The Grass is Greener

madenew

We spend our whole lives looking over the fence. What if the life God has for you is already under your feet? The Grass is Greener is a podcast about contentment, calling, and the quiet faithfulness of staying. We talk about what it actually looks like to follow Jesus in the life you have, not the one you're chasing.

Episodes

  1. Jul 17

    EP4: From Child to Loss in 3-Weeks - The Grass is Greener Podcast

    "When he got diagnosed, we got pregnant."Three weeks. That's how close together Ruslan buried his older brother and held his newborn son. One gave him purpose. The other gave him pain. And landing that close together, they didn't pull him away from God — they pulled him in.Ruslan will be the first to tell you he's boring. Youngest of six, came to this country at three, never finished a single day of high school, never touched a drink or a drug, dated one girl since he was fifteen and married her. No rock bottom. No dramatic fall. Just a Slavic kid who built a business and a family on what he calls "delusional, blind faith" — and who quietly refused to become the person everyone had already decided he was.This one's a slower burn: grief that draws you closer instead of breaking you, faith you'll never be able to prove, the eighteen summers you actually get with your kids, why "being a good person" was never going to be enough, and what it really means to be an anchor instead of a sailboat.If you've ever carried a loss you couldn't explain — or you're just tired of pretending you've got it all figured out — this is the one to sit with.Chapters:00:00 – One gave purpose, one gave pain00:40 – Meet Ruslan02:13 – How we all met09:20 – "I'm a boring human"10:52 – No high school, straight to work12:29 – Leaving the Slavic church15:37 – The Spartan race & delusional faith20:17 – The chip on his shoulder26:09 – His brother's cancer29:18 – Three weeks apart33:16 – Life isn't meant to be done alone39:44 – You raise them to leave49:00 – All sin is horizontal50:53 – Refusing to judge58:20 – Be an anchor, not a sailboat1:00:40 – The Lighthouse Brotherhood1:06:37 – It always comes back to people1:13:23 – Why change is growth1:19:21 – If it helps one person1:20:52 – Closing prayerAbout madenew:madenew is a Christian nonprofit building a podcast, a clothing brand, a worship community, and a church. A life, made new — that's the whole thing.Website: madenew.chMailing List: madenew.ch/subscribeSpotify Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/033kWp5...Instagram: www.instagram.com/madenewchFacebook: www.facebook.com/madenewchTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madenewchLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/madenewchContact Us: hello@madenew.chGet Involved:Share your testimony on the podcast. Volunteer your time. Donate equipment. Give. It's all at madenew.ch/get-involved.madenew is a d/b/a of MADENEW A NONPROFIT CORPORATION, a Washington nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.

  2. Jun 8

    EP2: The Devil Spoke to Me - The Grass is Greener Podcast

    The devil spoke to Brian Swanson. Out loud. Clear as day, inside his own head. He was alone behind the bar, at the lowest point of his life and ready to end it, when the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen came walking down the stairs. A voice he'd never heard before said: "Don't talk to her. She's not good. Don't pursue this one." He almost listened. That woman is his wife now. This is the story of the war that started the second he didn't obey — a baptism that brought a whole room to tears, a loss no parent should ever carry, and a devil who never stopped whispering. If you've ever felt something pulling you toward the edge, you need to hear how this one ends. Chapters:00:00 – The devil spoke to me00:58 – Meet Brian06:05 – Behind the bar10:30 – Ready to end it all11:39 – She walks down the stairs14:44 – The voices in his head17:01 – The American and the Russian20:05 – "Stay away from my daughter"25:25 – The ice cream test32:16 – Finding faith39:10 – Baptism Sunday40:50 – Losing Mila51:19 – When the attacks come58:00 – Closing prayer About madenew:madenew is a Christian nonprofit building a podcast, a clothing brand, a worship community, and a church. A life, made new — that's the whole thing. Website: madenew.chMailing List: madenew.ch/subscribeSpotify Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/033kWp5zYAacTQxviTJHOOInstagram: www.instagram.com/madenewchFacebook: www.facebook.com/madenewchTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madenewchLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/madenewchContact Us: hello@madenew.ch Get Involved:Share your testimony on the podcast. Volunteer your time. Donate equipment. Give. It's all at madenew.ch/get-involved. madenew is a d/b/a of MADENEW A NONPROFIT CORPORATION, a Washington nonprofit corporation. 501(c)(3) status pending IRS determination.

  3. May 27

    EP 1: Our Impossible 3-Year Goal (The Founding Story) - The Grass is Greener Podcast

    The first episode. The founding story. Nick and Vitaly sit down to share how madenew came together — what we are, why we built it, and where we believe God is taking it. We talk through the brand. The name. The lamb. How The Grass is Greener got its name, and what it means to us. And then we get to the goals. 100 missions supported. 100,000 people brought to Christ. $10,000,000 raised for charity. All in three years. It's the kind of number you write down and then sit with for a minute. We did the same thing. There's also a 5-year goal: plant the first madenew church in the Pacific Northwest. The first of many. If anything here resonates, walk with us from the start. Chapters: 00:00 – A rough start 00:57 – Meet Nick & Vitaly 01:09 – Where madenew began 03:25 – The brand, the lamb, the name 05:30 – Why The Grass is Greener 07:05 – This isn't about making money 10:30 – Meat and potatoes 11:08 – Setting goals that feel impossible 14:43 – The 3-year mission 17:31 – The 5-year church 18:25 – The podcast 20:30 – The kind of content we want to make 22:35 – Washington's spiritual climate 23:42 – Wearing your faith 26:53 – The gold bar 28:34 – Sunday Worship Club 30:54 – How to get involved 34:11 – What to expect 37:11 – Is Seattle really the least Christian city? 40:13 – Closing prayer About madenew: madenew is a Christian nonprofit building a podcast, a clothing brand, a worship community, and a church. A life, made new — that's the whole thing. Website: madenew.ch Mailing List: madenew.ch/subscribe Spotify Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/033kWp5zYAacTQxviTJHOO Instagram: www.instagram.com/madenewch Facebook: www.facebook.com/madenewch TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@madenewch LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/madenewch Contact Us: hello@madenew.ch Get Involved: Share your testimony on the podcast. Volunteer your time. Donate equipment. Give. It's all at madenew.ch/get-involved. madenew is a d/b/a of MADENEW A NONPROFIT CORPORATION, a Washington nonprofit corporation. 501(c)(3) status pending IRS determination.

About

We spend our whole lives looking over the fence. What if the life God has for you is already under your feet? The Grass is Greener is a podcast about contentment, calling, and the quiet faithfulness of staying. We talk about what it actually looks like to follow Jesus in the life you have, not the one you're chasing.