Forging The Path

Some encouragement from Isaiah 61 as we head into the New Year. The word instead is used 5 times in just a few sentences.

"to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair... instead of shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance."

What does this mean for those of us who feel sad, depressed, anxious, ashamed, or desperate? To truly believe in the goodness of God and in His promises should make us the most hope-filled, joy-filled, fearless people on the planet! Let's not loose sight of who our God is and how He feels about His people.

Check out this awesome father & son episode! Listen in as Adam and his Dad talk about the following topics:

Childhood memories and how they form us.

Advice they would give to their 18-year-old selves.

The most important lessons they've learned as fathers.

How to have a good relationship with your adult children.

And the biggest prayer they have for younger men today.

Johnny Cash once said, “Being a Christian isn’t for sissies. It takes a real man to live for God-a lot more man than to live for the devil, you know? If you really want to live right these days, you gotta be tough.”

Oftentimes, the nice guy syndrome comes from a misunderstanding of Jesus. Other times, it comes from a lack of courage.

In this episode, Jordan Mudrock (founder and owner of ISI Elite Training in Brookfield, WI) talks with Adam Zastrow. They're both a couple of ex-youth pastors who are into theology, entrepreneurship, and fitness. They talk about how Jordan came to faith in Christ, how he got into owning his own business, the best health advice he has for men right now, and what it means to be a strong godly man.

In 2012, 58-year-old Ki Suk Han was pushed onto the subway tracks in New York City. Even though more than 60 seconds passed before an oncoming train hit the man, a group of up to eighteen bystanders simply stood on the platform and looked on as the train approached and ran him over. One man even had time to snap a photo of Han’s last moments.

Six months earlier, 49-year-old Patricia Villa was grabbed and thrown onto the same NYC tracks as Mr. Han. One of her classmates, Luis Polanco, chased down the attacker, punched him, and then, hearing others yell for someone to save her and that a train was coming, turned and joined a group who pulled her off the tracks.

Two nearly identical situations. In the first, bystanders look on and do nothing as a man is killed. In the second, they step in to save a life.

Why do some men freeze up and react passively in a crisis, while others take action? Why do some run away from danger and others run toward it?

Why are some men sheep and other men sheepdogs?

And which one are YOU?

Johnny Ferreira talks with Adam Zastrow about about the mindset of a soldier and shares some of the biggest lessons he's learned so far from serving in the US Army. Johnny also shares some of the story about how he found Christ while on deployment in Iraq. Then, Johnny shares his biggest concerns about our country right now, what advice he would give to men battling depression, and what gives him hope right now.

Adam teaches about 4 key areas of strength that every man should be prioritizing: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Take a quick self-assessment of your own strength, and create a plan to help you grow stronger in each area.

Adam Zastrow and Dustin Rodarmel talk about brotherhood and friendship - why they are necessary, and why they can be hard to find. They also share some practical things that men can do to forge these kinds of brotherhoods. They also talk about the importance of vulnerability and authenticity for men in today's culture.

Life is short, eternity is long. Adam shares a short story about someone's last words before he died. Do you regularly remind yourself about how short life is? Does it change the way you live and the decisions you make? What do you want your last words, or your last thought to be? Do you live your life in view of eternity?

Ray Kozlowski joins Adam Zastrow in this episode. Ray is a husband, father, and business owner. He's also a hip-hop artist and entrepreneur. Ray shares his testimony, which is incredible! Ray also shares his insights on servant leadership, being an entrepreneur, and how he effectively shares his faith with others. There's even a little spoken word segment at the end.