Research indicates that most people using antibacterial soaps at home are not reaping their full benefits, mainly because they are using them incorrectly. To learn more about this in detail, read on.

Rolf Halden, director of the Center for Environmental Security at Arizona State University, says that many products containing antimicrobial ingredients, such as triclocarban and triclosan, have been introduced on the market during the last 20 years. Halden says that these products are clothing, toothpastes, soaps, detergents and pacifiers that are widely used on a daily basis. The result is that more and more Americans are exposed to such chemicals and approximately three-quarters of them have obvious amounts of triclosan in their urine.

Halden says that antimicrobial products help to eradicate microorganisms in health care centers and hospitals. Also, toothpaste with triclosan aids in the treatment of gingivitis. However, he adds that there is no solid evidence that such antimicrobial products are effective for the average population.

Halden states that the average person does not benefit from these products due to being unaware of their correct usage. It is important that you wash your hands with antimicrobial soap for at least 20 to 30 seconds in order to kill microbes. However, a survey done in this regard indicates that on average, people use the soap for only six seconds. Furthermore, it was found that microbes are gradually getting used to the chemicals contained in antimicrobial soaps and this is increasing their resistance toward these chemicals. Halden says that studies also suggest that these chemicals affect the hormones in the body.

Halden states that it is essential to control the inclusion of chemicals in antimicrobial products to prevent their careless use. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared last year that it may regulate the use of antimicrobial chemicals in personal care products unless manufacturers are able to show that these products are safe to use.

Halden stated in his report that the FDA has taken a sensible step towards maintaining the effectiveness of clinical antibiotics. This will also help prevent the general public from being exposed to hormone-disrupting risky chemicals. Furthermore, it will be an environmentally friendly step since it will reduce the release and deposit of antimicrobials in the environment.

Halden says that rules should be imposed that restrict products containing triclosan and triclocarban to being sold to pharmacies only. Also, there should be a prescription for the sale of toothpaste containing triclosan. These rules can drastically lower the misuse of such products, says Halden.

For the original article, visit .

Don Colbert, M.D., has been board certified in family practice for over 25 years and practices Anti aging and Integrative medicine. He is a New York Times Best-selling author of books such as The Bible Cure Series, What Would Jesus Eat, Deadly Emotions, What You Don’t Know May be Killing You, and many more with over 10 million books sold. He is the medical director of the Divine Health Wellness Center in Orlando, Fla., where he has treated over 50,000 patients.

How does the world define manhood? Let’s find out …

The world loosely defines manhood as getting through high school, graduating college, finding a job, obtaining a wife or stay single and good luck. In other words, attaining manhood requires training and persistence. But, wait!

High school is training, college is training and getting a job now forces you to endure some training. But what about proper training in becoming a mature man, husband or even father? What happened to the training in these categories?

There is none, you say? Maybe that is the case, or maybe men are dropping the ball when it comes to real initiative. We won’t always be able to depend on that last parting offer from society that is “good luck.”

So, where or how are young men growing in maturity in or after college, or in the good luck phase of life?

Here are three ways the world’s current training sends young men off into the real world of work, love and life: Past experience, popular culture and media.

Let’s get this straight, gentlemen. You are being asked to excel in the areas of work, love and life based off your past experience? What experience? What knowledge do you have or been given that could possibly help you successfully exceed in these areas?

Stop, I get it. I was once a younger man, fresh out of college, and I thought of myself as Superman. As a young man you may think, act and even look like Superman; but you are far from it. And basing your next major moves in life off your little experience is the wrong move. Don’t believe me? Just ask any older man and you’ll find out for yourself.

So maybe young men should just keep up with popular culture and you’ll somehow figure out how to succeed and become a man. Really? Let’s say you chose the path of marriage, but quickly decided to get divorced. Culture would be quick to agree with you on your stance, but a real man would stand up and fight for his marriage, even if it meant getting help or applying some humility.

Some young men choose to stay single and “play the field.” Culture says no problem, sleep with your woman, live with her and if she works out, what the heck, marry her. These approaches aren’t right, either. A real man would choose to honor the woman he is with and the relationship. Look up the word “honor” here if you need to be refreshed.

