Meet the Church feat. Juan Perez | Men should be saved but not soft.

Hey, what's up everybody? We are back with another episode

of Meet the Church Man. Our boy Hector is out right now.

But so we just want this thing going because we have a lot of

interesting people at City Post Church.

I'm Pastor Ricky and this is. Vaughn.

It's that simple, bro. That's right. 4 letters.

That's right, man. And I've been wanting to sit

down and and talk to you 'cause you have probably one of the

most interesting stories or testimonies of how how God like,

transformed your life, like your encounter with Jesus.

And honestly, I just want to get into it.

Cool. Yeah.

But I think I think it could really help somebody.

Yeah, well, I always say, like I have two testimonies, you know,

like the first one when I really finally wanted to know who Jesus

was and then became the prodigal son, son, I guess.

And then I came back to the Lord.

But both stories, they start the same.

They both involve drugs. The first one, you know, I was

smoking a lot of weed and I just remember getting a panic attack,

one that I couldn't ever break. And I remember my aunt was like

super involved in church and I just reached out and I remember

just saying like, I, I need something.

I need to try something. And so I did.

And yeah, you know, it worked. I guess.

You know all. Right.

So let let's let's start there. All right.

You mentioned, you mentioned drugs.

So when, when was like that you could remember when was like the

first time that you were introduced to some sort of like

drug or some sort of enhancement?

Yeah, man, I was in like 7th or 8th grade.

Yeah. I mean, I had a buddy and his

name was. We won't actually won't say

that, but it's not good. But calm, buddy.

Yeah, well. I had a buddy and actually his

dad would smoke weed and so he smoked weed.

So when we would go over, we would just get high with his

dad, you know, and it just became as as like a common as a

cigarette, honestly. And so yeah, that that led me

into just smoking at a very young age all.

The time is that interesting? I know this is just a random

thought because even when I was young, the first time that I saw

beer or alcohol, it was because my buddy's dad thought it was

funny to drop a a cooler full of beers like right in front of him

and his friends and said have had it, guys.

And it's almost like it's not even the the friends, it's not

the kids. It's like the parents, right

that do that. Yeah.

So I just thought that was like a really interesting thought.

Yeah, like, I even remember, like, when there would be

parties at the house, my mom would want to play a joke on the

men and she would empty the beer bottle and put water in it and

tell me go drink in front of him.

Just to get a stash with him, yeah.

So I mean, yeah, you're right, it does start with adults It's

and it's interesting how that. Works right?

Right? Anyway, sorry.

No, but yeah, you know, I found the Lord in like 2010 or 11.

I was going to a small church off of Berry St.

Juan 316, and I remember the day I gave my life to Jesus.

But I hadn't really understood what I did because when I did

it, they baptized me, but not by immersion.

It was more just like sprinkling water.

And everybody was congratulating me, but I didn't understand why.

And I just remember really just falling in love with God's Word.

But once everything got better, I just kind of left.

And yeah, yeah, just. And I guess like what that there

was there a point in life where you hit rock bottom?

I know we, we always talk about like there's times in our lives

where we're living, we're going, everything is great.

It's, it's almost like, oh man, there's no need for God.

And and then you look up and you're like, man, I'm at a point

in life where nothing is working, nothing is happening.

I need a savior. Did you have one of those

moments? Yeah, and that moment was about

3 years ago or so. So when I came back to the Lord

is when I had that rock bottom moment.

Yeah. And it really started with

Connie. I remember Connie just not being

who she was, that loving, caring woman that that I grew to, to

know she was having some issues with her, like temper and stuff.

And it was just unusual. And I didn't know what to do.

I didn't know how to help her. And I just felt called to like

just go to church, you know? And so Connie got saved,

baptized on her birthday and stuff.

But I, I never did that for me, you know, like I when I saw

Connie struggling, it was to help her, you know, I didn't

think anything was wrong with me.

I could hold my, my liquor, you know.

