Where's the Line? — The Test No One Ever Handed You

This episode is for the man who's tried to stop and didn't know who to call.

We're talking honestly about pornography — how it grows, why willpower alone usually isn't enough, and a real, research-based way to know if it's become more than a habit for you. I also share something I've never said this directly before: why I went to a 12-step room instead of a Christian counselor, and what I've found in Celebrate Recovery on the other side of it.

⚠️ This episode deals with sensitive subject matter. Handled with care, not graphic — but direct, because this conversation matters.

Take the assessment (free, confidential, ~10 minutes):
Sexual Addiction Screening Test (SAST) — Pure Desire Ministries
https://puredesire.org/courses/sexual-addiction-screening-test/

Find a Celebrate Recovery group near you:
https://celebraterecovery.com/find-help-2/

Our group meets Tuesdays at 6 PM — but CR has thousands of locations worldwide, so if ours isn't a fit, use the link above to find one near you. This was never about getting you into our church. It's about you finding peace.

If something in this episode hit close to home — you're not alone, and you don't have to figure it out by yourself.

Let's get coffee. Let me be your friend. Let me walk beside you.

#TheIntentionalGuy #PornographyRecovery #CelebrateRecovery #ChristianMen #MensMinistry

In this deeply personal episode of The Intentional Guy Podcast, Mike Chestnut shares a conversation that changed his understanding of recovery forever.

Many men believe recovery ends when the pornography stops. But what if your wife is still carrying wounds you've never taken the time to understand?

This episode explores the hidden impact pornography has on marriage, why wives often experience it as rejection instead of "just a mistake," and how true healing begins when we stop defending ourselves and start listening.

Whether you're fighting pornography, rebuilding trust after betrayal, or simply want a stronger Christ-centered marriage, this conversation is one every husband needs to hear.

📖 Scripture Focus: Proverbs 5:15-19 & Proverbs 28:13

☕ Need someone to talk to?
If you're ready to stop hiding but don't know where to start, reach out. I'd love to grab coffee if you're local—or connect with you online if you're not. You don't have to walk this road alone.

👇 Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction
00:13 – The moment that changed everything
02:04 – Why recovery is more than stopping the behavior
02:53 – Pornography as a comparison problem, not just a content problem
05:24 – What wives often carry in silence
06:29 – Why silence feels safer, but hurts more
08:28 – The questions wives are often really asking
10:03 – Biblical perspective from Proverbs 5
12:42 – What a wife actually needs in healing
14:41 – Why delaying confession makes things worse
16:27 – Confession, mercy, and the cost of concealment
17:27 – One question to ask this week
17:56 – Real recovery starts with facing her, not just the habit

👍 If this episode encouraged you:
• Subscribe for weekly biblical encouragement for men
• Like this video
• Share it with someone who needs hope
• Leave a comment: "I'm choosing honesty."

#IntentionalGuy #PornRecovery #MarriageHealing #ChristianMen #MarriageRestoration #OvercomingPornography #PornAddictionRecovery #BiblicalMarriage #ChristianMarriage #MensMinistry #CelebrateRecovery #FreedomFromPorn #FaithBasedRecovery #MarriageAdvice #RecoveryJourney #ChristianPodcast #MikeChestnut #HealingAfterBetrayal #TrustAfterPorn #RelationshipHealing

Do you actually want to be free?

Not the church answer. Not the answer you'd give your pastor. The real answer.

In this powerful episode of The Intentional Guy Podcast, Michael Chestnut challenges men to confront one of the most important questions they'll ever answer: Do you want freedom more than comfort?

Freedom from pornography. Freedom from lust. Freedom from secrecy. Freedom from shame.

Drawing from his own story of addiction, recovery, and restoration, Michael shares practical strategies, biblical truth, and hard-earned wisdom for men who are tired of living a double life and are ready to become intentional about their recovery journey.

In this episode you'll discover:

✅ Why willpower alone is not enough
✅ The prayer that helped Michael find freedom
✅ How to make a covenant with your eyes
✅ Practical tools to fight temptation before it starts
✅ Why accountability is essential for lasting freedom
✅ The hidden pain that pornography is often masking
✅ How the Holy Spirit meets us in our weakest moments

Key Scripture:
📖 Job 31:1
"I made a covenant with my eyes..."

📖 Romans 8:26
"The Spirit helps us in our weakness..."

