"Set Up or Set Free? From Rivals to Brothers" ft. JC Almanza

The Moment God Changed Our Story | Interview with JC Almanza

In this raw, unfiltered episode of From Wrong to Strong, host Omar Calvillo sits down with JC Almanza, founder, creator and CEO of "Wrong To Strong", to tell a story of faith, redemption—and a reconnection that almost never happened.

JC shares how returning to his old neighborhood brought back old demons: fear, paranoia, and memories of violence. He describes a moment when he thought he was being set up, jumped in his car and fled—only to be calmed by Omar’s voice on the phone and turn back. What could have stayed a tragic missed meeting instead became a “divine appointment” and the start of restored brotherhood.

This conversation goes deep into:

*life inside gangs and the scars that follow
*near-misses, fear, and spiritual attacks on the road to healing
*trusting God and one another to bridge past rivalries
*how reconciliation fuels the mission to transform lives affected by crime and violence

If you want honesty, raw testimony, and proof that God can reconcile —this episode is for you.

https://wrongtostrong.com/

Transcript

JC: 0:00

thank you for the teaching. Thank you for the lessons, storms and, and just the life that you've given us. There's not a day that I'm not amazed with what you've done with us, and, uh, I just wanna ask you to keep, keep continuing teaching us and guiding us through, through this walk here and, and letting us be the ambassadors that you want us to be. Let it be your will, not our own. In Jesus' name. Amen.

0:46

From the city of Chicago, a city most recently known for its crime and violence from this podcast. We will be sharing stories of redemption from individuals raised in the tough streets of Chicago and from around the country. Some of them were gang members, drug dealers, incarcerated victims, and perpetrators of violence. Listen to my guests as they share their experiences, struggles, trauma, but also the strength, hope, faith, and perseverance these have developed in them to keep pushing and moving forward in life. Tune in to hear how their lives have gone, from darkness to light, and from wrong to strong.

Omar: 1:26

Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of From Wrong to Strong. I'm your host. My name is Omar Calvillo, and tonight we got a very special, uh, episode, very special interview, uh, on the podcast. And we have JC Almanza, founder, creator, CEO of Wrong to Strong. We're gonna get into the genesis, uh, story of, how we met the way God was working behind the scenes even then. To what he was doing, what to what God placed on this brother's hearts to start, which was, uh, wrong to strong. Uh, he's gonna share the vision, how it came to him, what he did with it, and ultimately how we reconnected. And we're gonna recap into the, basically the work that we're doing today. So, I'd like to welcome my brother JC Almanza, to the podcast.

JC: 2:17

Hey, what's up bro? Thank you. Uh, thank you for having me.

Omar: 2:21

I know for sure, man. I mean, you're, you're, I mean, we're gonna get into it, but basically you're the reason why we're doing this, uh, podcast today. Uh, uh, I was just thinking earlier in a month from now, it's gonna be three years that I've been doing this, man. So it's been an, uh, an amazing run and uh, it's been an amazing, uh, a ride that I've been on, man, and, and it is all thanks to you. And we're, we're gonna get into that. But, uh, I, I think I, I shared with you right before we started re recording how the last time we did a podcast interview was, man, August 15th, 2023. So man, it's been two years since we did a podcast together.

JC: 2:57

Yeah, yeah. It's been, uh, it is been a minute. Uh, we've both been busy and, you know, uh, I tell people, uh, it's been great to see the, the kingdom just grow and what, what God is doing. And, and, um, more than anything, like, uh, I was telling you earlier, uh, the changes that I see in, in me as a, as a person, um, I mean, sometimes I have to kind of like take a step back because, uh, you know, he's, uh, he's really cleaned me up, man. And it, and it's, uh, it's been a couple of years now, but it feels like just yesterday that, uh, I got on my knees and I just, I just asked for help. And it's, it's crazy because that's, that's how easy it was, you know? Um, I just had to humble myself and ask for help. And, uh, my whole life changed. My whole life changed. Uh, but, um, I'm gonna, I'm gonna go back, man. I'm gonna go back to, uh, the Chicago Times. Man, I, I remember when, um, when I got tr, I remember when I got to East Moline, I wanna say it was, uh, early nineties, I wanna say. Uh, you know, it was like, uh, 1998. Yeah, just, I just remember like, you know, my, I always tell people my life was going so fast, man, and it started at such a young age that I, I just remember bits and pieces. I remember the stories, but I don't remember what years they were, you know, so it is, it was, it's just like a flash. But I remember getting there. What, right when I got to receiving, there was an SD working there, receiving, I forgot his name, a Mexican dude with black hair. Um, so I started talking to him and he's like, yeah, you know, there's a couple of the guys here, blah, blah, blah. And, uh, it, it just was like heaven.'cause everybody had their, their regular clothes on. Um, I don't know, it just seemed different. I had already done a little bit of time, so, uh, I, I was in, I was in heaven, obviously, man. Um, the, the best memories I remember from that prison are the pizzas Digiorno's, the, Digiorno's pizza that they sold in the, in the oven. Um. I think, I think when you were there, you were, you were working like at a job because I think you would buy one every week for us when you, before you got disappeared on me.

Omar: 5:31

Yeah. So, uh, back then I was probably doing, uh, what they call the, uh, in, uh, industries. So I remember, uh, I, I forget, I know I did a couple jobs. They had a, a, a, a, um, they had the, uh, laundry department. Mm-hmm. We used to wash, uh, the sheets and the blankets for the hospitals and that demand, that was a dirty job, man. Those hospital sheets, sometimes they'll come in with all type of, uh, what would you say? Liquids. Let's just put it that way, man. Whether it be mud, whether it be, whatever you could imagine that comes out of a human. Uh, and there. So that was one job. And then the other job that I had was in industries doing a recycling. They used to bring in the old refrigerators, stoves, and, uh, we used to strip'em down, take the sheet metal off, uh, take the, the copper wires. And basically we used to do that, man.

JC: 6:19

I remember because I didn't have a job. So I remember I would, uh, I would wait for you to come back because after you got back from work, that's when we would, uh, play handball with, uh, Loco. And, and, and there was a, another ABR there that we used to hang around with us a lot too. Uh, uh, I think it was Menace or Oh, yeah, yeah. Menace. Yo,

Omar: 6:41

yo,

JC: 6:41

I was, uh, uh, van Delia and East Moline, so that was our little group right there. You know what I mean? We used to play handball all the time. And then, um, and then you disappeared. Yeah. You disappeared. And, um, it's funny because when I was there after you disappeared one day I was on the yard and the, uh, the feds came into the yard and, and snatched me up on the yard and took me, you know, uh. I guess they had kind of like lost track of me since I had gotten transfers from Mexico and, and just, I got lost in the system I guess. So they were, I was like a wanted man and uh, they took me to downtown and brought me, and I ended up back in Vienna, you know what I mean? Because I straightened it out and everything. I went back and it was so funny because when I got back everybody was like, man, that dude's the plug. That dude's the plug. And I started getting free pizzas. I started getting blessed, uh, and they moved me all the way in the back where, uh, all the workers quarters, I guess it was where you had your own cubicle and everything. Like, and that's what I mean. Like now I sit back and I'm like, look at, look at how God, like was still even without even me knowing, you know, he was, he was protecting me. He was, and I just didn't know how to appreciate it, you know what I mean? Like, uh, uh. Right away. You know, I, I used it to my advantage and I, I, you know, I, I, uh, you know, I took a lot of pizzas. I took a lot of pizzas. I, I ended up, um, you know, going home from there. And, um, you know, honestly, I never thought I would see you again. I, I, I've done plenty of time with a hundred dudes and, and, you know, uh, I never see'em again. Yeah. You know, even if we were tight, even if we cried together, did stuff together, like, there's people that I never saw again. So I really never thought I would see you again. You know, you, you made an impact on me because like, you, you, you cared about if I had hygiene, you were always asking me. And, uh, I don't know if I, if I smelled or you were just worried that,

Omar: 8:59

you know what, go, go, go. Going back to that, like, uh, I remember back then when I got there. And, uh, uh, I'm sure people that have been in, uh, locked up know that somebody holds like what they call the box, right? Like, like for the mob. And I used to co collect the, uh, basically, uh, the new ports, uh, shower shoes, uh, soap, uh, shampoo, food, deodorant and all that. So basically that's the reason that that, that, that, that I looked out. But, uh, well, when I look back too, I think it goes, goes back to my family man. Like, uh, learning, uh, hospitality.

JC: 9:29

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm

Omar: 9:30

not like now, now when I look back and, and I see the way I'm wired and why I do what I do, it, it was from seeing my, my family, like always being there from my other family. Like, let's say we have family came from a, um, Mexico, they didn't have nowhere to stay. They, they would stay there, they would give'em food. Mm-hmm. Try, try to help'em get a job. So basically all, all that to say that I believe that hospitality came. From seeing it active in my family. And then going back to when you said that I disappeared on you, uh, that's when I got, uh, caught getting a tattoo basically on the deck. Uh, I remember they walked in on us. I got, they caught me getting a tattoo. They threw me in the hole. I was there for, uh, for a month, I think like, uh, 30 days. And then from there, there they shipped me to Danville, which was in like middle of 99. And I, I believe I did like my last six months in Danville. And that, that's when I got out in, uh, I got out in February of 2000. But yeah. Go. Going back. So you, you said you, you thought we weren't gonna see each other again, right?

