The Power of a Mother's Prayer

In this episode, Angeline and Resa reflect on Mother's Day sermons from First Baptist Church and Ebenezer AME Church, discussing key takeaways about faith, resilience, and the power of a mother's prayer. They also spotlight the song of the week, share a touching story of heroism, and review the movie 'My Other Mother.' The episode concludes with an inspiring story of Jack Kunkel, who received a life-saving lung transplant, emphasizing the importance of organ donation and community support.

Transcript

WTQ Intro (00:08)
Yeah, you, you always make me

You're

You're

Just

Trying to boost my subscribers, I'm trying to maintain the vision People that know me closely slip different than what they show me It's to feel like they know me when I'm scrolling through images Truth be told I feel pain but I'm on the pinnacle Chasing this music thing for a minute though Know some good people that never see success And here I am sitting worried about show appearances

Angeline Bishop Thomas (00:52)
Hello everyone, I'm Angeline and she's Resa and welcome to season four, episode 156 of With the Quickness.

Resa Crippen (01:01)
Happy Tuesday, everyone.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (01:03)
Happy Tuesday indeed. Today we're gonna share our takeaways from the May 11th, 2025 sermons given at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, New Jersey, and Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Fort Washington, Maryland. So Resa, what was your big takeaway from First Baptist this week?

Resa Crippen (01:24)
My takeaway was God's grace combined with our trust and obedience can bring about breakthroughs that transform our lives.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (01:33)
Okay, my takeaway was if we're feeling overwhelmed, we need to remember it's not a reflection of weakness. We must recognize that our struggles are valid and shared by many. What is your big takeaway from Ebenezer AME Church?

Resa Crippen (01:49)
My takeaway was whether praying for a child, a breakthrough, or a miracle, women should never doubt God's ability to deliver.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (01:58)
Okay, mine is, mother's prayers are weapons of faith, shaping the next generation and leaving behind legacies of love and diligence. So we're gonna get into those sermons a little later in the show, but right now it's time for Resa's playlist. So Resa, what's the song of the week this week?

Song of the Week Intro (02:15)
Are we ready? It's time! We narrowed it down to one song. This is Song of the Week, currently featured on With the Quickness Spotify playlist.

Resa Crippen (02:35)
So the song of the week this week is actually by Ariel Fitz-Patrick The song is called Angel. This song was new to me. I just heard it recently. It has like this R &B, like laid back vibe and shows you that if her name sounds familiar, it's because Ariel is known for her TikTok reels and, well, her TikTok and Instagram reels of, know, so do little skits about like,

God and it's gonna make it funny. So I honestly had no idea that she had a song out. So I wanted to support it. I did listen to it. I do like it. She is signed to Motown Gospel. And last year she actually released an album titled Who Do You Love? That also came out. If you haven't heard it, please go ahead and check it out. It is also on Spotify. So I wanted to just, you know,

I wanted to basically support Ariel and also show some love to the song Angels, because the song Angels is a pretty good song.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (03:39)
I've seen Ariel on social media. I see her on my YouTube feed. The algorithms kind of bring her in for me because I always like how she does those little skits where she plays the three characters. She plays herself, she plays God, and she plays her angel that are trying to help her direct her life in the right direction. And sometimes she could be a little rebellious when God tells her to do stuff. And sometimes she's paying attention and she's on the path. But I like the skits. The skits are really, really cute.

Resa Crippen (04:08)
Yeah, I actually love, I also love this skits too. Like it's really funny, like especially when she's like being rebellious and like she's basically saying or implying that God may not like it or you know, God's trying to redirect you. So those are the ones that I like the most that are funny to me.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (04:23)
Yeah, and her catchphrase is, I'll see for myself, right? Yeah, she says that a lot. she has been talking about her song, Angels, a lot. So I'm hoping she's getting good airplay on it. I'm not sure though, because I don't really listen to the XM stations as much as I listen to our own streaming. So I hope she's really getting good feedback on the song and I hope she's ranking well in the contemporary Christian charts.

Resa Crippen (04:26)
Right.

Well, from what I've seen on her Facebook, a lot of her fans are saying that they love this song. She also has a video, she put out the official video on her YouTube channel. So it's been getting a lot of good feedback from what I've seen so far.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (05:02)
I'm so excited for her. This is a wonderful time for her. And it came out in the spring. It's such a spring summer kind of song too.

Resa Crippen (05:09)
Yeah, it really is. It's definitely a song that I could see myself playing in my car driving somewhere. So I love it.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (05:16)
Well, I thank you for adding it to the season four playlists, our playlists, and also the mega mix, the people that want to take a chance to listen to her. And

We're going to try to get her video up on our website so those that haven't heard the song yet, they can actually check it out. But thank you so much, Resa. We really appreciate you.

Resa Crippen (05:33)
You're welcome.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (05:35)
Okay, let's move over to the bulk of our show. Let's go over the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens. Sunday service was all about mothers. We had the praise and worship team welcome the saints into our service. And they actually had the little children's choir performing, which was great. We don't get to hear from them very often, so when you do, it makes you want to sit on the edge of your seat and pay attention. We also gave 27 people the right hand of passage on this Mother's Day Sunday. The mothers looked great in the congregation this Sunday, didn't they, Resa?

Resa Crippen (06:04)
They they had, they definitely showed out with their, you know, Sunday's best and the church hats. I love the church hats.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (06:11)
Exactly. Well, this Sunday, Pastor Quick's sermon was called, I Ain't the One. Is that a phrase you've heard a lot of mothers say when they get a little ticked off at what their kids are up to?

Resa Crippen (06:23)
Yeah, it's, you know, I like to say it is a warning to let you know that, you know, they are not the one to play with or mess with.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (06:31)
I haven't used that phrase myself have I? Have I used that at all? I can't even recall.

Resa Crippen (06:36)
Honestly, I've never I've never heard you say it I've heard other people say it and they normally

Angeline Bishop Thomas (06:42)
I think the one

time I got pushed to the point, the one phrase I said, which I think you remember from your childhood as well, because you always teased me about when I said it.

Resa Crippen (06:51)
Yeah, you always say, if you want to go, we can go. I've heard that one. Like, that's the one I've heard. said I've never.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (06:57)
It took me a while

to get pushed to the point where I was like, if you want to go, we can go.

Resa Crippen (07:02)
Yeah, and the only

reason why I remembered that moment so vividly was because when you said it, it's like you had wind in the hair, so the hair flew back. It was very much like a diva moment, so I was just like.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (07:13)
Yeah, it takes a lot for mothers to get pushed there sometimes. Some mothers can go there quite readily, but I'm one of those mothers. It takes me a minute to get like, you trying to take me out my character. You trying to take me out of my character. And then once you get to that point, it's like, it's on, you know? And you have to get that warning shot. Like Pastor Quick said, some mothers say, I'm not the one. And my phrase was,

Resa Crippen (07:15)
you

Mm-hmm.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (07:38)
If you want to go, we can go. Because that's the DC in me, you know?

Resa Crippen (07:40)
But see,

I honestly feel like I've heard that amongst my peers. I know in high school and college, I've heard that whole, I'm not the one. Because basically, that was them giving somebody a verbal warning before it got physical. Or if they're not having a good day, they're just like, listen, I'm not the one. So you got to let them know. Yeah, yeah. Because I want to say from my college experience, I've heard.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (07:57)
Mm-hmm.

Don't play it. Don't push that narrative. I'm not the one. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Resa Crippen (08:09)
I would hear that term a lot right after add drop period when people would like, you know, not get funding or whatever it takes me to be. So that's when I would hear it lot. People are like, I'm not the one had a bad day. My check didn't go through or, you know, the class I wanted didn't go through. So it's like, let's not play games today.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (08:26)
And most of you

guys in your generation as millennials got it from your parents, your mother, to tell the truth. You've heard it in the home somewhere. Like, I'm not the one to be played with. I'm not the one that's going to believe your little lies, your little friends believe. Like all those little phrases that you heard growing up, you guys kind of took it in, packaged it up for yourselves in your own way.

Resa Crippen (08:32)
Yeah.

Right.

Right, like there's like, I feel like that phrase, it could be very PG or it could be very debaucherous depending on, you know, how you say it. Cause there was a, there was an incident at one of my jobs. I'm not gonna say where, where someone did say that. And it actually, yeah, they said it and it ended up being this huge HR issue because my boss.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (09:03)
What?

