Adventurous Faith: Life to the Full

The Final Episode of Adventurous Faith...listen in. 

Many of us don't handle change well. We can all learn a better way to handle change in all arenas of life. On this episode, we talk about the 3 MUSTS of handling change well. All kidding aside, this one's a game changer.

www.benweaver.org/podcast 

www.benweaver.org  

Our lives are made up of twists, turns, curveballs, and unmet expectations. Not to mention the world is pulling us in a million different directions in regards to how our identity is formed. My guest on today’s show knows all about the struggle you and I face. Jesse Bradley is a former Pro Soccer player turned pastor who has spent a good part of his life working on addressing where his identity is found. You’ll find his story fascinating and his wisdom insightful as you listen to this episode. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Jesse Bradley’s Twitter Jesse’s E-mail Grace in Auburn Church  

Listen in and hear the story of my Start-Up in real time. I'm sharing all the lessons I'm learning and the struggles I'm experiencing along the way.

Many of us think risk-taking is difficult – but it’s not. It’s actually way more simple than we make it out to be. Our problem is we don’t often have the system or ideas we need in place to assess whether or not the risk we want to take is worth it. On today’s episode of Adventurous Faith, I talk about a risk I recently took in becoming a StoryBrand Certified Guide. There was a lot I learned through the process and I thought it was valuable information you needed to know in learning to take risks in your own life. On the show, we’ll talk about the three simple steps you can take that will make risk-taking look easy. I promise you, it’s not as daunting as we make it out to be. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY’S SHOW Ben’s Instagram – comment on the photo of this episode!  

Becoming a successful entrepreneur doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a large amount of time and one very special skill that most never acquire – stepping into the unknown. My guest on today’s episode of Adventurous Faith has learned this incredible skill of stepping into the unknown. William Warren is the founder of The Sketch Effect, a company that helps ideas come to life by using visual communication. On the show today, we unpack William’s life and the steps he took into the unknown that helped him become the successful artist and business owner that he is today. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Ben’s Instagram Sketch Effect Instagram The Sketch Effect Website Post navigation #046: LEARNING HOW TO ADMIT WHEN YOU ARE WRONG W/ JOSH HARRIS    

Listen in and hear the story of my Start-Up in real time. I'm sharing all the lessons I'm learning and the struggles I'm experiencing along the way.

When tragedy strikes our lives, we have two choices. We can choose to move forward and live. Or, we can lay over and die. My guest on today’s episode of Adventurous Faith understands that decision all too well. When John O’Leary was just a boy, he was burned in over 90% of his body. He remembers making the decision to live. That decision has affected his story, live and mission since that moment. John now lives to inspire people to live this full life now. LIVING TO INSPIRE Recently, I had an opportunity to sit down with John, a St. Louis native and capture his story and the message he uses to inspire people to this Full Life. It was such an honor getting to sit down with him. You are going to love this Story Session. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW John’s Book – On fire John’s Website  

We’ve all grown up thinking that we will always be right. I know, it’s sort of silly – but it’s true. We have been raised in a society that encourages us as men to hold to our truths, stand up for what we think is right and never relent. There is power in living that way – but there is also a major blind spot. You’ll miss the strength you can gain in being wrong. ARE YOU STRONG ENOUGH TO BE WRONG? My guest on today’s show knows all about embracing the power of being wrong. Josh Harris is the New York Times Best Selling Author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye. His book has sold over a million copies and was translated into dozens of languages. But there’s just one problem. Recently, Josh realized that the principles he laid out in his book were wrong. They were inaccurate and even egotistical. (His words, not mine.) Josh has since been on a mission to tell the world how powerful it is to be wrong. You are really going to enjoy this episode. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW Josh’s Website The I Kissed Dating Goodbye Documentary Josh’s Marketing Company Clear & Loud  

Listen in and hear the story of my Start-Up in real time. I'm sharing all the lessons I'm learning and the struggles I'm experiencing along the way.

Men don’t enjoy talking about the past. We are often present and future-oriented people. Even if we were interested in talking about the past, we’re pretty sure the only thing we would find there is pain. I understand this all too real for myself. Lately, I have been spending a lot of time with young men and their passion for the future. But in our time together I am sure to remind them of one important truth they need to learn about themselves – don’t forget or ignore your past. Embrace it. STOP IGNORING YOUR PAST For us to become the men we long to be, it’s important that we take a look back on our lives and embrace the events, tragedies and hurts that made us. On this episode of Adventurous Faith, we talk about the four benefits of why you should begin embracing your past. I’m confident that after listening to this episode that embracing your past won’t seem as daunting – but it will be necessary. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW To Be Told Find Your Why The Road Back to You  

There is a gap between older and younger generations. In our world, this plays itself a lot through whining, complaining and throwing stones at each other. As young men, we have allowed all the negativity that people throw at us often get to us in ways we shouldn’t. It’s time for a better frame of mind. There is a better way to reach out to those who are older, wiser and more connected than you that can help you grow exponentially. CLOSING THE GENERATIONAL GAP My guest on today’s show knows all about the power in choosing to allow yourself to be invested by those older than you. Grant Skeldon is an author and founder of The Initiative Network which is an organization that equips young people to be missionaries in the workplace. Grant also intentionally reaches out to those older than him to get the wisdom he needs to live this life. You’ll love today’s show. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY’S SHOW The Initiative Network Grant’s Book, The Passion Generation  

Listen in and hear the story of my Start-Up in real time. I'm sharing all the lessons I'm learning and the struggles I'm experiencing along the way.

