What happens when the place that shaped your faith is also the place that wounds you? In this first part of a 2-part episode, Michael Krommendyk takes us through his journey from growing up in church to stepping into ministry and eventually stepping away from it all. He opens up about the weight of expectations, the quiet moments of doubt, and the small discoveries of grace that reshaped his story. This episode isn’t about answers, it’s about noticing the questions that hit hardest and the spaces where healing actually begins. Listen if you’re curious about what it looks like to wrestle honestly with faith, identity, and the messy middle of life.
If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at
https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Dads, ready to bond with your kids like never before? Join Basecamp Boys and Basecamp Girls for a weekend of hiking, camping, and screen-free connection with your 8-11-year-old son or 10-12-year-old daughter. It’s more than a trip—it’s your legacy.
Reserve your spot today at www.restorationproject.net/experiences.
This episode starts with punctuation, of all things, and somehow lands on one of the most grounded ways to close out a year. Jesse and Chris talk about how many of us end December with a question mark, an exclamation point, or a long, tired comma that never gives us a real pause. What if this time you ended with a period instead. The kind that lets the year be exactly what it was and lets you name who you have actually become. It is a simple idea with surprising weight, and the guys invite you into it with tenderness, honesty, and a pretty unforgettable image of God’s hands cupped around your becoming.
If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at
https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Are you settling for buddies when you could have brothers? Chris Bruno's ''Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers'' is your roadmap to authentic male camaraderie, transcending small talk to forge connections rooted in shared stories and vulnerability. This practical guide isn't just about understanding; it's about action—empowering men to champion each other's strengths while embracing their flaws.
Get Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers on Amazon and turn buddies into brothers.
In this episode of the Restorative Man podcast, Jesse French and Cody Buriff engage in a deep conversation with Tim Helwege about the multifaceted nature of fitness and health. They explore personal stories of strength, the underlying motivations for pursuing fitness, and the impact of shame narratives on men's health. Tim emphasizes the importance of understanding one's 'why' behind fitness goals, the significance of long-term vision in health, and the concept of stewardship of the body. The discussion also touches on navigating body image issues and finding balance in caring for one's physical self.
If you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at
https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Are you settling for buddies when you could have brothers? Chris Bruno's ''Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers'' is your roadmap to authentic male camaraderie, transcending small talk to forge connections rooted in shared stories and vulnerability. This practical guide isn't just about understanding; it's about action—empowering men to champion each other's strengths while embracing their flaws.
Get Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers on Amazon and turn buddies into brothers.
As the year winds down, Chris and Jesse invite us into a different kind of reflection by asking what it might look like to receive a report card from your kids about how they actually experience you as their dad. Instead of performance or pressure, this simple tool opens the door to honest connection, real curiosity, and conversations most families never slow down enough to have. They walk through how the fathering report card helps you engage your kids, and how the kids’ self-report offers a calm space for them to reflect on their own growth as well.
You can download the fathering report card here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1puPydshtrgkZ2gZ0lF3vvKSMwCCLHo7n/view?usp=drive_link
And if you want to grow alongside other intentional men, you can jump into the Grove Collective at
https://www.restorationproject.net/grovecollective
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Are you settling for buddies when you could have brothers? Chris Bruno's ''Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers'' is your roadmap to authentic male camaraderie, transcending small talk to forge connections rooted in shared stories and vulnerability. This practical guide isn't just about understanding; it's about action—empowering men to champion each other's strengths while embracing their flaws.
Get Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers on Amazon and turn buddies into brothers.
This week, Chris and Jesse dive into the overrated and underrated parts of December and it is such a fun ride. They share family stories about cutting down Christmas trees, losing kids in snow wells, and why some traditions feel grounding while others just wear us out. You will hear honest reflections on Christmas music, the pressure to reflect at the end of the year, and the longing for simple moments of peace. More than anything, this conversation invites you to notice what actually brings delight and rest in your own holiday season. Join us for an easygoing, thoughtful episode that might help you enter December with a little more presence and a little less pressure.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Are you settling for buddies when you could have brothers? Chris Bruno's ''Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers'' is your roadmap to authentic male camaraderie, transcending small talk to forge connections rooted in shared stories and vulnerability. This practical guide isn't just about understanding; it's about action—empowering men to champion each other's strengths while embracing their flaws.
