Two Unlikely Christians
Following a chance meeting in 2024, Mississippi comedian Pat McCool and UK based psychotherapist Richard Turrell, have built a relationship based on their shared faith in Jesus and the dramatic changes coming to faith has had, and continues to have on their lives. They talk, laugh and share that journey as an expression of their passion to help others have the same experience.
Two Unlikely Christians
Ep 18: Why Are We Reluctant to Share Our Faith?
Richard and Pat discuss how they, and many Christians are sometimes hesitant to share their faith in Jesus with those that may not be receptive. They talk about why that is, what Jesus has commissioned us to do, and how doing it can sometimes benefit us as much or more than the people we're trying to help.
And welcome to the two Unlikely Christians podcast. I am comedian Pat McCool and a man who once thought that wearing a hundred percent polyester shirts with sports logos matched with. Striking dress pants and penny loafers was a good way to attract women. And now to across the pond, to esteemed psychotherapist and a Dixon specialist, and a man who is making his last international appearance as a single man.
Rich:That is
Pat:true Trophy Hu Trophy husband, Richard Turrell.
Rich:Tr Yeah. Uh, yes. That is me. I'm a trophy. Yeah. I'm not other, not like you guys have, so hopefully I won't be mounted on the wall, you know, glassy-eyed stare, you know, like the last look of the horror captured on my face, you know. But, uh, yeah, it's nice. I consider myself a trope. I consider myself a prize, Patrick. Consider myself a catch.
Pat:I think, uh, Reen is, is worthy. Is worthy of you.
Rich:Yeah,
Pat:you're right. She's a lucky
Rich:woman.
Pat:Yep. You are you a little nervous? You're just days away?
Rich:Am I nervous? Not really. I suppose it brings up, I'm not nervous about getting married to a lot. I've never felt more certain really in a relationship. Um, and, you know, and also having like the biblical. You know, a Christian marriage is something quite different. I think, you know, you have this like underpinning commitment to God and to each other, right? And you know, so you, it. It's not about a feeling. I mean, there is a feeling, obviously there's a feeling of love and attraction and all of those things, right? So all of that stuff's very, very present. Um, but there's, it's, there's this, this kind of guiding principles to it, which make it something quite different. And it's, you know, like, not like kind of like checking out after three years because the feeling's gone away or, or whatever. And you know, unless you know I've made, you know, I've made serious mistakes in that area and caused a lot of harm. Um, and hurt along the way, but this is something different. So I don't feel nervous about actually getting married and making that commitment, if I'm honest. There's some bits that come up, Patrick, about like, like, you know, am I like, am I good enough? You know, like, you know, there's some kind of inadequacy, some old beliefs that that that surface and for both of us, we were speaking about that this morning. You know, I'm not good enough for her. She feels like, you know, she's good enough for me, you know, all she put up with the rough edges, you know, if that's what I, you know, I have a few rough edges. I'm, I'm definitely not like the, I'm not the finished article pat. So yeah, there's, there's little bits and pieces around that, but largely very, I feel very calm and confident going into it.
