Episode 2 - Testimonies And Turning Points

What if the strongest moments of your life were the ones where you finally ran out of strength? That’s the heartbeat of this week’s conversation as we trace two very different paths to the same Saviour—and the unexpected places he met us: a silent work truck, a coffee shop, and a terrifying night cut short by a simple prayer in Jesus’ name.

Colton opens up about growing up in church, chasing a body image forged by movie icons, and the revenge fantasy that secretly powered his workouts. When his dad’s sudden illness left doctors baffled, the family learned to trust God without answers, supported by mentors who showed what biblical manhood looks like in real life. A brush with occult practices led to a frightening spiritual encounter that ended the moment his Mom prayed. Later, fitness became an idol and social media a mirror for pride. Stepping away created space for God to work—on anger, forgiveness, and patience—through a season of quiet in the bush where even the radio was silent.

Craig’s story begins in a broken home, steadied by a grandmother who kept taking him to church. A coffee shop prayer brought an unmistakable wave of peace, but criticism and drift pulled him into weed and small-time runs until a brutal “greening out” snapped the chain. A move to a small town, a faithful youth pastor, and a girl who invited him back to church became God’s breadcrumbs home. Marriage brought joy and grief, and years of chasing passive income exposed the lie that time freedom equals soul freedom. Scripture’s warning about the love of money hit home, and a stable job, steady service, and renewed obedience restored direction.

We talk about identity, spiritual warfare, leadership at home, and why real men need more than motivation—they need formation. Expect practical encouragement for husbands, fathers, and sons to lead with Scripture, pray out loud, ask forgiveness fast, and serve quietly with strength. If you’re tired of performing and ready to build a life that lasts, this one’s for you.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review so more men can find these stories. Then tell us: where did God meet you when you were out of strength?

Chapters

• 0:00 Opening And Episode Setup
• 0:28 Why Share Our Testimonies
• 1:09 Colton’s Early Faith And Church Life
• 4:31 Bullying, Bodybuilding, And Revenge
• 8:14 Dad’s Mysterious Illness And Faith
• 12:59 Community Support And Baptism
• 16:58 Verses On Discipline And Trust
• 19:06 Occult Encounter And Deliverance
• 23:32 Fitness As Identity And Pride
• 27:21 Leaving The Gym To Seek God
• 30:12 Work Moves And God’s Provision
• 34:04 Quiet Seasons And Heart Work
• 39:17 Craig’s Childhood And Church Seeds
• 43:44 Divorce, Moves, And Adaptability
• 47:37 Youth Group, Music, And Conversion
• 52:10 Drifting, Drugs, And Return
• 57:40 Meeting His Wife And Marriage
• 1:02:06 Loss, Work, And Chasing Money
• 1:06:07 Repentance From Hustle Culture
• 1:10:02 Serving, Calling, And Obedience
• 1:14:05 Why This Podcast And What’s Next
• 1:17:20 Prayer And Closing

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:00

This is brotherhood. Men forward and faith. Warriors, fathers, sons, leaders, standing strong in a world that wants us weak. Welcome to the Brotherhood Podcast.

