A Time to Sharpen

Axel Liimatta & Brandon Maxwell
  • 5.0 (11)
  • PARENTING
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

A bi-weekly podcast that examines how working with teenagers can make us better versions of ourselves: better teachers, better counselors, better parents…better people. Join two of Whetstone Boys Ranch's co-founders, Axel Liimatta and Brandon Maxwell, as they discuss what twenty years of serving struggling teenagers and their families has taught them about how to address the most challenging of behaviors. You'll find answers without dogma, encouragement without false hope, and sharpening without shame.

  1. 1D AGO

    FAQ PART 1

    Description Coming Soon

    50 min

  2. FEB 4

    Mountains & Molehills

    Description Forthcoming

    49 min

  3. JAN 9

    Next-Gen

    Everyone likes new things. New phones. New systems. New news. That’s weird phrase, but you catch my drift. The problem is, new doesn’t always mean better. On the other hand, old doesn’t automatically mean wise either. And somewhere between those two instincts is a lot of tension—especially when you start talking about generations. That’s the space that Whetstone lives in - the uneasy balance between holding fast to what matters and staying flexible enough to grow. Not throwing the baby, or in our case, the boy, out with the bathwater. Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we talk about the next generation—what’s worth keeping, what needs pruning, and how to pass on wisdom without turning it into a museum exhibit.

    47 min

  4. 12/23/2025

    Self Care

    Self-care doesn’t announce itself at Whetstone with spa music and soft lighting. It shows up in the mundane: brushing teeth, washing clothes, tending a cut, making a bed that will be messed up again by nightfall. And yet, this is where a lot of the real therapeutic work lives. When a boy learns to care for his body, he’s often learning—sometimes for the first time—how to care for himself at all. In therapy we talk about patterns that repeat themselves across systems. Messy rooms, messy days, messy relationships. The same choreography, different stage. So we slow it down. We name it. We reshape it. Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we talk about Self Care and why the smallest habits often do the heaviest lifting.

    41 min

  5. 12/05/2025

    Money

    No one likes to talk about money. The very word is a little cringy. We prefer to talk about wealth, finances, the budget. These are more palatable.  The same thing applies to the term fund-raising. People tend to tune out a little bit when it comes up in conversation. Most of us already have causes that we give to, and speaking for myself, very little left over to give to more.  Sure, I could be more generous. I could cut back on subscriptions, and eating out, and a few other things that aren’t necessary, but at the end of the day, you can’t get blood out of a turnip. That’s how I feel at least.  So it’s not something that I particularly like to do. It makes me uncomfortable.  But it’s part of my job. I don’t have a choice. Of course, you have a choice also. You can just stop listening, and I wouldn’t blame you if you did. I wouldn’t know any different.  However, if you do decide to keep listening, I can promise you that there is more to this episode than just Brandon and I talking about how we’re trying to raise another $900,000 dollars to pay for Whetstone’s expansion. There is a lot more to this topic than meets the eye.  So please join us this week, on A Time to Sharpen, as we talk about “Money.”

    50 min

  6. 11/20/2025

    Spiritual Life

    It’s a little ironic that has taken us 65 episodes to get this topic. You could argue it should’ve been the first one we ever recorded, because spiritual life is our top priority — the reason we do anything at Whetstone. Then again, if you’ve listened to the previous 65 episodes, you know we’ve been talking about it all along. Faith is the “why” underneath everything here, and it’s never something we want to compartmentalize. Yes, we have the staples — regular chapel, Sunday church, Bible study built into the week. But the real work happens in the margins: in mentoring, on work days, during silent walks through God’s creation. A boys’ character is sharpened slowly through consistency and care. We try to live that old Francis of Assisi line: preach the gospel always, and use words only when necessary. Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we talk what we do at Whetstone to till the soil of the heart.

    53 min

  7. 10/26/2025

    Girls

    Running a boys ranch means we spend a lot of time talking about manhood—but you can’t really understand boys without talking about girls. God made us different on purpose. Not to compete but to complement. Because becoming a man isn’t just about how you carry yourself—it’s about how you treat the people God made different from you. Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we talk about “Girls.”

    42 min

  8. 10/15/2025

    Light's Out

    When most of the world goes to sleep, life at Whetstone keeps rolling. The lights may be out, but the work doesn’t stop. Boys still need care. Emergencies can happen. And someone has to keep diligent watch. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on what happens after dark at Whetstone Boys Ranch — the overnight coverage that makes 24/7 care possible. We’ll talk about what those shifts actually look like, how staff remain alert, and the unique communication challenges that come with working when everyone else is asleep. Our guest today knows this world well. He has spent years walking the halls, comforting anxious and sometimes restless boys, keeping eyes and ears open to ensure every resident’s safety. Join us this week on A Time to Sharpen as we talk with Curtis Kazmir, the guardian angel who makes the ranch run safely all the way through and wee small hours of the morning.

    44 min
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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

A bi-weekly podcast that examines how working with teenagers can make us better versions of ourselves: better teachers, better counselors, better parents…better people. Join two of Whetstone Boys Ranch's co-founders, Axel Liimatta and Brandon Maxwell, as they discuss what twenty years of serving struggling teenagers and their families has taught them about how to address the most challenging of behaviors. You'll find answers without dogma, encouragement without false hope, and sharpening without shame.

Information

  • Creator
    Axel Liimatta & Brandon Maxwell
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Axel Liimatta & Brandon Maxwell
  • Show Website
    A Time to Sharpen