September 2, 2025 • 58 mins
In this episode, Jaden Dunn shares his profound journey of forgiveness, resilience, and faith. From grappling with childhood challenges, including the loss of his mother, to finding a supportive family and pursuing a military career, Jayen's story is one of transformation. He discusses his experiences in basic training, the challenges of transitioning to his first base, and the pivotal role of faith and community in his life. Ultimately, Jaden's journey leads him to a deeper understanding of faith and a commitment to surrendering to God's will. In this conversation, the speakers explore the transformative power of faith, the importance of community, and the journey of healing from past wounds. They discuss personal growth through scripture, the challenges of navigating relationships, and the significance of using one's faith to help others in need. The dialogue emphasizes the role of accountability, forgiveness, and the impact of supportive relationships in fostering a fulfilling life.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
So I had talked to my pastor a little bit and I was like, hey, like, I feel like God'scalling me to forgive him, but just how do I forgive him after all he just wronged me.
And he was just like, listen, like you're called to forgive, but you don't have to forget.
You don't have to have that relationship with him if you don't want to, which really justkind of helped me and just kind of comfort my feelings.
(00:28):
And I was like,
I called him and I was like, hey, like, I just want to tell you that I forgive you foreverything that you've done, everything that just you put me through growing up, just not
even being there.
And I just truly forgive you.
And so that really helped me growing up.
then uh unfortunately, a year later after I forgave him, he had passed away.
(01:01):
Welcome to Faith in the Line of Duty, a podcast where real people in uniform show howtheir faith in Christ has carried them through the toughest moments.
I'm Daniel Johnson, husband, father, and currently active duty in the United States AirForce.
Each episode I sit down with military members and first responders to talk about the powerof the gospel, the strength of community, and how faith transforms lives, even in the line
(01:24):
of duty.
The views expressed in this podcast are those of the host and do not constituteendorsement by the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force or the U.S.
government.
Now here's your host, Daniel Johnson.
Hey everyone, thanks for tuning into another episode of Faith in the Line of Duty.
(01:45):
Today I have the honor of introducing Jayden Dunn.
He's a really good friend of mine, so we're just going to talk about his story today.
So thanks for coming on.
Yeah, thanks for having me.
Glad to be out here.
Even though it's like super hot around here, very humid.
Not used to it.
Yeah, so yeah, what I usually like to do is just kind of start from the beginning.
Just tell us what your childhood was like.
(02:06):
Yeah, so growing up, I grew up in a very big household.
My mom had six kids and there's like, I'm like the youngest out of the six and my dadended up having two other kids later on.
so I kind of lived with my mom for a little bit growing up and then.
(02:29):
uh
Then I kind of started living with my grandma around like age four or five, something likethat.
I don't really remember as much because I was kind of a kid.
And she just kind of helped me grow up, raised me for a little bit.
And my mom, she was always in and out of rehab.
(02:50):
She wasn't really into the, just not really down the right path, which...
She started to get a lot better.
And so I started to move in with her around like age nine or 10.
And then uh she was doing a lot better.
She was sober for a while.
which like being nine or 10, I didn't really know what that meant, but I was like, hey,like I finally get to live with her.
(03:16):
Like I'm so excited.
And uh unfortunately she had uh passed away and she had overdosed.
made me kind of go back to living with my grandma for a while and um really kind of did atoll on me just growing up because that was like my mother and my dad never really in the
(03:39):
picture he'd come in every so often and so I live with my grandma there was probably sevenor eight of us at her house I mean there's a good amount of people that live with her and
uh at the time
I was in the Big Brother Big Sister program and so was my next older brother.
And I had this mentor named Danny.
(04:03):
I would go on trips with him, um but my brother, his big brother Jay, he uh kind ofinvited me out a lot as well as my brother.
And I kind of got more connected with him more.
And just kind of growing up, I kind of drifted towards Jay and his wife Kathy.
(04:25):
And they, uh, they actually like really were a huge part of my life growing up.
And I, it kind of gave me a spot to move away from the, the big household to like, live inlike a farm with no other kids.
And I was like, freedom, what's this?
(04:46):
Yeah.
So I, mean, I did during COVID, I spent most of my time there.
I still like lived at my grandma's house.
but I was always over there just kind of growing up on their farm, helping at the deershop, just kind of like being a kid and playing in the mud or whatever.
So I grew up at their house mainly and uh they really like help, gave me the morals that Ihave today, um as well as my grandma for sure.
(05:15):
But she was always busy.
My sister has a...
at the time had three or four kids and my grandma was just kind of help raising them too.
So she had her hands tied for a while.
So I just got more attention over there and just more uh guidance at their house.
(05:35):
And later on, actually just recently, I had changed my last name to theirs just to kind ofhonor them because I was like, well, they took me in like their own.
and they never really had any kids of their own.
And I was like, hey, like, this is the only way I can repay you.
So, so just recently I changed my name to theirs and they're like my mom and my dad now.
(06:00):
So it's just kind of a little bit about my childhood.
So if you don't mind me asking, how were you able to deal with that as a kid?
mean, you said you were, how old were you when she passed away?
So it was in 2016, so I guess it would have been nine about to turn 10 or 10 about to turn11.
(06:22):
It was definitely hard.
was, I mean, not really fully comprehending what happened just because I was like, yeah,like she's passed away.
mean, I went to her funeral and all that, but I was like, I never really understood.
Like she was gone.
And so it kind of didn't really set in till I was probably going into seventh, eighthgrade year whenever like all the kids at my school heard about it.
(06:56):
And if they would search up my name, like her actual obituary would pop up.
And I got made fun of a lot about it in school, which really, it really hurt just kind ofgrowing up.
And.
I mean, I ended up getting in a fight because of it in eighth grade, just because like,kid was like making fun of me and like making fun of my mom.
(07:18):
was like, I just didn't know what to do.
But so it definitely like took a long time to be able to cope with it.
um A lot of my siblings coped with it a different way, which I mean, we all have our ownway of just kind of dealing with grief and trauma like that.
But it definitely, um
(07:39):
Just being so young kind of hurt.
Yeah, well I appreciate you sharing that.
I know it's kind of difficult to talk about.
m What was your favorite memory from your childhood?
My favorite memory.
Good question.
um
(08:00):
I'd just say just riding four wheelers on the farm out in the mud.
Just not having to worry about being home by a certain time or whatever, being outside.
I knew the farmland and I knew where all the muddy spots were and just be able to just gasit on the four wheeler.
That was a lot of fun for sure.
(08:22):
um As well as going on BMX races.
So I raced BMX.
ever since I was probably like eight or nine and just going out with just that big BMXcommunity there was just so much fun.
Just being able to hang out with the other kids and just go out there and ride my bike.
mean, all kids, they're like, love riding bikes, but this was like a different step.
(08:46):
It was like, you're actually racing against other people.
Just fun.
um So that was probably like my best childhood memories.
cool.
And you still were at it today,
Yeah, I do.
uh Not as much anymore just because my schedule is a little bit busier, but I love likeanytime I can just kind of get out and ride my bike or go to a track somewhere, which is
(09:09):
definitely like a little challenging because people are a lot faster now.
Yeah, you're the only BMX racer I know.
Are you good?
I mean...
Practice makes perfect.
That's pretty cool.
So what led you to want to join the military?
(09:31):
So um growing up, I always wanted to be a cop or I always wanted to do like, I neverreally grew out of that phase that a lot of kids go through.
And so I originally had the goal of being an air marshal and I was talking to my dad umand we were just kind of talking about what would set me up the most.
(09:56):
And so we looked into like,
the Marine MP or Navy.
was like, I don't want to really be on a boat for nine months.
So I ended up going to the Air Force and just like talk to the recruiter and he's like,yeah, like I can get you security forces without a doubt.
And I was like, you know what?
Sounds cool.
Let's do it.
(10:18):
Yeah.
And I'm like, wow, like I want to do that.
And being like 16, 17, I was like, yeah, it looks so cool.
And so at 17, I graduated high school and I graduated on Friday and shipped out followingMonday.
So I left like immediately because I knew that's what I wanted to do.
(10:40):
so I joined about in 2023 and just kind of left everything and just started a new chapterout in San Antonio, Texas.
Nice.
And how was that transition for you?
Dude, it was hot.
I went in the middle or the start of June.
(11:00):
I was out there all the way to October.
peak heat.
So being out there, it was a lot of fun.
well as basic training though, was definitely difficult.
Being 17 surrounded by all these other people.
I mean, these are people all over the country and they just mesh you guys together.
(11:23):
and you gotta be best buds by the end of seven and half weeks.
And so it was definitely a lot of butting of heads for the first couple nights, but umjust basic training.
was a little hard just not living on my own, um having like a lot of family around me togo and just kind of be put by yourself or like away from people that you know.
(11:49):
and no communication with them.
Yeah, you could write letters, but you couldn't have your phone.
I mean, you call them once when you get there, maybe a couple times during basic training,but you're like focusing on training and just becoming like just a military member.
And so that was it was definitely took some adjustment adjustment, but it was definitely alot of fun.
(12:12):
There's some really good memories in basic training.
em We so one time
uh in basic training.
So like you have to make your beds or whatever and every morning you make your bed.
Sometimes you make them more than once during the day.
And it was a Sunday.
So our MTIs weren't there and then they're like, there might be one or two, but they'renot like there with you.
(12:36):
And so it was like probably our fifth, sixth week in and we were all laying on our bedsand like
Once you make your bed, you're not supposed to touch it.
Like you're not, if you sit down, you have like a little chair you're supposed to besitting down in.
But we were all just like laying down in our beds.
And I was like, you know what?
(12:57):
This feels wrong.
So I got up out of my bed and I went to the day room and I sat in there with somebody elsejust kind of talking to him.
