Is your independence actually your biggest weakness? In football, a player left on an "island" is a liability. In life, a man who isolates himself is dangerous—to himself and everyone around him.

In this episode of the Deep Spirituality Podcast, we sit down with Jeremy Ross (Former Cal & NFL Receiver) and BJ Jones (Cal Football Linebacker) to decode the "internal game" of elite athletes. We move beyond the clichés of "grinding" to explore how the high-pressure crucible of sports accelerates character growth and why you cannot win the battles of life without a team.

If you are tired of fighting your battles alone or struggling to maintain focus when things get hard, this conversation provides lessons on resilience and building internal strength that lasts.

About Our Guests:

1. Jeremy Ross: Former Cal and NFL receiver (Packers, Lions, Patriots) who now mentors athletes on faith, resilience, and identity through '7 Mind and Body.'

2. BJ Jones: Bishop O'Dowd alum and Cal Linebacker who champions neurodiversity and empowers athletes through inclusive E-Football programs.

Check out Jeremy's website! → 7mindandbody.com

Scriptures:

• 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NASB
• 1 Timothy 4:8 NIV
• Matthew 7:24-27 TLB

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Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

01:55 - Run with purpose

04:00 - How you got started in sports

10:02 - The importance of playing outside

13:47 - How physical training reveals your heart

18:10 - Building culture in family and football

22:57 - How sports can help young people build character

29:04 - Sports builds friendships

44:24 - What churches can learn from sports

53:25 - Managing ADHD

01:00:30 - 7 Mind and Body

In this episode of Deep Spirituality, Russ Ewell chats with Matt McChlery about why picking up a book is actually a "rebellion" for your soul in a world of endless scrolling. After interviewing nearly 100 authors, Matt has seen firsthand how the power of story helps us connect with God far better than a dry lecture ever could.

They get real about authenticity, sharing that we need to drop the "perfect Christian" mask and be honest about our messy journeys. Matt even opens up about his own battle with cancer, explaining that when we share our "storms," it creates "light through the cracks" for everyone else. To wrap things up, they talk about the magic of music—how it gets into the gaps of our hearts to take us straight to God—and why every community should celebrate its own unique "sound".

• Check out Matt! → https://www.mattmcchlery.com/
• Matt's podcast, Christian Book Blurb → https://open.spotify.com/show/32gv1Rl6HFBneRMygfjzM2
• Matt's books → https://www.amazon.com/stores/Matt-McChlery/author/B09L4YQGCL

Scriptures:

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
• 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 NIV
• Philippians 1:30 NLT
• 1 Corinthians 12:13 TLB
• John 13:35 BSB
• John 17:23 NLT
• 1 John 5:2 TPT

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Chapters:

00:00 - Meet Matt McChlery

02:30 - The power of pages

08:11 - The power of story when we read

16:24 - Promo: Why we're talking more about AI than God

17:32 - Insights from 98 Christian author interviews

22:39 - Struggle is normal, ditch the perfect performance

30:46 - Why we should journey together in faith

37:43 - Promo: The Kingdom of Change

38:54 - Why music is part of our spiritual journey

42:33 - What every worship leader should know

50:12 - Find and follow Matt McChlery

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Zack and Becky Mariscal return to the Deep Spirituality Podcast to discuss the "spiritual mechanics" of resilience. Their story reveals how internal strength is forged through profound suffering, moving from a place of human fragility to firm faith.

This episode will help you shift your perspective on current troubles—not by ignoring them, but by learning how to fix your gaze on the unseen. Whether you are facing a health crisis or navigating the "ups and downs" of life, you will walk away with a meaning-making framework for resilience and the inspiration to turn toward God instead of shutting down.

► SUBSCRIBE: ⁠https://youtube.com/deepspirituality/?sub_confirmation=1⁠

Scriptures:

• 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NIV
• Ecclesiastes 9:11 NIV
• 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 NLT
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
• Romans 15:4 NASB
• Psalm 46:1-3 NASB95
• Psalm 77:19 NLT

Chapters:

00:00 - Optimistic resilience

01:56 - How does your knowledge of God increase your resilience?

08:16 - How breaking up made us stronger.

21:44 - What young men can do.

26:09 - How do you stay joyful in suffering?

32:30 - Ad: Kingdom of Prayer

33:24 - Take initiative in relationships

40:05 - How what we go through can help others

50:51 - Wrap up