Episode 65- Tyler

Summary

The Collage Podcast: Episode 65 – Tyler Hosted by Feed My Sheep | Released March 5, 2025

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Introduction

In Episode 65 of The Collage Podcast, hosted by Jeff from Feed My Sheep in Temple, Texas, the focus shifts to an inspiring guest, Tyler. Recorded in the heart of central Texas, this episode delves deep into Tyler's life journey, exploring themes of resilience, faith, and the human spirit.

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Tyler's Background

[01:25] Jeff welcomes Tyler, a newcomer to their community, sharing his initial impressions: “Tyler, very good to have you here.” Tyler introduces himself as a 32-year-old from Huntsville, Alabama. His early passions included electronics and music, influenced by his grandfather, a DJ who gifted him equipment that ignited his love for creating music with friends.

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Experiences with Prejudice and Racism

Tyler candidly discusses the racial prejudices he faced growing up in Alabama. [02:46] He reflects, “Prejudice and being a different skin color can shape your future,” highlighting how unconscious biases affected his interactions. A poignant moment occurs when Tyler shares an experience from a mission trip: meeting an elderly interracial couple who invited their group to share a meal for the first time. [04:12] Tyler recalls, “They were the first Caucasian people that he'd ever invited into his house to eat a meal together with.” This encounter underscores the deep-seated racial divides and the significance of breaking them through genuine human connections.

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Homelessness Journey

At [17:51], Jeff probes into Tyler’s struggles with homelessness, revealing that Tyler has been without a stable home since he was 17. Tyler speaks about the constant uncertainty and survival mode he lived in: “Uncertainty. Flight or flight mode. Survival mode on all the time.” He acknowledges personal challenges, including habits he regrets, yet takes responsibility for his path: “I take full responsibility in that.”

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Arrival in Temple, Texas

Tyler’s presence in Temple wasn’t planned but felt like a divine orchestration. [16:18] He explains how an accidental detour led him to Temple instead of Colleen, interpreting it as a "miracle." This unexpected turn brought him to a shelter, providing a temporary haven from his struggles.

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Faith and Overcoming Challenges

Faith plays a central role in Tyler’s life. [22:00] He shares his unwavering belief in God, asserting that his resilience stems from spiritual strength. Tyler discusses his victories in faith settings, such as PTSD meetings, emphasizing that while he may have moments of wanting to give up, his faith keeps him moving forward: “I stopped trying to keep up with all this fashion... I keep on my journey because it’s helping me to know that, hey, there’s people out here that care.”

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Life Philosophy and Communication

Tyler emphasizes the importance of effective communication and understanding differences. [24:07] He distinguishes between "quitting the rat race" and "giving up," explaining that he has stopped striving for materialistic successes but continues to persevere personally: “I stopped the rat race, but I never gave up on myself as a person.” The conversation explores how individuals can guard their hearts to prevent being hurt, advocating for open and respectful dialogue to bridge misunderstandings.

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Future Aspirations

Looking ahead, Tyler envisions a life rooted in sustainability and community support. [47:55] He aspires to own a farm where he can engage in lasagna gardening, raise sheep for wool and cotton, and build tiny houses using hemp-based bricks. Tyler's goal extends beyond personal success; he aims to support his community by sending donations and gifts: “My goal is to be able to send you guys gifts of donations.”

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Closing Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, both Jeff and Tyler reflect on the interconnectedness of their journeys. They reinforce the message that “people matter” and that every individual has intrinsic value, regardless of their circumstances. [52:01] Jeff eloquently states, “We matter because God himself said, it matters enough that the world is going to be lacking if it doesn't have Tyler in it.”

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Notable Quotes

• Tyler on Prejudice: “[02:46] Prejudice and being a different skin color can shape your future.”

• Mission Trip Experience: “[04:12] They were the first Caucasian people that he'd ever invited into his house to eat a meal together with.”

• On Homelessness: “[17:51] Uncertainty. Flight or flight mode. Survival mode on all the time.”

• Faith and Resilience: “[22:00] I stopped trying to keep up with all this fashion... I keep on my journey because it’s helping me to know that, hey, there’s people out here that care.”

• Future Goals: “[47:55] One year from now, I want to have my own farm somewhere.”

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Conclusion

Episode 65 of The Collage Podcast offers a heartfelt exploration of Tyler’s life, marked by adversity and unwavering faith. His story serves as a testament to human resilience and the power of community support. Tyler’s vision for the future embodies a commitment to self-sufficiency and generosity, inspiring listeners to recognize the inherent value in every individual.

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Thank you for listening to The Collage Podcast. For more inspiring stories and episodes, visit redcordmedia.org.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Collage Podcast, and thank you for making us a part of your day. If you enjoy the podcast, please, like, rate and subscribe. Hey, we want to welcome everybody to another edition of the Collage Podcast. So appreciate so much y'all being here, listening to this again today. As always, we are excited. We have a guest today, which that's standard. We are recording out of a little place called Feed My Sheep, which is in a little town of Temple, Texas. So we're right in the. The heart of central Texas here. And kind of what we do is we serve a lot of people that are in various. Various difficult situations that come through here. We provide lunch every day and such like that. Enough of that. So what we have today and not what we have, who we have today, that's not the best start. Tyler. So we have our friend Tyler, who I met for the first time yesterday. Today's Tuesday. I'm supposed to be doing bleachers today, but I backed out, so. But today is Tuesday. I met Tyler on Monday. Yeah.

