Chris Grainger: 1:38

Welcome to the Lion Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intends you to be. I'm your host, chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, fellas, it's fun. Friday time, let's get into it. Okay, let's go. All right.

Chris Grainger: 1:50

Scripture of the week this week. We've talked about it in our first two episodes already this week, but it's in the book of Habakkuk, chapter 2, verse 14. It says For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Beautiful little verse, guys. How can I apply that to my life? Oh, I know, listen to the spiritual kickoff episodes. Seriously, I kid, I'm just going to have a little bit of fun with you today, guys, go back two episodes of your podcast feed the spiritual kickoff. I take some time to unpack that at length because, at the end of the day, we need to understand how we can apply God's word to our life. So I really took some time to do that. And look if you like those and I know lots of you guys do we do it Monday through Friday? How cool would this be. You get a notification on your phone on the way to work, or maybe you're chilling out at the house and you're there, you're having some breakfast and a notification pops up that says the Lion Within Us Daily SKO. And you pop on and I give you a little bit of scripture with a little bit of encouragement, just kind of like an espresso. Just get you going, because you've already done your quiet time. Maybe you haven't done it, maybe this is a supplement for that right. Monday through Friday within the Lion Withinness community, the spiritual kickoff is we love it. This is how we serve, this is how we help others. Just grow. This is how I grow, because it forces me every day, it just challenges me to get into the Word, just to see how I can use the gift that I feel like God's given me for teaching and equipping, to help you, to serve you, to help you see how to apply it Again, go to thelionwithinus. Don't forget the thelionwithinus. Get started today. All right, fellas, look that last episode. Was it fire or not? Bro, I'm telling you.

Chris Grainger: 3:42

Pastor Trey Brununson, church of 11 22, let's go. His, his assistant hit me up it was only a few days before we recorded saying I think he really wants to talk about discipleship from a for. What does that look like for men, particularly at the church of 11 22 like perfect, because at the end of the day, listening to a sermon is not enough, even if you're listening to fire sermons like Pastor Joby, right, still not enough. You got to be able to plug in, connect to help each other grow. So we talked a lot about that, a lot about that. So I really just just thoroughly thankful for him, for the way he showed up the energy he has. Guys, five kids, I mean he's on it, man. I thought I had a high level of energy until I met him. So I'm so pumped because actually later this year they invited me to come down to their conference so we'll have a table set up at the Church of 1122 Men's Conference in October Super pumped up about that. So I'm hopefully very prayerful to just get to hang out with Pastor Trey, get to spend some time with him, maybe Pastor Britt, maybe even get to see Pastor Joe be hanging out with him for a little bit. So, guys, go check that episode out. Hopefully you enjoyed that with him.

Chris Grainger: 4:50

All right, so now for our fun Friday episodes. Guys, we kind of get right to meat and potatoes, but we're talking about here today. We always do a health, wealth and a self-tip. Okay, that's kind of like the pillars of the line within us. Health being focused on building strong bodies as well as minds. You can't just have the biceps, you got to have the brains, bro, right. Wealth tip is how do we be better stewards of our finances and our careers? Okay. And then self-tip is how do we improve and we all know we need to, let's just be real as husbands and fathers? Okay, Because that's a big, that's a big calling. If you've been called, if you're in one of those roles or both of those roles, like I am, you know the pressures that exist there. Okay. So these are just simple tips. Okay, to see if they can help you grow these areas. So, for the health tip, this is more of a well, actually, this would be both Sleep, just the word sleep that is a weapon.

Chris Grainger: 5:51

Okay, because if you're exhausted let's just be real You're going to be bad decisions. Now, I normally sleep pretty well. Last night, for some reason, at the time of this recording last night, I had about two hours of sleep. I tried to go to sleep. There were some basketball games on. I don't know, I really wasn't into the basketball games, but I just woke up and the next thing, you know, I'm up until it was like 2.30 in the morning. Well, I already get up at like 4.15, 4.30, so it wasn't much time to sleep, right. And I recognized it even today, like I'm off a little bit, a little bit behind what I should be.

Chris Grainger: 6:29

So we have to prioritize rest so that we can be sharp and effective. And I'm telling you particularly someone who's a go-getter like me and I try to have, I got all these plate spinning and all these different things happening within us. If I neglect the self-care to the simple point of rest, it's not going to work. Maybe you need to hear this. I don't know if there's lots of guys listening right now.

