The Good Fight

In this episode of The Good Fight Friday, Dan reflects on a powerful quote from Hal Moore, popularized in We Were Soldiers:“Three strikes and you’re not out.”

When life feels like a series of swings and misses—at home, at work, or in your own head—the question becomes:

What’s one more thing you can do?

The answer might not be what you think.

What You’ll Hear

- Why failure often feels final—but isn’t

- How a hard week can distort your perspective

- The powerful shift from self-reliance to surrender

- Why approaching God isn’t a last resort—but the first move

- What it means to “do one more thing” when you’ve got nothing left

Hebrews 4:16 - “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Key Takeaway: When you feel like you’ve struck out—there’s still one more move:

Approach the throne of grace with boldness.

Challenge: Before you try to fix, solve, or grind your way through—pause.

Take your “one more step” this way:Go to God first. Boldly. Honestly. Fully.

Stay the course, keep the faith, and fight the good fight.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

Dan and his wife Megan dive deep into something many men experience but rarely articulate — the tension between receiving parenting advice and wrestling with the quiet anxiety of becoming a father.

With a first child on the way, the flood of input, opinions, and expectations can feel overwhelming. This conversation unpacks:

Why parenting advice can feel both helpful and heavy

The subtle pressure men carry stepping into fatherhood

How anxiety often hides behind responsibility

The difference between preparation and fear

What it looks like to lead your family with steadiness instead of striving.

This episode is not about having all the answers. It’s about learning to stand firm, stay grounded, and fight the right battles — internally and externally.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

If you don’t have to travel during Thanksgiving week, count yourself blessed. I am blessed because I got my travel in last week. The road to Greensboro, NC (and back home to Knoxville, TN) is one that I have had the opportunity to travel a few dozen times over the past year or so. This is due to the current professional duty station I’m serving in, as the comms and marketing leader for an organization called Tencarva. I work out of our Alcoa, TN location primarily, but with HQ being in Greensboro, and several marketing vendors being centrally located there as well, I have done my fair share of back and forth.

Honestly, I don’t really mind the travel. Other than being away from Megan (and Honey, our dog), I enjoy the 4-4.5 hour drive through the mountains. A healthy mix of audiobooks, podcasts, sermons, and silence make the drive go by rather quickly. Luckily, the travel for this role has not been an “every single month” type of thing, or even every quarter.

After the devastating flooding in NC and TN last year, which resulted in the closing and then still semi-closure of I-40 E or “The Gorge,” which was my typical route, I started taking I-81 N, to I-77 S, to I-74 E, which goes up through Wytheville, VA and back down into Greensboro.

The first time I was introduced to this far more scenic and easy-to-drive route, I knew I couldn’t go back. What used to be only getting exposure to the beauty of TN and NC has now become adding the beauty of mountainous and rural VA to this lineup.

I would volunteer to say I’ve driven this route 3-4 times within the past six months. There’s not too many new things I see, and last week’s travels weren’t any different. Before dropping back down into VA on the return trip home, I was approaching this large rock outcropping.

I’ve drove past it a handful of times and always wondered what the view was like up there. It is clearly visible off of I-74 E, looming in the distance and than rising up rapidly the closer you get. I had worked my way through a pretty dense, large, and weighty proposal at HQ that week, and so as Pilot Mountain (as I learned it was called) loomed in the distance, I made the decision that today was the day. That view has to be checked out.

This is the real text I sent Megan alerting her of my curious pitstop:

It’s okay to use the heart eyes emoji guys, I promise.

One of the pastors at Fellowship Church in Knoxville preached on God revealing himself through creation, and I realized I needed to let Him do that on the drive home. Over the course of a 2 miles up and 2 miles back down winding road to the Pilot Mountain overlook, I gave myself permission to breathe a little easier, roll down the windows, and just enjoy the beauty of creation in VA.

