January 19, 2025 • 30 mins
Welcome to a new episode of The Forging of Men, where we aim to help fathers mold their sons into the next generation of robust, resilient men through nurturing them in faith, fitness, and outdoor adventures. This episode sheds light on the importance of self-mastery, resilience, and healthy relationships, while also giving a sneak peek into the individuals and companies we wish to collaborate with to offer enriched content.
Join us in our offline adventures like "Forging of Men 101," our retreat aimed at equipping dads with skills in camping, archery, masculine prayer, and fishing, as well as Desert Days, a digital detox excursion in the wilderness. Becoming comfortable with oneself is crucial for building meaningful relationships, and these adventures offer a unique opportunity to foster this connection.
Together, we can forge the next generation of great men. If you want to be a part of our movement and have connections or suggestions for potential collaborations, we would love to hear from you. Let's journey together to create a storm that safeguards our families and shapes robust, resilient, and resourceful sons.
Get ready to forge ahead!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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(00:01):
This is The Forging of Men, a podcast to equip, enable,
and empower the fathers of sons to raise their sons into the next great generation
of men through faith, fitness, and outdoor adventure.
To be a man, it's not going to be easy, especially in the culture we have now.
(00:21):
Be the storm. Save your family. One of the main pillars of masculinity is self-mastery.
It's not just, let me do it. it's let
me show you how to do it when evil comes evil's
not looking for a fair fight a lot of people
weren't disciplined enough to like make the switch the
lack of a servant leader culture attached to masculinity is perhaps why there
(00:45):
are so many marriages that fail as well you would think of the word as relationships
as relationships with others no but you can't have a relationship with others
until you're comfortable with the relationship with yourself we're firing up the forge right now.
Welcome back to my repeat listeners and for
(01:06):
those of you who this is your first time coming to the forge welcome to the
forging of men make sure you find us on social media at forging of men that's
one word no dots dashes or underscores and brand spanking new check out our Patreon page.
Why is Patreon important? Well, believe it or not, it's not free to bring you this podcast.
(01:32):
There's equipment, travel to meet guests, editing software, distribution channels,
all of those things cost money.
Not a lot, but it is a monthly expense that we would really like some help with.
So if you are gleaning anything from this podcast that you think is making you
a better man and better equipping you to raise your sons, please consider supporting us on Patreon.
(01:57):
But this episode is about people, places, and things.
What I mean by that is for people, it's who I want to have on the show.
For places, it's the adventures that I have in the pipeline that you can come and join.
And for things, it's my personal short list of companies that I want to partner
(02:18):
with on this podcast because I think the things that they make can be the tools
to help us and our sons become better men.
So, let's get into it. First up are the people that I would love to have as guests on the show.
And my call to action to listeners is this. If you know these people or follow
(02:38):
them on social media, send them a text or a DM or tag them on a post and let
them know that forging of men deeply values what they have to say.
And it could shape the trajectory of an entire generation of men.
And for the sake of time, I'm going to limit this to my top 10.
(03:00):
So, in no particular order, let's get into it. First on the list is John Eldridge,
the author of Wild at Heart.
John inadvertently started me on this journey that led me to the forging of men.
What I would like to talk to him about is the wounds that we get from our fathers
and those that we inflict on our sons as fathers, and how do we break that cycle?
(03:25):
Also, if you've not read Wild at Heart yet and you are a father of a son or
sons, just do yourself a favor and go to Amazon and buy yourself a copy right now.
Make sure you read it. Make sure your sons read it.
Next on the list is Donald Miller. He's actually the author of many books,
(03:45):
including Blue Light Jazz, which is one of my favorites.
But he also started a wonderful mentorship program.
I want to have Don on the show to talk to him about mentorship and fatherhood,
how they are the same, in some ways that they are different,
and how to get plugged in if you feel led to mentor a young man.
(04:07):
Next on the list, yet another author, because there are some great books out
there, is Michael Easter.
He's the author of The Comfort Crisis. If you've listened to this podcast before,
you know that Comfort Crisis in particular has had a deep impact on my life
in the last couple of years.
The way that I do workouts, the way that I push myself, and the way that I push
(04:29):
my sons. What I would like for him to come and join us on is why rites of passage
are important and the power of solitude in the wilderness.
Speaking of the wilderness, the next person that I would love to have on,
and this one might actually happen sooner rather than later,
we'll see, is Mark Kaiser.
(04:50):
Also an author, but he's also a hunter, TV personality, and just a genuinely good guy.
I want Mark to join us to talk about outdoor adventure, how it shaped him as
a man, and how to properly balance our desire for adventure with being a good husband and dad.
(05:10):
Moving into the faith section of who I'd like to have join us,
top of the list, Jason Everett.
He is a Catholic author of several amazing books, including Theology of the
Body for Teens and Pure Manhood.
But his most recent book, Male, Female, Other,
gives insight into navigating transgenderism, which I think is vitally important
(05:34):
for us as fathers to be able to understand and teach our sons how to navigate
as it continues to become more and more prominent in today's culture.
Following the similar thread is James Baxter, who is the creator of Exodus 90.
Exodus 90 is a Lenten discipline program that I actually did last year.
It's a full 90 days that involves workouts, diets, no screens,
(05:58):
no stacks, daily prayer, and a multitude of other tenets and disciplines.
I want Jason to come and talk to us about how sacrificing can lead us to a more
purpose-driven and focused life. How do you like that?
Also on the faith side of things is Father Michael Butler, not a Catholic priest, but an Orthodox priest.
(06:21):
And he's the host of the Iron Sharpens Iron podcast. I've actually got, is it here?
Yeah, I've actually got a coaster sitting right here made out of burned wood
called, it just says Iron Sharpens Iron on it.
It was made by my buddy, Dan Oxendine that lives down the street and it lives
here in my office all the time. So iron sharpens iron speaks very deeply to me.