And as soon as I sat down in there, I hear the MTI open up the door and he's like yellingat the person next to the door.
because he's like not wearing shoes that seek you.
But like as soon as everybody heard that, it was dead silent.
(13:21):
Nobody was talking because I think they thought it was like another training just messingaround.
And then he walks into like the first bay and he just screams.
like, what is everybody doing in their beds?
And then you just hear everybody in the second bay, like shuffling out of their bedssitting in the chair.
He like runs over there real quick to see if he can see anyone.
(13:43):
which he didn't but eventually he's like, he pulled like everybody's 341s cause he couldlike look on the bed and see that it was moved.
But he came into the day room and saw that me and the other guy were sitting in there.
So he was like, oh, you guys are good, but everybody else, you're laying in your beds.
And I was like, oh, the heck.
(14:04):
So was I, but I didn't tell him.
It was a good time in BMT.
think, like you said about no phones, I think that's probably really difficult for peoplenow because people are just so attached to their phone.
So you went to tech school right after BMT?
Yeah, Tech School still in San Antonio.
was there at Lackland for a while.
(14:25):
uh Tech School was fun, still during the heat.
um We started on the normal, I think we start on the Lackland side, or we start at therange, uh M4 firing.
That was just kind of growing up, being able to shoot guns.
That was pretty easy.
um But...
(14:49):
Tech school wise wasn't too difficult.
Made some good friends there.
um Just had fun like actually being out and hands on stuff compared to a lot of other jobsthat they're very like back office or very like computer stuff.
I like actually being out there in the woods, like getting into it or rocking, doingwhatever we can.
(15:14):
so that was better even though was like extremely hot out but.
Uh, and then we went over to Bullis, which is like maybe 30 minutes away from Lackland.
And that's where I found a bunch of scorpions.
I was like, I mean, I thought scorpions were only in like other countries.
(15:34):
Like, yeah, I didn't think we had scorpions in actual, uh, America or in, uh, Texas, letalone.
And, but I found them there.
I was, uh, taking a shower and.
In the showers in Bullis, they have these little grates or whatever so you're not standingon the ground.
(15:54):
But it's like you can see all the scorpions running under you.
I'm like, dude, I need shower shoes.
So it's cool to see them.
And cactus, I've never seen cactus before then.
I thought that was just in the movies.
Yeah.
So at what point did you find out about your first bass?
(16:15):
It was, I think week two, you find out, you make a dream sheet in basic training, the endof it, and kind of like apply to all these bases.
And I had got Effie Warren in Wyoming.
And I was like, yeah, like that's cool.
That's Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Sounds like a lot of fun.
(16:35):
But then I started asking around to see who else was going and none of my buddies weregoing.
No one that I knew was going there.
I mean, there were people on my team that went there, but I was like not really close withthem.
So I ended up switching for Whiteman, Missouri.
And because like my really good buddies were going there, I was like, yeah, I'm so excitedto have the B2s there.
(16:56):
Like, this sounds like a bunch of fun.
And I ended up switching for that.
But so I'm, glad I was able to get with my friends, but the location in Missouri isn't asgood as Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Yeah, definitely.
So when did you get to your first bass?
So I got a white man in November.
(17:18):
I want to say, so I graduated on Halloween on tech school and then went back home on rapand leave for a while to see my family, which is very cool.
I haven't seen them since I graduated.
And so was good to just kind of take a break and be like a normal human for a while.
And then getting out to, and then I went to Missouri like the second week of November orsomething.
(17:43):
and got into phase one in process.
I actually got to Missouri and you're supposed to have a sponsor that like helps like showyou around, gives you your house key, whatever, or your dorm key.
And I got there and he was asleep.
I was like, well, how do I get on base?
Like, what do I do?
I'm so confused.
But I ended up getting on base and getting a hotel for the night.
(18:05):
As soon as I got inside and put my clothes away, he had, he called me and is like, dude,where are you at?
I was like, uh,
in the hotel is I know I already got your own key like whatever like you need to come out.
So I ended up getting my dorm that night which is cool and I got reimbursed for the hotelbut it was kind of got there during the cold of Missouri and that wasn't the best.
(18:32):
It was snowing and I'm like used to this Texas heat.
Yeah just knowing I'm like shivering.
It's like 40 degrees.
Yeah I'm like
Let me go inside.
This is boat out here.
Yeah.
So I think for you being stationed at Whiteman, I think you have a little bit of unique uhperspective because of the mission that's there.
(18:53):
um So how would you explain how it is to be there at the first base there at Whiteman insecurity forces?
Being at Whiteman, just uh being at a global strike base is so much different than normallaw enforcement bases.
I talked to all these people that I went to tech school with, or just other securityforces people, and they're at uh actual law enforcement bases, and they talk about,
(19:22):
they're on their phone the whole time, they're doing all this.
I'm like, phone, what's that?
I've got to go 12 hours without that.
So it's a, being the first base, it kind of like uh being a first term airman, that's yourfirst base definitely uh isolates you a lot just cause it's like, you don't really, I
(19:46):
mean, you're just coming out of tech school, you're just coming out of basic training andyou get there to this base and now you're expected to just kind of figure it out.
And so you get put in like a shack for 14 hours or you get put in like this
Humvee by yourself or whatever.
It's like you just kind of like have a very just kind of sit and wait kind of thing.
(20:11):
And so it was definitely a little took a lot of getting used to for a while, but found agood group of people out there eventually.
I always tell people if you can make it uh at a bass like that, then you know your nextbass you'll think it's a dream.
If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.
I mean like you don't so like other bases you go on TDYs or all that like you have allthese opportunities But at this base, it's just kind of like you're focused on this
(20:39):
specific mission Yeah, and so it's like it's definitely if you can get through that likeyou can get through any base
When did you start going to church?
I know I kind of saw you at an award ceremony.
That's first time I saw you.
But then I saw you going to the church there.
So yeah, tell us a little bit about that.
What led you to want to go to church?
(21:00):
So, um, like I said, I grew up in a big household.
I grew up with a lot of people around me and to go from that to out by yourself, living onyour own, being, uh, 18 years old, living in like this closet space they call a dorm.
(21:20):
And I'm like, well, I don't know what to do.
Like I, yeah, I had my bikes, like I could ride or whatever, but it was during the winter.
So I couldn't.
And so I was just like,
by myself alone and I just kind of let uh my thoughts kind of run for a while and I justfelt like, I mean, at the time just getting integrated on flight, was just very demanding
(21:43):
and a lot of people were just not happy.
And so I had, I got to a point where I just felt like uh I was better off not being hereanymore.
And I knew it was wrong.
I knew that
uh I was hurrying and I called my grandma.
I was like, grandma, like I am scared.
(22:05):
I have these thoughts and I'm like, I just, I don't want to be here anymore.
And she was like, pumpkin, you needed to just go to church.
And I was like, yes, ma'am.
So I went to first Baptist church in Warrensburg and I went out there a couple of Sundaysand I just kind of looked around.
(22:26):
was like, Lord, like
There's all these families, there's all these people, like they all have like their ownlittle niche that they sat with and I just kind of still felt alone.
And I just like, before I went in the last Sunday, I was like, Lord, like, if this isn'tit, like, I'm not doing it anymore.
Like, I'm not going to church.
(22:46):
Like, this is it.
I'm getting out.
And I went into church, I'm looking for anything and everything, any sign that the Lordwould give me.
And I lost hope.
after the sermon, after it was done, and I went to walk out and I was like, okay, Lord,you made your decision.
And as soon as I opened up that first set of doors, this guy came up to me named Tripp andhe ran me out and he was like, hey man, like we kind of talked a little bit, but like, I
(23:15):
feel like the Lord wants me to take you in my van 150 miles north with my family to go toWinter Jam.
I was like, what?
That sounds so weird.
But I was like, you know what?
And I took that leap of faith and like right then and there I knew that I made the rightdecision.
I knew like the Lord knew my heart and what I needed.
(23:38):
And just ever since then, like He has just been able to help me just through any time thatI've ever felt alone or just through anything at all.
He's always there.
And so I got connected with Tripp and his family and he actually baptized me in
at that church was really cool.
(24:00):
so eventually I kind of like sitting with him more and just met new people, met you guysand got connected with y'all.
And which actually like you being a canine handler, I was like, well, like, I think canineschool, like, I want to go do that.
And that's whenever I started getting connected with that, I was like, wow, like, the Lordcan connect you with people that will just help you just
(24:25):
in this world too.
uh Never would I think if I went to a church that's going to help me in my military uhwalk.
And it did without a doubt.
community is so huge, but I just want to unpack that just a little bit.
like, when did you get to a point when you were like, okay, I have to surrender?
(24:47):
Because I know there's a little bit of a process, but yeah, kind of tell us about that alittle bit.
So, um yeah, once when I got connected with them, that's like truly whenever I believethat that God knew my heart and then he just kind of started to like show me the Bible and
(25:10):
tell me more about Jesus.
And I was like, oh, well, this Jesus guy sounds pretty cool.
Like he died for me.
What?
But like just like fully understanding that like
He, I mean, God loves us so much that he would send his just his son to die on the crossfor me for something for like how much I've done wrong and how much that I will do wrong.
(25:37):
And he loves us so much that he just would do that for us.
And I was like, yeah, like I surrender it to you.
Like I give it to you.
And so that was probably in uh maybe March.
of 2024 I was saved, and then a couple weeks later I got baptized.
(25:58):
Man, that's so cool.
And so how would you say your life changed after you did that?
Dude, it, I mean, first of all, I never had those thoughts again.
never like felt alone again.
uh, just to go from like how much, uh, how much I've done wrong and just how much stress,anxiety and depression that I had to just be able to just and give it to him was just so
(26:29):
good.