Pat:The main thing is you're putting Jesus first. And when you do that going in,'cause most people don't. I had not when I first started, but when I first got married. But the fact that you're doing that, you're way ahead of the game and you have all the foundation left. I mean, uh, you have all the foundation there that you need. And as far as you not being good enough for that, actually we're gonna discuss, uh, a couple of the good things about you. That I have noticed along the way before we send you off to ma to matrimony. Uh, and what we're gonna start the topic today. I don't know exactly what the name of the topic would be, uh, but is are you ashamed? Uh, not are you ashamed? Uh, don't be ashamed of your faith. And I was think, I don't know if that's a good title, but you'll see as we go into it and our listeners will. And I believe they can relate. Um, the fact that you are getting married, we had to kind of do this recording in a pinch so we wouldn't have a, so we wouldn't have a lapse in a week. And I mentioned to Gwen, uh, I said, well, we're gonna do a quick, uh. Episode because Richard's not going to be available because his, you know, priorities, uh, you know, he hadn't quite, quite, he ain't quite figured out. Talking to P Rat on a Saturday might be a little less important than making a biblical commitment for the rest of his life. But I'm, I'm good with that though. And she said, uh, well, how about the, how about don't be ashamed of your faith? And I said, um, I, I did. I said, eh. I don't, I don't know about that. Um. And I don't know if I said that because I didn't really have time to prepare on the topic or I don't know if I said that.'cause it might have hit a little bit close to home. Mm-hmm. And it might be an area that I'm not, uh, where I need to be, which might sound surprising. I mean, I am you, you Google me, you'll see Christian comedian. And I perform in churches. My subtitle of my book is One Man's Walk Towards God. We do a podcast called Two Unlikely Christians, but in that church, they all know Christians walking in there. If they click on two unlikely Christians, you know, they know what they get and they pick up the book. They know what they're getting. But how do I, I started thinking, well, how do I actually act when I'm out in public? And something you alluded to in our last episode, when I'm trying to be one of the cool kids. When I'm trying to fit in with the tribe and trying to fit in when I get along. And I thought a great illustration, um, of that, or maybe not illustration, but a good description of maybe where I was, was when we met. Because if you remember, you and I meet. I hear that English voice, you know, I'm a big fan of the Brits. I start, where are you from? And we start talking and hitting it off and you, you telling me what you're doing and I'm a comedian. And, and then we, you know, we start talk, I talk about the book that I wrote and how I have a passion for helping people'cause all the trouble and the misery I got into, uh, you know, and how I got my life back together. Uh, during that, if you recall. I never said that. That was a couple hour conversation. Never brought it up.
Rich:Yeah.
Pat:I told you I have a passion to help people. You said you have a passion to help people. Uh, you and I kind of became instant friends and we didn't run outta things to talk about. We just ran out of time, which is why we're still, we're still talking and. A couple months later, I get a thing on LinkedIn or somehow you track me down and, Hey, let's get together and let's talk. And I'm telling my wife, Hey, this is a great guy, uh, that I've met. But you know, I told her after I met you. And, uh, because we watch all the British shows. And so it's so cool that I've met a guy from England, and as you know, I, I expanded my Cosmopolitan international footprint because now I have a. You know, I have a buddy from London who sometimes lives in, in Oxford, so I tell her that and, but he wants to get BA back together and talk.'cause you, one of the last things you said was maybe we can get together and do some things to help people. Together. Never in that conversation did I tell you that the way I help people is I tell them about my story and about how I was a miserable person and I developed a faith for Jesus and started becoming a follower of Jesus. And that's how everything that, that, that's how all my problems in life were solved. I'm thinking this guy's from London, psychotherapist, diction specialist. London's not really known as the Bible, uh, capital of the world. I'm thinking. This guy, uh, you know, when I tell him that, you know, he might think I'm some bible thumping Southerner, and, uh, and all of a sudden I wouldn't be a cool kid to Richard anymore. You see where I'm going with this Rich? I honestly was thinking that in my mind. So then I kind of, hey, we, you know, we, we finally schedule a meeting, a zoom meeting, and we get together and I realize, look, well, I have to tell him if we're, you know, talking about getting together and helping people. Where, um. At what I do, what I do with my comedy, I go in and I make people laugh. I tell my story, I start talk. I do jokes about things that I got in trouble with and then tell them, and then I use my humor to help bring people around and show them that faith in Jesus is the path to, uh, to joy and peace. And I don't remember exactly what I. Said, but whether I've just read the title of the book or maybe you had, uh, I said, uh, no, I hadn't read the title, the book.'cause you hadn't read the book yet. Somehow, right off the bat I mentioned that, and I think I maybe mentioned the title, and you immediately leaned forward, your eyes got big. Mm-hmm. And you said. In your British, are you a Christian? Are you a Christian? And your head started bobbing. I said, well, yeah, actually I am. You said I am too. And you were so excited about it. So here I was all of this time, reluctant to tell, and I'm gonna get in on down the line as we discussed this, how silly it was for me to be withhold with withholding that information. But that's how. I at that time, I don't know if I was being ashamed, but I certainly was wanting to be thought of cool, you know, as the cool guy Richard was talking to. But I didn't come. Right. I had two hours to tell you I was a follower of Jesus and I never said that, whatsoever. Um, what are your thoughts on that, rich? I see the big brain going.
