Be a faithful father, resolve to be more engaged in raising a godly generation across 2015.

Tips for this NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION:

1. Prioritize your physical presence in the home and with family. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning … The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.’ John 1:1-2, 14. Just as God provided a connection with Him through the physical presence of His Son, a father provides a connection to the Father by being present and accounted for in family. read on ...

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. – Deuteronomy 7:9. Our Father is a faithful Father. He has proven His faithfulness in loving us so much that He gave us the Christ child, Himself incarnate.

As you celebrate Christmas with your family, reflect on what kind of love this is, our Father’s love - A covenant of love so strong that He allowed His Son to walk this earth all the way to the cross, to put death to the sin that got between He and us. Death to sin, power in the resurrected Christ and indwelling of the Holy Spirit was birthed that first Christmas morn. What a Gift! Before you share gifts in family, read the story of The Gift as a family – Luke 1:28 - 2:20. read on ...

Are you like me when someone wishes you “Happy Holidays”? I always respond with a “Merry Christmas!” I think I do it in a loving way. When a friend asked me why I needed to put such emphasis on that issue I found myself being a little argumentative in suggesting the need to keep CHRIST in the Christmas season. I don’t know where that tone came from but my friend said something that woke me up. He said, “If we did a better job of keeping CHRIST in Christian, Christmas would take care of itself.”

That was the second time in as many days I had been busted with a pious attitude. The other was ...read on

A father-figure in my life served part-time as a deputy sheriff for the county. In that capacity, he would provide added security in the local retail stores leading up to Christmas. One time while on duty, a mom trying to deal with her son’s tantrum over a game, pointed to him and said, “Son, if you do not stop I will have the officer take you to jail!” He took a knee and told the boy, “Young man, you need to obey your mother. You also need to know that a police officer is here as a helper and protector if you are ever in trouble.” The mother realized that in her emotional outburst she had planted a seed not only for fear of an officer but potentially of disrespect for law enforcement.

There is a lot of emotion percolating around law enforcement recently ...read on

This time of year always carries a special significance for Faithful Fathering. We praise the Lord for the opportunities granted through your involvement in, and support of our efforts over this past fiscal year to encourage and equip dads to be faithful fathers. Dads that prioritize physical presence, are engaged emotionally and lead spiritually by example are the solution to many of the societal woes we face today.

THANK YOU for your commitment to Faithful Fathering. You are a blessing as we press forward on the journey the Lord has us on. This past year ...read on

Best wishes to your family for a blessed and restful Thanksgiving.

The Word on Thanksgiving – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7. Paul admonishes men to live with a thanksgiving state of mind. With thanksgiving, the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. That means the noise and distractions of the world that work to keep us anxious even during this season will not be granted any power over us.

Tips to maintain a Thanksgiving State of Mind: read on ...

One of the most frustrating statistics on the fathering front is that less than one in ten families attending church weekly have any spiritual discussion in the home between Sundays. This lack of intentionality gives the world more influence than we realize and the result rests square on the shoulders of dads!

When my kids were learning to drive, I was very intentional in helping them to understand the rules of the road. I took them out to the country and downtown Houston in all kinds of weather to teach them how to handle a vehicle under various road conditions. And I equipped them to stay alert because other drivers will disregard the rules of the road and do the unexpected – there is no shortage of such educational opportunities while driving around Houston. We talked often about leaving enough room to have a way out of a bad situation. The intentional effort paid off in that both kids are good drivers.

When kids begin their faith journey, read on ...

In light of Veteran’s Day, this is a shout out to all those who have served in the military in defense of our great country, this one nation under God. Thank you!

I learned the hard way to honor our veterans. Growing up in a violent alcoholic home, I just knew I did not want anything to do with Dad nor have anything in common with him. After having our last run in, I left home at a young age. My eldest sister and her husband opened their home to me and I moved on with life. I had two prayers and one goal as a young man – I prayed I would be blessed with a happy and healthy marriage and family, and that I would keep my family well above the poverty line I had grown up below; My goal was to go as far as I could in the opposite direction of my dad.

All was going well with that plan. I had not effectively talked with Dad for 15 years - read on ...

“I’m a Believer” was a smash hit for The Monkees in 1966. A key line in the popular tune was, “I believe in love.” Of course the song was about feelings of love for a girl. A question beckons - Am I a believer of feelings or of something more substantial?

Brittany Maynard tugged on our feelings this past week. The 29 year old, diagnosed with a lethal brain tumor, took her life Saturday, November 1^st with a fatal dose of medication. Such a dose can be obtained legally by terminally ill patients courtesy of Oregon’s right-to-die law. This case was widely publicized through an organization called Compassion and Choices, an end-of-life advocate. Chief program officer, Mickey MacIntyre told CBS News he considers it “the next civil and human right.”

