Up from the Muck Podcast
Up from the Muck Podcast seeks to provide encouraging interviews of Christian believers, showcasing their “stories of the middle”, the mucky moments where God steps in, highlighting the gritty middle and not just the polished end.
Up from the Muck Podcast
Navigating a Leap of Faith: Damon Nailer on Aligning Career and Higher Calling Episode 76
When you find yourself at a career crossroads, the leap of faith into your true calling can be both thrilling and daunting. Mr. Damon Nailer, a man of many talents: educator, author, motivational speaker, and beacon of divine inspiration, has walked this path. In our heart-to-heart, Damon unwraps the layers of his journey, revealing how he navigated from a traditional educational role to fulfilling his purpose in leadership and spiritual guidance.
There's a transformation that occurs when you align your life with a higher calling, and Damon's story is a testament to that. We ponder the delicate dance between professional ambition and personal faith, where trust in God's plan becomes the pulse of entrepreneurial spirit and success. The wisdom he shares—from his books to the founding of Real Life Academy—reflects a life steeped in continuous fellowship with the divine, reshaping not only his own destiny but also impacting those around him.
Our conversation isn't just about Damon's milestones; it's a broader reflection on how success shapes our relationships and the way we lead. The episode peels back the curtain to reveal the nuanced ways in which faith and leadership intertwine, offering insights into how vision, guided by spiritual maturity, can broaden our horizons and influence.
Take a listen and be encouraged!
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A person's late teens and early 20s can often be the most stressful of a person's life, mainly because there's so little certainty, so many things still to figure out, like who you are and who you want to be. So what does it look like when a person strives for purpose God's way? In today's episode I'll be talking with Damon Naylor. Hello everybody, Damon is the Renaissance man, Damon Doriel Naylor. He is a former educator, a motivational speaker, author and the current director of the Family resource center at the children's coalition in downtown monroe. Thank you, damian, for being out today and coming to share your story with me thank you so much, brandy, for having me.
Speaker 2:I counted a blessing and a privilege to be here with you and I just appreciate the opportunity yeah, well, that's really likewise.
Speaker 1:That's how I feel as well. I'm so honored to even have you here now to ask how did you become known as the Renaissance man? Tell us, tell my listeners, what that means.
Speaker 2:So a Renaissance man is someone who's known to do a variety of things and to do them well. And so I, you know, received that name because of all the hats that I wear, yes, of being, like you said, motivational speaker, author, producer, songwriter, performer. You know, the list goes on.
Speaker 1:Husband, father, man of.
Speaker 2:God, minister. So? But yes, man, that's where that came from.
Speaker 1:Love it, Love it. And that definitely fits you well, because you are in that context, you are for sure a Renaissance man. I appreciate that, appreciate that, and you do do them well.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you. Thank you so much From my perspective, yeah, yes, ma'am, thank you so much yeah.
Speaker 1:And so I let's see. I know I had looked up some of your books. I have one of them because you gave me one, okay, okay, and the other one I looked and I think you have a few more.
Speaker 2:How many books do you have I published four, yeah, and so, as far as available on Amazon, we have the Living, loving, leading and then Revelation Rightly Revealed.
Speaker 1:OK.
Speaker 2:But the other one, like the first one, was the Great Taste of Success. That was my first one way back in should have been 2005. I believe, yes, 2005, when I published that one, and I just did it locally in print and then I converted it into the digital e-book there.
Speaker 2:And you know I share that. Normally I kind of gift that to people. But, yes, and then I had done A Greater Taste of Success. It's just an e-book as well, and I can't even remember what year that was. And then I know in 2016 is when I published Revelation, rightly Revealed. And then in 2020, right before the pandemic hit. I published Living Loving Leading.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you know, all of them are really good in my opinion.
Speaker 1:Of course. But yes, I know the Living Loving Leading I didn't get to promote that one, like I wanted to due to the pandemic.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had a, a nice strategy prepared and I was ready to go. And I mean because I post in february, oh my goodness. So when it's time to launch and do the book tours and all of that, boom it's like yeah, are you kidding me? But? But yeah, the thing I like about that one has such a broad appeal. It appeals to just all walks of life. But I it's an interactive book as well.
Speaker 2:At the end of each chapter I have questions from the chapter yeah, and then I have an answer key there for you so you can check your answers or whatever. So more like a workbook as well yeah, cool, cool.
Speaker 1:But yes, yeah, yes, man, yeah, awesome, awesome. Do you use some of that stuff like in your like motivational speaking and like, or even on your current job?
Speaker 2:yes, of course, of course, yes. Those techniques and strategies, I promise you, brandy, they are proven. And I guess what inspired me was initially when I started working at the coalition and then doing the other things that I was doing, just observing leadership and being trained in leadership.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:God just really began to heavily inspire me to write that because I had other books I was working on as a matter of fact there are a couple that I'm working on now, but that book just came out of nowhere.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And God was so heavily inspiring me that I had to just get it down. But of course, yes, I mean all of the material that I put out. I approve it first.
Speaker 1:And so, yes, you know.
Speaker 2:I utilize it over and over and, as you stated, going back to my first book, the Great Taste of Success, which the format is the 50 Proverbs accompanied by the matching stories that further expound on the Proverbs. But I'm always using those quotes, you know, consistently you know continuously.
Speaker 1:But yes, very cool, very cool, and we could have a whole other podcast on that right now, right, right, whenever you're ready, I'm ready. I might have you back on, yes, but for right now though, let's talk about your story for today. So where does it start?
