What Happens After Redemption? | The Next Chapter with Donnell Mann

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I was in physical prison, but I tell people all the time, I was in mental and emotional and social prison way before I got locked up in regular prison. Prison

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it does not discriminate. It doesn't need walls. It just needs to cause hurt and harm and and keep us from all that God has for us.

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Hi everyone and welcome to the Monomyth Diaries, a podcast where ordinary people get to share their hero's journey. I'm Andy and I'll be your host. We'll

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discover powerful insights, critical moments of growth, and much more. Thanks for joining us. We all have a monomyth to share, and someone out there needs to hear it.

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Welcome to the Monomyth Diaries, a take what you like and leave the rest podcast. This is a space where ordinary people share inspiring stories of

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transformation. No advice, no experts, just connection, growth, and hope.

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Today, we're having a catch-up conversation with a previous guest from season 1, Pastor Donell Man. If you've been with us since season 1, you may

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remember him from episodes 18, 19, and 20, where he courageously shared his journey from violence, incarceration,

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hopelessness, and survival to faith, healing, redemption, and purpose. But transformation doesn't happen at the end of breakthrough moments. As we know,

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life keeps unfolding, new lessons emerge, and new boounds appear. Today, we're exploring what happened since Dunell's original journey and how his

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story continues to evolve. And as we said, we are so grateful to begin season 3 with honest conversations, powerful

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stories, and journeys of transformation that connect all of us. Over the past two seasons, we've had the privilege of sitting next to some incredible guests.

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And as we reflect on those conversations, we realize something important. Life keeps unfolding, new chapters are written, and new boons

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emerge. So this season, we're revisiting some of those journeys. And we could not think of a better way to start season 3 than with Donell. When we last spoke

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with Donell, he and his wife Vienna were working towards planting your story church. A church built on the belief that no matter your past, your story is

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not done yet. Today, we continue with that conversation. What has changed since then? What new lessons, growth, and boons have emerged? And what does

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life look like now on the other side of so much transformation? Let's welcome Donell back to the Mona Diaries.

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Donnell, welcome back to the Mona Diaries. We are so excited to have you back again. It's been almost 2 years.

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Can you believe that? I went back and looked. It was like November of 2024 when we met the first time.

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Man, listen. Hey, listen. That was Was I okay then?

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You were very excited about starting your story church.

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Yes, man. But you know what? I was right. Super excited uh to be on the podcast. Man, it is amazing to hear the stories you tell and the things you do

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and and so, man, it was like I was like, "Oh, I get to be a part of this." And just to continue to watch the growth and

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to be back. Come on, man. Listen, I'm for it. Let's go. Almost two years.

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I know. Can you believe that? We had no idea what we were doing when we got you on. Hey, I understand.

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Full disclaimer, like the audio was terrible. I'm not going to lie. I'm really sorry. We should re-record all of your episodes. Oh goodness.

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I remember you banging on the table and I was I was so worried that there was going to be so much noise and it turned out I didn't have the microphones on right anyway.

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So, it worked out. So hopefully we're going to be okay today as long as I don't bang on tables or yell. So we're going to be good.

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Well, and because Angie's not here, I don't know whether the audio is going to come out right or not. So we're going to cross our fingers and hope.

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Hey, there we go. Holy Spirit got it. I just We should have prayed before this started. Yeah, we should have. Let's pray now. We should. All right. You want to?

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I got you. Dear heavenly father, most gracious God, we uh come to you. Your word says that we are saved by the power of the blood and the word of our

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testimony. And we know testimony is just another word for story.

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And God, we just thank you for this space that Mandy and Angie have created that uh people can share their stories to impact people's lives because it is

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those stories, those testimonies that are allowing them to know life change is possible. And so we ask uh that you're in this room with us today that you uh

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be glorified, but more importantly that this reaches somebody to know that uh you're not done yet and they just got to

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continue pressing in. So Lord, we love you and praise you in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Thanks for that. Welcome.

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I love that we're doing that because when you met me, I was not a Christian yet.

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I was on my way. I was on my way. You were on the path, man. I was on the way. Listen, God's timing is always perfect.

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So it is. It is. Um I listened to a podcast and the man was talking about degrees of being discipled. Mhm.

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And do you happen to get me when I was on the end of that that you got me across the finish line how I look at it.

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So, no. And so, I mean, it's it's actually it's actually biblical, right?

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It says some will water, right? Some will plant, some will water, and some will harvest. It's it's just what it is.

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God just timing was perfect. And and you created a space for a story to be heard.

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And who would know that that story would lead you to like coming and being part of YSC and becoming family? And then like I always knew like you you were the first person to sign up for every group.

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I was like it'd be me, V, and Mandy. I was like we got three. That's you know what I'm saying? And now it's me, V,

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Mandy Web, which is amazing, right? And and so we were just blessed uh by other people's labor, right? And so it's been awesome.

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I think back to that and you telling us in our introductory meeting before we even interviewed you about you planting

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YSC and being so excited about this and trying not to be super excited because I'd been let down so many times.

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And I kept saying to people, I'm like, "Well, I've been here before. I've been here before." And I remember sitting in the

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very first January 2025 service, crying my eyes out, crying my eyes out that I was like finally like I just knew it was the right place.

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Funny story, I remember sitting next to this man, web and I and I thought Webb was never going to come back. But was it the guy in the

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He was in like a a long black and white fur coat with his Louis Vuitton bag and his fedor

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I don't know like sunglasses the whole thing and him going up and getting sobbing. Yes.

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Going to the he stumbled after after he came back. He stumbled into the wrong aisle and I remember handing him his bag and saying, "Hey, you you you know this

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was back here." Man, that was so beautiful. like just watching that like whole thing take

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place. So I was actually in the foyer when he came in and he came in like bag out high heels stomping fur coat going

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and I was like man God this is what I'm talking about right behind him right was another man of another race long beard

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bald head like and I'm thinking to myself this is what heaven looks like.

