Behold! All things are become new

In this episode, we dive deep into the remarkable story of Erin, who candidly shares her past struggles with addiction and the occult, ultimately leading to her powerful redemption through faith in Jesus Christ. Erin's narrative is not merely one of personal struggle but also an exploration of the spiritual battles that ensue when one delves into practices that flirt with the demonic. Her early life, characterized by significant emotional trauma and a lack of spiritual guidance, left her vulnerable to the allure of substances and spiritual practices that promised peace but delivered chaos. Erin recounts her encounter with a couple who introduced her to Christ, a moment that was pivotal in her journey toward healing and redemption.

Takeaways:

1. Erin's journey demonstrates the transformative power of faith in overcoming personal struggles with substance abuse and the occult.
2. The discussion emphasizes the importance of community and accountability in fostering spiritual growth and healing.
3. Through her testimony, Erin illustrates how God's grace leads to redemption and a new identity in Christ.
4. The episode highlights the dangers of dabbling in spiritual practices outside of Christianity and the importance of discernment in spiritual matters.
5. Erin's experience underscores that true fulfillment comes from a relationship with Jesus, not from worldly pursuits or substances.
6. The podcast encourages listeners to boldly share their faith and support others in their spiritual journeys.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. Lamplight Ministries

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Foreign.
Welcome to the Abundant LifePodcast, bringing you encouragement
and challenging believers tospiritual change and growth by applying
biblical principles toeveryday life.
And now your hosts, SassoMendez and Ben Arellano.
Welcome, everybody, to theAbundant Live Podcast.

(00:22):
This is episode number sevenfour, and I'm here with my good friend
at Faithful Sermon in theFaith, Sasso Mendez.
Hey, Ben.
How's it going?
Oh, it's going, bro.
This is the first one of thenew year 2026.
We're slacking.
I know.
It's okay.
We got a lot going on.
Know what I mean?
We didn't say wow.
Wow.
That's for you.
You know who you are.
Easter eggs.
Yeah.

(00:42):
You don't listen anyway, butthat's okay.
When you choose to.
When I'm gone, no longer here,and you listen to this, you think
of me.
All right, well, we do have aspecial guest all the way from Rhode
Island.
Pastor's gonna ask you onemore time, where are you from again?
Massachusetts.
Massachusetts.
In that area?
New England area.
Yes.
All right, we have Aaron Flynn.
Hello.

(01:02):
Hi.
Welcome.
All the way in.
Not for this episode, but wethought we'd combine it.
And trying to get Aaron on forquite some time.
I think I've asked, I don'tknow, maybe a year ago.
Yeah, initially.
Yes.
Yeah.
Now's the time.
That's how I worked withRebecca, too.
Asked her and then took time.
And, yeah, like algae, theygrew on the rock.
So welcome.
Welcome to Life podcast.

(01:23):
Glad you're here.
Thank you for having me.
I feel really honored and I'ma huge fan, so.
So I'm really excited to be a.
Part of this faithful listener.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Yes, I am.
Yeah.
You and my mom.
Thank you two listeners.
And your mom been as well.
Three.
Good job, mijo.
You are the best.
Well, as you know, this istaco talk, and yes, we've been asked

(01:44):
to keep it short today, sowe'll do our best.
Yeah, I can't promiseanything, but we'll do our best.
Yeah, we'll do our best.
So, Aaron, what?
I know you guys went to dinnertonight, but what when you think
of a typical meal that youlook forward to or you want to dine
somewhere, like, what's your.
What pleases the palate?
Yeah.
So I've been thinking aboutthis, and I listened to a few episodes.

(02:07):
I'm a big Quick Trip fan.
I'm gonna Right off the rip.
I'm gonna let you know, CarlosTaquito from Quick Trip.
That's like my comfort mealfor chicken.
The steak one they have astick the steak taquito.
They do, bro.
You're sleeping on it.
You really have been inside ofa QT and like I'm and seek champion
there.
You're missing out.

(02:28):
Quick trip is very.
I like their tea.
They.
Yes, they have everything you need.
The last time I went is whenwe went to visitation at the park.
And remember afterwards you went.
That's the last time I went.
That's a hot minute, bro.
Yeah.
Cuz we haven't gone to that park.
It's been a while.
Yeah.
And I apologize.
Dr. Flynn here.
Oh, please don't with us.
Aaron's fine.
Yes.
Okay.
All right.
But meals that I look forward to.

(02:49):
I'm a big like sushi person.
Pokey.
I think it's pronounced likethe bowls with different options.
Yeah, yeah.
Pastor took me there one timeand I, I. Yeah, I didn't know what
anything was and it, you know,I. Yeah, it was different.
I'll take some white rice.

(03:10):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It was the one over here atdirty 30.
Oh, I really enjoy that one.
Yeah, I. I just never had beenthere and didn't know what everything.
Pokey.
Another word for surprise oryou get to.
You get to choose it.
Yeah, it's like that memes.
Surprise.
Surprise.
I love that.
Yes.
Yeah, pretty much.
I think it's funny becausewhen I think when Pastor takes you

(03:31):
out, he never like, he saysyou, where do you want to go?
And then you.
And then he just goessomewhere else.
It's Taglianis or Pokey.
To me it was Chipotle.
Oh, wow.
You got Chipotle.
I would have taken Chipotle, bro.
I mean, Taglianis and what's Tagliani's?
It's Italian.
It's nice.

(03:51):
But you know, when he'spaying, I don't want to, so I get
it.
Salad, you know, that's niceof you.
You know, so I don't want to,you know.
Yeah.
Indulge.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What about you guys?
What's been.
Chicken parm or something.
You know, get something.
I would, but, you know, maybe now.
I didn't buy you.
Yeah, maybe now what do we like?

(04:13):
I mean, recently I've heardsome of your thoughts.
Buffalo wild Wings, right?
I get burned out on that.
I'm.
I mean, I went today becauseit's by work, but I get burned out
on it because it's like.
Well, three or four times aweek does burn you out.
If I run.
Really start to fly.
That's how much wings I've had lately.
Yeah, I like it.
Because I don't go as I goonce a week with.

(04:34):
With sauce.
So I'm one of his four.
You know, he's got Marty, me,and he's got a couple of people on
rotation sometimes his team,you know, so.
But I got to work and Marty,that's the first thing he said is
Marty the Mormon.
He said, Marty the Mormon.
We'll pray for him.
We got to pray for Marty.
Yes, I'm sure he's praying forme, but it just, it's not going nowhere.
No offense, Marty.
And he's like, hey, we, areyou ready for beat ups today?

(04:55):
And I'm like, yeah, sure.
My favorite restaurant, Iwould say probably out of everything
right now is probably Matt's.
Matt's Big Breakfast.
I remember you talking aboutthat last episode.
I love Matt's.
Good.
The pancakes, right?
You thought those.
Not usually pancakes, but Ican't have the pancakes.
You know, my doctor said pumpthe brakes on your A1C.
So summer pancakes are not.

