Built on Truth

00:00 Welcome Back to Built on Truth00:34 Who Is Jeremiah Seehorn? Raised in Tehachapi07:00 The Ruggedness of a Small Mountain Town11:44 Chasing the FBI Dream to Point Loma14:27 Dropping Out of College to Chase Navy SEAL18:02 Shipping Out to BUD/S20:10 First Day of BUD/S: Chaos and Attrition21:57 The Hardest Evolution: Log PT24:04 Stress Fractures, Recycling, and Walking Away25:11 Finding Barabbas Road Church Through a Classmate27:02 Hip Surgery and a New Calling in Medicine28:22 Choosing Family Over the SEAL and CEO Track28:41 Meeting Kylie, Married on Lockdown Day31:51 "God Is Faithful to Provide the Daily Bread"39:27 Grinding as an EMT While Kylie Provides43:53 A Move to Encinitas and a Rough Pregnancy48:57 Pulling Kylie Out of Teaching, No Matter What51:01 The Phone Call — A Job Offer Before His Son Was Born52:03 Starting Fire Academy52:53 The Ladder Problem Begins54:18 Fired From the Academy56:19 The Call Offering a Second Chance59:41 Training Smarter for Round Two1:00:24 Graduating Near the Top of the Class1:01:14 Station 57, South Central LA1:01:19 "God Said So — Not for Any Other Reason"1:03:01 Be the Side Character in Your Story1:04:11 Closing Word: God as the Author of Your Life"You were not here because of your willpower or your success or your focus. You were here because of God's grace."Jeremiah Seehorn grew up hunting and fishing in Tehachapi, California, chased a childhood dream of the FBI to Point Loma Nazarene University, then dropped out mid-degree to become a Navy SEAL. He made it all the way to BUD/S in Coronado — where stress fractures and exhaustion took him out before he ever saw Hell Week. That's also where he found Barabbas Road Church, through a classmate who'd rolled out ahead of him.After the Navy, Jeremiah set his sights on becoming a firefighter — one of the hardest jobs in the country to get hired for in Southern California. What followed was a two-year gauntlet of interviews, background checks, and a pregnant wife carrying the family financially while he worked EMT shifts for scraps. The job offer came days before his son was born. And then, months into his first academy, he got fired — undone by something as small as judging the distance on a ladder throw.This episode is about what God does with the men who get back up.In this episode we get into:Growing up in a small, rugged mountain town and what that does to a manChasing the FBI, then dropping everything for a childhood dream of becoming a Navy SEALGetting hurt, getting recycled, and walking away from BUD/SFinding a home church through a classmate at the lowest point of that journeyChoosing marriage and family over the SEAL dream and the "CEO" trackTwo years of interviews, background checks, and financial strain trying to get hired in LAThe phone call with a job offer that came a week before his son was bornGetting fired from his first fire academy over a single failed evolutionThe pilot-program second chance almost nobody getsWhat it means to see yourself as the side character in a story God is authoring

00:00 Introduction — Who Is Adam Rudd?00:57 Growing Up in a Christian Home (And Walking Away)01:40 Quitting High School to Weld02:31 Moving to San Diego — Needed a Life Change03:33 The Fishing Trip That Changed Everything05:23 Losing His Eye — God's Humbling Moment06:42 Leaving It All Behind — Motorhome Life07:25 Getting Into Construction and Finish Carpentry08:43 What Work Ethic Actually Looks Like09:27 Was He a Christian When He Started His Business?11:24 The Neighbor Who Said "You Need Jesus"12:29 "Ask Christ to Reveal Himself to You"12:44 "I Didn't Even Know What the Gospel Was"13:23 2008 — Economy Tanking, Letting the House Go14:18 Started Going to Church, Started His Business16:07 The Watered-Down Church That Frustrated Him16:29 Finding Barabbas Road — "The Word Saved My Life"16:51 How He Started Reading the Bible20:40 Tithing — The Only Place God Says "Test Me"21:50 How God Has Been Faithful in Business22:54 1 Timothy 1 — "I Was One of the Worst Sinners"25:59 What a Real Christian Man Actually Looks Like26:37 "If You're On Time, You're Already Late"29:46 How He Evaluates His Workers34:02 How the Business Grew — All Word of Mouth37:08 No Social Media, No Advertising, No Marketing38:57 "God Put This Into Plan — I'm Just Maintaining What He's Given Me"40:20 Balancing Dad Life and Running a Business43:22 Men Need to Compartmentalize — Stop Talking About Your Feelings44:14 What We've Lost Since the Fear Pandemic49:27 Advice to a Christian Man Entering Construction54:02 How He Actually Reads His Bible57:23 He Tells Everyone to Come to Barabbas Road57:51 Real Men vs. The Facade of Men59:42 Serving Your Wife vs. Trying to "Be the Man"01:01:58 Being a Man Is a Daily Consistency — Not a Single ActionAdam Rudd grew up in Ventura County with a Christian bookstore in the family — and walked away from all of it. He quit high school to weld, moved at 18, made a string of bad calls, and eventually landed in San Diego living out of a motorhome. Then a fishing accident took the sight in one eye. Then a neighbor told him he needed Jesus. Then a pastor started preaching the actual Word.Today Adam runs Redesign, a finish carpentry and remodeling company in San Diego. He's been in the trade 20+ years, has five employees, two daughters, and a seat at Barabbas Road Church. He doesn't advertise. He doesn't have social media. He wakes up before 3am without an alarm.In this episode we get into:What it actually costs to walk away from your upbringing and spend a decade finding out the hard wayThe fishing accident that cost him his eye — and how he counts it as God's mercyStarting a business in 2008 mid-financial crisis with nothing but work ethic and a year of jobs lined upWhy tithing was the first real act of faith — and how God hasn't let him down sinceThe difference between men who work and men who hustle — and why he can tell the difference in five minutesRaising daughters tougher than most of the men on his crewWhat real Christian masculinity looks like at Barabbas Road vs. what the world calls manly"I don't even know how my business works. It's just there. God's put this whole thing into plan — I'm just trying to maintain what he's given me."

