» Reflections of a Warrior

From Boy to Young Man

Doug — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:11:36 +0000

There’s nothing in life that gets me charged like witnessing young men (all teenagers still) scramble, scrap, laugh, sweat, eat and love life. It was pure privilege to join the senior boys football team this year on their biennial trip to play and challenge themselves in California. It’s hard to summarize what it’s like to be a part of 38 boys fully enjoying Disneyland, “all-you-can-eat buffets” and a substantially challenging football game. It’s a dynamic tension between the laughter of the children they still are and the bold, strong young men they are becoming. I could tell you about the 250 lb. linebacker squealing his way through the “House of Horrors” or the scary 20 minutes for all of us when Brett went down in the 1st quarter and was taken to hospital on a spine board or I could tell you about the 45 minutes we were stuck in the elevator with 15 football players, one woman from Saskatchew and and temperatures hitting +40oC with 100% humidity and how we had to be extracted by the Orange County fire department.

Those are all stories, landmarks on the journey. Relational memories. But what I really want to tell you is what these young men did for my heart, for the hearts of their coaches and their school. They fought hard. They learned lessons. They represented. They showed compassion. They led by example. They hurt. They rallied. And, I know, they came back stronger young men.

Through it all, I was thankful to witness the strong hearts of their coaches and trainers and the love they have for them. As we struggle and suffer and reach heights of success, so much of our reaction to our journey, is based on interpretation. We need good people around us who offer that interpretation. What do you do with a 51-0 loss? As a young man, giving it his all on the field, facing down a team much faster and more experienced? How do you interpret that? Do you just unplug? “Oh well. Nothing I can do.” Or do you blame yourself? When you have coaches who love you and know you, they give you the interpretation you need. They tell you what you did right. They tell you what to do different. They hold you up. They tell you that you have what it takes, regardless the score. They love you through it.

This trip was an exceptional quest, after something deeper than a football game. It was a fantastic leg of the journey from boy to man.

“The journey of a boy becoming a man is not a spectator sport. It is something that must be entered into. It is one part instruction and nine parts experience.”

(from “Fathered by God” by John Eldredge)

Quest for the Heart Series – Forged and Romanced

Doug — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:12:28 +0000

God’s after two things in us, during our time here. He’s after our hearts and after our healing. God desires our hearts to come alive with our deepest desires and to bring those to bear on the world. And he desperately wants to see us restored, our hurts healed. The two go hand in hand. And he accomplishes this differently in men and in woman. For men, our restoration comes in the form of a journey, a series of events of initiation. In these events we uncover the love of a True Father, that shapes us into men. For women, restoration comes primarily through relationship and beauty. To be truly seen and recognized as vital and beautiful, women come to the fullest understanding of God’s image in them. In the coming weeks, we will share together and alone, as men and as women, who and how God is awakening and restoring our hearts.

Join us on Sunday nights for the next 8 weeks or so as the men and women share together and separately, just what God is after in our lives. For more, click here: Sunday night gatherings.

Interview with a Warrior-Poet

Doug — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:38:32 +0000

One of my deepest desires is the pursuit of warrior arts, like martial arts, but more than just the fighting. I love the culture of traditional warriors – Lipan Apache, Japanese Samurai and Ninja, the Shujaa of the African plains, the Strongheart warriors of the Lakota nation, the Scottish highlanders and our modern Special Forces men and women.

Well, in the pursuit of this desire through training and studying, I was fortunate enough to meet a man by the name of Michael Jaco. Mike was an instructor for me in a class I attended in 2002. In 2005 I invited him to instruct us here for a weekend. In 2006, he came again with allies, for two weeks.

Mike shared with us what Hollywood leaves out of the Special Forces – service, love, outreach. All the while, he pushed our limits beyond what we might have first thought possible. He shared stories of his time in combat in various places in the world and his discovery of the power of God in the life of humans.

And, this spring, Mike published his book “The Intuitive Warrior”. This prompted me to contact him and, on a phone call over the seas, we arranged this interview which I’m happy to share with you now.

In this interview, Mike shares his experience and perspective on love and combat, fear and love, intuition and “the small, still voice” of God in each person. He also shares his counsel and consolation for our military families in Canada and their members serving in Afghanistan.

I pray you will hear this with clear ears and an open heart. Experience like this is hard won and so valuable for each of us. Thanks Mike.

Press the “PLAY” arrow below to start the interview.