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Mhm. Just to see that, right, was just letting us know, man, no matter what happened, people's lives got impacted. I

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think that day we had 37 salvations. And that's the number that matters is how many people did we help get There I go

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clapping. Get into the kingdom of God, right? And and yeah, man. Yeah, it was November. I was excited. I was scared.

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Like, you know, I was too. And I was in the audience. Look, I wish that's not the right word. Congregation. Thank you.

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The peoples, the church. He was in the church amongst the church is what they say today, right? They don't like I don't know if they don't like the word

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congregation, but this, you know, the movement is that we are the church and we are.

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So, but yeah, man, it was crazy. I remember the night before um me and V were sitting on the couch and we just God, if just the people on our team show up, we'll be okay with that. Yeah.

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And uh God blew us away with what he did. And so it was amazing.

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It was a full house. I remember it was a full house that day. All right. Well, let's back up a little bit. You were on the show back in season one. Mhm.

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You were gracious enough to come on when we didn't know what we were doing. Uh so you couldn't have told me. I thought y'all was like professional. So I was like, man, let's go.

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Fake it till you make it.

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There you go. Hey, it works, man. It works.

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I think it was episodes 18, 19, and 20 back in the day. Man, we've replayed them a couple of times since then. Last summer and this summer

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when we take a break, we always replay yours. Yeah, it's a good testimony.

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I was thinking about if I had to take all three of your episodes because we don't really do three anymore. We kind of do two, but if we did three and

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talked about the title, I might call it from prison to pastor. Does that work? Yes. Yes.

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You can say that. No, absolutely. cuz where I'm actually working with a coach on a book and I we're really working on the title because I want to say I want

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to call it from uh from prison to purpose. Oh, I like that better.

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When passion gets aligned with God's per plan, right? Because I believe that God has a plan and purpose for us, right? The word

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says that he knitted us in the womb before, right? And so he has a plan and purpose for us. What happens is is our life experience, the things that happen

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to us, if we don't have that foundation, it moves our passions. So like you know my passion I I loved people right I love

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being in relationships so I sold drugs I mean I love that we can laugh about that today.

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Yeah for real like I did drugs you sold them like I did them too man it's crazy but so

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then what but when I got uh saved God said hey I want to take that same passion that you have for people and bringing them a healthy joy right a

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healthy encounter. And so really, what does that look like to tell my story?

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But not just the story of my past, but the story of, hey, this is what happens.

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The passion is just the fuel to do what you need to do to get to where God wants you to go. And so, what does that look

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like? A blueprint for somebody that says, "Okay, what does it look like?" Whether it's start a building, plant a church, whatever, the principles are all the same. I just tell people all the

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time, they're like, "Oh, man, you make it look so easy up there." Yeah, bro.

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like, you know, I went to John Maxwell's university. I I I've done all these things. I got saved in 2011. God called me in 2013. We planted a church in 2025.

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Okay.

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So, like it's now that's an expedited version and that's even fast for ministry. But it's still over a decade

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of work that was done to get to where we where we landed on January uh 19th, 2025 and where we're at today.

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Okay. Well, I have a whole list of questions for you, but I do want to ask you total sidebar question, you say you've had some training.

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Uhhuh.

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Or or some education when you get on stage and and stage, is that the word?

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You will say that. Yes.

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Another churchy word when you get behind the pull pit is what churchy people say. That's the little table, the round one. That's what that is.

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Okay. And but you're so entertaining. I I'm not going to lie. Like you're easy to listen to. And I think I've only ever experienced that with one other person.

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It was at the Tony Robbins conference and it was before I actually went to the Tony Robbins conference. Weston had the opportunity to go hear an hourong

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message from Tony Robbins with a bunch of other teenagers.

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Nice. And I remember sitting in the back being invited as parents to sit in the back and not one kid took his phone out which is unusual for someone to

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captivate teenagers in such a way that they don't take their phone out. But I feel that way in church. Prior to coming to your story church, I would sit in

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church and I be like scrolling my phone or like like I would so tune out. But when you give a message, I never feel the need to

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take my phone out. you're just entertaining, easy to listen to, whatever the case may be. Is that a natural talent or is that something you learned?

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It's a combination of the two. We are gifted. God gives us these giftings, right? That is if I am, he has gifted me to communicate the word, right? So,

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okay, I have that. But then I've learned how to do voice reflection, how to uh share personal things of my life and and

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things just and where to place them when communicating because sometimes we get uh so uncomfortable talking it makes the

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listener uncomfortable. So here comes your phone to distract you a little bit.

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Right? So it's a combination of both. I think that anything we're passionate about we should always try to be better with with it and learning is part of

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that. But the Holy Spirit will take over and we training goes out the window.

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Like we've seen me do some things that we probably shouldn't do on stage, but that was not in the training, right?

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Like I don't know. There's something about that vulnerability and just going with it to me that is what I want to hear.

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Yeah. Well, gets me.

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We we committed to being an authentic uh family and that's first and foremost on my list of things to do. And I laugh cuz

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V looks at me like what is he going to say today? I think she's like nice to me on Saturdays now. So

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she's like uh he's going to air it out on Sundays, right? And we actually just had one of those things um where we've

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been counseling some people and we me and V had a season in our marriage that we weren't seeing eye and uh it wasn't

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anything except for young marriage, right? and she realized, you know, we got moved very quickly because we felt God's hand on it. And then we all of a

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sudden we're these two people married living in this house. And she didn't even like the way I brush my teeth, right? Like or your food,

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all the things. But like she used some like verbage that hurt my heart, but we we were like, "Hey, this is bigger than

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us." So we kind of just processed through it, right? like it wasn't a big conversation, but to hear her say these things to people we're counseling like

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like weighed on my heart like and she knew she goes and she told me when I talked about it from stage she goes she

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goes I knew like you were heard and I was like I was like yeah I was like but like it's okay.

