Just A Guy In The Pew Podcast

Who is the Holy Spirit? How can we get to know Him? We often find it easier to relate to Jesus and God the Father, having spoken directly in the Scriptures and displayed qualities we can understand. But the Holy Spirit often remains mysterious or distant. Join us in the pew as Fr. Dave Pivonka unpacks why that is—and how we can invite the Spirit into our lives in a real, transformative way. This Lent, we have an opportunity not just for sacrifice, but to grow in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Stop chasing the world’s version of success, and instead, anchor yourself in the power and presence of God. When we stop clinging to control and let the Holy Spirit lead, we discover that true strength isn’t found in worldly achievements, but in trusting Him—the One who makes all things new. Check out Fr. Pivonka's Work: https://wildgoose.tv/ https://www.youtube.com/@WildGooseTV https://franciscan.edu/ https://www.youtube.com/user/FranciscanUSteubie Check out Fr. Pivonka's Books: Breath of God: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/breath-of-god?srsltid=AfmBOopelaWqysQWP2t7muKs94kqiX0QVZYJlc94pUB13Pt-XLgrnZIg Spiritual Freedom: https://a.co/d/6x3owrO Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Sometimes we forget that Lent is more than a season of waiting for Easter—it's a chance to transform our lives. Join us this week as we remember the power of humility and how what the world may call losing will actually bring us closer to true perfection. The cross didn’t look like winning to the Apostles, but through His death and resurrection, Christ won for us the greatest reward of all. Fix your eyes on Christ and take the time to listen and learn from Him. Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Lent is a journey filled with challenges, but what matters most is not perfection—it’s perseverance. Setbacks and failures are inevitable, but giving up is the easy way out, and you can’t expect to grow stronger by always taking the easy path. Whether through fasting, prayer, or simply showing up, Lent is an opportunity to repent and draw closer to the Lord. Join us in the pew this week for a reminder that failure doesn’t have to be the end—what truly matters is the courage to begin again. Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

This week we welcome Devin Schadt into the pew to discuss the importance of authentic fatherhood, and how embracing the example of St. Joseph can and will transform your life. Devin Schadt is the co-founder of The Fathers of St. Joseph, an apostolate dedicated to the renewal of authentic fatherhood. He is also a host on The Catholic Gentleman podcast. Devin reflects on his faith journey, describing his wayward youth and how God reached him at his lowest point. He explains the four pillars of Josephian Fatherhood—silence, woman, children, and charitable authority—and how they are invaluable tools of sanctity for all fathers and husbands. Check out Devin’s new daily Lenten devotional here: https://shop.stewardshipmission.com/products/jesus-way Find more about Devin's apostolate, The Fathers of St. Joseph, here: https://fathersofstjoseph.org/ Listen to The Catholic Gentleman podcast here: https://catholicgentleman.com/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Happy Fat Tuesday! As we dive headfirst into Lent, take a moment to reflect on the things in our lives that we need to let go of. It could be a bad habit or addiction, a fear or grudge, or even our tendency to test God and demand signs and wonders to justify our belief. Take time to consider what you prioritize over God in your life, then find ways to shift that focus. Lent is one of the many gifts the Holy Spirit and the Church have given us to deepen our faith and realign our lives with Jesus. Join us this week as we strive to leave behind our idols, pick up our crosses, and walk with Christ. Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

We know what the world considers greatness for men; if you’re rich, famous, piling up accolades and running your life on your terms, you’re great in the eyes of the world. As men, we have a deep desire for greatness, but at the end of the day, if we’re not careful, we can look at our lives and think, “Man, my life is kind of irrelevant.” Now, God bless the guys who can achieve those things. But the Church looks at that and says, “That’s good, but it’s not true greatness. That’s not what is celebrated in Heaven for eternity.” True greatness looks like Jesus, taking the position of a slave, emptying Himself on a cross so that we might have eternal life. Join John and his guest, Renewal Ministries executive vice president Peter Herbeck, as they talk about how to pursue the greatness God values. And be sure to check out Renewal Ministries and the awesome ways they're helping folks pursue true greatness. https://www.renewalministries.net/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Fr. David Aufiero grew up in a troubled home, and after losing his father and grandmother, he reluctantly met with a local priest to talk through his difficulties. That one conversation led him to become the man he is today. Fr. David knows well the struggles that men face and that the only way to overcome them is to bring the things we hide in the dark into the light. But it’s hard for men to open up and be vulnerable. How do you even begin to reach a whole parish? That's when he came across Just a Guy in The Pew. We were able to provide him with the tools and resources to get started, and even go in person to his parish to help launch this group for men. Now, more than a year later, Fr. David testifies to the positive effects that come from creating a space for men to support and challenge each other to grow in holiness. Join John and Fr. David this week as they talk about the fruits and transformations they have seen firsthand from developing strong men’s groups. Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Here's something you can count on: When you step away from the world, the flesh, and the devil, they’re going to want you back. We just finished our series on True Transformation, and the sort of radical changes to our lives that happen when we grow closer to the Holy Spirit through fasting, prayer, and the Sacraments. Those changes are sure to draw the enemy's attention. Our growth in holiness angers the devil, and he'll do whatever he can to try and slip you up. But no matter how hard he might try, we don't need to fear him or anything he throws at us. The truth is that the devil has no authority over us — unless we give it to him. Join John and Victor in the pew this week as they talk about the realities of spiritual warfare and how to avoid dancing with the devil. Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ BECOME A PARTNER IN THE PEW! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew START A MEN’S GROUP IN YOUR PARISH! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

If you’ve ever been to a big conference or a really inspiring parish mission, you might’ve had a moment of encounter that set you on fire for Jesus, only to grow discouraged a little while later when you don’t see immediate progress in your spiritual life. We’ve had that experience too.  God doesn't work on our time though. Instant gratification is what we’ve grown to expect in our culture,  but it's not that way in the spiritual life.  The devil loves to lean into the discouragement that comes from expecting instant growth. It’s a slow process, and it’s easy to forget just how beautiful this long process of spiritual growth is. God knows what He's doing and it's up to us to be patient and to persevere.  Join us in the pew today as John talks about how to put aside our need for instant gratification and the beauty of playing the spiritual long game. Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Over the last few episodes, John and Victor have been discussing the habits we need to build, and the gifts of the Church we need to engage in to find true, lasting transformation in our lives. This week we turn our attention to the most effective way to receive God's grace in our lives: the Sacraments. The Sacraments are an outward sign of God's grace, and they are crucial to maintaining the transformation we desire. They are gifts that Jesus died for us to receive. They are available to us each and everyday. The question is, do we make ourselves available to them? Grab a seat in the pew with John and Victor as they dive into the Sacraments, discuss how they have provided sustained transformation in both of their lives, and how they have the power to do the same for you. Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/footsteps-of-st-paul-pilgrimage-to-greece-with-john-edwards-and-fr-james-clark/ BECOME A PARTNER IN THE PEW! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew START A MEN’S GROUP IN YOUR PARISH! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK