Episode 2: Jennifer's Story-From Homeless to Heaven Bound

Jennifer tells how her life changed when she accepted Christ as her Savior; after being homeless, spending time in prison and giving up two children for adoption. 

I would love to hear from you. I can be reached at: mhbrown51@yahoo.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:11

Welcome to a Life That Was Changed podcast. I'm Michael Brown, your host. Jennifer is my guest today. Thanks, Jennifer, for joining me today during this podcast. And we're going to get right into Jennifer's story about how her life has changed since she's come to Jesus. So, Jennifer, can you just talk about what your life was like before you came to Jesus Christ? And then what and then we'll talk about what it what it's like now since you've come to the Lord. So, what was it like before?

SPEAKER_00 0:46

My life was spiraling downhill. I've been in and out of jail and not in the best circumstances. Was homeless for a while. It took me a very long time, probably seven, eight years to get from where I was till now.

SPEAKER_01 1:05

Wow, seven to eight years.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

Yes, I was homeless for about that time.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Really? So can you say a little bit about that? A little bit more about you don't have to go into a lot of detail if you want to, but just what you feel comfortable with. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

My family didn't couldn't understand how what was going on with me. I do have some mental issues. And sometimes they can get out of control. So what happened was I ended up becoming homeless in Michigan. From there, I went to Orlando and ran into some bad people. Ended up getting pregnant with my son. I chose what was better for him. I was gonna abort him, but something told me to s not do it. I read the pamphlet. They have in the office. And I ran out of screaming, cancel the appointment, I'm out of here, I'm not doing this to my children. I can't do this.

SPEAKER_01 2:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

I chose adoption over harming an unborn child.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Oh wow. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Most people don't understand that can harm not only the child but your yourself.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Yeah, yeah. Well, I I really admire that, you know, that you made that decision to adopt him rather than, you know, taking allowing someone to take his life. That's that's that's wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

But from there, after having him, I moved from Orlando to Lakeland, Florida. And ended up spiraling downhill from there, even worse. I ended up getting in the wrong crowd to start smoking cigarettes, doing drugs, alcohol, whatever would keep me away from being knowing that I'm homeless.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

So it was sort of numbing you out from the I don't know, the the pressures of being homeless.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Day-to-day life.

unknown 3:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

Being on the streets. Yeah, that would be. Not knowing where to rest my head, when to shower, when my next meal would be coming, or if I'm gonna have at least clothes on my back.

unknown 3:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:14

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 3:15

I ended up opening my eyes, going to jail.

SPEAKER_01 3:19

I What got you there? What happened?

SPEAKER_00 3:22

I ended up beating up a woman.

SPEAKER_01 3:25

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

Yeah, I know some people would frown upon violence. Going to prison changed my life. I got into Jehovah's Witness. I tried different things. I first started off as a Presbyterian.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

Didn't know right from wrong. I was only a teenager.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

And well, let me let me ask you that. So while you were homeless, you were a teenager?

SPEAKER_00 3:51

I was actually 21.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

Oh, 21. Well, that's pretty close. Pretty close, yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

I know, like be all over the all over the place with because I do have AHD. It could happen to anyone. It could happen at birth. It could happen later in life. But I had it since I was a kid. ADHD. That'll bouncing off the walls, having mood swings, everything. After being homeless and going to jail, prison. It was tough. I had to do what I had to do to survive in prison. Pretty much going from attacking people to protect myself from being hurt myself. And then changing my life. I stopped hitting people. I went to Jehovah's Witnesses. I went to their chapel, which wasn't feeling right. And you know if you're feeling right in a church from different areas.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

So it sounds like you were really seeking. Seeking something.

SPEAKER_00 4:59

That would keep me grounded from doing the drugs and alcohol and going back to a life that was awful.

SPEAKER_02 5:08

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

That was destructive and painful.

SPEAKER_00 5:12

But destructive behavior. Yeah. And then after I got out of prison, I met my daughter's father.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

Okay. Uh so let me back up a minute. How long were you in prison?

