#9: Interviewing special guest Joe Kielpokowski

Join us this week as we interview our first special guest Joe Kielpokowski as we talk about his upbringing and his journey in growing his relationship with the Lord. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

All right, welcome back to another episode of Body in Christ Podcast. We have a something new here. We're gonna do an interview with somebody that goes to our uh Bible group. His name's Joe, and we kind of want just want to give a background. He he's kind of new as far as the relationship aspect of being with Christ. And I just kind of want to dive deep into his background, his testimony so far. I mean, we've only been doing this for what, six months now? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

But um late summer.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Yeah, yeah, it it seems like it's been a long time and yet only a couple weeks almost. But yeah, I kind of want to hand this over to you, and uh if you kind of just wanted to, Joe, uh give a background of your upbringing before like we kind of met.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

Yeah, yeah. So upbringing, I had I had I guess just in general about me, I was like a very shy, kind of quiet kid. I I when I was young, even when I had like distant family come over, I was kind of the type to be like very shy that like I would when we had like family meals and stuff, I would be like hiding under the table kind of, and so stuff like that. But I was raised in on a farm. My dad was a farmer, my mom worked as a grocery store, one of the people there, the stock on uh shelves, and uh and yeah, I came from a Catholic place close from here, yeah. But so I was raised Catholic, went to like C C D classes young, and just I don't know, just like I mean it's kind of like something you're just kind of brought into, and you're just like, okay, this is what everyone does, and all the other kids my age would kind of go to these C C D classes, catechism classes, whatever you may call them, but just yeah, go to these classes and just learn about the Lord, but nothing like I guess set in. I mean a little bit, don't get me wrong, like some of it, like just hearing all the stories is like really cool as a kid. Like, oh okay, this is what all that Jesus did, and the way that teachers explained it, or even when Father came down and talked to us a little bit about some of the stuff, it was pretty cool, you know. But just yeah, uh so I I was kind of like okay, this is something I'm kind of into that you know my parents brought me into. It's like okay. I and then I was like, yeah, you know, I was a believer at that time because you know, you're young, you're just trying to learn, trying to get your steps, you know, in or whatever, just to figure out what what what really is old God about, you know. And uh yeah, so that's kind of like they're a little upbringing at least. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:47

Okay, yeah. So the CCD is like a religious ed kind of classes that you come up with.

SPEAKER_02 2:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

Gotcha. And I mean, yeah, like we me and Jesse said in our interviews, like we kind of had that same upbringing. We just never like we we heard about all these stories, but it never really like set in, I guess you could kind of say.

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Right, yeah. You know, yeah. You're young, so it's kind of like okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:12

Yeah, like my parents sent me here.

SPEAKER_00 3:13

I just kinda like Yeah, you just kind of learn, right?

SPEAKER_01 3:16

No, no, yeah, I totally get that. So you were doing that since you were younger, and then like tell me a little bit about like your you're saying you were like pretty competitive growing up and like things like that. Like what was your schooling like? And oh yeah, just can kind of give me a background of um before we uh met you.

SPEAKER_00 3:36

No, yeah, with that part, competitive nature. It's like I had I have three other siblings, so I have an older brother, two younger sisters, always been kind of competitive against them, always, you know anything, like whether it's like, oh, I'm the best drawler, or you know, like who's the smartest, who's the strongest, who's the fastest, and you know, you just kind of have that competitive nature of like I'm the best one of the family, even you know, when you're competing against your siblings in a way, even though it's not really a competitive, but it's just you know what I mean. It's not really a competition, but it's just like it seems like as a kid that's kind of like your mindset, kind of like I want to be like the best child, you know, my parents ever had, you know. So you just kind of get in that mindset where you're just kind of competitive with like education and stuff. I will admit, like with my parents, they I mean it's kind of weird because it was like I'm a little different than because I think my brother 4.0, my sisters are 4.0's students pretty much. I was kind of more of the average, but I think my parents weren't like they they weren't really pushing me that like I needed a 4.0 or anything. Yeah, it just kind of like my other three siblings were really pushing for the education. I was just kind of like, I just want to have fun, you know, I just want to enjoy life kind of thing. You know, I'm just that's I guess the competitive nature where I got in more to sports than the whole education prospect of school or whatever. So I did sports of like uh well, my mom really wanted me to do baseball, she loves baseball since she was like really young. Her grandpa was really into the Yankees, so I kind of got into becoming a fan of the Yankees too, but which some people in Wisconsin probably wouldn't like that, but from what I hear. So but yeah, no, I just kind of had that competitive nature with baseball. Just I mean, I guess every sport I try to do or any competition, even gym class, I would just kind of just go 100% usually, and then yeah, I don't know. I was just I was very competitive, kind of mean sometimes, I guess, with my cup competitiveness, but got a little bit better with age, so it's not too bad. It's like uh it's just a game, you know. But yeah, where I was young, it was just like, no, this is the whole world to me. I gotta win, I have to win, I have to win, you know. I have to beat everybody, but oh yeah, just that kind of mindset, I guess, to be competitive. And it just helps that you had sit I have siblings that were just uh kind of there, kind of push me at some points and you know, trash talk and all that kind of fun stuff. But yeah, just yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:03

And you have how many brothers and sisters do you have?

SPEAKER_00 6:05

I have one older brother, he's like a year older, and then I got a sister that's a year younger, and another sister that's seven years younger. So she yeah, she was uh a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

I didn't know you had an older brother.

