Healing Hearts and Building Community

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Charlie Mike the podcast Veterans helping
veterans.
Talking about things happeningin the veteran community, Things
we've experienced and overcome,such as addictions, PTSD,
depression, legal trouble, andwe also promote veteran-owned
businesses.
If you're talking about it,we're talking about it.

(00:24):
This is Charlie Mike thepodcast.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
I think when we made the change to listening to more
podcasts instead of watching TVand things like that, it's like
you just you get so excited andyou get and you hear things
you're like, oh my gosh, I wantto meet that person or I want to
listen to more of that person.

Speaker 3 (00:44):
Y'all listen to a lot of podcasts.
Oh yeah, Absolutely.
So what comedy?
Or like motivation, A mix ofeverything Like spirituality
comedy.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
some of the news stuff I don't watch like regular
regular news because that canget a little scary.

Speaker 4 (00:57):
Yeah, sean Ryan, sean Ryan.
Yeah, sean Ryan, he yeah.
Sean Ryan he's motivation no no, sean Ryan is an ex-CIA
contractor.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
His name is Seal and what he does, is he exposes like
secretive stuff?

Speaker 3 (01:14):
in America.

Speaker 4 (01:15):
Yeah, like he had this one girl on.
I can't remember her name, butshe was about.
Yeah, you can pull it, getcomfortable.
She was speaking about theborder and cartels and where
they're at now and like how theysee and view America and stuff
like that.
So it was pretty cool.

(01:36):
I mean, he does a lot of alsolike secreted stuff, like UFOs,
what the government knows aboutthem.
Okay, okay, what is your beliefon that man?
I'm I think we're too arrogant.
I'm it's too arrogant not tothink there's other beings
besides us right, yeah, now doyou think this like?

Speaker 3 (01:55):
I know I met some people that that say sky, some
say ocean, some say I think it'sprobably both.

Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, I think, I think we're in a world protected
world.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
There's a lot of bumpers.

Speaker 4 (02:07):
That we have on us right now I just think we're
infantiles.
The evolution of spirituality?
Yeah, man.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
I had this one guy from NASA on one time and he's
like ask me anything.
Like you know, we did a littleconversation and he was doing a
interview on somebody else'spodcast and I was just filming
it.
So after he gets off, the mic'sdone and I'm like, all right,
man, it's me and you here,aliens, real.
He got like six, six cameras onhim.
He's like what do you think?

(02:40):
I said?

Speaker 4 (02:41):
He's like hmm, yeah there's too many, too much
history.
Too much history, I mean.
And the more you read the Bible, the more you're like, oh, I
can see it.
I can see it, you know yeah.

Speaker 3 (02:56):
It's a lot and I started watching a lot of
history and I've always beenlike a history history fan, you
know but it's just the thingsthat they find.
How was this made?

Speaker 1 (03:06):
you know what I mean.
How was this?

Speaker 3 (03:08):
made so many years ago and it doesn't make sense to
me.

Speaker 4 (03:11):
Yeah, and you know it can be overwhelming to try to
figure out everything and thatand I went down this a lot of
rabbit holes doing that and then, in the end, it's like I
believe, I believe a lot ofthings, but it doesn't affect
the way I live or the way I moveforward.
Again, the basis for me is tobe evolved as Jesus is, but

(03:35):
we're in the 21st century, so itlooks a little different, right
?

Speaker 2 (03:39):
I guess he heard you and William's whole conversation
about Jesus.
Huh.

Speaker 4 (03:43):
Probably yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, so it's good.

Speaker 3 (03:45):
You know what's funny is?
I don't stay in on william'spodcast unless I find something
interesting not not to talk it,I'm just saying like I have to
find that individual interesting, and that was one of the ones
where I was like, hey, you mindif I too yeah, william was like,
this was awesome like it's goodbecause he came home all fired
up too, so that's great, thatyeah, because then you're well,

(04:05):
then I'm like driving home, I'mlike what did I say?

Speaker 2 (04:11):
See, I started out in radio, so it's like always nice
to get up front.
So if this isn't live, youcould be.
This could be edited If you canyou know we would have to say,
hey, if you mess up, it's okay.

Speaker 3 (04:21):
Right, right, and it makes people a lot more
comfortable.
Yeah, especially Right, we'vedone some lives yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
I'm sorry, please yeah.

Speaker 4 (04:32):
So tell us your handle and give us your DJ.
I forgot what it was.
You were a DJ.
Yeah, ashley Steele, that'swhat it was.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
Ashley.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
Steele, I'm back in Louisiana.
Yes, that's, I have ajournalism degree, so that's us
right on radio I.
I, yeah, I absolutely loved it,but I went from, like you know,
the power like 70s and 80sweekend to like love songs and
dedications, you know.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
I heard it, yeah, so you know what it brought back.

Speaker 1 (04:59):
There's a.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Delilah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So Delilah, she was good.
That's what I heard instantlyso yeah, it was fun so why did
you quit?
I felt like I wanted more intowriting, so I changed over into
the newspaper and started doingthat, and then that brought me
to Texas and, yeah, the rest ishistory.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
So from Louisiana to Texas, and I spent some time at
radio in Kentucky as well.
Wow, texas.
And yeah, the rest is history.

Speaker 2 (05:24):
So from from Louisiana to Texas, and I spent
some time at radio in Kentuckyas well.
Wow, so yeah.

Speaker 3 (05:29):
Well, tell me a little bit about you guys.
There's a lot I want to ask,but you know, if you see me
looking down at the iPad, it'snotes, it's not surfing.
I'm not checking my Facebook,oh no.

Speaker 1 (05:39):
Yes.

Speaker 3 (05:41):
So tell me a little bit about you.
I want to know who you are,your history, your you know.
Give me some, give me some info.

Speaker 4 (05:48):
All right.
So I came honor free, born andraised in Texas for the most
part For my first, the firstdecade of my life, I was.
I was a military brat, so mydad was a airborne ranger.
He passed away when I was 10years old, so graduated from
Texas City High School, went tocollege for a couple of years,
enlisted in the Army, servedthree years in the Army infantry

(06:10):
in Fort Lewis, got out, went tocollege, wanted to make the
American dream happen, so Ibecame a chemical operator and I
did that for about 10 years.
You know, got married, kids,good life, good life.
Changed careers to training andconsulting and safety.
Been doing that since about2007 on various consulting roles

(06:34):
safety management, leadership.
So I mean I still do it.
Now I have a part-time jobwhere I do consulting and
training for DECRA.
So, yeah, that's me, a couple ofyears ago, had a spiritual
awakening, walked out of my life, walked in, you know, just
walked in faith to find adifferent purpose, or find my

(06:55):
purpose.
Took me about, probably about ayear, maybe a year and a half
into that walk, warrior Spiritwas born, our non-profit.
I met her late, well, mid tolate, well, mid 2003.
She was living in CollegeStation.
Still, she was teaching and we,you know, we just kind of hit

(07:19):
it off, started talking about alot of, you know, our experience
in life.
You know, of course, we ourexperience in life.
You know, of course, we'regrown-ups, you know we're, we're
, we're half a century old andyou know we're talking about our
lives and stuff.
And there was just a pull to,to service that we had.
And, you know, we, we did, wedid some healing, both of us,

(07:42):
each other, healing on eachother.
And in I guess early 2024, wedrafted a journal, because
journaling in our life was partof the heap right, revealing who
we really are trying to be, whowe are.
So we published a journal, justput it on Amazon.
It was kind of like a bucketlist kind of thing.

(08:04):
So we published something andput it on Amazon.
It was kind of like a bucketlist kind of thing.
So we published something andput it on Amazon.
And somewhere in between Iguess March, april time frame,
we were approached.
Well, I had donated a brisketto a nonprofit that was having a
graduation of some veterans outof their equine therapy program

(08:24):
.

Speaker 3 (08:30):
And.

Speaker 4 (08:30):
Anne Henderson, she probably knows.
Oh, oh man, that's how Ilearned about you guys.
Yeah, she told me so.
She was returning the, the bigcrock pot that I'd had delivered
to her for the, for the brisket, and she was over and they
started talking.
She used to be a grant writer.
Ashley was a grant writer andwas looking for a grant writer.
Then she started talking.
We have a new program withequine therapy that we're
implementing at journaling, butwe don't know what we're going
to do.

(08:51):
We're like oh we just publisheda journal.
So we developed a four hour, atwo day, four hour class that we
, that we started doing and fromthere we just said, well, we
can start a nonprofit.
Didn't know what we were goingto, didn't know what we were
really getting into, but we knewthat service was going to be
the root of it.

(09:11):
So everybody that has aservant's heart that's one of
our tagline a servant's heart,warrior spirit a servant's heart
is, you know, people that serveothers.
So you know, we looked atveterans, first responders,
responders, teachers, people inrecovery or people that support
recovery, people in recovery,and just young adults, you know.
And so we were our youth and wewere looking to just nurture

(09:33):
those servants hearts, becausewe all want to go save the world
but we can't.
They're there and there'salready people that are saving
the world, that are helpingright.
So we wanted to nurture thosepeople, to help those people to
continue on, because it's easyto get bitter right when, when,
when you're, when you're servingand and you're and there's no,
you're not getting I don't knowfed or you're not getting.