SPEAKER_00 5:24

About two and a half years. I was supposed to do three.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_00 5:27

Good behavior.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

Oh, okay. What what would you attribute to that good behavior? Was it your was it the following seeking out God?

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Not only just speaking seeking out God, but following their rules, following law. Being in prison, it's tough because you don't know if you could survive. You can get killed in prison. These women, they protect themselves. You step on their bed the wrong way and they will try to attack you.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So you don't know ever what to expect.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Never what to expect.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Yeah. I mean I'm on edge all the time and always on edge.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

I had gotten to a a dorm, but that's what they called like their different pods, dorm areas. Yeah. And I was in a certain dorm where there was a lot of women that had murder charges. And I will not name names due to the fact that I'm sure, oh sure, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

That would be scary to just be in the same space with these women.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

And then they were always cahoots with other officers, you know, but I stayed out of it. I tried to keep my hands clean. I ended up running into another woman who moved into the pod. She thought she was big and bad. And she did try to attack me, so I defended myself. We both went to confinement, which is a 30-day period to teach you you're not supposed to be doing these things. It's just a lot happens that people don't understand. No. But don't understand being in trouble and then trying. I mean, you're assigned a job and I was assigned kitchen duty. I ended up being allergic to the chemicals.

SPEAKER_02 7:15

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

And gloves didn't work. Every time I was washing dishes or wiping tables, I was getting chemicals inside the gloves. So for two years I was on kitchen staff. And it was for lunch and dinner. And knowing what they do with that food, yikes. Yikes. Yeah. So after two years, I got switched jobs for the last half year on uh exactly what it's called, but you're out on the field area cleaning up the grounds, cutting grass. Cutting grass, you had to have more better behavior than what I had. They didn't trust the ones that were new on it. So I went around and picked up garbage for maybe an hour, two hours. And sometimes it could be freezing cold, but you had to do your job.

SPEAKER_01 8:10

So that was the the time that they allowed you to be outside. Yes, that's what you did during that time. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

It was cleaned up the ground because you know, some women could be nasty. I mean, they even had to pick up some of the app officers and trash, and it's not fun. You had to clean up what, like, you know, their dip, and it's like, oh. But at least they gave you gloves.

SPEAKER_01 8:32

Yeah. Yeah, at least she had gloves, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

And then the last like the last half year going through a process so they can introduce you to society. You lose all your belongings you come into jail with. Shoes and shorts and everything. If someone brings you something prior, then you have it. But I didn't have that. I can't I went out with a a weird yellow b polo shirt and some part of my language for saying that's booty shorts. And some off-size shoes.

SPEAKER_01 9:04

And what time of year was that?

SPEAKER_00 9:06

It was about springtime. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 9:09

So it's kind of warming up at least a little bit, huh?

SPEAKER_00 9:12

And I I went to a I guess a rehab. It was called the Faith House.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

I was there for probably six months. I ended up running into my daughter's father, Charles.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

Mm-hmm. And now, your daughter, now when did your daughter come into you?

SPEAKER_00 9:35

I was with him for about a year before I had her.

SPEAKER_01 9:38

Oh, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_00 9:40

And still struggling with, you know, alcohol and drugs, still seeking church. It was maybe after I had my daughter, Sophia, that I finally realized I need to go to an actual church that will I will feel comfortable. So I started seeking Christian faith-based churches that believed in the Holy Trinity. It wasn't until after Massachusetts. I moved from when I got out of prison, which was where was I? It was St. Petersburg, Florida. That was where the faith house was. Oh. I went from Pole County to I don't know what that county is, but it was Pinellas.

SPEAKER_01 10:29

Maybe it was Pinellas.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Maybe Pinellus. Nice pretty beaches and all. But I was there for a while and they're very strict on their rules. Had to go to AA and NA groups. And that was every single day. Really?

SPEAKER_01 10:48

You had to go to N A. Yes, N A.

SPEAKER_00 10:51

N A and A A. Wow. A is Alcohol Anonymous and the other one's narcotics anonymous.

