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Catching Up With Christians
Catching Up With Christians
Catching Up With Christians: EP: 9: With Isaac Immanuel, Worship Leader and Social Media Content Creator
Isaac's journey is nothing short of a miracle. Living with osteogenesis imperfecta, this young worship leader defied all odds from birth and now inspires many with his unwavering faith and resilience. Tune in as Isaac joins Coach Dan McCarty to share their personal stories of overcoming life's limitations through faith and determination. Together, they provide a powerful testament to how spiritual strength can help break through barriers and lead to profound personal growth.
Navigating life in a wheelchair comes with its unique set of challenges, particularly in forming genuine relationships. Our discussion sheds light on the complexities of discerning true intentions from social interactions and highlights the significance of empathy and authenticity. Listen as we recount personal anecdotes that illustrate the importance of forging connections that transcend physical differences, underscoring how trust and sincerity can break down misconceptions and foster fulfilling friendships.
Exploring spiritual themes, we reflect on the nuances of prayer, healing, and God's will in the context of disabilities. By sharing personal experiences and biblical stories, we emphasize the importance of being led by the spirit and trusting in God's plan, even when it requires leaving behind familiar passions. Our conversation is a heartfelt reflection on resilience and the transformative power of spiritual trials and victories, illustrating how embracing one's calling can lead to profound spiritual growth and opportunities to glorify God.
Follow Isaac on Instagram @isaacimmanuel_ and Tik Tok @iceman_sings !
maybe third. Oh, here we go there you go everybody.
Speaker 1:It's coach Dan McCarty, back with another episode with catching up with Christians, got a very uh special guest here with us today. Um, my man here, isaac, how you doing today? I'm doing great man. How are you? Uh, wonderful man, I'm glad you're here with us.
Speaker 1:Uh, this is a pretty cool episode for the listeners here. You know we have kind of similar stories, you know. I mean, we're all God's children, you know, and, with that being said, god uses us in different ways and and whatnot. But it's really cool to be able to share the time in an episode with someone who kind of really knows what it's like on the physical aspect of maybe some of the things I've had to endure in my life so the listeners don't know I have osteogenesis imperfecta, or also known, as I call it the English version, brittle bone disease, and essentially in your bones you have bone collagen which creates the strength and density of your bones, and I don't have a lot of that. So my bones are broken very easily and my friend here also has osteogenesis imperfecta. Isaac, my man, and what type do you have, bro? In between type 3 and 4. They couldn't clinically diagnose me. Okay.
Speaker 1:So they said that in between type three and four. So, wow, awesome bro. Yeah, man, I was. I was diagnosed at type two.
Speaker 1:There's to the listeners, there's so many types of oi nowadays, uh, and essentially you know, type two and three, and even four, I believe, are like more of the severe types, um, where they break frequently, have a lot of other complications. But, by the glory and grace of God, we are both here sitting in front of you listeners today. But I'd love to kind of you know, hear, isaac, who you are. I mean, I know a little bit about you, man, just so the listeners know. I was scrolling tiktok about. I want to say it's like five, six months ago now, man, I think of it around there and shout out ai. But shout out kind of scary.
Speaker 1:Uh, I was scrolling through and my man was singing a worship song and I was like, wait a minute, you know I can tell people have oi because, like, if you have OI you really can tell other people. And, um, I also got a funny story about telling someone that they have OI. That's I'll say this later wild story, but anyways, I could tell he had OI and I was like, man, okay, uh, this is cool. Let me click on him and for the listeners, I used to love to sing but I could could not sing a lick. That just was not my thing. But seeing someone who had OI but actually could sing, I was like whoa, this is cool.
Speaker 1:And so when you want to tell the listeners a little bit of your journey and who you are, what you do and what you love to do, man, yeah, so I'm Isaac, I'm 19. I'm about to turn 20 in a couple weeks here and my testimony is, you know, like Dan said it's similar to his the doctors told my parents that I wasn't going to make it because they said I had extremely fragile bones and I already had broken bones in the womb and that there was no chance of survival. Because if I did make it past you know the birthing process my ribs were going to be too weak to support my lungs. This my ribs were going to be too weak to support my lungs.
Speaker 1:And, by the grace of god, um, my parents, they're believers and they didn't take that you know that news as like a final say they got with it and they called their pastor and they prayed together and in that moment of prayer, god told my pastor that not only I was, not only was I going to survive, but they had a calling over my life, my parents, they had that faith. So they went through with the pregnancy, obviously.
Speaker 1:And here I am, 19 years later, oh man 19 years later I get to lead worship in my church and, you know, just lead people to Christ and it's such a blessing. It seriously is. That's incredible man. So talk about maybe some early years you know talking about. I know in my life people have tried to set limitations upon my life, right, and I think, being a child of God and having a deep faith, I know it's certainly given me motivation and inspiration to blow those expectations out the water right, and I'm tapping into who God's called I am. So are there any like early stories maybe in your life that you could share with the listeners, where people may have doubted you or maybe put limitations on what you were capable of doing?
Speaker 1:oh yeah, um. So this actually I can talk about a story back of when I was five, when I tried getting into regular school like regular school, not any like special needs classrooms. Um, my mom had registered me to go to an elementary school and they told her that they didn't think it was a good idea, so they tried to put me in a special needs classroom wow and my mom had to get an attorney. They had to get an attorney to show them that I was mentally capable, that I was.
Speaker 1:You know, just because my physical appearance was different doesn't mean my mental appearance was different right, yeah yeah, so, um, they ended up winning and they had povian school and, um, you know, it's just that's like, really, I think the earliest limitation they they tried saying, since he was in a wheelchair, that he had to be in different, a different setting. He had to be you know what I mean a different classroom. You know, by the grace of god, I got to go to school and, yeah, you know, graduated high school um, last year. So let's go, man, that's, that's awesome man, that's one that's sad that it had to go to that point. But I think, you know, it really just shows, you know, in this day and age, that was what 14 years ago it wasn't too long ago right, and understanding that there still needs to be growth in that area, and realizing disability. You know it doesn't necessarily mean oh, oh, there you go, no, you're good man.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, no, I think it's um, sometimes people think of, you know, disability, especially the physical disability, that they kind of group us all in right, we all have different gifts and abilities and and things like that. So I think that's a great reminder to the listeners that if you see someone that may look a little differently, um, behave a little differently, let's not. Um, let's not quickly assume that we're all the same and we all struggle with the same things. Um, my phone's blowing up my church chat, sorry, but let's always remember, guys, that we got to look at each individual as a child of God and we are all made in the image, the likeness of God, and God makes us.
Speaker 1:In the Bible it tells us that we are his masterpieces. We are crafted, you know, and to be able to have some wonderful gifts, and so that's unfortunately sorry you had to go through that, but I also, you know, those types of situations for me kind of gave me some motivation. Were there some times maybe in your life where, beyond that moment, you're kind of like, not in a way of like vengeance or revenge, but also just the motivation aspect and inspiration to kind of be like, okay, I know god's got something on my life. I'm gonna, I'm gonna keep pushing and doing my thing. Yeah, um, let me think. Well, I think, just overall, I had a lot of people that would come up to me like, hey, buddy, they would kind of like talk to talk to me like I was like you know I don't know how relatable, but no, I know what you're talking about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know what I mean. Yeah, they would like kind of talk to me like I was a kid maybe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like, hey, buddy, yeah, literally like, oh, like this was at the time. I can remember I was 14. I'm like, oh, I'm 14, but how are you? But I think that leading worship has been like a real wake-up call for people because they've seen that, like you know, god will put someone in a place that he wants them to be, despite their physical or, you know, mental appearance, despite where, whatever they are physically Right, and he will use anybody, anybody, and as soon as, um, they seen you know me leading worship, they're like, oh, god sees him the exact same way as he sees me, and I'm over treating him differently.
