Building Capable Young Men Through Faith, Service, Scouting, and Hard Things
Young people are capable of far more than they know, and far more than we often expect.
In this first video, I share the message behind Pushing Through and why these stories matter to me. It is about Scouting, faith, service, hard lessons, humor, and the belief that young people grow when adults lead with love, raise the bar, and help them discover they can do hard things
Here’s a link: Pushing Through Part 1: Before the River Taught Us | Seal River Expedition
Pushing Through Part 2: When the River Became the Teacher
Buy your copy of Pushing Through
About the book
Why I Wrote Pushing Through
When I first began writing Pushing Through, I did not set out to write a leadership guide.
At the beginning, this was not a book about how to work with youth, how to build a strong program, or how to help young men do hard things. Those lessons came later. The book became those things because that is what the experience became in my life.
The truth is, this story began with a church calling I did not want.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members are often invited by a bishop to serve in callings. We do not always choose the assignment. Sometimes we are asked to serve in ways that stretch us, inconvenience us, frighten us, or expose how unprepared we feel.
That was my experience when I was called to serve as a Scoutmaster.
I was reluctant. I was anxious. I felt severely unqualified. I had businesses to run, a family to care for, and plenty of reasons why someone else would surely be a better choice. More than once, I resisted the invitation. I did not see myself as the right man for the job.
But eventually I had to decide whether I believed God was involved in the calling.
If I believed He had asked me to serve, then I also had to believe He could help me do what I did not yet know how to do.
That is where the real story of Pushing Through begins.
As I accepted the calling and tried to move forward in faith, I began to experience something I can only describe as guidance. Ideas came. Impressions came. A quiet voice seemed to lead me. At times, I felt directed in how to plan, how to build, how to work with the boys, and how to create experiences that would stretch them without breaking them.
Camp Fowler, the service projects, the hard outings, the reflection circles, the lessons about doing hard things — these did not come because I was naturally gifted or fully prepared. They came because I prayed, listened, worked, failed, tried again, and felt God magnify my efforts.
Over time, the calling I had feared became one of the great blessings of my life. I developed skills, talents, confidence, love, and purpose I did not know I had. I came to feel that working with youth was not merely something I had been assigned to do; it was part of why God had placed me on the earth.
That is the testimony beneath the stories.
Yes, Pushing Through is about Scouting. Yes, it is about youth leadership. Yes, it is about service, hard things, faith, character, and helping young people rise. But underneath all of that, it is a testimony that God can take reluctant, anxious, imperfect people and magnify them in their callings.
If we are willing to say yes, pray, listen, prepare, work, and keep moving, He can make more of us than we could ever make of ourselves.
That is why I wrote this book.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pushing Through about?
Pushing Through is about helping young people become capable, faithful, service-minded, and strong enough to do hard things. Through sometimes humorous stories from Scouting, church youth leadership, service projects, campouts, wilderness challenges, failures, do-overs, and hard-earned lessons, Paul Fowler shares what he learned while helping young men grow—and how the work changed him too.
At its heart, the book is a faith-based youth leadership guide for parents, mentors, Scout leaders, bishops, Young Men leaders, teachers, coaches, and anyone who wants to raise the bar with love and help youth grow through real experience
Is the book serious or humorous?
Both. The message is serious, but many of the stories are told with humor. The book includes burned food, cold camps, bad water, long hikes, bike rides, service projects, mistakes, do-overs, and lessons learned the hard way.
Is this book written for Latter-day Saint readers?
Latter-day Saint readers will find familiar themes of faith and youth leadership, especially those tied to Young Men leadership, building faith in Christ, and serving others. At the same time, the book speaks to a broader audience—parents, mentors, youth leaders, church leaders, teachers, coaches, and anyone involved with guiding young people. Its focus is on helping youth learn to lead through purposeful activities.
Are signed copies available?
Both hardbound and paperback editions are available, offering the perfect option for any reader. The hardbound edition makes a wonderful gift for a youth leader—whether a bishop, coach, or parent. Reach out, and we’ll have one on the way to you in no time!
How can I help spread the word?
You can help by buying or sharing the book, recommending it to parents and youth leaders, watching and sharing the related videos, and leaving an honest review on Amazon after you read it.
