บทถอดความฉบับเต็มของ Catching Up with Christians: EP 4 - Chris Salvey, Assistant Baseball Coach at Bonner-Prendie High School

Instagram and I was looking at it and I was like man, this dude, he has all the odds stacked against them and he's still going out and doing all this stuff with baseball. 00:05:43.644 --> 00:06:06.954 You're going to the winter meetings, like that's how you met Joe, right, like yeah, the winter meetings, but you know, yeah, yeah, whatever it was, yep yep, yeah, so I'm like he's traveling, he's doing all this stuff, still playing fortnight, right, like you know, it's since then. 00:06:06.954 --> 00:06:36.266 You know I'm like we've talked about it before, but it's like, dude, you're an inspiration, like not just for me, and I truly mean that, but for so many people that you don't even realize, right, I bring you to this place, where I brought you to one of my workouts, practices, and you clicked with the guys right away, right, so it's, I love you, dude, and I truly mean that, and you're an inspiration to a lot of people. 00:06:36.266 --> 00:06:44.447 And you know, I don't even know how to say no, I appreciate that, man. 00:06:44.548 --> 00:06:46.290 I mean it's definitely mutual. 00:06:46.290 --> 00:06:49.788 You know you, you talk about being an inch. 00:06:49.788 --> 00:06:51.214 You know me being an inspiration man. 00:06:51.214 --> 00:06:59.786 You, you've been there for seasons of my life to, just in a short period of time short story we'll kind of dive into that. 00:06:59.786 --> 00:07:03.480 You know it's not a short story but I'll make it one. 00:07:03.560 --> 00:07:08.709 But I had surgery about a little over four months ago now. 00:07:08.709 --> 00:07:14.846 That was to fix my left arm I had broken a few years ago. 00:07:14.846 --> 00:07:24.127 And you know my doctors, specialists, are in Delaware and about what is that? 00:07:24.127 --> 00:07:51.343 35, 40 minutes from where you live, like this part of Delaware, yeah, 30, yeah, okay, cool, yeah, so about 30 minutes you know from, for one, chris is at and you know, at this time, you know we really only knew each other from the video game and we knew each other, we had each other's number, we talked and we game when we're available and talk baseball and really just have conversations. 00:07:51.504 --> 00:08:03.485 But I was going into the season of my life where I was about to have a really serious surgery and it had been about six years since I've had a surgery, all glory to God. 00:08:03.485 --> 00:08:09.767 But I said, hey, man, you know I'm gonna be in town, let's, let's connect. 00:08:09.767 --> 00:08:10.810 Before my surgery. 00:08:10.810 --> 00:08:13.420 You know I'd love to do something. 00:08:13.420 --> 00:08:19.704 You know, just kind of keep your mind off it and be surrounded by someone that you know you enjoy spending time with. 00:08:19.704 --> 00:08:23.221 So and you know I was like, hey, man, let's connect. 00:08:23.221 --> 00:08:26.271 You said absolutely, you know, I got a. 00:08:26.271 --> 00:08:29.139 I got together practice going on. 00:08:29.300 --> 00:08:34.174 You

know, this day, if you're available, like pull up kind of thing. 00:08:34.174 --> 00:08:44.990 And you know I was like, you know, absolutely I love coaching high school and you use guys, it's so much fun to me and I'll never forget. 00:08:44.990 --> 00:08:51.071 I was like going to my appointments and I just like a lot of surgery. 00:08:51.071 --> 00:08:56.884 You got to go to like your pre-op appointments, right, you got to go to like different specialists, you know, to make sure you're clear to go to surgery. 00:08:56.884 --> 00:09:06.490 And I pull up to one of my first appointments and I'm like, yeah, you know I might be a little late to tomorrow just because, like, I got a practice in the morning. 00:09:06.490 --> 00:09:08.163 You know they're like what I'm like. 00:09:08.163 --> 00:09:24.640 Yeah, you know they're like, but I thought your teams in Ohio, I was like it is, but you know us coaches, you know we stick together and my boys got a practice in the morning and and I'm gonna be there and and and give my best to these guys, and if I'm a little late to my pulmonology appointment, I'm sorry, you know. 00:09:24.662 --> 00:09:41.493 I mean like, well, we got baseball to work out so and so they came out and you know he probably didn't realize you probably didn't realize how much that meant to me to really just like clear my mind. 00:09:41.493 --> 00:09:48.149 You know, I mean I knew God had a plan for the surgery and I knew he was gonna guide the doctors and I knew I had an amazing team. 00:09:48.149 --> 00:10:14.674 But you still have that, you know, sometimes overwhelming, kind of like, you know, discomfort feeling and that type of stuff and and baseball is truly one of my happy places and being around people that understand the game and have a passion for the game and on teaching the players the right thing, like I thrive in those environments and they give me so much peace and allowed me to, you know, just kind of escape in a sense. 00:10:14.674 --> 00:10:47.620 But I just want to thank you for that as well, because that was a really big, impactful moment for me and, like I said, I even from that moment to knew that man, this guy, really means business, considering, you know we only met, you know, on fortnight and playstation and whatever, and but going from that to being like hey, come on out to so-and-so for practice, you know, when you barely knew me, in a way we knew each other, but you know you really don't know so until you meet him in person. 00:10:48.965 --> 00:10:51.090 So I really appreciate you for that. 00:10:51.090 --> 00:10:52.614 It means a lot. 00:10:52.614 --> 00:10:56.024 And so what was that practice like to you? 00:10:56.024 --> 00:10:58.979 I'm trying to think that practice, you know, I tried to. 00:10:58.979 --> 00:11:01.854 I think I tried to like implement some things with the guys. 00:11:01.854 --> 00:11:03.881 I do you recall that practice at all? 00:11:04.023 --> 00:11:25.457 I don't, I don't really necessarily remember too much yeah, you came twice yep if you don't remember no, I do right, you came in the one time in the summer yep yeah, the first one you came up for, just your. 00:11:25.477 --> 00:11:27.625 Was it just your doctor's appointment? 00:11:28.450 --> 00:11:32.485 yeah, it was like the pre-surgery was a fur Allen no, that was for me. 00:11:32.485 --> 00:11:34.431 That was the pre-surgery appointment. 00:11:35.192 --> 00:11:58.403 Yeah, okay, so I came up so that that was, um, that was our summer workouts when I wanted you to come, you know, kind of speak to the guys, you know, give them a little bit of your story, what you've been through, what you're going through, just kind of like a perspective thing, you know. 00:11:58.403 --> 00:11:58.703 I mean. 00:11:58.703 --> 00:12:16.860 So we went through that, that one day I actually had my little brother there, yeah, and then you had came again in the fall and that was a that was pretty interesting. 00:12:16.860 --> 00:12:20.878 You kind of took some of the guys by shock. 00:12:20.878 --> 00:12:27.736 They're like, wow, this little dude, he's in the wheelchair but he's, he's giving us the business a little bit. 00:12:27.736 --> 00:12:39.360 But they were super receptive to what you were saying and that was really cool to see. 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:42.337 They even, you know, had questions for you. 00:12:42.337 --> 00:12:43.193 He had answers. 00:12:43.193 --> 00:12:49.360 It was really cool to just see the interaction with you. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:56.940 You don't know any of these kids right, you know a few of them from when you came in the summer, like like Jackson, who still follows all your stuff. 