1 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:09,680 What's up guys, my name is Alexis Brown, your host with 2 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,160 praises in the pod. And I am so excited that y'all 3 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:16,000 tuned back in for our Part 2 of Abby's story. 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,640 And you might notice we have a new guest with us, Dexter, her 5 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:21,720 husband. Yay. 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,120 So we are so excited to just jump right in. 7 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:28,160 So let's start with prayer for this episode and we'll we'll get 8 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:32,640 started. Lord Heavenly Father, thank you 9 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:34,200 for today. Thank you for all your many 10 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,320 blessings. Dear God, thank you for allowing 11 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,400 Abby to come on here and share what you have done in her life, 12 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:43,880 Lord, thank you for having your hand on top of her through all 13 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,040 of it, Lord, the good, the bad, the ugly. 14 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,800 You were just in the midst of that and you saw the light in 15 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,880 her when we didn't see the light in her and when we didn't know 16 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,880 what was what you were doing or why you were doing it, Lord. 17 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,360 But we see the good in it now, Lord, and we just pray that we 18 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,520 continue to tell our stories and we continue to tell our 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,160 testimonies, Lord, and we just pray that this is used for your 20 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:08,960 glory and your glory alone, Lord. 21 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:11,960 So speak to us and through US in Jesus name I pray. 22 00:01:11,960 --> 00:01:17,360 Amen, Amen. All right, so Dexter, what is 23 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:18,920 up? Man, what's going on? 24 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,920 This is like the first time I've had like two people on here. 25 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,160 So this is like different. It's weird. 26 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,880 I like it though, it's cool. So can you tell us a little bit 27 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:30,800 about your background, like not going into too much and just 28 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,920 tell us a little bit what you're comfortable with, but tell us 29 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,360 about a little bit about yourself? 30 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,600 All right, So obviously born and raised right here in middle 31 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:46,200 Georgia, I was brought up in just a Christian home, very 32 00:01:47,320 --> 00:01:51,280 traditional Christian home. We went to church every Sunday, 33 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:56,800 Wednesday night, Sunday night. You know, God was really a part 34 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,960 of our lives, you know, starting at a young age. 35 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:05,160 I got saved when I was seven, never really had any kind of 36 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,400 trauma as far as my family goes, Like never really had any kind 37 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,960 of events or anything that really steered me away from the 38 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,960 Lord, you know, and that is kind of opposite of Abby's story. 39 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:24,200 But I feel that in that upbringing you can be very idle. 40 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:28,040 You can get very lukewarm with that because you don't see the 41 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,440 things of the world you're almost like sheltered in. 42 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,640 A Bible? Your own little Christian 43 00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:34,800 bubble. Like you don't know. 44 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:37,560 Right, so you kind of it kind of shelters you in a way. 45 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,000 So you know, I I grew up that way. 46 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,320 That's kind of how I was raised. And I've still got a great 47 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,520 family, got great morals based off of that. 48 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:52,920 But I really got kind of a a shock when I started just kind 49 00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:55,920 of making adult decisions and, you know, seeing things with the 50 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,960 world. And so that kind of led me down 51 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:03,720 a path that ultimately I knew was not the correct path that I 52 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:07,920 needed to get back, you know, devoted walking with God every 53 00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:11,400 single day. Abby, you know, touched on how 54 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,560 she started taking a 12 step, you know, after she just hit 55 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,800 rock bottom, she surrendered and all this stuff. 56 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:21,320 And so I feel like from my POV, like it was like shortly after 57 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,000 that surrender that y'all kind of started dating, right? 58 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,560 Like I think so tell us a little bit about like how y'all met, 59 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,320 how y'all started dating, you know, because the the first date 60 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,400 is so cute to me. Like I love y'all's first date 61 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,640 so y'all take it. Oh my goodness. 62 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,400 I think I kind of had my surrender moment really was 63 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,280 giving my life to Christ around November or so. 64 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:50,640 And I would say that next end of June, end of June in 2020 was 65 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,840 when we met and started talking to each other. 66 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,240 And I'll kind of let Dexter touch on how we met because it's 67 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,480 just so funny. And looking back now, it's 68 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:02,760 really cute. But he's such a he's good at 69 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:08,960 telling that story. Yeah, so we met really on just 70 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:12,440 interactions on Instagram, which is kind of funny because neither 71 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:14,600 of us have that anymore. No, y'all don't. 72 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:16,839 Actually, I forget about that. Y'all don't OK? 73 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:21,160 So that's how it all started. So we started messaging on 74 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,480 Instagram. We had, you know, a lot of 75 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:29,280 people that we knew in common. A lot of we had crossed paths, 76 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,880 you know, a lot, but never actually crossed paths. 77 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,440 And we did not realize that until we started talking that we 78 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,600 knew all of the same people grew up not even 5 miles from each 79 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:45,040 other so and had never actually met in person. 80 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,320 Yep. So, you know, we just kind of 81 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,600 bonded right off the bat from that. 82 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:55,080 And and then, you know, I kind of asked the question of, well, 83 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,360 would you like to go on a date? And they're like, let's, let's 84 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,040 kind of meet up and go on a date. 85 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:03,880 So I asked her if she wanted to go to dinner. 86 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,920 She said no. And I was like, well, what Like 87 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,760 what do you mean? You know, this is what we do or 88 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,440 what I'm supposed to do. And so she's like, I want to do 89 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:15,760 something fun. Like I want to do something 90 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:17,760 different. Just trying to be different. 91 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,840 I'm just trying to be different. No, I don't want to go out and 92 00:05:20,840 --> 00:05:21,920 eat. Do something different with. 93 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:26,960 Me, no, because I, for me, that environment is just not very 94 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:31,240 telling of who a person is. And so there was so much depth 95 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:35,480 to him that I realized right off the bat just from just texting, 96 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,400 I mean, and talking on the phone that I was like, I really want 97 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,320 to just be genuine and transparent with each other 98 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:44,640 right off the bat. Yeah. 99 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,520 So I was like, OK, you like to fish. 100 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:54,800 I mean, you know, I mean, I've been obsessed with fishing. 101 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,840 For a long time, just outdoors, period. 102 00:05:56,840 --> 00:06:00,520 Yeah, yeah. So she was like, yeah. 103 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,680 So at the time, you know, I, I've grown up with older 104 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,520 brothers. So I really was a Tom girl 105 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:12,200 growing up my whole life. But in that moment, I will say I 106 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,600 was not a huge fan of fishing. But at that time, whenever he 107 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,240 asked me, absolutely. No doubt about it. 108 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,880 Love the fish. I love it. 109 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,080 I remember that day we were talking about what you were 110 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:24,640 gonna wear and stuff and you're like, what do I wear? 111 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,760 And you said some spaghetti strap shirt with a little. 