SPEAKER_00 6:19

I yeah, some people don't, no, but some if you meet if you ever see him, he kind of looks like me, I guess. It's just a little difference, I guess, and certain like facial and stuff. But some people could see, like, oh yeah, you guys are definitely brothers. And then I've gotten a couple times where nobody thought my sisters were my sisters because they do look different, but uh, I mean, you could kind of tell with the eyes and the brown hair or whatever, it's like okay, we're kind of related, you know.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

But gotcha. Yeah, and then so with the competitive nature in the sports and everything, so you got into wrestling too besides the baseball, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

I yeah, I keep mentioning the baseball, but yeah, I actually got into wrestling a lot later, actually. Weirdly, I mean, because I I did T-ball that young pee-wee baseball or whatever. Basically, I started that like when I was like five or four or whatever it was, and it was just wasn't the sport that I really got into as much. Maybe I wasn't as good, but which ain't a big deal, but uh but no, yeah, wrestling I got into in fifth grade. I kind of got into uh weirdly, yeah, because I watched like WWE at the time and I was like, oh, this is cool. Then you do it in high school, a little bit different, you know. Well, a lot different, I should say, but it's but then I tried it in fifth grade and I was like, uh, you know, I don't know if this is for me. One of my coaches at the end of the year were like, Well, how good did you do? Like, how many first places do you take? I'm like, I did take like four or five that year. I was like, I just didn't think I was good though, really. I was like, well, I didn't win every tournament or what they're like, this is your first year, you know. It's like, oh that's true. So I kind of like I thank my coaches because they really like kept me into it, and I was like, all right. So then, yeah, I had really good coaches. I think that's the thing that helps with wrestling. You kind of with wrestling, like you're so I don't know if that's the if the word I'm thinking of is intimate, but it's just like you know what I mean? Like you're like physical contact with you know with these people, you know. So you're always like uh working with them, you're always talking to them after like about stuff, and it's always like, yeah, it's pretty chill. Where like I don't know if I ever felt that with like baseball or football when I tried that too, but it's just wrestling, just kind of like I don't know, like it just it felt right, and then it was just like okay, so I was gonna make this kind of my sport in a way, and I kind of grew into the high school part and did okay, but yeah, and then it just kind of eventually led me to being a wrestling coach today.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

So yeah, I was just gonna ask, like, is is that kind of what's motivated you to become a wrestling coach, like from your mentors, yes, and like helping people out?

SPEAKER_00 8:55

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. With the the coaches, yes. I think I think it helps too. I think a lot of the coaches are kind of like me, like low-key in wrestling. When I was when I had coaches for uh baseball or football, I just didn't they didn't, I don't know. I just I didn't I guess I didn't click as much. I even though I did football all four years at high school, you know, but it's just like there's just so it was just like, yeah, I just kind of I don't know. There's just something about like all the coaches I ever had in wrestling, like I had so much respect for them, and they just kind of like always checked up on you, be like, oh, like, oh, why is Joe gone from practice today? And I was like, Oh, I'll be sick, and they're like, Oh, okay, hope you get better, come back tomorrow or whatever, hopefully you're good, you know, or injured or whatever. They always like check up on you. It's kind of cool, I guess, because I think I might have been hurting football, and I didn't really get like much of a comment from them or whatever. So oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:53

Man, how did you have any time?

SPEAKER_00 9:55

No, right, yeah. I guess, yeah. I was just I was all sports, I didn't really do any clubs or anything. Yeah, just all sports, really, and just I don't know. Good people to have coach and kind of made me think like even after high school, I didn't think I did as good as I wanted to in high school wrestling. So then I thought, like, well, I kind of want to coach to make these kids even better than I ever was. That's kind of the way, and then I I don't know, it's just a part of me was like, I kind of wanted a coach, but I didn't know what exactly, and then I just kind of found my passion into wrestling, not much of like football or baseball, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Okay, yeah, yeah, it's kind of kind of interesting, but I mean I feel like especially talking to you these last couple months, like you were put there for a purpose, but we'll get into that in a little bit. And yeah, I you kind of had a different a couple different career paths you were going to. Yeah, I kind of went through the same thing. It's just like when when you go for something without God, like sometimes those plans just like fall apart. I don't know if you kind of want to get into that real quick.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

Oh yeah, I do, yeah. So I as a kid, I pff I had so many different ideas of like what I wanted to do after school. I I don't know, I just like a lot of ideas of just whatever was, I guess, easy and just makes a lot of money, I guess, in a weird way. But it was just like, but then after high school, I actually after I graduated, I did I worked on the farm for a year because well, my dad sold his cows a while ago, but then we he works at a big farm, so I ended up working with my dad at this farm, and I was like kind of taking a year off of high school, just working on the farm, like you know, trying to figure out like what I want to be, and then after a year, I was like kind of figuring out like, you know what? I actually I kind of want to try law enforcement. There's something I don't know what it was, but there's something about like law enforcement. I was like, this seems like a kind of cool career path if I go through this. And uh yeah, I I try went into NWTC, did two years of training, just honestly, and then I think honestly, well, it just tells you because my GPA in like high school is a 2.3 after I graduated NWTC, I got a like 3.8, so it's like you know what I mean? It's like it's actually like wow, okay. So it was something that I knew in my head, I guess I was like, okay, I was really involved. Worked with a lot of good instructors too, so I think that's kind of part of like kind of I guess coaching wrestling too, is that I had a lot of good instructors in NWTC, and there was a lot of like combat stuff when you're trained with law enforcement, so it was kind of cool to have like learn different methods and techniques to you know uh bring a perpetrator down and stuff like that and break get into houses and you know, do all the SWAT stuff we did too. It was kind of it was it was a really fun time in uh the gun range and all that, but yeah, and then a lot of good people along the way too I was working with, and it was just it was a fun time, honestly. I don't regret it at all, but it just kind of ended up that I even kind of went to the after I graduated NWTC, I uh went into like all these interviews of like for policing, like trying different counties and different cities, Fond du Lac, On Alaska, Two Rivers, Kiwani, and it just kind of I don't know, just a little bit of political stuff, and I just couldn't quite get it, my foot in, and it was kind of tough. It was kind of like really bearing on my head that I was like, I don't think this is for me. I don't know. There was just something that just kind of I guess gave me a kind of a quit attitude, I guess, to kind of quit on it and just like, well, we'll see what's around here. And I just end up like working and living with my parents at some times because I I would even work at a workshop with my mom at some point too. So okay, yeah. But yeah, so that was kind of like a kind of in a weird way, like a failed law enforcement dream I had that it but like I don't regret having that experience because it was fun and I met a lot of good people, and I still keep in touch with a few of them to this day, so it's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01 14:11