Speaker 2:Well, we'll start in my latter 20s there, and it was during a transitional period, I would say. And what happened? I had begun my professional career as an elementary educator, right. So I was teaching and I would say the first three years I was just so passionate about it, loved it. By that fourth year, that passion began to dwindle. For that, and it wasn't for the educational component or the teaching component, it was just the structure and the format of school, elementary school, that began to bother me.
Speaker 1:I understand completely. That's how I feel your background too right, yeah, yeah, like you know, that was yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:And so I felt confined, and I would say, about that fourth year going on into the seventh year, when I finally left, when God finally released me, things, like I said just began the passion dwindle each year, but at the same time there was an emergence of another passion, which was for the music production, the writing and the speaking.
Speaker 2:And I'll never forget Brandy. I was calling myself, covering up the fact that I was losing my passion. I was about to leave one afternoon and I would always run into a coworker because she her class was located at the back. And so going, I would pass her basically every day. One day she stops me, brian. She says let me talk to you. Mr Nell, I was like okay, what's going on?
Speaker 2:She said do you still have a passion for teaching? I looked at her and I was like I just kind of shook my head and no, I was like you could tell she's like I could tell I said, I've been trying to put on like I still got it.
Speaker 2:She said no, I see you. She says not the same since when you first started. She said I could tell the difference. I was like man. So if you can see it, I wonder who else can see it. And that was like one of those clear signs that, okay, it's time to stop praying and seeking another avenue and a way to get out of this. And I'll never forget. I thought I was going to be able to leave. It should have been about 2001, but God spoke and told me you know, it wasn't time yet, and clearly it wasn't. But in 04, that's when God spoke and told me you know, it wasn't time yet, and clearly it wasn't. But in 04. That's when God spoke and we finally launched out to pursue the entrepreneurship but yeah, so like, let's camp out on that for a second.
Speaker 1:So like, how did you know that it was timely within that person reaching out to you, like what kind of like was helping you to know, like what direct, what direction to go?
Speaker 2:and well, I kind of God, began to reveal, give me a blueprint or a plan on what I was going to do as far as launching out, like I said, to pursue the entrepreneurship, and also doors really began to open for me to do performances and speaking engagements.
Speaker 2:I was getting calls for a lot of local elementary schools, business organizations bringing me in to start doing my speaking engagements and that's why I was like, ok, I can do the motivational speaking, the music and the writing. And you know, it was about that time when God began to inspire me as far as writing my first book as well, you know around that time Because what happened.
Speaker 2:I began collecting and compiling the material, not knowing that it would transform and translate into a book, and so, you know, God finally inspired me to do the full book on it. But, like I said, I had been actually writing the content for years and just keeping on to it, and that's one thing I always inspire creatives to do All of your content.
Speaker 2:Hold on to it, because you'll look back and you know you could basically do piecemeal and put you know, extract some of your concepts and you'll begin to see how they come together to make a full picture, a beautiful picture. So don't throw anything away. Sometimes, you know, all you have to do is make some adjustments and modifications, to update and maybe make it relevant for this present time period. Yeah, but always keep your material. And you know that's right Now I have tons of stuff.
Speaker 2:I'm serious, you just have to revisit and see, okay, how does this fit and where does it go now. But yes, that was, you know, that process and that's what happened. And, as I say, finally, god just audibly, finally spoke in my spirit and said he was going to provide the finances for me to transition, you know, into the full time entrepreneurship.
Speaker 1:So what did that time like? So you said you knew like a year four in your teaching career that, OK, things are not the same.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:But how long from? From that point you know you had the colleague that said hey, I see you struggling.
Speaker 2:I see you.
Speaker 1:How long from there between the doors opening and you leaving taking the leap? How long? What was that period?
Speaker 2:That was about three years or so from like I said that four years, so about yeah, it was. It was about three years that that time period was. But it was about three years that that time period was.
Speaker 1:But yeah, it was about three years for that time period, I would say. And how long was that? Is that including the time your colleague said like hey, I see you?
Speaker 2:Right, right, right yeah.
Speaker 1:Like I said, that was right around that perfect time Was that kind of like the nail on the head Like, okay, I really got to get serious, that was it, that was it.
Speaker 2:That was it. That was it, that was it. Yeah, you know, and, like you know, I was sharing with you before, so that was for that particular time period, but I would say for, say, about two years in itself. I was having trouble, like trying to find my identity and that purpose and how everything will come together, everything will come together because kind of hearing and knowing that, ok, you know it's time to step out and God just dealing with me and prepping me for you still don't have the fullness of the picture.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's scary, to leave a for sure paycheck Right. And a career, a respectable career. Right, you know right. They just were you married at this time.
Speaker 2:I was married and here's the craziest part Brady we had just had our third son and he was a preemie, so we had all kind of trouble you know with him. But I knew, like I say when I say God spoke so clearly, it was so concise and with clarity that I knew it was God and I'm stepping out on exactly what God's saying.
Speaker 1:Well, that is a whole different type of confidence there, Right?
Speaker 2:right and looking back on it, it's like man boy you were crazy, you did that Was your wife hearing the same message.
Speaker 1:Yeah, was she on the phone.
Speaker 2:I told her that you know okay, god spoke, and because she knew okay if I say I heard, spoke and because she knew, okay, if I said I heard from god, she's no, I'm not just gonna make that up, right. And and then she began to see things happening, manifesting you know in preparation for it, and so she was like, okay, okay, so she was in agreement with me to do it.
Speaker 2:But yes, like I said, it took a a huge leap to do that and but what it did, it taught me a lot, and one thing it taught me is for a scriptural principle as far as prophecy, you know about the vision, you know as far as the point of time it says at the end it will speak and not lie, right, yeah, so what that means is that when God gives us a vision, it shows us where we're going, because he helps us to see the end from the beginning.
