Adventurous Faith: Life To The Full

Every once in a while someone comes along into your life, shares stories of what got them from one place to the next and you think to yourself "I'm going to remember this one for a while." This is true of my friend, Matthew. It's a beautiful story of darkness to light. FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT Today's guest on the Adventurous Faith Podcast Story Session is Matthew Mossotti. Matthew is the founder of Planet Me Productions. Planet Me a creative company dedicated to producing media that inspires the human soul into the heavenly realms. Sounds epic, doesn't it? It is! Our paths crossed several years ago at church. Matthew's heart for God inspires me. He also has a crazy amount of creativity and loves to pursue excellence in all things. I knew he would be a valuable voice to add to the Adventurous Faith podcast. It was an honor just to sit down with Matthew to capture his incredible story of coming to Faith. Just wait until you hear it! God is writing epic into Matthew's story on a regular basis and I know you'll be

I think I've had it with the self-help movement. Over the last several months there has been something brewing in my heart that until recently I wasn't able to put to words. God has been doing a great amount of work in my heart since starting Adventurous Faith. I'm far from all the answers but I feel I am gaining some traction in becoming the man and business owner that God desires for me to become. As I have been en-route on this path there have been several issues in my heart that have come to light about the self-help movement in my own life and I've decided to start bringing those ideas out into the light. THE SEVEN REASONS WHY SELF-HELP IS STUNTING YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH. The Self-Help Movement helps you to believe that all of what you need in this life comes from you. "You alone are the LORD You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You. -

Last week I Interviewed John Eldredge, author of Wild at Heart for the Adventurous Faith podcast. His interview will go live on October 24th. It's an episode that you won't want to miss. I believe every man on the planet needs to listen to this episode. If time allows, I like to chat with my guests after the show. I like to get their wisdom on life or share more about what I am doing with Adventurous Faith. John had time available and was willing to chat with me. I asked him one very specific question: "If you could go back and tell 35yr old John wisdom on how to run this business and ministry, what would you share with him?" He wasn't short on advice. For the next couple of episodes of my start-up story, I want to share with you what John told me. There were two thoughts he gave to me and this young business. The first was this: CRAWL. WALK. RUN It didn't take me long to realize what he was talking about. He was telling me the speed at which I should be going. I am a go-getter. I'm not afraid to grow quickly

Young Adulthood has changed drastically over the last 20-30 years. People seem to be growing up slower which has made life in your twenties tricky. If you're like most twenty-somethings, after high school you fling yourself into college with a major that you think you want to do for the rest of your life. You then graduate from college (with loads of debt) and head into the workforce hoping to make a difference. But then, only a few years into your bustling career you wake up realizing you're not doing what you wanted to do at all. You thought you were living your calling, but all you've found is a quarter-life crisis. LEARNING TO AVOID THE QUARTER-LIFE CRISIS & FIND YOUR CALLING My guest on today's episode of Adventurous Faith knows what your story feels like. He lived it himself. Paul Sohn is the founder of QARA, an organization that exists to help twenty-somethings find their True North. He is also the author of Quarter-Life Calling. Paul is a successful speaker, author, mover & shaker in the young

We hate debt. It sucks, we don't want it - and yet, most of us spend our lives either collecting it, trying to get out of it or both. As millennials, this is especially true. We went to college, bought things we couldn't afford, and now we're stuck with mounds and mounds of debt. We have a money problem. LEARNING HOW TO TAKE THE BIG LEAP WITH DEBT Today, on the Adventurous Faith Podcast, my guest is Zack McCullock of Your Money, Your Freedom. Zack and his wife Jenna leaped a few years back with their finances that rocked their world. They sold most of all of their possessions and lived out of a camper for 11 months and retired $50,000 in debt. It's an incredible story that took a lot of guts with a massive amount of return on the back end. But, here's a question for you. What do you feel like when you hear a story like that? Seriously - what comes to mind? Does it make you happy? Does it make you upset or pissed off? Do you wish you could do something like that? All of us do - but most of us aren't willing to

