Summary of the YouTube Video: Strong Dads Podcast - Episode on “Egypts of Life”

Overview

In this episode of the Strong Dads Podcast, hosts Merrill Hutchinson and Carl Andre discuss the concept of “Egypt” as a metaphor for the comfort zones and familiar pains that people often return to despite the desire for change. The discussion draws parallels from the biblical story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt, exploring themes of fear, faith, and the challenges of breaking free from detrimental situations.

Key Points

1.Introduction and Background:
•The hosts express gratitude to their sponsors and engage in light-hearted conversation about winter chores and classic American diner culture.
•They introduce the topic of the episode: exploring personal “Egypts” that individuals face in life, referring to the fear of the unknown versus the comfort of familiar pain.
2.Understanding “Egypt”:
•The term “Egypt” symbolizes the situations in life that individuals know are unhealthy or unsatisfactory but are too fearful to leave.
•The hosts illustrate this with examples from their own lives and the lives of others, including relationships and career choices.
•They emphasize that returning to familiar pain is often easier than facing the uncertainties of change.
3.Biblical Context:
•Drawing from the story of Exodus, they highlight how even after witnessing miracles, the Israelites expressed a desire to return to Egypt due to uncertainty and discomfort in the wilderness.
•This reflects human nature: people often prefer the devil they know over the unknown, even if it means enduring suffering.
4.The Role of Faith:
•The conversation shifts to the importance of faith in overcoming these challenges. They argue that having faith is crucial for making significant life changes.
•They discuss the struggle between wanting change and the fear that often keeps people stuck in their “Egypts.”
5.Practical Insights:
•The hosts offer practical advice for listeners to assess their own lives and identify their “Egypts.”
•Key questions to consider include:
•What areas of life are you avoiding or fearful to confront?
•Are your decisions being made out of comfort rather than genuine purpose?
•They encourage listeners to take small steps towards change, reinforcing that growth often comes from stepping out of comfort zones.
6.Concluding Thoughts:
•The discussion wraps up with a call to action, urging listeners to reflect on their lives and consider what changes they might need to make to escape their own “Egypts.”
•The hosts emphasize that seeking purpose and taking risks can lead to a more fulfilling life.

Conclusion

This episode of the Strong Dads Podcast challenges listeners to confront the comfort zones that may be holding them back from a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life. By recognizing their own “Egypts,” individuals can begin to take steps towards meaningful change, fostering personal growth and resilience through faith and action.

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If you keep looking for it, you will find it!  
That can be good or bad, depending on what you're looking for.  Many of us have habits on how we view life.  Some of us view towards the negative.  This kind of mindset is hardwired into us as a means to help us survive.  It helps us to be more aware of what can go wrong and then hopefully prepare for it.  
Some of us are wired with lean towards the positive.  Always seeing the potential good in situations and seeing the best outcomes.  This type of mindset gives us hope even in difficult times which can be as much of a survival tool as thinking towards the negative.  

However, like most things in life, moderation is key.  Too far either way can be detrimental to your overall wellbeing and even to the wellbeing of others. 
In our show we discuss how to go about determining your definition of "winning" in life and then how to develop solid habits and strategies by practicing mindsets that work best for you.  The key is that you can learn to think better for your sake.  Whether it;s training yourself to see the good, or training yourself to be a bit more aware of the potential pitfalls in order to avoid them.  

An important factor in your mindset is that you have to be intentional in catching yourself and beginning to redirect appropriately.  Become aware of what your philosophy for living your life and then begin to grab your thoughts to direct them in a way that you can live the best version of your life. 

