Podcast appearances and mentions of John Eldridge

In this episode of the Man Within podcast, Sathiya delves into the theme of mastering temptation as part of the Integrity Secrets series. He emphasizes the importance of understanding triggers and temptations, encouraging listeners to embrace rather than suppress them. By asking critical questions about what these temptations offer, individuals can gain valuable insights into their emotional needs and vulnerabilities. The episode also teases an upcoming interview with John Eldridge and hints at further exploration of recovery in future episodes.   Got a Question? It Could Be on the Podcast! Submit It Through This Form Find Out More About My DeepClean Recovery Program Here Get A Free Copy of The Last Relapse, A Blueprint For Recovery Watch Sathiya on Youtube For More Content Like This   00:00 Introduction to Mastering Temptation 02:25 Understanding Triggers and Temptations 07:40 Extracting Insights from Temptations 08:36 Upcoming Interviews and Series Continuation

Doing what Jesus said and taught - being generous. This week's sermon is by one of our members on one of the 9 practices from Practicing the Way - Generosity.Luke 12v15Matthew 6 v22-231 Corinthians 11v1Philippians 4v19

Sometimes, we can be walking in the promises of God, and things start getting tough.  Opposition.  Battles.  What's going on?  Is it time to give up? What happened to all those promises?   THE SPIRITUAL BATTLEFIELD Well over these last weeks on the program we've been looking at the fact that it's time to take the Promised Land. God makes so many promises of peace and of joy and His protection and forgiveness and eternal life, the list goes on and on and you know you and I can come up with so many excuses in our lives as to why those promises couldn't possibly ever be for us. It's true, we do. In a sense those excuses are completely natural and understandable. There was a young woman who wrote recently in response to a program, I want to share with you what she wrote because it's kind of a road we all travel sometimes, this is what she said: For a while now I've been getting negative thoughts and saying negative things, I know the devil's doing it and not God but it won't stop. I want so much to do Gods will and to walk in His ways, am I going mad? Will this wreck my relationship with God? I so much want to do His will for His glory and not mine. I want to be a serving and faithful servant for Him. I have all these problems; I say bad and negative things. I can say things without thinking, I tell lies and other unchristian things, what does it mean for me? Is it going to ruin my relationship with God? See this young woman is struggling with the realities of life. She wants to live in that Promised Land but somehow she's just, she just can't see how it's for her, she just can't seem to get there. We all struggle with these things, we struggle with doubt, we struggle with our failings, will this wreck everything with God? We go over that over and over again. Listen to me, it is time to take the Promised land. Over the last three weeks on the program we've been looking at Israel. God promised to Abraham, the father of Israel, this land of the Canaanites, the Promised Land. And centuries later, centuries, after Israel had grown into a large and mighty nation in slavery in Egypt God brought Moses and through a series of miracles he brought the nation of Israel, His chosen people, out of Egypt, through the Red Sea and they wandered in the desert for forty years as God purified them. And then one day under the leadership of Joshua because Moses had just died, they're standing on the banks of the Jordan River and finally ready to cross into the Promised Land. And what they discover is that there's already a whole bunch of other people living there, the Canaanites and the Jebusites and the Amorites and all those other little vegemites were already there. And even though this was Gods Promised Land it wasn't going to be delivered to them on a platter like a pizza, they had to go out and take it, they were on a war footing. They had to fight battle after battle beginning with Jericho, they went through a lot of battles to take the Promised Land. You know something, it's the same with you and with me and with that young woman, we live on a spiritual battlefield. That is the reality of life. And the moment we step out and we believe in Jesus, the moment we step out and say, "Lord, I'm going to follow you in your promises", we step onto that spiritual battlefield. John Eldridge in his book Waking The Dead makes this powerful statement, he says: Things are not what they seem, this is a world at war. And then he goes on to explain what he means, he writes this: The world in which we live is a combat zone. A violent clash of kingdoms, a bitter struggle unto the death. You were born into a world at war and you will live all your days in the midst of a great battle involving all the forces of heaven and hell and played out here on earth. Until we come to terms with that war as the context of our days, we simply will not understand life. See this is why over the last few weeks we've been working our way through this series in the Book of Joshua called, "It's Time To Take The Promised Land" because the context is war. The devil is not going to hand us God's promises on a silver platter. In fact, he is going to try to rob us of Gods promises at every turn. We'd like to think, particularly those of us who live in the affluent west that being a Christian means living in the blessings of God and having a comfortable life and having plenty of money and taking it easy. Well I don't know if you've noticed but life is not like that especially when we step onto the spiritual battlefield by giving our lives to Jesus Christ. The moment we do that all the forces of hell are unleashed against us. That's the reality, we shouldn't be surprised. I think that the surprise element is what makes it worse. We have these expectations of an easy and comfortable life and when satan unleashes all his devils against us, of temptation, of doubt, failure and opposition and trials and on and on and on, over and over and over, we start thinking 'wow there must be something wrong with me'. Au contraire! Inevitably when we decide to take hold of the promises of God in our lives there will be a battle involved. Don't be surprised by this, it's in the Bible. C S Lewis in his book Mere Christianity put it like this: One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament, seriously, was that it talked so much about a dark power in the universe. A mighty evil spirit who was held to be the power behind death and disease and sin. This universe (writes Lewis) is at war. Wake up! The world is at war. The context of our lives following after Jesus Christ is a spiritual battlefield. See Israel was promised this land through Abraham centuries before they even got there. Do you think when God made that beautiful promise to Abraham that he expected battles and wars and stuff? Listen again just briefly to this beautiful promise to an old man, this impossible promise in Genesis chapter 15. The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision. He said 'don't be afraid, I'm your shield and your very great reward'. But Abraham said, 'O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus.' Abraham said, 'you have given me no children so a servant in my household will become my heir. And then the word of the Lord came to Abraham, 'this man will not be your heir but a son who comes from your own body will be your heir' and God took Abraham outside of the tent and said, 'look up at the heavens and count the stars if indeed you can count them' and then He said , 'so shall your offspring be. And Abraham believed the Lord and God credited it to him as righteousness. And God also said to him, 'I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.' But Abraham said, 'O Sovereign Lord how can I know that I will gain possession of it? So the Lord said to him, 'bring me a heifer and a goat and a ram, each three years old along with a dove and a young pigeon'. Abraham did that he brought all of those things and cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other. The birds however he did not cut in half. And then the birds of prey came down on the carcasses but Abraham drove them away and as the sun was setting Abraham fell into a deep sleep and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him and then the Lord said to him, 'know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and they will be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years but I will punish the nation they serve as slaves and afterwards they will come out with great possessions. You however will go to your father's in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure. And when the sun had set and the darkness had fallen, the smoking fire pot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham and said, "To your descendants I give this land. From the river of Egypt to the river of the Euphrates. The land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites and the Rephaites and Amorites and Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebushites. This was a serious promise, who would have ever had expected that is would involve battle after battle after battle after battle.   IT'S TIME So let's go from that promise of God to Abraham centuries before into the midst of the taking of the Promised Land. Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, crossed over, they fought battle after battle, they'd taken Jericho and city after city has fallen before them. Why? Because that's what God promised and we're going to pick up the story in Joshua chapter 18, they're not quite half way through taking this Promised Land. There are twelve tribes in Israel, five tribes have their land and seven are left to go, seven have yet to get their Promised Land. It must have seemed like an eternity. You know when you face battle after battle, we're tempted to pull over and stop, to take a breather that kind of turns into a lunch break that turns into a holiday that turns into long service leave and before you know it we haven't got what it takes to keep going again. I tell you, in my life in this ministry Christianityworks, I've been involved now for just on three years and the call on my heart as I took over to start producing radio programs again we weren't on any stations three years ago and today we're on over seven hundred stations in eighty countries around the world. I have to tell you it was hard work, battle after battle after battle. Sometimes there were not enough funds and people said they'd help but then they realised how hard it was to do this work and they just didn't deliver and they fell by the wayside. And people criticised and people didn't understand, you know what I'm talking about and you get tired, you get exhausted. It would have been so easy just to pull up, to slow down, to give up, what a temptation. And yet there was this promise of God in my heart that He'd called me to do this. But we're all tempted to give up half way. You know the only reason I haven't is because along the way I've had some great teaching on this subject from a wonderful teacher called Joyce Meyer and there was just one message and God wrote this stuff on my heart, 'to keep going' and that's my prayer for you today, just this one message that in these few moments we spend together that He will write His word on your heart to keep on pressing forward into the promises of God. Whether we're struggling with fear or sin or addiction or a tough relationship and we hear about Gods promises so we set out on that journey of faith but after a while, oh it's hard work and there is opposition and there are battles and we want to give up, you know what I mean. In fact my hunch is you know exactly what I mean. And it was the same with Israel, they were almost half way into taking the Promised Land, if you've got a Bible open it up, lets listen to Joshua chapter 18. The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up there the Tent of the Meeting. The country was subdued before them but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance. So Joshua said to the Israelites, 'how long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers has given you. Appoint three men from each tribe, I will send them out to make a survey of the land to write a description of it according to the inheritance of each then you will return to me. You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south and the House of Joseph in it's territory on the north. After you have written the descriptions of the seven parts of the land bring them here to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the Lord. The Levites however do not get a portion among you because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance and Gad and Rueben and the half tribe of Manassah have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to them. As the men started on their way to map out the land Joshua instructed them, 'go and make a survey of the land, write a description of it then return to me and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord'. So the men left, they went through the land, they wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts and returned to Joshua in the camp of Shiloh. Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. I love this passage because they're almost half way through and it begins by saying, "the whole land, the whole country was subdued before them". See so much of the work had already been done , God had done so many things, they were so far down the track and sometimes when we're tired of the battle after battle we lose sight of how far we've come. We look back and then, then we see the mighty hand of God at work in the victories. Isn't it the same in our lives? You get tired and you think, "argh Lord this is too hard". It's time to just take a quick look back and see all the mighty things that God has done in our lives. I get such great courage from just looking back, even over these last three years in the ministry of Christianityworks and I think, "man, look at what God has done." And once they've looked back Joshua asks the sixty four million dollar question. Joshua said to the Israelites: How long will you wait before you take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers has already given you? How long will you wait? See you're almost half way there. You take a breather, you pull over, you stop, you get set in your ways, you can't go any further, you lose heart, what are you people doing, how long will you wait? What came next? There was work to be done. They sent the men out, they looked forward, they divided up the land into seven portions. See God always, ALWAYS involves us in what's going on, He never lets us become spiritual couch potatoes, He sent three men from each tribe out to survey the land, to record the land and to choose the seven divisions. And next they came back to Joshua and in the presence of the Lord Joshua cast lots. Really what Joshua was saying there is, "we're going to leave this up to God, we've got some work to do but God is in charge. We're going to cast lots for this land between the seven tribes in front of God and we will let God choose through the lots who gets what land." See there's a message for us here. If we're a people thats pressing forward into the promises of God don't stop, don't pull over, don't give up. If it's a tough relationship that you've been praying over and the Lords has been leading you to do good things, to serve and to support, to humble yourself and you're tired and you want to take a breather and you think, "augh, it's just not going to happen" and get to thinking, "this isn't working, it's not going anywhere, it's time to give up". Or God's called you to something, a ministry or a job or whatever it is that somehow, as you look back you can see all the good things He's done. But the promises seem like such a long way off. Whatever the situation, how long will you hang around here before you take the land that God has already given to you. Come on! Get up and do the things you know you have to do, do them under God and, and what? Do you think God is going to fail you? Do you think God is just leading you up the garden path? Do you think that God has put you up the creek in a barbed wire canoe without a paddle? Are His promises faithful, are they worth following, are they worth it?   THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD Well are the promises of God real? In a sense in theory we can all answer, "sure, I mean if God is God and He makes a promise then it has to be real". But you know something, the theory and the reality can be two different things. I shared a little before about the battles over the last three years that I've travelled through in taking this ministry from, I guess, pretty much nothing to reaching millions of people each week. Now I don't want any of that to seem remarkable because it's nothing that we did, God opened door after door and performed miracle after miracle to do that and it's what God's called me to do, He's called you to something different. So let's not compare as I share my story, hear what God is saying to you today about your story. Now I'm someone who knows the theory of God's promises as well as anyone. I mean a big part of my job is to study God's Word to put together these programs. So I'm "in the theory" if you like all the time but the reality has been that it's been lots of hard work and there have been disappointments and setbacks. And one of the hardest things has been often the people closest to us, people in our own Church, who haven't understood what we do or supported us or encouraged us, there's so many times the finances looked critical. It's still something that happens now and I find myself thinking, "why is it that the people in our own Church don't even support us?" Or one station where we've had a huge audience for a number of years was talking about taking our program off air and we've had to pray and pray and pray and then finally see God's victory. And sometimes I think, "God why can't it be easier than this? God why does there have to be so many battles along the way?" And you know what Gods answer has been to me, so that you my child would discover my faithfulness for yourself. See God wants us to experience his faithfulness, not in theory but in practice and you know something, I know so much more today about the faithfulness of God than ever have simply by travelling through battle after battle and seeing the victories that God has brought along the way. And there is such an intense satisfaction as I look back on that and I can truly say, "yes Lord, it's been hard work but all the glory goes to you and not to me because I could never have done this". The Book of Joshua that we've been travelling through these last weeks is about Israel's battles on the journey of taking the Promised Land. And when finally all the land is taken and allocated to all the tribes have a listen to what God's Word says, if you've got a Bible open it at Joshua chapter 21 beginning at verse 43. So the Lord gave Israel all the land that He had sworn to give their forefathers and they took possession of it and settled there and the Lord gave them rest on every side just as He had sworn to their forefathers, not one of their enemies withstood them, the Lord handed all their enemies over to them, not one of all the Lord's good promises to the House of Israel failed, every one was fulfilled. WOW! Let's just let that sink in for a minute. Not one of all the Lords good promises to the House of Israel failed, every one was fulfilled. When God makes a promise he never ever fails to deliver. When Jesus promised that He came that we would have life in all its abundance, that is a promise of God and it's a promise He intends to keep in your life and in mine. And as we travel through battle after battle and hang close to Him and just let those promises of God glow in our hearts and we hang on to them through this spiritual battlefield the devil comes after you with a meat cleaver and you fail some days and you stumble and you remember Jesus on that cross, you remember He purchased that life for you, we can know in our hearts that now, now it's time to take the Promised Land. And not one of all the Lord's good promises to you or to me will fail; every one of them will be fulfilled. It is time to take the Promised Land.