SPEAKER_05: 0:22

Hey everybody, welcome back to episode two of the Brotherhood Podcast. Last week, Craig and I spoke about what it looks like to be a biblical and Christ-like man versus what a worldly man looks like. This week we are going to discuss a little bit about our testimonies just so you guys have a better understanding of who we are. Like we said from the beginning, we want to be intentional with this, and uh, and I believe that is a great step in that direction, uh, just so you guys know a little bit of our story and what brought us to where we are today. So um Craig and I discussed this a little bit. I think uh I'll go over my testimony here first. I'll tell you guys a little bit about myself and then uh and then we'll pass it over to Craig and um hear about his side of his story there as well. Uh so for me, I was uh raised in a Christian home uh all my life. I accepted Christ at a young age. I think it was probably I think it was four or five. And uh I know Craig had mentioned it in one of the previous podcasts, that feeling he got when he first accepted Christ. And I very clearly remember the same thing. I don't remember much uh about the prayer, I don't remember much about what was said, but I remember this feeling like it was uh it's so hard to explain. It's just like a feeling of comfort, of peace, uh love. All of these feelings kind of combined in one, like your heart just feels warm, and like Craig had said as well, it just feels like a weight gets lifted off your shoulders, right? Um I think as a Christian, there there's no denying that Jesus is real, just you know, from that alone. It was such an awesome experience to to just feel that and experience that. Um growing up, we kind of I would say I just kind of went through the motions of being a Christian. Um you know, mom and dad went to church, and that was something that you just did, right? It wasn't really wasn't really that I wanted to go. I mean, as kids, lots of us don't want to go to church. My kids say that all the time. And uh once you get older, I mean, it's a lot more fun, right? You actually want to go, you want to listen and interact with other people. But as a kid, like I said, it's something that I think just became part of the process, right? It was just part of life. Um and it was the same thing with my Christian walk at home. It was yeah, just something that I followed mom and dad, and and that's kind of just how it was. I knew the difference between right and wrong. That's something that I always tried to, I'd say I tried to do really good at following the rules. Goody-goody two shoes, I guess, if you will. Um definitely wasn't perfect, never will be, never have been, uh, but tried to follow the rules as best I could. When I was about 13, I started working out. So I think that's about the time actually. I kind of ran across Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger. They kind of started my whole uh my whole workout career, you could call it. Basically, kind of what we talked about last week. I I really saw Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger as being like these big strong men, right? And I think I started to chase that for myself. Um I I had an experience in school, it was about grade seven, and this uh one of the kids there, I said something to his cousin again. I I don't remember what it was, but he jumped off the bleachers and started choking me. Like both hands, he just started choking me because he didn't like what I said. He never really liked me, never cared for me. Why? I don't know. Uh, but part of the reason I wanted to work out, and again, like we talked about last week, I have a lot of flaws, and this was one of them. I I wanted to work out so that I could be intimidating. That was my goal to get big, get strong, intimidating. You know, maybe if I got to that point, uh, people wouldn't want to do that to me, you know. I wouldn't have to worry about wouldn't have to worry about being the smaller guy. And um it's it's really sad to say, but I kind of hoped that after a few years of working out, I'd run into that guy in school again. Uh of course, selfishly, and uh I've definitely been working on my heart in this way, but I wanted to run into him in school again, and just I don't know, do something back, I guess get revenge, maybe. Beat the daylights out of him. Well, and honestly, that's kind of the picture I had in my head, right? And and so I mean, right from the beginning, I I think when I started working out, it it was a healthy thing, right? I did it to feel good, I wanted to get big, but there was also sinful motives behind that as well. And so that's been a part of my process, is you know, even just forgiving that guy for what happened for moving on and not you know, not taking that chance to potentially hurt somebody where I would regret it, right? Um, fortunately enough, God never allowed an opportunity for that to happen. And um I'm actually very, very, very grateful for that. Uh I actually I got a funny story along this line too to switch it up here a little bit. So I always watched Arnold Schwarzenegger in my school, right? Love bodybuilding. Um Arnold Schwarzenegger was just like the exact physique that I wanted, right? Size, shape, like I wanted to look like him. And so in the library, we had computers, we had access to the internet, and I was watching uh one of his bodybuilding competitions one time, and the librarian came by, and uh, I don't know exactly what she was thinking, but uh she looked at me and she asked me what I was watching. I said, Well, it's just just bodybuilding, you know, they just wear speedos, that's that's just what they do. And she's like, No, that's inappropriate. You gotta turn that off, and you're you're not allowed in the library now. And I'm like, You gotta be kidding me. I walked down the hallway, and this is the best part, okay? In our gymnasium, uh, there was a picture of it. Must have been one of the students that was there. It was a female bodybuilder, but wearing like the bikini and a picture hanging up on the wall. Oh, brother. I'm like, oh man, I got kicked out of the library for watching Arnold Schwarzenegger, but you guys got that hanging on the wall? It's like, yikes. Anyways, I just went with it. Uh life went on. We got to about age 14 or 15, and uh, and my dad got sick. And like, really sick. We didn't know, didn't know what was wrong. It was overnight, right? Uh, the day before he was fine, no issues. And uh, I remember waking up the next morning. My auntie was over at the house, and mom and dad were gone. At the time we lived in BC. We were out in the country, and mom and dad never left. Like, we always woke up, they were always there. So it was kind of weird that that morning they they were just gone and didn't tell us. Uh so our auntie told us that mom brought dad to the hospital. Uh, he had been feeling pretty sick and stuff, and it was it was a long process. Uh, it got pretty bad at times. Like, he couldn't bend over and tie his shoes, uh, he couldn't work, and it was hard to watch as a family because I I've always looked up to my dad. He uh I always wanted to be like him, and my dad always taught us what it meant to work hard. But when you watch someone like that get sick, God I don't know if I would say he removed him from that role, but he took us to a place where as a family we we had to put our faith in him a hundred percent. It was a few years of this too, right? Like, I think it was about three years this went on. Dad could only work part-time, you know. Well, that was after after a while of not working at all. Right? He just he couldn't do it. Uh yeah, when he got sick, it was it was a big hit to our family, and that was a really hard thing to go through. But I really believe that God called us back to himself through that. Uh, he really he really opened our eyes and showed us how much we need him. Uh I remember one time specifically, actually, we uh went to a shop. So he just did some tests and stuff. Uh went to a shop, they had they had the diagnosis, or or they thought they did, and uh we showed up, we walked in as a family, and I just remember like I I don't know about your dad, Craig, but my dad didn't cry. He didn't you'd never see him crying. So we walked in and he just like just broke down. And for me, I'm a pretty sensitive person. I don't like to watch that stuff. I I guess I like to distance myself, and so I couldn't even go in the office with him. And uh looking back, I I I kind of regret it. I wish I could have been there, you know, to support him a little more than what I was. Um, but that was a hard thing to watch, you know. My dad working hard his whole life, and here he is just broken, you know. Um so they diagnosed him with MS, multiple sclerosis. Uh, I don't know everything about it. I do know over time it gets worse. I believe it eats away at uh oh man, I think it eats away at something in your backbone and eventually gets to the point where you can't walk. And so, anyways, this this actually ended up being a misdiagnosis. Um, they couldn't find lesions anywhere in his body that uh could confirm that it was MS. And the weird thing is that even after those three years, the doctors still have no idea what it was, right? And like I say, I I God really brought us back to himself because when you look at the doctors, you you rely on them to give you an answer, right? When you get sick, when there's something wrong. You're always expecting them to know they're they're smart people, they know what they're doing. When they can't give you an answer, like where do you go? You know, I think about that for for people who don't believe in in Christ. Sometimes I wonder sometimes I just wonder where where the hope comes from. Uh for for me. Like I said, I've always been a Christian, and so in that moment we we had to just trust God that He would uh that He would be with us through that. Uh I used to play rugby in high school too, actually. And so this was right through the time my dad was sick. And I think that helped, but it was pretty hard too, because my dad spent a lot of time in Vancouver. We'd be playing tournaments and games, and you know, dad, mom and dad couldn't make it because they were in Vancouver doing testing and and everything, and mom did her best to be there for him whenever she could. Um it was nice through that time too, because we had a lot of people step up and and