Hopefully they didn't say it to their

boss. Could you imagine saying it to your own boss or your supervisor? That is the worst. You're just asking to be fired.

Resa Crippen (09:16)
Well, can't remember the exact what... Well, basically what happened was one of my bosses had went to the employee and basically said to her, like, do you know the entire phrase of I'm not the one? And she basically said the whole phrase, but it's not for PG audiences. So then when my boss realized that she knew what she said and how basically in corporate America...

Angeline Bishop Thomas (09:19)
Mm-hmm.

Resa Crippen (09:41)
that could be deemed as a threat, she got let go. So it was a whole situation.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (09:44)
Yeah, because if you're

going to take the time to say the rest of the phrase, and the phrase might have an expletive in it or might imply a threat or bodily harm to someone, then yeah, you're going to be dismissed. So to keep it as I ain't the one is probably the best thing to do. If you decide to react in some way at work that you shouldn't, don't explain what I ain't the one's supposed to be. You don't explain it.

Resa Crippen (09:48)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Right. Right.

Yeah. ⁓

Angeline Bishop Thomas (10:14)
say,

it's a phrase I've heard, I'm not that sure. Vain ignorance because your job is on the line. ⁓

Resa Crippen (10:18)
Right, Yeah, like now

that I think about it, like I feel like questions like that, like you gotta just be like, I don't know. just, you know, I'll pick the fifth. I don't know. Right. Right, right.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (10:29)
Plead the fifth, plead the fifth. I'm not saying anything on the grounds that it might incriminate me.

Well, since the sermon was titled, Ain't the One, the speaker was Reverend Dr. Dante R. Quick. The scripture he referred to this Sunday was 1 Kings 17 verses 12 through 24 of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. This passage of scripture tells the story of a widow and her son who encounter.

the prophet Elijah during a time of great famine in Israel. In this story, we see an incredible display of faith and provision as God uses Elijah to perform several miracles for the widow and her family. The first miracle is when he asked her for water and food, despite knowing she only had enough flour and oil left for one final meal before they would surely face starvation. However, despite her dire circumstances, the widow showed extraordinary generosity.

by offering what little she had to this stranger. As an act of obedience to God's command, Elijah then promised that her supply of flour and oil would not run dry until the rain fell again on the land. What followed was nothing short of miraculous, because every day, regardless of how much they used, there was always enough flour and oil left. But tragedy struck this widow's son, and he became gravely ill.

In desperation, she turned to Elijah who prayed fervently for God's healing power to be poured out upon her son. And yet another miraculous display of divine intervention occurred. The boy was brought back to life. I love that story about faith. I'm so glad it was the scripture that he actually used to not only shed light on the faith of a mother, but how these times are really hard right now, Resa. She was praying for, you know, enough

flour and oil to sustain her family. And a lot of us are praying for better finances and resources ourselves.

Resa Crippen (12:27)
Right, I feel like that's like a constant prayer that I've heard a lot nowadays because like every week or something that's happening and you know there's been talks about possibly having some type of, how do you say, some type of like stock issue because obviously you know with all the tariffs happening and things of that sort so you know there are

Basically everyone is just praying for things to get better so can just make it through to the next day.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (12:54)
Yeah, I mean, they're talking about people getting their wages garnished for student loans that need to be repaid. They're talking about the prices of everything going up tremendously, like you said, because of tariffs. So everyone is pretty much saying, I'm trying to make do with what little I have. And for someone to come along and say, well, I have less than you, can you help me? It makes all of us take pause like, well, can I help? And to have enough faith to say,

Yeah, I can still extend myself even though it might be at the detriment of myself. That's hard. And this was a widow that was preparing herself and her child to die. She only had enough for them and they were going to die after that meal or be facing starvation at that point. So it's a beautiful story about putting your trust. And Pastor Quick kind of made us ask ourselves and weigh the daily struggles and if they're too much to bear.

It was the heart of Pastor Quick's very moving Mother's Day sermon. It's where he reflected on the resilience required to endure life's relentless challenges and the faith that can lead us through our darkest times. Pastor Quick began by acknowledging the daily pressures we face from personal hardships to societal injustices. And he shone a light on unique burdens that are shoulder by Black mothers, caretakers, and those confronting systematic inequalities.

His message was very clear. Feeling overwhelmed is not a reflection of weakness, but rather a reality shaped by forces often beyond our control. He encouraged his congregants to recognize that their struggles are valid and shared by all. I think that was important for him to say that, Resa, because sometimes when you're going through things, you forget that there's other people in the struggle. I think that's what's so important about Christians coming together in community every Sunday.

and talking with one another and sharing your testimony, you'll realize as you're cutting coupons, so is the sister over here and the brother over here. Or as you're trying to take care of the shoes you have for another season instead of buying new ones, this lady over here is doing the same thing with her sons whose feet are growing so rapidly trying to extend what they wear.

Resa Crippen (15:07)
Yeah, like that's one of the things that I've realized as of lately, like everyone is coming out and just like talking about what they're going through. They all have said community is something that everyone needs and because it does help you realize like you're not going through it alone. Like we're all going through this together and we're all gonna like, if we band together, we could like make it through.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (15:30)
Yeah, I mean, it makes us have a greater depth of empathy for each other too. That whole thinking that everyone has it all together and you're the only one. It goes out the window when you start talking and recognizing my struggle mirrors her struggle that mirrors his struggle.

Resa Crippen (15:45)
I agree.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (15:46)
Now through vivid metaphors and powerful biblical stories, Pastor Quick showed how God often uses what appears to be broken and insufficient to create something incredible. Using the story of Elijah and the widow from scripture, he illustrated how faith can turn moments of despair into opportunities of restoration. The widow, preparing for her last meal during a famine, found provision and renewal when she welcomed the man of God into her home.

Pastor Quick connected this to our modern lives by reminding us to stay open to the unexpected ways God can provide. The sermon also offered historical and personal insights. There was a point in the sermon where Pastor Quick recounted the story of a homeless man that he once knew, a former physicist who lost everything after a tragedy. It was a very humbling reminder of life's unpredictability.

He wove poetry references to the courage of leaders like Congressman Bonnie Watson Coleman and his own testimony of reversing his pre-diabetic diagnosis through faith and action, urging all of us to balance prayer with personal accountability. I think that's so important to remind us that, you know, it's not just about having faith and praying alone. Faith without works is dead. We have to, you know, work in conjunction. I mean, the Holy Ghost will prompt us. You can't just sit on the couch and...

saying there's not enough money, Lord, there's not enough money, Lord, but you're also not looking for any work. You know, you gotta help him. Well, I don't wanna say help him, because God, if he wanted to just give you a bunch of money in the mail, he could do that, right? Or have somebody come and knock on your door and drop off a basket full of money. If he wanted to do that, he could do it. But to let him know, yes, I have a need, but I know what talents and gifts you're giving me, and I'm trying my best. If this is the plan and this is the way you want us to...

have the additional income, please bless it. He likes plans. I think God likes plans. That's been my personal opinion. It's not in the scriptures anywhere. I don't think it could be, but I always felt that he kind of likes it when you kind of put a plan together and go before the throne and say, so thinking about doing this, God, what do you think? What do you think, Resa?

Resa Crippen (17:59)
I think he does like that and also think too that he also gives you like different resources to utilize so even if you're in a problem if you really sit in and like be still and actually realize what things that you have around you that could like help you get out of this situation like then you can realize that okay like I'm not stuck like I do have other resources that can like help me get out of this.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (18:25)
Yeah. And to think that, know, like Pastor Quick was talking about his pre-diabetes, he could have the diagnosis and then keep eating the same way. And he would still be in a pre-diabetic state. He knew that, yes, I have this diagnosis, but it is reversible. Just like we have to know with our finances or with, you know, our health, with, you know, even our faith, having stronger faith. If we do certain things,

and have certain actions, we can improve our circumstances. He can improve his diabetic situation by not having processed sugar, only having natural sugars. Or maybe even staying away from natural sugars for a while, I'm not sure. But when it comes to jobs, looking for jobs, when it comes to faith, reading your scriptures more, praying more fervently. Because some people think, I'm struggling in my faith. The first thing you need to ask yourselves is how often are you opening your scriptures?

