Welcome And Marriage Scripture

Chris Grainger 0:02

All right. Welcome to the Lion Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intends you to be. I'm your host, Chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, guys. Fun Friday member spotlight time. Let's get into it, okay? Before we get to our member, our scripture this week is in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10. But it's two verses this week, verses 8 and 9. It says, And the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate. And guys, this whole week we've been talking about marriage, the importance of marriage, the covenant of marriage, how we have to fight for our marriage, and how if you marry right, there's nothing like it. And if you hey if you marry wrong, there's nothing like it. So you take with that what you want, boys. But it's a big deal, and we spent a lot of time trying to encourage you with that. So hopefully you got a chance to listen to the podcast so far. And also, guys, if you like the spiritual kickoff episodes every week, we do them Monday through Friday at the Line Within Us. Tons and tons of guys. Right now we're we're a couple thousand guys in that daily SKO space. We'd love for you to check it out. We give you a free gift, we give you some daily scripture, and we have a weekly prayer call, which we're actually recording this podcast on a Monday. So every Monday is our prayer call. So if you have anything you need prayer over, it would be an honor and a privilege to pray over that for you and with you. So all that can be found at the linewithin.us, guys. Okay. All right. Let's get into the fun part of why you're here today, though, fellas. It ain't to listen to me talk, is to hear from our member. So Michael Hamlin, what's going on today, buddy?

Michael Hamblin 1:32

Well, it's going. Uh, just coming off of a great weekend. Had my uh girls going on a camping trip, and I gotta spend some uh fun time with my son here locally. So I hear you, buddy. Now and how many kids do you have total? I have four children. Uh Matthew is the oldest, he's 16, and uh Evelyn is our uh middle middle girl, she is uh 11. Sophia is 14, and Elena is seven.

Chris Grainger 1:59

Okay, all right. I mean, you got a lot going. You got them from you know, the seven-year-old is still playing with playing with you're probably still her hero to the 16-year-old who's driving, right? So it's a lot of dynamics there. There's a lot going on there, that's for sure. It's like me too. Get so you have one boy and three girls.

Michael Hamblin 2:17

Okay. That's right.

Meet Michael And His Family

Michael Hamblin 2:18

Yeah, yeah. So we have, you know, we do our boy stuff with our oldest boy, and then the younger girls are still doing their uh young girl stuff. So yeah, it's been fun.

Chris Grainger 2:27

And see, mine is opposite. My my youngest is the boy. So he's basically got like four mamas. He's got three sisters and mama, you know. So I don't know if that's gonna make him tough or what it is, but it's definitely gonna be interesting to see what how that shapes him. For sure. Oh man. Well, share a little bit of about your testimony with our listeners, Michael, where you're from, how you came to know the Lord. We'd love to hear just learn a little bit more about you, buddy.

Michael Hamblin 2:54

Sure. So uh just a little bit about myself. I'm uh uh we live in a little town near uh Dallas, Texas called uh Saxi, and it's on the northeast side. It's uh kind of a residential community now. It's uh been more of a uh rural community, but like so much of North Texas, it's been growing very, very quickly, very quickly. So uh a lot of the rural spaces are closing up. But uh that's uh been a good thing in a lot of ways too. It's loved opportunities for uh uh for connecting with new people and new ministry.

Chris Grainger 3:31

Yeah.

Michael Hamblin 3:32

My uh my story is that uh uh my parents uh uh moved to the uh this area back in 1983. Okay and at that time uh they lived in this tiny little community called Allen, Texas, which uh, if you know anything about the North Texas area, Allen is one of the big names in North Texas now, uh big city with uh a lot of uh high school activity, uh very large high school football program, Friday Night Light type stuff, yeah. Nationally ranked and everything. Wow. So yeah. Uh when uh when we moved to Allen, I can guarantee you it was not like that. It was a tiny little town, and it was so far out from Dallas that it was a long-distance phone call uh between Allen and Plano. And now the roads all connect together and you can't tell the difference between the two. So it's it's crazy. Um, so while we were in Allen, um there my uh parents were looking for a uh a church up there, and there was a new church plant uh that started, and uh my parents got very involved with that, and it was uh through that and my parents' witness that uh I was uh led to the Lord at a very young age.

Chris Grainger 4:57

Okay.

