Welcome And Scripture Focus

Chris Grainger 1:43

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 Stranger. Let's jump in. All right, fellas, it's your fun Friday member spotlight. I'm excited to get into it. But before we go there, let's look at our scripture of the week. And that is in the book of Ecclesiastes, the 10th chapter, the 10th verse. Okay. It says if the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of bringing success. Okay. So that scripture, we took some time while you unpacked it in our spiritual kickoff episode. So back up to in your podcast feed, you'll find it there. And then hopefully you'll be encouraged by it. Which is all about how we simplify and apply God's word. And look, we do that Monday through Friday at the Lion Within Us. It's called our daily spiritual kickoff. So go to thelionwithin.us to get started with that. And uh guys, it's a great way to get encouraged each and every day. So I'm excited. I love these episodes because you guys get to meet some of the wonderful leaders within the Lion Within Us. And today, hey, I got a fun one for us guys. It's one of our brothers that's in our mastermind, and it's Benjamin Madison. So, Benjamin, how are you doing today, brother?

Benjamin Matteson 2:51

Well, I'm doing well, I think. Nice day off today, so.

Chris Grainger 2:56

There you go. Any day off works, a good day, right? Yep. Although I like work, so. There you go, buddy. There you go. Well, yeah, I mean, thank you for coming on and just sharing a little bit of your testimony with the guys. And maybe just start off with just letting them know a little about a little bit about you, man.

Finding Faith Without A Church Family

Benjamin Matteson 3:16

Well, um, man, what am I, 40, 42 years old. Uh I'm originally from Michigan. Um I'm currently spent the last 18 years, 19 years in in uh Southampton County, Virginia. Um really like it down here. Went from the second biggest city in Michigan to uh to uh the backwoods of Southampton County. So big difference there, huh? Oh yeah, oh yeah, but I love it. I can't do cities no anymore, so um, but I currently work with a sheriff's office, uh been there for 10 years, and I'm uh I'm an SRO at our high school, which I love, which is why I said I, you know, I enjoy work, but every once in a while it's nice to have a day off. There you go.

Chris Grainger 4:07

Well, how about your your your walk with Christ, man? Did you grow up in the church or how what has that been looked like for you?

Benjamin Matteson 4:13

Um I didn't I didn't grow up in the church. Uh I never went to church with my with my family. Um my mom encouraged encouraged us uh to have uh you know to have a uh a walk. Uh um you know, she always she always said, you know, there was a God. And you know, I I don't know if I've ever witnessed her praying or anything like that, but but she always said there was a savior and and encouraged us to find him. Um but you know, she just my dad wasn't always around and she was always working, and so we never we never went to church. Um I ended up going to church through with my neighbor across the street, and uh he took me to VBS at at the church and and then I started going with him every Sunday.

Chris Grainger 5:14

Okay. So and then that did did that continue like through your teen, teenage years and stuff?

Benjamin Matteson 5:20

Um yeah, until he got a divorce, and then uh then I had to wait until I got uh got my first car and then I you know went back to the church. So it's been pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. It's been pretty much since that time at VBS, probably when I was eight or nine years old. I went for four or five years with him, uh, with my neighbor, and he, you know, you know, when his marriage fell apart, that's when I stopped going. Then uh three or four years later I started I picked back up when I could drive.

Chris Grainger 6:01

So what does that look like? You know, your your discipleship journey. I mean, you were kind of by yourself going to a church, but you don't hear a lot of guy that happened a whole lot, but something kept you wanting to keep going back, apparently.

Benjamin Matteson 6:12

Um Well, I think it was one of uh my uh one of the teachers, the Sunday school teachers at at the church, um Brent Cook, he kind of he was my uh I I I guess I want to say quasi father figure, I guess, and that kind of made me want to keep coming back.

Chris Grainger 6:35

So um so a little bit of a mentor there. Yeah. Wow, okay. And then but I guess is that where you got saved at that church?

Benjamin Matteson 6:46

Yeah, um I I I think I did it on one of their call-outs uh on VBS. I don't know if it was the first year I was at VBS or the second year, but um it was one of those, I believe. And then I got uh I got baptized when I was 18 years old, so Okay. Or just after I turned 18.

