When Loss Doesn’t Get the Last Word What do you do when grief shapes your story before grace does? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Chris Yamnitsky, alongside Kristen Friend, to talk about loss, addiction in the family, the ache of growing up too fast, and the long road from coping in the world to being remade by Jesus. Chris shares what it was like to lose his dad at a young age, to carry questions no son should have to carry, and to spend years trying to outrun the pain through work, nightlife, and keeping busy—only to find himself emptier than ever. What unfolds is an honest and deeply moving story of how God meets people in layers, not just moments. From quietly attending Rise while living a double life, to finding real community at 733, to being pursued by faithful people who never stopped praying, Chris’s story is a reminder that God wastes nothing—not even the years that felt off course. The same gifts that once drew people into the wrong places are now being redeemed to gather people into the Kingdom, and the same season that once marked his deepest grief became the very place where God began rebuilding his life. Then the conversation widens into the power of prayer, spiritual family, and what it looks like when faith becomes public and contagious. This episode is for anyone carrying grief, wrestling with the past, or wondering whether God can really rewrite what has been broken for a long time. If you’ve ever felt like you were surviving with whatever got you through, but knew it could not carry you into the future, this conversation will meet you there with both honesty and hope.

What do you do when the thing you once loved starts to feel ordinary? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate and Jason talk about what it means to relight the flame—in your calling, your marriage, your ministry, your work, and your everyday life. Because most people know how to start with passion, but far fewer know how to stay faithful when the novelty wears off and consistency becomes the real test. Together, they unpack four key shifts that move us out of drift and back into intentionality: from apathy to enthusiasm, from “I have to” to “I get to,” from focusing on what’s wrong to what’s right, and from living in maintenance mode to doing something great. Through stories about fire pits, preaching to a camera during COVID, parenting little kids, and learning to stop chasing every shiny new thing, this conversation gets honest about how quickly purpose can cool when it goes untended—and how often what needs to change is not our whole life, but our posture. This episode is a reminder that the good old days are often happening right now, and that calling doesn’t stay alive by accident. It is fed by gratitude, vision, attentiveness, and a willingness to dream again. If you’ve felt spiritually flat, emotionally dulled, or just stuck in the motions of life, this conversation will help you recognize where the fire has gone low—and how to start feeding it again.

The Fight for Gen Z and Gen Alpha What if the next generation isn’t lazy, fragile, or lost—but uniquely positioned for a move of God if someone will help them see who they are? In this episode of the Rise Up Podcast, Nate sits down with Youth Pastor Jordan Fahlman to talk about Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and what it means to disciple a generation being shaped by technology, social anxiety, activism, and a deep hunger for purpose. Jordan shares his own story of growing up as both an outdoors kid and a digital native, while Nate reflects on being raised in youth ministry and watching the cultural shift happen in real time. Together, they explore how the pandemic reshaped students, how social media now competes to raise them, and why so many young people are aching for identity, connection, and a reason to give their lives to something bigger than themselves. Here's the challenge for parents, pastors, leaders, and mentors: if we don’t raise this generation, something else will. From phones and isolation to purpose, passion, and the need for consistent voices that speak louder than the noise, this episode is a call to see the next generation with spiritual clarity. If you’ve ever wondered how to lead young people in this cultural moment—or how to help them move from anxiety and confusion into calling and conviction—this conversation will give you language, urgency, and hope. Challenge: Who is God asking you to intentionally invest in right now? Don’t just criticize the next generation—contend for them. Speak identity over them, model faith in front of them, and help them discover the purpose they were created for.