Chris Grainger 1:02

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. But before you get to meet our awesome member, our scripture the week this week is Psalm 146, and we looked at the sixth verse. It says, He is the maker of the heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He remains faithful forever. So, guys, that verse is so such a just great verse. Again, this week we had our Colonel Jeffrey Williams, who was our the astronaut who spent 500 and something days in space, share his testimony. And so we kind of took that verse. We unpacked what God is just the magnitude of what God, who he is. We'll try to talk about the magnitude of who he is, although the words can't explain it. So hopefully you guys listen to that spiritual kickoff episode or the last episode out there. And if you like the spiritual kickoff, guys, we do it Monday through Friday at the Lion.

Scripture Focus And Daily SKO

Chris Grainger 1:56

It's called the Daily SKO. It's free, it's our way to serve you. Go to the LionWithin.us, start your account. It also gets you access to our prayer request space where we're praying every Monday for guys that are in the Lion. So we love to connect with you there. Okay. All right. Well, that's enough of that. Let's get to our awesome members. So, guys, want to introduce to you to you all Mike Otis. Mike, how are you doing today, bud? I'm doing great. Thanks for thanks for having me. Absolutely, bud. Looking forward to just getting to sit and chat with you. And if our listeners get to know you, we usually just start off by just telling us a little bit about yourself, Mike, where are you from? Things like that.

Michael Otis 2:35

Sure. Well, um, I live in North Georgia. Uh I've been in Georgia since uh gosh, since 1997. I'm originally from Kentucky. I grew up in Kentucky. Um and graduated from the University of Kentucky.

Chris Grainger 2:51

Okay, go blue, right? Yeah, that's right. So just you still pull for them even though you're in Georgia or have you transferred down to Georgia now?

Michael Otis 3:03

No, I you know, I'm still a Wildcat fan. You know, I'll cheer for Georgia unless they're

Meet Mike And His Roots

Michael Otis 3:08

playing Kentucky. There you go.

Chris Grainger 3:12

So how about uh your your testimony, Mike, so far as did you grow up in the church? I mean, how did you come to know Christ?

Michael Otis 3:20

Yeah, I grew up in a small Baptist church. Um, I grew up in a small town of about 1,200 people, rural Kentucky. Um, so a small Baptist church where everybody knew everybody. Um you know, all of my my parents were school teachers and my dad was a coach. So I I mean I knew everybody in in the church, but it was a small church which can have its uh it can have its pluses, it can have its minuses, but that that's where I, you know, my parents took us there from I from the earliest I can remember.

Chris Grainger 3:53

Right. Right. Okay. So I mean you got so it sounds like you got saved at a pretty early age.

Michael Otis 4:01

I was around 14. Um, it went to we we had a a youth

Coming To Faith At Camp

Michael Otis 4:06

minister, Barb, uh she came in from uh another town and just kind of shook things up for us. And uh, you know, that was everything was so conservative at the time, and she came in and just made church fun for us um as kids. And we went to a church camp in uh the Carolinas and just really had a great time there, and um and that's where I was saved.

Chris Grainger 4:34

That's cool, man. Which camp was it in the Carolinas? Do you remember?

Michael Otis 4:39

You know what? Uh that was a long time ago. I cannot remember.

Chris Grainger 4:43

I was just curious because there's a big one called uh Ridgecrest. I didn't know lots of that was it.

Michael Otis 4:49

That was it? Pretty sure it was Ridgecrest, yeah. It was in a col it was at a college in uh uh somewhere I think it was in North Carolina. Uh you know, I believe that was it. Yeah. In the mountains. Right.

Chris Grainger 5:02

Yeah, it probably was that.

Michael Otis 5:04

Probably 1980.

Chris Grainger 5:07

It's been a little while. Well, that's that's a big one out there, man. They do a great job out there at that. So I mean you got saved at 14 and and and so how did that look like? I mean, sound like she did a great job as well, but from from there on, you know, kind of who's been discipling you.

Michael Otis 5:26

You know, um, and and you know, just full full open, honest disclosure, you know, I I did pretty well through high school and then I went to college, and uh, you know, I kind of probably like a lot of people, I I went a little wild and crazy for a few years and uh, you know, kind of kind of fell fell away and you know did a lot of things I I regret. Yeah um behaved in ways I regret. But you know, it's just been throughout the years, um, you know, I think we all struggle with that. You know, we have our our periods where we're we're really strong in our faith, and then we have times when we have influences that take us away from our faith. And I'm I'm no exclusion

Drifting In College Then Returning

Michael Otis 6:11

from that. But you know, I um when we came to Georgia, um, you know, we got involved in a church, um, and we were living in Ackworth, Georgia at the time, and uh we had a really good pastor there, and um he you know he really put things in ways that that I understood better. And you know, at the time in my life when, you know, I'd married with kids and you know, a lot going on. Um and then we moved from there over to uh Woodstock, Georgia, and um we went to a very large church for a long time, Woodstock Baptist Church. Um and you know, we we've moved churches a lot, but there's been a lot of people that have influenced or you know and helped me, and of course my wife, she keeps me grounded too. She's my she's my number one um um tower that I go to to keep me on track. You know, as you say, I'm just a guy and I do a lot of guy things that uh you know I need I need a a strong influence in my life and my wife to keep me to keep me focused and on track. Um it's a tough job for her.