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Yeah, I get it. God gave me something to use that hurt uh because I'll always be vulnerable. But it it was just a funny thing because we just want to be 100.

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And I think really that's what our our win. That's my win from stage is that people know it's going to be what it's

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going to be when it's going to be how it's going to be.

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So and as a pastor, you're human too.

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Yes. Don't tell nobody because you know they might not figure it out because they don't think pastors are human for some reason. Like we are like next to

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Jesus, right? Jesus be I just want to tell y'all Jesus be looking at me.

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Darnell, you tripping. like, right, we it is what it is. You know what I'm saying? And so I just I rather be open and honest and authentic and allow

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people to know it's okay, right? The word of God says we will make mistakes.

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It's what we do after. So, right.

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All right. So, when we left off with your first three episodes, you had not opened your story church yet.

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I think um we met in November of 2024 in YSC. Your story church opened in 2025.

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Yep. And so we're kind of picking up there. Okay.

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And and talking about all of the things that have happened since then, trials, tribulations, new boounds. Uh so I have a list of

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questions for you. I know we said we're going to be off the cuff, but your your answers are going to be off the cuff. Perfect. Are you ready? I'm ready. Let's go.

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So since founding YSC, what has been one of the biggest challenges that have caused you growth personally? people

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like I that was an easy answer.

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So, um when we were in the planning phases of it, right, we would meet with pastors and and and people who were

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sewing into us and and training and all kind of things and they would tell us if there is something else you can do, do it.

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Oh, instead of f founding a church, instead of planting a church, if you if there's anything, they're like, if there's anything,

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they're like, D, if you could still do real estate and be happy. Stay in real estate. Ignore your obedience.

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It's not about Uhuh. cuz here's the deal. The calling of pastoring is to people, okay?

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All right. And they said people will hurt you.

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And I did not understand the gravity of that. Now, I wouldn't change it. It is

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what it is. I'm all in like full fats on a Cadillac. But that was the biggest thing that caused me to grow because where I used to be, if I didn't if I

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didn't want to mess with somebody, I didn't have to mess with somebody. I could just do me, right? But now I'm pastoring them.

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You could cut them out with a big pair of scissors.

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That's it. You know what I'm saying? But now you can't.

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I can't. I got to love them even when they're mean, even when they judge me, even when they're like, "Oh, you you're this, that, and that." But what it

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taught me was people are imperfect and still need to be loved because there is where they experience

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Jesus. And so I don't get to be buttth hurt or angry or unforgiving. I don't. And that was like, wow.

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Yeah. And I just kept hearing I just kept hearing in in the first year that's what it is to sacrifice.

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And I learned that as Jesus these people talked about Jesus. These people ridiculed Jesus. These people did all these things to Jesus.

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Betrayed him.

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Betrayed him. All these things. And he still gave his life.

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How has becoming a pastor continued to transform you personally? It's brought me u a measure of joy.

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right? That I used to be like my accomplishments brought me joy. Not in an unhealthy way, like uh getting

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enrolled in seminary school, right? Uh coaching, you know what I'm saying? Like coaching Noel soccer team, that stuff brought me

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joy, right? And and now I have a church of people like my spiritual children is what I call them, right? Like I have

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somebody that's been sober for months, right? That we were struggling with. We have uh miracle babies. We we have all

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these things, man. And and these things have just bring me a measure of joy that I'm like, I get to see and be a part of

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these miracles that are happening every day.

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And that just fills me and is like, hey, this is what life is really about. It's not about uh accumulating things for

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self. It's really helping and watch the God move in other people's lives. And it just I mean it gives me a joy that in a

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piece that is crazy these days, man. And and it's just amazing, right? Does it make your eyes water?

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It does. It does. I am a sensitive person. I try not to cry, but like

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I didn't grow up with a family. When we moved to Texas, it was just me, my mom, and my brother. And my mom walked away

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from her family completely. And so now I have this huge kingdom family that and my counselor tells me either you would

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have been like your mom and stayed in that lane real closed off or you would have this you would want a huge family

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right now. Noel is our only son in the house, but we have this church and we are and that's why we're a family, right? Like I tell people all the time,

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hey man, we're a family. We brothers, sister, cousins, drunk uncles, ain't tripping. We all of those right in here.

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And so it it has just brought a joy to my life to be able to do that and be a part of that. Really, I know when I watched that baptism video

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that I sent you, I I cried. I cannot tell you how many times I cried watching. I mean, recording it, I cried.

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And then watching it, I cried. And there's just so much joy I get from watching you baptize people and then the

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dads baptize their children and then husbands baptizing their wives and I've just never seen anything so beautiful.

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So, you missed something though. So, you missed the whole thing in there, right?

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So, think about it like you've been with us since the beginning, right? you were on your journey, right? And you crossed

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over, right, to the to the light side, right? But you invited people to church.

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And one of those children that got baptized was because you invited her mom to our church.

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Oh, I did not even put that together. I just thought, "Oh, the glory is God's." Right? Think about that.

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So, like when you get to heaven, this is what I tell people, and this is something I love. When you get to heaven, there's going to be all these people, right, that Zeta that Zeta

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reached with her story and her testimony and they got saved because of uh her life, they're going to be in your line,

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right? Because that seed, that invite that in the season of life that they're in that you did gave them a space for

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them to encounter God. And now this child, this youth has now given her life to Christ and gotten baptized. That's I mean you didn't even catch it. Look, you

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didn't you were doing a video. You didn't even catch it, man. I was doing what I'm supposed to do. But and here's the thing. I didn't invite him to church.

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Mhm.

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Matter of fact, I didn't invite none of them to church.