Speaker 1:And I think a lot of people have started to get the courage to come up to me and talk to me. You and I mean, I think the only thing that me and you could do is we can act normally and we can be like, oh, you know, um, I'm, you know, I appreciate, you know you coming up to me and talking to me, um, and you kind of just got to ignore it a little bit yeah but but that's definitely been an encouragement um for people to actually see me, for me yeah, right um, and I think that's something that god's been trying to teach me that I can't really.
Speaker 1:I have to make sure that I'm patient and I can't get angry about people. You know, misjudging right, absolutely, and um, it's something I'm learning and uh, it's another thing with kids. You know, kids they don't, they don't know very well and they don't. And sometimes they'll point, sometimes they'll say, sometimes they'll say things, yeah, cause they don't understand it Absolutely that, um, you know, god wants us to treat everyone with love. You know, and in the Bible, we need to treat everyone with love, and sometimes it's a battle. Sometimes it's a battle. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But I just think that God's really been helping me grow in that area ever since I did start leading worship, because people are encouraged and it's such a blessing to be a vessel for God Amen, you know, do what he wants me to do. And I think that growing up it was a little harder to be a people person, right, because a lot of people you know like I. A little harder to be a people person, right, because a lot of people would, like I said, talk to me a little different. But that's what God's been telling me. He's been telling me to love on people and show them who I am and how he sees me, right, and it's definitely a blessing to be able to do that and just grow with him, grow in a relationship with him, and it's just amazing, absolutely. I mean.
Speaker 1:You touched upon so many good points and so many of them are relatable in my life and I think, where you know part of my thing, I spent a lot of my life trying to prove to people that I wasn't defined by my disability. Trying to prove to people that I wasn't defined by my disability and sometimes the ways that I did that weren't always ways that would glorify God, and one of the things that I'm still learning every day in my life is how to do that in a way that still glorifies him right and having you been able to lead worship, I think, really shows that maturity right To then see God using you in that platform and you being obedient and being a vessel, and I think that's beautiful and awesome. Transparency. Now, if you would mind sharing I know maybe you didn't experience as much, but I know I did but like the importance of genuine relationships and the importance of genuine people in your life, whether it was, you know, intimate, you know relationships, friendships, whatever, family relationships. You know it was really hard to for me because I'm very much a extrovert, very much a loving person, very much I I care about a lot of people and so often I would get some people that would say stuff to me. They genuinely wouldn't mean it, they would just say it because I'm in a wheelchair and or they feel bad about me and those sorts of things and some of those things would irritate me.
Speaker 1:So, um, have you kind of experienced that where you just it was kind of hard for you to really know like, is this my homie? Or maybe even had like, you know I, I remember I've had, you know, ex-relationships. It took me a long time to realize, oh wait, they are interested in me. I just didn't know if they're being nice, because in the last time when someone I thought was interested in me I was like it wasn't that way, right, because we're just genuinely nice to us in wheelchairs. So how has that been for you kind of sensing relationships and people, any any type of relationship?
Speaker 1:Um, I think that growing up it was kind of hard to, like you said, like, make those relationships. Because you couldn't tell people, like you said, make those relationships. Because you couldn't tell people, like you said, talking to you differently because you're in a wheelchair or they're trying to be extra nice or what. But I really tried to show people that I talked to, like if there were new people or people that I see normally, that like, hey, I'm just like you, I'm in a different physical state. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But you know, I try to just really show them like I'm not defined by me and you know being stuck in this wheelchair. Yeah. Right, like I might not be able to do all the things you could do. But I'm just like you. You know I have the same emotions as you. I talk like you know, I talk like you. That's kind of funny to say but you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:I've had some friends growing up where I guess they would be like nice, I guess, to my face and then behind my back they'd be like saying stuff right, oh, yeah, yeah. And I'm like it was hard to like kind of I don't know how to explain it Not get used to, but just to like ignore it.
Speaker 1:Right, you don't want to let that anger, you know dwell on your heart right and it was hard and I think that some people you know just genuinely struggle with, I guess, how to connect with people that aren't like them, right, yeah so, but I think a big part of it was loving on them and telling them, you know, talking to them like I would anybody else, right, and just like showing them like I'm, you know, I'm the same as you, like I said, but it's definitely tougher because some people you know, like you said, you can't tell if they're interested in you or not?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah bro, like it's yeah, like, are you being too nice or what's going on here? Yeah, exactly, bro, like, and, and you know, and I think that's you know, and I and I can tell by your heart posture and how why are you on the for the lord? I think you know we as individuals are so much caring about others, like I'm a very empathetic and sympathetic person Like I, like I can feel it and I can be with them, like I, that's just who I am. And when I would say something to somebody, be like bro, I got you. Like I got you and um, like I had a kid growing up. Just an example.
Speaker 1:I'm not saying this, uh, I'm just trying to say this so that it's an example, but I won't even use the example. But bottom line is, I've had people do things like quote, unquote, wrong to me, but I've still let it slide and help them anyway. Yeah, like that's if I say I got you, I got you, and people have said that to me and I've tried to call them up in a time of need and they're just like oh, yeah, yeah, bro, you know, and it's like yeah, and it's like I say this to just remind individuals that, like you don't have to just be extra nice to people in wheelchairs just because we're wheelchair right, just like anybody else.
Speaker 1:If you think we're gonna be your homie for a long time and you really would give your shirt off our back, your back for us, then say that you know, like I got one of my really really close friends, one of my best friends right now awesome guy, my buddy sten shout out to my buddy sten and um, he was like sometimes he's like he was talking to my mom because he was over the other day. Uh, when my mom came over and he was like sometimes like I forget, like Dan, I don't even see Dan in a wheelchair anymore because I've been around him so long like I just don't even know. And that was a really cool moment. I was like, oh, that's sick. I wonder how many else people feel that way in that aspect. But I think that's just a really important part. I know. For me, man, one of the things I had to learn in my life was I still learn I'll be 100% transparent is not when. One of the things I had to learn in my life was I still learn I'll be 100 transparent is not when one of those things happen where people are being too nice or maybe not necessarily genuine is not carry that over to every other interaction I have with people yeah and not prejudge them and
Speaker 1:just be like. You know, I mean and I still fall short to that I had an issue two weeks ago, bro, at a church event I went up to, or I was in the corner, I was bringing my brother to a youth church event. I was on my phone reading a work email and this girl really nice person, but I was so locked in on my work and my phone she came up to me and she was like like blah, blah, and I wasn't talking, like I didn't know what she was saying. I was like, hey, I'm 21, I'm this year, because I brought my little brother, like I thought she was trying to get me to go where all the other kids were, because I wasn't where, like the group of people were.
Speaker 1:And so I kind of like snapped back and was like, hey, like I'm 21, like I'm a leader here at the church as well, like etc, etc, etc. Yeah, and stop for a second. And she's like, oh, no, I'll just try to get you in connection with so and so and so and so, your friend, and because that we're also there. And I was like, oh, my bad. And so at the end like I apologize and we're all cool, it's whatever. That's not who I want to be, but I quickly projected that she just viewed me as a kid and try to get me to where all the kids were instead of me who I am.
Speaker 1:And ultimately she just viewed me as a kid and trying to get me to where all the kids were instead of me who I am, and ultimately, she just wanted to help me find my friends that were there.
Speaker 1:That were right, you know what I mean. Uh, so I don't know I've had those issues. So I don't know if you've ever had those types of moments as well. Yeah, yeah, um, yeah, for sure, I mean I've definitely had people I thought were trying to just be like accommodating. They're buddy, like you want to come over with us. I'm like, oh, I'm good Sometimes. You know it's kind of hard, you know, because, like you want to, you don't want to ignore them, right? And you don't want to like instantly put a wall up. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But sometimes it happens, people just they, I guess have the reaction of being overly nice. Yeah.
Speaker 1:And they try to talk to us a little differently and they're like hey, like you know, you don't. You know, you don't have to be over here alone, right, like I, like as if I was I don't know how to explain it you know what I mean, though. Yeah, people kind of come up, go out of their way to go up to you. Would they do that to any other people? Yeah, exactly, I think you really got to just treat them with love. It's so hard. I'm guilty of ignoring people. Sometimes. I struggle with staying in a conversation for a long time. It's definitely a battle. I feel like what you said. It's like when she was trying to come up to you and talk to you, like like you thought she was talking to me like a kid. Yeah, it wasn't. I've definitely made that misjudgment a couple times before, but I felt so bad, dog, I was so bad at myself. I, I got, I got, uh, I apologized. At the end, I found her. I was like I was looking for it because I was like I got to apologize, and I did. She was all cool about it, but just a really nice person too. She's one of the sweetest people too and I was like, oh man, like what am I doing? I'm clowning around right now, but, but I told you, bro, I get raw and real in these things. Bro, I transparent.
Speaker 1:But I say this to people because I want people to understand no one's perfect in our walk with christ, right, and we're just trying to be obedient, regardless of our situation. And um, now I want to hear your take on these two things. Um, and I made two posts around this. One of them is going to be uh, today I'm going to post on my tiktok and all my platforms, but one of the things I know you mentioned this earlier talking about staring what's your thought? And take on staring? I know my community doesn't necessarily know, unless they see my TikTok I put a TikTok on it. I don't know if you watched it. My perspective on when people look at me or stare at me Personally it doesn't bother me because I'll kind of reiterate what I said. One, I see most people are just doing it because they're curious and they don't know. And let's be honest, bro, me and you are different. Not a lot of people around here with oh why? So I think I understand that.
Speaker 1:And then, two, if they're doing it because they're trying to be annoying or mean I don't care, because I know who I am in christ and I'm confident in who I am, in christ, and I know that God made me this way for a reason, and so for those two reasons alone, I don't really care if people are rude or stare or make fun of me because of those two things. So what is your perspective on kind of when people are maybe being rude or staring or those sorts of things? Oh, that's such a good question. Um, I think growing up is something that I've had to get used to. You know, like it's definitely something that started way, way, way back, and I think I made it a muscle memory to kind of zone out when people are staring.
Speaker 1:So I'll kind of keep doing what I'm doing and if I'm like in the line for food or something, right, yeah, so it's staring over there I kind of just like look straight and pretend like nothing's happening. What's up, kid? It's scary, right, they get scared, bro, they do bro, like my one, my one buddy dude's like bro, you just like can make kids cry. I'm like I don't do it on purpose. They, they run up next to me, they stare at me, I turn, I go hey, buddy, and they just like run and scare and find their parent and I'm like sorry, but saying what's up, bro, you stared at me, you know. Yeah, it's something that I think God's been trying to help me with because, like kids, like it's always been hard to talk to kids right, especially when because they ignore a kid, yeah, to like, chip my focus away from them because, you know, I'm just trying to avoid whatever. You know, like whatever would happen. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But I think God's really been showing me that like I need to show them who I am in Christ, yeah, that way like they could see, like what God can do, right.
Speaker 1:And I had a girl this happened one of the weekends that I served. She was waving, but I thought she was like staring, so I kind of looked away. My mom goes, oh, she's waving. I'm like, oh, and I waved at her. I was like, oh wait, I wish I paid attention because it's just a muscle memory. I just turned it out. I was like I'm just gonna go past. But, um, God's been really showing me like you need to you know work in that area you need to talk to them, you need to show them the love of Christ, even if they are staring at you or don't know better. Right, and um, it's been hard, it's been a battle for sure, something that God's been helping me grow in. And he showed me like the product of it when, like I'm obedient, um, uh, one of the weekends it was the easter weekend, I believe, and we had an easter event and I was just kind of like, you know, hanging out, hanging out at the church yeah this kid was talking with his friends.
Speaker 1:He's like, hey, he sings, and he was like we should go say hi. And the kids were so nervous like they didn't, they didn't want to. Yeah, he went up to me anyways, and then the friends followed him and they were so intrigued and they're just like so, they want to talk to me normally, right? I'm like, okay, I see what you're doing, god. I see like if I'm obedient to you, right then, this is the product. You know kids see the love of god in him and they're attracted to it.
Speaker 1:They might. They might not know it right. You might not know why they are attracted to. You know what they're attracted to. That's the the will of God, and I think that's something that God's really been trying to teach me. He's like you need to talk to kids. You need to. You know if they're staring. You know you can either ignore them or you can say what's up, buddy, like you said, yeah.
Speaker 1:And it's definitely, it's hard. It's hard, it definitely can be. You know, that's funny, bro. Uh, it, uh, it's definitely interesting. The only one comment that I will tell anybody to not tell or allow their kids to say there's only one thing that just like makes me mad. That's when I this happened to me, like I want to say, a couple months ago. At the church, bro, there's a mother and a child and this kid was like mom, like what's he in? And she was like, oh uh, a wheelchair. And he's like, oh okay, why does he need to have one of those? And so I told him you know, I'm just talking to him and they're like, oh okay, he's like, well, mom, I want one. And his mom goes okay, we'll try to find you one. I was like, bro, like that's like the one thing I'm like, bro, you just don't say that. Like no. And so, like I laughed.
Speaker 1:I laughed right in their face because I thought it was kind of funny. But just like that, I'm like we gotta hold off on those types of comments right there. Yeah, and I just thought that was kind of wild. And then another story you're talking about singing, bro.
Speaker 1:About seven years ago now I'm old I was doing caroling for Christmas at my old Lutheran church. I went to a Lutheran church. I used to go every once in a while to their youth group with my buddy. I didn't really go to the church that much because I went to the church that I go to now, but I would still go to their youth group because one of my best friends would go. And this dude, he was like hey, you want to go worship and do these Christmas carols at these different old folks homes for the youth group? I was like, okay, cool Bro, I was singing and and I was in like the front row and I told you I can't sing a lick anyway.
Speaker 1:And we're at this old folks' home and this lady just blurts out we're singing Heart, the Herald's Angel's Sing, I'll never forget it, bro. She's like, hey, what's that kid doing here? He can't even talk. And she like points at me. Bro, it was the funniest thing. All my friends and I just started blurring out laughing. And I'm saying this story to laugh because it was funny, bro, but it was just it was funny. But, like you said, man, it's just a great reminder. God can use anybody and their gifts, it doesn't matter what it is. My gift is not singing, clearly, it's yours, which is amazing, man, but no, that's so powerful.
Speaker 1:And then the next question I want to talk about. These are kind of controversial disabled questions, which I think are pretty cool. Another thing that I've gone into my life I was actually listening to another content creator mention this. She, I don't believe, is a follower of Jesus. I will give her credit to this because this is what her topic was. It was basically about like praying and how like people pray over her or like ask to pray for her physically. Um, her name is jim ferner, I believe her name is awesome. She does a lot of like disability advocacy stuff, which is really cool. Love some of the stuff that she posts. Um.
Speaker 1:And then there's other things that I just kind of have slightly different view on, and one of them is this slightly so often I found when I would go to church events, or maybe not even church events or evangelists on the street when I would travel. I remember one time specifically there was individuals, mainly one individual, a couple others stopped, my dad and I. I want to say it was in San Diego, on the beach pier and they're asking about praying and they wanted to pray. They're like I'm going to pray over physical healing, I'm going to pray you're going to be able to walk, your bones aren't going to break. You know, just essentially like false prophecy, really just like prophesy over my life, that like I was going to heal physically and one of the things that I've challenged people because I get this all the time. They're like let's pray for healing over you.
Speaker 1:And I say I believe Jesus and I know Jesus can perform miracles, but we have to understand what miracle that is in our mind or your life or someone else is up to God. See, we have to understand that maybe I don't need a physical miracle. Maybe I need an emotional miracle going on in my life, a mental miracle, a spiritual miracle, maybe something that you can't see. What if this is my cross to carry? Some people come to this quick assumption that we have to pray for physical healing over me and you, maybe we need healing in some other area of our lives. And I always tell people I said we have to be very careful when we approach people with disabilities about hey, let me pray for you, because I know for a fact there's threads out there on social media in the world and I talk to people directly.