Rich:Mm-hmm. But yeah, it is hard. Like I'm still getting over it, right? Like. Not meeting you, but maybe, but, um, you know, like last night, so last night I, I brought two friends to church, right? One of them has come with me before the other one, it was his first time. So one of them, it was his second time, one of it was his first time, right? And, um, you know, I've been kind of talking to these guys like slowly, gently, over a period of time, power of example, as much as anything, talking about what Jesus has done for me, talking about the transformation in my life. You know, my journey. Not a smooth one into faith, you know, but, you know, hugely transformative, you know, changed my life, saved my life, you know, salvation, you know, all these sorts of things. Anyway, and like the, you know, it, it undeniable. Um. Uh, you know, the way I've experienced Jesus in ways that, that are undeniable, right? And, um, I'm not even gonna say undeniable to me. They're just undeniable. Right? And, um, and, and, and so these two guys have come with me and that's great. It's a beautiful thing. You know, I think it's such a beautiful thing to see people even taking a step or two towards faith, right? It's a beautiful thing, right? And, um, my friend was like, you know, and they did the order call. My friend was like, what? What's going on up there? And I was like, well, you know, they ask people to come to the front and people can pray for them. They can ask for prayer for this or prayer for that, or no. Sometimes people give their life to Jesus up there, you know? And he was like, okay. And he, he looked really like, it was almost like it was part of'em that wanted to go up, but didn't, you know? And I, and I, I said, look, can I pray for you? You, are you okay if I pray for you? It took, there was still this like, you know, there's an anxiety to do that. You know, there's still a part of me that's not bold in that regard, you know? And like, I'm a lot bolder than I've ever been. I, I happily tell people I'm a Christian, you know, well actually I'm a Christian, so, you know, but in that moment, and this is like two guys, like they're in church. Do you know what I mean? Like, they're there. Like, it's not like, what's the fear? But there can still be this fear of, of, I don't know what, right. But it's, yeah. Like I get it. Really, you know, I do, I get it. Um, it's got a lot easier for me over time. I was definitely, I remember when I first started going to a Christian recovery ministry and over here in the UK called Believers in Recovery. And uh, I was driving to this meeting and, um, a friend of mine from my 12 step group called me. He was, are you all right? And I was like, yeah, yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay. And uh,'cause that's what we do in England. We don't actually answer that question, right. We just tell everyone we're okay, we're fine. Right? And, um, and he said, oh, where are you going? I said, I'm gonna a meeting. And he said, where? And I said, Perry Vale, which is a long way from where I lived at the time in Central London. Right. Why are you going over there? It's a long way. And I was like, uh, well, um, you know, uh. He said, um, what did he, he said, I didn't think there was an NA, you know, sorry, what? A 12 step meeting over there on a Monday night. And I was, well, I'll tell you. Alright mate, look, I'm gonna tell you the truth. I've been gonna believe it's in recovery. And it was like I was telling him, you know, like I was, you know, it was like a dirty secret. It felt like a dirty secret for me at the time, you know? And, um, you know, it is got easier, but yeah, there's still that, like, there's an inbuilt, I don't know what it is. It's like just this resistance sometimes. And it, like I say, it's got a lot easier, but it's, it's still there. I still notice it.
Pat:Something in the last episode, it's still'cause popping back up in my mind. You, you were talking about wanting to be part of the tribe, wanting to be one of the cool kids. If you don't want people to think that, uh, you know, that you're, you're strange or you're weird, or you want people to like you, um. It's like when I, if I'm talking to somebody, well, what do you do? And I tell'em, well, I'm a comedian or something. And uh, well wait. I'm like, well, you know, if you Google me, they Google me immediately, like I'm sitting there talking to'em. They'll, you type in Pat McCool and it immediately pops up. Christian comedian and I can. See the look on some people's face, uh, they're like, oh, I love comedy. Oh, comedy. Oh, oh, oh, oh, you're right here. Oh, cool. You've been on tv. Oh, you're right. Oh, oh. And then you can, you can see the face change a little bit when they see the Christian part coming in. It's almost like, uh, uh, to some people. It's a little, oh, he's a Christian. Maybe he's gonna start, you know, he is going to talk about Jesus. And, and the truth is, you know, you can say God all you want around people. Have you ever noticed that? But you mentioned the word when you say,
Rich:yeah,
Pat:everything gets thick all of a sudden. And, and I think, but, but back to what I was saying. You. It's like, I want, I, oh, I wanna be accepted. I wanna be the cool, you know, I just, I want, obviously up to this point they think I'm this guy and we're having this conversation. And then now that I'm a cri, and that's not everybody, some people will just light up just like you did the time I told, you know, when we first, when we first met. But I think it might go back to some of what you're talking about, what you were mentioning. You know, in your clinical, the tribe aspect, you want people to, you want people to like you. Now, is that the right thing to do? Be more concerned with somebody liking you than it is telling them the most important things that they need to know in life. Go ahead. You were about to say something.
