Helen of Troy

Many will remember the tale of the great city of Troy. Whose down fall was brought about by a series of events that revolved around a beautiful woman. Helen. A woman who fiercely wanted to be loved, so much so that she left he life and her husband (the failure of a man that he was) to follow a young man who pursued her.

This fierce desire to be loved combined with the lazy, scared, impotent condition of todays men has led to a phenomenon that is nothing short of destructive. The phenomenon that i am refering to is the way women have begun pursuing men. You can see it in the bars, clubs and even the churches across the country. Because men have forgotten how to use their strength and initiate women, the women are now stepping into a role that they were never meant for. And what makes it so destructive is that it works. At least short term.

A woman who pursues men will most likely be in a relationship more frequently than women who allow men to pursue them. However the relationship will most likely be riddle with disappointments for her and frustrations for him. The reason for these disappointments is that if the man was not able to initiate and take the lead in the initial stages of their relationship, he likely will not pick up that trait in the future. So when she needs him to pull through for her, fight for her, support her he likely wont.

There are several reasons a woman should not pursue.

Women are made with a desire to be delighted in, all to often life leaves them with the question, "Am I lovely?" This question is often, through life, left unanswered or answered with a resounding and painful "NO." This being the case a woman who pursues sets herself up for a painful confirmation of this lie. Her pursuit puts her in a position of vulnerability unnecessarily. On the contrary if a man pursues her she is put in a position of compliment and she is positioned to test the mans metal. A good man can withstand such a test. She will know he is a good man by his actions and the tests. Every woman will test differently so men there is no formula you simply must be men as God intended. Rise up and be men!

In addition a woman who pursues sets a precedent for the relationship. Human nature is to take the course of least resistance and pain. A man who is not compelled to lead will not. He will refuse to make decisions because he knows they will be made for him. Furthermore he will solidify his position with the thought that if he doesn't make the decision then he is not responsible for any failure. This mindset insulates him from failure and rejection. In a relationship that saddest thing to observe is a man who doesn't know how to be a man. Unfortunately this leads to the downfall of many marriages.

The final reason is one that i know will be controversial so i saved it for last. That reason is the biblical roles of men and women. God chose to place the man in a position of authority for the protection of women. unfortunately men have failed so dismally since the dawn of time that women rightly don't trust men to be the leader. This natural desire to protect themselves from bad leaders is in direct conflict with the biblical idea that: "the Lord is my shepherd" and " the lord is my protector." I know saying this is going to elicit a knee jerk response to protect ourselves but this is ultimately fruitless. We have no more power to save ourselves that to change the weather. Trusting god to this degree is an exercise of faith on a very deep level, but i encourage you who are reading this dive deeper into that relationship. There will be pain, but there will also be great growth and satisfaction. He longs for you that way. He is delighted in when we desire to grow closer to him.

Men I implore you, don't force women into these positions by your failure to act. Remember the godlike strength he has given us. Men rush in and save those in need, men sacrifice themselves for others, men defend the defenseless, and protect the weak. We are brothers carved from a noble rock. Rise up and be MEN!

Women you are glorious and captivating. I implore you, do not give in to the lies of this world and the shallow husks of men that are out there. You are worth pursuit. Your strength is in you grace. You are daughters of the King. Do not act as common women nor serving girls with your heads down cast. Hold your heads up in gracious dignity. Be lovely, be women!

Experiences Grow Wisdom

Experiences are the stones used as a foundation for wisdom. Each of us has a cart full of stones that we drag behind us, until at some point we stop and decide to use the stones to build our house. Everyday new stones are added to the cart, and decisions must be made. All of us have met a person who seems to be dragging a massive load of rocks and cannot seem to use them for growth; rather they are bound by them and continually weighted down. Each of us, as we go through life decide which stones to carry and which to use to build and grow. I encourage any who read these words to choose to use your experiences to grow.

I have had a very full life for one so young. When i say a full life i simply mean large rocks. For some the term 'rock' is unfit, rather a boulder cut from the mount of heaven that has fallen on my back. But these are the greatest stones. They are stable and strong when used to build the house that is my life.

There is a nursery school song that contains profound wisdom. It tells of two men who are building houses one chooses the sand as a foundation the other chooses a rock. The storms blew in and washed the house on the sand away. however the house on the rock stands fast. Now the question is in your minds eye what kind of rock did he build on? Pebbles? Stones? Boulders? or perhaps the mountain itself?
Which are the most stable? With this in mind choose carefully what you build your house on. Small emotional stones rarely serve as a good foundation. In the same way a life of logic and 'pure' thought is merely a stone thrown in a pond.

The stones that make the best foundations are those trials and pains that God ordains for our growth. Growing is not fun. Pain is inevitable if you desire to be shaped into a wiser more Christ-like person.