1 00:00:10,820 --> 00:00:12,460 So what's up? Sing your post. 2 00:00:12,780 --> 00:00:16,219 Welcome to the first episode of Meet the Church and I'm here 3 00:00:16,219 --> 00:00:22,220 with Miss Rachel Cotto, AKA Miss Twinkle Toes, as I just learned 4 00:00:22,220 --> 00:00:26,740 this week, which we'll get into that a little later, but this 5 00:00:26,740 --> 00:00:30,260 episode is entitled Heart of the House. 6 00:00:30,780 --> 00:00:34,160 You know, So the the back story for that, for those who may not 7 00:00:34,160 --> 00:00:39,480 know, is I remember a couple years ago when Pastor Ricky and 8 00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:43,320 the team were out in India at the the little liquidation 9 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,960 store, you know, when we were with city posters meeting there. 10 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:50,080 And I happened to watch a video afterwards, I believe. 11 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:51,320 I think it was something I like you to. 12 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,320 I was like, hey, that's Miss Rachel. 13 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,080 And correct me if I'm mistaken, but that was the title of what 14 00:00:58,080 --> 00:00:59,440 you're teaching was, was part of the House. 15 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:01,760 Yes, it was my heart for this House. 16 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:03,760 Right. So that was just something that 17 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,640 really stood out to me, like, and seeing one like the pleasant 18 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,520 surprise of seeing you leave the church and then how well you 19 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,800 did. Like I was really, really 20 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,160 surprised that I've always seen you as a little reserved, you 21 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:18,000 know. So to get there and to to be in 22 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,000 the spotlight. No, no pun intended. 23 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,080 But but yeah, it was just something really, really 24 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:24,200 awesome. And it's something I really 25 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,240 wanted to spotlight in our conversation today. 26 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,920 So that's my introduction. You know, I'm Hector and I'm 27 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:33,000 here with Miss Twinkle Toes, AKA Rachel, AKA The Heart of the 28 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,960 House, AKA City Post first Lady. Shout out Gavino. 29 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:38,200 Oh my God. Well, yeah. 30 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,760 So that's my introduction. If you had to to kind of put you 31 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:43,560 on the spot right now, how would you introduce yourself? 32 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,080 Yes. Well, thank you, Hector, for 33 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,000 having me on the show. You're welcome. 34 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,080 And thank you for your encouraging words that you just 35 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:55,080 said about me. If everybody doesn't know, you 36 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,240 pretty much have a part time job here at Saint Post Church and we 37 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:02,160 don't pay you. So thank you for your service to 38 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,520 the Lord and your service to us, not just in this podcast, but in 39 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,960 everything that you do to help get God's message out, not just 40 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,600 to our church, but to the city and to the world. 41 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,520 Anyone with the Internet but an introduction of myself? 42 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,120 Here please. So my name is Rachel Elaine 43 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:27,000 Gobert Ocado and I was born on April 22nd, 1983 in Tyler, TX. 44 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:34,440 Shout out nine O 3 the area code for East Texas and I was born to 45 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,480 Brenda and Jerry Gobert. I think I have the most 46 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,960 wonderful parents in the world and that has that right there 47 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,680 has really shaped who I am today. 48 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,840 So your, your mom and dad, you said they shaped you. 49 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:54,600 You know, I saw something in like your notes, your, your big 50 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,280 little brother. You know, I, I happen to have 51 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:58,480 one of those two. His name's Jared. 52 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,360 I called him my my little Big Brother AKA my brother's son. 53 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:03,520 So what? What's that dynamic been like? 54 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,440 I know you said you your parents shaped you, but how has it been 55 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,960 being a big? Well, as the first born and as a 56 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,200 big sister, of course I think I'm the boss. 57 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,920 You think I'm always right. So everyone needs to feel sorry 58 00:03:14,920 --> 00:03:18,120 for my little very tall brother David. 59 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,560 With a deep, deep voice that I still think I know best. 60 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,680 I'm sweetly will still tell him what to do. 61 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:27,760 But growing up with David was so much fun. 62 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,040 He would play Barbies with me and I would play Soldiers with 63 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,800 him. And it wasn't until I moved off 64 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,480 to college, my junior year of college and came to UT 65 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:38,160 Arlington. It wasn't until then that we 66 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:42,240 actually became friends, really. But you know, before then we had 67 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,120 a good time as siblings. But you know, you just, you feel 68 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,360 like, oh, this is my sibling. Then when I moved away then we 69 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:52,720 probably started missing each other and actually became 70 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:54,640 friends. That's awesome. 71 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:59,360 So you mentioned playing like Barbies and shout out your 72 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:02,000 brother David for playing Barbies with you and shout out 73 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:03,440 you for playing soldiers with him. 74 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,080 So that that gives us a little bit of insight of younger Rachel 75 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:08,880 and like what she likes to do for fun. 76 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,080 What about Miss Rachel? Now what do you like to do for 77 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,400 fun? What I like to do for fun is 78 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,880 hang out with playing out with friends, hang out with family. 79 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:23,520 That is where I get my happiness and my fulfillment is being with 80 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,160 other people. So like game night or my very 81 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,120 favorite is to go dancing. I've loved dancing since I was 82 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,840 in the 1st grade. I took jazz and ballet and then 83 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:36,800 did ballet. I still do ballet now, but that 84 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,560 was Ricky and his friends that introduced me to salsa. 85 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:43,400 I mean, but shot them. So anytime that I can get out 86 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,360 there and dance and do those things, it is so fun and free. 87 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,520 Oh, that's awesome. And that was the information 88 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,600 that I got a couple of days ago via text. 89 00:04:51,840 --> 00:04:54,440 And where her nickname that I'm never going to let her live down 90 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,800 came from Miss Twinkle Toes. I like that. 91 00:04:57,800 --> 00:04:58,800 Yeah, for sure. For. 92 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,040 So for our viewers or listeners later, can you give them a 93 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,800 little breakdown of what you did before coming to this podcast 94 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,000 today and where that nickname came from? 95 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,280 Yes, I told Hector I would need to meet with him a little later 96 00:05:10,280 --> 00:05:13,800 tonight because I'd be coming from Leap of Faith Dance and 97 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:19,200 Pantego having a private Nutcracker lesson for one of the 98 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,680 characters in The Nutcracker through our studio. 