Get Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers on Amazon and turn buddies into brothers.
Chris just got back from California, where he spent the weekend with all three of his grown kids — and came home with some fresh reflections on fatherhood. In this episode, he and Jesse talk about what it means to still be a dad when your kids are adults and don’t need you in the same way anymore. They unpack three postures of fathering — out front, behind, and next to — and what each one asks of us as men. You’ll hear stories about letting kids fail, learning to respect them as adults, and realizing that parenting doesn’t end, it just changes. It’s an honest, funny, and heartfelt look at what growing alongside your kids can really look like.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Dive into the heart of fatherhood with the Man Maker Project: A Father's Guide to Initiating His Son into Manhood – the ultimate guide for dads seeking to instill godly values in their sons. Experience the transformative journey of intentional fathering as you navigate modern rites of passage and empower your son to become a beacon of strength and kindness in society.
Man Maker Project: A Father's Guide to Initiating His Son into Manhood available on Amazon.com.
Ever had a family plan that looked great on paper but fell apart somewhere around hour twenty-four? In this episode, Jesse shares a road trip story that turned from “adventure” to “are we there yet?” and back again, while Chris helps him uncover what was really going on beneath the chaos. Together they talk about how easy it is to chase efficiency and forget to set our families and ourselves up for success. But maybe the meltdown wasn’t failure after all. Maybe it was the moment that revealed what was lost, what was gained, and what actually matters when we invite others into our story.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Are you settling for buddies when you could have brothers? Chris Bruno's ''Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers'' is your roadmap to authentic male camaraderie, transcending small talk to forge connections rooted in shared stories and vulnerability. This practical guide isn't just about understanding; it's about action—empowering men to champion each other's strengths while embracing their flaws.
Get Brotherhood Primer: A Man's Guide To Turning Buddies Into Brothers on Amazon and turn buddies into brothers.
Ever notice how certain family traditions just stick, not because of what you do, but because of who you become together? In this episode, Chris and Jesse talk about why rhythms like Thanksgiving trips, Christmas tree rituals, or even peeling apples as a family can quietly shape who we are. They explore how small, repeated moments turn into anchors of identity, grounding us when life feels scattered. You’ll hear stories that are both hilarious and deeply human, from failed traditions that burned (literally) to ones that became sacred. Maybe it’ll have you wondering what stories your own family rituals are telling.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Dive into the heart of fatherhood with the Man Maker Project: A Father's Guide to Initiating His Son into Manhood – the ultimate guide for dads seeking to instill godly values in their sons. Experience the transformative journey of intentional fathering as you navigate modern rites of passage and empower your son to become a beacon of strength and kindness in society.
Man Maker Project: A Father's Guide to Initiating His Son into Manhood available on Amazon.com.
Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is stop producing. In this conversation, Jesse French and Cody Buriff talk about what it means to let parts of our lives “lay fallow”—to rest, to pause, and to trust that unseen work is still happening beneath the surface. They explore why rest isn’t laziness, but wisdom, and how our constant drive to achieve can actually rob us of long-term health. Together they wrestle with questions about control, trust, and the fear of slowing down. It’s an honest look at what happens when men choose to stop forcing growth and let God do His quiet work.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Ready for transformative adventures? Whether you're seeking connection with your kids, personal growth in midlife, or healing journeys, we've got you covered. Join us in exploring the wilderness and overseas for life-changing experiences. Invest in yourself and your relationships today.
Visit https://www.restorationproject.net/experiences and start your journey now!
Sometimes the most important work isn’t in the harvesting but in the sorting that follows. Cody and Jesse talk about what it means to “thresh” our stories—to separate what’s real and life-giving from what’s just been protecting us. They explore how our masks and old ways of coping can hide the truer parts of who we are. Together they wonder what it looks like to name both the pain and the glory of how we’ve shown up this year. It’s an honest look at how reflection, curiosity, and the presence of others help reveal the man God is still shaping in us.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Ready for transformative adventures? Whether you're seeking connection with your kids, personal growth in midlife, or healing journeys, we've got you covered. Join us in exploring the wilderness and overseas for life-changing experiences. Invest in yourself and your relationships today.