(09:55):
You know, sometimes you can feellike you're being taken
advantage of okay so just toshow gratitude to those people
that serve, you know again, tonurture the hearts and to really
know why.
You know, in the Bible italways talks about remembering
your first love, right, Christ.
So remembering, you know.
We just want people to remembertheir first love of service and
continue their journey.

(10:16):
So, yeah, that's where we're at.
We made a year in.
May we made a year at WarSpirit in May.
You know, this year we'relooking to not to be a little
bit more focused and intentional.
We have a few things on theburner In the pipeline.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
In the pipeline, there we go yeah.

Speaker 4 (10:36):
So we're looking for ways to support the nonprofit
online.
We're looking at differentproducts.
I'll share this where we'relooking into ai assisted therapy
.
We're with, we're going to callit warrior spirit companion.
It's, it's, it's in, it's inthe works.
Don't want to get in too manydetails about it because we

(10:56):
haven't developed.

Speaker 2 (10:57):
We're still in development it's just things
that complement what we'realready doing, because as you're
doing it you see gaps inservices or you see things like,
oh, this will be great.
And then something gets put inyour path and it all just kind
of comes together and so we'refinding the things that.
So you have this wraparound ofservices and the whole person,
the physical, the mental, theemotional and the spiritual.

Speaker 3 (11:21):
That's amazing.
Tell us a little bit aboutyourself spiritual.

Speaker 2 (11:27):
That's amazing.
Tell us a little bit aboutyourself.
I was born and raised in a very, very small town in Louisiana
and absolutely loved it, grew upwith a younger brother and a
younger sister and graduatedfrom high school, went to
college in journalism thinking,oh, I'm going to be on the Today
Show where I'm going to be.
You know the journalisticaspirations there.
But I always enjoyed getting toknow people, understanding why

(11:48):
people do what they do, you know, featuring stories about people
that maybe others didn't reallyknow about, those kind of
unsung heroes, and so I did alot of that with when I did
become a journalist.
A newspaper journalist focuseda lot on first responders, why
they do what they do, why theyget into it.
So at first I did.
When I graduated I started outin radio.
And that was a lot of fun.

Speaker 3 (12:08):
It was a lot of fun.
I can imagine.

Speaker 2 (12:09):
Yeah, exactly Giving away things, concerts, all that
kind of fun stuff.
But I knew that I had more, andso I made the switch over to
newspaper and found my space incrime journalism and that's what
brought me to Texas.

Speaker 3 (12:24):
So crime journalism, and that's where I was, what
brought me to texas.
So crime journalism, give me anexample.

Speaker 2 (12:29):
I've been in the middle of a standoff, you know
those kinds of things where oh,it shouldn't be brian college
station.
There's not a ton of thingsthat happen there, but it's a
college town.

Speaker 4 (12:38):
It is a college town, so yeah, we had.

Speaker 2 (12:40):
You know people stealing pigs from you know
people stealing pigs from the.

Speaker 3 (12:43):
A&M vet.
Yeah, like to eat or just tobreathe?
No, just a prank.
Oh yeah, good questions.
So we had.

Speaker 2 (12:48):
I mean we had silly things, but we also had you know
, we had some drive-by shootingsthat I was able to be out there
and just talk to the family.
So just kind of bringing thehuman aspect to the story and
then, also the first responders,because people have that
tendency to be always be scaredof the police.
But I wanted to showcase, like,why they do what they do and
some of their, their storiesthat they wanted to share.

(13:09):
And so I really enjoyed my timethere and I I did a lot of work
in spotlighting domesticviolence, child abuse, sexual
assault, animal abuse.
But I became really close withthe director of the domestic
violence shelter and so she said, hey, we have this, this grant
that we just got, and we'regoing to create a prevention
program.
Would you want to come workwith us and create that?

(13:30):
And I was like, absolutely so.
It was a way to find a voiceand to use the writing and use
my voice for something, for agreat need, for a great cause,
and I just fell in love withadvocacy and did work in
domestic violence and sexualassault and child abuse at the
state level, at the nationallevel.
I lived in California andArizona and then came back to
Texas eventually and after awhile I started feeling that

(13:52):
kind of burnout that he wastalking about was that kind of
serving burnout and just that.
There I felt like God hadsomething different for me and
it came in the form of education.
And so it was like, okay, Iwant to be a teacher, I want to
be an advocate for kids in adifferent way and basically be
the adult that I needed when Iwas their age.
And so that's what I did, and Itaught for 10 years and it was

(14:14):
great because my son was inschool at the time and so I got
to be on his schedule and got tomeet some amazing kids through
teaching and through coachingtrack and so just of all ages,
and so I feel like sometimes Igot more from them than they got
from me, but it's a great wayjust to see the world through
their eyes, and so it wasrejuvenating, it was refreshing

(14:36):
to do that.
And then I decided I wanted toget out of that and go back into
working for myself and doinggrant writing full time, and so
that's what I thought I wasgoing to do.
And then, when I did leave,that's when the journaling came
up and the nonprofit was bornand he's kind of like he shared,
and it was great because it wasalways something I thought I
would love to have my ownnonprofit or I would love to do

(14:57):
something, and I saw this needfor teachers, and especially for
youth.
All the anxiety, and I justthought we got to do more,
because, as a teacher, theschool districts would be like,
oh, here's some food or here'ssome of this, you know, but like
something more for them, causeI saw people really struggle and
so I just felt like everythingfell into place God but
everything in our path, god buthim in my path, somebody that

(15:18):
wanted to serve others and loveothers just as much as I did,
and it just all came togetherand I'm just so incredibly
grateful for it because I'vealready, you know, still
teaching, just in a differentway, and still helping people
find their voice.

Speaker 3 (15:37):
And that's amazing.
That's amazing when you saidyou started your journey to, I
guess, to religion throughreligion.
What did that journey look like?
Was it something like so in mymind?
I you know, I know veteransthis might be totally off
subject, but like an ayahuascajourney Is that something

(15:57):
similar and you don't have totalk about it if you don't want
to.

Speaker 4 (16:00):
So well, I've always been a christian.
Right, I grew up a catholic,straight away from catholic, did
non-denominational churchchurches, but never really was
planted in church.
I mean, in the military I wasthere.
There were some very, very,very divine intervention things
that happened when I was in themilitary that I could not say

(16:24):
God was taking care of.
So I went to church faithfully.
But when I left the military Istopped going to church as well.
I just couldn't find a church,so I stayed away.
I tried to.
Every now and then I would go,you know, but it wasn't just
part of my life.
I struggled with the Bible,with understanding religion, but

(16:48):
when the spiritual awakeninghappened to me, it was like I
had to give love to them.
That's all I could explain, youknow.
That's just what the messagewas Go, give love to the world.
I didn't know what it meant, Ididn't know what it looked like.
I knew I was going to go on aspiritual journey.
That's all I knew.
And it was like walk in faithand let it unravel.

(17:13):
And a lot of things happened.
That again that I can't explaindivine intervention, how things
lined up they were.
But I was on a spiritual pathand the spiritual path.
You know, like we would saylike new age stuff, right, but
everything went back to theteachings of jesus.
So I'm like, well, I'm gonna goback to the source, right?

(17:35):
So I, so I stepped back intoreligion, started going to
church, struggled with the bible, struggled with christians,
struggled with church andprobably about man.
This was just last year,sometime after we started the
nonprofit.
I was talking to a psychologist, a Christian psychologist, and

(17:55):
I told him man, I've always hadstruggled, you know, with church
and all these things.
And he says, you know, if youjust stay Christ-focused, you
know, nobody ever leaves churchbecause of Jesus, right, he goes
.
It sounds like you have aChristian problem and not a
Jesus problem.
So I started to study and itwas like, what does Jesus say?
And that's how I approachedreading the Bible.

(18:16):
Well, everything I read in theBible, I said, well, what does
Jesus say about this?
And it helped me refine my, youknow, like find my passion
again for becoming a disciple.
You know, I'm very cautioussometimes of saying I'm
Christian, because I do whatJesus says, I follow what Jesus
says, you know, and up untilmaybe last week, maybe two weeks

(18:40):
ago, I always struggled withPaul and his epistle, you know.
So I'd go to Bible studies.
I was out there putting myself,out there, going to Bible
studies, doing recovery programs, doing everything to try to
understand the nature of God andwhy people say the things they
do.
Why does the Bible say thiswhen Jesus said?
Why does Paul say this whenJesus says this?

(19:00):
Why does the Old Testament saythis when Jesus says this?
And you know, I kind of sell myown reconciliation of how what
the Bible is and how I believein the Bible and yeah.
So again now, I don't believeJesus is exclusively for
Christians.
I think Jesus is for everybody,you know, and it's their own

(19:23):
journey and I can't tell anybodyabout their relationship with
God, because I know myrelationship with God and that's
it.
I don't know anybody else's,but I can guarantee you, if you
follow and do what Jesus says,you'll create a relationship
with God.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
And that's a basis of two.
Like our say, our tagline isgrow, give love, and that's what
we live by.
It's.
It's so, it's part of the wayof Jesus.
Way is to grow give love, and somy, my spiritual journey was
kind of all over the place.
My mom was catholic and my dadwas baptist, so I grew up going

(20:01):
to two different churches and soI saw it was pretty confusing
for a kid because they were sodifferent, and I think what I
noticed is there were a lot ofjudgment.
I noticed a lot of like when myparents got divorced, the
Catholic church turned theirback on her, so I got really
upset about that.
There were a lot of things Ididn't understand because I

(20:23):
thought, well, aren't wesupposed to just love each other
?
Aren't we supposed to get alongand love each other?
And so there were things, andthere were things in the Bible
that I didn't understand as well.
When I was a teenager, my bestfriend was Pentecostal and so I
went to church with her and Ilove it because the pastor was
like, I don't care if you, youknow, like, because some of the
traditions are you don't cutyour hair, you don't make it.
He had a son our age, he didnot care, he wanted you to be in

(20:46):
there and listen to the messagehe wanted you to learn, and so
I really that really resonatedwith him and I'm so appreciative
of him, brother Hennigan, andso I learned a lot about
unconditional love in thatchurch and acceptance, and I
really that really resonatedwith me.
And, of course, you know, as youget older, the journey for me
was like more like this.

(21:08):
It was, you know, sometimes Iwould be closer and be in the
church and sometimes I was kindof doing my own thing and and
just for, for whatever reason,and started to go into
non-denominational churcheswhenever, whenever I grew I
guess I grew up, grew up, becamean adult and had had my son but
I always felt like there wassomething missing, something I
wasn't quite understanding,something that didn't feel as

(21:30):
authentic.
And, you know, some of it couldhave been the church, some of
it could have been Christianity,some of it could have been just
me, because I wasn't yet ashealed as I could be, and I
think that there was a part ofme that felt like if I tried to
get really close to God, that hewould be disappointed in me
because I wasn't perfect, and sothat comes from childhood
trauma.
So, in the spiritual journey,my son went off into the

(21:52):
military in 2021.
He went into the Navy and waslike this is your adventure.
And he's like, okay, now, mom,it's time for your adventure.
Like yeah, exactly.
And so I think the spiritualjourney is a part of that
adventure, sort of readingeverything.
And then when I met Gabe, Ifound that kindred spirit of
somebody that likes to look ateverything that you know your
heart is with Jesus but you'reopen to listening to different

(22:15):
things and to reading differentthings, and kind of it goes back
to journalism as you walk allthe way around the story, and so
you want to walk all the wayaround something to try to
understand it and to meetsomeone that had the deeper
questions or the deep feelingsor the deep thoughts.
I was like, oh wow, it's notjust me, you know somebody else
that has these questions.
And so shortly after we metbefore we'd even met in person

(22:39):
he said hey, you want to tellI'll go for it.
He said I don't know.
I said, hey, you want to go forit.
He's like I don't know, I'm onthis spiritual, you know journey
in this path and I don't knowwhere I'm going to be next week
and I'm here.
But he's like but if you wantto walk with me?
And immediately, god just waslike, yes, walk with him.
And so I was like yes, I'llwalk with you.

Speaker 3 (22:56):
And hey, that's still walking.

Speaker 4 (22:59):
I remember where I was.
I was.
I was at the dike.
It was I would go and watch thesunrise.
It was one of my routines onthis was at the dike, I would go
and watch the sunrise.
It was one of my routines onthis journey at the dike,
watching the sunrise and thewater.
And I was just like I need tobe straightforward with this
woman because I don't know, Iain't got no house, I have no
plans, I didn't have anything,but yeah, so that's what it was.

(23:24):
I don't know where I'm going,didn't have anything, but yeah,
so that that's what it was like.
I don't know where I'm going tobe at tomorrow, next week or
next month.
I'm just walking a journey.
I'm walking a path of faith.
If you want to walk with me,you can.
If you don't, I understand,because you're not, you're not
getting a, you're not getting afull, whole person right now.
You know I was on a journey andit was.
I look back, man, it's prettycrazy.

Speaker 2 (23:48):
How far?

Speaker 3 (23:48):
we've come.
Have y'all always been likethis chill, like I don't know?
You got like a chill vibe, Idon't know, and we again, we've
matured together spiritually.
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (24:09):
And you know honestly , honestly I don't know well,
for me, the, I have more peacenow that then I had in years
past.
Anxiety was just something andworrying about the future.
And you know, thinking aboutpast that makes you worry about
something in the future, andthen being a parent and
everything else.
But and I think part of it isis our journey and part of it is
is is being with him and andand what we teach others about,
about peace, about being the,the I call it being detached

(24:30):
from the outcome, and I used toworry so much about what was
going to happen or what wasn'tgoing to happen or if it's going
to happen this way.
And when I stopped doing that,I found like a great sense of
peace and that's what I want foreverybody.
So it's like what we, what wehave.
I'm just like I want that foreverybody.

Speaker 4 (24:44):
I want everybody to feel peace and everybody to feel
love, and that's when I getexcited and I get all in my
spirit and just you know, I mean, and we do get the advantage of
age as well, right, yeah, Imean, we've lived a life already
and you know, we know what'sgood and we know what's bad, and
when you don't worry abouttomorrow, you don't worry about
next week and you let thingsjust fold out, it's just like

(25:07):
wow.
I didn't realize I didn't haveto work so hard to make my
future.
It's more like I'm a verycharismatic call it charismatic
Christian, but I'm the person.
I believe in manifestation.
I believe in speaking yourfuture.
I believe I mean it says it inthe Bible.
I believe in miracles.
I believe in speaking yourfuture.
I believe I mean it says it inthe Bible.
You know, I believe in miracles.
I believe in all these things.

(25:27):
I believe we've barely tappedinto who we really are, and once
we're able to let go and shedthis world, those things start
to occur.
You know, they start tomanifest.
It's really, really crazy.
I'll tell you, one of thebiggest things I had to get over
was early last year.

(25:48):
I lost my job and I was likeyou know what I need?
A couple of months off.
Let me just take a couple ofmonths off to come up.
And I'm like well, man, I needretirement, though how am I
going to retire?
You know, how is a nonprofitgoing to help me retire, and how

(26:08):
is a nonprofit going to?
You know what money am I goingto use?
And the money I had saved up.
It was like am I supposed touse this?
You know, god was like you know,you started walking in faith
and, like you've, I've beentaking care of you for the last

(26:29):
year.
Well, I've been taking care ofyou your whole life.
Why are you going to care aboutyou know?
Why are you worried about whatI'm going to be doing in 15
years?
Just walk in faith, right?
So a very big testament of thefaith was to say okay, I'll let
you take care of my finances,I'll let you take care of me.
You know I'll be the goodsteward of it, but you just show
me what you know.
I will do what you want me to doand the basis of our life is
the nonprofit is sowing into thekingdom of heaven, is getting

(26:53):
the words and the teachings ofJesus out there.
That is what we do.
Everything else comes andthat's how we live life, and
it's kind of like I liken it toyou know when you're taking your
kids bowling and they put thegutter bumpers up.

Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (27:09):
Well, that's what the nonprofit is.
Is the gutter bumpers of usstaying focused on the kingdom
of heaven, because I believe youcan have the kingdom of heaven
on earth right now.
We can experience it, just likewe can experience hell.

Speaker 3 (27:26):
So yeah, that's a.
I don't know where the questionwas but I'm kind of.
I have a question that'sprobably I don't know, it's a
little on.
I just want to know youropinion and again, if this
doesn't, if, if y'all feel sometype of way after I asked, with,
with, with everything thathappened this weekend in in in
Texas, you know the loss of them, a lot of.
You know it's a lot of youngyoung children.

Speaker 1 (27:45):
Is it?

Speaker 3 (27:47):
is it normal or is it right to kind of question faith
?
Because, you know, if I kind ofwoke up and had a thought and I
like to consider myself areligious person I don't know if
religious is the right wordSpiritual, spiritual, spiritual
person, but you know, I hadquestions.

(28:07):
I wanted to know why.
You know, I don't know if I'masking the question correctly.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
No, you see, I mean, I've been watching a lot of it,
and I've been watching a lot ofit on the news and just because
I like to find the rescuestories and the good stories and
just to be aware, and so, youknow, I've seen people in news
stories and seen people in clipsand things saying, like you
know, I'm wondering why God wewatched this morning he said why

(28:37):
God allowed this to happen, butI have faith that something
good is going to come from it,and so I've seen a lot of people
react in different ways.
It's incredibly tragic, butit's incredibly tragic and as a
parent, as a mom especiallywho's had a child that's gone
off to camp, you think aboutthat and you start reflecting on

(28:59):
that.

Speaker 4 (28:59):
Yeah, yeah, I go back to what I believe in.
I believe our lifetime here isa blink of an eye in eternity,
right right.
So the Bible says we willreturn to God.
So we've been with God beforeand we'll return to God.
I also believe that our God isa hands-off God and you know,

(29:23):
jesus teaches, always teaches,about sowing and reaping.
So what we sow, we will reap,good or bad.
I'm not saying that.
You know, somebody sowed intothis flood will reap good or bad
.
I'm not saying that somebodysowed into this flood and this
tragedy that happened.
But again, I believe God's ahands off God and everything he
does works for good and we'reall God's children and we'll be

(29:48):
back with him.