If this episode encouraged you, challenged you, or helped you take a step toward freedom, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE it with another man who needs to hear this message.

00:00 Do You Really Want Freedom?
01:35 Why Willpower Isn’t Enough
04:14 “Holy Spirit, Please”
05:28 Make a Covenant With Your Eyes
07:09 The Practical Battle Plan
13:54 What Lust Is Really About
15:30 Final Challenge: Be Intentional

💬 COMMENT BELOW:
Type the word READY if you're ready to take the next step toward freedom.

📚 Get Michael's book Exposed and learn more about the journey from addiction to restoration.

☕ Need someone to talk to? Reach out. You don't have to fight this battle alone.

Remember: You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be willing to start.

Holy Spirit, please.

#IntentionalGuy #AreYouReady #FreedomFromPornography #PornAddictionRecovery #ChristianMen #BiblicalManhood #MensMinistry #LustRecovery #Purity #Accountability #FaithOverAddiction #ChristianPodcast #RecoveryJourney #ExposedBook #HolySpiritPlease #CelebrateRecovery #MensDiscipleship #SpiritualGrowth #FreedomInChrist #MikeChestnut

75% of Christian men report viewing pornography. 82% say no one is helping them.

This isn't just a pornography problem—it's a silence problem.

In this episode of The Intentional Guy Podcast, Michael Chestnut tackles one of the most difficult and important conversations facing the church today. Drawing from research by Barna and Pure Desire Ministries, Michael explores the reality of pornography's impact on Christian men, women, pastors, and the next generation.

But this episode goes beyond statistics.

Together, we examine what Scripture teaches about lust, sexual sin, and purity through the words of Jesus, Paul, Job, and one of the most overlooked chapters in the Bible—Proverbs 7.

Over 3,000 years ago, Solomon described a young man slowly walking toward destruction, making small compromises that eventually led to devastating consequences. His warning is just as relevant today as it was then.

If you're struggling in silence, carrying shame, or wondering if freedom is possible, this message is for you.

You are not alone.

Freedom begins when secrecy ends.

If this episode encouraged you, share it with another man, leave a comment, and subscribe to The Intentional Guy Podcast.

0:00 Three Out of Four Men in Your Church
1:10 Welcome to The Intentional Guy Podcast
2:16 The Numbers the Church Needs to Hear
3:58 You Are Not Alone
4:31 What God's Word Says
6:51 Proverbs 7: Solomon's Warning
9:32 Your Phone Is the Street Near Her Corner
10:34 The 82% Had No One Speaking Up
12:19 Michael's Personal Story
13:23 One Step You Can Take Today
14:27 Closing

#IntentionalGuy #ChristianMen #PornographyRecovery #FreedomFromPorn #MensMinistry #ChristianPodcast #Proverbs7 #BiblicalManhood #Purity #FaithAndFreedom #Discipleship #ChristianLeadership #PornAddictionRecovery #shorts #spiritualgrowth #spirituality  #Obedience #forgiveness #godlyhusband #mensministry #christianmen #transformation #faithjourney #christianmarriage #healingfromtrauma #overcomingtrauma #forgiveness #marriageadvice

The word headship has been misunderstood, misused, and in many cases weaponized. Some men have treated it like a position of authority, while others have become so afraid of getting it wrong that they've completely stepped back from leading altogether.

In this episode of The Intentional Guy Podcast, Michael Chestnut takes a fresh look at Ephesians 5 and challenges husbands to rethink biblical leadership through the lens of sacrifice, vulnerability, and presence.

We'll explore why Christ's model of headship was never about control—it was about laying Himself down for others. If you're a husband seeking to lead your marriage God's way, this conversation is for you.

📖 Key Scriptures:
• Ephesians 5:22-26
• Genesis 3:6

⏱️ CHAPTERS

0:00 – Opening
2:31 – Key #1: Headship Is Not Rank, It Is Sacrifice
4:35 – Key #2: The Most Dangerous Version of Headship Is Silence
6:47 – Key #3: You Cannot Lead Where You Have Not Gone
10:08 – The Challenge

📚 Get Michael's book Expose for more of his personal story and lessons learned through recovery, faith, and intentional living. https://a.co/d/02oiIrMJ

🎙️ Subscribe for weekly conversations on:
• Biblical masculinity
• Marriage and relationships
• Faith and leadership
• Recovery and healing
• Living with purpose

Connect with The Intentional Guy Podcast and share this episode with a husband, father, or friend who needs this message today.