Michael Hamblin 4:58

And uh I think that is really awesome. Um I know a lot of people uh struggle with uh feeling like they don't have a lot of testimony because they weren't saved when they had a major crisis in their lives. Well, to me, the big benefit is is you're starting early and you're building a strong foundation. And that is to me uh what I was uh you know, the benefit that I had was uh was building that strong foundation. And uh uh having a place where uh I I was able to grow uh spiritually from a young age. Um we didn't have uh it wasn't always the smoothest. We did have some interesting church problems in there, but uh we found some healthy churches to land at. And uh when I was a uh teenager, I uh really took on my faith and really

Growing Up In Faith Early

Michael Hamblin 5:55

made it my own a lot more. Uh, not that it wasn't before, but uh, you know, it was kind of this transition from kind of childhood into adulthood that I said, you know, my identity is not based on my job, it's not based on what I'm studying in school, it's not gonna be based on uh, you know, some kind of, you know, what do I like in terms of music or what or what are my hobbies? My my my identity needs to be grounded in Christ. And making that decision made a big difference because um it kind of it brought a lot of focus to things. Um I was I started college, uh, I was working on a computer science degree and then an electrical engineering degree, and uh kind of finding my identity in that uh gave me a very clear direction as to what I wanted to do with my life. And uh for a very long time I felt like I was uh uh being called into uh into more uh of a ministry type role. And I wasn't sure what that was. But um when I was in college, uh because that calling was on my life really strongly, I was uh very involved with uh got involved with uh other students who were uh in uh different uh Christian organizations. And at the time I was at uh UT Dallas uh doing my electrical engineering degree, and uh UTD back then was not a major uh undergrad school. They had just opened up the university to all undergrad levels. So while they had undergrads, it was mostly a graduate research center. And uh now it's just a big university, it's a big sprawling campus, but but uh we had uh we had some some organizations like Campus Crusade and the Baptist Nations and so forth. They tried to organize on the campus, but they could never get anywhere. And uh uh they would pull support out. But uh there was an organic group of of believers on the campus uh with a Bible study called Quest. And uh so this organic group of of students actually uh continued about eight years on campus and uh just having really good relationships with other people and uh some some people who are really focused on uh on uh serving the Lord and their uh on and on uh developing themselves uh through their uh uh through their time in college. Um so one of the things that really shaped me with that was these uh these students are uh were on a secular campus. They were not going to a Christian college.

Chris Grainger 8:52

Right, kind of like yeah, Liberty or something like that. Right.

Michael Hamblin 8:55

Right, right. Now that said, as a secular campus, it wasn't a party school either. So it was very much to get down to business school, but uh at the same time, uh, you know, there was certain uh there was definitely a certain feeling that uh we were kind of on our own there. And if we were gonna have each if we were gonna follow the Lord, we really needed each other. And uh the people who were involved in those Christian organizations were very serious about their faith. So to me, that was uh that's a big uh big uh uh uh way of how that was uh formative to me uh at that time. So that's kind of the the short version, uh that's kind of the nutshell version of of how I've how I've grown in my faith. I've taken it on my own, and I want uh I've I've found that I was uh wanted to be very serious about how I live my faith and be intentional about it.

Chris Grainger 9:52

I am curious from from like from your standpoint, uh it's from the kids, you know, growing up in a church, but at some point it becomes has to become your faith. And you said that was the teenage years, and that's quite often what you see inside the church when the kids fall off. You know, really when like for us, I've seen it when the kids get out of the youth, you know, the quote unquote youth program, and they go to college and career, whatever that next step looks at that point. That's just when everybody, you know, a lot of prodigal son and daughter moments, they just completely turn from it. What do you think it was that prevented you from having that fall off? That I mean you I went to an engineering school too. My path was a lot different than yours. Yeah, I I I felt I fell down the the the path of party and have have a

Owning Faith In College

Chris Grainger 10:38

good time. So I'm just curious, how did you how did you where do you think it that transition was? What what cemented it where it was for you this was a conviction where you weren't gonna sway well uh early on I was um I was uh praying to the praying about uh my relationship with the Lord.