Speaker 2 (29:49):
I guess for me, when I started watching it and
listening to it, I didn't ask,like why did this happen?
I just asked what good is goingto come from it, because God
always works everything for good.
I've experienced that in mylife personally and I've
experienced it in the work thatI've done in domestic violence
and child abuse and sexualassault, and I've seen that he

(30:11):
always works things for his good.
So that's what I'm focused on.

Speaker 4 (30:15):
Yeah, it's a tough subject when you know, parents
are looking at children, yeah,but you know again I use the
Bible as a foundation.
What I believe.

Speaker 3 (30:29):
So let's change the subject a little bit.
I want to know okay, WarriorSpirit, you said you're a Euro.
Tell me what the logorepresents.

Speaker 4 (30:39):
first, so, okay, so the logo is like a steel heart,
right, and it's supposed to showpower, right, strength and
resilience.
And then inside is the, is theflame that burns.

(31:00):
That you know that.
You know I'm thinking of flame,I'm thinking the desire, flame
of god, the flame of the HolySpirit, the desire to do good,
to do that it's exposed becausesometimes, you know, our heart
can be calloused up, you know.
But we do have to be tough, wedo have to be tough mentally.

(31:22):
I believe you have to be inyour convictions, right, and you
know, for a long time, I, youknow, my conviction was success,
my conviction was overcoming,you know.
But there's, there's adifferent conviction now, right,
and my conviction is serving,and I still think you still have
to have that, that warrior'sheart, right, but don't forget

(31:45):
the softness.
I wanted to, I wanted to justcontrast the hardness and the
softness, you know.

Speaker 2 (31:50):
Yeah, it is.
You can get discouraged indoing good and I know in the
Bible it says not be discouraged, don't be weary in doing good.
But I've seen it, I'veexperienced it in working in the
nonprofit and working ineducation that people can become
calloused up or burnt out orjust otherwise not taking care

(32:10):
of themselves.
And that's something that weactually do as part of Worry.
Spirit is we do teach self-care, and so I've done that with
people who work with kids.
I've done that for teachers andthat reminder, because we have
to remind ourselves to take careof ourselves but also making
sure that other people are aswell, because that's how to keep

(32:30):
that softness on the inside,that's how to keep your strength
and your softness and balanceis taking care of yourself.

Speaker 3 (32:36):
So what are y'all doing that's going to prevent
the burnout?
Because I know a lot ofnonprofits, especially a lot of
certain servers.
You know, servants, Servants.

Speaker 1 (32:52):
Servants.

Speaker 3 (32:54):
That's what I meant you know, kind of like they get
burnt out.
So is this something y'all aredoing different?
Because I'm not saying that'sgoing to happen, I'm just saying
like oh, for us to not getburnt out.

Speaker 4 (33:04):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, I don't.
Well, being a veteran, I didn'trealize how many services or
free things are out there forveterans, right?
So we work with Skeleton Crew.
They're a close partner.

Speaker 1 (33:18):
I go sailing with them, teaching me how to sail.

Speaker 4 (33:21):
Yeah, we do equine therapy.
We, you know we ride horses.
We're with the horses.
What else do?

Speaker 2 (33:27):
we do, we spend a lot of time in nature.
We do a lot of hiking and walksand things like that in nature,
because that's definitelyrefreshing.

Speaker 4 (33:35):
But we do go on retreats with other people.
Actually we're doing a WhiteOaks retreat in the fall.
She's doing one, I'm doing one.
They're separate.

Speaker 2 (33:46):
And they're for veterans and first responders
and then their spouses, so theyhave one for women and one for
men.

Speaker 4 (33:53):
So yeah, we practice what we preach, yeah, that's
what we do.
But I'm telling you like andmusic.

Speaker 2 (34:01):
I say music because we do a lot of concerts, and a
lot of concerts with our family,and music to me has always been
just music is therapy, art istherapy.

Speaker 3 (34:09):
Who's your favorite?

Speaker 2 (34:10):
artist.
Brandon Lake is my favoriteartist right now what about you,
man?

Speaker 4 (34:14):
I get so many we.
I have to go with JJ Gray.
I love Brandon Lake too, but JJGray, who's this other guy?
We just seen him.
Bingham Ryan, bingham, ryan,bingham but we're gonna go see,
yeah, oh, ben Fuller.
We went to go see Ben Fuller ata church and that place it
turned into worship.

(34:34):
It became revival.

Speaker 2 (34:36):
Pretty much it was like the Pentecostal revival
yeah.

Speaker 4 (34:39):
But we're going to go see Brandon Lake on the 25th in
Austin.

Speaker 2 (34:45):
I've been looking forward to that.
But our music taste is prettyrandom, kind of all over the
place.
I still love my 80s music.

Speaker 4 (34:52):
You know it's still like my 70s groove music and
yeah, so so I do want to sharewhat we did, which is because
you had mentioned somethingearlier.
So we we provide breathworkclasses and we did a breathwork
class a few weeks back for anorganization it's called cloud
break and it's like atransitional homing low-income

(35:13):
home homes for people in houstonand I.
So again, we did thisbreathwork class and you know I
was kind of nervous because youknow people are kind of you
don't know how they're going toreact, right, right, right.
And the thing is is that youknow it is.
It can make you feel silly, butin the end I think it gives you

(35:37):
peace, it gives you wholeness,it helps you recognize yourself,
right.
So I'll let Ashley share someof the things.

Speaker 2 (35:45):
Yeah, the director.
She emailed me and they had ahuge inspection the next day.
So everybody was kind of alittle nervous about it.
So it came at the perfect timeand she said, wow, she goes.
I haven't slept that well inweeks and she was like and
everything with the inspectionwent great and so it was great
to be able to give that to them,because they gave us the
opportunity to teach journalingclasses and teach things to the

(36:06):
residents, so to be able to dosomething for them was fantastic
, and the fact that they got somuch out of it because I love
breath work absolutely- yeah,but yeah, that's one of the
those woo woo things I mean itworks.

Speaker 4 (36:21):
I mean it works.

Speaker 2 (36:22):
It works for us at least yeah, and there's some
like even the journaling classesturn out to be just fellowship,
just conversation, and I'malways thinking, I thinking I
need to write that down, whatthat person said.
Or, like one of the oldergentlemen said, we were talking
about gratitude and he said I'mgrateful that God has given me
the ability to see things fromother people's perspective and I

(36:45):
thought that is a gift, butit's not something you think, oh
, I should be grateful for that.
But yeah, so there's so muchwisdom out there and I think
this has been a way for us togrow as well.
Personally, in doing what we dois because we learn so much
from others and then otherpeople like Ann that are out
there doing the work.
I mean, she is one of the mostbiggest cheerleader.

(37:09):
Yes, absolutely, and whatthey're doing out there with the
Young Adults with Special Needsand with the Veterans Programs
are just outstanding.

Speaker 3 (37:17):
She's amazing.
Yeah, I had the chance to sitdown and talk with her for a
little bit and she's just yeah,wow, yeah, yeah.
So what do y'all give me someother programs that y'all do
with Warrior Spirit?
And why Warrior Spirit?

Speaker 4 (37:36):
Why Warrior Spirit?
Why the?

Speaker 3 (37:38):
name Warrior Spirit.
Yeah, why the name?

Speaker 4 (37:39):
Again, it's you know.
I believe you have to have thatwarrior spirit to be vulnerable
, to help people, to show loveand compassion.
Growing up I mean, I hate tostereotype us like I do, but
Hispanic males Army veterans,I'm talking about my feelings.

Speaker 3 (38:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (38:06):
You know, I have to make it masculine.
It's a war spirit?

Speaker 2 (38:08):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (38:12):
But it's, yeah, I mean that's.

Speaker 3 (38:14):
No, it's badass, I like it.
Yeah, yeah.
So when Ann was telling meabout you guys, I started to hit
the website and started lookingaround and I was like I'm going
to reach out to them, I need toget them on the show.

Speaker 1 (38:36):
So you know, I'm all about learning about different
profits.

Speaker 2 (38:37):
You you know doing awesome things in the community
so I noticed y'all, y'all help,y'all reach out to veterans as
well as first responders.
So why so?
I'll let you talk aboutpopulation.
I can speak to the educationyouth.

Speaker 4 (38:45):
But so I was when I was a chemical operator.
I was a first responder at thechemical plants, firefighter,
chemical operator.
I was a first responder at thechemical plants, firefighter,
emt, high angle rescue.
So I did those things, you know, within like nine or 10 years
of me being a chemical operator.
I also volunteered as an EMTfor League City for two years

(39:05):
and I just seen how these peoplewere, you know.
I seen how first responderswere.
You know some.
You know I don't want to, Idon't want to talk too much
about it, but I mean that youknow they have a different
personality, they have adifferent sense of humor.

Speaker 3 (39:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (39:21):
They, you see where they.
They try to cover up some, somethings where you know we've.
They do a lot of similaritiesto veterans yeah, I mean
especially with the humor, theyeah, I've seen a lot of that.