So yeah, I got pretty bad there. I was like going getting off of

work, going to Bucky's, getting 2-3 tall boys driving, drinking

them, driving on on the way home, stopping at either the QT

by the house or the the truck stop on 35, getting two or three

more, finish them before I got home, go inside, open a bottle

of whiskey, drink that and just do that every day.

That's wild. So that's like before you get to

the house, you've had about like what, 6 tall?

Boys, sometimes 8. That's impressive.

My goodness. Wow.

That that is. Yeah.

So I guess when did that peak? I mean, man, because your

tolerance must have been through the roof.

I mean, that's the. And it peaked when I started

killing like full bottles and needing another one or, and then

and then it got really bad when I would, you know, kill the

bottle. And then I'd need like,

something to keep me going. So that's when I kind of fell

back into like the drug stuff. Yeah.

But this time it was a little bit heavier.

Yeah. I fell back into Coke.

I was doing a lot of Coke and so every weekend was drinking and

doing, yeah, doing the code. Yeah.

How did you, I guess, while you were in that phase #1

financially? Because I know that that's got

to take a financial toll. But also, when was it were you,

do you think you were trying to fill something like a void or

was this just like, I guess this is just a culture?

Yeah, the financial stuff, as you know, I'm into fragrances.

That's right. So I would sell like little

samples and I would use that to fund everything.

And yet you ask about filling a void.

Honestly, bro, like, I don't know.

I don't, I don't, I don't know if I was trying to fill

something, but I know it wasn't because I didn't do it because I

thought this is the culture. No, that wasn't it.

Because I don't consider myself a very, like, Mexican person per

SE, you know, But I will tell you, I was influenced by someone

like that to do the drugs. And so it just kind of I liked

it, you know, I loved it, honestly.

And it was just a matter of that, really.

I just liked it, yeah. So I mean, you're, you're living

this way. So when I guess when when did

Christ enter the the picture? Yeah, so I remember, I remember

the cycle was yesterday, bro. Like I was pretty drunk and I

don't remember what had happened between me and Connie, but we

were on our way to Zoe's and I freaked out by freaking out, I

mean like I was going off on whatever the issue was, right?

And few days after that I realized like I had no peace,

you know, I had no joy. I was, I was trying to feel

something, but I wasn't sure what, you know, I had a lot of

anger. I had a lot of stuff that needed

forgiveness and I just, I didn't have anywhere else to go.

That was my rock bottom. But I but I had AI had a

foundation. I knew because Connie was still

doing the church stuff. It was just me that wasn't

involved in it to the point where like she would go to

church and I would just stay home.

Gotcha. Most of the time because I was

too hungover and but most also because I just wasn't interested

my. Goodness, yeah.

So I mean, even even in those that moment in time, I mean, so

when that happened, that moment, did you just wake up say, you

know what? I I need to like, what was the

eye opening that you're like, I need to change.

Really, when you drink a lot of alcohol, it does something to

your face like you're swollen and you just don't look right.

And I remember looking in the mirror, like just not

recognizing that guy, you know? So I knew I needed to do

something about it and it was more drastic than just pouring

the alcohol down the drain cause I've done that a lot.

Right. I'm never.

I'm like, yeah. You know, you're drunk all the

time. Toilet.

Jesus, have you just made me sober?

Yeah, you know. The last time, yeah, you.

Pour all the alcohol and then a week later you're back at it.

You know, it was a little bit more than that.

And that was when I realized, like, man, I need, I need

something too. And I knew from the first time

with the, you know, with the marijuana and stuff that I had,

I knew where to go though. I just said it.

I'm going to try it, too. Yeah.

So. Right on.

And I guess what was the do you remember when, when you

surrendered your life? I mean this this time, like do

you remember, like the day? Do you remember what was said if

there was a passage? Or something.

Honestly, bro, no. But I'll tell you things as far

as like when things really started to shift for me, was it

until I came here, OK. Because we were going to a

church called Hope and they're wonderful church man.

