Catching Up With Christians: EP: 9: With Isaac Immanuel, Worship Leader and Social Media Content Creator

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
maybe third.
Oh, here we go there you goeverybody.
It's coach Dan McCarty, backwith another episode with
catching up with Christians, gota very uh special guest here
with us today.
Um, my man here, isaac, how youdoing today?
I'm doing great man.
How are you?
Uh, wonderful man, I'm gladyou're here with us.
Uh, this is a pretty coolepisode for the listeners here.

(00:21):
You know we have kind ofsimilar stories, you know.
I mean, we're all God'schildren, you know, and, with
that being said, god uses us indifferent ways and and whatnot.
But it's really cool to be ableto share the time in an episode
with someone who kind of reallyknows what it's like on the

(00:44):
physical aspect of maybe some ofthe things I've had to endure
in my life so the listenersdon't know I have osteogenesis
imperfecta, or also known, as Icall it the English version,
brittle bone disease, andessentially in your bones you
have bone collagen which createsthe strength and density of

(01:04):
your bones, and I don't have alot of that.
So my bones are broken veryeasily and my friend here also
has osteogenesis imperfecta.
Isaac, my man, and what type doyou have, bro?
In between type 3 and 4.
They couldn't clinicallydiagnose me.
Okay.
So they said that in betweentype three and four.

(01:25):
So, wow, awesome bro.
Yeah, man, I was.
I was diagnosed at type two.
There's to the listeners,there's so many types of oi
nowadays, uh, and essentiallyyou know, type two and three,
and even four, I believe, arelike more of the severe types,
um, where they break frequently,have a lot of other

(01:46):
complications.
But, by the glory and grace ofGod, we are both here sitting in
front of you listeners today.
But I'd love to kind of youknow, hear, isaac, who you are.
I mean, I know a little bitabout you, man, just so the
listeners know.
I was scrolling tiktok about.
I want to say it's like five,six months ago now, man, I think

(02:07):
of it around there and shoutout ai.
But shout out kind of scary.
Uh, I was scrolling through andmy man was singing a worship
song and I was like, wait aminute, you know I can tell
people have oi because, like, ifyou have OI you really can tell
other people.
And, um, I also got a funnystory about telling someone that

(02:29):
they have OI.
That's I'll say this later wildstory, but anyways, I could
tell he had OI and I was like,man, okay, uh, this is cool.
Let me click on him and for thelisteners, I used to love to
sing but I could could not singa lick.
That just was not my thing.
But seeing someone who had OIbut actually could sing, I was

(02:49):
like whoa, this is cool.
And so when you want to tell thelisteners a little bit of your
journey and who you are, whatyou do and what you love to do,
man, yeah, so I'm Isaac, I'm 19.
I'm about to turn 20 in acouple weeks here and my
testimony is, you know, like Dansaid it's similar to his the
doctors told my parents that Iwasn't going to make it because

(03:10):
they said I had extremelyfragile bones and I already had
broken bones in the womb andthat there was no chance of
survival.
Because if I did make it pastyou know the birthing process my
ribs were going to be too weakto support my lungs.
This my ribs were going to betoo weak to support my lungs.
And, by the grace of god, um, myparents, they're believers and

(03:31):
they didn't take that you knowthat news as like a final say
they got with it and they calledtheir pastor and they prayed
together and in that moment ofprayer, god told my pastor that
not only I was, not only was Igoing to survive, but they had a
calling over my life, myparents, they had that faith.
So they went through with thepregnancy, obviously.
And here I am, 19 years later,oh man 19 years later I get to

(03:51):
lead worship in my church and,you know, just lead people to
Christ and it's such a blessing.
It seriously is.
That's incredible man.
So talk about maybe some earlyyears you know talking about.
I know in my life people havetried to set limitations upon my
life, right, and I think, beinga child of God and having a

(04:13):
deep faith, I know it'scertainly given me motivation
and inspiration to blow thoseexpectations out the water right
, and I'm tapping into who God'scalled I am.
So are there any like earlystories maybe in your life that
you could share with thelisteners, where people may have
doubted you or maybe putlimitations on what you were
capable of doing?
oh yeah, um.
So this actually I can talkabout a story back of when I was

(04:37):
five, when I tried getting intoregular school like regular
school, not any like specialneeds classrooms.
Um, my mom had registered me togo to an elementary school and
they told her that they didn'tthink it was a good idea, so
they tried to put me in aspecial needs classroom wow and
my mom had to get an attorney.
They had to get an attorney toshow them that I was mentally

(05:00):
capable, that I was.
You know, just because myphysical appearance was
different doesn't mean my mentalappearance was different right,
yeah yeah, so, um, they endedup winning and they had povian
school and, um, you know, it'sjust that's like, really, I
think the earliest limitationthey they tried saying, since he
was in a wheelchair, that hehad to be in different, a

(05:20):
different setting.
He had to be you know what Imean a different classroom.
You know, by the grace of god,I got to go to school and, yeah,
you know, graduated high schoolum, last year.
So let's go, man, that's,that's awesome man, that's one
that's sad that it had to go tothat point.
But I think, you know, itreally just shows, you know, in

(05:41):
this day and age, that was what14 years ago it wasn't too long
ago right, and understandingthat there still needs to be
growth in that area, andrealizing disability.
You know it doesn't necessarilymean oh, oh, there you go, no,

(06:04):
you're good man.
So, yeah, no, I think it's um,sometimes people think of, you
know, disability, especially thephysical disability, that they
kind of group us all in right,we all have different gifts and
abilities and and things likethat.
So I think that's a greatreminder to the listeners that
if you see someone that may looka little differently, um,
behave a little differently,let's not.

(06:24):
Um, let's not quickly assumethat we're all the same and we
all struggle with the samethings.
Um, my phone's blowing up mychurch chat, sorry, but let's
always remember, guys, that wegot to look at each individual
as a child of God and we are allmade in the image, the likeness
of God, and God makes us.

(06:45):
In the Bible it tells us that weare his masterpieces.
We are crafted, you know, andto be able to have some
wonderful gifts, and so that'sunfortunately sorry you had to
go through that, but I also, youknow, those types of situations
for me kind of gave me somemotivation.
Were there some times maybe inyour life where, beyond that

(07:05):
moment, you're kind of like, notin a way of like vengeance or
revenge, but also just themotivation aspect and
inspiration to kind of be like,okay, I know god's got something
on my life.
I'm gonna, I'm gonna keeppushing and doing my thing.
Yeah, um, let me think.
Well, I think, just overall, Ihad a lot of people that would
come up to me like, hey, buddy,they would kind of like talk to

(07:27):
talk to me like I was like youknow I don't know how relatable,
but no, I know what you'retalking about.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Yeah, they would like kind oftalk to me like I was a kid
maybe.
Yeah, like, hey, buddy, yeah,literally like, oh, like this
was at the time.
I can remember I was 14.
I'm like, oh, I'm 14, but howare you?

(07:50):
But I think that leadingworship has been like a real
wake-up call for people becausethey've seen that, like you know
, god will put someone in aplace that he wants them to be,
despite their physical or, youknow, mental appearance, despite
where, whatever they arephysically Right, and he will
use anybody, anybody, and assoon as, um, they seen you know

(08:14):
me leading worship, they're like, oh, god sees him the exact
same way as he sees me, and I'mover treating him differently.
And I think a lot of people havestarted to get the courage to
come up to me and talk to me.
You and I mean, I think theonly thing that me and you could
do is we can act normally andwe can be like, oh, you know, um
, I'm, you know, I appreciate,you know you coming up to me and

(08:35):
talking to me, um, and you kindof just got to ignore it a
little bit yeah but but that'sdefinitely been an encouragement
um for people to actually seeme, for me yeah, right um, and I
think that's something thatgod's been trying to teach me
that I can't really.
I have to make sure that I'mpatient and I can't get angry
about people.
You know, misjudging right,absolutely, and um, it's

(08:58):
something I'm learning and uh,it's another thing with kids.
You know, kids they don't, theydon't know very well and they
don't.
And sometimes they'll point,sometimes they'll say, sometimes
they'll say things, yeah, causethey don't understand it
Absolutely that, um, you know,god wants us to treat everyone
with love.
You know, and in the Bible, weneed to treat everyone with love

(09:20):
, and sometimes it's a battle.
Sometimes it's a battle.
Yeah.
But I just think that God'sreally been helping me grow in
that area ever since I did startleading worship, because people
are encouraged and it's such ablessing to be a vessel for God
Amen, you know, do what he wantsme to do.
And I think that growing up itwas a little harder to be a

(09:43):
people person, right, because alot of people you know like I.
A little harder to be a peopleperson, right, because a lot of
people would, like I said, talkto me a little different.
But that's what God's beentelling me.
He's been telling me to love onpeople and show them who I am
and how he sees me, right, andit's definitely a blessing to be
able to do that and just growwith him, grow in a relationship

