Welcome, Scripture, And Community

Chris Grainger 1:10

Welcome to the line within us, a podcaster and Christian men who are hungry to be the leader as God intends you to be. I'm your host, Chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, boys. This is your fun Friday member spotlight. So we're going to get right into it before we go introduce our member. Our scripture the week this week is Colossians first chapter, it's two verses of verse 13 and 14. I unpacked that verse in our SKO episode, guys. Talked about that transferral, uh, talked about the uh redemption, the forgiveness, and kind of really focused on on those areas. So hopefully you are encouraged by that. Uh, we also have the the spiritual kickoff Monday through Friday at the Lion Within Us, guys. It's called a daily SKO. We have a lot of fun with that. Uh, and if you can make it live, which is we got tons and tons of guys that are making it live now, which is pretty incredible. Uh, guys, it's all just a way we try to serve you. And if you can't make it, we put those videos every day. It's within the lion within us. Uh, and also it gives you access to our prayer request space where we're praying with guys every day throughout the day, all through the week, and we have a weekly prayer call as well. So thelionwithin.us is how you find all that stuff, guys. So excited to introduce our new member or one of our members to you guys, Jonathan Murray. So, what's going on, John? How you doing, buddy? Doing all right. How are you, Chris? My brother from another mother. Younger brother from another mother. There you go. There you go, man. So no, I'm excited to have you here. You're you're definitely just been a blessing to the line since you joined and and and coming to so many of our events that we have throughout the week, and now you're in a mastermind. But before we get to any of that stuff, man, just yeah, tell get the little the listeners out there a little bit of your background and your testimony.

