14 minute read
Onward Soldier
Written by Justin Gaynor
There is a Mission, There is a Goal
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Gentleman’s Purpose reminds men that there is a mission, there is a goal. We do a lot of things in our lives. We have a lot of activities and business. It doesn’t look like things are going to slow down in themselves. However, there is a specific purpose for each man and everything else is ancillary. Helping men explore their passions and identify their primary purpose is paramount. Then it’s a matter of understanding where your primary purpose fits within the larger picture and how all of those ancillary things are to fall in line, in proper order.
Endurance, Faithfulness
It sounds really easy, but it actually requires a lot of endurance and the development of faithfulness. Gentlemen, you have a lot of things competing for your love, your time, your attention, your affections, your financial resources, and so forth. Our tendency to get caught up in the urgent and miss out on the important is something we have to constantly be aware of, and resist. The honey-do list will always be there, until she’s not, and that just reveals that she wasn’t a woman that was concerned about you fulfilling God’s purpose for you, and that is not love. Of course, you want to love your woman well and that includes, for many, the love language of ‘acts of service’. Therein is the art of being a gentleman, fulfilling your purpose while keeping your balance in everything. This will require endurance and faithfulness.
Love as the Highest Calling
As gentlemen...manners, proper etiquette, wisdom and whatnot must all be developed, but at the end of the day genuine love is the highest calling. To develop love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith is vital to your success. We do not arrive at a place of experiencing and being a source of genuine love by accident. It comes as we seek the mercy and grace of God in our daily lives, reflecting on what it means to love genuinely. There is a book that you might find helpful. A couple of minister friends of mine claim it is one of the most effective resources they have come across. It deals specifically with developing our capacity for receiving love and our ability to love genuinely. The book is called “Agape Road: Journey to Intimacy with the Father” and it is written by Bob Mumford.
Gentleman’s Purpose Believes In A Better Future.
Will You Believe With Us?
www.ChristChurchJerusalem.org
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www.FreedomChurchPB.org
Common Ground Community Development 1201 S. Federal Hwy. Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460 kelly@cglakeworth.org
Relationships
SEX
Everyone Likes Sex Written by Justin Gaynor One of the most beautiful things about being a man...is women. Women are absolutely amazing. Created to be a helpmeet for the primordial human and delightful in all their ways. Women simply make men better. It isn’t just the fact that it’s not good for us to be alone. Women are delightful because they offer this relationship that is reciprocal, but not identical. They are the Yen to our Yang as they say. God took something good from us, multiplied it in its goodness and gave her back to us as a gift. ...And man’s response? WHOOAAA MAN!!! Certainly one of the things we men most enjoy about women is sex. There are the obvious practical benefits, such as the survival of the human race through procreation. It is so much more than that though. Sex offers an opportunity for a level of spiritual, emotional, and physical intimacy that is absolutely unmatched by any other activity that occurs between a man and a woman. Sex is quite literally the pinnacle of human interaction. The ancient Hebrews learned a prayer that their decendants recite three times daily to this day. It’s called the Shema... “Shema Y’Israel, Adonai Elohanu, Adonai Echad...which translates “Hear O Israel, The LORD is God, The LORD is One.” This oneness, this reuniting of the male and the female in such a way that they maintain their
uniqueness and yet the two become one flesh. It is one of the single most profound mysteries of creation.
There are a lot of things that have happened since that primordial man and woman came together and the LORD gave her a child. The beauty and wonder of this divine expression of the relationship between Creator and creation has been distorted and there have been heinous acts committed due to corruptions like adultery, beastiality...(yes, after the fall of man...people started doing some really crazy things...God wouldn’t have issued a law against it if they had not done it). On this side of the cross though gentlemen, there is a divine power called grace that has been unleashed and it is setting things right in the midst of us. This grace should be sought after, received, cooperated with, and thoroughly enjoyed.
Sex really is such an amazing thing. It offers a multitude of benefits to our health and well-being when enjoyed in the context of a mutually beneficial, committed relationship. The connections that are made, the soul ties that are established that help us to build one another up in ways beyond our comprehension, it is all divinely mystical and ordained by the Creator. Thank God for sex.
Style
SPRING STYLE
Written by Justin Gaynor
Here in South Florida, we don’t have much of a winter season. That means that our scarfs, beanies, and coats get extremely limited use, not to mention the style benefits of layering. So here in March we are really already looking to see what the 2021 Spring Collection is going to be bringing to our wardrobe.
Some of my favorites that have been seen consistently on the runways are the slim tie, notably focused on by Prada. There are the classic bermuda shorts and of course my favorites, Hawaiian shirts and broad brimmed hats like my beloved Panama hat.
Favorite shopping destinations for me will continue to be Tommy Bahama, a little hat shop near Mallory Square in Key West where they hand make some of the best Panama hats in the world...and of course my favorite vintage shop here in Lake Worth Beach, Stitches and Rust.
Another item that the Spring lineup has on offer are large trenchcoats and baggy suits reminiscent of the zootsuits of the roaring ‘20s. Now I’m a Florida native so sandals, especially a quality pair of Rainbow Sandals goes with everything...and it seems that reality is going to be catchin’ on this spring as well, so I am one happy gentleman.
ref: Shilpaahuja
real vintage that is really affordable...