Yeah. The kids ministry is awesome.

They built an amazing foundation for us.

I will. I will always be very grateful

for that church. But there was a point that came

where I was like, I want more of the gospel.

The gospel message is what I really was like craving.

And so then I, we found like paradox and we just kind of felt

out of place, if I'm being honest.

And then I that's when I reached out to Gavino, you know, because

we were kind of church searching at that point.

And we came here and I don't remember the sermon, but I do

remember the first sermon that I listened to to check it out.

And it was a sermon that you did on was is it it's Mary, like how

she was like complaining about like the sister.

Yeah, yeah. Mary, Martha.

Yeah. Yeah, that I heard that sermon

and I remember texting Gavino saying next time, tell the

pastor my name if he's going to call me out like that.

But I didn't know. That's funny.

I didn't know what that was. That's conviction.

Yeah, that's right. Yeah.

And it was that sermon that brought me here.

Yeah, it's amazing. I love that you said that the

amount of times it it's so let me go back.

It's funny as as you prepare sermons and I've talked to I

I've said this a lot. Whenever you prepare the text,

you know, and you start walking through it, you always talk to

yourself first as a as a pastor, like it's like, what is the Lord

she teaching me? What is he showing me?

What are, what are some sins in my life that I need to confess

to him? Like, and, and based out of the

text, that's, that's kind of like what comes out.

And I think that's how conviction works.

And I know if I've had some, some people accuse me of like

man who, who told you or I was like, brother, listen, I don't

think of you like, I know it sounds terrible, but of course

I, I think of my people or the people of the church.

But that's, I think that's one of the as an expository

preacher, I think that could be one of the greatest compliments,

to be honest with you. When somebody says, man, I

didn't know that or man, you know, you like Oliver, my

kool-aid, don't know the flavor, like what's going on here, like

because I've I've done that. I felt that way before too.

So that's that's great, bro. That's great to hear that.

That was a good message bro. No, that's good.

I will just try to be faithful to the text man.

That's and that's why that's that's the proof of it.

So I mean, that's great. And then, you know, so I guess

as as you begin to start coming and growing, what were some

changes, I guess that you've made in your life that you're

saying, hey, me and my family, like As for me and my family,

we're going to serve the Lord. So are there things that you

implemented in your life, you know, in order for you to like

continue to live like this, this Christian life and not go

backwards? Oh yeah?

Well, the first one was I stopped drinking.

Yeah. And yeah, man.

And actually, all glory to God, I'm one year sober next week.

Wow, that's amazing. So no alcohol for a year, not a

drop. That is crazy anybody.

I'm telling you, if you think you can't do it.

You can definitely do. It that's right, that's.

Awesome. And so that it started with that

and then and then for sure, just letting the kids see me read my

Bible at the table, letting the kids know how important it was

to me to be in the Word and just try and bring them up in that.

Why am I doing what I'm doing? Well, because this is what God's

Word says. That's right.

And not only that, but letting them see that it's OK to mess up

and apologizing and, and just being like, yeah, like we're

going to fall, you know, Dad's going to fall, but I'm going to

get, we're going to all have to get right back there.

And that's so good, so. I think that's one of the most

powerful things that you could do as a as a father and as a man

is apologize to your kids or like admit that you're wrong and

say I'm sorry. And I've done that to my kids as

well. Know where I've I've might have

like lost my cool or I might have said something that made my

my babies cry, thinking that it was a joke to me and but it

really hurt their feelings and just coming up to them being

like, I'm so sorry to forgive me.

And I think more kids need to see that. 100% kids feelings,

they want to be validated. They do, you know, and they and

they want to be seen. And it starts with the with the

dads. Yeah, and, and what's amazing

about your testimony is not just how God saved you and how God

like redeemed your heart and restored your relationships, but

also he's he, it's like he's giving you a passion for the men

of the church or, or the men in general.

