Dear Friend,
As a guy, I love adventure...of every kind! And as you and I are about to begin a joint journey into adventure, I am thinking about one particular “extreme adventure.” It fits our aim in this book of becoming a man after God’s own heart.
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it from the air and admired it from the ground, but there’s something very special about Diamond Head. That’s the name of the extant volcano that forms a rugged, unmistakable landmark at the southern end of Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu. On my last visit to this tropical island, I was challenged by my son-in-law (also an extreme adventurer) to not just look at Diamond Head, but to actually hike it!
So, off Paul and I went on an extreme adventure. We hiked. We climbed. We pushed on...until we made it to the top. And boy, was the effort worth it! The view across Oahu was incredible—truly an awesome sight.
Isn’t that the way it is with the climb to experience the view from the top of any mountain peak, or high hill, or citadel where a castle or fort formerly stood—difficult, but worth it? But tragically, many young men never know what an utterly breathtaking view life is from the top (and I’m no longer talking about mountaintops!). Why? Because they never make it to the top of anything. Somewhere along their climb to “something,” they stop, or get distracted, or stumble, or fall. And they never get back up, or they turn back, because the climb is too extreme.
But my new friend, that’s not what I want for you. No, I want you to feel and experience that spectacular view from the top of your mountain called “life.” And to help you get there, I have written this book.
My desire as you read this book about your priorities as a young man is that you would not make some of the mistakes that I and others have made on the way to the top of our mountains. Mistakes can cost you many years in your quest for reaching the top—in your desire to make it, to succeed, to reach the summit, to become a man after God’s own heart.
In this book my goal is to simply and clearly lay out some of God’s priorities for you as you start your climb to greatness. Making these priorities your own is vital to preparing you for your life’s climb.
To sharpen your focus and heighten the adventure, I have added some material at the end of each chapter. In “Tough Decisions for Today,” you’ll find a list of thought-provoking questions about the priorities discussed in that chapter. “The Cutting Edge” exercises are aimed at getting you into your Bible to reinforce your knowledge of God’s priorities. Both sets of questions are optional, but I strongly encourage you to take the time and effort to complete them. You’ll learn about the priorities you need to focus on as a young man who desires to know God and follow after Him. And you’ll also learn some quick and easy ways to put them into practice.
So come on! The journey to understanding what God desires for you as A Young Man After God’s Own Heart is an exciting one. Don’t miss out on the quest…you will never be the same!
Your fellow traveler,