Yeah, yeah. I mean, definitely good experience, and who knows? I mean, maybe God steers you in that direction too later on, you know.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

No, right, yeah. You never know, you could still come back, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

Yeah, yeah. But like what what was kind of like your mindset on life all these years?

SPEAKER_00 14:29

Well, like I said, I worked with my dad on a farm or worked with my mom a little bit at a uh like sweatshop, workshop, whatever. But sweatshop that might be like a nice nickname for it, but from child labor, uh I felt like it, you know, but I guess I was a little old enough to for it not to be.

SPEAKER_01 14:46

But yeah, I feel like a couple more things you know are kind of under the table in Wisconsin here.

SPEAKER_00 14:51

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

But um, so do you have anything else from your past before we get into like kind of the lol and like the shifts in your life?

SPEAKER_00 15:01

Not really, no. No.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

Alright, so like what was kind of going through your head before like you started trying to pursue like getting back into religion or relationship or whatever you were kind of looking for?

SPEAKER_00 15:15

So for me to get back in, it was kind of I don't know, it was like a gray area from like the ages of 20 to 28 where I was just like kind of I don't know. I was it was just it was a weird time to be Catholic, at least for me to be a Catholic, and I mean, and I don't people I'm 29, so it just felt like a weird time where it's just like that being Catholic around that time. I just I've because like my parents weren't like forcing me to go anymore, and so they weren't like really pushing on me, because I mean a lot of my siblings kind of kind of faded away too. So it was like, oh okay. But it was just like so I I go I went to church a couple times usually, unless I had something important, I guess, going on. But it was just like one of those things where you just you kind of go there and it's just like you know, you're just there. Maybe I I would always have a the problem of having like a thousand words going through my mind, as you know what I mean. So it's like hard to even like kind of focus and listen, you know. And it's just this big quiet place where you just hear you're like listening, and it's just like uh and some of it could kind of connect, it's just you know, you just don't feel it, I guess, is the big thing. Like you just don't. I mean, it's God's house, but it's you don't feel I don't feel the presence, you know.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

Yeah, like that Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

Right, the Holy Spirit there, you know. It's just I just feel, yeah, you know, just so I was kind of getting like pretty lukewarm around that time where I was just like, uh, where at least in like high school and stuff, it's like, okay, yeah, I was like, you know, learning, kind of got into religion religion, and I was like, okay, this is kind of neat, you know, kind of learning about the whole Bible and everything, like the few things that you learned about, you know, the main stuff, I guess. But yeah, they don't, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

Yeah. No, no, I totally feel you because I I feel like both me and Jesse were there too, and a lot of other people that kind of leave religion for that. And I mean, I know we kind of hit on the Catholicism thing a lot, but it just seems like all of us came from that background, no, right, yeah. Which is interesting. Yeah, but yeah, it really doesn't really matter about the church as much as like just nobody really teaches about that relationship. Like we could have an intimate relationship with God. And I didn't hear about that till a couple of years ago, you know, and I grew up, went to the school, kind of you know, learned about that my entire life just like you did. And yeah, I kind of want to get go into something I really like about your story, which is kind of eye-opening, is you uh started seeking God when you were at kind of a low point in your life. Do you kind of want to go over like some of those shifts that kind of just really wanted or kind of moved you and motivated you in this direction?

