First and foremost, Troy Stoneking is a follower of Jesus Christ and he believes sharing God's Word and how it applies to real life allows him to serve others in their faith. This wasn't always the case.

Not having grown up in a Christian home, Troy never had exposure to Jesus, but once he did and once he got saved in his late teens, he developed a lifelong passion for serving The Lord. He believes all Christ followers are called to demonstrate love and kindness to all without falling prey to simply being "nice."

In this episode, Troy discusses practical ways to enhance anyone's relationship with God, the differentiation between being a Christian and a Christ follower, how he attempts to lighten the load of Christ followers, and how living a life more abundant helps people move from an ordinary life to an extraordinary one.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#Jesus #God #faith #abundance #podcast

With no memory of his childhood until the age of 12, John Jarman had no conscious way of overcoming the unknown pain of his past. Having grown up in a violent home, with an abusive, alcoholic father, he coped by controlling all aspects of his life.

Despite being a Christ follower, John buried his pain until his adult life began to crumble around him. He began losing things that were important to him - relationships, his work, etc. - and he sought professional help.

Over a 10 year period, John's inner work led him to places he didn't expect and, as he moved closer to God, the storm hit even harder. It wasn't until he fully surrendered his life to Jesus Christ that things began to change for the better.

Since then, he authored "Broken & Redeemed: Finding Freedom through Complete Surrender" (brokenandredeemed.com) and found continued peace by finding redemption in the grace of God.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#Jesus #peace #freedom #surrender #podcast

In the midst of clinical depression and battling thoughts of suicide, Pastor John Finkelde found himself praying quietly. He asked The Lord to help him and, out of nowhere, he had a vision of being held by the Hand of God and he heard, "You can let go, but I never will."

Such a profound experience gave John hope to "Prod with God" as he navigated his way to the other side of the darkness and it allowed him to continue his 40+ years in ministry, which began somewhat unexpectedly.

John didn't grow up in a Christian home, but between ages 16-19 he found he had a hunger for truth. He began searching deeply and, at 19, he gave his life to Jesus Christ. From there, he was drawn to ministry and his life was forever changed.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#Jesus #God #ministry #depression #podcast

Being bullied as a skinny "ginger," Dominic Magemeneas (aka "Big Red") desired to fit in and found himself hanging with the wrong crowd, which led him to making bad choices. Despite growing up with good parents in a loving household, he found himself smoking, drinking, and engaging in less than desirable pursuits.

It wasn't until he almost got kicked out of Grand Canyon University that he was able to turn his life around, having met a young man who would later become his best friend. This relationship served to uplift Dominic, as, for the first time in his life, he was exposed to someone his age that was passionate about living for God.

Today, Big Red has a thriving career in the health and fitness industry, a girlfriend that brings out the best in him, and wants desperately for God put His hand back on this country. He has a passion for ending government corruption at the highest level and demonstrates boldness without fear in his political and spiritual convictions.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#God #health #fitness #politics #spirituality #podcast

Pastor Scott Morgan didn't grow up in a Christian home. In fact, he had family members that ranged from "garden variety" agnostics to stalwart atheists.

When he was 15, The Holy Spirit found him and, just 6 months later, he was called to ministry. Like Paul and Timothy from the Bible, Scott was guided by a number of Godly men that aided in his development and furthered his commitment to serving Jesus Christ.

Today, Scott and his wife of 31 years, Lori, are the owners of SoZo Coffeehouse where they offer a cool vibe for musicians, artists, and guests to hang out. He is also the pastor of Missio Dei Church and the innovator of multiples missional businesses.

Scott firmly believes that a person's faith allows them to weather the storms of life, particularly men who struggle struggling to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Now, as a mentor, he continually asks other men, "How is your heart?" as a guidepost to their commitment to their faith, family, and friendships.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#Jesus #faith #ministry #pastor #podcast

Growing up a domestic missionary's son, Brent Dowlen was raised by Godly parents that relocated every ~3 years. While Brent got to experience different parts of the country, the moving took its toll and, as he got older, wanted nothing to do with ministry.