(05:17):
But I do love them.
Moderation, right.
One a month.
I'm all gas, no breaks.
You know what I mean?
That's my problem with food.
I mean, even one pancake there is.
It's pretty big, you know,it's like a plate is so good.
I mean, it's 100 Maple, soit's good.
They give you real butter.
I mean, so it's, it's phenomenal.
It's just, it's.
And it tastes really good.
Oh, it's one.
It's funny is I went toVermont, right?

(05:39):
And I found this drunk farmerand it was like 2 o' clock in the
afternoon and I bought somemaple syrup from him.
And I got Rebecca cuttingboard and I had a maple syrup shipped
to Ben.
And I still have my bottle.
Ben was done with that bottle,like in a month.
I think I bought you anotherone, Right.
For Christmas or something.
It was the best maple syrupI've ever had.

(06:00):
Yeah.
Because they like tap thetrees, like literally tapped the
trees straight off the tree.
He threw some cinnamon inthere and it was phenomenal.
I mean, it was.
Was he actually drunk?
Yeah, he was a little.
All right.
You could probably trust him then.
Buzz drinking.
Yeah, Buzz drinking is, youknow, still, still drinking.
Yeah, yeah.
It was o' clock in the afternoon.
He had like a little shed,like a, you know, like a nice wood

(06:22):
shed.
And he sold.
He had a big property, youknow, he had those bridges, those,
those wood cover bridges thatyou see back on the East Coast.
Yeah.
Over the water, you know, soit was right by his house.
And he was.
I've talked to him outside ofthat just because I've ordered stuff
from him.
Really nice guy.
But I still have my bottle andBen is like.

(06:45):
He drinks it like it's a nectar.
It really is.
I mean.
Well, I like my pancake swimming.
Oh, yeah.
Butter and syrup.
Like it's just like it swimming.
I can't even see it, bro.
I can't even see the pancakeno more like.
That's what I'm saying.
Baptized, bro.
Dunked.
Behold.
Wow.
It's deep, man.

(07:08):
So, yeah, Ben likes some maple syrup.
But just maple syrup.
No, I mean, I'm just, just kidding.
Well, in this year though,I've, you know, I've cut back on
a lot of stuff.
So I've been.
I've been doing pretty goodthis year.
Did you cut back on the maple syrup?
Yeah, I have not had maplesyrup this year.
Wow.
I've not had.
Actually I've had no sugarthis year.
Wow.
If I have to.

(07:28):
I mean, if you count potatoes,I don't know, it's a starch.
Dan's like the burrito, bro.
I know.
No, that's amazing.
Yeah.
You know, potatoes, maybe carrots.
I don't know if that counts,but you know, you know, beans.
I don't know.
I think it's impossible to nothave carbs.
Yeah.
Somebody.
People equate it to sweets,but carbs are in everything.
They're milk, juice, French fries.

(07:50):
They're really.
They're really good for you.
Like the right ones.
It sounds like mostlyprocessed sugar is what you're avoiding,
maybe.
Correct.
Yeah.
Cuz that's not great for your body.
Yeah.
And I say, but you know, mydiet doesn't reflect that, but it's.
I can understand why you'reavoiding it.
Yeah.
I've been trying to at least,but you know, I've been eating a
lot better this year, I think.
I mean, a month down, mostpeople quit their.

(08:10):
Their New Year's resolutionswithin like the first week.
Right.
There's some statistic about that.
They say if you can keep ahabit for 21 days, you probably will
hang on to it.
So that true?
That is.
But it's going pretty good so far.
Because it depends who you are.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Your name's David Gogginsmaybe, you know.
Right.
Makes a lot of sense.
Yeah.
For peanuts, not so much.
How are you feeling without sugar?
I love it.
It's great.

(08:31):
Like, I'm.
I'm feeling pretty good.
I like, because I'm a Meat guy.
Anyway, so I don't mind.
I mean, I protein like crazy.
I don't care.
I love eggs, I love meat, Ilove chicken.
So it's.
Thank you, Christy.
Christy came with like threeand a half dozen the other night.
Oh, wow.
Freedom of last how?
Yeah, her testimony was incredible.
And I heard about all of heramazing animals.

(08:51):
Oh, yeah, a lot of chickens.
Her chicken eggs are prettygood, too.
We've had.
We've had a few dozen of thoseand they're pretty good.
Yeah, they're little, they'resmall, but they're good.
They're really good.
When they're free, you canhave eight.
Yeah, I know, right?
Delicious caged eggs.
Yeah.
I'm just hoping that she getspigs, you know, I mean, bacon.
That bacon at Matt's, though.
That bacon and Matt's is phenomenal.
Is it like a thick cut?

(09:13):
They got some peppercorns on it.
It's just.
It's so good.
It's really good.
Yeah, it's a little peppery.
So if you don't like pepper,it's not for you.
But Marty will always get aside of bacon.
And today he told me, mywife's going out of town.
Rosindo.
So you know what that means.
Oh, man.
We're going to Matt's on Saturday.
I'm like, let's do it.
His wife hates on him for math.
She doesn't like it as much asneither is Rebecca.

(09:36):
I mean, she gave me 50 bucksfor Christmas and then Marty gave
me 30 bucks for Mats specifically.
Okay.
So I have like 14 left.
I have a gift card for B Dubs,and then I have all those points
for B Dubs.
But the good thing about BDubs is it's.
It's fried and beef tallow.
So the wings are fried in beef tallow.
So, you know, it's a littlehealthier option.

(09:57):
That's what.
Yeah, I was going to saythat's supposed to be good for you.
And I usually do a salad.
I've been doing salad this year.
I've been trying not to cheat.
Usually I sometimes will cheatwith French fries, but I've been
trying not to cheat.
So there's no sugar in French fries.
Yeah.
Yeah.
My love handles will disagree.
Yeah.
But, yeah, I didn't get no BDubs gift cards this year, so.
But my work gave me $200 formy 10th anniversary.

(10:20):
And you can get bdubs.
Or they got several options in there.
Arch Drums, Nike, Nordstrom,Nike, and then Shields.
Shields is probably myfavorite store right now.
I'm digging on that.
They got a.
It's a sporting goods store.
Okay.
It's huge.
But they have everything youcould possibly think of.
Like, they have a cornhole,professional cornholes, lights, weights,

(10:41):
guns.
It's like.
It's like a dicks and acabela's like, like, merged out a
baby.
And the baby is better lookingthan both parents.
That's what chills is.
You know what I mean?
That's the cute one.
Like, two ugly people make acute bab.
There you go.
Right there.
Yep.
They got a Ferris wheel in themiddle of the store.
That's crazy.
Rebecca said she was a littlesketched out because she said went

(11:03):
a little faster than she thought.
And that's why I don't.
It's like a dollar.
That's why I don't get on there.
I've never written it.
Wait, she went on there by herself?
No, she went with Kate.
Oh, I love that.
But we have been on trips whenit's her and I and she wants to go
on a roller coaster, and I let her.
It could be the.
The hunkiest man in the park.
I don't care.
Like, I'm not going to.
There's a lot to unpack there.
But your confidence.

(11:24):
Yeah.
Like, I'll be here waiting for you.
And I love that she's braveenough to go do it anyway.
You know, she's.
As the years go by, she getsless brave.
Like when we were firstmarried, like, she would have bungee
jumped off of the Eiffel Tower.
Now she won't even get on the roof.
Or maybe she's just telling methat because you don't want to work.
Yeah.
Okay.
I don't know.
You know what I mean?
Smart.

