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Iron & Grace

by Kris Blanchard

Mental Health Christianity

Season 1

The Man Behind the Mic: The Truth Is, I’m Struggling Too

I almost didn’t record this episode. Lately, I haven’t felt like myself. I’ve been sick, mentally worn down, discouraged, and honestly struggling to find the motivation to keep creating. I’ve questioned the podcast, questioned whether any of this is actually making a difference, and found myself paying far too much attention to numbers that were never supposed to determine my worth. And if I’m being completely honest…I’ve thought about quitting. So this episode is different. There’s no polished lesson. No five-step formula. No pretending I have everything figured out. Just an honest conversation about what it feels like when the guy who spends his time encouraging other men suddenly finds himself discouraged. Because maybe you’ve been there too, brother… Maybe you’re exhausted. Maybe you’ve been questioning your purpose. Maybe you’re carrying something nobody knows about. Maybe you’re wondering if you’re failing when, in reality, you might just be tired. And maybe faith doesn’t always look like feeling strong. Maybe sometimes it looks like admitting you’re struggling, turning toward God anyway, and taking the next faithful step even when you don’t know what comes next. So yeah, I’m not ashamed to admit I almost quit. Because that means I’m still here. And maybe, for today, that’s enough.

The Distance Between Us: How Jesus Restored a Father and Son

Some wounds run deeper than we know how to talk about; especially the ones between a father and his son. This week, my friend Cayden from South Africa opens up about his relationship with his father, the hurt that came with it, and the incredible way Jesus stepped into the middle of their story and began restoring what seemed broken beyond repair. This is a conversation about fathers and sons, forgiveness and pain, and the beautiful power of redemption. Because some of the deepest wounds a man carries can often came from someone he desperately wanted to love him. And sometimes, Jesus doesn’t just heal the son. He goes after the father, too.

The Pressure Within: Overcoming Anxiety as a Leader

Leadership can look strong on the outside while anxiety quietly builds underneath. In this episode I sit down with my dear friend of over 17 years, Joel Ainsworth, for a candid conversation about the hidden pressure leaders carry, the uncertainty that can often accompany responsibility, and the challenge of leading well without pretending to have everything under control. We explore how faith, vulnerability, and clinging to our hope in Jesus can reshape the way we respond to anxiety and carry the weight of leadership; and how faithful brotherhood gives us people we can rely on when our burdens feel too heavy to carry alone.

The Measurement Trap: What Comparison Does to Marriage

What if comparison is quietly hurting your marriage? In this extremely personal episode, I asked my wife Emily to have an honest conversation with me about comparison, expectations, and the ways we can make our spouse feel like they’re never quite enough. And maybe that’s the heart of it: learning to see, cherish, and love the person God entrusted to us; not the person we imagined they’d be.

The Battles Within: Understanding Men’s Mental Health

We need to talk about men’s mental health. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Darren Zancan to have a raw, unfiltered conversation about mental health. We discuss reasons behind why men struggle to open up to each other, and how learning to talk about what’s happening inside of us is part of becoming healthier men who are willing to be honest, ask for help, and walk through life with others instead of carrying everything alone.

The Next Faithful Step: Trusting God in the Unknown

What do you do when God calls you into the unknown? In this conversation, my friend Caleb shares his journey of leaving behind certainty, learning to trust God’s leading, and discovering that faithfulness often comes before clarity. If you’re a man standing at a crossroads in your life today, this episode is an encouragement to stop waiting for all the answers and simply take the next faithful step.

The Truth About Spiritual Leadership

This week, I sit down with my friend Michael Grice, lead vocalist of Christian metalcore band The Light Superior to discuss what it really means for a man to be the spiritual leader of his home. In this episode, we challenge cultural and Christian assumptions about biblical manhood; and we explore why true spiritual leadership looks more like servanthood, sacrifice, and following Jesus than holding a title.

The Emotionally-Healthy Man

Join me this week, as I sit down to have a conversation with my friend Cam Marks about the importance of emotional intelligence in men and how learning to understand, and process, the things we feel can actually help transform the way we lead, love, and live for God. Note: Please excuse the brief technical difficulties around the 45 minute mark. 😅

Ten Years Later: A Letter to My Younger Self

Ten episodes. Ten years of becoming. This week, I’m doing something I’ve never done before: writing a letter to my younger self. A decade ago, I couldn’t have imagined where life would take me. Through heartbreak, hard lessons, unexpected grace, and the faithfulness of God, this episode is a reminder that becoming the man you’re meant to be is often slower, harder, and more beautiful than you ever imagined.

The Invisible Battle: A Conversation on Faith, PTSD, and Finding Hope

This week, I’m joined by Derek Morris for an honest conversation about PTSD; what it is, how it affects someone, and why so many people suffer in silence. Together, we challenge common misconceptions and explore how faith, community, and compassionate support can become part of the healing journey. Whether PTSD has touched your own life or someone you love, this conversation offers hope and a reminder that no one has to walk through it alone.

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