November 15, 2024 • 40 mins
Season 2: Episode2 - We Gon’ Be Alright
Toni shares her disappointment over the recent presidential election outcome, exploring the factors that influenced voter choices, from previous tenure records to religious beliefs. She urges listeners to expand their worldviews by traveling and staying informed about global events, emphasizing how broader exposure can positively impact our decision-making.
Toni continues her discussion on tithing from the previous episode, exploring how gaining a solid understanding of tithes from the outset can profoundly shift one’s perspective.
As always, she concludes the show with her "Book of the Week" selection, alongside her weekly picks for gospel and secular music. This thoughtful mix provides listeners with the perfect soundtrack and inspiration to carry them through the hustle and bustle of life.
Join the conversation! Subscribe to "Banta with Toni" for more lively discussions. Follow me on social media to stay updated on all the Banta:
Instagram: @BantaPodcast
Youtube, Apple, Amazon, iHeart: Banta With Toni
Don't miss out on the next episode! Hit play on the next installment of Banta with Toni.
Remember, the conversation doesn't end here. Share your thoughts, stories, and favorite tunes with me using #BantaToni on social media. Your voice matters in our Banta -filled community!
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bantapod/message
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Banta with Tony. Join me as I share stories about
motherhood, faith, life, love, and everything else in between.
I promise we'll also have some fun along the way, and I hope
that the time we spend together will end up being some of the
highlights of your week. Thank you for coming along well.
(00:22):
Hello everybody. So I usually like to record a
couple weeks ahead of time, but over the last week or so I've
just not been able to get to, you know, being ahead.
I had some things happening personally and I had some things
that were happening like just a bunch of things coming together
(00:44):
all at once. So I was not able to record
ahead. And now I look at it and I think
it was actually good that I wasn't able to because today is
Wednesday, November 6th. That's when I'm recording this
second episode. And the way I had everything
planned, I should be recording episode 4 by now.
But here I am recording Episode 2, and I think it cannot come at
(01:06):
a much better time than this. If you have not woken up yet, if
you have been living under a rock, you will not have known
that the elections happened yesterday and we now have a
second term with Trump, who's going to be the president.
And there's so many emotions right now.
Even as I was trying to decide if I'm going to record today, I
(01:27):
was like, man, should I get on here and record?
There was a part of me that was like, OK, maybe I'm just going
to be too emotional. But there was a part of me that
thought, this isn't necessary. And the only thing I kept
thinking about was if I say that, you know, this is what I
want to do. This is what I want to put out
out here. If I say I'm going to be a
creative person in this way, if I say I'm in a space where I
(01:48):
want God to use me, I have to beable to even in difficult times,
even in times when I don't want to, I don't feel good.
Like I said, there are many different things even happening
personally. And then on top of that, this
collective emotions that we're all feeling right now, I still
have to be able to move forward because it's my belief that at
least I'm going to get out here and put something out into the
(02:12):
world. And whoever it's meant to touch,
whoever is meant to hear it, whoever is meant to come under
my voice, it will happen. So this is going to be a
different episode because it's not going to have like the
format that I usually try to follow.
I will still cover probably mostof the points to stay consistent
with how I usually do this show.But usually, you know, like, we
(02:32):
talk about pop culture, but I don't think there's anything
more important right now than what just happened yesterday.
And as I'm even trying to process it, I thought, you know,
we're all going to process it together.
Well, me and my audience at least.
So leading up to this, obviously, when Kamala Harris
announced that she was going to run for, you know, presidency, I
(02:53):
was elated. There have been certain things
that I've had in the past before.
I've had choice words for some of the actions that she's taken.
But I know that it's because shewas at the time, representing,
you know, America on the global stage.
And I remember one of them was in relation to how she had gone
to Ghana for a visit. And I did not appreciate the way
she spoke to the Ghanaian people, especially the
(03:15):
politicians there, because I just felt like it was like, OK,
you're from the outside looking in.
You cannot go into somebody else's country.
You don't know all the conditions of everything that
they're fighting there. You don't.
I know the history there. So it's like just approaching it
from a place of just like humility.
That's where I was coming from. So I'm like, OK, I know you're
still doing your job, but you can't go out there and tell
people how to run their own country.
You can have differences in how you believe things should be
(03:37):
done. But like, you know, it is what
it is. So I wanted to highlight that
because I feel like that's lost these days.
You can support somebody becauseyou agree with the greater
cause, but it does not mean thatyou agree with them on every
single facet, every single issuethat they are with, right?
Like you understand the impact, you understand what they stand
(04:00):
for, you understand what there is to gain.
It's almost like you're doing like a cost benefit analysis.
So you're sitting there and you're going to say, OK, what am
I to gain here and what am I to lose here?
And obviously for you personally, as long as the
benefits outweigh the cost, thenyou're like, it's worth it.
I mean, that's how anybody that is about anything in this life
should make decisions. You don't just go based off of
just emotions and feelings. They always tell you, you know,
(04:23):
think through it critically because then you realize it's
not worth it. Like, should I argue with this
person right now? What is the benefit and what is
the cost? And if you know, if I am going
to go the routes and saying I need to put you in a place and
tell you a few things, how am I still going to do it where I
still stay on top, right? So it's that idea of like we, we
(04:43):
always have to think through things.
So I say that to say, just because there are certain issues
or certain things that she had done in the past that I did not
agree with, did not mean that when it was in front of me to
say as a black woman in this country, to go ahead and to vote
for her for what she stood for, for a lot of the policies that
she had that I agreed with, thatI aligned with.
And still knowing that there arecertain things within the
Democratic Party of how they do certain things that I don't
(05:04):
necessarily align with and I don't agree with.
But the greater good that which was good, I weighed everything
else. So I went ahead and that's how I
casted my vote. The things that are essential to
me. So whether it's her stance on
immigration, because she herselfis a child of immigrants that
came to this country from India and from Jamaica.
So that's a big part of my identity as a child of
immigrants in this country as well.
(05:25):
So looking at all those issues, that's how I came to make that
decision. I think going in, I knew at the
back of my head where I am. Unfortunately, I've experienced
because I moved to America when I was 12.
I lived up north in Minnesota for the longest time and then I
moved to Oklahoma and then I lived in Ohio for a little bit
and then I moved. So Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma,
(05:49):
and then moved to Texas. I'm just a Midwestern girl and
I've kind of worked my way from the very top and found my way
all to the bottom. So I think even in my limited
experience, because I've never lived on either of the coasts,
even in my limited experience, Ithink I've gotten like, I've
grasped a lot about what Americais.
And I think sometimes if people have spent their whole life
(06:11):
living on like either coast, butthey have not really experienced
the Midwest, I don't think they really have an idea of the
essence of what America is and what America stands for.
So knowing that, knowing the varied experiences I've had in
this country, I've played it allout.
So I was like, if she wins, it'sgoing to be a hard one.
Like they're going to fight her for four years on every single
(06:32):
thing. It's not going to be any
different from when Barack Obamawas in there.
And anytime she wants to turn left, they're going to be right.
They're going Nope, right. Anytime she wants to go up,
they're going to be like, Nope, down.
She's not going to have any breathing room.
So I already knew, like, if she even won, it was going to be a
hard road ahead. And then there was a part of me
that was just like, well, is sheable to at least convince the
(06:52):
young people or people who couldbe undecided?
Because I already knew from the get go, if you were for Trump,
if you wanted Trump in office, this was not the time to try to
come out after you and try to convince you otherwise.
Like, there was no point in that.
But it was for the undecided voters.
I felt like they really were theones deciding.
The undecided, the young people,the people who are still maybe
(07:12):
like on the fence, they're like not sure if they're going to
vote because every time we have an election, not everybody
participates. I think when I started looking
at the stats for this election, even in my own little part of
the world that I'm in here, we had about half a million people
registered to vote in my little county.
And only like, I think 360 something 1000 people actually
voted. So usually that's typical as far
(07:35):
as like maybe 60% of people get to vote.
So really sometimes it's not about changing the minds of
those who have already made-up their minds.
It's about getting those who areindifferent, those who don't
care and how they're going to goabout doing it.
So the way I was processing everything in my head was like,
I was like, OK, well, if she canfind a way to get those people
who were going to sit this one out and say I'm not part of it,
maybe she can have a chance. And I really believed that it
(07:58):
was going to be a very close race and that it was really
going to come down to the nitty gritty.
But I believe that she was goingto have a little edge because it
was a part of me that still believed like this idea of the
American dream that brought us here, right?
This idea, you come, you follow certain things, you do certain
things. You can achieve greatness.
You can be. I mean, what other form of
(08:19):
greatness can you achieve other than becoming the next
president? Like, you can be the child of
immigrants and as long as they did certain things or you did
certain things, I'm sure that woman has made so many
sacrifices in her life and life has not been easy for her in so
many ways. But she still kept going.
She still kept pushing, holding on to the values that were given
to her by her parents, that she can make it to the highest
(08:42):
office in the land. So there was a part of me that
still believed in that. However, because I have
conversations with people in my life, I'm not a stranger.
If you know me in personal life,you know that we're going to
talk about politics. And if you are the kind of
friend I can't talk to you aboutpolitics, we can still entertain
that relationship. But I mean, what am I going to
do here if we can't talk about nitty gritty?
Like we can talk about fashion, style, home decor, all those
(09:04):
other things, but I also need toknow where you stand too.
Like it shapes so much and I'm not somebody that's like not
willing to be friends with somebody that has opposing views
to me. I just need to know where you
stand. I just need to know how you
think you can come to me and vote for a totally different
party, But like, let everything that's coming out of your mouth
still make sense. Let 1 + 1 equal 2.
Like let me see a logic there. You don't have to be on my side,
(09:25):
but I need you to be a logical human being.
So, you know, that's what I was thinking.
I was like, OK, it's going to behard if she wins.
