November 14, 2024 • 26 mins
What happens when a young man's life is turned upside down by the challenges of fatherhood and divorce at just 22? Meet Jack, whose story of transformation through faith and surrender is both profound and inspirational. Raised by a single mom and grandparents in the scenic backdrop of Lake Elsinore, Jack's journey begins with youthful escapades and leads to an unexpected spiritual awakening. His mother's newfound faith seemed puzzling at first, but it sparked a change that would eventually guide Jack through life's toughest hurdles.
At the heart of this episode lies Jack's personal metamorphosis: a shift from skepticism to embracing a faith-driven lifestyle that redefined his existence. Immersed in a community that embraced him, Jack found solace and strength in church activities and Bible studies, drastically altering his life's trajectory. He candidly shares the joys and struggles of embracing fatherhood at a young age, shedding light on the societal taboos that often accompany it. Through his narrative, we explore the importance of a supportive network and how faith provided the foundation and courage to face young parenthood.
In a world obsessed with perfect social media portrayals, Jack's story is a refreshing reminder of the importance of humility and letting God shape our identity. He emphasizes the significance of prayer and community support, especially during life's unpredictable storms. Not just a journey of personal growth, Jack's transformation serves as a testament to the power of second chances offered by a gracious God. Tune in to hear how personal testimonies and stories of faith can uplift and inspire, fulfilling our calling to share the profound impacts of faith in our lives.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, family and friends, welcome back to the
Feeling Faith podcast, where weencourage, inspire and motivate
people to grow closer to Christ.
I'm here with Jack.
Jack, thank you for coming intoday.
How's it going?
Oh, it's going great.
Thank you for having me.
Yeah, absolutely.
We're excited to hear yourstory and your testimony of what
God's done in your life.
So let's start at the verybeginning.
(00:21):
Let's talk a little bit aboutwhere you're from, a little bit
of your upbringing.
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, I grew up right here in Temecula Merida Valley.
I grew up in Lake Elsinore,Very rural, very rural.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Single mom.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Grandparents lived in my grandparents' home.
Single mom Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Lived in the same house.
Props to your mom and having toput up with you too.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
I'm sure wasn't easy.
Yeah, it was a different time,real rural out here, not too
many people, kids just kind ofran around, did whatever they
want, and you know, as you wouldexpect.
You know.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Kids just running amok For sure.
Back in the times where yourkids could just go out, just
come back when the streetlight's on, that's it, or out
here.
Maybe there were no streetlights where you were.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
You might never have heard there were Awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
So grew up with grandma and grandpa went to
school.
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
You were all it was nice, you know.
Elsinore Elementary, elsinoreJunior High, elsinore High, all
um it was.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
it was nice, you know just uh, elson or elementary,
elson or junior high, elson orhigh.
Um, didn't bounce around toomuch.
You know same friends the wholetime throughout, yeah, yeah
most of kids.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
It was the same faces , you know.
I still see them around town, afew of them every once in a
while, yeah.
But, um, you know, as you wouldexpect as a teenager, you kind
of get rowdy and you party andyou know you dabble in things.
You shouldn't, of course, um,but you know nothing.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Nothing too out of control, I would say yeah, so
was your mom or grandparentsgoing to church during your so?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
what happened was, I would say, my mother.
My mother came to christprobably about the time maybe I
was in junior high school.
My mother became a born-againchristian and, um, you know, I
don't ever recall a time Ididn't believe in god or believe
that jesus christ was god, butdidn't fellowship at church, um,
(02:20):
didn't practice, let's say, anddidn't have my personal
relationship, that's for sure.
Yeah, mom was kind of growingin her own walk at that time and
through high school, In highschool.
you just want to kind of go outand run around and do whatever
you want.
Hey Mom, that's great for you,I'm going to be okay.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, so did you have siblings?
No, no, so only child, okay.
So you have siblings?
No, I'm not so, only child,okay.
So even even worse, for for myheart, I'm just kidding, okay,
um, so you know.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
so in in middle school, that's when your mom
really yeah, she came to christand I, you know from, from a
distance, I kind of saw her andshe was kind of just working on
herself, man, she had a lot ofhealing to do so.
So she was growing, coming intothe Lord and in high school she
would drag me to churches.
We'd go to the local Christianchurch, we'd go to Harvest
(03:12):
Christian Fellowship inRiverside and she always dragged
me to church and truthfully, Ithought these Christians were
just a bunch of weirdos.
Man, they were a weird bunchLike worship, hey Jesus.
I just remember thinking, boy,if these Christians didn't have
Christ, they wouldn't haveanybody.
But you know, I saw atransformed life is what I saw.
(03:33):
I saw her just growing in theLord, confidence being secure in
who she was, and you know I sawthe transformation, you know.
And then I got out of schooland still continued doing my
thing and you know it's justmaking a mess of stuff and and
and just kind of burning bridges, being an idiot really.
(03:55):
And then I would say it wasmaybe, and this is what you were
plumbing at the time.
Yeah, yeah, I was, I wasworking.
Yeah, I was, I had my own place, I was grooving and I was
probably about 21, 22.
I was 22 years old and I was atthe end of my rope and it was
bad.
It was really bad.
And I should back up.
(04:18):
As a teenager, my mother droveme to church, right, yeah, 15
years old, I responded to analtar called Harvest, christian
Fellowship.
Greg Laurie gave an altar.
I went to church, right, yeah,15 years old, I responded to an
altar called Harvest, christianFellowship.
Greg Laurie gave an altar.
Well, I was 15 years old.
I went to Harvest for a while.
That's a great church.
And I was always a believer,right, there was never a time I
did not believe Christ was notmy savior.
But man, I was telling, likeyou know, you were walking it.
No, no, no.
(04:39):
You go out that night with theboys and you just keep doing
what you're doing.
But at 22, it was like, oh manthis is a mess.
And my cousin and I are tight,he goes.
Man, you need Jesus, you gottaclean up your act.
Man, you gotta go to church.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
And he is a believer.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, he was sold out man, and we were tight.
We are tight still to this day.
That's awesome.
Uh, then I go, you know he'sright.
And I was at home by myself andthe television was on and, gosh
, we're talking mid 90s, right,and promise keepers, you know,
promise keepers are, um, men offaith, men, men.
There's a, there's a christiangroup called the promise keepers
(05:19):
.
At that time I don't even knowif they're still around and it
was just fathers and husbandswho dedicate their lives to
Christ to be better men fortheir families.
And this is in the background.
My cousin leaves and this is inthe background.
I go, you know what?
He's right, man, what am Idoing?
And at that moment, that was it, man.
I just I surrendered, Isurrendered all.
That was it.
(05:40):
I said, lord, you know what,man, I just I'm making a mess of
things.
All right, I get it, let's doit your way.
And from that moment, I'venever looked back.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Wow, so the promise keepers, the Lord, kind of spoke
to you through a message thatthey were given.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, I mean among a lot of different things.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Spoke to you through your cousin.
Yeah, spoke to you at the altar.
You probably started havingflashbacks.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Seeing transformed lives, seeing transformed lives,
the Lord tugging at myheartstrings.
And then, yeah, it was it, man,I was on fire.
I was on fire.
That was it.
Still to this day, man.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
So what happened at that point, when you fully
committed to Jews, did you juststart going to church?
Yeah, did you open up yourBible?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, well, I mean to be truthful.
At 22 years old I was a father,divorced and circling the drain
and it was bad and Isurrendered all, and then that
was it?
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Who was your kid?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Christian was probably three.
I had him at 18.
Wow, so I had Christian at 18.
I was 21, 18, 19, 20, 21.
I was 21.
And so that was it.
Next Sunday I was at church,and let me tell you, the
transformation doesn't happenovernight.
It's still a work in progressto this day.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
It's a work in progress.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Always will, I won't even go into yeah.
So yeah, I was in church Sundayand people just hey, reaching
out inviting me to young adultsBible studies, inviting me to
retreats, adults Bible studies,invite me to retreats.
And I plugged in men's Biblestudy, young adults Bible study,
church on Sunday, church onWednesday, and I would go to
(07:31):
different churches.
I'd go to this church on Sunday, that church on Sunday night
and this one on Wednesday and Iwas just everywhere, man
Fellowship, being like a nut man, just pouring into the word in
prayer.
I just I focused everything onthe word of God in prayer.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
It was a time of growth.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Yeah, and that's great being on fire too.
I still remember when I firstgave my life to the Lord, and
everybody remembers those times,right, because we're just on
fire.
That's why it's important to bearound new believers, because
they're on fire and they fire usback up.
So you started building yourcommunity.
Then it sounds like startedhanging.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
yeah, yeah so, like I told you, my cousin was sold
out.
So me and my cousin and quite afew of the guys, man, it was
just all about church andworship and we're going to
harvest crusades and any kind ofweekend concert and it was all
fellowship.
It was just fellowship.
Um, good, sweet fellowship,boys and girls, and just
(08:28):
surrounded myself with goodpeople, just really surrounded
myself with good people.
And even within my family aunts, uncles, cousins there was
really a revival with my family.
It was, it was everyone,everyone around me, everyone.
At that time it was incrediblewhat the lord was doing in our
family at that time.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's phenomenal, yeah, so you got to see just the
Holy Spirit just flow through.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
It was like it was a wildfire.
It was a wildfire.
Aunts, uncles, cousins, peopleI grew up with, you know, I
think everyone just kind of gotburned out man.
At the same time.
Everyone just kind of burnedout Same old, same old man, the
world life.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
You got it.
Yeah, it gets old.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, so you know, my father and I, we talk about it.
The Lord just lifted the veilfrom my eyes and you just see
the world through a new lens.
I think you see others in theworld as christ would see them.
Yeah, you know, through theeyes of a certain yep, yeah,
absolutely.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
That's amazing.
Okay, so at that, at that pointand during that time period,
what did you start to seetransformationally within your
own life?
Oh, and then within?
Speaker 2 (09:41):
I'm sure your mom was super excited yeah, she was,
she was, and then she was onfire, is on fire for the lord.
Um, oh, it's tremendous.
You know you stop drinking, youstop going out, you know you
stop carousing, you know justeverything.
It's so radical, such a radicalchange, yeah.
(10:03):
And desires change, the Lordchanges your heart, everything.
I mean.
Do you truly?
The Everything is so radical,such a radical change.
Yeah, desires change, the Lordchanges your heart.
Everything, I mean, truly.
The old man is dead, but you'rean entirely different person.
So it wasn't just one thing.
It was everything, yeah, andjust pouring into the Word,
pouring into the Word.
And again, it didn't happenovernight, man, I was still a
train wreck in the beginning.
Yeah, and still to this day.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
You know, lord's still work.
I was still a mess, you and Iboth, bro.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Always a work in progress,that's right, 100%.
So what year was it that, orhow old were you when you met
your wife and then started, socame to?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
the Lord on fire, got a job.
Just like I said, just focus onthe Lord my son.
That was it.
Just the Lord my son.
That was my world, that waseverything.
And you know, mom was kind ofout of the picture and I'm a boy
, so you were single dad, Ithink to him.
Well, yeah, kind of, kind ofyeah, it was a mess, and I was
(11:08):
not looking to court to date.
That was the furthest thingfrom me.
I didn't have time for that,nor did I want to do that for my
son.
It was all about him at thattime and by that time I had
found a home church.
I was going to Calvary Chapelin Murrieta a couple times a
week, again, men's Bible study.
(11:28):
If the doors were open, I wasthere.
That was my home church.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Awesome, that's where Isaac's at.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
And I went to church one Sunday morning and put my
Bible down on the pew and Iwanted to go down before service
and talk with the pastor andpray with the pastor.
So I went down to Brian Belland we were chatting and we were
praying for a little bit and Iwent back to my pew and at the
far end of the pew I'm at oneend, and at the far other end is
(11:58):
this young woman and she'ssitting there.