So just wanted to ask you like, I guess from your perspective,

why is it, why do you think it's so important for men to be

active members of a local body? Well.

You know, there's that statistic that says like 80 something

percent of families will come to Christ if the man does it. 1st

That's true. You know, so one that but two, I

think it shows this level of meekness that you can't get

anywhere else where if you see this man submit like it almost

piques your interest as to why. So the the submission aspect of

of of like submitting to a higher power.

Jesus, you know, it shows, man. It shows that we're we're not

all that strong. I don't know man, like.

No, that's, that's real, Yeah. And not only that like, but a

man serving the Lord in a church is a role model to the other

little children. So that's good.

And that's something I've been passionate about.

A lot of churches that I've come from.

The men are not there. Like you don't see it like you.

And I don't want this to come off as chauvinistic, but you

know, you always see like the women servings, the women's are,

they're the ones teaching all the classes.

They're the ones setting up tables and chairs.

They're the ones and men might like mow a lawn here or there,

but I've never like actively seen like men of God be men of

God. And so that was one of the

passions that I had. Like whenever we planted City

Post, even the preaching, it's like you want to preach to men.

So like just real, direct, truthful, not all emotional.

And and that's something that, you know, we want you to be

saved, but not soft. Like we want you to be men of

the church. So, so yeah, like not all

emotional, all that stuff like that's not what guys are and

that's OK, you know. And I think that the body, the

church needs to see that. I also heard another statistic

that the two signs of a, of a growing church or healthy church

are crying babies and singing men, you know.

So if men are engaged in the worship and singing, that's a

good sign, you know, Or if men are active, like listening to

the sermon, that's a good sign, you know?

So I think that's really important.

And you mentioned a lot about like family life as well.

Why do you think besides the obvious, it's why it's so

important for men to be active in their kids lives.

Like to be the spiritual leaders, yeah.

It starts with just making sure one that they're that you build

that foundation, but build it theologically sound to let your

kids know like this is who Jesus is.

This is the Jesus of the Bible. This is not a Jesus from TikTok

or some other false religionary because there's a lot of that.

But again, also just to show them like the love of Christ,

what does that look like at home?

The fruits of the Spirit, you know, all that stuff.

I just think it's so important for men to show their kids what

a godly man is so they know what to look for when they're ready

to to be married. And I guess like on on the flip

side of that, when men are not present, what have you seen?

Just discord a lot of that, a lot of thinking like things that

are OK are really not right. You know, with the whole

drinking, the drugs, I just kind of look back at what I thought

was OK, you know? And it's, it's not, I mean, you

just see the pornography, the drinking, the drugs, drinking

and driving, the cussing, which I mean, you can take that as you

want, but yeah, I mean, if you have a potty mouth, it's just,

what does that teach your children?

I mean, we can go on. It's a yeah.

But I the big things for me is just because it's where I came

from, was the drinking and the drugs and then the porn.

Yeah. Yeah, it's like when whenever

there's a lack of manhood in the home, you start seeing these

things. And I think it goes back to

Genesis. I mean, when God, God created

the earth, but he also established an order, you know,

and it has nothing to do with hierarchy.

It has nothing to do with like you must bow down to the no, it,

he did it for a reason. And, and something I've seen a

lot of is when the man is not present in the home.

So when the whole like machismo thing kicks in and it's like, I,

I just bring home the bacon, cook my dinner, you know, and so

you're present, but you're not present.

Man. There's a lot of identity issues

with kids. They end up going to other

places looking for those answers.

They feel like they can't open up to their fathers.

And a lot of just a lack of emotional EQ like it's, it's

hard for you to manage your feelings, your emotions, how how

to react to things. And you just kind of look for

that and somewhere else. Yeah, you do.

And if, if it's a, you know, your little girl, she's going to

look forward to another man. That's right.

You know what? You know, there's a saying out

there that says whatever your little girl wants from another

boy is what she's not getting from the dad.

