I'm your host Annie F. Downs. I'm really happy to be here with you today. We have got a great show and store. You hear it in the background. Some beautiful Christmas music from our friends freaking in country. It's their version of little drummer boy from the album a drummer boy Christmas. Be sure to check that out. It is a great show.

It is so good. And while we're talking about Christmas, I want you to know that the 2021 Christmas party here on the pod starts later this week. We've got 12 days in a row.

You guys 12 days in a row of super fun episodes and don't you know that our old pal Santa is going to be stopping by for a visit just like he has the last couple of years.

And you know, we're loving these T. S. F Q and A episodes and so we're going to ask Santa to do one of those with us. So if you have a question for him, I'd be happy to pass those along.

So just follow the link in the show notes to send your questions or even questions from the mini BFFs in your household. We have voice or text options available to you just like we do with all the other Q&As.

I can't wait to hear what Jolly old Saint Nick has in store for us this year before we dive into today's conversation. I want to take a moment and share about one of our incredible partners.

This podcast is brought to you by better help online therapy. We talk about better help a lot on the show. And this month we're discussing some of the stigmas around mental health.

For example, a lot of times people will wait until things have hit emergency status and feel unbearable to go to therapy. But y'all there's a better way therapies until to utilize before things get worse. And it can help you avoid some of those lows. Likewise, there's a stigma that therapies for quote unquote unstable people.

But therapy doesn't mean something's wrong with you. Migrations. It means you recognize that we all have complex emotions and can use help learning to process them instead of avoiding them.

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Today on the show I get to talk with Pastor Sam Samuel Rodriguez is a pastor in California and not only that, but he's a movie producer and author and is the president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference in H CLC.

It's the world's largest Hispanic Christian organization and he's advised multiple US presidents, which is remarkable, right? And his latest book, Persevere with power, what heaven starts, Hell cannot stop is a fascinating look at the faith of the prophets, Elijah and Elijah and how we can all learn to persevere through the challenges we face.

Y'all are going to love this one. I'm so grateful to get to know Pastor Sam. I think you're going to love him immediately, just like I did. So here's my conversation with Pastor Samuel Rodriguez.

All right, Pastor Sam welcome to that sounds fun. We're so glad you're here. Thank you for having me honored to be with you. Oh, man, what an absolute honor it is for me.

I'm sorry you said that first because I felt it first. I am so thankful. Okay, we're just going to jump in. Well, we got to talk about one really important thing first. You are a Yankees guy for generations deep, die hard like yeah, I'm a brave.

Listen, you know, you had your year and God bless you and you know, perseverance, you know, Galatians, it's not you're living it out. So it is. No, there it is.

Listen, I'm both a brave fan and a die hard University of Georgia Bulldog. So this whatever kind of favor God has on the state of Georgia. I live in Nashville now, but I grew up in Georgia. So whatever the favor is this year, I'm saying yes and I'm into it.

Georgia, sweet Georgia.

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