The views we have about money were shaped when we were young. For some of us, that view is healthy – and it’s helped us to build the life we want and understand money as a powerful tool. For others of us (myself included), the relationship with money that was established when we were younger was not so healthy. In fact, it may continue to wreck your life today. HOW TO BUILD A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH MONEY. My guest on today’s episode of Adventurous Faith understands the power your relationship with money can have on you. Nick True has spent the better part of his twenties navigating that very issue in his own life. He and his wife Hanna are now in a place where they are thriving in their life because they have worked through a lot of their money issues. They now help other young people do the same with their business Mapped Out Money. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY’S SHOW Mapped Out Money YouTube Channel Mappedoutmoney.com The Financial Audit Checklist  

Many of us have grown up believing that in order to do good in the world, we have to complete massive projects or tasks. This just isn’t the case. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. The most basic way to making a great impact in the world is through several small, everyday ordinary acts of goodness. DOING GOOD IS SIMPLE My guest on today’s show is Chris Marlow, the founder of Help One Now, an organization that specializes in helping equip families in impoverished countries. They’re mission and passion is simple: doing good can and is easy. What I loved most about our conversation together were the simple tools that Chris shares on how you and I can learn to do an even greater good by simply walking outside our front door and helping one person in a simple way. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S SHOW Chris Marlow’s Website Help One Now Chris’s Book – Doing Good is Simple  

Hear about my start-up in real time as it unfolds. All my struggles, all of what I am learning and what God is teaching me about starting a business.

Not all of us are in business, but all of us need a powerful relational network to help get us through life. We are hard-wired for relationships and made for community. RELATIONSHIPS ARE EVERYTHING On this episode of Adventurous Faith, I sit down with a good friend and mentor, Brian McCrae. By day, Brian is a mortgage broker (yes, he did the mortgage on my house) but also by day, he has built a powerful relationship network in St. Louis that helped him to launch Mastermind St. Louis, a monthly free networking and leadership development event that hundreds attend each month. It was such a privilege getting to sit down with Brian to capture a little more of his story, but also hear how he built a powerful referral network that he has. You'll enjoy this episode! RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S SHOW Brian's Website - Mastermind St. Louis

Greatness is something that eludes every man. We want it, long for it and at times go to great lengths to achieve it. Our problem ensues when we think we have achieved such greatness, only to find out we are still fragile, breaking easily on the turn of a dime. HEALING THE MASCULINE SOUL My guest on today's show understands the pursuit of becoming a great man. But even greater, Gordon Dalbey understands the power of what it means to do great work on the heart before you can become great. Great healing must occur before you can become great. This extended interview with Gordon is full of a lot of years of wisdom and direction on how to find the healing you need to move forward into the greatness you're looking for. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S SHOW AbbaFather.com Healing the Masculine Soul Sons of the Father

Hear about my start-up in real time as it unfolds. All my struggles, all of what I am learning and what God is teaching me about starting a business.

We long to pursue and achieve great things in life. It's in our hard wiring - to experience life and adventure to the full. But most of us spin our wheels wanting more of this "full life" but never knowing how to experience it. We want God to speak to us, but we're not sure if we know how to listen. On today's episode of Adventurous Faith, we are going to talk about the ever-important practice of letting God out in front to lead your life and four straightforward but basic practices you can begin doing today to hear God's voice more clearly in this noisy world. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S SHOW Walking with God by John Eldredge Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day SUP Chapter 15 - Practicing Listening Prayer

I want you to think about these important two questions before listening to today's episode: For you to have a successful 2019 - both personally and professionally, what do you think you'll need? What do you want to see happen in 2019? Many of us would say that we want an epic 2019. We want this year to be better than lasts. There is nothing wrong with that desire. We run into problems when our desires outrun our disciplines. For you to have the incredible year you are looking for, you are going to need to be intentional about how you spend your time. And it doesn't begin by thinking about the year as a whole. It begins by thinking of how you intentionally spend your days. EPIC YEARS BEGIN WITH INTENTIONAL DAYS I want to watch you crush it in 2019, but not before you learn to find a greater balance to your life. This episode is all about the 7 areas of balance you'll need to use to get your life, both personally and professionally, in order. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S SHOW The Lead With Balance Assessment - www.leadwithbalance.com The Adventurous Faith Morning Field Guide Headspace App Can I Have Your Attention by Curt Steinhorst When by Daniel Pink Play by Stuart Brown The Full Focus Planner

2018 was an incredible beginning to the Adventurous Faith podcast. After a launch in late April, the audience kept growing and the incredible conversations kept piling up. I thought a good way to begin this new year would be to take a step back and to re-visit some of those episodes and pull out some of the great clips that make Adventurous Faith what it is. I hope you enjoy this throwback! We'll be back next week with a fresh, brand new episode of the podcast!    2019 is going to be epic.   

2018 will go down as one incredible year. There were a lot of great things that happened. Tune in on this short, bonus episode to hear about all that happened and where I believe God is leading me in 2019. 

