Apr 11, 2018
I am so excited to have Mike Foster with us on the podcast today! I believe that it is important for this mainly woman-centric podcast to have some male perspective on life, marriage, and how to thrive. So let’s welcome his wonderful perspective today!
Mike is an author, speaker, and therapist. He has his own podcast, “Fun Therapy”, which dives into people’s stories, but with a smile. Each episode is somewhat of a therapy session with different individuals. Mike, along with his wife, Jennifer, published “Five Dates” this year. “Five Dates” is a workbook for couples to help work through connection in marriage. Mike also has a book, "People of the Second Chance", which is a powerful book on his own life journey.
We begin the podcast diving into what Mike does and how what he does now was shaped by his story and the things that happened in his past. Because of his own personal struggles in inadequacy, shame, fear, and perfectionism, Mike now wants to walk with others through those feelings and help them work towards freedom. He talks about wanting to help people see God’s goodness in the midst of their storm.
Mike defines thriving as dwelling in being exactly who God has created us to be. Often we walk around trying to be a “version” of ourselves, which inevitably leads to failure and exhaustion. Instead, the Lord wants us to align our lives with the gifts, strengths, and visions He has created us to have. Mike also believes we cannot truly be thriving without being in true, vulnerable community with others. We are created to be in community.
Mike shares some wonderful perspective on the roles men play in life and marriage, and how the world can twist what God’s calling on men’s lives truly is supposed to be. He speaks on the prejudices our culture puts on men, the distorted picture of masculinity today in our western society, and says what “being a man” is versus what God’s word says men are. The core needs of men and women are the same, but the avenue to get to those core needs is different.
We even discuss on the podcast a healthy view of sex within the bonds of marriage and what true intimacy is. He discusses that this is an area of marriage that needs to be stewarded and that it is an issue that affects every area of marriage.
We end with how wives can help husbands in their roles as men in the relationship. We discuss how wives can be encouragers, affirmers, and a safe place for their husbands to come and tap into their feelings. Mike wisely shares that couples need to first work on togetherness before they can ever think about discussing the larger issues within their relationship.
You will not want to miss this podcast. Grab a cup of coffee and come join us today on Thriving Beyond Belief!