(10:07):
with him, and it's just amazing, absolutely.
I mean.
You touched upon so many goodpoints and so many of them are
relatable in my life and I think, where you know part of my
thing, I spent a lot of my lifetrying to prove to people that I
wasn't defined by my disability.
Trying to prove to people thatI wasn't defined by my
disability and sometimes theways that I did that weren't

(10:28):
always ways that would glorifyGod, and one of the things that
I'm still learning every day inmy life is how to do that in a
way that still glorifies himright and having you been able
to lead worship, I think, reallyshows that maturity right To
then see God using you in thatplatform and you being obedient

(10:52):
and being a vessel, and I thinkthat's beautiful and awesome.
Transparency.
Now, if you would mind sharingI know maybe you didn't
experience as much, but I know Idid but like the importance of
genuine relationships and theimportance of genuine people in
your life, whether it was, youknow, intimate, you know

(11:16):
relationships, friendships,whatever, family relationships.
You know it was really hard tofor me because I'm very much a
extrovert, very much a lovingperson, very much I I care about
a lot of people and so often Iwould get some people that would
say stuff to me.
They genuinely wouldn't mean it, they would just say it because

(11:36):
I'm in a wheelchair and or theyfeel bad about me and those
sorts of things and some ofthose things would irritate me.
So, um, have you kind ofexperienced that where you just
it was kind of hard for you toreally know like, is this my
homie?
Or maybe even had like, youknow I, I remember I've had, you
know, ex-relationships.
It took me a long time torealize, oh wait, they are

(11:58):
interested in me.
I just didn't know if they'rebeing nice, because in the last
time when someone I thought wasinterested in me I was like it
wasn't that way, right, becausewe're just genuinely nice to us
in wheelchairs.
So how has that been for youkind of sensing relationships
and people, any any type ofrelationship?
Um, I think that growing up itwas kind of hard to, like you

(12:22):
said, like, make thoserelationships.
Because you couldn't tellpeople, like you said, make
those relationships.
Because you couldn't tellpeople, like you said, talking
to you differently becauseyou're in a wheelchair or
they're trying to be extra niceor what.
But I really tried to showpeople that I talked to, like if
there were new people or peoplethat I see normally, that like,

(12:42):
hey, I'm just like you, I'm ina different physical state.
Yeah.
But you know, I try to justreally show them like I'm not
defined by me and you know beingstuck in this wheelchair.
Yeah.
Right, like I might not be ableto do all the things you could
do.
But I'm just like you.
You know I have the sameemotions as you.
I talk like you know, I talklike you.

(13:04):
That's kind of funny to say butyou know what I mean.
I've had some friends growing upwhere I guess they would be
like nice, I guess, to my faceand then behind my back they'd
be like saying stuff right, oh,yeah, yeah.
And I'm like it was hard tolike kind of I don't know how to

(13:25):
explain it Not get used to, butjust to like ignore it.
Right, you don't want to letthat anger, you know dwell on
your heart right and it was hardand I think that some people
you know just genuinely strugglewith, I guess, how to connect
with people that aren't likethem, right, yeah so, but I
think a big part of it wasloving on them and telling them,

(13:49):
you know, talking to them likeI would anybody else, right, and
just like showing them like I'm, you know, I'm the same as you,
like I said, but it'sdefinitely tougher because some
people you know, like you said,you can't tell if they're
interested in you or not?
yeah, yeah bro, like it's yeah,like, are you being too nice or

(14:11):
what's going on here?
Yeah, exactly, bro, like, and,and you know, and I think that's
you know, and I and I can tellby your heart posture and how
why are you on the for the lord?
I think you know we asindividuals are so much caring
about others, like I'm a veryempathetic and sympathetic
person Like I, like I can feelit and I can be with them, like

(14:32):
I, that's just who I am.
And when I would say somethingto somebody, be like bro, I got
you.
Like I got you and um, like Ihad a kid growing up.
Just an example.
I'm not saying this, uh, I'mjust trying to say this so that
it's an example, but I won'teven use the example.
But bottom line is, I've hadpeople do things like quote,

(14:53):
unquote, wrong to me, but I'vestill let it slide and help them
anyway.
Yeah, like that's if I say Igot you, I got you, and people
have said that to me and I'vetried to call them up in a time
of need and they're just like oh, yeah, yeah, bro, you know, and
it's like yeah, and it's like Isay this to just remind

(15:13):
individuals that, like you don'thave to just be extra nice to
people in wheelchairs justbecause we're wheelchair right,
just like anybody else.
If you think we're gonna be yourhomie for a long time and you
really would give your shirt offour back, your back for us,
then say that you know, like Igot one of my really really
close friends, one of my bestfriends right now awesome guy,
my buddy sten shout out to mybuddy sten and um, he was like

(15:37):
sometimes he's like he wastalking to my mom because he was
over the other day.
Uh, when my mom came over andhe was like sometimes like I
forget, like Dan, I don't evensee Dan in a wheelchair anymore
because I've been around him solong like I just don't even know
.
And that was a really coolmoment.
I was like, oh, that's sick.
I wonder how many else peoplefeel that way in that aspect.
But I think that's just areally important part.

(15:59):
I know.
For me, man, one of the thingsI had to learn in my life was I
still learn I'll be 100%transparent is not when.
One of the things I had tolearn in my life was I still
learn I'll be 100 transparent isnot when one of those things
happen where people are beingtoo nice or maybe not
necessarily genuine is not carrythat over to every other
interaction I have with peopleyeah and not prejudge them and
just be like.
You know, I mean and I stillfall short to that I had an

(16:22):
issue two weeks ago, bro, at achurch event I went up to, or I
was in the corner, I wasbringing my brother to a youth
church event.
I was on my phone reading awork email and this girl really
nice person, but I was so lockedin on my work and my phone she
came up to me and she was likelike blah, blah, and I wasn't

(16:45):
talking, like I didn't know whatshe was saying.
I was like, hey, I'm 21, I'mthis year, because I brought my
little brother, like I thoughtshe was trying to get me to go
where all the other kids were,because I wasn't where, like the
group of people were.
And so I kind of like snappedback and was like, hey, like I'm
21, like I'm a leader here atthe church as well, like etc,
etc, etc.
Yeah, and stop for a second.
And she's like, oh, no, I'lljust try to get you in

(17:07):
connection with so and so and soand so, your friend, and
because that we're also there.
And I was like, oh, my bad.
And so at the end like Iapologize and we're all cool,
it's whatever.
That's not who I want to be,but I quickly projected that she
just viewed me as a kid and tryto get me to where all the kids
were instead of me who I am.
And ultimately she just viewedme as a kid and trying to get me
to where all the kids wereinstead of me who I am, and
ultimately, she just wanted tohelp me find my friends that

(17:29):
were there.
That were right, you know what Imean.
Uh, so I don't know I've hadthose issues.
So I don't know if you've everhad those types of moments as
well.
Yeah, yeah, um, yeah, for sure,I mean I've definitely had
people I thought were trying tojust be like accommodating.
They're buddy, like you want tocome over with us.
I'm like, oh, I'm goodSometimes.

(17:51):
You know it's kind of hard, youknow, because, like you want to
, you don't want to ignore them,right?
And you don't want to likeinstantly put a wall up.
Yeah.
But sometimes it happens, peoplejust they, I guess have the
reaction of being overly nice.
Yeah.
And they try to talk to us alittle differently and they're
like hey, like you know, youdon't.
You know, you don't have to beover here alone, right, like I,

(18:14):
like as if I was I don't knowhow to explain it you know what
I mean, though.
Yeah, people kind of come up,go out of their way to go up to
you.
Would they do that to any otherpeople?
Yeah, exactly, I think youreally got to just treat them
with love.
It's so hard.
I'm guilty of ignoring people.