Stories are what make the world go ‘round. From selling a product, service, or podcast like this one, to dating, raising kids, and building friendships, the stories you tell yourself and others are going to either unlock doors and open opportunities…or close the doors before you even had to chance to see them there. Donald Miller is an expert storyteller and an expert and helping other people articulate and share theirs. Today, we talk about why humans are so interested in storytelling, what foundational elements make a good story, the importance of a “story loop,” to get other to buy-in to what you're sharing by making them part of the story. Whether you're a marketing professional or just want to help your son deal with his first bully at school, this podcast is for you. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Introduction 00:22 - Hobbies and Interests 00:53 - Fly Fishing Buddies 01:15 - Nashville and Culture 02:26 - Why Move to Nashville? 03:06 - Are People Really that Kind? 03:23 - Population Growth in Nashville 04:27 - Concerns about Assimilation 05:51 - Portland Used to be a Great City 07:44 - Austin is a Great City, too 08:40 - The Power of Stories 09:34 - Why are Stories so Powerful? 10:30 - Stories as an Attention Device 11:06 - Stories in the Bible 12:12 - Truth and Stories 12:17 - Stories Equip Us for Threats 13:03 - Stories Shape Identity 14:19 - What Sort of Stories Work? 14:28 - Braveheart and the Writer 15:39 - Cultures Shaped by Stories 16:52 - Personal Stories in Church 18:10 - Opening Story Loops 18:51 - Rom-Com Story Loops 20:11 - How to Open Story Loops 20:38 - Leadership and Story 23:05 - Casting a Vision 24:55 - Catastrophic Failure 25:23 - What is Your Family Against? 26:17 - A Structure for Family Life 27:21 - What is Your Family For? 28:11 - The Vibe of Your Family 28:50 - Sound Bites and Repetition 30:02 - Shaping Identity 31:18 - Context is Key 32:15 - Truth with a Capital "T" 33:09 - Hitler and Churchill 33:59 - Hitler's Narrative 35:18 - Territorial Sovereignty 36:19 - Xi Jinping's Narrative 37:54 - Moral Responsibility 38:50 - Don's Core Belief 40:17 - Israel and Palestine 41:20 - Missing Christ in the Israeli-Palestinian Narrative 41:54 - What Makes a Compelling Story? 42:18 - Compelling Story Elements 44:23 - External and Internal Journeys 45:04 - External, Internal, and Philosophical Conflict 48:04 - The Hero is Transformed 49:23 - Affirmation from Mentors 51:15 - The Market in Men 51:55 - John Eldridge 52:32 - Answering the Internal Struggle 52:59 - Separation from God 54:57 - God's Love is Immovable 55:41 - Human Love Needs Human Meriting 56:46 - Nancy Duarte 56:51 - Story of Bullying 58:50 - Bullies and Evil 59:17 - StoryBrandAI 01:00:59 - Telling Stories About Core Values 01:02:02 - The Power of AI in Storytelling 01:02:53 - Jocko Willink and Tough Narratives 01:03:24 - Conclusion and Where to Connect Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

Join us for a captivating episode of Typology as we dive deep into the spiritual journey with New York Times bestselling author John Eldridge! In this special interview, we explore themes from his latest book, Experience Jesus Really: Finding Refuge, Strength, and Wonder Through Everyday Encounters with God. We engage in a rich conversation about the impact of modern-day addictions, the quest for genuine experiences of God, and the importance of cultivating a spiritual life amidst the noise of our fast-paced world. John shares insights on becoming an "ordinary mystic," the significance of desire in our spiritual journeys, and practical steps to reconnect with the divine presence within us. Whether you're struggling with distractions, seeking deeper intimacy with God, or simply looking for inspiration, this episode is packed with wisdom and encouragement. Don't forget to like and follow us on ApplePodcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.    RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE John Eldredge's Website John Eldredge on Social: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube Wild At Heart Podcast Room for Good Things to Run Wild: How Ordinary People Become Every Day Saints The Pause App A Testament of Devotion, by Thomas R. Kelly Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation, by Martin Laird Ocean of Light: Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation, by Martin Laird

Luke 1 v1-28 From the nativity story there are 2 different responses to a message from God. One from Zechariah and one from Mary. When God asks us to do something as part of his plan for our lives it is good to be obedient because we never know what he has in store for us on the other side of our "yes".

There is more to discipleship than just going to church. 1 Samuel 16 and 17 how David prepared for battle.

What does it mean to "Reclaim the Heart of Masculine Sexuality" in a healthy way? In this powerful episode of The Something New Show, host Jordan Linscombe sits down with Sam Jolman, a highly respected therapist specializing in men's issues, marriage counseling, and sexual abuse recovery. Sam shares profound insights from his 20 years of experience, offering wisdom on the most neglected aspects of men's lives, healthy sexuality, and healing. Sam is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a Master of Arts in Counseling. He has also been trained in Narrative Focused Trauma Care through The Allender Center. Sam's expertise has earned him high praise, including a forward in his book from renowned author John Eldridge, who described Sam as a man he would trust with his friends and sons. Sam, his wife Amanda, and their 3 sons live in beautiful Colorado Springs. In this episode, Sam & Jordan discuss: Contrary to cultural opinion, male sexuality is often misunderstood and neglected. Sam unpacks how cultural narratives have shaped men's views on sexuality and the heart.Sam discusses the complexities around if male sexuality is fundamentally broken. He offers fresh perspective on how men can find healing and restore their God-given design.Sam speaks to the balance between the mechanics (the physical aspect) and the poetics (the emotional and spiritual connection) of sex.An elk hunting trip where Sam expected to be initiated into the warrior spirit, but instead found himself being initiated into the role of the lover—redefining what it means to be a man with heart.The key differences between sensuality and sexuality, and how understanding these distinctions can bring deeper meaning to relationships."To Be a Man is to Have Heart": Sam emphasizes the importance of men embracing their hearts, understanding that being a true lover is at the core of their God-given design.The difference between awe—an appreciation for beauty and creation—and lust, which objectifies. Sam dives into how men can redirect their desires towards awe and respect.Reflecting on the purity culture of the 1990s, Sam shares its unintended consequences and offers a healthier approach to living out one's sexual integrity.The connections between shame, fear, control, and how men can find healing and reclaim their innocence. Sam explains how God's kindness plays a crucial role in this recovery & healing process.Additional insights on how men can reclaim aliveness and innocence in healthy sexuality.How you can enter to win a free autographed copy of Sam's latest book, "The Sex Talk You Never Got".  ***Connect with Sam Jolman & Get Your Copy of His New Book:

Today's must-listen podcast episode is a vital piece of the sex talk you never got - a conversation about sexual issues as they show up in almost every marriage as a result of shame and contempt born of most men's first encounters with sex because of the earliest introductions to sex via pornography and other counterfeit distortions with marriage therapist and author, Sam Jolman, Type 4 (4-4 pairing). Here we bring a respectful conversation geared toward the reminders of the God-given gift of wonder, awe, and innocence that you can truly bring into your marriage for a renewed sense of heartfelt love and mutual partnership. Sam also courageously brings forth an introduction to a necessary book that deals with these issues with kindness and courage with life-changing practical tips and insights. Sam's book, "The Sex Talk You Never Got: Reclaiming the Heart of Masculine Sexuality," has been cited by John Eldredge (Wild at Heart) as "the most important book on sexuality you will ever read." Join us as we delve into our lives and the conversations we need to have about a healthy expression of sexuality, as well as the best ways to heal. “At last. A kind, wise and poetic guide to the complex and beautiful issue of our sexuality and a path toward the wholeness every man longs for. I'm serious—this is the most important book on sexuality you will ever read.” -JOHN ELDREDGE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF WILD AT HEART Show Notes: Find Sam Jolman's (foreword by John Eldridge) book, "The Sex Talk You Never Got: Reclaiming the Heart of Masculine Sexuality" here: https://a.co/d/fFPhBAs Find Sam Jolman's website here: https://www.samjolman.com/ Connect with Sam on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/samjolman/?hl=en Find Sam's Substack here: https://www.samjolman.com/writing/ Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/lOqUgZYsnig Email enneagramandmarriage@gmail.com with your Enneagram in Marriage book receipt for your digital copy of The Hidden Chapter (on Sex) in The Enneagram in Marriage Spread the word about the podcast here!

In this week's episode of Therapists Growing Therapists, Monica sits down with Wayne and Marilyn Gray, a dynamic couple dedicated to marriage restoration and spiritual healing. With affiliations to John Eldridge's Wild at Heart ministry and ongoing training in deliverance and healing, the Grays have experienced profound miracles in their own marriage. Now, they share their journey and insights through retreats, workshops, and online ministry, helping couples everywhere connect deeper with each other and with God. Tune in to hear their incredible story and how they're equipping others to bring transformation to their relationships and communities.

It's the 145th episode of Hear and Now Podcast! Heather and Sophia are joined by their guest, Susan Husband, to chat about motherhood, raising boys, virtue, being the first models of Christ, and so much more.Links Mentioned:Family MantrasStrengthening Brotherly BondsBooks I've read (and re-read lately) :The Ghost KeeperThe Shadow of His WingsPastoral SongHannah CoulterSpiritual Reading:The Way, Furrow, The Forge (St. Josemaria, always reading these!)When You FastWhen You PrayCurrently reading to the boys:Navigating EarlyHealth + Wellness:The Body Keeps the ScoreThe book I couldn't recall from our visit today: John Eldridge, Wild at HeartFind Heather: Website, Instagram, ShopFind Sophia: Website, Instagram, TikTokFind Susan: InstagramInterested in sponsoring or being a guest? Email us: hearandnowpod@gmail.comFollow the podcast on Instagram: @hearandnowpodcast

One thing on my mind lately is a question about the meaningful conversations we sometimes have with friends, and what makes them different from other conversations. I started thinking about this while reading news articles about the Super Bowl played earlier this month. Meaningful conversations and the Super Bowl don't quite seem to fit together, but they do in my mind.  Keep listening and I'll explain the connection in today's episode, number 213. Welcome to today's episode Maybe they've always done this, I don't know, but it seems that sports journalists lately are using a new format to write about upcoming sporting events. It's a pattern where the headline states a specific number of things to look for when one team plays another. Take the recent Super Bowl from a few weeks ago, for example. “Five things to Watch for When the 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs” would be a common headline in news stories. Articles like this help the reader focus on specifics of the game coming up. This makes me think what if we took the same news approach to analyze the conversations we have with the people close to us. I wonder what that would do to enhance our relationships.  Would it make for more meaningful conversations with the people close to us? I'm going to try this out in today's episode I'm calling  Five Things to Watch for in Your Next Conversation with a Friend Here goes. First off,  Notice if the topic of conversation with your friend is new or is it one that's been repeated many times before?  Assuming neither of you are suffering from Alzheimer's, do you or your friend frequently cover the same ground you've gone over many times before? For example, does the topic of conversation drift once again to discussing your body's aches and pains? My friend Robert calls these “organ recitals.” Or does it go to concern about wayward children? The state of our country or culture? Should I buy brown carpeting or grey carpeting? Things you've talked about many, many times before. Why are some conversations with our friends like this? Is there nothing else on our minds? Are we that shallow? I don't think so. My guess is that people who bring up the same topics over and over again are bound up by the unspoken emotions about those topics. No. 1 on the list would be fear, or one of its cousins, like anxiety. Sadness or regret would not be far behind. They are all close relatives. We sometimes ruminate over things because we haven't put words to what we're feeling about those concerns.  Instead, what if we talked about the emotions riding on the backs of the topics we repeatedly bring up and see where the conversation goes? It will be a lot better than going in a never-ending circle we often go around in. A second thing to look for that's important to having meaningful conversations is to notice who does most of the talking. Notice who does most of the talking  There are certainly times where a conversation with a friend needs to be all about them. One person should have the floor for the entire time when they are dealing with a recent loss or some unexpected circumstance. But it shouldn't be a pattern every time you talk.   I have an extended family relative who is quite a charming extrovert that I only see at extended family gatherings like weddings and funerals. Everyone likes the guy. He holds court with all the relatives and goes on for what seems like hours talking about what's going on in his life. We know all about him. He knows virtually nothing about the rest of us. There's no air time for a meaningful conversation with him. It's always an interesting monologue from his lips, but there's no back and forth dialog.  You see the same thing in restaurants sometimes with small groups of people. One person dominates the conversation. And it's usually someone who talks loudly so you can't help but overhear what he or she is talking about.  Many times If you look at the faces of those not talking in the group you'll see blank stares. In most meaningful conversations people take turns talking and listening. Some may talk more than others, but do they also listen at some point in the conversation? Is there give and take, or is one person giving a speech to an audience? Here's another thing to watch for in a conversation with friends. Is the conversation more about the head or is it more about the heart? Conversations about facts or events, or little things running around inside our brain, can be very meaningful. I've had quite a number of them in my lifetime that center on what I think as opposed to what  feel. I think of the conversation I had in my twenties with Vern who was twice my age, and the time I asked him what he thought about a career change I was considering. His simple, “I think you'd be good at that” changed my life. Then there are the conversations about the heart. For example, there are two topics on the hearts of most Baby Boomers like me that don't get talked about much. The first is Who's going to take care of me in my old age when I can no longer care for myself? Who's going to be there for me?  Single people think it's more of an issue for them. But it isn't. It's on the mind of married couples just as much. Will my spouse be up to the task? And my kids, will I be able to count on them? Another important heart topic Related to this issue is the second heart topic, Will I run out of money at the end of my life, and if so, what do I do then? As helpful as conversations can be that come from our heads, those that come from our hearts do a better job of bringing us closer together with each other.  Inasmuch as we have control of a conversation, we do ourselves a favor when we look for and discuss the emotional aspects surrounding the issues of life. Like baby boomers talking about their worries of who's going to care for me. Who can I trust at the end of my life? Regrets for not saving as much as I could have, or not being able to save anything earlier for my later years. Here's another thing to watch for in our conversation with friends. Be mindful of how many times the topic of conversation changes  The more topics brought up in a conversation, the less listening is going on. Talking a little about many things is not nearly as life-giving as talking at length about one subject.  The “Let's talk about everything” approach hijacks a conversation by using what someone is talking about as a springboard to share one's own related experience. For example, if Monica talks about the great vacation she had visiting the Grand Canyon, and Alyssa jumps in with “I was there too, about seven years ago with my family. The best part for me on that trip was….”  Yeah, that's not good. We've gone from Monica having the floor to Alyssa taking it away from her. To keep the topics of conversation to a minimum, notice if people are asking questions, especially follow-up questions. This tends to keep interactions focused. It's all part of good listening and people refraining from sharing every thought that pops into their heads. Finally, watch for how the conversation ends. Notice how the conversation ends As a conversation begins to wind down, do you end up wanting more, or are you glad to can move on to other things?  Janet and I were at a Bible study recently and during a break in the study, we were in conversation with a friend who brought up a podcast she was listening to from John Eldridge. She was talking about how men and women look at Valentine's Day differently and how Eldridge had a panel of men sharing their views. She was quite interested in the male perspective and how it compared to her own. But then our break ended and we had to return to the Bible study. But I wanted to know more. I think every meaningful conversation ends with some form of “I want to know more.”  Boring conversations, however, often end with, “Thank goodness that's over.” What to do next So there you have it , five things to watch for in your next conversation with friends. When we get good at noticing the things I've mentioned, there are steps we can take to make for more meaningful conversations. Quickly, here they are: Don't bring up something you've talked about many times before because you haven't dealt with the emotions about the issue. Don't be an airplane circling the airport for hours on end. Land the plane. Let the other person speak. Don't be the one who does all the talking. Drop the monologue. Get others engaged. Ask questions. Follow-up questions.  Comment on the feelings connected  with the head issues in your interaction. Talk about the emotion. It will make for a more meaningful conversation. What's on our heart is really important. Don't ignore it. Stick to one issue in a conversation as long as possible. Don't change the subject.  Keep the spotlight on the other person. Let them have the floor. They may need to talk more to process what's on their heart. Stick to one topic. Your turn will come later. Leave people wanting more. Be intriguing to others. Bring up topics or make statements that engage others. Do what you can to make for a meaningful conversation that others don't want to see end. Closing Well that's about it for today. I have links at the bottom of the show notes to past episodes related to today's topic.  I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about today's episode. I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's show, to watch for the things you can do to create more meaningful conversations with the people close to you. Because when you do, it will help you experience the joy of relationships God desires for you. Because after all, You Were Made for This. As we wrap things up now,  don't forget to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them.  And I'll see you again next time. Goodbye for now. Other episodes or resources related to today's shows 021: The Most Important Relationship of All 067: Self-Monitoring How We Listen 094: Self-Awareness Deepens Our Relationships 115: Become More Self-Aware in 2021 Latest prior episode 212: Little Things We Do Matter the Most to People All past and future episodes    JohnCertalic.com Our Sponsor You Were Made for This is sponsored by Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry.  Donate Please consider donating to help cover the costs associated with this podcast and the other services we provide missionaries around the world. You can make a tax-deductible contribution to Caring for Others when you click here.  You can also contribute by clicking on the yellow "Donate" box in the upper right corner at the top of the first page.

