Chris Grainger: 1:43

Welcome to The Line Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intends you to be. And I'm your host, Chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, guys, fun Friday episode. And we got the special member spotlight this week, and I'm super pumped for it. Before we get to that, though, the scripture of the week this week is 1 Timothy 5.8. It says, but if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he is denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. I'm not sure what worse than an unbeliever is, but it sounds pretty bad. So, guys, if I want to listen to that scripture and obey it, uh if you want to get take some time, uh back up in your podcast feed to the spiritual kickoff episode this week, where I took some time to unpack that verse at length. And remember, fellas, we do this Monday through Friday in the Lion Within Us community. It's called a daily spiritual kickoff. I just did it about an hour ago, as a matter of fact. I went through Psalm 1 this morning. So look, it's a great way to get your day started. So much better than anything you're going to find at Starbucks, boys. So, you know, check it out at the lionwithin.us and uh get started with your daily spiritual kickoff today. But for this one, this these these conversations are all about all about the guys. And for this, this one has got one of my core, just absolutely one of the most solid brothers in Christ that I know. Uh, anytime he texts me, it's a good day. Anytime we talk, it's a good day. Uh, his name is Lucas Jordan. So, Lucas, how are you doing today, brother?

Lucas Jordan: 3:05

Sweet. Thanks for the uh intro, Chris. Really appreciate it. Grateful to be here. Uh grateful to be a part of the podcast, the community, and uh the feeling is very mutual.

Chris Grainger: 3:16

So thanks. Man, I'm trying to remember how how long have we known each other? I feel like it's been like what, three or four years now.

Lucas Jordan: 3:23

Yeah, just uh about three and a half years have been a part of of the wine within us. So yeah.

Chris Grainger: 3:28

That's so awesome, man. Well, I I'm excited because you're you're you're uh just a natural encourager to so many guys, and I think this is gonna be the guys listening, they're just gonna be I I know they're gonna have a smile on their face because you always bring a smile to my face when you talk, man. So just share a little bit with the guys about you, buddy, a little bit about your background.

Lucas Jordan: 3:48

Yeah, I appreciate that. Um, yeah, so uh my name is Lucas Jordan. Uh I would describe myself uh as a fearless follower of Jesus. Uh I'm a husband, a leader, and a builder. Um I care uh deeply about honoring the Lord and all aspects of my life, whether that's my marriage or my work or relationships, community. Um I think putting putting Jesus first is something that has transformed uh my life. And so I try to try to live that out. Um my wife and I recently, well, not so recently, but about about three and a half years ago relocated to Utah. Um so it was a big move for for us. And um, you know, we've been we've been extremely blessed since since being here. So um we live live in Utah. It's just her and I. We have two cats and a new puppy, um, been married for about five years. And I would say that Jesus is the foundation of our marriage. And that that would that changes, you know, everything about everything. Um I I own and operate a construction company with my brother. Um, so we get to work and build uh houses. Uh I love working with my brother and creating some really unique and cool projects. Um yeah, I'm pretty passionate about that. I'm also passionate about you know building a strong business culture and casting a vision and being able to serve my my team well, you know. Um I love to be outdoors. Utah is very set up for that, so outdoor activity, uh kind of going on adventures. Um, but I love connecting with my my community too. Got a great uh church community here, um you know, other men, uh, my wife has other ladies and couples that we get together with, and that that has just been huge for us. So really uh grateful for the community here, very impressed uh by the other other people that live here and the people that we found and been able to do life with. Um and I would just say like overall that I I really love people well. Um I take responsibility seriously, and uh I handle the details in life. Um my faith, like I said, is very important to me, and I stay rooted in that, connected to the vine, and that allows me to grow as a man, uh, as a husband, and as a leader.

Chris Grainger: 6:28

Amen, brother. And when you say love people well, fellas, I mean, I'm here to tell you, I thought I like folks. Lucas loves some folks. I mean, you just you I've never seen you in a meeting where you're not loving on and you're gently caring about others, man. Have you always been that way, Lucas?

