Advertise on podcast: Heart and Hustle: Connecting and Growing The Best We Can

Every big move of my life came with a Grand Theft Auto waiting on the other side. In this episode I walk through four games and four seasons: Vice City when my family moved to Florida, San Andreas the year my parents divorced, GTA IV during the loneliest year of my teens, and GTA V when we moved to San Antonio to start our church. Then we look ahead to GTA 6, the first one arriving while my life is finally stable, and what it means to share that kid-like awe with my son over a bowl of ice cream. It’s a story about escape hatches, survival, and how so much of what we do serves things we don’t realize at the time. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books #HeartAndHustle #GTA6 #GTAVI #GrandTheftAuto #ViceCity #SanAndreas #GTAIV #GTAV #RockstarGames #Gaming #GamerDad #FaithAndGaming #PastorDragonSlayer #MentalHealth #RecoveryStory #Nostalgia #Podcast

Ever asked a real question about your faith and gotten a coffee-mug answer back? This one's for you. In this episode, Homer talks about his new book, Street-Kid Theology, a book that doesn't tell you what to think but equips you to work through hard questions for yourself. He gets into why God and evil can both exist (and why not everything happens for a reason), how to spot a gotcha question that falls apart once you unravel it, the chapter on aliens and angels that's sure to raise some eyebrows, and why Revelation was the hardest part to write. Plus, the surprise of the whole project: how writing this book helped him make peace with the street kid he used to be. Order Street-Kid Theology at https://gravetop.com/books⁠ or on Amazon — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

A pastor tells his followers to stop complaining about the White House and worry about their own house, and he cusses while doing it. I had planned a different episode, but this clip got under his skin, and the cussing wasn't the main reason. In this episode, Homer explains why the real problem is control. He covers the difference between a pastor making a moral case and a pastor telling people to sit down and shut up, and why freedom of speech is the inch that becomes the mile. He also points out that the Old Testament prophets' job was to call out corrupt leaders, and that the center of the Christian faith is a Savior killed by political power. He looks at why pastors in big and small churches keep falling into this, what Paul and Barnabas teach about disagreeing well, and how to lead people without controlling them. If you've ever been told that questioning the people in power makes you a bad Christian, this one's for you. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

I almost didn't play Marvel's Wolverine. The reviews called it too easy, too soft, and not worth full price, so I passed. Then a friend game shared it with me, I cranked it up to the hardest difficulty, and I've been losing sleep over it ever since. In this episode of Heart and Hustle, I give my honest review five or six hours in: the brutal, earned combat, how it stacks up against Spider-Man 2, the beard physics (yes, really), and a story that's predictable but still has me hooked on Logan's missing past. I also get into why some of the reviews feel less than honest, and what I'd say to Insomniac if I could sit down with them. And I get personal about why Wolverine has mattered to me since I was a kid watching the X-Men cartoon. He's invincible, but he feels everything. Catch me playing live on Twitch: @PastorDragonSlayer. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

For a long time, this show was mostly about leadership. Lately, I haven't felt like talking about it, and I wanted to tell you why. In this episode, I get honest about repeating myself, the pressure to have a take on everything, and refusing to put out what I'm calling "leadership slop" just to say I posted. I talk about the many buckets I'm carrying right now, the difference between serving people and performing for a microphone, and the question I've wrestled with: am I allowed to be a pastor who talks about leadership, faith, and video games on the same show? Leadership isn't going anywhere. But Heart and Hustle is opening up into something more personal, built on the thread that holds it all together: our shared humanity. And I end with an invitation for you to pause and remember why the things you do matter. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