really help us out through that time. Like during rugby, my uncle would take me uptown, he would go buy me cleats, you know, help me out in that way. Um, our church. We had a lot of really great youth leaders that actually really impacted my life, especially through that time. You know, they they knew how to take my mind off things. We'd go to youth group, we'd have a good time. We used to play lots of cops and robbers, and you know, just all those kids' games. You'd come to church Sunday morning, and uh sometimes we got a little rowdy. And so there'd be a couple holes in the wall, a couple railings missing, you know, that kind of thing. Oh, we had a blast. It was awesome. We tried to help fix it, you know, when we were done, and uh probably should have been more careful, but we had some really good youth leaders that really impacted my life through that time, too. Um through my baptism, uh, because my dad getting sick, I decided to get baptized. Uh, I think I was about 16 when I got baptized. And to have the whole church standing behind you, to have, you know, I can't even name all the youth leaders that were there uh standing behind me. And just these, you know, like we talked about last week, these biblical Christ-like men, these strong men to to help lead and to help guide me through a time that was very, very hard. And that, you know, that was a huge blessing. Even in school, I had some teachers same thing. I remember uh my math teacher specifically, I I loved working out through high school, and fortunately our gym had a or our school story had a gym in it, and so my teacher would take me up there and and we'd go work out together. Um, and he really put a lot of effort into his students, and that's something I'll probably never forget either, right? But through that time, it was nice to have him as a teacher. I remember dad had to go back to the hospital, he got pretty sick again at one point, and I went in to get my homework from him, and uh he to me this was a big deal. I don't know, maybe it's not, but he just told me that the schoolwork could wait, he'd help me catch up when I got back, just take the time, go be with my dad, right? And he was a Christian man too, and so to have somebody uh a Christ-like man, even in the school, that was able to touch my life like that, it was for me, it was huge, and it just made such a difference on you know the way you look at at Christian men for me and uh and the love that they have, right? Trying to mimic Christ's love and all these people in my life did such a great job. I did write down a couple verses for this one as well, actually, that really helped me through this time. The first one is Proverbs 3, chap uh verse 11 and 12. My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, but do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father, the son he delights in. And so this verse for me, sometimes when you go through hard times for us, you know, we started asking questions. I I think like most people probably would, you know, God, why is this happening to us? Why do we have to go through this? And this verse, it reminded me that it's not because God's not with us, it's actually because God loves us that we went through that. Right? If my dad would have never got sick, I don't know that I would be where I am today as a Christian. You know, I and that's why I said I really believe God called us back to himself through this. And uh, we really had to rely on him through this time. And so for me, again, that's a huge blessing. And just knowing that, and you know, right from the beginning, like I say, it was it was pretty hard to watch, it's pretty hard to go through. But to know that God's on your side, man, you feel like you can do anything. The second verse I have here is Hebrews 12, 5 to 6. It says, And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. And so again, that for me was a huge comfort, and just I really felt like God was with us through that time just because of these verses. Mm-hmm. So I met uh after my dad got sick, we went through all that. Uh that was uh like I say, I think it was about three years we went through that. Eventually, my dad got good enough where he could go back to work. Uh, everything went back to normal. And uh no idea how. Again, just by the hand of God, and he's able to work. Uh, he's I don't think he's had a sickness like that ever since. So for us, that's a huge blessing. Uh, so, anyways, we graduated 2013. Sorry, I graduated 2013, and right after I graduated, we moved to Grand Prairie. My plan was not to move here, I didn't want to. I I wanted to stay in Fort St. John, but I didn't have a job lined up, I didn't have a place to stay, none of that was lined up, and so mom and dad were pushing pretty hard for me to move with them, so I agreed to, and um I moved to Grand Prairie. My dream's always been to run heavy equipment, so I started out um doing a bit of labor, running skid steers, you know, mini hose, that kind of thing. And pretty soon that just kind of became my career. I I ran equipment and and that's what I did. I went to the bush uh logging for the first time. I believe it was 2016 or 2000, I think 2017. Somewhere in there, and that's when I met my wife, Brianne. Um, I had I did have a previous relationship, which I found that kind of hard. Um I don't know about you, Craig, but I know for me, my like one of my biggest dreams was to only ever have one girlfriend. That was that was actually one of my goals, and uh that didn't happen, but honestly, I'm thankful for that because the previous relationship it um it didn't work out, right? We just we weren't a fit. Uh God had other plans. She lived in Fort St. John, and I had tried to move back a couple times. Um God just it wasn't part of his plan for me, right? It it never worked out, and uh so we broke things off and about I think it was about six months after I met Brianne and I think it was after it was after two weeks I went home. I was talking to my mom, and I said, Mom, how do you know when you find the right girl? Because after two weeks, I just it felt natural, it felt like she was the one. And I another thing, I always thought I should date for a year before I decide to marry anybody. Yeah, I meant Brianne and those numbers were out the window. That did not happen. One week, good enough. Not eat yeah, but just about, just about. No, it just felt right, and so we ended up getting married. She was a good Christian girl, she has a good Christian family, and uh her values lined up with my values, and so we decided to get married, and it has been a great marriage up to this point, and I feel so thankful and so blessed for her. Uh, I also, in between operating, uh right before we got married, actually, I went to massage school. I I figured I'd try something else, you know, trying to get out of the machine and have a bit of a backup plan. So I went to massage school. Uh I had a really I don't I don't even know what you call it. Weird, scary um really weird, scary thing happened to me. Uh, an experience. So in massage school there was what they call Reiki Master, and she did uh a demonstration on one of the classmates uh the one day, and so she believed that uh she could talk to the dead and you know things like this. And for me, I I don't believe that, right? I stay very far away from that, and so anyway, she did a demonstration in class and basically, you know, didn't touch the the other classmate at all, just basically moved her hands around over top because it's supposed to be more spiritual, right? That girl for the rest of the class was like sick, very sick. She was just pale white, her face was white. Um she'd sit at the desk with her head on in her hands, and it just something was was weird. And so uh there was another girl in that class from Fort St. John as well, Christian Grocher and I talked about it after the class that we both didn't agree with that. We thought that was wrong. Um, according to the Bible, that is not something we as people should be dabbling in at all. Uh, anyways, I went home that night. I had to get up the next morning pretty early for work. I woke up, I don't remember what time it was. I woke up just hot sweats. So like just felt weird. And so I got up, I went into the living room. My dad was uh my dad was watching TV, so I went and watched some TV with him and uh went back to bed and everything was good. However, the next night uh I had this dream, and in my brother's bedroom, so my brother's bedroom was straight across from my bedroom uh in this house we were living in at the time, and there was a in this dream there was a red box in the closet, like glowing red, but not just any red, like this evil, like violent sort of red, and it was shaking, and it was shaking violently, and I woke up and I didn't see anything, but you could feel something, right? Something was in the room with me, and it was it was not God. Uh I don't know if it was uh I don't know if it was a demon, I I don't know, but you could feel a presence, and I remember like that being the most terrified I've been in my entire life. I have never been that scared. You know, growing up you hear about these stories and you read it in the Bible, but man, when when you experience that for the first time, it is terrifying. So I went again, sat in the living room, which was 20 feet from my bedroom, and I I couldn't move, I couldn't get myself to go back in there, and so I went and I I woke my mom up, and this part of the story, this is I love this part. So she comes downstairs and we go back in my bedroom and we start to pray, and she prays that I would be comforted in Jesus' name, and man. I tell you guys, if you do not believe in Jesus, you uh you need to experience him like this. After my mom prayed that, the fear was gone. I don't know how else, like I've never experienced that before. The Bible speaks about power being in Jesus' name. Man, it is so real, and it is so powerful. Uh, that's just something that I'll never forget. You know, it really impacted my life and just showed me the true power in Jesus' name. Right. And so that experience, I I struggle with that still sometimes, you know. I uh I work really hard at trusting God in that, but it was years. I couldn't sleep by myself, I couldn't sleep without a light on, you know. And I mean that's I feel pretty embarrassed to say that, right? I'm a grown man, that shouldn't be a problem, but man, uh a