How she could win is by getting the people that were not going
to vote before to get out there and vote for her.
And then we're just going to take it from there.
Over the couple weeks, as I was also watching too, I know that
there were some things that werebeing said on the Republican
(09:47):
side that were just like very unchristian, like, right?
And this is a party that praisesthat they are for Christian
values and they have branded themselves as such.
And I'm like, what is going on here?
And so for me, what I was looking for from a lot of the
Christian leaders was this idea,Like, I think sometimes in
American culture we have come tojust create these dichotomies
(10:08):
and sometimes there is no breathing room in between.
So it's like Republican Christian values.
When you're Democrat, then it's a free for all.
It doesn't have to be that way. You can exist in the middle,
right? I remember reading about
Condoleezza Rice. She was one of like the top
black women growing up that I looked up to in politics and all
(10:29):
those things. She was a Republican.
In all my adult life that I've ever voted, I've never voted as
a Republican. I've always voted Democratic.
But I can promise you that I've had people that I've looked up
to, people that have done thingsthat I've admired, that I can
probably tell you without a doubt, we're members of the
Republican Party. So it was about what she stood
for, the way she went about her life.
(10:49):
Obviously being a black woman inthis country, like I could still
find common ground with her and still align with her.
I didn't have to be 1 or the other.
The way we do parties in this country is like, OK, if I'm a
Christian, I must vote for Republicans.
No, like if you're doing something that's not Christ,
like if I'm saying that's what I'm basing all of it on, if
we're saying we're going to be neutral from this neutral place,
if you, even though you say thatyou're a Christian values party,
(11:12):
if you're doing things that are not Christ like, I have to call
you out. Just like how if on the
Democratic side they're doing things that are not Christ like,
I have to call them out. And then when it's time for me
to vote, I have to look at the essence of what you represent
and do at the end of the day, what is good and clear for my
conscience. I don't think anybody should
vote a certain way just because,oh, I'm Christian, I should
always vote Republican. I don't think that makes sense.
(11:32):
You're going to follow whatever convictions are given to you.
You're the one doing the analysis for yourself.
Whatever you have looked at and said, OK, this party, they might
not be perfect in this way, but they do this and this.
And this really, truly aligns with who I say I am and what God
calls me to be. As long as you're comfortable
with that and you can go back tothe word of God and use it as
your litmus test, then you're good to go.
So that's how I viewed it. And I just felt like there were
(11:53):
a lot of Christian leaders that I was looking at.
And I'm like, OK, so this guy issaying some outrageous things.
These things are being done. You probably have people that
are part of your congregation that belong to these groups that
he's talking about crazily. I mean, everything is coming
under attack. And we're just like, well, you
know, God is the one that is my president.
And I'm like, God is the king ofyour life.
(12:14):
We're not saying that you don't have anything through to him,
but I needed something that was more tangible, like call out
when something is wrong. I was watching something and
it's like praying for both candidates.
I agree with that. You should, but it was like I
pray for him to change and I'm like, what planet are we on?
Like you can just say God give wisdom or whatever.
That man might hold the Bible togo and give a speech, but I
(12:36):
highly doubt that it runs every part of his life.
But then you are now being used in that way to propagate his
agenda to do his things under the pretense of like, he's a
Christian. So that already kind of like,
threw me off. So that's how I was feeling
leading up to that. It was a lot of emotions.
I was going through some things personally, and I still am, that
I had a little bit of a break from work, but I actually needed
(12:58):
that time to just kind of like chill and mellow leading up to
the elections because I had voted early.
So this morning when I woke up and I saw the results that I
saw, I already saw like the writing on the wall yesterday.
But I was still hopeful because I'm like, OK, if she gets this
state or this state or this state, it might be a close one,
but we can still clench it. So when I woke up and I look and
it said he had one, I was just like, Oh my gosh.
(13:19):
And yesterday before I went to bed, one of the things I was
already feeling was anxiety because I remember the state of
the country when he was leading last time.
It's like a free for all, right?So it's like every time he got a
mic in front of him, he would say outrageous things, things
that will incite people to let out all their bigotry and all
their hatred. Like it was a war zone.
(13:41):
And I think if you live in certain states, you will not
even understand or experience what I'm talking about.
But that's why I'm saying this Midwest and like, moving your
way down South is something you should experience in your
lifetime if you live in this country.
Because I think a lot of people who, like, live on either coast,
when they hear people share these stories about things that
they were experienced, you'll belike, I know you lying.
Not in 2024. I know that can't be true, but
(14:05):
it is happening. It is a reality and I just know
what I experienced. And even for me, I feel like I'm
a very strong person. I feel like I go through a lot
of things, but I know how to putthem accordingly, how to deal
with them. It doesn't mean I don't have the
emotions. I'm going to cry, I'm going to
be sad, I'm going to be angry, I'm going to have all of those.
But eventually, when the dust settles, I always know how to
compartmentalize and how to put things.
(14:26):
But when it comes to my kids, when stuff was happening and it
was even affecting my children, Oh my gosh, that's where I drew
the line because I'm just like, what is happening here?
Why are these things being said to my children?
Why are these things being done to my kids?
And it was very defensive for me.
So yesterday I had to deal with the fact that I had experienced
some things that were traumatic for me.
And now putting it into the factthat he could be president
(14:47):
again, those things were going to come up again for me.
And rationalizing through that now I'm a different person than
I was years ago. Like I've shared before in our
other episodes when it used to be the two of us.
I have gone through therapy. So now I have the tools.
I know what to do. I know how to take self-care.
I know how to step away. This morning I was like still
online, like looking at things, reading things.
I made the posts that I was going to make and said all that.
(15:09):
But then I know now I need to record.
After I'm done recording, I'm going to take a nice bath, eat
good sleep, like actually go andtake like a three hour nap
'cause I work tonight. So it's like I'm doing all these
things to also get myself ready to also go to work, a work that
I do where it's like I'm giving myself and I'm being of service.
And so it's like making sure I'min the good mental space.
(15:29):
So now I'm equipped with it. I know how to go about doing it,
but it doesn't mean that it's still easy.
It's just that I know the tools,I know the steps to take.
I know when to step back. I know when to do this or do
that. So as I'm processing everything,
I realized that there was traumathere.
So trying to work through that and I know I can't be the only
one. I mean, George Floyd happened
for a reason because that is theclimate that we were living in.
(15:51):
I don't understand how people can forget all of that, all in
the name of, oh, this is the person right now to fix the
economy. And I shared a video on TikTok
where I talked about it because I'm like, the whole world is
suffering right now. I know sometimes we're so used
to us being the center of the world that we believe that
certain things are only happening to us.
So if you don't have a worldview, you are literally
(16:11):
going to think like, we are struggling right now and if this
person comes in, he's going to save us.
No, not necessarily. So everybody is feeling the
fallout from the COVID pandemic.People are suffering all over
the world. The only difference here is
sometimes I always tell everybody, we are now able to
say I'm in America. I can go look for a second job.
Like there, there's going to be something that you can do to
pull from even when stuff gets super hard, you can say I'm
(16:34):
going to go get assistance wherewe came from, our countries back
home in Africa. There is no social blanket for
you. Sometimes even find the one job
is hard, let alone let me go geta second job.
There's none of that. There's no safety net.
So even though things are tough right now, they're not even as
tough as what other people are experiencing.
So this thing about, oh, this one person is going to fix it.
(16:56):
It's a global issue that's happening right now.
What we actually need is somebody who has the ability to
go into office and work with others, not insult the people
who we have borrowed so much money from and act like you're
going to come in here and just be the emperor and tell
everybody what they're going to do.
An authoritarian like that's notgoing to work the way the world
is leading. You have many new countries that
(17:16):
are now taking on the world's stage that want to have just as
much say in power. So you need somebody that
actually has the ability to share that with other people,
can still put the interest of America first, but still has the
ability to negotiate, to have a give and take, to have us be
harmonious right on the world stage.
And I don't believe that the individual that we have in there
right now is it because you're talking about removing America
(17:37):
from this, removing us from thisMake America great again.
But it's all going to be like, no, we have to get better at
being world citizens. When I come on here, I'm just
sharing things, giving you from my perspective, one of the
things I like to do is I like towatch news from other countries.
OK, The local news is all fine and dandy.
Why carrots are bad for you today.
You know, let's let's check it out.
We're going to watch. We need to know what's happening
locally, but even if it's once aweek, I encourage you and it's
(18:00):
so accessible to us. Every single country will have a
news outlet that is on YouTube. So it doesn't need to be a daily
thing. But at least once a week, you
know, Sky News, you can watch them to hear about news that's
happening in the UK and Europe and they'll cover it.
And they do a great job too of covering stories from around the
world. So you're going to get that.
I also watch France 24. They have the English version,
(18:22):
they have the French. If you speak French, you know,
go ahead and do that. I like watching Arise news from
Nigeria. What if a part of the world that
you might be interesting? These are the ones I keep tabs
on for the most part. I make sure I watch those.
But if you want to watch news from Australia, if that's what
excites you, they will have channels on there.
And I realize it's because for some degree, I'm a child of
immigrants, so I'm an outsider coming in and I already have a
(18:45):
worldview coming in. But it's something like we
innately have to teach. Even with my kids now, like what
I was talking about, I make surethey watch those things.
I make sure they understand thisis what's going on in Nigeria
because, you know, my husband's Nigerian.
So it's important for them to understand this is what's going
on in Sierra Leone. Even when I'm not there in
Sierra Leone, I can tell you if something important is
happening, I am aware of it. It is so, so, so important for
(19:07):
us to have a better world view because when you have a better
world view, you realize how small you are.
And in every aspect of life, that is sometimes the key.
You feel like you're having so much issues, so much struggle.
It's not the struggle Olympics, but being more aware of like on
the grand scheme of things, thisis what other people are feeling
and this is what other people are experiencing.
