Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 96 | Phil Robertson's Daughter Opens Up About Meeting Her Dad

Episode Date: May 31, 2020

Phil introduces his daughter, the best thing to come out of his sinful past. Phyllis shares the story of her life, how she discovered that Phil is her father, and what it's like to become a member of the Robertson family at age 45. Miss Kay also joins the podcast to reveal what it was like to find out about Phyllis and how she reacted when she heard the news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? So here we go. As promised on the Unashamed podcast, we have our sister and your daughter, dad, and mom too. Yes. What do you call mom, Phyllis? My special mom. Special mom, which is awesome.

So it's weird. It's wild. It's, you know, I guess it's different for us because we, obviously had a few months to process and meet and talk, but it's still kind of crazy. And what's so funny feels is we're so known as like the four brothers. And, of course, you know, like I'm the one usually because I don't have a beard all year that gets the scapego. But now there's a girl.

So we're the only two ones without beers, but they say that's, you know. But did you see how you packaged that? He's the weird brother, but he said I'm the one that I don't have a beard. I know we're both weird. No, trust me. I know both of you long enough to know. He's more weird. And you're not weird at all, right?

I don't think so. So, Mom, and Ms. Kay, of course, so Mom, before we get into more of our story that we started last time, so Jay's mentioned a couple of podcasts ago that he had a Mother's Day gift for you. Oh, yeah. And he told the audience what it was going to be. which was $1,000, $100 bill. $100 bills.

So he said he did it to be able to buy you off because you've been on him about the plane or whatever we've been arguing about this time. Because he's too tired to pay for half the plane, I know. I know. But he tells me all about winning on the stock market. So see, that's just like winning. It's not really winning. It's investing with a payoff. But anyway, that's fine.

Yes. So I have a problem with you telling me all that. And then when I asked you to pay half of something, it's like World War III. No, the argument that I thought we had ended with the payoff was that Phil said I have a free plane. Yes. And that was totally – Have you ever – have you had a free plane before? No, I would like somebody to go up there right now and try to get a free plane from the man that does that.

I did think it was weird. Speaking of weird, but I went with it. And then when I got the bill for the free plane, I thought, well, that must not have been free. Yeah, Jayce was hoping for the free plane. No, and then I... I just thought I got hustled by my parents, so I just brought it up because I thought next time... And you didn't pay half. You paid only a third.

Because you felt guilty because of what your husband did. And therefore, I said, I'll tell you what, I'll pay whatever you feel I need to. And you said, okay, give me a... a third. I said, okay. So did the, did the, did the, don't remember all that. I don't recall. We just went in and I don't recall. So did the thousand bucks, did it buy you off? Are you happy now? Yeah, I forgave him in that second that I saw those $10,000 bills in there. I said, all forgiven, love and more. She has really been really nice. Then I have a new prediction. Her attitude changed. Oh, I know. Just. Just.

People say, what can the $1,000 buy? We know it can buy it, forgive us. Then, I don't want to start another argument, but then I made a prediction. I said, I predict that within seven days, I told Missy this, that Ms. Kay, my mom, will give away that $1,000. She will just give it away. Within an hour, she gave me a hundred of us. There we go. As a tip.

That's right. And I got a tip. What you are hearing, Phyllis, is kind of a spinole. of the old mookie, a old movie being John Malkovich. This is like being a Robertson. I've never even heard of that movie, Phil. Where are you watching? I can't believe you remember that.

I didn't watch it. I just saw it advertised. This is like being a Robertson. Being John Malka's. That's funny. I have nothing. I don't know who that is. I'm worried to even research it.

And I don't know what to say. I like it's an actor. Jay, you need to get out more. Phil, I'm out. You're not. That's what's disturbing.

That's what's disturbing. I mean, get out mentally. Well, look, this has come back from 30 years. I don't know how you remember that. Yeah,

I don't either. I mean, Phil has not left this seven acres in months. And he's telling me to get out more. I'm leaving here in about an hour. So, I mean, I thought I was out.

really going out to a lot of places you're going to your corner. I'm almost to the Jeremiah Johnson line when the old mountain man said you might ought to get out of these mountains and get out there and go back to one of the towns down there. And old Jeremiah Johnson said I've already been to a town. That was a mic. That was a mic drop moment there. I've already been to that. Phyllis, I'm feeling the need to just apologize again. I feel like every time I turn around, this is kind of embarrassing.

I have at least seen that movie. Have you? You saw Jeremiah Johnson? Yeah. Oh, did you see being John Malkovich? I think I might have seen it. I definitely have heard of it. I didn't remember it.

