Raising Real Men should be a regular bed-side read.  It’s practical advice on raising godly young men was such a great reminder!  Mothers, particularly, need to read this book.  There is so much we need to understand about our boys’ differences, and understanding those differences is crucial to their growth and character development.

I loved what married-team authors Hal and Melanie Young emphasized regarding the importance of our training to evoke positive character growth:

I had pre-ordered this book and was so very excited to receive it in the mail last week. And I thought it was really cool that the authors signed the book! I just finished it today and can say that I LOVED it! It’s a great read for parents who what to raise up Godly MEN from the boys their families have been blessed with. It’s so full of practical, Godly advice on how to raise sons. The Youngs have 6 boys (and 2 girls), so they have many examples of what has worked (or not) for them. The part I appreciated most about the book was that with every example they gave, they went back to the Scriptures to back it up or explain why certain things are the way they are. My boys are sure different than I am (the only girl in this house) and so much of what they do and think, I just don’t understand. This book helped me to be able to get into their minds just a little bit and it explained a quite a few things to me! It gave very specific, useful advice on how to use those “boy differences” to help them succeed. It was a very enjoyable read, I even laughed out loud a few times! Ah, so my boys aren’t the ONLY ones who do that!! : ) I know that I will be reading and rereading this book for many years to come. I’m actually wanting to read through it again right now, because it was really full of so many good ideas that I want to be sure I gain as much as possible from it now.

One of my favorite quotes from the book goes along with the title of this blog and really speaks to what we want for our boys. Page 222 “We don’t aim to hold on to our arrows all the way to the target. They’re not push-pins, they’re meant to fly. Our job is to shape and prepare the arrows so when they are released, they fly straight and true on their own. The time is coming when they will leave our quiver and depart on their life’s mission, as we have to prepare then – and ourselves – for that launch.”

Do you have boys?? If so, I’d encourage you to read this book – you won’t regret it!

Corina Garayua

Arrows in the Hand

Hal and Melanie Young have created a much needed guide to raising godly boys in this society.  They sent me a copy of their 250 page book, Raising Real Men – Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys.  It is packed with brilliant insights. Some of what you’ll find inside:

1. A godly and realistic look at Media / T.V. / Movies

2. How your family history can help your sons find real heroes.

3. Excellent book suggestions for your sons to read.

4. Information on teaching boys about Finances- such as: credit cards, bank accounts, odd jobs, and preparing your boys to support a family.

5. Good Competition and its purpose.

6. Home Education.

7. Very serious talk about the importance of College.

8. Equipping your boys to interact with the world.

9. How to approach the rowdiness that seems to be in their nature.

10. A Biblical look at fighting.

11. They even touch on controversial issues like: The proper use of guns, learning disabilities and Temptation.

12. Much more.

This book is packed with eye-opening information from the perspective of a family with six sons (and two daughters). I love their laid-back, conversational style of writing. Their ideas make sense to me, logically and practically. As I read, I felt a growing trust in their wisdom. In each chapter, they included facts, personal examples and Biblical truths. This presents a powerful teaching tool parents will appreciate. The Youngs have done a great service penning this book.

-                       -                      -                  -          -

For more information, please visit their website:

http://www.raisingrealmen.com/

You can also sign up for their free monthly newsletter:

http://www.raisingrealmen.com/newsletter/

To read a sample chapter:

http://www.raisingrealmen.com/samples/RaisingRealMen-SAMPLE-RacingToWin.pdf

Sharon White

Legacy of Home