Real Love, Real Life
Real Love Real Life dives into the unfiltered reality of relationships—dating, marriage, heartbreak, healing, and everything in between. It's honest talk about love and life, filled with real stories, hard truths, and the kind of laughs that come from lived experience.
No fluff, just facts, feelings, and a whole lot of growth.
Real Love, Real Life
EP 15: The Power of Family, Forgiveness, and Second Chances
A double rainbow showed up on a stormy drive and turned into one of the most honest talks yet. We got real about faith, love, forgiveness, and how those things have kept us together through some rough seasons.
We talk about growing up around chaos, learning to protect without controlling, and staying grounded when life gets messy. Ernesto opens up about temptation, Jasmine shares how prayer helped her walk away from a toxic past, and somehow it all ends with kindness at a protest.
If life feels heavy right now, this one’s a reminder that peace and grace still find their way back.
Hi guys, welcome back to Real Love Real Life Podcast. I'm your host, Jasmine.
SPEAKER_01:And I'm Ernesto.
SPEAKER_00:I'm gonna let this guy take over today. He says he has a lot to talk about. I didn't get enough time to plan the episode, so we're gonna just give it to him.
SPEAKER_01:Well, it was just like kind of 50-50. We're kind of, I wouldn't say running out of ideas, but it's definitely tough to be like creative and just be like, what's to talk about? But I'm like, you know what? Since we're fumbling, like not fumbling, but we're just like we can't think of nothing. I'm like, what better thing to talk about than, you know, like our faith? And I know to a lot of people, they get bombarded by, you know, people trying to preach at the choir, and a lot of people get turned off by it. But let it let us take you along this path as long, like as far with me. I don't know about you if you're trying to get too deep into it, but you know, I don't want to like force religion on anybody or believe this, or you know, I have this high moral ground, but you know, it's like and today it's been raining like crazy, and with the rain, you gotta kind of slow down a little bit. You can't drive fast metaphorically and literally. Yeah, um, so you kind of like realize like, hey man, you start to enjoy the mountains, start to clear up, and you're just like, wow, I didn't notice that. And the most important thing, too, the rainbow.
SPEAKER_00:There was a double rainbow on our way here.
SPEAKER_01:Not only a double rainbow, but I feel like a lot of people forget where the rainbow comes from. That's God's covenant, yeah, a promise. And look at even no matter how rough the rain was, the the sunshine and rainbow after, you know, gives you a sense of relief and a, you know, a sense of calmness and be like, hey, once you get through the storm, you know, it's it's brighter days, sunnier days. And um, you know, I just feel like a lot of us have gone through so many struggles in life. So we can all relate to a certain degree on a human level, on struggling, and you know, maybe you're fighting depression or you got a lot of uh things going against you, but you know, we can say we don't live the same life as you guys, but we can all relate and be like, man, we struggled here.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Relationship-wise, personal-wise. You know, when you came from back from Mexico, you're you know, you had to work two jobs, and it's like no matter like all you went through, you had to go through it to get to this person you are today. Yeah, the grind, the grit, the the pain, the blood, sweat, and tears. You know, in the moment we all think, why why am I going through this? Yeah, why why do I feel like the world's against me? But as soon as that weather passes, that storm passes, and you mature, then you're like, wow, I had to learn, I had, you know, that's why I went through those trials and tribulations to learn this. I leveled up. You know, sometimes when people are testing your patience, that's when God's testing you, hey, are you ready to level up? Or you're gonna be the same knucklehead, angry person, you know, and you know, it's easy to get angry and want to fight and get ratchet. So, you know, to be civil and disagreements, you know. So, um, yeah, guys, we uh we've been through so much, and I feel like the main thing that's got us through this, guys, is our faith. Yeah, when we are at our lowest point, God was with us right there, guys. And I know you you could tell me, hey, why if if there's a God, why why is there, you know, a tsunami that just hit? Why is there just like I made a video the other day, why is that little girl walking to the hospital with a bald head because she has cancer, you know, and it's like there's a lot of questions that I cannot answer you as far as that, you know. But what I can tell you is the love and mercy that comes with, you know, having trust in his plan. And even though you know, we were going through these hard times, our faith stayed strong and we got through it.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. I I made I actually made a post too the other day about how I like lived in Mexico and I was, you know, in an abusive, like toxic relationship and stuff, and it was so bad that you know, I got to a point where I became like suicidal. Like I had I had those thoughts and um obviously I didn't want to do it, like I had two kids at the time, but I thought it was my only way out. Yeah, and then I came closer to God and I started talking to Him and I started praying a lot, and those days was when like something clicked, and I was like, this is my way out. I can leave by saying I'm gonna go to the States to watch my sister's kids. Like never did I think of that, but when I got closer to God and I was talking to him and I was like sleeping on things because I didn't want I didn't want to end my life.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:It was like, hey, there is a way out. Here it is. And I did it and I'm here today. I think we just like you know, just kind of like our lack of faith sometimes is what's holding us back.
