Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 743 | Phil’s Long-Lost Daughter Knew He Was Her Dad Immediately & Phil’s ‘Illegal’ Coffee Recipe

Episode Date: August 30, 2023

Phil’s daughter, Phyllis, reveals that she always knew she was different and that she immediately knew Phil was her dad the first time she saw him. Jase just can’t wait to give his “perfect” coffee recipe, which he thinks is far superior to Phil’s. Phyllis gives advice to people who are in humble circumstances on how to turn generational curses into blessings. Jase, Al, and Zach explain how their relationships with Phil deepened after his conversion and then their own. Go back and hear Phyllis’ full story on episode 96 of "Unashamed"!  In this episode: Deuteronomy 10; Romans 6, verses 10–11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA4BCl5mhbY — Hear Phyllis’ amazing story of searching for and finding her dad!  — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? Welcome to the Unashamed podcast. We have our sister, Phyllis, in the house, as she's in the lair with dad. So welcome, Phyllis, back to Unashane. It's been a while since we had you back. I noticed you have braces now. Full set of metal. It's not cosmetic, but straight teeth is good.

to. Yeah, it's not a bad thing. So I guess you're getting to experience all those things. Most people got them, you know, back when they were teenagers, but now you're getting to use yours as an adult. So what about that's something, right? It's a super fun conversation starter. It's called the cold open, Phyllis. We're just easing into our conversation. So look, we owned a couple of podcasts ago. We told a story about your husband, our beloved artist, is that the artist, as dad calls him, falling off. off a ladder. And he was hurt pretty bad. So give the audience an update on where he is and kind of how things are going. He's getting better day by day. So he fell July 29th. And then

he was in the hospital for six days after that. We drove, we were out of network. So you know how insurance companies go. So we had to drive down here quickly to get him into therapy. So that drive down here was rough starting out, but we got him here and he started physical therapy, occupational therapy. So he's gaining more and more independence and he's kind of made some like adaptations to his or accommodations, whatever, to his work area. So he's painting. So you'll see like people will watch his time lapse videos. Now he's sitting in a chair in a brace with his canvas lowered. He's still painting, but he's doing it sitting down and in a brace. So it's kind of funny to watch.

But he said it's been a humbling experience, but there's been a lot of people praying for him. It could have gone way worse. So we're so thankful that he's making a recovery. It's going to be several months and a brace and even more months after that until it's healed. And if everything goes well, he'll be hopefully A-OK. So just to let the audience know,

because we're always, I feel like we're always telling Phyllis's a story. You know, because the new, the newest one to our family, is, you know, you're kind of the sickly one out of you and Tony. I mean, you're the ones that has the most problems, you know, a physical problem. So what's that? I mean, so you guys have kind of had a role reversal here. Yeah.

You're a nurse. So you're good at nursing. And we've seen that because you've out about mom and others. But what's that like with having Tony be the one down? Because he's normally the one that's, you know, making sure everything gets done. Yeah. I mean, physically, I know what you're talking about. talking about. So I have an autoimmune disease. So I have psoriotic arthritis. And that affects joints

and basically hurt and swelling and all of that. So what I do is I just flip into nurse role at work when I have to do these things. I just grant and bear it. Now Tony's constantly saying, well, let me do that. And I'm like, no, if you do that, you're actually going to create more work for me. So just let me do that for you. But, you know, he's my husband. I don't even give it a second thought. If I had to do everything that I'm doing for him right, now for the rest of our lives, that's what I would do. So it's, and you know, God gives you grace for those moments in life when you need to step up and do something different or that may be uncomfortable, painful, painful, emotionally,

or physically. And I think God gives us grace for those moments. And so I'm not worn down. I'm tired. I haven't had much sleep because I've been working. But, I mean, I feel great. I'm doing what I need to do. You're also back in school to pursue a counseling degree, which is a, you know, which is a

is great. So you're going to be doing some more things with that. So you definitely got a lot going on. Yeah. There's not much time for sleep right now, like, actually, with Tony and working and school and I'm trying to get everything done. Yesterday, I had school stuff. And before I knew it, I had two hours to sleep before I worked all night last night. So I went home and took like a two-hour nap. I've had about four hours of sleep in the last 30, some 30 hours or so. So you just need more of dad's coffee and you'll be good together. I've got some right here and hopefully I can string two sentences together coherently. So that's the goal.