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Really? None of those people. Not that's the thing is so beautiful now is that uh we're multiplying because people have

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this vision that God has given uh me and pastor V to just create a place so that they could encounter Jesus. It's insane

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to see what's happening uh there. So one story can affect somebody else's story.

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Yeah. That's what has done it for me. And it's funny, I remember with that gal's mom, walking with her randomly one day, just tell

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tell my story. That was it. That's all I did was share my testimony with her. And that was over a year ago.

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And then they came to church.

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Oh, not only are they at church, she's actually jumping on to serve the youth.

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She's going to serve in some other places. Like she's all in, man. I'm She's sending prayer requests and all the things. And so yeah, it isn't like

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and that's the crazy thing about it and that was our heart. This thing ain't hard. It's share your story. I remember

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reading a book when I was in prison. Uh it's called a walk across a room. It's by Bill Hibbles and he said if you will

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just have that one conversation, if you'll walk across the room and have that one conversation, you do not know how that will impact somebody's life or

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how your life will be impacted. And that's all your story church is all about. It's like, hey man, your story matters and let me just share mine with

23:18

23 minutes, 18 seconds

you and maybe we can connect or maybe you can find a place you could call home. Yeah.

23:23

23 minutes, 23 seconds

And then people end up baptized and saved and all these things.

23:27

23 minutes, 27 seconds

Look at all that. How you're sharing your story has changed people's lives.

23:30

23 minutes, 30 seconds

Oh man, I'm so grateful we had an opportunity to help you share it.

23:34

23 minutes, 34 seconds

Uh has there been a recent moment in your ministry where you saw your past pain become someone else's hope?

23:40

23 minutes, 40 seconds

So it's crazy. I was on the phone with a gentleman today, right? He just starts talking and I'm just listening and and all the things and he goes, "All right, this is what I'm going to do. This is

23:48

23 minutes, 48 seconds

what my day looks like." And I was like, "Hey, is there anything I can do for you? Is there anything I can do for the family?" And he's like, "No, pastor. You just did it. You answered my call.

23:57

23 minutes, 57 seconds

And I needed that. Here's here's the win. I met Fred in prison.

24:03

24 minutes, 3 seconds

I went to speak at a prison to share my testimony to a group of men so that they know so they could know when they got released that their story wasn't over that their mistakes don't define them.

24:13

24 minutes, 13 seconds

He heard that story and upon release came and has been him and his wife had been at your story church ever since. So

24:20

24 minutes, 20 seconds

to be able to see and he's like man like he's like I knew I could call you. I knew I knew I could count on you. And that's just a win, right? because all I

24:28

24 minutes, 28 seconds

did was share my experience of being in prison and how God transformed my life and he's doing the same thing and it's just like on my way over here and my my phone is actually buzzing in my lap.

24:39

24 minutes, 39 seconds

Yeah, I remember that from our first episode. It was constantly.

24:42

24 minutes, 42 seconds

Yes, it's still doing it again. And so a guy is struggling with addiction and and and things and he calls me and he's

24:50

24 minutes, 50 seconds

drunk and he's he's like I just I don't want to do this anymore. But I was able to like call a rehab facility, a friend of mine that I was in the streets with

24:57

24 minutes, 57 seconds

that runs and says, "Hey, go on and apply. They're going to reach out to you. They're going to call you. We're going to get you into a place." I can keep going. We have a guy who has just

25:05

25 minutes, 5 seconds

gotten out of well, he's been out for weeks, maybe a month and a half. He's back working. I've married him and his wife. We're actually doing the ceremony.

25:12

25 minutes, 12 seconds

We have people walking in almost every other week that have seen my testimony on something called the PO app which is by God behind bars where I've shared my

25:21

25 minutes, 21 seconds

testimony inside of prison. So my story, I like to say it's just like gasoline for the fire God has in people's heart.

25:28

25 minutes, 28 seconds

Like they have this desire to change, right? And they hear about it and they're like, "Man, as a matters."

25:36

25 minutes, 36 seconds

Yes. As a matter of fact, um, two weeks ago, I only know because I love the outfit I was wearing, right? The when I

25:44

25 minutes, 44 seconds

was wearing the all black with the green shirt, right?

25:49

25 minutes, 49 seconds

Uh, but I posted a video from Opus and it's like one of my number one

25:58

25 minutes, 58 seconds

videos and I'm talking about relapsing and what happened in this relapse moment of my life and where I was just I wanted

26:07

26 minutes, 7 seconds

to die again. I was a believer and I want to remember that message. So, and this pastor comes and sits with me

26:14

26 minutes, 14 seconds

and then people come but like it's what in that video I mean more people have responded to that video and shared that video than any other video that I've

26:23

26 minutes, 23 seconds

that I've posted because here's the thing is people are out here feeling like they're alone. That's this digital world and I and you obviously know I'm

26:32

26 minutes, 32 seconds

on a tangent about it right now, but like this digital world has unplugged us and they no longer think that there's pain out there. They no longer think

26:39

26 minutes, 39 seconds

that that people are suffering because they see these clips and these glittery sparkly filters of people's lives and

26:46

26 minutes, 46 seconds

they're not authentic real brokenness saying, "Hey, I'm broken. Like I'm hurting." And and so yeah, man, like I

26:53

26 minutes, 53 seconds

think all it is is what people uh relate to most is the pain is what they relate to. the past of my my prison and the

27:01

27 minutes, 1 second

things that I've been to, they relate to that and it can be sometime later that they realize, oh snap, I can do that in me, too.

27:08

27 minutes, 8 seconds

Exactly. It's that shared experience. Yes.

27:11

27 minutes, 11 seconds

I remember sitting at that very first YSC opening day thinking if God can do

27:18

27 minutes, 18 seconds

it for him, he can do it for me. And I wasn't even in prison.

27:24

27 minutes, 24 seconds

She's like, but just all the other things. It may not be prison, but you know, my suffering is just something that looks different.