And I mean,
everything changed just from then.
And I just had like this whole new outlook of looking at stuff or like just walking injust this life.
Like before I would be like gossiping about everybody or just being talking about uh like,this, this bass sucks.
(26:53):
Like all these people, I don't like them, whatever.
And to go from that to just being able to look at like
the good in people and be able to look at like just how much of an opportunity that beingin Missouri gave me, it just changed my focus 100%.
Like it was like a switch.
(27:15):
And so it's just really cool and continue to it.
He continues to help guide me just right now on where I'm at.
Wow, man that's so encouraging.
So yeah, as you've grown in your faith, what would you say your favorite Bible verse is?
They're my favorite Bible verse.
There's so many good verses out there.
(27:36):
I mean, just they're all really good, but I like James 119 and it talks about just beinguh quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.
And that like, you can just use it so much in your life.
And like if you're having somebody like maybe somebody wronged you or they're saying like,you did this wrong.
(28:00):
they're screaming at you whatever and you just want to scream right back to them.
I just got to remind myself James 119 like let me just listen to what they're actuallysaying and take maybe even take self accountability and realizing okay why are they doing
this and that's what helped me just kind of go from uh being whenever I first got onflight I would always blame it on well my supervisor just doesn't like me or
(28:28):
these people just don't like me because I'm new or uh instead like just being able torealize like, okay, maybe I'm doing this wrong.
And that's what he's trying to show me.
And so it just really just helps me to kind of take a step back and understand the fullscenario or whatever it is and just being able to like take self accountability about it
(28:54):
and also like understand why people are just talking about it.
And so I kind of think we should talk about a little bit of how important community is,because obviously, like you said, when you were in your dorm alone, um compared to now,
you're in a church community and all that.
So um I say all that to ask, what piece of advice would you give to someone that's in thedorms right now that's hurting, that's feeling lonely?
(29:20):
Get out.
I mean, like, get out and explore, get out and just plug yourself in a church.
Just do something that is not in your dorm.
And I know, like, they say that, like, whenever you first get there and they're like,yeah, like, know Whiteman or wherever you're at, they're just, uh, you need to get out and
(29:40):
do things, but like, you need to actually do it.
Like, don't just stay in your room playing video games.
Like, I'm truly, I truly think you need to get just even one buddy.
and go fishing, go hiking, go bowling even.
Like you there's so much stuff to do and just keeping yourself occupied or just being ableto be in a community just helps you so much because you can be able to lean on them more.
(30:09):
You can be able to grow with each other and being in like a Christian community just helpsyou so much more because it's like you I mean you iron sharpens iron.
And it's like, you can be able to, I mean, just have so many mentors.
I've had so many mentors in my life.
I mean, just you being one of them.
(30:30):
just whenever you were out in Missouri, just living with you or just uh hanging out withyou and your family just helps me grow and be in that community as well as like other
people out there.
So I encourage whoever's in the dorms.
to get out, find somebody, they don't have to be your age, I mean, you're not my age.
(30:56):
Give her few years.
But like, just find somebody, just hang out with them, go get food with them, just get outof your dorms.
Yeah, I mean, like you said, it also takes a leap of faith, right?
You have to put yourself out there.
You know, if you go to a church and no one says hi to you, right, like you still got toput yourself out there.
And maybe that's the church that's not for you.
(31:18):
Just keep looking.
You just got to keep trying.
But yeah.
And I mean, you can't just expect to go out and which I obviously expected it just kind ofgoing out to First Baptist, but you can't expect to just go out to church and You go to
the sermon.
Okay, as soon as it's over you run out the doors like nobody's gonna there you're justgonna slip by and so if you just like take that leap of faith go say hi to somebody and it
(31:49):
it can just be somebody that's holding the door.
Like it doesn't have to be just somebody with a family or just some person that's sittingby themselves.
Like just go out there and just talk to anybody you can or get plugged in with a smallgroup.
And which I love small groups so much because those actually help you grow and like haveaccountability and just be able to focus on each other.
(32:13):
And I just encourage you get plugged into a small group, get plugged into a church andactually like
Talk to people.
So now that you've been saved, how do you look back at your childhood and kind of be ableto heal from a lot of the stuff from your childhood?
(32:33):
So growing up, um I know I talked a little bit about my mom.
I didn't talk too much about my dad.
He wasn't really in the picture as much.
um He had lived in just a different part and just kind of growing up, I was like, well, Iwant to go live with him or whatever.
Like the grass always looked greener on the other side.
(32:55):
But until I realized like how much he had just...
uh
just lied about stuff.
It was like, I'm gonna come and see you and never really did.
like, uh I remember one time I went up to my granddad's, lives maybe like 10 minutes frommy dad.
I went up there to go visit him.
(33:15):
He's got like a barbecue restaurant and all that.
And I was like, hey, I texted him.
was like, hey, like I'm in town.
um You wanna go to McDonald's or something?
And he was like, I got a headache.
I'm not doing it today.
I was like, wow.
So like after that,
I really understood that it wasn't my fault.
Like it was because he just didn't want to do it.
(33:38):
So I had resented him for a long time because of it.
mean, just growing up, like that was probably I 18, 19 is whenever I finally forgave himand which took a lot of work.
mean, I
That was after I was saved.
God was really putting it on my heart on like, he's still your father.
(34:02):
Like he is still, he is still who gave, I mean, he is still who gave you life.
And um so I had talked to my pastor a little bit and I was like, Hey, like, I feel likeGod's calling me to forgive him, but just how do I forgive him?
After all, he just wronged me.
(34:23):
And he was just like, listen, like,
You're called to forgive, but you don't have to forget.
You don't have to have that relationship with him if you don't want to, which really justkind of helped me and just kind of comfort my feelings.
And I was like, I called him and I was like, Hey, like, I just want to tell you that Iforgive you for everything that you've done, everything that just you put me through
(34:51):
growing up, just not even being there.
And I just
truly forgive you and I just told him like, hey, like I need some time because I, it's notabout just forgiving him once.
Like I can't just forgive him once and say that I forgive him tomorrow.
Like I need to just constantly forgive him whenever I would think about how much that he'swronged me.
(35:13):
And so that really helped me growing up.
then uh unfortunately a year later after I forgave him, he had passed away.
And it really just kind of uh helped bring ease to me knowing that I forgave him and thathe wouldn't have to worry about, oh, how much he's wronged me growing up and just that
(35:41):
he's not suffering anymore, which really helps.
And so I feel like if I didn't forgive him, then I don't know if I ever would have.
And I probably would still be wrestling with that now.
But just being able to just use what God has given me and just His Spirit living inside ofme is what truly made me forgive Him.
(36:07):
Because I'm sure before you met Christ, know, that have been really difficult.
I mean, so just I was surrounded by just all my siblings telling me that, he did this, hedid that.
They didn't like him, whatever.
And uh then I would never forgive.
I mean, I wouldn't even talk to him.
(36:29):
And I'd be like, I don't care how much you say that you've done or how much you uh donateto some charity.
Like, I will never forgive you.
You did this to me.
And
I don't like you because of it.
And then I was like, whoa, that is dark after like being saved and understanding like howmuch I've done wrong to so many people and that God forgave me.
(36:56):
So who am I to not forgive him?
And I was like, I mean, 100 % I forgive you.
And that just kind of lifted the weight off my chest too.
And it wasn't for him necessarily, but it was for myself.
to be able to not have that animosity towards them anymore and just be able to just giveit to the Lord and just tell him that I forgave him.
(37:20):
Yeah, man, and I'm really proud of you.
you know, from the time that I first met you to now, just the way that you've grown, it isso apparent that that Jesus is in your life.
And yeah, I'm just so excited.
But I think what you should talk about now is just a little bit about the season thatyou're in and kind of like what you're going through and kind of what you're doing to kind
(37:41):
of help that.
Yeah, so the season I'm kind of going through right now is just like, I mean, I've justgrown so much just in my faith and walking with Jesus.
And I feel like I'm at the point where I need to understand what being a leader is andjust be able to uh just lead in a community as well as in a relationship.
(38:06):
So I've been just kind of focusing on what being what makes a man of God.
And so, with that being said, like, I just kind of plug myself in with just men's groupand just being able to uh have them disciple me and just connecting with married couples
(38:30):
and understanding how they honor God through their relationship.
I've been just kind of growing.
as I seek to find my wife and just being able to just pray for her even though I don'tknow where she is or what she's doing but I know that she's probably going through some
(38:56):
trials too and I know she's preparing for me so I just pray for her and that God's timingwill eventually, I mean
His timing is perfect.
So I don't necessarily worry as much when she's going to come into my life.
But while while he may be preparing me, he's preparing her too.
(39:22):
So I just think about like, whenever I first got saved, I was like, well, now I have to goget married, have kids, whatever.
And I had like that strong desire to and I understood like
God was saying, you're not ready yet.
And so I'm so thankful that he didn't, excuse me, he didn't let a lot of relationshipswork out or not even a lot of relationships.
(39:51):
just didn't let people that I had thought were, uh I mean, they were godly women and Godwas like, that's not for you yet.
um And so I'm just thankful that he didn't let that happen, um which.
Just kind of helping me understand how important marriage is and how important purity is.
(40:14):
I was 16 years old and I was in a relationship, first relationship, high schoolsweetheart, whatever.
And I had uh ended up sleeping with her.
And that uh at the time I was just walking so blindly and
(40:37):
I just thought it was like, yeah, everybody's doing it.
Like, uh what's wrong with it?
And eventually that urge had uh kind of pushed her away.
And at the time I was actually, uh I was watching some online videos and uh it was nothelping at all.