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Yeah, so uh 2025, so uh basically early in 2025 in January, just to kind of give a like a little bit. My aunt died early in January. And then I've been coaching for a couple years. There's this kid that uh came in as a junior, uh Owen Vaughn. He's a really nice kid, very good. Just came off as like, because I mean, for a person to come out for wrestling, I'm like, okay, as a junior, like, okay, this is definitely gonna be something really new for you. This would be interesting to see how it goes. And we had he had he had just like a I don't know, he's just a good guy overall, it was just kind of like a cool guy that everyone wanted to hang out with, and from what what I've seen, it just like even in the wrestling room, it just kind of seemed like he was a popular kid, just a popular kid, you know. And uh just there was even uh just a little story about uh one of the wrestling meets we had. He you I've I forget what weight we had him at, but he was at kind of somewhere in the middle weights or whatever, and we're like, oh, well shoot, you know, we could have like Owen kind of bump up or whatever. So before weigh-ins, we had him drink a lot of water just so he could kind of gain some weight, jumps on the scale. Okay, perfect. Okay, and so so we had him like bump up, and we're like, well, we're facing Southern Door, it's conference. We're this is the basically, you know, the the rivalry, you know, we're looking for that we always had for wrestling was us versus Southern Door in Kiwani. And uh, so it was just like, okay, drink some water, bumped up, and just like because I don't think this is his first match, but it was one of the earlier ones he had that he wrestled, and we're just like we're just telling him, like, hey, we just for team point-wise, we were just like, hey, we just can't get pinned, okay? And he was just like, Yeah, okay, I I got you. And so he goes out on that match and he pins the kid, so I was like, oh wow, he way exp higher expectations than what we thought was gonna happen because we're just you know, he's so new, we we didn't know what was gonna happen because and then you just kind of end up the season technically like 50-50. So for a first year wrestler, that's not bad, honestly, for a guy that's never done it in all his years, so that's kind of cool. But yeah, then uh it came the one day, I th I believe it was Friday night when I was coaching wrestling, and I was working. I I didn't work with Owen beforehand, but Owen just that night that I worked with him, we're going over some moves. He seemed like okay, because I'm I'm also a coach that likes to go one-on-one with a kid, just kind of work with that kid in particular. I know you you get 20-some kids, it's like it's hard, it is hard to focus on everyone, but yeah, definitely. So it was just kind of nice that one night that I was working in with him one-on-one, and uh just like going over moves and stuff, and so it was just like okay, yeah, you know, he he got the hang of some stuff, and just like something was a little weird that night, it felt like it was just like okay, just something where he I forgot what it was. It was a move that I know he's done before, and it was like it was just like what and I'm like, no, you you know, like the switch or whatever, and he's like, okay, and I went over with him again, and he was like, Oh, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. So he kind of like, I guess, like just seemed like his mind was blanked kind of in a weird way that night. I don't know, it just seemed a little weird. Forgetful almost. Yeah, yeah, almost forgetful, and just like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, yeah, I get what you mean. So yeah, and after that night, and then uh then literally, I think it was Monday night, and I got the text, I believe, that Tuesday morning from the head coach from Dan. He uh told me, like, did you hear about the news about Owen? I didn't know what he meant by that, and I was I was really concerned just reading the text. I mean, I just came, I got done with work or uh Monday night into Tuesday morning, that would be. And I think he texted me a little later, so I'm like, probab I was sleeping. I think I woke up around noon or one o'clock to finally read that text, and I was like, oh no, like what happened? I I don't know. In my head, I was just kind of racing of like, did he get in trouble with something weird, you know, or at school, or did he uh, you know, did he get in a car accident or something? But no, and then Dan was telling me that he had a self-inflicted shot on himself now that he's gone, and that kind of hit. I was like, wow. I just had so many questions, but at the same time, like just I didn't expect that. Like it's hard, like there was not really like that big of signs, and I don't really put it on myself because it's it's hard to put something like that on yourself, really, and it's not like really anyone's fault for that. It's just I don't know, just somebody self-harming themselves, and you just know that like they're a good kid, had a a unique laugh too. Like he he he's all about laughing and having jokes and stuff, so he was a good popular kid that I just never would have expected out of that he ended his life that night and that Monday night or something, but he uh yeah, so he uh passed. We had a special little memorial meet that Thursday. I think we wrestled Ocano and and I was kind of even telling the guys like, hey, this might be I know like regional, sectional state, all that's coming up soon. But this might be the toughest match you guys are gonna have tonight, you know. So it was gonna be it was gonna be tough, and a lot of guys did struggle that night, and I I don't blame them. I mean, I don't know what I would do if I was a high schooler with one of my friends just I guess uh committed suicide, you know.

SPEAKER_01 24:12

But yeah, and it it's such a hard situation for their family. I mean, you know, especially but for staff students that were were close to him, this whole area seemed like they got hit pretty hard. And you know, I just it it's unfortunate that this is becoming such a you know, such a day-to-day thing now, it seems like in the world, and a lot of you know mental, you know, mental sickness out in the world. What what's causing it? Is it the social media, you know, just how people are, you know, we don't know. But yeah, I mean if there was a route or some outlet that we could talk to these people, and I just think you know, have bringing God to these people's lives would would help a lot, but yeah, it's just it it it's a dark world. And you know, I wish we would never have to hear about something else like that again, but I mean yeah. Do you want to take a break here or do you want to keep going?

SPEAKER_00 25:32

Oh, we could keep going. Just want to mention that like also it was it was a really hard uh beginning of 2025, knowing that my aunt died. Oh, when one of my wrestlers dying. And then like literally like a week later or two a couple weeks later actually, but my grandma passed away too. So it was just like kind of hitting me hard those first two months really of like just I mean, where you just kind of seek and just are like looking for something like what what what can I do? What can I, you know, how how am I gonna get over this? You know, it's it's tough. I mean, it was a it was a really rough two months for me.

SPEAKER_01 26:14

Yeah, and that that kind of I guess leads up to you and Jesse then, right?

SPEAKER_00 26:20

Yeah, no, this is yeah, this is a good part.

SPEAKER_01 26:24

Do you kind of I'll give a little bit of a background on Jesse's part to the best of my knowledge, and I could have him clear this up later. But I I believe that the Lord was kind of pushing Jesse to come talk to you at his uh you guys had a softball league, and I guess the game ends and then I I don't know if you want to take it from there because we're actually there.