SPEAKER_01 10:56

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Every single day, bile searching for jobs. Because I did not have a steady income. After a while I met Charles and we worked together from February 2016. And and then from until 2017, that's when I had my daughter. Actually, no, it's 2016 still, I'm sorry. I get a little off on that. But I was in Massachusetts when I found out I was pregnant with her.

SPEAKER_04 11:29

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

And I didn't wasn't in a church then. So it wasn't spiraling. I wasn't doing the drugs or alcohol. What changed my life was my kids. I had to think of them before my own.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

For yourself before you had to pick them before yourself.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

I didn't think of my of them before myself.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

Yeah.

unknown 11:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

And, you know, I had a lot of friends and family that said, why did you move to Massachusetts? You need to be closer to us. I stayed in Massachusetts for almost a year before my daughter turned one. And then I went back to Polk County, Auburndale. Lived there until she was about two, three, maybe four. And went through some DCF battles, lost her.

SPEAKER_03 12:24

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

Oh boy, I chose adoption because it was either terminate my rights and never be able to see my kids again, or do the adoption and be able to see them.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

I can't imagine how painful that must have been.

SPEAKER_00 12:37

The DCF battle was over something stupid. They accused me of harming my daughter. And I was actually protecting her. And they didn't see that. And I went to jail for that too. I fought tooth and nail. They dropped it completely down to battery. I did probation for five years. Wow. While battling DCF.

SPEAKER_01 13:07

That's a long time. And I That's no that's no picnic. Five years probation's tough.

SPEAKER_00 13:14

Going once a month, catching the bus to the D the Department Department of Corrections office. And it's I was in Auburnale, so it's having to take two buses. Not one, two. And they're literally almost an hour to two hours long each. So from Auburnale to Winter Haven.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

But people were telling me it was a blessing that I had the Winterhaven office. Because if I had the Lakeland office, they would have really tried to get me back in prison. They would really try to get me violated in every way because they don't do well with a child charge.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

God was in that, I think.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

Once a month coming to see me, Halloween. Can I have my light on? Can I pass out candy because of you know the kids charge?

SPEAKER_01 14:15

That's cool.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

Well, I don't really do Halloween anymore after all that, so it's not the best holiday anyway.

SPEAKER_01 14:23

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

The day after is the best.

SPEAKER_01 14:25

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_00 14:29

But after finishing probation for five years. I was happy. They came the last day, checked on me, made sure I was good. Because I didn't have to show up to the probation office, she mailed my certificate letter in the mail. Took like a month to get that because it was a document had to be delivered by FedEx.

SPEAKER_01 14:58

Oh, okay. So when you opened that envelope up and saw that letter, what was that like for you?

SPEAKER_00 15:05

I was a relief.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

Okay, so you were going to church for a whole year before uh before I got cleared off probation. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 15:13

And someone at the church, I actually went to the fall festival.

SPEAKER_01 15:18

What festival?

SPEAKER_00 15:19

The fall festival. Something was calling me to go back to church and I was feeling the love just from the festival alone.

SPEAKER_01 15:27

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 15:29

I've been here ever since.

SPEAKER_01 15:31

Wow, that's that's that's amazing. So after you you started coming to church, what at what point did you say, okay, I I am going to give my life to Jesus? Did somebody did lead you to the Lord? Did she pray with you? What what happened that got you given your that you gave you?

SPEAKER_00 15:54

I was in a service uh during that year while in probation. And it was one pastor sorry. I'm teaching on a certain subject, and people are being called to the altar. I was nervous to go up, but something grabbed my shoulder and told me to get on your knees. You need to turn your life around now before it's too late.

SPEAKER_03 16:23

Wow, wow.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

I could smell that on essence of nard. If anyone knows what an essence of nard is, it's a very expensive perfume that Mary Magdalene put on Jesus' feet. And the hotter it gets, the sweeter it smells. And that's excuse me.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

No, that's it's fine. That's fine. Just take your time.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

I just sat there and prayed alongside Pastor. He was praying a prayer that was really touching, and I gave my life to the Lord that day.

