The Unshakable Life

What You'll Learn in This EpisodeHow AI is already shaping our everyday lives and decisions.Why Christians should participate in conversations about emerging technology.How to use AI without surrendering your critical thinking.The difference between having information and exercising wisdom.Why spiritual formation matters more as technology advances.How churches can better prepare people for an AI-driven world.Why Christopher believes AI could create opportunities for greater human connection. Key Takeaways✅ AI is already woven into our lives, whether we recognize it or not.✅ Christians have a responsibility to help shape technology's ethical use.✅ Fear often grows when we lack the information needed to make thoughtful decisions.✅ AI can be a valuable collaborator, but it should never replace personal discernment.✅ Biblical literacy and Christian community help us recognize when outside influences are shaping our beliefs.✅ Leaders must take responsibility for the ethical consequences of the technology they adopt.✅ The church needs to engage more deeply with scientists, technologists, and the questions emerging from their work.✅ Christopher sees an opportunity for AI to help us recognize our shared humanity and grow in grace toward one another. Timestamps & Highlights00:00 Who are we becoming in the age of AI?01:10 Meet Christopher Benek and his work in faith and technology03:55 A hopeful Christian perspective on technological progress08:35 Overcoming fear and taking part in the AI conversation13:20 Developing your own ethical framework for AI15:44 Science fiction, AI safety, and human responsibility21:01 Avoiding AI idolatry through biblical literacy and discipleship26:47 AI echo chambers, critical thinking, and finding your own voice33:48 Where the church needs to grow in its understanding of AI38:11 Why AI may challenge us to show greater grace and love41:02 Sharing human wisdom with the next generation Resources MentionedBook: Church Leader's Guide to Artificial Intelligence ( Click Here ) Christopher's Personal Website: (Go Here)   Connect with Jim🌐 Website: http://www.leadwithjim.com🎙️ Ask a Question: https://www.leadwithjim.com/ask📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadwithjim▶️ YouTube: https://www.leadwithjim.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadwithjim Support & Engage with the Show✅ Subscribe to The Unshakable Life wherever you listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio✅ Leave a 5-star review if this episode encouraged your faith.✅ For more faith-driven leadership content, visit leadwithjim.com. Thanks for listening!Never miss an episode of The Unshakable Life. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. And if this conversation helped you think differently about joy, identity, or learning how to seize the day again, share it with a friend who needs the reminder that they are not stuck where they are. Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in the notes may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode Why entrepreneurs often hit a ceiling of complexity How overwhelm affects leadership and decision-making Why over-systemizing can become another form of control How to identify work you should no longer be doing Why movement can help restore mental clarity How your relationships can reveal when you are exceeding capacity What stewardship looks like in business and leadership   Key Takeaways ✓ Your ability to grow a business is partly limited by your capacity to handle its increasing complexity. ✓ Slowing down can give you enough clarity to recognize when you are making something harder than it needs to be. ✓ Over-systemizing often begins when a leader struggles to trust people, delegate, and allow others enough time to learn. ✓ A time and energy audit can reveal low-value activities that drain the energy you need for higher-level work. ✓ Changes in patience, anger, mental fog, and communication can be early signs that you are operating beyond a healthy capacity. ✓ David learned to build a business that fits his life instead of continually forcing his life to fit around the business. ✓ Movement, sleep, nutrition, timing, repetition, and community all play a role in maintaining brain performance. ✓ Christian stewardship includes asking whether the way you are running your business, relationships, and responsibilities reflects what God entrusted to you.   Timestamps & Highlights 0:00 — Is your brain becoming the limitation in your business? 1:30 — From Midwest farm kid and serial entrepreneur to brain performance coach 3:11 — Hitting the ceiling of complexity in business 6:25 — Faith, logic, systems, and seeing God through creation 9:13 — When business success begins costing you your relationships 11:29 — Building a business that fits your life 15:52 — Increasing your capacity to handle what you have been given 18:31 — Over-systemizing, delegation, and the entrepreneur’s need for control 20:14 — Using a time and energy audit to decide what needs to leave your plate 23:15 — What David does when overwhelm and mental fog begin showing up 25:22 — Faith, stewardship, and asking whether God would be pleased with how you are running what He gave you   Resources Mentioned   The Five Love Languages A framework David and his wife have used to better understand and communicate with one another.   Predictive Index A workplace assessment David uses to better understand working styles and communication.   David Forster’s Brain Performance Index A short assessment designed to help identify which area of brain performance may need attention first. David discusses movement, sleep, nutrition, timing, repetition, and community/social engagement as key areas. DM David “UNSHAKABLE” on Instagram to request the Brain Performance Index.   