(41:02):
And I would take those videos and
that dopamine rush and be like, hey, well, maybe I can try that whenever my girlfriendcomes over.
And it like, what really hurt me was understanding like, even now, um how far I had pushedher.
(41:22):
And, like, yeah, it was consensual.
But it was like, I could tell that this is not what I should know.
Like, I shouldn't know how to do these things.
And that's why I like
just urge to so many people now, like, don't watch it.
Like that is just, it just hurts you so bad.
(41:44):
Like it's just like a, it brings like a short term gratification maybe, but like in thelong run, it does not help at all.
And so just being able to uh realize back then, or realize now that back then I was just,uh
(42:06):
not doing what was right and to be able to be saved now and understand how important thatis.
God put me through that for a reason.
I mean, if it wasn't for just not having all these things that I would have imagined likehaving a wife or having like all these luxurious things like uh like a nice car or
(42:29):
something.
If it wasn't for that, like I don't think I would have such a
intimate relationship with God and just being able to just search into His Word of how toforgive myself for those because I know God has already forgiven me for that and it's up
(42:53):
to me to be able to forgive myself and ask them to forgive me which recently I justreached out to her and just told her that I put my trust in Jesus and that
I knew what I did was wrong and just took full responsibility of it and just asked forforgiveness for that.
But I think that now being saved, understanding the actual like intent for sexualrelationships is for a marriage and just how important that is, is just very encouraging
(43:32):
to
just stay away from that.
Like don't even be tempted.
Like yeah, you're gonna get tempted.
I mean, even Jesus was tempted.
But as soon as I think about that, I just surrender that thought to Jesus.
And I'm like, I know that I have my flesh and I know that like, oh, that girl might lookgood or something.
(43:54):
And I'm like, Lord, it's not that I don't want that.
It's I don't want to want that.
Because I mean, I have to be humble too.
I have to like realize like, yeah, that's just a uh like a sexual nature.
Like that is in God gave me that for a reason, but that's intended for marriage for mywife.
(44:16):
And so just being able to understand that really helps.
And through this season of singleness, it has just given me so many opportunities to
just grow in His Word and not have to put so much pressure on me as like worrying about,well, if I'm in this relationship now, I can't do as much, or I have to worry about her
(44:42):
thoughts, her feelings too, because I have to honor her as well as like, I may not bespiritually mature enough to be able to lead her like God calls me to.
And so just being able to be content with Him and knowing that God will bless me if
that's his, if that brings the most glory to him.
(45:03):
And so that's just kind of where I've been at.
I mean, he helps.
I mean, sometimes I'll just kind of like think, well, Lord, there's all these peoplegetting married.
I feel like I'm missing out, but I'm like, it will happen.
I mean, he'll bless it.
(45:25):
What an honorable way to live with your relationships and trying to mend stuff frombefore.
think that's really good.
I think what you're talking about, mean, everyone is dealing with that right now.
The temptations and all that.
And like you said, God designed that for marriage.
There's a pastor that put it this way that sex is like a fire, right?
(45:46):
uh If it's at a fireplace where it's controlled, uh it can heat a house, you can go up toit and it provides comfort.
But a fire outside of that fireplace is destruction and all that.
So that kind of ties into having it within marriage.
So yeah, I appreciate you sharing all that.
(46:09):
And a big encouragement to me or just being able to understand.
So in San Antonio, Texas, I just recently went back down there for Canine School.
um I had kind of met out, met with this pastor and uh we, I got connected with thisfamily, which is really cool.
(46:29):
And he just kind of told me like, listen, like just understanding that sin will
take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and take morethan you want to give.
And just understanding that helps me realize sin is powerful, and the only way to defeatit is through Jesus.
(46:58):
And just being able to surrender that to Him is so encouraging and just so helpful.
Yeah, and I'm really glad I knew this, I mean, I was really happy that when you went downthere for K-9 school for three months, you got plugged into a church because that's huge,
you know, going down there, you know, and it's, yeah, it's difficult.
So.
(47:18):
Yeah, going down there, I was excited.
mean, like I've been working to go canine for like over a year and it was just, I wasexcited to go down there, not realizing that there's gonna be so much temptation down
there.
Like there was just, I mean, all these women in San Antonio, Texas during the heat, likethey were just, people were out and.
(47:42):
just being able to realize like, oh, I need to get plugged into a church and a communitybecause I mean, ultimately I'm an adult and I am going to have to make my own decisions
and being able to have that strong relationship with Christ really helped me realize like,okay, I can make the decision to go to this place.
(48:06):
I can make the decision to go out with this girl, but being able to realize like,
that might lead into something else or she might ended up coming back to my hotel orsomething.
That's not what I wanted.
I, as soon as like I understood that that temptation was gonna be there, I needed to getplugged in so quickly and to be able to just kind of just uh be accountable and just kind
(48:33):
of give that to the other believers that I met out there was just very helpful.
I mean God was with me through the whole time.
mean God had helped me get through canine course because it was not easy It was tough.
I mean Yeah, I had a lot of fun working with the dogs and but just being able to uh Just Ihad so I had some teammates and we
(49:04):
We were all really cool with each other for the first couple of weeks.
And then we just started butting heads.
starting to get to like the middle to the end of the course and just realizing like justall the stuff that they would go through or just the fighting or whatever.
And just being able to use what God had given me as like just being able to, okay, let'stake a step back guys.
(49:29):
Like let's sit here and talk about why we feel this way.
and just being able to be that light through that darkness right there.
I mean, that's why God puts me through these uh trials because it's like He helped me growand gave me that wisdom to be able to help just disciple them.
(49:54):
And I may not have used the Bible specifically talking to them, but to be able to use thegood fruits.
that God has given me to be able to help them might honestly plant the seed in them.
And so that helped and also like being in that community helped me understand how to dothat.
(50:15):
And I think a key thing that you said is like, what's in the Bible, right?
And one thing that I've noticed is that you are in your Bible a lot.
uh Can you talk about just how important that is to do that?
Not only just go to Sunday service and then never read your Bible.
way I think about it is like this.
So if I eat this donut from Krispy Kreme, I'm like, oh, that looks so good.
(50:44):
I want to eat it or whatever.
Okay, that may not help my diet so good.
That may not like actually help feed my hunger or whatever.
Or if I eat this very
good protein food of steak and green beans or some type of vegetable and mashed potatoes,something that really like fills me up and nurtures my body.
(51:13):
Same thing with what the word does.
The word isn't just about getting to understand God.
Yes, it helps you understand Him in His way and how much He loves us and just how much Heputs you through and just helps you grow.
But it also nurtures your soul or helps you just, mean, people talk about it, it's afeeling that, oh, why don't I feel God?
(51:41):
Is he close?
It's because you haven't read your Bible.
It's because you're not in his word.
mean, that's the one way that He talks to us.
You sometimes He might talk to you audibly, right?
But the main way that He communicates is the Bible.
Yeah, so the pastor in San Antonio that I connected with, uh he explained it like,whenever you read your Bible, it's like you want to read it more and more.
(52:04):
Like whenever you get into his word, it's not like a uh discipline.
No, like whenever you get into it, it's like it draws you in and you stay there for awhile and you continue to grow.
But whenever you stop reading it, whenever you, okay, maybe you read it Monday, Tuesdayand Sunday or something.
and then you don't read it Wednesday, Thursday, as soon as you stop reading it, you'regoing to start reading it less and less.
(52:29):
Like it's not like something where, oh, I'm going to desire it more because I have thatdiscipline.
No, it's like whenever you stay in his word, you're going to continue to want his word.
At Whiteman, have you been able to use your faith to help someone?
Dude, 100%.
I mean, just even like, off the job and on the job a lot.
(52:52):
But um specifically, like this one time, we had responded to this.
It was a domestic and uh fire and medical had responded first because it was uh there wasjust like a medical incident and they said they didn't need us until eventually.
They had said, okay, the woman's being combative.
(53:13):
Like we need you guys here.
So we responded and I got there and it was this woman had locked herself in the room withher three kids and taken a bunch of pills and told her kids that she wasn't gonna be here
anymore.
And uh she was gonna, she was fully planned to overdose in front of her kids and.
(53:39):
I first of all that hit very close to home because whenever I was 10 my mom overdosed ondrugs and I immediately went into how can I help her right now?
Like I don't care about oh if somebody's gonna like is there somebody else in the housethat's gonna stop me from doing this?
(54:00):
No, like my main focus was her and I like just sat there with her and just talked to her.
was like listen like I
don't care about, you're locking people out or you're hitting people.
Like, I don't care about any of that right now.
Right now, I care about how much those kids need you and just understanding that you are abig part of their life.
(54:24):
And to be able to use how I just the using how knowing how much my mom meant to me.
to be able to just kind of talk to her and tell her like, hey, like this is, those kidsreally do need you.
You may not think that right now.
You may think that, you might, like she was telling herself she was a bad mother or thatshe just, their kids didn't deserve her.
(54:52):
And I was like, no, like your presence alone, so much, so important to those kids.
And just being able to use what God had put me through.
to be able to help her and calm her down.
Eventually she had let us use, or had let medical work on her and took her to thehospital.
(55:12):
Which so good.
She ended up surviving and she's living a healthy life with her family.
It was just so encouraging.
And it was definitely, I was like, wow.
mean, God, you put me through that to be able to help her.
So was just very helpful.
And that's so cool.
Thank you for sharing that.
So just wrapping up, why should someone follow Jesus?
(57:00):
Yeah.
Man, thank you so much.
That was really good.
(57:21):
So yeah, um like I said, man, I'm just, I'm so proud of you.
Just the man you became and just how you're leading and how you're leading, you know,Bible studies and man, just it's so cool to see and you're an encouragement to me.
