Welcome And The Lion’s Mission

Chris Grainger 1:34

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, this is your fun Friday member spotlight. But before you get to our awesome member, we're going to get to our scripture. So it's actually this week, it's in the book of Joel, chapter two, and this one verse, verse 25, it says, I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten, the great locusts and the young locusts, and the other locusts and the locusts of the swarm, my great army that I sent among you. You guys, I took some time in the spiritual kickoff podcast to unpack that verse to kind of give you some ideas of what it means, first of all, the context. But then more importantly, for a for a lion's standpoint, how can we simplify and apply that verse to our life? So hopefully you guys enjoyed that one. Go listen to the last podcast as well. You know that's a fun one out there, fellas. And then uh for you guys who enjoy the spiritual kickoff episodes, we do them a we call it's called a daily SKO, Monday through Friday. I literally just finished doing one this morning. And guys, we really encourage this for you. So this is a great way to get plugged into the

Joel 2:25 And God’s Restoration

Chris Grainger 2:36

lion and get you on our platform. Uh we have the SKOs Monday through Friday. If you can make them live, don't worry about it. We have the videos, we put them up every day. Uh, and it also gives you access to our prayer request space. And fellas, I'm telling you, this is the most active space we have at the Lion, and I warn it to be that way. It's my my prayer is that that prayer request space always stays the most active part because guys are hurting and guys just need some place they can actually bring their genuine thought, their their prayer requests, and they know that they will be lifted up. Every Monday we have a prayer call, and we just want to invite you to pray for you. So if there's something we could be praying for you about, please let us know. And on top of all that, if you're in the continental U.S., we have a free gift we like to send you. So sign up for the daily SKO. It's at the linewithin.us, and guys, you can get access to all that stuff right now. So let's get into it. So I'm looking forward to this one. So uh Rick Fletcher is our member. And Rick, how are you doing today, buddy?

Daily SKO And Prayer Support Invite

Chris Grainger 3:31

Great, it's early. Ready to get ready. It's early. That's right, man. Early for you. That's right. That's right. Well, man, I'm excited to have you here, buddy. I mean, you've been just an instrumental part of the lion. You've you've leaned in. I've gotten to know you, you know, over the time that you've been here. But before we kind of get into all that stuff, man, share a little bit about your your testimony and how you came to know the Lord, brother.

Richard Fletcher 4:00

Well, um, I I I'm blessed to have been raised by parents that brought me up in church. Um we probably went to church till I was probably about uh 13, 14 years old. Um and then uh we there was some uh you know political church hurt kind of thing that my parents strayed from that church, and we were out of it for quite a while. Um my mom uh is a born-again believer, and uh, you know, if it weren't for her faith always pointing me towards Christ, you know, I I would have been a lot worse for the wear,

