Iron Sharpens Iron

Send us a textOn EP. 163 Justin closes out the month of March focused on the impact of mentorship. Your culture, your relationships and situations need YOU to make impact and change for God’s glory. But that purpose needs a plan, and that purpose needs to be sharpened and God uses intentional relationships with other men in our lives to do that! Other men to encourage and equip us, to challenge and hold us accountable on the pathway up the mountain. That mountaintop experience is ultimately to know God and be in relationship with Him. The most important sight you can set your eyes on is Jesus Himself, that is the adventure before us men!"Mentorship equips you for the adventure to KNOW GOD." – Justin WatkinsListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many more! Subscribe, listen and share!Regardless of where you are in your journey, we have the tools and experiences for you. We provide one-to-one mentorship, small group, and retreat curriculum. Bibl

Send us a textOn EP. 162 Justin is back on the pod as we continue the conversation around the impact of mentorship. Last week we talked about your purpose needing a plan, this week we talk about your purpose needing sharpened. I'm sure you are all too familiar with Proverbs 27:17, our core verse, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17. The iron forging process cannot be done with one piece of metal, you need to have another object to sharpen it against. There's a lot of friction, fire and forming – but what results is a more polished and refined tool ready for battle. We need others around us to ask the hard questions, hold us accountable and help us grow. That is what a good mentor does. Men, there is a purpose God has called you to, to impact those around you. And to live out that purpose you need the accountability and encouragement of men who have come before you."Mentors serve as a guide and journeyman who has gone ahead of us a bit so they can be a

Send us a textOn EP. 161 Justin is back on the pod as we focus on planning your purpose for what is at stake. We have to be intentional about being the men God is calling us to be! But first you need a plan, without a plan you will be lost on your pathway to purpose up the mountain. We have a natural tendency to run after things for our own good and fail to consider if they are honoring to God. The first step in this planning process is to bring it to God and ask for HIS leading. Take some time this week to disconnect from your schedule and prayerfully, quietly just be still and ask the Lord to speak to you. Take time to evaluate how you are doing in your 5F's - faith, family, friends, fitness and finances. A man who fails to plan, will plan to fail. Your wife, your kids, your friends, your culture need you. "First you need a plan, without a plan you will be lost on your pathway to purpose up the mountain." – Justin WatkinsListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Ale

Send us a textOn EP. 160 we dive into our conversation around mentorship for the month of March. Justin is back to talk about how the world desperately needs men who will lead with intentionality, passion and excellence and how mentorship can be the vehicle to help men accomplish that. Mentorship is simpler than you think and more impactful than you can imagine."There is a massive need for men to be the men that God called them to be." – Justin WatkinsListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many more! Subscribe, listen and share!Regardless of where you are in your journey, we have the tools and experiences for you. We provide one-to-one mentorship, small group, and retreat curriculum. Biblical masculinity is an adventure, and we are calling all men to conquer the mountain ahead of us. It’s time to climb! Men, it's time to climb! – MENOFIRON.ORG/THECLIMBSupport the show

Send us a textOn EP. 159 Justin joins the podcast as he talks honoring and encouraging your friends. Who are the men who have been pillars in your life? 1 Thessalonians 5:11-13 says, "Encourage one another and build each other up." How can you intentionally live this verse out? Who is at least one man in your life – past or present – who has modeled well what it means to be a godly man?  Who has been a positive influence that points you to a deeper adventure with the Lord and encourages you to pursue your purpose in Him? Whoever that man or men is, pick up the phone today and encourage them and build them up. Shoot them a text, send them a message. Encourage one another, honor your friends."Our culture is often one of comparison and competition, but we as men need to be affirmed, encouraged and built up now more than ever before." – Justin WatkinsListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many more! Subscribe, listen and share!Regardless

Send us a textOn EP. 158 Garret shares a story about a family venturing into new territory on the Oregon Trail. On the trail the safe thing to do was to stay in those ruts, to stay the course. The hardest thing to do was to get out of those ruts, and venture into new territory. A plaque on the trailhead reads: "Cowards never started, the weak died along the way, and the strong survived and paved the way." Men, there is good in staying on course, but there is also a time to venture into new territory. What is God calling you to do?"The strong survived and paved the way." // Garret BarbushListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many more! Subscribe, listen and share!Regardless of where you are in your journey, we have the tools and experiences for you. We provide one-to-one mentorship, small group, and retreat curriculum. Biblical masculinity is an adventure, and we are calling all men to conquer the mountain ahead of us. It’s time to c

Send us a textOn EP. 157 Garret continues the conversation about his journey with Men of Iron over the last 11 years and some of the highlights along the way. On Pt. 3 he talks 2020, when the world shut down. It was a year of adversity for all. 2020 forced us as an organization to get scrappy and find new, innovative ways to impact men. When adversity hits it is all about how we respond. Life is not always pretty, but it's about moving forward instead of backward. "As men, things are not going to go as planned all the time. It's all about how we respond to the adversity." // Garret BarbushICYMI – After 11 years leading Men of Iron, Garret's season with Men of Iron has come to a close. You can read more about it at menofiron.org/resources/thank-you-garretListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many more! Subscribe, listen and share!Regardless of where you are in your journey, we have the tools and experiences for you. We provide o

Send us a textOn EP. 156 Garret continues the conversation about his journey with Men of Iron over the last 11 years and some of the highlights along the way. On Pt. 2 he talks about the risk involved in order to grow and scale Men of Iron. "There is going to come a time in your life where you need to get uncomfortable and take a risk." 2017-2020 was a time of heavy investment into growing the organization. From hiring new staff, to building a new website and rebranding. Men, the lesson learned through these stories is get comfortable with being uncomfortable. It is the only way for you to grow as a husband, father and leader."In order to grow you have to get uncomfortable and you have to take risks." // Garret BarbushICYMI – After 11 years leading Men of Iron, Garret's season with Men of Iron has come to a close. You can read more about it at menofiron.org/resources/thank-you-garretListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many mo

Send us a textEcclesiastes 3 reminds us of the many seasons of life and work. It is with honor, excitement and, of course, a bit of sadness, that we share Garret’s season with Men of Iron will close at the end of January. You can read more about it at menofiron.org/resources/thank-you-garret. Our mission at Men of Iron is to change a culture one man at a time. For the past eleven years, Garret Barbush has worked alongside our tremendous team to accomplish just that. We’ve seen thousands of men impacted, and their testimonies speak of lives changed for eternity. On the next several episodes, Garret is going to share about his journey with Men of Iron over the last 11 years and some of the highlights along the way."Great mentors go to bat for their proteges. Bryan took a chance on me to lead Men of Iron. Who do I need to go to bat for? " // Garret BarbushSHOW NOTES:Highlight # 1 – 2011: Founder Bryan Zeamer asks Garret to work full-time for Men of Iron as Executive Director. This was the first officia

Send us a textOn EP. 154 Justin joins the podcast as he talks about recognizing the visible reminders of God's faithfulness in our lives. Recognizing who God is and what He's doing is NOT an easy task when faced with the many obstacles life throws our way. A practical way to start recognizing God is to start your day with Him – in prayer, in Bible study, reflection. It's easy to focus on what we don't have rather than what do. Recognizing God as the source for those moments will help you start pairing them with Him, and can lead you into ways to mark them for the future. Men, we are responsible to tell the stories of God's faithfulness to our kids and those around us. Recognize, remember and re-tell.There are 3 things I want to encourage you to consider from this practice –1)    RECOGNIZE who God is, what He is doing and teaching in your life2)    REMEMBER those moments by intentionally capturing them3)    RE-TELL those moments to those who need to hear itListen to the Men of Iron Pod