00:12:57.831 --> 00:12:58.453 I love that dude. 00:12:59.577 --> 00:13:00.038 Yeah yeah. 00:13:01.350 --> 00:13:11.355 So, yeah, jackson's a he's a good kid, so you know especially him already, knowing you and your relationship with him. 00:13:11.355 --> 00:13:17.816 Already you know he kind of stepped up and was like this dude knows what he's talking about. 00:13:17.816 --> 00:13:19.756 We all need to listen, right. 00:13:19.756 --> 00:13:31.857 So that's also a testament to him, but also you to where you made that kind of impact right away with the kid who's going to play D1 baseball and he's listening to you, who just kind of came in. 00:13:31.857 --> 00:13:32.759 You know what I mean. 00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:37.278 Like they trust me to bring people in and know what they're talking about, right. 00:13:37.278 --> 00:13:39.976 So if I didn't trust you you wouldn't be there. 00:13:39.976 --> 00:13:40.599 You know what I mean. 00:13:41.150 --> 00:13:45.451 For sure, absolutely, absolutely no. 00:13:45.451 --> 00:13:47.499 So that's cool. 00:13:47.499 --> 00:13:49.275 So I want to take it back and we'll further. 00:13:49.275 --> 00:13:59.097 We'll dive in a little bit more about Jackson and whatnot here in a second Great kid, heck of a ball player Can't wait to see, you know, what he

does at Radford. 00:13:59.097 --> 00:14:01.476 He's going to be a really great player. 00:14:01.476 --> 00:14:07.895 But you know, we go back to the first time I was there was like the end of the fall-ish. 00:14:07.895 --> 00:14:10.909 It was maybe it wasn't the end of the fall. 00:14:10.909 --> 00:14:17.181 I knew it was August, end of August, and we, you know I was there. 00:14:17.289 --> 00:14:28.212 You asked me to come and speak to the team and I take my speaking engagements quite seriously, like I want to, you know, let these people know whoever I'm speaking to. 00:14:28.212 --> 00:14:34.638 That, you know, depending on what I'm still there to talk about, I just wanted to resonate at some capacity. 00:14:34.638 --> 00:14:37.457 I wanted to, you know, connect with people. 00:14:37.457 --> 00:14:41.650 I want them to feel like they can get something out of it, right. 00:14:41.650 --> 00:15:02.839 And so, with that being said, I think you know, when I came in the first time, it was really to set the tone, because I knew there'd be another time I would see them and when I'd be there again I'd want to coach them up and you know kind of use some of the things that I know to help these guys develop. 00:15:02.839 --> 00:15:06.639 And sometimes, as you know, it's just kind of like parents. 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:12.099 You know, like how many times has your parents told you something that like is the right thing to do? 00:15:12.099 --> 00:15:16.414 But it doesn't take until someone that's not your parent to tell you and then, like you make that switch. 00:15:16.414 --> 00:15:27.200 It's like the same thing, right, like I'm sure there's a lot of things that I said that you guys talked about in your practice plans and those types of things, but when I said it it's like a light bulb went off, right. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:46.197 So that I think that's why I try to really use those moments when I'm coaching other people's teams or speaking to other people's teams seriously, because I know this could be a really positive and pivotal moment for the team's success or possibly a team's decline in a way. 00:15:46.197 --> 00:15:50.940 So but I want to get into after that practice. 00:15:50.990 --> 00:15:53.778 The first time, you know, I had my surgery. 00:15:53.778 --> 00:15:55.556 My surgery was like eight hours long. 00:15:55.556 --> 00:15:59.414 They had to break it in a couple of places and put a rod through and all that. 00:15:59.414 --> 00:16:02.616 It was a really, you know, grueling recovery. 00:16:02.616 --> 00:16:11.499 But I remember waking up in a couple of days later you reach out to me, you go, hey, like, are you in a good enough spirits for me to stop by? 00:16:11.499 --> 00:16:12.833 I'm like, sure, you know. 00:16:12.833 --> 00:16:16.628 Whatever, you know I'm all up on the medications, feeling great. 00:16:16.628 --> 00:16:17.894 You know I'm like, yeah, why not? 00:16:17.894 --> 00:16:24.774 And you know you stop by and like, our second time I've ever meeting each other in person. 00:16:24.774 --> 00:16:28.277 Or third, we even went to a baseball game earlier in that week too. 00:16:28.979 --> 00:16:30.775 We saw the- that was about to bring me over. 00:16:31.909 --> 00:16:34.731 Yeah, wait, that was the first time, right, not the second time. 00:16:34.731 --> 00:16:36.176 We were there, we went to-. 00:16:36.196 --> 00:16:37.219 It was the first time, right? 00:16:37.219 --> 00:16:40.076 Yeah, the very first time we met was at dinner. 00:16:40.076 --> 00:16:44.317 Yep went to dinner and then we went to and then we came to the workout next morning. 00:16:44.429 --> 00:16:46.875 Yep, Then we went to that game that night. 00:16:46.875 --> 00:16:47.412 It was a. 00:16:47.412 --> 00:16:48.495 What are they? 00:16:48.515 --> 00:16:48.756 called. 00:16:48.809 --> 00:16:49.914 The Delaware or something. 00:16:49.914 --> 00:16:52.251 I forgot the name. 00:16:52.251 --> 00:16:52.975 What was the team name? 00:16:53.250 --> 00:16:54.214 Wilmington Blue Rocks. 00:16:54.789 --> 00:16:56.073 Wilmington Blue Rocks. 00:16:56.073 --> 00:16:58.360 That's yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:13.174 Went to a game that was sick, it was beautiful stadium, it was a great weather, and so went to that game and then, you know, fast forward, had surgery, whatever, and you know, next couple of days later, you know, chris was like, hey, can I pop in? 00:17:13.174 --> 00:17:16.613 I said, absolutely, come on, he comes in. 00:17:16.613 --> 00:17:21.134 It was him, our buddy's, joe's mom Shout out to mama Singly. 00:17:21.134 --> 00:17:23.613 She's amazing, I love you dearly. 00:17:23.794 --> 00:17:24.936 Praying for you every day. 00:17:24.957 --> 00:17:30.233 She actually just she actually just said yeah, she did yeah, shout out to her. 00:17:30.295 --> 00:17:55.213 Yeah, they came in with loads of cupcakes and Jackson was there too and talking a little bit about Jackson's character man, that really connected with me, that I was able to connect with a player just on a few little you know interactions that he felt like man, I wanna go see this guy make sure he's okay. 00:17:55.213 --> 00:17:58.371 So that was really powerful, jackson. 00:17:58.371 --> 00:18:00.212 If you're listening to this man, I really appreciate you. 00:18:00.212 --> 00:18:04.451 Buddy, if you ever need anything, you know I gotcha Keep grinding. 00:18:04.451 --> 00:18:05.817 Big things are ahead of for you. 00:18:06.930 --> 00:18:17.532 But I think that's a testament to the culture that you created with the other coaches at your school that, like you said, if you're bringing someone in, that person knows something. 00:18:17.532 --> 00:18:18.998 They're a good person. 00:18:18.998 --> 00:18:23.680 They, you know, are there because they care about you. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:26.218 It's not transactional, right. 00:18:26.218 --> 00:18:39.074 It's like a genuine relationship, a genuine interaction, and I think that's just