(18:34):
Sometimes.
I struggle with staying in aconversation for a long time.
It's definitely a battle.
I feel like what you said.
It's like when she was tryingto come up to you and talk to
you, like like you thought shewas talking to me like a kid.
Yeah, it wasn't.
I've definitely made thatmisjudgment a couple times

(18:55):
before, but I felt so bad, dog,I was so bad at myself.
I, I got, I got, uh, Iapologized.
At the end, I found her.
I was like I was looking for itbecause I was like I got to
apologize, and I did.
She was all cool about it, butjust a really nice person too.
She's one of the sweetestpeople too and I was like, oh
man, like what am I doing?
I'm clowning around right now,but, but I told you, bro, I get

(19:18):
raw and real in these things.
Bro, I transparent.
But I say this to people becauseI want people to understand no
one's perfect in our walk withchrist, right, and we're just
trying to be obedient,regardless of our situation.
And um, now I want to hear yourtake on these two things.
Um, and I made two posts aroundthis.
One of them is going to be uh,today I'm going to post on my

(19:41):
tiktok and all my platforms, butone of the things I know you
mentioned this earlier talkingabout staring what's your
thought?
And take on staring?
I know my community doesn'tnecessarily know, unless they
see my TikTok I put a TikTok onit.
I don't know if you watched it.
My perspective on when peoplelook at me or stare at me
Personally it doesn't bother mebecause I'll kind of reiterate

(20:02):
what I said.
One, I see most people are justdoing it because they're
curious and they don't know.
And let's be honest, bro, meand you are different.
Not a lot of people around herewith oh why?
So I think I understand that.
And then, two, if they're doingit because they're trying to be
annoying or mean I don't care,because I know who I am in
christ and I'm confident in whoI am, in christ, and I know that

(20:24):
God made me this way for areason, and so for those two
reasons alone, I don't reallycare if people are rude or stare
or make fun of me because ofthose two things.
So what is your perspective onkind of when people are maybe
being rude or staring or thosesorts of things?
Oh, that's such a good question.
Um, I think growing up issomething that I've had to get

(20:45):
used to.
You know, like it's definitelysomething that started way, way,
way back, and I think I made ita muscle memory to kind of zone
out when people are staring.
So I'll kind of keep doing whatI'm doing and if I'm like in the
line for food or something,right, yeah, so it's staring
over there I kind of just likelook straight and pretend like

(21:05):
nothing's happening.
What's up, kid?
It's scary, right, they getscared, bro, they do bro, like
my one, my one buddy dude's likebro, you just like can make
kids cry.
I'm like I don't do it onpurpose.
They, they run up next to me,they stare at me, I turn, I go
hey, buddy, and they just likerun and scare and find their

(21:26):
parent and I'm like sorry, butsaying what's up, bro, you
stared at me, you know.
Yeah, it's something that Ithink God's been trying to help
me with because, like kids, likeit's always been hard to talk
to kids right, especially whenbecause they ignore a kid, yeah,
to like, chip my focus awayfrom them because, you know, I'm
just trying to avoid whatever.

(21:48):
You know, like whatever wouldhappen.
Yeah.
But I think God's really beenshowing me that like I need to
show them who I am in Christ,yeah, that way like they could
see, like what God can do, right.
And I had a girl this happenedone of the weekends that I
served.
She was waving, but I thoughtshe was like staring, so I kind

(22:10):
of looked away.
My mom goes, oh, she's waving.
I'm like, oh, and I waved ather.
I was like, oh wait, I wish Ipaid attention because it's just
a muscle memory.
I just turned it out.
I was like I'm just gonna gopast.
But, um, God's been reallyshowing me like you need to you
know work in that area you needto talk to them, you need to
show them the love of Christ,even if they are staring at you
or don't know better.

(22:31):
Right, and um, it's been hard,it's been a battle for sure,
something that God's beenhelping me grow in.
And he showed me like theproduct of it when, like I'm
obedient, um, uh, one of theweekends it was the easter
weekend, I believe, and we hadan easter event and I was just
kind of like, you know, hangingout, hanging out at the church
yeah this kid was talking withhis friends.

(22:53):
He's like, hey, he sings, and hewas like we should go say hi.
And the kids were so nervouslike they didn't, they didn't
want to.
Yeah, he went up to me anyways,and then the friends followed
him and they were so intriguedand they're just like so, they
want to talk to me normally,right?
I'm like, okay, I see whatyou're doing, god.
I see like if I'm obedient toyou, right then, this is the
product.
You know kids see the love ofgod in him and they're attracted

(23:16):
to it.
They might.
They might not know it right.
You might not know why they areattracted to.
You know what they're attractedto.
That's the the will of God, andI think that's something that
God's really been trying toteach me.
He's like you need to talk tokids.
You need to.
You know if they're staring.
You know you can either ignorethem or you can say what's up,
buddy, like you said, yeah.

(23:37):
And it's definitely, it's hard.
It's hard, it definitely can be.
You know, that's funny, bro.
Uh, it, uh, it's definitelyinteresting.
The only one comment that Iwill tell anybody to not tell or
allow their kids to say there'sonly one thing that just like
makes me mad.
That's when I this happened tome, like I want to say, a couple

(23:59):
months ago.
At the church, bro, there's amother and a child and this kid
was like mom, like what's he in?
And she was like, oh uh, awheelchair.
And he's like, oh okay, whydoes he need to have one of
those?
And so I told him you know, I'mjust talking to him and they're
like, oh okay, he's like, well,mom, I want one.
And his mom goes okay, we'lltry to find you one.

(24:20):
I was like, bro, like that'slike the one thing I'm like, bro
, you just don't say that.
Like no.
And so, like I laughed.
I laughed right in their facebecause I thought it was kind of
funny.
But just like that, I'm like wegotta hold off on those types
of comments right there.
Yeah, and I just thought thatwas kind of wild.
And then another story you'retalking about singing, bro.

(24:44):
About seven years ago now I'mold I was doing caroling for
Christmas at my old Lutheranchurch.
I went to a Lutheran church.
I used to go every once in awhile to their youth group with
my buddy.
I didn't really go to thechurch that much because I went
to the church that I go to now,but I would still go to their

(25:05):
youth group because one of mybest friends would go.
And this dude, he was like hey,you want to go worship and do
these Christmas carols at thesedifferent old folks homes for
the youth group?
I was like, okay, cool Bro, Iwas singing and and I was in
like the front row and I toldyou I can't sing a lick anyway.
And we're at this old folks'home and this lady just blurts

(25:27):
out we're singing Heart, theHerald's Angel's Sing, I'll
never forget it, bro.
She's like, hey, what's thatkid doing here?
He can't even talk.
And she like points at me.
Bro, it was the funniest thing.
All my friends and I juststarted blurring out laughing.
And I'm saying this story tolaugh because it was funny, bro,
but it was just it was funny.
But, like you said, man, it'sjust a great reminder.

(25:50):
God can use anybody and theirgifts, it doesn't matter what it
is.
My gift is not singing, clearly, it's yours, which is amazing,
man, but no, that's so powerful.
And then the next question Iwant to talk about.
These are kind of controversialdisabled questions, which I
think are pretty cool.
Another thing that I've goneinto my life I was actually

(26:20):
listening to another contentcreator mention this.
She, I don't believe, is afollower of Jesus.
I will give her credit to thisbecause this is what her topic
was.
It was basically about likepraying and how like people pray
over her or like ask to prayfor her physically.
Um, her name is jim ferner, Ibelieve her name is awesome.
She does a lot of likedisability advocacy stuff, which

(26:40):
is really cool.
Love some of the stuff that sheposts.
Um.
And then there's other thingsthat I just kind of have
slightly different view on, andone of them is this slightly so
often I found when I would go tochurch events, or maybe not
even church events orevangelists on the street when I
would travel.
I remember one timespecifically there was

(27:02):
individuals, mainly oneindividual, a couple others
stopped, my dad and I.
I want to say it was in SanDiego, on the beach pier and
they're asking about praying andthey wanted to pray.
They're like I'm going to prayover physical healing, I'm going
to pray you're going to be ableto walk, your bones aren't
going to break.
You know, just essentially likefalse prophecy, really just

(27:25):
like prophesy over my life, thatlike I was going to heal
physically and one of the thingsthat I've challenged people
because I get this all the time.
They're like let's pray forhealing over you.
And I say I believe Jesus and Iknow Jesus can perform miracles,
but we have to understand whatmiracle that is in our mind or
your life or someone else is upto God.

(27:46):
See, we have to understand thatmaybe I don't need a physical
miracle.
Maybe I need an emotionalmiracle going on in my life, a
mental miracle, a spiritualmiracle, maybe something that
you can't see.
What if this is my cross tocarry?
Some people come to this quickassumption that we have to pray
for physical healing over me andyou, maybe we need healing in
some other area of our lives.

(28:07):
And I always tell people I saidwe have to be very careful when
we approach people withdisabilities about hey, let me
pray for you, because I know fora fact there's threads out
there on social media in theworld and I talk to people
directly.
One of the biggest turn off thechurch and being a follower of
jesus is humans, like people,project these prayers and these

(28:33):
things over people and forgetthe love and kindness that we
need to um, we just have to bewhen we're willing to pray over
someone, which I think isamazing.
We have to make sure we'respirit-led and we have to
understand that sometimes thethings people are going through
I'll just say physically forthis example, because we're both

(28:53):
physically disabled is maybethat's the cross God wants us to
carry.
And I always use the book ofJohn, chapter 9.
It's my life verse, bro, theone through three right.
It's when jesus heals the blindman on the sabbath right and
the disciples asking rabbi, whywas he born this way, you know?
And jesus responds with well,it's so that the power of me

(29:14):
could be seen through him rightand heals the man and whatnot.
But the point of that story isthat if God could see me and you
glorify him in our circumstanceI'm sorry if people could see
us giving God the glory in ourcircumstances, then I think that
could inspire and motivateothers in their circumstances to

(29:35):
ultimately give him the gloryof what they're going through.
So I think that's such animportant aspect because often
what we do, I think, asfollowers, is we go into prayers
thinking we know what we needto pray for individuals, on, not
necessarily being led by thespirit, on what we need to pray
for that individual Right.

