Chris Grainger 0:02

Welcome to the Line Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders, God attend you to be. I'm your host, Chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, guys, this is your fun Friday member spotlight. And I'm so pumped to be here with you today. Got an awesome member that's going to be here with us here in a second. Look, our scripture of the week this week, though, guys, is Matthew 11, 28, 29, and 30. So it's three verses this week, which is kind of long for the lion, but this is just what we do. It says, Come to me, all who are weary and burden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I'm gentle and humble in heart, and you'll find rest for your souls, for my yoke is comfortable and my burden is light. And I unpack those verses at length in the spiritual kickoff episode this week, guys. So go back in your podcast feed, check that stuff out. Hopefully you'll you'll be encouraged by it. The Wednesday episode this week was our I'm just a guy feeling overwhelmed. So if that's if that resonates with you guys, if any of you guys are out there feeling overwhelmed, look, we we get it. I I've been there, done that. I feel quite frankly, I feel that way a lot at times. So look, you're not the Lone Ranger here. This is why we built the Lion. So go check out the daily spiritual kickoff. You may be encouraged by the things we do on the daily SKO, as well as we have our weekly prayer huddle that you would be invited to, okay? So all those are things uh that we have available to you right now at thelionwithin.us. Okay, guys, so go check that stuff out. So uh for our for our member Spotlight this week, I'm super pumped to have in uh Mr. Don Yost with us, guys. It's just gonna be a fun conversation. Don is full of energy. He's been a blessing to the lion since he's joined. So, Don, almost want to say welcome to The Lion Within Us, man. How are you doing today, sir?

Don Yost 1:37

I'm doing pretty good. I'm doing real well, Chris. I'm I'm it's been an amazing day, another blessed day by God,

Welcome And Weekly Scripture

Don Yost 1:43

you know. That's it, brother. That's it.

Chris Grainger 1:45

So where's home at for you? Share that with the listeners.

Don Yost 1:48

I currently live in Hayes, Kansas. That's where my home is. Originally from Bisde, Kansas. Itty bitty town, total population 300. That my graduating class size was eight.

Chris Grainger 2:00

Eight in your graduating classes. Yes.

Don Yost 2:03

And then I joined the military in 99.

Chris Grainger 2:06

Okay. So you went military route, and you went army, right?

Don Yost 2:10

Yes, that is absolutely correct. I went army.

Chris Grainger 2:12

Awesome, brother. Well, yeah, man. Share a little bit about your testimony. Let the let the uh guys get to know you a little bit, man.

Don Yost 2:18

Well, I mean, if it wasn't for God, I definitely wouldn't be here right now. I can tell you that right now. Um, I grew up Roman Catholic slash Midnight, I like to call myself a Cathanite.

Chris Grainger 2:29

Cathanite?

Don Yost 2:30

Uh because yeah, because my dad was my dad was first was German Midnight, my mom is Roman Catholic. So I went through all that stuff while I was growing up. I also I also got baptized into I went through all the Christian stuff. Then I went into the um, I also got baptized at the Midnight Church in Ransom, Kansas. Uh then went military. Once I graduated in '99, um, I went after duty to switch over to National Guard, is what I'd done. And I came back to Kansas. My first tour I was in the 2003 time frame. Um, and that was active duty, Fallujah. My next tour after I had switched with 06 to 08 with 731st Sec 4 out of Larnard, they were 731st TC. At that point, I fell away a lot. Um I was always into the partying,

Meet Don And His Roots

Don Yost 3:25

I was always in drinking, girls, porn, all that wonderful stuff. Um I fell away from I fell away big time. Um I went over there. First tour wasn't too bad, second tour, my humbie had got hit a few times in ID. Um at this time I was practicing Norse paganism. Um And I I was doing the runes and everything there, brother, and it just was it's just I fell away. I didn't I I I felt like nobody was there, you know? And I was being let down because of all the horrors that I had to see while I was there.

Chris Grainger 4:04

Yeah.