(06:45):
Father Michael Butler breaks the mold a little bit, though, because in addition
to being an Orthodox priest, he is a weightlifter and bodybuilder.
He's one of the leading religious authorities on faithful masculinity.
And I would love to have him join Forging of Men to talk about the parallels
between faith and fitness, sharpening of the spirit, sharpening of the body.
(07:09):
Next on my list here is Dr.
Jeremy Lustig.
The name is probably not familiar to many of you, but Dr.
Lustig is the executive director of the Troops of St.
George. If you aren't familiar with the Troops of St.
(07:31):
George, it's a relatively new Catholic organization that exists for the formation
of boys and men through the outdoors and the sacraments.
Sounds very similar to the Forging of Men mission statement, doesn't it?
It might be the organization that is most aligned with the forging of men's
ideals and core values. And I would love to have Dr.
(07:54):
Lustig speak to how he's seen its impact since its creation in 2013.
So relatively new organization, just a little over a decade old.
And I'd be curious on what the impact is already.
And I would love to see what the impact of Troops of St. George is going to
(08:15):
be in the decades to come.
Two more left here to round out that top 10. John Lovell next.
John is an author, veteran, missionary, and firearms instructor.
Most of you would recognize him from his company, Warrior Poet Society.
He has a fantastic sense of balance between being a man of faith,
(08:39):
a family man, and a warrior.
He also has a really sharp sense of humor that appeals to me greatly.
He's deeply articulate, has very well thought out ideas, and I want him to come
and talk to us about instilling within our sons what it means to be a protector.
That should actually fall, I would hope, in about the same timeline as our release
(09:03):
of our Season of Violence episodes that will be coming out here in,
I believe, the back half of April, beginning of May.
Man, if there was ever a series of episodes that we would get canceled for,
that would be it. But I do think it needs to be addressed.
Last on the list to round up our top 10 is Kyle Thompson.
(09:25):
And he's the newest to the list. I just came across him in the last week.
He was on a podcast, I think, with Mike Glover, who's the author of Prepared.
Prepared, I believe, is on our list of of 3,650 pages that every man should read in a year.
But Kyle created the podcast Undaunted Life.
(09:48):
Undaunted Life produces content specifically designed for the rugged Christian
looking for ways to more closely follow after Christ and improve as a man.
I would love for Kyle to come and talk a little bit about his journey as a Christian
man and how we can start getting our sons on that journey as well through fitness.
(10:13):
So that's my list of people. Let's move on now to places.
This is the adventures that we are going on that you, yes, you can come and participate in.
And I got this idea from a father-son retreat that was hosted here in my hometown a couple of years ago.
Might've been, might've been further back than that. Might be three or four years ago.
(10:37):
The signup form for this retreat had a picture of a dad and a son fishing and,
you know, out in the mountains.
And I knew the place that we were attending for this retreat had a pond and
an archery range and a BB range.
So I was really excited to take my older two boys and we
got there and almost an
(11:00):
entire day of time spent and not once did we do anything that wasn't in a classroom
setting we were indoors all day sitting in chairs at tables all day listening to people speak all day.
Perhaps even more poignant was the fact that I spent more time separated from
(11:22):
my sons than together with my sons.
They had us listening to different talks in different rooms.
No outdoor activities, no father-son quality time.
The only thing that felt even sort of manly was it finished with a barbecue
dinner, but it was manly food that somebody else prepared.
At the end, I asked my boys what they thought, and they said at least the food was okay.
(11:47):
I was not surprised afterwards to find out that this father-son retreat was
planned almost entirely by women, and more specifically, women who weren't married,
so they didn't have husbands or sons.
Oh, what a waste of an opportunity.
So hear me on this. When I say we are going on adventures, they will be hands-on adventures.
(12:12):
Will we perhaps spend some time listening to talk from somebody?
Yeah, sure. Sure, maybe so. But most of the time on these retreats will be spent
doing things because that's how men are wired, doing things.
Let's try that part again. Sure, maybe so. But most of the time on these retreats
(12:34):
will be spent doing things because that's how men are wired.
There are going to be three different adventures you can embark on with us in
the coming years and some sooner rather than later.
The first is a father's retreat called Forging of Men 101 or FOM 101.
This retreat is designed to equip dads with the skills to do amazing things
(12:56):
with their sons. And I'll tell you where it comes from.
Is I take my boys on some pretty awesome adventures, right? We do camping, we do hiking.
My older two, when we did our manmaker trip a couple of years ago,
went up to the boundary waters for, I think it was five nights and six days
or four nights and five days.
It was a, it was a good stretch and we had just absolutely the best time.
(13:20):
And I have so many dads of sons say, I would love to be able to do something
like that with my sons. I just don't know how.
Well, this is a retreat where we're going to get you into the basics of several
of those different skill sets, right? So we're going to be shooting archery.
We're going to be camping. We're going to do some campfire cooking,
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backcountry water purification, BB gun and pellet gun shooting,
masculine prayer, fishing.
Fishing all of these things are things that you can go home
and start doing with your sons right away we'll
also talk about how to plan your own rite of
passage trip for your sons the logistics
around it some ideas of things that you could go and do like the boundary waters
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like backpacking in new mexico like going out to the nana hala wilderness area
in north carolina we'll talk about how to plan your own rite of passage trip
and some of the things you can do to magnify the the impact of that rite of passage experience.
The second trip, which is also focused on dads, is called Desert Days.
(14:26):
This is going to be a three-night, four-day backpacking excursion,
although I am considering extending it perhaps to four nights and five days,
although that means we're extending past a long weekend.
I don't know. Give me your feedback on that in the comments. What do we need to do?