Divorce, Rescue, And A New Mission

Quitting Porn And Finding Help

Masterminds, Wounds, And A Paul

Jonathan Murray 2:58

Uh my testimony, I was I was born again at 24. Uh 24. Okay. My co-worker gave me a book about angels. Uh compelled me to read the Bible cover to cover. I started with the New Testament first, and then I read the old. Um, on that Bible, there's a church record page, and back at 24, I was I something resonated with me, and I was compelled to write chapter and verses that meant something. So at that age, at 24, I left my wife 1010, 24, and took everything uh needed to start over. And that Bible was something that I accidentally left there, just missed it. And she gave me that Bible back uh like a month after I left. She didn't throw it out. She could have, but she didn't. That reason I I left is because uh, well, we were in an open marriage and it just wasn't good. Um so a year ago on our anniversary, well, actually, not a year ago, my time is a little off. Um I was saved on my anniversary date for my 27th wedding anniversary. Um, Holy Spirit higher power moment, um, we had a fight and it was just done. Um I didn't know at the time what was going on, but that Bible that she gave me back uh in the process of going through the divorce, I got back and saved, and I told her, I'm like, why don't we just start reading this, these chapter and verses, you know, what from the top down, oh I'll start from the top down, it's just start the bottom up. And we got back into the word. I did. And at 24, whatever those chapter and verses that resonated actually was like a record for my life at 52 on what not to do and how to repair and restore lives. Um my profile changed, my profile on the lion, when I started, and it was sane for months, read about me online. Actually, it was on the UVersion Bible app to um divorced after 27 years, 29 years ago, was born again. Temptation fueled my marriage, not Christ. Christ fuels me now. Okay. Now, I just changed it. I just changed that profile. And the reason I changed that profile is because of my first, well, my second hot seat on the lead in the leadership mastermind group. Um, I just had it this past month. Um my first leadership mastermind group, I was uh it was back in September. Uh Stephen Morris was the facilitator. Um and I had to get out of it, get more into that a little bit later. But my new profile reads 52 years old, born again at 24, saved at 52. Now that's 52 years old, it's not change docks. I'm almost 53. End of March. Um divorced and working on restoring relationship with my 25-year-old son, Nathan. Working with his mother, Brandy, on forming a ministry after that has been done. Look Up or Look Away Ministries, LLC was formed as a first step. Just a concept of putting together our stories of redemption to help lead others to Christ. Our son Nathan is our first prayer on him being the first from our actions to be that other led by learning from his parents shining Jesus' light every day. Unlike before when we were married in an open relationship. That's completely inspired in redirection from my brothers in that meeting. So that's my profile now. And I changed it on my UVersion Bible app as well. Um 31 weeks ago, Chris, on the UVersion Bible app, and I know because I looked, I found a plan. And I found a plan because I was compelled with the power of the Holy Spirit back then to go cold turkey on watching pornography. It just woke up one day and said, I'm done. And I found an app online, just found an app on my phone. A couple of them, tried them out, finally found one that worked. And I go in there every day, once a day, to remind and to honor God to reset that lock so that I have no access to it. I haven't watched it for I don't even know how long. But after that, compelling and and doing that, I'm like, I need some needs some help. And uh on the U version Bible app, there's Debos, and there's just one out there that says, I'm just a guy battling pornography. I'm like, whoa, pornography is on the Bible app. That's I gotta pay attention to that. So I did that plan. And uh I come in that plan is the link to the lion. I joined up, I got a meeting with you, you helped me out with my son and gave me some advice on writing a letter, you know, keeping trying to restore that relationship. And that was July 23rd, last year. Now, Chris, when did you break your ankle? Uh yeah, right after a few days later. Yeah, yeah, exactly. So a few days later, yeah, on on the mighty app, there's a picture of your broken ankle. And I'm like, what? Oh, come on. It's just there's no way this has just happened. But it was, and I didn't it didn't hit me. I was like, no way, that's that's that's devastating. I don't know if anybody's ever seen that picture, but I did. That was nasty, dude. Anyways, yeah. Um, what made me lean in more with the line was the fact that the next dad, uh, a brother, Rick Fletcher, drive down from New Jersey to give you a little dolly to help you walk around. And um, I was like, man, that's that's something. And I was like, I gotta lean in on this more. And you have so much content out there as podcasts. I'm like, let me just randomly pick one. I couldn't, I can't figure out which one. There's so many. I just scrolled. I'm like, I'll pick that one. It was an hour-long episode about pornography and sexual integrity and sexual purity, and and that was um, I think it was Nick Stumbo from Pure Desire Ministries. And he talked about this Conquer Series group. Uh it was a great episode, and it compelled me to Google Pure Desire Ministries and find out that there's a local group that I can go to. I can also do it online and say hundred bucks, but local group that's gotta buy the book, Conquer Series book, 40 bucks. I'm in. At the same time, I can go into a leadership mastermind group with Alliance. Um it was great. Um that group was important, and in that group was the Conquer series. During that 10-week process, actually, before that 10-week process, another podcast episode uh I found on the line was something uh from Justin Smith, Beyond the Line Ministries. Yeah. And anybody knows that's on the in the dead now that is part of the sexual integrity uh support group knows who Justin Smith is. He's a facilitator that that means a month. Uh and we only had one meeting, uh, and it was great. And he talked about this dig deep journal that he's part of his uh ministry that he got from the Conquer series. So Stone's ties right there. Yeah, but I was like, well, Holy Spirit timing again, Holy Spirit God moment. And I actually have a text from uh that's from Justin and I from 913 at 2025, and then a phone call that I had about. He thanked me a couple days later, and I didn't remember now all that until he came back on the line. I'm like, God, is that it saying bye? It was like and I'll touch him again, I'm like, wow, that's awesome. Um, so just in that, just with the content to put out there in his two podcasts, I was you know, influenced, and now it's even more uh influenced by what's going on with what you have going on. Um in my uh going back to my first leadership mastermind session with uh with you guys and Stephen and that um I had to get out of that because it was too much. I had a Bible study going on at my church, uh this LM Leadership Mastermind group, and then the Conqueror series. It was all just a little