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, fun Friday time. Let's get into it. Okay. So the scripture of the week this week is Amos 3.8. It says the lion has roared. Who will not fear? The sovereign Lord has spoken. But who can prophesy? Fellas, love that verse. I unpacked it at the spiritual kickoff episode this week. And again, go back in your podcast feeds. Can be two back, one, two. You'll find it right there. And we do the spiritual kickoff Monday through Friday in our Lion Within Us community. Okay, guys, it's free. We give it away. We don't post it anywhere else. We're not trying to use it anywhere else. We just try to encourage guys every day of the week. So the LionWithin.us starts your daily spiritual kickoff experience. Okay. So the last episode was a little different because I just unpacked what happened at our men's conference we went to. We had a great time at the men's conference, just had a just had a ball, learned a lot, loved on a lot of dudes, encouraged a lot of guys, and I just unpacked that. So if you want to hear how that went, uh some of the salient truths we learned from there, please go check that out. Okay. Now, for our fun Friday, what we typically do is a health, wealth, and a self tip. We do tips, do some dad jokes, give you a book of the week, and then we're out of here. How about that? All right. How do we strengthen them? Wealth, career, and finances. How do we be better stewards? Self is how do we improve as husbands and fathers? Because we all have that goal of improving in those areas, right? So the health tip this week is around control. And if you struggle with control, let others drive. And I literally did this on a trip to Florida. Because for many of us, control was our default mode of operation, right? Especially when it comes to being behind a wheel or planning every detail or leading every conversation. But growth often happens when we intentionally let go. So here's the challenge for you guys. Next time you're on a trip or headed to a meeting, hand over the keys. That may be literally, hey, let somebody else drive. I'm telling you what, at first it's gonna be uncomfortable. It may even feel unnatural because it feels very unnatural for me. But that's the point. You'll be surprised at how freeing it is to sit back, to breathe, and to actually engage with people around you. And I'm telling you, when I did this recently, it just brought so much deeper conversations because I was able to focus on on what we were being said and not on every turn in traffic flight. Okay, so sometimes surrendering a little bit of control allows that space for connection. And that's the kind of health, fellas, that we're trying that mental health that matters most. Okay. So there you go. There's your tip. Find that yourself on a road trip. Hand over the keys. Now, for your wealth tip, this is very simple. Christian Christianity 101. Be a good tipper, dog on it. Let's just be honest. Christians have your reputation of being stingy. Okay. You go ask anybody who works in the food service industry. The Sunday afternoon crowd is what no one wants. That's crazy. As followers of Christ, we got to change that, man. Generosity should just be flowing from us because everything we have is what? A gift from him. So I don't know what your floor is, but it should be around 15% bottom line. And that definitely ain't your ceiling. Aim for 20 or more. Okay. Especially if they're doing a good job and they're trying their best. You never know how that small act of generosity might just impact that worker in a way that maybe they're on double shift. They're just trying to make ends meet. And if you tip well, you ain't just leaving money. You're you're it's part of your testimony. You're you're growing, right? And people remind they remember that kindness so much more than words. And sometimes your tips speaks that's gonna speak louder than a prayer that you do before a meal. I'm just gonna tell you, okay? The prayer is important, but if that person that's serving you and they're trying their best and they see that you recognize that to be true, step up here. All right. Now, self-tip. I stole this from Jeff Fox Worthy, but that's okay. Encourage your wife daily. Let her know that she's the prettiest girl in the world every day. Make a point to tell her she's beautiful. I mean, sincerely tell her. Tell her she's the prettiest girl in the world and mean it. And you're gonna be amazed if you consistently do this what this is gonna do for your marriage. Because marriage needs encouragement. Life wears us down, life wears our wives down, but you have the words and the power to lift her up. Because she's still walking beside your butt. That means she's choosing you, and that choice deserves gratitude and affirmation. So don't assume that she just knows how you feel, guys. You gotta speak it, you gotta show it, you gotta live it. And just a few intentional words, it's gonna remind her that she is seen, she is loved, she is cherished, and that you're building a foundation stronger than any gesture could ever could ever do. So that's what it's all about, okay? So our three tips this week. Quick reminder if you struggle with the control, let others try. Be a good tipper. Let's be a good tipper. And then um for the self-tip, encourage your wife daily. I'm seriously, man. Tell her she's the prettiest girl in the world. She needs to hear that from you. If you don't remember any of the other tips, fine, but tell her that one. Text her right now. Has anyone told you you're the prettiest girl in the world? And then see how she responds, boys. All right. Now, book of the week this week. Big announcements for the lion within us. Obviously, you guys have probably heard some of it by now, but we have her book out, and I'm holding it up right here. But it's called Unleashing the Lion Within: Reflections on Leadership for Christian Men by yours truly. This is my first book. Pretty excited to have it here. Pastor Joby Martin wrote the forward for it, which is pretty stinking incredible if you ask me. I still don't not sure how that's possible, but Pastor Joby's awesome. You can get it at Amazon, guys. As of right now, we have an auto, uh, we have a print version, we have an ebook version for you guys who like to get the uh uh the the versions where you can just read, you know, like on a tablet or something. We've submitted an audible version. We're waiting for that to come through. Now, I'm my prayer is at the time of this recording when this drops, that it will be live. But right now it's not. So we're printing, we're pushing. Hopefully, Amazon can get that done. I've read the whole book. We've done all the edits, we've uploaded all the files. We're just waiting for them to get that out. So hopefully soon we'll have the audible version. But right here at this time of year, Thanksgiving's coming around the corner, Christmas is around the corner. I I would just ask you, please get a book, buy