The Hope Hotline - Love & War

Episode Date: April 17, 2026

The Hope Hotline | S04-E21 | 04-17-2026

Hello and welcome to the Hope Hotline. It is Friday and I am really happy. It's not because of the weekend. It's just, it's Friday. I was going to say, you love Friday. Yeah, I do. I don't know why because like, I think it's just programs. I think so. Yeah. Because like you did live and I like a working force for so long that you like remember. It's Friday. Yeah. Well, but the thing is is I've had jobs for a really long time now that I work 24 like I did real estate. state that never stops true true being a mother never stops i mean most of my jobs have been sales i work around the clock so but there is something about friday no i don't know what it is you remember tg i fridays tg i oh yeah oh yeah yeah yeah and then on friday night was all the really good shows yes yes yes and you did not want to miss never never ever never ever wait i did because i was partying but i mean i definitely made sure i was not home on a friday night that's true when you were younger

When I was younger. I didn't care about TGIF. That's when it was super popular, I think. That's true. Yeah, you were. I was in my bad stage. But, I mean, there is something great about Fridays. I know.

I don't know. I don't either. It's exciting. I know. But tomorrow's going to be the same. I know. I don't know. Isn't that weird?

Like, it's like that video we showed yesterday or Wednesday about the brain. Yes. It's very powerful. Right. Right. Mm-hmm. You can fully. convince yourself of something.

Yeah. Even if it's not true. I think, too, you know what? I mean, I love Sundays. I know. I look forward to Sunday. Sunday morning. Like, for me, it's,

it's just that much closer. I don't know. I just love Sunday. Me too. Me too. So. Same. Whatever.

It's the weekend. Vanessa doesn't, but we do. You know what that is? I love this. Vanessa needs to be saved. She's in her eyes. She's in our la-la world right now. She's trying.

Don't get in the zone. Don't get in the zone and you're never coming out. Never coming out. But it is Friday. And if you're working a regular job and you're watching us right now, you got like two more hours. And you're out of there. You're out of there. But we're grateful and we're blessed that we all have jobs.

And we should be, even if you hate. where you work, you should feel blessed that you have a job and that, you know, you can get up every morning five days a week and go do that job. And then also. And appreciate it. You're not married to it. So you could also change your job if you hate your job. Truth.

Because I don't like, I don't understand why people stay in jobs that they like hate. Like when I go to somebody and their customer service is like they hate what they do. I'm like, there's a ton of jobs. Go do. Yeah. Literally. Like go work at Home Depot and the plants. You know what?

Yeah, exactly. You know what I find is so funny is when people take a job. And obviously, before you take the job, you know the pay. Always. Right. So then you have an attitude while you have the job because you're not paid enough. Hello. Hello.

Did you not take the job and know what you're going to get paid before you took the job? So why do we have an attitude about what we get paid? Right. don't take the job. I don't know. Call me crazy. I don't get that either. I don't either.

Because then they have an attitude because they don't think they get paid enough. I'm like, you took the job. You took the job. And you're still here. I know. I don't know.

Or, or be so good at your job that you don't want to them or they don't want to lose you. So what do they do? They pay you more or promote you or promote you. That's an aid it. Yeah, actually that was that was that was an eight. No, for real though. Like do your job so well that you've done dine amongst kings. Guess what? It's a Bible verse. So do it well and then watch what happens. Or if you don't like working for other people, want to a business. Start business. Oh yeah. Yeah, try it. You try. You try it. You try it. You see how easy it is.

that's the funny thing everybody thinks they can do it then why aren't you doing it if you can do it if you're so good why not why aren't you doing it try it got so many ideas and you think you can do it so much better oh yeah for real okay try it and do it do what it takes to start it go ahead let's see how well that lasts most businesses don't even make it past the first year yep and if they get past three that literally the statistic is even crazier. The first year, everybody pretty much, you're out. Like, the first year is a, but three is another strong, I don't know why it is. It's like one, three and I think it might be seven or five. I don't remember what it is. But those years, for some reason, are like pivotal. And if you don't do,

if you don't make it. Interesting. Yeah, isn't it crazy? Yeah, no, I didn't, I never heard that before but it totally makes sense i know that like one and six businesses fail you know and uh in in that first what i don't know what it is look that up really quick i will because now i'm wondering what my if my number i know it's one it was one in three i when i looked it up like last year because like in churches most people don't make it past the third and by seven like it's like over 50 percent have left ministry after seven it's crazy it's a crazy stu-est thing statistic that people don't. I heard something about that with pastors. Yeah. Business owners are worse though. Business owners have a worse statistic than pastors do, which was shocking to me. What is it saying?

Okay, it says business failure rate by year. Year one, about 20% of businesses fail within the first year, meaning 80% survive year one. By year three, roughly 45% have failed. It's only 55% are still open. By year seven, 65% to 70% have failed. Isn't that crazy? It's one, three, and seven, correct? I asked those three years. Yeah. Yeah. Number year one is poor planning, underestimated cost, no real market demand.

Your two, three is cash flow mismanagement, trying to scale too fast or not at all. That makes sense. That makes sense. Yep. Year five through seven, burnout or leadership breakdown, competition catching up. Failure to adapt or evolve. I can definitely say these are 100%.

True. Yeah, that makes complete sense. We've had to overcome all those. That makes complete sense. 100% does. Yeah. You got to stay relative and you've got to always stay on the cutting edge. You have to. And you have to look forward like you do. Like you have to be like, okay, what are my, what like, so for example, we do leak detection and our plumbers were trying to learn leak detection. Well, we need them to give us work. And so we're like, okay, restoration companies are doing leak detection now too. They want in-house so they can save money. So then we're like, what are we going to do? Like there's a chance that we could go out or become really, really good at what we do that they call us for hard jobs. And so then Jonathan Shuttlesworth said, like, if one of your wells is drying up, dig a new well. And so we started talking about restoration. And we were like, listen, we're going to lose the restoration companies, their referrals,

but they're already getting leak detectors underneath their business. So we're going to lose many ways. So we dug a new well and now we do restoration because we watch the market. We had to adapt and overcome. Always got to be shifting. Always. Like, even with church. Like, we've never, ever, ever.