Are you going to Bible study? Do you have your own Bible study? Do you read your scriptures at all? Do you have a Bible? Some people are I don't have a good faith, but they don't even own a Bible. So it's things of that sort that can help us have more personal accountability.

Resa Crippen (19:26)
Yeah.

Right, I think everything goes back to choices. Like you have to decide like how exactly do you want your life to go? I think about how you had told me like a long, long time ago, you were like, basically what you had said was, know, when I'm old and gray and I'm looking back on my life, what exactly do I want to see? And I think about that today.

because I try to live in now. But I think about that today when I'm like plagued with certain situations or certain choices, like depending on how I want my life to go and how I want the playback to be, I make different choices.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (20:16)
Yeah, the funeral review. I tell a lot of my students, and I've told you and your sister the same thing. You got to think about when people are gathered together at the end of your life to talk about you as a person and what impact you had on their lives. What do you want them to say? And you can't control what everybody says, but you can definitely make sure you're very intentional about how you lived your life. So yeah, you think about the people that...

Resa Crippen (20:17)
Mm-hmm.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (20:39)
you know, you were kind to, you think about, you know, what you did for a living, how you spoke about people when they weren't around, how you helped people. And as a person in the community or as a person in the family, were you a person that could be relied upon or would give a listening ear if you didn't have very much, were you a great listener or did you have good empathy? Were you kind? Or did you, you know, kick people's dogs when you walk down the street? Like, you know what kind of person you want to be portrayed as, right? So.

Resa Crippen (21:07)
Right.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (21:08)
If you think about those things and people don't think about the end of their lives, they think about the now. Society tells you, tomorrow, don't worry about tomorrow, worry about now. And the bad thing about that is it makes you not have accountability with how you live your lives. Cause in the end, we'll all be, you know, before the throne of God and he knows our beginning and our end. And some of those things I think he's going to ask us to say, say, what were you thinking here? Tell me about, was your mindset about that decision? Or when you said this to so-and-so, I think he might call a couple of things up.

jog our memories. So if you're going through it, think it's good to, you know, be more cognizant of we're not all going to be here forever.

Resa Crippen (21:44)
Right. like those are the things that I do think about from time to time when it's like, okay, when I'm at the end of my life and I'm, you know, sitting with Jesus and the council and they're like, like you just said, so what exactly was your mindset when you sat there and you like, you know, said this or did this, I don't want to sit there and be like, again, and that's, not to say that I want to be perfect, but I know for me, my main thing is that I want to make sure the core of who I am, people can see that.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (22:13)
When I was a little kid, I used to believe that since God, they said God knows our beginning and end. I always used to think it'd be like standing in front of these big TVs where he would just play my life really fast. And because we're all highly intelligent. And we're right now on this earth, humans don't use all of our brain capacity, right? So I'm thinking up there in heaven, when he shows me my life review, he's gonna take it from the beginning all the way to the end and he's gonna play it real fast, but I'm gonna be able to process it. And I might like what I see and I might not.

But I think he's going to go pretty fast and say, what do you have to say for yourself after watching what I've seen? And I think it's not only going to have me seeing what I did, it's also going to have my impact on other people. I'll be able to feel what my impact was on other people. Like if I hurt somebody, if I was nice to somebody, if I was being snarky, if I was being empathetic, I think as I'm watching the review, I will feel different things too.

Because that would be justice in a way. Like if you hurt somebody to feel at some point in your life what you did to them is justice, you know? That's just a little kid of me. I'm sorry, that's not in the scriptures anywhere. That's just how I thought as a kid that God might do it, but I don't know what God will do.

Resa Crippen (23:18)
But see, I feel like I...

Right, and I was gonna say, I feel that in real time, meaning I don't like being mean to people, because I immediately feel horrible after the fact. So I'm just like, if I can avoid it, which I really try my best not to, but some days I get tested. And then sometimes I feel those tests, but I do feel bad immediately afterwards.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (23:35)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, but there's some things we don't know we did that hurt people. Like you cut somebody off in traffic and all you think is, excuse me. You're not thinking, you know, maybe, you know, you added to their frustration or something, you know.

Resa Crippen (23:50)
true.

Yeah, it's almost like that movie that you had me watch a long time ago. forgot what it was called, but it was about that little boy. It was like the ripple effect and he did like one small thing and how like it changed like the entire town and like, yeah, like if you haven't seen it, definitely go see it because you see, yeah, like I saw like a long time ago with you, of course, and it basically just showed how one small act can impact like a...

Angeline Bishop Thomas (24:11)
⁓ yeah.

think it was one of our movies of the week. think it was, yeah, yeah.

Resa Crippen (24:26)
entire like community of people for the better.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (24:29)
You see those

kind of stories too a lot at Christmas time. How one person's good deed can add like that kind of passing it forward, it kind of ripples through. And for a while our country even had, you know, a pay it forward. Remember how we'd go to drive through and somebody had already paid for you in front, like, let me pay for them. People were doing nice stuff. Yeah, those days seem like such a long time ago.

Resa Crippen (24:32)
Yeah.

Yeah, because I want to say the last time I had that happen to me was like, want to say it was like probably right before the pandemic. And maybe I had like one incident after that it happened. But it's far and few in between that we have like those, you know, the person in front of you just paid for you. Do you want to it's far and few.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (25:09)
Yeah, that's true. Well, going back to the sermon, Pastor Quick reminded his congregation to approach others with empathy rather than judgment, noting that everybody carries untold burdens. His message was one of hope. He encouraged those feeling overwhelmed to rely on both faith and resilience while taking steps to align actions with their prayers. Pastor Quick's final words echoed disbelief that God's grace combined with our trust and obedience

can bring about breakthroughs that transform our lives. For those that are navigating life's heavy challenges, Pastor Quick's sermon is a poignant reminder of the power of humility, prayer, and active faith to guide us towards renewal and profound lessons in grace. It was a really great sermon, one that made all the mothers present and the rest of the congregants pretty happy to hear. It was one where we felt seen, felt heard, and understood. It's a message of encouragement,

perfected for reflection and discussion. if you get a chance, please check Reverend Dr. Dante R. Quick's sermon, I Ain't the One, that was streamed live on May 11th, 2025 on the FBC Somerset YouTube channel. Please, when you get a moment, we would like you to check it out. Now, let's go on to Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Fort Washington, Maryland. They also posted a May 11th, 2025 sermon that I think you enjoy.

For the mothers, was titled a mother's prayer. The speaker was Reverend Dr. Grainger Browning Jr., senior pastor. The scriptures he referred to was 1 Samuel chapter two, verses one through four, and Luke chapter one, verses 45 through 55 of the New Living Translation of the Bible. Both of these passages of scripture focus on praising and glorifying God. In these verses, Hannah and Mary both expressed their gratitude to God for His blessing.

in their lives. Now in 1 Samuel chapter 2 verses 1 through 4, Hannah rejoices in God's faithfulness after being blessed with her son Samuel. She acknowledges that it was only through God's power and grace that she was able to conceive. This passage here, it serves as a reminder of the importance of having faith in God and trusting in his plans. Now similarly in Luke chapter 1 verses 45 through 55, this is known as Mary's song.

or the Magnificent. In this passage, Mary praises God for choosing her to be the mother of Jesus, despite her humble background. She also reflects on how God has shown mercy to all those who fear Him and how He will bring down the proud while uplifting the humble. Both of these passages serve as a powerful reminder for believers to always put their trust in God and give thanks for all His blessings. So it was a perfect way to introduce

Pastor Browning's sermon of Mother's Prayer. Now, Resa, those two women in the scriptures, when you think about them, you think about complete faith. And so for me, it's like I knew, I kind of had a good feeling when he read them. I knew what I was going to be in stored for like how the prayer of mothers can move mountains kind of.

Resa Crippen (28:26)
yeah, because I've heard, like, I honestly, when you said the Book of Luke, actually, just got to the Book of Luke, but I have heard people throughout my lives, and even like when I watch different documentaries, they'll say like, you know, my mother pray for me or my grandmother pray for this, like, I'm living out like the prayers of my mother, grandmother, you know, what have you. So I do believe that, you know, a mother's prayer or a grandmother's prayer is very powerful.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (28:53)
Yeah, that's true. Now, Pastor Browning delivered a powerful and deeply reflective sermon that celebrated the extraordinary role women play in God's plan. Now, he began his sermon by reflecting on the appointment of Pope Leo XIV and how Catholics have uplifted women as intercessors for a very long time, contrasting this practice with Protestant tradition.

clear.

