From Prison, Meth & Violence to Jesus | Mark Gonzalez’s Testimony

From prison, violent crime, and meth addiction to a life fully surrendered to Jesus Christ—Mark Gonzalez’s testimony is proof that no one is beyond redemption.

In this episode of Third Man in the Ring, Popeye Ray sits down with Mark Gonzalez, also known as Barber Mark, to hear the powerful story behind His Barbershop.

Mark opens up about the childhood abuse and anger that shaped him, being arrested for assault and attempted murder at 16, spending years in and out of prison, and eventually becoming deeply addicted to meth. He knew Scripture, earned a degree in biblical studies, and even served as an usher at church—but behind the appearance, he was still getting high and committing crimes.

Everything changed after the people he trusted arranged a brutal home invasion that nearly took his life. While recovering in the hospital, Mark says God called him to repent. That was the moment he stopped merely playing the part of a Christian and became truly born again.

Today, Mark is approaching five years sober, owns His Barbershop in Redlands, and serves his church and community through prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and outreach. In his own words, he once deserved to be in prison because of the monster he had become—but Jesus changed his life.

If Mark’s testimony encourages you, share this episode with someone who needs hope and subscribe to Third Man in the Ring for more powerful stories of faith, redemption, and transformation.

This episode includes candid discussion of childhood sexual abuse, drug addiction, violence, and incarceration.

#ChristianTestimony #JesusChangesLives #ThirdManInTheRing

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:19

Hey, welcome to Third Man in the Ring. I'm your host, Popeye Ray. Today, guys, uh, I have an awesome interview with a good friend, a good Christian friend. Uh his barbershop. You know what? This man, I admire him for the fact that he has a past. For the fact that he came from really nothing to having an awesome barbershop. I just want to introduce Mark. How are you doing, brother? Thank you, thank you. Pleasure being coming out. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

I appreciate this opportunity, man. I think um I think it's more of an honor for me, you know, because I've seen a lot of your stuff, and uh, I remember being on Instagram, and I'm like, wow, just focus on you interviewing all these people. And in my heart, I say, man, I would like to be on that show. Wow. Who would have known that one day, right? You know, God is good. That is good, man. And uh sure enough, man, you and I linked up, and uh, I think I've been avoiding you for a year already because I think I was kind of nervous. Hey, Mark, real quick, tell tell us about your barbershop here. This is you're the owner, huh? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Well, I always tell people this. I think what what intrigues people the most is when people say, Hey, you're the boss, you're the owner, I tell them, nah, I'm the supervisor. You know, I said, look, the Lord. The name says it all. The name says it all, man. It's his, his barbershop. And and uh um I called this barbershop his barbershop because people, people, you know, they they uh they'll try to make fun. They'll say, his and hers. And I say, Come on, man, his, you know, glorifying the Lord. And and uh there's a scripture in Psalms 24, verse 1 that says that everything in this land belongs to God. Amen. And when I was trying to think of a name, I couldn't figure out what I was gonna call it, you know. And then I went to um I went to church one morning and um they were doing the the love offering, the the offering for church, the tithes, and a lady went up, Mrs. Kurt, she went up and she says, I don't know who this is for, but this is a scripture that came to my heart this morning on Psalms 24, verse 1. And when I when I because I'm an usher, yeah, so I'm I'm putting I'm giving up the envelopes, and when she said, I don't know who this is for, I really felt like God was speaking to me.

SPEAKER_00 2:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

Like this is for you. And right when right when she said that, she says, Let's never forget that everything in this land belongs to God. And right there the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, The barbershaw shall be called his.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

And not to change the subject, Mark, but isn't it crazy when we go to church and sometimes we're not thinking of it, and it and it seems like the pastor's literally saying that message to us. Yeah, every time. We're like, wow, man. Every time. Every time. That's crazy all. So when did you uh when did you get this shop?