That coffee should be illegal. Whatever you guys do there. It's like sludge. I'm down there, but it is. I think it may be illegal thing. It's like a massive espresso. The way y'all make it, you get. Because you put a filter in like a regular coffee, but espresso, you pack it down and you guys pack it down.

It's like, I mean, it's like a huge pot of espresso. That's how it turns out. He heard us talking about measuring out coffee. And he was like, I don't measure out coffee. I just put it in there until it's full and can hold no more. There's no measuring. No, it's quite the. Jase, you're the same way, right?

Well, I use better coffee, though. Phil does that with cheap coffee and it just, it has a wang to it. And, you know, the grade of water is also optional. So I'm not sure what he bruise off. But I mean, the only thing we have in common is I do throw the measuring cup away right off the bat and I put as much coffee in there. But I use a higher grade of coffee and only the best water. He does it.

What does that? Phil does the spring water because we did a one of my favorite in the woods episodes that we used to do was the one, Phil, you remember where you, you made a, we did a whole episode on making coffee. And Phil said it's a shame when a grown man, when he groans or what, I forget the words you used at a cup of coffee, all the fru-frew, you talked about the fru-fru-frou stuff they put in there and you just had a cup of black coffee. And I think that was one of like our top episodes. It was Phil making coffee. Well, we know better than to use this water. I mean, there was a boil order on it last week at work. They were saying, are we off the bowl order? Like, you can't use this water here. Like, you've got to use. What was in it?

I think it turned, the water turned brown. Oh, the water stays brown. It doesn't turn brown. It's, it stays brown for here. It's no good. Don't drink the water. It doesn't turn brown. It is brown.

We use spring water. I mean, right from the spring, you know. Yeah. We just thought there was no. nothing put in there to save your water I mean I said what about just getting good creek water

so it comes out of a spring I think somewhere in Arkansas so we use spring water maybe I'll have to revisit I don't know the last time I tried Phil's coffee it was horrid it was like chickery like and I'm not a

It has a bitter Yeah it has a strong I'll give you the recipe I'll give you the recipe So I put six cups of water and then spring water are filtered yeah it's filtered or spring but then you have to back in your back in your background phyllis when was the day when you woke up and you looked around and you and you said in your heart based on the information that you had gathered you'd pointed at an old coot like me

and say that he is my dad well it was a road um the first time ever saw you, you were preaching. And I looked up and I'm like, I'm, I'm pretty sure. Like, it's not like blood tested yet. But based on the research I've done, I'm pretty sure that is my dad. And he is preaching the gospel. And I was just like, that is the best thing ever, ever, ever. This is after you got the, this is after your mom told you, right? Right. So I had all the ancestry DNA and the kind of the family tree worked out and then my mom's story. So I was like 99, percent sure. So what was making you dig into that to find out what, what was, are you just, the Almighty just put it on your heart to look it up? That's a good question because it's

really a little bit of both. I don't know that I would have done the ancestry DNA test alone, but when I was younger, and you were asking me this before we started filming, like did I always know, you were asking me what it was. Growing up, it's so weird. you said you would never have thought for a second that your dad wasn't your dad. And I said, well, if you were in my shoes and you looked and you saw like, it's amazing what the human eye can pick up and the brain can pick up so subtly, but you look at like my siblings who are full siblings to each other. And they had physical characteristics, the shape of hands or their eyes, little little things that you pick up on. And I'm like, why don't I have that same, I should have those same kind of characteristics. Some

personality differences, but just as simply is looking at them, I knew all my life, I'd be like, why did my feet look different from their feet? Why are my hands different than their? Because their hands look very similar. Mine looked different. And that's so weird. And then one day, I was an adult, we were in my mom's kitchen and I looked at her directly. And this is years before any of this came up. I said, are you sure Wayne was my daddy? And I mean, why would I ask that? Something in me knew. How, how are you? of them. I was an adult. I was probably in my 30s, maybe. Okay. You mean, you just had this feeling. I had this. It's like, somehow I knew, like, I knew in me whether it was the brain picking up on.

When they say there's no guy, that makes you say, hmm. So when you, before you, before that, before that, when you, before that, when you're, like, I guess you probably knew who, who the Robertsons were before you knew this. Did you have a special affinity? We were. man, I really like those people. They're great-looking people. I mean, where's there? Because I'm kind of... I knew about the show. But I didn't really know y'all. I didn't know names.

