It can be tempting to only focus on God’s love, peace, grace, and mercy and forget that He has a long history of raising up men of integrity to be leaders who are also called to be warriors. We may have Joshua come to mind as well as David but the list is longer than that because since the Fall in Eden, the enemy of God has sought to take God’s Kingdom by any and all means including force. The battle for our minds remains a top priority to the present day. He uses all manner of devices to create confusion, fear, and doubt to upend the role we are to have in God’s plan.

Too often as our little boys are growing up we fail to train them for their place as leaders and warriors and it’s not really going to happen by watching video games that distort the reality of real war.

Devotionals have been written for girls of all ages but looking for a devotional for boys to help nurture them to develop integrity and humble leadership tends to be overlooked. Into that reality comes the newly released book by Stacey Pardoe and her two sons, Aiden and Caleb, God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength.

This book is a treasure trove of devotions written to speak to a boy’s heart and the challenges he faces in the midst of a culture that muddies the waters on the values that create sound leadership. It is written for boys of all ages but especially those ages 4 through 13. Each devotion starts with a Bible verse and includes a short story about the verse, a few key truths to stand on, a prayer, some questions to discuss, and an action step to help you apply what you read. 

Perhaps the best part is a short section entitled “Words from a Fellow Warrior” taken from interviews of Aiden Pardoe, age 6, and Caleb Pardoe, age 11.

Here is a sample of Aiden’s view at 6 from the devotion entitled “God’s Masterpiece” as it relates to Ephesians 2:10:

“Sometimes, I feel left out when my brother goes off to play with the neighbor and leaves me out. I try to hang out with them and be nice, but they don’t always want me to be with them. I try to remember that God loves me even when I feel left out, but I still don’t like feeling left out!”

Another example in a devotion entitled “Honoring Your Parents,” Caleb, 11, offers these thoughts:

“Sometimes, I feel my parents yell at me for the smallest things. I go to my room even when they don’t tell me to. I try not to yell back at them and show respect when I am angry.”

In a section entitled “Attitude is Everything” based on Philippians 2:14-15, Stacey writes: “Most of us know how it feels to wake up in a grumpy attitude. If we don’t change our perspective right away, a bad attitude can quickly ruin an entire day. Some people don’t realize they have control over their moods, but they do.”  

In the section entitled “Truth to Stand On” in this same devotion, Stacey offers 3 good foundational truths:

• You get to choose your attitude
• Your attitude will determine your thoughts, and your thoughts will guide your life
• People are drawn to other people who have positive attitudes

And then in the section “Let’s Talk About It” that lets the boy in your life interact with you on the topic she asks these great conversation starters: What helps you cheer up when you’re in a bad mood? And then, how do you feel when someone else is in a bad mood? Why is attitude so important?

You may not have a little boy now. Maybe you’re a grandmother enjoying grandsons or you have that boy who drops by to enjoy chatting or nibbling on a cookie with you. If you have the chance to interact with a boy, this book is for you and will not disappoint as you explore the topics and open up conversation that can leave an imprint for the rest of his life.

Caleb, the 11-year-old, gives a glimpse into who he is and is becoming when he says, “Three words to describe me are nice, quiet, and playful. These things might change about me when I get older, but one thing that will never change is that God will always love me. I’ll probably always have blue eyes too.”

God’s Warrior by Stacey, Caleb and Aiden Pardoe is available on Kindle and in soft cover.