SPEAKER_03 17:02

Wow. Wow.

SPEAKER_00 17:03

I didn't care what people thought I was doing, I was pouring tears. And after probation, I was able to go on a mission trip, and it was my first. Going to Costa Rica was like a game changer for me. I was in like I said, youth grew up for a while, middle school and high school and I wana. And after I left my foster family, I was in the foster family for that little bit. I chose to be there. It was either my mom leaving the her boyfriend at the time or and I chose to leave because she chose to stay with him. It was abusive. I was verbally, verbally, physically, and sexually abused when I was a kid. I know most people would probably hard to digest that. But every time I try to get him in trouble for what he was doing to me, so I could protect my sisters. And that's when I chose, I can't be here no more. I cannot handle it. But I told my sisters what his his stepdad was doing to me. And that's when the sexual abuse was coming in.

SPEAKER_01 18:26

How old how old were you when you left your foster home?

SPEAKER_00 18:30

I was about 19.

SPEAKER_01 18:33

Oh, 19. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

I went back to my mom.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:36

And then from there she sent me to Michigan.

SPEAKER_01 18:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:40

Because she could handle me.

SPEAKER_01 18:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 18:42

And I didn't have insurance to get medications with my mental issues. I am bipolar. Found I was bipolar one. That's pretty bad. But anyone under so would understand that bipolarness is severe. It's not something you get rid of. Like PTSD, you never get rid of. It HD, same thing. It comes and goes on its own. I was taking medication that when I was with the foster family. They wasn't prescribed to me. So it was like uh samples every week or every month. Samples? Yes. My foster mother was a nurse practitioner.

SPEAKER_02 19:30

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

A therapist. Oh, okay. And she was able to get those.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 19:34

Found out I cannot take Stratera or Abelphi now.

SPEAKER_02 19:39

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:40

And they said I wouldn't be able to have kids. I guess proving the odds. I guess stop taking that medication helped.

SPEAKER_01 19:52

So now are you on are you on medication now?

SPEAKER_00 19:54

I am on medication now. Okay. And it's helping you? It is helping me 100%.

SPEAKER_01 19:59

Yeah, great. That's great. So let me go back to see you you were talking about how Costa Rica was a life ch uh changer for you and that that had a lot of a really huge impact on your life. Yes. And and that has basically kind of continued to carry over, right?

SPEAKER_02 20:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 20:21

So so so what has happened so how has your life been different since that day that you you gave your heart to Jesus? For one thing, you you've been on mission trips, you went to Costa Rica. People who you know hadn't uh you know had an experience with Jesus, they wouldn't want to go on those kind of trips. And you and you went to help and and to minister to people and talk to them and and and you know did some wonderful things. So in addition to that, what how else has your life changed?

SPEAKER_00 20:55

Um like I still was drinking for a while, but uh ever since I changed my life from giving my life to Christ, I've stopped drinking. I've controlled my anger a lot. I'm still learning to not cuss. It is hard. I mean, when you stab your toe, you're gonna say the wrong word. Just kind of comes out, uh it comes out, it slips. Well, you know But I've been like I said, I've been doing a lot to change my life around to praying for no reasons most of the times. Like I was that's definitely different, right? Today in the yard with my landlord.

SPEAKER_02 21:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

And I was praying that the wasp, and I'm allergic to wasp, they would not sting me. Every time I moved a branch, I'm like, please, Lord, don't let them sting me. I'm not trying to disturb them. And they got close. I mean, like this close, like like maybe less than an inch away from me. And with this angry buzzing sound, and I'm like, Lord. You have me, you protect me. And the whole time I moved these brushes, they did not touch me. So I know God.