Speaker 2:But at the beginning, say, for instance, your vision has 10 puzzle pieces. Right, right At the beginning, you might only have three of the pieces, so that means you're lacking seven. But remember, we walk by faith, not by sight. Right, as you take steps, you're going to get more of the pieces.
Speaker 2:True, so if you get to, say you know, when you're in the middle you probably have about. You'll have seven pieces, but you're still lacking three. You have to keep going until you get to the end and guess what? That's when all 10 puzzle pieces are going to be present. Come together, join and make up the fulfillment of that vision.
Speaker 2:But what happens as people walk? You know some people, they like to have all of the information, all of the details at the beginning, but God doesn't operate like that. But we have to walk by faith, not by sight. And as you take those steps, he'll reveal more and more, He'll connect you more and more, He'll bring in those needed resources.
Speaker 1:Cause. Part of it's like a development piece. It's like, hey, I'll give you what you can chew on for now and handle for now, and, as you keep going, I'll give you some more.
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am, that's it.
Speaker 1:And I'll develop it some more, because it's not just a vision, it's also developing you.
Speaker 2:Exactly. See it's preparation Now I love that. Watch this, brandy. So it's not only preparation for you, but God showed me this is preparation for your audience, who has to receive you. Yeah, so you're being processed, but they're being prepared. They're going through different trials and tribulations so that now, when you're prepped and ready, which you feed them, they'll be ready to eat it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and they'll be in a place and space to need it. But the thing is, like I say, believing God, and that's where the patience comes in, where you have to trust that God knows best and he knows what he's doing. He's orchestrating this in a divine manner. Like we say the scripture says you know, his thoughts are not our thoughts, his ways are not our ways.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And yeah, he has me. You know he's the master, he is playing this out. It has been preordained before I was even born, before the foundation of the world. And you tell, you know, you quote these scriptures to yourself to build your confidence and to continue walking. And as you continue walking, like I said, I never forget. God said things everything's going to make sense really soon. Just keep walking, keep walking. And when I said as sure as he said that when I look at everything, Brandi we can even look at the situation now, with me being a director.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you?
Speaker 1:know part of the story too. I do know part of the story, so just looking at that that whole thing.
Speaker 2:Initially it didn't make sense. And I didn't even think that I would be in this position, but look at God, yeah yeah, I think you know you had all your other things going on, Right, right, right.
Speaker 1:You know you're consulting and you know all the things you've been doing, but you chose to come back to the coalition, Right, and that's just kind of cool. What made you decide to come back and step in and do some of those things again?
Speaker 2:Well, like I had told you guys, you know, at the time it was funny how I had one of two options. I had the two options. I could continue on with the consulting, but in that arena I was doing basically all of the work. Or it was to come and be with you guys, be with a team now working with people to accomplish a goal, to fulfill a vision, and I decided, hey, I want to do that one. You know, and it's like I said, as far as what God had been speaking to me, that aligned more than me doing what I had been doing. And then this position also enables me to use my full skill set. So in the other capacity I was kind of doing more of the content creation and some, you know, communication as well, but here I'm able to do the communication, organization and content creation. You know just everything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and kind of fuse your content that you have created and then probably creating Right right, right, right.
Speaker 2:Like I say, we're always learning, always developing guys, always speaking and sharing and teaching.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure. So how long? Okay, so how long were you only content creator Like in between? So you left teaching Right. At one point you did work for the coalition as a parent educator.
Speaker 2:Right, right right.
Speaker 1:Then you were consulting for a while, and then you came back to us November.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, november last year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but in between all of that, how long were you solely a content creator?
Speaker 2:Well, basically since I stepped out in 04. So we're talking about 20 years now.
Speaker 1:Wow, since I stepped out in 04.
Speaker 2:So we're talking about 20 years now, but look, there's another little hat that I wore. I owned a janitorial service for 12 years and what happened when I stepped out to do the music production, the motivational speaking and writing? As I told you, things were going well, man. I had just produced my CD, I had just published the book, doors were open and things were going well and then, all of a sudden, it just hit. I hit a dry spell and it's like, oh my God, what is going on?
Speaker 2:What's next and like I, said it's like the plan that God had inspired lasted nine months, but then that last nine months branded to this day. I can't even tell you how we made it, but it's because it was the whole full process like a year and 18 months exactly. But when I said God took care of us in provision, and I mean I'm talking about crazy things happen. I'll give you a prime example.
Speaker 2:One time, like I said, we were at a very bad space financially, right, yeah, just trusting the Lord needing some money, and a company sent a check, in other words, and normally they send a draft right.
Speaker 2:Right right and you have to come in to do the actual check. And so it was a loan, but it was in the form of a check. So it was like, if you sign this, you will be enrolled into a loan and it's a check. And so I showed it to my wife. I'm saying, babe, this look like a check. She said no, it's got to be a draft. I said, sam, it's a check, brand. I went to the bank. I said, man, is this a check or a draft? I sent it through the shoot. She said this is a check and it's a loan. As soon as you sign it, you get the cash. Babe, it was like $1,000. Yeah, but I mean, it's so many other things the Lord did to show how he will supernaturally and miraculously provide for you when your back is up against the wall. You don't have anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But yes, like I said, it's just so many other things that God did in that time to prove himself that it's like, wow, god will, he will see you through. Yeah, he will. You know he, you trust him, you believe him, he's going to provide.
