Spartners - Spouses Who Are Business Partners.

I Found My Father… Now What? Marriage, Mission, and Identity After the Miracle

• Troy & Shantel Brooks • Season 2 • Episode 4

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We share how a surprise DNA match revealed Troy’s living father and how that miracle reshaped our marriage, business, and leadership. Identity healed, boundaries flexed, communication deepened, and our pace slowed so we could honor what God is building.

• healing identity after abandonment
• genetics, family ties, and daily joy
• flexible boundaries to protect connection
• communication practices that prevent resentment
• slowing business to move at the pace of peace
• leading with boldness instead of people pleasing
• faith, testimony, and stewarding a public story
• resilience as spouses through sudden change
• renewing the mind with prayer and Scripture

Please check out our mini documentary HERE, and if it blesses you, please share it. 

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Miracle Backstory And Reveal

SPEAKER_02

What's up? We are back with another episode of Spartners with Faith, Marriage, and Business Align. I'm Troy Brooks.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm Chantalbert.

SPEAKER_02

And we are potting today from our very sunny office. What's going on?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, it is sunny, but it is beautiful. And if you can see our view, you'd see why we are here this morning.

SPEAKER_02

Come on.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so um, if you have tuned in and have been following uh since specifically Troy's story most recently, then you know that we are literally standing in a miracle. In a nutshell, Troy grew up believing that his father never wanted him. He never met his father. He only had one picture of his father holding him as an infant. And he thought his entire life that he was rejected and abandoned, and thus he carried on his life through that filter, through that lens, and how he handled relationships, people, and experiences. And it's been really, really difficult for him to navigate, especially when he became a father. It just kept coming up. So, long story short, he finally was able to face the fear of being rejected twice by pursuing searching for his parental side.

SPEAKER_02

What a God.

The 23andMe Match And New Aunt

SPEAKER_00

Yes, and a few years ago he did hear that his father had passed away, and so he just wanted to learn. Are there other family members out there? Just to hear more of his um story, potentially. And so um after Thanksgiving, we did the unthinkable and we uh signed into 23 and me, and there immediately we saw that because we had done some genetic testing before for ancestry, uh, that he had a new family member, and that has led to the discovery of his father, y'all. Come on, it's not the man that he was told was his father, who he thought died. This man actually never even knew that he existed. And so it's been such a beautiful, beautiful story. Um, they have been talking every day since right before Christmas, and it is just a beautiful relationship that is truly unfolding before all of our eyes. And so we just released a mini documentary about two weeks ago. Definitely check it out. But today's conversation is what happens to your marriage and your business when your life literally changes in an instant. Now, for us, it was Troy discovering that he has a whole parent, which means I have a whole father-in-law, which means our kids have a grandmother. Like this is life changing, especially when we thought this man passed away, right? And so our life has changed in an instant. And so today we're talking about what happens behind the scenes. What did that documentary not show? What is it that is happening in the undertones of our relationship, of who we're becoming now, who's Troy's becoming, what our business is growing into, how it's impacting our children. And so today we want you to take a listen to just how we unpack what's going on. Because for us, it's Troy discovering his father. For you, it could be something else that can change your life in an instant. And so today, let's unpack.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So uh wow, right? We're still it's still so fresh. So fresh.

SPEAKER_02

I've had a father for like three days, that's what it feels like.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. How was the process for you? Yeah. And what surprised you in that process?

SPEAKER_02

Man, to be completely honest, it was nerve-wracking. So leading up to the paternity test, shout out to 23andMe because once it popped up that I had a new genetic relative and that this aunt was 24.61% of my relative, that was mind-blowing. I didn't know she was gonna be so awesome and so amazing and such a needed comfort. Um, she's just so emotionally aware and in tune and has done a lot of therapy work and a lot of healing work along her journey that she was able to give that literally that aunt elder feeling that I didn't even know I needed. I'm a whole grown man, but I felt like a child through this, and I just felt uh covered by her through this entire experience. It was just really sweet to have her walk alongside, so much so that when we actually got the result, my aunt was like, um, I actually want you to sit with these results and just process your feelings, but know he's ready to talk to you and that he wants a relationship with you, but I want us to move at your pace. Yeah, and even that just felt like I felt covered, yeah, you know, and I just I didn't know what to expect.