99 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:27,000 So this is a studio that I've danced with since 2004 when I 100 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,360 was at UTA as a say, I was a senior in college when I joined 101 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,760 them. And again, ballet is something 102 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,760 that I have done since first grade. 103 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:42,440 So now my girls are in dance, but for the studio, they are 104 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,040 newly doing The Nutcracker. It's a production they hadn't 105 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,320 done the force that they're five years, five years into doing it. 106 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,960 And I just so happened to be crazy about The Nutcracker 107 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,320 Ballet. And you can play, play me 5 108 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,560 seconds of any part of The Nutcracker Ballet and I will 109 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:00,880 know which dance that is. So it's been fun coming in and 110 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,760 as far as the studio is concerned, I'm their expert 111 00:06:03,840 --> 00:06:07,040 Nutcracker person and I've gotten to teach the older girls 112 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:11,120 their solos and I am actually the granny in The Nutcracker. 113 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:16,000 I'm a little older now, so I am I can be Miss Twinkle Twinkle 114 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,160 Toes, but it is difficult for me to get all the way up on my toes 115 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:22,280 in my point shoes these days because I haven't done it in a 116 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:24,680 while. So I will be cast as the granny 117 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,320 so y'all can come see me the Saturday after Thanksgiving. 118 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:31,000 Oh, that's awesome and you're being a little modest and I 119 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,280 learned this today, you know, as we're kind of hanging out me or 120 00:06:34,280 --> 00:06:38,120 with before the but who did you play in The Nutcracker 121 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:40,560 previously before this role of granny? 122 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:44,400 OK, well, if you go all the way back to the my junior year in 123 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,520 high school when I'm, what, 16, I did get to be Clara, the main 124 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:50,960 star, which was super special. Right. 125 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:53,960 And then what Ricky was saying is since he's met you pretty 126 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,520 much I've seen The Nutcracker every year, yes. 127 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,040 So that's become a pretty cool Christmas tradition. 128 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,760 So they're lucky to have you at your dance studio because I 129 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,320 don't know who else knows The Nutcracker, that bite here in 130 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,360 five seconds, They know exactly what the song is. 131 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,360 I've never even seen it. So I'm like, that's pretty cool 132 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:12,760 to me. But you also mentioned the 133 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:14,680 girls, the girls getting into ballet. 134 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:18,640 What has that been like for you like as a mom to see them engage 135 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,080 in something you're so passionate about? 136 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,840 It's, it's been really fun. Now they've taught me that they 137 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:29,080 are not necessarily going to be in love with it as I am and that 138 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:31,880 they, they of course have their own interests and their own own 139 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,520 talents. So what they really grasp onto 140 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,480 at the dance studio is actually piano, the piano teacher that 141 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:41,400 comes to the dance studio twice a week. 142 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,400 And so it's real convenient because you can take your piano 143 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,040 lesson and you can jump over to your dance lesson. 144 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:51,520 The so the the week after week, driving out to Pantego dance 145 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,600 classes can be draining on the girls. 146 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,320 But come the day of the recital, they put on their costume and 147 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,280 get out there on the stage and they really enjoy it. 148 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,960 No, that's awesome. So on that topic of girls and 149 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,280 you, you gave us a little bit of an insight, but in your own 150 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:10,440 words, how would you define this? 151 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:13,760 Like being a grandma, say. That one. 152 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:15,480 More like, what's it like being a grandma? 153 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:19,920 Yes, a grandma. I almost thought you said 154 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,040 grandma and how we were talking about Granny and The Nutcracker. 155 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:25,760 We ain't in that character yet. We'll get to granny ages like, 156 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,000 yeah in the future, yeah. OK, being wonderful. 157 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:34,799 I highly recommend it. Now it's it's pretty simple and 158 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:36,799 easy right now. I realize that it's going to get 159 00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:41,320 difficult as they become teenagers and have more sass and 160 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,680 more attitude and think that they know everything and that 161 00:08:44,680 --> 00:08:47,880 their parents don't. But it's just been wonderful and 162 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,160 special to get to be a girl mom and then to see Ricky be a girl 163 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:56,120 dad because he is such a boy. You know, I'll be this such a 164 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,760 boy. I mean go. 165 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,920 Ahead please, please. Like a middle school telling his 166 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:09,400 jokes, you know, making all kinds of sounds at the dinner 167 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,800 table. And so he's teaching these girls 168 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:14,920 how to do middle school boys also. 169 00:09:15,680 --> 00:09:19,000 But he so I think that that part will come out in him. 170 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:23,080 But at the same time, if you, if a boy, a little boy comes over 171 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:26,720 to play, he doesn't know what to do with them, thinks they're too 172 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,120 wild and loud and won't settle down because he's used to the 173 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,320 girls. Yeah, shout out Pastor Ricky for 174 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,800 sure being a a girl dad. So on that topic of the girls 175 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:40,000 being 10 and seven, I'll get a little bit of back story of this 176 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:41,600 question. So I remember a few years ago 177 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,800 when Jared was going into middle school, I remember seeing a post 178 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:48,440 just pop up on social media a lot, especially on my timeline. 179 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,680 And it was like a photo from a Ted talk. 180 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,680 And I forget who the guy was, but this image just always 181 00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:59,320 really stood out to me of him standing on the stage and in 182 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,560 like the screen behind him. It said be who you needed when 183 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:05,120 you were younger. Yeah. 184 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:06,640 So that's just something that really stuck to me. 185 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,760 And this is as Jared is going into arguably the most, like, 186 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,560 developmental time of his life and going into middle school. 187 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:14,760 And he was going to the middle school that I went to. 188 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,720 And I got into some trouble at, like, I just wanted to be more 189 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,800 of a presence in his life. So that's where this next 190 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,600 question comes from is like, with that perspective in mind. 191 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:30,160 So let's think back to Rachel when she was 10 or 7, or in that 192 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:32,280 age group. What is something you would want 193 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:38,840 to share with little Rachel? That's a good question. 