Michael Hamblin 10:58

I think that's part of the thing uh with it is is if you have an active prayer life and an active active spiritual life that you really own, um, even if it's small, even if it's just a just a like a little acorn seed, that makes a lot of the difference. And you know, that was where I prayed. I said, I asked the Lord, I said, and I was very serious about this. I said, I really would uh please Lord lead me into your truth. And I felt like that was a prayer that he honored and he responded to very strongly. And he made it very easy for me to uh to make the right decisions because he basically uh orchestrated things uh into my life that uh that were that worked for me uh and helped me grow. Um I think with a lot of students the challenge that they have is that um they have they're still young and there's still some immaturity there. And that doesn't mean that they're that they're immature at the extreme, but they have trouble understanding trying to make the decisions that they need to make and so forth. And uh, you know, there's a lot of study in neuroscience. You're your the the adolescent brain continues to develop all the way up to age twenty five, especially for young men. Um and you know, you just doesn't doesn't quite click in until until that point. But um trying to take ownership of your faith is is a big deal and making that decision um is is is the key because that's gonna determine who you decide, how you decide you're gonna make your friends and how you're gonna decide you connect with uh with with what you do in your life. Right. Um and I think when people go to college, uh young people, they um it's the first time they've kind of experienced a th their their own autonomy. And because of that, they they kind of are uh a little bit undisciplined and they're willing to try more things, and they may not mean to to be doing bad things, they might not even be doing things that are truly, truly wrong. But uh just being around a whole bunch of other students and trying to make friends and trying to blend in and trying to find your social life, yeah. That, you know, when you're in a whole new sea of fish and you are trying to figure out what that what that means for you, um, if your identity is grounded in Christ, then you kind of have this vertical line where you understand what you're trying to do. Otherwise, if you haven't figured yourself out yet, if you haven't found your identity, you know, like I'm a Christian, I've been doing this church thing, I've been doing the youth group, it's but it's been kind of like a hobby. And uh, you know, not necessarily a bad way, not necessarily bad, but it hasn't been the hasn't been the central thing for you. And, you know, you're with other people, that uh those other people and your new social life does shape you. And those choices you make on how you connect to does shape you. And if you don't have that strong, uh if you haven't developed yourself strongly in your own self-identity, then other people's identity is going to pull on you. And so, so that's that's where I would, that's the kind of things I would say is you do have to make some, you do need to have a very strong self-identity going to college. You need to have a very strong sense of who your core friend group is. You can make other and make other friends with other people. Because if you can build, if you're if you're being built up and God's working in you and you have a strong sense of identity, and now you're grounded, you know, after a couple of years, you're very grounded. Now you're in a position where you're pulling other people up around you. And that is that is really awesome because now that's where God is using you to influence other people who are making bad decisions. And that's what I saw a lot of. I saw a lot of people that after a couple of years, they were younger people than me, and they were looking at me and like, wow, this guy seems to have it together, and here I am. I'm just kind of uh flubbing around, bumping from party to party. What can I do to really live a good life?

Chris Grainger 15:27

Right.

Michael Hamblin 15:27

And uh it was it was pretty awesome to see that that uh come together. Not because I was I was anything special, but because God was working in their hearts.

Chris Grainger 15:36

Yeah. And I mean, and how does how is that continued on now into your professional career? Because you didn't go into full-time ministry full-time ministry, right? Because I mean you you work in the secular industry. So how's that shown manifesting itself and as you uh as you've progressed?

Michael Hamblin 15:51

Oh, I still pray about that. I still I I have a I have a hard time understanding why I'm not in in ministry. Uh I would really love to be in full-time ministry, but uh God has put me on a path that is very unusual and interesting. So I'm not going to complain about that at the moment. But uh uh my relationships with uh uh with uh co-workers have been uh have have been uh influential in the same way because I haven't I've been more grounded. And it's a little different because as you get older, you know, people have have established their identities a little bit more. And so it's a lot harder for them to change that, um and or or be willing