[B]

Yes, sir.

[A]

Okay, so, Tyler, very good to have you here. So first question.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Oh, well, there you go. Very good. Polite. So first question. Tyler, tell us a little bit about you. Who is Tyler? Okay, so give us your backstory.

[B]

Okay. Tyler. I'm from Huntsville, Alabama. We. We discussed it off camera. And Tyler has always traveled, whether family or by myself. I've always traveled, always learned things. Love to read. Electronics was a big thing for me growing up. I used to take. Take apart stuff, put it. Put it back together.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Eventually, I got into music because my granddad was a DJ for an Elks Lounge in Alabama. And one day he just decided. He said, hey, I want to give you this equipment, like, one day. So, yeah, he gave me some equipment, and I used it until I got to a point where I didn't need it anymore and started making music with my friends at school and collaborating. I still had a music like today, but with Alabama, I've had some. Some. Some, you know, hiccups here and there.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

With just the workforce and how maybe, you know, purchase it. Prejudice and being a different skin color can shape your. Your future. That. That even. Not even trying to. It's just because of your skin color. It may shape your future. Annoying.

[A]

Okay, you want to hear something interesting? Okay. I've been to Alabama. Okay. Not. That's not interesting. Okay. So I've been. But I went kind of. So only reason I would say that one of the most intriguing experiences that I've had in my life, I've gotten to go a lot of different places. But in Alabama, we were on a mission trip, and it was a elderly, elderly couple as a husband and wife that they were in their upper 80s, and their house was in very, very poor shape, and they didn't have a whole lot of money. And so we had. We redid the roof and redid the outside. We did a whole lot of work on this house. There's a group of us that did it, and it's really good week. And so we get to the last day, and we had finished the project, and the house was fixed up pretty nice. And then they were a different skin color than me, okay? So their skin was darker than mine. And so we finish and they asked for the last day. The wife had cooked us a big meal, okay? So it was. And it was traditional soul food types of. So it was fried chicken as mashed potatoes. It was greens. It was cornbread. It was really good. Okay? So we go in there and it was. It was really, really nice. The meal, I'll never forget. We finished the meal, and the guy, you could see, he wanted to say something, and he explained to us that we were the first Caucasian people that he'd ever invited into his house to eat a meal together with. They had never. The difference in the cultures. I mean, like, that. That the skin color had been. He obviously been around people of a different skin color. Obviously. I mean, that's the world. But never had. Had people sit at his own table and have a meal together. And I'm going, golly, that was. It was pretty interesting moment. So tell me out of that, because we can't not go there. Because here, I mean, I can't. We're not going to solve that. But tell me, what does that mean? Like, that you had some difficult. Alabama, in your experience is.

[B]

Well, see, I had teachers just like you growing up.

[A]

I'm sorry for that in preschool, okay?

[B]

So they would be like, hey, you know, I'm sitting on a lap. I never knew. I never knew skin color, okay? Until I was hit with the opposition from, you know, different races, you know, people with lighter skin to me and trying to use it against me. And when it hit me, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Because I was like, okay, did I do something wrong? And it's like my subconscious is telling me your skin color.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

You know, And I'm telling myself, no, that's not it. It's just my personality, you know, because when I was growing up, I was in those settings, and I think it was Just God teaching me how, like, how the world can be, not necessarily how the world is, because I meet people I met. I just recently met Bobby. I just recently met you. That's a breath of fresh air. Most of you guys are Caucasian in this community so far as the nonprofit Feed My Sheep. And it's faith based, so I don't see color at all with it anyway. But it's just a breath of fresh air to get that from people. And it's also like my childhood again. It's like I'm actually being able to experience my childhood again through y'all and heal the rest of my path that I'm going on because it's helping me to know that, hey, there's people out here that care that's not necessarily a skin color and it shouldn't matter. But I had to go through so much turmoil with the opposition of not being this. Even not being Hispanic when I worked on a roof.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, you know, guy called me out my name. And the, the right thing to do is to tell your supervisor, hey, like, I don't like the way he's talking to me. But my supervisor felt threatened because he doesn't want to hire guys. He said he doesn't want to hire guys like me, but he doesn't. He didn't say the skin color. He just say, I don't want to hire anybody to stand around. And I'm like, what do you mean by that? And meanwhile, I mean, it's not a competition, but I'm working circles around them, and then I get bullied for, for trying to do my work right. And I tell them, I, I left the roof that day and I said, I don't want to do this. I want to do this anymore. If, if you get angry that I, I warn you that I'm trying to work and I'm getting hit with this opposition, then what do you do? Then you have no other choice. And that's the challenges that I had.

[A]

Okay, so, like, that you said one of the. And we're going to, we're not deviating way off course, but, like, we're going to stay on this a little bit. One of the sentences that absolutely drives me crazy that we use in this world all the time. Okay, so, like, you and I, okay, you're from Alabama, I'm from Louisiana. Born, but I lived in Texas forever.

[B]

Okay, so I love Louisiana.

