1 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, it's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: And we continue now a part two of our conversation 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: with Ronda Paulson, right after these brief messages from our 4 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: generous sponsors Falster Paroding and adoption and all of the 5 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,879 Speaker 1: When I say the word natural, I mean scientific, all 6 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: of the non natural parental child, the way natural children 7 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 1: and parents are together through natural means. Those have their 8 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: own difficulties. I've raised four. My kids are idiots. I 9 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: mean they drive me crazy. I'm still finding out things 10 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: they did when they are twelve and thirteen that even 11 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: at twenty six, I want to chase them down and 12 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: spank their butts for it. All right, my children, but 13 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: they are delicious and they are mine, and I would 14 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: go to the wall for any of them, and Lisa 15 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: would literally kill herself or her children. But it is messy, 16 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: oh my goodness. Raising four children is messy and it's 17 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: stressful on a marriage. And we had four kids in 18 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: four years, so Lisa was pregnant for basically five years 19 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: in a row. But we just Oh, she's a fantastic woman, 20 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: gorgeous best friend. But even with the love in our 21 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: relationship and my absolute adoration of my wife and my 22 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: four children, and my wife's adoration for children, and the 23 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: belief that this is the greatest gift on our It 24 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: is still painfully stressful and messy to raise children and 25 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: have a family like that. You add in that extra 26 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: layer of adoption, fostering all of that, with all this 27 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: other mess and baggage. I just got to believe it's 28 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: it's not an easy thing. 29 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: Oh it's not easy. 30 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 3: Foster care is hands down the hardest thing I've ever done. 31 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 3: And Corey would tell you that too. But I love 32 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,519 Speaker 3: what Corey says about it, because you know, I'm the 33 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 3: one that's talking about all the time, but whenever you 34 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 3: ask him, you know why, because it's not about me. 35 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 3: It's about a kid that needs a home. It's not 36 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 3: about me. And you know it sounds so simple, but 37 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 3: it's true. You know it's not easy, but somebody's. 38 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 2: Got to say yes. 39 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,399 Speaker 1: Well, I also hurts you loud and clear earlier when 40 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: you said you felt like God asked you what you 41 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: were going to do about it, which is gosh. I 42 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: gotta be careful with this metaphorical transition, because I am 43 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: not saying but we often say on this show an 44 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: army of normal folks. You know, we can change our 45 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: culture and society in this country, but it starts with you. 46 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: And it's it's when I heard you say that you thing, 47 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: I thought, well, that's something we say all the time. 48 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,959 Speaker 1: We try to challenge our listeners and everybody in the 49 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 1: country to recognize all this dysfunction in our culture and 50 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: society that surrounds us. If we're waiting on government or 51 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: somebody else to come fix it, we're gonna be waiting 52 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 1: on our deathbed. It only happens when you decide you 53 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: can fix it. 54 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 3: And so, and that's why I came here today like 55 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 3: I'd never heard of this podcast. 56 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: I looked at me neither, I looked you up. 57 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 3: I looked it up, and I was like, that's what 58 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 3: I'm trying to tell people too, Like there is absolutely 59 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 3: nothing's about me like cheering dance coach Mama flour I 60 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 3: scream up with kids, I lose it. I mean, there's 61 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 3: like I'm just a normal pert, Like there's nothing special 62 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 3: about me. Nothing, and there's nothing. So if you think 63 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: there's nothing special about you, great you can still do something, 64 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 3: like you absolutely can do something to make this world better. 65 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely you mean, like an army of normal folks, Like an. 66 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 2: Army of normal folks. 67 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: So I came to Memphis, I heard the number that 68 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: in our state there's eight thousand children looking for a place. 69 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: Alex the producer. And by the way, Alex, the show 70 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 1: wouldn't exist without Alex. But it does not excuse the 71 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 1: fact that as a producer he is a massive pain 72 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: in my You have to say that every episode, every 73 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: other every other at least. But he is but one 74 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: of the things that you were in his sweet spot. 75 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: When I first met him, one of his constant pitches 76 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 1: was that there are how many foster kids in United States? 77 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: It's more complicated than guys told us. There's, as you know, 78 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifteen thousand kids there's rights and terminated. Okay, 79 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: so it's one hundred and fifty or fifteen. 80 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 3: Oh, there's way more children than that in the system. Yeah, okay, 81 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 3: there's thousand in the Houston area. 82 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: Okay, but there's one hundred and fifteen thousand children whose 83 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 1: parental rights are terminated, right, And there's one hundred and 84 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 1: fifty thousand places of worship in the United States, four 85 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: hundred thousand, all right, So if one of three places 86 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: of worship had a family that adopted one kid, the 87 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 1: foster system would be empty. And then the question is 88 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: once again, what are you going to do about it? 89 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 1: And your story plays to exactly the thing that Alex 90 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: has been talking about forever, which is bringing it full circle, 91 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: is you decided what am I going to do about it? 92 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: And so you tricked your husband into it. Yeah, and 93 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: now you have two children. And despite how messy and 94 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: difficult it is. 95 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 3: Still because trauma, the way trauma, the way trauma fixs 96 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 3: the brain, the way trauma effects the way they process emotions, 97 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 3: the abuse. I mean, we are still we still have 98 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 3: a long road. 99 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 2: It's messy, okay, but I put yourself through it. 100 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 3: Because it was so funny when you're saying I'd love 101 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: my four kids. I remember I was speaking to this 102 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 3: group one time and this gentleman at the end I'll 103 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 3: usually do a Q and A, and he was like, 104 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 3: can I ask you anything? 105 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 2: Can I ask you something? You will tell me the truth? 106 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: Can I really ask you some straight up stuff? 107 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 2: And I was like, as long as it's not my weight, 108 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 2: I will tell you anything. 