When you find yourself at a career crossroads, the leap of faith into your true calling can be both thrilling and daunting. Mr. Damon Nailer, a man of many talents: educator, author, motivational speaker, and beacon of divine inspiration, has walked this path. In our heart-to-heart, Damon unwraps the layers of his journey, revealing how he navigated from a traditional educational role to fulfilling his purpose in leadership and spiritual guidance.
There's a transformation that occurs when you align your life with a higher calling, and Damon's story is a testament to that. We ponder the delicate dance between professional ambition and personal faith, where trust in God's plan becomes the pulse of entrepreneurial spirit and success. The wisdom he shares—from his books to the founding of Real Life Academy—reflects a life steeped in continuous fellowship with the divine, reshaping not only his own destiny but also impacting those around him.
Our conversation isn't just about Damon's milestones; it's a broader reflection on how success shapes our relationships and the way we lead. The episode peels back the curtain to reveal the nuanced ways in which faith and leadership intertwine, offering insights into how vision, guided by spiritual maturity, can broaden our horizons and influence.
Take a listen and be encouraged!
Click HERE for access to extra content through my Patreon Account.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
A person's late teens and early 20s can often be the
most stressful of a person'slife, mainly because there's so
little certainty, so many thingsstill to figure out, like who
you are and who you want to be.
So what does it look like whena person strives for purpose
God's way?
In today's episode I'll betalking with Damon Naylor.
(00:30):
Hello everybody, Damon is theRenaissance man, Damon Doriel
Naylor.
He is a former educator, amotivational speaker, author and
the current director of theFamily resource center at the
children's coalition in downtownmonroe.
Thank you, damian, for beingout today and coming to share
your story with me thank you somuch, brandy, for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I counted a blessing and a privilege to be here with
you and I just appreciate theopportunity yeah, well, that's
really likewise.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
That's how I feel as well.
I'm so honored to even have youhere now to ask how did you
become known as the Renaissanceman?
Tell us, tell my listeners,what that means.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
So a Renaissance man is someone who's known to do a
variety of things and to do themwell.
And so I, you know, receivedthat name because of all the
hats that I wear, yes, of being,like you said, motivational
speaker, author, producer,songwriter, performer.
You know, the list goes on.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Husband, father, man of.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
God, minister.
So?
But yes, man, that's where thatcame from.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Love it, Love it.
And that definitely fits youwell, because you are in that
context, you are for sure aRenaissance man.
I appreciate that, appreciatethat, and you do do them well.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Oh, thank you.
Thank you so much From myperspective, yeah, yes, ma'am,
thank you so much yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
And so I let's see.
I know I had looked up some ofyour books.
I have one of them because yougave me one, okay, okay, and the
other one I looked and I thinkyou have a few more.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
How many books do you have I published four, yeah,
and so, as far as available onAmazon, we have the Living,
loving, leading and thenRevelation Rightly Revealed.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
OK.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
But the other one, like the first one, was the
Great Taste of Success.
That was my first one way backin should have been 2005.
I believe, yes, 2005, when Ipublished that one, and I just
did it locally in print and thenI converted it into the digital
e-book there.
And you know I share that.
Normally I kind of gift that topeople.
(02:36):
But, yes, and then I had done AGreater Taste of Success.
It's just an e-book as well,and I can't even remember what
year that was.
And then I know in 2016 is whenI published Revelation, rightly
Revealed.
And then in 2020, right beforethe pandemic hit.
I published Living LovingLeading.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
And you know, all of them are really good in my
opinion.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Of course.
But yes, I know the LivingLoving Leading I didn't get to
promote that one, like I wantedto due to the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, I had a, a nice strategy prepared and I was
ready to go.
And I mean because I post infebruary, oh my goodness.
So when it's time to launch anddo the book tours and all of
that, boom it's like yeah, areyou kidding me?
But?
But yeah, the thing I likeabout that one has such a broad
(03:29):
appeal.
It appeals to just all walks oflife.
But I it's an interactive bookas well.
At the end of each chapter Ihave questions from the chapter
yeah, and then I have an answerkey there for you so you can
check your answers or whatever.
So more like a workbook as wellyeah, cool, cool.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
But yes, yeah, yes, man, yeah, awesome, awesome.
Do you use some of that stufflike in your like motivational
speaking and like, or even onyour current job?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
yes, of course, of course, yes.
Those techniques and strategies, I promise you, brandy, they
are proven.
And I guess what inspired mewas initially when I started
working at the coalition andthen doing the other things that
I was doing, just observingleadership and being trained in
leadership.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
And.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
God just really began to heavily inspire me to write
that because I had other books Iwas working on as a matter of
fact there are a couple that I'mworking on now, but that book
just came out of nowhere.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
And God was so heavily inspiring me that I had
to just get it down.
But of course, yes, I mean allof the material that I put out.
I approve it first.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
And so, yes, you know .
Speaker 2 (04:36):
I utilize it over and over and, as you stated, going
back to my first book, the GreatTaste of Success, which the
format is the 50 Proverbsaccompanied by the matching
stories that further expound onthe Proverbs.
But I'm always using thosequotes, you know, consistently
you know continuously.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
But yes, very cool, very cool, and we could have a
whole other podcast on thatright now, right, right,
whenever you're ready, I'm ready.
I might have you back on, yes,but for right now though, let's
talk about your story for today.
So where does it start?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Well, we'll start in my latter 20s there, and it was
during a transitional period, Iwould say.
And what happened?
I had begun my professionalcareer as an elementary educator
, right.
So I was teaching and I wouldsay the first three years I was
just so passionate about it,loved it.
By that fourth year, thatpassion began to dwindle.
(05:34):
For that, and it wasn't for theeducational component or the
teaching component, it was justthe structure and the format of
school, elementary school, thatbegan to bother me.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
I understand completely.
That's how I feel yourbackground too right, yeah, yeah
, like you know, that was yeahyeah.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
And so I felt confined, and I would say, about
that fourth year going on intothe seventh year, when I finally
left, when God finally releasedme, things, like I said just
began the passion dwindle eachyear, but at the same time there
was an emergence of anotherpassion, which was for the music
production, the writing and thespeaking.
(06:14):
And I'll never forget Brandy.
I was calling myself, coveringup the fact that I was losing my
passion.
I was about to leave oneafternoon and I would always run
into a coworker because she herclass was located at the back.
And so going, I would pass herbasically every day.
One day she stops me, brian.
She says let me talk to you.
(06:36):
Mr Nell, I was like okay,what's going on?
She said do you still have apassion for teaching?
I looked at her and I was likeI just kind of shook my head and
no, I was like you could tellshe's like I could tell I said,
I've been trying to put on likeI still got it.
She said no, I see you.
She says not the same sincewhen you first started.
(06:58):
She said I could tell thedifference.
I was like man.
So if you can see it, I wonderwho else can see it.
And that was like one of thoseclear signs that, okay, it's
time to stop praying and seekinganother avenue and a way to get
out of this.
And I'll never forget.
I thought I was going to beable to leave.
It should have been about 2001,but God spoke and told me you
(07:20):
know, it wasn't time yet, andclearly it wasn't.
But in 04, that's when Godspoke and told me you know, it
wasn't time yet, and clearly itwasn't.
But in 04.
That's when God spoke and wefinally launched out to pursue
the entrepreneurship but yeah,so like, let's camp out on that
for a second.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So like, how did you know that it was timely within
that person reaching out to you,like what kind of like was
helping you to know, like whatdirect, what direction to go?
Speaker 2 (07:41):
and well, I kind of God, began to reveal, give me a
blueprint or a plan on what Iwas going to do as far as
launching out, like I said, topursue the entrepreneurship, and
also doors really began to openfor me to do performances and
speaking engagements.
I was getting calls for a lot oflocal elementary schools,
(08:03):
business organizations bringingme in to start doing my speaking
engagements and that's why Iwas like, ok, I can do the
motivational speaking, the musicand the writing.
And you know, it was about thattime when God began to inspire
me as far as writing my firstbook as well, you know around
that time Because what happened.
I began collecting and compilingthe material, not knowing that
(08:25):
it would transform and translateinto a book, and so, you know,
God finally inspired me to dothe full book on it.
But, like I said, I had beenactually writing the content for
years and just keeping on to it, and that's one thing I always
inspire creatives to do All ofyour content.
Hold on to it, because you'lllook back and you know you could
(08:47):
basically do piecemeal and putyou know, extract some of your
concepts and you'll begin to seehow they come together to make
a full picture, a beautifulpicture.
So don't throw anything away.
Sometimes, you know, all youhave to do is make some
adjustments and modifications,to update and maybe make it
relevant for this present timeperiod.
Yeah, but always keep yourmaterial.
(09:09):
And you know that's right Now Ihave tons of stuff.
I'm serious, you just have torevisit and see, okay, how does
this fit and where does it gonow.
But yes, that was, you know,that process and that's what
happened.
And, as I say, finally, godjust audibly, finally spoke in
my spirit and said he was goingto provide the finances for me
to transition, you know, intothe full time entrepreneurship.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
So what did that time like?
So you said you knew like ayear four in your teaching
career that, OK, things are notthe same.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
But how long from?
From that point you know youhad the colleague that said hey,
I see you struggling.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
I see you.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
How long from there between the doors opening and
you leaving taking the leap?
How long?
What was that period?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
That was about three years or so from like I said
that four years, so about yeah,it was.
It was about three years thatthat time period was.
But it was about three yearsthat that time period was.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
But yeah, it was about three years for that time
period, I would say.
And how long was that?
Is that including the time yourcolleague said like hey, I see
you?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Right, right, right yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Like I said, that was right around that perfect time
Was that kind of like the nailon the head Like, okay, I really
got to get serious, that was it, that was it.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
That was it.
That was it, that was it.
Yeah, you know, and, like youknow, I was sharing with you
before, so that was for thatparticular time period, but I
would say for, say, about twoyears in itself.
I was having trouble, liketrying to find my identity and
that purpose and how everythingwill come together, everything
will come together because kindof hearing and knowing that, ok,
you know it's time to step outand God just dealing with me and
(10:48):
prepping me for you still don'thave the fullness of the
picture.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Yeah, and that's scary, to leave a for sure
paycheck Right.
And a career, a respectablecareer.
Right, you know right.
They just were you married atthis time.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I was married and here's the craziest part Brady
we had just had our third sonand he was a preemie, so we had
all kind of trouble you knowwith him.
But I knew, like I say when Isay God spoke so clearly, it was
so concise and with claritythat I knew it was God and I'm
(11:25):
stepping out on exactly whatGod's saying.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Well, that is a whole different type of confidence
there, Right?
Speaker 2 (11:30):
right and looking back on it, it's like man boy
you were crazy, you did that Wasyour wife hearing the same
message.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Yeah, was she on the phone.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I told her that you know okay, god spoke, and
because she knew okay if I say Iheard, spoke and because she
knew, okay, if I said I heardfrom god, she's no, I'm not just
gonna make that up, right.
And and then she began to seethings happening, manifesting
you know in preparation for it,and so she was like, okay, okay,
so she was in agreement with meto do it.
But yes, like I said, it took aa huge leap to do that and but
(12:03):
what it did, it taught me a lot,and one thing it taught me is
for a scriptural principle asfar as prophecy, you know about
the vision, you know as far asthe point of time it says at the
end it will speak and not lie,right, yeah, so what that means
is that when God gives us avision, it shows us where we're
going, because he helps us tosee the end from the beginning.
(12:23):
But at the beginning, say, forinstance, your vision has 10
puzzle pieces.
Right, right At the beginning,you might only have three of the
pieces, so that means you'relacking seven.
But remember, we walk by faith,not by sight.
Right, as you take steps,you're going to get more of the
pieces.
True, so if you get to, say youknow, when you're in the middle
(12:46):
you probably have about.