#IntentionalGuyPodcast #BiblicalMarriage #ChristianHusband #MarriageLeadership #Ephesians5 #BiblicalHeadship #ChristianMen #FaithAndFamily #MarriageAdvice #ChristianMarriage #MensMinistry #Leadership #HusbandAndWife #ChristianPodcast #MichaelChestnut #shorts #spiritualgrowth #spirituality  #Obedience #forgiveness #godlyhusband #mensministry #christianmen #transformation #faithjourney #christianmarriage #healingfromtrauma #overcomingtrauma #forgiveness #marriageadvice

🎙️ Replay Wednesday: One of the Most Powerful Stories We've Ever Shared

Some episodes deserve a second listen. This is one of them.

For this special Replay Wednesday, we're bringing back Joe's incredible story—but with additional content and deeper conversation that wasn't included in the original release.

Joe's journey is one that sounds almost unbelievable: a young Army officer whose loyalty to family led him into prison, a man who lost everything, encountered Christ in the darkest place imaginable, and discovered a purpose far greater than he could have ever planned. From military service, prison cells, spiritual warfare, redemption, second chances, and ultimately becoming a successful executive and faithful follower of Christ, Joe's testimony is a powerful reminder that God can redeem any story.

This isn't just a prison story.
It's not just a redemption story.
It's a story about faith when the cost is high, trusting God when everything falls apart, and discovering that your greatest setback may be the very thing God uses to shape your greatest purpose.

If you're a man struggling with your past, carrying regret, fighting battles nobody knows about, or wondering if God can still use your life, this episode is for you.

Every man should listen to this conversation.

🔥 Loyalty.
🔥 Faith.
🔥 Family.
🔥 Prison.
🔥 Redemption.
🔥 Purpose.

Join us for this special Replay Wednesday and experience one of the most impactful stories ever shared on The Intentional Guy Podcast.

#ReplayWednesday #TheIntentionalGuyPodcast #RedemptionStory #FaithOverFear #MensMinistry #ChristianPodcast #SecondChances #PurposeDrivenLife #Testimony #JesusChangesEverything

He was abused, trafficked, and told no one would believe him — then God rewrote his story.

In this powerful episode, Mike Chestnut sits down with Pastor Mark Sowersby, author of Forgiving the Nightmare, to discuss a topic most men stay silent about: childhood abuse and the long road to forgiveness. Mark was abused from age 7 to 14 — physically, emotionally, sexually, and trafficked by his own stepfather. The lie that haunted him most: "It was your fault. And no one would believe you."

Mark shares how he found Jesus at 15, how the Holy Spirit led him to face his abuser decades later, and why forgiveness doesn't mean approval — it means freedom.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why the enemy traps us in our story — and how it becomes God's story
• The moment Mark told his dying abuser "I forgive you because Christ forgave me"
• The Bob Ross analogy that changed Mark's entire perspective on healing
• Why men cover up abuse, self-medicate, and suffer in silence
• Practical first steps if you're stuck in shame and don't know where to begin

Key Quotes:

"Forgiveness is not approval." — Pastor Mark Sowersby "Once I could acknowledge it, the enemy no longer had my ear." — Mike Chestnut "We go through a mess and God gives us a message. We go through a test and God gives us a testimony." — Pastor Mark Sowersby

📖 Get Mark's Book: Forgiving the Nightmare — available now

📖 Also by Mark & his wife: Letters to the Weary

🎙️ Connect with Forgiving the Nightmare Ministry: https://forgivingthenightmare.com

⏱ Timestamps: 0:00 – Intro & meeting Mark Sowersby

1:50 – Mark's story: abuse that started at age 7

5:01 – Mike shares his own experience with abuse

10:21 – How Mark began the journey toward healing

13:55 – "Forgiveness is not approval"

15:33 – Why the church stays silent on abuse

18:17 – What Mark would say to someone still struggling

22:00 – The Bob Ross painting analogy (powerful)

23:35 – Getting started when forgiveness feels impossible 29:33 – Suicidal ideation and the "shake it off" lie

34:50 – The peace that comes from sharing your story

42:04 – About the Forgiving the Nightmare ministry

💬 Let us know in the comments: What part of Mark's story hit you hardest?