(11:44):
Smart move.
Either way.
Well, it's like that ride thatwe saw.
Was it.
What was.
What was that park we went toin Dallas?
Six Flags.
Yeah.
Wasn't there a ride where,like, it was literally hanging you
upside down?
I mean, I'm good for a goodcoaster, but that was just like,
you're hanging literallyupside down.
It's like.
Yeah, just kind of strapped in.
I.
Well, one time I went toamusement park with this girl I liked,

(12:06):
and I went on every ride and Iwas, like, crying inside.
When I got home, I took a hotshower and cried in my pillow for
hours because I was just.
And pent up.
Were you nauseous or just anxious?
Scared?
Yeah.
Okay, well, that was.
See, we tuck our emotions deepdown inside.

(12:26):
I was like, yeah, whiteknuckle on it through.
Open your eyes.
I'm like, I can't.
You know, there's probably acorrelation to the story I'm going
to share about getting throughlife without Christ there, you know,
just trying to hold on for theride and then crying when no one's
looking.
Yeah, I just let it go, bro.
I scream, let it go.
That's fun.
They remove my tear ducts too.

(12:46):
I try not to.
I mean, I figure if I'm gonnago, I'm gonna.
I mean, it's.
What are you gonna do?
You're going 60 miles an hour,whatever, like you're done.
Like, might as well just let go.
And just let God let go andlet go.
When I went to Disneyland,that's what I did.
I just opened my eyes and Ienjoyed it.
And I said, if it's my time,it's my time, right?
I can't, I can't fight it.
But for the most part, I justclose my eyes and clench as hard

(13:09):
as I can to the polls orwhoever's there.
Even if it's, you know,somebody, 80 year old lady, like,
I'm breaking her leg becauseI'm squeezing it.
I'm just terrified.
But how do you do on airplanes?
That don't bother me.
So what I used to do, this wasa superstition that I had to get
rid of.
Like God convicted me of itbecause before we get on the plane,
I would rub the side of it.

(13:30):
Oh, I literally did that onthe way here.
Take, take, you know, takegood care of us.
Yes.
It's not, it's not the plane,it's God.
Right.
So I quit doing that.
And then when we used to, youknow, in that position where you're
supplying that, you know, at the.
I don't know what, that 45degree angle, maybe I would prank,
you know, I. I still try topray, but I'm not scared.

(13:51):
I will tell you a funny story.
We probably got to get intothe podcast, but I was going to San
Antonio for work and I was seated.
There was me, this girl and myfriend at the end.
And we started to taxi and westarted to take off and suddenly
I feel a hand on my leg, youknow, and I was like, looked over

(14:12):
at her, her eyes were closed.
And then that hand with nailsin there clenched into my leg.
Ouch.
Yeah.
Wow.
And then I was like, oh, thisis weird.
I'm married.
And is this.
What is this?
And then I looked and she wasdoing it to my friend too.
She was terrified.
She never mentioned it ever again.
She didn't say, oh, guys, I'mso sorry.
I get scared when I fly.

(14:32):
She just.
Maybe she thought it was her own.
She just didn't realize.
Maybe she dissociated.
Yeah, bro.
That I was scared when I gotback home because I had four nail
marks in my thigh.
Okay, that's fair.
Yeah, she's like.
Like, she was terrified andshe's like, you know what?
I hate to tell you guys this,but I gotta go home a day early.

(14:53):
The family things.
And I'm like, thankful Lord.
Did you know her?
Yeah, she was on my.
She was on our team at work.
Oh, okay.
And she just never brought itup again.
She never said, I'm sorry,guys, or, hey, I'm sorry about your
knee or your thigh, you know,to file a harassment claim.
I could have went to HR after that.
I showed him the evidence.

(15:13):
I chose not to.
All right, let's.
Let's get into it.
Sorry, Rebecca would be like,you went too long.
We're going to get confused.
I told you to keep it short.
All right, well, we are onsocial media.
You can find us at meta.
So you can find us onInstagram, Facebook and Twitter.
We are also on Tik Tok now,but mostly on YouTube.
So if you tick tock, get a lotof hate.

(15:34):
Bro, you said, I haven'tlooked on there because I don't have
a tick tock.
I don't.
I don't look.
It was mostly on the CharlieKirk episode.
We got a lot of hate.
Okay.
And I think Peter got somelove, which is cool.
But anyway, either way, talkabout ice.
Or something that we reallyget some made up in here.
All right, let's not talkabout that.
So anyway, it's also gonnakick us off with verse of the day.
Yeah.
Second Corinthians 5:17.

(15:56):
We say this every week atFreedom that lasts.
If you don't know what that isand send me a message and I'll invite
you.
But this is a very powerful verse.
It's probably one of myfavorite verses in the Bible because
it talks about redemption andchange, and that's what God does
in our lives, and that's whyAaron's here today.
Second Corinthians 5:17 says,Therefore, if any man be in Christ,

(16:19):
he is a new creature.
Old things are passed away.
Behold, all things are become new.
And Aaron, with that, kind ofstart us off with your story and.
And how God made all thingsnew in your life.
Or maybe even take us a littlefurther back, maybe, you know, tell
us a little about yourself.
And then, you know.
Yeah.
Because you Have a story?

(16:39):
Yeah.
Okay.
Well, thank you.
So I was raised in Montana bytwo middle class, hard working parents
that tried their best.
I have two older sisters.
You know, I think a lot ofpeople would say that their childhood
wasn't perfect.
I did experience quite a bitof hurt at the hand of a close family

(17:03):
member and my parents weren'taware of it.
And so we struggled withcommunication and that for the following
10 years that that happened.
We didn't talk and, you know,just weighed heavy on our hearts
and it changed the way weinteract with one another.

(17:24):
So I did not grow up in areligious household.
They read the Bible to ussometimes and there was a picture
of Jesus on the wall of ourliving room, but it wasn't.
There was no fruit.
And my parents grew upCatholic, so they had a lot of hurt
from the things they had experienced.

(17:46):
They didn't feel the presenceof Jesus Christ and they drew away
from it and thought they wereprotecting us, which in hindsight
they definitely were.
I used to get so upset that Iwasn't baptized growing up.
And now I'm so happy that it'sa conscious decision that we all

(18:08):
make to choose Jesus Christ asour savior, to let him into our hearts.
And so I got to do that as anadult and I was living in my flesh
a lot.
That hurt that I experiencedas a child manifested in my adult
relationships.
And I was selfish andblasphemed and lied and all of the

(18:29):
sins against our good God thatyou could think of, I did happily.
And I was living in darkness.
And right around Covid, I was in.
I was in a long termrelationship with someone I was engaged
to for about seven years.
And we just never movedforward with marriage, which at the
time it gave me a lot of angertowards him and resentment.

(18:55):
And now I see it as a blessingbecause I wasn't prepared to be a
wife.
I didn't know anything aboutthe sanctity of marriage, so God
protected me from that.
And right around Covid, I wasin my second year of vet school and
I was, as the rest of theworld was, overwhelmed and scared
with the state of things.
And I had no savior.