Rich:I just, I wonder about this Sometimes it's something I've thought about a lot. It's just that like, you know, like that ick, you know, that feeling of kind of almost like a slight like. Revulsion, right? I used to experience it if I was a Christian, right? I'd look at the guy, you know, the guy on the corner preaching or like handing out leaflets or, you know, and I just feel this, like, it just, it, it just felt a bit like, ugh. You know, I'd have quite a physical reaction to that. Yeah, it's really interesting'cause I would see people of other faiths, you know, like with, you know, whatever that, with, with whatever book, you know. I don't wanna get into all that. Right. But like with whatever book talking about, you know, their religion and you, I'm preaching. Right. Doing what from their point of view seems like the right thing to do. Right. And like, I always knew that they were, that that wasn't me. That there were differences between me and those people, you know, that they were of different kind of culture, a different belief system or whatever. Right. But I never felt that ick. But then I, I feel it around, like, around Christian and I, you know, I, I, I truly. Believe it is like that. It's the, you know, the work of the enemy, you know, the workers of Satan over the, you know, the decades and centuries. But I think particularly in the, you know, the back end of the 20th century, in the start of the 21st century that we're in now, it's like we've drifted so far from like what the truth is that it seems weird, right? But like, once you are in it, for me, once I'm in it, you know, to like, to not believe it seems. Seems weird, you know? It's like, but we've just, it, there's just this resistance to it. And I, you know, when, when I was lost out there in the world, like I, you know, I felt it. I never wanted to go to church, but I never wanted to become a Christian. You know, if you'd asked me in 2020, when did I start going 23? Beginning of 23, if you'd asked me in 2023, right? Because I'm very new Christian, right? But if you'd asked me in 2023, you know. You know, in the weeks, even before it happened, before I went to my first black Christian recovery meeting in a state of absolute desperation, right? Like, you know, like, do you want to go to church? Like, are you open to pursuing a relationship with Jesus? I'd have been like, absolutely not. You know, and like I'd investigated like Buddhism, like I did some Native American stuff over the years, you know, like went and sat in a sweat lodge, right? In the countryside here, you know, it turns out gonna sit in a very dark space with other men beating drums, like an extremely hot, you know, if you're carrying a level of childhood trauma, it's actually not the best thing for you. Do you know what I mean? Like, it's actually quite unpleasant and that anyway, but, you know, and I'm, I'm not disparaging anyone else, right? I'm really not. But like, you know, I was so open to like other things. I was so close-minded to, to, you know, to, to the truth, you know, to like the light of the world, like life. It's, you know, like the, the creator of like, the universe, you know, the, the man who flung the stars into the sky, you know, like God made man that walks among us, you know, like I, I, I was so resistant to that and it, it fascinates me, you know, that, how that resistance has become so built. It's almost like, I don't wanna say hardwired because it's not. Because obviously you can be rewired. I've been rewired, you know, Jesus done a spiritual surgery in me and rewired me. But I'll tell you what, it's not far off hardwired in our, in our society today, you know? Um, and it's sad. It's tragically sad, and I believe that to be the work of the enemy, you know, lies perpetuate by the enemy that have become so embedded in our society that they're just taking as facts, you know?
