Healing Your Church Hurt Book Giveaway

            Have you or someone you have known suffered from Church hurt? Have you felt rejected or looked down upon them that are your brothers and sisters in Christ? Has a Pastor, Elder, or Deacon/Deaconess said something about you that you felt was untrue, or not in love or kindness.  The truth of the matter is we live in a fallen world, and even those who mean well will at times hurt us.  95% of the time this is unintentional.  I myself have experienced Church hurt in the sense of people who I held in high esteem went so far as to questions my salvation, not to me, but to my father.  Yet, even today do I hold this over these godly men? The answer is, No. 

            In his book, Healing Your Church Hurt, Stephen Mansfield addresses the issue of Church hurt, and what should be our response to it.  I hope you all had a chance to read my review of this great book.  Now I have something I want to announce.  As part of the blog tour I was given the ability to give away one copy of this book.  Others who I have shared my review with have known others who might benefit from reading this book.  So now I want to give you the chance to get a copy of this book.

This drawing will end on April 30^th, and here are the details.  If you would like a chance to get a free copy of this book please follow these simple steps. 

1.      If you have Google + add and leave a comment for me at pemery4christ92@gmail.com.  This will give you two entries.

2.      If you have not sent me a friends request at Facebook, add me as a friend and leave a comment.  This will give you two entries.

3.      If you are not following my blog become a follower or subscribe to the blog at http://www.biblicallybornagain.blogspot.com.  This will get you one entry.

4.      You can also follow the Emery Family Blog at http://www.theemeryfamilyblog.blogspot.com.  This will get you one entry.

5.      Go to the book review of Healing Your Church Hurt and leave a comment.  This will give you one entry.

6.      Share the book review on the social media of your choice, the more media sources you share the more points you will earn, and then send me a link to your share so I can verify.  Points will be based off verification.

7.      Do you blog? Then connect your blogs to mine using Network Blogs.  This will give you one entry.

I look forward to sharing future contests with you. 

In Christ,
Paul Emery

The Issue May Be with the Church, but it is also an Issue with You: A Book Review of Healing Your Church Hurt

            Back in December Tyndale Publishers announced another blog tour.  This time there were two books available The Resignation of Eve and Healing Your Church Hurt.  I would be lying to say both of these titles caught me a little off guard, and I again chose to participate in the blog tour because I again thought I was going to see yet another attack against the Church.  I have not received The Resignation of Eve but I did receive Healing Your Church Hurt. 

            Healing Your Church Hurt is written by Stephen Mansfield with a forward from George Barna.  The forward by George Barna starts off with Barna bringing up a few occasions when he experienced church hurt from various congregations and leaders of churches he attended.  Getting through the forward was kind of challenging because it seemed to be a slight against the body of Christ.  However, it was this premise which Mr. Mansfield was addressing in this book, how we are to heal from church hurt.

            As I began to read this book I went in with the assumption of this being an attack on the body of Christ.  I was sure that this book would stir up passions of insult and injustice on the fellowship of believers.  However, as the old adage goes “never judge a book by its cover.”  Within the first chapter my assumptions were not just addressed, but quite frankly, blown right out of the water.  So now I will share with you all some of what I got out of this book and what I think you can get out of it as well.

            In Chapter One, “The Image of Our Folly”, Stephen addresses three important truths to the reader that are necessary if one is to benefit from reading this book.  His three truths are; first, he is a coach not a counselor; second, he mentions how one cannot become free of Church hurt unless someone gets tough with them, and then finally he addresses what was my initial concern.  I will use Mr. Mansfield’s own words to explain this point. 

        Finally there is a myth we need to knock in the head…When we’ve been hurt by the church we often tell ourselves that we are going to keep on loving Jesus but that we no longer want anything to do with his people.  We say this to ease our pain but we are fools when we do. (Mansfield 2012)

This is a major point that often is not addressed as well as it should be.  How often do people say that they still love Jesus, and can worship Him privately and will not attend a public gathering of believers in Christ?  Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (English Standard Version 2001)

            People who have been hurt by others, have a natural tendency to hold on to this hurt, and to become victims of the circumstances that have befallen them.  People will then generally respond to this sense of victimhood in one of two ways.  They will both retreat into their shell, and remove themselves from regular interaction with people.  The second possible response is for the hurt individual to become confrontational, and tell everyone how poorly they were treated, or what wrongs were committed against them.  Mansfield takes the time in this book to show how people do not have to retreat into either of these two spectrums of response, but how to take their hurt, and learn from it.

            Another common situation that Mansfield addresses is the tendency of people to feel as if they are all alone, or no one can understand how they feel.  Mansfield dedicates the second chapter of Healing Your Church Hurt to an introduction of several men throughout history who experienced their own hurts at the hands of those who were their friends.  These notable people in history are Abraham Lincoln, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Vincent Van Gogh, and others.  The main focus of “The Sea Breeze of the Centuries” is the fact that regardless of how we feel, we are not in our hurt alone. 

            Of course there is so much more I could say about this book.  What I will say is I went from a skeptic to a believer on the points that Stephen Mansfield makes in this book.  What I was originally thinking I would rate as a 1 out of 5 stars I now gladly give 5.  If you have been hurt by the Church, and I do know some who have been, I think you may find some of the answers you are looking for in Stephen Mansfield’s Healing Your Church Hurt.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Where are the Shepherds of the Family? A Book Review of Family Shepherds

            Since May of 2011 I have had the privilege of reviewing 14 books on various topics and of different genre, and from various publishers.  I am honored to have this opportunity, and humbled that my opinion is of value to you who have read my various book reviews.  I owe a special thanks to my friend and Christian Brother, Dave Jenkins, who was willing to contact Crossway and let them know that I would be honored to review for them as well.  Thank you Brother.  Dave and I have a lot of similar interests in books, and the book I’m writing on today is no different.  I have just finished reading Family Shepherds by Dr. Voddie Baucham Jr. 

            Dr. Baucham is a pastor at a Church here in my area.  He serves as the preaching pastor at Grace Family Baptist Church out of Spring, TX.  It is possible I have met Dr. Baucham as he is a shopper at a Christian retail location where I work.  I don’t recall if I have or not, but it is exciting that there is a chance if I haven’t I someday may.

            I usually select books that interest me to review for the various publishers.  I figure if I am going to take the time to read a book then it should be something that can give me some practical guidance for where I am at in my life.  Family Shepherds falls well within this category.  As a husband and father of five I am always trying to see the best way to serve and to lead my family in the path of righteousness and to deepen their love for our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

            Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is a passage that every father/family shepherd should know, for in it we see the very foundation of why we should be the family shepherd. 

            Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all you soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of you house and on your gates. (Englsih Standard Version 2001)

            One of the key words in this passage is the word “command”.  God did not ask us to teach our children, He commanded that we do so.  It is with this premise that Dr. Baucham begins to write Family Shepherds.  In Family Shepherds Dr. Baucham breaks the roles of the Family Shepherd into four key areas.  These four key areas break down like this; first, family discipleship and evangelism; second, marriage enrichment; third, the training and discipline of children; and finally, the need for lifestyle evaluation.  Since my job is to get you interested in the book we are only going to take a look at a couple of these areas momentarily, and then you’ll have to read the rest.

            I write out this key passage from Deuteronomy not just to challenge you, but to challenge myself.  This is how I felt as I began to read this newest book from Voddie.  How am I doing in discipleship and evangelism? Is my marriage stronger now than it was ten years ago? Am I training my children as I ought, teaching them the need of salvation for the deliverance of their sin, or am I teaching behavioral/morality changes without the necessary authority and need of Christ as LORD of their lives?  Dr. Baucham quotes Charles Hodge, a well known theologian in the mid-nineteenth century (Baucham, Voddie 2011) who said: “The character of the Church and of the state depends on the character of the family.  If religion dies out in the family, it cannot elsewhere be maintained.” (Hodge 1871)  If fathers are not doing the job God entrusted them with, then we are only leading to our own demise. 

            In his section on Family Discipleship and Evangelism Dr. Baucham discusses the benefit and purpose of having a family catechism.  The idea of a catechism has been part of the Church for probably centuries, and was used by Catholic and Protestant Theologians alike.  To be honest when I first saw this chapter on catechism I was about ready to skip it.  However, I decided to read it because I was curious about what Dr. Baucham’s thoughts where on this idea.

            First, for those who maybe aren’t familiar with the term catechism let me first use Dr. Baucham’s explanation.  “It is simply a pedagogical method employing questions and answers to teach a set body of knowledge.  Ultimately, it is a means of teaching Christian doctrine in a concise, repetitive manner. (Baucham, Voddie 2011)  Although a very foreign concept in today’s modern day Protestants the catechism was used by great Protestant theologians such as Martin Luther and Jonathan Edwards.  I am blessed to have in my possession a copy of Luther’s small catechism that belonged to my father.  My wife and I are in discussion in to implementing a catechism in our house thanks to this section of Family Shepherds.

            Another powerful section of Family Shepherds is the section on the training and discipline of children.  This is a very hotly contested area especially in light of the post-modern day view of “love and tolerance”.  So often we hear people say we shouldn’t judge, we need to let our children make their own decisions, so forth and so forth.  To the secular world the very idea of a “family shepherd” is counter-intuitive, yet as we see crime rates grow, never has something been more important than the role of fathers raising their children.

            In Christianity especially there are two authors who have addressed the specific topic of discipline and training of children; Michael Pearl and his book To Train a Child and Tedd Tripp and his book Shepherding a Child’s Heart.  Again I own a copy of both of these books so when I came to chapter 10 I came to it with an understanding of both of the trains of thought represented by these two authors.  Between these two authors there is a major difference that I noticed as did Voddie.  First Michael Pearl has the philosophy that “training doesn’t necessarily require that the trainee has reason; even mice and rats can be trained to respond to stimuli.” (Pearl 1994)  However, Tedd Tripp starts off his book this way, “The Scripture teaches that the heart is the control center for life.” (Tripp 1995)

            One doesn’t have to look very far to spot the vast difference between these two authors.  Michael Pearl believes you can teach behavior through stimuli while Tedd Tripp points to the fact that the heart is the control center of a person’s life which means to train them up you must address the heart.  In Family Shepherds Dr. Baucham says this, “We must have a grasp on our children’s greatest need if we ever hope to see it met.” (Baucham, Voddie 2011)  I would be lying to say that this did not strike me right between the eyes.  So often when I train or discipline my children, I’m not focusing on the control center of their lives, their hearts, I’m focusing on what makes me happy. 

            If we as fathers are only focusing on behavior or morals, then we do not love our children as Christ loved us.  If we are focusing on behavior or morals then we are not training up our children to love the LORD with all of their heart and all their soul and all their might.  Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Englsih Standard Version 2001) Matthew 12:34 says, “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Englsih Standard Version 2001)  If we as fathers do not address the heart of our children, and strive to lead them to saving faith in Jesus Christ, then we are shepherds who have failed.  Dr. Baucham quotes the great Puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards (Baucham, Voddie 2011) who said, “How few are there who are thorough in maintaining order and government in their families! How is family-government in a great measure vanished! And how many are as likely to bring a curse upon their families, as Eli.” (Edwards 1835)

Dr. Baucham is a huge proponent of the age-integrated congregation. What this means is that his Church does not practice such things as nursery, children’s church, youth group, or even Men or Women’s Bible studies, although they do have a monthly Men’s meeting. I do not agree with Dr. Baucham on this of course, and in fact want to point out what I see as a slight contradiction in his book.  First, he says this:

Virtually all the debate over the discipleship of young people begins with the assumption that church structures and programs such as the nursery, children’s church, Sunday school, and youth group are foundational discipleship tools and whatever happens must take place within that framework. (Baucham, Voddie 2011)

I disagree with this assumption, and would in fact argue that these programs and church structures are helpful, and can serve as a supplemental, not a foundational discipleship tool.  More so I believe that Dr. Baucham contradicts himself only three pages later when he says, “We do not rely either on the pulpit or on the home.  Both institutions are charged to play their role.” (Baucham, Voddie 2011)  This being said however, I do find this to be a book that every Church leader, father, mother, and Church staff should read.  I agree with the premise that discipleship ultimately rests in the home.  As one looks at the direction society is taking there is no doubt in my mind that it is time for the father to be his family’s shepherd. 

From where I stand, even though I may not agree with everything that Dr. Voddie Baucham believes I still see this book as a must read, and gladly rate it 5 out of 5.  I’m honored to have added this book to my library and look forward to reading through it again and again as Dr. Baucham helps teach me and all men how to be Family Shepherds.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Crossway as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Works Cited

Baucham, Voddie. Family Shepherds. Wheaton: Crossway, 2011.

Edwards, Jonathan. "Christian Cautions: or, The Necessity of Self-Examination." In The Works of Jonathan Edwards, 1:183. New York: Daniel Appleton and Co., 1835.

Englsih Standard Version. Crossway Bibles, 2001.

Hodge, Charles. Systematic Theology. Vol. 3. New York: C. Scribner, 1871.

Pearl, Michael. To Train Up a Child. Pleasantville: NGJ Ministries, 1994.

Tripp, Tedd. Shepherding a Child's Heart. Wapwallopen: Shpherd Press, 1995.

Like it or Not Dads, You are Needed! A Book Review of What A Son Needs from His Dad

            “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.  And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers.” Malachi 4:6-7 (New King James Version)

One just has to watch some of the popular shows of today to see how the world views fatherhood.  Think of The #@$% my Dad says, Family Guy, American Dad, or the Simpsons to only name a few.  For probably the past 30 years or more media, pop culture, and so the so called women’s liberation have sought to portray all men as vile predators always seeking their next pound of flesh.  Instead of standing up to this assault men have either accepted it, and began living in this lie; or they have simply lain down, and faded into the background.

            This started out impacting the African-American population especially and continues to lead to an increase in the number of single mothers raising their own children.  When even “authentic black men[1]”, such as Bill Cosby, address this issue, they are vilified and chided by the likes of Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton.  These men who have made something of themselves are then called Uncle Tom’s or told that they have become rich black men who have lost touch with their own race.   It hasn’t only impacted Blacks though; it now is impacting Hispanics, Whites, and even Asians. 

            I have been following this trend even prior to becoming an adult, and now as a father of 5 and a husband, who is thankfully been married to his beautiful bride for almost 10 and a half years, I’m even more aware of the attack on men and especially on fathers.  It is for this reason that I was so pleased to see a publisher releasing a book called What A Son Needs From His Dad for review.  Written by Dr. Michael O’Donnell this book was certainly worth the read.

            Over the past couple of months it really seems like I have began to read a lot more books that deal with men in general or fathers specifically. Lately I’ve read Every Single Man’s Battle, Family Shepherd, What A Son Needs From His Dad, and here shortly, Man Alive.  This was not by intention of course, but seems to be a major topic of discussion in movies and books today.  Now I’ll return to my focus of today’s post.

            What A Son Needs From His Dad was a great book to read, and one that really challenged me directly.  In fact a few weeks ago I posted a blog called “A Dad Who Has Forgotten How to Play” as a result of reading over this book.  When I first got this book I thought it would be a simple read, something I would read quickly and post just a short review on.  As has been happening a lot lately I was way off on that forecast.  I ended up reading over a chapter, and then often times I found myself rereading a chapter just to see if I missed something. 

            At just over 137 pages, this book is truly an easy read for almost any level of reader.  Are you like me, a dad who has forgotten to play?  Well then my recommendation to you would be to jump right to chapter 5, “All Work and No Play.” Are you a dad fearful of that birds and bees conversation? Well, chapter 9 if for you.  Basically what I’m saying is depending on where you are at in your life as a father, I think that there is a chapter in this book for you.

            If you are part of a Men’s group and looking for a book to study, then this book provides that opportunity as well.  With plenty of Scripture references throughout, Dr. O’Donnell gives men the tools they need to really begin to grow in their roles as father.  Couple this with the fact that each chapter also has some discussion questions, this book would be worth looking at to get you looking at the importance of fathers.

            This book deserves 5 out of 5 for readability and content.  If you are looking for a book to help encourage you as fathers, take a look at What A Son Needs From His Dad by Dr. Michael O’Donnell found wherever good Christian books are sold.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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[1] Rev. Al Sharpton, while addressing, then Senator, Barack Obama for his lack of being down in the struggle during the Democrats Primary in 2008

Dr. Tony Evans on being a Kingdom Man

Your Big Game
I love football. I played every evening and weekend from about the time I was crawling until a leg injury ended my game. And one of my favorite aspects of ministry has been serving as the chaplain for the Dallas Cowboys.
It was also a great honor to be asked by the Steelers home office to speak at the team chapel service last year before their eighth Super Bowl appearance. That was a great game, but who can forget watching the Steelers claim the NFL record for the most Super Bowl wins—six—in 2009.
At 20–7 in the fourth quarter, the game looked like an easy Pittsburgh victory. But that was before Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner put 16 unanswered points on the board in the last 15 minutes.
Only one drive remained for the Steelers to respond.
And what a response it was.
With less than a minute remaining, six yards between the Steelers and the end zone taunted them to settle for a field goal and a tie. But the Steelers wanted more. They were playing for greatness.
On second and goal with three defenders around him, Ben Roethlisberger threw the ball high at a sliver of end zone. In one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history, Santonio Holmes somehow managed to reach his hands high enough to grab the ball—and the victory.
The war of ’09 was decided.
Men, you are in a war. You are in a spiritual conflict. You are in a battle of epic proportions. God is looking for men to advance His Kingdom down the field of life.
As you watch the Super Bowl, ask yourself and your buddies:
Am I satisfied with the practice squad—settling for a mundane life?
Am I ready to play for greatness?
Am I ready to align myself under God’s Kingdom agenda and benefit others?
Am I ready to be a Kingdom Man?
—Dr. Tony Evans
Check out the book trailer for Dr. Tony Evans’ upcoming book, Kingdom Man here.

Pre-order copies of Kingdom Man by Dr. Tony Evans here for everyone who attends your Super Bowl party.
Sign up here to receive a series of Kingdom Man Boot Camp emails — monthly challenging and encouraging samples from Dr. Evans’ book.

Need a Super Bowl snack tip? Check this one out:

Big Game Black Bean Dip
Ingredients:
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, plus extra sprigs
• 2 (15-oz) cans black beans, drained
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more to taste)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• salt
Directions:
Using a food processor, pulse tomato, onion, and cilantro until well chopped. Add black beans, hot sauce, cumin, and salt, to taste, and pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth. Transfer to serving dish, garnish with cilantro sprigs, and serve with tortilla chips.

Q & A with Dr. Michael O'Donnel on his book "What A Son Needs From His Dad"

Here in the next few days I will be posting my newest book review.  Thanks to Bethany House Publishers I had the privilege of reviewing Dr. O'Donnell's book What A Son Needs From His Dad.  Before I share the book review I would like to share a Q&A between Bethany House and Dr. Michael O'Donnell.

I hope you enjoy!

Q U E S T I O N S & A N S W E R S W I T H  M I C H A E L  A . O ’ D O N N E L L , P h D

 1. Why is your book What a Son Needs from His Dad an important resource for fathers?

Research now confirms what the Bible has known all along—that the more nurturing the father the more masculine the son. In short, boys derive their sense of manhood from their fathers. Thus, fathers need to know how to be properly engaged in the life of their sons so that they feel approved and admired in their burgeoning masculinity. In part, that’s what I’ve attempted to provide for dads: what their sons need from them.

2. You’ve worked with fathers and researched the role of fathering for more than twenty years and have authored nearly ten books on the subject. Why did you write this particular one for dads?

Because research shows the average father spends less than thirty-seven seconds a day of meaningful interaction with his sons; and that’s simply not going to get the job done! A father needs to have tangible, concrete examples of what an effective dad looks like. Unfortunately, many men can no longer rely on their own fathers for examples on how to do fathering commendably in the twenty-first century. This is largely due to “father absence” or detached and distant dads. Thus, I was motivated to provide men with solid and practical ideas on how to give their sons what they need so that they break that cycle of intergenerational pathology.

3. What’s the biggest struggle most fathers face?

Knowing how best to model the right behaviors for their sons to emulate and to follow. Men are generally trained for success in business; but unfortunately, they are not given the tools necessary with which to succeed in the whole arena of parenting.

4. Some of our fathers listening today might not be familiar with nurturance. What is it and what should fathers know about it?

According to my colleague and fathering expert, Ken Canfield, nurturance is expressed by attitudes, words, and actions. Nurturance can even be nonverbal, but should include affection (don’t forget to speak the language of love to your son, especially the words “I love you!”), support (be there for his athletic events, after-school programs, and any significant religious occasions, such as confirmation and baptism), comfort (tuck him into bed, hold him, rock him, soothe his wounds, both physical and emotional), and intimacy (don’t underestimate your actual physical presence; sons tell us that having their father in the next room while they sleep is very reassuring to them).

5. Exactly what is the “The Real McCoy Dad”?

The “Real McCoy” Dad is easy to spot. He is characterized by supportiveness, acceptance, and love. In general, he has confidence in his child-rearing abilities. Although he is quite aware that he will make mistakes, he tries to have a relaxed, balanced, and positive approach to fatherhood. Most important, he is determined to do whatever it takes to be an effective father.

6. You write that much of what’s involved in giving our sons what they need comes down to telling them what we think and feel. Can you elaborate?

Thomas Lickona, author of Raising Good Children, calls this “teaching by telling.” Children can’t read our minds. They want to know something about their moral, religious, and cultural heritage from us. They shout, “Talk to me!” with every tug of the pant leg, every jump in the lap, and every tap on the shoulder.

You see, theirs is a confusing, mysterious, exciting, painful, and wonderful world. Your explanations, your values, your opinions are the only answers that matter—for now. Why squander your chance to impact them for life? Instead, use your time wisely.

Our sons need not only to see us living lives that are worth imitating, they also need to hear why we do it—the values and beliefs that guide our actions and shape our words.

7. What’s one of the hardest things for a father to do?

To talk about “the birds and the bees”! But I would remind dads who are listening to me right now that your son’s knowledge of sex begins long before that heart-to-heart talk between you and your son. You first teach your son about human sexuality by the way in which you relate to their mother.

What a son sees will be what he gets in the way of habits, thoughts, feelings, and attitudes. It is truly amazing what children learn just by watching us; it is God’s plan, His way of preparing our sons for life. Again, the greatest gift a man can give his son is to love his mother! And, I might add, to love her in appropriate ways.

8. Any parting words for dads?

Yes, this prayer that I’ve adapted from Proverbs 3:1-4:

O, Lord, may their sons never forget your teachings. May their hearts keep your commandments. Then, Lord, you will give many more days and years to their lives and you will add your peace.

May kindness and truth never leave them, Lord. May they bind them about their necks and write them on their hearts.

Then, Lord, you will give them favor and a good reputation, both with you and with man.

Amen.