At the end of every year, I have a few things on my mind. – the holidays, eating good food, resting, spending time with family and goal setting. I could spend an entire episode or more talking about how important each of these are (especially food) but I won’t. Today, I wanted to take some time and talk about the process I use to set goals.  SETTING GOALS YOU CAN REACH IN 2019 Over the years, I have adopted different ideas and practices for goal setting. In the last couple of years, I have invested a lot of time & money in the goal setting system Michael Hyatt uses in his “Best Year Ever” program. This online course, coupled with the everyday use of his Full Focus Planner, not only help me to stay on track but help me to set and reach goals every year. This year is no different. But, as I approach this upcoming year, there is a 3-layer grid that I have developed and began implementing into setting my goals. Here are the 3 areas that I want to make sure my goals line up with:   1. I WANT MY GOALS TO BE GOD DRIVEN I begin with asking the question, “God, where do you want me to go this year and what do you want me to do?” I don’t view this as treating God as a genie, but more as my leader and guide. With this question, I am asking God to go out in front and lead me. I learned this lesson from John Eldredge in Walking with God.  2. I WANT MY GOALS TO BE RELATIONALLY DRIVEN Before anything else, relationships are the most important thing. Relationships aren’t just something, they are everything. I believe this now more than ever. When trying to see where I am heading for the coming year, I want to ask more “who” questions and less “what” questions. Who needs to be involved in this coming year?  3. I WANT MY GOALS TO BE SKILL DRIVEN I could easily set goals in areas that could just make me money – but would I be good at them? Probably not. I want my goals to be focused on the skill set that I can bring to the table. Now, this does mean you shouldn’t pursue a new skill – or set a goal to pursue a new skill. I just want to make sure that most of what I am doing is in my wheelhouse. It keeps everything in check. And, let’s be honest, it’s what’s going to bring home the greatest revenue return for the business.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY’S SHOW Michael Hyatt’s Best Year Ever Program The Full Focus Planner Cal Newport’s Book, Deep Work  

2018 is beginning to come to a close. This will be the last episode of my start-up story for this year. On today's episode and chapter, I wanted to take just a few minutes and talk about where we have come and where I believe God is leading us: Seek God. Pursue People. I haven't been short on telling you that this business is all about God. You have probably figured that out about now. From the very inception of this business, I have wanted God to guide and direct this entire thing. If I take control, all is lost. SEEK GOD. PURSUE PEOPLE. A couple of weeks ago I was having a conversation with my fiance, Shauna about something happening in the business. Her response caught my heart in the best way possible. "Yeah, it's Seek God, Pursue People." My heart leaped with joy. That is it. Those were the words I had been looking for that summarize why we are doing what we are doing and what it all means to us. Adventurous Faith is a business that seeks God first. We then pursue the heart of those God puts in our path through relationships. God is leading us this direction in 2019. It is going to be an epic year!  

5 LESSONS I'M LEARNING ABOUT GRATITUDE RIGHT NOW 1. Gratitude has helped me to remain present. When we learn to be thankful and cultivate a heart of gratitude, we set our minds on the present. 2. Gratitude has helped me to build stronger and healthier relationships. When I can learn to show gratitude towards those I love and care for, our relationship bond cannot be broken. 3. Gratitude has helped me to form a stronger mental fortitude. Sometimes, the name of the game is mental toughness. Expressing and showing gratitude helps me to form it. 4. Gratitude has helped me to remember what God has already done. When I can stop and think about what I am grateful for, my heart remembers what God has already done and brought me through. 5. Gratitude has helped me to remember my place in this world. God is God, and I am not. When you use gratitude as a way of life, it helps put you in your place. You begin to realize that all that has been given to you was handed to you by God. Adventurous Faith

Let's be honest - we suck at focusing anymore. Our ability to focus is terrible. Attention spans have plummetted to the floor. Distraction has become a major problem in the workforce. My guest on today's episode of Adventurous Faith knows all about it. Curt Steinhorst is the founder of FocusWise. FocusWise is an organization built to help reduce distractions and improve communication in the workplace. Curt is the author of "Can I Have Your Attention?" where he shares his thoughts on research on what it looks like to help yourself, your team and company get the focus you need to get better work done. LEARN HOW TO FOCUS This conversation with Curt was a lot of fun. There are a lot of great practical tools and application he gives in how you can help yourself get more work done. Here are some takeaways you'll get from this episode: Addressing the major problem of distraction we have in the workplace. Practical ideas and principles on learning how to focus. How to create communication compacts with your team, friends, and family so you can communicate in a more efficient way. Practical steps and ideas on how you can focus your brand and business to make the greatest impact. I even put myself on the hot seat with Curt and we walk through this together. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW Curt's Book: Can I Have Your Attention? FocusWise Curt's Website

Over the last eight months, Adventurous Faith has grown and shaped in several different ways. One of those more significant ways has been with my coaching practice. This hasn't come easy for me. When I first began coaching, I was sure if I had the skill set, knowledge, and ability to do the high-level coaching I had been dreaming of. My self-worth wasn't there yet. LET'S TALK MONEY & SELF-WORTH Over the last several months of growing this coaching practice, one of the more vital lessons I have learned is that the process I am offering men in finding a balanced life is virtually priceless. I not only have the skill set, but I have the tools, experience, and ability to coaching high-achieving men to even greater success in their businesses and personal lives. I am more convinced of this than ever. That is what this episode is all about. It's about me needing to raise my coaching rate, but more importantly, it's about me finding greater self-worth in what I am doing. The Prosperous Coach 500B6