SPEAKER_01 2:55

I got this shop about five years ago. Me and my wife were um we're uh we were uh next door eating at uh uh Sabrino's, uh, and uh my hands were all messed up. I was in a bad incident, and my hands were all messed up, and I was getting ready to walk into uh Sabrino's and uh there was too many people there, man. And I said, nah, my hands were exposed, you can see all my cuts, and and I said, No, I'm gonna walk outside, you know. So I walked around, and who would have known that I seen a little sign that said barber? And I said, Oh, I'm gonna go in there. So I knocked on the door, and this old man asked the door, hey, what's up, Neil? I said, Hey, what's up? What happened? You got in a car accident? Yeah, I got in a car accident. Yeah. But I didn't want to tell him the truth, what happened. So he entered, he let me come in, so I came into the barber shop, and and uh he's telling me about himself, and I started talking to him, and and oh and behold, who would have known that that old man was a backsliding Christian? He was a pastor for a church. Wow. And he backslid. And uh um so I built a relationship with him, man, and um building a relationship with them, I started coming over here, hanging out with them, and we'd fellowship, and he would pray over me, and and um as as time went on, um, I built a relationship with them. He he offered me this barbershop. And uh he gave he gave me this barber shop. Out of the blue. Out of the blue, man, he offered me this barber shop, and um I couldn't believe it. My wife couldn't believe it. And um I said, Are you sure? And he goes, Yeah, it's time for me to retire, and I want to give it to you. So he gives me the shop. Now mind you, are you a barber at this time? I I went I went back to cutting hair. I've been cutting hair, I've been cutting hair for uh for over 20-something years. You know, so I've been cutting hair, you know. And and um, but at this time I'm I'm barely recovering from addiction. I was in my addiction, you know, and I'm only five months sober. Five months sober, and here God is opening up a door for me to get this barbershop so I knew it could only be God. Yeah, you know, it could only be God, man. And and um and I'm a little hyper anyway, so I wanted to cut. I wanted to help me get back to work. You know, I'm a man, I want to work, you know? And um, sure enough, man, God opened up that door and he um made a way and I ended up getting this barbershop. Now, mind you, an 86-year-old man owned this barbershop. This barbershop looked old. It looked like a hair salon place, and it smelled like bangay and and dust, you know?

SPEAKER_00 5:18

Yeah, careful, and I I use banger on my phone. But no, I feel you it was probably just a different, whole different look.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Whole different look. None of this was here. This wasn't here, none of this was here. It was just uh that little corner over here on the other side of the barbershop, just four chairs. And before we keep going, what's the address here? So the fact it's 601 West State Street, Suite D, Redis, California, 92373. And guys, when you walk in here, you just feel alive.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

You feel I I mean, as a Christian, you feel the love. And let me tell you, if you're not a believer, they're welcome here as well, right? That's right. And you walk in and you just feel something something's up in here, huh? Something's up in here, you know? And go ahead, Martin. And you're so you got the barber shop.

SPEAKER_01 6:07

I got the barbershop and um only one barber, me. One barber, me. Nobody wanted to work here. Um, it was too old. They didn't look like this. It looked like an old man had it, and and I didn't know what I was gonna do, but I was trusting the Lord. And I would go home and pray, and I started writing down my vision on paper. Okay, Lord, these are the things I want to do, but you're gonna have to help me do them because I don't have the means to do it. Sure enough, man. Ray, I can't tell you, I can't tell you the names of all the people that have blessed me with $1,000 here, $5,000 here, $2,500 here. Um, let me go to the let me go to a Harbor Freight. What did you want to get? And I said, Wow, this one, this one guy, he was a he was an alcoholic, you know, and uh and he loved me, man. He loved me. And he says, What did you want in here? If I could bless you, what could I put in this barbershop for you right now today?

SPEAKER_00 6:59

And I was like, Man, some toolboxes. Okay. And he leaves. You know, it barely hit me right now. They're toolboxes, eh? Yeah, that's crazy, almost. Yeah, the toolboxes.