(19:16):
So I was just out in the waterwith no buoy, drowning, and I found
substance.
I started smoking a lot of marijuana.
And that put me in touch with spirit.
And I want to try to be veryclear about this because I think
it's important in this day andage to address the fact that spirit

(19:40):
is very real, but the HolySpirit is supreme.
And people, myself included,are drawn to the feelings that can
be elicited from the devilthrough spiritual acts.
So examples of this would betarot cards or reiki, which is a

(20:01):
hands on healing technique orhands off healing technique.
And these are all demonic things.
But I was drawn to thembecause my spirit was being interacted
with instead of my flesh.
And all of these things onlytouched me in my spirit because I
was at an altered state of consciousness.
So I had, I, yes, I had to behigh to engage with these things.

(20:25):
And one of the things thatstruck me when I was reflecting on
telling this story was Pharaohin Egypt, right?
So his magicians, they couldtransiently replicate the miracles
of God, but it wasn't anythinglike that.
And so that's what I would, Iwould say doing those things honestly,

(20:49):
working with a shaman, whichnow I'm creeped out by, it drew me
into the spirit realm, but inways that were short lived.
And so I saw, I got addictedto the feeling that I would say,
like those magicians couldelicit that Pharaoh was distracted

(21:11):
by because it's very real.
Everything in this world is spiritual.
So I lived in that part of mylife, that season of my life of addiction
and occult practices for a fewyears and my relationship fell apart
and I was about to graduatevet school and you know, it's all

(21:34):
God's divine timing.
So we broke up the year Igraduated in 2022 and then we had
just signed a lease together.
So we were living in this bigbeautiful house in Peoria that I
thought I was going to fillwith a family.
And we were truly justroommates because we had broken up
and I graduated and I thoughtthat vet school was going to answer

(21:57):
all of my prayers.
I was going to feel fulfilledand happy and instead I was just
struck with anxiety all thetime and overwhelmed and feeling
under supported at home and at work.
I'm Rebecca Mendez withLamplight Ministries where I serve
the Lord by loving others.
Through biblical counselingand workshops.

(22:19):
Every day we're reminded ofour fallen world through disappointment,
grief, fear, despair.
We need a Savior.
And in Jesus Christ we havethat Savior.
He came to rescue us, offeringhis Spirit to guide us and his Word
to comfort, correct and lead us.
If you're a follower ofChrist, eager to grow in him, I'd

(22:42):
be honored to walk thisjourney with you through one on one
biblical counseling.
Together we'll explore God'sword, find encouragement and pursue
faithful obedience to our Savior.
Please Visit me atlamplightministries.com to book your
appointment today.
And so 2023, June I'm livingin that rental house, big, beautiful

(23:06):
house that had so muchpotential and was so empty and lonely.
And a family moves in next door.
Perfect family.
They just elicit joy and,like, class decorum.
And at this point, I amgetting shamanic work regularly.

(23:30):
I am.
I had a professor at vetschool who tried to train me in witchcraft.
I'm in it, and I'm not happy,but it feels like the only thing
that is real, right?
Because it's touching myspirit, but it's not.
It's not of God, so it's notfulfilling me outwardly.
It's just in those momentswhere I let the devil have me and

(23:55):
control of my mind, essentially.
I was feeling something.
All the other times I wasn'tdoing those things.
I was just feeling numb, honestly.
And so my older sister, Kayla,she's always been of God.
I don't know how to explainit, but she sent me my first Bible,

(24:18):
and we would read together, mysisters and I, and it brought a lot
of healing to us.
We would be able to movethrough traumatic experiences that
we had never talked about justby reading God's word and then trusting
one another again.
And that was really nice.
And one day I was out on mypatio reading, and this family next

(24:39):
door was just out, you know,being happy.
And I was like, man, this is frustrating.
Like, they're just joyous andI'm miserable.
And so that went on for maybea week or two.
And I think I remember writingin my journal, like, they're living
rent free in my head, I thinkI said that when I got baptized,
and I couldn't understand whyGod, at the time, I didn't know,

(25:02):
but I couldn't understand whythey had.
I was thinking about them so much.
And so one day I came homefrom work, and at the time, I was
working for a boss that now Irealize was trying to connect with
me.
But I wasn't in a spot where Iwas receptive.
I was just scared and anxiousand wanting to prove myself.

(25:22):
So I was getting out of theJeep, and I heard someone say, jesus
made you wonderfully and fearfully.
And I, like, stopped in mytracks, and I, like, didn't move
because I felt in my heartlike this pole.

(25:45):
And then this is Jeff.
Gracious.
Jesus loves you.
Yes, God is gracious.
So it's beautiful that he did this.
Yes.
Just incredible.
And then his wonderful wifeMary came up to me with a Bible track

(26:06):
that Jeff Musgraves made theexchange, the smaller one, and invited
me to church with them.
And I Wasn't a people person.
I would prefer to stay homeand be comfortable.
But something told me to go.
And so I went with them that Sunday.
And I think I wept through thewhole thing.

(26:27):
It.
So I had been dabbling withspirit, right?
I'd been dabbling with thisrealm of evil that masks itself as
good and is dangerous.
And then I was basked in thispeace, this soul covering peace that

(26:48):
only Jesus Christ can provide.
And yeah, I just followed that.
And that was June of 2023.
And they moved weeks later, sojust again giving it all to God,
his timing.
And I moved weeks later too.

(27:08):
So I was at the end of thatone year lease and I was lost.
And then I was found and Imoved into my own place and I spent
the next year or so vettingthe church because I struggled to
trust and listening.
So Pastor Schall had dare to stand.

(27:30):
And then there's family life,reading, like taking in resources
to figure out what it allmeans, what this feeling inside of
me means, hearing the word ofGod and feeling that feeling and
matching the two together andsaying, okay, this is where I'm supposed
to be.
And he brought me to theNorthwest Valley Baptist Church,
and.

(27:50):
And then Mary sat down with meand Pastor Jason's wife and we did
the first few parts of the exchange.
And then Sassa's.
Sasso's wife.
I'm sorry, Rebecca spentmonths, months going over the rest
of it with me because I'm smart.
But this, it.

(28:12):
It required me to go reallyslow to, like, take in what it means
to realize that God is holyand just and loving and gracious
and.
Yeah, I gave my life to Christ.
After the ladies retreat,abiding Christ, where, you know,
when you go on Sundays,everybody's got their Sunday best

(28:34):
on.
We're all putting on a show.
Wouldn't be the right way toword it, but I'm sure you can understand.
Yeah, understand.
Yeah.
But going to Freedom that Lasts.
So Mary, before she left inJuly, brought me to a Freedom that
Lasts meeting after the Ladiesgame night.
And that's where I saw realChristian love.

