In this deep and eye-opening episode of The Jesus People Podcast, licensed therapist and author Jay Stringer unpacks why willpower alone never brings lasting freedom. From pornography and addiction to food, anger, and ambition, Jay explains how our unwanted behaviors are not random but are telling a story rooted in trauma, attachment, and desire.

Jay shares how shame, strict upbringing, emotional neglect, and unresolved wounds shape what we crave, why accountability often fails, and how curiosity, not condemnation, leads to real healing. This conversation challenges both lust management and cultural normalization, inviting listeners to understand how God uses desire not to destroy us but to restore us.

If you have ever asked, “Why do I keep doing what I do not want to do,” this episode offers clarity, compassion, and a path forward grounded in truth, psychology, and Scripture.

• Why willpower and accountability alone do not lead to freedom • How trauma and attachment shape sexual desire and addiction • The hidden role of shame, powerlessness, and emotional neglect • Why porn, food, and substances often become substitutes for soothing • How desire can form either the best or worst version of you • Moving from lust management to curiosity and healing • Why God’s kindness, not condemnation, leads to repentance • Integrating your story instead of being trapped by it • How desire can become a pathway to joy, purpose, and restoration

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, shame, unwanted habits, or confusion around desire, this conversation offers hope. Freedom begins when we stop asking only how to stop and start asking why.

Subscribe for more transformative conversations on The Jesus People Podcast, where we explore healing, identity, and the life God is forming in each of us.

For Christian life coaching rooted in identity in Christ, where trusted coaches guide you through scripture, prayer, and practical steps toward healing and purpose, visit Share the Struggle: https://www.sharethestruggle.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_miller/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dudewithgoodnews Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dudewithgoodnews/ Website and coaching: https://www.sharethestruggle.org/coaching-rm Email: https://open.spotify.com/show/0RLKmkUpydJr2y84tqQekp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jesus-people-podcast/id1768632876 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/dac27441-bed6-4d73-9246-d2dbe93dccf0/jesus-people-podcast

#JayStringer #PornAddiction #TraumaHealing #Desire #AttachmentTheory #ChristianMentalHealth #FreedomInChrist #HealingJourney #JesusPeoplePodcast #Shame #AddictionRecovery #FaithAndPsychology

The Jesus People Podcast | Ruslan: Culture Wars, Christian Calling, and Godly Ambition in a Confused Generation

In this eye-opening episode of The Jesus People Podcast, Ruslan dives deep into why culture is spiraling, how Christians accidentally abandoned their post, and why believers must re-engage with clarity, conviction, and compassion.

From escaping Soviet-era instability as a child refugee, to being discipled by gangster rap, to discovering Jesus in high school, Ruslan opens up about the long road from brokenness to purpose. He explains how cultural drift, social media algorithms, and fear led Christians to vacate media, arts, and institutions and why it’s time to reclaim those spaces with truth and love.

We explore godly ambition, the crisis of modern manhood, why 7 hours of daily media is spiritually forming us, the rise of fringe ideologies, and how the Church can show the world a better way through integrity, work ethic, and sacrificial love.

Key Highlights:

• Why Christians abandoned culture and how it opened the door to ideological chaos • Ruslan’s refugee story from Baku and the trauma that shaped his early life • The impact of music, media, and hyper-consumption on identity formation • Understanding “godly ambition” vs selfish ambition in the New Testament • Why men are struggling, delaying adulthood, and seeking identity online • The danger of victimhood narratives on both the left and the right • How to engage culture without compromising truth or dehumanizing people • Biblical frameworks for calling, responsibility, work, and spiritual maturity • Raising families, leading quietly, and living a life that wins respect from outsiders • A call for believers to step into media, institutions, creativity, and influence

If you’re wrestling with purpose, cultural chaos, faith in public life, or how to honor God in your work, Ruslan’s journey will give you clarity, conviction, and a practical roadmap for living boldly in a confusing generation.

Subscribe for more transformational conversations on The Jesus People Podcast, where we explore identity, purpose, and the unshakable hope found in Jesus.