a lot of copies of the book. Share this is a great gift idea for the men in your life. Maybe for your men's group, you know, whoever you guys work with at church, go get them. We we're not making hardly anything off these books, guys. So it's not like a big moneymaker for us, but there's a lot of work that went into this, and there's lots here that can encourage you in your own discipleship journey. So please consider go getting a copy of it. Amazon's where everything's found. You're not gonna find it anywhere else. We publish through Amazon. So go check it out. Unleashing the line within Reflections on Leadership of Christian Men by Chris Granger. All right, guys. So dead joke time. Let's get to our dead jokes. Number one, I quit my job at the recycling center crushing cans. It was just too doggone depressing. So that was number one. Number two, how do you make a waterbed bouncy? Well, you fill it with spring water, of course. Come on now, fellas. So that's it. Number one and number two, let me know which one you like best. I quit my job at the recycling center crushing cans. It was just too depressing. And number two, how do you make a waterbed bouncy? Well, you fill it with spring water, all right? So by the way, thank you, Doug. I don't even know what to say about Doug. He is the most incredible guy. He's been a member of the Lion for as long as the Lion has been around. He sends me dad jokes all the time. They always hit at the right moment when I need them the most. Doug, I love you, brother. Thank you so much for sharing those each and every uh every time you do, and keep them coming. That's why you and Michelle have such a great marriage, is because, you know, you keep laughter at the center of it, and uh, it's just been a good lesson for me. So thank you, Doug, from the bottom of my heart, brother. All right, question of the week this week, guys, is where are you staying silent when God calls you to speak? And fellas, I mean, I don't know where where you are. I just know most of us have these moments where the spirit is nudging us and we're suppressing it. And it's time to stop that suppressing. You know, I mean, I I tried to do that with the lion for the longest time. I didn't I didn't want to start it. And God made it very clear, do this now. So you know what I did? I took the first step, and then the second, and then the third. And look, I don't know what's coming for the future for the lion. I just know we're here now, and I'm gonna keep doing whatever he tells me to do. John 2, 5. That's it. That's that's that's the whole strategy of the lion within us. You know, we have mastermind groups now, we have all these reading plans on the Bible out. We have a book out that Joe Pastor Joby Martin wrote to four or two. Are you thinking kidding me? Like, how is that even possible? But God, man. It's just him. I mean, we got 600 something podcasts out. We've got 2026, the first quarter is already booked out. It's just God's doing some great things, but they all start with little steps of obedience. And then and even me when I look at other ministry, I'm like, we're oh where we have so far to go. But I'm like, yep, I'm just gonna keep taking the next step. So where is he calling you to step? And where are you staying silent? Okay. All right, fellas, so that's it for this week. Thanks for hanging. You know, thelionwithin.us is where you can find us. Uh obviously get a copy of the book, Unleashing the Lion Within, Amazon only. Go to go to thelionwithin.us, start your daily spiritual kickoff, that's free. Sign up for the weekly roar, that's free. Start your 30-day free trial of our community, guys. You get a month just to try it out for free and see what it's all about. And guys, we're all we're talking 15 bucks here for the for uh uh the monthly subscription. I mean, let's be honest, you waste more than that probably on uh on gum or stuff like that throughout the month. I guarantee you spend a whole lot more on that on coffee. So if you just want to encourage the lion and support us, that's a great way to just do it right there. Put in an application for a leadership mastermind. It may not be the season for you yet, but our application process will help you test that and see all that's found at thelionwithin.us. If you would give us a rating review, that'd be awesome. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, as well as YouTube. That's the primary areas. We also put stuff on LinkedIn, but really uh Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube is where we spend most of the time. And other than that, guys, if I can encourage you in in any way, please reach out, let me know. I'm always just uh looking forward to opportunities to connect with others. The Bible app, all our plans there, they're great ways to connect with us there on the Bible app. So all those different ways, guys. So anyway, thank you so much for hanging out. Thank you so much for listening this week and just for supporting the lion. Just by listening to the show, you're supporting us. So thank you for that. And if I can encourage you in any way, please reach out. All right. Well, I hope you have a great day, great weekend, guys. Thanksgiving's coming up next week. I'm looking forward to hanging out with you, sharing uh a story that you may find surprising. As I went from the mountaintop to the valley pretty quickly, but hopefully you'll be encouraged. All right, guys, have a great day. Get after it and just keep unleashing the lion with it. Trying to find genuine resources to help grow spiritually can feel overwhelming. At least it was for me. For the longest time, the support that I was looking for didn't exist. And I knew I wasn't alone. And at the same time, God was leading me to take action. That's why we built the Lion Within Us community, which is simply a place for Christian men to grow together in an honest, practical way that's always rooted in God's word. We've made it simple. We have our daily spiritual kickoff for that little boost to get you going. We have Bible studies focusing on discerning truth and applying it. And we have a private forum where you can speak freely amongst other guys who listen. And then we have things like Friday Forge, Couples Night, where we kind of tackle the hard items that guys are craving to talk about, but most face settings just refuse to explore these areas. So our community is about a growth mindset, intentionality, and transparency. Simply put, leave the mask at the door and come back you are. No perfect resume, just a willing heart and a desire to lead. I believe in what we've built simply because I've seen God use it to strengthen so many men. And I'd be honored to walk alongside you. So if you're ready, visit thelionwithin.us to explore the community. Start your free trial. Look around and see how this could help you lead with clarity and courage. So your journey begins here at thelinewithin.us. I look forward to seeing you inside the den.