All of us have faced times in our life that felt like a battle. Maybe you’ve had moments of disappointment and pain where you felt like no one understood you, or you had no support system. Perhaps someone hurt you with their words or planted a seed of doubt in your mind that you’d never get to where you want to be in life, and that trying to reach for more would be impossible. Here’s some comforting news: we’re not alone when we face battles in our lives. We’re not left to fight by ourselves. God is greater than whatever we’re facing and He has promised—He will never leave us. 

Our guests this week held on to the promise that they could stand strong in God’s power when people or circumstances might have crushed their spirits. Samuel Rodriguez experienced situations in his young life where discrimination threatened to divert him from the path he was meant to follow to become a pastor, author, movie producer, and advisor to three of the last four U.S. presidents. Cynt Marshall endured the abuse and abandonment of her father, but her faith in the Lord and the guidance of her mother led her to thrive despite her circumstances, ultimately becoming a highly successful business woman and the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks NBA franchise. 

Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned:

Jesus Calling Podcast

Jesus Calling

Jesus Always

Jesus Listens

Past interview: Dedee & Greg Lhamon

Upcoming interview: Chris Nikic

Cynt Marshall

Marshalling Resources

Dallas Mavericks

University of California at Berkeley

Teenagers protesting in Parkland, Florida

Reverend Dr. Billy Graham

You’ve Been Chosen

Samuel Rodriguez

New Season Church 

National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

1 Peter 1:16 NIV

John 17:21 NIV

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV 

Luke 1:37 NIV

https://pastorsam.com

Interview Quotes:

“I always saw myself as the person to help everybody and to provide resources and to be there for people.” - Cynt Marshall

“My leadership philosophy is around three Ls, and it's ‘listen to, learn from, and love the people.’” - Cynt Marshall

“With faith in God and with standing on His promises, you can truly thrive—not just get through it—but truly thrive through the unexpected.” - Cynt Marshall

"I've learned bad things do happen to good people. And so we have to accept adversity and never give up and let the Lord guide us through it." - Cynt Marshall

"Love expels fear, mercy triumphs over judgment. All things are possible." - Samuel Rodrigez

“We had this crazy dream that the church can be both Billy Graham and Dr. King, and that it can be both righteousness and justice, truth and love, sanctification and service, conviction and compassion.” - Samuel Rodriguez

“If you look at the cross as two pieces of wood, one vertical and horizontal, the strongest part of the cross is the nexus. The point of convergence where they intersect. This is the place where we marry the optics of redemption with the metrics of reconciliation.” - Samuel Rodriguez

"If our commitment is to be light in the midst of darkness and not just whine about the darkness, doors will continue to open." - Samuel Rodriguez

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Enjoy watchin