Don Yost 4:04

There was a lot that we had to deal with. Um then next I get back to here to the US, good old US of A. Back to the States enjoying it. Um I done a switchover at as I said from Active National Guard, but in between that time frame, I I did get in get into the drug world, I got into the alcohol world, party world. You always say I always like to say I'm the fittest alcoholic ever, is what I was at that time. Because it would be get off duty, party, get maybe an hour of sleep, wake up, do RPT, and then roll on. Well went to the quick brief on that also, is then I I went through two two divorces. Um the first one

War Stories And Falling Away

Don Yost 5:00

tried to get me kicked out of the army. I claimed that I was uh not faithful to her and turned me into the first sergeant, command, sergeant major, stuff like that, but that was proven false. So I divorced her. Second wife, I was at E4, that they always say, Hey, don't marry the stripper. Well, I've married that stripper. And that didn't end up in very well. Um my last tour of her and I was still currently married. We're supposed to do our will right when we enlist and everything, we're supposed to do a will. So once you're 18, you're filling out a will on yourself. I then went into there. And she was, I'll just say she was on drugs, she didn't want to give up her drug side. Um I done I I rode down 11 years with her, but I'm still I still wasn't Christian at the time. I still practiced Norse paganism. They I because due to my injuries with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, stuff like that. Um they did medically retire me, but I still got all benefits. Well, I'll just say that go back a little bit. Sorry, jumping around here, but go back a little bit. In between my base AIT time, I got in trouble in Ellis County, where I got in a fight at a party. I thought my military career was over at that point. By the grace of God, even though at that point I wasn't saying that. But all the prayers going out for me, it was. Uh I done my time I done some time there. I caught my felonies, rights restored, record expunged, and continued military service doesn't even show up breaking service. So I had to learn walk talk all over again after that one tour, after my second tour. That was a long battle. I wanted to give up when I got back.

Chris Grainger 6:56

Yeah.

Don Yost 6:56

So I was trying to numb myself. My vice was cocaine, alcohol, girls, uh getting into the MC world. Henceforth, I have some tattoos that has profanity. Let's go ahead. I met my current wife who had two daughters already, and that was and that that was a huge change, change in my life. Um and I went to Phoenix, MMI, got Harley Yamaha certification down there, and that's how I met her actually on Meet Me App. Her and I did. We had a disagreement, and she hadn't, I wasn't ready to give up my lifestyle of partying, girls, things of that nature. Um, I had a lot of anger issues. I had a lot of depression, anxiety, which I have right now, as usual. But I'm doing a lot better on that. We moved we get married February 28th. There was a year that we didn't even talk because I had guns stolen, a bunch of other stuff. Uh, because I had found, I'll just say, something in my couch that was hers where she was sleeping, but still not verified it was hers. So I basically told her, we're done, never talking to me again, lose my number, graduated MMI, got my service dog uh through Soldier's best friend down in Phoenix.

Chris Grainger 8:18

Okay.

Don Yost 8:21

And uh then I moved down to Safford, Arizona. Little did I know that was my current wife's where she lived. So a year later, reach out, we find each other, I talk to her, and here we are. We're going, we just had our eight-year anniversary in uh February 28th of this year. Wow. But I I mean it's it's been a rough path. I'm a five-time suicide survivor. I tried to commit suicide five times, uh didn't have anybody that really affect on me because I was doing night classes at that time. So I was doing the night classes with MMI. So, you know, mom, dad, everybody that knows me, oh, he's probably just tired, stuff like that. But I dropped a lot of pills, I'd done some coke, I'd done some alcohol, and I was just laying on the floor. Next thing I know, I'm waking up like two, three days later, and I've missed a lot of calls from the school where they're about ready to suspend me. Really? So by the grace of God again, here I am. I'm I'm out bedwalking, okay. So great, awesome. Don't know why I'm doing this, but hey, whatever. Um then, shoot it. I got hit with individual undeployability by the VA, total and permanent. I was very athletic before my injuries. Uh, I was very, very, very academic. I was at scholar bowls, math bowls, all that stuff. I pretty much had to learn to relive everything. There's parts of my life I can't remember, but I'm going through EMDR. Uh I've been going through counseling, doing good there. I found a great group of guys when I started attending celebration to be in the church because I was finally convinced to. Um advised me to men's encounter. I done that. It took a while of Matt Drowlin just pushing and pushing and pushing for me to show up. Oh, yeah, I'll go. Finally, I said, Yeah. Then I found an excuse to get out of it. I wasn't ready. Yeah.