SPEAKER_00 26:51

Yeah, right. So at least my perspective, yeah. I can't really talk. I mean, I know Jesse told me his part a little bit, but from my part at least, like I said, just rough, you know, beginning of the year of 2025 and just kind of going in the summer, and I was like, well, it was kind of like we really weird too, because we have uh our softball our slow pitch softball team, and uh we kind of actually this year it was kind of different because we actually changed some like members because uh one of the teams kind of disbanded, so we kind of combined with a different team, and I was like, Oh, this is interesting or whatever that we combine with I yeah, because yeah, I mean with the bar league or whatever that it is, but so there's like two there's so basically the team that I end up joining with Jesse now was like we used to be two separate teams. I was not on the same team as Jesse.

SPEAKER_01 27:45

Okay, so you wouldn't have even normally been on his team. Well, right, yeah, yeah. Wow, that's I suppose yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:49

No, right, right. So it was almost like kind of a weird fate where because the past two years when I was playing, at least, it was like, okay, I was playing with the guys I usually work with, actually. Most of them were my co-workers, and I was like, okay, we had fun, we had a good time, you know, every the two years I did it at least, and then the following year, kind of some of the guys on our team just are like the same for me, and one of the guys kind of got tore his ACL the year previously, so he was like, he was like, Yeah, I don't think I'm coming back. I'm like, that's fair. I don't think he was a big baseball guy, anyways, but I mean, I think he did it when he was in high school, but yeah, he was just like it's not the NLBL for him, so it's like that's fair. And then I know some of the guys on Jesse's team just kind of were like, they don't care, and then they just kind of joined other teams too, some of them or whatever. And uh, but yeah, then it was kind of like a weird fate where like some of the guys on that team were just like, Well, we're kind of disbanding, could we join your guys' team? And it's like, well, that's probably really good because we don't really have some of half of the guys are kind of leaving too, so it was like, oh, okay, yeah. So we just kind of combined this teams, and I I will say I think we lost more guys than they did, actually. So it's like so we pretty much took their whole team and just rebrand them a different name, you know. So it was like kind of funny, but no, so that's kind of the little background of the whole softball thing of like how that kind of comes together as kind of a weird fate, I guess, in a way that me and Jesse end up being teammates this summer.

SPEAKER_01 29:13

Yeah, and then you want to bring it to like the conversations, yes, yeah. So, like we we were thinking about on our end starting like a Bible group. We had originally started one a couple months or almost like a year prior, I think. And you know, the Lord was telling us, especially Jesse, like, don't worry, like, I'm gonna bring them to you, like I'm gonna bring these people to you, and that's like just kind of how it happened, especially with in your case.

SPEAKER_00 29:42

But yeah, yeah, if you want to kind of go into that conversation, yeah, just background of that whole thing, but yeah, which is kind of cool. But so with the whole that day, I don't know. I was just kind of like, well, I kind of want to hang with the guys, whatever. Like, yeah, I'll play softball today. I usually make every softball game, so I don't really miss too much, but that day going into it, like it was decent weather, actually was not bad. We played, and I'm not even gonna lie, I don't remember if we won or lost actually that game. I don't remember, but but I just remember like after the game was over, a couple of the guys were just like heading home, and it was just like, oh, and then like the last game, I because I we're one of the first games, I think, but you know, so everyone's kind of just like heading home, like, oh, I'm just gonna go home, whatever. I got a drink or two or whatever, but then they left or whatever, it's okay. And then like in that last game, we're kind of like watching, it's like, uh, okay, whatever. And then just kind of, and then it even kind of started sprinkling, kind of raining a little bit, kind of got like, oh, I could really see why nobody really wants to stay anymore. You know, and there's just like a part of me that's just like just a voice in my head, kind of of just like, nah, just stay a little longer, you know, just feel it out, you know. There's there's still a few people left. There's Jesse, there's maybe another teammate that was there yet, you know. But I was just like, hmm, okay. So I was just chilling there, having a drink or whatever, talking to the guys about like just stuff, and just Jesse having like kind of at some point, I think the other guy left, and then it was just like just me and Jesse in the rain, chilling, just watching the game was pretty much over. The last game or whatever was pretty much over at the bar league, and it was like okay. And so Jesse kind of just no, that's fine if you had a question.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

No, I'm saying, so you guys are just sitting in the rain.

SPEAKER_00 31:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:36

Weren't you guys like not even talking at that point?

SPEAKER_00 31:38

Not much, no. You're not right. You're you're not wrong. I mean, it was just like it was weird. It was like, oh, we were not really talking to each other at all. It was just like, you know, and just like kind of felt like weird fate, but it was just like Jesse kind of comes up to me and he's like, How are you doing, man? And so I'm like kind of telling him a little bit of story, a little bit of like what was going on early in 2025 work. I'm like, well, and I guess at that point I was like telling him like you know, the basic answer of like, oh, I'm I'm fine, I'm good, whatever, you know. I got a job, I got a nice truck, you know. But it was just like, uh, you know, and then I got to the point where we got the conversation, and he was like, dude, God was talking to me, and he was telling me I need to talk as I was walking here, he told me I need to talk to you. And I was like, Yeah. And so he kind of explained to me of like this whole like Bible study idea and this just everything about like the Lord and this, and I'm like, because he's like, Do you consider yourself a believer? Do you you know? And I'm just like, Well, yeah, you know, I I've always, I mean, don't get me wrong, I've always been like lukewarm on it, but it's like, you know. So I didn't, yeah, I didn't know what to expect out of Jesse, but then he was just like kind of like we committed of like, he's like, Hey, I just kind of want to like uh talk about this or whatever. And if you were you were open to like talk more, even like we could have like certain like times where we could just talk about the Lord, and I'm like, I said, you know what? I'm I'm actually kind of open to it, you know. Not sure like what I'm getting myself into at all, but it was just like okay. So yeah, that was kind of like that conversation. It was just like kind of fate, like, oh man, it was like that's how it did really start for me, honestly. It was a whole softball conversation, and then he had a fire one night too that I was invited to. He had another friend, and we were just talking, and he was just explaining, like, and I mean we had like questions for him, but it was just like him just like explaining like everything and his whole story about what he had going on was like wow, okay. Yeah, that's pretty cool. Like, I will say I I give him guts or I give him a lot of credit because he had a lot of guts to leave his job. I mean, that's crazy. I mean, like, just in a normal person, and uh he even said, like, after he's like, just so you guys know, you don't have to quit your job, you don't have to. It's just he's just like, I saw the signs, and you know, the Lord was speaking to me, and it just made sense to me. And I'm like, okay, no, I get that, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:15