Speaker 2 (39:36):
Yeah, that was something I had to get used to
when I was a crime reporter,because I was like, are these
guys?
joking you know, and then you,when you understand why and
that's that's one of the reasonswhy there's such a population
close to my heart is havingworked with them and then worked
in crime victim services for solong that you see what they go
through and how it affects them.

(39:58):
And having to switch gears andgo home to a family and leave
work behind I think that'sdifficult for anybody that's
serving others is to be able toswitch gears and even in a solid
education too, to be able toleave that at, and even I saw it
in education too to be able toleave that at work and not take
it home with you.
And, of course, educators andyouth were a big population that

(40:19):
I wanted to focus on just fromhaving had that experience, and
I saw so many youth, especiallygirls, struggling with anxiety,
struggling with depression,struggling with self-harm, and
it's just a different childhoodthan I mean, a different, I
guess, environment growing up inwith the social media and the

(40:42):
digital world.

Speaker 3 (40:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (40:43):
It's a little bit different for them, and so I
think the pressures are, youknow, are higher than they were
when I was younger.

Speaker 3 (40:50):
I definitely see that , especially the whole online
bullying.
You know higher than they werewhen I was younger, so I
definitely see that, especiallythe whole online bullying you
know, things things like thatpeople people, bad people,
ruthless

Speaker 2 (40:58):
yes, yes, they, yes, they are.
So it's, it's nice.
I mean, I feel like what we'redoing now in the peer support
aspect of working with peopleindividually, is similar to
probably what we did in ourother jobs.
It's just now we're doing itlike, with intention, with focus
.
We've done our training in thestate of Texas.
They you can become mentalhealth peer support specialist

(41:21):
and recovery peer supportspecialist, and the difference
is and this is what I love is isthat the person that you're
working with knows that you'vebeen through something similar
than what they've been through.
And I mean, for me, ifanybody's ever been to a
therapist, I would rather talkto somebody that understands
than somebody that's just goneto school to get a degree.
Nothing against it, nothingagainst counselors.

(41:43):
But we've seen a really bigresponse in that and I have,
like, I have a young girl thatI'm working with now and she's
just made great strides andshe's just absolutely amazing
and so it's so I look forward toit.
I look forward to it to seeingand we just do our Pierce, where
we walk around the park, spendtime outside, and it's amazing

(42:03):
so to be a part of somebody'slife in that way.

Speaker 3 (42:06):
It's crazy that you say that, because I feel the
same way.
When I I was, you know, I hitsix years sobriety and clean.
So throughout that journey inthe beginning I got in trouble
and I was doing the wholecounseling, probation officer
therapist thing.
I still do, but not because Ihave to now, but it's just I

(42:33):
never really took to heart,unless they experienced it the
way that that it was.

Speaker 2 (42:34):
if you, if like when it came to drugs and alcohol,
like you can't because you readthat shit, you know, you know
what I mean come on, come on,you know and and and, beneath it
all it's trauma yeah, I meanjust that's just what we've
found in in our journey and inhealing and and and then in in
educating ourselves, in studying, is that the root of so much
comes to, to childhood trauma,and comes to three big, major

(42:56):
things that we were talkingabout yesterday were abandonment
, unworthiness and Lack.

Speaker 4 (43:04):
And lack and so A lack, a lack mentality, right,
not thinking there's ever enough.
So you're hoarding your moneyor you're just a hoarder?
Yeah, so it's those types ofthings, and there's a sense of
freedom in letting go ofanything, like not owning
anything.

(43:24):
I remember I was reading this,I was reading something, and
there's a king and a guy.
And a guy walks up and says,hey, I'll take a room.
And he goes this is, this is mycastle.
Like well, I'll take a room.
He's like this is not a hotel.
He's like oh well, who lived inthis place before you did?

(43:46):
Oh, my dad did.
Okay, who lived in it beforeyour dad?
Oh, my grandfather did.
Are you sure?
It's not a hotel?

Speaker 1 (43:55):
you know what I'm saying yeah.

Speaker 4 (43:56):
So it's like you know why do you own?
I mean, and I mean again,that's just a society we live in
, right, you have to own things.
You know the american dream,buy a house, you know, right.

Speaker 2 (44:05):
So you know there's a there's, there's certain lack,
that fear that gets.
I think it's instilled us,especially with the retirement
thing.
You to make sure you haveenough of this.
You got to make sure you andand for me it was like I think
that's why I saved up the nestegg for so long and I kept
thinking well, just in case ofan emergency, what if something
happens?
And that's just not a good,healthy way to live.

Speaker 4 (44:31):
And and of no, no, you're going to use that for
good.
And so there you go.
Yeah, there's a practice thatwe do with gratitude, right, and
you know it's identifying,recognizing what you have, it's
appreciating what you have,right, and then it's allowing
for the next things to come.
And allowing for the nextthings to come is the hardest
thing to do because I'm stilllearning how to do it, but she
has a great story on how thishappened.

Speaker 2 (44:54):
Oh, okay, so when I was a teacher, name any school
districts.
But, when I was a teacher so Itook a job to teach music.
So I was like okay, this isgreat, this is going to be fun.
And they said well, you know, wedon't have an art teacher, now
Would you teach both?
And I was like, ooh, okay,that's kind of intimidating.
I'm not the best, but my momwas an art teacher.
So I'm like, oh, this is mygreat opportunity.

(45:16):
Like, oh, and we see thatyou've done gifted and talented.
Oh, would you mind doing ourgifted and talented classes too?
And then track coaching andeverything else.
And I started feeling resentfulthat I was being asked to do so
many things, but yet there wasno additional.
You know, the salary was nobump, there was no stipends for
anything.
And so I just realized you know, it's just like just got really

(45:39):
upset about it.
I was like I feel like I'mbeing taken advantage of.
But I stopped and kind of waslike OK, I've got to change my
mindset, you know.
And I started looking at it asthis is an opportunity to create
my own program.
And so for art they didn't havea curriculum, so I got to
create what I wanted to create.
And so I reached out to my momand I was like you know, do you
have any ideas?

(45:59):
Do you have anything like fromwhen you taught?
And so I would go to her houseand she would teach me all this
stuff.
She had all these materials,all these things.
She would teach me things and Iwould go back and I would teach
the kid and then tell her, hey,look this.
Or send her pictures.
This is what happened.
this is great and I realized, byappreciating that opportunity,
like my mom and I became a lotcloser when we've always been

(46:22):
close but like we were spendingtime together and talking art
and doing art and and she wasteaching me, and then that
reinvigorated her because she'sretired and so it's like she got
to kind of break out her all ofher skills and things again,
but it did.
It really brought us a lotcloser and then I thought, okay,
I was making way for that nextthing to come.
And that's what came and I'm sograteful for it.

(46:44):
I taught art for two years andI still do art with kids now and
I'm just grateful for that.
So kind of just changing yourmindset to gratitude you never
know what's going to come.

Speaker 4 (46:55):
I mean again, we published that journal.
We didn't know, I mean but thatif it wasn't for that journal
we wouldn't have this nonprofitwhat's the journal called it's
in your bag, I was going to getit on.
Amazon.

Speaker 2 (47:10):
No, you got it right there it's.

Speaker 4 (47:12):
It's called I am because of the great I am, and
it's it's really about findingyour, it's back, finding your.
You know the, the divinity inyou, right, your holy spirit,
the christ, whatever you want tocall it finding the godliness,
and it's because of god that wehave it.
I mean, in the bible tells us,tells us.

(47:34):
So you know, in the frontthere's like 20 pages or so of
some guidance, faith, peace, joyand gratitude.
That's what we, you know, stay,you know kind of talking about,
to focus on.
But we also talk about a mentalmodel in there and why we do
and say the things we do.
So we say and we say and dothese things because of our

(47:57):
thoughts and emotions.
But what are our thoughts andemotions come from?
Our thoughts and emotions comefrom our past experiences,
current situations, beliefs andvalues.
So you know, in the class, thisis what we teach in the class.
So we start to break down.
You know well, we actually havea different class as well,
called trigger discipline, andwe really go down into the weeds

(48:18):
with that.
You know, what experiences doyou have that trigger you now?
What were they Right?
So we we tell a funny storywhere she had just moved in and
you know she was leavinghalf-empty bottles of water all
over the place and leaving doorsopen and lights on and stuff,
and I was like man, this isstarting to really bother her

(48:41):
right man, everything you justsaid.

Speaker 3 (48:42):
I'm living my life right now, bro, so this is
starting to really bother her.

Speaker 4 (48:48):
So I'm like, but she's over there, happy,
nonchalant, she's good.
I'm like, but she's over there,happy, nonchalant, hey, she's
good.
I'm like, oh well, I guess it'smy problem, right.
So I started to like, well, whydo I feel that?
I mean, I did this to my kidsas well, you know like, hey,
close the door, turn the lightoff, you know whatever.
But when I started to thinkabout you eat all my food,

(49:12):
Couldn't be wasteful, right, Gotgot a whooping one time for
leaving the door open at myfriend's house.
So all these things that hadhappened when I was a kid, you
know those.
That's why it shaped who I wasright.
So I sat down and I said, hey,listen, I told her my issues.
I said but this is why, likeyou're, you're fine, it's my
problem, right.
Right, One of the things right,If you have a problem with
somebody, it's not theirs, it'syours.
So I mean, and we talked aboutit, but you know, it's just, I

(49:35):
mean, and that's just a littletongue-in-cheek kind of thing.

