Episode Summary
In this episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex sits down with personal trainer and writer Christina Barkley, founder of Dogged Strength. Christina shares her journey from Hollywood’s entertainment world to a Christ-centered fitness practice, recounting how a powerful encounter with God shifted her perspective on health and strength.

Together, Alex and Christina unpack the truth about New Year’s resolutions, why so many fail, and how to approach fitness with a mindset of stewardship rather than vanity. They also discuss discipleship through training, practical ways to set sustainable goals, and the importance of integrating faith into every part of life—including workouts.

Christina also gives listeners a glimpse into her upcoming book Lean Through the Fire and how her writing and training both flow from her desire to serve others and glorify God. This conversation is equal parts encouragement and practical wisdom for anyone seeking to honor God with their body and start the new year strong in faith and fitness.

Main Discussion Themes
-Christina’s journey from casting in Hollywood to co-founding Dogged Strength with her husband.
-A powerful testimony of God’s protection in a life-threatening moment.
-How discipleship and training overlap—“rubbing off” through proximity and practice.
-Why New Year’s resolutions often fail—and how to redeem them under Christ.
-Fitness as stewardship versus vanity (California’s image obsession vs. the Bible Belt’s neglect).
-Practical strategies for consistency: goal-setting, accountability, and performance-based goals.
-The importance of integrating Scripture and prayer into training sessions.
-A behind-the-scenes look at Christina’s upcoming novel Lean Through the Fire.

Timestamped Outline
00:00 – 07:00 | Christina’s story: from Equinox trainer to launching Dogged Strength with her husband.
07:00 – 15:00 | A powerful alleyway encounter and the shift from vanity fitness to strength for life. 15:00 – 22:00 | Training as discipleship: “rubbing off” in proximity and practice.
22:00 – 30:00 | Scriptures that fuel Christina’s fitness journey (Proverbs 3:5–7, 1 Corinthians 15:58). 30:00 – 38:00 | Redeeming New Year’s resolutions: small, consistent goals over quick fixes.
38:00 – 46:00 | Vanity vs. stewardship in different cultural contexts (California vs. Arkansas).
46:00 – 55:00 | Service, mental health, and fitness: how focusing on others changes everything. 55:00 – 01:00:00 | Christina’s upcoming book Lean Through the Fire: faith, friendship, and trials. 01:00:00 – 01:04:00 | Rapid fire Q&A: myths about women and weights, overcoming “failure” in fitness.
01:04:00 – End | Christina’s encouragement to integrate God into all areas of life + closing prayer.

Move Forward Today
-Get Coach Alex's new book today! Faithful Fitness Devotional (40-Day Guide): https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com
-Join the BetterDaily community! Faith And Fitness Foundations: https://betterdaily.live/beginner
-Commit to Consistency – Don’t aim for five workouts a week out of the gate. Start small, be consistent, and let God build your strength over time.
-Write Your Goals – Like Christina suggests, email or write down your 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year fitness goals for accountability.
-Shift from Vanity to Stewardship – Fitness isn’t about perfection in the mirror—it’s about honoring God with your body.
-Connect with Christina – Subscribe to her newsletter (link below in featured guest resources) for encouragement in both faith and fitness.

Featured Guest Resources
-Christina Barkley’s Website & Newsletter → https://writingwhileweightlifting.substack.com/
-Dogged Strength (Christina & her husband’s training company)
- https://www.instagram.com/doggedstrength/?hl=en

Become a supporter of this...

Episode Summary
What happens when athletic excellence outpaces spiritual maturity? In this powerful conversation, Coach Drake Reed—former professional basketball player, high-school coach, and author—reveals the hidden spiritual battles facing young athletes today.

From locker rooms and college campuses to overseas professional leagues, Drake exposes why many Christian athletes collapse after success, not before it. This episode challenges parents, coaches, and athletes to rethink discipleship, identity, and preparation.

Athletic training alone is not enough. Without spiritual armor, discipline, and practical prayer, talent becomes a liability instead of a calling. If you’re raising, coaching, or are an athlete navigating modern sports culture, this conversation is not optional listening—it’s essential.