00:00 Cold open — Welcome to Built on Truth, introducing Peter Andrew01:05 Rock spider / Afrikaans wife — meeting Tina01:32 Why Peter wanted to be Special Forces — surfing & watching divers as a boy02:45 Blue Navy vs. Brown Navy — getting into the SA Navy03:25 What a SA Navy Diver actually did — rescue, salvage, small units04:37 The selection pipeline — 8-man teams, attrition, barnacles, no skin on hands07:23 Jock van Rensburg — the Christian friend who couldn’t swim08:02 “We can’t take you on course because you’re a Christian” — the psych eval09:00 Falling away from his faith on team — why equal yoking matters12:09 Special Forces operators & meshing with the team12:33 Conscription life — diamond mining, eyes as a secondary sense13:48 Meeting Tina, marriage, pest control, the pregnancy scare that turned into 8 years oftravel16:30 Having Markus (Michael) in the US — citizenship by birth16:48 Going home to take over the family farm in South Africa19:35 Farm life under siege — electric fences, German shepherds, Envirowatch23:00 Gil Bank, the French Foreign Legion neighbor with guns buried everywhere24:10 Leaving for the U.S. — land of milk and honey25:15 South Dakota — homestead America, soil sampling, pheasant season27:00 Tina’s immigration business is born27:55 Michael at 7 — “drop what you’re doing, come watch this kid”32:50 Locked out of the YMCA — building their own pool inside an old nightclub35:30 The Aberdeen Aquatics team takes off36:35 Setting out to actually learn how to coach — looking at the Russians, the science37:20 ASCA 2009 — Dr. Brent Rushall changes everything38:30 USRPT explained — Ultra-Short Race-Pace Training41:50 Why specificity is everything for elite athletes44:00 Pushback from USA Swimming — and the buried Indiana University study46:45 Tokyo 2020 (raced 2021) — gold, world record, fourth-place finishes48:10 Moving the family to Encinitas, California50:30 Father / coach / breadwinner dynamics — what Peter would do differently54:45 The hard truth of legalism vs. living biblically55:30 Post-Tokyo: Peter loses his way, over-coaches Michael’s stroke57:50 2024 trials — Michael misses the team and moves on58:55 “I wanted to go farm cows” — Peter’s detour59:30 The new vision: a pro team, USRPT 2.0 book, global mission1:03:40 Calvinism, the simplicity of the Gospel, and the takeaway1:06:00 Michael may finish his career with his dad after all1:08:30 Coaching as a mission field — sleep, family, heart-rate data, formation1:11:40 The COVID Olympics, the “Mako Andrew rule,” and what the press did1:13:50 The night before the medley relay — turning over tables1:17:30 Fear of the Lord and freedom from the fear of man1:19:00 Christian men: warriors, not wimps1:21:20 Worshiping vs. being worshiped1:23:00 Daily Bible reading — MacArthur Bible through the year1:23:50 Closing — and gratitudePeter Andrew — Olympic swim coach, former South African Special Forces Navy Diver, farmer, andinventor of the Ultra-Short Race-Pace Training (USRPT) method — joins Brett to share the long arc of hislife: war, faith, family, the rise of his son Michael Andrew to world-record swimmer, the heartbreak ofseparation, and the surprising mercy of God that brought him to a wider mission. A conversation abouthardship, community, and how the simplicity of the Gospel mirrors the simplicity of doing one thingwell.

