JANUARY 15, 2021
In preparation for our initial planning session of our foundational “Band of Brothers” later this month, brother Randy and I are arranging our curriculum and preparing for an exciting journey with new friends. While we are not quite sure what all will come from our efforts with this group, we are hopeful that we can help connect others and touch many lives in a positive manner.
I was thinking about how and why we got this far in our thinking for the Band of Brothers concept. After much reflection, it dawned on me that we are only doing something Randy and I were led to do many years ago which was working with and in small groups. In addition to his Educational career and love of music groups, brother Randy was a huge supporter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and started various huddles wherever he lived. In my case, one of the largest impacts on me was a study-group of men who are still great friends today. We met every week at 7:00am for seventeen years and called it our “Thursday Morning Group.” In looking back, it was one of the most impactful experiences of my lifetime. I have commitments from some of the “Old” Thursday morning group in sharing their perspectives and participating in our curriculum with our Band of Brothers group. This will be exciting.
To add a little context, this group began when I was somewhere in my mid to late thirties and was just in the beginning of my business career having worked for a large Insurance Broker and then buying into a local Independent agency at the age of 30. Our Thursday morning group loved the Lord and challenged each other to live out our faith as Authentic Men. Yours truly has carried over many of those lessons, principles revealed, and values learned in becoming the man God created me to be. Thanks Thursday Morning group.
As with many organizations, all of us have had groups with both genders present which totally changes the dynamics of a small group which, in my opinion, discourages opening up and being honest with one another. That is why we have broken down our Band of Brothers group to “Men only.” It is not just a Boys Social Club, as we will talking about our women friends and what impact they have on our lives in lifting us up to be better men. We know it is important to honor and love those great women as our partners, so we will be calling them our WOW. “Women of Worth.” (What a fitting title) One of the most important parts of being an Authentic Man is the woman that God chooses for us as our “soul mates for life.”
Stay tuned for weekly updates as to our progress with the Band of Brothers. We encourage our women readers to follow along with their spouse in learning to understand the value of a great woman by our side. (ALL men want and need to belong to this kind of relationship.) Randy and I have lots of experience in this area as this year, we will be married 49 and 50 years respectively. Yes, we were the “Best Man” in each other’s weddings and it is a love and friendship we still cherish today.
Join us.
Elevator Guy