Men’s Conference

This past weekend I was blessed to be invited to participate in a one day men’s retreat in the parish that Kristen and I will be married in. It was at the invitation of Deacon Chris who has been involved with FMC on a regular basis and has blessed our community on many occasions. In addition to this, Joseph Summers, one of our veteran missionaries played worship for the whole day and the main speaker for the day was my friend and mentor from Steubenville Ohio, Deacon Ralph Poyo.

Deacon Ralph’s words of encouragement, challenge, and wisdom really hit my heart and convicted me of the need to grow more into the man of God who I am called to be for the Kristen, my future marriage and family, and for the whole world. The world is groaning and longing for men of virtue, who recognize that they are not the provider, God is. Men who realize daily that they must embrace the cross that has been given them and carry it with passion and drive. We must become the men that bless our wives, families, and communities. We must cease to run from sacrifice, pain, and suffering and instead become true disciples who have died to our sinful ways and past and become men of God. We must stop listening to the lies of the evil one and his “solutions” to our problems, remain in the Lord and make a plan to get to heaven because, “Satan has a plan for us not to get there.”

We were instructed to lead prayer in our households instead of remaining silent like Adam at the side of Eve while she was being tempted by the serpent. We must make our lives firstly about living in Christ and not all about making money. We cannot just “play Church,” instead we must become the Church which is filled with men committed to the kingdom of God.

The Eucharist must be the source of our life and the source of grace pouring into our families for their growth towards heaven.

Many thanks to both Deacon Chris and to Deacon Ralph for their words that challenged us to become the men that our families and nation are desperately needing to lead them to Christ.

Peace. Love. Jesus.

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