194 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,040 First of all, I love that quote. I haven't heard that before. 195 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,760 Be who you needed to be when you were younger. 196 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:48,480 That is a challenge, a good challenge for all of us to take 197 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,800 on. Appreciate that. 198 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,360 Yeah, I know it's a it's a little bit of a thinker, so. 199 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,000 That is a thinker. It's something something I wish 200 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,440 I would have known or what I would tell myself when I was 201 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:03,400 younger. So how would you describe, you 202 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,120 know, Rachel, between the ages of seven and 10? 203 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,160 Let's see. So those were my elementary 204 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,760 school years, which I remember very well. 205 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,720 And elementary school, I was, like you mentioned earlier, that 206 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:21,400 I was reserved, which I'm not. But in elementary school I was 207 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,080 very shy and quiet. I didn't necessarily feel like I 208 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:29,680 was, but I remember that being said about me and I remember 209 00:11:29,680 --> 00:11:35,240 that I wasn't a very vocal person, but even though I was 210 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,600 shying quiet, I would say I was still confident. 211 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,600 And that's, I think that's crucial, whatever age we are, is 212 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,120 to know it, to know who we are and to feel good about ourselves 213 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:46,560 and confident about ourselves. So. 214 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,560 So that wasn't the issue related with the quietness or the 215 00:11:49,560 --> 00:11:54,960 shyness? I'm kind of stumped on this one. 216 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,120 Yeah, I'm sorry. That's that's that was one that 217 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,760 was one question I prepped you on and it kind of just came up 218 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,120 in conversation is me and Rick were talking before you came and 219 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:04,960 just kind of sparked this train of thought. 220 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,280 Yes, I can think about. If I think about myself as far 221 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,880 as middle school and my school, then I do have. 222 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,040 OK, please. More than I'm absolutely than 223 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:17,360 myself because elementary school things were easy. 224 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,880 I was thankfully very sheltered and you know, thought that 225 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,280 everybody had what I had. Everybody had it good like I did 226 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:31,680 in what in White House, Texas. But come middle school and high 227 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:40,760 school, I would want to even though I was in church and knew 228 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:42,760 the Lord I became a Christian with when I was in the 5th 229 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:47,120 grade. Even though I was being poured 230 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:50,800 into and learning, learning, learning every Sunday, every 231 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,240 Sunday night with the with the youth group. 232 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,560 For me to just have to have a stronger faith and better 233 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:04,160 understand who the Lord is and have that be my guide and 234 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:09,840 everything I do, especially as I got into boyfriend relationships 235 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:18,240 and in middle school and high school to to have waited for a 236 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,120 boyfriend girlfriend relationship. 237 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,640 I tell my girls now that they can't get married until they go 238 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,560 to college 2 times after they get their master's degree and 239 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:29,880 they're not asking for boyfriends yet. 240 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:31,880 That answer will be they can have a boyfriend in college. 241 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:39,040 But to not get distracted with that because that didn't, that 242 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:43,280 didn't align with my faith and what and what I know. 243 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:47,960 And it it wasn't necessary. And I remember even in the 244 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,760 eighth grade being heartbroken after my boyfriend broke up with 245 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,520 me. And I remember my dad consoling 246 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,560 me and talking with me about it and probably rolling his eyes 247 00:13:57,560 --> 00:13:59,960 and praising the Lord that their relationship had ended. 248 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,680 In Jesus name, Amen. But like, so that that's what I 249 00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:06,720 would have told myself, Look, look at me now, look what I got. 250 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,960 So it's just not necessary. It's distracting and causes 251 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:14,000 heartache that you don't need. Man, I love that. 252 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,920 I appreciate you sharing that sentiment and look at God 253 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,040 because it literally rolls right into my next question. 254 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:23,280 So all right, we need your perspective of how you and Rick 255 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,560 met because we've I've heard multiple times Ricky's 256 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:28,200 perspective, as you mentioned it. 257 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,680 Let let's hear the truth. I was with y'all met. 258 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:35,320 Thank you Hector for asking from my perspective because that is 259 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:38,880 the right perspective. So I I love telling the story. 260 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:45,920 It was the spring of 2004 when I first noticed Ricky, and it's 261 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:49,520 important to know that we met at the Baptist Unit Ministry and 262 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,760 UTA. And let's see, we were both, 263 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:58,200 yeah, both of us were juniors in college at the time, and we met 264 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:03,240 at the BSM leadership retreat. So each year the BSM has, at the 265 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,720 time, it was about 30-40 college students that serve as leaders 266 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,520 at the BSM. So mostly Bible study leaders, 267 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:12,160 like small group leaders. I think I was a community group 268 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:16,760 leader, which is pretty cool. Each small group Bible study has 269 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,600 a Bible study leader to teach the text and has a community 270 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,960 leader to do the icebreaker and to do the communication in 271 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:28,160 between getting together. So your job is to build 272 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:29,880 community within the small group. 273 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:33,640 So we were at a church in Arlington having a leadership 274 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:38,800 retreat to make plans for the spring semester to get equipped 275 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,520 with what we needed to know to do our jobs. 276 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:46,880 And I remember us first talking over a cooler, ice and drinks. 277 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,680 And I'm sure the pizza was on the table. 278 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,920 And Ricky remembers me telling him that I had a boyfriend and 279 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:56,200 it was my high school sweetheart and we were still dating, you 280 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,240 know, four years later and he's at A&M. 281 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,200 Whoop that to Diana. And so Ricky remembers me 282 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,880 telling him that I don't remember that, but I'm sure that 283 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:07,920 I did then. So we, you know, we become 284 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:12,440 friends through the BSM. Then the Fast forward a year, 285 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,000 it's me and my friends, him and his friends. 