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Before we can tackle our inner demons, we have to strengthen our spiritual fortitude. We need to have mutual interactions, challenges, and feedbacks to help us grow in every aspect of our lives but we also need these opportunities to make us stronger in our will to honor God and be the leaders of our household. Learning through the Living Word has so many benefits and offers so much to each one of us - men and women, but our human nature is to seek and learn from those who have come before us. The Bible provides us with so many lessons taught through writings of those who experienced God’s love, grace, and guidance - but it exists partially because of the stories, interactions, lessons, and meaning was passed down from generation to generation. Why are we not more driven to do this in today’s world? The leaders of our churches help to guide us but why are we not seeking words of wisdom from those who have fallen, gotten back up, fallen again, and gotten back up again? 

A great example of this would be the movie THE FORGE. It takes the proverb of iron sharpening iron and shows us how we can bring it into our own personal lives, but it does not expand much on the concept of GROWTH after the initial sharpening. 

Iron is often associated with strength, authority, and resilience. It was a material used in tools, weapons, and structures, symbolizing power and unyielding resolve. Some notable references include:

1. Strength and Power
   
   • "Your bars shall be iron and bronze, and as your days, so shall your strength be." (Deuteronomy 33:25)
   • This verse emphasizes the enduring strength and protection provided by God.

1. Discipline and Judgment
   
   • "He will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty."(Revelation 19:15)
   • Iron symbolizes unbreakable authority and justice.

1. Tools for Growth
   
   • "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)
   • Iron represents the refining process of relationships and mutual edification.

• Strength through hardship: Iron must be forged in fire, symbolizing strength developed through trials.
• Support for others: Like sharpening tools, iron symbolizes community growth and spiritual refinement.

After we embark on the journey of “iron sharpening iron” we need guidance of how to take what we have learned and grow from it. And not just grow a little bit, we need to learn how we can grow strong like an oak tree. The oak tree is a powerful symbol of strength, endurance, longevity, wisdom, and power. It provides large amounts of wood for when we need warmth, shade to help protect us from the sun on a hot day, sturdy limbs to climb on and make memories. We, as men, need to take cues from the oak tree and grow tall with each passing year, strong with each biblical word, endurance to handle life’s storms, eternal life, wisdom from mistakes made and lessons learned, and the power to enrich other men’s lives. IRON helps us to sharpen our biblical wit but OAK helps us expand and help others. 

Oak trees are symbols of stability, endurance, and divine presence. Known for their deep roots and long lifespan, oaks often symbolize God's strength and eternal nature. Biblical references include:

1. Places of Worship and Divine Encounter
   
   • "The Lord appeared to him at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day." (Genesis 18:1)
   • Oaks are often associated with sacred places where people encountered God.

1. Strength and Stability
   
   • "They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." (Isaiah 61:3)
   • Oaks represent spiritual strength, righteousness, and God’s work in His people.

1. Longevity and Resilience
   
   • "The terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land."(Isaiah 6:13)
   • Oaks symbolize endurance and hope for renewal, even after destruction.

• Rooted faith: Like an oak’s deep roots, believers are called to be deeply grounded in God.
• Divine refuge: Oaks often represent God's protection and presence.
• Endurance: Their long life and strength symbolize perseverance in faith.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Benedict Option draws on the wisdom of Christian survivors of Soviet persecution to warn American Christians of approaching dangers.

For years, émigrés from the former Soviet bloc have been telling Rod Dreher they see telltale signs of "soft" totalitarianism cropping up in America--something more Brave New World than Nineteen Eighty-Four. Identity politics are beginning to encroach on every aspect of life. Civil liberties are increasingly seen as a threat to "safety". Progressives marginalize conservative, traditional Christians, and other dissenters. Technology and consumerism hasten the possibility of a corporate surveillance state. And the pandemic, having put millions out of work, leaves our country especially vulnerable to demagogic manipulation.

In Live Not By Lies, Dreher amplifies the alarm sounded by the brave men and women who fought totalitarianism. He explains how the totalitarianism facing us today is based less on overt violence and more on psychological manipulation. He tells the stories of modern-day dissidents--clergy, laity, martyrs, and confessors from the Soviet Union and the captive nations of Europe--who offer practical advice for how to identify and resist totalitarianism in our time. Following the model offered by a prophetic World War II-era pastor who prepared believers in his Eastern European to endure the coming of communism, Live Not By Lies teaches American Christians a method for resistance:
•  SEE: Acknowledge the reality of the situation.
•  JUDGE: Assess reality in the light of what we as Christians know to be true.
•  ACT: Take action to protect truth.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn famously said that one of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming totalitarianism can't happen in their country. Many American Christians are making that mistake today, sleepwalking through the erosion of our freedoms. Live Not By Lies will wake them and equip them for the long resistance.

WHY MEN CAN'T FIND THE KETCHUP: Decoding the Male Brain in Domestic Warfare

Ever wondered why he can find the TV remote from across the room but can’t seem to spot the ketchup right in front of his face? Or why laundry seems like an unsolvable puzzle but the lawn gets mowed with military precision?

Why Men Can’t Find the Ketchup takes a hilarious, insightful dive into the domestic quirks of men that leave women scratching their heads (and sometimes rolling their eyes). This is not just another self-help book—it's a journey through the wild, sometimes bewildering world of male behavior in the home, where sports statistics are stored with precision, but locating a dish sponge is an ongoing struggle.

Packed with laugh-out-loud anecdotes, practical tips, and plenty of “ah-ha” moments, this book offers a fresh perspective on why men act the way they do when it comes to household tasks. For anyone who’s ever found themselves saying, “It’s right there!” or wondering how someone can remember who won the 1987 Super Bowl but not where the vacuum is stored, this book is for you.

Perfect for couples looking to understand each other better (or just to have a good laugh about the chaos of cohabitation), Why Men Can’t Find the Ketchup will decode the mysteries of the male mind and help navigate the domestic battleground with empathy, humor, and a whole lot of laughs.

Because let’s face it: understanding the male brain might not make him find the ketchup faster, but it sure will make life a little more fun.