Speaker 1:One of the biggest turn off the church and being a follower of jesus is humans, like people, project these prayers and these things over people and forget the love and kindness that we need to um, we just have to be when we're willing to pray over someone, which I think is amazing. We have to make sure we're spirit-led and we have to understand that sometimes the things people are going through I'll just say physically for this example, because we're both physically disabled is maybe that's the cross God wants us to carry. And I always use the book of John, chapter 9. It's my life verse, bro, the one through three right. It's when jesus heals the blind man on the sabbath right and the disciples asking rabbi, why was he born this way, you know? And jesus responds with well, it's so that the power of me could be seen through him right and heals the man and whatnot. But the point of that story is that if God could see me and you glorify him in our circumstance I'm sorry if people could see us giving God the glory in our circumstances, then I think that could inspire and motivate others in their circumstances to ultimately give him the glory of what they're going through. So I think that's such an important aspect because often what we do, I think, as followers, is we go into prayers thinking we know what we need to pray for individuals, on, not necessarily being led by the spirit, on what we need to pray for that individual Right.
Speaker 1:And so have you ever had someone come up to you and be like, bro, we're going to pray over your physical healing and we're going to get you to walk? You know you're going to be LeBron James and ready to go. You know, like, like, you know what I mean, like stuff like that. Like, how does that one make you feel? Two, how do you go about those? Or three, have you ever experienced that at all?
Speaker 1:I think I haven't experienced it too much in person, but ever since I started posting videos, people have been saying like, well, why is this, this guy, not at a uh, a church where they pray healing over him. People are slacking, um, they don't have enough faith at this church. This is the wrong church to go to, really like, yeah, I've had people say that and I'm like whoa, like, first of all, that's not your, you know your view to make. Yeah, it's not a fact. You're kind of just speaking like God can do it. Yeah, 100%, I won't. You know, I believe he can do anything, but is that in his will? Is that in his plan? No, if it's not in his plan, I don't want it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I had someone in my life a couple a few months ago. They asked me they're like. I think it was like why are you not mad at God? Or like just something like saying like, why Like something like that, something along those lines of why I'm not mad at God. And I was like, well, first off, I have no reason to be mad at God because he did what he already had to do for me, right, be mad at God because he did what he already had to do for me. He already died on that cross so I can have a personal relationship with him and that way I can spend eternity with him in heaven. That's one thing to be grateful for. Two I wasn't even supposed to be alive. I wasn't even supposed to be here. That's another thing to be grateful for. Three I can either blame God or I can blame the devil, the one who is trying to kill, steal and destroy and is trying to bring this discouragement and bring this heaviness on me, make me feel bad about myself, like, come on, like why would?
Speaker 1:I blame my creator, the one who allowed me to live right.
Speaker 1:The one who has allowed me a relationship with him. That doesn't make sense. Yeah, I was explaining like how sin came into the world. Adam and Eve's disease came from that, and you know? Just look at it this way. Imagine there is a beautiful house, right, and this builder built it like intently, Everything was the way it was supposed to be beautifully. And then this vandalist comes by and he kicks down the door, cracks those windows open like literally shatters the windows, puts paint all over the walls. Are you going to cracks those windows open like literally shatters the windows, puts paint all over the walls. Are you gonna blame the builder? Are you gonna blame that vandalist that decided to destroy that home? Right?
Speaker 1:yeah well, god created earth the way it was supposed to be, but he didn't want us to be mindless robots, he didn't want us to have a force. Oh, baby, right, yeah. So that's where that free will came from. And you know, people say like, oh, okay, but like why does he send us to hell?
Speaker 2:then it's like he doesn't send you that send you to hell.
Speaker 1:That's our predestination. As people don't understand too, it's like that's our predestination because we are still human. We are us alone. We do not we all fall short of the glory of god. That's the default right, and I was just explaining that to him, like. So that's one thing that you need to remember. Like god already did what he had to do for me, right? He already did it when he died on that cross and rose again three days later. Yes, sir, and I'm gonna live in that promise that he has made, that one day I'm gonna be in heaven and my body's gonna be completely healed. Amen, I'm gonna be running to his arms, right?
Speaker 2:yes, sir, it's like dude like I don't have nothing to be completely healed.
Speaker 1:Amen, I'm going to be running to his arms, right? Yes, sir Dude, like I don't have nothing to be, you know, angry at him, at Like. Are there times where I'm, like, discouraged. Yeah, it happens. Right, we're still human, we have our human emotions. Yeah, there's times where I'm discouraged, there's times where I'm wondering sometimes. But you know, god is perfect and he has everything the way that he wants it to be. Yeah, and that's why the prayer that is so important to pray over, you know, someone like me and you is to let his will be done and shine through us. I don't care about my physical state, you know, I don't know. It could be in this life, it could be the next. I don't know, if it's in God's will, it could happen. I don't know. If it's in god's will, it could happen, I don't know. But all that matters is god getting the board that's the biggest point that's the biggest thing.
Speaker 1:Wow, I care about dude, I love that man, you, you, we see so similar on that aspect, which I think is so beautiful. You know, and and um, you know, I tell people you know. In the same token, they ask well, why does God allow all this suffering? I think we brought upon so much of the suffering that we experienced on ourselves. There's enough food, probably in my state, to feed every country in Africa after we waste it. All Humans waste in America, waste so much food, bro, and that's just one area of the world. Right, and then think about all this stuff. We wanted food to taste better, so we put garbage in our food and now we wonder why cancers and things like that are more and more rising. It's like we have done this on ourselves.
Speaker 1:You know and understanding, and I love that perspective. You say it's like I'm not going to blame the creator. You know what I mean and I think that's that's. You can use that example right, to anything in life. Right, you develop something beautiful, great, but ultimately if someone goes and destroys it, you can't blame the guy that made the sweet masterpiece, like, come on. So I think that's a that's awesome, and I love those two questions because, um, I think it's.
Speaker 1:It's really encouraging to the listeners, because I don't know if you're one listeners that are struggling with image, or I don't know if you're one maybe that, uh, you know, often you know wants validation, or maybe someone who you know is seeking prayer. Just remind yourself when you are praying, just pray that your desires align for God's will for your life and pray that he changes your heart and mind and ultimately you'll be at peace. You know, through your situation, and I think that's what's helped me get to where I am spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically and I'm not anywhere near perfect, but I'm very content with what God has made me physically because I know who I am in Christ, and I think if you're someone who's struggling with those types of emotions, I would just really encourage you today to just search in the Bible and look at who God says you are by being a child of his, and really just pray that let his will be done in your life and ultimately be obedient when he does reveal your will in uh for your life, talking about will and and uh talking about gifts and and kind of your walk man. So now you are one of the worship leaders at your church, is that right? What church do you go to?
Speaker 1:Venture Christian Church, venture Christian that's a cool name, man, so kind of give us a little bit of a journey on when you realized you could sing a little bit, how that started and, ultimately, ultimately, why did you feel led to sing to glorify god, and maybe not in another space? Um, okay, so we can go back to the beginning. You know, god had told my pastor that I had to call him over my life yep I didn't know what it would be.
Speaker 1:I didn't know I wasn't sure, but I knew that I wanted to serve him. Um, and I didn't know, I wasn't sure, but I knew that I wanted to serve him and I didn't know how I would do it yet. But I think singing really was something I always did, even though I was little. My mom has videos of me singing more love, more power, right and I always loved singing it and I didn't. I really didn't take it serious, so I never was like that's something that I could do and that I want to do, like I had fun, but I never did it. You know, like I in public for years, um, coming around to my senior year, there was a talent show and, um, I was like, okay, I'm, it's my senior year, um, I feel like I need to do something. You know, I'm not saying you have to do something your senior year, but I felt personally like I was like I don't know why I feel led to do this, but yeah yeah, I was like I'm just gonna go for it, I'm just gonna do it.