Three nights, four days, which means we can do a Friday, Saturday,
Sunday, Monday, or do we need to perhaps think about extending it a little bit
(14:48):
longer? I'm open to either.
Regardless of the number of days, we're going to be out there without devices.
No phones, no tablets. We have one GPS sat-based comms device for emergency
contact, and I'll make sure that everybody's wives has that number so that if
something happens, we can get you looped in.
But we're going into the wilderness for some adventure.
(15:11):
If you want to learn how to be in the backcountry so you can take your own boys
backpacking and look like a pro and spend some time contemplating on how to
be the best version of yourself, you should definitely join me on this adventure.
The third one is still in development. It'll probably be a 2025 thing, to be honest.
(15:32):
As much as I would love to say I could get it done this year,
I just don't see it happening.
I want to do a father-son retreat.
And I think it comes from experiencing a father-son retreat that flopped so
horribly to to begin with. And I feel like we need to redeem that.
So we're going to be doing similar stuff to the Forging of Men 101 camp,
but it will be fathers and sons together doing masculine things.
(15:56):
So shooting archery, learning different fishing techniques,
shooting BB guns, cooking with cast iron over a fire, learning how to build
a fire, which is a skill that I'm still shocked at how few people know how to
do, learning how and where to set up a tent.
These are skills that I've had for many years and that I took for granted.
(16:17):
And I can tell you how many times I, these are skills that I've had for many
years that I took for granted.
And I can't tell you how many times I've had dads tell me, I want to do these
things with my son, but I just don't know how well now you can come with your son and learn together.
It'll be an absolute blast.
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So we've covered people and places. Now let's talk about things or more specifically
companies that I'd like to partner with,
not only to make this podcast possible in the future, but also can equip our
listeners with the gear they need to steep their sons in the faith,
(16:58):
help them with their fitness and immerse them in the outdoors.
On the faith side of things, I can't imagine a more perfect company to pair
with than Rugged Rosaries out of Texas.
This company takes true masculine, let's try that again.
This company makes truly masculine rosaries that any man would be proud to carry.
(17:21):
From the World War I military issue replicas of rosaries and battle beads to
the more modern paracord versions, there is something here for every man.
Prayer is a fundamental way that we grow in our faith, and the rosary is the perfect prayer tool.
Now, for those of you that are Catholic, I'm sure this is hitting home with you.
For those of you that are of the faith and are Protestant, I understand that
(17:45):
the rosary can be a little confusing.
It's just a tool for prayer. And so we actually have a podcast episode coming
up here in the next few weeks called Rosary Prayers for Protestants,
and it's essentially providing you the tools to be able to pray using these
prayer beads as sort of a blueprint or a framework of prayer.
(18:08):
It's really, really powerful. And whether you're Catholic or Protestant or Jewish,
even, I think that having a tactile way to pray as a man,
especially if you have ADD like I do, is a great way to maintain your focus
and really really dive even deeper into prayer.
I'm still trying to find other faith-based companies that cater directly to
(18:31):
men, and it's actually pretty slim pickings.
There are some products out there. There's a Catholic, I think it's called Every Man's Bible.
It's like a really nice looking leather bound Bible, but it's still part of
a greater, I guess, ecosystem of products that aren't specifically for men.
(18:55):
It's just, I'm not saying it's an afterthought necessarily, but it's not focused
on the masculinity of faith.
I don't know what to do there. there. Gosh, maybe Forging of Men might need
to start our own line of stuff.
Faith-focused products for men and sons that want to grow into great men.
I don't know. Let me know what you think. What else am I missing there?
(19:18):
I'm sure there's some things out there that I'm just not aware of because I'm
just one dude and I don't know all the things that are out there.
If there's something that I'm not thinking of, please, please, please let me know.
So let's dig into the fitness side of things now. And I want to start with a
company called First Form.
Being a dad is a full-time job and then some.
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So every minute that we're away from our family is precious.
I try to go to the gym every day if I can, at least four or five days a week, definitely.
And I understand that I need to get the most out of my gym time.
And I'm able to do that with First Form.
First Form has a top-notch selection of supplements and proteins so that your
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gym time is maximized and never wasted.
I used some of their products in the last few weeks, and let me tell you,
just even in that small sliver of time, I can tell a difference.
My recovery is better. My strength is improving.
I just feel like I'm getting that much more out of my gym time instead of just
wandering in with a bottle of water and going to work.
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Work. Now, because my gym time and workout routines are geared specifically
towards outdoor adventure preparation, I can't think of a better company to
pair with than Mountain Tough.
The Mountain Tough workout programs are geared specifically for outdoorsmen
that are prepping to conquer the steep slopes in the backcountry. Let's try that again.
(20:47):
The Mountain Tough workout programs are geared specifically for the outdoorsmen
that are prepping to conquer the steep slopes in the back country.
And they have a whole list of different programs, whether it's diet stuff,
or if you're wanting to figure out how to do a workout with minimal amounts
of equipment, like if you're doing workouts at home.
For me, this is a big deal because I am having to travel a fair amount for work.
(21:11):
And those of you that also have to travel for work know that there are very,
very few hotel gyms that are sufficient to do what we want to do.
Well, Mountain Tough provides some workouts that you could do with just,
you know, a little bit of weight and some space in your own hotel room or just
(21:31):
utilize the space in that horribly inadequate hotel gym.
Also, before we move on to the next company, if you've got a hotel chain that
you use on a regular basis that consistently has a decent gym in it,
please message me and let me know.
So I'm tired of going on work trips for three or four days at a time and feeling
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like I'm just never getting a good pump in because I walk in and they've got
two ellipticals and a broken treadmill.
It's just not working for me. So yeah, shoot me a message.
Third company on the fitness side of thing is Go Rock. I would love to partner with these guys.
Middle school and high school, I was a runner. I did cross country.