Last weekend I attended a conference in Nashville, TN put on by Michael Hyatt called the Achieve Conference. It was a fantastic experience. I learned a lot about being more productive, goal setting and most of all achieving my highest potential - which I get all jazzed up about! I hope to share some of what I learned in some future episodes if it makes sense. But, the best part of this last weekend wasn't the sessions or pages and pages of notes that I took about how to run a better business and be more productive. It was an unexpected lunch I had with another entrepreneur who has become a distant mentor of mine. A few years ago I was introduced to Jeff Goins, an online business owner who helps writers find their audience called Tribe Writers. I have been a student of Jeff's for a couple of years now, and I highly recommend his course and community. It's fantastic. I met Jeff at his Tribe Conference last year, and we have just stayed in touch via social media over the previous year. AN UNEXPECTED LUNCH I lear

God shapes our lives from the very beginning.  He wrote our names, purpose, plan, and story before our parents even knew our names. The story God is writing of our lives shapes us every day. On today's episode of Adventurous Faith, I sit down with a friend of mine who shares about his most recent battle with fear, persecution, and anxiety. Due to the sensitive nature of what my friend does and where he serves, you won't hear his name or location as he serves in a very difficult country. You will only hear his story. The passion in his heart will move you. ANXIETY IS A REAL THING Anxiety is a topic that comes up more and more.  More young people suffer from a form of fear, anxiety or even depression than at any other time in history. This battle crosses across all ages, backgrounds, and stories - forcing us to live lives we weren't created for. In my conversation with my friend, he tells the story of a recent story from his own life in which persecution came flooding in. From his experience, fear and anxiety b

Many of us believe our lives are just a series of random events that have little meaning. We live it out day by day, walking aimlessly. And yet, in the back of our hearts and minds remains this ever quiet voice saying "What if there is more? There has to be more to life than this. What on earth am I here for?" It's this voice of longing and purpose that keeps us moving. What if you weren't here on accident? What if you were here very much on purpose? God created us with great intention and hard focused purpose. Nothing was by accident. You and I were created by God with great intentionality and hard focused purpose. Our lives begin to take shape when we not only learn these truths about our lives but surrender to them every single day. YOU HAVE A GREAT PURPOSE My guest on today's episode of Adventurous Faith understands the meaning of purpose. How can I say that? Because he has spent almost his entire life watching God map it out for him in an incredible story that only God could write. Ben Malcolmson is the

I've never once claimed to be a businessman. I didn't get an MBA or go to business school. I'm following this path because I believe God has called me to it. I know for a lot of people listening or reading, that reason isn't good enough, and that's OK. I'm learning I'm not going to please everyone. One of the more backward practices God has been teaching me is to stop hustling and start trusting. STOP HUSTLING. START TRUSTING Just yesterday I hit this feeling of being overwhelmed after a day full of work. For whatever reason, my heart just seemed to not get over it. I even remember thinking - now would be a good time to take a break, go for a walk and just hand this over to God. But I didn't. I chose to try and beat my feeling with more work. I just kept hustling. It's the most backward thing in the world, but God has weighed on me recently to trust him more for work I cannot do. I'm a seven on the Enneagram - which means I long for and strive for more. Sound like me? Oh yeah - it's me to a T. Through this le

There is not a single person on the planet that wouldn't claim to want a more full life. All of us want more. Many of us will do whatever it takes to get more -but at what cost? What is the price you might pay for more? The problem with our desire with more is that it often doesn't get us the results we are looking for. In fact, it ends up causing more problems than solving because, as Puff Daddy has always said - Mo Money, Mo Problems. Ok, I digress. The question I want you to begin thinking about is this - is more really the answer? Maybe the barrier between you and this incredible full and amazing life isn't more of something - it's less of it. Jesus said... "I have come that they might have life and have it to the full." - John 10:10 LESS FOR A FULL LIFE What is this "full" life that Jesus speaks of? Do I have to get something to get it? Do I need more of something? Not exactly. In fact, it's the complete opposite of what you and I may think that it is. Jesus is calling us to do and have less. Jesus mak