too much. So I did a couple up, I did a couple, uh I did a hot seat with the first leadership mastermind group. You actually did a teaching session in that, so I got so much out of it. Um one thing that I learned out of it is that I need some sharpening, like a lot. Uh so out of that first one was uh to help me with my wounds uh growing. And one of them was uh something to do with my father. Um one of the things I wanted to do that that they covered was I wanted to change my last name because it was something my son did uh on Facebook after I left his his mom. And uh it just poured into me. It was it was awesome. And that led me into um realizing you know, I had a great dad, also takes care of me to this day. He's just he's just a poor he's just a poor Christian, and I didn't get that Christian upbringing that I really needed. Um so realizing that out of the leadership mastermind group, you had an SKO the one day about do you have any polls in your life? And I was like, you know what, I don't, but there's one guy out there that I listened to multiple events, like you said, I'm uh uh it was Bunky Griffith. Um God bless, uh, that I was able to use the Lion app and message him and ask, hey, can you be a Paul to me? And he he took me up on it. Uh and he lives in Delaware. I I live in Pennsylvania. He took one day and drove three hours to hang out with me. And that's all just because of the lion. And you know, he discipled me, he poured into me. It was awesome. Um, he turned me on to this. Can I pray for you? It's just amazing. Prayer request. Hold on, I get to copy. There you go. Um the prayer request that I had for him and what he helped me with, I then put out on the lion. And I had I've obviously meeting with my pastor. I I opened up my pastor, I put prayer requests with him. I did want ten, I prayed for you. Um, the importance of prayer requests board and all that is just amazing. I put out prayer requests for uh helping me with my sexual purity and integrity. And stuff was going on in my life that that prayer was answered literally within two days. And it was like that. It was just amazing um how the prayer request board worked, or just how prayers just work. Um I can go into another instance on just in the lion, a prayer request. Uh, a brother through a Bible study through the lion was was out of trouble in his marriage. He needed to get out of where it was at. And I was, you know, I'm moving. This is my last day here at my apartment. I'm moving to the back to where I was, saving some money. Um and I said, I said to him, like, dude, you need to need somewhere to go. Come hang out here. And that was that was an amazing experience. You know, he came here from New Jersey, hung out, and he was trying to find a job to try and get some money to get back to Texas to get back to his wife. And, you know, I it was he was gonna be here for a month, and he's interviews, and he was gonna get some help. And but God, through prayer requests, he was here a week, maybe, and gone back to Texas. Right. Right. And but, you know, that's just prayer requests all over the the he put them out there, it just happens, and I was part of it. It was just amazing. And sitting here with him for a week, helping him through his struggles, he helping me with my struggles. You know, I was able to give him the book that you that you mentioned in uh one podcast episode you had about Fatherwood's, a book by Patrick Morley, From Broken Boy to Mother Man. I bought the audible version of that, life-changing. It was me. Everything in there was me. Um same thing with the other brother. That's all through the prayer request board. It's just amazing. And that spiked my interest, all that stuff to get back into leadership mastermind. Yeah. Um, I also knew, you know, Steve Morse was a facilitator, but I also knew Adam Rushing was a facilitator. Adam Rushing's part of the Bible studies uh he does Saturday mornings. Amazing. Uh back in, I don't know what it was. It was back before the the line blew up, and there's so many more members now. Uh we did a Saturday morning Bible study, and it was just him and I. He didn't have to do it. It's just me. I don't think we're gonna showed up. And he has his kids in the background, he has the process of selling. It was where he won't try to sell his house, too. Um and we did these member spotlights, and his episode came up. And just if you had, guys, if you haven't watched his episode, it's the reason why I got back in the leadership master flight. I stopped like halfway in, and I'm like, uh let me message Chris and see if he has any available spots. And luckily enough, Adam still had a spot, had a spot, had one spot available at 6 a.m. And I took it. So glad I took it because that's why my profile changed uh from that second hot seat uh episode uh yeah, awesome experience. Uh, I mean Adam's a facilitator. The first facilitator I had was Stephen Morris. Awesome, absolutely great, and um, you know, going back into it, I could have gone back there, but you know, after finding out Steven's a Yankee fan, I'm just right. Yeah. Um, but out of that that first experience just made me like want to get back into it. And the Holy Spirit allowed that to happen. I have um issues with my family and my son that without the power of the Holy Spirit and the lion and having a community of brothers to help me along. You know, I haven't talked to my son over a year. I've sent him messages, you know, I sent him letters like you suggested. Um he has a good relationship with his mother. I've now reestablished a relationship with his mother, Randy, and I found out that a request that I had from my family, as if, you know, any of them, my mom, my dad, my brother, my extended family ever gets any contact with my son to just let me know. That's it. That's all I requested from my family. And I found out that since the end of October, my father's birthday, his birthday's on Halloween, um he's been talking to him. Through getting contact from my brother, my brother's uh professed atheist. Uh he asked in a text if it was okay that he start communicating with my son way back before October. And I told him no. I was like, I pretty appreciate no, and gave him some scripture. And you know, maybe that wasn't the best thing because he came back with a text that was okay, I'll let you and your God handle that. Um that was eye-opening. I'm like, okay. And knowing that now, I'm honest to tell you that it does not affect me at all. There's not, there's no anger, there's no malice. I'm actually glad and happy that that is the way it's been. I have peace and comfort over this whole situation. Um, the restoration of relationships is my goal. And if that's what my son had to do, I understand it. And the fact that my family respects my son so much to grant him his wish and not tell me just shows that you know what, the son is a better man than me. And I can't wait to restore that relationship. And now I have Christ first and centered in it going forward. Amen, bro. And uh helping him get saved, hopefully leading him to Christ. He but he believes in guardian angels. That's something I I that's a good thing, because that's how I got saved was by a book about angels. So he's 25. I was 24, 25. Um, I see the light. I'm gonna be the light. And uh I thank you, Chris, and all the brothers in the lion for helping me. Sean.