Yeah, I feel like a lot of people get a little scared, like, oh man, I'm gonna have to follow Jesus, I'm gonna have to like take my favorite pair of sandals and you know, whatever I could fit in a sack and go. But no, yeah, his his story is is definitely crazy, but shows what the Lord could do in your life. Um you know, when you give him that leeway. Same with yours. I mean, so like what what changed in your life then, like once you you joined this Bible group? Like what seemed different about it, and then like what was your big uh eye opener where you like started feeling Jesus in your life, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 34:52

Okay, so uh the difference I realize is just because I I went to like the first Bible study, and I was just like, Okay, this is kind of interesting. We're talking about like certain passages and stuff, and you guys like brought up stories, and I was like, Okay, huh, this is pretty interesting, like what God could do for you guys, you know. I never I guess had that moment where I was just like, and you guys even like mentioned, oh like I learned a lot in like those probably first two, honestly, that Bible studies I went with you guys that I was just like, okay, you just like if you take the time, just like listen, you know. Yeah, just hear what God wants you to do or what what he has to say, if you have to have a prayer, prayer, you know, if he could might have the answers for you or whatever, right there. And I'm like, huh, okay, this is interesting. And then even like the thing that like really, I guess, kind of I mean, so it was just like a lot of learning, like right off the bat of like, okay, this is like interesting stuff I never heard of really of like because I you know what I mean. I'm just so used to the church thing, and it's like, well, you go to church, you're a good person, you you know, just be nice to your neighbors, you'll be you'll be set for heaven, you know.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:03

And it's just like this is just like okay. And I was just like learning different methods of like just kind of like take a moment to like listen, you know, take a just your quiet place, you know, and just kind of like listen to what the Lord wants you to do, or or if you have questions for him, to kind of like try to wait there, kind of listen to see what he might actually have an answer for you. I mean, we're yeah, just uh it's just interesting, honestly, stuff. And then even mentioning the whole dream thing, like just uh oh yeah, I was gonna bring that up next. Okay, so because yeah, no, with the dream thing, and that one was like interesting because when I hear you guys talk about like, oh yeah, you know, God give you certain dreams, and I'm like, okay, just be what beware of like there is dreams that are demonic, you know, but there's just like some dreams that like maybe you could kind of piece it together and it might mean something. Okay, so like later that week I remember like one of I don't know if it was after the first one or second one Bible study, but I just remember like like okay, that's interesting. And I just remember that weekend I had a dream, and I will you want me to explain the dream? Yeah, please, please if you want. Okay, so uh the dream I had, so random. I I still think it's it's it's makes no sense, I guess, when you when you really think about it. But it's just like so I had a dream where I was like on the highway with my truck, just driving, and then uh some car kind of cuts me off, kind of hits the end of mine and my truck, and it was just like a little red car. I just remember, and it's like a little car that like I would say it was just like probably could fit up at most like five people, you know, two in the front, three in the back, or whatever, and just seeing like like about like nine Hispanic people maybe coming out of there, and it was just like okay, and then they're just like pull out guns on me, and I was just like, Oh, geez, okay, well, and so it just like randomly in my dream, I just end up just beating these guys up like John Wick style, just like it was crazy, like just throwing them over the vehicle and just like smacking the guns out of their hands and stuff. It was like kind of like crazy, like, okay, and I just kind of end up going back in my truck and I just kind of drove off in the highway. And I was just like, after that dream, I was like, what did I just witness? I don't, you know what I mean? And it was like, because I know you guys also tell me like the right stuff, but I just remember like vividly, I was just like, I think I'm gonna remember this pretty well, you know. I was like, this is interesting, you know. I mean, maybe like maybe I'm a little vague on details, but I was like, okay, and I just had to bring it up to that next Bible study, and I was like, guys, I I actually had a dream, and they're like, ooh, let's hear it, you know. The I brought the dream up to them, and it was like we were thinking like the whole time too. I mean, we were talking about like other stuff, you know, but it was like during the whole time we just had like certain questions, like, do you feel were you what how do you feel? And I was like, Well, I felt pretty peaceful, actually, you know. So then you guys were like, Oh, it's not really a demonic dream, then, you know, like if if you're like frightened for your life, you know, yeah. But it's like, no, I was like, I was like, I felt at peace and I felt good. I I don't know, just like a part of me was just like, yeah, calm and just peaceful and just no anxiety or anything. It was it was kind of weird. Like I said, you would probably have anxiety in that situation, but it was just like, but I just was at peace and I was just like calm and just got back in my truck and drove off. And it was like, huh. So, but then we got to a point where Jesse actually had a question asking me, like, okay, where were you where were you driving? And I even kind of thought to myself, I was like, I don't really know, but I just kind of remember I was like kind of driving towards the sunset, you know, just keep driving. And then Jesse kind of had a really good explanation of the thing, like basically, like, if you no matter what kind of gets in your way, whatever tries to stop you, try to block you from whatever whatever you're going, you'll keep you you'll get through that and you keep going on your path of like reaching God. And I'm like, oh man, that makes so much sense, honestly. It made so much sense.

