Do you feel tethered to your past failures, hurts, and insecurities? Men, we are called to show grit and push past our shortcomings to let the world feel the full force of who we are in Christ.  In this message in the “Take Courage” series from the MAG, Pastor Jim Ramos shares how we can develop grit and ensure we can endure life's hardships and finish strong.

This message is from The MAG, The McMinnville Area Gathering for men, which meets weekly most Wednesday nights at Grange Hall in McMinnville, Oregon. You can come out to see Jim Ramos in person checking his speaking schedule at menintherena.org, or bring him to speak at your next event. (Note: Jim's speaking calendar is filling up fast due to the Sept 3 release of his new book, "Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God" with David C Cook publishing.)

You can order your copy of the book on Amazon at https://tinyurl.com/dialedinbook or learn more at meninthearena.org/dialedin.

[Honor God through your fitness. Use code 'ARENA30' at mtntough.com for 6 weeks free access to the MTNTOUGH fitness app.]

It’s Dialed In’s official release day! Join pastor Jim Ramos as he celebrates a major milestone -  the official launch of his first traditionally-published book. Learn about the journey to get here and how God has shown up in unexpected ways. We’re praying that He will use this book to impact millions of men! If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, now’s the time - every order this week counts towards our bestseller list status!

Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God -> tinyurl.com/dialedinbook

[Honor God through your fitness. Use code 'ARENA30' at mtntough.com for 6 weeks of free access to the MTNTOUGH fitness app.]

Are you a soft and weak dad, or a SOLID one? The opposite of soft is not hard - it's SOLID. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos outlines 5 tips for how you can take your fatherhood from weak and soft to SOLID and STRONG.  

Pre-Order Jim Ramos' new book 'Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God' on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/dialedinbook

[Honor God with your fitness! Our podcast sponsor is the MTNTOUGH fitness app. Use code 'Arena30' at MTNTough.com for 6 weeks free access.]

In this AMA episode, Jim Ramos answers these two questions submitted by followers on our social media:

"I am a police officer and am in the Coast Guard reserve. I have spent my entire adult life in service to my community and/or country. I feel my calling is to protect people but am starting to feel burnout. What do you recommend I do?" - Jed emailed to info@meninthearena.org

"I've been married 18 yrs, for 8 years he hasn't talked to me, touched me, we sleep in the same bed but it's like roommates. As a Christian I feel conflicted as it says we shouldn't divorce. Is there any guidance you can provide as to what is the best way a Christian can go about this situation?" - Ila L. on Instagram 

Men, you know you have potential, but how do you reach it? How do you choose which goal to pursue, and once you do, how do you get there? In this week's interview, Jim Ramos is joined by bestselling author Jon Acuff to discuss his new book, All it Takes is a Goal. They discuss the three zones that high-performing men bounce between and a 3-step plan for busting you out of your rut so you can achieve what God made you for.

https://tinyurl.com/goal115

In this AMA episode, Jim answers this question submitted by a follower:

• "How do you pick a church? I want to know how Jim Ramos would pick a random town in a random state, move there, and pick a church. What are the things you look for that are reasons to stay, reasons to leave? I believe youll be blown away at how many people take notes on your answer and use it when hunting down a church." - Jacob D.

In this AMA episode, Jim answers 3 questions submitted by followers on social media:

• "How should I handle my ex-wife bashing me to our kids?"
• "How can I lead my kids into a real, deep and authentic relationship with God?"
• "How can I prepare for the 'Stress Bubble of Life' and how can I thrive in the mist of it?"

In this AMA episode, Jim answers 4 questions submitted by followers on social media:

• "How do I find my spouse? I’ve been praying and waiting.” - Guboyz89 on Instagram
• "When should a young person know they are ready for marriage?" - Andrea D. on Facebook
• "If men are usually not as far along spiritually as women at the beginning of the relationship, how can a woman know if a man has the potential to be a good husband?" - TikTok
• "How long should a couple be engaged? Do you think you and Shanna got married too fast?" - Facebook

Jim kicks off an AMA series to answer listener questions.

This week he answers:

"When you were called into the ministry (like I believe I am being called into right now) how did you truly know? When did you know it was your calling from God to be in ministry?" - Logan W. on Facebook

"Why do you make videos in the woods like you just buried a body and you're running from the cops?" - Ro E. on Facebook

Men, what is your unique purpose? What did God put YOU - specifically - on the planet to accomplish? In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, pastor Jim Ramos outlines what does and doesn't constitute a "real" life's calling, describes common misconceptions of what makes a life's calling, and gives you 3 questions you can ask yourself to test and discover what God's calling on your life may be. 