Lucas Jordan: 6:44

I'd say not so much. Um, you know, my my walk with the Lord uh had an encounter with with Jesus in 2020, uh, which radically transformed my life. Uh one one verse that I I really uh live by, call it a life verse, if you will, but 2 Corinthians 5 17, and it's therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. And so my life very much experienced that. I was one way, encountered Jesus, now I'm a different way. So I can't say that I always uh had like a passion for for people. I think there there was that deep down, but uh, you know, other circumstances in my life didn't allow me to necessarily act on that, if that makes sense.

Chris Grainger: 7:36

Total sense, man. Because you you were originally East Coast, right?

Lucas Jordan: 7:40

Yeah, originally from Connecticut.

Chris Grainger: 7:41

Uh Connecticut.

Lucas Jordan: 7:43

You know, and uh yeah, never never really heard the gospel um until 2019. Like actually heard the gospel. So um, you know, just grew up and uh didn't know Jesus, didn't know that I could have a relationship with Jesus. And so I think that limited my ability to have relationship with others too, you know, because ultimately we're we're selfish, you know. I know I know I am, and so I kind of lived lived as that.

Chris Grainger: 8:11

So your testimony is incredible. You and your marriage. I didn't know you had a puppy. What kind of puppy you got, man? You need you gotta tell me these things.

Lucas Jordan: 8:20

Yeah, the puppy's a new edition. We're we're going on uh let's see, 12 days with the puppy. So got a little little chow. Uh okay, and she's just yeah, she's loving the snow. We're uh we're actually getting ready for about 20 inches of snow today. So she just goes out, dives right in the snowbank, and and just posts up there. So it's pretty fun to watch.

Chris Grainger: 8:44

See, this is the difference between uh North Carolina boy and you, Lucas. So, like, if you were to say we're gonna get 20 inches of snow today, there would be sirens going off in the background. I mean, people would be running around their heads off. North Carolina, we're just not used to that. And you're just like, yeah, we're gonna get 20 inches of snow today, you know. And you just like that's just a normal part of your sentence, brother.

Lucas Jordan: 9:07

It's uh it's long overdue. I think everybody's uh been itching for a little snow here. So they actually pushed the uh the ski mountains open later than than normal this year. So everybody's waiting for this storm. This is the first one of the year. It's the first one. Okay, makes sense.

Chris Grainger: 9:25

Well, you got please, if you can, uh just keep it out there, bro. I don't do well in the snow. So just uh I'll come I'll come see you if I want to see snow. No doubt, no doubt. Love it, man. Well, I mean, I know one of the things that you've been a just an integral part of, Lucas, is the development of our mastermind groups. You know, you've been you've been one of the OGs. I mean, from the the original ones we started and tried and learned from to what it is now, and and maybe just kind of walk us through and what led you to to the masterminds and why why do you enjoy them so much, man?

Lucas Jordan: 10:00

Yeah, no, great question. Um, I would say so introduced to Jesus 2020, um, you know, shortly after that, I was just seeking, uh searching for for real community. Um, I knew I knew that I wanted uh solid men that were walking with the Lord uh to come around me. I had some examples in my life that um did did exactly that, but I was I was looking for a little bit more. You know, like I said, we my wife and I got married living in Connecticut. Um, and so there's a reason that I didn't hear the gospel uh for the first uh 30 years of my life. Um and so I knew that I needed community when we were living there. Um and I was having a tough time finding it locally. Um and so, you know, just started searching on the internet, found a podcast, got connected uh with you, with the community, and then through that got connected with uh the mastermind groups. And I think uh initially, like you said, just was very much a part of of the group and and looking to grow, looking to come alongside other men. There's something powerful when when men are praying for one another, when we're walking alongside one another. And so I wanted to experience that, be a part of that, and then it kind of developed into um a little bit of a leadership role and actually facilitating um a group. And I think that just came from you know, naturally wanting to carry this responsibility and clarity and having in the heart to serve others, you know. Uh there's just um I really get pretty fired up um when I'm able to see another man like walk in the identity that God has for him because I know the power and the impact that it's had on my life. And so when I see that happen in another man's life, it's just it's it's great, it's powerful, you know.

