Episode #14 - Eric May Sr.

Awesome. So on this episode we've got

quite possibly the I say it every Sunday, but quite possibly

the most sharp dressed guy in the church on on Sundays.

Always, always on point. Brother Eric May Senior, how are

you doing today? Doing well.

Doing well. Before we before we really get

too far going, one thing I did want to say that I always

thought was pretty cool about you was based on how you, you

and your family have have integrated into our church.

You could convince me that you guys have been at Lifegate for

years just because like you guys started coming here and just

immediately you were going like, you know, I'm saying like within

months he was like him and him and you and your boy.

We're both on the music team playing you learning to play the

bass, which I think you've already got it down packed.

You know, you guys are leading groups and everything, leading

prayer. And I'm like, man, you got, you

got in there really quick. So that's really, really cool.

Yes, Sir. Absolutely.

I imagine you you probably have a lot of experience around in

churches and stuff like that before.

You know, I would say just being not military, but my father was

military, so we've been a part of several churches.

I never grew up in one place. I got you.

So you moving around, so you had to learn to like adapt like no

matter where you were at you, that's a that's a great skill to

have. Did your Did your father raise

you in church? No, no, OK, no.

So we're first generation. Oh man, awesome. 1st generation

Yes Sir, and. What?

What branch of military were you in?

So I wasn't, my father was. He was in, he was in the army.

Oh, OK. OK.

OK. So you just traveled with him

then I imagine. Correct.

A military brat. There you go there you go, but

he but he taught you the way pretty much.

I kind of feel that that's how dad was with me like he was I

never did it, but he did it. So he was always like strict

schedule like he did everything in specific way and that's how

he had it. So you had to do it his way and

if you tried to delay it, boy OCD.

Let me tell you, if you're not OCD when you get into the

military, I feel like by the time you get out of the

military, you are OCD you. Will be.

So where? Where do you come from?

So I was born in Fort Leavenworth, KS, which is that

area is known for a military prison, Fort Leavenworth.

OK, so my dad was stationed there for about 6 months and

that's where I was born. I didn't live there for only

about 6 months. So that's, that's, that's where

I came from. And then from there, we just,

you know, we moved around several different.

Just all over the. Place.

Yes. I got you.

So you said you're first generation in this.

When did you when, when? What age were you at when you

first discovered the Lord? So as far as the Apostolic

Church, I was 88 and a. Half.

OK, that's a pretty young age. How did you get, how did they,

how did they, how did you find it?

I guess what led. You to it here's here's my my my

my background so both fam both on my mother and father's side

is Catholic. So my father was born in a

island of of Colombia. San Andres is the name of the

island and my mother is from Panama, Central America.

So hence the Catholic background.

But yeah, I was christened in the Catholic Church as a baby in

Panama actually. So I just kind of we we continue

to progress in our journey. A lot of Catholics from my

background are not everyday like every Sunday goers and they'll

go to main events, Easter, Christmas, and you know, if

you're a little bit more dedicated, you will attend on a

regular basis on Sundays. But we went from there.

But being military, a military brat, my, my father was

stationed in a few areas and you know, we, we didn't always find

a Catholic Church there. So my my mother would send us on

the church van, whatever church. Just so long as you got there.

Yes. So we started going to a Baptist

Church and we lived in Oak Grove, KY and of course, my dad

was stationed at Fort Campbell and we'd go to a Baptist Church

for the most part. Yeah.

So from there we, we just continued going and we, you

know, they, they send you home with your Sunday school

material, you give it to your parents.

Of course, my dad was, he was a strict man.

He was a hard man. He was like a, just a man like

military, military. So my mom was the one that would

say, you know, with egg, you should come to church with us.

So she started to come a couple of times, but she always watched

on TV. You know, she would watch like

Christian shows and Trinity Broadcaster.

I, I don't know, the 700 Club, stuff like that.

Jimmy Swaggart. Yeah, she, she always watch that

on Sundays or just in the house. So that's how the, the, the

progression came about. The story goes kind of like

this. My mom had a good friend.

We were living, like I said, in Oak Grove, KY.

Both Mama, my dad, and my mom's friend's husband were both

stationed at Fort Campbell. And you know, we went to the

same church, the Baptist Church. So, but she invited my mom to go

to a prayer meeting one time where her mother, which is this

is my mom's friend's mother, and invited her daughter to go to

this prayer meeting and it was Assembly of God.

So they went, she went to the prayer meeting, and she received

the Holy Ghost. Wow.

At that prayer meeting, this is my mom's friend, my mom's best

friend. Wow.

So she came back. My mom's name was Marcia, same

as my daughter, of course, but she was like, you wouldn't

believe what happened. I spoke in tongues.

God, fill me with the Holy Ghost.

I went to this prayer meeting. I wasn't expecting anything to

happen. And wow, So my mom was like,

really? So she's like, yes, you got to

come to this next prayer meeting with me.

And then my mom was like, OK, so she, the next time she went to

this prayer meeting and God really touched, she's like, I

never felt the presence of God like that before.

She didn't get the Holy Ghost. She's like, I I never felt the

presence of God like that before.

That was wow, powerful. Yeah.

So they went to tell Pastor John, which was the pastor at

the Baptist Church. They were excited.

Like, guess what? She received the Holy Ghost.

So Brother John kind of just looked at both of them with the

look of. He didn't say anything like it

was just a look. Yeah.

And that right there kind of they were excited.

So that kind of like threw water on the fire, like, wow.

And he just said, great. That's all he said.

He didn't have any input whatsoever to say.

Crazy. I mean, at least you didn't do

it. We've heard before, we've heard

this story before, where the the pastor goes, this isn't the

right church for you. Yeah, you know so at.

Least you didn't do that. Yes, yes.

So, so he, so she your, your mom was the one who really kind of

pioneered it for you then. Correct.

So I do feel like God used us in a certain way because she sent

us to the to church, but she didn't go all the time.

So we would always come back with the Sunday school material

inviting her to come with us. And then I'm moving along

rapidly. So we went from we, we got

stationed. So we, we started going to my

mom's friend's church. At that point, we, me and my,

both of my brothers were all three baptized in the Baptist

Church. You know, we baptized in the

name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

Da, da, da. OK, done that.

So we started going to Assembly of God church after this

experience. And they would, and we were

living in Panama, Central America, and they had, they used

to have these, these rallies and it would be in a soccer stadium

and we would always go up. So there was a lot of action

going on there. I mean, it was, this is like the

livest church I've I've seen. I mean, there people's clapping,

lifting up their hands, talking in tongues.

Is, is action the good stuff? Yeah.

But, you know, in Panama, they had a bunch of like venues

outside and me and my brothers would go out, you know, they

would be selling like food, popcorn, this a bunch of

different things outside. Yeah.

So we, we would be doing that. But at altar Call, we always, we

had to come back in and, you know, does anyone want to

receive? You know, we we'd all go up

every time we'd all go up. And, you know, we was at the

Assembly God Church for a while. So we got baptized there.

Same. It was the same, same formula,

same formula. So this.

Is like the third time you've been.

Baptized, yes, so Catholic, but I was Christian in the Catholic

Church, baptized in the Baptist Church and you know when I, when

I am for a mental, I guess, landmark for me, it was that

left behind reel, reel to reel video.

They used to play and it was so I was so scared after that.