You meant the best role John Malkovich played to me. You remember when Eastwood was the Secret Service agent in the lineup? The villain? He was the villain. Oh, that's John Malkovich. How would you even know who that is? He's a very good actor. He's good.

Remember that one? Remember he was the bad guy? He played a good one. He made that gun out of wood. And then he shot that duck out on the water. And the two rednecks run up there. And they had things. Let me shoot it.

They shot it. And then he just shot them both. Yeah. Well, that's a killer. That seems to go morbid out. Oh, well, I mean, he was a... It's a violent movie. I haven't watched it nor do I plan to.

Well, you're missing a good movie. It's all I can say. So anyway, so Mom, yes. We talked a lot about you. on our last podcast. I hope it was all good. It was all good.

Well, yeah. We did talk about the argument that was being going on, but it's been paid for me and you for 30 years. No, 50. 47. I'm not good with figures. I could start talking, but he probably couldn't argue until he started talking. So we could be 409 to be safe. He was three.

He was three before we started talking. Well, before he made any sense. Well, Kay came up with it. this line, she said that we had only had one argument. And I thought that was weird. She said it lasted 47 years. That's true. That is true.

These two are like oil and water. So, no, I'm talking about we talked about you on the last podcast when we talked about Phyllis. And so I wanted you to talk a little bit about it. Obviously, we explained Jason and I get in the letter, kind of how we went through that process. And so I mentioned that when I went out to talk to you and dad, because it was kind of like a process, took a couple of things.

It took up a couple of weeks before we were trying to figure out what we're going to do. And then I just felt like I had to let you guys know because we were going to have to try to figure out is this true or not true. And so that night was really interesting. And I talked about that I felt like you knew a lot of stuff about it. It really convinced me because I wasn't sure. I didn't know. I knew. He didn't remember anything.

You knew a lot. I knew a lot. I knew a lot he didn't know. Well, right. And I had never really thought about it before if you had two people. walking through a period of your life. And one is basically either drinking or on drugs the whole time and is not, you know, in their own mind. But the person.

A heathering. A heathern. And the person who's with him, though, is not living that way. So you would tend to remember a lot, you know, from that era. And so it was really interesting, I think, your initial reaction to the whole thing. So he mentioned that you said for years that you knew one of these days a person was going to show up. I said a boy because I just said a man. Yeah.

Because of that period of his life. Because I'm a prophetess really. No, she was saying that if there might be, it would be a son. Right, right. Yeah, looking like y'all. For kind of weird reasons, I guess. But did you ever imagine it would be a daughter? No.

That was the bright surprise of it all. I never. What are you trying to say? Thought he could produce a girl. What can I say? I mean, I wanted a girl the whole time, and no can do. When Jeff was born, the doctor told me he was going to be a girl. He lied.

He sort of was. No, he wasn't. He lied. And then I said, and then Phil said, just what I wanted another boy. You did say that. I know you don't recall. You recall the movie, but not this, but it's okay. And so I was, so yes, I was just thrilled, be unbelief.

And you knew that night, you told me, like, as soon as I read you the letter and showed it to, you said, oh, this is true. Yeah. And it was really interesting because we had not, and Dad's not sure because he don't remember and he didn't know anything. But it wasn't amazing that instantly you were like, oh, this is true. This is her. This has got to be the one. And I found that fascinating because I was not convinced. I thought the evidence was looking like it had a very good chance.

But I wasn't sure. And then Dad didn't know much, so that didn't help. But it kind of convinced me that it was probably was because you were so convinced that it was. I knew it. You know, it was weird to me what I thought, I didn't share this before, but as many of us that have used DNA as an illustration of the evidence of God, I mean, I've used that hundreds of times. Sy's used it too. And what's weird is... Jace means coherently uses it.

Jace uses it coherently. I mean, sigh. Let's save that for a later podcast. If we had happened to be in this situation in an era where there was no DNA. Which wasn't too long ago. She would have never found her dad and I would have never found my daughter. That's right. But I've always used it as an evidence as far as just how in the world does the evolution process coming from an ebbler.

explosion and or what you always say seaweed or salt water all that we always use that because it's the most sophisticated code that we've ever run upon and it's in our bodies and so we're always like well who wrote the code and now you have this code as actually a way to remove all doubt i mean i've used that illustration of my speeches i'm like how much because remember you said now how sure are we about this dna i was like oh we're sure because if your DNA is that a crime site, you're in trouble. I mean, you know, that's how they look. I mean, we trust him.

