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You can stop working and still struggle to rest. Former hospital CEO Bret Kolman joins Mark Osborne to explore the pressure to keep achieving, the difference between distraction and soul rest, and learning to surrender control to God. Bret shares the cost of stepping away from his career, what years of mini-sabbaticals taught him, and why he encourages people to start with the time and circumstances they actually have. The conversation also explores fear, gratitude, community, and a personal regret that reminds us not to postpone the things that matter. If you're balancing work, family, and ministry while feeling stretched thin, this conversation offers a place to reflect on what real rest could look like in your life. Connect with Bret: https://sabbaticaltaker.com/ Book and resources — Wisdom That Leads to Soul Rest: https://sabbaticaltaker.com/wisdom_that_leads_to_soul_rest/ Share this episode with a friend, follow The Valiant Forge Podcast, and leave a review if the conversation encourages you. Want to be a guest on The Valiant Forge Podcast? Send Mark Osborne a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17432638464878159623a121d

How do you keep trusting God when life gives you reasons to question everything? Michael Wright joins Mark Osborne for an honest conversation about grief, addiction, spiritual growth, and becoming a better husband and father. Michael shares the loss of his daughter to a heroin overdose, a house fire shortly after his ordination, and a near-fatal accident he believes he should never have survived. He also opens up about twenty years of alcoholism and the moment he finally admitted, “I need to be a better dad. I need to be a better husband”—and asked for help. Together, Mark and Michael explore what it means to move beyond going through the motions and build a faith that shapes everyday life. In this episode: • Trusting God through grief and unanswered questions • Recognizing spiritual stagnation • Why men struggle to ask for help • Leading your family through your example • The difference between practicing what you preach and preaching what you practice • Finding encouragement and support when life feels overwhelming Connect with Michael Wright: Books, speaking, and Kingdom Conversations: https://www.drmwright.com/ Want to be a guest on The Valiant Forge Podcast? Send Mark Osborne a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17432638464878159623a121d Episode chapters: 00:00 A life tested by loss and addiction 01:38 Welcome to The Valiant Forge 02:05 Meet Michael Wright 04:23 From the rodeo to the pulpit 07:21 When the church closed 11:40 Losing his daughter and trusting God through grief 14:25 A house fire and faith through trials 18:03 Breaking out of spiritual stagnation 21:09 “I should have died” 23:44 Following God into an unexpected opportunity 27:01 Church, hypocrisy, and living your faith 32:18 Welcoming a man who didn’t believe 33:42 Why men struggle to ask for help 35:49 Becoming a better leader at home 38:37 “I need to be a better dad” 40:16 Encouragement for discouraged men 42:02 Twenty years of alcoholism—and a new beginning 43:55 Final encouragement and connecting with Michael Follow The Valiant Forge for honest conversations that help men become who God has called them to be.

How do you stay grounded in faith while pursuing a demanding career? Talent agent and author Dr. Albert Bramante joins Mark Osborne for a conversation about faith, the struggles behind public success, and finding purpose through serving others. Albert shares his experiences of childhood illness, isolation, depression, and surviving suicide attempts, along with the unexpected path that brought him into the entertainment industry. Together, they discuss prayer, shame, forgiveness, gratitude, community, and learning to surrender control. They also explore questions about psychology, hypnosis, and Christian faith. For the man who feels stuck, the conversation closes with encouragement to take one small step toward becoming the man God has called him to be. Connect with Albert: Website: https://albertbramante.com/ Book: https://albertbramante.com/book.html Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralbramante/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertbramante/ Want to be a guest on The Valiant Forge Podcast? Send Mark Osborne a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17432638464878159623a121d