SPEAKER_00

So and isn't that God, right? Where you took a risk to face rejection potentially again. Um, and the Lord just graced her with the ability, the bandwidth, and the capacity to support you, to answer the phone, to advocate for you. And so won't he do it? Won't he such an advocate? Put someone in your life who you don't even know. Yeah, or maybe they've known you your whole lives, as she's gonna be.

SPEAKER_02

And she did, which is also crazy. So you gotta watch the documentary. But my my aunt has my new aunt has been a family friend and a very, very close friend of my maternal aunt who I've grew up with and know, which is crazy.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so I just love that like you took a risk and God planted you with someone who can walk that with you, who we would have never expected. Uh, for me, something that was really interesting about the process that I was not expecting was how quick it was. Yeah, because Troy's gonna be 44 next month.

SPEAKER_02

And we've been looking good too, right? Come on, somebody.

Speed Of Discovery And Openness

SPEAKER_00

And we've been uh together for 12 years now, and since our relationship been together longer than 12 years, girl. We've been married 12 years, yes, married 12 years. Oh man, it's happening. But since we began since we began dating, like that came up literally in our first conversation. I remember our first date on Valentine's Day, and you led with me being fatherless. And so just to think that you have considered pursuing him, considered pursuing your paternal side sometimes over all these years, and as soon as you finally press go, immediately within literally 19 days, you know who your father is. Paternity test and all. So I'm just blown away by the process because for some it could take a really, really long time.

SPEAKER_02

Think about the people out there who actually the quote unquote father isn't like my dad, who's like, sure, I'll take the paternity test. Yeah. You know, you know, you got the people out there that are like, nah, this is gonna blow up my whole world, my my the family I have now, the kids I have now, all of that could have also been uh the narrative. But you know, thank God for me, that's that's not my story, you know. I'm grateful for that because I think about that. I'm like, man, this guy was just so receptive and open and like sure, you know. And when you hear more about his story, and you know, that's something I didn't know is that from my father, he he had all of his kids, he had custody of all of his children and took care of all of his children, and that was his pride and joy. He's like, Man, if I knew you existed, I would have never abandoned you. Do you do you know how much I love my kids, how much I ride for my kids, as he would say?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, you know, yeah, that is that is such a beautiful piece. Again, it's just it's like all of the dominoes just truly fell in place, all the chips fell in place. Um, everyone was just been so on board, and it really has helped the process be as beautiful and as quick as it has been.

SPEAKER_02

When God's hand is on something, it it moves that way. It's like expeditious.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And just like woof. Yeah. That's what it's felt like.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Did anything else surprise you just about the process or what you're learning through this?

Genetics, Mannerisms, And Surprise Distance

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, uh I there's a few different things. I mean, the the whole thing is surprising, but one of the things that I would say that truly stands out for me is is um how much we have in common. How much is genetically passed down some of our mannerisms, the things that I say that he says, it's just like crazy, you know, and that reminds me of when I see things in my own children, yeah, it just it just ties in how genetics truly play a role um in our kids. Yeah, because I'm I'm seeing parts of me that I haven't seen in my mom, um, that I see my dad. You know what I mean? Which is just it's fascinating to see those things. Yeah. Babe, but did anything surprise you?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, I mean I'm still surprised with all of it too. Um, but I'd say that your father's all the way in California. Yeah, I just think with everything falling the way it was, that he'd be right here in Atlanta. Um, but the fact that he is where he is in California, I think just is also so beautiful. And and it's it's cool to see you guys on two separate sides of the earth, the country, I should say. And even that you lived it for 30 days and so I just think that's that's super dope. And it actually makes me think about another question is how is this now impacting us and our relationship? And and because he is in California and y'all are talking all the time. I know something for me that um that I've had to really grow into over this course of this time is to allow them that space and time to connect. Now, if y'all know us, we're together all the time, and um and we are like it that way, yes, and we truly are best friends, and so now um having to share some time for him to be able to pick up the phone or FaceTime or whatever um with his father, and it could be in our morning ride, it could be um at at a time when we're usually like just kind of set landing the plane, and Troy has very, very good boundaries, um, but for this time, we have kind of I'd say like kind of lessened the boundaries so they can they can foster their relationship. And so for me, it's been truly a gift. I really haven't rolled my eyes because I'm just so excited. Um, and and I of course want them to build and connect. And so, maritably speaking, we have had to press pause on these boundaries and guidelines that we have from when we talk to people, family, friends, whoever, unless it's an emergency, um, because of what they're they're fostering. And and I feel really, really good about that. I know it won't be forever, we'll get our boundaries back.

Marriage Rhythms And Flexible Boundaries

SPEAKER_02

We'll have a rhythm, right? As I'm getting to learn him, we're starting to cultivate a rhythm. So, I mean, he's yeah, he's an i he's an Android user. No, no disrespect to our Android listeners out there, but we we the the stats show that we are a heavy iPhone uh platform. So um we speak mostly on WhatsApp. That's an easy way to keep communication so we can video call each other, hit each other, and uh not see those green bubbles. You know what I mean? So um, as we find our rhythm, you know, it's just it's it's gonna make more sense. But I was talking to my dad yesterday about this, and he was just like, Man, my daughter-in-law is so cool. Like, I I love that she's honoring a relationship like that by sharing you with me, um, which is really sweet. And I love you, and I appreciate that too, that you give me that room, that you don't give me, I don't have that anxiousness or pressure that I can have, like, oh man, can I can I pick up the phone now? Uh, should I not pick up the phone now? Like, is there gonna be some kind of tension? Is Chantelle gonna feel away about this? No, you're giving me um, you know, I just I it's time, I haven't had any time. So it's really important that we spend time. My dad was like, you know, grace be to God, I believe that I'm gonna be here for a long time, but who knows? Yeah, so you know, that even that's how much we want to get, we want to get out to Cali as soon as possible so I could actually meet him and hug him in real life.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and I and I will just say to your credit, you're also not just like, hey, I gotta talk to my dad right now in the middle of the movie, right? So you still are perhaps you still have your guideline on just about um, but yeah, no, but it's been really, really cool. Anything for you that you've felt that that you're learning or that we have to kind of find a new rhythm within our marriage that like how it's impacting us?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, absolutely. Again, the I find that in this season with my dad and all of this stuff coming up, communication is just such a big thing for us. It always has been. It's how we stay anchored to each other, it's how you know there's no surprises, no one's ever blindsided, but I think leaning into communication even more because there's always that danger of impulse. Like, yeah, I am good at setting boundaries, but there's always that moment where he calls and I can just be like, oh, my dad's calling, let me run to it. So I think there's that level of discernment and communication where it's like, hey, babe, my dad's calling. Do we mind if I take this call right now? I don't want to just even even because you're being so flexible with me, that doesn't mean take advantage. That doesn't mean just jump on any call, call him at every moment. That also means still communicating and honoring you. Even though I know you're good with it, I still want to be the kind of husband that says, Hey babe, my dad's calling, or hey baby, I want to call my dad real quick. Do you mind if I just step over here real quick to take care of that? Especially if it's during a time when we're working on something or if we're it's in our downtime after we put the kids down. Um, just because you're giving me the leeway to do that doesn't mean that I have to not still be honoring.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. You mentioned communication, and that is a point that I want to just land on real fast. Again, we're talking about you and your father, and so we need to communicate to get on the same rhythm for you having time and space to communicate with him. Um, but the same thing is true for you. When your life changes in an instant, things are gonna start going fast. And again, this could be for the highs, this could be for the low. And it's important that y'all are communicating together so that way you're growing together and you're moving together, and there's no resentment being built because you're misaligned or one person's going this way while the other person is just like waiting. And so I really respect and thank you for communicating with me because it matters, it matters.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, absolutely. What what would you say that we are learning about each other in this new new season?

SPEAKER_00

Um with you, I am what I'm learning about you is that it's it's I guess I'm seeing you through this eyes of this like young child, and it's like Christmas morning every day. Yeah, and it truly, truly, truly fills my heart every time you're able to speak with him because you are just so happy, yeah, and it's like you've been complete in God all along.

SPEAKER_02

For sure.

Communication Habits That Prevent Resentment

SPEAKER_00

Um and there's still there were there's still pieces in this earth that that we miss, right? Or that we long for, that we desire. And the fact that God brought you this peace that has been such a foundational piece to who you are. Um the fact that you now have that, it's just been so beautiful to see. So I'm just I I'm learning that you are still a child, I mean we all are, inside, and how much uh how much this really matters. Like you've talked about our entire relationship, and so the fact that you now have this is just so beautiful. So I believe what I'm learning about you, long way of answering the question, is that you are stewarding this gift really well. Oh, you are a great steward because you could be taking it for granted, like, oh no, yeah, cool check. But no, but you are so intentional, yeah, and to see you from the morning to the night and how you are just like grappling with this and and and really trying to learn as much as possible and stay humble and stay and stay open and stay intentional and consistent is beautiful. So you're a great steward. That's what I'm learning about you. Oh, it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_02

Uh I love the way you have been able to see me in this transition. I don't know if a transition, but in this season, it is a transition. It's a complete transition, it's a huge one. And uh I just I love the way you've been able to see me in this transition. I love how God, I just have seen you grow wiser and wiser, and I've seen your discernment and your awareness, um, the level of sensitivity um of how you show up for me, the the little pats on the back, the constant affirmations when I may be in my head about something. There's a lot of stuff that people don't know that I'm kind of carrying a tension of grieving um some stuff while also sitting in this blessing of the newness of my father. Um so there's a both hand, and you've just been really, really compassionate and really nurturing for me. Now, in no way do I expect you to be my mother.

SPEAKER_00

It's not his dad. Sorry.

SPEAKER_02

This be happening sometimes. Y'all folks just start calling. Um, but where I was going with this baby is that you um obviously I don't I don't expect you to be my mom, but you are you are you're providing uh a sense of peace and comfort in a nurturing way that is really beautiful, and what I've really noticed in this season and other seasons as well, but um you're a safe place for me. And I think that more men need that, more husbands need to admit that they need that, and their wives need to be willing to be that place for them in seasons where there is some hardship and some newness and something that can be uncomfortable. Yeah, um, navigating this relationship is beautiful. We're both excited, me and my father, and we both decided that we're all in, but we're getting to know each other, you know what I mean? So I also feel like a little boy, which is weird because I'll be 44 next month. So when I get on the phone with this dude or I see his face, I I light up like a child, and it feels weird because it's like I'm not a child, but I'm his child. Yeah, and so I'm I'm learning to just lean into that, and God is reminding me, hey, I've given you him just so that you can feel that. So don't run from it into it.

Childlike Joy And Safe Partnership

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, you know, yeah, absolutely. And yeah, another thing you you said that um it makes me think of how important it is to be submitted to God's timing and to like go with the flow. Now, as we work together, we obviously have goals and and and ambition, and we have deadlines that we create, and we have things that we want to do, and then life changes in an instant, right? And so thankfully, our change is this miracle. Um, but it but even there's backhands, there's a back end of the back side noise, right? Um, and again, for you, you might also have a back side of a blessing, or again, your change in an instant could be devastation. And so it's so important that we are able to move at the pe at the pace of Jesus and move with peace, yeah, move slowly, move wisely and move intentionally. Absolutely. And so um, when you were when you were sharing all this, I'm like, wow, you know, had we with our business been like, all right, we got a home to end, but you can't have time to figure out your feelings, you can't have time to process because babe, we gotta do it. We gotta get things done, you know. And how sweet is the Lord decided that this happened over Christmas break because we already were on time off. Um, and so I mean, I think that is just also another blessing. But still, um, it's been a while now since Christmas, and we are still changing our pace just a bit because we need to respond to this life change. We can't just ignore it, we can't just act like things are the same. We need more time to talk about it, reflect on it, absolutely, and sit with it. Yeah, and so it's so important that both of y'all are on the same page when these big changes happen instantaneously because you need time to connect with each other, to reflect with each other, absolutely, and to process together.

SPEAKER_02

I also want to say I'm thinking about how are we handling this and how is it affecting us as leaders, as a husband and wife, entrepreneurial couple, how we show up publicly. I know we're storytellers, we're creators, and sitting on this for too long without sharing it to the world was like I felt like a tea kettle that was just bubbling, ready to steam. Because I was like, Lord, you know, we've we've been on this journey of just sharing your goodness and and just sharing things for your glory. I believe that this testimony is not just for me. Lord, I want to be a good steward of this story, and I want to get it out here. And I think the cool thing is you were also a line, like, man, let's get it out there because there's so many things happening behind the scenes that that I can't even share yet till everyone knows what's going on. Um, and I just felt like we're handling it really well publicly because we see it as a blessing that God wants us to steward. It's not something to just keep for us. I mean, there are use your discernment and your story. God might be telling you that you need to sit and not rush and not put it out there, but we we are storytellers by trade, we are creators by trade, and for us this felt just like a really awesome way to show people healing, to show people redemption, to show people God's restorative power. And um, I think that was cool that we we wanted to get this out there. We sat with it for a little bit, we're still processing it, but we also feel like we have to be faithful stewards of what God is doing.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it's testimony. I I think it's Revelation 1221 or 21. I think it's 1221. But we are called to testify and we are being negligent if we receive, if we receive these miracles, these blessings, and bear witness to them and then hold it to ourselves. And so I know you wanted to share quick. Immediately. And I was like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait a minute. Wait, wait, wait. We gotta do this right. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um with excellence, and I'm glad we waited.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Because she's the one that was behind that camera. She put that documentary together, and it's phenomenal. And I love what you did. I love the way God uses you. Um, you're anointed at telling stories, and I'm I'm so grateful for you.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you for bringing this to life.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and so we just go press pause. And if you guys have a blessing or a miracle or you have witnessed something in your life or someone else's life, you need to share that because you never know what kind of healing can come on the other side of it. So test.

SPEAKER_02

That's it.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. So um, so you mentioned that you were thinking about how this is shaping our leading. Has this changed or impacted how you lead or speak or or work? And on the documentary, you had mentioned that you walked it right.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Backs a little straighter.

SPEAKER_00

So, what does this look like in our world of business, ministry, and family?

Pacing Business And Sharing The Story

SPEAKER_02

It looks like just being a little bit bolder and just being a little bit more confident, and it's not in anything that I've done, but it's who God has shown me I am. Yeah. He he reconciled me to my father, and I felt like the veil just fell. I felt like the imposter syndrome fell, the people pleasing fell. These are some of the symptoms that I believe are also associated with abandonment. When you see that people are gonna leave you or reject you, so that rejection and abandonment less, you show up doing things for people out of scarcity, out of fear that they're gonna leave you. You say yes to things, opportunities, people, and places that you normally wouldn't had you had a stronger backbone, had you known your value, and didn't think that people are gonna leave you for having boundaries. So I think um when it comes to friendships, I I had a friend the other day, man, he needed me. He was like, Hey, can you come out with me? Can you beat me? And I was like, Man, honestly, I love you, and I'm tired, I just don't have the bandwidth. And normally that's not something that I would do. Hold on, yellow. 10:30 alarm is going off. There's always something going off over here. 10:30 alarm uh is our way to just remind ourselves to get focused and fixed on God. So, Lord, we love you. Uh, back to the episode. Um, yeah, so I I think I I navigate differently through that. I think when it comes to business, I think we we know the authority in which we walk in that it's God is ordering our steps. We don't have to rush, we don't have to say yes to every opportunity that comes our way. It's I'm walking with that. I feel like you've been walking with that confidence and you've kind of had that backbone, but I feel like I'm in alignment and agreement with that even more. Where I'm not just saying yes to things, I'm not people pleasing, I'm trusting God. I'm really standing in that Psalms 4610, be still and know that I'm God. I don't have to rush anymore, and I just feel free. Yeah, I think I've I felt the freest that I've ever felt in my life. And my dad looked me in the eyes and said, You were never rejected, you were never abandoned because I did not know you existed. And I think it was at that very moment that I literally felt like an elephant's foot came off of my chest, and I just felt like I could breathe. And since that day, I've just been walking, just walking in God's authority. I've been walking more bold in his love, his grace, and his favor with my life. Yeah. Yeah, what about you?

SPEAKER_00

Ah man, um I think I'm leading through more of a it's possible. We've been on fire for the Lord for some time now, and and now with this latest miracle, I'm like, okay, y'all, listen. Okay, let me tell you what Jesus can do. Come on. And we see it all the time that if his promises weren't true for people who in the past, centuries ago, his promises are still true. He's still the same God, and he can still do it for us so long as we are walking in his will, right? Absolutely. And so, um, so just to see that he is still raising people up from the dead, literally. We thought his father passed, and here he is, right? And so it is just so incredible. So now, as I lead and I talk and I minister to my people's, I am just saying it with so much more faith and excitement, and like, yes, like this is what's happening.

SPEAKER_02

So um I'm looking for a scripture. You keep going. I'm looking for a scripture, y'all. She's on fire and she's got me encouraged, and I know I got Bible to back this. First Corinthians 131 says, Therefore, as it is written, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. And I think that's basically what you're tying into because of this new testimony, tied in with all the other testimonies. There's no one that can tell you what God can or cannot do. And it's not boasting in our own, it's not being arrogant. It's true humility that we know the source of our peace, we know the source of our provision, we know where the blessings come from, and we know who gets the glory for the testimony. And I think that's what it really boils down to.

Confidence After Abandonment Healed

SPEAKER_00

I'm just thinking about like what have I learned through this? You know, it has been such a beautiful story, and um, and I try to I try to take back what are what am I learning about me as a woman, as a child of God, as your wife, as a mom, as a business leader. And I think what I'm learning about myself is how resilient I am. Like I know that, listen, I'm ready, okay? I am ready. And so, and so, but, but when I looked at him that morning before he went on um 23 and 23, I I being his partner had to either say, Let's do this, or you know what, babe, let's wait, right? And he respects me and honors me so much that literally what I said he would have really considered one way or the other. And so I had to know that if this went south, that I was going to ride this out with him. And the fact that it has gone so beautifully is is beautiful, but like we said, there's still a back end of the blessing that we still have to ride out. And and and sometimes couples they don't fall when things are bad, they fall when things are high, right? And so I just want to leave y'all with that. That for partners and spouses of spouses who are going through life-altering changes in an instant, your role matters so much. You can speak life or you can speak death. You can come boldly or you could come passively. You choose what you're going to do. And and for us, for me as the partner, I choose to be his number one encourager and supporter and prayer warrior and be resilient through it. So I'm learning how resilient I am and how that was a risk for me too.

SPEAKER_02

And the crazy thing is, this is another thing. Life will change. The question is, when it changes, will you change together or will you change alone? Will you adapt? When persecution comes, when hardship comes, will you isolate, which is exactly what the enemy wants you to do, or will you lean into each other, standing together with God is that triple graded cord so you can continue to grow. Whether it's good or bad, the enemy wants you to go this way, and the other one goes this way. But God has designed our marriages to be strong. He wants us to be resilient because we're not leaning on our own understanding. I'm not leaning on Troy. She's not leaning on Chantel. We're trusting that the Lord is going to reconcile whatever issue or anything by bringing us closer together. Uh, it reminds me of the bulls in the storm versus the cows in the storm. If you've ever heard that story, during a storm, cows don't hurt up. They run chaotically and they run and they're exhausted. But bulls actually come together and they run through the storm and they actually get out of the storm faster. And you gotta ask yourself, where do you want to be in your marriage? And we're gonna bull up every time.

SPEAKER_00

We're gonna bull up.

SPEAKER_02

We're gonna bull up. We're gonna pull up and we're gonna pull up. We're gonna pull up and we're gonna bull up. We're gonna knuck if you buck.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, yes. And that just goes back to alignment. I mean, we've been in every episode, we've been talking so much about alignment. Alignment matters so much. And so are you, what'd you say, are you growing together?

SPEAKER_02

Are you growing together or are you gonna grow alone?

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

When when life happens, are you gonna experience it together? Right. Are you gonna experience it alone?

SPEAKER_00

And noting that when things happen over time, you have time to pray, you have time to connect, to talk, to seek wise counsel, to prepare, to save. But when things happen in an instant, you need to be ready. Right? And so start getting in sync now if you're not already. Start finding your rhythm now if you aren't already, because it's because of the systems and practices and rhythms that we had pre-this news that has allowed us to be able to continue growing together post this news. So don't wait for your instant to happen. Start preparing now so that way y'all can grow together and stay aligned.

Faith, Testimony, And Bold Leadership

SPEAKER_02

I also just want to tap into Romans 12 where it says, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, the way you think. Um I need I need you guys that are listening to to start thinking differently and to ask God to transform the way you think daily. That's not, oh, yesterday doesn't count. Lord, give me fresh perspective over my marriage today. Give me fresh wisdom of how I stay anchored to my wife today. If you are misaligned and you want to get in alignment, you need to do the work. But there also needs to be a prayer of Lord, right now, Lord, renew my mind, renew what I think. Lord, I don't think we're gonna make it today, Lord. I don't think we're ever gonna get on the same page. If you think those thoughts, those are the seeds that you're sowing into your marriage. But if you ask God for fresh vision, if you ask God to say, Lord, this is what I think, I think we're not gonna make it, Lord, but I think you have something different uh for our marriage, Lord. Renew the way I think, Lord, soften my heart. Give me the ability to pray with my spouse. We just start there. Before the actual practical action steps, let's start with prayer. Lock arms with your spouse, Lord. We have been misaligned, but Lord be our compass. Yeah, guide us to in Jesus' name.

SPEAKER_00

In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Well, we hope that you have been able to walk away with something today and know that when life changes in an instant, you can grow together or a part. And if you haven't checked out our mini documentary on Troy finding his father, please do so. We will link it in our show notes. Uh, it is only available on YouTube. So for those listening, that's the only place you could watch it. Um, but until then, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And I listen, I'm I'm gonna be bold because if you don't ask, I ask that if you feel good about the documentary, if it's blessed you in any way, share it with somebody. Uh there are so many stories being told. There's so many things that are negative that are being shared and going viral. Uh, this is a story of redemption, this is a story of healing, it's a story of reconciliation where God gets the glory. If you feel encouraged, please share it with somebody.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, yes, please do.

SPEAKER_02

All right, so next week, keep building. Peace.