JC: 10:31

No, you know, um, like I said, I've, I've done time with, uh, over a hundred SDS from like, everywhere from,'cause I, I've hit a couple yards. Um, I, I've been to East Moline, I've been to Jacksonville, um, Joliet, uh, I was at that, uh, coed one. Um. That's like a mental institute. Um, it's a medium. Um, Dixon, is it Dixon? Yeah, Dixon, uh, uh, Shawnee when I went to the, uh, gang program. Um, so like, you know, I, I've done time, so like, and there's been so many people that like, I get out, dude, they get killed, or I just, I just never see'em again. And I never really thought I, I would see you again. So like, you know, uh, I remember the day we spoke. I was, I remember exactly, I was in the garage. I was working out and, and you know, it was in a moment where, where God was really like putting some really crucial components back together in me, man, because I don't think people realize,

Omar: 11:42

I, I, I think you, you're going to, when you, when you had that experience with God.

JC: 11:47

Yeah.

Omar: 11:47

Yeah. But you know what? We seen each other when, in, in the streets before this incident, man. We did, you don't remember, it was back, like in the early two thousands, 2001. Uh, we actually clubbed together, man. What was the name of that club? Velocities. I remember. Uh, yeah. And, and you know what, uh, uh, you probably forgot this incident, but you, you at, at one point, it was in the summertime, and I was on cmac, and you came through in a silver pickup, really jacked up with big old tires. I don't know if you remember that. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Oh, I, I, I, I, I remember my truck. Yeah, I remember that, that incident because you pulled up and I was hanging out there and, and you let me take it for a ride, man. And I remember driving through the other side of, of, of the hood, like on 18 to 19th. Mm-hmm. I remember just the, the guys like, man, they didn't know like who was coming through in this ram basically. But yeah, we, we, we basically hung out and I don't know if you remember this incident too. We actually went to a restaurant. I had my hand in the cast and you picked me up and we went to a restaurant and we, we met, we met with some people, and those was probably the people that you were working with back then. I didn't even know,'cause I wasn't in, I wasn't in that lifestyle. I was just basically gang banging back then. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know if you remember that, but yeah, we, we did connect in the street for, for, for a little

JC: 13:06

bit. Um, you know, uh, there's, there's, uh, a lot of moments in my life that, like, I always wonder like, man, like, did I do like a lot of dr I mean, I know I did a lot of drugs, but I, I tell my wife sometimes too, I know that the, the beatings had to affect me too. You know what I mean? Because like, I got hit in the head a lot and, uh, I've been noticing lately, like now that I'm getting older, man, there's certain things that I forget or like, and I'm like, great. I was like, I'm gonna mess around. I have like old timers or something. But, uh, uh, now I, uh. I, I remember bits and pieces, and then I remember, I remember Marlo used to always be in touch with you. You know what I mean? Like, uh, he always, he always knew something about you, you know what I mean? So like, uh, um, that's another, another, another story. Yeah.

Omar: 14:04

I remember when I got out, I was actually like, I, I would, uh, hang, hang out out there a lot.

JC: 14:09

Yeah. So like, I don't know, man, I, I, I, I look at those, those days now, and I, I, um, I realize like today, now, like right now, I realize, um, how lost I was, man. Like how, how, not even how dark my soul was, but how naive and how just lost. Um, because I was never a bad guy. You know? I was, I was just surviving. I was mimicking what everybody else was doing. And, um. Man, bro, it is just, it's, it's a blessing to see, like I said, like to see us now to see you, to see just, just the, the changes and what's happening is, is, is just, it's beautiful, man.

Omar: 14:54

Yeah, man. Alright. So I, I, I know you, you were sharing to the part. So now let's fast forward. So like I said, we reconnected in, in the street like around 2000, 2001. I lo, I, I lost contact with you. It had to be like 2003. Mm-hmm. When I, I believe the last time I, I heard from you or heard, heard of you. Yeah. And, you know, and then it was, uh, going to now fast forwarding 2021, it had to be like in the summer of 2021. My, my younger brother, he came to me, he's like, Hey man, uh, uh, uh, j uh, jcs on YouTube and he's making videos. I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, yeah, he's got a channel a, a wrong, the strong. So I actually started following you, let's say the summer of 2021. I started watching your videos, you know, what you were doing back then. And then, uh, fast forward to, I believe it was around November, if I'm not mistaken, of 21. Mm-hmm. That's when I, when I seen the video that you made saying that you had this encounter, and I don't know if you wanna share what ha what happened that day?

JC: 15:52

You know, uh, I, I tell people, you know, um, I'm never gonna try to explain to someone like what happened that day, but I, I know it was something supernatural. It was so, it was God. Um, because, you know, uh, I, I, I got on my knees for the first time in my life. I tell people, you know, I, I really never looked for God when I was in prison. I really never looked for God when I, I I was scared. It, it was, it, prayer outta being scared is not looking for God, you know? Um, and that's what I would do. You know, it would, it would be prayers when they were putting the cuffs on me or putting me in the backseat of the car and, uh, uh, stuff like that. But like, uh, that day. I went downstairs knowing what I was gonna do. Like I always, I I tell people now, that day my discipline paid off. The discipline that I had been training my whole life, paid off that day because I got on my knees with a purpose. I got on my knees and I yelled to God to help me. And as soon as I said that, you know, as soon as I finished, uh, it happened. You know, and, and I believe it's because I, I, I asked, you know, like, honestly, I asked for help. And, um, I got up a new man, man, I, I, I tell people I cried for hours, you know? Uh, I know it was that little kid crying. I know it was, it was, it was JC at 12. It was JC at 10. It was JC at four, I, it was jc and all those years, because. God started putting me back together that day. And, um, he knows how to do things the best way. You know, I, I tell people once I let go of that, of the steering wheel and he took over, that's when everything started to change in me. Like everything, the way I spoke, the way, you know, there's, there's characters about me that are still the same. I'm still very passionate. I'm still very, uh, I guess you could say rough around the edges to some people, I guess because I'm, um, I guess, I don't know, bro, I'm a lion. I, I, I roar when I speak and, and now that, that I talk about Jesus, sometimes people try to throw buckets of water at me, and I just, I shake it off and I roar even louder. You know what I mean? Because like, I, I don't believe that nobody, if, if someone, if a young Christian is on fire for Jesus. Don't, don't throw a bucket of water on him. Like, you know, teach him. Don't, don't, don't like, uh, chasta that, or like, tell, oh, that's not right, or no, like, you know, teach'em, you know, take'em under your wing. Do it, do it with love. Do it with, with care. I tell people, well, I, I went through some nasty moments in my, the beginning of my, my walk because Christians that I didn't look like were thinking like, I guess less of me, or that I wasn't, you know, I shouldn't be in that church. I should be in another church or in a Spanish church. And, and it was crazy because I never left. I, I stayed there because I felt that God had me there for a reason. I was learning. And yeah, I'm, I'm glad that I listened. I'm glad I was disciplined enough to stay there and just take it and, and, and not make it about me. Not make it about how I felt, not make it about, oh my, my emotions, my feelings. No, uh, it, I was there to train for God. I was there to learn what, what it is to be more like Jesus and less like me. And, uh, you know, I watch some of my videos now, and I, I watch myself talking. Even when I went to the prison, I went to the prison and I talked, and my buddy was blessed enough to go in with me. And after my first speech, he, he calls me, he's like, jc, he's like, as soon as you got up there, it's almost like you turned on the switch. And I was like, nah, man. That's just, that's just the Holy Spirit man. I get happy to share how God has changed my life, and I, I get happy to share that. This is something free that anybody could have. It is just not for me. It's not just for you. Like anybody could have this, you, you just, you know, you just gotta really mean it. I tell people, uh, words are empty without actions, you know? And, um, I, I, I, I make sure man, like when I get up that I tell him, man, thank you. Like EE Even that takes discipline because there's days that I get up and I don't say, I don't wanna say thank you. I mean, let's be honest, I wake up tired sometimes, man. I, I wake up, uh, I, I've been the one man circuit show for the past seven years, so, you know, there's times that I don't wake up, but like, I, I, I tell the, um, somebody at the gym today told me something very powerful. He said, uh, he's at JC for, for seven years now. He's like, I've been watching you come into this gym and come into the other gym where you work out. He's like, and you've been through homelessness, you've been through divorces. He is like, but your morning schedule never changed. Then I was like, yeah, because if I let that change, then everything else falls apart. That has to stay the same. And, and, and, uh, you know, uh, I tell people, you don't, you don't need to shout and scream that you're a Christian and, and that you, Jesus is Jesus. That you don't even have to do that if you're actually treating and loving people the way you have to, the way you should. Amen. The way that he tells us to, the way that he teaches us.

Omar: 21:57

Yes, sir.

JC: 21:58

Like, you know, I, I tell, I tell the guys I compare everything to my gang life, to my street life, because it's the better way that I understand it, but I also believe it's the way that he's telling me to teach. You remember all those guys that would be always wearing the colors and, and gang banging all hard and everything, and then when they would get run up on they, they would throw the signs down and foul flag and, and, and everything. So what good was it for you to be shouting and, and, and representing and all that? Then if you're not ready to die for that cross, you get what I'm saying? Like, you know, I, I I believe that the way I treat people, the way I love people, the way I respect people, should represent that I am a follower of Christ. Amen.

Omar: 22:45

And, and, and it all began that day that, that you got on your knees, right? He did something dramatic in you. Now, I, I know a, a a little while ago you said, I, I, I know that's when we went back in the story, but you said that you remember that the day I called you, you said you were in the garage. So you remember the, the conversation when we basically, uh, re reconnected after almost like, I think 15 years or something.