Rick’s Testimony And Early Church Hurt

Richard Fletcher 4:36

but um I did uh certainly in my late teens and uh and twenties throughout my twenties, you know, walked away uh from the faith. I mean, understood the the basic tenets of of following Christ, but I was not walking. Um you know, living by the flesh and doing what I wanted to do. Um you know, the parties, the girls, the uh the bars and everything like that, and uh, you know, consumed by all that. Um society had me in its grips. But uh, but God's grip was stronger and uh certainly pulled me back from that that abyss. Uh I would say the big uh catalyst um the tipping point is is the one thing that I go back to. Uh my niece uh Charlotte, she uh was diagnosed with acute lymphomastic leukemia a week before her second birthday. And I remember I was in uh I was in the hospital, it was the the first day they brought her down, and this is in the midst of like the COVID scandemic and everything, and so I was in there. Uh there could only be a couple people that could visit, all wearing masks and stuff, but my sister and my father um had to uh meet with the doctor for a little bit, so I was the only one in the room with her, and they had done a lumbar puncture and she was under anesthesia, and they tried to bring her out of um the anesthesia, and she wouldn't breathe on her own. So they had to intubate her. She was in like a medically induced coma, they called it, and uh, you know, this machine was breathing for about 80%. And at that moment, I just I remembered somebody once told me, and it was a therapist that I had seen for a number of years, and she wasn't necessarily in Christ or anything, but she did say one thing one time. She said, you know, when you're in those situations, let go and let God. And I just I just thought of that in that moment, and I said, you know what, I gotta let go of my worries and my concerns, and I'm gonna give this to God. So that was the first time I remembered praying intentionally to God, giving him the situation, um, you know, putting my trust in him. And and I I I I walked over to her bed and her little body's laying there. I put my hand on her shoulder, and I just it was a good like 20, 30 minutes. I'm standing there praying, like, Lord, um, I I there's nothing I can do in this situation but give it to you. Like, I don't have the medical expertise to handle this. Um, I'm I'm putting my trust in you to give the doctors the uh the direction, the precision guidance of their hands to handle this, um, to get her out of this uh this um trouble that she's in right now. And you know, stay in there, and then about 10-15 minutes after I had finished praying, uh, they came back in the room. Uh, a bunch of doctors and nurses came in, and he said, All right, we're gonna try to take her out of this again and and wake her up. And a few minutes go by, and they they pull the tube out, and and she's like groggily coming to and her first words, she this little raspy voice, she goes, I want my Binkabinke. And uh she won she wanted her Binky, her pacifier. And dude, I just broke, I broke down, uh, just praising him for for just that that just small um small victory right there of getting her out of that little jam. And it was not the end by by far. She had to go through uh chemo, tons of lumbar punctures that were so uncomfortable for her. Um and uh in solidarity with her, eventually she lost her hair, like she had started growing hair. Um it was like shoulder length at that point, and and it all started falling out, and eventually my sister shaved her head and everything, you know, little bold two-year-old. And so my father and my and I, we uh we shaved our heads in solidarity with her the whole time that she was through treatment. And uh, you know, it was my my trust was in him that he was gonna get her through that. And and you know,

A Child’s Leukemia And A Turning Point

Richard Fletcher 9:26

pouring myself into into scripture and and understanding after that that even if he didn't, you know, what would have happened? What would have my faith looked like at that point? And uh because I didn't have I didn't have a consistent church I was going to at the time because I work for New Jersey Department Corrections. Uh I'm a sergeant with them since 20 uh 17. I made sergeant. But uh I went to third shift, uh work overnights, and at that point uh I joined a church. Uh right away, stepped into serving. Um, you know, I wanted to glorify God with my with my time, uh, with my talent. Um and and that's when I first started uh tithing too, like understanding the importance of tithing and uh you know glorifying him and all of that through through what he's given me. So um got got to cut my teeth in leadership, and it was around that time, I forget if it was I think it was before I even started going back to church, I came across the line. Um I came across your podcast one day because I um I didn't have that connection to church, but I was trying to press into it, and I was searching podcasts, uh like just Christian men's podcasts or something, and the line within us popped up. I started listening. Um you had a lot of great uh guests on, um, you know, authors, guys from all different walks of life, uh giving their testimonies and um, you know, talking about their contributions to the faith and how they're walking uh and following Jesus. And yeah, and then I uh just desired more of that. So joined up and uh a little bit after that, you know, got plugged into a mastermind group, and it's yeah from there.

Chris Grainger 11:21

That's awesome, man. And you meet I know serving's a big deal to you. You know, you you kind of have a heart for serving. I mean, it's funny, it's a great story, but guys, if you remember the listeners out there, when I broke my ankle in the summer of 25, Rick actually drove through the night to bring me a uh a scooter, uh a little um pillow for my leg, some other things, because he you had previously broke your ankle and didn't tell me you were coming. I just had a knock on the door, and there Rick is standing there from New Jersey to North Carolina, and it's just that heart, man. Uh that that forever. I'll never forget that. And just want to say, you know, thank you again for that and for the love. I mean, you you really serving it just seems like that to me, just from knowing you, that is so core of who you are, Bubba.