Speaker 1:And then I chickened out. I was like, all right, I don't know, I can't do it, I can't do it. And then my friend comes up to me and she goes I heard you wanted to do talent show, we should do a duet. I'm like, oh okay. And then we go to register and she was about to chicken out Nope, nope, we're doing this, we're not going to chicken out. So we went through with it and then we ended up winning the talent show. What song?
Speaker 1:It was a song, it was like a country song by Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton. Okay, yeah, yeah, do you? Have a video of this. I think I do somewhere yeah.
Speaker 2:You got to send that to me I got to see it offline.
Speaker 1:That's sick. All right dude? Yeah, for sure I will, but I, uh, yeah. So that fear of singing in front of people it started to diminish, and little did I know that God had wanted to use this as like a almost like a way of me going through the door that he had opened. I guess. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And I felt led to start serving. So I was like I want to connect with the church. I want to, you know, let them know I want to start serving. So I emailed the worship pastor at my church. We met for coffee and I was telling him, like you know, my heart behind it and why I wanted to start serving. Because you know, god's already done in my life and I knew that I wanted to serve Him even since I was little right. I just didn't know what that would be and I think that fear of seeing different people it wasn't there as much anymore because, you know, I was like I want to sing for the Lord. I don't care what people think of me.
Speaker 1:You know, I don't care how I sound, I'm just going to sing, sing for the lord. And then I started serving and then, um, I think after a few months, um, the another worship pastor in my church was like they want you to lead. I was like, oh, I was like, oh, okay, uh, I guess. And I was like I was excited because, like that was so crazy that god had already called me to that within a few months, right, but that nerve started to come back. I'm like, oh, I'm going to be leading. Oh gosh, you know what I mean. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But you know, I had prayed the whole time and I was like, lord, just let this glorify you, it's going to sound. However, it's going to sound. It doesn't matter, you know, if I voice crack or whatever, and that's been what the Lord was teaching me since I started. It's like you need to not be focused on the performance. You need to be focused on the worship, because you don't know who will come into that church that is feeling broken and is in desperate need of a savior, that doesn't know who Jesus is. Yet. And let's say it's me worshiping and they hear the song and they listen to it and the Holy Spirit's moving in that song and Holy Spirit's moving in that room and they just feel the presence of God overwhelm them, right? I can't be focused on my performance and be like, oh, I voice cracked and then stop singing.
Speaker 1:It's like it's not for me, it's for him, it's to glorify him and for seeds to be planted right and for people to feel his presence, to just surrender everything to him and just glorify him. Yeah, it's like there was a one of the services my the worship pastor at my church told us he was like so this lady, who is a single mom. She's going through a lot right now and she's going to come to the service. We invited her to the service this weekend and I just want you guys to keep in mind when you're worshiping just leave behind that performance, don't worry about how it sounds.
Speaker 1:So focus on the worship and just be in his presence and surrender everything because this lady right here, the reason why we sing, is to glorify the lord and so that people can feel his presence when we're singing to him, right, and those songs of praises, like God moves. He is present in that and that's what's so important. That's why we need to get rid of ourselves right, remove ourselves from the image and look to him when we're singing. That's why, for me, not a lot of people do this, but I close my eyes a lot of the time. I see in your videos.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I close my eyes a lot of the time I when I see in your videos. Yeah, I close my eyes because it's like I need to focus. I need to not get in my head and think, oh okay, I'm okay, I sound weird here, you know what I mean, and then I see all these faces, but, um, it's like I really want to just be in the presence of god. I don't want to. You know, focus on what I'm seeing, right? Yeah, yeah, I want to close my eyes. I want to just sit with him, right, and um, that's why I close my eyes some people are different.
Speaker 1:Some people, you know, they they open their eyes because they make eye contact with people, so that way they could. But, um, I think it's just something that I do personally, but it's like that it's worship is an intimate time with God. It's like you are exalting him, you are praising him and you are inviting him into the room. Right, we were praising the King of Kings, lord of Lords. He's on the throne in heaven, right, yeah, so it's not like a show we're putting on, so it's such like a. It's such a blessing to get to do that, like the Lord ofords is present in the room with us and we get to sing to him. That's so cool, absolutely, but, yeah, that's that's incredible, bro. Um, so much there, you know, um, I had a episode recently when this will be launched this uh, the episode's already out with a friend of mine, um chloe sagam, who's one of the lead worship.
Speaker 1:Uh, um, lead worship leaders at my church um, central, shout out to central and um, one of the things she used mentioned, uh, was just kind of the talk of the importance of just remembering it's an audience of one, right, you, you're, you're praising God, you're there to worship God and and ultimately allow people to feel, you know, call the presence upon the church and and we're doing it for God, right, and I think that's such an important aspect. And but you know, it's that fine line where she also mentioned, like we got to remember when, when, at my church, when you're having 2 000 plus people and I know your church is a decent sized church too right, where and I'm not diminishing the mission in this minute, whatever the word is yeah, diminishing small churches or small performances, but it's a lot easier to maybe worship to God when there's 40 people in the audience versus hundreds and thousands, because it becomes a concert and so it's like, are they worshiping and idolizing me on stage and the music?
Speaker 1:Or are we trying to, you know? So it's that constant remembering to level your head to why are you doing this? Who are we doing it for? And my friend coley really said a great way to put it and just some amazing ways to kind of remember why we're doing it. On the past episode, um shout out to her amazing voice, great person, um and uh.
Speaker 1:So anyways, I kind of just threw that in there to just remind these individuals, maybe listening, that it's easier said than done, you know, because it's a performance. And when he was talking about why he needs to close his eyes, like yeah, it can be tough, but if you don't close your eyes or you're not sitting in the presence of the Lord when you're singing, you can almost maybe get prideful or boastful, maybe and all these other things right. And I've had to work on that as well in my own life. When I've done speaking, you know it's, I'm speaking to glorify God and help people to him. But when there's hundreds and hundreds of people in the audience, you know it's, you want to remember like they're not clapping for you, they're clapping for him. Yeah.
Speaker 1:You Right, so and so, remembering that is a super important part of that. So I want to transition again into another aspect here that I think is just super powerful.
Speaker 1:A couple of your videos have gone viral on social media, or what I would consider viral, um, or what I would consider viral and um, you know you, man, and the hard work that you put in um and your obedience to what god's called you to do. Talk about maybe the journey and the social media grind, kind of what the vision maybe god's put on your heart for social media, for your worship, career and just for your life in general. Like where, where do you see god calling you where, where, where is your ultimate goal and vision that god's put on your heart with, maybe, your content, your worshiping, etc. So this is something that I have said since I was young. There's a video like old testimony video that my church recorded. Um, I said I just want to help people. So it's like that's something that's always been on my heart. I want to help people. I want people to get to know christ. You know the people that don't know christ. I want them to get to know christ. But people that are broken, that are weary, that feel far from god, I want them to remember that there's a lord who loves them so much, that is present through every step of their life, that is working everything together for good in his glory, right? So that's something that has been on my heart. With social media, I was like I don't know who's going to see the video. I don't know how many people are going to see the video, I don't, you know, I'm not really worried about the number, um, but I want people that need that reminder to see it, right. I need that reminder that god is moving, even if they are in that season, that they're in, right. They might not understand why they're in that season now, but it will be revealed to them soon, right?
Speaker 1:Whether that be in this life or the next life, I don't know, but I think there's a verse in the Bible. It's like I think it's Romans 8, 18. It just talks about how, like the struggles and the trials now you know, don't compare to what is to be revealed to us in the future, right? I don't compare to what is to be revealed to us in the future, right? I don't know. I don't know what word for word, but it was like along those lines and, um, that's exactly. That's so true. It's like we might not understand our trials, we might not understand our struggles, yeah, but god's still moving. Nothing's about that, right.