(29:02):
So I felt it at the church,but I saw it and I heard it at Freedom
that Lasts.
And it was obedience.
It was consistency.
It was you and your wiferunning it every Friday.
It was you guys being there.
It was Denise cooking a mealalmost every Friday night and people
praying for me, asking aboutme, caring about the burdens that

(29:24):
I was carrying so I don't haveto feel so weighed down.
Hearing Heather just speakincredibly about the Lord, like,
is She a prophet.
Like, that's the first thing Ithought when I heard her, because
she's just full of godlyknowledge and the merit.
Everything.
Everything I learned atFreedom that Lasts helped affirm

(29:47):
that this was exactly whereGod wanted me to be.
And so I remember when you first.
Came, like, you kind ofostracized yourself, which is fine.
Right.
You don't know us.
Yes, I was really scared.
Yeah.
And you guys were so kind andnot overwhelming.
Right.
So you.
What's a lot to take in, right.

(30:08):
On your first.
Like.
Because a church, you can kindof blend in and they give a centralized
message.
Yes.
But here in the last, it's amuch smaller.
And you're sitting at a tablewith randos, right?
Yes.
And people sometimes saythings they probably.
Shouldn'T say, but that's whatmakes it real.
And I think that's.
I think that's kind of thebest part about it.
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah.
You get to.

(30:28):
You get below the.
The surface.
Like you're seeing the tip ofthe iceberg on Sunday morning, but
there you don't.
You're not seeing what'sunderneath the water, and that's
what.
You'll see it.
And actually you won't see allof it, but you'll.
You'll see.
You'll see a little bit more.
But the more you get to knowpeople as you.
As you know, right.
Your group, you know, theintimate details.
Well, of their life.
Right.
And what they struggle with,and they don't maybe share everything,

(30:50):
but you know enough to reallypray for people.
Right.
And where they're at, youmight get.
The last four of the social,you know.
Yeah.
That's why I tell people, right.
You find one or two people,you give the Social Security number,
and then the rest you give thelast four digits.
You can't trust them with everything.
But I mean, just from the timethat you left, right.
And they presented you withthe Bible to the time you first came.

(31:13):
And I think of a lot of peoplelike Heather, same thing, right.
Heather was known where.
Near where she's at now.
And just.
And that's God's work in your life.
And that's when we see thatverse that you.
It's special to you.
Right.
Second Corinthians, 5:17, thatall things are becoming you.
And as a new Christian andeven as a veteran believer, God does

(31:33):
bring out his word through hisholy spirit in times of need and
in times of tremendous trial.
Well, and even.
Even during that time period,too, I remember Jeff was constantly
tagging me and Diane or Marywould hit up Diane, like, how's Aaron
doing?
How's Aaron doing?
And so, like, it wasn't justthe people I freedom.
Like, Like, Jeff was prayingfor you.

(31:54):
He was.
I mean, you know, Jeff'spretty real too.
You know what I mean?
And that's what I love aboutJeff too.
Yes.
And.
But yeah, he was.
He was like, hey, man, isthere in there?
Yeah, she's here tonight.
That was like my solace.
Is that the word?
I don't.
That was like my comfort atthe end of a long week was.
And some days I didn't want togo, but when I went and fellowshipped

(32:17):
with people who I was growingfriendships with who.
What bad week?
You know, it's.
It's all okay.
Yeah.
And that was really.
It's funny because I wastrying to pull this up here, but
that's his last text to me.
Hey, Sasa, I hope you're doing well.
Hey, Mary and I are wonderinghow Aaron is doing.
Have you seen her, heard fromher lately?

(32:38):
And then I said you moved.
And like pastor, I saidMassachusetts as well.
Did you get.
Did she get married?
I said, nope.
Oh, I said she moved away.
Yeah.
But we're in contact.
So that was his last.
And that was January 20th iswhen he wrote me.
So I have a good feeling thathim and Mary still pray for you and

(33:01):
still care about you deeply.
Right?
Yes.
And without his.
And God gave Jeff a uniquepersonality that he didn't give 99%
of the world, but he uses thatright for he gives us all special
gifts and things to.
For the kingdom.
Right.
And we all contribute.
And if we are obedient to hiswill and to his voice, he all.

(33:21):
He gives us skills to relateto people in our own way.
Right.
Not everybody comes through different.
You know, you have Louis who'svery off and takes long time to build
trust.
And other people, you knowthat they'll jump right, right away,
it will click.
And they're like, man, I lovebeing here.
And you have the Tonys of theworld that try to be tough guy and

(33:42):
then eventually break down,you know, then hugs everybody at
the start of freedom thatlasts and.
Or hugs everybody's dog.
So I think that might be you too.
Oh, you know the dog hugger.
Yeah.
Little peachies.
Wait, peachy.
Don't.
If you hear this, I'm sorry.
I love you.
You're still my favorite.
So from there, right, You.
You come to freedom.
That last.

(34:03):
You start to grow.
How is God working in yourlife through that?
You said like Times I wouldn'twant to come, but I come.
Do.
Would you ever regret coming?
No.
When you didn't want to come?
Absolutely not.
No.
I. I only ever felt better,especially when I didn't want to
go.
Because it's rare to findpeople who truly care.

(34:23):
And yes, you can care aboutpeople in a worldly sense, right?
You can tell them, oh,everything's going to be okay.
But if you're not directingthem back to Scripture, if you're
not telling them God's truthabout how they need to change their
lives, if you want, I'm surethere's one of you could cooperate
with God to change who youare, right?
What's the phrase?
You do what you do because youare what you are.

(34:45):
To change what you do, youmust cooperate with God to change
what you are.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I was changing from theinside out, and I was so uncomfortable.
And these women, this group atFreedom that Lasts, cared for me
and I was struggling and I wasstill trying to kick my substance
abuse habit.
And then I would findsomething else to fill that, like,

(35:10):
so I'll just be real, right?
So I was smoking a lot of weedand then I would stop smoking weed
because I felt convicted.
And I would start drinking andI'd be like, it's just a glass of
wine.
I've had a long day.
God doesn't like either ofthose things because he loves a sober
mind.
Jeff actually left me theverse from Titus about being sober
minded and just, you know,freedom that lasts.

(35:34):
The memory verses, the groupdiscussions, the praise, the prayers,
the vulnerability that peopleshare with you when they don't have
to, right?
But they know they're in asafe environment where we are all
human and we fall short.
And we can't pretend that sindoesn't exist, and we can't pretend
that we're not tempted by it.

(35:55):
So Freedom that Lasts, itdoesn't affirm that those things,
it, it.
There's no judgment, right?
We.
We can carry.
And I'm struggling with thismyself right now in this current
moment where I am a slave to sin.
In moments, in certain aspectsof my life, I'm still struggling,
but the shame and the guiltthat I feel distancing myself from

(36:16):
God is of the devil.
Rebecca shared this with metonight, that I am forgiven.
I'm covered in the blood.
And he knew I would strugglethrough all of this.
And if we don't acknowledgethat it's a constant journey, we're
cutting the journey shortbecause it's that connection we have
when we are vulnerable.
That is what Christianfellowship is all about.

(36:38):
Like, it's not just aboutcelebrating the good, because that's
fine and superficial, but it's.
Hey, I'm hurting.
Let me pray with you.
Let me, Let me listen activelyand pray, not just in this moment,
but go home and actively prayfor you.
And I had never experiencedanything like that before.
It changed me.
Well, I think that freedom atlast is.