Richard Fletcher 12:11

Yeah, praise the Lord. You know, uh, you know, we he's blessed me with so much, and if I have something that can help someone else out, you know, uh, I think we're meant to be a blessing with others with it. You know, I I didn't need it anymore, uh, but I know I knew you did, and uh wanted to make sure it was uh was put to use and you got to experience the same benefits that I did.

Chris Grainger 12:33

So amen, but it was really cool. It was really cool, and then you even came down for our our men's retreat that we had in April, and it just another great time of fellowship with you, and and and your heart again, just for serving and for being encouragement to others is such a big deal, bud. And uh so you you plugged into you're still plugged into a new church now. How's that going with your with your church that you're in now?

Richard Fletcher 12:57

Yeah, uh love the new church. Uh had a conviction uh about six, seven months ago, uh probably a little bit eight months ago now, and uh Lord led me to uh Fountain Life Center in Burlington, New Jersey. Uh love this church. Uh great sound uh biblical teaching. The uh past it's it's part of the Assemblies of God uh network, and a lot of the pastors are on the board with Assemblies of God, you know, former directors, everything like that. And the New Jersey uh Assemblies of God headquarters is just right down the road from it. So we have a lot of a very strong um assembly there, and the men's ministry is on fire there. They do so much, um get together often, they uh really pour into each other. Um so it's it's been a real blessing for me um to to be surrounded by men that are supportive, that are uplifting, and that are walking life with each other. And and that's what it's all about. Um having your Timothy's and having your MAC carriers, um, you know, guys pouring into me, uh, me finding people to you know disciple um you know disciple and and minister to as well. And it's it's been awesome. I love it.

Chris Grainger 14:21

That's great. And maybe speak as well. You mentioned you're in the Department of Corrections. That's a that's a that's a very challenging work environment for a believer, but it's also an incredible mission field, man. So like just share with the the listeners like how are you embracing that? What does that look like? I'm sure there's probably good days and bad days like any job, but uh just just very interested to hear how that's going for you.

Richard Fletcher 14:47

Yeah, um that that became my identity for quite a while. Um, I I went to the academy in Jan from January to May of 2011 um at Seekert um in New Jersey, and then uh went to Albert C. Wagner Youth Correctional Facility, and these guys were 18 to 30 years old, uh, and it was a it was a real tough group to deal with. And the uh I made sergeant in 20 in the fall of 2017, went to Southwoods, which was about an hour and a half commute. Um, but that jail had everything. Uh we had every kind of service that DOC offers, uh, you know, different uh vocational studies. We had uh full minimum unit, uh, which are guys that are out, you know, doing road details. We had max custody inmates that were behind uh behind our door, you know, 23 hours a day, you know, with you know opportunities for wreck and um uh you know programming and stuff, but but they were the offenders, worst of the worst, you know, that can't abide by the laws of society, and then they can't abide by the rules within the facility as well. Um but yeah, there there's certain a lot of challenges with with that. And then once starting to walk with Christ uh and follow him, realizing that I can't walk

Returning To Church And Learning To Serve

Richard Fletcher 16:11

around the same same that I had been. Um I can't speak to people the same that I have been. And uh Holy Spirit, you know, convict me to you know walk differently. If I'm gonna if I want to walk the walk, I gotta talk the talk. I gotta portray myself in the way. And it wasn't me, actually. It's you know, the Holy Spirit in you. Um you bear those fruit of the spirit, you know, the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, uh, faithfulness, general self-control, and and embodying that every day. And as soon as you you know interact with somebody that you know you've looked down on for quite a while, you you say, How am I how am I being good to this person? How am I being faithful to God in my uh walk? Am I am I portraying Jesus the best I can? You know, and that's that's the the goal of the Christian is to to get closer to Jesus because he did it all for us. So um, you know, pressing into and allowing the Holy Spirit to work through me in that facility. Um, the f I remember one of the first times I toured a unit after uh after having this conviction and and asking the Holy Spirit to come into my life and and to to reshape me uh down to the very core and walking a unit and having this in me who's sitting on his bunk, he was reading his body, he looked up, he's like, There's something different about you. You got this like glow. And I said, Hey man, you know, when you're walking with the Holy Spirit, you know, everything changes. And he said, Amen to that. And and you know, um getting to share my conviction, getting to share my faith with others, whether it's my my peers, my co-workers, uh, my subordinate staff, um, my superiors, even my lieutenants and above, um, and and even the the inmate population. You know, just you know, guys that are working and talking about, you know, hey, what the sermon was like on Sunday. Guys asking me, hey, how was church on Sunday? What would what's your pastor talk about? And getting to share, you know, share some gospel message with them. Um it's been awesome. And uh getting to pass pass all that knowledge along because that's that's what we're meant to do. Go out and share the word, make disciples, um, feed them. That's awesome, though.