Like, remember, whenever those, what was his name? It was, you know, they always come out with these books and everybody starts doing the books. And it was the Willow Creek guy. What's his guy's name? Like a motivational speaker? Well, he's a preacher, but I would call him a motivational speaker. Sean Williams. No, that's not it.

Bill Abels. Max. Max Cicado. Max Lekato. Okay, Max Lekato has came out with a bunch of them. But this guy was kind of a big guy. He has bearded and mustache. All the churches were doing his book.

It's like what your calling is or something like that. I can't remember. Purpose. Purpose driven life. Purpose driven life. Oh, that was Rick Warren. Rick Warren. you. Yeah. That's who popped in my brain.

Okay. God bless you guys. So, you know, in churches, they're still doing now. Whatever the trend is, they always hop on the trend. Oh, yeah. And for us, we've always gone, whatever that trend is, we're going the opposite direction. Because why go on with the trends?

You have to create your own trend, but we're so opposite of everybody else because they're all so very compromised and week in preaching the gospel that literally it feels like a lot of times we are setting our own trend because we're we're saying the stuff that nobody else wants to say and doing the stuff that nobody else wants to do and even though like even though we're a part of the prosperity healing faith-based ministry word of faith we're still opposite of most of the word of faith churches like a lot of times word of faith is focused a lot on the prosperity and the healing. And they eliminate and they

don't literally focus on the sin. I find that to be like so consistent. Like why are we eliminating that portion of the gospel? When that's the really like you can have you can be healed and you can have lots of money. But if you're going to hell, what does that help you? Right. It doesn't. Like what's point. But I find that we're always not within the guidelines or the confines of what is going out there. So for us, it's somewhat easy.

But the marketing of that is always not always the easiest. It's, you know, because you do have to market like who you are because you're wanting to draw people in that need to hear your message. And so you're not a business,

but you are selling Jesus. Yeah, absolutely. So I don't sell windows anymore. You do not? I sell Jesus. You do. So, and that's a big deal.

So, I don't know, it's just weird how at all. But, okay, let us, I wanted, I was using keywords because what we're really going to talk about today is walking, how to walk in your blessing. A lot of times people don't even, people don't even know, like the, base, which a lot of people call that the foundation, but it's your base of Christianity. And in that base is blessing. Like you don't understand how blessed you are in that foundation. So we learn what we're going to talk about today is looking at being blessed, seeing it, realizing you are, and then allowing that to birth and grow into other things for yourself.

because all of us, whether you believe it or not, because a lot of times people are in a very tough situation and they feel like, I feel like the complete opposite of blessed. Their life is in turmoil and they can't see through it at all. It's the term you can't see the force through the trees. That means you cannot see past. Have you ever been in the woods and you see in like all you do is sea trees? Because you can't see past that and see that.

and see that once you get through all the trees, there's like a meadow and it's all clear. And so truthfully, the meadow is just really close. Once you get out of where you're at, everything will just open up and be clear. And a lot of times we are like that in our walks, but if you understood that you are already blessed, you'll know that walking through that tough situation that you can see. stand on the blessings that you already have and the ones that are coming. And I think that that's such a lost, a lot of times people are only in the moment and they don't, they lose sight of what the word of God says where they're at right now. So we're going to talk about that. But you want to do

your thing really fast? Yes. Yes. So news flash, we're off YouTube. We got a strike because we talked about medical information and they said it was misinformation. So unfortunately we are off YouTube for a week. So head over to Rumble. I can't even post on YouTube and say we can't be there. So it is what it is. But we are on Rumble, of course, and on Facebook. So if you want to like, share, comment and do all the things. If you've never subscribed to any of our channels, please do that today. That would be really great. And of course Rumble, we have the live chat. So please feel free to come over there. And if you're on Facebook. You can say hi there as well. We'll see you. Later on, the audio podcast will be available

if it's easier to send to a friend. You can always do that through the audio podcast, but however you like to listen to us is totally fine. You know that Natalie was here yesterday, which is why we got our strike. But anyways, if you want to go back and re-listen to that, it is on Rumble and it's on Facebook as well. They did remove it from YouTube, but whatever. Anyways, so yeah, if you want to re-watch that. We had some really fun conversations. And it's always, you never know. You never know what's going to pop up. So there was a little bit of poop. There was a little bit of how important your brain is and what you believe. And so it was fun. It was a fun, fun time. Of course, we're on TikTok and we've got, Hey, it's Hope. And we've got Vanessa and me and Talia, all of our stuff on

there. And if you want to find the Hope Hotline, we're on Instagram. Obviously, we're on TikTok as well. we have Tom Leipley, Pastor Tom's on his pastor page, but also he's posting some new stuff on his TLP clip. So you definitely want to check those out. And last but definitely not least, we have Foundation Church Worship. We are posting new stuff all the time. So just make sure you follow it, repost, do all the stuff, add it to your story, you know, all the good stuff. So anyways, yes, I think that is about it. That's all I've got for today. Beauty. All right.

YouTube kills me. You know that song by Rockwell? I always feel like somebody's watching me. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That's how I feel. That's ridiculous. I know.

It's so silly. We said nothing. We said something that they disliked, but... There was nothing that was remotely... Not misinformation. Nothing crazy. Not misinformation as well. How do we get so sensitive?

as a society. 2020. 2020 did it. What the heck? Maybe it was like the Matrix. Maybe something shifted and everybody's soft now. We do live in the Matrix.

It's true. It's so sick. I mean, it's so stupid and so... Whatever. It's a free speech. Yeah. Let's bring it back. It's our 250th birthday.

Well, they would say you do have free speech, Vanessa. What? We're just making. you safe. I feel very censored right now. That feels like not free. That feels like unfree. What is it when they say peace and safety, run? Right. Right. You know that it's, that's what it is. Even if you like had an opinion that didn't align with mine. Right. Like I'm okay with that. It's okay. Right. Like you have a right to your own opinion. Thank you. I appreciate that. Not in society. You're not on, not on YouTube. Not on YouTube. Apparently. You got Facebook. Facebook.

even get us. I cry. That is true. Good point. And they're worse a lot of times in YouTube. But we might be so, like, we're so shadow band right now on Facebook that, like, what's the point? I know.

