Become Good Soil

Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least. – Goethe Friends, Years ago, as a father in the faith led a group of young, thirsty apprentices and me through a series of exercises and questions for our masculine souls, we came across this question:  What is your dream assignment in the Kingdom?  In other words, if you could be charged with any task, vocation, or work in God’s Kingdom, what would you love it to be?  My peers and I sincerely (and rather hastily) shared our responses: Author Life coach Film producer Professor Real estate agent Counselor Our teacher benevolently received the desires of our hearts.  He paused. And then he answered the prompt himself: “My dream is to become a grandfather.” You could hear a pin drop. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. He had my attention. The stark contrast between my peers' and our teacher's answers revealed a gap between our souls' unfinished places and the geography to which God was beckoning us. Somewhere in this man’s initiation, he had taken a radical path that transplanted his soul from the narrow field of self-centeredness to the vast open place of wholehearted others-centeredness. He had become the kind of man who had nothing to fear, nothing to prove, and nothing to hide. He had more than enough. And he had become more than enough, in and through the One who made him.  In a phrase, he was full, secure, and free to love with the unconditional generosity of heaven.  The Father is inviting us along a path to become this wholehearted. Join me for Part 3 as we conclude this series on the metanarrative of masculine love.  For the Kingdom, Morgan

Home is both an origin and a destination. Friends, When the time is right, a man must leave his father and mother to find his True Father and Mother in God's heart. Returning home to God is the destiny of his soul and the consummation of his initiation.  Linger.  Every man must leave his mom and dad to find his God.  On a soul level, most men, to some degree, still haven’t left home. In walking with men for over two decades and paying attention to my challenges, resisting leaving our “home” is one of the inhibitors to becoming mature and more fully united to God.  Most of us know this resistance and challenge all too well, though we may not have been able to name it.  If a man has never entirely left, he can never come home again and know it for the first time. In it all, our Father does not pull away from us. His affection never leaves us, and his daring invitation remains: Receive the kingdom afresh like a little boy, innocent again. Free, here and now.  So often, we mistakenly conclude that our boy-hearted innocence is the source of our pain, stirring us to open our hearts and only to be so deeply let down.  Yet along the path of recovered innocence, we will find ourselves finally at home with God.  Let's take another deep dive together.   For the Kingdom, Morgan

I came from the Father. Now I come home to the Father. – Jesus of Nazareth Friends, We come from the Trinity.  We will return to the Trinity.  So what is in the way of our homecoming?  Perhaps better said, where do we find ourselves along the journey of home-going? The mission and message of Become Good Soil reach thousands globally, nourishing men from 18 to 83. Men of different ages and at different stages of masculine initiation. At first glance, the diversity of our stories is outstanding.  But there is a universal ache informing and uniting us all: We hunger and thirst for the love, validation, and intentionality of a man who is stronger than us.  In a phrase, we hunger and thirst for God himself.  Brothers, we do not hunger and thirst for this wild and generous Father in vain. We find him, realize him, feast on him, and, from this nourished place, carry him with us into the dearest relationships of our daily lives.  The Father is undefeated. His love is winning.  His goodness is prevailing.  His intentional and scandalous validation of us is immeasurable.  And he is just getting started.  Let’s pick up the next first track of our masculine initiation and be visited again by this ancient truth:  It all starts with the Father.  For the Kingdom, Morgan

Exploring surrendering personal identity, hitting rock bottom, and embracing God's call. Reflecting on transformative power of surrendering to God and aligning with His initiation. Emphasizing spiritual growth, personal transformation, and gratitude for shared masculine initiation experiences.

He trusts her without reserve and never has reason to regret it. – Proverbs 31:11 MSG Friends, To say the proverb another way, masculinity trusts femininity without reserve and never has reason to regret it.  Femininity trusts masculinity without reserve and never has reason to regret it.  What if this is intended to both include and transcend marriage, plunging us into the possibility and finally the scandalous destiny of Galatians 3? “...you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (3:28 NIV) In The Sacred Romance, Brent Curtis goes as far as to say that Heaven holds for us “multiple intimacy without promiscuity.” Oh, to plumb the depths of integrity and recover even more of what might be intended when we wrestle with what it means to be formed in the image of a Trinitarian God. What would it be like to truly embody the New Testament vision of the Body of Christ and become creatively unified in whole-hearted interdependent relationship with one another, as men and as women? Let’s dare to discover together.  Join Cherie and me for Part 3 of the Metanarrative of Feminine Love. We think you’re going to love it.  For the Kingdom, Morgan

Cherie Snyder explores the metanarrative of feminine love, emphasizing the importance of spiritual growth and integration between genders. The discussion delves into the impact of toxic femininity and masculinity, highlighting the need for redemption and healing for a flourishing world. It also reflects on mature femininity and masculinity as portrayed in Proverbs, stressing the transformative power of aligning with God's wisdom.

Cherie Snyder, a thought leader on gender dynamics, discusses the intricate metanarrative of feminine love and its essential integration with masculinity. They explore how pauses in life can foster meaningful dialogues about emotional connections. The conversation tackles societal implications through contrasting narratives, examines women's experiences in shaping current events, and highlights the theological roots of gender identities. Additionally, Snyder emphasizes the vital role of secure attachment in development, showcasing the nurturing aspects of love and the balance between autonomy and connection.

Boyd Varty, a tracker, author, and teacher known for The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life, shares profound insights from his experiences in the wild. He discusses using tracking as a metaphor for personal healing and navigating life's unpredictability. Boyd explores how losing one's path can be an essential part of growth. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship and the lack of modern rites of passage. Listeners are encouraged to embody their healing as activism, connecting deeper with themselves and nature.

I have no idea where I’m going. But I know exactly how to get there. – Boyd Varty, The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life Friends, Boyd Varty’s life illuminated in and through The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life has been a steady stream of nourishment for my masculine soul in recent years. I’ve returned time and time again to the disruption and enticement of his life, wondering with hope and curiosity... What does it mean to be a man in this hour on earth? Where is the path to wholehearted, integrated masculinity today? Amidst the poison and disintegration of postmodern life, is any of it concretely possible? Masculine initiation is meant to be the interpretive grid and narrative arc for every relationship, aspect, and dimension of our lives.  Boyd’s experience in the God-breathed and terrifyingly wild spaces of South Africa reveals to us a freshly discovered universal truth of masculine initiation: Too much uncertainty is chaos. But too little is death...and we are invited to track this narrow path of uncertainty under and within the heart of a Father who is extravagantly loving and wholeheartedly forging us into deeper maturity as men.   Join me and Boyd Varty for the first part of a daring conversation on all things masculine initiation.  For the Kingdom, Morgan P.S. If you want to journey deeper with Boyd, visit www.boydvarty.com.

Dive into a reflective journey that encourages introspection and personal growth. Explore how failures can lead to spiritual transformation and the importance of recognizing both positive and negative experiences from the past year. Delve into the emotional depths of grief and its role in spiritual maturity, especially for men. The discussion highlights the significance of personal milestones and divine guidance on the path of growth. Embrace being 'unfinished' and get inspired to set new intentions as you welcome the upcoming year.