Strong nations start at home. We sit down with author, minister, and coach Yusef Marshall A.K.A. Mista Yu to unpack why fatherhood, marriage, and faith are the true infrastructure of a healthy society—and how men can lead with courage when life feels heavy. Mista Yu’s story moves from an absent father and a decade inside a destructive sect to three near-death moments that forced a reset. He shares how books became mentors when people failed, how accountability reshaped his character, and how the presence of God turned ritual into relationship.

We get real about the gap between the stereotype of the “absent dad” and the quiet excellence of men who show up every day. Yusef explains why some communities are vulnerable to radicalization, how pain points get exploited, and what it takes to build a church culture that lifts men with truth and love. We contrast the works-pressure that breeds frenzy with the peace and clarity he found in Scripture and worship. His insights on leadership are blunt and freeing: stop chasing applause; lead for God. When the weight of leadership presses hard, return to your why and your accountability.

Yusef also shares the heart behind his book, The Heart of the Stepfather, written as both a guide and personal healing. Expect practical, hopeful steps for dads and future dads: protect your schedule, pray aloud with your family, ask better questions, pursue correction, and find mentors further down the road. If tomorrow isn’t promised, today matters even more—so build the habits that make homes safe, children secure, and communities strong.

If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help more listeners find it. Your voice helps grow a community where fathers are seen, supported, and strengthened.

Have a question for Mista Yu? Text the show and he’ll answer it personally.

Our team will choose random (but timely) episodes from our previous three seasons (which are our most popular ever!) to share with our listeners during the slower parts of a long podcast season. We think you will enjoy them! Thanks for listening!

Coffee aficionados and Health Conscious listeners, our show has some new sponsors and they’re offering you the best discounts their stores have. Links are below. Start saving now!

Quantum Squares: https://strongcoffeecompany.com/discount/TCMMY

The link is in the show notes. Can't wait to hear how much you love Strong Coffee!

We love hearing from all of you about how you're enjoying our content! A really cool way you can do that is Fan Mail. Check out the promo and starting sending messages right away! It's easy and it's fun too! Trust me! Thank you for reaching out and allowing us the privilege of hearing from our faithful listeners and viewers! I can't wait to get your next message!

Support the show

Thank you for listening to the They Call Me Mista Yu brand of podcasts! We love hearing from you! We're available wherever you enjoy your podcasts, audio or video! Thanks again for watching and listening!

Hope you enjoyed our broadcast! If you would like to, or know someone who would like to be connected to Mista Yu as a future guest on one of our shows or to have him on your show or you think he's the perfect fit to be your new High Performance Coach, visit our page here: https://theycallmemistayu.wixsite.com/they-call-me-mista-y

We can't wait to hear from you!

Our team thought it was a great idea to start rewinding previous (but timely) episodes of our show during the times that Mista Yu is away from the microphone. All of these beautiful Blasts from the Past were previously broadcast, but we are sharing them with you at a time when you might need them most. Hope you enjoy the review!

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SEND US A TEXT. Drop Mista Yu a text at: (904) 867-4466 or (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2378778/open_sms).

Leave your first name and the city you're reaching out to us from. We'll respond to your message on the next Fan Mail episode and give you the biggest shoutout. Every message you send to me matters.

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What if the words you’re saving for tomorrow never get spoken? This conversation starts with an archive drop and opens into a raw, urgent meditation on missed chances, unspoken gratitude, and the real cost of waiting. I trace a line from a childhood in Bedford-Stuyvesant—amid arson-scarred blocks, strained schools, and low expectations—to a purpose that survived the odds, then pause at one moment I can’t get back: a best friend named Ayanna who never got to hear she was my best friend.

We challenge the reflex to say “maybe it wasn’t meant to be” and ask a harder question: were we truly in position to receive the opportunity? We dig into personal accountability, the gap between 100 percent effort and the safe 65%, and the way gratitude reframes loss without denying it.

Imagine today is your last day—who needs your apology, your thanks, your love? No stunts, no theatrics, just focused presence and meaningful follow-through. If this message moves you, share it with someone who needs the nudge, subscribe for more conversations that blend real life with real accountability, and leave a review to help others find the show. T

Have a question for Mista Yu? Text the show and he’ll answer it personally.

