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Kevin Lowe: Three nights in a row, he woke up at exactly 3 a.m., drenched in sweat,

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Kevin Lowe: and he was confused because the dream was so real.

00:00:10.177 --> 00:00:13.737

Kevin Lowe: But in fact, it wasn't just your dream. It was a calling.

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Kevin Lowe: Today's conversation speaks to anybody who's ever felt unqualified,

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Kevin Lowe: Unseen, or unsure of your purpose.

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Kevin Lowe: My guest today, Reginald D., he knows what it's like to carry the weight of

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Kevin Lowe: feeling less than, or like he would never amount to anything.

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Kevin Lowe: But fortunately, he also knows what it feels like to finally understand that

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Kevin Lowe: God had other plans, bigger plans for him than he ever could have realized.

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Kevin Lowe: Today's episode is about you hearing that quiet voice, even when the world is

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Kevin Lowe: loud, reminding you of your true purpose, of your calling.

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Kevin Lowe: So if you could use the story to inspire you, to motivate you,

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Kevin Lowe: to remind you that, my friend, it's not over till it's over,

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Kevin Lowe: then that is today's interview with Reginald D.

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Kevin Lowe: So if you're in a season of waiting, of wondering, of wondering if it's all worth it,

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Kevin Lowe: wondering what lies next for you, well, today's conversation is going to remind

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Kevin Lowe: you that one thing is for certain.

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Kevin Lowe: Nothing from your past disqualifies your future.

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Kevin Lowe: So my friend, let's go ahead and dive into my conversation with Reginald D because

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Kevin Lowe: I promise you today's conversation is going to move you.

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Kevin Lowe: My name is Kevin Lowe, I am your host, and today is episode 406 of Grit,

00:01:44.217 --> 00:01:45.597

Kevin Lowe: Grace, and Inspiration.

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Podcast Intro Theme Song: I got Grit, Grace, & Inspiration on my mind...

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Kevin Lowe: What is going on? And welcome back to Grit, Grace, and Inspiration.

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Kevin Lowe: I'm your host, Kevin Lowe. And today, I have the pleasure of being in the studio

00:02:01.901 --> 00:02:07.241

Kevin Lowe: with a guy who, man, am I excited to get to introduce you to none other than

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Kevin Lowe: the real Reginald D. Reginald, welcome to the podcast.

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Reginald D: Thank you so much, Kevin. Thank you so much for having me, man.

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Kevin Lowe: Oh, man. Well, Reginald, dude, I have been so excited for this ever since we

00:02:19.941 --> 00:02:22.281

Kevin Lowe: met, ever since you had me on your own podcast.

00:02:22.741 --> 00:02:24.001

Kevin Lowe: I've been excited, though, to

00:02:24.001 --> 00:02:29.821

Kevin Lowe: get to explore your own story and where I would love for us to start at.

00:02:29.941 --> 00:02:33.981

Kevin Lowe: And I don't know exactly where it's going to take us, but I know I believe it

00:02:33.981 --> 00:02:36.301

Kevin Lowe: was back a ways back in maybe like 2005.

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Kevin Lowe: You had a series of dreams. Would you mind sharing with me a little bit about

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Kevin Lowe: that story to kick us off?

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Reginald D: Absolutely, Kevin. Absolutely. So, yeah, back in 2005, it was a point in my

00:02:50.041 --> 00:02:55.581

Reginald D: life I was kind of quiet, I guess, kind of trying to find my own way in life.

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Reginald D: And I was kind of to myself.

00:02:57.081 --> 00:03:00.541

Reginald D: All I wanted to do is, you know, go to work, you know, come home,

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Reginald D: go to church, serve in the church and stuff like that.

00:03:02.941 --> 00:03:05.961

Reginald D: It wasn't making a whole bunch of noise and anything like that.

00:03:06.101 --> 00:03:10.461

Reginald D: And I just wanted to seek God and see what his purpose was for my life.

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Reginald D: And I had to get quiet, I felt, to do that.

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Reginald D: So I started having these dreams at night and it came to me three nights straight

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Reginald D: and it woke me up at three o'clock in the morning.

00:03:22.541 --> 00:03:27.341

Reginald D: And the dream was I heard myself speaking, but I saw a church,

00:03:27.601 --> 00:03:31.821

Reginald D: a white church, and then a whole bunch of people outside of the church in this field.

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Reginald D: And I dreamed that three nights straight and it woke me up at three o'clock

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Reginald D: in the morning each night, man, I woke up in sweats.

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Reginald D: It was crazy. So I knew after the third night that God had called me and was calling me.

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Reginald D: And I got up on my knees after that third night and told God, you know, I will go.

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Reginald D: I will go carry your word because I knew that's what he wanted me to do.

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Kevin Lowe: Wow. So at that point, you were already a pastor?

00:03:59.481 --> 00:04:03.881

Reginald D: No, at that point, I was just going to church. I wasn't a pastor or anything like that.

00:04:04.021 --> 00:04:07.441

Reginald D: So after I went and talked to my grandfather, told him about my dreams,

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Reginald D: And then my cousin, he was actually a pastor in the church my grandfather started.

00:04:11.769 --> 00:04:14.889

Reginald D: And we all talked about it. And then I told them that God was calling me to

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Reginald D: ministry. So they actually licensed me to be a minister.

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Kevin Lowe: Okay. Okay. Fascinating. Fascinating. Well, speaking about family,

00:04:24.509 --> 00:04:28.989

Kevin Lowe: let's back up in your story a little bit and give me a kind of an idea.

00:04:29.249 --> 00:04:35.789

Kevin Lowe: Where exactly did you even grow up at? And I mean, I guess the big kind of picture here,

00:04:35.989 --> 00:04:40.849

Kevin Lowe: you know, tying it back together is I'm kind of curious, what led you kind of

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Kevin Lowe: on this path of, you know, wanting to get into ministry?

00:04:45.089 --> 00:04:48.149

Reginald D: Well, the thing about it, I grew up in Greenville, South Carolina.

00:04:48.549 --> 00:04:51.629

Reginald D: I grew up in a very religious family.

00:04:51.849 --> 00:04:54.849

Reginald D: You know, we had pastors and preachers all throughout our family.

00:04:54.929 --> 00:04:58.449

Reginald D: My grandfather passed his own churches and built his own churches.

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Reginald D: My uncles was pastors. And so it was a very religious family, man.

00:05:03.689 --> 00:05:06.629

Reginald D: That's all we did a lot of times was church. And that's all we was pretty much

00:05:06.629 --> 00:05:07.629

Reginald D: that was our foundation.

00:05:08.209 --> 00:05:11.869

Reginald D: But I didn't really, you know, I'll tell you one part of my life.

00:05:12.009 --> 00:05:13.809

Reginald D: I didn't want to be in ministry at all.

00:05:13.969 --> 00:05:20.309

Reginald D: You know, as I got into my younger years in life, I wanted to explore life.

00:05:20.549 --> 00:05:23.129

Reginald D: I didn't want to do the church thing. I wanted to, you know,

00:05:23.229 --> 00:05:28.249

Reginald D: do what you do when you're 21, 22 years old and, you know, trying to go out

00:05:28.249 --> 00:05:30.349

Reginald D: and have fun. that part of life.

00:05:30.569 --> 00:05:36.109

Reginald D: I wasn't really pursuing church like that. And I think one point I had to quit

00:05:36.109 --> 00:05:39.449

Reginald D: going all together because I just didn't want to do it no more.

00:05:39.689 --> 00:05:44.529

Reginald D: I grew up in it. I think I was kind of burnt out in it, but somehow God always,

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Reginald D: you know, he always steered me in the right direction, even when I steer myself

00:05:48.729 --> 00:05:50.009

Reginald D: in the wrong direction. So that's

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Reginald D: how I ended up coming to grips with what my purpose was and who I am.

00:05:54.349 --> 00:05:58.069

Reginald D: And that's how I ended up, he started showing me those dreams and things like

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Reginald D: that and that's how I knew that it was real.

