Boot Camp - But with a difference!

Ever since beginning my interest in Christian Domestic Discipline I have heard a great deal about Boot Camps.

Indeed I have heard many a wife discuss or comment on how she has been going though Christian Domestic Discipline ‘boot camp’ and in truth I have heard many complimentary or positive things said about it and some negative things said about it.

What I don’t think I have ever heard however is of a Head of House going through ‘boot camp’.

Now don’t get me wrong here, I am by no means suggesting that the roles be changed and that the Head of House should be the one being spanked on a regular basis.

What I am suggesting is that if a HoH holds the belief that a CDD bootcamp regime is benefitial to the dear wife then surely he should hold the same belief in respect of himself.

I am aware, and acutely mindful of, the fact that many folk have differing interpretations or understandings  of what a boot camp is in terms of CDD.  Because of this different wives may have differing requirements placed upon them in a CDD Boot camp setting.  So instead of looking at specific presentations, let’s start with a few basic general understandings that we can agree on.

Boot camp is by definition meant to be different.

Boot camp is by design meant to be disciplined.

Boot camp is by intent meant to induce submission.

Boot camp is in purpose meant to increase endurance.

Boot camp is by structure meant to be focusing.

Boot camp is by participation meant to be beneficial.

Boot camp is by completion meant to result in betterment.

So how can we apply these basic general understandings to the HoH instead of the wife?

Well here are my suggestions…

Boot camp is by definition meant to be different.

I think we can all agree that how we live is, to one degree or another, not how God intended.  If we are willing to accept this, and if we acknowledge God’s soveriengty on our lives then surely we must agree that we have a responsibility to not only ensure that we live how God intended but that our wives and family do so.

So the first stage has therefore to be to spend time in seeking God’s will for how we live our lives and His guidance in what He would have us change.  Having done so, we have a responsibility and obligation to effect those changes. So boot camp should accommodate and introduce those changes and gentlemen those change HAVE to start with us as HoH’s.

Set your heart and mind on accommodating those changes and expect and be hungry for something or indeed somethings to be different from now on.

Boot camp is by design meant to be disciplined.

Effecting change is by its very nature a dying to self, a putting off old ways and a combating natural desires, habbits or tendanciues.  This takes discipline!  For a wife within a Christian Domestic Discipline relationship that discipline is gained from the Husband as HoH but for a HoH (unless you have someone you are accountable to or indeed someone who disciplines you [see my post what's good for the goose]  then that discipline has to come from you.  And we should remember that we are to be an example to those in our care.

Set your heart and mind on being self controled and committed to your goal!  Accept chastisement and correction as love.

Boot camp is by intent meant to induce submission.

One of the biggest mistakes and most dangerous attitudes that a HoH can adopt (as far as I am aware or concerned) is that submission within a Christian Domestic Discipline relationship or indeed a traditional Christian Marriage, is that submission is something that the wife has to do.

The biblical truth is, I belief, that submission is something we ALL have to do and something that starts with the HoH.  We are all called to submit to each other (Ephesians 5:21) and indeed we must submit to Christ.

This means that in our HoH bootcamp we should focus on submitting to Christ and His will for our marriage, our family, and ESPECIALLY our leadership of them.

Set your heart and mind on seeking and serving and surrendering to God in and through your leadership!

Boot camp is in purpose meant to increase endurance.

As I have already said, living a godly life entails dying to self, putting off, surrendering, ridding ourselfs of our sinful natures.  This is NOT going to happen over night and will take a lot of discipline, effort, time, prayer and love.  It is no accident that 1 Corinthians 13:4 starts with the words, “Love is patient” as the NIV puts it or indeed “Love is long-suffering” as the King James Version puts it.

We need to afford ourselves enough time to effect the changes that God desires.  Trust me God doesn’t need time to tell you what they are but YOU need time to hear them, understand them and effect them.  This is no overnight, instant, or easy thing you are entering into.

Set your heart and mind on the long haul.  Prepare to run the full race with your eyes fully set on your goal!  The prize is certainly worth having!

Boot camp is by structure meant to be focusing.

There are plenty of distrations in this world and I can assure you that since the whole purpose of this is to live out God’s will in you and your family’s life, the enemy will try to get in and to saboutage your efforts.

We must therefore protect ourselves and indeed structure our efforts in a way and at a time when our focus can remain on our goal.  Be careful in planning your bootcamp and especially in the timing of it.  Afford yourself the time that is needed and stay true to your purpose in this.

Set your heart and mind on your purpose and set your eyes on the finish line and keep them there! Avoid distractions.

Boot camp is by participation meant to be beneficial.

Boot camp for the sake of boot camp is pointless and will benefit you nothiong.  It must have a divine purpose and that divine purpose MUST if it is to be divine be God led.

Remember our submission.  The benefit we seek should not be for ourselves alone.  We serve a great and mighty and loving and perfect God and we serve our wife and family and those around us in doing so.  In designing and determining to undertake your boot camp seek out the benefits GOD wants for you and for your wife and family.

Set your hearts and minds on the gifts, skills, fruit, growth and benefits that God wants for you to gain through this. And remember these are not only for you but for your whole family and all those God wants for you to minister to.

Boot camp is by completion meant to result in betterment.

We serve a great and mighty and a very loving God and Father!  We serve a great and mighty and very loving God and Father who does not want us to be alone and who has ordained our union with our wife and indeed our parenting of our children.

Any betterment that we gain from undetaking this boot camp is going to and I truly believed is designed and intended to better not only ourslves but our relationships and those we love.

God has provided us with a wife a “helpmeet” and if God has provided us with that helpmeet we are duty bound to acknowledge, appreciate, untilize and indeed value that helpmeet.  A huge mistake in any relationship is to isolate either the journey or the preparation or the design of our walk with the Lord.  He placed you together for a reason!  Seek out that reason or those reasons together!

Use the gifts that He has given us in His wisdom and those gifts surely include our wife and helpmeet.

Set your hearts and minds on growing together, supporting each other in your efforts.  Openly discuss your plans, concerns, considerations, reflections, weaknesses, needs and strengths and do so in full submission to each other and to God through Christ Jesus.  Seek to be blessed, be hungry for the blessings and be enthusiatic in your sharing of them so the betterment can spread!

OK I think that will do for this post.  The truth is that I had no idea it would be this long when I started it.  But you know maybe just maybe God had other plans

I truly hope this blesses you.