[A]

Yeah, I do too. I love Louisiana. But out of that, there's no, there's nothing wrong with saying, well, we're different. I mean, I just know Louisiana. Like, that's how I was brought up. And. And things that are normal to me are normal in Louisiana. Like, we eat crawfish, and you may be from Alabama. Like, I don't need no crawfish. What? You may. But, like, it's just you.

[B]

You go down a moat. You go down to Mobile and eating crop.

[A]

That's right. And so we would go. So the differences were just. Were brought up different. Okay? And so, like, you know people. There's good people in Louisiana. There's bad people in Louisiana. There's good people out of them. There's bad people in Alabama. So for me, I can't stand when people look at other people and go, oh, I can't stand people like that. But they don't even know the person. They don't even know what's under the skin or any. Like, not any. Like, I would never say the sense. I don't like people from Iowa. I don't even know where Iowa is. They got big deer in Iowa. I know that. But I wouldn't say that because I don't know every single person in Iowa. I've never met them. It's fair maybe for me to say, oh, man, I really don't like that person because of this. I know them. I know what they do. And. But I can't just look at somebody, oh, I don't like that kind of person because they're different. Okay? So in our world that we're at, a lot of the people. Well, a lot of the people that we work with, they have different skin colors, but they have a likeness in that they don't have a house to stay in in temple. Like, they're unhoused. Okay? So then people can look at this big group of people and go, oh, I don't like people like that. And then make this blanket statement about all the people that are in the. Oh, all of them, they're like this. No, they're not at all like. So we don't know. There's individual store. Tyler is this. Jeff is this. Bobby is this. They're different. So out of that, it can be hurtful, and it can feel very frustrating. And then we can use word opposition. When I face the opposition, if people stay doing this against me, it's hurtful, and it can. It can lead to two things. I'm a fight or I want to give up. Forget this, you know, and so. And unfortunately, that. That's. That's where we're at in the world. A whole lot of stuff. Not just the color issue. But we look at homeless and we go, ah, they're this. You know, so, like, if somebody was going to guess of. If you were going to say, I'm going to guess what somebody thinks of people that are homeless, what would you think? What. When they look and they drive by and they see people out here that are waiting at Feed My Sheep, your guess of what they're thinking would be what?

[B]

That. I mean, it's a lot of things. A lot of things that maybe your own subconscious can put into your brain, you know, with you. You know, you want to build yourself up and see, this is not a community like that where it's like, somebody might pull up and say, hey, like. Or they look, they might glance over there and they say, all those people are nasty.

[A]

Okay?

[B]

Or they're. They're dirty. They. They don't work, they're lazy, on drugs. Yo, everybody, you know, just. No, no, you know, thin lines. Just. Everybody's like that. Everybody, you know, everybody doesn't have a purpose. But you, you don't know what my thing is, is that you don't know what mysterious ways God is working through everybody. From every small little event to every conversation to what was dropped, to the body movements, language, eye contact, everything.

[A]

Yeah, I. I agree. So, like, me is I. I would look and every single person that I a. We believe in faith. We believe that there is a God who created people, okay? So I will say that at the start. So I would look at that and go, every single person was equally and divinely created by God. And he looked at each one, he said, man, they're good. He didn't create one. And go, this one is really good. This one is pretty junky. Yeah, you know, that one's kind of junkie. I messed up on. No, everyone that's put on this earth, he goes, and that's really, really good. Like, I created a masterpiece there. And then I can't understand the math because it's so big, but he created so many different people. And so. But we, as the individual entities he created, we look at others and go, ah, that's not a good one. That's not a good one. You know, we. We make these assumptions that are not fair to make. And then we try to define people in ways that are not just ways to define them. I'm going to look at Tyler and I'm going to judge him solely by his skin. Would you like that? Not at all.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Okay. And Tyler would look at me. Oh. Oh, I know, Jeff, because I've Met a bunch of old ugly looking white dudes. I know how they all are. Okay. And so you'd go. And you. And you might not be completely wrong, but you would go, no, that's not fair. Okay, so we won't. We're not going to solve the racial prejudice deal. But it is, you know, that is part of your story. You say, okay, this is. This was in it. So then. So Tyler is in Alabama. We are recording in Temple, Texas. So we are not in Alabama. Right. Right now. So, like, out of that kind of catch us up. So you. You are very young looking to me. Because I'm old. You are how old now?

[B]

I'm 32.

[A]

In his. In his 30s. Okay. And so, like, if you're watching this, Tyler is single right now. So, like right now you can go to our website and I'm just kidding on that. And they is single. So out of that. But so Tyler's 32. Okay. Right now, is it fair to say you and I met because you are in Temple, Texas? Have you ever been to Temple, Texas before?

[B]

Came with like a friend, like door dash or something like that?

[A]

Okay, but so this is. You ended up here. Like, this is not like you go, man. My life plan is I'm going to go to Temple, Texas.

[B]

It was an accident.

[A]

Okay. That's right. How'd you end up here? And you can give the easy version.

[B]

Easy version. Okay. My friend, like, he talked a lot. He still talks. I don't know. He was talking on the way here and he didn't know that he was coming here because the GPS was doing some weird stuff. It was like, hold on, wait, we in Temple?

[A]

Where were you going?

[B]

We were supposed to be going to a homeless shelter in Colleen.

[A]

Okay. Yeah. Okay.