I did track. But the fact of the matter is, for what I'm trying to accomplish
(22:16):
now, the best workout isn't running, it's rucking.
If you don't know what rucking is, it's essentially hiking with weight.
It gives you a good cardiovascular workout, actually as good a cardiovascular
workout as running, but it gives you better leg strength over time and is far
easier on your knees and joints.
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Those of you that are middle-aged like me, like, you know, the struggle is real.
You go for a run and your knees feel it for the next couple of days.
Believe me when I tell you, rucking is a much better exercise for us.
GoRuck has created a series of packs with adjustable weight systems,
and you can do a weighted vest or a training backpack.
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Or if you're somebody that has to travel for work like me, they actually have
travel bags that allow you to carry your everyday items and weights.
So when you're out there going to meet with customers or going on to different
job sites you can still get in a good workout,
So those are my top three right now on the fitness side of stuff,
with an honorable mention to the folks at Fairview Rec Center here in Tennessee,
(23:23):
where my whole family goes to work out. Just good folks and a great gym.
Let's move on to the outdoor product side of things.
But before I do, I'm sure if you are one of these companies,
you're thinking, this is great, Josh, but what is this forging of men going
to do for us if we do partner together? other?
(23:43):
Are you going to do like a little commercial spot in your episode to make our product sound good?
And I'd have to say, yeah, sure thing. Maybe something, maybe something like this.
As an outdoorsman, archer, and bow hunter, I understand how the sport of archery
connects the powers of discipline, patience, attention to detail, and consistency.
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And as a father of four sons, I want to work with an archery company that not
only has top-tier bows for seasoned archers like myself,
but also bows that will fit and grow with my boys that range from age 10 to 17.
And I can't think of a better brand than Bear Archery, made right here in the
(24:30):
good old USA, and celebrating 90 years of archery innovation.
From the new flagship bow, the Persist, which
is a joy to shoot and has a speed of 340 feet
per second to a bow that can fit your son from
age 8 to adulthood like the bear
legit which has 16 inches of draw length adjustment and 60 pounds of draw weight
(24:53):
adjustment all done with just an allen wrench in the comfort of your own home
if you or your son would be interested in a more organic and traditional shooting
experience Bear has a full line of traditional stick and string bows,
including the newly released Little Bear,
a youth size traditional recurve, weighted at 20 or 25 pounds in both right and left hand versions.
(25:19):
Teach your son's valuable life lessons through the sport of archery and teach
your son's archery with a Bear.
So, how do you like them apples? Bears at the top of my list for the reasons
that I just listed in that little mock-u-mercial?
Mock-commercial? Mock-u-mercial? We'll go with mock-u-mercial.
(25:40):
The next brand might surprise you, though, because I don't know that folks think
of this being necessarily a father raising sons kind of tool,
but the more I've had one, the more I've recognized that it is.
And that company is Rugged Suppressors.
A suppressor company, you say? And the answer is yes, absolutely,
for the following three reasons.
(26:03):
Reason one is that shooting with the suppressor is just a more pleasant experience.
It helps with recoil. It helps with the noise. Both of which are the two main
factors that cause any shooter, but especially new young shooters,
to flinch and be inaccurate. accurate.
The second reason is that as protectors, we need to be able to protect the ears of our sons.
(26:26):
Once you lose hearing, it's gone forever. You get a scrape on your knee or your
elbow, your skin grows back.
But if you damage the little sensors in your inner ear, they are gone forever.
So let's protect the hearing of our sons. And the third reason is that if you
shoot at a private residence like I do pretty regularly, you are less likely
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to get a noise complaint from the neighbors.
The struggle is real, y'all. Tolerance for those of us that are outdoorsmen
and marksmen continues to decline in the United States.
I don't know why, but it's the world we live in.
I like rugged suppressors because of the broad variety of products that they
have and everything that I've seen from them has been at very competitive and
(27:11):
reasonable prices. places.
The last outdoor brand I want to bring up to you today is Kelty.
Since 1952, Kelty's been creating quality outdoor gear and now back those products
with a lifetime warranty.
I know in my time as a backpacking guide in the early 2000s,
the number of Kelty tents and backpacks and sleeping bags I saw were just too many to count.
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And I was always impressed with the value of their products.
Whether it's car camping, backpacking, or something from their tactical line,
Kelty has a broad range of products at a reasonable price so that you can start
adventuring with your sons or expand your adventure experiences to new horizons.
So that's it. Top 10 folks I'd like to have, a list of companies that I'd like
(27:59):
to work with, and then right there in the middle sandwich between those two,
some great experience that I'm hoping that you will be able to join us on in the coming years.
So I've got a few call to actions here for you. First is.
Like, follow, subscribe. I know that you're tired of hearing that from folks,
but the fact of the matter is, is without an audience, we don't really have
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any way to talk to these potential guests or companies in a meaningful way.
So if you're listening to this, please like, subscribe, share,
make sure that you are giving us the credit due for what we're trying to do
for our generation of young men.
Second call to action is if you have connections with any of the people or companies
(28:44):
we've talked about today,
or if you know some facilities across the country that might be able to accommodate
one of these father's retreats or a father-son retreat, hook a brother up.
I can't tell you how much a warm introduction would mean to me,
especially as we're in these very early sort of sunrise years of the forging of men.
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We don't have a whole lot of clout y'all. And I get that.
I'm just another dude with a microphone and a distribution channel that's out
there trying to make the world a better place.
And there's a lot of folks out there doing exactly what I'm trying to do.
Your warm introduction to these people, to these companies, to these places
is going to have a much greater impact than you realize. So if you know somebody, buddy.
(29:29):
Please help us get linked up.
And then the third call to action here is, have I missed anyone?
What people or experiences or companies do you think would have an impact on
your ability to raise your sons and do amazing men?
Or what questions have we not tackled yet that you feel like have to be tackled?
