E23 - Sabbath in a Culture That Never Stops

E26 - 250 Years: Why America Is Still Worth Celebrating

America turns 250 this year — and in this episode, we're celebrating her. Not a naive celebration that pretends we have no problems. A grateful, grounded one that says: 250 years in, this is still the greatest nation on earth, and the things that make it work aren't the monuments in Washington. They're the quiet institutions in places like Cook County, Georgia, run with integrity by people who serve their neighbors. I sat down with Judge Chase Daughtrey — Probate Judge of Cook County, elected at just 26 as the youngest judge in the state of Georgia. Eighteen years later, he's still serving, and he gave us a rare look inside the machinery of self-governance that most people never think about. We get into what a probate judge actually does (way more than you'd think), the quiet work of protecting vulnerable adults and seniors who have no one else, why local elections might matter more than national ones, what it means to swear an oath in a country founded on them, and the difference between being informed and being consumed by the 24-hour outrage cycle. And we talk about the big thing: why — even with her challenges — America is still worth celebrating. From the folks risking everything on rafts to get here, to the visitors falling in love with the country during the World Cup, to the simple truth that nobody's trying to break out. As Chase put it: she'll have her challenges, she'll have adversities to overcome, but he'll take her over any other country any day of the week. Same here. Happy 250th, America.

E25 - 10 Years, 10 Tips: What Marriage Has Taught Us

This month, Jess is back on the show. We just celebrated 10 years of marriage — 18 years together since we were 13 and 12 years old. So this episode is exactly what it sounds like: 10ish tips for 10 years of marriage. No experts, no scripts. Just two people who've been doing this since middle school sharing what's kept us pointed in the same direction. We get into the practical and the personal — what we've learned about staying connected when life gets loud, what a healthy marriage looks like behind closed doors, the disciplines that protect it, and the small habits that hold a house together. Plus Emma Claire chimed in with her own marriage advice that made us both laugh out loud. Whether you're newly married, ten years deep, or somewhere in between — this one's for you.

E24 - Culture is Everything: How to Build It, Protect It, and Live It

Everyone talks about culture. But most people think it's a mission statement on the wall or a ping pong table in the break room. It's not. I sat down with Terry Moore — CEO of YOSS Platform and OneSource, and one of the most important people in my life — to talk about what culture actually is, how you build it on purpose, how you protect it when it gets hard, and what happens when you don't. Terry has been building one of the most relationship-driven, culture-first organizations in South Georgia for 18 years. I've had a front row seat for a lot of it. This is that conversation finally on record. But here's what I want you to hear: this one isn't just for CEOs. If you lead a team, a church, a nonprofit, or a household — you have a culture. The question is whether it's one you built intentionally or one that just happened to you. In this episode we cover: What culture actually is and how you know when you have the one you intended; Why culture always starts at the top and nowhere else; The difference between values and behaviors — and why that distinction matters more than you think; How to hire for culture fit and what Terry actually looks for when someone walks in the door; What abundance mindset really means and why scarcity cultures eat themselves; The biggest threats to a healthy culture and which one leaders underestimate the most; How to protect your culture even when it costs you a client; Applying every one of these principles to your home — because your family has a culture too; And one of my favorite lines from this entire conversation: perfection is not the standard. Awareness is. This one hit different. Hope it does the same for you.

E23 - Sabbath in a Culture That Never Stops

E23 - Sabbath in a Culture That Never Stops We live in a culture that celebrates the grind. Hustle is the badge of honor. But what if the constant go-go-go is actually working against us? I sat down with my best friend Stanton Moore, Senior Pastor at Burn Culture Church, to talk about Sabbath - what it actually is, why it's so hard, and why God commanded rest in the first place. This one got personal. We talked about feeling guilty when we're not productive, tying our identity to what we accomplish, and the slow poison of never slowing down. Stanton challenged me with a question I'm still thinking about: Do we really trust God enough to stop? In this conversation, we cover: * Why rest is so hard for driven people * What Sabbath actually is - a day, a rhythm, or a mindset? * The cost of ignoring rest - burnout, anger, and soul decay * Why refusing to rest might be a trust issue * What rest looks like practically with young kids and busy lives * Why resting isn't passive - it's actually aggressive * The difference between being busy and being productive "People think that resting is passive, but resting is actually very aggressive - because what it says is Lord, I'm putting you in the driver's seat of my life." If you've been running on empty and know something has to change, this one's for you. #DoLifeWell #Sabbath #Rest #Faith #HustleCulture #BurnCultureChurch

E22 - Raising the Standard: You're Capable of More Than You Think

E22 - Raising the Standard: You're Capable of More Than You Think At 19, Gary Rowan knew he was going nowhere. He walked into a Marine Corps recruiting office and asked, "How soon can I go?" They said Friday. Same week. Five years as a Marine K-9 handler taught him something that changed everything: anything the person to his left or right could do, he could do. And if he tried harder, he could do it better. Now he runs Wild Boar Land Management, raises two kids with his wife Brittany, runs 60-80 miles a week training for the Boston Marathon, and gets up at 4am to do it all over again. In this conversation, we talk about: * Why he joined the Marines to change his circumstances * What boot camp revealed about what he was capable of * Building a business one "yes" at a time * The cost of choosing comfort * Why easy is poison * Gratitude as the antidote to stress * Raising kids to be tough but kind * Why there are no secrets - just doing the work "Planning without action is just procrastination with a notebook." If you're a man who knows you're capable of more but keeps making excuses, this one's for you.