Sage: A Man's Guide Into His Second Passage

by Chris Bruno

All men must reckon with midlife. The time comes for every man where he realizes the morning of his life will soon turn towards afternoon. There is just as much behind as there is ahead, and the passage into a new season is about to begin. But many men have little sense of what this new season could or should entail, and we struggle knowing how to navigate it. We lack a vision for what it means to become a godly "Sage." The manhood journey is cyclical rather than linear, and the further along we travel, we find ourselves once again at the beginning. To truly become a Sage, we must go deeper and in reverse to recover those parts of us we exiled, forgot, lost, or never fully knew. Men who successfully navigate midlife emerge with a vision for who God originally made them to be. But men who go on living their lives without an awareness of their own deep need for this intentional work simply grow old, believing their best years are behind them rather than ahead. To become a Sage is the highest calling of God on men. It is the pinnacle of manhood, and yet the vast majority of men settle for a too-small story as they pass the midlife mark. This passage into the second half is God's invitation to His bigger story. If the task of the first passage is to find the man within the boy and call him forth, the task of the second passage is to find the boy within the man and bring him home. A Man's Guide Into His Second Passage invites men into an intentional journey through midlife and into the Sage.

"There are painfully few soul-strengthening messages that help the heart of a man finish well. As Chris Bruno compellingly suggests in Sage, “a man can only take someone else as far as he himself has gone.” We live in a world with many old men, but few sages, few men whose entire personhood is so drenched in maturity and whole-heartedness that they are capable of guiding the next generations to the farthest reaches of our masculine journey with wisdom and strength. In Chris Bruno, we have such a man. He is among the few who have consented to what Eugene Petersen named as the long obedience in the same direction. His provocative and accessible invitation in Sage is time-tested and life-proven by the fellowship of men with whom Chris has sacrificially cultivated true and lasting brotherhood. Curated with clarity and care, brimming with authentic stories of masculine initiation, and girded by courageous self-disclosure from Chris’s own journey, Sage offers a trustworthy, God-shaped, timely message for men who deeply desire to experience the full-portion of masculine maturity, build an enduring legacy in the second half of life, and finish well." Morgan Snyder
Author, Becoming a King
Founder, www.BecomeGoodSoil.com
Vice President, Wild At Heart "Most people either fail to dream of being a Sage or assume it is beyond the grasp of mere mortals. Chris Bruno, a wise, kind, and humble man, has invited us to walk with wisdom as we return to our younger selves, blessing the hardships and losses that have formed us as men. Chris offers a North Star vision of how a man becomes a Sage. You will find this brilliant book a trustworthy compass to guide you through the wilds of aging." Dan B. Allender. Ph.D
Professor of Counseling Psychology
The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology
Author, Redeeming Heartache "The game of life, like any game, is about making halftime adjustments. Of course, it sure helps to have a coach like Chris Bruno. This book is a playbook. Thanks to Chris for sharing both his wit and wisdom. If you have the courage to apply these time-tested principles, the best is yet to come!"

Mark Batterson
Pastor, National Community Church
Author, Chase The Lion
www.markbatterson.com

Genres: Nonfiction

258 pages, Paperback

Published July 28, 2022

About the author

Chris Bruno is the Co-Founder and CEO of Restoration Project and Founder and CEO of ReStory® Counseling, devoting his life to helping people come alive. He is the author of Sage: A Man's Guide Into His Second Passage, Man Maker Project: A Father's Guide to Initiating His Son to Manhood and Brotherhood Primer: A Journey Into Genuine Masculine Friendships, and a licensed professional counselor. He has decades of experience helping men recover their hearts. After graduating from Northwestern University in 1995 with both a Bachelor's in Communication and a Master’s in Speech, he and his wife spent close to ten years as missionaries in the Middle East. Upon returning to the U.S., he completed a Master's in Counseling Psychology at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, while also serving on staff at the seminary alongside Dan Allender as a facilitator and curator of restorative experiences.

Now living in Colorado, Chris leads two teams of story-sherpas: at Restoration Project, developing experiences and resources designed to "contend for men to reclaim who they are" specifically in the realms of fatherhood, brotherhood, and sonship; and at ReStory® Counseling with a story-informed team of therapists, spiritual directors, and Storywork counselors. Chris also offers ReStory® Intensives, 3-5 day experiences for individuals, couples, and groups.

Married for 27 years to his wife, Beth, they have three mostly adult children and enjoy adventures in the Colorado mountains or overseas whenever possible. He loves Jeeps, streams, whiskey, Scotland, and everything Celtic.

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some books that seem to find you at the right time, whether they're fiction, novels, biographies, or something else. Chris's book was one of those for me. Navigating mid-life has not been easy, and I have wrestled with finding the right language and perspective to engage it. It is a season where we have the opportunity to both look back at a life lived and imagine the future man and presence we want to be in the world. There are several paths for men like me to take, and Sage: A Man's Guide Into His Second Passage has helped me secure a choice toward deeper meaning and an identity rooted in God's unique design. This is a simple but profound book filled with wisdom, kindness, honesty, and perspective from a man who lives the words in these pages... and pulls others along with him. There are several authors whom I would like to meet after reading their books. This one was the opposite; after meeting Chris, I knew I needed to read his book. If you are looking toward the second half of your life or find yourself already in it, you will not regret reading this book. It's not too late.

[Mike Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Written

Many Christian books for men miss the mark on what it means for men to move to the second half of their life and this book is not one of them. The author addresses what it means to become a well rounded man. For anyone who is struggling at the second half of their life needs to read this book.

[Craig Chong · Rating 5 out of 5]

completely highlighted book

It’s rare that a book finds me and speaks to my soul. The entire book was highlighted and is like drinking a fine bottle of scotch you need to savor every word. Thank you Chris Bruno for writing this work of art. I can’t wait to go through it a second time.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every man over 40 needs to read this book!

Probably the simplest, yet most profound, book on the second half of life for men. Men, buy it for your friends. Women, buy it for the man in your life. They will never regret it.

[Michael Marin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any man in his later stages should read and gather wisdom from this book

[Thomas J Rau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenge

Challenging, very omni perspective. Inside outside ourselves. I will be sharing this book with the men I know that are approaching or are already in their second half.