109 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 3: And he looked right at me and he was like, 110 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 3: do you honestly love your adopted children the same as 111 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 3: you love your biological children. 112 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: Oh wow, that's a great question. I wish I had 113 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: thought to ask that, because that is a great question. 114 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely, and sometimes I think I like them more than 115 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: the ones I made. I mean, like, it's absolutely it's 116 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 2: a child. 117 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 3: You cannot love a baby halfway. It doesn't matter if 118 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 3: it's yours or if it was handed to you at 119 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 3: nine months. You will not love a baby halfway. And 120 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 3: what happens too, is there's this mama bear that starts 121 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 3: when you're a foster parent, because you see the injustice, 122 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 3: you see the broken system. You see no one's advocating 123 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 3: for this child. Everyone wants to make sure mama has 124 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 3: her rights and daddy has his rights, and all the 125 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 3: teas are crossed, and that who is fighting for the 126 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 3: rights of this child. And there's something about becoming that 127 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 3: mama bear and holding this child and realizing it's me 128 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 3: and you, Bud, like it is me and you that 129 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 3: bonds you in a way you can never explain. He 130 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 3: is mine and I love him desperately and I would 131 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 3: take a bullet for him, and I would. 132 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 2: I mean, you don't love them. 133 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 3: Any different, any different, and you know, people say really 134 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 3: crazy things. You know, they'll say, I could never foster. 135 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 3: I can't even go to the pound. I really need 136 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 3: to think about the words. Or they'll say, you know, 137 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 3: you don't know what you're gonna get if you're foster, 138 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 3: you don't know what you're gonna get. I'm like, did 139 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 3: you know what you were gonna get when you're a 140 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 3: husband and you made a baby? 141 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 2: Did you know what you're gonna get? Like, nobody knows 142 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 2: what they're gonna get. What are you talking about? 143 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: You know, that's a really good point. 144 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: You know, like, no, you love this child. 145 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: Because if I knew there's a couple of mine, I 146 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,199 Speaker 1: would have put back and I mean onto the shelf 147 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: of gotten others. 148 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 2: I was a stay at home mom for those first 149 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 2: two and I ruined them. 150 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,199 Speaker 3: Like if I had to drop two of my children 151 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 3: in a deserted place to survive, it would be my 152 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 3: nine and my seven milk. They went to daycare, they 153 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 3: went through foster care, and they can survive this world. 154 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 2: These two Mama helped me Mark twenty one and seventeen. 155 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 2: These two could rule the world. 156 00:08:53,120 --> 00:09:00,199 Speaker 1: So unbelievable. Okay, so wow, So here you are are 157 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: with is the second one right headed too? Okay, so 158 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 1: you got one. 159 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 2: I can only take one. 160 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: Okay, so you got you got that going on. But 161 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: in the back of my of your mind as now 162 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,959 Speaker 1: I'm paraphrasing your story and I'm gonna let you take it. 163 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: But I think so. I think that that week seven, 164 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: when you were at the DMV looking place for the 165 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: drop off children and the girl lay, even though you've 166 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: done the foster and the adoption, you still are stuck 167 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,199 Speaker 1: in that place a little bit mentally thinking about the 168 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: transitioning of these children losing everything and then existing for 169 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: some period of time, and that transitional place that is 170 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: just horrendously dirty and dark and sad and scary to 171 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: a child. 172 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 2: So I'm stuck there. 173 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 1: Take me through that. 174 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 3: I'm stuck in that moment of how alone they must feel, 175 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 3: and how unfair that is because they've done nothing wrong. 176 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 3: They weren't the reason this happened. They didn't cause this happening, 177 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 3: so so unfair to me. I'm stuck there. But now 178 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 3: I'm learning about caseworkers, and I'm learning how hard they're 179 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 3: working and how crazy their lives are, and how you 180 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:18,839 Speaker 3: know they've got a siblings set of three in their 181 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 3: cubicle and they have got thirty cases. 182 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 2: On their load. 183 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: And there's just somehow caseworkers get a bad rap, don't 184 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 1: they Somewhere along the way they are busting their tails. 185 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 2: And so I'm watching these caseworkers pick lice in their breakroom. 186 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 3: I'm watching them bathe babies and drug testing sinks, putting 187 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 3: them in their car, going to buy them food, buying 188 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 3: them underwear by with their own money, with their own money, 189 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 3: And I'm like, how does anyone stay in this? And 190 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 3: then I'm also in this new foster mom dad world, 191 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 3: or I'm hearing story after story about the child came 192 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 3: with nothing, the child came with one shoe, the child 193 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 3: came with, you know, a roaching, fested dipperback. 194 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 2: And so I'm like, or lice and filthy lice. Yeah, 195 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 2: they came across our door at two am. They all 196 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 2: had lice. We had to throw them in the tub. 197 00:10:58,040 --> 00:10:59,599 Speaker 2: We had to run to Walmart. Walmart used to be 198 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 2: open twenty for seven, it's not. We had to run 199 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 2: a Walmart and get everything they needed. 200 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 3: Like the pandemonium of that, And That's where I got stuck, like, 201 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 3: how can we reduce trauma? For children, lighten the load 202 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 3: of the caseworkers, and make that yes easier. Like that's 203 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 3: what I kept thinking, like, there's got to be something 204 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 3: we can do here. And then I started seeing this 205 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 3: white house in my head with a red door. There 206 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 3: was a big picture window, and there was a Christmas 207 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 3: tree and I had colored lights on it, and there 208 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 3: were presents underneath, and children would come in and there'd 209 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 3: be a present with their name on it. And I 210 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 3: just kept seeing this white house with a red door 211 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 3: and these presents for kids, and so then it just became. 212 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 2: Like, what if there was a home? 213 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 3: What if instead of going to the DMV type place 214 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:44,559 Speaker 3: in the state office, they would go to a home 215 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 3: where they'd have everything they need and fun furniture and 216 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,439 Speaker 3: company furniture and tons of light and a bubble bath 217 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 3: or a teenager, a shower, a fridge full of stuff. 218 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,080 Speaker 3: Food will make you anything you want, a play set, 219 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 3: a basketball goal, a Nintendo switch, I mean books, Let's 220 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 3: paint fair neils, let's make time, like what. 221 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: If there could be We're not talking forever, We're just 222 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: talking for the transition. 223 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 2: Four hours, eight hours, twenty four hours. 224 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: Something that's comfortable and feel safe, yes, and what if 225 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: we could pour into those children in that moment, that 226 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: positive messaging. 227 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 3: Like you can do this, You are loved, you are 228 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 3: not alone, you are not in trouble. This happening to you, 229 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 3: not because of you. Like what if that could be 230 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:24,959 Speaker 3: part of it? And they all need stuff? 231 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,559 Speaker 2: What if we could have an entire floor full. 232 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 3: Of new shirts and new pants and new shoes and 233 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 3: new backpacks and anything they need. And then what if 234 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 3: we could have an office for that caseworker And what 235 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 3: if we. 236 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 2: Get have everything they need. 237 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 3: So they come and they work on the paperwork and 238 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 3: we're gonna love on the child. We're also gonna love 239 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 3: on them like what's your favorite coffee creamer? 240 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 2: What snacks do you love? What do you want for dinner? 241 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 3: Like how can we love on them and remind them 242 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 3: that they're not alone because they feel very alone as 243 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 3: a state employee, And then how can we make that 244 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 3: yes easier? So now we get to call them and say, 245 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 3: can we have some children. They've been at the Isaiah House, 246 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 3: They've had a life treat, they've had baths, they've eaten, 247 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,199 Speaker 3: they have their teeth brush, they have bags and stuff 248 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 3: full of everything they need for the next week. And 249 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 3: by the way, what do you need to be able 250 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 3: to say yes? Do you need twin beds, stroller, carbon 251 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 3: monoxide detector, a fire extinguish from both? Like what do 252 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 3: you need to be able to say yes? Because we're 253 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 3: gonna make it happen for you. And by the way, 254 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 3: you're not alone in this, Like we want to support 255 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 3: you in this moment because we can't thank you enough 256 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 3: for saying yes. And so that was the dream in 257 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 3: early twenty seventeen, like what if there was a home 258 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 3: where we could reduce trauma, lighten the load, and make 259 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 3: that yes easier. That was that was the dream. 260 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: That's a great dream. 261 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 2: It's a great dream. 262 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 1: You know. I think it's interesting that Isaiah's name is Isaiah. 263 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: I do too that I don't say this a lot, 264 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: but that feels like a god thing. 265 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 3: Oh, listen to this, Okay, I'm I'm gonna bring you over. 266 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 3: You're gonna say this is a good thing. So Isaiah 267 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 3: one seventeen, we read the verse when we met Isaiah. 268 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,200 Speaker 3: We thought it'd be fitting to read through the book 269 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 3: of Isaiah. Isaiah one seventeen says, do good, seak justice, 270 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 3: take care of the widow, take care of the orphan 271 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 3: that just became our family verse Isaiah one seventeen. Well, 272 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 3: then we were looking for a name for this house. 273 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 3: It's like it has to be the Issa one to 274 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 3: seventeen house. We get invited to Nashville to speak to 275 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 3: the State Department of Child Welfare to this building, floor ten, 276 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 3: Sweet number one seventeen. 277 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 2: And I was like, come on, of course it is. 278 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 2: I took a picture by it. Yes, of course it is. 279 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: That's crazy. 280 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 2: Of course it is. 281 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: That's crazy. Would you recite one more time for our listeners, 282 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: Isaiah one seventeen. 283 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 3: This is a Ronda paraphrase about Isaiah one seventeen. Do good, 284 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 3: seek justice, take care of the widow, take care of 285 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 3: the orphan. But I tell people all the time, the 286 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 3: best part of that verse is what comes before it, 287 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 3: which is God is mad. 288 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: At his people. 289 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:52,520 Speaker 2: There's no other way to say it. 290 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 3: He says, you think I want what you're currently doing, 291 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 3: Like you think I want these New Moon sacrifices and 292 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 3: these offerings that you're making. What I want from my people, 293 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 3: it's for you to do good, seek justice, take care 294 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 3: of the widow, take care of the orphan. 295 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 2: It's not more complicated than that. 296 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 1: In other words, see a small place of need in 297 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: your community and fill it and give God the glory. 298 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:25,520 Speaker 1: And so that is Isaiah one's seventeen. The kid that 299 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: shows up in your life is named Isaiah. And then 300 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: the office number you go to Nashville to talk about 301 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: this stream of yours, it's sweet one seventeen. That's just weird. 302 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: That wasn't your adoption there. 303 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 3: We adopted them on eleven seventeen eighteen. There's a one 304 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 3: one seven right in the middle of their adoption day. 305 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's you know, that's crazy stuff. 306 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 3: We found a book. Dolly Parton, you know, sends books 307 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 3: to all of our kiddos. So she had sent a 308 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 3: book to Isaiah and his original address and his mom 309 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 3: had passed those books along. His address was one seventeen. 310 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 3: You're kidding, It says Isaiah, and then it says one 311 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 3: to seventeen, and then the street name unbelievable. 