Chris Grainger 18:32

So I mean it sounds like some it's it's actually starting to work in some cases, or at least maybe it sounds like curiosity when guys are curious, they're coming to you, and that's opening up chances and opportunities for conversation.

Richard Fletcher 18:43

Yeah. Oh, there's also a lot of challenges that come with it too, you know. Um certainly people, you know, uh got a lot of mockers out there. So uh, you know, they want to say, you know, call you certain things and everything. They want to test you, they want to, you know, drag you into conversations that aren't fruitful. Um but it's it's being on guard, staying aware of of those attacks, of those uh, you know, those people that are gonna try to bring you down or or get you to question your faith um and devotion

Following Jesus In Corrections Work

Richard Fletcher 19:17

to Christ. 100%. You gotta stand firm, brother.

Chris Grainger 19:22

So you're in a great, just a great spot, a wonderful mission field, killer opportunity to to advance the gospel, and uh just definitely praying for you, man, as you keep moving forward with that, Rick. And that sounds go ahead.

Richard Fletcher 19:37

There was a long time that you know in that job, I'm like, what am I doing here? Especially in the beginning when I when I was following Christ. And sure. Um, you know, what am I doing here? This this maybe this isn't for me, maybe I'm not meant to be here, but uh, you know, you think about you think about Jonah and how you know God led him, you know, led him to Nineveh to uh you know preach to them and and preach repentance to them, and and and I'm like, I I've got to be here for that reason. You know, I'm here, I've been here before it, you know, I lived in it, but now I'm meant to show what Christ can do in somebody and through somebody. So I I I can be an example of of that transformative power um of following Christ. Right. That's it, brother.

Chris Grainger 20:27

Man, I'm so proud of you. And you mentioned that you you found the lion, you kind of started leaning in, but now you're in these mastermind groups, man. I'm very curious from from that standpoint, how has that been for you? Maybe what's been the impact on those groups for you?

Richard Fletcher 20:43

Yeah, the mastermind we meet every every other Thursday morning, and uh it's had a it's had a great impact. Um, having that group of brothers um consistently coming back to week after week, um, sharing our testimonies with, sharing our struggles with, um, you know, you know, bearing each other's burdens when we're lifting each other up in prayer, uh, sympathizing, empathizing with what they're going through, and uh you know, digging in, having that uh connection with them through through a chat, you know, or or tech chat and everything, like throughout the weeks in between our meetings, um and the hot seat uh has been you know a great opportunity for us to pour into each other. Um, you know, each meeting we we bring something that's pressing to us, whether it's um a struggle, something we're questioning, or uh or just something that you know in our life that we might be dealing with at that moment. Um you know, uh a hardship or something. And and and so having that having those guys, I I have a great diverse uh mastermind group. I've got I got a pastor, I got a boat captain, I got a you know, construction foreman, uh, you know, I've got uh you know a guy who's in uh IT, one who sells, you know, uh my uh uh drilling equipment and everything. Um got a brother who does mission work and another who's just on the mission field uh following his calling. And uh and it's just it's really awesome. Um really awesome having such a diverse group of guys being able to give you different perspectives on um on your struggle, uh, on your struggle and and helping you walk through it um and pour into each other.