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on faith, marriage, and becoming the man God called you to be.

#Forgiveness #ChristianTestimony #OvercomingAbuse #ForgivingTheNightmare #Healing #Faith #IntentionalGuy #MensMinistry

Two years ago, Michael Chestnut sat down with Ebon Sharp for one of the most honest and impactful conversations on the Intentional Guy Podcast. In this powerful throwback episode, Ebon shares his journey from growing up in the streets, becoming a young father, facing the consequences of poor boundaries, and experiencing God's grace, redemption, and restoration in his marriage. This timeless conversation is a reminder that no one is beyond God's reach and that healing begins when we bring what's hidden into the light.

Takeaways

• Importance of setting boundaries
• The impact of betrayal on a relationship Vulnerability
• Intentionality

Chapters

• 00:00 The Betrayal and Its Impact on the Relationship
• 30:01 Navigating Challenges in Marriage
• 35:22 Reading and Applying Relationship Advice
• 41:18 The Power of Reading and Learning
• 46:19 Seeking Help and Confession
• 51:46 Empowering Others Through Experience

#IntentionalGuy #ThrowbackEpisode #MensMinistry #FaithOverFailure #MarriageRestoration #RedemptionStory #ChristianMen #GodsGrace #IronSharpensIron #RealMenRealPurpose #PodcastReplay

THE SECRET EXIT — Why Your Loopholes Are Keeping You Stuck

The Intentional Guy Podcast

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Samson was the strongest man who ever lived.

And he wasn't taken down by an army. He wasn't taken down by a weapon.

He was taken down by a door he refused to close.

Sound familiar?

In this episode, we go deep into one of the most overlooked parts of recovery — the loopholes. Those secret exits only you know about. The ones you built quietly, in the dark, when no one was watching.

I share my own story from my book Exposed — including the morning two unmarked cars pulled up to my house and an FBI special agent and an Indianapolis vice squad detective showed up at my door. They didn't lead with my name. They led with my secret email account.

They had my secret exit.

This episode is about what it takes to actually close those doors — not just want to, not just pray about it, but build a real strategy that works even when you're paralyzed, even when you can't find the words, even when the shame has you silent.

We break it down into three keys:

🔑 Key #1 — Why a goal written down is a goal fighting for you

🔑 Key #2 — How accountability doesn't just help, it multiplies your odds

🔑 Key #3 — How to name your loopholes and close them one by one

If you've been stuck in the same cycle — making the decision, meaning it, and somehow ending up right back where you started — this episode was made for you.

You don't have to keep leaving the exit open.

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📖 Mentioned in this episode:

Exposed by Michael Chestnut — available now

📌 If this episode helped you, share it with one man who needs it.

Subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Intentional Guy.

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#TheIntentionalGuy #ChristianMen #PornographyRecovery

#SexualAddictionRecovery #MensMinistry #FaithAndFreedom

#AccountabilityPartner #RecoveryPodcast #ChristianPodcast

#MenOfGod #BreakingFree #Exposed #PurityCulture

#IntentionalLiving #SamsonAndDelilah #BiblicalWisdom

#ChristianRecovery #MensFaith #NoMoreSecrets #LiveOnPurpose

In this episode of The Intentional Guy Podcast, we tackle a conversation most men avoid — the dangerous place between honesty and full surrender.

A man reached out and admitted he was struggling with pornography. That took courage. But what happened next revealed something deeper that many men never realize:

Sometimes “almost honest” is still hiding.

This episode is not about shame. It’s about truth.
Because partial honesty can still keep a man trapped.
Delayed accountability can still destroy marriages, families, integrity, and purpose.

We unpack:
• Why the text is not the victory
• What excuses are really revealing
• Why your world will not wait for your schedule
• How secrecy survives through “almost” confession
• Why real freedom requires immediate action and real accountability

If you are a man battling pornography, secrecy, lust, addiction, or isolation — this conversation is for you.

And if you know a man silently struggling, send this episode to him.

Freedom begins where excuses end.

#TheIntentionalGuy #PornographyAddiction #MensMentalHealth #ChristianMen #Accountability #Freedom #FaithBased #Masculinity #MenOfGod #SelfDiscipline #PornRecovery #RealTalk #MensPodcast #Healing #Truth