Chris Grainger: 1:02

Welcome to the Lion Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intended you to be. I'm your host, chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, guys, fun Friday episode. I'm excited to be here with you. Let's get right into it, okay? So Scripture of the Week this week is in Psalm 78, verse 4. It says we will not hide them from their descendants. We will tell them the next generation. I'm sorry, so it's a beautiful little verse, fellas, because this week we're really talking so much just about being a father, being a parent. What does that look like? Go back a few, two episodes ago for our spiritual kickoff for this week. I took some time to unpack this one at length to try to give you some ideas on how you can simplify and apply this to your life. And again, if you'd like that, the spiritual kickoffs in that format and kind of how we just really just give those insights and those reflections. We do it every day, monday through Friday, within the Lion Within Us community. So I'd love for you to head over there to the lionwithinus and start your subscription now to be part of what we're doing inside the Lion Within Us community. All right, so now.

Chris Grainger: 2:07

Our last episode was really good. We had Barrett Johnson on talking about how we disciple our kids like Jesus. Really just got some good insights around again. The framework he teaches is abiding, modeling, teaching, applying relationships, connecting what I call that relationship. So anyway, that's what it's all about and that abiding was so important. Then we talked about how do we go through the modeling and the teaching. Particularly, we don't feel like we're equipped to teach. How do we overcome that? What does that look like? And then so far as application component, and then the overall arching component of connecting with our kids. So we had a lot of good reflections and just insights and practical advice and tips and things that we both have learned from our life, and one of the things that really jumped out was was he? He brought up three questions and I've taught this in the past as well, cause I got it was taught to me by Pastor Joby Martin but three questions that you can take when you're studying God's word. That will just draw you in, and then, if you're with your kids, it will draw them in as well. What happened? Very first one All right, so what? Then now what? And you start putting that basic little framework into play when you sit down to teach God's word and to try to draw them closer to him. It's going to make things a lot easier for you. It's just that conversation is going to be so organic. So I'm really, really thankful for a chance that we had to meet Barrett just a great guy, still definitely praying for him. He mentioned the cancer scare that he has right now, so he is battling that. So I'm just praying that. We just ask that for you guys to keep him and his entire family lifted in prayer. Okay, all right.

Chris Grainger: 3:45

So now for the Lion Within us on our fun Fridays, you guys know what's coming. We've got our health, wealth and self, and that's the three pillars of the lion, and we're going to do a tip for each one of those. Just some insights, just some ideas. You know nothing earth-shattering here, but hopefully it's going to be a good reminder, if nothing else, for nothing else. The health tip is how do we build stronger minds and bodies? It's not just about how many curls you get to do, but you got to take care of the whole body. The whole body as well as the mind. The wealth tip is being the ultimate stewards of our finances and our careers and that stewardship mindset. What does that look like? And then, self-tip is not about being a better, just you, but how do we show up to be the husband and father that our families desperately need? Okay, all right, so let's get into them. So the health tip is very simple, and Barrett even talked about this to some degree we had to start prioritizing rest as a disciple, right, because if we're going to be disciples of Christ, we need to recognize that this is important and it's not a luxury. This is a command that God has given us, right, and if we want to live effective and do what he's called us to do, we should start prioritizing this and aligning ourselves to God's rhythm and his renewal and his revival. Right, and this may mean that sometime throughout the week, you, you got to find a way to unplug, to relax and focus on something that restores you.

Chris Grainger: 5:06

I know for me yesterday, so I'm recording this on a Monday, okay, for me, sundays are very busy because we have the farm we got to take care of before church, then we have church and there's usually meetings after church. There's all these things happening. You can spend basically half your day. You could just be non-stop going. So I decided yesterday afternoon just you know what. I went, we got our horse one of our horses and I just brushed him down, threw a saddle on him and just took a little half hour ride around the property just hanging out with him, just he and I. It was a little bit warmer, it was just a nice day and that was just my way of purposely pausing and connecting and that idea of rest really, again, it's not about sleep. Now, for my wife it's about sleep, but for me it's not about sleep.

Chris Grainger: 6:01

This is about stopping, stopping and just resting and just being with God and that quiet time you're going to find that's going to bring you so much peace, so much peace. And let's just face it, this world we live in is crazy fast, it's always moving and, as a result, it's very easy to say you know what, I don't have time for that, I got stuff to do. But if we lean into obedience to what God's calling us to and take the time to prioritize rest, as a disciple of Christ, you're allowing yourself to be renewed, to be recharged so that you can lead with the energy and clarity in all these different areas of life. So look, I don't get this right a lot. I'm not sitting here trying to tell you this is a command. You have to do it this way. I'm just encouraging you. If you find like you're there so much week, you never have enough time. You're constantly chasing the clock. You got meeting after meeting, after meeting, after meeting. You never, like you, ever actually move the ball down the field because you're just constantly just in chaos mode. Maybe you need to try to find some time at some point, draw a line in the sand and say this is my rest time and doggone it. I'm not going to vary from it. All right Now, wealth tip fellas.

Chris Grainger: 7:16

Seek some wise counsel for some of these decisions that you're making, particularly with your finances moving forward, because the Bible gives us a lot of emphasis on the values of wise counsel. It just does, and particularly when it comes to finances. And it tells us in Proverbs that look, plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed. That's pretty simple. That should be right there for us to walk it out. But if we're going to practice this, we better be surrounding ourselves with trusted, godly advisors who can give us some of the insights into, maybe, how we budget or how we should invest or what does, overall, just stewardship look like? Maybe it's financial planners who actually have the same worldview, the Christian worldview that you have, and they recognize that as important and they respect your values. I don't know. Maybe you have mentors from your business standpoint that they had the business experience but at the same time, they're pursuing God with all they are.

Chris Grainger: 8:10

Whatever that may be, you need to commit those people in your life to go help God direct. You understand these basic principles of giving and saving and spending and investing and all the different ones that are out there, and when you seek counsel, think about this for a second fellas. When you're asking others for help, you're actually demonstrating humility in action and a willingness to submit our plans to his, and that's where we start building wisdom upon wisdom upon wisdom, and I would say this is going to lead to really good, sound financial decisions that are going to honor and glorify God and also it's going to serve your family well. So if we're trying to do these financial decisions alone, stop. We have to be super careful who we're taking that advice from, because we want to make sure that we're listening to the Holy Spirit and if we're inviting the Holy Spirit into the conversations around our finances. Guess what? He's going to say? Something he's got to invite him in.

Chris Grainger: 9:07

All right, now, self-tip this is a big one this week, okay, because Barrett talks so much about how we disciple our kids and bring them to Christ and let them see what it looks all about. So we need to, for your tip this week, start creating some family traditions around our faith, okay, and these are powerful tools that we can start really start make that legacy and pass some things down. So maybe it's just starting small. Like he said, just once a week, on a Thursday night, have some Bible study, have a little bit of devotion, or maybe a prayer night, or go start doing some service projects together where everyone can be part of. You know and for us, you know, I've had to get really practical on this of just putting a Bible in where we eat, the dining room. Right, we just have a small table. We're all six of us around the table. I keep a Bible on that table so that it's super easy for me in the moment.

Chris Grainger: 10:07

Whoever finishes eating first, you're our reader. Hey, we're just going to read a little bit of scripture and then really it starts applying what Barrett and I talked about earlier. So what now what? What happened? So what now what? There are three questions that you can ask and if you ask those three questions, it just generates a really good conversation around spiritual growth and discipline and application all these different types of things, just by asking so what happened? So what now what? But again, this was this is creating a tradition.

Chris Grainger: 10:38

Another tradition as of recording this. I know this is coming out in 2025, but we're recording this early, or actually late, in 2024. We're actually in December. So one thing we do every year in December is we just go through Luke. There's 24 chapters in Luke. If you read a chapter a day in Luke, guess what? That takes you right up to Christmas and you read the whole Gospel of Luke. So that's just another little small thing. But as you start doing this, this is like our second or third year doing this Luke thing We've created a tradition now.

Chris Grainger: 11:11

And thing We've created a tradition now and this gives hopefully we're going to build this into our children over and over and over something they'll take into their life as well, because we're just really modeling Christ's love and we're teaching it to them and if we take this as a priority, this is how we do it. You can do it of your way, but over time, these little moments, these are going to be the cherished memories they look back on Think about that for a second and it's also going to be the foundation that's in their life to lead their families by the little decisions we make about creating these family traditions around faith. Maybe you don't have many, maybe you don't have anything to go from. That's great. That means you have a blank sheet of paper. You have the ability right now, now, today, to do something powerful. So I encourage you to start that family tradition and just stop putting it off. I'm telling you guys, you're never going to be as blessed as you are when you lean in and just are obedient to the Holy Spirit. All right, so now there are your three tips the health, wealth and self. That health, again, was prioritizing rest as a disciple. That wealth tip was seeking that wise counsel, particularly in our financial decisions. And that self tip is really creating those family traditions around our faith as believers in Christ.