There's a good chance that throughout your life you will hold several different jobs. There may even be a greater chance that those jobs span across several different careers, skill sets, and even passions. There is nothing wrong with these different pursuits. God may even ordain many of them. But if we are honest with ourselves, most of the changes we make in our career and life path come down to one very simple idea: meaning. Each of us in our way is searching for meaning in this life. We want our time, energy, effort and work to mean something.  HOW TO MOVE TOWARDS MEANING My guest on today's episode of Adventurous Faith knows all about the pursuit of finding meaning. Dan Cumberland is the founder of The Meaning Movement - an organization that helps people find meaningful work in their life by exploring their story and other vital areas of their lives that are often neglected. Dan is doing fantastic work, and I cannot wait for you to hear his energy behind what he is doing. It is contagious! RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW The Meaning Movement Finding Purpose in Life: The Long Guide to Finding Your Life’s Work. Connect with Dan

Most of us can admit that we'd like to be successful. This isn't difficult. What is difficult is how you define it. Defining success in your own life and then sticking to your own guns, hell or high water is not easy. Many times through this process of finding success we lose ourselves. We forget who we are and what we originally set out to be. In the end, our version of success suffocates our own lives. My guest on today's episode, Jeff Goins, knows all about this. ON FINDING SUCCESS On this episode of Adventurous Faith, I sit down with Jeff Goins. Jeff is a best-selling author and very successful entrepreneur. Over the course of about a year, he was able to launch a successful writing business and make over six-figures. His story only goes up from there. Over the course of a couple of years, he successfully made over 7 figures while achieving all sorts of success But in the middle of his journey, he found himself lost, no longer doing what he really started out to do. There is plenty to learn from Jeff's story and I know you'll enjoy it.   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW Jeff Goins - goinswriter.com The Art of Work Real Artists Don't Starve

A few weeks ago I was catching up with an old friend on the phone. We began talking about the new business I had launched. He decided to share some much-needed wisdom he had gained in attempting to launch out on his own. In our conversation he shared a lot of interesting thoughts about business, starting a company and reaching people with your message. But there was one piece of advice that stuck out to me that I'm not sure I'll ever forget. He told me to grow where I am planted. GROW WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED Such a novel idea isn't it? Most of us believe we should grow where we are planted but rarely live out our lives according to this great purpose. We love scaling and growing things, ideas and companies beyond our means and reach. It's a beautiful pursuit - but is it a necessary one? What might it look like for you and I to grow our ideas and businesses in the communities in which we live? Sure, there are people all over the world that need to hear our thoughts (and yes, I DO believe that). But the greatest impact you and I can make is in our own backyards. HOME IN ST. LOUIS This changes everything for Adventurous Faith. No, not the vision or even means of making business happen. But, it does change how I believe God is calling us to scale it. 2019 is shaping up to be a great year for growth. I can't wait to see the impact we get to make in The Lou!

I suppose that I have been waiting quite a while to post an episode such as this. I have wanted to find a way for Shauna and me to share our story for a while. Bringing her on the Adventurous Faith podcast was an obvious choice. You will hear us tell our story in full on this episode of the podcast! Jonathan Knepper Instagram  Andrew Knepper Instagram WATCH OUR SHORT FILM: A NEW BRANCH

Many of us wish we could spend our lives traveling the world. God knows I have thought about it from time to time. Who needs to work from home when you can choose to work from anywhere in the world? Because of the advances we have in technology, you and I can spend our 9-5's not stuck in cubicle nation. We can live abroad and pursue the life we've always wanted to live as a digital nomad. My guest on today's episode of Adventurous Faith has stopped wishing he could live abroad and started doing it. Ricky Shetty is the founder of DaddyBlogger.com and the host of Digital Nomad Mastery. DNM is a resource dedicated to people who want to want to learn how to live abroad and make a living. THRIVING AS A DIGITAL NOMAD As you'll learn on today's show, Ricky didn't always live this way. It has only been in the last couple of years that Ricky has decided to take his life on the road. Over the last few years, Ricky has learned a lot of great lessons on how to live as a digital nomad. He is now inviting others to come along the journey with him - whatever country that may lead them to. On this episode, he shares his story, practical advice, and wisdom on how to approach becoming a digital nomad. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE The pursuit of adventure that is hard-wired in each of us. Ricky's framework for how to live as a digital nomad. How important it is to have your mind and heart in the right frame of mind as you explore living abroad. How important it is for Ricky to be living out his faith as he travels in living out The Great Commission. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S EPISODE DaddyBlogger.com Digital Nomad Mastery Podcast

Sometimes things happen in life that you can't help but share with the world. On October 20th, under the starry skies of St. Augustine Florida I asked my girl to spend forever with me. She said yes! So, I'm engaged! This is a major life update! MAJOR LIFE UPDATE I know that most of the Chapters of my Start-Up Story are of me talking about the business. Those are all important and real conversations to have. But most importantly, this business is all about relationships. And those relationships aren't all always just about business. They are real, raw and personal. ADVENTUROUS FAITH JUST ISN'T ABOUT BUSINESS Adventurous Faith is about planning a life with the ones you love and allowing God to take the lead. This is why talking about my engagement on the podcast is that important. My personal life and Adventurous Faith aren't two separate things. They are one and the same. I cannot wait to see the life that God has for both Shauna and I as we moved forward in our relationship and further into this business. Shauna currently plays an intimate role in the business. You will only see that grow, morph and change as we get married and God grows the business. I'm excited more than ever that she and I get to do this together. Thanks for listening. Thanks for tuning in to our story. I look forward to sharing more about us in some future episodes.  

