Podcast Episode 25 – Meet the Core4 – Matt

RyanPodcasts

This is our 4th and final episode dedicated to the members of Core4Life; episodes 10, 15, 20 and 25!

Bourbon – Middle West Spirits

beFIT

  • Played sports growing up and loved the lessons learned through sports
  • Experience with CrossFit
  • Transition to working out at home

beDRIVEN

  • Education background
  • First job working at a local Church.
  • Transitioned into sales for a local packaging company and moved into an account executive role
  • Love building relationships.

beNOBLE

  • Faith journey
  • Family hardship
  • Church life

beCHILL

Podcast Transcription

Hey everyone, glad you could join us for another episode of core for life. Where your hos Andrew Ryan, Matt and Mike, we bring you another episode every Thursday to discuss four key pillars in our lives, be fit be driven by Noble and Beach shell and how our faith is a backbone behind each of these pillars, will be talkin to some awesome. Guess, as we tackle different topics, at stay accountable with each other to live our lives. The way God intended. Tune in each week to see if they may be something missing in your life. Lets jump into todays episode after quick, add for our sponsor. All right. Tears, tears, tears tears. Bourbon tonight. Weve got middle-west Spirits from Columbus Ohio. So we locals bourbon, its a straight bourbon whiskey and its pretty good. Free smooth. Go to maps. All right. And we are back with another episode of core for life, and we have been following our tradition of every five episodes. Introducing one of our own members and talk about that a little bit. So, were on episode 25 and last but not least we have Matt Simmons here. So Matt not welcome back to the show but thanks for for being here. And let us interview you this time. Course, man of palm to about it. It feel likes. Its its taking too long for this day to come but its fine like, their Day of Reckoning. I really wanted it than ever, and I dont know. You are coming regardless. I do want to say and I think our group owes a ton to you even though you may not talk the most on the podcast all the time, this group would not be here without you. If you hadnt started having a lift in your garage and then opening that up to us a group that they would not be here. We would not have a bfit, pillar would not be a thing in my life, for sure. So, I know I wouldnt If it was, if it wasnt really not be a decor for my dad bod would be atrociously, dad bought a big ass if I didnt show up and get me out of bed. So, you know, its been a pleasure, man. Sometimes, we dont get you out of bed, open the garage in, like, 10 minutes. You open the garage. Remember those? Theres like, a number of those times were Matt came down. Hes like, all right, heres a light Sears, the workout stuff. Im going back to bed and I think I said that to how many lets be honest. And on the podcast here, if this was started at like somebody elses house, how often would you have come? Give us a, you know, percentage that out cuz theres some other gyms. Now in the neighborhood and I would like to say, Im a 50% show, And I think that might be a little dinner, a little generous, but I can talk the most on the podcast, but I got to say you are one of the most loyal friends that you can find and, you know, glad to have known you for these past. I dont know, almost probably seven, eight years now. And at this point and, you know, anything that you need, you know, youre always there for itself, you cant find a better friend, I appreciate that. And I will say you are also the most likely to bring a great point up after were done recording and then you end up starting recording. Again, thats the type of metal question. Post recording out what theyre fantastic questions so we restart the recording and and go from there. I think that might have been the first way. We came up with a quick hits idea. Matt always had these great questions. After we were done recording the podcast, real like a. Lets just start recording again. All right, lets just turn these into additional podcast now. Thats true. But thanks for the Crickets man. People are enjoying this so well, thanks man. When we kick it off here, maybe with are bfit pillar. Give us a little background on your Fitness through the years and then bring us up to today the garage gym, kind of see where that you are now, I love sports, my parents really got me involved in a lot of things. I got to try a lot of things, so I do enjoy that. But I gravitated towards Sports, more than, you know, more than music. Anything like that, started by him playing soccer in t-ball and you know, eventually started playing basketball at at football in the Middle School. Ran track for. Time. Try the cross in high school and then eventually and in college messed around with Club rugby for a little while. So Sports was was kind of Fitness. They were synonymous for me growing up and really, I would see, until I was a young adults are in my twenties so I didnt I like to work out. It was part of warts that certainly wants. It was in high school enjoyed lifting, that type of thing. But it was always for performance or, you know, at least holding your own on the knot stuff before him, is what does holding your own on the, on the field and I was no good enough to have a lot of fun, playing sports wasnt great but just, you know, good enough to to get play time to get out there and have some really sweet memories. So Im seeing if your highlight of your your high school sports career, high school, football played lacrosse, Got the run, you know, track for a little while that wasnt as much fun. Which is why I started playing lacrosse buddy of mine and I just decided, hey like we are really tired, track this running thing and circles. Lets just try something else, so bad buddies of play the cross and went on had a blast. So that was that was a highlight. Im trying something new, making the team and just be able to run around and get people to Stix was just a blast. Couldnt hold onto the ball. If my life depended on it, to one of my favorite High School sports moments was when its Saturday hoop. So, this is after, like I wasnt playing school ball basketball with Saturday Hoops, every Saturday morning and our football coach rain on Saturday that it was just like a Wrecking Ball, but you split up, and you picked team. So, I was with the captain in my, senior year actually played Junior and Senior year Junior, we got drafted, our team, went undefeated won the championship, me and my buddy. Then were seniors. We drafted our team, went undefeated won the championship. So if I have to, you know, its kind of a Cheesy favorite High School sports memory, but it was actually probably some of the most fun Ive ever had like, playing sports and I didnt play it for I dont know. I think I knew pretty early on. It wasnt great thing to have huge aspirations gone playing college at Nob to me, wasnt it wasnt there, but I had, I had some awesome memories and made a lot of really good friends. Thats awesome. Dont downplay yourself too much. I mean, youre starting quarterback for Hudson, High School. I mean, its pretty big deal and this area in Northeast Ohio and yeah, I got that Tuesday to start in my senior year, you know, this is kind of a waste of my time and Im just had a blast with it. So yeah, football was a great memory is love that and then I was kind of in general that was Fitness from me. You know, growing up and in college and went and the first semester I didnt play anything. I just Is being part of a team. And thats when I know my buddy, Dannon and Brandon. Score on the rugby team already, which was complete show at the time. No coach. It was just, you know, whoever and you know the captain was trying to run a program and it was a real mess but really no tribute to Dan