Chris Grainger 22:47

Absolutely, brother. And we're pretty we're praying for that restoration with you and your son for sure. I mean, that's a regular for us. So important. I know it's gonna happen too. I mean, just because of the work you're you're you're you're leaning in hard and you're you're doing it, you're showing up, you're making the changes, and yeah, if you think about, you know your walk, you've shared so much about it.

Prayer Requests And Real-World Breakthroughs

Jonathan Murray 23:09

Uh maybe what's been the hardest part of from the lion standpoint and the masterminds uh for you personally the once and need of control in my everything um is mind boggling uh and getting that just smacked in my face all the time not just from leadership master my group but just leaning in and going through these events seeing the prayer quest seeing everybody else that's there now opening up um it just goes back to my giving it to God the control was and is still a daily struggle for me. Um but leaning in and being in a group of of men that just do that and seeing the results makes it easier.

Chris Grainger 24:21

Amen amen to that and maybe there's probably a listener John that's uh you know they've been sitting on the sidelines they're on the fence and they they haven't you know taken a step to either join the Lions then or to check out a mastermind you know just being a little bit passive but they're being encouraged what would be your encouragement to that guy to take a step to to to lean in peace and comfort I was not I did not have that and starting with uh just you know I had I have a friend he he's the one that introduced me to the U Version Bible app and he's like you know share the time little app on your phone start there you have so many plans out there you put so much out there's something out there for some but I mean you cover so much I mean mine was mine was unique uh so uh and I know there's a too unique though because there's a lot of guys who download that plan man so yeah it's not too unique yeah it's it's it's funny though because you know getting into that realm and the conquered and all that the portrayal trauma it's just it's just a word is enough to trigger um so it's just that struggle for for men it's just that just a word is enough like thoughts will go and you gotta stop that.

Jonathan Murray 26:07

So but there's other plans out there I mean the anxious plans the you just put one out I can't wait for uh the the phone you know yeah for the phone yeah the phone you know um and in fact if you just keep doing uh ever just there's gonna be something out there just start there because if you start there you're leaning in in the Bible and then start doing the SKO it's free I mean it's free hello right and that daily I I try to do I try to get it live you know the job I have it allows me to do that a lot most times but then if I don't I always catch up on the the replay yeah I suggest that's another way to to lean in through scripture with what you do every day.

Restoring Family Bonds Without Control

Dad Jokes, Weekly Question, And Next Steps

Chris Grainger 27:03

Amen brother that's right I mean there's lots of ways guys to get started and John we we're blessed to have you with us in the mastermind groups you're making us better you and and I know uh Adam and the group that you're in they're they're pushing you as well so uh just keep leaning in brother I mean this is it's such good just uh to hear how God's moving your life you know before we wrap up anything that you'd like to share today I'm got some dad jokes and stuff I just want to make sure we covered everything that's important to you brother I no I think I covered it all I took notes and I covered thank you all right brother well look uh guys our book of the week is the gospel truth according to John so this is the different different John there so uh guys check that out uh and I got a couple of dad jokes for for you John so let's let's run them by you and see which one uh lands so uh there's a there's a rule that you should never date a tennis player you know why okay well because love means nothing to them okay all right all right so that's that's one that's one all right so second one is how many stormtroopers does it take to change a light bulb it's gotta be good no I have no idea well you don't use any because they're all on the dark side you know yeah it's that one totally totally that's that one all right guys uh so let us know we do it we do a poll every Friday fellas uh with our dad jokes so uh you get to vote on it we got some guys who they want to run it by their spouse before they vote but uh yeah John's going with number two i'm i i'm i'm with you i think that's pretty good one there man so our question of week guys is where are you pretending you don't need rescuing from darkness fellas if you're trying to fight the devil in the dark and you're getting your butt kicked just stop wondering why I mean you got to lean in you got to get into the light and that's one thing we do at the lion very well is just help you guys step into the light and spread the truth where that darkness takes over so John thank you so much for sharing today and just for being on brothers just it was an honor. Thank you Chris all right brother well guys thanks so much for listening hit us up the lionwithin.us rate us review us all that fun stuff john already mentioned a few times but head over to you to Bible app open that thing up follow us we have a big following there God's been blessing that in a mighty way uh so we we're trying to put about two plans out a month guys so uh just that whole I'm just a guy series is it it's it's exploding it's it's expanding on a regular basis the the writing's hard but it's meaningful uh it's it's it's something from the heart and the topics come from John I'll tell you the topics come from the lion I mean it do I put polls out all the time asking guys what should we write about next so if you want some influence and some input on what on on topics that are important to you connect with us and John mentioned several ways today to do that. So the LionWithin.us fellas have a great day great weekend get after it and just keep unleashing the lion within if there's one habit that can change your home is 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 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 reins 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 thelionwithin.us slash guides that's thelionwithin.us slash guides and start unleashing the line within at home by leading your marriage through prayer