We are called for a great purpose. Even greater, we are called to create in the world in which we live. When we are living out this calling, creating every day and living out our faith in the marketplace as an entrepreneur, God's Kingdom pushes forward. My guest on today's episode of Adventurous Faith is Jordan Raynor. Jordan is the auth of Called to Create: A Biblical Invitation to Create, Innovate and Risk. He is a serial entrepreneur, former member of The White House staff under President Bush and is currently the CEO of Threshold 360. LIVE OUR YOUR FAITH AS AN ENTREPRENEUR  Jordan's message is simple. God is the first entrepreneur and he has called us to create. Whether inside the church or in the marketplace we have a responsibility to use the gifts and talents that God has given to us. While the journey isn't easy, it's necessary as the call doesn't wain, but only pushes us forward. Jordan had a lot of wise thoughts to give about the way we view entrepreneurship in the world and how that applies to those of us that consider ourselves to be a part of the Christian Faith. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE God as the first entrepreneur. A good, working definition of entrepreneurship. Our job doesn't matter. We are all called to create. The three important questions to ask when discerning God's call on your life. The principle of Trust, Hustle & Rest and why it's important for an entrepreneur. A call to ministry doesn't necessarily mean a call to work in a church. It can mean something more. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S EPISODE Jordan's Website Called to Create: A Biblical Invitation to Create, Innovate & Risk Threshold 360  

After I hit the stop button I knew there was something special about this interview. I thought to myself "Every man on the planet needs to listen to this episode." Why? Because I believe that if taken to heart, it can radically change the direction of every man who listens to it. Buckle Up - We're going to learn how to seek true adventure & live free. Today's guest on the Adventurous Faith podcast is John Eldredge. John is the New York Times Best Selling Author of Wild at Heart among many other books. He is the founder of Ransomed Heart, a ministry based out of Colorado. John has made it his life's mission to call the heart's of men and women back to God. He's been at it for several years and has a global following with his podcast, books, conferences, and seminars.  SEEK TRUE ADVENTURE & LIVE FREE This interview is one for the books. It encapsulates so well the mission of Adventurous Faith and the call God has on our lives. In our interview, John and I discuss what it looks like to seek true adventure and thereby come to live free. It's not an easy road, but it's the life that God has designed and rigged this world for. As you listen to this episode, I invite you to think about what this message looks like for you. It's not easy to hear, but necessary in order to become the man you long to be. What are the practical steps towards crucial and epic adventure you need to take in order to become the man God longs for you to be? WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE Inside every man, there is a battle to fight, an adventure to live and a beauty to rescue. What Biblical adventure looks like and how to seek it. The differences between casual, crucial and epic adventure. How to take steps out of the self-help world and into seeking God more. How to begin your life towards God and living free today. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S EPISODE Ransomed Heart Ministries Wild At Heart - John's Best Selling Book REACH OUT TO ME Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn    

We've all read the latest books about plans, productivity and getting stuff done. They're good books. If you do what they say they will likely set you on a course to growing your life, business and reaching your goals. But, they may not get you the life you're looking for. I mentioned in the last chapter of my Start-Up Story that after my interview with John Eldredge that he gave me a few moments to ask him a couple more questions. I only asked him one: "John, what wisdom or advice would you give to 35 yr old John when starting this business." On the last episode of my Start-Up Story, I shared piece of wisdom number one. This week, I want to share piece of wisdom number two with you. PRACTICE LISTENING PRAYER Most of us plan our lives or businesses by doing all the hard work and then asking God to bless it. There isn't anything wrong with this approach. But, if you think about it, we're only getting the lesser half of what is possible. What if we ran our decisions through God first and asked him what He desired of us? That could change everything. John's second piece of advice to me was simple: "Begin practicing listening prayer. It will change the way you grow this business." Something like this is hard for me. I'm a mover, shaker and innovator. I want things to happen my way. But that's definitely not the best way. This won't be easy, but I want to begin building this into my life. One of the books that I want to read in the next month or two is John's book, Walking With God. It's a book on learning to hear the voice of God and having him guide your life rather than the other way around. I believe it will do wonders for my life and business. You may want to check it out.

Every once in a while someone comes along into your life, shares stories of what got them from one place to the next and you think to yourself "I'm going to remember this one for a while." This is true of my friend, Matthew. It's a beautiful story of darkness to light. FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT Today's guest on the Adventurous Faith Podcast Story Session is Matthew Mossotti. Matthew is the founder of Planet Me Productions. Planet Me a creative company dedicated to producing media that inspires the human soul into the heavenly realms. Sounds epic, doesn't it? It is! Our paths crossed several years ago at church. Matthew's heart for God inspires me. He also has a crazy amount of creativity and loves to pursue excellence in all things. I knew he would be a valuable voice to add to the Adventurous Faith podcast. It was an honor just to sit down with Matthew to capture his incredible story of coming to Faith. Just wait until you hear it! God is writing epic into Matthew's story on a regular basis and I know you'll be inspired by listening to him share.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM MATTHEW'S STORY You can't be too far gone for God to reach you. Yes, God can use your favorite band to get ahold of you and change your life. God has called us to be people of excellence. There is a unique story and design that God has for your life. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S SHOW Planet Me Productions Planet Me Instagram Matthew Mossotti          