Chris Grainger 7:35

Amen. God bless our wives, bud, that's for sure. Well, I'm curious, Mike, from like I know at what point did you get connected with the lion? Like, how did you even find us?

Michael Otis 7:51

You know, um I was going through a tough period about eight, ten months ago. I and you and I talked about that situation where I had, you know, I had a nice corporate job making really good money, and one day they just said they didn't they didn't want Mike Otis anymore. And um, you know, I think and I'm s I do it just like everyone else. Uh, you know, when things are going great, I I forget to thank the Lord for all the greatness. Um and then, you know, we we have something that just smacks us in our face, and then we get, you know, that's when we go to our knees and we start really asking God to help us. And then unfortunately, sometimes we get the help from God, and then we forget to thank him for it. Um, so long answer to your question. Um,

Job Loss Anxiety And Finding Hope

Michael Otis 8:43

I was going through a struggle. I'd lost my job, I was unemployed. I mean, I'm I'm at that age where it's kind of hard to find another another opportunity. And um, I was doing the Bible app and going through the Bible app, and I found the line within there, and I was struggling a lot with anxiety and you know, negative talk to myself. And I went through some of your courses and it really hit home to me. And that I'm just a guy. I mean, that the line within, and I'm just a guy, uh, that really struck a chord with me because I think we we're all just guys out here. We're all in the world, and and we're you know, we're in that fight, the world versus the word, and um we get caught up in a lot of things. And I think one of the things that I've struggled with is that negative talk. You know, I'm not worthy, I'm not good enough. Yeah, I'm you know, even you know, how does God even love me? Yeah, you know, you we all go through that, and I was going through it really bad. And um, you know, going through some of your your uh your courses on the Bible app, uh it really picked me up. And you know, and it prompted me, if you recall, I reached out to you and we and I did a call with you sitting in my car. Yeah, I mean if you remember. I do. And so um, you know, I think it just it just it just really struck me. You know, one of my things that that I that I'm trying to do right now is to is because I I'm a fear and worry guy. And you know, so one, you know, one thing that I've I've been really trying to do is not have any fear or worry. And um, you know, as I I've written down, I've got it sitting right here. I've written down on a card, I'll have no fear or worry. I'm and and I was I was listening to Earl Nightingale and you know, he and and Dr. Norman Vincent Peel, and and they have some really good advice from a long time ago. Yeah, and he said, you know, you might want to rename, he said he had a point to rename yourself if you're struggling with that negative talk, you know, I'm not good enough, uh, I'm not worthy. And um he said, give yourself a name. And about that time, it it, you know, I guess the Lord works in in in his ways. Uh I had decided to call myself a lion, and I'm not, I know I'm not afraid. I'm strong, fearless, Mike. I'm a lion. Yeah. And it you know it kind of sends a few chills down my back when I think about that, connected with you guys about the same time. Yeah.

Chris Grainger 11:33

Man, that is so cool, Mike. That's awesome, man. That's awesome. So you got connected with us there, and then I know we had some conversations, and then at some point you started asking questions about the mastermind, and and kind of walk us through how that how that's been for you so far.

Michael Otis 11:53

Yeah, you know, it's interesting. I I I'm a um I like the mastermind concept. Um, and I think that it's um, you know, you've got to get into a group of people that are in the same struggle with that you are. And yeah, you know, I think, you know, I think what I like about the mastermind group is I've I've been in men's groups before, and um a lot of times it's local. And you know, you're meeting guys that are, you know, they are going through the same struggles, but you know each other sometimes a little too well, if I can say it that way. Yeah. Um and I think we all struggle with um we struggle with our secrets, you know, our secret sins and uh the issues we have. I mean, we all have them and we