Chris Grainger 22:46

And it's been really cool to see that group the way you guys have leaned in and you support and you encourage each other, you're helping each other, and and uh I it was neat because a lot of you guys in that group were at the retreat as well. So just being able to see how you c you come together, it was uh it was definitely encouraging it for sure.

Richard Fletcher 23:04

Yeah, yeah, no, it was it was awesome getting to to meet them in person, get to get to give them a hug and and uh you know talk to them in person and and interact with them um at that event. It was uh it was a really great event. You well put on and uh you know I look forward to them in the future. I I I regret missing the uh the previous year's uh events, but uh but no, I'm really glad. I was able to make it that. You definitely uh you guys put on something really, really special.

Chris Grainger 23:37

Definitely you made a lot of fun just having you here, buddy. So maybe maybe and there could be a listener out there too, Rick, who who they checked out the show. Maybe they even found us on the Bible app and they're starting to just get a little curious about what this the whole lion thing is all about. And there's lots of ways to start from the daily SKO to the Lions Den to a mastermind to coming to one of the events or coming to one of the talks. I'm I'm starting to do more and more of. What would be your encouragement to that guy?

Richard Fletcher 24:06

Start with the daily SKO. Um, that's what I did. Um I uh at the event you you handed out a bunch of cards with the QR code on them and stuff. Yeah. So, you know, I've been passing those out to to guys I work with and you know, guys that I meet saying, hey, just start with the free daily SKO space. It's a great spot to um you receive that word every morning. Um, you know, you do a great job. Uh I love the simplify and apply. We just take a piece of scripture, the section of uh of that chapter, and break it down. You know, explain

Mastermind Brotherhood And Retreat Impact

Richard Fletcher 24:41

how that applies to us now today in our walk, um, and how as men we're meant to um to walk in that. And and and and there's a lot of guys out there that are that are struggling, that are hurting, that uh maybe don't want to admit it, uh, but they are, and they're missing something, they're lacking something, and they're wondering what that is. And I think I think the application of scripture is is what they're missing. Um you know, I I got my dad into uh I got him logged into the daily SKO and encourage him all the time to to press into it because he's not much of a reader, you know, he doesn't he doesn't really uh pick it up as much. Um, but to have somebody explain it and break it down to them, you know, to be able to understand what that word says, because let's be real, a lot of it is can be difficult, you know. It almost seems like it's in another language because it came from another language, but it's God's language. And we're if we're gonna be walking with God, we want to know how he talks and and what he's saying to us. Um, and that's that's how we communicate with him. So if it starts out as just hearing the word um and hearing it explained and broken down um and stripped apart to, you know, you do a great job talking about like the Greek uh translation, Hebrew translations and understanding of certain words what what the root actually means. And and you were the first uh experience I had with that. And I ended up I bought a Bible that has a really great uh word wealth, um, where it breaks down those words and gives you the the um the root meaning of it in Greek or Hebrew and uh you know diving deeper into what God intended us to to know.

Chris Grainger 26:35

Amen. Well, thank you for that encouragement to you guys out there, Rick. And I mean, is there anything else you'd like to share today before we kind of transition to the last part of our conversation here?

Richard Fletcher 26:46

Uh no, just press in, you know, have intentionality because the easiest way to drift is to do nothing. I've heard that time and time again, and to do something and do it intentionally. Um I I I'm so grateful to God for for what I what I've what he's turned me into. I haven't become anything on my own power because I couldn't do on my own power. I needed to walk with him and submit. But walking in that um obedience to his calling, to his word, is the greatest impact. Um is the greatest uh contribution that he can have to your life. Um but you need to be intentional about it. It doesn't just happen overnight and it's a progressive sanctification. You know, that salvation's instant, but sanctification takes the rest of your life. And and to don't don't get disheartened by the attacks, don't get get disheartened by uh having to reap the consequences of your of your you know decisions, of poor decisions that you made prior to coming to Christ. Because when you do follow him, when you step in, you're a new creation, you don't have to walk in that guilt anymore. Um you know, there's plenty of things that I've done that I did that were done to me that I could look back and say, this is why I am the way I am, this is you know why I did what I did. Um, but don't justify that sin anymore. Just you know, step out of it because God's got something better for you. And right and it's an eternity in his presence.