What do you do when you are responsible for carrying a business, a ministry, or a family, but you can barely carry the weight of your own mind? In this incredibly raw, unfiltered episode of the Heart & Hustle Podcast, we pull back the curtain on the silent crisis of leadership depression. Featuring an exact, unedited reading from a personal journal entry dated April 23, 2014—a day spent battling severe depression and suicidal ideation just hours before speaking on a stage—this episode serves as an absolute lifeline for high-performers struggling in silence. We dismantle the toxic myth that mental health struggles automatically disqualify you from your calling, using a powerful parenting analogy to illustrate the difference between being incapacitated and simply being deeply depleted. Move past abstract theories as we map out highly practical, strategic lifestyle frameworks: identifying your "volume amplifiers" like sleep and the 70-hour work week sludge, understanding how the nervous system retains somatic memories during recurring seasonal dips, and building proactive emotional margins. Finally, we redefine therapy as an evolving, non-universal ecosystem of clinical processing, silent physical outlets, and daily tracking. Stop hiding from the market, step out of isolation, and discover the true pathway forward through our shared human experience. The Disqualification Myth: Why forcing a leader to step away from their purpose can actively compound deep clinical sadness. The 70-Hour Sludge: How chronic exhaustion and red-lined schedules act as volume multipliers for internal darkness. Somatic Calendars: Recognizing why your nervous system can trigger recurring emotional dips even after trauma is resolved. The "Do Not Add" Rule: Designing seasonal emotional margins by delaying new projects, book launches, and client scaling. Personalized Outlets: Shifting from emergency "drive-through" emotional releases to recurring check-ins and silent exercise environments. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books  Main Discussion Highlights

Conflict is completely inevitable, but escalation is a choices. In this episode of the Heart & Hustle Podcast, we pull directly from the framework of our latest book, Handling Conflict: Say What Needs to Be Said Without Bringing It All Down, to map out a masterclass in self-leadership under pressure. We break down the raw biology of our default "fight, flight, or freeze" reactions and outline the transformative shift to becoming calmly assertive. Explore the crucial limits of what you can and cannot control in a confrontation, discover the game-changing psychological difference between surface-level positions and deep underlying interests, and learn three practical guardrails to express your boundaries clearly without destroying your most important relationships. What We Discuss: The Confrontation Alarm: Overcoming the instinctual nervous system threat response during a disagreement. The Circles of Control: Why redefining success around your own integrity rather than the other person's reaction changes everything. Positions vs. Interests: Shifting conversations away from shallow demands and focusing on the core, driving human needs. The Illusion of Accusations: Why labeling someone's character triggers defensiveness, and how to use objective experience tracking instead. The Collaborative Disarm: Utilizing clean facts, transparent "I" statements, and mindful structural mirroring to resolve tension safely. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

What happens to your career, your business, and your leadership when you automate your core value? In this episode of the Heart & Hustle Podcast, we tackle a startling reality check unfolding across industries—from corporate offices right into the church pulpit. Using a real-world story of a team using AI to completely write unedited sermons, we dive straight into the professional survival framework of the automated era: how to remain completely irreplaceable. We bypass the typical moral debates and focus purely on strategy. Learn why using technology as a shortcut for personal effort kills your long-term authority and leaves you empty when people need your depth the most. Discover the ultimate leverage formula—Combining Human + Heart + Tenacity with the scaling power of AI—and explore three practical guardrails to ensure you're using tools to outwork the competition rather than fade into the status quo. What We Discuss: The Voice Actor Trap: Why relying on AI to originate your core messages makes you instantly expendable. The Disciple Fallacy: How bypassing personal mental processing destroys your ability to offer real, deep value during face-to-face counseling or consulting. The Irreplaceable Leverage Formula: Why AI should only ever be a multiplier for raw human heart and tenacity. Protecting the Sacred Zone: Establishing hard boundaries around the 20% of your work that requires unedited human connection. Clearing the Runway: Shifting AI usage to administrative friction so you can invest deeper grit into your final execution. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

Are you constantly preparing, researching, and waiting for the "perfect" time to make a major move in your life or business? Welcome to the "Almost" Stage—the dangerous psychological trap where good intentions go to die under the guise of safe preparation. In this episode of the Heart & Hustle Podcast, we pull back the curtain on universal hesitancy and expose how we use busy work as a protective coat for procrastination. We dive deep into how the Almost Stage silently damages our marriages and parenting when we consistently put off meaningful actions for a "tomorrow" that never arrives. Then, we shift focus to the business arena, mapping out a practical strategy to break the analysis-paralysis loop. Learn how to build a high-leverage "quick-return snowball" by prioritizing your time based on immediate effectiveness rather than administrative clutter. Stop waiting for the perfect variables, step out of the lab, and learn how to simply start executing today. What We Discuss: * The Anatomy of the "Almost" Stage: Recognizing fear when it masquerades as wisdom and planning. The Intentionality Gap at Home: How holding back on small gestures like flowers or date nights starves our personal relationships. Busy Work vs. Execution: Why building endless spreadsheets and running constant research loops is keeping you hidden from the market. The Quick-Return Snowball: How to analyze your to-do list to identify the quickest, most effective action for a major return on your time investment. The Launch Baseline: Why a basic, clear landing page that describes the problem you solve is all you need to start. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