Now thankfully, I have a very loving and supportive wife, who joyfully agreed how cool it looked and was in total agreement of my curious detour. If it has been a 3+ mile detour though, I’m not sure I would have pulled the trigger on it. Two miles didn’t seem that bad, and I love creation, so it almost seemed like a no-brainer. I mean, what if I never come back to Greensboro this way?

Pilot Mountain didn’t disappoint.

I remember thinking “This was so worth it,” as these things usually are. I also remember thinking how small and insignificant the things I was worried about coming into this work trip, as well as things I was worried about coming out of it, were in comparison this vast beauty.

Matthew 6 details this pretty well.

““Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?   Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you #— #you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬-‭34‬ ‭CSB‬‬

In case you’re counting, that’s three “don’t worry’s.” Who else needs to hear that heading into Thanksgiving week? ✋

Taking the 2-mile detour was worth it, and honestly one of the highlights of the entire trip. In reality though, it wasn’t really a detour. It was part of what the Father wanted to show me that day — and was always part of the travel plan back home.

What might look like “detours” were actually always part of the plan. Are you open to your travel plans being updated this week?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

If no one has told you today, happy 265th day of 2025!

Today is September 22nd, 2025.

Otherwise known as day 265 of 2025.

Meaning, there are 100 days left in 2025.

The 2% Challenge” starts today and goes until the end of the year, and the invite now extends to you. Here it is.

The 2% Challenge

First of all, why “2%?” Well, that’s a great question.

- 1% of your day = 15 minutes

- Technically…..14.4, but round up with me here

- Therefore, 2% of your day = 30 minutes

For the final 100 days of 2025, be resolute in protecting 2% of every single day for the below:

1% (15 minutes)

- 5 minutes of reading the Bible

- 5 minutes of reflecting/responding to what you read

- 5 minutes of prayer

1% (15 minutes)

- 15 minutes of challenging physical exercise

- This can be whatever you need it to be: walking, running, rucking, lifting, working out, etc. You know your body better than anyone else. As long as it challenges you physically and you’re pushing yourself to be a better version of yourself than you were yesterday - you nailed it.

Why? It’s not about checking the box or adding another thing on top of what you’re already doing. Which, if you’re not already doing this, even if not perfectly (no such thing by the way), I strongly recommend it. I think it is about, for me at least, personal discipline and resolve to find 30 minutes out of my day to invest in my relationship with my Heavenly Father (getting in His word, responding and reflecting on what He’s showing me through this, and having a conversation with him) and also to push myself physically to be a better version of myself than yesterday.

Will you commit to getting 2% better every day with me for the rest of the year?

If so, drop me a line at [email protected] or comment on this post - I’d love to cheer you on and encourage you in your 2% journey for the next 100 days. You can find daily updates and takeaways from my 2% Challenge here in Substack for the next 100 days.

Train yourself for godliness, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

-1 Timothy 4:7-8

Stay the course, keep the faith, and fight the good fight!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

Dan shares the story of his Bible being recently rebound, including three insightful resources, and how applicable Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 is after the evil and horrific events from the past few weeks.

Even in the midst of ever-present evil: stay the course, keep the faith, and fight the good fight.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

Live from Aruba, Dan and Megan discuss the purpose for the Johnson University women’s soccer team being in country and the impact they’re having on the soccer community.

This episode also features a Deep Dive from NotebookLM, which cracks open the Soccer-Faith playbook and how connecting these two things can happen in real time.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

Not Just A Soccer Camp

The Johnson University women’s soccer team is training, playing, and investing into the Aruban soccer community this week. This is year number two of the Lady Royals making the trip down to Aruba during their pre-season, and the energy is high. So is the continuous breeze sweeping across the island, which everyone is grateful for.

One of the ways the team is investing into the island’s soccer community is by parenting with S.V. Britannia and hosting a three-day camp for kids ages 6-12. The team loves it, the kids love it, and the parents love it. It’s 7.5 hours of soccer drills, games, and team-building; with the goal of providing a fun-filled experience for 75+ kids.