And how about media? Young men can learn how to be a gentleman, a well-respected leader and an honorable husband by just watching Hollywood movies. What? Wrong!

Maybe young men can just keep up with a few old buddies on social media and just base their methods on what they’re doing. Right or wrong? These are plans for destruction, plans without any weight. Media and news won’t hold the power or knowledge to lead you in the right direction. It’s time to turn off the garbage and re-think the process of manhood.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).

Where’s the training? Where’s the personal initiative? Let’s find out …

Personally, it took me a few of years after college to truly appreciate the power of continued training and initiative. I learned that there would be no teacher or professor asking me to do certain things anymore. It was all up to me. So what did I think was the right thing to do after school? I got married. I had no clue what I was doing, but I acted like I did.

And as we went along, I thought I could somehow figure out a way to make this marriage work. I was wrong, terribly wrong! Even with all my training through school and college, I had no idea how much more I would need to learn in life. I had to personally find out that my past experience was small and mostly useless, I had to recognize the paths that popular culture and media had set me on were not helping and I needed to make changes quick. So I did …

So after all of what not to do and my short personal story, here are 3 ways young men can continue to grow in maturity after all of their “training” at school and college:

• Thorough research of credible sources
• Asking difficult questions when facing difficult circumstances
• Seeking God’s assistance through His Word and prayer

Why should you seek assistance and training through credible sources? Because these are men who have walked in your shoes already, have fought the battles you’re about to fight and understand the feelings you have inside. School and college taught you your trade, now you need to find men who can teach you how to be a man.

Who can teach you how to survive when facing difficult times at work, when facing unexpected challenges in marriage, or who can point you in a wise direction when dating. Where do you find these sources?

First of all you get humble. Next you start asking some of the men you know or are comfortable around to talk with you or mentor you. Be ready and specific with your requests or problems and have ears to listen. Once complete, do it again on a regular (weekly, monthly) basis.

Even though graduating college and getting a job right away was the right path, I had no idea how to handle the men and women who had been in the workplace for years already. College professors, teachers and your parents might be the only real experience you have in dealing with more mature or experienced people. So where did I go wrong with these co-workers?

I was too dumb and proud to ask questions. But you know it all right? Wrong! To aid in your continued training after schooling, God will place people in your life to help you grow and succeed. One of the best ways to do this is by getting humble and asking questions. Whether it’s about work, about your marriage or relationship or about something important to you; be sure you ask the difficult questions when facing difficult circumstances.

Why should you seek out God? Because, whether you believe it or not, He is always there for you. I grew up knowing about God, but I didn’t really meet Him until my mid-20s. I was up to my neck in work, my marriage was one fight to the next and my personal initiative to grow and mature was non-existent. Years of not embracing God and keeping a personal relationship with Him was taking its toll in my life. I decided to make big changes, and get myself back on the tracks.

Once I asked God to walk with me, I started researching and learning again. I wanted to know what words meant and why they were important. I wanted to know what it meant to be a man and how to grow. I decided to seek God in prayer and discussion on a daily basis. You can make these decisions too, it’s never too late.

The bottom line is that you have a bright and positive future ahead of you. Don’t let your pride take over your life, when humility could let you soar. Become and stay a man of training and initiative. You’ll thank yourself in the future.

What is one piece of advice you would offer to young men growing in maturity?

Manturity is a blog built on establishing spiritual maturity in today’s man. The goal is to assist men in building better marriages and help them in grow in maturity and explore different aspects of manhood. features new weekly blog posts, daily social media updates and a powerful resources page. Stay up to date with the Manturity blog communities on Facebook and Twitter.

For the original article, visit .

Could you give up sugar for a year? One Vermont family did just that and is now talking about the benefits of a sugar-free life.

Fox News reports that freelance writer Eve Schaub was inspired to have her family go sugar-free after watching a video by Dr. Robert Lustig, author of “The Skinny on Obesity,” detailing the dangers of fructose (fruit sugar) on the body.