I appreciate you coming on.
(57:44):
Thanks again for listening to another episode of Faith in the Line of Duty.
If you're a first responder or in the military and have a story you'd like to share, emailme at faithinthelineofdutyatgmail.com.
You could be a guest on a future episode.
To continue the conversation, visit my Facebook and Instagram page.
Thanks again for tuning in and join me next time for another encouraging story of Faith inthe Line of Duty.
So I had talked to my pastor a little bit and I was like, hey, like, I feel like God'scalling me to forgive him, but just how do I forgive him after all he just wronged me.
And he was just like, listen, like you're called to forgive, but you don't have to forget.
You don't have to have that relationship with him if you don't want to, which really justkind of helped me and just kind of comfort my feelings.
(00:28):
And I was like,
I called him and I was like, hey, like, I just want to tell you that I forgive you foreverything that you've done, everything that just you put me through growing up, just not
even being there.
And I just truly forgive you.
And so that really helped me growing up.
then uh unfortunately, a year later after I forgave him, he had passed away.
(01:01):
Welcome to Faith in the Line of Duty, a podcast where real people in uniform show howtheir faith in Christ has carried them through the toughest moments.
I'm Daniel Johnson, husband, father, and currently active duty in the United States AirForce.
Each episode I sit down with military members and first responders to talk about the powerof the gospel, the strength of community, and how faith transforms lives, even in the line
(01:24):
of duty.
The views expressed in this podcast are those of the host and do not constituteendorsement by the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force or the U.S.
government.
Now here's your host, Daniel Johnson.
Hey everyone, thanks for tuning into another episode of Faith in the Line of Duty.
(01:45):
Today I have the honor of introducing Jayden Dunn.
He's a really good friend of mine, so we're just going to talk about his story today.
So thanks for coming on.
Yeah, thanks for having me.
Glad to be out here.
Even though it's like super hot around here, very humid.
Not used to it.
Yeah, so yeah, what I usually like to do is just kind of start from the beginning.
Just tell us what your childhood was like.
(02:06):
Yeah, so growing up, I grew up in a very big household.
My mom had six kids and there's like, I'm like the youngest out of the six and my dadended up having two other kids later on.
so I kind of lived with my mom for a little bit growing up and then.
(02:29):
uh
Then I kind of started living with my grandma around like age four or five, something likethat.
I don't really remember as much because I was kind of a kid.
And she just kind of helped me grow up, raised me for a little bit.
And my mom, she was always in and out of rehab.
(02:50):
She wasn't really into the, just not really down the right path, which...
She started to get a lot better.
And so I started to move in with her around like age nine or 10.
And then uh she was doing a lot better.
She was sober for a while.
which like being nine or 10, I didn't really know what that meant, but I was like, hey,like I finally get to live with her.
(03:16):
Like I'm so excited.
And uh unfortunately she had uh passed away and she had overdosed.
made me kind of go back to living with my grandma for a while and um really kind of did atoll on me just growing up because that was like my mother and my dad never really in the
(03:39):
picture he'd come in every so often and so I live with my grandma there was probably sevenor eight of us at her house I mean there's a good amount of people that live with her and
uh at the time
I was in the Big Brother Big Sister program and so was my next older brother.
And I had this mentor named Danny.
(04:03):
I would go on trips with him, um but my brother, his big brother Jay, he uh kind ofinvited me out a lot as well as my brother.
And I kind of got more connected with him more.
And just kind of growing up, I kind of drifted towards Jay and his wife Kathy.
(04:25):
And they, uh, they actually like really were a huge part of my life growing up.
And I, it kind of gave me a spot to move away from the, the big household to like, live inlike a farm with no other kids.
And I was like, freedom, what's this?
(04:46):
Yeah.
So I, mean, I did during COVID, I spent most of my time there.
I still like lived at my grandma's house.
but I was always over there just kind of growing up on their farm, helping at the deershop, just kind of like being a kid and playing in the mud or whatever.
So I grew up at their house mainly and uh they really like help, gave me the morals that Ihave today, um as well as my grandma for sure.
(05:15):
But she was always busy.
My sister has a...
at the time had three or four kids and my grandma was just kind of help raising them too.
So she had her hands tied for a while.
So I just got more attention over there and just more uh guidance at their house.
(05:35):
And later on, actually just recently, I had changed my last name to theirs just to kind ofhonor them because I was like, well, they took me in like their own.
and they never really had any kids of their own.
And I was like, hey, like, this is the only way I can repay you.
So, so just recently I changed my name to theirs and they're like my mom and my dad now.
(06:00):
So it's just kind of a little bit about my childhood.
So if you don't mind me asking, how were you able to deal with that as a kid?
mean, you said you were, how old were you when she passed away?
So it was in 2016, so I guess it would have been nine about to turn 10 or 10 about to turn11.
(06:22):
It was definitely hard.
was, I mean, not really fully comprehending what happened just because I was like, yeah,like she's passed away.
mean, I went to her funeral and all that, but I was like, I never really understood.
Like she was gone.
And so it kind of didn't really set in till I was probably going into seventh, eighthgrade year whenever like all the kids at my school heard about it.
(06:56):
And if they would search up my name, like her actual obituary would pop up.
And I got made fun of a lot about it in school, which really, it really hurt just kind ofgrowing up.
And.
I mean, I ended up getting in a fight because of it in eighth grade, just because like,kid was like making fun of me and like making fun of my mom.
(07:18):
was like, I just didn't know what to do.
But so it definitely like took a long time to be able to cope with it.
um A lot of my siblings coped with it a different way, which I mean, we all have our ownway of just kind of dealing with grief and trauma like that.
But it definitely, um
(07:39):
Just being so young kind of hurt.
Yeah, well I appreciate you sharing that.
I know it's kind of difficult to talk about.
m What was your favorite memory from your childhood?
My favorite memory.
Good question.
um
(08:00):
I'd just say just riding four wheelers on the farm out in the mud.
Just not having to worry about being home by a certain time or whatever, being outside.
I knew the farmland and I knew where all the muddy spots were and just be able to just gasit on the four wheeler.
That was a lot of fun for sure.
(08:22):
um As well as going on BMX races.
So I raced BMX.
ever since I was probably like eight or nine and just going out with just that big BMXcommunity there was just so much fun.
Just being able to hang out with the other kids and just go out there and ride my bike.
mean, all kids, they're like, love riding bikes, but this was like a different step.
(08:46):
It was like, you're actually racing against other people.
Just fun.
um So that was probably like my best childhood memories.
cool.
And you still were at it today,
Yeah, I do.
uh Not as much anymore just because my schedule is a little bit busier, but I love likeanytime I can just kind of get out and ride my bike or go to a track somewhere, which is
(09:09):
definitely like a little challenging because people are a lot faster now.
Yeah, you're the only BMX racer I know.
Are you good?
I mean...
Practice makes perfect.
That's pretty cool.
So what led you to want to join the military?
(09:31):
So um growing up, I always wanted to be a cop or I always wanted to do like, I neverreally grew out of that phase that a lot of kids go through.
And so I originally had the goal of being an air marshal and I was talking to my dad umand we were just kind of talking about what would set me up the most.
(09:56):
And so we looked into like,
the Marine MP or Navy.
was like, I don't want to really be on a boat for nine months.
So I ended up going to the Air Force and just like talk to the recruiter and he's like,yeah, like I can get you security forces without a doubt.
And I was like, you know what?
Sounds cool.
Let's do it.
(10:18):
Yeah.
And I'm like, wow, like I want to do that.
And being like 16, 17, I was like, yeah, it looks so cool.
And so at 17, I graduated high school and I graduated on Friday and shipped out followingMonday.
So I left like immediately because I knew that's what I wanted to do.
(10:40):
so I joined about in 2023 and just kind of left everything and just started a new chapterout in San Antonio, Texas.
Nice.
And how was that transition for you?
Dude, it was hot.
I went in the middle or the start of June.
(11:00):
I was out there all the way to October.
peak heat.
So being out there, it was a lot of fun.
well as basic training though, was definitely difficult.
Being 17 surrounded by all these other people.
I mean, these are people all over the country and they just mesh you guys together.
(11:23):
and you gotta be best buds by the end of seven and half weeks.
And so it was definitely a lot of butting of heads for the first couple nights, but umjust basic training.
was a little hard just not living on my own, um having like a lot of family around me togo and just kind of be put by yourself or like away from people that you know.
(11:49):
and no communication with them.
Yeah, you could write letters, but you couldn't have your phone.
I mean, you call them once when you get there, maybe a couple times during basic training,but you're like focusing on training and just becoming like just a military member.
And so that was it was definitely took some adjustment adjustment, but it was definitely alot of fun.
(12:12):
There's some really good memories in basic training.
em We so one time
uh in basic training.
So like you have to make your beds or whatever and every morning you make your bed.
Sometimes you make them more than once during the day.
And it was a Sunday.
So our MTIs weren't there and then they're like, there might be one or two, but they'renot like there with you.
(12:36):
And so it was like probably our fifth, sixth week in and we were all laying on our bedsand like
Once you make your bed, you're not supposed to touch it.
Like you're not, if you sit down, you have like a little chair you're supposed to besitting down in.
But we were all just like laying down in our beds.
And I was like, you know what?
(12:57):
This feels wrong.
So I got up out of my bed and I went to the day room and I sat in there with somebody elsejust kind of talking to him.
And as soon as I sat down in there, I hear the MTI open up the door and he's like yellingat the person next to the door.
because he's like not wearing shoes that seek you.
But like as soon as everybody heard that, it was dead silent.
(13:21):
Nobody was talking because I think they thought it was like another training just messingaround.
And then he walks into like the first bay and he just screams.
like, what is everybody doing in their beds?