And so to me, it was an evidence, you know, even more than that of God and how he worked, you know, what you read last time in Romans 8. You know, I truly believe that. So let Phyllis tell her story from start to finish and we'll see how she ended up finding me. Well, and then first of all, Phyllis just welcome, like, I guess. guess this first time we're doing this publicly. So I've been anticipating this for a while because obviously all of us speak for a living. You know, I preach, we speak, Jay's, all of us do a lot interviews and a lot of stuff. And so I've been highly anticipated, excited about being able to introduce you to the people that follow us and listen to us. And because to me, it's a, it's a

compelling story of finding, you know, connection to people. And it was very evident we all met you that DNA, your DNA, your genetic, so much about you, fit so much about us. And we all recognized it very early on, even by phone before we met you, which was amazing. So we'll take a quick break, and then I want you to tell about kind of what began this, your quest, you know, why you were looking for your dad. So let's take a quick break. So it's been two or three years ago. My oldest son's fiance bought him a DNA kit, and he was interested in learning his ethnicity.

He completed the kits, sent it in, got it back, and looked at his little pie chart, tells you how much of this or that you are from wherever you are in the world. And he said, you know, he told us it doesn't make sense. There's some stuff missing here that we were told was part of our ethnicity. And I looked at it. I'm like, you're right. You know, this isn't matching up to what we've been told. So I called my brother and mentioned it to him.

And he said, well, you know, something doesn't line up there either. You know, our dad's not your dad or everything we've been told isn't true. I talk to, I have a sister, I have a brother and a sister. I mean, I'm sure that had to be just a shock. But you had told me before you always kind of felt something wasn't right. I wasn't shocked. I really wasn't. It just kind of was like, hmm, I'm thinking this might be kind of a moment where I learned

that what I've suspected all along might be true. My sister had had people in the family make comments to her. Like, you know, your dad's not her dad. kind of thing. So she was on it. She wanted to find out and she did a DNA test. And so I finally did one. And when I did, it came back that they were my half siblings. So I knew for a fact at that point. And what that does is it allows you to then investigate. You can find out who your DNA matches are. Who are you related to? So I could quickly see from the paternal side, you know, these are the names that I was coming up with surnames. and you know little digging internet searches looking through the site and put together a family tree so to speak

my husband helped me with it we could fill in a lot of blanks and then it kind of got down to just a few blanks and had it narrowed down and I'm like I think I know who this who this might be and then then you're like and fortunately I think I remember I asked you I was like you ever seen that show duck dynasty and you were like no I have it and you are apologizing and I'm like oh no don't I apologize. That's going to be very helpful moving forward. I didn't want the shock. We just so happened maybe when it was first coming out.

We had heard of it and we knew about it, but we never watched it. And then we went on the mission field for five years when your show was really running and popular. And we just didn't get it. So we never watched it. It just did never come up. It was not on our radar. It just seems like an amazing coincidence to me. Especially for something so well known.

It's helped. Yeah. And the fact you didn't really know us through that at all. I had no preconceived ideas, really. I tried to watch a couple episodes just to thinking, hey, you know, get to kind of see who they are. And I knew, you know, that this is reality TV, how much of this is actually reality versus not. And it just, it felt like, you know, that's not what I want my first impression to be. I want my first impression to be.

It's probably smart. Not that what I was saying was, you know, that wasn't good because it was a funny and wholesome show and I enjoyed it. It's just that I wanted my impressions and first impressions of you to be what my impressions were. with you and not what not through the lens of a television show that's how i felt which was a good way to view that because my take on the show because i was late to the show because i went on the first three seasons that everybody you know obviously there's a lot of multifaceted personalities and so willie kind of got locked in early on as the bad guy because he's running the company and all that's true he has a little side tune that's difficult at the working he does he does

But he's also super funny and like a lot of the elements of his personality you didn't get to always see on the show. So if you only had that one prism, you would miss some of that. It's like the serious side of jace that people love is teaching his ability to do the Bible. You wouldn't have got that from the show. No, every time I would get serious on the show, edit, edit. They didn't want him that way. So it's an element of his personality. So you're right.

If you had only viewed it through that lens, you would have missed them. Exactly. Exactly. We prayed about this a lot. We got counsel from people that were close to us, godly people, and we thought, you know, how do you write a letter like this, no matter who it is? We didn't want to disrupt someone's life. I knew he is married. I did not want to heard her. And we talked about, I heard you talking about Zach calling me for the first time. And that was one of the first questions I asked him is, how would Ms. Kay feel about this? Because if this is something that's going to upset, her we can stop this right now and he said oh no she's a loving forgiving nurturing person and

and I was just like okay okay you know like I that's great you know good news to hear so we did pray about it and and for us we are believers we've been going to church for years a lot of ministry working in the church and to us church was a safe landing place and so we knew that you had pastored a part of your church elders at your church and I kind of dug around on the white for your road church website. It is easy to find some stuff about us. It is. I mean, I'm just, a dad wouldn't know about it, but you know, you can't find out some information about the Rogers. Now, what point did you realize, okay, a lot of this I'm reading may not necessarily be true. I didn't read a lot of it. I tried not to. And, you know, the few people we told,

