Thanksgiving week is here, and it’s a powerful reminder of just how blessed we really are. At KOZ, we talk often about gratitude, but lately the Lord has been pressing something deeper on my heart, the importance of seeking God with a sincere heart. When we slow down long enough to notice His blessings, even the simple ones like a warm home, food on the table, and a family to love, we begin to see how good He truly is.
Many of our KOZ boys don’t have these gifts. Some won’t walk into a Thanksgiving table overflowing with food or a house filled with laughter. Yet this is where God calls us to show up — with sincerity, presence, and the love of Jesus.
What Scripture Says About Seeking God Sincerely
As I was reading in Deuteronomy 4:29–30, the words struck me deeply:
“You will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.”
That phrase “with all your heart and your soul,” is everything. I’m not a Bible scholar, but I do know what it means to love Jesus sincerely. I’ve seen the blessings that flow from walking with Him, and I’ve watched that blessing flow down into my family.
And this is what we offer our boys: a sincere heart that points them to the Father who never leaves.
Boys Know When We’re Sincere
Kids are sharp, sharper than we realize sometimes. They can tell when we’re truly listening, when we care, and when we’re pretending. A sincere heart is one of the greatest gifts a KOZ Leader can bring into a boy’s life.
When boys learn sincerity, gratitude follows. They begin to see blessings. They learn to love Jesus not out of obligation, but out of relationship.
Learning to Have Real Conversations With Boys
I recently spoke with a podcast producer who shared how hard it is to start intentional conversations with his 11-year-old son. Many of us were never taught how to have these talks; conversations about faith, character, money, or even navigating the challenges of school.
That’s why we wrote The Coyote’s Heart and Coyote’s Virtues — 33 guided conversations designed to help leaders and dads talk through important topics in a simple, relational way. Every lesson includes a story, questions, application, and Scripture.
They don’t just teach boys.
They teach us how to talk to boys.
And honestly, they work with grown-ups too.
Applying What We Learn — For Their Sake
We’ve all been to conferences or workshops that fired us up. We take pages of notes but then life gets busy, and the excitement fades. But when we apply what we learn, modeling healthy conflict, gratitude, joy, responsibility, and faith, the boys see it. They learn from it.
Every Saturday adventure is an opportunity to show them what a godly man looks like in real life.
A Thanksgiving Challenge: Let Your Boys Know They Matter
Many of our boys won’t have a picture-perfect Thanksgiving. They may not have much to be thankful for. But we can give them something powerful, the knowledge that they are seen, valued, and loved.
This week, consider:
- Calling or texting each of your boys
- Telling them, “I’m grateful for you. I was thinking about you this Thanksgiving.”
- Splitting the list among your KOZ men to make it easy
A small act like this can fill a boy’s heart with hope.
We’re Grateful for YOU
As we head into Thanksgiving, we want you to know this:
You are not alone.
Your work matters.
You are impacting generations through the life of one boy at a time.
The KOZ World Headquarters may be closed a couple of days this week, but our team is here for you — by phone, email, or through one of the Outfitters. Whenever you need support, we’ll be there.
One day, when you walk into heaven, Jesus will say, “well done.”
And behind you will be generations of families transformed because you showed up for one boy.
Happy Thanksgiving, KOZ family.
Regulators… mount up.
JOIN THE MISSION
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