It was like, you know, and you've been left behind who who

wanted to get left? Behind nobody I.

Was a kid too but I was scared like God please.

Man, I'm an adult and I'm still scared.

Yes, yes, yes. So you know, we, we, we got

baptized in the Assembly of God Church.

Like I said, it was a lot more action, a lot more worship, a

lot more praise, speaking in tongues, lifting hands.

And then my dad got stationed to Fort Campbell again.

So we went from Fort Campbell to Panama and back to Fort

Campbell. Oh, wow.

So they, they, they referred my mother to a Assembly of God

church. They gave her a church to go to,

but she never went. And then she was like, OK, so

maybe we were, we were at Fort Campbell for about a maybe about

a month. And we used to see these girls

and, you know, they had these long dresses and everybody made

fun of them at the bus stop, all granny, granny.

And he was like, oh, man, we, you know, we were taught not to

make fun. So we didn't, you know, of

course you have your mental in your mind.

You're like, you know, maybe making fun.

But we didn't outwardly like, kind of scorn her so.

Well anyway, Granny's mother end up knocking on our door.

Oh wow. Hey, welcome to the

neighborhood. You know, we're the Dunaways,

and we just wanted to invite you and, yeah, your family to come

be in, be in church with us. You know, we wanted to welcome

you to the neighborhood. I think she bought her some

cookies or a cake or something. Yeah.

And then my mother said, OK, great.

Yeah, we'd love to. And that's where it started.

Did. She just send you boys there.

Did she go with? You this no.

So the first time, the first service was my mom went and my

brother and not my oldest brother, but the brother closest

to me. I'm the youngest of my brothers.

So my brother Fernando went with my mom and she came back.

She was like, I found the church.

Oh wow, she was like she just knew from the first service.

She was like, I've never felt the presence of God like that,

ever. Oh wow, so.

This is more so even than what she felt in the prayer.

Meeting. Wow.

She was like this, we're going to church, we're going on

Sunday. So they went on a midweek.

So that Sunday, we went. Wait, you said she went on a

midweek service and she felt more Holy Ghost than she'd ever

felt? Oh man, let's go and.

And then that's when we realized, man, we're going to be

going to the same church as these grannies that everybody's

making fun of. But it was OK.

So we were, you know, that's it was just what it was.

We went. And as a kid, you know, I was

only 8. And my next brother was 10.

My oldest brother was 12, so we're all two years apart.

And it was an experience. Like, you know when you see kids

up in the altar praying and crying as a kid, it's like, what

is it all about? Now?

This is for adults. Yeah, yeah.

I'm like, wow, kids lifting up their hands, speaking in

tongues, like praying, like man, like serious prayer, like, so

I'm like, wow. So as a kid, I'm in my mind, I'm

like, this is, this is real. And so from there, we we started

going on a regular basis and my mom got the Holy Ghost.

Awesome. Praise the Lord.

My mom got baptized in Jesus name.

Praise the Lord. And and then with there was a a

brother that was a missionary to China.

I'm trying to his name escapes my my mind right now, but ah,

man, I wish I remembered his name.

But anyway, he was preaching and he was talking, you know,

talking about the end time and all that.

And me and my brothers hadn't been baptized yet.

We print we went up to the altar several times, prayed.

And then he was like, will you make it?

If, if God was to come today, will you be ready?

Will you be ready to go? Have you repented?

Have you been baptized? Have you been filled with the

Holy Ghost? So that same brother that went

with my mom for that, my brother Fernando, he tapped, got one of

the ushers and said me and my brothers want to be baptized.

He didn't say I want to be. He said me and my brothers he

just got. So he put us all in the same.

So that that night we all got baptized, me and my, yeah, me

and my 2, my three, my other two brothers, we all got baptized.

So all three of us got baptized that day.

And my oldest brother, he, he received the Holy Ghost first,

and then I received the Holy Ghost shortly after that.

And you know, from there we just continued going to church,

continued seeking God. And my dad was one day my dad

was just there inside the house. And my mom was like, hey, Pastor

Hodge wanted to come by and meet you maybe this Saturday.

Are you OK with that? And he said, I don't care If he

wants to come by, he can come by and I'll meet him.

So my dad didn't play. No surprises.

He didn't want nobody showing up at his house unannounced.

Yeah. Anything like that?

Yeah. Probably not a good idea if you

did. You're right.

So, so when when he said he didn't mind meeting my mom was

right away, like she wanted to get excited, but she was like

the Lord was like telling her calm down.

Don't say don't mess this up. Yeah, yeah.

So she just she. Didn't say nothing.

She just said OK. And she told him, told him what

time he'd be there. So he came by and he met him and

they talked, you know, it wasn't no long meeting.

And he said, hey, I would just like to personally invite you to

come out, be in church with us on Sunday.

My dad said I'll be there. Oh well.

He said what time? I said 10:30.

He said I'll be there. So that's Sunday morning.

My dad so right, My mom was washing dishes.

She was like rejoicing. Like, I mean, she, she didn't,

she didn't. Yeah, she wouldn't let it be.

Like she was just like, you know, washing dishes.

Like, you know, I'm sure she was speaking in tongues in her head.

She probably. Was just washing dishes just to

keep her mind like. Distracted.

She's listening the whole time. How is this going to go?

I got to do something with my hands or I'm just going to be,

you know. Yes.

So that happened and then that Sunday morning, my dad was the

first one ready. He was outside, he was smoking a

cigarette. He had a suit on me eyes.

I didn't see my dad, you know, he always dressed sharp, but I

didn't see him like in the suit like ready to go.

He was ready to go to church. He was smoking a cigarette and

he was first one ready, man. So we went that Sunday morning.

I'm telling you. So I always get a little

emotional, but. Thank you Jesus.

I'm telling you man, so excuse. Me, you're fine.

But. This is when you know we're

getting a good one. Right.

Yeah, absolutely. So I'll try to distract you a

little bit. Yes, Sir.

Do you think do you think it made an impact on your dad that

the pastor was willing to come and personally meet with him?

Absolutely. You know, instead of just being

like, Hey, dad, come to church with me or somebody else.

That was the pastor that individually came out and said,

yes, I wonder that that makes me wonder like what made that

pastor decide to make that decision?

Like he must have been in prayer.

And that means that God must have like impressed on him.

Like, Hey, you need to go to this house.

You need to talk to this and, and told him, 'cause I think

that's something that I, I would struggle with.

And I'm learning very quickly with, with it is, you know, you

feel led to go talk to somebody and you think, Oh yeah, I'm

about to go and just, I'm going to talk to him.

We're going to talk about Acts 238.

He's going to get it right there.

And it's going to be, you know, and sometimes it's just, it's

just not that all God wants you to do is just, hey, just go make

conversation with him. And that's all the difference in

the world. It's just it's amazing how

little is really required of us. For what God wants us to do,

it's like, you ain't got to do anything crazy.

Just just just do the very little that he tells you to do.

That's just amazing how that works like.

That and you know, it's funny how you said that like that.

I mean, pastor, Pastor Penn just preached or just taught

Wednesday, God in the middle of the church.

So if he's in the middle and God's beginning to speak and God

moves you to do something, the devil's not going to tell you to

go invite somebody to church. So a lot of the times I hear

exactly what you're saying, but John is like, you feel like,

man, is this me or is this God telling me?