as soon as I would say something, there was the initial like, and then they'd pick up their phone and start looking stuff up. And I'm like, you know, I don't, I don't want to hear all of that. I don't. Well, right. Because a lot of it, obviously, on the internet is not. true, but you were reading the true stuff. So we decided we crafted a letter. We mailed one to the church. We also, because we were digging around on that website, saw that you were preaching, I think the last Sunday of December at the church. Which I don't know if you ever knew this. That is the only time in the history of my church involvement that they ever let me be in charge. All the sensible people were gone. And it was like, well, they were going.

We're turning over the keys to J's. I made a comment like I often do because I can't keep my mouth shut. Amen. I over. Got an amen for Ms. Kay. Easy. She's trying to get another thousand. Yeah.

I made a comment because I said, what are y'all doing? Because we do the worship. I said, what are y'all doing for the Sunday in between Christmas and New Year's? And they said, oh, we were just going to have a church meeting, like kind of a meeting of the church. The state of the church. I said, that is the dumb. idea I've ever heard, which I shouldn't have said that. And so they said, well, you do it. And I thought, well, I shouldn't have said that. You know, and I said, well, I just will. So I thought, I remember

we were in the duck blind and I said, why don't you preach and we'll sing? I'll do the little speech for the Lord's Supper. And I said, I'll get all the kids down there and we'll do something for them. And so we did that. And that is the one Sunday that you visited. I had nothing to compare it to. And I thought He, fabulous. And he hadn't been up there on that pool fit for a while. A couple years. Well, and then when Jay's, he did such a good job, then we haven't met since. We've been in quarantine, so we're just waiting to get back so he can take back to it.

So you're seeing me give a lesson, and you're in the audience. I'm your father. You're my daughter, but we've never seen each other for 45 years. So what will you think? Well, never. You never. You never saw her. You weren't there when she was about.

You never saw her. So what did you think? I mean, you're like, I thought, how cool is it that first I'm seeing my dad? He's preaching the gospel because your message was the core gospel. I mean, that to me was like, that's a cool dad. You know, you said something. That's really good.

You said something, Phyllis, that struck me early on. I can't remember when you said it. But when we were talking about when you were born, I said, you know what? By that time, dad was converted, the time you were born. because obviously, you know, months earlier he was not. And you said, well, I like the idea that when I came into this world, that my dad was now a believer. Already a believer. Right, which was really powerful.

I thought that was a really neat perspective. It is pretty amazing. So you were born and he was born again. In the same year. That's exactly right. You made that observation. I thought, what a neat thought. People sometimes wonder if God still works today, you know, just bringing that up.

Hearing these circumstances and the way God orchestrated all of that. I just see God in every step of the way. I don't believe in coincidences that you happen to have a letter and you forgot things or you were preaching. You usually don't. It just, there can't be that many coincidences. God was in this story and writing this story.

So what did you do with the letter you had? You were sitting there. She was going to give it to you. And Jace is handling the music part. The problem was, I was in charge that day. And so there was a lot. lot of things going through my mind, which is kind of unusual.

Well, he's already said he's in a fog anyway. And I'm normal. So put him in charge in a fog. And so then it was, I'll let you tell about the meeting. Yeah. Because you were, you were like, yeah, tell me. I was, I was nervous. I sat out in the parking lot thinking, am I going to really do this?

Go in here. And my husband was a cheerleader. He was like, you can do this. Like, you've come this far. You can do this. So we made it into the building. You know, we're sitting in the pew. Every like the next step.

I'm sitting here and I'm like, I don't know if I can do this. And, you know, you walked in with like an entourage of bodyguards. Oh, yeah. Oh, we know those bodyguards. I can't just go hand him a letter, you know. I'm like, what are they carrying? I don't know. They were carrying weapons.

I'm not sure they. I figured that. And I just, at one point I cried. I was like, I don't know if I can do this. And then you bugged out pretty quickly, like right away. And I'm like, well, that is someone like that too. to just bug out fast. That never happens.

So I was sitting there and I just was like, I just got this whatever it is that came over me. I thought, okay, I'm just going to go give this letter to you. So I walked right up to you, just here you go. Here's the letter. Will you please give this to your dad? It's really important to me. And you were like, sure, you were super friendly and just kind of patted Tony on the shoulder

and just, hey, guys. Miracle happened again. Okay. Maybe you need to get out more. Where are y'all from? Oh, man, I'm glad that you came to service today. You're super friendly and talkative. And you put it in your bag and I'm like, well, hey, that might actually get doing.