Suicide Survival And Healing Work

Don Yost 10:22

Then I I find he finally got me to go. I attended twice. They do it twice a year. So I attended that twice, and I became a server there. Wow. Um came back here also. Go ahead.

Chris Grainger 10:37

At what point in your journey did you, you know, kind of turn back to Christianity? I know you said for a while you kind of stopped and went a different path. What what was the turning point to make you, you know what, that Christ's way is better?

Don Yost 10:52

It was just seeing the things um that was going on in the world. I guess kind of woke me up. And I was like, this isn't me. When I woke up, I see this isn't this isn't me. You know, this whole coke, alcohol. That's not who I am. That's not who I'm made to be. And that was just a mental thing. On the Christianity side, it brought me back. Just going the men's encounter was the biggest thing for me. Just my wife kept praying. My parents were praying for me, family was praying for me. I had others praying for me. And I was like, okay, fine, I'll just go to this church because the wife was wanting to find a church. Well, I knew there was a church here in Hayes that was amazing, you know, a lot of people enjoyed. Yeah. So we started going there. Uh, the turning point was just how I started feeling more light. I started feeling more fulfilling. And another turning point would I would absolutely have to say would um I started thinking about all the ones I've served with who have committed suicide.

Chris Grainger 11:53

Yeah.

Don Yost 11:54

And I'm like, there's gotta be something here, you know. There's gotta be a different way of life. Yeah. To go. I came back here and it just and I met with uh I got hooked up at the Christian Motorcycle Association uh down here. So in 2018, 2019, can't remember to have to look, uh, is when I got baptized by him by the CMA.

Coming Back To Christ

Don Yost 12:18

And my life really started changing, but what led me there was just just everything. I was like, this what I'm choosing to do right now is not. I want to please my wife, I want to leave my family. I have two I came into these daughters, into my stepdaughter's lives in their preteens. And this is not what I want them to see. They've already dealing with a lot of trauma. I see my wife doing good, sober, I'm sober, and there's gotta be more. So I just started getting cold that way. And I mean, so it was just however God had planned out, but that Northwest when I when I went to the attendee first time, that was a hugest life changer for me. When I went, I will be honest, I was just like, I'll I'll set through it just so they can shut up, basically, you know. But it made such a life changer in me. And to see that I'm not the only one struggling with stuff and being able to get out there. I was part of Ellis County Fire Department, volunteer and rescue. There's some stuff that we dealt with, we dealt with the December fires back, I want to say 2021, something like that, where it was the four county fires. So all the stuff that I've seen since I've gotten back, all the stuff I've gone through, I'm like, there's gotta be a reason I'm still here. And that led me, and that servering side led me into it. I mean, the attendee side to become a server, seeing the growth, realizing by going more into the Bible like I had like I started doing, um, it would bring me so much peace and calm. I started listening, there's actually like Skillet. I didn't even realize Skillet was a Christian band. Yeah. But that caught my attention. And I started looking up more. And here I am, by the grace of God. I mean, now I'm mental health first aider also on top of it. I'm also an instructor for him. Uh big on the 22 veteran movement and any anything like that. And God has just blessed me with that turn point.

Chris Grainger 14:18

That's awesome, brother. That is so awesome. Um and when you came to the line, you haven't been here long, but okay, what what what was that opening path? How did you get connected with us?

Don Yost 14:30

Well, the way I got connected with you is literally through the YouTube, I mean not YouTube, you version is what it was.

Chris Grainger 14:36

Okay. Yeah, the Bible app.

Don Yost 14:38

Yep. Oh, yeah. And I I just started finding all these different ones, and the ones that caught my attention. I know it, yeah, I'm a member, but and masterbund member, but here's the thing. They're the ones that stuck out the most because they really focused on the man on the men's side of it, you know. And that's what the men's encounter done. It all focuses on that. So I decided, well, I'll check it out. So it was a U-version that brought me here. And so that's that part of it.

