You Don't Make You—God Makes You

We live in a culture that shames masculinity and leaves men confused about who they are and what they’re called to. In this episode of the BraveCo Podcast, I share a message that’s been burning in my heart: the journey from the promise to the promised land—and why the middle ground is where God actually forms us into the men we’re meant to be. I talk about the “compass bearing” God gives us, the mountaintop goals we aim at, and the frustrating, winding road between where we are and where we know we’re called to go.

Using the stories of David, Joseph, Adam, and the Israelites, I unpack how God forms, fills, and finishes men in the middle. We look at caves, pits, deserts, and valleys—not as proof that God abandoned us, but as the forge where He shapes our character, teaches us to trust Him, and gets Egypt out of us. I share from my own journey of building BraveCo, walking through divorce, debt, fatherhood, and leadership, and how I’ve had to trade self-help-only solutions for real dependence on God, who promised to make my path straight.

If you feel stuck, in-between, or discouraged because your reality doesn’t yet match your promise, this episode is for you. My prayer is that you’ll learn how to lean not on your own understanding, how to choose faith over fear, and how to see your middle ground as holy ground where God is actively forming you into a king. If this speaks to you, make sure you subscribe, share it with another man who needs it, and drop a comment about where God is meeting you in the middle right now.

Chapters:
00:00 Why Masculinity Is Under Attack (Intro)
01:26 Finding Your Compass Bearing (Mount Shasta Story)
03:12 The Painful Beauty of the Middle Ground
04:25 My Story: Nerdy Kid with a King’s Calling
06:18 You Don’t Make You—God Makes You
08:35 Formed in the Middle: Adam & Assignment
10:01 David’s Cave Season: Learning to Be King
12:46 Joseph’s Pit, Prison & Promotion
15:18 Finished in the Middle: Valleys, Wilderness & Your Next Step

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ABOUT BRAVECO: We live in a time where men are hunting for the truth and looking for the codebook to manhood. At BraveCo, we are on a mission to heal the narrative of masculinity across a generation; fighting the good fight together because every man should feel confident and capable of facing his pain, loving deeply, and leading a life that impacts the world around him.