a testament to what you have built there with the camaraderie culture at that school with the rest of the coaching staff. 00:18:39.074 --> 00:18:42.377 So hats off to you all. 00:18:42.377 --> 00:18:48.534 That was a really amazing experience, so fast forward. 00:18:48.795 --> 00:19:06.695 You know, I came back for the follow-up appointments, right, and that's when I went to the practice and I started coaching up the guys and that's when you want to talk a little bit about how you did say they're a little shook, right, cause I was like man, when I'm there, like I'm really going to be taking this serious. 00:19:06.695 --> 00:19:11.376 I remember like yelling at some short stops a couple times like, hey, you got to this, your home field. 00:19:11.376 --> 00:19:16.596 If you know there's rocks there, you got to come get the baseball, you know so things like that. 00:19:16.596 --> 00:19:18.055 So maybe talk about. 00:19:18.055 --> 00:19:23.817 You know the reactions of some of the players, or you know your thought process and me kind of sitting in the dugout barking at them. 00:19:23.817 --> 00:19:25.633 You know what was that? 00:19:25.633 --> 00:19:26.734 Your opinion? 00:19:30.362 --> 00:19:33.030 Yeah, it was. 00:19:33.030 --> 00:19:39.659 It was kind of from my perspective it was kind of comical, right. 00:19:39.659 --> 00:19:45.162 You know, I see we get on them, you know, at practice. 00:19:45.162 --> 00:19:48.692 You know I had to get on them last night to practice a little bit. 00:19:48.692 --> 00:19:54.000 But we get on them and it's they're they kind of expected. 00:19:54.069 --> 00:19:59.317 They already know what's coming right, they know they mess up, we're going to get on a little bit, right. 00:19:59.317 --> 00:20:18.315 But then we hear this voice projecting from this little guy in the wheelchair and it's like, especially the younger guys they got shook, oh yeah, and but at the end of the day they listened and they made the adjustments. 00:20:18.315 --> 00:20:22.510 This is what you were saying, right, yeah, and we're big. 00:20:22.510 --> 00:20:36.577 We're big on especially me saying you know, we're only doing this like we're not getting paid, like a lot of money, we're very, very little, right, so we're taking our own time to do this, right. 00:20:36.577 --> 00:20:45.721 So what we care and that's what we try and emphasize is, like we're not here to just like have fun like BS all day. 00:20:45.721 --> 00:20:47.114 Right, we're here to get our work in. 00:20:48.310 --> 00:21:10.278 And my biggest thing that I try to emphasize with high school and my younger guys, so my travel team, is you don't understand how much baseball and life correlate together, right, they go hand in hand and everything. 00:21:10.278 --> 00:21:30.997 Right, the adversity you face in baseball, you're gonna face even more in life, right, yeah, so, like, our biggest thing is you know, yes, we wanna make them the best baseball players they can be, right, not just for like, not just for our team, but like for themselves as well. 00:21:30.997 --> 00:21:46.082 We wanna get the most out of what they can do, right, but it's also translating into them becoming men and good people in society and, you know, being able to live in this world. 00:21:46.082 --> 00:22:05.199 That's kinda crazy right now, right, so we wanna make the best people that we can make you know what I mean, like guide them to being the best men Christians, fathers, husbands that they can be right. 00:22:05.460 --> 00:22:10.095 Yeah, and I love that. 00:22:10.095 --> 00:22:11.031 I think that's a. 00:22:11.031 --> 00:22:26.215 I love that perspective because you know you mentioned it's one of the biggest reasons why I love baseball too is because of the adversity that it prepares you for For all the non-baseball people out there. 00:22:26.215 --> 00:22:29.797 You're in the hall of fame if you fail seven out of 10 times. 00:22:29.797 --> 00:22:31.240 You know what I'm saying. 00:22:31.240 --> 00:22:39.416 In baseball, like you will be in the professional hall of fame if you fail seven out of 10 times, that means three out of 10 that you're successful. 00:22:39.416 --> 00:22:52.279 And I feel like it's just a great way to put perspective on life and kinda look at the little things and be like man, like that was a success or that wasn't backbore. 00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:57.136 That you know I'm really grateful for this or whatever that looks like. 00:22:57.136 --> 00:23:06.594 And that, you know, is definitely one of my biggest, biggest, you know loves that I have for the game and one of the reasons why I love it. 00:23:08.289 --> 00:23:11.374 But going back to that practice, man, that was, that was a great time. 00:23:11.374 --> 00:23:13.457 I was really, you know, excited to be there. 00:23:13.457 --> 00:23:16.939 You know, going through that, you know rough time of recovery. 00:23:16.939 --> 00:23:22.217 But throughout that whole process, man, you guys were there supportive. 00:23:22.217 --> 00:23:30.117 Jackson would text me all the time, you would text me and Joe and call me and those type of things and I can't thank you guys enough for that. 00:23:30.117 --> 00:23:42.538 It was, you know, a difficult time, just like any kind of surgery recovery for a lot of people, but this was a little more intense than I had expected or that I've had in the past. 00:23:42.538 --> 00:23:54.480 So really having support system was made the world of difference to be able to get through it and you know I can't thank you enough for that. 00:23:54.630 --> 00:24:00.434 So let's dive in a little bit into the baseball world and more specifically here. 00:24:00.434 --> 00:24:02.896 So kind of let us know where you coach at. 00:24:02.896 --> 00:24:09.576 You don't mind what your maybe the little bit of the school's history. 00:24:09.576 --> 00:24:13.394 I know you guys had a couple big what a big draft pick last year. 00:24:13.394 --> 00:24:16.932 The year before

Sounds like there's a big. 00:24:16.932 --> 00:24:31.794 You know history there at the school, not too familiar with the area, and just talk about the culture, why you love coaching there and maybe some of the goals that you guys have this year goals were not even winning, necessarily just goals for each. 00:24:31.794 --> 00:24:34.311 You know the culture, the program and that type of stuff. 00:24:37.500 --> 00:24:37.721 Right. 00:24:37.721 --> 00:24:56.919 So I coach at Monsignor Bonner High School, which ironically is my rival high school, from when I was in high school, when I went to Cardinal O'Hara, and it was always like a real, real big rivalry around here and no love laws between those two schools. 00:24:56.919 --> 00:24:57.279 For sure. 00:25:00.170 --> 00:25:01.554 Things are a little different now. 00:25:01.554 --> 00:25:04.121 I don't know. 00:25:04.121 --> 00:25:07.136 There's O'Hara kids and Bonner kids hang out. 00:25:07.136 --> 00:25:08.460 It's weird, I don't like it. 00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:10.284 I don't like it at all. 00:25:10.284 --> 00:25:14.641 But it's different. 00:25:14.641 --> 00:25:32.061 The culture, the vibe just being around that program is there's an expectation every single year right To be the best, and that's a culture that you know we won. 00:25:32.061 --> 00:25:38.154 So we're in the Philadelphia Catholic League, so we won two years ago. 00:25:38.154 --> 00:25:42.376 They won a few times before that. 00:25:42.376 --> 00:25:58.598 Like I said, I went to O'Hara, so I don't know the whole Bonner history, but you know we've gotten bounced in state semis the past three years. 00:25:58.598 --> 00:26:09.319 We had a very upsetting let down playoff game last year in the first round of the Catholic League playoffs. 00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:25.316 So you know, I think as a whole our team should be better this year because we have a lot of starters coming back which are also a lot of seniors. 00:26:25.316 --> 00:26:31.516 So obviously a big loss is, like you mentioned, our shortstop from last year. 00:26:31.516 --> 00:26:34.519 Kevin McGonigal got drafted in the first round by the Tigers. 00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:38.199 Obviously, losing him is big. 00:26:41.714 --> 00:26:42.798 But it's also a part of. 00:26:43.621 --> 00:26:44.983 he left an impact here. 00:26:44.983 --> 00:26:51.347 He left an impact here for the culture of where we're heading. 00:26:51.347 --> 00:26:54.179 So he set an example Him. 00:26:54.179 --> 00:26:58.667 A couple other guys from the year before that are in college now. 00:26:58.667 --> 00:27:03.339 Right, they set a culture and a standard for the program that is carrying over. 00:27:04.023 --> 00:27:12.869 Now, right, with some of our leaders now, like Jackson, we've got to got our shortstop Harry Carr, austin Cannon right. 00:27:12.869 --> 00:27:14.667 These guys have the culture hard-nosed. 00:27:14.667 --> 00:27:19.869 They're not going to let it slip away. 00:27:19.869 --> 00:27:29.728 And my