Speaker 2 (49:38):
But you know, there's other things I did stop doing
it.

Speaker 3 (49:40):
Did you?

Speaker 2 (49:46):
Well, way he approached it was like, oh, I
don't want to trigger him, soI'm gonna be better about that.
I did that because I was raisedthe same way and I was like, oh
, I'm an adult, now I can dowhatever I want.
I can leave the bottleseverywhere I can, you know, just
not even thinking about it, youknow, but it made me want to,
to, to not trigger him, and sonow I take great joy when he
leaves something.
I'm like, oh, are you done withthat coffee cup?

(50:07):
You?
know, so it's become like thislittle funny thing for us.
But it is.

Speaker 4 (50:13):
it's like a little tongue-in-cheek example of kind
of like things that triggerlittle things that can do that,
I mean we introduce it like thatand we allow the veterans or
the first responders to you knowjournal or start to write down
what kind of triggers they have.
And you know, let them thinkabout it, because there are,
there are things that you knowcan can trigger a bad, you know,

(50:35):
anger, you know and, and westill, and it still happens to
us and we know what, what theyare.
It's just, it's it's hard tochange old habits, or it's hard
to change your ways, when yourbody also remembers.

Speaker 3 (50:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (50:47):
Right, you know, like remembering that you said, six
years sobriety, how long did ittake you to be able to go to
into a bar and grill just to goeat and not want to drink, or
like feel comfortable to go intoa bar and grill Right To where
you didn't have to have a drink.
So you know, our body remembersthese things.
It took me, and I'll say likelast month was the first time in

(51:10):
years I was able to sit at abar, have a diet soda and eat
lunch, because I was the sameway, like while I'm at the bar I
should be drinking if I'm atthe bar, right.
So you know, breaking thosethings off, which, again, my,
you know, I don't know.
I don't know if I'm like analcoholic addict.
I never really put those labelson myself.

(51:33):
I just didn't speak that overmyself a lot.
I mean, I knew I had someissues I like to binge drink and
recreational drugs and stufflike that but I didn't know if
it was really a problem.
But once I figured out thosewere the symptoms of a root
problem, it broke off those werethe symptoms of a root problem.
It broke off.

(51:53):
So I may have a drink every nowand then some wine or a few
drinks when I go to a concert orsomething, and that's it.
It's not that bender I used togo on anymore, he's not escaping
from anything anymore.

Speaker 2 (52:06):
Yeah there's nothing.

Speaker 3 (52:07):
I'm running from anymore man, yeah, when did you
realize that you were able to dothat, able to like just okay.
So you, I don't want to, Idon't want to label you either,
but you were doing a consistentdrink, yeah, yeah yeah, you were
doing consistent drinking andthen now you're able to go to a
concert and have just a couple.

(52:27):
At what point did you test that?

Speaker 4 (52:31):
There's a lot of failures.

Speaker 3 (52:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh shit, I know man yeah.

Speaker 4 (52:36):
And not that it's perfect every now and then.
So for me now, it's not thebender that gets me.
It's like if I wake up and Ihave a headache or if I have
experience.
I've overdone it, I've sinnedagainst myself, I went against
my conviction.
So that's what keeps me incheck now, because I don't want

(52:58):
to feel the regret the next day.
So you know I'm not saying it'sperfect or anything I still do
believe one day I'll probablynot ever drink again, but you
know.
But the thing is is that, andyou know, previously I never
seen my life without drinkingand now I can because I'd quit
for a few months, you know.

(53:19):
So you know, and it takes thatbody, you know, it takes your
body a while to get sober, evenif you have.
You know, if you want to say,you know, like a relapse or
whatever, and again a relapsefor me would not be having a
drink.
A relapse for me would be togoing up in there.

Speaker 2 (53:36):
Yeah have a beer, yeah yeah, and in the early part
of our relationship I couldkind of sense that too.
I could be like, okay, we needto get out of here, because I
can tell that he really wants tohave a drink.

Speaker 4 (53:47):
Yeah, it was like the uncomfortable.
It was the uncomfortableness.

Speaker 2 (53:50):
I could feel how uncomfortable he was and I think
feel how uncomfortable he wasand so, and I think it helps
with anything that either one ofus battles, when you have
somebody that's that supportsyou, that understands that may
not have walked the same path Ihaven't walked the same path
that he has but she's not adrinker either, so that held up.

Speaker 3 (54:06):
Yeah, yeah, there you go, yeah, just just a bad sweet
tooth.

Speaker 2 (54:10):
I'm a really bad influence in bringing sugar and
diet soda in the house.
I love you all the way around.

Speaker 3 (54:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (54:17):
No matter what, and not having had that, you know
since childhood, I don't havethe expectation to be perfect.
It'd be perfect to be loved,yeah.

Speaker 3 (54:25):
That's how I grew up.
Oh, I see.

Speaker 2 (54:27):
And so to have somebody that's just like hey,
no matter what, and that's justgoing to help.

Speaker 3 (54:34):
That's awesome.

Speaker 2 (54:36):
That, yeah, no matter what, and that's just gonna
help.
Yeah, that's awesome, that'samazing.

Speaker 3 (54:39):
Yeah, very lucky, very, very blessed.
Hey hi, so y'all been togetherfor it'll be two years in july
so two years and one year agoy'all started the non-profit in
yeah, may 24, so yes, I think weit took us.

Speaker 2 (54:53):
For me it took a while to like working from home,
but working from home.
Yeah, the distractions, butjust finding that like what our
strengths are.
And so I, you know, I want todo this this way, you know, and
so, and then you're trying tofigure that out.
So, yeah, there's a little bitof that like until you find your

(55:13):
groove.

Speaker 3 (55:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (55:14):
Yeah, but I'd always been one of those worker bees
you tell me what to do, I'll getwhatever done.
You know just kind of like getstuff done kind of thing.
And so it's like I'm takingsomebody's vision and putting
into place, and so he was moreof the visionary, so it kind of
like that was good.
But then, like for me, I have atendency to like I want to do
everything and so he's reallygood about pulling me back and

(55:37):
going.
You don't have to.

Speaker 3 (55:38):
Right, right yeah.

Speaker 2 (55:40):
I'm like, well, then you better do so.
Yeah, but yeah, I think withany job, yeah, there's that
learning curve, but especiallywhen it's your spouse, yeah.

Speaker 3 (55:50):
So when it comes to the nonprofit warrior, spirit.

Speaker 1 (55:54):
How does?

Speaker 3 (55:55):
it.
What are some of the challengesthat y'all have experienced so
far?

Speaker 2 (56:00):
I think the challenges I mean challenges
with any nonprofit right now isfundraising.

Speaker 3 (56:05):
Yes.

Speaker 2 (56:06):
Is finding out what's going to work for us and what
you know how we should focus onthe development aspect and the
sustainability.
So that's always a challenge.
Focus on the development aspectand the sustainability so
that's always a challenge.
And then also making sure, likeyou said, not to spread
everything too thin and to findthe focus you know, because you
come in and you're like I wantto do this, I want to do that, I
want to do this, and I told youthat's kind of how I am, so

(56:28):
finding that focus, and then Ithink that's kind of it's a
challenge, but it's a good kindof challenge, yeah, and then I
think that's kind of it's achallenge, but it's a good kind
of challenge, yeah, I think yeah.

Speaker 4 (56:37):
So we offer two classes, you know core classes
that we have.
We do breath work and we dopeer support.
And then of course we supportall the other nonprofits.
We're partners with anynonprofit that wants us to
support and that's the biggestthing.
With Skeleton Crew we kind ofdid customized classes because

(56:58):
again, they're dealing withveterans, with PTSD and they're
going out sailing on a boat, youknow so you know, conflict
resolution we did you know, wedid a class for them on that, so
again one of the challenges tooand this kind of came up in one
of our classes with veteranswas like getting them out the
door into whatever it is that'sgoing on.

Speaker 3 (57:17):
What do you mean?

Speaker 4 (57:18):
So we were at a this was an equine class that we did
and we're around the table justtalking and you know, I don't
know.
We were having a conversationand one veteran says man, it was
, I was looking for every excusenot to show up today.
Another veteran says yeah, Icame 30 minutes early just to
see if I really wanted to comeor not, you know.
So he was out.
We seen him when we drove up.

(57:40):
He was outside just going backand forth like driving back and
forth.
So understanding.
I guess there was anotherperson that actually it was Joe.
You know, joe Palacios, I doyeah yeah.
So he was like that's, you knowhe goes.
When he like he brought it uplater, he was like yeah, you
know it's hard to get veteransout of the house, because he
went to one of our classes tooand he was trying to get one of

(58:01):
his friends to come.
He's like he couldn't get himto come out.