Hello, and welcome to Entangled! The podcast where we explore the science of consciousness, the true nature of reality, and what it means to be a spiritual being having a human experience.Today I'm joined by Nick Moore, author of Who Am I? Vulnerability = Powerability. In this conversation, we discuss Nick's life growing up in Texas under a patriarchal household. Nick highlights the importance of being vulnerable and “taking off our masks”. Nick discusses his early life and the circumstances that led to his Adderall addiction.From there, Nick shares the traumatic experience that caused him to call Child Protective Services on his father. Nick describes his healing journey and how he's worked with psychedelics including psylocibin-containing mushrooms and DMT. We then discuss confronting shame and guilt, in light of the traumatic sexual experience Nick had with his first girlfriend. Nick shares the story of why he later moved back in with his parents in an effort to save her from an abusive relationship.Next, we discuss the toxic habit of lying, and most importantly, of lying to ourselves. We discuss how one is either “green and growing or ripe and dying”. Then, we consider ideas including predestination and the butterfly effect.We discuss the idea of daring greatly and the challenges people face in being honest & in finding their courage. Nick shares how every decision we make is either out of fear or love, and we enjoy sharing some of our favorite Jim Carrey quotes. We end the conversation on the characteristics of positive masculinity as well as how to practice self-love and discernment.This Outro is titled Vulnerability, Confronting Darkness, & Finding Faith. Outros are available for this and all episodes at entangledpodcast.substack.com. Music from the show is available on the Spotify playlist “Entangled – The Vibes”. If you like the show, please drop a 5-star review and subscribe on Substack, Spotify, Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please enjoy!Music: Intro/Outro: Ben Fox - "The Vibe". End Credits: SLPSTRM – “Wild Hearted”.Recorded: 11/02/2023. Published: 02/02/2024.Outro: Vulnerability, Confronting Darkness, & Finding Faith (starts at 1:19:28).Check out the references mentioned:* Who am I? Vulnerability = Powerability by Nick Moore: https://a.co/d/aQPYtj8* Wild at Heart by John Eldridge: https://a.co/d/gbKvZbC* Jim Carrey at MIU: Commencement Address at the 2014 Graduation: * “The power of vulnerability” – Ted Talk by Brené Brown: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit entangledpodcast.substack.com

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, James Lent and Chris Decker delve into the profound journey of redemption and transformation. In this special episode, Chris shares his vision for a groundbreaking film, Son of a King, born from a momentous prayer walk and a life-changing retreat. This film encapsulates Chris's raw personal story, portraying the intense struggles with addiction, deception, and the ultimate quest for redemption through faith. Chris invites listeners to be part of this transformative project that aims to touch the hearts of a million men, emphasizing the power of faith and deliverance from the deepest of struggles.KEY TAKEAWAYSFinding Redemption Through Truth: Chris reveals his profound realization during a prayer walk, acknowledging his past and the pursuit of a career that led to a life far from God's plan.Confronting Rock Bottom: The pivotal moment when facing a lawsuit became the catalyst for Chris's awakening, leading to a floodgate of truth and transparency about his addictions, double life, and immense guilt.Unveiling a Vision: Son of a King represents Chris's redemption story, a deeply personal journey of transformation, faith, and the pursuit of purpose through filmmaking.Crowdfunding for a Purpose: Inviting listeners to participate in this project through crowdfunding, emphasizing the impact of collective support in reaching the hearts of a million fatherless men and boys.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"I was trying to siphon pleasure from a deep well of darkness.""I knew exactly how we were going to live this way. I had it all figured out.""The recovery lifestyle podcast is about how the Lord brought freedom from years of addiction.""We're not going back to those things. The deliverance from addictions is permanent."Want to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

In this solo episode, Kurt talks about how to transform the culture in elders quorum and the entire ward by focusing on the heart of the men. Links Is Elders Quorum Working? Warrior Heart Retreats Cwic Show: The Problem with Men and Masculinity in the Church - feat. Kurt Francom Thoughtful Faith: Are We as a Church Failing Men? (With Kurt Francom) When the Bishop is Too Nice | An Interview with Dr. Robert Glover How I Lead with Priesthood Blessings | An Interview With Mike Novakovich One Couple's Journey Through Sexual Addiction | An Interview with Chris & Autumn Bennett Former Bishop, Recovering Addict | An Interview with Evan Hathaway Wild at Heart Waking the Dead: The Secret to a Heart Fully Alive No More Mr. Nice Guy The Alter Ego Effect The Heart of Man (streaming) Questions? Want to discuss this further with Kurt? Contact him here. There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Transcript coming soon Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:40 Introduction to the episode's topic: men at church 7:15 If we could crack the code with men to help them and strengthen them so that they can strengthen their own families. Turning to porn and other things for coping. 9:30 The media and social platforms attack masculinity and call it toxic. What does healthy masculinity look like? Does society know what to do with men? Does the Church know what to do with men? 11:50 When we unknowingly send the wrong message at church. Men hiding behind the perfect ironed suit and the huge smile. Unfortunately someone in the elders quorum is the most at risk of suicide. 14:00 How can we help men find brotherhood and connection at church? Kurt makes suggestions on things we can do. We need to offer more for men after they age out of Young Single Adult and mission programs. 17:20 If you want to fix the youth then walk down the hall and fix the elders quorum. Think of the impact that the elders quorum can have on the youth and their own children. 19:00 The nice guy vs. masculine man. Kurt dives into toxic masculinity and passive masculinity. 24:00 What does healthy masculinity look like? 27:45 What does the Church attempt to offer men? These are things that are offered on paper and with good intentions but sometimes seem more like assignments. Saving ordinances Spiritual development Community and brotherhood Service opportunities Leadership opportunities 32:15 What do men need from the church? What do they need from their quorum? While it's important to remind them of their duty and responsibility you have to start with a foundation. You have to start with heart. 34:00 There is no laziness in elders quorum, just a lack of fulfillment. How to help men turn back to their heart instead of duty. 39:50 According to author John Eldridge, every man has 3 core desires: A battle to fight An adventure to live A beauty to love 43:40 How to stimulate brotherhood We need to provide mentorship Pray together and for each other Invite people to share their story or share your own Offer men adventure. Organize activities for men to get out 50:00 Kurt shares resources: books, events, podcast talks 54:00 How has ministering to men made you a better follower of Jesus Christ? The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III,

In this solo episode, Kurt talks about how to transform the culture in elders quorum and the entire ward by focusing on the heart of the men. Links Is Elders Quorum Working? Warrior Heart Retreats Cwic Show: The Problem with Men and Masculinity in the Church - feat. Kurt Francom Thoughtful Faith: Are We as a Church Failing Men? (With Kurt Francom) When the Bishop is Too Nice | An Interview with Dr. Robert Glover How I Lead with Priesthood Blessings | An Interview With Mike Novakovich One Couple's Journey Through Sexual Addiction | An Interview with Chris & Autumn Bennett Former Bishop, Recovering Addict | An Interview with Evan Hathaway Wild at Heart Waking the Dead: The Secret to a Heart Fully Alive No More Mr. Nice Guy The Alter Ego Effect The Heart of Man (streaming) Questions? Want to discuss this further with Kurt? Contact him here. There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Transcript coming soon Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:40 Introduction to the episode's topic: men at church 7:15 If we could crack the code with men to help them and strengthen them so that they can strengthen their own families. Turning to porn and other things for coping. 9:30 The media and social platforms attack masculinity and call it toxic. What does healthy masculinity look like? Does society know what to do with men? Does the Church know what to do with men? 11:50 When we unknowingly send the wrong message at church. Men hiding behind the perfect ironed suit and the huge smile. Unfortunately someone in the elders quorum is the most at risk of suicide. 14:00 How can we help men find brotherhood and connection at church? Kurt makes suggestions on things we can do. We need to offer more for men after they age out of Young Single Adult and mission programs. 17:20 If you want to fix the youth then walk down the hall and fix the elders quorum. Think of the impact that the elders quorum can have on the youth and their own children. 19:00 The nice guy vs. masculine man. Kurt dives into toxic masculinity and passive masculinity. 24:00 What does healthy masculinity look like? 27:45 What does the Church attempt to offer men? These are things that are offered on paper and with good intentions but sometimes seem more like assignments. Saving ordinances Spiritual development Community and brotherhood Service opportunities Leadership opportunities 32:15 What do men need from the church? What do they need from their quorum? While it's important to remind them of their duty and responsibility you have to start with a foundation. You have to start with heart. 34:00 There is no laziness in elders quorum, just a lack of fulfillment. How to help men turn back to their heart instead of duty. 39:50 According to author John Eldridge, every man has 3 core desires: A battle to fight An adventure to live A beauty to love 43:40 How to stimulate brotherhood We need to provide mentorship Pray together and for each other Invite people to share their story or share your own Offer men adventure. Organize activities for men to get out 50:00 Kurt shares resources: books, events, podcast talks 54:00 How has ministering to men made you a better follower of Jesus Christ? The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III,

In this episode of The Recovery Lifestyle Podcast, James Lent and Chris Decker dive into the profound experiences of spiritual healing and the pursuit of lasting transformation. They explore the recent powerful insights gained from a special four-day event: the "Wild at Heart" boot camp retreat on Catalina Island, attended by Chris. The conversation delves into the eye-opening journey Chris undertook during this transformative retreat led by John Eldridge, a renowned Christian author and counselor. Through raw, candid discussions, they dissect the core elements of spiritual warfare, masculine identity, the impacts of wounds on one's life, and the pursuit of true deliverance through the grace of Jesus Christ.The discussion touches on the significance of reintegration into one's daily life after such transformative experiences, the challenges encountered, the reality of spiritual warfare, and the impact of these lessons on personal growth. The hosts emphasize the need for men to confront their wounds, realize their role in the battle against the enemy, and seek true deliverance and healing through faith.Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of facing personal wounds and exploring the powerful impact of the Holy Spirit in bringing about genuine healing. The episode provides a poignant exploration of finding strength, purpose, and identity in a world at war and seeks to encourage men on their journey toward spiritual growth, unveiling the transformative potential found in faith, self-discovery, and the pursuit of true masculinity.KEY TAKEAWAYSUncovering the true essence of masculinity and the battle against Satan's attempts to emasculate men.Healing from wounds, addictions, and deep-seated agreements made with the enemy through the power of the Holy Spirit and confession.Understanding the misconceptions of a "good Christian man" and the call to be warriors for Christ in a spiritually besieged world.The tangible impact of spiritual warfare and the challenges of being misunderstood, envied, and facing jealousy in the journey back to reintegration.HIGHLIGHT QUOTES"The root of my addictions was not the lack of a 12-step program to follow. The root was trying to make myself feel like I'm good enough, good enough for the Lord." - Chris Decker"Sobriety is not salvation. It's when we come into the power of the Holy Spirit by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, laying down our lives for Him in surrender." - James LentWant to share feedback or need a prayer request? Please visit https://recoverylifestyle.com/contact to reach out!

What happens when you combine personal experiences, insightful discussions, and the intricate dynamics of gender roles and relationships? You get a profound exploration of the challenges that men face in expressing their inherent qualities, and the beauty and worth that women need to realize. Join me, Lyanette Talley, and my guest, Philip Talley, as we draw insights from John Eldridge's enlightening book, "Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul."As we navigate through this stimulating conversation, we tackle the complexities of marriage, the danger of complacency, and the importance of effort in nurturing relationships. Philip's candid account of his personal experiences and the role his father played in shaping his outlook gives our discussion a raw and relatable edge. We also delve into the societal norms that govern gender roles, the intriguing concept of men being a 'dangerous thing', the importance of open communication, and the need for consistency in maintaining a balanced relationship.This episode will not only provide you with a fresh perspective on gender roles and relationships, but also inspire you to grow and learn alongside your partner, while understanding and validating each other's needs. Evolve with Virago 24/7 Event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/evolve-with-virago-247-tickets-715973645447?aff=oddtdtcreatorGo to my website virago247.net for all things Virago 24/7You can email me at virago247podcast@gmail.comInstagram: virago24_7Facebook: Virago 24/7Thanks for listening and don't forget to share, share, share! Everyday growth, everyday healing with everyday warriors!Music by Deli Rowe: "Space to Move"Logo by Kaylin Talley

Building Resilience For Weary Souls In Episode 101 titled "Building Resilience For Weary Souls," Dawn Gabriel, the dedicated host of the Soul Care for Therapists podcast, warmly invites listeners into the intricate world of therapists, entrepreneurs, and the human experience. She emphasizes the podcast's mission, stating, "This podcast invites you to intentionally tune in to your body, mind, and soul, allowing the sacred to intersect with your work." As she reflects on her two-year journey with the podcast, Dawn's passion for recording and gratitude towards her listeners shines through.   Dawn and her team have been deeply observing and discussing the emotional and mental states of their clients, the world, and even themselves. She encourages listeners to share their observations and thoughts, urging them to reach out to her directly at Dawn@soulcarefortherapist.com. Rejuvenation for Weary Souls For therapists seeking a deeper connection and rejuvenation, Dawn introduces her upcoming "Soul Care for Therapists Retreat." Set in the serene location of Monument, Colorado, from April 7th through 10th, the retreat promises spiritual exercises, group consulting, breathtaking hiking trails, scenic train rides, and more. She highlights the early bird special available until the beginning of December and shares, "We are going to have a time where we can really practice learning soul care and spiritual practices that will transform how we do our business, how we do our lives." Pause for Weary Souls Diving deeper into the theme of resilience, Dawn discusses the collective exhaustion and trauma experienced due to significant events like COVID-19. She introduces listeners to the book "Resilient" by John Eldridge, which offers invaluable insights and skills for building resilience. She quotes Eldridge, saying, "We haven't yet paid the psychological bill for all we've been through," and suggests the PAUSE app by John Eldridge as a tool for personal growth and resilience.   Towards the end, Dawn shares a heartfelt prayer aimed at mental resilience and peace, emphasizing the need to seek peace of mind. She concludes by encouraging listeners to engage with the podcast on social media and leave reviews on Apple podcasts, stating, "Thanks again for listening."   Links and Resources Sacred Space Community Groups - with Dawn Soul Care Retreats: Exclusively for therapists who want to recharge in a deep and fulfilling way. You will engage in your own spiritual journey, find some release from the work you do, as well as connect with other therapists all while enjoying the beauty of Colorado at a secluded and peaceful retreat center. Limited to 6-8 therapists. Download the Therapist Matrix: Use this tool to assess various aspects of your life and identify areas for improvement. Pause - an app to help you create space in your life.   Podcast Production and Show Notes by Course Creation Studio  

