The guys of IMPACT just had their manhood retreat this past weekend, and, man, was it MANLY! We all got to escape the campus and go to The Summit in Fort Payne, Alabama, a Chick-Fil-A retreat center at the top of an Alabama mountain. Along with some of the manly staff from IMPACT 360, our class was joined with Pastor Brown from Western Heights Baptist Church in La Grange and our beloved German cameraman Wolfe.
Among the delicious food fit for men, the relaxing atmosphere, and a weekend full of male bonding time and manliness, we all got to learn from Pastor Brown’s teaching of what it means to be a biblical real man. Interestingly enough, he based his mentoring off of Genesis 1-3. Here, he pointed out God’s blueprint for what it takes and means to be a man of God, the only kind of real man there is. The foundations of the lesson were this:
Real men are ACTIVE, not passive.
Real men, accept responsibility (which is a whole lot more than what one would normally think).
And real men lead courageously.
Pastor Brown also went into the other things that young adults struggle with and have many questions about. He gave a bountiful amount of insight on guy-girl relationships – the godly and manly way. Marriage topics, analogies, stories, and lessons permeated throughout the entire time. I can speak for all the guys at IMPACT that this manhood retreat was one that we definitely needed and greatly enjoyed and appreciated!
As a manly activity, we all went to a mountaintop and bouldered and jumped down a ridge to a river, where a couple of us brave souls embraced (or slipped into) the cold water and the rest of us enjoyed the nature and the outdoorsy fun with the guy community.
Overall, the experience is one I’ll never forget and will continuously look back on, refer to, and learn from on how to be the man God has called and designed for us (men) to be. Upon our return to campus, the ladies of IMPACT gave us a warm welcome of dancing to a twist off of Disney’s Mulan’s “Be a Man” song and some other surprises shortly thereafter.
Thank you all near and far who have constantly prayed and fasted and interceded for us men while we were on this retreat. You all are such a blessing!
God bless!