And. And it's and it's very true.

Yeah. So we have to be present.

We have to be intentional. We have to show what love is.

Yeah. We can't just sit on her phones

and scroll all day and and call that parenting.

That's right. That's not that's not what being

a dad is. You know, spend some time with

your kids and get to know their likes and dislikes and what's

going on at school with their friends, etcetera, etcetera.

And the more you let off the gas on doing that, you'll be

surprised how quick things will take a turn for the worse.

No, that's great man. And I think too, another thing

that we have to do better as as parents is we got to pray for

our kids. 100%. You know, like you gotta, you

got to pray for your kids all the time.

Like I'm a product of a mother who'd never stop praying because

even in my life there were sometimes where I was like, you

know what, I'm going to try this direction or I'm going to go

make some, some new friends because I felt betrayed or, you

know, just whatever BS excuse. And my mom just never stopped

praying and she never stopped loving me.

But also she never was like, I'm OK with what you're doing,

right? She was very honest and said,

this is a bad thing. Like this is not good for you.

So honesty, I think is is something that we lack sometimes

because we want to love our kids, but loving your kids does

not mean letting them do whatever they want.

Yeah, we're not supposed to be their friends.

Exactly. I want to a certain extent.

You know, I know what you mean. Where their parents, where the

yeah, forces of the law, you know, whatever you want to.

Call us Best. I mean, but we're there to

protect them guys, right? And make sure they have food and

all that and we're not there to be their homies on.

That's right, Snapchat. Keeping the street going or

something? Right, right.

I know it's weird to me, like when I hear about parents, like

we're going to go like go out drinking together.

Like it's just, it's just odd, you know?

It's like, it's so strange. I mean, you talked a little bit

about or a lot of it about God's Word, how impactful that is,

man. What is it about God's Word?

Like, why are you so passionate about that?

Man, honestly, it's because that's where a lot of my change

comes from, yeah. Amen.

I take God's word very serious and yes, I fall short on a lot

of things, but on the things that things that stick in my

mind, they've stuck for a reason, right?

And those are the ones that I really, really try to focus on,

I guess. But it's, it's just a great tool

or guide for your life. You know, like I've heard I saw

an acronym for Bible a basic instructions before leaving

earth. And that's what they are our

instructions on how to live this Christian life.

And when you put it into practice, you see the fruit.

It's so true. So.

Man, that's good, bro, man. And I guess what would you, what

would be your prayer for City Post Church?

You know, as we continue to move forward, as we continue to grow,

as you know, we, we continue to learn together.

You know, we, we are a young church.

So I guess, what would be your prayer?

That the men of the church would, would surrender.

That's good, honestly. There's something about

surrender that it that that brings this type of freedom that

you don't understand unless you do it.

When you give everything to Christ, when you really bring it

at his feet, there's nothing to worry about because he's going

to handle it. And if even if he doesn't, it's

OK and he's going to find another way, he's going to give

you another way. And I I'm a testimony of that

time and time again has he's done that for me.

So there's there's this just this render piece man that I

wish that not just the men of the church, but every Christian

man that's right. What would just surrender at the

feet of Jesus? What do you think causes people

not to? The word, the actual word

surrender, I think is a lot to take in.

So it's the same kind of like where the you know, where the

brides of Christ, you know, it's that same kind of language.

You're like, I know, bride. He's the bride of Christ.

Man, what? Surrender the church?

You know, I've been listening to both.

That is my own life. They said no surrender.

That's right. So yeah, yeah, honestly, I think

it's the the language, but I think with that comes a little

bit of ignorance of what that really means.

That's real. So yeah, I know.

I've seen, you know, I always say pride is an amazing thing.

And I've seen people who would rather go down with the ship

then ask for help. And in my mind I was like, what

is it about life that you rather fail, like miserably fail than

to say, hey, I need help. You know, that for me that

that's just, I don't get it, you know?