You'll have seven pieces, butyou're still lacking three.
You have to keep going untilyou get to the end and guess
what?
That's when all 10 puzzlepieces are going to be present.
Come together, join and make upthe fulfillment of that vision.
But what happens as people walk?
You know some people, they liketo have all of the information,
(13:10):
all of the details at thebeginning, but God doesn't
operate like that.
But we have to walk by faith,not by sight.
And as you take those steps,he'll reveal more and more,
He'll connect you more and more,He'll bring in those needed
resources.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Cause.
Part of it's like a developmentpiece.
It's like, hey, I'll give youwhat you can chew on for now and
handle for now, and, as youkeep going, I'll give you some
more.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Yes, ma'am, that's it .
Speaker 1 (13:34):
And I'll develop it some more, because it's not just
a vision, it's also developingyou.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Exactly.
See it's preparation Now I lovethat.
Watch this, brandy.
So it's not only preparationfor you, but God showed me this
is preparation for your audience, who has to receive you.
Yeah, so you're being processed, but they're being prepared.
They're going through differenttrials and tribulations so that
now, when you're prepped andready, which you feed them,
they'll be ready to eat it.
Yeah, and they'll be in a placeand space to need it.
But the thing is, like I say,believing God, and that's where
(14:11):
the patience comes in, where youhave to trust that God knows
best and he knows what he'sdoing.
He's orchestrating this in adivine manner.
Like we say the scripture saysyou know, his thoughts are not
our thoughts, his ways are notour ways.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And yeah, he has me.
You know he's the master, he isplaying this out.
It has been preordained beforeI was even born, before the
foundation of the world.
And you tell, you know, youquote these scriptures to
yourself to build yourconfidence and to continue
(14:45):
walking.
And as you continue walking,like I said, I never forget.
God said things everything'sgoing to make sense really soon.
Just keep walking, keep walking.
And when I said as sure as hesaid that when I look at
everything, Brandi we can evenlook at the situation now, with
me being a director.
Yeah, and you?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
know part of the story too.
I do know part of the story, sojust looking at that that whole
thing.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Initially it didn't make sense.
And I didn't even think that Iwould be in this position, but
look at God, yeah yeah, I thinkyou know you had all your other
things going on, Right, right,right.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
You know you're consulting and you know all the
things you've been doing, butyou chose to come back to the
coalition, Right, and that'sjust kind of cool.
What made you decide to comeback and step in and do some of
those things again?
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Well, like I had told you guys, you know, at the time
it was funny how I had one oftwo options.
I had the two options.
I could continue on with theconsulting, but in that arena I
was doing basically all of thework.
Or it was to come and be withyou guys, be with a team now
working with people toaccomplish a goal, to fulfill a
(16:00):
vision, and I decided, hey, Iwant to do that one.
You know, and it's like I said,as far as what God had been
speaking to me, that alignedmore than me doing what I had
been doing.
And then this position alsoenables me to use my full skill
set.
So in the other capacity I waskind of doing more of the
content creation and some, youknow, communication as well, but
(16:24):
here I'm able to do thecommunication, organization and
content creation.
You know just everything.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Yeah, and kind of fuse your content that you have
created and then probablycreating Right right, right,
right.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Like I say, we're always learning, always
developing guys, always speakingand sharing and teaching.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yeah, for sure.
So how long?
Okay, so how long were you onlycontent creator Like in between
?
So you left teaching Right.
At one point you did work forthe coalition as a parent
educator.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Right, right right.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Then you were consulting for a while, and then
you came back to us November.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yes, yes, november last year.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Yeah, but in between all of that, how long were you
solely a content creator?
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Well, basically since I stepped out in 04.
So we're talking about 20 yearsnow.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Wow, since I stepped out in 04.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
So we're talking about 20 years now, but look,
there's another little hat thatI wore.
I owned a janitorial servicefor 12 years and what happened
when I stepped out to do themusic production, the
motivational speaking andwriting?
As I told you, things weregoing well, man.
I had just produced my CD, Ihad just published the book,
doors were open and things weregoing well and then, all of a
(17:35):
sudden, it just hit.
I hit a dry spell and it's like, oh my God, what is going on?
What's next and like I, saidit's like the plan that God had
inspired lasted nine months, butthen that last nine months
branded to this day.
I can't even tell you how wemade it, but it's because it was
the whole full process like ayear and 18 months exactly.
(17:55):
But when I said God took careof us in provision, and I mean
I'm talking about crazy thingshappen.
I'll give you a prime example.
One time, like I said, we wereat a very bad space financially,
right, yeah, just trusting theLord needing some money, and a
company sent a check, in otherwords, and normally they send a
(18:16):
draft right.
Right right and you have to comein to do the actual check.
And so it was a loan, but itwas in the form of a check.
So it was like, if you signthis, you will be enrolled into
a loan and it's a check.
And so I showed it to my wife.
I'm saying, babe, this looklike a check.
She said no, it's got to be adraft.
I said, sam, it's a check,brand.
(18:37):
I went to the bank.
I said, man, is this a check ora draft?
I sent it through the shoot.
She said this is a check andit's a loan.
As soon as you sign it, you getthe cash.
Babe, it was like $1,000.
Yeah, but I mean, it's so manyother things the Lord did to
show how he will supernaturallyand miraculously provide for you
(18:59):
when your back is up againstthe wall.
You don't have anything.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
But yes, like I said, it's just so many other things
that God did in that time toprove himself that it's like,
wow, god will, he will see youthrough.
Yeah, he will.
You know he, you trust him, youbelieve him, he's going to
provide.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
But yes, and I've experienced that as well in my
life.
It's really interesting howthat works.
And you're like you know, Idon't know, I just know that
this is where I need to be, andthen God.
That's where I came with thephrase.
You know, where God, God willsit.
It's a little spin on the whole.
There's a will, there's a way,but no, if it's God's will, he
will weigh it.
(19:37):
He will make the way for it tohappen.
Yeah, because I know.
I went to seminary almost 20years ago, now counting there.
But, yeah, no, okay, not 20, 10,12, 12, 15 years ago.
Not 20, 10, 12, 12, 15 yearsago, like 2012, 2015, 2013.
(19:59):
Okay, around that time, and atthat time I didn't know how I
was going to pay for all that,especially the housing.
I was moving.
I went in Texas, so not here,and I was like I don't know,
this is where I need to be.
And, kid you know, I got like acheck in the the mail.
I think it was like I needed arefund.
I think the previous employer Ihad like had a refund for like
almost the exact amount, likedown to the like the coins oh,
(20:22):
my goodness, you've got, and Iwas like I know.
It's like, I know exactly whatyou mean.
It's like oh okay, this is thelord.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no doubt, nodoubt.
You know, yes, yeah, so that'shappened.
I've definitely experiencedthat.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Well, that is awesome , yes ma'am.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Oh man, so you've had a lot of pivoting you've had to
do.
They call me.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Mr Pivot too.
Yeah, I promise you, I had donelike a webinar with a buddy of
mine and so she had done adesign like a flyer and she put
on it, Mr Pivot, it has mypicture on it Because, like you
said, I've done so many pivots.
And when you look at it, though, that's how being led by the
(21:04):
Spirit is.
It takes you into all kinds ofdifferent directions, and when
you have the humility to allowit, you'll see God making you
pivot.
The humility to allow it,you'll see god making you pivot.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
you know, sometimes we get into such a place of
comfort, satisfaction andpredictability that we resist
the pivots yeah, because it's wedon't want, because I think
when it that happens, it allowsyou to feel like you have this.
It's a false sense, but falsesense of control, right like it,
like you're making it happenyeah, yeah, you're vulnerable so
yeah, and some people are justunwilling to go in that way.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
But I feel, like you know, that's the way it is the
way, because that's where you'relearning and, like we're
talking about, your growth andyour development takes place.
If you're constantly doing thesame thing over and over,
typically you're not going toreally grow and develop.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
It's when you change and now you have to learn again
it expands well, I mean trust,right, you know, and god wants
our trust, he wants us to trustin him, and this is that's the
one way to see like are youtrusting him as by actually
going outside of your comfortzone or out of your control zone
?
Maybe we should start callingit that because you know, like.
(22:15):
That's why you're comfortable,because you feel like you're in
control of that situation, right.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
And, like you say, what would happen?
Life would throw thosecurveballs and God would
actually send them to get youoff that, out of that place of
dissatisfaction and contentmentand stagnation and you know I
prefer God to prompt me and leadme to him having to push me and
force me out.
I always say a blessing out ofseason is a curse.
(22:42):
And so some things in your life, or men like they say, you know
a reason and a season.
Well, those seasonal things,when the season is up, it's time
to move on.
Yeah, people have, you know,all kind of things you can have
adverse of impacts on your lifewhen you're in a place that god
has told you to leave yeah, youknow, but yeah, so how do you
(23:05):
know when it's time to leave?
he'll speak.
I always say you can use yourthree, six, three spiritual
senses.
You know what?
What is God showing you?
Your ear, what is God tellingyou?
And then the feeling ofdiscernment, what are you
feeling in your spirit?
And when there's alignment withthose three things, well, the
things you're seeing telling youto go, the things God is
(23:26):
telling you are telling you togo, and then what you're feeling
is telling you to go, it's timeto pray and say, okay, lord,
just win.
You know, win how soon.
And then, once he releases you,you get that comfort, that
peace and that word.
Then that's when you step.
But, like I said, it's likethings will kind of line up to
let you know it's that time.
(23:47):
I'll give you a prime exampleLike right before we left the
coalition, all of those threethings I told you were happening
, what I was seeing was tellingme what I was feeling and what I
was hearing.
And then it took, you know, onefinal incident where you know I
was like, okay, you're going tobe leaving very soon after this
, you know coming up, and sowhen that, when that incident
(24:09):
occurred, it was like, okay,this is it.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Yeah, it's time.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Yeah, and you know, if I wouldn't have done that,
then we wouldn't have this.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Right, right, yeah, yeah.
Man, I think, when it comes tolike trusting God's timing and
showing the way, the people fromthe Bible, I always think about
the most people like Abraham,moses, joshua, because I feel
like they kind of lived that outfor us or like showed us like
what that looks like biblically,so we're not just pulling
(24:37):
inside of our hats, guys.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
So we have the examples with the specifics of
God.
You know those biblicalexamples and the Bible gives us
the timing and, you know, hasrecorded it, so you know.
Another person who I love, love, one of my favorite characters,
is joseph too.
Yeah, you know.
So, yeah, I mean it all.
It all makes sense as far asthe timing goes.
(25:02):
So he was 17 when he got thedream, when he was 30 when it
came to pass, so 13 years andguys were talking about joseph,
the ones you know, the coat ofmany colors.
Right, right, right.
The guy who had, you know,brothers wanted to kill him but
they put him in a pit, then hewent into slavery, then he was
put into prison.
Yeah, and then he was exalted.
(25:23):
You know the interpretedPharaoh's dream and was exalted.
But God had already showed himthat from the beginning.
But just look at all he had togo through to get to that place.
Yeah, yes, like you say, all ofthose biblical characters are
our examples to increase ourfaith and to know that this is
like you say, it's a.
(25:45):
It's a format that god operatesin.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
You know just the way he does, yeah man and I like
one of the ones I really like,or or the, the piece of moses
that I found really interestingis that the direction he told
them to go was not a straightline and that's something you
don't catch if you just went tosunday school, right?
yeah, it's something you gottawhen you read on your own and
(26:07):
guys read on your own right.
When you really dig into thatpiece of the story, you're like
you mean, because the whole dealwith the Egyptians, because you
know they came back after him?
Right, this is after, like youknow, pharaoh had the whole
place and he said let my peoplego.
Eventually he did, and then hechanged his mind and they were
like look at these.
You know these Hebrews?