(37:01):
It's different than like 12step, you know, AA.
Like, we were at the park thispast weekend handing out bags to
the homeless, and I talked toa guy and he's.
He's like, so what is thisaddictions ministry?
Is it like aa?
I said, no, not quite.
I said, it's.
It's very.
It's.
I'll just be honest.
It's biblical.
Like, the answers are in the Bible.
Like, jesus is your victory.

(37:22):
Jesus is the source of your victory.
He's like, well, you know, AAhas the 12 steps, and I don't know
how many steps have to do with God.
I'm just like, well, yeah, butthe, the ultimate source of your
victory is Jesus, and theanswers are in the Bible, and that's
how you gain your victory.
Just like you said, you werebeing changed from the inside out.
And that was based on the wordof God, not a 12 step program.
Like, it's, you know, and Idon't know about cr, I don't know

(37:43):
what they do, but I know that.
I know that freedom that lastis biblically based.
And I think that's where youhave the victory.
Well, in AA too, right?
It was founded by a Christianand the higher power was God at one
point.
And then the higher powerbecame the higher power.
Whatever you want it to be.
Exactly.
And I think when you speak ofthis, we had this verse that we did
in groups this week is Romans8:1, where the Bible says, there's

(38:06):
therefore no, now nocondemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, the saved, right?
Who walk not after the flesh,but after the spirit.
And that is a powerful verse.
That you are no longercondemned, right?
Because you are in ChristJesus doesn't mean you have a liberty
to sin.
Because in.
In Romans 2, it tells us,shall we continue in sin that grace
may abound.
He says, God forbid.

(38:27):
But he also says the apostlePaul, right, of anybody struggled
in Romans 7 with the flesh andthe Spirit, right?
And he said, that which Ishould do, I don't.
And that which I shouldn't do,I do, right?
Wretched as man.
But he said, in the end, thereis Hope through Christ Jesus, right,
that we can have victory.
And I think that's the, thebeauty of freedom that lasts is that

(38:48):
there's not.
We're not condemned by our sinonce we're in Christ, right, We can
choose to be enslaved to sin,but we're no longer.
He's.
The sin is no longer our owner.
We're not in chains, we arefree to go.
And that's.
This verse is so powerful,right, because it says there's no
conduct like you are notcondemned, right?
And if you look at the womanthat was caught in adultery, I think

(39:10):
the, the biggest thing therewas that God saw what, what had happened,
right?
And, and then I think he trulysaw her heart.
I think she truly believed on him.
I don't know if it was at thatmoment that she put her trust in
Jesus, but he told her, Idon't condemn you no more.
Go and sin no more, right?
He didn't condemn her becauseI think he saw the heart of her and

(39:31):
how she had changed.
And I don't know if that was amoment of salvation or what that
was, but he didn't condemnher, right?
And in those days, right,adultery was, that was death.
That was like that was itstoning, right?
That was like the ultimate donot do you know, besides murder and
what they expected him to do,he did not do.

(39:51):
And I think many times we lookat God and, and we are a judge, right?
There's consequences for oursin, yes, but he doesn't condemn
us.
And that's the beauty of our fathers.
He corrects us because heloves us.
He doesn't correct us becausehe's wants are the worst for us.
He wants us to not walk inthat way.
And I think this is abeautiful verse, just as you stated,
that goes along with.

(40:13):
Because the devil brings aboutshame, right?
And I always, I would alwayssay there's no fishing at the dock
of forgiven sins, but we liketo go fishing in those old sins.
And like I shouldn't have donethat or.
And he said, I don't, I don'tknow what you're talking about, right?
That's as far as from the eastis, the west is.
I put those sins out, Icondemn you, you not.
And what a beautiful thing ofthe forgiveness of God that he doesn't

(40:35):
remember and bring it up to you.
That's Satan, right?
That's a counterfeit.
And that's what he does.
Satan is the counterfeit, thefather of all lies.
That's the God of grace, right?
I mean, that's Grace given to you.
We're not condemned anymore, man.
I mean, you're in Christ.
You are forgiven.
You're forgiven once and for all.
Like you said, we can choose to.
We can choose to sin and, and,and God forbid we do like Paul says,

(40:58):
but, but at the end of theday, man, we're forgiven, man.
It's done, it's paid.
When they ask you at BDubs,fries or salad, you're like, you
know what I mean?
Yeah, I should say solid.
But man, those fries, I'vebeen saying salad, bro, you know,
those sins come up, thosetemptations, you know, that are.
Well, then it's the conviction.
Right?
So condemnation.
How would you describe thatword, condemnation?

(41:21):
You're condemned.
I mean, you are born condemned.
So when we come out of thewomb, we're were condemned, damned.
Would that be a synonym?
Yeah, the wrath of God.
Right.
Abides on you.
Okay, so conviction is my strongest.
That is what we're left with,and that's what keeps us close to
God.

(41:41):
So we're not condemned.
But the conviction I feel whenI do choose my flesh over my spirit
is.
It makes me like that's a. Ifeel queasy when I think about choosing
myself after all of God'sabundance and goodness towards me,
especially recently, and tochoose my flesh or my own desires

(42:03):
over what God simply asks of me.
It's the conviction afterthat, the devil loves because that's
where he can draw you back to him.
But it's a beautiful thing.
I just had to speak on thatfor a moment because it's a blessing.
And it's really hard to.
To struggle with realizingthat you are the problem.

(42:26):
You're the common denominator.
Yes, well, the, the convictionis a beautiful thing too, because
it's, it's evidence that youare saved, that you are God's child.
Right.
I mean, why would you beconvicted otherwise?
I mean, let's just go sin,eat, drink and be married.
Well, there's no moralitywithout God.
Right.
The wrong and right in ourworld is based upon God, whether

(42:48):
atheists agree to it.
And then Ravi Zacharias wouldargue this is.
Well, that's not my truth.
They said, why don't you leaveyour door open every night?
Why do you lock it?
Right.
Because your morality doesn'twant somebody to break in because
it's.
If it's their truth, to takewhat you have.
That's not truth.
Well, and the reality is too,even atheists, like, I mean, they're
made in the image of God andto some extent they have some morals.

(43:10):
Like.
Like most people don't want tojust kill somebody.
Like most people.
You know what I mean?
There's some people, I guess,that do.
Yeah.
But for the most part they don't.
You know, I mean, your conscience.
Yeah, I mean, I feel bad even,you know, running over a dog.
Like, I. I mean, I hope you do.
I hope you feel terrible.
Or like a rabbit.
Right.
Like rabbits come.
I stop.
I don't just like, hey, lookat this.

