"The No Bull Briefing" - July 2023

 

THE NO BULL BRIEFING - July 2023

Experience Acceptance & Authenticity at the Samson Summit In honor of our tenth national retreat, Samson is throwing a Texas-sized party! Join us the first weekend in November for our annual retreat, featuring The Place We Find Ourselves podcast host Adam Young. When: November 3-5, 2023 Where: Sky Ranch in Van, Texas Bunkhouse spots are $350 Down time activities include a high ropes course, mini golf, climbing walls, zip lines, sand volleyball, indoor or outdoor basketball, ping pong, and so much more! There will be opportunities for any person to engage in fellowship and deepen friendships with fellow Samson brothers during the weekend. Plus, there will be the always loved authentic conversations around a campfire.  REGISTER Find Your Recovery Coach Through Samson House I remember a coach I had in high school who was fond of saying, “I’m not your babysitter. I’m your coach. If you need a babysitter go home to momma. If you want to win, then do what I tell you.” When it comes to recovery, sometimes you need someone who is going to tell it like it is and kick a little ass so you can move forward more rapidly in your recovery.  Coaching is not therapy. Therapists are trained to help us get in touch with the root cause of our destructive habits. Certified coaches are trained to help us make our recovery real, make it work. Like when my coach said, “… do what I tell you,” a good coach can identify where your recovery is lacking and tell you how to leapfrog the roadblock and jump ahead in leaps and bounds. Too often our recovery plateaus and we either get bored or we relapse. Just as we sought out novelty in porn, or parties, or chance encounters, when the “pink mist” honeymoon of our recovery fades, we need help. Coaching puts us back on a winning way. Recently, Samson House established a page dedicated to recovery professionals, both therapists and coaches on www.samsonhouse.org (use the code NoBullBrotherhood to access the site and become a sustaining member of Samson House). All those listed have a Samson background and tailor their services to the particular needs of Samson Society members. If you are wanting to take your recovery to the next level, turbocharge if you will, consider engaging one of the Samson coaches or therapists.  (Full disclosure … I am listed on the coaching page) - Dr. Tom Moucka VISIT SAMSON HOUSE Battling Sex Trafficking From All Sides Samson Society's mission is to help reduce the demand for pornography, including child pornography, by helping men live in the freedom of authenticity. Pornography undoubtedly perpetuates the commercial sexual exploitation of women and girls in America.  Sound of Freedom is a true story film that exposes the darkness of child trafficking. Based on a true story, this movie immerses you in the heroic actions of one man's mission to rescue children from the darkest corners of the world. This action-packed drama shines a light on the harrowing reality of child trafficking and the valiant efforts of those who work tirelessly to combat it. LEARN MORE Subscribe to Samson House Beginning on June 1, 2023, Samson House will be offering a low-cost subscription to all members of the Samson Society. This subscription is not mandatory. As you know, there are no dues or fees for Samson Society membership. Samson meetings — online meetings as well as local ones  —  will always be free. However, resources and services that up until now Samson House has made available at samsonsociety.com will be moved to a subscribers-only Samson House website, along with new resources. We are asking ALL current members to subscribe to SamsonHouse.org (use password NoBullBrotherhood to access this website) at the modest monthly rate of $7.95. We will be grateful if you can commit more, of course, and whatever you contribute above the small monthly subscription amount will be fully tax-deductible. JOIN SAMSON HOUSE Regional Retreat Opportunities Planning a regional Samson retreat? Let us know at samsonhouseoffice@gmail.com or drop it on the #upcoming_event channel on Slack so we can help you spread the word! Monthly Resource Corner Each month, Samson Society will promote a resource that you may find helpful on your journey. Feel free to share any podcast episodes, blog posts, books, or documentaries that you find enlightening!  Healing & Recovery Grows From the Heart The recovery and healing journey is motivated by something deep within us. Maybe it was a secret we’ve held or the broken heart of being betrayed. It could even be the heavy burden of shame that addiction or betrayal carry. Not only is the human heart central to our bodies and survival, but in many ways, it plays the same role in our healing and recovery. Scripture tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Healing the heart from the effects of sexual brokenness and betrayal trauma is essential to this journey—because the hope of healing comes from the heart. Your heart is one of the most important parts of who you are—it contains your true authentic self, your deepest emotions, and the essence of who God created you to be. For more than 30 years, Pure Desire has helped men and women around the world transform their lives—finding freedom from sexual brokenness, healing from betrayal trauma, and living the life God intended for them through the pursuit of health and wholeness. LEARN MORE Connect with us on social media! DONATE