Speaker 1:But yes, and I've experienced that as well in my life. It's really interesting how that works. And you're like you know, I don't know, I just know that this is where I need to be, and then God. That's where I came with the phrase. You know, where God, God wills it. It's a little spin on the whole. There's a will, there's a way, but no, if it's God's will, he will weigh it. He will make the way for it to happen. Yeah, because I know. I went to seminary almost 20 years ago, now counting there.
Speaker 1:But, yeah, no, okay, not 20, 10, 12, 12, 15 years ago. Not 20, 10, 12, 12, 15 years ago, like 2012, 2015, 2013. Okay, around that time, and at that time I didn't know how I was going to pay for all that, especially the housing. I was moving. I went in Texas, so not here, and I was like I don't know, this is where I need to be. And, kid you know, I got like a check in the the mail. I think it was like I needed a refund. I think the previous employer I had like had a refund for like almost the exact amount, like down to the like the coins oh, my goodness, you've got, and I was like I know.
Speaker 1:It's like, I know exactly what you mean. It's like oh okay, this is the lord. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no doubt, no doubt. You know, yes, yeah, so that's happened. I've definitely experienced that.
Speaker 2:Well, that is awesome, yes ma'am.
Speaker 1:Oh man, so you've had a lot of pivoting you've had to do. They call me.
Speaker 2:Mr Pivot too. Yeah, I promise you, I had done like a webinar with a buddy of mine and so she had done a design like a flyer and she put on it, Mr Pivot, it has my picture on it Because, like you said, I've done so many pivots. And when you look at it, though, that's how being led by the Spirit is. It takes you into all kinds of different directions, and when you have the humility to allow it, you'll see God making you pivot. The humility to allow it, you'll see god making you pivot.
Speaker 1:you know, sometimes we get into such a place of comfort, satisfaction and predictability that we resist the pivots yeah, because it's we don't want, because I think when it that happens, it allows you to feel like you have this. It's a false sense, but false sense of control, right like it, like you're making it happen yeah, yeah, you're vulnerable so yeah, and some people are just unwilling to go in that way.
Speaker 2:But I feel, like you know, that's the way it is the way, because that's where you're learning and, like we're talking about, your growth and your development takes place. If you're constantly doing the same thing over and over, typically you're not going to really grow and develop.
Speaker 1:It's when you change and now you have to learn again it expands well, I mean trust, right, you know, and god wants our trust, he wants us to trust in him, and this is that's the one way to see like are you trusting him as by actually going outside of your comfort zone or out of your control zone? Maybe we should start calling it that because you know, like. That's why you're comfortable, because you feel like you're in control of that situation, right.
Speaker 2:And, like you say, what would happen? Life would throw those curveballs and God would actually send them to get you off that, out of that place of dissatisfaction and contentment and stagnation and you know I prefer God to prompt me and lead me to him having to push me and force me out.
Speaker 2:I always say a blessing out of season is a curse. And so some things in your life, or men like they say, you know a reason and a season. Well, those seasonal things, when the season is up, it's time to move on. Yeah, people have, you know, all kind of things you can have adverse of impacts on your life when you're in a place that god has told you to leave yeah, you know, but yeah, so how do you know when it's time to leave?
Speaker 2:he'll speak. I always say you can use your three, six, three spiritual senses. You know what? What is God showing you? Your ear, what is God telling you? And then the feeling of discernment, what are you feeling in your spirit?
Speaker 2:And when there's alignment with those three things, well, the things you're seeing telling you to go, the things God is telling you are telling you to go, and then what you're feeling is telling you to go, it's time to pray and say, okay, lord, just win. You know, win how soon. And then, once he releases you, you get that comfort, that peace and that word. Then that's when you step. But, like I said, it's like things will kind of line up to let you know it's that time. I'll give you a prime example Like right before we left the coalition, all of those three things I told you were happening, what I was seeing was telling me what I was feeling and what I was hearing. And then it took, you know, one final incident where you know I was like, okay, you're going to be leaving very soon after this, you know coming up, and so when that, when that incident occurred, it was like, okay, this is it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you know, if I wouldn't have done that, then we wouldn't have this.
Speaker 1:Right, right, yeah, yeah. Man, I think, when it comes to like trusting God's timing and showing the way, the people from the Bible, I always think about the most people like Abraham, moses, joshua, because I feel like they kind of lived that out for us or like showed us like what that looks like biblically, so we're not just pulling inside of our hats, guys.
Speaker 2:So we have the examples with the specifics of God. You know those biblical examples and the Bible gives us the timing and, you know, has recorded it, so you know. Another person who I love, love, one of my favorite characters, is joseph too. Yeah, you know. So, yeah, I mean it all. It all makes sense as far as the timing goes. So he was 17 when he got the dream, when he was 30 when it came to pass, so 13 years and guys were talking about joseph, the ones you know, the coat of many colors.
Speaker 2:Right, right, right. The guy who had, you know, brothers wanted to kill him but they put him in a pit, then he went into slavery, then he was put into prison. Yeah, and then he was exalted. You know the interpreted Pharaoh's dream and was exalted. But God had already showed him that from the beginning. But just look at all he had to go through to get to that place. Yeah, yes, like you say, all of those biblical characters are our examples to increase our faith and to know that this is like you say, it's a.
Speaker 2:It's a format that god operates in.
Speaker 1:You know just the way he does, yeah man and I like one of the ones I really like, or or the, the piece of moses that I found really interesting is that the direction he told them to go was not a straight line and that's something you don't catch if you just went to sunday school, right?