Chris Grainger 28:21

Amen to that, Bo. Well said. Well said. Rick, this has been so much fun with you,

Start Small With Scripture And Intentionality

Chris Grainger 28:26

bud. I knew it was going to be a great one. And just so thankful for you and everything that you do. And got a couple things I want to run by you. So, first of all, we we typically do a book of the week, Rick, but this week we're not doing a book. We're actually gonna do a movie of the week. Uh, it's called Faith in Forgiveness. It's Al, it's Al Robertson and Lisa's their story. It's out, it's out now, so you guys can go check that out. Listen, you know, watch that for sure. We definitely want to support Al and everything he's doing. And I got do have a couple of dad jokes I want to run by you, Rick. So I'd love to get your opinion on which one do you think uh which one lands the best? And uh, if neither one lands, that's fine too, okay? All right, so what would bears be without bees?

Richard Fletcher 29:05

Do you know what bears would be without bees, Rick? Well, they'd be missing their honey. Yeah, they would be. They would be. But they would ultimately they would be ears. They sure would be. They sure would be, man.

Chris Grainger 29:22

There you go. Complete transformation. That's it. That's it. And then a second one is why was Cinderella so bad at soccer? So, I mean, you any ideas on why she was just terrible at soccer? She couldn't keep her shoes on. I know that for sure. Uh that's true, but but she she kept running away from the ball.

Richard Fletcher 29:42

You know, yeah, yeah, that's that's not gonna benefit you in soccer, one bit. You gotta you gotta stay on the ball.

Chris Grainger 29:48

That's it. That's it. So which one lands best for you, buddy? I like the bears. You got me with that one. You got the bears. There you go, fellas. There you go. So look at the B. Look, on the dad joke stuff, fellas, we put uh we put them in the lion's den every Friday so you get to vote and see where guys land. Uh, and the cool part is when you vote, you get to see who votes wrong, and then you just get to pick on them, you know, and we welcome the picking, you know. So it's uh I'm just kidding. Good natured ribbon. That's it, that's it. And we and we're also trying a new thing out, guys that are listening to the podcast. We're trying to put these dad jokes on Spotify. So if you listen on Spotify, Spotify lets you do a poll. I just learned this. So we're trying to do it. The problem is there's character limits, so sometimes we we may not be able to, but check out your this episode if you're on Spotify, see if there's a poll there, and then cast your vote. We'd love to see from you, hear from you. And on Spotify, comment because we we now can comment and engage back with our listeners there. So let us know which one you like. Number one, number two, where would bears be without bees? They would be ears. And then uh, why was Cinderella so bad at soccer? Well, she kept running away from the ball. And the question of the week this week is what control are you refusing to surrender fully to God today? And and Rick's talked a lot about this. We talked about this in our episodes this this entire week. So if you're struggling with letting go, guys, we're here to help you. We're here to support you, and we'd love to walk with you. So, Rick, thank you so much, brother. This has been an honor to have you on, my man. It's thank you so much for your time today. Guys, go to the lionwithin.us for all the stuff that Rick's talked about, all the stuff that we that we try to do and serve, or simply just open up the Bible app. I really encourage you guys, just open the Bible app up and just uh search for the Lion Within Us and see all the cool things we got going on there. So, guys, have a great day. Get out. We'll see you next time and just keep unleashing the Lion Within. If there's one habit that can change a home, it's this when a husband prays with his wife, not because it's a magic formula, but because it recenters your marriage under God's authority and care. And let's be honest, a lot of guys want to do it, but most don't know how to start without it feeling awkward. Maybe you 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

Movie Pick Dad Jokes And Surrender Question

Chris Grainger 32:16

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 the lionwithin.us slash guides. That's the lionwithin.us slash guides and start unleashing the line within at home by leading your marriage through prayer.