“This was like all of a sudden someone had pulled back the curtain and I was seeing things in a way I’d never seen before,” Schaub, of Pawlet, Vermont, told . “Everywhere you go there’s food … and everywhere there’s food, there’s sugar. I wanted to do something that wouldn’t just impact our family, but others as well.”

In 2011, Schaub, her husband Stephen and daughters Greta and Ilsa, ages 11 and 6 at the time, embarked on a year of sugar-free eating. Schaub blogged about the family’s experience and now has a newly published book, “The Year of No Sugar.”

The family focused primarily on eliminating fructose from the diet. Schaub noted when the body processes fructose, the liver produces uric acid and fatty acids. Too much of these byproducts can lead to gout, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

But whole fruits, on the other hand, contain fiber and micronutrients that boost health.

“That’s really the best way to have fructose, in its original container … the way nature meant to have it,” Schaub said.

She said the biggest grocery challenges for the family were finding replacements for fruit juice and bread. After a couple weeks on the new diet, the family adapted to the new diet and cravings for sugary foods lessened.  

The take-home lesson, Schaub said, is that it’s important to read every ingredient, question foods people tell you are “healthy,” and avoid drinking sugar. “Then you can make their own choices but have the information you need,” she said.

For the original article, visit .

Today, Monday, April 28, is Israeli Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah. It is a sacred day in memory of the 6 million Jews who died in the Holocaust.

The day is being marked with many ceremonies, all with the Israeli national flag flying at half-mast. At 10 a.m. Israeli time, sirens sounded throughout Israel for two minutes, and people were instructed to cease all activity, even stopping their cars in the middle of the street, in order to stand at attention in silent tribute to the dead.

Silence of the Bystanders

A day of remembrance, like Yom HaShoah, is not only important for remembering those who lost their lives, but for subsequent generations to learn the important lessons that will keep such a tragedy from happening again. One lesson any student of the Holocaust learns is that most of the bystanders and onlookers were silent.

Survivor Elie Wiesel said, “What hurts the victim the most is not the cruelty of the oppressor but the silence of the bystander.”

The Holocaust could never have happened had it not been for the silence of the onlookers. Hence, the lesson is clear: to never be silent again.

Tolerating Hate

Another valuable lesson is that movements of hatred must not be tolerated. The most unifying motivator in mass movements is finding a common enemy to hate and demonize. Hitler understood that by using the Jewish people as the ideal devil, he could unify Germany and deflate the resistance of the surrounding countries he intended to occupy.

Leaders throughout the Middle East, particularly Iran, understand the power of mass hatred today and have been using the Jewish people as scapegoats for decades. It must be stopped.

Anti-Semitism is the world’s early warning system and acts as a “canary in the mineshaft,” warning that a Pandora’s box of death and destruction is about to be opened and that it will not end with the Jews. Not only did 6 million Jews die, but also some 50 million people lost their lives in World War II. In recent years, the world has experienced a drastic increase in anti-Semitic incidents, a clear warning of troubles ahead for anyone who is paying attention.

For the Christian world, there is a particularly somber lesson to be learned from Yom HaShoah. While Christianity did not cause nor carry out the Nazi regime’s murder of millions of Jews, some of the church fathers’ teachings, and the centuries of hatred they instilled, prepared the way for the silence of the bystanders and the Holocaust itself. So beyond learning, our remembrance must include sorrow and repentance.

Those Who Did the Right Thing

Remembrance also allows us to honor those who did stand up and do the right thing, such as those in Jewish resistance movements, rescuers who risked their lives in order to save Jews, and the liberators who freed those remaining in the Nazi death camps.

I am the proud daughter of a WWII veteran who liberated the slave-labor camp Flossenburg. The photos that were taken the day his company entered the camp and encountered thousands of starved bodies—both dead and dying—are proof of the evil he fought to defeat.

