My Table
A few year ago, I went through one of the most difficult seasons that I can recall. I was meeting regularly with a group of men in what we call a “soul group”. We were all going through that rough season together. It felt like merciless attacks from Satan against myself and my brothers. Our families, children, and jobs were all under attack.
My resolve is steadfast because of the men that sit at my table and speak truth and grace into my life. Absent these brothers, and the larger Crucible Project community, I would run and hide and fail once again to stand my ground.
Feeling the strain of the season, I imagined how it would be to sit at the table in heaven with Jesus and swap stories about survival, moments of defeat and miraculous victory. I imagined that I would want to know how he brought me through my darkest times and how He knew that I would need each of the men at my table to speak truth and grace into my life at just the right moments.
The following poem isn’t just for the men at my table, it is for the men that sit at your table too. It is for the men who are working on being better men. You need to know the value of being present in the lives of broken men everywhere. Never stop blessing those men and speaking truth to them, and most importantly never stop receiving the grace, truth, and gold that the men at your table give.
My Table
Men of courage and men of valor,
Come sit at my table, you’ll see,
Where the weak are held by grace and truth;
These are the men that surround me.
Little boy stories that once held the pain,
Come sit at my table, you’ll know,
Bare souls, deep wounds, and unbearable truths;
These are men that find gold in shadow.
Alone, my brothers would be weary in battle,
Come sit at my table, you’ll hear,
Impossible stories from mighty warriors;
These are men that show no fear.
Each soul changes, the heart grows deep,
Come sit at my table, you’ll likely see,
King, warrior, sage, and lover;
These are men God called them to be.
Our fight isn’t over, the journey just started,
Come sit at my table, you’ll bear witness,
Blood, sweat, and tears, with grace, truth, and love;
These are the men that carry my stress.
All of us are broken, and somehow, we are whole,
Come sit at my table, you’ll see,
Redwoods stand tall through dark storms;
These are kings that surround me.
If you don’t have a table filled with grace, truth and love, I invite you to let us know at MyJourneyTo.com or TheCrucibleProject.org.
By Dave Record
Dave completed his initial weekend in 2016. He frequently volunteers to staff men’s weekends. Dave holds a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, and master’s degrees in Operations Management and International Business. Dave lives in Colorado is passionate about airplanes, baseball, his kids, writing, and learning how to transform the lives of men through his ongoing work with The Crucible Project.
Photo Credit: Joi Ito via Creative Commons