SPEAKER_01:And and that's the thing, guys. Um you guys might be in a position in your life where you're fifty-fifty or you know, being on the fence, and we're not here to convince you, we're not here to force it upon you guys. We just want to kind of share our story and you know, tell you about, you know, the glory of God, you know. Um and it's just crazy how you know you just go through these things in life and you progress. And um, if you truly I feel like we're all lost sometimes, guys. Like I I always use this metaphor. Like sometimes not all of us are strong enough to be the beacon of light, be that lighthouse that's shining into the abyss in the ocean where people are lost. You know, they don't have a navigation system, you know. Um, so sometimes we have to be the beacon of life for people and you know, not force them or or like I said, we don't have to make this like a sermon to people. Just, hey man, I know what you're going through. I was there. We were there together. And the more we progress doesn't mean that we look down on people. It's like, no, we were in those same shoes. I can either give you advice or I can help you go through this. I'm willing to do both. Or if you don't want nothing at all, then you know, all good. But you know, I feel like as humans, we can all relate to each other and just be here for each other, especially in these times where people are so divided, families are divided, there's a political division in the country, just so much divide and conquer right now. Yeah. And it's like, let's just go back to the basic fundamentals, guys, and just just do let's start with hashtag do a good deed.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Tag me, tag us. Like, it's not to boost our egos, but like, hey man, let's pass this. Let it be a domino effect of passing a good deed.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You know, it's like you're in the morning, you're late for work, uh, somebody cuts you off, you guys start fighting. Like, after that encounter, most people are gonna pass that fighting on.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Instead of, you know, just be like, you know what? That guy is going through it. He should have woke up a little bit earlier, but it's all good. I'm not tripping.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I'm gonna let that roll off the shoulder. You know, I'm a I'm a it's like a bead of water, it's just rolling off the window. Like, yeah, you know, be level-headed, and the next person you encounter, good morning. You know, I noticed that and I challenge myself sometimes at work, you know, working construction. Everybody's a hard ass, you know. You know, it's like, and there's times I'm like, when you start to talk to people and you're like, damn, this guy's cool. I didn't know we had this in common.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You meet this person at work. Well, guess what? He grew up in the same, he grew up on the west side like me. He went to an opposite school, but the same hood. Like, we're from the same spot. Like, it's just crazy. Like, some guy I met the other day, he's a general foreman, and I met him at the State Farm building, right? And uh, I forgot what we started talking about. Well, he mentions that he went to Maryville High School, and I was like, that's crazy, bro. I was like, I went to Trevor Brown, and it's like that's literally like two miles down the street. Like, it's it's Maryville, it's the same hoods, like different corner, you know. Like, yeah, I'm just like, man, it's crazy how how we can all really relate to each other. Yeah, yeah, there's a percentage of wealthy people that they don't know our struggles, they don't know people that come from the bottom. And it's like, I'm glad I started off like in a quote unquote middle class family. Because we're not rich, we're not poor, we're just our parents gave us the best possible life, and and you know, like as a kid, I didn't really worry about the lights getting turned off or or not eating. I mean, there probably was. I would just, you know, your parents do such a good job to like shield you from that, that until you grow up, you're like, dang, like now you feel bad because you're like pressing your parents about like some money to go with your friends, and it's like, dude, they probably had$20 in their pocket.
SPEAKER_00:Well, I I didn't know, like, when I was 10 stuff, like I didn't know that we were living in a Section 8 home.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's true.
SPEAKER_00:Um, so I wouldn't consider my like myself um like middle class. You know, we were on food stamps, we were on Section 8, things like that. But um again, you don't know, you don't know these things. You just see your parent try to do everything possible to like give you these things. And now that I'm a parent and I'm like, okay, we you know, we're paying all these phone bills and the mortgage and this and that. I'm like, I can't believe that my mother was doing that all by herself. Yeah, like it's two of us, like put giving it our all, and and now I'm gonna hold it down in person. I can't believe that you know, she was able to do that all by herself.
SPEAKER_01:Straight G.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Like, salute to your mom. She was holding it down, and that's what's kind of sad about nowadays, guys. Like, the men are becoming so feminine that the women are becoming more masculine to fill that void, to fill that gap. And it's honestly a disservice. Like, uh, as you know, my dad was, you know, there's some stuff that I had to learn and better myself at, but I feel like the like I said, it's all about the fundamentals, guys. At the end of the day, my dad made sure he took care of his family, you know, made sure my mom was pretty well taken care of. Um, and guys, my mom's like always been medically kind of, you know, on the the rougher side, you know, always two kidney transplant, open heart surgery, dialysis, numerous medications for over 30 years. It's took a toll on her body, but the fact that she's still pushing to this day is it shows you that there's a higher power. It's like the love my mom has for me is the same love that you know our father in heaven has for everyone. Because where did that come from? Yeah, that intuition, that sense, that sixth sense of not only nurturing your baby in, you know, future adult trising, but yeah, instilling, you know, that true, true, true love. You know, once you peel back those layers at the end of the in the core, guys, it it has to be love.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's crazy that you say the like the mother's like sixth sense and like feeling and stuff. Um kind of off topic, but when I told you that I was driving home from somewhere and I don't know why. Like I had like a I I never like spy on the kids. Like I trust them. Yeah. Um, but I just like something in me, like my my gut was just like not feeling it. And I was like, I'm gonna drive around the community, you know. Um our one of our sons had told us that he was gonna ride his bike around, and I was like, okay. And like something was off, and which like I I drove around the community twice. I didn't see him, and I'm like, that is so weird. And I check his location, and he's like three minutes away, four minutes away, drive, which is weird because anything around the community is not gonna be a four minute drive. And so I start following the route. Dang, and he's coming out of a whole other community, just with another kid, like drive, like driving his, riding his bike through traffic, like not even through like the um the regular, the regular, like crosswalk. If you ever watch this, he's like, he's so upset that I'm telling the story. But it's just like it's crazy. Like a mother just knows.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I just know when something is off. Big time.
SPEAKER_01:Like, check that out. You you sensed that and you went to investigate. When I was growing up, I was the same, I was the same age as Kevin. I was running around the neighborhood with people gangbanging. Like at 14, you had to worry about getting shot, jumped, dumb things like that. Like, obviously, and my point is like, like, like I said, guys, my mom's always been sick. She she can never drive, none of this. So it's like my dad's at work, my mom's stuck at home. Like, she can't, like the fact that you can actually go do something about it, like, it's such a blessing. And imagine how my mom felt like being at home, like can't do nothing about it, and she knows her son's in the streets.
SPEAKER_00:Like, I know people are gonna think that that's silly. Like, okay, Jasmine, he was riding his bike, but I'm like, well, I don't know. I guess now we're like a little bit more protective. And also, like, he didn't like tell me he was gonna do that, things like that. You just what I'm getting to is you just know things are off. And we can go back to we were both bad. I mean, we were both bad guys. You were 14, like gangbanging, I was 14 and I was pregnant. Um, so it's just like, what the heck? Yeah, is this like crazy? And same, your mom couldn't do anything about it because you know, she's she can't, she couldn't leave the house, always on dialysis, practically blind. And like my mom, always working two, three jobs, she didn't know where I was at.
SPEAKER_01:No. She didn't. And that's this thing, guys. Um, our parents did the best to a certain degree. We did fail our parents. Yeah. I was playing, like, I remember when I started hanging out in the streets, my co all when I used to play football, my coaches would come pick me up, like all throughout my life. And then I would literally, I wouldn't even come home after school. Maybe to leave my stuff, my backpack or something, and I'll go hit the block. Like, literally, and I remember the last times I stopped playing football, my coaches would be waiting for me, and I'd be like, I'm I'm hitting the block. I was 14, I remember I was ditching at a stray of what 13, 14 years old. I was ditching and I would go and meet up with the Trevor kids after school on the corner. Um yeah, I'm just like, so it's like that's the thing with our kids, like, dude, nothing you guys can do. I tell them all the time. We're not stupid.
SPEAKER_00:I tell them all the time, I'm like, dude, like you cannot, you cannot try to do something and think that you are gonna get away with it. Like, I did like I was literally like the worst. So I'm like, you're not have been been there, done that, you can't.
SPEAKER_01:So you can't do it. You know, that and the thing that revolved all that is just love. Our parents truly loved us. Yeah, and uh, you know, we're always gonna fall short, guys. I feel like don't beat yourself up too much. Like, this is not a perfect world. Uh the flesh is not perfect. We're always gonna come short to the glory of God, guys. Yeah, you know, and you know, I I've messed up a lot in life. Like, I dropped out of school, you know, like I said, we're gangbanging as kids. Like a lot of my life I just wasted. Like, true, like when I was a little bit younger, I say my mid-20s, I used to always dwell in my past. Like, man, I couldn't, I couldn't get over that mental hump of how much time I wasted in middle school and high school. And like obviously, your education is important, guys. So the fact that I didn't finish school and you know, I had to jump into like working construction, and obviously it's giving me a good life, but you know, I used to just dwell on that.
SPEAKER_00:Same.
SPEAKER_01:Like I I couldn't get over that. Like, I'm just gonna be a failure. Like, I wasted like four, four to five years in the streets, like prime years when I was young, and I used to be good in school, great athlete, and just I went to all went to shit when I used to hang out in the neighborhood. Yeah, and the one thing that separated me from a lot of kids, my dad used to go look for me in the streets. He'll come banging on the homies door, da-da-da-da. Hey, where's Neto at? I'll be in the backyard smoking.
SPEAKER_00:Your dad's something.
SPEAKER_01:And we're like, damn, your dad's here. And then, like when I was a kid, I was embarrassed. But now that I grow up, and one time when we're adults, I was like, it was like a little uh, I think somebody had tragically passed away in the neighborhood. You know, I feel like that's the time you start seeing people too when somebody passes away. Well, that's such a life of the streets, guys. Like people just pass away like randomly, man, because of gun violence. And we were all together because one of the homies died from the neighborhood, and and everybody kind of like started laughing about it and all that. But your dad wasn't that's my they're like, Hey, remember Neto, your dad used to always go look for you, and they're all started laughing. This is like 10, 15, 20 people. And like I kind of got a little embarrassed and I was like, I was like, yeah, because my because my dad gave up about me, and then like they all just like everybody just shut up because literally growing up, nobody had they didn't have bad dads, they just didn't have like dads that will come and like look for them like that. Yeah, like their dads are too worried about working or like my dad worked hard too. He's blue collar worker, he worked for SRP for over 30 years, straight grinding, and he has one hand, like that boy was straight grinding, but the fact that he still went and looked for me, he didn't give a damn where it was. He was going to trap, you know, like you know, gangbanging asses, you know, like no fear because the love for his son, yeah, he didn't want to he didn't want me to throw my talent away, throw my life away. Cause he's seen that before. And uh, you know, drug abuse, you know, just so much nonsense in the streets, guys. And and just look at that, the love that he had for his son that he would go look from no matter what.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I could be out on the weekend partying, and you know, he would come pick me up. It'll be three in the morning, dad. I'm stuck here. Can you come pick me up? Yup.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And I look back and it makes me glad and happy. Because now we do that for our kids. We have so much love for them that we just, you know, we we wish the best for them. We try to help them prosper. And yeah, we could be a little overprotective, but I feel like that's that's good, you know. It's like, don't shield them too much to where they're, you know, useless, but I know when they grow up, hopefully, hopefully they pass it to their kids, you know, where where you know, just the love.
SPEAKER_00:Also, I feel like we have to because it's kind of not the same as like when we grew up. Like, yeah, it was still like ugly and rough, like when we grew up, but I just feel like now it's like straight like ya who's out in the street. Yeah. And I'm like, there's no way. Like I I was I would always walk to and from school like all by myself, like 12, 13 years old. I feel like I I don't even let like our kids do that now.
SPEAKER_01:And you gotta think the same area we grew up in, like now with the with the pills, you know? I don't I don't even know if you can say that F word.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Like with the pills now, guys. Yeah, good luck. I wouldn't want, I wouldn't even want to walk through that. No, like imagine seeing like a encampment right there, and you just like you don't know if they're they're coming off it and they just attack you or like like we're at Oso Park, guys. We were there because I had first got my bow and I was practicing. I took my nephews, I took with the boys, like, you know, trying to show them, you know, trying to show them the ropes. I'm not joking, guys. We're literally hanging out. I gave I I I have binoculars, I got the range finder, they're all right there, you know, having a good time where you know I'm showing them, and then boom, here comes you here comes a guy from like a good way. You could already hear him yelling. Yeah, yelling, yelling.
SPEAKER_00:I'm sure when he saw that bow, he turned right back around though.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, uh and he he starts getting closer. I'm like, man, and my nephew, he's not really street smart, and uh he was just like looking at him hard, and that guy looked at him, he just started chewing him out. Yeah, and it's like you know, those guys don't hold back. Yeah, and uh they they tell you every book in um every word in the book, you know, and uh then he turned to me and then uh he probably seen me with the bow and all that, and then he's like, nah, that's my homie right there, and then he just walked away. Oh, but some girl was jogging too, and as she passed him, he started yelling at her. Oh, really? So she like skirted around him, yeah, and it's like luckily I had a bow. So it's like that's scary, you know, it's crazy times, guys. So, and like I bought the boys' bikes and she still takes them to school.
SPEAKER_00:I just I I know, like, I know that they're supposed to use their bikes to ride to school, but it's just like I'm I'm just like, what if what if something happens? Then I'm gonna be like, I was capable of taking them to school and I didn't do it.
SPEAKER_01:What if you turn out the neighborhood to get T-bone? Like, God forbid that, but it's like well that mentality is like the the mama bird that don't want her baby to leave fly out the nest when they have to fly out the nest.
SPEAKER_00:My kids are gonna fly out the nest.
SPEAKER_01:I just you're gonna drive them out the nest?