Instagram: @rdavidforsterhttps://instagram.com/rdavidforster     Connect with Jim🌐 Website: http://www.leadwithjim.com🎙️ Ask a Question: https://www.leadwithjim.com/ask📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadwithjim▶️ YouTube: https://www.leadwithjim.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadwithjim Support & Engage with the Show✅ Subscribe to The Unshakable Life wherever you listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio✅ Leave a 5-star review if this episode encouraged your faith.✅ For more faith-driven leadership content, visit leadwithjim.com. Thanks for listening!Never miss an episode of The Unshakable Life. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. And if this conversation helped you think differently about joy, identity, or learning how to seize the day again, share it with a friend who needs the reminder that they are not stuck where they are. Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in the notes may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode Why important relationships can quietly slip onto autopilot How grief can reveal lessons we missed while someone was alive Why humility changes the way we see our parents How fatherhood can reshape your understanding of your own father The difference between experiencing emotion and being ruled by it Why reconciliation should not always be postponed How difficult parental relationships can still shape the way you parent   Key Takeaways ✓ Healthy relationships rarely develop by accident. They require deliberate attention and investment. ✓ Loss has a way of exposing what we valued but failed to fully appreciate while it was still available to us. ✓ Grief does not follow one predictable pattern, and its impact can surface years later through ordinary moments and major milestones. ✓ Maturity includes learning that relationships are about what we can give, not simply what another person can provide for us. ✓ Becoming a parent can reveal both what we received from our parents and what we want to do differently with our own children. ✓ Faith can give us perspective on mortality while still calling us to take responsibility for the choices and relationships in front of us. ✓ Reconciliation is not completely within our control, but we can take responsibility for the part that belongs to us. ✓ The assumption that there will always be another opportunity can become one of the most costly assumptions we make.   Timestamps & Highlights 00:00 The relationship you may regret putting off01:20 Mick’s story and Walking with Grizzlies04:03 How his father’s death became a catalyst06:27 Grief, emotion, and how men process loss12:13 The lessons Mick missed while his father was alive13:06 How losing his father changed the way Mick parents16:56 Youthful arrogance and realizing what you failed to appreciate19:49 Humility, selfishness, and becoming more relationally aware22:51 How Mick’s faith shaped his understanding of loss26:30 “I’ll call later” and the danger of assuming there is more time29:57 What reconciliation looks like when the relationship is complicated38:58 Walking with Grizzlies, The Walk, and the Grizzly Letters   Resources Mentioned   Walking with Grizzlies: Lessons for Those with Dads Mick Naples’s book exploring ten lessons drawn from his relationship with his father and the perspective he gained after his father’s death.https://www.walkingwithgrizzlies.com   The Grizzly Letters A project where people can share stories, memories, lessons, and experiences involving their fathers through the Walking with Grizzlies website.   The Walk A weekly resource from Mick designed to encourage people to take small, practical steps toward strengthening important relationships. Connect with Jim🌐 Website: http://www.leadwithjim.com🎙️ Ask a Question: https://www.leadwithjim.com/ask📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadwithjim▶️ YouTube: https://www.leadwithjim.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadwithjim Support & Engage with the Show✅ Subscribe to The Unshakable Life wherever you listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio✅ Leave a 5-star review if this episode encouraged your faith.✅ For more faith-driven leadership content, visit leadwithjim.com. Thanks for listening!Never miss an episode of The Unshakable Life. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. And if this conversation helped you think differently about joy, identity, or learning how to seize the day again, share it with a friend who needs the reminder that they are not stuck where they are. Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in the notes may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode How stewardship affects far more than your finances Why your money reveals the decisions shaping your life How to separate your signal from the noise around you Why fatherhood changed Albert’s definition of success How to use a One Word SWOT to evaluate your current life Why failure can become fuel for future success How Plan, Act, Review creates a practical rhythm for growth   Key Takeaways ✓ Money is a tool that should help you move toward your purpose rather than become the purpose itself. ✓ Your bank statements and spending habits often reveal what you actually value more clearly than your intentions do. ✓ Identifying your signal gives you a clearer standard for deciding which opportunities deserve a yes and which require a no. ✓ Becoming a father forced Albert to recognize that his time and decisions affected people beyond himself. ✓ Legacy requires thinking beyond your own lifetime and considering what you are building for future generations. ✓ Failure becomes useful when you examine it, learn from it, and allow it to shape your next decision. ✓ Integrity is built through the decisions you make when nobody else is watching. ✓ Wisdom comes through evaluated experience, which is why reviewing your actions is essential to growth.   