Eventually, he ended up in the U.S. Air Force, but his demons caught up with him during boot camp. Unable to cope psychologically and dealing with a physical injury, Brent turned to alcohol and painkillers to manage his depression and he was on the verge of committing suicide.

Despite seeing God guide and act in people's lives throughout his life, it wasn't until he fully surrendered to The Lord that his life took a turn for the better. He found his faith growing more and more in the face of darkness and adversity.

Today, Brent is the owner of The Fallible Man, LLC and the host of The Fallible Man podcast where he empowers men on their journey of growth and transformation while encouraging them to embody what they are destined to become.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#God #veteran #growth #transformation #podcast

Growing up with 3 brothers in a loving, Christian home, Elijah Owen had what many would consider a "privileged" childhood, but his relationship with God took some time.

As a teenager, Elijah felt the weight of his sin and found that he couldn't connect with The Word. It wasn't until he was about to give up that The Holy Spirit appeared in his heart, and his life was forever transformed.

From the moment he knew he was saved, Elijah has made it a point to live in the service of others, which was evidenced during a missions trip where he and the missions team had the opportunity to serve orphaned and abused children in Mexico. This experience humbled him greatly and he was made keenly aware of the blessings God has bestowed on his life.

Today, Elijah is a loving husband and father of 2 and his commitment to glorify God in everything he does has never been stronger.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#God #holyspirit #dad #father #husband #podcast

By any measurable standard, Gerald Duran is an overwhelming business success story. Having started 8 businesses, most recently CanaGlobal, a venture capital firm that unleashes funding for faith and freedom causes, it's easy to believe everything came easy to him.

That belief, however, is wrong.

Growing up in poverty in Los Angeles, Gerald knew there was nothing redeeming about being poor. At age 23, he started his first business and it failed to generate any revenue in its first year of operations.

While running his business, working multiple jobs to pay the bills, and drinking with his friends, it wasn't until he took God up on the promises He made throughout Scripture that things started looking up. As a result, he felt a true hunger for God.

It was the fulfillment of God's promises that shifted Gerald's perspective from being a "believer" in Jesus Christ to becoming a "follower" of Jesus Christ, which has allowed him to be the man and leader he is today.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#Jesus #God #faith #business #podcast

Growing up observing supernatural experiences, Johnathan Drayton found himself with more questions than answers about how God speaks to believers. While going through college, he knew he loved God, but found it challenging applying His Word to everyday life.

Upon taking a philosophy class, and while continuing to learn about God’s Word, he was finally able to put what he was learning into practice. He allowed God to speak to him in a way that he would know His voice.

Johnathan loves Jesus and enjoys unpacking the Word of God through several different lenses, including on his biblical podcast called 'The Truth of the Matter Is.'

He believes Christians should always be ready to evaluate how we can use the Word of God to maneuver through life, that we live our lives in stages and in seasons, and that we ought to pursue being more like Jesus Christ every day while having a willingness to learn from others and hear what they have to say.

Johnathan's age belies his spiritual wisdom, which is a gift to behold.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#Jesus #God #bible #truth #podcast

As an avid follower of Jesus Christ, Craig St. John understands the need for each of us to practice spiritual discipline and this practice has shown up numerous times throughout his doctoral program, as he's found himself asking more questions than he's able to answer about Scripture.

Beyond the challenges of his academic pursuits, Craig practices spiritual discipline as part of a blended family where he and his wife have 6 children between them. He acknowledges that certain aspects of such a family dynamic bring with it "messiness, jealously, and comparison," but he is steadfast in loving each of his children equally.

And, as the father of sons, he hopes to impart in them what it means to have "strength under control" so they show up in the world in the way God intended men to show up in the world. He hopes that by modeling what it means to be a Godly husband, his sons will embody that throughout their lives and in their relationships.

THANK YOU for embarking on this quest!

itsnotmycredittotake.com

#Jesus #spirituality #husband #father #podcast