God has always worked through women using their strength, faith, and resilience for greater purposes. Now, Pastor Browning, he also pointed out that the quiet, unshakable strength of Rosa Parks, whose courage in the civil rights movement echoes the resilience of many family matriarchs. He reminded us that society, particularly in the United States, has often looked down on women of color while other cultures revere their women.

And despite these societal challenges, African-American mothers with their steadfast faith and constant prayers have still become the backbone of their families and communities. Right, Resa, I mean, I can't think of one book, show, movie that featured a Black mother that was like the pillar of her community or family that didn't kind of like, you know, have a strong impact on the culture, on the Black culture. We can like name our favorite mothers.

just by the things we've watched throughout the years.

Resa Crippen (30:20)
Yeah, like I think when you just said that I thought about Vivian from The Fresh Prince as the mom that I liked. Another one that I liked. Yeah, Claire Huxtable. Right. Like there's a lot of like Black mothers that we have seen portrayed in TV shows and movies and even within our own communities that we're just like, yeah, if it wasn't for Miss So-and-so.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (30:27)
Mm-hmm.

I think of Claire Huxtable from the Cosby show. She was a mother I grew up on and liked.

Resa Crippen (30:49)
I don't know how this community would be like, you know, still thriving.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (30:53)
There's something actually regal when you see a certain mother walk through a society or a community and people stop on the street and they know her. Like that happened to my aunt Shirley. Remember we were meeting with her and with my cousins Sheila and her daughter Latia and people stopped and they knew my aunt and they knew her in the community and they knew of her not only because of the family she belongs to because the woman she is.

Resa Crippen (31:06)
Mm-hmm.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (31:20)
You know, she is a church and one of the church mothers of her church. And so there's a certain amount of respect and revere for those women that are so elegant and that also carry their faith. Almost like a beautiful robe. They kind of carry it on them. You kind of see it. Right, Resa?

Resa Crippen (31:35)
Right, like there is like this, I wanna say like unspoken like regalness that they have and you're just like, yeah, like that's so and so, like they're very respected. Anyone that is like introduced to them, like they just know to be on your Ps and Qs, but they're cool, but you're just like, let me give you my respect, cause I know that you're like, you you're a part of our community.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (31:56)
Yeah, I mean, that's one beautiful thing about being called a matriarch. Not every woman in the family is automatically designated the matriarch. Just because you're the oldest doesn't mean the family has designated you as the matriarch. Sometimes it can fall to the younger sister. It's all about the person in the family that kind of does things that kind of hold the family together and who people turn to when they seek help or advice.

There's something about that person that makes them, they kind of become the matriarch. Sometimes it's the older sister, but a lot of times it's the one that just embodies what the family needed, you know, and it becomes the backbone in a certain way, right?

Resa Crippen (32:37)
Right, and that actually reminds me of one of our Black iconic movies, Soul Food, ⁓ where basically the matriarch, spoiler alert if you haven't seen it the matriarch obviously passes away, and I believe it involves three sisters, if I'm not mistaken. And throughout the course of the movie, you can see the dynamics, and obviously people have their favorites, but.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (32:43)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Yep.

Resa Crippen (33:01)
you know, some would assume that because, you know, there is a daughter who is the oldest, she's the matriarch, but then you see, well, actually it could be the middle sister, I believe that was played by Vivica A. Yeah, Vivica A. Fox, and she was basically explaining, because there's a point in the movie where Vivica A. Fox's character is explaining all of the sacrifices that she has done to keep the family together, but then the older sister at one point jumps in, which I believe was Vanessa Williams.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (33:12)
Vivica Fox is character, I think.

Yeah, Terry, she played the role of Terry, I think, yeah.

Resa Crippen (33:30)
And then, yeah,

and then she also talks about what she has done and then the baby, which was played by Nia Long, also explains what she has done. So it really depends, like you said, like who exactly is, who, basically who God would designate to be the matriarch. Right, right. ⁓

Angeline Bishop Thomas (33:39)
Yeah.

or who the family even is leaning on as the backbone. Sometimes you

might want to be seen as that because I am the older one. I'm the one that took care of the funeral. I'm the one that was the executor of the state, whatever you, you know, because you've done certain things, but it doesn't mean you're not, you're the heart of the family. The matriarch is also the kind of the heart of the family. You know, the person you turn to when you want that pat on the back, the person you turn to when you're having a difficult time and they have that ear, they'll pray for you. They have faith in you. They, you know, lift you up.

Resa Crippen (34:07)
Right.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (34:19)
Sometimes that is the older person, sometimes it's just not.

Resa Crippen (34:22)
Right, like I do agree that like I think some people, especially some of the people that are older just automatically assume because I'm the oldest, I should get it. And it's like this role in the family, it's not a power role. Like you said, you are the person that everyone goes to because they know that like at the core of you is like you're trying to keep everyone together. You are the peacemaker. It's not about, oh, I'm the oldest. I, you know, I do everything first. No.

That doesn't.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (34:51)
Yeah, and I think that's

important to say because sometimes the getting the title of matriarch is such a heavy title and you didn't ask for it, but it kind of got bestowed on you. And other people are trying to get the title. Like the other siblings, other sisters might say, well, I should be seen as because I'm the oldest, but it's like, it's just naturally defaulting to a person that everyone is saying you have the heart of grandma or you were doing things the way, you know, it's helping and lifting and edifying me and uniting our family.

So it kind of gets bestowed and you can't really like take off the crown when it's given to you. I mean, you could try, but people are not gonna let you because why? You had the heart of a matriarch. You just do.

Resa Crippen (35:32)
Right, and the more that I think about it, to me, feel like a matriarch is a thankless job. Like you don't, you don't, you don't self-proclaim yourself to be the matriarch and then tell everybody, well, you should be thanking me, because that's not what it is. Like a matriarch to me, like you said, yeah.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (35:38)
Mm-hmm.

No, it's not being a martyr for the family. That's not the

matriarch, it's not being a martyr and doing everything and wanting the praise. That's not what it is.

Resa Crippen (35:54)
Right, it's like a matriarch is that person that's like when it's three o'clock in the morning and you're having like a health scare, you call that person because you know they're going to be there. Or this person is like, if you get into trouble, like you're going to call that person because you know they're not going to like, they're not going to tell you off in the moment, but they are going to help you get through it. But then once, it's done, they're going to help you, like they're going to help you put your life back together. Like they're like, they are that person willing to do the stuff that nobody else wants to do, but they don't hold it over your head.

to make you feel like, you should be thanking me. It is a thankless job.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (36:29)
It really is because you extend yourself so much. Now, drawing on scripture, Pastor Browning shared a story of Hannah, a barren woman who poured out her heart to the Lord and vowed to dedicate her son to God's will. Her faith and prayers not only brought her a child, but also revealed the unimaginable power of a praying mother. He emphasized that prayers heal and restore, urging all women to take their burdens to God with unwavering belief in his promises.

Resa Crippen (36:32)
Yeah.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (36:57)
The sermon also touched on the contrast of how women are portrayed in modern media versus God-given dignity and purpose. Pastor Browning called on women to reject these superficial portrayals and instead stand firm as daughters of God, shining examples of faith, grace, and perseverance. It was kind of like a little hush over Jerusalem when he got to that part, Resa, because everybody knows they've been watching these housewives, and there's a bunch of debauchery going on.

Resa Crippen (37:23)
Thank

Angeline Bishop Thomas (37:24)
And he's

right. He's like, you know, that is not the ideal of womanhood that should not be revered and held up. Even though, you know, media is telling us that's what the women are like these days. He's saying, no, God has always seen us differently with more dignity and more purpose than on that catfighting on these franchises.