Our children are in danger everywhere, both outside and inside the home. Some parents are oblivious to physical dangers; others desire to wrap their children from head to toe in bubble wrap before they send them out to play. Overprotection can sissify children, especially boys. Negligence and foolish risk-taking can kill them. Life is precious and can end in a moment. That truth must factor into our parenting. Nevertheless, we must protect the ability of our children to learn wisdom by getting hurt.Physical dangers are not the only dangers our children face. Spiritual and sexual dangers are also constant. One of the best protections we can provide our children is a deep understanding of Original Sin. Subsequent episodes will delve more into the sexual dangers.PS: In this episode, the book Tim couldn't remember was John Eldridge's “Wild at Heart.” Released in 2001, the book sold over four million copies in the U.S. alone, starting the man's movement still thriving today among conservative Christians. The Religious News Service summarized Eldridge's message: "The book sought to empower men to realize 'dreams of being the hero, of beating the bad guys, of doing daring feats and rescuing the damsel in distress'.”Out of Our Minds Podcast: Pastors who say what they think. For the love of Christ and His Church.Out of Our Minds is a production of New Geneva Academy. Are you interested in preparing for ordained ministry with pastors? Have a desire to grow in your knowledge and fear of God? Apply at www.newgenevaacademy.com.Master of DivinityBachelor of DivinityCertificate in Bible & TheologyGroundwork: The Victory of Christ & The Great ConversationIntro is Psalm of the King, Psalm 21 by My Soul Among Lions.Our of Our Minds audio, artwork, episode descriptions and notes are property of New Geneva Academy and Warhorn Media, published with permission by Transistor, Inc. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Luke 10v33 the good Samaritan The golden rule: Matthew 7v12 1 Thessalonians 5v15

This week on RL Radio - Part Two of Moving Toward Divorce with Elizabeth Picking up where we left off, I start out with a quick recap of what we discussed in part one and then we continue to dig into more of what it looks like to journey well including having hope. Elizabeth mentions this CS Lewis quote - “One day all the sad things will become untrue.” In other words - holding onto hope includes keeping our eyes on the end goal and NAMING those end goals. Elizabeth challenged the listeners to pause at some point and really consider - "what is your end goal?” We also talked about separation including a legal separation and if / when that is appropriate. We landed the plane with both Jason and I asking Elizabeth specific questions - I LOVED Jason's question regarding what would have caused Elizabeth to have paused on moving forward with the divorce - as in, what could he have done to have caused her to pause and shift gears. Elizabeth's answer is powerful and something that we ALL need to see from him - laying down all the shiny pieces. We are so grateful for Elizabeth's partnership with us and for her sharing her wisdom with us. And as she said at the end, this conversation will not end so please send us your questions and thoughts! We are so glad YOU are here, thanks for joining us!   You can listen to our initial interview with Elizabeth, Episode #48, After a Marriage Ends. Elizabeth mentioned John Eldridge's book (which I have not read yet!) - All Things New. Would love for you join me and my team at the next Retreat.  Applications are LIVE but will be closing soon - click here to access the application.  And if you are reading this much later, I would love for you to join the wait list which simply means you will get early notification to apply to the next retreat. For more information on RL Academy, click here. Would love to connect with you on Instagram - @shelley_martinkus. We offer 1:1 coaching, couples recovery coaching, support groups, Masterclasses and on-line courses - check out our websites: redemptiveliving.com and rlforwomen.com for the full scoop! Click here to subscribe to Shelley's {almost} monthly letter + announcements. Click here to subscribe to Jason's list. Questions for the Podcast? Email us with the subject line: Podcast.

This episode is brought to you by Greg Howell Wealth Management. Give Greg Howell a call at 931-638-1576. I can remember the joy of finding out I would be a dad. It was something I had looked forward to since I had read the book Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. It wasn't exactly about parenting but he talked so much about the adventures he had taken his boys on. Rafting and hunting and hiking—He lived in Colorado and the great outdoors were a way of life. I also remember the enormous weight of finding out I would be a dad and thinking of King Solomon's prayer to God for wisdom to lead his people in 2 Chronicles 1:10. I knew I would need help. Links mentioned in this episode: http://www.benandtravis.com http://www.facebook.com/groups/benandtravis http://www.patreon.com/benandtravis Reframing Hope Book https://www.benandtravis.com/books Helping. Healing. Humor. with Ben and Travis: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/batify/id1457601152?mt=2&uo=4 Good Old Fashioned Dislike podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/good-old-fashioned-dislike/id1643163790 This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

This week as we make our way toward Palm Sunday and Holy Week, I'd like to offer a replay of a previous episode, way back to number 15: The Happy Fault of Sin. I hope it's a blessing to you and I continue to hold you and yours in prayer as we journey together with Jesus toward Holy Week. If you'd like to connect with me, ⁠find me on Instagram⁠ or ⁠at my website⁠.  If you'd like to ⁠help support this podcast financially⁠, there's now a way to do just that, and thank you - visit me ⁠on my page at buymeacoffee.com⁠! Thanks as always for sharing, subscribing, rating, and reviewing, as this helps our community to grow! Thanks as always to my friend, Peter Vaughan-Vail, for providing the beautiful harp music you hear in this and every episode. Here are some resources I hope will help you to engage with this week's topic in a deeper way for yourself: 1. If you'd like to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation this week, you should be able to find it offered at a number of area parishes, retreat houses, missions, shrines, Catholic colleges, and hospitals. Check their websites for details and feel free to travel a ways from your home parish - it can be a good opportunity to take some time in silence and prayer. ⁠Here's a primer⁠ on how to receive this Sacrament if it's been a while.  2. In addition, check your area for Eucharistic Adoration, Stations of the Cross, services for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, and other Lenten programming. 3. Podcast: ⁠That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs, guest John Eldridge⁠. This recent episode helped me gather in my thoughts about the last year and how to bring them to Jesus this week.  4. Podcast: ⁠That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs, guest Sally Lloyd-Jones⁠. This episode pairs so well with the one before - unknowingly they both spend a good amount of time on psalm 23, the psalm we need this week.  5. Podcast: ⁠Abiding Together Lenten Study on This Present Paradise. This is part 5,⁠ but you'll want to go back and listen to them all. 6. Video: ⁠Making a Good Confession⁠ with Fr. Mike Schmitz 7. Book: ⁠The Return of the Prodigal Son⁠, by Henri Nouwen 8. Song: ⁠Shadow Step⁠, by Hillsong 9. Song: ⁠Even Unto Death⁠, by Audrey Assad 10: Song: ⁠Run to the Father⁠, by Matt Maher 11. Song: ⁠Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus⁠), by Chris Rice 12. Song: ⁠Met by Love⁠, by Capital City Music 13. Song: ⁠Mercy,⁠ by Amanda Lindsey Cook 14. Song: ⁠O Happy Fault⁠, by Audrey Assad 15. ⁠Read the Gospel account⁠ of the last days of Jesus. Prayerfully journal or sit in silence as you contemplate just how big His love is for you.

Today on Wild + Beautiful… ✝️ It's Lent… again! Let's prepare our hearts for the Resurrection.

1 John 4v1; John 16v13; 1 Cor 2v12; 1 Peter 2v11

“If you're not physically at the best you can be it's going to hurt your mental game. And vice versa. If your mental game isn't on point, you're not going to be performing physically like you could be.” There's a mainstream message promoting the idea that being soft is ok. Images of the ‘dad bod' are found in social media where these men are heralded as accomplished and even sexy. “No thank-you” says today's guest, Matt Roda. “If you're not operating at a peak performance you're not being the best man that you can be and I feel like the world deserves that version of you.” So much garbage is promoted through too many mainstream channels and it's worth asking why and where it comes from. It has its roots and we discuss them in today's episode. One main takeaway is that if you remove the basic premise of reality from people's minds, you'll have a bunch of confused people without purpose who are easy to control. The crux of this conversation is physical and mental sovereignty. Matt suggests: Men block out the noise, get in tunnel vision, and get disciplined. Lift heavy shit, put good nutrients in your body so your body won't diminish. Be the leader in your relationship with your wife. Pick her up and show her your masculinity. Protect her and love her. Procreate. Raise badass children. Study a few different people, check out their mission and their principles and pick five things you like about each of them. Make that the foundation for who you want to be. Matt is a father, a business and marketing coach, and motivational speaker. To learn more about Matt's offerings, go to https://matthewroda.com/. Also in this episode: Book: Wild At Heart by John Eldridge https://a.co/d/aIt702X Check out the Sovereign Circle or the Battle Ready program at https://www.sovereignman.ca/. While you're there, check out the store for Sovereign Man t-shirts, hats, and books.

So many people start businesses thinking that it'll give them more freedom but what it ends up doing is just give them never ending tasks and stress.  On episode 077 of the Restoration Domination Podcast, your host Rico Garcia Jr interviews special guest Eugene Hicks from Declaration Consulting.  They discuss the steps that you need to take to finally give you what you wanted from being a business owner in the first place, freedom.3 Biggest Takeaways:1. The 3 P's.... Grit, Consistency & Vision, 2. The Secret Sauce to Greatness3. How to ACTUALLY gain freedom from you businessFind our Guest:Website: https://www.declarationconsulting.comPhone Number: 602-345-0114Business Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeclarationConsulting Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eugene.hicks.94402Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eugene_hicks_consultant/ Email: eugene@declarationconsulting.comLinkedIn Personal Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugene-hicks-567b7915?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3Blq23l0eRRwOUja9sSjr%2BEg%3D%3DBook Recommendations:The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham: https://amzn.to/3CH6hKcThe 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork by John Maxwell https://amzn.to/3X3plKVWild at Heart by John Eldridge https://amzn.to/3WW1OLLSponsors:mpartial uses geospatial data to assist in creating accurate estimates, invoices, documentation of damages or work done and assisting in faster and fairer claim settlement. Use DOMINATE60 for 99% off Enterprise Plan https://bit.ly/3tz2Xwzsureti Corporation removes the time and financial headaches of getting the mortgage company to release funds or a customer to pay their deductibles in insurance claims. They cut the middle man getting you paid faster and in full. Learn More: https://bit.ly/3pyVLxrC&R Magazine is the oldest trade publication specifically dedicated to the cleaning and restoration industry. C&R is available in print and digital formats for free. Learn more and subscribe for FREE here: https://bit.ly/310KLjp0:00 Intro2:04 Podcast Intro2:20 Who is Eugene Hicks3:44 The Hardship that Changed Everything8:27 What More Business Owners Should Know11:29 Empowering Your Team Members13:00 KPIs15:50 P&Ls18:58 Improving Customer Experience 23:21 Thanks to our Sponsors27:41 Leveraging Customer Experience to Increase Profitability31:26 Immediate Impact of Reviews42:46 Top Three Keys to Success44:56 Book Recommendations48:53 How to Reach Eugene

Reagan and Jaran talk about a book that was all the rage during their childhoods, "Wild at Heart" by John Eldridge. We try to resist the fashionable move of critiquing this book, but we can't help but conclude, as Reagan said, "Oh boy. I think you might have taken this a little too far."

   Our pastor says everyone know how to pray - it got us thinking, do they really ?   Trisha suggested a 12 step progran to help anyone wondering what are some tips on praying effectively and why its effective.    God wants our time and attention.  There are tips about how to have a relationship with God and not a religion.  Dana shares different ways she feels a closer connection to God at times when life is distracting.   Dana also shares a recording of her and her husband Paul reciting the "Freedom Prayer" by John Eldridge, that she refers frequently to in most Podcasts. Let us know if you would like us to send a copy of the book "Waking the Dead" by John Eldridge that includes the " Freedom Prayer".

Porn is an addiction and like any other, it escalates. An obsession with pornography and sex robs a man of his integrity and his ability to fully honour and fulfill a woman. Frank Rich sees pornography as a marketing tool for the human trafficking industry. He has made it his mission to help men overcome their porn addictions and become the man they were meant to be. In this episode: Where else is addiction showing up in your life? How to protect yourself and your young children from porn and human trafficking. Find your purpose and mission. To learn more about what Frank can do for you, go to rebuiltrecovery.com. You can also find him as Coach Frank Rich on Instagram and YouTube or on his podcast, Super-Human Life.   Also in this episode: The anti-trafficking movement founded by Sara LaChance. https://www.stopthemovement.org/ Check out John Eldridge's book, Wild At Heart. https://www.amazon.ca/Wild-Heart-Revised-Updated-Discovering/dp/1400200393 You can find a Pedophile Hunter hat like Frank's, at Dixxon Flannel Co. https://poshmark.com/listing/dixxon-flannel-Co-Pedophile-Hunter-hats-615ca5c9463d4fee2db51465 Check out the Sovereign Circle or the Battle Ready program at https://www.sovereignman.ca/. While you're there, check out the store for Sovereign Man t-shirts, hats, and books.

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in June 2019. We are instructed in the General Handbook (8.1.1) that “Members of the elders quorum work together to help accomplish the work of salvation and exaltation. They serve others, fulfill priesthood duties, build unity, and learn and live doctrine.” How effective is your quorum at succeeding in this purpose? Is there more that can be done to leverage the inspired quorum structure that has been restored in these latter days? The reality is, men live lives of quiet desperation even while attending elders quorum once a week. They attend elders quorum with the hope of brotherhood, unity, and a restoration of their heart. Every man is striving to answer one question, “Do I have what it takes?” They wonder if they have what it takes to support a family, keep their job, overcome addiction, maintain their worthiness. They know the restored gospel can help them answer that question but they don't know where to find the answer. In this episode, Kurt Francom discusses some points to consider related to the heart of men and how the adversary is winning the heart of many men in ways we may not expect. There is great opportunity to build brotherhood in our quorum in order to give more purpose in the lives of those who attend. Kurt also discusses the powerful experience he and others have had by attending a Wild at Heart Boot Camp and how it can help establish an effective model for increasing elders quorum brotherhood and unity. Next Boot Camp Details & Registration Highlights 02:45 Is Elder's quorum a revelatory experience? 04:20 The number one thing that men would change about Elder's Quorum, that isn't a policy, is to have more informal meetings and get togethers. They are seeking more connection and comradery. 06:25 What is the purpose of Elders Quorum? 08:20 Never let an Elders Quorum meeting turn into another Sunday School class. 9:45 As an Elders Quorum Presidency, are you fulfilling your purpose to: Serve others Build unity and brotherhood Instruct members on doctrines, principles, and duties 11:45 Kurt quotes a blog by Sheldon Lawrence, “A Quorum of Strangers.” Mormon men live isolated and lonely lives. 14:00 Kurt quotes proverbs 12:27 “The substance of a diligent man is precious.” 14:30 What is the biggest threat to men today? The heart of men is under attack. Everyday men ask themselves, “Do I have what it takes?” 16:25 How does the adversary work? 19:25 Kurt talks about how to help the men that are struggling and the things that are probably not going to help. 23:45 Kurt describes the book Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. The main three concepts of the book are: A battle to fight An adventure to live A beauty to rescue 28:00 Kurt relates his experience of going to the Wild at Heart boot camp, which Kurt describes as a leadership conference in the woods. 33:00 Chris shares his story of healing, doubting God, and going to the Wild at Heart men's retreat. 44:00 The thing that impressed Chris most about the retreat was how the men interacted with each other. They came together and “prayed on” each other. 46:40 One thing that Chris was introduced to at the retreat is worship music and it's something that he has been able to take home to keep changing. 48:00 Steve shares his experience at the Wild at Heart retreat and recovery from addiction. 50:30 The biggest thing that impacted Steve was experiencing God's love through brotherhood. 54:00 James White from Southern California shares his journey getting to boot camp and his experience there. 59:20 James from Utah shares his struggle with pornography, going through the shame cycle, and his anger with God. Boot camp changed the spiritual trajectory of his life. 1:06:35 Orin shares how going to boot camp helped him and how it strengthened his relationship with God. 1:11:40 Kurt concludes by sharing more about the retreat and how to s...