fear like that I've never experienced it's it's pretty terrifying. So after that happened, um I only got through my first year massage, I never did the second year, and uh got back into operating, did a little bit of road work with uh greater and and that kind of thing, and uh kind of moved on from there. Uh a couple verses that I have actually for this one as well. The first one here is first sorry, second Corinthians twelve nine to ten. And it says, But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults and hardship, and persecutions, in difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong. And so, again, in that moment of just pure fear, um you feel powerless, but then you speak the name of Jesus, and the power that He has to protect us is incredible. Uh second verse I have here for this section is Isaiah forty three, verse two. And this one says, When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. The flames will not set you ablaze. And so just the promise that God is with us. You know, that I you don't have to be afraid because He walks every step of life with you. Right? And so after uh after graduation, after that experience, um Like I say, I got back into operating. I continued with that. And my fitness career, I guess, fitness journey continued after that as well. So about a couple years ago, three years ago or so, I got pretty serious about it. Um, I got a trainer, I started eating good, uh, followed a plan, followed a training plan, and that was really good and all. I felt great. Um, but fitness kind of it became my identity, you know. People started knowing me as well, I feel like people started knowing me as the guy who worked out, right? I I still sometimes get comments about that kind of stuff, and so for me, it it became who I am, and I didn't feel like I could let that go because when I quit working out, I feel like I was losing who I was and who I am, and so it it became pretty unhealthy, it became a pride thing too, you know. It was hard to let it go, and and uh I started getting in pretty good shape, and you know, it got pretty sinful, I think, to the point where I just got left empty, right? I was just about hitting my goals. I had goals to weigh a certain amount, I had goals to put on a certain amount of muscle to lift a certain amount of weight. Um I wasn't too far off of some of these goals, and I just felt empty, you know. It just kind of clicked one day. I looked at it and I'm like, man, if I can lift 300 pounds, what good does it do me? Like it really doesn't it doesn't do anything. Right? If you feel good and and you can do it in a non-sinful way, man, good for you. But I couldn't. I've really struggled with that, and I hope one day to go back to it, but I I gotta work on my pride a little bit first before I can get there. It's been now about a year and a half since I've worked out. God's got me in a place where I don't really have the time. Um, the motivation is definitely not there, and I know a lot of people will say, you just gotta get in there and do it, which yeah, absolutely you do, but I don't think it's got God's timing for me to go back. Um not yet, anyways, right? He's he's got a lot he's been working on in my heart, and so I'm just trying to trust the journey and trust where uh where he's taking me through this. I wrote a couple verses down for this one too, 1 Corinthians 6, 19 to 20. This one says, Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. You were bought at a price, therefore honor God with your bodies. And so I want to make it clear uh the heading to this part of the Bible is sexual immorality. But for me, I use this verse as an excuse to post content about my fitness. And it's funny because I would ask my wife before I posted anything, I'm like, do you think, like, do you think I'm okay to post this? And it'd be like a picture without my shirt or something like that, right? I was pretty proud of my progress. Um, deep down though, I I think it was more than that. I think I posted it because every time someone makes a comment or somebody likes your photo, it makes it feel pretty good, right? It pushes you to keep going. And I think deep down that's what was going on. Uh, even though I didn't want to admit it, I'm like, oh no, I'm I'm good. We're doing this the right way. You know, I'm I'm not prideful at all. Uh well, turns out I was nothing but prideful. So sometimes God has to take that way away from us for us to realize that. Uh another verse I have for this one is 1 Timothy 4, verse 8. And this one says, for physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. Right? So again, it it talks about um training, physical training being of some value, which it is, but you have to go into it with the right mindset. You can't you can't be prideful like I was because it'll leave you empty at the end, guys. You gotta just go after Jesus Christ. He is the only thing that can fulfill what you're searching for. So, anyways, my fitness journey, yeah, it ended, kind of ended about a year and a half ago. I haven't been very consistent since. Um, again, I hope to go back, but we'll see. There's a lot I need to work on. Um, right now, our our biggest thing is work. God has brought me, like I say, to a place where um it's it's quiet. I have a lot of learning to do, I have a lot of working on my heart to do. Uh, the job we're at, actually. So I was selling insurance here a while ago. That was pretty good. I liked the job, and I was happy because for me, I saw it as an opportunity to share the love of Christ. I I felt like I had a bigger platform than I'd ever had before to speak about Jesus, and I had some really good conversations with people, but we weren't making enough money, and it would it, I don't want to fall behind, right? As a family man, as a leader, it's my job to provide for my family, and I take that pretty seriously, you know. And so we uh we prayed about it, we had looked a little bit, um, but there's this specific job actually running a skitter with a mounder that uh that Brianna and I had talked about. So we sat down one evening and or one morning and we're like, you know, I I just wish that this job would come up. We had talked to the owners about a year ago about it, actually, and uh we decided not to take it at that time. And so we were just talking about just Brianne and I, and I said, Man, it'd be so cool if that job came up, you know. I I think that's what I'd like to do, or at least like to try. And it was probably three hours later, the exact company we had uh prayed about with the exact position came up on Facebook. I I thought it was just some sort of a scam or something. Like, I'm like, there's no way this is real. So I looked into it a bit. Nope, sure enough, they were looking for that exact position. So uh so I called them and uh we took the job, ended up going back on a skitter. Uh, for those of you who don't know what that is, that's just a big machine, big wheels, basically drives through the bush over tree stumps and stuff. Um, usually they pull trees. This one makes mounds for tree planters, makes their job a little bit easier. Um, but anyways, God opened the door for us there, and uh, and we took that job. The first few weeks, it was it was pretty good. It was a little bit rough trying to get back into it, um, coming from a job where I can make my own hours back to a regular schedule. But uh things went good. Um, a few weeks into it, the skitter started breaking down quite a bit, and so I was getting a little bit frustrated, um, just not understanding, I guess, why God had me here, why um why the skitter was breaking down and all these things were happening, and so uh it's kind of funny the way it happened. I had uh I think I had a flat tire and couldn't do anything. I was waiting for a mechanic, and so I shut the skitter off, opened the door, and stepped outside and kind of looked up and I'm like, God, I don't know why you're doing this or why I'm here, but like just help me. And uh and God just spoke to me and He just told me that He took me to a place where He could work on my heart, and uh that's been a huge step, I think, in my personal faith, my personal salvation. He's been working on me every day that I've been there. Um, it's actually funny. Before I started, I think it was actually a little after I started, my mom sent me this uh she sent me the sermon about how God sometimes take us takes us to a place of quietness so that we can hear him. And so the first week I had this work truck, it was all good. Uh, went on holidays after the first week. We had that plan to go with my family, so we went with them. Came back, and uh I got a different work truck. Well, it turns out the radio doesn't work, doesn't even turn on. So I'm like, all right, well, God must have a sense of humor because yeah, it's it's quiet, it's a quiet ride to work in the morning, and usually I have an hour, hour and a half drive, so I get to spend time with God praying, you know, that kind of stuff. Uh so I get to the skitter. Uh turns out the radio and the skitter don't work too well. And uh I just it's humorous because God really does take us to a place of just quietness, you know. I'm out in the bush. Uh, most of the time I'm not working directly with anybody, so I'm pretty well by myself, just quiet. And uh, and so, anyways, after God told me he wanted to work on my heart, I prayed to him and I said, Well, God, like what parts of my heart do you want to work on? And for the last couple weeks, he's been pointing so much out to me. Uh starting, you know, with anger, you know, that's something I need to work on. Uh, forgiveness, that's another one he pointed out to me. Um, just yesterday, actually, pointing out patience, that I need to be patient. And um, it's just this walk with Jesus is it's just incredible. And when you can hear him and feel him speak to you, um I I can't explain the joy that comes with that. And so that's that's basically my testimony. That's most of my story. Um, I don't think I left too much out. Um, but yeah, that's kind of where I come from. And basically, for Craig and I both, I think I don't want to speak for you too much, Craig, but for us with this podcast, you know, we we want to feel like we're doing something greater with our life, and that's kind of why we started this podcast. I feel like um God can can, and I I pray and hope that He will use us in the way to spread the love of Christ.