Speaker 1:And it's like let you know, let the trials come. If that means god's moving through this and god is going to use this, then let them them come. You know, am I going to be strong the whole time? Am I going to be like 100%? Probably not. But that's what I need, god. I need him as my foundation, I need him as my strength, because I can't do it alone. And that's why it's like sometimes we need these trials, so that way we know and remember to depend on him, trust in him, to have him as the foundation. Right, because his love, his grace, his faithfulness, that is what gets us through those seasons. Yeah, and that's just why it's like I post these videos, because I want people to remember that, and it's like I'm gonna go through what I go through. Um, it happens, it's a part of my life. Does that mean that god's not working through it? Of course he is right.
Speaker 1:God never said life is going to be easy, not one time. He didn't say life is gonna. That's what people misunderstand when, when they you know they're newer christians they think life's just going to be like super easy, everything's going to be given to them. It's like no, no, we're going to be persecuted for our belief. This place is not our home. Our flesh is against our spirit. Right, it's not going to come with us to heaven. So trials, tribulations, temptations, all that is going to come up, no matter what, because our, our spirit is going to be the one going to heaven. Right, our flesh is going to be left behind. Yeah, so the trials they're going to come, the enemy's still prowling still, and destroy. That's his whole purpose, because he has already lost the war. Right, he's a sore loser. I say this on my live. It's funny, he's a sore loser right yeah, bro
Speaker 1:and you're gonna try to bring down as many souls as you can. Yeah, remember. It's like, okay, he's gonna try to come my way, but I know who my father is and I know the victory that he has already won. It's like that's, that's been the goal. That's been the goal I'm going to remind everyone that follows me like, and even the people on here. It's like God loves you. Just because you're going through that trial, it doesn't mean that it's going to be, you know, in vain. It doesn't mean it's not going to be used for something. Maybe that trial is going to be a testimony for the future. You still believe in God past that trial, and someone needs to hear that.
Speaker 1:You know, I don't know. I don't know what you know or how God will use it, but I know it's going to be great. I know that God is going to use everything together for good and his glory. Like I said, but I love that bro. That's amazing man. I think that's a beautiful testament. I think it's a great reminder through life is to keep pushing. I think it's such an important aspect of life in general, man, and I want to take you back earlier in this year. I know both you and I made the declaration to get baptized and I kind of had a similar story. Wasn't as severe as you, but talk about how the enemy saw you about to do something huge and you.
Speaker 1:You got upset back there, um, and I'm actually experiencing this right now in my life. Um, and I'll talk about that after. But talk about, kind of I it's gonna get harder when we go hard for the lord, it, the enemy's gonna come harder for us. Like one of my really close friends, mike, he said, uh, you know that saying like idle pans is the devil workshop or idle mind the devil's workshop. He said, no, it's the opposite, because if you're sitting there on the couch eating doritos, playing xbox, not going hard for the lord, he's probably going to leave you alone. The second you try to proclaim jesus and go, make a difference and be an open, honest vessel for the lord, that's when he's gonna rob, kill and destroy. You know, your, your, your, uh, your desire for serving the Lord, or try to at least right. So talk about that and how you kind of had to overcome that and yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I just want to be so, I want to be fully transparent with this. So I was so excited, you know, like professing your faith, like getting baptized, that's such an awesome step to take with the Lord in your relationship, right, it's like it's so, so amazing, and I was so excited. I got my hair cut like literally two days before it's ready. And then, right before, my dog has never done this ever, but she like lifted up her hind leg and she's a husky, so she's big and she looked up her hind leg and stepped into like my foot rest and stepped right onto my my ankle and then, um, her leg got stuck so she kind of kicked my other leg so fractured both legs, right, right, this is two days before and as soon as it happened, I'm like, oh, I can't, I can't do it because my legs, like I already know they're bad. I didn't move yet but I just I just feel it, you know, because, like you understand, like when you, feel you know like I've got a story about that after bro, but yeah, yeah, you know the extent that it's broken, like yeah
Speaker 1:but you know, um. So I was like you know, I can't do it, I have to cancel, I can't. And I just started to shut down. I was like I can't do it, I can't do it. I just told my mom I can't do it. She's like you don't think it's possible. Like you, you don't think you can move at all. I was, I can't and I just was so broken and then, um, yeah, emotionally and physically, exactly Right, and I was just like so just, I was like I was so close two days away, I was right there, but then this happens and I was just kind of like trying so hard to be strong and then I just broke out in tears. In tears, I was, I was just crying and I was like upset and my mom was like she came to me in my room and she's like you can be upset, you can be angry, this was going to be a big day. That's okay. But what I want you to do is I want you to trust that the Lord is going to get you through this and I want you to remember that you will get baptized.
Speaker 1:She spoke life right. She didn't say like you could get baptized soon. She said you will get baptized. That's something that's so important that I want people that are listening to understand. Speak life, even in those situations of where you might feel it's impossible or the struggle is too big or the battle is too big. Right, speak life, because I forget who it was. Who spoke life into the dry bones. What? Do you know the story? You know?
Speaker 1:what I'm talking about. Yeah, I know. Um, oh, I'm blanking hold on, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I gotta google it now. I'm like okay okay, it's like that story, like speaking life causes the dry bones to form life yeah but, um, keep going, yeah, okay, okay.
Speaker 1:But it's like she spoke life and I think her saying that I like a sense of comfort, it's like that's, it's so like, so. True, I need to look to god and I can be angry, you know, because I have my emotions, I can be upset, but I'm not gonna be upset at God, I'm just gonna be upset at the fact that I was so close and that I didn't feel, yeah, exactly, and I need, I need to take that time to just sit with the Lord and just trust in him. And I'm gonna tell you, the next, the next couple days after that, were miserable. They were hard. It wasn't, it wasn't like because I was sad, like I got I.
Speaker 1:I get out of that pretty fast, you know, I don't really stay in it for too long, but the next day I I saw actually not even the next day, the night of. So when my legs break I don't know why I do this like tensing up thing and yeah, it's like. I don't know if it's spasms or what, but when they broke, when they're broken, I'll go to sleep and then they'll tense, like the muscles will move, yeah, and then causing my whole leg to twist into this place where I can't move it and it's like flexing in a weird way, causing the bones to like it's not muscles back yeah, it's all yeah yeah, it's awful, and I was.
Speaker 1:That was happening for like every hour I think, like two, three hours of sleep for the next couple days, and every time I would doze off I would my leg would twist and then I would wake up and I'd be like because it would like sharp, sharp pain.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, yeah. Every time I would doze off. It was so, so hard, but by the grace of god, like I said, I made it through and I did get baptized because come on somebody, it wasn't his plan and he did it, you know, but that's what I'm saying. It's like you might not understand that trial but that was a testimony.
Speaker 1:When I got baptized, I was able to share the fact that you know I was broken and I was. You know, I didn't know why it happened. But I'm here now and that's exactly what. You know where God brought me and I got baptized. So that's wild man. Um, yeah, that's. I'm sorry you have to go through. That's so relatable, bro. Um, just about that, you know, when you know you have oi, you know, um you're. Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason why things break, it just kind of happens.
Speaker 1:And I actually broke my ulna and my um forearm a couple weeks ago to my dog. I just got a new dog and, uh, he or he's about five or six months now um, and I was laying my chair back about to get in my bed and my arm was just kind of hanging off the side, it wasn't paying, paying attention, and he was excited to see me.
Speaker 1:So he ran in the house and jumped up and like just got my arm at the wrong spot, yeah. But the funny thing is is I prayed to God the night before. I was like God, I'm praying for a breakthrough in my life. There's been a lot of things I'm working on and behind the scenes and I've really just been praying to God. I said I don't like I don't care what the breakthrough is Meaning, like if it's with what I was hoping for or whatever, like just something in my life like a breakthrough, bro, like it's to help me continue to move forward, to be who he called me, to be Right. And I just was laughing. I was like, well, God, that wasn't the breakthrough. I was really sick.