27:31

27 minutes, 31 seconds

So, I use prison. I was in physical prison, but I tell people all the time, I was in mental and emotional and social prison way before I got locked up in regular prison.

27:41

27 minutes, 41 seconds

And that's what people felt. Sometimes there's a disconnect or I don't like they can't they don't see it. But prison

27:49

27 minutes, 49 seconds

is does not discriminate. It doesn't need walls. It just needs to cause hurt and harm and and keep us from all that

27:55

27 minutes, 55 seconds

God has for us. And so yeah, you ready for your next one? Yep.

28:00

28 minutes

You don't have to answer this one, but you can if you want to.

28:03

28 minutes, 3 seconds

Oh, she has she said, "Okay, maybe I should have had you send these to me first." Hold on.

28:08

28 minutes, 8 seconds

How has your relationship with VNA deepened through this journey of building a church together?

28:17

28 minutes, 17 seconds

All right. Okay. Wait, hold on. Let's back up for a second. So VNA has also been on the show. She was in season two and she shares her testimony. So you're

28:25

28 minutes, 25 seconds

a pastor, she's a pastor. Y'all are married.

28:28

28 minutes, 28 seconds

Um so I just want to put all of that together for our listeners. Um so when I ask him about VNA, we're talking about his wife.

28:36

28 minutes, 36 seconds

And I'm sure working together, living together, all those things can be difficult.

28:43

28 minutes, 43 seconds

So my wife is an amazing person. She's an amazing leader. She leads at her what I would say secular job. She's a dyslexia specialist. She leads a team.

28:54

28 minutes, 54 seconds

We communicate vastly different. And to but to be honest, it has grown.

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29 minutes, 1 second

But also to be honest, I've fumbled the ball a bunch. Like I still fumble the ball, right? Because she does work a full-time job and carries insurance and

29:09

29 minutes, 9 seconds

does these things that we need in order to do ministry. Oddly enough, I'm not the best communicator of my plans and ideas and I kind of just

29:18

29 minutes, 18 seconds

run and dump things on her last minute, but we have really learned why God allowed us to be married. She is my

29:25

29 minutes, 25 seconds

better half by far. Uh she compliments me in ways like I always forget something and she always remembers it.

29:31

29 minutes, 31 seconds

But more importantly, she gives me a space to be me in a world where I'm sometimes not safe with my brokenness

29:40

29 minutes, 40 seconds

and my hurt and the things that happen to me. Um, she's there and vice versa.

29:46

29 minutes, 46 seconds

We have realized that what it is to be a husband and wife. See, a lot of times

29:54

29 minutes, 54 seconds

people uh husbands and wives both allow friends and family and people to have a

30:01

30 minutes, 1 second

louder voice than they should and they forget that the loudest voice really the only voice should be your spouses and

30:10

30 minutes, 10 seconds

gods that dictates your movement. And now we've come to this place where we can just be so 100 with each other and

30:17

30 minutes, 17 seconds

know that hey, she loves me and she knows that I love her. And so it is something that I prayed for in my

30:25

30 minutes, 25 seconds

darkest nights that God has blessed me with. And so yeah, it's it's good. Now she might be like, "He's crazy. He's still tripping." Like she loves you.

30:35

30 minutes, 35 seconds

That's my boo thing. That's my spicy Latina, man. You playing games.

30:40

30 minutes, 40 seconds

Well, I appreciate that. Y'all set such a good example of of what a relationship a husband and wife.

30:45

30 minutes, 45 seconds

People say that and we're like, "Do they not realize we be fighting?" Like somebody like oddly enough. Uh somebody's like, "Do y'all even fight?"

30:53

30 minutes, 53 seconds

And I I asked them. I was like, "Do they come to church?" I asked them. I was like, "You were here. Did you not tell we weren't even

31:01

31 minutes, 1 second

talking to each other?" Like, and they're like, "No." And I was like, "Oh, you're so so naive." Like, but I'm like I'm like, "Yes." It's like

31:10

31 minutes, 10 seconds

we we argue, we fight, we we do these things, but we also know that we love each other and we're called together and that there's nowhere else we're supposed

31:17

31 minutes, 17 seconds

to be. So, be rolling.

31:20

31 minutes, 20 seconds

And I think for someone like myself who has abandonment issues, like watching that you're together no matter what, you're going to work it out

31:29

31 minutes, 29 seconds

and and that's not even on the table is super helpful to see that I know y'all fight, but you're gonna stay together and there's no alternative.

31:37

31 minutes, 37 seconds

None. Uh, and I think I learned from from watching you all too, as you said, was God first, spouse second. And that's

31:44

31 minutes, 44 seconds

not the way it used to be in my marriage. I I know now looking back pre being baptized and finding your story church and finding Jesus and all things.

31:53

31 minutes, 53 seconds

I always put Wesson first. So, I'm super grateful for that.

31:58

31 minutes, 58 seconds

Well, awesome. Awesome. And we No, we didn't start there, right? We we we knew one thing. We knew that God brought us together. So, we

32:06

32 minutes, 6 seconds

both were chasing God. But I if I I would go listen to V's story and you'll kind of understand, but you know, her

32:14

32 minutes, 14 seconds

and Noel's relationship was like top priority and we barely knew each other when we got married. So, there was this

32:21

32 minutes, 21 seconds

dynamic and we just we just worked our way to that point that okay, he's going somewhere one day.

32:30

32 minutes, 30 seconds

Mhm.

32:31

32 minutes, 31 seconds

We ain't. And if we want God to move, we need to be on one accord. we need to be the same. We need to be this needs to be first. And so that's what we we try to

32:40

32 minutes, 40 seconds

live out uh to the best of our abilities.