Why A Mastermind Helps Men Open Up

Michael Otis 12:47

confess them to the Lord, and that's great. We have to. I mean, we have to get those, we have to repent for our sins. Right. Um, but I think what I like about the mastermind group, I like the organization of it. I like the the the format, but I also like the fact that you know we're we've got to open up to others and we've got to get some of those secrets out there and some of those struggles out there. And um, you know, and I think when we're in a smaller localized group, sometimes we're afraid to share some of those things. Um could for fear of, you know, gosh, if I tell this to, you know, Joe who's in my group, and his his wife and my wife are friends, they're in another group. Uh it it it but we have to share those things because we have to be held accountable here. And uh I think sometimes we're we have to be you know humble enough to say this is what I'm struggling with, and uh transparent enough to get to get that accountability and to grow. And um, yeah, and sometimes we we we're we're quicker to offend God than we are our own community and our own friends. But uh long way of answering your question. I like the mastermind group because it's diverse. We're from all over the place. Um we're all in the you know, we're different ages, different in uh, you know, different uh occupations, different, I mean, a lot of different demographics, but in the at the end, we're all a lot alike. Um and you know, the younger guys are learning a little bit from the older guys like me. I'm learning from the younger guys that you know, yeah. I remember that struggle, and man, I wish I had done that differently. And it brings back things where I've got to go really give some deep thought into how I did things when I was younger. So there was just a lot of um diversity and a lot of um um openness and the format and the way that we're just you know, I think you the way the format's setup is I mean, we kind of gotta give honest answers to our assessments and then be held accountable.

Chris Grainger 15:09

Sure. What do you think for you has been like the biggest impact personally so far?

Michael Otis 15:18

Um I think for me it's just um having that cadence every other week that we that we meet, that that's helpful. Um, because you know it and um having that that document that we're going through, that questionnaire to really put some thought into some areas where, you know, it it's interesting. We get into some areas where I feel like, okay, this is where I I can speak up and talk. And I there's a couple areas where I and I I don't want to, I'm afraid to open up now. And uh, you know, and I'm not forced to open up, but I can open up. But at the same time, I have that format where I've got to open up. And at least in my prayer and in my silent time, it's there and it's given me a a track to really think about things and evaluate where I am. Right.

Chris Grainger 16:17

I love it, bud. That's been so that's great. I mean, it's sounds like you know, you're really fitting in well and getting to know the guys like just walk through the process. Maybe a guy who's listening, like, man, I don't know about joining a group. I don't know anybody. How's that been for you?

Michael Otis 16:32

You know, I'll I I'll say the first couple, the first one was, you know, I jumped in and I'm like, I have no idea who these guys are, you know, where they're from, what they do. I mean, it's uh and it's uh and I was afraid to talk the first couple, and I think you can tell I I I've been in sales my whole career. I don't mind talking. Uh I like to talk and we all like to talk about ourselves, right? So but the first couple meetings I was really I was a little shy. And uh Adam, um, you know, kind of like you you're doing now, you started asking me some questions. And if you ask me a question, I'll I'll start talking. Uh so you know, I think uh to answer your question, it was uh it wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. Um but you know, it took me a little while to get in, and we're still getting to know each other. I mean, I've only been involved, what, about I think I'm probably in my twelfth week. Uh maybe a little longer than that. But no, it's um no, it's been really good. It's been good to see um, you know, the the people from around the country, and you're go, man, we're just guys, we're not that much different.

Chris Grainger 17:46

That's right. That's right. We may sound like we're from different worlds, but we don't, we're not. We're all we all got the same stuff. Amen to that, brother. Well, there may be a a guy listening, Mike, or watching this later, I don't know, who you know, they've been following the lion for a while. Maybe they found us on the Bible app or they just found the podcast and they haven't taken a step to you know either join Alliance Den or to consider a mastermind. What would be, I mean, you're you're kind of you're kind of a newer guy to the lion. What what would be your advice or a recommendation to that guy who's listening who hasn't taken a step yet?

Michael Otis 18:25

You know, I'd just continue to to look at your your uh your courses and your videos, and you know, you've got a good uh selection or a good um a lot of courses on a lot of different things. And you know, pick struggle and pick pick the area you're you're having you know your internal struggle with and and go look at some of those courses and and uh read the verses attached to it and um you know just prey on it and and dig into your into the word and um you know it it will either be right for you or it or or you'll decide there maybe it's not right for you, and that's okay. Uh but for me, you know, I mean for me to say, name myself a lion, yeah, and to hit this, I mean, I know, okay, God has spoken.

Chris Grainger 19:21

Yeah.

Michael Otis 19:21

And I think what we do sometimes is we we get, and I've done it so many times, you know, I pray about something, and God gives me every message in the world. And sometimes I know I know he's just going, Mike, what do you want me to do? I mean I'm giving it to you. I'm laying it on a platter for you and you're listening. Um, you know, just pray about it and listen to God, and God will put you in the right spot, and you'll know if it's right for you or not. But um, I think if you're a guy, it's a good spot.