Speaker 2 (26:27):
They don't know what they're doing.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Because they were literally, if you look at a
biblical map, they were gonelike way out of the way for
where they were needed to go,where they said there was going
to go.
And so the egyptians were like,yeah, they're doing, let's go
get these people.
They're crazy.
We need them.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Our floors will be clean right right, right right
and I think that's interestingbecause god did that on purpose
he, he did, he did and, if I'mnot mistaken, I definitely would
have to look it up, I've heardseemed like the route to direct
to where they would go in theCanaan was like just like two
(27:04):
weeks, like 13 days.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Yeah, it should have been a straight shoot, right,
but no, they went way out of theway.
But that was the Lord'sdirection, because you know, you
had the pillar of smoke andthen you had the in the day, and
then you had the, the fire, atnight, so and it was a clear
direction from the lord, but hedid that intentionally and
that's important, because I knowsometimes, or I thought that
(27:26):
was really interesting because,like sometimes, our paths seem
way out the way.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Right, right, right, you know, yeah you know another
thing the bible talks about too,the other path.
It talks about how there was, Iguess, another nation that was
pretty strong, so he didn't wantthem, want to take them that
way, because you know, they werejust coming out of egypt, just
being slain they weren't trainedwarriors, so they would have
(27:52):
been fearful and probably wouldhave turned back had he taken
them that way.
So that shows the providence ofGod and his wisdom that he knows
the route to take you.
That's going to keep you safeand keep you on the path.
But, like you said, it forcedthem to have to trust and lean
on him, and that's what hewanted.
He wanted to show them thatokay.
(28:13):
Okay, look, you're coming froma place where you were dependent
on your masters, right?
they fed you this and that andif you remember one of the
complaints, they were excitedabout getting leeks and onions
and everything god like I'llfeed you with some manna from
heaven right, but but yes, andso he wanted to show them that
you know, okay, you have totrust in me now, not on the
(28:35):
system, and that's what thatwhole experience was about
learning me, learning howpowerful I am in my miraculous,
wonder-working power.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Right, right.
So bringing it back to yourstory.
So during those times when youwere like branching out and
doing your new adventures, youknow, whether it was music or
your janitorial thing or youknow what are some things that
gave you hope and encouraged youto During those times of doubt.
Because I know, because I'm acreator as well.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Right.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
There is constant doubt.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Right, right.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
You know.
So how did you come back anddeal with that and find
encouragement to keep going?
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Well, I think what really confirmed it when I
launched out, just having thefreedom, the flexibility and
control, and you know, itmotivated me, encouraged me when
I was hitting those tough times.
Yeah me, encouraged me when Iwas hitting those tough times.
And just holding on to that word, that specific word, that God
has spoken to me, that you knowhe was going to take care of me,
he was going to provide for meand that he was going to sustain
(29:37):
me, you know, provisionally,and that's what I held on during
those darkest hours, even whenI didn't know what was going to
happen, how we're going to makeit.
I knew I had heard from God but, as I stated, just the
flexibility of it all I loved.
I didn't realize I had thatside of me being a teacher and
(29:58):
that's what it was that wasemerging, that I needed the
flexibility.
I needed the independence andautonomy, the creative control
to plot my course, you know, anddo some things and have that
freedom to do it.
But that's what I really loveabout entrepreneurship, you know
, as a whole.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Just you being able to do what you need to do.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Yeah, and it puts you in the driver's seat.
It lets you be your own task,master.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Right Master.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Right, right, right, right, yeah, and I like that as
well you know, you become yourown navigator.
Yeah, you know if you want tosee it happen, you're able to
see it happen or not.
Yes, so yeah, definitelyunderstand that for sure yeah,
and so how did you know that itwas god speaking to you and not
just some like selfish ambitionin your heart?
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Well, through prayer, fasting, just consecrating, got
saved at 19 and I'll neverforget.
Way back then, our leader atthe time, the pastor, was like
you know, hey, if you pray andyou listen, god will speak.
And he encouraged us to getlike a notebook and pen and.
I started doing it, god began tospeak.
Then and just all throughoutthe years, and I record exactly
(31:10):
what God speaks and you know,just watch it come to pass and
go in the direction of theverbal commands he's given us.
Because, you know, we have thewritten word, which is the logos
, but the rhema word is thespoken word.
So, when we want to get intothe specificity and the
meticulous details of the willof God, we got to hear the rhema
(31:31):
right?
Because, in other words, in ourBible, brandy, there's no
scripture that's going to say,okay, brandy moved to Texas in
2025.
Right, right.
So God has to declare that andspeak it to you.
You know, I could go like withmy spouse and everything.
How God did that.
That was just so crazy, brandy.
(31:52):
But I mean, you know, he puther in my spirit and what had
happened at the time in thechurch, a lot of people was
mostly single, college students,right, right, everybody was.
You know, some people weredating, some people were just
really single.
It was, you know, some peoplewere dating, some people just
really single, but everybody waswho was interested, desiring a
mate, was trying to figure outokay, if they're with somebody,
(32:12):
is this my mate, is this not?
And so I never forget it was ason of the man of god.
God led him by the spirit, hesaid look this week you guys
have been seeking god to see ifthe person you with from the
lord of his, his desire for youto get married, he's going going
to confirm it.
And I kid you not.
From that Monday on a face ofhers was in my spirit.
Wasn't anything else foranything, just her face.
(32:34):
And, like I said, I'd have togo through a whole bunch to get
to the whole story.
But to make a long story short,that same woman's face who was
in my spirit.
We've been married going on 27years now.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Wow, and there's more to it.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
What God spoke.
Going on 27 years now, andthere's more to it.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
What god spoke to, her spoke to me, but, like I
said, we have to delve into allthe details at the time.
But yeah, yeah, awesome,awesome story, awesome, yeah,
maybe it can be in your yoursecond, second interview.
Right, right, right, right,paired that with the music and
stuff.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So how long do you think youwould say you like stayed in,
stayed in fasting mood.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
Well, it just differs in different seasons.
I've had seasons where I've gotis just coming to, you know, a
higher level of fast and beingvery consistent with it, but
during that time you know, Ican't even quantify it, brandy,
as far as the actual time, it'sjust as God would lead.
I would do it.
You know I would do it.
(33:30):
And I think one of the mostconsecrating times of my life
was when I was, let's see, itwas probably about 2012, 2013.
When God had launched me intoministry or whatever, yeah, and
just being isolated and justpraying and fasting and
consecrating seriously.
That's when God gave me thebook Revelation, rightly
(33:52):
Revealed.
During that time he took me,like I said, to a whole nother
level during that season, but itwas like I said, it was intense
, praying and fasting because, Ilook back, bob, I had just
started my TV ministry at thetime.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
TV too, my goodness Renaissance man.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Renaissance man.
Yeah, we got a couple otherthings, but yes, ma'am, I had a
TV ministry here.
The show was motivating themasses and we recorded 50
episodes exactly, but I'll tellyou what happened.
I don't know.
You probably remember this.
It was in, should have been2013.
It was a storm that hit over inWest Monroe.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Yeah, a big storm.
I do remember that it knockedthe tower and stuff down the
assemblies right.
That's what I was recordingwith that's what happened.
I do remember that.
I think that's when I started.
I wrote for an online blog forsomebody else for a little bit
(34:50):
and I remember that because thatwas one of my.
I had a piece I wrote and I hadto take.
I needed some pictures to goalong with it and I took some
pictures of the magnolia treesdown along the tree line, you
know, downtown Monroe,beatenhorn, which was really sad
at the time.
I'm glad they're back growingup, but like at the time I was
glad they're back growing up butlike at the time I was like, oh
no, there's trees.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
So yeah, I remember that storm yeah, it was bad, so
much, uh, man, but that justthat.
That knocked that out, but uh,but but yes, yes, yes, like I
said during that time and Iguess my whole point was, when I
look at the videos and stuff,how small my face was and how
small I was.
I remember, oh, I was man, Iwas consecrated back.
(35:30):
I remember that.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
But yes, ma'am, yeah, wow, wow, man, would you say,
there's any been any bibleverses that you would say like,
hey, this has been like mycareer verse or life verse or
something that's just reallyinfluenced you?
Speaker 2 (35:43):
right proverbs.
Three through five verses, fivethrough rather trust in the
Lord with all your heart.
Lean not to your ownunderstanding.
In all your ways, acknowledgehim.
He will direct your paths,because that scripture has so
much meaning in it.
You know when I always think ofhead and heart.
With the head, you think ofcompetency, you think of
reasoning, logic, but the heart,we're talking about feeling,
(36:06):
we're talking about emotion,we're talking about discernment.
So what he's saying is don'ttrust me with your logic and
your reasoning, but you have totrust me with your emotions,
with your spirit, with yourinner being and if, as you don't
lead to your own understanding,I'm going to be able to direct
your paths, as you acknowledgeme.
And so when you look at direct,the Lord was showing me how you
(36:29):
know, out of the word direct,you get directive right, which
is giving you directions oractual steps.
So when I would normally hearthe steps of the Lord I'm
thinking of, I see a vision ofjust footprints or steps in him
directing you.
But what he's really talkingabout is giving you those
directives and those steps.
(36:49):
For instance, if you want tobake a cake, step one grease the
pan.
Step two mix the flour andeverything.
So that's what he does.
He literally gives youinstructions and steps.
Do this, do this, go here, callthis person, email this person,
attend this event?
Yeah, and that's how he ordersyour steps by giving you steps
(37:11):
and directives and, like I say,it points you in a direction,
towards your destination,towards the fulfillment of that
vision he's giving you.
But yes, that's my scripturethere.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
Those two scriptures.
Yeah, I love it and Idefinitely see how you lived
that out for sure, especiallyall the things you talked about.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
What could you say to the person that you know,
because some people strugglewith, like, having confidence
that it's the Lord?
You know they might sit downand pray and they might journal,
but there still would be.
I mean, I just me in my ownambition, you know, or is it
really the Lord?
What would you say to them tolet them be confident in knowing
(37:51):
that?
No, like that's something theLord gave you?
Speaker 2 (37:54):
Right?
Well, just analyze it, you know, using the word, just making
sure it's aligning with the word, and that lets you know.
You know, okay, it's not justme, but okay.
So just think of it like thisIs it helping others, is it
pointing them in the rightdirection, is it improving their
lives, is it inspiring,educating, directing, building
them?
And, like I said, of course,even with your gift and what God
(38:18):
gives you, it's not just tobless others, it's to bless you
as well.
So don't ever think that,whatever I do, I'm not going to
get anything out of it, becauseGod actually doesn't work like
that.
It may seem like you're justgiving all and not getting
anything back, but the way Goddoes it, he arranges win-win
scenarios.
So even as you're giving outwith your gift, blessing others,
(38:41):
it blesses you too.
And whatever God has called youto do.
You know that's the format ofthe fit.
But, as I say, as you analyzeit and you say, okay, it's
really helping people.
It's not anything shiesty ormanipulating or deceptive, it's
the truth.
I say it aligns with the word,it's not going against the word
in any way, then more thanlikely it's God prompting you to
(39:04):
do that.
You know, technically the devil.
We know he comes to kill, stealand destroy.
So if it's harming, it'sdestructive, it's leading people
astray.
You know?
Okay, this is the devil or it'sme.
I'm just being selfish.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
Yeah, or manipulative in some way.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Yeah, yeah, so you just filter it like that and
process it.
Yeah, you know, I think, brandi, what helped me the most and I
always teach people this is justovercoming fear and the way I
did.
That guy gave me a powerfulacronym that I always use, and
it's the meaning of the word no,which is next up, next option,
(39:37):
new opportunity, not over.
So whenever you do somethinghappens and you feel it's a
failure, right, Right, remember,failure is a part of success If
you take out of your mind thatreally nothing is a failure,
it's just failure, right, Right,remember failure is a part of
success If you take out of yourmind that really nothing is a
failure.