[B]

But somehow it took us to temple and I was like, I know what it is. The Holy Spirit.

[A]

Okay, fair. And where did y'all come from? Alabama.

[B]

Colleen.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I came from Alabama three months ago.

[A]

Okay. And how did you end up this way? So this. Come and catch me up. How do we come from Alabama to Texas?

[B]

Well, I met this guy on TikTok and I put my trust in it, but I came. It was more like a free fall because I told him, I mentioned something about being homeless. I said, and if I have to or if I feel like I need to reset myself, then I will.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

You know, and long story short, three months later, some stuff went downhill. I don't have to explain, like, everything. Cause I think you. I think I've told. I told him what happened, but it's not for me to, you know, get on here and bash nobody.

[A]

Right. Fair.

[B]

It's just where my discernment was, was not where his discernment was. And I needed to do more. And so I don't know if he knew about the testimony. My testimony is that if you're going to be with somebody or have an associate, you should see where the journey is going to take their person just so you can get the rest of your testimony. Because it takes so much longer to get the understanding when God is presenting you with that right now. So that, that was my conclusion and that's how I got here, the temple. And that is. That is a miracle to me.

[A]

I agree. Like, so not often you can say the sentence temple and miracle in the same sentence. I'm. I'm growing up here. That's just a little. Okay, so. But I would agree so out of that, that God has had his hand in this orchestration for sure. So let me ask you, how long in your life, not just temple, would you say you have been homeless? Like this has been part of your journey? You have been on the streets for how long this brand new or in Alabama you've had. How long would you say I've been homeless?

[B]

Pretty much since I was 17.

[A]

Okay. That's a long time. So you've been homeless more. Golly, this. When I hear math like this. So you've been homeless more years in your life than you have been housed. Because if you're 32 and you've been homeless. No, my math is wrong. So almost as much. Okay, so.

[B]

So half of my life I've been homeless.

[A]

Yeah, pretty much.

[B]

I never got a chance to. I've been abandoned.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And that's fine. I mean, some of the people that raised me were diagnosed bipolar, schizophrenic. So what could I do fair. You know, other than to learn? But I need to learn about this world morally so I could have the discernment to keep on my journey.

[A]

Great. So 15 out on your own.

[B]

Well, 17.

[A]

Okay, 17. Okay, let's say 17 even one. 17 out on your own. Okay. And then you've. You've tried to navigate life from there. Tough. What is the hardest part? And this is a terribly stupid question. I mean, what is. If you were going to say what is the hardest part about being homeless is what is it hard?

[B]

Is it easy not knowing when you're going to be able to get like. Be able to have that. That moment where you could just. You could sleep or you don't know when that person is going to tell you, you got to leave there.

[A]

Okay, so just in uncertainty like that.

[B]

Uncertainty. Flight or flight mode. Survival mode on all the time.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Maybe, like, I get a year or two break, but then it's back, and then that has a lot to do with discipline stuff I may have picked up. That. May. I. Maybe I shouldn't have picked up habits and stuff like that. So I take full responsibility in that. Taking ownership. Like, hey, maybe I need to work on my credit. See, now, now that I went through that, now I'm like, okay, I need to work on my credit. I know I need to have enough money to at least have a down payment. I know I need to do this. And it's all a priority list now.

[A]

Yeah. But what's interesting, a lot of people don't out there who may be listening to this. And I'm going to say a sentence that may make zero sense. It is very expensive to be homeless is what I would say. And so then. And to get out of homelessness is extremely expensive. Okay. And you go, well, that's the stupidest thing I ever heard. Okay, so, like, for Tyler, let's pretend like, temple, where we're at, has no homeless shelter. Okay. We managed to get him in to another facility that has 10 where they have some cots and some beds that. That we managed to get Tyler in. That's a good thing. He got a lucky break. Okay. So, like, that doesn't happen to most of the people here. So Tyler came. So we got. So he is inside at the moment in a shelter.

[B]

Blessing.

[A]

Yeah, blessing.

[B]

And see, I didn't mean.

[A]

No, no, no.

[B]

You didn't want to cut you off.

[A]

No, cut me off.

[B]

Testimonially. I. I plead. I claim victory. I claim victory at the PTSD meeting yesterday, and I claimed victory when I was sitting outside and didn't know what was going on.

[A]

Okay, what does that mean?

[B]

That I. I came, I became victorious, and I manifested it through claiming my big victory.

[A]

Correct. So out of that unwavering faith. Unwavering faith. How do you keep that integrity? Okay, so unwavering. Because, like, out of. I'm sure in all your journeys of being homeless, you've had moments that you would go, I might as well just give up. Yeah. Like, forget this. I give up. Like, what's the point? I'm all alone. Nobody cares whether I am living or dying. Quit. Why didn't you? Because you didn't. Because you're here. Okay? And you may have felt like. But so why not?

[B]

I think I have quit. Okay, but see, this is where we have to know. What are we quitting? You quitting the rat race? I stopped trying to keep up with all this fashion and the latest trends and focus on true discernment from Christ and learn, you know, I don't know, like, a bunch of scriptures. I don't know that many anyway, you know, like, I know enough to keep me going. And I can't say that I never gave up. I've quit, but I never gave up.