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Is There Any More Hellacious Location To Consume Porn / Masturbate Than A Port-O-Potty In The Desert Sands Of The Middle East?

I can't think of any.

Every day at 5 PM CST, like clockwork, I hear from a young Samson guy who's been in deep seated bondage to lust for most of his life.  He and I have been chatting (telephone calls) for +/-1 year now.  And interestingly enough, we've only spent a handful of hours together face-to-face throughout that same period of time.  

We came to know each other via "Make Thursdays Great Again" which is the Price Is Right of virtual Samson Society meetings.  As such, like the TV show, not only is it high energy but it's easy to sit back and simply spectate (with a big grin on your face) amongst the throngs.

I moved away from that virtual group and haven't looked back, but my hope is he'll soon be reengaging therein (schedule permitting).  It's a perfectly comfortable landing spot for him for such a time as this.

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When he and I chat daily, we understandably never talk for too long.  His schedule is tight.  Plus, when you're as faithful as he is relative to communication (and twelve months has passed), an efficient routine / pattern develops.  

In this young man's past is active military duty.  Specifically, years spent deployed to the Middle East where he risked life and limb for not only our country but for those where he was stationed.  Since I've no experience as a soldier, I'm always fascinated to learn of his own (when he's comfortable divulging).  

A question arose yesterday, (7/26) regarding where exactly he chronically consumed porn whilst deployed in the Middle East, and he blithely stated, "in the port-o-potties".  

This admission gripped me as I tried to imagine doing this day after day there within that already bleak environment.

He went on to say that every soldier knew that the port-o-potties existed for such uses.  

!?!?!?

My head spun around five or six times when he divulged this to me, and in many ways, it's still spinning.

I cannot think of a more pathetic, hellacious location to consume porn / masturbate than a port-o-potty located within the god forsaken desert sands of the Middle East.  Yet, this was his everyday routine.  Particularly as it related to managing the emotional stress of being barely an adult combined with all the responsibilities of soldiering there within that complicated conflict.  

My young Samson friend lost his best friend within that environment too.  He rarely speaks of it, yet I know it haunts him and will likely do so throughout the remainder of his life.

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I mentioned in my previous post that bathroom stalls were my go-to in high school / college relative to masturbation.  I cannot over emphasize the amount of shame this routine imbued me with.  For is there anywhere on planet Earth more CLINICAL and more IMPERSONAL than a commercial bathroom stall?

There is.  It's a freestanding port-o-potty.

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As young men, my Samson brother and I chose to strip any semblance of dignity from our souls by taking part in this public restroom routine.  I clearly see / am reminded of that now.

What self-destructive, hyper-pathetic traps we so easily fall into within our youth, particularly as it related to our sexuality / libido / managing emotional pain.  Patterns that laid the groundwork for potentially so much more emotional anguish / regret to come (as we aged forward).

It is no wonder how easily deceived (internally / privately) we young men can become regarding the very expression of our sexual selves as males.  All due to the fact that this hugely important part of our lives - as young men / teenagers - may very well become relegated to settings designed for nothing more than filthiness and refuse.  

Desperation breeds ingenuity, yet ingenuity / creativity can at times be its own long-term undoing (just because you can doesn't mean you should).

Please pray for me as I continue to walk with this dear Samson brother, learning about myself (as much as he himself) along the way.  Eyes peeled.