312 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 1: Okay, So obviously we're going to call this house that 313 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: you're envisioning the Isaiah one seventeen house. I mean, it's 314 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: his name. It's the Bible verse that that really is 315 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: basically your calling verse. And for some reason, this entire 316 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: one seventeen thing has surrounded the entire deal. But at 317 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: this point it's just a dream. And after the break 318 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: we'll hear how that dream became a reality. We'll be 319 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: right back. 320 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 3: I went to the state. I went to our regional office, 321 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 3: a lady named Pam Harr. She'd worked for the department 322 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 3: for thirty six years. I tell people all the time, 323 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 3: she should have been jaded and bitter. She should have 324 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 3: seen too many things come and go. I said across 325 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 3: from her, and I tell her this dream of what 326 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 3: if this there's a home, and we sit there and 327 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 3: we cry together, and she said, let's try. And she said, 328 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 3: I'll start talking to the state, you start raising some money, 329 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 3: and let's just see what happens. And so she headed 330 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 3: to Nashville to walk with licensing and could we do this? 331 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 3: And I head out into Carter County talking anybody they'll 332 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 3: listen to me. And I do believe with all my 333 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 3: heart this is one of those times when I feel 334 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 3: like God has never given up on the children in 335 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:40,239 Speaker 3: foster care. He rallied every part of Carter County like 336 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 3: there wasn't a We always say we had first Methodist, 337 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:45,239 Speaker 3: first press, first battle. All the first were there, all 338 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 3: the every church rallied. The football team did a fundraiser, 339 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,640 Speaker 3: the nursing home held a bake sale for the children, 340 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 3: the car show gave us money. Like the entire community rallied, 341 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 3: and in less than a year we had a home 342 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 3: debt free, had been completely remodeled for free, ninety thousand 343 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 3: dollars worth of work to the home done for free. 344 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 3: Every piece of furniture was donated for free. Every closet 345 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 3: was full, every cabinet was full, Forty trained, state certified volunteers, 346 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 3: fingerprinted background check, a fully funded first year's budget in 347 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:20,640 Speaker 3: the bank waiting on us. It was this beautiful picture 348 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 3: to me of what the church should look like. Everybody 349 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 3: just heard of this need and they gave of what 350 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 3: they had, and suddenly we had a white house with 351 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 3: a red door that was ready to serve the children 352 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 3: of Carter County. 353 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,439 Speaker 1: And so now if the kid goes through the trauma 354 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 1: of having to be pulled out of their family, instead 355 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: of going to the DMB, they go to this, they 356 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: go to a home, and the caseworker isn't a place 357 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: they can actually aptly support the children. And perspective, foster 358 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: parents don't have to go to the back of a 359 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: DMV and a dirty floor and institutional furniture. Rather they 360 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: go and their child has been at least care for. 361 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 1: Absolutely it's phenomenal. Has it not made a massive difference? 362 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 2: You know? I look back now and it really is comical. 363 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:13,639 Speaker 3: Like I really believed, in my heart of hearts that 364 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 3: I would quit my job at Milligan and this house, 365 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 3: the Isaiah one seventeen house, the original one is three 366 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 3: minutes from my home. I would run that home and 367 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:22,919 Speaker 3: we would do a little bit of good there in 368 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 3: Carter County. 369 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 2: The house does what the house was created to do. 370 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 3: Like it is unbelievable, Like it absolutely reduces trauma and 371 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,159 Speaker 3: lightens the load and eases that. Yes, and like it's 372 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 3: it was crazy. But I never ever dreamed that it 373 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 3: would catch on, Like I never, in my wildest dream 374 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 3: thought there would be more than a house. Like that's 375 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 3: what I thought, agreed to, you know, like one child, 376 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:49,880 Speaker 3: one house, Like that's what we're doing. 377 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: You know. 378 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 3: But one thing that this perfect storm that was brewing 379 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 3: is Bill Lee was running for governor. He had not 380 00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 3: won the nomination yet, and so I was told that 381 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 3: this guy named Bill Lee and his wife Maria wanted 382 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 3: to come see the. 383 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: House, and I said, no, I don't know who this 384 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,880 Speaker 1: guy is. I'm busy, like. 385 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 2: I'm not political. 386 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,439 Speaker 3: I don't want I don't want somebody kissing babies. I 387 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 3: don't want a picture in front of a bus. No, 388 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 3: I don't want to meet them. Well, my board was like, 389 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 3: you're going to go meet so I said, Qureak, come 390 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 3: with me. I don't want to meet this guy. So 391 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,479 Speaker 3: he shows up. They're sawing, hammering. I don't even make 392 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 3: them stop. Like he is like literally like yelling over 393 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 3: the saws and the hammers on the goal and give 394 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 3: it a tour because the house. 395 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 2: Hasn't done yet. We make it to the top of 396 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 2: the stairs and he was like, what do you want 397 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 2: me to tell Nashville? 398 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,880 Speaker 3: What does Nashville need to know? I was like that 399 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 3: Tennessee has forgotten their children. That's why this house is 400 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:45,720 Speaker 3: being built. Like how do I know you've forgotten your 401 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 3: children because you will stick them in an office for 402 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 3: hours or days on end. 403 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 2: That's just the beginning. Child welfare is not set up 404 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 2: for the child. 405 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 3: And I mean, I am giving it to him and 406 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:56,479 Speaker 3: I am crying, and I am mad, and I am 407 00:20:56,840 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 3: and he starts crying and Maria starts crying and he 408 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 3: was like, can I pray with you? There were no cameras, 409 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 3: there's no photo off, And we stood there together and 410 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:07,400 Speaker 3: we prayed for the children of Tennessee. 411 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 2: And we get done. And Corey loves this part of 412 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 2: my Do you have a bus we could get our picture. 413 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:19,640 Speaker 3: Made by so come to find out because I don't 414 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 3: do details. His entire platform was this faith based initiative. 415 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 3: If you have a faith based organization doing really good work, 416 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 3: let them do the work, like there doesn't have to 417 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 3: be this separation and no, let them help the state, 418 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 3: like let's go. 419 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 2: And so he then proceeded. 420 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 3: There was one house not even finish twenty first, all 421 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 3: to tell the entire state of Tennessee about this model 422 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 3: of Isaiah One's seventeen house, how they're going to partner 423 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 3: with the state, and how this beautile like used us 424 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 3: as an example. Well, then he becomes he gets the nomination, 425 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 3: so he's officially running. So he stops back by the 426 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 3: house and sees it finished, and he was like, this 427 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 3: is probably TMI. But that shirt you gave my wife, 428 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 3: she loves it and she sleeps in it every night. 