SPEAKER_01 7:12

And sure enough, man, I'm working throughout the day. Next thing you know, here comes this guy. I'm not gonna mention his name for right now, but but uh this guy, man, he comes in, he comes in, he starts offloading toolboxes. I'll be back, I'll get two more. Two more. Well back, I'll be back, you'll get two more. Loaded down eight barber chairs, oh, eight toolboxes for me, man. And it was a barber shop. Wow. You know, and and uh, and that's God. And that's God. Then another guy, another man, another friend of mine, his name is uh uh SB uh print, uh Jose J, and and uh he says, Hey, I want to bless you. I see your shop is growing, you're changing it up, I want to help you out. And um him and my wife came together and uh they they redid all the windows. So my biggest theme in this barbershop is free prayer. Prayer. Prayer. And so I have a window up front, and uh it's uh 24 by 24 by 36, and the first thing people notice is it says free prayer and the price has already been paid for. Just that alone has brought so many people to cry in front of that barbershop that the price has already been prayed for. What do you mean it's free? You know, and um and I can't tell you the endless people have knocked on that door just for free prayer. Addicts, moms, dads, tios, tias, uh, people from different nationalities, uh, different backgrounds, you know. But one day, this real handsome couple, man, parked right in front of that window, and they just kept taking pictures. And I was like, wow, what are they doing, you know? And uh the lady gets out and she's crying. And I'm like, wow, jump out on this lady, man. So I'm looking at them, but they don't know that I can that I'm seeing out, you know? And then finally the handsome white guy opens the door and he goes, he goes, Are you the owner? And I said, No, he's the owner. I'm just the supervisor. And he says, Man, what's your name? I said, Mark. And he goes, My name is Matthew, can I come in? So he we comes in and him and his wife come in and she's crying, and and she's like, Oh my god, you don't know, you don't know the day we had, but to see this free prayer, because we got to tell you who we are. And I said, You need to tell me who you you are? And he goes, Yeah. We we own a a worldwide uh um ministry online, on the internet, on Facebook, on Instagram. It's called pray.com. Pray.com. Pray.com. And that's brother Matt Potter. And um, they came in and they're telling me their testimony, and then they just love the free prayer, and it goes along with what they do, right? So they gave me the the the whole the whole uh free because they they charge you for their internet, you know, uh but they gave it to me for free, and everybody in my family, all my friends, and anybody I want to give it to, I can give it to them for free. I just gotta put the code in, you know. And um, so they're telling me another story. They're like, Mark, before we leave, God has put us on our heart. If we can leave, what would be the number one thing you do to this shop? And mind you, this at this time the shop looked white, beige, gray, walls, just real ugly, you know. And I said, Well, you know, I said, um, I've been wanting to paint and redecorate, and there was a wall right here before. Before this was this here, it was a wall. It was a room. And I said, I would love to knock down this wall. And what would you do? I would paint it black, put my logo on the wall, and and I'll and I would and I would uh extend it, and I would put toolboxes and you know, and you actually made it bigger, no? Yeah, I made it bigger on both sides. On the other side is another side too, another room. Yeah, yeah. You know, so well how much it would it cost? I said, I don't know. I I think uh I think altogether it's like like like like 5,500, you know, to paint it and to put the lighting and you know. Do you have it, Mark? I said, no, I'm still saving. How much have you saved? I don't know, I think like $300, you know? And they're like laughing, you know? Well, you're at least you're saving, you know. I said, I'm saving, I'm gonna do it, you know. They said, okay, you know. So then they the Matthew prays for me, his wife, she sang because she was a singer. And they said, Hey, uh, do you zoom? And I said, Yeah. So, all right, they zoom me. Okay, I hear the phone bing, you know. I said, Okay, thank you, you know. So they're walking off and they're telling me, Matthew goes, I left you a tip too, man. Oh, thank you, Matt. I appreciate that, Matthew. And uh sure enough, they leave. I go back to my phone, it's being pick up the phone, and there's $5,500. Oh no. And I'm and I'm crying, man, and because I know it was God. The Bible says that be careful because you never know. You might be entertaining an angel or a servant of the Lord. You know? And and and um and and I can't thank you, and I can't thank Matthew enough from uh pray.com, you know, who um who opened up that door for to help me to help me paint this whole barber shop, the outside. They gave me enough money to paint the outside, inside, and um, and uh it's just been just like that this whole time. I've been here five years, and in five years I've probably had over 100 people bless me financially. Over and over again.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

It's a beautiful shop, brother. But you know what, Mark? I'm so obviously you've had a perfect life then, huh? Oh, I wish I had a perfect life, you know.

