Unmasked With Neil Getzlow

The Unmasked podcast is back! On today's show, Neil shares what's been happening in his world over the past six weeks, discusses the future of the podcast, and offers up some encouragement from Philippines 4:6-9. Please share, like and leave a review if this show has encouraged you. Check out neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil and his journey.

Today’s guest is Ehren Dorsey. Ehren is a survivor of online grooming and what she calls “cycles of abuse” and exploitation. Ehren works with organizations like the Stop Trafficking Project and Paradigm Shift, sharing her story to encourage other women struggling with the same issues she has experienced. She also has a YouTube channel – Ehren’s Journal – that both Amy and had an opportunity to make an appearance on. Ehren is also working on legislation in the state of Missouri to help restrict access of pornography to minors. Ehren’s Journal Amy's Interview with Ehren Neil's Interview with Ehren Be sure to visit neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil and his book, Unmasked.

Ephesians 4:31-32: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” A special Thanksgiving Day release of episode 82. Forget about all of the material things of this world. The true blessing I received in my life is that of forgiveness. And that's what I want to talk about today. What forgiveness did for my life. And what it can do for yours. It's a free gift. To receive and to give. Feel free to reach out to me at https://neilgetzlow.com/ if you would like to connect or need prayer.

I'm excited to share my interview with Mike Van Pelt. Mike is founder of True Man Life Coaching. He helps men unpack the goodness that’s already in their heart and discover the True Man inside of them. Many men live isolated, lonely, and unconnected lives. So we get into the epidemic of loneliness that's impacting men today, where is our identity is coming from, the anger many men, including myself, carry around, and how are we building a community of brothers in Christ to come on this journey of life with us. You can find Mike online at his website here: https://truemanlifecoaching.com/home Be sure to check out neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil and his journey.

Today, I'm excited to share my interview with filmmaker Alison Jayne Wilson. Alison is director of the documentary film EXIT. The movie uncovers the journey of three women looking for a way out poverty who ended up being victims of trafficking. The movie also touches on about what it means to be trafficked, the damage it causes and the extreme difficulties faced by those women who try to get out for good. It's not easy, especially when poverty is used as coercion. You can watch EXIT on Amazon Prime in the US. Remember, we are donating $1 for for every listen that Unmasked episodes 76-79 receive to https://runtostopit.com/. So be sure to listen and share! You can learn more about Neil at https://neilgetzlow.com/.

I spend a lot of time on this podcast talking about the impact of porn on the lives of men. But given how accessible porn is through technology, we know that women are suffering as well. Today's guest is author Ruth Hovsepian. She is extremely vulnerable in sharing how pornography and sex addiction impacted her life. The root of her addiction stems from lack of confidence, lack of self-esteem, and a lack of an identity in Christ. She talks about how she was able to re-establish her relationship with God and is now helping others through her books The Ultimate Conversation: Is that you, God and 100 Days of Prayer. You can learn more about Ruth on her website. You can also check out the interview I did on Ruth's podcast. Learn more about Neil's journey at neilgetzlow.com Don't forget, we are donating $1 for every listen of episodes 76-80 to ⁠Run To Stop It. ⁠

Today's guest is Gene McConnell founder of Authentic Relationships International. Gene has an incredible story to share about God's redeeming power. Sexually assaulted as a child, exposed to pornography at an early age, rejected by his church in his original attempts to heal, and ultimately acting out with buying sex and committing his own attempted act of sexual assault. But God transformed his heart in one simple act of love by a brother in Christ. Today, Gene has 40 years of experience in developing education about pornography’s role in the exploitation of men, women and children in our society. He also recently shared his journey in the Exodus Cry documentary Buying Her. You can learn more about Gene here: https://www.authenticrelationshipsint.com/ As a reminder, we are still donating $1 from every play of episodes 76 through 80 of Unmasked to Run To Stop It, an organization that's fighting human sex trafficking in the US. Be sure to check out neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil's journey.

It is UNMASKED MONDAY! We are one month away from Run To Stop It. This is a movement that raises money for organizations that are fighting directly against sex trafficking and providing resources for women looking to get out of that industry. Amy and I are huge supporters of Run To Stop It. Starting with this episode, and going through October 20, we are donating one dollar for every play generated by the next five episodes. I'm hoping you can help me by sharing this episode and encouraging others to listen. You can't talk about sex trafficking without talking about demand and pornography. That's what we are going to do the next few weeks. Today's guest is Fred Stoeker. Fred is the co-author of several books, including Every Man's Battle - a guide for men to overcome the battle with porn. Fred is no stranger to pornography temptations and what they can do to a marriage. After stumbling upon his father's Playboy magazine under his Dad's bed in first grade, Fred struggled with pornographic materials for the next twenty years or so. We take an open and honest look why men struggle with porn, some practical wisdom Fred learned about overcoming lust and restoring broken trust. Most importantly, we get into how men can use God to heal. You can learn more about Fred here: https://fredstoeker.com/ And be sure to check out neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil and his journey.

