Episodi

  • Ep 7: From Top Gun to Total Surrender

    Ep 7: From Top Gun to Total Surrender
    Jan 27 2026
    Featuring: John Ramstead Organizations: Beyond Influence; Hangar X Studios In this powerful and deeply personal episode of The Power of OR Podcast, Brad Hawkins and Jim Brangenberg sit down with longtime friend and former Navy fighter pilot John Ramstead to explore the unexpected turns that reshaped his life, faith, and identity. From achieving his lifelong dream of flying F-14s to losing his career overnight, and later surviving a near-fatal accident that led to a profound encounter with Jesus, John shares what it truly means to live with the Power of OR – trusting God when everything familiar is taken away. This is a story of ambition, loss, surrender, healing, and learning that God's plans are often revealed through our greatest disruptions. What You'll Hear in This Episode The mentorship lesson that John learned from his dad and applied to his life The devastating injury that ended his military career just months before Top Gun Losing his identity, struggling with depression, and being a door-to-door cell phone salesman after leaving the Navy A divine encounter with Christ that radically transformed his faith and marriage A second life-altering "OR moment" after a catastrophic horseback accident Why "all things work together for good" became the foundation of his life How suffering reshaped his understanding of joy, identity, and purpose Key OR Moments Top Gun or Total Loss – Chosen for Top Gun, then medically disqualified days later Career Identity or Kingdom Identity – Losing his dream forced John to confront who he really was in Christ Death or Divine Encounter – A traumatic brain injury led to a supernatural experience with Jesus Regret or Redemption – Learning to trust that God redeems even the paths we don't understand Why This Episode Matters John's story speaks directly to anyone who has faced disappointment, career loss, identity crises, or deep suffering. It's a reminder that our greatest calling isn't found in titles, success, or achievements but in intimacy with Christ. This episode challenges listeners to ask: What if the very thing I see as loss is actually God's invitation to something deeper?
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    50 min
  • Ep 6: Why God Doesn't Retire Leaders

    Ep 6: Why God Doesn't Retire Leaders
    Jan 13 2026

    In this conversation, Russell Jenson shares his journey from decades in education to building a mobile escape-room business that became an unexpected leadership training ground. After ten years, he made another courageous decision: selling the business not to slow down, but to make room for what God might be inviting him into next.

    Russell's Key "OR" Moments

    • Stay in education OR leave when the joy and freedom were gone

    • Run an escape room for fun OR use it to reveal real leadership

    • Keep the business local OR take it mobile to serve more teams

    • Let titles lead OR allow true leaders to emerge under pressure

    • Hold ownership OR release the business to a new steward

    • Retire comfortably OR stay fully engaged for Kingdom impact

    Russell's story challenges the cultural assumption that purpose fades with age. His journey reminds us that God doesn't retire His people. He reassigns them.

    This episode is for anyone standing at a crossroads, sensing a transition, or facing an OR moment where faith is required to choose what might be the less obvious path.

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    58 min
  • Ep 5: Villain, Victim… or Victor?

    Ep 5: Villain, Victim… or Victor?
    Dec 30 2025
    What do you do when obedience to God seems to cost you everything? In this powerful episode of The Power of OR Podcast, filmmaker Drew Martin, founder of Mighty Motion Pictures, shares the defining crossroads of his life and work. After years of creating bold, truth-telling documentaries, Drew faced devastating personal and professional losses – financial collapse, betrayal, and the end of a decades-long marriage. At his lowest point, God confronted Drew with a stark OR: Be the villain Live as the victim Or rise as the victor This conversation explores how Drew chose the third option and what that choice looks like when circumstances haven't yet changed. What You'll Hear in This Episode How Drew discerns God's direction in his creative work Why obedience doesn't guarantee an easy path (but does guarantee purpose) The unseen spiritual battle behind media, culture, and life-and-death issues How eternal perspective reshapes pain, loss, and perseverance Why identity – not circumstances – is often the real battleground A candid challenge to men about work, family, and legacy Why This Conversation Matters This episode isn't just about filmmaking. It's about faith under fire. Drew's story speaks to anyone facing loss, injustice, or uncertainty while trying to remain faithful to God's call. If you've ever wondered: Did I hear God wrong? Why is obedience so costly? How do I keep going when everything falls apart? This conversation meets you right there. You may not get to choose the battle but you do get to choose who you'll be in it. Villain. Victim. Or Victor. Featuring: Drew Martin Ministry/ Workplace: Filmmaker, founder of Mighty Motion Pictures
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    51 min
  • Ep 4: Choosing Purpose Over Security in Business

    Ep 4: Choosing Purpose Over Security in Business
    Dec 16 2025
    In this episode, Brad and Jim sit down with Mike Saunders, a marketing strategist who helps financial professionals build real authority without gimmicks, pride, or burnout. His story is a masterclass in learning to hear God's direction in your work, taking bold steps when the timing makes no sense, and grounding your business in trust instead of anxiety. Mike shares how he pivoted from "doing everything for everyone" to becoming a niche leader in authority positioning. But even more, he unpacks the internal pivots, learning to trust the Holy Spirit with his business, fighting worry with truth, and keeping his identity rooted in Christ while working in an industry that can easily feed the ego. What We Cover Mike's "OR moment": step back into corporate… or step forward into entrepreneurship with God's leading How narrowing his niche created clarity, success—and peace The difference between pride and God-honoring confidence How he integrates faith naturally with clients Why identity in Christ stabilizes you when business feels like a rollercoaster The discipline of "prayoritizing" your day Wisdom for younger entrepreneurs: excellence, urgency, and constant growth A picture of retirement that looks more like Kingdom impact than checking out Why This Conversation Matters Mike's journey gives a refreshing vision for Christian entrepreneurs who want to lead with integrity, keep anxiety at bay, and build something that lasts longer than their career. His stories and principles offer practical handles for inviting the Holy Spirit into daily decision-making – especially in seasons of uncertainty. Featuring: Mike Saunders Ministry/ Workplace: Marketing Strategist
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    48 min
  • Ep 3: Repentance OR Reputation: When Obedience Means Losing Everything

    Ep 3: Repentance OR Reputation: When Obedience Means Losing Everything
    Dec 2 2025

    What do you do when your entire world collapses – and you're the reason it did?