00:00 – Intro: Why you should listen (surfing, coaching, faith)00:55 – Who is Jeremy Handysides? (father, coach, teacher, Christian)02:15 – Moving to San Diego & discovering surfing05:00 – Obsession with surfing & self-teaching08:30 – The psychology of big waves & fear11:00 – Near-death surfing story (17 years old) 🔥16:30 – Getting humbled by the ocean (ego check)18:45 – Understanding limits & risk in surfing21:00 – Coaching vs competing: knowing your lane23:00 – Advice for beginner surfers (lessons, etiquette, spots)26:00 – Coaching elite surfers: what actually matters29:30 – What separates top-level athletes32:00 – Contest strategy: how to actually win heats35:00 – Faith background & growing up Adventist39:00 – Getting saved at 19 (turning point) 🔥44:30 – Life before Christ: rebellion, emptiness, depression48:00 – Searching for truth in other religions51:00 – Why the Bible changed everything54:00 – What is the Gospel? (clear explanation) 🔥59:00 – Grace vs works (core difference)1:02:00 – Living as a Christian man day-to-day1:06:00 – Reading the Bible, discipline, and leadership1:10:00 – Spiritual warfare & staying grounded1:14:00 – Coaching vs teaching special education1:18:00 – The power of mentorship & serving others1:22:00 – Teaching breakthrough story (learning to read)1:26:00 – Humility in coaching & adapting your approach1:30:00 – Final advice: live for God’s gloryJeremy Handysides thought he might die in the ocean at 17.

That moment—and everything that followed—forced him to confront fear, ego, and ultimately, truth.

In this episode, Jeremy shares:

• A near-death surfing experience
• Coaching elite athletes
• His journey to faith in Christ
• What it means to live as a Christian man

This is a conversation about purpose, humility, and building your life on something that actually lasts.

00:00 – Meet Dr. Alex Kim
02:00 – From Atheist to Faith
08:00 – Tribalism & Identity
18:00 – Rock Bottom Moment
24:00 – The Turning Point
30:00 – Purpose & Excellence
45:00 – Beverly Hills Surgery Story
58:00 – Heart Transplant (Powerful)
1:04:00 – True Transformation

What happens when a high-achieving surgeon realizes success isn’t enough?

In this episode of Built on Truth, I sit down with Dr. Alex Kim — trauma surgeon, reconstructive specialist, and former atheist — to unpack the moment that completely changed the trajectory of his life.

We dive into:

• His transformation from a Christian-hating atheist to a man of faith
• The reality of life, death, and purpose inside trauma surgery
• Why success, money, and achievement fall short
• The danger of mediocrity in modern Christianity
• What it actually means to live with conviction

This is a raw, unfiltered conversation about truth, identity, and what really matters.

If you’re a man trying to build strength — physically, mentally, and spiritually — this one will hit.

In this episode of the Built on Truth Podcast, Brett sits down with entrepreneur and financial advisor Sean Storck to talk about faith, discipline, family, and the pursuit of truth.

Sean shares his story growing up between the Mojave Desert and Illinois, discovering faith at a young age, and how a chance encounter at a Bible study led to meeting the woman who would become his wife.

From dancing ballet obsessively in his early twenties to building a financial firm with dozens of employees, Sean’s journey is a story of commitment, sacrifice, and learning to pursue what actually matters.

The conversation dives deep into:

• Why truth matters more than comfort
• What marriage really requires
• Raising resilient kids in a privileged world
• The role of suffering and discipline in building character
• Faith and entrepreneurship
• Why fitness became central to Sean’s family culture

Sean also shares how he and his wife intentionally raised their kids through hard experiences like backpacking, hunting, and strength training to build grit and perseverance.

This episode is about living intentionally, building strong families, and pursuing truth in every area of life.

Courage isn’t charging into gunfire.
It’s being willing to lose everything for what’s right.

In the season 2 finale of the Built on Truth Podcast, Brett Wheeless continues his conversation with retired Navy SEAL David Parker, diving deep into courage, leadership failure, betrayal, conviction, war, faith, and the cost of standing alone.