286 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,040 We all start hanging out and it's all BSM friends. 287 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,840 We have Bible study on Tuesday nights and we always go out to 288 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:23,240 dinner. And Ricky was kind of, Ricky was 289 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,320 in the group of brown guys and they were super popular. 290 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,080 Everybody wanted to hang out with them. 291 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,600 This is Ernesto, this is Mario, Jonathan and Ricky. 292 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:37,240 So Spring 2004 were having my birthday party at my house. 293 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,040 Me and four girls rented a house in Arlington while we were at 294 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:44,160 UTA. So Ricky comes over and he 295 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,520 brings a girl to this birthday party. 296 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:51,120 And that was my first feeling toward him, is that I didn't 297 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,120 like that he brought a girl to my birthday party. 298 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,040 I love Pastor Ricky, man play a play. 299 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:00,920 I love it. I wasn't until dating my high 300 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:02,760 school sweetheart. He was at A&M. 301 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,520 I'd still he, I didn't like that. 302 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,480 So that's when I knew, oh, I'm interested in this guy. 303 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:16,160 Then Fast forward two months later, summer of 2005, and like 304 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,480 I said, Ricky helped introduce me to salsa dancing. 305 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:24,760 So the white girls and the brown guys from the BSM, we went to 306 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:31,000 Babalu's in Dallas and Ricky now danced there because I love 307 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:32,200 dancing. He loves dancing. 308 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,640 So sometimes it's just me and him are the first ones out there 309 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:35,880 because we're comfortable with it. 310 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:41,840 And that was that was the moment that I knew I really like this 311 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,080 guy. I didn't want to leave. 312 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:47,400 I just wanted to stay and for us to to keep dancing. 313 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:54,520 But it was time to go home. So then from that, that kicked 314 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,920 off the relationship. It was never, he never has said, 315 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,200 will you be my girlfriend? There was. 316 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:01,840 We didn't have to define the relationship. 317 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,800 We just both knew that we kept calling each other and talking 318 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:06,720 to each other and visiting each other. 319 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:13,800 And so by the end of that summer, I dumped the heart and 320 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,520 took on Ricky. I seriously was looking forward 321 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,120 to being single. Like I didn't. 322 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:23,480 I wasn't. I knew I was going to break up 323 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,880 with my high school sweetheart and I was looking forward to 324 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:29,360 being single. You know, I'm in, I'm in 325 00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:31,320 college, just about to graduate with my bachelor's. 326 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:34,560 This was a great time that just be single and have fun. 327 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,920 But Ricky came along and and ruined those plans. 328 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:41,200 Man, look at God, you know, he said. 329 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,200 We, we make plans. God lapsed, you know what I 330 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,200 mean? So I don't know if that's how 331 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,800 Ricky told this story, and I probably gave you so many more 332 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,080 details than he did, which we. But pretty sure. 333 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:55,240 OK, yeah. So so you said that kind of 334 00:18:55,280 --> 00:19:00,080 sparked the genesis of y'all dating or like the dating years 335 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:04,040 like. Oh, they were great, the all the 336 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:10,280 butterflies, all the excitement. So we dated from the summer of 337 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:16,440 O5. Then he proposed in O7 and we 338 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,320 got married in O 8. So we're engaged for a year 339 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:21,640 before we got married. I really think about those 340 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:27,520 dates. He, he was at UTA when we met 341 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:32,320 and then he ended up at UNT. So that was a lot of driving for 342 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,120 us to visit each other. That's where Arlington. 343 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,320 And then but it's it's like you don't mind because you're so 344 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:45,760 excited to see that person. So those those years were so fun 345 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:51,920 and so enjoyable just falling in love knowing that this is the 346 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,320 person you want to spend the rest of your life with, being so 347 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,600 excited about them, all the butterflies, everything is about 348 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,600 them and when you get to see them next and planning things 349 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,680 for each other. Ricky would leave me cards in my 350 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:06,480 mailbox and he's super charming and romantic. 351 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,080 He's the first Hispanic guy that I ever dated. 352 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:13,880 So I assume all of them are like that and which is why I won the 353 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:18,680 Brown is Better award the BSN in 2006 because. 354 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:26,480 Me starting to date Ricky there was just a trend after that that 355 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:32,280 the white girls was and so several of my friends are are in 356 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:37,440 these interracial marriages and again to brown is better. 357 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:38,840 I highly recommend it. Yeah. 358 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:44,480 I love that that perspective because it's definitely not one 359 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,920 I've heard from Rick for sure. So that's definitely been it 360 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,320 makes me makes my heart smile especially like just seeing even 361 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:53,720 like the little twinkle in your eyes. 362 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:55,280 You talking about my pastor company? 363 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,520 You know what I mean? So yeah, I love that for both of 364 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,760 y'all. So now the big question, like as 365 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:03,360 we're wrapping up that segment of, you know, the relationship, 366 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:08,040 how did he propose? So we were going, it was a 367 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:12,400 Friday night and we were going to a birthday dinner for his 368 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,040 friend and it was a friend I didn't know very well, a friend 369 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:20,160 of his from from college. And so we he came and picked me 370 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:22,800 up at my apartment in Arlington. Then we go to downtown Fort 371 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,280 Worth for the birthday party. And then we come, it's just like 372 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:27,880 a regular night. All I knew is that we're going 373 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:29,280 to go to his friend's birthday party. 