32:42

32 minutes, 42 seconds

Webb and I have that same situation where Weston was with me before I even met Webb. So we have that same sort of

32:50

32 minutes, 50 seconds

situation going on and it was different and it was an adjustment and it and it is and it's natural, right? You have to go through it. But

32:58

32 minutes, 58 seconds

the great thing is when you can go when you go through it and you're able to look back and be like, "Okay, now I see." It removes a lot of conflict, right?

33:09

33 minutes, 9 seconds

And so, yeah, we've grown in so many ways. It's It's crazy. How long have y'all been married now? We got married in 20. So, six years.

33:18

33 minutes, 18 seconds

August August 20th will be six. I need to I got to figure out something. I got to figure out something to do. What's coming?

33:25

33 minutes, 25 seconds

Mhm. August 20th is our anniversary.

33:27

33 minutes, 27 seconds

Anyway, okay. Next question. Are there moments now where you can see yourself in people walking through the doors of church? Well, meaning like, can you see your old self and people walking in?

33:38

33 minutes, 38 seconds

Oh, listen. Oh my god. Yes. Yes. And yes, and yes. And I And it's funny cuz I'll I'll like uh have um V will be

33:47

33 minutes, 47 seconds

there or somebody there and I'll be like, "Hey, they're struggling." Like I can see it. I can sense it. Like I know

33:54

33 minutes, 54 seconds

that weight, that look, that that that just that demeanor. I see it and and I'm like, man, I'm glad they made it. Like

34:03

34 minutes, 3 seconds

cuz there's a key when I made it across that threshold. It wasn't all perfect that day, but I kept coming back and I kept making it. And and for me, it's a

34:12

34 minutes, 12 seconds

reminder like, uh, ain't no going back, homie. Like, I don't want to feel that again. And how can I help them not feel

34:21

34 minutes, 21 seconds

that? because I know where they're at. I know what that dark space is. I know what it is to feel like there's I don't have a chance in the world. I know what

34:30

34 minutes, 30 seconds

it is to uh feel like that the my world is ending and I don't want to live. And and so yeah, I see it. It's why we

34:37

34 minutes, 37 seconds

created your story church because I know it takes an encounter. Do you know who Ed Millet is?

34:45

34 minutes, 45 seconds

So he is quite a famous author and podcaster. uh his dad was an alcoholic and he wrote a book called the power of

34:52

34 minutes, 52 seconds

one which is the idea of even if your story helps one person that was that's it because the magnitudes of people who

35:00

35 minutes

can be helped with that one story moving forward he has a quote something to the effect of you're best equipped to help

35:08

35 minutes, 8 seconds

the person you used to be I see that at your story church continuously not even with you but other

35:15

35 minutes, 15 seconds

people in the congregation who share share their stories. There was a man on the podcast, Paul, last season that

35:22

35 minutes, 22 seconds

shared his testimony that I know just touches people all the time. I remember listening to him tell a story thinking, "Yeah, that's that's what we do here at

35:31

35 minutes, 31 seconds

your story church is share our testimony with people.

35:34

35 minutes, 34 seconds

We are saved by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Our testimony will create space for people

35:42

35 minutes, 42 seconds

to experience the blood." Okay, so let's circle back around to baptisms last Sunday.

35:48

35 minutes, 48 seconds

You said that to everyone with a man who didn't want anybody to know he'd been in prison.

35:54

35 minutes, 54 seconds

Well, you know, um, when I was on stage, I was talking about, "Hey, I know you didn't raise your hand." And he was who

36:02

36 minutes, 2 seconds

I was talking about. So, when he comes out, I was like, "Bro, I was talking to you on stage." He goes,

36:10

36 minutes, 10 seconds

"I know. I don't want nobody to know, man. I don't want him to judge me that I've been to prison." And I told him, I literally just stopped and I said, "By

36:17

36 minutes, 17 seconds

the power of the blood and the word of your testimony." And so he went and let like that was it. That was my whole conversation with him. And he went and

36:26

36 minutes, 26 seconds

like got his baptism stuff and bam. And he comes out and he's like, "Man, I've been to prison." I was like, "Bro, I ain't tell you just to air your business out."

36:35

36 minutes, 35 seconds

Then talked about his addictions. I'm like, "Good job you." Oh, he like he was fighting it and and we got him in and he

36:43

36 minutes, 43 seconds

had this radical coin encounter with Jesus while he was there. Like he was had been coming to church.

36:47

36 minutes, 47 seconds

I was going to say he's been around a long time and hadn't had an encounter, right? Like but he was kept coming, man. And and this is like I'm meeting with him, him

36:55

36 minutes, 55 seconds

and his wife and he just tripped out and I got him into a plate and I remember going to visit him and he would like he would tell me he's like, "Are you mad at me?" And I'm like, "I'm not mad at you.

37:04

37 minutes, 4 seconds

I love you, bro." He's like, "Man, you know, thank you. you don't have to do this. I was like, I'm not going anywhere. You're not alone.

37:10

37 minutes, 10 seconds

And a couple about a month and a half, two months in to his time at the facility, just an encounter uh took over. And I'm friends with the director

37:19

37 minutes, 19 seconds

of the facility. And he called me and was like, "Hey, we're releasing him.

37:24

37 minutes, 24 seconds

He's he's ready to go home." And I was like, "No, he ain't. He got to do the whole year. I'm not playing no games." Like, "No." And he's like, "No, he's good. He's good." And I'm like, "Man,

37:32

37 minutes, 32 seconds

and he's gotten out. He's on fire." Like I meet with him three times a week. We work out together. I disciple him.

37:40

37 minutes, 40 seconds

Yeah. I I like I see so much of myself.