For more help or information, reach out to Rock Solid Families, at 812-576-7625, or check out our website at https://rocksolidfamilies.org

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Strengthening tendons and muscles in our workouts is a must.
Like it or not, as we age many of us find ourselves dealling with more tendon issues.  Tennis Elbow, runner’s knee, Achille strain, Patellar Femoral Tendonosis, etc… 
What’s going on here? 
As we age our tendons are not trained like our muscles.  We don’t hang from trees or run sprints like we used to. 
But, we may still find ourselves going to the gym in performing traditional muscle strengthening exercises.
This is not all bad, but as we see the muscles getting stronger we may have not taken the time to allow the tendons to strengthen with the muscles. 
Before you know it you have a muscle that is stronger than the tendon can handle.  This could be due to strength or over use. 
We have come to find out that completely laying off and stopping all exercises is actually not the way to properly heal and get stronger. 
We want to continue to workout, but change our focus on what we are working out.
Let’s start to train the tendon before we get any stronger in the muscles.
Advice -
Eccentric vs Concentric motions
Concentric is what most of us think about when we are building muscles.  We “contract” the muscle to shorten it and flex the joint.  The muscle bulges and gets shorter and fatter.
Eccentric is the lengthening part of the motion.  The extension of the elbow in the curl.  This means the muscle is lengthening.
Here’s the key, if we are getting tendon issues we are likely working the concentric phase too hard and the muscles are contracting with great tension on the tendon.  The muscle is able to handle it, but the tendon begins to break down or even tear. 
So, let’s move into placing a sufficient, but not too heavy of a load on the tendon and allow the tendon to be stressed in order to be stimulated for growth, but not so stressed that it tears. 
The muscle will likely not work as hard but we are working the tendon at a load that it can handle.
Ben Patrick, Knees over Toes Guy,  was one of the guys that I began to follow closely because he has really stressed the importance of strengthening the knees in order for the muscle to be most effective in jumping and running.
Sore knees are oftentimes caused by irritated and weak tendons, typically the patellofemoral tendon or the hamstring tendons. 

A key point also is to not be afraid to train the joints through their fullest range of motion. 
For years coaches told their athletes to not squat with their knees going out past their foot.  Between this and sitting in chairs with our legs bent only at 90º our PFT lost its range of motion and became weak when placed in a movement beyond its trained motion. 
For me, this meant sore knees all the time.  Two knee replacements later.

The second part of the video is demonstrating with the Kettle Bar varieties of movements that make the body work through multiple planes.  This is key to stressing and training more muscles that tend to get left out of traditional workouts which results in a weaker and less durable body.

https://kettlebarfitness.com
www.youtube.com/ @TheKneesovertoesguy  

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Changing your life is hard.  We often make references to changing parts of our life and all too often find out that we fall back into our old ways.  Change takes way more than having the thought.  It takes work! 

Acceleration is the change in speed or direction of an object. In order for that to happen, the object must be acted upon by an outer force. Newton’s First Law - An object in motion will stay in motion and an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an outer force.  
Change in our life is the same way - It takes an outer force that applies the push, pull, or pressure necessary to change the direction of our lives. 
Sensational Emotional Event - S.E.E - This is often a triggering event that comes with such strong emotion that it grabs our attention unlike anything else. It becomes a true point of change opportunity in a person’s life. Could be a negative or positive event
Fired from a job
Terrible car accident
Birth of a child
Divorce
Loss of a loved one
Marriage
Winning the lottery - 

ACTS 9:1-19
Saul’s Conversion


Fatigue - I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired
Change in Lifestyle - working from home vs office, night shift vs day shift, 
Change in Health/Capability
In order for the “Change” to stick…
Intentionality 
Building New Habits
Surrender Pride
Praying
Surrounding Yourself with the right people, places, things
Boundaries - protecting yourself from the wrong people, places, things
Gratitude - Looking for where you were and where you are today 
Celebration - Whether celebrating years of sobriety, and anniversary, or a fresh start.  Celebrations help to provide energy to keep going. 

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Part 2 - Time to get practical with excellent advice to improve your lot in life. 

It's no secret that the American Workforce has been hindered over the past decade.  Finding good men to do good work has been difficult.  When discussing the challenges of owning and running your own business, a universal complaint heard from the business owners is, "we can't find good employees."

Young men are simply not showing up to work.  They accept a job and soon they start habits like showing up late or not showing up at all.  After a little pressure, they decide this work is not for them and they are finding their way out the door. Hard physical labor is an even deeper problem.  Whether it's roofing, concrete work, or building homes, these sectors are hurting to find even a few good men. 