Chris Grainger: 12:06

100%, man. And you you've and you've had some great guys you've led and been a part of. I and I I know some of the conversations because you brought me in on on some of them have just been life-changing and and so impactful. But what what do you see has been the biggest impact?

Lucas Jordan: 12:23

Yeah, um I think the biggest impact just simply is the brotherhood. Um, you know, having a m a circle of men who genuinely uh care for you, they're walking with you, um, you know, they're praying for you. They're also challenging you. You know, I think I think that was like the big part for me is I I didn't have anybody in my life that would challenge me. And maybe that was because I wasn't, you know, welcoming that. But um once I did invite that in, there was a real opportunity for some growth there. I think uh also impact is just the consistency of showing up together every other week, you know, sharpening one another, knowing that I'm not carrying the weight of life, marriage, business alone. You know, sharing that burden with another brother has been really um really powerful for me. And I've personally uh seen seen God use the group to strengthen my marriage, um, my walk with the Lord, and also my my business. You know, I'm able to take some of those tools, some of those suggestions, conversations that we've had, and apply that to my own life. And so that's been that's been huge for me.

Chris Grainger: 13:41

That's awesome, Bella. I you know if if you look back, what's been the hardest part or the most most or even had the most hatewins?

Lucas Jordan: 13:51

Yeah, um, I think like with anything, you know, just the initial startup, I think staying vulnerable and and being honest, you know, especially when it comes to personal struggles, yeah, uh, marriage challenges, areas of weakness, it it can be tough to like let my guard down, let another brother in, you know, and the enemy wants to keep me alone and isolated. Right, you know, and so um he wants to do whatever he can to just keep me isolated, keep me alone, keep me in my own thoughts. But once I'm able to let my guard down, you know, share some of those things, okay, that wasn't so bad. I just shared this like thing that I was carrying that was so heavy, and this guy didn't even like blink, bat an eye, or he's not looking at me any differently. He's actually loving on me. Yeah. And and so I think that initial just wanting to be or needing to be vulnerable, being a little bit uncomfortable. I think another challenge uh for me is just just balancing time and priorities. You know, um can life can get pretty busy and making sure that I show up consistently while you know still managing uh caring for my marriage, for my wife, for our home, you know, for my work, um, and then you know, being there for for the guys as well.

Chris Grainger: 15:14

So I mean you're it's making a big impact for sure. I and when you think about you directly and you and your your and your wife and your people your people in in your career, how do you see uh these conversations making the biggest impact with your walk of Christ? Because you're leading a lot of things, man. You're you're in a massive leadership position wherever you're at.

Lucas Jordan: 15:37

Yeah. Um I would say the the the impact uh has really like strengthened my own personal walk with with the Lord. You know, it's challenged me to get outside myself, you know, uh think about somebody else, care for somebody else, serve somebody else. Yeah. Um, I think uh it's it's just a space where where God has been invited into every conversation that we're having. And so it kind of reminds me of that uh Romans 12, too, right? Where it says, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. And so just like this renewal of our minds, you know, and I think um just experiencing that through through the mastermind group, through the other guys, they just challenged me um to grow as a leader. And like I said, like being able to take conversations or suggestions or input from other guys and actually apply it to my life has been has been huge, you know. Amen.

Chris Grainger: 16:50

So well, I mean, Lucas, there's probably guys listening, you know, and they they haven't taken that step to check out our daily spiritual kickoff or the community or put in an application for the mastermind. So for the guys listening that maybe just on the fence of even checking out anything from the lion, you know, why but why would you why would why why should he consider joining something like we do, uh particularly the masterminds? Um you know, what what would you say to that guy?