Living Faith At Work

Michael Hamblin 16:32

to. Uh but on the other hand, in some ways, a lot of them have kind of figured figured life out enough that uh, you know, they've they've they've gotten through the major milestones. They got they're they're no longer uh no longer in their social life. They're more focused on, okay, they got their marriage, they got their their uh their degree, they've gotten their their first and second job, they're they're climbing the ladder, uh, they've got children, they bought a house. And uh depends on where people are. Uh, you know, that that script is a script. It's a very important script because it gives direction for people on what a successful life, what a successful life looks like. But uh at the same time, uh we have to realize that that script is only only really valuable to somebody as long as God is in it. And and uh so you know, I encourage people, you know, your calling is is whatever God leads you in. Uh at the same time, there's a lot of value. So I have, I'll tell you a good example. I have a have a uh so I I recently went back and got another degree. So, and I got um I got a degree in cybersecurity. And while I was there, I had a I met a uh student who's in his uh early 30s, and he's trying to he was trying to figure out a things in life because he's not married and um trying to make decisions on on his family life. And it was really cool to have the opportunity to talk with him through that because I had a lot of perspective uh from the outside that he didn't have. And so I was able to encourage him on how he can how on uh how he can find somebody that would uh was share his values and that they could start a family and how to deal with his extended family and some of the dysfunction there and uh how to move his career forward. Um, so that's that was a really, really neat conversation that I got to have recently. Um at my current work, it's also interesting too because I've got um I'm now working in a place where uh we have a lot of uh uh people who are older than me, and we're desperately trying to uh bring in younger people into the organization because we have a number who are uh nearing retirement. And uh so I'm I'm working there and I've got uh I have a few few people who are really young. Uh one of them is uh one of them uh who uh I've uh talked to, he is a a he was from Bangladesh and he went to Canada, uh, or he was born in Canada, and then he uh he was from Bangladesh, and then they moved to Arizona, and so he grew up in Arizona, and he's a Muslim. Wow. So but he was not a very cultural Muslim, he was more of, well, this is how I was raised, kind of the same thing as a lot of Christians are when they're that age.

Chris Grainger 19:36

Sure.

Michael Hamblin 19:37

So that created some interesting opportunities for some uh conversation. So I'm I'm hoping and praying that that will follow up. Um and uh have some other other coworkers that I've had some good relationships with. And one of the more surprising ones is I've got a gentleman who's who's actually older than me, and he is struggling because his he's got his son is uh down at uh Texas AM. And his son is uh he's struggling with his identity down there. He's trying to figure out who he is, and he doesn't think he likes this Christian thing very much. And he struggles, he has questions to ask his dad. And you know, they're really interesting questions as far as I'm concerned, but uh you know, I I'll share one of them because it without hopefully jumping the edge too much. But he asked his dad, uh, Dad, I just don't think I just don't understand how Trump can crawl himself a Christian. It's like, well, this is a really good opportunity here. I mean, let's not get focused on the person, let's get focused on what does it mean to be a Christian? And let's talk about what that really means. And does your identity in public define you as a Christian, or does your identity in private identify you Christian? And uh does your behavior in public, how does your behavior relate to that? So that's the kind of thing, and I've been able to kind of uh talk with him because he's he's having a hard time. This this gentleman, uh, father of the son, he's having a hard time understanding and relating to his son, and understandably so. Uh and uh I'm it's it's been interesting because I feel like I've help him kind of step through some of the some of the challenges he's got because I have have a different perspective on on uh what it means to be uh what what it's like at a at a college campus.

Chris Grainger 21:35

Right, right. Man, that's awesome. Well, you're you guys using you in a mighty way, Michael. That's a that's incredible. And the the the way you're able to pour in others, man, it's been it's gonna make such a big impact. And I'm curious, uh, because I never even I think we talked about it once, but it's been a while. How did you even find the lion, man? Like, how did you get connected with this?

Michael Hamblin 21:56

I I don't remember exactly because it's been a few years, honestly. I will tell you though that I was I was tracking once I found once I did decide the lion that I was very impressed with uh the discipleship model and I really wanted to do it. But like I said, I was working on a on a on a degree in cybersecurity, so uh a lot of my time was being consumed. So that was two years. It was two years before I actually joined the lion, uh even though I wanted to very badly. Um and uh in that time also um there's uh there's uh a gentleman that I'm connected with, uh you know him well, uh JD from uh Uncovering Intimacy.

Chris Grainger 22:40

Yep.