[A]

I like that sentence. And tell me what it means. I like because I. Okay. I like it because they're two different. I would agree. There's two different things. Quitting and giving up. I would say very different things. Okay, so tell me what your definition to you, how are they different?

[B]

I think, like. Like when I was going back, like, with the rat race, and I seen how my family would kind of like, play favorites. Oh, you have this money, and that's good. And I've worked so hard to get where I've gone to, and I'm like, well, isn't that like an incentive? Like, if I work hard, then I get.

[A]

No.

[B]

Oh, okay. Well, that's favoritism. Oh, thank. Thank you, God, for showing me what favoritism is. But that hurt. That hurt. So I stopped. I quit the rat race, but I never gave up on myself as a person. Like, yes, you can work on yourself that. Did Jesus have to wear a bunch of clothing that was, you know, attractive to a man's eye or, you know, didn't he tell us about garments and different cotton wool and teach us about how man should not lament on certain things and how we shouldn't play parts against one another.

[A]

Okay?

[B]

Saying. As if this is the nitty gritty and I want to actually live in this life. I'm. I'm not chosen, but I'm anointed to do something bigger than just join a rat race and try to have Lamborghini in the. The biggest house.

[A]

But, man, Lamborghinis are tight.

[B]

Pretty.

[A]

They're pretty cool, man. They ain't no lie and make sure.

[B]

I mean, I would like to drive one once, but it's not something that I just be like, I want to get in every day. I would feel bad. I'm like, it's starving people in the world. I can't take this Lamborghini apart. Feed people.

[A]

Agree.

[B]

But if I have a garden, I can pack my corn up and bring it down to feed my sheep. I can do something to it with it.

[A]

That's right. Like, that. I like that mentality of, you know, what if everybody just shared a little bit of the giftedness that God has given to them, man? Think how much better the world would be.

[B]

At least the Lamborghini was made of corn.

[A]

Seriously, a Lamborghini made of corn. Like, you're just driving it and, like, you're like, man, I need some steering wheel real quick. And you, like, eat a bite. And then you got, like, the different. Because the Lamborghini, if it was corn, would definitely be like caramel corn. Like, it wouldn't be corn. Like, it'd be like caramel corn and be stuck together, and you'd be driving it, and you could just eat off the ceiling. You're like, that's caramel corn. Like, that's why I paid all this money.

[B]

So, yeah, burgers come, you know.

[A]

Seriously. I mean, squirrels got a bunch of pigeons sitting on. Get the pigeons off my Lamborghini. What in the world are you doing? Okay, so that's why they don't make Lamborghinis out of corn. Okay? So.

[B]

I would like to see one, though. I would. If anybody wants to do that, go ahead.

[A]

Okay. But like that. So. And. And being homeless, this uncertainty of I don't know for sure. Like, you're here in Temple Texas when we met, okay? You don't even really. You never really know this town. You don't even really know where you're at much. Don't even know what the options are. And you're out inside of our building. Bobby met you first, and you've got your suitcase out on the street. It's raining, it's cold, it's drizzly, okay? And you're like, I got to figure this out and figure it out quick. Okay? And so then we were able to answer some quick questions of, oh, you can eat breakfast here, you can have lunch here. You need to fill out this form, and you can get a place to stay. So yours. It worked out. But that. I can't imagine that feeling of, all of a sudden, you're in a place I thought I was going to clean. Now I'm in Temple, and I don't know anybody in this town. Correct.

[B]

Well, it's been my plan.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

It was a bit of my plan, I mean, because I know the psychological nature of patience.

[A]

Okay?

[B]

I was living with a patient, and I knew eventually it was going to get to a point. And so I'm saying I said, I'm coming to Texas, but I'm a free fall because I'm.

[A]

What does that mean? What does free fall mean?

[B]

Basically, free falling for me is like. Okay, so if I'm. If I'm coming here.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I know for a fact there's gonna be a fall somewhere.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But if I fall freely, instead of trying to grab onto a bunch of stuff, I might cut my hand or I might. You know, metaphorically speaking, I might. I might. I might break my wrist. I might miss my elbow. I might. My shoulder might dislocate because I'm trying to stop the fall.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So I just went on through it, and this is what. This is how I end up with it. I just kind of feel I fail with style.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

That makes it okay. I don't know if you ever seen Toy Story.

[A]

I've seen Toy Story.

[B]

If I Collingwood staff.

[A]

Okay. Okay. Yep. So I like that. So. And out of that. And it's interesting. And that. That's an interesting. So in that. How would you know when you've landed.

[B]

My gears are landed out.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I was able to do this, read some stuff out of a book I think it's called. Something about like the Jubilee and prophecies or some. Something along the lines of that. But I'm reading this and I'm getting discernment from the Holy Spirit. So now I'm. It's like God is like. Okay, now that I got you into a quiet place, now you can get the rest of your discernment. What you need to unfinish a mission.

[A]

Okay. Okay, good. Let me ask you. So we'll go back and then we'll come forward. Your family in Alabama, how long has it been since you have been in contact with them?

[B]

I called my sister last night.

[A]

Okay, you did? And your sister's in Alabama? Yep. Okay.

[B]

She just had a baby.

[A]

Did she really? Congratulations.

[B]

Three years ago.

[A]

Okay, not congratulations. Never mind. Good luck with that three year old. Okay.

