FirstAdam: A Transparent Podcast for Men

Welcome to "Why You Should Put Up Christmas Lights", the podcast where we talk about the real reason every man should get involved in decking out the house for the holidays. You might be thinking, “It’s just lights, right?” But trust us, there’s more to it than meets the eye. From boosting your home’s curb appeal to creating unforgettable memories with your family, putting up Christmas lights is about more than just decoration—it’s about tradition, memories, and setting the tone for a legendary holiday season.

In this show, we’re diving into the practical, emotional, and even scientific reasons why putting up those twinkling lights is more than just a holiday chore. From boosting your mood to enhancing your home’s curb appeal, we’ll break down why spending a few hours untangling wires and hanging lights can be one of the best things you do this season.

So, grab a cold drink, fire up those extension cords, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to light up your holidays in more ways than one. Welcome to "Why You Should Put Up Christmas Lights"—your guide to making this holiday season shine

All kidding aside, join us this week for our annual Christmas episode as we talk about Jesus’ saying in     John 8:12 - Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life"

Let me ask you a question. Are your lights up?

What if the impossible was just the beginning? Every breakthrough, every miracle, starts with a challenge that’s considered out of reach. Miracles are moments that transcend our understanding of the world, when the impossible becomes possible, and the extraordinary interrupts the ordinary.  They are experiences that defy logic and expectation, leaving us in awe of something greater than ourselves. Miracles aren't just stories from the past—they're moments of power, possibility, and purpose that can shape our lives.  The problem is that we often forget the miracles that God has done in the past. 

Maybe we need to “return to Cana”.    Perhaps you need to revisit a moment of transformation or renewal in your life. Just as the miracle of turning water into wine was a transformative event, returning to Cana might represent a personal journey of reclaiming or rediscovering a moment of hope, growth, or miraculous change. It’s about revisiting a place or moment in time where something profound or life-changing happened.  

Returning to Cana means revisiting a place of growth, understanding, or healing, where a new perspective or miracle might unfold. It's about returning to the source and finding meaning and clarity in what was once familiar, seeing it with new eyes, and experiencing God again.

Perhaps there is a place in your life where you need to remember who God is again.  Join us this episode as we encourage you to….come again…

Remember that song “Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin?

My child arrived just the other day

He came to the world in the usual way

But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay

He learned to walk while I was away

I am sure as you read this you are now singing that song. And you will be all day now. (Got ya). That song is iconic as it talks about looking back on life with regrets. Looking back with the "I wish I would have, but..." How many of us do that?

You can’t tell me you don’t have one of these regrets:

Not Pursuing Dreams: Many wish they had followed their passions or taken risks in their careers or hobbies.

Neglecting Relationships: Regretting time spent away from family and friends, or not prioritizing important relationships.

Not Taking Care of Health: Wishing they had maintained better physical and mental health habits.

Missing Opportunities: Regretting not seizing opportunities.

Holding Grudges: Wishing they had let go of conflicts or mended broken relationships.

Living in Fear: Regretting letting fear hold them back from trying new things or taking chances.

Poor Financial Decisions: Wishing they had managed money better, saved more, or avoided debt.

Not Being Present: Regretting not enjoying or appreciating the moment, often due to distractions.

So what do we do with them? How many of us say, “I wish I would have”?  For men, handling regret means recognizing and reflecting on past choices without letting them weigh us down. It’s about learning from experiences and using those lessons to make better decisions in the future. Embracing vulnerability can help in processing feelings and building stronger relationships. Forgiving ourselves for past mistakes is essential to moving forward. Ultimately, transforming regret into growth can lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life. 

Join us this episode as we talk about the F.A.C.T.S of dealing with the “but..” in life.

FYI. F.A.C.T.

Find

Admit

Confess

Talk

Driving down a mountain is never an easy trip. The weight of the load feels more pronounced, pulling the vehicle forward with a force that can quickly escalate. The driver must remain vigilant. The downhill journey is always tough.

Coming down from a mountaintop experience can be both exhilarating and challenging. At the peak, everything feels clear and vibrant—the air is fresh, perspectives shift, and you often find yourself filled with inspiration and insight. It’s a moment of triumph, a place where clarity reigns, and life’s complexities seem manageable.

