Real Men and Fathers
A review of “Finishing Strong: Going the Distance for Your Family” by Steve Farrar
Farrar, S. Finishing Strong: Going the Distance for Your Family. U.S., Multnomah Books, 1995.
Dear Fellow,
Welcome to December! We are three days in already. The year is winding down, just as I am in this space for the year. I have until next week Saturday to call it close for the year. Next week’s despatch will be the final quarterly round-up, the Fourth Quarterly Despatch.
That said, let me explain the content of today’s despatch. The title and subtitle suggest that you should be reading the content of the book mentioned in the heading by now. Well, your expectations aren’t dashed yet. We are coming to that.
I thought it necessary to share a thing or two about this book with you; perhaps to push you to get a copy for yourself. However, I am not done reading. And it is not in my modus operandi to write reviews for a book I have not read cover-to-cover. I like to have a total experience of the text before saying anything about it by way of review or otherwise. But here is an exception to the rule.
This book by Steve Farrar entered my TBR (to-be-read list) since it was first mentioned to me. It was a passionate recommendation from an older friend. It was in the course of a conversation which touched on exemplary living and leadership. I became curious and wanted to crack what treasure lies in the book. That was in December last year. (Yeah, you catch the stunt: it is December, a year later.)
Mid this year, another senior friend wrote a passionate review of the book. He tagged it as one of the books which impacted his life the most. It didn’t stop there. He gifted several copies of the books to his loved ones. I grew more curious. What exactly is in this book that enjoys such acceptance, I thought.
I purchased a copy.
I commenced reading last week. I am currently at page 156 of the 218 pages. I am in the third part of the book which is tagged The Prototypes of Finishing Strong. The book has three parts and a study guide; it has ten chapters. The first and second parts are tagged respectively: The Priority of Finishing Strong and The Perils of Finishing Strong.
I think I know what you must be thinking about the third part of the book: a long list of perfect folks who lived spotless lives. Well, you may not think that way. However, the seventh chapter, which is the opening chapter for part three is tagged Lousy Start, Strong Finish. Suggests an idea, right? The model character in that chapter was Manasseh, one of the ancient kings of Judah in ancient Israel. His biography is detailed in this book of the Bible: 2 Kings; his account covers the entire 21st chapter of the book. By every standard, his over fifty years of reign since the commencement of his reign at 12, was unwelcome, for the most part. However, he obtained mercy from God and had a strong finish (see 2 Chronicles in the Bible; chapter 33).
This is part of the message Steve Farrar communicates in this book. That you are not done with because the years before now are not worth discussing even. That you can be that one man among ten who will finish strong. What does he mean by finishing strong even?
To finish strong, as I read, is to pass out of life living behind an exemplary life for posterity; to build men, sons and daughters of imitable character; and ultimately, to be the man God has destined you to be. To be consistent on this path to your dying day.
Here’s a pointed instruction between the lines of the book:
‘If you’re going to finish strong, you can’t go through life on cruise control’ (pg. 74).
I don’t know about you, but I also want to finish strong. I want to be a trustworthy custodian of God’s gift to me in life. I understand that life is a trust and I will not want to handle carelessly this privilege given to me; to not only be alive but to be entrusted with responsibilities of even the lives of men.
You should want to finish strong, Fellow. I am passionately recommending this book to you also. I tell my friends who care to listen: Every responsible man should read this book.
Your LetterMan,
Tongjal, W. N.