Or is this just me? And you don't want to be that

guy. Like you don't want to drop the

ball. You don't want to look.

We don't as it's just a person. We don't want to look dumb.

So but guess what? Yeah, you just got you just got

to go and, and have faith and just do it right.

So anyway, to get back to, to to the story that Sunday morning my

dad repented of his sins. Thank you Jesus.

That Sunday morning he got baptized in Jesus name.

Oh wow, one time. I mean just.

One service. Like like A1 hitter quarter,

like boom. Oh man, he went.

He got baptized, so we had Sunday night service that night.

He went back to Sunday nights. He got the Holy Ghost that

night. There you go, repented baptized

Holy Ghost one day. I mean I'm like first time I

ever seen my dad cry. Oh, wow, first time never seen

my dad shed a tear. And my dad was like, and then

and when you, when you, when you said that, what what do you

think caused my dad to be, I guess, receptive to it?

Well, my dad told me, he said this man was real.

He said he, he wasn't, he wasn't, he was straight up.

He said I'm a straight up man. He said when he told me straight

up, he just, he didn't beat around the Bush.

He didn't, he just told me. Yeah.

And he said. I felt, I felt the realness, I

felt something genuine about it. So that's what caused me to go.

Yeah, I guess that's a thing nowadays.

You get a lot of people. I mean, it's a thing.

It's very much a thing nowadays where you get a lot of people

who, I mean, church is not like originally what it was, where it

was just, it was all about just being real and just this is just

salvation. Like I'm just trying to tell you

what truth is. And now it's kind of like this

whole charade. And I don't want to say it's a

community get together. Moreover, sometimes now, but

sometimes it can be that way with certain with certain

churches and denominations where it's like this is just, it's not

even, it's just, it's just a community get together.

That's just all it is. And some people, and I probably

could say it would be me. Some of those times where it's

like, like I said, you, you get in your own mind, like when

you're trying to talk to somebody, you start trying to

put your own wording on it. You start trying to like, OK,

this is how I'm going to tell them and this is how I'm going

to do it. And you start making up in your

mind, this is what's going to happen.

And, and it's just it, it doesn't have to go that way all

the time. Sometimes it's just, it's just

being a heart to heart, just saying, hey, we're, we're, this

is just, this is the truth. But whether you take it or not,

I just want to let you know this is what it is.

Exactly, that is so true. And, and, and a lot of the

people sometimes that we think when you when you look at

somebody's countenance, my dad was always he always had a

serious face, even after he got in church.

Yeah. So people would think he was mad

or if he was just aggravated or something.

That was just his demeanor. It was just how he was, you

know, but he'll throw a smile and then if he let people know,

OK. But his regular demeanor, like

he would be he he, he was just a serious guy.

Yeah. So you just don't ever know who

you're going to touch. If the Lord urges you, if you

feel, and I would say, you know, I would encourage anybody

listening, if you feel like God has spoken to you or you need to

give somebody a word, do it. Yeah, absolutely.

The only thing that you don't have anything to lose.

Absolutely. You don't have anything to lose

and, and, and you'll be well, you have everything to gain

because if somebody receives salvation through God using you

as an instrument, a vessel, you don't know the shot of joy, joy

and, and and and and confidence and encouragement that gives you

absolutely. Absolutely.

And that's only if you have a good word, that's that's you're

not bringing anybody a negative word.

You're not giving anybody anything negative.

You're giving them truth. And you know, so I feel, I

encourage anybody listening, hey, if you feel that urge to,

to speak into someone's life, of course, if you need to pray

first pray and do it. Absolutely pray and do it.

I encourage that. I, I do think what you just

said, right, there's really important like how we frame that

in our brains, right? Like so many times we get

worried like, oh, this person's not ready to, you know, like

basically devote their lives to God.

You know, that's how we come from it at that, that point.

But you know, so many times we forget that feeling, that moment

whenever that weights been lifted, you know where he says

my yoke is light? You know what I mean?

A lot of times those of us forget what that feels like

sometimes when that weight just gets lifted off your shoulders.

And so I mean, like you said, remember it's that it's that

framing, right, Right. This is, I'm not doing anything

negative by doing this is what God's given me.

It's A and it's a good thing, right?

Yes, I, I would say to add to that, one of the like, for me,

it's like, and this is me literally just being transparent

and talking to myself. Like I'm going to give myself

some advice even if I don't follow it.

But it's like, man, I would be so knowing what I know now, if

no one ever reached out to me, man, how awful I would that

would be. You know what I'm saying?

Like to know that I could have missed out on this, right, this

truth and this joy that passes all understanding in it.

You know, it, you really do want everybody to experience it.

I think it's crazy how we get all, like I said, just being me.

I think it's crazy how we get all up in ourselves.

Like I don't want to embarrass myself talking to this person or

make a mad or anything like that.

But it's like, you know, I guess at the end of the day, you know,

you really do want other people to to grasp it because you just

for me, it's like, man, I would hate to know what would have

happened to me or be where would I be if I didn't have it?

Like I just the thought of the thought of not having something

to look forward to, that joy that knowing that hey, if

something happens to me, it's OK, this isn't my home.

That's right. That's right.

That's that's so true. And even just the people in our

lives, I truly think that, like, I think that it's not it.

You have, we have the eternal reward we have, we have the

eternal reward we always look forward to.

That's the hope, right? We always have that, but then

also just to people like be surrounded by people because God

calls us to be genuine like you were talking about.

But that's the kind of people I want in my life.

You know what I mean? You really can't be a true like

A2 faced Christian. Like that's impossible.

You're not you're, you're either 2 faced or you're a Christian.

You know what I mean? Like there's no way to do that,

you know what I mean? So true, so true.

And this really does give this community, really does give

people a family. Like we've got people in our

church who they don't have family, but because they're here

and the church is their family, they have a family that's

exactly, you know, and that's obviously the reason why we all

say brother, brother so and so and sister so and so and

whatnot, but. Absolutely it's.

It's just it's amazing what it comes with.

And it's not a charade like it's not performative, right?

That's. Correct.

So go ahead you. Can go ahead with that.

So he he gets the Holy Ghost that night and you're like, man,

how come it couldn't have been that quick for me?

Yeah, so after that took place, you know, my dad, he so along

along this journey, so we just barely getting everything kicked

off. So to give another another

angle, so my family, my on my mom's side all lived in New

York, like the city, like the Bronx.

So both of my brothers were born in the Bronx, NY.

Man, you got family from everywhere.

Both both of my older brothers were born in the Bronx.

I was born in Fort Leavenworth, KS.

Unfortunately, I wanted to be born in New York but it didn't

happen. So we had all the latest from my

cousins. We had all the latest rap, all

the latest hip hop, everything that was out like fashion, like

we had it. I don't because we got hand me

downs, anything that that didn't fit them.

They were older than us. It came our way and my, my, my

arm would package it up, send it to us.

So we went, we just started going to this church now and

it's like we went from listening to at that time it was LL Cool J

and you know all this. He was like the main like he was

it. So we had every all the latest

music. We went from listening to that

to the Hemfields Southern Gospel, I mean.

Oh man, you talk about a 180. So I mean, and you know what the

good thing is how we were raised is like we were always raised in

a multicultural environment. My dad being military, like even

before he got in church, the holidays, Thanksgiving, anything

like that. If it was Easter, whatever it

was, my dad made sure we had something.