It's just a lesson learned.
I got wisdom out of it.
I know what not to do next time, right right.
If you can change yourperspective and condition
(39:59):
yourself to see it that way,you'll be on your way.
Because when you encounter theno's and the failures, you say,
okay, I'm looking for my nextoption, I'm looking for my new
opportunity, because it's notover, yeah.
And so every time you encounterthe no or the failure, if you
condition yourself to do that,you're going to be able to do it
(40:19):
again and do something else.
So think about me I've had tostep out first of all as the
speaker.
Well, no, I started the musicfirst, Okay.
So I've had to step out firstof all as the speaker.
Well, no, I started the musicfirst, Okay.
So I've encountered therejections as a music producer,
songwriter, entertainer.
Then I started out.
You know, I started with thespeaking right, yeah, so I've
encountered the rejections there.
(40:40):
Then I started with the writing.
I've encountered the rejectionsthere.
So if I wouldn't have adaptedthat mind frame, I would have
been giving up.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Yeah, stay at home in your little corner Right.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
The janitors are just everything I'm doing and have
done.
I would have stopped at thefirst sign of rejection and
opposition.
But you have to conditionyourself that look, man, what's
going to happen it's a no, okay,it didn't succeed.
Gonna happen.
This is, it's a no, okay, itdidn't succeed.
And this is what I teach peopleto separate yourself from your
(41:15):
endeavors, you know right.
So, for instance, like, okay,the podcast if it doesn't do as
well as you think, okay, it'snot me, it's an extension of me,
but it's not me.
The the podcast fails.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
I'm not a failure.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
If the business failed, the business failed.
I didn't fail.
I'm not the failure.
Even if the marriagerelationship failed, okay, it
failed.
I'm separate from that.
I can recover.
I can move and transition.
Speaker 1 (41:41):
Pivot and turn the next thing.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
But yeah, but you have to separate yourself from
your different activities andthe things that extend from you,
because if you stay connected,especially if they don't go well
, then it's going to impact.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
I mean definitely as a content creator myself, like
you get really comfortable withno, or I have, you know, and it
really is not such a big dealanymore, which then makes me
courageous to keep asking fornew things or to do different
stuff, because I'm like, well,if the worst you can say to me
is no, it's not really that bigof a deal and I don't take it
personally.
You know, I think that's whatI'm hearing you say right there,
(42:19):
like you know, don't make thatpart of like you, they're not
saying no to you, they havetheir own hang up or own little
thing, or maybe there's not ableto this time.
Maybe it's not a no, but notyet right, you know, and just
take it with.
Strive with that.
You don't, you know, not be sopersonal and and I like what you
were saying earlier about howyou know, discerning, about you
know, is it you or is it god?
You know I think and I've heardother people say this.
(42:41):
You know, I've heard sadierobinson say this and others and
I I think I agree, like I thinkin our culture, maybe it's just
when I was younger it seemedlike it was like a season.
I call it a season but like um,I'm not sure.
I'm not sure what the timeframe is or whatever, but there
was a time frame where it waskind of put out like you know,
you gotta know what god wantsfor your life and seek that out
(43:03):
to the point where it was kindof crippling people because
they're getting too wrapped upin well, especially for the
young people, people who arelike in there going to college
and whatever.
Too much pressure put on like Igotta figure out god's way
right now or it's just done orI'm I've missed it and missed
the whole messed up my wholelife right right and that's just
not.
(43:23):
You know, as sadie would say andwas, and as I'm hearing you say
, it's like you know you don'thave to put so much like weight
on yourself for that, becauseGod is sovereign yes, yes and
then, like, life is a journeyright yes, you know, just run
one step and get there.
Yeah, a bunch of steps you know, and, like you, don't put that
(43:44):
much thought into the clothingyou put on right.
You know you put it on.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
You make it, yeah, you make it, right you?
Speaker 1 (43:48):
know, you put it on, you make it, yeah, you make it.
Or you know there's choices andI think those other decisions
are kind of the same way.
As long as, like you said,these are things that you know,
that I help people, it's notstraying from what the word says
.
Then it does, cause you know,god's commands for us are to
(44:09):
love people and love him.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
So if you're, whatever your endeavor is is
doing those things in it, thenit is of the lord.
You know I say we complicatethe simple right, prefer to
simplify the complex you know,it's not.
Yeah, it's.
Speaker 1 (44:22):
Sometimes we can make it rocket science, whereas
that's not and like you werekind of like I like how, for a
second there we kind of talkedabout fear, because that's I
think that's the part because wedon't like ourselves to feel
that way the uncomfortablenessof possibly failing or what that
might look like, and the scornof friends and family because,
that's who we actually hear fromthe most.
(44:43):
I told you that wasn't a goodidea.
I don't know what you werethinking.
I know what was that about crazyyou know, with your young wife
and your children and your son.
With the being a preemie, Imean like that.
That's the condemnation youhear, and the thing is that what
they don't always realize.
Speaker 2 (45:01):
You've already thought that yourself right, you
know you thought about it andwhat the thing is soon, you
prepare yourself for it.
You know you have to berealistic about your connections
, your family, your friends, andyou know they're gonna be
cynical but, yeah, in theirperspective they're looking out
for you.
Good, right, they are, they arecoming from a place of love
(45:22):
right and protection andsecurity.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
But yeah, but you know on the other end of it, you
know what the lord put in youand you have to let that be your
anchor and nothing else, youknow, you know, I feel like
that's what a lot of what youhave said and I'm like yeah, I,
because I've been there, I'mthere right, and I, yeah, I get
that totally I'm gonna use oneof my quotes, since you asked if
I'll be using them, one of themin that first book.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
I say say success breeds support.
And that means that see, whenyou first start off, people are
kind of watching you.
I say they pull a Peter.
So Peter went with Jesus.
The thing happened with Jesus.
He followed close enough that,if things went well, he could
run up and say Lord, I'm here.
I said I was here with you, allthe disciples, the disciples
gone, but I'm here.
But he followed far enough backthat when things went awry he
(46:10):
could curse and say oh no, Iwasn't with him, I don't know
him, I don't even know jesus.
And so a lot of your relativesthat's what they're doing, their
friends, they're following,they're watching, just enough.
So if things do pan out, theycould run in the scene.
Oh, I was here.
See, I was, I've been watchingI've been following.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
Yeah, I'm their cousin right right, right,
they're cousins, your bestfriend now.
But if things blow up, oh nah,that's my business.
Yeah, we cool, we not?
You know, that's the blacksheep of the family.
Speaker 2 (46:35):
But yeah, but when see, when people start seeing
you succeeding, that's whenthey're going to come, that's
when they're going to supportyou well, I think sometimes it's
also just trying to see howauthentic we are.
Speaker 1 (46:44):
Right, you know, how like are we really gonna.
You know pull.
How trusting in the lord are wereally?
Is god really leading us, orwas it something else so?
And you can't really blamefamily and friends for that
either I feel that that's that'syou know.
God gave us logic and you gottaweed out.
You know who's true and who'snot.
So that's good too.
But yeah, and I think part ofthe to put that in perspective
(47:06):
for the person who's you know,wanting to figure out this or
that and the other, that's partof it too, so not to be so
discouraged from that.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
Right, right, right, yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Well, how has all of this you know you've had this
long journey how has this, youknow, impacted your relationship
with Christ?
What are some things you feellike you learned from going
through all?
Speaker 2 (47:25):
this, I know it definitely took me into a
different dimension, as I wasstating earlier and I love
Psalms 91, you know, dwelling ina secret place of the most high
, and I always say, you know, wehave to be a dweller, in other
(47:48):
words, we need to have anaddress there, a residence there
, and not be an occasionalvisitor and a frequent, you know
, traveler just coming through,but just having residence and
staying in the face of God andbeing in the presence of God and
what that has done, I mean notonly just for his revelations,
god revealing, but it reallychanges your nature.
You know to where you.
You are better, fruit of thespirit, because, if you think
about it, even naturally,whoever you're around a lot, you
(48:10):
got that fellowship.
You exchange, there's anexchange.
You pick up stuff, youinfluence others, they pick up
stuff from you.
Speaker 1 (48:17):
You start talking like them too sometimes.
I mean that happens, you startpicking up little phrases and
maybe a little accent.
You know, yeah, that happens.
Speaker 2 (48:26):
So look so, spiritually, it's the same
concept.
The more we're around god,guess what?
We pick up his nature, we pickup his mind frame, we pick up
his perspective and how he seesthings and what it really does.
It just broadens your horizons.
When I teach on vision.
You know, with vision comesthree sites foresight, which is
the ability to see ahead.
Insight, which is the abilityto see underneath the surface.
(48:46):
And then, which is the abilityto see ahead insight, which is
the ability to see underneaththe surface.
And then oversight, which isthe ability to manage and
supervise.
Right yeah, so the closer andhigher you get in God, he
expands that thing.
Like I say, you get to see waydown the line and you have a
broader perspective too.
He gives you better insight todiscern, to detect, to know
(49:07):
people's strengths andweaknesses, their motives, how
they think, and then he givesyou, like I say, he increases
your leadership capacity.
So, because the greaterforesight and insight you have,
the greater oversight you have,the more people you can manage,
the more finances and resourcesyou can manage once you develop
those things.
But I believe you know, god hasreally equipped me with that.
(49:29):
And there's something else, Iguess, out of my journey with
God, in addition to writing thebooks.
I have an online school, and soyou know.
Speaker 1 (49:38):
Oh my goodness, damon Naylor.
Another thing.
Speaker 2 (49:42):
I'm like is all these Easter eggs here I'm like?
The onion keeps on peeling Atonline school, wow.
But Real Life Academy eggs hereI'm like what the onion keeps
on peeling.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
And so many layers At all my school Wow.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
But Real Life Academy , and so I've taken, like I said
, my experiences and things I'velearned in business being a
husband, being a father, being aminister Just all of those hats
and the wisdom God has given me.
I've put it into a place towhere you can be educated.
You don't have to fall on anyof the pitfalls and the pitfalls
(50:11):
that I did.
I could kind of help you avoidthat stuff.
So that's, what it really taughtme and helped me to do, and
then doing these, being able toshare my insight and wisdom with
others to help them along theirjourney but I think that's
that's really what it is ishelping me to do, to be
productive and to have thatstrong, consistent relationship
(50:33):
with the lord yeah, yeah yeahand I like that.
Speaker 1 (50:37):
How you started talking about, like you know,
the dwelling place and having,because if you, if you're not
filled up, there's nothing youcan share, you know you're not
helping anybody.
At that point you are just kindof, you know, speaking hot air.
Thank you, that's all it is.
We got to be full of him and,as I always say, you can only
reproduce what's alreadyproduced in you.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
So we got to get in his presence so he could give us
, fill us, like you're saying,with the fruit of the spirit.
Now, we can go out and and andoperate an overflow and spill
our love, our joy and peace onothers.
As you stated, if you'redepleted and you're like you
don't have anything to give you.
Try to keep the little or Idon't know.
Speaker 1 (51:20):
Whatever you're saying.
I don't know if we wouldn'twant to hear that, or take that
like what is that exactlyexactly?
Yeah, yeah oh man, damon, ithas been such a treasure to have
you on today.
This has been so much funlikewise, likewise.
Speaker 2 (51:34):
I love it.
I appreciate the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (51:36):
Like I said, yeah yeah, it's just been a great
time, you know, having you hereand I'm so glad you've been able
to share and share your wisdom,and I've been really enjoying
learning all like these funlittle things about you.
You got online school and allthese other things that you do
currently, so that's awesome,and we'll probably have links to
that in the show notes in justa minute, but I see you guys be
(51:56):
looking out for that.
But just thank you again somuch for coming out and sharing
all this with us.
