Tender Warrior Review and Quotes

Tender Warrior by Stu Weber…really really great book. I thank my friend Lidiane for suggesting it to me. It has reshaped my outlook and perspective on Christian manhood. It was a great read and really influential. It gave me this new found drive and fire for being a man and a stronger Christian in terms of relationships with the men and women I have in my life. The last chapters really hit home to me and just gave me the desire to finish strong in every aspect of my life. It almost took away my excuses that I provide on a daily basis for most of my shortcomings. The book as a whole just reinforced the notion of Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. I met this Christian woman at a party over the weekend and she was amazing and I got nervous talking to her and just finding out about her. The great hindsight perspective that I have now is that no matter what or who enters my life that I know the best way to approach any kind of a relationship is through maintaining a strong Godly relationship.

The following are just some of my favorite quotes from the book. There are so many and I enjoy typing them that my next few entries are just going to be quotes from the book.

Matters of character, heart, spirit, integrity, justice, humility- the kinds of things that last.

At the heart of a real man’s vision is the health of his family.

The measure of a man is the spiritual and emotional health of his family. A real provider has a vision for marriage that bongs deeply, for sons with character as strong as trees, and for daughters with confidence and deep inner beauty. Without that vision and leadership, a family struggles, gropes, and may lose its way.

A man can get the perspective he needs to lead a family…if he is willing to humble himself and seek it from the Lord God.

“Is there anything worse than blindness?” “Oh, yes!” She responded. “A person with sight and no vision” Helen Keller

It brought security to my heart to realize what kind of a God I had, this great heavenly Planner who could look down the long ages and bring things to pass.

When you’ve lost your vision for who you are and where you are and why you are where you are, you find yourself powerless to take necessary action.

Time enough to push your way through peripheral issues and life draining preoccupations and ride out ahead of the family God has given you.

Think of the bible as the owner’s manual for your masculinity. Think of it as the mother spring. The headwaters. And drink deeply from it.

“Being perfect is a terrible way to spend your life and guys are not equipped for it anyway. It is like a bear riding a bicycle: he can be trained to do it for short periods, but he would rather be in the woods doing what bears do there” Garrison Keillor

Men stand tallest when they are protecting and defending.

A warrior is one who possesses high moral standards, and holds to high principles. He is willing to live by them, stand for them, spend himself in them, and if necessary die for them.

Like four strands of steel, they were woven together to form a cable that is the spine of masculinity. A “good man” is the balance of the four. A good warrior is also a sensitive lover. A tender warrior. A good friend is always a helpful mentor.

The physical is a parable of the spiritual. The visible is a metaphor for the invisible.

A man without initiative is not a man.

A lot of people pass through life feeling trapped in some vague sense of dissatisfaction.