belief is I even had this talk with them last night of practice at the end is this is your guys' team. 00:27:29.728 --> 00:27:32.869 We're going to go as far as you guys want to go. 00:27:32.869 --> 00:27:35.788 We're here just to guide you and put you in the right positions. 00:27:35.788 --> 00:27:40.705 It's up to you guys, right. 00:27:40.705 --> 00:27:47.807 So that's something I believe in wholeheartedly. 00:27:47.807 --> 00:27:51.796 I didn't really think of that until college when one of my coaches said it it's our team. 00:27:51.796 --> 00:27:56.849 They're just there to put us in positions to save Absolutely Right. 00:27:56.849 --> 00:28:05.035 So the expectations this year is when the Catholic League, when the city championship and when states there you go. 00:28:05.035 --> 00:28:12.724 If that's not the goal, then I don't know what we're doing, you know. 00:28:12.865 --> 00:28:13.386 For sure, for sure. 00:28:13.386 --> 00:28:14.628 That's great. 00:28:14.628 --> 00:28:15.593 I know that. 00:28:15.593 --> 00:28:21.890 You know you mentioned a few things that really resonated with me there. 00:28:21.890 --> 00:28:26.480 But you hit the nail on the head as coaches, we're just there to guide them. 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:30.900 We're kind of like the jockey right, like we're not necessarily the horse. 00:28:30.900 --> 00:28:32.849 You know, we're not the horse, the players are the horse. 00:28:32.849 --> 00:28:35.701 We're just the jockey right Guiding the horse. 00:28:36.291 --> 00:28:37.496 Um which is still a pivotal role. 00:28:37.496 --> 00:28:46.890 At the end of the day, if you don't got a good horse and it's not you know training, or it's not doing what you need to do, then you're not going to be able to win the race. 00:28:46.890 --> 00:28:54.696 And so I think that's, you know, the great example of the way that you're going to be able to win the race, the great example to really tell. 00:28:54.696 --> 00:29:08.337 I see a lot of youth coaches unfortunately want it more than the players and, like you know, one of the things that drive me nuts sometimes is they'll call all the plays and they'll call all the pitches but not explain to the kids why they're doing it. 00:29:08.337 --> 00:29:15.558 And so then the kid gets in high school and they're like well, I don't know why he's calling the curveball or I don't know why we're bumping in this situation. 00:29:15.558 --> 00:29:17.869 I just know that's what coach told me to do in the past. 00:29:17.869 --> 00:29:54.561 And it's like, if you're not understanding it and you're not doing it because you know, you know what to do in that situation, then you're not setting your team up to be successful, you're not setting up the players to be successful, but from meeting the guys and meeting the leaders that you have, I know it's in good hands and I know the culture there is good and you know I'm hoping all the best in that way, which is amazing, and my boy Jackson is going to outsteer the ship, hopefully, and be a good leader on that end, which is great. 00:29:55.612 --> 00:29:57.277 Now two things I want to dive into. 00:29:57.277 --> 00:29:59.692 One. 00:29:59.692 --> 00:30:11.843 In the first episode I talked with my boy, landon Hutchinson, and one of the things we talked about is outside of the diamond. 00:30:11.843 --> 00:30:19.849 What are ways maybe in your program that you connect with your players or maybe measure success other than wins and losses? 00:30:19.849 --> 00:30:22.890 At the end of the day there's only one champion in the state. 00:30:22.890 --> 00:30:25.417 Now you're still a good program. 00:30:25.417 --> 00:30:28.298 You still make sure the guys are prepared for life. 00:30:28.298 --> 00:30:30.173 But are there maybe conversations? 00:30:30.173 --> 00:30:33.434 You take time out of your week to contact each player. 00:30:33.434 --> 00:30:43.338 I don't know, each coach has a different style, but what are ways maybe you connect with your players outside of baseball as measure success outside of baseball? 00:30:46.188 --> 00:30:46.428 Right. 00:30:46.428 --> 00:30:52.538 So, like I've talked about, you know, I've become very close with with Jackson. 00:30:52.538 --> 00:31:08.811 You know there's some other players that I've become very close to and it's it's kind of cool because I am, you know, one of the younger coaches, so it's kind of easier to connect with them in that way. 00:31:08.811 --> 00:31:31.765 It's almost like, you know, I'm just like a big brother, right, and it's been something I've had to get used to, to where I'm able to have that relationship but also know, like I'm also your coach and I like have a responsibility to get the best out of you, right. 00:31:31.765 --> 00:31:53.580 So that's been, that's something I had to kind of learn last year, like right away, right away, my first year with them, and it honestly wasn't that hard to do because they know that I'm there, they know that I care. 00:31:53.760 --> 00:32:24.857 So it's like, yeah, we can have our fun, we joke around, we talk about whatever, right, but at the end of the day, like when I get, when I get like stern or have like a talking with them about like what's going on or like something we need to fix, like they shut up and they listen, right, and they apply to the best of their ability, right, and if they can't do it, we fix it, but it's like I've earned their respect in that way, to where they know like I'm only here to help. 00:32:24.857 --> 00:32:28.534 Right, we can have our fun, but there's also time to get to work. 00:32:28.534 --> 00:32:42.724 Yeah, but ironically enough, like there's some of the, some of the things we connect like off the field is like Fortnite and stuff like go hit me like yo, let's play, like sure man let's get after. 00:32:43.886 --> 00:32:58.556 But you know also like in their there's nine, though some of them will hit me up to like go get extra hitting work in, right, go to a facility late at night