A couple of years ago I decided that I was going to take a swipe at becoming a writer. A few hundred thousand words later, I launched a blog and began networking with those in the similar fields that I wanted to be in. In the process of growing my network, my path crossed with Aaron Walker, my guest on today's show. In a short amount of time on a phone call, Aaron Walker ate my lunch (in the best way possible) and helped me to get on the entrepreneurial path that I am on today. What I saw back then and even see more clearly now is Aaron is a man who loves to invest in others. He has chosen a life of both success AND significance. SUCCESS & SIGNIFICANCE Most of us believe that both of these ideas are exclusive. We can't have both success and significance. But what Aaron works tirelessly with men to understand is that they not only can have both - but have it abundantly. On today's episode of the Adventurous Faith Podcast, my guest Aaron Walker tells his incredible story of 40 years as an entrepreneur and a

After being off the grid for almost two weeks, I am back to the grind. I'm all about helping to get this start-up off the ground. And yes, I am saying "helping" for a particular reason. From the very beginning and inception of this business, I knew I couldn't be a principal partner in getting Adventurous Faith off the ground. I am going to need a higher power - God. But he doesn't just "come in." He's been there the entire time working, modeling and shaping me to grow this business into what He desires it to be. A lot is happening with the business, but let me tell you quickly what I'm focusing on right now.   FOCUSING ON WHAT IS RIGHT COACHING Coaching has been and will continue to be a primary focus for my business. It puts my best skill sets to work, allowing me to pour into the lives of young men and is going to help bring quick money into the business. PODCASTING Growing the Adventurous Faith podcast is a close second to coaching. It doesn't have the potential right now to bring in near the amount of mon

All of us are always looking for ways to improve our lives. Whether we are working hard to get out of debt, lose weight or grow personally in any way, we want to make ourselves better. We are taught as small children to use teams and others to help us become the people we want to become. But as we get older, this wisdom doesn't often stick. The more crusty we become we feel the need to go at life on our own. THE POWER OF MASTERMINDS But there is a better way. It's not just a better way - it's an incredibly more powerful way to grow the life you are looking for. Enter the power of masterminds. Masterminding, as you here on this episode combats the ideas that our ideas are the greatest, and the best way to achieve maximum results in your life, business and performance is to gather the collective wisdom of other people. That is what masterminding is all about. On this episode of Adventurous Faith, I sit down with Anthony Witt, who has spent the majority of his professional career not just promoting the importanc

Many of us have learned the power behind the building the discipline of putting in hard work. We've recognized that if we do the hard work, put in the hours we often reap great results. But in our pursuit of hard work, discipline and getting things done, an important discipline and practice have been lost.  All the way back to when God created all that you and I now know and see, there was something else God created - rest. THE DISCIPLINE OF REST You and I were made for work, but we were equally created for rest, too. This is a discipline that has gone completely lost to us in our modern world. I interact with young men on a daily basis who at times work between 70-80 hours a week and never take a day off. Sure, they may leave the office. But only to go home and fire up the e-mail and continue the process of work over and over. Today, on the Adventurous Faith Podcast, I sit down with Matt Heffner of Our Daily Rest and we talk about the glaring problem facing each of us every single day - our inability to rest

By listening to the recording, you may notice that I didn't record this episode in real-time as I have done with every other episode. That is because I am completely disconnected out in the California wilderness and unable to get to a phone, e-mail or track what is happening with my business. To say I'm a little bit nervous is an understatement. HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO DISCONNECT But even just calling out how nervous I am is a big help. Why? Because it helps me to process what I'm feeling. And despite popular beliefs among men, processing how you are feeling and what got you there is a good thing. When I think about how nervous I get, I think about the amount of control I feel like I need to have on the business to make sure it stays afloat. That is a terrible way to live. I believe even more that it is a terrible way to run a business. WE WERE MADE TO GET AWAY There is a reward that waits on the other side of our disconnect. It sounds and feels a lot like restoration, completeness and wholeness. Jewish people

