Narrative Podcast

Ep. 40 ”I Know Who and Whose I Am!” Rob Fenstermaker’s Narrative

There are two different types of people in this world, Rob Fenstermaker pointed out. He used the example of the movie Shawshank Redemption. Two men were released from prison. One, Brooks, was so comfortable with the walls that had been around him that he didn't know what to do with himself. The other character, Red, was honestly a little lost too at first. But when someone showed him the way, he took action in his life. The most important thing we can do, Rob stressed, is take action. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. Drink people!
Rob grew up in the 70's "all boy." He loved playing football but had a hunch the NFL wasn't going to be drafting him. As he got older he gained a reputation of being a punk. He made some bad choices but one of his other choices brought him to his wife. He learned about a whole new world of Catholicism. Rob questioned it at some point though and built the foundation that now he bases all of his choices. Hear how his church family surrounded them and solidified what Rob had been thinking when their son was given a grim diagnosis. And listen to what his wake-up call was and how he is intentional today guided with direction of focus for his legacy.
To Connect with Rob Fenstermaker: Robfenstermaker.com or email rob@robfenstermaker.com
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live

Ep. 39 ”If I work really hard my life will be perfect like my parents” Kathy Izard’s False Narrative

Growing up with two high-achieving parents, Kathy Izard, naturally thought that if she too worked hard then her life would be perfect like her parents. 
The harsh reality was that her mother suffered from bipolar and her dad spent a lot of time taking care of her and keeping the peace. To others and apparently their children, her parent's lives seemed perfect. 
Kathy and her husband spent a lot of time working towards achieving their goals too. Untill a little whisper wouldn't leave her alone. At 44, she found herself switching career roles to something she knew nothing about. And her husband facing a serious health diagnosis...you may not have heard about this before! 
Their goals shifted. Their Intentions shifted. And now Kathy encourages others to "Trust Your Whisper." Now at 60 Kathy is looking forward to more bends in the road as she strives for her aspirational expiration. She's an author, speaker, coach, and holds workshops to help other women listen to that inner whisper and fulfill thier purpose in this life.
To Connect with Kathy Izard: KathyIzard.com  or WomenFaithStory.com
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live

Ep. 38 ”Adversity Is a Gift with Opportunity Waiting On the Other Side” JD McCabe’s Narrative

Imagine waking up in a psychiatric institution not knowing how you got there! Listen as Danny gives the accounts of his ex-wife’s cruel treatment to him. He’d been complacent and explained how he didn’t see things were taking a turn for the worst until it was too late. Had she ever loved him? But the final straw was the third gift she gave him. It was so great that he wrote a book about it! You gotta listen to find out what it was and why Danny sees it as a lesson learned that adversity is a gift with opportunity waiting on the other side.
Danny shared a very sad realization one Thanksgiving after the divorce. He sat in his apartment all alone thinking how the holiday was carrying on as normal but without him. His family was celebrating and he was all alone. Holidays can be tough. It is so easy to romanticize what others are doing. But much to his surprise, he learned that his son had been on the defense all night. It’s important to
In all this, Danny learned the battle is not his to fight. He’s placed God in the center of his life. Danny has redefined who he wants to be, found himself again, and established boundaries. He will not take peace for granted again.
To Connect with JD McCabe: on Facebook: @TheThirdGift or https://thirdgift.com/
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live

Ep. 37 ”Life Is Cruel, Life is Hard, I’m Just Surviving” Michael Stover’s False Narrative