It's been a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (52:02):
Amen, it surely has.
Speaker 1 (52:03):
And my name is Damon Naylor and this is my story of
the middle I'm your host, brandiBostic, and you've been
listening to the Up and Uppodcast.
If you want some extra content,check out my Patreon account in
the show notes below.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
Psalm 40, verse 2.
He brought me up from adesolate pit, out of the muddy
clay, and set my feet on therock, making my steps secure.
A person's late teens and early 20s can often be the
most stressful of a person'slife, mainly because there's so
little certainty, so many thingsstill to figure out, like who
you are and who you want to be.
So what does it look like whena person strives for purpose
God's way?
In today's episode I'll betalking with Damon Naylor.
(00:30):
Hello everybody, Damon is theRenaissance man, Damon Doriel
Naylor.
He is a former educator, amotivational speaker, author and
the current director of theFamily resource center at the
children's coalition in downtownmonroe.
Thank you, damian, for beingout today and coming to share
your story with me thank you somuch, brandy, for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
I counted a blessing and a privilege to be here with
you and I just appreciate theopportunity yeah, well, that's
really likewise.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
That's how I feel as well.
I'm so honored to even have youhere now to ask how did you
become known as the Renaissanceman?
Tell us, tell my listeners,what that means.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
So a Renaissance man is someone who's known to do a
variety of things and to do themwell.
And so I, you know, receivedthat name because of all the
hats that I wear, yes, of being,like you said, motivational
speaker, author, producer,songwriter, performer.
You know, the list goes on.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Husband, father, man of.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
God, minister.
So?
But yes, man, that's where thatcame from.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Love it, Love it.
And that definitely fits youwell, because you are in that
context, you are for sure aRenaissance man.
I appreciate that, appreciatethat, and you do do them well.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Oh, thank you.
Thank you so much From myperspective, yeah, yes, ma'am,
thank you so much yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
And so I let's see.
I know I had looked up some ofyour books.
I have one of them because yougave me one, okay, okay, and the
other one I looked and I thinkyou have a few more.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
How many books do you have I published four, yeah,
and so, as far as available onAmazon, we have the Living,
loving, leading and thenRevelation Rightly Revealed.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
OK.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
But the other one, like the first one, was the
Great Taste of Success.
That was my first one way backin should have been 2005.
I believe, yes, 2005, when Ipublished that one, and I just
did it locally in print and thenI converted it into the digital
e-book there.
And you know I share that.
Normally I kind of gift that topeople.
(02:36):
But, yes, and then I had done AGreater Taste of Success.
It's just an e-book as well,and I can't even remember what
year that was.
And then I know in 2016 is whenI published Revelation, rightly
Revealed.
And then in 2020, right beforethe pandemic hit.
I published Living LovingLeading.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
And you know, all of them are really good in my
opinion.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Of course.
But yes, I know the LivingLoving Leading I didn't get to
promote that one, like I wantedto due to the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, I had a, a nice strategy prepared and I was
ready to go.
And I mean because I post infebruary, oh my goodness.
So when it's time to launch anddo the book tours and all of
that, boom it's like yeah, areyou kidding me?
But?
But yeah, the thing I likeabout that one has such a broad
(03:29):
appeal.
It appeals to just all walks oflife.
But I it's an interactive bookas well.
At the end of each chapter Ihave questions from the chapter
yeah, and then I have an answerkey there for you so you can
check your answers or whatever.
So more like a workbook as wellyeah, cool, cool.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
But yes, yeah, yes, man, yeah, awesome, awesome.
Do you use some of that stufflike in your like motivational
speaking and like, or even onyour current job?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
yes, of course, of course, yes.
Those techniques and strategies, I promise you, brandy, they
are proven.
And I guess what inspired mewas initially when I started
working at the coalition andthen doing the other things that
I was doing, just observingleadership and being trained in
leadership.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
And.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
God just really began to heavily inspire me to write
that because I had other books Iwas working on as a matter of
fact there are a couple that I'mworking on now, but that book
just came out of nowhere.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
And God was so heavily inspiring me that I had
to just get it down.
But of course, yes, I mean allof the material that I put out.
I approve it first.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
And so, yes, you know .
Speaker 2 (04:36):
I utilize it over and over and, as you stated, going
back to my first book, the GreatTaste of Success, which the
format is the 50 Proverbsaccompanied by the matching
stories that further expound onthe Proverbs.
But I'm always using thosequotes, you know, consistently
you know continuously.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
But yes, very cool, very cool, and we could have a
whole other podcast on thatright now, right, right,
whenever you're ready, I'm ready.
I might have you back on, yes,but for right now though, let's
talk about your story for today.
So where does it start?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Well, we'll start in my latter 20s there, and it was
during a transitional period, Iwould say.
And what happened?
I had begun my professionalcareer as an elementary educator
, right.
So I was teaching and I wouldsay the first three years I was
just so passionate about it,loved it.
By that fourth year, thatpassion began to dwindle.
(05:34):
For that, and it wasn't for theeducational component or the
teaching component, it was justthe structure and the format of
school, elementary school, thatbegan to bother me.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
I understand completely.
That's how I feel yourbackground too right, yeah, yeah
, like you know, that was yeahyeah.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
And so I felt confined, and I would say, about
that fourth year going on intothe seventh year, when I finally
left, when God finally releasedme, things, like I said just
began the passion dwindle eachyear, but at the same time there
was an emergence of anotherpassion, which was for the music
production, the writing and thespeaking.
(06:14):
And I'll never forget Brandy.
I was calling myself, coveringup the fact that I was losing my
passion.
I was about to leave oneafternoon and I would always run
into a coworker because she herclass was located at the back.
And so going, I would pass herbasically every day.
One day she stops me, brian.
She says let me talk to you.
(06:36):
Mr Nell, I was like okay,what's going on?
She said do you still have apassion for teaching?
I looked at her and I was likeI just kind of shook my head and
no, I was like you could tellshe's like I could tell I said,
I've been trying to put on likeI still got it.
She said no, I see you.
She says not the same sincewhen you first started.
(06:58):
She said I could tell thedifference.
I was like man.
So if you can see it, I wonderwho else can see it.
And that was like one of thoseclear signs that, okay, it's
time to stop praying and seekinganother avenue and a way to get
out of this.
And I'll never forget.
I thought I was going to beable to leave.
It should have been about 2001,but God spoke and told me you
(07:20):
know, it wasn't time yet, andclearly it wasn't.
But in 04, that's when Godspoke and told me you know, it
wasn't time yet, and clearly itwasn't.
But in 04.
That's when God spoke and wefinally launched out to pursue
the entrepreneurship but yeah,so like, let's camp out on that
for a second.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So like, how did you know that it was timely within
that person reaching out to you,like what kind of like was
helping you to know, like whatdirect, what direction to go?
Speaker 2 (07:41):
and well, I kind of God, began to reveal, give me a
blueprint or a plan on what Iwas going to do as far as
launching out, like I said, topursue the entrepreneurship, and
also doors really began to openfor me to do performances and
speaking engagements.
I was getting calls for a lot oflocal elementary schools,
(08:03):
business organizations bringingme in to start doing my speaking
engagements and that's why Iwas like, ok, I can do the
motivational speaking, the musicand the writing.
And you know, it was about thattime when God began to inspire
me as far as writing my firstbook as well, you know around
that time Because what happened.
I began collecting and compilingthe material, not knowing that
(08:25):
it would transform and translateinto a book, and so, you know,
God finally inspired me to dothe full book on it.
But, like I said, I had beenactually writing the content for
years and just keeping on to it, and that's one thing I always
inspire creatives to do All ofyour content.
Hold on to it, because you'lllook back and you know you could
(08:47):
basically do piecemeal and putyou know, extract some of your
concepts and you'll begin to seehow they come together to make
a full picture, a beautifulpicture.
So don't throw anything away.
Sometimes, you know, all youhave to do is make some
adjustments and modifications,to update and maybe make it
relevant for this present timeperiod.
Yeah, but always keep yourmaterial.
(09:09):
And you know that's right Now Ihave tons of stuff.
I'm serious, you just have torevisit and see, okay, how does
this fit and where does it gonow.
But yes, that was, you know,that process and that's what
happened.
And, as I say, finally, godjust audibly, finally spoke in
my spirit and said he was goingto provide the finances for me
to transition, you know, intothe full time entrepreneurship.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
So what did that time like?
So you said you knew like ayear four in your teaching
career that, OK, things are notthe same.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
But how long from?
From that point you know youhad the colleague that said hey,
I see you struggling.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
I see you.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
How long from there between the doors opening and
you leaving taking the leap?
How long?
What was that period?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
That was about three years or so from like I said
that four years, so about yeah,it was.
It was about three years thatthat time period was.
But it was about three yearsthat that time period was.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
But yeah, it was about three years for that time
period, I would say.
And how long was that?
Is that including the time yourcolleague said like hey, I see
you?
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Right, right, right yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Like I said, that was right around that perfect time
Was that kind of like the nailon the head Like, okay, I really
got to get serious, that was it, that was it.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
That was it.
That was it, that was it.
Yeah, you know, and, like youknow, I was sharing with you
before, so that was for thatparticular time period, but I
would say for, say, about twoyears in itself.
I was having trouble, liketrying to find my identity and
that purpose and how everythingwill come together, everything
will come together because kindof hearing and knowing that, ok,
you know it's time to step outand God just dealing with me and
(10:48):
prepping me for you still don'thave the fullness of the
picture.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Yeah, and that's scary, to leave a for sure
paycheck Right.
And a career, a respectablecareer.
Right, you know right.
They just were you married atthis time.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I was married and here's the craziest part Brady
we had just had our third sonand he was a preemie, so we had
all kind of trouble you knowwith him.
But I knew, like I say when Isay God spoke so clearly, it was
so concise and with claritythat I knew it was God and I'm
(11:25):
stepping out on exactly whatGod's saying.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Well, that is a whole different type of confidence
there, Right?
Speaker 2 (11:30):
right and looking back on it, it's like man boy
you were crazy, you did that Wasyour wife hearing the same
message.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
Yeah, was she on the phone.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I told her that you know okay, god spoke, and
because she knew okay if I say Iheard, spoke and because she
knew, okay, if I said I heardfrom god, she's no, I'm not just
gonna make that up, right.
And and then she began to seethings happening, manifesting
you know in preparation for it,and so she was like, okay, okay,
so she was in agreement with meto do it.
But yes, like I said, it took aa huge leap to do that and but
(12:03):
what it did, it taught me a lot,and one thing it taught me is
for a scriptural principle asfar as prophecy, you know about
the vision, you know as far asthe point of time it says at the
end it will speak and not lie,right, yeah, so what that means
is that when God gives us avision, it shows us where we're
going, because he helps us tosee the end from the beginning.
(12:23):
But at the beginning, say, forinstance, your vision has 10
puzzle pieces.
Right, right At the beginning,you might only have three of the
pieces, so that means you'relacking seven.
But remember, we walk by faith,not by sight.
Right, as you take steps,you're going to get more of the
pieces.
True, so if you get to, say youknow, when you're in the middle
(12:46):
you probably have about.
You'll have seven pieces, butyou're still lacking three.
You have to keep going untilyou get to the end and guess
what?
That's when all 10 puzzlepieces are going to be present.
Come together, join and make upthe fulfillment of that vision.
But what happens as people walk?
You know some people, they liketo have all of the information,
(13:10):
all of the details at thebeginning, but God doesn't
operate like that.
But we have to walk by faith,not by sight.
And as you take those steps,he'll reveal more and more,
He'll connect you more and more,He'll bring in those needed
resources.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Cause.
Part of it's like a developmentpiece.
It's like, hey, I'll give youwhat you can chew on for now and
handle for now, and, as youkeep going, I'll give you some
more.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
Yes, ma'am, that's it .