00:06:01.109 --> 00:06:02.529

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

00:06:03.388 --> 00:06:08.688

Kevin Lowe: Now, when we speak about family and stuff, when you think of being a kid growing

00:06:08.688 --> 00:06:13.268

Kevin Lowe: up, was there any, like, in particular figures in your life who were really,

00:06:13.408 --> 00:06:17.408

Kevin Lowe: like, instrumental in those formative childhood years?

00:06:17.828 --> 00:06:22.048

Reginald D: Well, I'll tell you what. I grew up in a single-parent home.

00:06:22.348 --> 00:06:26.468

Reginald D: My mom's a single parent. She had me and my sister. I shot her wetlock.

00:06:27.148 --> 00:06:31.848

Reginald D: Everybody else, her siblings, there was 11 of them, and everybody else got married and had kids.

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Reginald D: You know, I guess they did. Somebody got pregnant and then his wife got married.

00:06:37.108 --> 00:06:41.368

Reginald D: I don't know how it went down, but at the end of the day, my mom was,

00:06:41.468 --> 00:06:42.608

Reginald D: you know, I was born out of wedlock.

00:06:42.768 --> 00:06:46.688

Reginald D: And it was kind of different coming from a religious family because they had

00:06:46.688 --> 00:06:51.028

Reginald D: this old school mentality when it comes to religion and things like that.

00:06:51.128 --> 00:06:53.588

Reginald D: And if you're born out of wedlock, you wouldn't want to amount to anything.

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Reginald D: And I was told that by some of my mom's siblings basically said that about me

00:06:58.988 --> 00:07:03.108

Reginald D: when I was like, I'm at nine years old. And that was one of the biggest things

00:07:03.108 --> 00:07:04.368

Reginald D: that really, really hurt me.

00:07:04.668 --> 00:07:07.588

Reginald D: And it's one of the biggest challenges in my life. I think, man,

00:07:07.628 --> 00:07:11.588

Reginald D: I'm 53 years old. I think that was the biggest thing I had to really mentally overcome.

00:07:12.168 --> 00:07:15.588

Reginald D: You got to look at it this way. We're already poor, man. We don't have any money.

00:07:16.048 --> 00:07:19.828

Reginald D: We're already struggling. If you want any support, you will want it from your family, you know?

00:07:20.628 --> 00:07:24.148

Reginald D: And it just seems like I wasn't getting it from them. What was instrumental

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Reginald D: in my life was my grandfather. I used to go down to his house in the summertime

00:07:30.328 --> 00:07:33.848

Reginald D: when I was out of school and stay with him, him and my grandmother.

00:07:34.208 --> 00:07:39.028

Reginald D: And, you know, he built a convenience store with a meat market and a rep next

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Reginald D: door to the house. And then the church was the next door to the convenience store.

00:07:42.288 --> 00:07:46.728

Reginald D: And I used to watch them run the business. I used to go in and help out and things like that.

00:07:46.788 --> 00:07:49.408

Reginald D: And that's how I really learned how to do business, actually.

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Reginald D: And he was very instrumental in my life by showing me, first of all,

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Reginald D: love. Then he showed me leadership.

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Reginald D: And then he showed me how to actually be a man.

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Reginald D: And he would not let anyone make me feel like I was less than because I was born out of wedlock.

00:08:09.628 --> 00:08:13.468

Reginald D: I remember one incident. We was at their house at a family barbecue.

00:08:13.748 --> 00:08:18.528

Reginald D: My cousins and their moms and, you know, my mom said, they packed up in the

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Reginald D: car. I was like, hey, we're going to run to the mall, but we'll be right back.

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Reginald D: So all the kids were piled up in the car.

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Reginald D: So I just headed to the car, thinking it was all right for me to jump in since

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Reginald D: we was coming right back anyway.

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Reginald D: And one of my aunts looked at me and said, where do you think you're going?

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Reginald D: And I was like, I'm going with you all. And she's like, no, you're not.

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Reginald D: And they left me out of the yard, man, by myself, just standing there,

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Reginald D: you know. And my grandfather got...

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Reginald D: He was furious about it, and he kind of gave a piece of his mind of what he felt.

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Reginald D: And then my mom was pretty much saying, you know, telling my grandfather,

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Reginald D: she was like, Dad, don't even worry about it. Don't worry about it.

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Reginald D: And I remember him pulling up this money out of his pocket, this water money.

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Reginald D: He gave it to my mom and said, hey, take this boy to the mall and get him anything you want.

00:09:04.008 --> 00:09:09.248

Reginald D: So now I'm at the mall passing my cousins that I should have been with going

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Reginald D: there with bags of stuff in my hand.

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Reginald D: It was crazy, man. And I'm still saying, even though I'm getting all the stuff

00:09:15.788 --> 00:09:19.248

Reginald D: I want or, you know, my grandfather gave my mom the money, you know,

00:09:19.328 --> 00:09:21.228

Reginald D: I'm still saying, man, it shouldn't be like this.

00:09:21.648 --> 00:09:26.968

Reginald D: You know, it shouldn't be like this. So it really put me in a different headspace growing up.

00:09:27.048 --> 00:09:30.368

Reginald D: And I had to really thank my grandfather for mentoring me and keeping me level

00:09:30.368 --> 00:09:34.208

Reginald D: headed, because I think when things like that happens to young people,

00:09:34.408 --> 00:09:36.648

Reginald D: period, kids, that's your foundation.

00:09:36.908 --> 00:09:40.748

Reginald D: It can do it can do something to you. You can end it up derailing your life

00:09:40.748 --> 00:09:42.288

Reginald D: because you got all this animosity.

00:09:43.108 --> 00:09:48.948

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Now, I have to ask, just because I've never heard of it before,

00:09:49.188 --> 00:09:55.348

Kevin Lowe: back then when you were growing up, this whole thing about viewing children

00:09:55.348 --> 00:09:58.008

Kevin Lowe: born out of wedlock is kind of something less.

00:09:58.168 --> 00:10:04.648

Kevin Lowe: Was this typical in that area where you grew up at? I've never heard of that before.

00:10:05.508 --> 00:10:09.048

Reginald D: I would say it just depends. I'll say it's regular.

00:10:09.508 --> 00:10:13.708

Reginald D: You know with a lot of southern religion congregations

00:10:13.708 --> 00:10:16.648

Reginald D: and things like that it's kind of the teaching is tougher

00:10:16.648 --> 00:10:20.448

Reginald D: i think and i think a lot of it has been misinterpreted and

00:10:20.448 --> 00:10:24.388

Reginald D: things like that well i know it is and that's how they used to just view it

00:10:24.388 --> 00:10:27.788

Reginald D: back when i came from some people just say hey you're born out of wet law you're

00:10:27.788 --> 00:10:32.968

Reginald D: not gonna not gonna amount to anything now i did not know that until it was

00:10:32.968 --> 00:10:38.008

Reginald D: told to me when it was told to me i thought i was the first one i ever heard or something like that.

00:10:38.488 --> 00:10:43.648

Reginald D: And then as I, you know, we know when something hits you and something damages

00:10:43.648 --> 00:10:47.268

Reginald D: you or hurts you, you can feel that pain around you.

00:10:47.959 --> 00:10:53.019

Reginald D: So then I started hearing things from different people or not even my own family

00:10:53.019 --> 00:10:58.319

Reginald D: talking about not, you know, being born out of wedlock and not being worthy and things like that.

00:10:58.939 --> 00:11:02.379

Kevin Lowe: OK, OK, understandable. Wow. Wow.

00:11:02.659 --> 00:11:09.399

Kevin Lowe: Well, there's another story from your childhood, and I'm going to assume it

00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:13.039

Kevin Lowe: was probably a little bit later on than the story you just shared with us.

00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:18.899

Kevin Lowe: But a lot of us as teenagers, we get jobs, a lot of times first jobs instead of drive-thru.

00:11:19.259 --> 00:11:26.399

Kevin Lowe: But you have a really powerful story that I believe helps to really illustrate

00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:29.799

Kevin Lowe: the kind of person that you have always been.