In a world drowned out by the noise of constant technological shifts, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by artificial intelligence. Everywhere you look, you’re told to automate everything, scale faster, and produce more. But what happens to your unique voice, your brand, and your humanity in the process? In this episode, we strip away the tech-guru hype and deliver a practical, slow-to-moderate guide for integrating AI mindfully into your business or creative workflow. We break down the golden rule of technology—using AI for refinement rather than origination—and share personal insights on merging your spoken and written voices without losing your personhood. From on-the-go brainstorming during your commute to automating mundane admin tasks, optimizing financial projections, and balancing content quantity with irreplaceable human quality, this episode is your blueprint for letting technology build the structure while you provide the soul. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

In this episode of Heart & Hustle, we’re pulling back the curtain on the "grind" culture to talk about what it actually takes to pursue a new venture while maintaining your most important responsibilities. Most people tell you to go "all-in," but they don't tell you what to do when that "all-in" starts putting a strain on your marriage and your sanity. What we’re diving into today: The Marriage First Rule: Why compromises must be communicated, never assumed, and how to avoid the "silent slack" that burns out your partner. The Investment Audit: How to weigh your immediate energy against your long-term goals. Financial Guardrails: The exact criteria you need to meet before you even think about quitting your day job. The Pivot Strategy: When to focus on building an audience versus when to focus on lead generation and cold calls. Whether you're a creative trying to find your voice or an entrepreneur ready to scale, this episode provides a practical, heart-centered blueprint for sustainable success. Don’t build a legacy at the cost of the people who are supposed to share it with you. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

Why do we keep ending up in the same cycles, even when we want something different? In this episode, we break down what actually changes a person. Not surface-level habits, not temporary motivation, but the deeper issue most people miss — the internal narratives we believe about ourselves. If you’ve ever felt stuck, like you’re repeating the same patterns in relationships, business, leadership, or personal growth, this episode will help you understand why. More importantly, it will give you practical tools to start breaking those cycles for good. We talk about how your beliefs shape your behavior, how self-sabotage actually works, and how to begin rewiring your identity through intentional thinking, journaling, and simple daily adjustments that actually stick. This isn’t about becoming someone fake. It’s about becoming someone aligned with where you’re trying to go. If you’re ready to stop repeating the same patterns and start moving forward with clarity, this episode is for you. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

I recently sat down with a student from Christ Mission College for a conversation on homiletics and sermon building. We didn’t just talk theory—we talked about what actually works when it comes to preparing and delivering a message that people can follow and apply. If you’ve ever struggled with where to start, how to structure your message, or how to communicate clearly—this will help.

Control in conflict doesn’t look explosive or avoidant. It looks calm. Composed. Responsible. But beneath that composure can be fear — fear of uncertainty, fear of losing influence, fear of emotional messiness. In this episode of Heart & Hustle, Homer explores how control can quietly replace connection in moments of tension. This conversation unpacks the subtle difference between leading through conflict and managing it, and why vulnerability — not efficiency — is what ultimately builds trust. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books

Explosive conflict rarely comes out of nowhere. It’s usually the result of things that mattered but were never addressed—moments that were minimized, delayed, or stored until pressure finally demanded a release. In this episode of Heart & Hustle, Homer explores why conflict explodes, how patience can quietly turn into pressure, and what’s really happening internally before a reaction feels “sudden.” This conversation is about understanding the buildup, interrupting the cycle, and learning how to bring honesty into the room before it burns everything down. — Leave a rating and review for this show! Connect with Homer by visiting https://www.gravetop.com  Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3 SHOP merch: https://www.gravetop.com/shop  ORDER my BOOK: https://gravetop.com/books