Pat:I think that's where it's coming from, that revulsion is what's inside of you. We, at this point, I have the Holy Spirit inside of me, so that's what kind of controls my thoughts and that controls my, my feelings towards people. But I was the same way back, way back during my party days and I, when people would mention something to me, I just, you did kind of have this kind of a, you know, the back off kind of weirdo. Type thing. And I think 100% that that's is Satan. He's trying to tell you, stay away from that person. Stay away from that person, stay away from that person. You remember the, whatever the Bible verse, uh, you can't serve two masters. So if you're not really, if you're not following Jesus, I don't, you can be a great person, a good person, but if you're not a follower, Jesus. Satan's inside of you and he's influencing you. And that's what happens when you get around someone like that. But us as Christians, that, that know the truth inside of us. And for example, you ever notice that? Is it easier for you to witness or share the gospel with somebody that's like they're struggling, homeless, addiction, ex, et cetera? Because when I see somebody down on their luck, I mean, I have this inside of me that I want to share the gospel. I want to help people. I get a great feeling of satisfaction. Uh, outta doing it, it is just in my heart and I'm convinced that's the Holy Spirit. But personally for Pat, if I see the person that's maybe pitiful, the person that's struggling or homeless, somebody dealing with addiction, they're easy to talk to. Ever know? Is that the same feelings you have? I, if somebody's really down on their luck, if really somebody's struggling, they're having troubles or having I'm can easy going, Hey, here's, you know, I, I start relating to them first. I try to put myself on their level. Been there, done that. Here's how I got out of it. Easier to talk to that person than your peer group. Then the person that you're trying to, to, uh, uh, you know, impress somebody. Do you see what, you see where I'm going with that?
Rich:Yeah, 100% it. Yeah, I think there's, it feels like there's more of an opening there and maybe, I guess if we're coming back to what we spoke about in the last episode that you've, you know, you've mentioned in this episode, um, you know, that stuff about the tribe and, you know, wanting to belong and like, you know, and this is just the thought I'm having now, pat, but. And it's a sad thought and it's just, maybe it's a sad truth, but it's like, if I'm talking to someone that's really that down in their luck, then rejecting me Doesn't seem that scary. No,
Pat:that's a,
Rich:maybe there's a sad truth in that, but, um,
Pat:I think that's a, that's a great point.
Rich:Yeah. Yeah.
Pat:Because you're thinking this, this person over here that I want to, like me, that I think is doing fine, that I want to fit in with, although, like you said, the person over there that's really struggling. That's a very good point. Go ahead. What were you gonna say?
Rich:Well, I hear a lot of stuff in, you know, that kind of locker room preaching. So my fiance, she's a, she's a big fan of, um, Francis Chan. You come across him. Uh, he, he, he is got a lot of stuff out there. He's a preacher, I think from a big church, I wanna say on the West Coast. Right. He's like a locker room preacher. Francis is Chan f Chan. So he's written some great books, but he's very much like locker room. He's like, he's refrain is like, come on you guys. Come on you guys, come on, you guys be, it's like, be bold, you know? Don't hide, you know, we don't like, we don't, you don't like a lamp and hide it under a bowl, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, get out there, tell people about him, you know, share, you know, not I, I. And you know, I find it hard, man. I'm not that bold like Shere my other half, she's a lot bolder than me. You know, she's much less like, wrapped up in what other people think in some ways, you know, in some ways. Um, but yeah, it's really, so, you know, it's really something I'd like to work on Pat. And I guess, you know, the usefulness of, I think sharing this out to our listeners right, is like, it's like look, if you are someone that finds it a bit scary and a bit hard. And you fear that rejection, like, that's okay. You know, like, but it's at the same time, it's something to work on. I mean, that's, I mean, speaking to myself as much as anyone else, like it's something to work on because actually the joy, look, when we share the gospel and we try and bring someone else to'em and fulfill the great commission, right? Go out and make disciples. That's what I'm asking you to do. Go out and make disciples. That's what I'm leaving you now. Please go out and make some disciples, right? You know, and that's, that's not about us, right? Like, that's about, you know, serving him, serving humanity, right? Saving souls, right. So it's not about us. However, the joy of seeing the light come in someone's eyes, you know, like of seeing like someone start to get it to like realize like what's this about? You know, to start, you know, like, I dunno what it is about being here and I still don't really get it, but there's something, it fit, there's something here. You know, when you see the tears start to appear in someone's eyes in the middle of the worship song or like, you know, in the sermon or, or whatever, you know, when you see that the joy of that is like. It's such a beautiful thing. Right. But yeah, it's still hard. It's still scary, you know?