And yes, this is rough. I'm feeling the emotions right
(19:27):
now. It's raw.
I'm going to work through it. But at the end of the day, I
know that it's not even as bad as it can be.
But I think we have to get to this point where it's like being
taught more to our young people,just being part of our
consciousness, more of being world citizens.
Because I think when we go from that place of knowing that we
have a role in our country, but we also have a role globally,
which is how a lot of people think.
(19:48):
That's why even when people are not part of our country, they're
not part of our society. They know we had an election
yesterday. They know what's at stake.
They will even be asked, who areyou going to vote for?
And I promise you, the person weput into office yesterday was
not the person who a lot of people abroad will put into
office, OK, because they cannot even understand some of the
stuff that's going on here sometimes.
This problem that we have in America is because we do not
(20:10):
have that ability to teach our people about being world
citizens, and we don't foster itbecause then everything has kind
of been revolved around us. Look at how the dollar is at the
center of the world economy. So we're so used to everything
being based around us that we don't feel the need to.
When was the last time you knew what was going on in other parts
of the world? If Americans had a better world
(20:31):
view, they will know that The Economic Times that we're facing
right now, it's not just us, it's the entire world.
So then they will see that the solution to that, like I've said
before, is somebody who's going to come in and is going to bring
the world together, is going to be able to make deals with other
countries, is going to take some, you know, compromise and
do all of that. That is the key to us moving
forward and is going to understand that the key to
(20:53):
America being great in this future that we are moving into
is not just by her being great by herself.
There are other stakeholders nowthat America has to share the
stage with. And it's in her ability to do
that, that in a civil way, her ability to do it in a humble
way. That's what's going to lead her
forward to be in the position that she's going to be.
(21:14):
I have no doubt, because as America, we ask for the best
that everybody has to give and say, come here, come be with us,
come to America. So we're we're still attracting
the best that the world has to offer.
So we're always going to be players on the global stage.
We're always going to do what isnecessary, like we're going to
get it done. But it looks different, right?
Again, when we move from fear, when we don't fully understand
(21:36):
what we are dealing with, like on the global stage, then you
think that it's only that miniscule thing that you're
going through right now. So one of the things I saw
online was people saying there are people who literally said
they're voting for Trump again because they got a $1200 check.
And then somebody has told them,I guess somewhere that if they
vote for him again, he's going to give out those COVID checks.
And they don't even understand how basic economy works because
(21:58):
that money that they gave you, when inflation and all these
things have happened back, I promise you they have gotten
back more than that $1200 they gave you.
Nothing is ever given for free like it was given because it was
a way to make sure that our economy doesn't crash.
So they pumped all this money back into the system.
But those very politicians have told you the reason why
inflation was the way it is, things were difficult was that
(22:18):
they were trying to get back that excess money that they had
pumped into the government, right?
So that's why we felt things theway we did because they had put
so much money out there and theyare not going to be satisfied
until all that money is gun. So that's why you went from
having a savings of $70,000 justsitting there and you could
travel whenever you could do whatever.
And now things are so expensive or whatever.
(22:38):
And maybe your 70 has now dwindled down to 20 and they're
telling you we ain't going to stop until we'll leave you with
maybe 10,000. But we're going to do whatever
we got to do until we get all ofthat back.
That's me explaining it like on an elementary level.
But I think once people understand that, then whatever
basic ideas have been sold, you'll not get easily fooled.
Because again, like I'm saying, when you really get to think
(22:59):
about the whole world, the way everybody exists, it just puts
everything into better perspective.
So I encourage my listeners and those who you are related to,
like push each other in real life to be better world
citizens. Travel when you get the chance
to other countries. Traveling alone does a great job
of just exposing you to other people's cultures.
(23:19):
But a lot of times when you travel, you get to really see
the blessings that you have here, but you also get to see
like the areas that we can improve and sometimes the things
that are given to us based off of this idea of exceptionalism.
Like you get to learn so much. So travel as much as you can.
That idea of like somebody telling me, Oh my gosh, I grew
up in this little country town and me going to the city, that's
(23:39):
enough adventure. I've never left.
No, I need you to branch out, branch.
I'll even go on visiting all thestates if that's all you can do.
But travel. And when you get the chance to
do any kind of international travel, take it, please.
I cannot stress that enough. Again, going back to my point, I
felt like if the regular American people had a better
world view, then the choice would have been very easy to
(24:00):
make. But when they are moved by fear,
whether it's fear of immigrants,fear of the economy, and then
they think, OK, we put these people into power, things are
going to change for us. No.
So these are all the things thatwe are dealing with.
These are the realities of everything that is in front of
us. And it's like, I don't know how
(24:22):
the decision was made if it's just based off of a check and of
the fact that all groceries are expensive right now.
Like if you had all that information, if you had a bigger
world picture, I can guarantee you that decision would not have
been what it was. But here we are.
But I felt a lot of things today, a lot of emotions.
And like I said, now I have the tool to work through a lot of
(24:42):
them. So I know I'll get on the other
side. But I just want to encourage
anybody out there feel your emotions.
Emotions are there for a reason,right?
Don't let anybody convince you that, you know, you need to be
at this place or you need to be over it by now.
Feel what you're going to feel, But I know that you have to now
get up when you're done feeling all the things that you're going
to feel. This is not the time to relent.
(25:03):
This is the time for us to be smart.
Be smart about how you're approaching things.
Be smart about how you are engaging.
Be smart about every single movethat you're making.
And I think we are going to see the other side.
A lot of the people in the faithspace have been saying that, you
know, at the end of the day, youleave everything in God's hands.
I truly believe in that. Like you're still going to do
what you have to do. So if you didn't vote during the
(25:24):
season, I don't want to hear nothing about what you're saying
about leaving things in God's hands because you still need to
do what you need to do. If I have a sickness and they
say take this medicine, I'm still going to take the
medicine, but still believe thatGod is going to heal me.
Like we have to reconcile that we cannot just be living off of
the La La land of OK, well, I believe God is going to do it.
And then you're not doing your own practical steps.
(25:44):
Like you need to do practical things and at the same time have
faith. After you've done all you can,
as Donnie McClurkin said, then you stand, then you kneel, then
you pray. But you're not going to just be
out here just praying and wishful thinking.
But you're not doing your part and you're not doing all that
you can. So if you feel like you did all
that you could during this election cycle and the result is
(26:04):
what it is, that's part of, you know, life.
That's part of journeying with God.
It's like you have to trust thathis will will be done, that
which he has in mind will be done.
And a lot of times when I have trust him with my personal life,
with things, even when he didn'tmake sense at the time, later on
it comes together and it's a beautiful thing.
So this is no different. Of course I'm disappointed right
now. Of course I'm mad, I'm angry and
(26:24):
feeling all these emotions, but I'm not going to stay there.
I'm going to leave it eventuallyand I'm going to move forward
and I'm going to trust that God is still in control and He's
going to have me in his hands. But it doesn't mean that I don't
get to work. So I'm still going to do the
things that I have to do to position myself, position those
who I love, try the very best I can.
And then when I've reached my limit, if I ever reach my limit,
(26:45):
I'm always leaving it to him andsaying you'd be in control.
You take the reins. And that's how I'm going to go
about doing it. Last episode, I kind of shared
that I was, you know, going through this thing of tithing.
And I've been reading the word of God a lot and I've been in
Malachi a lot. So I wanted to share this
because I felt like if when I was, you know, growing up, if
this part of the Bible about tithing was taught to me more,
(27:08):
it would have made me see thingsdifferently.
So I was in Malachi 3 and I believe is verse 8 to 10 and it
was talking about how God was saying like you robbed me and he
says, why would you say we rob you God And it's like in your
tithes and in your offering. And then he explains, you know,
you bring your tithe into the storehouse.
(27:28):
That may be food in my house. Test me said the Lord.
But then after that, because I think we always stop at verse
10. I think what I was taught, you
know, growing up in the church, we always left it at verse 10.
But then I kept on reading and this it was because I was in
Malachi, right? So I kept on reading and verse
11 was so important to me that Ihad to share because he says I
(27:50):
will prevent like the pest from devouring your crops.
The vines in your field will notdrop fruit before it's ripe.
OK. I thought that was so important.
I think verse 11, Malachi chapter 3, verse 11, I feel like
that's the part that is the mostimportant part, but we have
missed it all these years. Yes, God was asking us.
(28:10):
I've shared this before. Like what I'm learning so far
from my tithing is that it's important for it to be the first
fruits of your labor. So the first fruits that you
get, you give it back to God forhim providing for you.
But even more important because you, you know, we've been told
before, you know, when you give,he's going to give you more than
sufficiency. He's going to give you more than
enough and that's important and that's where a lot of people
have left it. But I felt like the next verse
(28:32):
was so important because it's also saying like you give so I
can give you provision. You give so that I can get the
timing of your life right. You give so I can have
protection over you. And I don't know about anybody
else, but I know I've experienced enough things where
the provision, the protection, the right timing, it is more
important than the providing above sufficiency.
(28:55):
I'm just being honest because sometimes you can have
abundance, but if things are nothappening at the right time, how
fruitful is that? The timing of things is so
important. So I am tithing.
I think if more people know about this, it might change like
how they perceive tithing. Like you're tithing because a
lot of people will think you're tithing because you're expecting
God to give it to you back, press down.
So it's like kind of like it's almost like a selfish motive
(29:16):
anyways. But if you found out that I'm
actually tithing because I need His protection, He's going to
protect me from things that I don't see.
Like where we say things that you might see, but things that
are unseen, those things that you don't even have any Privy to
that are going on behind the scenes that you might not know
where they're coming from. Like that's why you're tithing
for protection. And then you're tithing because
he's going to put the right things in your life in the right
(29:37):
season. Like your fruit will not drop
before it's ready to. That is so important.
