Have you ever sat in your driveway for 20 minutes before going inside because you weren’t ready to face everything waiting for you?

Eli Brackenbury has. After his second divorce and years of trying to control the direction of his life, he was tired of swimming upstream and getting nowhere. Learning to surrender to Jesus became the beginning of a different kind of life.

In this episode of The Valiant Forge, Mark Osborne talks with Eli about the story behind Finding God at 50, rebuilding an identity rooted in Christ, and discovering purpose in the second half of life. They explore the pressure men feel to perform, the courage it takes to be vulnerable, and what faith looks like in everyday work and relationships.

Eli also shares how an unexpected relationship with his wife’s ex-husband became an opportunity for discipleship and family change.

In this conversation:

• Starting over after divorce and releasing control
• Moving from spiritual dryness toward a relationship with Jesus
• Learning to be still while continuing to move forward
• Bringing faith into work, accountability, and relationships
• Why vulnerability and masculinity can belong together
• Sharing your testimony to encourage other people

Connect with Eli and explore his books: https://elibrackenbury.com/

Book discussed: Finding God at 50

Follow The Valiant Forge for honest conversations that help men overcome life’s battles and become the men God has called them to be. Share this episode with a man who needs encouragement to start again.

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 become unshakable when life falls apart?

Jim Burgoon knows what it means to walk through the fire. Childhood abuse, bullying, and loss led him away from God and into atheism and witchcraft. His wife's decision to follow Jesus became a turning point, leading Jim toward an honest prayer and a new direction for his life.

His faith did not make the difficult seasons disappear. Jim went on to serve in ministry, step away from pastoring to care for his wife, face financial hardship, and grieve the loss of his mother and sister.

In this episode of The Valiant Forge Podcast, Jim joins Mark Osborne to share what those seasons taught him about trusting God, facing unresolved pain, and accepting support. He also opens up about his own ongoing healing journey and the struggle to feel connected to a community.

IN THIS EPISODE

• How his wife's courage challenged his unbelief
• The damaging words he believed for years
• Self-sabotage, passivity, and living from conviction
• Facing hurt instead of burying it
• Faith, therapy, accountability, and accepting help
• Trusting God through family crises and grief
• Finding your identity in Christ
• Encouragement for anyone living through a painful season

CONNECT WITH JIM

Find Jim's coaching, podcast, and resources: https://leadwithjim.com/

THE VALIANT FORGE PODCAST

Hosted by Mark Osborne

Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men.

Follow the show wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this conversation with someone who needs encouragement to keep going.

Interested in sharing your story on The Valiant Forge?

https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17432638464878159623a121d

He thought he was devoted to God. But his involvement in New Age and witchcraft nearly cost him his marriage and his relationship with his children.

Jonathan Guerrero, host of The Fatherhood Challenge, joins Mark Osborne to share the testimony behind his mission to help fathers. He describes his wife’s prayers, the encounter that exposed his deception, and the forgiveness he struggled to believe could be his.

But coming out of that darkness wasn’t the end of the struggle. Jonathan still had to confront shame, loneliness, and the fear that he had destroyed too much to go home.

We also discuss feeling unqualified for God’s calling, rebuilding relationships, and why becoming a faithful father doesn’t mean becoming a perfect one.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your failures disqualify you from being used by God, this conversation is for you.

Connect with Jonathan and The Fatherhood Challenge:

https://www.thefatherhoodchallenge.com/

Subscribe to The Valiant Forge for honest conversations about faith, fatherhood, and becoming the man God has called you to be.

Want to be a guest on The Valiant Forge Podcast? Send Mark Osborne a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/17432638464878159623a121d