Chris Grainger: 6:50

Maybe you're just running it ragged and when you look at your calendar, it looks like a box of Skittles just blew up on it, because you have so many things on your calendar and you don't have enough day. There's just not enough time to get the things done and you just feel like you're constantly stressed. So what do you do when you're constantly stressed? You just push it more and more and more. Right, I just got to bootstrap this, I just got to hammer down, I just got to. You know, man up, rust, dirt on it, whatever you want to tell yourself right, it's not sustainable. Take the time to utilize sleep and then that can be a most effective weapon, because if you're rested up, if you're charged up and you're ready, you can make better decisions as a leader. Okay, all right. Now wealth tip.

Chris Grainger: 7:37

Think about this for a second. Your name, your first and your last name, that's your brand. Now, as someone who's in, you know, the line with tennis is a brand of itself, and I totally get the marketing not talking about that, talking about you. Your integrity, how you show up, particularly in your career, is your greatest asset hands down. I will also tell you this this is a little bit separate side note. That's not my job. It should never come out of our lips. It just shouldn't. We have to guard our reputation, particularly as Christian men. Why? Because the world's looking at us a little bit differently. They're looking for that moment so they can say ha ha ha. I told you you were a hypocrite and I'm telling you guys, it's real and the truth is it's harder to rebuild than it is to maintain. It's so much easier just to maintain, just to do the work every day, just to show up purposely, to show up with intent, to show up authentically. If you do that every day, man, that's how you start building your brand.

Chris Grainger: 8:43

When I look at the line, there's guys out there in the line with us. I'm not going to start naming them, because if I name one, I have to name all of them. They're all awesome. Those guys operate at a high level of integrity and their name, their brand name 100% I trust it. If they tell me things, I take it to the bank. Now there's guys in my life I can't say that about. Those are the guys where I believe in what I see type of thing. Right, I'm telling you, integrity matters. Your name is your brand. No one else has it. No one else has my name. No one else has your name. So make sure you're making decisions that can reflect what God has called you to do. Alright, self-tip. This is very practical. I've self-tip. This is very practical. I've got a pen right here. This is a pen. I pulled this up on purpose Write notes, not just text messages, taking the time.

Chris Grainger: 9:40

So, like right here, this is a note card for the Lion Within Us, and I always take the time, after recording a guest to send them a handwritten note. Now I have most of the guest's phone numbers right. I could text them. But I think there's just something that shows a little more intentionality, a little more effort when you take the time to write something down. It's almost like a lost art these days, you know. But just think about this When's the last time you wrote a handwritten letter or note to your wife? When's the last time you did it for your kids? Because it's a small little act that can make a big impact. It just makes a huge impact on them.

Chris Grainger: 10:18

For my daughters, when they were in elementary school, a big part of what I did, single dad, lots of things happening there Go back and listen to the line. I talk about this a lot I would take time to write notes on their napkins and that was just a big part of what I saw is just trying to be intentional For them. It's just a napkin, right, but I wanted them to know. So this would be a small little way and it's not a cheap way. Let's just be real. This doesn't cost you a lot of money here, boys, cheap way, just to show that little bit of intentionality. Just let them know that you care and I get it.

Chris Grainger: 10:56

Texting your wife is super easy. Ok, and I text my wife all the time. We probably text 10 times already today and that communication point that is good. 10 times already today and that communication point that is good. But I do know the moments where I take the time to write her a note or just to write a little note of encouragement to her or to my daughter's man. That means the world to them. So utilize that, utilize that skill and lean into it. All right, all right, guys. There are your three tips. You got your health, wealth and self. That health, when it's sleep, is a weapon. Remember that. Utilize it. Wealth is your name, is your brand and self. Write those notes, not just text.

