Positively Undefeated: Recent Episodes

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In this episode, Burl sits down with Payton Combs, a young man whose life took a hard turn through addiction before finding a path to recovery in an unexpected place-a rehab ranch. Payton shares the raw truth about his struggles with drugs, the moments that forced him to confront his life, and how the structure, community, and purpose he found at the ranch helped him rebuild. Today, Payton works at the very place that helped save his life, helping others who are walking the same difficult road. His story is one of honesty redemption, and the power of second chances.

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This podcast tells the true story of Chick-a man who spent decades locked in a battle with alcoholism and lived to tell the other side of it. Through hard truths, painful losses, moments of clarity, and the steady guidance of Alcoholics Anonymous, Chick shares what it really looks like to fall down, get back up, and stay sober one day at a time. This isn't a polished recovery story-it's a real one. For anyone struggling, recovery, or loving someone who is.

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Toby and Ziney sold their home, hit the road in an RV, and started over-together. In this episode, Toby shares his journey through addiction and recovery, and how sobriety reshaped his marriage, his purpose, and their life on the road. It's a story about second chances, hard choices, and what it really means to build a new life from scratch.

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We sit down with Brandon Willis to hear his powerful story of life on the road, his battle with cancer, and the road to recovery. Brandon opens up about the moments that changed everything-from the events leading up to his diagnosis to the courage and faith that carried him through the fight of his life. His honesty and resilience will leave you inspired to face your own battles with the same strength and hope.

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In this episode of Positively Undefeated, we delve deep into the world of emotional resilience and mental health among men. As we navigate the everyday struggles faced by ordinary individuals, I open up about my own experiences with feeling overwhelmed, the battle against inner demons, and the quest for empowerment. The conversation is as candid as it is compelling, with an emphasis on how critical it is to remain positively undefeated in the face of adversity. I have the pleasure of speaking with Jared Chow Fant, the creator of the Brotherhood Mentality Mission podcast. Jared shares his journey from a traditional life to finding his voice in faith and outreach. We discuss his transformative moments, including a pivotal sermon that reignited his passion for teaching and connecting with men in similar struggles. His mission emphasizes breaking the silence that often surrounds men’s mental health issues, drawing on his own challenges with vulnerability and the importance of sharing one’s story. Throughout our conversation, we touch upon the historical context of masculinity and the societal expectations that often hinder open communication, particularly regarding emotional struggles. Jared highlights the significance of establishing a support system—be it through faith or community—and the value of being honest and vulnerable with oneself and others. He recounts heartwarming stories that illustrate how these connections can change lives, especially when addressing serious issues like addiction and loneliness. We also explore the topic of spiritual warfare and how it plays a role in the everyday lives of men today. With an understanding that many are searching for fulfillment in the wrong places, we discuss the key steps to overcome those voids—honesty with oneself, being transparent with God, and seeking the support of trusted friends. Jared emphasizes that being genuine is a powerful antidote to the insidious nature of depression and anxiety that many men face. As the episode progresses, I encourage listeners to embrace their vulnerability as a means of liberation. We share insights on how community gatherings and men’s groups can foster safe spaces for open dialogues about struggles and achievements alike. Jared's passion for aiding others through his platform is palpable, and we together affirm that it is indeed okay to not have everything figured out. Join us as we navigate these impactful themes with the intent to empower listeners to open up, seek help, and understand that together, we can approach our challenges with a positively undefeated mindset. This episode is not just a conversation—it's a rallying cry for men everywhere to break the mold of silence that often holds them captive.

Get the book - https://www.amazon.com/Pill-Popping-Preacher-Christopher-Gouyd/dp/B0DZH6JC93

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In this episode, we dive deep into the transformative journey of Christopher Gouyd, the author of "Pill Popping Preacher." The conversation explores his battle with addiction, the power of storytelling, and the significant impact of vulnerability in recovery. Stricker hosts this candid discussion alongside Michelle, Christopher's wife, as they reflect on personal experiences and profound insights. Christopher shares his compelling origin story, marked by a life-altering experience in prison that spurred him to confront his addiction. The moment he inscribed "pill popping preacher" on his cell wall marks a turning point that would eventually lead to writing his book. The candidness with which he recounts his struggles makes the message relatable; he discusses the emotional turmoil of nearly losing his family and the shame that often accompanies addiction. The dialogue transitions to the publishing journey, shedding light on the processes involved in bringing his story to the world. Christopher reveals his use of AI tools like ChatGPT to assist him in shaping the narrative, emphasizing that while technology can help polish language, the heart of the story remains authentically his. The conversation takes a personal turn as both Burl and Christopher reflect on past relationships, their growth, and how they've embraced vulnerability in their journeys. Michelle adds valuable perspectives, relating to the themes of shame and insecurity that often underlie addiction, and highlighting that honesty is a crucial ingredient for lasting change. Listeners are encouraged to connect deeply with their journeys, echoing the podcast's theme of being "positively undefeated." Stricker and his guests discuss the role of faith, the importance of community support, and the transformative power of sharing one's story. They challenge the societal stigma surrounding addiction and emphasize the importance of being open about personal struggles, thus fostering a community of empathy and understanding. In the latter part of the show, the discussion pivots to the larger mission behind Christopher’s book—providing support for those still battling addiction. Christopher shares his vision of giving 52% of the book's proceeds to recovery efforts, reinforcing his commitment to helping others find their path to healing. This commitment is matched by their plans for a ranch to promote recovery and provide a sanctuary for those in ministry. Ultimately, this episode serves not just as a testament to the power of resilience but as a call to action for those facing their demons. With actionable insights and an open dialogue about acceptance and healing, the conversation leaves listeners feeling empowered to embrace their own narratives while offering hope and support to others.

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/i3u92ckji9

00:00:04 Introduction to Positively Undefeated 00:01:37 Special Guests Join the Conversation 00:02:35 The Journey of Writing a Book 00:03:56 Overcoming Addiction and Finding Strength 00:05:22 The Emotional Impact of Sharing Stories 00:07:06 Honesty in Relationships and Healing 00:08:48 Seeking God Through Struggles 00:10:10 Finding Purpose After Addiction 00:11:13 Relating Through Shared Experiences 00:13:03 The Role of Shame and Pride 00:14:17 Understanding Addiction’s Roots 00:15:35 Struggles with Faith During Addiction 00:16:57 Lessons Learned Through Trials 00:18:53 Embracing Vulnerability and Connection 00:20:33 The Complexity of Identity 00:22:47 Reflecting on the Journey to Recovery 00:24:23 Finding God in Solitude 00:27:44 The Transformation Through Faith 00:29:14 The Impact of Family Dynamics 00:31:00 Breaking Generational Curses 00:32:35 The Importance of Community Support 00:33:59 Realizing Purpose in Relationships 00:36:00 Humor as a Connection Tool 00:38:19 The Impact of Mental Health 00:40:26 The Simplicity of a Relationship with God 00:42:45 Embracing Authenticity in Faith 00:44:09 Growth Through Adversity 00:45:47 God’s Purpose in Unexpected Places 00:47:20 Building Community in Unlikely Situations 00:49:56 The Power of Shared Stories 00:51:37 Creating Opportunities for Healing 00:54:30 The Vision for Recovery and Giving Back 00:56:45 Preparing for Future Ministry 00:58:19 The Importance of Humility in Service 01:00:15 Finding Validation in God 01:01:35 Reflections on a Shared Journey 01:04:13 The Role of Spirituality in Recovery 01:07:08 Encouraging Others Through Vulnerability 01:10:15 Connecting with God in Everyday Life 01:12:36 The Path to Redemption and Purpose 01:14:37 Promoting the Book and Its Message

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In this episode, we dive deep into the nuances of living a fulfilling life despite the everyday struggles that many of us face. I share my initial feelings of uncertainty as I wake up, feeling enveloped in a gray outlook, wondering if I can muster the motivation to tackle the day ahead. The podcast, titled "Positively Undefeated," embraces the very real battles people encounter with their inner demons, while also equipping listeners with empowering strategies to maintain resilience.

My guest, Shawn, joins me as we discuss the importance of creating a supportive environment for this journey. We brainstorm ways to enhance the aesthetics of our podcasting space, leaning into a vision that captures both professionalism and warmth. As our conversation unfolds, we encounter the tough realities of work and ambition, sharing personal anecdotes about the risks and rewards of taking charge of one’s career and direction in life. Shawn opens up about the transition from a job he took to support his wife’s business to contemplating a fresh start of their own—highlighting the importance of recognizing when it’s time to move on and create opportunities. We explore the layered concept of fear—how it often holds people back from pursuing what they truly desire.

I emphasize the significance of shedding decisions rooted in fear and leaning into discomfort, ultimately empowering ourselves to face challenges head-on. This leads us into a discussion on investment strategies, drawing parallels to life choices and how societal trends can shape our outlook. We reflect on the age-old adage of seizing opportunity during downturns, particularly in environments where many may be hesitant or retreating. Amidst these reflections, we touch upon the ways that external influences, such as government regulations and products—specifically concerning driving and substance use—affect our behaviors and choices in daily life. We engage in a candid discussion about the repercussions of prohibition and the implications of legalizing various substances, all while addressing underlying issues of addiction and societal pressure. As the episode unfolds, I express my enthusiasm for a new development that promises to benefit many: a neurofeedback system designed to help individuals improve their focus and mental clarity.

Through this tool, I aim to illustrate how such innovative approaches can be a non-medical method of enhancing one’s life without needing harmful substances or excessive regulations. Overall, the conversation weaves together personal stories, philosophical questions, and actionable insights aimed at equipping listeners to embrace their journeys with positivity and strength. The heart of "Positively Undefeated" lies in creating a supportive community where individuals can thrive, take risks, and ultimately be the architects of their own futures.

00:00:04 My Struggles Begin 00:01:26 Embracing Positivity 00:02:30 Crafting the Podcast Space 00:06:11 Confronting Fear 00:08:44 Opportunities in Tough Times 00:13:37 The Impact of Technology 00:16:58 The New Generation's Attitude 00:23:11 The Debate on Substance Legalization 00:26:41 Understanding Self-Perception 00:32:29 The Slippery Slope of Habits 00:35:11 Exploring Neurofeedback 00:44:21 Closing Thoughts and Next Steps

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1. NeuroOptimal Neurofeedback Technology:

   • The host introduces NeuroOptimal, a non-invasive brain-training system designed to improve focus, mental clarity, and reduce anxiety. It requires no diagnosis and is used as a complement to traditional methods like counseling.
   • The system is explained as helping users relax and train their brains to manage stress and emotions more effectively. The host emphasizes the benefits for people in Western Oklahoma, where such services are scarce.

   • Elliot's Journey and Experience with MS:

   • Elliot shares his personal challenges with multiple sclerosis (MS), exploring how the diagnosis and associated pain have impacted his mental and physical health.

   • He reflects on the mental toll of MS, detailing how it exacerbates feelings of frustration and overthinking. The diagnosis initially led to two years in a wheelchair and significant mental struggles before he found ways to rebuild his life.

   • Mindset and Coping Strategies:

   • Elliot emphasizes the importance of shifting from a self-centered mindset to one focused on helping others. He discusses how stepping outside himself and connecting with others has been a powerful coping mechanism.

   • He advocates for living with hope and faith, stressing the power of giving hope to others as a way to find purpose and strength.

   • The Role of Faith and Community:

   • Both the host and Elliot discuss how faith plays a vital role in navigating life's challenges. They reflect on the importance of vulnerability, sharing personal struggles, and finding support within a community.

   • They also delve into the balance between self-reliance and dependency on God and others, highlighting how shared experiences foster empathy and growth.

   • Hope, Positivity, and Overcoming Self-Pity:

   • Elliot talks about breaking out of cycles of self-pity and negativity. He stresses the importance of recognizing such patterns early and actively working to redirect focus toward helping others and maintaining an optimistic outlook.

   • Powerful Analogies and Insights:

   • The discussion includes impactful analogies, such as how trauma and mental health challenges affect individuals like being trapped in a bottle, where focus narrows to survival mode.

   • Insights from faith, including verses from the Bible, are used to frame personal challenges and growth as part of a greater plan.

   • Encouraging Vulnerability and Storytelling:

   • The podcast underscores the value of sharing personal stories and being open about struggles, which can inspire and guide others dealing with similar issues.

Final Thoughts: The episode concludes with an invitation for listeners to explore NeuroOptimal services and sign up for positive texts via the host's website. Elliot's journey is presented as a testament to resilience, the power of faith, and the impact of a supportive community in overcoming life's challenges.

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Elliot shares his journey through recovery from addiction and mental health challenges. The conversation covers topics such as codependency, the 12-step program, spirituality, and personal growth.

Key themes discussed: 1. Recovery and 12-step programs (AA, NA, Codependents Anonymous) 2. Dealing with codependency and childhood trauma 3. The importance of spirituality and finding a higher power in recovery 4. Changing one's mindset and identity in the recovery process 5. The value of community and support in overcoming addiction and mental health issues

Action Points:

1. Seek Help: - Reach out to local mental health organizations (e.g., Red Rock in Elk City) for guidance and support. - Attend 12-step meetings (AA, NA, Codependents Anonymous) to connect with others in recovery.

2. Address Codependency: - Read the book "Codependence and Arms" for insights into codependent behaviors. - Work on identifying and expressing your own feelings and needs, rather than always prioritizing others.

3. Embrace Spirituality: - Explore your personal concept of a higher power, understanding that it's a individual journey. - Practice the full Serenity Prayer to gain perspective on life's challenges.

4. Change Your Environment: - Surround yourself with supportive, like-minded individuals who encourage your recovery. - Consider attending a church or spiritual community that aligns with your values.

5. Work the 12 Steps: - Find a sponsor to guide you through the 12-step process. - Focus on personal growth and self-reflection through each step.

6. Shift Your Perspective: - Reframe your identity from being defined by your struggles (e.g., "I'm an alcoholic") to acknowledging your battles (e.g., "I battle with alcoholism"). - Practice self-love and acceptance through daily affirmations and self-care.

7. Give Back: - Once you've made progress in your recovery, look for opportunities to help others on their journey. - Share your story to inspire and support those who are struggling.

8. Stay Connected: - Reach out to Elliot at 785-201-2200 for support or questions about recovery. - Visit the website evenoneless.com for additional resources and information.

9. Maintain Open-mindedness: - Be willing to try new approaches and perspectives in your recovery journey. - Stay open to the idea that change is possible, even if it seems difficult at first.

10. Practice Self-awareness: - Reflect on your past experiences and how they've shaped your current behaviors. - Work on identifying your character defects and be willing to address them.

By following these action points and embracing the themes discussed in the podcast, listeners can take steps towards their own recovery and personal growth.

