Our relationship-building challenges aren't a man-v.woman thing. They're an ego-v.-humility thing. And, if we are to walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6), we're going to need to learn how to cultivate strong relationships. Building these relationships is a key skill along our manhood journey. We must get this right, or we risk being alone and

MYTH #1: YOU HAVE YOUR TRUTH, I HAVE MINE Your children may encounter this myth along the way: truth is relative. You have yours, I have mine, and you have no right to insist that your version of 'the truth' is the only one. Even your supposed bedrock of truth - the Bible - has so many ways to be interpreted, it's intellectually ridiculous to

QUESTIONS:

1. If I had you list, right now, who your enemies are, who would you put on that list? Forget for a moment that we just talked about them not being the enemy and write down who you'd have said fit this description. Now, for each of them, can you identify the 'real' enemy behind them?




2. What spiritual opposition do you face on a regular basis?

When you live out your faith as a father, you're showing God to the world. Put another way, for you and me, our highest calling is to represent God to the world. The stakes are higher than us getting accolades, becoming respected in the community, raising great kids or even building a thriving marriage.

Fathers are the lens through which the next

QUESTIONS:

1. What dishonorable things do you need to cleanse from your life? What routine or occasional choices are you making that can be muddying your heart, mind, and soul? Where do you need to flee from those things?




2. How have you strayed in your walk with Christ? If He's called you to abide and remain in Him, where have you set your foot outside of

Some of my favorite questions are listed below. You'll be able to discern which ones might require an existing relationship and which ones can be used with a new friend:

So, what's one of your biggest challenges (at work)

these days? Depending on their answer, you might not get to anything else! You might replace 'at work' with any role you're aware

QUESTIONS:

1. How well do you know God's Word? If your son or daughter came to you with a question, can you find at least some example in Scripture to tie your thoughts back to? Would your children say that you regularly 'reason things out' while using God's Word as your foundation?




2. Think back to a struggle you've experienced that your kids know about.

However, while you're busy working on the “machine," don't lose sight of what God's doing in the "mechanic" He cares much more about who you are becoming than what task you are performing.

He went on to describe his own journey in more detail. He said that he'd stopped viewing every challenge as just a problem to solve, but a moment to reflect.

QUESTIONS:

1. Do you have a biblical understanding of prayer? If your children (or wife) asked you whether prayer works or doesn't, how would you answer them?




2. What are some things that you've prayed for which God hasn't given you? Can you look back and see His kindness and greater plan in those denied requests? Conversely, in what ways has He granted