Send us a textOn EP. 153 Garret retells a story that was recently shared at our Monday morning team devotional. This story was shared by our Office Manger Christine about her Grandpa (Pappy). She recently asked her 92-year old Pappy what words of wisdom he would share to men. Check out the 5 words of wisdom from Pappy below. On today's episode Garret dives into #2, love your wife and learn to drink your coffee black.5 words of wisdom from Pappy:#1 - Always dwell in the house of the Lord#2 - Love your wife, learn to drink your coffee black#3 - Tell your children you love them, don't assume they know#4 - Work hard, be humble#5 - Serve Others"Know and identify when your spouse is sacrificing to serve you well." // Garret BarbushListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many more! Subscribe, listen and share!Basecamp is where the adventure begins. Journey at your own pace without accountability or financial commitment. Here you will find FR

Send us a textOn EP. 152 Garret is back in the book of James as he discusses what it looks like to choose a pathway to freedom. Over the past few weeks we've discussed this idea of choosing two pathways when faced with trials. We can choose to consider it "pure joy" when we face trials or we can choose to the path of fear and anxiety. When we choose pathway #1, we persevere and mature and the result is we do what God's Word says. When we take the pathway of anxiety and fear we will ultimately fall to temptation. When we fall into temptation we feel distant from God and ultimately become angry at ourselves. In James chapter 1, James gives us 3 practical steps to a pathway of freedom:James pathway to freedom:#1 – Except the trial with joy and anticipation#2 – Ask God for wisdom in the midst of that trial so we can persevere and mature#3 - We do what God's Word saysListen to the Men of Iron Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, Google Podcasts and many more!Basecamp is where

Send us a textOn EP. 151 Garret dives into 2 Corinthians 10:5 as we talk about taking EVERY thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. When temptation hits I can believe the lie that the temptation is too much and succumb to it, or I can take the thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. Men when faced with a temptation or trial we can either GIVE IN in or LEAN IN. Lean into the Holy Spirit, you can’t do it alone! We need the help of the Holy Spirit and the help of others. When we face our trials head on we will be mature and complete and this world desperately needs more mature and complete men.“When temptation hits I can believe the lie that the temptation is too much and succumb to it, or I can take the thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” // Garret Barbush**SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS & SPOTIFY. FULL SHOW NOTES AT MENOFIRON.ORG/PODCAST** We are growing an audience and we need your help. Share this on your social media feeds, subscribe and rate/review on Apple Podc

Send us a textOn EP. 150 we continue the conversation around standing firm in the middle of life's trials. In James 1:2, James is challenging us to "consider it pure joy" when we face trials of many kinds. There are ultimately two ways to respond when life gets hard. We can respond with joy and anticipation, as James writes, or we can respond with fear and anxiety. How you respond to trials determines whether you will strengthen your faith or kill your faith."How I respond to trials determines whether I will strengthen my faith or kill my faith." // Garret Barbush**SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS & SPOTIFY. FULL SHOW NOTES AT MENOFIRON.ORG/PODCAST** We are growing an audience and we need your help. Share this on your social media feeds, subscribe and rate/review on Apple Podcasts!At Men of Iron we equip men to know God and their purpose by providing tools and training for growth in their faith, family, friends, fitness and finances. Find more at www.menofiron.org.EMBRACE

Send us a textOn EP. 149 Garret shares a story about his youngest daughter Blayke facing her fears on a roller coaster. Much like Blayke trusted her father’s leading, all God wants from us is our obedience to trust Him. All God wants is just your obedience to trust Him. When life’s challenges feel overwhelming, just be obedient. That’s what makes the Father proud.“All God wants is just your obedience to trust Him.” // Garret Barbush**SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS & SPOTIFY. FULL SHOW NOTES AT MENOFIRON.ORG/PODCAST** We are growing an audience and we need your help. Share this on your social media feeds, subscribe and rate/review on Apple Podcasts!At Men of Iron we equip men to know God and their purpose by providing tools and training for growth in their faith, family, friends, fitness and finances. Find more at www.menofiron.org.EMBRACE LEADERSHIP, SEEK ACCOUNTABILITY, PURSUE MENTORSHIP >>> Apply to be a mentor or protege! Check out menofiron.org/programs/strong27Support the show

Send us a textOn EP. 148 Garret is in book of Galatians as he continues the conversation about standing firm in the midst of life's challenges. In Galatians 6 Paul tell us, "Let us not become weary in doing good." Weariness ultimately leads to giving up. Men, this is why mentorship and community are so important. We need others who will hold us accountable and rally around us when life gets hard. When we lean on community and on the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome anything!"When we lean on the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome anything." // Garret Barbush**SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS & SPOTIFY. FULL SHOW NOTES AT MENOFIRON.ORG/PODCAST** We are growing an audience and we need your help. Share this on your social media feeds, subscribe and rate/review on Apple Podcasts!At Men of Iron we equip men to know God and their purpose by providing tools and training for growth in their faith, family, friends, fitness and finances. Find more at www.

