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WISDOM

FROM OUR SCARS

UNFILTERED STORIES FROM 45 CHRISTIAN LEADERS
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WHY THE BOOK WAS CREATED

A simple idea grew into a powerful collaboration—older men sharing their real stories to encourage the next generation and every man in between.
OUR STORY →

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

Not polished stories. Not conference messages. Real stories of failure, brokenness, and unexpected detours—and the faithfulness of God through it all.
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WHO SHOULD READ IT

Young men, husbands, fathers, leaders, and anyone who has ever wondered if God can redeem their failures and use their story for His glory.
IS IT FOR YOU? →
A GLIMPSE INSIDE

REAL STORIES. REAL MEN. A REAL GOD.

Here are just a few of the 45 powerful stories you’ll find in the book.
ABANDONMENT • ADDICTION • FATHERHOOD

“The rain I once enjoyed as a boy was no longer a joy.”

A childhood wound, years of addiction, and a remarkable story of redemption that led to a mission to help men mentor boys.
TJ Greaney
MARRIAGE • ANGER • FORGIVENESS

“Kim is not going to hear you... until you begin to feel the pain that she is in.”

A hard look at how anger nearly destroyed a marriage—and the transformative power of forgiveness and grace.
Roy Abbott
IDENTITY • FAILURE • PURPOSE

“I wasn’t just mourning the loss of a job. I was mourning who I thought I was.”

From the highs of the NFL to the humbling lows of failure, a journey toward true identity and purpose in Christ.
Jeff Kemp
ADDICTION • MARRIAGE • SPIRITUAL OWNERSHIP

“I am not ready to talk about it, but last night will be the last time I drink.”

After years of trying to manage sin, one honest statement marked the beginning of a new life and lasting freedom.
Chuck Stecker

MESSAGES TO MY YOUNGER SELF

Every contributor shares a personal message to the younger man he once was. Here are a few to encourage you on your path.
“Your story is your story. Unfinished and unfolding.”

TJ GREANEY

“The lineage of hurt and pain can end with you.”

ROY ABBOTT

“You don’t have to perform to belong.”

JEFF KEMP

“Find friends who are going somewhere and join them.”

BRIAN DOYLE

“Every decision moves us closer to a new destination.”

DAVE WERTHEIM

“God is directing you, protecting you, and opening doors for you.”

KEN MCKENNA

YOUR STORY IS
STILL BEING WRITTEN.

Forty-five men share the scars that shaped them, the wisdom they learned, and the God who met them along the way. Somewhere in these stories, you may find part of your own.
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FIND YOUR STORY
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Why This Book Was Created

The idea began years ago with a simple desire: help the next generation of men benefit from the wisdom of those who have gone before them.

The original concept was a book called Dear Younger Me, written by older men for young men. But as the idea developed through the National Coalition of Ministries to Men, something important changed.

We realized young men didn’t simply need our advice.

They needed our stories.

Not polished stories. Not conference messages. Not a collection of accomplishments.

They needed to know about the wounds.

The mistakes we made. The disappointments we experienced. The battles we fought. The things others did to us. The choices we wish we could make again.

And, most importantly, where God was in the middle of it all.

A wound eventually heals, but often the evidence remains.

We call it a scar.

That became the heart of Wisdom From Our Scars. 

What Makes This Book Different?

45 Men. 45 Stories. One Faithful God.

These aren’t men writing because they have life figured out.

They’re writing because they’ve experienced God’s grace in the middle of real life.

The contributors were asked to be vulnerable—to tell stories they might not normally tell from a platform.

You’ll encounter stories involving identity, addiction, marriage, fatherhood, forgiveness, grief, leadership, sexual integrity, spiritual warfare, faith and doubt, purpose, mentoring, brotherhood, life transitions, and what it means to become the man God created you to be.

The Bible never hides the failures of its heroes. Peter denied Jesus. David fell into sin. Paul suffered deeply. Their wounds and failures became part of a much larger story of redemption. 

Wisdom From Our Scars carries that same message:

Your scars don’t have to be the end of your story.

They may become the very place from which God allows you to help someone else.

Who Should Read It?

This book was created with younger men in mind—but we quickly discovered these stories aren’t limited by age.

This book is for the man who is trying to figure out who he is.

The husband wondering how to repair what has been damaged.

The father who wants to do better than what was modeled for him.

The man quietly fighting an addiction or temptation nobody knows about.

The leader carrying wounds behind a successful exterior.

The man questioning God’s purpose in a painful season.

And the young man who simply wishes an older man would sit down beside him and say:

“I’ve been there. Here’s what I learned.”

Whether you’re leading a ministry, raising a family, walking through a difficult season, or simply wanting to grow closer to Christ, these stories offer encouragement, perspective, and hope.