Pirate Monk Podcast

How do we deal with the inevitable pain that comes into our life?  Nate gives an update on recent struggles with Allie's health before having a discussion with Seth Haines, who shares his own season of severe anxiety related to the health of his infant son, the even deeper pain of a seemingly absent God, and his subsequent slide into alcoholism in an attempt to numb the pain.  The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

The guys respond to a couple of notes from the mailbag before having a great discussion with Morgan Snyder (becomegoodsoil.com) about discovering the heart of Father as we discover our true sonship. Can we answer the questions - Where do I feel uncomfortable in the realm of masculinity? How do I recover ALL of what God wants for me?  The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

This is a refreshing discussion with theologian, author and professor  Brad Jersak that spans a myriad of subjects - from interactions with people of diverse viewpoints, love addiction vs. sex addiction, the purpose of confession and repentance, and what "the God of our understanding" and "progress not perfection" really mean. www.bradjersak.com   Featured song: "If Old is Grey" by Chad Land; used by permission (https://soundcloud.com/chad-land)  Other music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

Have you ever made a promise to yourself to create a new habit but gave it up after only a few weeks?  How are those new year's resolutions holding up after a month?  Drew Dyck noticed this pattern in his own life and decided to do some study into both the scientific and biblical principles related to self-control.  Nate and Aaron have a great discussion with Drew about partnering with God and your community even in the small areas of our life.  You can find even more details in his book, Your Future Self Will Thank You.  (drewdyck.com) Also, Nate opens the mailbag and shares a few recent notes.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

In part two of our series on domestic abuse, we talk with "Becky", an abuse survivor.  Her story is one of pain, fear and redemption, but does point out how the Christian community can sometimes fall into the trap of excusing abusive behavior in the name of avoiding divorce.    Can every marriage be saved?  Should every marriage be saved?  Abuse should never be tolerated in the name of statistics.  The guys tackle this tough subject in light of the gospel in compassion, grace and love.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

Before you immediately dismiss your need to listen to this episode, we'd challenge you to have an open mind. When we hear the words "domestic abuse", we often think of videos of athletes in elevators, but can we recognize more subtle forms of abuse? Use of Power to Control others through Fear or Intimidation is Abusive even if there are never any bruises or broken bones. Join us as we begin a two-part series on this important topic.  We talk today with Chris Moles (chrismoles.org), a pastor and Biblical counselor who helps churches and families confront the evil of domestic violence. If this discussion sparked any questions in you, check out Chris's article - Am I Abusive?   We also get to hear a couple of songs from Aaron's new album, The End of the Fall.  You can listen and download the entire album at https://soundcloud.com/aaron-porter-778791650/sets/the-end-of-the-fall.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

Nate and Aaron speak with Randy Turner, author of Rescuing the Rogue, about mentoring, learning intimacy the hard way, what intimacy truly is and how to root out the false beliefs we have about intimacy. If you'd like to explore this topic further, you can reach Randy at rturner@transformingfamilies.org.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

Nate interviews Noah Filipiak, author of Beyond the Battle.  Noah is a pastor who talks openly about his struggle with porn, the journey from entitlement to contentment through recognizing the true needs beneath the behavior, and the real definition of love.  Noah also facilitates Beyond the Battle online 7-week zoom groups which focus on your identity in Christ in an oversexualized world.  For more information, visit beyondthebattle.net or noahfilipiak.com.   Nate and Aaron also discuss the importance of Gratitude for our overall physical and mental health.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

Clinton and Charity Munoz of the Restored 2 More podcast share their winding path of addiction, discovery, missteps in finding help, and finally to the true redemptive help that they needed. They are now helping couples move from infidelity to intimacy.  Learn more at restored2more.com.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society and also features the new song When You're Lying by Kristin Larkin.  You can find her music at kristinlarkin.bandcamp.com.  For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.

In this follow-up to episode 280, Nate and Aaron talk with Brian Tholstrup, a fellow pirate monk whose primary drug of choice was alcohol.  The guys discuss how recovery is not "one-size-fits-all" and how each of us has to assess what is helpful in our own journey while avoiding the lure of the "easier, softer way".   Nate and Aaron also discuss how easy it is to get distracted by seemingly harmless pursuits, such as gaming.   The music on this podcast is contributed by members of the Samson Society. For more information on this ministry, please visit samsonsociety.com.