374 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:33,760 He didn't act any different. The only thing that I learned 375 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:37,520 afterwards is his mom was wondering why he needed his cuff 376 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:40,040 links. So Ricky when we dated Ricky 377 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:49,920 always wore jeans and a button down shirt and so his mom got 378 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:52,160 suspicious. His dad knew the proposal was 379 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,320 going to happen that night but his mom didn't but she got 380 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,200 suspicious because he really wanted his couplinks for his 381 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:58,880 button down shirt but she did find. 382 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,600 So I come back to my apartment and hanging out in my living 383 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,960 room and he just pops the question the ring he didn't have 384 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,120 it in AI mean I'm sure it was in a box at some point but I think 385 00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:12,680 it was just in his pocket. Pulled it out and asked me and I 386 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,800 was shocked and super excited and of course quickly said yes 387 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:20,200 and hugged him. So that was in I think it was 388 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,160 November of O 7. Oh wow. 389 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:24,880 Yes. Oh man, that's awesome. 390 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:26,760 I love hearing that because again, that's that's not a 391 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:30,080 conversation that has been had with Ricky and yes, yeah, for 392 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:30,560 sure. So. 393 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,160 So what I appreciate about it is it was it was a complete 394 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,760 surprise. And I also appreciate that he 395 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:42,600 picked out the ring on his own. A lot of women these days are 396 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:44,120 like, I need to pick out the ring. 397 00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:45,800 I need. This is what I want. 398 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,320 Some women even take it to the store and get a different 1. 399 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:52,840 So no, but I think he should pick it out and this should 400 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:56,480 completely be his plans, which is what that's what he showed me 401 00:22:56,480 --> 00:23:00,640 as we as we were dating, that he would make those decisions for 402 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,680 for me and for us. Yes, that you would. 403 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:04,920 Lead. Oh, man, that's awesome. 404 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:09,320 So now we've gotten into like that engagement piece. 405 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,880 Let's Fast forward a little bit to like the marriage and 406 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:16,440 ultimately to this question. How did it feel when Rick told 407 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:20,000 you he wanted to be a pastor? OK, so we'll start back with 408 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,680 getting married when the moment we got married. 409 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:30,840 So when we got married, Ricky and I were serving in the youth 410 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:32,920 group at a church here in Fort Worth. 411 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,240 And I knew that he was great with with kids. 412 00:23:37,360 --> 00:23:38,800 Like I said, he can be a middle school boy. 413 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,600 So he relates very well with youth. 414 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,760 He is just he's perfect with them and leading them and then 415 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:46,800 teaching them. And then he ended up going to 416 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:52,800 seminary, and at seminary he got his master's in education with a 417 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,720 specialty in youth ministry. So at the point we're getting 418 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:59,880 married, I have no idea that God's going to call him to be a 419 00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:02,400 pastor. I can definitely see youth 420 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:05,200 minister, youth director, whether that's his job or that's 421 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:09,080 what he does to volunteer, see that all over him and enjoy 422 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:16,680 doing that ministry with him. So a couple years later, he did 423 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:18,960 a lot of youth ministry in our church. 424 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,280 And then even outside our church, he would help with 425 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:25,600 disciple nails. I had different churches and he 426 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,840 felt God call him to be a pastor. 427 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:34,720 So when he told me, the first thing I thought is I thought you 428 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:36,240 were going to be a youth minister. 429 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:43,360 OK, when I hear new information, it takes me a minute like what 430 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:45,680 about this? Let me process this like help me 431 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:50,480 move from here to here. I don't I'm AI need a lot of 432 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,560 help when it comes to change. That's real. 433 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:59,200 And the and then I also thought, there's a lot of churches 434 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,480 already, maybe we should just join one that that already 435 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:09,560 exists and help them out. But I quickly learned that the 436 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,680 more churches, the better. The more types of churches, the 437 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:14,760 the better. The more types of pastors, the 438 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:17,280 better than. So the more churches we have, 439 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:18,480 the more people that we can reach. 440 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:23,280 Then seeing him in action and planting the church and 441 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:28,200 preaching every Sunday, it's like, Oh yeah, Ricky is supposed 442 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,120 to be doing. Yeah, I love that. 443 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:35,920 So with, you know, City Post ultimately being planted and 444 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:40,800 you're observing Ricky and, you know, live out his calling. 445 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,280 What a What went through your mind? 446 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:47,120 Like when did it register? Like, well, I'm the first lady? 447 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:51,000 You know, First Lady is really fancy, so I never consider 448 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,440 myself that, but thank you, I will take that title. 449 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:58,480 Shout out Gavino, and I wonder what does it mean for you now 450 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,600 presently to be the first lady of City close, OK. 451 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,400 OK, well I I still can't believe it. 452 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:09,000 This planning a church has been an adventure and has been a 453 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:13,000 blessing. I, like I said, it takes me a 454 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,320 while to process change and I can't believe we're already at 455 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:19,840 the point where we're at. And it's it's wonderful and it's 456 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:23,480 beautiful. So as a pastor's wife, the first 457 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:27,960 thing I am is just is honored to be Ricky's wife. 458 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:32,560 So proud of him. I mean, I know, I know him. 459 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:37,920 I know the real him. So to see him and hear him on 460 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,600 Sunday mornings preaching, I'm like, that is the Holy Spirit. 461 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:43,520 I mean, Ricky Ricky's a great guy. 462 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:47,760 Ricky's a smart guy, but I can walk away from every ServiceNow 463 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,320 like, Oh my gosh, the Holy Spirit is working through him. 464 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,240 Then the other thing it means for me to be the pastor's wife 465 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:58,320 is to do my part in helping Rick, Ricky shepherd the church. 