Fight Like Hell

The following is a post that I made inside the Manlihood ManCave, our private facebook group for men. I thought it would be worth sharing here as it relates to this episode of the Manlihood ManCast:

Sometimes we have good days, and sometimes we have bad days.
I’ve had a lot of bad days lately. Not gonna lie.

Not sharing that for pity. Stick with me as I get to my point….

Sharing it because I want to be REAL with the men that I serve.

I’m here to serve you. To use the skills that I have, the knowledge that I’ve obtained, and the experiences that I’ve lived through to help build a community where men can build each other up.

Well – If that’s what I’m here to do – it means nothing if I put on a front.
Who the hell wants to follow a hypocrite? Not me.

So listen – I’m at the precipice of something great. I have sensed for quite awhile that God is opening doors for me, and that my hard work at building this is starting to come together.

I’ve felt it many times over the past several years. “Almost over the ridge…”

And then I hit THIS phase. RESISTANCE.

– Personal or family problems
– Financial struggles
– Consequences of past mistakes catching up to me
-Stupid comments on the internet that don’t normally bother me actually get a little under my skin.
– Exhaustion and burnout
– Seemingly random, but ill-timed crisis
– Discouragement or despair
-Imposter syndrome
-Physical Pain, health problems
-Mental Fog

You all know the list. It’s probably held you back too. Some of these are affecting me right now (not all) but several.

So – ADVERSITY.
Welcome back, old friend. I need you to get behind me. I need you to push me forward, instead of holding me back.

To go “religious” for a minute…
This is a wrestling with God moment. This is – Jacob, duking it out with the Angel of God (representing God himself) refusing to let go till he gets his blessing.
Hell, I’ll take a lifelong wound in exchange for a blessing. Ol’ Jake gets his hip messed up and he gets a new name. His old name meant, “Trickster” and it represented him well. His old name was a curse. His new name is “Israel”- or “fights with God.” Now he’s known for contending with the Almighty.

You don’t fight with God and win. But Jake did. He asked God for a blessing, and God gave him one – along with a sore hip.

‘My arms are too short to box with God.’
—Johnny Cash

So anyway… here I am. Facing the wrestling match.
The hardship. The trials. The discouragement.

And my word for myself – and my word for YOURself – is this….

FIGHT LIKE HELL.

I’m tired of getting whooped because I gave up to early.
I’m tired of letting go without my blessing.
I’m tired of handing over the keys to my kingdom because they are heavy to carry.

So…
Let’s FIGHT LIKE HELL.