I mean, how much more can they do to me? No, that's a hundred, no, you're 100% right. It's actually crazy. I mean, it is what it is. But I will not not say what needs to be said. I'm not doing it. I know that a lot of people do, and a lot of people will because they think bigger picture on that stuff. But like Tom says, you're just controlled opposition then.

Like, are you really doing anything? No, you just have fallen prey to being part of the system. I'd rather God will get my message to the people that need to hear it instead of me being controlled by what I can say. Right. No, thank you. No thanks. Choose not to be a part of that system. Exactly.

I'd rather go down with the ship before I sell my soul. I'm saying. Or soul, all for the sake of what? Right. Numbers. Numbers mean nothing if you're really not saying anything. Correct. Or you can't say anything.

Mm-hmm. No, thank you. That's why everyone on TikTok speaks in code. True. I know. True. It's very true. We're just going to make up our own language.

That's it. which would be like like when they say pow-pow and all that other crap. Pugh! Pugh! Yep. Oh, God forbid. I mean, I just said it jokingly, but if I had to say that seriously. I know. No.

No. We can't do it. We can't do it. I can't. Okay. That's it. All right. Let's do it.

Let's do it. So, um, the, I'm, I'm going to, You guys probably, I'm not saying this to you guys because I know you already know it. But like for me, a lot of people don't know it. But the best, if you really want to know blessings, go to Deuteronomy 28. That is one of the best chapters. First of all, because it tells you if you do these things, you'll be blessed. And then it goes to tell you if you don't do these things.

Correct. You'll be cursed. It's pretty simple. It is. Easy peasy. For me, that's one of the things I love about the word. People are like, I can't, I don't understand it. And I think to myself, well, you're not special needs.

So how do you not understand it? It's because you don't want to really take the time to understand it. It's not something that you're passionate about or something that you really care about. Because if you care about something, you'll learn it. You'll try and figure it out. I mean, people study and memorize the dumbest things I've ever heard and seen in my life, like athletes, like records and scores and all. I'm like, but you can't understand the Bible.

I mean, I'm not buying what you're selling. That's all I'm going to tell you. The point is because you don't care, really, at the end of the day. But, I mean, the Bible is so easy. I mean, it sets you up for success so that you can have all that God, wants for you to have or you can do without because you chose and for me I'm like man why not figure out what it takes to like we were talking about jobs back in my day when I worked regular jobs I always worked very hard and I learned all that that job entailed so I could take on more

duties, more responsibility, because I knew if I took on more responsibility, a raise or promotion was coming. Well, that's the same as, that's the same as the gospel. Like, the reason why I feel like God has allowed me to be in the position I am in is because in my walk with him, like I was trying to be diligent and get myself to a certain. I mean, you guys, I mean, I mean, you do abide. Don't you think, Like you would not have what you have if you just did your Christian walk to the minimal or just enough to get by. What you were as diligent in your growth so you could have more. He who is faithful to little will be faithful with much.

I mean, do you understand what I'm saying? Oh, yeah. Yes. But both of you are business owners. So I'm talking, I'm preaching to the choir, actually. I mean, why settle? I don't get it. I noticed that today because I like have people on my life on social media and everything that I

watch and I saw them like doing this and then they made some decisions for their life and now they're just here. And I'm watching people around me that have stayed connected and are doing the things and I'm watching them go up. And so it's like it's so hard to watch people that you're watching their progress and now like stagnant. Yeah. And it might be going backwards but I don't, you know,

I don't know. Are they like influencers? Are they in ministry? What is that? What is that? What do you? Are they just regular Joe's or is it both? Like people I'm thinking of my brain were like in my life at one point. Oh, like friends. Yes. Oh, interesting. Okay. So they were really making strides in the walk with God. And now they're taking, they've taken some steps backwards. And I, yeah, maybe backwards, but I don't know them like, we're not like super close anymore, but I'm like watching and like hearing and it's just. they're the same they were a year ago. Like the same problems, the same drama, like, or the same waiting on their promises or waiting on their family or waiting. You know, it's just, it's the same as it was last year. Yeah. And I'm like, darn, like, you were like,

what they overcame, things that, like, big things that they overcame. And I'm like, you were, and they don't even see it. Now they're like, whatever God's plan, whatever God's will, whatever God's. And I'm like, no. But then I watch, like, things that were, like, seeing and abide and things that were watching, with our youth kids. And it's just like, it's almost overwhelming how much God has entrusted us

with and like the progress we get to see in people. And then I look outside of our circle and I'm like, darn. I know. I know. It's just like, it's disappointing. It's crazy. And it's all based on decisions. Yeah. And a lot of times they'll make decisions and they think that they're leveling up, but in fact, they're just like doing a lateral move. Right. Yeah. Yes. And it gives them the illusion of like making progress. Yes. Yeah. That's what I'm seeing lately.

Yeah. And I like it to see surface level. So there is a chance that there is some backward steps too. Yeah. But like on the surface, they are making decisions, but they're just going like this, you know. And the big things they're believing for aren't coming to fruition. And I'm like, it's so crazy. Because, you know, well, that was one of the best messages I, not, well, it was.

actually like, I awakening messages that Tom ever preached when he preached on the horizontal versus the lateral movement. Oh, yeah. I do remember that message. Yes. And I mean, so many years ago.

And after I was done listening to that message, I was like, okay, first of all, check me. For sure. But I was like, that is such an accurate assessment of most believers. Most believers are laterally moving all the while thinking they're horizontally moving up. That's what I'm seeing.

Yes. They have deceived themselves. It's a delusion. Thomas telling me what he's preaching on this Sunday. Oh, my gosh, it's so good. Last Sunday's message was incredible. Excellent. Oh, my gosh.