And he never thought about it again until he got the second letter. But, you know, I'm glad I was friendly. Things that you said since then, like I lose my phone and this and that. You have a nephew who's a lot like you. So, you know, it's okay. So the letter comes to Jace. What do you do with the letter? Hang on.

Let's take break and then tell you that. So here's the weird part. Phil, I've told you this, but we're not connecting. So I have that letter, but I didn't read it. So then days later, weeks later, maybe. About a week. A week later, I stop at Duck Commander. On his way here. Where she also had sent a letter, they handed me your mail. It's the same letter that I have in my bag. It's another version of it because she was smart enough to realize. I didn't know that. Yeah. Now, get this sense. So I came down, and then when Al and I go through the letter,

because she had also seen one of the church. I go back and look at the original. I'm like, oh, I already had this. You see, that's how it happened. So that's how, that's how, that's how we all had, we had the three copies. So how long, so y'all read it. Well, then the process. And I'm still not aware of anything.

It was another 10 days or so before that night I came down and talked to your mom. So that, that process, that's what we were trying to figure out. Do we do a DNA test with somebody else in the family? Because I think it was if one of the cousins or even one of us did a DNA test, would it then show up where we found it? But then there was a lot. I didn't know enough about it. Finally, I just said, Zach and I decided to say, look, let's just tell them.

Let's just see about this thing. And I knew ultimately a paternity test was the only way we could know for sure. And so I was glad that dad agreed to do that, which was important. This whole thing made me think. We're in, you know, we're in the book of John now, and the next chapter that we'll get to is John 7. But Jesus, you know, he would wow the crowd with what he said, obviously, because he's a son of God. And their attack on him was every time they would get caught up and listening, they would go back to, oh, but you're from Galilee. So this can't be, well, you can't be who you say you are.

You know, you can't be from God. And I kind of think about that in this, in that process. of trying to figure out is this real. You know, our first impression was always, well, it can't be, I mean, surely not. We would have known earlier. You know, you try to think of all the reason. How do you not know? You don't remember.

I think I asked you that. I'm like, how do you not know this? And you were like, hey, it was pretty well a 10-year, foggy. It was a blur. Yeah, I mean, you're on drugs and you're doing things that you can don't even remember. And so, but I thought about that just because, you know, know, when good-hearted people use godly principles, and a lot of them have been used in this process, it's love and forgiveness and, you know, all these qualities.

It's amazing how all of a sudden it becomes back to these powerful qualities that Jesus was showing. All of a sudden, it's like a light bulb comes out. Right. Which makes a big difference. I mean, obviously. And you're right. It's trying to imagine, you're imagining so much, because then you start thinking about it. And it was hard for me to sleep during this period of time because my mind was just spinning with the possibilities, you know. And part of me was excited because if it was true, you know, I mean, I have a sister out there, you know. And so that was kind of the way we had the conversation. You all basically said, okay, Dad, they take your DNA.

We had to walk it through. They're going to take her DNA. We're going to see if it matches and I get back with you. That's right. And so that kind of led up to this moment. And we thought we would get the results back in 24 hours. But then it turned out it was like a couple of days. It took longer, which was just excruciating for us.

And then we also had a trip plan. So when we were gone, we weren't even here with Dad. So that's why I had to call him to tell him, you know. And so I hated that that we weren't here. But I want to talk a little bit about that, Phyllis, from your perspective. Well, I wanted to say one thing before you do that. Because I don't think I told Phyllis this. but so I hear this you know basically I said for about three days like every probably once an hour

I'd say I have a sister it was like you know I'd go on I was like I have a sister and then I started doing that out loud to missy and she's like yep so your mother never told you that that I was your father she never told you that no so nobody knows and so look I have answered questions my whole Christian life about situations. I've had people on the couch saying, here's the situation, and it's been things like this and what you do. But here I am in my own moment saying,

well, how am I going to handle this? Because part of me was upset that, well, my dad was leading a sinful life. He betrayed my mom. This is a reminder of that. Then part of me was like, well, here's this woman, because we had already, you know, dug on your life, too, and I'm like, she seems awesome. I mean, this is because I've always been a champion for people who have to do it the hard way, and unfortunately, you had to.

You're in a situation of, you know, that you didn't choose or whatever that's made it really hard, I think, to find a purpose in life and a meaningful relationship with God. But I've always had a heart for those kinds of people because people I shared, Jesus with, people that have, you know, been abused or had bad, you know, childhood. It always inspires me to see them just say, this is it. This is the moment I'm putting my faith and trust in Jesus. They forgive their, you know, past aggressors or whatever. And I just always champion those people.

