BeTempered
  • Home
  • about
  • gear
  • Podcast
  • Patreon
  • Archive
  • listen
  • Contact
  • Gallery
  • More
    • Home
    • about
    • gear
    • Podcast
    • Patreon
    • Archive
    • listen
    • Contact
    • Gallery
BeTempered
  • Home
  • about
  • gear
  • Podcast
  • Patreon
  • Archive
  • listen
  • Contact
  • Gallery

Ordinary people. Extraordinary resilience.

Ordinary people. Extraordinary resilience.Ordinary people. Extraordinary resilience.Ordinary people. Extraordinary resilience.

Real Stories...Raw Truth... Resilient Faith.

Youtube

BeTempered Episode 61 – Breaking the Walls of Selfishness: Dan’s Rite of Passage Experience

  In this powerful episode, host Ben Spahr leads a raw conversation with host Dan Schmidt about his experience in The Rite of Passage, an endurance challenge led by former Navy SEAL Chad Wright. This wasn’t just another test of grit—without electronics, timepieces, or any knowledge of their route, nineteen strangers walked non-stop through punishing terrain and sweltering heat. The rules were deceptively simple: keep moving, keep eating, keep drinking. But within that simplicity, something extraordinary unfolded. 

YouTube Channel

Check out our YouTube Page for every full episode and shorts.

Learn more

BeTempered Episode 24 - Turning Pain into Purpose: Shawn Ruebush's Story of Triumph and Growth

 Shawn Ruebush shares his remarkable journey from a tragic childhood to a life marked by resilience and growth.  He is an inspiring testament to the human spirit.  Shawn opens up about enduring the loss of his father at a young age, navigating the complexities of family dynamics, and the emotional upheaval that followed.  His story is a profound reminder of the strength and perseverance found in family bonds and mentorship, and how these influences can guide us through the darkest of times.  

BeTempered Episode 31 - Near-Death, New Life: How Jason Koger Became a Bionic Inspiration

 What if a moment of unimaginable adversity became the turning point of your life? Today, Jason Koger and Jeff Jacobs from Owensboro, Kentucky, share their extraordinary journeys of resilience and transformation. Jason recounts his early years on a family farm, where the values of hard work and integrity were instilled in him, and how these foundations helped him navigate the harrowing aftermath of a life-changing electrical accident. With vivid storytelling, Jason takes us through the incident that left him temporarily heart-stopped yet ignited a burning determination to overcome all odds, including becoming the first person in the world to receive two bionic hands. 

What it Means to BeTempered

Tempering is a heat treatment process used to improve the toughness of  glass & metals like steel, making them less brittle and more durable.  


"Tempered" refers to being moderated or controlled, as in having a  measured approach to situations rather than being excessively emotional or reactionary. 


  At BeTempered, our mission is to build a community where people feel safe to be open and vulnerable — sharing their stories of struggle, growth, and gratitude so that others feel less alone and more inspired. 

Our Story

 BeTempered is more than a podcast it’s turning into a movement—one that calls people to embrace hardship, lead with character, and become the best version of themselves. 

Why We Do It

 Through gatherings like gratitude walks, training missions, men’s groups, Bible studies, and live events, we help people level up physically, mentally, and spiritually — living stronger, healthier lives and lifting each other up.  

TURNING PAIN INTO PURPOSE

TURNING PAIN INTO PURPOSE

This story began for our community on Episode 24 of the BeTempered Podcast, when Shawn sat down and shared the journey he had kept silent for most of his life.  In that conversation, he opened the door to who he really was, a young boy who lost his father at ten, survived a tragic house fire that took his grandfather, and carried trauma that could have easily broken him.  


But instead of letting the pain define him, Shawn found faith, resilience, and the game of football as tools to rebuild his life. 

→ Read the Book

 This book is for anyone who has ever wondered if healing is possible.


Shawn’s life is proof that it is, and that God can use your story for good. 

Buy here

Follow us on social for updates.

Special Thanks to our Sponsor

Check them out at...

catronsglass.com

hayes Arboretum

Our Mission

 The mission of Hayes Arboretum is to provide nature and recreation related education to its visitors through instruction, experiences, and amenities.

Today, Hayes Arboretum continues to connect people to nature through instruction, experiences, and amenities. People from around the world visit to see forests that are 500 years of age, acres of pollinator prairies, and over 100 tagged specimen trees. Thousands of people visit the Nature Center and Nature Playscape to interact with exhibits and play in nature. From the original land that Stanley purchased to the natural spaces donated by those in the community, Hayes Arboretum is comprised of 466 acres of protected forests, prairies, wetlands, and more.


The Hayes Family continues to be involved with Hayes Arboretum and the Foundation today. Brice’s son Stephen Hayes Sr became involved with the Arboretum and Foundation in 1970 and continues to work with both groups today. Our current Executive Director of the Arboretum - Steve Hayes Jr - is the great grandson of Stanley W Hayes. The McClure Family also continues to volunteer their time, continuing the legacy of Paul C McClure, a former employee of Stanley that physically collected and planted many of the trees that are here on property today. Additionally, the Mayer Family continues the precedence set by Herbert and his daughter Pat’s combined 100 years of service to the Hayes Family and Arboretum.


Although Stanley is no longer here, Hayes Arboretum continues his idea and legacy on property today, now and for future generations.

BeTempered

Copyright © 2026 BeTempered - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by

This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept