Ep 18: When Obedience Costs More Than You Expected

Ep 19: Discovering God's Purpose in Every Season

Featuring: Russell Jenson Ministry: Leadership Training What happens when you've spent decades building a successful career but then God invites you into something you never expected? In this episode of The Power of OR Podcast, Brad Hawkins and Jim Brangenberg sit down with leadership coach and entrepreneur Russell Jenson to explore the defining decisions that shaped his journey. From the classroom to corporate leadership development, Russell shares how one unexpected opportunity led him to create a unique escape room business that revealed something fascinating: true leadership often emerges from the people you'd least expect. After successfully building and selling that business, Russell found himself facing another defining OR moment: pursue a comfortable next chapter or remain open to whatever assignment God had prepared next. Together, the conversation explores how leaders discern God's direction, why our greatest opportunities often begin with uncertainty, and how faithful leadership is less about having the entire plan and more about taking the next obedient step. What You'll Hear in This Episode * How an educator became an entrepreneur through an unexpected opportunity * The leadership lessons Russell discovered by watching teams navigate escape rooms * Why the best leaders aren't always the ones with the highest titles * The OR moment that came after selling a successful business * How to discern God's leading when the next step isn't obvious * Why every season of leadership requires a willingness to let go of good things to embrace better ones * Practical wisdom for leading with purpose, influence, and faith wherever God places you Whether you're launching something new, leading an organization, or standing at a crossroads, this episode is a reminder that leadership is built one decision at a time. The most significant OR moments rarely come with a complete roadmap, but they always offer an opportunity to trust God with what's next!

Ep 18: When Obedience Costs More Than You Expected

Featuring: Drew Martin Org: Mighty Motion Pictures What do you do when following God's leading seems to leave your life in pieces? In this episode of The Power of OR Podcast, filmmaker Drew Martin, founder of Mighty Motion Pictures, shares the remarkable journey that reshaped his faith. After decades of creating documentaries that boldly championed truth, Drew found himself facing financial collapse, betrayal, and the end of his marriage. Rather than questioning God's faithfulness, Drew discovered a deeper invitation: to trust God's purposes even when the outcome made no sense. What You'll Hear in This Episode * How Drew seeks God's direction in every creative endeavor * Why God's calling often requires perseverance through unexpected hardship * The spiritual realities behind media, culture, and today's most important issues * How an eternal perspective changes the way we view loss and suffering * Why our identity in Christ matters more than our circumstances * A compelling challenge for men to build a legacy that lasts beyond their careers This conversation isn't just for filmmakers. It's for anyone who has experienced disappointment, loss, or seasons when obedience seemed far more costly than expected. If you've ever wondered whether God was still at work in the middle of hardship – or questioned whether the sacrifice was worth it – Drew's story offers a powerful reminder that God's greatest work often happens long before we can see the results. Sometimes the greatest act of faith isn't seeing the next step. It's continuing to walk in obedience when the path ahead is anything but clear.

Ep 17: Disqualified by Man OR Qualified by God?: Repentance, Restoration, and Global Ministry Impact

Featuring: Blake Mattocks Org: 365 Christian Stories [https://365christianmen.com/] What do you do when your entire world collapses – and you're the reason it did? In this deeply honest conversation, Blake Mattocks shares the defining OR moment that changed everything: protect his reputation and cling to what was familiar or bring his failure into the light and trust God with whatever came next. That decision – costly, humbling, and obedient – became the doorway to unexpected healing and a global ministry impacting millions. This episode reminds us that the Power of OR often appears in moments of surrender, not strategy. The OR Moment Blake faced a choice many leaders quietly fear: * hide, manage, and preserve a powerful position * OR repent, resign, and let God rebuild from the ground up Choosing obedience over self-protection didn't end his calling – it redefined it. Key Takeaways * How crisis reveals whether we trust our plans or God's provision * Why repentance is a decision, but healing is a process * The danger of longing for what God is asking you to leave behind * How surrender creates space for God to lead step by step * Why God sometimes removes a single source of provision to invite deeper trust * What it looks like to follow God without a clear roadmap From Collapse to Calling Out of loss, uncertainty, and daily dependence, 365 Christian Stories was born – spreading stories of redemption across more than 100 countries, without a marketing strategy or monetization plan. A powerful reminder that God's work advances through obedience, not control. For the Listener Wrestling with a Decision If you're standing at a crossroads – clinging to security, reputation, or certainty – this episode offers hope. God doesn't always reveal the full plan, but He is faithful to guide those willing to choose His way. The most powerful decisions are rarely comfortable, but when we choose God's way, He does more than restore. He transforms!

Ep 16: Your Job Isn't Just a Job

Featuring: Jim Brangenberg Org: iWork4Him [https://www.iwork4him.com/] For years, Jim Brangenberg thought ministry happened primarily inside the church. Then God transformed his understanding of work, showing him that the workplace is one of the greatest mission fields in the world. In this special episode of The Power of Or, host Brad Hawkins turns the microphone around and interviews co-host Jim about the experiences, convictions, and calling that led to the founding of iWork4Him [https://www.iwork4him.com/]. Jim shares how prayer, discipleship, and a fresh perspective on Scripture changed the way he viewed work – and why he believes every believer has a God-given assignment, both before and after retirement. What You'll Hear in This Episode * How a daily prayer habit transformed Jim's view of work * The origins of iWork4Him and its mission to connect faith and work * Why every workplace can be a mission field * Lessons learned from interviewing more than 5,000 guests * The difference between discipleship as a program and discipleship as a lifestyle * How Jim and wife Martha have partnered in ministry for decades * Why retirement is not the end of your assignment, but the beginning of a new one If you've ever wondered whether your work truly matters to God, this conversation offers a compelling conclusion!

Ep 15: The Portfolio that Actually Matters

Featuring: David Noble Role: Financial Adviser, Pastor What happens when God's direction doesn't make sense on paper? In this honest and deeply personal episode of the Power of Or podcast, David Noble shares the remarkable journey of balancing decades in financial services with a calling to ministry, discipleship, and radical obedience to God. From growing up in a military family and moving 10 times before adulthood, to encountering Jesus at a young age, walking away from faith for years, and eventually surrendering fully to Christ at 28, David's story is filled with unexpected turns. He opens up about leaving a successful financial career to attend ministry school in North Carolina, pastoring a church that later closed, and learning how to trust God even when outcomes looked nothing like he expected. Throughout the conversation, David, Bra, and Jim explore what it means to remain curious about God's purpose instead of becoming discouraged by setbacks. David also shares lessons from 33 years in the investment world, insights on fear and greed in the markets, the importance of hearing God together in marriage, and why relationships matter more than achievement. What You'll Hear in This Episode * Why David believes discipleship matters more than simple conversion * The surprising story behind leaving financial services for ministry school * How he and his wife learned to make major life decisions in spiritual unity * What closing a church taught him about obedience and success * Powerful parallels between investing, narratives, fear, and faith * Why staying curious about God's plans changes everything * The importance of investing deeply in relationships * David's perspective on calling, transition, and why "I'm not done" still defines his life Whether you're navigating career transitions, ministry calling, financial pressure, or simply trying to follow God faithfully through uncertainty, this conversation offers wisdom, humility, and encouragement for the journey. In the end, David's story is a reminder that faithfulness is not measured by worldly outcomes, but by a willingness to keep saying yes to wherever God leads next.