00:11:30.839 --> 00:11:36.799

Kevin Lowe: Would you tell the story of how you got a job at the Burger King and why that even came about?

00:11:37.379 --> 00:11:38.979

Reginald D: Absolutely, Kevin. Absolutely.

00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:44.719

Reginald D: So, like I said, I grew up in a single parent house, just me and my old sister.

00:11:45.319 --> 00:11:51.319

Reginald D: One day, my mom came home from work, and she cooked dinner, and she fixed our

00:11:51.319 --> 00:11:54.499

Reginald D: plates and put the plates on the table, and we came to eat.

00:11:54.839 --> 00:11:57.779

Reginald D: And I noticed there's only like two pieces of chicken there.

00:11:57.959 --> 00:12:02.339

Reginald D: And I was like, you know, I was going to forfeit mine if that's what I had to do.

00:12:03.599 --> 00:12:05.999

Reginald D: And I asked her mom, I said, Mom, you're not going to eat? She said,

00:12:06.099 --> 00:12:08.179

Reginald D: No, I just cooked enough for you and your sister.

00:12:08.179 --> 00:12:10.939

Reginald D: She said uh i'm not hungry i ate a

00:12:10.939 --> 00:12:13.659

Reginald D: had a big lunch today which i knew it

00:12:13.659 --> 00:12:17.039

Reginald D: was a lie we just didn't have enough food and i'm

00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:19.959

Reginald D: sitting here struggling with this thing because you know here

00:12:19.959 --> 00:12:24.059

Reginald D: i have two women you know my sister was younger than me but she's still a young

00:12:24.059 --> 00:12:29.619

Reginald D: lady in the house and we struggling to eat man that's that was kind of crazy

00:12:29.619 --> 00:12:34.439

Reginald D: to me and i i remember you know saying to myself and i was laying in my bed

00:12:34.439 --> 00:12:38.699

Reginald D: and i was like man that's not fair you know it's not fair and i contemplated

00:12:38.699 --> 00:12:39.879

Reginald D: doing all kinds of stuff, man.

00:12:40.039 --> 00:12:43.119

Reginald D: I said, man, maybe I need to get out here in the streets like you see people

00:12:43.119 --> 00:12:45.999

Reginald D: do and you may need to sell drugs.

00:12:46.139 --> 00:12:48.399

Reginald D: I don't know what to do, man, but we can't live like this.

00:12:48.839 --> 00:12:52.479

Reginald D: That's just the way I was feeling about it. But I'm glad I didn't go down that

00:12:52.479 --> 00:12:56.199

Reginald D: road because God gives us common sense.

00:12:56.319 --> 00:13:01.379

Reginald D: He gives us the ability to create what we need for our lives without doing it the wrong way.

00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:05.769

Reginald D: So we ended up going to Burger King one day and we really didn't get Burger

00:13:05.769 --> 00:13:08.429

Reginald D: King, you know, probably every four or five months.

00:13:08.609 --> 00:13:13.909

Reginald D: That's like our treat, like on a Friday night when mom would get a little extra cash from something.

00:13:14.149 --> 00:13:19.469

Reginald D: So we go to Burger King and we're standing in line and I saw the manager was

00:13:19.469 --> 00:13:23.449

Reginald D: talking to my mom and I kind of picked up and he had the hots for my mom, right?

00:13:24.389 --> 00:13:28.909

Reginald D: So I went, I looked at him. I said, hey man, I said, I need a job.

00:13:29.609 --> 00:13:33.449

Reginald D: And my mom spoke up and she said, no, you can't, you can't work.

00:13:33.589 --> 00:13:35.649

Reginald D: You're in school. You're not, but 13 years old.

00:13:36.069 --> 00:13:40.089

Reginald D: I said, Ma, I said, I need a job. She said, you're not old enough to work.

00:13:40.991 --> 00:13:44.391

Reginald D: And the manager spoke up and said, yeah, he can if you sign a waiver.

00:13:44.731 --> 00:13:49.291

Reginald D: And I was like, OK, all right. And then so I pulled my mom out of line.

00:13:49.671 --> 00:13:55.391

Reginald D: I said, Mom, I said, listen, I said the other day, the other night I seen you came home hungry.

00:13:55.651 --> 00:13:59.091

Reginald D: We didn't have enough food. You went to bed hungry. You working three jobs,

00:13:59.571 --> 00:14:02.231

Reginald D: playing for seven choirs in the church and going to college.

00:14:02.391 --> 00:14:04.051

Reginald D: And you still went to bed hungry.

00:14:04.251 --> 00:14:06.111

Reginald D: I said, I'm not going to let that happen. I said, if you say it,

00:14:06.331 --> 00:14:08.751

Reginald D: I need you to sign this waiver so that won't happen again.

00:14:09.211 --> 00:14:15.051

Reginald D: She signed it with agreement that I kept my school grades up and things like that, which I did, man.

00:14:15.151 --> 00:14:19.011

Reginald D: And then after that, I was the fry king, man. I was the guy on the french fries.

00:14:20.971 --> 00:14:26.611

Reginald D: That was me. But yeah, man. And then when I got paid, that chick came to the house.

00:14:27.191 --> 00:14:31.091

Reginald D: It didn't go in my pocket. Came straight to the house. My mom put food on the

00:14:31.091 --> 00:14:32.591

Reginald D: table and do whatever she had to do with it.

00:14:33.171 --> 00:14:37.011

Kevin Lowe: Wow. I love that story so much.

00:14:37.011 --> 00:14:44.831

Kevin Lowe: For so many different reasons. But I think the biggest reason is it just shows,

00:14:45.351 --> 00:14:47.731

Kevin Lowe: even as a 13-year-old boy,

00:14:48.591 --> 00:14:53.771

Kevin Lowe: the kind of heart and the kind of love that you had even at such a young age.

00:14:53.871 --> 00:15:00.511

Kevin Lowe: I think it's just a powerful story that even as adults, we could all learn from

00:15:00.511 --> 00:15:07.531

Kevin Lowe: that one little story in amongst your whole life story. I think is just, it's so powerful.

00:15:07.771 --> 00:15:10.331

Kevin Lowe: And thank you so much for sharing it.

00:15:11.014 --> 00:15:12.354

Reginald D: Absolutely. Absolutely.

00:15:12.854 --> 00:15:19.074

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. So continuing on, when you're in school and we always kind of reach that

00:15:19.074 --> 00:15:25.314

Kevin Lowe: pivotal age of graduating and stuff, what direction at that point were you headed in life?

00:15:25.774 --> 00:15:30.474

Reginald D: Well, when I was in school, it was kind of weird because when I was 13 years

00:15:30.474 --> 00:15:37.554

Reginald D: old, then I then I go into high school and things didn't really change that

00:15:37.554 --> 00:15:39.994

Reginald D: much. I mean, mom did work hard.

00:15:40.214 --> 00:15:46.274

Reginald D: She did get home ownership in my ninth grade year, but she bought the house

00:15:46.274 --> 00:15:49.994

Reginald D: and then had to get a new car because the car was messed up and things like that.

00:15:50.154 --> 00:15:56.654

Reginald D: So things still, it was better, but I still had to help out because she still

00:15:56.654 --> 00:15:57.754

Reginald D: had the responsibilities.

00:15:58.114 --> 00:16:02.734

Reginald D: And one thing I didn't want to happen in high school because I went through

00:16:02.734 --> 00:16:06.554

Reginald D: a state in school where I was bullied it for being poor.

00:16:06.794 --> 00:16:13.414

Reginald D: I felt a kid came up to me and just out of the blue, man, it just spit on me,

00:16:13.634 --> 00:16:18.354

Reginald D: spit in my face, called me poor, and then scuffed up these shoes because we

00:16:18.354 --> 00:16:20.054

Reginald D: was outside and it was kind of muddy.

00:16:20.174 --> 00:16:23.354

Reginald D: He took the bottom of his shoe and stepped on these sneakers.

00:16:23.494 --> 00:16:26.934

Reginald D: My mom paid, I think she paid like 10 bucks for these things,

00:16:27.074 --> 00:16:28.994

Reginald D: man. It wasn't even like we wear now.