SPEAKER_00:Skirt skirt. I just like I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:No, you're being way too overprotective. And you if if all my my my raza in the chat, they're becoming cheapies, chipilones.
SPEAKER_00:You're like the chipilone of chipilones.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, but I I you I used to ride my bike in elementary school. Matter of fact, check this out, guys. It was fifth grade, I believe. No, it was like third to fifth grade. I already forgot. Well, Christmas comes along, right? And then man, I remember when the mongooses came out with the flame wheels, man. You're the bad you're a bad cat. If you had those with the stainless frame.
SPEAKER_00:And you got it.
SPEAKER_01:I had got it. And not stainless. If it was stainless, it would be expensive, but you know what I'm trying to say. The chrome, the chrome from Walmart. Well, I had got that for Christmas, right? Well, the homie pulled up, hey dog, I got a new bike. I was like, me too. And he pulls it in and he's like, oh, we had the same bike. Same bike, we're right into school. And that's a homie. I I wish I had a brother.
SPEAKER_00:Well, they don't go to the same school, but like our case.
SPEAKER_01:I mean they go along the same path.
SPEAKER_00:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:But that's getting off the rails. That's off the track, guys. But the basis of it, guys, love.
SPEAKER_00:Love.
SPEAKER_01:Just love.
SPEAKER_00:Also, I think we forgot to tell them that this past weekend was our first time going to church together as a family. Yeah. Now, I will say we didn't find like our, you know, forever church. We loved it. We enjoyed it. It was a good time. Um, but we're gonna try, we might try a new one this weekend. But it was really nice. It was really nice to be there as a family.
SPEAKER_01:And I'm gonna keep it real, guys. I feel like they enjoyed it more. But me, me as a dad, you know, as a dad, you gotta be, you know, you you gotta think like chess, man. You gotta think steps ahead and obviously have an open mind. But me, and I feel like my moral compass, I feel like like my main goal in life, no matter, I don't care about the accomplishments, I don't care about the money I make. Like, not only being a good father, but my main goal in life, guys, and it might sound like cliche or cringe, but like I just want to be like truly like a soldier of God and just give him all the glory back because I truly don't deserve the blessings that we have gone because, you know, I'm not, I'm not, you know, I I sin a lot, you know. I I battle with my own, you know, straight up. It's like my main thing is like lust, guys. I've battled it my whole life, you know, and that's something that I know I cannot overpower on my own. So, and and that's been a problem in our relationships, like, you know, just and especially nowadays, man, with like these smartphones, like it's rough, guys. And you know, I can admit that I'm not a I'm not I'm I'm a pretty well-rounded guy. You know, I can I'm a great father, you know, I always put my wife first, I always make sure she's taken care of. She's always driving a better car than me. Um, you know, and I and the only thing I can truly say that I know that beats me up all the time is lust. You know, and it's I I truly know I I cannot conquer that on my own. So like I talk to God a lot, like, you know, sometimes it overpowers me, and that's one of the most like heaviest sins that you can do against your own body is you know, pleasure in yourself and you know intimacy intimacy should between a man and a woman. You know, and it's like nowadays, like everything's so perversed, and I could truly say, and it's it's probably worse for kids nowadays, like getting exposed to like the corn too young, like man, that thing jacks your head up.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So it's like back in my day, it was like magazines and you know, DVDs. Like now you can kids, most kids have smartphones.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's bad.
SPEAKER_01:And I know somebody in my family that's really young that that's already kind of going down that path. So it's like, yeah, and you could it truly corrupts you. Like it it you watch it too much, or or you just in your mind you think that's what things are. Like, no, like a relationship's more intimate, you know. Yeah, everybody has their flaws, you gotta cherish one another's bodies like a temple, and you know, it's just crazy, guys. And the amount of blessings we have received, even though we've like done a lot of wrong, the fact that God still has something in store for us, yeah, is amazing. And I'm just like, I truly don't deserve half the stuff I have because of how much I come short of sometimes to him, and the fact that he still blesses us, and and and that's the thing, once you overcome stuff like that, you just exponentially just level up more, your blessings just pour in more because sometimes we block our own blessings like that, guys. Yeah, whether it's staying in a toxic, toxic relationship, staying at a toxic work environment, like there's so many ways we block our own blessings, and as far as like stuff like that, I feel like that's what's kind of blocking my blessings because it's like I battled it my whole life, and just like when Jesus was in the when he fasted for 40 days, like the way he overcame that 40 days fasting, all the temptation in the world, and he conquered that. And I'm just like, man, I need to do better, not only as like for myself, but for my family. Because you know, if if you get too caught up in that, like you don't really appreciate your will. Woman, you know, you just like you kind of look at the flaws and you're like, well, why can't this? Why can't that? You know, or why isn't it, you know? So it's like, man, the fact that, you know, I sin like that, and you know, the Lord, we're still together, and you know, it just shows you how how great of a woman you are that you're able to forgive me for mistakes I make. And like I said, I I I've done I've messed up bad a lot, and you know, I can't say why you've forgave me, but the fact that you do it's like it's just love, I guess. What is it?