112 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:30,800 Skirt or something, and I'll say end of June. 113 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:34,280 I'm like Abby, no, please don't. So anyway. 114 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:40,360 So I had a family cabin and it had a pond and it's about 45 115 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,760 minutes from 1 Robin. So I don't know really like how 116 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,440 she was going to react to that. So anyway, I, I said, well, 117 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,120 let's, let's do it like let's go, let's go out there, let's go 118 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:53,880 fishing. I'll show you the the cabin and 119 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,800 the property and stuff. And so that's what we did. 120 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:03,640 And I just remember, you know, I had gone out there actually 121 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:10,200 earlier that day because I was planning to cook spaghetti for 122 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:15,200 dinner while we were there. And so I had actually taken a 123 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,320 pack of deer meat and put it in the sink to like thaw out. 124 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:25,720 And between me go and do it and doing that and then us actually 125 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:32,040 going with each other out there. My dad went out there and you 126 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,240 know, he would just go out there for just any, any old anything 127 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:37,320 and. Check the deer cameras. 128 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,520 He he texts me and he's like, have you been to the cabin? 129 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:42,880 And I was like, what are you doing there? 130 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:44,240 Because we were like about to leave. 131 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:45,680 Yeah. I was about to pick Abby up for 132 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,360 the first time, meet in person, take her out there. 133 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,360 And I was like, what are you doing there? 134 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,600 Like you got to leave you. Got to go, you got to go. 135 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,680 And I'm I bet it didn't even look good either because you're 136 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:58,000 like. Yeah, it didn't really look 137 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,000 good. He's kind of like what is 138 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,000 happening? Like, you know, he could tell 139 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,600 and and that I had been there and I was like, man, I'll tell 140 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,080 you later. Like and I'm living with my dad 141 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:10,880 at this point, like I'm in his house. 142 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:19,520 So anyway, we go and I remember we went down to the pond and and 143 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,880 I was showing Abby, you know, about a fishing pole. 144 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:25,440 And I was like, you know, I want to make sure that you know how 145 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,000 to do all this. And anyway, so I turned around 146 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,920 and she's got the cork like halfway out into the pond, like 147 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,520 before I can even do anything. And I think that was the moment 148 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,720 that I really fell in love. Ask my woman. 149 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,799 Yeah, I was pretty much ready to call the preacher at that time. 150 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:45,920 But anyways, we, you know, caught a few fish and had a good 151 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,240 time. And then we went back in the 152 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:53,400 cabin and just had cooked spaghetti that I cook still to 153 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,720 this day all the time. Anyway, so we had dinner and we 154 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:02,440 left and we came back to town, went and got Dairy Queen and. 155 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,720 I mean, this was a long date because I remember I'm sitting 156 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:07,640 there like what's going on? What's going on? 157 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,240 I'm looking at abbye location. She's still out there. 158 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,480 I'm like Abby. I mean I'm texting my other 159 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,000 friend Kristen. I'm like Kristen, they are still 160 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,080 out there. What is going on? 161 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,200 And then even when she got to town, I'm like, okay, she's 162 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,920 about to call. Yeah, I mean, like it was just 163 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,920 steel like it. Was a long first date, which I 164 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:28,440 did do my due diligence because when he told me where we were 165 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,360 going, I was kind of like, oh gosh, like that's kind of far 166 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:35,680 away But you know, I knew him from other people and I called 167 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:37,960 like my aunt and I called some people I'm like, do you know 168 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,360 this person? And they were like, Oh my 169 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,560 goodness, yes, that's Dexter Gordy. 170 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:45,000 Like he is an Angel this and that. 171 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,880 And so if it made me feel more comfortable to go do that with 172 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:52,280 him and yeah, it just turned into a such a long because we 173 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,680 were just fishing. It was just so easy. 174 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,480 Yeah, it was just the easiest date I had ever been on. 175 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,200 Right off the RIP. Right off the RIP. 176 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:04,720 So we came back and got some ice cream at Dairy Queen and I ended 177 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,760 up going over to my parents house, back to my parents house 178 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:09,600 cuz I was living at home at the time. 179 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,760 I had had to move back home and he had moved back home as well 180 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:17,840 from Kennesaw. But when he went to drop me off, 181 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,640 he actually came inside and my parents were inside. 182 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:26,400 Right off the RIP, just. No, my dad was right there. 183 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:30,480 Yeah. So you know Mike Mays, he's 184 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,320 right there. And I'm like, hey, Sir, how are 185 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,160 you doing? And he's kind of looking at me, 186 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:40,160 like studying me, you know, like looking me up and down. 187 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,120 And I'm like, man, this guy's really like checking me out. 188 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:45,800 Like, you know, I could, I could just sense it. 189 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,120 I could feel it like he wasn't really saying much. 190 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:52,240 And he was just kind of like, just give these stairs. 191 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,720 And her mom was just, you know, being real sweet and talking to 192 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:58,240 me about what? What do you do? 193 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:02,560 All this stuff. So anyway, yeah, first date met 194 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:04,240 her parents. Wow. 195 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:07,040 Yeah. So and then of course I go home 196 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,920 and I had to explain to my dad like what was going. 197 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:14,440 On and it didn't look good again cuz you had been gone all day 198 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,240 long. So yeah, you had to go home and 199 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,800 just tell him like, well, I think I just met my wife, 200 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,440 actually. Yeah, Yeah, essentially, yeah. 201 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,360 So like what exactly like felt like, I know that it was easy 202 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,640 and stuff, but like did something happen like where you 203 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,440 just really knew like this, this is different. 204 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:35,080 This is. Different definitely from the 205 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:37,760 very first few hours of just being with him. 206 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,240 There was a different light about him, you know, in in 207 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,880 saying that literally there was a a pure light about him. 208 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,520 He had gotten me flowers, you know, he was doing all the 209 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:53,040 gentleman stuff and he opened my door and at in the cabin, he had 210 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:57,520 actually set up a little table with flowers in it for us to sit 211 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:02,280 out and eat spaghetti and just such a like gentleman. 212 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:06,880 And not in the sense that he was trying to do it, but that that 213 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:08,520 was just natural. That's just who he is. 214 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:13,040 That's just who he is. And what really let me know that 215 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:16,360 something was totally different from anybody else I'd ever dated 216 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,800 was our first date. And we sat down to eat dinner. 