Main Discussion Themes
-Identity in Christ vs. identity as an athlete
-Why young athletes need spiritual training before visibility and fame
-The unseen spiritual pressures in college and professional sports
-Practical prayer, protection, and biblical literacy for athletes
-Why parents must disciple earlier than feels comfortable
-Coaching as spiritual shepherding, not just skill development
-Faith, discipline, and stewardship of athletic influence

Timestamped Outline 
00:00 – 05:30 Clarksville roots, shared athletic culture, and spiritual intentionality in sports
05:30 – 12:00 From elite athlete to globe-trotting professional basketball career
12:00 – 18:00 Identity crisis: Athlete first, Christ later—why this breaks young men
18:00 – 26:30 Why Christian athletes are dangerously unprepared when they leave home
26:30 – 33:30 Coaching as discipleship: practical spiritual “drills,” not vague faith talk
33:30 – 40:30 Spiritual warfare in sports culture (college, overseas, media attention)
40:30 – 49:00 Phones, social media, and unguarded spiritual access to young athletes
49:00 – 56:30 Parents, models, and influence: what kids absorb before discernment forms
56:30 – 01:02:00 Prayer, protection, and declarations over athletes and families

Move Forward Today
✅Get Coach Alex's new book today! Faithful Fitness Devotional (40-Day Guide): https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com
✅Join the BetterDaily community! Faith And Fitness Foundations: https://betterdaily.live/beginner ✅ If you’re an athlete: Evaluate whether your discipline exceeds your discipleship.
✅ If you’re a parent: Ask what spiritual tools your child has before visibility and pressure arrive.
✅ If you’re a coach: Recognize the mantle you carry—your influence extends far beyond the court. ✅ Take action: Read Christian Athletes vs. the World and The Protection Manual to equip yourself and your family.

Featured Guest & Resources
Christian Athletes vs. the World:
The Protection Manual:

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.

In this powerful conversation, Coach Alex sits down with health coach, fitness instructor, and workshop leader Leah Fruth to explore the often-overlooked role of forgiveness in our physical and spiritual health. Leah vulnerably shares her own story of profound grief, unprocessed pain, and how God taught her that healing the body is inseparable from healing the soul.

Together, they dive into what it means to release bitterness, walk in freedom, and treat the body not as a project to fix but as a temple to steward. From homemade kombucha to workshops on stretching and prayer, Leah models what it looks like to integrate spirit, body, and soul in everyday practices.

This episode is both deeply practical and spiritually uplifting—reminding us that true health begins at the cross.

Main Discussion Themes
-How forgiveness accelerates breakthroughs in health and fitness journeys
-Leah’s story of grief, loss, and finding healing through Christ
-Why unprocessed grief manifests in the body as stress, illness, and pain
-Daily practices for releasing bitterness and living in freedom
-The biblical foundation of forgiveness and whole-person stewardship
-How to reclaim God’s truth about the body vs. the world’s lies
-Leah’s “Be Still” workshops: combining stretching, journaling, and scripture

Timestamped Outline
00:00 – 05:00 | Intro banter: coffee, kombucha, and why sleep matters
05:00 – 12:00 | Introducing Leah Fruth: fitness instructor, mom of three, and health coach
12:00 – 20:00 | Why forgiveness belongs in health coaching (real client stories)
20:00 – 28:00 | Scriptural foundation: Jesus’ command to forgive before worship
28:00 – 37:00 | Leah’s testimony: losing her parents, unprocessed grief, and the physical toll
37:00 – 45:00 | The turning point: counseling, Revelation Wellness, and integrative healing
45:00 – 55:00 | How grief, stress, and forgiveness impact immune health and daily life
55:00 – 01:05:00 | Exercise as worship and why slowing down is essential
01:05:00 – 01:15:00 | Leah’s “Be Still” workshops: stretching, journaling, and prayerful rest
01:15:00 – 01:20:00 | Free resource: Let’s Reclaim the Truth About Our Body ebook
01:20:00 – 01:25:00 | Closing prayer and blessing

Move Forward Today
✅Get Coach Alex's new book today! Faithful Fitness Devotional (40-Day Guide): https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com
✅Join the BetterDaily community! Faith And Fitness Foundations: https://betterdaily.live/beginner ✅Download Leah’s free ebook – Let’s Reclaim the Truth About Our Body: https://leahfruth.myflodesk.com/gn5sau7ha2
✅Reflect on forgiveness – Write out who you need to forgive and bring it to Jesus.
✅Subscribe to the Faithful Fitness Podcast so you don’t miss more episodes on embodied discipleship.