(29:57):
And so have you ever had someonecome up to you and be like, bro
, we're going to pray over yourphysical healing and we're going
to get you to walk?
You know you're going to beLeBron James and ready to go.
You know, like, like, you knowwhat I mean, like stuff like
that.
Like, how does that one makeyou feel?
Two, how do you go about those?
Or three, have you everexperienced that at all?

(30:23):
I think I haven't experienced ittoo much in person, but ever
since I started posting videos,people have been saying like,
well, why is this, this guy, notat a uh, a church where they
pray healing over him.
People are slacking, um, theydon't have enough faith at this
church.
This is the wrong church to goto, really like, yeah, I've had
people say that and I'm likewhoa, like, first of all, that's
not your, you know your view tomake.

(30:43):
Yeah, it's not a fact.
You're kind of just speakinglike God can do it.
Yeah, 100%, I won't.
You know, I believe he can doanything, but is that in his
will?
Is that in his plan?
No, if it's not in his plan, Idon't want it.
Yeah, and I had someone in mylife a couple a few months ago.
They asked me they're like.
I think it was like why are younot mad at God?

(31:05):
Or like just something likesaying like, why Like something
like that, something along thoselines of why I'm not mad at God
.
And I was like, well, first off, I have no reason to be mad at
God because he did what healready had to do for me, right,
be mad at God because he didwhat he already had to do for me
.
He already died on that crossso I can have a personal
relationship with him and thatway I can spend eternity with

(31:26):
him in heaven.
That's one thing to be gratefulfor.
Two I wasn't even supposed tobe alive.
I wasn't even supposed to behere.
That's another thing to begrateful for.
Three I can either blame God orI can blame the devil, the one
who is trying to kill, steal anddestroy and is trying to bring
this discouragement and bringthis heaviness on me, make me

(31:48):
feel bad about myself, like,come on, like why would?
I blame my creator, the one whoallowed me to live right.
The one who has allowed me arelationship with him.
That doesn't make sense.
Yeah, I was explaining like howsin came into the world.
Adam and Eve's disease camefrom that, and you know?
Just look at it this way.
Imagine there is a beautifulhouse, right, and this builder

(32:09):
built it like intently,Everything was the way it was
supposed to be beautifully.
And then this vandalist comesby and he kicks down the door,
cracks those windows open likeliterally shatters the windows,
puts paint all over the walls.
Are you going to cracks thosewindows open like literally
shatters the windows, puts paintall over the walls.
Are you gonna blame the builder?
Are you gonna blame thatvandalist that decided to
destroy that home?
Right?
yeah well, god created earth theway it was supposed to be, but

(32:30):
he didn't want us to be mindlessrobots, he didn't want us to
have a force.
Oh, baby, right, yeah.
So that's where that free willcame from.
And you know, people say like,oh, okay, but like why does he
send us to hell?

Speaker 2 (32:43):
then it's like he doesn't send you that send you
to hell.

Speaker 1 (32:46):
That's our predestination.
As people don't understand too,it's like that's our
predestination because we arestill human.
We are us alone.
We do not we all fall short ofthe glory of god.
That's the default right, and Iwas just explaining that to him
, like.
So that's one thing that youneed to remember.
Like god already did what hehad to do for me, right?
He already did it when he diedon that cross and rose again

(33:09):
three days later.
Yes, sir, and I'm gonna live inthat promise that he has made,
that one day I'm gonna be inheaven and my body's gonna be
completely healed.
Amen, I'm gonna be running tohis arms, right?

Speaker 2 (33:20):
yes, sir, it's like dude like I don't have nothing
to be completely healed.

Speaker 1 (33:22):
Amen, I'm going to be running to his arms, right?
Yes, sir Dude, like I don'thave nothing to be, you know,
angry at him, at Like.
Are there times where I'm, like, discouraged.
Yeah, it happens.
Right, we're still human, wehave our human emotions.
Yeah, there's times where I'mdiscouraged, there's times where
I'm wondering sometimes.
But you know, god is perfectand he has everything the way
that he wants it to be.
Yeah, and that's why the prayerthat is so important to pray

(33:46):
over, you know, someone like meand you is to let his will be
done and shine through us.
I don't care about my physicalstate, you know, I don't know.
It could be in this life, itcould be the next.
I don't know, if it's in God'swill, it could happen.
I don't know.
If it's in god's will, it couldhappen, I don't know.
But all that matters is godgetting the board that's the
biggest point that's the biggestthing.

(34:06):
Wow, I care about dude, I lovethat man, you, you, we see so
similar on that aspect, which Ithink is so beautiful.
You know, and and um, you know,I tell people you know.
In the same token, they askwell, why does God allow all
this suffering?
I think we brought upon so muchof the suffering that we
experienced on ourselves.

(34:28):
There's enough food, probablyin my state, to feed every
country in Africa after we wasteit.
All Humans waste in America,waste so much food, bro, and
that's just one area of theworld.
Right, and then think about allthis stuff.
We wanted food to taste better,so we put garbage in our food
and now we wonder why cancersand things like that are more

(34:50):
and more rising.
It's like we have done this onourselves.
You know and understanding, andI love that perspective.
You say it's like I'm not goingto blame the creator.
You know what I mean and Ithink that's that's.
You can use that example right,to anything in life.
Right, you develop somethingbeautiful, great, but ultimately

(35:12):
if someone goes and destroys it, you can't blame the guy that
made the sweet masterpiece, like, come on.
So I think that's a that'sawesome, and I love those two
questions because, um, I thinkit's.
It's really encouraging to thelisteners, because I don't know
if you're one listeners that arestruggling with image, or I

(35:34):
don't know if you're one maybethat, uh, you know, often you
know wants validation, or maybesomeone who you know is seeking
prayer.
Just remind yourself when youare praying, just pray that your
desires align for God's willfor your life and pray that he
changes your heart and mind andultimately you'll be at peace.

(35:57):
You know, through yoursituation, and I think that's
what's helped me get to where Iam spiritually, emotionally,
mentally, physically and I'm notanywhere near perfect, but I'm
very content with what God hasmade me physically because I
know who I am in Christ, and Ithink if you're someone who's
struggling with those types ofemotions, I would just really
encourage you today to justsearch in the Bible and look at

(36:21):
who God says you are by being achild of his, and really just
pray that let his will be donein your life and ultimately be
obedient when he does revealyour will in uh for your life,
talking about will and and uhtalking about gifts and and kind
of your walk man.

(36:42):
So now you are one of theworship leaders at your church,
is that right?
What church do you go to?
Venture Christian Church,venture Christian that's a cool
name, man, so kind of give us alittle bit of a journey on when
you realized you could sing alittle bit, how that started and
, ultimately, ultimately, whydid you feel led to sing to

(37:05):
glorify god, and maybe not inanother space?
Um, okay, so we can go back tothe beginning.
You know, god had told mypastor that I had to call him
over my life yep I didn't knowwhat it would be.
I didn't know I wasn't sure, butI knew that I wanted to serve
him.
Um, and I didn't know, I wasn'tsure, but I knew that I wanted
to serve him and I didn't knowhow I would do it yet.
But I think singing really wassomething I always did, even

(37:27):
though I was little.
My mom has videos of me singingmore love, more power, right
and I always loved singing itand I didn't.
I really didn't take it serious, so I never was like that's
something that I could do andthat I want to do, like I had
fun, but I never did it.
You know, like I in public foryears, um, coming around to my

(37:48):
senior year, there was a talentshow and, um, I was like, okay,
I'm, it's my senior year, um, Ifeel like I need to do something
.
You know, I'm not saying youhave to do something your senior
year, but I felt personallylike I was like I don't know why
I feel led to do this, but yeahyeah, I was like I'm just gonna
go for it, I'm just gonna do it.
And then I chickened out.
I was like, all right, I don'tknow, I can't do it, I can't do

(38:12):
it.
And then my friend comes up tome and she goes I heard you
wanted to do talent show, weshould do a duet.
I'm like, oh okay.
And then we go to register andshe was about to chicken out
Nope, nope, we're doing this,we're not going to chicken out.
So we went through with it andthen we ended up winning the
talent show.
What song?
It was a song, it was like acountry song by Christina

(38:37):
Aguilera and Blake Shelton.
Okay, yeah, yeah, do you?
Have a video of this.
I think I do somewhere yeah.

Speaker 2 (38:44):
You got to send that to me I got to see it offline.

