City on a Hill Studio- Manhood Journey Homeschool Review Crew Review

Life was easy when I had just girls.  Really it was.  As long as you dressed them in pink and talked about rainbows and ponies, things went well.  OK, maybe it wasn't quite that simple, but it seemed like it at the time.  Especially now that I have two boys.  Things don't seem as easy anymore.

So when we got the opportunity to review Manhood Journey Father's Starter Kit by Manhood Journey and City on a Hill Studio- I said yes, please!  A chance for my husband to use a review product and fill me in? even better!


Let's chat about what is included-
The Manhood Journey Father's Starter Kit includes a group discussion guide, a one on one guide to be used for fathers/mentors and sons, a DVD which introduces all 6 modules and can be used for promotion purposes,  and 10 "maprochures" which can also be used to advertise the program to your intended groups well as let you see what the additional module choices are.  Also included as a bonus is the book Wise Guys -Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You by Manhood Journey co-founder, Kent Evans.

So what is this thing called Manhood Journey?  Think of it as a cross between a Bible Study and Mentoring young men program.  This non-denominational program helps fathers (or other significant men in your sons' lives) disciple and mentor your sons, ages 8-17.   Each module (the starter kit contains the module Embarking) is meant to take six weeks to complete.  Based on your personal needs and interests, you can choose the order in which you want to do the modules.

Module titles include-

Embarking
Working Well
Manhood Myths
Clean Hearts
Standing Strong
Leading Lessons



Using Manhood Journey-
It's easy really!  This is one of those open and go programs, which is a good thing since I handed it to my husband and said- go!  Each session (week) starts with a Word for Dad to help prepare him for the lesson.  It gives the theme for the week, supplies the Bible verses that will be covered, and gives some fun ideas to use to engage your sons.  Each session is then broken down into 4 parts.  Building Our Relationship gets dad and son warmed up and talking.  Knowing God's Word allows them to read and study God's word while applying it to everyday life.  Serving Others is the section that allows them to take the lessons learned and apply them to their everyday lives- putting words into action.  The last section, Talking With God, is a time for prayer to wrap up their time together.  The guide actually tells you what to say, suggests questions and conversations starters, and give you activities to tie into the lessons.  While there are assignment suggestions like drawing things you are discussing, there are also practical suggestions like go outside and throw a football together.  Make no mistake, this is intended for men and sons to use.  Sorry moms, you are out this time.  Each lesson can take about 40-60 minutes to complete.  Because my husband just used this program with our 15 year old, he used the 1 on 1 guide.  If you intend to use it with a group of young men, for example in a youth group, you would use the group discussion guide.

Study begins with the “Five Big Rocks,” or attributes, of a godly man, which father and son are encouraged to memorize.
1. Trust God
2. Know his Word
3. Pray Fervently
4. Build relationships
5. Serve others

The chapters for Embarking include-

• Week 1: Preparing for the Journey
• Week 2: Setting Out on the Journey
• Week 3: Relying on the Compass
• Week 4: Seeking Guidance Along the Way
• Week 5: Encountering Others Along the Journey
• Week 6: We Have Embarked- Where to Next?

While I think it was rather awkward for my guys to get started, they did fine once they got started.  The laid back, conversational bent to this program allows for easy father-son interaction.  It is set up so you can make it fit your needs, as you pick and choose what to discuss.  While it is hard not to listen in, I would encourage you moms out there to let the guys take charge and make this their time with your sons.  So often for moms, at least for me, it is easy to jump into a conversation.  Let's make this a special time for our husbands to take charge and mentor the boys in our lives.  I think you will find it is a blessing to them all.

A note about Wise Guys- 
Friends, I love this book!  Kent Evans wrote this book to inspire young men in their life journey.  Taking examples from his own life, he introduces men who have made a difference in his life and shares the lessons he learned from each of them.   Here's why I love this book.  In my experience, preaching to boys about the things you want them to learn just doesn't work.  Your mouth opens, their ears close, right?  But when a man tells a story, people listen.  Especially younger men.  It just works somehow.  We haven't shared this book with our son yet, but we are excited to do so.  I think he will enjoy Kent's humor and honesty.  It is also my prayer that he will learn a few lessons along the way!