Connecting Soccer + Faith

After a quick prayer to kickoff the morning, campers are broken into smaller groups, led by JU players. These players are coaching and training, yes, but they’re doing far more as well — they are connecting both soccer and faith in real time. Watching how the players intentionally pour into the campers and love on them throughout the camp, there is a soccer-faith playbook being written in real time.

Enlisting the help of one of my favorite AI tools (NotebookLM), I took how I saw the players investing into the campers and created devotional content that paired perfectly with this. NotebookLM, per usual, took this to a whole new level and generated a video overview that highlights how connecting the dots between soccer and faith can be incredibly real not only to the campers, but to the players, coaches, and parents as well. The video honestly blew my mind.

This is just a glimpse of the impact the Lady Royals are having down here in Aruba this week, by authentically leading and serving each other and those around them. You can listen to the audio-only version of this on TGF Podcast as well!

What are your takeaways and thoughts on this soccer-faith playbook and how can this help you connect the dots in your own life?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

I sit down with my good friend and brother Thomas Hodges today, to talk about an exciting new opportunity for men to connect at Fellowship Church in Knoxville, TN. Thomas talks through his walk of obedience, serving, and investing in other men and why it’s important.

Thomas Hodges is launching a new men’s group called “The Men’s Report.” The group aims to address the need for connection and community among men. Thomas, along with Warren, Frank, and Tyler, will lead the group, inspired by the church’s “God Has More For You” message and Thomas’s personal journey of growth and service.

Thomas recounts how a conversation about a calling on his life led him to start a men’s group at Fellowship Church. The group aims to provide a safe and simple space for men to connect, regardless of their experience with community. He encourages men who may be hesitant to join, emphasizing that it’s okay to start small and that there’s nothing wrong with their current spiritual journey.

The Men’s Report is a community for men to connect, share experiences, and grow in their faith. It’s a low-pressure environment where men can come as they are, share stories, and learn from each other. The group is based on the principle of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, emphasizing the strength of a threefold cord, symbolizing the bond between men and God.

A monthly gathering for men to connect, share life updates, and discuss their journey is being organized. The event will be held on the 2nd Sunday of the month, with the first one (at Fellowship) on April 13th, 2025.

To learn more about The Men’s Report, how to get connected, and other men’s communities at Fellowship, click or tap here.

The Men’s Report is a newly forming group. It is a gathering of men seeking to provide a consistent, safe, and simple space for each other to partner together through connection as we walk out the gospel in our lives with and towards Christ. We are focused on the Father, His Word, and how He is moving. Our group is open to men in all seasons of life and no registration is necessary. Please join us as we look to practice the principles given to us in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. For more information, contact Thomas Hodges at [email protected] for time and location.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com

Why is it important to be reminded of truth?

The Deep Dive audio dives into this fundamental question and more - from this morning’s time covering 2 Peter 1:11-15 at The Good Fight men's group at Fellowship Church in Knoxville, TN. Here are the verses:

(12) Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have. (13) I think it is right, as long as I am in this bodily tent, to wake you up with a reminder, (14) since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me. (15) And I will also make every effort so that you are able to recall these things at any time after my departure.

After reading these verses together, I took some time to share a few thoughts/takeaways with the group before going into a time of conversational table questions (which you can see below). If you’re curious about what these thoughts/takeaways were, check them out here.

In my study of these verses - an incredibly helpful and insightful resource I used was the Blue Letter Bible. Specifically, an in-depth commentary by David Guzik, which you can check out here.

Two questions that we talk through (almost) every Tuesday at The Good Fight are:

(1) What is God saying here?

(2) How can I apply this to my life?

Think about these questions today and this week. I encourage you to read and re-read these verses - where Peter is challenging and encouraging Christians in their faith. Where in your life do you need to be reminded of truth?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit danhenson.substack.com