217 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,360 Well, first I just thought it was the sweetest thing ever that 218 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,800 he cooked for us. But we sat down and he's like, 219 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:30,960 can I pray over us? And I was like, absolutely like, 220 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,600 wow, you know, because for someone to say like, you know, 221 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,880 I'm a Christian and, you know, I have a relationship with God or 222 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:40,800 I believe in God, this and that. But to say those things, it's 223 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,160 kind of easy. But to like do it in front, 224 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:44,880 especially in front of somebody that you just met. 225 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,240 And for him to like, I think we even held hands and you prayed 226 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,760 over us and prayed over the meal just showed a different, like, 227 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,320 there was a huge distinction. Yeah. 228 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:55,280 Right off the RIP from Meeting Hill. 229 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,320 Well, you know, and like, I was, I was telling you how I was 230 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,240 struggling with something yesterday and I was crying and I 231 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,200 was like, I feel like I'm being punished and all this stuff. 232 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,400 But then I remember, like, if it's from God, there's gonna be 233 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,080 peace. Yes, because he's the Prince of 234 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,680 Peace, you know? So like when you're saying this, 235 00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:11,840 like I can feel the peace in the day. 236 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:15,280 It doesn't feel forced. It doesn't feel like, Oh my 237 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:16,520 gosh, like, what do we talk about? 238 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:18,440 What do we do? Like there was just a peace 239 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:19,600 about the date. Yeah. 240 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,840 And then when he started to pray, I know you were like, yes, 241 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:24,880 Sir, yeah. Exactly. 242 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:26,880 That's, I mean, that's really thank you, God. 243 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:29,520 Yes. I was like, wow, maybe God 244 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,040 really did send this man. Yeah, just because, you know, 245 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,880 prior to, you know, after going through 12 step class, after 246 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:41,200 doing all of that, one thing I really started to do was pray 247 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:43,200 for my husband. I didn't know who it was. 248 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:45,520 I didn't have a husband at the time, you know what I mean? 249 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,160 But I was praying for my husband. 250 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,480 I had never done that before. Yeah. 251 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,480 And I mean, like, I would get on my knees at night beside my bed, 252 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:56,200 kneel and just pray for whoever my husband was going to be. 253 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:58,480 And I wanted to learn to do that. 254 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,360 And so like you're saying, there was just a whole piece about 255 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:05,920 that day because I felt like or I knew like God, this is from. 256 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,080 God, yeah. And when it is from God, like 257 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:12,080 you do know, right off the roof. And you know what, now that I'm 258 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,600 thinking about it, when me and Greg first started dating, I 259 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,320 told Abby, I said I love that man. 260 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:18,560 And we have been together about two weeks. 261 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:22,160 And she said you don't even know him and just kept on. 262 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,080 And so when y'all started dating and she started like, you know, 263 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:28,160 acting the same way I did, I said you don't even know him, 264 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:30,600 but like, when you know, you know. 265 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:32,280 Yeah. And that's just something you 266 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,720 can't really explain to people like, you know, so. 267 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,360 I I literally told my mom that night after our first date. 268 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:40,800 I was like, I'm going to marry that. 269 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,600 Man. Like, I just know that this is 270 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,120 this isn't like meant to be. That's awesome. 271 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:51,480 So another thing that really stood out to me about Dexter, I 272 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:55,280 think it was our second or third date, I really can't remember, 273 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:59,200 but we had went 8 Mexican, still one of our favorite things to do 274 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,800 period. But afterwards we were just 275 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,600 driving around just talking just because we loved. 276 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,600 I mean, we could talk for hours and hours and hours about so 277 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:15,200 much, but I had this heavy heart about telling him about my past. 278 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:19,120 I was scared to death because I'm like, he's going to run. 279 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,120 Like as soon as I tell him he's going to be done, he's going to 280 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:26,000 look at me like, whoa, you know, this girl is totally different 281 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,800 than any other girl dated. I don't know if I'm ready to 282 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:33,360 like, get into this mess. So I just had a ton of fears. 283 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:37,400 And I didn't want to continue to date him though, without being 284 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,120 transparent because I wanted to give him that opportunity 285 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,920 because I knew from the very beginning that he was such a 286 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:46,400 good man, that he deserved that opportunity to know about my 287 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,800 past and have make that decision for himself that this is 288 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,400 somebody I want to continue to date or I might not be ready for 289 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:57,000 that. So I just remember I was driving 290 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:01,040 and I was freaking out. I mean, my heart was racing 291 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,240 because I knew I needed to tell him and God was saying, you 292 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,360 know, tell him now, like just go ahead and just be honest with 293 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:11,040 him and tell him everything. And so I did. 294 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,160 I was like, you know, this is what's happened in my past. 295 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:18,320 I'm divorced and here's why. And I told him the details. 296 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,360 Why? And he just looked at me and was 297 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:26,200 just like, I knew that already. I just was waiting on you to 298 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:28,240 tell me when you were comfortable to tell me. 299 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,080 But Jesus loves you and Jesus has forgiven you, so I can't 300 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:39,640 look at you any different. And he just came to me with open 301 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,040 arms and I felt like in that moment I was sitting with Jesus. 302 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:46,280 Don't look at yourself like that. 303 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:51,120 You are loved, you are forgiven, and there's nothing else I want 304 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,440 to do other than date you. I mean, you know, that doesn't 305 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:54,520 stop me. Yeah. 306 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,880 So it was just like a huge relief for me. 307 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:00,160 I remember that vividly. I do. 308 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:06,880 I guess my mindset at that time, which, you know, in in in the 309 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,520 past or in past relationships, that probably would have been a 310 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:11,400 red flag. Yeah. 311 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:15,040 That would have been something that would have kind of made me 312 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,680 go, let's re evaluate this a little bit or at least make me 313 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,599 have reservations. But it was like I had none. 314 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:26,079 I knew like I had a piece about Abby. 315 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,840 I knew that she had gone. It's almost like I knew I 316 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:31,880 didn't. I didn't even know her well, but 317 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:36,320 I knew that she had gone through those things to be with me, to 318 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:40,200 like actually meet me. You know, like God had put her 319 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:46,560 through those things in her life, those, those hard times to 320 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:52,000 meet me right where I was at and I was a mess. 321 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,480 Like I didn't have it all together. 