Lucas Jordan: 17:17

Yeah, that's a great, great question. Um I would just say if you if you're thinking about joining, just give it a shot. You know, I mean, uh it it's a place where men are honest, supportive, focused on growing, and not just in business or success, uh, but in faith, family, and and our character, you know, and so I think I think that you'll be challenged to think bigger, lead better, and rely on God. Um, and those things can be a little uncomfortable, but it but it's where during that uncomfortability that that growth can happen, you know, and so I would just say if you if you're on the fence, just just give it a shot. Um, you know, you'll you can always go back to how it was before, you know. But if if you miss if you miss the opportunity in front of you, you'll just you'll just never know, you know. And so um that's what I had to do. That's what a lot of guys had to do that are part of the group that I'm currently in. And uh I just see the impact that that has on them, you know, and the relationships that are formed, the the growth that happens. And um yeah, we're just we're we're a brotherhood in there, you know. It's it's cool. I enjoy, I look forward to the calls. You know, I look forward to hearing from these guys. I mean, we just recently had Thanksgiving and to hear hear their experience, and it's like, okay, yeah, yeah, we we did some of that too, you know. Yeah, it was crazy too. So it just, hey, I'm not alone. And it's it's so much nicer going through life with with brothers, you know.

Chris Grainger: 19:00

Well, and and one of the biggest things I would tell you guys listening, you get to hang out with awesome guys like Lucas. And I mean, Lucas, you it's just been you know, you should I think uh you there's so much value you as one of our facilitators brings to to the groups because you one, you absolutely love folks. You genuinely care, you're you're leaning in, you're you're you're grounded in God's words. So I just want to just keep encouraging you, brother, just keep doing what he's calling you to do. And you're uh it's just been a it's been a blessing in my life just to be able to call you a friend. I just want that, just want you to know that, man. And uh so just thank you so much for everything you do for us, bud.

Lucas Jordan: 19:37

Yeah, I appreciate that. Your uh your words are too kind, the feelings very mutual. I mean, um, you know, you took a you took a chance on on a guy that uh was pretty pretty broken, pretty tore up, and just kind of loved on me well and uh surrounded me, you know, created an environment where other guys could love on me well. And so um I'm forever grateful for for the lion within us, for the community, for you, um, for the vision that you have, and and truly for your obedience um to the Lord, the example that you set week in, week out, and uh just what it is to be a real man that that seeks after Jesus, you know.

Chris Grainger: 20:19

That's awesome, bro. Well, thank you, man, so much. And before we wrap up today, Lucas, we're gonna go through a couple things for our guys because they're used to our fun Fridays, man. We always throw a book out and some dad jokes. I'm gonna run some of them by you. Uh the book of the week, though, guys, you know, another shameless plug, uh, Unleashing and Lion Within. But I'm actually gonna throw this one out. Go get the audible version because I I've we I don't know if you guys know this or not, but if you go to Amazon and just search for Unleashing and Line Within, I did an audible version of the book as well. So I recorded it. I think it's like it's like five hours. It's it's way too long. But it's it's just it's a lot of a lot of me talking. The cool part is you can you can two exit, guys, three exit if you need to and get through it. But uh it's some good stuff there, fellas. Go check out that audible version. I'd be great to do that. Uh and our dad jokes I would say, I would say it's some great stuff. You can you can take out the good and just add a great. There you go, brother. It's definitely it was a lot of work uh getting that out there, guys. So I'd be honored if you check that out on Amazon. Uh, but I got a couple of dad jokes for you, Lucas. I want to see which one. And and the first one, I put this together because I knew that I was gonna be working with you, and you're uh you build homes, you're with you're doing a lot with lumber. So uh what's do you know what size the lumber was that they used to build the ark?

Lucas Jordan: 21:36

Know what size the lumber was to build the ark. No. Okay, so it wasn't four by fours, it was two by twos.