[B]

She's. She's. Yeah, she's. She's. I think she's going to be turning three next year. Okay.

[A]

And your sister is older or younger than you?

[B]

She's old.

[A]

Older. Okay. And then you have how many siblings? Brothers or sisters? A bunch. Few.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Know you got one.

[B]

My dad, he was pretty busy. So that's. That's three. And also. So three s. Three siblings and then also another one step sibling.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Five.

[A]

And they are all in Alabama.

[B]

And then my sister has siblings too, so it's.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. So Alabama. Her siblings are in Memphis, Tennessee.

[A]

Oh, my. Okay. I like Memphis. Not that that matters. Memphis good barbecue like Memphis got some good. My. My daughter was In Memphis for a little bit, and she's in Chattanooga, Tennessee, right now.

[B]

I love Chattanooga.

[A]

I did, too. Very pretty.

[B]

I like that aquarium.

[A]

Nice, isn't it?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. So, like, Tennessee. I like that. Alabama, beautiful temple. It's all right. Yeah. We don't have an aquarium. We don't have anything, like, cool like that. So. But so out of that, does your family worry about you? What do you think? I mean, they know. They've got to know Tyler's out here on this, his journey with. What would they say Tyler is doing right now? Are you on What. How would they describe what you're doing? Would they say he's free falling or what would their description be?

[B]

They'd just say, like, he's free. Like, he's always been like, okay, butterfly. Kind of an outcast. Not in a bad way. But sometimes, you know, like, I can get along with anybody, don't get me wrong. But I kind of just like to stay to myself.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But if I can find creative stuff to do with, like, minds, that's a. That's a good thing, too. And I mean, they would say, yeah, I mean, I'm just free. I'm pretty much a butterfly.

[A]

Yeah. Did you see that, too? I was like, what in the world is that? I was like, it got a butterfly just. But it wasn't a butterfly. It was dust or something, wasn't it?

[B]

Ironically, I don't know what it was.

[A]

That was a good. I was like, that's pretty cool trick. He just pulled right there.

[B]

So I was like, that was the Holy Spirit.

[A]

That was. There you. There you go.

[B]

It was the Holy Ghost.

[A]

Okay. So Tyler, you would say kind of a loner, like you. Like, you get along with people. Like, you can talk like this, but then it. You. Obviously, I'm all right with being alone, too. You know what's the hardest part of being like this? You describe. Well, I've always been kind of an I. An outcast, but in a good way. What's it like to be like that? I've always, like, then this. Easy, hard.

[B]

I say, as long as I have productivity and I'm going towards something, and I think that. I don't know. No, I can't say that either. I was gonna say, I don't know why God is blessing me to this extent, but I know why. Because I kept on the path. It's just I was always pushed off of it. And sometimes I would take myself off of it because. Or I'd be like, ooh, ah. What is that?

[A]

It's A Lamborghini made out of corn. I mean, that's what that is. So that's a no brainer. You gotta stop and look at that. I mean, so, but okay, so sometimes like, and I like your self awareness of, okay, some of these things I brought on myself, sometimes I stepped out of the road on my own. Okay, out of that. And then here's where the journey has taken me. Good, bad, doesn't. I mean, like we're both, we're both sitting here and somehow very different journeys have ended. They're not ended. They have come to the same moment in time, in place. That's kind of funny. Like you're going, you look at that and you go, well that's, that's interesting. Jeff's journey was very different than Tyler's and Tyler's is very different than Jeff's and they're both very different than Bobby's. But yet the cosmic senses have all aligned us in one place at one time, at this one moment. And you're like, that's kind of interesting. Don't know what it means. Okay. But he'd go, huh? There's a point and a purpose of why we're even here at this moment.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Okay. Don't understand it completely. Don't really know why or what. And then we use different terms to try to describe and make sense of the unexplainable to go to. Look, man, okay? And we use things that are very vague because the spoken word that we have is a very limiting factor to truly define what is occurring in a universe that's bigger than our understanding. Okay. So like I kind of look at at it that way and out of this and it is unfortunate. And then there's a lot of people that are listening to this that have not come to terms with. It's all right. Well, no, it's not all right. They are the app, the outcast. They're the ones that are getting looked down upon by other people. And they're the ones that like you would say the opposition is going, ah, you can't do that because of this. Your gender, your color, you're whatever these things. And they're sitting there and they're going, might as well. I might as well not just quit. Give up. Everybody's out to get me. It's not fair. Life's not fair. This isn't fair. This should have worked out this way. I give up. Okay?

[B]

Like I was talking to a guy yesterday and he was just saying like he would go to like the Sunrise center, but he Just feels like he doesn't want to feel vulnerable. Because if he feels vulnerable, then you think it's a sign of weakness. Being vulnerable is not a sign of weakness.

[A]

Yeah. Okay. And so mine, I'd even take it a step further in that a lot of the people that we work with and come in contact with, they don't want to feel at all. Okay. They don't want to feel hurt. They don't want to feel vulnerable. It's not. I think that's many people in society because.

[B]

Manipulated through their feelings.

[A]

That's right. They don't. Because out of like, who wants to hurt?

[B]

And it hurts even more when people use it against you.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

It's almost you taking my heart out, ripping it out first, and then you stomping on it.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

All the cords attached.