That's what I said to him. I'm like, oh, my gosh. I was like, you figured it out. Like, you figured it out. He's been so long trying to say, I can't describe, like, what I'm seeing how do you I don't know I was like oh my gosh that is exactly what the Christian the Christian church looks like right now yep if you didn't watch that message you need to because what was the I can't remember the title of the message the the something of the church

being because they preaching the unspecific yeah something another on the unspecific the gospel of the unspecific, something like that. Something like that. Yeah, I was like, oh, that's, that's good. And it's so true, because when he was talking to me about it, I think it was the week before he was talking to me about it. And there's so much truth in like, people will literally be deceived because they believe that because they're hearing a part of the gospel, that they're receiving the full gospel. But you're only hearing just a fragment of it.

So you're delusioned that this is all there is. Right. Yes. It's what I, when I preached, and I was trying to tell people, which I didn't do it justice like he did. But it's always the pep rally without the antidote. Like all these things, but where's the antidote to get those things? And it's because the unspecific is more appealing because. then there's no real, well, eventually it won't be because your walk with God will be so dull and boring

that you won't even have one or you feel like I've been lied to. This Jesus you've sold me is not all that you said he was, which we see that a lot as well, but it's just craziness to me. It is. It is. But that was a good message. It's a great message. We picked it apart for abide. Yeah. We started getting into. to the why and the how. Like God is with you. How? But how?

Right. Yeah. So we went through that. It's always, it's always been said from the pulpit, like, God is with you. God loves you. Okay. How? Right.

And a lot of people are thinking in their head. And how can I apply that to my life? Right. Or they think like, there's no way because how bad life is. Oh yeah. And nobody's giving them anything but this like sound bite, basically. It sounds great. That's like, it's like, it's like a hook.

to a movie, like the trailer. Yeah. It hooks you in, but then you're like, now what? Like there's got to be more. Literally. But nobody really wants some more because the war actually challenges some change. It requires responsibility to change. Yeah, and nobody wants that part.

No. Absolutely. More times than not. They're like. And so we see a lot of Christians not being blessed and not living in the fullness that God wants them. Yeah. And then they blame the church. And then they blame the pastor.

They blame God. And then they walk away from God. Like, dude. Yeah. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's a vicious cycle. It is. I agree. For sure.

But if you open that, that bad boy up, literally. I mean, it is the greatest manual to what life could be really be like for you. If you apply it. Yeah. Which is so awesome. I've never met a more stressed out Christian than a. Christian that is not in their word consistently. They're schizophrenic.

They really are. I mean, more times than not, they're so all over the place. They're getting tossed by the storm. Yep. Literally. Yep. And here's the thing. Doubt and unbelief is one thing. Your Christian walk being all over the place is a whole other thing.

Because a lot of times people will go to heaven. with doubt and unbelief. But if you're not consistent and stable and being tossed around like Vanessa's saying, you might not go to heaven. I mean, there is a difference between people who are like all over the place and their walks with God.

Because eventually you might be like, this is too much for me. I mean, I've talked to people that have said to me, I get my life right with God and stuff starts happening to me and then I walk away and the stuff stops happening. Open your Bible. It will clearly say that's going to happen and why it's going to happen.

But if you don't do that, then you're literally like Vanessa is saying. You're tossed all over the place. You're not going to make it. High probability is you're not going to make it. Being tossed to and fro, like it says in Second Timothy, is like doubt, that's doubt and unbelief, not in the gospel. well it could be I guess but it's more or less in my opinion I use it more for my doubt and unbelief and believing for the things that I know that God's word tells me are my promises

salvation not being one of them it's more like healing prosperity the things that were provided on the cross which is salvation but let's go so Deuteronomy 28 1 through 6 I Deuteronomy 28 is like one of my favorite chapters in the whole entire Bible even though it's Old Testament is still true today. In fact, a lot of the Jewish people that are true Jewish practicing Christian, or not Christians, world Jewish practicing, like I don't know what they called them. Because a lot of Jewish people in Israel aren't practicing.

I don't remember what they're called. Orthodox Jews? No, because even Orthodox Jews aren't necessarily. they don't there's it's like Aaron was telling talking to me about this but there's the Torah and then there's the Talmud and he just showed me some stuff about the Talmud that is being taught by Jewish priest it's not good at all not good at all it's not good at all it's antithetical to really what the Jewish the true Jewish people believe it's like what a Pharisee and then there's like the the Jew that's like Paul.

Is it called secular Jew? With the Telman? Because it says it's a constitute the largest subgroup of Israel Jews. Well, they are secular. They don't even practice. I mean, if you go over to Israel, it is, I mean, again, I worked for an Israeli-based company. It was very eye-awakening and not a good way. I literally said to Tom,

I will, this is why, and I loved this job because I loved my, the American side of things. But I told him, I was like, I'll never work for an Israeli-based company ever again. They're very contentious, very argumentative. They're not nice. A lot, like a lot of the people that I worked with that were on the Israelis, they weren't nice people. They always came in the room ready for a fight. Really? And it's all the time.

All the time. It's like, you know, you can back her down because we're just going to have a conversation. Right. But I remember saying to some of them, you realize that every single time you come and we have a meeting and we're going to have a conversation, you're aggressive. Like you automatically, you know, enter into the meeting and you're just ready to like attack. nobody here is is even about that so you just need to take a chill were they self-aware like are they just like no right but i believe part of the reason why is when you go if if you grow up i mean think about this they grow up in constant conflict whether it's on the grander scale nationally

two with each other. There's constant conflict. So you're always, it's like the African-American community, right? A lot of times there's a battle within that community all the time trying to make sure. It's like prison, making sure that nobody has one up on you because you've got to protect yourself. I liken it to that lifestyle over there. You'll obviously meet some really nice and great people. but that's a given because that's life in general.

But on the whole, they're very contentious, very contentious. I was like, man, if I could do this job and not deal with that, it would be great. But they're very, they're very angry and very, they're not nice a lot of times. They'll act like they're really nice, but there's a reason why. There's always a motive. Yeah, an agenda or something. Yeah. But they, what is that?

That's exhausting. It was, listen, that was probably one of the greatest jobs I've ever had as far as doing good things. But it was very, some days were really tough just because of dealing with certain, with dealing with, thank God they're like five hours ahead. So there was limited time that you had to really deal with it. Their days off are Friday, Saturday, because their Saturday is actually... Shabbas. Yeah.

