in Fathering Adventures - a 5 day excursion to the land down-under.  This will be a huge trip with some amazing Aussies.  Would you covenant to pray for us as we gather for adventures (rafting, kayaking, diving, and mtn climbing), but also as we have some deep and meaningful conversation (topics: Intentional fathering, authentic manhood, 4 marks of a man, etc.)? We will close with an initiation into manhood ceremony.

There are some things I would like to enlist your prayer support on…

1. Pray as we tour Sydney on July 1st (we will never live in June 30th, that’s wierd).  We will be jet lagged, but it is our only day to see and do the town.  We are looking forward to it.
2. The mission of Fathering Adventures is that the hearts of the fathers are turned to their children, and the hearts of the children are turned to their fathers (Luke 1:17).
3. Please pray for Darren Lewis, leader of Fathering Adventures, for his health, and even more importantly, his sensitivity to God’s Spirit, and His leading. From what I understand, four of the eleven father-son pairs coming are unchurched. May they experience the drawing of The Father during their time amongst us. May God’s message be heard, understood, received, embraced and lived out by all.
4. Please pray for Melissa, Darren’s wife, and their 3 sons who won’t be participating… Brandon, Joseph, and Theo… that they will be covered, protected, and blessed despite Dad’s physical absence.
5. For the health and protection of all of the participants, and their families.
6. For a new generation of men in Australia and the United States to be born: men of honor, character and integrity…modern-day knights.

Join the Facebook fan page and stay in touch.  Many of you men are raising a modern-day knight too.

How you comin’ on your 6 month emergency plan?  Yeah, us too.  Lori and I have learned a lot from Dave and still tune in.  However, when we lived and worked in Africa we had the hardest time getting our brothers and sisters to understand some of the biblical truths on financial management, particularly saving money for the future needs they might have.

Gallup recently released a study on personal savings accounts in Africa.  The study showed that only a handful of people have personal bank account.  When you live from hand-to-mouth, it’s hard to think of saving for “rainy day.”  Only 2% of Malians have a personal bank account.  Sixty-six percent said they didn’t have one because they didn’t have enough money.

While we lived in Zambia (9% of Zambian have a personal bank account), the Barclay’s bank branch manager ran off with a lot of money he stole from the bank, left his family, and died of AIDS before they could catch up with him.  Just as we Americans have a hard time trusting banks these days, Africans have a hard time trusting what little they have to a bank front loaded with fees and service charges, only to have it stole.

See below the full article from Gallup…

Africa and Savings accounts