Brave quest, p.1
Brave Quest, page 1
© 2022 by Dean Briggs
Published by Chosen Books
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55438
www.chosenbooks.com
Chosen Books is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2022
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
ISBN 978-0-8007-6275-9 (paper)
ISBN 978-1-4934-3872-3 (ebook)
ISBN 978-0-8007-6288-9 (casebound)
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016
Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Scripture quotations marked THE MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Scripture quotations marked NIV are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
For the Scripture passage quoted in Day 10, see Proverbs 5:1–8.
Scripture passage quoted in Day 14 is Proverbs 3:5–6.
Scripture passages quoted in Day 42 are Matthew 16:26, Luke 12:15, and Micah 6:8.
Scripture passages quoted in Day 46 are Luke 11:2 KJV and Zechariah 4:6 ESV.
Scripture passages quoted in Day 47 are Isaiah 30:21 and Joshua 1:7.
Scripture passages quoted in Day 48 are Psalm 26:1 and 2 Corinthians 4:2 NIV.
Cover design by Kirk DouPonce, DogEared Design
Baker Publishing Group publications use paper produced from sustainable forestry practices and post-consumer waste whenever possible.
Dedicated to my seven sons,
the true authors of this book.
Contents
Cover
Half Title Page 1
Title Page 3
Copyright Page 4
Dedication 5
A Note to the Father, Guardian, or Mentor 9
A Note to the Young Man 13
1. The Waypoint 15
2. The Cliffs of Cowardice 27
3. The Valley of Curves 37
4. The Hall of Shame 55
5. Adverse City 69
6. Mount Transformation 93
7. The Palace of Pleasure 127
8. The Swamp 147
About the Author 169
Back Ad 171
Back Cover 172
A Note to the Father, Guardian, or Mentor
It’s often said that there is a boy in every man. The older I get, the more I understand this. As a father to seven adult sons, I am also convinced of the reverse: There is a man in every boy. Though we tend to view the difference as a natural function of time, this is only partially true. Far better that the man in the boy be called forth.
Dad, who is your son?
Let me state here, for the record, that stepdads are also every bit the father their sons need. I have four biological sons and three stepsons. I invested my heart and love equally in all of them in this process—they are all my sons. Older men can also have spiritual sons they mentor, and their influence can be just as powerful as that of a biological father.
So ponder this again: Who is your son? For just a moment, don’t picture the acorn of his young life. Instead, envision the oak tree. See your son as a faithful husband. See him as a father or (gulp!) a grandfather someday. Even now, he is a president, an astronaut, a doctor, a writer, a missionary, an athlete—waiting for his moment. He is a force for good in the world. It’s all there, waiting for you to recognize, cultivate, extract, and affirm. Before he becomes a man, you must see that he is a man, longing to become.
The Brave Quest book you hold is only one part of a full Brave Quest Rite of Passage I recommend for maximum impact. Don’t worry, I’ll spell it out, covering all aspects of planning this defining moment in your son’s life. The main point is this: Don’t get caught flat-footed as your son comes of age. To make this experience as rich and impactful as possible, I have included a short, informative Father’s Field Manual on my website, deanbriggs.com. If you are a sports fan, you may prefer to think of it as a playbook.
Regardless, after purchasing Brave Quest for your son (the book you now hold in your hands), you will need to get to work. Fathering is a contact sport. Don’t pass it off to your wife, a pastor, or another person, and don’t treat it lightly. Invest in it with prayer. Invest emotion, love, and extra time. Don’t skimp—go overboard. Otherwise, you’re missing the point. While the various components are important, they are only as important as your son perceives them to be to you. He has to see you deeply involved, encouraging him on. In that light, don’t use money as an excuse. A meaningful coming-of-age doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, and even the most expensive celebration can be made cheap if your heart isn’t in it. If you don’t have an extravagant wallet, at least have an extravagant spirit. Let your son see your excitement, as your words and actions communicate value to him far more than money ever could.
You are in the driver’s seat, but I’m here to help. Go download the free Father’s Field Manual. It will be your reference guide, while your son has the book. Though Brave Quest is an important part of the process, I encourage you not to make it the centerpiece. The centerpiece is your engagement with your son. With simple, direct guidance, I’ll help you plan and execute a dynamic rite-of-passage experience that includes fifty days of story-based adventure for your son (Brave Quest) as preparation for a dynamic, memory-making My Dad and Me Adventure Getaway, finally concluding with the truly impacting Gathering of Men Ceremony.