But as you begin the descent, the thrill starts to fade, and the challenges of everyday life come rushing back. It’s like the weight of the world settles back onto your shoulders. You might feel a mix of emotions—excitement from what you experienced, but also a hint of disorientation as you try to find your footing again. The insights you gained can feel distant, and it can be tough to figure out how to bring that newfound clarity into your daily routine.

Join us on this episode as we discuss how to deal with the downhill drive. When the noise of life continues how do you still maintain spiritual fervency. The downhill doesn’t have to be the end of the journey but just the beginning.

I was recently out in the forest and looked at my phone and it said, "No Service". I hate it when my phone shows "No Service" or "Searching". What an inconvenience and disruption, to be disconnected. I mean come on...we have Elon Musk now...how come we can't get cell service everywhere?

But as I sat there with my phone "disconnected", it got me thinking about what it means for a man to be disconnected. When guys feel like they’re “disconnected in life,” it usually means they’re feeling out of touch or detached from what’s happening around them. It might look like feeling lost or not having a clear sense of direction or purpose, making life feel aimless or confusing. It might feel like you're not connecting with your own emotions or with the people around you.

Disconnected guys might feel lonely or cut off from friends and family, and when that happens we take our ball and go home. We stop engaging or showing up in life, feeling like we don’t belong. Which leads to a lack of engagement in daily responsibilities, making everything seem less meaningful.

But even worse than that is when guys disconnect from self. We begin to struggle to understand our own needs, desires, or identity, feeling unsure about who we are or what we want. We struggle to find meaningful connections or purpose.

Ya. maybe that's what you feel right now. Here's the thing. When I was in the woods with a disconnected phone showing "no service", I noticed something else. Next to the "no service" display was another display that said "SOS". Something in my phone knew where to get help.

Listen men, God is saying to those who are disconnected there is an "SOS" available for you. God is waiting to help you connect again.

John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you connect to me and I will connect to you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing".

Join us on this episode as we deal with the disconnected man.

I used to love to play the video game Mike Tyson punch out. What a great storyline. You played as "Little Mac". He’s a young, aspiring boxer trying to make a name for himself. Your opponents were a list of characters that were all unique. Come on you remember them.

Glass Joe – The first opponent, known for his poor record and easy-to-defeat style. He’s a French boxer with a glass jaw.

Von Kaiser – A German boxer who is slightly more challenging than Glass Joe but still relatively easy to beat.

Piston Honda – A Japanese boxer with a powerful punch and a distinctive, fast-paced fighting style.

Don Flamenco – A Spanish boxer with a flamboyant style and a tendency to taunt his opponents.

King Hippo – A large, Hawaiian boxer with a unique strategy and a notable weak spot.

Great Tiger – An Indian boxer who uses mystical illusions, including disappearing and reappearing during the fight.

Bald Bull – A Turkish boxer known for his powerful Bull Charge attack.

Soda Popinski – A Russian boxer with a penchant for drinking soda and a strong punch.

Mr. Sandman – A tough, heavy-hitting boxer known for his powerful moves and his intimidating presence.

Bring back memories? But then after you defeated all of them, you finally got to fight Mike Tyson. The final and most challenging opponent, he’s known for his incredibly fast and powerful punches. To beat him you had to learn his patterns. In case you forgot, here is how to do it.

Dodge Early: In the first 90 seconds, focus on dodging Tyson’s attacks. Use the left and right dodges to avoid his punches.

Wait for Openings: After dodging his punches, look for openings to land your own punches.

Land Star Punches: As you successfully dodge and counterattack, you’ll earn stars. Use these stars for powerful punches.

Manage Your Stamina: While dodging Tyson’s attacks, make sure not to get too aggressive and take unnecessary hits.

Replay the Fight: The more you practice, the better you’ll become at reading Tyson’s patterns and dodging his punches.

Finally, you win.

But the problem was as soon as you beat Tyson, the game wasn't fun anymore. What took so long to figure out was now easy, and you could beat him every time. The challenge was gone. Isn't that how life is for so many men? The challenge is gone and you feel like you are playing them same level every day. Yet there is a passage in which Jesus asks a blind man in Luke 18 "What do you want me to do for you?". Basically, Jesus is asking the man, "What do you really want in life?". That's a tough question for men to answer.

