YHC was joined by 5 other men (hence forth referred to as the A-Team, as dubbed so by UncleJesse) in the gloom at Fury for what was billed as a simple, yet difficult workout. YHC hopes that was what was delivered.

Disclaimer was given as we moseyed over to the pull-up bars.

The Thang:

10 rounds (basically a 40 minute AMRAP):

• 10 pullups
• 10 dips
• 10 burpees
• 10 goblet swuats
• 10 V-ups
• 10 KB swings
• 10 WWI sit-ups
• 10 Thrusters
• 10 BonnieBlairs
• 10 Deficit merkins (#CrowdPleaser)

Nice and simple, right? Only if you’re UncleJesse, who outpaced the field by a wide margin. Barcode and Duggar did an admirable job keeping close. Pacer tweaked his back and still did what Pacer does – crush workouts like they were designed for toddlers. Refugee pushed the pace as well, rounding out an entire lineup of #LarryBirds. I guess that’s why UncleJesse calls them the A-Team.

YHC shared an excerpt from “The Heart and the Fist” by Eric Greitens. This is my second time reading it and it is a must read, whether you like to read or not.

I held my hands splayed in front of me and looked at my knuckles. The skin was torn from punching on the heavy bag. Scar tissue would start to grow soon. But for now, I savored blood on my hands, the small cut in my lip, the soreness in my jaw. I had begun to earn the strength that comes from working through pain and it felt good.

That last sentence holds so much power. Strength is earned by working through pain. And it feels good.

Toward the end of the workout, a discussion on marriage popped up and when it is ok for a man to walk out on his wife. The conversation got interesting, but the Bible is clear on this.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. – Ephesians 5:25-30

Christ never gives up on us. Thus, we cannot give up on our wives. I had already planned a short devotion on sharpening in general with a personal testimony of God used the men of F3 to sharpen me. It was a painful 6 months. I hurt and squirmed and eventually came to a place where I simply accepted the correction, made adjustments and moved on. Things still aren’t the same as they were before, but they are getting better.

What I didn’t say in CoT was that a little over a year ago I had reached a point in my marriage where I wanted to quit. I was finished. I had taken more than I should have to take. Gotta draw the line somewhere, right?

It was then that some F3 brothers came alongside me and spoke truth into my life. They told me point blank, no punches pulled, that I was to love my wife as Christ loved the church. Period. As I began to understand what that truly meant – the amount of patience, mercy and grace – I began to view my wife much differently. There are still many struggles, but I have removed even the thought of leaving from my mind.

Along this particular let of my marriage journey, it dawned on me that I proclaim to live by the motto “Never Quit,” yet here I was ready to quit on the most important relationship I have on this earth. What a hypocrite I was!

Men, we are not perfect. But we are called to correct each other, to judge each other, to hold each other accountable. Ultimately, it is why we are here. A man has two options when the sharpening process begins. He can either accept the correction and become a better man or he can withdraw from the correction. The choice is wholly his and he must own it.

If a man chooses the correction then he will be sharpened. If a man chooses to withdraw then he will slide back down to #SadClownSyndrome. Either way, this decision belongs to the man. He owns it and whatever consequences come from it.

It is always an honor and a pleasure to lead a group of leaders.

Aye!