Resa Crippen (37:44)
Right, that's the thing. It's like, I need people to understand, for those that don't know about reality TV, maybe you started it young. Like, the people that are hired for these shows, they're hired to basically bring entertainment. So the entertainment that we would normally get from scripted shows by actors that went to school, they're now finding people that didn't go to acting school that like to be a little extra for the camera in order to get viewership so they can get more money. All women do not, like,

to make like a blanket statement and say, the woman from the housewives, that's how all females are. All females are not poor communicators. There are a portion that aren't good communicators, just like how there's a portion of men that are not good communicators.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (38:27)
And there's people that are reactionary and there's people that are more, you know, thoughtful or mindful about the things they say and do. Gotcha.

Resa Crippen (38:29)
Right.

Right.

So it's just like, know, reality TV, it shows like a small portion of a community, but it's not the entire community of people.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (38:44)
think the hard thing about it for a lot of pastors and men and women of God is that we have such a young generation that are TV babies and computer babies, and that's how they get their interaction and the way they look at the world. So it can give you a warp perception. And the other thing is a lot of other cultures in other countries, they watch American TV.

And they really think that some of the stuff they're saying is the actual portrayal, even though we know their stereotypes and stuff like that, and a lot of exaggerations, they think, that's how it is. That's how those type of people are, know, men, women, or whatever colors and creeds and races that they are.

Resa Crippen (39:21)
Right.

Right, and it's funny that you say that too, because when I was in college and I was working at a dining hall, and again, filled with all different kinds of people from different walks of life, there was this one woman who was from the Middle East who was at my school studying for her major, and we were talking, like we became friends, and she was asking me because, I forgot where she was from in the Middle East, but she was saying how she was watching a certain network, and there was like,

this betrayal of black people. And I was just like, no, that's not how we all are. That was just for that movie. It was one of those innocent things where she just thought because like, well the movie said, you guys are like this. And I was like, no, no, no, that's just for that character. We're all not like that. Like there are like black people are not monolithic.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (39:59)
Yeah.

Resa Crippen (40:13)
just like how for other races, they're not monolithic. Of course, there are some common threads amongst certain races and cultures and things of that sort, but we're all not the same. We do have differences.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (40:23)
Definitely, definitely. Pastor Browning, he reminded us that timeless examples of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and how her faith allowed God to work through her in extraordinary ways, and of enslaved mothers who clung to God's promise to sustain their families. These stories are a testament of God's faithfulness and love, which continues to sustain us through tribulations. Pastor Browning's message is just a constant

poignant reminder that God's gifted every woman with purpose and power. Whether we're praying for a child, a breakthrough or a miracle, women should never doubt God's ability to deliver. He encourages mothers to see their prayers as weapons of faith, shaping the next generation and leaving behind legacies of love and diligence. Above all, he urged us to praise the Lord for his goodness, even in the face of life's trials, because his promises never fail.

You can view Reverend Dr. Grainger Browning Jr's sermon, A Mother's Prayer, on the Ebenezer AME Church's YouTube channel. Please, when you get a moment, check it out. I really like the sermons of the day, Resa. I think mothers are really highlighted and celebrated, don't you?

Resa Crippen (41:36)
Yeah, I agree. definitely did a good job of basically explaining how important and how crucial mothers are.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (41:43)
Yeah, and I appreciated how you helped celebrate me for Mother's Day. I mean, you went out of your way to make sure I had a good Mother's Day, and I gotta really thank you for that, because I know being the oldest daughter, it's like, what am I gonna do this year for her, you know?

Resa Crippen (41:58)
Yes, being the first born daughter. There's actually a thread on social media about that, but I won't get into it. yes, being the first. No, it's a whole, we'll be here for 40 to 40 nights. It's a whole thing. But yes, I wanted to make sure that you felt appreciated and loved on Mother's Day. So I tried my best.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (42:03)
Really?

Thank you. really enjoyed going out to brunch with you and, you know, church stuff with you and just everything. mean, doing the podcast has been a delight every week with you that we've been doing it. And even though we took breaks and stuff too, I can't imagine doing this podcast with anybody else, honestly. I mean, your insight and your laughter and your joy. And I just can't imagine, you know, anyone else doing your segments but you.

Resa Crippen (42:39)
I appreciate that and I also could not imagine myself doing this with anybody else but you, so I do appreciate all the hard work that you do behind the scenes as well.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (42:47)
thank you dear. So now let's go on to one of my favorite parts of the day. Resa, who's the dove of the day today?

Dove of the Day (42:54)
It's time to celebrate an amazing person doing amazing things in this world. This is Dove of the Day.

you

you

Resa Crippen (43:19)
So today's Dove of the Day is brought to you by Prayer Bowls. The recipient of Dove of the Day is a 11-year-old by the name of Maddie Eggelson. She is hailed as a hero for saving her family from a house fire caused by a lightning strike on April 30th in Oklahoma City. While at home with her mother, Jamie, and younger brother, Ryan, Maddie heard a loud boom and quickly checked on her family, realizing their house was

was filling with smoke. Despite the chaos, she kept her calm, pushed her injured mother towards the exit and called 911 for help. The family's home was severely damaged, but they expressed gratitude to the first responders with Chief Greg Lindsay praising Maddie for her quick thinking and bravery. Now, after this fire, the family was going to move out of

out of Oklahoma City, because of the kindness from the community, they decided that they were not, that they're not gonna leave and they're actually gonna rebuild their house and they wanna stay.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (44:28)
She heard that boom and she got everybody out of there. Even her injured mother. Yeah, that had to be very scary because everybody knows when smoke fills any room, it's hard to see. It's really hard to see.

Resa Crippen (44:40)
Yes, like one of my favorite scripted shows is 9-1-1 on ABC. So it follows, it follows like this fire department and also, it stars Angela Bassett. She plays a police officer and her husband in the show is a firefighter who is like, you know, over this police, over this fire station and like the two basically work together. So you'll see different episodes that like will be.

mostly about the firefighters or mostly about the police work or a mixture of the two. So I say that all to say like when you see that the different instances of like fire and how like the smoke can be very debilitating like I'm very thankful that Maddie was able to get her family out like in the article it did say that she lost two cats from the fire but you know and so I of course

Angeline Bishop Thomas (45:30)
⁓

Resa Crippen (45:34)
My condolences go out to the two cats that are no longer with us, but I'm also thankful that she was able to get her family out.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (45:40)
Yeah, because people consider their pets like their family too. So I know it's heartbreaking that she was not able to keep them. I'm really hoping that when this family settles again, that she'll be able to have a new kitten in her life. Maybe even give it a name that's very in honor of the two that she no longer has. But what a touching story, Resa. What a great Dove of the Day. She deserves to be Dove of the Day.

Resa Crippen (45:43)
brain.

running.

She really does. I was proud. Honestly, when I read the article, I thought about the numerous fire safety protocols I used to have as a kid. So the fact that at eleven, that she knew exactly what to do when she got everybody out, because normally they tell you when you're younger, they give you the protocol and they say once everybody's out, don't go back in for any pets, items, none of that. Just stay outside and wait for the, call 911 if you can to get a firefighter to come in.

take out the fire so she definitely followed the rules to a T.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (46:34)
If anything, this story should also remind all of us to check all of our fire alarms and smoke detectors and everything to make sure that our families are safe. Because we don't think about it until we hear them making that beeping sound or you're cooking the wrong thing and they go off because they're too sensitive. But we really need to think about it. Don't unplug them. We need to keep them working and make sure they work well.

Resa Crippen (46:39)
Okay.

No, I agree. I think the only time that I remember that I have one is when I'm cooking. And let's just say, for example, two weeks ago, I used smoked paprika. And of course, if I don't have my kitchen ventilated, it'll make my Fire Alarm go off. yeah, I forgot I have one of these.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (47:11)
Mm-hmm.

The trials

of being a cook, I tell you. Well, thank you so much, Resa, for your Dove of the Day. We really appreciate it. Now let's move on to the screening room.

Resa Crippen (47:21)
Right.

You're welcome.

The Screening Room (47:32)
It's time for that weekly movie review in the screening room.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (47:51)
Okay, today's screening room, I watched a movie that was on Peacock. Now Peacock is not a sponsor of the podcast, but you know, it's a good place to watch some, you know, faith-based viewing. And I watched the movie that came out in 2014. So was a long time ago, but I never saw it before. It was called My Other Mother, trying to keep in line with Mother's Day. It's a story by Keronda Kiki McKnight. It was directed by Stan Foster. It stars Essence Atkins.