or whatever, and get some extra work in. 00:32:58.556 --> 00:33:02.682 Yeah, man, it's, it's. 00:33:02.682 --> 00:33:03.744 It's been really fun. 00:33:03.744 --> 00:33:09.217 I'm really enjoying the whole high school coaching experience for sure. 00:33:09.217 --> 00:33:10.788 That's awesome. 00:33:12.945 --> 00:33:18.931 So let's talk a little bit about your faith here and maybe let's just first start off. 00:33:18.931 --> 00:33:36.268 How does maybe your faith influence your coaching style and maybe influence your out of Catholic school and right, and you know how is that implemented in the culture there, but how is it also affected your coaching style and your coaching philosophy? 00:33:41.847 --> 00:33:43.913 Yeah, that's a good question. 00:33:43.913 --> 00:34:00.986 You know I went to a, not a religious school, but I did go to Catholic school from kindergarten to 12th grade and I'm not going to lie. 00:34:00.986 --> 00:34:20.155 After that I kind of lost it a little bit, where it's kind of like shove down your throat so much for all those years like being in Catholic school it's kind of like okay, I'm out of it, like you, kind of like like I need enough for a minute, right. 00:34:20.155 --> 00:34:25.028 So like, if I'm being honest, I lost it for a little bit. 00:34:25.028 --> 00:34:27.894 I get to my school in Tennessee. 00:34:29.784 --> 00:34:33.793 Actually, let me backtrack, all right, my one of my best friends. 00:34:33.793 --> 00:34:38.670 He was a senior when I was a freshman in high school. 00:34:38.670 --> 00:34:51.213 I didn't really like get close until my junior, junior, senior year, high school, right. 00:34:51.213 --> 00:34:55.818 So he was in college and he actually went to the junior college that I ended up going through. 00:34:55.818 --> 00:35:32.416 After him he went to a four year school in Mississippi getting ready for his senior season and something that I like discovered after I discovered was he was getting very much back into his faith and reading the Bible and doing all these things and unfortunately got in a car accident and passed away, which actually the anniversary for that is, tomorrow will be eight years. 00:35:32.416 --> 00:35:43.657 But after that I kind of started getting back to my faith. 00:35:43.657 --> 00:36:11.987 It took a little bit right, because something like that happens, you're kind of like questioning everything, but after that I kind of started getting back into it, not like full flats, but you know, praying before games, praying after games, you know praying to my friend Devin, asking him to just like look over me, like help me out in this game, one one, not right. 00:36:11.987 --> 00:36:14.130 So I actually got his number. 00:36:14.130 --> 00:36:15.132 He was number 27. 00:36:15.132 --> 00:36:28.498 I got number 27 at come on again in college and then you know that kind of um, I wore it throughout my college career except my junior year when I transferred. 00:36:28.498 --> 00:36:31.567 Someone already had it, but I wore it again my senior year. 00:36:32.407 --> 00:36:41.938 But at Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee our coach was very religious and big into faith and you know, didn't curse, you know all that. 00:36:41.938 --> 00:36:46.489 So they were very big into faith praying. 00:36:46.489 --> 00:36:53.186 So we would do stuff like that every day, like pray Before every game. 00:36:53.186 --> 00:36:56.572 We'd get in a big circle, everybody's touching each other, we have a prayer. 00:36:56.572 --> 00:37:05.034 So that's kind of when I started to get really back into it, when I was down there my senior year. 00:37:05.034 --> 00:37:13.275 Just you know, kind of like reading over things being a part of that culture. 00:37:13.275 --> 00:37:21.088 And once I left there, I still would like pray and like do my prayer before every game. 00:37:21.088 --> 00:37:24.509 You know, during the national anthem I'm down. 00:37:24.509 --> 00:37:32.722 After it's over, I look up, you know, do a little sign the cross, touch my heart, point up, and then I'm ready to go right. 00:37:32.722 --> 00:37:43.282 But really my faith, like now at Bonner, we pray before every game, right. 00:37:45.172 --> 00:38:13.159 As for prayers, and like, like all that, all that good stuff, right, that we love to do in sports, um, but after that, like personally, you know, I haven't really gotten back into it until recently, where I've been like looking for Signs and a direction, right, start going back to church, started praying every day, which I'm loving, it, I love, I'm loving going back to church. 00:38:13.199 --> 00:38:15.514 Being a part of that, doing all that stuff. 00:38:15.514 --> 00:38:32.240 And you know, part of my prayers is for my guys right, to Allow them to find their direction and To see them succeed and whatever right, become good, good people. 00:38:32.240 --> 00:38:47.237 Like I said, obviously we want them to do good baseball, but that's not gonna be for everybody, like baseball doesn't last forever, so I want them to just like Be happy and good, be good people, right. 00:38:47.237 --> 00:39:02.400 So that's part of that and that's part of also like my coaching style now is just like being there for them right, and giving them some kind of guiding direction and Showing, trying to show them like the way you know. 00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:13.923 I mean that's kind of how I've incorporated it into like I guess my coaching style was just making sure they know like I'm here like whatever you need. 00:39:17.231 --> 00:39:18.434 That's awesome. 00:39:18.434 --> 00:39:29.920 I think it's a blessing to hear that you have, you know, came back around you know, several times in your life and you know, I think it's. 00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:44.463 It can be easy to be tough on Ourselves and I just try to remind everybody it's a journey and that it's it's a relationship with Jesus, not a religion, and I think that you know you just continue to ask God for guidance and

seek him. 00:39:44.463 --> 00:39:49.393 He will reveal himself and that's, you know. 00:39:49.393 --> 00:39:52.581 I think it's advice as you continue to grow and I'm growing too. 00:39:52.581 --> 00:39:57.302 But you know it's inspiring to see that. 00:39:57.302 --> 00:40:09.641 You know you're you're still trying every day, like us all, to learn more about Jesus and how you can be a good role model for your team and just anybody that you come across. 00:40:09.641 --> 00:40:33.099 You know and I'm sorry to hear about your friend, but you know, as sometimes tragedy can also be a way for us to Kind of get a hold of ourselves and be like you know what let's be grateful for today and let's see the goodness that God has done for us now and he will do again. 00:40:33.099 --> 00:40:35.123 And I know my own life. 00:40:35.123 --> 00:40:54.309 When I've experienced something you know, tragic, I always just try to use it as a moment of reflection and growth and be like, okay, I Want to use this moment and see how God could use this, you know, for for whatever way he wants in our lives. 00:40:54.309 --> 00:40:58.260 So that's, that's powerful man. 00:40:58.260 --> 00:41:04.275 Thanks for sharing that and I kind of want to continue down this path. 00:41:04.315 --> 00:41:27.454 A little bit here, just talking a little bit about you know a Little bit more about you For the viewers that don't know this you have a brother and you know you mentioned early on in the the podcast that when I went to one of those practices, your brother was there. 00:41:27.454 --> 00:41:54.934 And this moment in particular like you kind of talk a little bit about your brother, but it seeing him at your practice and seeing the way you interact with them really warm my heart and show me your true character, because Just being a good sibling and being a good role model is so important. 00:41:54.934 --> 00:42:02.269 But with Everything that's going on these days, we need to have a support system. 00:42:02.269 --> 00:42:08.594 We need to have people that love us, regardless of where we're at, what our capabilities are or our capabilities are. 00:42:08.594 --> 00:42:18.016 So Would you mind diving a little bit about your brother and what it's like to be an older brother and and maybe some of that? 00:42:22.130 --> 00:42:24.235 Yeah, so my brother. 00:42:24.235 --> 00:42:26.380 He's 12, 12 years old now. 00:42:26.380 --> 00:42:31.255 He just turned 12 last month and he's autistic. 00:42:31.255 --> 00:42:37.440 So I'm, I'm 27, so there's a 15 year difference. 00:42:37.440 --> 00:42:39.423 Right, his birthday is three days before mine. 00:42:39.423 --> 00:42:52.143 He's born three days before my 15th birthday, and so it's almost like, yeah, he's my brother, but I've also like been a very big part in raising him. 00:42:52.143 --> 00:43:05.704 So it's To me it's like, yes, my brother, but he also sees me as like a what do you call like a, like a figure to listen to, like yeah. 00:43:08.331 -->

