Stupid Things Teenage Boys Do

The setting sun poured through the passenger window, but neither I nor my passenger noticed. Our eyes, wild from the thrill of teenage ignorance, focused dead ahead as trees passed us by at 65, then 70, then 75mph. Gravel roads are ill-equipped for a drag strip-style free-for-all, especially for unlicensed 15-year-old boys. I wish I could say we were on a heroic high-speed chase after a murderous villain; however, truth be told, we were just being stupid, as teenage boys are prone to be.

My parents were out of town, and being more stupid than me, they left my mom’s car keys in plain sight at home.

At 75mph, the steering wheel began to shake, and seconds later, the tires took on a life of their own. We fish-tailed 180 degrees and slid into a ditch a few hundred feet down the road. The car suffered a busted headlight while my buddy and I escaped without a scratch (except from the thorny briar bushes when we pushed the car out of the ditch).

Since I strived to avoid any type of painful consequences for my poor behavior, I lied my way out of trouble, as I had done many other times.

Young Men Without Fathers in the Home

I was a wild kid with very little guidance and oversight. Although I had a father in the house, he was emotionally absent, and I can identify with other young men raised in the 1980s. In 1980, over 11 million American kids grew up without a father in the home—25% of the child population. Today, these men are middle-aged, and many of us have had to navigate the trail alone.

I wrote the book Stronger Down the Stretch – How to Survive Midlife Without a Crisis because I want these men to know there is a path that doesn’t lead to destruction.

Young Men Need a Guide

Recently, my wife made me realize that while the book is great for middle-aged men, Stronger Down the Stretch is even more vital for younger men. Men in their 20s and 30s, especially men who received little character development at home, need the character-building tools presented in the book before problems arise.

The health analogy is: Do you take supplements now to prevent problems or prescription drugs later to control the damage?

Have you heard the fast-talking men in the commercials read the long list of side effects of prescription drugs? Please give me supplements!

Unfortunately, many young men walk through life without a mentor to prepare or guide them and get hit with massive side effects: porn addictions, extramarital affairs, and divorces.

Even young men who profess to be Christians need guidance and accountability. An astonishing 23% of Christians 25 years and older watch porn. And divorce is twice as likely if they do.

Help for Young Men

Stronger Down the Stretch is a beacon for young men, guiding them to an understanding of who they are in Christ, which is foundational for a joyful, purpose-filled life. The book walks men through the steps to grow stronger in the most essential areas: with God, personally, professionally, and physically.

We need to raise our sons with purpose and point them in the right direction early before they head high-speed off a cliff. By the grace of God and on the wings of a few people’s prayers, I made it through the territory (a Lonesome Dove reference), but I wish someone would’ve given me a book like Stronger Down the Stretch as a map.

Do you have a young man in your life who needs some direction?

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