Send us a textOn EP. 147 Garret gives up 5 practical tips on how to stand firm when life is hard. More often than not we find ourselves in seasons of trials and tribulations. Life is difficult and life is hard. But, we come out on the other side of these trials, not in our own power, but because our faith is in something greater. How do we practically “stand firm” in the midst of our trials?“How do we stand firm? We take EVERY thought captive and make it obedient to Christ!” // Garret Barbush5 practical tips on how to stand firm:#1 – Take your thoughts captive, ignore the lies#2 – Be strong by praying in the Spirit#3 – We lean on community, we tell others about it (Ecclesiastes 4:12)#4 – Think eternally (1 Peter 5:10)#5 – Finally we worship – the enemy messes with those he is concerned about**SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS & SPOTIFY. FULL SHOW NOTES AT MENOFIRON.ORG/PODCAST** We are growing an audience and we need your help. Share this on your social media feeds, subscribe and rate/review on App

Send us a textOn EP. 146 Garret shares a story about Mrs. Frey. Mrs. Frey was a family friend and a spiritual mentor to his mom Debbie. Mrs. Frey's friendship and love for Jesus led Debbie to Christ and ultimately her entire family. This story is a perfect example of the power of mentorship. Men, we never know the ripple effect that will happen when we intentionally invest in another man's life. "You never know the ripple effect that mentorship will cause in your protege's family." // Garret Barbush**SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS & SPOTIFY. FULL SHOW NOTES AT MENOFIRON.ORG/PODCAST** We are growing an audience and we need your help. Share this on your social media feeds, subscribe and rate/review on Apple Podcasts!At Men of Iron we equip men to know God and their purpose by providing tools and training for growth in their faith, family, friends, fitness and finances. Find more at www.menofiron.org.EMBRACE LEADERSHIP, SEEK ACCOUNTABILITY, PURSUE MENTORSHIP >>> Ap

Send us a textOn EP. 145 we continue the series on "How to be a Successful Protege." In Part 3 Garret talks about the importance of vulnerability and humility in your life and mentorship. We look at the Apostle Paul in Romans 7 and see a man who openly shared his struggles with sin. Men, we must be willing to have courage like Paul. Humility and vulnerability are more than just talking about stuff in our mentorship. True humility shines through when we are both willing to accept the things that are hard and willing to deal with those things. It's time to take off that mask you've been living behind, allow God to break down those walls."True humility shines through when we are both willing to accept the things that are hard and willing to deal with those things." // Garret Barbush**SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS & SPOTIFY. FULL SHOW NOTES AT MENOFIRON.ORG/PODCAST** We are growing an audience and we need your help. Share this on your social media feeds, subscribe and

Send us a textOn EP. 144 we continue the series on “How to be a Successful Protege.” In Part 1 Garret talked about the importance of having a plan and creating an agenda for your mentorship. Today we talk about what it looks like to be consistent in your mentorship. Consistency shows that you are willing to put in the effort to get to where you want to be. Whether you are on the golf course or part of a mentorship, we need to be striving for consistency in our lives. Evaluate your own mentorship, is the characteristic of consistency evident?“Consistency shows that you are willing to put in the effort to get to where you want to be.” // Garret Barbush**SUBSCRIBE & LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS & SPOTIFY. FULL SHOW NOTES AT MENOFIRON.ORG/PODCAST** We are growing an audience and we need your help. Share this on your social media feeds, subscribe and rate/review on Apple Podcasts!At Men of Iron we equip men to know God and their purpose by providing tools and training for growth in their faith, family, friends