There are many Americans who descend from that “Greatest Generation” who fought, and died, bringing down the Nazi regime. Most of them are no longer living; therefore, their children and grandchildren must tell the world what they saw and what they fought for. There is a current anti-Semitic campaign to trivialize and even deny the Holocaust. It is our duty to remind the world about the sacrifice many American fathers and grandfathers made, and the atrocities they witnessed in the camps.

Comforting Survivors

Lastly, remembering will bring great comfort to the hundreds of thousands of remaining Holocaust survivors. For this reason, we encourage Christians to join with their local Jewish communities for Holocaust remembrance events. They are so encouraged by someone who will take the time to learn these painful lessons, teach others what they have learned, and not be silent!

Remembering the Holocaust is a painful and sobering experience but essential to ensuring it will never happen again.

Susan Michael is U.S. director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, which is a partner with Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust Memorial and Remembrance Center, in teaching the Christian community to recognize anti-Semitism today and to stand against it.

I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t want a strong, close-knit family. The question is: How do we move from wanting one to having one?

Many actions are needed to move from wanting a close-knit family to having a close-knit family. And there is one key action you can take toward achieving that goal.

Growing up, my family and I explored the country by taking many road trips together. During our travels in the 1960s and 1970s, there was one billboard I saw over and over again. The slogan on it was part of one of the most successful billboard campaigns our country has ever seen. The billboard read:

“The family that prays together, stays together.”

A number of studies have revealed that there is, in fact, some truth to this timeless slogan. Specifically, research has shown that the key to closeness and a stronger family relies on praying, attending church and worshiping together.

Here is some of the most interesting data I found regarding the correlation between close-knit families and worshiping together:

• Being involved regularly in a church makes men more engaged as fathers and husbands.
• The regular presence or absence of a couple at church predicts whether their marriage will be stable or shaky.
• Teenagers who are raised in religious homes are more likely to admire their dad, enjoy time with their dad and view their dad as being helpful with things that are important to them.

If you are having trouble getting your teen to worship with you, check out my post “Encouraging Your Teens to Worship.” What better time to start than now?

If you do attend church, what are some ways it has brought your family closer together?  Your comments below would be appreciated. 

Mark Merrill is the president of Family First. For the original article, visit .

The promotion of—indeed the ideal of—authentic manhood is in no way demeaning toward women. In fact, it is the antithesis of misogyny. Authentic manhood builds up, enthusiastically supports, and even sacrificially defends a woman. No woman should be treated poorly by a man, much less a man who identifies with and attains to authentic manhood— i.e., a FivestarMan.

World religions have habitually used their tenets of holiness to oppress women rather than liberate them. By placing excessive demands and the liability and responsibility of purity solely upon a woman, these men show an insightful and wholly unrighteous hatred toward women.

One of the deep purposes of authentic manhood is to be gallant in relationships. An authentic man shows special attention and respect toward women in an honorable way.

A FivestarMan treats older women as he would his own mother. Younger women as he would his own daughter, and his peers as he would his own sister. The only woman who receives the intimacy of his eyes and the passion of his loins is his wife. In other words, a FivestarMan is extremely careful with his proximity, touch, or even eye contact with women. He is respectful in every relationship. The bar is set very high.

Here are three reasons why an authentic man is not misogynist:

1. Authentic men do not objectify women. Our society has converted the amazing attractiveness of women into a perverted image of a brazen woman. You’ve seen the metamorphosis of a beautiful young woman into a copycat image of objectivity. It is demeaning to the woman and turns the men who are attracted to her into a drooling simpleton. No woman should be treated with such disdain.

2. Authentic men look for agreement not subjection. The male and female have perfectly complementary designs, not only physically but also intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. God said that it was not good for man to be alone and that he needed a helper suitable for him. The word suitable means that she is a perfect fit for him and is fashioned for him.

The complement that a woman brings to authentic manhood is immeasurable. By design, the two become one. If two agree on earth about anything they ask for, it will be done for them. So, the man doesn’t make commands and demands, he leads with the conviction and clarity of their singular mission.