JC: 23:07

Yeah, I, I, um, and I was working out, I was doing legs in there. I, I was actually getting ready for a competition. Um, and, um, I don't know, it just, it felt good because you were telling me you were proud of me that day and, uh, that, you know, my walk and stuff like that. And I, I was kind of still u new to it. Um, not used to people, I guess, you know, giving me like high fives on it and stuff like that. Like, I, I was still, I was still kind of like in a stage where I was like, Hey, don't, don't, don't trust me with the gun yet. I I, I, I might go back. Yeah. Like, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't count the chickens before the hatch, you know? So like, I, I wasn't liking that people were, were, were, I guess you could say celebrating so much. Got it. A lot of people were celebrating, you know, John was celebrating, he was sending me messages from people in China praying for me and, and, and all this stuff. And, and I was like, man, I'm about to let all these people down in China, the uk. I was like, but the whole world down, man. You know, little did I realize that in that moment, I needed all those prayers, man, because, you know, I, we came about some of the hardest attacks that we've ever faced. Uh, me and Bethany as, as a, as a couple, as as friends, as, as followers, e everything, because I mean, it, it got to the point where I felt that I was being attacked so much. I was on the floor, I couldn't defend myself, and she was constantly praying for me because, you know, it was. If we're gonna be transparent, you know, I, I suffer from a lot of mental health issues, man. And, and I believe it's one of the biggest forms that the enemy has used to, to, to attack me. You know, uh, hearing voices, uh, seeing shadows, um, just the stuff that was diagnosed, you know, schizophrenia, um, stuff like that. And, um, it was a time where, you know, Beth, Beth took a spiritual, a spiritual beating. You know, it, it was, it was really hard on her. Um, she ended up in the hospital. Uh, it, it, it was, it was battle. It was battle, battle, battle. And I believe that if all those people weren't praying, it could have probably been worse, you know? Um, we're barely, barely coming back from that war. There was a lot of wounded in that war, and, and, um, we're just coming back. Uh, we are stronger, our, our relationship, everything. Um, but like, those are all lessons, man, lessons that like, uh, I tell people when you become a, a when you, when you start to walk the yard with Jesus, you know, uh, there's lessons that you're gonna get taught with your partner, and there's lessons that you're gonna get taught by yourself, and there's lessons that you're gonna be taught with your kids and, and, and, and they're, they don't interwind. Yeah, they're all the same, but they're different lessons. And, and this is why you have to be paying attention and, and, and, and, you know, keeping your heart, your eyes open and, and just, just listening, man, you know, um, I, I believe that one of the biggest gifts he's given me today is that my mind is not going, my mind's not going 150 miles an hour no more. It's only 90 now. Got it. But I, I'm grateful for, for that because I, I'm able to at least sit down and be still for, for a couple hours now. Um, uh, you know, and, and it took, it took years. It took years of getting up, believing, praying, showing up, and, and, you know, um, he, I feel like he hasn't given me a easy task either. You know, he's, he's given me a lot of projects that have required constant, constant work for the past, you know, um, three years I've been nonstop and, and everything. And three months ago when I walked away from the gym, um, I just knew it was time. He was not playing no more. You know, I, I felt that I got injured a bunch of times for a reason and. I wasn't listening. And finally, uh, I, I had to put my, my money scared to the side. I had to put my ego to the side. I had to put everything to the side and, and, and leave the gym and, and walk in faith and, and know that he wanted me and needed me somewhere else. And, um, I'm glad I made that decision, bro. I'm, I'm, I'm happy because I've seen the fruits that happened from, uh, me leaving the gym.

Omar: 28:22

You know what, before we get into,'cause eventually, I, I, I also want to get into what you're doing now.'cause man, it, a lot has happened. Like I said, we haven't done a podcast in, uh, two years. And actually, I, I, I listened to the interview earlier just so I could see like what's happened like from then till now. Uh, but the reason why we did this interview go, go into what you, something you brought up right now about your mind going 150 miles per hour. So. We reconnected on the phone. You know, that, that day we talked, we then I think we maybe text, I, I forget how we reconnected. Uh, Snapchat. I, I believe the first time we talked was like through Snapchat or something. Or what's the other one? Instagram and, well, well, one of those. I think it was

JC: 29:03

Instagram.

Omar: 29:04

Yeah. So then, uh, months later. So you, so you got saved in, I believe, around November, 2021. And then in April of 2022, you came out here to get a, a baptized in Aurora. You, you, you wanna share that, that, that part of the story.

JC: 29:20

Okay.

Omar: 29:21

Um, so, uh, well actually what my, my bad, I think the, before you went to Aurora, that's when you were supposed to come over here, right? So I don't, I don't, yeah, because it, I don't even, it was, uh, the Saturday night. So Saturday night was the night that we were supposed to gather at my house. And then the following day, the following morning is when you got baptized in Aurora. So I, I, I forget. I think you flew in on a Friday. Then Saturday was the day you were supposed to come over to my house. So the, the reason that I share that is'cause uh, uh, JC called me, uh, two weeks ago and we were talking on the phone, and basically, uh, we've been doing, like I said, it's gonna, I've been doing this podcast for gonna be three years. So I believe we rec reconnected, let's say about three and a half years ago. Let, let, yeah, let, let's say just for the sake of time, three and a half years ago. Mm-hmm. So, and then, then, and he brought up something that this almost never happened, like what I'm doing. And, and I mean, he, he probably would've kept doing what he's doing. You know, I, I'm sure a guy would've used him, but this relationship almost didn't happen. And he brought up something that he's like, Hey man, after he shared that, he's like, Hey, we gotta do a podcast interview and talk about this. So that, that's the reason why we're here. So I'm gonna throw it over to you. And you, you, you could share like when you came over here on the Friday and then what, what happened, you know.

JC: 30:49

I mean, it, it was my, my first kind of trip back to, uh, back home, you know, um, back to Illinois and, and, uh, that, that whole trip, man, God, God was showing me. But at the same time, I, I was being, you know, attacked. You know, my, my old, my old demons were, were, were around. But, um, I, I'm gonna, I'm gonna go a little bit back. Yeah. Before I went to your house. When I, when I landed and I went to Aurora the first day, um, I was out jogging at like three in the morning. And, uh, uh, a car stopped and a bunch of the kids, a bunch of kids, when I say kids, but it was, it was, you know, they jumped out a bunch of deuces and it, it was funny because. I got really scared. I got really scared because I thought they were gonna like shoot me or something. And one of the guys was like, oh, that's, uh, JC Ron Strong. And uh, it was funny because I had spoken to one of the leaders before I, I flew out there, um, and he had told me that it was gonna be all good, you know, um, that, uh, if they could go to the church, uh, that they wouldn't cause no problems. And it was just like, it, it was just God orchestrating a lot of things. But at the same time, I was telling people I was paying attention and it was happening right in front of me, you know? Uh, but just, just like good things happen, bad things happen. So on the next day, I'm supposed to go to your house and, um. I'm back in the neighborhood, man. You know, I remember as soon as I, I hit 63rd and Sister Row, um, it just hit me hard, you know, I, I got a lot, I got into a lot of, a lot of drama in that area and, uh, you know, um, I mean, you, you know, I, I had history with the SDS at the end. It wasn't, I didn't leave on good terms and, and, and it was, it was just bad blood, you know? They wanted to hurt me and, and, uh, but vice versa, you know? And, and, um, when I got to your house, man, uh, man, the devil really started messing with my head man, because I remember parking in front and just feeling like a cloud of like, fear just came over me like crazy. And I was hearing voices. Um, like seeing things. And, and I remember that I walked up the stairs and I rang the doorbell, and then I heard voices saying that he's here, he's here. So then I ran down, I went, I went the stairs down, and I went through the back and I saw somebody back there, and I was like, I knew it. I knew they were gonna try and set me up and, and, and kill me. And I jumped in my car, man. And I, I left so fast and, you know, uh, I, I was, I was shaking because, uh, I'm really hard on myself sometimes because I, I feel that I'm too nice sometimes, or I let my guard down sometimes. And, and people have been able to hurt me like that, you know, uh, I trust people too fast or, or just so you know, I, I, it, it's almost cost me my life sometimes. So, uh, to run and be so scared, man, I remember just, just getting on, uh, that street that cuts through the middle. I, uh, it's a, a Archer Avenue. Archer Avenue, and I was passing up McDonald's when you called me. And, um, I could hear the, um, I don't know, like, uh, the worry in your voice after I told you that I left. Um, I just trusted your voice when you said I was gonna be okay, and I turned around. It was hard. I was scared, but, uh, I listened and I went back. And, uh, I, I tell people, it ended up being like a beautiful night for me. You know, I got to see Ernie, they sang all the songs that I was really into back in those days. I, back in those days, I was like into three Christian songs. That was it. That's all I listened to. It was, I didn't have Lauren, Lauren Dagel, I believe was, uh, yeah, a couple. Yeah. Yeah. And it was all songs that my wife had like recommended I listened to, and, you know, um, but those are the three songs that like kept me alive for those seven months, you know, and, and, um, uh, it's why I told you it was important to, for us to make this video because, uh, me going back, you know, it, it turned into something that God had already planned. And sometimes, but by us being fearful or being doubtful or, or, or just not listening, um, we missed the target. And, and who knows when the target's gonna present itself again. You know? Uh, yes. We know that God directs everything, and even when we make bad choices, he still uses them. But I believe that when we listen, the plan moves a little bit faster.

Omar: 36:54

Yeah.

JC: 36:55

And, and, um, me being so afraid, man, to go back, uh, just showed me how disciplined I am, even, you know, uh, when I was afraid. You know, I, I, uh, I, I, I, I think, um, I think you spoke to, uh, I, the Victorious Living, um, lady with, I had a brave party. No, no.

Omar: 37:21

Christina.