So I wanted to just share that because when I read that this
week, I was like, why did nobodyteach me this in Sunday school?
Why was nobody talking about this?
And why is nobody still talking about this right now?
Every time we talk about the press down, shaking together,
running over, yes, that's there too.
But we need to talk about the protection, the right timing, so
(29:58):
crucial, so important. So I wanted to share that
because, you know, as I'm tithing, as I'm reading more, I
decided to just get more into the word.
That's like my routine of like before I even make the decision,
OK, what church am I going to donext?
I spend time in the word. I'm praying so that that way my
decision is not just based off of my own knowing, but it's
based off of God saying, OK, do this and go here.
(30:18):
So I thought that was an important thing to share last
week. I was talking about how, I mean,
the process of, you know, just when I get through with this
stuff to be in a better place tomake a decision as to where I am
and where I'm going. And I think I'm at the same
answer this week, which is, well, that wasn't last week,
that was a couple weeks ago. But I think I'm still had the
same answer even where I am today, which is that I'm just
(30:40):
going to go based off of where Iam now.
And however God needs to change me or move me or whatever he
needs to do, he's going to do it.
But he called me Antonia, me as I am right now.
He didn't say go forth and be this person.
Go forth and be that person. He said you as you are, I want
you and this is what I want fromyou.
So if I am in alignment with what he wants, he will do all
(31:02):
the work and he will do all the fixing and he will do all the
rearranging. My job is to just show up.
And that's what I'm hoping to dohere.
And that's why I haven't shared what I shared this week about,
OK, it's been rough out here. I've been going through stuff
and then of course the election stuff and all of that.
But regardless, I still showed up to this mic anyways, and I
knew I had to record this secondepisode.
So what do I want to leave you guys with this week 1?
(31:24):
Take care of yourself. self-careis important.
If you voted in a way that you know you weren't happy with
during this election season, youknow, take your time.
Take as much time as you need. Feel all your emotions.
You know, I used to be the type of person like sometimes, like
even when I cry, I'm like tryingto hide it that I'm crying.
And one of the great things about my therapist should just
be like, cry, like, just let it out.
(31:44):
It's OK. Like, you know, she was just the
sweetest lady, you know? So feel your emotions.
They're there for a reason, so feel all of them.
If it's anger, feel it. Obviously don't go around like
punching the wall or nothing, but you know, feel the anger.
Ask yourself, why am I angry right now?
What am I angry about? Always ask because there's a
reason, right? So what is it that has been
represented for you? Ask yourself that.
(32:05):
Work through it. And then we get up and we make a
plan and we keep it moving and we keep it going because we're
going to, I mean, we have no choice, right?
So once you deal with it, once you process it, you put it where
it needs to be. We get to working.
And one of the things I want to leave you guys with is, you
know, everything that that campaign represented for me that
I was against. I feel like it's like a thing
(32:26):
for me now in my life to make sure I'm living my life in
opposition to that. So when you hear the word
opposition, now you're thinking,you know what the young people
now say you're the OPS, you know, you're thinking guns and
but no, it's like I'm living my life opposite of that.
So if this person was, in my opinion, a bigot, I'm making
sure that everything I'm I am existing how I'm moving.
(32:46):
I'm not that because I don't want to be represented by that.
If that person, you know, is against people coming into this
country, I am going to make sureeverything about me says
opposite of that. So what does that mean?
My neighbors that might be immigrants, I'm reaching out to
them and offering help and doinglike that's how I feel like
you're going to exist and still have your peace in this time is
(33:07):
let it highlight for you all theugliness that you do not want to
be. And then you strive in this life
to be opposite of everything that represents.
And I also saw some stuff about just people saying like, you
know, faith and how now it's going to be hard for people to
go to church. Look, let me tell you one thing.
You're going to find all types of people in church, just like
how you going to find all types of people in the world.
(33:28):
But you never allow human beings, things that you're going
through to keep you away from the love of God or from his
calling on your life or his presence being in your life.
Because guess what? When the time comes, it's going
to be you and him in judgment. He doesn't care that some guy
who talked to you crazy was going to the church.
He's asking for a relationship with you.
So your relationship with him isnot dependent on who's at a
(33:51):
church, who's running a church. You can always go and find one
that you know soothes your soul that aligns with you.
But at the end of the day, it's about your relationship with
him. And in the meantime of you
trying to figure out, OK, if I don't want to go to this church
anymore because my pastor there was reaching about, you know,
voting for this candidate, and Idon't agree with that.
So now I need to go find somewhere else.
In the meantime, you should be getting in the word.
You should be studying it anyways.
(34:12):
You should be trying to foster your own relationship with him.
So that's my only thing I have to say there.
Do not let the actions, like I said, it's just unfortunate that
our country puts, you know, faith with one group and then
it's like the other group shouldbe the heathen.
I voted Democratic and I think I'm a person of faith.
I think I'm driven by faith. So like these ideas that we have
put together and say it must be this way.
(34:32):
It doesn't have to be that way. I can be part of the Democratic
Party. I voted Democratic my whole
life, but I still have certain things within the party that I'm
like, OK, you're all tripping right now.
I don't like that or I don't agree with that.
But then there are things that you guys do do right that I do
see, and I support it. So do not let people sway you
from having a relationship with God.
That's personal to you. Because guess what?
In the times that we're about togo into, you need something
(34:54):
bigger than, you know, a drink, wine, to get through the times
that we're about to head into, you need faith.
You need that to be a rock to steady you, to be a compass to
guide you as you go through these times.
And I do believe we're going to make it on the other side.
It's going to be an interesting road to say the least.
But I think one thing that has been present at least I can
(35:15):
speak for my lifetime and time again is that, you know, once I
have my mind set on God, knowingthat he's there for me, He sets
everything. He everything that's meant to
happen will happen once. I always have that in place, no
matter what is happening. My whole world can be crumbling.
It can be falling apart. I will have seasons of being
down or whatever, but I always bounce back.
I always make it. Why?
Because I always go back to his word and find comfort in his
(35:36):
word. When in my quiet times, in my
times of solace, I always go back to that.
So as long as that's my foundation, I can't lose.
So that's all I got to say to usright now.
Those of us that are, you know, we're feeling it, we're going
through it. You can't lose though.
You can't lose, so cry your tears, dust off, you know your
shoulder. Do what you got to do, pick
yourself up. But just remember, you can't
(35:57):
lose because you have God on your side that no matter what
somebody is doing, no matter howmuch of a dark place, no matter
what, if maybe this happened to you and you're like, man, I have
to change the way how I see America right now.
And it might be bleak and you, you're going to work through
some stuff, whatever it is, justknow that you will make it on
the other side and it will be OK.
You will be OK. I firmly believe that I know
(36:18):
I'll be OK. So you will be OK as well?
Well, books that I'm reading. So I just got done reading Rich
AF. I'm trying to remember the name
of the author, but I told you guys on the last episode that I
was working on just getting somethings together financially and
one of those is like my own personal finance.
So the book is Rich AF by Viviantoo.
(36:39):
I love it. I've just got done reading it,
so I will recommend it for any of my girlies out there that are
just like, you know what, let mejust learn a little bit more
about finances and getting myself in order.
So that's one of the one of my goals.
It's actually like a two year gold.
So it's not one I'm going to be done with this year.
By the end of this year, I'll behalfway done with my plan.
But then next year I have my other half of the plan of what
I'm trying to do. But I just wanted to just have a
(37:01):
handle of my finances. And then I'm like, let me
educate myself as much as possible, reconciling that I've
made mistakes along the way, butI'm learning from them and I'm
trying to be better. So then, you know, I'm taking it
to the next level. It kept me engaged.
There are things I already learned that it kind of
solidified it for me and it justhelped me just realized like I
was thinking a lot in the right way already.
(37:22):
So like this book kind of just like solidified by certain
things for me. So I think it was a great read
and I recommend it. A song of the week.
So let's see, what am I listening to this week?
My gospel song of the week. I mean, my playlist is like
never ending. It just goes on and on and on.
But let's see, you know, I like that Toby Nigue anointing song.
(37:43):
It's very short. It's by Toby Nigue, Ivory Nigue
and Yael Hilton. Her voice divine, but you know,
anointing the typical song that we know or that you should know
from, you know, church, right. But her voice is just beautiful
and I just love his interpretation.
My husband was listening to his whole album actually, and you
know, he's speaking stuff there that's like catch some people
(38:04):
off guard. But I always feel like the
essence of what he's talking about I always align with and I
agree with. So I like Toby Negwe.
So that's my gospel song of the week.
And yeah, it's crazy, right? Because he's not even a gospel
artist. But that's the beauty of it.
That's the beauty of it, don't you know?
And then my regular song of the week, I'm liking this Black
(38:27):
Sheriff rebel music. OK, you already know Black
Sheriff if you knew from last season.
I like him already. OK, I already like it.
Oh, my gosh, there's another song that I love, but that would
be my song for next week. But this Black Sheriff Rebel
music, when the moment I heard it, I was like, it needs to be
on my playlist. And before I go, just make sure
part of yourself care is laughing, finding joy.
(38:48):
Find the things that you've like.
So if you like to paint, paint this week for me, I love comedy,
right? So I'm always looking for like
funny videos. I'm watching stand up comedy.
I like to laugh. You know, I like to make people
laugh. I think I'm funny when when
people around me, a lot of timesthey're going to crack and you
know, laugh or two, you know, I think I'm hilarious to a certain
degree, you know, So find the things that bring you joy.
(39:08):
Hang on to them and hang on to them tight.
OK, I love you guys and I will catch you guys on the next
episode hopefully. Even though we started this
episode on a down note, I hope by the time you're leaving it
now you're on the up and I will see you next time.
Thank you so much for listening and thank you for coming along
with me. I hope you guys have a blessed
and wonderful day and a blessed and a wonderful week.
