7 Ways to Ignite Your Zeal for Life
Arena Men,
It was a pleasure to interview Stephen Mansfield for the second time on the Men in the Arena Podcast. Mansfield is a New York Times bestselling author about his latest book, Men on Fire, where he unpacks what he believes are seven traits a man must possess to bring fire to his soul. They stand as markers on the road to becoming the best version of ourselves.
Flame #1: The Fire of Heritage
Mansfield writes, “Most men tend to live without the transforming power of heritage in their lives.” Every man should know the answers to the folioing questions. Where did my family come from? What is my family history? What great stories must never be forgotten by my children in their children.
I can tell you about the relative who was a Minute Man in the Revolutionary War. That one ancestor, David Hume, fought in the Jacobite Rebellion and was shipped as a prisoner to America where he taught George Washington the art of surveying. I can tell you about my ugly cousin Abraham Lincoln. Or how my grandfather was a fighter pilot in WWII. Or how my great-great-grandfather came to America from Portugal when his whaling ship got stuck in the ice above Alaska and they had to burn portions of the ship to stay warm. Or how my last name was originally De Brum (Of Brown) Ramos. Amazing story after story!
Learn your family history and pass it to your children. It will ignite a fire inside you never expected.
Flame #2: The Fire of Battle
John Eldredge wrote that one of the three core passions of a man is to have a battle to fight. Mansfield would agree writing, “Give me men of honor who have the fire of battle burning in their souls, and I will give you a more peaceful, more prosperous, happier society.”
Men are made for battle. Men are made for a mission, not by a God who is desperate. Nor by a God who needs any man. But by a loving Creator who creates a place in His grand kingdom drama for the world to watch a man burn with purpose and come alive with passion. Every man has a latent flame burning deep within his soul to discover the hill he might one day die on. The greatest day of his life is when he discovers it.
Flame #3: The Fire of Destiny
The passion mentioned in Flame #2 most often originates from an unlikely source—pain. We search high and low for God’s message—our gift to the world—only to discover it hidden within a mess that was once the source of great pain. Life is not about our ability to hit the fastball. That is batting practice. Destiny manifests itself in how we respond when life throws a curveball.
I love the truth in Romans 8:28, “God works all things out for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”
Or James 1:2-4, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
God turns your tragedy into his triumph and your mess into his message.
Flame #4: The Fire of Friendship.
I am jealous of the friendship networks of women. We can learn so much from our beautiful counterparts. How can a man go to battle with a fireteam of guys who have his back? How can he fulfill his destiny with men to sharpen him, spur him on, and see his blind spots?
We need a handful of men we can call at 2:00 am with that inevitable curveball is thrown at our face. Men, you do not need to go through life alone. Visit our website now and click the “join our program” button.
Flame #5: The Fire of Love
Studying Ephesians 5:22-33, I observed that men are told to love their wives four times but women are never told to love their husbands—only respect them. Why? Because men don’t need to be told to respect. It is our default setting. Love however is different. We must be told to do what comes naturally for women, though unnatural for us, to glorify Christ and reflect God’s glory through our wife, who the Bible says is the glory of man (1 Corinthians 11:7).
Mansfield writes, “When a man knows his strength and his gifts and uses them, when he understands his needs and satisfies them in righteous ways, he is a thing of beauty. He reflects the glory of God. He assures the magnificence of women.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Flame #6: The Fire of Legacy
Where the Fire of Heritage leverages one’s history, the Fire of Legacy seeks to protect the future. Our achievements must be fueled, in part, by a desire to protect the next generation and set it on its proper bearings.
Practically speaking, this means assuring your bride’s financial protection were you to die unexpectedly. A few weeks back I ran into an old friend who is an insurance broker. He is so passionate about legacy that for every man referred to him by us for life insurance he will forego his commission and donate 100% percent of it back to us!
If you are interested in building your legacy and supporting our cause, click here.
Flame #7: The Fire of God
I am convinced that God created you. As your Creator, He knows more about you than you ever will—every fiber, every hair, every DNA strand, every white blood cell, every striation of your muscles, and every breath you will ever breathe. Without a doubt He loves you.
You read earlier my conviction that He has a plan—a mission—for you. How then will you ever achieve your best version without igniting the fire for God in your life by radically surrendering your heart to Him (Galatians 2:20)?
Answer. You won’t. Ever. Do it now.
Ignite Your Fire
Ignite your inner courage and pick up my newly released Guts and Manhood. Thank you in advance for your five-star Amazon review!
Our Tenth Anniversary Banquet and Online Silent Auction is coming up April 9th! You can be involved no matter where you are located. Check out the auction website for more information.
Thriving at Full Capacity,
Jim Ramos