Let me know. Shoot me a message. Probably the best way is to follow Follow us
(29:53):
on Instagram at Forging of Men and just shoot me a DM.
I'll get a notification almost immediately that you messaged me and we'll make
sure that we take all of that into consideration.
So that's all I've got for this episode.
Thanks for joining me on Forging of Men. Let's all continue to walk the good path so our sons can.
(30:16):
Music.
This is The Forging of Men, a podcast to equip, enable,
and empower the fathers of sons to raise their sons into the next great generation
of men through faith, fitness, and outdoor adventure.
To be a man, it's not going to be easy, especially in the culture we have now.
(00:21):
Be the storm. Save your family. One of the main pillars of masculinity is self-mastery.
It's not just, let me do it. it's let
me show you how to do it when evil comes evil's
not looking for a fair fight a lot of people
weren't disciplined enough to like make the switch the
lack of a servant leader culture attached to masculinity is perhaps why there
(00:45):
are so many marriages that fail as well you would think of the word as relationships
as relationships with others no but you can't have a relationship with others
until you're comfortable with the relationship with yourself we're firing up the forge right now.
Welcome back to my repeat listeners and for
(01:06):
those of you who this is your first time coming to the forge welcome to the
forging of men make sure you find us on social media at forging of men that's
one word no dots dashes or underscores and brand spanking new check out our Patreon page.
Why is Patreon important? Well, believe it or not, it's not free to bring you this podcast.
(01:32):
There's equipment, travel to meet guests, editing software, distribution channels,
all of those things cost money.
Not a lot, but it is a monthly expense that we would really like some help with.
So if you are gleaning anything from this podcast that you think is making you
a better man and better equipping you to raise your sons, please consider supporting us on Patreon.
(01:57):
But this episode is about people, places, and things.
What I mean by that is for people, it's who I want to have on the show.
For places, it's the adventures that I have in the pipeline that you can come and join.
And for things, it's my personal short list of companies that I want to partner
(02:18):
with on this podcast because I think the things that they make can be the tools
to help us and our sons become better men.
So, let's get into it. First up are the people that I would love to have as guests on the show.
And my call to action to listeners is this. If you know these people or follow
(02:38):
them on social media, send them a text or a DM or tag them on a post and let
them know that forging of men deeply values what they have to say.
And it could shape the trajectory of an entire generation of men.
And for the sake of time, I'm going to limit this to my top 10.
(03:00):
So, in no particular order, let's get into it. First on the list is John Eldridge,
the author of Wild at Heart.
John inadvertently started me on this journey that led me to the forging of men.
What I would like to talk to him about is the wounds that we get from our fathers
and those that we inflict on our sons as fathers, and how do we break that cycle?
(03:25):
Also, if you've not read Wild at Heart yet and you are a father of a son or
sons, just do yourself a favor and go to Amazon and buy yourself a copy right now.
Make sure you read it. Make sure your sons read it.
Next on the list is Donald Miller. He's actually the author of many books,
(03:45):
including Blue Light Jazz, which is one of my favorites.
But he also started a wonderful mentorship program.
I want to have Don on the show to talk to him about mentorship and fatherhood,
how they are the same, in some ways that they are different,
and how to get plugged in if you feel led to mentor a young man.
(04:07):
Next on the list, yet another author, because there are some great books out
there, is Michael Easter.
He's the author of The Comfort Crisis. If you've listened to this podcast before,
you know that Comfort Crisis in particular has had a deep impact on my life
in the last couple of years.
The way that I do workouts, the way that I push myself, and the way that I push
(04:29):
my sons. What I would like for him to come and join us on is why rites of passage
are important and the power of solitude in the wilderness.
Speaking of the wilderness, the next person that I would love to have on,
and this one might actually happen sooner rather than later,
we'll see, is Mark Kaiser.
(04:50):
Also an author, but he's also a hunter, TV personality, and just a genuinely good guy.
I want Mark to join us to talk about outdoor adventure, how it shaped him as
a man, and how to properly balance our desire for adventure with being a good husband and dad.
(05:10):
Moving into the faith section of who I'd like to have join us,
top of the list, Jason Everett.
He is a Catholic author of several amazing books, including Theology of the
Body for Teens and Pure Manhood.
But his most recent book, Male, Female, Other,
gives insight into navigating transgenderism, which I think is vitally important
(05:34):
for us as fathers to be able to understand and teach our sons how to navigate
as it continues to become more and more prominent in today's culture.
Following the similar thread is James Baxter, who is the creator of Exodus 90.
Exodus 90 is a Lenten discipline program that I actually did last year.
It's a full 90 days that involves workouts, diets, no screens,
(05:58):
no stacks, daily prayer, and a multitude of other tenets and disciplines.
I want Jason to come and talk to us about how sacrificing can lead us to a more
purpose-driven and focused life. How do you like that?
Also on the faith side of things is Father Michael Butler, not a Catholic priest, but an Orthodox priest.
(06:21):
And he's the host of the Iron Sharpens Iron podcast. I've actually got, is it here?
Yeah, I've actually got a coaster sitting right here made out of burned wood
called, it just says Iron Sharpens Iron on it.
It was made by my buddy, Dan Oxendine that lives down the street and it lives
here in my office all the time. So iron sharpens iron speaks very deeply to me.
(06:45):
Father Michael Butler breaks the mold a little bit, though, because in addition
to being an Orthodox priest, he is a weightlifter and bodybuilder.
He's one of the leading religious authorities on faithful masculinity.
And I would love to have him join Forging of Men to talk about the parallels
between faith and fitness, sharpening of the spirit, sharpening of the body.
(07:09):
Next on my list here is Dr.
Jeremy Lustig.
The name is probably not familiar to many of you, but Dr.
Lustig is the executive director of the Troops of St.