It might seem expensive to prepare your family for emergencies, but you can do it without breaking the bank. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos outlines how a Christian man can prep without blowing his family's budget.

In the last episode, Jim Ramos taught you the first 5 items on the "List of Lists" a.k.a. the '9 B's of Preparedness' for when the electricity, internet and online connectivity are gone. In this 10-minute equipping episode, he outlines B's 5-9. 

Here are the books mentioned in the episode:

• One Second After -> https://tinyurl.com/onesecond115
  By William Forstchen
• World Made by Hand: A Novel -> https://tinyurl.com/worldmade115
  By James Howard Kunstler
• Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse -> https://tinyurl.com/patriot115
  By James Wesley Rawles
• How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times -> https://tinyurl.com/howtosurvive115
• Dare to Prepare - 6th Edition 2020 Printing -> https://tinyurl.com/dareto115
  By Holly Drennan Deyo

Is the woman you're dating "The One?" How can a man know? In this week's 10-min equipping episode, Jim Ramos helps you decide if the one you're with is the soul mate God has for you. 

Pre-Order Jim Ramos' new book 'Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God' on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/dialedinbook

[Honor God with your fitness! Our podcast sponsor is the MTNTOUGH fitness app. Use code 'Arena30' at MTNTough.com for 6 weeks free access.]

Christian man, if the electricity went out and didn't come back on, what would you do? The outage of electricity and internet represent a major danger in an increasingly internet-reliant world. If this happened, would you be ready, or panicking with everyone else? In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos teaches you the 9 B's of Preparedness a.k.a. "The List of Lists." 

As anticipated, we received some pushback on Jim's 10-minute equipping episode on how Christians can deal with anxiety (episode 659). He addresses some of the concerns raised, and elaborates on the point, while preaching at Yamhill Christian Church in this bonus audio-only episode.

Christian man, are you prepared to lead your family through the worst? If the pandemic taught us anything, it's that hard times WILL come - it's just a matter of when. As a leader, you bring peace to your family and set yourself up to help others when you are prepared. This week, Jim Ramos unpacks how to start prepping using the Survival Rule of 3s. 

Should a Christian man be a prepper? Does prepping indicate a lack of faith in God? In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, pastor Jim Ramos gives his take on prepping and looks at what the Bible says on the subject.

Here's the book Jim mentions in the podcast: One Second After, by William Forstchen

(Using this link to check out the book helps support Men in the Arena. Thanks!)

This is the start of a 4-episode series on prepping. Follow the podcast in your podcast app so you see the rest of the series right away as they drop.

Is it ever okay for Christians to use physical force? This can be a touchy subject in Christian circles. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, we dive in to see what the Bible says about using physical violence and force. How do we balance the tension between the God we read about in the Old Testament vs. the God we read about in the New Testament?Pastor Jim Ramos continues to process what the Bible says as we ask the question, is there GOOD violence?

Brother, do you need courage? Is God calling you to a place you've never been, or to something you're not sure you can do? Several times in his life, pastor Jim Ramos was deathly afraid of the next step God was calling him to take. Each time, he did a comprehensive study of 'courage' as it shows up in the Bible. He discovered 4 attributes of courage that will help you make the courageous move today.

(Years later, that comprehensive study became his book Guts and Manhood: Four Irrefutable Attributes of Courage. You can listen to it on Audible here.)

Book referenced in the episode: No More Christian Nice Guy by Paul Caughlin
(using this link supports Men in the Arena)

What is courage, and how do you get it? It may not be what you think. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, pastor Jim Ramos debunks many of the views we’re taught about courage that aren’t biblical. We look at examples of courage from the Bible that are typically interpreted wrong or viewed incorrectly, and debunk common courage myths. You'll walk away from this episode ready to take the courageous path in your own life.

Man, are you in the Stress Bubble? There are multiple pressures that combine to create the "Stress Bubble" season of a man's life. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos describes 4 dangers that can happen when a man is in the Stress Bubble and how you can become your best version even while battling through this hard season of life.

Here's the YouTube video where you can see Jim's balloon illustration: https://youtu.be/XvXZ7adtdKk

Society tells us that anxiety is a diagnosis we carry with us. But what does God say about it? In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, pastor Jim Ramos looks at how God handles anxiety in Scripture and teaches you 4 steps for tackling your anxiety that are grounded in the Word of God.