Pat:Well, it's kind of like you said, when we first started doing this, we just, you just have this passion to want to help people experience it. Um, but it's not as easy.'cause sometimes I think you encapsulated it right there. You're more worried about what people think. Than their wellbeing. Think about that. Yeah. I mean, it's like we're sitting there talking to somebody that, you know, the bridge is out down the road. You know that if they keep driving, they're going off that cliff, but you don't tell'em because you don't want them. To feel a little, you, you know what I mean? You want them to like you more than you want to go out and give them the help and give them the need. And you know, their scripture after scripture that he says, go out and share the world. And I think the, you know, the, the whole you. The meat of what we're talking about here is I think a lot of us go out. It is easy to share with the person that's struggling some, but to go out and just let people know. I'm not talking about walking around being a Bible thumper, but I think what my wife was kind of pointing out was, you definitely reserve yourself a little bit and I'm not talking about going out and just like you said. You know, constantly trying to preach to people, but be quick. And I started thinking about my, with you. I was reluctant to tell you, uh, who I was and what I was.'cause I wanted you to like me. I wanted the big brain from Rich to, I, I needed a friend from London and I didn't wanna tell him I was some weirdo Jesus follower. And, uh, and then it turned out, um. That you were too, and it turned out to benefit me incredibly. A matter of fact, you, you could be a little hard on yourself because when we decided to do the podcast, I was, I was think, again, I'm thinking I'm working the angles. I'm always thinking the angles. And I was like, yeah. One thing I, I remember the question I asked you. You probably,
Rich:yeah, yeah, I do. You said, oh, like how might this suppress, uh, affect you professionally and like there is. Look, there is a question about that, right? Like, and the, the reality of it is this comes out, this comes out in a different space to where I promote myself professionally. But the truth is at the same time, you know, if it comes out, like if the two cross over, it crosses over. But it's just about having that bit of faith really, you know? Um, yeah. It's just about,
Pat:yes. Well, you, you didn't, you didn't bat an eye. You didn't blink when I said that to you. You immediately, I don't remember the scripture, but you immediately quoted the scripture. In other words, it was a decision that you had made somewhere along the line. You didn't know the question was coming. You just looked at me without thinking twice and said, this is what Jesus wants me to do and this is what I'm doing and I'll let the chips you said what you just said. Yeah. It's a different space. You're not putting it over into your, into your clinical. Uh, space, but you immediately said, this is what Jesus wants me to do and this is who I am. And I will let the chips fall where I may and I will trust in Jesus. That's what you said. So I wouldn't give yourself, uh, that much. I wouldn't beat up on yourself that, that much because I also noticed along the way that, uh. You would have always have a scripture. We were talking about something quickly. You would, you would have a quick scripture. I'm like, here's a guy that's been a Christian for two or three years, and he can pop out scripture and I gotta start fumbling through Bible pages and finding things that I, you know, that I've left on my phone. Uh, you came up to speed pretty quick and that helped give me a deeper. Purpose and digging into scripture, and I started doing it. So I started in preparing for these podcasts, I started reading the Bible more. I started getting great benefit, uh, out of things that you said and things I observe from you. I'm like, you have this scripture right there at hand, that scripture that can come in handy when you're sitting around possibly sharing your faith with somebody. And the fact is. You were basically saying, yeah, I don't make a big deal about it in my professional. Life, but let the chips fall where it may, if I see somebody about to drive off the cliff, I'm gonna tell'em, and I'm gonna do whatever I can. And that's pretty impressive. Rich. You ought to give yourself some credit because it's, it has helped change me in the time that we've known each other. It's like this is a bold guy, and I've had far more instances in my life where Jesus has come to my rescue, where it's just engraved in my heart that God is real. Jesus is real. He's the path to joy, peace, and happiness, and ultimately heaven at the end of, at the end of this life. And you have been quite a shining, uh, shining example of that. And you've had to risk, I mean, I'm a comedian. I don't, I'm a Christian comedian. I don't have a heck of a lot to risk there. People know who I am. You on the other hand, were willing to do that, so I give you credit for that. Uh, but we're just trying to let people know Yeah. Everybody that, that's out there, you, we all feel the same way. Just be cognizant. God does want us to share. One of the best ways you can share your faith is how you act and how they see you comport yourself. People a lot of times, uh, will see just you. You're showing them gentleness. You're showing them kindness. You're showing them support. You're showing them, encouragement. The way you are around people or you're acting the way Jesus would want you to act. So then the opening comes when something happens, they realize, oh, this is not somebody that's coming at me trying to judge me, trying to hit me upside with the Bible. But they're really trying to help me. And I do see the light inside of them. And I think, um, I think that's the biggest thing we get from this. Shine the light. Be prepared to share your faith. Um. But share it in the way you act and what you do and be prepared. And I'm a lot better, I'm a lot better equipped to do that because I met you. Uh, and I have a lot more understanding. I mean, I've, I've read more scripture, memorized more scripture, I'm ready for it. And I've seen that example. So isn't that kind of crazy? The dude, the man, the meth and the legend that I did not want to tell that I was a Christian. Has made such a huge impact in my life. So, as a matter of fact, that's kind of funny, I'm always working the angles in life. You know, you're trying to go out and help. Sometimes you don't realize it, you're out. You're thinking, maybe I could share Jesus. Maybe I should not tell this guy how I feel, or what, or, you know, what, what's really the, um, what is the ground zero for my happiness, my joy, and my being able to help people. Maybe I, I should share with him to help him. Turned out that when I did share with him, I was the one that benefited by sharing with you because it all came pouring outta you. Pretty neat, huh?
