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SEINFELD Clip: “DO YOU EVER YEARN?:‏
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnqBAuehmhM

This clip will be used this Wed at Manhood Matters, to address with comedic insight, the subject matter of the first chapter: “Our Hearts Deepest Secret” in Journey of Desire.

The whole idea of ‘yearning’ though comically addressed in the clip is profoundly talked about in the first chapter.

I know there are some men in our circle that are afraid of Manhood Matters becoming a place like the Testicular Loss Support Group in Fight Club.

I think that fear is valid and funny…but sometimes can veil a deeper issue of fear of exposure, vulnerability and relational disconnect.

Men have to learn to talk, to listen, to feel. They are called by God to love women, to raise daughters and to share life with family and friends.
This is the path of human experience…to hide behind some unemotional idea of masculinity that ignores the real needs of those God puts into our lives and our own souls, is foolish.

There are ways to nurture space for the exploration of deep hearted needs that can feel irritatingly mushy and too feminine and there are ways to simply encourage open discussion, honest admission of how one truly feels and ones need for communication.

Many relationships and marriages are struggling because of unavailable men who are frozen, shut up, unconnected from their own hearts or they are locked in inner cages of pretending or ignorance.

Our times together are not intended to force anything,
but they are not going to be shallow back slapping sessions either. We need to lead by example, not pornographically but honestly.

Nobody desires to be pushed into growth but many wont grow until someone pushes them to face themselves or their lives.

So we need to prayerfully prepare for these journeys. This is stuff is often called ‘men’s work’ because ‘soul work’ is just that….work.

So let’s laugh at the extremes but not use the humor to hide our own fears that can prevent us from truly growing into the men God desires us to become.