Star Man Second Edition

About the Book

“Are you ready to Man Up? According to national statistics, over fifty percent of you working men are unhappy in your jobs. In Star Man, author Gary Combs asks: Is it your work that really bothers you? Or, could you be wrestling with a mixed sense of purpose or conflicting priorities that keep boiling inside? If you are among the men who tend to barricade themselves in their man-caves, turning inward and seeking their own solutions, then what is really holding you back?

Star Man tackles these questions head-on from a uniquely male perspective. Tracing five major areas of a man’s daily life – love relationships, family focus, work life, community involvement, and health issues - Combs develops a balanced approach to ensuring that all five areas are given their rightful place. In each aspect, he moves you quickly to a self-assessment of your everyday questions:

1. My days are so full of “busyness” Who has time to think anymore?
2. I keep saying, “Someday I’ll _____.” Will that day ever come?
3. How can I make sure it does?

Filling each area of daily concern with personal anecdotes and humorous man-talk, often poking fun at the way men speak (and the way women hear), Star Man concludes with the thought provoking point that every man is looking for some greater meaning. With conviction, Combs suggests that God is acting at the center of all that a man does, whether or not he realizes it. Star man concludes with the encouraging reminder and personal witness that every man is sustained by God’s strength and His grace. It is in recognizing His divine influence and following His will that you find the answers you seek.”

“Star Man can help any man—especially those in their thirties, forties, and fifties—take the steps necessary to regain balance. Don't hesitate—let Gary's messages help you forge your path to a more balanced life today!” —Floyd Gilbert President, National PresbyterianMen(PCUSA)

“Star Man will hit home for lots of men, especially those who feel uncertain about their priorities and need to get centered again!” —Don Douglas, Vice President of Church Growth, International Cooperating Ministries

About the Author

Gary Combs currently serves with International Cooperating Ministries as Director of the mini Bible College. Prior to this calling, he completed his studies under the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary's Lay Pastor Program, which enabled him to be called as Pastor for a small congregation and later as the Interim Associate Pastor for a large congregation, both in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Serving as deacon and elder within his church, Gary became active in men’s ministries. This continued for over 15 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from West Point in 1975, and he took post-graduate courses in business at Rider University. He was commissioned into and served five years of active duty in the U.S. Army. Following active duty, Gary turned to a business career which included technical sales, product management, and marketing management for a Fortune 500 company. He founded and operated his own business, a manufacturers’ representative agency, from the late eighties into the early nineties, then he rejoined corporate life as president of U.S. operations for the foreign-based company. Throughout his career, Gary has served his church and his community. In addition to his leadership roles within the church, he has applied his energies in such organizations as the Boys’ and Girls’ Club, the Jaycees, and Vetshouse Inc. in Virginia Beach, VA. At various times he has spoken at business and community meetings or conferences. Gary has been recognized in the publication of Outstanding Young Men of America, 1982 and 1986, and in the American Registry of Outstanding Professionals, 2005-2006. Gary and his wife, Joni, live in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He has two daughters, both now living independently, one having completed her bachelor degree and the other working her way through college.