00:43:09.536 Yeah type deal. 00:43:09.536 --> 00:43:21.269 So, like, to be honest, like I'm, I like listening to my mom, but like, really, if, like we need him to like do something, I'm the one that comes in and like tells him what to do. 00:43:21.269 --> 00:43:29.505 But also, like I'm the one that's also there to like calm him down if he's having like a thing. 00:43:29.505 --> 00:43:40.543 But I, regardless of like my brother, just like how I grew up, I've always like tried to be the person that stood up for people who can't stand up for themselves. 00:43:40.543 --> 00:43:58.213 Right, I'm the kind of person who's always putting you know other people before me to make sure that they are okay and and it's it's not always easy, because you know you do have to take care of yourself every once in a while, make sure that you're good. 00:43:58.213 --> 00:44:05.112 But like it's just kind of ingrained in who I am to like make sure everybody else is good around me. 00:44:05.112 --> 00:44:17.577 So like, just like back to like helping people who can't help themselves is like I, it would drive me nuts, like in high school or whatever. 00:44:17.577 --> 00:44:27.244 Like Seeing bullies and seeing these kids is like get picked on or saying I don't want to table by themselves, like it truly would like break my heart. 00:44:27.244 --> 00:44:34.463 And I Actually found a book when I was cleaning out my room a couple weeks ago, we went on a retreat in high school. 00:44:34.463 --> 00:44:42.876 It's called Cairo, so it's like a like a retreat to get like closer with God and like just so a bunch of stuff. 00:44:42.876 --> 00:44:54.498 And you get put in a groups and my group was with some people that you know I was friends with like every group there was. 00:44:54.498 --> 00:45:11.213 Like I wasn't like Best friends with one and then we'll like not talk to another, right, like yeah, I would be friends with all, like the athletes, the popular kid, and Then I would be friends with people who didn't play sports and like we're super, just like in this school or like didn't talk to a lot of people. 00:45:11.213 --> 00:45:32.438 So, like I found this book with some of the kids who were like very shy, like kept to themselves and Only talked to like a certain few people, right, and they would like thank me for being like the person that they can look forward to like seeing every day. 00:45:32.639 --> 00:45:34.163 Right, there's one kid in particular. 00:45:34.163 --> 00:45:51.362 I remember he was in like the AP, one of the AP math classes, and I would walk around I off period where I worked for the office, where I would go around collect the tenants and I walk in the room every day and give like a fist bump to him, right, and he absolutely loved it. 00:45:51.362 --> 00:45:52.833 He's like in this book. 00:45:52.833 --> 00:45:59.253 He's like that's something I look forward to every day is being in that class and waiting for you to come get attendance and give me that fist bump. 00:45:59.253 --> 00:46:08.702 It's something so small that I didn't even realize like it's Such like a big impact on people's lives, right, little things. 00:46:08.702 --> 00:46:13.719 So I carry that all the way into now, like with my brother. 00:46:14.400 --> 00:46:15.081 He's autistic. 00:46:15.121 --> 00:46:22.735 He doesn't understand, like, what's going on in the world, right, someone picks on him. 00:46:22.775 --> 00:46:25.123 He doesn't really understand that's what's going on. 00:46:26.454 --> 00:46:30.688 But like my thing is I just need to make sure like he's protected. 00:46:30.688 --> 00:46:39.798 I want him to Live as normal of a life as he can, right be included in whatever we're doing, which is very important. 00:46:39.798 --> 00:47:19.164 I just want him to Be treated normal, right, like I don't want him to be treated like, oh, he has Special needs, so like he needs to be Treated like different and you know we see some horror stories these days with people are just being very neglectful to their special needs kids or brothers, sisters, whatever it may be, and you know my brother's blessed To have the mom that he has that I have. 00:47:19.164 --> 00:47:49.956 She does whatever he needs, make sure he's always taken care of and, at the same time, like I'm blessed that I've been my life because, honestly, like in high school and things like I would Stay home to spend time with him instead of like going out and doing something stupid, right, so like he's probably saved me, to save me some trouble also, but it's, it's very like just like he's like my little best friend, right, like I love him yeah. 00:47:51.996 --> 00:47:52.215 That's. 00:47:52.215 --> 00:47:56.186 That's awesome, man, and you touch up on a lot of great things you talked about. 00:47:56.186 --> 00:47:59.804 You know horror stories that you know unfortunately go on. 00:47:59.804 --> 00:48:15.920 But you know from what I found, being someone who's in a wheelchair and Doing a lot of speaking engagements and talking to other families with people with disabilities it's a lot of people are just thinking they're doing what they think is best. 00:48:15.920 --> 00:48:18.867 It's not necessarily that they're trying to harm the individual. 00:48:19.389 --> 00:48:40.105 And Unfortunately, you know, I or I should say, fortunately, actually, fortunately I grew up in a household that my dad was a Marine retired Marine now and Was very tough, you know, and I'm so thankful for it. 00:48:40.105 --> 00:48:41.579 I loved us. 00:48:41.579 --> 00:48:57.085 You know, it was hard love, but it was tough and it prepared me for the real world and it also, you know, let me know that I was capable of achieving anything that I put my mind to. 00:48:57.085 --> 00:49:11.152 And sometimes I think that, you know, we tend to put limitations on people and I, I, I think we all have things that we can't do, because that's the way God made us, but everybody has things we can do. 00:49:11.152 -->

00:49:23.954 And I remember going To practice, you know, at that day, and your brother was there and at the end he was like tossing you balls, that the fun go right, you're hitting them and he's like grabbing the balls out of the bucket and like throwing them at you and stuff. 00:49:23.954 --> 00:49:26.362 I'm like he could just see that's what everybody else is doing. 00:49:26.362 --> 00:49:49.034 He was getting after it and but it really warmed my heart because it's it's something that I I Really love to see, but with someone, just because you're doing the best that you can for your brother and you're being the best role model and you're also trying to get the best out of them, you want him, like he said, to live as much of a normal life as he can, and I think that's all of us. 00:49:49.034 --> 00:49:53.583 We should be doing that for everybody and so, personally, I love that. 00:49:53.583 --> 00:50:23.309 That's something I, you know, think is amazing, and Because I know of situations where people are sheltered, when you know told that they have too many limitations, to where they're not capable of women, you know a certain way, but you, my friend, really do inspire me on that aspect, just because it's something that's really important to me and I Really wanted to share that story and this topic, specifically because I know it'll impact a lot of people out there to understand that. 00:50:23.369 --> 00:50:29.992 Look Like, take the time out of your day to spend time with the ones who maybe not have. 00:50:29.992 --> 00:50:31.838 You know the Support system. 00:50:31.838 --> 00:50:36.554 Even and I've been talking about in your family at this point, right, you talk about those kids at school. 00:50:36.554 --> 00:50:50.454 You never know what people are going through, you don't know who's in their lives and just a fist bump and saying what's up or how's the day going could completely change someone's life, so that everybody listening dude this today, my, my goal is to go. 00:50:50.454 --> 00:50:51.458 I've. 00:50:51.858 --> 00:50:58.958 My challenge for you all is to go out next time you're somewhere and just say hi to five random people, just be like, hey, how you're doing. 00:50:58.958 --> 00:51:03.148 Or you know I'm praying, you know praying for you, or whatever that looks like. 00:51:03.148 --> 00:51:21.121 So that's really impactful, man, and and I love you and your brother man, and you know you got a little bit in your faith journey and that we, you know, are praying for, for you and Continue to grow just like this. 00:51:21.121 --> 00:51:25.157 All you know this this life can be difficult, but we know that. 00:51:25.157 --> 00:51:34.545 You know God has a plan and he will make a way for whatever we're supposed to Do in our lives where I will, and God's will for our lives. 00:51:34.545 --> 00:51:38.347 So so, last thing I'd like to wrap up with. 00:51:38.347 --> 00:51:51.626 I mean, if there's maybe some last you know words that you'd want