At one point, Chris LaFreniere lost touch with reality and believed he was God. Today, he’s a husband, a father, a Christian, and the author of Bipolar Is Who I Am. Chris joins Mark Osborne on The Valiant Forge to share his experience of bipolar I disorder, substance abuse, hospitalization, and the long process of rebuilding his life. An arrest led to community service. Community service led to a church invitation. That invitation opened a door he hadn’t expected. Together, they discuss the warning signs Chris missed, finding medication that worked for him, growing in faith, and the everyday work of marriage and fatherhood. Chris also explains why his story is about managing his condition and continuing to grow. In this conversation: What psychosis and paranoia felt like for ChrisWhy the people around him began urging him to get helpHow he came to church and began following JesusWhat he learned about becoming a husband, father, and spiritual leaderWhy there is hope and a meaningful life after diagnosis Connect with Chris and explore his memoir, Bipolar Is Who I Am: https://www.bipolariswhoiam.com/ If this conversation encourages you, follow The Valiant Forge and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Want to be a guest on The Valiant Forge Podcast? Send Mark Osborne a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17432638464878159623a121d

Has modern spirituality given old ideas a new identity? Author Tom Snow returns to The Valiant Forge to discuss manifestation, spiritual deception, the prosperity gospel, and the difference between trusting God and trying to control outcomes. Mark shares personal experiences with insecurity, the desire for approval, and a psychic reading. Tom offers his interpretations of psychic knowledge, spirit guides, mentalists, and other spiritual phenomena, and discusses Set the Captives Free Too: Evil’s Great Masquerade: Divine Light or Deceptive Woo? This episode includes Tom’s personal interpretations. Listeners are encouraged to weigh the conversation against Scripture. Connect with Tom and find his books: https://just2beclear.com/ Substack: https://just2beclear1.substack.com/ The Valiant Forge helps men become who God has called them to be through honest conversations about faith, testimony, and following Jesus.

Can you know Jesus loves you and still feel you have to prove your worth? Coach and author Tony Stoltzfus shares how devastating loss changed his relationship with God, then guides Mark through a personal coaching conversation about ministry, significance, and bringing the desires of the heart to Jesus. You can know Jesus loves you and still feel like you have to prove you're worth something. In this episode of The Valiant Forge Podcast, Mark Osborne sits down with Christian leadership coach and author Tony Stoltzfus to explore faith, loss, and the pressure to find your value in what you do for God. Tony shares the painful seasons that reshaped his life: a church collapse, the loss of his home in a fire, and family crises that pushed him beyond his ability to cope. He describes how those experiences changed his relationship with Jesus and loosened his need to perform. The conversation becomes deeply personal when Mark asks Tony to coach him through his own desire to reach more men and leave a meaningful legacy. Together, they explore the needs beneath those ambitions and what it looks like to bring those needs to Jesus. IN THIS EPISODE Trusting God when life does not work out as expectedBuilding deeper relationships through vulnerabilityFaith in seasons of loss and limited productivityMoving from transactional prayer toward relationship with JesusWorth, significance, ministry, and the desire to leave a legacyTony's Questions for Jesus approach and a live coaching demonstration TONY'S RESOURCES Questions for Jesus app — listed in the app stores as Qs 4 Jesus: iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/qs-4-jesus/id1080235784 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?hl=en_US&id=com.zqquestionsforjesus MetaFormation: https://meta-formation.com/ The Valiant Forge Podcast Hosted by Mark Osborne Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men. Want to be a guest on The Valiant Forge Podcast? Send Mark Osborne a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17432638464878159623a121d

Do you treat sleep as wasted time—or as part of preparing yourself to serve the people God has placed in your life? Mark Osborne sits down with Dr. Benjamin Long, a physician with dual board certification in sleep medicine and pediatrics, to explore what the Bible says about sleep, rest, and responsibility. Their conversation covers waking during the night, sleep deprivation, the snooze button, overthinking, doomscrolling, and the pressure to keep producing. Ben shares his own experience with sleeplessness and explains why struggling to sleep should not automatically be treated as evidence of weak faith. The conversation closes with a challenge for Christian men: think about your rest in relation to your family, neighbors, and community. Sleep helps prepare us to show up for others, and caring for others sometimes calls for sacrifice. Connect with Ben: https://thewholeheartedmd.com/ https://www.sleephabitsjournal.com/ His book: Sleep Habits Journal: Practices, Prayers, and Devotions to Ease Your Sleepless Nights https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/773706/sleep-habits-journal-by-benjamin-long-md/ Follow The Valiant Forge and share this episode with a man who feels like he always has to keep going. The Valiant Forge — Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men.