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In this episode, Burl and Shawn dive into a myriad of topics, starting off with the nuances of podcast audio clarity and the advantages of using headsets for better sound monitoring. They discuss the challenges they face with their current recording setup and the importance of audio quality in podcast production. Shawn emphasizes the need for getting sound as close to perfect during recording to minimize post-editing work, likening it to musicians tuning their instruments to achieve optimum sound before a performance. The conversation then shifts to the music scene, particularly focusing on the unexpected rise of Oliver Anthony and the dynamics of music consumption today. Burl reflects on Anthony's surprise at his song's rapid popularity, highlighting how he discovered the artist through trending music charts. They both comment on the peculiar juxtaposition of country music against the backdrop of mainstream rap, noting trends in music styles and preferences among listeners. As they delve deeper, the duo examines how the advent of technology, particularly AI, is impacting the music industry. They ponder whether AI-generated music will be preferred over human-created songs, touching on the fears that artists like Post Malone have regarding AI's capabilities in writing superior songs. Shawn remarks on the implications of AI in storytelling and the potential for listeners to struggle distinguishing between genuine artistry and algorithmic compositions. The discourse takes a political turn as they speculate about the potential future with AI in various aspects, including education and social interaction. They discuss the implications of AI shaping perceptions and behaviors, predicting a time when young individuals might develop relationships with AI entities more than with actual people. This prompts them to consider how technological advancements influence societal paradigms and individual development. Burl and Shawn also dig into various conspiracy theories, specifically the ones revolving around societal perceptions shaped by government actions. They discuss the pervasive idea that society's infrastructure tends to favor certain groups while suppressing others, reflecting on how this concept extends across various socio-economic discussions. The conversation takes an engaging twist as they contemplate historical examples of how misinformation and public sentiment can be swayed. As they explore the topic of personal debt, particularly in relation to the housing market and economic fluctuations, Burl presents a critical view of capitalism's evolution. They critically analyze how the perception of value has shifted, driving up prices in both goods and services, and how this shift impacts everyday consumers. Shawn counters by discussing the necessity of balancing fair compensation for labor while also ensuring that products remain accessible to the average person. Towards the end, they forecast potential changes in the real estate market and interest rates. Burl suggests a more measured approach, predicting stability and the potential for stagnation rather than the fervent buying and selling seen in previous market highs. They debate the implications of lower interest rates and the potential impact on the housing market, weighing how these economic factors interplay with human behavior and decision-making processes. Throughout the episode, the conversation threads through various cultural, social, and economic topics, creating a tapestry of discussion that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

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In this episode, we explore the complex daily struggles that ordinary people face, particularly against the backdrop of mental health challenges and the pervasive stigma surrounding them. I aim to illuminate how we can remain positively undefeated amid life's challenges. The conversation dives deep into personal anecdotes, shedding light on the impact of suicide within families and communities, and emphasizing the essential need for open dialogue and support systems. I share my experiences growing up in Midland and how they shaped my understanding of grief and resilience. The focus shifts to the staggering statistics surrounding mental health, particularly the correlation between faith, suicide rates, and the often untouched discussions within religious communities. While the struggle is universal, the responses to these struggles need to assess genuine hope and answers rather than relying solely on silence and conventional coping mechanisms. Drawing from scriptural references, I articulate a heartfelt plea for those suffering to seek help and to embrace community in times of despair. As the episode progresses, I introduce a powerful narrative featuring the story of Horatio Spafford, who famously penned a hymn during his heartbreaking tribulations. His journey through grief exemplifies the profound depths of human sorrow juxtaposed against the unwavering strength found in faith. I unpack his story not merely as a historical account but as a testament to resilience that inspires listeners to confront their challenges with a mindset of hope and healing. Throughout our discussion, I challenge the audience to reconsider what happiness and success truly mean through a spiritual lens, referencing Galatians 5:22, which lists the fruits of the Spirit. These concepts serve as guiding principles for our lives, marked not by material wealth or societal definitions but rathove, joy, and shared humanity. I encourage listeners to reflect on their journeys and to evaluate how they are cultivating these attributes in their lives, pushing for introspection that reveals not only personal growth but also communal responsibility. We then transition to powerful "superpowers" that can help us navigate life’s complexities—embracing living in the moment, finding contentment regardless of circumstances, expressing gratitude, the transformative power of prayer, and the liberating act of forgiveness. Each point is further disrupted by personal testimonies and scriptural insights, emphasizing how reliance on God's love can furnish the strength we need to confront our fears and weaknesses. I conclude the episode by instilling a message of hope and empowerment, reminding the audience of the importance of community support, authentic connection, and openness about mental health challenges. This journey is not just personal; it involves uplifting others through love and understanding. We come full circle, allowing our conversations about struggles to transition into shared hopes for a more compassionate future, where the narratives of our lives are imbued with grace and love, providing a solid foundation to face each new day.

00:00:00 Introduction to Positively Undefeated 00:03:15 The Impact of Suicide 00:07:40 Defining Happiness and Success 00:11:33 Understanding Love 00:16:23 Superpowers of the Spirit 00:21:45 Living in the Moment 00:27:01 The Importance of Forgiveness 00:29:10 The Gift of Freedom 00:32:56 Concluding Thoughts and Prayer

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This is a fascinating tale of a man who should have been dead or in jail but thanks to the power of redemption He is now here with us sharing his life. Follw him on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@second_chancer

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This episode of the "Positively Undefeated" podcast features an inspiring conversation with Bianca, a woman who shares her remarkable journey of transformation, perseverance, and finding purpose through community.

The episode begins with Bianca reflecting on her struggles with weight and her inability to keep up with her young children, which motivated her to embark on a wellness journey. She discusses losing 170 pounds and how an unexpected opportunity to participate in an amateur boxing competition led her to discover the jiu-jitsu community.

Bianca opens up about the profound impact that jiu-jitsu has had on her life, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. She talks about the importance of surrounding herself with positive communities, such as her church, gym, and various support groups, which have played a vital role in her growth and healing.

One of the most poignant moments of the episode is when Bianca discusses the tragic loss of her husband to suicide in 2020. She shares her perspective on coping with grief, finding solace in her faith, and the incredible support she received from the various communities in her life.

Throughout the conversation, Bianca emphasizes the significance of routine, self-care, and being open to receiving help and encouragement from others. She offers valuable advice on how to avoid isolation during difficult times and reminds listeners of the eternal perspective and hope found in her faith.

The episode also touches on themes of vulnerability, honesty, and the importance of having a strong support system. Bianca's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, resilience, and the transformative impact that embracing community can have on one's life.

Overall, this episode of "Positively Undefeated" is a heartfelt and uplifting exploration of one woman's incredible journey, highlighting the role of community in overcoming struggles and finding strength, purpose, and joy in life.

00:00:00 The Gray Outlook 00:00:20 Positively Undefeated 00:00:43 Introducing Burl and Bianca 00:01:37 Jiu-Jitsu Journey 00:02:07 Meeting Chris 00:02:13 Getting into Jiu-Jitsu 00:06:28 Dealing with Injuries 00:09:12 Knowing When to Quit 00:12:12 Importance of Community 00:14:17 The Perfect Placement 00:22:48 The Weight of Loss 00:28:57 Being Honest and Vulnerable 00:31:16 Coping with Loss 00:36:48 Building a Strong Foundation 00:39:18 Embracing Community 00:40:15 The Morning Routine Walk 00:41:20 Connecting with Bianca 00:44:42 God's Purposeful Connections

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The episode features an interview with singer-songwriter Emily Elgin. Emily shares her powerful story of overcoming trauma from an abusive childhood and domestic violence in her past relationships. She talks about how growing up witnessing domestic violence warped her understanding of love and led her to be drawn to violent partners as a young adult, despite the relationships not starting off that way.

Emily credits going to therapy as a major turning point that helped shift her mindset, unpack her traumas, and understand what a genuine, healthy partnership looks like. She became an advocate for mental health and sees vulnerability and openness as crucial for destigmatizing mental health struggles.

The conversation explores Emily's brave decision to leave her turbulent life in Oklahoma behind and move to Nashville to pursue music full-time. She shares the incredible story of how a stranger gifted her $4,000 to make the move happen after sensing her prayers for guidance. Emily reflects on the daunting challenges of being an independent artist doing the job of seven people but says her worst day in music is better than where she was before.

Emily performs a poignant excerpt from her new breakup song "It Should Have Been Raining" and discusses her musical influences like The Steel Drivers, Taylor Swift, and others. Throughout the episode, she emphasizes the importance of embracing one's unique voice and individuality as an artist, rather than chasing trends. Emily advocates for up-and-coming artists to focus on honing their distinctive artistry and being authentic, even when facing discouragement in the industry.

The episode also touches on Emily's love of horses, some comical and harrowing horse training experiences, and her thoughts on the "live forever or die trying" cowboy mentality around horseback riding. Overall, it captures Emily's resilience, her commitment to empowerment through music, and positivity in the face of life's struggles.

Links

Phantom Power Music - https://www.phantompowermusic.io/

Emily Elgin Music - https://www.emilyelginmusic.com/

00:00:00 Introduction to Positively Undefeated 00:00:19 Welcome to Positively Undefeated 00:01:11 Interview with Emily Elgin 00:02:34 The Music Industry: Independent vs. Record Deals 00:04:02 The Journey in Nashville 00:06:30 Overcoming Domestic Violence Trauma 00:10:29 Coping Mechanisms and Unhealthy Habits 00:13:51 Life-Threatening Wake-Up Call 00:14:30 Turning Point and Self-Discovery 00:18:10 Transitioning from the Ranch 00:20:25 Shared Love for Horses 00:23:49 Challenges Faced by Amateur Horse Riders 00:28:40 The Perils of Horseback Riding 00:30:18 Self-Perception in Music Talent 00:32:03 Finding Unique Voices 00:33:59 A-list Party Encounter 00:37:37 The Dark Side of Notoriety 00:47:14 Connecting Through Music Events 00:49:27 Unveiling New Music 00:54:49 Poignant Song Performance 00:56:36 Discover More About Emily Elgin 00:59:57 Embracing Vulnerability and Honesty

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The episode features a conversation between the host Burl and his guest Glenn Gatlin. Glenn is the founder of the non-profit organization "All About Understanding" and the for-profit business "Understood", both focused on teaching social and emotional life skills.

Glenn shares his very personal story of how his oldest daughter being bullied and attempting suicide prompted him to develop more self-awareness around his own ability to control emotions and communicate effectively. This experience led him to start All About Understanding to help youth and adults build crucial social-emotional skills that are often lacking.

The conversation covers many thought-provoking topics related to emotional intelligence, finding one's passion and purpose, and the powerful choices available to young people. Glenn emphasizes the importance of truly listening to understand others, accepting their perspectives, and respecting that they may be able to handle difficult situations better than expected.

Burl relates his own emotional journey, realizing he was stunted at the maturity level of a 12-year-old and had to learn to process trauma and addiction in a healthier way. Both men discuss spiritual perspectives, finding gratitude in small things, and changing one's mindset from an "employee" to an "entrepreneur" mentality.

The episode closes with an invitation for potential collaboration between Burl's non-profit focused on suicide prevention and Glenn's organizations. They express a desire to support each other's missions and work together to empower youth and adults through social-emotional development.

Links

All about Understanding - https://www.allaboutunderstanding.org/

00:00:00 A New Day Begins 00:00:43 Introducing Positively Undefeated 00:02:19 Meeting Glenn Gatlin 00:04:24 About Understanding Organization 00:08:02 The Challenge of Bullying 00:09:16 Emotional Maturity Journey 00:15:33 Listening to Understand 00:18:31 Embracing Uncomfortable Silence 00:22:26 Dealing with Disappointment 00:25:24 Letting Go and Trusting 00:29:06 Discovering Your Passion 00:33:16 Pursuing Education and Passion 00:34:36 Finding Purpose and Profit 00:37:39 Starting Your Own Business 00:42:16 Empowering Young People 00:48:34 The Power of Choice 00:59:51 Finding Gratitude in Small Things 01:02:45 Spiritual Journeys and Perspectives 01:07:41 Reaching Out and Collaboration

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The episode features a conversation with Whitney Foster, a woman from Lawton, Oklahoma who opens up about her personal struggles with mental health, suicide attempts, and finding healing.

The episode begins with Whitney sharing a vulnerable audio clip she had previously recorded about feeling hopeless and unmotivated. This led to the host learning about a traumatic incident Whitney experienced where she witnessed a fatal car accident and tried to help the victim, which deeply impacted her.

Whitney then provides background on her life - growing up as a preacher's daughter, moving around frequently, and eventually taking a job at her husband's family's eyeglasses business. She explains how her mental health challenges have affected her throughout her life, including panic attacks, depression, and even attempting suicide on multiple occasions.

A key turning point was when Whitney experienced a very dark period recently, to the point of planning to take her own life. However, she was stopped by seeing a meaningful tattoo she had gotten, reminding her of her children. This led to a breakthrough where her mind finally allowed her to confront long-repressed childhood traumas.

Whitney credits her faith in God, the support of her husband, and the community at her church as crucial factors that have helped her on her healing journey. She emphasizes the importance of being open about mental health struggles, rather than trying to hide them, in order to break the stigma.

The conversation explores how Whitney's personal experiences have given her a unique perspective and passion to share her story to help others who may be suffering in silence. She provides advice and encouragement for those struggling with mental health challenges, emphasizing that they are not alone and that healing is possible.

Overall, the episode is a powerful and vulnerable exploration of one woman's battle with her inner demons, and how she found the strength, faith and support to overcome them and discover a renewed sense of purpose.

00:00:00 Introduction to Positively Undefeated 00:00:23 Sharing Empowering Ideas 00:00:42 Beryl Stricker's Background 00:02:18 Whitney's Eyeglasses Business 00:03:28 Witnessing a Traumatic Accident 00:05:19 Assisting at the Accident Scene 00:06:41 Discovering the Outcome 00:07:03 Meeting the Victim's Husband 00:09:04 Impact of Suicide Experience 00:10:56 Reflections on Suicide and Closure 00:12:23 Providing Closure to the Husband 00:14:22 Whitney's Mental Health Struggles 00:20:02 Importance of Faith in Healing 00:21:19 Key Factors in Whitney's Recovery 00:24:42 Impact of Family Support 00:26:58 Struggling with Illness and Identity 00:29:35 Healing Through Church Community 00:33:09 Finding a Healthy Version of God 00:34:40 Overcoming Struggles with Different Perspectives 00:37:35 Healing Mental Illness: A Real Disease 00:38:57 Supporting a Spouse Through Mental Health Struggles 00:41:06 Small Acts of Love: Building Emotional Support 00:44:51 Leading by Example: Healing for Future Generations 00:48:30 Navigating Vulnerability Hangovers 00:53:43 Allowing God to Speak Through Vulnerability 00:55:30 Finding Purpose in Pain: Sharing Stories of Hope 00:58:27 Connecting for Support: Reaching Out for Help 01:00:24 You Are Enough: Encouragement for the Struggling

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In this episode, we have a candid conversation between the host, Burl, and his guest, Pete. The discussion delves into their personal struggles with depression, addiction, and traumatic experiences that have shaped their lives.

Burl starts by opening up about his own silent battles with depression and the challenges he faced in seeking help. He notes how many men tend to suffer in silence, not wanting to acknowledge or discuss their internal struggles.

Pete then shares three pivotal moments in his life that tested his resilience - his time in the army, battling alcoholism, and contemplating suicide. He describes the feelings of desperation and isolation he experienced, not knowing how to get the help he needed. Pete also reveals a history of childhood sexual abuse that deeply impacted his mental health and relationships as an adult.

The conversation shifts to exploring the emotional immaturity they both grappled with, feeling disconnected from their peers and unable to healthily cope with life's difficulties. This often led them to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse and promiscuity, further exacerbating their problems.

A key turning point for Pete was when he attended a men's retreat and had a revelation about the permanent harm his suicide attempt would have caused. This sparked his commitment to getting sober and seeking professional help through counseling and support groups like AA and SLAA.

Burl and Pete discover striking similarities in their experiences, from their time in the military to the trust issues they developed. They emphasize the importance of finding a community of people who truly understand the depths of their struggles, rather than just relying on traditional therapy.

The discussion highlights how the journey to healing can take a lifetime, but there is hope in leaning on supportive networks and embracing vulnerability. Burl and Pete express their desire to continue their newfound friendship and support one another in their ongoing recovery.

Ultimately, this episode provides a raw and empowering look at the battles many men face, while offering inspiration in the power of shared experiences and the belief that brighter days lie ahead.

00:00:00 Introduction: Struggles and Demons 00:00:19 Welcome to Positively Undefeated 00:01:08 Conversation with Pete 00:23:28 Seeking Help: Talking to a Counselor 00:29:44 Reflecting on Childhood Trauma 00:31:46 Starting Therapy Journey 00:35:07 Embracing AA Meetings 00:37:09 Journey to Sobriety: Two Years Later 00:39:21 Battling Inner Demons 00:42:40 Seeking Solace in Retreat 00:52:00 Finding Hope in Unexpected Places 00:54:15 Embracing a Lifetime of Healing 00:56:40 Building Bonds Through Shared Struggles 01:02:47 Unraveling Interconnected Struggles 01:05:45 Extending Empathy in Shared Spaces 01:09:41 Navigating Loneliness and Trust 01:14:46 Embracing Divine Connections 01:15:33 Extending Support Through Email

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The episode features an interview with Jerry Essary Jr., a published author who has written two faith-based books sharing his powerful personal testimony. Jerry opens up about the traumatic events and struggles in his life that ultimately led to his spiritual awakening and conversion to Christianity.