in those guys. They know Daniel Brandon really started something special there and end up getting a coach and really have a pretty successful Robinson as a rugby team too. So Im running around playing with that, and I kept me in shape somewhat. And then when I graduated, I still worked a little bit. I was dating but didnt have kids or anything like that. So there is plenty of time to go to the gym, but I was pretty bored in general. Laura, at some point. She had a good friend that had started doing CrossFit at a local gym. Watch pause their tell to Laura is talk to talk about your introduce, your family a little bit lures. My wife, we met at Miami University, our sophomore year. And dated throughout College got married and she actually got into CrossFit before I did. So she introduced me to it. She started with one of her friends told her about it and I was a little bit reluctant at first, it was expensive. It sounded like like fun and something that Id like, but I didnt really want to commit to it, but eventually I went and really had a blast. Im going, we had about three years or so. Are we going to gym worked out together? Worked out really after work to three times now, three to four times a week and I kind of just planted a seed and really picked up Fitness kind of in my twenties cuz I was unmotivated and just kind of bored at the time. So how was working out together? As a as a couple and we still do it and we worked out with Laura this morning. Its good when I can when I can keep up with her, thats not often. That doesnt often happen but its fun. Do something fun that we did together and we we met a lot of friends together that way to, that was probably one of the best parts was the community of CrossFit that was great. Especially you moving back home. Not know many people around here, but were going out to get. I thought was good for us, not just physically, but as a couple so that was, it was a neat time. I dont say she still can make some of the hardest workouts that we ever do, or the ones that she comes up with, she kicks, all of our butts and theyll put us through the ringer. So when we get there and you say, oh, Laura came up with this one. We know its going to sell house, want to turn around and thats never a good sign. So that was really cool season for us to work out together. But then once we had kids things, completely change, we tried to stick with Crossfit tried to stick with that program and we just couldnt we just couldnt commit to the the amount of times per week that it justifies going to the gym. So it was sad. It was going to be hung on as long as we could. But eventually thought hey, weve been doing this for a while now. We understand the movements, we dont need a coach standing over my shoulder and and and you know, helping us all the time. So we started buying some equipment and just got enough stuff that week, The Little Gym in a basement or garage. And really, that equipment, just sat in the garage for about two to three years until these guys showed up and started using it again. So as you started having kids and then we get got those dad bods and I was like hey lets go, lets start working out together. Lets use some of that stuff I think I think the you mentioned the cost of of a CrossFit gym and thats really what drove us to finding somewhere else where we could do it cuz Mike and I went to a CrossFit gym near me and you are like 150 something bucks a month but I dont like who do we know that has stuff that can make this work? And so I think Mike just imposed himself on, you know what I mean? Cuz we already had a community Through CLC in the Bible studies that we were doing. So we had that we had the community aspect bill We just hadnt gotten into any kind of a good workout routine. Where is so I think cuz we downplay CrossFit, in the sense of it cost a lot but I think that Community can be good for people when theyre trying to find that, you know, in the neck and Bianca start for people to get into two. So I dont want to give that disclaimer for CrossFit so that they dont come after us. But anyway, but yeah, every penny, when we were trying to get into it and every penny, when youre learning that stuff, that I dont want a lot of stuff, you dont want to go try on your own. And I had, I had lifted all my life for sports, but I had no idea the right form. I was doing things completely wrong. So that was that was huge. The first couple years, youre learning everyday and that was really fun. I like I like in general learning new things and Crossfit was a new, A new challenge and it was fun. But youre working out with a whole bunch of people and its just an awesome atmosphere. So it was cool. I got a little bit really when you guys start showing up and and thats been awesome. So I, you know, we definitely benefited from the knowledge that you had especially like a lot of times you do you like maybe powerlifting are you know, bench squat deadlift, maybe not have the best form, but then some of the Olympic lifts, like snatch overhead squat. I like a lot of those things were a lot different that I had never done before until we can order two more in your garage but you have that knowledge. You able to teach us a little bit and then yeah fun to do some different laughs and and stretch your body. Make it do things that you havent done before to that bass in algae. Brought was really helpful now. So you got if youre looking for the best form to do your workouts and to do your lifts Pollo Matt because Ill show you exactly how to do it. Do you know, hell sometimes hes not the fastest was not about being fast, its about having good for him to not hurt your body. I think Ive Im long past those days. You know, that thats why I think back to Ryans first. What was that? Cleans the clean power cleaning and it was like, he was manhandling the weight off to where it needed to be and you got it there or just reverse girl. Yeah, we were verse curled it up to where it needs to be and, you know, Ryans got that man strength. But now hes got the man strength to go along with the right format form killing it. So, you know, I will say Ive definitely benefited from the wisdom that you have in that area being able to not only know how to do this stuff but also your great coach, you know, being able to direct me and direct. All the people who have brought on their way into our kind of Christ fit area just been able to direct them into the right format. Just help them for grass in their Journey Through the workouts and so grateful for that grateful for just you opening up your gym to us and informing. Awesome thing that we have now. Yeah, I really liked coming up with workouts. Thats something I never did until you guys should start showing up and and thats what I use. A lot of resources, I steal a ton of workouts and modify stuff has need be, but theres a point where we were trading off coming up with workouts and I cannot last long. So Im really glad that you like it and that you do it now and just you know have a workout for us women that want to work out. Maybe share some of those resources that you go to q u, a lot of different resources that youve used for, my phone is a couple apps. So one of thems just a CrossFit app Crossfit.com, but the one I use a ton of is wild. Well, you just hit the random button that gives you new ones and if we have to, we only have so much equipment. So we dont have to create workouts but you get loose, get ideas, you know, and its easy to fall into the same movements everyday so trying to vary it up. You know, you host a workout early in the week and ruin sent you a text message to be like okay what you guys do? I dont want to kill the name of the same muscle group every time. And yet I did thrusters and running and all different and I will see one other thing. Weve had some, some new guys jump