Visit https://www.restorationproject.net/experiences and start your journey now!
It’s fall, and Jesse and Cody are leaning into what this season has to teach us about our own lives. Harvest is more than gathering crops; it’s about looking back and naming what’s been growing in us over the past year. Maybe some things thrived, maybe others didn’t—but either way, this is a time to take stock without shame. They talk about how reflection helps us see what’s been formed in our hearts and where God’s been at work, even when we missed it. Because before we can move forward, we have to gather what’s grown.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Ready for transformative adventures? Whether you're seeking connection with your kids, personal growth in midlife, or healing journeys, we've got you covered. Join us in exploring the wilderness and overseas for life-changing experiences. Invest in yourself and your relationships today.
Visit https://www.restorationproject.net/experiences and start your journey now!
Sometimes growth feels invisible and you wonder if anything is really happening beneath the surface. In this episode, Cody, Jesse, and Alison Buriff explore the surprising wisdom of the garden and what it teaches us about patience, tending, and transformation. From soil health to the slow process of rooting, they connect the hidden work of plants with the hidden work of our own lives. You will hear stories of pulling weeds, waiting for fruit, and learning to trust the process. It is an honest conversation about why real growth takes time and why that is actually good news.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Cody and Jesse sit down to talk about the beauty and ache of raising daughters. From the first time you hold them to the teenage years that stretch you in new ways, the journey brings both joy and grief. They share stories of tenderness, protection, and the surprising wisdom their daughters have offered back to them. This isn’t just about parenting skills, but about how fathering changes a man from the inside out. It’s an honest look at the mystery, the laughter, and even the tears that come with walking alongside daughters as they grow.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Ready for transformative adventures? Whether you're seeking connection with your kids, personal growth in midlife, or healing journeys, we've got you covered. Join us in exploring the wilderness and overseas for life-changing experiences. Invest in yourself and your relationships today.
Visit https://www.restorationproject.net/experiences and start your journey now!
Jesse and Jeremy kick off this episode laughing and teasing each other, but pretty quickly the conversation turns to something deeper. They play a clip from Jeremy’s interview with John Tyson that names a truth many men have never heard clearly enough: you are needed. Not when you get everything figured out, not when you feel strong enough, but right now as you are. Together they talk about how easy it is to freeze up waiting to be “ready” and how powerful it is when a brother or father says show up anyway. It is a reminder that what the world needs is not a perfect man but a present one.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
It’s easy to spend years playing a role and lose touch with who you really are. We all create masks and false selves to survive disconnection or to chase the love we longed for but didn’t know how to receive. In this episode, Chris and Jesse explore the reality that every man wrestles with a false persona, and every man is invited to risk laying it down. They unpack what it means to return to your true story, to embrace your identity as beloved, and why that journey can feel both terrifying and deeply freeing. This is a grounding conversation about shedding the false self and stepping into restorative manhood rooted in love.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Manhood can feel like uncharted territory, most of us are figuring it out as we go. From September 25–28, 2025, the Restorative Manhood Digital Summit brings together voices like Dan Allender, Dude Dad, Mark Batterson, Curt Thompson, and more to talk identity, fatherhood, friendship, and becoming the man you were made to be. You’ll get honest, practical conversations you can watch or listen to on your own schedule. Best of all, it’s completely free! Sign up at restorationproject.net/RMDSummit.
Parenting has a way of exposing just how quickly we can lose our cool. In this episode of The Restorative Man Podcast, Chris Bruno and Jesse French talk about the practice of non-anxious curiosity, a simple but powerful way to stop yelling at your kids and become a calm dad. Sparked by a conversation with Mark Batterson on the Restorative Manhood Digital Summit, they explore how choosing curiosity over control changes the way we parent, love, and lead. Through real stories of rupture and repair, they get honest about the messy moments every father faces. If you’ve been searching for how to connect with your kids without constant correction, this conversation will help you breathe a little easier.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Manhood can feel like uncharted territory, most of us are figuring it out as we go. From September 25–28, 2025, the Restorative Manhood Digital Summit brings together voices like Dan Allender, Dude Dad, Mark Batterson, Curt Thompson, and more to talk identity, fatherhood, friendship, and becoming the man you were made to be. You’ll get honest, practical conversations you can watch or listen to on your own schedule. Best of all, it’s completely free! Sign up at restorationproject.net/RMDSummit.
