In Episode 65 of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast, Matt sits down with Kevin Bravo and Cody Fernley for the first three-person episode in the history of the show and a raw conversation about faith, fitness, pain, purpose, fatherhood, and what it really means to fully surrender your life to God.

Kevin shares his testimony publicly in a way he never had before.

At just 12 years old, Kevin lost his father after years of alcohol abuse. That loss sent him into a dark place filled with anger, confusion, guilt, depression, self-harm, drinking, smoking, and eventually thoughts of not wanting to be alive.

He blamed God for taking his dad.

He blamed himself for not saving him.

He believed that if God was real, then God must hate him.

But in one of the lowest moments of his life, Kevin finally cried out and asked God for help. What happened next completely changed the direction of his life. Fitness became an outlet. The gym gave him momentum. Faith gave him purpose. And eventually, Kevin realized that the God he spent years pushing away had been with him the entire time.

Kevin opens up about the soccer coach who unknowingly planted seeds of faith in him simply through acts of service, giving him cleats, driving him to practice, and playing Christian radio in the car. Years later, those small moments became part of the path that led Kevin back to God.

That journey eventually led him to drop out of college, return home, buy gym equipment from Facebook Marketplace, start a gym in his mom’s garage, and build what would become Beyond Barbell, a faith-centered gym and clothing brand focused on helping people grow spiritually, mentally, and physically.

Cody also opens up about his own walk with Christ, getting baptized, joining Bible study, going through regeneration, becoming more intentional with his platform, and making the decision that he no longer wants to be known as a content creator who happens to be Christian.

He wants to be known as a Christian first.

This episode goes deep into what it means to stop chasing approval from the world, how your environment shapes who you become, why faith and fitness can transform a man’s life, the difference between conviction and condemnation, how to plant seeds without forcing religion on people, and why some of the smallest acts of kindness can completely change the trajectory of someone’s life.

The three also talk about fatherhood, losing a dad, growing up without a consistent father figure, finding identity through the Heavenly Father, trusting God through pain, and the powerful realization that not everything happens for a reason, but God can make a reason out of everything that happened.

This conversation is honest, vulnerable, funny, challenging, and deeply faith-centered.

It is about three men at different points in their walks with Christ trying to become better husbands, fathers, leaders, and disciples while learning how to stand firm in a world that constantly pulls them in the opposite direction.

Topics discussed:

Kevin Bravo’s childhood and losing his father at 12

Blaming God after his dad’s death

Depression, self-harm, anger, and suicidal thoughts

How one Christian soccer coach planted a seed without preaching

Finding God through music, prayer, and surrender

How fitness helped Kevin rebuild his life

Opening a gym after dropping out of college

Building Beyond Barbell Gym and Beyond Barbell Clothing

Faith and fitness as tools for changing a man’s life

Cody Fernley’s baptism and growing faith journey

Becoming a Christian first and content creator second

The difference between conviction and condemnation

Why Christians should stop chasing worldly approval

How environment, music, friendships, and social media shape your mindset

The importance of Christian brotherhood and community

Fatherhood and growing up without a steady father figure

God as a father to the fatherless

Why not everything happens for a reason

How God can turn pain into purpose

How to plant seeds of faith without forcing religion on people

The importance of standing firm in your faith

Spreading the Gospel through everyday actions

Why the gym can become a place for physical, mental, and spiritual growth

Full surrender and trusting the Holy Spirit

How to help family and friends find faith without pushing them away

Follow Kevin Bravo:

Beyond Barbell Clothing

Beyond Barbell Gym

Kevin Bravo on Instagram: @KevinBrvo

Follow Cody Fernley:

Instagram: @Cody_Fernley

BevLab Media

Rain Brings Growth Podcast

Real stories. Real adversity. Real growth.

Subscribe for more conversations about faith, fitness, fatherhood, adversity, redemption, mindset, and becoming the person God is calling you to be.

In Episode 64 of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast, Matt sits down with Nicole Duke for one of the rawest and most powerful recovery stories shared on the show.

Nicole opens up about growing up in Idaho as a pastor’s kid while being surrounded by addiction, crime, prison, and street life through family influences. From a young age, she was exposed to a lifestyle that looked powerful from the outside, but eventually led her into fighting, partying, stealing, selling drugs, and chasing chaos.

