Iron Sharpens Iron

Send us a textOn EP. 173 Travis is back as he begins the conversation around mentorship. At Men of Iron we want to help you take your next step on the mountain to know God and know your purpose. Men, we all need another man speaking into our lives. True mentorship is finding someone a season or two ahead of you and inviting that man into a covenant mentor-protege relationship. Mentors guide you, encourage you, pray for you and hold you accountable to your goals. A mentor-protege relationship, is an iron sharpening iron relationship. Stay tuned as we continue this mentorship conversation throughout the month of June. If you are interested in becoming a mentor or a protege, apply today – MENOFIRON.ORG. “A mentor-protege relationship, is an iron sharpening iron relationship." Travis AlbanesiusListen 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

Send us a textOn EP. 172 Scott is back to wrap up our series on the importance of solitude and retreat. Men you desperately need this time away with God! We hope you have learned more about the spiritual discipline of solitude and that you have already put it into practice in your life. Remember, solitude is a planned an intentional time, you have to put it on your calendar! Retreats, whether annually or semi-annually are another great way to get away and spend time with God and other men. We would love for you to check out our retreat resource, Equilibrium menofiron.org/programs/eq). Equilibrium is a men’s retreat experience designed to help men restore balance in their lives. Change of Pace + Change of Place = Change in Perspective. Grab our EQ resources and lead your own retreat with some buddies, or join us for one of our EQ Elite retreats, a first-class retreat experience! Check out the link above to apply for an EQ Elite retreat near you!“Retreats allow you to refocus and recalibrate with a group of lik

Send us a textOn EP. 171 Scott is back as he continues the conversation about solitude, this week focusing on retreat. A retreat is another opportunity to get away and find some space, but with a group of like-minded men. Men, we need to get serious about getting away with a group of friends to talk about things that really matter. A retreat allows you the opportunity to hit pause, talk about your struggles with other men, and put a plan in place for the future. Jesus exemplified this idea of doing life with a small group of men, with His 12 disciples. The spiritual discipline of solitude, and getting away on a retreat with like-minded men will help you become the man God has called you to be!“Jesus exemplified this idea of doing life with a small group of men.” – Scott DavisScott joined the Men of Iron team in October of 2022 as our Iron Rep in Tampa, FL and the surrounding region. Scott and his wife Lori have four children and live in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Scott believes wholeheartedly that we are resp

Send us a textOn EP. 170 we continue the conversation around the spiritual discipline of solitude. Men, Jesus is our example for why solitude is so important. Several times throughout the New Testament we read, "Jesus would go to a solitary place to pray." Jesus would get away from everyone to spend time in solitude with the Father. The human side of Jesus needed rest, needed a reset, and most importantly needed to hear from God. If you are living a rushed and busy life, you are proving your lack of confidence in God's direction. Live your life with confidence that Jesus is in control!“Jesus would get away from everyone to spend time in solitude with the Father." – Scott DavisScott joined the Men of Iron team in October of 2022 as our Iron Rep in Tampa, FL and the surrounding region. Scott and his wife Lori have four children and live in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Scott believes wholeheartedly that we are responsible to help prepare men all around us to live out and leave a leadership lega

Send us a textOn EP. 169 Scott is back as he continues the conversation this month on solitude. Last week we were introduced to the spiritual discipline of solitude. This week we look at practical ways to get away and hear from God. Solitude can feel intimidating or even boring, but it is a learned spiritual discipline. A discipline that ultimately brings you closer to God. There are a lot of distractions in life, a lot of noise, but God meets us in the quiet. To hear from God it takes a desire to want to hear from Him, an intentional time of solitude, and a trained ear. Start small, set aside 30 minutes 3x’s this week to get away with God.During your time of solitude with God this week, use these 4 practical tips:#1 – Ask the Holy Spirit to calm your thoughts and speak to you#2 – Breathe out stress and breathe in the presence of God#3 – Thank God audibly for EVERYTHING in your life#4 – Be still and listenScott joined the Men of Iron team in October of 2022 as our Iron Rep in Tampa, FL and the surrounding reg

Send us a textOn EP. 168 Scott Davis joins the podcast, as he opens up the month of May focusing on the importance of solitude in a man's life. What does solitude mean? Solitude is not merely when you are alone, but an intentional withdrawal from social engagement to quiet the soul. In today's culture with social media and the internet, it is harder and harder to get away and quiet the noise. It often takes something serious or traumatic to realize that things have got to change. Solitude allows you to hear God's voice more clearly. If we don't seek solitude and intentionally spend time with Jesus, we won't become the man that He is calling us to be. It's time to turn off the noise, get away and hear from God!"Solitude allows you to hear God's voice more clearly." – Scott DavisScott joined the Men of Iron team in October of 2022 as our Iron Rep in Tampa, FL and the surrounding region. Scott and his wife Lori have four children and live in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

Send us a textOn EP. 167 Travis wraps up the month of April talking about the importance of loving your wife well. After your faith, your relationship with your wife should be your second priority. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." – Ephesians 5:25. Men, we can't afford to make the mistake of neglecting the most important relationship we have outside of God. If you love your wife, life is going to be so much better! Love is a willingness to give up your comfort to serve your wife, that's what Jesus did. "There is no prayer more powerful than a husband's prayer for his wife." – Travis AlbanesiusListen 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. To know God is an adventure, and we ar

Send us a textOn EP. 166 Travis is back to talk about building your house on a firm foundation. When it comes to be an athlete you need a firm foundation. If you have a firm foundation you are stronger and better equipped to withstand a hit. Today we are going to talk about the importance of having a firm foundation. In Matthew 7:24 Jesus is telling the people, storms are going to come and the houses that we are building are going to be tested. Are you building your house on rock or are you building it on sand?"If you are going to build your dream home, it better be on a firm foundation." – Travis AlbanesiusListen 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. To know God is an adventure, and we are calling all men to conquer the mountain ahead of us. It’s time to

Send us a textOn EP. 165 Travis continues the conversation on focusing on the fundamentals. Just as it’s about the fundamentals in football, it’s also about the fundamentals in our spiritual growth. When you neglect the little things they are often the most important things, we fall short. The first and best thing we can do is to put our faith in Jesus Christ. How do I build my relationship with God? All you have to do is spend time with Him. As we spend time with Jesus, He gives us strength and power like we have never had before. Focus on the fundamentals, focus on God.“The first and best thing we can do is to put our faith in Jesus Christ.” – Travis AlbanesiusListen 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 al

Send us a textOn EP. 164 Travis Albanesius, our Iron Rep in Outer Banks, NC, takes over the podcast for the month of April. Travis joined the Men of Iron team in September of 2022. On this episode we are talking about the fundamentals. It's all about the fundamentals. If you take care of the little things, the rest will take care of itself. Men, it's okay to chase after your goals and aspirations, but don't don't neglect your responsibilities as a husband and father. Focus on the fundamentals. The most fundamental thing we can focus on is our relationship with Jesus Christ. It is key to everything else in life. It is the beginning of your pursuit to being a better man. "The most fundamental thing we can focus on is our relationship with Jesus Christ." – Travis AlbanesiusListen 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

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