322 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:59,680 But for some reason, I, I just, I gave her grace and I, I, it's, 323 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:04,680 it's just kind of hard to explain as to why it was, you 324 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,360 know, done that way or why I said what I said, but. 325 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:09,360 Well, you know when it's ordained by God. 326 00:18:09,360 --> 00:18:12,000 I mean, you don't. You don't have an explanation. 327 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,080 You just know that because sometimes, sometimes, like I 328 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:19,400 remember recently, I was in a position and I'm like, I was 329 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,880 supposed to go down to the altar and help some girls pray and all 330 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,960 this. And I'm like, gosh, I do not 331 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,560 like, I don't know if they tell me that they're ready to get 332 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,440 saved, like I'm scared to walk them through it or whatever, but 333 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,800 like God spoke to me and through me, you know, in that. 334 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,360 And so like that's what you're saying is like in that 335 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:37,080 situation, I mean, that wasn't you. 336 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,080 That was just God speaking through you and saying you have 337 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,400 been forgiven. Who am I to judge you for that? 338 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,800 You know, like, so that's just so big. 339 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,360 And, you know, early on you said that, you know, you grew up in a 340 00:18:48,360 --> 00:18:50,880 Christian household. You saw your parents live out 341 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,160 their faith and stuff like that. And you were like, so I didn't 342 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,320 really experience that stuff, but we didn't experience, you 343 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:58,400 know, having spiritual eyes as a young age. 344 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,320 And so like, when you are in that position, like you had 345 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,920 those spiritual eyes to see that God used that for his glory and 346 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,000 everything else. So like what we would have 347 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,840 thought was, you know, for evil, you already were seeing God had 348 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:14,040 his hand in that like he already, you know, knew all of 349 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:15,600 this and what was it going to come of this? 350 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:17,640 So. That's a huge, that's a huge 351 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,040 testimony to how he was able to show grace. 352 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,000 Yes, because he had been shown grace so much in his life and he 353 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,760 had seen that. So it was just like God working 354 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,520 through him so easily just to, you know, you're forgiven. 355 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:33,200 I'm giving you grace. Yeah. 356 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:35,960 It was, you know, a part of who he was. 357 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,720 Yeah, I, I think, you know, my foundation and my upbringing 358 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:45,560 and, and everything, even though at the time, like I wasn't 100% 359 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:50,080 living for the Lord, but because of how I was raised and the 360 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:54,840 morals that I had and just, you know, my, I guess my, my 361 00:19:54,840 --> 00:20:00,600 spiritual life. I knew that I, I knew how to, I 362 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,800 knew what kind of relationship I wanted and I knew that it was 363 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:08,040 going to take that in order to make this work with Abby. 364 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,680 I knew that it that there, there, there could be no. 365 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,560 You know, fleshly desires with her, there could be no worldly 366 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,960 reaction to her past or what she had done. 367 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:25,560 That's good. You know, So I think, I think I, 368 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,600 I had, I've been taught lesson after lesson after lesson on 369 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:30,960 that my whole life. But here it is. 370 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:32,680 It's got to get put into play now. 371 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,040 Like I know what I got to do. I know all this stuff. 372 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,320 But here, this is the time. Like this is what? 373 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,480 Because here's the thing, I mean, even today, like we 374 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,280 constantly have to show each other grace. 375 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:45,960 You know, we're not perfect in our marriage and I'm not perfect 376 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:47,440 in my life. He's not either. 377 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:51,840 So, you know, it's like from the RIP we, we did that with each 378 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:55,320 other and it's almost made the foundation of just forgiveness 379 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:59,240 and grace like that much easier in our relationship just because 380 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:02,080 it started that way. Yeah, you know, the 381 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,360 communication was good right off the RIP. 382 00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:06,960 Yes, that's crazy. That's awesome transparency. 383 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:12,240 So y'all you, you, you tell him where all you've been, what all 384 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:16,560 you've done, all this stuff and you know, he's just like I, I'm, 385 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:18,120 who am I, you know, to judge you. 386 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,040 And so like, that's a whole different thing too. 387 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:24,200 That just shows right off the RIP a different type of person 388 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,240 that you know, you, you haven't experienced or haven't been 389 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:27,800 with. So. 390 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,960 So what else in y'all's relationship was different than 391 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,520 anything? Gosh, I mean, there was so much 392 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:41,840 that was just so different. Everything that we wanted or saw 393 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:48,000 in a future lined up and that would that was really, you know, 394 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:52,000 we wanted our relationship to be founded on the gospel. 395 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:55,600 So, you know, giving our, having our hearts, really following the 396 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:57,960 Lord and doing the relationship his way. 397 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:01,920 Yeah, that's how we wanted to raise kids if we ever had kids, 398 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,680 just because we knew especially him knew the difference. 399 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:09,640 Or, you know, Saul, growing up in in that Christian home, in 400 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,080 that Christian environment and just having that stability, 401 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,480 there were so many other things that just lined up with who we 402 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,720 are, you know? Well, you know, and when I'm 403 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,880 thinking of that is how we talked about earlier or last 404 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:28,280 week that the grandfather going to church every single Sunday 405 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,000 and then it drops off and then it becomes optional and then the 406 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,480 next one's non existent. And like for Dexter, you know, 407 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,920 his generations are there, you know, so like he is bringing. 408 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:40,360 So that's something that we both wanted, you know, as we said, 409 00:22:40,360 --> 00:22:44,160 and and so that like watching his family like attend every 410 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,200 single Sunday, you know, not just those church, church Sunday 411 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,400 churchgoers, like they're involved, they're in a 412 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,280 community, they're walking it out like and everything. 413 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,280 And so like him doing the same now, you know, and leading your 414 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,080 family in the same way that his dad led his family. 415 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:02,120 Like it's just such a testament of what we talked about of those 416 00:23:02,120 --> 00:23:04,640 generations, you know? And I just love that because 417 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,120 y'all are raising y'all's daughter that way, you know? 418 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,920 And. So I'll say another thing is too 419 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:15,200 about Abby and I. You know, they say that you 420 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:19,360 marry the person, but you also marry their family, right? 421 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,400 So OK, let's touch on that a little bit. 422 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:24,360 Blessed. Dexter. 423 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:31,720 So, you know, I'll say that our families meshed very well, very 424 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,480 fast. You know, basically when they 425 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,560 met, it was kind of like, you know, you kind of get that first 426 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:41,720 little awkward like uptight dinner or something, you know, 427 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,160 something like that. But and it was like after that, 428 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:48,920 like they, you know, they were all the same people. 429 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:51,760 I mean, our dads were watching NASCAR races together. 