What started with weed, pills, and alcohol turned into years of opioid addiction, oxy use, meth, heroin, toxic relationships, criminal behavior, and moments that should have cost Nicole everything. She shares honestly about using drugs during pregnancy, driving while high with children in the car, losing custody of her daughter, being arrested by the Greater Idaho Drug Task Force, facing trafficking and child endangerment charges, and sitting in jail wondering if she would spend years in prison.

But this episode is not just about addiction. It is about grace.

Nicole shares how God protected her through moments she should not have survived, how her parents never stopped praying for her, and how one final chance from her probation officer became the turning point that helped her choose recovery. She also talks about the pain of losing someone she loved to fentanyl, fighting to become a mother again, rebuilding trust, getting sober from heroin, meth, and alcohol, and learning how to live without depending on substances.

Today, Nicole is almost five years clean from meth and heroin, over two years sober from alcohol, married, raising her family, building her faith, and using fitness as one of her biggest tools for healing. She talks about how the gym became her outlet, how fitness helped her through postpartum struggles, and why she now wants to help others through personal training, wellness, nutrition, and sharing her story online.

This conversation dives into addiction, recovery, motherhood, faith, fitness, trauma, toxic relationships, incarceration, second chances, and what it really takes to change the people, places, and things that keep you stuck.

Nicole’s story is honest, emotional, intense, and full of hope. It is a reminder that no matter how far gone someone feels, God can still bring them back, rebuild their life, and use their story to help someone else.

Watch Episode 64 now and subscribe to the Rain Brings Growth Podcast for more real stories of adversity, faith, mindset, recovery, fitness, and growth.

Topics discussed:
Nicole Duke’s recovery story
Growing up as a pastor’s kid
Family addiction and prison influence
Teen partying, fighting, and rebellion
Oxy addiction and the opioid epidemic
Meth and heroin addiction
Using drugs during pregnancy
Toxic and abusive relationships
Losing custody and child endangerment charges
Greater Idaho Drug Task Force arrest
Jail, court, and facing prison time
Getting clean from meth and heroin
Losing someone to fentanyl
Probation, relapse, and second chances
Getting sober from alcohol
Faith, prayer, and God’s grace
Fitness as therapy and recovery
Motherhood, marriage, and rebuilding a family
Postpartum struggles and healing
Personal training, wellness, and nutrition

Follow Nicole Duke:
Instagram: Nicky Dukes
Facebook: Nicole Duke
TikTok: Nikki Duke and Fam

Rain Brings Growth Podcast
Real stories. Real adversity. Real growth.

In Episode 63 of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast, Matt sits down with Jon Klipstein, Army combat veteran, entrepreneur, and founder of The Die Trying Company.

Jon’s story starts in Billings, Montana, where he grew up around sports but eventually fell into partying, drugs, alcohol, and the wrong crowd. After moving around, building success in sales, losing everything during the 2008 housing crash, and realizing his life had no real direction, Jon made a decision that changed everything. He joined the Army.

What started with barely being able to pass a PT test turned into Jon becoming one of the fastest soldiers in basic training. Through discipline, running, fitness, and military structure, Jon found purpose, identity, and a mission bigger than himself.

In this episode, Jon opens up about his time in the Army, deploying to Afghanistan, the brotherhood of combat, PTSD, anxiety, veteran suicide, and the difficult transition back into civilian life. He also shares how fitness became one of his strongest forms of therapy after the military and how that passion eventually led him into the supplement industry.

Jon breaks down the story behind building his supplement company, why safe and effective ingredients matter, the death of a fellow soldier after taking a dangerous pre-workout, the lessons he learned from starting a business with only $10,000, and why mission matters more than money.

This conversation goes deep into military leadership, entrepreneurship, veteran mental health, fitness, supplements, TikTok Live, building a brand, mentorship, taking ownership, and what it really takes to keep going when business gets hard.

Jon also shares the evolution from UXO Supplements to The Die Trying Company, why the name change mattered, how the brand became more than supplements, and why he wants every product they launch to be one of the best on the market.

This episode is for veterans, entrepreneurs, fitness lovers, supplement users, and anyone who has ever had to rebuild their life from the ground up.

Watch Episode 63 now and subscribe to the Rain Brings Growth Podcast for more real stories of adversity, faith, mindset, business, fitness, and growth.

