Category: Wisdom for Men

This quote from Scottish author, poet, minister, and pioneer of modern fantasy literature, George MacDonald (1824-1905) reminds us about an important aspect of all relationships: trust. In many ways, trust is key to any meaningful or serious relationship — whether it’s in marriage, a close friendship, or even a professional connection. Trust binds people together and strengthens relationships. I’ve written that Developing Trust is one of the most important Traits of a GodBuddy Relationship. You can build it quickly and lose it even quicker without confidentiality, which is one of the main reasons Why Friendships End.  Tom Eisenman, author of The Accountable Man: Pursuing Integrity Through Trust and Friendship writes that male friendships need absolute confidentiality. His rule is that you will share nothing outside the relationship unless you have permission. Even the smallest things that seem of no consequence, are held in strict confidence. Once someone violates this rule,

As my wife and I were raising our three sons, we frequently encouraged them to “live above the influence.” This meant making good decisions, resisting peer pressure, and avoiding the temptations of risky behaviors. Especially during their teenage years, we prayed often they were making choices about substance and alcohol use, premarital sex, and bullying that could negatively impact them and others. Our hope was they would avoid acting like the immature males we see in society and portrayed in the media today. All three of our sons are now in their early 30s, gainfully employed, and either married or in a long-term relationship. Whether consciously or not, they have followed the Success Sequence that I wrote about in an earlier post. Not that my wife and I did parenting perfectly, but we do chuckle whenever any of them repeats one of our favorite sayings, “Have fun, be safe, and