in and that has kept that keeps the group going so get some new guys with energy. Like weve had guys are only do guys roll with you. Its huge and it keeps it keeps us fresh. Same time, its its helpful cuz you know it brings a little bit of freshness and even going back and teaching the stomach stuff over and over again. I think its really good. So thats the cool part of what, what were hoping to do through? This is to Branch out with different groups, and accountability groups, whether it be with with work, stuff, with life, stuff with the workout stuff, and have you do your own group to the startup? And so, Ive been thinking about some of that now that Im not as close and not driving anywhere anymore because of you know the covid recommendations and everything but body is broken and my body is broken so it got to find different different things to do, but that thats part of it is to hopefully be able to provide a different resources in avenues for people to, to find those groups that they can get into and, and to find your people that are looking for the same types of things to keep each other accountable and work out with each other. So you know, hopefully if more to come on that In the future. But speaking of like pushing yourself as well and no Matt you like to do other things other than just work out in the mornings talk about some of the things youve done to my competition. Things like that to continue to self, put yourself further. Yeah I like to do just some competition like trained toward something, it helps me keep me motivated. Maybe start eating. Well it just helps keep me on pace. So I know the fun stuff for the time. Over the years, did a Spartan Race Tough Mudder, recently ran a marathon with my buddy, Dan, that was something new for me, running for a distance is just not something Ive ever done before. So I sort of trained for it pretty well. It kind of well a little bit less than I should have. Let you know, just exactly. Im sure I ran more in 2 to 3 month. Then I have in the past 5 years so I like, I put stuff like that out. There are we did a hammy work out together a couple years ago at the workout over in Kent for sold. It passed away. Now has a ton of fun we train hard for that. I remember that winter putting together these like once a week we do a handy work out right now and we work those movements and we built up over time. I see a pretty good job on that. So tailed off at the end going into the competition, which was a downfall, but the downfall of my body really hard work ethic seem like that. I have not worked out like that since College in the football workouts in at, at that point thats probably what three years ago for years ago after a few kids. And at that point yet for me, it wasnt the best decision, but it was it was fun and it was still a good way to do something that we did today. Its good to have some of those things that theyre out in the future that theyre going to motivate you to continue to to your shoot for your goals or set new goals each time. So although we may not competing hardcore events anymore, I think its good to to set those goals and keep pushing yourself to keep yourself motivated and maybe thats something. If anybody listen to the podcast, maybe he has some ideas or wants to throw something out. We kind of done different quarterly goals over this last year to keep pushing herself. But if anybody had any ideas, you know, I think were definitely open to, to a group Challenger or something along those lines that we could take up. I think we could document that and, you know, ya, talk talk to you that Im podcast and try something out. Ill be pretty cool. That sounds like a great idea. Talk to me outside of working out doing a lot of those fun things to do a little bit about your career. Give us your kind of your backgrounds, and then come up with braids where you at today? Sure. So I went to Miami University. Im down in Oxford, Ohio, and when I went to school, I really didnt know what I wanted to do. I started off the business school hated that also wasnt studying and wasnt doing very well. So, I was looking for something else to do and but also something that I was more interested in that. Maybe Ill be able to get a little bit more booze tube out and support studies at a time. I was thinking, I want to be an athletic director of that was a common area. I want to go into. So its a glorified gym teacher writing pretty much. I am those of the guys that I went to school with purpose. So I took the anatomy lesson biodynamics and some of those classes too. But to be honest, at the time, I was just trying to get a degree in 4 years and I knew that I had for years and Ill pay for. I was I was lucky my mom, my dad and my grandfather saved up money and I was able to, you know, go to school without loans. But I knew that after 4 years, that may be cut off. So I wanted to get out and I need to go find another degree that I could know, basically just get the degree and get out, and I wasnt made for school why I did well enough to get into Miami found out that. I am not that smart compared to these kids and I just need to get in and get out fast. So, while I was at school, I interned at a local athletic director with a local high school with their athletic director and quickly realize, thats not what I wanted to do. Many things were the hours were a tough, is a lot of paperwork, a lot of parent issues. And so, it just really it showed me this. Not what I want to do is not as much fun as a gym teacher. No, no. So I started doing other things like I was involved in campus ministry, athletes in action at the time. They let me in, because I was a club club rugby guy, which is nice of them to call me in a Sleek. But I ended up getting a internship with them running Sports Camps. That following year. Ended up running Sports Camps for a local church that I went to over here and Hudson and so Ill take me to Chapel or Christ Community Chapel, whichever that was at the time and then when I got out of school, thats done with my first intern there, a year before I went back. I was, I was supposed to be an intern because I graduated, I would not take internet as my my title but I wasnt right for us. If not, Ill be your assistant on. Ill be to the sports before but I ran a thing as a flag football tournament. And I ended up joining that you were the director of it at that time and we may be met in the past. But I feel like I was with the first interactions that I remember with you, we were friends or in Me to group or anything before that. But then a couple years later, we were so thats, thats my first memory of mad. Is you out there trying to organize a bunch of guys that it just graduated? Try to play flag football in some good athletes but just we I forget we lost to but some really good teams. This Little Flower school start always Outreach. Theyre always talking about the gospel and and sharing that and had resources, but we were and everything. So kids camps all the way up to adults and I did that for about a year-and-a-half. This was also 2009-2010. So, it just wasnt a great time for the economy in general, and I even felt that being at a church, you know? So, When I was there at one point and it wasnt intentional but you know I had an impact on me. They youre asking, you know, if you did anything else at this church like what else could you do? And it was very much a we need people to do more because were going out to do more with less. It was just the reality of the D on it but it got me thinking like what else would I do here? I wasnt with sports or running Sports Camps and I just there wasnt anything else I want to do. So like that. I didnt see any future in it. And so I started getting interested in a I I want to I want to do something else, then my dad was in sales. So I was open to the idea