(39:31):
All right, bye guys. You just finished an episode of
Banta with Tony. Did you like it?
I hope you had a great time and that you have some takeaways
from this episode. But before you go, I want to ask
you one thing, and that is to share this episode or this
entire podcast with a friend, family member, or acquaintance.
(39:53):
Because remember, when you have something good, you need to talk
about it, you need to share it, and you need to shout it from
the rooftops. So go on and let people know in
your life that you have this wonderful podcast that you would
like to share with them. I appreciate you.
I appreciate your time, your support and everything else in
between. And remember, if you do it, I
have to talk about it. Have a great week.
Welcome to Banta with Tony. Join me as I share stories about
motherhood, faith, life, love, and everything else in between.
I promise we'll also have some fun along the way, and I hope
that the time we spend together will end up being some of the
highlights of your week. Thank you for coming along well.
(00:22):
Hello everybody. So I usually like to record a
couple weeks ahead of time, but over the last week or so I've
just not been able to get to, you know, being ahead.
I had some things happening personally and I had some things
that were happening like just a bunch of things coming together
(00:44):
all at once. So I was not able to record
ahead. And now I look at it and I think
it was actually good that I wasn't able to because today is
Wednesday, November 6th. That's when I'm recording this
second episode. And the way I had everything
planned, I should be recording episode 4 by now.
But here I am recording Episode 2, and I think it cannot come at
(01:06):
a much better time than this. If you have not woken up yet, if
you have been living under a rock, you will not have known
that the elections happened yesterday and we now have a
second term with Trump, who's going to be the president.
And there's so many emotions right now.
Even as I was trying to decide if I'm going to record today, I
(01:27):
was like, man, should I get on here and record?
There was a part of me that was like, OK, maybe I'm just going
to be too emotional. But there was a part of me that
thought, this isn't necessary. And the only thing I kept
thinking about was if I say that, you know, this is what I
want to do. This is what I want to put out
out here. If I say I'm going to be a
creative person in this way, if I say I'm in a space where I
(01:48):
want God to use me, I have to beable to even in difficult times,
even in times when I don't want to, I don't feel good.
Like I said, there are many different things even happening
personally. And then on top of that, this
collective emotions that we're all feeling right now, I still
have to be able to move forward because it's my belief that at
least I'm going to get out here and put something out into the
(02:12):
world. And whoever it's meant to touch,
whoever is meant to hear it, whoever is meant to come under
my voice, it will happen. So this is going to be a
different episode because it's not going to have like the
format that I usually try to follow.
I will still cover probably mostof the points to stay consistent
with how I usually do this show.But usually, you know, like, we
(02:32):
talk about pop culture, but I don't think there's anything
more important right now than what just happened yesterday.
And as I'm even trying to process it, I thought, you know,
we're all going to process it together.
Well, me and my audience at least.
So leading up to this, obviously, when Kamala Harris
announced that she was going to run for, you know, presidency, I
(02:53):
was elated. There have been certain things
that I've had in the past before.
I've had choice words for some of the actions that she's taken.
But I know that it's because shewas at the time, representing,
you know, America on the global stage.
And I remember one of them was in relation to how she had gone
to Ghana for a visit. And I did not appreciate the way
she spoke to the Ghanaian people, especially the
(03:15):
politicians there, because I just felt like it was like, OK,
you're from the outside looking in.
You cannot go into somebody else's country.
You don't know all the conditions of everything that
they're fighting there. You don't.
I know the history there. So it's like just approaching it
from a place of just like humility.
That's where I was coming from. So I'm like, OK, I know you're
still doing your job, but you can't go out there and tell
people how to run their own country.
You can have differences in how you believe things should be
(03:37):
done. But like, you know, it is what
it is. So I wanted to highlight that
because I feel like that's lost these days.
You can support somebody becauseyou agree with the greater
cause, but it does not mean thatyou agree with them on every
single facet, every single issuethat they are with, right?
Like you understand the impact, you understand what they stand
(04:00):
for, you understand what there is to gain.
It's almost like you're doing like a cost benefit analysis.
So you're sitting there and you're going to say, OK, what am
I to gain here and what am I to lose here?
And obviously for you personally, as long as the
benefits outweigh the cost, thenyou're like, it's worth it.
I mean, that's how anybody that is about anything in this life
should make decisions. You don't just go based off of
just emotions and feelings. They always tell you, you know,
(04:23):
think through it critically because then you realize it's
not worth it. Like, should I argue with this
person right now? What is the benefit and what is
the cost? And if you know, if I am going
to go the routes and saying I need to put you in a place and
tell you a few things, how am I still going to do it where I
still stay on top, right? So it's that idea of like we, we
(04:43):
always have to think through things.
So I say that to say, just because there are certain issues
or certain things that she had done in the past that I did not
agree with, did not mean that when it was in front of me to
say as a black woman in this country, to go ahead and to vote
for her for what she stood for, for a lot of the policies that
she had that I agreed with, thatI aligned with.
And still knowing that there arecertain things within the
Democratic Party of how they do certain things that I don't
(05:04):
necessarily align with and I don't agree with.
But the greater good that which was good, I weighed everything
else. So I went ahead and that's how I
casted my vote. The things that are essential to
me. So whether it's her stance on
immigration, because she herselfis a child of immigrants that
came to this country from India and from Jamaica.
So that's a big part of my identity as a child of
immigrants in this country as well.
(05:25):
So looking at all those issues, that's how I came to make that
decision. I think going in, I knew at the
back of my head where I am. Unfortunately, I've experienced
because I moved to America when I was 12.
I lived up north in Minnesota for the longest time and then I
moved to Oklahoma and then I lived in Ohio for a little bit
and then I moved. So Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma,
(05:49):
and then moved to Texas. I'm just a Midwestern girl and
I've kind of worked my way from the very top and found my way
all to the bottom. So I think even in my limited
experience, because I've never lived on either of the coasts,
even in my limited experience, Ithink I've gotten like, I've
grasped a lot about what Americais.
And I think sometimes if people have spent their whole life
(06:11):
living on like either coast, butthey have not really experienced
the Midwest, I don't think they really have an idea of the
essence of what America is and what America stands for.
So knowing that, knowing the varied experiences I've had in
this country, I've played it allout.
So I was like, if she wins, it'sgoing to be a hard one.
Like they're going to fight her for four years on every single
(06:32):
thing. It's not going to be any
different from when Barack Obamawas in there.
And anytime she wants to turn left, they're going to be right.
They're going Nope, right. Anytime she wants to go up,
they're going to be like, Nope, down.
She's not going to have any breathing room.
So I already knew, like, if she even won, it was going to be a
hard road ahead. And then there was a part of me
that was just like, well, is sheable to at least convince the
(06:52):
young people or people who couldbe undecided?
Because I already knew from the get go, if you were for Trump,
if you wanted Trump in office, this was not the time to try to
come out after you and try to convince you otherwise.
Like, there was no point in that.
But it was for the undecided voters.
I felt like they really were theones deciding.
The undecided, the young people,the people who are still maybe
(07:12):
like on the fence, they're like not sure if they're going to
vote because every time we have an election, not everybody
participates. I think when I started looking
at the stats for this election, even in my own little part of
the world that I'm in here, we had about half a million people
registered to vote in my little county.
And only like, I think 360 something 1000 people actually
voted. So usually that's typical as far
(07:35):
as like maybe 60% of people get to vote.
So really sometimes it's not about changing the minds of
those who have already made-up their minds.
It's about getting those who areindifferent, those who don't
care and how they're going to goabout doing it.
So the way I was processing everything in my head was like,
I was like, OK, well, if she canfind a way to get those people
who were going to sit this one out and say I'm not part of it,
maybe she can have a chance. And I really believed that it
(07:58):
was going to be a very close race and that it was really
going to come down to the nitty gritty.
But I believe that she was goingto have a little edge because it
was a part of me that still believed like this idea of the
American dream that brought us here, right?
This idea, you come, you follow certain things, you do certain
things. You can achieve greatness.
You can be. I mean, what other form of
(08:19):
greatness can you achieve other than becoming the next
president? Like, you can be the child of
immigrants and as long as they did certain things or you did
certain things, I'm sure that woman has made so many
sacrifices in her life and life has not been easy for her in so
many ways. But she still kept going.
She still kept pushing, holding on to the values that were given
to her by her parents, that she can make it to the highest
(08:42):
office in the land. So there was a part of me that
still believed in that. However, because I have
conversations with people in my life, I'm not a stranger.
If you know me in personal life,you know that we're going to
talk about politics. And if you are the kind of
friend I can't talk to you aboutpolitics, we can still entertain
that relationship. But I mean, what am I going to
do here if we can't talk about nitty gritty?
Like we can talk about fashion, style, home decor, all those
(09:04):
other things, but I also need toknow where you stand too.
Like it shapes so much and I'm not somebody that's like not
willing to be friends with somebody that has opposing views
to me. I just need to know where you
stand. I just need to know how you
think you can come to me and vote for a totally different
party, But like, let everything that's coming out of your mouth
still make sense. Let 1 + 1 equal 2.
Like let me see a logic there. You don't have to be on my side,
(09:25):
but I need you to be a logical human being.
So, you know, that's what I was thinking.
I was like, OK, it's going to behard if she wins.
How she could win is by getting the people that were not going
to vote before to get out there and vote for her.
And then we're just going to take it from there.
Over the couple weeks, as I was also watching too, I know that
there were some things that werebeing said on the Republican
(09:47):
side that were just like very unchristian, like, right?
And this is a party that praisesthat they are for Christian
values and they have branded themselves as such.
And I'm like, what is going on here?
And so for me, what I was looking for from a lot of the
Christian leaders was this idea,Like, I think sometimes in
American culture we have come tojust create these dichotomies
(10:08):
and sometimes there is no breathing room in between.
So it's like Republican Christian values.