429 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 3: And I was like, the Lord works in mysterious ways. 430 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 3: You go to bed every night thinking about my ministry. 431 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 3: And so we just you know, he loved the house. 432 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 3: So then we find out we're going to do one 433 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 3: in Green County. And so he's now governor and he 434 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 3: calls and he says, can I come to the groundbreaking 435 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:12,360 Speaker 3: of the Green County House. 436 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,200 Speaker 2: I'm like, let me check with my people. 437 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, what work with my people? 438 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 3: And he brought one hundred thousand dollars said he just 439 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 3: wanted us to use it to expand, and that day 440 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:26,439 Speaker 3: he stood in Green County and said he wanted this 441 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 3: to be the new standard for all children entering foster 442 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 3: care across the state of Tennessee. And that catapulted us, 443 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 3: like we didn't know what was coming, Like all of 444 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 3: a sudden, they want ninety five homes in the state 445 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 3: of Tennessee, and everybody's calling, you know, Tennessee, Tennessee, Tennessee, and. 446 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 1: How many houses are there in Tennessee. 447 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 3: Now we have twenty three total locations. I think we 448 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 3: have sixteen open homes in Tennessee alone. 449 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 2: Because then Indiana called. 450 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 3: And we're like what, like, well, this foster worker's mom 451 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 3: lives in Limestone, Tennessee and cut out an article and 452 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 3: said this would help my daughter with a work. So 453 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 3: then we start working with Indiana, and so then their 454 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 3: government sends up and says, we want one in every 455 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 3: county in Indiana. So now we're working Indiana and Tennessee, 456 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 3: and then your buddy Mike Rowe shows up. 457 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: Of course, Mike shows thoughts and our. 458 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 2: Episode of Returning the Favor aral. 459 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: Returning the Favor is a Facebook show that Micro did 460 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: after dirty jobs or even during dirty jobs, where he 461 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: would just show up to places and tell the stories 462 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: about people who were quote returning the favor, basically like 463 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:44,280 Speaker 1: our show, telling stories of amazing normal people doing incredible things. 464 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:46,680 Speaker 1: And he called it returning the Favor. So he showed up. 465 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: He showed up with his cameras. 466 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 3: With his cameras, we were told a small documentary company 467 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 3: was coming. 468 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:54,679 Speaker 1: That is not nothing Micro does. 469 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 3: It was a fake website. It was fake names, fake emails. 470 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: And they were fake lying do you yes, ye, yeah, yeah, 471 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: I got it because they want because Mike's show wanted 472 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: to be a sprishtree. 473 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 3: So when we show up at the Isaiah House that morning, 474 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 3: I think a small documentary company is coming everybody in 475 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 3: the house knows who's actually coming, but me, I don't know. 476 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 3: And so this is the speech I gave to my people. 477 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 3: I was like, listen, y'all know, I don't do details. 478 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 3: Some small documentary company is coming. 479 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 2: I don't know. Here's what you need to know. Number one, 480 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:23,640 Speaker 2: don't say one. 481 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,680 Speaker 3: Negative word about the Department of Children Services. And number two, 482 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 3: nobody take your shirt off because it ain't that kind 483 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 3: of video that. 484 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: Was that's all I do. That's funny, and then micro 485 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 1: walked in. 486 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 3: So our episode aired on March ninth of twenty twenty. Well, 487 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 3: this is crazy. I love sharing God moments with you. 488 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 3: So we were supposed to air March sixteenth. We had 489 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 3: a whole social media. 490 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: Plan lead it to are you going to tell me 491 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 1: something about John three sixteen now or are we going 492 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:53,879 Speaker 1: to skip that? 493 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,679 Speaker 3: We're skipping that Schwutch parties, watch what we have this 494 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 3: whole plan. Sarah, his producer, calls me on Sunday seventh 495 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 3: and said, or Sunday the eighth and says, we're moving 496 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,199 Speaker 3: you to tomorrow night, Like, oh, okay, okay. So I 497 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 3: call our social media person. She's like, I'm on it. 498 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 3: So we watch it on March ninth. March thirteenth, the 499 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:15,480 Speaker 3: world shuts down, so COVID two million people watched it 500 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 3: on March ninth. Do you know how many people watched 501 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:19,359 Speaker 3: it March sixteenth. 502 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 2: Ten thousand? 503 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 3: Wow, it was like we just got picked up and 504 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 3: dropped on March ninth. 505 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:27,439 Speaker 2: What two million people watch it? 506 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 3: Our phone blew up like we finally on day three 507 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,000 Speaker 3: got a map of the United States and just started 508 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 3: coloring in. Forty one states and four countries have reached 509 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 3: out wanting an Isaiah one to seventeen house. 510 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 2: Thanks to your buddy Mike. I say, Jesus and Mike 511 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 2: are the reason. 512 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 1: Billy, Billy, Mike and Billy. Yeah. 513 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 4: Oh, Trinity Jesus, the trinity of bloody do gootters, silly 514 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 4: Micro and Jesus. 515 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 2: Yes, Jesus needs to many. 516 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 3: So we in twenty eighteen summer of we had one employee, 517 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:07,879 Speaker 3: me and one home. As of today, we have one 518 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 3: hundred and forty employees, over six thousand trained volunteers, fifty 519 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 3: four total locations in twelve states, twenty two open homes, 520 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 3: and we'll have thirty by the end of the year. 521 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 3: What what, Wow? 522 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:23,919 Speaker 1: Where just the money. 523 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 2: I'm a cheer a dance coach. People like, what happened? 524 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: Where does the money come from from that? 525 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 2: The local church individuals and private foundations. 526 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:34,439 Speaker 1: You are kidding. 527 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 2: No, we get no funding from the state. Now I 528 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:37,239 Speaker 2: take that back. I will say this. 529 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 3: So, the State of Tennessee came to us and said, 530 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 3: we need you to move faster in West Tennessee, Like 531 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:43,919 Speaker 3: we need you to because there's like this wave of 532 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:46,639 Speaker 3: red doors coming, you know, like we need you faster. 