If anyone had a “right” to determine when and how they were going to die, would it not have been Jesus the Christ? ...read on

What bold stance have you taken recently? I have been impressed by the growing number of dads that are dropping cable and satellite service, and in general cutting back significantly on time spent in front of the television, on the internet time and on cell phones in favor of more family time. These dads are taking a bold stand against social media and worldly influence in the home.

Recently, it was encouraging to see over 30 pastors across the Houston area, a senator and the Liberty Institute stand beside five local pastors whose sermons and other church communication had been subpoenaed by the mayor’s office. read on ...

Peyton Manning is known as one of the National Football League’s greatest quarterbacks blasting past Brett Favre’s record 508 career touchdown passes this week. Behind the performance on the field he is known as a man with a tremendous work ethic and discipline, watching hours of video to know the next week’s opponent and running offensive drills that will help prepare his team. He is known as an athlete that pushes himself physically and mentally even through the valley of multiple neck surgeries just a few years ago. These are great qualities to be passed on to the next generation.

What are you known for? During several overnight campouts on church grounds this month, we distributed interview cards to the dads and kids participating to see how well they knew each other. Questions included: read on...

I confess that I do not like to run. I have never had a desire to run a marathon nor compete in a triathlon or Iron Man. My son challenged me to join him and a group of buddies to do a Tough Mudder this fall. I told him I was happy being a walkin’ fadder.

I think walking is one of the most underrated exercises. Research has shown that walking and moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day can help: reduce risk of coronary heart disease; improve blood pressure & blood sugar levels; maintain body weight; reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes; and reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer. There are emotional and relational benefits as well. My bride and I have been walking just about every night since our kids were in middle school. For the last 15 years we have used a 2 to 3 mile trek to discuss family issues, process challenges our kids were going through and even prepare ourselves for the empty nest phase of life. read on...

Would your friends say you are generous with your time, talent and treasure? How about your family or your church? A pastor may challenge you to look at your check book or debit card statement to assess how generous you have been with your money. The sermon usually goes along the lines of, “where your money goes reflects where your heart is.” In a similar vein, kids may challenge you to look at your calendar to see how generous you have been with time committed to them. Where you spend time does reflect priorities in life.

Ideally, the checkbook would reflect at least a tithe to the church and support for great para-church ministries. Likewise, your calendar would show birthdays, anniversaries, school events and other kids’ activities as priorities across the year. Time, talent and treasure are all gifts from God and He is glorified through generous giving of those gifts for Kingdom work.

“Command those who are rich ...read on

I had a friend that failed to read up on the traffic rules and signage for Holland when he visited the country on a business trip. He knew it wasn’t England so he would get to drive on the “normal” side of the road and thus assumed all else would be similar to his American experience. Upon arrival in Amsterdam he promptly drove into the centrum and found a handy parking spot in front of a restaurant. After ordering some breakfast he looked out the window to see the car being towed off! He had parked in a “No Parking” zone. Pleading ignorance to the foreign sign was not an adequate excuse and did not reduce the fine. A very expensive lesson in obedience was learned.

King David had a similar experience when he tried to move the ark of God ...read on

Is spanking a crime? The media seems to be using high profile child abuse charges levied against a dad as fuel to give that argument credence. There has been a new flurry of articles written by “experts” on the subject. But be alert to phrases like, “And while the modern scientific consensus is clear …” when they are not backed up with objective scientific evidence. Biblical writings are absolutely clear that discipline is foundational in raising a godly generation – young people that respect authority, the rule of law and honor their father and mother. There is a good argument that the present trend of lawlessness and disrespect for authority that percolates in parts of our government and society is the result of a generation raising children with more concern about hurting self-esteem than building self-esteem through sound disciplinary practices in the home.

“Do not withhold discipline from a child; read on...

Are you ready for some football? It doesn’t appear that the NFL was ready for what it got the first couple of weeks of the season. I confess, I am old school and still embrace the rule of law that guarantees us due process when charged with a crime. The way the media and society obsess over YouTube videos and other picture postings, innocence until proven guilty is being turned on its head! We as consumers should not tolerate this, but I digress.

What I find fascinating is the level of physical discipline that professional athletes must practice in order to compete at the level they do. Many of them are able to apply similar levels of discipline to the emotional and spiritual aspects of their lives as well but those athletes do not typically make the paper.

You do not have to be a professional athlete to struggle with inconsistent physical, emotional or spiritual disciplines in life. We see pastors fall from grace and CEOs mismanage the company’s pension funds. We see men struggling with alcohol and dads losing their temper.

