fellowship

Coffee for the Soul

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I’ve only been with F3 for a little over a year. I quickly realized that what got me into F3 is not what has kept me in F3. Like most of us, I joined a free workout group. However, I soon came to realize that I joined a Brotherhood. Some might call it a “cult”. There are different sayings for everyday words. They change our names and ask us to do things that we would never ever do on our own. #monkeyhumpers.

But, when the time on the clock has run down and my body is run down, I walk into a local Chick fil a, Panera Bread or Waffle house with a bunch of guys that I just went to the DARK PLACE with. We sit down and reminisce on the pain that we all just endured. We talk about things on our minds. We find out that there are other people just like us going through the same struggles we go through. We laugh, we ponder, we solve the world’s problems (at least in our own minds). It’s called Coffeeteria. What a wonderful concept for an ocean of men that each is his own island. We are able to come together and create a continent.

If you have only come to an F3 workout and skipped the most important part of F3 called coffeeteria, step out of your comfort zone and try it. The 2nd “F” is the Glue that holds us together. If you see a 2nd “F” event like a happy hour, a Ruck, a Campout or a Party, Attend! It will change your entire perspective of the workout and even your life. At least it has for me.

Fishers of Men

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I hate mornings, I love sleep, and I’m not too fond of groups of people. That’s what I use to tell myself. At least, until I was reluctantly introduced to F3.

I fought F3 every time it was mentioned to me, starting with this weird group of guys with painted faces in the parking lot of Oak Mountain after a mud run in 40 degree weather. I fought it from the same friend I ran with after he decided to give F3 a try. It’s the mornings. Those sweet, precious moments when you are dead asleep in a warm bed, hopefully next to a beautiful woman. I thought there was nothing better. But there is!

Now I find sleep to be the necessary ingredient needed to help me have the energy to get up in the Gloom of the morning to crawl, sweat, hurt and fellowship with my new found Brothers. That initial rise out of bed in the wee hours of the morning gets overshadowed by the excitement I find when I pull up to a parking lot filled with guys I love and respect.

So, now I find myself attempting what F3 lovingly refers to as a Headlock. But, unlike most workout groups, I don’t find myself looking for that guy that is already in shape and may want to save money with a free workout (which you do). I literally tell everyone. Because everyone needs to be part of something bigger than themselves. It is less of a workout group and more of a brotherhood. Matthew 4:19 states – Jesus said to them “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to be fishers of men” There are few places to put that message from God into practice better than F3. Don’t just invite people to F3. Tell them your story. What does F3 mean to you?

This isn’t Fight Club. The first 2 rules are NOT  “Don’t talk about F3”. Slumlord ends all of his emails with “ALWAYS BE HEADLOCKING”. So, lets do our part. We are 1,000 PAX strong. Imagine the impact we can have on our community if that number doubled or even tripled. Imagine the differences we can see in our 2.0s, our M’s that witness us attempting to better ourselves. You may not realize it, but it affects them too. Its like a spark igniting a flame. This world is in desperate need of Male leaders. I can’t imagine better leaders than men that have the discipline to do the hard thing in the gloom of the morning while also following God’s word.

Let’s go be Fishers of Men