JC: 37:22

Christina. Um, you know, they're, they're gonna share, they're gonna share the story in the magazine about how. When I was a kid and he would make me jump into the water when we would go to a public pool, um, even in fear and, and all that, I would still jump in because I, I knew there was gonna be consequences if I didn't. But I, I strongly believe that moments like that as a kid has, has taught me to, uh, to, to be the man that I am today. You know? Um, I even in, in fearful moments, I, I, I still listen and, and, uh, I, I, I go forward, you know, there's, there's times right now where God has sent me into rooms where I'm the only one that looks the way that I look, and I'm scared to be there. I'm scared, I'm embarrassed. People try to like, make me seem like I'm dumb, you know? Uh, the attacks come in many different ways.

Omar: 38:24

Yeah.

JC: 38:24

And, and, and I've, I've been. I've been like, I don't, I don't even know how to say it. Like, you know, these past years it's been like a, you know, a rock that gets hit with the waves. Um, you get, I've been humbled or molded,

Omar: 38:41

kinda like just molded man molded

JC: 38:43

and, and just smooth because like, I've been humbled so much because I was such a mean, mad person. And, and now, you know, I'm still mean and mad. But you, you know, what

Omar: 38:58

if, if I could go back and share, I, I, I think with the, the, uh, I'm mistaken the woman is Christie, OO or Overton, uh, that's the one that you did the interview with. And, and that's, I believe where you were talking about how even when they used to jump in the pool, that's how you learn to, even if I'm scared, man, I'm gonna jump into something, but I wanna go back to like that day. Like, uh, and the reason I wanna bring it up,'cause when you, when you, when we talk, uh, two weeks ago on the phone, like. Like this? Almost never, uh uh, if, if you wouldn't have came to my house that day, we probably wouldn't have reconnected. And I, I, I was even thinking like, man, you probably would've thought that, man, yeah, this guy's trying to set me up. And like, I remember when you called me and they're like, man, yeah, you, you're trying to to kill me. I'm like, man, here I was. I got my, my wife and kids and I, I I, I remember that day'cause um, my, my kids were in the backyard and, uh, I, I, I, to be honest, I don't, I don't remember hearing the doorbell, but I remember my kids coming in the, Hey dad, somebody just came to the side, they looked and they just left La la nah. Like, I don't think it was this guy.'cause this guy would've, you know, he, he would've let me know he was here and something told me to call you. And that's when I called you. You're like, man, I think you were by McDonald's. And that's when you told me that. I'm like, man, like, and, and I know you mentioned something about my voice reassuring you. I, I believe that was the Holy Spirit man.'cause uh, that day I had nothing but church people coming over here. You know, we basically, I know you mentioned singing the songs, that that's because, uh, so basically what we planned to do that night was for you to come over and share what God had been doing in your life. Like, basically share your testimony. So I had, I had invited like a bunch of church people, uh, and, and then that couple came that led us in worship, you know, uh, husband and wife, uh, playing the guitar and singing. So it was worship. So, uh, yeah, like, um, I, I think back, like basically fear, not, not just fear, but trauma and, and I believe it's, um, it was, uh, something that it was, I guess un un understandable to have that.'cause I, I, I go to certain area, certain neighborhoods and, and I have that, like, with me, it happens like I grew up, like in Pilsen and, uh, all the way to the age of 13. And at 13 we moved into Gage Park, which was like the totally opposite, you know, like gang like from where I grew up. Mm-hmm. And, and I remember like basically. Like going in and out my house, we, we always had to look out the windows before we went in and out. That, that was my life for years, man. I think for let's say like 10, 15 years of living there, like going in and out. My house was like, I had to look out the windows and then we, you, you go in the alley, you look side to side before you go to your car. And it's crazy how that affects me to this day. Like my, my wife trips out on me when, when I, even to this day, man, I've been saved for 20 years. When I go outside, I turn off my porch light. Like, like usually people. Yeah, because you don't wanna give him a target. It's crazy, man. Like

JC: 42:04

that's a Chicago thing

Omar: 42:05

though. So instead of turning, turning on the porch light, I turn it off and my wife's like, man, dude, turn on. Nah. Like, like I don't want nobody to see me. Even when I go to work in the morning, like I still do it, like I'll turn it off. But you know what's messed up? When I, when I get home at night, let's say I turn it off, I, I come home at night and I can't even see to put the key in the lock and my wife, like, you see, you should have the light on. But, uh, all, all that to say that it is understandable to have that basically PTSD, right? That, yeah, that trauma and then that kicks in, like you mentioned, once you hear, hit a certain street, like, man, those memories came and like you mentioned the, the history that you had. Yeah. When you said the, your, your old friends were basically trying to hurt you and, and more than hurt you, like, like, like kill you. So it was understandable to have that. But, uh, something that you said on the phone, uh, uh, when we, we talked that, that the enemy, like, like basically Satan himself was trying to stop this connection because I remember that night when you came and you shared your testimony and then afterwards we ate. And and when you first came, you, you, I could tell you were still like, uh, nervous. Like I know you mentioned the mind racing. I could see that your mind was racing. You were still like looking around, making sure you know that everything's good. But once we got into worship and prayer, you shared your testimony and then we ate. I, I still remember, I, I have a picture and actually when, when I released this interview, I'm gonna post that picture because I, I have a picture of you and Ernie, matter of fact, right where I, where I'm sitting right now. We had a table, and I remember we, you guys were sitting and I was sitting, uh, in front of you and then you, you, you looked around and you looked back here towards this area. And even, even back then, you told me, man, this, this would be a good area to, to do a podcast. And, and that was that day you came. And it wasn't until, that was in April and it wasn't until October. No, no, it wasn't until September when you called me and that's when you, you told me like that you were in prayer and you're like, man, I feel that God wants you to start a podcast. So I share all that to say that the enemy basically didn't, didn't want us to reconnect. Because of what I'm doing and what you're doing now, I don't know if you, you wanna share something about that?

JC: 44:19

You know, I, I always tell people like he, he knows, he knows a lot, you know, and, and sometimes, uh, he tries to take us off that road. That's why, you know, scripture says that it's, it's a very narrow road that, that we're on. Um, because we could be easily taken off and, and, and look at how easy it could have been to, to have never started the, the Chicago Round Strong Podcast to, uh, I mean, who knows if, if I would've continued, you know what I mean? Because like, I, I can't sit here and say that I would've probably kept on doing it. I, I don't know that because in fear a lot of people don't do stuff, you know? And, um, I could have probably been thrown by by then. You know, I, I was getting beat up so much by, by Christians that, that like. That's probably what, what he tried to do to break the, the camel's back to get me to, to come back, you know? Um, but after that, you know, that blessing of being there, and Ernie, most than anything, I wanna share this, that, you know, uh, me and Ernie grew up, grew up together as, as kids. And for him to hold, hold my hand literally, and tell me I'm gonna stand right next to you the whole night. And he did, you know, he did stand right next to me and that made me feel better. You know? It, it made me feel better because me and, uh, me and him have a lot of history. A lot of history. And then, uh, that, that man saved my life a lot of times. And, um, you know, him being there was, was just something that I, I believe that God knew that I needed.

Omar: 45:58

Yeah.

JC: 45:59

You know? And, um, like I said, it ended up being a, a beautiful night, bro. I, I, the songs, everything,

Omar: 46:06

I actually have video. Of you sharing your testimony that night. So I'm, when I release this, I'm gonna, I'm gonna see if I find it, I'm gonna throw maybe a clip of you sharing your testimony while you were here and the, while, the whole time, while you were sharing your testimony, Ernie was standing like right on the side of you, man. And with his arms folded look, look like a bodyguard man.

JC: 46:24

Mm-hmm.

Omar: 46:25

And I'm sure, I believe you even shared that day that that made you feel more

JC: 46:28

at ease. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I have a lot of trauma, man. I have a lot of trauma and, and, and people, it, it's why I tell people that one day, you know, my wife is gonna share the most powerful testimony of them all because it's gonna be, you know, our love story that, you know, God wrote for us because she got to meet the real jc the, the, the one that got drowned, the one that got raped, the, the one that got locked in that room. She got to meet that one. And, you know, uh, she never gave up on praying on me. She never, she never threw me away like everybody else. You know, and I believe that, that God used her to be one of my biggest teachers kept, do I? Do we fight? Yeah, we fight all the time. But it, it's, it's because like, you know, we're passionate about everything that we do. Like if we're gonna do it, we're gonna do it right. So like we, she's cleaning, we get into the biggest fight'cause she didn't want me to step on the floor. It's right. It's like, but, but, you know, um, like I said, all the stuff that we went through, anybody could have thrown in the towel. Uh, we, we, we separated a bunch of times. We, we moved out, but we still kept trying to, to, okay, how, how, what do we do? Or how do we fix this? And like, we didn't know what we were doing, but we, we let God lead the way. And, and here we are today. You know what I mean? Like. She's, she's, she's my wife, you know? Um, obviously God picked her for a reason because no one else could have been able to deal with me. Yeah. And, and, um, for her to back me up and everything that I'm doing now, you know, uh, there's, there's, there's so much that's happened in the past three years, uh, from being on the prison tablets here in Arizona to, uh, going to be on the prison tablets in Florida in November. Um, visiting Colorado again, uh,

Omar: 48:35

this month. Could I ask you, like, I, I know you mentioned being on the tablets, but what exactly of yours are, are you gonna be having on, on, on under?

JC: 48:45

Well, um, my, uh, interview that, uh, that God has used the most has been that interview with Chappy. That interview is on all the prison tablets all over the United States and federal state prisons. Amen. And, uh, people have watched my, my testimony have, have written me letters, uh, uh, just telling'em, you know, that I guess that must've been the most like, um,'cause I was at the beginning of my walk, so I was like, in a transition of learning and everything, but it was the most raw and authentic right before the change because now I sound like I'm educated. It's like,

Omar: 49:30

you know what? I'm, I'm gonna put a link to that interview when I released this. So, so, uh, make sure you just click on there and you'll be able to hear it. It's one of the most, like, like you mentioned, raw, deep. If, if I'm mistaken, it went over a million downloads, a million views, right?