Topics discussed:
Jon Klipstein’s childhood in Montana
Drugs, alcohol, partying, and finding direction
Joining the Army later in life
Failing the first PT test and rebuilding through discipline
Basic training and becoming one of the fastest soldiers
Deploying to Afghanistan
Combat, brotherhood, and military purpose
PTSD, anxiety, and veteran suicide
Fitness as therapy after the military
Starting a supplement company
Dangerous pre-workouts and banned ingredients
Mission 22 and veteran support
Building a brand with purpose
TikTok Live selling and social media growth
Mentorship, leadership, and entrepreneurship
The switch from UXO Supplements to The Die Trying Company
Creating safe, effective, high-quality supplements

Follow Jon and The Die Trying Company:
Instagram: Jon Klipstein
TikTok: Chopped Unk
The Die Trying Company: Instagram and TikTok @dietrying_co

Rain Brings Growth Podcast
Real stories. Real adversity. Real growth.

Amanda’s story is one of the most raw and powerful testimonies shared on Rain Brings Growth.

After becoming a mom at only 14 years old, losing her 4-month-old son to SIDS, falling into meth and heroin addiction, going to prison, losing custody of her children, and watching some of them be adopted, Amanda reached a point where addiction had taken almost everything from her.

But her story did not end there.

In this episode, Amanda opens up for the first time about childhood, becoming a young mother, grief, addiction, CPS, prison, relapse, motherhood, forgiveness, and the long road to rebuilding her life. She shares what finally helped her get sober, how faith played a role in her transformation, and what it looks like today to rebuild relationships with her children after years of pain.

This conversation is heavy, emotional, and full of truth. But it is also a story of redemption, accountability, grace, and proof that no matter how far gone someone feels, change is possible.

Amanda is now 5 years sober and uses her story to help others who are battling addiction, fighting to rebuild their lives, or trying to become the parent they were called to be.

This is what Rain Brings Growth is all about.

The storm was real.
The pain was real.
But so is the growth.

In this episode we talk about:
Amanda’s childhood in Twin Falls, Idaho
Becoming pregnant at 13 and married at 14
Losing her son to SIDS
How grief led her into addiction
Meth, heroin, prison, and CPS
Having children removed and adopted
The turning point that helped her choose sobriety
Rebuilding relationships with her kids
Faith, forgiveness, and second chances
Her mission to help other parents struggling with addiction

Subscribe to Rain Brings Growth Podcast for real stories of adversity, faith, discipline, recovery, transformation, and growth.

Follow Rain Brings Growth:
YouTube: Rain Brings Growth Podcast
Instagram: @sidwell.fitness
TikTok: @sidwellmatthew

#RainBringsGrowth #AddictionRecovery #SoberLife #RecoveryStory #PrisonStory #RedemptionStory #FaithBasedPodcast #MotherhoodStory #SIDSawareness #FromAddictionToRecovery #IdahoPodcast #SobrietyJourney #MentalHealthAwareness #OvercomingAddiction #SecondChances

In this episode of Rain Brings Growth, Matt sits down with Rudy Vasquez, barber, entrepreneur, father, and living proof that real transformation happens one decision at a time.

Rudy shares his powerful story of battling alcohol addiction, struggling with obesity, being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and spending years convincing himself he was a “functioning alcoholic.” What started as a simple conversation in a barbershop turned into a life-changing fitness journey that forced him to confront hard truths, take accountability, and ultimately choose a different path.

Through fitness, sobriety, and personal growth, Rudy discovered that healing isn't about focusing on everything that went wrong. It's about stacking wins. From waking up early, showing up for his family, building a successful barbering career, and finally facing the trauma he spent years trying to numb, Rudy opens up about the lessons that changed his life.

Matt and Rudy discuss addiction, mental health, fitness, accountability, entrepreneurship, childhood trauma, emotional growth, and the mindset shift that helped Rudy break free from destructive habits after more than two decades of drinking.

This episode is about choosing growth over excuses, finding purpose through discipline, and learning how to celebrate the small victories that eventually change your entire life.

Topics discussed:

Rudy Vasquez's transformation story
Alcohol addiction and sobriety
Type 2 diabetes and health struggles
Fitness, accountability, and weight loss
Mental health and emotional healing
Childhood trauma and personal growth
Building confidence through discipline
Barbering and entrepreneurship
Family, fatherhood, and responsibility
The power of stacking wins

Follow Rudy Vasquez:
Instagram: @vasquez_kutz3
Location: Idaho

Subscribe to Rain Brings Growth for more real conversations about faith, family, fitness, adversity, entrepreneurship, and the stories behind the success people call “must be nice.”