SPEAKER_01 22:08

So God protected you and kind of put a put a barrier around you to keep that from happening.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

I know the Lord knows I'm allergic to them. I've been stung them as a child, and I would swell up like a balloon. Either hospitalization or having to take algae medicine, whatever it took to keep me from being that way. I mean, I was shaking after I was done. I'm I have to go get D. My roommate, she went to go get food, of course. I still struggle from time to time, but with you know, churches that provide food, it helps.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

Yeah. Yeah, that's what the church is is for. So, you know, we're not perfect. God is God, you know, you're talking about sometimes you know, you you would you would still drink for a while and then you've stopped, and sometimes you will use a curse word, or you know, when you stop.

SPEAKER_00 23:03

You still crave cigarettes, and I'm I've fought that tooth and nail been five years without a cigarette.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

Yeah, cigarettes.

SPEAKER_00 23:09

I went cold turkey.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

Wow, that'd be tough.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

It was tough.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

I bet.

SPEAKER_00 23:13

I had lollipops and all kinds of candy and chewing on cinnamon sticks or a rubber band on my wrist. But calling cold turkey is tough. When you've been smoking from 21 to about 30.

SPEAKER_01 23:29

I can't imagine. I really can't. But but yeah, it's you know, God has helped you in in taking that that desire away.

SPEAKER_00 23:39

Taking a lot away that I don't need in my life.

SPEAKER_01 23:42

Yeah. And that's what that's what he does. Those things that are really destructive to us, he takes them away. But he gives us something better.

SPEAKER_00 23:49

Much better.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

Gives us what what what has he given you that's better?

SPEAKER_00 23:55

I guess another way of peaceful heart? Peaceful heart, but way of thinking the righteous way instead of because I used to want to I still crave cigarettes, like I said, but every time I do smell the cigarette, I gag and want to throw up.

SPEAKER_01 24:10

That's the next thing. It's not pleasant anymore.

SPEAKER_00 24:16

My clothes used to smell so bad. I'm still trying to get a cigarette smoke out of some of my clothes.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

Yeah, yeah, it hangs on their phone.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

That's why I don't wear them half the time.

SPEAKER_01 24:24

But and uh and so, you know, he I think he gradually brings us along. He he takes uh so many things away, but he replaces that with himself and his love and his his peace, his contentment, and and and just just makes us feel so much so whole, you know.

SPEAKER_04 24:45

Wholesome.

SPEAKER_01 24:46

Yeah, and and and so it's a sometimes it's just a gradual thing. He didn't take it those things away from us right away. Sometimes he just it's just gradual, you know.

SPEAKER_00 24:56

It takes steps, like baby steps.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

Yeah, yeah. And as as we as we stay faithful to him and as we continue to, you know, read read his word, listen to his word, attend church, then those things begin to that we that were destructive begins to wane and and go away, and it's like, yeah, I don't even need that stuff anymore. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:19

And I notice when I do miss church, I fall back a little. And that's why I try to get a church as much as possible. Sundays, Wednesdays, when I walk past the church, I I can feel that just coming off me.

SPEAKER_01 25:33

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

It just kind of like the calming. Okay. Very calming.

SPEAKER_01 25:39

Yeah, yeah. It just kind of drops off of you.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

I first came into the podcast, I was shaking. Now it's just a little bit, not too much. I've been nervous talking on microphone and camera. I hated cameras. I hated my Petra taken. Now I'm opening up. I'm like becoming a social butterfly.

SPEAKER_01 26:01

Well, that's good. When you were baptized, what was that like for you coming up out of the out of being immersed into water, bringing you up out of the water of the pastor, bringing you up? What was that like for that moment?

