Wild Obedience Man

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 45b

Title: Update: The Ripple Effect of Our Work in Sierra Leone

Link to check out the work we are doing: https://gofundme.com/savefreetown

Description:

As I wrap up today’s episode, I wanted to share an incredible update from my call with Said yesterday. We’ve been working on the Safe Freetown initiative to fight the Kush epidemic, and the ripple effects are already visible. Four people from a recent university event have reached out for treatment at the Kissy Treatment Center. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress. Even more exciting, Said and I have been brainstorming ways to provide jobs for these young men post-rehabilitation, and we’re considering starting a bakery. This episode is a celebration of the small but significant wins we’re seeing in real-time.

I talk about:

• The ripple effect from a recent community event
• The first few people reaching out for rehab post-event
• The idea of starting a bakery to employ young men recovering from addiction
• How your donations are making a difference in the lives of these young men
• The faith and obedience it takes to stay the course

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction and reflections on a conversation with Said

01:30 – Update: Four university students have reached out for help with addiction

03:00 – Exploring the idea of a bakery to help employ young men post-recovery

04:00 – The symbolic power of providing bread and water to the village

05:30 – Update on funding and GoFundMe progress

06:30 – The importance of staying faithful and trusting God through the process

🧠 Core Takeaway:

Small acts of obedience can create ripple effects that lead to lasting change. We’re seeing the fruit of our labors, and all glory goes to God.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #45b — From prayer to progress, God is showing up in ways that only He can.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 45

Title: I’m just going at the pace of life right now

Description:

It’s June 26 and I’m recording this from my parents-in-law’s office in Cincinnati. It’s 95 degrees, humid, and I’m about to jump in the pool with my son before heading to Washington Park to meet Jason and Sarah from Mercy Ships. This episode is just a check-in. I reflect on the tension between wanting to launch everything and realizing that life’s pace right now demands something slower, something more faithful. My wife and I are finally on the same page, which changes everything.

I talk about:

• Uploading all the recent Charleston and Cincinnati episodes
• Meeting Jason and Sarah from Mercy Ships at Washington Park
• Trying to live and launch Crumb slowly and faithfully
• The comedy of my attempted full launch two weeks ago
• Sharing parenting duties and managing time realistically
• A mysterious call from a 304 number
• Praying that this project brings anyone who touches it closer to Christ

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – Recording from the in-laws’ office before pool time

02:00 – Reflections on Crumb’s “failed” launch attempt two weeks ago

03:45 – Reality of being a full-time dad while visiting family

05:15 – Wife’s support changing the launch pressure

06:50 – Honoring vacation with digital rest and daily obedience

08:30 – Google Voice mystery call and open invitation to connect

09:30 – Upcoming family presentation on 10 months in Africa

🧠 Core Takeaway:

I’m walking by faith, not sight—and learning not to force what God hasn’t timed.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #45 — If this ever proves anything, let it prove I trusted God more than the grind.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 44f

Title: Nothing Makes Sense Out Here

Description:

It’s 10:23 p.m. on June 26th, just getting back from another homeless outreach night with the Love City crew. We went from the emergency shelter in Northern Kentucky to multiple camps near the Bengals stadium—Lynn Street, Gest Street, under bridges, makeshift bike shops, and fire-scorched tents. I met Cliff, who OD’d and came back to life, sold everything, and walked from Michigan to Cincinnati quoting scripture. I sat in the dirt next to him listening like he was a preacher. Tonight was chaotic, beautiful, heavy, and sacred.

I talk about:

• Meeting Cliff, who died and came back—then walked hundreds of miles
• Revisiting William, who jumped off a garage and survived again
• Sitting in a camp that smelled like urine while someone quoted Scripture
• Hearing “I Can Only Imagine” sung under a bridge—then hearing the same man cuss out loud
• Families living together homeless under the radar for years
• Why nothing makes sense out here—and why I keep showing up
• God’s presence in the madness, and how He meets me more than I meet others

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – Back in the car, decompressing after outreach

01:45 – Cliff’s story: overdose, resurrection, scripture, and a dirt-floor sermon