Chris Grainger: 12:16

Okay, book of the week, fellas, it's right. Here with Barrett, and I talked about this one Disciple of them, like Jesus, leading your kids the way that Christ led them, led the 12. He mentioned. It's like 30,000 words. It's the way that Christ led the 12. He mentioned. It's like 30,000 words. It's an easy read, fellas. It's only what 180 pages or so. Lots of good insights, lots of good reflections. Again, really good visualization around that model framework that he has so far as how to disciple them. So I highly encourage you guys to go check it out.

Chris Grainger: 12:43

The Book of the Week for the Lion Within Us each and every week is there as well. It gives you a really good place if you're looking to build your library. I've had so many guys ask me what books are you reading? Thelionwithinus book, and we put all the books there each and every week so you can literally just scroll right through. We have links directly to Amazon or wherever you can buy the book at and just add it right to your library. Okay, all right.

Chris Grainger: 13:05

So for our fun Friday, you know we always wrap up with some dad jokes. We're not going to skip that this week either. So a couple of dad jokes for you and I made them more like dad-related dad jokes, if you will. So these are for you young dads out there who maybe got some babies at home. So the first one is what did the diaper say to? Because they always leak? All right, so there you go. Look, I like good old potty jokes. I'm sorry, my wife can't stand them. I think they're funny. So, number one what did the diaper say to the dad? I feel like we're in deep doo-doo. Number two why should you not tell babies secrets? They always leak. So, fellas, let me know which one you like, number one or number two? Again, support at thelinewithinus, joe directly. If we use it on the show, we'll give you a shout out as well as hook you up with some free content and swag just for helping us out.

Chris Grainger: 13:59

All right, so now, question of the week. This week, fellas, we talked about it all week. It's what's one lesson about God you wish someone had taught you earlier? That's a very simple question. Now, if you know that, now here's a question what are you going to do about it? You need to go teach that. You need to go bring that to someone else because that may be a revelation or insight or encouragement that they need to hear. All right, so, guys, thank you so much for listening. Again, come back on Monday. We'll have another week prayer for you. Good Lord, willing to serve you, to give you some content, to give you some ideas, some things to think about as you move forward.

Chris Grainger: 14:34

Thelionwithinus is how you connect with us directly. That's TheLionWithinus. All our free offerings are up there as well. So far as our weekly roar, we have a Christian leader assessment. That's a wonderful resource for you as well. Fellas, our Bible studies on you, erson lots and lots of ways to help you. Then we have our offerings within our community, within our daily spiritual kickoff within the summit, leadership development, all the different ways we're helping serve guys and trying to help them grow each and every day. So go over to the lion within. Dot us. Okay, guys, have a great weekend after. Thank you so much for listening. Give us a rating and review if you get a chance and just remember whatever you do, keep unleashing the lion within.

Chris Grainger: 15:21

I don't know about you, but I used to find Mondays really rough. I would find myself trying to reset for work, trying to get my bearing on the family calendar, trying to find time for my own spiritual growth and development, and often I found myself overwhelmed or just flatly ignoring aspects of my life that I know are meaningful to me. What I learned was that if I had immediate access to important and impactful spiritual topics and reflections. To start my week well. After the allure of a Sunday sermon has passed, I would set my whole week up to be more meaningful and for the opportunity to make a true impact.

Chris Grainger: 16:00

If you think that getting such a boost would help your week to get started on the right foot, we would love for you to sign up for the Weekly Roar, which is our newsletter that is produced by the Lion Within Us. Each week will deliver a powerful reflection and practical steps to help you apply scripture with clarity and purpose, all being rooted in light and truth. So in just a few minutes, we hope to arm you with insights for living out biblical leadership with confidence and strength, and maybe even have a little extra bounce in your step. And maybe even have a little extra bounce in your step. If that sounds useful, head over to thelionwithinus slash ROAR to sign up today. That's thelionwithinus slash ROAR to get your weekly ROAR today.