37:42

37 minutes, 42 seconds

He'd been to prison. He was struggling with some things. And man, now to see him on fire and like we're doing their ceremony this Saturday night. And I told

37:50

37 minutes, 50 seconds

him, "Why Saturday night, bro? I got to preach on Sunday. You playing games." But it's just But you see that back and forth, that struggle of your saved, but that doesn't

37:59

37 minutes, 59 seconds

mean that you got Yeah. No, not at all. And and if people could realize that and understand and normalize it's okay to get like

38:08

38 minutes, 8 seconds

things are going to happen whether you make a mistake or it happens to you not of your own fault. It's going to happen.

38:15

38 minutes, 15 seconds

What what you have to realize or what you have to do is put yourself in a community that you can be real with. Yeah. For sure.

38:22

38 minutes, 22 seconds

Right. And when you have that it's a game changer when you know you can pick up the phone and call somebody and they're not going to judge you. And I and I just had this conversation with

38:29

38 minutes, 29 seconds

somebody yesterday like I said if you feel like they're gonna judge you don't call them call us. Yeah. That's really good good advice.

38:37

38 minutes, 37 seconds

Good wisdom. Maybe not advice because we don't give advice on the show but wisdom.

38:40

38 minutes, 40 seconds

Wisdom. Yeah. Because then you know you're safe and and and when people realize that life change can happen.

38:48

38 minutes, 48 seconds

I love that. You know when he baptized his wife I just burst into tears. Yeah man. Be good.

38:53

38 minutes, 53 seconds

I think that's the best part. I love your sermons, but watching people get baptized is my favorite part.

38:58

38 minutes, 58 seconds

Oh, you see transformation in the moment. Yeah.

39:01

39 minutes, 1 second

Right. That's a step for them that they feel like this is locking in this thing I've had in my heart and I've been trying to walk out. This is that step to

39:10

39 minutes, 10 seconds

say I'm all in. I remember getting baptized in 2011 like like it was yesterday. And here is the crazy thing.

39:19

39 minutes, 19 seconds

The pastor looked at me and said that you're going to reach people that I could never reach and I didn't realize it. And now this

39:27

39 minutes, 27 seconds

church, that same church is my sending church, right? And they reach a whole different people group than we reach

39:35

39 minutes, 35 seconds

right down the I mean we are off the same highway, but that same church is this church that sent me to do this.

39:43

39 minutes, 43 seconds

Wow. That's a whole another story.

39:45

39 minutes, 45 seconds

It's funny. I was just talking to my sister about that. So, let's let's side by my sister for a minute. She has been my one person that I pray about all the time. I just wanted her to find Jesus.

39:54

39 minutes, 54 seconds

And she's found Jesus. Correct.

39:56

39 minutes, 56 seconds

She has. She has. Man, what a blessing to have my sister back. I never thought that that's what would come out of all of this. There you go.

40:03

40 minutes, 3 seconds

I Man, I'm just so happy. She's one of those the obnoxious Hey, I'm She's You. I swear she's the one going around putting sticky notes on

40:12

40 minutes, 12 seconds

everybody. She's telling everybody. I'm like, "Let's calm down." Yeah. Listen, it'll be all right, everybody. You ain't got to try to save the world right now. That's what I was trying to tell her.

40:19

40 minutes, 19 seconds

That's so funny.

40:20

40 minutes, 20 seconds

Yeah, it it is. Uh, but you know, we were talking about that same thing is like your story is going to affect people who need to hear it. My

40:28

40 minutes, 28 seconds

story is going to affect people that need to hear it. And our stories are not the same for a reason.

40:33

40 minutes, 33 seconds

Exactly. I didn't grow up on this side of town or that side of town or this kind of neighborhood or these kind of parents or these kind of life experiences. I have mine

40:41

40 minutes, 41 seconds

and I share it and there are people who can relate to that. And I told V when we before we planted, I said, "Listen,

40:48

40 minutes, 48 seconds

my my story is like the um starter for your story, church. I'm just the starter. We got We need a good like Oh,

40:57

40 minutes, 57 seconds

I used to have a 76 Nova, right? And that thing I remember cranking that thing up, right? Like and that thing would start up, man. And

41:05

41 minutes, 5 seconds

and it was crazy. You didn't even need a key to start that thing. That's how bad that's how old and ba that bad boy that starter was. It's going to start." And

41:13

41 minutes, 13 seconds

and so I said, you know, that's my story. It's going to start this thing and this this movement of God. And then I said, "Your story is going to be that

41:20

41 minutes, 20 seconds

engine that's going to carry us." And I said, "Then there's going to be other stories. That's going to be the fuel and the windshield wipers and the wheels." I

41:28

41 minutes, 28 seconds

said, "And then all of a sudden, my story is just this little piece that's up under the hood somewhere." And that even if like old school car, you realize

41:38

41 minutes, 38 seconds

that sometimes it doesn't even need a starter because if you push it and you put it in neutral and roll and you pop that clutch,

41:45

41 minutes, 45 seconds

it's going to go. And I said, but I said it's the beautiful thing is is my story isn't going to always be the reason why

41:52

41 minutes, 52 seconds

your story church exists. It's going to be all the other stories. And that's the win. That is the win. That's the win.

42:00

42 minutes

Next question. Since founding your story church, what has been one of the biggest blessings?

42:06

42 minutes, 6 seconds

The biggest blessing has been over 600 salvations, over 100 baptisms,

42:14

42 minutes, 14 seconds

and sharing the gospel to thousands of people. I grew up in that neighborhood in those streets

42:22

42 minutes, 22 seconds

from a child to an adult struggling with all aspects of life. and that I get to go back and like try to add value and

42:31

42 minutes, 31 seconds

God is doing it, right? He is using me to do impactful things, right? And that is the blessing that I was able to make an impact and not leave it like it was.

42:41

42 minutes, 41 seconds

And I get to do it with people I love.

42:43

42 minutes, 43 seconds

Like it's not I'm not solo dooo ripping and running. I I remember in one of your episodes you talked about how you used to be a taker.

