New Episodes!
We are two ordinary Christian guys who feel compelled to call men back to true Masculinity. Through raw conversations between a Protestant and a Catholic, we seek Manhood Restored.
About Manhood Restored
Mighty Men of Valor (that’s you!): We invite you to pull up a chair and have a listen—just as if we were talking over cold beers (or hot coffee!). Be entertained, be inspired, be challenged. Then, join us, and let’s get down to some restoration!
Ben Neff
Co-Host
Chad Stolly
Co-Host
Chad Stolly was also a middle school teacher, but got out long before Ben did. He is ONLY an insurance salesman in his five-generation family-owned agency. Podcasting is a welcomed distraction from the always-selling-insurance reality that is his day job. He too is married to his wife of nearly 20 years and is obviously the Catholic because he has 7 children (not just 4).
Recent Episodes
Episode 97-Interview with Ben Hartings (on Suffering and the Scarcity Mindset)
Ben Hartings is an owner/partner at Trinity Financial Advisors in Columbus, Ohio. He was raised on a poultry farm, played division one football at Miami University (OH), and received his MBA from the University of Dayton. Ben is a two-time cancer survivor and the author of two books on dealing with loss and grief. He is involved in various Catholic ministries and outreach boards, and he and his wife of 18 years have five children, four living and one in heaven.
Chad pops the cork on, and proposes a toast to, the rich flavor of paradox on this episode, as Ben (no stranger to ‘uncorking’) adds his own touch to the conversation as co-host. The two try to claim this guest for their respective side of the confessional divide while listening to his insights into two seemingly unrelated topics. What is the “Scarcity Mindset” and how does it fit within a Christian context? Why would someone “offer” their suffering as a form of obedient surrender to God’s will? How does Ben H’s story serve as an example for bringing these two topics together?
SHOW NOTES:
Ben H’s books –
- Return to the Altar: A Sacred Journey through Grief and Joy: Hartings, Benjamin: 9780986217906: Amazon.com: Books
- It’s not OK. And that’s OK.: Inspiring stories from loss to love, and heartache to Hope: Hartings, Benjamin J, Hartings, Lynn M: 9780986217913: Amazon.com: Books
Ben H’s firm: Meet the Team — Trinity Financial Advisors (tfadvisors.com)
Ben H’s recommended reading (PDF Download): Don’t Waste Your Cancer | Desiring God
Episode 96- Good Grief
There’s nothing like a song to take you back to a moment in time. Music has that kind of power because it comes alongside of us to punctuate the feelings of those moments, ministering to us in lyrics and melody. That’s especially true of the most meaningful moments – those of love, joy, and grief. Still more, in the hands of God, that power of song can seem almost sacramental.
Ben’s the DJ at the mixing board for this self-reflective soundtrack of an episode, as Chad listens in as a Lucy-like cohost, with a couple few cents of his own. The two follow Ben’s chronicles of coping with grief in hopes of striking a chord with listeners who could use the accompaniment. What are some ways that we often deal poorly with grief, and what’s a better alternative to them? How can God work through things like music, and through people, to help heal us when we’re grieving? Where does our grief fit in to the meaning of our story – that is, our story as part of His Story?
SHOW NOTES:
Ben’s songs (in episode sequence):
Episode 95- Does Manhood Really Need Restored?
What… are we questioning the whole premise of the podcast now? And after nearly 100 episodes? What gives?
Chad leads this tunneling expedition of an episode, searching out the assumptions underfoot, as Ben co-hosts and points his shinny head (lamp) toward the depths of Chad’s cavernous quest. The two confront the Big Question head-on and layout their (inevitably) affirmative answer.
Have you, dear listener, asked this very question in a personal way: does YOUR manhood need restored? What are three senses in which Ben and Chad firmly believe manhood needs restored? If you, too, can answer in the affirmative, is there someone who’s never listened that you can share the podcast with?
Episode 94- Interview with Mark Harrington (on 2023 Ohio Ballot Initiative)
Mark Harrington is the Founder and President of “Created Equal”, a pro-life education and outreach organization based in Columbus, Ohio. He travels to universities across the nation training and inspiring young leaders in cutting-edge tactics in the pro-life movement. Mark also served for more than a decade as the Executive Director of the Midwest office of the Center for Bioethical Reform prior to launching Created Equal. He’s been featured in the USA Today and on national TV programs like CBS Mornings, Fox & Friends, and the Sean Hannity Show.
Chad takes off the gloves and rings the bell for this politically punching episode, as Ben stays in the corner as co-host in case he needs to clean up any messy interview moments. The two let their heavy-hitting guest take his swings at the pro-abortion Ballot Initiative in Ohio set for the November 2023 election. How is the wording of this “Reproductive Freedom” Amendment potentially misleading, and what specifically should pro-life voters know about it? What does this August 8th Special Election have to do with the November Ballot Initiative? And just how consequential are these upcoming votes for Ohioans and the county?
SHOW NOTES:
READ (proposed language of the proposed amendment to Ohio’s Constitution): Extreme Pro-Abortion Ballot Initiative: Ohio – Created Equal
Pro-life speakers willing to come to your church FOR FREE to raise awareness: TogetherForLifeOhio.org
Created Equal Website: Created Equal | Exposing the Truth About Abortion
Episode 93-Nikola Jokic: From Mediocrity to Mastery, A Case Study
2-time NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, recently reached the top of the basketball world after leading his Denver Nuggets to the 2023 NBA Championship. An unlikely success story if there ever was one, Jokic’s rise to greatness is one worth taking notice of. As told in a recent ESPN article written by Ramona Shelborne, his is a tale of tapping into one’s fullest potential through encouragement and hard work.
Ben brings out the best that this case study has to offer as lead basketball analyst for this episode, while Chad “somborly” gives props to the talent that swept his precious Lakers from the playoffs. The two take their love for basketball and search out the manly model of mastery on display in this superstar’s story. What was the pivotal moment for Jokic’s basketball career that catapulted his game to the next level, and how did someone’s calling out of his potential factor into that moment? Where should someone primarily focus to achieve their very best – on the end goal, or on the work it takes to get there? What kinds of habits ought we to consider when contemplating how God wants to bring the best out of us?
SHOW NOTES:
ESPN article on Jokic: A car ride and a Game 7 loss that activated Nikola Jokic into an MVP – ESPN