430 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:55,240 I mean, you know, we we were all in a hunting club before we knew 431 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:58,040 anything else. I mean, we were all just kind of 432 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:04,120 intertwined like within weeks. And you know, I think that's a 433 00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:09,400 that's a just a big testament to I guess that gives you like some 434 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:12,000 somewhat of a reassurance, right? 435 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,640 Somewhat of a reassurance when you know, you meet somebody, 436 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:19,880 you're really attracted to them, you you really like that person. 437 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,840 But if it really becomes serious or you think that it can be 438 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:30,640 serious, like that's more of a reassurance and more of a green 439 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:32,320 light. OK, this is good. 440 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:34,760 You know, our families actually like each other. 441 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,960 They like me. My family likes her like that's. 442 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,960 There are so many things happening that just really 443 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:44,400 showed us more and more like this is meant to be. 444 00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:48,640 But I will say, you know, when we were first started talking 445 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:53,000 and dating, another thing that just sticks out is a memory of 446 00:24:53,120 --> 00:24:56,320 what was so different about this relationship was I just remember 447 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:58,680 having like, a really raw conversation with Dexter and 448 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:00,840 being like, you know, do you party? 449 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:02,720 Like, do you go out to bars and drink and stuff? 450 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:06,360 And at the time, he was really like, no, I'm not really into 451 00:25:06,360 --> 00:25:11,000 that scene or really like a bar person and going out and living 452 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:13,520 that kind of life. So I mean, that was like, oh, 453 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:16,120 wow, OK, that's great. At the time, it was hard to, you 454 00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:18,520 know, find that, you know, all of our guy friends. 455 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:21,920 That's just what you did. But then I remember, too, he was 456 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:24,240 like, yeah, my parents don't drink or anything either. 457 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:25,640 Like, you know, they're Christians. 458 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:28,400 They raised this in a Christian home. 459 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,520 And I was like, wow, that's awesome because neither do my 460 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:32,360 parents. Like, that's just going to be. 461 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,760 It just makes it so much easier. And I'm not saying that every 462 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,080 relationship will only work that way. 463 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,320 Yeah, Right. I mean, anything God can make 464 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,880 good out of anything. But I'm just saying that was 465 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,120 just things that really stood out to us. 466 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:48,400 That was like, OK, wow, you know, this. 467 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,520 It just gets easier and easier. Yeah, because I like right when 468 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:54,400 y'all first started dating, y'all's parents met. 469 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,560 I mean, they really did like. Best friends. 470 00:25:56,720 --> 00:26:00,440 Best friends, Mike and John besties for the rest. 471 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,240 Yeah. You know, so it's like in the 472 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,760 end, like when you come to find out that, you know, John doesn't 473 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,720 drink and your dad's, you know, sober and, you know, like fall 474 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,240 in the Lord and had broke those chains of addiction and 475 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:13,800 everything. It's like, well, they were 476 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,720 destined to be best friends too, you know? 477 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:18,800 Like. Yeah, so and then, and then I'll 478 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,160 say another thing about just our families. 479 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:26,160 So what Abby had to tell me, you know, on our second or third 480 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:31,680 date about her past, she also told my family. 481 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:37,720 So the fact that I had the reaction that I had with the 482 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:42,360 grace that I was able to show my family also had the same 483 00:26:42,360 --> 00:26:45,880 reaction. And I remember that conversation 484 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,080 vividly, too. I mean, you know, my parents are 485 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:52,000 sitting on one couch across the living room and we're sitting on 486 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,560 another. And Abby just lays it all out. 487 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:57,680 So how did that conversation like come about? 488 00:26:57,680 --> 00:26:59,480 Like you just called your parents was like hey, we need to 489 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,880 talk to y'all or. Yeah, I don't think it was 490 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:06,120 planned like that. I think we were just, I don't, I 491 00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:09,440 don't really remember the setting, but I mean, I think we 492 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:13,720 had kind of talked about some things and and Abby. 493 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,600 Well, their favorite thing to do is like later in the evenings, 494 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:22,360 which is when we would all hang out, we'd all be making cups of 495 00:27:22,360 --> 00:27:23,880 coffee and eating like some dessert. 496 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,040 Yeah, coffee with honey in it. Yes, honey. 497 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,080 And so we would all just sit around the living room and just 498 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:33,120 kind of talk and stuff. And cuz I don't really remember 499 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,360 the exact setting day, what we were doing, but I just know that 500 00:27:36,360 --> 00:27:38,680 that was kind of a part of what we would do when we would all 501 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:40,720 hang out with each other and stuff in the evenings. 502 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:44,080 Because really and truly, he loved being with my family. 503 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,480 You know, as much as I loved being around his, it didn't 504 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:47,880 always just have to be me and Dexter. 505 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,120 We actually loved all hanging out together. 506 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:52,320 Yeah, y'all need like a compound. 507 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:54,720 Y'all all just live on the same property, yeah? 508 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:56,240 Yeah. You know, mine actually has. 509 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:58,200 He's Tracy. He would love that he. 510 00:27:58,200 --> 00:27:59,520 Would love it. Yeah, he would. 511 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:01,720 John specifically like just being right there. 512 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:04,960 But yeah, nobody would be in their own house is the problem. 513 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:10,320 Right. Anyway, so just to kind of wrap 514 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:15,440 that up, I mean, I just remember like my parents just like 515 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:19,960 rapping Abby in love, you know, they just hugged her and was 516 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:25,560 like, we're we're here for you. Like we we are like we're no 517 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:27,280 better. We're no better. 518 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,640 Just because we don't have the same testimony that you do, 519 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:35,920 like, doesn't mean that you're not accepted into our family. 520 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:41,280 And I think that at that point, like, that was all I needed. 521 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:44,320 Yeah. Like that was kind of it for me. 522 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:45,280 Delivered. Yeah. 523 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:47,000 Like I was ready. Yeah. 524 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,920 So we had all of these things happening whenever we first 525 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:52,400 started dating. That was just giving us 526 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:55,720 reassurance after reassurance that this was meant to be and 527 00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:58,000 that this was, you know, ultimately going to work out. 528 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:02,960 And there's a verse, always love verses that just, you know, 529 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,560 stick out to me. At that time, it was Romans 827 530 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:08,520 through 28. And the Father who knows all 531 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:10,640 hearts knows what the Spirit is saying. 532 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:13,880 For the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's 533 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:15,880 own will. And we know that God causes 534 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,480 everything to work together for the good of those who love God 535 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,000 and are called according to his purpose for them. 536 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:26,360 So God had a plan to work all of that mess out for good and for 537 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:31,080 God to receive all of the glory. And that was really evident in 538 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:33,120 our relationship even from the very beginning. 