Chris Grainger 7:11

So There you go, brother.

Benjamin Matteson 7:14

All of my all of my own villa, you know, I did it all because I wanted to.

Chris Grainger 7:21

Right. That's it. Nobody was forcing that on you, and it sounded like the spirit was working on you. Well, how'd you find a lion? Let's let's like fast forward a little bit to the last couple of years. How'd you get connected with us?

Benjamin Matteson 7:32

Um, I believe it was my wife's a part of the of a Facebook group called uh um Bless the Badge or one of those one of those female Facebook groups or police wives, I can't remember, but she had mentioned it to me because it was in her in her one of her feeds. And we are, you know, we were struggling a little bit, so right. You know, so we kind of you know, kind of it was kind of a blessing.

Chris Grainger 8:07

Right. Well, I mean, and that is a blessing because I mean on Facebook, that's where we I needed I needed a lot of help trying to figure out how to navigate that thing. But it sounded like God had his working and put some some of our material in front of her at the right at the right moment. She needed it most, man.

Benjamin Matteson 8:24

Yeah, I I mean I don't have a Facebook account anymore, so I don't know much about Facebook, but but yeah, I mean God God works in mysterious ways.

Chris Grainger 8:35

That's it, brother. Well, what what led you? I know when you got connected with this, we've had a lot of conversations, but what what intrigued you about the mastermind?

Why The Mastermind Mattered

Benjamin Matteson 8:44

Um I think it was just because you know my wife and I were going through a lot of stuff in our marriage, and and uh I know she had said, you know, she was praying for me to find a good group of guys um to get in with. And I mean my law enforcement brothers are are good, you know, they take a bullet for me, you know, and help me out however they can, but they're not always the the greatest Christians. So right. So Tiffany was uh my wife was praying for me and to find the group, you know, to find a group of guys and you know, I guess, you know, the Lord delivered.

Chris Grainger 9:28

There you go, brother. Well, what's been for you, what's been the most impactful part of being in the group?

Benjamin Matteson 9:35

Um probably just ha having a group of guys. Um you know, that doesn't doesn't judge, we'll give you some tough love and and just having having a group. I mean we got a text message feed that we can use and right you know, and I'm kind of excited about this new avenue that Masterman's going down with uh with the um new program. So and I'm kind of just getting into that. So But I think it's just the brotherhood.

Brotherhood, Platforms, And Growth

Chris Grainger 10:09

Amen, bro. That's what it's about, and and the new platform, man, we're so pumped on it for it too. So hopefully you're gonna enjoy that as that thing gets rolled out and you guys get more familiar with it. And if you if you have to look at the you know your past experience with the mastermind, has anything jumped out that's been challenging or difficult for you?

Benjamin Matteson 10:28

Um I think you know, we had a lot of turnover in our group. I don't I don't necessarily know why, um, but we lost, you know, we lost three or four guys um kind of abruptly. And right. Then we picked up some guys, and and it probably, you know, that was probably challenging, but once, you know, I think we've had this group of guys for a good three or four or five months now, so right. So that's that's nice and hey man.

Chris Grainger 11:01

And that's the hard part too, sometimes is getting the right jail. But once you get the right mix, man, it really is uh can be a powerful thing for sure.

Benjamin Matteson 11:10

Yes.

Chris Grainger 11:11

When you think about like just your walk with Christ, man, and and and not just specifically to the to the mastermind, but just in general, has the lion helped you at all with with with understanding the Bible or applying it? I'm just curious where do you think the biggest impact has been for you?

Challenges Of Group Turnover

Benjamin Matteson 11:28

Well, I think the biggest impact uh again is is just having the having the group of guys. Um I'm more of a loner. Um so it's nice to have a group of guys that to bounce things off of. And you know, I've been we've been in Virginia for you know 18 going on 19 years, but I haven't made a lot of friends, and I'm kind of a homebuddy, and I know a lot of people, but you know, through the job, but I don't think I'd consider most of them friends. Right. So and and I guess that's where the you know the mastermind brothers pick up. Amen, man. Well, I'm glad you're I mean I'm yeah. I've never met them in person, but but I mean, I'd consider them friends.