00:16:29.294 --> 00:16:32.194

Reginald D: It's the cheapest of the cheapest, and he scuffed these shoes up,

00:16:32.294 --> 00:16:35.454

Reginald D: which I'm like, dude, you know, my mom worked so hard for that.

00:16:35.454 --> 00:16:41.774

Reginald D: So needless to say, that outcome didn't come out too good, but not the real.

00:16:41.974 --> 00:16:47.094

Reginald D: It is what it is, man. You know, I wasn't upset about the situation that he spent in my face.

00:16:47.214 --> 00:16:50.874

Reginald D: You know, I was upset more that he scuffed up these shoes and my mom working

00:16:50.874 --> 00:16:53.854

Reginald D: so hard to provide for us, you know.

00:16:54.531 --> 00:16:58.991

Reginald D: But then, you know, when I got to to high school, I got to high school and I

00:16:58.991 --> 00:17:04.691

Reginald D: was I had a way of I worked it so good, you know,

00:17:05.131 --> 00:17:10.251

Reginald D: that I was working three jobs in high school and going to high school.

00:17:10.691 --> 00:17:11.111

Kevin Lowe: Wow.

00:17:11.451 --> 00:17:16.191

Reginald D: And I was doing that because I was like, hey, you know, you get into high school.

00:17:16.531 --> 00:17:18.691

Reginald D: People are going to be looking at you poorly. They're going to be looking all

00:17:18.691 --> 00:17:21.251

Reginald D: kind of ways and things like that. And then I had my sister coming up right

00:17:21.251 --> 00:17:24.831

Reginald D: behind me, coming to high school. And I didn't want her to come looking less than.

00:17:25.131 --> 00:17:28.311

Reginald D: And you know how kids get, you know, the older you get, the worse it gets.

00:17:28.611 --> 00:17:33.091

Reginald D: So I was able to buy the name brand shoes. I was able to buy the stuff that,

00:17:33.131 --> 00:17:35.471

Reginald D: you know, that mom couldn't get us, you know.

00:17:35.651 --> 00:17:39.091

Reginald D: And I was still happy paying bills, you know, in the house.

00:17:39.591 --> 00:17:44.031

Reginald D: So I just took it as if, you know, it was my that was my assignment.

00:17:44.231 --> 00:17:46.311

Reginald D: And a lot of people I've been asked this question.

00:17:46.711 --> 00:17:50.271

Reginald D: And just like, man, how did you feel as a kid growing up knowing you had to

00:17:50.271 --> 00:17:52.011

Reginald D: do all that stuff? What about your childhood?

00:17:52.531 --> 00:17:56.571

Reginald D: And I'm like, oh, what about being a child? I said, I was still a child,

00:17:56.611 --> 00:17:59.231

Reginald D: but I was just, it was just my moment.

00:17:59.331 --> 00:18:03.471

Reginald D: And it's just what I had to do. This was the hand I was dealt at the end of the day.

00:18:04.251 --> 00:18:08.731

Reginald D: And I accepted it. And I tell anybody, you know, sometimes situations are situations, man.

00:18:08.831 --> 00:18:13.471

Reginald D: And you got to accept it and understand that you're in it in order to overcome it.

00:18:13.871 --> 00:18:20.451

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Now, growing up, just kind of rounding out this

00:18:20.451 --> 00:18:26.231

Kevin Lowe: bit of my childhood, growing up, did you guys live close to all of your relatives?

00:18:26.831 --> 00:18:31.131

Reginald D: Yeah, yeah. We lived fairly close in the same city.

00:18:31.711 --> 00:18:36.731

Kevin Lowe: Okay, okay. Awesome, awesome. So now, as family and stuff, we were talking about

00:18:36.731 --> 00:18:40.171

Kevin Lowe: when you were a child and kind of being this outcast.

00:18:40.391 --> 00:18:43.231

Kevin Lowe: Did that ever change as you got older? Yeah.

00:18:43.747 --> 00:18:46.787

Reginald D: Yes, it did. I'll be honest with you.

00:18:47.167 --> 00:18:51.107

Reginald D: Yeah, it changed. It did change. It's changed a lot, I think.

00:18:51.327 --> 00:18:56.887

Reginald D: I think it's because of the accomplishments that they're seen through me.

00:18:57.467 --> 00:18:57.727

Kevin Lowe: Yes.

00:18:57.927 --> 00:19:00.947

Reginald D: You know, respect is there. Absolutely. It's there. Yes.

00:19:00.947 --> 00:19:07.307

Reginald D: You know, but I mean, but I packed up, man, I worked, I lived in probably located

00:19:07.307 --> 00:19:13.047

Reginald D: five different times in 10 years, you know, chasing opportunities and things like that.

00:19:13.187 --> 00:19:16.507

Reginald D: So it hadn't been easy, but but it paid off.

00:19:17.147 --> 00:19:23.707

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. So I guess in this story that you have,

00:19:24.027 --> 00:19:30.227

Kevin Lowe: what was kind of maybe some series of events or that turning point that ultimately

00:19:30.227 --> 00:19:34.247

Kevin Lowe: kind of got you on this direction that you've been on in life?

00:19:34.427 --> 00:19:38.907

Reginald D: I think it's a number of things. I think it's from the childhood and all the

00:19:38.907 --> 00:19:42.087

Reginald D: experiences that I went through in childhood, because you got to understand

00:19:42.087 --> 00:19:45.067

Reginald D: now, I talked about being born out of wedlock.

00:19:45.067 --> 00:19:49.127

Reginald D: So I had to go through that whole thing in my life without my dad in my life,

00:19:49.347 --> 00:19:50.887

Reginald D: which I knew my dad existed.

00:19:51.227 --> 00:19:56.447

Reginald D: My dad was a police officer in the city, but wasn't a part of my life.

00:19:56.587 --> 00:19:59.987

Reginald D: It was my grandfather who really changed me.

00:20:00.127 --> 00:20:06.267

Reginald D: But I had to really do something about that because I carried that animosity a lot.

00:20:06.447 --> 00:20:09.507

Reginald D: You know, my dad not being there because the crazy part about it,

00:20:09.787 --> 00:20:14.647

Reginald D: him and my mom reunited when I was like 30 years old and I'm 53 now.

00:20:14.647 --> 00:20:17.587

Reginald D: And they got married. So they've been married over 20-something years.

00:20:17.987 --> 00:20:18.467

Kevin Lowe: Oh, wow.

00:20:18.927 --> 00:20:22.507

Reginald D: Yeah. And it was one of those things after they got married,

00:20:22.627 --> 00:20:25.727

Reginald D: I'll be honest with you, I still couldn't kind of let this thing go that,

00:20:25.727 --> 00:20:28.527

Reginald D: you know, he wasn't in my life, you know, after a while.

00:20:28.707 --> 00:20:33.187

Reginald D: But, you know, but then I ended up thinking about a few things and thinking

00:20:33.187 --> 00:20:35.427

Reginald D: about you know, certain things.

00:20:35.627 --> 00:20:40.887

Reginald D: And usually I just I mean, God just steps in and you got to let things go,

00:20:40.987 --> 00:20:41.867

Reginald D: man, at the end of the day.

00:20:42.307 --> 00:20:45.067

Reginald D: You know, you got to let things go. And then you got to understand things happen

00:20:45.067 --> 00:20:49.907

Reginald D: for a reason. And I remember a message that was preached at churches on Father's Day, actually.

00:20:50.327 --> 00:20:57.447

Reginald D: And the pastor got up and he said, do not be upset if your father is not in your life.

00:20:57.947 --> 00:21:03.947

Reginald D: He said, there's a reason God didn't allow him to be in your life.

00:21:04.107 --> 00:21:09.487

Reginald D: He said, that's why the person that's in your life is in your life right now and is mentoring you.