We are instructed in the General Handbook (8.1.1) that “Members of the elders quorum work together to help accomplish the work of salvation and exaltation. They serve others, fulfill priesthood duties, build unity, and learn and live doctrine.” How effective is your quorum at succeeding in this purpose? Is there more that can be done to leverage the inspired quorum structure that has been restored in these latter days? The reality is, men live lives of quiet desperation even while attending elders quorum once a week. They attend elders quorum with the hope of brotherhood, unity, and a restoration of their heart. Every man is striving to answer one question, “Do I have what it takes?” They wonder if they have what it takes to support a family, keep their job, overcome addiction, maintain their worthiness. They know the restored gospel can help them answer that question but they don't know where to find the answer. In this episode, Kurt Francom discusses some points to consider related to the heart of men and how the adversary is winning the heart of many men in ways we may not expect. There is great opportunity to build brotherhood in our quorum in order to give more purpose in the lives of those who attend. Kurt also discusses the powerful experience he and others have had by attending a Wild at Heart Boot Camp and how it can help establish an effective model for increasing elders quorum brotherhood and unity. Next Boot Camp Details & Registration Highlights 02:45 Is Elder's quorum a revelatory experience? 04:20 The number one thing that men would change about Elder's Quorum, that isn't a policy, is to have more informal meetings and get togethers. They are seeking more connection and comradery. 06:25 What is the purpose of Elders Quorum? 08:20 Never let an Elders Quorum meeting turn into another Sunday School class. 9:45 As an Elders Quorum Presidency, are you fulfilling your purpose to: Serve others Build unity and brotherhood Instruct members on doctrines, principles, and duties 11:45 Kurt quotes a blog by Sheldon Lawrence, “A Quorum of Strangers.” Mormon men live isolated and lonely lives. 14:00 Kurt quotes proverbs 12:27 “The substance of a diligent man is precious.” 14:30 What is the biggest threat to men today? The heart of men is under attack. Everyday men ask themselves, “Do I have what it takes?” 16:25 How does the adversary work? 19:25 Kurt talks about how to help the men that are struggling and the things that are probably not going to help. 23:45 Kurt describes the book Wild at Heart by John Eldridge. The main three concepts of the book are: A battle to fight An adventure to live A beauty to rescue 28:00 Kurt relates his experience of going to the Wild at Heart boot camp, which Kurt describes as a leadership conference in the woods. 33:00 Chris shares his story of healing, doubting God, and going to the Wild at Heart men's retreat. 44:00 The thing that impressed Chris most about the retreat was how the men interacted with each other. They came together and “prayed on” each other. 46:40 One thing that Chris was introduced to at the retreat is worship music and it's something that he has been able to take home to keep changing. 48:00 Steve shares his experience at the Wild at Heart retreat and recovery from addiction. 50:30 The biggest thing that impacted Steve was experiencing God's love through brotherhood. 54:00 James White from Southern California shares his journey getting to boot camp and his experience there. 59:20 James from Utah shares his struggle with pornography, going through the shame cycle, and his anger with God. Boot camp changed the spiritual trajectory of his life. 1:06:35 Orin shares how going to boot camp helped him and how it strengthened his relationship with God. 1:11:40 Kurt concludes by sharing more about the retreat and how to sign up. Links See Boot Camp Schedule & Register (Promo Code: Lea...

Epic Journey Podcast #26 – Routines That Restore - Episode Description In this episode of the Epic Journey Podcast, Sonny and Cindy continue the series on the power of your words and discuss how your routines and the rhythms that God offers can restore your soul and breathe life into your heart, mind, soul and your relationships. They'll discuss the importance of attending to your soul and breaking free from the automatic negative thoughts that can deplete you and cause division in your relationships. Join us! ------- Neglecting our souls can disrupt our oneness and God will restore our souls – God doesn't want us to seek relief. He wants us to be restored. Eldridge, John,2020.Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices For a World Gone Mad, Nashville,Tenn., Nelson Book Publishers. John Eldridge says this: “We may have neglected our soul's need for beauty, we may have neglected our souls need for play. But I have reason to believe that unattended loss is a good place to start if you would recover and heal the vessel God wants to fill, if you would open up room in your life for him to meet you there…” Our lives can get so busy and distracted that we are experiencing that unattended loss. The pain that we are experiencing in our marriages sometimes is really our soul crying out longing to be filled. We make the mistake of assuming this is our spouses responsibility and it's not!!!. Our souls can slowly, and subtlety become depleted, and our hearts hardened, and then we blame our spouse, our marriage, our work, our finances because we are seeking relief because something has to be responsible for this!! But blame only gives us temporary relief… like when we run away from an argument…there is a short-term reprieve but there's no resolution of the problem and we remain distanced from each other. There is an enormous difference between relief and restoration. God doesn't want us to seek relief, He wants us to be restored and reconnected… He wants our conflict resolved, our hearts softened, forgiveness both given and received, oneness with each other and with Him…fully restored. Neglecting our souls, can disrupt our oneness. We're blocking that major artery through which God wants to connect us. We can make choices that not only affect our physical health but our spiritual health too. John Eldridge also talks about healing the soul and what he found in his own life to be helpful and what has been unhelpful. I want to share John Eldridges' list with you because it may hit home with you and it helps us to realize that we do need to stop and consider the health of our own souls. I'll start with his unhelpful list: Grocery stores. Television. Traffic. Draining people that live out of touch with their own soul, airports. The news, especially politics. Social media, your typical dose of movie violence  Now his helpful list: Generous amounts of sunshine, everything living and green, long walks, lonesome country roads, swimming, beauty, music, water, friendly dogs, compassion, not expecting myself to produce the same level of work I normally accomplish in a day, yardwork, building a fence… John goes on to ask these questions: Now which cluster of the things I just named makes up most of your weekly routine? Do you begin to see more clearly how essential it is that we intentionally care for our neglected heart and soul? He's talking about restoring our souls and our connection with God. There will be times our oneness is disrupted, and we need healing and restoration. God has a plan for that. God will restore our souls In Psalm 23:2-3 ESV God is leading us into nature and the wilderness to do just that… He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still waters, He restores my soul. We need to literally get out of the man-made world and get back into the wilderness again, we need to lie down and look up and reconnect with God our Father, Our Savior, Our Counselor! Get to know Him...

In this episode, Anya hosts men's coach Tommy Geary, aka The Dad Coach. Tommy owns We Embark, along with his wife, Brenda. He helps men who have seemingly “made it,” but still feel like something is missing find the internal freedom they crave.Join us as we cover internal versus external validation, the life stages of men, male happiness, acknowledgment, and brotherhood. Tommy teaches a free course every week highlighting how quickly men can go from stuck to feeling energized and living on purpose each day. One last note, we talk about Will Smith's new book and did not side step his recent actions. This was recorded prior to the Oscars (we both still love Will).Connect with Tommy hereSign up for coaching or join his men's group hereLinks-Boys & Sex by Peggy Orenstein here-Wild at Heart by John Eldridge here-The 4-hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss here-Atomic Habits by James Clear here-Will by Will Smith here

Need a new book to read? This question gets asked on social media all of the time. Books can change how you see people and your world. Becky and Mellisa are going to go over some books that have been life changing for them. Becky 1. “The Body keeps the score” by Bessel Van Der Kolk. 2. “Get Your Life Back” by John Eldridge 3. “The Last Arrow” by Erwin McManu 4. “The Secret Adversary” by Agatha Christie Mellisa 1. “The Whole Brain Child” by Daniel J Siegel, MD & Tina Payne Bryson, PHD 2. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear 3. “Financial Peace & Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey 4. “Discerning the Voice of God”by Priscilla Shirer (Anything Priscilla

Robert Golter is a devoted husband and a father of four beautiful children and a key leader in the WILDSONS community. In this episode, Pablo and Robert talk about Robert's journey of redemption— moving from passivity and brokenness to becoming a craftsman in all aspects of life. They go deeper into how God has invited Robert (and all of us) to awaken his warrior heart in the company of brothers, and how for Robert this is happening through Brazilian Jiu jitsu and hand-to-hand combat.

Today's guest is John Finch! John Finch grew up the youngest of 3 boys in a suburb of Dallas where he lost his father to suicide at age 11. As a young man, John did anything he could to avoid confronting the wounds he suffered as a result of being fatherless. His craving for affirmation from a father who was not there to provide it, led him to seek that affirmation from the world in many unhealthy ways. In an attempt to find value as a man, he created a false persona that left him completely unfulfilled. His life was based on the pursuit of money in order to prove his success and he became a social alcoholic as he strived to be the life of every party and gain the attention of those around him. It was only when John realized and dealt with the unresolved issues of his father wound that he was able to become truly fulfilled. On April 20th, 2009, he finally came face to face with the issues that drove him to seek approval from a father who was not there to give it to him. By forgiving his father and recognizing what it truly means to be a man by God's standard, he became a new man, husband and father. John seeks to break down the barriers that prevent men and women from addressing deep rooted anger and hurt from the wounds they have suffered in this life by candidly and openly sharing his story, his failings, and his path to a new way of life. John's mission is to educate, encourage and equip men to become the fathers they were created to be, and to help men walk in daily awareness of their significant and lifelong influence as fathers. Through The Father Effect Movie, John shares stories and messages that will move viewers to a new awareness about the everlasting impact of fathers and the importance of forgiveness and openness in the relationships of this world. John has been married for 23 years. has three daughters and lives in Denton, Texas. He is the founder of The Perfect Father Ministries Inc, a 501(c) non-profit and EncouragingDads.com, a community of people from all of the world who share short stories to encourage dads. Quotes: "The way I love my wife is the way my daughters are going to expect to be loved." "We're all jacked up, flawed, imperfect individuals..." Resources: www.thefathereffect.com The Father Effect YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCYOtmtf0kO9e9FntnZ9ow6Q The Father Effect GodTube Channel -http://www.godtube.com/thefathereffect/ Twitter - @thefathereffect, @johnpfinch, @encouragingdads, & @_newlegacymedia Facebook - The Father Effect Movie Encouraging Dads Project website (encouragingdads.com) Book Landing Page https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/john-finch/the-father-effect/ 9781478976868/ All Pro Dad - https://www.allprodad.com/ Dr. Meg Meeker - https://www.meekerparenting.com/ Raising A Modern-Day Knight by Robert Lewis - https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Modern-Day-Knight-Fathers-Authentic/dp/1589973097 Fathered By God by John Eldridge - https://www.amazon.com/Fathered-God-Learning-Could-Never/dp/1400280273

On this week's episode Ashley and Alphonso sit down with Bill Harper a retired Air Force Pilot who is hosting a "Return to Glory" retreat for men April 7-10 based on John Eldridge's work and host of books on men. Bill does a great job with breaking down the retreat without revealing too many surprises the retreat has in store. They also discuss the state some men are in now and the need for men to fellowship amongst men. For more information on the retreat go to to https://returntoglory.regfox.com/return-to-glory

In this episode, Nicole & her husband, Niko Ivanov answer all your questions submitted through Instagram! They share how they met, practical ways they push each other closer to Jesus in marriage, when they want babies, books that changed their lives, and so much more!! Check in if you want know more about your host & the love story God wrote for her and her husband!Spotify Worship playlist:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6qhB3pWvNKkkaAYQqEy6jl?si=mZWgJYZtTKGM3xdaqkENjwThe Wait by DeVon Franklin & Meagan Good: https://amzn.to/3qJ7J9GLove Does by Bob Goff: https://amzn.to/3HFPUyzNiko's Book Recs:The Truth about Men by DeVon Franklin: https://amzn.to/3qLdFPIThe Happiness Advantage by Shawn Anchor: https://amzn.to/30uq93vQuiet Mind by Collin Henderson: https://amzn.to/3kJaTGMFathered by God by John Eldridge: https://amzn.to/30DKV0v Be sure to follow @DREAMCHECKPODCAST on instagram for more behind the scenes, inspiring quotes, and all updates!!For more on relationships and fun content, follow your host, @NICOLEMARIEIVANOV+ follow today's guest, @NIKOGIVANOVFor more behind Dream Check podcast, visit: www.nicoleivanov.com/podcast

In this episode of The Morning Rage, Jenn and Lauren look at contentment through the lens of short term versus long term thinking. They also discuss the new Texas abortion law and debate the relevance of John and Stasi Eldridge's newly RE-released books  "Wild At Heart" and "Captivating." If you enjoyed this episode, we think you'll also like: Facts on the Texas Abortion Law- NYT Free of Me: Why Life Is Better When It's Not About You by Sharon Hodde Miller 