42:52

42 minutes, 52 seconds

Mhm. I used to be a consumer.

42:54

42 minutes, 54 seconds

Consumer. That was it. a consumer. I just took and I need I took and I took and I'm talking from my pastor from leaders from me. I just took I just took

43:02

43 minutes, 2 seconds

and took and took and now I get to be a contributor to the kingdom. That was it.

43:06

43 minutes, 6 seconds

I for me that's a sweet spot when we start to empty. God starts to fill. And so it's no longer Dell consuming.

43:15

43 minutes, 15 seconds

It's God filling and I'm pouring out.

43:17

43 minutes, 17 seconds

And and it's just a beautiful thing when you go from consumer to contributor because you're no longer consuming. God is filling.

43:25

43 minutes, 25 seconds

Last question we have for you today.

43:27

43 minutes, 27 seconds

What new boounds have emerged in your life since the founding of your story? And the boons are the winds, right? The winds, the blessings.

43:34

43 minutes, 34 seconds

Like family, the relationships that we didn't have before that we have now. Yeah. You got web.

43:40

43 minutes, 40 seconds

I got web. He wouldn't even come in and listen to worship. Now he's like helping run nothing. Like it's crazy how God works. And it is it's it's those

43:47

43 minutes, 47 seconds

relationships and in time we get to like uh hang out with people now. And we didn't have that before. And that's what

43:57

43 minutes, 57 seconds

we that's why we planted your story church for us. And now those are h happening. And that's a win for life.

44:03

44 minutes, 3 seconds

And now I was an absent father. And I have our church is an average of 240 people on a Sunday. And those are all my

44:11

44 minutes, 11 seconds

spiritual children. God has a way of just taking what's broken and putting this twist on it and saying, "Look at this. You just do what I asked you to

44:20

44 minutes, 20 seconds

do." Right? And and so that's so and to see my daughter and my grandchildren and my exwife,

44:28

44 minutes, 28 seconds

my daughter's mom come to church and ask for Bibles and man and I baptized I

44:35

44 minutes, 35 seconds

baptized her son from another marriage like but so these winds are like Darnell like

44:42

44 minutes, 42 seconds

God is not God is leaning down every Sunday

44:49

44 minutes, 49 seconds

and saying good and faithful servant because I've made the relationships. My life is uh so much fuller than it's ever

44:58

44 minutes, 58 seconds

been and all I'm doing is pouring out and I get to live the life that I asked God for. It's one big boom. One big boon.

45:05

45 minutes, 5 seconds

One big boom. One big boom. Right for both of us, man. See, look at God.

45:10

45 minutes, 10 seconds

I You know, I think back all the time about starting this podcast and how God popped you right into my life.

45:17

45 minutes, 17 seconds

God said, "I got you." You thought you was just doing this, huh? I got plans.

45:21

45 minutes, 21 seconds

And so that's shifting to moving. Shifting to moving.

45:24

45 minutes, 24 seconds

All right. Well, that's how God works.

45:25

45 minutes, 25 seconds

I truly appreciate you coming back and having this catch up conversation with with me. Come on.

45:31

45 minutes, 31 seconds

It's so nice to hear how much your life has transformed and how you're continue to transform the lives of so many people

45:38

45 minutes, 38 seconds

around you. Thank you again. We appreciate it. Thank you. You want to pray us out again?

45:42

45 minutes, 42 seconds

Yep. All right. Dear heavenly father, most gracious God, uh we just ask that you take this episode, we ask that you take this podcast, Father, and that you

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45 minutes, 49 seconds

put it on the ears and eyes of somebody who needs to hear a story, who needs to know that you're not done with them, Father. And so God, we just ask uh that

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45 minutes, 58 seconds

you just add the increase to viewers, that you add the increase to people whose lives are impacted uh by just sharing your story because ultimately

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46 minutes, 7 seconds

that is what it is. We are just characters in your story uh that you are using to change the world, father. So continue to do what only you can do.

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46 minutes, 15 seconds

Continue to be God. Continue to love us and guide us and protect us. We love you and praise you in Jesus name. Amen.

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46 minutes, 23 seconds

Amen. Thank you. You're welcome.

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46 minutes, 25 seconds

Donell, thank you so much for coming back and sharing the next chapter of your journey with us. It's powerful to see how your story continues unfolding

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46 minutes, 32 seconds

and now helps to bring hope and healing to other people. To our listeners, thank you for joining us for the beginning of season 3 of the Monomat Diaries. If

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46 minutes, 40 seconds

Donella's story resonated with you and you're looking for similar journeys of redemption and transformation, be sure to listen to Paul's story from season 2.

46:48

46 minutes, 48 seconds

Another powerful journey of healing and redemption connected to your story church. Or listen to Tyler's story, also from season 2, which offers a beautiful

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46 minutes, 55 seconds

female perspective on resilience, transformation, and hope. Please share this episode with someone who may need a reminder that no matter where they've

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47 minutes, 2 seconds

been, their story matters. And be sure to join us next week as we continue season 3 with Melissa's journey, a powerful conversation about healing,

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47 minutes, 10 seconds

growth, and the unexpected way transformation unfolds over time. We'll see you next week on the Monmouth Diaries. Thanks for joining us on the

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47 minutes, 17 seconds

Monomyth Diaries. If this episode resonated with you or someone you know, we'd love for you to share it and help spread the inspiration. Don't forget to

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47 minutes, 24 seconds

follow us wherever you listen to your podcasts or on YouTube to never miss an episode. If you have a moment, we'd also appreciate a rating and review. It helps

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47 minutes, 32 seconds

us reach more people with stories of transformation, healing, and growth. You can visit us at monomyth diaries.com or text us directly through the show notes

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47 minutes, 40 seconds

to connect, share your thoughts, and keep the conversation going. And if you have a story of transformation you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you. Until next time, heroes, let's journey together through our monomyths