Speaker 3 (58:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (58:04):
So I don't know, and I don't know if that's just a
veteran thing or if that's just.
You know, all people that thatare going to a place that
they're going to maybevulnerable, or they may be
triggered and may have anemotional episode or something.
So I don't know.
It's a tough thing when I firststarted doing the journaling
class to kind of break down thewalls and let people start

(58:28):
talking.
It was intimidating to me aswell because a lot of them were,
I say, older, they wereprobably the same ages.
But to make, to create thatdynamic, so there's comfort
there, right.
So but again, in my experienceprofessionally, I did a lot of

(58:50):
coaching and trainingprofessionally too.
So I had that back, I had thatexperience.
But to do it for the emotionalreason was, you know, was again
a little intimidating.
But as time, you know, the morevulnerable I was, the more
vulnerable came.
So that's, that's the model,you know, like under, you know,
knowing the struggle, and likefor me it became a place of
healing as well.

(59:10):
You know when, when a veteransays, yeah, man, beer, alcohol
is just an aspirin for us, youknow, and I'm like, you know,
okay, but just making thingsreal simple.
Or you know another veteransaying well, you know, we stay
mission focused.
If there's not a mission, whatare we going to do?
Right?
So you know, hearing thesethings and reflecting back on my

(59:30):
life, it was you know I'm like,wow, that's how it was.
You know it was.
You know I'm like, wow, that'show it was.
You know, it's like, you know,very success oriented.
I was raised that way as wellyou know, right, right, right.
You know to.
You know, accomplish goal,accomplish goal, accomplish.
You know, find your discipline,go forward, get what you're
going to do.
So I had always lived that wayand I used to get picked on.
My friends used to joke with mebecause I was like hey man,

(59:58):
what's your five-year plan?
Because that's how I lived.
I lived with five-year plans.
Oh shit, you sound like Williamnow, but I mean that's that's
the way it was.
If I wasn't, if I wasn't, youknow, improving or having a
success, then then then I wasn't, I wasn't being who I was.
But you know, I was looked atas success in attaining
something, whether it was abetter job or a degree, or a
house or a car.
And now I mean, I don't livethat way no more.

(01:00:19):
I know what's going to happenand my relationship with God's
going to get closer.
People are going to see Godthrough me.
I'm going to influence, I'mgoing to help, I'm going to
raise other people up so theycan be the best that they can be
.
Those are the things that Iknow they're going to happen.

(01:00:39):
It's just a matter of time.
You know it's just staying.
You know my mission it'sstaying, mission focused.
Still is to spread the good news.
You know, and it's you know,jesus came to show us how to
overcome this world, you know.
So we, you know, that's what wewant to teach.
You know I'll say this and thenI'll be quiet, but I would say,

(01:00:59):
you know, to find God is ajourney of self-discovery right,
because it's us that we'refighting with to understand who
God is.

Speaker 3 (01:01:12):
So, yeah, I'll stop.
So so I know, like how, howwould you approach that veteran
that doesn't want to come out ofthe house, or first responder?
Because, you know, one of myfavorite things is always saying
like I came, I saw, I hadanxiety, I left.

Speaker 2 (01:01:28):
You know like I see that yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
And I do that often.

Speaker 2 (01:01:33):
Even family functions .
You know what I mean.
Or you'll say, okay, you'llRSVP for it.
Now, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:01:39):
I'm just going to let it go.

Speaker 2 (01:01:40):
Oh, I've done it.

Speaker 4 (01:01:42):
Yeah, yeah.
So there's a trigger in therefor some reason.
Right, there's past issues orpast ways.
You've dealt with it, because Iunderstand the anxiety of going
to a place and how I got overit.
Well, I would drink.
So, it would make me relax,right?
I tell a story.
When I was at my first highschool party, I was like maybe
15 years old or something andthere was an older kid there,

(01:02:05):
right, I was nervous, but Istarted drinking and started
loosening up and then peoplestarted liking me and then
people were talking to me andeverything else.
So it became a go-to for me todrink when I was uncomfortable.
But what would I say for peoplethat have a hard time coming
out?
You just have to face.

(01:02:27):
You know, for veterans, yousigned a blank check to serve in
the military and you could havedied.
I promise you you're not goingto die.
If you get out, if you leaveyour house and you go to one of
my classes or go to a functionthat we're at, you know you're
not going to die Again.
You know first responders.
They put themselves in harm'sway.
You're not going to be.

(01:02:47):
You know you're not going todie.

Speaker 3 (01:02:49):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:02:50):
I guess it's like what was that on the?
What was that I?
What was that on the?
What was that?
I can't even remember thehangover where that guy said but
did you die?
Oh my God.

Speaker 2 (01:02:58):
I think sometimes too , having things, having events
where spouses can come I knowwe've had events where we've had
equine and journaling andclasses where we have, like,
veterans and spouses, and Ithink that that helps with some
people coming because they havetheir partner already with them.

Speaker 3 (01:03:16):
Yeah, 100%.
It's kind of like a comfortblanket, I don't know, right
right, something similar, yeahRight.

Speaker 2 (01:03:22):
And just, and then when we, when starting any of
the classes, just starting withlike you don't have to share.
If you want to share, that'sgreat, but if you don't like,
this is for you.

Speaker 3 (01:03:31):
Right.

Speaker 4 (01:03:41):
This journaling, so this is for you.
So if you don't and eventuallyyou know you end up with people-
sharing as well.

Speaker 2 (01:03:43):
So yeah, yeah and.

Speaker 4 (01:03:44):
I think you know it's always like you always want to
keep those relationships withinlife habit.
You know, because you you seesome.
I don't want to call thembreakthroughs, but when somebody
realizes like, their eyes willlight up and they're like oh or
when they experience somethinganother experiences, and it's
like their eyes will light upand they're like, oh.
Or when they experiencesomething another experiences it
, it's like, okay, I'm not theonly one, but yeah, so those are
the communities we try tocultivate, we try to create,

(01:04:04):
even with people in recovery.

Speaker 2 (01:04:07):
And the coolest thing is to watch some people
exchange numbers at the end ofthe class and you know that
they've made a connection thereand that they're going to end up
.

Speaker 3 (01:04:15):
you know being friends and stuff, so that's
always so y'all work withveterans, first responders and
the youth we do have you andeducators, and then individuals
in recovery man.
That's amazing, that's a.
That's a lot.
That's a lot.
Can you?
Can you share a story ofanonymous, of course, of a way
that you see that you'veimpacted someone's life?

Speaker 2 (01:04:36):
what I think well she shared or maybe a turnaround,
yeah she shared the young ladythat she right peer support with
, which is yeah, and the biggestcompliment is is her family
member saying like, telling meoh, she just, she enjoys her
time with you, she loves youbecause you accept her for who
she is, and that, to me, is thegreatest compliment.

Speaker 4 (01:04:59):
So there's been a couple.
There's this one lady that shewas in recovery and she reached
out.
Well, she was in a rehabfacility and then she got out.
She wound up reaching out to us.
She's doing amazing things nowshe has a ministry and helps

(01:05:21):
people and it's amazing.
But she had reached out, satdown with us and and we were I
think I was like struggling, Iwas having a hard time dealing
with some and we're, you know,over tacos at a Mexican
restaurant and she has mebawling.
I'm crying like a baby becauseshe's like how do you, how did
you?
We're, you know, over tacos ata mexican restaurant, and she
has me bawling.
I'm crying like a baby becauseshe's like how do you, how did
you know this?
you know, but you know again,she's a very faithful woman but,

(01:05:43):
what made us reconnect was herhusband was having a bout of
like anxiety.
It was, you know.
So he was like you know, Idon't know what's wrong with me,
you know it's he just retiredand stuff.
Too quiet.
Yeah, it was too quiet and sheremembered what you know, I

(01:06:04):
taught in class.
You know, you know the quiet.
Sometimes we're afraid of thequiet because we don't know what
to do.
Our mind can start racing.
But the quiet is peace and youhave to come to terms being at
peace sometimes, right.
And so she told him and he'slike I don't know what you're
talking about, you know, I don'tknow whatever, who this guy is
or whatever.
So hung up, like a few hourslater she was, he called her

(01:06:28):
back and was like I don't knowwho this Gabe is, but he may, he
may be on to something.

Speaker 3 (01:06:33):
Like that.
The light came on and it helpedthem.

Speaker 2 (01:06:40):
Yeah, it helped them and she's one of those that has
remained in our life and Iabsolutely love it because it's
just easy.
You don't often see the rippleeffects.
You don't often see whathappens to people when they
leave your class, and so to havesomebody to come back and to
share and then to feel like weget so much more support to you
and then to watch how she'spouring into others and to be

(01:07:03):
able to drive up north and gosee her ministry is just
incredibly powerful.

Speaker 3 (01:07:08):
That's amazing.

Speaker 2 (01:07:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:07:10):
Jesus.
So what do y'all see?
What are the future plans forSpirit Warrior Spirit?

Speaker 4 (01:07:17):
excuse me.
So again, we were working withAI assisted counseling.
We're looking into holistichealing alternatives to offer
through the nonprofit man thiscame upon me this past week.
Is is a follow me ministryFollow me 419.
I think I'm going to do througha warrior.

(01:07:39):
Warrior spirit, just focused onthe teachings of Jesus,
accepting all.
The men's ministry yeah a men'sministry which was really
influenced from, so I do aprison ministry.
I've been going for over a year, did a Celebrate Recovery with
them, fixing to graduate like 40people from this program.