SPEAKER_02: 41:20

Yeah, that's good, actually. You can speak for me in that regard.

SPEAKER_05: 41:27

I feel like we're both pretty well on the same page when it comes to that.

SPEAKER_02: 41:32

I think so, yeah. And uh yeah, we've done a lot of uh a lot of talking and a lot of um praying before starting this project and just make sure this is what the Lord wants from us, and I think we're both aligned in in that this is what we need to be doing, and so it's good. And uh it's good to even just have these conversations with each other, and then we also get to share them with other people too, and then they get to hear them.

SPEAKER_05: 42:05

So yeah, oh absolutely, yeah, and like I say, I think it's really cool kind of uh that we come from different backgrounds. I think that's a way we can relate to so many other people, right? It's not just um it's not just a one-sided kind of story. We both come from kind of different ends, and and um, you know, we're now both brothers in Christ, which I think is absolutely amazing. Um, but I think it's cool to have a different story in a different place that we've come from, too.

SPEAKER_02: 42:37

Yeah, so with that, yeah, Colton said that uh I know he's we've mentioned this before, he's mentioned this before, but um he grew up in the church, but I did not. So um my story actually starts in Ontario. I was born in a small kind of touristy town there, and uh my mom had me really young. Uh I think she got pregnant at like 17 or something like that. And so my uh on my my grandmother on my dad's side, um, I called her nanny, so that's what I'll refer to as uh from now on. But just so you guys know who I'm talking about, I'm not talking about the lady that took care of me while I was younger or did the housework or whatever. We could never afford that. Not that kind of nanny. So anyway, um, she was a uh she was a Christian lady, so she actually told my dad, she's like, you you're gonna have to you know make an honest woman out of that girl and and marry her now that you got her pregnant. So um I think uh yeah, so my dad ended up proposing to her and and uh he was kind of younger too. I think he was in his early 20s at that point, but um yeah, it was kind of uh like when you're that age, you're not ready for that, especially my mom. Like just imagine uh ladies, if you're listening, imagine being pregnant at 17 and then oh now you're gonna have to marry this guy, like you're not even out of high school, right? And then you're gonna have a kid and um your world's totally turned upside down. So um so I guess I'm thankful that uh that I was actually born, and uh I know some people don't get that opportunity when you're um when people are that young, especially nowadays, seems like um the answer is is abortion, and that's what's pushed, and that's not good. That's another topic for another day, but um this might make some people mad, but abortion is murder, and uh you can yell at me in the in the comment section or whatever if you want, but I'm a firm believer of that. Yeah, um, so yeah, like I said, my uh nanny was a Christian lady and she went to church and uh she brought me to church from a young age. So like I say I didn't grow up in the church, but I did I kind of went off and on, like whenever um whenever I would kind of want to, then she would bring me, which was good. So I got to go to Sunday school and kind of get that Sunday school foundation of kind of who Jesus was, and you get to hear the Bible stories, and uh, you know, the like we talked about last time, David and Goliath and and Joan and the Whale and uh all those kind of things, and uh she played piano some too, so I got to sing specials. So I mean, maybe that's part of where my love for music comes from as well. Um but yeah, I think like looking back, that was uh a big thing for my um spiritual walk and coming to Christ because of that foundation that I had at a young age, that foundation of truth that I was taught in those Sunday school lessons and and in those stories and in those songs and and stuff like that. Um but my parents actually divorced when I was about six years old as well, and so um that was I don't remember too much of that because I was so young, but um I do know that uh growing up growing up in a broken home was tough, you know. Like I kind of tried to make myself feel better when uh friends would ask and stuff like that, but I'd say, oh yeah, I get two Christmases or I get two birthdays or like that kind of thing. I'd always try to find the the positive side in it, but it's uh it's not worth it as far as I'm concerned. I mean, if I don't know, yeah, God has a plan and we don't know what it is, but I mean He works He works everything for His good. So even with um that whole situation Um He's brought me to where I am today and and I've given my life to Him and we'll talk about that in a minute But um Yeah it's kind of funny looking back and seeing the different things that God has done in your life that you think are negative Um or that He's allowed in your life that are kind of negative and and He's turned them for good. So um they uh after divorce, like eventually they both ended up moving out to Alberta for work, uh, both my mom and my dad and um I came to Grand Prairie with uh with my mom and and my three siblings. So I have um one full sibling and then I have two half siblings and uh and uh yeah so they were they were pretty young when we went on that but or came from Ontario and we actually came on a train, which is kind of cool. No, like uh you think that's like an old timey thing, but I mean that was I don't know if I how old I don't even know how old I would have been, but uh I can't do math right now, it's too late while we're recording. But it's uh it's uh coming up on like 20 years, so um it's not that old. You think that's like old West kind of stuff, people traveling across the country on a train, but we did that, which was kind of cool. And uh now that I'm an adult and I'm a parent, I commend my mother for moving across the country with three children on a train. That would have been crazy. I don't know that I don't know that I'd be brave enough to do that by myself, so good on her. Um so yeah, and something that sticks out to me. I don't know, didn't know this guy, didn't know if he's a believ believer or what. Um, but I remember a man giving up his seat. Like it there was some point in the ride that the train was kind of empty-ish, and so this guy did have another seat to go to, but his assigned seat was uh kind of beside us, and he gave up his seat so that um my younger siblings could kind of lay down on the seats and and sleep near my mom, which was kind of which is really nice, and uh um the fact that that sticks out to me this many years later obviously has made an impact. It's kind of an interesting situation. So um the one of the coolest things about that train and the train ride is there there's a car, a train car with like a clear top, it was like a bubble top kind of thing, and you could go up there and you could like see 360 degrees around you, and so I spent a lot of time up there just kind of looking at nature and looking at the trees and and stuff like that and the different towns we were going through. So I mean it's all kind of foggy, but I remember that being a pretty cool place. Um so uh with that, with my uh parents both being in Alberta then at that point, I was able to um move between my parents' houses uh kind of freely, basically. There wasn't uh like there wasn't really uh fight between um which parent got which child or whatever, anything like that, right? Which you see a lot nowadays. There's people just fight and spend thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars on lawyers just like for custody, and they can't seem to come to an agreement and um I mean as a child that's been through that and and as an adult now in a marriage, like if if you guys think that you are like whether you're a believer or not, I just see that if if divorce is what you're gonna do, don't tear everyone else's lives apart. Um like my parents weren't believers, and they were able to kind of come to a conclusion. There's two of them, there's two children. Legally, one of them had custody of one of us, and one of them had custody of the other. We don't know, like I don't know who was who or where who belonged where technically, legally, but um they also allowed us to just kind of go wherever we felt that uh we wanted to be, and they didn't really hold us back from that. So anyway, that's something to to note for sure because I just see so many families just fight, and e even like Christian families that are going through divorce, and unfortunately they feel like that's the answer, and they can't just they just can't get through whatever their problems are. But um just fighting and and and all that kind of stuff is not healthy for your children to see, and um badmouthing each other is not healthy for your children to hear, and they don't need to be a part of that. Um Thankfully, my parents really tried not to do that. Uh again, they weren't believers, but they were they kind of decided that they weren't gonna bow badmouth each other in front of us kids, and uh and they really tried not to do that, and so uh so there's some some good things that happen there, even in the even in the bad. Um but uh where was I yeah, there wasn't too much bad melding or fighting or anything like that, and it just so I'm thankful for that. Um so I with that I did move around a lot back and forth and and also from city to city just for work, like for uh my dad mostly because my mom moved out to Grand Prairie and then she just stayed there. So she kind of planted her feet and that was it. Uh but I've lived in Grand Prairie and Black Folds and Red Deer and Edmonton and Camrose and um Hines Creek and uh all over the place. Um so with that I kind of learned how to be adaptable and um learned how to fit into different um different friend groups. I I remember I was kind of like a social chameleon. I could fit into any clique that you could think of. I could go sit and talk with the jocks, I could go sit and talk with the Nerney people and the and the crazy weird anime people or whatever. I was kind of into that when I was younger, but you know, they're all dressed up like anime characters and whatever, but I could go sit with them and have a conversation with them and have a good time, and um and and the band kids and all that. Like, I don't know, most people can't do that. So um like that. No, so I was like, I think through that, through having to adapt and make new friends all the time like that at different schools, um, I was able to um kind of develop that ability, and even now, later in life, I find that people open up and talk to me. So uh like it's kind of weird, like people just share stuff with me. I'm like, okay, thanks for that, I guess. And uh actually, I was talking to um a guy the other day, and he's like, Well, you didn't ask for my whole life story, but I'm like, Well, um like if you feel comfortable sharing, like I'm happy to talk to you about it. But like, if you want if for you you want to shut up, then that's fine, we can stop talking. But like if you want to lay it all out and talk to me, then I can talk to you. So uh that was interesting. Anyway, I ended up talking to him for um I don't know, it was outside actually. It was uh a guy here in town, and um it was after work, and I ended up talking to him for I don't know, an hour and a half, two hours just standing on the road.

SPEAKER_01: 57:10

So it was like funny, those always end up being the best conversations.

SPEAKER_02: 57:16

Yeah, they really are. It was it was actually a very good conversation and um led into a faith conversation, which was really good. And um as I as I grow older, I really try to be more that way, like try to find uh a route to to lead it to Christ or um have some kind of faith conversation or kind of ask where they're at on that kind of stuff. So um, yeah. So that's I guess that's that part, and uh in Camros, jumping back again a little bit. Um I lived with my dad, my stepmom, and um my nanny eventually moved out there and uh ended up uh I think she lived with us for a little bit, and then she also got her own um place there for a bit too. And um I was I think it was in junior high. I started going to church with her again and uh started going to youth group, and uh it's kind of funny. This youth group. Um my stepmom wasn't too happy about it after she found out that we were playing Halo and playing Texas Hold'em after our little Bible studies. So she's like, What are you doing playing shoot 'em up games and poker? So it's kind of funny. I had a blast. Yeah, but yeah, exactly. Um yeah, so uh yeah, Pastor Josh, who uh was the youth pastor uh for that church. He was uh, like you said, uh with like with your coach and some other guys in your life, um or your teacher, whatever, who would go work out with you, take you up to work out. And um, he was kind of like that for me. Like he would uh he'd take me out for coffee and we'd have chats and we'd go on drives and he'd introduce me to some heavier Christian music because that's what I was into was heavy stuff like uh like corn and uh what else? Uh just like just crazy heavy stuff that I would not listen to now. Like if I if I if that was on the radio, I'd be like, oh no, that's bad. It's funny how things change over time. Yeah, so my my music taste has has gone to like Um, Forrest Frank and Josiah Queen and uh Phil Wickham and all those guys. Uh I really like those guys right now, and uh but I do like uh Brandon Lake. He's got uh that that song Sevens, that one's pretty heavy, and I like it too. But anyway, um so he introduced me to like Petra and Skillet and and stuff like that, and uh so some heavier stuff that was um faith-based, and I I was able to kind of make that slow transition over to listening to some more um more faith-based music and and things that were a little more um I don't know what you would say. I guess better for the soul, kinda yeah. Um but yeah, with like with the music journey, it's it's been kinda uh off and on. Like I go through spurts of like just listening to Christmas Christ, not Christmas, Christian music. And uh and then I'll go or I would go to like listening to all the all the stuff that I would listen to, you know, back in the day in the early 2000s or whatever. Um but I have like uh like a number one my number one hits or whatever uh on my Spotify for a playlist, and it's all that kind of stuff. And I haven't listened to that for I don't know over six months. So it's uh it's been like it I've gotten to more where I just don't like we have to be careful what we what we take into our through our senses, right? With movies and with uh um with music and uh that stuff affects our our heart position and and the way we feel about things and the way we view the world. So I've just been a lot more intentional about making sure that I'm listening to you know faith-based music and and things that are more honoring to God than things that are more honoring to the world. So uh if you feel convicted, so have I. So you're not alone in that. But uh yeah, back to uh back to the journey here. Um I gave so I gave my life to the Lord in a coffee shop, which I kind of mentioned uh in the episode zero there. Um that was uh that was pretty cool because you know Pastor Josh, he had he been working on me and the Lord had been working on me. Um I don't know how long it would have been, but um eventually, you know, he just we just sat in the corner in the coffee shop there, and he asked me if I was ready to make a commitment and and repent, and I said yes, and and like Colton said, it's like peace and love and warmth and whatever. Like as soon as as soon as I lifted my head um after praying and giving my life to the Lord, I just it was a physiological change, is the thing that I always say. So yeah, um I mean you you like you were saying, you just you can't explain it unless you experienced it. And for me to try to explain it to someone that's not experienced it, you're not gonna get it.