So I have my seat and you gottafigure we're 15, 20 feet apart
and I don't pay much attention.
I just see someone down thereand then this large family of
eight or ten comes down theaisle and they go hey, do you
mind if we slide in?
I go, I'll scoot down.
So I scoot all the way down thepew.
(12:18):
I sit right next to this youngwoman.
The family sits down, they gowe don't like this seat.
They all get up and they getout of the pew and they go
somewhere else.
There's a big long pew and thetwo of us are sitting there and
of course the church fills,service happens and turn and
greet your neighbor.
(12:38):
And so we met.
I was 22.
She was 19.
She was a college student andwe just got to chatting and I go
hey, what are you doing today?
Would you like to go grab abite?
And again, I truthfully saythis it was entirely innocent.
It was entirely innocent.
That is not where my mind orheart was.
I was fellowshipping with a lotof Christians.
(13:00):
She was a Christian girl.
I would invite her to our Biblestudies.
That would be cool.
And that's exactly whathappened.
And so I met this young womanand invited her to bible studies
and she kind of fell in withour group and and we would go to
the muriata valley bible, callmuriata bible college and go to
the coffee shop.
And she was just kind of in themix of things and um little did
(13:22):
you know god had a plan brewingin the background?
yeah, right and um didn't takelong and we weren't.
I wouldn't say we were courting, you know, yeah, but it was
just like I don't know.
It was just like the Lordlifted the veil from my eyes.
I was like holy smoke, look atthis gal.
We started dating and it was awhirlwind, and we just
(13:47):
celebrated our 25th weddinganniversary.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Wow, congratulations, no, thank you.
That wedding anniversary Wow,congratulations, no, thank you.
That's amazing.
Yeah, couple kids as well,right, yeah, yeah, you have
family growing.
So how old were you when yougot married?
Speaker 2 (13:59):
So she helped raise Christian.
It's amazing, she was threeyears old.
He was a young guy.
He was three years old, so shewas there, she helped raise
Christian.
We've had a couple more umblessed, blessed beyond measure,
blessed far more than I shouldbe.
Yeah, oh my god, so incrediblyblessed.
She's such a woman of god, sucha heart for the lord and, uh,
she is truly my inspiration.
(14:20):
She is my inspiration.
She's your proverbs 31, andthen some every bit.
Yeah, she's an incredible womanlove it.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Yeah, that's amazing.
So all your uh, pretty muchfrom that point right, like all
your family, everyone's on firefor the lord.
You guys are walking, you'vebeen able to raise your kids and
in the lord and in the church.
Yeah, yeah, really have laidthat, that foundation.
Yeah, for them yeah how, howhave you seen um between you've
(14:48):
had friends and family.
You've, you know, you've hadpeople walking with the Lord,
not walking with the Lord.
How has God really, you know,used your family in a way to
encourage, inspire and motivate?
You know others through theirgroup and their friends of
influence, or your other family,or through their cousins.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
It's exponential you know, like the scattering of the
early church is justexponential.
Aunts, uncles, cousins have allgone on.
Now I've got cousins havingtheir own kids.
Those children are believers.
And in my own family, in myimmediate family, my son, my
middle boy, is just absolutelyon fire.
(15:31):
He's on fire.
He was the president of theon-campus Bible group campus
ministry in college, veryinvolved in ministry.
Most kids for spring break wantto go to Daytona and party.
He goes to outreaches andevangel, evangelizes.
(15:51):
He goes to other collegecampuses and evangelizes um
young adults retreats.
This is all him and this guy'son fire.
He's amazing, blessed,absolutely blessed.
Yeah, so there's no end.
I mean, it's just exponentialfor sure.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
That's phenomenal.
So I gotta ask you what do youfeel your purpose is in this
life?
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Well, first and foremost, it was my family, my
wife and my children to be agood man, a good godly father,
an example to my kids.
My kids are a little older now,they're almost out of the house
, and so now my focus hasprobably turned to being the
leader that the Lord has calledme to be within my workplace.
(16:36):
So I have people that are underme, of course, and so now I need
to be the godly example, I needto be the leader for them, to
be able to maybe show them or atleast be an image of Christ for
them and their families,because maybe some of these guys
aren't, you know, they're notsaved, not walking with the Lord
, but be an example and a goodboss, employer, friend for those
(17:00):
guys.
So, and my wife, you know, theLord gave me a word early on,
before we were married, we weredating, we were talking about
this two nights ago, and theLord gave me a word that she
would be the strength of myministry.
On before we were married, wewere dating, we were talking
about this two nights ago andthe lord gave me a word that she
would be the strength of myministry, and I feel like I'm
finally seeing that realizedbecause she's she's my office
manager and she's my inspirationand she's the one behind me,
(17:27):
allowing me to attempt to be aleader for others right.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Yeah, that's awesome.
She's that, that backbone, thatthat we all need, right?
What's the saying behind everygood man is a better woman is
the truth is yeah, I agree, 100,that's not a, that's not a
fallacy.
Uh, saying that's not a, that'snot a fallacy.
Uh, saying that's reallygenuine.
(17:51):
You know, every good man willsay that.
The bad men will you know.
They'll think otherwise.
It's all me.
It's all me.
Yeah, exactly At that.
That ego and that pride there,that was awesome, yeah.
So Let me ask you you had a kidat such a young age.
What's your encouragement tosomebody that has a kid at 18
(18:12):
years old?
That's a really early age tohave a child.
It's hard, especially in ageneration like today, where
people aren't having kids untilthey're 30, right.
So what would yourencouragement?
Speaker 2 (18:26):
be to them.
It's not a bad thing In society.
It's a taboo it is.
And people are going to lookdown on you and they're going to
think you're a wipeout, you'rea failure.
But you know what?
That's not the case.
You can be a good parent at anyage.
Amen.
(18:46):
It was hard, it was brutallyhard.
I worked myself sick man, andthat's all I did was work six
days a week, 12 hours a day,just work, work, work, work.