Michael Hamblin 22:41

So I was I was also involved with uh the Uncovering Intimacy uh ministry because of course uh marriage is is you know, I've got I'm married and I've got four children,

Finding The Lion Brotherhood

Michael Hamblin 22:52

so of course that's a topic for him for me as well. And I didn't even mention how I meant met my wife yet, but uh we had that was uh, you know, uh for me it just it was kind of it just feel felt like things are kind of gravitating that direction. And uh I felt like that was uh uh how how how I was coming coming towards it. So uh it was something that uh I'd been wanting to do for a while and my wife was supportive of it. Um it's been a it's been a little bit of a challenge because uh trying to meet really early in the morning is very hard for me. But but we do what we gotta do. That's right. It's been very good. Uh I've really appreciated uh the discipleship. I've really appreciated connecting with other men. Uh to me, uh I think I don't want to fault uh churches, but I feel like there's a real struggle for men connecting to men. And uh, you know, uh the iron sharpens iron. I think that picture, we tend to think of that as a blacksmith sharpening a sword, but I also feel like it's not just that. When you when you have two men who are like uh practicing on how to how to fight battles, they are actually they're actually fighting with the swords and practicing in an arena like a gym. And uh so the iron sharpening iron is the two men practicing in in combat in a safe manner with each other. And I feel like that's a lot of what what these uh what these meetings are. It's an opportunity for us to really engage and ask the tough questions and let the sparks fly sometimes.

Chris Grainger 24:37

Yeah.

Michael Hamblin 24:38

And I think sometimes we're afraid of conflict and we're afraid of asking the tough questions because somebody's gonna be offended or they're gonna or something like this. And it's like, you know, at some point we have to be men and and take it. We have we're not there's the problems aren't going to go away just because we don't ask the question. Right. So so for me, that's that's the that's the big value out of it. I feel like um a lot of churches they'll they'll do a uh we have a men's Bible study, uh, and uh we'll watch a uh a video on James, and that's great, but I don't think it's adequate. I think we need a lot stronger discipleship. Men need relationship, and that's I think where where this really stands out.

Chris Grainger 25:20

Where do you think it's impacted you the most?

Michael Hamblin 25:23

Um it has challenged me to rethink some things.

Chris Grainger 25:28

Okay.

Michael Hamblin 25:30

Um because I am with other men, and I feel like I've got a lot of very strong opinions on how things should be. They have definitely challenged me to rethink um how I approach different types of problems and so forth. Right. And uh it's been really good. Um uh there's a guy on our group, uh, I'm sure you know uh TR. He's uh he's pretty interesting guy. And uh to me, I just like you know, it'd be hard for me to think of a guy whose whose occupation is more different than mine. At the same time, it's just like I feel like uh I feel like a kin brother to him every time I talk to him.

Chris Grainger 26:07

Yeah.

Michael Hamblin 26:08

And uh, you know, we've talked a lot about about leadership because we both have leadership problems. I'm in an I'm in an office building uh that's just that's just sealed up, and he's in he's uh his office is a boat, and he's the captain, and he's trying to to keep all this stuff, uh keep all this stuff working on on it with these young guys. Yeah. And uh it's it's real interesting. We talk a lot about about leadership philosophy and approaches and problems he's had, and it's been really good. It's uh it's been a mutually bus, uh mutually beneficial relationship because he's had advice for me at just the right time that helped me navigate something, and and then he's had some things going on, and I was able to kind of speak to that too.

Chris Grainger 26:54

So yeah. Well, so I mean, also with your with your background in technology, maybe speak just a little bit about our platform. Do you enjoy that? How how how that works for you so far as connecting you guys?

Michael Hamblin 27:07

Uh yeah, it's I think uh I think the platform's been really good. Um I do have a uh the the Coach Accountable system. It's taken a little bit of getting used to it. Um it's got a lot of uh good capabilities there. Um I like the um I like the main platform as well. The forms are really valuable. You know, I don't always I don't post as often as I would like to. Um I'd like to pick that up a little bit more. Um as my you know, if I can get my pick up my energy level a little bit. Yeah. But uh it's always good just to read through there and watch what's going on and pray for people. Um it doesn't have to be a deep prayer, just say a quick prayer for somebody like you know, uh, especially when they're obviously going through something. That's right. That's right. But uh there's there's there's so

Platform And Forum Support

Michael Hamblin 27:56

much good discussion out there. There's and it it, you know, it always gives me a lot to think about, even if I haven't had a chance to post on it. Um, I really love that.