466 00:26:58,360 --> 00:27:02,440 I mean, he is absolutely the leader in that, but it it's very 467 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:06,440 natural for me to care for people and build them up and 468 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:08,360 encourage them. That is that's one of my 469 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:10,120 spiritual gifts. That's something that I love to 470 00:27:10,120 --> 00:27:13,280 do. So for that to be like my job 471 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:16,080 and for me to have full permission and authority to 472 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,840 officially care for people is super cool. 473 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,120 It's not something I have to a role. 474 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:25,920 I have to ask, can I do this or where people might be wondering 475 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,520 why? Why am I caring for them and 476 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:30,520 checking on them so much? Oh, that's the pastor's I'm. 477 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:32,360 Oh, is she supposed to do that? OK, great. 478 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:35,440 Boy. It's it makes it much more more 479 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:37,600 natural. That's awesome. 480 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:41,480 So you spoke a little bit of, you know, checking on people and 481 00:27:43,360 --> 00:27:46,280 I was going to come out and ask the question, what all do you 482 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:48,000 do? Because I, I, I feel like I have 483 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:52,800 a little bit of an idea like of your role here, but I, I imagine 484 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:55,880 that it's so much deeper. So for myself personally and 485 00:27:56,040 --> 00:28:00,680 anyone who may not know what, what are your roles here like? 486 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:04,840 What all do you do at City Post? Well, I think we can say that 487 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,240 about a lot of us here at the church. 488 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,440 So, Hector, I don't even know what all you do. 489 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:12,480 So thank you for everything that you do. 490 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,680 And we can, you know, we can say the same, same thing about 491 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:19,560 Ricky, about Mr. Robert, on and on and on and on. 492 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:22,720 It takes all of us working together. 493 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:26,520 And like Ricky has said before, we sure don't work in silos. 494 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:29,960 We, we work as teams, we help each other out. 495 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:36,360 And it's not about us. It's about the mission of our 496 00:28:36,360 --> 00:28:40,640 church, the mission of God moving forward and Jesus getting 497 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:44,320 all the glory. But as the pastor's I just, I do 498 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:46,400 whatever's needed. The one thing you don't want me 499 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,640 to do is you don't want me to cook. 500 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:49,680 I'll set up the plates and the cups. 501 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,840 I'll get the drinks ready, but that's that'll be the last thing 502 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,760 that I do. Other than that, I can be a good 503 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,040 host. But when when I think about what 504 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:02,800 I do here, that the two main things are to create the visitor 505 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:08,120 experience. So the welcome, the initial 506 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,840 impression that people get when they come to City Post. 507 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:14,840 So helping create that. So from Joanne helps with the 508 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:17,640 welcome back, Allison helps build them. 509 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:22,600 I've got Michael and Annie and Allison and Joanne and Cynthia 510 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,440 as greeters. So having greeters at the doors 511 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:30,160 and then the follow up with visitors, texting them, emailing 512 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:34,800 them to thank them for coming and and to create a connection 513 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,720 with them so that they whether it's at our church or any other 514 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:41,880 church that they are going to church somewhere where they can 515 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:43,280 worship and where they can serve. 516 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,800 Then the other thing that I really enjoy doing is leading 517 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:48,960 the ladies Bible study. So I think most pastors wives 518 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,680 are expected to be a leader over the ladies. 519 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,160 I came from working with youth ministry. 520 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,600 I started in youth ministry my freshman year of college. 521 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:02,600 So at first it felt like, am I good enough? 522 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:04,880 Am I old enough to be doing this? 523 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:08,840 But these, the ladies here have been so graceful and so sweet. 524 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:13,040 It's now that I've taught the ladies Bible study and I do also 525 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,520 teach the youth Bible study. It's almost, it's a little bit 526 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:19,560 harder to get back into the youth group and remembering how 527 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:21,760 young they are. And then they don't know as much 528 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,880 now that I've been meeting the ladies and they're they're more 529 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:26,440 knowledgeable of the Bible so far. 530 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:28,880 So those are the main thing, main two things I do. 531 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,280 And then, you know, of course I'm excited about the birthdays 532 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:33,960 every month when I don't mess them up. 533 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:37,120 Birthdays are important to me anyway. 534 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:40,720 Men want everybody to know how special that they are. 535 00:30:40,920 --> 00:30:43,560 That's awesome. And you know a little tidbit 536 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,400 about the the women's Bible study. 537 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:50,280 I got the opportunity to overhear and it partake a little 538 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:52,200 bit. I remember we had dinner when we 539 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,920 were setting up the, the cameras, you know, to, to add 540 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,960 the, the 2nd and the second and third angle and we all had 541 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,640 dinner together in like the, the welcome room. 542 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:08,080 And then just hearing y'all cut up afterwards, like I love, 543 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:12,560 love, love, love how much fun y'all were having and for it to 544 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:14,800 be at a Bible study in the church. 545 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:18,800 And then I don't know, I'll be, I'll be staying pretty late 546 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:24,120 sometimes like just hanging out. So I love that for the women of 547 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:27,680 our church in the community aspect and for you like to have 548 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:30,000 that time with, you know, the sisters of the church. 549 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,440 So yeah, just want to encourage you in that because I've never 550 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,840 like actually sat in, but from what I've heard, y'all have a 551 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:38,760 good time. We have a very good time. 552 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:43,440 So like on that teaching point, what was going through your head 553 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:45,120 the first time you like LED us under? 554 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:51,840 OK, so that was never part of the plan was for me to preach or 555 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:55,000 teach from the pulpit and never had done that in my life. 556 00:31:55,080 --> 00:32:00,080 And I assume it started with Ricky not being able to find 557 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,080 anyone else to take his place, which is pretty much what I told 558 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:05,960 him. I'll be your last resort. 559 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:10,120 There is no other outside pastor that can come in and and teach. 560 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:15,160 But I've gotten to do it twice now and it is very nerve 561 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,360 wracking. First of all, for me, writing a 562 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:19,400 sermon was like writing a research paper. 