to mention to the listeners, maybe there's a topic that you'd want to talk about quick here Before we dive into prayers, or anything you'd like to touch up on before we hop off here today. 00:51:54.032 --> 00:52:05.489 Yeah, man, I think the only thing that I like have become passionate about and we touched on a little bit is, you know, just the faith. 00:52:05.489 --> 00:52:28.103 And you know I've gone through a Good, you know, good fair share of my dark times in life, early in, like not the greatest spot, you know, trying to figure figure life out and you know, make make these changes in my own life. 00:52:28.103 --> 00:52:42.126 And Something you know that I've really learned through going back to church is, you know, you can't do it on your own and there's a stubbornness to the human race. 00:52:42.126 --> 00:52:47.487 Well, yeah, we think like we need no help, we can do everything ourselves. 00:52:49.255 --> 00:52:56.079 You know, I know a lot of people that think that way and I Definitely have thought that way myself. 00:52:56.079 --> 00:53:08.764 But now I'm trying to to get into that space where, okay, I've tried to do it myself a lot right, and I make some progress and it just doesn't work sometimes, right. 00:53:08.764 --> 00:53:21.268 So I've learned that we have to put our trust into God, not just have faith, but to have the trust in him that he will put us in the right place. 00:53:21.268 --> 00:53:41.885 He has, he has the plan he had, he knows right, and we get so caught up in ourselves and it's, it's hard sometimes right life happens, right we get distracted, there's all these things. 00:53:42.005 --> 00:53:53.070 But at the end of the day, you know, especially like just talking from my situation right now, I have a lot going on, a lot of things. 00:53:53.070 --> 00:53:57.655 I'm trying to figure out my own life, but now I've kind of hit that switch. 00:53:57.655 --> 00:54:06.677 I don't know if it's me growing up a little bit, getting a little older or just simply just going back to church and getting this faith back. 00:54:06.677 --> 00:54:20.092 Right, that I need help, right, I can't do it myself and I'm kind of Put my hands up to to an extent where it's just like I surrender to you. 00:54:20.092 --> 00:54:30.123 Right, I put my faith in you to put me in these positions to Be where I'm supposed to be right. 00:54:30.123 --> 00:54:39.188 Obviously, there's a point where, like, you have faith, you pray, but you can't just also just sit there and wait. 00:54:39.188 --> 00:54:41.902 You still have to do things right. 00:54:41.902 --> 00:54:47.159 Situations to where you still have to Work for it. 00:54:47.159 --> 00:54:54.204 Right, he's gonna put you in these situations to where you can succeed and put you in the places You're supposed to be, but you still have to do the work. 00:54:54.204 --> 00:54:55.356 Absolutely. 00:54:56.635 --> 00:54:59.583 So that's also like just being younger. 00:54:59.583 --> 00:55:02.188 I was just like, okay, god, like what's? 00:55:02.188 --> 00:55:03.130 What's going on? 00:55:03.130 --> 00:55:06.204 Like, yeah, I've been praying, why isn't it working for. 00:55:06.204 --> 00:55:10.451 Well, I'm just sitting there not really trying to make these changes for myself. 00:55:10.451 --> 00:55:25.637 Hmm, right Now I'm getting to a point where it's like Okay, I'm praying and I've also switched my prayers up from like this is what I need to Like. 00:55:25.637 --> 00:55:28.420 What do you have for me, right? 00:55:28.440 --> 00:55:30.266 Like what's what is your plan for me? 00:55:30.266 --> 00:55:37.375 And so Just give me peace and, like, put me in the place I'm supposed to be, right. 00:55:37.375 --> 00:55:51.364 So that that's kind of where I've been at, and I'm just want to say, like, if you're in a dark place or even Things are going good, right, be, give praise and be thankful. 00:55:51.364 --> 00:56:13.387 Be grateful Because no matter what the stage of your life you're in, what you're going through, you're still here and that's a blessing in itself, just to be able to hear, um, so, yeah, man, like I've also like not to like keep going on this, but no, you're good man. 00:56:14.317 --> 00:56:15.722 I've also started to pray. 00:56:15.722 --> 00:56:44.027 Pray to God about being grateful just to be alive today, to be healthy, and For my family that they're healthy, and just being great that we are everybody's okay, right, nobody's like I'm like Threatening again, but like I'm just being grateful that I'm healthy and I'm here, instead of asking for things all the time, just being grateful, have right now. 00:56:44.027 --> 00:57:16.563 So I mean, yeah, my advice is like, pray and Pray for peace, pray for for God to put you in the situation that you're supposed to be in, to be in the places that you're supposed to be in, and then do the work To you know, keep gaining on that, you know be grateful yeah, I love that man and, and you know, I think there's so much we could talk about. 00:57:16.623 --> 00:57:30.864 But with this specific topic and and I love this and, and you know I've been in the seasons of my life where I'm I wasn't too far from this. 00:57:30.864 --> 00:57:45.079 I'm a lot more peace now that I'm in, that I'm in God's will for my life, pursuing the ministry and still being able to coach and starting this podcast and social media and things that I've been doing. 00:57:45.079 --> 00:58:02.550 But you know, when you're in that season, you know what what God always told me is is like just start to pursue me, meaning pursue God and praying that you want his will for your life, not yours. 00:58:02.550 --> 00:58:10.885 And if you, just, like you said, you don't want to be content but you don't want to be complacent, right, I think those are two big differences. 00:58:10.885 --> 00:58:30.528 Right, like you can be thankful and practice gratitude and be grateful and all these things, but you also have to put in yourself in a position