Speaker 1:yeah, it's something you gotta when you read on your own and guys read on your own right. When you really dig into that piece of the story, you're like you mean, because the whole deal with the Egyptians, because you know they came back after him? Right, this is after, like you know, pharaoh had the whole place and he said let my people go. Eventually he did, and then he changed his mind and they were like look at these. You know these Hebrews?
Speaker 2:They don't know what they're doing.
Speaker 1:Because they were literally, if you look at a biblical map, they were gone like way out of the way for where they were needed to go, where they said there was going to go. And so the egyptians were like, yeah, they're doing, let's go get these people. They're crazy. We need them.
Speaker 2:Our floors will be clean right right, right right and I think that's interesting because god did that on purpose he, he did, he did and, if I'm not mistaken, I definitely would have to look it up, I've heard seemed like the route to direct to where they would go in the Canaan was like just like two weeks, like 13 days.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it should have been a straight shoot, right, but no, they went way out of the way. But that was the Lord's direction, because you know, you had the pillar of smoke and then you had the in the day, and then you had the, the fire, at night, so and it was a clear direction from the lord, but he did that intentionally and that's important, because I know sometimes, or I thought that was really interesting because, like sometimes, our paths seem way out the way.
Speaker 2:Right, right, right, you know, yeah you know another thing the bible talks about too, the other path. It talks about how there was, I guess, another nation that was pretty strong, so he didn't want them, want to take them that way, because you know, they were just coming out of egypt, just being slain they weren't trained warriors, so they would have been fearful and probably would have turned back had he taken them that way.
Speaker 2:So that shows the providence of God and his wisdom that he knows the route to take you. That's going to keep you safe and keep you on the path. But, like you said, it forced them to have to trust and lean on him, and that's what he wanted. He wanted to show them that okay. Okay, look, you're coming from a place where you were dependent on your masters, right?
Speaker 2:they fed you this and that and if you remember one of the complaints, they were excited about getting leeks and onions and everything god like I'll feed you with some manna from heaven right, but but yes, and so he wanted to show them that you know, okay, you have to trust in me now, not on the system, and that's what that whole experience was about learning me, learning how powerful I am in my miraculous, wonder-working power.
Speaker 1:Right, right. So bringing it back to your story. So during those times when you were like branching out and doing your new adventures, you know, whether it was music or your janitorial thing or you know what are some things that gave you hope and encouraged you to During those times of doubt. Because I know, because I'm a creator as well.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:There is constant doubt.
Speaker 2:Right, right.
Speaker 1:You know. So how did you come back and deal with that and find encouragement to keep going?
Speaker 2:Well, I think what really confirmed it when I launched out, just having the freedom, the flexibility and control, and you know, it motivated me, encouraged me when I was hitting those tough times. Yeah me, encouraged me when I was hitting those tough times.
Speaker 2:And just holding on to that word, that specific word, that God has spoken to me, that you know he was going to take care of me, he was going to provide for me and that he was going to sustain me, you know, provisionally, and that's what I held on during those darkest hours, even when I didn't know what was going to happen, how we're going to make it. I knew I had heard from God but, as I stated, just the flexibility of it all I loved. I didn't realize I had that side of me being a teacher and that's what it was that was emerging, that I needed the flexibility. I needed the independence and autonomy, the creative control to plot my course, you know, and do some things and have that freedom to do it. But that's what I really love about entrepreneurship, you know, as a whole.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Just you being able to do what you need to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it puts you in the driver's seat. It lets you be your own task, master.
Speaker 2:Right Master.
Speaker 1:Right, right, right, right, yeah, and I like that as well you know, you become your own navigator. Yeah, you know if you want to see it happen, you're able to see it happen or not. Yes, so yeah, definitely understand that for sure yeah, and so how did you know that it was god speaking to you and not just some like selfish ambition in your heart?
Speaker 2:Well, through prayer, fasting, just consecrating, got saved at 19 and I'll never forget. Way back then, our leader at the time, the pastor, was like you know, hey, if you pray and you listen, god will speak. And he encouraged us to get like a notebook and pen and.
Speaker 2:I started doing it, god began to speak. Then and just all throughout the years, and I record exactly what God speaks and you know, just watch it come to pass and go in the direction of the verbal commands he's given us. Because, you know, we have the written word, which is the logos, but the rhema word is the spoken word. So, when we want to get into the specificity and the meticulous details of the will of God, we got to hear the rhema right? Because, in other words, in our Bible, brandy, there's no scripture that's going to say, okay, brandy moved to Texas in 2025. Right, right. So God has to declare that and speak it to you.
Speaker 2:You know, I could go like with my spouse and everything. How God did that. That was just so crazy, brandy. But I mean, you know, he put her in my spirit and what had happened at the time in the church, a lot of people was mostly single, college students, right, right, everybody was. You know, some people were dating, some people were just really single. It was, you know, some people were dating, some people just really single, but everybody was who was interested, desiring a mate, was trying to figure out okay, if they're with somebody, is this my mate, is this not? And so I never forget it was a son of the man of god.
Speaker 2:God led him by the spirit, he said look this week you guys have been seeking god to see if the person you with from the lord of his, his desire for you to get married, he's going going to confirm it. And I kid you not. From that Monday on a face of hers was in my spirit. Wasn't anything else for anything, just her face. And, like I said, I'd have to go through a whole bunch to get to the whole story. But to make a long story short, that same woman's face who was in my spirit. We've been married going on 27 years now.
Speaker 1:Wow, and there's more to it.
Speaker 2:What God spoke. Going on 27 years now, and there's more to it.