539 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:37,000 First date. It was destined, it was peace. 540 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:38,200 Yep. Yeah, yeah. 541 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:41,840 So I mean from that point on just the first initial dates it 542 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:47,840 was we were together every day at some point, sometimes all 543 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:51,560 day. You just, but I will say that a 544 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:56,520 very, a very consistent thing that we stuck with was we, we 545 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:58,040 send each other verses every day. 546 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:59,840 We would send each other worship songs. 547 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:04,640 You know, we would always, always, always some at some 548 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:09,720 point in the day try to turn back to the Lord, just try to 549 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:14,680 have some sort of Scripture, prayer, worship, whatever it 550 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:19,640 was, you know, and I, I truly think that, you know, that was 551 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:20,960 vital for us. Yeah. 552 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,000 And knowing that God had put this together, we really, you 553 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:29,800 know, wanted to honor him and have a strong foundation because 554 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:32,440 it's not always going to be butterflies and rainbows while 555 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:35,720 you're married. But no matter what happens 556 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:38,280 during your marriage, no matter what trials you're going through 557 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:42,240 in life, money, marriage, kids, everything else, you fall back 558 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:45,720 to that foundation. We want our foundation founded 559 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:49,320 on God and we wanted to do things his way and not, you 560 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:53,160 know, live in sexual sin and and try to and abstain from that for 561 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,000 marriage and to have that part of, you know, that foundation 562 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:58,240 because neither one of us had been perfect. 563 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:01,240 I mean, and we really weren't even perfect in our dating gears 564 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:04,040 and when we had gotten engaged, but that was something that we 565 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:05,400 really wanted. That's. 566 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:07,320 Why y'all got married so fast? Six months later. 567 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:13,160 It was like 7. I know that was I was so happy 568 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:18,000 for y'all, so happy. I was so mad at Greg because we 569 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,480 have been dating like three years at that point, like 570 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,800 everything. And I'm like, they just started 571 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:27,880 dating and I know like it's, it's everybody has their own 572 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:29,520 steps. Everybody has their own path and 573 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:31,480 everything. But I was like, I'm so happy for 574 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:34,520 you, you know, like, sorry Greg. Yeah. 575 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:37,160 Now I, you know, they're a month later, I think. 576 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:43,120 You're welcome. Yes, thank you. 577 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:44,880 Thank you. There's so pretty good things 578 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,120 out of y'all's. Relationship, but I'll never 579 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:50,840 forget my dad because, gosh, he just always goes back to the 580 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:52,720 word, you know, he's just going to take you back there. 581 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:54,560 Hey. And he looked at me and he said, 582 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:58,400 Abby, you're not going to answer to anybody on this earth. 583 00:31:58,440 --> 00:31:59,560 Yeah. The only person you're going to 584 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:01,840 answer to is the Lord. And so if he's telling you to do 585 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:04,840 something or you need to do something without living in sin, 586 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:06,960 you need to do it. Yeah. 587 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:10,120 He's the only person I'm going to answer to nothing. 588 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:11,280 No. But you know, nothing else 589 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:13,000 matters. And so many times we live our 590 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:17,000 life so concerned about what people in this world are going 591 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:18,920 to say. And we aren't even concerned 592 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:20,680 about what the Lord is saying about us. 593 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:24,840 And so it was just something that stuck with me and and you 594 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:28,080 know, I just had to move forward with it and not care what the 595 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,720 world and was looking at me like or what people were saying is 596 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:32,600 like, what is the Lord he will be pleased with? 597 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:36,120 This and I think that's all aspects of life, you know like 598 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:40,640 as something as silly as TikTok OK, cuz y'all know I've been 599 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:44,880 posting non-stop, but like I've gotten to the play the point 600 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:48,160 where I really just don't care yeah I'm like I'm making these 601 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,920 tik toks all about God. You know, like, and if people 602 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:53,840 are going to make fun of me for talking about God and being bold 603 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:57,440 and just trying to let other people see that like following 604 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:01,240 God's fun, we have a great time with God, we got a great 605 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:03,720 relationship, life is good, like all this stuff. 606 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:08,440 And so like it's just something like that, you know, be just, 607 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:10,240 who cares what people are saying? 608 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:13,760 Like the only person we have to answer to is God, and he's going 609 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:15,960 to be proud of me for making them tick tocks about. 610 00:33:15,960 --> 00:33:19,800 Him, that's right, you know, can I hold it up to him and he be 611 00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:21,720 proud and that's all that should matter. 612 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:24,440 Yep, exactly. All right so y'all have been 613 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,160 married for how long? I would know, but I wasn't 614 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:29,280 invited to the wedding so. Well, nobody was. 615 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:31,560 Well, COVID, COVID. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 616 00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:37,080 January 16th, 2021. How has that been, You know, 617 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:40,120 walking it out like what do y'all have in y'all's marriage 618 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:43,840 that like, you know, this is what a Christian marriage should 619 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:45,880 look like. This is the some principles that 620 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,720 y'all carry all that like. Tell us a little bit about that. 621 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:55,400 Well, I'll say from my side, I mean, when we first got married, 622 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:58,280 I, I will say that my relationship with the Lord was 623 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:05,600 still very lukewarm. I had God in, in a box, you 624 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:10,080 know, and I would reach in that box whenever I needed them. 625 00:34:11,159 --> 00:34:16,159 So, you know, as the leader of the household, that can 626 00:34:16,159 --> 00:34:22,199 sometimes affect you a little bit, being that it allows, you 627 00:34:22,199 --> 00:34:26,960 know, you to still kind of have one foot in the world and one 628 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:28,840 foot in the world. Yeah. 629 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:37,040 So that being said, we had some ups and we had some downs, yeah. 630 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:42,159 And probably didn't lead as well as I should have. 631 00:34:42,159 --> 00:34:45,080 And I know we're kind of Fast forward with this, but as I 632 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:50,920 became a father, I remember like growing up, my parents never, 633 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:55,080 never drank. I never saw them drink ever. 634 00:34:55,520 --> 00:35:00,320 As a kid, when I became a father, I was still drinking, 635 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:07,240 you know, And that was just a big conviction that I had. 636 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:10,600 I know what's right. I know what I'm supposed to do 637 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:12,360 and I've been taught it my whole life. 638 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:17,320 Yet I'm still trying to, trying to hold on to this one thing or 639 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:22,040 these couple things that I want. And it really was just again, 640 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:25,240 going back to other people's views of you is really just to 641 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:31,080 be and feel accepted by some of those people you know, and, and, 642 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:35,440 but still act like and go to church and still act like. 643 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:37,160 I had it checked. In boxes. 