Legendsong Chronicles – The Sword

Doug — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:37:25 +0000

It was just a split second. A blink. A quick breath. A pebble falling. A shifting breeze just beyond the eyelashes of the young warrior-in-training. Perhaps it was the subtle odor of oiled steel. Maybe the startled chip of the sparrow. Whatever cue it was, had he stopped to think about it, the needle sharp spike would have pierced him had he not dropped to the ground. He would like to have thought it was a graceful, cat-like dodge, but it was more of a crash and a stumble. He looked up as he lay on his back on the moist forest floor, to see a thin steel spike piercing the tree where he stood a moment before. Time stood still but the attacker pressed in. Leaping from his place of ambush, the grey-veiled assassin leapt an inhuman distance in the air above and drew his finishing dagger, dropping to plant the weapon in the young mans chest. Scrambling for his own blade, the young warrior capably rolled backwards over his shoulder into a low crouch just as the attacker landed where he had lay a moment before. The two combatants faced each other for what seemed like an eternity but only a moment in time. Though only his eyes showed, the dark assailant’s eyes betrayed a grin as they looked at the growing pool of blood below the boy’s ankle. He could feel the warm trickle from his lower leg. Stunned, he had not realized the cut until this moment. How and when were a mystery, as were so many of the tactics of the dark ones. He tried to restore his focus. His mind began to swirl as spots appeared before his eyes. Poison. And, as if in a dream, he sprung from his crouch, as high as he might, to reach the branch twice his height above his head. He knew he had once chance, one hope, before he succumbed to the toxin. His leap was strong still and his off-hand found the wrist-thick limb. Fingers closed around it, his full weight came to bear and the boy knew it was too late. His strength would not hold. His vision faded to black and his hand lost it’s grip.

His elders had often told stories of the mysteries of time and eternity. But he had not understood it until he fell from that tree. It had been just seconds since the beginning of the attack. Like lightning had both combatants moved. But now, as he fell, his thoughts turned to his teacher. Kneeling side-by-side, near the mountain stream by his home, he recalled these words.

“You must keep going! Forget your sadness, anger, grudges and hatred. Let them pass like smoke caught in a breeze. You should not deviate from the path of righteousness; you should lead a life worthy of a man. Don’t be possessed by greed, luxury, or your ego. You should accept sorrows, sadness and hatred as they are, and consider them a chance for trial given to you by the powers…”

He crashed to the ground, blind and exhausted by the venom coursing through his veins.

“Keep going!” was all he heard.

This Far, No Further

Doug — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:34:31 +0000

The warrior, clad in blood-stained buckskin, stands ready, eyes scanning the surrounding hills. His face, marked with the warpaint of his clan, betrays his fatigue. He lives. Others have fallen, and the day is not yet done. His stance is poised, lance in hand. A deep gash on his thigh has clotted and sealed. Behind him, and to his left and to his right, are his brothers, each maintaining their vigilant watch. They form the perimeter around their village. Within are the elders and the women and children. And other warriors. But he and his brothers are no ordinary warriors. They are cut from a distinct cloth. For if you look down on the ankle of each of these warriors, you will find a commitment, a resolve. Around each ankle is a red sash, tied and running to a hardwood stake driven deep in the ground. Strongheart warriors. Named and chosen by their clan. Their commitment is their life. Here he stands to fight, until victory or until death. When the Enemy comes and presses in, threatening family and village, it is He who stands, staked, and says “This far. No further.”

And so it is today, in a society bereft of warriors, there are those few who have staked themselves to the ground standing against the tide of attacks on our children, our young people, our women and our men. So many live in a world without hope, suffering the bewilderment of a life of wounds. Oh, my friends, the Enemy’s sword has struck deeply. The perimeter has been breached. The heart of the village and the hearts of His people have been compromised. But our tethers are long and lances sharp. We will strike at the heart of the Enemy and show him…

“This far. No further.”

To my brothers in battle – John, Daniel, Tom, Msgr. Dale, Wilf, Malcolm, Wes – cover me. I’m goin’ in.

Going where called,
Doing what is asked.

Doug

We Are Available

Doug — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:14:20 +0000

Good morning! Oh my Lord. There is SO much in my little ol’ pea brain right now! Right now, I wanted to share with you that if your group, company, church or other organization is in need of some renewal, focus, vision or bonding, Judy and I are available for a very limited number of speaking and facilitation engagements in the next year!

We want to hear from you and see if there is a place we can serve you and your mission. From one hour consultations to three day retreats.

Please contact us and book early!

We can cover any number of topics. Have a look around the blog and you’ll get an idea of our vision and mission.

E-mail me at intothewilderness@gmail.com.

Looking forward!

Doug and Judy