Chris Grainger 19:53

Amen, brother. Love that. Love that. Well, Mike, before we wrap up, uh is there anything else you'd like to share today, bud? No, I mean, I mean, I think um I think we've covered a lot of things.

Michael Otis 20:12

I think, you know, it's um it's been good for me to be part of uh of the lion. Um well then it's you know, uh it's been good for me to be um to open up about some things that I've been I've been holding back on in the mastermind group. It's been good for me to go through our our format because uh it's very organized and it's uh you know it's Adam is you know he does a great job as our leader and going through our questionnaire. That questionnaire is powerful. Yeah, you know, even if you don't do mastermind, if you could find that questionnaire or just question where you're at on certain things and give yourself a number, one to ten, how good are you, you know? And it's not that it's not that if you get a you know you give yourself a bad score, it's um you know, it's like that's where I am. I don't want to stay there. And if you're giving yourself a top score, you might want to question um that and say, am I really a 10? Uh, because we're probably not a 10 on anything. Uh but no, I think the advice would be just you know, just to stay in it, look at uh, you know, watch your videos, do your courses, uh they're good, and they give you some good advice in what you're struggling in.

Chris Grainger 21:32

Amen. Well, thank you so much. Thank you so much, Mike. That's awesome. Really appreciate all your encouragement and guys, all the stuff Mike's talking about, the website we've we talk about all the time, the lionwithin.us, you can actually the the uh assessment, the initial assessment to get into the mastermind has a lot of what Mike's talking about right there, too, guys. Go do an assessment, if anything, it's just from a self-awareness standpoint. I think it's the lionwithin.us slash mastermind. And then you look, there's a link to the assessment there, so you guys can check that out. Uh, we do have a book of the week this week. It's called The Work of His Hands. And Mike, I don't know if you can see this here, but it's it's by Colonel Jeffrey Williams. Uh, but he took like thousands of pictures when he was an astronaut in space. So all these pictures are from the most of them are from the International Space Station. And you would not believe the details. Beautiful. So this is kind of set up to be like a coffee table book, but that's the book, fellas. It's a little bit different than our traditional book of the week. Uh, and I do have a couple of dad jokes I want to run by you, Mike, man. So, and I'm sticking with the uh the space theme because this week we've had that at we had the astronaut on. So if you're ready, man, I'm gonna run, I'm gonna run two by you. All right. So uh, do you know what they call a tick that's on the moon? You know, we got plenty of ticks here in the South, but do you know what they call a tick that's on the moon,

Book Pick Dad Jokes And Trust

Chris Grainger 22:55

Mike?

Michael Otis 22:57

Chris, I do not know what they call a That's on the moon.

Chris Grainger 23:00

Well, that's a lunatic. So there you go. That's that one. Got a little laugh out of him. All right. So that's that one. And then the second one is what is an astronaut's favorite part of the computer? So lots of you know technology goes into putting the astronaut, you know, on the moon and things like that. But what's his favorite part of a computer, do you know? And you got me, Chris. I don't know what it is. Tell me. Well, it's the spacebar.

Michael Otis 23:36

Man. Wow. That's that's some dad joke right there. I do like the lunatic.

Chris Grainger 23:44

You like the lunatic. All right. There you go. There you go. And guys, we put those lunatic.

Michael Otis 23:51

You know, the these dad jokes give dads, I mean, it just it just yeah. I mean, we gotta do better. I know, I know.

Chris Grainger 23:59

We gotta do better. We gotta do better. But we do put those dad jokes guys every Friday and at in the line. We put them as a poll, and then you can you can vote on it. And the cool part about voting on it is you can pick on the guys who vote wrong, you know. So, I mean, it's just there's that. But uh, there's your two jokes, guys. What do you call a tick on the moon? That's the lunatic, and then what is the astronaut sacred part of the computer? That's a space bar. Uh the question of the week we talk about all week, guys, is where do you need to trust God before it um beyond your own limitations? And we guys, well, we we all struggle with that at times, right? We it's it's kind of like I want to trust you as far as I I feel comfortable, but guys, that's not what we're called to. So thank you for that question, Mike. Thank you so much for coming on, brother. I really enjoyed hanging out with you today, bud. Yeah, same here. Thank you. All right, buddy. Well, you have a good one, guys. Keep listening, keep sharing this stuff out. All the stuff that Mike talked about, the lionwithin.us is where you can find this daily SKO, Lion's Den, or put in your application for the mastermind. You never know, you may end up in a group of Mike and be able to hang out and talk even more. So, guys, give us a rating and review, share the stuff out, and just keep unleashing the Lion Within. If there's one habit that can change your 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

Simple Guide To Pray With Your Wife

Chris Grainger 26:08

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.