From the time I was a baby all the way to 8, There was a party

at our house almost every other weekend.

It's not every weekend. My dad would have somebody from

his company there. Like there would be many

soldiers without family. He'd be like, come to the house.

You going to come eat with us? Yeah, come on.

All right, We'll have family, their, their, their, their,

their wives and children would come to our house.

We always had something going on.

Of course, there was a lot of extras involved, a lot of

drinking and a lot of stuff. It was just a party music.

I mean, it was, that's, that's what my dad did.

But BC before Christ. So, you know, everything after

that was like, that's where the culture shock was for us.

And the same girls that everybody was making fun of at

the bus stop at this point, you know, because the way we were

raised, my parents never thought, hey, do you don't make

fun of nobody. You know, they, they, they said

my, that's one, a few things that my mom or dad didn't.

They did not tolerate that. So we were, we were linked.

Now us and the grannies were linked.

So it's like somebody has something to say like that.

No, don't, don't talk about her. Man.

Was like, hey, leave it alone. I mean, you know, sometimes as a

as a young lady, yeah. You see the dress, you see this

and that and it's a guy. You just there's not that much

distinction. So the distinction is going to

be how you carry yourself as a guy, how you act and how you

react. Yeah.

So not a lot of, I guess visual change.

Yeah. Yeah.

So anyway, from that whole process, you know, my, my dad

still struggled with smoking and my brother used to know my

oldest brother, his name is Julio.

He knew where he would hide his cigarettes and he at that point,

he didn't ever smoke in front of us.

So he would just, you know, he would smoke away and he knew

where he hid his cigarettes. He would always leave a little

scripture, say, hey, dad, I'm praying for you.

And he'll leave it inside his cigarettes.

So when he opened it, he went to go get his cigarettes.

He's seen that he's like, so one day my dad got he was like, you

know what the pastor was preaching.

He was saying, you know, God wants to deliver you from any

addictions that this that the other God can deliver you.

And my dad was like he said just whatever you want, just bring,

bring, bring whatever you need to the altar, give it to God.

So my dad had his cigarettes in his pocket and he said he didn't

say this is my last one and all that.

He just took cigarettes, took it straight up on the altar, set

him there and from got prayer. They anointed him with oil.

He had never touched another cigarette after that.

Oh wow. So the drinking, he cut that out

right away, but that nicotine, it was something that he always

troubled with and right away, instantly.

That's amazing. He never touched another

cigarette. I wonder if that was like a

mindset for for just him, because, you know, it could be

one of those things where it's like placebos a thing.

And if in your head you're like, man, this is an addictive thing.

I don't it's to to just get rid of it.

You know, you can just in your own mind just doubt it that you

can't because it's so addictive. And then what can happen is just

that Sunday could have been like, no, this isn't this isn't

the thing. I'm done with it.

God can deliver me. I wonder if it's just the

mindset that it clicked for him. I believe it's a little bit of

both because, you know, he didn't want to do it anymore.

It was just an addiction. And at that point, you know,

like the scripture says, faith without works is dead.

So at that moment he wanted to do some work.

Yeah, absolutely. I have faith that God can

deliver me, but I got to do my part.

So that action of him going up, putting them cigarettes on the

altar. Oh yeah.

And, and God delivered them. So absolutely, you know, I give

God and just seeing those things transpire.

Let me know as a child that, you know, this is different than

anywhere else that we've ever been.

It it was real. Yeah.

And my family from the outside, my family that wasn't in church,

looking at my dad, knowing my dad.

Yeah, they were like, what? It's real.

Yeah. All those soldiers that my dad,

you know, rubbed shoulders with, what happened to you.

It's real. And through all of that, that's

how we, we, we became established and, and my mom, she

was a prayer warrior. My dad always, I guess, backed

up the man of God done anything like if there was a work day, Oh

my, my boys will be there. So we were, I mean.

From a young we. Were at everything, so if if if

something had to get done. Yeah.

Selling peanut brittle I got 3. You could be the best peanut

brittle salesman you can be. Nursing home, yes, I got 3/3 are

gone. Nursing home, nursing home

ministry. I'm like, but you know,

thankfully, I mean, I'm so grateful as as it's just a a

first generation. I mean, God, just he kind of

just threw us in there, you know, absolutely that's just how

it happened and that's why I feel like it's, you know,

different places that we've been.

We went from there. We were there for about 3 years,

3 or 4 years, I think three years and then my get my dad got

stationed in Germany. So we went to Germany and we we

lived there for four years and that was that was awesome.

So got to see a lot of neat things.

I was there when the Berlin Wall came down.

Wow. I was there when.

So we went to the first Apostolic service in East

Germany. Oh, wow.

Yeah. Yeah, That's cool.

Yeah. It was awesome.

I mean did. They have churches around like

they had several churches around or that.

Oh, an East, East Germany. I'm saying where are you guys?

In Germany, yeah. Oh yes, they had.

So it's what you call the the military ministries for UPC.

They had, they had like churches established that was not on base

and then they had churches on base as well that you could go

to. But we would, there would be all

kinds of people that were from Germany and then just army as

well that, that were actually enlisted in the military.

So it was a good mix. It was always awesome to, to

experience all the culture and, and just to be a part of that.

And I just have so many memories of, of the national.

I, I guess the, it was more like a general conference for Europe.

It would be in Birches Garden, whereas the, that's where,

that's where Hitler's hideout was up there in the mountains

and in Germany and got an opportunity to travel a lot.

We went to Austria, we went to Luxembourg, went to Belgium, UK,

Paris. You know, I went to France

several times. We went to the National

Convention in, in France several times.

And me and my brothers, I mean, my brother graduated in Germany.

Both of my brothers graduated in Germany.

So at this time I was I was in middle school slash high school

throughout my stint in Germany and I wanted to graduate there

so bad, but my dad got stationed again to Fort Campbell.

Man, you just can't get away. From Fort Campbell, they always

they always send them back to Fort Campbell and yeah.

So you know, God is through all of that and being in, in, in

different areas, like so a lot of the pastors that would be

there would be, if they weren't military, they had a military

background. And sometimes they would, you

know, some would come and some would exit.

And so you were, you were, you're around of, I guess, a

diverse amount of people. It was a, it was a really

diverse church and there was always something that I could

say was the experience of, of, of being there and experiencing

all the culture and the power of the Holy Ghost is was consistent

and all of that. It was always powerful.

There was always a powerful move of God like in every service and

and you can see the hunger and the and and the thirst for the

things of God and and the soldiers and then the people

that were just there from Germany that would come to the

church. What a testimony, right?

And it, it goes and reinforces, right?

If we can all have this shared experience, then I know I'm

touching at something that's real, right?

Like no matter what language somebody may speak, when you see

them having a shared that same and everybody's touching that

same spirit of God. What, what, what a powerful

message. You know what I mean?

It's like it's not just, it's not just something that's just

here, right? You know, that's something that

flows out. What was what was that first

service in East Germany like? I'm curious.

Oh, that was awesome. So if you know, I'm not no name

dropper or nothing like that, but at the time I believe

Brother Joel Urchin, his grandfather was the

Superintendent. Brother Nathaniel Urchin.

Yeah, at the time. And so Brother Enos, which is

out of Ohio, I believe, which is Brother Joel Irshan's

father-in-law, he was over the military ministries deal and we

went to that service with him and that service was awesome.