563 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,800 It's so different than leading Bible study because with leading 564 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:28,160 Bible study you're got the students to discover the 565 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:31,520 information for themselves whereas A sermon you are telling 566 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:35,280 them the information, plus some finding a gangster movie 567 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:37,840 reference that can go along with what you're saying. 568 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:42,120 City post because it ain't a city post Starting without a 569 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,080 good reference. Exactly. 570 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:45,800 Which is a little hard for me person. 571 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,800 But you do a great job, you know, you got a, you got a great 572 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,600 guide, Yes. Exactly. 573 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:58,080 So it was a matter of when, and I kind of had an idea of the 574 00:32:58,080 --> 00:32:59,240 topic. I mean, Ricky said. 575 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:01,000 Talk about your heart for the church. 576 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:04,120 But that can be all over the place. 577 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:08,080 And I do better if you'll tell me, talk about this paragraph in 578 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:11,160 the Bible and then we can go through line by line and dissect 579 00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:12,160 that. So I mean, that's what I ended 580 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:19,440 up doing is choosing scripture to go through and you just you 581 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:24,800 open a Word document on your laptop and you read through the 582 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:28,560 text several times, then you start breaking it down. 583 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,320 I'm going to talk about this, then this, then this, and then 584 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:33,240 how am I going to break up the verses? 585 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:37,240 And then filling in, OK, what, what extra information can I add 586 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:39,400 here? What analogy can I put here? 587 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:43,960 So I know that both Sundays we added an extra worship song so I 588 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:47,000 didn't have to speak as long as Ricky does. 589 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,480 So I'm thankful for that. Shut out our worship team and 590 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,720 you for thinking may as later I can always add one more so you 591 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:57,320 know I got a little little more more breathing room, you know 592 00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:59,920 because. I don't think I can talk as long 593 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:01,920 as Ricky does. I don't know how he does them. 594 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:07,840 I mean, I, I hear that, but I think you're also not giving 595 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,760 yourself the credit of the vessel you are for the Holy 596 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:13,440 Spirit too, you know, because. Well, thank you for that. 597 00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:16,960 Yeah. For sure, because we're 40 598 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:19,120 minutes into now and you were kind of like nervous before 599 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:20,920 this. But look how like just genuinely 600 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:23,920 being you, you know, like this is flowing really well. 601 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:28,000 And I think this is going to be encouraging for everyone in our 602 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:29,400 church. You know, that's the Holy Spirit 603 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,199 speaking through to well. Thank you. 604 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:37,120 For sure and and kind of like on that topic of, you know, that 605 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:41,280 first time, the heart of the house, the heart of the church, 606 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:44,280 your heart for the church and you said it can kind of be a lot 607 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:46,520 of things. Where's your heart like for the 608 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:51,159 house right now That. That's a good question by heart 609 00:34:51,159 --> 00:34:54,440 for our church. I mean, it will always be to 610 00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:58,640 fall more in love with Jesus and to look more like Jesus. 611 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:02,080 So that's that's a goal for myself and that that's a goal 612 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:05,600 for everyone I know, but especially the people of our 613 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:12,840 church. And then one of my passions is 614 00:35:12,840 --> 00:35:17,840 the family, one of my passion. Like as you noticed that ACH, 615 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:24,120 one of my my passions is for children to have a proper 616 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:29,800 upbringing with a family that loves Jesus and have everything 617 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:32,920 be healthy and appropriate as God has designed it. 618 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:39,760 So just because I do have a passion for that and know the 619 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:44,120 importance of the family unit being ideal as God has designed 620 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:48,840 it, I'll, that is also my heart for this church is for our 621 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:52,960 families to be good and to be healthy and for all of our kids 622 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:56,240 to have everything, everything that they need emotionally, 623 00:35:56,240 --> 00:35:59,240 emotionally, physically. That's so awesome. 624 00:35:59,240 --> 00:36:04,400 And it's, it's so evident in how the Holy Spirit is how God has 625 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,840 been moving and children of this church, like how many kids have 626 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:11,560 brought their parents to this church, you know, like then and 627 00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:14,360 then again, something me and Rick were talking about before, 628 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:17,960 but we started recording. But like how much the kids enjoy 629 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:24,480 going to their class, like shout out Miss Eileen and Estevan and 630 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:27,200 Connie. Like the Lord is building a 631 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:31,480 great team for our ministry. And we got a little ones running 632 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:35,480 around here like, which is so fun to see, like them having fun 633 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:38,360 and the House of the Lord playing and the House of the 634 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:42,200 Lord and like knowing that they're being taught under 635 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:45,680 really, really strong biblical truth, you know, So that's a 636 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:48,440 that's a great sentiment. If where your heart is for the 637 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:51,360 house and like family specifically, I like to shift 638 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:53,960 gears a little bit like staying on that topic of heart of the 639 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:55,880 house in the families of our church. 640 00:36:56,240 --> 00:36:59,520 How would you describe the women of City Coast? 641 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:06,520 These women are some of the strongest women I've ever met. 642 00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:11,000 And it's been really special. The women that have come to the 643 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:12,840 Bible study, getting to know them. 644 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:14,840 Like you said, we are really good at cutting it up. 645 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:17,840 We're also really good at sharing very personal 646 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:22,880 information as we should. So hearing their stories of what 647 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:27,920 they have gone through and are and are even still going through 648 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:32,640 and seeing their strong faith. And then for some of them, 649 00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:35,280 seeing them come to faith and be at City Post. 650 00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:38,680 So we all watch out because these women are awesome. 651 00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:43,960 And I can remember specifically when Gabino got baptized, he 652 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:46,440 said because Diana had gotten baptized 1st. 653 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:48,920 And Gabino said, I need to match my wife's energy. 654 00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:52,080 Come on. And I'm like, Oh yes, So they, 655 00:37:52,080 --> 00:37:56,320 these women have set a standard for all of us to rise to. 656 00:37:56,320 --> 00:37:59,320 And so I'm so I'm so thankful for their example. 