I think I've had it with the self-help movement. Over the last several months there has been something brewing in my heart that until recently I wasn't able to put to words. God has been doing a great amount of work in my heart since starting Adventurous Faith. I'm far from all the answers but I feel I am gaining some traction in becoming the man and business owner that God desires for me to become. As I have been en-route on this path there have been several issues in my heart that have come to light about the self-help movement in my own life and I've decided to start bringing those ideas out into the light. THE SEVEN REASONS WHY SELF-HELP IS STUNTING YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH. The Self-Help Movement helps you to believe that all of what you need in this life comes from you. "You alone are the LORD You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You. - Nehemiah 9:6 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. - John 6:68 2. The Self-Help Movement makes you believe that YOU are the driving force making the greatest version of yourself. 3. It eliminates two core practices and disciplines of the Christian Faith Process - We can have anything instantly. Why go through the process and initiation of becoming a better human by what you’ve learned and grown through the process if you don’t have to? Limits - A long-lasting belief and practice in the self-help movement are that you can become and be anyone you’d like to be. Limits do not exist there. The problem is that they do and they come from Someone greater than us. God doesn't give us limits to break us down but because He loves us and knows what's best for us. 4. It Throws the attention on what you are doing for yourself rather than what God is doing inside of you. 5. It provides a “duct tape repair” option rather than true healing. 6. It leaves you in control of your life, which is really no control at all. 7. It provides no real solution for hope in the broken world we live in. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ADVENTUROUS FAITH START-UP GUIDE REACH OUT TO ME Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn  

Last week I Interviewed John Eldredge, author of Wild at Heart for the Adventurous Faith podcast. His interview will go live on October 24th. It's an episode that you won't want to miss. I believe every man on the planet needs to listen to this episode. If time allows, I like to chat with my guests after the show. I like to get their wisdom on life or share more about what I am doing with Adventurous Faith. John had time available and was willing to chat with me. I asked him one very specific question: "If you could go back and tell 35yr old John wisdom on how to run this business and ministry, what would you share with him?" He wasn't short on advice. For the next couple of episodes of my start-up story, I want to share with you what John told me. There were two thoughts he gave to me and this young business. The first was this: CRAWL. WALK. RUN It didn't take me long to realize what he was talking about. He was telling me the speed at which I should be going. I am a go-getter. I'm not afraid to grow quickly and move fast while doing it. I love it - but I'm learning lately that it probably only serves my ego instead of those around me. John was speaking great wisdom over me when he told me - "Ben - crawl. walk. run." It may sound difficult to believe, but those words were life-giving for me. Don't get me wrong, they are not easy to hear - but they bring life to my always driving soul. SLOW IT DOWN I want to spend the rest of my life doing Adventurous Faith. This is my legacy. When you think about it, what benefit is it to me to grow this thing overnight? It will just kill me. God, teach me to first crawl. It won't be easy, but it's exactly what I need to be doing.

Young Adulthood has changed drastically over the last 20-30 years. People seem to be growing up slower which has made life in your twenties tricky. If you're like most twenty-somethings, after high school you fling yourself into college with a major that you think you want to do for the rest of your life. You then graduate from college (with loads of debt) and head into the workforce hoping to make a difference. But then, only a few years into your bustling career you wake up realizing you're not doing what you wanted to do at all. You thought you were living your calling, but all you've found is a quarter-life crisis. LEARNING TO AVOID THE QUARTER-LIFE CRISIS & FIND YOUR CALLING My guest on today's episode of Adventurous Faith knows what your story feels like. He lived it himself. Paul Sohn is the founder of QARA, an organization that exists to help twenty-somethings find their True North. He is also the author of Quarter-Life Calling. Paul is a successful speaker, author, mover & shaker in the young adult space and believes there is more to get from this young generation. Paul's passion for what he does was born out of his own story to see great change being made in the world and he believes this generation, upon finding their calling, is up to the task. In our episode, he drops some great wisdom bombs and practical wisdom and advice on how to navigate your calling so you can go out into the world and do what you were created to do. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE Paul's Story, which is common to many. How to identify a potential quarter-life crisis and how you can avoid it. Practical steps you can take in your twenties to begin navigating your calling. What to do and what not to do when searching for your calling. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE Paul's Book, Quarter-Life Calling QARA - A Publication and Resource for helping you to find your calling

We hate debt. It sucks, we don't want it - and yet, most of us spend our lives either collecting it, trying to get out of it or both. As millennials, this is especially true. We went to college, bought things we couldn't afford, and now we're stuck with mounds and mounds of debt. We have a money problem. LEARNING HOW TO TAKE THE BIG LEAP WITH DEBT Today, on the Adventurous Faith Podcast, my guest is Zack McCullock of Your Money, Your Freedom. Zack and his wife Jenna leaped a few years back with their finances that rocked their world. They sold most of all of their possessions and lived out of a camper for 11 months and retired $50,000 in debt. It's an incredible story that took a lot of guts with a massive amount of return on the back end. But, here's a question for you. What do you feel like when you hear a story like that? Seriously - what comes to mind? Does it make you happy? Does it make you upset or pissed off? Do you wish you could do something like that? All of us do - but most of us aren't willing to take risks to get there. And that is what Zack and I talk about on the podcast today. If you want to change your family tree, most often that begins with you getting your relationship with money right first - and that often can't happen without a large leap. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE Zack's incredible story about how he and his wife retired 50K in debt in 11 months. How to recognize an opportunity to get your relationship with money right and take it. How your financial life can inform how your family tree grows. The first steps you need to take to get your financial house in order. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S EPISODE Yourmoneyyourfreedom.com Zack's Instagram & Twitter