Speaker 1:But and then you can't make it up, bro. Every night I'll listen to worship songs and I put my playlist on shuffle. The song that played, bro, was Something has to Break. I swear my mom was with me, bro. I was like what is going on, though? The craziest thing, man. This episode has been so raw, real and transparent. Like I tell every guest, I could talk to each one of you all forever, because I think you guys are amazing people. You are on fire for the Lord and you're using your gifts to glorify Him, which is beautiful to see. Now I ask the guests usually the same three questions, or Ben trying to do so, but I'm going to change these questions up. My first question what's your favorite song to lead in worship?
Speaker 1:oh um, that's such a good question. I think obviously firm foundation like that's okay, that's where it started. That was the first song I ever read um, and it's so, so powerful and it's like it's true, our testimony, the bridge. You know, rain came and blew, but our house was built on the Lord and we're safe, and that song is just so, so beautiful. I love leading it around. And then there's one that's I love Corey Miller. I don't know if you know who Corey Miller is. You've been familiar a little bit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's the lead worship, the worship leader for Red Rocks Worship. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I listened to Sound Mind recently. That's one I want to lead. Really bad, it's very beautiful. You've got to listen to it. Oh, you've heard it. Yeah, yeah, it's so good, dude. It's so good, I want to leave that one next, but it's so good. Matthew Klier bro, yeah, Awesome. Now, what is maybe something many people want to know about you?
Speaker 1:Like one thing, Like many people yeah, just like hidden about Isaac, like what's one thing people just you know, you speak like nine languages or something crazy. Like you know, like what's something a lot of people know. Let's see, I'm a gamer. I mean a lot of people knew that, but not people on my social media. I'm a gamer Play a lot of video games. Okay.
Speaker 1:And I used to be a content creator. God led me to the worship lead and I didn't see it at the time, but I just left the gaming things behind. I left it behind. I was like all right, lord, I want you to do what you want to do over my life. So I just deactivated all that, left that all behind and then, sure enough, I ended up back on social media anyways. Did you?
Speaker 1:have any following on the gaming side of things I did. Yeah, I had, like, I think, like 30,000 followers across all social media.
Speaker 1:Yeah so I was doing pretty good, wow, and, yeah, I did that for years and I joined like a pretty big gaming organization group, which one it was called Overtime, you might know, like the Instagram, you might know, like the instagram page, like the sports. Yeah, yeah, they had a gaming page and yeah, so I I used to play for them for a little bit, but, uh, you know it's so, bro, I want to dive into this. This episode is going to go a little longer because you just hit the mail on the head on something, because I relate with this so hard. I wonder if you got this at all.
Speaker 1:So, when I was coaching college baseball, I had a pleasure of coaching for four years. I was, quote-unquote, successful, successful. But then people ask me, why did I give it up? I say, well, because God's calling me to something different In my perspective, something bigger In the sense of for my life, something different, like in my perspective, something bigger, like in the sense of for my life, something bigger. And you know, it makes me think about defining success and defining on what God's called you to do, because I won assistant coach of the year in 2022 in all of college baseball by the collegiate baseball newspaper, like I was successful in coaching, baseball newspaper, like I was successful in coaching. But I knew God wanted me to pursue the ministry right, get my degree and go back to school, get my my, my church has a certificate for advanced leadership, so I'm doing that right now. Or advanced ministerial leadership, so I'm doing that now. I'm going back to school to get an education in ministry and everything like that and I'm now serving. And school to get an education in ministry and everything like that. And I'm now serving and doing everything because I feel called to the ministry.
Speaker 1:But people that were in the baseball world looked at me like I had four heads. It was like bro, you just gave up this. You got to coach people who are now playing in the pros, like I coached two kids last summer that are now playing for major league organizations. I work with people in the professional MLB right now. I coached two kids last summer that are now playing for major league organizations. I work with people in the professional MLB right now. I work with them on the private stuff, which is awesome, and I still do side things.
Speaker 1:But my point is saying, was there anybody like when you kind of drifted from gaming to now, your faith being the forefront of your life. Did anybody look like, bro, how did you give that up? Why did you give that up? Yeah, I've up. Yeah, I've had people say, like you used to game all the time. What happened? Like, why do you, why'd you give it up? That was something you wanted to do for so long. Yeah, like the passion they once had for it. It wasn't there and I knew that. Like what, that whole gaming stuff? It's fun as a hobby, right, yeah, but it's not what God was calling me to and I know that—. Was it Christ-centered?
Speaker 1:No, it was not, yeah. So that's exactly why I was like this isn't—it's not what I want to do, because it's not serving God right, and I had to take that step of faith and just leave everything behind. Wow.
Speaker 1:And trust that God was going to do something, you know, and it doesn't mean there was going to be success, but it was whatever he wanted me to do, right, amen, and I set a trust in that. So then I was like I'm just going to deactivate everything and wherever the Lord brings me is where he'll bring me, and sure enough, that's when I posted. You know brings me is where he'll bring me, and sure enough, that's when I posted, you know, the video of me leading worship for the first time and that went viral. And then I started doing live streams and now I do live streams and I sing worship on live and I lead worship at church and I've been getting invited to events, which is so amazing okay, lead worship and it's just so crazy.
Speaker 1:Like when you're obedient to the lord, you need to trust that you's going to do something. It doesn't mean it's going to be something all big and grand I don't know, it could be but don't focus on the blessing. Focus on what he's going to do and what he wants you to do. Right, and that is so important. You need to keep that in mind when you need to, when you take that step of faith to serve the Lord, you need to trust that he is going to provide. You'll provide what you need, but he will make a way even when there seems like there is none come on yeah, right, and that's it's.
Speaker 1:So. It's such like a a foundation of taking that step like you need to trust in his plans. You trust that what he's going to do is going to be great, it's going to be for his glory. I don't like great to us, might not, you know, it might not be great to us, but it's great. It's what he's doing, it's what he wants. So it is great, right, absolutely. But yeah, so I had to take that step of faith. Sure enough, this is what I get to do. I get to post worship. I get to, you know, share the word with people.
Speaker 1:Some of my old gaming friends I still play with and I tell them. I told them what I do. Um, at first I was a little nervous about it because you know they're not believers and they don't you know, they don't, they, they're not, you know, like a follower of christ yeah so I wasn't sure what they're gonna think, but I was like you know, lord, forget it, they'll think whatever they're gonna think, you know yeah if they're truly my friend, they won't, you know, try to say stuff about me, but anything you I don't care because you're glory, right.
Speaker 1:So I, I told them about it. They thought it was sick. They're like, that's so cool. Um, they still make some jokes here and there, you know. But I'm just like planting seeds, bro. They have no idea, dog, right. Exactly idea, bro, you're planting seeds. That's awesome. Yep, and I told them.
Speaker 1:I told them about the Lord and I've been praying for boldness to do it so like to share the gospel with more friends, even if you know they are far from the Lord. It doesn't matter, I still want to share the gospel. It's hard, you know. It's a struggle, because our flesh, we get this nervousness and we get this like, but it's like, but it's like you really got to focus, like the boldness doesn't come from you, it comes from the holy spirit and come from that part, from what god is doing, right, that's why you got to pray for it. You got to pray, yeah, yeah, and it's hard, but god's really teaching me to be bold and be bold in what he's doing. Yeah, and I've told my friends I'm like. I got invited to a couple churches I lead worship. People are blessed and yeah, they, you, they, you know they kind of they don't make fun, but they make fun, right? Yeah, they don't know how to react. No, absolutely bro. Yeah, and I've told them.
Speaker 1:I'm like this is what I want to do and this is what the Lord's calling me to. Absolutely no. I definitely have people, you know, not, yeah, in similar spaces, Because I used to game a lot too and kind of talk about like, yeah, I'm going into the ministry and, you know, and even people in the baseball world are, like, like I said, kind of looked at me slightly different because of, you know, pursuing that calling.