03:40 – The paradox: gospel in one breath, blasphemy in the next

05:10 – William’s update and the weight of guilt, drugs, and fatherhood

07:15 – The streets don’t make sense: brilliance, brokenness, and everything between

10:00 – Why I go: not to be a savior, but because Jesus compels me

12:00 – “What you did for the least of these, you did for Me"

📖 Scriptures Referenced:

• Matthew 25:35–40 – “Whatever you did for one of the least of these… you did for Me”

🧠 Core Takeaway:

Jesus meets you in the camps, in the chaos, and in the dirt—often more than you meet Him in comfort.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #44f — I show up to serve, but every time, God ends up serving me more.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 44e

Title: You Just Never Know What They’ve Seen

Description:

It’s my third week in a row doing homeless outreach, and today I met William—who jumped off a four-story parking garage twice while on drugs and survived. We prayed together, and I’m hoping to help him get into the Salvation Army house in Norwood next week. I also ran into Kevin again, who’s now told me he’s seen 27 people die in front of him. This is a short one, but I needed to document it—to remind all of us what people out here are carrying.

I talk about:

• William’s story of jumping off a garage twice and surviving
• Our prayer together and plans for him to enter rehab
• Running into Kevin again and hearing more of his trauma
• The horrific things these men have seen—suicide, murder, addiction
• Why homeless ministry is unpredictable and essential
• A reminder that you just never know what someone’s been through

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – Homeless outreach: week three, and today was heavy

00:40 – William’s survival story and prayer for a future

01:25 – Kevin’s story: 27 deaths, friends lost to suicide and violence

02:15 – “You see why they’re on drugs. You see why they’re broken.”

03:00 – Compassion for the overlooked and wounded on the streets

📖 Scriptures Referenced:

(None quoted or referenced)

🧠 Core Takeaway:

You have no idea what people—especially the homeless—have seen. Show compassion.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #44e — You just never know what they’ve been through out here, man.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 44d

Title: We See You, Working Man

Description:

This one’s short and from the heart. I was listening to “Working Man” by Larry Fleet, and it took me back to a moment a year and a half ago when my sister gave me that song’s lyrics in a frame—and I broke down in the car. I share what I was going through then: the exhaustion, the early mornings, the secret addiction, and the crushing pressure of providing. If you’re carrying more than you think you can bear, this one’s for you.

I talk about:

• Crying over the lyrics to “Working Man” when I needed it most
• The pressure of 4 a.m. mornings, three kids, and a high-stakes job
• Secretly coping with stress through weed edibles while undiagnosed with ADHD
• Why I keep that framed lyric as a reminder of how far God’s brought me
• A word of encouragement to men grinding in silence
• Why your effort isn’t in vain, even when it feels invisible

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – “I don’t know who needs to hear this…”

00:40 – Larry Fleet’s lyrics hit me hard in the passenger seat

02:15 – Hidden addiction, undiagnosed ADHD, and nonstop pressure

04:00 – “You’re not alone. You’re seen. And it does get better.”

05:10 – A call to keep going—and go listen to the song “Working Man”

📖 Scriptures Referenced:

(None quoted or referenced)

🧠 Core Takeaway:

Even if no one sees what you’re carrying—God does. And it’s not in vain.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #44d — If you’re worn to the bone and still showing up, we see you.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 44c

Title: The Beauty We Just Heard Solved Everything

Description:

It’s 12:54 p.m. on June 21st. Krystal and I are walking the grounds of Magnolia Plantation, right after the gospel concert you’ll hear in the next episode. This short reflection captures what we were feeling in real time—how art, suffering, history, and beauty collided into something holy. Krystal joins me for a rare recorded moment, and what she shares about spiritual longing and beauty hit me deep.

