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"I grew up stirring the mash... that kid grew up and is getting to preach the gospel today."

In this concluding session of Followed by Mercy, Austin Gardner and Pastor Rickey Howard dive deep into what it means to truly "change your story." Rickey opens up about his heritage—from a moonshining family to a life of legalism and "goofball" mistakes—to the radical freedom of living under the "umbrella of grace."

If you’ve ever felt like you’ve wasted too much time or that your past is too "broken" to be useful, this conversation will challenge you to stop seeing yourself as a victim and start seeing the Giants through the eyes of the two spies who knew God was bigger.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Plane Crash Metaphor: Why the worst thing that can happen (death) is actually the best thing for a believer.
• Victim vs. Victorious: How to stop lying to yourself about your past and start redeeming your story.
• Redeeming the Time: Moving from "wasting time" on overtime and sports to "investing time" in eternal outcomes.
• The "Get To" Mindset: Why serving God isn't a chore we "have" to do, but a privilege we "get" to do.
• The Storefront Miracle: How God put a diverse group of people together in a storefront church behind a Taco Bell to do something eternal.

Connect with us:

• Alignment Ministries: https://alignmentministries.com
• Austin Gardner's Writings: https://waustingardner.com
• Followed by Mercy Substack: https://waustingardner.substack.com

#Testimony #RickeyHoward #FollowedByMercy #AustinGardner #Grace #GospelTransformation #Ministry #FromMoonshineToMinistry

Updated Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Intro: A legacy of moonshining and prison.
• 04:42 – Moving out of the "rubbish" of your past.
• 07:59 – Is brokenness an excuse or a platform?
• 14:37 – The first step to getting out: Stop making excuses.
• 23:33 – Can you be free, or are you just managing the pain?
• 25:31 – Can God really redeem your story?
• 30:13 – The Plane Crash: Why we don't have to fear the "worst-case scenario."
• 31:38 – Changing the Story: Why Rickey isn't a victim anymore.
• 33:12 – Redeeming the Time: Learning from wasted years and misplaced priorities.
• 35:04 – "Get To" vs. "Have To": The love of Christ as our constraint.
• 36:31 – The Moonshiner’s Grandkid: From stirring the mash to preaching the Gospel.
• 37:21 – The Storefront Church: God’s grace behind a Taco Bell.

Thanks for listening. Find us on YouTube, Substack, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.