Chris Grainger 15:07

Yeah. Well, man, you it's kind of cool because I mean you leaned in so hard, and now you're not only, you know, in the lion's den, you're in the mastermind, you're coming to the retreat. You know, by the time this comes out, the retreat will be behind us. So hopefully you had a good time. But I mean, yeah, man, what so in the mastermind groups and what you and your experience so far, what's that been like? Because I mean you're a relatively new guy through the lions, so your ex your percent uh perspective would be useful for lots of guys listening right now.

Don Yost 15:36

That that mastermind program, it's the it's being able to do what we're supposed to do as a man, you know, lead. And so we have our small group of brothers right there specifically, you know, that we have our hot seat time, which is just amazing. That's where we drop everything, but even if it's just

Finding Brotherhood Through The Lion

Don Yost 15:58

something fly by the fly by the seat of our pants per se, there's people to reach out to there where you can where I can still become that leader, release that over to these guys, just like they released over to us. And then being held accountable. Accountability is a huge thing. Because I'm I'm also taking a bachelor of science in theology through Liberty University online. Um the accountability is a big thing because that's where a lot, where I'd have to say a lot of people do Slack, they don't have the people there to ground to help them and pray for them, and you don't see that. But Mastermind, Lion's Den, you see these people that are just so transparent, just opening up their heart. It's it's such an amazing, it's so hard to describe, but coming from the background I've had, all the trials and tribulations, it means I'm walking right in my right way in my cr with Christ right now, you know. I'm doing what he wants me to do. And the accountability, I I I have to keep going back to accountability. It's so awesome.

Chris Grainger 17:03

Amen to that. Well, I mean, for you, what do you think has been the most impactful part for your discipleship journey from from the lion? It could be the mastermind, it could be the lion's dance up. Just curious how the lion is impacting your your walk with Christ.

Don Yost 17:20

It's having the mess that that is one of the top things because I'm able to reach out to it. And I can't just focus on mastermind, I can't just focus on this lion's focus on daily SKO because that's there every day. It's it's so amazing just hearing that that podcast. Uh it's and it hits home every single time. Then you see the prayer requests, you're able to put the prayer requests, see all the support you have, and that'd be on the prayer request side, lions inside. It's all the different groups that are and how it's grown with more and more groups. I really, and I I know you guys talk about an amazing about like veteran first responder side. I think that's an amazing thing to go towards. Um and the substance abuse side would be a great one, also, because that's what a lot of us struggle with, and pride. But this helps me realize hey, drop that pride. God's there, you have other men there, you're not here on your own. Iron sharpened iron, you're not supposed to do this on your line on your own.

Chris Grainger 18:17

Right.

Don Yost 18:18

There's always gonna be that darkness, Ephesians 6.12. Um, Vion's Day is a huge impact because I'm always able to just go in there. You got the events y'all have, like the noon stuff. Well, my time zone, it's noon, and then the Bible study, we don't have that in person. So it reaches out to a whole nother level where you have so many from different walks of life, and this person might not be able to relate too much to you, but this person can. And it's just the brotherhood there, knowing someone's always got your back, no matter what. They're not gonna look down upon you. They just people just open their hearts. But overall, in my discipleship, I would literally have to say the mastermind, if I had to pick one, is a number one because it holds me personally accountable also. But yet I also have to help the others hold accountable too.

Chris Grainger 19:15

Right.

Don Yost 19:15

So it's a hit iron sharpens iron literally.

Chris Grainger 19:18

Amen.

Don Yost 19:19

So it's just everything, but that mastermind for me is the one because the accountability, if I start slacking, my coach is just bam. And I mean, him and I have pretty much the same background.

Chris Grainger 19:31

Yeah.

Don Yost 19:32

Steven is just so amazing. And just it was an honor being accepted in there. I felt so honored. Um, especially with it just being such a short time that I've been with the Alliance. Yeah. Um, it's it's so amazing.