Last weekend I attended a conference in Nashville, TN put on by Michael Hyatt called the Achieve Conference. It was a fantastic experience. I learned a lot about being more productive, goal setting and most of all achieving my highest potential - which I get all jazzed up about! I hope to share some of what I learned in some future episodes if it makes sense. But, the best part of this last weekend wasn't the sessions or pages and pages of notes that I took about how to run a better business and be more productive. It was an unexpected lunch I had with another entrepreneur who has become a distant mentor of mine. A few years ago I was introduced to Jeff Goins, an online business owner who helps writers find their audience called Tribe Writers. I have been a student of Jeff's for a couple of years now, and I highly recommend his course and community. It's fantastic. I met Jeff at his Tribe Conference last year, and we have just stayed in touch via social media over the previous year. AN UNEXPECTED LUNCH I learned Jeff was at Achieve before it started and I sought him out to catch up with him to see how his world was doing and share a little bit more about my new venture, Adventurous Faith. In our conversation, one thing leads to another, and I said "Hey, you want to go grab lunch? I'm buying." I knew this was an opportunity I wouldn't get a second swipe at, and I wanted to take it. He graciously accepted, and we hopped in my car and headed to this off the beaten path Greek join located near the conference. I had all sorts of questions I wanted to ask him. Not very often do I get in front of a guy who's killing it in his entrepreneurial space and get to pick his brain. I was all ears. There was a lot I learned over the course of our conversation, but more than anything I learned A LOT more about Jeff - who he is as a person and most importantly what he's been learning about himself over the last year as a businessman. It was fascinating on so many levels, but there was something Jeff continued to come back to in our conversation that resonated with me in a profound and meaningful way. GETTING OFF THE EGO TRAIN One of the earlier questions I asked him was about what was working in his business right now and what he was thinking about changing. His response surprised me. "I'm done doing things just because they work." Wait, what? Don't' you do things because they work? It was all in at this point. Our conversation continued down a path I didn't see coming, and it was all about getting off the success train. Now, what did Jeff mean by those eight simple words? So many young, driven and passionate entrepreneurs get in the game because they want to make more money. Not a wrong reason to join the fun at all! But the problem ensues when you allow your desire for more money to drive your ego and the belief that you think it will make you happier. The only problem with this belief is that it never plays out that way. You'll never get there. You'll never get to the point of greater happiness with more money. It just doesn't exist. Your net worth may grow, but your satisfaction with yourself and who you are becoming will never move an inch. It can't. Why? Because we aren't wired this way. WHAT AM I DOING TO GROW MY EGO? Jeff and I's conversation took many twists, turns and leaps but this idea kept running to the front of my mind. How much of my ego is driving what I'm doing? What am I doing that I hope will make me look like a happier, more successful person but in the end will only motivate me to work harder and achieve more? We live in a broken world that drives our broken system of success and happiness. I, too, have bought into the system full throttle. But even this early in the game I am beginning to see how it won't make me any happier. I had to re-learn the lesson over a Greek salad on a Friday afternoon, but it was worth it. From my conversation with Jeff, Here's what I'm processing right now in my start-up: What am I doing right now that is driving my ego? What do I need to be doing more of (or less of) that will help my business journey more focused on relationships and less on profit and success? How will I know when enough money or success is enough? Will I know when to stop? The struggle is real, and God's willingness to teach me this lesson so early in the game leaves me undone. Lunch with Jeff was a gift from God that I never want to take for granted. I'll remember that conversation for a very long time. REACH OUT TO ME Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn  

God shapes our lives from the very beginning.  He wrote our names, purpose, plan, and story before our parents even knew our names. The story God is writing of our lives shapes us every day. On today's episode of Adventurous Faith, I sit down with a friend of mine who shares about his most recent battle with fear, persecution, and anxiety. Due to the sensitive nature of what my friend does and where he serves, you won't hear his name or location as he serves in a very difficult country. You will only hear his story. The passion in his heart will move you. ANXIETY IS A REAL THING Anxiety is a topic that comes up more and more.  More young people suffer from a form of fear, anxiety or even depression than at any other time in history. This battle crosses across all ages, backgrounds, and stories - forcing us to live lives we weren't created for. In my conversation with my friend, he tells the story of a recent story from his own life in which persecution came flooding in. From his experience, fear and anxiety began to see into his heart and soul causing him to consider what this means for his faith. It was a battle - and he wasn't afraid to go there. What you'll learn is that my friend's healing didn't come through his own means. There was a greater work at play. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE An accurate depiction and understanding of missionary work in the Christian world. How God is using different means to draw people to himself. Handling fear and anxiety in a Christ-centered way. Understanding God's purpose is always better despite difficult times.  