I didn't know who the characters were in the show or who was related to who or whatever. So I didn't know that. But when I began to do some research and studying, that I realized that this is a strong Christian family. And for me, maybe just being who I am, that didn't necessarily mean that was true. That was what I had seen and heard of it. about that was on TV on a reality show, that didn't necessarily mean you all were this strong Christian family. That could have just been what you were portraying on a quote-unquote reality TV show. So I didn't necessarily decide ahead of time like, oh, yeah, they're going to be strong believers.

I'm saying before you knew that Phil was your dad, that did you, when you would, I guess, see their persona on a magazine or anything? Was there any kind of thing that was like any weird connection like man, I like those people. Is there any kind of like weird? No. I mean, and it would have been hard. Did you find yourself saying, Phyllis, that I wish they would have the older brother on that show more because he seemed so much wiser and smarter than everybody. And funny.

You know, I sat here because I thought it would make me quick-witted and have a better sense of humor. That's why I chose this seat. You know, we were in Nicaragua from 2013 to 2018. So we really just didn't get enough exposure for that to even happen. Yeah, out of the loop, yeah. We really were. Out of the cultural loop, yeah.

Yeah, for sure. Of course, what's interesting is, is Phyllis' family, her brother and sister, were huge fans of the show. And so you kind of knew about it from them, which is kind of interesting. We met him. In fact, one of your cousins, I think Dad just baptized her recently. She was like an Uber fan. I mean, the first time I met her, it was one of those, oh, my gosh, I can't believe it. You know, I'm getting to meet one of these people.

So it was kind of interesting that even though you and Tony were kind of out of the loop because you were in Nicaragua, your family were big fans of the show. Yeah. Which is interesting now. That's cousin Sheila. Cousin Sheila was like, she's like, this is Uncle Field. You're my uncle now, right? If this is my cousin, that makes you my uncle. You know, yeah, actually.

They did ask me to sign some stuff, actually. I think I hadn't thought about it. But they almost like, no, they didn't. Yes, they actually did. My cousin, Sheila, and her husband. He was a huge fan. Like, this man had signs on his property about Duck Dynasty, and he had pictures on his wall. This is before he married my cousin.

And so when he found this all out, he just was. He had a, he has a Duck Commander tattoo from years ago. Oh, man. He's a big fan. He's a hardcore fan. This is that couple that visited you baptized her. Yeah. Yeah.

Huge fans. Yeah. That's when you know you found a true fan. Let's take a break. So we started on the last podcast down a road of discussion. We had Jep Owen, Phyllis, and Austin and Lily Jep's oldest daughter, talking about the importance of having a legacy of faith, having a future generations of understanding. And so our kind of basis text was in Duteronomy 6, which of course was Moses kind of laying out the best way to go forward as you enter in this new.

land is to be able to teach these principles of first loving God and then loving his word and his commands and then passing that on to your children and your children's children. So in that discussion, of course, we had them also literally just starting their new marriage together. And so we kind of gave them some advice. And I want to continue that discussion in this podcast. And specifically why I wanted to have you own is because a lot of times I think it's hard for people to, to imagine continuing that faith on when you, maybe you didn't start out that way. Maybe you had, you know, there's a major, you know, you think that generational blessings. What if you're living in a generational curse, some addiction in your family or some difficulty?

So how do those things change then to get to this place where we read about in the Bible? Because for some people, it just seems like Pollyanna, right? It's just like, well, that's great. I mean, you guys seem to have it down, but I'm never going to be able to accomplish this. And of course, your story to me, which is our story, becomes one of grace and finding that place, you know, and yet it was still already in you as well. So I want to revisit that concept in Duda. And Jace, you had a thought from Duteron that we're talking about in the break. I want you to open that up as we get back into that discussion.

After I give my coffee recipe, after I give my coffee recipe that I was waiting. Oh, yeah. By the way, we've been waiting for that coffee recipes. I had to go drink some coffee to stay awake to realize that I was given a coffee recipe. So I put six cups of water as much as the coffee filter will hold, but you can visit online and you can get a bigger coffee filter. And I remember the day Phil actually said that. It was kind of a play on Jaws when he said, I think we need a bigger filter.