Chris Grainger 28:06

Well man, I and I can tell you one thing, you make us better just by being part of the group. And and I'm sure there's guys listening, Michael, who you know, they've maybe they've found us on the Bible app and they're reading our plans or they're listening to the podcast. Obviously, if they're hearing this conversation, and we got so many other resources out there, but maybe they just haven't taken a step yet, you know. Daily SKO joining the Lions Den or Mastermind, what would be your encouragement to that guy who's enjoying what he's hearing but hasn't hasn't actually done anything yet?

Michael Hamblin 28:40

Well, you know, you just need to dive in on something, uh, you know, and even if it's just even if it's a short-term thing, find a way to find a way to get involved uh a little bit. Um, you know, sometimes life happens to us and you know it's not the right season. That's okay. But find a way where you can where you can be involved

Taking A Next Step With Help

Michael Hamblin 29:01

or or find a way to to plan, you know, once once I get through, you know, once I get through this court date or what other crazy thing is going on, okay, do this. But in the meantime, you know, if you've got something going on that's a real heavy thing, you know, and I've got this crazy, like that was that was the thing I was thinking about. I was thinking about the guy who's got who's who's trying to go through with his kids and he's trying to trying to trying to get uh custody of his kids from from uh a problem situation. Right. Well, you know what? You you don't have to be you don't have to to to put yourself into that put yourself into a situation where you have to guilt yourself into doing stuff. But get out there and get your name out there and say, look, I'm going through some stuff right now. I need some prayer. If all you do is email Chris, Chris can repost it, okay? And this will totally happen. And we can get some people praying for you. And if you need some, if you need some prayer, if you need some support, you don't have to be alone doing that. But on the other side of it, when you're going through it and you don't you don't don't feel like you have to be you have to put yourself completely into it to really be engaged. Just do what God's leading you to do and but find that support you need, whatever that is. So that's kind of my advice there. Uh seasons come and go, but uh we're we're here for you.

Chris Grainger 30:31

Michael, this has been awesome. Anything else you'd like to share before we jump into our our last part? We're gonna have some fun at the end, but anything else on your heart?

Michael Hamblin 30:40

Uh I I want to kind of mention my wife a little bit. She's amazing. And uh I just wanted to tell people too that uh I thought I was never going to get married. It seemed like I didn't really literally believe that, but it felt like it was very hard to find somebody who uh who I liked. And uh uh years ago, my wife and I met through eHarmony. So that was uh we got married in 2008, and uh it's been really great, and she's been amazing for me and very supportive. And uh as a man, I don't always feel like I kind of uh measure up to her, but uh it's been really good. I think uh we've had a good marriage, we've got good kids, and uh anybody who's out there who's uh got stuff going

Marriage Encouragement And Prayer

Michael Hamblin 31:30

on, I want you to know that there's there's always seasons where you need uh you need help. It never you know, even if you have a have a very, very good marriage, it can always be it can always be better, it can always be closer to Christ. And uh so don't don't beat yourself up. Just figure out work with the work with your lines, work, get in the Bible and uh search it out. Uh God will help you.

Chris Grainger 31:56

Amen, brother. Amen. Well, Michael, and that's a perfect lead into our book of the week, by the way, guys. Uh, talk about, I mean, I didn't it's crazy how Michael set this up, but our book of the week is actually called Build Your Marriage with Prayer. And it was a phenomenal book. Uh, really enjoyed it. And and I mean, we even have a guide out there in the line how to pray with your wife. It's super simple stuff, but it's important because it's a blind spot for many guys. So, Michael, I'm blessed to hear that you and your wife you know met that way and you're and you're walking with the Lord right together and you're raising four kids, which is that's a job in and of itself, I know. So uh, you know, that's that that's amazing. What a testimony.

Michael Hamblin 32:37

Yeah, it's it's a it's a big job today. Uh raising kids is uh the the the culture doesn't like uh like children anymore. And uh it's all always against the family, everywhere they can attack the family. If they can attack the husband, try to bring them down. If they can make the wife feel like she's not being treated well, they'll they'll do that. They're after the kids in every way. Um you know, and there's just, you know, everything is is everything is very stacked against against families. But you know what, that platoon of of people who love each other, it's when God's in it, it's unstoppable. It's crazy. That's why they're that's why they're so scared of it. Is that right? It cannot be stopped. And you are you are building the next generation of Christians. You are the next generation of the church, and you are the church. Right. The families are the church. Amen.