Speaker 1:But, you know, like you mentioned earlier, you're going to get persecuted, you're going to get looked at differently. You're, you know, and you know Paul tells us that. You know, and several times that, but you know you're gonna. If you really want what the lord wants for you, it's gonna be a hard road. So, uh, but that's amazing, man. And the last thing I want to leave with is uh, what are some things maybe you know the, the listeners can what? One where they can find you on, like social media and all those wonderful things. And then two, uh, what are maybe some projects you're working on any music things going on, or maybe are you going to worship, lead at a church here coming soon, or any anything like that for us to kind of tune in on. Um, okay, so first I am working on getting my first debut single uh, it's a worship song called our darkness out soon.
Speaker 1:Uh, we recorded it a couple weeks ago, on wednesday, did you write it or just sing it I, so I wrote a majority of it okay um and so the story behind this. Actually, about a year ago in july, I had sang at my grandpa's funeral and um, after I finished singing, my aunt received the word from the lord and she told me that god told her that I was gonna write a song. And for me, I've never taken music theory, I'd never taken choir, I'd never taken anything. So I was like what? I'm like uh, okay, okay, right, like yeah yeah, yeah that's like a big thing to say.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I don't know, I couldn't picture it. So I was like I don't know how this is gonna be possible. Have I messed around with like some songs before a little bit, but I haven't written a song, right? Yeah, um, and I was just like okay, I need to, I need to pray about this, I need to ask god to help me with this, because I don't know how on earth I would do it yeah and I, I prayed, I was, lord, give me the words, let this be a song that glorifies you.
Speaker 1:And he gave me the words Out of Darkness. And then from there, it was just like things just started coming different moments in my life, different verses, right, of what God has done and what he is doing right and it just started to come out. And then the melody started coming together and it's just like it just all started happening. And that's how you know it was the holy spirit, because he was just providing what I needed to get this song. And um, I finished like a rough draft of it in january, about okay. And um, I brought it to the worship leaders of my church because they had you know, they're, they're on fire for the lord. And I was like, you know, I I need help with finishing it a little bit. I know there's some things I need to fix, but I want it to still be the same message. I don't want to change the message of it. You know we can change the words, but if it doesn't get that same message out, I don't want to write it that way, absolutely Right. So I was like, okay, so will you guys be able to help me and they're like yeah, we totally want to help you, like we can totally do that. So we sat down for three writing sessions and then we finished it and we recorded it last wednesday and there's a there's a verse in the bridge that um is so true to like everyone's testimony, really like everyone that follows the lord, it's like. So there's a verse. It goes what broke me down won't keep me down. You, you lift me up. I'm stronger now. So it's like yeah, so it's like some things might try to come and break us. You know, some things might try to come our way that tries to pick us apart and get us to our lowest level. But what is breaking you down right now? It's not going to keep you down, because your father in heaven has already won that war. He's working everything together for good and he will provide the strength that you need to get through that season. And does that mean that you're going to be strong and you're going to be 100% all the way through? No, but that's exactly the point. You can't do it alone. You're not going to be strong alone. You have to lean on God so that way he can make you stronger. And it's just so true, and when we were writing that lyric, the thought behind it was like, should we write something about how, like your bones? Like because when we break bones, it heals and it comes back stronger, right, it heals a new bone and it's a stronger bone. So we, that's what was in mind. It's like when a bone breaks, it comes back stronger. When it's healed, it's stronger, right, and that's exactly what God does. When we are broken and we are falling apart, god heals those broken pieces and strengthens it. Yeah, right, and I'm so blessed to record this song and release it soon.
Speaker 1:And then I got invited to Lakewood Church in Houston, texas. Wow, yeah, so they're doing a disability, I guess, event where they get they bring like kids with disabilities on stage, and they wanted me to lead worship. And yeah, so I was like, wow, like that is such an opportunity. And I, when is that? Well, when is that? In august, 20, august, 28th, I believe? Oh, bro, that's awesome, yeah, so, um, I'll be doing that.
Speaker 1:And it's like, like, like I said, when I lead, when I lead worship, my heart, mind, is like I want people to see me for how God sees me, right, I want them to see what God can do, yeah, and he can move through anybody, whatever their physical appearance, mental appearance, whatever it is. God's glory is going to be shown, right, yeah, so I'm so excited to do that, um, and then I think that's about it there's another event coming up here in the bay area um, that's going to be going on that I'm excited to um participate in. So, yeah, um, it's uh, all the valley schools all the valley schools are coming together to do an event.
Speaker 1:It's a lot of people, so it's a pretty big event and they wanted me to be a part of it. Awesome, because they invited the worship team at my church. Okay, they specifically requested me as well. Oh, that's awesome yeah, so I'm excited for that.
Speaker 2:Thanks for dropping that out, man. And then where do we find your?
Speaker 1:platforms. What are your? Uh? Um? So on instagram, my handle is isaac emmanuel, underscore um, and then tiktok is ice man, underscore sinks, and then youtube is isaac emmanuel sweet bro fire. I appreciate you taking the time with us today. Man, I know this episode was all over, but it's what the holy spirit put on our hearts and that's what ultimately matters. Um, I'm so happy, uh, got to spend this time with you and, um, I want to. I want to kick it in real life bro and man, we, we do some collaboration here soon.
Speaker 1:Man, I think that'd be really cool in person. Do do something. I'm gonna pray on it. I don't know what it will be yet, but it would be so cool to collaborate on some aspect Not sing, because I can't sing a lick, but definitely use some of the gifts that God's given me and the gifts God gave you, and continue to make a difference for His glory, bro, but continue to kill it, that's so awesome.
Speaker 1:And just continue to grind and do whatever God puts on your heart. But if you wouldn't mind leading us in prayer to kind of just pray over the listeners, and that whatever we spoke today does ultimately glorify God and was able to resonate with some of the listeners, all right, let's do it. Father God, thank you so much for this time together, lord. We just thank you that we get to be in your presence, lord, that we get to testify of what you've done and what you are doing, lord, lord, I just pray, lord, that whatever we talk about today, lord, that whoever is behind this screen, lord, watching this, that it just reached their heart, father God, that it just spoke to them, lord, that you are just present in their room, father God, and they could just feel your spirit and everything that we talked about today, lord, I just pray, lord, that if there's someone going through something that they feel like they can't get through, like they are fighting a battle that is too big for them, lord, I pray, lord, that they would just surrender it to you, lord, that they would trust in you and your plans, father God, because you are perfect, lord, and you design everything intently, father God, and everything is the way that it is supposed to be in your will, lord, and we just have faith in you, lord, and we have trust in you that you are moving, even when we can't see it or we can't feel it, lord.
Speaker 1:I pray, lord, that if there's anyone that sees himself differently, lord, that doesn't have a boldness or courage or doesn't have that belief that you can move through them, lord, I pray, Lord, that they would just have full faith in you, lord, and that they would just have a heart ready to serve you, lord, wherever that would be, whether that would be in ministry or evangelizing on the street or whatever that would be, lord. I pray, lord, that they would just be obedient to that calling Lord, that they would just listen for your voice, lord. I pray, lord, over Dan. Father God, that you just continue to move through him. Lord, that you just continue to just open doors for him, father God, that he can't even imagine that would be open. Lord, that he would just put his full faith and trust in you. Lord, that he would just continue to be obedient to his calling. Lord, and just continue to move through him, lord, continue to move in a way that only you can.
Speaker 1:Father God, we just thank you. Lord. We pray healing Lord, over anybody that may need spiritual healing or mental healing. Father God, if there's any demonic things that try to come over these people, lord, I pray, lord, that you would just cover each and every single one of us with your blood, from the top of our head to the soles of our feet. Lord, surround us with your head and the angels, lord, I pray that hedge of protection over us, lord, and just continue just to work in us, father God. Refine our hearts, refine our minds, lord, and just continue just to let your will be done over our lives. Lord, we thank you, father God, we praise you. We ask all of this in your precious name, amen. Amen.