SPEAKER_03: 1:04:00

So it's uh it's a special moment and a special feeling, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_02: 1:04:07

Absolutely. So um, so after that, then I I uh continued to go to church and and Bible studies and stuff like that. I got a lot more involved once I became a believer, and um and Pastor Josh was faithful to disciple and shepherd me, and um, so he he's been a huge uh a huge uh spiritual impact in my life um as a spiritual man and a spiritual leader. And I haven't talked to him for a while, but I think I've still got his phone number. I should probably call him. Um but uh yeah, now he uh he actually pastors his own church now in Camro's there, I believe, unless he's moved on. That's the last thing I heard. Um but at that time I uh I started serving without even knowing what serving was, right? So I uh I would get rides to church. Um Josh was uh a one of the music leaders, and um one of the guys actually that worked with my stepmom at the time as well. Uh he was also on the worship band, and they would go early, like six, seven in the morning, to go set up because the church was actually in like a community hall or whatever. So you'd have to go set up all the chairs and set up the sound equipment and set up set up the um like the projector screen and um and all the instruments and and then they'd have to practice and so um those early mornings with those two guys and uh and serving in that way was a big thing for me too. And uh it was really cool that those guys were willing to do that. Like I got rides to church from both of them at different times and and had good conversations with both of them, and and uh yeah, that was a really cool time for me, especially as a new believer getting to serve like that and not really knowing what serving was. I was just willing to help, right? So uh yeah, put put me in, coach. So hey, that's a good place to be. Yeah, that's right. Um, so eventually, uh unfortunately, I got discouraged from from some of the people around me that I loved and cared about, and um I would talk to them and uh about things that I'm learning at church and these Bible studies and stuff like that. And I, you know, I'm just on fire for the Lord, and I want to share these things, and um they would say like I had like a holier than thou attitude, and um, I was acting like I was better than them and other people, and that's not at all what I was trying to do. I I was just excited, I just wanted to share. Yeah, but I was I was a baby Christian, I didn't know what I was doing, so um yeah, I just wanted to share what I was learning and and share God's love with them, and um I kind of got shut down, and uh uh after so many times of that, uh unfortunately wasn't the right thing, but I stopped going to church for a while and and I drifted away uh from the Lord and things kind of went dark. So um with that, like you talk about falling away. Um I would say that so this is something I'll talk about some of the things that I um that I did and and shouldn't have done and whatever. Uh but you talk like we talk about once save always saved and and stuff like that. That that was kind of a hard hard thing for me to figure out after um after like falling away and and then coming back. I'm just I'm talking about this now because it's not in my notes and I I don't want to forget, but um I like I would hear that once saved, always saved. And then if you're if you don't think you're saved, then you never were, and if you did fall away, then you never were saved. So that was a really confusing time for me, and I really had to do some searching and and praying, and so what the the conclusion I found out was for me, I was saved when I did give my give my life to the Lord. That was a real commitment, and I just basically closed the door to him for a while, but he was always there, yeah. So I I know that he was always there, and uh looking back, I could see it now, but um I didn't know then, and and I kind of thought maybe that wasn't a real commitment, and you know, the devil gets in and and he's the um he's the prince of lies and and he gets in there and fills your head with stupid ideas and you know stuff like that. So anyway, after stopping going to church and and uh kind of not being allowed to go back to the youth group and and stuff like that, then uh I started hanging around with some people that actually I probably shouldn't have hung around with. I don't know I was allowed to hang out with them otherwise, but I don't know. Anyway, um because I uh I got into drugs and uh nothing hard, like it was just uh marijuana use, and um I I actually did help uh one of my buddies' older brothers was a dealer, and so me and my buddy would um basically do drug running for this guy, like we'd go deliver um weed for him and and he'd pay us in weed. So we're like, oh sweet, we just get free drugs, that's fun. So um, so did that for a while. Um, even though like in my heart I knew like this is you know, this is the Lord always there. It's like I knew that was wrong. I knew I shouldn't have been doing that, but I was just too busy having a good time, right? And uh eventually I uh I smoked so much that uh they call it greening out, and so I got sick, like nausea, anxiety, and panic, and like dizziness and confusion, and like so I looked up what greening out means, and this is what it lists, and I experienced most of this. So, like I said, nausea, anxiety, and panic, dizziness and confusion, chills, sweating, rapid heart rate. Um it was not fun at all. I just smoked so much that like in one day or one sitting, whatever, that it was it did that to me, and like it was not fun at all, and it was scary. And after that, I uh I was able to quit cold turkey, like you hear people having having drug addiction addictions for years, decades. I'm thankful that I did not fall into that. There's another thing. The Lord was working, he's like, You're gonna have such a bad time that you're just gonna want to quit. So um I did, and I quit cold turkey. I was having nothing to do with that anymore. I did not want to experience that again. So um, I mean, for the most part, it was just casual usage, you know, hanging out with buddies and smoking and um it was kind of fun, but yeah, it was not good, didn't do much drinking really, but um got into drugs and that thankfully I didn't get into any any hard drugs or anything like that. I didn't get anything that was laced with anything bad or anything like that, but I think that um with that experience and with what happened there, um I don't know what kind of life I would have lived otherwise if I continued down that path. Like I could be in prison or dead, honestly. Like if I continued running drugs or became a dealer myself or whatever, you never know, right? Yeah, so um yeah, I'm thankful for that. Um but uh so after falling away, there is a comeback story, which is why I'm here. So um I hope so. Yeah. Uh my uh kind of like my buddy, but my step uncle, I guess you call him. He's about my age. Um, he'd be my stepmom's brother. Uh his parents had bought uh an acreage out in the Hines Creek area, and so he kind of called me up one day, and um he's like, hey, we're uh we're gonna move out. Like, dad's gonna move out here, and uh mom's gonna stay here for now and just take care of things here, and I'm gonna go up here and I'm gonna go up to Hines Creek, go to the farm and and go to school. Do you want to come? And I'm like, uh sure, why not? And because I've moved around so much, I didn't really have my feet planted anywhere. I didn't have a like, I mean, I did have a core group of friends, but I was like, you know, it's it's whatever, right? You can make new friends, is kind of how I felt.

SPEAKER_03: 1:14:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02: 1:14:52

Um, but uh yeah, so that was good, and uh it's really good because that's where I met my wife was in in grade 11 in Hines Creek, and uh so that's good. And um, kind of on your note with like your previous relationship that you said um that didn't work out because of my experience with relationships, uh seeing my parents in different relationships and and stuff like that, uh and their divorce and seeing what that did to our family, and and that's knowing like I knew it was not healthy, I knew it was not good before I even became a believer. So like I think God writes on our hearts what the truth is, and and we should know. So um, but through all that, through my experiences, I did decide at a young age that I was like, I'm not dating just for the sake of dating, I'm not gonna be part of this stupid hookup culture stuff. And um so I decided young that whoever I'm gonna plan to date is someone that I think I might want to marry and and have a life with. So I was very selective with who I asked out, and mostly like I have had maybe one or two other girlfriends before my wife, and they were not very serious relationships. Um, one was actually young, so I don't even know if you could call it a relationship or dating, but it was like yeah, I don't think you can. It was like elementary school, and uh, you know, you think you love that person, and no, that's just what they call infatuation. I thought she so you know, went to the movies a couple times. That was the extent of that, but yep. Uh anyway, so yeah, I met my wife actually. She uh she told me she called dibs on me when she saw me registering at the desk there. So you know, small country town. They, you know, they don't get uh don't get very many new people, but uh yeah, her and her friends, one of her friends called dibs on my my buddy, and and she called dibs on me, and seems like it worked. So good for her. Or good for me, I guess. Uh I think I got the better, yeah, I got the better end of the deal, I think. But uh anyway, yeah. So um it's funny, she was actually going on a trip to Hawaii with her volleyball team, and uh, you know, crazy teenager mind. I was like, oh man, if she goes, if she goes to Hawaii and I don't ask her out, she could find a guy in Hawaii and I'll never be able to again. Like I'm gonna lose her. So anyway. Looking back, I'm like, you're an idiot.