533 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,440 Speaker 3: And we had never taken state money, and we said, 534 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 3: we'll try this one time, but here's our rules, Like 535 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:54,200 Speaker 3: we still do it our way, you know. They gave 536 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 3: us one point five million dollars to do a home 537 00:26:56,359 --> 00:27:00,159 Speaker 3: in Davidson Gibson County and two in Shelby VI. 538 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: Centner's Nashville Gibson is Jackson, Tennessee Jackson area and then 539 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: Shelby County Smmphis, which back to the top of the show. 540 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 3: So I visited today. We have our first home in 541 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 3: Memphis under roof. They're getting ready to have a holy 542 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 3: Graffiti Night next Tuesday. They meet and write scripture on 543 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 3: the all the different wood inside and so yeah, we're 544 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 3: gonna have our first home in Memphis. So now we 545 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 3: have one in northeast Tennessee, were the very tip top northeast, and. 546 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:29,399 Speaker 2: We're going to have one in the very southwest corner. 547 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:33,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, what what is happening? 548 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 1: What is going on? 549 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 3: We have home we're getting ready to open a home 550 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 3: in Waco. We have a home in Dallas, like we're 551 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 3: getting ready to open one in Jacksonville, Florida. We have one 552 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 3: in Lynchburg, Virginia. Are you like, I don't know, I don't. 553 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 2: Know what is happening. I don't know what's happening, but 554 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 2: this is what I do now. My God is big 555 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 2: and he has not left his children. 556 00:27:54,760 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 3: That's what's happening. And the need is huge everywhere everywhere. 557 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's what's happening. 558 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 1: All from little itty bitty what in a. 559 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 2: Carter Brown County, Tennessee. 560 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: Yep. I wish people could see how bright your smile is. 561 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: You are? You really are just stoked about it, aren't you. 562 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 3: I just it's like I have this unbelievable vantage point 563 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 3: and like I know, oh, I know the church has 564 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 3: made a mess of things and I know there's church. 565 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 3: Like I have this vantage point where I just keep 566 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 3: watching the God that I've loved my whole life, rally 567 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 3: people to build homes and love on children like I 568 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 3: just keep watching it happen, and like over and over, 569 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 3: it just keeps happening. 570 00:28:50,680 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: We'll be right back. No one that listens to this 571 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 1: will not be able to very quickly ascertain the level 572 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,239 Speaker 1: of your faith and that you are a Christian and 573 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 1: all of that. But you just said something that I 574 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: think is really important that I've said, which is corporately 575 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: the church has made a massive mess of things. Yeah yeah, yeah, 576 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: given the depth of your faithfulness to your faith, I'd 577 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 1: like you to just say a little more about what 578 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 1: you mean when you said that. I think that's important. 579 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: So many people don't have the temerity to answer the 580 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: call to be that what are you going to do 581 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: about a person? And a lot of times will hide 582 00:29:55,080 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 1: behind well, you know, this religion screwed this up, or 583 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 1: this faith is screwed this up, or this church is 584 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: screwed this up. And my answer to that is you're right, 585 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: but so what. But it's interesting you just dropped that 586 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 1: in there. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that. 587 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 2: I mean, I've experienced some serious church her in my life, 588 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 2: you know, Isaiah one seventeen house came about in a 589 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 2: time when I was very disillusioned with the church. 590 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 3: But this is what I tell people all the time. 591 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 3: I'm sorry for the Jesus that a church showed you. 592 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 3: I want you to know that Jesus I know, and 593 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 3: the Jesus I know has always been for the marginalized 594 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 3: and the forgotten and the underdog. The Jesus I know 595 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 3: could sit at any table, anywhere, anytime, with anybody because 596 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,920 Speaker 3: he loves everybody the same. That is the Jesus I know, 597 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 3: and the Jesus I know loves you that way and 598 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 3: loves me that way. And I'm sorry for when the 599 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:56,760 Speaker 3: church got in the way. 600 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 2: Of that message. 601 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:00,360 Speaker 1: And I think we need to remember that if He 602 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: were to come today for the first time, rather than 603 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:07,360 Speaker 1: when he did, it wouldn't be in the ballroom of 604 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:13,479 Speaker 1: a massive Marriott hotel somewhere around a bunch of people 605 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: sitting around one hundred and fifty dollars dinners. No, Jesus 606 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: surrounded himself with stinky fishermen and prostitutes. And the church 607 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: needs to remember that, yeah, as it pertains to the 608 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 1: work that you're doing, because you are exactly where Jesus 609 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: would have come to the marginalized, to the weakest, to 610 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:43,959 Speaker 1: the dirtiest and frankly the social out cast. And if 611 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: we're called to be christ Like, aren't we called to 612 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 1: do the exact thing you're doing right now? Yeah? 613 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,400 Speaker 3: And I mean I felt that probably in my mid thirties, 614 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 3: late thirties. It's when I finally was like, I don't 615 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 3: think we're supposed to be sitting in this building. I 616 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 3: think we're supposed to be out, Like I don't think 617 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 3: they're coming here, you. 618 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 1: Know, like we're the sanctuary. 619 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, like we're gonna have an ice cream social. 620 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 3: Okay, newslash hurting people are coming to an ice cream social, 621 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. 622 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 2: Like that was when it was finally like and so then. 623 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 3: I started asking questions and nobody was comfortable with the questions, 624 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 3: you know. And so I absolutely believe it is time 625 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:20,680 Speaker 3: for people to stand up out of the pew, out 626 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 3: of the out of the contemporary cheer that you sit 627 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 3: wherever and go out because the hurting world is not 628 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 3: coming to us, and so we have to go out 629 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 3: to them. 630 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 2: But that's what I've seen happen with Isaiah one seventeen house. 631 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 3: I believe our churches are filled with people that are 632 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 3: dying for more and they don't know where to start. 