1. FALL CAMPOUT
We had 20 boys attend our Fall Campout with Camp Firewalker. This is our introductory trip to take the boys out of their comfort zone and into the wild (with supervision) for a weekend. Many who come on the trip have never spent a night away from their home, their mom, or their phone.
In addition to those challenges, the activities at campout introduce a multitude of opportunities to fail. Fishing, shooting a bb-gun, bow and arrows, knot tying, kayaking, dropping your s'more in a bonfire, etc.
The measure of a man is how easily he will become discouraged.
Growth as a man is tied to our ability to face the fear of failure, to manage setbacks, and build resilience. You won't catch a fish on every cast, and the only way to overcome failure is by failing.
We've all heard it said... you learn from your failures more than your successes (thank you this time, Diamondbacks).
These campouts challenge the boys to leave all their normal coping mechanisms behind so they can learn to regulate their emotional responses to problems.
When's the last time you deprived yourself of what you run to in stress?
Just like us, the boys in our program won't always be afforded the opportunity to solve all of the problems in their environment. They must develop strategies to deal with what they can't control, and trust that God will turn it for good.
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"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
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If the boys in our program learn to fail well, they will become men of faith equipped to father well. The kind of men who will take their sons on a trip just like this.
2. GOLF TOURNAMENT RAISED $209K!
Monday was an eventful day for us...We had over 200 golfers come out and play at Firewheel Golf Park and with the help of our sponsors and attendees we raised $209k toward our mentoring program. This event was a huge success - thank you for praying for us!
This event would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors, board, golf committee, and volunteers on the day of. This event has become an integral part in our efforts to serve more boys in Lake Highlands through mentoring, after school programs, and supporting single moms in the name of Jesus.
Special thanks to our Golf Committee:
Taylor Stell (chair)
Austin Busse
David Harris
Jake Vines
Mike Sims
Will Mogk
Kyle Rogers
Wes Romanowski
Hudson Taylor
Austin Jolesch
In addition, I'd like to honor Steve Giddens for the efforts he contributed to rallying troops and sponsors to see the day be a success. Despite having to reschedule due to weather, he consistently brought to mind to our team that being successful meant more boys being mentored, more moms knit into a family, and more of Jesus being lifted up in Lake Highlands. Thank you Steve!
3. The Giving Table @ Thompson Dallas benefitting Forerunner
We were selected as a beneficiary for a great date night opportunity at Thompson Dallas on Thursday, November 16th. Event details and tickets here.
Thankful for you,
Forerunner Mentoring exists to fulfill the potential of every boy in Lake Highlands growing up without a father-figure at home through mentoring, programs, and family support in the name of Jesus.