Speaker 1 (38:47):
That's sick.
All right dude?
Yeah, for sure I will, but I,uh, yeah.
So that fear of singing infront of people it started to
diminish, and little did I knowthat God had wanted to use this
as like a almost like a way ofme going through the door that
he had opened.
I guess.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I felt led to start serving.
So I was like I want to connectwith the church.

(39:09):
I want to, you know, let themknow I want to start serving.
So I emailed the worship pastorat my church.
We met for coffee and I wastelling him, like you know, my
heart behind it and why I wantedto start serving.
Because you know, god's alreadydone in my life and I knew that
I wanted to serve Him evensince I was little right.
I just didn't know what thatwould be and I think that fear
of seeing different people itwasn't there as much anymore

(39:29):
because, you know, I was like Iwant to sing for the Lord.
I don't care what people thinkof me.
You know, I don't care how Isound, I'm just going to sing,
sing for the lord.
And then I started serving andthen, um, I think after a few
months, um, the another worshippastor in my church was like
they want you to lead.
I was like, oh, I was like, oh,okay, uh, I guess.

(39:54):
And I was like I was excitedbecause, like that was so crazy
that god had already called meto that within a few months,
right, but that nerve started tocome back.
I'm like, oh, I'm going to beleading.
Oh gosh, you know what I mean.
Yeah.
But you know, I had prayed thewhole time and I was like, lord,
just let this glorify you, it'sgoing to sound.
However, it's going to sound.
It doesn't matter, you know, ifI voice crack or whatever, and

(40:18):
that's been what the Lord wasteaching me since I started.
It's like you need to not befocused on the performance.
You need to be focused on theworship, because you don't know
who will come into that churchthat is feeling broken and is in
desperate need of a savior,that doesn't know who Jesus is.
Yet.
And let's say it's meworshiping and they hear the

(40:39):
song and they listen to it andthe Holy Spirit's moving in that
song and Holy Spirit's movingin that room and they just feel
the presence of God overwhelmthem, right?
I can't be focused on myperformance and be like, oh, I
voice cracked and then stopsinging.
It's like it's not for me, it'sfor him, it's to glorify him and
for seeds to be planted rightand for people to feel his
presence, to just surrendereverything to him and just

(41:02):
glorify him.
Yeah, it's like there was a oneof the services my the worship
pastor at my church told us hewas like so this lady, who is a
single mom.
She's going through a lot rightnow and she's going to come to
the service.
We invited her to the servicethis weekend and I just want you

(41:22):
guys to keep in mind whenyou're worshiping just leave
behind that performance, don'tworry about how it sounds.
So focus on the worship and justbe in his presence and
surrender everything becausethis lady right here, the reason
why we sing, is to glorify thelord and so that people can feel
his presence when we're singingto him, right, and those songs

(41:44):
of praises, like God moves.
He is present in that andthat's what's so important.
That's why we need to get ridof ourselves right, remove
ourselves from the image andlook to him when we're singing.
That's why, for me, not a lotof people do this, but I close
my eyes a lot of the time.
I see in your videos.

(42:08):
Yeah, I close my eyes a lot ofthe time I when I see in your
videos.
Yeah, I close my eyes becauseit's like I need to focus.
I need to not get in my headand think, oh okay, I'm okay, I
sound weird here, you know whatI mean, and then I see all these
faces, but, um, it's like Ireally want to just be in the
presence of god.
I don't want to.
You know, focus on what I'mseeing, right?
Yeah, yeah, I want to close myeyes.
I want to just sit with him,right, and um, that's why I
close my eyes some people aredifferent.

(42:28):
Some people, you know, they theyopen their eyes because they
make eye contact with people, sothat way they could.
But, um, I think it's justsomething that I do personally,
but it's like that it's worshipis an intimate time with God.
It's like you are exalting him,you are praising him and you
are inviting him into the room.
Right, we were praising theKing of Kings, lord of Lords.

(42:50):
He's on the throne in heaven,right, yeah, so it's not like a
show we're putting on, so it'ssuch like a.
It's such a blessing to get todo that, like the Lord ofords is
present in the room with us andwe get to sing to him.
That's so cool, absolutely, but, yeah, that's that's incredible
, bro.
Um, so much there, you know, um, I had a episode recently when

(43:16):
this will be launched this uh,the episode's already out with a
friend of mine, um chloe sagam,who's one of the lead worship.
Uh, um, lead worship leaders atmy church um, central, shout out
to central and um, one of thethings she used mentioned, uh,
was just kind of the talk of theimportance of just remembering

(43:39):
it's an audience of one, right,you, you're, you're praising God
, you're there to worship Godand and ultimately allow people
to feel, you know, call thepresence upon the church and and
we're doing it for God, right,and I think that's such an
important aspect.
And but you know, it's thatfine line where she also

(43:59):
mentioned, like we got toremember when, when, at my
church, when you're having 2 000plus people and I know your
church is a decent sized churchtoo right, where and I'm not
diminishing the mission in thisminute, whatever the word is
yeah, diminishing small churchesor small performances, but it's

(44:21):
a lot easier to maybe worshipto God when there's 40 people in
the audience versus hundredsand thousands, because it
becomes a concert and so it'slike, are they worshiping and
idolizing me on stage and themusic?
Or are we trying to, you know?
So it's that constantremembering to level your head
to why are you doing this?
Who are we doing it for?

(44:41):
And my friend coley really saida great way to put it and just
some amazing ways to kind ofremember why we're doing it.
On the past episode, um shoutout to her amazing voice, great
person, um and uh.
So anyways, I kind of just threwthat in there to just remind
these individuals, maybelistening, that it's easier said

(45:04):
than done, you know, becauseit's a performance.
And when he was talking aboutwhy he needs to close his eyes,
like yeah, it can be tough, butif you don't close your eyes or
you're not sitting in thepresence of the Lord when you're
singing, you can almost maybeget prideful or boastful, maybe
and all these other things right.
And I've had to work on that aswell in my own life.

(45:26):
When I've done speaking, youknow it's, I'm speaking to
glorify God and help people tohim.
But when there's hundreds andhundreds of people in the
audience, you know it's, youwant to remember like they're
not clapping for you, they'reclapping for him.
Yeah.
You Right, so and so,remembering that is a super

(45:47):
important part of that.
So I want to transition againinto another aspect here that I
think is just super powerful.
A couple of your videos havegone viral on social media, or
what I would consider viral, um,or what I would consider viral

(46:10):
and um, you know you, man, andthe hard work that you put in um
and your obedience to whatgod's called you to do.
Talk about maybe the journeyand the social media grind, kind
of what the vision maybe god'sput on your heart for social
media, for your worship, careerand just for your life in
general.
Like where, where do you seegod calling you where, where,
where is your ultimate goal andvision that god's put on your
heart with, maybe, your content,your worshiping, etc.

(46:32):
So this is something that Ihave said since I was young.
There's a video like oldtestimony video that my church
recorded.
Um, I said I just want to helppeople.
So it's like that's somethingthat's always been on my heart.
I want to help people.
I want people to get to knowchrist.
You know the people that don'tknow christ.
I want them to get to knowchrist.
But people that are broken,that are weary, that feel far

(46:54):
from god, I want them toremember that there's a lord who
loves them so much, that ispresent through every step of
their life, that is workingeverything together for good in
his glory, right?
So that's something that hasbeen on my heart.
With social media, I was like Idon't know who's going to see
the video.
I don't know how many peopleare going to see the video, I
don't, you know, I'm not reallyworried about the number, um,

(47:15):
but I want people that need thatreminder to see it, right.
I need that reminder that godis moving, even if they are in
that season, that they're in,right.
They might not understand whythey're in that season now, but
it will be revealed to them soon, right?
Whether that be in this life orthe next life, I don't know, but
I think there's a verse in theBible.

(47:35):
It's like I think it's Romans 8, 18.
It just talks about how, likethe struggles and the trials now
you know, don't compare to whatis to be revealed to us in the
future, right?
I don't compare to what is tobe revealed to us in the future,
right?
I don't know.
I don't know what word for word, but it was like along those
lines and, um, that's exactly.
That's so true.
It's like we might notunderstand our trials, we might

(47:55):
not understand our struggles,yeah, but god's still moving.
Nothing's about that, right.
And it's like let you know, letthe trials come.
If that means god's movingthrough this and god is going to
use this, then let them themcome.
You know, am I going to bestrong the whole time?
Am I going to be like 100%?
Probably not.
But that's what I need, god.
I need him as my foundation, Ineed him as my strength, because

(48:18):
I can't do it alone.
And that's why it's likesometimes we need these trials,
so that way we know and rememberto depend on him, trust in him,
to have him as the foundation.
Right, because his love, hisgrace, his faithfulness, that is
what gets us through thoseseasons.
Yeah, and that's just why it'slike I post these videos,

(48:39):
because I want people toremember that, and it's like I'm
gonna go through what I gothrough.
Um, it happens, it's a part ofmy life.
Does that mean that god's notworking through it?
Of course he is right.
God never said life is going tobe easy, not one time.
He didn't say life is gonna.
That's what peoplemisunderstand when, when they
you know they're newerchristians they think life's

(49:00):
just going to be like super easy, everything's going to be given
to them.
It's like no, no, we're goingto be persecuted for our belief.
This place is not our home.
Our flesh is against our spirit.
Right, it's not going to comewith us to heaven.
So trials, tribulations,temptations, all that is going
to come up, no matter what,because our, our spirit is going
to be the one going to heaven.