644 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:40,120 Yeah, right. So I really, really got 645 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:45,320 convicted and I really will say that, you know, I I just had a 646 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:50,360 full devotion to my walk when I became a father because of my 647 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:52,840 upbringing, not seeing my parents. 648 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:54,960 So I didn't want my daughter to see that. 649 00:35:55,120 --> 00:36:00,160 And that's really when my my fire got lit. 650 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:03,520 Yeah. So, and I know that, you know, 651 00:36:03,720 --> 00:36:08,080 on the marriage side of things like that obviously helped my 652 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:12,440 marriage too, you know, our marriage because there were 653 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:17,080 sometimes that I, you know, just didn't make the right decisions 654 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:21,960 or just was unavailable for Abby because I was still half in, 655 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:23,400 half out. So. 656 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,080 You got to constantly work at it. 657 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:28,720 You know, you can't just get married. 658 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:32,160 And it's like, all right, we're married happily ever after. 659 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:35,160 It's great because you fall behind. 660 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:39,640 So it's just something that you constantly want to work on each 661 00:36:39,640 --> 00:36:43,720 other with, just continuing to get to know somebody. 662 00:36:43,720 --> 00:36:46,840 Because Dexter is not the same Dexter I met even four years 663 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,880 ago. You know, we change and evolve 664 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,920 and, and have certain passions and those passions change 665 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:57,640 whenever you have kids, you know, So it's just constantly 666 00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:00,240 learning each other and constantly learning, you know, 667 00:37:00,240 --> 00:37:04,640 who God made this man to be. And, and you know, it works the 668 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:07,800 same way with your faith. And, and that's what I think 669 00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:13,080 it's so hard sometimes to do because we work on so many other 670 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,600 aspects on our life. And the, you know, one thing 671 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:19,760 that we need to be working on really in order is our faith 672 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,360 with God and our relationship with him should be #1 and that's 673 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:24,280 something that we got to work at. 674 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:28,160 Cuz I, you know, I got to know him more every day, just like I 675 00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:29,640 got to know my husband more every day. 676 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:31,960 And it just takes that constant work. 677 00:37:33,240 --> 00:37:39,200 So I'll say too, like I had my, my foundation of, you know, 678 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:42,720 being raised in a Christian household and family, but you 679 00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:47,000 know, I didn't really incorporate that into my 680 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:53,680 marriage until I myself started being on fire and having a close 681 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:58,720 relationship with the Lord. So, you know, and, and I knew 682 00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:04,160 like my, my, our marriage was not going to be successful even 683 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:08,520 though I had that foundation and we had that foundation, if I 684 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:12,440 didn't walk with the Lord every day as a man, as the leader of 685 00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:14,920 the household, it was not going to end well. 686 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:19,520 It was like I've said this before about being under your 687 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:24,240 parents umbrella, right? The same thing with like with 688 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:28,200 our spiritual walks, like we learn about God, we're under 689 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:30,800 their umbrella, but it seems like, you know, you finally 690 00:38:30,800 --> 00:38:33,760 stepped out of that umbrella and you got your own umbrella now. 691 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:36,400 Like you are covering your family with that spiritual 692 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,040 instead of just having your parents, you know. 693 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:42,840 So that is just like, I guess it's just the longer that we 694 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:44,680 walk with him, we start noticing things. 695 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:47,680 And so that conviction started hitting you stronger, like once 696 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:50,400 you had your own family, right? Yes. 697 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:54,440 And I honestly didn't even know about the alcohol like y'all had 698 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:59,080 stopped drinking until literally I think last week, last week. 699 00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:01,400 And Abby told me it's been since February. 700 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:05,480 It is what month is it? October, October. 701 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:08,880 And I'm like Oh my gosh, like because me I'm loud about 702 00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:10,760 everything. I'm going to tell her I'm one 703 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:13,200 month and whatever you know. And I've done that the whole way 704 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:14,920 through. But me and Abby were just like 705 00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:16,560 texting her something. She was like girl, I haven't 706 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:20,520 drank since February. And I'm like like I genuinely 707 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:23,600 had no idea because we've hung out and stuff and like I just 708 00:39:23,680 --> 00:39:25,800 don't pay. I try not to pay attention. 709 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:29,120 And when we were in Steinhatchee, I even like talked 710 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:32,840 to Abby and your dad about like how I struggled one night that 711 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:35,400 we were around that and I'm like, Oh my gosh, like I felt 712 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:38,480 out of place. Y'all wasn't even drinking. 713 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:43,480 Like the enemy put that in my head though, because I guess I 714 00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:46,240 had really thought you were the only one, that I was the only 715 00:39:46,240 --> 00:39:48,560 one. Oh my gosh, I'm so different. 716 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:49,800 Like I can't even fit in with y'all. 717 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:53,560 Y'all weren't even drinking. Y'all are cyber. 718 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:57,240 Too applaud y'all too, because that is awesome because kids are 719 00:39:57,240 --> 00:40:02,200 so like I think we talked about this in episode or part one yeah 720 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:07,560 last week and how. Kids copy and mirror and they 721 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:12,320 learn and absorb things and they see how just normal it is to 722 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:15,240 have drinks and, you know, all this stuff and even you saying 723 00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:17,360 like, you don't even remember your parents arguing. 724 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:20,640 And I know me and Greg's a little bit different too, 725 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:24,080 because his kids are grown. And so even when we first got 726 00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:26,440 married, I'm like, or started dating, I'm like, I don't want 727 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:29,520 to argue in front of them, you know, like, I want them to see 728 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:31,800 us as like happy and peaceful and all this stuff. 729 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:35,440 And that is something that I just think would be awesome, you 730 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:39,280 know, as a child growing up in, you know, I'm not seeing those 731 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:40,640 things that's. What we want, that's what we 732 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:44,960 ultimately decided, you know, cuz we weren't heavy drinkers 733 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:48,120 and like, you know, going, I mean, that wasn't, you know, it 734 00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:50,800 was just an occasional drink here and there kind of thing 735 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:53,000 that was still kind of a part of our life. 736 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,720 But we just knew, you know, ultimately, after having sat in 737 00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:03,400 that, why, you know, just give them everything, you know, even 738 00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:07,880 because you try to hold on to those little things and, and 739 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:11,120 it's just really it's you just got to give it all up, you know, 740 00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:12,920 especially like we're talking about. 741 00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:15,520 We don't want Sutton to ever see us in that light. 742 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:17,720 Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 743 00:41:17,720 --> 00:41:22,120 It's just a really strong conviction that that I had 744 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:27,040 personally. It's just, you know, I didn't 745 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:30,400 drink during Abby's pregnancy. You know, I went that whole time 746 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:33,360 because, I mean, I just feel like that's a little rude. 747 00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:39,200 But anyway, so, you know, started drinking it a little 748 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:42,520 bit, you know, socially and stuff after Sutton was born. 749 00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:45,600 And you know, there's just a couple times where she's just a 750 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:49,240 baby and like, you know, she, she wants to come up and grab 751 00:41:49,240 --> 00:41:50,800 the can that daddy's drinking out of. 752 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:56,920 And like, that's just, that was just a heavy conviction that I 753 00:41:56,920 --> 00:42:01,160 wasn't OK with. And God just just kept saying, 754 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:04,560 like you're saying you don't want to be lukewarm, yet here 755 00:42:04,560 --> 00:42:06,240 you are. Like, what are you doing? 