of doing a sales-type position And I had a friend, my former coach actually that give me a call and said, hey, you know, Im interested in. You know, I heard you might be interested in a, in a job, wants to come in and talk about it. And so are, you know, when had lunch with him and, and the company that did that was, I knew one of the owners theyre on. Their son was one of my great friends from from high school from growing actually from cast of My Grade School growing up. We were College roommates and everythings I need the family. And so, as far as jumping out of what I was doing and doing something entirely new, it was a, it was just a nice opportunity. And I will say, if youre younger in the audience, youre looking for a new job or looking for jobs, you know, I think its an ideal situation. I had an interview. I had no sales experience they but they didnt have an expectation. I was going to come in and just you know Tara light opening and be this huge Revolution and if it doesnt fit were willing to find something that does so that was awesome. And Ive been out been at that company for 10 years or will be 10 years early next year. So its just been, you know, theyve given me new opportunities. Ive got to take advantage of opportunities that have gotten moved from out of a sales to an account executive position or a managing some of our larger accounts and I really like the relationship building side of it. So I have a couple mink main clients and we have tons of contacts at each of those but I like I like figuring out how to get a customer with a need. So really problem solving and were a small company, so I get to go get my hand and a lot of different things. So its its sales in one way but the next day, you know, I may be something purchasing related or operations related or quality related. So I like that, you know, I like the varying, you know, different things. I Got the Touch Skip ball tending. Its been, its been a great fit, so whats it? Thats the cool thing about a sales are, all right? Like, if you dont know what she want to do, because you got a guy like Ryan, whos very talented and skilled with what he does. And he went to school for it. And if you dont have something like that, you get into it, you know, what are you going to do? And like you said, if you get into a row, like if you did, if youre willing to work hard and learn and get better on the job as you go and ask questions, if people are searching for something, its a great way to figure out, you know, where you want to go within a company and they can lead you into a lot of different directions. So obviously youve youve taken that and youve worked hard, and youve gotten yourself to the good position there within the company in and we talked about that stuff a lot. Cuz I feel like talkin through with you and what you were saying before, I think you might have missed your calling as a physical therapist I could. I only see you as a physical therapist so I dont know. You might want to go back to school for it. I can see you thinking about it right now. You might that might fit you very well but, you know, you got to work through things cuz, you know, God has a calling for all of us in our life and you might not feel like youre at your your job right now that thats where God has you called to be, but its very easy to think that way and not use what you have in the current position that you are in for his glory because theyre theres always opportunities no matter what youre doing and no matter how skilled you are or how much you like your job or not, you know, you can, its all about your attitude and your thoughts towards it and how you use it. And I know that, you know, you being there, youve used that to the best of your ability, towards towards his glory, what he has for your life and where youre at. And I think thats something that you and I have talked about for like eight years, almost like know, how do we bring glory in the position? Or at how do we use our current state to fulfill Kingdom work? And I think those traits that you listed for sales people like no go in there ask questions, work your hardest, jump in where youre needed all those things, thats any any field. Like if you do, if youre doing those things, then youre going to start getting noticed because a lot of people just dont want to put in the effort, but I think its cool. The fact that you started off not knowing really exactly what you wanted to do, but it feels like youre in a spot where you can use the skills that youve uncovered over these years and really put them. Put them to work for for what you doing said. Thats awesome man. I really like what I do. So you know theres times and Seasons that have been harder and you know for the most part, I really do like you I like people so thats kind of important. I know you guys are at home working at home. Im not sure how well I do work from home tonight because I like I like working with people and see him face-to-face and I dont like wearing a mask, but I do like to see them face-to-face in peoples facial expressions and, you know, thats I think its just a little bit how Im wired. So I think we all do, you know if somebody says, they think that they work from home and thats a better environment. I think theyre kidding themselves in a way like, yes, you can be very effective and efficient working from home, but nothing beats the personal, the personal effects of just being with people and working with people face-to-face, it just, you know, just better sour meant to be Horry Community were meant to be with people. Not the resume all the time. I dont like work-from-home sometimes myself, but yeah. Im pretty confident. And also working with a small company and having to juggle some of these multiple roles, talk a little bit about that, you got the chance to be creative this year and coming up with some solutions, while just didnt sum of the difficult to get help during this time, stuff like that. Those things at the company and be creative and and find solutions for ya this year, its been tough just because of all the, the koppen concerns and the shutdowns and everything. So its just been challenging. Its been know weve had a hard time even, you know, running our lives and keep them running. So when things we weve done is just volunteer in and got out in the actual work on the line. So it for the first time ever, Ive gotten too and I did this week and Ill go out and actually do some of the work. And Im doing it with your hands dirty little bit. Exactly. Im doing it with, you know, people that work with in the office. If people that work at me in a warehouse people that worked really all over a different departments and thats an awesome. Im getting to know, you know, people in the way that I kind of pitch the idea at the time was, it is an opportunity for us to grow his company. As far as you know, do you know, maybe we can make the turn on turn a negative into a positive and get to know and be a little bit closer. And Ive got enough people that I never would have talked to you know it in your stories and Blue Cross pads. Otherwise its exactly cuz its easy, you know, its easy, no matter where you are to stay here and Silo and tonight, you know, get involved in anyone elses, you know, world. And really, I think when that happens, you also have a lot less sympathy and understanding for what they do. And thats like a man. Thats huge. I feel like, I am. I my eyes are Open to some of the, you know, when I ask for something or when I, when I push on a certain thing to happen. Now, I know what Im actually asking, you know, its its a bigger deal when you actually have to do it yourself. So I think its been pretty cool, you know, I dont go on forever, but its, its, its been kind of, a lot of companies are doing that right now. People are doing whatever they