(49:20):
Right, our flesh is going to beleft behind.
Yeah, so the trials they'regoing to come, the enemy's still
prowling still, and destroy.
That's his whole purpose,because he has already lost the
war.
Right, he's a sore loser.
I say this on my live.
It's funny, he's a sore loserright yeah, bro
and you're gonna try to bringdown as many souls as you can.
Yeah, remember.
It's like, okay, he's gonna tryto come my way, but I know who

(49:44):
my father is and I know thevictory that he has already won.
It's like that's, that's beenthe goal.
That's been the goal I'm goingto remind everyone that follows
me like, and even the people onhere.
It's like God loves you.
Just because you're goingthrough that trial, it doesn't
mean that it's going to be, youknow, in vain.
It doesn't mean it's not goingto be used for something.
Maybe that trial is going to bea testimony for the future.

(50:05):
You still believe in God pastthat trial, and someone needs to
hear that.
You know, I don't know.
I don't know what you know orhow God will use it, but I know
it's going to be great.
I know that God is going to useeverything together for good
and his glory.
Like I said, but I love thatbro.
That's amazing man.
I think that's a beautifultestament.
I think it's a great reminderthrough life is to keep pushing.

(50:29):
I think it's such an importantaspect of life in general, man,
and I want to take you backearlier in this year.
I know both you and I made thedeclaration to get baptized and
I kind of had a similar story.

(50:49):
Wasn't as severe as you, buttalk about how the enemy saw you
about to do something huge andyou.
You got upset back there, um,and I'm actually experiencing
this right now in my life.
Um, and I'll talk about thatafter.
But talk about, kind of I it'sgonna get harder when we go hard

(51:10):
for the lord, it, the enemy'sgonna come harder for us.
Like one of my really closefriends, mike, he said, uh, you
know that saying like idle pansis the devil workshop or idle
mind the devil's workshop.
He said, no, it's the opposite,because if you're sitting there
on the couch eating doritos,playing xbox, not going hard for
the lord, he's probably goingto leave you alone.

(51:31):
The second you try to proclaimjesus and go, make a difference
and be an open, honest vesselfor the lord, that's when he's
gonna rob, kill and destroy.
You know, your, your, your, uh,your desire for serving the
Lord, or try to at least right.
So talk about that and how youkind of had to overcome that and

(51:52):
yeah.
Yeah, I just want to be so, Iwant to be fully transparent
with this.
So I was so excited, you know,like professing your faith, like
getting baptized, that's suchan awesome step to take with the
Lord in your relationship,right, it's like it's so, so
amazing, and I was so excited.
I got my hair cut likeliterally two days before it's
ready.
And then, right before, my doghas never done this ever, but

(52:16):
she like lifted up her hind legand she's a husky, so she's big
and she looked up her hind legand stepped into like my foot
rest and stepped right onto mymy ankle and then, um, her leg
got stuck so she kind of kickedmy other leg so fractured both
legs, right, right, this is twodays before and as soon as it
happened, I'm like, oh, I can't,I can't do it because my legs,

(52:38):
like I already know they're bad.
I didn't move yet but I just Ijust feel it, you know, because,
like you understand, like whenyou, feel you know like I've got
a story about that after bro,but yeah, yeah, you know the
extent that it's broken, likeyeah
but you know, um.
So I was like you know, I can'tdo it, I have to cancel, I
can't.
And I just started to shut down.
I was like I can't do it, Ican't do it.

(52:59):
I just told my mom I can't doit.
She's like you don't think it'spossible.
Like you, you don't think youcan move at all.
I was, I can't and I just wasso broken and then, um, yeah,
emotionally and physically,exactly Right, and I was just
like so just, I was like I wasso close two days away, I was
right there, but then thishappens and I was just kind of

(53:22):
like trying so hard to be strongand then I just broke out in
tears.
In tears, I was, I was justcrying and I was like upset and
my mom was like she came to mein my room and she's like you
can be upset, you can be angry,this was going to be a big day.
That's okay.
But what I want you to do is Iwant you to trust that the Lord
is going to get you through thisand I want you to remember that

(53:43):
you will get baptized.
She spoke life right.
She didn't say like you couldget baptized soon.
She said you will get baptized.
That's something that's soimportant that I want people
that are listening to understand.
Speak life, even in thosesituations of where you might
feel it's impossible or thestruggle is too big or the
battle is too big.
Right, speak life, because Iforget who it was.

(54:06):
Who spoke life into the drybones.
What?
Do you know the story?
You know?
what I'm talking about.
Yeah, I know.
Um, oh, I'm blanking hold on,I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I gotta
google it now.
I'm like okay okay, it's likethat story, like speaking life
causes the dry bones to formlife yeah but, um, keep going,

(54:30):
yeah, okay, okay.
But it's like she spoke life andI think her saying that I like
a sense of comfort, it's likethat's, it's so like, so.
True, I need to look to god andI can be angry, you know,
because I have my emotions, Ican be upset, but I'm not gonna
be upset at God, I'm just gonnabe upset at the fact that I was

(54:50):
so close and that I didn't feel,yeah, exactly, and I need, I
need to take that time to justsit with the Lord and just trust
in him.
And I'm gonna tell you, thenext, the next couple days after
that, were miserable.
They were hard.
It wasn't, it wasn't likebecause I was sad, like I got I.
I get out of that pretty fast,you know, I don't really stay in
it for too long, but the nextday I I saw actually not even

(55:13):
the next day, the night of.
So when my legs break I don'tknow why I do this like tensing
up thing and yeah, it's like.
I don't know if it's spasms orwhat, but when they broke, when
they're broken, I'll go to sleepand then they'll tense, like
the muscles will move, yeah, andthen causing my whole leg to
twist into this place where Ican't move it and it's like
flexing in a weird way, causingthe bones to like it's not

(55:38):
muscles back yeah, it's all yeahyeah, it's awful, and I was.
That was happening for likeevery hour I think, like two,
three hours of sleep for thenext couple days, and every time
I would doze off I would my legwould twist and then I would
wake up and I'd be like becauseit would like sharp, sharp pain.
Oh yeah, yeah.
Every time I would doze off.

(55:59):
It was so, so hard, but by thegrace of god, like I said, I
made it through and I did getbaptized because come on
somebody, it wasn't his plan andhe did it, you know, but that's
what I'm saying.
It's like you might notunderstand that trial but that
was a testimony.
When I got baptized, I was ableto share the fact that you know

(56:19):
I was broken and I was.
You know, I didn't know why ithappened.
But I'm here now and that'sexactly what.
You know where God brought meand I got baptized.
So that's wild man.
Um, yeah, that's.
I'm sorry you have to gothrough.
That's so relatable, bro.
Um, just about that, you know,when you know you have oi, you

(56:41):
know, um you're.
Sometimes there's no rhyme orreason why things break, it just
kind of happens.
And I actually broke my ulna andmy um forearm a couple weeks
ago to my dog.
I just got a new dog and, uh,he or he's about five or six
months now um, and I was layingmy chair back about to get in my

(57:01):
bed and my arm was just kind ofhanging off the side, it wasn't
paying, paying attention, andhe was excited to see me.
So he ran in the house andjumped up and like just got my
arm at the wrong spot, yeah.
But the funny thing is is Iprayed to God the night before.
I was like God, I'm praying fora breakthrough in my life.
There's been a lot of thingsI'm working on and behind the

(57:22):
scenes and I've really just beenpraying to God.
I said I don't like I don'tcare what the breakthrough is
Meaning, like if it's with whatI was hoping for or whatever,
like just something in my lifelike a breakthrough, bro, like
it's to help me continue to moveforward, to be who he called me
, to be Right.
And I just was laughing.
I was like, well, God, thatwasn't the breakthrough.
I was really sick.

(57:43):
But and then you can't make itup, bro.
Every night I'll listen toworship songs and I put my
playlist on shuffle.
The song that played, bro, wasSomething has to Break.
I swear my mom was with me, bro.
I was like what is going on,though?
The craziest thing, man.
This episode has been so raw,real and transparent.

(58:06):
Like I tell every guest, Icould talk to each one of you
all forever, because I think youguys are amazing people.
You are on fire for the Lordand you're using your gifts to
glorify Him, which is beautifulto see.
Now I ask the guests usuallythe same three questions, or Ben
trying to do so, but I'm goingto change these questions up.