So you can get huge filters that are for bigger coffee pots, stuff it in your coffee pot, fill that up all the way. Don't use over six or seven cups of water if you have a fine grated coffee. It will turn out to be a spectacular cup of coffee. And then if you want to add a shot of espresso, it only gets better for. from there. So that was that. So thanks for tying that up, as we were waiting. Well, I'm sure people have their notebook out and they were like six cups on every word you say. Of course. We got six cups of water. What, what is the end of that? So yeah, we did study that in Deuteronomy. And it's,

you know, it's fascinating without getting into the weeds because you got to remember the story of liberation that happened here with God. you know, free in the Israelites would really, in a way, become a human story of how God is for all people and that he wants to liberate people from bondage. And there's a lot of bondage that we get up under, whether it's someone else suppressing you or our own sin or. So, you know, in the light of what we're talking about today, I mean, God specializes in making things right when things go wrong. because ultimately we all mess up. That is the backdrop of the book of Deuteronomy.

It's the fact that we're going to fail. And you see that when Jesus, all the stories that we've done in Luke so far, when the guy was like, well, what must I do it inherit eternal life? Well, it wasn't that he didn't know the information. When Jesus said, well, what do you think about the law? He got it right. He said, love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as yourself.

So the guy's like, okay, Jesus is, well, go do it. Well, there's the problem is because when you're honest with yourself, failures happen, you're never going to be able to measure up, and then you find this need for God. And so, you know, all this happened with Phil before he gave his life to Christ. And part of the consequences of living a sinful life is sometimes, you know, you have a pregnancy that occurs that you don't even know about. I mean, you're, while you're married and, you know, a baby is born, you know, our sister's born and none of us know about it. So, you know, what it made me realize when I was reading through Deuteronomy, though, we focused on the podcast with Jep is really that was more the individual responsibility we have to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

And then leave that legacy and pass it on to our family. And so just as a reminder, you can read Deuteronomy 6 and Deuteronomy 30. but in Deuteronomy 10 he seems to address the other aspect which is the law is summed up in which is love your neighbor as yourself and I wanted to read this 14 through 20

of chapter 10 it says and I'm not doing this justice I'm just picking out this one paragraph but you can read the whole thing so verse 14 says to the Lord your God belong the heavens even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.

Yet the Lord set his affection on your forefathers and love them, and he chose you their descendants above all the nations as it is today. And then here's this reference again, which we touched on last podcast. Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-neck any longer. For the Lord your God is God of God's and Lord of Lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no. partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens. For you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.

Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise. He is your God who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw. with your own eyes. So you fast forward to the New Testament, and what does Jesus do? Here's the image of the invisible God. He starts seeking out people that are untouchable and that are aliens and that are sick

and that are demon-possessed. And that same theme you see in the image and character of God through Jesus is that he genuinely cares for every human being. And he's about reconciling people to God. And through that, you reconcile people in their families and their communities. And so that was the thought I had. I mean, what a beautiful foreshadowing of what Jesus was going to represent in a practical way. But I still think the principle goes back to that.

No, that's good. And it had that concept in there that we touched on on the last podcast with the idea of circumcising your hearts. And, J.S., you had made a point about even physical circumcision. and this idea of it. But the real purpose behind all of it was that it was all about showing it was a sign of obedience and trusting in who God was. You look back in Genesis, you know, 15, 16, 17, when this concept came out about physical circumcision, it was always really a shadow of spiritual circumcision, which that is in our hearts, we trust God fully no matter what. And so we want to cut away that the fleshly part of us that's going to follow our own desires and look to him to guide us.

So it really is a beautiful picture that you see throughout the scripture. And it's just another one of those themes that people have a hard time. They're like, what is it? What was circumstances that have to do with anything? You know, why does that even matter, especially in the modern era? But you're really missing out on the most important point, which is God first. I mean, that's what that whole idea was about. So you see it in the text.

Yeah, and really. Hang on, Jay. Let's take another break. Well, really, you see that in Colossians too when you fast forward in verse 9. I mentioned it last time, but I think we should read it. You know, it says for in Christ, all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form. And you've been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him, you are also circumcised in the putting,

off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of man, but with the circumcision done by Christ. Having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, he raised him from the dead. And then this is the key phrase, when you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code with its regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us. He took them away, nailing them to the cross, and he disarmed the powers, authorities, and made a public spectacle of them triumphing, triumphing over them by the cross. That's interesting. You think about the same kind of language

he uses, Paul uses in Romans chapter 8. When you think about the heart, the heart is the center or the, it's the, it's the place from which all your desires and all, all of your affections. They all come from your heart. And so he's talking about cutting away from that. I was thinking about our condition. St. Augustine has a famous quote that goes like this.