[A]

Yeah. So in. Out of this, what I've learned in life, like, for me is, oh, okay, okay. I'm all right with being alone. Okay. I'm all right with not having this. Okay. I'm all right with not having. I can do it. Okay. I'm fine. I'm fine. I don't have to feel this. I can figure out how to wait to not feel this. Okay. But what hurts the most is when you allow your heart to be put out there and allow people to see it, and they truly hurt that. So then what do you learn? I'm never going to put that out there because that really hurts. Yeah, actually, because I'm having a heart attack at the moment, but that's a whole other deal. But so, okay, but like that. So then we. We learn how to stay very guarded and protective because we don't want to be hurt because that's all we've really seen from this world. Everybody that I cared about the most that were supposed to love me, they did it in really bad ways that hurt me very badly. And she goes, nah, forget that. I ain't gonna let nobody see that again. And so go ahead.

[B]

I'm sorry.

[A]

Ain't no sorry.

[B]

So why do you. Why do you think a rose has thorn?

[A]

Well, that. Because every rose has a thorn. What is that song? Every rose has a thorn. Every. I can't think of probably what is the rest of it Sings a sad, sad song. So. So out of that. So then is the. The rose defined by its thorns or is it defined by its petals? So. Cause like that. So then you could look.

[B]

No, yeah. I mean, like the metaphors with rose I may need help with, but I know for a fact that it's It's a defense mechanism.

[A]

Agreed.

[B]

And I think that's the root of what I'm getting to. Like, when you put yourself out there, just keep your thorns. Not saying that you gotta stab anybody, just saying that you need to keep your protection, not keep your guards up. Meaning that you have to be defensive about everything that somebody. You know. No, you know, like, if you feel like you have to learn how to ask, what did you mean by that? Oh, okay, I doubt that you mean it by that. I almost took that out of context. That's my bad. Sometimes we have to learn how to communicate with each other in those ways to help it be more effectively.

[A]

Like, I like that. Like, because I'm one. It's not an excuse for being ignorant. Okay, so like, but I may make a statement to you. I don't. I'm not even going to give an example because I don't even know. I don't even want to go there. But I may say something to you that is just normal for being old and from Louisiana and this and that. Okay. And you could take and go, man, that is so offensive and wrong what the guy said. And it may be. And you would go in using communication back to me go, Jeff, do you understand what you just said? How hurtful and how much. And this is how. What I heard when you said that this is what I heard. And I go, lee, I had no idea. I didn't mean that at all. Or yeah, I knew exactly I meant that. But no, I wouldn't do that. But like that this communication that we go. And I never would have thought about that. And golly, I thank you for bringing that to my attention. And I do not have the right to speak that way to you.

[B]

So with that being said, some people need to learn, like, you know, it's hard. We live in a society that when something is done wrong, people, they get quiet. They either shut down or they get loud. Either one of those. And it's like some people don't know how to. They don't know how to take confrontation. They don't know how to approach with those right words. They don't know. They haven't even read enough to know addition to transition words in fact or so to speak, moreover, or on the other hand, they don't even know.

[A]

Yeah, it's not like you've been talking to my. On the other hand, like I like but like that, you know, and to look at these things in a slightly different way and then to understand this truth that every person they are of of worth. They have value. They are different. Every Bobby's different than me and Tyler's different than me. And that doesn't make anybody better, doesn't make anybody worse. We're all different, but we're all spectacularly made in our differences is what make the world such a beautiful, beautiful thing, you know? And you go, okay, not that we have to be different just to be different, okay, but we're all made slightly different. Bobby's giftedness is different than mine and yours is different than mine. Our life stories are different. But what makes me so sad in our world is it's all right to be. I prefer to be by myself when I'm really hurting. But to be truly alone is something that nobody should have to go through in this world. It's really, really sad and it's catastrophic for a lot of our people that we deal with is they maybe don't have the family that they could contact. Maybe they don't have any connection. They don't have anybody who really cares about them along a lot. And they can feel I'm all alone, sad.

[B]

It's a double edged sword because like with my family, when I, it was either like, okay, if something happened, like my grandmother, she got in the rig, okay, and I was working two jobs and I was like, I can't do, I can't do any of this. And then like my sister, I talked to her last night and she was telling me, she was like, I didn't, I didn't ever see this side of my grandmother until you left, she never seen a side of like, okay. Cuz my mother and my auntie are very malignant towards, you know what I'm saying, each other and how they, you know, it's a lot of back and forth because it's a lot of misunderstandings, ignorance and stuff like that. And when it, when it boils down to I'm trying to figure out what conclusion I'm trying to make out of this, that what I really want to say is that. Let's see, what'd you say before this? I'm sorry.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. Okay. A lot of people are alone, so I felt smothered a lot. But I've also felt like not around people, even when I was around them. And sometimes they make you feel even more lonely. Like they just kicking you and you're not even down, they're just kicking you until you get down and then they kick you, but then you just leave because you don't want to get down to that point. So they can Start kicking you, if that makes sense.

[A]

No, makes sense.

[B]

So I. I understand that people don't have people sometimes, but I'm. I'm pretty sure nine times out of 10, the people that they was going to be around, they need to be around.