David shares:

• What real courage looks like under fire

• Why men fear confronting leadership more than death

• The psychological cost of betrayal by your own people

• How conviction is forged through sacrifice

• Why purpose must be greater than fear

• How suffering without meaning destroys men

This episode isn’t comfortable.
It’s honest.

Built on Truth is a podcast about faith, strength, masculinity, leadership, and living with conviction in a world that punishes it.

Subscribe for weekly conversations that sharpen men instead of numbing them.

00:00 – Courage vs Fear
04:30 – Being Shot At vs Facing Leadership
08:40 – Leadership Failure in Combat
13:30 – The Cost of Speaking Up
18:50 – Betrayal from Your Own Team
24:00 – Conviction vs Reputation
30:10 – Why Men Stay Silent
36:30 – Faith, Suffering, and Meaning
44:00 – Why Purpose Must Be Greater Than Fear

YOUTUBE CHAPTERS (OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED)

Achievement doesn’t save men.

In this episode of the Built on Truth Podcast, Brett Wheeless talks with a retired Navy SEAL about why success, status, and accomplishment so often leave men feeling hollow.

This conversation covers:

• Why winning doesn’t satisfy

• The difference between empathy and accountability

• What BUD/S and combat really reveal about character

• Leadership, loneliness, and responsibility

• Why suffering needs purpose to mean anything

If you’ve ever checked the boxes and still felt empty, this episode will hit home.

Built on Truth is a podcast about faith, strength, discipline, and living with conviction in a confused world.

In this episode, Brett sits down with one of the most interesting men he’s ever met — Randy O’Connell. Randy’s life is a tapestry of wild adventure, deep faith, and decades of outdoor leadership. From biking 135 miles through 117° heat in Death Valley, to summiting Mount Whitney, to climbing 20,000-foot peaks in Peru with nothing but a couple ice axes and a pack of pemican bars, Randy’s stories feel like they’re straight out of a novel.

But behind the adventures is a man shaped by God’s grace. Randy shares openly about childhood epilepsy, youth-group moments that changed everything, and the privilege of leading countless young people into both the wilderness and a deeper understanding of Jesus.

We talk climbing, parenting, calling, ministry, fear, hallucinating Texaco stations at altitude, and why the wilderness remains one of the clearest places Randy hears the voice of God.

This conversation is funny, profound, humble, and packed with wisdom.

In this episode, Brett sits down with Eric Carmody, a CrossFit Games athlete, husband, father, and Christian, to unpack his journey through elite sport, injury, faith, and transformation. Eric’s story takes us from football fields to CrossFit gyms across the globe, through devastating injury and unexpected detours, and ultimately to a new life built on truth in Christ.

Key Topics & Highlights

• The Injury That Changed Everything

  • Eric tore his rotator cuff (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor) and ligament in a freak accident on the rings before the CrossFit Open.

  • Surgery left him sidelined for 9+ months, forcing him to rethink identity, fitness, and recovery.

• CrossFit Journey

  • Former defensive lineman at Jacksonville University → lost 80+ lbs through P90X and running → discovered CrossFit on a trip to Costa Rica.

  • Progressed from early competitions to qualifying for the CrossFit Games (Asia Regional champ, Invictus athlete in San Diego).

  • Reflections on CrossFit’s growth: from ESPN broadcasts to transforming mainstream gym culture (reviving barbell and free weight training).

• Life Abroad: Korea Years

  • Moved to Seoul, South Korea to coach at Reebok CrossFit Sentinel during its explosive boom.

  • Experienced rapid gym expansion, investor culture, and eventually the collapse of the franchise.

  • Shares wild stories about expat life, drinking culture, and gym politics, including immigration challenges and shady business dealings.

• Competition & Training Insights

  • Training twice a day, 5 days a week: “There’s no secret—just suffering consistently.”

  • The truth about zone 2 training vs. hard intervals in elite CrossFit prep.

  • Known for freak strength numbers, including a 255 lb strict press (well above most elite athletes).

• Faith Journey

  • Came to San Diego in 2017, still not a believer.

  • A relationship with a pastor led him into Scripture (Book of John).

  • Conviction about lifestyle led to repentance and leaving sin behind.

  • A pivotal sermon on the Prodigal Son & the 99/1 sheep in Luke broke through: realizing he was the “one” Jesus sought.

  • Shares the cost of obedience, breaking off a relationship, and rebuilding life with God at the center.

• Legacy & Truth

  • Eric’s story is about resilience through pain, the emptiness of chasing performance, and the greater calling found in faith.

  • He emphasizes discipline, honesty, and perseverance as the foundation for both fitness and faith.