What does it mean to be oriented? An oriented man grounds his life and actions on three things: his identity, his environment, and his mission. He knows

  1. Who he is. In Christ, he is a Beloved Son of the Father. An oriented man finds his security and strength in that deep identity alone.
  2. Where he is. An oriented man has “eyes to see and ears to hear” what is going on around him. He is alert to the spiritual forces at work behind physical circumstances. He knows that he lives in a zone of ongoing conflict.
  3. The good that God is up to. An oriented man seeks to partner with his Father’s redemptive purposes. He looks for the good God is doing in his life and through his life, and he views his circumstances and “relationships with an awakened and engaged heart.

Over time, the oriented way of life leads to a more settled heart—a deeper stability that comes from ongoing experience. A settled heart (a man who has nothing to hide, prove, or fear) doesn’t come overnight. It is the result of discovering and rediscovering, time after time, the grace and effectiveness of walking with God and living an oriented life until that way of life becomes more than just an approach. Through deep renovation of the heart, you and I can become true men.

Make no mistake: training in the oriented life isn’t easy and is always in progress.

An excerpt from  The Heart of a Warrior.

The Heart of a Warrior

The Heart of a Warrior English

Men have a glorious and significant role in God’s Larger Story. They also are the target of a special warfare aimed continually and ruthlessly at the center of their being… their masculine hearts. Naivety and ignorance keep many men running in circles while misinformation and poor training keep many more in bondage. Men are wounded, frustrated, angry and being crushed under the weight of criticism and expectations. The attempted solutions of recent years is education; tell men what they are doing wrong and give them a list to memorize. This strategy isn’t working and its time we fall back to an Ancient One. What if we are setting men up for failure rather than helping them be free? Join author and guide, Michael Thompson, as he invites men to a place of training and orientation that will ensure both a settled heart and a fierce courage. A man cannot enter this battle without knowing he is a Beloved Son. After all, that is what the battle is all about!

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