We're constantly told to love ourselves, choose ourselves, and put ourselves first. But Jesus said to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. So does following Jesus mean we're supposed to hate ourselves? Not at all. In this Valiant Monday, Mark shares how putting himself on the throne nearly destroyed his marriage—and why there's a crucial difference between caring for yourself and living for yourself. “Some of the worst decisions I've made in my life started with one thought: What about me?” We live in a culture saturated with self-development advice: love yourself, choose yourself, become the person you want to be, and build the life you want. Some of that advice can be genuinely helpful. But what happens when caring for ourselves turns into living for ourselves? In this episode of Valiant Monday, Mark opens a new series examining popular self-development ideas through the lens of Scripture. He begins with one of the biggest: love yourself. Jesus' words sound very different: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” — Luke 9:23Drawing from a season that nearly destroyed his marriage, Mark explores the difference between self-care and self-rule, why denying yourself doesn't mean hating yourself, and the question underneath it all: Who's sitting on the throne of your life? Scriptures discussed: Luke 9:23, Matthew 22:39, 2 Timothy 3 The Valiant Forge Podcast Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men.

What happens when a Baptist pastor leaves the pulpit for the FBI? Eric Robinson shares the strain that led to that decision, the surprising ways his pastoral experience helped him as an agent and SWAT breacher, and why he saw compassion and justice as part of his calling. Mark and Eric also discuss family, courage, a difficult investigation involving pastors, and Eric’s forthcoming memoir, Irreverend. Eric’s website: https://preachertobreacher.com/ Content note: Includes discussion of child sex trafficking.

Mick Wienholt survived an avalanche that caused severe head injuries and required emergency brain surgery. He called his survival a miracle, but says he gave God only “intellectual credit.” He still wanted no relationship with Him. Years later, Mick and his wife learned that their son Luke had died shortly before his due date. Mick had always been able to solve problems through determination and hard work. This time, he couldn’t fix what had happened. On his knees in a hospital hallway, he cried out to God. In this conversation, Mick shares how he and his wife walked through grief, came to follow Jesus, and began to see their lives change. We also talk about an unexpected career turn, learning to wait on God, and his simple invitation to read one chapter of the Bible each day. Mick’s podcast is now called Coincidence or God? It was called When You Look when we recorded this interview. Find Mick and his podcast: Website: https://www.coincidenceorgod.com/ All podcast and social links: https://linktr.ee/CoincidenceorGod Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coincidence-or-god-miracles-christian-encouragement/id1797363131 This conversation includes discussion of stillbirth and infant loss. The Valiant Forge: Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men. #ChristianTestimony #FaithThroughGrief #TheValiantForge

“Become the man God has called you to be.” It’s a phrase we hear at men’s conferences, in church, and on Christian podcasts—but what does it actually mean? In this Valiant Monday, Mark breaks the phrase down piece by piece: become, the man, God, and called you to be. You are becoming someone whether you mean to or not. If you don’t allow God to define the man you are becoming, the world around you will. But becoming a man of God isn’t about building a platform, earning recognition, or accomplishing one enormous assignment. It begins by abiding in Christ and faithfully responding to what God has already placed in front of you. In this episode: • Why surrender to God isn’t the same as passivity • How Scripture defines a godly man • Why abiding in Christ comes before bearing fruit • The difference between your assignment and your destination • Why God calls ordinary men to faithfulness—not fame • How to identify your next faithful step The question isn’t whether you can see God’s entire plan. The question is: What is your next faithful step? Scriptures discussed: James 4:8; Galatians 6:9; Matthew 25:21; Philippians 1:6 and 2:12–13; Romans 12:2 and 8:29; Proverbs 3:5–6, 9:10, and 10:9; 2 Corinthians 10:5; John 15:4–5 and 15:8. The Valiant Forge Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men. Join the brotherhood: https://www.skool.com/the-cave-of-adullum-1668/about

