From 2019 to 2023, Jermaine Wilson served two terms as mayor of his hometown of Leavenworth, Kansas—an amazing achievement considering that only a decade earlier, he had finished serving several years in prison. In this week’s episode Jermaine talks with Nate Dewberry about his life journey, from his “hopeless” upbringing surrounded by poverty and crime to his spiritual awakening in prison to his current work with Prison Fellowship, the country’s largest nonprofit Christian ministry serving the incarcerated and their families. Whether or not you have any kind of criminal record, you’ll benefit from hearing Jermaine’s wise counsel about fatherhood, finding forgiveness and acceptance, and transcending victimhood to live a mature, responsible, fulfilling life in the identity Christ has for each of us.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro/Jermaine’s “hopeless” childhood

3:00 Jermaine’s seasons of incarceration

8:09 Finding community in Prison Fellowship

16:52 What Jermaine’s post-release life looks like now

21:15 Words of wisdom for fathers inside or outside prison walls

24:36 Challenges in the transition to post-prison life

31:12 Fostering unity and community in a time of discord

38:09 Closing thoughts: What does redemption mean to you?

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets, show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
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The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Email Nate@theredeemed.com

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Whatever else you can say about life in the military, there’s always a clearly defined purpose. So says Jordan Ames, who retired four years ago from the Marine Corps—and, for the first time in more than two decades, had to find a new purpose of his own. Now a Christ-centered leadership trainer and published author, Jordan shares the path that led to that purpose in this week’s episode, and talks with Nate Dewberry about his core principles of leadership, how to keep from letting details and distractions divert you from doing God’s work, and the unusual path that led him to marriage and six adopted kids—plus a “Miracle Number Seven.”

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro/What does redemption mean to you?

1:31 Finding a new purpose after 21 years in the Marines

6:56 Leadership principles from the military that Jordan still carries with him

10:01 The most difficult season of Jordan’s civilian life

17:54 How Jordan’s book of devotionals came together

24:58 Three core principles Jordan wants his readers to remember

33:58 The worries and preoccupations that keep us from acting on God’s vision

44:40 Jordan’s unconventional path to marriage and seven kids

54:44 “The radical story of Number Seven”

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets, show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Email Nate@theredeemed.com

Follow The Redeemed on Social Media:

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On the surface, Michael Rutherford had the kind of life men fantasize about: a phenomenally successful business that spanned the globe, a jet-setting lifestyle, a beautiful fiancée, a car that cost more than many people’s houses. But when he lost it all in what felt like the blink of an eye, he realized he had no choice but to put what was left of his life in God’s hands. God didn’t restore Michael’s riches, but He offered something Michael appreciates even more—freedom from superficial worries and a sense of true purpose. Michael talks with Nate Dewberry this week about that mission—helping other people dig deep and uncover their true God-given purpose—as well as other gifts, such as clarity and patience, that have been unexpected benefits of his riches-to-rags story.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Who Michael was before his “radical encounter” of redemption

4:04 The effects of Michael’s spiritual transformation

7:23 Giving up control and “rejoicing in the wait”

13:05 What embracing the Lord has taught Michael to live without

22:26 The values and disciplines that keep Michael on the right path

28:58 What Michael feels like Jesus is using him to do

35:40 The dreams and vision Michael is pursuing now

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets, show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast? Email Nate@theredeemed.com

Follow The Redeemed on Social Media:

• Podcast
• YouTube
• Facebook
• ...