#RainBringsGrowth #RudyVasquez #SobrietyJourney #FitnessTransformation #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #PersonalGrowth #Entrepreneurship #BarberLife #StackTheWins

In this episode of Rain Brings Growth, Matt sits down with Sean Thompson, owner of Nine Realms Athletics in Caldwell, Idaho, for a powerful conversation about resilience, law enforcement, fitness, marriage, PTSD, entrepreneurship, and building something bigger than yourself.

Sean shares his journey from growing up in Northern California, working through a tough childhood, chasing his dream of becoming a pro wrestler, serving in law enforcement, and eventually finding purpose again through strength training. After years of physical injuries, mental battles, and the weight of the job, Sean discovered that the gym became more than a place to lift weights. It became therapy. It became an outlet. It became a safe place.

That same idea eventually turned into Nine Realms Athletics, a gym built for athletes but functional for everyone. What started as a garage gym during COVID grew into a vision to create a space for lifters, first responders, veterans, and everyday people looking for purpose, strength, and community.

Sean and Matt also talk about the realities of being a first responder, the importance of fitness in law enforcement, why cops and military should be treated like occupational athletes, the mental toll of the job, PTSD, testosterone, marriage, business ownership, and what it takes to keep pushing when quitting feels easier.

This episode is about chasing dreams, reinventing yourself, and building a life where pain gets turned into purpose.

Topics discussed:
Sean Thompson’s story
Nine Realms Athletics Caldwell Idaho
Law enforcement and PTSD
Fitness as therapy
First responders as occupational athletes
Pro wrestling and strength training
Building a gym from the ground up
Marriage, business, and support
Mental health, purpose, and discipline
Turning adversity into growth

Follow Sean Thompson and Nine Realms Athletics:
Instagram: @ninerealmsathletics
Location: Caldwell, Idaho

Subscribe to Rain Brings Growth for more real conversations about faith, family, fitness, adversity, and the stories behind the success people call “must be nice.”

In Episode 59 of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast, Matt sits down with Luis Granados for one of the most powerful stories yet.

Luis grew up in Idaho after his parents came from Mexico searching for opportunity. What started as a childhood surrounded by hard work, survival, and feeling like an outsider eventually pulled him into gang culture, street violence, fights, guns, and a life that nearly cost him everything.

In this episode, Luis opens up about being exposed to gangs at a young age, building a reputation through violence, getting shot at, losing friends, and eventually facing a life-changing criminal conspiracy charge after selling a gun that was later used in a bank robbery. At only 19 years old, Luis found himself sitting in jail with a $500,000 bond, facing the possibility of years in prison.

But this story is not just about the streets. It is about redemption, mentorship, second chances, and the power of one person showing up when everyone else has counted you out.

Luis shares how Breaking Chains Academy changed his life, how Steve Toronto became a father figure and mentor, and how Luis went from being a student in the program to becoming the Executive Director — now helping the same type of youth he once was.

This conversation dives into gang life in Nampa and Canyon County, juvenile justice, mentorship, fatherhood, breaking generational cycles, youth violence, community support, and what it really means to show up for kids who need someone in their corner.

Luis’ story is raw, emotional, intense, and full of hope. From almost losing his freedom to helping young people find theirs, this episode is a reminder that your past does not have to be your final chapter.

Watch Episode 59 now and subscribe to the Rain Brings Growth Podcast for more real stories of adversity, faith, mindset, redemption, and growth.

Topics discussed:
Luis Granados’ childhood in Idaho
Growing up Latino in rural Idaho
Gang culture in Nampa and Canyon County
Street violence and survival mindset
Selling the gun tied to a bank robbery
Facing criminal conspiracy charges
Jail, loneliness, and self-reflection
Breaking Chains Academy
Steve Toronto’s mentorship
Becoming Executive Director
Helping at-risk youth
Fatherhood and being present
Community support and second chances
Youth mentorship, GED programs, and hope after mistakes

Follow / Support:
Breaking Chains Academy: breakingchainsacademy.org
Rain Brings Growth Podcast: Available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.

What happens when addiction starts at home?

In Episode 58 of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast, Jim shares the unbelievable true story of how his own father introduced him to meth at just 16 years old during a hunting trip in the Idaho backcountry. What started with alcohol and partying eventually spiraled into meth addiction, drug dealing, homelessness, cartel connections, and losing everything after relapse.