(01:08:00):
And the relationships.
You know what I've learned fromthem.
You know symbioticrelationships, you know going
back and forth but they're justthis real fellowship and you
know I'm I'm hoping to you know,maybe start a ministry.
Maybe people that are in, youknow were, were incarcerated,
that get out.
You know, I'm hoping to.
You know, maybe start aministry.
Maybe people that are in youknow were incarcerated that get
out.
You know, help them with ifthey want to start a ministry or

(01:08:22):
they're struggling in theirlife, in the transition, you
know, give them something tofocus on, which is, you know,
follow me, ministry 419, whichis all about just what Jesus
says to do.
You know, jesus did not come tobe served, he came to serve.
So those are the things thatare on the horizon.

(01:08:42):
See how they're going to panout.
But yeah, you know, maybe inanother year.
I don't believe we were made torun this whole nonprofit.
I don't think we, you know, Ithink we were creating a space
for like-hearted individuals toput in a warrior spirit.

(01:09:03):
Let them run it, let them do it.
I mean, that's where,ultimately, I think it's going
to be, because you know it'sit's.
I don't want to say it's aboutlegacy, because it's not really
about legacy.
It's about nurturing the hearts.
You know it's about nurturingthe hearts, so when it's time to
harvest, there people are ableto give you know, I think it's

(01:09:29):
the more like the classes we'vedone.

Speaker 2 (01:09:31):
I did a self-care class and that has led to like
another speaking engagement, andso these kinds of things come
up, but then the ideas that weget from others as well.
So it's not just like, hey, Ithink, what about this or what
about that.
It's like we're not justbringing ourselves, but we're
listening to the people that wefellowship, we're listening to
the people that we teach theclasses with, and so one of the

(01:09:54):
ladies was talking about thatthere's no support group for
women with anxiety in a specificarea, and she was like I really
like to see something like thathappen.
And so I think about thosethings and I'm like you know
what I really like to seesomething like that happen.
And how can we make that?
How can we work with ourpartners to make something like
that happen?
So finding out what people,what people really need and

(01:10:15):
what's not out there now, andhow can we make that happen?
And that might not be I not be.
I may not be able to do that,but I may be able to.
We may be able to have partnersthat can make that happen, and
so I think that's somethingthat's going to be an ongoing
thing with us all the time ishow to tap into that community,
and that's yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:10:35):
Yeah, I think, more than anything else, it's a
movement of God happening.
I think we are again evolvingspiritually as a world.
We may be on the front end ofit, the middle of it, I don't
know, but it's.
You know, something's changing,because it changed in me.
There's no denying that.
Something just flipped in methat said this is what you got

(01:10:57):
to do.
Now, and I, and I believe a lotmore people are getting that
call.
I don't know, you may haveexperienced too.
So it's a, it's a shift in theworld.

Speaker 3 (01:11:07):
That's amazing.
So, with, with, with warriorspirit, okay, so how do people
find you?
What is the best?

Speaker 4 (01:11:20):
contact.
So we have a websitewarriorspirittexascom.

Speaker 2 (01:11:25):
We have our— Say it again we want to do the social
media stuff.
Oh yes, we're on Facebook,instagram, linkedin.
Haven't quite gotten to TikTokjust yet, I'm working on that.
That's something that Anne isreally good at at Rainbow of
Hope, and so she's teaching me.
But for the most part, we do alot of networking, a lot of
community events, but peoplehave found us through the

(01:11:47):
website, through social media,through our partners.
People have referrals that way,but we're easily accessible
through email, through phone.
I'm the keeper of the calendar,so yeah, but yeah, so it's.
I think we've been reallyfortunate.
We haven't really had to do alot of like advertising or

(01:12:08):
anything like that.
It's just kind of people havecome into.
That's good.

Speaker 4 (01:12:12):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, we really last year wereally sowed a lot of seeds and
we were really busy networkingyeah, networking.
So we've taken a step back andlet the seeds that were sown
come to harvest.
And you know, again people arecalling us.
We're still doing a little bitof networking, but again we're
we're being a little bit moreintentional on funding, right.

Speaker 3 (01:12:33):
So with you know there's we.

Speaker 4 (01:12:34):
We always talk about four streams of funding, and
non-profit and services is theone we're working on right now
so we're gonna see.
We're gonna see how that goes,because you know, I don't want
to have to worry about the moneypiece, right, yeah, so we'll,
we'll see how it works out.
We'll see how it works out.

Speaker 2 (01:12:51):
You know, people, people give monthly donations
subscriptions and it's awesome,and they can donate through the
website.
Yes, yeah, we have monthlygiving levels or one-time giving
levels as well, and you can seewhat you support as well.
So it's at different levels.

Speaker 4 (01:13:13):
If you're a corporate donor, you're giving $12,000,
$24,000.
I mean you're going to get likemy services throughout the year
if you want.
I mean because again I'm asafety leadership guy.
So implementing programs,training, if you want to have
self-care, teach OSHA classes,I'm OSHA outreach trainer.
So again, corporate donorswould actually get access to me

(01:13:35):
for some events.
I think it's like one or twoevents a month when you're at
that $24,000, $12,000 level.

Speaker 2 (01:13:44):
Yeah, that's awesome.

Speaker 3 (01:13:45):
So what events?
Do y'all have any events comingup or anything that y'all,
anywhere y'all be within thenext month or so?

Speaker 2 (01:13:53):
We have a fundraiser that's in the works for the fall
with one of a group that webelong to, but we don't have a
date or anything like that yetwe're actually being sponsored
in Pearland or Sugarland.
Joe, it's a board game, right?
Oh, that's right.
The brawl, yes, you have theComic-Con, those kinds of things

(01:14:14):
.
All.
Yes, it's a.
You know, you have thecomic-con, those kinds of things
.
Well, this is all for like, forboard games and and I think
there's some virtual aspects toit as well.
But we're one of thebeneficiaries, so when people
buy the badges, people buy thetickets to, to get into the
games, then a portion of thatcomes to us and so things like
that are just absolutely amazing.
we've done some profit shares,we did one with Gringos, and so

(01:14:37):
it's just finding these littlecreative ways to fundraise.
And then it also does wondersfor community awareness as well.

Speaker 4 (01:14:46):
Yeah, we haven't had one big, great event yet.
I think we're still trying tofigure it out.

Speaker 2 (01:14:53):
Yeah, because everybody has a golf tournament,
everybody has a pickleballtournament now.

Speaker 4 (01:14:57):
I still don't know what that is.
Pickleball is amazing.

Speaker 2 (01:15:01):
Oh, I spend half my time chasing the ball, so trying
to find something that's alittle different.
I think that's what the groupis talking about is something
that's unique it's not just adinner so something that can
really bring our partnerstogether as well, we did an
awesome, we took part in anawesome fundraiser on fourth of
july the freedom cruise so yougo out and keep on a boat and

(01:15:25):
watch the fireworks for fourthof july.

Speaker 4 (01:15:27):
That was pretty cool uh, with jake.

Speaker 3 (01:15:29):
Yeah, yeah, you know, jay, he's, he's an amazing dude
too, yeah it was a greatexperience.

Speaker 2 (01:15:35):
So yeah, so there's a lot of fun things and a lot of
creative things and, like yousaid, just kind of that's what
we're going to be focusing onnow is that sustainability,
because we're here, we've grownso much, there's so much more to
be done, and so just keepingthat sustainability, keeping
that going so much more to bedone, and so we're just keeping

(01:15:59):
that sustainability, keepingthat going yeah, well, you guys
and I appreciate your time andthank you for coming on.

Speaker 4 (01:16:03):
Thank you.
So any way I can help you guys,be sure you know okay oh, you
bet yeah anything I'm, I'm herefor you, guys man, I actually I
might, I might take you up onthat.

Speaker 3 (01:16:11):
I'm oh shit, you're not supposed to no, I'm just
messing with you yeah, so Idon't again with the, with the
follow me 419 ministry.

Speaker 4 (01:16:22):
Again, this just came up like this past week and I
don't I'm I'm still kickingaround how to launch it.
I think I want to do videosfirst, kind of get a gauge where
people are, you know, before westart having a place and meet
place or maybe maybe having around table or something, and

(01:16:43):
like filming the round table tosee what this, what the ministry
, is going to be about yeah somaybe something like that, but
yeah, but again, I'm stillkicking around ideas on how that
looks, because I really want itto be.
You know, again, everybody'sthat anybody can come, just you
know, just like Jesus saideverybody come and and let's
just talk about you know how wecan change ourselves first and

(01:17:05):
then be a change for others.
You know help others change aswell.
You know again and again, it'sthe, it's the service piece,
it's the service Appreciate that, and anyway I can help you if
you want to do it.

Speaker 3 (01:17:17):
Man, if you ever thought of just launching it
through a podcast, that'ssomething we can do too.
Amen.

Speaker 4 (01:17:21):
All right, all right, yeah into that.
It's something me and you cantalk about offline.
You know what I'm saying.
Yeah, sounds good.
Sounds good Awesome.

Speaker 3 (01:17:33):
All.

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