where God will use you and by asking God to present to you what your will is and what he wants for you is a really important piece. 00:58:30.528 --> 00:58:56.527 And I'm not saying I still have it all figured out, I don't but I also know, when you start to begin to be in God's will for your life, things just start falling into place, like I've seen that in my own life in the last month and a half moving back to Las Vegas, and some of the things that are just happening are just like it's just happening. 00:58:56.527 --> 00:59:01.704 Things I prayed about, things that I not necessarily even huge things, just things I prayed about. 00:59:01.704 --> 00:59:06.967 But I just originally had to submit and be like, okay, god, I'm doing this for you. 00:59:06.967 --> 00:59:07.963 Nothing told me back. 00:59:07.963 --> 00:59:10.144 Now I'm all game, like let's go. 00:59:10.144 --> 00:59:16.106 And sometimes it takes some people longer to get there and it's okay. 00:59:16.106 --> 00:59:19.028 We all have that different timestamp for that. 00:59:20.501 --> 00:59:26.304 But I was talking to one of my local pastors at church and she was telling me. 00:59:26.304 --> 00:59:26.967 I asked her. 00:59:26.967 --> 00:59:31.731 I said I wanna be in ministry. 00:59:31.731 --> 00:59:33.125 I know that's what God's call me to do. 00:59:33.125 --> 00:59:36.710 I don't know where, but I don't know what part of ministry. 00:59:36.710 --> 00:59:41.625 I don't necessarily know exactly what, but I just know that's where I need to be. 00:59:41.625 --> 00:59:44.967 And she said just get involved. 00:59:44.967 --> 01:00:11.869 Get involved and try different things and go to the classes and do these things, and then God will just open the doors, like it won't be you having to barge your way in the door, you just start by where he's telling you to start and when they open, you know that's God opening the doors Right, like I think you know that's the biggest thing and really being attentive of when doors are closing Right. 01:00:11.869 --> 01:00:25.704 Because, like you think about the doors God's opens, but also the door God's closes, and I've had some doors closing my life recently where I'm like, okay, I see why you closed that door now, but then it can be tough. 01:00:26.340 --> 01:00:33.505 I mean, I've had to remove I wouldn't even say me God has removed people from my life or distance me from people from my life. 01:00:33.505 --> 01:00:36.166 Have, you know, got me into? 01:00:36.166 --> 01:00:41.005 You know different things, but it's all for what he wants and I'm all game for that. 01:00:41.005 --> 01:01:03.728 So my biggest advice to one you, but to other people that are just going through this journey and I'm not saying I'm perfect or I got it all figured out, I'm wrestling my own stuff too, but from where I'm experiencing, because I've been similar it's just like you pray God, I want your will for my life, I want peace, that I trust your will for my life and I want to seek you every day. 01:01:03.728 --> 01:01:12.349 And when you seek God every day, it'll become so apparent that you, just you have no other answer but to just submit. 01:01:12.349 --> 01:01:25.027 So I think that's you know, to anybody listening if you're at this point in your life where you just don't know your will for your life, you just pray God and you seek Him first. 01:01:25.027 --> 01:01:27.606 He will show you your will for your life. 01:01:28.039 --> 01:01:43.304 But I think the biggest thing is like you seek Him first and I know that's really hard to do and that's something I challenge myself day in and day out now with, because I am doing this ministry thing and I'm loving it and I love my church, I love everything about it. 01:01:43.304 --> 01:01:55.525 But what I've realized is I have to seek Him first, cause I can't be a good minister if I'm not prayed up myself or if I'm not, like, in connection enough with God or I'll be drained too early. 01:01:55.525 --> 01:02:02.148 You know I've had shifts where I had things that people were telling me that weighed me down. 01:02:02.148 --> 01:02:05.646 It's because I wasn't prayed up, I wasn't connected enough with God. 01:02:05.646 --> 01:02:18.009 But when I was prayed up and connected, like those big things, I was able to carry those for those people and pray for them and lift it off their shoulder a little bit but throw it right up to God and say God, you got this. 01:02:18.009 --> 01:02:25.900 You know this is for you, and so I'm really thankful that you opened up and shared that Cause. 01:02:25.920 --> 01:02:34.164 I think that's some really pivotal things for people to hear, because you know life's a journey, faith is a journey. 01:02:35.739 --> 01:02:42.108 Some people it comes easier to them, some people it comes harder, you know, and but God wants us all. 01:02:42.679 --> 01:02:58.364 God will not give up on us and he will find a way to get us with him at the end of the day, and so I really appreciate you hopping on, chris, and hopefully we got to talk about some things that you wanted to talk about. 01:02:58.364 --> 01:03:01.842 If not, we'll have to get you on again and we can talk. 01:03:01.842 --> 01:03:39.525 You know, just specifically faith you want, but I really just wanted to give guys, I want to give everybody, the listeners, the you know whole perspective of who you are, a little bit of your journey, and you know, from my perspective of why you inspire me and why I'm thankful to have you in my life, and I think some of the things we shared could really make an impact on people listening, because these are things that you do that we need more of in this world and even though you know it's just so impactful, man, and so I appreciate you hopping on. 01:03:39.525 --> 01:03:46.027 If you wouldn't mind, I'm going to close this with a prayer and we'll sign off here. 01:03:46.027 --> 01:03:46.969 Sound good? 01:03:49.760 --> 01:03:50.483 Sounds good, buddy. 01:03:51.266 --> 01:03:54.983 Sounds good, man, so I'm going to close my eyes here and bow my head a little bit. 01:03:54.983 --> 01:04:01.081 Dear heavenly Father, I want to thank you for bringing us together to here today. 01:04:01.081 --> 01:04:18.766 Lord, we're just here to glorify you and tell people your story, god, and we just want you to know that we're here to just, you know, help people on this journey of life, but, most importantly, on this journey to find out who you are and what you can do in people's lives. 01:04:18.766 --> 01:04:26.329 God, I pray for my buddy, chris Lord, that you continue to reveal you know his, you know purpose in his life that you have for him. 01:04:26.329 --> 01:04:36.827 God, and I pray for any listener that's in that same season of life that you just make it apparent to them where they're meant to be, when they're meant to be there, and everything of those types of sorts. 01:04:36.867 --> 01:04:38.304 God, we just thank you. 01:04:38.304 --> 01:04:47.686 We come to you with this amazing sense of gratitude and thankfulness because you are a God that makes a way when there's no way. 01:04:47.686 --> 01:04:50.507 You are a God that makes the impossible happen. 01:04:50.507 --> 01:05:02.047 You are a God of possible, and you know a couple of things that I've been saying on my last couple you know posts on social media is that you know our current season is a past prayer. 01:05:02.047 --> 01:05:08.746 We know that you're actively moving and I know that you hold tomorrow, so there's no reason to worry about tomorrow. 01:05:08.746 --> 01:05:17.527 We just need to live into today, lord, and we just thank you for all the wonderful things you're doing in our lives, but, most importantly, for your kingdom, god. 01:05:17.527 --> 01:05:23.208 We just wanna thank you and give all the glory to Jesus' holy name, amen. 01:05:26.679 --> 01:05:27.583 Amen brother. 01:05:28.166 --> 01:05:28.847 Amen, man. 01:05:28.847 --> 01:05:30.867 Well, dude, we appreciate you hopping on. 01:05:30.867 --> 01:05:34.389 This has been an incredible conversation. 01:05:34.389 --> 01:05:40.766 I think we really got to talk about some amazing things and I'm really looking forward to seeing how your program does this year. 01:05:40.766 --> 01:05:42.726 And you know, we're family man. 01:05:42.726 --> 01:05:44.586 If you need anything, you can talk about anything. 01:05:44.586 --> 01:05:45.903 You just give me a ring. 01:05:45.903 --> 01:05:50.248 I always got you and look forward to talking to you soon, man. 01:05:54.280 --> 01:05:55.702 Yes, sir, I appreciate you having me on. 01:05:55.702 --> 01:05:56.242 It was awesome. 01:05:56.242 --> 01:05:58.163 Thank you, yes sir.