Join us on this episode as we have a very messy conversation about what dreams we really have as Jesus is calling us to be a "Dreamcaster" again.

So what's the score? Who is winning? Are you losing?

How often do you keep a mental scorecard to track and evaluate how you stack up against others? Men are great at that. I remember when I was a little kid comparing my bike to my friend's bike and how I was super proud mine was better. It was my scoreboard and I was winning. Later on in life, the items on my scoreboard changed but the need to keep track and winning was the same. We keep score, don't we? The scoreboard now keeps track of my success in my career, the size of my house or type of car, and the vacations I post on Facebook. We try to run the scoreboard up to look good. But why is it that men keep score?

We are taught from an early age that winning matters. As Ricky Bobby said, "If you're not first, you're last". But what has all this striving to keep score and measure up gotten men? It has only created an unrest, weary, feeling behind, worthless identity. This is not what God intended. God doesn't keep score. So why are you?

Join us on this episode as we invite Dr. Gene James to discuss the idea of why men keep score even though winning only comes through a relationship with Jesus.

I just made a decision a long time ago: I'm not going to be defined by a scoreboard. - Dabo Swinney

WWJV. “Who would Jesus vote”. Have you ever wondered who Jesus would vote for? Would he cast his ballot red or blue?

What we do know is that people are on one side or the other of the political spectrum, including Christians, and many are very vocal about who they believe should run our country. You saw it this past week as the events of an attempted assassination of a candidate polarized our nation. So who would Jesus vote for?

But the question shouldn’t be who Jesus would vote for, the question should be: Who is Jesus for in this election? What would His reaction be to all of this division?

I wonder if he would quote 2 Cor. 12:20 to us “I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.” That seems to be the tone today in our political climate. Even worse that seems to be the tone in our Christian climate. But we are called to a different standard as Christian Men. We have a responsibility when it comes to politics. In this episode, we discuss our response and responsibility.

Join us as we find out exactly “Who Would Jesus Vote” for.

Question: What will others inherit from you?

When we think about getting an inheritance we think it usually means getting stuff from someone who passed away. It could be money or property, But it's not just about getting things; it's also about getting responsibilities or qualities from that person. So what qualities are you giving to those around you? Sometimes, inheritance goes beyond stuff—it's about the victories and stories that get passed down. It's a big part of how we connect the past with our lives now and what we might pass on to the future.

In the Bible, before David was a King, he was a boy in the field. David's bravery was no joke—he took on lions and bears like it was just another day at the office. Imagine this kid, out there in the wild, protecting his flock of sheep. Lions, known for their strength and ferocity, and bears, with their sheer size and power—David faced them head-on, with a courage that most grown men would envy. It wasn't just about bravery; it was about his determination to protect what was his, showing that even in the face of danger, he wouldn't back down. That's the kind of grit that made David more than just a shepherd boy—he was a legend in the making, which gave him the confidence to take down giants. He left an inheritance of victory.

What victories in life are you leaving as an inheritance? Join us in this episode as we talk about this. The fact is, you are leaving something behind. What will it be?

What do you call a pig that practices karate?

A pork chop.

All dads have terrible jokes. Dad jokes are characterized by their simple, pun-based humor and often groan-inducing punchlines. But honestly being a father can be no joke. I see guys wearing "BEST DAD EVER" shirts and I wonder what it really means to be the best dad because honestly many days I feel like I failed as a father.

Being a father encompasses a wide range of roles, responsibilities, and emotions. It means more than just a biological connection; it involves nurturing, guiding, and supporting.

But how do you do that well? Often we are left as fathers trying to figure it out as we go. There are countless fathers who if they were honest, feel like they have failed. There are no classes in school about being a father. It's not like guys sit around discussing fathering. It's just something we have to learn along the way. Perhaps your dad was a great role model, but the more men we talk to, we hear the exact opposite. Fathers have failed.

Join us in this episode as we talk about the characteristics of a Godly father. We offer practical ways that we can develop the character that God desires for fathers. I am reminded of a quote “Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.” –Charles Kettering Join in the conversation as we honor Fathers.