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts, our hearts are restless until they rest in you. And so I think it's like to be a human, like we all experience that restlessness. And the reason why is because our heart's not directed at the right place. But listen to how Paul frames it up.

and I'm actually reading from NIV, which I never do, but I couldn't find my other Bible. But the NIV says it this way, Romans 8, that those who live according to the sinful nature, they have their minds set on what nature desires. So you hear the language of desire, wants, longings. But those who live in accordance with the spirit have their minds set on what the spirit desires. The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind that, that, controlled by the spirit is life and peace. That's that rest that St. Augustine talked about.

The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. But those who are controlled by the sinful nature can't please God. You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature. He's speaking to Christians here, but by the spirit, if the spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone who does not have the spirit of God, or spirit of Christ, he doesn't belong to Christ. But if the spirit of Christ, rather, is in you. your body is dead because of sin,

yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the spirit that lives in you. So I think that when you start thinking about that circumcision, it also says that those who are living by the spirit, they put to death the misdeeds of the body. You're cutting away of the things that would disorient or direct your desire to something that's not ultimately God.

And you cut that away. And then the Holy Spirit realigns you. And then as a result of that, you get what Paul talked about in Galatians 5, the fruit of the spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control. You don't produce those things.

You get those things from the spirit as you cut away the things of the heart, as you are circumcised, your heart circumcised by the spirit, then he produces that in you. And that's the, that's the thing that Deuteronomy 6 is talking about, the abundant life. But it's funny, in Phyllis's case, that was 48 years in the making. I mean, you appeared and, you know, like, who's that? But the Spirit of God, through the verses he just mentioned, without us really, realizing it, you were part of the family of God, the little girl walking along the side of the road.

But it took 48 years for that to be clarified. And you look and you say, I'm a daughter of the Almighty. And that's part of, from my perspective, what that is, is first we have to know who we are in Christ, right? I already knew that I was a daughter. I was a daughter of the Almighty. And there was a time in my 30s where I took a deep dive and really understanding. my identity in Christ. That's a basic starting point to move forward and understand the heart of God.

And we have to know, and this is why I didn't have like a whole, I didn't think I did anyway, until I met you. And we could talk about that. There's more to say on that. But as far as knowing who I was in Christ and understanding the nature and the heart of God, the Father, you have to know who you are in Christ. and talking about that scripture in Galatians, we know that the Holy Spirit is supposed to be helping to create those fruits of the Spirit in us, right? And when you list those out, those are the characteristics of God, the Father, you know?

And that's how we know. When we understand and know deep, like a revelation in our spirit, what those characteristics of God are, then we can in whatever the relationship is, whether it's a broken relationship, with family. I mean, because every case is different. In this case, it was just not even knowing you and then meeting you. I remember seeing you walked. Your back was turned, so I couldn't tell what you looked like.

But I knew what the claim was. So you were like this with your back turn, and I'm just sitting there. You got off the airplane, got right here. So you turned and started walking toward me. and I said, let me look in your eyes. And I'm looking at her face, you know. I said, I think I said out loud, she's mine. And see, that's all I have ever known of him.

Those fruits of the spirit, the love, the joy, the peace. And everyone, you know, you hear people talk about the old Phil, and I watch the movie and saw the old Phil, but I don't know the old Phil. and one thing I never had ever in my life was spiritual leadership in my home. That never, ever happened. And you stood for the test. You stood, you went through it on. Because I understood who I was in Christ.

So no one else was meeting with you and then they'd go and walk to the church building. Nope. When my brother and sister were still home and they left, they're nine and ten years older than me. I did catch the church bus with them when they went. They were teenagers and I was really little. But when they left home, I was very small and young and then started to go by myself. And so there was never any spiritual leadership. My stepdad, the man I thought was my dad, father, all my life growing up, he never, ever, ever led anything spiritual.