Paul provides an example for us in 2 Corinthians, ...read on

My daughter and I were backpacking with other dads and daughters in the Weminuche Valley of the San Juan Mountains back in June. It was our overnight on the trail so after a great day, we enjoyed dinner and good discussion around the campfire. Then the moon rose over the ridge. It was a full moon in full glory illuminating the whole valley in grand fashion. It was so bright that we cast giant shadows as we walked in its light! It provided a brilliant reflection of the sun that night and was certainly the brightest moon we had ever experienced.

I was struck by the analogy of that experience to my walk as a Christian. I am to be a reflection of the Son in order to illumine the valleys of life that family or friends may be walking through. While the moon waxes and wanes through its phases, I as a Christian am waxed to the full by the Holy Spirit. The only waning that goes on is by choice. read on...

It was October 4^th, 1997, on The Mall in Washington D.C. – I was one of over a million men attending Promise Keepers’ Stand in the Gap event. We listened to some of the nation’s top preachers & teachers challenge us on the many fronts of manhood; we heard of Jesus’ example of loving selflessly and sacrificially and were challenged to love our wives in the same way; we sang in force, “A Mighty Fortress is our God”, “As for Me and My House” and other hymns; we were on our knees with billfolds open to pictures of our family, praying for them; and we were encouraged and equipped in the word of God to Stand in the Gap for marriage and family, and for the Church. That was the first time I had heard with such clarity what it meant to be a man.

To put an exclamation point on the experience, the Lord worked through a stewardess on the flight returning a plane load of men to Houston early on October 5^th, almost all of whom had been on The Mall the day before. After the safety briefing, the stewardess said, “Men, I know y’all received a lot of negative press for the gathering on The Mall yesterday. But I want you to know that we women love you, we love what you are doing and pray that you will keep on doing it!” Applause and Amens erupted. read on ...

What are you full of? Better yet, what do your friends say you are full of? We are all full of something – full of self or full of the Spirit. Or we are somewhere in between playing the game of balance with the spiritual and natural life in this world. It is easy to do ‘Spirit-filled’ on Sundays but Monday through Friday we turn naturally to self, self-motivation and self-actualization in the workplace.

Stress can be a good indicator as to what you are full of. The stress level increases when the Spirit is pushed out by the noise of the world and the pressure-packed decisions that are part of life. It is not as normal to turn to the Holy Spirit in prayer to process a business decision as it is a health concern. read on ...

What are you fearful of? No doubt several world situations have you fearful if you are caught up in the 24/7 news cycle! There is quite a choice – rioting in Ferguson, murders in Chicago, illegal entry across our southern border, ISIS capturing Fallujah, refugees pinned on a mountainside in Iraq, Israel at war, Ukraine battling Russian insurgence, chemical weapons in Syria, aggressive persecution including beheadings by ISIS, and the list goes on. In some parts of the world people fear for their way of life while others fear for life itself.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. – Proverbs 29:25. We live in a broken world because man is broken. Man is in need of a Savior and He is Jesus the Christ. As we turn to Him in a personal relationship ...read on

What kind of inheritance did you receive, or do you anticipate receiving from your dad? I inherited the silk maps of different groups of islands in the South Pacific my dad had with him in the cockpit of his Hellcat fighter during World War II. They have fared much better than he did post the stress young Navy pilots dealt with during those times. I also inherited some of his characteristics, his athleticism and competitive spirit.

In his latter days, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. Read on ...

Be Strong in Mind to be “All In” with relationship to Jesus the Christ – When Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with … all your mind”, He was referring to how our thoughts guide us in relationship with Him.

Paul’s word to the Corinthians addressed the mental discipline needed in this world  – “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2Cor. 10:5. The charge is to keep the mind from drifting to unclean thoughts that will distract and lead to disobedience.

Failure to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ opens the door to bad choices and temptations ...Read on

Be Strong in Spirit to be “All In” with relationship to Jesus the Christ – When Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with … all your soul”, He was referring to the spiritual component of our relationship with Him. He told his disciples, “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.” – John 14:16. The disciples were filled with the Spirit at Pentecost and equipped to minister under the influence of the Holy Spirit from that point on.

Paul’s word in Romans conveyed similar encouragement – “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” – Rom. 8:15-16. The charge is to stay under the influence of the Holy Spirit in all we do.

Failure to stay under the influence of the Holy Spirit opens the door to bad choices ...Read on

Last week I referred to being “All In” with relationship to Jesus the Christ – He told us to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind.” – Matthew 22:37. The message resonated with many that I talked with via email & phone, but the question remained – “How do I do ‘All In’?”  It requires being Strong in heart, soul and mind.