617 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460 561-460-0977
Business
The Art of Business
Written by Justin Gaynor
Business is an ancient art form and as you know, Gentleman’s Purpose is all about building up and equipping men to fulfill their purpose while keeping their balance in all things. We recently completed offering a 4-week class on the basics of building a business. General Media Consulting Company (parent company of Gentleman’s Purpose) partnered with Common Ground Community Development to offer the class to anyone who wanted to participate.
The first session of the class looked at the value of writing a formal business plan. We explored what a modern business plan may incude in its content and how each section is helpful in unifying a team around a common mission and vision.
Next, we took a deep dive into effective networking and building social capital. The conversation started with a four part framework for understand networking dynamics. Then we walked through several very practical tips to help attendees build and maintain their networks more effectively.
In the third session, we talked about marketing and how to spend marketing dollars wisely. The course covered topics such as developing and clarifying the message, sales funnels, and the value of email campaigns in nurturing relationships.
Dining
Rustico Italiano CAFE’ FRANKIE’S
Written by Justin Gaynor Written by Justin Gaynor In Downtown Lake Worth Beach there are a lot of great restaurants. Not only on the main street, Lake Avenue, but also peppered throughout the surrounding area. On one of my walks I happened to pass Rustico Italiano. A small Italian eatery that reminded me a lot of an Italian restaurant that I worked at as a server years ago. So, I figured I would give it a try. The classic Italian style of the restaurant and the curb appeal was quite lovely. It felt very authentic, like a place that I would enjoy in Florence or Rome. When I entered the restaurant, there were only a few patrons there. I was asked if I had a reservation. I did not. The server promptly seated me. The interior of the restaurant was very cozy. It is a rather small place, but very comfortable and classy. Everything appeared to be clean, the service team were all wearing masks and were dressed in the traditional black slacks, black shirts, and black shoes. The service was very good and the food was as well. I started with a fresh garden salad and for my entree the Lobster Ravioli special at $35 was tender and delicious. The house Pinot Noir was a perfect partner. When another server stopped by my table with the dessert tray, I couldn’t resist my sweet tooth. There was a lovely confection that really finished the meal off nicely. All in all, it was a great meal at a wonderful restaurant that would be great for any occasion. Follow Rustico Italiano on FB
The first time I was introduced to Cafe’ Frankie’s, my friend Calley and I were just looking for something to do as we we were first getting to know each other. She told me about Frankie’s and seemed pretty stoked about it. I was not disappointed. We had a large pie with an assortment of fresh toppings and I was hooked. This was a big deal for me since Dean Anthony’s had been my go to for years. So, when John Brewer of The Socially Distanced Supper Club agreed to meet with me so we could dream together a little about making a positive impact on local commerce, Frankie’s was the place. John was already well known by the owner and staff. In my experience the food is consistently delicious. I had the grilled salmon wrap and John went for a tasty salad topped with tender steak. The atmosphere is that of a small Italian family diner. It is comfortable and the kind of place where everybody knows your name...especially if you’ve been there a couple times. Pastor Joe Trapani, after tasting a pie from Frankie’s that I brought to one of our family movie nights at Freedom Church of the Palm Beaches, has been requesting pizza from Frankie’s ever since. He’s an old school Italian so his thumbs up sealed the deal for me... Frankie’s is a great place for pizza in Boynton Beach! As far as the conversation between John and I, well, I am amazed at the work the guy is putting in to benefit the restaurant industry here in Palm Beach county. John, myself, and local restauranteurs are looking forward to seeing a great recovery from a very distressing 2020.
Books
What is the SIE?
Picking up the SIE (Securities Industry Essentials) Exam Prep book is more than a good addition to your library for March of 2021. This is a fairly new exam offered by FINRA. One of nations governing institutions entrusted with the oversight of a large part of what goes on in the American financial system.
The reality is that every gentleman ought to be able to speak intelligently on the subject of finance, investment, and industry governance. These types of conversation are commonplace in most networking circles. The health and reliability of the American financial system is essential to the flourishing of the domestic and international markets.
You can purchase this book for around $20, study, pay $60 to take a test, and you will have a certification that has the potential to open a lot of doors for you in the financial industry for 4 years. You will have proven your financial accumen, and this is one of the only certifiaction tests FINRA offers that doesn’t require a financial firm to sponsor you. Being proactive, in most cases, speaks positively to the character of a gentleman.
Agape Road
This book first came to my attention when some friends of mine and I drove to a house church in Jupiter, FL. There were two Gospel ministers co-laboring there and they mentioned that this was one of the most effective resources for Christian discipleship they have ever come across.
Over the years I have come to love and hate this book. The conviction and discipline that the Holy Spirit brought into my life, specifically regarding the focal areas of this book, has been unmistakable. I know that only a fool hates discipline, but there were times when it seemed so unrelenting, that I was ready to curse the day it’s title was ever mentioned. The reality is though, a person as sinful and self-centered as I was does not learn how to genuinely love God and love people without a lot of this kind of discipline.
It truly has been the journey of a lifetime. Learning to allow and embrace Jesus in His leading us to the Father is challenging, difficult,powerful and transformative. There may be times where you may end up feeling like I did, plant the seed anyway...there will be a harvest of righteousness if you allow the discipline to train you.
Music