Speaker 1:What god spoke to, her spoke to me, but, like I said, we have to delve into all the details at the time. But yeah, yeah, awesome, awesome story, awesome, yeah, maybe it can be in your your second, second interview. Right, right, right, right, paired that with the music and stuff. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So how long do you think you would say you like stayed in, stayed in fasting mood.
Speaker 2:Well, it just differs in different seasons. I've had seasons where I've got is just coming to, you know, a higher level of fast and being very consistent with it, but during that time you know, I can't even quantify it, brandy, as far as the actual time, it's just as God would lead.
Speaker 2:I would do it. You know I would do it. And I think one of the most consecrating times of my life was when I was, let's see, it was probably about 2012, 2013. When God had launched me into ministry or whatever, yeah, and just being isolated and just praying and fasting and consecrating seriously. That's when God gave me the book Revelation, rightly Revealed. During that time he took me, like I said, to a whole nother level during that season, but it was like I said, it was intense, praying and fasting because, I look back, bob, I had just started my TV ministry at the time.
Speaker 1:TV too, my goodness Renaissance man.
Speaker 2:Renaissance man. Yeah, we got a couple other things, but yes, ma'am, I had a TV ministry here. The show was motivating the masses and we recorded 50 episodes exactly, but I'll tell you what happened. I don't know. You probably remember this. It was in, should have been 2013. It was a storm that hit over in West Monroe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a big storm. I do remember that it knocked the tower and stuff down the assemblies right. That's what I was recording with that's what happened. I do remember that. I think that's when I started.
Speaker 1:I wrote for an online blog for somebody else for a little bit and I remember that because that was one of my. I had a piece I wrote and I had to take. I needed some pictures to go along with it and I took some pictures of the magnolia trees down along the tree line, you know, downtown Monroe, beatenhorn, which was really sad at the time. I'm glad they're back growing up, but like at the time I was glad they're back growing up but like at the time I was like, oh no, there's trees.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I remember that storm yeah, it was bad, so much, uh, man, but that just that. That knocked that out, but uh, but but yes, yes, yes, like I said during that time and I guess my whole point was, when I look at the videos and stuff, how small my face was and how small I was. I remember, oh, I was man, I was consecrated back. I remember that.
Speaker 1:But yes, ma'am, yeah, wow, wow, man, would you say, there's any been any bible verses that you would say like, hey, this has been like my career verse or life verse or something that's just really influenced you?
Speaker 2:right proverbs. Three through five verses, five through rather trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him. He will direct your paths, because that scripture has so much meaning in it.
Speaker 2:You know when I always think of head and heart. With the head, you think of competency, you think of reasoning, logic, but the heart, we're talking about feeling, we're talking about emotion, we're talking about discernment. So what he's saying is don't trust me with your logic and your reasoning, but you have to trust me with your emotions, with your spirit, with your inner being and if, as you don't lead to your own understanding, I'm going to be able to direct your paths, as you acknowledge me. And so when you look at direct, the Lord was showing me how you know, out of the word direct, you get directive right, which is giving you directions or actual steps. So when I would normally hear the steps of the Lord I'm thinking of, I see a vision of just footprints or steps in him directing you. But what he's really talking about is giving you those directives and those steps.
Speaker 2:For instance, if you want to bake a cake, step one grease the pan. Step two mix the flour and everything. So that's what he does. He literally gives you instructions and steps. Do this, do this, go here, call this person, email this person, attend this event? Yeah, and that's how he orders your steps by giving you steps and directives and, like I say, it points you in a direction, towards your destination, towards the fulfillment of that vision he's giving you. But yes, that's my scripture there.
Speaker 1:Those two scriptures. Yeah, I love it and I definitely see how you lived that out for sure, especially all the things you talked about.
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1:What could you say to the person that you know, because some people struggle with, like, having confidence that it's the Lord? You know they might sit down and pray and they might journal, but there still would be. I mean, I just me in my own ambition, you know, or is it really the Lord? What would you say to them to let them be confident in knowing that? No, like that's something the Lord gave you?
Speaker 2:Right? Well, just analyze it, you know, using the word, just making sure it's aligning with the word, and that lets you know. You know, okay, it's not just me, but okay. So just think of it like this Is it helping others, is it pointing them in the right direction, is it improving their lives, is it inspiring, educating, directing, building them? And, like I said, of course, even with your gift and what God gives you, it's not just to bless others, it's to bless you as well. So don't ever think that, whatever I do, I'm not going to get anything out of it, because God actually doesn't work like that. It may seem like you're just giving all and not getting anything back, but the way God does it, he arranges win-win scenarios. So even as you're giving out with your gift, blessing others, it blesses you too.
Speaker 2:And whatever God has called you to do. You know that's the format of the fit. But, as I say, as you analyze it and you say, okay, it's really helping people. It's not anything shiesty or manipulating or deceptive, it's the truth. I say it aligns with the word, it's not going against the word in any way, then more than likely it's God prompting you to do that.
Speaker 2:You know, technically the devil. We know he comes to kill, steal and destroy. So if it's harming, it's destructive, it's leading people astray. You know? Okay, this is the devil or it's me. I'm just being selfish.
Speaker 1:Yeah, or manipulative in some way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, so you just filter it like that and process it. Yeah, you know, I think, brandi, what helped me the most and I always teach people this is just overcoming fear and the way I did. That guy gave me a powerful acronym that I always use, and it's the meaning of the word no, which is next up, next option, new opportunity, not over. So whenever you do something happens and you feel it's a failure, right, Right, remember, failure is a part of success If you take out of your mind that really nothing is a failure, it's just failure, right, Right, remember failure is a part of success If you take out of your mind that really nothing is a failure. It's just a lesson learned. I got wisdom out of it. I know what not to do next time, right right.