    In this deeply honest conversation, Blake Mattocks shares the defining OR moment that changed everything: protect his reputation and cling to what was familiar or bring his failure into the light and trust God with whatever came next. That decision – costly, humbling, and obedient – became the doorway to unexpected healing and a global ministry impacting millions.

    This episode reminds us that the Power of OR often appears in moments of surrender, not strategy.

    The OR Moment

    Blake faced a choice many leaders quietly fear:

    • hide, manage, and preserve a powerful position

    • OR repent, resign, and let God rebuild from the ground up

    Choosing obedience over self-protection didn't end his calling – it redefined it.

    Key Takeaways

    • How crisis reveals whether we trust our plans or God's provision

    • Why repentance is a decision, but healing is a process

    • The danger of longing for what God is asking you to leave behind

    • How surrender creates space for God to lead step by step

    • Why God sometimes removes a single source of provision to invite deeper trust

    • What it looks like to follow God without a clear roadmap

    From Collapse to Calling

    Out of loss, uncertainty, and daily dependence, 365 Christian Stories was born – spreading stories of redemption across more than 100 countries, without a marketing strategy or monetization plan. A powerful reminder that God's work advances through obedience, not control.

    For the Listener Wrestling with a Decision

    If you're standing at a crossroads – clinging to security, reputation, or certainty – this episode offers hope. God doesn't always reveal the full plan, but He is faithful to guide those willing to choose His way.

    The most powerful decisions are rarely comfortable, but when we choose God's way, He does more than restore. He transforms!

    Featuring: Blake Mattocks

    Ministry/ Workplace: 365 Christian Stories
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    51 min
  • What If One Word Could Change Everything?

    What If One Word Could Change Everything?
    Nov 18 2025
    In this episode, Brad Hawkins and Jim Brangenberg dig deeper into The Power of OR—the small but transforming shift that helped Brad rebuild his life after a 24-hour collapse that nearly took everything from him. They revisit the moment Brad's world came apart, the painful assumptions he carried into every room, and how the simple discipline of staying curious—rather than jumping to conclusions—became the turning point. Brad shares how his old patterns of "instant conclusions" convinced him that people in his church hated him, that God had turned His back on him, and that every negative interaction confirmed what he already believed. The Power of OR interrupted that cycle, helping him ask new questions like "Or is there something I'm not seeing?"—a shift that ultimately restored relationships, confidence, and spiritual clarity. Jim and Brad explore how OR reshapes leadership and business culture, especially when deeply held beliefs and past experiences quietly limit growth. They highlight how curiosity opens the door to innovation, builds healthier teams, and helps leaders avoid reactionary decisions. The conversation also weaves through: • How thoughts ignite emotions, which shape behavior and results • Why changing internal beliefs is essential for business and personal breakthrough • How OR mirrors biblical wisdom—especially Paul's call to "renew your mind" • The role of the Holy Spirit in slowing us down to hear truth • A real-life moment when Brad chose OR with a rude barista—and watched God flip the entire exchange • Why developing "OR muscles" requires community, humility, and honest feedback • How OR applies not only to emotional triggers but also strategic opportunities in business Brad and Jim close by inviting you to pay attention to your own moments of OR—the places where God might be opening a door you haven't noticed yet. If this conversation stirred something in you or reminded you of a moment where curiosity changed everything, they'd love to hear your story and even explore it together on a future episode. Hit the subscribe/follow button and keep exploring the power of "OR."
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    36 min
  • What is the Power of OR?: A Testimony of Betrayal, Brokenness, and Breakthrough

    What is the Power of OR?: A Testimony of Betrayal, Brokenness, and Breakthrough
    Nov 4 2025

    In this first-ever episode of the Power of OR Podcast, Brad Hawkins shares the true story behind the movement. Once leading multiple thriving companies across investment management, tech, medical services, and more, Brad watched his world collapse in a single day when a partner's hidden wrongdoing triggered a federal investigation and froze every dollar he owned. Though ultimately found innocent, Brad lost everything—businesses, reputation, security—and sank into a year marked by depression, anger, and isolation.

    What followed is the heart of this conversation: the unexpected places God met him, the surprising ways provision showed up when there was nothing left, and the transformative moment where Scripture shifted from theology to encounter. Brad unpacks:

    • The day his life unraveled and why no one came to his defense
    • How losing his reputation nearly mattered more than losing his wealth
    • The internal war between vengeance, despair, and surrender
    • The simple act of serving that started his healing
    • The turning point moment God spoke into his grief and reframed his story
    • Why obedience, not striving, is the real path to calling
    • The biblical "OR" that changes everything when trials come

    This raw conversation sets the foundation for the journey ahead—where business challenges, faith, and real-life struggles collide, and where choosing God's perspective ("OR") leads to clarity, resilience, and kingdom impact.

    Subscribe now and keep tuning in each week. This first episode isn't just a story—it's a reminder that when life splits at the seams, God invites us to see not only what is, but what He can do next.

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    1 ora e 7 min