"It takes a village to raise a child"

So far my summer has been about following the path of older men who have gone before me. Its been about learning from their stories, and discovering who I want to become. These men are offering me a road to follow, and its my job to do the same with younger men.

Sunday night a man named Mark O'Neil and his 15 year old son James came over to cook dinner for us. It was our chance to give James what older men have been offering us and to speak words into his life. We sat around the fire pit on the back deck of the cabin and shared with James our stories and what led us to Training Ground. For the first time we offered advice and gave to a younger man what we had received from older men.

We all noticed it and we were all proud of ourselves...to watch each other give James words of affirmation and advice was a sure turning point in this journey. This offering of what we have received is the essence of Training Ground. We are being prepared to be sent into the world with a message to offer others. We are being raised by a "village" of men who see the importance of fathering, and now it is our turn to do the same for those who are younger.

We have grown so much in the last 2 months...it is beautiful to see the process unfold and to know that who we were in May and who we are now are two entirely different people...we have much to offer, because we have been shown the way, we know our own hearts, and we want to bring others into who we are becoming.