[A]

Okay. Could be. And like that. I like what sad what you said is we can be around people and still feel truly alone, you know, and that's a sad, sad world right there. And so out of that. So what else? We're about wrapping up Tyler. So tell us. Okay, I'll ask this. So in one year from now, where do you hope to see Ty? What do you hope Tyler is doing one year from now you're still alive. That would be a good thing. That'd be a good start.

[B]

Very good start. Okay, One year from now, we're gonna get that. We're gonna get past that part. I want to have my own farm somewhere.

[A]

Okay. What you gonna grow on it besides corn for the Lamborghini?

[B]

Yeah, we got that.

[A]

What type of farming do you like?

[B]

Lasagna farming. Like lasagna gardening. I like, like, doing, like, tilling stuff.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I want to get some sheep so I can produce my own, like, jackets and stuff. Wool, cotton. Just like, produce a lot of stuff from scratch.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

That's what I want to do. Eventually I got a. I got, you know, a license to. To grow stuff in Oregon, and I'm certified in logistics. So I'm going to take those two and combine them. And I want. My goal is to be able to send you guys gifts of donations.

[A]

Okay. Also not of the stuff you're going to grow in Oregon. We can't have that here.

[B]

Well, I mean, vegetable wise.

[A]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[B]

I mean, like, they grow other stuff.

[A]

In Oregon that ain't quite as good.

[B]

Well, okay. If it's hemp and I make it out of something, like jackets or something.

[A]

Oh, that's true. They use that for other material. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. So, like, I want to take that and, like, build houses and stuff.

[A]

Fair enough.

[B]

Tiny houses on my own land with the brick hemp. Create the brick side of the hemp. And I just want to do stuff from scratch, you know, because there's a lot of fires and stuff in Oregon. I figured that that would be a good ordeal.

[A]

Okay. And Oregon, I hear, is beautiful, so. I hear it's very beautiful. I've never been. I'd like to go see it and see that and then that. That's interesting. That's a long journey from Temple, Texas.

[B]

I mean, I'd be making music along the way. And still. I want to still be in contact with you guys and.

[A]

And what type of music do, like.

[B]

Do podcasts and stuff? All kinds. There's not necessarily any particular. I love hip hop, but I've been leaning into. Into reggae, country.

[A]

Okay. And do you write or do you sing?

[B]

I'm a singer, songwriter, so I could. I could write. I could write songs for people if I wanted to.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I just haven't got into that field yet. But hopefully I can, you know, make. Hopefully Chris Stapleton can sing one of my songs one day.

[A]

I like Chris Stapleton.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, I'm not gonna lie like that. He's.

[B]

He got that grid in his.

[A]

That's right. He got such soul, like, his. And his songs are so good. Okay. So I appreciate you taking a little time to get us to know Tyler a bit. And what are the odds? Like, now you can go tell, like, your family or who. Like, this goes all over the. All over the country. I mean, I don't understand this phenomenon, but it does. And so then out of that, your stories is. Is out there, you know, and then what you're doing and what you're becoming in your life and your journey, it's there. And like, all that we would come to is hopefully, like, you have understood and everybody understands is that they're not alone. It can feel like it in this world because the world is sort of made to make us be alone, but we're not, because there is this. This God who created us, who is with us always.

[B]

Matthews, 1:23.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

His name is Emmanuel, and it translates to God that was with us.

[A]

That's right. And his name shall be Emmanuel. You know, and I. I love different, but on that same story, you know, I love all of that. There's things that we can't even understand in. Mary sees all that's going to be. And what does it say? I think it's in Luke. She quietly treasures all the things that she had heard, and she held them within her heart like she knew she was seeing something, that God is with us. So in this journey, and I always say this for all of us, we're all in various forms of homelessness because we are not in our true home until we t. We go. And we're finally in our Father's house because that's where we're called to live. But while we are here and all suffering from this form of homelessness, we can treat each other with respect and realize that every life matters here. It matters. Okay. That you matter. And Jeff Matters whether I understand why or how the truth is, we do now. Not because we have said it. Not because Tyler says, oh, Jeff, you matter. Not because Jeff says, oh, Tyler, you matter. We matter because God himself said, it matters enough that the world is going to be lacking if it doesn't have Tyler in it. And so he created a Tyler and said, this is a gift I'm giving. This is Tyler. And he is a incredibly made because I made him.

[B]

And same for you, saying he messed.

[A]

Up, but that's a whole other deal. Oh, he messed these. I got Lee run. Okay, so. But out of that. So, Tyler, it's good. Good to meet you. I appreciate the time. It wasn't too bad, was it? Not painful.

[B]

Please.

[A]

Nothing. Ain't nothing to it.

[B]

This is great. Yeah, no, I'm good.

[A]

This is fun. And so everybody, everybody who's out there, no matter where you are, you would hear the same sentence. You will hear it over and over and over because we can't say it enough times. People matter. And you are a person and you matter. I mean, it's just that simple. It's that simple. And we do everything we do here because we do not deviate from that truth. People matter. We will say here in Tyler's story, you would see now our stories are connected and you would say, tyler matters. So we appreciate you being here. Hope you have a great day. And that is that. Thank you for listening to this episode of the Collage Podcast, a production of Redcord Music Media. For more information on this and other podcasts, please visit redcordmedia.org.