So many men grow up cutting off parts of themselves just to fit expectations. In this episode, Cody Buriff and Jesse French share a teaser from Jesse's interview with Taylor Calmus, aka "Dude Dad", featured in the upcoming Restorative Manhood Digital Summit. Taylor talks about chasing creativity, rediscovering childhood passions, and why refusing to box yourself in can actually lead to a more authentic life. Cody and Jesse reflect on their own journeys of integration, reminding us that the things that once made us come alive as kids still matter today. It’s an honest, funny, and hopeful look at manhood that invites us to carry all of who we are into the world.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Manhood can feel like uncharted territory, most of us are figuring it out as we go. From September 25–28, 2025, the Restorative Manhood Digital Summit brings together voices like Dan Allender, Dude Dad, Mark Batterson, Curt Thompson, and more to talk identity, fatherhood, friendship, and becoming the man you were made to be. You’ll get honest, practical conversations you can watch or listen to on your own schedule. Best of all, it’s completely free! Sign up at restorationproject.net/RMDSummit.
In this episode, Jesse French and Greg Ehlert share a heartfelt conversation sparked by Greg’s interview with John Ortberg on spiritual disciplines. They unpack how practices meant to bring us closer to God can easily slip into performance and self-evaluation, leaving us striving instead of resting in grace. With insights from Dallas Willard and vivid metaphors like sailing and surfing, they reflect on how spiritual practices are less about achieving and more about opening ourselves to God’s love. The discussion also explores how living in this posture of receptivity reshapes not only our relationship with God but also the way we show up with our families and communities. It’s an honest and freeing reminder that disciplines are not about shoulds or striving, but about connection and trust.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Manhood can feel like uncharted territory, most of us are figuring it out as we go. From September 25–28, 2025, the Restorative Manhood Digital Summit brings together voices like Dan Allender, Dude Dad, Mark Batterson, Curt Thompson, and more to talk identity, fatherhood, friendship, and becoming the man you were made to be. You’ll get honest, practical conversations you can watch or listen to on your own schedule. Best of all, it’s completely free! Sign up at restorationproject.net/RMDSummit.
Cathy Loerzel says the world needs men in their most redeemed form—men who don’t apologize for their manhood but offer it as strength, not power. In this teaser for her interview in the upcoming Restorative Manhood Digital Summit, Chris and Cody unpack the tension so many men feel between being “too much” and “not enough,” and how those messages often start in childhood. They share how fear of hurting others can cause men to pull back, creating a “masculine famine” in relationships and communities. The conversation explores the difference between power that wounds and strength that creates safety, as well as how repair after rupture can be one of the truest signs of maturity. Vulnerability, confidence, and the willingness to show up as the man you were made to be all take center stage.
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Ever feel like life didn’t turn out the way you hoped, and you’re left holding the pieces of what you thought would be? In this episode, Cody and Jesse sit down to talk about disillusionment—how it shows up in our faith, families, and even our own growth, and why it might not be the enemy we think it is. With a powerful snippet from Dan Allender (part of our upcoming Restorative Manhood Digital Summit), they reflect on the quiet invitations hidden inside our disappointments. What if disillusionment isn’t something to avoid, but something that clears space for something deeper, truer, and more lasting?
Want to hear more voices like Dan Allender’s? Join us for the Restorative Manhood Digital Summit, happening September 25–28. It’s a free, four-day online event featuring conversations with pastors, psychologists, scientists, and spiritual leaders—offering a hopeful, honest vision of masculinity.
Register now at restorationproject.net/rmdsummit
Access the Restoration Project Community and join the Grove Collective!
Subscribe here: https://rp-grove.circle.so/
To know more about Restoration Project, visit us here:
Manhood can feel like uncharted territory, most of us are figuring it out as we go. From September 25–28, 2025, the Restorative Manhood Digital Summit brings together voices like Dan Allender, Dude Dad, Mark Batterson, Curt Thompson, and more to talk identity, fatherhood, friendship, and becoming the man you were made to be. You’ll get honest, practical conversations you can watch or listen to on your own schedule. Best of all, it’s completely free! Sign up at restorationproject.net/RMDSummit.