Keep a roof and food in thefridge.
It's not easy, man, and ifyou're going to be a young
parent, buckle up.
But you do have advantagesbecause you're young.
(19:07):
You got a lot of energy, yeah,and you can play and you'll be
their best friend, yeah, butyeah, my boy was my shadow and
he's still one of my bestfriends, you know.
Yeah, it's not easy, but Iwouldn't say it's a bad thing
and we really shouldn't frownupon a young girl having a child
(19:31):
17, 18 years old.
I mean it ain't easy, but don'tlook down on her.
That's just such a bad thing.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Do what you can to help them 100% Do what you can
to help them.
I think that's a huge like atthat point.
They need so much support,right?
Because you're still a kid at18.
Like, you're still figuring outyour life I mean even hearing
your story.
So the more support that youcan get friends, family and the
(20:00):
encouragement of your influenceand sphere of influence is super
important.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I have an incredible family and they just they were
my greatest cheerleaders andeverybody wanted to see me
succeed and that's all I wouldwant for someone young at that
age and it truly is a blessing.
I mean, anyone who has childrenwill tell you it's their
greatest blessing in life.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Amen, yeah, I agree 100%.
Yeah, and I've seen oftentimeswhere you know you shared a
little bit.
You were knucklehead, you werekind of doing your thing.
I'm sure your boy helpedstraighten you out a little bit
early on.
Well, yeah, maybe not as much.
Oh, no, no, but it held youaccountable and held you rooted
(20:48):
right.
If you're working, you couldn't, you know, get well yeah, I
mean, I don't know maybe.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Yeah, I mean for a lot of people it does for me,
you know, once I found out mygirlfriend was pregnant at the
age of 17, it was like, okay,well, I gotta get a job.
I just just didn't.
I don't know, didn't.
Okay, gotta work, just buydiapers, pay rent, groceries.
That was it, that was I don'tknow.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Have to grow up.
There's no well.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I don't know, I just that's all I thought about.
It wasn't a choice, never was achoice.
Right, it wasn't a choice tomake.
It was just hey, we're going towork, I feed the kid.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Yeah, you know, and that's all I did right, yeah,
yeah, and that's, that's a veryuh, it's a, it's a phenomenal
story because you, like, you,found the lord right and then
that's when everything reallystarted changing.
But early on, you took theinitial responsibility where you
know some, some guys will just,they'll just leave, they'll
(21:47):
just be like you, I'm out ofhere.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
I had that conversation with the Lord.
I was 17 years old and mygirlfriend says hey, I'm
pregnant, I'll do anything youwant.
You know what that means.
Right, and it was a prayer.
I wasn't walking with the Lord,I was out partying with the
boys.
It was an early date.
A couple times and I poured myheart out.
(22:11):
I go Lord, what do you want meto do?
Man, here I am, what do youwant me to do?
And the Holy Spirit spoke to mevery clearly.
You told me what you need to do.
I was like, okay, but if I'mgoing to do this, I'm going to
need some help.
Man, I can't do this alone.
That I'm gonna do this, I'mgonna need some help.
Man, I can't do this alone.
That prayer went just like that.
At 17 years old, I said allright, man, that's it, let's do
(22:32):
it.
And all right.
I gotcha and just never lookedback, man.
So that's how that prayer went.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
That's amazing.
Just give it to the Lord andhere you are years later and
it's your best friend.
You're super grateful that youhad him right.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
It doesn't make it any easier at that time, of
course.
If anyone's in the thick of it,it is a lot of work.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Man.
Yeah, 100%.
There's people out here who'vebeen there, who've experienced
it, who've gone through it, andthey know him right.
So just make sure, if you havea family member or a friend
that's gone through it, be thatsupport and be the the models
that you want them to, to lookup to and somebody that they can
(23:16):
lean on.
So as we, as we wrap up here, Igot to ask you, like what's
your encouragement to somebody,whether they're in the
construction world, whether theyhave, you know, started a
family, young, or they'rewalking with the Lord, or they
want to walk with the Lord,what's your encouragement to
them?
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Oh, we have such a loving, gracious God and he's
the God of second chances.
And I know a lot of peoplecarry a lot of scars and a lot
of baggage and they think I'mnot good enough for God or the
Lord could never forgive me, ormaybe not yet.
Now's the time.
(23:53):
Now's the time.
Surrender all, come as you arethe Lord.
He's in the business of fixingpeople.
Amen.
And none of us are perfect.
And we continue to fall shortevery day.
So don't waste any time.
Don't waste any time.
Just fall at the Lord's feet,pour yourself out, get into the
(24:15):
word, get into prayer and juststart your walk.
Man, just keep plugging alongand for people that are already
saved and going through thosetough times, man, just stay in
prayer and then reach out toothers, reach out to your
brothers and sisters, ask forprayer, ask for others to come
alongside you.
Find strength in others in yourtime of need.
(24:35):
We're a family.
We're all here together.
Man, life is a dirty businessand I know we put on our good
faces and our good clothes onSunday, but you know what, when
we get home, you know life's notas rosy as it looks on
Instagram.
So you know again, check yourego at the door, man, and, just
(24:55):
like I said, life's a dirtybusiness.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Love it, love it.
No, that's great advice All ofit.
Come now.
Come now, get in prayer, get inthe word, come as you are.
Let the Lord fix you.
It's not our job to fixourselves.
If we wanted to do that or ifwe could or were capable of
doing that, we'd be fixed, butwe're not.
It takes the Lord of changingour hearts, re-evaluating,
(25:21):
changing our minds and helpingreshape and refocus our thoughts
and who we are and our identity, finding our identity in the
Lord and really leaning intothat, because it's easy to get
caught up in the world, make acouple bad mistakes.
We've all been there, we've alldone that, we've all made dumb
decisions, but that doesn'tdefine us at the end of the day.
(25:42):
It doesn't define who we areand it's never too late to
change.
Not if your identity is inChrist.
Right Amen, 100%.