SPEAKER_01 40:25

I thought that's what I said. Oh, I I don't remember. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 40:28

I thought it was Jesse, but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm wrong. It was either you or Jesse, I remember.

SPEAKER_01 40:32

No, no, whoever it's probably God that's behind it.

SPEAKER_00 40:35

So no, yeah, no, right. God gave you guys that that good question because I was just like, man, I it's so random. And I just like said, you know what? I'm gonna bring this to the Bible study and yeah, see what you guys think. Because I was like, I'm I'm loss of words, I didn't know what to think. And then yeah, just something like in your way, but no matter what, you're gonna get through it and you're gonna seek God, you know, no matter what hurdles you have to get through, but you'll always seek them first. So yeah, I thought that was a cool explanation, and I think it makes sense, and I think it's probably real it makes real a lot of more sense because it's just like it was one of the first few Bible studies, and yeah, now it's just like, dude, trust me, you're going on the right path. This is this is for you. I'm like, all right.

SPEAKER_01 41:20

And and like over those next few up to the secret place, we're well I'll get into that, but did you like start to recognize him more? I I know you just like automatically, and just to clarify, like you don't really know the word that much, right? That's safe to say, like you don't dive into the word prior to first class, right?

SPEAKER_00 41:44

No, right, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:46

But like you just like automatically started doing discipleship, basically. You know, you just started planting those seeds everywhere you were going.

SPEAKER_00 41:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:56

I I think that was prior to the secret place, right? Or did you see the place first? Yeah, it's kind of hard at member at this point.

SPEAKER_00 42:03

It's kind of yeah, it was kind of pretty close to each other, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 42:06

Yeah, but well, I I think I'll just dive into the secret place on if you want to give those stories afterwards, but yeah, no, that's fine. Yeah, yeah. It's just crazy because you know it it sounds insane. You know, the the secret place, quiet place, wherever you want to call it that David talks about. But yeah, we we were telling you about this, and it was literally the first time we went over this with you, and we're kind of careful with who we tell this to. But yeah, we were just telling you how to do it, and immediately like I did not expect, but in that moment, like God pretty much like came to covenant with you in the stream. If you want to go over that, because I love this, I love this story.

SPEAKER_00 42:53

Of the I'm sorry, of the wedding. Oh, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right. So then I had like this vision in one of our Bible studies of I was at my sister's wedding, and I was like, okay. And I guess I will admit, like, when I was talking about it, I probably I was pretty vague with Jesse and Rob at first, but because then I was just like, Yeah, it was just uh my sister's wedding. They're like, Oh wow, okay, that's cool. And then I know I think Jesse had to leave early, and then it was like, Okay, it was just being Rob, and then Rob asked a little more questions. It's like, and I was like, Well, yeah, and then I Jesus was sitting next to me, and you're like, Well, what? Well, I was like, Yeah, yeah, I was like, huh. And he's like, Did you recognize anyone else there? And I was like, No, I just saw because we're like in the back pew or something like that, and I was just like watching my sister's wedding, and it was just the back of a bunch of people's heads, and I don't recognize any of them, you know. Yeah, and it was just the idea of like Jesus right next to me, and Rob even asked me, was just like, What was his hands like or something like that? And I was like, I said he had like a lot of calluses and stuff and he was you're like wow that's that's very different because most people talk about like the the holes you know in the hands which it makes sense right you know but I was just like no I saw the other he had hard working hand like strong hardworking hands he had uh and I guess that makes sense you know he was he was a carpenter and stuff but it was just it was very cool like I said I I really try to see his face and it's just a blur so it's like hard to see was it bright almost yeah right it was like bright light and I guess that's pretty common for my people trying to yeah so yeah yeah that's crazy I mean yeah and you were giving me not just the hands which I thought was crazy because I didn't realize you saw him at first no right and I was just telling you like you could see Jesus too like just like imagine his hands and you're like yeah he has his calluses I'm like wait what like how did you see that detail that first time yeah and you were like explaining his his shoulders and like just everything it was it was yeah he just bizarre I've never built yeah just yeah I kind of yeah described him to you like how how he's built and everything it was kind of interesting.

SPEAKER_01 45:07

Yeah but I I've never seen anybody right off the bat like have that vivid of a of a vision which was cool and you know the first one is like to me was like Jesus basically inviting you into matrimony like in this relationship this covenant because we are the the bride yeah but yeah I mean I love that and then if you want to kind of explain just what you were doing you know over the next couple of days was like encounters with other other people on the road.

