Episode
53. Brushpoppers, The Napkin of Truth, & The Refiner's Fire
- Podcast
- Porn Free Millennial Podcast
- Published
- Nov 22, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 6814
- Processing state
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Summary
In this episode, I open with a poem I wrote ( The Brushpopper ) about a wayward steer trapped in a thorny ravine - a picture of how so many of us get stuck in the thickets of porn, shame, and isolation. In every herd, there’s always one who wanders, and I was that steer for a long time. Today, I’m joined by two men who have become true brothers to me - Jim Hastings and Eric Guevin . We met in Reno for what we jokingly called “Uncle Vern’s Porn Camp,” but what ultimately became something so much deeper, The Brushpopper Retreat . These guys took me in as family, threw mousetraps at each other in a old school minivan, walked me through the hills, mines, and history of Nevada - and most importantly, they showed me what real brotherhood looks like. This episode is raw, funny, honest, and deeply spiritual - a full journey through connection, recovery, and the brushpopper metaphor that now shapes my own walk. What We Talk About in This Episode The Reno Retreat Story I tell the story of meeting these guys at the airport, getting thrown into a white minivan, and driving all over Nevada looking for lead weights for our final night’s activity. We toured Genoa, Virginia City, the outskirts of the Bonanza set, old mine shafts, and wild Mustang territory. It was hilarious, chaotic, meaningful, and exactly what my soul needed. The Brushpopper Metaphor Eric shares how this old cowboy job, riding into thorn-filled ravines to rope out wayward cattle, became a picture of rescuing brothers stuck in porn and shame - and how this theme shaped our entire July retreat. Why Fun Matters in Recovery Jim said something I’ve thought about ever since: “Fun is the oven joy cooks in.” We tend to think recovery has to be grim and serious. But joy, laughter, and shared adventure played a huge part in t…