Support the persecuted church: Global Christian Relief:

Global Christian Relief strengthens persecuted believers around the world through emergency aid, Bibles, safe shelters, and training resources in some of the most dangerous nations on earth. 👉 https://give.globalchristianrelief.org/campaign/688704/donate

#globalchristianrelief #gcr #GlobalChristianReliefpartner #gcrpartner #PrayForThePersecuted #StandWithThePersecuted

For Christ-centered life coaching:

If you're seeking identity-rooted Christian coaching that blends scripture, reframing, prayer, and practical growth, visit: https://www.sharethestruggle.org/

Stay connected:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_miller/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dudewithgoodnews

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dudewithgoodnews/

Website & Coaching: https://www.sharethestruggle.org/coaching-rm

Email: ryan@sharethestruggle.org

Listen on your favorite platform:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0RLKmkUpydJr2y84tqQekp?si=8768039f3f5f4e38

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jesus-people-podcast/id1768632876

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/dac27441-bed6-4d73-9246-d2dbe93dccf0/jesus-people-podcast

#Ruslan #JesusPeoplePodcast #ChristianityAndCulture #GodlyAmbition #FaithAndWork #BiblicalWorldview #CultureWar #Testimony #ChristianMen #Purpose #Calling #Sanctification #Discipleship #FaithInCulture

The Jesus People Podcast | Maryam Rosenberg: Imprisoned for Jesus, Faith Under Fire in Iran

In this gripping episode of The Jesus People Podcast, Maryam Rosenberg shares her extraordinary testimony of meeting Jesus in Iran, distributing over 20,000 Bibles underground, and being imprisoned, interrogated, and threatened with execution for her faith. Blindfolded, isolated, and held in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, Maryam endured 40 days of relentless interrogation meant to force her to deny Jesus and return to Islam. Instead, she witnessed miracles inside prison walls, saw hardened guards softened by dreams of Christ, and led women including victims of abuse, prostitution, and injustice to hope in Jesus. This episode exposes the brutal reality of religious persecution while revealing the unstoppable power of the Gospel, the underground church in Iran, and the faith that flourishes even in darkness.

Key Highlights: • Encountering Jesus through the Gospel of Luke in Iran • Smuggling and distributing 20,000 Bibles under constant risk • Arrest, interrogation, and solitary confinement in Evin Prison • 40 days of blindfolded questioning and pressure to renounce Christ • Ministry to abused and trafficked women behind bars • Miracles, worship, and God’s presence in solitary confinement • Guards and officials encountering Jesus through dreams • Threats of execution and international intervention • Escaping Iran and rebuilding life as a refugee • Why Iran is home to the fastest-growing underground church • What Christians can do today to stand with the persecuted

If you’ve ever wondered whether faith can survive extreme suffering, Maryam's story answers with unwavering truth: Jesus is present even in prison cells, and no regime can stop the Gospel.

Subscribe for more life-changing testimonies on The Jesus People Podcast, where we explore radical faith, transformation, and the relentless hope found in Jesus Christ.

Support the Persecuted Church: Global Christian Relief (Aid, Bibles, Shelter): Global Christian Relief empowers persecuted Christians in some of the world’s most dangerous regions, including Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Through emergency aid, Bible distribution, discipleship resources, safe housing, and vocational training, GCR equips believers to stand firm and shine as beacons of hope.

Learn more and support the persecuted church here: 👉 https://give.globalchristianrelief.org/campaign/688704/donate

#globalchristianrelief #gcr #GlobalChristianReliefpartner #gcrpartner #PrayForThePersecuted #StandWithThePersecuted

Christian Life Coaching: For Christian life-coaching rooted in identity in Christ, where trusted coaches guide you through scripture, prayer, thought-reframing, and practical growth, visit Share the Struggle: 👉 https://www.sharethestruggle.org/

Follow & Stay Connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_miller/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dudewithgoodnews Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dudewithgoodnews/ Website & Coaching: https://www.sharethestruggle.org/coaching-rm Email: ryan@sharethestruggle.org

Listen on Your Favorite Platforms: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0RLKmkUpydJr2y84tqQekp Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jesus-people-podcast/id1768632876 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/dac27441-bed6-4d73-9246-d2dbe93dccf0/jesus-people-podcast

#MaryamKeller #IranPrison #ChristianPersecution #UndergroundChurch #FaithUnderFire #JesusInPrison #EvinPrison #Testimony #FreedomInChrist #PersecutedChurch #GospelPower #JesusPeoplePodcast #IranProtests #ChristianFaith #Miracles