Author name: Andy Braner

Founder/Director of KIVU and The KIVU Gap Year, LDG World Ambassador. Andy Braner, along with his wife, Jamie Jo, are the Founders of the Kivu Gap Year, a dynamic, life-changing extension of their 15 years of leading Camp Kivu, formerly in Durango, Colorado. Hundreds of adolescents and Millennials from around the world have benefited from their creative, wise and life-changing programs. It is also LDG’s privilege to have Andy as a valued and active member of our Board of Directors. Twelve years ago Andy invited Wes Roberts, LDG’s Founder, to be his mentor, and it is a welcome friendship that has steadily grown over these years with Andy and Jamie Jo. This couple has two daughters and three sons, from high school to early elementary…two graciously adopted from Rwanda. They live in Breckenridge, Colorado Andy has a heart to test this process cross culturally as he is currently involved creating experiences where American Youth interacting with Middle Eastern Youth. He is annually leading trips to Israel, Lebanon, and Jordan. He’s written five books on youth culture, and has over 20 years of youth experience. His latest book No Fear in Love: Learning to Love other as God loves them is a look into the heart of fear in culture and what drives us to love well. Here is where you can learn more about the exceptional Kivu Gap Year: Any high school student you know needs to investigate this outstanding program.

Young women looking at clouds

Helping Emerging Adults Achieve Their Hopes And Dreams

Three3rds of Life / By

[blox_column width=”1/1″][/blox_column][blox_heading title=”Every time I read an article on helping the next generation, I’m excited to see new…” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] …new trends, new sociology, and new ways of thinking about the world.  But most of the time, it seems authors are particularly condescending towards the “new.” For example:  Most articles I read about […]

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Teenager sitting on wall

Preparing Teens to be Productive Adults

Three3rds of Life / By

[blox_column width=”1/1″][/blox_column][blox_heading title=”“We’ve tried everything. Don’t you have a program for them?”” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] This dreaded phone call is the newest trend I’m experiencing in my work with students.  It comes from parents who have 21-23 year old children living in the basement. I can hear the desperation in their voice from the

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Woman holding sparkler

Life Transformed By Mentoring

8 Dimensions of Life / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”On the journey to experiencing transformation…” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] Deep roots of change The light switch went off in my brain as I stared at the person sitting across the table from me.  The last few weeks had provided us an opportunity to explore life and the journey I had found myself

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Graphic treatment of man and horizon line

Mentoring Men For Their Whole Life

Mentoring for Men / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”Ask any man today if he needs a mentor, and you might run into a little pushback.” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] “I don’t need someone telling me what to do” “My Dad figured it out” “The world is about survival, I’ll learn it, or not” But talk with men who are self-aware enough

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Woman looking to her right, thinking , while sitting on a bench

Mentoring Women for their Whole-life

Mentoring for Women / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”Could your life be so focused on a few prominent areas that you forget other dimensions even exist?” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] I love the “aha” moment when a woman considers the 8 Dimensions diagram for the first time and realizes there are more dimensions to explore. Suddenly she experiences a newfound “freedom”

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Young man sitting on ledge looking over clouds

Deep Change in Emerging Adults

Mentoring Skills / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”A new phenomenon is occurring in America culture. ” style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] We’ve compartmentalized our teenagers to be “youth,” and now we’ve created a new space where students from 21-30 are now called Emerging Adults. Some colleagues use the phrase Extended Adolescence, as they try to understand why so many 21-25 year olds

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High School gym

Deep Change in Adolescents

Mentoring for Children / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”In the old days, adolescent years were called apprentice years.” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] The other day, one of my students was trying out for an athletic team at school.  He’s not the most athletic person on the track, but he’s shown promise over the last few years.  He’s trained his body.  He’s

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Want to be a Better Mentor

Want to Be a Better Mentor?

2 Comments / First steps of Mentoring, Mentoring for Women, Mentoring Skills, Whole Life Mentoring / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”Feel Free to ASK!” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] Seeking to be a better mentor? Just ASK! This tiny acrostic represents three tips for improving inquiry skills.   A – Avoid Easy Answers Don’t ask yes or no questions. That’s one of the first tips of advice a newbie hears about improving question-asking skills.

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Post-Millenial: The Next Generation

Post-Millennial: The Next Generation

Three3rds of Life, Whole Life Mentoring / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”What is a Post-Millennial? Is it time for a new generation already?” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] The Millennial Generation has dominated writing and research, water cooler discussion and hand-wringing for a decade and a half of this millennium.   They are the largest generation since the Baby Boomers, and have lived through the most

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Mentoring teens and emerging adults

Mentoring Teens and Emerging Adults: 3 Vital Keys to the First 3rd of Life

Mentoring for Children, Three3rds of Life / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”So, you’ve decided to mentor people in their first 3rd of life? Welcome to the most exciting time to influence another human being’s life trajectory. Just think about it…” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] Even though Athletes make millions of dollars each year, it doesn’t take long for Super Bowl winners to fade into

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Family and Mentoring

The Influence of Family in Mentoring

8 Dimensions of Life, Whole Life Mentoring / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_heading title=”“Tell me the best memory you have of your family?” I asked a group of University students.” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] “I remember when my parents got divorced.  My Dad took off, and my Mom raised my brother and me.  I’ll never forget the sacrifices she made to keep me in my private

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3 Steps to Being a Transformer

3 Steps To Being A Transformer

First steps of Mentoring, Whole Life Mentoring / By

[blox_row][blox_column width=”1/1″][blox_text animation=”none”] Copyright material belongs to Dreamworks SKG, Paramount Pictures, Industrial Light & Magic, and Hasbro. [/blox_text][blox_heading title=”Unless you’ve been hiding under a dark media blackout for the last few years, you know our culture has been awakened to the old 80’s cartoon, The Transformers. ” size=”h3″ style=”style5″ animation=”none”][/blox_heading][blox_text animation=”none”] Michael Bay and the team

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