So when we went through, we had to go through the check.

The checkpoint was still there really.

So there was a guard at the checkpoint, German couple of

German shepherds out there. He had an AK47.

Do they just call them shepherds there or is it?

I don't even know what they. Call them.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is German.

You might look, Yeah, yeah. I'm just that was a joke.

Maybe they probably was just a shepherd out there, but yeah, it

was. But you, even though, you know,

we when we went, went inside the when we was in service, you felt

that liberty. But I'm telling you, just out

there, it still felt like as soon as you crossed over.

No, I mean the gloom is like. Like I.

Mean oh man, night and day. I mean, I just can't imagine

they were very anti religious, like as a state, you know what I

mean? Like they were very hardcore on

that. So like I like just being able

to be there whenever you see some of that kind of oppression

kind of break out, you know, I mean, that's that, that's

amazing. You know what I mean.

Breakthrough some of that. What's you said you were there

for when the Berlin Wall come down, What's that experience

like being there? Oh my goodness.

So it was a big event, man. It was.

It was huge. World changing event.

There so we went there we I went with my brothers.

We went like to where the we went and my my brother actually

today has a piece of the Berlin Wall.

Oh wow yeah, you know, so it was it's pretty cool.

It's pretty cool. It's.

Pretty cool. That that was history, you know

what I mean? It's like, wow, you know what?

I'm saying that's like, that's an event that happened.

That's like that's that's an event that.

Happened. Yeah, Yeah.

That's cool and I and if I'm not mistaken, I'm thinking that the

whole reason why it came down was all because of an accident,

like a miscommunication. I, I believe so.

I believe that's what it was. Yeah, I think somebody

miscommunicated something and the message got out like, oh,

we're going to break it down. So somebody was like, OK, he

didn't ask questions. And once it was coming down, it

was like, well. Can they carry on with it?

Right, so. That's.

That's that's amazing. So man, so your whole family

gets get saved almost in the same general area.

But what I think is really cool about that is it's almost like

God was laying the bread crumbs down for your mom.

Yes, like just a little bit more, a little bit more like it

was just here's just a little bit here, which is going to lead

you to this, which is going to give you I'm going to give you a

little bit more yes. Until finally it was like, boom,

this is the grand prize. I can tell you this, brother

John and Brother Cameron, they're like, so it was.

My mom used to always say she would have these dreams when she

was a a little girl that she was just like in like a paradise and

God was just just always just there with her, just like

comforting her. And you know, she just felt like

she, she used to see these visions and have these dreams

and God always talked at her. God always was always drawing

her from from a chat from a, a young lady.

And one one things that I that I had left out was like when we

even though my mom didn't go to church all the time, like we'd

gather around the television, she'd be watching Jimmy

Swaggart. You know, she'll have all of us

kids come put our hands on the on the TV, pray.

Whatever she knew. Whatever she knew, right?

And so if you're hungry and thirsty, God will lead you.

So that's why I never, I don't bash and I'm not.

You know when I mentioned these groups, it's not is something to

down talk him, but God will always bring you further and

like if you're hungry and thirsty, He'll always allow you

to take another step. He'll always draw you.

Oh yeah. Well, I mean, there's nothing

that says that just because you're you're going to a

different denomination that you can't.

Exactly. I don't, you know, God never

said, hey, I'm only going to pour out my spirit on this

denomination. So no, no, I mean you know Jesus

said that you know less the the hunger and thirst after

righteousness, for they shall be filled.

It will happen. So if you are hungry for God,

God's going to respond to that no matter where you are.

He understands sincerity of art, you know.

That's why we've had, I mean, we've had so many of these

stories are so cool. We've had people who were going

to Catholic churches consistently and then it hit a

Methodist, you know, obviously people who weren't going at all.

And then now we've got an Assembly of God once where it's

like it really doesn't matter what denomination.

I think the biggest difference between I would say the UPC or

what we believe is just going to come down to some doctrine and

seems like recently the the most different differentiate

different, you know, I can't say it differentiating whatever that

word is factor is just baptism. As you mentioned that you went

to three different, four different total denominations

you've been to and three of them all one, I don't know how the

Catholics do it. Yeah, it's just they, they, they

sprinkle you. They sprinkle you, then you had

two who had you do it in the in the titles, and then you finally

get to 1. That's like, no, you do it in

the name now, right? So I have to ask that question

now that I remember it. You you went through all those

different experiences. How different was it to finally

get baptized in the name? Oh wow.

Even though it wasn't your choice to do it.

Not well, you know, I mean it kind of it was what you kind of,

you know, sometimes you get you get pushed, get pushed into

things. But yeah, I would say it was it

was definitely it's you feel a real weight lifted.

I would say a genuine washing, like like I felt clean, like I

felt yeah, like just new. And even just being like done

with like, like you're saying when you got there after, after

that baptism, those things, you, you, you realize I was like,

man, these people will do anything.

They'll do whatever they have to do.

Like you know, nothing is too much to ask from God to them.

That's. Right, to change their lives,

right. And that's like you were saying

you were like, man, that's the first church where things really

started changing, where you see your dad giving up nicotine and

these things where it's like there's there's something

different about it. Whenever you get a hold of a

life changing message, you don't mind when your life starts

changing, right? That is correct.

And so many times people say, you know, and I got a good

friend that we talked time to time, He'd been through all

kinds of, you know, hooked on all kinds of drugs.

And God, God has delivered him and he, he doesn't go to

Apostolic Church today, but he said nobody can take away my

experience with God. Yeah, because I I've been to the

lowest. Yeah.

And he said God is and and I told him, I said, hey, look.

And he said, Eric, forgive me because I get I, he said, I'll

put you through a lot. And I was like, hey, it's all

good man. I said, God knows God is in full

control. He knows what he's done and

we're still connected today. And I feel like, you know, he's

been baptized in Jesus name, but he doesn't go to an Apostolic

Church. But I just feel like once a seed

has been planted. Yeah, it's going to come up.

Yes, God's going to do what he does.

And if it's like like you, you both said if you're hungry and

thirsty, you'll be filled. And a lot of times I feel like

it's in anything. I mean, even in Apostolic

Church, we can come and some people get comfortable and they

get like, well, I've arrived, I've made it.

You haven't made it until you hear, well done, thou good and

faithful servant. You hadn't made it.

I mean, you're in a good place. Don't get me wrong, you're in a

great place, but we're not there yet.

The end game is to hear well done.

And and that's that's that's the main thing.

I mean, I, and that's where I guess for me kind of shifting

the conversation is more like being under different men of

God. You know, my parents always

taught me to, you know, we, we didn't have the opportunity to

say or talk about, you know, the Sunday school teacher, she said

this or she did that. She didn't.

I didn't think she should do that or your sister something.

My mom didn't play any of that. She's like, are they here?

They're not here, right? We're not going to talk about

them. No, man.

When, If they're not here, yeah, we're not going to talk about

them. Yeah, because they can't.

They can't defend themselves. They can't say anything.

They're not here and and such. Such a good mindset.

Absolute that that was it. She she knew how to throw cold

water on on gossip quick. Oh man.

And then, you know, like, even in a nice way, you know, if

somebody was around and they would want to start talking

about something, she would be like, well, you know, she'd just

change the subject. And then if they still wonder,

you know, some people don't get the hint, but she'd be like, you

know, well, you know, I think they should have an opportunity

to speak on the topic. So they're not here.