Chris Grainger: 11:30

Now, the book of the week. We talked about it with Pastor Trey, if you didn't hear it on the episode, but it's called. The book is called Run the Race. I don't have a hard copy here with me, but it's a Bible study. Bible study book. I promise I know how to talk. Fellas Just doesn't seem like that sometimes. So that book goes along with the movie that he produced back in 20, I think he said 2018, 2019. So go check that out. I'm gonna try to get a copy of it myself. I haven't seen the movie. I'm going to see the movie, I promise. I want to check it out. If you guys have seen the movie, I'd love to know your feedback on it, what you thought about it. I just want to put that book out there to help support him with that movie. Again, it's a little bit old it's probably about six or seven years old by now but that's okay. It still has a lot of what he told me, lots of great Christian truths and insights that will help you. So there you go, fellas. Go check that out. Run the Race Bible Study Book. And again, if you want to check out any of the books that we recommend each and every week at the Lion Within, head over to thelionwithinus book and you'll see that whole page is dedicated to the books that we recommend each and every week.

Chris Grainger: 12:35

All right, guys, now let's get to our dad jokes. All right, dad joke number one what does a baby computer call his father? Well, dada, I like that one, I'm sorry, all right. Number two which days are strongest? Well, that would be Saturday and Sunday, because the rest are weekdays. Let me know, fellas, which one you like, number one or number two? What does a baby computer call his father? Data? Number two. Which days are strongest? Saturday and Sunday, because the rest are weekdays. So look, got a dad joke that you want us to use. Send it to support at thelandwithinus. We'll give you a shout out on the show. We'll get you free resources as well. And remember the rule of dad jokes Eye rolls, sighs. If they turn around and walk off and just shaking their head, then you hit the jackpot. That's what it's all about, all right.

Chris Grainger: 13:31

So our question of the week we're going to kind of wrap this one up here for fellows is is your leadership pointing others to God's glory, won't you yourself? And let's just be real about it, it's so easy to want to reflect our own right To build ourselves up, but at the end of the day, our influence should be used to honor and glorify him. So hopefully this week has helped you think through that. Okay, if you need help further, again, the lion withinus connect with us. We want to hear from you. We want to connect with you. We'd love for you to be part of our daily spiritual kickoff. We'd love for you to be part of our community. We'd love for you to be part of our mastermind groups where we're leaning in, because if you don't have what Pastor Trey was talking about so far as that discipleship groups the guys you can just be open, authentic, compassionate, transparent.

Chris Grainger: 14:11

With fellas we have, we have it within our Lion Within Us community and it's very flexible as well. We do everything we do right now. It's virtual, it's online, but it's a meaningful conversation, it's meaningful engagement. We designed this program to set up to serve you in a truly impactful way. But you can't access any of this unless you head over to thelionwithinus and get started today. So that would be my encouragement to you Give us a rating and review. That would be awesome. Share the podcast out with others. That's an incredible way to help grow the show.

Chris Grainger: 14:43

Head over to the Bible app. Open up the Bible app, search for the Lion Within Us, check out all the Bible studies we have and if you want to walk through some of those Bible studies with us directly, go to lionwithinus slash Bible. There's a link that we can connect with me directly on the Bible app. I would be honored to connect with you. I would love to work through some of the plans that we put out together with you on the Bible app, all right. Well, guys, thank you so much for listening and for your support, for your care. How much you pray, how much you encourage us at the Lion Within Us. If I can do anything for you specifically, please, please, please, reach out. I want to hear from you. All right, guys, have a great day, great weekend, get after it, stay strong and you know what's coming. Keep unleashing the lion within. I've got something big to share.

Chris Grainger: 15:31

We're making a major shift because we know the battle is real and it's time more men had access to the support they need.

Chris Grainger: 15:38

For too long, guys have been trying to carry the weight alone pressure at work, tension at home, wounds from the past in a world that demands strength but offers no place to rest. We see it, we've lived it, and that's exactly why we built our community. It's a stronghold, a place where warriors can find rest, truth and a band of brothers standing beside them. And starting now, we're making it easier than ever to step in. We've lowered the barrier to just $15.99 a month. That means, for less than the cost of a drive-thru lunch, you can join a brotherhood that's centered on Christ and built for growth. Inside, you'll find access to our daily spiritual kickoffs every Monday through Friday, our Lion Lunches, our Bible Studies, our Friday Forge Gatherings all that and so much more. Every man needs a stronghold and you don't have to fight alone. If you've been waiting for the right time to jump in, this is it. Go to thelionwithinus and join the community and see for yourself what happens when iron truly sharpens iron.