An Update on Braveheart Progress

Thanks for helping Building Bravehearts grow from an idea to toddler hood.  Building Bravehearts blog began about a year ago and is one part of a vision to help every child succeed by developing the courage to try.  After digging into ideas, listening to stories, and watching young people grow, I am more convinced than ever that building "heart" deserves our attention if we want our children to become who and what they are meant to be.  Courage, in the big and small of life, makes a difference.

Below is an annual update of where we are and where we are going.

Building Bravehearts blog has been a place to serve families and develop ideas at the same time.  From nothing to almost 5,000 reads this year isn't a lot compared to many blogs, but a steady start.  We at least beat the average life span of a blog which is 126 days!

Book work on Bravehearts goes in spurts, as does some of the blog, usually tied to energies at my "day job" of principal.  A few months ago, a handful of editors and agents saw a book proposal and gave positive remarks and suggestions.  I have taken their helpful comments and am in the middle of a revised proposal and chapter writing.

Lord willing, in the months straight ahead we will begin Braveheart seminars, a three-hour presentation for parents about raising their own Bravehearts.  The three segments are:
1. "Braveheart Success" in which parents discover the connection between heart and success in a world of fears.
2. "Keeping Heart" where parents learn how to keep heart in their children by understanding the heart that children have, modeling trust, supportive parenting, cooperating with the Creator, and creating passion.
3. "Restoring Heart" helps parents find out how to restore a heart that is lost.

We will be exploring other ways to share the Braveheart ideas such as articles and presentations to educators on the importance of heart in learning and how to develop them in a school context.

Your insights, questions, and prayers are welcome!

Thank you.
Joe Neff