SPEAKER_01 12:33

I I I I wish I could say I rubbed a GD and I'll sit. Boom, Mark had a beautiful life, it was good.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

So so tell the fans where where Mark started. Oh man.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Tell us a little bit about your childhood, I grew up in uh uh in uh East LA, born in born and raised in East LA um General Hospital. Um a wonderful mom.

SPEAKER_00 12:55

That's that's rough in itself, General Hospital. Back in the day, they used to send all the homeboys there to die, man. They just leave you in the bullet in your hand, you're in the waiting room, man. Man, that was a rough place, Holmes.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

And um, sure enough, you know, I I I grew up in East LA, um, a family of six found brothers and sisters, and I was a middle child, and and um grew up with a bunch of uh whitewashed Mexican surfer cousins, you know. Yeah. And um, and they were cool as heck, you know, and but um it was hard growing up where I grew up at. Um you um are left left to fend for yourself and um um growing up was rough. Being the middle child was rough. Um they say the middle child kind of gets left behind all of a sudden. And that's where I think that's what happened to me, you know. You uh you you you you try to you try to fit in, but you can't because you're not the oldest and you're not the youngest. You know, the oldest gets everything and the youngest gets spoiled. Yeah, you know, that's baby, that's meito, you know. But uh but it was good, you know, it was all it was okay, you know. Uh uh whatever whatever I had to endure growing up, it made me who I am today. You know, and and uh I I didn't expect growing up that um that I was being I I want to say this first because I think this had a big part of who I am today is uh growing up being molested as a kid. It wasn't easy, man, because uh you're being molested by the people you thought loved you. And and these are your uncles and these are your aunts and these are your your family members, and you're like, what the heck, you know? This is normal? And you don't know who to tell because back in the 70s they didn't talk about that kind of stuff. Yeah, they didn't, you know, it's not like today, 2026, you just say a word, and the cops are coming and you're rescued, you know. But in the 70s and 80s, ain't nobody coming to your rescue. They they hit you and smack you and tell you to go to your room and and uh uh you're lying, you know, because now you're tarnishing the last name, now you're tarnishing the family, and you know, you're not gonna do that at that time. You know, you're not gonna say bad name, you know, for the Gonzalezes, you know what I mean? And and uh so so you have to be real careful, you know. And um I think that's where uh everything started to tumble for me. You know, I was going to school, getting bad grades, because I had so much so much anger and and fear inside me, you know, and and um and nobody would believe me except except my sister, you know, she believed me because it was happening to them too, you know. But who do you tell? You know, um you don't tell anybody still, you just write it out, you leave it alone, you you suppress it, you know, and until finally one day you get tired. One day you get tired, and and um um we go to my grandparents' house and and uh I told my sister, this ain't happening anymore. What are you talking about? You'll see. And uh sure enough, man, you know, I um waited for them to do their little movitas, how they do it, you know, and uh and I told my sister, I got you. You know? And uh wasn't gonna let it happen anymore, and we didn't, you know. I stuck up for my family and stuck up for my sister and and um and um I allowed that to be the last time they ever did that to us, you know. And and um but as you get older, now you're 12 years old, and now you gotta make a decision, do you still want to go over there or not? And uh and I made a decision. So my sisters, we ain't going over there no more. We're gonna leave that alone. You know, we're gonna stay away from them, you know. And um, and it worked. It worked for a little while until until until finally you let your guard down in your mind as a child, and now you're tormented with uh with uh the thoughts, the memories. That's right. That's right. You're tormented with it, you know, and and you know, I grew up kind of like kind of rough, tough, you know, with my family, you know. My uncles, they they're from they're from uh they're they're from they're from a gang, you know, and and uh they did a lot of prison time. And and that time when they were going to prison prison, the the number one thing in prison was boxing. Yeah, you know? So my uncles were teaching me how to box, and and and little did I know that you're gonna I'm gonna use that as I get older to put hands on people, start fighting, and and uh and to use that anger, that aggression, and trick it out on people. Sure enough, man, at the age of 16, taking out that anger, I get busted. I get busted for assault and attempted murder, you know, and um oh my family, they're they're freaking out because they've never seen that side of me. Um because again, you hide that, you you take that to the room and you don't tell anybody you're angry and you're hurt, scared. So you take it to the room until one day, man, you know, I discover drugs, I discover alcohol, and I discover weed, and and um, and and and back then it was uh crosstop pills. You know, the crosstop that uh like they were they were like it was like speed. Yeah, cross tops, you know. So we're taking cross-tops and and um and that stuff got my head all twisted and and the alcohol and drinking and and anger and next thing you know, man, I found myself I found myself getting arrested for assaulting two two two young men and uh um stabbing them, you know, viciously, and and I take off and I run. And you know, you're um I grew up from East LA, we went to Covina, and you're the only Mexican family in Covina. You know what I mean? Uh back then it was all white, white and a few black people, and most black people thought they were white too, you know? And um I mean I grew up down the street and going to Covina was a no-no. Yeah, right? See? You couldn't go there, bro. You didn't go there, Baldwin Park either. You didn't cross those lines, you know? And um, sure enough, man, where was I gonna hide at, man? Everybody in that time, we're probably about the same age, they they knew the family's names. Hey, where's the Gonzalez family at? Where's the Hernandez family at? You know, where's the where the Joneses live at, you know? And sure enough, everybody's looking for Mark Gonzalez. You know, Placasso was bad boy. Where's bad boy at? You know, bad boy Mark Anthony, you know, and uh sure enough, man, people are scared. They're thinking you're you're a madman, you know? And everybody's ratting you out, you know. I was like, man. So they pick me up, you know, and sure enough I go, there it went, man. From that, from that moment on, at the age of 16, 17, my life was never the same. I I was able to understand what anger was and what direction I was gonna take that anger, and I wasn't gonna allow anybody to hurt me. And from that point on, man, it was just um I never stopped going to jail. I never stopped addiction.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