It's never too late to change,not if your identity is in
Christ, right Amen, yeah, ahundred percent.
Before we wrap it up, is thereany last advice, recommendation
or even story you'd like toshare of anything?
That's the top of mind.
That's it All, right, cool,well, we appreciate you coming
(26:04):
in and sharing your story.
Thank you, it's phenomenal.
I know it'll definitely beencouraging and inspiring and
motivating to others.
Wonderful.
That's what we're called to do,right?
Share our stories, share ourtestimonies.
The Bible's full of them.
That's it.
It's just full of personaltestimonies and what God's done
in people's lives.
That's what we're called to doand that's what this podcast is
(26:24):
all about.
Amen, brother.
No-transcript.
Hey, family and friends, welcome back to the
Feeling Faith podcast, where weencourage, inspire and motivate
people to grow closer to Christ.
I'm here with Jack.
Jack, thank you for coming intoday.
How's it going?
Oh, it's going great.
Thank you for having me.
Yeah, absolutely.
We're excited to hear yourstory and your testimony of what
God's done in your life.
So let's start at the verybeginning.
(00:21):
Let's talk a little bit aboutwhere you're from, a little bit
of your upbringing.
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, I grew up right here in Temecula Merida Valley.
I grew up in Lake Elsinore,Very rural, very rural.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Single mom.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Grandparents lived in my grandparents' home.
Single mom Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Lived in the same house.
Props to your mom and having toput up with you too.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
I'm sure wasn't easy.
Yeah, it was a different time,real rural out here, not too
many people, kids just kind ofran around, did whatever they
want, and you know, as you wouldexpect.
You know.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Kids just running amok For sure.
Back in the times where yourkids could just go out, just
come back when the streetlight's on, that's it, or out
here.
Maybe there were no streetlights where you were.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
You might never have heard there were Awesome.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
So grew up with grandma and grandpa went to
school.
What was that like?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
You were all it was nice, you know.
Elsinore Elementary, elsinoreJunior High, elsinore High, all
um it was.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
it was nice, you know just uh, elson or elementary,
elson or junior high, elson orhigh.
Um, didn't bounce around toomuch.
You know same friends the wholetime throughout, yeah, yeah
most of kids.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
It was the same faces , you know.
I still see them around town, afew of them every once in a
while, yeah.
But, um, you know, as you wouldexpect as a teenager, you kind
of get rowdy and you party andyou know you dabble in things.
You shouldn't, of course, um,but you know nothing.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Nothing too out of control, I would say yeah, so
was your mom or grandparentsgoing to church during your so?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
what happened was, I would say, my mother.
My mother came to christprobably about the time maybe I
was in junior high school.
My mother became a born-againchristian and, um, you know, I
don't ever recall a time Ididn't believe in god or believe
that jesus christ was god, butdidn't fellowship at church, um,
(02:20):
didn't practice, let's say, anddidn't have my personal
relationship, that's for sure.
Yeah, mom was kind of growingin her own walk at that time and
through high school, In highschool.
you just want to kind of go outand run around and do whatever
you want.
Hey Mom, that's great for you,I'm going to be okay.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Yeah, so did you have siblings?
No, no, so only child, okay.
So you have siblings?
No, I'm not so, only child,okay.
So even even worse, for for myheart, I'm just kidding, okay,
um, so you know.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
so in in middle school, that's when your mom
really yeah, she came to christand I, you know from, from a
distance, I kind of saw her andshe was kind of just working on
herself, man, she had a lot ofhealing to do so.
So she was growing, coming intothe Lord and in high school she
would drag me to churches.
We'd go to the local Christianchurch, we'd go to Harvest
(03:12):
Christian Fellowship inRiverside and she always dragged
me to church and truthfully, Ithought these Christians were
just a bunch of weirdos.
Man, they were a weird bunchLike worship, hey Jesus.
I just remember thinking, boy,if these Christians didn't have
Christ, they wouldn't haveanybody.
But you know, I saw atransformed life is what I saw.
(03:33):
I saw her just growing in theLord, confidence being secure in
who she was, and you know I sawthe transformation, you know.
And then I got out of schooland still continued doing my
thing and you know it's justmaking a mess of stuff and and
and just kind of burning bridges, being an idiot really.
(03:55):
And then I would say it wasmaybe, and this is what you were
plumbing at the time.
Yeah, yeah, I was, I wasworking.
Yeah, I was, I had my own place, I was grooving and I was
probably about 21, 22.
I was 22 years old and I was atthe end of my rope and it was
bad.
It was really bad.
And I should back up.
(04:18):
As a teenager, my mother droveme to church, right, yeah, 15
years old, I responded to analtar called Harvest, christian
Fellowship.
Greg Laurie gave an altar.
I went to church, right, yeah,15 years old, I responded to an
altar called Harvest, christianFellowship.
Greg Laurie gave an altar.
Well, I was 15 years old.
I went to Harvest for a while.
That's a great church.
And I was always a believer,right, there was never a time I
did not believe Christ was notmy savior.
But man, I was telling, likeyou know, you were walking it.
No, no, no.
(04:39):
You go out that night with theboys and you just keep doing
what you're doing.
But at 22, it was like, oh manthis is a mess.
And my cousin and I are tight,he goes.
Man, you need Jesus, you gottaclean up your act.
Man, you gotta go to church.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
And he is a believer.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, he was sold out man, and we were tight.
We are tight still to this day.
That's awesome.
Uh, then I go, you know he'sright.
And I was at home by myself andthe television was on and, gosh
, we're talking mid 90s, right,and promise keepers, you know,
promise keepers are, um, men offaith, men, men.
There's a, there's a christiangroup called the promise keepers
(05:19):
.
At that time I don't even knowif they're still around and it
was just fathers and husbandswho dedicate their lives to
Christ to be better men fortheir families.
And this is in the background.
My cousin leaves and this is inthe background.
I go, you know what?
He's right, man, what am Idoing?
And at that moment, that was it, man.
I just I surrendered, Isurrendered all.
That was it.