So let's just give them an opportunity when they are to

speak on the topic. Yeah, Yeah.

And then she'll just change the whole conversation.

So I'll be like, I'm thinking to myself, wow, how, how did you,

how did you do that? So she, so she really, she

really taught a lot of like genuineness.

Oh, man, you talking about, you know, both of my parents are not

here. So they're they're they, they

both have passed. And I encourage everybody

listening if you have your parents around, I'm telling you,

nobody gave me a hug like my mom.

Nobody. I could be going through the

worst time feeling at my lowest. Your mom's always going to love

you. Oh yeah.

And then my dad, I was able to re establish a good relationship

with my dad. My dad was somebody I could

always go to. He always talked to me.

He'd always give me advice. He'd always tell me, hey, you

got, you know, talking about my finances.

He said you got to put some away for a rainy day.

He'll be always give me something like or, you know, so

through all of that, you know, I really truly miss my parents,

but they have left behind a legacy and they've given me a

foundation to build on. So I that's, that's, that's,

that's more than I could ask for.

They've they've blessed me. What's amazing about that is

they changed in a way when you have that first generation, they

change the name like it's, it's, it sounds a little more cliche,

but they changed their, when your name carries weight, your

family traditions and heritage, that first generation that says

that finds it and this is it. They, they change the course of

heritage and tradition and, and it's, it's a very, very powerful

thing. That's what one of the things

that I always thought was so cool about my dad.

He was the first one that found the truth and got in it and

said, this is it. And you know, I come from a

family of, you know, my on my dad's side of, of men who were

heathens, you know what I mean? And just nothing about it.

And, and he was the first one that that found this and just

established like, obviously I can go and make whatever

decision I want to make. But he was the one that said,

well, but here's this is it. So at least it's, it's, it's a

history changing thing. It's just it's really cool

whenever you can say even for you like, hey, my dad was the

one that changed the course of my my path and my family's path,

and now we're a name that's associated with truth.

You know what I mean? Yes, yes.

Did it sounds like it, but I just kind of want to confirm.

Did both of your parents, they stayed in this I'm sure all of

up until the end. Absolutely.

And you know what? I'm so I'm so grateful.

My mom passed away in 2005, way too young.

I'll tell you a cool story before, before it all happened.

At the time I was dating, I was dating Teresa.

And that day, the day I was going to, you know, she lived in

Houston, TX. I was bringing her.

I stopped. It was they were in Memphis, but

she was in Memphis with some family and my, my brother of

course, lives in Memphis. So I went over there.

I was going to go pick her up and bring her to meet my my mom

and my dad and my sister called me.

I was still in Memphis about to catch I-40 and she called me

crying that my mom just passed, just a heart attack just gone.

But that Sunday beforehand, my mom went out and she went into

the projects in Clarksville. Oh wow.

That Sunday that the Sunday before she passed, she had, I

don't know, it's probably maybe 15 plus people on the church

van. Wow.

And she was just running the aisle.

She was like, I mean it. The way God does things

sometimes is like, it amazes me. I think about that.

And then that next week, she's just gone.

So that was probably one of the hardest things.

And then the second hardest thing for me is my, my dad

passed in two in 2000, 2020 2. So, yeah, it was a tough deal.

But, you know, God always gives us peace in those times, you

know, in the middle of, of, of, of chaos.

That's what that piece is, is that passes all understanding.

Yes, Sir. And I'll tell you what, I

wouldn't trade living for God for anything in this world.

This is it's the best life. Amen, the best life.

And I'm just so glad that, you know, that somebody had prayed.

Yeah. That God did pull mom at my mom,

yeah. And that she did have that that

desire and that that hunger and that prayer life and.

And today is one of those days where, you know, when I think

about my family, when I think about my siblings, I have to you

guys have to forgive me. I didn't mention, I always

mention my brothers because but I have two beautiful sisters

that came after me. So I'm in the middle.

I have two younger sisters. One lives in Memphis and one

lives in North Carolina in Durham.

So, yeah. But you know, thank God, each

one of my siblings are in church.

They serve God. And I have two brothers that

both preach. One of my brothers is a pastor,

the other is a pastor as well. Right now.

He had some health issues. He's going through a little bit

of tough time and then I have one of my sisters is a pastor's

wife and then my other sister is just an awesome St. and.

What a what a legacy your your parents left behind, you know

what I mean? What a legacy.

Just like we, you can see their lives, they lived just by how

their children are and how they are impacting the world and so

many different parts of our country.

You know what I mean? That's, yeah, that's, that's

amazing that that that kind of lives on through each of you,

right? Yes, Sir.

What a, what a, what a legacy for that again to the to the

people who reached out to your parents.

Yes. They had no idea.

That pastor probably has no idea how much effect because it's a

domino effect. You know, he obviously your dad

goes to church, he gets saved. Well, that kind of solidifies

your family and now your kids are all in it.

And then again, you can look through the impact that your

each of your siblings has had through their churches and even

for here at Lifegate, like I said, man, you know, for your

family to be able to leading your leading groups, you're,

you're in the you're in the music ministry.

You know, that's a domino effect that continues to just spread

out more and more and more just by one decision.

Like I can't emphasize that enough.

How like that one decision for someone to say, I'm going to go

talk to this person, right? God is leading me to go talk to

this person. Like what that could do?

And I do feel like like, So what you're talking about how your

dad, you know, your dad always said, I got three, I got 3 ready

to go. I feel like that same attitude,

you know what I mean? Like when you came here, it was

still that same attitude, right? Like you're like, we're going to

be involved. You know what I mean?

I'm not going to be a complacent Christian, you know what I mean?

I'm going to tell you, that's one of the things that I, I

share with my kids. I'm like, well, if, if, if, if

Pastor asks you to do something, if Sister Pen asks you to do

something, if one of your sister Lexie asks you to do something,

if any of these leaders in your life ask you to do something, do

it. Do it, don't you?

You can feel uncomfortable, That's OK, That's that's part of

growing. You're going to feel

uncomfortable, but but do it. Never say no to to to doing

something for God because you just don't know what, what

blessing you're going to walk into just by being available.

A lot of times just being available and that's, that's,

you know, a lot of times like he was telling me, but John, like,

you know, it's, it's a little awkward sometimes for you

meeting people, but you're available for this.

This you felt like, you know, this is a something that you

could do. So that availability it, it, it

got God. God knows how to use our gifts

and he'll, he'll, he'll make a way.

Absolutely. So I think that's, I think

that's awesome when you know when you have the availability

got to got to got to use you. Absolutely.

I'll Fast forward a lot and we might just bounce back and

forth, but walk me through, walk me through your, your, your

family getting to Lifegate. I understand it was a little bit

of a a windy Rd. that got you here, but how did you get here

when you first came to the area? OK, so so my wife is she's over

Sam's in Sam's Club. She was AGM when she was in

Memphis and then she decided to step down to a Co manager.

Memphis is a real challenged area.

Yeah, it was, it was just tough and then but she still wanted to

pursue her career and all of our moves.

Originally we were in Clarksville.

That's where my dad retired in Fort Campbell and we went from

Clarksville to Cookeville, TN, which is further east and then

from Cookeville went to Hernando.

And this is all with my wife's job.

So I'm I'm in construction you. Can take that.