And I've seen it time and time and time again, you know, So I

think our pride gets in the way of that.

Oh, yeah. You know, and there's a lot of

insecurities there. There's a lot of this, how I

grew up there. There's a lot of just trying to

get the approval and the adoration of man that is there.

Because maybe you didn't get that when you were a child.

I don't know, I'm not a psychologist, but but you see it

in scripture time and time again.

Yeah, and and that's why the word is so important, man, like

Paul says, you know, I'm, I'm not here to please, man, here to

be, you know, please Christ. That's right.

When you really dive in Scripture and and try to live

your life by God's living, breathing word, it's a very big

eye opener. Yeah.

And it just makes life easier, honestly.

So. And you know, and I know it's a

little bit off topic, but when you talk about scripture, so the

other day I had AI had a meeting with my team at work and our

office came up with these conflict resolutions.

Like this is how you deal with conflict within the office of

these nine steps. And so our VP wanted to, to

share that with our team. So we as we were sharing that,

some, some folks on the team start giggling a little bit like

he's saying this because of me this and that, you know, calling

it out. And after I went through, I was

like, yeah, you know, it makes sense.

But this is just a corporate way of saying it, you know?

And somebody on my team said, well, Ricky, what do you do if

you do all those things and they still don't like and they still

fail. And, and the first thing that

came my mind, and I was just honest.

I was like, honestly, like I go to my Bible and I was like

Matthew 18. And it's the same thing with

church discipline. It's like you go one-on-one to

the brother and if that doesn't work, then you bring a witness.

And if that doesn't work, then you go to leadership.

And then if that doesn't work, you treat him like a non

believer. And, and it was funny when I

said that the person that asked the question was like, wow,

that's, that's actually really wise.

It makes sense. And in my mind, I'm like, that's

what Jesus told us to do. Of course it makes sense.

It's in the Scripture. And, and I mean, those are some

of the concepts that I always use.

I was like, what does the Bible say about it?

And you do it and it works. You know, lo and behold, it's

crazy. What do you know?

What do you know? Who would have thought?

Who would have thought? No, yeah, man.

And I think a lot of people focus on what they don't

understand versus what they do understand when it comes to the

Scriptures. That's right.

That's good, man. Just focus on what God is

revealing to you, and in time He will reveal the rest.

I think like when I first came to Christ, I wanted to

understand Revelation so bad, you know?

And I still don't understand it, but it's definitely more now

than I ever did. And I wholeheartedly believe

that God will let you understand what's right for you.

Yeah. And I think there's an element

of obedience as well, because there's there's a lot of things

in Scripture that are hard to to grasp, but you do it because you

trust that God's word is truth and that that he's the one that

told you. So it's like taking this step

and saying, I don't know, Lord, but I'm going to do it because

you said and that's hard to. It is.

Bro it takes time so but if you do it I'm telling you it's the

best. It's I'd rather step out the

boat and, yeah, have him catch me then, yeah, you know, not

step out the boat at all. And that's right.

Just go about life sailing away. I guess so true.

But yeah, man, I'm big on Scripture.

I love it. I really try to read it every

day. I love teaching it.

I love talking about it. And it is definitely the life

changer. Because just church isn't

enough. That's right.

Yeah. Yeah, that's something I

whenever we planted City Post Church, that was the heart.

It was, you know, that's where that's where the name came out

of. We wanted to be like where the

truth came out of, you know, like the Washington Post, you

know, So if, if our church is going to be known for one thing

regardless, you know, of, of everything else, people have to

be able to say, man, I got truth.

You know, everything else, like whatever worship was different,

whatever. But if if people could say, man,

they they honor the word of the Lord there, that's kind of what

we wanted to be about, you know, So everything else is icing on

the cake, right? Could say, yeah, man.

So just last couple things we'll do like a little quick round so

people get to know you a little bit more.

All right, All right. So favorite Taco spot?

Man I know this is hard. Well the first one that comes to

mind is milk tacos. OK, but I went there the other

day and it was kind of wack. Yeah, dude, it kind of fell off

a little bit. But you know what I'm going to

say? Milk tacos.

Anyway, so you're Juanitos are real tacos.

No, bro, Juanitos is too dry. I need salt.

Yeah. I'm not sure why it's so packed.

They must be running like a business in the back I don't

know about or something you know.

This one was divided the church, I'm just saying.

But yeah, meat tacos. OK, cool, cool man.

So what are you listening to on Spotify right now?

I listen to a lot of worship music.

Yeah, some of my favorite Benjamin William Hasting.

Yeah, he's awesome. Yeah, I.

Love, I really love Force Frank. He's pretty cool.

But SEU worship, yeah, it's pretty good.

Yeah, those are top three, I guess.

Nice man. So what's your go to movie?

What's a movie that you could watch over and over and over

again? Fire, dude, That's Rachel's.

Really. So Wild Man on Fire is the bomb.

Rachel loves that movie and loves that movie Casey.

Anyways, yeah, yeah, the next one is you, You and Connie.

If if you guys go on a date, do you have like a specific spot or

something that y'all love doing? Not really.

Connie's like super chill, bro. OK.

She's like a goal with the flow kind of guy.

Whatever. She don't want to plan nothing.

She's like, yeah, that's good. Yeah, so.

But we really like pluckers. OK, nice.

The kids really like pluckers. We like pluckers.

Well, we'll go eat pho. Yeah, that's why.

Actually, we did last night. Dream destination?

Like if you could go on a vacation anywhere, where would

you guys love to go? Man, probably Greece, really

Greece for the history and it's super beautiful and the food.

But yeah, other than that, I think I'm good right here.

That's right. Or Padre.

We love Padre. That's true, Padre.

Just easy. OK, that's dope, man.

And then like, are you the type of person that when you go on

vacation, do you want like an agenda or you just want to go

and just hang out? A little bit of both.

I definitely want to have some stuff planned just to kind of

have a little bit of structure, because if not, we're just going

to be at the beach 12 hours a day.

Praise God. So that's me right there A.

Little bit of both. OK, awesome man.

And and as we close up, you know, I was thinking about what

you were talking about, like the men of the church, the families,

things that you're seeing. What do you how do you encourage

the mom or the wife who says, I don't have that?

You know, I love the person I'm with, but they're not that

person, you know, like how, how do you encourage somebody?

Well, next to the obvious pray, yeah, we're just going to share

what Connie did, and that was live out her faith and be

faithful to the Lord and just not bending for anything when

Connie's conviction is what really led me to really dig

deeper. She was really infatuated with

Jesus and we weren't married, but we were still doing married

people stuff. And she did it because she loved

me, but she would repent right after.

And that killed me, you know. So her living out her faith was

a really big push for me. So I would just encourage

anybody, what man or woman, to just continue to live out your

faith and don't stop praying. I love that man.

Yeah. And that's something I've

learned too, is like it's the Holy Spirit that changes the

heart. So it's right, you know, our,

our role is to, to share the gospel, live it out, love

people, you know, follow the ways of Christ.

But it's only him that could do it.

You can't. That's right.

And once you realize that, and there's a weight that's lifted.

Yeah, life's a little bit. It's a little easy.

Less frustrating, That's right. Man, that's awesome, brother.

Man, any last words before we shut this thing down?

Man, just glad to be here, honestly, about part of City

Post. I know I've mentioned to you

before, God has put a calling on my life and I'm able to serve

here at City Post with no theological decree and just a

truck driver who has a lot of time to sit and read the word,

you know? But I love what City Post is

doing, and I'm just very, very honored and blessed to be a part

of that stuff. Man, that's great, dude.

And I will say, I mean, I have a degree and I still don't know.

So it's all right, man. That's awesome.

Hey, guys. So thank you, Juan, for hanging

out with us, and we'll see you around.

Yeah.