Chris Grainger 12:19

Amen. Yeah, I mean we we definitely you guys talk about some pretty deep things for around each other, and that's kind of that's rare these days. So uh, you know, if for and there may be guys listening, uh Benjamin, that are loners like you, maybe they guys that are in law enforcement like you, and and uh they haven't checked out the lion or or anything from our daily SKO to the community to the mastermind. Do you have anything you like to encourage that guy who's thinking who's listening right now?

From Loner To Trusted Friends

Benjamin Matteson 12:47

Yeah, well if if if I guess for the guy listening, if if you if you feel that you're like missing something, and I mean, and if you found found the lion, and I mean, might as well take the jump and see at what masterminds can do for you. I mean, it uh it really helped me. And like I said, it's just nice to have a brotherhood. I mean, I got I got two brotherhoods now, you know, my law enforcement brothers and sisters, and Nell the Lion brothers, so so that's that's nice. And I I just think it could really help you out and further your walk with Christ.

Chris Grainger 13:30

Amen, brother. Well, Benjamin, it's been just an honor to have you in it, and thank you so much for sharing. Anything else you'd like to share with the listeners today about you or or that's on your heart?

Benjamin Matteson 13:43

No, I mean just you know, you don't you don't have to be raised in the church because I certainly wasn't, and I mean I consider my mother a believer, but but I mean pretty much my walk is it was done, you know, because of a neighbor and because I wanted to, so you know, just because your family doesn't go to church doesn't mean you can. And who knows, you might, you know, your your walk might inspire them to to step out.

Encouragement For Men On The Fence

Chris Grainger 14:19

100%. 100%, brother. Well, thank you for sharing that and and for sharing your testimony and and guys again connect with guys like Benjamin right in the mastermind. So uh real quick, guys, before we wrap up, the the book of the week this week is that Strong27. That was that mentorship guide that that uh Ryan talked about. And then uh Ben, I got a couple of jokes I want to run by you, man. So we always do dad jokes every week, and that's part of the lion. So I'm gonna run these two by you and tell me which one hits you best, man. Okay. All right. All right, so the first one says, uh, the first one is actually, I I tell dad jokes, but I have no kids. I'm a faux pas. All right. So that's that's that one. And then the second the second one is, and the second one's well, I I I my wife didn't get it, but I love this one. Is what is Forrest Gump's favorite pasta? Do you know what that is, Benjamin? Uh no, sir. That's Panay.

Book Pick And Dad Jokes

Benjamin Matteson 15:15

That's pretty good. I kind of I kind of go with the first one because you know my wife and I haven't been blessed with with with children, but um so that one kind of speaks out to me a little bit more. But the other one's good as well. There you go.

Weekly Question And Closing Calls

Pray With Your Wife: Guide Invitation

Chris Grainger 15:32

I mean, I get it. I get it, man. I get it. That's it. So look, let us know which one you like, guys. You know, we do we do a poll every Friday in the in the lion. So first one is I tell dad jokes, but I have no kids, so I'm a faux pas. And no, and the second one is what is Forrest Gump's favorite pasta, and that's a panay. So let us know. And uh we got we have a dad joke officiano uh with Mr. Doug in our communities. He's always giving me dad jokes. And the question of the week is what are you swinging harder instead of sharpening first, fellas? So always be thinking like take the time to sharpen the saw before you go to work, man. It's uh so much easier that way. So, Benjamin, anything else you want to share today, buddy? Um, I don't think so. All right, man. Well, it's been an honor having you on, guys. Thanks for listening. Give us a rating and review, connect with us at the lionwithin.us, uh, join our mastermind. We'll put an application. That's the first step for the mastermind, or join the daily SKO, check us out on the Bible app, hop in the community, and uh other than that, guys, you can find us again, thelionwithin.us is where everything is found. So get after it, have a great day, just 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 right the ship when life starts to pull you off a course. So if you're ready, get access today at thelionwithin.us slash guides. That's thelionwithin.us slash guides. And start unleashing the lion within at home by leading your marriage through prayer.