Lynn Whitfield, Jasmine Guy, Todd Anthony Manaigo, Angie Stone, and others. Now here's a brief synopsis. Now have you ever wondered what it would be like to search for the missing pieces of your past? Well, my other mother tells a powerful story of Candy, a driven morning TV host that's played by the incredible Essence Atkins. She sets out on an emotional quest to reconnect with her biological roots.

after learning she was adopted. Now, Candy's relentless pursuit starts with a shocking encounter at her biological father's funeral. It soon becomes apparent that beneath Candy's polished exterior lies a longing she just can't ignore. She wants to find the woman who gave her up for adoption. Things get complicated when Candy sits with the members of her biological family at her father's funeral and

Imagine her shock, Resa, when her birth mother, Mary Jo, storms in and takes a watch off of her late father's wrist during the funeral. And then she storms out. Like, is that intriguing or what? Candy's relentless determination to uncover the truth leads to an emotional revelations about why her mother gave her up the way she did. And just when you think you got the whole story figured out,

Candy's manager, her loyal manager, Lewis, confesses that he has feelings for her to go far beyond their work. So I like the story so much, Resa, from the family dynamics to the unexpected revelations. This film was like all kinds of roller coasters. It could have been written a little better in some places, but the characters did their best. I Jasmine Guy's in that, I remember her from a different world and a lot of other things and, know, essence.

And Angie Stone, she played a widow in it and she was really good for her short part. She was really good. Hope you give it a chance to watch it.

Resa Crippen (50:12)
Absolutely, I'm definitely gonna give it a watch. It kind of reminds me of one of my all-time favorite movies, Kingdom Come, that has like Whoopi Goldberg and Vivica A-Fox and Toni Braxton. So I'll definitely give this one a watch as well.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (50:26)
You really should. The themes of this movie are identity, family, unexpected love, life choices, mother-daughter dynamic, and overcoming challenges. You can watch My Other Mother on Peacock like I did or Amazon Prime Video, Fandango At Home, or YouTube TV. And we'll have the trailer for you set up at www.withthequickness.com. I enjoyed it a lot. think since it was Mother's Day, I was in a Mother's Day kind of mood.

And I didn't want to watch the typical things I've watched before. So that's why I gave it a shot. said, let me see what faith-based movies are out there that deal with mothers. And when I saw that Jasmine guy and Angie Stone and Essence Atkins were all in the same movie, said, oh, let me get this a try. I never saw this movie. I'm like, what they got Angie Stone doing?

Resa Crippen (51:13)
Yeah,

yeah, cuz now that I think about it, I'm like, do we even have a quote-unquote like official Mother's Day movie? I don't think we do.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (51:22)
Well, like you mentioned Soul Food. I mean, that song Mama by Boyz II Men is on the soundtrack. We think of that movie. And then there's a lot of Madea movies that people like to watch. But do we have an official mother's movie that we all watch in the Black community? I don't know if we do.

Resa Crippen (51:27)
Yeah.

And know what, it's funny.

It's funny that you say that too because obviously Sunday was Mother's Day and as we all know, anyone that has social media, everyone was posting their mom, which is fine, but someone posted their mom and they also, they had the Boyz to Men Dear Moma song. I almost started crying because I can't play that song that makes me want to cry.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (51:59)
They had Dear Mama by

Tupac or they had Mama by Boyz to Men.

Resa Crippen (52:02)
⁓

by Boys To Men. So I was just like, no. Yeah, like I can't listen to that song. So I'll start crying. ⁓

Angeline Bishop Thomas (52:05)
Okay, mama, yeah, yeah.

That

song is so touching. It reminds me of my mother-in-law. reminds me of my mom. It reminds me of all the mothers that kind of did so much.

Resa Crippen (52:17)
Right, that's why I want to cry every time. Like, I can't listen to that song. I can't listen to Luther Vandross dance with my father. I will cry every time. I'm just like, mm-mm, mm-mm.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (52:24)
every bride

likes to dance with her dad on that song at their weddings. That's the perfect father-daughter dance song. It's Luther.

Resa Crippen (52:29)
Nope, nope. I will cry.

Right.

And then what made it even worse with at least with Luther because right after so on said maybe last month when they had his documentary and they explained the story behind it. Now I really can't play it. I was like, nope, nope, I will cry. I'll cry a puddle of tears. No.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (52:44)
Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. But I think that's the beautiful thing about, you know, movies and songs and dances that are, you know, really expressive. It's supposed to at the heartstrings. To know a dancer's up there doing a dance that she, you know, composed for her mother that's no longer with us, or to hear a song that somebody wrote for their parent, or to look at a piece of art that somebody, you know, painted on behalf of their father that was struggling with a cancer.

you know, recovering from cancer, it's supposed to move you. It's supposed to make you go, wow. You know? So yeah, I think it's, you might not, you might not be able to listen to it now, but at one point, that's those songs will give you comfort. You know, you'll remember the memory of your dad dancing with you at your wedding. When that right guy comes along and he better come along pretty soon. Cause my daughter is, you know, she's deserving of a great guy in her life.

Resa Crippen (53:29)
Mm-hmm.

you

Angeline Bishop Thomas (53:45)
That's just me saying, I'm just saying, if he out there, he better come along. I mean, he could already be here. is very private, she don't tell me things, but I'm just saying, I'm just saying, you're just a delight to me. I know that, you know, that song's gonna mean something to you in the future, you know? It will, it might be hard to listen to now, but I think in the future you'll like listening to it.

Resa Crippen (53:47)
Ha ha ha.

⁓ mother.

Yeah.

Yeah, I think so. just think, now that I think about it too, I'm like, because those songs both came out in the 90s, I haven't heard anything else like that since then. guess my generation was like, we're not gonna do any more sad songs. We're just gonna do, yeah.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (54:24)
wow, I never thought about it. Has anybody

else come out with a mom or a dad song celebrating their parents? wow.

Resa Crippen (54:28)
Not like that. Not like that. ⁓

No. See?

Angeline Bishop Thomas (54:34)
Yeah, I think after Tupac

and Boyz to Men, and Luther, man.

Resa Crippen (54:39)
No, I haven't heard a song like that. I really think for my generation, they said, we're going to stop doing these sad songs because it's too much. It's too much.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (54:46)
Well, maybe it's

in contemporary gospel. Might be more songs. We just not thinking about them. Maybe people of faith have put out songs about their parents that we haven't come across yet. Maybe. Or maybe country. I think there's a couple of country songs that talk about their moms and dads too. I think Carrie Underwood had a song about her mother that I loved so much. I think back in the day, I remember her singing a song and her mom being in the video. I knew the name of what I would say right now, but I don't know the name. But I remember liking that song.

Resa Crippen (54:52)
Yeah, they might.

Yeah, that.

One thing about country.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I was going to say one thing about country. They're going to tell you a story because I do remember Carrie Underwood because you brought her up and she had a song about catching somebody cheating. She had a song about God taking the wheel. No, I love her. No, I love her. I'm I'm giving her praise. Like they tell good stories. I'd be sitting there like that happened to you.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (55:20)
Mm-hmm.

Be nice to her. She's on American Idol right now. She's busy working.

She came out with Jesus

Take The Wheel. That was her first big hit.

Resa Crippen (55:37)
Yeah, like I'll never forget the one video, like my sister had me watch and it was like the wife was like at the funeral of her husband, but apparently the mistress came the same day and she found out on her husband's funeral that her husband was having an affair and I was like, and I was like shocked. Yeah. And it was, I bring us up to say, I didn't realize how great the storytelling was in country. Cause the last time I played a country song was like Shania Twain, like when I was younger.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (55:53)
no, that's very like a soap opera.

Resa Crippen (56:05)
So I kind of like fell off, I was like, the storytelling.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (56:08)
Yeah, your

great grandfather loved country. Dolly Parton was his girl because the way she told stories, man. I mean, so a lot of people, people think country is just, you know, for people of a certain race. It's not, it's for all of us, you know? So he lived in Georgia. He was born in Georgia and lived in Florida and he loved country. You he loved any good music that told a story.

Resa Crippen (56:11)
Yeah.

you

Uh-huh.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (56:33)
and to be able to close your eyes and hear a story and relate to it and tap your foot. That was all it right there. And nowadays, what's the song everybody's doing the line dance to? That everybody's like getting ready for Beyonce, but this guy's song boots on the, what is it called, Resa? Boots on the ground. I'm like, don't act like y'all don't like country. Everybody likes country. And you hear that song, obviously people of all races doing that line dance with those little fans in their hands.