SPEAKER_00:Can you put like a little angel like thing around my head? Like in the video, like a halo. A halo. Can you do that? Um because well, because I love you and we're all we're all sinners. Um I don't I I am the type of person that just like gives people a lot of chances. Okay. Um obviously it comes to a point where it's like okay to hear, but I do believe in in second, third, fourth chances. I do believe that people can change. And and I feel like with me, like I can always see like like a greater, like if I see like something like bigger in you, I'm like, okay, I'm gonna kind of like I'm gonna try my best to stay and try to like walk you through the way that I think am I making sense?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's kind of like like when you see something in me that I don't, even though I'm being a jackass.
SPEAKER_00:So even though, like, yes, you know, you've hurt me and you've done things like you're not of course you are an amazing man, right? Like you said, you always like we were just talking about that on our way here. You're like for the past like five years, like every year or two, like you've been driving a brand new car. Yes, better than yours, right? So, like I always have like the best like brand new car. Like, I always, you know, I was able to be a stay-at-home mom once John was born, and all these things. So you're a great man, and yet, but and you may like you you sin, and I can't just be like, oh, because of this, everything else goes out the window and like in the trash.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And not also like, I'm not just like saying like material stuff, but I mean, the way that you're raising two kids that are not that you didn't bring into this world. Um, I mean, men don't even take care of kids that they bring into the world now. Like, so being a I don't even like the word stepparent because I don't consider you a stepdad, you're their dad, period. If there's not another man that is is doing what he's supposed to do and you had to come in and do it, you're not a stepdad, you're their dad. So I kind of it's a little bit of everything. It's like I love you and I don't want to leave um the kids and you know the life that we've built together. So who am I to judge you and be like, because you sin, I'm leaving? Like after after all of these other amazing things. Like if God forgives us, like why can't I? Why can't I forgive you?
SPEAKER_01:And that's important, guys. If you can't forgive somebody else, then how do you expect God to forgive you, whether you believe in him or not? But just like at that, like fundamentally, like if you can't forgive somebody, how are you gonna be forgiven?
SPEAKER_00:Exactly.
SPEAKER_01:So and it comes back to love.
SPEAKER_00:Love. I that's it. Like that's probably all that I said. It comes back to that, like love for you, love for the kids, love for the life that excuse me, I have heartburn. Um, for the life that we've built. Um, I think it's just way too much to throw it in the trash because you're not a bad man. Like you're not a bad person. We've all like we've all made mistakes. And again, like I said, I feel like I'm I just have that in me, like where if I see something in someone, I'm like, hey, like try this, or I think you should try that. I kind of always end up doing that like in my videos too, like giving like um, how do you say it? Like unnet like unsolicited like advice. Like I'm always telling you, like, hey, I think you should do like I see this in you. I think you should try to do this type of content. Or I'm always like doing that with everything.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, because look, guys, literally in a week, I went from like fit, excuse me, I went from 50 followers on TikTok. And then when did you start? I don't know, you just started encouraging me. Last week. Last week, I and then I went to do a live a TikTok. I I was on live on TikTok at this event. That I made two, I was live at the event, I made two videos. Uh those videos have gone over like 300k views, crazy, crazy like dialogue in the comments.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Like, and now I have like what almost 400. I'm able to go live, like, and like look, all because you're like, hey, you should do this, hey, you should do that. And one day I woke up and like, I should go do that. Like, I need a like, um, you know, so if you live in Phoenix, we all know what went down at the State Farm Stadium. So I was like, hey, I'm I have I I'm able to go live. I'm gonna go. I see people protesting on a Sunday at a funeral service. I need to go talk to these people because fundamentally I disagree with them. I'm like, you don't have nothing better to do on a Sunday than go hold up some signs. But the and the biggest thing I took out of this guy, yeah, I went to go talk to them. At the end of the day, I disagreed with them, but guess what, guys? They offered me a water.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Before we started debating and conversating, they offered me water, chips, something like that. I know, I don't know if it was chips, but I know I took a water because I was parched. And the fact that they offered me that extension, so um, and yeah, they they and we also found a lot of common ground. It wasn't like I hate your stinking guts. It's you know, we found some common ground, and you know, we we, you know, basically shook hands at the end of it, and I went about my day, and I'm just like, man, it's like Imagine if everybody was like that.
SPEAKER_00:Just like get out of here. A conversation, like how amazing things would be.