SPEAKER_01: 1:18:14

Anyway, did you end up asking her out before she went to Hawaii?

SPEAKER_02: 1:18:19

I did, yeah. So I did ask her. It was, I don't know, it was pretty quick before there wasn't very many days left, or maybe day before. I don't know. Like I was so nervous. Anyway, then I ended up actually asking her. Um, she said yes, and I was surprised. I asked her like three more times. I'm like, Are you sure?

SPEAKER_01: 1:18:40

Like she's like, uh yes, what you want. Yeah, are you sure?

SPEAKER_02: 1:18:46

Like, like I did ask you out, you know. Yeah, anyway. So uh that's kind of funny. Uh um anyway, so after that, then she ended up inviting me to church, and um, I went every opportunity I got, which was good. So I was starting to get back into church and and fellowship and um getting into the word and um Bible teachings from the the pulpit, even and and some youth group and stuff like that. Um, but my main reason was to go because I could spend more time with her outside of school, to be honest. Anyway, God works in mysterious ways. Oh, yeah, oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, so ultimately uh the Lord was calling me back to him uh hundred percent. And how I got there is a wild ride, but uh but I got there, and uh I was able to open the door back up to him and um kind of surrender myself back to him, and and uh yeah, so after that I had to move away from Heinz Creek, and uh so uh they were they were moving, it wasn't working for the farm. I don't know, I don't know all the details, but anyway, had to move away after the school year. And um again, teenage mind. I'm like, I can't go back to Camroes and live with dad, and so I'm like, what mom's the closest, she's two hours away in Grand Prairie, so like I'm gonna see if I can move to mom's. So I did that, and we continued dating and um uh finished school in Grand Prairie and uh eventually asked for her hand in marriage, talk to her dad, and um you should be thankful that I started that because that was nerve-wracking.

SPEAKER_01: 1:20:53

Oh, I hear you. Oh, I know. So I broke being number one. Yeah, I had to break the ice. Yeah, I was like, how do I do this? Thank you.

SPEAKER_02: 1:21:04

Yeah, right. Yeah, then uh our father-in-law now, he you know, he kind of knew what to expect, but um anyway, he handled it pretty good. I asked him for coffee, and then I found out later that they were like, We pretty we're we were pretty sure we knew why you were asking us to go for coffee. I'm like, oh yeah, okay. There was no secrets, so they were on to us anyway. Yeah, right. It's funny. You think you're secretive, but you're definitely not. Yeah, um, but yeah, so uh it's funny. I actually told them in our conversation, or I told him in like our father-in-law in our in that conversation I was gonna prepare propose um New Year's Eve, and he was like, Okay, and I couldn't wait, so I did it Christmas Eve. So I bet they didn't say that one public, yeah. No, so our mother-in-law, she's like, I thought you said New Year's Eve. I'm like, I did, but I couldn't wait. I was too excited, yeah. That's right.

SPEAKER_01: 1:22:18

It's kind of funny.

SPEAKER_02: 1:22:19

She's yeah, so my wife, uh Amanda, she's not one for like public um anything. So like I knew uh like if if we would watch a movie together or something like that, and there's like a big public proposal or whatever, um, she's like, I do not want that. She made that very clear. So anyway, uh we were we were sitting on the couch and she's you know, we're talking, and I'm like, hey, you know what? I kind of I want to go for a walk, and she's like, I don't want to. I'm like, just come for a walk with me. She's like, Oh, you can go. I'm like, come for a walk with me afterwards. I told her, I'm like, I was this close to doing it in front of everybody. She's like, that would have been bad. So anyway, yeah, it was kind of funny. Um, and uh yeah, so we got uh got married about nine months later, September 29th. And uh yeah, I've been married ever since. And marriage has been a crazy ride, you know. You think you're ready and uh you think you know what you're getting into, but it's not what you expect.

SPEAKER_03: 1:23:34

So there's a lot of surprises that come with marriage.

SPEAKER_02: 1:23:40

Yeah, nobody talks about and there's there's really no way to tell everything either. But I mean you can try to prepare best you can, but even if you do get told something when you're young and get married, you're not gonna really it's not gonna click until you go through it. So yeah, um, so we uh we began life in GP because that's where I was working, that's where I had a job, and um and so we had a little basement suite there in Grand Prairie, and um it was kinda it was good. We were going to a church there and um kind of had some other family there, like her family, her cousins, and it was it was kind of good, but it wasn't really where we wanted to stay. But uh anyway, we uh first we got pregnant when we still lived there, and uh we had an early miscarriage, which uh was a lot tougher on her than it was on me, but I do know that I it seemed like like I wasn't quite prepared to be a dad yet, and then I finally came to terms with it, and then um then we lost the baby, so that part was tough. Um so I maybe that's part of why I mean biblically, miss or biblically uh uh you know, all life is valuable, but uh that's probably why I feel so strongly too that like abortion is is not okay. Like there's people people that lose babies and can't have babies, and so anyway, that's a that's a touchy subject too. But uh I uh eventually uh lost my job and was out of work for a few months and then um a few months, I don't know, it it was a couple, it seemed like a long time, but uh then I ended up getting uh um a job doing landscaping, and then that's also where I met Colton is kind of near the end of the season there, and I was on my way out actually, and uh I just had a seasonal position, so I had to find something different, and so anyway, I ended up moving out to Worsley, which is where we both kind of wanted to end up anyway. We both didn't really like living in the city, so it kind of worked. It was kind of a win-win, um, or lose win because I didn't have a job, but I tried I tried to apply anywhere I could to like for the winter to try and get work, and I just just nothing was landing. So um, but yeah, since then we've uh had four children and um they're a blessing, and they're kind of crazy sometimes and get on your nerves, but they're like I don't know, they could they can drive you mad, but then at the same time they can uh they're just the biggest blessing in the world. Um yeah, and um so we've you know we we got a place and and kind of settled here in Wordsley and uh end up working at the same place for like that same job for over a decade and um love the people that I worked with and uh but I just felt like God had a different plan for me, and I don't even know if I fully know what that is yet, but I didn't feel like that was the place for me to to be. And um yeah, it's kind of hard because it was a good it was a good place to work, and um there's good people there, and most of them were believers, and you could have faith-based conversations anytime you want. And um, so that part was great. Kind of comfortable, and but yeah, just I don't know, just the job and uh wasn't something I totally wanted to do for the rest of my life. And so I was kind of always looking for something different, and uh just where we live, there's not really not really much opportunity for that unless you want to go drive truck or work in the bush um all winter or whatever, or work on the farm for for you know long hours and little money. I know a lot of you guys are farmers probably that listen to this, so you know what I'm talking about. Uh but uh yeah, we you know we've never really been well off or rich monetarily, but yeah, we we make do with what the Lord has given us and try to be good stewards of that and um do what we can with that, and um we I uh tried my hand at all sorts of entrepreneurial business ventures um because you know I felt like there was something else that I should be doing, and I wanted to spend more time with my family, and but I wanted I basically wanted passive income where I didn't have to work was really the main thing, and I could just spend time with my family, which I don't know if that's totally biblical either. We're supposed to work. That's you know, that's biblical, but um yeah, I would I tried anything that I thought would make me money from home that I could spend time with my family, with my children. Um and I spent um I spent a lot of time, money, and energy chasing money. And uh with that, actually, I thought of this while you were talking. Um Timothy uh chapter six, verse nine to ten. Um, but people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and some people craving Money have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Um that is so true because trying to chase the money and chase the time freedom and everything like that that these um uh these companies talk about that that do recruiting and and whatever and promise big things and um you you you have to put in a lot of work but I was feeling like I was putting more time and energy into that than I was putting time and energy into my walk with the Lord and the leadership that I should be doing for my family, and so that just that had to come to an end. But I I did that for a long time, doing part-time stuff online, different businesses and MLMs and selling soaps and shampoos and eventually insurance. And Colton and I uh kind of worked for the same company there for a little bit doing insurance and um yeah, it's just all these promises of money and grandeur and and a certain kind of lifestyle, it's all it's all meaningless, and it's all um it's really vanity if you think about it. Um they like lots of these people, maybe they can, but lots of these people, even the Christian people that we worked with that were in these companies, they're like, you can do it and do good with this money, but I couldn't. I I would tell myself that like if I make money, I'm gonna do good with it. And you know, I did. I end up tithing more and giving more and and was able to do different things like that. But deep down I knew I was chasing things for my own gratification and for and for worldly desires, and so that had to stop. Um so eventually I found out that that's not for me, that's not something I could do. So now I have a stable job that I can grow in and make a career out of, which I'm very thankful for. Uh, it's very close to home, and um I've got really good benefits and uh you know, good salary, room to grow, and great pension for later on. And um, I think it's just something definitely for right now. Um, I mean it looks like a long-term thing at this point, but it's kind of something that's calmed, like all that craziness of trying to build businesses and all that kind of stuff. It's just kind of stripped all that away and just calm down, go to work, spend time in the Bible, and lead your family. Like kind of so that's kind of where I'm at now. And uh, I've done serving in the church as well when I was younger, not when I was younger earlier on in our time here in in Worsley. We uh I led the boys' club for a few years, and that was that was rewarding, and uh, but it was a lot of work. Those boys are kind of crazy. Uh like you said, with your youth leaders, you guys were putting holes in the wall and ripping railings off, and who knows what all.