Resa Crippen (56:46)
yeah, on the Ground, something like that. Yeah, with the fan.

Listen, okay. Well, maybe I did say for a small period of time that in like country cuz wanna know why because the songs that I heard around that time I just wasn't feeling it cuz at the time till when I was in high school one of my really really really good guy friends He's like my brother and he would always play country music. I please I can't do it. It's like because it would be the same type of songs I'm just over it but now that I'm older and I'm wiser Marvin Sapp can't appreciate

Angeline Bishop Thomas (57:02)
What?

Resa Crippen (57:23)
country music now from different artists, especially from the women, because they definitely tell a lot of good stories.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (57:28)
When I went to college and I first heard Garth Brooks when he was first starting and he was like on that tear where he was like the number one male country singer for a lot of years, no one could tell me nothing about, he was my man. Garth Brooks could tell a story, thunder rolls, all that was right there for it. He got me into watching the country videos and watching the country award shows. Why? Because he...

I wanted to see what he had to say. wanted to see what Carrie had to say. All the ones, know, Keith Urban, I got big on him. So it got to the point where I didn't, my foray into country was because of the storytelling he did, because he crossed boundaries. A lot of people that hadn't heard very much about country, they who's this Garth Brooks guy that's tearing up the country scene? Because he even at one time did rock, you know, he put on an alter ego and did a rock album. I was like, yo.

Resa Crippen (58:09)
Mm.

wow.

Yeah, because like, like for me, like my foray was only Shania Twain and now and that was because of you. So I'm just like, okay. But now that I'm older and I'm just like, okay, like yes, R &B will always be in my heart. But now that like people, now that the artists are getting older and they're doing documentaries and I'm like, okay, let me watch that. Like I watched the Shania Twain documentary, which then led me down this like rabbit hole of her music and then Faith Hill.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (58:31)
yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Resa Crippen (58:53)
and then

Tim McGraw and like you said, Keith Urban and Trisha, Trisha Potts.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (58:59)
The

Dixie chicks that are now just the chicks. Yeah, all of them. They got really popular. The Judds Oh my gosh, the harmony of the judge. Mama, he's crazy. Telling a story. I mean, when you think about it, and now we have so many more people of color stepping in the country. You gotta give it a chance. You gotta give it a chance. You know, I mean, you gotta support those that are out there doing their best. I mean, I think it's great that Beyonce won her country album of the year Grammy award.

Resa Crippen (59:01)
the chicks and then like the Judds and all that so I've been yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Yes, Mickey Guyton. Yeah. Yeah.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (59:27)
but there's a lot of other people out there singing too, and they deserve a shot. So enjoy her concert, guys, but keep doing that boots on the ground line step and listen to the rest of the country music out there with that, that's, you know, on the radios now.

Resa Crippen (59:42)
I still haven't learned that dance. Like I see it and it's cute, but I don't have a fan, so I have to get a fan to come and see it something. ⁓

Angeline Bishop Thomas (59:48)
I have a fan.

We can practice this weekend if you want to. We can practice this song. Because I saw our former vice

Resa Crippen (59:52)
Okay.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (59:56)
Harris, she was practicing it with somebody. She said, I don't know how to do it. Can you show me? And she's pretty good because she's a sorority sister. So she kind of knows about stepping and learning some steps. So she was pretty good.

Resa Crippen (1:00:08)
Right, like I actually, I can recall that video because the guy that she did it with, like he's like really big into politics. So he was able to do something with her and at the end he was like, you know, let's do this dance. I was like, I was surprised that she did it, but happy. Cause I was like, this is great. She's learned how to do it. And she's a very quick learner. So I was like,

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:00:16)
Mmm.

Yeah, I think that goes back to her college days when she was on that line learning those steps for the step show. When she had to have a little rhythm, they kind of make you learn rhythm on that line. But she did wonderful. And I think she reminded all of us to have fun. Dancing is about fun too. It used to be back in the day when you would see that they had a free dance lesson or something, a guy when he's taking a girl out, he'd like, let's go over here and do this free lesson as one of their dates. But now, I mean.

Resa Crippen (1:00:32)
Right.

They do.

It is.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:00:56)
a guy be like, he tried to take a girl on a date. She was like, what are you trying to do? Make me sweat out my hair. And do you know these shoes are uncomfortable? And the girl's got all these, we have all these restrictions on what we want to do on dates. So it's kind of hard for some guys to say, let's go do something fun because you're worried about what if you put them in a situation they're not comfortable in?

Resa Crippen (1:01:07)
Well, I-

Right, right, because I was going to say, like, don't get me wrong, I think that'd be a great date idea, but I just, I don't want to embarrass myself because, listen, yes, in my mind, I think I could dance like, you know, Beyonce, but I know it's not the case in real life, so just like, I don't want to, I don't want to sit there and trip over, because I'm clumsy too, so I'm just like, oh man, here we go.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:01:33)
But what if

the gentleman said, you know, we both don't know how to, I don't know anything about the, let's say they're going to teach you the rumba or teach you to cha cha cha or even a line dance, a country line dance. Neither one of you know it. So you're both going in, not knowing something. I think for me, when you see someone out of their element, learning something, you see very quickly what frustrates them and if they can laugh at themselves and if they can let their guard down.

Resa Crippen (1:01:49)
Mm-hmm.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:02:02)
it lets you know what to look out for. Because if some people go from zero to 10 getting upset about being taken out of their comfort zone, that's a bit of a red flag.

Resa Crippen (1:02:06)
This is true.

Well, yeah,

yeah, and we don't want those type of red flags. Like, no.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:02:16)
Yeah, so

you don't have to put a strap, no bungee cord on her back and push her off a building, but you can make her do some things or you can make him do some things they're not used to doing. You know, like take a line dance, you know, well, let's go do a picnic in the park. I don't like bugs, no worries. We see a bug, I'll make sure it doesn't get on you. know, like they can do some things that make, beyond the movie and the movie, the dinner and the movie, something beyond the dinner and the movie.

Resa Crippen (1:02:35)
You

Yeah, that, you know, that makes sense. Like my only hard line is like, I don't do wild animals. So the zoo is like a no for me.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:02:51)
Yeah, I can understand that. It's a lot of walking in the zoo too. It's some zoos, but some zoos are bigger than others. know, some are very small little petting zoos and some are just like, we're gonna go here and look at the turtles that go home. know, or something like that.

Resa Crippen (1:02:57)
Right, like.

Yeah,

like I can do the whole like those um aquariums can do that but like when the animals are like in the cages like a fear of mine it's like the animal getting out of the cage and I'm just like I don't want to do that.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:03:07)
Mm-hmm.

Well, that's weird

because you love the Atlanta Aquarium. That was nice. That was kind of all behind glass and things. You like that.

Resa Crippen (1:03:18)
Right, so yeah, like I did that.

Yeah,

yeah, I could do that. I just don't like when they're, cause like, okay, so when I was younger, I had to be in elementary school and I think we went to the Cape May Zoo and the zoo was outside. So you could like obviously walk and see the animals. I don't know what happened, but there was like one animal in particular that was like behind the cage and it got a little aggressive and I was just like, I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go. Cause I feel like this animal's about to like bust out. I just, can't, I don't want to take that chance. I want to go home. So.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:03:43)
Yeah

Yeah. Yeah.

I've watched enough Animal Planet to be like, you know, when it comes to the zoo, the smells, the long walking, I'm like, eh, I'd rather walk through a botanical garden instead, you know.

Resa Crippen (1:03:52)
Yeah!

in it too.

That's

how I feel. If I really want to learn about an animal, shout out to Steve Irwin. I'll watch the animal planet. His kids are doing their own spots on that. I'll watch that. It's behind a glass in my house. I live right there. Right. Exactly.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:04:11)
And you will smell nothing different in your air. I got you, girl. Like the air is still as pure

as it was when you first turned on the channel. ⁓ Well, I hope all of you will give the movie a try. I really enjoyed it. And even though we took a little foray into other things, I think it's great family viewing and to actually look into your past and make sense of it.