SPEAKER_01:Instead of just walking away or mid-conversation, somebody's throwing a right hook. Yeah. Like, I grew up in that kind of environment, guys, where as soon as somebody pushes that button, somebody's getting going asleep.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So it's like, but we're way past that. We have way too much to lose.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Um, we cannot get ghetto as much as the old you wanna come out. But hey, there's nothing wrong with having that fire. You just be able to gotta control, you gotta control it. Yeah, be articulate. And I mean, if somebody saw towards you and they come at you a certain way, I mean, yeah, these hands are fly, you know?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And I ain't talking Boeing, not just kidding. But yeah, guys, I, you know, I went, interacted, I interacted with people.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:We're all flesh and blood, you know. This divide is doing nothing for us. We all gotta wake up and go to work tomorrow at the end of the day.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, literally.
SPEAKER_01:So it's like, and if we work in the same spot, I'm gonna go see you there tomorrow.
SPEAKER_00:Yep.
SPEAKER_01:But we're fighting like cats and dogs. So I went, you know, he encouraged me. I was live, I was I had great, great conversations. Um, but I mostly went just to talk to people, even if they were protesting. If you're again, I wanted to talk to these people. There's some people you can't talk to. They're cuckoo, like cuckoo for Coco Puss. But you have the other people that are willing to meet you. Like I said, they offered me water.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:So that what does that say about them? They're good people.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:But if we're just looking at each other through a phone screen, you're just gonna have hatred towards them.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Instead of have I'm gonna say like 75% we agreed with. It was just that 25 about certain rights. Like, I'm very pro-second amendment.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I grew up on that. They're very, they wanna, they wanna take them away. But I'm like, law-abiding citizens like me, ours just collect dust.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I said, I told them I've been hunting, I've been hunting since I was a kid. I grew up with a two, I grew up with a bow, shoddy, a rifle, everything. Tell me like when I ever took it to the streets, even when I was gangman. When do you ever see me out there with a shoddy? Yeah, never, because I knew fundamentally going through the hunter safety education, you know, like even when I was in the streets, I'd be around the homies and they'd just be, and I'd be like, whoa, whoa, whoa. Because the number one rule of that is always treat it like it's loaded. Yeah. And point it down. So it's like, and there's a saying that the road, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. So we start off good, but we can be corrupted, you know? Yeah. We can lose our our navigation, you know, and no matter how far you stray from from him, he will never fail you or forsake you. He will always be wi willing to take you back with open arms and love. As long as you're able to hold yourself accountable and be like, you know, just like I made it here, I can't do that alone.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. Give it to God.
SPEAKER_01:Give it to God. It's like, I need the power of the Holy Spirit to stop me from doing that stuff. And like if I stop that, it's only gonna improve our relationship. And I'm pretty sure a lot of couples nowadays is just like there's no love, there's no affection. We're just like looking at the flaws, we're looking at the Instagrams, like this is better. Like, no. Cherish with short. And a guy, a guy can only be as great as the woman behind him. So, you know, before I met you, I was I was at my mama's house. Now we're the key, we're together and we have a beautiful home, we have a beautiful family. Yeah, and it's like if you had come along coming along, where would I be right now? And like you came in at a pivotal moment too, because remember my mom had got heart surgery. And you know, thanks, thanks to God for my aunt that helped my mom, you know. Cause once you come out of the out of that surgery, if you make it, it's a long road to recovery, guys. They they break her ribs open. It it's it I seen my mom when she woke up from that surgery. She she was willing to pass. She would rather pass and deal with the pain. And to I've seen my mom, like, like I said, two kidney's transplants. I've been in the hospitals. Is this the last time I'm gonna see my mom? Um, especially with the heart surgery. You just like you hearing her, you know, people don't want, don't they don't have the will to live sometimes, you know. And it's like the fact that we're we're still around, like I said, I made a post today. If you woke up today, you're truly blessed, man.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:He's not done with you, he has plans to prosper you. And wherever you're at in life, guys, and it's all gonna, everybody has their timing, but I guess my advice to you is just, hey man, it's working for us. Why can't it work for you?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:We have so many examples of how God has blessed us. When we were struggling financially, I even missed my truck payment. I didn't even know I missed until I'm like, whoa, why oh, two months? How am I gonna do that? Yeah, you think about putting a person uh getting a personal loan? You're just thinking the worst. Just the world's caving in on you. I'm ready to throw in the towel. And then guess what happens? One of your videos goes viral.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I I was in turmoil at work. It was just, man, everything was going left.