Featured Guest Resources
✅Free Ebook: Let’s Reclaim the Truth About Our Body: https://leahfruth.myflodesk.com/gn5sau7ha2



Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.

Episode Summary
What if peace wasn’t just a feeling you occasionally experience but a person you follow daily? In this episode, Coach Alex sits down with author, speaker, and podcast host Michelle Brumgard to explore what she calls The Pace of Peace.

Michelle shares how years of praying for calm—in her body, her marriage, and her home—revealed that true peace isn’t found in quick fixes, quiet moments, or the absence of chaos, but in Christ Himself, the Prince of Peace.

Through vulnerable stories of motherhood, marriage struggles, overwhelm, and the practical demands of daily life, Michelle helps us understand how to pause, pray, and invite Jesus into the middle of our messy days.

Together, Alex and Michelle unpack how peace intersects with our health, fitness, and homes—and why striving for control only leads to more overwhelm. Whether you’re a busy parent, a believer battling stress, or simply hungry for God’s presence in your everyday life, this conversation will remind you to slow down, breathe, and walk at the pace of peace.

Main Discussion Themes
-Why peace is not just an emotion but a person (Jesus, the Prince of Peace)
-Michelle’s journey: from overwhelm, anxiety, and striving to living at God’s pace
-The difference between worldly peace (quick fixes, calm moments) and biblical peace
-Overwhelm as the opposite of peace—and practical ways to reset
-The P.A.C.E. acronym: Pray And Continue Earnestly
-How overwhelm shows up in parenting, marriage, health, and the home
-Simple daily practices for pausing, praying, and re-centering on Christ -Michelle’s free resource: Five Proverbs to Pray When You Feel Overwhelmed
-Her upcoming book The Pace of Peace (January release)

Timestamped Outline
00:00 – 05:00 | Pre-show: life on the farm, fiber internet, kids growing up
05:00 – 12:00 | Introducing Michelle: mom of two, podcast host, relaunching her coaching ministry 12:00 – 20:00 | Why peace became her life’s message (journaling, prayer, revelation)
20:00 – 28:00 | What peace is not: quick fixes, pills, naps, or achieving goals
28:00 – 40:00 | Biblical peace as presence with Christ—even in chaos 4
0:00 – 55:00 | Overwhelm: the opposite of peace (parenting, schedules, meals, body image)
55:00 – 01:05:00 | Practical resets: journaling, prayer, prioritizing with God
01:05:00 – 01:15:00 | The P.A.C.E. acronym: Pray And Continue Earnestly
01:15:00 – 01:25:00 | Free resource: Five Proverbs to Pray When You Feel Overwhelmed
01:25:00 – 01:30:00 | Final encouragement + closing prayer

Move Forward Today
✅Get Coach Alex's new book today! Faithful Fitness Devotional (40-Day Guide): https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com
✅Join the BetterDaily community! Faith And Fitness Foundations: https://betterdaily.live/beginner ✅Download Michelle’s free resource – Five Proverbs to Pray When You Feel Overwhelmed (link in show notes).
✅Listen to The Pace of Peace Podcast for weekly encouragement and biblical guidance.
✅Pause & Pray – When overwhelm hits, stop and bring your list to God.
✅Look for Evidence of Peace – Write down small ways God is showing His faithfulness today. ✅Pre-order Michelle’s book The Pace of Peace (January release).

Featured Guest Resources
-Free Resource: Five Proverbs to Pray When You Feel Overwhelmed
-Podcast: The Pace of Peace Podcast
-Book: The Pace of Peace (releasing January)

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.

🧠 Episode Summary
Coach Alex reconnects with longtime friend and former training partner Gabe Aguirre—now an itinerant preacher and theological content creator—to unpack the vital link between biblical depth, spiritual endurance, and embodied faith.

They explore why expositional preaching is essential for growing deep spiritual roots, how to guard against modern Gnosticism that separates body and spirit, and what bodybuilding can teach us about stewardship and discipline under Christ’s lordship.

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand how good theology makes strong disciples—and strong bodies serve eternal purposes.