The first step is to Be Strong in heart. Jesus said, “all your heart”, referring to a physical commitment to Him. When His disciples heard, “Follow me”, they were convicted to stop what they were doing and to step up in a physical commitment to Him. Jesus would spend the next three years strengthening their soul and mind but it required a physical commitment, their whole heart. Jesus expected each of His disciples, and that includes us, to be tuned-in to Him 24/7. Read on ...

I was all in with tennis as a kid. I ate, drank and slept tennis, determined to be the next Rod Laver. I would walk to the city courts and play all day, every day in the summer. If there wasn’t anyone there to hit with, I would hit serves or hit against the backboard. I loved the game and was blessed to play at the university level. But the reality was that I would not make it to Rod Laver’s level of play. I wasn’t even the best on our team. I realized that being all in with a game could cause problems with relationships, not to mention graduation and job prospects.

Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” – Matthew 22:37-38. When Jesus says “all” three times in one sentence, He means to be ALL in with Him. ...read on

On the anniversary of our great nation I was struck by how little I heard about prayer. In “One Nation Under God”, James P. Moore documents the significance of prayer throughout our history and specific prayer warriors such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, General George Patton, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower to name a few. It should be required reading in every home!

But here we are men, on the 238^th anniversary of these United States and it is obvious that prayer is not as much a part of the fiber of our country as it was just a generation or two ago. This is happening on our watch and we need to take a stand on prayer for the sake of our nation and the next generation.

Please join me in praying this prayer daily for the men, husbands and fathers in our circles and beyond:

Our Father, hear our prayer ....read on

I got another one of those political calls the other night asking if I was a Republican or Democrat. I said, “I am an American.” She hung up on me. I had wanted to tell the caller about my new grassroots movement called the Unhyphenated American Party. Have you noticed that you can’t fill out a form anywhere without a series of boxes to determine what kind of American you are? I don’t see the point except possibly to benefit some special interests groups, which is a completely different discussion. Besides, my box is never there! My German grandfather and Russian grandmother were pushed out of Russia by the Bolsheviks in 1913. My mother’s family came over from Ireland a couple of generations earlier. But German-Russian-Irish-American never shows up on any forms!

America is a nation of immigrants. That has been our strength largely because ...read on

I like to fix things. A recent project involved a section of concrete sidewalk in front of our house. Some settling made the bicycle ride to school for the neighborhood kids treacherous. So I got my shovel, some 2X4’s and QuickCrete and leveled it up with the adjoining slabs. With some sweat and timely help from my bride, the problem was fixed. Unfortunately, a month or so later a couple of other sections of the concrete sidewalk started to drift and the bicycle ride in front of our house was treacherous once again. Then I addressed the solution – to tear out the old and lay new concrete complete with rebar connecting the individual sections to keep all smooth, no more drifting. My bride, the neighbors’ kids and the homeowners association are all happy.

There is a parallel to this project in society. Policies spinning out of the “war on poverty” initiative in 1964 come to mind. In an effort to provide a fix ...read on

Be a Faithful Father:

1. Prioritize your physical presence in the home and with family. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning ... The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us." - John 1:1-2, 14. Just as God provided a connection with Him through the physical presence of His Son, a father provides a connection to the Father by being present and accounted for in family.

2. Be engaged emotionally with your wife and kids. ...read on

A young man announced to his dad that he and his girlfriend were going to move in together. He knew his dad’s position on marriage and sexual purity, it was a line in the sand. The dad refused to embrace this sinful lifestyle but he had a decision to make – allow his son’s choice to be a wedge in their relationship and cut off communication; or convey disagreement with the choice and continue to love unconditionally. He chose to ... read on

Being angry at the right person about the right thing at the right time in the right way and having the right effect is not an easy thing to do. Jesus did it well in the temple but I have yet to be able to do it well in my anger. Recently I was blessed to attend a Christ Transformation Prayer (CTP) session conducted by Pastor Seumean Kuon of TOUCH Family Church. In the session, Seumean addressed anger as the devil’s central scheme to keep man in sin and under the influence of his lies.

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. – Ephesians 4:26-27. Being angry is not necessarily sinful. read on...

Are you free? We are a nation founded on certain freedoms called the Bill of Rights, the first 10 Amendments to our United States Constitution. The first amendment addresses the freedom of religion and of speech. These are tied together because we typically speak as we believe. Today, societal pressure on politically correct speech is inhibiting this basic freedom and in doing so, it also inhibits the freedom of religion – reference the push back of recent statements by Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A and Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty. Society is embracing a secular religion that espouses freedom until it butts up against a Christian worldview.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." read on...