(43:31):
You know, okay, pigeon.
It'll move.
I try not to step on the antswhen I go running on the sidewalk
because they report back tosomeone that's going to miss them
if I step on them.
Yes.
I can avoid it.
Right, right.
But.
Yeah, And.
But that morality comes from God.
And I think that come.
So everybody has that, Ibelieve, to a certain extent, a level

(43:51):
of morality.
Sure.
Where if you saw a man beatinga woman on the street, you said,
now we film it.
But it would be like, I feel bad.
Right.
I'm not going to just cheerfor that.
And some people would.
But I think when you're saved,that conviction is for anything that
goes against God.
Not something that'segregious, but anything that you

(44:12):
know would hurt God.
He.
It's like you get nervous whenyou're like a little kid and you're
gonna steal something and youget that lump, you're like, I shouldn't
do that.
Right.
And God still gives us achoice, free will to say.
And sometimes you're like,I'll ask for forgiveness later.
Right.
And that's where that versecomes in, God forbid.
But we've all done it.
We've all overrode the HolySpirit conviction and said, I want

(44:34):
to please my flesh.
Right.
I want to.
And it's a very selfish endeavor.
And just like for you, instark contrast to the love of Christ,
we're being ungrateful anddiscontent by our own flesh, which
brings more discontentment andobedience brings more contentment
in him.
Yes.
And that's the amazingjuxtaposition of the two choices

(44:56):
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(45:40):
So I'm curious.
So, you know, you're prettyreal with us, and you've talked about
getting into a little bit ofwitchcraft and smoking weed and.
And these kinds of thingswhich interact with the spiritual.
But as you.
When you got saved and you're,you know, obviously now you're working
out your salvation, notworking for your salvation, but you're

(46:01):
working it out, how did that.
How did that interact?
And how did you overcome someof those things?
I mean, how does, like, giveus some feedback on that?
Yeah, so I struggled.
Right.
I wanted to.
The want was there, but theflesh was strong.
In the beginning, after Iaccepted Jesus Christ as my savior,
I was on fire for the Lord.

(46:22):
And the conviction was there,and I felt like I was not doing right.
So I tried to do it on my own.
I really did.
And I think I made it like amonth or two.
And then I inevitably smoked again.
And I heard God tell me, youcannot do this alone.
And then I was baptized and.

(46:43):
Beautiful day.
Beautiful day.
Hallelujah.
Yeah, Just.
Just the feeling of that waterflowing over my body and being renewed
is the most peace I've felt inmy earthly body.
And it was a blessing.
I struggled a little bit afterthat, but I am really excited to
say I've been a year soberfrom weed.

(47:05):
And right after that cameconviction about alcohol, and I haven't
had anything in seven months,and I have no desire.
He healed me.
He delivered me from that.
Yeah.
Yes.
So just reading God's wordevery day, just making, you know,
daily habit of prayer, thatkind of thing.
Yes.
Okay.
Yes.
Working on habits.
Right.

(47:25):
21 days to make a habit.
I try really hard to consumesomething godly daily.
And that's.
It should be God's word, butsometimes it's singing gospel music
in my car or praying, but thatis what I should be doing.
Yeah.
That's something that wouldprobably resolve the sin issues I'm
still struggling with becauseI'm human.

(47:46):
Well, and I think too, likeyou said in the beginning, like,
you were kind of had apersonality where you didn't like
to be around people.
And so you would isolate.
And in Christianity, that'skind of dangerous.
Right.
Because when you get isolated,like, that's when Satan has a field
day with you.
Yes.
He will lie to you, you willbelieve it, and then you will Keep
everybody at bay so thatnobody, you know, you don't want

(48:07):
the accountability.
You don't want people to knowwhat's going on.
Yes, but being in fellowshipand being with other Christians is
the best thing to do.
So.
The best.
Just in general, right.
It's just nice to talk aboutthe Bible, talk about God's word.
I.
That's one of the things Iloved about freedom that lasts.
It's.
We had business to do, right.
We would have a task, we'dtalk about it.
We would pray with oneanother, and then we would enjoy

(48:29):
one another's company and justget to talk.
And I think about Joel, right?
Joel's story and justeverybody there.
Again, the vulnerability, therealness of people who are struggling
with maybe not even sin, right?
Life, grief, death, heartache,and they share it.
And then we hold thememotionally, spiritually, with prayer.

(48:53):
It's a blessing.
Well, and I know we talk aboutFTL being in addictions ministry,
but I, you know, I think it'smore of a discipleship.
Like, it's.
Yes, it's like a mini churchservice for me.
And it's a discipleshipprogram more than anything.
I mean, like Sasso says, sinis addictive and it could be any
sin.
Right.
It could be pride, it could beanger, it could be anxiety.
There's a lot of shopping.
Yeah.
Shopping, gambling.

(49:13):
I mean, I think people right away.
People right away go to theworst, you know, drugs and alcohol,
like, you know, and it's.
It's.
There's so many other facetsand ways that we are chained.
Yes.
And, yes.
FTL is like a perfect ministryfor that, but not just for that.
It's man, it's learning, It's.
It's worship.
I mean, we sing.
We sing praises and like.
Yeah.

(49:34):
And then.
I love what you said, too.
We eat a meal together and we fellowship.
And I think that's a big.
That's a big deal.
I mean, it's in.
What is that?
Acts 4:2 to the.
To the breaking of bread.
Like, you know, following theapostles teaching and all that.
But to the breaking.
We're like, well, we're gonnahave the great marriage Supper of
the Lamb, right?
Yeah.
Food is important.
The Last Supper, right.
There was food and breaking bread.

(49:55):
And there's God's providenceto sustain us physically is through
food.
And when we do it one another,I think it's just very special or
it can be last because, like,if you're not.
You were new.
It's hard to maybe talk in agroup, but if you're one on one and
somebody's just eating casualwith you, they kind of start to break
down those walls and build trust.

(50:17):
That's where you can get underthe iceberg right there.
Yeah, a little bit.
I think in Romans 12:15, whereit says, rejoice with them that do
rejoice and weep with themthat weep.
And sometimes the freedom to last.
You're in a position ofrejoicing and somebody's in a position
of weeping.
Yes.
And you can help each other.
And then there could be a weekwhere you're weeping and they're
rejoicing.
Yes.
And you lift each other up andthat's how God made the body to sustain

(50:37):
one another.
To say, there's going to betimes when I'm down and you're up
and you're up and I'm down.
And I think it's harder formen, right, because we're not real
with our emotions.
I'm not.
Right.
And Rebecca tries to, youknow, and I said, well, if you wanted
me to be emotional, you wouldhave married when you would have
married a man.
And she laughed.
She said, well, you, you know,you got it.
So, you know, God's workingwith me on that just to be real and

(51:00):
struggle.
Right.
And I try not to tell.
Dump everything on her becauseit's not meant to be.
But go to God, right.
And that's.
He's really my sustainer.
But I just think that freedom,alas, is just a special place to
me.
We're going on 11 years nextmonth or this month, actually.
And so God has, you know,given us and we've seen all kind

(51:22):
of people come through there,people that are no longer even on
this earth, that have passedon sadly.
And those are just for.
Well, I would say all of themare sad, but just for different reasons.
And just your.
I mean, just to look back, right.
You're sitting here in the flesh.
And just my mind goes back towhen you first came and Jeff and
Mary brought you.
And I feel like there was abattle and I don't know if you really

(51:45):
wanted to be there.
It was awkward, right?
You're kind of by yourself andyou were just like, like soaking
it all in.
Like, what is this?
Yes.
But I mean, what an amazingthing God has done in your life.
And I think the ladies in yourgroup really miss you, and I know
Rebecca does, but I think youguys keep in contact.
Well, I know you guys keep incontact, but I can assure you that

(52:08):
she prays for you still.
Right.
And there's a lot of peoplehere in this side of the United States,
not the east coast, the westcoast, that love you and love you
as a sister in Christ.
Right.
And just what God has donethrough your life has been an inspiration
to people there.
And everybody has a spiritstory that God uses.
Yes.