And then you just hear everybody in the second bay, like shuffling out of their bedssitting in the chair.
He like runs over there real quick to see if he can see anyone.
(13:43):
which he didn't but eventually he's like, he pulled like everybody's 341s cause he couldlike look on the bed and see that it was moved.
But he came into the day room and saw that me and the other guy were sitting in there.
So he was like, oh, you guys are good, but everybody else, you're laying in your beds.
And I was like, oh, the heck.
(14:04):
So was I, but I didn't tell him.
It was a good time in BMT.
think, like you said about no phones, I think that's probably really difficult for peoplenow because people are just so attached to their phone.
So you went to tech school right after BMT?
Yeah, Tech School still in San Antonio.
was there at Lackland for a while.
(14:25):
uh Tech School was fun, still during the heat.
um We started on the normal, I think we start on the Lackland side, or we start at therange, uh M4 firing.
That was just kind of growing up, being able to shoot guns.
That was pretty easy.
um But...
(14:49):
Tech school wise wasn't too difficult.
Made some good friends there.
um Just had fun like actually being out and hands on stuff compared to a lot of other jobsthat they're very like back office or very like computer stuff.
I like actually being out there in the woods, like getting into it or rocking, doingwhatever we can.
(15:14):
so that was better even though was like extremely hot out but.
Uh, and then we went over to Bullis, which is like maybe 30 minutes away from Lackland.
And that's where I found a bunch of scorpions.
I was like, I mean, I thought scorpions were only in like other countries.
(15:34):
Like, yeah, I didn't think we had scorpions in actual, uh, America or in, uh, Texas, letalone.
And, but I found them there.
I was, uh, taking a shower and.
In the showers in Bullis, they have these little grates or whatever so you're not standingon the ground.
(15:54):
But it's like you can see all the scorpions running under you.
I'm like, dude, I need shower shoes.
So it's cool to see them.
And cactus, I've never seen cactus before then.
I thought that was just in the movies.
Yeah.
So at what point did you find out about your first bass?
(16:15):
It was, I think week two, you find out, you make a dream sheet in basic training, the endof it, and kind of like apply to all these bases.
And I had got Effie Warren in Wyoming.
And I was like, yeah, like that's cool.
That's Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Sounds like a lot of fun.
(16:35):
But then I started asking around to see who else was going and none of my buddies weregoing.
No one that I knew was going there.
I mean, there were people on my team that went there, but I was like not really close withthem.
So I ended up switching for Whiteman, Missouri.
And because like my really good buddies were going there, I was like, yeah, I'm so excitedto have the B2s there.
(16:56):
Like, this sounds like a bunch of fun.
And I ended up switching for that.
But so I'm, glad I was able to get with my friends, but the location in Missouri isn't asgood as Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Yeah, definitely.
So when did you get to your first bass?
So I got a white man in November.
(17:18):
I want to say, so I graduated on Halloween on tech school and then went back home on rapand leave for a while to see my family, which is very cool.
I haven't seen them since I graduated.
And so was good to just kind of take a break and be like a normal human for a while.
And then getting out to, and then I went to Missouri like the second week of November orsomething.
(17:43):
and got into phase one in process.
I actually got to Missouri and you're supposed to have a sponsor that like helps like showyou around, gives you your house key, whatever, or your dorm key.
And I got there and he was asleep.
I was like, well, how do I get on base?
Like, what do I do?
I'm so confused.
But I ended up getting on base and getting a hotel for the night.
(18:05):
As soon as I got inside and put my clothes away, he had, he called me and is like, dude,where are you at?
I was like, uh,
in the hotel is I know I already got your own key like whatever like you need to come out.
So I ended up getting my dorm that night which is cool and I got reimbursed for the hotelbut it was kind of got there during the cold of Missouri and that wasn't the best.
(18:32):
It was snowing and I'm like used to this Texas heat.
Yeah just knowing I'm like shivering.
It's like 40 degrees.
Yeah I'm like
Let me go inside.
This is boat out here.
Yeah.
So I think for you being stationed at Whiteman, I think you have a little bit of unique uhperspective because of the mission that's there.
(18:53):
um So how would you explain how it is to be there at the first base there at Whiteman insecurity forces?
Being at Whiteman, just uh being at a global strike base is so much different than normallaw enforcement bases.
I talked to all these people that I went to tech school with, or just other securityforces people, and they're at uh actual law enforcement bases, and they talk about,
(19:22):
they're on their phone the whole time, they're doing all this.
I'm like, phone, what's that?
I've got to go 12 hours without that.
So it's a, being the first base, it kind of like uh being a first term airman, that's yourfirst base definitely uh isolates you a lot just cause it's like, you don't really, I
(19:46):
mean, you're just coming out of tech school, you're just coming out of basic training andyou get there to this base and now you're expected to just kind of figure it out.
And so you get put in like a shack for 14 hours or you get put in like this
Humvee by yourself or whatever.
It's like you just kind of like have a very just kind of sit and wait kind of thing.
(20:11):
And so it was definitely a little took a lot of getting used to for a while, but found agood group of people out there eventually.
I always tell people if you can make it uh at a bass like that, then you know your nextbass you'll think it's a dream.
If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.
I mean like you don't so like other bases you go on TDYs or all that like you have allthese opportunities But at this base, it's just kind of like you're focused on this
(20:39):
specific mission Yeah, and so it's like it's definitely if you can get through that likeyou can get through any base
When did you start going to church?
I know I kind of saw you at an award ceremony.
That's first time I saw you.
But then I saw you going to the church there.
So yeah, tell us a little bit about that.
What led you to want to go to church?
(21:00):
So, um, like I said, I grew up in a big household.
I grew up with a lot of people around me and to go from that to out by yourself, living onyour own, being, uh, 18 years old, living in like this closet space they call a dorm.
(21:20):
And I'm like, well, I don't know what to do.
Like I, yeah, I had my bikes, like I could ride or whatever, but it was during the winter.
So I couldn't.
And so I was just like,
by myself alone and I just kind of let uh my thoughts kind of run for a while and I justfelt like, I mean, at the time just getting integrated on flight, was just very demanding
(21:43):
and a lot of people were just not happy.
And so I had, I got to a point where I just felt like uh I was better off not being hereanymore.
And I knew it was wrong.
I knew that
uh I was hurrying and I called my grandma.
I was like, grandma, like I am scared.
(22:05):
I have these thoughts and I'm like, I just, I don't want to be here anymore.
And she was like, pumpkin, you needed to just go to church.
And I was like, yes, ma'am.
So I went to first Baptist church in Warrensburg and I went out there a couple of Sundaysand I just kind of looked around.
(22:26):
was like, Lord, like
There's all these families, there's all these people, like they all have like their ownlittle niche that they sat with and I just kind of still felt alone.
And I just like, before I went in the last Sunday, I was like, Lord, like, if this isn'tit, like, I'm not doing it anymore.
Like, I'm not going to church.
(22:46):
Like, this is it.
I'm getting out.
And I went into church, I'm looking for anything and everything, any sign that the Lordwould give me.
And I lost hope.
after the sermon, after it was done, and I went to walk out and I was like, okay, Lord,you made your decision.
And as soon as I opened up that first set of doors, this guy came up to me named Tripp andhe ran me out and he was like, hey man, like we kind of talked a little bit, but like, I
(23:15):
feel like the Lord wants me to take you in my van 150 miles north with my family to go toWinter Jam.
I was like, what?
That sounds so weird.
But I was like, you know what?
And I took that leap of faith and like right then and there I knew that I made the rightdecision.
I knew like the Lord knew my heart and what I needed.
(23:38):
And just ever since then, like He has just been able to help me just through any time thatI've ever felt alone or just through anything at all.
He's always there.
And so I got connected with Tripp and his family and he actually baptized me in
at that church was really cool.
(24:00):
so eventually I kind of like sitting with him more and just met new people, met you guysand got connected with y'all.
And which actually like you being a canine handler, I was like, well, like, I think canineschool, like, I want to go do that.
And that's whenever I started getting connected with that, I was like, wow, like, the Lordcan connect you with people that will just help you just
(24:25):
in this world too.
uh Never would I think if I went to a church that's going to help me in my military uhwalk.
And it did without a doubt.
community is so huge, but I just want to unpack that just a little bit.
like, when did you get to a point when you were like, okay, I have to surrender?
(24:47):
Because I know there's a little bit of a process, but yeah, kind of tell us about that alittle bit.
So, um yeah, once when I got connected with them, that's like truly whenever I believethat that God knew my heart and then he just kind of started to like show me the Bible and
(25:10):
tell me more about Jesus.
And I was like, oh, well, this Jesus guy sounds pretty cool.
Like he died for me.
What?
But like just like fully understanding that like
He, I mean, God loves us so much that he would send his just his son to die on the crossfor me for something for like how much I've done wrong and how much that I will do wrong.
(25:37):
And he loves us so much that he just would do that for us.
And I was like, yeah, like I surrender it to you.
Like I give it to you.
And so that was probably in uh maybe March.
of 2024 I was saved, and then a couple weeks later I got baptized.
(25:58):
Man, that's so cool.
And so how would you say your life changed after you did that?
Dude, it, I mean, first of all, I never had those thoughts again.
never like felt alone again.
uh, just to go from like how much, uh, how much I've done wrong and just how much stress,anxiety and depression that I had to just be able to just and give it to him was just so
(26:29):
good.
And I mean,
everything changed just from then.
And I just had like this whole new outlook of looking at stuff or like just walking injust this life.
Like before I would be like gossiping about everybody or just being talking about uh like,this, this bass sucks.
(26:53):
Like all these people, I don't like them, whatever.