JC: 49:46

Yep.

Omar: 49:46

Probably gotta get it be way,

JC: 49:48

way over that. Now, a lot of people viewed it, a lot of people, uh, just, I mean, to this day they tell me, they're like, and, and, and it's funny because I'll go speak at a prison. As soon as I start telling my story a little bit, they'll be like, I heard your story. And, and it's, uh, it, it's God just, you know, using someone that looks just like them, that's been just through stuff like them, um, and showing them that, you know, if he could put me back together, he, he could do it for them too. You know? Um, I, I believe that right now people's hearts are so hard and so made outta stone just because of how the world is now that, um, they have to build a little bit of trust first. Oh, you know, um, they have to feel. They have to, they have to know how much you care before they believe you. You know? And, and, and, um, I, I believe that, uh, that's why, um, you know, when I, when I go in there and I speak, and I, I give it to them pretty raw and just, just, I meet them right where they're at and I tell'em, Hey, I, I, I sat in all those chairs. I walked all these yards. I, I did, and I was good at it, you know? Um, I, I used to, I used to be good at it. And, and the thing is, is that it's because I let the enemy convince me that that's, that's what I all, I was meant to be a gang member, uh, a prison inmate and, and. It's, it's the biggest lie, the biggest lie ever. Like, we, we are not, we're not supposed to be in prison. We're not supposed to be, you know, slaves to anything. You know, God created us in such a powerful image that people don't realize this. It's why, like, um, I hear this a lot when people tell me, um, man, you're just, you're glowing, you're shining. And it's, it's my happiness, it's my peace. It's, it's my, um, my joy that I get to experience because I, I spent a little bit of time with God every day. And I say it like that because, uh, it says in the scripture, uh, it's the size of a mustard seed. Yeah, man. If, if, if that doesn't sell you, then I don't, I don't, I don't know what does then, you know, and, and that's just what it is, man. I, I live my life very, I created a system. I, I tell people I created a system just like in prison. I can function out here and God is, is the motor that runs my system. Amen.

Omar: 52:25

You know what I, I know you mentioned like the, uh, the prison getting on the tablets. Uh, you, do you wanna share what you're cur currently do doing now? Because I know, I don't know if you wanna share this, but there's something that you just were able to do that you were trying to get for. I, you mentioned that you said for years you were trying to do this and finally you did it. I believe like, uh, like a, um, last month, if I'm not mistaken,

JC: 52:47

I was, uh, I was trying to become a nonprofit, you know, I was trying to become a federal, uh, compliant nonprofit where if people donate money, land, whatever it is, they're act, they're actually able to write it off their taxes, you know? Um. This is, this is good for like, you know, wealthy donators, uh, uh, people that wanna help, you know, the mission. Um, I also believe that it didn't happen because it wasn't my time for it to happen. It's funny how easy it happened when it needed to happen. I, I, I, I told God, sometimes I, I look up and I just laugh and I'm like, I forget that you have a sense of humor. You know, because he created us in his image. So that means he has a sense of humor. And we we're probably, we probably make him laugh more than anything. You know, we're over here making our plans and everything and, and, you know, he's, he's out there like, man, what have I taught you, son? So we'll be done, man, you know, uh, getting that letter and, and, and just. Man, just get it. It was a happy day for me, I'm not gonna lie. It was a happy day for me. Even my wife knew how happy I was because, uh, I had tried so hard, I almost had given up on it. And, um, just putting that together and, and, and launching the programs we're about to launch and, and, and the, the job I just got at a SU and, and just, you know, what, uh,

Omar: 54:22

for, for people that don't know, what is a

JC: 54:23

SU and what is this job? Uh, a SU is the Arizona, uh, uh, college, state College of, uh, Arizona. Um, they, they gave me a job to help put together a program. It's called Be the Man Where it's, it's a, a program based to stop new human trafficking. Um, but it's basically a, a, a plan to teach men, uh, I'm, I'm gonna say pretty like. Black and white. Yeah. A, a program to teach men how to treat women. So I call it Jesus with a ski mask. You know what I mean? Like, you know, the, the, the, the head lady running the, the program says, why is it okay if a man could walk to the store at two in the morning? And a woman has to fear for her life when she does it. And, you know, it's crazy because knowing my background, you know, trying to protect my sisters as a kid, uh, protecting my mom, um, all that, this, this falls right into my realm also, uh, of wanting to, uh, to teach men, you know, how to be protectors, man. How, how to, to be men of God, you know? Uh, he, he didn't, I don't, I don't believe. He created weak individuals. I, I, I find that hard to believe, especially because we're, we're created in, in, in, in his image. And, and, uh, I believe that, uh, we're supposed to be strong man, like, uh, a, a, a strong, it's why, like, I don't, I don't, um, I don't let people bully me around.

Omar: 56:08

Mm-hmm.

JC: 56:09

You know, I don't, I don't, I don't let spiritual, uh, religious people bully me around. I don't, I, I just, you know, I, I put my head down and, and I do what I feel I need to do. And, um, I don't look for approval. I don't, I don't look for justification. Uh, you know, if I would've listened to everyone seven years ago when everybody was telling me, don't go to the prisons. Don't go there until they pay you, then wrong to strong. Would've never been born.

Omar: 56:40

Look at that. That's crazy to, to do it for money, man. But, but man, you've been doing it. And you wanna share how God's opened the doors to various

JC: 56:48

prisons. Now, I mean, I, I tell people my, my LinkedIn account is more busy than my Instagram. It's like, uh, uh, my LinkedIn account has become my number one, uh, asset business card. Uh, all my friends under our, our wardens, uh, correctional officers, law enforcement, um, pretty much, uh, everything that has to do with this new chapter that God has given me. You know, uh, I knew that one day I was gonna leave the gym. I just didn't know, uh, in like, what was I gonna do? But, you know, I, I realized today that, uh, he's turned my life into a classroom, you know, and I'm blessed to be able to teach people, uh. Parts and bits and pieces of, of mistakes that I made, you know, but now God has used that to turn it into a, a classroom, you know? Um, and that's what I'm gonna, so a s u's gonna pay me to put the program together, and then they're gonna pay me to go to the prisons to teach it. Wow.

Omar: 57:55

That's a blessing. You, you, you, you, you wanna share how, I know you were telling me like, man, like, I never see myself, you know, with, with my education, with my past, with my history to be hired at, uh, on, at a college to teach.

JC: 58:11

Well, I just, you know, I, I, I tell people I didn't, I didn't even go to school. Like I, I barely knew how to read and write and, and I was, I was, uh, what do they say it in Spanish? Aro? I, I, uh, a donkey. I, I, uh, I didn't, I don't even know my timetables. I don't even know my seven, my time, my seven, my seven timetables. Uh, I think, yeah, my seven and my eight. I was never really good at school, you know? Um, I just had a hard time. And to see, to see him using me as a teacher, I mean, it, it brings tears to me. Like, it, it brings tears to me. It humbles me. Um, uh, I forgot what the, uh, how the kids said it when we left Yuma, but he said, man, you must really feel like a badass when you leave. And I said, no, man. I, uh, I leave in tears. I leave in tears because I know how I felt when I was on those yards. And, um, I, you know, I wish someone would've came in with that flashlight and gave me a little bit of hope because maybe, maybe my darkness wouldn't have been as, as long as it, it, it, it was, you know what I mean? Like, uh, um, if someone would've just tried to, uh, to show me it,

Omar: 59:31

it, it, it, you know what, it is pretty deep. Like you mentioned, you go in there. And you talk to them. Then you go home, you know, you got your, your, uh, your apartment, you got your wife, you got your nice comfortable bed tv you could cook or order whatever you want, and mm-hmm. The guys you leave behind, like, I like, it hits me too. Like I, I be going into to, to Cook County and I was just there, uh, last night and, and it was crazy. I was there and this young man came in, right? And, uh, I went to greet him, you know, I greet him, said, hello, Hey, you know, I'm Omar. He's like, man, I, I, I, he's like, I, I remember you. And he's like, you remember me? And I looked at him like, nah, man. He's like, he's like, you, you came on the deck. So last year they let us, uh, we usually hold our Bible study in the gym. Uh, but last year they give us the opportunity to go on the actual deck. Where you got the, where you got the cells, where you got the tables, the TVs, you know, the phone. Basically, we were on the deck where everybody, so they give us the opportunity to walk around and whoever wanted to basically hear what we had to say, they came around us. And I remember this young man, he had just gotten on the deck, you know, with, they make'em bring in their, uh, mattress, uh, yeah, their mattress. Yeah. He had his little bag of clothes. He went and put'em in there. So I could tell he was like, uh, he was, uh, nervous, you know, to, to be there. Like he didn't know who his cell he was gonna be. And so I started talking to him and I was, remember I prayed for him and he joined us as we were sharing testimonies. Anyways, that was last year. So back to, uh, last night, he's like, like, he's like, man, you don't remember me. And then he's like, he's like, you prayed for me. He's like, you were prayed for me last year. And he almost had like a smile on his face. Like, and, and just in our little interaction last night, like I could tell that, uh, that my prayer, that our prayer that, that our presence. Like was something that he needed at that moment, like I said. Mm-hmm. He was nervous and, but, but then going back to what we were talking about, like I see them, I interact with'em, I've been going there for like two years and I was telling my wife, like, man, a lot of these guys been there for the two years that I've been going to, to do the Bible studies. They've been in there. Yep. So in two years you, you build a relationship with these guys and they're happy to see you. But like I said, man, as soon as I walk out, as soon as we hit the, the sidewalk and you look back like it hits you, like, man, these guys gotta stay there. You know, I, I and I, I have the, the blessing to go home, but it does a, it does a, a affect me. Like knowing that like, man, I, I come here and I think about, man, just the hard bed. I think about being there with another man with the toilet and the little room and. The food they feed you. Right. I