Today's show is a little bit different as I share a recent interview that my wife, Amy, did with Neil Matthews on the Other People's Shoes podcast. You know my story but you’ve never heard Amy’s story like she shares with Neil. The fact I wasn’t part of the interview made it so unique and honest. It was Amy unplugged in a way that I’ve never heard her before. It was real, raw, emotional and painful. Listening to Amy describe her obedience to God in offering me forgiveness is incredibly humbling. But also so encouraging. The story we continue to share isn’t about us or anything we did. It is about the healing power that Jesus offers. It is real. It is life changing. Please, please, please. Share this interview with others who might need to hear about the power of forgiveness. You can check out the interview I did with Neil Matthews on UNMASKED earlier this summer here. And be sure to visit neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil and his journey.

Today's interview focuses on a topic that's very personal to my family. Alzheimer's Disease. My Mom has been suffering with Alzheimer's for the past three years. That's why I am so blessed to talk with caregiver and author Leah Stanley. Leah says she's an ordinary person who went through an extraordinary experience. She became a caregiver at 29 when her grandparents were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and an unspecified dementia, respectively. Leah, shares her caregiving story in her book Goodnight, Sweet: A Caregiver’s Long Goodbye and she has been a featured speaker with medical professionals and family caregivers alike. We come at this discussion from a faith based perspective and I get a chance to ask her a lot of questions about my Mom's illness. I hope this conversation helps you if you have family suffering - and I hope it brings you encouragement like it does me. Be sure to check out neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil's journey.

This week, I am honored to welcome back Andrea Heinz to the Unmasked podcast. Andrea is now 10 years out of the sex trafficking and exploitation industry and is an activist and advocate for women in Canada. You can check out Andrea’s first appearance on Unmasked here. Today, we talk about Andrea’s new book that is coming out later this year that moves the conversation from the selling side of exploitation to the demand side of the industry. We also get into the legal landscape around prostitution, how the term sex work has turned into propaganda, and we talk about the impact the movie Sound of Freedom has had on the conversation around trafficking and exploitation. I also have a chance to share a quick recap up front about the opportunity I recently had to participate in a recent anti-sex trafficking conference in Topeka. A very humbling experience. Be sure to check out neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil’s journey.

I went to school to be a sports broadcaster and actually had a chance to call some basketball and football games at the University of Kansas on KJHK-FM before realizing that sports play-by-play was not going to work for me. That's why I am so excited this week to interview Dan Scott. If you don't know Dan, you might know him by this call from March Madness earlier this year when Furman upset Virginia in the first round of the NCAA tournament. I love that call and I love Dan's testimony and his story. In fact, I'm not sure why, but I was overcome with emotion listening to Dan talk about his redemption. Maybe it was because our testimonies are similar in some ways. For Dan, God took him from the top of the mountain, humbled him on the way down the mountain, only to lift him back up, and he handled that rise back up with so much humility as you will hear. In addition to being Director of Broadcasting for Furman University, Dan is also the founder of Grand Slam Ministries where he hosts his own radio show - the Dan Scott Show. And make sure you stay to the end of the interview as Dan and I talk about his recent visit to Buc-ee's truck stop - a place that I am counting down the days to visiting when it opens in 2024 in Springfield, Missouri. Check out my appearance on Dan's show here. And be sure to visit neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil's journey and book, UNMASKED.

This week, I am blessed to interview Tim Reigle. Tim is the founder of Into The Wilderness ministry. His mission is about leading men to overcome sexual addiction and transform their lives by renewing their faith, re-energizing their families, and restoring their masculinity. Tim draws on his own experience of overcoming a 15-year porn addiction to work with men through Bible study, writing, and coaching to overcome pornography addiction and become better men. Such an encouraging conversation with Tim and I appreciate his transparency in sharing his own struggles. You can learn more about his ministry here: https://intothewildernessblog.com/ Be sure to check out and subscribe to Neil's Substack for more content: https://substack.com/@neilgetzlow

This week on Unmasked, the very first NFL player to appear on the show. I'm blessed to be joined by former NFL player Sterling Harris. Sterling played college football at SMU and signed with the Cleveland Browns after college. He hit the mountain top and yet there was still no peace for him. Even though he worked for years to achieve this dream, it was not what he thought it would be. Ultimately, a broken foot took away his career, his dream and his identity. For Sterling, playing football turned into an idol. It caused him to act out and he found himself in federal prison due to a business deal gone bad. But God. He found his identity in Jesus while locked up and turned his life around. Today, Sterling is founder of Sterling Harris Ministries and author of the book How to Hear God, 10 Ways God Speaks. He equips people around the world to hear God's voice and helps move people from a religion to relationship with Christ. We talk about journey and how today he is letting God's voice lead him in every single thing he does. Sterling has a big personality so I hope you enjoy this one. Learn more about Neil's journey at https://neilgetzlow.com/