🧩 Main Discussion Themes
-What “Expositional Preaching” really means (and why it’s missing in most churches)
-The danger of “milk-only” Christianity vs. the meat of the Word
-Rooting your faith deeply enough to withstand trials and lies
-How theology forms the foundation of resilience in suffering
-Modern Gnosticism: how the church has unconsciously separated body and spirit
-The role of bodybuilding and fitness in spiritual growth and stewardship
-Avoiding idolatry in both ministry and the gym
-Doing all things unto the glory of God, including your workouts

🕒 Timestamped Outline
00:00 — Pre-show banter & nine-year reunion
01:40 — Why Alex invited Gabe: Faith + Theology + Fitness
03:30 — Defining “Expositional Preaching” (and why it matters)
06:10 — Milk vs. Meat: Growing past spiritual infancy
08:30 — Why the church needs deeper teaching, not diluted faith
10:45 — The “Gates of Hell” passage reexamined – offense vs. defense
13:50 — Commentary study, seminary insights, and tools for laypeople
16:00 — Shallow roots vs. deep roots: The parable of the sower in real life
18:30 — Why theology matters in times of suffering and loss
22:15 — Sound doctrine as protection against despair and false teaching
26:45 — The Bible’s depth: “shallow enough for a child, deep enough for a lifetime”
30:00 — Milk preaching doesn’t prepare for suffering
32:45 — Scripture misused: coffee mugs and context
35:00 — America’s spiritual turning point & hunger for truth
38:00 — Taking territory back from hell – the church on offense
40:15 — Gen Z, biblical illiteracy, and the cost of losing the Word
43:00 — The 95% problem: Living on fresh media instead of ancient truth
46:00 — Psalms 1: being rooted by rivers of living water
48:00 — Scripture stands the test of time – Acts & Gamaliel’s warning
49:30 — Transition: the body as a theological battleground
51:00 — Bodybuilding as discipline, not vanity
53:30 — Stewardship, idolatry, and keeping Christ first in fitness
56:00 — The “artist’s eye” of bodybuilding – perfection as devotion
58:00 — Discipline, suffering, and spiritual transformation through training
01:01:00 — Bringing Christ into every part of life—24/7 discipleship
01:03:00 — Gabe’s final exhortation: Avoid idolatry; glorify God in all things
01:04:30 — Closing prayer for Gabe & his ministry
01:05:30 — Outro: “Train Hard, Pray Harder.”

🏃‍♂️ Move Forward Today
✅Get Coach Alex's new book today! Faithful Fitness Devotional (40-Day Guide): https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com 
✅Join the BetterDaily community! Faith And Fitness Foundations: https://betterdaily.live/beginner 
✅ Read one passage of Scripture expositionally—word by word, context by context
✅ Reflect: Are there areas where your fitness or goals have become idols?
✅ Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier tomorrow to be in the Word before the world
✅ Invite a brother or sister in Christ to train or study with you this week
✅ Subscribe to Expositor99 for deeper theological insights

🔗 Featured Guest Resources
📺 YouTube: Expositor99
📖 Recommended Study Tools: ESV Study Bible,...

📖 Episode Summary
In an age of artificial intelligence, digital simulation, and disembodied experiences, it’s easy to lose touch with what makes us truly human. We outsource more than ever—our thinking, our remembering, even our relationships.

But there is one practice that cannot be simulated: fitness. In this episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex VanHouten explores why exercise isn’t just about health metrics or biblical stewardship of your own body.

Fitness is an act of resistance against disembodiment. It is a bastion of reality, a practice that anchors you to your own flesh, reminds you of God’s design, and connects you with others in ways no algorithm can replicate. If you’ve ever wondered how faith, fitness, and the future collide, this is the conversation you don’t want to miss. 