So what I did was I read First Corinthians 13. I'd like to read it just because I was sitting on my couch, three days into this information, and I thought, how do I respond? and I just thought I need a reminder of the most probably commonly used section of scripture in the Bible, but it says love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, and I would kind of stop and think, okay, it does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth, It always protects.

It always trusts. It always hopes. It always perseveres. Love never fails. So then I was like, well, that's what I'm going with. But her quest to find out seems to not be based on maybe I'll find he's a good man. Maybe I'll find out he's a bad man. She just wanted to know.

I think what she said is who am I? Where did I? Who is my father? I wanted it to answer some questions. way because I knew it's like I knew always growing up something was different I was different physically different some personality differences just the way I approached life and did things I always went to church my my parents never took me to church grandparents didn't go to church with me I went on my own it was weird to everyone else around me people would make comments

but I always went I'd walk to the nearest one or I'd go with a friend or I always found the way to go to church. And my testimony is that I stayed in school, graduated school and did well and wanted to do well. And my relationship with the Lord. And those two things are what brought me out of a childhood such that I had. And I think that's just God's grace. And I can say to people also like what you've said, when I've worked with people who have had backgrounds that were tough. You know, you can use that as an excuse to live a life that is not a great life, that is not a moral life, or a godly life, or you can use it as a reason to say, I'm not going to live like that. I choose to do different. So when the call comes to me from Al, after the DNA test on my part

and your part, and I said, what about it? Because I knew he was going to call and tell me, and he said, it's a match. I said, call her up, get her down here. I said, get her down here. So then we waited until she arrived and we met it. Yeah, hang on. Before we tell that story, let's take a quick break. Yeah, I want to get into that. That was really powerful.

So we had probably within two or three weeks after we all knew, we lined up for you to come down. And you have two sons and their fiancés came with you guys and your husband. And so what was that like for them? like how did they take all this? Because obviously you guys were all kind of searching together. Then you find it. And I'm curious as to what their thought process leading up to you guys coming down here.

Were they excited? Were they apprehensive? You know, well, this is interesting. Let's see what happens. You know, and our oldest son is very much when I see this on paper, then I'll believe it. I see what you're saying, but he wanted to see proof of it. Right.

They remind me of me. So, um, made too. So the youngest was, he's our rolling stone is what we all always said. And he said, hey, if this is, if this is true, then this will be, this will be interesting. We'll go for it. And the oldest is, hey, I don't know. We'll wait and see. So, um, so they were excited, though. You and Lisa have been an anchor. You have, I call you my pastor brother now, because you're very much a pastor. And, um, I was getting text messages, you know, and there's, No roots, right? No roots at this point.

So every time I would get that message, it would be like reaffirming to me. Like, okay, yes, they really want to reach out to me. We pretty much text to every day. Yeah. And it was important. Like I called you at some point in there. You did. You did. And it missed a lot. Like, you know, everybody kind of messaged me and everyone, you know, everyone had their own little personality. You know, like Willie's like, I'm the, I'm the coolest one or something like that, you know.

Liar. Yeah, that's right. Now you know. And even our wives, like it was just, it was beautiful that everyone chose to reach out to us and include all of us. I wanted it to be eyeball to eyeballs. I didn't, I remained silent. Phil, you don't have a phone. You can't text.

No one's going to. You're going to call her. They just said, they wait. I said, but what did she get you? Well, so when you, we, Lisa and I met you at the airport when you guys flew in. and of all things we get into that. I forgot. I never told that story.

Jays, cop stories because there's a police officer out there at the airport. And he's hardly ever there. And so normally there's no big deal about leaving your cars up front. But that day he happened to be there, giving me a hard time about us having two vehicles there. And I'm dealing with him. When we have our big moment,

y'all are coming up trying not to get a ticket, you know, and I'm explaining everything to it. But anyway, when we hugged you guys, I mean, we all started crying. And we started crying and we got in the truck. Because I had been like, I'm not a big cryer, but as I've gotten older, I've gotten more emotional.

But like, it was kind of just pin up for me because like just the idea of you guys. And so to actually physically see you, even though we had pictures of you, it was a powerful moment. And we kind of cried there for the first 10 minutes until we said, all right, enough of that. And we drove out to my house for the initial meeting. And then we had a bigger one with Willie and everybody. dad it was interesting because dad had a request that he wanted to just talk to you for a few minutes just the two of you guys if that was okay and you said it was and so we we kind of met in the yard or you know in the driveway and um had our initial hugs and then you and dad kind of us talked for

what 45 minutes just the two of y'all on the couch and rest of us were in the kitchen and everybody had warned me that he's not very nurturing and be prepared to be prepared and if they hadn't told me that i would have never known i found you to be very nurturing you know He held your hand and he led you into the... I haven't heard this part. Yeah, because, yeah, you weren't there for this part. Jace, you never saw my gentle son. No, all I got was the hammer.