3. Authentic men speak kind and gentle words. The Apostle Paul used marriage to describe the amazing mystery of the Church and Christ. He suggested that in the same manner that the Word of God cleanses the Church from spot, wrinkle, or blemish a husband speaks words that cleanses his wife—removing spot, wrinkles, and blemishes (Eph. 5:27).

So, the words of a husband literally cultivate his wife and she bears the fruit of his words. Of course, the woman has a responsibility to receive those words but her husband sows the seeds of his words for a determined harvest. When a husband says, “I love you,” or “You’re beautiful,” or “I am proud of you,” or “You make that dress look pretty,” he is speaking kind and comforting words that cleanse her from the constant barrage of negative messages that she is getting from modern culture. Her beauty radiates from the purity of her unblemished spirit.

This is in stark contrast to religious rules and regulations that attempt to cover up women (sometimes literally) and add no value to holiness. A wife’s beauty and modesty are the reflection of her husband’s kind and gentle words.

Unfortunately, there are men and even religions that brutally treat women with constant intimidation and beatings. I can assure you that God is not pleased with such treatment. God finds the mistreatment of women abhorrent. The earth trembles beneath the feet of a married woman who remains unloved (Prov. 30:23).

If a man raises his hand against a woman, he has forfeited authentic manhood.

Look at how Jesus demonstrated his attitude toward a woman who was threatened with stoning. He responded with skillful wisdom by kneeling and writing in the dirt. What did he write? We don’t know for certain but it could have been the prophet Jeremiah’s words, “They that depart from me shall be written in the earth.” (Jeremiah 17:13) In any case, the misogynists turned away and departed. Jesus simply spoke kind and comforting words, “Neither do I condemn you.”

Our representation of authentic manhood is not to be like the religious zealots who hold contempt for women but rather one of Christlikeness. One who rescues her from accusers and elevates her with kind and comforting words.

FivestarMan was founded in 2008 by Neil Kennedy. Kennedy has passionately promoted God’s Word for 25-plus years of ministry. He is known for practically applying biblical principles that elevate people to a new level of living. As a business, church, ministry and life consultant, Kennedy has helped others strategize the necessary steps to reach their full potential.

For the original article, visit .

There are scores of energy examples. Solar, wind and coal initially come to mind, with the first two mentioned increasing in awareness and development in an effort to help our planet stay “green.” As our external energy resources assist us in our daily lives, our personal energy levels need to come from the best available sources for optimal longevity.

Many citizens throughout the world choose a breakfast of pastries and a starchy high-carb lunch of macaroni and cheese or similar midafternoon crash-and-burners. These choices will result in an urge for a little or super-sized pick-me-up, which is how the energy drink business is a $39.2 billion industry worldwide. Yet the ingredients of these energy drinks, like caffeine and taurine, can pose compromised health effects.

So, how do we safely increase energy the “Dr. Bob approved” way? Below are some viable action steps that will help us stop yawning and start climbing Mt. Fuji with extra energy to spare:

1. Limit wheat consumption (i.e., bread, pasta, pizza, crackers, pretzels and cereal). Most people love grains, but the grains we eat do not always love us. You may, without knowing it, have wheat sensitivity. Gluten-free diets are no longer a buzzword but have become commonplace within the food industry because of the revelation that many individuals in our country have this sensitivity. Living wheat-free may be a challenge at first, but it is worth it when you consider some of the effects wheat has on sensitive individuals, including:

• Energy depletion
• Digestive distress
• Skin outbreaks

Currently, gluten-free items can be more expensive, but there are many new websites targeted to those with sensitivities and have more options, including .

2. Increase zinc and decrease copper consumption. A colleague of mine, Ann Louise Gittleman, wrote a book entitled Why Am I Always Tired? Her hypothesis included that too much cooper depletes zinc in our bodies and that those with low zinc cannot make enough insulin, leading to a decrease in energy.

Foods with zinc include chicken, turkey and pumpkin seeds. Foods that displace copper, like manganese and sulfur, include:

• Eggs
• Green, leafy vegetables (kale and bok choy)
• Onions
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower)
• Blueberries

Foods with vitamin C are also helpful to displace copper:

• Bell peppers
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Kiwis

3. Take care of your adrenal and thyroid glands. Overworked and stressed adrenal and thyroid glands can deplete energy levels. Limit sugar and “yeasty” foods. Again, foods containing vitamin C will provide help, and deep sea vegetables like kelp, salmon and good sources of omega-3s will benefit your thyroid.