(05:40):
I said, lord, you know what,man, I just I'm making a mess of
things.
All right, I get it, let's doit your way.
And from that moment, I'venever looked back.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Wow, so the promise keepers, the Lord, kind of spoke
to you through a message thatthey were given.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, I mean among a lot of different things.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Spoke to you through your cousin.
Yeah, spoke to you at the altar.
You probably started havingflashbacks.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Seeing transformed lives, seeing transformed lives,
the Lord tugging at myheartstrings.
And then, yeah, it was it, man,I was on fire.
I was on fire.
That was it.
Still to this day, man.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
So what happened at that point, when you fully
committed to Jews, did you juststart going to church?
Yeah, did you open up yourBible?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, well, I mean to be truthful.
At 22 years old I was a father,divorced and circling the drain
and it was bad and Isurrendered all, and then that
was it?
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Who was your kid?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Christian was probably three.
I had him at 18.
Wow, so I had Christian at 18.
I was 21, 18, 19, 20, 21.
I was 21.
And so that was it.
Next Sunday I was at church,and let me tell you, the
transformation doesn't happenovernight.
It's still a work in progressto this day.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
It's a work in progress.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Always will, I won't even go into yeah.
So yeah, I was in church Sundayand people just hey, reaching
out inviting me to young adultsBible studies, inviting me to
retreats, adults Bible studies,invite me to retreats.
And I plugged in men's Biblestudy, young adults Bible study,
church on Sunday, church onWednesday, and I would go to
(07:31):
different churches.
I'd go to this church on Sunday, that church on Sunday night
and this one on Wednesday and Iwas just everywhere, man
Fellowship, being like a nut man, just pouring into the word in
prayer.
I just I focused everything onthe word of God in prayer.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
That's amazing.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
It was a time of growth.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Yeah, and that's great being on fire too.
I still remember when I firstgave my life to the Lord, and
everybody remembers those times,right, because we're just on
fire.
That's why it's important to bearound new believers, because
they're on fire and they fire usback up.
So you started building yourcommunity.
Then it sounds like startedhanging.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
yeah, yeah so, like I told you, my cousin was sold
out.
So me and my cousin and quite afew of the guys, man, it was
just all about church andworship and we're going to
harvest crusades and any kind ofweekend concert and it was all
fellowship.
It was just fellowship.
Um, good, sweet fellowship,boys and girls, and just
(08:28):
surrounded myself with goodpeople, just really surrounded
myself with good people.
And even within my family aunts, uncles, cousins there was
really a revival with my family.
It was, it was everyone,everyone around me, everyone.
At that time it was incrediblewhat the lord was doing in our
family at that time.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's phenomenal, yeah, so you got to see just the
Holy Spirit just flow through.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
It was like it was a wildfire.
It was a wildfire.
Aunts, uncles, cousins, peopleI grew up with, you know, I
think everyone just kind of gotburned out man.
At the same time.
Everyone just kind of burnedout Same old, same old man, the
world life.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
You got it.
Yeah, it gets old.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Yeah, so you know, my father and I, we talk about it.
The Lord just lifted the veilfrom my eyes and you just see
the world through a new lens.
I think you see others in theworld as christ would see them.
Yeah, you know, through theeyes of a certain yep, yeah,
absolutely.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
That's amazing.
Okay, so at that, at that pointand during that time period,
what did you start to seetransformationally within your
own life?
Oh, and then within?
Speaker 2 (09:41):
I'm sure your mom was super excited yeah, she was,
she was, and then she was onfire, is on fire for the lord.
Um, oh, it's tremendous.
You know you stop drinking, youstop going out, you know you
stop carousing, you know justeverything.
It's so radical, such a radicalchange, yeah.
(10:03):
And desires change, the Lordchanges your heart, everything.
I mean.
Do you truly?
The Everything is so radical,such a radical change.
Yeah, desires change, the Lordchanges your heart.
Everything, I mean, truly.
The old man is dead, but you'rean entirely different person.
So it wasn't just one thing.
It was everything, yeah, andjust pouring into the Word,
pouring into the Word.
And again, it didn't happenovernight, man, I was still a
train wreck in the beginning.
Yeah, and still to this day.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
You know, lord's still work.
I was still a mess, you and Iboth, bro.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Always a work in progress,that's right, 100%.
So what year was it that, orhow old were you when you met
your wife and then started, socame to?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
the Lord on fire, got a job.
Just like I said, just focus onthe Lord my son.
That was it.
Just the Lord my son.
That was my world, that waseverything.
And you know, mom was kind ofout of the picture and I'm a boy
, so you were single dad, Ithink to him.
Well, yeah, kind of, kind ofyeah, it was a mess, and I was
(11:08):
not looking to court to date.
That was the furthest thingfrom me.
I didn't have time for that,nor did I want to do that for my
son.
It was all about him at thattime and by that time I had
found a home church.
I was going to Calvary Chapelin Murrieta a couple times a
week, again, men's Bible study.
(11:28):
If the doors were open, I wasthere.
That was my home church.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Awesome, that's where Isaac's at.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
And I went to church one Sunday morning and put my
Bible down on the pew and Iwanted to go down before service
and talk with the pastor andpray with the pastor.
So I went down to Brian Belland we were chatting and we were
praying for a little bit and Iwent back to my pew and at the
far end of the pew I'm at oneend, and at the far other end is
(11:58):
this young woman and she'ssitting there.
So I have my seat and you gottafigure we're 15, 20 feet apart
and I don't pay much attention.
I just see someone down thereand then this large family of
eight or ten comes down theaisle and they go hey, do you
mind if we slide in?
I go, I'll scoot down.
So I scoot all the way down thepew.
(12:18):
I sit right next to this youngwoman.
The family sits down, they gowe don't like this seat.
They all get up and they getout of the pew and they go
somewhere else.
There's a big long pew and thetwo of us are sitting there and
of course the church fills,service happens and turn and
greet your neighbor.
(12:38):
And so we met.
I was 22.
She was 19.