Don’t worry, it’s not long and includes many help tools, such as timelines, suggestions, sample itineraries and activities, downloadable assets that you can customize, et cetera. I’m going to equip you with the right perspective and necessary tools to usher your son into manhood.
Just remember, you have a brief, intense window to “mancraft” your son. You will
summon him,
prepare him, and
commission him.
The dark days ahead will require strong men of character and confidence. If God has given you a son, it means He has entrusted you with the next generation of leadership. What a privilege! Let’s make the most of it.
Visit deanbriggs.com and download for free the Father’s Field Manual.
A Note to the Young Man
You matter. You are important. Your life is a gift.
Many years ago, I wrote Brave Quest with a simple goal: to help each of my seven sons make the journey from boyhood to manhood knowing (1) how much I love each of them, (2) how much God loves each of them, and (3) how good and special it was that God made each of them a boy.
Now it’s your turn.
That’s why I wrote Brave Quest as an adventure journal, because I didn’t want it to be my story; I wanted it to be theirs. Likewise, now it can be yours. As you’ll see, Brave Quest is written from your perspective and includes space for your thoughts. Over the course of fifty days, you will literally write your own first novel (so be sure to sign your name on the first page inside the front cover)!
The best scenario is that your dad, stepdad, or male mentor handed you this book. If so, you are very likely between the ages of twelve and sixteen. Sadly, many fathers are not in their children’s lives. Some have passed away; some have walked away. Let me assure you that God has not walked away. He wants to help father you. So if you have received this book from a special male friend or mentor who is not your dad, it is because God is working through him to fill that gap. He sees your great potential and wants to invest in your life! He wants to help make you strong in your character and confident in your purpose. Let him help you. Receive from him. Regardless of who is guiding you, throw yourself into it. Join the fun!
Remember, this book is meant to be the adventure of YOUR life.
So while your dad will probably have more guidance, if for some reason you are receiving this book without any other instruction, I suggest you start reading fifty days before your next birthday. Look at your birthday on the calendar, back up fifty days, and start Day 1 on that day. Each short chapter (two to three pages) will represent one day through the challenges of your teenage life, helping to mold you and prepare you on this most important journey of manhood. You don’t have to be a victim in life. You are not fated to a small, meaningless existence. This book can help you decide who you want to be so that you can become that man.
Commit to a chapter a day, and take it seriously. Don’t read ahead; don’t lag behind. As you read and respond to the journal prompts, ask God to prepare you for a special birthday. Of course, every family is different, so birthdays may be a big deal in your family, or they may feel hidden and small. Either way, trust me: This process is a HUGE deal to God, so He’ll celebrate with you no matter what. If you set aside this time in your heart, I truly believe God will mark you and set you apart in a special way for His purpose in the days ahead. You will not only experience a birthday, but you will have a summoning. You may feel it, you may dream it, or you may just know it, but I am asking God to make that day special for you whether or not it seems like anything remarkable happens. Sometimes the best things are the invisible things. At the end of the day, God is the best father. He will see. He will know. He will remember. That’s my prayer for you.
One last thing: Don’t be afraid. It’s going to be good. This is your life. Let’s celebrate.
Record the vision . . . that the one who reads it may run.
HABAKKUK 2:2
DAY ONE
Thunder crackles and rolls in the sky overhead. Swirling blue mist covers your vision, rising from the loamy earth before you. Though you don’t know why, you sense the fog is enchanted. On the back of your neck, hairs tingle.
“Where am I?” a voice whispers. It takes a moment before you realize the voice is your own. Realizing you are totally alone, you start to panic. Then, raining softly down from the black sky overhead, you hear something. Music. Immediately, you are filled with longing. You look around. Nothing is familiar.
You don’t know where you are. You’ve never been here before. The music, however, is mystical and stirring. It almost feels familiar, like a memory. You cannot help but yearn for it.
Winds blow, clearing the fog. Shapes move. Light and dark and colors shift in and out.
You think, Am I dreaming?
All you know to do is to start walking, one step at a time. But in which direction? As the dawning light yields greater clarity, you are presented with two choices. To the left is a lush path, smoothly paved, green and living and inviting. You hear birdsongs along this path and see small animals scampering happily through the trees.
The path to the right quickly turns to broken rock and uneven land. Fallen trees and huge boulders block the path. It looks dangerous. You glance at both again. One looks comfortable and inviting. The other looks rough and uncertain. You glance left again, noticing many footprints on that path. It is well-worn, and you can see for miles. You see no footprints at all on the more difficult path to the right.