There was nothing in our home about spiritual matters. But you still stayed the course. I did. I did. And then to be in this setting. Right to story, I'll, you know. To be in this setting, though, now and have an actual. like earthly father who is playing this word out in my life. It's so encouraging. And I think I shared

this story somewhere, but I was just going to work and I showed up and it doesn't matter. At any time I can just show up, he pulls his Bible out and just starts sharing the word, just starts sharing scripture. And it's so encouraging. And that's how I know him. So it does reflect the heart of God. Yep. So let's take another break. So it's interesting, Phyllis because when we first met you, obviously we didn't know anything about your past at that point, or very little. But when you showed up in West Monroe, you have your husband of 25 years. You have two sons, believers in Christ, with their, at that time, fiancés, now their wives. And you show up and we see you guys, and it didn't take long we talked to you

to realize you're a family of faith. You had been on the mission field with your sons to lead other people to Christ. So it was interesting from our perspective because it seemed like you fit fully right into this family because you were just like us. You were still married to the same person. Your sons were about to get married. You were continuing this legacy of faith. And then we start asking you and you start telling me about your story. And some of you've already mentioned on this podcast.

And I found it incredible that this person who did not have all the things we're talking about somehow still under the provident hand of God was protected to the point. Because let's face it, a lot of bad things could have happened to you during this period of your life, but they didn't. I mean, God had his hand on you for a reason. And now we see so much of that now that we get to know you. Talk about that just because there's a lot of folks out there listening that may be. similar to you. Because you came from a broken home. Your parents were divorced.

Twice. Right. So you navigated all that. Talk to that person who's out there thinking, you know, I just, I can't see myself ever having this legacy that you guys are talking about because my situation is so bad. I guess I would say that we were working out that legacy before we ever met y'all, right? So and I would also say just a little caveat the story continues to unfold. So if someone thinks Phyllis found out who her father is, they've met and they have this

wonderful relationship and she's got this great Christian family. She's a believer and their believers and that's just great. They lived happily ever after. That is not the case. The story continues to unfold and it's still a journey and there's still potholes and dead ends and you take the wrong turn. It's not like there's still complexities that people have to work through. And before even meeting y'all, like I said, I had that walk with God and knew who I was in Christ.

I don't know if I made that point very well, but no matter what your circumstance, because on the surface, it could seem very complex. Like, no, for me, it's with my dad, or for me, it's with my siblings. Or for me, I never knew my dad. Or for me, my mom and I are estranged. And I found out I have a dad. he's already passed away, but, you know, my siblings want something to do with me, but these others don't. On the surface, it could seem very complex. But really, if you look at it and keep it simple,

which is something that I'm learning from him every day, if you keep it simple and understand the heart of God, the nature of God, you give your heart to God and live in the Word, live with integrity, keeping it simple, just do what the Bible says. Even if you come from a broken home, even if you are in a broken place right now, you can live this life of faith. You can live this life of knowing who you are in Christ. And that's powerful. The healing is out there.

It's for everybody. It's not like I got healed and made whole because I met my real dad. I got healed and made whole because I met God the Father. I have a relationship with Jesus Christ. that's the difference maker. Now, is it awesome that I found a family of not just Christians, but strong faith? I mean, wow, that is an amazing story. And this is an amazing story. And I think we use that and can share that with others. But no matter where you are, where you've come from, you have to have that relationship. We've got to start there. And you've got to really understand

who God is to you and who you are in him. Does that make sense? Yeah, it does. I'm, I'm, curious because we all got to watch the blind movie together in a theater there in West Monroe. And so you got to see, you know, I was alive then and old enough to remember everything that happened on screen. Most of it, you know, experienced myself. Jace was younger, but remembers a lot of it as well. But you're seeing it for the first time, really, even though, you know, we've talked some about that's past. What was your thought? Because it was during that era that's depicted in the film that, you know, dad met your mom, you know, obviously not as a Christian, and which produced you.

What was your thought process just watching it and sort of at the end of it? How did it make you feel? I mean, that's your dad on a big movie screen and not at its best for a lot of the film. So what was your thought process? I'm curious because I haven't asked you this. I'm asking for the first time. Yeah. I mean, immediately I think about how I related more to the post-conversion Phil who was sharing his story with, was it Big Al?

And so he's, it kind of, the story fast forwards and he's telling the story to someone else. Like this is what happened all those years ago. And when the story opens, it shows the date. It was 1985. And my immediate thought was, this is who I relate to the most. because this is the field that I know. And where was I in 1985? You know, and I thought about, I was just down the road.