She was a college student andwe just got to chatting and I go
hey, what are you doing today?
Would you like to go grab abite?
And again, I truthfully saythis it was entirely innocent.
It was entirely innocent.
That is not where my mind orheart was.
I was fellowshipping with a lotof Christians.
(13:00):
She was a Christian girl.
I would invite her to our Biblestudies.
That would be cool.
And that's exactly whathappened.
And so I met this young womanand invited her to bible studies
and she kind of fell in withour group and and we would go to
the muriata valley bible, callmuriata bible college and go to
the coffee shop.
And she was just kind of in themix of things and um little did
(13:22):
you know god had a plan brewingin the background?
yeah, right and um didn't takelong and we weren't.
I wouldn't say we were courting, you know, yeah, but it was
just like I don't know.
It was just like the Lordlifted the veil from my eyes.
I was like holy smoke, look atthis gal.
We started dating and it was awhirlwind, and we just
(13:47):
celebrated our 25th weddinganniversary.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Wow, congratulations, no, thank you.
That wedding anniversary Wow,congratulations, no, thank you.
That's amazing.
Yeah, couple kids as well,right, yeah, yeah, you have
family growing.
So how old were you when yougot married?
Speaker 2 (13:59):
So she helped raise Christian.
It's amazing, she was threeyears old.
He was a young guy.
He was three years old, so shewas there, she helped raise
Christian.
We've had a couple more umblessed, blessed beyond measure,
blessed far more than I shouldbe.
Yeah, oh my god, so incrediblyblessed.
She's such a woman of god, sucha heart for the lord and, uh,
she is truly my inspiration.
(14:20):
She is my inspiration.
She's your proverbs 31, andthen some every bit.
Yeah, she's an incredible womanlove it.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Yeah, that's amazing.
So all your uh, pretty muchfrom that point right, like all
your family, everyone's on firefor the lord.
You guys are walking, you'vebeen able to raise your kids and
in the lord and in the church.
Yeah, yeah, really have laidthat, that foundation.
Yeah, for them yeah how, howhave you seen um between you've
(14:48):
had friends and family.
You've, you know, you've hadpeople walking with the Lord,
not walking with the Lord.
How has God really, you know,used your family in a way to
encourage, inspire and motivate?
You know others through theirgroup and their friends of
influence, or your other family,or through their cousins.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
It's exponential you know, like the scattering of the
early church is justexponential.
Aunts, uncles, cousins have allgone on.
Now I've got cousins havingtheir own kids.
Those children are believers.
And in my own family, in myimmediate family, my son, my
middle boy, is just absolutelyon fire.
(15:31):
He's on fire.
He was the president of theon-campus Bible group campus
ministry in college, veryinvolved in ministry.
Most kids for spring break wantto go to Daytona and party.
He goes to outreaches andevangel, evangelizes.
(15:51):
He goes to other collegecampuses and evangelizes um
young adults retreats.
This is all him and this guy'son fire.
He's amazing, blessed,absolutely blessed.
Yeah, so there's no end.
I mean, it's just exponentialfor sure.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
That's phenomenal.
So I gotta ask you what do youfeel your purpose is in this
life?
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Well, first and foremost, it was my family, my
wife and my children to be agood man, a good godly father,
an example to my kids.
My kids are a little older now,they're almost out of the house
, and so now my focus hasprobably turned to being the
leader that the Lord has calledme to be within my workplace.
(16:36):
So I have people that are underme, of course, and so now I need
to be the godly example, I needto be the leader for them, to
be able to maybe show them or atleast be an image of Christ for
them and their families,because maybe some of these guys
aren't, you know, they're notsaved, not walking with the Lord
, but be an example and a goodboss, employer, friend for those
(17:00):
guys.
So, and my wife, you know, theLord gave me a word early on,
before we were married, we weredating, we were talking about
this two nights ago, and theLord gave me a word that she
would be the strength of myministry.
On before we were married, wewere dating, we were talking
about this two nights ago andthe lord gave me a word that she
would be the strength of myministry, and I feel like I'm
finally seeing that realizedbecause she's she's my office
manager and she's my inspirationand she's the one behind me,
(17:27):
allowing me to attempt to be aleader for others right.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Yeah, that's awesome.
She's that, that backbone, thatthat we all need, right?
What's the saying behind everygood man is a better woman is
the truth is yeah, I agree, 100,that's not a, that's not a
fallacy.
Uh, saying that's not a, that'snot a fallacy.
Uh, saying that's reallygenuine.
(17:51):
You know, every good man willsay that.
The bad men will you know.
They'll think otherwise.
It's all me.
It's all me.
Yeah, exactly At that.
That ego and that pride there,that was awesome, yeah.
So Let me ask you you had a kidat such a young age.
What's your encouragement tosomebody that has a kid at 18
(18:12):
years old?
That's a really early age tohave a child.
It's hard, especially in ageneration like today, where
people aren't having kids untilthey're 30, right.
So what would yourencouragement?
Speaker 2 (18:26):
be to them.
It's not a bad thing In society.
It's a taboo it is.
And people are going to lookdown on you and they're going to
think you're a wipeout, you'rea failure.
But you know what?
That's not the case.
You can be a good parent at anyage.
Amen.
(18:46):
It was hard, it was brutallyhard.
I worked myself sick man, andthat's all I did was work six
days a week, 12 hours a day,just work, work, work, work.
Keep a roof and food in thefridge.
It's not easy, man, and ifyou're going to be a young
parent, buckle up.
But you do have advantagesbecause you're young.
(19:07):
You got a lot of energy, yeah,and you can play and you'll be
their best friend, yeah, butyeah, my boy was my shadow and
he's still one of my bestfriends, you know.
Yeah, it's not easy, but Iwouldn't say it's a bad thing
and we really shouldn't frownupon a young girl having a child
(19:31):
17, 18 years old.
I mean it ain't easy, but don'tlook down on her.
That's just such a bad thing.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Do what you can to help them 100% Do what you can
to help them.
I think that's a huge like atthat point.