can to keep going. You know, people have to be really creative restaurants. I mean, oh my gosh school stuff that theyve come out with, as far as outdoor dining, I saw a restaurant that has these little bubbles that are Outdoors, when were in Cleveland, Ohio, its cold. And we cant be on patios right now, but Ive seen some place other than with heavy as well. It was like little igloos now with the heaters inside, thats really cool. In general, you know, some of those get to take away. Can be created look for a creative solution like be willing to get your hands dirty. Get to know other people, you know, see things from their perspective, like all those are really good take away. Is it a no matter what career you end up being in death of attitude is going to be able to help you out. Long-term. Definitely cool. A little bit of just your faith journey and he grew up in the church. Talked a little bit about Chris McGee Chapel. Its me to Chapel walk through a little bit of your face Journey real quick. And then Ill go back just now growing up as well. So I am married to I said Lori earlier. We meant no one college. Weve got no. She first of all its just an amazing wife. I thought that when I met her she was Probably the most amazing teacher like she was just wired to be a teacher and if you see her from the class of students, are you here speak? Shes just wired that way. I thought maybe she was just wire to be a teacher but once you became a mom, Im like, she is now she can, you know, shes actually help, you know, meant to be a mob. Shes an amazing mom. Flores wired to do what shes doing whatever shes doing. Thats such a special hair, very well. So I thought often like being switched me in my role and put Lauren there. I am positive, she would do a better job is Marchs, you know, shes a huge catch. I definitely had it up there so weve all said it were all nope. But I know weve got three kids together. Elaines our oldest, shes five Clara is our middle child, she turns for tomorrow and then I always thought you might be having two girls. I thought for sure, Id have a third girl. We wanted to have one more kid, but ended up with a boy got Dean. And he is one years old. Hes awesome. So Ill just have an awesome family, really blessed, but like I grew up and just going to go back to get my upbringing than a little bit more my testimony. So I grew up in Hudson, which is where I currently live now. So, Back in my hometown, and I was blessed to have awesome parents. So my dad wasnt sales. My mom was a special ed teacher, and they know my dad was. They decided early on that, they were going to follow my dads career. So before they had kids before that be They traveled a lot and they come to follow my dads career, they eventually wanted to have kids ended up with two me and my sister have a twin sister named Ashley. I got to say she was 2 minutes older than me. I think shed appreciate hearing that. She is the older baby. The fan resistor Ashley my twins, know, Lincolns, ten minutes, older. We know, shes the baby. I heard that for a long, long time. But once my parents at us, they ended up moving to Ohio and they really made Ohio home so that, you know, the traveling stop and Im sure my dad passed up opportunities to move elsewhere. And he just wanted to be in one in one area and loved they are that we are in. So yet to really hard working parents on, my mom was just an awesome Homemaker. Shes a, shes a great cook, she was my teacher. So she was, you know, she she was our personal tutor as well and she was just a great friend and my dad provided really well for us. And its why I really do know. And on top of that, not only providing he was always present. So he was using there and I remember, you know, any sports games are seidels all that stuff. My dad traveled, some do sales but he was there. You know, I bet thats what I remember. Im sure theres times he wont let you know, I wasnt able to make something that he wanted to but still you know, remember going over to practice and no mid practice looking over my dads. Rode his bike over to the field and just watch him. So he was just, always, always present. That was a big deal. So yeah, I had an awesome family, really growing up, and I grew up in a Christian home. So, you know, we went to church, my parents are both in the Believers and that was important to us, went to youth group and United at a pretty early age. I put my faith in Christ and got baptized, I think around 5th grade with my sister and with some friends as well. And I think anyone that has, you know, it becomes a Christian at an early age. Thats the kind of like step face one. I believe that was a, you know, a sincere decision at the time, but youre only so much and you only know so much about, you know, the decision youve made. I saw, you know, I was, I was luckily in a good church and had people around me that youll continue to pour into me. So that was good and really going through, you know, High School. I think I do. I took another step and started learning more, just through taking my faith more personally, and it in high school at say, in general I ended up Being a pretty straight-laced, you know, following most of rules and I had a lot of, you know, my parents, thats what they expected. So yummy, you know, and theyre real relatively straight, but for good reason and it wasnt out late at probably the earliest curse you out of my buddies. But looking back, all those things were fine. You know, it irritates probably irritated me at the time, I know I did, I think youre youre in good company here. Like I havent talked about it before, like I didnt have my first drink until I was Twenty-One. I think you you to write my queue up like I did not make it to 21, gas 9 years, old in high school, you know like partying. But that type of thing just in the field me cuz I had I felt like I had a lot to lose, you know. I I think my image, my self-image was built on a You know, Matts a good kid. He is a Cheez-It in these ways. Hes a hes an athlete. You didnt get messed up in the head and thats just not who he is. So I really didnt know. There wasnt much Temptation there until you know basic basically like graduation going to college. So College was and then the wheels came off and we release the picture with the long hair last week for a while time you start and so and I had had all these people around me and you know this image and I felt like I just wasnt there anymore and part of me just you know wasnt sure what I wanted to do would be your most important to me and so And I just I felt kind of like a rudderless ship for a. Of time probably like a year and a half or so. And you know I just tried out different things in the end, you know, difficult College stuff. You know, just wasnt responsible doors with with relationships and he made poor decisions there. Underage drinking for sure, got written up. Had to go do community service that stuff, you do, and it really, it ended up kind of bringing me to my knees sophomore year and I was just miserable, you know, I just been chasing around and messing around enough that I just, you know, I knew it wasnt fulfilling. I knew that a year and a half prior, but just got to a point where I just wasnt happy. And, you know, I knew I knew better, but I felt just numb to it at the time and just remember, you know, Brian Eno praying with friends ran out of Christmas conference for campus Crusade that I somehow ended up at, you know, And it really ended up being a turning point for me, you know, it was just a conscious. Hey, I need to make. I need to start making the steps that I need to do. I think I had a lot of anxiety, and I wasnt doing well in school. I didnt know what I wanted to do, and Ive heard before that, your anxiety is caused by making decisions that arent in line with and who you are and what you