Jerry discusses the challenges of writing his first book "When Faith Comes to Town", which took him 7 years due to the emotional difficulty of revisiting painful memories. He had to take breaks from writing as reliving the trauma would trigger depression and darkness. However, he persisted because he felt compelled to share his story of how God radically transformed his life.

Jerry vividly recounts the pivotal moment when he experienced a profound spiritual encounter with God while admitted to a mental health hospital after hitting rock bottom. In that moment, he had a warmth and loving presence envelop him, leading him to fully surrender to Christ. This marked the start of his new life in faith.

Throughout the conversation, Jerry emphasizes the power of humility, vulnerability, prayer, fasting, and staying grounded in Scripture during seasons of struggle. He acknowledges it's not easy, sharing his own ongoing battles, but stresses the importance of persevering and keeping your eyes on God.

Jerry's second book consists of poetry focused on praise and worship, written from the perspective of grappling with modern-day issues like anxiety and depression through the lens of faith. His goal is to provide hope and inspiration to others facing similar dark valleys.

The host and Jerry also discuss relatable topics like avoiding discouragement when you haven't had a radical salvation experience, dealing with addictions prominent in certain industries like the oil field Jerry works in, and being an example of vulnerability and openness as a man. Jerry's authenticity and passion shine through as he shares his desire to potentially start a trauma ministry.

Overall, the episode is a powerful, honest discussion about one man's journey from brokenness to unbreakable faith, offering hope through the realities of spiritual struggle and ultimate transformation.

Books By Jerry

When Faith Comes to Town: How Broken Became Unbreakable https://a.co/d/85agOoi

Spiritual Symphony: The Resonance of Psalms, Proverbs, and Prayers https://a.co/d/iNUtFie

00:00:00 Introduction to Positively Undefeated 00:00:42 Meeting Burl and Discussing Published Books 00:02:30 Challenges and Triumphs in Publishing 00:07:05 Family History in the Oil Field 00:08:17 Lessons Learned from His Father 00:10:33 Second Book: Praise and Worship Poetry 00:13:21 Safety and Changes in the Oil Field 00:14:42 Preaching the Gospel in the Oil Field 00:16:08 Finding Strength in Adversity 00:21:31 Spiritual Awakening in a Mental Health Hospital 00:23:44 Encouragement for Those Seeking Spiritual Experiences 00:27:20 The Power of Fasting 00:31:14 Inspiring Personal Stories 00:35:34 Overcoming Struggles 00:40:31 Finding Strength in Scripture 00:42:10 Weather Chit-Chat 00:44:44 Connecting with Jerry 00:50:44 Breaking Down Walls 00:55:12 Wrapping Up with Positively Undefeated

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The podcast episode focuses on the issue of substance abuse, particularly the dangers of the opioid crisis and the prevalence of fentanyl. The guest, Steve Berry, is a certified alcohol and drug counselor who shares his insights from 15 years of experience working in substance use treatment programs.

Berry discusses his own personal struggles with alcoholism, recounting how he would drink to the point of blacking out and then drive, putting himself and others at grave risk. He expresses gratitude for making it through that difficult period by the "grace of God" without any major legal troubles or fatal incidents. Berry's story highlights the desperation that can come with addiction and the need to find hope.

The conversation covers the spiritual and mental aspects of recovery. Berry explains that maintaining a strong "spiritual condition" through practices like prayer, meditation, and making amends can provide a "daily reprieve" from cravings. He emphasizes the importance of humility in recovery, recognizing that one cannot control everything. Building healthy relationships and a supportive community is also crucial, as isolation often exacerbates addiction.

Berry provides a poignant definition of addiction as "a sick love and trust relationship with an object" where one sacrifices freedom, health, and relationships for a fleeting high. However, he stresses that this condition is not permanent, and recovery is possible through willingness to seek help and make positive changes.

The episode delves into the alarming rise of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50-100 times more potent than morphine. Its high potency and low production costs have made it a profitable choice for drug traffickers, leading to a surge in overdoses as users are unaware they are ingesting fentanyl-laced substances. Berry highlights the need for education and harm reduction measures like providing fentanyl test strips and the overdose reversal drug Naloxone (Narcan).

Local treatment resources in southwest Oklahoma are discussed at length, including inpatient and outpatient programs, medication-assisted treatment clinics, and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Berry emphasizes that licensed providers will not turn people away if they cannot offer the right treatment, instead referring them to more suitable options. He also commends the role of lay people and community organizations in providing support and guidance.

The significance of the recent SWOTA (Southwestern Oklahoma Development Authority) town hall meeting is highlighted, where local residents courageously shared their stories of addiction and recovery. This public vulnerability is praised for reducing stigma and offering hope to those still struggling.

SWOTA's diverse initiatives aimed at combating substance abuse in western Oklahoma are outlined, including a mobile treatment clinic in partnership with Red Rock Behavioral Health, prevention grants, and distribution of harm reduction supplies like Narcan. The organization's mission is to prepare communities for the opioid crisis and provide resources before addiction leads to despair or loss of life.

Throughout the dialogue, Berry and the host emphasize that recovery is possible, people are "worth the effort," and positive changes can reshape one's future. They encourage listeners to have courage, seek help from professionals or support groups, and remember that transformation stories prove there is hope beyond the darkness of addiction.

00:00:00 Introduction to Positively Undefeated 00:00:43 Midland Mixer Event Announcement 00:01:59 Meet Steve Berry, a Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor 00:03:48 Personal Experience with Alcoholism 00:05:09 Spiritual Condition and Growth in Recovery 00:07:34 Understanding Spiritual Growth in Recovery 00:09:33 The Importance of Humility in Recovery 00:10:53 Appreciation for SWOTA Town Hall Meeting 00:13:39 Rise of Fentanyl and Substance Abuse 00:17:35 Substance Use Disorders and Overdose Risks 00:19:26 Addressing Pain and Addiction Connection 00:20:51 Community Collaboration for Substance Abuse 00:21:35 Breaking Stigma and Offering Hope 00:23:11 Impactful Stories of Transformation 00:23:33 Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Desperation 00:24:27 Definition of Addiction 00:25:55 Overcoming Stigma and Seeking Help 00:28:46 Investing in Yourself 00:29:32 Holistic Approach to Recovery 00:30:10 Importance of Community Support 00:31:00 Impact of Legal System on Recovery 00:32:12 Finding Healthy Relationships 00:33:02 Medication-Assisted Treatment 00:35:05 Local Treatment Providers 00:40:42 Utilizing Lay People Resources 00:43:05 Additional Treatment Providers 00:45:37 SWOTA's Diverse Initiatives 00:47:15 SWOTA's Contribution to Western Oklahoma 00:48:13 Gratitude for Support and Encouragement

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On the podcast "Positively Undefeated," Burl Stricker and Emily Tuck discuss their struggles in daily life and express a hope for finding the strength to start the day positively. They share excitement about an upcoming event in Midland, Texas, with live music, a live auction, and inspiring speakers. Listeners are encouraged to follow and review the podcast on various platforms. The topic of relationships is explored, with the speakers interpreting a quote from a book about the lingering attachment to physical beauty in past relationships. They discuss the connection between beauty and honor in a biblical context and emphasize the importance of understanding love outside of its biblical instructions. The speakers reflect on the role relationships play in their lives and the flawed understanding of love shaped by unhealthy family dynamics. The speakers discuss the need to wait and find true love as defined by the Bible. The podcast also delves into the importance of prayer and meditation in seeking a deeper connection with God and gaining wisdom. They highlight the significance of dependency on God and the need to let go of fear and embrace a spiritual routine. The speakers acknowledge their own abandonment issues and the importance of self-awareness. They emphasize the value of experiences, both good and bad, in shaping personal growth and meaningful connections with others. The podcast emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment, relying on God's power and guidance, and seeking wisdom in areas such as sexuality and relationships. The speakers encourage seeking guidance from God in order to have integrity in our lives and not solely relying on cultural norms. They conclude by acknowledging that the church is made up of imperfect human beings who may struggle, and it's essential to focus on Jesus and our dependency on Him. They invite listeners to explore these topics further at an event in Midland, Texas, on February 24th at 6 p.m.

00:00:00 Waking up with a heavy heart and uncertain outlook 00:00:44 Introducing Positively Undefeated podcast with Burl Stricker and Emily Tuck 00:10:30 Understanding Love and Dysfunctional Family Dynamics 00:14:29 The Influence of Past Relationships on Current Dynamics 00:18:17 Embracing Responsibility and Pursuing Knowledge of God's Love 00:23:25 Listening to God and the role of the Holy Spirit 00:26:35 The importance of maintaining connection in relationships 00:29:54 Dealing with abandonment issues and irrational thoughts 00:32:59 Feeling Disconnected from God and the Solution 00:36:27 The Simple Steps to Reconnect with God 00:40:49 Embracing growth and understanding in relationships 00:44:13 Acknowledging the need for help and growth in life 00:47:39 The power of mechanical prayers and intentional inspiration 00:50:52 Thankful for the Women in My Life 01:01:47 Vulnerability and Intimacy with God and Others 01:10:22 Loss of Identity and the Importance of a Strong Foundation 01:15:00 Embracing a Codependent Relationship with God 01:18:02 Taking Sexual Integrity to God and Finding Balance 01:21:12 The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil 01:29:26 The Power of Love Planted by God 01:38:51 The Power of a Little Connection to Joy

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In this conversation, we discuss the upcoming events and the importance of peer support in mental health.

We are excited about our event in Midland, Texas, where we aim to raise awareness about suicide and provide support to survivors. Suicide rates in Oklahoma and Texas have been alarming, and we recognize the need to make an impact in these areas. We encourage donations to help us spread our message nationally and provide local support.

Peer support plays a crucial role in recovery, and we draw inspiration from the success of programs like 12-step groups. Breaking the stigma and achieving emotional sobriety are essential for everyone.

Our organization focuses on providing multiple tools and approaches, such as counseling, meditation, support groups, and spiritual practices, to address various struggles people face. We acknowledge the interconnection of mental health with other aspects of life and aim to facilitate holistic healing and transformation. We emphasize the importance of taking action and trying new things to elevate our mood and counteract depression. We encourage shifting our language to remove guilt-inducing words and thoughts.

The uphill journey of life, though challenging, offers opportunities for growth and personal development. We discuss the upcoming survivor's hike up Mount Scott, emphasizing how it builds resilience and the importance of making progress without comparing ourselves to others. We explore the connection between mountains and healing, as well as the need for greater healthcare accessibility in mountainous regions.

We stress the courage required to seek help and the benefits of finding community outside of our comfort zones. Self-perception and the roles we identify with in society greatly influence our relationships and overall well-being. We encourage aligning our values with our actions and recognizing the effects of past traumas on our psyche. Believing in God's plan and asking for His guidance can help navigate life's challenges.

Compassion towards ourselves and others is essential, as is understanding the effects of trauma on our responses. We remind listeners that their stories are not over and that God cares about them more than they care about themselves. Love, as exemplified by God, requires patience, kindness, and forgiveness. Balancing our plans with God's will leads to a more meaningful life.

We discuss the power of meditation in retraining our minds and filling them with positive thoughts. Building a supportive community and seeking counseling are important for resilience. We invite listeners to visit our website and social media platforms for more information and to get involved in our upcoming events and projects.

00:00:00 A Gray Morning: Battling Negative Outlook 00:00:44 Introducing Positively Undefeated podcast and website launch 00:02:16 From Weatherford to Oklahoma City: A Move and a Reunion 00:06:09 Exploring the Power of 12-Step Programs in Mental Health 00:09:25 The Importance of Asking for Help and Embracing Support 00:12:02 Considering the Whole Picture: Mental, Spiritual, Physical, and Material Health 00:16:09 Letting Go of the Past to Be Present 00:19:34 Uphill vs. Downhill: The Choice to Improve in Life 00:23:17 The Impact of Isolation in Mountain Communities 00:26:10 Overcoming Stigma and Seeking Help 00:29:32 Relatability and Building Bonds in Communities 00:32:55 Impact of Relationships on Quality of Life 00:35:56 The Importance of Aligning Values and Identity in Relationships 00:36:56 Defining Love and Roles in a Relationship 00:41:04 Recognizing the impact of past trauma on our reactions and fears 00:44:07 Embracing faith and surrendering to God's plan 00:48:08 God's Patience and Kindness 00:51:02 Retraining the Brain to Focus on the Positive 00:56:53 Embracing Rock Bottom and Rebuilding Stronger

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Burl and Rhonda have an encouraging discussion about dealing with life's struggles and finding ways to stay "positively undefeated."

They discuss the importance of acknowledging trauma and loss and how to properly grieve and heal. Rhonda mentions a hospice assessment tool that looks at risk factors for families over 5 years. Multiple losses in a short timeframe make coping much more difficult.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

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In this episode of Positively Undefeated, we are joined by Melissa Boecker, the owner of an online training and personal training business. Melissa is passionate about making fitness accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation or location. She runs challenge groups and offers both in-person and online training to motivate and support individuals through their fitness journeys.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 Struggling with a gray outlook, searching for motivation 00:03:54 Discussion shifts to nutrition and meal planning 00:08:16 The impact of gluten intolerance on digestive health 00:11:17 From CrossFit to Bodybuilding: Finding Strength and Empowerment 00:22:13 The Bikini Girl Diet: Tilapia and Asparagus 00:24:13 Fitness and Mental Health: CrossFit as a Lifeline 00:29:22 Tools for Mental Health: Friends, Church, Music, and Family Bonding 00:35:14 Overcoming Challenges: From Quitting Drinking to 75 Hard 00:38:46 Finding Balance and Avoiding Burnout in Fitness Journey 00:40:55 Customized Workout and Nutrition Plan for Accountability 00:44:39 Morning and Evening Workout Routine and Success Stories 00:51:39 Physical Activity and Mental Well-being 00:56:34 Finding Joy in Accomplishments and CrossFit Scalability 01:00:50 Finding uplift in prayer and gratitude during morning workouts 01:04:02 Encouragement to reach out and connect with others 01:07:46 Overcoming Obstacles in the Selection Process

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In this part of the conversation, we dive into the origins of Even One Less, our nonprofit organization. Debby and Burl, our cofounders share the experience of the loss of Darrell and Justin Brewster, and the family's journey to resilience after tragedy.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 Embracing the Chaos: Seeking Answers to Life's Questions 00:00:48 Tragic news and uncertainty at the trauma center 00:02:18 Turning grief into a mission to prevent further pain 00:11:57 Heartbreak over Someone Walking Towards Hell 00:12:29 Overcoming Bitterness in the Face of Adversity 00:13:49 Finding Healing Through a Small Voice of Faith 00:15:24 Sharing the Power of Faith in Times of Struggle 00:17:10 The Importance of Family and Mortality 00:19:02 The Legacy of the Organization and Its Founder 00:19:31 Hoping for a lasting legacy 00:21:05 The importance of continuing the work and support system 00:24:21 Reflections on the brevity of life and its impact 00:27:14 Emphasizing the purpose of sharing alternative solutions 00:28:32 Offering support and encouragement for those in need 00:30:22 Seeking Help and Support for Depression

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In this episode, I start off by sharing my own personal struggles with feeling unmotivated and gray. However, we quickly shifted the focus to the podcast positively undefeated, which aims to highlight the strength of ordinary people in the face of daily struggles. We speak with Dr. Lyden Odukwu, a board member at Even One Less, about the topic of chronic pain and its connection to mental health. Dr. Odukwu explains that pain management is a complex issue that goes beyond simply relying on medication.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 A Gloomy Morning and a Sense of Hopelessness 00:00:42 Introduction and Appreciation for Dr. Lyden Odukwu 00:02:05 Link Between Mental Health and Chronic Pain 00:03:42 Complexities of Pain Management 00:05:14 Determining the Origin of Pain and Providing Relief 00:09:14 Challenges in Managing Pain Medications for Certain Conditions 00:11:36 Doctors' Fear and Balancing Act in Prescribing Pain Medications 00:12:57 Managing Pain with Medication and Surgery 00:15:08 Pain Management Specialists and Drug Testing for Narcotics 00:17:02 Encouraging Patients to Bring All Medications for Proper Assessment 00:19:51 Importance of Reviewing Medications with General Practitioners 00:21:06 Everyone's Different in Their Beliefs 00:21:36 Exploring the Role of Spirituality in People's Lives 00:22:40 Early Aspiration to Help People 00:23:57 The Joy of Helping Others as a Doctor 00:25:21 Inspiring Story of Overcoming Challenges and Pursuing Education 00:29:58 Importance of Honest Communication with Your Physician