Resa Crippen (1:04:20)
Yes, yes.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:04:35)
That kind of resonated with me too, because you know, recently I went on a little bit of a journey about my family due to, you know, discovering who my father is and the family and all that kind of stuff and who's connected with that. It's kind of, you know, unnerving at first to put together that you have family out there and additional siblings you didn't know about. But then I liked the fact that she didn't give up when the mother didn't want to talk to her, she didn't give up. You know, when she wanted to find out the truth.

and it wasn't what she thought it was gonna be, she still didn't give up. That's the hardest thing about putting the piece together out the past. But if you can have the fortitude to go through with it, some things God wants you to go through in order to get the blessing on the other side, it's a good thing. So I think you should give it a shot. If you haven't watched it, give it a shot. Watch my other mother.

Resa Crippen (1:05:25)
I absolutely will.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:05:26)
Okay, now let's go on to before the Bama Seat.

The Bema Seat (1:05:31)
Come before the Bema Seat Come before the Bema Seat where life's journeys and stories meet

Every week a testimony of one who brings hope and victory with joy and reverence. We'll sing our praises to the King of Kings. The Bema Seat. Come before the Bema Seat.

Come before the Bema seat.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:06:23)
Today, Jack Kunkel's story is one of profound struggle, redemption, and miraculous intervention.

For years, smoking had been a part of Jack Kunkel's life, starting from his youth until he finally quit in 1985. But the years of damage couldn't be undone. By 1997, Jack was diagnosed with emphysema, a condition that quickly took over his life. By 1999, even climbing a flight of stairs became an insurmountable challenge.

Resa Crippen (1:06:44)
you

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:06:52)
his every movement was deliberate and strained.

reduced to crawling from room to room. His reality was one of dependency for five long years. And for those five long years, he was tethered to an oxygen tank for 24 hours a day, a constant reminder of his frailty. Jack's life became a series of sacrifices. He could no longer take long walks, no longer enjoy simple outings, or even share the important family moments.

Restaurants became off limits when smoking or cooking smells kind of overwhelmed him. Conversations were cut short because his lungs would struggle for air. A painful irony for a man who spent most of his career as an auctioneer. He had effortlessly rattled off words at lightning speed, but now he can't. Showers that were once a mundane routine now require someone's assistance. The moisture in the air made breathing even harder.

At nights, nights were spent sleeping upright in a chair instead of in his nice bed and family vacations were mere memories. His body failed him in seemingly endless ways, leaving him to mourn the life he once knew. But in 2003, something extraordinary happened. Jack met a remarkable team of doctors at the Ohio State University Hospital.

led by Dr. Patrick Ross Jr. They conducted every test imaginable before delivering the words Jack had longed to hear. He was a candidate for a lung transplant. Not long after, Jack was introduced to the Lifeline of Ohio team, the organization that finds doctors for individuals like him. And suddenly there was hope, a chance for a future not defined by an oxygen tank.

Then it came on May the 31st, 2004, Memorial Day. It was the day that Jack would never forget. Dr. Ross called with the news that changed everything. A lung donor had been found, one that matched Jack perfectly. And three days later, the transplant was complete. The oxygen tank that had been his constant companion was finally set aside. And for the first time in years, Jack could breathe on his own.

This wasn't just a medical procedure. It was nothing short of a miracle. Now Jack often speaks of his donor with deep reverence, calling them his earth angel. He doesn't even know their name, their age, their gender, or their background. But you know what? None of that matters. What matters is the incredible gift they gave him. That person, Jack says, saved my life and allowed me to truly live again. He marvels at the dual nature of the miracle, knowing that this donor

didn't just save him, but someone else as well. Jack received the left lung, but another recipient now thrives with the right one. Two lives renewed, two families restored. Today, Jack has reclaimed the fullness of life. He shovels snow off his driveway, he drives himself around town, and even dreams of mowing the lawn in the Florida sunshine. Most importantly, he cherishes his time with his family.

He plays on the floor with his youngest grandchildren and he attends school events for the older ones. Cooking these days has now become a joy once more and he's even practiced his auctioneer chant again, hoping to lend his voice to a benefit auction pretty soon. Jack's story is more than survival. It's a testament to the power of faith, generosity and community. He firmly believes in miracles and sees himself as living proof of God's work through

the human hand. The donor who gave him a second chance at life is his hero, a symbol of selflessness and grace. And Jack often urges others to become an organ donor, reminding them of the life-changing impact they can have. You can be someone's miracle, he says with conviction, someone's earth angel. For Jack, every breath is a prayer of gratitude for his donor, the doctors and nurses at Ohio State University Medical Center.

and for the lifeline of Ohio. Through them, he was given more than a new lung. He was given a blessed chance to live, love, and inspire others to believe in the extraordinary. What do you think about that story, Resa? What a beautiful testimony from Jack, huh?

Resa Crippen (1:11:30)
Yeah, I was going to say that, like, that just blew my mind. Wow.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:11:34)
Yeah, I mean to have a quality of life go down so much due to smoking and he turned his, he stopped smoking and turned his life around, but to still have the side effects and the damage that he'd have to get, be on an oxygen tank. It's really hard. We see people on oxygen tanks all the time, but we never think about the things they can no longer do now that they're on those things.

Resa Crippen (1:11:57)
Yeah, like it kind of reminds me of how like when I was younger, they used to run those tobacco commercials where they would show people who would have severe cases of like they were smokers for I think maybe at this point probably like maybe 10 plus years and they would say like, if they had one woman who had to get her tracheotomy.

taken out or something like that. So she had that missing. There was one commercial where the guy did have an oxygen tank and he did explain like what basically his life was. Like he could still live life, but there were certain things that he couldn't do because he had to carry this oxygen tank with him.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:12:35)
I mean, it's really hard. mean, it's an addiction. Nicotine is an addiction. mean, the stuff in the cigarettes, it's not just you can smoke and it's just a choice. Sometimes you can be addicted to nicotine and to actually break the habit is a hard thing to do, but it can be done. And they need support. Sometimes you can't be around the people that smoke, you know, because it's just too hard for you or you can't do the things that remind you of, you know, lighting up a cigarette, you know? So if you know anyone that is quitting smoking or...

trying to quit, don't be surprised if their boundaries change around the habit of smoking, like certain restaurants they can't go into or be around certain people or do certain activities that they normally would do with a cigarette in their hand. But it was a good story. I'm glad that Jack reminded all of us the importance of being donors, those that are interested in doing that. He said he only got one lung.

So that means the other lung went to another person. So this donor actually helped two people. And if this person gave more than one organ for science or to benefit others, they could have impacted a multitude of lives.

Resa Crippen (1:13:42)
Yeah, it's kind of like that movie that Will Smith was in called, what was it, Seven Pounds, where his like, I've never watched the movie, I didn't get a chance to, but I did read about it, and it is a very powerful movie about the benefits of being a donor.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:13:56)
Yeah, yeah. And you don't think about it till somebody in your family really needs it. Like we all say, you know, that's a good thing I might do it, but it doesn't hit you home until someone in your family really needs that donation and they're looking for a match desperately. Now, if you would like to share a story from your Christian experience, one that will inspire new and rededicated Christians, please visit www.withthequickness.com and select the Bayamacy tab. There you can fill out our interview form so we can schedule a virtual interview.

You can also email BamaSeat at withquickness.com to begin our guest process. So, Arisa, another episode down. Oh my goodness. Mother's Day, it was a delight. It was a delight sharing it with you. I'm glad we had this time together.

Resa Crippen (1:14:40)
me too. We definitely made some more memories.

Angeline Bishop Thomas (1:14:42)
Definitely. Well, I hope the rest of your week goes really well for you and for everyone that's listening. And we here, we are so grateful that you tuned in today. Our prayer for you is that God reveals to you that he is real and able to meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Have a great rest of the week, everybody. Goodbye now.

Resa Crippen (1:15:04)
Bye everyone.

WTQ Outro (1:15:06)
I've been trying to forget But you won't let me Something in my brain wants you I've been hanging by myself Asking for help But nothing seems to work on you With everything crazy You still my source of peace You filter out the lows You give me what I need me feel like oh yeah You You never leave

You're the reason I'm going out with mind I just can't stop thinking about you You got me feeling some type of way You make me wanna stay in all the you You're the reason I can't get out of my head I just can't stop thinking about you