756 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:11,920 You know, I mean so. For us, when we decided to stop 757 00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:17,040 drinking, it's not that we weren't trying to not live for 758 00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:19,480 the Lord because we were, you know, there were so many things 759 00:42:19,720 --> 00:42:22,960 that was changing within our hearts over those, you know, few 760 00:42:23,120 --> 00:42:25,800 months, first year of marriage, second year of marriage. 761 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:30,640 And we did still love the Lord and, and we're trying, you know, 762 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:32,800 to do right and, and live for him. 763 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:36,520 But you know, that's something that he's revealed to me is the 764 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:38,640 importance of getting to know him. 765 00:42:39,040 --> 00:42:43,720 But, you know, do you love him fully and, and want to live for 766 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:47,520 him fully because, you know, there's a huge difference to 767 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:49,520 love what he did versus loving him? 768 00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:52,120 And, you know, that is one of those things where it's like the 769 00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:55,760 longer you walk with him, the convictions get stronger about 770 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:58,800 things, you know, because when I first surrendered and I first 771 00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:02,040 like, really started walking and being on fire for him, I'm like, 772 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:03,920 I'll still drink a little bit here and there. 773 00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:06,920 And then the longer I went, I'd be like, oh, never mind. 774 00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:08,080 It's like, I don't want to do this. 775 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:12,000 And then I even remember telling somebody I was like, there, I'm 776 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:16,400 going to vape until I die. Like I am going to continue to 777 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:18,520 yes. Like I, I cannot give it up. 778 00:43:18,520 --> 00:43:21,480 I'm not going to, I don't know a life without vaping because I, I 779 00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:25,160 mean, I smoke cigarettes from like such a young age of like 14 780 00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:27,480 or something, you know, so I'm like, I can't. 781 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:30,440 And then the longer I walked with him and the closer I got 782 00:43:30,440 --> 00:43:33,920 with him, I'm like, no, take it like I don't want to. 783 00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:36,560 I remember crying about it. Like, I want to be free from 784 00:43:36,560 --> 00:43:38,840 that. And so it's one of those things, 785 00:43:38,840 --> 00:43:41,240 the longer you walk, the more you get convicted about things. 786 00:43:41,680 --> 00:43:45,360 Is there something more recently or something just overall that 787 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,040 God has really revealed something to y'all and that 788 00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:52,440 y'all might maybe want to share just to the listeners or to me 789 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:55,240 'cause y'all are really throwing me for loops? 790 00:43:56,520 --> 00:44:01,160 Yeah, I think God has really revealed to me that, I mean, 791 00:44:01,160 --> 00:44:05,400 this sounds crazy, but that I actually have a testimony. 792 00:44:05,720 --> 00:44:11,440 Yes, I've been saved for 21 of my 28 years and I, I just, I 793 00:44:11,480 --> 00:44:13,840 thought like, OK, I got saved at a young age. 794 00:44:13,840 --> 00:44:16,680 Like I hadn't really been through anything traumatic. 795 00:44:16,680 --> 00:44:21,720 I haven't, I don't have these, these stories that, you know, 796 00:44:21,720 --> 00:44:24,520 these people get up and they give their testimonies and they 797 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:27,480 win hearts for the Lord. And like, I don't have any of 798 00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:29,360 that. That doesn't mean I don't have a 799 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:30,520 testimony. Exactly. 800 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:35,760 I still have a testimony I do and and I don't really like I 801 00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:38,400 couldn't get up there and give it all to you right now. 802 00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:42,000 Like, I don't have all of the details of it, but just that's 803 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:44,640 what God has really revealed to me recently. 804 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:47,200 Yeah. God has really just put, like, 805 00:44:47,280 --> 00:44:50,560 those two words on my heart. Like, Dexter, you've been really 806 00:44:50,560 --> 00:44:54,720 quiet and really comfortable, you know, as far as spreading 807 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:55,560 the good news. Yeah. 808 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:59,360 You know, I'm trying to really work through that and figure 809 00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:04,280 out, OK, how do I use my story, be it that it's not what 810 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:07,080 somebody else says is, but it's mine. 811 00:45:07,120 --> 00:45:10,200 How can I use that to win hearts for Jesus? 812 00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:14,280 Yeah, I feel like I like, I mean, I know that I have a 813 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:17,120 testimony and I've dealt with traumatic things and all this 814 00:45:17,120 --> 00:45:20,240 stuff, but it's like I didn't really know like how it would 815 00:45:20,240 --> 00:45:24,520 even play out until I really started my 12 step and me and 816 00:45:24,520 --> 00:45:26,800 Abby talked about 12 step or whatever. 817 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:30,280 And like I didn't know really any of those things until I 818 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:32,560 started that and I started diving deeper into that. 819 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:34,880 And then I'm like, wow, I need to speak up. 820 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:37,280 Like, because this, this can help people. 821 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:39,120 Like this can bring people to Jesus. 822 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:42,600 Like, this is exactly what I've seen my whole life, but here I 823 00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:44,120 am. I need to be doing it for 824 00:45:44,120 --> 00:45:46,240 myself, you know, and doing it for others. 825 00:45:46,240 --> 00:45:49,160 So yeah, I mean, everybody has a testimony, right? 826 00:45:49,640 --> 00:45:53,760 Yeah, for sure. I think the thing for me is that 827 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:57,200 when you know, you think you've completely messed up your life 828 00:45:57,200 --> 00:46:01,080 and you're just completely broken, that God really and 829 00:46:01,080 --> 00:46:05,200 truly is the master at taking something broken and making it 830 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:06,880 more beautiful than the original. 831 00:46:07,360 --> 00:46:09,880 But we just kind of give them all those pieces to do it with. 832 00:46:10,720 --> 00:46:14,640 And so, you know, for me, that's just something that I hope that 833 00:46:14,640 --> 00:46:17,400 people see from listening to this. 834 00:46:17,720 --> 00:46:20,320 You know, at the very end, it's like, OK, Fast forward through 835 00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:22,080 everything else. Just listen to this at the end 836 00:46:23,200 --> 00:46:27,960 because really and truly all that has manifested from, you 837 00:46:27,960 --> 00:46:30,760 know, our story. And since my dad gave his heart 838 00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:34,600 to Christ, it took one person. And my parents, after being 839 00:46:34,600 --> 00:46:38,800 divorced for 18 years, got remarried and they're going on 840 00:46:38,800 --> 00:46:43,080 10 years of being remarried, restored their relationship. 841 00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:47,520 Another thing is, you know, God restored my life that I thought 842 00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:50,960 was so broken and and gave me a husband. 843 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:54,320 And now we have a daughter. She's 2 and just the brightest 844 00:46:54,320 --> 00:46:55,960 light that. Loves the Lord. 845 00:46:56,000 --> 00:46:58,880 Loves the Lord, loves the Lord If you're listening to praises 846 00:46:58,880 --> 00:47:01,840 in the pod and you hear a little girl talking, that's her. 847 00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:06,440 But just, you know, seeing those things and seeing our marriage 848 00:47:06,440 --> 00:47:08,840 and seeing my parents and now seeing, you know, your life 849 00:47:08,840 --> 00:47:10,640 restored. If there's just one thing I hope 850 00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:14,080 that people you'll see is you take all of that brokenness and 851 00:47:14,080 --> 00:47:16,640 you put it in the hand of the Father and it's no longer 852 00:47:16,640 --> 00:47:19,760 broken. This revelations 1211, they 853 00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:22,560 triumph over him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their 854 00:47:22,560 --> 00:47:25,400 testimony. And that is why I wanted to 855 00:47:25,400 --> 00:47:28,200 start praises in the pod. This right here, because y'all 856 00:47:28,200 --> 00:47:31,200 have y'all's own stories and y'all can impact so many more 857 00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:34,120 people than like, just me getting on here every week 858 00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:37,560 talking like, because we've lived different lives, you know? 859 00:47:37,560 --> 00:47:41,720 And so showing people what all you've went through, it allows 860 00:47:41,720 --> 00:47:43,320 them to see what God can do for them. 861 00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:46,160 So yeah, any last things that y'all have? 862 00:47:47,240 --> 00:47:51,920 Thank you for having us. We appreciate it you. 863 00:47:51,920 --> 00:47:54,360 Wouldn't be doing this if you didn't start it, yeah. 864 00:47:54,360 --> 00:47:56,120 Yeah, absolutely. This is awesome. 865 00:47:56,160 --> 00:47:57,560 Yeah. All right, guys. 866 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:00,840 So thank you so much for joining us today. 867 00:48:00,840 --> 00:48:06,360 We hope the battery's exhausted. Bro. 868 00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:09,800 I think you got in what you needed though, like right at the 869 00:48:09,800 --> 00:48:12,000 end. Hello 870 00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:35,160 love you Jesus. Can you say the blessing?