The Stand Up Dude Podcast

Jason DeMeo Reveals the Real Struggles Behind Creative Entrepreneurship

What does it look like to live a creative life rooted in faith, family, and real purpose, without losing yourself to the hustle? In this Stand Up Dude Podcast episode, hosts Pedro LaTorre and Stewart White sit down with contemporary artist and entrepreneur Jason DeMeo for an unfiltered conversation on art, creativity, fatherhood, entrepreneurship, and what it actually means to be a Christian man in a noisy, distracted world. 🧢 Get a TN HAT Designed by Jason DeMeo 🧢: https://tnhat.shop/collections/frontpage Jason opens up about walking away from a pastoral path, rediscovering his creative impulse, and learning to balance ambition with presence. Together, they dig into the spiritual disciplines that anchor a meaningful life—solitude, rest, meditation, self-awareness—and what it takes to build a legacy of substance over a résumé of noise. If you're a man wrestling with identity, manhood, work-life balance, marriage, parenting, or how faith shapes your craft and calling, this one's for you. 👉 Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode: https://missionxmission.eo.page/sud-newsletter 👉 Support Stand Up Dude & Mission X Mission: http://MissionXMission.org/donate 🚀 Get vidIQ to grow your channel faster!  https://vidiq.com/StandUpDude WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY: * A clearer picture of what a creative, faith-rooted legacy actually looks like in real life—not just on Instagram * Honest tools for breaking the cycle of ego, idolatry, and burnout through spiritual disciplines that create rest and self-awareness * Real talk on marriage, fatherhood, and stewardship from men who are still figuring it out * How to cultivate a home marked by grace and the fruit of the spirit, not just rules * Raw stories on managing work, family, and the longing for impact—from pastor to creative professional * Practical rhythms for schedule management, silence, and intentional presence WHO THIS IS FOR: * Men navigating fatherhood, creative pursuits, and work-life balance * Entrepreneurs, pastors, and creatives chasing substance and legacy, not just hustle * Husbands and fathers hungry for connection, faith, and a purposeful life TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Meet Jason DeMeo: artist, entrepreneur, and dad 05:38 Why Jason walked away from becoming a pastor 06:16 Evolving your identity as an artist (without losing yourself) 11:41 Finding clarity and purpose in a noisy world 14:18 How to honestly evaluate your spiritual growth 17:45 The mindset shift that changes how you carry responsibility 19:46 When work and faith collide 24:35 The hidden cost of missing the present moment 25:49 Hard work vs. trusting God—is there a balance? 31:08 What actually gives life meaning 32:36 Kids, sports, and competing priorities 35:53 Why family time is non-negotiable 40:37 Laughing at our own forgetfulness 44:41 Discipline vs. human nature: the daily fight 46:57 Owning your agency as a man 48:27 Pursuing real transformation through faith RESOURCES & LINKS: Start your journey with Jesus: https://standupdude.com/standup Free resources for growth: https://standupdude.com/be-more Get a TN HAT Designed by Jason DeMeo: https://tnhat.shop/collections/frontpage ⚡️ Engage & Take Action: Drop a comment with what challenged you most. Like, subscribe, and pass this to a friend who's chasing meaning over noise. Join the Stand Up Dude brotherhood—where men find their voice, lead with courage and humility, and become men of faith, substance, and impact. 🔗 All links & socials: https://linktr.ee/standupdude 🎵 Theme Music: Prodigal by Arrows in Exile: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf Stay creative, stay rooted, and lead with purpose. #StandUpDude #FaithAndCreativity #ChristianMen #Fatherhood #Vocation Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. ⚡️ Engage & Take Action: Drop a comment, Like, subscribe, and share. 🔗 All links & socials: https://linktr.ee/standupdude 🎵 Theme Music: Prodigal by Arrows in Exile: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf

The Genie Mentality That's Killing Your Faith | Jordan St. Cyr

"We've treated God like a genie in a bottle, and it's quietly wrecking our faith." In this episode of Stand Up Dude, hosts Tim Bisagno, Stewart White, and Pedro LaTorre sit down with Christian recording artist Jordan St. Cyr ("Fires," "Rescue," "Wild Love") for one of the most honest conversations we've ever had on the show. Jordan opens up about the thought he says he's never confessed publicly—what he found himself thinking about his daughter Emery in the dark months after her Sturge-Weber Syndrome diagnosis—and what God did with that selfish moment. 🤠 The hats we wear are from Tennessee Hat — for Tennessee icons and creative outlaws. https://tnhat.shop/collections/frontpage This conversation goes places. We talk about being "unsuccessful for decades" before any dream comes true, the lie that crushes Christian men until their back finally breaks, why God isn't a vending machine for your wants, and how a father's brokenness becomes a son's inheritance—until somebody decides to stop the cycle. Jordan also shares the heart behind his new singles "Wild Love" and "Storyteller Man" and the full-length record dropping in early 2027. 👉 Never miss an episode — get the newsletter: https://missionxmission.eo.page/sud-newsletter 👉 Support Stand Up Dude and Mission X: http://MissionXMission.org/donate 🎙️ ABOUT JORDAN ST. CYR Jordan St. Cyr is a Canadian-born Christian recording artist now based in Nashville, TN. His breakout single "Fires" charted on Christian radio for nearly 18 months, and "Rescue" hit the Top 10 on the Christian music charts. His daughter Emery was diagnosed with Sturge-Weber Syndrome shortly after birth, and the family's journey through her illness has shaped his music and ministry. His new singles "Wild Love" and "The Storyteller Man" are out now, with a full-length record releasing in early 2027. Find Jordan: https://jordanstcyr.com Listen to "Storyteller Man": https://jordan.ffm.to/storyteller Subscribe to Jordan's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/jordanstcyr 🌟 LINKS & RESOURCES Ready to (re)start your journey with Jesus: https://standupdude.com/standup Free resources for men's discipleship and spiritual growth: https://standupdude.com/be-more 📬 CONNECT Email: dudes@standupdude.com Website: https://standupdude.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/standupdudeofficial Facebook: facebook.com/standupdude Everything in one place: https://linktr.ee/standupdude If this episode hit something in you, do us a favor;  like, comment, and send it to a man who needs to hear it. You're not alone, and God's healing runs deeper than the wound. 🎵 Theme Music: "Prodigal" by Arrows in Exile https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf 🚀 Grow your channel faster with vidIQ: https://vidiq.com/StandUpDude #JordanStCyr #StandUpDude #ChristianMen #SturgeWeberSyndrome #ChristianTestimony #FaithUnderFire #ChristianMusic #Fatherhood #ChristianFatherhood ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 "We've treated God like a genie in a bottle" 00:53 Welcome Jordan — and the nice boots 01:11 Unsuccessful for decades: the long road before "Fires" 03:38 The tension between music, calling, and family 05:01 What construction work + worship leading built in him 07:00 Driving Manitoba-to-Nashville on a dream 08:50 The "backstop" lie every man tries to live 11:14 Tim gets vulnerable: anxiety, vulnerability, and not being immune 16:13 Emery's birth, the MRI, and a Sturge-Weber Syndrome diagnosis 18:32 "The most beautiful gift a man could ever receive" 21:50 "God, take her": the thought Jordan never confessed 25:50 Growing up in a broken home — and what God said to Tim 28:11 Becoming a man means getting over your childhood 33:00 Movement, running, and exhausting the body to quiet the mind 34:35 Shoutout: Tennessee Hat 36:23 Tim's 6-mile revenge run that healed a wound with his dad 41:46 Losers' scoreboards and the deeper "why" behind ambition 42:30 "If it takes me away from You, let it not happen" 45:00 A piece of the pie vs. peace of mind 46:30 The Pigeon Forge walk that exposed what Stewart actually wanted 48:35 The 3-things exercise that defines what you really want 54:00 Why we still treat God like a genie 55:25 "Unhappiness is not knowing what you want…" 57:00 Bathtub theology — teaching kids to hear from the Holy Spirit 01:00:08 For the man who's tired and overwhelmed right now 01:03:00 "It is impossible for you to be unheld" 01:04:00 New record: the joy of the road trip after the fire 01:05:30 "Wild Love" and "The Storyteller Man" — what's coming 01:07:00 Closing on the gospel 01:08:30 "Nobody lived like Jesus. Nobody died like Jesus." 01:11:00 An invitation to make Jesus Lord — pray with us Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. ⚡️ Engage & Take Action: Drop a comment, Like, subscribe, and share. 🔗 All links & socials: https://linktr.ee/standupdude 🎵 Theme Music: Prodigal by Arrows in Exile: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf

Burned Out and Exhausted? Here's What's Actually Happening | with Tony Calabrese

Burnout. Father wounds. The quiet pressure of midlife. If you're a man carrying weight you were never built to carry, this conversation is for you. In this episode of Stand Up Dude, Pedro LaTorre and Stewart White sit down with pastor, church planter, and men's discipleship leader Tony Calabrese for an unfiltered conversation on spiritual formation, fatherhood, and finding your identity in Christ when everything in you wants to perform for it. Tony opens up about pastoral burnout, the slow work of healing through therapy and biblical counseling, and the daily practices that pulled him out of striving and into abiding. 👉 Never miss an episode — get the newsletter: https://missionxmission.eo.page/sud-newsletter 👉 Support Stand Up Dude and Mission X: http://MissionXMission.org/donate 🎯 WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY * - Why performance ≠ worth, and how to actually internalize your identity in Christ * - How to recognize a father wound and start the work of emotional healing * - What pastoral burnout really looks like from the inside * - The spiritual disciplines that build daily intimacy with God: solitude, silence, prayer * - How forgiveness breaks the cycles of shame, pride, and avoidance * - Tony's daily practice for coping with anxiety and protecting work-life balance * - Why every man needs honest discipleship, mentorship, and real friendship 🧭 THIS ONE'S FOR YOU IF… * - You've felt the slow burn of burnout — in ministry, work, or family life * - You're carrying unhealed hurts from your dad or your past * - You want to be emotionally healthy in marriage, parenting, and your walk with God * - You're tired of performing and ready to start abiding * - You've considered therapy or counseling and don't know where to begin 🌟 LINKS & RESOURCES * Ready to (re)start your journey with Jesus: * https://standupdude.com/standup * Free resources for men's discipleship and spiritual growth: * https://standupdude.com/be-more 📬 CONNECT Email: dudes@standupdude.com Website: https://standupdude.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/standupdudeofficial Facebook: facebook.com/standupdude Everything in one place: https://linktr.ee/standupdude If this episode hit something in you, do us a favor — like, comment, and send it to a man who needs to hear it. You're not alone, and God's healing runs deeper than the wound. 🎵 Theme Music: "Prodigal" by Arrows in Exile https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf 🚀 Grow your channel faster with vidIQ: https://vidiq.com/StandUpDude #StandUpDude #ChristianMen #SpiritualFormation ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Personal faith journey in college 10:49 Discovering faith through scripture 13:19 Healing my relationship with dad 18:47 Finding God in painful times 26:53 Processing changes and seeking guidance 28:30 Finding identity in success or pain 34:38 Processing anger and grief 40:33 Processing pain with faith 48:38 Discovering spiritual worth as men 50:07 Promoting Tennessee Hats 55:30 Spending a half day in reflection 01:04:16 Pacing yourself with grace 01:06:51 When good things become idols 01:15:00 Seeking guidance during transition 01:17:38 Enjoying God through obedience 01:25:50 Encouragement for a prayerful confession 01:26:55 Inviting audience feedback Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. ⚡️ Engage & Take Action: Drop a comment, Like, subscribe, and share. 🔗 All links & socials: https://linktr.ee/standupdude 🎵 Theme Music: Prodigal by Arrows in Exile: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf

Matt Farnsworth's Radical Second Chance | From Death's Door to New Life

What does it take for a man to come back from total destruction? In this raw, hope-filled episode of the Stand Up Dude Podcast, hosts Tim Bisagno and Stewart White sit down with keynote speaker, bestselling author, filmmaker, and recovery coach Matt Farnsworth to unpack a story of addiction, brokenness, and supernatural rescue that few men dare to tell. Matt's comeback story is unforgettable: a car crash that left him flatlined for three minutes, a broken neck, and a long walk out of addiction into 12 years of sobriety. That journey became the foundation for his #1 Amazon bestseller, The Comeback Blueprint — a no-fluff manual for men who are done running the same play. A former Hollywood director, Tribeca filmmaker, and Prism Award winner, Matt traded the spotlight for a mission: helping men rebuild their identity, kill shame, and live with purpose again. Today he speaks at churches, conferences, and corporate events, hosts the Unfiltered with Matt Farnsworth podcast, leads the Armor Up spiritual warfare app, and coaches both men in recovery and Fortune 500 leaders scaling their businesses. If you've ever felt stuck, broken, or like your past disqualifies you — this conversation is for you. 📖 Get Matt's #1 Bestseller, The Comeback Blueprint: https://amzn.to/4mX8SFy 🌐 Matt's Website: https://www.mattfarnsworth.net Get vidIQ to grow your channel faster! 🚀 https://vidiq.com/StandUpDude 🎙️ In this episode, we cover: * The crash that killed Matt for 3 minutes — and what he saw * Hollywood, addiction, and the slow descent few men talk about * How faith rebuilt his identity from the ground up * The Comeback Blueprint framework for men starting over * Why your deepest wound is your greatest weapon * Practical steps to break shame and reclaim purpose 👊 ABOUT STAND UP DUDE PODCAST Stand Up Dude is a Gospel-centered podcast for men ready to stop drifting and start standing. Hosted by Tim Bisagno and Stewart White, we bring you raw conversations with men who've been in the fight — about faith, fatherhood, addiction recovery, mental health, marriage, business, and what it really means to live as a man on mission. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week. 👍 Like this episode if it hit you. 💬 Comment below — we want to know: Do you have a story like Matt's? What stood out to you about his story? 📲 Share this with a brother who needs it. 👉 Never Miss an Episode: Get Our Newsletter: https://missionxmission.eo.page/sud-newsletter 👉 Support Stand Up Dude & Mission X Mission: http://MissionXMission.org/donate 💥 EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES Ready to start your journey with Jesus? https://standupdude.com/standup Free resources to accelerate your growth: https://standupdude.com/be-more Interested in Matt’s book or bringing him to your event? Find all links in the episode show notes. Connect with us: Email: dudes@standupdude.com Website: https://standupdude.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/standupdudeofficial Facebook: facebook.com/standupdude Feeling the wake-up call? Share your story or thoughts in the comments! Like, subscribe, and send this episode to a man who needs hope and honesty today. Thank you for being part of the Stand Up Dude brotherhood—a community calling men to rise up, tell the truth, and lead with humility and faith. Truth changes everything. #HollywoodRedemption #AddictionRecovery #StandUpDudePodcast #ChristianManhood #Testimony #SpiritualAwakening #FaithStory #SurrenderToJesus #NewLifeInChrist #MattFarnsworth 🔗 Share/Connect/Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/standupdude Theme Music: Prodigal - by Arrows in Exile: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Meet Matt Farnsworth's journey 04:34 Uncomfortable encounter with teacher 08:18 Living the party lifestyle 11:37 Understanding Christianity and family challenges 15:34 Struggling with alcohol and relationships 17:59 Struggling with personal identity 19:25 Drinking and dangerous driving incident 22:55 Hospital incident and aftermath 27:47 Waking up to a nightmare 31:39 Entering recovery after hitting bottom 33:32 Embracing vulnerability as a leader 37:02 Car accident consequences 39:54 Matt accepts responsibility in court 43:52 Training leads to a dinner date 47:57 Inviting to pray and commit 50:44 Bodybuilding and seminary days 52:27 Acknowledging God's authority Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. ⚡️ Engage & Take Action: Drop a comment, Like, subscribe, and share. 🔗 All links & socials: https://linktr.ee/standupdude 🎵 Theme Music: Prodigal by Arrows in Exile: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf

The Real Reason Men Struggle With Rest | Guest - Curtis "CZ" Zackery

The Real Reason Men Struggle With Rest | Guest - Curtis Zackery Suffering, Rest & Burnout: How Men Can Break Free from Striving, Performance, and Emotional Fatigue 👉 Never Miss An Episode: Get Our Newsletter! https://missionxmission.eo.page/sud-newsletter 👉 Support Stand Up Dude & Mission X Mission: http://MissionXMission.org/donate Stuck in a cycle of burnout, busyness, and performance—even in ministry? Feeling spiritual numbness, emotional fatigue, or a restless soul that just won’t find peace? If you’ve ever wondered why striving only leaves you empty, or why rest feels impossible, you’re in the right place. In this episode, Curtis Zackery (CZ)—pastor, author, and founder of "Find Rest"—joins hosts Tim Bisagno and Stewart White to expose the roots of burnout, suffering, and false rest. Together, we face the lies of identity, control, significance, and productivity that keep men running but never arriving. It’s time to leave behind spiritual depleted seasons and discover true restoration, healing, and sonship in the gospel. What You’ll Learn: • How busyness and striving create emotional fatigue and block your true worth and identity • The hidden dangers of performance, control, and seeking significance through ministry or productivity • Why “rest” isn’t laziness or failure—and how Sabbath is really about soul assessment and dependence on God, not just time off • Powerful tools: confession, repentance, and renouncing—dealing with sin, father wounds, and healing for deep restoration • How to confront spiritual numbness and false rest, so your soul can finally experience true community and wholeness • What it means to receive—not earn—sonship and worth from God, no matter how depleted you feel • Real stories of moving from ministry grind and burnout to deep healing and freedom • A biblical roadmap to lasting rest, rooted in the gospel: practical steps for Sabbath thinking, soul assessment, and learning to trust the Father • Overcoming the pressures to prove, perform, and hustle—and stepping into life, value, and purpose that’s unshakeable If you feel stuck, unseen, unappreciated, or afraid to stop—THIS conversation is for you. Break free from striving. Step into restoration, community, and the rest your soul was made for. 🌟 EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Ready to experience real rest and healing in Christ? Start your journey: https://standupdude.com/standup Free tools to help you grow: https://standupdude.com/be-more Discover Curtis Zackery’s “Find Rest” ministry & books: https://findrest.org/ Order "Soul Rest" by Curtis Zackery today ⚡️ Connect & Take Action: Was this episode a wake-up call? Share your story in the comments—or send this to a man who needs hope and restoration. Like, subscribe, and get equipped for a life that’s free from striving, burnout, and false rest. Connect with us: Email: dudes@standupdude.com Website: https://standupdude.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/standupdudeofficial Facebook: facebook.com/standupdude Thank you for being part of this brotherhood—where men say NO to living numb, depleted, and worn out. You were made for more than burnout and busyness. Join us as we step into identity, healing, and true soul rest. Find your worth in the gospel. Let’s heal, confess, repent, and be restored—together. #Suffering #Rest #Burnout #Striving #SpiritualNumbness #Identity #MinistryGrind #Performance #Sabbath #Worth #Depression #Control #Productivity #EmotionalFatigue #Sonship #Restoration #Gospel #Healing #SoulAssessment #Confession #Repentance #Sin #Community #FatherWounds #FalseRest #FindRest #StandUpDudePodcast 🔗 Share the Show: All links & socials: https://linktr.ee/standupdude Theme Music: Prodigal - by Arrows in Exile: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 The illusion of productivity 09:33 Burnout and shifting perspectives 13:31 Assessing your soul's condition 17:35 Finding identity beyond work 25:45 Reflecting on John 5 healing 29:31 Feeling overwhelmed and finding clarity 37:22 Sabbath and wilderness connection 39:21 Why Sabbath starts in the evening 47:23 Being intentional in faith 50:43 Reflecting on childhood and nature 57:43 The gospel and lost sheep 01:01:18 Trusting God as rescuer Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. ⚡️ Engage & Take Action: Drop a comment, Like, subscribe, and share. 🔗 All links & socials: https://linktr.ee/standupdude 🎵 Theme Music: Prodigal by Arrows in Exile: https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf