The Food for Thought Faithcast with Be Rob
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The Food for Thought Faithcast with Be Rob
Ep. 33-From Dracula's Land to God's Army: A Conversation About Surrender
A providential text message from a stranger brought comfort to Be Rob during his darkest moment—and became the catalyst for this powerful conversation about divine appointments and surrendering to God's perfect timing.
When Be Rob found himself forced to return to car sales after a series of financial setbacks—his wife's emergency surgery, a hurricane that devastated his music bookings, and the painful feeling of abandoning his musical calling—an unexpected message arrived from a Romanian pastor he'd barely met. That connection led to this remarkable discussion about how God orchestrates life's most meaningful intersections.
Pastor Christian Istrate shares his journey from Transylvania (yes, Dracula territory) to a small South Carolina town, humorously noting that while his homeland is known for someone who takes blood, he preaches about "the One who gives His blood for the people." His perspective on ministry challenges our typical approach: "Many people are captivated by what they can do for God, forgetting that God already has in mind what He wants to do." This wisdom provides a roadmap for anyone struggling with life not going according to plan.
The conversation reveals surprising parallels between these two ministers—both former Christian rock musicians now using their voices in different ways. Their instant spiritual connection demonstrates the episode's central truth: what we dismiss as coincidences are actually "God anonymously showing up." Through vulnerability, scriptural wisdom, and a powerful closing prayer about transforming frustration into surrender, listeners will find renewed hope that their current challenges might be divine positioning for something greater than they could imagine.
Hey guys, b-rob here. It's Sunday, march 23rd. It's the Food for Thought podcast. It's another beautiful day that the Lord hath made. It's a little over 70 degrees outside and the sun is shining and there's not a cloud in the sky, and it's amazing. God is so good to us. God is so great to us and I just want to tell you I'm going to explain the podcast today.
Speaker 1:I'm going to play you a little clip from my show yesterday out at Lake Murray at Buck's Pizza. That was my first time visiting and it's an amazing, beautiful place out on the lake. I got to play out on the lake and I got to play for some beautiful, amazing South Carolina people in Leesville, georgia. And I'm going to start with this story and then I have a special guest that I'm going to bring on the podcast right after the story. So don't, there's a story, a song, don't turn it off after the song because I'm coming back with a special guest. So here is the testimony story in the song, because I'm coming back with a special guest. So here is the testimony story in the song and then, right after that, you will hear me come in with the special guest.
Speaker 1:So thank you, guys for listening, so I'm going to tell you guys a little story. It was it's kind of crazy because I've been doing good retired for four years, since 21, playing music and entertaining I. I actually got nominated for best entertainer, best podcast, best wedding dj, for augusta's best, and only like four were named like nominated in each category. So that's a blessing and I've been kind of canceled because Augusta's real liberal. So um, but the main thing, was this past fall.
Speaker 1:We had like quite a few things that just set back everything. My wife had emergency surgery in September, a month it was August. No, her dad died first. Then she had emergency surgery at the end of August and then when was the hurricane? It was the end of September.
Speaker 1:It was a month to the day she had surgery, the hurricane happened so I had to cancel like all my gigs for September to take care of her and then the hurricane happened and then everything canceled for the rest of the year. So like I had no money coming in and I mean I have I had things in savings but we, you know, being retired for four years and still having a mortgage and that sort of thing and paying car payments, and it was tough but I ended up going back to work. I retired from the car business as a finance manager of 26 years, ended up going back to work a couple weeks ago at Crescent Automotive just selling cars. But last night I mean I've been kind of feeling down about it. You know what I'm, because if I don't get to play music then I don't have my escape and that's like my thing. And I've been meeting some really neat people. Recently I actually met a pro wrestler, nikita Koloff, five-time champion. He was on my podcast um, and I was feeling especially down after a long day at work. Last week I sold six cars in one week. This week I only sold one, so it was kind of like I was doing the thing and then we had bad weather and everything was just bad.
Speaker 1:But I was feeling down in the dumps and I got this text message Thursday night from an 803 number and I'm sitting here thinking it's some ad for because I listen to a lot of Christian podcasts and stuff like that. So it just says I just wanted to say that I've really enjoyed seeing you. So it just says I just wanted to say that I've really enjoyed seeing you. I took a moment to look at your activities and I truly believe that you have a voice to worship them and speak deliverance over you and others lives. Continue to trust and believe that he is in control of every single aspect of your life. I just paused to pray for you. It was a blessing to meet you, even briefly. I look forward to meeting you again. So he said it was a blessing to meet you, even briefly, and I look forward to meeting you again. May the Lord bless you abundantly, looking forward to connecting again soon. And then he wrote do not tremble, do not be afraid that I'm not. Proclaim my purposes for you long ago. You are my witness. Is there any other God? No, there is no other rock, not one. Isaiah 44, verse eight.
Speaker 1:And I'm sitting there like for five minutes, like is this an ad, what is this? So I said, wow, this is simply amazing. Who is this an ad? What is? Who is what is this? So I said, wow, this is simply amazing. Who is this? Hallelujah. And he says this is pastor Christian Brian's, pastor from Johnston. Well, brian Johnson is my boss.
Speaker 1:So I only met this guy for like five minutes and I told him what I did and he actually went and did research, like unlike most people, and the crazy thing about it is he's only been in the country for a year. He's from Romania and he used to sing Christian rock music in Romania and, um, that, just like I mean I think I cried for like two minutes when I found that out, just because it was affirmation from God by association. And if you're not listening to God, I mean I know there's a lot of false information out there, but don't just shrug everything off as false out there. But don't just shrug everything off as false, because do your own due diligence and research, because God is talking to us right now. He's putting the pieces together and I'm just saying that and this is a song called uh want to be loved. It's by a new band called the red place trays. I don't know if you've heard of the red place trays, but it's a great song and I'm gonna sing it for you now. Okay.
Speaker 2:Everybody's waiting for a break, like fast cars of freedom, everybody wants the same old thing. Tell me, what will it bring you, my friend? I'm tired of being this way. I'm tired of running astray. Oh God, I need to know you're still above. I just wanna be loved. I just wanna be loved. Can you tell me, am I worthy reported? Am I working hard enough? Yeah, I just want to be loved. I just want to be loved. They say faith can't move a mountain, but I'm built for the climb. So tell me, am I faithful or, too, just stubborn? Tell me, what will I find at the peak, at the top, at the end of my life, at the end of my life? Tell me how my climb will be judged, how my climb will be judged. And I just wanna be loved, and I just wanna be loved. Can you tell me, am I worthy of reporting? Am I working hard enough? I just wanna be loved. I just wanna be loved.
Speaker 2:I've been afraid. I've been alone. Sometimes I need someone To pick up that phone. I'm tired of leaving. I need a hug, cause I just wanna be loved. Oh yeah, I just wanna be loved. I just wanna be loved. Can you tell me, am I worthy or important? Am I worth it or not? I don't know. I just want love in love. I just want love in love. I want someone to want me. I need somebody there and I need someone to need me. I need someone who cares. I need somebody there and I need someone to need me. I need someone who cares. I need mercy and healing and power of prayer. And to admit that I'm scared. I'm not broken, I swear.
Speaker 1:All right, hey guys, this is B-Rob. It's the Food for Thought podcast and we've got a special guest today. Pastor Christian, how are you today, sir?
Speaker 3:Hello B-Rob. It's such an honor to be with you on your podcast. It is amazing to hear some of your stories shared there and to hear your voice, because I think your voice is very important, not just that you have a deep, good sounding radio voice, but I think God is using your voice in this generation. Amen.
Speaker 1:Awesome, I do believe. I believe it's a great day to be alive. I think he's putting the pieces, the chessboard, together, and I think he's building an army, and I'm praying for revival every day, and that's just one of the things that has really caught my heart, and I just I've got a platform, so I might as well use it for the King of Kings Tell us your name?
Speaker 3:Yeah, my name is Christian Istrate. Istrate is actually a Greek name and it means noble army or the army that surrounds the king. I'm originally from Transylvania. I think a lot of the people know the story of Dracula, but, as I always mention, I always say that, although my region is popular for the one who's, you know, taking the blood from the people, I am the one who's preaching about the one who's giving away his blood for the people. His name is Jesus Christ. So this is how I present myself sometimes, just to make a connection between where I am from and whom I serve. I serve Jesus from my early days. Yeah, I have an interesting story about God's redemption upon my life and yeah, I'm just. If I would describe myself in one word, I'm the found sheep that was lost.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was lost and Jesus found me and carried me on his shoulder and I feel that every day.
Speaker 1:Right, that every day. Right, you know, you know? An amazing coincidence about what you just said is I did my high school paper to graduate on bram stoker's dracula wow, that's very interesting, full circle right like you call that is coincidence. But I don't believe in coincidences. I think coincidences are a way of god anonymously showing up.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, it's no coincidence. You know, sometimes the things that we are doing in this life and that we think are unique, they are unique but they also have a connection point to other people's story and this is how God is bringing people together and to put them's story. And this is how God is bringing people together and to put them in tribes. And I think, because we are kind of in the same tribe, god is using that story. You know, and I really think, like God is working to put people together, and when I heard your story, even your testimony, to put people together, and when I heard your story, even your testimony, and I heard you know about your singing, and also I was involved in singing.
Speaker 3:It's just amazing how God is putting you know people together.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's wild because it's mainly via technology, which is, I think, was sinister to begin with, but I think we've hijacked it for the good. I do I honestly do More truth coming out, people ascending and spiritually, it's really amazing Like you sent a text to me Thursday night and I talked about it in the, in the testimony, and I was down in the dumps. It almost looked like it was artificial intelligence. I was like, and then I asked and you said, no, no, this is christian.
Speaker 1:And I was like, wow, so you said that I mean I needed that right then. I mean I teared, I teared up man, I took five minutes and just cried it out. It was wild yeah, it was.
Speaker 3:Uh, you just came to my mind and I was thinking, uh, I was praying. While I was texting, I was actually praying and I asked the lord what's the main um message? Uh, I can give to to this brother and, um, that was the message that god gave me and that was the bible verse that god gave me. Yeah, that I needed that at that moment and you have no clue that was, that was the Bible verse that God gave me. I needed that at that moment and you have no clue.
Speaker 1:That was simply amazing. I'll never forget that it really was, and you only met me for maybe 5-10 minutes at Crescent Automotive in that, yes.
Speaker 3:We were just exchanging contact details, but then I heard good things about you and then I really got interested in knowing you more, especially because I am also interested in technology and podcasting. I'm trying to learn more about these things and music also.
Speaker 1:it's a dear thing to my heart and uh right, yeah, I think we can help each other for real and I think that's why god put us together and same. With nikita, I'm going to man camp in two weeks and I'm really excited about that. I have a little. I have a little fear because I haven't been away from my phone since, probably when I went to Trace Diaz, which is another three-day retreat. But I love Nikita's explanation. God's army doesn't retreat, so we don't call it a retreat. I thought that was amazing. Yeah, I thought that just whew. And I got a full scholarship because money's been hard and that's why I had to go back to work. I was playing full-time music, but God has his way of humbling people and maybe I wasn't doing what he wanted while I was playing, so I had to sit back and pray and now things are starting to look a lot better.
Speaker 1:Now it's. It's simply amazing how that works. So tell us, um, tell us about where you pastor in the little town of johnston yeah, god brought me here in the city of johnston.
Speaker 3:It's a a tiny city near Aiken. It's about half an hour away from Aiken, half an hour away, 40 minutes away from North Augusta, and I arrived here five months ago. Actually, it will be six months soon, but it's kind of a short time ago.
Speaker 3:I used to come in USA just for visiting or studying sometime, but I never how do you say planned to stay here, like really make America my home. But I had a special call from God that I need to come here for the sake of this mission from God, that I need to come here for the sake of this mission so I can be more effective in, especially in the international outreach. I used to be a missionary in a pan-Foley window which is called the persecuted church areas and I used to be there a missionary and, yeah, my focus is to just mobilize the body of Christ to be closer to the church that is suffering under different kind of persecution, even if it's a Muslim context or Hindu or or other types of contexts. So I just prayed and said, Lord, I want what's next in the ministry and send me to the right location so I can start that vehicle towards my future. And God gave me my first vehicle Because, you know, in this life, when we ask God about colleagues, he also knows how to put the right context and at least the next and so on, and even though the first context doesn't look like, it's the big picture you have, or I have in my mind, by God it's the right vehicle to go to the next.
Speaker 3:And I think God works in seasons and we should always be you know, always be in a position of humility and ask him to guide us Right and follow his mission, because many times people are so captivated by what they can do for God, forgetting the fact that God has already in mind everything you want to do. When we ask God to work for us, we actually need to ask God where he's now at, and this is a prayer. We should only ask God where are you at now? And I need to be there. And sometimes, where God is at, it doesn't look like what we want.
Speaker 1:You know it doesn't look at all like we want.
Speaker 3:It's a different place, it's a different office, it's a different people. And then we can, as obedient disciples, we need to transform the frustration into surrender. In my life took me to places that didn't look like what I was living off, but then at the end of the season, you know, I could see and I could praise the Lord that he took me to the right place. Yes, you saw the fruit. It's amazing, yeah, but you know, it's all about surrendering and let God first. This is my advice to the listeners even though your life doesn't look as you want to look right now, by surrendering God will make it look as good. As he can do it, as he can do it. Yeah, as a creator, as a mighty god, he can do everything. We just have to surrender.
Speaker 1:Yep it's written in the book, that is, that is a fact, that's an amazing thing, that's an amazing story and, um, and I'm not going to keep you long today because I know that we could sit here for hours and talk with stories that we have and I just wanted to introduce you to the fans. Well, I'm not going to say fans, I'm going to say the listeners yes, and I just hope you would touch somebody's heart today. So if you would, man, would you close us in prayer or a verse, or yeah, that would be amazing yeah, well, I will end with prayer.
Speaker 3:Thank you, lord Jesus.
Speaker 3:We thank you so much for this opportunity to be together right now, and we pray that every single person that is listening to this podcast right now, and we pray that every single person that is listening to this podcast right now to to have his or hers heart ready to be touched by your presence. I pray that, if people are in a season of asking something for their own life, to go on and ask and then surrender what they ask to you, because you can take what we ask for and make it better, and I pray that in this season of our life, even if we see that things are not working the things that we see are not working the way we want them to work, by giving them to you, lord, I know that you will bring something good out of them. You said, lord, that in the moment of our surrendering, if we are throwing even our bread on the waters, will you return to us. I just pray that we will cast away all fear, we will cast away all worries, we will cast away all things that are not under control, that we think they are not under control, and we let these things in your control right now. I pray that people will let their life under your control and please, jesus, be the guide, be the leader, be our master. We need you as Savior, but more than anything, we need you as Lord, lord and Savior. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus Amen, amen, hallelujah.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Thank you, pastor, for taking the time out today to speak with me and just get you introduced, and I really appreciate the conversation and I appreciate what the future friendship holds and I'm looking forward to it, brother. I'm looking forward to the associations by the King of Kings himself. I think it's amazing, I think what he's doing is simply amazing, and I think people are watching it happen. And as long as me and you and people like me and you continue to have confidence in the Lord and continue to let the Lord guide us, I think the United States will be a much better place soon and I'm praying for revival for the whole country, the whole world, and I just pray all this stuff in Jesus name, lord, thank you.
Speaker 1:Amen.
Speaker 3:Hallelujah.
Speaker 1:All right, alright, my man, I'm going to let you go because I know you got to go. Bless some of the good folks in God's country, which is Johnston, south Carolina, and I look forward to another phone call or maybe you coming over and actually sitting down in the studio and actually doing a full podcast. That'd be amazing.
Speaker 3:Looking forward even to sing together. Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely, definitely, absolutely.
Speaker 3:I think we'll be quite in distance yeah.
Speaker 1:I was listening to the stuff. It's awesome. I like I did the Christian rock thing. I had a band called From this Hour, which was the verse that Jesus almost became a sinner like us, but he didn't, when he was in the woods and praying and you know, he was like God. I know from this hour. I know what I have to do and this it was. That was a fun time. That was about 15 years hour. I know what I have to do and this it was uh. That that was a. That was a fun time. That was about 15 years ago, I think.
Speaker 3:And um, I'll have to tell you that story and uh yeah, and I want to listen to some of the songs, yeah man Definitely. Definitely I need to come by and listen.
Speaker 1:I'll have to cook you a meal too, because I can cook my mama's from Savannah and she taught me how to cook.
Speaker 3:I like to eat. That's what I'm about to do the rest of the night, after I edit the podcast.
Speaker 1:I'm going to go out there and cook the meats for the week. All right, my brother. Well, I love you and God bless you and keep doing what you're doing. Brother, I mean, you have blessed me and I don't. I, like I said, we only shook hands and exchanged numbers. You have already blessed me, so that's amazing, brother. Yeah, yes, all right, my man, I will talk to you soon okay, thank you, bye.