JC: 1:02:16

think that's why, I think that's why, I think that's why God uses us, because we know the feeling of the emptiness and uh, we know the feeling of people leaving us in the visiting room. Uh, we know the feeling. So, uh, I, I believe he picks people that have the heart to do some of the work. You know, like Bethany, my, my wife, she, she loves, uh, a homeless ministry. Um, I don't have a heart from ministry. You, you,

Omar: 1:02:46

you, you, you, you know, go, going off that point, my wife right now works at a homeless, uh, shelter. And we were talking about that. Like why she, she was telling me last night, uh, no, this morning when I shared what happened last night, I was telling her mm-hmm. And she, she told me, man, why is it that God called us into some of the toughest ministries like you in prison? Her with the homeless, and there's a lot of trauma, there's a lot of help that happens in the homeless shelter. Kind of like the prison man. It's kind of like severe. Yeah,

JC: 1:03:15

no,

Omar: 1:03:15

it's,

JC: 1:03:16

it's a lot of mental health. It's just, it's different, different storms. Yeah. You know, uh, but it's almost the same. But I, I remember one time we went to go do some, some homeless run, and by the time we were done, you know, I was giving hugs to people because they were like trying to gimme hugs. And I was getting in the back. By the time we were done, I smelled like pee. I was like, this is why I hate doing,

Omar: 1:03:45

you know what I, I believe God calls us each to different ministries. You know, like, I believe, like, there's not like one guy that does'em all, like good. I believe he, you know, we, we, we go in like to our lane. And then, and, and stay there. Well, think

JC: 1:04:01

about it. We've been in training and, and in it for our whole lives. That's why God picks us to do the jobs. It's just sometimes, you know, the, I I've noticed there's a lot of self appointments. There's, there's, there's, uh, uh, people sometimes try to start minutes ministries when they're not called to start one. You know what I mean? You know, uh, people believe that in order to show share, Jesus, you need to have a nonprofit or you need to have a ministry. And they don't realize all you need to do is just tell someone about it, man. That's it. Like, that's the whole concept of this whole thing is that if once you become new, you're supposed to just share what he's done in your life. Amen. It's pretty black and white. No. Yeah. You know what, going back to that point, but, you know, uh, I feel like I was called to, uh. Go ahead.

Omar: 1:05:04

Oh, no, no, I thought so. No, no. I was gonna say, back, back to that point, I know you mentioned earlier about, uh, it taking so long to get the nonprofit, and I know when, when you told me, I think it was last month when you finally got it. It's crazy.'cause you, you're the one that challenged me to, to start to basically turn what I was doing out here and to a nonprofit. And God willing, by the end of this month, maybe early October, uh, from what I'm doing out here, from Wrong to Strong is basically gonna be from, from, from, from Wrong to Strong. Podcast is gonna be from Wrong to Strong Ministries as a nonprofit. So I believe it's all like God's timing, man. So that, that, that, that's why when you call me and you mention it, man, this, this almost never happened. And, and in God's timing, you're doing it out there. And I'm, we're doing it out here, the, the team that we got out here. And man, it's just, I'm, I'm just excited to see what God is doing.

JC: 1:05:54

I wanna add something to that today because, um. Today I was, I was talking to a, um, a friend and he's like, Hey, so, you know, I, I realized that, you know, there's wrong and strong in Chicago and you know, there's wrong and strong, blah blah. And I'm like, okay, I, I already knew where he was going with it, you know? Um, he's like, have you ever thought about putting an umbrella over everything? And I was like, I'm gonna stop you right there before you say anything. I said, uh, God, don't make mistakes. Okay, I'm gonna start off with that one. God don't make mistakes. And if God appointed these leaders in my organization, that's him appointed, I'm nobody to pick nobody. It's just I know that God is picking the team. I know God is doing the work. We're just showing up. We're being disciplined. That's it. Like, it's, we're just on, yeah. Just being

Omar: 1:06:59

obedient and, uh, answering the call. Sorry, I get really, uh, uh, yeah, yeah. You know, I assume, oh, I, I, I, I, I, I hear what you're saying, but I could also like maybe. See from somebody's perspective who might, who maybe has that mindset of, uh, organization, uh, maybe business, you know, some, some business.'cause a, a nonprofit is business, so, you know, everybody comes from their own, I guess perspective. But no, yeah, that there's definitely, I, I know I say it like this,

JC: 1:07:28

he said they mess, they mess up in Chicago. I'm like, I doubt Omar's gonna mess up in Chicago. God willing, God won't, man.

Omar: 1:07:40

That's why I rely on God, man, putting God first and like Yeah. And answering the call. Like, like you mentioned, just being obedient, stepping out in faith, uh, uh, being sensitive to his voice. Like when you call me, he said, Hey man, God wants you to do this. I, I I took off and running with it. And I, you, you, you know what I, I was thinking,'cause like lately I, I've been getting put into positions of, uh, uh, titles of leadership. Right? And, and I'm very uncomfortable with that. Like, like leader, you know, like a, you know, like being a leader. Uh, but, but I was thinking like, what, what makes me a good leader is that I'm a great soldier, man. Meaning that if it comes down, all you gotta do is tell me to do something, and I'm gone, man. And, and I think, uh, just being, just putting, uh, uh, putting faith to my faith, uh, uh, faith in action, and that's all it is. I, I think it's, it's, it's so, like, like I said, I don't know why that came to me. What makes me a good leader is that I'm a great soldier. Yeah. Tell me what to do. And I'm gone. And

JC: 1:08:41

you have to be a soldier to become a leader. Like, there's no, there's no jumping the spot. And people, if you're looking at from a worldly aspect, you know, being a leader, they, they think about as power, but no, in a spiritual aspect, it's responsibility. Yeah. You're responsible for the men in your group, you know. Good leaders in prison. I, I saw leaders that threw their whole car under the boat just for drugs, you know? Uh, uh, and I also saw really good leaders that, that were, that were all about their people, you know? Um, I, I learned some of the biggest lessons in prison, man, you know, and I just used it now for the kingdom. Um, I, I carry myself with, with a system, like I said, and, and, um, it's why I believe that everything's happening, you know, the halfway house, the, uh, the ranch, the, the, going into the, uh, juvenile prison, uh, that starts in, uh, in October. Um, we're gonna be visiting the juvenile prison, uh, every Saturday, uh, for two hours. Um, teaching them, training them, and then as they get transferred into the adult prisons, we're gonna follow them all the way until the end, all the way to the end, whatever yard they're going to, that's where we're gonna follow them. Right. And in five years we're gonna implement 25 kids into the prison system every year that are gonna be wrong to strong mentors. And this is what I sat down and I talked with DOC about the wardens, everybody'cause D C's behind me on all this. I said one day, I wanna see wrong to strong to have a table inside that prison. And he's like, Ooh. He's like, I love the way you're thinking. And I was like, yeah, I, I said, we're gonna do the same thing that all those kids have been doing their whole life. They've been preparing for war. We're gonna take all those assets and sharpening them, but we're gonna do it for God. And we're gonna teach him to have a purpose in life. In five years, I believe we could change the dynamics of the adult prison and DOC here in Arizona if we do this right.

Omar: 1:10:54

Man, that's, that's a, a God-given, uh, V vision mission. Yeah. That's amazing to, to even just to try to, uh, wrap my mind around that. But that, that's amazing, man. Basically, disciples, young disciples, right, that you're gonna be creating as they go into prison.

JC: 1:11:14

16 to 16 to 19 years old, you know, uh, clay, man, clay, clay, clay. And, and, and, uh, you know, I tell people, this is why we're gonna be showing up more than, than more than once a week. We're gonna be seeing'em twice a week, but, you know, we're gonna be showing up to their graduations. We're gonna be showing up. It, it's gonna be, were they going to know that we're there for them? They're gonna feel comfortable that we're there for them. They're, we're gonna give'em everything that the gangs promise and lie about. We're going to give it to them. Amen. You know, and, and, and I, I, I told, I told the warden, you know, they, I have their backing. I said, every, if we implement this right. We, you know, uh, we, we become almost like a, a prison gang of mentors, man. We, we've, we've, we've done a little bit of legwork going into the devil's territory, taking some territory back.

Omar: 1:12:14

Amen. Amen. That's, that's amazing, man. And saving souls in the process, creating disciples and changing the culture, man. Like you mentioned, sending them in there for them to have a table and disciple making disciples.