You can connect with Rick at:https://www.ricknorrismusic.net/His Books are available at:Restoration Preparing for His Fullness   https://amzn.to/3k1GwvCWhen Heaven Speaks Out Loud   https://amzn.to/3k1pj5v This is a continuation of the restoration series. And today we're going to be talking with Rick Norris, about two trees in the garden. Now, I had read a book by Rick Joyner, it was called there were two trees in the garden. I mentioned that to Rick and it kind of sparked a conversation that we sat down and recorded. And so one to read something out of the book, though, I thought was very telling and actually, Rick Norris, my good friend, we'll go into that a little more as we talk but talks about.Bonhoeffer said at one point is, is what was said of the righteous Abel, Cain and Abel can now be said, A Bonhoeffer though he is dead, he still speaks his life continues to challenge true believers to rise up and boldly stand against the darkness of their time. Now it may seem clear that the Germans churches, superficial understanding of redemption, opened the door to this terrible deception, meaning, we're talking about the tree of good and evil. The good that is of man will never redeem him from the evil that is in him, it is still from the same tree, its poison will result will always result in death. The system which appeared so good to the German Christians shocked the civilized world with its evil deeds, but its nature had actually not changed.The good in man is just the other face of the evil in man, Satan is capable of using either good or evil as a tool to bring about his purposes. So when we eat of the tree of good and evil, we see what that can produce. So the question is, are we eating from the tree of life? And if we are, what does that look like? So I hope you enjoy the conversation we have this is part one of part two. And so if you like it, shoot me an email at remnant revolution610@gmail.com. So I hope you enjoy it. And thanks for listening. We were talking the other day, and the trees in the garden came up and I thought I'd make a great segment. And the first tree that we have is what? Well, the first tree is the tree of life. And that of course is the lord. And any really what seemed to be a tree of death, which is that cross was the tree of life in it. I'm speaking metaphorically Now, of course, the other tree is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And years ago, many years ago now, by some standards, Rick Joyner wrote a book called to trees in the garden. And he points out what I'm going to share. And it's I don't know why that book set for 10 years, he wrote it, like in the 80s, I think late 80s. And, and it sat for like, a decade. And then when it was time, the Lord does bone that thing took off and, and Rick was an airline pilot, commercial airline pilot, he just well heard me want to use this, you know, as he should lay things at his feet. See what he wants to do with it like we're doing here now. But um, so the bottom line is, he wrote the book, and he puts it better than I can. But it's a very important thing for us to be prepared to understand these two things, these two trees. The premise of that whole teaching, not just Rick's but in general, is that the two trees the first tree, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, of course, in the garden, the Lord said don't eat of it. It's poisoned. It'll kill you, basically, with what he was saying. And the reason it's poison is that the good of the tree is one with Life in the tree and that the knowledge is one. The good and the evil are one. And to give you an idea how one they are the sap in a tree, the root system, there's only one root system in any tree. And it's and so whatever's in the tree, genetically, is, in fact, one. So the good is evil as the evil and the evil can look really good. And the best way Yeah, and the best way to depict that the best way to make people understand the importance of that is that it what is the most? How good can the good of the evil tree, the tree, the tree of knowledge of good and evil? How good can I get? How good can it be? If it's good enough, by worldly standards day, and you know, the day to day life standard? It can we can take it hook line and sinker as being from God. it's inconceivable for us say that again? Well, best way to say it is, and this is hard for people to receive if Mother Teresa, I mean, you think what's the goodest thing that you could run into on the planet? Goodness, the good, the good thing that you can think of, for lack of a better way of saying it is, what comes to mind for me is Mother Teresa. You know, and I don't know whose mother she is not mine. Like I would say, but anyway, so I give her that anybody that spends 80 years in the gutters of Calcutta, right, with the poor, helping the poor, and helping them the terminally ill and the socially rejected and, you know, there's that's love and love covers a multitude of sins. So there's that. But putting that aside for the depiction of what, what I'm trying to say? What if a God never led her to do what she did? What if, you know, there's many it says in the word to as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God. Right? He put it that way. It's like on top like a stipulation. Put the emphasis on day, right? We say, do many led by the Spirit of God, the children got to Scripture, it's the truth. Well, what if you say, to as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God? Oh, yeah. That's kind of student everybody else? Oh, well, maybe you know, and I don't know where to draw that line. I'm not trying to be inordinately harsh for the sake of also Terek esoteric austerity, right? I don't know what that meant. But it sounded sounded. Still can't spell illiterate after all that study. But anyway, so. So if God never led her to do that, and she did it out of just youthful zeal, and, you know, love for other kids, and a pure heart and everything, but she went out there and she was gonna do something, you know because she loved God. And she had an experience with the Lord and whatever. And she went out and did what she did. But he never led her to do it. And he had a whole nother it says, he has a destiny for us that he chose before the foundation of the world. Right. So if he had a destiny for her, maybe he wanted to be a Sunday school teacher, maybe he wanted her to be a teacher, or something else. So he might have had a destiny for her completely different than what she ended up doing. And so that good that she did, in that context, you know, would be evil when it see we have no concept of that. That's like we go. How could anything like that be evil, and that's where you get into love covers a multitude of sins, but even that's the grace of God. You know, it's  about being intimate with the Lord. That's what this is all about. We have entered a season on the planet where we have to be Very, very intimate, very, very close to the Lord. That's the bottom line, everything else is secondary. We're not going to fulfill our destiny, we're going to go and do good stuff. Right? For not careful. And the only way to be able to discern what is God and what is good, you know, we like take one of the O's out and capitalize the G and put it on what we're doing. Right. All right. Well, you know, the Lord helped me build this ministry know, you built it by manipulation, you know, people that that's what you want to say, let me put it this way. years ago, I got this thing from the Lord. And he said, you know, 90% of what I mean, the revelation you get from this revelation of the two trees, is that 90% this is what I got early on, years ago. 90% of what's built in the name of Jesus Christ, He never commissioned. That's, that's insane. That percentage, and when I got it, I went now that's got to be me. That's I'm tripping. I must be, I must think a little higher, higher myself than I thought. Do you think that and I watched myself real close. I was almost felt guilty for thinking, who do I think I am? Anyway. Alright, so. And then, a few years later, Rick Joyner, again, said the exact same as reading one of his things early on, I think it was the harvest. He's written some wonderful literature. Most of its some of its didactic tutorial, teaching prophetic teaching, but a lot of it is analogous metaphorical, that kind of thing. Anyway. He's he said that exact thing in his book is 90% of what's built today in the name of Jesus, and I didn't talk to him. All right, yeah. God never commission. And they went, you know, cuz I respect the man. And I, yeah, I said, Well, maybe I'm not crazy grant are puffed up. And so then, about 10 years later, another author, John Eldridge, who I take issue on some things we could talk about that sometime. But the good author wrote the very same thing, independent, both of us 90% out of the mouth, and two or three witnesses, the thing is to establish with the words. So think of that for a minute, wait a minute, well, how could that happen? How could you have 90%? of everything gets built in the name of Jesus, he never commissioned? How could that happen? Well, the reason is, is because we lost, this is may seem like a rabbit trail. But this is, this is important. I'm sorry.Well, if you if you look at that, and you're thinking, well, then is all this stuff. Bad? Like what we're doing right here, I'm stepping out and creating this, you know, session of talking about things. You know, God didn't send an angel or, I mean, I felt it in most my spirit to do this, you know, does it? How does somebody rationalize? Well, maybe I'm not doing what actually God said to do, which is what you're saying? Yeah. Like, how do we? How do you know what the 10% is? And maybe you can get to the answer as to Is it that bad if we are doing? I don't know if I'm getting questions out, like,Well, no, I get it. And yeah, you may play and the question is, it puts the simply the question is, how do you know the difference? Between the zeal and desire to do something, and being led to do something? Well, I know you and I, we've had hours of discussions on this kind of thing. And I know your heart, he knows your heart. And every time you try to walk away from this, it just come back. It's right in your face to do it. Right. And there's a difference between what you're doing and what, how we got in this condition.The reason we got in this condition is because we haven't been intimate with Jesus. Now, I say we because we've all nobody has arrived. You know, this all can sound very condescending. on my part, right, who do I think I am again? anyway? You know, how are you the 10%? Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. So and but intimacy is the answer. And what we do is we, if even if we're landed, do something, let's say you're in the 10%, that that is led by the Spirit of the Lord. What happens is you go out, you do the thing, you get gone, you get some friends, and everybody gets going, and you're doing, it's going, Yeah, and the thing gets going, and it perpetuates itself. And then you start to worship the ministry of the Lord rather than the Lord of the minister. And so even that can go sell spiritually and look really good. You know, I love Mario Marella. What he says he, we make it all about big-screen skinny jeans and fog machines, right? We left first-century Christianity A long time ago. Right? But so how did we get in this condition? There are other factors. And this is the main one in my book,Restoration, Preparing for His Fullness, That book is the first book I wrote, is about a great deal of this covers in great detail how we got in this condition and how to get out and what to do to, you know, clean things up and get the bride ready. We have to get ready, man, we're on the cusp, but everybody's feeling it. Everybody knows that even the world Lynx, even unbelievers are going wow, that weird stuff though, all those Christians are talking about happening. What do we do now, you know, like I said in one of my other videos, but how we got here is until the biggest temptation to church ever faced, right? The Church at large over history. in history, the greatest temptation that church ever came up against was being legitimized. And by the time Constantine came as the emperor of Rome, Christianity had pretty much the, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was so powerful miracles, they were still raising the dead into the fourth century. People don't realize that. I mean, small remnants, by the fourth century, they were pretty much getting, you know, the church, which became the Vatican was wiping that out as fast as they could, because they had a plan. Talk about not the good of the tree. But anyway, so. But the point is, at the end of the second century, beginning of the third,, and he realized that God and Christianity had pretty much destroyed Rome took over wrong, all right. And it was politically expedient for him to be a Christian. And so he offered Christian fathers, you know, legitimacy to be a state religion. Well, as soon as they became a state religion he took over, and even the programs that we have today with the altar, and the one-man show one guy doing all the talk, I tell everybody what's going on? Don't that's not the first century. We got all that from him from Constantine. How many people know that? Does God still show up yet? At our services, you know, one-man show or not? He still shows up. Why is that? Well, he's his bride is there is remnants there, not everybody's on? And His Word is there. Right? He's going to honor his word. He's going to go after his bride and try to edify his bride. Right.So he can still do it. Well, yeah, it's through the 80%. But it's not exactly what he was hoping for.Absolutely. It was we have no idea just how, how far off the mark we Yeah, yeah, we just don't. It's by that's why the scripture says, of course, you know, because of his great mercies. We're not consumed. He's way more loving and tolerant. And you talk about enlightened tolerance. Boy, those people on that other side of the aisle aren't really they don't next podcast. We won't get into that. All right. So but yeah, you can't really even get close to that kind of enlightened tolerance. But, so, the point is, when you know, we this is how we got here. The body of christ I say has drifted from the first century to almost the beginning. And when the Vatican got ahold of the churches and made it one church with one guy, you know, the one-man show up there pontificating From then on, we went into, I mean, what it's the fruit of that. The Dark Ages, rightly named Dark Ages.Yeah. Because when I was in, in high school, I went to Europe for a month. And we went to some churches like Denmark and England and places like that. We'd go into this church and had the, you know, the little corner shrine thing up there where the guy would sit in or stand. Oh, yeah, yeah, it's like, and he was the only one with the Bible. Right. Everybody else was kind of sitting in the pew. And, and absorbing from me. Yeah, absolutely. And, and it's not, you're not. Some people may take this as Oh, you're just bashing pastors and people like that?You're not right. Yeah.That will lead me But yeah, I'll explain that because people are probably going off the deep end maybe. Well, sure. He's wearing you say you're saying pastors are, you know, needed?Yeah. Well, no, here's, here's the deal. See, the fivefold ministry? Is the answer. 

As we enter into this Holy Week, we're contemplating the story of how a perfect Savior took on the penalty for our sin in order to reconcile us to God. Today we're talking about the reality of sin, and how looking at our sin honestly can be an unlikely door to personally experiencing the great mercy of God. Here are some resources I hope will help you draw close to Jesus this week: 1. If you'd like to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation this week, you should be able to find it offered at a number of area parishes, retreat houses, missions, shrines, Catholic colleges, and hospitals. Check their websites for details and feel free to travel a ways from your home parish - it can be a good opportunity to take some time in silence and prayer. Here's a primer on how to receive this Sacrament if it's been a while. 2. In addition, check your area for Eucharistic Adoration, Stations of the Cross, services for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, and other Lenten programming. 3. Podcast: That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs, guest John Eldridge. This recent episode helped me gather in my thoughts about the last year and how to bring them to Jesus this week. 4. Podcast: That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs, guest Sally Lloyd-Jones. This episode pairs so well with the one before - unknowingly they both spend a good amount of time on psalm 23, the psalm we need this week. 5. Podcast: Abiding Together Lenten Study on This Present Paradise. This is part 5, but you'll want to go back and listen to them all. 6. Video: Making a Good Confession with Fr. Mike Schmitz 7. Book: The Return of the Prodigal Son, by Henri Nouwen 8. Song: Shadow Step, by Hillsong 9. Song: Even Unto Death, by Audrey Assad 10: Song: Run to the Father, by Matt Maher 11. Song: Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus), by Chris Rice 12. Song: Met by Love, by Capital City Music 13. Song: Mercy, by Amanda Lindsey Cook 14. Song: O Happy Fault, by Audrey Assad 15. Read the Gospel account of the last days of Jesus. Prayerfully journal or sit in silence as you contemplate just how big His love is for you.

What is toxic masculinity versus healthy masculinity? Here, Ty shares how we can overcome the media's version of toxic masculinity. 00:00 How Do I Overcome Toxic Masculinity? 00:13 The Wandering Therapist Sessions 00:35 Let's Talk About Masculinity 01:03 Media's Portrayal Of Masculinity 01:57 Why Do We Have This Problem? 03:06 A Generation Of Boys 03:53 Learning From The Mountains 05:18 We Were Designed As Men 05:28 Adventure 05:37 Battle 05:47 Beauty 06:07 Challenge 07:44 Please Subscribe If You Found Value! You can purchase "Wild at Heart" by John Eldridge by using our Amazon affiliate link here: https://amzn.to/2OVIAYr Check Out Our Web Courses (Including our free courses): https://lovestrong.com/courses Submit A Question For The Wandering Therapist To Answer: https://lovestrong.com/category/the-wandering-therapist-sessions/ Schedule a free 15-minute Consultation Call with The Wandering Therapist to learn more about our services: https://lovestrong42.hbportal.co/schedule/62056ca8c30426088f1a569a Check Out Our Other Podcast: Real Talk Recovery by the Therapy Brothers https://therapybros.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-wandering-therapist/message

On this week’s episode Ashley and Alphonso sit down with Bill Harper a retired Air Force Pilot who is hosting a "Return to Glory" retreat for men April 7-10 based on John Eldridge's work and host of books on men. Bill does a great job with breaking down the retreat without revealing too many surprises the retreat has in store. They also discuss the state some men are in now and the need for men to fellowship amongst men. For more information on the retreat go to to https://returntoglory.regfox.com/return-to-glory Find more information on Return to Glory Ministries here: https://returntoglory.regfox.com/return-to-glory Find more information about Live the Life here: https://www.livethelife.org/

Every Pastor Podcast with Adam Clagg and Brandon Johns https://www.facebook.com/everypastorpodcast ++Like our Facebook page to be entered for a drawing for a book by Karl Vaters, small church ministry expert.++ Resources Mentioned (with affiliate links to support our podcast) Spiritual Disciplines by Donald Whitney https://amzn.to/2Syu3Ar The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell https://amzn.to/3ls7MRv Where is God when It Hurts? by Yancey https://amzn.to/33GpUkC Inside Out by Larry Crabb https://amzn.to/3nstJSk Pursuit of God by Tozer https://amzn.to/3nrNo4J (Free on Kindle right now) Breakout Churches by Rainer https://amzn.to/30HV2hr Good to Great by Jim Collins https://amzn.to/36OH3dw In A Pit With A Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson https://amzn.to/36ITrM7 Communicated for a Change by Andy Stanley & Lane Jones https://amzn.to/2FaCWxh Wild at Heart by John Eldridge https://amzn.to/3jKdzRS (check out the "Field Manual, too) You Win the Locker Room First by Jon Gordon https://amzn.to/36DODYF Call of the Wild https://amzn.to/30Gph8y Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory https://amzn.to/2SCDGhQ