So you don't... But it was, it's crazy. But they have, like, the true Jews over there are just really good, kind, nice people. And they have this little sect, this little area in Jerusalem. Because Jerusalem is obviously big. And, you know, within the walls. It's very big, but there's the Muslim area, and Jewish people aren't allowed in that area.

So there's the Muslim area, the Christian area, and then the Jewish area. And they all have their own, it's all segregated. And the true Jewish people that are really there that are truly, you know, you will go in to where David's tomb is, and they'll literally be studying. to Torah memorizing it. The students will and stuff. It's just their hearts are, they love God.

They're just not saved. They're not going to go to heaven if they don't get. I wonder how they. It's so sad to me because they're really sweet people. Isaiah 58 and not like, how do you read that and denied Christ? Well, because it's like Paul. This is how I liken it. Paul really thought he was doing right.

I know. Like he truly thought he was honoring God. And if he hadn't had that Damascus Road experience, would he have ever changed? I don't know if he would have. No. Like people that join cults. They are so bought in. They're sold out to the cause.

True. And you can't tell them nothing. But, but yeah, but at least with. But at least in this, it's God. This is, they, they are worship being the one true God. At least they got half of it right. I know. They're so close.

I know. Crayville. Cray, Gray. I'm watching a documentary right now. On the Mormon wives? Are you watching Mormon wives? No, no, no. No, this is like an actual, like not a reality show, like a documentary.

It's on the, the guy that got arrested, Jeff Warren. it's it's what happened after he got arrested in the community now and what it looks like yeah wait a minute where was that wasn't he really tall and skinny yeah and he had all those wives so when he went into prison um he literally told his believers that you can't get married or be with your your wife anymore like because if he was going to be in prison nobody can oh all right no are you kidding me yeah and did they do did they do that yeah but then this other guy sam came out and was like, I'm a prophet. Oh, yeah.

And now there's like division in the camp and it's not good. I know. Send me that one. Yeah, yeah. I will. I'm always interested in that stuff. How do people fall for this? Like, even with the Mormons and stuff like that, I'm like.

They're Mormons. But they're FDL. They're like the fundamental part of it. Yeah. I just, hold on. I, I just, I don't get it. I don't get it.

But I do, to an extent, not that I agree with it, obviously, but the Jewish faith, I do understand that. I mean, the true Jewish faith, which is the Torah. I mean, and then they have some obviously Enoch and stuff like that, that they have their own too. They're like the Catholics, which that's part of the problem, because that's how the Talmud came in because they have all these other separate books,

which people can dilute and then cause, like, yeah, which is a cult that they cultivate. But, I mean, these people are like, they really, they love God. And so that's how I liken it to. I think to myself, like, Paul's really no different up to that point. And he righteously believed that he was doing right by the Lord. He was bringing honor to God. And so I think that that's when I think of these people who are true practicing Jewish people. But it's sad because, and I think that's one of the reasons why God will send the two witnesses in hopes to save those very few that will understand and have like a Damascus Road experience with the Lord.

because when those two witnesses for three years are out evangelizing and then they get killed and then they rise up, that's going to be like, like what Paul experienced. That's going to be like, hello. What's going on here? Right. Right. You're going to have to like sit there and be like, this is, I mean, this is something. Mm-hmm.

Great. I don't know. It's very. It's just weird to me. It's just like a... That whole thing, like, the whole Israel thing that's going on right now is just so... I'm so torn with it. It wasn't on my bingo card.

Huh? It wasn't on my bingo card. Not mine either. Like this whole thing. Never in a million years. Nope. No. If I hadn't worked for that company, I wouldn't have known how bad it really is.

Like, you go over there in LBGTQ, it's... Everywhere. It's off the charts. How long ago was this, too? 2019. Oh, no, 2020. Excuse me. I went in January 2020. And then I got, no, excuse me, I went at the end of January. I went there for like two, almost three weeks because I went there for work for like, it ended up being like eight, nine days for work. And then I stayed and did, you know, I was like, I'm here, so I'm going to do some sightseeing and stuff.

So it was like two weeks, maybe two weeks that I was there. It felt like a little, it feels like it might have been a little longer, but whatever the case may be. But I stayed in Tel Aviv. Oh, no, I stayed, I went to Tel Aviv because that's where my office was. I stayed in, where is the airport, Tel Aviv? I want to say that's Tel Aviv, because that's where we were. we landed. Maybe.

I think I stayed in Tel Aviv, which Joppa, which was Jaffa, was right next to us. Because we were right at the Mediterranean. I think it was in Mediterranean Sea. It was right out, I mean, literally I could see it right out my window. Very liberal. Like, not, not, these people are like people who are pretend to be Christians, and they're only in name. and they're

I don't even know like a lot of the people I worked with were not practicing Jews at all I mean you talk to them about it and they don't even they don't go to the synagogue they don't do nothing

they're like Catholics very similar to that not not true practicing because it's just the same a lot of people call themselves a lot of people will say they're Catholics but are they practicing Catholics and there is a difference

yeah there is And there's a lot of practicing Catholics that you're not going to be able to convince me that they're not going to heaven. It's not possible. You're not going to convince me of that. Not because I want to love people so much. It's just because I've met Catholics that are sold out 100% got saved to Jesus and wouldn't even get divorced. They separated from their spouse but would not get divorced because of what the Bible says about it. And they're the ones that are reading their Bible.

Yes. Because a lot of times Catholics allow the priests to read the Bible to them. Right. And they love God and they love the Lord. I mean, so I do know there's, they are. Now, are they misguided on saints and things like that? Yeah, they 100% are. But I think that the Lord also looks at how much they love him.

So even though they're misguided, he looks at the heart and he looks, why do they, why do they practice that? or why do they believe that? Because they love me so much. Yeah. So, and what they did for me while they walked this earth. So I don't know. Like, but a lot of the, that is not, that's where I, that's a great way to say.

The Jewish people over there that are true practicing Jews, they're missing the Jesus element, but they're the narrow, they're the few, like the few Catholics that are really not in name only. They're actually practicing diligent believers. Right. And that's how, but I'm just telling you, like, if I hadn't gone over there and I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't necessarily believe everything that people say right now about. But I also was over there when B.B. Netanyahu was trying to be reelected and people did not want that. Really? They were not.