Here he is this man of God sharing his faith and all that God has done in his life with his friend who just in time for him, you know. Yep. And I'm like I was just down the road, a little ways, 10 years old, and my real dad is like this. And that's how I know him now. so I related more to that feel. And people, you know, people have said, so when the bad feel, like Ms. Kay says, I didn't relate to him.

I just, it did not, it doesn't compute, because I don't see you like that. I just, I can't imagine. And so I guess I related more to the changed fill. And people have said to me so many times, and they're well-meaning. But they're like, Phyllis, you should just be happy that you, you know,

found your dad when you did, you know, all those years ago, he was pretty rough around the edges. And I'm like, no, if that's what he was doing when I was 10 years old, I really could have used a father figure like that when I was 10 years old. Precisely. I mean, no, it really, it really isn't better that it was 44 years later. It really would have been better if I had known him all my life because he was already a Christian when I was born. Like right when I was about to be born, he was born.

born again. So no, it wouldn't have been, I mean, there are some things, they're pros and cons, but it really would have been better when you were that man sharing your story in 1985. I could have used a nice stable home in 1985, even if it was in an older house, down on the river, way out of the way, not much money. It would have been a, it would have been an upgrade. Yeah. Lots of catfish. You know what, you would have had good food. The catfish would have been plenty. Yeah. Well, and we would have had a real baby sister, not just Jeff, you know, so that, that would have been, I wish I'd have said that joke when he was here. Let's take our last break.

So, Jay's, you look like you're deep in thought. You got something you want to share with us. So I was reading, you know, in Psalm 68, he quotes Deuteronomy in verse 5. He says, a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families. he leads forth prisoners of singing, but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. And, you know, it made me think when in Ephesians chapter 1, and you're kind of seeing the scheme of redemption,

which is really what we're doing, going back to Deuteronomy, and then seeing that that was the shadow for Jesus reconciling the world to himself, he makes this phrase in verse 5 of Ephesians 1, in love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the one he loves. I mean, I think the more I'm reading that, the more I'm looking at this situation, because it was rough when we were kids, because we saw Phil's old self, which created baggage for us.

What's interesting, here's Phyllis, you know, having to deal with what she had to deal with and the unknown and thinking she wasn't in the right family or, you know, something was going on and kind of all the deceit that was going on there where she didn't know the truth. What's crazy to me is even though all the circumstances, circumstances were different, we all found our true Heavenly Father and we're adopted because I thought every time someone is adopted, there's a reason. There was trouble or a challenge. I'm talking about it in the physical world. You know, when people are adopted, well, there's a reason. Either tragedy happened or mistakes were made or a kid doesn't have parents that love them or. And so really when you think about it from a heavenly father's standpoint, you know, we all have our problems, which is self-induced, because no matter what happens to you, we ultimately go out there and choose to be. be rebellious to what God wants in our life.

You know, it's called sin. And he still bridges that gap and reconciles us through Jesus. So I was just thinking about that because it puts it all in perspective, you know, just where would we be in a society without a Heavenly Father who loves everyone, who wants all people back to be reconciled with him? I mean, there would be no way to fix anything. it would just be, we'd try to do our best, and ultimately, without his love in our life, we would just all be empty, you know, just.

So, yeah, that's what I was thinking. I mean, I think you have to put it in perspective, because that's really ultimately why Phil and I became really close was really not post his conversion, but post mine. Because I was still like, I'm not sure I believe. believe you, you know, when you're a kid, you're, you're just immature. And I'm like, kind of what Phyllis said, who's to know whether this is something he's portraying now, or is it legit? And I was living in the house and seeing it, but, you know, you just, you have to realize that the evil one uses that self-indulgence to take you captive, but he also uses self-righteousness or self-pity,

you know. And so we all kind of get into those kind of, temptations. No, and in a way, Jay's, my experience is similar because in my case, unlike you, I kind of went the younger son and the prodigal story route, but I kind of had to try the lifestyle that I had seen, you know, that I really didn't seem to like when I was a kid, but I had to try it when I, you know, reached my own, you know, early years of adulthood. But it was when I came back to my faith and I came to Christ. that dad and I, our relationship really jailed as adults, kind of like what Jay's

talking about. And our friendship and relationship was based out of that. It was based out of a fresh and open look to Christ for me. And then my dad was my God then, you know, someone I could trust. So in some ways, it's not a lot different, Phyllis. I mean, you came in at obviously 44, but even us, I think our deepest appreciation of our relationship with our father has been once we. understood the Heavenly Father.