Speaker 2:If you can change your perspective and condition yourself to see it that way, you'll be on your way. Because when you encounter the no's and the failures, you say, okay, I'm looking for my next option, I'm looking for my new opportunity, because it's not over, yeah. And so every time you encounter the no or the failure, if you condition yourself to do that, you're going to be able to do it again and do something else. So think about me I've had to step out first of all as the speaker. Well, no, I started the music first, Okay. So I've had to step out first of all as the speaker. Well, no, I started the music first, Okay. So I've encountered the rejections as a music producer, songwriter, entertainer.
Speaker 2:Then I started out. You know, I started with the speaking right, yeah, so I've encountered the rejections there. Then I started with the writing. I've encountered the rejections there. So if I wouldn't have adapted that mind frame, I would have been giving up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, stay at home in your little corner Right.
Speaker 2:The janitors are just everything I'm doing and have done. I would have stopped at the first sign of rejection and opposition. But you have to condition yourself that look, man, what's going to happen it's a no, okay, it didn't succeed. Gonna happen. This is, it's a no, okay, it didn't succeed. And this is what I teach people to separate yourself from your endeavors, you know right. So, for instance, like, okay, the podcast if it doesn't do as well as you think, okay, it's not me, it's an extension of me, but it's not me. The the podcast fails.
Speaker 1:I'm not a failure.
Speaker 2:If the business failed, the business failed. I didn't fail. I'm not the failure. Even if the marriage relationship failed, okay, it failed. I'm separate from that. I can recover. I can move and transition.
Speaker 1:Pivot and turn the next thing.
Speaker 2:But yeah, but you have to separate yourself from your different activities and the things that extend from you, because if you stay connected, especially if they don't go well, then it's going to impact.
Speaker 1:I mean definitely as a content creator myself, like you get really comfortable with no, or I have, you know, and it really is not such a big deal anymore, which then makes me courageous to keep asking for new things or to do different stuff, because I'm like, well, if the worst you can say to me is no, it's not really that big of a deal and I don't take it personally. You know, I think that's what I'm hearing you say right there, like you know, don't make that part of like you, they're not saying no to you, they have their own hang up or own little thing, or maybe there's not able to this time. Maybe it's not a no, but not yet right, you know, and just take it with. Strive with that.
Speaker 1:You don't, you know, not be so personal and and I like what you were saying earlier about how you know, discerning, about you know, is it you or is it god? You know I think and I've heard other people say this. You know, I've heard sadie robinson say this and others and I I think I agree, like I think in our culture, maybe it's just when I was younger it seemed like it was like a season.
Speaker 1:I call it a season but like um, I'm not sure. I'm not sure what the time frame is or whatever, but there was a time frame where it was kind of put out like you know, you gotta know what god wants for your life and seek that out to the point where it was kind of crippling people because they're getting too wrapped up in well, especially for the young people, people who are like in there going to college and whatever. Too much pressure put on like I gotta figure out god's way right now or it's just done or I'm I've missed it and missed the whole messed up my whole life right right and that's just not.
Speaker 1:You know, as sadie would say and was, and as I'm hearing you say, it's like you know you don't have to put so much like weight on yourself for that, because God is sovereign yes, yes and then, like, life is a journey right yes, you know, just run one step and get there. Yeah, a bunch of steps you know, and, like you, don't put that much thought into the clothing you put on right. You know you put it on.
Speaker 2:You make it, yeah, you make it, right you?
Speaker 1:know, you put it on, you make it, yeah, you make it. Or you know there's choices and I think those other decisions are kind of the same way. As long as, like you said, these are things that you know, that I help people, it's not straying from what the word says. Then it does, cause you know, god's commands for us are to love people and love him.
Speaker 2:So if you're, whatever your endeavor is is doing those things in it, then it is of the lord. You know I say we complicate the simple right, prefer to simplify the complex you know, it's not. Yeah, it's.
Speaker 1:Sometimes we can make it rocket science, whereas that's not and like you were kind of like I like how, for a second there we kind of talked about fear, because that's I think that's the part because we don't like ourselves to feel that way the uncomfortableness of possibly failing or what that might look like, and the scorn of friends and family because, that's who we actually hear from the most. I told you that wasn't a good idea. I don't know what you were thinking.
Speaker 1:I know what was that about crazy you know, with your young wife and your children and your son. With the being a preemie, I mean like that. That's the condemnation you hear, and the thing is that what they don't always realize.
Speaker 2:You've already thought that yourself right, you know you thought about it and what the thing is soon, you prepare yourself for it. You know you have to be realistic about your connections, your family, your friends, and you know they're gonna be cynical but, yeah, in their perspective they're looking out for you. Good, right, they are, they are coming from a place of love right and protection and security.
Speaker 1:But yeah, but you know on the other end of it, you know what the lord put in you and you have to let that be your anchor and nothing else, you know, you know, I feel like that's what a lot of what you have said and I'm like yeah, I, because I've been there, I'm there right, and I, yeah, I get that totally I'm gonna use one of my quotes, since you asked if I'll be using them, one of them in that first book.