I mean, it was so controversial over there. Everybody was talking about it. Your tour guides are talking about it. it, like, everybody's talking about it. Like, they did not want him back in. Because he had lost, and then there was a, like, a, like, but there wasn't enough votes in between the two. So it was a, it was a re-vote.

So everybody had to vote again. Huh. Interesting. Yeah, that man's not a good man. he is not good the things that he forced on those people whether they're good or bad forcing them to get vaccinated you're not a good person we wouldn't say but joe biden is good at least trump he created it but he didn't force it he didn't force it he didn't mandate it right there is a difference and i'm not i mean i'm not trying to push i'm not a big fan of trump myself right now i'm kind of

I'm a little, I'm a little, I have beef with them, but, but not completely. Nobody's perfect, but, but when you force people to get vaccinated, you are not a good human being. Nope. And those people really were pretty much, it was do it or not work. Yeah. Which ain't good. Not good.

Not good. So now. Switching gears a little bit. Have you seen? Yeah. I want to hear. Because I got 12 minutes. So I don't even know if I should even start this.

The draft. And how. Thailand? The draft. Like, our kids have to like register. Wait a minute. What are you talking about? But that's never changed, right?

I don't know. Okay. What are you talking about? Like the military draft. Military draft. Like, they're- Tommy didn't have to do that. Yeah.

They're encouraging. Like, this is the newest thing. Like, they're encouraging, like, um. I read a comment. Now I can't remember. I wonder if I liked it. I think it's 18, right? You have to be 18?

Yeah. Yeah. Aren't you automatically? like if you're a citizen, like you're just on the list. Well, your name would automatically be in the, in the, the pot. But we have never,

we've never drafted, except for Vietnam War. Right. Like, a draft has never been. I think World War II, right? It was one of the World Wars. I don't remember which one it was, but like we really have never done it.

Yeah. Are we drafting women now too? Because how do I get exempt? Well, you are exempt. you're over the age. I think you're too old, Vanessa. I'm sorry. I think my kids are over the age now to be drafted.

But 18, I think it's 18 to 25 or something like that. Well, they'll take the younger ones first. And then if they have to, they go for the older ones. So right now, according to chat, there's no draft right now. The U.S. military is still 100% volunteer based. A draft will require Congress plus the, president to approve it first. Officials have said that there are no current plans to start one.

What's changed in 20206? I know. That's what I was, this is what you're hearing about. Okay. Chad's got you. A new law passed inside the defense bill starting December 16th or 18th, 2026 men from age 18 to 25 will automatically be registered. The government will use a database like Social Security instead of signing you up manually. This does not mean that people are being drafted. it just means the government is keeping a ready list in case of emergency. I'm just telling you, they already had that, though. Right. That's what, so I think they already had that because when Tommy,

they did something when Tommy was younger and he was still in high school and it was something very similar to this. And I was like, uh-uh, not happening. Yeah, exactly. But they've always pretty much, they may not have had it in law, but I'm just saying it's always been in existence. They've always known who was ready and available. I thought it was 18 to 25.

There is exemptions. Oh, there are exemptions, like flat-footed. Like, think that you're a male or a female. Oh, my gosh. If you're flat-footed, if you... He's extremely flat-footed. Yeah, because you can't run. Right, there's lots of...

Remember when you tried running during Fio Week? I do. I do. Oh, it's so fun. Yeah, it's like not something you can't. I can't believe that's one flat-footed. Yeah, it is. Yeah, look it up.

I believe you. I believe you. I believe you, but I'm going to look it up. There's like, there's like, There used to be, and I don't know if it's true anymore, if you're the only child. What? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It was, another one was, I believe, hearing.

There had to be, if you had a certain, like if you couldn't hear, it's also, it's not seeing because you can wear glasses, but it's a hearing, whatever it is. And then there was another one that could we keep you from being a prospect and what was, like, obviously genetic issues, like, not genetic, but if you have, like, you couldn't go, like, if you had, like, type 1 diabetes, things like that. If you have certain. I got it. Go ahead. Okay. So medical exemption. Colorblind was one of them.

That was it. I couldn't remember. Go ahead. Very interesting. So there's like, they have like a thing that says, shows like very flat feet, normal arch, high arch, very high arch. So you have to have it like extremely flat foot. Jojo's safe. Usually not a disqualification anymore. But if it's diagnosis, then yes.

But heart condition, severe asthma, diabetes, especially insulin dependent, epilepsy, seizures, serious mental health conditions. which everybody would get by with that one. Significant vision or hearing loss, bad knees, back problems, blah, blah, blah. But this is what you were saying, only child in the family where a parent's sibling died in the military service. That's one.

And I think these are more extreme. Soul caregiver for a dependent, like a child disabled parent. Certain ministers or religious roles is another one. Really? Yeah. Some government or critical civilian roles, case by case.

That means. Temporary, if you're a college student, historically common but maybe that's that was most people would go to college so they didn't have to go right that's very common and then temporary medical issues like injury pregnancy etc but that's what made pat tillman do you remember pat tillman he was desert desert storm i think that's the one he died in he was a he was a definite prospect for professional football he was playing college ball and he was in college i think it was college still and he was going to be in the draft or something like that. He left, look him up because I don't think he

had even been drafted, but he was being, Pat Tillman, T-I-L-L-M-A-N. He went in the army, if I remember, right, he was killed. I think it was Desert Storm. I don't remember what I was Iraq and Afghanistan. So it was after Desert Storm. It was the one that Travis was in, the Iraq War. So was he in college or was he already a professional football player? He had just turned down a multi-million dollar NFL contract. After 9-11, he voluntarily enlisted, no draft, no pressure he chose it, became Army Ranger. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And he was killed in the line. He was killed in 2024 in Afghanistan. Yeah. He died in, like a hero, right? Yes. Well, no, well, I don't know if he died as a hero, but they have been. made him it into a hero because he gave up everything. Okay.

Like everything to go and fight for our country. Because he thought that was more important than... They made a movie. Did they really? I think they did. Are you sure that wasn't the guy that was the sniper? Oh, you're right. That killed.