Anywhere I can go, I can, Yeah, I told her.

I said I I can go to work anywhere You want to get

somewhere with with this company.

I said I'll, I'll support you in that.

So anyway, there was an opportunity right here and her

boss was like, hey, I need you in Huntsville in two weeks.

So before all this happened, so I was in a home missions church

and shout out DeSoto life Pastor Shannon Thornhill.

That's where I was at. And we were just about to embark

on the church in the day project.

You know, it was, I think it was with the the, I think it's Nam,

I believe was over that. Some of the it's a pro anyway.

It was with the UPC there. They build the church in a day

and we were right about to do that.

So I had a lot of I was really like a right hand to the past.

It was a small, small church. I mean home missions.

No, we know what that's like. Yeah.

Yeah, exactly. You, you for sure.

So we went through that and in the middle of that, it was just

a tough move, but I just continued to press a guy who

just, you know, just I, I just don't want to go anywhere.

And we were looking, I was looking online.

I was like, man, I, I, I couldn't, I didn't have any

clear direction, direction on anything.

So I was like, well, one Wednesday, it was the Wednesday

before we moved, I think where the pool was teaching, you know,

those of you who know over the pool, he's just pretty cut and

dry. So I told him to, I told him

about this. I was like, I don't know where.

Yeah, I like, I like this guy. And so we, we, we show up that

Sunday. And as soon as I heard Pastor

teach, I was like, you know, I met with him after the service.

He was like, yeah, you know, I told him.

I said, yeah, I was telling my wife that we wanted because I

think they came before I came because I was still in

Mississippi. And she had mentioned, she told

the past Pastor Fenton that, you know, you know, my husband

wanted to look around and try a couple places out before we made

a decision. So after I heard Pastor teach,

yeah, he was like, Oh yeah, you know, feel free to check out

some other places, but we'd love to have but you know, whatever,

whatever you feel led to do. But I already knew just from the

the teaching that Sunday morning or the teaching slash preaching

to me. If you when when it's something

is right there. Why?

Why go look for anything more It's.

It's already there. Yeah.

You, you felt a kind of peace about it, I guess.

Exactly, right, right away. I mean, my, my, the most

important thing for me, yes, you know, and then when, when my,

my, my, my kids, my wife told me that the kids is when they came

that first. I believe it was a Wednesday

that the youth were waiting for him at the door.

Like I was like, yeah, they were waiting for them at the door

like the young people. So I'm like, OK, yeah, OK, yeah,

cool. And then you know, you know, to

come and, and then I hear Pastor and you know, you just, you

know, just look around and you feel the presence of God and you

you feel the the, the genuineness.

And to me, the shepherd is a is a good reflection or the sheep

or a good reflection of the shepherd.

Yeah. And, and I could tell that, you

know, just being under a lot of different pastors, not for bad

reasons. Yeah, Yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, not not saying like that. That's that's what I have to

clarify, cause a lot of times we were like, hang on, you had how

many pastors? I'm like, yeah, it's just, you

know, military, my dad being military and just moving here

and there. And you've seen a lot of

different people in the way they affect people, right, You know?

So and I seen that genuine, that genuineness in in pastor pen and

I was like, wow, this is this is this is awesome.

And same thing with Sister Pen, with Cameron Kobe.

I mean you, I mean you ain't going to find people.

Just just just real, just real, just genuine.

You know what I mean? Nothing.

Nothing to hide, nothing to cover up.

Yeah. So was Lifegate the only church

in the Huntsville area that you had visited?

We I told fast I wasn't going anywhere else.

There you go. When you know, you know, right?

I said, I said, you know, I said there's no need for me to go

anywhere else. This is, this is, this is, this

is it, I said, and anything you need me to do, if you need to

speak with my pastor from Mississippi, that's fine.

You know, whatever. I just want to be able to to do

whatever I whatever me and my family can to be a blessing and

and that's it. I mean, I feel like if if we

have the, the, the servant, servant attitude, the OR the OR

to be able to be a servant and to be able to do just whatever,

whatever you can do, even if it's behind the scenes.

A lot of people sometimes covet the light.

Yeah, I don't really. I was always a, a quiet guy a

lot, a lot of times, you know, in my older age, I guess people

I, I talk a little bit more. As you get older, yeah, yeah,

yeah. When I was younger, I didn't say

anything. I, I was like, they'll be like,

oh, that's Julio and Fernando's brother, or that's, that's,

that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's their brother.

But I, I, I, I was just, I was just quiet and laid back.

But when being a part of a home missions church that really

allowed me to, I was kind of pushed into some things like and

and, and, and I know when you dig a workout like pastor has

here and what I've been a part of from where I was previously

at. Yeah.

And my brother was a product of that.

He when he went to Memphis, it was just him.

He wasn't even married at the time.

Oh wow, and. He just started walking the

streets. That's amazing.

Grab given Bible studies. Yeah.

So when you see that that that all the blood, sweat and tears

and that had went in to a ministry and to people, I

respect that highly so and that's it's, it's easier for me

to be a fit right in with that. Yeah, 'cause like I said, I mean

it your, your family just as immediate.

Like I was saying, I was saying it's like you could ask some of

the people here, like, how long do you think the maze been

coming? Like, hey, they'd be like, oh,

they must be here for five or six years.

I mean, you know, they just fit right in, you know what I mean?

But it's like, it's really not been that long.

But like I said, like immediately, it was like here,

you know, you need me to play the drums, I'll go play the

drums. You need me to play bass, I'll

go play the bass. You need me to lead prayer, I'll

go lead prayer. Well, I think that's like, you

know, a concept of when, you know, that's like what people

say when preparation meets opportunity.

But if you're like the church, if the church is right, nobody,

there's not like a waiting period like, oh, you got to be

10 years in this thing to where you get to be involved at the

same time. It's like if you're ready, the

church should be ready, right? And that's just kind of how it

worked out, you know which? Is which is which is.

Awesome. It's, it's a mindset I think

more people should have. And obviously, like I said, this

whole time I'm talking to myself, but it's like, you know,

it's everybody. I think, I think everybody comes

to that point in time where you get to where it's like, you

know, if I have a if I have a gift, I'm willing to use it.

If, if I, if I can do this, I'll do it.

I may not be great at it for me, most of the time I'm not great

at it, but it's like I can, I can still do it to, you know,

So, you know, if I think if more people had that attitude, you'd

see a lot more and. And I think a lot of that's just

faith. It's like, you know, even

whenever I'm going to fall short, even whenever my, my

limits are going to be reached. I know somebody who who who can

take that, You know what I mean? I'm saying God is limitless.

So where my limits reach, that's where he starts, right?

Oh, yeah. So there's faith in that, you

know? Absolutely.

Before we, before we cut it off, I, I just, over the course of

your life, you've seen a lot of things.

One of the things we like to hear about, has there been any

situations or times that have happened in your life where

you've witnessed like a miracle, something that's like, hey, the

only, only God could have done that.

So I, I would go back to what I talked about previously in the

podcast, like my dad, only guy could have done that.

No, that that that that that would be fictional and anybody

else's from anybody else from outside looking in.

But when they seen that this wasn't just like AI guess some

little phase he was going through that this was a real

change. Yeah, that that that was only

God. And then another another time I

I was we were in church and there was this sister, my name

was Sister Dorothy. And she just, she was, she was

up in the front praying and she just, you know, turned white as

a sheep. She, she just lost all blood.