633 00:32:38,840 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 3: And so we're like, I got away. Come help me 634 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 3: build this house. Come be a volunteer and come meet 635 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 3: that child on their worst to day. Come pick lice, 636 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 3: Come make macaradi and cheese, come play you know, like 637 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:53,120 Speaker 3: you absolutely can come be part of this. And I 638 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 3: think it's starting to open the eyes. And I've seen it, 639 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 3: like they get so excited. That's why, that's why we 640 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 3: are where we are. It's because the local church. I said, 641 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,640 Speaker 3: we're in sign us up and they've shown up. And 642 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 3: so it's been good for my soul as well to 643 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 3: watch the local church rally because I do believe that 644 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 3: God wants us to come together in community. I do 645 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 3: believe that, so I don't want to give up on 646 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 3: the church. I've not given up on the church. I 647 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:19,720 Speaker 3: know that their apologies that need to be made, and 648 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 3: there are changes that need to happen. 649 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 2: But I've also seen I. 650 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 3: Say all the time, in this role that we're in now, 651 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 3: I see the absolute worst of humanity and I see 652 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 3: the absolute best. I see the worst of the church, 653 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 3: and I see the best, and there is good left 654 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 3: in the church. 655 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 1: All right, so let me just four countries be Julian, 656 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: other places calling you after the mic Ro show, and 657 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:48,400 Speaker 1: those numbers start adding up in my head. But today, 658 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 1: how many? How many children have you served from this 659 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:55,320 Speaker 1: first little house in Johnson City? Yeah? 660 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 2: As an organization, we've served over five thousand to date. 661 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: Five thousand children on the worst day of their life 662 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: pass through one of your homes. 663 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 3: And that's what's so exciting about when there is a 664 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 3: new home, because it's not just a new home that's 665 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:11,279 Speaker 3: going to. 666 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:14,360 Speaker 2: Serve a child. We now have a new home that 667 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 2: is going to serve hundreds, hundreds and so every time. 668 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,960 Speaker 1: And you know, if you think about it on balance, 669 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 1: kids that have the worst day of their life and 670 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 1: a place where one of your homes doesn't exist, they're 671 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 1: experiencing the institutional furniture in their dirty carpet. So I mean, 672 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 1: there's a need for this literally everywhere. 673 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:41,280 Speaker 3: And I knew nothing about trauma informed care when this started. 674 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 1: We have trauma informed care. 675 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 2: You don't either, okay, say trauma informed care. 676 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 3: It's this new way of handling people who have been 677 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 3: through trauma, and so you want to be trauma informed. 678 00:34:50,200 --> 00:34:52,640 Speaker 3: I've never heard this phrase. So we have this specialist 679 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 3: on trauma inform care come and visit the Carter County home. 680 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 2: And she was like, do you know what trauma informed 681 00:34:57,160 --> 00:34:57,480 Speaker 2: care is? 682 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 3: And I was like, She's like this, this is trauma 683 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 3: and form is trauma inform care. 684 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:06,160 Speaker 1: You may not know the phrase, but you know what 685 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:07,240 Speaker 1: it is. 686 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 3: And I said, well, that means God is trauma informed. 687 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:14,840 Speaker 3: But what we've learned, because I didn't know any of this, 688 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 3: what the brain does with a traumatic event is it 689 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:20,160 Speaker 3: never lets go of it, and. 690 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:23,440 Speaker 1: So it reprises it. It will reprise it, it will, 691 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:26,319 Speaker 1: but it never lets go. But it's like someone once 692 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:30,320 Speaker 1: told me, the problem with pushing something under the water 693 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:35,439 Speaker 1: is it eventually surfaces again if it's not dealt with. Yeah. 694 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,480 Speaker 3: And so, because removal day is one of the most 695 00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 3: traumatic days I'll ever walk, they never forget it. And 696 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 3: so I meet men at age forty that hang their 697 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:47,359 Speaker 3: head and say thank you for the work that you're doing. 698 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:50,400 Speaker 3: I still remember the tile floor, you know, or somebody 699 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:52,239 Speaker 3: in their twenties that says I can still smell the 700 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:52,799 Speaker 3: office like. 701 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 2: They never forget that day. 702 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:58,879 Speaker 3: So what a day to step in with nothing but 703 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 3: love and kindness. 704 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,320 Speaker 2: And positive messaging and hope. 705 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:05,320 Speaker 1: Because maybe some of the trauma being pulled out of 706 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:08,600 Speaker 1: their house will be all set with the love and 707 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:10,360 Speaker 1: the comfort of them. Maybe they'll never forget. 708 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 2: Maybe they'll never forget that. 709 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:15,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're not only changing the life of a child, 710 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 1: You're potentially changing the trauma of an adult one day. Yeah, 711 00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:27,200 Speaker 1: it's phenomenal. If somebody sitting out there listeners it wants 712 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,600 Speaker 1: to do one of three things that I can think of. 713 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 1: One is just donate to financially support the work you're 714 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:39,279 Speaker 1: doing now literally all over the country and growing to 715 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:42,640 Speaker 1: more and more. And you said four countries, which is amazing. 716 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:43,719 Speaker 2: We've not gone there yet. 717 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:46,839 Speaker 1: They've asked me what I get it, but still that's 718 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:47,160 Speaker 1: a lot. 719 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:50,879 Speaker 2: You Hawaii no twice, because it's like a six hour 720 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:52,520 Speaker 2: time difference. I'm like, I don't know if we're ready 721 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 2: for Hawaii. 722 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:55,480 Speaker 1: But yeah, So, if anybody wants to donate money for 723 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 1: all of that, or if they are like that sounds 724 00:36:59,680 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 1: like something thing I could do in my community, and 725 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 1: they they want to start a house with you somewhere, 726 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:12,799 Speaker 1: support one or however it works, or they'd want to 727 00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:17,840 Speaker 1: just learn more or be a volunteer how do who do? 728 00:37:18,239 --> 00:37:19,560 Speaker 1: How do they find you? What do they do? 729 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:22,000 Speaker 3: Everybody just needs to go to the website, Isaiah one 730 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:23,360 Speaker 3: to seventeen house dot com. 731 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 2: At that. 732 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,279 Speaker 3: On the website, you can hit donate and it'll talk 733 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:28,799 Speaker 3: you right through whatever you want to do. You can 734 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:31,359 Speaker 3: choose a specific county, you can choose where needed most. 735 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,920 Speaker 3: There's also every location that we have where that home is, 736 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 3: the process that it's in, is it built already as 737 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:37,439 Speaker 3: it opened? 738 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 2: Is under construction? So you could see if you could 739 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:40,240 Speaker 2: get connected. 740 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 3: The person that runs that home is located there, So 741 00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:44,320 Speaker 3: you can click on that and say, I want to 742 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:44,880 Speaker 3: be a volunteer. 743 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:48,440 Speaker 1: I'd love Can you get that person's contact information. 