(58:28):
My first question what's yourfavorite song to lead in worship
?
oh um, that's such a goodquestion.
I think obviously firmfoundation like that's okay,
that's where it started.
That was the first song I everread um, and it's so, so
powerful and it's like it's true, our testimony, the bridge.
You know, rain came and blew,but our house was built on the

(58:50):
Lord and we're safe, and thatsong is just so, so beautiful.
I love leading it around.
And then there's one that's Ilove Corey Miller.
I don't know if you know whoCorey Miller is.
You've been familiar a littlebit.
Yeah, he's the lead worship, theworship leader for Red Rocks
Worship.
Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.

(59:11):
And I listened to Sound Mindrecently.
That's one I want to lead.
Really bad, it's very beautiful.
You've got to listen to it.
Oh, you've heard it.
Yeah, yeah, it's so good, dude.
It's so good, I want to leavethat one next, but it's so good.
Matthew Klier bro, yeah,Awesome.
Now, what is maybe somethingmany people want to know about

(59:32):
you?
Like one thing, Like many peopleyeah, just like hidden about
Isaac, like what's one thingpeople just you know, you speak
like nine languages or somethingcrazy.
Like you know, like what'ssomething a lot of people know.
Let's see, I'm a gamer.

(59:55):
I mean a lot of people knewthat, but not people on my
social media.
I'm a gamer Play a lot of videogames.
Okay.
And I used to be a contentcreator.
God led me to the worship leadand I didn't see it at the time,
but I just left the gamingthings behind.
I left it behind.
I was like all right, lord, Iwant you to do what you want to

(01:00:16):
do over my life.
So I just deactivated all that,left that all behind and then,
sure enough, I ended up back onsocial media anyways.
Did you?
have any following on the gamingside of things I did.
Yeah, I had, like, I think,like 30,000 followers across all
social media.
Yeah so I was doing pretty good,wow, and, yeah, I did that for

(01:00:39):
years and I joined like a prettybig gaming organization group,
which one it was called Overtime, you might know, like the
Instagram, you might know, likethe instagram page, like the
sports.
Yeah, yeah, they had a gamingpage and yeah, so I I used to
play for them for a little bit,but, uh, you know it's so, bro,
I want to dive into this.
This episode is going to go alittle longer because you just
hit the mail on the head onsomething, because I relate with

(01:01:03):
this so hard.
I wonder if you got this at all.
So, when I was coaching collegebaseball, I had a pleasure of
coaching for four years.
I was, quote-unquote,successful, successful.
But then people ask me, why didI give it up?
I say, well, because God'scalling me to something
different In my perspective,something bigger In the sense of

(01:01:26):
for my life, somethingdifferent, like in my
perspective, something bigger,like in the sense of for my life
, something bigger.
And you know, it makes me thinkabout defining success and
defining on what God's calledyou to do, because I won
assistant coach of the year in2022 in all of college baseball
by the collegiate baseballnewspaper, like I was successful
in coaching, baseball newspaper, like I was successful in

(01:01:50):
coaching.
But I knew God wanted me topursue the ministry right, get
my degree and go back to school,get my my, my church has a
certificate for advancedleadership, so I'm doing that
right now.
Or advanced ministerialleadership, so I'm doing that
now.
I'm going back to school to getan education in ministry and
everything like that and I'm nowserving.
And school to get an educationin ministry and everything like
that.
And I'm now serving and doingeverything because I feel called
to the ministry.

(01:02:12):
But people that were in thebaseball world looked at me like
I had four heads.
It was like bro, you just gaveup this.
You got to coach people who arenow playing in the pros, like I
coached two kids last summerthat are now playing for major
league organizations.
I work with people in theprofessional MLB right now.
I coached two kids last summerthat are now playing for major

(01:02:33):
league organizations.
I work with people in theprofessional MLB right now.
I work with them on the privatestuff, which is awesome, and I
still do side things.
But my point is saying, wasthere anybody like when you kind
of drifted from gaming to now,your faith being the forefront
of your life.
Did anybody look like, bro, howdid you give that up?
Why did you give that up?
Yeah, I've up.
Yeah, I've had people say, likeyou used to game all the time.
What happened?
Like, why do you, why'd yougive it up?
That was something you wantedto do for so long.

(01:02:55):
Yeah, like the passion theyonce had for it.
It wasn't there and I knew that.
Like what, that whole gamingstuff?
It's fun as a hobby, right,yeah, but it's not what God was
calling me to and I know that—.
Was it Christ-centered?
No, it was not, yeah.

(01:03:15):
So that's exactly why I waslike this isn't—it's not what I
want to do, because it's notserving God right, and I had to
take that step of faith and justleave everything behind.
Wow.
And trust that God was going todo something, you know, and it
doesn't mean there was going tobe success, but it was whatever
he wanted me to do, right, amen,and I set a trust in that.

(01:03:38):
So then I was like I'm justgoing to deactivate everything
and wherever the Lord brings meis where he'll bring me, and
sure enough, that's when Iposted.
You know brings me is wherehe'll bring me, and sure enough,
that's when I posted, you know,the video of me leading worship
for the first time and thatwent viral.
And then I started doing livestreams and now I do live
streams and I sing worship onlive and I lead worship at
church and I've been gettinginvited to events, which is so

(01:03:59):
amazing okay, lead worship andit's just so crazy.
Like when you're obedient to thelord, you need to trust that
you's going to do something.
It doesn't mean it's going tobe something all big and grand I
don't know, it could be butdon't focus on the blessing.
Focus on what he's going to doand what he wants you to do.
Right, and that is so important.
You need to keep that in mindwhen you need to, when you take

(01:04:20):
that step of faith to serve theLord, you need to trust that he
is going to provide.
You'll provide what you need,but he will make a way even when
there seems like there is nonecome on yeah, right, and that's
it's.
So.
It's such like a a foundationof taking that step like you
need to trust in his plans.
You trust that what he's goingto do is going to be great, it's

(01:04:42):
going to be for his glory.
I don't like great to us, mightnot, you know, it might not be
great to us, but it's great.
It's what he's doing, it's whathe wants.
So it is great, right,absolutely.
But yeah, so I had to take thatstep of faith.
Sure enough, this is what I getto do.
I get to post worship.
I get to, you know, share theword with people.

(01:05:07):
Some of my old gaming friends Istill play with and I tell them.
I told them what I do.
Um, at first I was a littlenervous about it because you
know they're not believers andthey don't you know, they don't,
they, they're not, you know,like a follower of christ yeah
so I wasn't sure what they'regonna think, but I was like you
know, lord, forget it, they'llthink whatever they're gonna
think, you know yeah if they'retruly my friend, they won't, you
know, try to say stuff about me, but anything you I don't care

(01:05:28):
because you're glory, right.
So I, I told them about it.
They thought it was sick.
They're like, that's so cool.
Um, they still make some jokeshere and there, you know.
But I'm just like plantingseeds, bro.
They have no idea, dog, right.
Exactly idea, bro, you'replanting seeds.
That's awesome.
Yep, and I told them.
I told them about the Lord andI've been praying for boldness

(01:05:49):
to do it so like to share thegospel with more friends, even
if you know they are far fromthe Lord.
It doesn't matter, I still wantto share the gospel.
It's hard, you know.
It's a struggle, because ourflesh, we get this nervousness
and we get this like, but it'slike, but it's like you really
got to focus, like the boldnessdoesn't come from you, it comes
from the holy spirit and comefrom that part, from what god is

(01:06:09):
doing, right, that's why yougot to pray for it.
You got to pray, yeah, yeah,and it's hard, but god's really
teaching me to be bold and bebold in what he's doing.
Yeah, and I've told my friendsI'm like.
I got invited to a couplechurches I lead worship.
People are blessed and yeah,they, you, they, you know they
kind of they don't make fun, butthey make fun, right?

(01:06:30):
Yeah, they don't know how toreact.
No, absolutely bro.
Yeah, and I've told them.
I'm like this is what I want todo and this is what the Lord's
calling me to.
Absolutely no.
I definitely have people, youknow, not, yeah, in similar
spaces, Because I used to game alot too and kind of talk about
like, yeah, I'm going into theministry and, you know, and even
people in the baseball worldare, like, like I said, kind of

(01:06:52):
looked at me slightly differentbecause of, you know, pursuing
that calling.
But, you know, like youmentioned earlier, you're going
to get persecuted, you're goingto get looked at differently.
You're, you know, and you knowPaul tells us that.
You know, and several timesthat, but you know you're gonna.
If you really want what thelord wants for you, it's gonna

(01:07:12):
be a hard road.
So, uh, but that's amazing, man.
And the last thing I want toleave with is uh, what are some
things maybe you know the, thelisteners can what?
One where they can find you on,like social media and all those
wonderful things.
And then two, uh, what aremaybe some projects you're
working on any music thingsgoing on, or maybe are you going
to worship, lead at a churchhere coming soon, or any

(01:07:34):
anything like that for us tokind of tune in on.
Um, okay, so first I am workingon getting my first debut
single uh, it's a worship songcalled our darkness out soon.
Uh, we recorded it a coupleweeks ago, on wednesday, did you
write it or just sing it I, soI wrote a majority of it okay um

(01:07:56):
and so the story behind this.
Actually, about a year ago injuly, I had sang at my grandpa's
funeral and um, after Ifinished singing, my aunt
received the word from the lordand she told me that god told
her that I was gonna write asong.
And for me, I've never takenmusic theory, I'd never taken
choir, I'd never taken anything.
So I was like what?