00:21:09.927 --> 00:21:12.927

Reginald D: So that stood out. He said, because he did

00:21:12.927 --> 00:21:15.787

Reginald D: say this he said because the reason god probably didn't allow

00:21:15.787 --> 00:21:18.667

Reginald D: your dad in your life when you were young because he would have did more

00:21:18.667 --> 00:21:25.227

Reginald D: damage than good oh wow so that showed me that's the reason my grandfather had

00:21:25.227 --> 00:21:30.267

Reginald D: you know have me in his life and that's how i grew into who i am because of

00:21:30.267 --> 00:21:34.727

Reginald D: him you know then my dad comes later on but by the time he gets there 30 years

00:21:34.727 --> 00:21:36.967

Reginald D: old i'm already built you know what i'm saying.

00:21:37.904 --> 00:21:43.984

Kevin Lowe: Wow. Wow. Okay. Okay. Now, I guess, so where does it go from there?

00:21:44.144 --> 00:21:51.244

Kevin Lowe: Where does becoming a pastor, getting into just, you know, really getting back into the church?

00:21:51.384 --> 00:21:55.104

Kevin Lowe: We talked earlier about, you know, there was a season of your life where you

00:21:55.104 --> 00:21:58.644

Kevin Lowe: kind of got burned down a little bit and you stepped away from the church.

00:21:58.804 --> 00:22:03.784

Kevin Lowe: How do you rebound that to get back doing what you're doing,

00:22:04.184 --> 00:22:06.564

Kevin Lowe: you know, involved with the church, all of that?

00:22:06.564 --> 00:22:10.824

Reginald D: Well, I think it's a series of things that happen, you know,

00:22:10.924 --> 00:22:17.144

Reginald D: because when I was licensed to be a minister, a lot of people came to me and

00:22:17.144 --> 00:22:20.004

Reginald D: were saying, hey, you want to be a pastor one day.

00:22:20.764 --> 00:22:24.944

Reginald D: Right. And I think they're looking at it. I knew they was looking at it.

00:22:25.144 --> 00:22:28.424

Reginald D: They're looking at my family and all these pastors I got.

00:22:28.644 --> 00:22:31.804

Reginald D: And I think they think this is one thing that's on our lives that every last

00:22:31.804 --> 00:22:33.684

Reginald D: one I was supposed to be a pastor. Right.

00:22:33.984 --> 00:22:34.164

Kevin Lowe: Yeah.

00:22:34.164 --> 00:22:38.464

Reginald D: And they act like, you know, pastoring is the ultimate call when it comes to

00:22:38.464 --> 00:22:39.664

Reginald D: God, but it's really not.

00:22:39.984 --> 00:22:45.664

Reginald D: It's what you call to do is the ultimate call to God, whatever he calls you

00:22:45.664 --> 00:22:46.524

Reginald D: to do. It could be anything.

00:22:47.504 --> 00:22:53.044

Reginald D: So I began to minister and started ministering in different locations,

00:22:53.204 --> 00:22:54.824

Reginald D: got different speaking engagements.

00:22:55.344 --> 00:22:59.504

Reginald D: And I went to one church and I spoke there.

00:22:59.704 --> 00:23:02.804

Reginald D: Then I got a call on this day from the board. And it was like,

00:23:02.864 --> 00:23:06.204

Reginald D: we're looking for a pastor. Would you think about being our pastor?

00:23:06.644 --> 00:23:08.484

Reginald D: And I was like, yeah, I would.

00:23:09.244 --> 00:23:12.024

Reginald D: So the guy said, well, let me call you back. And then he said,

00:23:12.104 --> 00:23:14.884

Reginald D: let me work some stuff out. So he did whatever he needed to do.

00:23:15.484 --> 00:23:19.244

Reginald D: Then he called me back and he said, yeah, they on board with you being the pastor,

00:23:19.364 --> 00:23:20.364

Reginald D: but they got one question.

00:23:20.944 --> 00:23:24.064

Reginald D: And I was like, what's that? He said, are you married? I said,

00:23:24.164 --> 00:23:26.984

Reginald D: no, I'm not married. He said, well, you can't be our pastor.

00:23:29.204 --> 00:23:34.344

Reginald D: Yeah so that's another religious mindset kind of stuff of you know one of those things,

00:23:35.064 --> 00:23:38.044

Reginald D: and uh it happened to me again at another church they asked

00:23:38.044 --> 00:23:41.324

Reginald D: me to be their pastor they found out i wasn't married they said no you can't

00:23:41.324 --> 00:23:48.124

Reginald D: you can't be our pastor now at this point i'm like okay god you know i'm being

00:23:48.124 --> 00:23:53.984

Reginald D: obedient to what you want me to do but what was playing back in my mind at nine

00:23:53.984 --> 00:23:56.804

Reginald D: years old saying you weren't going to be a mouth or nothing,

00:23:57.084 --> 00:23:59.924

Reginald D: you know, basically you ain't good enough, you know, and that's what I'm thinking,

00:24:00.244 --> 00:24:03.324

Reginald D: you know, am I just not good enough, you know, because whatever,

00:24:03.564 --> 00:24:07.124

Reginald D: maybe this born out of wet law thing is really some kind of curse on me.

00:24:07.304 --> 00:24:09.984

Reginald D: You know, I don't know, you know, I don't know why the door's being shut in

00:24:09.984 --> 00:24:13.584

Reginald D: my face when I'm trying to walk into what he has for me.

00:24:14.164 --> 00:24:17.504

Reginald D: So I'm going to tell you how amazing God is. He's going to end up showing you

00:24:17.504 --> 00:24:22.164

Reginald D: one day when you start down yourself, he'll show you. So I got another call

00:24:22.164 --> 00:24:27.744

Reginald D: to go speak at this church after I was fed up and I went to speak.

00:24:29.084 --> 00:24:33.204

Reginald D: And that night when I went home about 10 o'clock that night,

00:24:33.584 --> 00:24:37.644

Reginald D: that pastor called me and I don't even, you know, this is my first time ever at this church.

00:24:39.075 --> 00:24:46.915

Reginald D: Pastor called, and he said that his congregation received me so well that he

00:24:46.915 --> 00:24:48.855

Reginald D: was willing to step down and give me his church.

00:24:51.295 --> 00:24:51.735

Kevin Lowe: Wow.

00:24:52.395 --> 00:24:55.555

Reginald D: So that was confirmation right there. God was like, yo, see,

00:24:55.735 --> 00:24:57.495

Reginald D: I'm telling you, you're better than good.

00:24:58.175 --> 00:25:02.715

Reginald D: You're good enough for this thing. I didn't accept it because I was just like,

00:25:02.815 --> 00:25:05.855

Reginald D: no, I'm just burnt out with it and things like that. But God was just trying

00:25:05.855 --> 00:25:10.275

Reginald D: to show me that when I thought that I wasn't good enough, he was like,

00:25:10.375 --> 00:25:12.815

Reginald D: yo, see, I told you, you are you good enough.

00:25:13.675 --> 00:25:17.135

Reginald D: The man want to get his whole church. So he said he probably didn't talk to

00:25:17.135 --> 00:25:18.295

Reginald D: the congregation about it. Yeah.

00:25:18.735 --> 00:25:19.095

Kevin Lowe: Wow.

00:25:20.215 --> 00:25:23.955

Reginald D: Yeah, that was one of the things. So what I did, I just started assisting my

00:25:23.955 --> 00:25:26.675

Reginald D: home church and I was over the outreach ministry in my home church.

00:25:26.695 --> 00:25:28.615

Reginald D: And we did a lot of outreach work, man.

00:25:29.055 --> 00:25:35.835

Reginald D: It was amazing to me how effective we were. in the community.

00:25:36.395 --> 00:25:40.695

Reginald D: And we just started going, you know, downtown into the streets and started talking

00:25:40.695 --> 00:25:41.715

Reginald D: to people, ministering to people.

00:25:41.935 --> 00:25:45.875

Reginald D: We wasn't pushing God and religion on people. We were just hanging out.

00:25:46.095 --> 00:25:49.455

Reginald D: You know, we just, we just, these church guys, man, we just hanging out.

00:25:49.555 --> 00:25:51.775

Reginald D: We eating hot dogs, we eating hamburgers with everybody.