Let me ask you something, Mark. Through that molesting and growing up, was God ever in your household?

SPEAKER_01 20:03

It's funny you say that because uh the the the thing with me with God it was this. That's it, huh? That's it. I I thought I thought this was God, and and and I was angry with that, you know, and and and uh we would go to church. We would go to church, and and oh man, I can I could I I don't even know which direction to take this this this this this part right here, but I'll say this. Is that being molested, you're numb as being molested as a kid, and then you go to Catholic church and you go to Catholic school, and next thing you know, bam, I'm being molested at the Catholic school. And you're thinking in your head, is this normal? That is this what goes on? Is this is this is this what's going on? This is this natural?

SPEAKER_00 20:47

Is this part of the part of the routine, part of the life?

SPEAKER_01 20:50

Yeah, you know, and you're like, what the heck? And and uh wow, man, that's religion? That's that this is what they do over here, but it's not that's bad people doing bad things to good people, man. You know, it's not nothing to do with religion, it's just bad people with bad habits predating on on people that are innocent. Yeah, you know, because I can't blame anybody but that sin, you know, now that I know, you know.

SPEAKER_00 21:22

And now that we know, there's a big difference between religion and relationship. You know what I mean? Big difference. So those those uh pedophiles were don't have a relationship with God, you know. But going back to you're in Covina, you're getting busted, what now?