SPEAKER_01: 1:33:25

We were we were full contact, I tell you what. Yeah, so that's you weren't fast, you got hurt.

SPEAKER_02: 1:33:34

So in a good way, yeah. Yeah, young boys ministry is not necessarily my fourth day. It was good, and I love those boys, and those uh some of those boys have gone out grown up and graduated, and um, you know, they still they still talk to me and and they still respect me, and um it's uh yeah, they look up to me, some of these boys, even like the ones that go to our church for sure. I talk to them all the time. Um, they have a respect for me that I could not have instilled in them myself. That was all God, you know. Um, because even preparing for for those lessons, sometimes I was um it was begrudgingly, basically. I was like, I do not want to go and do this. But I uh the reason I did it is no one else was stepping up in the church to do it, and uh, so I felt that I needed to do it, so I did. And eventually um I ended up stepping back from that. Like I this is it's just too much, and uh, I didn't feel like I was doing a good enough job, and so uh some other people are doing it now, which is good. Um it that gives me I think the ability to focus on this and the men's ministry that I feel that needs to be built. So um I also play drums in the worship band. Um, I've also right now is a season where I've stepped back from that, but I do love uh music and I love serving on the worship band and and getting to interact with those people and um just leading worship. It's uh it's really good, it's really rewarding to you know get to lead people in singing to the Lord and lifting up praises, and it's a really cool thing. So um, and the Lord has gifted me with um musical ability, so I think that we're called to use our gifts, but right now I uh I need to focus on this. So um yeah, uh so now uh I felt the Lord calling me to do something for men in the church, um, community, and beyond for a long time, over a decade, like I've said before. Uh tried once a few years ago and kind of got shut down by uh spiritual authority in my life. Uh so that was discouraging uh for me for a while. I kind of thought, oh, maybe this isn't what I'm supposed to do, but I still felt that pull and I just couldn't shake that feeling that this is something that I need to do. And uh so that's why we're doing this now. It's time for me to move uh when God tells me to move, do what God tells me to do, and go where God tells me to go. So um just I don't know what the verse is, but I have wrote here here at here I am, Lord, send me. And uh so I think a a good verse basically for my life with the whole coming to Christ and falling away and coming back is uh Philippians 1 6. Uh that says, uh, and I am certain that God, who began a good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. So that's it's kind of the theme for my life. Um, in that he did, like I said, I do feel that my conversion or yeah, my conversion was genuine, um and and it was a real thing, and um the Lord has just had to work on me, and and uh it's been a journey. Um so uh yeah, the so this podcast uh for me is the first step in obedience uh in this calling to minister to the men of the world. It's a huge step in faith because I don't know where this is gonna go, how this is gonna work out. Uh, I do not feel ready or equipped at all, but I know God will do what he did for Moses in Exodus, like we talked about last episode. He will give me the words to say and he'll give me the signs to perform, he will go with me. I don't know what God's full plan is with all of this. Um, and it's not my job to know, but it is my job to be obedient and faithful to him. So that's that's my testimony and and my closing remarks for that as well. Um, so that's my story.

SPEAKER_05: 1:38:24

I think that was great. Um, I was gonna mention how you talked about uh that verse, here I am, Lord send me. That has been it's funny you say that. That's been on my heart for the last couple weeks, too. Just being ready. Um you know, I I think about I kind of look at life from my deathbed in a sense, you know, looking back on my life, whoops, and seeing um just what uh what I'm gonna regret at the end of my life, you know. And it's weird because just working and working and working for the rest of my life, I don't know. I I think I might regret that, you know, and um again that uh you know being able to reach people as a Christian to do God's work. I mean, something as simple as helping um the elderly in a grocery store take groceries down, like there's so much joy and fulfillment in that, it just it makes you happy, right? Right. So I think this podcast and and doing this together is one of those things that uh as long as we do it with the guidance of God and the Holy Spirit, I don't think we'll regret this at all at the end of our life.

SPEAKER_02: 1:39:55

No, no, I don't think so either. I think uh yeah, like you said, um it's time to this is how I feel, sounds like this is how you feel, but it's time to do something more and um for for the kingdom of God to not just for for this world and this time that we have here. Like you said, just working away, slaving away is um it's not gonna give us fulfillment, uh doing doing what the Lord has called us to do will, and um it's time to do that, and whatever that looks like for everyone else. Like you don't have to totally go full-time into ministry, you don't have to become a pastor, you don't have to become a missionary in a far-off land, you can do it right at home. Like Colton said, you can help uh elder people, elderly people or disabled people reach a can of soup or something on the top shelf, or help an old lady cross the street, or um whatever it might be, just serve uh in in the capacity that the Lord has given you and and uh just be in the word with him every day so you know where he's calling you to go, and that's it. That's all we can do.

SPEAKER_05: 1:41:10

Yeah, absolutely. So again, thanks guys for listening, uh, listening in to this podcast and to this episode. Um, Craig and I, I think our biggest uh request for if if you guys want to support us in any way, I think right now the biggest way you can is praying for us, just praying for humbleness, for um submissive hearts to God, and that we would just trust his guidance and his his leadership in our life, and uh that we would just trust him in the process of uh of this podcast as well. Um, so I think for next week, uh Craig and I discussed this a little bit, and uh we've had some questions come up actually about uh leadership. And so I think for next week, uh that is going to be our topic. We are gonna try and cover what it looks like to be a leader of our families. Um so we're gonna discuss that, and uh and then we have some exciting stuff coming up after that as well.

SPEAKER_02: 1:42:22

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, that's been that's kind of been the biggest question that we've had lately. And um, I'm sure if you're listening, you know who you are. But uh yeah, it was a good conversation and and very good question. And it's something that we should flesh out and and actually find out what the scripture says, uh, what it looks like to lead our families, um, spiritually and otherwise. And I think those things are connected, but we'll talk about that more next time for sure. And uh yeah, I think uh I think that's it for today. And um I don't know if did you want to close this one out in prayer? I think I did the last one, so yeah. Okay. Yeah, you betcha.

SPEAKER_05: 1:43:11

All right, so uh let's pray. Father, we thank you for this day, Lord. Thank you for the time that we can spend together um just doing your work, Lord. I pray that you would bless us, bless this podcast, bless the people listening to it. Uh, as we spoke about our testimonies, Lord, I pray that today it would have touched somebody's heart listening in today. We ask, Lord, that uh we would do your will with this. Holy Spirit, just speak through us, give us the words to say, and uh help us not to lose sight of what's important, but keep us humble, keep us from being prideful, and help us to seek you uh every day with this and and with this venture, Lord. Um, and we just pray these things in Jesus' name, amen.

SPEAKER_02: 1:44:05

Amen. All right, thank you guys for listening. See you next week.