But this episode isn’t just about addiction.

It’s about redemption, recovery, faith, fatherhood, and rebuilding a life after complete destruction.

Jim opens up about:
• Being introduced to meth by his father
• Growing up around alcoholism and addiction
• Losing his marriage, business, vehicles, and home
• Living in hotels and storage units while addicted
• Drug dealing and dangerous connections in the drug world
• Hitting rock bottom and attempting suicide
• The moment faith and God changed his life
• The Boise Rescue Mission recovery program
• Celebrate Recovery and helping others battle addiction
• Staying sober nearly 9 years
• Fatherhood, healing, and breaking generational cycles

This is one of the rawest and most powerful conversations we’ve had on the Rain Brings Growth Podcast.

If you or someone you know struggles with addiction, alcoholism, relapse, depression, or hopelessness, this episode could help somebody.

🎙️ Episode 58 with Jim Ash is available now.

👇 FOLLOW JIM ASH
Facebook: Jim Ash
Instagram: @jim.ash.333
TikTok: @jim.ash7

🎧 Listen On:
YouTube
Spotify
Apple Podcasts

📲 Follow Matt:
Instagram: @sidwell.fitness
YouTube: Rain Brings Growth Podcast

#AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #Faith #RecoveryJourney #MethAddiction #ChristianPodcast #MentalHealth #SelfImprovement #RainBringsGrowth #JimAsh #Boise #Idaho #CelebrateRecovery #RecoveryPodcast #DrugAddiction

Episode 57 of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast features Bryan “Bam” Marshall — a Marine Corps veteran, entrepreneur, adrenaline junkie, and the host of the Wild Chaos Podcast.

In this episode, Bam dives deep into his wild upbringing in upstate New York, growing up hunting, fishing, and hustling from a young age before joining the Marines after 9/11. From intense Iraq deployments and military brotherhood to life after the service, entrepreneurship, podcasting, and escaping the “rat race,” this conversation is packed with raw stories, hard truths, and nonstop laughs.

Matt and Bam also talk about fatherhood, chasing freedom, building businesses from scratch, taking risks, and why the journey matters more than the destination. If you’re someone who feels trapped in the system, struggles with fear of taking the leap, or just loves hearing authentic conversations from men who’ve lived through chaos and growth — this episode is for you.

Follow Bam on Instagram: @bambam0069

Follow Wild Chaos Podcast: @wildchaospodcast

Episode 57 is available now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major streaming platforms.

#RainBringsGrowth #WildChaosPodcast #BryanMarshall #BamMarshall #MarineCorps #VeteranPodcast #EntrepreneurMindset #Fatherhood #MensMentalHealth #PodcastClip #GrowthMindset #MilitaryStories

In Episode 56 of the Rain Brings Growth Podcast, Matt sits down with Jamie Shepard for one of the most raw and emotional conversations yet.

Jamie opens up about growing up in foster care, surviving abuse, battling addiction, becoming a young mother, and spending years trapped in cycles of trauma and dysfunction before finally finding recovery, faith, and purpose.

This episode dives deep into generational trauma, toxic relationships, drug court, motherhood, healing, and what it truly means to break cycles and rebuild your life from the ground up. Jamie’s story is painful, powerful, and ultimately full of hope for anyone struggling through their own storm.

If you’ve ever felt broken, lost, addicted, abandoned, or stuck in survival mode… this conversation is for you.

Topics Covered:
• Foster care and childhood trauma
• Physical abuse and toxic family dynamics
• Addiction and substance abuse recovery
• Drug court and sobriety
• Motherhood and breaking generational curses
• Faith, healing, and personal growth
• Toxic relationships and rebuilding life
• Learning to live with purpose after pain

🎙️ Rain Brings Growth Podcast — real conversations about adversity, mindset, healing, faith, and growth.

Follow Jamie Shepard:
TikTok: @jamie.shep1904
Instagram: @jamieshepard1904

Follow Matt / MOD Fitness:
Instagram: @sidwell.fitness

📺 Subscribe for more powerful conversations and weekly episodes.

#RainBringsGrowthPodcast #AddictionRecovery #FosterCare #TraumaHealing #MentalHealth #Sobriety #Faith #RecoveryJourney #Podcast #JamieShepard #MattSidwell #GenerationalTrauma #HealingJourney #DrugCourt #RecoveryStory