- Thursday, August 14th, 2008
Monthly Message from the Major, August 2008 - Friendship and Accountability; Thank you, Bob Schultz.
Gentlemen,
Many people have crossed my path in the 30 years I have been out of school. Some I remember as acquaintances, some as true friends, and some as those who impacted my life in a significant way. Those in the latter category are the ones who seem to be messengers of God, sent to me at a particular time and place with just the right words or life message that I needed to hear. So it is with Bob Schultz, my friend, who in June went to be with the Lord.
Bob is known to many of you as the author of three books on raising young men, Boyhood and Beyond, Created for Work, and Practical Happiness. All three books were designed to assist fathers and young men in growing in godliness as they mature. I heartily recommend the books to you if you are struggling with raising your 12+ year-old son. As the father of three girls, Bob still had a significant ministry to young men through his carpentry trade, Sunday school teachings, writing ministry, and one-to-one mentoring.
Bob suffered a heart attack during a break from a speaking engagement at a homeschool bookfair and passed away a few days later. Please join me in praying for Bob’s family and friends as they learn to live without Bob in their everyday lives.
While Bob was an author and reluctant retreat speaker, his true passion in life was to exemplify the Christianity of “Everyman.” To Bob this was the man amongst us all who was not at the top, nor the bottom, but in the vast middle of the work-a-day world, where rubber meets road. Bob desired to live out his Christianity in a simple and non-elegant way. Bob considered himself successful if he connected with one other man at a retreat and helped him to take the next step in his Christian faith and do it well.
It was this quality of being “everyman” about Bob that was the message I needed to hear approximately four years ago. At that time I was leaving behind the corporate world behind with all of the titles, salary, and other trappings that go along with a senior executive position in a major company. While this was not hard, and I actually initiated the change, it forced me to find my identity not in what I did, but who I was (and am). Bob came alongside to help me focus my message to young men and fathers, the desire of my heart. He also sent one of his daughters, Molly, to work with us in ALERT Cadets for nearly a year! Molly also helped me focus on that which was important to the mission at hand of assisting fathers in winning and keeping the heart of their 8-17 year-old sons, the vision of ALERT Cadets.
Let me encourage you as fathers to look for the “Bobs” in your life, those men who come as divine appointments to give the words, encouragement, tools, or kick-in-the-pants that you need at just the right time. I have probably had 15 men in my 30 years of Christian growth who have had this kind of impact on me. I am grateful for them and the impact they have had in my life to make me the man I am today. Praise God for His goodness in bringing them into my life.
If you do not have a man, or men, in your life who holds you accountable and asks you hard questions about how you are doing with your wife, finances, work, honesty, pornography and, raising your children, then get one, ASAP! The apostle Paul knew that all of us would need accountability when he wrote in II Timothy 2:2, “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men…”. While Paul was Timothy’s teacher, Timothy was also the one who kept Paul accountable to teach the truth and impact lives.
I am also grateful for you men who keep me accountable and keep me in the battle. Many of you comment on my monthly newsletters; I appreciate your feedback, be it positive, negative, or full of questions. Also please, pray for my wife and constant companion, Sue, who has been holding the fort while I have been out traveling.
Stay in the battle for your sons (and daughters)!
In Christ,
Roger D. Farr
ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer
Aug 14