I talk about:

• The moment the gospel singer mentioned Sierra Leone right after we did
• Crying for 40 minutes straight during the concert
• Why this moment reminded me of how much fighting we carry
• Krystal’s reflection on creativity, beauty, and spiritual longing
• The undeniable witness of enslaved people singing to God
• How music from suffering still preaches the gospel

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – Recording in the woods, post-concert, raw and unscripted

00:35 – The Sierra Leone connection that made the moment feel sacred

01:20 – “Why are we fighting again?” – tears and healing through harmony

02:10 – Krystal: “The answer to all suffering is beauty, creativity, and connection to God”

03:00 – A short, simple close to a moment we’ll never forget

📖 Scriptures Referenced:

(None quoted directly, but themes echo deep biblical truths)

🧠 Core Takeaway:

When voices cry out from the soil of suffering and still sing to God, it proves His presence.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #44c — What we just heard solved all of it: the ache, the need, the war inside.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 44b

Title: That Gospel Concert Broke Me Open

Description:

This is the raw audio recording from the gospel concert my wife and I attended in Charleston—a Juneteenth celebration on the grounds of a former plantation, under the shadow of slave cabins, with voices that stopped time. They sang spirituals, hymns, and encoded slave songs that shook the air with power. You’ll hear the choir, the clapping, the call and response, the testimony I gave, and the anointing that was undeniable. We were surrounded by strangers and yet fully seen.

I talk about:

• Sitting in front of slave cabins while a gospel choir sang about freedom
• The moment they sang “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and explained its coded origin
• Why Luke 10:19 marked the turning point in my walk with God
• My personal testimony of addiction, bankruptcy, and redemption shared live
• Charleston’s gospel legacy and its collision with our life in Sierra Leone
• The choir’s spontaneous songs based on shouted-out Bible verses
• Meeting new friends afterward and connecting over mission, music, and mercy

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – “Oh Happy Day” welcomes the crowd into a living history of faith

06:35 – Slave spirituals explained: musical theology born from suffering

12:10 – “Swing Low” as a code for the Underground Railroad

18:15 – Live testimonies, including mine: Luke 10:19, Leo’s birth, God’s fingerprints

22:45 – Choir improvises Scripture songs from Isaiah and Luke—pure anointing

28:50 – Final song: “It’s Good For You to Be Here”—a word that lingered

31:30 – Post-concert connection: Boston, Cincinnati, science, singing, and Mercy Ships

📖 Scriptures Referenced:

• Isaiah 40:31 – “They shall mount up with wings as eagles…”
• Luke 10:19 – “I give you power to trample on snakes and scorpions…”

🧠 Core Takeaway:

Songs born in suffering still carry the Spirit—and sometimes, healing comes in harmony when history, testimony, and worship collide.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #44b — I didn’t expect a gospel concert to turn into a spiritual encounter, but God knew I needed this.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 44a

Title: We Needed This Trip

Description:

It’s early morning, June 25th, walking through my parents’ neighborhood in Cincinnati after flying back from Charleston. This confessional is a full reflection on the trip my wife and I just took—four days of restoration, deep connection, and divine alignment. I share what made it so impactful for our marriage, what broke me open spiritually, and how God used every detail—food, gospel choirs, even vision sessions—to realign us. There’s more to come, but this one sets the stage.

I talk about:

• Our marriage finally getting a four-day stretch of kid-free time
• The best food trip we’ve ever had—scallops, swordfish, and double breakfasts
• The Juneteenth gospel concert on the plantation that broke me in the best way
• Our vision session using ChatGPT and Post-it notes to realign our futur
• How “Half the Sky” and CRUMB are now part of a shared Kingdom mission
• The cultural and spiritual collision of Charleston and Sierra Leone
• Why this trip confirmed that God still has His hand on our marriage and mission

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – Walking through my childhood neighborhood, post-trip glow

04:45 – Food memories and vacation philosophy (“It’s vacation, don’t worry about money”)

09:40 – Marriage context: different personalities, faith as foundation, learning to enjoy each other

16:10 – Magnolia Plantation + the gospel concert that moved us to tears

23:20 – The spiritual moment during a slave hymn that connected to my testimony

29:15 – A marriage healed and realigned—vision sessions, Post-its, and purpose

37:00 – CRUMB + Half the Sky: Kingdom assignments clarified

43:00 – Charleston’s deep link to Sierra Leone and slavery history

50:05 – Bonus memory: Civil War cannons, great tour guides, and kids’ Charleston souvenirs

📖 Scriptures Referenced:

(None explicitly quoted, but spiritual reflections are woven throughout)

🧠 Core Takeaway:

A single week of uninterrupted time can restore what a whole year of chaos tried to erode—God used this trip to realign our hearts, marriage, and mission.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #44a — My wife and I are equally yoked, and God’s hand is still on this.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 43c

Title: Does God want me to chill bro… or hustle hard?