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Donny Liles and I discussed the importance of vulnerability and humility in building fellowship and unity among believers. We emphasized the power of prayer and shared personal experiences of praying for others. We highlighted the need to prioritize the needs of others in our prayers and stressed the significance of having a supportive community. We also talked about the impact prayer can have on people's lives and how it can bring about positive change. We encouraged listeners to be honest with themselves, with God, and with at least one other person, as this openness can release tension and lead to greater unity and trust.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 Seeking answers: The quest begins 00:01:00 Enjoying Nashville with Family and Christmas Celebration 00:04:02 Discussing the New Covenant and Proclamation of the Gospel 00:08:06 Understanding the Finished Work and Power of Prayer 00:11:56 Position vs. Person: The Power of Authority 00:12:52 Men's Insecurity in the Church 00:14:29 Our Position in Christ and Seated with Him 00:17:30 Changing Perspective on Spiritual Warfare 00:24:17 The Power of Ignoring Negative Thoughts 00:28:57 The Sermon on the Mount as a Burial of Expectations 00:32:26 Using the Physical to Point to the Spiritual 00:35:16 The Physical and Spiritual Aspects of Jesus' Ministry 00:41:00 Balancing the Physical and Spiritual in Healing 00:45:36 God's Message of Encouragement for John's Grandson 00:49:30 The Power of Unity and Anointing in the Church 00:51:47 The Sweetness of Unity and the Misery of Disunity 00:57:29 Focusing on Others to Build Fellowship and Church 01:03:18 The Power of Praying for Others 01:07:33 Impact of Vulnerability on Building Relationships 01:10:13 The Importance of Honesty with Oneself and Others 01:14:32 The Blessing of Giving and Receiving 01:19:06 Workshop Outline and Request for Input

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In this episode, Shaun Shugart and I discuss a varity of topics that are currently on our minds.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

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Debby and Burl, co-founders of Even One Less, talk about Debby's life and the start up of the organization.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 Embracing Our Imperfections and Seeking Answers as Men 00:00:18 Introductions and Podcast Promotion 00:11:03 The Tragic Loss of My First Husband 00:12:08 Finding Love and Joy after Loss 00:14:37 Granddaughter's Independence Causes Strain in Relationship 00:15:52 Fond Memories of a Humorous and Admirable Father 00:18:47 Different Perspectives on Tithing: Lip Service vs. Belief 00:22:20 God's Grace and Purpose in Bringing Reuben into Life 00:23:42 Tragic Loss: Justin's Suicide 00:26:25 Journey of Cancer and Faith 00:29:20 Tragedy Strikes and the Beginning of a Non-Profit 00:31:21 Finding Purpose through Loss and Grief 00:41:34 Finding Peace Amidst Disappointment and Loss 00:43:51 God's healing power and finding peace in loss 00:54:31 Importance of Relationships in Life 00:56:26 Offering Hope and Support for Those Contemplating Suicide

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In this episode, Emily and Burl delve into the importance of vulnerability and creating safe spaces for sharing our stories. They discuss the fear of judgment and the masks we wear to protect ourselves from being made fun of or seen as inadequate. They emphasize the need for courage to be vulnerable and choose appropriate places to open up. They share personal experiences of being more open and vulnerable, and the positive responses received.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 Unleashing the Inner Chaos 00:00:20 Introducing Positively Undefeated Podcast 00:01:41 Connecting Communities with Untapped Resources 00:07:31 The search for answers in dealing with depression and addiction. 00:17:57 Inserting Our Will Instead of Listening to God 00:21:21 Praying for Relationship to Work Out for Personal Redemption 00:22:06 Finding Meaning in God's Response to Prayer 00:24:12 The importance of rest and spiritual matters 00:34:45 Shifting from blame to self-reflection and healing 00:36:31 The Importance of Confession and Safe Spaces 00:42:02 Challenging the Christian belief of perfection and worthiness 00:42:43 Finding God's Perfection in Imperfection 00:53:25 Doubts About God's Care 01:02:46 The Importance of Being Open and Vulnerable 01:06:24 The Role of Intimacy and Honesty in Relationships 01:12:48 Understanding and acknowledging negative emotions 01:16:27 Continuously working through emotions until healing is achieved 01:19:43 Developing empathy, compassion, and forgiveness

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Burl and Donny discuss their own experience with suicidal thoughts and the spiritual battle they faced, emphasizing the need for empathy and acknowledging that anyone can be affected. They expresses their love for the idea of focusing on similarities rather than differences and finds it heartbreaking to witness children struggling with mental health. They mention reaching out to their conversation partner to explore the spiritual aspect of their work and highlight the significance of prayer in daily life. They recommend starting with the New Testament to understand the new covenant before delving into the Old Testament and emphasize the power of prayer.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 Seeking Answers to the Questions That Plague Our Mind 00:06:56 Connecting through TikTok and Flying W Ranch 00:10:42 Discussing Expansion to Midland, Corpus Christi, and Ardmore 00:16:38 A Ministry of Outreach and Support 00:19:28 Two different groups: those who understand and those who don't. 00:22:31 The importance of spiritual growth for overall well-being. 00:25:59 Different approaches to spiritual growth, reading scriptures as foundation. 00:26:14 Understanding the New Covenant: Foundation for Spiritual Growth 00:35:41 Knowing God Intimately vs Knowing About Him 00:38:50 The Purpose of Church: Encouragement and Building Up 00:42:06 Importance of Seeking Information from the Source 00:47:30 Youth Experience: Vicious Cycle of Rededicating and Doubt 00:47:37 Feeling the need to redouble efforts in performance 00:48:49 Feeling like I don't fit in, struggling with identity 00:51:52 Traditions can become bondage, affecting one's sense of belonging 00:56:14 Anger and Pressure in Church Youth Group 01:00:05 The Treadmill of Performance and Leaving Results to God 01:05:23 Different Perspectives on Righteousness and Sin 01:09:31 Lightening Up on People and Recognizing the Difference Between Bad and Evil 01:13:16 Embracing Different Approaches to Fitness and Exercise 01:23:08 Finding Freedom through Personal Testimonies 01:24:11 Pastor's Son's Spiritual Journey

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In this episode of "Positively Undefeated," we have a casual conversation with guest Jeremy about our experiences living in Western Oklahoma and our love for the windy environment. We mention the video we shot at a location with crosses and the peaceful feeling we experienced there. We clarify our involvement in Rob's Ranch and Path to Miracles and discuss our positive impressions of a rehab facility we have visited. We go on to emphasize that people's preconceived notions about rehab centers can be inaccurate and express how important it is to expose oneself to different environments.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 Introducing Positively Undefeated Podcast 00:03:28 Sharing moments in Western Oklahoma and the feeling of community 00:05:01 The Misconceptions About Rehab and Treatment Centers 00:11:57 The Struggle to Seek Help 00:21:13 Lost Identity: Basketball, Substance Abuse, and Searching for Purpose 00:24:41 The destructive influence of addiction takes hold 00:28:19 Reluctant acceptance of treatment and surrendering to recovery 00:31:22 Embracing spirituality and finding a new purpose 00:35:14 Trusting in God's Provision: A Ministry of Faith and Service 00:39:08 Ministry Beyond Addiction: Making a Difference in the Lives of Others 00:42:09 Finding Connection in Shared Experiences and Stories 00:46:03 When Drinking Becomes a Problem 00:49:35 Supportive Father and Impact of Personal Transformation 00:50:32 Struggling with My Relationship with God 00:51:22 Discovering the Power of God's Grace and Forgiveness 00:59:22 Recognizing the Impact of Sharing Personal Stories 01:04:53 Escaping Problems: Coping Mechanisms and Alcohol 01:05:51 Struggling with Prayer and Spirituality 01:09:23 Struggling with Church and Building Connections 01:12:02 Struggling with addiction? Here's how to reach out for help. 01:12:48 Willingness and Surrender: The Key to Seeking Help

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Burl speaks with Eric Easter about his involvement with Path to Miracles and his relationship with Sarah. He explains that he and Jeremy Gray, both with a history of addiction, serve at Trinity Fellowship's Path to Miracles. Eric is the chaplain and spends time with the men in the program, leading worship, reading devotionals, and offering one-on-one support. We discuss the positive impact the program has had and the importance of making people aware of the resources it provides.

Support our podcast production by making a donation to Even One Less here.

Visit our website for more information at www.evenoneless.com

00:00:00 Introducing Positively Undefeated Podcast 00:01:56 A Wife's High Praise and Desire to Connect 00:11:40 Finding Recovery and Turning Life Around 00:15:44 Helping Those Struggling with Disappointment in God 00:18:23 Surrendering to God's Power for Transformation 00:20:26 Surrendering to the Father and staying on course 00:25:18 Learning to think differently and seek God for coping 00:27:48 Enduring the initial challenges of withdrawal and surrendering to God 00:28:40 Finding Purpose Through Faith and Service 00:29:21 The Struggle to Find Community and Spiritual Growth 00:30:30 Struggling to find spiritual connection and growth 00:39:34 The Importance of Community and Trust 00:42:02 Finding Real People and Seeking Help in Your Journey 00:45:07 The Role of Relationships and Asking for Help 00:48:23 True Friendships Formed in Recovery 00:52:40 Forgiving Ourselves and Restoring Relationships 00:56:39 Overcoming Fear and Worry

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In this episode of our podcast "Positively Undefeated," we tackle the topic of building and maintaining long-lasting relationships and the importance of having a close-knit community. We stress the significance of having friends and family who share the same beliefs and values, as they can provide trust, support, and advice. We discuss the theory that humans can only maintain close relationships with around 150 people, emphasizing the need for a smaller, more intimate community. We share personal experiences of maintaining long-term friendships and how these relationships serve as our core group or tribe. We highlight the importance of having a community during tough times and how not having one can be detrimental to our well-being. In addition, we touch on the topic of twinhood as one of the speakers, Taylor, shares her experience of being a twin and the challenges of being an individual while also being part of a twin relationship.

We congratulate Taylor on her graduation from nursing school and discuss the significance of her accomplishment. We also talk about our nonprofit organization called Even One Less and announce an upcoming mixer introduction event, providing details about the location and activities. The conversation takes a turn as we discuss the speaker's experiences visiting New York City and their initial negative preconceptions about the city. We delve into the people's welcoming nature once you get to know them and the diversity and opportunities present in the city. We reflect on our small-town upbringing limiting our worldview until we started traveling, emphasizing the value of exposing ourselves to different cultures and relating to people who are seemingly different from us. The conversation then shifts to discussing mission trips and the desire to bring more supplies and food to areas in need.

The speaker shares their excitement about starting their first "real" job as a nurse in New York City, expressing their anxiety about being on their own. They discuss their preference for large hospitals and their anticipation of finding a church to serve at during their first week in the city. We also touch on the speaker's faith journey, the impact of their friends and family on their relationship with God, and the unique bond they share with friends who have been with them through thick and thin. Wrapping up the episode, we discuss the significance of true friendship and the importance of investing in these relationships. We highlight the strength and longevity of friendships built on a solid foundation of faith and shared values.

We mention a sister's wedding and express gratitude for the guest being on the podcast. We encourage listeners to follow, like, and review the show, as well as subscribe to our YouTube channel and stay updated on upcoming events for our nonprofit organization. Overall, our aim with this episode is to provide insightful discussions for men seeking answers and to emphasize the value of community, relationships, and personal growth.

00:00:00 Introduction to Positively Undefeated podcast
00:02:30 Taylor's journey towards independence from her twin sister
00:05:19 Taylor's graduation from nursing school and sense of accomplishment
00:08:23 Acknowledgment of Southwestern Oklahoma State University's value
00:10:47 Internship Experience in New York City
00:18:35 Life-changing experiences and the need for the gospel
00:20:42 Ministry in the US vs. Malawi
00:24:43 Transitioning to a new job in New York City
00:25:52 Preparing for a New Chapter in Life
00:28:18 Similarities and Differences in Hospital Environments
00:29:56 Considering a Career in Labor and Delivery Nursing
00:30:22 Finding a place to live with the Baptist group
00:32:13 A Cool Story of Twins Born 44 Minutes Apart
00:34:01 Struggling to find genuine friends in college
00:35:33 Prioritizing friendships based on shared faith
00:44:21 Building a Strong Tribe and Community
00:45:26 Praising the Speech at the Wedding
00:47:08 Exciting Plans for Music, Food, and Live Streaming!

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In this episode of Positively Undefeated, I introduce the podcast as a space for men seeking answers to their deep questions. I mention that listeners can connect with us through our website and that the podcast is available on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and YouTube. I share our excitement about hosting a mixer on September 16th to introduce our non-profit organization focused on suicide awareness and mental health. I invite listeners in Elk City, Oklahoma to attend.

I then turn the focus to Emily Tuck, our Community Manager, and praise her dedication to the cause. I emphasize the importance of building connections with others who feel alone or alienated and see it as my life purpose. I also highlight the significance of experiencing trauma and its impact on our nervous system and beliefs. Moving on, we dive into the topic of resilience and discuss its importance in mental, physical, and spiritual health. We believe that resilience cannot be artificially created but can be developed through experiences and time. However, we can provide opportunities for people to cultivate resilience through techniques like neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is a tool that trains the brain to be more resilient and focused.

We then begin discussing meditation as a practice that can promote resilience. Meditation offers a variety of practices that can be incorporated into a self-care routine, such as sitting or walking meditation, focusing on specific messages, or simply being present in the moment. We see mindfulness and meditation as synonymous, both involving observing and being aware of our internal and external states simultaneously. For me, meditation provides a way to listen to God rather than just talking to Him. While prayer is essential, I've struggled with praying for myself and imposing my own desires on God.

Meditation helps me connect with a higher power and focus on praying for others. Our meditative walks are dedicated to being present and acknowledging thoughts without dwelling on them. By disconnecting from distractions and creating dedicated time to pray and listen to God, we have learned the value of stillness and being present. I share my personal experience of being more present in daily activities after practicing mindfulness for four months. Engaging fully in simple activities like eating, brushing my teeth, and washing my hands has allowed me to cultivate gratitude. I also talk about the importance of being present and grateful for basic aspects of life like breathing, which increased my self-awareness.

My co-host talks about trying a gratitude exercise where he named a hundred things he was thankful for during a walk. Initially challenging, it made him appreciate simple experiences like hearing birds chirping or seeing wildlife. He reflects on how making a gratitude list can be a form of prayer and meditation that brings about a sense of presence and positivity. I then mention a Harvard study that found physiological changes in individuals who cultivated gratitude. Being grateful for things that impact others can have a domino effect on well-being. Gratitude can have a significant impact on our neurological pathways, comparable to the effects of medication.

Shifting gears, I share my journey of recognizing and overcoming selfishness. I realized that many of my decisions were based on my own desires and beliefs, and I didn't truly rely on God. Praying for others instead of just myself was a transformational shift in perspective. I came to understand that God cares about my children more than I do, which relieves the burden of expectations I unintentionally put on them. Praying for guidance, patience, and understanding has become more important than praying for material things.

I discussed how creating a gratitude list helped me break free from self-pity. Initially mechanical, it eventually shifted my perspective to genuinely appreciate non-material aspects of life. Gratitude played a crucial role in changing my internal state and reducing feelings of self-hatred. Letting go of selfishness and negative emotions allows us to be receptive to God's guidance. We then discuss the four Ds of disconnection in the context of our relationship with God: diagnosis, judgment, denial of responsibility, and fear. Fear is the main disconnector, leading to a lack of trust in God.

Fear also impacts our relationships with others. I reflect on my own journey toward recovery and the willingness to seek help and face my own dysfunction. Our organization is dedicated to helping those willing to do whatever it takes to get better. We discuss the importance of connecting various resources for mental and emotional well-being, including counseling, neurofeedback, support groups, prayer, tapping techniques, and physical exercise. Practicing these techniques regularly and having visually accessible reminders can be helpful during moments of distress.

We encourage open-mindedness and trying different approaches to improve mental health. It's a process that takes time, and resilience should be the focus rather than seeking an effortless life. We conclude by promoting our website and its resources for further support.

00:00:00 Welcome to Positively Undefeated! 00:02:50 Building connections in suicide awareness and mental health. 00:08:09 Exploring neurofeedback as a tool for mental resilience. 00:09:26 Different Types of Meditation Techniques 00:20:03 Morning Meditation and Community Routine 00:25:25 The Power of Gratitude and Being Present 00:29:18 Reflecting on Selfishness and Transformation through Prayer 00:32:40 The Importance of Aligning Our Prayers with God's Will 00:35:14 The struggle of trusting God with our children 00:36:27 Trusting God's Care for Loved Ones 00:39:22 Recognizing and Overcoming Selfishness 00:41:20 Stuck in Self-Pity: "I Hate My Life" 00:43:36 Mechanical Process of Gratitude and Self-reflection 00:45:03 Gratitude: Key to Spiritual Connection 00:47:45 Willingness: The Path to Reconnecting with God 00:50:06 Fear as a Disconnector from God and Relationships 00:53:42 Feeling Stuck and in Need of Help 00:54:09 Willingness to Face Dysfunction and Blame 00:57:28 Importance of Learning Different Techniques for Emotional Regulation 01:00:12 The Importance of Variety in Wellness

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In this part of the conversation, I introduce our podcast, "Positively Undefeated," and express our purpose of seeking answers to the questions that have plagued our minds. I thank the listeners for tuning in and give a brief description of our website, EvenOneLess.com, where they can find resources and ways to contact us. I encourage them to follow and review the podcast to help spread our message.

Next, I remind everyone about an upcoming event in September, a mixer to introduce our new not-for-profit organization, Even One Less. I explain that the organization aims to address the impact of suicide, which has personally affected my family. The mixer will be a fun-filled event with music, a food truck, a fun auction, and guest speakers. I mention the location and invite Dashaun to attend.

Then, I turn the conversation towards our guest, Deshauna Smythe, the brand new coalition coordinator for Beckham County, Ouachita County, and Caddo County. Deshauna explains her role in coordinating substance abuse prevention efforts in these counties, particularly focusing on opioid overdoses and marijuana misuse. She talks about the coalitions that come together monthly to discuss prevention strategies, distribute lock bags for medications, and provide Narcan training. Deshauna also explains the prevalence of counterfeit opioids laced with fentanyl and the dangers they pose.

She mentions the availability of fentanyl test strips to check for its presence in opioids. I express my surprise at the prevalence of the drug problem and share my curiosity about how people can test for fentanyl. Deshauna explains that there are fentanyl test strips available and demonstrates how they can be used to check for the presence of fentanyl in opioids. She also highlights the difference between prescribed opioids and those obtained illegally, emphasizing the high likelihood of fentanyl being present in street-bought opioids due to its cheap production cost.

Overall, this part of the conversation introduces our podcast, reminds listeners about an upcoming event, and provides valuable information about substance abuse prevention and the dangers of counterfeit opioids laced with fentanyl.

00:00:20 Introduction to Positively Undefeated and Even One Less
00:10:14 Stigma Surrounding Mental Health and Addiction
00:11:54 The Link Between Pain/Injury and Addiction
00:14:16 Medical marijuana in Oklahoma and concerns about its use in schools
00:20:00 The misconception of addiction and the difficulty of quitting
00:24:32 The hidden problems of taxes, drugs, and suicide
00:29:30 The downward spiral of mental health and tragic events
00:34:26 Fond Memories of Robin Williams
00:37:28 Feeling Defeated in the Face of Overwhelming Influence
00:37:43 Struggling with Comparisons and Self-Worth
00:40:55 A Mother's Struggle with Mental and Physical Health
00:41:58 The Tragic Loss of a Brother
00:44:16 Embracing Imperfection and Seeking Help for Mental Health
00:46:15 Finding Strength in Shared Struggles
00:50:01 Downplaying Mental Illness: Embracing the Importance of Self-Care
00:54:06 Finding Support and Success in Unexpected Places
01:02:12 The Beauty of Sharing Stories and Inspiring Others
01:06:49 The Challenges of Being a Teenager in Today's World
01:10:06 Ways to Reach Out and Connect with Dashauna Smythe

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In this episode, we dive into the mission of our not-for-profit organization Even One Less, focused on suicide prevention and mental health awareness. We invite listeners to visit our website and join us at our upcoming mixer event to support the cause. Joined by my wife Stacy, we discuss the 75 Hard Challenge, sharing our personal experiences and struggles. I explain how I attempted the challenge multiple times but struggled with the rule of not drinking. Strategically planning my completion of the challenge around my one-year anniversary of sobriety proved to be crucial for success.

We also touch on the importance of accountability and the challenges we faced during the challenge, including family events and vacations. Describing the rules of the 75 Hard challenge, we explain that it involves drinking a gallon of water every day, reading 10 pages of an entrepreneurial nonfiction book, posting a progress picture each day, choosing a diet and sticking to it, and completing two 45-minute workouts, one of which must be outdoors. We clarify misconceptions about the intensity of the workouts, emphasizing that any form of exercise is acceptable. Our decision to undertake the challenge was inspired by a podcast by Andy Frisella, the founder of the challenge.

We express gratitude for the support we received from our daughter and others throughout the journey, highlighting the importance of a strong support system. Sharing our experiences on social media, particularly regarding my decision to stop drinking, resulted in overwhelming and unexpected support from both friends and strangers. Reflecting on the power of sharing personal struggles, we discuss how it can impact others and create a sense of connection and motivation. We acknowledge the role of God in shaping our decisions and the importance of authenticity in drawing others towards us. We also mention our guest, Eric Easter, whose incredible story of transformation and willingness to let God use his experiences for good resonates deeply.

Addressing the fear of vulnerability, we discuss how it is rooted in the fear of failure. We emphasize that it's not about our own abilities, but rather about allowing God to work through our lives. We encourage listeners to focus on the present and let go of fear in order to make a significant impact. While discussing our morning walks, we highlight how moments of prayer and meditation can help overcome fears and provide a sense of peace and gratitude. We mention the importance of addressing alcohol as a crisis category, particularly when it starts becoming a problem in one's life. We reflect on the challenges that come with age and share stories about the potential dangers of reintroducing alcohol into one's life after quitting. Moving on, we emphasize the importance of recognizing and addressing problems, and sharing a message received through TikTok from someone seeking help.

We discuss the transformative effects of completing the 75 Hard challenge and the positive impact it had on our physical and mental well-being. Acknowledging the difficulties of sharing personal stories openly, we stress the importance of not living in shame and finding a safe space to open up. We delve into the concept of humility and how it can lead to seeking help and change. Finally, we emphasize the significance of feeling safe and supported when sharing personal struggles, mentioning the benefits of Alcoholics Anonymous and the importance of attending meetings together with a spouse for support. Expressing gratitude for the understanding of our spouse, we encourage others to be supportive of their loved ones seeking help. The episode concludes with a reminder to review and follow the podcast, as well as details about an upcoming live event. 00:00:00 Embracing Imperfection and Chaos

00:00:23 Introduction to Even One Less and upcoming mixer event
00:04:05 Misconceptions and rules of the 75 Hard challenge
00:09:40 Simplicity in Eating Plan: No Bread, No Sugar
00:11:32 The importance of a support system for 75 Hard
00:14:24 Willingness to let God use your story for good
00:17:56 The Power of Experience, Strength, and Hope
00:19:39 Letting God Lead and Being Vulnerable
00:22:51 Overcoming Fear and Taking Things Day by Day
00:23:31 Finding solace in prayer and meditation in nature
00:25:55 Overcoming fear and reflecting on sobriety
00:27:33 The struggle with panic attacks and alcohol dependence
00:30:13 The misconception about drinking becoming a problem later in life
00:33:20 Alcoholism as a lifelong problem, even after years of sobriety
00:35:02 Completing 75 hard and the journey of personal transformation
00:36:04 Overcoming Shame and Embracing Openness
00:36:56 Shame and Humiliation: The Beginning of Transformation
00:38:28 Learning and Growing Through Family Crisis
00:39:55 Importance of Attending Meetings with Significant Other
00:41:27 Fun-filled Evening at 105 South Main Street

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In this episode of our podcast, we delve into a serious and sensitive topic - the loss of a daughter to suicide.

Our guest, the mother of the daughter, bravely shares her experience and how it has impacted her and her family. The episode begins with an introduction to our podcast, wherein we discuss our dedication to exploring the questions that trouble us as men. We also mention our recently launched not-for-profit organization called Even One Less, which focuses on combating suicide.

We reveal our plans to host an event in Elk City to introduce the organization and involve the community. The shocking statistics about suicide rates in Oklahoma, especially in Beckham County, motivate us to prioritize Elk City over Midland, despite our connections in Midland. We acknowledge the pressing need to address this issue in our own community.

Moving on, we appreciate the forward-thinking initiatives in Elk City, such as securing water rights. While there is still work to be done, we recognize the potential in the community and its people. In contrast, Midland has a significant disparity between extreme wealth and poverty due to its reliance on the oil industry. However, the oil production in the region shows no sign of slowing down, providing stability and opportunities for young engineers. Next, we share an intriguing story about a friend who experienced an interesting career journey and moved from Lubbock, Texas, to Hobart to become the director of a museum.

Currently, he heads an organization called Kansas Strong, focused on job opportunities in the oil industry in Kansas. We express our amazement at how people's careers can evolve over time. Returning to the main topic, we transition to discussing the loss of our guest's daughter to suicide a few years ago. We approach this sensitive subject with the utmost respect and acknowledge that neither of us are experts, but we believe it is essential to share and discuss these experiences.

We delve into the background and journey of the daughter, Devin, in her battle with chronic pain. Starting from a childhood injury to her ongoing struggles and the challenges faced in getting an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. We explore how the mother and daughter sought medical help, consulted various doctors, and tried different therapies, only to encounter dismissive responses and lack of concrete answers. Our guest shares the emotional difficulties they faced as a family, including divorce and moving to a new city, while simultaneously navigating her daughter's health issues. She recalls the significant impact of a doctor's dismissive attitude towards her daughter's symptoms. Determined to find the right help, they sought counseling services in Oklahoma City, despite limited mental health resources in their area. We hear about the continuous search for answers, the physical and emotional toll it took on both mother and daughter, and their perseverance in seeking medical professionals who might offer some relief or insights.

Tragically, despite their efforts, Devin's condition worsened, leading to her decision to take her own life. The guest emotionally recounts the events of that fateful day, including the desperate search for her daughter and the devastating realization of what had happened. Grief, anger, and the process of healing and moving forward are discussed, along with the importance of counseling and the support it provided during the process.

Throughout the episode, we contemplate the significance of resilience, both in parenting and in our own lives. We share personal reflections on teaching resilience to children and the impact it can have in navigating crisis situations. We stress the importance of empowering children and providing support without judgment or attempts to "fix" them. We also highlight the significance of counseling services, particularly for public service workers, and our interest in exploring ways to implement these services. Ultimately, we emphasize the importance of seeking help and engaging in open conversations about mental health. We discuss the power of counseling, the need to address post-traumatic stress, and the significance of supporting one another through difficult times. We recognize the lasting impact of our guest's story and express our gratitude for her willingness to share it. We conclude by encouraging listeners to share the episode and seek help if needed, emphasizing the value of professional counseling.

00:00:00 Introduction and Not-for-profit Launch
00:05:21 Contrasting Wealth and Poverty in Midland
00:15:40 Frustration with a Misdiagnosis
00:17:52 Flashback to Memorable Moments
00:18:00 Neighbor's success story inspires hope for a solution
00:20:48 Coping with the disappointment and finding new focus
00:26:32 A Normal Evening Takes a Turn
00:29:15 Overcoming Grief: The Process and Stages
00:31:23 Navigating the blurry days after losing a loved one
00:35:36 The importance of counseling in the healing process
00:42:13 Embracing Profound Grief and Staying Alive
00:46:30 The Limitations of Saving People
00:47:07 Helping Others through the Grieving Process
00:51:01 The Power of Being Present in Times of Grief
00:58:16 Breaking Free from Repetitive Patterns
00:59:12 Accepting the Need to Move Forward

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Today Burl talks with Rooster McConaughey

Well, brother, I appreciate you taking the time, especially after I forgot yesterday.
Well, hell, I forgot too, so I didn't think about it until I always, when I come home, I have a few beers and I start remembering. That's when I have my, I'm the most brilliant and I start remembering stuff I forgot. God dang man, old Burr wasn't trying to get it.
No, he never even sent me one. I didn't feel too bad. And we both forgot.
Believe it or not, you know what I'm doing? I'm building a chicken coop.
I have, you should see the one my guy built. And I got rid of my chickens finally, but my kids wouldn't keep the pen clean. So I just said to heck with it.
I'd rather buy the eggs.
You know, it's like, so this is the third time with chickens and every time I think neighbor dogs get them.
And so they find a way in that chicken pen. no matter what, and end up killing all the chickens.

[0:58] Have you ordered one of those automatic doors that open in the morning and close in the evening? No.
Oh no, they're chicken savers. It'll open at daylight, and then they'll go back in the roost and it closes at dark.
That's funny. I have to send you pictures of what I've built because what we did was we basically had a bunch of wood laying around. I said, I'm gonna build this.
And then we actually had an old window laying around. so we put this old window in there, but anyway, we'll see how it goes.
I'm trying to make it critter proof where no dogs can get in it.
We'll see what happens. Well, the deal is, you let them out in the yard, don't you?
Well, in this case, my plan is to give them space, but because of dogs, I'm afraid to give them too much space, so I'm gonna put like hog panels and chicken wire.
Oh, yeah, okay. Give them something to mess around, But anyway, I don't know.
Don't know you know I drive by all the time because I live out in the country I drive by all the time and I see people, Like chickens just on the side of the road running. Yeah, and I'm like, I don't know how they keep those things alive Mm-hmm, No, man, I've trained my dog to leave him alone. I mean they but they had pins to get it You know, they had big Panics they could roam around and well, you know.

[2:21] Them white ones started getting where they fly over a little bit. Well, they learned I mean they got they seen some of their buddies get it I mean these dogs wouldn't go in there after them, but if they came on their side of the fence they got them Yeah, I don't they wouldn't they knew not to go in there dogs are like I have to to like a I, like a red heeler and basically they're cow dogs and, What they don't know any chase thing. They love to chase things. So they'll chase cows. They'll chase, They don't really want to kill it, but they want to chase it, Yeah. Yeah. Well, Rooster, I appreciate you taking the time to be on the podcast. Man, I want to get the most obvious thing out of the way first. So, you are Matthew McConaughey's brother. Do you get tired of people asking you about that?
No, really. I mean, I'm proud of him. You know, I'd say it's more of it's uh...

[3:18] How they come up with stuff that, oh yeah, I saw your, you know, like, they, you know, well, man, I saw your brother over there, you know, you know, and he was in the leading motorcycle race.

[3:30] And I'm like, he was, you know, I mean, I just go along with people.
They say they saw him.
You know, we had a guy, a contractor in San Angelo said he was building this.
The rumor was out he was building, my brother and I own this ranch together.

[3:43] The rumor got out that he, and he was telling people that he was building in this giant mansion out there on LP ramp.
Well, people were, you know, they're calling me, oh, God, man, you know, Matthew's building a giant. I said, where?
Oh, out there on the ranch. I said, I gotta tell you, man, I've been out there, I ain't seen a damn thing.
I said, I don't know what you're talking about. And so, you know, oh, no, no, oh, no, this guy, I know, man.
He said he's building.
I said, well, he ain't on there. I don't know where it is. You know what I mean?
Because I hadn't seen it, you know, people would just come up and that little.
I just go along with it.
You know, whatever they, you know, I think Matthew McConaughey's side, he's into that, but he's pretty big. I mean, he's out there.
Yeah, for sure. But I'm proud of him, so it's not his song.
You know, it doesn't bother you, so that's good. I know when I first really read about you was, well, first of all, my son, you know, my son, his grandpa lives in Midland, and I think you might've hung out with him before, But he watched your show.
What was it? West Texas Investors Club. He watched that.
And he was telling me about it. And that was really the first time that I got exposed to you was actually through my son.
And my son's kind of like an entrepreneur guy. He really wants to try to do well in business.
He owns a roofing company.
And there.