When you're Democrat, then it's a free for all.
It doesn't have to be that way. You can exist in the middle,
right? I remember reading about
Condoleezza Rice. She was one of like the top
black women growing up that I looked up to in politics and all
(10:29):
those things. She was a Republican.
In all my adult life that I've ever voted, I've never voted as
a Republican. I've always voted Democratic.
But I can promise you that I've had people that I've looked up
to, people that have done thingsthat I've admired, that I can
probably tell you without a doubt, we're members of the
Republican Party. So it was about what she stood
for, the way she went about her life.
(10:49):
Obviously being a black woman inthis country, like I could still
find common ground with her and still align with her.
I didn't have to be 1 or the other.
The way we do parties in this country is like, OK, if I'm a
Christian, I must vote for Republicans.
No, like if you're doing something that's not Christ,
like if I'm saying that's what I'm basing all of it on, if
we're saying we're going to be neutral from this neutral place,
if you, even though you say thatyou're a Christian values party,
(11:12):
if you're doing things that are not Christ like, I have to call
you out. Just like how if on the
Democratic side they're doing things that are not Christ like,
I have to call them out. And then when it's time for me
to vote, I have to look at the essence of what you represent
and do at the end of the day, what is good and clear for my
conscience. I don't think anybody should
vote a certain way just because,oh, I'm Christian, I should
always vote Republican. I don't think that makes sense.
(11:32):
You're going to follow whatever convictions are given to you.
You're the one doing the analysis for yourself.
Whatever you have looked at and said, OK, this party, they might
not be perfect in this way, but they do this and this.
And this really, truly aligns with who I say I am and what God
calls me to be. As long as you're comfortable
with that and you can go back tothe word of God and use it as
your litmus test, then you're good to go.
So that's how I viewed it. And I just felt like there were
(11:53):
a lot of Christian leaders that I was looking at.
And I'm like, OK, so this guy issaying some outrageous things.
These things are being done. You probably have people that
are part of your congregation that belong to these groups that
he's talking about crazily. I mean, everything is coming
under attack. And we're just like, well, you
know, God is the one that is my president.
And I'm like, God is the king ofyour life.
(12:14):
We're not saying that you don't have anything through to him,
but I needed something that was more tangible, like call out
when something is wrong. I was watching something and
it's like praying for both candidates.
I agree with that. You should, but it was like I
pray for him to change and I'm like, what planet are we on?
Like you can just say God give wisdom or whatever.
That man might hold the Bible togo and give a speech, but I
(12:36):
highly doubt that it runs every part of his life.
But then you are now being used in that way to propagate his
agenda to do his things under the pretense of like, he's a
Christian. So that already kind of like,
threw me off. So that's how I was feeling
leading up to that. It was a lot of emotions.
I was going through some things personally, and I still am, that
I had a little bit of a break from work, but I actually needed
(12:58):
that time to just kind of like chill and mellow leading up to
the elections because I had voted early.
So this morning when I woke up and I saw the results that I
saw, I already saw like the writing on the wall yesterday.
But I was still hopeful because I'm like, OK, if she gets this
state or this state or this state, it might be a close one,
but we can still clench it. So when I woke up and I look and
it said he had one, I was just like, Oh my gosh.
(13:19):
And yesterday before I went to bed, one of the things I was
already feeling was anxiety because I remember the state of
the country when he was leading last time.
It's like a free for all, right?So it's like every time he got a
mic in front of him, he would say outrageous things, things
that will incite people to let out all their bigotry and all
their hatred. Like it was a war zone.
(13:41):
And I think if you live in certain states, you will not
even understand or experience what I'm talking about.
But that's why I'm saying this Midwest and like, moving your
way down South is something you should experience in your
lifetime if you live in this country.
Because I think a lot of people who, like, live on either coast,
when they hear people share these stories about things that
they were experienced, you'll belike, I know you lying.
Not in 2024. I know that can't be true, but
(14:05):
it is happening. It is a reality and I just know
what I experienced. And even for me, I feel like I'm
a very strong person. I feel like I go through a lot
of things, but I know how to putthem accordingly, how to deal
with them. It doesn't mean I don't have the
emotions. I'm going to cry, I'm going to
be sad, I'm going to be angry, I'm going to have all of those.
But eventually, when the dust settles, I always know how to
compartmentalize and how to put things.
(14:26):
But when it comes to my kids, when stuff was happening and it
was even affecting my children, Oh my gosh, that's where I drew
the line because I'm just like, what is happening here?
Why are these things being said to my children?
Why are these things being done to my kids?
And it was very defensive for me.
So yesterday I had to deal with the fact that I had experienced
some things that were traumatic for me.
And now putting it into the factthat he could be president
(14:47):
again, those things were going to come up again for me.
And rationalizing through that now I'm a different person than
I was years ago. Like I've shared before in our
other episodes when it used to be the two of us.
I have gone through therapy. So now I have the tools.
I know what to do. I know how to take self-care.
I know how to step away. This morning I was like still
online, like looking at things, reading things.
I made the posts that I was going to make and said all that.
(15:09):
But then I know now I need to record.
After I'm done recording, I'm going to take a nice bath, eat
good sleep, like actually go andtake like a three hour nap
'cause I work tonight. So it's like I'm doing all these
things to also get myself ready to also go to work, a work that
I do where it's like I'm giving myself and I'm being of service.
And so it's like making sure I'min the good mental space.
(15:29):
So now I'm equipped with it. I know how to go about doing it,
but it doesn't mean that it's still easy.
It's just that I know the tools,I know the steps to take.
I know when to step back. I know when to do this or do
that. So as I'm processing everything,
I realized that there was traumathere.
So trying to work through that and I know I can't be the only
one. I mean, George Floyd happened
for a reason because that is theclimate that we were living in.
(15:51):
I don't understand how people can forget all of that, all in
the name of, oh, this is the person right now to fix the
economy. And I shared a video on TikTok
where I talked about it because I'm like, the whole world is
suffering right now. I know sometimes we're so used
to us being the center of the world that we believe that
certain things are only happening to us.
So if you don't have a worldview, you are literally
(16:11):
going to think like, we are struggling right now and if this
person comes in, he's going to save us.
No, not necessarily. So everybody is feeling the
fallout from the COVID pandemic.People are suffering all over
the world. The only difference here is
sometimes I always tell everybody, we are now able to
say I'm in America. I can go look for a second job.
Like there, there's going to be something that you can do to
pull from even when stuff gets super hard, you can say I'm
(16:34):
going to go get assistance wherewe came from, our countries back
home in Africa. There is no social blanket for
you. Sometimes even find the one job
is hard, let alone let me go geta second job.
There's none of that. There's no safety net.
So even though things are tough right now, they're not even as
tough as what other people are experiencing.
So this thing about, oh, this one person is going to fix it.
(16:56):
It's a global issue that's happening right now.
What we actually need is somebody who has the ability to
go into office and work with others, not insult the people
who we have borrowed so much money from and act like you're
going to come in here and just be the emperor and tell
everybody what they're going to do.
An authoritarian like that's notgoing to work the way the world
is leading. You have many new countries that
(17:16):
are now taking on the world's stage that want to have just as
much say in power. So you need somebody that
actually has the ability to share that with other people,
can still put the interest of America first, but still has the
ability to negotiate, to have a give and take, to have us be
harmonious right on the world stage.
And I don't believe that the individual that we have in there
right now is it because you're talking about removing America
(17:37):
from this, removing us from thisMake America great again.
But it's all going to be like, no, we have to get better at
being world citizens. When I come on here, I'm just
sharing things, giving you from my perspective, one of the
things I like to do is I like towatch news from other countries.
OK, The local news is all fine and dandy.
Why carrots are bad for you today.
You know, let's let's check it out.
We're going to watch. We need to know what's happening
locally, but even if it's once aweek, I encourage you and it's
(18:00):
so accessible to us. Every single country will have a
news outlet that is on YouTube. So it doesn't need to be a daily
thing. But at least once a week, you
know, Sky News, you can watch them to hear about news that's
happening in the UK and Europe and they'll cover it.
And they do a great job too of covering stories from around the
world. So you're going to get that.
I also watch France 24. They have the English version,
(18:22):
they have the French. If you speak French, you know,
go ahead and do that. I like watching Arise news from
Nigeria. What if a part of the world that
you might be interesting? These are the ones I keep tabs
on for the most part. I make sure I watch those.
But if you want to watch news from Australia, if that's what
excites you, they will have channels on there.
And I realize it's because for some degree, I'm a child of
immigrants, so I'm an outsider coming in and I already have a
(18:45):
worldview coming in. But it's something like we
innately have to teach. Even with my kids now, like what
I was talking about, I make surethey watch those things.
I make sure they understand thisis what's going on in Nigeria
because, you know, my husband's Nigerian.
So it's important for them to understand this is what's going
on in Sierra Leone. Even when I'm not there in
Sierra Leone, I can tell you if something important is
happening, I am aware of it. It is so, so, so important for
(19:07):
us to have a better world view because when you have a better
world view, you realize how small you are.
And in every aspect of life, that is sometimes the key.
You feel like you're having so much issues, so much struggle.
It's not the struggle Olympics, but being more aware of like on
the grand scheme of things, thisis what other people are feeling
and this is what other people are experiencing.
And yes, this is rough. I'm feeling the emotions right
(19:27):
now. It's raw.
I'm going to work through it. But at the end of the day, I
know that it's not even as bad as it can be.
But I think we have to get to this point where it's like being
taught more to our young people,just being part of our
consciousness, more of being world citizens.
Because I think when we go from that place of knowing that we
have a role in our country, but we also have a role globally,
which is how a lot of people think.
(19:48):
That's why even when people are not part of our country, they're
not part of our society. They know we had an election
yesterday. They know what's at stake.
They will even be asked, who areyou going to vote for?