Our team will choose random (but timely) episodes from our previous three seasons (which are our most popular ever!) to share with our listeners during the slower parts of a long podcast season. We think you will enjoy them! Thanks for listening!

Coffee aficionados and Health Conscious listeners, our show has some new sponsors and they’re offering you the best discounts their stores have. Links are below. Start saving now!

Quantum Squares: https://strongcoffeecompany.com/discount/TCMMY

The link is in the show notes. Can't wait to hear how much you love Strong Coffee!

We love hearing from all of you about how you're enjoying our content! A really cool way you can do that is Fan Mail. Check out the promo and starting sending messages right away! It's easy and it's fun too! Trust me! Thank you for reaching out and allowing us the privilege of hearing from our faithful listeners and viewers! I can't wait to get your next message!

Support the show

Thank you for listening to the They Call Me Mista Yu brand of podcasts! We love hearing from you! We're available wherever you enjoy your podcasts, audio or video! Thanks again for watching and listening!

Hope you enjoyed our broadcast! If you would like to, or know someone who would like to be connected to Mista Yu as a future guest on one of our shows or to have him on your show or you think he's the perfect fit to be your new High Performance Coach, visit our page here: https://theycallmemistayu.wixsite.com/they-call-me-mista-y

We can't wait to hear from you!

Our team thought it was a great idea to start rewinding previous (but timely) episodes of our show during the times that Mista Yu is away from the microphone. All of these beautiful Blasts from the Past were previously broadcast, but we are sharing them with you at a time when you might need them most. Hope you enjoy the review!

************************

SEND US A TEXT. Drop Mista Yu a text at: (904) 867-4466 or (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2378778/open_sms).

Leave your first name and the city you're reaching out to us from. We'll respond to your message on the next Fan Mail episode and give you the biggest shoutout. Every message you send to me matters.

*************************

Headlines have been loud, messy, and heavy—and that’s exactly why we open with clarity about what’s harmful, what’s not reflective of authentic faith, and why naming truth matters for our personal growth. From there, we shift the lens to the battles closer to home: the tug-of-war between who we were, who we say we want to be, and the choices that actually move us forward.

We also ask the harder questions: Are your goals truly yours, or are they auditions for other people’s approval? If you’re an orange, why submit to apples-to-apples comparisons? We talk boundaries, unique standards, and the courage to avoid crab-bucket traps that pull you back into comfort and conformity. Mindset sits at the core. Most people change desires and even values before they change behavior; flipping that script requires a renewed mind, tighter inputs, and proof through daily practice. Purpose sharpens when your actions align with identity, not applause.

If you’re ready to trade vague hopes for clear steps—and to choose the narrow path that leads to real life—this one’s for you. Listen, share with a friend who needs a reset, and tell us the one specific

Have a question for Mista Yu? Text the show and he’ll answer it personally.

Our team will choose random (but timely) episodes from our previous three seasons (which are our most popular ever!) to share with our listeners during the slower parts of a long podcast season. We think you will enjoy them! Thanks for listening!

Coffee aficionados and Health Conscious listeners, our show has some new sponsors and they’re offering you the best discounts their stores have. Links are below. Start saving now!

Quantum Squares: https://strongcoffeecompany.com/discount/TCMMY

The link is in the show notes. Can't wait to hear how much you love Strong Coffee!

We love hearing from all of you about how you're enjoying our content! A really cool way you can do that is Fan Mail. Check out the promo and starting sending messages right away! It's easy and it's fun too! Trust me! Thank you for reaching out and allowing us the privilege of hearing from our faithful listeners and viewers! I can't wait to get your next message!

Support the show

Thank you for listening to the They Call Me Mista Yu brand of podcasts! We love hearing from you! We're available wherever you enjoy your podcasts, audio or video! Thanks again for watching and listening!

Hope you enjoyed our broadcast! If you would like to, or know someone who would like to be connected to Mista Yu as a future guest on one of our shows or to have him on your show or you think he's the perfect fit to be your new High Performance Coach, visit our page here: https://theycallmemistayu.wixsite.com/they-call-me-mista-y

We can't wait to hear from you!