[5:08] They pray for hell all the time. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[5:12] I tell you, man, hell's gonna hell, God. Right, right.
But, and then, of course, my aunt, through y'all going to church together, I have to tell my aunt, she's gonna hate that I told you this, but this was probably five, maybe more years ago.
I don't know how many years ago it was, but I guess you had brought your brother to church.
And most people, when I tell this story, They don't realize how big Valley View Baptist Church is, but it's like a one room church. It's not much of it.
And so you had brought your brother to church, which I thought was hilarious.
And I thought it was great. And my aunt, who's a very faithful woman, she took pictures of your brother and you and sent them to me during church.
And I'm not saying during the message, I don't know exactly what it was, but yeah, she was so excited that y'all were both there.
That's how we're going to, we were getting Gil used to go down there a little bit.
Yeah. You know, the guy was on the show, but then he, then he, he quit going or whatever, but he, but he, oh, I like it down there.
You know what I mean? You never know the thing about that, about that church, you know, is hell, you don't know when somebody's not there, you don't know whether they on vacation or they died.
Oh, that's true, yes.

[6:42] You know, because I mean, a lot of people been, you know, they're older people, you know, and I mean, I'm 68, I'm the youngest one in there, except when I bring my kids, but I mean, it's like, God, I don't want to ask where's old so-and-so, you know?

[6:55] You know Robert, who used to be the pastor there. Oh yeah, I knew Robert for years.
Robert, it's funny because, in fact, I need to call that guy, because I don't know why, but ever since I've been going, visiting that church, because my aunts lived in Midland most of my life.
And so has my grandparents, obviously passed away now.
But so I've been going to Midland for my entire life and I would go to their church.

[7:27] And whatever reason, Robert always, like he just made me feel so welcome.
He was always checking on me.
I mean, no matter what the circumstances was going on, Robert was always calling me, checking on me, supporting me, and I'm like, I've always been very thankful for that, so.
He's a Robert, I've known Robert.
He, the guy that, uh, when he and I moved out here together, Skipper had a, um, we came over and took this office over back in 77 or later on, he, he got remarried and Robert did the, that's how I met him.
He did the performance, the ceremony, that's like 1980 something.
But I mean, he was, uh, I don't know whether he was, whatever may have been a self-proclaimed minister.
I don't know. I mean, I don't know, I think later on he went to school for about, but he, but that's when I met him way back then. He was kind of related to him or close friends, family to the Reynolds.

[8:28] It's funny because one of my stories about Robert, and this is, you know, I was definitely a young adult. I might've been a teenager. I don't remember, but I'll never forget.
We went to church there and we were coming out and we're standing on the front porch of that church.
And Robert takes a big old, I wanna say like chew, chewing tobacco or dip and takes this big old thing and sticks it in his mouth right on the front porch of the church, right after he eats, and believe it or not, I think some people that would turn them off or whatever, they'd be critical of that, but that made such an impact on me.
I felt like this guy is real. This guy is not putting on a show.
He's just being himself.
And I loved it because he didn't hide it. He didn't, you know, being honest and real.
And I think that if I look back on, you know, my relationship with him, I think that's, That really summarizes it, that he just.

[9:32] Was always real honest, real, you know, a real person. He wasn't, you know, holier than thou and all that.
No, no, he would say, you know, because he was a rounder at one time.
And, you know, he'd been in Oldsville for a long time. And, you know, he kind of shut it down and all that.
And he and, you know, he knew me a lot. And he'd go, I remember one day because he's curious.
They come. Hey, can I ask you something?
I know you drink. I'll have the wrong that just don't have the wrong I don't have to admit it, but I don't think, boy, I don't have a thing wrong with that. You know, well, there's about a pair of the Baptist go, you know, they sneak around, buy that stuff, you know, but I don't have a thing, thing is just want you to know that.
And I said, good, good, because I do.
And he goes, well, I know you do, but I just, you don't like blackout and pass out and stuff.
He has no Robert Adonis and you're fine.
You know, you're fine. How long have you lived in Midland, Rooster?

[10:24] 1977, so I guess that's 45, Would that be 45 years about, something like that, 45, 46 years.
Do you remember the old, I can't think of the movie, but there was an old movie, it had Jeff Bridges in it, and it was really about Odessa, it wasn't necessarily about Midland, but in the movie, Jeff Bridges calls Odessa, Midland, the armpit of Texas, do you remember that movie?
Oh, that was, is that where he was, a ranger?
I think so, it's been a long time. It's high, it's high, uh, there's a one old tie shirt, it's movie high.

[11:03] Yeah, he was a Texas Ranger and it was all and they did some, you know, I'm pretty sure it went into what about eight years old or something. I think it has changed so much. I mean, if you lived there in the 70s, then you, you remember like the big bust in Midland, like in the 80s.
And, you know, of course, again, I was going there as a kid, you know, I graduated high school in 90.
So, you know, I was going there to visit my grandparents, which my grandfather was in the in oil field, he was in oil and gas and my uncle was, but Midland has just changed so much.
It's like, oh, gosh.
It ain't even close to the same.
And the thought process is different, you know. To me, the romance has gone out of it.
I mean, everybody wants to be worth a hundred million and I'm like, well, God dang, what's wrong with being worth me, you know what I mean?
You know what I mean? But it's all these, and it's so much more about the money than it is about discovering all, and like I say, the romance is back in the 80s.

[12:09] Your handshake was better, but you had crook, but you kind of knew who they were.
But whenever you got screwed by them, you're like, goddamn, what old goddamn old Bob, you know, and as Bob got to me, and I, oh God, he did, oh God, he got me last year too.
You know what I mean? You just kind of knew who they were, and people helped people, you know, I mean, I mean, really more than it was just a hole. It was more, but it was a lot. I had a lot of help.
You know, whenever I was broke, I got- Why do you think that like you survived through all that?
You know, where you, like, cause you hear the stories, like for example, yeah, I told you my grandfather was in the oil field, my uncles and really my whole family, male-wise was in the oil field.
And yet, they never encouraged me not one time to ever be in the oil field.
With me growing up in West Texas, you would think that I would have been, and I still live in an oil field area.
I mean, the town that I live in is still pretty predominantly oil field, but it's in Oklahoma.
And yet, not one of my family members ever encouraged me to be in the oil field.
And so I never really even thought about it.
I thought about it maybe sometimes when I was thinking about money, but I'm curious.
How did you think that you survived all that up and down and all that stuff that happens in the old film?

[13:30] We were all, it was like, you know, it was just, we were, everybody went through it, you know, so it wasn't like you were, you weren't alone, you know, like, you know, okay, I went over and I went broke by myself. I mean, I went chapter seven back in 80 something because I owed the first national bank with double loan and everything and I was selling people in that bank and they loaned me the money to sell them and guaranteed them. Well, then they ran out of money and said, oh, well, don't worry about paying it back. I'm like, well, yeah, but I mean, what about the rest rest of my line of credit. Oh, we're not going to give it to me. Now they these guys owe me 400. I only owe you to 20. And they're like, Oh, no, we don't want to do that. Well, then they ran out of money. FDIC takes over. So they're like, well, we're not going to forgive you. You know, so the bank did because they were the ones that guaranteed me. So I go, finally, you know, I end up going seven. I didn't I didn't know when I paid off all my vendors. I didn't know anybody nothing.
Right. But it was except for the FDIC was that they didn't I didn't realize until I went to court and I go, you know, and there no one stood up.
But the people, I mean, I even had my competition.

[14:46] Even my competition didn't want me to go out of business. And they helped me.
They say, you're too much fun. I mean, and even, and then I had so many other people that said, you know, hey man, don't worry about it.
I had an old man, first of all, I was like 20, around 30 years old, and I'm feeling sorry for myself.
God damn gone broke. John Wood owed me all this money. He didn't pay me.
Rick Pearson owed me all this money. He didn't pay me, you know.
And there's an old man named D-Ro Underwood. And he takes me, he says, he hears me moaning.
We always had a drink five o'clock at Auburn or something.
And he's pretty well off. And he said, he said, he called me like at three.
Get down here. And I said, okay, get your fix yourself a drink.
Oh, man, I start early any day, you know. So he's like, now sit down.

[15:33] He said, let me tell you something. How old are you? And I said, I'm fixed on being 30.
He said, you're 20 now, whatever. We'll see you soon.
I would have whipped your ass. And I said, why? Because you're stuck listening to you whining and moaning and carrying on about these guys that owe you money doing it.
How old is John Woods? I said, I don't know, about 65. How old is that other guy, about 60?
What are you talking about, boy? They may not have time to make it back.
You can make it back. What the heck is that, a whining and carrying on?
You ought to just get back to work. And he said, come here. And he gave me an offer.

[16:03] He said, I want to see you here every day. How much money do you need to make a day to survive? I said, about $250.
That kind of make me say, well, get in here and make that money every day.
And he'd check on me every day.
Make that 250 yet. Yeah, I made it. Well, stay in there and make another one.
And I mean, I had that kind of guidance and help from people that just reached to help me.
I mean, and everybody, I mean, here, they come do this. I had people know I didn't have any money.
They go, give me $50,000 and go find them stuff.
Frank Pinnell, I mean, just one after another, you know, Clayton Williams helped me.
And in the end, when I rise, another guy named Bob Harrell, he just took me and just, I mean, did, he just wanted me around and he, and he, you know, and I worked and they all, it just, you had a lot of help.
I had a lot of help and if it was there, if you took me wanting to take it, people helped each other.
Wow, that's kind of, it's very unique, I think, when you think about business world today, you don't think about people helping like competitors. You mentioned competitors. Yeah.

[17:05] And I think that it's like, I know it happens, like there's some kind of bond in there, but you just don't hear about it like anymore.
But I mean, do you think, do you attribute, I mean, like some people, like I talk to my son a lot and he's, you know, when you're in your 20s and you're really hustling and, you know, he's in a different place than I am, but I hear a lot about, you know, talking about hustling.
I hear a lot about, you know, I think, do you think like hustling, you think luck, You think good luck, help.
What's your thoughts on like really what helped you the most as a business man.

[17:45] Well, you know, it's a new game out there now, you know, I mean, everybody, but, you know, they, they, they, they start this, you know, these deals and go out and they start going getting rounds, you know, money, you know, they'll get people to invest in it and stuff like that. And, you know, that having those kind of connections, I never did have them, you know, I had to be real money, you know, for stuff, you know, instead of valuations of what, you know, companies never made a penny is worth 50 million on some about some value. I'm like, I never I mean, I've had to answer. Yeah, expect venture capital, that kind of stuff. Yeah. Oh, God, I'll tell you a funny story about a last phone call I had with one of them. And so he said, we got to see a bunch of those on the on the pit on the TV show. We always go, hey, we're paying that much money in your bank.
Well, nothing. Well, you wouldn't make you work 20 million. Well, that's, that's the way it is. So we're debt free. I'm like, when we have 5 million investment, I'm like, well, you were in it, you know, but it's, but today, I mean.

[18:48] You gotta have, you know, you, I mean, you're gonna move, you're gonna move slower being really honest sometimes, but you're all but you're gonna move steady. And if he's honest, just honest with people, and upfront, transparent, you know, me people will, I think, a little luck help. But I mean, I think, you know, you the door is going to be open for you, you If you're not just coming up with a deal here and there and you come up with a legit thing.

[19:18] To do, be sure you do your research on them. Don't just come up. Some people just come up with ideas and go, hey, man, I got this great idea. Well, hey, man, they already got 10 of them.
Or how is that going to apply, you know what I mean? And now I think with people are willing, I mean, if it gets in the right.
With the right people that know how to Bring in money, you know that you know with actually no risk to the inventor or the you know.

[19:46] That that's the way it's done today, and I don't quite I've never been involved I mean, I'm investing in some but I've never been on that end of it, you know I've always like if I partnered I partnered if I if another guy if I saw a stack of pipe I wanted to buy I didn't want it. I didn't have the money I went and got somebody to buy it and they got 60% of the profit I got 40% of profit or I did, you know, I mean it was ways that, you know, they had faith in me doing that, you know, because that's what I did.
So, you know, so they would say, well, you, you know, you carry the ball, but today it's, you know, there's still people out there that want to help people. They want that, like.

[20:23] And if, for instance, if your son stands out as an upstanding guy, honest guy, you know, you know, he's got the merit, you just, you know, just really people just feel relaxed around him and they feel, you know, that he's not, that he's very on, there's, he got a good, he's going to do all right because there's just, he don't, there ain't as many of them out there like that.
You know, you always think about, I mean, they tend to, they play this great game, talk this great game, and then it's like, if the deal go, you know, blows up and they're like, oh, don't worry, I'll find us another one, you know, I'm like, well, no, I don't want another one, but I mean, it's, people are willing to, to take, to take chances with honest people still.
You know what decade like you're in your 60s. I'm curious like what like in your 40s, your 30s, your 20s, or your 50s. What decade do you think you were the most successful?

[21:16] 50s. 50s. It's funny because I told him that because I'd read it somewhere that like you had the most success and earning power in your 50s.
Yeah, and I and I have told that to the young guy and they're going on. Man, you're talking to the wrong guy. I said I was still making mistakes. I said I quit making too many mistakes when I was 50. I could make money when I was in my 30s 40s 20s. But I said I did. I didn't have you know, I made mistakes or didn't hang on or you know, or spin it or you know, whatever I could always make it just couldn't hang on to it. And I, I mean, it was a level of maturity come, where you're like, okay, man, I got, I think I got this figured out.
God dang it took me a long time. And that's why I say about these young people today, you know, they're hustlers, but they have a whole different way of doing it. and like.
You know, I deal with a bunch of guys in their 30s and stuff, but they're they're like, you know, I have old.

[22:18] Sons of I have old friends in the business, you know, and they're not worried about stepping on their toes Well, I still am and I'll say man. I can't do that. I said man. That's his dad I knew his dad and and I and I always work together with my competitors to work together You know, there was always enough for this do it, Well his dog eat dog now and so you're and they were and I realized that that. But I just said, man, I got to get out of the way. I said, I don't understand. I said, I just can't adjust to doing business the way business is done now. And it's it's, you know, it's like, get I'm coming. Oh, who cares? No, man, I want to get nothing off. That's been that guy's account for 20 years.
I'm not going to go muddy up the water. You know, I'm not going to stick around and steal another man's account that I've known is here and we work together with it. And it's like I just there's now it's like I say, it's, it's all free. Hey, man, that's just the way it goes.
That's competition, man. We're going to go get it.
And I had to kind of get out of that, get out of the way, because I just I just didn't have it in me to do it.
And if you're not actually, if you don't do it that way, you're going to you're going to get run over.

[23:24] But lucky for me, I'd had a I had my run and I got to do it the old way and I still do it.
But I just you know, I don't I don't have to do it as hard.
But but yes, 50 you're right fit man. You're some way. I don't know man 50s like and hell he's out, you know I mean everybody asked me that boy. He doesn't know man. I mean, you know, I have I'm on my third wife, you know, and somebody said Me too, Yeah, you know and I've been with her 20 something years and you know people go well, you know She's a lot younger than me and everything, they go well.

[24:02] I mean people don't say well you think you uh she married you for your money I said I didn't have that much when I married her what the heck you know I said if I had some and I said I made nearly most of my money with being married to her you know and I had one of remember when we were talking to one of butch's lawyers one time and she said well you want to put this in an LLC of your own don't you and I said I ain't putting no LLC in my office put it put it there you know and said well you mean you're not going to try to keep your wife from from uh uh you know you Aren't you worried about if you get said man, let me tell you something my able a woman been with me over 10 years Deserves half or whatever. I got I said, I said I said I ain't worried about it. I said, you know, I mean she deserves half Okay, and you some kind of gunslinger. So man, I mean if i'm going in there worried about whether my wife gets out, I'm not gonna you know, I said I don't work this ain't gonna work. Anyway, I'll tell you what. It gives me a lot of hope because you know, I just turned 51 and uh.