Fear, lust, anger, and pride can disguise themselves as ambition, strength, and success. Dr. Dave Jones explains how Christian men can identify these toxic motivators, build guardrails, develop genuine mental toughness, and pursue a vision grounded in God. What’s really driving you? Fear, lust, anger, and pride can look like ambition, strength, discipline, or success from the outside. But when these toxic motivators remain unrecognized, they can distort a man’s vision and keep him from becoming who God has called him to be. Mark sits down with Dr. Dave Jones—former professional hockey player, performance psychologist, author, and founder of M Is Good—to discuss success, fulfillment, identity, vision, temptation, and mental toughness. Dave shares why mental toughness isn’t ignoring your problems, how performance can become intertwined with identity, and why awareness is essential for managing the desires and behaviors that quietly control us. You’ll hear: • The difference between worldly success and genuine fulfillment • Why a man without vision loses motivation • How fear, lust, anger, and pride affect our decisions • Why guardrails are part of planning to win • How to identify pride in your own behavior • The difference between toughness and ignorance • How to define success across the different areas of your life • Why ministry events should lead to ongoing discipleship Resources: Take the free toxic-motivator and healthy-identity assessments and learn more about Plan to Win: https://plantowintoday.com Learn more about M Is Good: https://misgood.com Connect with The Valiant Forge: https://www.skool.com/the-cave-of-adullum-1668/about

For years, Alex Horton described himself as a chameleon. He adapted to whoever was around him because he didn’t know who he really was. His earliest understanding of Christianity was rooted more in fear than love. He initially turned to Jesus for the wrong reasons, then walked away when those reasons disappeared. Meanwhile, isolation, bullying, depression, anxiety, and PTSD led Alex into several moments of suicidal desperation. In this deeply honest conversation, Alex shares what happened during one of his darkest nights, how a friend helped him receive the care he needed, and why Romans 5:8 finally helped him understand the love of Jesus. Now 21, Alex serves in youth and young-adult ministry, leads The Heart of What We Believe, hosts a podcast, and is pursuing a religious studies degree. His testimony is about moving from fear to love, from wandering to purpose, and from changing himself to fit every room toward discovering his identity in Christ. Connect with Alex: Website: https://www.theheartofwhatwebelieve.org/ Email: [email protected] Book: From Wandering to Walking Content note: This episode includes a non-graphic discussion of suicidal thoughts and self-harm. In the United States, call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org/ for immediate emotional support.

What does surrender actually look like? And what does biblical masculinity mean? Those are two questions I get asked regularly, and I’m beginning to think they may have the same answer: Take responsibility for what God has entrusted to you—and surrender the outcome to Him. In this Valiant Monday, I wrestle with the difference between surrender and passivity, responsibility and control, and why saying “God is in control” can either be an expression of deep faith—or an excuse for avoiding something we already know we need to do. From Israel being told to take possession of the land God had given them to James’ call to become doers of the Word, the question becomes deeply practical: What are you still asking God to do that may require an act of obedience from you? And on the other side: What outcome are you carrying that was never yours to control? Take responsibility for the obedience. Trust God with the outcome. The Valiant Forge — Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men. Join The Brotherhood https://www.skool.com/the-cave-of-adullum-1668/about Email me: [email protected]

When Dustin Kleinschmidt could no longer see a path forward as a lead pastor, God gave him one clear instruction: “You serve and trust Me to provide.” After more than 25 years in vocational ministry, Dustin Kleinschmidt resigned as lead pastor without knowing what came next. In this honest conversation, Dustin shares how the wilderness stripped away performance, challenged his identity, and taught him to trust God without demanding a clear outcome. Mark and Dustin discuss pastoral burnout, surrender, feeling as though you missed your moment, the importance of trusted men, and the message behind Dustin’s book, The Wilderness Way. Connect with Dustin: https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@dustinkschmidt https://dustinkleinschmidt.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips Join the Cave of Adullam: https://www.skool.com/the-cave-of-adullum-1668/about