00:25:51.995 --> 00:25:54.635

Reginald D: We don't want nothing. You know what I'm saying? We just want to hang out.

00:25:55.495 --> 00:25:59.955

Reginald D: So we started doing that and I ended up, a couple of guys came to church with me one Sunday.

00:26:00.315 --> 00:26:03.835

Reginald D: I picked them up in an old 89 Buick Park Avenue.

00:26:04.855 --> 00:26:07.575

Reginald D: It's like two of them. I'm like, I already know this thing going to make it

00:26:07.575 --> 00:26:08.755

Reginald D: to church. And now we're going to try.

00:26:09.455 --> 00:26:15.035

Reginald D: But we ended up hitting the streets, man.

00:26:15.195 --> 00:26:24.735

Reginald D: And I think within a month, we had this, I think it was this 16-passenger van, church van that we had.

00:26:24.755 --> 00:26:30.475

Reginald D: We ended up packing that thing out, you know, within a month's time and bringing

00:26:30.475 --> 00:26:34.115

Reginald D: people to church. and then, you know, hanging out with them out to church and

00:26:34.115 --> 00:26:35.515

Reginald D: going out to eat and things like that.

00:26:35.695 --> 00:26:40.515

Reginald D: And then I think within two to three months, we had this old church bus that

00:26:40.515 --> 00:26:42.055

Reginald D: somebody donated to the church.

00:26:42.215 --> 00:26:44.815

Reginald D: Nobody never drove this bus for no reason whatsoever.

00:26:45.115 --> 00:26:47.495

Reginald D: It had been sitting back there in the woods for like years.

00:26:47.915 --> 00:26:52.495

Reginald D: And we was like, man, we got like, we was making more than one trip in this van, picking people up.

00:26:52.615 --> 00:26:55.415

Reginald D: I'm like, man, we're going to be, you know, we're going to run out of time and

00:26:55.415 --> 00:26:58.315

Reginald D: even get church to be over by the time we get there calling people back and forth.

00:26:59.635 --> 00:27:02.755

Reginald D: So we got this bus, man. We pulled the bus out.

00:27:03.135 --> 00:27:07.195

Reginald D: You know, we got the keys to the bus. And I was like, man, we got to find somebody

00:27:07.195 --> 00:27:08.495

Reginald D: who was getting this thing started.

00:27:09.575 --> 00:27:12.535

Reginald D: So got a guy at a church that was with Canada. We worked on that thing.

00:27:12.615 --> 00:27:15.475

Reginald D: We worked on that thing, man. And he got it started.

00:27:16.175 --> 00:27:19.375

Reginald D: So we got this big bus. I don't even know what the thing was insured.

00:27:19.955 --> 00:27:24.275

Reginald D: I don't know. I don't know what they had on that bus. But we got the bus running, man.

00:27:24.375 --> 00:27:29.115

Reginald D: And then we ended up going downtown picking up people. And it was like 56 passengers bus, man.

00:27:29.335 --> 00:27:32.435

Reginald D: And we were just packing our bus out every Sunday.

00:27:33.233 --> 00:27:38.433

Reginald D: For church. And then we ended up ministering at this transitional housing where

00:27:38.433 --> 00:27:42.133

Reginald D: people come out of prison or they come out of addiction centers or whatever

00:27:42.133 --> 00:27:48.413

Reginald D: like that and live on their own in this motel that they're paying wazoo money to live there,

00:27:48.513 --> 00:27:51.073

Reginald D: but they don't have a stove, they don't have an oven or anything like that.

00:27:51.193 --> 00:27:53.453

Reginald D: You got to fend for yourself with the grills they got outside.

00:27:53.793 --> 00:27:57.953

Reginald D: And I was like, man, we started basically pouring into these guys like,

00:27:57.973 --> 00:28:01.353

Reginald D: man, you already on your own. I don't know why you give these people all your money.

00:28:01.773 --> 00:28:05.573

Reginald D: You might as well get your own apartment or something where you got access to everything you need.

00:28:06.033 --> 00:28:10.213

Reginald D: You know, but make a long story short, a lot of these guys, I can't tell you,

00:28:10.333 --> 00:28:15.193

Reginald D: Kevin, how many phone calls I got from some of these guys' wives that I had never seen.

00:28:15.433 --> 00:28:19.593

Reginald D: And it was like, I don't know what you did to my husband. He is a changed man.

00:28:19.773 --> 00:28:22.673

Reginald D: He came back home to his family. Da-da-da-da-da-da.

00:28:23.073 --> 00:28:27.333

Reginald D: And it was amazing, man. I got numerous calls from people's wives.

00:28:27.833 --> 00:28:31.153

Kevin Lowe: Wow. Wow, that is It's absolutely amazing.

00:28:32.013 --> 00:28:38.093

Kevin Lowe: Absolutely amazing. Now, I want you to kind of school me a minute because I

00:28:38.093 --> 00:28:41.253

Kevin Lowe: kept using the term, you know, pastoring, pastor.

00:28:41.853 --> 00:28:45.613

Kevin Lowe: Then we're talking about being minister, ministering. What is the difference?

00:28:46.113 --> 00:28:49.433

Reginald D: So pastor basically has his own church.

00:28:49.773 --> 00:28:50.333

Kevin Lowe: Okay.

00:28:50.833 --> 00:28:53.033

Reginald D: And a minister is just a minister that's in the church.

00:28:53.193 --> 00:28:53.653

Kevin Lowe: Okay.

00:28:54.293 --> 00:28:58.093

Reginald D: That speaks and goes around, does all the stuff, just depends on what's what,

00:28:58.233 --> 00:29:02.293

Reginald D: whatever he does. But the pastor is the one who gets up every Sunday morning

00:29:02.293 --> 00:29:04.233

Reginald D: for the most part and preaches.

00:29:04.493 --> 00:29:09.813

Reginald D: And basically, he's a shepherd of the flock, the whole church. Got his own church.

00:29:10.113 --> 00:29:15.533

Kevin Lowe: Okay. Okay. Amazing. Now, you talked about moving around quite a bit.

00:29:15.753 --> 00:29:18.493

Kevin Lowe: Was that for working at different churches?

00:29:19.253 --> 00:29:22.653

Reginald D: No, no, I was just working at this company that I was working for.

00:29:23.033 --> 00:29:23.313

Kevin Lowe: Okay.

00:29:23.733 --> 00:29:28.033

Reginald D: I was just taking opportunities just to, you know, it was kind of amazing.

00:29:28.033 --> 00:29:31.933

Reginald D: But it really brought out the leadership in me to the point where it's,

00:29:32.113 --> 00:29:36.333

Reginald D: you know, that's where I learned the grunt of it and what it really was.

00:29:37.095 --> 00:29:40.915

Reginald D: Because they were moving me to all these locations, and every location they

00:29:40.915 --> 00:29:45.075

Reginald D: asked me to go to was one that was a zoo.

00:29:45.575 --> 00:29:48.675

Reginald D: I never got sent to a good place to do it. It was running fine.

00:29:49.655 --> 00:29:52.875

Reginald D: All the world that's a zoo, I was like, oh, man, man, I got to go.

00:29:53.135 --> 00:29:57.135

Reginald D: They were like, go turn this around. Go turn this place around. I'm like, Jesus Christ.

00:29:59.255 --> 00:30:03.275

Reginald D: But I was fortunate to do it, and it really, really showed me who I was and

00:30:03.275 --> 00:30:08.635

Reginald D: who I am as a person. because, you know, I've seen a lot of people with the same company.

00:30:08.755 --> 00:30:11.015

Reginald D: They went and sent them somewhere and they didn't make it, man.

00:30:11.115 --> 00:30:14.995

Reginald D: A lot of them didn't make it. They ended up losing their careers and things like that.

00:30:15.435 --> 00:30:20.575

Kevin Lowe: Of course, of course. Well, I want to get to the podcast, but before we can

00:30:20.575 --> 00:30:25.315

Kevin Lowe: get to the podcast, which everybody's going to see why I say that when we get

00:30:25.315 --> 00:30:28.355

Kevin Lowe: to it, how did you and your wife meet?