[24:56] You know, I feel like that this is the best time in my life for, you know, being productive and make, I think you said it best whenever you kind of, you know, I've made the mistakes in the past.
Now I'm like, okay, I've learned from those mistakes.
And some of it, it's like, I see this and the younger, you know, my kids and I see it in other kids.
It's like, they want everything now.
And I think I was probably like that too. Like I want it now, I want this thing.
I got stuck on like new trucks. Oh, I got to have a new truck.
And now I start to see that those things like, you can have all the new trucks in the world, but they're not bringing you happiness, they're not bringing you success.
And I think that it gives me a lot of hope to hear you say, man, the 50s is the way to go.
So. And I mean, I made it, I did good in my 20s, And you know, but I mean, I would.

[25:56] You know, when I went bankrupt and I was probably close on paper a millionaire and then it was overnight, I was nothing. And then I had worked in the backyards when I was a kid, you know, and I had gotten into sales and of course, you know, it was in the 80s and I had a gold necklace with a rooster on it and a diamond in his eye, you know, and stark Levi. It weighed about 160 pounds, you know, had this goddamn bleach blonde hair, you know, the whole deal had me a diamond ring and all that stuff. Oxfordskin boots and the whole nine yards and boom. All of a sudden, when I go broke, I'm like, I sat down and I just forget. I went out somewhere and I thought, I looked at myself, you know, I had a new car and all that. And I looked at myself and I said, you know, you forgot who you were. Man, you used to be, you were, you started out as a laborer.
I said, when you moved to Midland, I said, the reason that they liked you so much is you knew He knew how to do things with pipes that nobody out here knew how to do.
I said, you knew pipe better than anybody because you'd worked with it with your hands for so long.
He said, and now look at you, forgot who you are. I said, you get your, look at this dime.
So I packed all my, all my roster skin and boots up, all my nice stuff, put it in a box and shipped it to my middle brother, Pat, cause he likes to dress nice.
I said, you get it, it's all hairs and boots. He said, no, you're kidding me. I said, no.
Went and bought me some Red Wing and went back to work in the field.

[27:21] And I still got, I still wear, and that's 30, so it'll be close to 30 years ago, or 28, 29, and I still wear Red Wing boots. You can go down to Red Wing office and they got a record when I first started wearing them.
And I've always said, don't forget where you came from. And I start, and so I said, I'm gonna start all over.
And of course I had help. I mean, people said, oh God, you're ready to do what?
And we started me and another guy, Skipper started in a pipe yard.
Again, we borrowed the money from his daddy-in-law and bought this pipe yard.
We started from scratch again. He didn't, he had some money, but he would finance the deal to give me part of it.
So it all, you know, there's just ways to.

[28:06] I'd say don't, it ain't worth it if you're gonna forget who you are, you know?
I mean, it- I think that's a great point. It's not to me.
That's more valuable than the money.
Yeah, for sure. Now that you're in your 60s, we're talking about the 50s.
In the 60s, what's kind of your focus now? What do you think?

[28:29] I'll tell you exactly what it is. Of course, I ain't your normal guy, man. I got a 17-year-old and a 14-year-old, so that's really concerning. I'm trying to be an influence on them.
Being that many generations away from them, I feel sorry for them sometimes. I'm like, like, you know, I mean, you're gonna do what, you know, and I mean, his buddies all come over to house and they got their hats on back caps on backwards and I don't my property, you turn them around over here, or everything is boring, they help you out. Now, if you start saying yes or no threat, I don't have to have but you start doors and start opening for you if you start, you know, I'm always schooling them. So and they're, they're okay, you know, they're all right. But I mean, I know it's a pain in the ass to have a dad that's old enough to be your granddad and I still have that old school mentality, you know, I mean, I'm tolerable a lot of things, but I still have the old school mentality. But one of the, that's very important to me to get them to get them raised. And, and, and then the other thing is, now bottom line, I don't want my bottom line to go down. You know, people say, are you, you know, I mean, I've done well, but I, you know, and I'm not concerned about going out here making a ton more, you know, I've got my, I just don't it's what that's what happened. You know, I mean I if you want to call me.

[29:50] Whatever the word is wealthy or something, you know, I mean, I'm not know whatever, you know, I'm not in the top No anywhere up there but uh, It's when people say what is you what's your I said? I don't know man I I know I can't I don't want to see my body I know how much I got and I don't want to see I don't want to go below that so i'm still working.

[30:09] Because I don't want my bottom line to go down and I don't know why I mean I gotta I mean I gave, I gave most of my stuff away to my kid during, you know, whenever the election turned around, I figured the insurance and stuff was going to go down, but then I built it back up.
But I actually don't do really good with a lot of money. I get, you know, I'll take too many chances still, you know, believe somebody's going to believe somebody, you know, take a chance somebody's going to pay and then they don't or stuff like that, you know, but I mean, I made a lot of money taking chances that somebody when other people wouldn't, and I did get it, but I have still got a problem with it. If I got access to a lot of it, I can really, you know, I kind of got to pinch it back.
And, and it makes me you know, make me it makes me work to make better decisions. I can still make a bad one.
So you I mean, last time I saw you, the first time I met you in Midland, I we you talked about that. I mean, you're still in in the pipe business, right? You still have that company.
What other stuff are you like, do you focus on like investment-wise?
I'm curious about that. Is it really just that business or are you really involved in other investments?

[31:20] I've been in other ones and I probably am better off, save a few, but I'm always like, if I'd have just done it, stayed in the pipe business and used all my resources in the pipe business, I would have done better because that's where I always been my go-to place.
But yes, I have, we've, uh, most of the time.

[31:41] It may be different than the pipe business, but it's oil field related, like the water business.
And then we bought a ranch just to strictly utilize the resources.
I mean, when they were drilling wells, we got paid for locations, and we didn't get any minerals.
We just gambled on that, that they were going to put, we can get wind turbines on it.
And so, yes, we did that, and the only bad thing about it is I bought it with my kid's crust.
I don't get none of it, you know, but, but I mean, yeah, we know we'd be able to dispose of it well, but it's all coming in the same pot, you know, so, and like I say, my wife's young, my kids are young, I'm always like, when they want something, I'd say, listen, I know we got enough money to make it till I die.
You go ahead and you want it, because you're just spending your own money.
I said, we're going to have plenty, I'll make sure we got plenty till I die.
So anything you're spending your own dog on money. So, so they, and that, that slows them down a little bit, but he, it.

[32:47] They, most of the stuff, and I mean, I mean, I've got some stuff, like I got in some cyber, cyber, uh, security stuff we thought were just going to, oh my God, take off and it kind of, it's still going, but, but it, but yeah, I've always had to go back to the old home front. I wanted to, I wanted to to diversify something terrible and I had to, I've done it on land, I've done alright on land and stuff.
You know, and uh, done pretty, been pretty lucrative on land purchasing and things.
But getting into like, you know, one of them boy, they're gonna.

[33:25] Super deals are just gonna, you know, like a Microsoft or some deal. I mean, man, even I'm, I don't tell how many we looked at during the show, not even, not even what was on the show, but how many people would show up, would send us, you know, and it got, you know, we were just trying to, it was just mind-boggling trying to keep up with of stuff. We had very little help that we were supposed to have to research these things.
The great thing about it was that the contract said that whatever we said on the show, because it was always in the moment, and it was with a little bit of emotion and we're forcing them, either person could sit down afterwards and change the deal. They weren't tied down to it. I push them to the heart.
It's like lots of people, I'm sure it makes sense that lots of people would come to you and say, hey, will you invest in this? Will you invest in that?

[34:20] What do you think, what for you, like at this moment in your life, what do you look for in an investment?
If somebody came to you and what's your like, two or three things that you're like, it's gotta be this. Is it like gut feeling? Is it, what makes you like something, like an investment?
I mean, the lack of uh I like not doing them anymore. You know what I mean? There's been.

[34:54] Too many bad ones. Yeah, they just go on and on. Like I told a guy the other day, you know, he's hey man, I wouldn't, you know, would you look at this deal with me? I said, if I get, another K one, I'm think I'm going to kill myself. I mean, because they're just, you know, you gotta wait on him. K ones, get your income tax done forever and here come and they never kill them. You know, and he's K ones. And, and, and it's those typical deals that you get in that go, you know, round one, you know, it's always killed me. So good God, we're so excited, that we're gonna get we're gonna have another round. And I said, Well, that means you need more money. Yes. Isn't that exciting?
I said, No, I didn't say at all. Now you need more money. It sounds stupid to me. But is that what that means? We've gotten as far and now we're ready to go farther. And I'm like, no, I don't ever say I'm good.
Well, I was going to tell you, there was a guy that we got on a Zoom call with a guy, and they were in California and I'm not going to get into details what it was about.
But I mean, he's sitting there and he said, well, we're trying to get enough.
We've got another round for we're trying to make for $4 million.
We're going to gather $4 million round.
And, uh, I'm scared, uh.

[36:03] Let me ask you this just how far do you think this four million dollar round is gonna take you?
So give me a projection on that. Where is that gonna take us?
Where does that just where is that for me around gonna take us and he said he started going on as well You're gonna be at this and then with that after that we're gonna do this and that and I said, you know what wrong, Wrong answer. He said really sir. What do you mean wrong answer?
No, the answer is this for me and down not around will take us to the next damn round, That's what your answer ought to be goes. Oh, well, you know, there's an easy answer So it'll take us to the next round sir. I said exactly what would your next round be said 12 minutes?
So the answer is that it was and it was I was joking with him But basically that's where they know that this round the next round already takes you to the next round and it just keeps so People like me were like I want to do no more So you get watered down, but you still have a piece and you still get a k1 and these things stay in operation forever, And it's it's it's it's the new way of doing business But that that's what it is. I got cooking companies coffee company drone company. I, Spaced it. I know what the heck I got Wow.

[37:16] So it's like those and those investments. There's really not much involved in it. Really?
It's just you see that much do you get like quarterly dividends and stuff from stuff like no I had any at the end of the year. I had I have one, But it's all free related and it's a close friend of mine and they're gonna and they're giving us, you know Paying it back as they go, but no all them other ones I don't all this body weighted stuff that goes on on the white and it's just the way they do business now And like I say, they go out and come up with an idea, they put it together and they claim that their investment is their R&D and now they've got this product and y'all want on the bandwagon, come on, we're gonna give you preferred shares the first round and then we're gonna give it, and that before you know it, it's like Dish TV or Suddenlink, you know?

[38:09] If you sign up with Suddenlink or Dish and I've been a customer with it for 25 years, You get a better deal than I got.
And I'm like, what the hell, cause you're a new customer. That's what happens on.
Yeah, it's all in, whore, you know, it's a big bullcrap. You know what I'm like?
So it goes, but it goes on. That's the same way it goes with them deals.
You know, if they got to this, oh, we're going to give you a heck of a deal on this round.
Well, you know, you get watered down. I mean, and there's millions of businesses out there that get launched that way. And I think they're successful, but I have yet to get anything out of one.
And I got lots of them. But I tell you what, Bob, I ain't in.

[38:48] I know I've had a couple of investors in business stuff. I have an investor right now and again, I think it's actually somebody you know. My goal with those investors has has always been they get paid first.
So, no matter what, every three months, even if I didn't have it, meaning that I wasn't getting paid much, I'd make sure they got paid just because I thought, I felt like if they trusted me and they wanted to be involved, then I paid them first.
So, I don't know. I see the different philosophies, but, and it doesn't mean they always got a bunch of money, but they might've got some. They spend it, but, and I always like, their big claim to fame though is we got no debt.

[39:34] Yeah. We don't have any debt. What do you mean? You rounded up $20 million, you don't have no debt?
Somebody gave it to you. Well, yeah, but we don't have any debt.
In other words, if we- Yeah, they don't look at that as like, oh, yeah.
We don't have to pay it back.
Yeah, yeah. Which is, yeah, it's scary. Yeah. That much money.
It's really paper millions, you know, that's what it is. Yeah.
It's like, an accountant can almost make financials say whatever they want it to say.
You're dealing with projections.
And projections, and I've had it claimed to me, I don't have any times on how they come up with those valuations of those companies being worked at. And I'm like, I mean, I understand it for like five seconds.
And some reason I just can't, I'm locked down, I can't figure it out.
It just doesn't make any sense to me.
So back on your kids, I'm curious how you, you know, I feel like that, especially in this generation, it seems like, and whether we're talking about my kids or just kids you see, there's a lot of kind of, like, I call it me, me, me, me.
You know? How do you keep your kids from being spoiled rotten?
They are. Yeah.

[40:50] I didn't do a very good job. Oh no, man, I'm telling you. I mean, I think Adam Sandler said it best.
He said, I wished I could have raised my kids the way I was raised, he said, but I got too much money.
And I mean, my parents were all right. I mean, they were lower middle-class, whatever.
We never hurt for nothing, but I mean, it was still, you didn't, you got one BB gun.
And if you left it out there outside and it rained on whatever, you had to fix that BB gun.
Or you got one of this, or I mean, you learn to be frugal and you just, you know, we're now, You know, I'm like...

[41:32] You know, how my friends give my kids stuff, my other ones give, I give you all, I mean, it's like, you know, you want better for them, but so when, so before you know it, it's gotten away from you, you know, and I've done things like send, you know, just to, the main thing I gotta be sure, that I wanna instill into my children is humility, and you can't buy that, so you gotta do it, you know, you gotta trick them, like I had Miller shine shoes at the barbershop for a couple of years.
And then I like, do you have, can I get you this? This guy said, man, he needs a better, if he had a better horse, he could be a better healer. And I'm like, yeah, I mean, I can, and I'm like, can I afford the horse?
You bet I can afford the horse, but I can't afford the humility that, I can't buy the humility that it'll give him to train his own, to move up slow, you know?
And it's good, and so I have good children, although they're spoiled, you bet.
And I call them daddy's money, you know? And yeah, I'm not gonna say that they're not, no.
And so I wasn't successful there, but my main thing is that I want my children, to grow up with a conscience and character.

[42:51] And I'm happy, you know? I mean, I just want them to be good people.
Nobody wants to call them a little rich kids full of ice here, you know, but if there's more, I just wanted to be grow up, be good people, you know, and that's all, and nowadays, that's all you can ask.
I mean, and as far as I'm concerned, I'm successful.

[43:10] Yeah, I agree. What, so a little bit about the West Texas Investor Club, and you've actually been in a few things, like a few, didn't you say you've been in a couple of movies and?
Couple. Yeah.
So, for any future in that, do you feel like you're ever going to do something like that again?
I know the West Texas Ambassador Club, you told me the story that really that it had gone through a couple of hands, like went to A&E.
But have you, is that something that you feel like you might do in the future?
No, I don't want to do any, uh, just compared to like a sitcom, or, you know, or I, you don't want to do those.
If you do those TV deals, the more, as you know, originally we were only supposed to film in this, in Midland and in this barn because I didn't want to be, I didn't want to be away from my family, you know.
I mean, I'm in a unique position. I mean, I still got kids and, and, and I'm still crazy about my wife.
You know, I mean, I like to be away from them.
So it's like, but, so then we ended up going to Alpine And you know, I wasn't that happy about that, but they, but.

[44:24] If we with if we the more successful you are the more you're going to be gone So if you're root you're hoping this shows this giant success when now they're gonna make you make 30 episodes, Yeah, you see and and and it's you know, then it may be 40 episodes So you're gonna be doing more and more and more and I realized when?

[44:47] CNBC threatened A and E saying, you're going to have to do something with that format.
It's too close to what it was on when we had it.
Well, they agreed NBC said, okay, man, we'll, Hey, we'll back off.
Y'all go ahead and show all your shows. We're there.
Well, I remember the girl at A and E said, well, I don't know if we're going to redo, this, if we're going to read up this rooster, you know, it's a little controversial.
It's not, you know, it's, it's doing okay, but it's not taking off like, you know, and I said, man, you ain't hurting my feelings.
I said, I can just see where this is going if it's, that's about the time Duck Dynasty guys quit.
And I talked to them and they said, man, we're tired of it.
You know, and I could see it. I can see how it was, if it goes. Yeah, for sure.
Now, the movie part, the movie part, there, I don't mind doing those, cause you're in and out.
Yeah. You know, but TV, that's gonna, you know, one shot, one to one, Maybe just, you know, something that I know how long it's gonna last or something, you know, the military or something.
But I mean, to do these shows, the more successful they are, the more you're gonna be gone.

[45:56] What a, I mean, there was a, the two movies, is it two movies that you were in?
Well, I was in the Newton Boys in 1998. Yeah. I was a driller with my brother.
I was in it for a little bit. I don't have any real, none of my parts are all that big.
And then I don't know, I was in a, can you remember the name of that one about somebody?
It came out, is he the signed somebody? I did that little old movie a guy did over in California.
And then Iron Orchard was done here, truck driver in that, truck driver in that, I'm a male nurse in that other one. And then something to fire the duty or whatever it is, that was some deal in Winter Warriors did. And then.

[46:42] Uh, the last one was the 1290 Orphan. Mm-hmm.
And that's probably my biggest part. I had to work harder on that.
I didn't get to be some drunk truck driver or drunk sheriff or...
I had to be like... I had, like, a part that they said I needed that, you know, he said, man, tie the direction. Man, you really gotta...
I was gonna be the sheriff, but Robert... But, uh, what's his name?
The comedian White, uh...
Ron White. Well, Ron's schedule got messed up. Mine didn't, so he...
Ron, he's gonna take the sheriff, Bruce is gonna take the reporter, and it fit our schedule better.
And I'm like, man, I should have done that sheriff, you know, standing on my head, you know.
I mean, he goes, well, he ain't gonna be doing it. This ain't gonna be that easy.
So you're gonna have to really be, I said, I need you to really like make this guy.

[47:32] They said I did okay. I mean, Robert Duvall's gonna do good, but he likes me a lot. He's pretty critical.
It's funny. That's funny. Well, you know, I, I want to thank you publicly and whatever, you know, I've told you thank you before, but I appreciate you deciding to be on our board, which if you guys listening, you know, we started a not for profit and it's called even one less.
And, you know, I mainly because of my aunt's relationship with y'all going to church together, but it means the world to me that you decided to participate.
Because I look at it like somebody, like if you compare my time and your time, I mean, I feel like that I'm nowhere near the busyness and people demanding time for me.
And my kids are older than your kids.

[48:25] But I still see that I have a big demand on my time and that you do too.
And I appreciate you being willing to be on the board and participate.
And even doing something like this, it means a lot to me and I know it means a lot to my aunt.
My aunt, you know, I think she's...

[48:45] One of the greatest women that I've ever been around. Oh, God.
You know, and she's, I think it speaks to like the church that we're talking about, when we were talking about Robert, the old pastor, is that, you know, my aunt's kind of that same deal. She's very down to earth and she's very, she's been the same as long as I can remember, you know. I always jokingly tell the story because, you know, I was kind of going through young troubles and trying to figure out what I was doing in life and I went to go live with my aunt in Midland whenever I was in my 20s. About six months to a year into that deal, she kicked me out because I couldn't act right. She's probably been that person that's just been there throughout my whole life as a staple, as somebody that obviously cares. She has a a lot of confidence in me and that always makes a difference. But I want to thank you very much for your participation and it means the world to me for sure.

[49:54] Well, thank you. We'll see if we can do any good. I appreciate y'all doing it. I mean, when my wife said, my wife actually said, oh, my wife, you need, my wife helped me into it, really. You need to do that. Of course, you know, I'm like, you know, I mean, it's the people got nothing to do with people. You know, I mean, this is kind of my y'all kind of my people, you know, I mean, as a reason that I'm over here on the south side. Yeah, I mean, I lived a great I lived on the north side. I don't green tree eyes, whatever, you know, I mean, I've been there. And I and And I guess I'm kind of partial to.

[50:32] I mean, I know I got my house, I got this big old house that sticks out, but it wasn't that way before.
My wife fixed it up, but I mean, it's still, I mean, I'm with the people that I like.

[50:48] Well, it's funny because people don't know Midland, what you're talking about is that, in fact, whenever I took my wife there, she was like, oh my God, really thinking there's no nice houses or There's no, you know, and I told my aunt this, where my aunt lives, she lives on the south side of Midland.
And you would think, and it's changed, you know, like that's how Midland is.
It's like, you buy, let's say you buy five acres or an acre and you put a house there, a trailer house, anything.
Well, the next thing you know, throughout the years, people have moved in right next to you, right around you.
And I'm blown away, like it's called Oldfield Hotel or whatever it's called, something hotel right there on I-20 as you're coming in.
Normandillo. You talking about on the way to Odessa?
No, no. I'm talking about if you're coming from the east, from like, you know, Big Springs, and you're on I-20, and you look over there to the north side of I-20, and there is, they look like FEMA trailers. And it's one trailer after another. And it says something like, it doesn't say Oilfield Hotel, but it says something like that. And I'm just blown away. But you really, you know, you would think that you're in a third world country in parts of Midland.

[52:08] Yeah, and you know, like you're in Mexico or something and you would think nobody has a pot to piss in, But it's just and then you go, Really, if you never go to the north side of Midland and you see those nicer houses There's all that stuff. You wouldn't know that it's just such a diversity and you know, and oh, yeah, And I guess I don't know if it's still true You probably could answer this but I remember I've told many people in the past whenever I was younger I was like, yeah, the world's most millionaires in the United States live in Midland, Texas.

[52:44] And I think at one time that was true, maybe it's still true.
And yet you have this very poor population there too, working and doing whatever.
And so it creates this huge diversity. And most people, if you've never been to West Texas period, you don't understand that because really a lot of Texas doesn't look like that area.
It's a different place, it's a different, completely different if you've never been at this.
I think there's so many transit people that just move in, I mean, Midland and Odessa don't have many people they got because everybody's got a cell phone, or all living in these RVs all over the place.
And they are doing, but I really think that they're, that's the way that they're saving their money or doing whatever.
Think people are prospering. I mean, you know, they're not. I mean, people that got a bunch or go build a house or do whatever, you know, I mean, I never would.

[53:45] When I went broke, I never wanted to get in debt again. And that's the reason I would either take on partners or do whatever, you know. I mean, I got a bank line finally.
Cause you know, when you go drop something, that bank gonna mess with you for a while anyway.
But I mean, but I always tried to stay.
I never put myself in a position where the bank called me up and said, hey, I need that money right now that I couldn't give it to them.

[54:07] You know, I didn't want to be pushed around, you know. So I took me out.
So it was a pretty slow growth because I would take on partners.
Whether we both put up the money or something because I didn't want to get in too deep with the bank.

[54:20] Or any financial institution because I didn't, you never knew when they're going for something, they get spooked. Now when they, oh, you gotta give me my money.
I'm like, well, I can't, you know, it's all in this product.
Well, you need to liquidate it and give me mine.
You know, and so I didn't ever want them to, I thought I really felt like I was smarter than they were.
And I kind of think, I still kind of think I am.
But it, you just, I think today a lot of people are, that have moved here, especially on our side of town, are actually making money and they're stocking it back.
You know, they just choose not to go blowing on it, scrapping it and stuff.
I think that's changed from like, in my observation, from like the 80s when there was a big oil bust, you know, you could really see it in Midland.
But I think that's changed, you know, because you just, and I see that here, you know, because Oklahoma, like, it seemed like they pretty much, like the oil field went dead here probably like a year or two ago.
And you see all these companies just going out of business, but yet you see these ones that just continue to hang on.
They are still here, still working. And I think that, you know, in some ways it feels like, okay, maybe we've learned that the oil field, just like everything else has ups and downs.
And I'm blown away. Like they have them, like, you know, over the thunder, which is.

[55:41] Thunder is like professional NBA basketball in Oklahoma. That arena down there where they play in Oklahoma City, it's called the Chesapeake Arena, basically out for an oil and gas company.
And they go belly under, but you're always amazed by it. It's like, okay, we spent millions of dollars on this building down here, and then we go bankrupt. I know that it's like, like that maybe for tax purposes or whatever, but I still feel like it's irresponsible.
You know what I mean? I don't get it either, man. I never figured that.
I think it's irresponsible.
It's like, you know, you hear people, I've heard people, especially new in business, that's like, oh my God, I'm gonna have to pay $20,000 in taxes to the IRS.
And I'm like, but you should have made a ton of money if you had to pay $20,000.
And sometimes I just feel like that we, like we're doing business for taxes, we're doing business for maybe investors, I don't know.
But it's like, man, it seems very irresponsible. And I feel like we've kind of learned from that maybe in the old field, compared to like the 80s or something, I don't know.
Yeah, I mean, you still got it, but I know there's some guys that.

[56:56] I'm amazed at how much they'll give in politics and things. and things you know I mean I'm amazed at how much money to spend on a candidate, or something you know I'm like you know I mean I used to had a guy I'd chase that little bit I don't hurry to give him a penny. I don't know, I don't know, I don't, I ain't seen him. I haven't met any of them I really trust you know I've been around a bunch of them too, but I don't go to them.
Well Rooster, thank you so much brother. Alright. I appreciate you spending the time and I hope you have a great day.
You too. All right, I'll talk to you soon. All right, see you later. Bye.

[57:35] Music.

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Burl and his good friend Shaun talk again and share their thoughts on business God and more

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This week we have Ashly Jarvis of the Real Advantage Team on. He is a realtor by trade but is also a veteran, a PTSD survivor.

Burl and Ashley talk about a wide range of topic this week. From their time in service to

https://www.realadvantageteam.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RealAdvantageTeam

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This week we have Julie from Caring Hands Hospice. She and Burl dive into a great talk about why hospice and how does a social worker wind up in Hospice care?

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This week we have Jason Mong on the show and we are talking about his calling of bringing light to the world. With his amazing story from a small town here in Western Oklahoma. We have a great time talking and sharing in each other's lives

Want to help or Follow Jason?

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jason.mong.1

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@jjmong77

Venmo support if you feel compelled to do so - https://account.venmo.com/u/firewalker77

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This week we have a fascinating story of a man who discovers he is afflicted with an illness that will eventually be his undoing how he coped and the redemption he achieved.

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this week we have an old friend of Burl's named Anita. She and burl have worked in the same industry for many years and met at a Nursing home in Plainview, Texas. The discussions they have turned to the spiritual and they dive deep into their thoughts and beliefs.

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This week we have Geoffry from Geoff Loves All 

They start off the show with a bang with the thought of how society is looking at men and women. How easily we are influenced by outside influences.

Burl and Geoff both then proceed to dive head-deep into the world of mental health and 

Cora's Journey

Thank you again Goeffery for the great talk.

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This week we have Karis Stricker. 

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Burl and Shaun are back to talk again about a range of things 

Burl does have a moment of uncomfortable experiences and see what happens when you push through.

Burl also has become auctioneer and he shares what that was like.

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Today is a great day! We have Stacey Stricker on the show!. 

(Large Crowds Cheer)

Burl and Stacey talk about the adventures they have been on and how life has changed since they were married in 2022.

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Our guest this week is Gene and he talks about what happens when you are suddenly visited by the discomfort you are avoiding. You see Gene Helps Burl in his journey to dry out. Gene shares his story and why he joined AA the work it took to climb out of that hole. 

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This week we have a group meeting of men who are all finding their own way. We each have our own business and are in our own phase of that business. Some have just been in the game for 6 months while others have been in the world of entrepreneurship for most of their life. However, we are all able to help each other and we have a good discussion about what our struggles really are.

We have

Burl and his Real Estate and other endeavors

Cortland Stricker of Kambridge Blake Roofing and Construction

Shaun of Rhino Strong Fitness

Bryan Goodwin Home Care and Men's Divorce Coach

If you have any questions or would like Burl to be on your show please reach out

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This one is a long episode. So grab some extra goodies and sit back and listen as Burl and Life Coach Andrea Fitzpatrick of Wise Life Coaching have a talk about a wide range of topics.

• From Showing Up and Acccountability
• To the art of practicing
• There is a discussion about "Fake it Till You Make it"
• and Emotional Reactions

It is refreshing to hear how Andrea's approach to coaching and life is as different as it is and Burl and Andrea both dive into her philosophies and thoughts.

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This week Burl has a friend who has some thoughts that may or may not get you riled up a bit. The topic that launches right off the bat is religion. Burl starts with the stat he heard around 20% of the United States is going to Church and Him and Shaun dive head first into why that is.

There are some revelations and some thoughts that each side takes. The show is riveting and isn't pulling any punches.

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This week's Episode is a talk with the pastor of Clear Springs Church out of Mustang, OK

The Discussion covers many of the different issues that rise up with people who are in church and those who view what church is.

They talk about how Jim is actually bi-vocational in that he is the pastor but also a professor at a school.

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This week's Guest is Mark Baker and his story of the highs and lows of life and where his redemption came from.

Mark's story starts out with him running a resort for a while. Then one day he felt the need to be a pastor of a church. So he became a pastor and was leading a congregation in Lubbock Texas teaching grace theology. That worked till the church he was with let him go. He moved back to Dallas Texas had a small mission group for a short while till they were able to get better and moved on. So Mark became a blackjack dealer. Through the interactions with the people, he had at the casino. He was able to still help people who needed it.

From here Burl and Mark talk about their journeys through life and why being vulnerable is actually a power that makes you stronger, and how being angry and defensive actually will weaken you. Walking in shame because of what you did will hold you back more than just letting people have their own thoughts and you living your life.

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Jordan Whoops up on Burl

We have Jordan as guest 

Jordan is Burl’s Step Daughter

Kansas State

What has Jordan learned from her first year?

Why did she join a sorority?

What is the biggest pressure Jordan feels?

What are some positive attributes of Her Mom and Her dad?

The Health scares she has gone through and why her love of life is so strong.

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This week Burl has a conversation with Janice the Pistol Packing GOat Rancher. She is known for her self-sufficient off the grid way of living in the Texas Panhandle.

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This is a fascinating tale of a man who should have been dead or in jail but thanks to the power of redemption He is now here with us sharing his life.

Follw him on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@second_chancer

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A conversation with LeAnne The Box Lady

Burl and Leanne talk about the near tragedies that have been experienced. In their own lives and how they were able to find peace even when they are in the most uncomfortable situations.

Follow Leighanne on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leighannetheboxlady

We are back and we are getting the conversations moving

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Sermon given by Burl

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Burl has a powerful discussion with Lisa

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Burl talks about about new beginnings and why our resolutions don't work

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Burl has a conversation with his daughter in law

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Sermon made by Burl

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This week Burl brings his son Cortland onto the show. They talk about the challenge of walking for 10 miles while getting out in the wilderness. Then the benefits of getting outdoors with your kids.

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This week Burl and Bryan talk about how fear is the root of the suffering you feel in your life

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Jesse Crosson was in prision for 19 years. Listen to his amazing comeback story and how much his life has changed now that he has been released. 

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Burl has a conversation with Jennifer

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Burl and his cousins talk about how suicide has impacted their lives and what the journey has been

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This week Burl has a Q and A where he is talking about leadership and other important topics

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A deep conversation with Burl's Aunt Debbie

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I have a conversation with Rhonda about the effects of suicide.

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This is the first episode of a podcast that addresses the struggles we face. There are times that we are open to so many different obstacles that it can be overwhelming. Our first discussion is centered around why the show got started and it quickly ramps up to our views of suicide and what keeps us centered on this mortal realm. 
We talk about the deaths we have had in our lives and the pain it creates. Why do we believe suicide is happening around us. We look at the key of Hope and Connection with others. Why do men need to have brothers around them? For our own mental health and stability in society.
Who are the hosts of this show?
The hosts are Burl Stricker. A man who is finding himself in a midlife crisis after losing two cousins to suicide. Burl is the brain behind the show and has wanted to do a show with Bryan for over a year.  Burl has had a very dynamic past from marriage and kids to running several businesses. He is a suicide survivor and looking to find out who Burl Stricker really is.
Bryan Goodwin is a men’s life coach helping men to rid themselves of the nice guy so that they are able to live life on their terms.