Speaker 2:I say say success breeds support. And that means that see, when you first start off, people are kind of watching you. I say they pull a Peter. So Peter went with Jesus. The thing happened with Jesus. He followed close enough that, if things went well, he could run up and say Lord, I'm here. I said I was here with you, all the disciples, the disciples gone, but I'm here. But he followed far enough back that when things went awry he could curse and say oh no, I wasn't with him, I don't know him, I don't even know jesus. And so a lot of your relatives that's what they're doing, their friends, they're following, they're watching, just enough. So if things do pan out, they could run in the scene. Oh, I was here. See, I was, I've been watching I've been following.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm their cousin right right, right, they're cousins, your best friend now. But if things blow up, oh nah, that's my business. Yeah, we cool, we not? You know, that's the black sheep of the family.
Speaker 2:But yeah, but when see, when people start seeing you succeeding, that's when they're going to come, that's when they're going to support you well, I think sometimes it's also just trying to see how authentic we are.
Speaker 1:Right, you know, how like are we really gonna. You know pull. How trusting in the lord are we really? Is god really leading us, or was it something else so? And you can't really blame family and friends for that either I feel that that's that's you know.
Speaker 1:God gave us logic and you gotta weed out. You know who's true and who's not. So that's good too. But yeah, and I think part of the to put that in perspective for the person who's you know, wanting to figure out this or that and the other, that's part of it too, so not to be so discouraged from that.
Speaker 2:Right, right, right, yes, exactly.
Speaker 1:Well, how has all of this you know you've had this long journey how has this, you know, impacted your relationship with Christ? What are some things you feel like you learned from going through all?
Speaker 2:this, I know it definitely took me into a different dimension, as I was stating earlier and I love Psalms 91, you know, dwelling in a secret place of the most high, and I always say, you know, we have to be a dweller, in other words, we need to have an address there, a residence there, and not be an occasional visitor and a frequent, you know, traveler just coming through, but just having residence and staying in the face of God and being in the presence of God and what that has done, I mean not only just for his revelations, god revealing, but it really changes your nature. You know to where you. You are better, fruit of the spirit, because, if you think about it, even naturally, whoever you're around a lot, you got that fellowship. You exchange, there's an exchange. You pick up stuff, you influence others, they pick up stuff from you.
Speaker 1:You start talking like them too sometimes. I mean that happens, you start picking up little phrases and maybe a little accent. You know, yeah, that happens.
Speaker 2:So look so, spiritually, it's the same concept. The more we're around god, guess what? We pick up his nature, we pick up his mind frame, we pick up his perspective and how he sees things and what it really does. It just broadens your horizons.
Speaker 2:When I teach on vision. You know, with vision comes three sites foresight, which is the ability to see ahead. Insight, which is the ability to see underneath the surface. And then, which is the ability to see ahead insight, which is the ability to see underneath the surface. And then oversight, which is the ability to manage and supervise. Right yeah, so the closer and higher you get in God, he expands that thing. Like I say, you get to see way down the line and you have a broader perspective too.
Speaker 2:He gives you better insight to discern, to detect, to know people's strengths and weaknesses, their motives, how they think, and then he gives you, like I say, he increases your leadership capacity. So, because the greater foresight and insight you have, the greater oversight you have, the more people you can manage, the more finances and resources you can manage once you develop those things. But I believe you know, god has really equipped me with that. And there's something else, I guess, out of my journey with God, in addition to writing the books. I have an online school, and so you know.
Speaker 1:Oh my goodness, damon Naylor. Another thing.
Speaker 2:I'm like is all these Easter eggs here I'm like? The onion keeps on peeling At online school, wow. But Real Life Academy eggs here I'm like what the onion keeps on peeling.
Speaker 1:And so many layers At all my school Wow.
Speaker 2:But Real Life Academy, and so I've taken, like I said, my experiences and things I've learned in business being a husband, being a father, being a minister Just all of those hats and the wisdom God has given me. I've put it into a place to where you can be educated. You don't have to fall on any of the pitfalls and the pitfalls that I did. I could kind of help you avoid that stuff.
Speaker 2:So that's, what it really taught me and helped me to do, and then doing these, being able to share my insight and wisdom with others to help them along their journey but I think that's that's really what it is is helping me to do, to be productive and to have that strong, consistent relationship with the lord yeah, yeah yeah and I like that.
Speaker 1:How you started talking about, like you know, the dwelling place and having, because if you, if you're not filled up, there's nothing you can share, you know you're not helping anybody. At that point you are just kind of, you know, speaking hot air. Thank you, that's all it is. We got to be full of him and, as I always say, you can only reproduce what's already produced in you.
Speaker 2:So we got to get in his presence so he could give us, fill us, like you're saying, with the fruit of the spirit. Now, we can go out and and and operate an overflow and spill our love, our joy and peace on others. As you stated, if you're depleted and you're like you don't have anything to give you. Try to keep the little or I don't know.
Speaker 1:Whatever you're saying. I don't know if we wouldn't want to hear that, or take that like what is that exactly exactly? Yeah, yeah oh man, damon, it has been such a treasure to have you on today. This has been so much fun likewise, likewise.
Speaker 2:I love it. I appreciate the opportunity.
Speaker 1:Like I said, yeah yeah, it's just been a great time, you know, having you here and I'm so glad you've been able to share and share your wisdom, and I've been really enjoying learning all like these fun little things about you. You got online school and all these other things that you do currently, so that's awesome, and we'll probably have links to that in the show notes in just a minute, but I see you guys be looking out for that. But just thank you again so much for coming out and sharing all this with us. It's been a pleasure.
Speaker 2:Amen, it surely has.
Speaker 1:And my name is Damon Naylor and this is my story of the middle I'm your host, brandi Bostic, and you've been listening to the Up and Up podcast. If you want some extra content, check out my Patreon account in the show notes below.
Speaker 2:Psalm 40, verse 2. He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on the rock, making my steps secure.