God's love cannot change how we love if we don't know God. The most effective way to know the truth about Him is to study His Word. My dear friend Brooke Sparks is here today to tell us what happened when she decided to followed through with a long-time prompting to go back to school and study God's Word at Dallas Theological Seminary.    As a dedicated wife, mother of four children, and active member at her church and in her community, Brooke honored all her roles with grace and Christ-like love. I hope our conversation today is a great encouragement to any seminary student or college student and to their families, to those whose lives have been upending by the coronavirus and are possibly going back to school at older ages, and to any mom or dad who needs support as a homeschool parent, especially if you're in school yourself or overwhelmed with your current workload.   As an author, speaker, and Bible teacher, Brooke is always a blessing, especially to groups of women on retreats or at gatherings. If you are interested in having her come speak to you and your circle, you can contact her on her website at brookeyoungsparks.com.   Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell LIT by Mary Karr Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb  Get Your Life Back by John Eldredge    Dream Big by Bob Goff Stop Calling Me Beautiful by Phylicia Masonheimer   The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 I have hidden your word in my heart     that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11   But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 A wife of noble character who can find?     She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her     and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm,     all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax     and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships,     bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night;     she provides food for her family     and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it;     out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously;     her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable,     and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff     and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor     and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household;     for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed;     she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate,     where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them,     and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity;     she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom,     and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household     and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed;     her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things,     but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;     but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done,     and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:10-31 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Corinthians 20:12   #1. The one-minute pause from John Eldridge: ask God for wisdom and union with Him. #2. Have a routine, not a schedule. #3. Only put four things on my to-do-list. #4. Count the costs   He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17   Not to us, Lord, not to us     but to your name be the glory,     because of your love and faithfulness. Psalms 115:1   Books by Brooke Sparks: Forty Days with Our Savior Peace Like a River Between the Gardens   Contact + Follow Brooke: BrookeYoungSparks.com Instagram Facebook   Find Amanda below to win a copy of Between the Gardens: @AmandaFromTX on Instagram Amanda From Texas on Facebook