(52:28):
And I think that's why youcame on the podcast.
Right?
To share what God has done andis doing in your life.
Yes.
Yeah.
He is faithful and good and cares.
Right.
So that feeling I felt atFreedom that Lasts, which was very
foreign to me, became thefeeling that is inside of me when
I was baptized.
And that's where mydiscernment started to grow.

(52:50):
And everything became aboutthe spirit of God, the Holy Spirit,
and how I can try my best.
Sometimes I fail to honor thatand obey Him.
And he's been.
He brought me to a church.
He brought me unbelievableforgiveness for people who have hurt
me.
He provides in ways I couldn't.

(53:14):
I prayed for some things.
And then he blew all of thosethings out of the water and said,
here, and I don't deserve it.
But he continues to bless me.
So it's wonderful.
Anything that you want toconvey or maybe you're talking to
yourself six years ago orsomebody like you that you would

(53:34):
like to share with them.
Yes.
I'm thinking of Jeff and Mary.
Gracious.
And that our secondcommandment from Jesus is to love
our neighbor.
And everything is spiritual.
So every person that weinteract with, every eye that we
meet, every customer, friend,colleague, coworker, is a soul to

(53:55):
be saved.
And Jeff and Mary were sobrave and bold to witness to me because
they didn't know me from ahole in the wall.
And they saved my soul.
So it is our duty to go outand share the gospel, even if we're
not people.
People.
Nothing else matters buteternity and the fear of rejection.

(54:16):
To be humiliated, to beostracized by the world is a blessing.
And I just pray that peopleare bold.
I pray that I am bold becauseit changed my whole life.
It changed everything for me.
That one person told me thatJesus made me, and I had no idea.
Amen.
And you look at that, right?
You were leaving, he was leaving.

(54:37):
Yes.
And God gives us that divineappointment, and it's for us to obey
and.
And I think deaf.
Pretty bold in a lot of ways.
And praise God for that.
That he may see people inheaven that he never knew because
he was bold to share.
And you're just somebody thathe gets to see and rejoice in.
And he still ask about you.

(54:58):
So I have To.
I have to send the podcast tohim, which.
Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure.
That'd be very special to you.
We'll have the.
The Jeff sound effects on this one.
Yeah.
Because we do bend it.
Record some.
Oh, good.
Yeah.
Jeff sound effects.
Yeah.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Praise the Lord.
Did he come in studio any day?
No, I.
We were just in the.
In sanctuary, and I said, hey,man, I need you to say a couple things.

(55:19):
And I just flipped out myphone and hit record and told him
say these things, and he did, and.
Oh, I love that.
Yeah, please put a few.
And now he has his own freedom.
That last chapter that he'srunning, I heard.
Yeah.
So that's kind of cool, right?
Yeah.
And how God's using that inhis own life, and I haven't reached
out to him in a while to seehow that's going, but he sends us
pictures from time to time.
Yeah.
Of the freedom that laststhere, but praise God that he's using

(55:42):
that there where he's at in Tennessee.
Amen.
Yeah, Amen.
All right.
Any parting final words beforewe close it out?
No, I'm just really gratefulfor your time and for our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Amen.
Well, thank you for coming onthe show.
Appreciate your story.
I love the reality of it beingreal and just sharing from the heart.

(56:03):
I hope this episode is, youknow, a blessing to somebody.
Somebody maybe struggling withthose things.
You know, the spiritual isinteresting because it's.
You know, Satan is subtle, andhe finds his way into people's lives.
I mean, the Bible says he's a.
An angel of light.
And so you were.
You.
You.
When you were getting intosome of those things, you said you

(56:25):
felt spiritual things, and.
And so the devil was makingyou feel these spiritual things.
It was not the Holy Spirit.
No, because you didn't havethe discernment at that point.
But I think there's a lot ofpeople that may fall into this.
I mean, I see.
I mean, we were just at thepark the other day with the.
With the homeless, and you seethese guys walking around.
They look like zombies, and.
And they truly are.
They're dead.
They're spiritually dead.
But I think also they're.

(56:46):
They're intoxicated withdrugs, but they could be demonically
possessed.
They could be controlled by demons.
I mean, there's.
It is spiritual.
Everywhere is spiritual.
I mean, there.
We live in the spiritual realm.
We just don't see it.
Right.
And I think we're just notcognizant of it because we just think
it's just what we canphysically see.
Right.
I think of the two men who hadmore demons attached to them than

(57:07):
a herd of swine.
Right.
So it is very real.
And.
Yeah, well, they.
He got cleansed and then hedidn't change.
And so more came than was thefirst time.
Oh, I was thinking the onethat went into the swine.
Yes.
Yeah.
I was thinking of the twothat, like, were chained up.
Permission from God.
Yes.
That shows you the authoritythat they know Jesus over the demons.

(57:29):
And that makes it even morescary because people are just out
there dabbling with thingsthat make them feel good on the inside,
make them feel something,crystals, all of those things.
They have no idea.
I had no idea.
I just knew I felt something.
Some people are just trying toalter their mood.
They don't know.
You know what I mean?
So, like, the devil's, like,they're opening the door.
Yes.
Well, they call alcoholspirits, right?
Absolutely.

(57:49):
That's another term for alcohol.
Yes.
The devil's lettuce.
He's very clear about it.
You know, he's not allows.
People just don't open doors.
Yeah.
You know, they don't think.
They don't think.
And I'll say this, Ben, in 2Kings and Aaron, you know, 6, 17,
this is Elijah writing.
Jeff will appreciate this.
And Elisha prayed and said,lord, I pray thee, open his eyes
that he may see.

(58:10):
And the Lord opened the eyesof the young man.
He saw him behold, themountain was full of horses and chariots
of fire round about Elijah.
And I think of that verse,greater is he that is in you than
he that is in the world.
And although there are spiritsand they're powerful spirits, greater
is he that is in us than hethat is in the world.
Amen.
And may God open our eyes tothe protection that he gives us.

(58:31):
Yes.
And the salvation that hebrings, even for those that are saved
already.
But that he protects us andthat we're safe, we're safe in Him.
That our eyes may be open tothe horses and chariots that are
round about us.
Amen, brother.
Amen.
And on that note, we're gonna.
We're gonna end this episode.
So if this.
If this episode's been ablessing to you guys, would you guys
give us a thumbs up on YouTube?

(58:52):
Give us that, like a nice comment.
On Tick Tock, please?
Yeah, yeah.
Be nice, please.
But anyway, we thank you guysfor watching.
Thank you for coming on this episode.
Aaron, thank you.
All the way from Rhode Island.
Yeah.
And I'm Flower Child.
Thanks for having me.
Anyway, it's been a blessing,so thank you guys.
We'll see you in the next episode.
Bye for now next time.
Love you.
Bye.
Thank you for listening to theAbundant Life podcast.

(59:15):
We pray you were blessed bytoday's episode.
Please visit us online atAbundant Life fm.
Until next time.
May God bless you.
Sa.