SPEAKER_00 26:14

Well, to start off step by step, I was nervous going in, you know, a water baptism because I've only had christenings, and that's only for like young children usually. So from like a week before, I was doubting it. You know you know, the devil still gets to me. It's hard for me. So I guess have encouragement from D and my other roommate and other people at church. Praying was another one, a big help there. So when that day came, I was ready. I don't think the pastor was. He forgot to give me a few things because I wouldn't be able to get in the pool without that. And coming out, skitting in the water, you could feel that presence there. And it was it's hard to explain. Getting in the water, it was you could feel he was like, Oh, it's gonna be cold. It didn't feel cold to me, it felt warm. Like an actual room temperature warm. So it was somewhat after saying yes, that I accept him as my Lord and Savior, and all of that. Getting dipped in, I knew that the pastor had me, but going in, I felt like I was still gonna slip. I came back up, and all I could see was a bright light. It wasn't just like the lights of the church, it was brighter than that. It was like a dove with bright white wings, brighter than the sun. And I could all I could hear was, Well done, my child. Well done. I know most people they stand after being in there. I'd had to go change because it was like, I don't like a lot of wet clothes. Swim suits are fine, but yeah, not regular cotton and everything.

SPEAKER_01 28:21

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:23

So yeah, that was that was that was quite an experience, and it was And ever since then I've been listening to songs that are about baptism. Like Left It in the River. It's uh Jamie McDonald. It's one of my favorite. She's pretty good. But I've been I've actually stopped listening to rock and roll. I do listen to country every now and then, but my main um playlist I have is all Christian gospel songs.

SPEAKER_01 28:53

That's inspiring, uplifting, it strengthens your faith in the long.

SPEAKER_00 28:58

Uh even listen to a Joy FM.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

Yeah, yeah, joy Yeah, that's a good that's a good one to listen to. So you know that and that's a that's a really a major step, uh baptism. It really is. It's just a major step you took, and and it just solidifies your your faith. You know, your faith in the Lord. That's it actually it's it's it's in the Bible, Jesus uh commands that we be baptized. You know, it's it's it's obedi it's obedience.

SPEAKER_00 29:26

Of course, it's uh it's an obedience to you.

SPEAKER_01 29:28

Being obedient to him. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

So I understand where people are coming from because I've gone through it. Jesus calls us to go to church and be there, but you shouldn't force them in a way that makes them uh fall back. Right. That's why there's so many phrilogians out there now that they think it's safe when it's not.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:54

I mean, I even got my roommate who was in church before to come to church.

SPEAKER_03 30:00

Oh, good.

SPEAKER_00 30:00

I would ask him, would you like to come to church?

SPEAKER_03 30:02

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 30:03

Either Sunday, Wednesday, and just be yourself. He comes on occasions.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

Yeah, yeah. He hears the word of God, he gets a chance to hear it.

SPEAKER_00 30:12

Of course, and he's was Baptist.

SPEAKER_01 30:14

Awesome.

SPEAKER_00 30:15

As a kid.

unknown 30:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:19

He's struggling too.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

Yeah, yeah. Sound like this is a good place to stop, Jennifer, and and I just want to thank you again for your willingness to talk about your your life and and how uh the Lord has changed it, and uh and you're definitely uh a life that's that has uh changed, and um and I just you know hope and pray that people who are listening will, you know.

SPEAKER_00 30:44

Take a step forward at least.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

Take a step forward and and ask the Lord into their hearts, into their lives, and and their lives will change because of it, they'll become a new creator.

SPEAKER_00 30:53

It doesn't happen instantly.

SPEAKER_01 30:55

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:57

That's one I want to put out there. It doesn't happen instantly. You're never gonna be perfect. The only one that's perfect is our creator.

SPEAKER_01 31:03

Right, right. So if there's if there was one thing that you wanted to that you would want to say to the people who are listening today, what would you say? What would you want them, what would you want them to know, or what would you want them to hear from you?

SPEAKER_00 31:19

My advice would be once you take that step of faith, take one step at a time. Don't rush yourself into it because you're not gonna be perfect. If you rush, you're gonna uh stumble again or fall back. One step at a time.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

Yep, one step at a time. Okay, well, thank you very much. And so glad that people who have tuned in to listen to this podcast, that again that that you're you've been inspired. Those of you who don't know the Lord will turn your life over to him, and those who have gotten away from him will come back. And if you would like to be in touch with me, I'd I'd love to hear from you. My email address is M as in Mike H as in Harold Brown the color five one at Yahoo.com. Thanks again for listening and bye bye.