What if the key to resilience wasn’t about avoiding suffering—but learning to embrace it with grit, faith, and silence?

In this episode of Decidedly, we sit down with Father Stephen J. Gadberry – Catholic priest, Air Force veteran, and ultra-endurance athlete – to uncover how tragedy, discipline, and devotion shaped his approach to decision-making and leadership. From losing his father and sister in a car accident at age eight, to serving in the military, to leading thousands in his parish, Father Stephen reveals how resilience is forged in silence and tested in service.

We dive deep into the role of suffering in spiritual growth, the power of identity before mission, and why leaders must learn to “know where their mess is.” This conversation isn’t about perfection – it’s about the freedom that comes from honesty, faith, and radical perseverance. If you’ve ever wrestled with pain, purpose, or what it means to lead with integrity, this episode will shift how you see your own journey.

KEY TOPICS

• How childhood tragedy forged resilience and grit

• Why silence is essential for strong decision-making

• The dangers of radical independence, and how to ask for help

• Vulnerability in leadership: why showing your mess frees others

• Faith, perseverance, and the gift of suffering

• Identity before mission: why who you are comes before what you do

• How to discern between God’s will and personal preference

• Why men are hungry for authentic guidance, and what leaders must do about it

• Lessons from endurance racing, the military, and the priesthood

CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Introduction

• 03:15 Father Stephen’s Childhood Tragedy and Early Faith

• 07:45 How Grit Became the Theme of His Life

• 10:30 Resilience, Independence, and Asking for Help

• 14:20 Discernment: God’s Will vs. Personal Preference

• 18:00 Vulnerability and Leadership in the Church

• 21:15 Why Men Are Craving Authentic Guidance

• 25:00 Identity Before Mission: The Foundation of Leadership

• 28:15 Making Hard Decisions and Setting Boundaries

• 32:00 The Role of Coachability in Growth and Faith

• 35:40 Training for the Leadville 100 and Lessons from Endurance Sports

• 40:00 Competing on American Ninja Warrior to Preach the Gospel

• 43:15 Wrestling with Psychedelics, Spirituality, and Discernment

• 47:00 Father Stephen’s Top Tip for Decision-Making: Silence

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CONNECT WITH FATHER STEPHEN

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatherstephenjgadberry/?hl=en 

Father Stephen Gadberry, a native of the Arkansas Delta, is a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Little Rock, ordained in 2016. A U.S. Air Force veteran before studying philosophy at St. Joseph Seminary College and earning advanced theology degrees in Rome, specializing in St. Augustine and Cardinal Ratzinger.

A fellow of the Word on Fire Institute, Father Stephen is active in Bishop Robert Barron’s ministries. He appeared on American Ninja Warrior in 2018 and currently serves as pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Batesville and St. Cecilia’s in Newport, as well as dean of the Northeast Arkansas deanery.