JC: 1:12:29

Yeah. Yep. We, we, you know, and I tell people that's what makes me different from everybody that goes into these places, you know, uh, the prison systems, the rehab centers, all these places, they, they try to change you. They try to change your identity. They try to change everything. And that's why it doesn't work. No. You have to, a good coach figures out what your assets are and what the, the bad stuff is for you. And a good coach will design a system for you, for you to be able to shine. That's why coaches will make the decision to make you a quarterback or make you a running back because they see your gifts. It's not about changing you. Yeah, no, it's, it's about having someone that's has more wisdom around you to be able to teach you And,

Omar: 1:13:18

and, and usually, you know what, people from the outside could see what we can't see. Yeah. They, they, they see certain talents and abilities and the, those mentors are the ones that, that basically call that outta you. Like, man, I see you like doing this or you're gifted in this area. And a lot of times we're blinded to that, but thank God for those, uh, mentors that God lets'em basically speak or, or call out a certain nature out of us man, or a certain vision, or that

JC: 1:13:48

in a sense, like a purpose. And that's what I mean, is like to see that God is, is using me as a teacher, you know? Um, I mean, I, I, uh, I, I love it. I'm not gonna lie, sit here and lie. I, I, I love sharing my stories. Um, I'll also be working with the, um, every Saturday I'll be going to Yuma first. I'll be going to, uh, Dakota, uh, that's their max yard, I believe. And I'll be working with the STGs, the gang members, the, the most violent of the violent, pretty much, uh, all gang members. But I'm gonna be working hand in hand with the staff. For the first time ever in history. I'm gonna be able to train the staff and the inmates together, and the staff is gonna wear regular clothes so the inmates don't feel a certain way. No way. Yeah, man, that, that's big. So, um, I'm really excited, man, because the staff, uh, you know, God has opened up a lot of a, a lot of doors for me here in DOC and a lot of the staff, uh, uh, God has, uh, softened their hearts. And, um, it's funny. Um, so you, you know how I am, man. I'm gonna share this. Uh, you, you know that sometimes, um, I could come off a little too strong. You, you, you

Omar: 1:15:11

get my feelings if before you share about what God's doing in, in the guards, sh I want you to share what God's doing in, in you.'cause uh, we had the opportunity to go into East Moline together, uh, I think, man, maybe a year and a half ago now. I remember when, when we were walking in, uh, a shout out to, um, uh, Sarah, uh, the counselor at East Moline. She was the one that got us in there. So me and JC went back in there into the prison. 25 years later in the prison where we met, we got an opportunity to go back in there, to walk the yard. Uh, jc uh, said, man, let's pray at the handball court. We, we, we, we were able to stop and pray at the handball court, but before all that, we're walking in and I'm shaking the hands of the officers and I, I, I didn't think twice about it, but I remember on the way out, you, you, you told me something. You, you wanna share that

JC: 1:16:03

and nah, it's just, I don't know, man. Every time I go anywhere, I feel like the officers are sizing me up and most of them are, most of them are, and they, they treat me a certain way. But I've gotten to the point where I don't let myself get treated like that no more. Like I, I feel that. I don't know. I'm not saying that God's telling me. Yeah. Do you know do it? No, I'm saying that there's a feeling in me that says it's not okay to let another person treat you like that. You know? So I say something and, uh, I heard that what I told you, but because you didn't even notice you were, I, I, I didn't notice.

Omar: 1:16:42

So, so basically what happened, um, Sarah's introducing us to all the officers as we're making our way through the prison. So as soon as she introduces me, I went to go shake their hand. And then after I shook their hands, you, you shook their hands. But on the way out is when you told me, she's like, man, you told me, man, what, what? Why did you shake their hands? And at first I'm like, I thought you were talking about maybe some of the inmates that we interacted with. But then they're like, nah. The officer is like, man, he's like, the only reason I shook their hands is because you shook their hands. And I didn't catch it like with me, like, man, hey, they're introducing me man. I I was seeing them. Don't wanna shake your hand. I was seeing beyond the, the uniform, but I, I could see where you would have that trauma, man.'cause there is that interaction that, that you have with the officers. And it's crazy. Here, I'll share this real quick. Uh, I was telling people that when I go into Cook County, it's crazy that I get more nervous around, I call'em white shirts, which would be like the lieutenants or basically the officers. I get more nervous around the officers than the inmates or the, what they call yeah, iic cs, the individuals in custody. And it's just that, I don't know, going back to that PTSD or just the interactions that you had with him. But But go ahead. So, so you said, uh, now God's doing something in the officers, but at the same time I believe he's doing something in you as well, right.

JC: 1:18:03

Oh yeah. You know, but I, I'm still, you know, I'm still rough around the edges, so I still kind of like have my interactions with it, but the best part is that everybody already knows me for that. So it's like, uh, so we get to Yuma, right? Uh, my, my driver cancels on me last minute, so I had to get another driver that, um, just, you know, filled in the spot, wasn't cleared at the prison, nothing just filled in my spot. I wasn't gonna get him in. He was gonna wait outside, blah, blah, blah. We get to the prison gate and they have to clear you before you even go into the prison.'cause here they're huge compounds. You go in with your car. Oh wow. Um, so, uh. I could tell right away I was pulling out my ID and the guard's like, what are you doing here? And I'm like, I'm the speaker. And he's like, oh yeah. And he was already like, you know, sizing me up and I was like, okay, I'm gonna be nice. I gave him my id, my, my boy was with me, so I was like, I gotta keep a reputation here that I'm, you know, I'm a god-fearing man. So, but 10 minutes passed by and I already know what he's doing. I already know what he's doing. And the warden had already told me, we're waiting for you soon as you get cleared that we already called up there, blah, blah, blah. Come in fast. I know what he is doing. So I told, I tell my guy, turn around, turn around, go to the gate. He's like, whatcha talking about, you know, and people get scared when they see me like this because like, I'm very, very like, just dead on raw. Like, go, go, go, go. He pulls up to the gate, the guard comes out, sticking his chest out. I'm like, give me my id. He's like, wh what? I said, give me my id. And he gives it to me. Right? And I grab it. I was like, let's go. I'm, IM take off. The warden calls me like, two minutes. I'm already on the road, calls me. She's like, uh, what's up? Where, where you at? I said, uh, I left that guard, uh, had me in front just, you know, waiting and all hell broke loose. Uh, uh, she said, I'm gonna have, uh, deputy warden, uh, I forgot his name, RA and Frank, because these are all, uh, they're all, uh, Latinos. They're all Mexicans from our Pieta almost. So they, you know, they, we speak the same language. Yeah. Um, she's like, hell no. I turned around and I, I turned around and, uh. It's almost like I came in, like secret services, the door open like this. And I went in. But it was funny because as soon as I got there, the commander ran up to me and it, and it's a pretty big dude. He ran up to me. He was like, Hey, jc, I want, I just wanna tell you that, uh, you know, that incident shouldn't have happened, blah, blah, blah. We already took care of it. Um, he's known to have a little attitude here, here and there. That's why he's out there. So, you know, it gave me, it, it gave me that, like I told my guy as soon as I looked up, you see, I was like, you see, I'm not crazy because, you know, a lot of people try to convince me that I'm crazy.

Omar: 1:21:15

Yeah.

JC: 1:21:16

And it, and it's not that I'm crazy, it's just that I, I see with different eyes.

Omar: 1:21:21

That's all my, my wife tells me sometimes I, I project that you call it projection. You, you project what you're feeling onto another individual. Like what you're imagining they are, you're just projecting them. And you're making, but in this sense, it sounds like it wasn't, it wasn't the case. It sounds like you already had a history of doing this. You

JC: 1:21:39

know, I don't, dude, I I, I, I try to act so humble with the officers. I even keep my vision down. Like I know how to approach these people. I've done time in some of the craziest places. I know how to respect them. I know how to not to talk back. I know how to, you know, comply with them. But I will not let them treat me like I am still an inmate when I am going in there on my own time to go share hope and, and, and your own dime. They need it too, but man, they need the not my dime. No. Uh, they need it. They need it too. But like, they also be taught that it's not okay to be bullies. Right. You know, gonna be bullies. I don't know. I don't know, man. It, I, I know that I'm in training for the rest of my life, so maybe one day, one day when they do that to me, I wanna be like, well count to joy of happiness and, you know, I don't know. I know I'm not a d I'm a different man from yesterday, so who knows, man, you know?

Omar: 1:23:00

Yeah. Amen. Amen. No, man, God's doing a lot. I know. Like, uh, all this ministry, I know you mentioned the juvenile, the non-profit, going into all these prisons, you, me, you mentioned a SU, so man, be basically, uh, covered a lot. Forgotten yards. Well, what is that? You,

JC: 1:23:20

you, you, you wanna touch on that? But Forgotten Yards is, uh, is the other program that's starting in October. That's. Part of the Yuma one, so we're gonna go to Yuma first, but the Forgotten Yards program is all the level four yards that are on the outskirts of Arizona. The state that nobody visits me because they're three, four hours away, so nobody goes there. So I launched a program called The Forgotten Yards, where we're gonna visit these yards a minimum of once a week. Also, you know, not to just go have church on to train these men and, and teach'em habits, discipline, you know, just, you know, system A, them to survive and there, and a system that they'll be able to learn to survive when they get out.

Omar: 1:24:14

Amen. Amen. Man, that's sounds like you got a lot, man. I pray that God, God continue to give you the strength and. Just the energy to do all that. Man, I know we're talking a while back about sometimes it's, it, it's a, it takes a toll, right? I, I know you mentioned carrying you, you mentioned something like, I'm carrying like seven crosses.