In this show, Carl and Hutch discuss some of the apparent challenges of our workforce.  However, they don't leave the conversation there.  They create a  mindset for young workers that can be an absolute game changer for the bettering their lives.  Many of the discussion points might seem like common sense to those only a generation ago, but with the lack of male leadership in the home, many of our young men never learn these basics. 

If you are a young man or are raising a young man, this show is a game changer.  The opportunities for success are ripe. A hardworking aggressive man can practically name his path and set his family up for success.  

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It's no secret that the American Workforce has been hindered over the past decade.  Finding good men to do good work has been difficult.  When discussing the challenges of owning and running your own business, a universal complaint heard from the business owners is, "we can't find good employees."

Young men are simply not showing up to work.  They accept a job and soon they start habits like showing up late or not showing up at all.  After a little pressure, they decide this work is not for them and they are finding their way out the door. Hard physical labor is an even deeper problem.  Whether it's roofing, concrete work, or building homes, these sectors are hurting to find even a few good men. 

In this show, Carl and Hutch discuss some of the apparent challenges of our workforce.  However, they don't leave the conversation there.  They create a  mindset for young workers that can be an absolute game changer for the bettering their lives.  Many of the discussion points might seem like common sense to those only a generation ago, but with the lack of male leadership in the home, many of our young men never learn these basics. 

If you are a young man or are raising a young man, this show is a game changer.  The opportunities for success are ripe. A hardworking aggressive man can practically name his path and set his family up for success.  

https://rocksolidfamilies.org
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Wouldn’t it be interesting to see a museum in our country to memorialize the atrocities we have committed on the unborn.  We have museums to remind us of our terrible allowance and support for slavery, we have museums to remind us of the tragedy of the holocaust.  The museums are not for celebration but rather for the strong reminder that we should never forget lest we risk repeating evils that we’re capable of. 

The Unborn Child is a Person.
Psalm 139:13-16: "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in the womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works; and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."   

It is important to remember that those who have had abortions are not alone. God offers forgiveness and healing to all who turn to Him. We should extend compassion and love to those who have made difficult choices, while also upholding the sanctity of life. Let us work together to create a culture that values and protects all human life, from conception to natural death.

The Desire for Convenience
While the reasons for abortion are complex and multifaceted, one common factor is the desire for convenience. Some individuals may choose abortion because they believe that having a child would disrupt their plans, careers, or lifestyles.  

It is important to recognize that the desire for convenience does not justify the termination of a human life. Each unborn child is a unique and precious individual, created in the image of God. To treat them as mere inconveniences is to devalue their inherent worth.   
The Sacrifice of a Child
While the concept of abortion is often framed as a woman's right to choose, it is important to consider the profound implications for the unborn child. In essence, abortion involves the sacrifice of an innocent human life for the benefit of the adult.
This sacrificial dynamic stands in stark contrast to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus willingly laid down His life for the salvation of humanity. His sacrifice was not a means of self-preservation or convenience, but rather a selfless act of love and obedience to His Father.
In contrast, abortion often reflects a desire for convenience or a belief that one's own life or circumstances take precedence over the life of an unborn child. While the challenges faced by pregnant women are real and should be addressed with compassion, they do not justify the termination of an innocent life.

Men are not to be let off the hook of responsibility in the abortion conversation.  Just as a woman may desire to relieve herself of the perceived burden of raising a child, the men have in many cases, completed jumped ship.  They had their fun in the bedroom but want nothing to do with the sharing of the responsibility.  Thus, leaving the woman in a sad and desperate state of needing to figure things out on her own. 

As a culture it is time to change the conversation of the value of life.  All life is valuable and should never be disregarded as an inconvenience.  

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Let’s get something straight: physical needs are important and must be provided for.  But, emotional needs are equally important.  In my work I have specifically developed an exercise to get couples to begin to recognize these needs and how they can go about them to improve the provision of satisfying the emotional requirements that we all have. 

Here are the Emotional Needs:

Control
Love
Respect
Trust
Security
Affection
Purpose
Faith

Every person has a need for these in their lives, but here is where things get interesting. 