And to go from that to just being able to look at like
the good in people and be able to look at like just how much of an opportunity that beingin Missouri gave me, it just changed my focus 100%.
Like it was like a switch.
(27:15):
And so it's just really cool and continue to it.
He continues to help guide me just right now on where I'm at.
Wow, man that's so encouraging.
So yeah, as you've grown in your faith, what would you say your favorite Bible verse is?
They're my favorite Bible verse.
There's so many good verses out there.
(27:36):
I mean, just they're all really good, but I like James 119 and it talks about just beinguh quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.
And that like, you can just use it so much in your life.
And like if you're having somebody like maybe somebody wronged you or they're saying like,you did this wrong.
(28:00):
they're screaming at you whatever and you just want to scream right back to them.
I just got to remind myself James 119 like let me just listen to what they're actuallysaying and take maybe even take self accountability and realizing okay why are they doing
this and that's what helped me just kind of go from uh being whenever I first got onflight I would always blame it on well my supervisor just doesn't like me or
(28:28):
these people just don't like me because I'm new or uh instead like just being able torealize like, okay, maybe I'm doing this wrong.
And that's what he's trying to show me.
And so it just really just helps me to kind of take a step back and understand the fullscenario or whatever it is and just being able to like take self accountability about it
(28:54):
and also like understand why people are just talking about it.
And so I kind of think we should talk about a little bit of how important community is,because obviously, like you said, when you were in your dorm alone, um compared to now,
you're in a church community and all that.
So um I say all that to ask, what piece of advice would you give to someone that's in thedorms right now that's hurting, that's feeling lonely?
(29:20):
Get out.
I mean, like, get out and explore, get out and just plug yourself in a church.
Just do something that is not in your dorm.
And I know, like, they say that, like, whenever you first get there and they're like,yeah, like, know Whiteman or wherever you're at, they're just, uh, you need to get out and
(29:40):
do things, but like, you need to actually do it.
Like, don't just stay in your room playing video games.
Like, I'm truly, I truly think you need to get just even one buddy.
and go fishing, go hiking, go bowling even.
Like you there's so much stuff to do and just keeping yourself occupied or just being ableto be in a community just helps you so much because you can be able to lean on them more.
(30:09):
You can be able to grow with each other and being in like a Christian community just helpsyou so much more because it's like you I mean you iron sharpens iron.
And it's like, you can be able to, I mean, just have so many mentors.
I've had so many mentors in my life.
I mean, just you being one of them.
(30:30):
just whenever you were out in Missouri, just living with you or just uh hanging out withyou and your family just helps me grow and be in that community as well as like other
people out there.
So I encourage whoever's in the dorms.
to get out, find somebody, they don't have to be your age, I mean, you're not my age.
(30:56):
Give her few years.
But like, just find somebody, just hang out with them, go get food with them, just get outof your dorms.
Yeah, I mean, like you said, it also takes a leap of faith, right?
You have to put yourself out there.
You know, if you go to a church and no one says hi to you, right, like you still got toput yourself out there.
And maybe that's the church that's not for you.
(31:18):
Just keep looking.
You just got to keep trying.
But yeah.
And I mean, you can't just expect to go out and which I obviously expected it just kind ofgoing out to First Baptist, but you can't expect to just go out to church and You go to
the sermon.
Okay, as soon as it's over you run out the doors like nobody's gonna there you're justgonna slip by and so if you just like take that leap of faith go say hi to somebody and it
(31:49):
it can just be somebody that's holding the door.
Like it doesn't have to be just somebody with a family or just some person that's sittingby themselves.
Like just go out there and just talk to anybody you can or get plugged in with a smallgroup.
And which I love small groups so much because those actually help you grow and like haveaccountability and just be able to focus on each other.
(32:13):
And I just encourage you get plugged into a small group, get plugged into a church andactually like
Talk to people.
So now that you've been saved, how do you look back at your childhood and kind of be ableto heal from a lot of the stuff from your childhood?
(32:33):
So growing up, um I know I talked a little bit about my mom.
I didn't talk too much about my dad.
He wasn't really in the picture as much.
um He had lived in just a different part and just kind of growing up, I was like, well, Iwant to go live with him or whatever.
Like the grass always looked greener on the other side.
(32:55):
But until I realized like how much he had just...
uh
just lied about stuff.
It was like, I'm gonna come and see you and never really did.
like, uh I remember one time I went up to my granddad's, lives maybe like 10 minutes frommy dad.
I went up there to go visit him.
(33:15):
He's got like a barbecue restaurant and all that.
And I was like, hey, I texted him.
was like, hey, like I'm in town.
um You wanna go to McDonald's or something?
And he was like, I got a headache.
I'm not doing it today.
I was like, wow.
So like after that,
I really understood that it wasn't my fault.
Like it was because he just didn't want to do it.
(33:38):
So I had resented him for a long time because of it.
mean, just growing up, like that was probably I 18, 19 is whenever I finally forgave himand which took a lot of work.
mean, I
That was after I was saved.
God was really putting it on my heart on like, he's still your father.
(34:02):
Like he is still, he is still who gave, I mean, he is still who gave you life.
And um so I had talked to my pastor a little bit and I was like, Hey, like, I feel likeGod's calling me to forgive him, but just how do I forgive him?
After all, he just wronged me.
(34:23):
And he was just like, listen, like,
You're called to forgive, but you don't have to forget.
You don't have to have that relationship with him if you don't want to, which really justkind of helped me and just kind of comfort my feelings.
And I was like, I called him and I was like, Hey, like, I just want to tell you that Iforgive you for everything that you've done, everything that just you put me through
(34:51):
growing up, just not even being there.
And I just
truly forgive you and I just told him like, hey, like I need some time because I, it's notabout just forgiving him once.
Like I can't just forgive him once and say that I forgive him tomorrow.
Like I need to just constantly forgive him whenever I would think about how much that he'swronged me.
(35:13):
And so that really helped me growing up.
then uh unfortunately a year later after I forgave him, he had passed away.
And it really just kind of uh helped bring ease to me knowing that I forgave him and thathe wouldn't have to worry about, oh, how much he's wronged me growing up and just that
(35:41):
he's not suffering anymore, which really helps.
And so I feel like if I didn't forgive him, then I don't know if I ever would have.
And I probably would still be wrestling with that now.
But just being able to just use what God has given me and just His Spirit living inside ofme is what truly made me forgive Him.
(36:07):
Because I'm sure before you met Christ, know, that have been really difficult.
I mean, so just I was surrounded by just all my siblings telling me that, he did this, hedid that.
They didn't like him, whatever.
And uh then I would never forgive.
I mean, I wouldn't even talk to him.
(36:29):
And I'd be like, I don't care how much you say that you've done or how much you uh donateto some charity.
Like, I will never forgive you.
You did this to me.
And
I don't like you because of it.
And then I was like, whoa, that is dark after like being saved and understanding like howmuch I've done wrong to so many people and that God forgave me.
(36:56):
So who am I to not forgive him?
And I was like, I mean, 100 % I forgive you.
And that just kind of lifted the weight off my chest too.
And it wasn't for him necessarily, but it was for myself.
to be able to not have that animosity towards them anymore and just be able to just giveit to the Lord and just tell him that I forgave him.
(37:20):
Yeah, man, and I'm really proud of you.
you know, from the time that I first met you to now, just the way that you've grown, it isso apparent that that Jesus is in your life.
And yeah, I'm just so excited.
But I think what you should talk about now is just a little bit about the season thatyou're in and kind of like what you're going through and kind of what you're doing to kind
(37:41):
of help that.
Yeah, so the season I'm kind of going through right now is just like, I mean, I've justgrown so much just in my faith and walking with Jesus.
And I feel like I'm at the point where I need to understand what being a leader is andjust be able to uh just lead in a community as well as in a relationship.
(38:06):
So I've been just kind of focusing on what being what makes a man of God.
And so, with that being said, like, I just kind of plug myself in with just men's groupand just being able to uh have them disciple me and just connecting with married couples
(38:30):
and understanding how they honor God through their relationship.
I've been just kind of growing.
as I seek to find my wife and just being able to just pray for her even though I don'tknow where she is or what she's doing but I know that she's probably going through some
(38:56):
trials too and I know she's preparing for me so I just pray for her and that God's timingwill eventually, I mean
His timing is perfect.
So I don't necessarily worry as much when she's going to come into my life.
But while while he may be preparing me, he's preparing her too.
(39:22):
So I just think about like, whenever I first got saved, I was like, well, now I have to goget married, have kids, whatever.
And I had like that strong desire to and I understood like
God was saying, you're not ready yet.
And so I'm so thankful that he didn't, excuse me, he didn't let a lot of relationshipswork out or not even a lot of relationships.
(39:51):
just didn't let people that I had thought were, uh I mean, they were godly women and Godwas like, that's not for you yet.
um And so I'm just thankful that he didn't let that happen, um which.
Just kind of helping me understand how important marriage is and how important purity is.
(40:14):
I was 16 years old and I was in a relationship, first relationship, high schoolsweetheart, whatever.
And I had uh ended up sleeping with her.
And that uh at the time I was just walking so blindly and
(40:37):
I just thought it was like, yeah, everybody's doing it.
Like, uh what's wrong with it?
And eventually that urge had uh kind of pushed her away.
And at the time I was actually, uh I was watching some online videos and uh it was nothelping at all.
(41:02):
And I would take those videos and
that dopamine rush and be like, hey, well, maybe I can try that whenever my girlfriendcomes over.
And it like, what really hurt me was understanding like, even now, um how far I had pushedher.
(41:22):
And, like, yeah, it was consensual.
But it was like, I could tell that this is not what I should know.
Like, I shouldn't know how to do these things.
And that's why I like
just urge to so many people now, like, don't watch it.