🗝 Main Discussion Themes
-The cultural drift toward disembodiment in the “Age of AI”
-Why fitness is one of the last unmediated human experiences
-Exercise as a practice of resistance and remembrance of being alive
-How shared physical exertion strengthens connection and community
-The incarnational truth: God became flesh, and our embodiment matters

⏱ Timestamped Outline 
0:00 — Intro: The Most Counter-Cultural Thing You Can Do
1:45 — Reason 1: We Live in Disembodied Times 3:00 — Reason 2: Fitness Is Resistance Against Cultural Drift
4:10 — Reason 3: Fitness Is Always Real
5:25 — Reason 4: The Body Is Wired for Adaptation and Connection
7:10 — Reason 5: Stewardship – Your Body as a Temple
8:55 — Reason 6: Fitness Prepares You for the Future
9:55 — Reason 7: It’s Really Not That Hard
11:00 — Closing Encouragement: Don’t Outsource Your Humanity
12:15 — Outro: Train Hard, Pray Harder

🏃 Move Forward Today 
-Move Your Body: Do something physical today that reminds you you’re alive.
-Train With Others: Invite someone to walk, lift, or sweat with you.
-Reflect Spiritually: Thank God for the gift of your body — “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

🌐 Featured Resources
-Faithful Fitness Devotional (40-Day Guide): https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com
-Faith And Fitness Foundations: https://betterdaily.live/beginner

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.

✨ Episode Summary
 In this groundbreaking episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex sits down with Drew Boa—author of Outgrow Porn and founder of Husband Material Ministries—to tackle one of the most hidden yet destructive struggles in the Church today: pornography.

Drew combines neuroscience, psychology, and biblical truth to offer a message of hope far beyond “try harder” strategies and purity culture. Together, Alex and Drew explore how porn is not simply a moral issue but a sexualized solution to unprocessed pain—and how healing, maturity, and God’s grace provide the true path to freedom.

This episode will challenge you, encourage you, and equip you (or someone you love) to walk in freedom, heal from shame, and redeem sexuality under the Lordship of Christ.

📌 Main Discussion Themes
-Why fitness, sexuality, and stewardship are inseparably linked
-The difference between arousal and desire—and why it matters
-Porn as a pacifier: a counterfeit solution to unprocessed pain
-How shame becomes toxic—and how bringing it into the light disarms it
-The failure of “purity culture” vs. the grace-driven process of healing
-Practical tools for moving past porn and into deeper connection with God and others
-The Church’s calling to reclaim sexual wholeness and disciple future generations

🕒 Timestamped Outline
00:00 – Alex’s introduction and framing: What does porn have to do with fitness? 
06:40 – Drew shares about fitness, music, and life in Colorado Springs
08:30 – Introducing Drew Boa: author, podcaster, and Pastoral Sex Addiction Professional
10:15 – Why porn affects stewardship of the body and faith
12:00 – Sexuality as blessing and boundaries: fire in the fireplace analogy
14:30 – Fighting waves vs. riding them: how to deal with sexual energy
17:20 – Why Outgrow Porn is different from other books on the subject
19:10 – Porn as a “sexualized solution to unprocessed pain”
23:30 – The pacifier metaphor: outgrowing childish solutions
27:20 – Fitness metaphor: “try harder” vs. healing foundations
29:40 – Purity culture’s failures and the need for compassion
31:15 – The shame cycle and how healing begins with safe connection
36:00 – Shame: when it’s healthy, when it’s toxic, and how to bring it into light
42:30 – Accessibility of Drew’s writing: practical tools, not academic jargon
44:50 – Head to heart to gut: integrating all of yourself in healing
46:50 – Drew’s hope for the Church: not just avoiding lust, but learning love
50:20 – On offense: the Church storming the gates of hell
52:10 – Porn as spiritual warfare—and how Christ meets us with compassion
54:20 – Drew’s final words: “Always remember, you are God’s beloved son”
55:20 – Alex closes in prayer over Drew, his work, and listeners

🚀 Move Forward Today
-Grab Coach Alex's devotional: Faithful Fitness – A 40-Day Devotional for Christian Health and Stewardship → https://Faithfulfitnessdevo.com
-Join the Better Daily Community → https://betterdaily.live/invite
-Get Drew’s Book: Outgrow Porn – download the free first chapter and begin your healing journey.
-Join Husband Material: Explore Drew’s coaching, groups, and retreats at husbandmaterial.com.
-Bring Shame into the Light: Share this episode with a trusted friend, group, or pastor—and start the conversation.
-Remember: True fitness includes stewarding every part of your body, mind, and spirit.

📚 Featured Guest Resources
-Book: Outgrow Porn – Drew Boa
-Podcast: Husband Material Podcast
-Website: drewboa.com
-Ministry: husbandmaterial.com

Become a supporter of this podcast: Show more...