You're right. That was... Yeah. Because I feel like it was same war, but he killed... Maybe that's who I was thinking about. The Tillman story. There is a movie about Pat Tillman, but it's not a typical Hollywood-style film.

And it's called The Tillman story. Then you probably saw something. A documentary. I did. Who knows? I stored it away. Well, that might be true because you do know, like, the most weirdest. My brain is just a sponge.

But not the greatest things. Like, I wish I could, like, store, like, useful things. Nah. That's boring. We'd be bored. Yeah, that's true. Do you want to know what happens if the draft happened? Like what the steps are?

Yeah. Okay. Number one, names are pulled lottery style. Oh, that's like what's going on in Thailand right now. They're going to be doing Netflix is going to do a documentary series. Yes, on Thailand because red ball means you're being enlisted, you're drafted, blackball means you're safe. I've seen videos of people pulling it out. And there's like,

really flamboyant men. Oh, gosh. Like pulling out, like, the lottery. And they're very happy about it. Who's happy about it? Who's happy? I've seen it. The flamboyant man.

I saw it. I was like, you're happy. You're the least of who I would think. And they were like, whoa. Literally. With the ball in their hand. Okay. Yeah.

Yes. Okay. Number one, your name is pulled lottery style. Number two, you're called for an evaluation. And then three. you're assigned a classification. Either you're fit for service, deferred, or exempt. That's what it looks like. And so is this men and women or is it men only? This is the same men. Okay. That's it makes sense. 18 to 25. You know what they should do instead? Send out the women in their

ludial phase. Oh my gosh. We'll get stuff done. We would be so mad. And then you switch them out. Every cycle. You're taking people out left and right. Literally. Say one bad thing. Hey, one bad thing. I'm trigger happy. Literally.

Breathe wrong. You sound like Trump right now. I mean, whatever you gotta do to get things done. Oh my gosh. I feel so bad at my uniforms today. Yeah. They would definitely film us.

They would definitely film us. that would definitely be a documentary. A hundred percent. And everybody would watch it. I don't know. I'll kill somebody and be like, you're not mad at me, right? Where you were, when you were thinking about the draft, like, because obviously I think about a draft, I think about Creighton and Eli. Yeah, I have a son.

Because that's how I was when I had seen some stuff, you know, when Tommy turned around that time. And so you do sit there and go. Because I automatically think, like, I would never want a draft to happen. Because I, I mean, when Travis went over to Iraq, we were all praying and believing for him to be safe. And we were, like, we would say to Heather on a regular basis, have you heard from him? Because she never knew where he was at. like I wouldn't want to go through that again with one of those boys.

I say my brother. Like he was in Iraq and Afghanistan. Did you know where he was at at different times? Or you weren't allowed to know, correct? No. No, he was in the Marines, yeah. That was Travis, Marines. Yeah, go ahead.

We got a call that he went to the German hospital. I was like, well, that's not good. Because that's not where you want to go. He was fine. He had like a seizure or something. And he went back. What? not DJ

Doug Doug yeah I was like it's just his brain just like just like just do that he'll be fine

oh my gosh little tap tap tap tap just a little tap he's fine but yeah he ran over and he's never recovered

he's never recovered he's the same I met him makes sense he's special he's a special boy never the same

that's funny but go ahead yeah he he actually drove over an IED and it didn't go off. Praise the Lord.

Yeah, so there is. There's a lot of praying. And it's just not fun because it's always in the back of your mind. And like even when you trust God the way that you do, like it's still there. It's just there. And you know they're there. And especially if they didn't volunteer. Like he wanted to go.

So it was like there's a different level of like, yeah, he wants to be there. You know, but like. And if he did, if he, if something did happen to him, then you knew that my prayers were protecting him because his prayers were not. What I'm saying to you. is this. Yeah. He had made the decision so he knew what he got himself into.

Right. Right. Other people don't do that. Yeah, the draft thing doesn't sit right for me at all. Like, no, not at all. No. Mm-mm. No. I just, I mean, thank God for the men and women that have.

That volunteer. Mm-hmm. Thank God for them. Yeah. I appreciate them. He sat on an IED for 20 minutes. Oh, that's what it was. off. That's what it was. And then the mine sweepers went over that same spot and it blew up.

Yes. That's wild. That's God. Many miracles, those four years. Four years is a long time. It was a long time. Did he come home any of those, any of those four? He did. And was he excited to go back? He was a mess. What does that mean? Like he wasn't living right. Oh. So he was probably excited to go back. He was, he was just, four. Yeah, he was just like living. He was partying here. He was partying there. He was partying everywhere.

Party over here. Exactly. Exactly. So mom, me and my dad were, actually, maybe DJ too, but I don't know if God heard his prayers. But he definitely heard our prayers. So, yeah. And it was.

It was not an enjoyable time. But, um, look at him now. He's pretty well. I know. He's the same. Yeah. I'm joking. God's doing some great things.

God does. Yeah, he is so good. But that's wild. I didn't hear anything about that. Yeah, I saw it the other day. And then we were watching, it didn't help that me,

Jeff and Joe, we were watching Band of Brothers last night. Oh my gosh. That was silly. I know. Why did I do that? At night before you go to bed? Yeah.

After you watch the draft thing? Yeah, that was that was silly. Oh my gosh. Not last night the night before. I did not sleep a wink. That was last time I struggled. I don't know what was going on.

What is happening? I don't know. I kid you not. I don't know. Waking up last night. But I had a headache for two days. Two days. And normally I was telling Tom, I was so mad because it wasn't like a migraine or anything.

It was just, and I think it's because of lack of water. I was just going to say, were you drinking water? Tell you need hope. It's lack of water. It's probably dehydrated. It was so mad that I couldn't get rid of that headache. Yeah. But in the natural, I should have done a natural.

Every time my. head aches. I'm like, did I even drink a drop of water today? Or the day before. Or the day before. I was pretty sure. I was like, it's funny. I don't think I've had any water. That might be the reason. Actually, I don't know if I, no, I did. I had water today. I've already had some water today. Good job, guys. Good job. All right. Well, this was an easy, peasy podcast because I didn't touch on squat. I'm going to change the title now. Yeah. Just put, change the, change the, Are you ready to be drafted? Exactly.