I mean, I was in shock, and I've lived with him how long, 50 years? Well, it's not every day that you look out and say, I didn't know I had a daughter for 45 years, but she's just around the door, I like how you're looking at your watch and you've never owned a watch in your life. I know. I'm just saying, if there had only been a watch, that's the humor. If you've never heard of this girl and all of a sudden, they're like, you have a daughter that you haven't didn't know existed for 45 years. It's a little interruption in your schedule. Yeah.

As far as your thinking goes, I'm like, I did tell her pretty quickly, a girl, you're the best thing that ever came out of my past. Because up until she showed up, I had nothing good to say about what happened before I repented. I had nothing good. I just walled it off. The life of sin and I left it and hid out and finally got on my feet in the faith. But you say, and you thought that was it. That's right.

It's behind me, rearview mirror. and it's been so long ago that it's just a blur now. But I look up and here comes this girl out of the blur. Out of the blue, out of the blur. And I'm like, whoa. I mean, I just, you know, if you never knew you had a daughter. And 45 years later, she's standing in front of you. You're like, yeah.

It's overwhelming. You know, it's funny because dad until you got here, Phyllis, dad kept calling you little girl to me. I was thinking, a kid. He would say, I forgot the 45 years. Tell me about the little girl. I said, Dad, she's 45 years old.

She took me out on the boat a couple days ago, and he still calls me a little girl. Well, you're willing. A little girl, just pull that boat. And I said, daughter. Well, it's weird. And I was thinking, daughter. It's weird to have my response. Man, I was kind of hot a little bit because I asked you.

I was like, how did you not know this? But you were like, because I thought you were going to say, well, I had just forgot me. No, I didn't know. And I was like, oh. Well, Jason, you've quickly forgotten the way he was in those 10 years. Which is a positive thing. That's what I'm saying.

A lot of the way it's hard for me, I shared in the last podcast about this. Even some of the stories I've heard from his old buddies and the ones that were still alive, it's just hard. We're so far past that now. That's right. That it's, you know, it's just hard to imagine that. Let's take one last break. So after this initial thing at my house, which was probably about an hour, we went over to Willie's house.

And that's where you met Jason and Missy and Jeff was there. Well, met us again, sort of. Well, right. Yeah, I guess that's right. Where he wasn't in the fog. And Willie and Corey. And so from my perspective, Phil, I'm interested to see what you thought about then, is I was afraid of you being overwhelmed because we're a huge family. And you haven't had a huge family.

I mean, you guys have been pretty tight. And so, like, I was thinking, because we got cousins and you're still meeting people, you know. Yes. Every time you're down here, you meet more people that are related to us. So did you feel overwhelmed? Like that first day, I know that first part was emotional and yet very touching. And I felt not very awkward, which surprised me. I never felt awkward.

Which is so weird thing about that. We did not know you at all. It was just like pieces, puzzle pieces clicking into place. Isn't that amazing? It just made sense. It felt right. It was like I've always known you in a way. And just a lot of like-mindedness.

So it was never awkward. And overwhelming maybe a little, but there were the six of us there, you know, since you invited all of us. So we had pockets of people who were able to visit. And we just kind of went from person to person. There's always food involved. Anytime there's great food involved. Of course. I gave her a hug, which I'm not in the habit of doing.

but I put my hands on her face because I just realized DNA said she's mine my daughter so I put my hands on her face and I'm looking at her eyes well that wasn't weird yeah that was weird and I'm looking at her and I'm thinking okay if she's mine I ought to see a little bit of me in her

so I mean I'm just looking at her face and I thought well what I meant was from her perspective Phil from her perspective while you're doing that That means your face was close to ours, and she was like, this old is scary. She was saying, this guy's Joe Biden here. So, but, you know, you're kind of a composite to me of, because there's not a lot of Robertson women. You know, dad had two sisters, and there's a few girl cousins, but not a ton. It's way more male-centric family, at least our generation.

But you have a composite of a lot of my, you know, I can see some of my Aunt Judy in you, my Aunt Jan, especially when you get on one of your rants, you know, because you can do a pretty good rant. And a couple of my girl cousins. So you do have that. And then Jason's right. You look a lot like Granny, you know, in some ways like dad's mom, which I hate, you know, you never got to meet them because, you know, they were very special to us, obviously. So now you got the stories. What's interesting to me.