George. If you aren't familiar with the Troops of St.
(07:31):
George, it's a relatively new Catholic organization that exists for the formation
of boys and men through the outdoors and the sacraments.
Sounds very similar to the Forging of Men mission statement, doesn't it?
It might be the organization that is most aligned with the forging of men's
ideals and core values. And I would love to have Dr.
(07:54):
Lustig speak to how he's seen its impact since its creation in 2013.
So relatively new organization, just a little over a decade old.
And I'd be curious on what the impact is already.
And I would love to see what the impact of Troops of St. George is going to
(08:15):
be in the decades to come.
Two more left here to round out that top 10. John Lovell next.
John is an author, veteran, missionary, and firearms instructor.
Most of you would recognize him from his company, Warrior Poet Society.
He has a fantastic sense of balance between being a man of faith,
(08:39):
a family man, and a warrior.
He also has a really sharp sense of humor that appeals to me greatly.
He's deeply articulate, has very well thought out ideas, and I want him to come
and talk to us about instilling within our sons what it means to be a protector.
That should actually fall, I would hope, in about the same timeline as our release
(09:03):
of our Season of Violence episodes that will be coming out here in,
I believe, the back half of April, beginning of May.
Man, if there was ever a series of episodes that we would get canceled for,
that would be it. But I do think it needs to be addressed.
Last on the list to round up our top 10 is Kyle Thompson.
(09:25):
And he's the newest to the list. I just came across him in the last week.
He was on a podcast, I think, with Mike Glover, who's the author of Prepared.
Prepared, I believe, is on our list of of 3,650 pages that every man should read in a year.
But Kyle created the podcast Undaunted Life.
(09:48):
Undaunted Life produces content specifically designed for the rugged Christian
looking for ways to more closely follow after Christ and improve as a man.
I would love for Kyle to come and talk a little bit about his journey as a Christian
man and how we can start getting our sons on that journey as well through fitness.
(10:13):
So that's my list of people. Let's move on now to places.
This is the adventures that we are going on that you, yes, you can come and participate in.
And I got this idea from a father-son retreat that was hosted here in my hometown a couple of years ago.
Might've been, might've been further back than that. Might be three or four years ago.
(10:37):
The signup form for this retreat had a picture of a dad and a son fishing and,
you know, out in the mountains.
And I knew the place that we were attending for this retreat had a pond and
an archery range and a BB range.
So I was really excited to take my older two boys and we
got there and almost an
(11:00):
entire day of time spent and not once did we do anything that wasn't in a classroom
setting we were indoors all day sitting in chairs at tables all day listening to people speak all day.
Perhaps even more poignant was the fact that I spent more time separated from
(11:22):
my sons than together with my sons.
They had us listening to different talks in different rooms.
No outdoor activities, no father-son quality time.
The only thing that felt even sort of manly was it finished with a barbecue
dinner, but it was manly food that somebody else prepared.
At the end, I asked my boys what they thought, and they said at least the food was okay.
(11:47):
I was not surprised afterwards to find out that this father-son retreat was
planned almost entirely by women, and more specifically, women who weren't married,
so they didn't have husbands or sons.
Oh, what a waste of an opportunity.
So hear me on this. When I say we are going on adventures, they will be hands-on adventures.
(12:12):
Will we perhaps spend some time listening to talk from somebody?
Yeah, sure. Sure, maybe so. But most of the time on these retreats will be spent
doing things because that's how men are wired, doing things.
Let's try that part again. Sure, maybe so. But most of the time on these retreats
(12:34):
will be spent doing things because that's how men are wired.
There are going to be three different adventures you can embark on with us in
the coming years and some sooner rather than later.
The first is a father's retreat called Forging of Men 101 or FOM 101.
This retreat is designed to equip dads with the skills to do amazing things
(12:56):
with their sons. And I'll tell you where it comes from.
Is I take my boys on some pretty awesome adventures, right? We do camping, we do hiking.
My older two, when we did our manmaker trip a couple of years ago,
went up to the boundary waters for, I think it was five nights and six days
or four nights and five days.
It was a, it was a good stretch and we had just absolutely the best time.
(13:20):
And I have so many dads of sons say, I would love to be able to do something
like that with my sons. I just don't know how.
Well, this is a retreat where we're going to get you into the basics of several
of those different skill sets, right? So we're going to be shooting archery.
We're going to be camping. We're going to do some campfire cooking,
(13:41):
backcountry water purification, BB gun and pellet gun shooting,
masculine prayer, fishing.
Fishing all of these things are things that you can go home
and start doing with your sons right away we'll
also talk about how to plan your own rite of
passage trip for your sons the logistics
around it some ideas of things that you could go and do like the boundary waters
(14:05):
like backpacking in new mexico like going out to the nana hala wilderness area
in north carolina we'll talk about how to plan your own rite of passage trip
and some of the things you can do to magnify the the impact of that rite of passage experience.
The second trip, which is also focused on dads, is called Desert Days.
(14:26):
This is going to be a three-night, four-day backpacking excursion,
although I am considering extending it perhaps to four nights and five days,
although that means we're extending past a long weekend.
I don't know. Give me your feedback on that in the comments. What do we need to do?
Three nights, four days, which means we can do a Friday, Saturday,
Sunday, Monday, or do we need to perhaps think about extending it a little bit
(14:48):
longer? I'm open to either.
Regardless of the number of days, we're going to be out there without devices.
No phones, no tablets. We have one GPS sat-based comms device for emergency
contact, and I'll make sure that everybody's wives has that number so that if
something happens, we can get you looped in.
But we're going into the wilderness for some adventure.
(15:11):
If you want to learn how to be in the backcountry so you can take your own boys
backpacking and look like a pro and spend some time contemplating on how to
be the best version of yourself, you should definitely join me on this adventure.