Speaker 1 (13:34):
And I'll develop it some more, because it's not just
a vision, it's also developingyou.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Exactly.
See it's preparation Now I lovethat.
Watch this, brandy.
So it's not only preparationfor you, but God showed me this
is preparation for your audience, who has to receive you.
Yeah, so you're being processed, but they're being prepared.
They're going through differenttrials and tribulations so that
now, when you're prepped andready, which you feed them,
they'll be ready to eat it.
Yeah, and they'll be in a placeand space to need it.
But the thing is, like I say,believing God, and that's where
(14:11):
the patience comes in, where youhave to trust that God knows
best and he knows what he'sdoing.
He's orchestrating this in adivine manner.
Like we say the scripture saysyou know, his thoughts are not
our thoughts, his ways are notour ways.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
And yeah, he has me.
You know he's the master, he isplaying this out.
It has been preordained beforeI was even born, before the
foundation of the world.
And you tell, you know, youquote these scriptures to
yourself to build yourconfidence and to continue
(14:45):
walking.
And as you continue walking,like I said, I never forget.
God said things everything'sgoing to make sense really soon.
Just keep walking, keep walking.
And when I said as sure as hesaid that when I look at
everything, Brandi we can evenlook at the situation now, with
me being a director.
Yeah, and you?
Speaker 1 (15:06):
know part of the story too.
I do know part of the story, sojust looking at that that whole
thing.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Initially it didn't make sense.
And I didn't even think that Iwould be in this position, but
look at God, yeah yeah, I thinkyou know you had all your other
things going on, Right, right,right.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
You know you're consulting and you know all the
things you've been doing, butyou chose to come back to the
coalition, Right, and that'sjust kind of cool.
What made you decide to comeback and step in and do some of
those things again?
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Well, like I had told you guys, you know, at the time
it was funny how I had one oftwo options.
I had the two options.
I could continue on with theconsulting, but in that arena I
was doing basically all of thework.
Or it was to come and be withyou guys, be with a team now
working with people toaccomplish a goal, to fulfill a
(16:00):
vision, and I decided, hey, Iwant to do that one.
You know, and it's like I said,as far as what God had been
speaking to me, that alignedmore than me doing what I had
been doing.
And then this position alsoenables me to use my full skill
set.
So in the other capacity I waskind of doing more of the
content creation and some, youknow, communication as well, but
(16:24):
here I'm able to do thecommunication, organization and
content creation.
You know just everything.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Yeah, and kind of fuse your content that you have
created and then probablycreating Right right, right,
right.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Like I say, we're always learning, always
developing guys, always speakingand sharing and teaching.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yeah, for sure.
So how long?
Okay, so how long were you onlycontent creator Like in between
?
So you left teaching Right.
At one point you did work forthe coalition as a parent
educator.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Right, right right.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Then you were consulting for a while, and then
you came back to us November.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yes, yes, november last year.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Yeah, but in between all of that, how long were you
solely a content creator?
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Well, basically since I stepped out in 04.
So we're talking about 20 yearsnow.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Wow, since I stepped out in 04.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
So we're talking about 20 years now, but look,
there's another little hat thatI wore.
I owned a janitorial servicefor 12 years and what happened
when I stepped out to do themusic production, the
motivational speaking andwriting?
As I told you, things weregoing well, man.
I had just produced my CD, Ihad just published the book,
doors were open and things weregoing well and then, all of a
(17:35):
sudden, it just hit.
I hit a dry spell and it's like, oh my God, what is going on?
What's next and like I, saidit's like the plan that God had
inspired lasted nine months, butthen that last nine months
branded to this day.
I can't even tell you how wemade it, but it's because it was
the whole full process like ayear and 18 months exactly.
(17:55):
But when I said God took careof us in provision, and I mean
I'm talking about crazy thingshappen.
I'll give you a prime example.
One time, like I said, we wereat a very bad space financially,
right, yeah, just trusting theLord needing some money, and a
company sent a check, in otherwords, and normally they send a
(18:16):
draft right.
Right right and you have to comein to do the actual check.
And so it was a loan, but itwas in the form of a check.
So it was like, if you signthis, you will be enrolled into
a loan and it's a check.
And so I showed it to my wife.
I'm saying, babe, this looklike a check.
She said no, it's got to be adraft.
I said, sam, it's a check,brand.
(18:37):
I went to the bank.
I said, man, is this a check ora draft?
I sent it through the shoot.
She said this is a check andit's a loan.
As soon as you sign it, you getthe cash.
Babe, it was like $1,000.
Yeah, but I mean, it's so manyother things the Lord did to
show how he will supernaturallyand miraculously provide for you
(18:59):
when your back is up againstthe wall.
You don't have anything.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
But yes, like I said, it's just so many other things
that God did in that time toprove himself that it's like,
wow, god will, he will see youthrough.
Yeah, he will.
You know he, you trust him, youbelieve him, he's going to
provide.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
But yes, and I've experienced that as well in my
life.
It's really interesting howthat works.
And you're like you know, Idon't know, I just know that
this is where I need to be, andthen God.
That's where I came with thephrase.
You know, where God, God willsit.
It's a little spin on the whole.
There's a will, there's a way,but no, if it's God's will, he
will weigh it.
(19:37):
He will make the way for it tohappen.
Yeah, because I know.
I went to seminary almost 20years ago, now counting there.
But, yeah, no, okay, not 20, 10,12, 12, 15 years ago.
Not 20, 10, 12, 12, 15 yearsago, like 2012, 2015, 2013.
(19:59):
Okay, around that time, and atthat time I didn't know how I
was going to pay for all that,especially the housing.
I was moving.
I went in Texas, so not here,and I was like I don't know,
this is where I need to be.
And, kid you know, I got like acheck in the the mail.
I think it was like I needed arefund.
I think the previous employer Ihad like had a refund for like
almost the exact amount, likedown to the like the coins oh,
(20:22):
my goodness, you've got, and Iwas like I know.
It's like, I know exactly whatyou mean.
It's like oh okay, this is thelord.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no doubt, nodoubt.
You know, yes, yeah, so that'shappened.
I've definitely experiencedthat.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Well, that is awesome , yes ma'am.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Oh man, so you've had a lot of pivoting you've had to
do.
They call me.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Mr Pivot too.
Yeah, I promise you, I had donelike a webinar with a buddy of
mine and so she had done adesign like a flyer and she put
on it, Mr Pivot, it has mypicture on it Because, like you
said, I've done so many pivots.
And when you look at it, though, that's how being led by the
(21:04):
Spirit is.
It takes you into all kinds ofdifferent directions, and when
you have the humility to allowit, you'll see God making you
pivot.
The humility to allow it,you'll see god making you pivot.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
you know, sometimes we get into such a place of
comfort, satisfaction andpredictability that we resist
the pivots yeah, because it's wedon't want, because I think
when it that happens, it allowsyou to feel like you have this.
It's a false sense, but falsesense of control, right like it,
like you're making it happenyeah, yeah, you're vulnerable so
yeah, and some people are justunwilling to go in that way.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
But I feel, like you know, that's the way it is the
way, because that's where you'relearning and, like we're
talking about, your growth andyour development takes place.
If you're constantly doing thesame thing over and over,
typically you're not going toreally grow and develop.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
It's when you change and now you have to learn again
it expands well, I mean trust,right, you know, and god wants
our trust, he wants us to trustin him, and this is that's the
one way to see like are youtrusting him as by actually
going outside of your comfortzone or out of your control zone
?
Maybe we should start callingit that because you know, like.
(22:15):
That's why you're comfortable,because you feel like you're in
control of that situation, right.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
And, like you say, what would happen?
Life would throw thosecurveballs and God would
actually send them to get youoff that, out of that place of
dissatisfaction and contentmentand stagnation and you know I
prefer God to prompt me and leadme to him having to push me and
force me out.
I always say a blessing out ofseason is a curse.
(22:42):
And so some things in your life, or men like they say, you know
a reason and a season.
Well, those seasonal things,when the season is up, it's time
to move on.
Yeah, people have, you know,all kind of things you can have
adverse of impacts on your lifewhen you're in a place that god
has told you to leave yeah, youknow, but yeah, so how do you
(23:05):
know when it's time to leave?
he'll speak.
I always say you can use yourthree, six, three spiritual
senses.
You know what?
What is God showing you?
Your ear, what is God tellingyou?
And then the feeling ofdiscernment, what are you
feeling in your spirit?
And when there's alignment withthose three things, well, the
things you're seeing telling youto go, the things God is
(23:26):
telling you are telling you togo, and then what you're feeling
is telling you to go, it's timeto pray and say, okay, lord,
just win.
You know, win how soon.
And then, once he releases you,you get that comfort, that
peace and that word.
Then that's when you step.
But, like I said, it's likethings will kind of line up to
let you know it's that time.
(23:47):
I'll give you a prime exampleLike right before we left the
coalition, all of those threethings I told you were happening
, what I was seeing was tellingme what I was feeling and what I
was hearing.
And then it took, you know, onefinal incident where you know I
was like, okay, you're going tobe leaving very soon after this
, you know coming up, and sowhen that, when that incident
(24:09):
occurred, it was like, okay,this is it.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Yeah, it's time.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Yeah, and you know, if I wouldn't have done that,
then we wouldn't have this.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Right, right, yeah, yeah.
Man, I think, when it comes tolike trusting God's timing and
showing the way, the people fromthe Bible, I always think about
the most people like Abraham,moses, joshua, because I feel
like they kind of lived that outfor us or like showed us like
what that looks like biblically,so we're not just pulling
(24:37):
inside of our hats, guys.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
So we have the examples with the specifics of
God.
You know those biblicalexamples and the Bible gives us
the timing and, you know, hasrecorded it, so you know.
Another person who I love, love, one of my favorite characters,
is joseph too.
Yeah, you know.
So, yeah, I mean it all.
It all makes sense as far asthe timing goes.
(25:02):
So he was 17 when he got thedream, when he was 30 when it
came to pass, so 13 years andguys were talking about joseph,
the ones you know, the coat ofmany colors.
Right, right, right.
The guy who had, you know,brothers wanted to kill him but
they put him in a pit, then hewent into slavery, then he was
put into prison.
Yeah, and then he was exalted.
(25:23):
You know the interpretedPharaoh's dream and was exalted.
But God had already showed himthat from the beginning.
But just look at all he had togo through to get to that place.
Yeah, yes, like you say, all ofthose biblical characters are
our examples to increase ourfaith and to know that this is
like you say, it's a.
(25:45):
It's a format that god operatesin.
Speaker 1 (25:47):
You know just the way he does, yeah man and I like
one of the ones I really like,or or the, the piece of moses
that I found really interestingis that the direction he told
them to go was not a straightline and that's something you
don't catch if you just went tosunday school, right?
yeah, it's something you gottawhen you read on your own and
(26:07):
guys read on your own right.
When you really dig into thatpiece of the story, you're like
you mean, because the whole dealwith the Egyptians, because you
know they came back after him?
Right, this is after, like youknow, pharaoh had the whole
place and he said let my peoplego.
Eventually he did, and then hechanged his mind and they were
like look at these.
You know these Hebrews?
Speaker 2 (26:27):
They don't know what they're doing.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Because they were literally, if you look at a
biblical map, they were gonelike way out of the way for
where they were needed to go,where they said there was going
to go.
And so the egyptians were like,yeah, they're doing, let's go
get these people.
They're crazy.
We need them.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
Our floors will be clean right right, right right
and I think that's interestingbecause god did that on purpose
he, he did, he did and, if I'mnot mistaken, I definitely would
have to look it up, I've heardseemed like the route to direct
to where they would go in theCanaan was like just like two
(27:04):
weeks, like 13 days.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Yeah, it should have been a straight shoot, right,
but no, they went way out of theway.
But that was the Lord'sdirection, because you know, you
had the pillar of smoke andthen you had the in the day, and
then you had the, the fire, atnight, so and it was a clear
direction from the lord, but hedid that intentionally and
that's important, because I knowsometimes, or I thought that
(27:26):
was really interesting because,like sometimes, our paths seem
way out the way.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Right, right, right, you know, yeah you know another
thing the bible talks about too,the other path.
It talks about how there was, Iguess, another nation that was
pretty strong, so he didn't wantthem, want to take them that
way, because you know, they werejust coming out of egypt, just
being slain they weren't trainedwarriors, so they would have
(27:52):
been fearful and probably wouldhave turned back had he taken
them that way.
So that shows the providence ofGod and his wisdom that he knows
the route to take you.
That's going to keep you safeand keep you on the path.
But, like you said, it forcedthem to have to trust and lean
on him, and that's what hewanted.
He wanted to show them thatokay.
(28:13):
Okay, look, you're coming froma place where you were dependent
on your masters, right?
they fed you this and that andif you remember one of the
complaints, they were excitedabout getting leeks and onions
and everything god like I'llfeed you with some manna from
heaven right, but but yes, andso he wanted to show them that
you know, okay, you have totrust in me now, not on the
(28:35):
system, and that's what thatwhole experience was about
learning me, learning howpowerful I am in my miraculous,
wonder-working power.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Right, right.
So bringing it back to yourstory.
So during those times when youwere like branching out and
doing your new adventures, youknow, whether it was music or
your janitorial thing or youknow what are some things that
gave you hope and encouraged youto During those times of doubt.
Because I know, because I'm acreator as well.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Right.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
There is constant doubt.
Speaker 2 (29:08):
Right, right.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
You know.
So how did you come back anddeal with that and find
encouragement to keep going?
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Well, I think what really confirmed it when I
launched out, just having thefreedom, the flexibility and
control, and you know, itmotivated me, encouraged me when
I was hitting those tough times.
Yeah me, encouraged me when Iwas hitting those tough times.
And just holding on to that word, that specific word, that God
has spoken to me, that you knowhe was going to take care of me,
he was going to provide for meand that he was going to sustain
(29:37):
me, you know, provisionally,and that's what I held on during
those darkest hours, even whenI didn't know what was going to
happen, how we're going to makeit.
I knew I had heard from God but, as I stated, just the
flexibility of it all I loved.
I didn't realize I had thatside of me being a teacher and
(29:58):
that's what it was that wasemerging, that I needed the
flexibility.
I needed the independence andautonomy, the creative control
to plot my course, you know, anddo some things and have that
freedom to do it.
But that's what I really loveabout entrepreneurship, you know
, as a whole.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
Just you being able to do what you need to do.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Yeah, and it puts you in the driver's seat.
It lets you be your own task,master.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Right Master.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Right, right, right, right, yeah, and I like that as
well you know, you become yourown navigator.
Yeah, you know if you want tosee it happen, you're able to
see it happen or not.
Yes, so yeah, definitelyunderstand that for sure yeah,
and so how did you know that itwas god speaking to you and not
just some like selfish ambitionin your heart?
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Well, through prayer, fasting, just consecrating, got
saved at 19 and I'll neverforget.
Way back then, our leader atthe time, the pastor, was like
you know, hey, if you pray andyou listen, god will speak.
And he encouraged us to getlike a notebook and pen and.
I started doing it, god began tospeak.
Then and just all throughoutthe years, and I record exactly
(31:10):
what God speaks and you know,just watch it come to pass and
go in the direction of theverbal commands he's given us.
Because, you know, we have thewritten word, which is the logos
, but the rhema word is thespoken word.
So, when we want to get intothe specificity and the
meticulous details of the willof God, we got to hear the rhema
(31:31):
right?
Because, in other words, in ourBible, brandy, there's no
scripture that's going to say,okay, brandy moved to Texas in
2025.
Right, right.
So God has to declare that andspeak it to you.
You know, I could go like withmy spouse and everything.
How God did that.
That was just so crazy, brandy.
(31:52):
But I mean, you know, he puther in my spirit and what had
happened at the time in thechurch, a lot of people was
mostly single, college students,right, right, everybody was.
You know, some people weredating, some people were just
really single.
It was, you know, some peoplewere dating, some people just
really single, but everybody waswho was interested, desiring a
mate, was trying to figure outokay, if they're with somebody,
(32:12):
is this my mate, is this not?
And so I never forget it was ason of the man of god.
God led him by the spirit, hesaid look this week you guys
have been seeking god to see ifthe person you with from the
lord of his, his desire for youto get married, he's going going
to confirm it.
And I kid you not.
From that Monday on a face ofhers was in my spirit.
Wasn't anything else foranything, just her face.
(32:34):
And, like I said, I'd have togo through a whole bunch to get
to the whole story.
But to make a long story short,that same woman's face who was
in my spirit.
We've been married going on 27years now.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Wow, and there's more to it.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
What God spoke.
Going on 27 years now, andthere's more to it.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
What god spoke to, her spoke to me, but, like I
said, we have to delve into allthe details at the time.
But yeah, yeah, awesome,awesome story, awesome, yeah,
maybe it can be in your yoursecond, second interview.
Right, right, right, right,paired that with the music and
stuff.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So how long do you think youwould say you like stayed in,
stayed in fasting mood.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
Well, it just differs in different seasons.
I've had seasons where I've gotis just coming to, you know, a
higher level of fast and beingvery consistent with it, but
during that time you know, Ican't even quantify it, brandy,
as far as the actual time, it'sjust as God would lead.
I would do it.
You know I would do it.
(33:30):
And I think one of the mostconsecrating times of my life
was when I was, let's see, itwas probably about 2012, 2013.
When God had launched me intoministry or whatever, yeah, and
just being isolated and justpraying and fasting and
consecrating seriously.
That's when God gave me thebook Revelation, rightly
(33:52):
Revealed.
During that time he took me,like I said, to a whole nother
level during that season, but itwas like I said, it was intense
, praying and fasting because, Ilook back, bob, I had just
started my TV ministry at thetime.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
TV too, my goodness Renaissance man.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Renaissance man.
Yeah, we got a couple otherthings, but yes, ma'am, I had a
TV ministry here.
The show was motivating themasses and we recorded 50
episodes exactly, but I'll tellyou what happened.
I don't know.
You probably remember this.
It was in, should have been2013.
It was a storm that hit over inWest Monroe.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Yeah, a big storm.
I do remember that it knockedthe tower and stuff down the
assemblies right.
That's what I was recordingwith that's what happened.
I do remember that.
I think that's when I started.
I wrote for an online blog forsomebody else for a little bit
(34:50):
and I remember that because thatwas one of my.
I had a piece I wrote and I hadto take.
I needed some pictures to goalong with it and I took some
pictures of the magnolia treesdown along the tree line, you
know, downtown Monroe,beatenhorn, which was really sad
at the time.
I'm glad they're back growingup, but like at the time I was
glad they're back growing up butlike at the time I was like, oh
no, there's trees.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
So yeah, I remember that storm yeah, it was bad, so
much, uh, man, but that justthat.
That knocked that out, but uh,but but yes, yes, yes, like I
said during that time and Iguess my whole point was, when I
look at the videos and stuff,how small my face was and how
small I was.
I remember, oh, I was man, Iwas consecrated back.
(35:30):
I remember that.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
But yes, ma'am, yeah, wow, wow, man, would you say,
there's any been any bibleverses that you would say like,
hey, this has been like mycareer verse or life verse or
something that's just reallyinfluenced you?
Speaker 2 (35:43):
right proverbs.
Three through five verses, fivethrough rather trust in the
Lord with all your heart.
Lean not to your ownunderstanding.
In all your ways, acknowledgehim.
He will direct your paths,because that scripture has so
much meaning in it.
You know when I always think ofhead and heart.
With the head, you think ofcompetency, you think of
reasoning, logic, but the heart,we're talking about feeling,
(36:06):
we're talking about emotion,we're talking about discernment.
So what he's saying is don'ttrust me with your logic and
your reasoning, but you have totrust me with your emotions,
with your spirit, with yourinner being and if, as you don't
lead to your own understanding,I'm going to be able to direct
your paths, as you acknowledgeme.
And so when you look at direct,the Lord was showing me how you
(36:29):
know, out of the word direct,you get directive right, which
is giving you directions oractual steps.
So when I would normally hearthe steps of the Lord I'm
thinking of, I see a vision ofjust footprints or steps in him
directing you.
But what he's really talkingabout is giving you those
directives and those steps.
(36:49):
For instance, if you want tobake a cake, step one grease the
pan.
Step two mix the flour andeverything.
So that's what he does.
He literally gives youinstructions and steps.
Do this, do this, go here, callthis person, email this person,
attend this event?
Yeah, and that's how he ordersyour steps by giving you steps
(37:11):
and directives and, like I say,it points you in a direction,
towards your destination,towards the fulfillment of that
vision he's giving you.
But yes, that's my scripturethere.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
Those two scriptures.
Yeah, I love it and Idefinitely see how you lived
that out for sure, especiallyall the things you talked about.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
What could you say to the person that you know,
because some people strugglewith, like, having confidence
that it's the Lord?
You know they might sit downand pray and they might journal,
but there still would be.
I mean, I just me in my ownambition, you know, or is it
really the Lord?
What would you say to them tolet them be confident in knowing
(37:51):
that?
No, like that's something theLord gave you?
Speaker 2 (37:54):
Right?
Well, just analyze it, you know, using the word, just making
sure it's aligning with the word, and that lets you know.
You know, okay, it's not justme, but okay.
So just think of it like thisIs it helping others, is it
pointing them in the rightdirection, is it improving their
lives, is it inspiring,educating, directing, building
them?
And, like I said, of course,even with your gift and what God
(38:18):
gives you, it's not just tobless others, it's to bless you
as well.
So don't ever think that,whatever I do, I'm not going to
get anything out of it, becauseGod actually doesn't work like
that.
It may seem like you're justgiving all and not getting
anything back, but the way Goddoes it, he arranges win-win
scenarios.
So even as you're giving outwith your gift, blessing others,
(38:41):
it blesses you too.
And whatever God has called youto do.
You know that's the format ofthe fit.
But, as I say, as you analyzeit and you say, okay, it's
really helping people.
It's not anything shiesty ormanipulating or deceptive, it's
the truth.
I say it aligns with the word,it's not going against the word
in any way, then more thanlikely it's God prompting you to
(39:04):
do that.
You know, technically the devil.
We know he comes to kill, stealand destroy.
So if it's harming, it'sdestructive, it's leading people
astray.
You know?
Okay, this is the devil or it'sme.
I'm just being selfish.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
Yeah, or manipulative in some way.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Yeah, yeah, so you just filter it like that and
process it.
Yeah, you know, I think, brandi, what helped me the most and I
always teach people this is justovercoming fear and the way I
did.
That guy gave me a powerfulacronym that I always use, and
it's the meaning of the word no,which is next up, next option,
(39:37):
new opportunity, not over.
So whenever you do somethinghappens and you feel it's a
failure, right, Right, remember,failure is a part of success If
you take out of your mind thatreally nothing is a failure,
it's just failure, right, Right,remember failure is a part of
success If you take out of yourmind that really nothing is a
failure.
It's just a lesson learned.
I got wisdom out of it.
I know what not to do next time, right right.
If you can change yourperspective and condition
(39:59):
yourself to see it that way,you'll be on your way.
Because when you encounter theno's and the failures, you say,
okay, I'm looking for my nextoption, I'm looking for my new
opportunity, because it's notover, yeah.
And so every time you encounterthe no or the failure, if you
condition yourself to do that,you're going to be able to do it
(40:19):
again and do something else.
So think about me I've had tostep out first of all as the
speaker.
Well, no, I started the musicfirst, Okay.