657 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:02,800 They they're awesome. Amen. 658 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:07,840 So with that sentiment of, you know, saying how awesome the 659 00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:11,480 ladies of our church are, would you like to take a moment to 660 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,760 share an encouraging word for any of them that may be watching 661 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:18,880 or listening or just anyone in our church like any encouraging 662 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:22,400 word, but I would prefer for it to be the women. 663 00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:25,320 Well, I appreciate that and. It's Ladies Day. 664 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:30,960 Absolutely. So to the women at our church, I 665 00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:34,400 love you. You are special, you are 666 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:37,840 amazing. You are created by God and he 667 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:41,720 defines who you are. He defines what you are to think 668 00:38:41,720 --> 00:38:44,480 about yourself. And my encouragement to you is 669 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:47,520 thank you for you ladies that have been able to join us at the 670 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:50,400 Bible study. If anyone is not in the ladies 671 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:54,200 Bible study yet, let's see, we're, I guess we're aged. 672 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:58,640 We also have the the young adults Bible study. 673 00:38:58,640 --> 00:39:00,480 So I would like to speak to those ladies too. 674 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:05,040 But so for all the women in our church, young adults and older, 675 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:07,480 if you're not already plugged into a Bible study, be plugged 676 00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:14,720 in because that is how we get to know the Bible better, get to 677 00:39:14,720 --> 00:39:16,960 know the Lord better and get to know each other better. 678 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:21,720 It is just so good and so rich and it's just two hours out of 679 00:39:21,720 --> 00:39:24,120 your week. Now it can be 4 hours out of 680 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:27,320 your week if you choose to stay for dessert and coffee and 681 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:34,960 chitchat, but we are from 7:00 to 9:00 normally and want to 682 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:38,080 encourage you to stay strong in your faith. 683 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:43,360 I know that a lot of you are carrying a lot of burdens, 684 00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:47,000 carrying a lot of duties and responsibilities. 685 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:52,600 So seek the Lord, spend time with Him. 686 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:59,520 Take care of yourself. Like Eileen always says, we, we 687 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:04,240 give from the overflow. So if there's not, if there's 688 00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:07,600 too many withdrawals and not enough deposits, you're going to 689 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:12,200 be be running on empty and then lean on each other and know that 690 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:14,720 I am here for you. Anything that you need. 691 00:40:14,720 --> 00:40:17,600 It is my my joy to help take care of you. 692 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:21,520 Oh, that's awesome. And it demonstrates your heart 693 00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:25,080 for this house, which I love because it's definitely like the 694 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:28,320 topic of this conversation. And one last question. 695 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:32,840 Who is someone like specifically your ladies group? 696 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:36,000 Who's someone that this podcast in this church needs to hear 697 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:39,120 their story? So we get to choose the next, we 698 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,160 get to invite them and it gets to be a lady. 699 00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:46,720 That's really hard to choose. So the answer is all of them, 700 00:40:46,720 --> 00:40:48,800 but I will give you who should be next. 701 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:51,400 You can get in like 3 to 5 if that helps dial it down OK. 702 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:56,840 Monica begs Annie. Yes, which I didn't know until 703 00:40:56,840 --> 00:40:59,680 like a month ago that that's Monica's mom. 704 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:06,200 Oh my gosh, Hector. Bro Annie looks great, Monica 705 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:08,760 looks great too but like they they look genuinely thought they 706 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:11,000 were sisters. Oh, Annie's going to love you. 707 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:16,520 I told her this and she looked at 1 feels like see sorry I 708 00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:17,520 interrupted. Love that. 709 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:22,960 And I mean, we'll keep going down the line. 710 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:25,880 Then next would be Lauren because there's there we have 711 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:29,160 Annie, Monica, Lauren. We have 3 generations in our 712 00:41:29,160 --> 00:41:31,760 church, which is awesome. It's special for us. 713 00:41:31,760 --> 00:41:34,880 And it's super special for them to be at church together because 714 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:37,120 not very many people can say they're at their church with 715 00:41:37,400 --> 00:41:42,680 their mother and their daughter and then Diana and Connie. 716 00:41:43,080 --> 00:41:47,400 Yeah, yeah, I love that. So I mean, you, you can have all 717 00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:51,440 of them. They've they have all got not at 718 00:41:51,440 --> 00:41:54,200 the same time because that would be overwhelming conversation, 719 00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:57,640 but. I'm thinking like, as you say 720 00:41:57,640 --> 00:41:59,480 that I was like, this is going to be like the yapping 721 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:01,680 Chronicles of this podcast for sure. 722 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:03,680 But sorry, continue. No but but. 723 00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:04,880 Good yapping. Absolutely. 724 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:07,880 Absolutely. They, they, they have a lot of 725 00:42:07,880 --> 00:42:11,160 insight and a lot to share and they and they're awesome. 726 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:15,560 Well, that's all I got. Would you like to share any 727 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:18,160 other closing words or would you like to close in prayer? 728 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:20,960 Yes, let's go close and pray. That sounds perfect. 729 00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:26,720 All right, y'all pray with us. Heavenly Father, we love you. 730 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:31,920 This is all for you. I thank you for this time with 731 00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:33,120 Hector. It is. 732 00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:36,400 I'm just honored and humbled that he would want to hear 733 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:38,960 anything I have to say because it's just me. 734 00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:48,480 And Lord, I know that any hope and any joy that I have, all the 735 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:50,640 characteristics that I have are from you. 736 00:42:50,720 --> 00:42:54,880 So I thank you for that, and I give you the credit for anything 737 00:42:54,880 --> 00:42:59,600 that I am. And Lord, we want to lift up our 738 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:03,800 church to you. Would you meet their needs? 739 00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:07,160 Would you take care of them? Would you show them more of who 740 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:09,400 you are? Would you keep them strong and 741 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:12,480 steady in their faith? Would you keep us unified and 742 00:43:14,080 --> 00:43:17,320 keep us having the strong community, community that we do 743 00:43:17,320 --> 00:43:19,960 have? And would you continue to grow 744 00:43:19,960 --> 00:43:23,920 us just for the sake of other people also knowing you, knowing 745 00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:26,360 the gospel, knowing your salvation. 746 00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:29,120 And it's in Jesus name that I bring Amen. 747 00:43:29,720 --> 00:43:33,000 Amen. Well this has been the first 748 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:35,400 episode. I forgot what you called it. 749 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:39,800 Meet the Church of Meet the church with Miss Twinkle Toes 750 00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:42,840 AKA Miss Rachel Carlo AKA the Heart of the house. 751 00:43:42,840 --> 00:43:44,160 See you post. We love y'all. 752 00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:45,600 Hopefully we see y'all at Trunk or Treat. 753 00:43:45,600 --> 00:43:47,560 If not, we'll see you Sunday. We like y'all. 754 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:47,840 We out.