The third one is still in development. It'll probably be a 2025 thing, to be honest.
(15:32):
As much as I would love to say I could get it done this year,
I just don't see it happening.
I want to do a father-son retreat.
And I think it comes from experiencing a father-son retreat that flopped so
horribly to to begin with. And I feel like we need to redeem that.
So we're going to be doing similar stuff to the Forging of Men 101 camp,
but it will be fathers and sons together doing masculine things.
(15:56):
So shooting archery, learning different fishing techniques,
shooting BB guns, cooking with cast iron over a fire, learning how to build
a fire, which is a skill that I'm still shocked at how few people know how to
do, learning how and where to set up a tent.
These are skills that I've had for many years and that I took for granted.
(16:17):
And I can tell you how many times I, these are skills that I've had for many
years that I took for granted.
And I can't tell you how many times I've had dads tell me, I want to do these
things with my son, but I just don't know how well now you can come with your son and learn together.
It'll be an absolute blast.
(16:38):
So we've covered people and places. Now let's talk about things or more specifically
companies that I'd like to partner with,
not only to make this podcast possible in the future, but also can equip our
listeners with the gear they need to steep their sons in the faith,
(16:58):
help them with their fitness and immerse them in the outdoors.
On the faith side of things, I can't imagine a more perfect company to pair
with than Rugged Rosaries out of Texas.
This company takes true masculine, let's try that again.
This company makes truly masculine rosaries that any man would be proud to carry.
(17:21):
From the World War I military issue replicas of rosaries and battle beads to
the more modern paracord versions, there is something here for every man.
Prayer is a fundamental way that we grow in our faith, and the rosary is the perfect prayer tool.
Now, for those of you that are Catholic, I'm sure this is hitting home with you.
For those of you that are of the faith and are Protestant, I understand that
(17:45):
the rosary can be a little confusing.
It's just a tool for prayer. And so we actually have a podcast episode coming
up here in the next few weeks called Rosary Prayers for Protestants,
and it's essentially providing you the tools to be able to pray using these
prayer beads as sort of a blueprint or a framework of prayer.
(18:08):
It's really, really powerful. And whether you're Catholic or Protestant or Jewish,
even, I think that having a tactile way to pray as a man,
especially if you have ADD like I do, is a great way to maintain your focus
and really really dive even deeper into prayer.
I'm still trying to find other faith-based companies that cater directly to
(18:31):
men, and it's actually pretty slim pickings.
There are some products out there. There's a Catholic, I think it's called Every Man's Bible.
It's like a really nice looking leather bound Bible, but it's still part of
a greater, I guess, ecosystem of products that aren't specifically for men.
(18:55):
It's just, I'm not saying it's an afterthought necessarily, but it's not focused
on the masculinity of faith.
I don't know what to do there. there. Gosh, maybe Forging of Men might need
to start our own line of stuff.
Faith-focused products for men and sons that want to grow into great men.
I don't know. Let me know what you think. What else am I missing there?
(19:18):
I'm sure there's some things out there that I'm just not aware of because I'm
just one dude and I don't know all the things that are out there.
If there's something that I'm not thinking of, please, please, please let me know.
So let's dig into the fitness side of things now. And I want to start with a
company called First Form.
Being a dad is a full-time job and then some.
(19:40):
So every minute that we're away from our family is precious.
I try to go to the gym every day if I can, at least four or five days a week, definitely.
And I understand that I need to get the most out of my gym time.
And I'm able to do that with First Form.
First Form has a top-notch selection of supplements and proteins so that your
(20:04):
gym time is maximized and never wasted.
I used some of their products in the last few weeks, and let me tell you,
just even in that small sliver of time, I can tell a difference.
My recovery is better. My strength is improving.
I just feel like I'm getting that much more out of my gym time instead of just
wandering in with a bottle of water and going to work.
(20:26):
Work. Now, because my gym time and workout routines are geared specifically
towards outdoor adventure preparation, I can't think of a better company to
pair with than Mountain Tough.
The Mountain Tough workout programs are geared specifically for outdoorsmen
that are prepping to conquer the steep slopes in the backcountry. Let's try that again.
(20:47):
The Mountain Tough workout programs are geared specifically for the outdoorsmen
that are prepping to conquer the steep slopes in the back country.
And they have a whole list of different programs, whether it's diet stuff,
or if you're wanting to figure out how to do a workout with minimal amounts
of equipment, like if you're doing workouts at home.
For me, this is a big deal because I am having to travel a fair amount for work.
(21:11):
And those of you that also have to travel for work know that there are very,
very few hotel gyms that are sufficient to do what we want to do.
Well, Mountain Tough provides some workouts that you could do with just,
you know, a little bit of weight and some space in your own hotel room or just
(21:31):
utilize the space in that horribly inadequate hotel gym.
Also, before we move on to the next company, if you've got a hotel chain that
you use on a regular basis that consistently has a decent gym in it,
please message me and let me know.
So I'm tired of going on work trips for three or four days at a time and feeling
(21:52):
like I'm just never getting a good pump in because I walk in and they've got
two ellipticals and a broken treadmill.
It's just not working for me. So yeah, shoot me a message.
Third company on the fitness side of thing is Go Rock. I would love to partner with these guys.
Middle school and high school, I was a runner. I did cross country.
I did track. But the fact of the matter is, for what I'm trying to accomplish
(22:16):
now, the best workout isn't running, it's rucking.
If you don't know what rucking is, it's essentially hiking with weight.
It gives you a good cardiovascular workout, actually as good a cardiovascular
workout as running, but it gives you better leg strength over time and is far
easier on your knees and joints.
(22:38):
Those of you that are middle-aged like me, like, you know, the struggle is real.
You go for a run and your knees feel it for the next couple of days.
Believe me when I tell you, rucking is a much better exercise for us.
