In this deeply personal episode of Open Spaces, Jeff sits down with his longtime friend Wes Martin — the first friend Jeff ever shared his struggle with.

Wes had a front row seat to the earliest and most fragile days of Jeff learning how to bring his story into the light. What started as an awkward and uncertain conversation between two friends eventually grew into something much deeper. During some of Jeff’s darkest moments, when the weight of shame and confusion left him feeling hopeless and even questioning if life was worth living, Wes and his wife Amanda stepped in with extraordinary care.

They didn’t have all the answers. But they offered what mattered most: presence, love, and a safe place to land. At one point they even opened their home to Jeff, making sure he wasn’t alone as he wrestled through those difficult days.

Together they reflect on the messy beginnings of vulnerability — what it’s like to tell someone your struggle for the first time, how imperfect those early conversations can be, and how real friendship often means figuring it out as you go.

This episode is a reminder that when honesty is met with deep relationship and love, even the most complicated and painful moments can become the starting point for something beautiful.

If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to take that first step of letting someone into your struggle, this conversation is for you.