Dr. Robert DeMaria is a catalyst for health and well-being. As owner of the Drugless Doctor brands, Dr. Bob’s techniques have restored optimal health to thousands of patients without the need for prescription medication. His research and daily experiences can be seen throughout his seven books, including the best-seller Dr. Bob’s Drugless Guide to Balancing Female Hormones. Dr. Bob has consulted for FedEx, VitaMix and other national brands and has appeared on multiple media portals, including ABC Family, TBN, Fox 8 Cleveland, and WFAN NYC.

For the original article, visit .

Headaches, mild or severe, can be a great nuisance, annoyance and irritation. In headaches, the pain may be located above eyes or ears, back of the upper neck, or behind the head.

Headaches are of two types—primary headaches and secondary headaches. Tension headaches, migraine headaches and cluster headaches are the types of primary headaches. Secondary types of headaches are caused by other medical conditions.

Migraine Headaches

A migraine headache is the most common kind of vascular headache. Migraines start with neurological symptoms. Migraine patients may face visual disturbances. Pain from migraines may last for one to two days. There are different types of migraine headaches—hemiplegic migraine, basilar migraine and headache-free migraine. Vomiting, diarrhea, visual disturbances and constipation are some of the symptoms of the headache-free migraine.    

Causes of Headaches

Most of the time, the cause of a headache can be determined. Causes associated with common problems may include drinking too much alcohol, sleeping for too long, or stress due to any family problem. However, if the headache is not normal and may be caused by other factors, it is important to know the cause of the headache and get relief soon.

Consulting a doctor helps determine the exact cause and severity of the problem. Causes of primary headaches does not include other medical conditions, whereas causes of secondary headache is associated with other causative factors. Meningitis, brain tumor, caffeine withdrawal, subarachnoid hemorrhages, strokes or discontinuation of analgesics may cause headaches.

When You Should Go to Doctor?

• If your head is hit by a heavy thing.
• If headaches are frequent.
• If you are experiencing paralysis.
• If other symptoms accompany the headache, such as blurred vision, seizure, memory loss, etc.
• If the headache is interfering with quality of life.
• If no relief was found from other remedies.

In such situations, you should go to doctor even when you are not experiencing the pain and seeking relief. There are different types of headache, and it is difficult even for a doctor to diagnose the condition properly.

However, it is not recommended to rush to the doctor every time you have a headache that can easily be treated using home remedies. Around 90 percent of headaches are not caused by serious diseases and can be treated with natural remedies. Home remedies can provide relief from headaches.

Over-the-counter medicine can be an effective remedy to get relief. An easy and simple remedy is to apply ice packs on the head to get pain relief. Proper rest during a headache can be the foremost remedy for pain relief.

Massaging the neck and head can also be a good remedy. Another potentially useful pain-relief remedy is regular physical therapy exercise. 

For the original article, visit .

Young men want mentors. This is a great thing. The problem is that many young men have unhealthy or just downright wrong ideas or expectations for what having a mentor means. 

I am blessed to be on a team leading a church full of young men. I hear it often: “Matt, I need a mentor in my life.” I have learned that this means all kinds of things, some good and some bad. Since I love seeing men grow in their relationship with Jesus, I have given their statement a lot of thought. What I have found is that one of the keys to a great mentor relationship is to remove wrong expectations. 

Here are three of the top myths young men believe about mentorship (please feel free to add to my list in the comments):

Myth No. 1: Mentors Are All Older Men

Yes, having an older man mentor you can be a good thing, but let’s not limit our mentors to men of a certain age. We see the apostle Paul encouraging young Timothy to teach and lead others: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12, ESV). Men of all ages can contribute mightily to your development as a disciple. 

Myth No. 2: One Mentor Can Help With Everything

I often get asked who my mentor is. My response usually surprises guys. I start listing off about eight men I speak with regularly. No one man is equipped to advise you on how to handle every circumstance for which you are seeking guidance. I have found it best to have a team of mentors. Each guy on the team can fulfill a role for which they are best suited to offer guidance.

Myth No. 3: Your Mentor Is Your Therapist

What I hear most men saying is that they really want a therapist. I am not against seeing a therapist, but therapy is not mentorship. A therapist is trained to use psychological methods for the treatment of mental or emotional problems.

A mentor, in the Christian sense, uses a combination of experience, emotional intelligence and biblical knowledge to advise. A mentor doesn’t serve you; they serve Jesus. That is the biggest difference between a Christian mentor and a therapist. 

Having mentors and being a mentor are worthwhile endeavors. I would encourage you to purse it, but pursue it with proper expectations. 

For more information on mentorship, you can purchase a download of session 5 in Volume 2: A Man and His Story, entitled “All Alone.”

For the original article, visit .

Are you ready? Good …

Honesty

There, I said it. Let’s be honest gentlemen and start things out in the seat of your local church. You know, the one you try to sit in every week. Maybe you are sitting there alone, maybe your arm is around your wife. Either way you are sitting there, listening to the pastor preach the message. This is where honesty comes in.

What are you doing sitting there? Daydreaming? Thinking about the big game later that day? These are very valid questions. The other question is, what is in your hands or what is your wife doing next to you? Writing?

Let me ask another question, “How good is your memory?” Why does this matter? If you really think about it, how much of the message actually makes it into your heart? How much you are paying attention to, is how much you are getting out of it. What do you do next? You grab a pen, a paper and start to write or in other words take notes. Why?

Think

I don’t know about you, but my memory is just not that good. It is a well-known fact that my wife’s memory is head over heels better then mine. I feel like I woke up one morning around the age of six … anyway.

Men, as a whole, we are not good enough to remember everything that is being preached. This is an average of course. Simple reviews through my own eyes, at my own church have proven this point. Judgments? No, it’s simply truth.

What is the main topic in the message on Sunday? Write it down. What are some of the questions the pastor or speaker is asking and answering? Write those down too. What quick one-liners could you pick up for your social media updates in the coming week? You guessed it, write it down.

You might be thinking, “This sounds too hard or too involved.” That’s right men; this is called a challenge, a call, a (insert Braveheart cry here). We must challenge ourselves in our walk with God.

Why? Think about the disciples. On numerous occasions, Jesus would challenge these men and make them think. Did they always get it? Did they always want to do it? The answer is no, but they overcame the doubt and were Jesus’ right hand men. Who are we? We are Jesus’ right hand men NOW. And it’s time we started acting like it!

Knowledge

Let’s be honest. No, better yet, lets think about this for a minute. What will all of this extra work give us? What will writing down notes in the sermon actually do for me? Glad you asked. 

Writing down sermon notes at Church will increase your knowledge and understanding like never before. Don’t believe me? Try it. Your mind won’t be able to focus on the big game, your eyes won’t wander to the well dressed woman in front of you. You will be focused. You will be engaged. And you will be putting the information into your heart. You will become a better, no, stronger disciple for Christ.

Do I still have your attention? Good, because here is the ultimate test and challenge: 

I asked you at the beginning if you were ready.

This is your week. Yes, I repeat that this is your week! What do I mean? This is your week to write the weekly devotional for the entire congregation. What? Trust me, I am not crazy. (for the most part). Yes, write the summary, the main idea, the main theme. In words better understood, give us the instant replay. Start learning, start building, start writing!

If you took the challenge, be sure to come back and share your experience with the Manturity community.

Why do you think every man should write or journal? Share below.

Manturity is a blog built on establishing spiritual maturity in today’s man. The goal is to assist men in building better marriages and help them in grow in maturity and explore different aspects of manhood. features new weekly blog posts, daily social media updates and a powerful resources page. Stay up to date with the Manturity blog communities on Facebook and Twitter.

For the original article, visit .