744 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:50,680 Speaker 2: From the website? Yeah, so I would just drive everyone 745 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:51,280 Speaker 2: to the website. 746 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:56,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, Okay, what's Corey think about all this? Now? 747 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:00,640 Speaker 2: So Corey and I we joke I sleep on his 748 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 2: right and work on his left. 749 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:06,000 Speaker 1: Like we now and he's now employed by this right, 750 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:06,640 Speaker 1: what's he doing? 751 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:10,640 Speaker 3: He's our director of development and so but we're in 752 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:12,360 Speaker 3: it together. I mean, this is it was always the 753 00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:14,440 Speaker 3: dream that we could do this together. But one of 754 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:16,239 Speaker 3: us kept a real job while the other one quit. 755 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:18,840 Speaker 1: Her job is director of mean he's out raising money, 756 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 1: talk more. 757 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:22,600 Speaker 3: About talking to yeah, talking to donors, but making people 758 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:26,440 Speaker 3: aware of what we're doing. Yeah, and working more than 759 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,440 Speaker 3: we ever thought with some corporate ideas, like you know, 760 00:38:29,719 --> 00:38:31,880 Speaker 3: Low's has helped us in every home we've ever built, 761 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 3: but we don't have a partnership with Low's. But we're 762 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:35,800 Speaker 3: just saying we just love to give you credit. And 763 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:37,399 Speaker 3: let's just say every time we build a house, we're 764 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 3: going to partner with you. 765 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:39,560 Speaker 2: You know what I mean. And you know I could 766 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 2: examples like that, and so. 767 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 1: There's no that's how you build them. 768 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:45,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, they've helped us everywhere, so let's why not call 769 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:47,920 Speaker 3: it what it is, you know, And so he works 770 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:49,520 Speaker 3: on those kind of things. He's also over our We 771 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 3: have a big golf tournament every year. Every location has 772 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,680 Speaker 3: a golf tournament, and so he's over all of that. 773 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:55,920 Speaker 1: But yeah, So I mean it's a big job. You've 774 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,240 Speaker 1: got to constantly be raising money, you got to constantly 775 00:38:58,239 --> 00:39:02,040 Speaker 1: be outfit inness thing with the stuff that it needs. 776 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 1: You got to have volunteers to staff it because you've 777 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:07,160 Speaker 1: got to be ready for the minute that that kid 778 00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:08,160 Speaker 1: has the worst day of their life. 779 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:10,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're open three sixty five twenty four seven. 780 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's phenomenal. 781 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:15,399 Speaker 3: But what's crazy is I tell you all the time, 782 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:18,200 Speaker 3: this ministry stretches everybody the way they need to be stretched. 783 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:20,160 Speaker 3: And so when you said, hou'se Corey, Corey and I 784 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:24,759 Speaker 3: are being stretched. And so remember Bleft City, Bristol, Jump City, Elizabethan. 785 00:39:25,320 --> 00:39:26,480 Speaker 2: Now I got to get on the plane and go 786 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:28,640 Speaker 2: to Houston and figure out if you ever driven in Houston. 787 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:30,800 Speaker 1: Houston's a long way. 788 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:32,720 Speaker 2: It is crazy town to drive in Houston. 789 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:37,560 Speaker 3: And so I've got to go get a rental car likes. 790 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 1: You know, Oh I've ever driven in Houston? Yes, Yeah, 791 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 1: it's the fourth largest city in the country. It's massive. 792 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 1: They have interstates. Is why theres five football. 793 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:45,480 Speaker 2: And they're like stacked. 794 00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:46,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, they're stuck. They're crazy. 795 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:50,279 Speaker 3: So I'm trying to navigate Houston traffic and he's at 796 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:54,160 Speaker 3: home trying to navigate four children. And so yeah, I 797 00:39:54,160 --> 00:39:56,359 Speaker 3: mean I think that, you know, he would be much 798 00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:58,480 Speaker 3: more comfortable in Houston traffic and I'd be more comfortable 799 00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:00,480 Speaker 3: at home. But God's called us to to learn two 800 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:02,359 Speaker 3: different things. And so he's a good man. 801 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 1: He's a good man. 802 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:06,160 Speaker 3: He's at home trying to navigate tea caps this week, 803 00:40:06,239 --> 00:40:07,840 Speaker 3: make sure everybody gets in bed on time, eats a 804 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:08,360 Speaker 3: good breakfast. 805 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 2: You got to be nice to your kids that week. 806 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 1: You know, when you. 807 00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:12,200 Speaker 2: Send them to school, you can't yell at them. So 808 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:13,479 Speaker 2: he's trying not to stream to the kids. 809 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:19,520 Speaker 1: And so yeah, wow, Ronda, I am so inspired by 810 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:22,040 Speaker 1: your story. And if you guys listening out there, it's 811 00:40:22,120 --> 00:40:26,440 Speaker 1: just one more and the litany of every week you 812 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:33,880 Speaker 1: hear the stuff is. Nobody bequeathed this to you. This 813 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:37,680 Speaker 1: is a dream you had that you went after as 814 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:40,319 Speaker 1: a normal person, seeing the area need and filled it 815 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 1: because your heart said that's what you needed to do. 816 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:46,520 Speaker 1: And with a lot of hard work, a little bit 817 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,200 Speaker 1: of grace and a little bit of luck, you're changing 818 00:40:49,239 --> 00:40:53,280 Speaker 1: lives of people all over the country. And I would 819 00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:56,160 Speaker 1: guess you would say, get more out of it than 820 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:57,080 Speaker 1: you ever put into it. 821 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:00,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, this is this is what I was called 822 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:01,239 Speaker 2: to do. 823 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:06,240 Speaker 1: It's an amazing story. Thanks for Hey, thanks for plopping 824 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:08,520 Speaker 1: a couple of these places in Memphis. I know my 825 00:41:08,719 --> 00:41:10,880 Speaker 1: dad needs it. I would love to holer at me. 826 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 1: And also thanks for taking the time out of your 827 00:41:14,719 --> 00:41:18,400 Speaker 1: incredibly busy schedule going around the country doing this to 828 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:22,400 Speaker 1: join us and tell your story. It is phenomenal, as inspiration, 829 00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:23,400 Speaker 1: as honor to meet you. 830 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:24,640 Speaker 2: It was so nice of you. 831 00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:30,920 Speaker 1: Thank you, and thank you for joining us this week. 832 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:35,640 Speaker 1: If Ronda Paulson or other guests have inspired you in general, 833 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:39,960 Speaker 1: or better yet, inspired you to take action by donating 834 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:44,840 Speaker 1: to Isaiah one seventeen house, volunteering at one in your community, 835 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:48,319 Speaker 1: helping launch one. If your community doesn't have it, or 836 00:41:48,440 --> 00:41:52,440 Speaker 1: something else entirely, please let me know. I'd love to 837 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:56,160 Speaker 1: hear about it. You can write me anytime at Bill 838 00:41:56,480 --> 00:42:01,279 Speaker 1: at normalfolks dot us, and I promise I'll respect. If 839 00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:04,840 Speaker 1: you enjoyed this episode, please share it with friends that 840 00:42:04,920 --> 00:42:08,640 Speaker 1: on social, subscribe to the podcast, rate and review it, 841 00:42:09,080 --> 00:42:12,640 Speaker 1: become a premium member at normalfolks dot us. All of 842 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:15,840 Speaker 1: these things that will help us grow an army of 843 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:20,760 Speaker 1: normal folks. Remember everyone, the more listeners, the more impact. 844 00:42:21,560 --> 00:42:23,839 Speaker 1: I'm Bill Courtney. I'll see you next week.