want to be. And so, I think I was just making a lot of decisions that werent who I was and who I knew I was inside, you know, because I think I do think I never lost. You know, and like my face I just was ignoring it more than anyting. So that was really a turning point in. Then I just surround myself with with people that were pointing me in the right direction. Has some awesome mentors and guys that had been present and willing to seek me for a while and finally let those guys in and you never really took off from there. So ended up meeting my wife. That was another thing Laura You know, Christian girl and she was serious about, you know, that and so hey I had to get my act together a little bit too. So if that long hair, what sounds like you had the same impact later in college then on Dan cuz he shall be sure that story Dan the morning in a previous podcast about how you were present for him. So I think its cool to hearing your story about early in college havent got his present for you and then being able to return the favor shortly thereafter. Yeah, I would say just in general, you know, friendship has been huge for me. Ive learned a ton for my friends. I try to be a good friend to and you know so that was just a that was it as a special time it was just awesome, you know, its like When youre crushing youve already decided I think there can be seasons of your life where you might fall away, but if you believe truly like its still in there and so get that just keeps up. I think theres people that have had hope in me at that time and they were just consistent. So thats his encouragement to really just a friendship site with ship, that type of thing. Like we all mess up and were just messy, right? And then were not going to be on our game, going to fall down stakes and thats part of life. But at the same time its like you got to refocus and so be able to refocus and Can I move in that direction? I think the last 15 years would ever since College? Like, thats, you know, Ive never made these big strides and faith is just trying to be consistent taken steps. You know, Im, Im Im still broken and messed up but you know, Im Im Im trying to point the right direction. I got guys around me to support me in that and that helps a ton and it makes a lot of fun and say its right we all we all know were broken we all know or messy and were trying to trying to get better together in those ways but you said one thing to that I think was important it when youre trying to Figure out. What what you want to be, what you want to do, but ultimately, you can, you can get that anxiety in that worrying your life when youre not focused on what God wants you to be, and what his plan is for your life, you know, cuz I think you can, you can focus on our. What do I need to do today too? To make myself not as anxious her to not be in this rut anymore or whatever it is in your life. And yeah, thats thats where you can almost go down another path of, you know, hey, what does God want from me today? What does he have? What does he have in my current life? I mean, we were just talking today, like, its very easy, were all searching when we were for Christian guys, but were still all searching for what, what does what is Gods real purpose in our life right now? And sometimes we can get in this rut of like especially now with covid like everyday just feels like its just over and over Groundhogs Day, you know, and you can get empty and you can see Lefty but you got to think and go back to where we are husbands to awesome wives. We are fathers to three to four kids each and days can feel sometimes like the same over and over again, but we have a very big purpose there for what were doing right now in our life to those people that are directly impacted by how we act and they are seeing everything that we do on a daily basis. So for me I know I feel that I know you feel that and we can feel that like what does God have for us but he does have something for us very specifically right now and its being the best husband and father that he called us to be. And I know that youre youre searching for that. I heard youre in youre doing that youre living that out right now in your life. Yeah, I couldnt agree more Mike and I think youre hitting on perspective, right? Its I think perspective is huge and as a Christian we have a different perspective on what successes and our responsibilities and so thats that changes situations and Andrea Lee. Kind of leads into a little bit of what I was thinking. I want to talk to about tonight, but me and my family in general. We, we were really lucky for a, for a long time when you have much hardship for a while, But eventually we ended up really had like a 10-year. Id say probably the last 10 years or so, where we just went through hardship. You know, we had, you know, someone close to our family had a serious, really kind of life-threatening mental health issues and now its just hard. And I was something that we went through for several years. And I think in general, what kind of like the first serious thing that that we came up against, but We did cause us to be. A better Communicator is in a cup of prepared us for what was you? No coming up, you know, in and gave us whats a perspective, to tie it back to what we were talking about earlier, but just to go a little bit more into some of the struggles. And, and some of things that, you know, this has happened recently and tested our faith cuz I think thats kind of important to, you know, the topic in 2015, my mom got diagnosed with cancer bladder, cancer and it wasnt a serious thing. It was a very treatable cancer serious. Its probably always serious, but have a type of cancer. She had was treatable and so the Outlook was good, you know, I meant even the treatment wasnt see it, you know, that that significant other that harsh, So she went through kind of her normal know, treatments just became part of her normal monthly type of thing and she gets scanned and eventually you know, by about two years later that they just want and I can start, you still wanting for scans but in 2018, she was a scam. Thats not what they saw something. And have to do a biopsy was a different type of cancer that she ended up getting. And so that was a 2018 right around, you know, in the fall and Wednesday, they realize what it was and I couldnt tell you the name of of what type it was, but they said hate that our best shot is surgery. So they went ahead and scheduled surgery went in. It was and I remember the day, my dad was at the hospital. I was at work, it was supposed to be a couple hour procedure or not. The only huge deal. But I kept on checking my phone, no shooting a text and just saying, hey, whats you know? Whats the updates, mom out, yet that type of thing, and You know, all the way to the end of the day of work till 5 and still no news or anything. Yeah. So went to the hospital member meet with my daddy, had a friend that sat with them all day, you know, at the hospital just waiting which was in another enough kind of tribute to friends but lately and itll just finding a lot more than what they thought. So you know they did when they got in there to get the procedure headed to spread so within the next 24 hours, Cuz my mom is recovering, the, you know, got the full update, learn more information, and then were going in and just meeting with my mom and dad, and they had a, they gave him like a Time window for a Time window of nine months to a year, which was just, you know, devastating, you know, and just remember, you know, crying praying. but it you know at the same time it was it was cool to see, you know, my parents going through a situation like that and the way that they reacted to it, and I like a night that we find out my moms got you know, year to live Mayorga. Were going to cry thats going to