Chris Grainger 33:35

Well, look, I got a couple of jokes. I want to run by that so 7, 11, 14, and 16. I get to the ages right, it's just going off memory.

Michael Hamblin 33:43

Uh yeah, 16, 14, uh, 11, and 7. Yeah.

Chris Grainger 33:48

Dude, I got it right. All right. Awesome. So you got four of them you can run these dad jokes by, okay? Okay. So let's see what's see how these land. So that so this morning on my phone, Michael, um Siri said, Don't call me Shirley. And you don't need to unlock it. Oh, and there, and she started talking right then. So, anyway, what happened was I put it in airplane mode. So that's that's number one. That's number one. All right, so number two is I found a wooden shoe in my toilet this weekend. Um come to find out it was clogged. So I don't know. That one didn't get a reaction,

Dad Jokes And Fight Of Faith

Chris Grainger 34:32

but the first one did. So uh I'm I'm I'm what what how are you voting on those two, Michael?

Michael Hamblin 34:38

Well, I I definitely like the airplane mode. I mean, because I mean Leslie Nielsen uh does this nobody delivers it the way he did.

Chris Grainger 34:46

Amen, brother. Amen. Well, guys, look, we do the uh dad jokes every Friday in the lion. And the cool part, we put a little poll out. I love to see how guys vote and uh just to see who's wrong. But anyway, I got a kid. But uh it's it's fun. It's and we I got several guys who are like, I don't vote until I share it with my wife, and then I come vote. And so so uh hopefully you guys enjoy those. Uh the question of the week is where have you been tempted to give up instead of fighting? And guys, I mean, Michael and I have been talking a lot about you know his testimony, his marriage. You know, there's days that we both it just wears us out. But uh at the end of the day, we're we're we're taught to stand firm and to fight. I mean, literally, I was teaching that this morning in 1 Timothy. Paul Paul was telling us like fight the fight the fight of faith. Like you have to stand firm. And as Michael just mentioned, the evil one's gonna do all he can to steal and destroy your family. You got to figure out where you when you're gonna fight and if it's worse, and I guarantee you it is worth taking that stand on. So, Michael, this has been amazing, brother. I knew it was gonna be a lot of fun. Thank you so much for hanging out with us today, bud.

Michael Hamblin 35:52

Well, thanks for having me. And uh, I just want to uh uh wish you uh good luck. We're all counting on you.

Chris Grainger 35:58

Yeah, amen, brother. I'll do the best I can about that. We're gonna keep giving God all the glory. But man, this has been great. Seriously, thank you so much. You you're you make the lion better. And uh so, guys, if you want to connect with Michael, come on into the Lion Within Us. He's in one of our masterminds, but he's also in the Lions Den. Uh, thelionwithin.us. Hey, share this stuff out with others, guys. Like it's a this is a good one just to take and share it without. Just hit that share button. Uh, ratings and reviews help big time. Uh thelion within.us, come come to one of our live events, guys. We've got a big live men's retreat. We do a couple a year. We're trying to do two a year. Uh so we're just looking to do more and more of that stuff and uh open up the Bible app, connect with us there. We we got a lot of guys who are finding a ton of value in the plans we put out on a regular basis. We're putting out two a month, fellas. So lots of new stuff coming up your way. So the lionwithin.us is where you find all that stuff. So, guys, get after it, have a good day, and just keep unleashing the lion within. If you're like me, you don't need another book just sitting around collecting dust. What I enjoy is something to help guide me when my feet hit the ground in the mornings. And that is why we put together Unleashing The Lion Within. It has honest stories, scripture you can apply, and simple steps to help you lead at home, at work, and everywhere in between. So if you've been feeling stuck or scattered lately, you may find this resource encouraging. Read a few pages, take one step and watch what God does with your obedience. Hey, and if reading's tough for you right now, no problem. The book is also available in audible version so you can listen on the go. So if this sounds interesting, check out thelion within.us slash book or search for unleashing the lion within directly on Amazon. So there's

Book Resource And Final Invite

Chris Grainger 37:56

no pressure here, just a resource that many guys are finding helpful. So grab the format that fits and take your next step.