We are joined by NY Times bestselling author and speaker Stephen Mansfield, an influential leader and voice of a movement to inspire noble manhood. Work We begin with a discussion of the recent movement to inspire noble manhood, before diving into a discussion of why some books clearly resonate in people.  We go on to talk about the maxim of “tending your fields” and how managing and tending the spheres you have influence over can lead to greater responsibility and influence. Family Stephen then introduces his family, including ways he has found to substantiate rituals to keep adult children connected, as well as tips on how to maintain a family culture as members separate geographically. The “hi-low” ritual – This simple strategy allows you to connect with kids, even as they get older.  Ask "what's the best in your world and the worst in your life (or day) right now?"  Stephen also discusses yearly rituals – having trips, holiday connections, firm rituals that are deployed with intentionality. These won't just happen all on their own. We also talk about the power of a healthy partnership in marriage, how to be mindful of resentment, and how to pay attention to your spouse's efforts to improve themselves. Men on Fire Why center a book around fire? Stephen talks a little bit about what attracts guys to fire, and how this book builds on past writings to inspire noble manhood.  We talk a bit about how guys who are doing right things, good things, may still have some fire missing from his belly. Then, we go on to talk about the fire of battle, how men need to fight the invisible fights of their world – be it protecting the soul of kids and spouses, fighting for your health, and fighting for friendships who may be struggle. For the fire of destiny, we talk a bit about how God inspired destiny can deeply change the way you view your life, your hardships, and accomplishments. We go on to talk about the fire of God, what is God-given Authority, and how men can carry the “Mufasa factor”. I hope you enjoy this discussion with one of my heroes, Stephen Mansfield! Resources Special Offer! In the month of September, new or upgrading patron donors at the $5 and above level to the Mighty Angel Patreon Page will receive a free copy of the Men on Fire book.  If you are reading this after listening through the backlog of episodes after October 2020 and want to take advantage, shoot me an email at matthew@mightyangelpodcast.com, it could be that I can still hook you up. Stephen's Website - Www.greatman.tv Get the Book on Amazon -  “Men on Fire” Restoring the Forces that Forge Noble Manhood” Also mentioned – John Eldridge's Wild at Heart www.mightyangelpodcast.com Join the Mighty Angel Newsletter to get tips on work, family, and faith – as well as content not on the audio   Song attribution New Hero In Town by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5742-new-hero-in-town License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Hey guys. Are you going through adversity or anxiety or fear or depression right now? If so, stay tuned because this session is for you. How do I bring my faith to work? How do I tap into the power of God in my work life call? Why am I going through this adversity? Is God mad at me? I'm Os Hillman and I've been helping leaders like you answer these questions and more for over 30 years. That's what this podcast is all about. Let's learn and grow together. Welcome to TGIF Today God is First. And welcome to our podcast this week. You know today we're going to be talking about adversity and overcoming hindrances to our life. And it's a topic that I teach a lot about because I went through some major adversities back in 1994 that really changed my life. And so if you find yourself in that place, this session is for you. You know, I've been teaching this session overcoming hindrances to fulfill your destiny for many years. Because I feel like I'm an authority on this topic. And so today's session is a teaching that I did a few weeks ago for a nightly meeting that I did on overcoming hindrances. And you know, it's really tied to what I went through in 1994, where I had major losses in my life. I lost over a half a million dollars. I had my wife leave me after going through extensive counseling. I had 80% of my business disappear within a few weeks when a client stuck me for $140,000. And then my vice president left me and took my second largest account in my ad agency. And this ushered me into a seven year season of adversity. And man I thought life was over. But you know, two years into that adversity I met Gunnar Olson, the founder of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce. And in our first meeting, he listened to my story and he said, "Os, you have a Joseph calling on your life." And I said, "What is a Joseph calling?" And so he explained it to me. And that would ultimately lead to a relationship that's been over 25 years now. I just talked with him last week and he's been a spiritual mentor to me and father in the marketplace for me. And so this session will help you understand some of the dynamics that we can go through that can hinder us from fulfilling our destiny. And over that time, here now over almost 30 years, I've discovered many of the things that cause my adversity and now I'm able to help many others. So I hope that you'll find this session helpful to you. So let's go ahead and begin the teaching. I was teaching in Scotland a number of years ago, and someone came up to me after going through this session that I'm about to share with you and said, "I just realized something. You must become a free agent before you can become a change agent." And I said, "Well, that's very true. Both God and Satan want you dead but each for different reasons." In second Corinthians four, Paul says, "For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus's sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh so then death is working in us but life in you." And then we see in first Peter five, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." And so Satan wants to kill your destiny. I once heard a mentor of mine say, "Dead men can't have stress." And I said, "Well, that's kind of obvious isn't it. If he can't get out of the coffin he's certainly not going to have stress." In Romans six, it says, "Likewise you also recon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." I once had a mentor say to me, "The only thing wrong with you Os is that you're not dead yet. As soon as you let your flesh die, you will be free. So I suggest you die quietly." What happens at spiritual birth? Well, we all know that our human existence is made up of spirit, soul, and body. And when we become born again, our spirits instantly become 100% holy by the power of the holy spirit and God's work in our life. But our mind and will and emotions, which reside in our soul, they don't get redeemed completely in the sense that we don't change immediately. It's a process of sanctification. And that sanctification will go on until we die. And then of course we have the physical body. But we relate to God through our spirit. First Thessalonians 5:23 says, "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of the lord Jesus Christ." So that's where we get spirit, soul, and body. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms. We live in a war zone, and the prize that Satan wants is our heart." You know, years ago I read the fictional story of Screwtape by C.S. Lewis. One of his great works. It's about a demon coaching an underling demon. And he says to that demon, "I wonder if you should ask me whether it is a essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question at least for the present phase of the struggle has been answered for us by the high command. Our policy for the moment is to conceal ourselves." C.S. Lewis once said, "There are two mistakes the church makes when dealing with the devil. To blame everything on him or to blame nothing on him." Here's an amazing statistic. 24% of the general population believe that Satan is real and 52% of Christians believe Satan is real, which means 48% of them don't believe he's real. When you're deceived you don't know you are deceived. Satan's strategy is to kill. Jesus and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born. So Satan tried to kill Jesus at birth. Now what are Satan's three greatest lies to human beings? These are common to every person. Every one of us have been tempted by these statements. You are powerless over your circumstances. You are a victim of an unjust God who left you here to suffer. Just think about it. Have you ever thought those thoughts, that you're powerless over your circumstances or that you're a victim of an unjust God who doesn't love you, who left you hear to suffer and deal with this stuff all by yourself? If you're honest, you've probably felt that way at one time or another. We blame God for evil. In Mark 14:27 it says, "Jesus told him, 'You're all going to feel that your world is falling apart and it's my fault.'" He was saying that to the disciples. The story of your life is a story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could become and he fears it. That is the one thing Satan fears is that you're going to really know the truth because the truth shall make you free. "For I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me," said the psalmist in psalm 109. You see, Satan, that word Satan means opposer. And some of the characteristics of Satan are found throughout the scripture. He's an angel of light, he seeks to kill and destroy, he's an accuser. He deceives and lies. He wars against those who obey. He's a lion, a devourer to kill. He blinds unbelievers. So we need to know our enemy and how he works against us. Finally, be strong in the lord and his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil and the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after you've done everything to stand. For this purpose the sun of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. You see, that was another reason Jesus came to earth, was to destroy the works of the devil. You know I'm often asked by people about why do we go through adversity? And I believe there are four core reasons we will go through adversity. The first one is a consequence of the call. Joseph went through his adversity because of a consequence of the call. It wasn't because of any sin that he did. He was a typical teenage boy that might have been a little bit narcissistic. But it wasn't because of a major sin. And God used that to save an entire people. The second reason we can go through adversity is sin. Gehazi sinned against his employer Elisha, and as a result he was struck with leprosy because he wanted to get money from the general that was healed by Elisha. And so God judged his sin and if we have any open doors in our life then God will judge those sins. A third reason we can go through is sonship. And sonship means that God's going to treat us as sons and daughters, which means there are times that he needs to reprove us and to really correct us in order that we fulfill the purpose and destiny has over our life. A fourth reason we can go through adversity is spiritual warfare. As I've said earlier, John 10:10 says, "Satan wants to steal, kill and destroy from your life. But Jesus wants to give you life." And so there's a war on earth vying for our heart. And so our job is to understand what reason we might be going through adversity and it could be a combination of these. But ask the lord and show him, what is the root. Now Jesus had no sin in his life and when he said this verse out of John 14, it references the fact that he had no sin so he would never go through adversity because of sin. He says to the disciples, "Hereafter, I'll not talk much with you for the prince of this world cometh and that nothing in me." Basically that says, there's nothing in him that he has a right to. There was no sin. There was no open door in his life. He had no entry to Jesus's life due to his sinless life. Now, therefore my primary hindrance is to becoming a Christian who transforms your workplace. And I've talked about this in the past and that is an un-biblical view of work in ministry. We need to understand the holy calling that is upon us. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, do unto the lord. It's the lord Christ you are serving." And then there's a Greek versus Hebraic view of God. If we fall to the Greek influence in our relationship with God, that can hinder us and then the religious sprit and generational strongholds. And we're going to talk about the ladder three of these hindrances tonight. I've talked over the years about this sacred secular and this dichotomy of calling. If there's one statement I hate hearing it's, I'm in full-time ministry. Well, we're all in full-time ministry. We just get our checks different places. And that's not a higher calling. We need to define our ministry as anything that we're doing that's not against the will of God as a holy calling. So whatever you do, do unto the lord. It tells us in Colossians 3:23. Hindrance number two deals more with the influence of the Greek philosophers versus the Hebraic roots. There's a prophetic verse in Zechariah 9:13, "For I have bent Judah my bow, fitted the bow with Ephraim and raised up your sons, O Zion, against your sons. O Greece made you like the sword of a mighty man." And so this is a prophetic verse about the conflict between the Hebraic heart set versus the Greek mindset. Hebraic deals with the heart and it's active and appeals to the heart. Whereas the Greek mindset is more cognitive and appeals to the intellect. The Greek philosophers understood the difference between Greek and Hebraic roots. So you see Greeks acquired wisdom by reason and analysis and Hebrews acquired wisdom by obedience. Psalm 111:10 says, "The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom in the early church." Understood that knowledge was not what changed the world. It was the power of God working through people. Paul said, "My message in my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the spirit's power so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." Paul wrote that explaining that the reason he was so effective was it had nothing to do with his knowledge and his persuasive oratory skills, but it was because of the power of God working though him. Now there's two systems that you and I could be relating to God through and one of them would be the Hebraic system. And the Hebraic system is a process focus. Obedience is a priority and relationships are a priority and this yields transparency and love. And it produces mature believers. Whereas the Greek mindset is more cognitive and has more of a program focus. Information is a priority with controlled groups and this ends up being more service and activity based in our relationship toward God. And this ultimately produces shallow believers. Another hindrance is the religious spirit. See, Peter Wagner wrote, Freedom From the Religious Spirit. And in that book he defines the religious spirit as an agent of Satan assigned to prevent change and maintain the status quo by using religious devices. And of course that's what Jesus ran into in his ministry was the Pharisees. And that's what made him the angriest. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You give a tenth of your spices, mint, dill, and cumin, but you have neglected the more important matters of the law. Justice, mercy, and faithfulness." So the spirit of religion says I must do something to be acceptable by God. It puts people under the yoke of bondage and legalism. Religion divides us into sacred secular mentality. And religion says only overt spiritual activity is acceptable to God. If you remember the chariots of fire, the runner from Scotland, Eric Little. He told his sister, "When I run, I feel his pleasure." Well his sister thought running was a secular idea and he needed to be on the mission field. But in reality Eric was a more spiritual person. Another spirit of religion comment would be bible study at work is not necessary. I go to church on Sunday. That would be a statement that comes from a religious spirit. Why do I need to participate in a kingdom initiative like that? Religion versus relationship looks like this. I had this vision of this diagram years ago that I had an illustrator make up. And so many of us have grown up thinking that well if I do all these things on the right, prayer and devotions and church attendance and bible study and giving money and witnessing and perform and be a church volunteer, then I'll earn God's love and acceptance and favor. But the truth is it's the exact opposite. When we love God, and when we know and understand the acceptance of God, and know his favor, the byproduct of that is that we want to engage in prayer, we want to do devotions, we want to study our bible, we want to be witnesses as salt and light to our community. These become byproducts of a healthy relationship with God. The religious spirit motivates believers to live out their faith in legalistic and rigid ways. And this is especially evident in the south. Now let's spend the balance of our time talking about spiritual warfare strongholds and childhood wounds. I want you to meet John tonight. He had a need for recognition from performance. Things like civic projects and sports and business success. He had an emphasis on building financial security and so he became a workaholic. He lacked emotional intimacy in his marriage and with other people, and he had an activity based relationship towards God very Greek based. And he exhibited symptoms of over controlling people and circumstances. Well, that person was me. I came out of a family of three generations of business owners and our generation stronghold was insecurity and fear that resulted in motivations to control people and circumstances around us. And the bible says in second Corinthians 10:5, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." So a stronghold can come into our lives because we have a need and we don't understand how to meet that need without allowing ourselves to be opened up to a stronghold. The opposite of stronghold is exhibited in Ephesians 3:17. "And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." So you and I were created with seven basic needs. We have a need for dignity and authority, for blessing, and for vision and security, for purpose and meaning and freedom and boundaries, and intimate love and companionship. These are seen in Genesis one and two. They're not listed like this, but they're evidenced in how God related to Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were born with all of these needs and God met those needs for them. But whenever we seek to meet one or more of these basic needs outside God, we have set the stage for the development of a generational stronghold. Satan convinced Eve to believe God was holding out on her and he would not meet her needs so she chose to meet her own need. Let's look at some examples of generational strongholds. We see deceit and lying in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We see control with Laban, Rebecca, Jacob, and King Saul. We see a sexual stronghold in David, Rahab, Bathsheba, Absalom, Abner, and Solomon. In fact, it would be a pretty good bet that David was probably an illegitimate son. You see, he says in Psalm 51 that I was conceived in iniquity. And then when you look at the fact that his father didn't even consider him when the prophet Samuel came to look at his sons as potential candidates to be the next king. We can surmise from that that perhaps David, not only was he the littlest and smallest, maybe that he was conceived in iniquity. Well, I learned more about this stronghold concept when a mentor of mine who created this workbook that we later published for him. He said, "There's no problem with you Os. You just have a stronghold of insecurity and fear." And I said, "You can't prove that." And he says, "Oh, I think I can." And so, he had me take this little self-assessment tool and rank each one of these symptoms from one to 10 and then added the total and took the average. So that, as you can see in the example on the top right, deceit ... The attributes were six, two, one, nine, and seven for different characteristics. You add those numbers up and divide by six, or five I guess it is, you get the average number of five. So you would do that with each one of these strongholds. So when I did it, I did control, and I would rank those and that became the highest one. And then fear and insecurity, that also was a high one at the time. So he took me through a process of prayer and confession in order to deal with those strongholds. We eventually published a book about this, a workbook called Demolishing Strongholds. We only had the PDF version of that online. But you can find it on our website at tgifbookstore.com. It's a wonderful resource and I've used it to counsel many people over the years. So spiritual strongholds work at the subconscious level. Their influence is often unseen until there is a problem. Strongholds are designed to keep us from experiencing God's love and they're often generational as I have said. All strongholds that are built in our lives are a result of seeking to meet one or more of these needs apart from God's will for us. So here's how a stronghold develops. Satan inspires a thought into my mind subconsciously. We're not even conscious of it. Which appeals to my natural tendencies to meet needs. We entertain these thoughts and it brings on emotions. And then we give in to emotions and this eventually leads to some sort of action. And continual participation in this behavior causes me to develop a habit. And once a habit's developed a stronghold is built by that spirit. Now, strongholds oppress versus possess. They control, dictate, and influence our attitudes and behavior. Remember when Jesus was speaking to Peter. He said, "Peter, Satan has wanted to sift you." And he was telling him that Satan was impacting his thought life. So strongholds oppress and discourage us and affect how we view or react to situations, circumstances, or people. I was once in Singapore and a woman came up to me after I'd spoken on this topic and she said, "Oh, would you go to lunch with me and my friend?" And I had lunch available so I went with them and she was very, very aggressive and I could see some things that were coming through her that I picked up on. So when we were at lunch I said, "Tell me about your father. What kind of relationship do you have with your father?" And she said, "Well, why in the world would you want to ask me that? I don't want to talk about that. I want to talk about something else." And I said, "Well just humor me. Just tell me how your relationship is with your dad." And she said, "Oh, it's not good. He says I'll never amount to anything and he says I'm fat and he just doesn't have good things to say about me." And I said, "Well, you have a spirit of rejection over your life and part of the reason that you're very, very aggressive is because you're seeking to get approval and you have to be successful at all costs because one of the vows that you've made is that you're going to prove your value to your father by being successful. And so you're a slave to what your father has said about you. So you need to pray. We need to break that over you." And we did. She began to cry as I began to share that with her. And we broke that over her that day at lunch and her whole countenance changed. I also believe that strongholds are a lot like wearing sunglasses. Let's say that you're born with sunglasses on and you go through life wearing those sunglasses and one day it's cloudy and a man says, "Did you know that if you took those sunglasses off you'd be able to see much clearer?" And so you take those sunglasses off and you say, "Oh my gosh, look how bright it is out here." Well that's the way strongholds are. You don't really know that you're operating in that until symptoms begin to show up. So what we need to do is understand where the entry points of those strongholds came in. And one of the resources that we found helpful in addition to our book on demolishing strongholds is a book called Operating In the Courts of Heaven, by Robert Henderson. This book is a great book to help you understand how the devil operates from a legal basis and how we need to do business in heaven at the legal court in heaven as he is our defender. Now, we need to look at the role shame plays in our life. Shame says I am a failure or a mistake, whereas guilt says I made a mistake, but I am not a mistake. We need to understand the difference and walk in Godly guilt versus shame. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every good man's conscience in the sight of God. So I want to pause for a moment and say that if you have any questions or comments, please enter them in the chat area or the Q&A area. Just tell me what you think. Tell me what God's speaking to you about this area in your life. And if you have any questions I'd love to take those. I want to spend the last few minutes talking about arrested development. And this is out of a book called Broken Children, Grown Up Pain, by Dr. Paul Hegstrom. Dr. Hegstrom passed away last year. He was a good friend of mine. And I actually went through counseling with him years ago. He says, "When a wounded childhood frees his emotional maturity to within two years of a wound, the adult lives as a child emotionally." That's what it means to be arrested in your development. In other words, somebody might say, "Well he's acting like a child." Well, that might be really true. Because your emotional state in life, even as an adult, you might be living as a 12 year old emotionally because you had a trauma happen in your life that froze you emotionally. So we need to understand that arrested development is caused by the wounds of childhood and amplifies or magnifies our sin nature. The deeper the wounds, the more we act selfishly and childishly. And when we have too much childhood trauma, we're hindered in our ability to develop genuine healthy relationships with our creator and others close to us. We can't readily reach out or accept others because our wounds have made us unteachable. Unable to trust and afraid of truth. Now I believe that Michael Jackson was arrested in his development. Many people felt that there was a sexual issue with him because he liked to hang out with kids. I think that he was arrested in his development and was probably emotionally around a 12 or 13 year old because his father beat him growing up when he didn't sing songs the way he thought he should sing them. And so he had some deep wounds. We also need to realize that when we are impacted from arrested development we can become a false self and we can be a poser in our way we handle ourselves and try to be somebody that we're not. So we seek to hide from our true self because our shame says we will not be acceptable to others as we are. We are driven to hide behind our fig leaf, our false self or false covering that protects us from our true self. This all happens on a subconscious basis as a built in protection mechanism from wounds we received as a child. You know, the movie Groundhog Day is a good example of this where he learns something about him every time he goes through a 24 hour period. And as he goes through each one of those 24 hour periods he changed one aspect of his behavior to get a different outcome. And that's kind of like what we're talking about with our false self and poser. Hegstrom says 90% of our marital difficulties are rooted in a trauma experienced by one or more spouses between the age of five and nine. Arrested development sabotages the heart's good intentions and turns us into a spiritual hypocrite. We all require others to live by the rules we were required to live by in childhood. What does that mean? Well, let's say that you're in a situation that, let's say you're a business owner. And you see people that are just totally inept around you and you really lose your patience because you've been trained to do things with excellence and you've been trained to have high performance. So when you don't see that in others, you get angry. Your expectations are not being met. So you're living by a rule that you were required to live by in your life. And this can show up in a lot of different ways. In perfectionism, impatience, and shame. Competence becomes our method of dealing with a wounded heart. So we can hide behind our competence and compensate for our own pain through our competence. John Eldridge said his plan from the beginning was to assault the heart, just as the wicked witch did to the tin woodman. Make them so busy they ignore the heart and wound them so deeply they don't want a heart. Twist their theology so they despise the heart. Take away their courage, destroy their creativity. Make intimacy with God impossible for them. Of course your heart would be the object of a great and fierce battle. It's your most precious possession. Without your heart you cannot have God. Without your heart you cannot have love. Without your heart you cannot have faith. Without your heart you cannot find the work you were meant to do. In other words, without your heart you cannot have life. "He delivers the afflicted in their affliction and opens their ears to his voice in adversity," says Job. God forces us back into or wound to learn the truth about our wound in order to become healed and free. It says that Satan is an accuser. "Now salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of Christ have come for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down." So what voice are you listening to when you hear something in your head that accuses you? Are you listening to that accuser? Whenever we grant anyone other than Jesus Christ authority to tell us who we are, we've made that person a god in our life and entered into idolatry. Let's say that you grew up with a parent that said you're never going to amount to anything, or you're not good at this or that, and you were criticized. You were even shamed. Well, you've got to correct that identity and not believe that identity because that's not what God says about you. You need to believe what God says about you. Let's talk for a moment about addictions. Addictions are anything you cannot willingly stop. Addictions are rooted in the need to be loved. And anything you cannot lay down by an act of your will is an addiction. It's a counterfeit desire for love and intimacy. It becomes an isolation chamber designed to mask our pain. In the brain we have something called a neurotransmitter. It emits two feel good hormones. Serotonin and dopamine. Negative or painful emotion causes the under secretion of serotonin. And that's where Satan comes into our hypothalamus and the brain stem connection. And this is where we drop in serotonin. But if we start looking at pornography or we do something that makes us feel good, it helps to bring our serotonin back. It gives us a high. And that is what leads to addictive behavior. The neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin act as chemical messengers that relay nerve signals through the brain. Dopamine regulates muscle movement, motivation, and the sensation of pleasure. Whereas serotonin primarily affects mood, impulsiveness, and social behaviors. My good friend Craig Hill wrote a small book that talks about the lies of an addiction. Anyone caught in addiction believes that God is not faithful and that the addictive habit will satisfy their addiction. They believe the habit is stronger than the power of God and that addiction is just the way you are. So they're all lies. They're false beliefs, if you will, that Satan plants into our life. Now, men who struggle with sex. Sometimes if a man was not nurtured growing up, he can be a sexualized adult. In other words, he may not necessarily be a sex addict, but he's an affection addict. So sex becomes that affection for him and he'll often look to the wife to get what they did not get in childhood. Maybe they didn't get touched much in childhood. Or hugs. They lack touch. And they came to know sex as love. And the unfortunate thing is the wife can never satisfy that hunger for live if that root issue is not dealt with. And you might even hear the wife say, "You're a sex addict," when he might not necessarily be a sex addict. It might be a basic need that was never met as a child. When we live in compromise we lose confidence in the faith dimension of our lives. We struggle to hear the voice of God, which forces us to live our Christian life through performance and the flesh. In Psalm 106 he says, "And he gave them their requests but sent leanness in their soul." Hey guys. I want to pause for a minute to tell you about something that just give you a heads up on. For the last many years we've been helping men and women like yourself understand what it means to live the larger story of your life. So my gift is really in teaching and I love encouraging believers to fulfill their purpose and destiny. So we've been thinking about a new initiative that could really help people and so we're getting close to announcing it, but we're not there yet. But if you want to know about that and be one of the first ones to know about it when we do release it, you can get on our waiting list. And we've set up a webpage just for that called becomegodschangeagent.com. Becomegodschangeagent.com. In addition, we provide a free download for you if you go on there and put your name on the waiting list. It's called Os Hillman's Top 10 Biblical Truths For Success In Life and Work. These are 10 areas that I believe contributed to my own journey with God and business. And I hope that this resource will be helpful to you. There's no cost. Just go to that. But you don't need to go there now. We'll make an announcement at the end of this as well so that you have that website address at your fingertips. Let's go back to the teaching and we'll talk about this later. God bless. So we overcome the influence of these strongholds by renouncing and repenting of their influence through the prayer of faith and Jesus's blood to cleanse us from these influences. Now whenever the reaction to a situation seems to be extreme compared to the offense, you can know there is unresolved pain or the enemy is at work in the situation. So if somebody gives you a response that is a 10, that should be a two on the Richter scale, you know that something is going on under the hood. That their behavior is not logical. So it merely indicates there is a root problem. It's like a dashboard and the lights on the dash coming on. What's the root of this behavior? So you need to revisit the wound. Identify the events, and then renounce it and ask God to bring healing to that area. Discover the lie. What agreement have you been making with the enemy? And apply the truth. The truth shall make you free. So the steps of freedom from a stronghold is one, identify the strongholds and their symptoms. Rank them from one to 10 by the level of influence they have. And work with someone close to you to confirm the strongholds and confess to renounce the influence of strongholds in Jesus's name. Each believer has the power of the holy spirit to renounce the influence of strongholds over their life as shown in second Corinthians 10:4. We have the divine power to demolish strongholds. And then you want to meditate and walk according to the word and renew your mind. One of the things I had to deal with, I was a workaholic. But it was rooted in fear. So I had to change the number of hours I was working because I was working out of fear. Any self-image contrary to the truth of who God says you are in the spirit is a false self-image. You must agree with God, not with your flesh or the devil. Who said that? That's what you need to ask every time something comes into your head that might be contrary to your identity. "Let this mind be in you. It is also in Jesus Christ." Philippians 2:5. So whatever God sets you free from this and automatically gives you an anointing to set other people free from the same thing you were a victim of. That is your payback on the enemy. For I the lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me. Take a look at this. This is a fascinating comparison of two families over a 200 year generation. Max Jutes was married to an atheist woman. They had 560 descendants, 310 died as paupers, 150 criminals, seven murderers, 100 drunkards, one half of the women were prostitutes. It cost the US government 1.2 million in 19th century dollars. But Jonathan Edwards, a preacher, married a godly woman. They had 1,394 descendants, 295 graduated from college, three state governors, 13 college presidents, 65 professors, three US senators, 30 judges, 100 lawyers, 56 doctors, 75 military officers, 100 missionaries, preachers, and authors, and 80 held public office, three mayors, and one comptroller of the US. Don't tell me the gospel doesn't make a huge difference in family systems. So you need to transform your past into a new beginning. You need to realize your identity and learn to contend for it. All right, well that concludes our session for today. I hope that it was helpful and encouraging to you. If you want to go deeper in this topic, I have developed a book called Overcoming Hindrances to Fulfill Your Destiny. It has a lot more information in it and more teaching in this resource. It's only about 100 pages and you can get it off of our website at tgifbookstore.com. Earlier I mentioned about this new program that we're going to be launching soon, but we're not ready to announce it yet. But if you do want to know about it, just get on our waiting list and you'll be the first to be notified. You can go to our website, becomegodschangeagent.com. Becomegodschangeagent.com. And that will have your name on our waiting list and you'll be the first one to be notified. And you'll also receive a free resource called My Top 10 Biblical Truths for Succeeding in Life and Work. And this was a resource that I put together recently that were the top 10 things that I felt were the most important in my journey to be able to be successful in business and in ministry. So I hope that that will be of help to you. Just click on the website listed on the screen there. So we look forward to seeing you in the next session. We're doing weekly podcasts now. We've set up this on our YouTube page and also iTunes. If you just want to listen to the sessions you can listen to them on iTunes as well as YouTube at the TGIF At Work podcast. God bless. See you next time.

Sometimes men just need away to get close to God. In this Resolute Leadership Podcast, Vince Miller is joined by men's leader Gavin Johnson who leads a John Eldridge camp experience called Boot Camp Minnesota. Hear about Boot Camp its purpose and how you can participate with a group of men who are looking to get away and hear from God on a weekend adventure.