Rich:Pretty neat. Patrick, Nicole. Yeah.
Pat:Well, with that said, rich is getting married this week, as I have alluded to, so I'm gonna let him get on to his pre, um. His premarital, uh, what are we, four or five days away?
Rich:Five days out? Man, I have to say that Patrick, I've kept checking the mail and I haven't seen like, I mean, I was assuming there'd be a gift from you or maybe a check. I know you American, you still like checks
Pat:it. It's come, well, the portrait is not, the portrait hasn't been, uh, hasn't been done yet. That I'm having, that I'm having submission
Rich:it. Stop mo, it's off. It's just, it's behind the camera.
Pat:No, I, I've got a new one coming that I want you to put in, you know, and I, you're gonna need a bigger frame because then it's gonna gonna go in the background, but the, um,
Rich:pulling, you can just sit on my, you can sit on my shoulder while I'm working.
Pat:Yeah.
Rich:You know,
Pat:if I could get a, maybe I want a light, a little bit of an r going on around it. Yeah,
Rich:that sounds like kind of idol, voluntary to me, pat. I'm not gonna lie.
Pat:And, you know, Richard, any tips, you know, how you've helped me? You know, I get the free therapist. I get to all the, but if any help, because I don't know if I've ever told you, but I've been married 35 years.
Rich:No wait, I heard another rumor as well. Patch.
Pat:I don't like to talk about it.
Rich:I heard another rumor. I heard not only have you been written 30, been married 35 years, but I heard, and this is another thing, you keep very quiet, is it true you've read a book?
Pat:I have, and I mentioned that I was married in the book, so, but I don't, you know, I don't like to brag about it, but I have a little, I have a little experience there, so, oh, and did you know? That I wrote poetry. I suggest that you might look into writing a little poetry for Shireen because that, it's pretty impressive. I wrote a poem for my wife, years ago. You wanna hear it?
Rich:Sure, yeah,
Pat:you might wanna get a tissue. I just, I don't, again, I don't wanna brag what kind of a Renaissance man I am. Um, but if you, if you got a tissue next to you, uh, the name of the poem is My Life Sucked by Pat McCool. It goes like this, my life sucked. Then I met you, then it didn't, the end.
Rich:It's hauntingly beautiful. It is just all there, man.
Pat:It's just there.
Rich:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Pat:Simon, I'm getting emailed by Simon and Schefter right now for a
Rich:whole book. Yeah. Yeah. I mean that's, I think that poem alone could be a Netflix like limited series. Like they'd get free, they'd get free episodes just outta that. I think, you know,
Pat:I think I think so. Um, but it did make all the difference. God put that woman in my life. Go ahead.