Like that is just, it just hurts you so bad.
(41:44):
Like it's just like a, it brings like a short term gratification maybe, but like in thelong run, it does not help at all.
And so just being able to uh realize back then, or realize now that back then I was just,uh
(42:06):
not doing what was right and to be able to be saved now and understand how important thatis.
God put me through that for a reason.
I mean, if it wasn't for just not having all these things that I would have imagined likehaving a wife or having like all these luxurious things like uh like a nice car or
(42:29):
something.
If it wasn't for that, like I don't think I would have such a
intimate relationship with God and just being able to just search into His Word of how toforgive myself for those because I know God has already forgiven me for that and it's up
(42:53):
to me to be able to forgive myself and ask them to forgive me which recently I justreached out to her and just told her that I put my trust in Jesus and that
I knew what I did was wrong and just took full responsibility of it and just asked forforgiveness for that.
But I think that now being saved, understanding the actual like intent for sexualrelationships is for a marriage and just how important that is, is just very encouraging
(43:32):
to
just stay away from that.
Like don't even be tempted.
Like yeah, you're gonna get tempted.
I mean, even Jesus was tempted.
But as soon as I think about that, I just surrender that thought to Jesus.
And I'm like, I know that I have my flesh and I know that like, oh, that girl might lookgood or something.
(43:54):
And I'm like, Lord, it's not that I don't want that.
It's I don't want to want that.
Because I mean, I have to be humble too.
I have to like realize like, yeah, that's just a uh like a sexual nature.
Like that is in God gave me that for a reason, but that's intended for marriage for mywife.
(44:16):
And so just being able to understand that really helps.
And through this season of singleness, it has just given me so many opportunities to
just grow in His Word and not have to put so much pressure on me as like worrying about,well, if I'm in this relationship now, I can't do as much, or I have to worry about her
(44:42):
thoughts, her feelings too, because I have to honor her as well as like, I may not bespiritually mature enough to be able to lead her like God calls me to.
And so just being able to be content with Him and knowing that God will bless me if
that's his, if that brings the most glory to him.
(45:03):
And so that's just kind of where I've been at.
I mean, he helps.
I mean, sometimes I'll just kind of like think, well, Lord, there's all these peoplegetting married.
I feel like I'm missing out, but I'm like, it will happen.
I mean, he'll bless it.
(45:25):
What an honorable way to live with your relationships and trying to mend stuff frombefore.
think that's really good.
I think what you're talking about, mean, everyone is dealing with that right now.
The temptations and all that.
And like you said, God designed that for marriage.
There's a pastor that put it this way that sex is like a fire, right?
(45:46):
uh If it's at a fireplace where it's controlled, uh it can heat a house, you can go up toit and it provides comfort.
But a fire outside of that fireplace is destruction and all that.
So that kind of ties into having it within marriage.
So yeah, I appreciate you sharing all that.
(46:09):
And a big encouragement to me or just being able to understand.
So in San Antonio, Texas, I just recently went back down there for Canine School.
um I had kind of met out, met with this pastor and uh we, I got connected with thisfamily, which is really cool.
(46:29):
And he just kind of told me like, listen, like just understanding that sin will
take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and take morethan you want to give.
And just understanding that helps me realize sin is powerful, and the only way to defeatit is through Jesus.
(46:58):
And just being able to surrender that to Him is so encouraging and just so helpful.
Yeah, and I'm really glad I knew this, I mean, I was really happy that when you went downthere for K-9 school for three months, you got plugged into a church because that's huge,
you know, going down there, you know, and it's, yeah, it's difficult.
So.
(47:18):
Yeah, going down there, I was excited.
mean, like I've been working to go canine for like over a year and it was just, I wasexcited to go down there, not realizing that there's gonna be so much temptation down
there.
Like there was just, I mean, all these women in San Antonio, Texas during the heat, likethey were just, people were out and.
(47:42):
just being able to realize like, oh, I need to get plugged into a church and a communitybecause I mean, ultimately I'm an adult and I am going to have to make my own decisions
and being able to have that strong relationship with Christ really helped me realize like,okay, I can make the decision to go to this place.
(48:06):
I can make the decision to go out with this girl, but being able to realize like,
that might lead into something else or she might ended up coming back to my hotel orsomething.
That's not what I wanted.
I, as soon as like I understood that that temptation was gonna be there, I needed to getplugged in so quickly and to be able to just kind of just uh be accountable and just kind
(48:33):
of give that to the other believers that I met out there was just very helpful.
I mean God was with me through the whole time.
mean God had helped me get through canine course because it was not easy It was tough.
I mean Yeah, I had a lot of fun working with the dogs and but just being able to uh Just Ihad so I had some teammates and we
(49:04):
We were all really cool with each other for the first couple of weeks.
And then we just started butting heads.
starting to get to like the middle to the end of the course and just realizing like justall the stuff that they would go through or just the fighting or whatever.
And just being able to use what God had given me as like just being able to, okay, let'stake a step back guys.
(49:29):
Like let's sit here and talk about why we feel this way.
and just being able to be that light through that darkness right there.
I mean, that's why God puts me through these uh trials because it's like He helped me growand gave me that wisdom to be able to help just disciple them.
(49:54):
And I may not have used the Bible specifically talking to them, but to be able to use thegood fruits.
that God has given me to be able to help them might honestly plant the seed in them.
And so that helped and also like being in that community helped me understand how to dothat.
(50:15):
And I think a key thing that you said is like, what's in the Bible, right?
And one thing that I've noticed is that you are in your Bible a lot.
uh Can you talk about just how important that is to do that?
Not only just go to Sunday service and then never read your Bible.
way I think about it is like this.
So if I eat this donut from Krispy Kreme, I'm like, oh, that looks so good.
(50:44):
I want to eat it or whatever.
Okay, that may not help my diet so good.
That may not like actually help feed my hunger or whatever.
Or if I eat this very
good protein food of steak and green beans or some type of vegetable and mashed potatoes,something that really like fills me up and nurtures my body.
(51:13):
Same thing with what the word does.
The word isn't just about getting to understand God.
Yes, it helps you understand Him in His way and how much He loves us and just how much Heputs you through and just helps you grow.
But it also nurtures your soul or helps you just, mean, people talk about it, it's afeeling that, oh, why don't I feel God?
(51:41):
Is he close?
It's because you haven't read your Bible.
It's because you're not in his word.
mean, that's the one way that He talks to us.
You sometimes He might talk to you audibly, right?
But the main way that He communicates is the Bible.
Yeah, so the pastor in San Antonio that I connected with, uh he explained it like,whenever you read your Bible, it's like you want to read it more and more.
(52:04):
Like whenever you get into his word, it's not like a uh discipline.
No, like whenever you get into it, it's like it draws you in and you stay there for awhile and you continue to grow.
But whenever you stop reading it, whenever you, okay, maybe you read it Monday, Tuesdayand Sunday or something.
and then you don't read it Wednesday, Thursday, as soon as you stop reading it, you'regoing to start reading it less and less.
(52:29):
Like it's not like something where, oh, I'm going to desire it more because I have thatdiscipline.
No, it's like whenever you stay in his word, you're going to continue to want his word.
At Whiteman, have you been able to use your faith to help someone?
Dude, 100%.
I mean, just even like, off the job and on the job a lot.
(52:52):
But um specifically, like this one time, we had responded to this.
It was a domestic and uh fire and medical had responded first because it was uh there wasjust like a medical incident and they said they didn't need us until eventually.
They had said, okay, the woman's being combative.
(53:13):
Like we need you guys here.
So we responded and I got there and it was this woman had locked herself in the room withher three kids and taken a bunch of pills and told her kids that she wasn't gonna be here
anymore.
And uh she was gonna, she was fully planned to overdose in front of her kids and.
(53:39):
I first of all that hit very close to home because whenever I was 10 my mom overdosed ondrugs and I immediately went into how can I help her right now?
Like I don't care about oh if somebody's gonna like is there somebody else in the housethat's gonna stop me from doing this?
(54:00):
No, like my main focus was her and I like just sat there with her and just talked to her.
was like listen like I
don't care about, you're locking people out or you're hitting people.
Like, I don't care about any of that right now.
Right now, I care about how much those kids need you and just understanding that you are abig part of their life.
(54:24):
And to be able to use how I just the using how knowing how much my mom meant to me.
to be able to just kind of talk to her and tell her like, hey, like this is, those kidsreally do need you.
You may not think that right now.
You may think that, you might, like she was telling herself she was a bad mother or thatshe just, their kids didn't deserve her.
(54:52):
And I was like, no, like your presence alone, so much, so important to those kids.
And just being able to use what God had put me through.
to be able to help her and calm her down.
Eventually she had let us use, or had let medical work on her and took her to thehospital.
(55:12):
Which so good.
She ended up surviving and she's living a healthy life with her family.
It was just so encouraging.
And it was definitely, I was like, wow.
mean, God, you put me through that to be able to help her.
So was just very helpful.
And that's so cool.
Thank you for sharing that.
So just wrapping up, why should someone follow Jesus?
(57:00):
Yeah.
Man, thank you so much.
That was really good.
(57:21):
So yeah, um like I said, man, I'm just, I'm so proud of you.
Just the man you became and just how you're leading and how you're leading, you know,Bible studies and man, just it's so cool to see and you're an encouragement to me.
I appreciate you coming on.
(57:44):
Thanks again for listening to another episode of Faith in the Line of Duty.
If you're a first responder or in the military and have a story you'd like to share, emailme at faithinthelineofdutyatgmail.com.
You could be a guest on a future episode.
To continue the conversation, visit my Facebook and Instagram page.
Thanks again for tuning in and join me next time for another encouraging story of Faith inthe Line of Duty.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.