I don't know what we talked about, but drafting was one of them. It's Friday. How about love and war? It's Friday. Oh, okay. I don't like that. Wow, that was quick. Look at you.

I mean, no. And it doesn't even really apply. It doesn't really matter, though. But people will watch it. Exactly. We're going to read. People start watching and go, this ain't about love. And it ain't about war.

We can confuse them. Oh, well. I don't care. I don't care. Just watch our... Oh, we could put like Israel. And it will really... Oh, that'll really attract people.

Could I do like a heart with Trump, Trump? Oh, my gosh. It'll really trigger people. I like triggering people, so... Here's the thing. You got to support what is right and you have to call out what is wrong. Absolutely.

At the end of the day, 100%. Truth is truth. And you have to stick with what's true. Otherwise, you're just part of the propaganda. Yes. Thank you. Exactly. And who, I mean, you will not only be living a lie. You'll be propagating a lie. Right. And lying is not good. So just stick to the truth. Yes. Do your homework. Stick to the truth and understand like, this is what I do not get.

It's Friday. Let it go. If the Old Testament, if the Old Testament is full of the Lord, turning his back on who he called his people. Like he turned his back and he even warned them. If you do these, he told Moses, tell them. If you do these things, I'm turning my back on you. Yeah. Like, if God himself had prerequisites for his people, do you not think that that still exists today?

I just like. Right. Okay, I just, I have a stupid question. There were bad kings. There were good kings. Like, there is consequences. And I, I think B.B. Netanyahu is like a bad king. He's like Ahab as far as I'm concerned. And Lord did

not love Ahab. No, he didn't. Nope. So why are we supposed to love Ahab? I don't get it. Go ahead. I have a really, I don't know why I've never really thought about this, but the Jews, the practicing Jews in Israel or wherever, like they're still under the old covenant, right? Under the law. Right. Do they still sacrifice animals for the atonement of their sins? And how do they justify that? I don't, I can never, I have never, and they're not just in, they're just not in Israel. They're spread out all over the place, even here in the United States. But there's just not a lot of them.

But our hearts are for them. But I've never been able to reconcile that either, because how can you go from doing it and not doing it? And then practicing the festivals without the new moons. Like, how does all not happen? What are we doing here? I've never been able to, I have never been able to reconcile that at all. I don't know. I don't understand how it all works.

So for me, part of it is like, then why don't you just believe in Jesus? Right. I don't get it. If you don't do it anymore, why do you not believe in Jesus? And for me, it's like the eastern wall or the eastern gate. It's closed up. It's shut up. It's blocked.

Like that right there. should tell you the Messiah has come. But they totally like. Disregard it. And it will not make sense. It just doesn't make sense. But my heart goes out to those, to the true Jews because like, those people, God does love those people.

He does. And they love God. So I don't know. I feel a sense of compassion for them. And I do stand with them. I do stand with those people. But I would stand, like, I stand, people think I'm crazy, but there are really good people out there in this world

that are practicing other religions and stuff like that. I don't stand with them spiritually. I stand with them for the rights of them. Like, there are Muslim women that are treated so poorly. They didn't decide to be born in that. They were just born in that. and like all these kids that are trafficked, I mean, that's not right. Somebody's got to stand and support and try and and hope.

Instead of just being like, well, I don't know what to tell you. That's just their, that's just how it is. Just because that's how it is doesn't mean that it's right. And it doesn't mean that these aren't human beings and they deserve to have the kind of life, maybe not that we have because they're not Americans, they deserve to be treated as human. Like, they might not go to heaven because they might stick with believing in a different God, but what an opportunity it is if you save them from this that you might be able to open the door so that they do know. I don't know. I know it's super confusing and I know it's like a very webby

thing that I'm saying. But I mean, people are human beings. This is lives. Like, these are children. And nobody deserves to be mistreated or not as a human, like an animal. People are not animals. And they, I don't know, I just, I do support standing with people so that they have a better life than what they're experiencing right now. I have so much respect for missionaries. Go into the lowest of the lows. Like I knew a girl who was a missionary in her parents were missionaries in China. Like, the under, the under, the undergrub.

ground church. And when you go there, like, you risk your life. Yep. But it's for the chance that they would give their lives to the Lord. Yep. And that's so true. And like one of my girlfriends, her sister-in-law and her sister-in-law and husband and their kids, Christians felt called to go over to China. And they had an orphanage.

and all these either if the little boys the boys were usually usually handicapped and deformed and just tossed out there were orphans and then they got rid of girls like crazy because they were regular little girls but they were just tossed out because you know girls were

the mothers decided not to abort them but they orphaned them because you can only have one and now the country is in bad shape because of these decisions but they went over there and they risked everything. They ended up getting favor from the Chinese government, but they risked everything going over there

and introducing these children to Jesus. Like, I have a high level of respect, and how many of those babies do they radically change? I know. And now, well, the Lord, I mean, like, I just. Beautiful out of the feet that bring the good news. Yeah, that's one of the reasons why I'm really thrilled about this church. And I feel like, man, God just,

when he spoke to me in the fall, and said to start supporting and feeding these kids all over the place. And now we have the opportunity. And I'm like, we're in Cuba for crying out loud. It's really cool. I know. Like, our hands aren't there, but we're supporting. And I get every month from the place that we provide the funds for, Ambassador to the nations,

I get something from them every time we give saying, like you don't understand how radical this gift has changed our ministry and the lives of these children. And the Congo, like, yeah. I know. I just, for me, it's like, it's huge. Feeding a child, allowing to get one more day so that it might come to know the Lord. That is incredible. That's it. That's what it's all about. We need to stand with these people and help them. And, um, They all, like, they all deserve the same chance that we've had to be saved, you know, come to know him. So that's that, people.

Have a great weekend. We'll see you on Sunday. If not in person, live stream. Watch Tom tonight. Live on Instagram, 8 p.m. The topic he's going to talk about tonight, very interesting. Ooh. Really good.

All right. You don't want to miss it. See ya. Real talk.