“The life you live is a lie. I have plans for you.”  Michael Williams Stover II heard as he was being attacked by 6 guys when he was 19. Michael had a cruel childhood living in section 8 housing, seeing cop cars drive by not to mention the gangs. Michael's mom spokes lies into him and he believed them.
When Michael’s brother was born he assumed the protective role over him. His mom was here and there and the men floating in an out of their lives found the boys to be an inconvenience. His mom would often point out that people were right, she should have aborted Michael. She would manipulate him with harsh words. Michael saw his classmates with normal functioning homes and wondered why he didn’t have that and why he couldn’t just be a kid.
Michael was fortunate enough to meet his dad who had matured and found God by the time they met. Unfortunately, Michael lost his dad when he was just 12. It was about this time too that he realized if he sought to make money that also got him out of his house. He had good people showing small acts of kindness. He knew it was God’s voice he heard at 19 while he was being attacked. And God wanted Michael to stop believing those lies so he could know his value and go on to help others find their value. You have got to listen to this episode to hear how the kind people he was exposed to while making money, meeting his dad, and learning his value turned his life around.
“There is some good in this world and it’s worth fighting for.”-Lord of the Rings
To Connect with Michael Williams Stover II: michaelstover2019@gmail.com, LinkedIn @MichaelS. or Valor Media - Valor Media
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live

Ep. 36 ”I Don’t Belong” Bobby Peterson’s False Narrative

Where are all the listeners that grew up in the country? Were your siblings your best friends? For Robert Peterson that was the case. He and his sister played together a lot due to the nearest neighbor being over a mile away.
When Robert was little he went by Bobby. Little Bobby got bullied and took to heart all the terrible things the other kids said. He never felt like he belonged. He felt alone like he was the only one going through this. Then, the end of eigth grade, he got news that his dad was laid off from his job. This meant the family would have to move. The sold their dream home, moved into a trailer, and started their new life 2 hours away from where home used to be. Life forever changed his freshmen year when Bobby now went by Robert. Listen to the full episode to learn about the shift in Robert’s narrative.
Now Robert focuses on entrepreneurs not feeling alone. The entrepreneurial space can be lonely. He wants them to know other entrepreneurs have faced similar challenges. He focuses on his legacy and what that looks like. So naturally he helps others find the the same vision. He helps them to drill down to what that looks like financially but also with people in their lives.
To Connect with Robert Peterson: LinkedIn @RobertCPeterson or BizLifeCoach.com or email: robert@addvalue2life.com
Scripture Robert Sited: Proverbs 13:22
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live

Ep. 35 ”I’m Alone” Edwina Adam’s Narrative

"Edwina the Encourager" as she introduced herself, actually Edwina Adams. She hasn’t always been that way though. She grew up as a middle child - 8 years apart, on either end. She didn’t have much in common with them nor did she have cousins her age like her sisters did. This left her feeling alone often. And it’s funny because her family told her then and tell her now…it wasn’t like that
 
Edwina has faced many significant adversities and learned “good things will come out of this adversity.” Edwina looks at her personal life and her work life similarly. She’s not God and she’s not in control so why does she think she is? She knows at work she’s not. She committed to showing up and doing her best. Once she was able to apply this to her personal life she “came out of her shell.
 
This child, who once thought she was alone so she drew inward and was quiet. Now? Now Edwina is an author, public speaker, podcast host, and a resource for others. Her podcast is Let’s Make Some Noise. And to Edwina N.O.I.S.E. stands for something but you gotta listen to find out. We’ll give you N is for narrative! How cool is that??
 
To Connect with Edwina Adams: Edwinaadams.com or on 
linkedin.com/in/edwinaadams
Check out her Podcast: Let's Make Some Noise
 
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live
 
 

Ep. 34 ”My Life Will Mirror My Parents Life” Al Getler’s Narrative

Some people get to grow up with pretty normal childhoods. They get to see an example of a father who works hard as the Captain of the Fire Dept. who also became Mayor but maybe plays a little too hard too, a little mother with a beautiful voice to raise you, and 4 brothers and sisters to look up to. They may not have said “I love you” all the time but they all knew they were loved.
Al Getler really had it all when he was 7. Imagine the family’s surprise when his parents announced baby #6 was on the way. And even more surprised when she was delivered with Down syndrome. He got to see his dad in 2.0 mode, a little softer around the edges and lots of love being expressed. Through the community they had built they soon found a lot of support and enjoyed the gift that Colleen was.
Al was gifted a dummy for ventriloquism from his brother because of Al’s natural talent to entertain. A few years later around the age of 12 he started sharing that talent on the stage!
Al naturally thought his adult life would mirror the life he knew growing up. It did slightly in that he got to also be dad 2.0 but differed in many other ways. When Al met his wife he really thought he’d do something in entertainment but she was desiring something more stable. The joke was on them when he started working for the local newspaper, they thought it would be stable but it proved otherwise. A common saying in Al’s house is “Man plans and God laughs.” Fast forward many moves and a few transitions, Al is the captain at his fire station and is very involved in his community. This also mirrored the example his parents set. The finest way to live in a community is to LIVE in your community. Hear all about Al’s involvement in the nonprofit Community Heart and Soul, in his community. So his adult life wasn’t exactly like he’d seen modeled in his childhood, but life is good as he looks at his wife, children, and grandchildren.
Connect with Al Getler by email: al@algetler.com or on LinkedIn @AlGetler
Check out the non-profit Al works with: www.communityheartandsoul.org,
Check out his ventriloquism: AlGetler.com
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live