So in a way, it's kind of similar. Yeah. There's a lot of hope there. Yeah, that was the point I was trying to make. It's like there's some terrible stories out there and you hear them. But ultimately, when you realize that once you realize God is pursuing you, he's our ultimate father, you know, that prayer we're reading in Luke 11 right now. You know, when we all come together and we all have different circumstances and stories

that happened, but we pray as a community, you know, our father in heaven, we give him the praise. It kind of puts our bumpiness and our journeys in perspective in that knowing God's, God's got this. He's in control of this. And we have to recognize that, you know, better decisions we could have made, and we wouldn't have been in this same dilemma. And so I think it puts it in perspective that he's really a reconciler. I mean, that's what he does. He reconciles us to himself. And then through that, you get all these relationships in him that are really what family is all about.

And I think it's a really a mirror to being a part of God's forever family. I think you're right. Zach, in the last few minutes here, so when this podcast releases, we'll be inside of a month of when the, the movie is going to release. And I just wanted you to speak to that because, you know, you've been so involved in the project and kind of getting it to this point of release. And us talking about today from our perspective as dad's children, when you guys made this film and, you know,

it was first on your heart when God put it there to be able to show the story of mom and dad, not just dad, but come into Christ and have that impacted and changed, not just our family, but was a big change in our culture. because our show had such an impact on people and it's still impacted people through the podcast. What do you kind of hope happens, you know, what are you praying for that happens as a result of people seeing the film and getting other people to see it? That's a good question.

I would hope that people will go into this. I'm not even really concerned about why they go to watch this film, but I hope when they leave for whatever. every reason they came in. I hope that they, that people see the beauty and the power of, of the blood of Jesus that we can be forgiven for anything. And I think, I love what Phyllis said earlier about,

like, her view of Phil, that she doesn't see Phil in that light. She doesn't know him that way. He doesn't see him that way. And the character, or his character in the film, the part she identified with was the man of God that he became.

And I think that's probably true of almost everybody on the planet that knows Phil. I think that everybody knows him for the man of God that he is, the life that he's lived. Same with Kay. So I hope when they see the story of redemption unfold on a screen, I pray that they're emotionally moved by it. I pray that, and they're going to be, I'm telling you, because I've already, I'm getting so many emails and Facebook. messages and Instagram, I mean, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that are saying just by watching the trailer that they're like, man, I got to go see this movie because I'm in a bind and I need, I need a story of hope. And so that's the thing. And then I hope that it'll foster in people

and imagination for what a life with God could be like and that they'll go seek out and find a local church community that will walk with them. And, and I mean, I pray that's what happens from this thing. I mean, really, this is one little, you know, one little story that we're going to tell, but it's our story. And I pray it has a kingdom impact. That's good. And, you know, so much of this whole thing from Doudremy is the idea of God being our father. And it also then relays into the prayer we've been looking at in Luke 11, which is Jesus recognizing that relationship. And so we hope even listen to this podcast, that was my hope was that you would see that even in a situation where your dad was not the best at, or maybe you come out of a situation of abuse or addiction and a family

and so much. Things can be made right. And it starts with you, making an individual choice. And really, that's what our lives have been built on, is that change. So it's a story that can begin at any time. I love what you said, Philis. It's a story that continues to be written. As long as you draw breath, you have the breath to say, Jesus is Lord, and that I trust in God. And so things can always change for the better, especially if you have a situation that's difficult out there. So we're out of time for the podcast. But I had a couple of questions I didn't get to ask, Phyllis, because you're a grandmother now. I think since the last time we had you on the podcast.

And I want to talk about how that's changed you in terms of your view of carrying this legacy on going forward. So we'll talk about that and some more things in the overtime with Phyllis. If you want to follow us over, it's blazTV.com slash unashamed, where you get our bonus content. And not just for the podcast, but also everything that Blaze has to offer on their platform. So we'll see you in the overtime. Thanks for listening to the Unashamed podcast. Help us out by rating us on iTunes. And don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube.

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