Chris Grainger 19:49

Brother, you make you make it amazing by just being a part of it for sure. And the way you show up, you lean in, your feedback, your encouragement to others. This is what it's all about. So I meant I'm sure, Don, there's probably guys listening that haven't taken any steps. They haven't checked out the Daily SKO yet. Maybe they haven't joined the Lions Den, or they're definitely not in a mastermind. Like, what would be your message to that guy who's just on the fence right now, consuming? Because we have a lot of stuff consumed. We have the podcast, we have the Bible app stuff, all the stuff, so much free stuff out there. What would be your message to a guy to go ahead and take that step and lean in to some degree?

Don Yost 20:25

The best thing is just get out your comfort zone. Hey, can I be honest right here? Right now, I'm uncomfortable. I I I had to get out of my comfort zone for everything I've done to be able to. Get out that comfort zone, give it a shot. Don't just talk like, oh, well, there's there's this, there's that, you know. Just check it out once in a while. Check out your daily SKO. That's always gonna be pre-recorded on the on the on that group, you know? You can always catch it anytime, no matter what day. Um, if you're not trying it, then don't say that God's not there. Don't say that there's nothing out there for you. Check it out. Go in with an open heart and open mind. And just listen, no matter where you, no matter where your walk is, no matter even if you're on the fence, no matter even if you're not even on the fence, you're just like, eh, come and check it out, you know? Yeah, it's not like, oh, you have to do this. No, no, no, no. Check, check the daily SKO out, check the prayer request, check the lions now. We get that 30 days that you can't check it out before, you know? Yep. And then the freebies just jump in and come in with an open heart, open mind. You might be really surprised. If it wasn't for that, I clearly wouldn't be where I'm at right now. I've been dealing with a lot of struggles with my family now. And I've been but now God has totally switched that around. I put stuff out in prayer quests for stuff like that about what's going on there. I'm not gonna go in depth on it, but I'll just say I basically was disowned and now I'm back in. And unfortunately, my baby sister got hurt, so now there's something else going on. Um, but God is clearly working showing the truth. Getting the truth out there. It's not in your time. Don't ever expect to be in your time. He has no time up there. Just get involved. Pay attention. Whether you remark stuff, whether you read stuff, whether you do it or not, whether you get involved, pay attention. Just make that stat. Get out that conference. Take 30 minutes out of your day and check out the SCO. Or Love Your Daily SKO. That's right. Check it out. You'd be amazed what all's there. You'd be amazed how many have a lot of the same stuff. And nobody's better than anybody else. We're all here for each other. We're aligned to be leaders. You know, and if you're not doing that, how can you even know or do that if you're not at least given a chance? Just like food, food you that may not look good to you, at least try it. It might actually be amazing. I'll give sushi as an example. My wife didn't like sushi. But when I got her to a good sushi place, now she likes sushi. That's right. So if she hadn't got out of her comfort zone of her of her past hurts, me, I have a past hurt of I got judged a lot at these other churches. I mean, I was judged so much is because, yeah, I have bad things on my fingers, but that's my past. But it it teaches me, it reminds me, hey, this is where I've come from, you know. I don't need to look back here. Let's keep going this way. No matter where you're at, you're not gonna be you're not gonna fail. He's there for you. He'll meet you right where you are. But you gotta get out of your comfort zone and at least check these resources out that are out there for you. If you don't, then that's on you.

Chris Grainger 23:57

Your father and is just waiting. Just waiting for you. Amen, brother. Amen. Well, Don, it's been an honor to have you in. Hopefully, you're gonna stay around for a long time. We enjoy any anytime I get to be in a meeting with you, just hear your perspective. It's always great. Just thank you, brother, for sharing all that uh with us today. Anything else before you you want to share before we're gonna go to our dad jokes and stuff. I just want to make sure there's nothing else on your heart. You good to go, bud?

Don Yost 24:25

I just want to see every say, bottom line, it's not your path, don't let your past define you. Do not let your past define you, but let it refine you. And know that if you're f facing trial, tribulations, you're you're on the right path. You're on the walk that you're supposed to be on right now. It's never gonna be easy. So don't ever expect it to be easy when you're in that right Christian walk. That's that's pretty much what I could think of right now. The the best, easiest way. Don't let you pass define you, but let refine you, you know. Let'd be a build blow. Amen.

Chris Grainger 24:59

Amen, brother.

Don Yost 25:00

So let's roll on the next.

Chris Grainger 25:03

Well, Don, you've been a great just thank you so much for sharing it. And guys, uh, guys like Don, I mean, they're they're showing up, they're leaning in. We're waiting for you too. So hey, our book of the week this week, guys. We don't have actually have an official one. So I always we don't have an author for the week. I just point guys to the line within us. So unleashing the line within. My book is on Amazon. Check it out, guys. Uh, our dad jokes. I'm gonna run two dad jokes by you, Don. Okay, now these dad jokes uh come from our dad joke uh uh uh professional uh fictionaire there. I mean, he's he is the king of dad jokes, Mr. Doug. So uh he brought he sent me two, so I'm gonna see which one of these land best for you, okay? So you ready to go? Yes, I am, brother. All right, so the first one Doug said is uh, you know why you shouldn't yell into a colander. So do you know why you shouldn't yell into a colander, Don? Can't say I do. Okay, well, you shouldn't do that because you'll strain your voice. Okay. All right, so that's why you don't yell into a colander, you'll strain your voice. All right. So number two is uh So the second one is what do you call a can opener that doesn't work? Do you know what that's called? I really can't right now. Well, you're close. It's actually a cant opener. So there you go, guys. Oh, okay. Hey, hey, you got me on that one. Right there, got me. I almost have it. There you go. So that's that's two from our from Doug, man. So which one do you like the best, Don?

Don Yost 26:38

Uh I I'm used to straining my voice because my

Dad Jokes And Weekly Question

Don Yost 26:43

NCO side. So I'll say let's go with the uh with the second one. All right, there you go. There you go. Because I was so close to it, but uh but so far away, you know.

Chris Grainger 26:53

There you go. Well, guys, thank you. I mean, the du the dad jokes, we have a lot of fun with them. Every Friday we post them inside the lines, then uh guys get to vote on them. Um a lot of guys take them to their to their wives and and run them by their wives, and then that's how they vote. So, and we're always thankful for Doug for sharing those. So that's the jokes this week, guys. You know why you shouldn't yell to a colander because you'll strain your voice. And then number two is what do you call a can opener? It doesn't work. That's a can't opener. So, question of the week this week, guys, is where are you saying yes to quickly in your life? Again, remember, we talked about it earlier in the podcast, uh, with a podcast earlier this week, rather. Uh, every time you say yes, ultimately you're saying no to something else. So just be careful, right? I'm not saying that we never should say yes. We just need to be making sure that we're saying yes to the things that God's calling us to. So, Don, this has been a phenomenal episode. Thank you for sharing, brother. Man, I hope you have a wonderful day, buddy.

Don Yost 27:46

Hey, you too, brother. You too. And yeah, just anybody that that is out there on feel free to reach out to me anytime.

Chris Grainger 27:54

I'm always going to be here for people. Amen. Amen. You guys can connect with Don directly within the Lion Within Us again. ThelionWithin.us, guys, get connected with us daily SKO, like Don mentioned. Mentioned the Lion's Den. Now we also the leadership mastermind. Now you can't just jump into a leadership mastermind. You have to apply for it. So, guys, if you want to put that application in, hit us up. It's on the website, thelionwithin.us. Just check over there, you'll you'll see the application for the leadership mastermind. Other than that, guys, hope you guys have a wonderful day. We love these member spotlights because they get to really showcase some of the guys that we just absolutely love and and learn and enjoy working with. So I hope you guys are enjoying them along the way. So give it a rating and review. Hey, you guys that are former military or former military, share this one out. Because I mean, Don's got an awesome story and testimony. He's got a heart for military as well, obviously, with his with his background. So share this one with your fellow buddies out there for the brothers that you served with, okay? So hit that share button, hit that like button. We'll see you next time, guys. Just keep on leashing 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 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 thelionwithin.us slash guides. That's thelionwithin.us slash guides. And start unleashing the lion within at home by leading your marriage through prayer.