Chris Grainger: 21:46

There you go. That's good. That's good. That's good. There you go, man. I did that one just for you. Now the second one. The second one is uh which minor prophet is well known thanks to cookies?

Lucas Jordan: 22:00

Well known thanks to cookies. Hmm. I'm gonna go with uh Malachi.

Chris Grainger: 22:09

Well, close. Famous, a famous Amos.

Lucas Jordan: 22:13

Oh, famous Amos. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Great. That's yeah.

Chris Grainger: 22:19

There you go, fellas. So remember those dad jokes, they are not supposed to always they don't always lead to a laugh, but if it leads to an eye roll, that's okay too. So the number one is what size does the lumber maid used are. That's two by twos. And number two is which minor profits well know thanks to cookies. That's famous Amos. So fellas, we put those, by the way. If you like the dad jokes, we put them in our community every Friday, and the guys can vote on which one they like. And I've heard several, I don't know if you do this, Lucas, but I think uh Steven told me. One of the guys told me they always, or maybe it was Jay, they always run them by their wife, and then whichever one she she you know gives the nod on, that's when the one that they vote for.

Lucas Jordan: 22:58

I uh I do have to I do have to say I've I've definitely used some of the the jokes, uh dad jokes, and just run them by a couple of the guys at work or whatnot. And I get the eye rolls. That's right. We're good.

Chris Grainger: 23:12

That's it. All right, fellas. Well, look, your question of the week win though, fellas, is what pressure do you feel about providing? And we all are out there, we're we have we feel the need to provide, preside, preside over our families, and and uh guys, that that pressure's real, but we got to recognize who is in charge at the end of the day. So hopefully the the things we've talked about this week, the encouragement from guys like like Lucas right here is gonna encourage you in your walk. So Lucas, anything else you'd like to share today, brother?

Lucas Jordan: 23:40

No, just just grateful for you, grateful for this community, and uh love to love to see some more guys out there. Come come join the mastermind group. If uh, like I said, if you're on the fence, let's go. There's a seat for you.

Chris Grainger: 23:53

Amen. Put at least put an application. There's no no risk there. Put an application for it, guys. All that can be found at the lionwithin.us mastermind. So you can check that out there. But Lucas, man, this has been awesome, brother. Thank you so much for hanging out today and sharing your testimony. And just uh anytime I get to spend time with you is a good day, man. So thank you again. Likewise, thanks, Chris. Appreciate you. All right, guys. So head over to thelionwithin.us, check us out there, give us a rating and review on for this podcast, uh, share it without with others, particularly with your uh fellow brothers in Christ. You know, this is what this is all about. And again, thelionwithin.us is where you find all our resources the Bible app, the book, all everything we're doing within our Lions Den community, the daily SKO, the masterminds, it's a lot going on. So it can all be found over there at that website, guys. So check us out. Have a great day, get after it, and keep unleashing the lion within. If there's one habit that can change a home, it's this when a husband prays with his wife, not because it's a magic formula, but because it recenters your marriage under God's authority and care. And let's be honest, a lot of guys want to do it, but most don't know how to start without it feeling awkward. Maybe you've tried it before and it felt forced, or maybe you've never tried it because you don't even know what to say. Or maybe you're thinking, man, I'm not a pastor, I'm just a guy. And that's why we created this guide. It's our how to pray with your wife. Simple guide. It's biblical, it's practical, and it's designed to help you start praying with your wife in a way that actually feels natural. So it's a five-section guide and it gives you a simple framework to get started. Okay, it makes sure everything is grounded in scripture and it also has a powerful PDF that you can pull up whenever you need, especially when things get off, because they're gonna get off. That's normal. So this is all about reclaiming your marriage and reclaiming the spiritual leadership reigns of your home because praying with your wife is one of the strongest ways to fight for unity, to build trust, and to write the ship when life starts to pull you off a course. So if you're ready, get access today at thelinewithin.us slash guides. That's thelionwithin.us slash guides and start unleashing the line within at home by leading your marriage through prayer.