He is " Wild At Heart"

"Wild Man Ben on a zip line"

As a mother of three boys, I have learned a great deal. Boys come forth from the womb making car noises and looking for gun props. They look at life from a completely different perspective from Day One. It's not environmental. God designed them to be protectors, priests, and providers. They love, even as little guys, to defend the young and weak from dragons or bad guys or natural disasters. 

"Wild Man Ben taking his little cousin on a ride"

We didn't have Joshua and Benjamin during those important earliest years. And, when the Lord asked us to adopt two little boys, we were concerned about the influences they had been exposed to in those first 6 and 7 years of their lives. We were also concerned about how the fruit of those years would affect the five children He had already given us. 

"Wild Man Ben swinging out of a tree onto a trampoline"

The Lord has brought us so far since August of 2004 when they came home. They have learned what it is like to be in a family. They have learned about Jesus. They have learned and learned and learned. And the beautiful thing about learning to live under the authority of parents and God is the freedom it gives their lives. Initially they didn't think of it as "freedom." Especially Ben! He and I engaged in an incredible power struggle for months, in two different languages! He had NO intention of doing what I asked. And, yes, he DID understand what I was asking of him, even if he didn't speak English. Kregg and I cried and prayed and prayed and cried. 

"Wild Man Ben showing off his latest catch"

And the Lord answered!



It wasn't overnight. It took several years. But now, he truly walks in the freedom of a right relationship to authority. And we are able to watch his personality blossom. He is filled with joy and love and an unquenchable spirit of adventure and daring. He truly is Wild at Heart! It will be glorious to see how the Lord uses all of that!

(If you have not read the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, you should. That is only if you have a boy or are married to a man, or just know a man, you should read it. It is like pulling the curtain back on the male soul. Great insights!)