This week, I have the honor of talking to another Neil, Neil Matthews. Neil is the host of the podcast, Other Peoples Shoes. Neil created this show as a space that allows people to hear each other's points of view – something that is desperately needed in today’s  world. His podcast actually was born during a redemption moment in his life – when he was forced to walk away from a youth ministry gig to deal with his pornography use more than four years ago. In addition to sharing his encouraging testimony,  we talk about what it’s like to produce a podcast, his favorite guests, and whether or not he considers his podcast to be a Christian show. I also appeared on Neil’s show this week. After you get done listening to Unmasked, please go check out my interview with Neil on Other Peoples Shoes. https://www.opspodcast.com/finally-unmasked/ We discovered that not only we share some commonalities in our faith and testimony, but we share a love of college basketball and coaching legend Roy Williams.   You can learn more about Neil and his book at https://neilgetzlow.com/

This week, I start the show spending a few minutes talking the new phone I purchased (don’t worry, it ties into today’s episode) that simply lets me text and call people. A brave new world for me in my attempt to defeat distractions in my life.   Those distractions can often lead to anxiety when scrolling social media. That’s why I am so blessed to have Jordan Daniel Chitwood back on the show this week to talk about his new book, Will I Always Feel This Way? Jordan is a youth pastor and is very candid in talking about his struggles with anxiety and depression. It’s sort of hard to compute – we can often think of our pastors as infallible – but at the end of the day they are human just like the rest of us. Jordan talks about his battle with mental health and how he is using the power of God to overcome the darkness and reclaim his joy.   You can learn more about Jordan’s and his book here.   And be sure to visit neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil and his journey.

$200,000 a year. That’s how much one sex trafficked woman can bring in for her trafficker. On this week’s Unmasked, we talk to Dan Nash. Dan is the co-founder of the Human Trafficking Training Center and a retired Missouri State Trooper. Over his nearly three-decade career, Dan was responsible for creating the Human Trafficking Unit and was the enforcement supervisor of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office Statewide Anti-Human Trafficking Statewide Task Force. Through the Human Trafficking Training Center, Dan, and his business partner Alison Phillips bring a different approach in training law enforcement by addressing  shortcomings in law enforcement’s response to trafficking and help them improve in identifying and rescuing sex trafficking victims. They are on pace to train more than 5,000 law enforcement officers across the US in 2023. Dan and I talk about what training looks like, the impact it is having, the barriers they face and new laws being discussed to slow demand. You can learn more about The Human Trafficking Training Center here: https://humantraffickingtrainingcenter.com/ Check out my interview with HTTC co-founder Alison Phillips here. Visit https://neilgetzlow.com/ to learn more about my journey and book, UNMASKED: Conquering Sexual Sin and Walking in Victory.

On today’s UNMASKED, I talk to new author Matt Turner. Matt is a successful businessman with a $20 million per year construction business. And he has an incredible testimony. At the age of 22, Matt lost both of his hands in an electrical accident. That left Matt feeling like he lost his identity and purpose in life. And despite being clinically dead for 20 minutes, he was still far away from God. In reality, Matt had lost his identity a long time ago thanks to a generational curse that passed down brokenness, unforgiveness, sexual sin and anger. But what Matt learned over the course of his life is that God has taken everything that was against him from the start, everything that should have destroyed him and caused it all to work out for his good. This is a wild and encouraging testimony. Learn more about Matt and his books here: https://www.mattstormyturner.com/   Be sure to check out neilgetzlow.com to learn more about Neil’s book, UNMASKED: Conquering Sexual Sin and Walking In Victory.

Today’s guest is Jen Morgan. Jen is author of the book Bring it On. We actually met at the NRB Convention in 2021 when we were both releasing our books at the same time. We have a great conversation about having a Godly marriage, growing her relationship with Jesus later in life as her faith matured vs. following religious routines. And she encourages women to take off their masks (which I love of course), dive into the ditches, and lift each other up and encourage their fellow sisters in Christ. You can learn more about Jen here: https://jenmorganinspires.com/   And be sure to check out and subscribe to Neil’s new Substack page here: https://neilgetzlow.substack.com

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. So before the calendar flips to June, I wanted to share what's on my heart around anxiety and provide an update on how I am dealing with my own mental health three years after getting saved. That's why I am thinking more and more about the intensity of my relationship with Jesus today and what I can do to keep it strong so I can confidently deal with my anxiety through a biblical lens. Be sure to check out neilgetzlow.com and feel free to reach out to me there with any questions you have about this episode.