Think about needs like you would think about food.  We all need a certain number of calories in order to survive.  We would never look at a person that needs 3000 cal/day and tell them they should just eat 1500 cal/day because that’s what another person needs.  We are all different with different levels of need. The same holds true with the emotional needs. 

Just for the sake of having a reference point, use a scale of 1-10 and rate yourself in each of the following emotional needs. For right now, don’t think too much, just give yourself a score and reason why you scored yourself that number.  (We all have slightly different definitions and territories, or “taste” in each of these areas.  Just like food!)  

What happens when you don’t get the amount or type of food you need?  Hungry, malnourished, etc… The same holds true with not reaching the number you wrote next to your emotional need.  You begin to starve emotionally!  

Here’s where provision comes in.  Within our marriage, we have the responsibility to help meet the needs of our spouse.  This includes emotional needs.  And as I said earlier, seldom do we see a couple due to a physical need not being met, food, water, shelter, but, we regularly see couples because emotional needs are not being met. 


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As a Strong Dad and husband, we are to honor our wives.  Proverbs 31 gives us a biblical description of this lady.

Proverbs 31:10-31 (NIV):

10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11 Her husband can trust her, and she will enrich his life. 12 She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life. 13 She is a diligent and hardworking woman. 14 She rises while it is still dark and provides food for her household and tasks for her servants. 15 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 16 She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong. 17 She sees that her trading is profitable; her lamp does not go out at night. 18 She puts her hands to the spindle and her fingers to the loom. 19 She generously opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hand to the needy. 20 She does not fear the snow for her household, for all her family are clothed in scarlet. 21 She makes coverings for her bed and linen garments for herself. 22 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 23 She makes linen garments and sells them, and belts for the merchants. 24 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she laughs without fear of the future. 25 She speaks with wisdom, and her tongue gives instruction. 26 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 27 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her: “Many women have done noble things, but you surpass them all.” 28 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 29 Give her the praise she deserves; let her deeds proclaim her worth. 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

A Guide to Honoring Your Wife, Based on Proverbs 31:10-31

What to Do: 

• Respect her intelligence and abilities. Acknowledge her contributions and value her opinions.
• Provide for her needs. Ensure she has everything she needs, both materially and emotionally.
• Be faithful to her. Maintain emotional and physical fidelity.
• Praise her publicly. Celebrate her accomplishments and virtues in front of others.
• Listen to her attentively. Give her your undivided attention when she speaks.
• Support her dreams. Encourage her aspirations and help her achieve her goals.
• Be gentle with her. Treat her with kindness and compassion.
• Be patient with her. Understand that she may have different perspectives or needs.
• Be a source of strength for her. Offer support and encouragement during difficult times.
• Love her unconditionally. Show her your love and affection every day.

What Not to Do:

• Belittle her. Never make her feel small or insignificant.
• Control her. Allow her to make her own decisions.
• Neglect her. Spend quality time with her and show her that she is important to you.
• Criticize her. Focus on her strengths and avoid negative comments.
• Lie to her. Honesty is essential in a healthy relationship.
• Take her for granted. Appreciate and cherish her.
• Be selfish. Put her needs before you

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It is estimated that at least 40% of all families in the United States are Blended Families.  Whether it be divorce, death of a spouse, or adoption, in some form or another, we find ourselves blending together families members that are not of the same biological descent. In fact, both Hutch and Carl are in blended family situations.  

This show tackles the many different dynamics that the blended family presents.  It is not unusual for couples to go into this situation with their eyes closed to all the possible challenges they will be facing.  Differing cultures, genetics, and environments are just the start of what the blended family will be dealing with.  

The goal of this show is not to scare people away from blending their family with another. Rather, to educate and inform in order to help couples prepare for what they may be experiencing down the road.  Learning to communicate the challenges and develop and understanding of how to approach them as a couple will go a long way in reducing problems to more manageable levels. 

One big takeaway is the importance of humbling yourself to get help prior to blending your families.  Working with a counselor to discuss and develop a plan to move forward is worth every penny you will spend.  

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