00:30:28.815 --> 00:30:32.995

Kevin Lowe: And what is the kind of the story in that relationship?

00:30:33.755 --> 00:30:38.375

Reginald D: Well, it's funny. I met my wife at a barbecue where.

00:30:38.375 --> 00:30:40.475

Kevin Lowe: Every good relationship begins.

00:30:42.335 --> 00:30:48.335

Reginald D: I met her at a, um, at a barbecue back in, I think around 2015.

00:30:49.095 --> 00:30:52.815

Reginald D: And, um, when I first met her, I was like, Oh man, you know,

00:30:52.915 --> 00:30:55.135

Reginald D: I was blown away, but I don't think she was digging me too much.

00:30:55.735 --> 00:31:00.255

Reginald D: You know, so I had to keep on, you know, had to keep on pushing that and pushing

00:31:00.255 --> 00:31:04.955

Reginald D: that, you know, So we finally started dating, you know, and then she lived in

00:31:04.955 --> 00:31:09.195

Reginald D: Virginia and things like that. So we went back and forth seeing each other.

00:31:09.375 --> 00:31:14.735

Reginald D: But with all said and done, we get married in 2020, got married.

00:31:14.935 --> 00:31:18.995

Reginald D: And we just been, I don't know, man, it's been great, actually.

00:31:19.255 --> 00:31:23.775

Reginald D: It really has. She's really brought out the best in me because I think I was

00:31:23.775 --> 00:31:26.475

Reginald D: burnt out on being single, you know. Yeah.

00:31:27.615 --> 00:31:32.335

Reginald D: I can't even try to take care of yourself and take care of other people out

00:31:32.335 --> 00:31:35.795

Reginald D: here in the world and things like that and outside the door.

00:31:36.455 --> 00:31:41.155

Reginald D: But it was God sent her to me. And we went to church one day,

00:31:41.735 --> 00:31:43.775

Reginald D: I think maybe 2022 or something like that.

00:31:44.015 --> 00:31:48.715

Reginald D: We came home from church. And basically I told her about this dream I had, right?

00:31:49.235 --> 00:31:52.835

Reginald D: That I was talking about, those three dreams. I don't think I ever even ever told her that part.

00:31:53.655 --> 00:31:57.715

Reginald D: And I told her about it and we came home from church one day and she said,

00:31:57.815 --> 00:32:00.495

Reginald D: hey, I need you to stand up against the wall. I'm going to take a picture of you.

00:32:01.535 --> 00:32:06.035

Reginald D: And I was like, huh? And they're like, what's going on here?

00:32:06.555 --> 00:32:12.395

Reginald D: You know, so she took this picture and she said, you're about to start a podcast.

00:32:13.035 --> 00:32:15.875

Reginald D: And I was like, what is a podcast? I mean, I've heard of it,

00:32:15.895 --> 00:32:17.235

Reginald D: but I don't really know what these things are.

00:32:17.695 --> 00:32:20.295

Reginald D: But I was like, okay, this is what we're doing. This is what we're doing,

00:32:20.435 --> 00:32:24.095

Reginald D: right? Man, we started this podcast, Real Talk with Regina D.

00:32:24.695 --> 00:32:28.215

Reginald D: And once we started it, man, God has really blessed it.

00:32:28.215 --> 00:32:33.975

Reginald D: I mean, up to now, man, we got Apple Podcasts, top 200 shows in 105 countries,

00:32:34.175 --> 00:32:37.915

Reginald D: you know, and I'm like, every time, you know, episodes come,

00:32:38.035 --> 00:32:42.955

Reginald D: episodes come as I'm trying to get my momentum and trying to figure out how to effectively do this.

00:32:43.295 --> 00:32:45.535

Reginald D: You know, she's managing the whole thing.

00:32:45.895 --> 00:32:48.475

Reginald D: And man, we're looking, we in this country, we in this country,

00:32:48.575 --> 00:32:51.835

Reginald D: we in this country. We got all these five star ratings here.

00:32:51.975 --> 00:32:54.955

Reginald D: I mean, everything was just crazy where you took off.

00:32:55.875 --> 00:33:01.595

Reginald D: And then when I looked at all these countries, I was like, wait a minute.

00:33:02.315 --> 00:33:06.215

Reginald D: It finally hit me after that dream in 2005.

00:33:08.035 --> 00:33:16.255

Reginald D: That God was showing me the church in that dream to let me know this is not where I want you to be.

00:33:17.235 --> 00:33:21.895

Reginald D: And he showed me those people in the field saying, I'm going to allow you to

00:33:21.895 --> 00:33:23.715

Reginald D: reach the masses, a bunch of people.

00:33:25.276 --> 00:33:28.376

Reginald D: And I said, that's where this podcast came out.

00:33:28.696 --> 00:33:32.236

Reginald D: This is those people in all these countries, all those people in that field

00:33:32.236 --> 00:33:33.916

Reginald D: that God showed me outside of that church.

00:33:34.856 --> 00:33:35.256

Kevin Lowe: Yeah.

00:33:35.456 --> 00:33:40.196

Reginald D: Years ago, you know, and, you know, and God was just telling me,

00:33:40.256 --> 00:33:43.176

Reginald D: I'm showing you the church so you won't run in there and be a pastor like everybody else.

00:33:45.536 --> 00:33:49.936

Reginald D: It's not what I want for your life. So, and that's how it came, man.

00:33:49.956 --> 00:33:53.636

Reginald D: And it's been, and I know it's, I know it's on point because it's been just

00:33:53.636 --> 00:33:55.636

Reginald D: things. it's been a blessing.

00:33:55.636 --> 00:34:05.156

Kevin Lowe: So you have to wonder from the dream in 2005 to starting the podcast in what 2020?

00:34:05.836 --> 00:34:06.856

Reginald D: No, 22.

00:34:07.236 --> 00:34:13.196

Kevin Lowe: So even longer. So you have to wonder, was God just waiting all that time for

00:34:13.196 --> 00:34:17.976

Kevin Lowe: podcasting to become a big thing or for him to get through your thick skull?

00:34:18.216 --> 00:34:21.796

Kevin Lowe: Like Reginald, I'm telling you man I'm trying to show you.

00:34:22.956 --> 00:34:25.156

Reginald D: I think, I think, I think it's both of them.

00:34:25.176 --> 00:34:25.596

Kevin Lowe: Yes.

00:34:29.676 --> 00:34:33.396

Kevin Lowe: Oh my goodness. No, I love that so, so much.

00:34:33.916 --> 00:34:39.716

Kevin Lowe: Your, your podcast, what has been the biggest kind of a blessing for you?

00:34:39.856 --> 00:34:43.316

Kevin Lowe: Is it, you know, getting to just be on the mic, being creative?

00:34:43.516 --> 00:34:45.776

Kevin Lowe: Is it getting to, to meet people when you interview?

00:34:46.156 --> 00:34:51.436

Kevin Lowe: Like, what is it that just keeps you so compelled and driving forward with your show?

00:34:51.836 --> 00:34:53.276

Reginald D: People like you, man, you know that.

00:34:53.716 --> 00:34:55.056

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Yeah.

00:34:56.476 --> 00:34:59.956

Reginald D: But yes, I mean, meeting people such as yourself, you know, I mean,

00:34:59.976 --> 00:35:02.896

Reginald D: when we first interviewed just before we got on podcasts together,

00:35:03.316 --> 00:35:08.136

Reginald D: you know, we had a blast, but you know, I think meeting, meeting people is one of them.

00:35:08.396 --> 00:35:11.916

Reginald D: But I think when you go back and you look at some of the reviews and things

00:35:11.916 --> 00:35:15.136

Reginald D: like that, and you read it and you hear things like, you know,

00:35:15.296 --> 00:35:18.276

Reginald D: how what I said changed somebody's life.

00:35:18.875 --> 00:35:23.155

Reginald D: And getting all that positive feedback on it, that's what keeps me going.