So I've had to step out firstof all as the speaker.
Well, no, I started the musicfirst, Okay.
So I've encountered therejections as a music producer,
songwriter, entertainer.
Then I started out.
You know, I started with thespeaking right, yeah, so I've
encountered the rejections there.
(40:40):
Then I started with the writing.
I've encountered the rejectionsthere.
So if I wouldn't have adaptedthat mind frame, I would have
been giving up.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
Yeah, stay at home in your little corner Right.
Speaker 2 (40:52):
The janitors are just everything I'm doing and have
done.
I would have stopped at thefirst sign of rejection and
opposition.
But you have to conditionyourself that look, man, what's
going to happen it's a no, okay,it didn't succeed.
Gonna happen.
This is, it's a no, okay, itdidn't succeed.
And this is what I teach peopleto separate yourself from your
(41:15):
endeavors, you know right.
So, for instance, like, okay,the podcast if it doesn't do as
well as you think, okay, it'snot me, it's an extension of me,
but it's not me.
The the podcast fails.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
I'm not a failure.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
If the business failed, the business failed.
I didn't fail.
I'm not the failure.
Even if the marriagerelationship failed, okay, it
failed.
I'm separate from that.
I can recover.
I can move and transition.
Speaker 1 (41:41):
Pivot and turn the next thing.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
But yeah, but you have to separate yourself from
your different activities andthe things that extend from you,
because if you stay connected,especially if they don't go well
, then it's going to impact.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
I mean definitely as a content creator myself, like
you get really comfortable withno, or I have, you know, and it
really is not such a big dealanymore, which then makes me
courageous to keep asking fornew things or to do different
stuff, because I'm like, well,if the worst you can say to me
is no, it's not really that bigof a deal and I don't take it
personally.
You know, I think that's whatI'm hearing you say right there,
(42:19):
like you know, don't make thatpart of like you, they're not
saying no to you, they havetheir own hang up or own little
thing, or maybe there's not ableto this time.
Maybe it's not a no, but notyet right, you know, and just
take it with.
Strive with that.
You don't, you know, not be sopersonal and and I like what you
were saying earlier about howyou know, discerning, about you
know, is it you or is it god?
You know I think and I've heardother people say this.
(42:41):
You know, I've heard sadierobinson say this and others and
I I think I agree, like I thinkin our culture, maybe it's just
when I was younger it seemedlike it was like a season.
I call it a season but like um,I'm not sure.
I'm not sure what the timeframe is or whatever, but there
was a time frame where it waskind of put out like you know,
you gotta know what god wantsfor your life and seek that out
(43:03):
to the point where it was kindof crippling people because
they're getting too wrapped upin well, especially for the
young people, people who arelike in there going to college
and whatever.
Too much pressure put on like Igotta figure out god's way
right now or it's just done orI'm I've missed it and missed
the whole messed up my wholelife right right and that's just
not.
(43:23):
You know, as sadie would say andwas, and as I'm hearing you say
, it's like you know you don'thave to put so much like weight
on yourself for that, becauseGod is sovereign yes, yes and
then, like, life is a journeyright yes, you know, just run
one step and get there.
Yeah, a bunch of steps you know, and, like you, don't put that
(43:44):
much thought into the clothingyou put on right.
You know you put it on.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
You make it, yeah, you make it, right you?
Speaker 1 (43:48):
know, you put it on, you make it, yeah, you make it.
Or you know there's choices andI think those other decisions
are kind of the same way.
As long as, like you said,these are things that you know,
that I help people, it's notstraying from what the word says
.
Then it does, cause you know,god's commands for us are to
(44:09):
love people and love him.
Speaker 2 (44:11):
So if you're, whatever your endeavor is is
doing those things in it, thenit is of the lord.
You know I say we complicatethe simple right, prefer to
simplify the complex you know,it's not.
Yeah, it's.
Speaker 1 (44:22):
Sometimes we can make it rocket science, whereas
that's not and like you werekind of like I like how, for a
second there we kind of talkedabout fear, because that's I
think that's the part because wedon't like ourselves to feel
that way the uncomfortablenessof possibly failing or what that
might look like, and the scornof friends and family because,
that's who we actually hear fromthe most.
(44:43):
I told you that wasn't a goodidea.
I don't know what you werethinking.
I know what was that about crazyyou know, with your young wife
and your children and your son.
With the being a preemie, Imean like that.
That's the condemnation youhear, and the thing is that what
they don't always realize.
Speaker 2 (45:01):
You've already thought that yourself right, you
know you thought about it andwhat the thing is soon, you
prepare yourself for it.
You know you have to berealistic about your connections
, your family, your friends, andyou know they're gonna be
cynical but, yeah, in theirperspective they're looking out
for you.
Good, right, they are, they arecoming from a place of love
(45:22):
right and protection andsecurity.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
But yeah, but you know on the other end of it, you
know what the lord put in youand you have to let that be your
anchor and nothing else, youknow, you know, I feel like
that's what a lot of what youhave said and I'm like yeah, I,
because I've been there, I'mthere right, and I, yeah, I get
that totally I'm gonna use oneof my quotes, since you asked if
I'll be using them, one of themin that first book.
Speaker 2 (45:47):
I say say success breeds support.
And that means that see, whenyou first start off, people are
kind of watching you.
I say they pull a Peter.
So Peter went with Jesus.
The thing happened with Jesus.
He followed close enough that,if things went well, he could
run up and say Lord, I'm here.
I said I was here with you, allthe disciples, the disciples
gone, but I'm here.
But he followed far enough backthat when things went awry he
(46:10):
could curse and say oh no, Iwasn't with him, I don't know
him, I don't even know jesus.
And so a lot of your relativesthat's what they're doing, their
friends, they're following,they're watching, just enough.
So if things do pan out, theycould run in the scene.
Oh, I was here.
See, I was, I've been watchingI've been following.
Speaker 1 (46:25):
Yeah, I'm their cousin right right, right,
they're cousins, your bestfriend now.
But if things blow up, oh nah,that's my business.
Yeah, we cool, we not?
You know, that's the blacksheep of the family.
Speaker 2 (46:35):
But yeah, but when see, when people start seeing
you succeeding, that's whenthey're going to come, that's
when they're going to supportyou well, I think sometimes it's
also just trying to see howauthentic we are.
Speaker 1 (46:44):
Right, you know, how like are we really gonna.
You know pull.
How trusting in the lord are wereally?
Is god really leading us, orwas it something else so?
And you can't really blamefamily and friends for that
either I feel that that's that'syou know.
God gave us logic and you gottaweed out.
You know who's true and who'snot.
So that's good too.
But yeah, and I think part ofthe to put that in perspective
(47:06):
for the person who's you know,wanting to figure out this or
that and the other, that's partof it too, so not to be so
discouraged from that.
Speaker 2 (47:13):
Right, right, right, yes, exactly.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Well, how has all of this you know you've had this
long journey how has this, youknow, impacted your relationship
with Christ?
What are some things you feellike you learned from going
through all?
Speaker 2 (47:25):
this, I know it definitely took me into a
different dimension, as I wasstating earlier and I love
Psalms 91, you know, dwelling ina secret place of the most high
, and I always say, you know, wehave to be a dweller, in other
(47:48):
words, we need to have anaddress there, a residence there
, and not be an occasionalvisitor and a frequent, you know
, traveler just coming through,but just having residence and
staying in the face of God andbeing in the presence of God and
what that has done, I mean notonly just for his revelations,
god revealing, but it reallychanges your nature.
You know to where you.
You are better, fruit of thespirit, because, if you think
about it, even naturally,whoever you're around a lot, you
(48:10):
got that fellowship.
You exchange, there's anexchange.
You pick up stuff, youinfluence others, they pick up
stuff from you.
Speaker 1 (48:17):
You start talking like them too sometimes.
I mean that happens, you startpicking up little phrases and
maybe a little accent.
You know, yeah, that happens.
Speaker 2 (48:26):
So look so, spiritually, it's the same
concept.
The more we're around god,guess what?
We pick up his nature, we pickup his mind frame, we pick up
his perspective and how he seesthings and what it really does.
It just broadens your horizons.
When I teach on vision.
You know, with vision comesthree sites foresight, which is
the ability to see ahead.
Insight, which is the abilityto see underneath the surface.
(48:46):
And then, which is the abilityto see ahead insight, which is
the ability to see underneaththe surface.
And then oversight, which isthe ability to manage and
supervise.
Right yeah, so the closer andhigher you get in God, he
expands that thing.
Like I say, you get to see waydown the line and you have a
broader perspective too.
He gives you better insight todiscern, to detect, to know
(49:07):
people's strengths andweaknesses, their motives, how
they think, and then he givesyou, like I say, he increases
your leadership capacity.
So, because the greaterforesight and insight you have,
the greater oversight you have,the more people you can manage,
the more finances and resourcesyou can manage once you develop
those things.
But I believe you know, god hasreally equipped me with that.
(49:29):
And there's something else, Iguess, out of my journey with
God, in addition to writing thebooks.
I have an online school, and soyou know.
Speaker 1 (49:38):
Oh my goodness, damon Naylor.
Another thing.
Speaker 2 (49:42):
I'm like is all these Easter eggs here I'm like?
The onion keeps on peeling Atonline school, wow.
But Real Life Academy eggs hereI'm like what the onion keeps
on peeling.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
And so many layers At all my school Wow.
Speaker 2 (49:49):
But Real Life Academy , and so I've taken, like I said
, my experiences and things I'velearned in business being a
husband, being a father, being aminister Just all of those hats
and the wisdom God has given me.
I've put it into a place towhere you can be educated.
You don't have to fall on anyof the pitfalls and the pitfalls
(50:11):
that I did.
I could kind of help you avoidthat stuff.
So that's, what it really taughtme and helped me to do, and
then doing these, being able toshare my insight and wisdom with
others to help them along theirjourney but I think that's
that's really what it is ishelping me to do, to be
productive and to have thatstrong, consistent relationship
(50:33):
with the lord yeah, yeah yeahand I like that.
Speaker 1 (50:37):
How you started talking about, like you know,
the dwelling place and having,because if you, if you're not
filled up, there's nothing youcan share, you know you're not
helping anybody.
At that point you are just kindof, you know, speaking hot air.
Thank you, that's all it is.
We got to be full of him and,as I always say, you can only
reproduce what's alreadyproduced in you.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
So we got to get in his presence so he could give us
, fill us, like you're saying,with the fruit of the spirit.
Now, we can go out and and andoperate an overflow and spill
our love, our joy and peace onothers.
As you stated, if you'redepleted and you're like you
don't have anything to give you.
Try to keep the little or Idon't know.
Speaker 1 (51:20):
Whatever you're saying.
I don't know if we wouldn'twant to hear that, or take that
like what is that exactlyexactly?
Yeah, yeah oh man, damon, ithas been such a treasure to have
you on today.
This has been so much funlikewise, likewise.
Speaker 2 (51:34):
I love it.
I appreciate the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (51:36):
Like I said, yeah yeah, it's just been a great
time, you know, having you hereand I'm so glad you've been able
to share and share your wisdom,and I've been really enjoying
learning all like these funlittle things about you.
You got online school and allthese other things that you do
currently, so that's awesome,and we'll probably have links to
that in the show notes in justa minute, but I see you guys be
(51:56):
looking out for that.
But just thank you again somuch for coming out and sharing
all this with us.
It's been a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (52:02):
Amen, it surely has.
Speaker 1 (52:03):
And my name is Damon Naylor and this is my story of
the middle I'm your host, brandiBostic, and you've been
listening to the Up and Uppodcast.
If you want some extra content,check out my Patreon account in
the show notes below.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
Psalm 40, verse 2.
He brought me up from adesolate pit, out of the muddy
clay, and set my feet on therock, making my steps secure.
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