Both paths stir intense feelings in you, yet you are clearly drawn to one path more than the other. The reason is that . . .
Before you can take a single step, you hear a noise. Suddenly, a man stands before you. He wears a robe of many colors and a cloak of black. His face is thickly bearded, and his eyes burn into yours. He is fierce and terrifying: tall, but not gigantic; muscled, but not beastly. A giant sword hangs at his back. You cannot run.
“Who . . . who are you?” you ask through trembling lips.
The fierce face breaks into laughter.
“I am True Man!” he roars in a deep, rumbling voice.
“So . . . did you bring me here?” you ask, surprising yourself that you would even think such a thing. It seems strangely possible, yet how could this man have summoned you? The two of you have never met. Besides, you don’t even know where “here” is.
True Man’s answer surprises you.
“Of course I brought you here. But not when you think. Not now. Not this moment.”
You are confused. “When, then?”
“When I caused you to be born male, this very day was prepared for you. The day of your thirteenth birthday.”
For some reason, a surge of excitement shoots through your being at his words.
“Let us make man.”
GENESIS 1:26 ESV
DAY TWO
You glance around sheepishly, sure a camera is lurking nearby somewhere, filming the whole scene for some new reality TV show. Everybody is going to get a laugh at your expense. But there are no cameras. Then you realize, He’s serious. True Man brought you here?
Okay, where is here? And who is True Man?
You are afraid. This is too weird.
True Man says, “Very often, something that is strong and strange causes others to be afraid. Does this make sense to you?”
You shrug, trying to act cool, unaffected, but True Man is an imposing figure. He does not yield. Bending down, he grips your shoulders firmly. You can feel the raw power in his hands. “Strength is part of manhood,” he says gravely. “Don’t ever forget that. Others may be afraid of your strength, as you are of mine. They may misunderstand you. Yes, you must be humble and gentle, but you must never be other than a man, and the first gift given to man is strength. This is a riddle. How do you solve it? How can you be both strong and gentle?”
True Man studies you in silence for several moments, then seems to accept your answer. Sensing he has more to add, you ask, “Why did you bring me here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Because you are meant to be like me. You have lived the life of a boy. Now it is time to begin living life as a man. Thus, I dub thee Questor. The quest of your life, since your birth as a male, has brought you to these fifty days. Be sober minded. Enjoy your journey, but do not treat it lightly. A child jokes about everything. A child cannot be trusted with deep things. By contrast, a man laughs hard and often, but also knows when to be quiet and think. Are you ready?”
“I am.”
“Good. Your father will walk this road with you in real life. I will walk it with you in your dreams.”
Ahh, my dreams, you realize. That’s right. I’m dreaming.
“Almost nothing in your life will compare in importance to this, your quest for manhood. So think deeply when asked a question.”
True Man hands you a faded, leatherbound book. You take and open it, surprised to realize it is, in fact, the book you already hold in your hands. It is a journal for your thoughts, but it is more. It is your life. “Nothing that will transpire over the next fifty days will be an accident. I have questions for you, but you must be honest with yourself and me. Answer carefully and privately. No one else needs to read what you write. This is for you and you alone, so you have no one to impress with false answers. Falsehood leads to regret. Remember, I am the True Man. I know your story, but this is the time for you to begin to write it for yourself.”
As he speaks, he steps nearer. A part of you wishes you could run, but you feel rooted to the ground, transfixed. Only inches away, you can feel True Man’s breath on your face. He doesn’t move, just studies you. In his searching eyes, you see something wild and untamed, yet perfectly at peace. As if caught between that wildness and peace, you feel yourself being measured.
“Who are you?” he asks.
You start to answer flippantly—make a nervous joke—but quickly realize he is asking one of those deeper questions. One that requires more thought.
Who am I?
After a few more moments, you realize the answer is not so much what you should say, as if you were trying to get a good grade in school or win friends or impress your parents. Instead, he is asking for an answer only you can give, because it concerns no one but you. Seeing no judgment in his eyes, you feel released to tell the truth about yourself, the way you really feel, the good and the bad. You say . . .
“Well said, though I think there is more to you than you know,” says the strange man. “But all in time.” He pauses thoughtfully. “You have told me who you are. Your answer has been shaped by every year of your life up to now. Each of those years, you’ve been a boy . . . and being a boy is a very good thing! Look behind you. See that road?”
You turn, surprised to see a long road stretching behind you. You hadn’t noticed it before.
“That is the Road of Youth. It has been your road. It is your past, filled with the happy memories of your life.”