happen but were also going to pray and and were just going to get all moved. And so my mom is a fighter like you knew we knew we had a year and I think we took advantage of it and Ill also give props to like Lauren and her family Lauras amazing for the whole thing. When she was a dear friend of my mom. Butlers family Romeo and Lisa great, my awesome in-laws. I just said, hey, you know, the holidays, youre just with, you know, youre with your family. Dont worry about, see you. But that was just a, just a huge gift at the time and then we just took the year and we Spend it with spinner with my mom, and you guys remember that time, you know, you guys were there for me for that as well. It was a tough year for sure. So we, you know, we spend holidays together and we had about almost almost a year one of the cool things. At the end of my mom was Come Summer started, getting tough with treatments and that type of thing. But we are also expecting. So we had our son, Dean July 2nd, 2019. And then my mom got to meet him before she passed later that month. So, That was pretty cool but I dont know what we would have done for that whole thing without without our faith. And all that that was I just a huge Foundation you know and knowing that my mom was a Believer was huge. So You know, she knew what she was always open about her face and she was even more bulletins. They open about her faith, you know, when she had her diagnosis, but they not the same time, she was just, you know, herself when she was in a well-loved and we certainly miss her butt. You know, I think for a long time I wondered, okay. Had you know, somewhat of an easy life but when something like that happens and you know, if pull family goes through struggles like that, like you just, you know, youre going to have a response, youre going to run away from your faith, youre not. And so to see my parents not run away from their faith. And then just, you know, really the the community support and Im having that Foundation within my family and I was with Laura and the other way, she talked to the kids through the whole situation, that type of thing. I cant imagine going through it without You know, without a personal relationship with Christ. So, you know, what was the biggest thing that you learned through that whole process? Cuz obviously, it was a, it was a long process. Its not like, it was a quick thing that happened. You had to deal with a lot of struggles throughout it. I know you. You said that it helped keep you strong in your faith through that time. But you know, is there anything else that you can learn through that time of dealing with it and being with your mom during that time? Being with your dad, with your family. I mean, what what did you learn through it? Thats a good question. I think we, I think I definitely learned a lot of things. Its hard to put. I just my finger on one but I got to learn a lot from my mom. She was, you know, gracious to the end and you know, thankful for the time and so, I think part of it was just I had learned just to be. Some somewhat patient, but at the same time, just how to take, you know, I can stock in the moment and remembering those those memories and enjoying the season end. Really just how my mom was just, she was awesome as far as how she held up to that. And she kept the important thing is important. You know, youre talk about perfect. Like my mom just had a person perfect perspective. You know, we had a year to spend together so that was, you know, we got to not many people. Get that opportunity, so that was cool. But I think, I think Im still processing through it, to be honest. I think thats a good ski though. I mean, hes keeping the important things important and thats what I saw like when we were at the, the funeral for your mom and you gave a speech. And I mean it, I dont cry about many things in my life. I may have gotten this podcast one time, but thats about one of the only thing that Ive ever cried about. And I cried at that because you can tell what it meant. what she meant to you and what shes meant to anybody that really Was in her life and a part of her life because she lived out that faith and you can see that through you and how youve handled yourself and just the way that you spoke you can tell you know. Its shes shes had a huge impact on you and you taking that its your life to keep the things that are important important to know. So I think thats thats awesome. Thanks man and she was a special lady, you know. And she just and I could have asked for and I think I said this in, you know that day Just that. I, I wouldnt have changed anything about my mom, you know? She was, I feel like Im going to learn from her for a long time, you know, I think thats a great legacy on her part to. And now she handled that situation cuz we always mentioned it in this podcast, mentioned in other products when youre faced with adversity, the run run to or run from and it sounds like she ran to God. Hadnt just was a Just a light in peoples lives even though she was going through all that crap. Like just held her faith, tightly and shared it during that time. So I think its fantastic Legacy and it speaks volumes to the character of your mom and the values that she has instilled in you and I think thats awesome. Yeah, she had a lot to live for at the time but the same time she was happy to go home, let me know. And so may night, I dont know, I hope I would have that same perspective, you know, it just wasnt, it was too. It was certainly too early at what I thought but, you know, I know Gods working through that and its for some reason, you know, nothing. Thats a perspective that we all have and that we can all live for, you know, that it can always seem too early and too soon. But we know that the other side is so much sweeter than what were dealing with here. You know, we were dealing with a, a broken Fallen word world that we know, once were once were living with Christ. I mean, its going to be the world that were living in now, but with no pain with no suffering with no anxiety with no worry, you know? And thats something to Always look forward to. And thats why I cant imagine that, you know, living the next day feeling like, you know, man? What if I died tomorrow? Thats that sucks. And Ill know I mean, weve got so much more to look forward to go to live for at a time, too. I will say that Ive never been to a ceremony like hers before. It was a celebration, you know, it was just filled with joy and I even like I probably never felt this a weird thing to say, Ive never felt more loved than at her funeral. You know, it away, you know, just the amount of people that showed up you know all the wonderful things that friends and pastors and everyone said like that you know theres I wish every funeral was like that because it had hope you know and there was hope for where my mom was if she had that hope to. And so it was a celebration thats what we called it as a celebration for life. And its We was so its in a way, gives me maybe thats what Ive learned the most, you know. Maybe give me give me something to shoot for you know, at the end of my life, you know, whenever that is right. So I wanted to be a celebration when people know that, hey, youre not the end. Im going to, Im going to be in a much better place, and I hope that, you know, Ive made an impact and I think about trying to figure that out, right? So, Thanks for sharing that Matt. You transition a little bit here went to our r b. Chill pill are just really awkward transition. Look great. Im so ready for that or hear what are? What are some things youre youre into here today? Im just to relax covid. Everything else going on, do not stay saying kids, its really busy. I dont get to do as much of a fun things that I like to do. Then Im going to list here, but I love my kids and I love spend time with my family, and that is a priority. And thats, you know, thats, thats most of my time. But when I have time, I also like Yeah, I like a lot. I like to have gotten into a lot of things over the years, I like trying new things. So for example, bourbon has been, Ive blame this podcast for getting me an excuse to buy it and then I really sorry. I really like drinking it with buddies. I just think its file. So thats been, thats been fun. Trying to stuff a couple years ago. I also got my hair did a couple rifles when my grandfather passed and so, you know, shooting guns has turned into a little bit of a happy. I dont get out and shoot as much as I would want to, but thats been really cool and it has he not have himself in hand-painted down from the family was special and I had no absolutely, no experience with Firearms at all. And so thats thats just another fun thing to learn. I dont think Ive been out if any of us going out and shot the gun that we need the rain, got to get a quote for Life hunting trip, still on the, on the bus. I just need to not tell Mike, I dont want him alone around a loaded weapon. All right, down and around, like, with a loaded weapon, the floor. And if scary, did anybody get hurt again, I love and working out. We talked about Fitness enough, but I am a little bit of a fitness geek and I just, like learning about it. I dont always practice everything. I learnt. But I like, and I just get kicks out of learning about working out exercises and die at some stuff like that. Ive enjoyed that love being outside working in the yard. You been doing that thing on, so I I got a thrift shopping recently. I blame that on my father-in-law Romeo. Hes big into garage sales thrift shop in that type of thing. So thats been fun. Just feels good to find a good, you know, how to pop some tags. Baby. Listen to Macklemore as you go down the aisles, put it on, repeat. $20, in your pocket and we got a lot of that in here. A lot of people chilling. So, you know, obviously doing all these things with friends lot, more fun. So, What about some some books, we can throw in the, the show notes, give us some resources, some things that have had an impact on your life. Sure. I wasnt always a big reader, but over the years, I feel like I picked up my Pace a little bit. Im only down this year, Im like a little disappointed in myself. I think Ive read the last this year and doesnt make any sense like this if you would covid. Throws everything off about it. I dont know. I sent right as much this year or next year by school, Wild at Heart and hes mentioned that, but just a good at all. Could be boys. Ill make my, you know, Deans going to read that someday. Ragamuffin, gospel was one that was gifted from a neighbor or a close neighbor friend in high school. And I had a big impact with all about Grace, help out, you know, us being ragamuffins. And I think its really in line with our church philosophy, and then were all broken. And now, Theres a guy didnt know, theres so much grace, you know more than we can imagine. Also more recently, Ive loved Bob Goff, his books I do is daily devotional, right now. Its just been awesome. This year, red love you. Unplug does, everybody always those are all great. So I I found it when I find a book that I like the Hue switch, try to find like the book that came out after the same author. So I didnt leave a lot of a good book that kind of blew my mind a couple years ago. With the gospel comes with a house key, as by Rosario Butterfield, pretty awesome story. And just an opinion, open-handed approach to your house and how that can be a Ministry to your neighbors. So I was really cool. Also, Im beat Eric metaxas, fan, Amazing, Grace Bonhoeffer. Those are great ones CS Lewis. Theres a, but I got into a little bit of Finance, personal finance, books for a while. So Emilio Millionaire Next Door, but I got town of Stanley Millionaire Mind. Thats another one of those. I read the other book 2 Tim Ferriss fan, so for our body forever, Chef actually, just picked it up at the store recently week before I work, whos the first one to read or Swim? Yeah. Yeah, for her body and Chef are like encyclopedia, so theyre more like reference to certain things. You just dont sit down and read this bad boys. But this year I read, whats best next? That was just a matter too much going on in my in my life thats by Matt pyramid. You know, trying to sort through and be more efficient, is something that I feel, man, I could use help all of us here. So that was really helpful of that book. And then I also started reading a little bit more fiction year this year by The Hobbit earlier in the year that was really fun digging into Count of Monte Cristo right now which I barely cracked the cover of somebody thats you know Im not trying to get into that one trying to reel them or fiction as well. Cuz those are fun. Lots of show notes here. So Im going to ask somebody else to put all these it. Now the only only only last one that actually like, was Moneyball. You guys seen that movie was great to? I listen to that last year. I thought I was really good. So Yeah, a lot of books over many years but Im also being a podcast to. So I like some of the health and fitness ones, Ben Greenfield, a good one, bourbon Pursuit recently, thats a fun one on Bourbon. If you guys were in Little Chute, get a little info on Bourbon. Just started listening to that. One more info than we give on the ones that we have also been a fan of The Art of Manliness for a while. Thats a really good. We had a great blog, good material, Dave, Ramsey kind of a personal finance, Im hooked on the Ben Shapiro show, a little bit, not to get political, but hes got good stuff, good thinker and I put Tim Ferriss on there, too. So, lot of podcasts out there. And then theres this other one thats really, really great core for Life podcast. Blossom Hill. Mad? I received no choice but to be on Sunday to say, thanks for being honest with you and I could be but great to hear Maury story. Thanks for the resources for Sharon and Yemen. Thanks. Thanks, guys. This is been just an awesome group for me, I love doing this, is the highlight of my week, so I appreciate it to you guys. And I want to say one of them, we were talking about this before the podcast, but we love getting feedback from from you guys from Army, on people their listeners. Ill call you if an we love that keeps us going. So keep them comment like this encouraging. We just love to hear that, you know what, you think of what were doing and hopefully all positive structures. We like to do it just to keep ourselves on the top of our game and just meet with different people and hear from them hear their stories here and what has impacted them and how that can potentially Our life. But you know if its this can ultimately help some other people out in their life to, you know, we want to hear about, we want to see whats working and whats, whats not? So yeah, its a great Point while were talking about the podcast, you know, if you do like what youre hearing, please help us. Grow it. Like share it with your friends, share with a co-worker share with somebody who you think could benefit from hearing some of these messages. Cuz thats the only way that youre we can continue to grow this to get more people, listening to more people, hearing the gospel, more people, just experiencing this. So great, an average dude, and trying to be better. Thanks Mac, not answering it up. Thanks, dude. Is awesome, please. Glad you could join us for another core for Life podcast. If you like what youre hearing, please share this with your friends and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at core for life, or check out the website core 4life.com that score four life.com to the next Thursday for another brand new episode. Google for life.