Timestamps & Highlights 0:00 — What if success is costing you what matters most? 1:06 — Albert Butler on accounting, strategy, and stewardship 3:11 — Identifying your signal versus the noise 4:39 — What your money reveals about your decisions 7:39 — Fatherhood changes Albert’s definition of responsibility 10:43 — The flight to Singapore that sparked his book 15:06 — The One Word SWOT and discovering your current reality 20:29 — Failure as an opportunity for future success 23:17 — Learning to say no and protecting your direction 25:11 — Integrity, conviction, and doing the right thing privately 28:43 — Family finances and the Plan, Act, Review framework   Resources Mentioned LIFE: Truth, Love, Loss, Success & Failure Albert Butler’s book combining fatherly wisdom, Scripture, personal stories, financial lessons, and practical guidance for building a meaningful life and legacy. https://amzn.to/4fXDFAv   You can learn more about Albert Butler here: https://albertbutler.com   Affiliate Disclosure Some of the links in the notes may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Connect with Jim🌐 Website: http://www.leadwithjim.com🎙️ Ask a Question: https://www.leadwithjim.com/ask📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadwithjim▶️ YouTube: https://www.leadwithjim.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadwithjim Support & Engage with the Show✅ Subscribe to The Unshakable Life wherever you listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio✅ Leave a 5-star review if this episode encouraged your faith.✅ For more faith-driven leadership content, visit leadwithjim.com. Thanks for listening!Never miss an episode of The Unshakable Life. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. And if this conversation helped you think differently about joy, identity, or learning how to seize the day again, share it with a friend who needs the reminder that they are not stuck where they are. Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in the notes may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode What affiliate marketing actually is How affiliate marketing differs from MLM Why influence requires maturity How money reveals character Why success without foundation can fall apart quickly What stewardship looks like in business and life Why inner work matters more than online tactics   Key Takeaways ✅ Affiliate marketing is essentially referral marketing, where you recommend something to your audience and earn a commission when people buy through your link. ✅ Faith and affiliate marketing can work together, but only when integrity, service, and stewardship lead the way. ✅ The real issue is not whether Christians can make money online, but whether they can handle money, influence, and opportunity without being ruled by them. ✅ Jeff’s early success taught him that money can come quickly, but without character and foundation, it can also disappear quickly. ✅ Sustainable success requires more than tactics, posts, links, funnels, or platforms. ✅ Leadership begins with self-leadership, because you cannot lead others well if you are not willing to be formed yourself. ✅ Stewardship means recognizing that everything belongs to God and our job is to manage it faithfully. ✅ Trust, respect, love, and integrity are the foundation of lasting influence.   Timestamps & Highlights 00:00 — Can Christians do affiliate marketing without compromise? 02:07 — Meet Jeff Ross and his life around faith, family, and business 03:37 — How a serious horse accident led Jeff into online marketing 05:36 — What affiliate marketing actually means 06:44 — Affiliate marketing vs. MLM 09:17 — Why frustration in affiliate marketing is really a leadership conversation 13:41 — Money, impact, and the lessons of early success 19:23 — From money-driven success to God-driven stewardship 21:39 — The emotional cost of failure and the long rebuild 28:00 — Why Jeff rejects prosperity doctrine and instant-gratification faith 32:47 — What stewardship means when God owns everything 38:27 — Control, pride, sin, responsibility, and surrender 48:04 — Where to connect with Jeff Ross 49:37 — Why real influence starts with inner transformation   Resources Mentioned You Don’t Need to Shout Jeff’s upcoming book on going from invisible to influential.   You can learn more about Jeff Ross here: Facebook: HERE Connect with Jim🌐 Website: http://www.leadwithjim.com🎙️ Ask a Question: https://www.leadwithjim.com/ask📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadwithjim▶️ YouTube: https://www.leadwithjim.liveFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/leadwithjim Support & Engage with the Show✅ Subscribe to The Unshakable Life wherever you listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio✅ Leave a 5-star review if this episode encouraged your faith.✅ For more faith-driven leadership content, visit leadwithjim.com. Thanks for listening!Never miss an episode of The Unshakable Life. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. And if this conversation helped you think differently about joy, identity, or learning how to seize the day again, share it with a friend who needs the reminder that they are not stuck where they are. Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in the notes may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.