Rich:Yeah. No, no. Go on, please. You were saying something to me. You were saying something meaningful. I was just gonna
Pat:poke
Rich:fun at you. I,
Pat:no, go ahead and poke fun at me. I'm out. I'm out of meaningful. I do have a co I have a couple of scriptures for you to end on, but it did make all the difference. And God brought, you know, we talked about in other episode about being afraid in our last episode. Do you remember how many times I got dumped when I was in? I thought it was the end of the world and I just couldn't believe it. Oh, this woman's good. Oh, she's gonna leave me for the oil field work. Her and did. And she had a good point too. It was, uh, I was like, what does he have that I don't? She was like, look, a job. I was like, okay, well, and I'm looking at doing time. I was like, okay, I can see your choice, but I ended up getting the most incredible woman in the world. It's made all the difference. She led. Me to a much deeper relationship with Jesus and actually helped to lead me to completely turn. She's just been my rock and she has, been actually my spiritual, kind of my spiritual, guide there. And it sounds to me like Shereen is very similar. So I think you might be embarking on the same journey that I'm embarking on. Did you have, uh, one last thing to say before I read this scripture?
Rich:Pat, you read the scripture, honestly. Okay. Yeah.
Pat:Just a couple to leave you with one. One Corinthians 13, 4 5. Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs. There's a reason why I'm reading this scripture'cause just between me and you women keep records of wrongs. I'm just, I'm just saying,
Rich:do you know what though? Pat Shere doesn't like she does, and that is she, it's, you know, and I'm, I can be a tricky character man. That's the truth. You know? I bet some rough edges, man. Yeah, I know. It's hard to imagine. But, um, she's, um, yeah, she, yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm really blessed man. And like, you know, in the same way, you know, there's a lot of similarities. You know, she's, um. She's quite, she's quite something. And uh, it's hard, isn't it? You know, like I, um, yeah. I mean, I just say like, it's like, you know, a lot of the mistakes I made led where I'm, you know, and that doesn't make what I did in the past. Okay. But it has brought me here nonetheless.
Pat:Well, some of the wrongs, we're not talking about horrible wrongs, but, uh, me and a lot of people that are listening are going, we hope that continues to work out for us. For you, because a lot of married guys out there were all thinking, eh, you know, sometimes in a marriage, you know, things, things you've done to irritate your wife. It's, it, it, it's like Jason from Friday the 13th. You think they're, you think what you did is dead and buried and, and it's out in the lake in a million basis, and then when you least expect it. It rears its ugly. It rears its ugly head, just like bam. So in five years she's like, you remember that day we were out there walking and you said this. Just remember Uncle P Rat told you. It's just part of it. So,
Rich:alright, I'll bear it in mind, pat.
Pat:I'm glad. I'm glad you have, I'm glad you have the unicorn. And for all the other ladies out there that are listening that don't assume that I'm, I mean, I apologize if you are like Shereen and you don't occasionally bring up. Missteps of your husband's, but that can be, uh, and then to close with this, in all seriousness, the one thing that I noticed, Richard, when I got married to my wife, I told you we fought quite a bit, a lot of jocking for position, you know, a lot of rage, a lot of things that had gone into that as we both came together. She had been married before. A lot of things get but Iwo, I would wake up and I would notice that my wife was. Putting my needs first. I'm not talking about just, you know, being walked on, but I was like, she always takes care of me. Even if she's mad at me, she does the things that she, thinks she needs to do. And I started realizing this woman has really devoted her life. To making me happy. And I saw that and it, it, it increased my love immensely and increased my desire to do that for her. So I do the same. Matter of fact, I almost, you are not gonna believe this, but almost irritate my wife with the things I try to do to help her. If I don't have anything to do, how can I help with this that away from the dishwasher, you've broken too much stuff, but I literally want to do things to help. So when you put the other person first. When people ask me, a lot of times I see people that are having marital trouble and I, they say, what's I say, well, one in one line, put the other person first. And a lot of times they don't ask me anything else.'cause they didn't want to hear that. They, they, they just gotta move on. They're like, this isn't going the direction. But when you can really learn to put the other person first, and putting Jesus first helps you put the other person first. And the last scripture is Romans 1210. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves, which is what my wife and I have done for us, which has led us, believe it or not, Richard, 35 years of marriage.
Rich:35 years of marriage, pat. Well, I I really, I really appreciate all, you know, the sentiment and the scripture and just the, the well wishes man means a lot. Thank you.
Pat:You're both, uh, you're both getting fantastic people, so God bless you and we'll be praying for you and uh, I will see you next time when you are a married man. So God bless you guys. Take care.
Rich:Oh, bless you.