Brother, are you ALL IN on your marriage? Are you sure? In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos outlines a common mistake that married men make, and one step you can take to ensure that your marriage thrives. 

This episode pulls from principles outlined in Reggie Campbell's excellent little book, What Radical Husbands Do.

(This is an affiliate link, so if you decide to purchase the book, use this link - it helps support Men in the Arena.)

How should Christian men choose who to date? Christian dating can be tricky. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Pastor Jim Ramos gives you 5 things to look for in the women you date. If you choose a Christian girlfriend and date her using these 5 guidelines, you'll end up with a woman who is wife material.

When it comes to finishing strong, you can't get much better than Caleb in the Bible. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, pastor Jim Ramos pulls from the life of Caleb in Numbers 13 and Joshua 14 to give you four battle cries of a man who is finishing life strong.

Is your young adult child rebelling, or threatening to leave the faith altogether? Even kids raised in a solid Christian homes can end up doing stupid stuff that doesn't match Christian values. If that's you (or you're worried it will be the moment your kids reach college), there's hope. There are choices you can make that increase the likelihood of your young adult child coming back to the Church. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Men in the Arena founder and pastor Jim Ramos gives you 7 steps you can take to love your child back into a relationship with God.

Are you a step-dad, or about to be? How does a dad navigate a second marriage with a blended family successfully? How can you avoid the traps and set yourself up for success? In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Pastor Jim Ramos walks you through the 7 principles outlined in blended-family expert Ron Deal's excellent book, The Smart Step Dad: Steps to Help You Succeed.

For more on Ron's book and step-parenting, listen to Ron's three interviews on the Men in the Arena podcast.

Christian, where is your heart headed? Are you slipping into the danger zone? In this week's 10 minute equipping episode, Pastor Jim Ramos gives you 3 red flags for the Christian heart. These three "H's" 🚩🚩🚩 will help you figure out if your heart is headed towards trouble.

Wondering what your next step is for unlocking your best version and living it over a lifetime? This week, Jay Penton, Men in the Arena's new Director of Outreach, joined Jim Ramos to share how he can help you achieve your best version.

Join a Team
Men in the Arena's free Resources for Active Military, First Responders, and Men in Developing Nations

Have you ever considered leading men? Odds are that most of the men you know don't have a men's small group, but a consistent group of guys to lock shields with is a game-changer in a man's life. This week, Jim Ramos walks you through the 7 steps needed to launch a team. 

Is your marriage stuck in a rut? Do you feel like you're just going through the motions? If your marriage is spinning its wheels but can't seem to get traction, this episode is for you. This week, Rich Millentree, host of the Growing in Marriage podcast, joined Jim Ramos to help you and your wife take the small steps that will get you big traction and headed in the right direction!

Sponsor: Juniper Mountain Trading Post coffee. Use code "ARENA" at junipermountaintradingpost.com for 10% off your order. 

If you're listening to this podcast, you're probably a pretty good dad. But there are 5 common mistakes that even GOOD dads make. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos describes the five types of mistaken dad he's seen over and over again in 30 years of ministry, and helps you course-correct if you've fallen into one of the "good Christian dad" errors.

Are you the:
Rubberband Dad?
Bulldozer Dad?
Kids-First Dad?
Working Dad?
Religious Dad?

Find out in today's episode.

When a BOMB drops on your life, how do you get through it? Death of a spouse, cancer diagnosis, divorce papers, mental illness - none of us gets through this life unscarred. The question is, when the INEVITABLE crisis comes, who will you lean on? And as a dad, how do you walk your kids through life's hardest circumstances? This week, Jay Holland, the host of the Let's Parent on Purpose podcast, joined Jim Ramos to talk about his journey through crisis with his kids and what got him through it.

Here's the book with the brotherhood accountability questions referenced in the podcast: Character That Counts by Rod Handley.

[If one of your buddies or someone at your church is going through grief, this series of 4 tiny books is designed to help you support him through the process: Journeying Through Grief by Kenneth C. Haugk. Our Men in the Arena board chair keeps a set of these on hand at all times to hand out.]

How much TV do you watch each night? If you're a typical American, it might add up to more than you think. In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos takes a look at television's place in the life of a Christian man.

Some of the ideas in this episode are related to our audio-only interviews with Matt Friedman (Kill the Flatscreen and Discipleship and Your Kids) about his book, Discipleship in the Home.