00:35:23.315 --> 00:35:26.395

Reginald D: If I'm making a difference, then that's what's going to keep me pushing.

00:35:26.915 --> 00:35:32.575

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, yeah, I agree. What do you think your grandfather would say right now?

00:35:32.735 --> 00:35:37.475

Kevin Lowe: If you got to sit down with him, what do you think he'd have to say about this

00:35:37.475 --> 00:35:43.875

Kevin Lowe: new age way you found to touch the lives of people all over the world outside of the church?

00:35:44.295 --> 00:35:47.995

Reginald D: He probably would tell me that he's not proud of me yet.

00:35:49.935 --> 00:35:56.555

Reginald D: So you got more work to do, boy. But now if I can hear his voice now,

00:35:56.795 --> 00:35:58.555

Reginald D: he's going to tell me he's proud of me.

00:35:58.615 --> 00:36:03.375

Reginald D: And he's going to tell me to, you know, keep pushing and keep being who you are.

00:36:03.635 --> 00:36:07.435

Reginald D: And his biggest thing is don't waver. Do not waver. Stay true to it.

00:36:08.015 --> 00:36:15.255

Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Yeah. I love it. I love it. Well, Reginald, your podcast is called Real Talk with Reginald D.

00:36:15.875 --> 00:36:18.635

Kevin Lowe: For you, what does that mean when we talk about the real talk?

00:36:19.215 --> 00:36:23.715

Reginald D: Well, real talk is basically real talk and the crazy part about it,

00:36:23.915 --> 00:36:28.575

Reginald D: when I talk, a lot of this stuff is just my life, man.

00:36:28.835 --> 00:36:31.375

Reginald D: It's my experiences and what I had to go through.

00:36:31.855 --> 00:36:36.195

Reginald D: Just like when it says, I was told I won't amount to anything.

00:36:37.355 --> 00:36:40.855

Reginald D: And I try to tell people, you're never meant to be defined by someone else's

00:36:40.855 --> 00:36:42.755

Reginald D: doubt for you at the end of the day.

00:36:44.295 --> 00:36:46.455

Reginald D: Those words were seeds of fear.

00:36:47.142 --> 00:36:51.402

Reginald D: But you've got the power to grow faith. I mean, you can grow through this whole

00:36:51.402 --> 00:36:52.762

Reginald D: thing when things like this happen.

00:36:52.962 --> 00:36:56.562

Reginald D: So I'm just kind of speaking to, you know, my life experiences.

00:36:56.902 --> 00:36:58.362

Reginald D: And because there's been ups,

00:36:58.462 --> 00:37:03.382

Reginald D: there's been downs, there's been all this stuff. And it's been a ride.

00:37:03.662 --> 00:37:06.682

Reginald D: So we're really talking about Reggie today. I try not to sugarcoat something.

00:37:06.902 --> 00:37:12.522

Reginald D: And I'm sure not trying to put something in the atmosphere that's not achievable.

00:37:12.782 --> 00:37:16.702

Reginald D: You know, because I don't want to let anybody down. and somebody feel like they're

00:37:16.702 --> 00:37:20.242

Reginald D: let down or not good enough for life and stuff like that.

00:37:20.382 --> 00:37:23.342

Reginald D: It's just, it's going to take a little effort. That's all, and a little faith.

00:37:23.862 --> 00:37:29.262

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I love it. Well, Reginald, what is next for you?

00:37:29.382 --> 00:37:31.642

Kevin Lowe: What's on the horizon? What are you working on?

00:37:31.902 --> 00:37:36.062

Kevin Lowe: And most importantly, where can people stay connected with you?

00:37:36.582 --> 00:37:39.962

Reginald D: Well, one of the things we're working on is actually still, I mean,

00:37:40.022 --> 00:37:43.282

Reginald D: the podcast is, like I said, it has great momentum and we're just going to try

00:37:43.282 --> 00:37:46.682

Reginald D: to keep it going it and try to enhance a few things with it.

00:37:47.162 --> 00:37:51.842

Reginald D: The biggest thing that I'm trying to achieve right now, get some momentum with

00:37:51.842 --> 00:37:56.322

Reginald D: it, is the motivational speaking side of it to go around and do some motivational

00:37:56.322 --> 00:37:59.462

Reginald D: speaking and things like that to connect with it.

00:37:59.702 --> 00:38:04.902

Reginald D: But other than that, it's just to keep reaching people, keep doing what we're

00:38:04.902 --> 00:38:06.142

Reginald D: doing, and keep being creative.

00:38:06.502 --> 00:38:12.942

Reginald D: That's the biggest thing. Just keep being creative. Everything doesn't come to you every day.

00:38:13.122 --> 00:38:16.382

Reginald D: I mean, I'll be thinking one thing today, and then by Friday,

00:38:16.702 --> 00:38:19.242

Reginald D: something will blow me away and I'll be like, oh man, we've got to try this.

00:38:20.022 --> 00:38:26.302

Reginald D: Just being open to what God has for me and keep pushing and keep going and see

00:38:26.302 --> 00:38:27.262

Reginald D: what the end is going to be.

00:38:27.482 --> 00:38:31.682

Reginald D: As far as the podcast, Real Talk with Regina D, you can, on the podcast,

00:38:31.902 --> 00:38:34.802

Reginald D: you can go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast network.

00:38:35.642 --> 00:38:42.122

Reginald D: Social media, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, just put in Real Talk with Regina D you,

00:38:42.849 --> 00:38:44.129

Reginald D: And it'll pop up.

00:38:44.709 --> 00:38:48.809

Kevin Lowe: Yeah, fantastic. Now, what about if somebody was interested in learning about

00:38:48.809 --> 00:38:52.149

Kevin Lowe: you, about hiring you as a speaker?

00:38:52.389 --> 00:38:54.369

Kevin Lowe: Do we have a website or somewhere we can send them?

00:38:54.789 --> 00:38:57.529

Reginald D: Yeah, you can go to www.realtalk.org.

00:38:58.289 --> 00:39:02.989

Kevin Lowe: Easy enough. Easy enough. Well, I will be sure for anybody interested,

00:39:03.189 --> 00:39:07.369

Kevin Lowe: all the links to the podcast, the website, all the places are in the show notes.

00:39:07.949 --> 00:39:14.369

Kevin Lowe: Reginald, man, you are such a blessing. You're such an amazing guy who I am

00:39:14.369 --> 00:39:17.069

Kevin Lowe: so grateful that we got connected with one another.

00:39:17.249 --> 00:39:19.789

Kevin Lowe: And I thank you so much for being here today.

00:39:20.369 --> 00:39:22.049

Reginald D: Well, thank you so much, Kevin. Bless you, brother.

00:39:22.789 --> 00:39:27.649

Kevin Lowe: Oh, thank you. And for you listening today, my hope is that you heard something

00:39:27.649 --> 00:39:29.929

Kevin Lowe: today that can be an impact on your life.

00:39:30.089 --> 00:39:35.549

Kevin Lowe: There were so many words of wisdom left to us by simply Reginald sharing his story.

00:39:35.989 --> 00:39:39.969

Kevin Lowe: Maybe it's a dream that God gave you that maybe you forgot about.

00:39:39.969 --> 00:39:43.869

Kevin Lowe: Maybe it's time to think back, think a little bit bigger, think a little bit

00:39:43.869 --> 00:39:50.029

Kevin Lowe: better, and also remember that we always want things to happen yesterday. We want it today.

00:39:50.589 --> 00:39:55.509

Kevin Lowe: Sometimes, though, in God's time, which is the right time, it just takes a little bit.

00:39:55.809 --> 00:40:00.909

Kevin Lowe: It's just up to us to stay faithful and keep walking the walk, doing the thing.

00:40:01.189 --> 00:40:05.029

Kevin Lowe: I'm your host, Kevin Lowe, and this, of course, was another episode of Grit,

00:40:05.229 --> 00:40:06.409

Kevin Lowe: Grace, and Inspiration.

00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:27.112

Podcast Outro: I got Grit, Grace, & Inspiration on my mind...