This episode started with a bench press, outside a church before a father's day service. Yep. That actually happened. But it’s not just about one pastor or one sermon, it’s about the weight men keep being told to carry. In The Weight Was Never Yours, I respond to a Father’s Day message built on fear, performance, and pressure, and explore how that kind of faith doesn’t free men, it breaks them. This is a call to let go of the false scripts, the macho theater, and the fragile strength dressed up as godliness. If you’ve ever felt like manhood was a test you were failing, this episode is for you. There’s a better way. A freer one. And it doesn’t start with a bench press,it starts with honesty.

If you’re a dad, a partner, a man in the middle of unlearning, or even if you’re just someone who’s been affected by the weight men are told to carry: I hope this gave you some language. Or maybe just a little relief. A crack in the armor where something softer can breathe. You don’t have to perform your way into worth. You don’t have to lead like a soldier to be holy. You don’t have to carry it alone. If this resonated, there’s more where that came from. You can find other episodes of Clemenz With a “Z” wherever you listen to podcasts. Or head over to my Substack for devotionals, reflections, and the kind of spiritual wrestling they never let us do in Sunday school. Want to reach out or share your story? You can always message me on Instagram @clemenzwithaz or send an email through my website, clemenzwithaz.com. And if you want to support this work, whether it’s a one-time tip at gofund.me/7ebb0524 buying a sticker at my website: clemenzwithaz.com, or just spreading the word there’s info for that on the site too. Until next time, Be soft where you used to be scared. Be honest where you used to hide. And be strong enough to rest.