Like, man, she just fell down on the ground.

She was gone. That there's a brother in the

church that was a type of a nurse or whatever.

And he was checked her pulse and checked her hand, checked her

neck. She was, he was, she was gone,

man. So one of the other ladies

called her, called 911. But Pastor, Pastor Reeves just

got easy to one of the ministers to get the oil, anointing oil,

got the oil. They laid hands on her.

They prayed the prayer of faith. She just sat up.

She said, she said. I feel.

Good. Yeah, I feel good.

And I was like, so I I was just sitting there like, hey, what

what just happened? How old were you?

No, I was, I was like 18 at that time.

Oh man. So I I was like, that's.

Something that's that's, that's wild, that's.

Just a casual Yeah, You know, I saw a lady come back from the.

Dead. Yeah, I, I was, I, I didn't know

what to. I was like wow.

Wow. So that's the first time I've

experienced something like that. I was like, man, and there's a

lot of times, you know, where I knew it was.

I knew God was doing some things.

I knew God was working in some situations and times where we

needed a breakthrough. Yeah.

Financially, yeah. And God just comes through,

like, right on time, like, every single time.

Thank you, Jesus. I mean, those are I can go on

for forever on on those kind of a miracles.

But but you know God has you in in his hands or.

Absolutely, Absolutely. You still have that trust right

to this day. Yes, and you know, God has done

so many amazing things, so many so many things like in in the

life, like little Marisol, when she was born, she was born.

She didn't cry when she came out.

She was just like, I was thinking to myself, I was

looking at my, I was looking at Teresa.

I was like, you know? Is everything OK?

What was going on? The doctor just took her back to

the back real quick. The nurses were like, she's not

doing anything like, and she was just there like, not nothing.

So I already know. I mean, a couple of times we got

two kids. So I'm like, normally the babies

cry. Yeah, yeah.

They went to the back and then they had to do a bunch of stuff

and whatever they do to the little baby, you heard after

after after a couple minutes is like.

Yeah. You weren't feeling great.

Oh no, no. So God did that for us, which

was amazing. I'm thankful for that.

Did they, did they ever explain like what caused it?

Was she just just, was there anything wrong or she just

didn't cry? Yeah, yeah, She just, you know,

I, I guess sometimes I guess fluid or whatever doesn't come

out or whatever doesn't. Yeah, they done some kind of

compression, compression that caused her to start to to

breathe. They had to get, I think they

they tap on the the chest a little bit to kind of get the

lungs pumping or whatever. Stimulator.

Yeah, and then she she began to cry.

Wow. So I was, I was so, so, so

thankful and grateful for that. Yeah, I can.

I can understand that. There's nothing more terrifying

than when when you're just having a baby and you're like,

you wanted to just be everything to be perfect.

And then next thing you know, they're they're taking your baby

and they're like, you're not, no one's going to sit there and

tell you what's happening. Like you see them working and

you're like, Oh my God, your mind immediately goes to the

worst. Like I know exactly how that

feels because that's what happened with Braden.

And I'm like, that'll put Gray hairs on your head really,

really, really fast. It'll.

Take it off too. I've got mine.

There's Gray in there now there's some.

There's some salt in there. Funny.

I feel that. I, I, I don't know if you have

anything more, but I guess the last thing would be just, you

know, before we wrap up the floor is yours.

If you've had any have any thoughts or any advice you'd

like to give, we might. Yeah, You know, got like there

anything in your life you learned along the way you might

pass on to somebody, you know? What?

Oh, absolutely. So I would say in my years of

living for God, the best advice I would give, one of the main

things that I would tell somebody is to just to love

truth, absolutely love truth, embrace truth.

Everything is not always going to go your way.

You're not always going to hear what you want to hear and it's

not always going to be delivered how you want it to be delivered.

But if you love truth, you'll make it.

I feel like the key to any success is being able to follow

instruction. A lot of times our biggest

downfalls and we can't follow instruction.

And I just come from AI. Guess an era where, you know,

there was no explanation. There was no I come from the old

school when they preached back in the day, it was like this is

what it is. It's not it ain't no question

ain't no why Yeah, right. But there was all everybody.

There's always someone that's going to have a why.

But my with with that why. I feel like you could take that

to God and and and and don't don't allow any root of

bitterness to get in your heart. Don't allow any any type of I

guess envy, bitterness, malice. Don't let those things get in,

but let the fruit of the spirit rule absolutely and let the Holy

Ghost mainly let that rule rule your life because God, he has

great things in store for each and everyone that's listening to

the podcast and, and for our lives.

If we can just, you know, yield to him, yield to the Spirit,

yield to God and, and, and, and he would direct and he would

lead us. Yes, Sir.

And like I said, I feel like following instruction, have an

understanding, seeking after wisdom.

That's that those are the keys to success.

And, and, and if you can take instruction, whether it's from a

parent, a guardian, somebody, an elder, a pastor, I think those,

those are key things. A lot of times, you know, just

being around pastors, I didn't even there's so much I didn't

even talk about guys like I've told Pastor Penn, but on both

sides of on my wife's side of the family, there's probably

like maybe four or five pastors on my side.

Same thing is like and and it's oh Apostolic like.

Thank you Jesus. And, and and I'm thinking to

myself, I see some of their lives and I'm like, you know,

they've been through some things.

And a lot of times when you look at a pastor and and don't get me

wrong, I'm it's not pity pastor. They are pity pastor.

But it's like you don't know the weight that they carry

sometimes. Yeah.

So I would say just like any of these men of God, instead of

being a thorn in their side, hold their hands up and always

have an encouraging word. I would be ready to do whatever

you can do. It's just like to me, I like in

a lot of things to sports is like anything If a coach that

has to deal with somebody outside of the practice field

and has to deal with a whole bunch of mess.

That's hard to coach. It's not.

It's not a good experience. Yeah.

But somebody is ready to get in there and do anything and it's

coachable. Yeah, you can do a.

Lot you can do a lot. You can win a championship,

Yeah. And that's it.

We want to win. Yeah, we want to make it.

So that's my that's my advice. Be coachable.

Take instruction. That's good.

Thank you so much for coming out here and sharing with us today.

You know, we, we appreciate you being open and honest with us

so. Absolutely.

I've been bugging you. We've been trying to get this go

for a month now. It's just on either way timing.

I'm like, man, but I, I, you know, like I said, I was really

excited for this one. So it's like I really like I

told you earlier, it's like I really don't really don't know

you that well. So this is an awesome experience

to kind of get more background and kind of hear, hear a little

bit more about you. And then I've had some people

tell me the cool thing about this is, you know, when people

are new and they don't know people here, they can listen to

this and be like, oh. That's yeah.

I know more about these people without actually having to sit

down and talk to them, so I really appreciate you taking the

time out of the day. I know this was peak early

morning hours we all had to get our caffeine in to get in here,

but. Yes, Sir.

It's an awesome story. I think it's really cool.

I would have never thought, I would have never thought you'd

been through so much and seen so much, you know what I mean?

From such a young age. So that's all really cool.

And and and please don't shoot me down if I come asking again,

but hey, you want to do episode 2?

Oh no, hey, anytime, anytime. I I, I love like I said, I'm

more talkative in my in my older years, so I I, I, I enjoyed it.

It was awesome so.