(01:08:17):
I'm like uh, okay, okay, right,like yeah yeah, yeah that's
like a big thing to say.
Yeah, like I don't know, Icouldn't picture it.
So I was like I don't know howthis is gonna be possible.
Have I messed around with likesome songs before a little bit,
but I haven't written a song,right?
Yeah, um, and I was just likeokay, I need to, I need to pray

(01:08:39):
about this, I need to ask god tohelp me with this, because I
don't know how on earth I woulddo it yeah and I, I prayed, I
was, lord, give me the words,let this be a song that
glorifies you.
And he gave me the words Out ofDarkness.
And then from there, it wasjust like things just started
coming different moments in mylife, different verses, right,
of what God has done and what heis doing right and it just

(01:09:02):
started to come out.
And then the melody startedcoming together and it's just
like it just all startedhappening.
And that's how you know it wasthe holy spirit, because he was
just providing what I needed toget this song.
And um, I finished like a roughdraft of it in january, about
okay.
And um, I brought it to theworship leaders of my church
because they had you know,they're, they're on fire for the
lord.
And I was like, you know, I Ineed help with finishing it a

(01:09:24):
little bit.
I know there's some things Ineed to fix, but I want it to
still be the same message.
I don't want to change themessage of it.
You know we can change thewords, but if it doesn't get
that same message out, I don'twant to write it that way,
absolutely Right.
So I was like, okay, so willyou guys be able to help me and
they're like yeah, we totallywant to help you, like we can

(01:09:46):
totally do that.
So we sat down for threewriting sessions and then we
finished it and we recorded itlast wednesday and there's a
there's a verse in the bridgethat um is so true to like
everyone's testimony, reallylike everyone that follows the
lord, it's like.
So there's a verse.
It goes what broke me downwon't keep me down.
You, you lift me up.

(01:10:06):
I'm stronger now.
So it's like yeah, so it's likesome things might try to come
and break us.
You know, some things might tryto come our way that tries to
pick us apart and get us to ourlowest level.
But what is breaking you downright now?
It's not going to keep you down, because your father in heaven
has already won that war.
He's working everythingtogether for good and he will

(01:10:29):
provide the strength that youneed to get through that season.
And does that mean that you'regoing to be strong and you're
going to be 100% all the waythrough?
No, but that's exactly thepoint.
You can't do it alone.
You're not going to be strongalone.
You have to lean on God so thatway he can make you stronger.
And it's just so true, and whenwe were writing that lyric, the

(01:10:50):
thought behind it was like,should we write something about
how, like your bones?
Like because when we breakbones, it heals and it comes
back stronger, right, it heals anew bone and it's a stronger
bone.
So we, that's what was in mind.
It's like when a bone breaks,it comes back stronger.
When it's healed, it's stronger, right, and that's exactly what

(01:11:12):
God does.
When we are broken and we arefalling apart, god heals those
broken pieces and strengthens it.
Yeah, right, and I'm so blessedto record this song and release
it soon.
And then I got invited toLakewood Church in Houston,

(01:11:36):
texas.
Wow, yeah, so they're doing adisability, I guess, event where
they get they bring like kidswith disabilities on stage, and
they wanted me to lead worship.
And yeah, so I was like, wow,like that is such an opportunity
.
And I, when is that?
Well, when is that?
In august, 20, august, 28th, Ibelieve?

(01:11:59):
Oh, bro, that's awesome, yeah,so, um, I'll be doing that.
And it's like, like, like I said, when I lead, when I lead
worship, my heart, mind, is likeI want people to see me for how
God sees me, right, I want themto see what God can do, yeah,
and he can move through anybody,whatever their physical

(01:12:20):
appearance, mental appearance,whatever it is.
God's glory is going to beshown, right, yeah, so I'm so
excited to do that, um, and thenI think that's about it there's
another event coming up here inthe bay area um, that's going
to be going on that I'm excitedto um participate in.
So, yeah, um, it's uh, all thevalley schools all the valley

(01:12:45):
schools are coming together todo an event.
It's a lot of people, so it's apretty big event and they wanted
me to be a part of it.
Awesome, because they invitedthe worship team at my church.
Okay, they specificallyrequested me as well.
Oh, that's awesome yeah, so I'mexcited for that.

Speaker 2 (01:13:01):
Thanks for dropping that out, man.
And then where do we find your?

Speaker 1 (01:13:04):
platforms.
What are your?
Uh?
Um?
So on instagram, my handle isisaac emmanuel, underscore um,
and then tiktok is ice man,underscore sinks, and then
youtube is isaac emmanuel sweetbro fire.
I appreciate you taking thetime with us today.
Man, I know this episode wasall over, but it's what the holy
spirit put on our hearts andthat's what ultimately matters.

(01:13:27):
Um, I'm so happy, uh, got tospend this time with you and, um
, I want to.
I want to kick it in real lifebro and man, we, we do some
collaboration here soon.
Man, I think that'd be reallycool in person.
Do do something.
I'm gonna pray on it.
I don't know what it will beyet, but it would be so cool to

(01:13:48):
collaborate on some aspect Notsing, because I can't sing a
lick, but definitely use some ofthe gifts that God's given me
and the gifts God gave you, andcontinue to make a difference
for His glory, bro, but continueto kill it, that's so awesome.
And just continue to grind anddo whatever God puts on your

(01:14:08):
heart.
But if you wouldn't mindleading us in prayer to kind of
just pray over the listeners,and that whatever we spoke today
does ultimately glorify God andwas able to resonate with some
of the listeners, all right,let's do it.
Father God, thank you so muchfor this time together, lord.
We just thank you that we getto be in your presence, lord,
that we get to testify of whatyou've done and what you are

(01:14:29):
doing, lord, lord, I just pray,lord, that whatever we talk
about today, lord, that whoeveris behind this screen, lord,
watching this, that it justreached their heart, father God,
that it just spoke to them,lord, that you are just present
in their room, father God, andthey could just feel your spirit
and everything that we talkedabout today, lord, I just pray,
lord, that if there's someonegoing through something that
they feel like they can't getthrough, like they are fighting

(01:14:51):
a battle that is too big forthem, lord, I pray, lord, that
they would just surrender it toyou, lord, that they would trust
in you and your plans, fatherGod, because you are perfect,
lord, and you design everythingintently, father God, and
everything is the way that it issupposed to be in your will,
lord, and we just have faith inyou, lord, and we have trust in
you that you are moving, evenwhen we can't see it or we can't

(01:15:12):
feel it, lord.
I pray, lord, that if there'sanyone that sees himself
differently, lord, that doesn'thave a boldness or courage or
doesn't have that belief thatyou can move through them, lord,
I pray, Lord, that they wouldjust have full faith in you,
lord, and that they would justhave a heart ready to serve you,
lord, wherever that would be,whether that would be in

(01:15:34):
ministry or evangelizing on thestreet or whatever that would be
, lord.
I pray, lord, that they wouldjust be obedient to that calling
Lord, that they would justlisten for your voice, lord.
I pray, lord, over Dan.
Father God, that you justcontinue to move through him.
Lord, that you just continue tojust open doors for him, father
God, that he can't even imaginethat would be open.
Lord, that he would just puthis full faith and trust in you.

(01:15:56):
Lord, that he would justcontinue to be obedient to his
calling.
Lord, and just continue to movethrough him, lord, continue to
move in a way that only you can.
Father God, we just thank you.
Lord.
We pray healing Lord, overanybody that may need spiritual
healing or mental healing.
Father God, if there's anydemonic things that try to come
over these people, lord, I pray,lord, that you would just cover
each and every single one of uswith your blood, from the top

(01:16:18):
of our head to the soles of ourfeet.
Lord, surround us with yourhead and the angels, lord, I
pray that hedge of protectionover us, lord, and just continue
just to work in us, father God.
Refine our hearts, refine ourminds, lord, and just continue
just to let your will be doneover our lives.
Lord, we thank you, father God,we praise you.
We ask all of this in yourprecious name, amen.
Amen.

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United States of Kennedy

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.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}United States of Kennedy

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Catching Up With Christians: EP: 9: With Isaac Immanuel, Worship Leader and Social Media Content Creator

United States of Kennedy