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:But sometimes God throws you that curveball so you could hit a home run, guys. You just you just gotta be willing to like surrender yourself. We can't do this alone, guys. Like, we need each other's love, we need God's love. Like, we all need, we're all connected. And I'm not that, you know, that might sound corny to people, but if we network with each other, we didn't learn about networking when we're kids. You learn how to have beef. Yeah, not just be like, you know what, that guy is way smarter than me. I need to go hang around with he's better at math. This guy's a marketing genius. This guy, he just has a good perspective, man. He keeps me grounded. But no, everybody's just in a competition with each other. Everybody wants to be that guy, but why can't we just all, you know, just at the end of the day, we gotta be children of God, man. Keep your spirit youthful. The day you grow too old like that, you just become cranky. And you know, you look at people that still have that youthful spirit in them, you're just like, they could be 55 years old, man. They're still spunky. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? You're like, man, that guy looks happy.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And it's like, and his world could be going crazy, like going down too, but it's not only your perspective, but like I said, guys, that like trusting in him, trusting in the plan.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Especially when you're going through it, that's the best time to call out. And I and it's like, you know, kind of, for example, when people go to prison, they end up finding God, but it's like maybe maybe it took you, it took all that for you to find him.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And he's obviously not done with you.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And it's like, yeah, that's very severe to end up in there. But it's like at the end of the day, as long as you find him and you give yourself to him and surrender yourself and truly acknowledge him, you're saved. You don't have to be this perfect person. You don't have to go to you don't have to have perfect attendance at church because Jesus said your mind is your temple, you are the church. So as long as you repent and believe in the gospel, guys, you can be saved. We're all sinners, man. Look at the guy that was on the cross next to Jesus. I think he was a murderer, he stole, he did all this. Well, and now it Jesus didn't ask him, Hey, uh, how much did you have perfect attendance at church? No. He looked at him and said, Remember me when you enter your kingdom. And guess who was the first one with him when he went? When he rose, he ascended from that tomb to be seated at the right hand of the Father. He was one of the first I don't I should really know his name. He took him with him, man. And it's like, he didn't look back and judged him for all his actions. Those guys deserved to be on the cross, quote unquote. He didn't. But the fact that that guy acknowledged him, he was he's gonna shelter him by his word. That's by his word, guys. So we're not trying to preach at you guys. We just want to share our experiences with you, yeah, and show you guys his love and his compassion and his mercy for people like me who you know sin against my own self, and you know, and the fact that we're still here together shows that love overpowers everything. But what do you think?
SPEAKER_00:I love that. I agree. And I mean, just just give it to God, okay? Give it to God and go to sleep.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, guys, so we're gonna wrap it up now. But now that this is the final seven minutes, I'm gonna I'm gonna give you guys three of my favorite quotes. And I wish they were on the cards, but I lost them.
SPEAKER_00:So it's quotes or Bible verses.
SPEAKER_01:Um, verses. Some are short. There's two short ones and one long one, but we have time.
SPEAKER_00:Go for it.
SPEAKER_01:Alright, guys. So one of the most important ones is Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I love that one. If he's your shepherd, and you're the lamb, you're the sheep, you he calls on you. So you you have that that that sense of direction. If you start reading the word, you start getting that navigation navigation system back. So the Lord is my shepherd. Let me see. So that's Psalm 23, and I know you really like that one too, because you have it in the house.
SPEAKER_00:I have it in the living room.
SPEAKER_01:How'd you find like what made you like how did that stand out from everything else?
SPEAKER_00:That I feel like you know, whenever you feel lost or anything, uh, that literally like brings me back. It's like that's what matters. He's in control. That's literally all I need. Literally, I just I love that one.
SPEAKER_01:I feel like I shall not want.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. I always go back to the show.
SPEAKER_01:He leads me beside still waters.
SPEAKER_00:I have um Psalm 23 in the living room, and then I think one that you're about to say, because I have a feeling that it's that one, is Psalm 91. But I have this short version. Like Psalm 91, um, point, what is it?
SPEAKER_01:Like Whoever dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. But that's just like a such a small part. So I'm gonna say the whole thing, even though she doesn't want to hear it. Okay, because I know you guys need to hear it. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the most high will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler snare and from and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. His faithfulness will shield you and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday, a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, The Lord is my refuge, and you make the most high your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent, for he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all his ways. They will uplift you in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against the stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra, you will trample the great lion and the serpent, because he loves me, says the Lord. I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.
SPEAKER_00:Amen.
SPEAKER_01:And that's one of the most powerful quotes, verses in the Bible, guys. And if there's one thing that I can end this with, it's just man, give your life to Jesus, and your life will change drastically. Yep. He's done so much for our family, guys, and we're a living example of his love and mercy. And I truly hope you guys come to meet his love.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, I agree.
SPEAKER_01:But other than that, guys, we're wrapping it up.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Give all the glory back to God because without him, we are nothing. I love you guys. I hope you guys prosper, and let's take it day by day and let's make it happen. So yeah, let's do it. Love you guys.
SPEAKER_00:See you next episode. Bye.
SPEAKER_01:Bye.