Description:

It’s a breezy morning and I’m multitasking—recording and asking ChatGPT if Scripture backs rest or hustle. This episode is me live-processing a tension I constantly face: when to grind for the Kingdom and when to wait on God. I pull up verses, reflect on rhythms of Jesus, and try to answer the question honestly. I end by choosing stillness over striving—at least for today.

I talk about:

• Whether Scripture supports “just chill bro” or “holy hustle”
• Biblical patterns of rest, waiting, and stillness
• Kingdom grind: diligence and obedience vs. self-glorifying busyness
• When hustle becomes idolatry and when rest becomes disobedience
• The difference between moving from sonship vs. hustling for worth
• Using seasons and spiritual discernment to choose the right pace
• Why I think God is telling me to slow down right now

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – Recording while chatting with ChatGPT about rest vs. hustle

02:40 – “Be still and know…” vs. “Whatever you do, work heartily…”

06:15 – Biblical examples of both rhythms: Paul’s hustle, Jesus’s rest

09:20 – “Rest recalibrates your identity. Hustle applies your obedience.”

13:00 – How to discern your season: planting, pruning, or harvest?

16:20 – The test: am I escaping obedience or embodying trust?

18:45 – Wrapping with a personal confession: I need to slow down today

📖 Scriptures Referenced:

• Exodus 20:10 – “Remember the Sabbath day…”
• Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God”
• Isaiah 30:15 – “In quietness and trust is your strength…”
• Mark 6:31 – “Come away by yourselves and rest a while”
• Hebrews 4:10–11 – “Anyone who enters God’s rest…”
• Colossians 3:23 – “Work heartily as for the Lord…”
• 1 Corinthians 15:10 – “I worked harder than all of them…”
• 2 Thessalonians 3:10–12 – “If anyone is not willing to work…”
• Galatians 6:9 – “Do not grow weary in doing good…”
• Luke 5:16 – “Jesus often withdrew…”
• Matthew 3:17 – “This is my Son, whom I love…”
• John 5:19 – “The Son can do nothing by Himself…”

🧠 Core Takeaway:

Rest without mission becomes passivity. Hustle without rest becomes idolatry. Rhythm is the key.

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #43c — If I’m hustling for worth, I need to rest… if I’m moving from worth, let’s go.

🎙️ Crumb Confessional — Episode 43b

Title: What actually prevents people from looking at Jesus?

Description:

Recorded on the road before a coffee with my brother, this is a stream-of-consciousness ramble about truth, instability, and the brilliance of Christ. I reflect on a YouTube clip about the bond market, tech billionaires trying to cheat death, and a post listing geniuses who believed in Jesus. It leads me to ask: what keeps someone from looking at Jesus today? I don’t have a tidy answer, but I’m wrestling out loud.

I talk about:

• The failed coffee walk with Farmer Dan
• Economic collapse predictions and “stack bullets” culture
• The South Korean genius who believes in Jesus
• A list of brilliant minds who followed Christ
• Today’s obsession with immortality and control
• Why people avoid confronting Jesus in an age of truth-access
• How I explore theology through quantum science and AI

💡 Highlights & Timestamps:

00:00 – No walk with Dan, driving to coffee and rambling

02:40 – Bond markets, bullets, Bitcoin, and doomsday headlines

05:15 – Smartest man in the world believes in Jesus

07:30 – “Why don’t people even explore Him?”

10:10 – Living forever in the cloud: the Silicon Valley response

13:40 – Truth vs. comfort—what keeps people from dying to self?

17:15 – Quantum physics and the Bible… I like to run those experiments

🧠 Core Takeaway:

If you're genuinely pursuing truth and avoiding Jesus, at some point you have to ask—what's actually stopping you?

🙏 Closing Line:

Crumb Confessional #43b — What prevents people from even looking at Jesus… when He’s the only thing that makes sense?