Men: How We doing?

A few days ago I went to breakfast with a friend - a former coworker and fellow follower of Christ. I had brought with me a 90-day devotional that Tony had several of, and thought it would be a great blessing to him. So, towards the end of our conversation I took it out of my bag and handed it to him, explaining where I got it, and it would be a great start a new year.

"Wow, that's a lot," he said.

I responded, "It's only two pages a day for 90 days. I could read that on the toilet."

"Yeah, but I just don't like to read."

As I pressed a little harder, I could sense some uneasiness and frustration in his voice and he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. It wasn't that he didn't like reading; he didn't want to read.

In a 2022 NEA survey published in 2024-2025 stated that only 48.5% of adults read at least one book in the past year, which is down from previous years and estimated to keep decreasing. Between men and women, 82% of women read at least one book in the past year, while only 68% of men achieved the same. 68% of only 48.5% of the population is not good odds. Wouldn't you agree that men in the church should be an exception?

I have a confession

So, I have a confession to make. As of two days ago, I was 15 days behind in Pastor Brent's devotional.

Is that surprising? To some of you it may be. Being an Elder I should be more on top of things. To others, maybe you're thinking, only 15 days? There were some days I continued to marinate in the words of the previous devo, other days life got in the way. And...there were times I was just being lazy. As of this morning, I am only down 5. So, because of the holiday, and the weekend it will take me no time to be fully caught up. Let this be an encouragement. If you are significantly behind, read three devotionals a day and you will eventually get back on track. But whatever you do—don't give up.

How's the book reading coming?

When it comes to reading the book, I have heard from several of you how amazing it is. Even the older guys I've talked to wished they had read something like this when they were younger. I'm on my third time going through it, and every time I read it...I see something new.

But, I wanted to share some thoughts that will help you get through it.

Make the book your own

Take notes, highlight the important stuff, and write in the margins and everywhere you can find space. This way when you finish the book and pick it up again, you will look back and see how far you've come.

When I was a new believer, Lisa and I were at each other's throats because she wasn't. We fought constantly. I had bought a book called, When a Believer Marries a Nonbeliever, by Bebe Nicholson. During that time I had highlighted, wrote my thoughts, wrote Scripture in every nook of free space I could find. Every now and then I'll pick it up and read through my handwriting, praising God for His faithfulness and His hand on my marriage and getting me through those tough times. I needed that encouragement back then, and now it brings me joy and hope. Sometimes we don't know how far we are until we look back and see how far we've been.

Journal your thoughts

Journaling is more than just a diary, it is a helpful process in self-understanding and evaluation. When you journal, write down your frustrations, anxieties, and disappointments. Even when you don't understand something now, you'll see how God worked through it later on down the road. You'll see how you've grown as a Christian, and it will bring you great encouragement later on.

Journaling helps us clarify and articulate insights and impressions of what we think the Lord wants to do with us. Of course God wants us to be free of pornography and have a pure heart, but through journaling and Brent's devotion, you can express how much God really loves you.

Christian meditation is like cows chewing the cud: with each regurgitation of information you bring to mind, you chew on it some more, refining your thoughts and getting down to the finer elements of the thought. This is what we do with Scripture—analyzing and breaking it down to more conceptual thoughts, taking ancient wisdom and applying it to modern society.

Journaling also helps us express our thoughts and feelings to the Lord. What do you think the Psalms are? When we don't know what's happening in our lives and all around us, when things look bleak and we are filled with anxiety and worry, we should write these things down and pour out our heart to God in writing. By doing so, we see how the Lord takes us through it, and helps us remember the Lord's works in our lives.

Talk it over with some of the other guys

It's my prayer that you guys would talk about the book and check in on each other to see how you're doing as you read through it. If you're struggling - let someone know. If you're loving it - encourage those to get into it. But don't stop reading, learning, and growing. Reading isn't just leisure — it's an investment in yourself that pays dividends through deeper understanding and better decisions. As President Harry S. Truman once said, "Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers."