Created for Work: Practical Insights for Young Men

I have 3 books for young Christian men by Bob Schultz. They are amazing to read with your son daily! It encourages good behavior and Godly principles. The best 3 books I've purchased in a long time !!!

I'm 73 yrs. old - this book is a must read for today's teens. Well written and contains good info and wisdom. Bought copies for my 3 grandsons.

Bob Schultz, a carpenter in Oregon who had three daughters, wrote three books for young men on the nature of growing up, work, and practical happiness. My generation (baby boomer) needs these insights just as much as our sons (and daughters) do. I am reading a chapter each weekend to my two caboose kids.Consider this passage: "God didn't have to put intricate designs on the wings of moths and butterflies. He could have made them all gray. He didn't have to paint a frog's eyes gold. He could have made them all black. God adds distinct and beautiful touches to each thing He makes.... His energy and creativity are without measure. They overflow into everything He does. Drudgery and bare minimums have no part in His work. Whatever He makes is not only useful, but also beautiful and fascinating. Some things He makes are very simple. Yet even their simplicity is a work of art.... the thought of production is forgotten in a moment of beauty. That's the way God is..."Mr. Schultz' application? "Whatever you do, add that touch of abundance, that splash of overflow." Makes a fellow smile at the prospect of work.

We're working our way through this during family devotions with my son. I like the organization of the text, with individual lessons of 2-3 pages max, followed by a set of simple questions. This makes it perfect for a 15-20 minute nighly devotion. I would have liked to see more scripture references...or maybe just a tighter link between each lesson and scripture, but that's more of a personal preference. I am able to pull out related scriptures on my own, and draw my son's attention to them, so in the end it is acieving its desired purpose. So far, most of the illustrations used by the author are in the area of carpentry/construction, which makes sense given his particular vocation. On the other hand, my son is not particularly interested in these types of activities, so a greater variety of illustrations would have been more useful. Again, I am able to fill in those blanks with things more specific to his life/interests. Overall, I'm glad I purchased the book, and would recommend it to others attempting to instill a solid work ethic into their children.

The stories were perfect for our family devotions. They are humorous and kept the attention of the children ages 7-17. We love the way Schultz makes his stories so visual in the kids minds. The story of a hoarder saving dirty diapers always carrying a back pack full around with him catches their attention only to find out those nasty diapers are the same as saving all those wrongs that have been done to you. That story was about forgiveness, the imagery was fun, if a bit gross (which of course the boys listened intently).The lessons stick in your head.

I bought this book for my son and read it aloud daily to him on school days. Not only did the author cast a vision for the benefits of work, but he gave many life examples in a humble, accessible way. I would credit the book with helping me think of my daily work in a different way. I think there's a subtle and not so subtle message in our culture that weekends, and free or "me" time is the best part of life. This book tells the reader that work is the stuff of life and suggests that we honor God when we do our best at it. I recommend it for anyone.

This book is an "easy read" and ought to be mandatory reading for every young man. We are failing our young men when we don't show them how much "work" does to develop their physical, mental and moral strength, not to mention the great satisfaction that only comes from accomplishing things in life. If the other two books by Mr. Schultz that I purchased are half as good as this one, I'll still feel well compensated for the small investment. Sorry I didn't have this for my son, but I did purchase a copy for him and my son-in-law to use with my grandsons.

My husband is going through this book with our boys and girls and it's incredible. Life changing info that isn't talked about a lot these days...

Highly recommend.