How can a dad raise strong, confident, godly kids? In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Pastor Jim Ramos gives you 7 pro tips for dads. Implement these 7 things in your home and parenting, and you'll raise children that grow into strong, confident adults.

For more on how to become the man God made you to be, pre-order Jim Ramos' new book on Amazon, 'Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God' on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/dialedinbook

[Honor God with your fitness! Our podcast sponsor is the MTNTOUGH fitness app. Use code 'Arena30' at MTNTough.com for 6 weeks free access.]

Financial worries keeping you up at night? A Christian man doesn't have to be a poor man! Ryan Arzner joined Jim Ramos to help you achieve financial freedom in the stress bubble. Resources: The Rat Race Rich Dad CASHFLOW Board Game
Tax Free Wealth by Tom Wheelright
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
Rich Dad's CASHFLOW Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom by Robert T. Kiyosaki

.    

In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos outlines his top 17 books for men, along with why they are must-reads for every man. His list includes 2 Bibles, 3 biographical adventures, 6 fiction, and 6 nonfiction. Add these books to your reading list.

Here are direct links to his top 17 books for men:

BIBLES:

1. The Bible: New Living Translation Filament - complete with all-important ! at John 19:30.
   
   
2. The Chosen Blended Harmony of the Gospels

BIOGRAPHICAL ADVENTURES:

1. Undaunted Courage by Steven Ambrose
   
   
2. Endurance by Alfred Lansing
   
   
3. River of Doubt by Candice Millard

FICTION

1. One Second After by William Forstchen
   
   
2. Old Man and the Sea by Earnest Hemingway
   
   
3. The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino
   
   
4. Call of the Wild (White Fang) by Jack London
   
   
5. This Present (Piercing the...) Darkness by Frank Peretti
   
   
6. Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein

NON-FICTION:

1. Forgiving Forward: Unleashing the Forgiveness Revolution by Bruce Hebel
   
   
2. Wild at Heart by John Eldredge
   
   
3. What Radical Husbands Do by Regi Campbell
   
   
4. Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell
   
   
5. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
   
   
6. Strong Men Dangerous Times: Five Essentials Every Man Must Possess to Change His World by Jim Ramos (Now available in Audiobook format! You can finally listen to SMDT in your car!)

(Using these links to check out the books helps support Men in the Arena - thanks!)

Do you believe Jesus is the ultimate man? If so, then His life must hold the keys to how men like YOU should live. This week, author Josh Khachadourian joined Jim Ramos to discuss his book, The Standard: Discovering Jesus as the Standard for Masculinity. They explore how Jesus controlled conversations; how He managed His team; practiced self-mastery; and the ancient disciplines, actions, and methods He employed (that you can adopt) to influence those around you.

Men, who do you prioritize in your family? Who is the most important person in your world? Your wife? Your kids? You mother? Does this change if you’ve been remarried and have kids from your first marriage? In today’s 10-minute equipping episode, Pastor Jim Ramos walks you through what the Bible teaches about where you family priorities should lie, and what it means for your family, step-family, wife (1st, 2nd, or 3rd), and kids.

The average wedding today costs almost $30,000! And half of the time, that $30K investment is flushed down the toilet in divorce. However, there are wedding planning choices that you can make to reduce the chance of your marriage dissolving and that wedding investment being wasted. In this week’s 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos offers you a new way to look at marriage and your wedding day.

Men, do you know that you have a unique role in fostering beauty and femininity in the women in your life? It’s a job that only a man can do. In this week’s 10-minute equipping episode, Jim Ramos teaches you 5 things you can say to call out the femininity in your wife, your daughters, and your granddaughters.

The world needs real men, real bad. And there are all sorts of conflicting ideas and messages about what a "real man" is (and is not). This week, radio host and author Brant Hansen joins Jim Ramos to discuss his book The Men We Need: God's Purpose for the Manly Man, the Avid Indoorsman, or Any Man Willing to Show Up and provide you with a specific, actionable picture of what God created you to be as a man - a "Keeper of the Garden” - and what that means for you today.

When you look at your wife, what do you see? Is she still the glowing bride you married, or does she look worn out, tired, and joyless? In this week's 10-minute Equipping episode, Jim Ramos teaches you to ask this important question and what to do about it.

So you've given your life to Jesus - what do you do next? In this week's 10-minute equipping episode, Pastor Jim Ramos walks you through 5 simple things you should do now that you're a Christian.

[Honor God through your fitness. Use code 'ARENA30' at mtntough.com for 6 weeks free access to the MTNTOUGH fitness app.]