My "10 for 10" Challenge!

I haven't written about it, but I've been on a juice fast for the past 46 days, and plan on doing 60. I started out with 30 days in mind, but around 24 days into it, I decided to watch the documentary, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" on Netflix, and was motivated to go for 60. If you have Netflix, I HIGHLY recommend you watch that movie. It's tremendous!

So far I've lost about 55 pounds, went from 48-44 on my pant waist, and feel great. I have a lot more energy throughout the day and haven't felt this agile in a long time. My 10 year old son, Ravi, saw me come out the bathroom with no shirt and said I have a "six pack." He may need glasses, but I'll take it!

So, about my "10 for 10" challenge. I'm looking for 10 people to join me on my journey to good health and do a 10 day juice fast with me. The dates are from February 20 - March 1. These are the last 10 days of my 60 day fast, and would love to end my journey with you partnering with me. We can all break our fasts together on the morning of March 1st!

If you've  never fasted before, visit the website, Reboot Your Life, which was founded by the creator of the documentary mentioned above. There's loads of great information for you to read and learn more about fasting and moving toward better health.

So whether you're a seasoned faster, or first timer, would you please consider joining me on this journey. The Lord describes us as 'mind, body, soul and spirit' and I believe He desires for all these areas to be as healthy as possible. Let me know if you're in via an email, or 'Friend' me on Facebook. God Bless and Juice On!

Here's the trailer for the documentary, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead," which can be seen on Netflix, or rented on Amazon for $2.99!

The Essence of Masculinity

Boys Will Be Boys

I have five boys, so let's just say I know a thing or two about how boys act on their road to manhood. Besides having five sons, I have two older brothers, and we were no different growing up either. Boys have a need to express themselves in masculine ways, and a good parent won't try to beat that out of them, or steer them toward expressing themselves like their sisters. A bloody nose is good medicine for the road ahead.

The goal of raising sons is to prepare them to be leaders one day. Whether that's in the form of husband, father, business owner, elder or deacon, we need to teach our boys that life isn't always fair and that sometimes they may need to fight for what is right. To shield your boy from the pain of life is to render him damaged for the the future. Momma won't always be there, and they should learn early on that Momma doesn't always have to be there.

Recently my boys have had some minor tussles with other boys from the neighborhood, and like good sports, after the dust settled, they shook hands and put it behind them. By no means do I want to raise bullies who seek blood for no good reason, but on the other hand, neither do I want to raise cowards who go running away when life gets a little tough. There's a time to talk, and a time to fight; a time to stand fast, and a time to retreat; and our goal as parents is to teach our boys when those times are.

Conquering A City In 2012

Here we are fellas, a few days past Christmas and a new year on the horizon. If you're like me, your scrambling through the files of your mind trying to decide what needs to change next year and what went well this year. Most of us make New Year's resolutions at the beginning of each year and hope that we'll see them come-to-pass. There are many areas of my life that I know the Lord would like me to improve upon next year, and by His grace they will be different come December of 2012.

I'm wondering if you'd like to join me on a quest to improve the quality of life for yourself and for your family in the coming year. I know that by making my desires public, I open myself up for public inquisition at any time. Maybe that's a good thing. Men need to be challenged in all areas of their life, like the kings of Israel and the Prophets who helped guide them. The first king who didn't have his own prophet ended up allowing his passions to run wild and it led to much sin and heartache. I'm speaking of Solomon, who as and old man wrote about the meaninglessness of everything life had to offer expect obedience to God.

So if you're willing to join me in setting out to conquer the city that's known by your name, send me an email or post a comment on this blog.

Below is a list of some areas of life that I'd like to improve upon next year and some areas that I know other Men struggle with and need to conquer if they're to truly excel in their walks with the Lord and in the leadership of themselves and their families:

• Prayer life

• Study of God's word

• Family devotions with wife and children

• Finances (budgeting, debt elimination, saving, etc. I know this is a major one for many men, and if I could, I'd like to recommend a book that's easy to read, The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.)

• Marital oneness (Connecting with our wives at a heart level on a daily basis. Not sure how to, just ask your wife.)

• Sexual purity (Another big issue, if not THE issue, that has crippled the power of men in the church. Whether it's adulterous relationships, masturbation, pornography, fornication, or any other sexual sin--until we as men get control over our God-given desires and steer them in the right direction, we will lack the power to serve that comes through purity. Let's put this sin to death, men!)

• Family ministry endeavors (What can your family do as ministry to others in 2012? Whether it's serving in a homeless shelter, nursing home, soup kitchen, or caring for the elderly in your neighborhood, find something you can do together and do it!)

• Discipleship of children (I'm talking about intentional discipleship here, not just what comes by living with you.)

• Home improvements (the condition of our homes is a reflection of our lives and a message to our wives.)

• Fasting and prayer (I'm beginning the year with a 30 day season of fasting and prayer that I'd love for some men to join me on. I'll go from 1/2/12 - 1/31/12. Let me know if your interested. You can do 1 day a week, 10 days, 20, or all 40. You decide and stick to it.)

• Diet and exercise (For too many of us, the question isn't whether or not we need to lose weight, the question is, how much weight do we need to lose? I want to see my grand-kids, so I know that this is gravely important.)

• Knowledge expansion (What I mean here is how are you continually developing your mind? Did you read any good books this year? What do you plan to read next year? I would challenge you to read a minimum of 6 books next year. That's only 1 book every two months. Some of you who read well and more quickly should read 12 books, one per month. Read in diverse areas as well. If you need suggestions, let me know.)

• Church Life (The Lord opened the door for my family to team up with several other tremendous families to start a family integrated church in the Northwest Indiana/Chicagoland area, and with the basic structures put in place in 2011, we're believing 2012 will be a year of blessing and growth if we honor the Lord and follow where He leads. So I'll be praying and fasting for our new Church, New Hope Christian Fellowship, and would cherish your prayers for us as well. And, if you might be interested in visiting us, we'd be honored to have you as our guest!)

These are just some of the things that I've been thinking through for myself and for other men close to me. This is not an exhaustive list of areas that need addressing by men, it's just meant to get you thinking about next year. Consider it and send me your thoughts.

And oh yeah...Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all friends of The Male Domain

from the Fuentes Family! (not pictured above)

2011 is almost done, and we look forward with 
great anticipation to 2012!


Lord Bless You...