Embrace Challenge – 3rd F

18 men, including 3 FNGs, fought off the fartsack for a spiritual workout in the Rise & Shine Diner side room. The men started filling the room starting at 6:15 am and all were set to go by 6:40 am when 2 kettle bell fighters completed the PAX. Here is what went down…

Opening call to arms and prayer

YHC shared the sixth lesson from the “7 Lessons in Manliness from the Greatest Generation”

The Greatest Generation wasn’t the greatest despite the challenges they faced, but because of them. Today many men shirk challenge and difficult pursuits, believing that the easier life is, the happier they’ll be. But our grandfathers knew better. They knew that one cannot have the bitter without the sweet, and that true happiness comes from the overcoming the kind of challenges that build character and refine the soul. The challenges they experienced made their joy all the more sweet because it was tinged with gratitude of knowing how easily it could all have been taken away.

The PAX did some heavy lifting by chewing on the following Bible verses:

James 1:2-4

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Romans 5:3-5

3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Group Breakout – The PAX broke out into 3 groups at different tables. YHC threw down the challenge for the men to share from their personal experiences & struggles as opposed to talking in generalities. YHC handed out questions and the PAX got to work.

Numberama, Namerama, Announcements.

Abacus took us out.

NMS:

The Rise & Shine Diner was buzzing this morning with laughter and talking as the PAX rolled into the side room. There seemed to be a full team in place but then Mudface and Emoji rolled in with a Circus Maximus glow.  The Carpenter asked how it went and they said, “Rosie said to not tell you AND you are not allowed to read the backblast because you missed.” Good work on the fart sack punishment!

YHC (Wild Thing) fired up the morning with a throw-down challenge to the men. He challenged the men to bring their lives to the table and share from personal experience as opposed to weak generalities. The PAX took up his challenge and fired up some impactful discussions around embracing challenges in our lives.

Once again, the PAX realized that they were not alone in the struggles and challenges in this life. We are all struggling. We all need hope. We all are facing darkness. We all need help. We can’t fight these challenges alone and expect to win consistently. We need God and the PAX to MAN UP and STEP UP.

This spiritual workout was one that we all needed.