It helps to be able to text, even if you don’t use your thumbs. Being on Facebook is important if your kids are – it is okay to mandate being ‘friended’. Technological connectivity is important but don’t forget physical presence, emotional engagement and spiritual leadership.

Tips for connecting: read on ...

Captain America takes up his shield often as his primary weapon, a concave disk 2.5 feet in diameter, weighing 12 pounds. It is reportedly made of a unique Vibranium-metal alloy that has never been duplicated. It is virtually indestructible and is as much an offensive weapon as a defensive one.

The shield of faith is virtually indestructible as well. It is made up of a unique alloy that incorporates ...read on

With the CrossFit regimens, marathons, triathlons, Iron Man competitions and even the Tough Mudder, physical fitness is seeing new levels of popularity. The right shoes, the passion to compete and a disciplined training program are keys to being physically fit and ready for battle.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. … and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes with the gospel of peace. – Ephesians 6:11&15

The gospel of peace is ...read on

Brad Stine is a Christian comedian with a routine called, “Put a helmet on!” In it he belittles the generation that has grown up never riding a bicycle without a helmet on. His sarcasm includes the amazement around how the older generation has survived – ones that never wore bicycle helmets, did not wear seat belts and even drank water out of a garden hose! It is a hilarious routine but it took on a different perspective when I talked with a buddy that survived a nasty bicycle accident in which his helmet had saved his life.

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. … Take on the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, – Ephesians 10:11&17

The helmet of salvation has saved my life. It is the knowledge and belief ...read on

James P. Moore, Jr. provides a stirring chronicle of the spiritual life of our nation and its rich history of prayer in his book, “One Nation Under God”. In an engaging read, he takes us from the devoutly religious Christopher Columbus to George Washington to Abraham Lincoln, all the way through the 2004 presidential election. He documents why Benjamin Franklin moved to open each session of the Continental Congress in prayer and how General Patton called on his chief Third Army chaplain, Brigadier General James O’Neill for a special prayer to implore God for good weather and final victory during World War II. Mr. Moore shows that without prayer, the political, cultural, social, and even economic and military history of the United States would be vastly different from what it is today.

As a warm up for the National Day of Prayer, May 1^st, I encourage you to be a prayer warrior for this one nation under God every day leading up to NDP and every day following. Here is an example ...read on

Pray early and often for your children, individually by name. I guarantee the reason I am here sharing these insights with you is that my mother prayed for me every day from when I was in her arms to when she went into the Lord’s arms September 6, 2010. If you know my story, you are familiar with the power of prayer in my life. If you don’t, I welcome the opportunity to meet you for a cup of coffee or speak to your group sometime.

For now, hear Paul, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Prayer guide:
Praise and thanks be to You Lord for my child …
Lord, I ask that You protect and guide my child … read on

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us." (1Peter 2:11-12)

It is normal to get caught up in a heated discussion or meeting, maybe even lose your temper and say something you regret. The challenge is to be different by keeping your cool and appraising the whole situation before making a comment. Through a level-headed approach a practical solution will become clear and in obedience you will honor the Father.

It is the new normal to be sexually promiscuous in these times of seemingly constant titillation through popular clothing fashions and all forms of media. The standard is ...read on

​What’s a cyber? If that is your first question, I hear you! And that is at the core of the issue – kids today are typically well ahead of us dads and moms in the use of technology. To the extent that when we attempt to control their use of technology or exposure to social media, we are met with pushback, frustration and even anger.

As parents, it is critical to establish a personal comfort factor with the technology kids are exposed to today. read on ...

In his book “Choose the Life”, Bill Hull puts forth a challenge for Christ-likeness in this world. The call is to believe what Christ believed, live as Jesus lived, love as Jesus loved, serve as Jesus served and lead as Jesus led. It is a call for transformation! This is a call for men and fathers to be transformed, to step up as the leaders the next generation needs. read on...

In his book “Deep & Wide – Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend”, Andy Stanley speaks of the five pillars on which he and his team built a church. The pillars are what he calls the five faith catalysts that all on the Christian walk have experienced to some degree. The book explains how a church can be built to nurture the respective catalysts and empower the congregation to be the Church.

As dads, and as priests in your homes, these catalysts should be nurtured in family as well to empower the next generation to walk boldly in the Truth. Being the Church in family will Create Generational Kingdom Builders. read on ...

The New Year offers a unique opportunity to start anew in an area of your life that may have suffered some neglect over the past year. That’s what resolutions are about. Yet, the lifespan of most New Year resolutions is measured in days! This year step up as the dad the next generation needs ...read more