And I promise you, the person weput into office yesterday was
not the person who a lot of people abroad will put into
office, OK, because they cannot even understand some of the
stuff that's going on here sometimes.
This problem that we have in America is because we do not
(20:10):
have that ability to teach our people about being world
citizens, and we don't foster itbecause then everything has kind
of been revolved around us. Look at how the dollar is at the
center of the world economy. So we're so used to everything
being based around us that we don't feel the need to.
When was the last time you knew what was going on in other parts
of the world? If Americans had a better world
(20:31):
view, they will know that The Economic Times that we're facing
right now, it's not just us, it's the entire world.
So then they will see that the solution to that, like I've said
before, is somebody who's going to come in and is going to bring
the world together, is going to be able to make deals with other
countries, is going to take some, you know, compromise and
do all of that. That is the key to us moving
forward and is going to understand that the key to
(20:53):
America being great in this future that we are moving into
is not just by her being great by herself.
There are other stakeholders nowthat America has to share the
stage with. And it's in her ability to do
that, that in a civil way, her ability to do it in a humble
way. That's what's going to lead her
forward to be in the position that she's going to be.
(21:14):
I have no doubt, because as America, we ask for the best
that everybody has to give and say, come here, come be with us,
come to America. So we're we're still attracting
the best that the world has to offer.
So we're always going to be players on the global stage.
We're always going to do what isnecessary, like we're going to
get it done. But it looks different, right?
Again, when we move from fear, when we don't fully understand
(21:36):
what we are dealing with, like on the global stage, then you
think that it's only that miniscule thing that you're
going through right now. So one of the things I saw
online was people saying there are people who literally said
they're voting for Trump again because they got a $1200 check.
And then somebody has told them,I guess somewhere that if they
vote for him again, he's going to give out those COVID checks.
And they don't even understand how basic economy works because
(21:58):
that money that they gave you, when inflation and all these
things have happened back, I promise you they have gotten
back more than that $1200 they gave you.
Nothing is ever given for free like it was given because it was
a way to make sure that our economy doesn't crash.
So they pumped all this money back into the system.
But those very politicians have told you the reason why
inflation was the way it is, things were difficult was that
(22:18):
they were trying to get back that excess money that they had
pumped into the government, right?
So that's why we felt things theway we did because they had put
so much money out there and theyare not going to be satisfied
until all that money is gun. So that's why you went from
having a savings of $70,000 justsitting there and you could
travel whenever you could do whatever.
And now things are so expensive or whatever.
(22:38):
And maybe your 70 has now dwindled down to 20 and they're
telling you we ain't going to stop until we'll leave you with
maybe 10,000. But we're going to do whatever
we got to do until we get all ofthat back.
That's me explaining it like on an elementary level.
But I think once people understand that, then whatever
basic ideas have been sold, you'll not get easily fooled.
Because again, like I'm saying, when you really get to think
(22:59):
about the whole world, the way everybody exists, it just puts
everything into better perspective.
So I encourage my listeners and those who you are related to,
like push each other in real life to be better world
citizens. Travel when you get the chance
to other countries. Traveling alone does a great job
of just exposing you to other people's cultures.
(23:19):
But a lot of times when you travel, you get to really see
the blessings that you have here, but you also get to see
like the areas that we can improve and sometimes the things
that are given to us based off of this idea of exceptionalism.
Like you get to learn so much. So travel as much as you can.
That idea of like somebody telling me, Oh my gosh, I grew
up in this little country town and me going to the city, that's
(23:39):
enough adventure. I've never left.
No, I need you to branch out, branch.
I'll even go on visiting all thestates if that's all you can do.
But travel. And when you get the chance to
do any kind of international travel, take it, please.
I cannot stress that enough. Again, going back to my point, I
felt like if the regular American people had a better
world view, then the choice would have been very easy to
(24:00):
make. But when they are moved by fear,
whether it's fear of immigrants,fear of the economy, and then
they think, OK, we put these people into power, things are
going to change for us. No.
So these are all the things thatwe are dealing with.
These are the realities of everything that is in front of
us. And it's like, I don't know how
(24:22):
the decision was made if it's just based off of a check and of
the fact that all groceries are expensive right now.
Like if you had all that information, if you had a bigger
world picture, I can guarantee you that decision would not have
been what it was. But here we are.
But I felt a lot of things today, a lot of emotions.
And like I said, now I have the tool to work through a lot of
(24:42):
them. So I know I'll get on the other
side. But I just want to encourage
anybody out there feel your emotions.
Emotions are there for a reason,right?
Don't let anybody convince you that, you know, you need to be
at this place or you need to be over it by now.
Feel what you're going to feel, But I know that you have to now
get up when you're done feeling all the things that you're going
to feel. This is not the time to relent.
(25:03):
This is the time for us to be smart.
Be smart about how you're approaching things.
Be smart about how you are engaging.
Be smart about every single movethat you're making.
And I think we are going to see the other side.
A lot of the people in the faithspace have been saying that, you
know, at the end of the day, youleave everything in God's hands.
I truly believe in that. Like you're still going to do
what you have to do. So if you didn't vote during the
(25:24):
season, I don't want to hear nothing about what you're saying
about leaving things in God's hands because you still need to
do what you need to do. If I have a sickness and they
say take this medicine, I'm still going to take the
medicine, but still believe thatGod is going to heal me.
Like we have to reconcile that we cannot just be living off of
the La La land of OK, well, I believe God is going to do it.
And then you're not doing your own practical steps.
(25:44):
Like you need to do practical things and at the same time have
faith. After you've done all you can,
as Donnie McClurkin said, then you stand, then you kneel, then
you pray. But you're not going to just be
out here just praying and wishful thinking.
But you're not doing your part and you're not doing all that
you can. So if you feel like you did all
that you could during this election cycle and the result is
(26:04):
what it is, that's part of, you know, life.
That's part of journeying with God.
It's like you have to trust thathis will will be done, that
which he has in mind will be done.
And a lot of times when I have trust him with my personal life,
with things, even when he didn'tmake sense at the time, later on
it comes together and it's a beautiful thing.
So this is no different. Of course I'm disappointed right
now. Of course I'm mad, I'm angry and
(26:24):
feeling all these emotions, but I'm not going to stay there.
I'm going to leave it eventuallyand I'm going to move forward
and I'm going to trust that God is still in control and He's
going to have me in his hands. But it doesn't mean that I don't
get to work. So I'm still going to do the
things that I have to do to position myself, position those
who I love, try the very best I can.
And then when I've reached my limit, if I ever reach my limit,
(26:45):
I'm always leaving it to him andsaying you'd be in control.
You take the reins. And that's how I'm going to go
about doing it. Last episode, I kind of shared
that I was, you know, going through this thing of tithing.
And I've been reading the word of God a lot and I've been in
Malachi a lot. So I wanted to share this
because I felt like if when I was, you know, growing up, if
this part of the Bible about tithing was taught to me more,
(27:08):
it would have made me see thingsdifferently.
So I was in Malachi 3 and I believe is verse 8 to 10 and it
was talking about how God was saying like you robbed me and he
says, why would you say we rob you God And it's like in your
tithes and in your offering. And then he explains, you know,
you bring your tithe into the storehouse.
(27:28):
That may be food in my house. Test me said the Lord.
But then after that, because I think we always stop at verse
10. I think what I was taught, you
know, growing up in the church, we always left it at verse 10.
But then I kept on reading and this it was because I was in
Malachi, right? So I kept on reading and verse
11 was so important to me that Ihad to share because he says I
(27:50):
will prevent like the pest from devouring your crops.
The vines in your field will notdrop fruit before it's ripe.
OK. I thought that was so important.
I think verse 11, Malachi chapter 3, verse 11, I feel like
that's the part that is the mostimportant part, but we have
missed it all these years. Yes, God was asking us.
(28:10):
I've shared this before. Like what I'm learning so far
from my tithing is that it's important for it to be the first
fruits of your labor. So the first fruits that you
get, you give it back to God forhim providing for you.
But even more important because you, you know, we've been told
before, you know, when you give,he's going to give you more than
sufficiency. He's going to give you more than
enough and that's important and that's where a lot of people
have left it. But I felt like the next verse
(28:32):
was so important because it's also saying like you give so I
can give you provision. You give so that I can get the
timing of your life right. You give so I can have
protection over you. And I don't know about anybody
else, but I know I've experienced enough things where
the provision, the protection, the right timing, it is more
important than the providing above sufficiency.
(28:55):
I'm just being honest because sometimes you can have
abundance, but if things are nothappening at the right time, how
fruitful is that? The timing of things is so
important. So I am tithing.
I think if more people know about this, it might change like
how they perceive tithing. Like you're tithing because a
lot of people will think you're tithing because you're expecting
God to give it to you back, press down.
So it's like kind of like it's almost like a selfish motive
(29:16):
anyways. But if you found out that I'm
actually tithing because I need His protection, He's going to
protect me from things that I don't see.
Like where we say things that you might see, but things that
are unseen, those things that you don't even have any Privy to
that are going on behind the scenes that you might not know
where they're coming from. Like that's why you're tithing
for protection. And then you're tithing because
he's going to put the right things in your life in the right
(29:37):
season. Like your fruit will not drop
before it's ready to. That is so important.
So I wanted to just share that because when I read that this
week, I was like, why did nobodyteach me this in Sunday school?
Why was nobody talking about this?
And why is nobody still talking about this right now?
Every time we talk about the press down, shaking together,
running over, yes, that's there too.
But we need to talk about the protection, the right timing, so
(29:58):
crucial, so important. So I wanted to share that
because, you know, as I'm tithing, as I'm reading more, I
decided to just get more into the word.
That's like my routine of like before I even make the decision,
OK, what church am I going to donext?
I spend time in the word. I'm praying so that that way my
decision is not just based off of my own knowing, but it's
based off of God saying, OK, do this and go here.