They need so much support,right?
Because you're still a kid at18.
Like, you're still figuring outyour life I mean even hearing
your story.
So the more support that youcan get friends, family and the
(20:00):
encouragement of your influenceand sphere of influence is super
important.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I have an incredible family and they just they were
my greatest cheerleaders andeverybody wanted to see me
succeed and that's all I wouldwant for someone young at that
age and it truly is a blessing.
I mean, anyone who has childrenwill tell you it's their
greatest blessing in life.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Amen, yeah, I agree 100%.
Yeah, and I've seen oftentimeswhere you know you shared a
little bit.
You were knucklehead, you werekind of doing your thing.
I'm sure your boy helpedstraighten you out a little bit
early on.
Well, yeah, maybe not as much.
Oh, no, no, but it held youaccountable and held you rooted
(20:48):
right.
If you're working, you couldn't, you know, get well yeah, I
mean, I don't know maybe.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Yeah, I mean for a lot of people it does for me,
you know, once I found out mygirlfriend was pregnant at the
age of 17, it was like, okay,well, I gotta get a job.
I just just didn't.
I don't know, didn't.
Okay, gotta work, just buydiapers, pay rent, groceries.
That was it, that was I don'tknow.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Have to grow up.
There's no well.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I don't know, I just that's all I thought about.
It wasn't a choice, never was achoice.
Right, it wasn't a choice tomake.
It was just hey, we're going towork, I feed the kid.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Yeah, you know, and that's all I did right, yeah,
yeah, and that's, that's a veryuh, it's a, it's a phenomenal
story because you, like, you,found the lord right and then
that's when everything reallystarted changing.
But early on, you took theinitial responsibility where you
know some, some guys will just,they'll just leave, they'll
(21:47):
just be like you, I'm out ofhere.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
I had that conversation with the Lord.
I was 17 years old and mygirlfriend says hey, I'm
pregnant, I'll do anything youwant.
You know what that means.
Right, and it was a prayer.
I wasn't walking with the Lord,I was out partying with the
boys.
It was an early date.
A couple times and I poured myheart out.
(22:11):
I go Lord, what do you want meto do?
Man, here I am, what do youwant me to do?
And the Holy Spirit spoke to mevery clearly.
You told me what you need to do.
I was like, okay, but if I'mgoing to do this, I'm going to
need some help.
Man, I can't do this alone.
That I'm gonna do this, I'mgonna need some help.
Man, I can't do this alone.
That prayer went just like that.
At 17 years old, I said allright, man, that's it, let's do
(22:32):
it.
And all right.
I gotcha and just never lookedback, man.
So that's how that prayer went.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
That's amazing.
Just give it to the Lord andhere you are years later and
it's your best friend.
You're super grateful that youhad him right.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
It doesn't make it any easier at that time, of
course.
If anyone's in the thick of it,it is a lot of work.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Man.
Yeah, 100%.
There's people out here who'vebeen there, who've experienced
it, who've gone through it, andthey know him right.
So just make sure, if you havea family member or a friend
that's gone through it, be thatsupport and be the the models
that you want them to, to lookup to and somebody that they can
(23:16):
lean on.
So as we, as we wrap up here, Igot to ask you, like what's
your encouragement to somebody,whether they're in the
construction world, whether theyhave, you know, started a
family, young, or they'rewalking with the Lord, or they
want to walk with the Lord,what's your encouragement to
them?
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Oh, we have such a loving, gracious God and he's
the God of second chances.
And I know a lot of peoplecarry a lot of scars and a lot
of baggage and they think I'mnot good enough for God or the
Lord could never forgive me, ormaybe not yet.
Now's the time.
(23:53):
Now's the time.
Surrender all, come as you arethe Lord.
He's in the business of fixingpeople.
Amen.
And none of us are perfect.
And we continue to fall shortevery day.
So don't waste any time.
Don't waste any time.
Just fall at the Lord's feet,pour yourself out, get into the
(24:15):
word, get into prayer and juststart your walk.
Man, just keep plugging alongand for people that are already
saved and going through thosetough times, man, just stay in
prayer and then reach out toothers, reach out to your
brothers and sisters, ask forprayer, ask for others to come
alongside you.
Find strength in others in yourtime of need.
(24:35):
We're a family.
We're all here together.
Man, life is a dirty businessand I know we put on our good
faces and our good clothes onSunday, but you know what, when
we get home, you know life's notas rosy as it looks on
Instagram.
So you know again, check yourego at the door, man, and, just
(24:55):
like I said, life's a dirtybusiness.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Love it, love it.
No, that's great advice All ofit.
Come now.
Come now, get in prayer, get inthe word, come as you are.
Let the Lord fix you.
It's not our job to fixourselves.
If we wanted to do that or ifwe could or were capable of
doing that, we'd be fixed, butwe're not.
It takes the Lord of changingour hearts, re-evaluating,
(25:21):
changing our minds and helpingreshape and refocus our thoughts
and who we are and our identity, finding our identity in the
Lord and really leaning intothat, because it's easy to get
caught up in the world, make acouple bad mistakes.
We've all been there, we've alldone that, we've all made dumb
decisions, but that doesn'tdefine us at the end of the day.
(25:42):
It doesn't define who we areand it's never too late to
change.
Not if your identity is inChrist.
Right Amen, 100%.
It's never too late to change,not if your identity is in
Christ, right Amen, yeah, ahundred percent.
Before we wrap it up, is thereany last advice, recommendation
or even story you'd like toshare of anything?
That's the top of mind.
That's it All, right, cool,well, we appreciate you coming
(26:04):
in and sharing your story.
Thank you, it's phenomenal.
I know it'll definitely beencouraging and inspiring and
motivating to others.
Wonderful.
That's what we're called to do,right?
Share our stories, share ourtestimonies.
The Bible's full of them.
That's it.
It's just full of personaltestimonies and what God's done
in people's lives.
That's what we're called to doand that's what this podcast is
(26:24):
all about.
Amen, brother.
No-transcript.
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