Guard Against Lorena Bobbit Pt.1

In my post "The Emasculation of Men" I discussed my recent reading of Wild at Heart by John Eldridge and how it positively effected me. I also stated that I would be writing a series of post on the topic, this is the first one in that series. Just for reference, Lorena Bobbit was the woman who angrily emasculated her husband back in the 90's. Guarding against her is guarding against anyone, or anything that would attempt to emasculate men today.

Men are adventurous, not saying woman aren't but we men have an innate desire to live an adventure. All of them look differently of course, but needless to say, we are adventurous. I'm, reminded at how ingrained this is into our manly core when I watch my nephew Evan. He loves adventure, discovering new things and exploring. One of his adventures I saw recently was the adventure of jumping from my coffee table onto the couch or into his dad's or my arms. He gets a thrill from jumping, which to him would probably seem like a near death thrill, since the coffee table is his height. Again, we men are adventurous, it's in our being, it's the way God designed each one of us. We desire the thrill of adventure, the joy of jumping off coffee tables, not really knowing what's going to happen but flinging our arms wide open embracing what may come.

Some of you men may be thinking that you aren't adventurous and you never have been. I would challenge that and say that at one point you were...something just changed your cerebral desire to do so. Most likely what happened is somewhere along the way and adventure went bad. You stepped out, you flung your arms wide and hit the ground...you completely missed the couch, or the person you trusted to catch you seemingly dropped you. What your brain did then was redirect your desires away from adventure because it's scary or it hurts too much. Let me challenge you to GET BACK UP! Allow God to banish fear, because deep inside you, deep inside me is an adventure that only we can live!

My friend "Greg" (not his real name) is getting ready to live his adventure. He loves graphic design, he's good at it and wants to make a career of it, yet he has a job that pays really well and can't afford to lose it. He is now married and wants to take care of his wife...yet he hates his job. He recently told me he's going to quit his job soon and begin the adventure of graphic design. He doesn't know when, or how or any of the details but he wants to live this adventure.

My other friend "Jordan" (not his real name either) wanted to live his adventure of being an officer in the United States Army...he is now in OCS (Officer Training School).

Both of these guys seem CRAZY to us, dropping their lively hood for a what? An adventure? That's just selfish we say, or that's silly "childish" thinking. YET, inside of us men, we're secretly thinking: Why can't I live that way? Why can't I live out my adventure? The answer is...we CAN!

Lorena Bobbit wants to bring the knife and say: "That's not responsible"; "That's foolish"; "You're being such a kid"; "Wise up" or whatever the phrases may be.
Most of the time, the criticism comes from within the church. Lorena lurks in the halls of your Church. Thankfully in my friends "Greg" and "Jordan" lives, their pastors prayed with them and actually encouraged and are encouraging them down these adventures!

I'm no great adventurer, but recently I've taken the plunge of trying to get a book published. I've been trying for over a year now and have about 6 rejection letters so far. I feel like giving up most days. I feel like throwing in the towel on this adventure because it is so discouraging to have your hard work rejected...BUT it's an adventure I'm going to continue to take. There are others I shy away from that someday I will face, but Lorena can't touch me with this one!

What adventure is your heart screaming for men? Has Lorena been bringing her knife? If so, allow God to give you the strength to live the adventure he's given you. He's sparked your heart, now take the plunge!