Many of us spend our lives wondering if we will ever be enough. We work hard and try our best. We repeat the same process over and over again in hopes that we'll make it. There is a longing deep inside each of us to do great things and be someone - but what does it take to get there? Surrender. Without realizing it, most of us have built our lives on The Rat Race. We move so fast for so hard, hoping to gain the approval of everyone watching and in the end, even if we win, we're still a rat. THE JOURNEY TO SURRENDER Today, on the Adventurous Faith Podcast, I sit down with my good friend, Brandon Jackson. Brandon is a dedicated Christ-follower, Husband, Father, Friend and the owner and operator of CrossFit Valley Park, a wildly successful Crossfit gym in the St. Louis area. But Brandon's story wasn't always one of success. In fact, it was the success that almost ruined him. The way to the life Brandon always wanted needed to come by way of surrender. FROM WANTING APPROVAL TO GOD'S APPROVAL Most of us get on the

Before heading to bed this week a couple of nights ago, I realized how tired I was. I understand that isn't a new thing for us to be self-aware in, but I took notice of it because I was more tired than usual. I then thought about how much more sleep I had needed lately since starting this business. SLEEP IS GOLD You and I need to sleep more. That is something I am learning in real-time of my business this week. We know how to work and work hard - but rest is deathly important to growing the lives and businesses we want. We've just taught ourselves to be numb to it. IM NOT THE 80-HOUR PER WEEK GUY In the middle of learning what it's like to get more sleep, I'm reminded even further - I wasn't built to be the 80-hour per week guy. Not only do I not think it's healthy, but I believe it's unnecessary as well. If you want to grow a life and business that is going to flourish in the long run, you need to sleep. This is my start-up story in real time. Listen in and hear what I'm learning. REACH O

What causes a soul to grow? What are the activities, practices, and discipline one needs to develop your spiritual life? We have been asking these questions and those like it for years and still the battle is difficult to fight. On this week's episode of Adventurous Faith, I sit down with Sam & Blaine Eldredge of "& Sons" and have this ever-important discussion on what it looks like for a young man to begin building and shaping the framework that is going to house his soul for the rest of his life.  THERE IS A TEMPLATE FOR THE SOUL God has given us a template for growing our soul. Through his word, the practice of spiritual disciplines and other important places of apprenticeship and initiation with older men, God has given us all we need to grow and nurture a healthy soul. So, what are those practices? In our conversation together, Sam & Blaine talk about several essential elements they have found healthy in their young lives that have helped to keep their souls in check. These elements aren't al

I'm back at it this week after spending a week on the beach with my family. As I mentioned in last week's episode, it was difficult finding the tension and balance between working, resting and vacationing. When you have a new start-up that you are trying to get off the ground, it makes it difficult to turn your mind off. I knew there would be a process for me to get up and running. So, coming into this week, I knew it would be a little tricky in my "re-entry". You probably know that anytime you come off of a break or vacation, hitting the grind again can be difficult. I spent Monday looking at the next three months, this next month and what needs to be happening this week. I then turned my focus to following up with a lot of people that I have been working on connecting with. Here is the lesson I am re-learning this week: FOCUS ON THE PROCESS, NOT THE RESULTS This is hard to do in a results-driven world. We want to focus on what we are going to get - the prize - not on what we have to do to get there. This st

In a world fascinated with being uniquely you, there is a consistent struggle in comparing ourselves to other people. It's a plague that seems to find us over and over. We spend our lives wanting to match ourselves up to the latest trend, fad, following or culture. At the core of this plague is us wanting and desiring the lives of other people. We love to compare. I noticed this play out in my own life a few weeks ago. It was the middle of the day, and I found myself on Instagram, doing the typical Instagram thing of checking your profile 20 million times per day. I quickly recognized a familiar face and profile and was swept into the action. Before I even realized it, I was stacking my life up against theirs. How many followers do they have? How often do they post? They look like they travel all the time - I wish I could do that. Their family is beautiful. I wish I had a life like theirs. Boom. I found myself sucked into the vortex of comparisons and struggled to get out of it. WE COMPARE OURSELVES TO DEAT