JC: 1:24:37

Yeah. You, you know, um, uh, it's hard, bro. It's hard, but it's not hard when you love what you do. Amen. And, and, uh, I love what I do, and I tell people, you know, I wake up with purpose. That's why I'm so eager to get up at two in the morning, you know? Yeah. Everybody thinks I'm crazy, but it's because I wake up with purpose. Yes. I wake up with purpose and I, I wake up with a to-do list, you know? And, and, uh, I'm grateful that God has given me that, that, uh, that hunger, that like willingness to work, because these are all gifts from him. You know, I didn't develop this. I didn't, you know, I, I, I, I wasn't born that lucky. I, I, you know, uh, God gave me gifts. And I've just been able to utilize them and, you know, and, and, and build this kingdom man. And, and that's what I, uh, I I'm doing, you know, I, I tell people I didn't wish for this. I didn't pray for this. Um, it was, uh, an assignment. And, uh, any good soldier knows that when you get an assignment, you have to foresee the end of the mission, and that's what it's gonna be. Amen. So, uh,

Omar: 1:25:55

you, you, you know what, uh, uh, uh, uh, last night when I was in Cook County, I had to share, and then the Bible study, my, my portion of scripture was in Acts chapter nine, verses 10 through 19. And that, uh, prior to this, that's when, uh, Jesus had appeared to Saul on the road to the, the Damascus. And that's when he had, he was blinded. And then Jesus told him to go to a certain house. To a certain place. And then he calls a, a Ananias and Ananias it says that he was a, a, a, a, a disciple of the Lord. And then, uh, Jesus spoke to Ananias and he told him, man, I want you to go to this house of, uh, house of Judas on straight a straight street. And I want you to go and pray for this man Saul, for he is praying and anani like, man, nah, I don't want to go there man. This guy is known for, he's rounding up the Christians, uh, having him arrested, basically, uh, putting him to death as well. Uh, but Jesus told an Anaya, is this go for, he is my chosen instrument. So basically from the beginning of time, God had already predestined or chosen Saul who would become the Apostle Paul to do the, the work that he had ordained from him since the beginning of time. And I know right now you mentioned like, man, I didn't choose this. I didn't pray for this. And the same way I believe that you are God's chosen instrument. From the beginning of time he had chosen, predestined and set apart. And I, I know, uh, uh, when you share your testimony, like going back, like you, you, you see why you had to go through everything you went through to, to this point. And I, you could connect and relate to certain people that other people can't. That's why when you shared your testimony with, uh, chappy, I believe one of the main reasons it had a big impact is'cause how deep you got into your testimony, how real you were, and you shared traumas that other men wouldn't be willing or able to share. And, uh, I, I know, I, I know you, you've had a lot of men tell you that by you sharing it, it made them open up about their hurts, their traumas, their abuse, and by sharing and opening up, that's when healing could take place. But I just wanted to share that brother. I believe that man, you are God's chosen instrument and it's obvious by the fruit. I know you mentioned earlier. The, the fruit that that's being produced from wrong to strong, you know, out in Arizona and everything that you're doing. It's definitely God working through you, brother.

JC: 1:28:30

Well, not just in Arizona. In Chicago too, you know, and, and the places that like people, you know, we have a pretty big crew and, you know, I, I wanna, I wanna, you know, everybody knows who they are. I don't need to say you guys' name. Um, shout out to everybody, to the crew, to our soldiers that have been there and, and have stands with us on everything that we're doing, Bible studies on Friday. Uh, you know, um, it's been a team effort, you know, and that's, that's one thing that I learned from that Navy Seal. You know, Taylor, uh. He said, yeah. You know, um, when they wanna get, you know, stuff done, you know, they'll send one guy real quick, but when they want real big stuff done, they send a team, you know? And it makes sense, you know? Uh, I believe that that's why God chose this team, and, and it's, um, it's, we're just getting started, man. That's what people don't even realize. We're just getting started. And, I mean, all I can say is, you know, we're coming. Stay, stay tuned.

Omar: 1:29:34

Mm-hmm. Stay tuned, man. All right, brother. You know what, we've been, it's an hour and a half into this, man. So I wanna give you an opportunity. Is there anything that we didn't get a chance to talk about? Anything, any last words, anything you wanna share before we get ready to, to sign off?

JC: 1:29:50

I mean, I just, I wanna, I just wanna motivate everybody that's out there struggling in their marriage. Their, their, their, you know, their significant other that, you know, um. I, I don't believe that it's supposed to be easy. Yeah. There's moments where there's, you know, love in the air. The aroma is great. Those are the days that we should be, you know, praying and, and being really humble. But, you know, um, it's not easy. And, and, and, and, but that's, that's what makes love so, so great, man. And, and, um, if we would've thrown in the towel a long time ago, I wouldn't have had that beautiful blonde that's sitting back there, you know, she's gained a couple pounds now, but, you know, that just, yeah. I, I,

Omar: 1:30:38

I don't think there's gonna be a follow up interview after this one. Man. I'm

JC: 1:30:43

gonna enjoy this. I, I think you should put a clip of that video we did together. Uh, uh, uh, uh, remember that video we did together with me and Bethany and it was you and your wife? Man, I, I don't have it. I, I think you're the one that recorded that. I, I, I don't have that. I, I think I have it on our, on our channel, but, um. Uh, it, it is been a blessing to have a, a, a, I call it a, a, a cellmate, a soldier, and close, close, you know, uh, what is that called? Close quarters. Yeah. Um, because she's been one of my biggest mentors, you know, she's been one of my biggest, one of my biggest teachers. And, uh, men sometimes have a hard time being told what's right and what's wrong from a woman. And I, and I, you know, and I believe it's because of ego and, and, and just, I guess the way that we're led to believe that we're the, we're the shock collars of the house and stuff like that. But, um, if you soften your heart a little bit, you'll see that she is your helper, your teammate. She's there to uplift you, build you. She's not your enemy. She's not against you. She's not conspiring, you know, uh. And, and that's, that's, that's training on itself. So I just wanna motivate everybody that's out there, that's struggling right now and, and, and going through that. I don't know why, but I felt it in my heart that I, I needed to say that.

Omar: 1:32:04

Hmm. Amen. You know what, you know what's crazy? Uh, that, that things for sharing all that, I, I listened, like I told you, I listened to our last interview, which was two years ago, and you mentioned your wife a lot too, back then. You mentioned how God puts us together. So right now you're basically reaffirming what you shared in our last pod podcast as well.'cause back then you, you spend like a, um, a nice section of the interview talking about her, talking about marriage, why God puts us together, uh, for them to be our helpmate, uh mm-hmm. You know, like to help us grow. You know, they're, um, the Bible says, uh, for this reason, uh, uh, uh. Man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one. And you, you were talking about how the enemy fights us. That's why the enemy fights and attacks the marriage. Mm-hmm. Attacks the relationship.'cause he doesn't want us to be one, because when, when we we're one man, when we're on the same mission, on the same team, man, the enemy hates that. That's what he,

JC: 1:33:02

and people don't, people don't realize that when you're together, you know, and you're out on the street and she's praying for you, she's that power line that's keeping that shield around you. You know? Uh, people don't realize that, you know, um, God gave us a helper for a reason. You know? Um, he, he knew the battles that we were gonna be in and he knew that we were gonna need, we were gonna need a, a, a soulmate, you know? And, um, it could have been easy to start all over again. But it wouldn't, it wouldn't have been as fruitful and as beautiful as my relationship is with my wife, man, because God picked her for a reason. And I, I, I tell people, um, it, everything is a lesson if you, if you learn from it. But like, if you keep making the same mistake, then you're gonna live like miserable. You know what I mean? Like that because that was my, that was the way I, I lived. I, I knew that if I drank, I was gonna get in trouble. And, you know, um, I was just talking about this the other day when I, when I got in trouble, you know, a couple years back, uh, uh, like, I was like, man, like if I don't learn from this, then I'm gonna keep making the same mistake. And I feel that that's, that's how, you know, we have to learn, bro. It's just teaching man. Um, she's been my biggest teacher.

Omar: 1:34:24

Amen. Amen. To thank God for your wife. God bless your marriage. And, uh, on that note. You wanna close this out in a prayer, maybe, uh, pray for the marriages out there and pray for whatever else. Yeah. A God plays this on your heart, brother.

JC: 1:34:37

Right? Father God, thank you for this moment. Thank you for just the classroom that you always place in front of us. Thank you for the storms. Thank you for the lessons. Uh, I, I wanna pray for all the couples out there that are struggling, Lord, that are, that are just trying to do their own plans. Not knowing, Lord, that you are the main plan, Lord, that when they put you first, everything else falls into place, Lord. But like I said, it all, it's all training Lord, and sometimes some people get it faster than others. I just wanna pray that you open their hearts up and that they learn as fast as they can Lord, so they can appreciate the peacefulness and the joy that comes with it. I wanna ask that, uh, you bless just the ministry, you know, wrong, strong Chicago, wrong strong Arizona, and that you keep guiding us in whatever it is that you want us to do, not us. Whatever it is that you want us to build, not us. I wanna, I wanna ask you for Omar, his family, his kids, his wife, for his ministry, his team, his podcast, and everything that you're doing to, you are getting together, you are getting, I wanna ask you all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Omar: 1:36:02

Amen. Amen. Brother. Man. Uh, man, as soon as you do, you call me last week and say you wanted to do this, man, I was excited. Uh, just to like, in a sense, like go back and I guess reminisce from then the journey reconnecting and where we're at now. And man, like, uh, reconnecting with you. I, I've shared it before on, on, on the other podcasts that we did together, but it, it kind of like reignited my faith and it like, gave me a, uh, like a new purpose, I guess. Like a new mission. Like, I, I believe if, if we hadn't reconnected, if I hadn't been doing this, uh, there's no way I, I would've been back doing prison ministry.'cause that was like, not even on my radar. Not something that, like you mentioned earlier, not something that I prayed about. Oh, this is what I wanna do. Mm-hmm. But, but it is been a, a, a ripple effect of what God did in your life and the, the connections, the reconnecting and what God's doing now. And like something you said earlier, man, we've only just begun and next month's gonna be three years. I'm excited to celebrate three years that, that I, that I've been doing this out here, but I'm excited for what's yet to come, man. So, uh, I thank God for you, God bless your marriage. Your family, children, grandchildren, and grandpa now, you know? So throw that out there. But, uh, man, I appreciate you, brother. I, I I love you and man, keep doing the, the work of God out there, man.

JC: 1:37:24

Thank you, bro. Thank you. Appreciate you, bro.

Omar: 1:37:27

All right. And with that, we're gonna get ready to, to sign off. Oh, Matthew four 16 reads, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned alongside my brother JC Almanza. I'm Omar Calvio and we are wrong. Too strong.