Meet James Arends. A 38 year old husband and a devoted father to his 11 year old daughter. With approximately 165lbs of lean muscle, James is covered in both tattoos and piercings. If someone were to judge him based solely on his appearance, you might say he is the perfect picture of toxic masculinity. But you would be wrong. Born into an alcoholic and abusive family, James clawed his way through his adolescent and teenage years, getting stuck in a repeat cycle of addiction, crime, homelessness, and shame. The “James” I know personally is a man of integrity, faith, and accountability. The James I know lacks any resemblance to the person he will describe in this episode. If his story teaches us anything, it is to remind us not to judge a book by its cover, or a person by their past. And that masculinity and humility aren’t mutually exclusive.
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