(30:18):
So I thought that was an important thing to share last
week. I was talking about how, I mean,
the process of, you know, just when I get through with this
stuff to be in a better place tomake a decision as to where I am
and where I'm going. And I think I'm at the same
answer this week, which is, well, that wasn't last week,
that was a couple weeks ago. But I think I'm still had the
same answer even where I am today, which is that I'm just
(30:40):
going to go based off of where Iam now.
And however God needs to change me or move me or whatever he
needs to do, he's going to do it.
But he called me Antonia, me as I am right now.
He didn't say go forth and be this person.
Go forth and be that person. He said you as you are, I want
you and this is what I want fromyou.
So if I am in alignment with what he wants, he will do all
(31:02):
the work and he will do all the fixing and he will do all the
rearranging. My job is to just show up.
And that's what I'm hoping to dohere.
And that's why I haven't shared what I shared this week about,
OK, it's been rough out here. I've been going through stuff
and then of course the election stuff and all of that.
But regardless, I still showed up to this mic anyways, and I
knew I had to record this secondepisode.
So what do I want to leave you guys with this week 1?
(31:24):
Take care of yourself. self-careis important.
If you voted in a way that you know you weren't happy with
during this election season, youknow, take your time.
Take as much time as you need. Feel all your emotions.
You know, I used to be the type of person like sometimes, like
even when I cry, I'm like tryingto hide it that I'm crying.
And one of the great things about my therapist should just
be like, cry, like, just let it out.
(31:44):
It's OK. Like, you know, she was just the
sweetest lady, you know? So feel your emotions.
They're there for a reason, so feel all of them.
If it's anger, feel it. Obviously don't go around like
punching the wall or nothing, but you know, feel the anger.
Ask yourself, why am I angry right now?
What am I angry about? Always ask because there's a
reason, right? So what is it that has been
represented for you? Ask yourself that.
(32:05):
Work through it. And then we get up and we make a
plan and we keep it moving and we keep it going because we're
going to, I mean, we have no choice, right?
So once you deal with it, once you process it, you put it where
it needs to be. We get to working.
And one of the things I want to leave you guys with is, you
know, everything that that campaign represented for me that
I was against. I feel like it's like a thing
(32:26):
for me now in my life to make sure I'm living my life in
opposition to that. So when you hear the word
opposition, now you're thinking,you know what the young people
now say you're the OPS, you know, you're thinking guns and
but no, it's like I'm living my life opposite of that.
So if this person was, in my opinion, a bigot, I'm making
sure that everything I'm I am existing how I'm moving.
(32:46):
I'm not that because I don't want to be represented by that.
If that person, you know, is against people coming into this
country, I am going to make sureeverything about me says
opposite of that. So what does that mean?
My neighbors that might be immigrants, I'm reaching out to
them and offering help and doinglike that's how I feel like
you're going to exist and still have your peace in this time is
(33:07):
let it highlight for you all theugliness that you do not want to
be. And then you strive in this life
to be opposite of everything that represents.
And I also saw some stuff about just people saying like, you
know, faith and how now it's going to be hard for people to
go to church. Look, let me tell you one thing.
You're going to find all types of people in church, just like
how you going to find all types of people in the world.
(33:28):
But you never allow human beings, things that you're going
through to keep you away from the love of God or from his
calling on your life or his presence being in your life.
Because guess what? When the time comes, it's going
to be you and him in judgment. He doesn't care that some guy
who talked to you crazy was going to the church.
He's asking for a relationship with you.
So your relationship with him isnot dependent on who's at a
(33:51):
church, who's running a church. You can always go and find one
that you know soothes your soul that aligns with you.
But at the end of the day, it's about your relationship with
him. And in the meantime of you
trying to figure out, OK, if I don't want to go to this church
anymore because my pastor there was reaching about, you know,
voting for this candidate, and Idon't agree with that.
So now I need to go find somewhere else.
In the meantime, you should be getting in the word.
You should be studying it anyways.
(34:12):
You should be trying to foster your own relationship with him.
So that's my only thing I have to say there.
Do not let the actions, like I said, it's just unfortunate that
our country puts, you know, faith with one group and then
it's like the other group shouldbe the heathen.
I voted Democratic and I think I'm a person of faith.
I think I'm driven by faith. So like these ideas that we have
put together and say it must be this way.
(34:32):
It doesn't have to be that way. I can be part of the Democratic
Party. I voted Democratic my whole
life, but I still have certain things within the party that I'm
like, OK, you're all tripping right now.
I don't like that or I don't agree with that.
But then there are things that you guys do do right that I do
see, and I support it. So do not let people sway you
from having a relationship with God.
That's personal to you. Because guess what?
In the times that we're about togo into, you need something
(34:54):
bigger than, you know, a drink, wine, to get through the times
that we're about to head into, you need faith.
You need that to be a rock to steady you, to be a compass to
guide you as you go through these times.
And I do believe we're going to make it on the other side.
It's going to be an interesting road to say the least.
But I think one thing that has been present at least I can
(35:15):
speak for my lifetime and time again is that, you know, once I
have my mind set on God, knowingthat he's there for me, He sets
everything. He everything that's meant to
happen will happen once. I always have that in place, no
matter what is happening. My whole world can be crumbling.
It can be falling apart. I will have seasons of being
down or whatever, but I always bounce back.
I always make it. Why?
Because I always go back to his word and find comfort in his
(35:36):
word. When in my quiet times, in my
times of solace, I always go back to that.
So as long as that's my foundation, I can't lose.
So that's all I got to say to usright now.
Those of us that are, you know, we're feeling it, we're going
through it. You can't lose though.
You can't lose, so cry your tears, dust off, you know your
shoulder. Do what you got to do, pick
yourself up. But just remember, you can't
(35:57):
lose because you have God on your side that no matter what
somebody is doing, no matter howmuch of a dark place, no matter
what, if maybe this happened to you and you're like, man, I have
to change the way how I see America right now.
And it might be bleak and you, you're going to work through
some stuff, whatever it is, justknow that you will make it on
the other side and it will be OK.
You will be OK. I firmly believe that I know
(36:18):
I'll be OK. So you will be OK as well?
Well, books that I'm reading. So I just got done reading Rich
AF. I'm trying to remember the name
of the author, but I told you guys on the last episode that I
was working on just getting somethings together financially and
one of those is like my own personal finance.
So the book is Rich AF by Viviantoo.
(36:39):
I love it. I've just got done reading it,
so I will recommend it for any of my girlies out there that are
just like, you know what, let mejust learn a little bit more
about finances and getting myself in order.
So that's one of the one of my goals.
It's actually like a two year gold.
So it's not one I'm going to be done with this year.
By the end of this year, I'll behalfway done with my plan.
But then next year I have my other half of the plan of what
I'm trying to do. But I just wanted to just have a
(37:01):
handle of my finances. And then I'm like, let me
educate myself as much as possible, reconciling that I've
made mistakes along the way, butI'm learning from them and I'm
trying to be better. So then, you know, I'm taking it
to the next level. It kept me engaged.
There are things I already learned that it kind of
solidified it for me and it justhelped me just realized like I
was thinking a lot in the right way already.
(37:22):
So like this book kind of just like solidified by certain
things for me. So I think it was a great read
and I recommend it. A song of the week.
So let's see, what am I listening to this week?
My gospel song of the week. I mean, my playlist is like
never ending. It just goes on and on and on.
But let's see, you know, I like that Toby Nigue anointing song.
(37:43):
It's very short. It's by Toby Nigue, Ivory Nigue
and Yael Hilton. Her voice divine, but you know,
anointing the typical song that we know or that you should know
from, you know, church, right. But her voice is just beautiful
and I just love his interpretation.
My husband was listening to his whole album actually, and you
know, he's speaking stuff there that's like catch some people
(38:04):
off guard. But I always feel like the
essence of what he's talking about I always align with and I
agree with. So I like Toby Negwe.
So that's my gospel song of the week.
And yeah, it's crazy, right? Because he's not even a gospel
artist. But that's the beauty of it.
That's the beauty of it, don't you know?
And then my regular song of the week, I'm liking this Black
(38:27):
Sheriff rebel music. OK, you already know Black
Sheriff if you knew from last season.
I like him already. OK, I already like it.
Oh, my gosh, there's another song that I love, but that would
be my song for next week. But this Black Sheriff Rebel
music, when the moment I heard it, I was like, it needs to be
on my playlist. And before I go, just make sure
part of yourself care is laughing, finding joy.
(38:48):
Find the things that you've like.
So if you like to paint, paint this week for me, I love comedy,
right? So I'm always looking for like
funny videos. I'm watching stand up comedy.
I like to laugh. You know, I like to make people
laugh. I think I'm funny when when
people around me, a lot of timesthey're going to crack and you
know, laugh or two, you know, I think I'm hilarious to a certain
degree, you know, So find the things that bring you joy.
(39:08):
Hang on to them and hang on to them tight.
OK, I love you guys and I will catch you guys on the next
episode hopefully. Even though we started this
episode on a down note, I hope by the time you're leaving it
now you're on the up and I will see you next time.
Thank you so much for listening and thank you for coming along
with me. I hope you guys have a blessed
and wonderful day and a blessed and a wonderful week.
(39:31):
All right, bye guys. You just finished an episode of
Banta with Tony. Did you like it?
I hope you had a great time and that you have some takeaways
from this episode. But before you go, I want to ask
you one thing, and that is to share this episode or this
entire podcast with a friend, family member, or acquaintance.
(39:53):
Because remember, when you have something good, you need to talk
about it, you need to share it, and you need to shout it from
the rooftops. So go on and let people know in
your life that you have this wonderful podcast that you would
like to share with them. I appreciate you.
I appreciate your time, your support and everything else in
between. And remember, if you do it, I
have to talk about it. Have a great week.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.