GoRuck has created a series of packs with adjustable weight systems,
and you can do a weighted vest or a training backpack.
(22:59):
Or if you're somebody that has to travel for work like me, they actually have
travel bags that allow you to carry your everyday items and weights.
So when you're out there going to meet with customers or going on to different
job sites you can still get in a good workout,
So those are my top three right now on the fitness side of stuff,
with an honorable mention to the folks at Fairview Rec Center here in Tennessee,
(23:23):
where my whole family goes to work out. Just good folks and a great gym.
Let's move on to the outdoor product side of things.
But before I do, I'm sure if you are one of these companies,
you're thinking, this is great, Josh, but what is this forging of men going
to do for us if we do partner together? other?
(23:43):
Are you going to do like a little commercial spot in your episode to make our product sound good?
And I'd have to say, yeah, sure thing. Maybe something, maybe something like this.
As an outdoorsman, archer, and bow hunter, I understand how the sport of archery
connects the powers of discipline, patience, attention to detail, and consistency.
(24:08):
And as a father of four sons, I want to work with an archery company that not
only has top-tier bows for seasoned archers like myself,
but also bows that will fit and grow with my boys that range from age 10 to 17.
And I can't think of a better brand than Bear Archery, made right here in the
(24:30):
good old USA, and celebrating 90 years of archery innovation.
From the new flagship bow, the Persist, which
is a joy to shoot and has a speed of 340 feet
per second to a bow that can fit your son from
age 8 to adulthood like the bear
legit which has 16 inches of draw length adjustment and 60 pounds of draw weight
(24:53):
adjustment all done with just an allen wrench in the comfort of your own home
if you or your son would be interested in a more organic and traditional shooting
experience Bear has a full line of traditional stick and string bows,
including the newly released Little Bear,
a youth size traditional recurve, weighted at 20 or 25 pounds in both right and left hand versions.
(25:19):
Teach your son's valuable life lessons through the sport of archery and teach
your son's archery with a Bear.
So, how do you like them apples? Bears at the top of my list for the reasons
that I just listed in that little mock-u-mercial?
Mock-commercial? Mock-u-mercial? We'll go with mock-u-mercial.
(25:40):
The next brand might surprise you, though, because I don't know that folks think
of this being necessarily a father raising sons kind of tool,
but the more I've had one, the more I've recognized that it is.
And that company is Rugged Suppressors.
A suppressor company, you say? And the answer is yes, absolutely,
for the following three reasons.
(26:03):
Reason one is that shooting with the suppressor is just a more pleasant experience.
It helps with recoil. It helps with the noise. Both of which are the two main
factors that cause any shooter, but especially new young shooters,
to flinch and be inaccurate. accurate.
The second reason is that as protectors, we need to be able to protect the ears of our sons.
(26:26):
Once you lose hearing, it's gone forever. You get a scrape on your knee or your
elbow, your skin grows back.
But if you damage the little sensors in your inner ear, they are gone forever.
So let's protect the hearing of our sons. And the third reason is that if you
shoot at a private residence like I do pretty regularly, you are less likely
(26:48):
to get a noise complaint from the neighbors.
The struggle is real, y'all. Tolerance for those of us that are outdoorsmen
and marksmen continues to decline in the United States.
I don't know why, but it's the world we live in.
I like rugged suppressors because of the broad variety of products that they
have and everything that I've seen from them has been at very competitive and
(27:11):
reasonable prices. places.
The last outdoor brand I want to bring up to you today is Kelty.
Since 1952, Kelty's been creating quality outdoor gear and now back those products
with a lifetime warranty.
I know in my time as a backpacking guide in the early 2000s,
the number of Kelty tents and backpacks and sleeping bags I saw were just too many to count.
(27:35):
And I was always impressed with the value of their products.
Whether it's car camping, backpacking, or something from their tactical line,
Kelty has a broad range of products at a reasonable price so that you can start
adventuring with your sons or expand your adventure experiences to new horizons.
So that's it. Top 10 folks I'd like to have, a list of companies that I'd like
(27:59):
to work with, and then right there in the middle sandwich between those two,
some great experience that I'm hoping that you will be able to join us on in the coming years.
So I've got a few call to actions here for you. First is.
Like, follow, subscribe. I know that you're tired of hearing that from folks,
but the fact of the matter is, is without an audience, we don't really have
(28:22):
any way to talk to these potential guests or companies in a meaningful way.
So if you're listening to this, please like, subscribe, share,
make sure that you are giving us the credit due for what we're trying to do
for our generation of young men.
Second call to action is if you have connections with any of the people or companies
(28:44):
we've talked about today,
or if you know some facilities across the country that might be able to accommodate
one of these father's retreats or a father-son retreat, hook a brother up.
I can't tell you how much a warm introduction would mean to me,
especially as we're in these very early sort of sunrise years of the forging of men.
(29:06):
We don't have a whole lot of clout y'all. And I get that.
I'm just another dude with a microphone and a distribution channel that's out
there trying to make the world a better place.
And there's a lot of folks out there doing exactly what I'm trying to do.
Your warm introduction to these people, to these companies, to these places
is going to have a much greater impact than you realize. So if you know somebody, buddy.
(29:29):
Please help us get linked up.
And then the third call to action here is, have I missed anyone?
What people or experiences or companies do you think would have an impact on
your ability to raise your sons and do amazing men?
Or what questions have we not tackled yet that you feel like have to be tackled?
Let me know. Shoot me a message. Probably the best way is to follow Follow us
(29:53):
on Instagram at Forging of Men and just shoot me a DM.
I'll get a notification almost immediately that you messaged me and we'll make
sure that we take all of that into consideration.
So that's all I've got for this episode.
Thanks for joining me on Forging of Men. Let's all continue to walk the good path so our sons can.
(30:16):
Music.
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