Many of us believe our lives are just a series of random events that have little meaning. We live it out day by day, walking aimlessly. And yet, in the back of our hearts and minds remains this ever quiet voice saying "What if there is more? There has to be more to life than this. What on earth am I here for?" It's this voice of longing and purpose that keeps us moving. What if you weren't here on accident? What if you were here very much on purpose? God created us with great intention and hard focused purpose. Nothing was by accident. You and I were created by God with great intentionality and hard focused purpose. Our lives begin to take shape when we not only learn these truths about our lives but surrender to them every single day. YOU HAVE A GREAT PURPOSE My guest on today's episode of Adventurous Faith understands the meaning of purpose. How can I say that? Because he has spent almost his entire life watching God map it out for him in an incredible story that only God could write. Ben Malcolmson is the Special Assistance to Pete Caroll of the Seattle Seahawks. But Ben's journey to the NFL sidelines takes some crazy turns to get there. Ben's story is inspiring, funny, and full of purpose and an Amazing God who always is looking out for us. There is a lot of encouragement you will receive from our conversation. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE You were created for a purpose. Despite all of what we have done, we are sons and daughters of God and our identity is first found in him. How God is calling us to surrender the direction of our lives to him and the great story he is calling us to. You have a story - and God continues to write it for you every single day. he is just asking you to participate in it. RESOURCES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S SHOW Walk On - Ben's New Book Ben's Instagram

I've never once claimed to be a businessman. I didn't get an MBA or go to business school. I'm following this path because I believe God has called me to it. I know for a lot of people listening or reading, that reason isn't good enough, and that's OK. I'm learning I'm not going to please everyone. One of the more backward practices God has been teaching me is to stop hustling and start trusting. STOP HUSTLING. START TRUSTING Just yesterday I hit this feeling of being overwhelmed after a day full of work. For whatever reason, my heart just seemed to not get over it. I even remember thinking - now would be a good time to take a break, go for a walk and just hand this over to God. But I didn't. I chose to try and beat my feeling with more work. I just kept hustling. It's the most backward thing in the world, but God has weighed on me recently to trust him more for work I cannot do. I'm a seven on the Enneagram - which means I long for and strive for more. Sound like me? Oh yeah - it's me to a T. Through this learning process, God is reminding me when enough is enough. He's telling me to stop hustling and start trusting. IT'S BACKWARDS. I get it. This wisdom is entirely backward to what the world says we should do. We should have everything figured out. Run all the tests. Do all the research. Have all the widgets doing their thing so you can make that money. It's all great. It is. But it's not affording me the mental rest I need in this process. It's just making it worse. So, when I find myself with my computer still open at 9 p.m. trying to run down an idea, I'm probably not doing myself any good. I'm probably wrecking myself more than anything. God reminded me once again that this business is going to look wildly different than what traditional business wisdom (or new, flashy entrepreneurial wisdom for that matter) suggests it will look like. I'm good with different. REACH OUT TO ME Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn  

There is not a single person on the planet that wouldn't claim to want a more full life. All of us want more. Many of us will do whatever it takes to get more -but at what cost? What is the price you might pay for more? The problem with our desire with more is that it often doesn't get us the results we are looking for. In fact, it ends up causing more problems than solving because, as Puff Daddy has always said - Mo Money, Mo Problems. Ok, I digress. The question I want you to begin thinking about is this - is more really the answer? Maybe the barrier between you and this incredible full and amazing life isn't more of something - it's less of it. Jesus said... "I have come that they might have life and have it to the full." - John 10:10 LESS FOR A FULL LIFE What is this "full" life that Jesus speaks of? Do I have to get something to get it? Do I need more of something? Not exactly. In fact, it's the complete opposite of what you and I may think that it is. Jesus is calling us to do and have less. Jesus makes his case for this life he is calling us to with the story of The Rich Young Man, found in Matthew chapter 19. What we'll learn in our conversation today on the podcast was that it wasn't so much about what the young man did, did not do or what he had. It was about what he was willing to give up to obtain the full life Christ was calling him too. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE How obtaining more doesn't necessarily mean a better life. The journey each of us needs to take in order to begin eliminating the barriers in our lives that keep us from Jesus. How to identify what needs to be eliminated from your life in order to get the full life Jesus is calling us to. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Adventurous Faith Start-Up Guide

A couple of years ago I decided that I was going to take a swipe at becoming a writer. A few hundred thousand words later, I launched a blog and began networking with those in the similar fields that I wanted to be in. In the process of growing my network, my path crossed with Aaron Walker, my guest on today's show. In a short amount of time on a phone call, Aaron Walker ate my lunch (in the best way possible) and helped me to get on the entrepreneurial path that I am on today. What I saw back then and even see more clearly now is Aaron is a man who loves to invest in others. He has chosen a life of both success AND significance. SUCCESS & SIGNIFICANCE Most of us believe that both of these ideas are exclusive. We can't have both success and significance. But what Aaron works tirelessly with men to understand is that they not only can have both - but have it abundantly. On today's episode of the Adventurous Faith Podcast, my guest Aaron Walker tells his incredible story of 40 years as an entrepreneur and a snapshot into the life God is leading him to create - a life of success & significance. Aaron's story isn't without a few ups and downs - but it is very much on purpose. Aaron runs a coaching and consulting business out of the Nashville area called View From the Top. His ISI Mastermind groups are second to none and you will love our conversation. Aaron is full of life, wisdom and encouragement for those who need it. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ON TODAY'S EPISODE How It's possible to have a life that is both successful & significant. Money is important! It is a tool God has given us to use to make this world better and we have a responsibility to do so. Your road to significance is not found in stuff, but in healthy relationships. How humility is a character trait that must be fostered into your life every day. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE - Aaron's book - View From the Top - Aaron's Mastermind Groups