SPEAKER_00 45:35

Oh yeah I've had I don't know what it was I was I was out of the bar I don't even remember why I was out but I was out at some point and I just remember getting a voice in my head of like just like just a voice in my head just like hey that lady in the corner over there she she wants to be talked to and I was like okay I just kind of hmm interesting and I will admit like that night I didn't talk to her but then it was kind of like almost like a weird fate where like I want to say it was like a week or two later and then I just I saw her again and I was like hmm at a bar or whatever and I was like I'm gonna talk to that lady or whatever just I guess the boldness of me just to because I mean like I like I said as a kid quiet shy didn't you know didn't really want to deal with other people didn't want to bother them you know but I was like okay I just talked to the lady and she was very political so she was like you know I guess I don't know how to explain it but it's just like very into politics and I was just like okay you know and just talking to her about like God and kind of like the little bit I've learned and how I like really found them and stuff and she thought that was like very interesting and was like oh she so she was like really intrigued we text a little bit about it and stuff and just kind of like even explained to like my story like I told her about like the dream and just like some of the visions and stuff I had and they're just like and the last time I was talking to her and she's like wow that like this is really cool that you're doing this and that like this is interesting she kind of like wanted to do her own like study or like fig figure out like what it all means and stuff. Yeah like like study the Bible actually because I was telling her like not to necessarily like go to church or whatever because you might not get everything you need there. Yeah where I was like if you do like your research maybe you read the Bible you could kind of understand what he's really telling you and and so she was like okay yeah I was so she was like listening at but uh one of the last things I when I last saw her was that she was telling me that she was like wow this is like really good stuff and very interesting that you really got into it and I I can respect that that you're into it and I was just like but and she was just like right away she's like oh no buts no I I respect that you know you're into this and she's like I'm not sure if I'm into it but she's like I I will I'll keep doing research kind of get in see what I can and that's like at least a sign of like okay you know definitely a seed for throwing throwing you know something you know out there uh planting a seed I guess you know in a way of like okay so she's just kind of like it's like yeah I guess I haven't really talked to her since but it was just like kind of interesting like okay I planted a seed there God for you know what I mean just uh you you're right you're right I and I was like not that like I said the bold type but it was just like okay if if I listen to you and you tell me that and I'm like okay because I guess I will say too like with the assumption that like some people might think like oh you see a girl at a bar and this thing like talking your head maybe it's like a lustful thing you know yeah that might be the automatic kind of thing is that it might be lustful but it wasn't it was just like kind of a voice in my head just telling me like just talk to her she needs it you know yeah okay didn't know like like I said if she had anything you know going on but it was just like okay and just seeing her it was just like almost fate the next time I saw her it was just like okay yeah and I kind of got some questions on that too.

SPEAKER_01 49:16

So you had that push almost like a pull to do that. Like is that like kind of out of your character too yes from normally oh yes yeah it's hard for yeah yeah and like you you were a total peace when you did this right it wasn't like uh oh you gotta do this almost no right right it wasn't like I I was yeah I wasn't like liquored up drunk or whatever or anything like that just not even that like I I feel like with a you know when people are believers they think that they have to do things on their own like for me personally like I'm kind of shy before this so like that would definitely be on my character but like God gives me like a piece when I like he sends me or pulls me to something like is that kind of how you felt yeah I felt like really like I did the right thing honestly that I I did something that like I don't know I guess it's it's hard to explain but it's just like yeah it's just something that was like okay this is really cool just kind of like huh that like it just it made sense and it was just peaceful and I just felt really good after and and I hope she does too you know and kind of maybe figures out figure out what what what she wants in life obviously you know free will but just hopefully it's like some kind of seed I planted you know for God and that maybe it was just a nudge she kind of needed hopefully to kind of push her to that kind of way.

SPEAKER_00 50:39

Yeah yeah definitely I mean and you've you've told us like a couple of these stories too some people in your wrestling group you've talked to I mean it was kind of interesting too because me and Jesse wanted to kind of like have a way to talk to these kids especially after that incident at the school and then you know here you come yeah you already have your foot in the door I'm like right you know that's it it's awesome that you know we have a believer that could possibly help you know these kids get closer to God hopefully avoiding any future situations like that but right I mean is there anything else you want to add any other stories that you got for us here as a wrestling coach I've talked and it's like you need like somebody you know sometimes people aren't really our kids are not really comfortable necessarily telling things to their parents or not you know not necessarily teachers but I've had it as a coach and I I love it I don't mind it you know where kids get kind of like personal I guess it is what it is but it's like like tell me like oh well this is like really bothering me in life and you know I don't know how I'm gonna get through it and I'm just like willing to listen and just kind of give my advice you know from my perspective of like what I've been through and what I had going on and just kind of willing to be the adult that like will listen just kind of help out you know so if you could just reach out to anybody which would help you know just to talk it out and that I mean some people talk about therapy and that's fine too it's just you know I think there's people you could talk to that you could kind of learn from kind of understand like their perspective and kind of you know get out of like situations where you just don't feel like you know life isn't a you know great anymore but it's like there's so much more that you could be you could be one of the people like me kind of as a follower being kind of like planting seeds in the world of like just inspiring people just having people to push themselves just a little bit longer and just like hey there's so much more yet you know God's got plans for you down here.

SPEAKER_01 52:49

Yeah let's keep let's keep the garden growing yeah I love that I love that and you know if you're one of those people listening that is going through something if you want to maybe just put in the comments if you need somebody to talk to you know we could reach out to you on our end.

SPEAKER_00 53:06

But yeah there's always there's always somebody there for you and regardless of where you think your life is you're important to God and you know you're important to everybody us included so I have nothing else to you I just want to say that yes Jesus loves you so it's a big thing to fo I mean to focus on I mean it's it's I will say it takes with the religion it takes a lot of discipline just like working out just like eating healthy just a lot of things in your life just keep the discipline in your life you know focus on God and he'll give you all the answers that you need.

SPEAKER_01 53:46

Amen brother yeah I love it. Alright well thank you for listening um until next time take care