That's good and bad. Is that your mother named you, not telling you who your father is, but named you, not telling you who your father is, but named you. Philness. Had you thought about that or did you think about that when it finally? Our oldest son was the first to realize that and messaged and was like Phil, Phyllis, you know, that hit me one. Lisa. In the process and I was like, that is weird.

It's turning into a lifetime movie here. You know what I mean? This could be a lifetime movie. That is kind of weird. It was very weird. But I'll echo what they said. I knew, I know the DNA and. You know, I believe in that.

But I knew you were my sister pretty quickly in when you were, I thought, well, she doesn't mind a good argument, which I really like. Amen again. And I said, she's pretty blunt. I was telling me, I said, she's blunt. I was like, yep, definitely my sister. That's true stuff. So, yeah. So it was cool.

So, Phyllis, all I can tell you is, I'm glad you found me. I glad I found you. all I have to say is welcome aboard. I'm glad God found both of you. Ms. Kay, what do you have to say, little? I have to say this. Who stayed with you? Ten years through all of that.

I'm glad you stayed with me to witness this and how it all worked out. I know. What a gracious, kind, godly woman you are. Because, you know, think about it. I had so much. She had every reason to call me. Well, everybody I knew and every member of my family and even your family, except your mom and dad, said, you're an idiot to stay with him. You're going to be like a welcome that.

So why did you stay the course with a heathen like myself? Well, you know what? You have my grandmother to thank for that. Nanny was her name. And she taught me about the Bible, and she always told me, she said, you just marry one man. and it's one woman for one life. She said, there's no such word to me as divorce. Somebody created it, but it's not there.

You'll never say it. I said, so I'll never say that. And she said, that's right. She said, and you're going to have to fight for your marriage. And I said, well, that's ridiculous. Why would I fight for my marriage? I've already planned it all out because I was going to marry a pioneer man, which I did. Yeah.

And I was going to have. And what do you mean, Ms. Kay, by a pioneer man? A woods man, a fisherman, a man of the earth, a man that could go up. He could take me across America like the, you know, they did back in the 18. She forgot to tell you the pioneer man has some baggage. She laughed that part out. Yeah, well, that's why she told me to fight for my marriage. Fight, and that's why I did.

And other people would say, why would you live with him? He's a jerk. I mean, he's two-time, and you even know it. I mean, the Bible can release you from that. I said, I know, but I choose to stay because I want my three boys at that time of three to have this home. And they said, well, they're not seeing a lot of good stuff at that home. And I said, nope, it's in my heart. I can't leave.

I just can't do it. And both of these, I will say, they fought for me the best they could. against their dad when he was acting so bad. Jason one night came in and he pulled my hair. And Jason jumped on his back. You don't remember this. You was a little boy. I remember you telling me about it because you were thankful, you know.

I know. And I said, and he said, get off me. Get off me. And Jason said, don't hurt my mom. Don't hurt my mama. I'm going to hit you. I'm going to do something to you. If you heard her.

You know, Phil's trying to shake him off, get him off his back. back but you know it was so uh that was a memory i had plus alan he took care of everything when things were bad he was seven years old and he he washed y'all took gave y'all bath fed y'all put you to bed took care of all that he's seven yeah i remember that i was being like the father figure you know and then later on i was like hey let's kick me out of the nest because you know i don't So I'm waiting for the $1,000 car. So she finally does step out, she's stepping out. I had been repentant for, I mean, just a few months.

I repented a few months before you were born. So you came out of a sinful situation. But now that you're here, you say, you know, I've been following Jesus for 45 years. Absolutely. God's hand has been on my life, all my life. And that grace that God was extending to you, saving you and changing you and your family, I believe that extended to me. I'm sure. I don't understand that exactly, but God is mysterious and big and great. And I just believe that that's what happened. And you wouldn't even have a baby brother if I had a stay. I doubt, this is the only time this has ever happened.

Oh, it happens quite a bit. Give a few words for the words out there. It might. Look, it's all in being in a position of a believer for when you receive any kind of news, especially something life changing, that you'd be ready for it. And I think our family was, and certainly your family was, which is what merged us. So I just want to thank our unashamed podcast. How did you realize, you know, nobody has known this story.

We share it with you first because you guys give us your time to be able to listen to the Bible. So we wanted you to hear Phyllis's story first from us, and we're proud to be able to do that. We've got a little more we're going to talk about. Those of you who are blazedtv.com slash unashamed subscribers. We're going to give you an opportunity to have a little more of our conversation, but for our unashamed audience, so thank you so much. And we'll keep doing Bible study. That's what we did.

So we're so glad you guys were with us today. You can subscribe on iTunes or Spotify or YouTube. or Facebook, and be sure and rate us on iTunes so that other people can know about the podcast.