Ep. 33 ”I Don’t Know How to Get the Carrot Dangling In Front Of Me” Dave Englund’s False Narrative

"Pick their brains" was a phrase David's mother said to him once.  This made him a curious person. He also knew he wanted to be a business owner. David was so impressed one day seeing a stack of his dad's business cards. But how was he going to get there?
He also loved music so when he wasn't pursuing art, he was pursuing music. He worked with a business partner for quite some time until the day came when the business dissolved and David knew it was his time to become the business owner he wanted to be. David's story is one of following his gut, doing what his mom said not what she did, loss, love, and being very empathetic of others! Needless to say he was inquisitive and learned the business he now owns!
To Connect with David Englund: 401-345-9036, david@englundstudio.com
Work with David Englund: https://englundstudio.com/
To Hear David's Music: https://inlieuofflowersband.com/
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live

Ep. 32 ”I Don’t Matter” Jeff Wickersham’s False Narrative

In the last episode we talked about false narratives holding us back from our goals. In example, if your narrative is that you don't deserve love, then when you find it you will likely end up self-sabotaging it. 
Jeff Wickersham knows this "game." His false narrative was that he didn't matter. He really struggled to identify his self-worth. So when he got close to taking the next step toward success he would hit the brakes, back away, or take his foot off the gas pedal. 
Jeff's mother was always a great source of positivity. When she was passing she shared that her fear was that she would be forgotten. Then and there Jeff changed the course of his life. He went from someone who was pointed out as the biggest whiner in high school and remembered for being negative in college to now running a successful business that encourages men to be positive energetic forces in their families. He wanted to continue her legacy. He quit his corporate job and started down the entrepreneurial path with a gym. His wife thought he was crazy but supported him.
We had a conversation about his transparency with his boys. He wants them to know that his wife financially supported them while Jeff's business was growing.  He wants them to know they can ask for help as he has had to. Jeff leads by example. Listen to how Jeff's morning and night-time regiments set him up for success. Why does this man take cold showers and how is he stacking three wins, in less than 5 minutes, after he wakes up? Jeff's legacy is the source of his drive for repetitive consistency. I think his mom is smiling down impressed with her son and the impact he is making!
To Connect with Jeff Wickersham: The Warrior Dad, email him jeff@thewarriordad.com, or Linkedin: @JeffWickersham
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live

Ep. 31 Unraveling False Narratives: How Deceptive Stories Impact Our Lives

Steve Gohl and I, Tim Croll, sat down to talk about the Narratives that have been shared so far. It's funny how we craft these false stories in our heads as truth.  Somewhere along the way, our guests have found holes in those narratives and are now forming new narratives that actually positively serve them. What false narratives have you created?
We discussed the trends, we have noticed, in how these narratives were formed. We agreed there are three common ways we form narratives in our formative years. We form them through something someone said to us, good or bad, we form them by watching our parents and thinking our lives will be similar, and by traumatic events or big events.
And we talked about how these false narratives act as self-sabotage. If you think you don't deserve to be thin of course you will keep eating the Oreos! If you don't think you deserve love then you may never see your soul mate standing right in front of you! You have to change the narrative to be in control. Keep sharing your stories with us as we keep exploring other's narratives, because stories matter!
To Connect with Tim Croll or Steve Gohl: www.narrative.live