SPEAKER_01 21:38

And just it's funny because uh I always I always go back to this. Um I had a sister, she uh sat under uh Calvary Chapel. Uh she went to Ballon Park in Ballon Park and Raw Reese with Rawl Reese, man. And she knew Rawl Reese, and um and I don't know, man. She saw She started saying that I found a church. We need to start going to it. And I was like, ah, I heard I heard a statement by this guy one time. He said, Oh, that's the hallelujahs over there. So I always stuck with that. Oh, you're a hallelujah, sister. Leave me alone. I already go to church. What do you mean you go to church? Yeah, when I drive by the Catholic Church, I do what they taught us. I do the sign of the cross, you know, and I'm forgiven already. No, no, you're stupid. That's wrong. Don't worry, tonight, I'm gonna say our Father, I'm gonna be good. And matter of fact, I'm gonna throw a couple Hail Marys in there, and I'm really gonna be forgiven. And but I was mocking God. Yeah, yeah. You know, I was angry, you know, because I didn't believe that a God would allow the things that I that took place in my life and in my sister's lives, that though that it was okay. So I'm angry with God, I'm angry with religion, and I definitely, when I would make the sign of the cross, I would make it with the middle finger. You know? You're bitter, yeah. I was upset, you know, because I would be like, man, I put the middle finger on, I'd be like, there you go. And people look at me like, dude, what's wrong with you? That's the sign of the cross, man. That's what I believe in. You know, people like, eh, dude, man, what's wrong with you, man? But but but they didn't know my heart. They didn't know my hurt, they didn't know my fears. Because behind all that, Ray, I want to say this because I think a lot of times we can hide behind something, you know?

unknown 23:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:31

I think deep down inside, Ray, I was never a tough guy. I wasn't a tough guy. That's not what I wanted to be. I didn't want to be tough. I didn't want to be the man or the guy. I did it. I wanted a normal life. I wanted to live like my other siblings did, smiling and being happy all the time, yeah. I never got to experience that. You know, I didn't I didn't know what that was. You know? Um, but uh, but my sister, man, she uh she never gave up.

SPEAKER_00 24:00

So she she became a believer at that time? She became a believer at that time, back in 1990, I think. And did you know the difference between uh the Christian Catholic faith? Or you just assume that she was going through a phase. A phase.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

I think she was going through a phase, but you could see the difference in her. You could see the joy in her, the love in her. You know, I'd be all mad. I'd be always my man, cussing, screaming, yellowing, and she'd be like, brother, what's wrong with you? Stop all that. Yeah, you need to relax. You need Jesus. And I'm like, oh, here we go again with that Jesus thing, man. You know? But little did I know, man, that she was praying for me, that she was praying for my family and my siblings, and and I guess Raw Reese taught them all, because Raw Reese was doing it. I remember his testimony, and Raw Reese would tell people, write your friends' names on a piece of paper and believe that God's gonna save them. And and my sister started doing that. And one by one, she would put a checklist. This one saved, this one saved, this one saved. And sure enough, you know, um, sure enough, I I had an experience.

SPEAKER_00 25:09

All those names uh Mark was still unchecked up. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right there in the middle.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

You know, but but um she had faith. She had faith, and and I'm thankful for that faith because today I do the same thing today now. You know, today I got names of my Bible names written down and and and I'm believing in the Lord, and I got I got uh uh um a tablet at home and and um I got other people's names and family members and and neighbors down the street, you know. I mean, across the street, you know, God ain't gonna touch them, you know. And because I believe in the power of prayer today. Power of prayer, you know. I'm here because of the power of prayer. I'm here because I have a praying wife, you know, that didn't give up on me, that believed that that God was gonna one day change my life because I did have an encounter with God. And the encounter with God, it was an encounter of being only a saved Christian. I wasn't born again. You know, I got I got I got I got saved in prison. Didn't know what it meant, but I got saved in prison, and I started taking um CCBC Bible colleges from Calvary Chapel, and and um uh my sister says, here, I paid $3,000 for you to go to school, and I want you to get a degree. So man, here I go, man. I'm I'm walking the R. I'm I'm a I'm a I'm I'm Bible thumping, I'm I'm in everything, man. I'm man, I'm taking all kinds of courses. I ended up graduating, getting a degree and uh bachelor's degree in biblical studies through Calvary Chapel, you know, uh Bible college, and and um, but you know what, Ray? Everybody knows the Bible, Ray. Even the devil, only everybody called scripture, Ray. That's right. I didn't know that just because I had a degree in prison that I was gonna be okay when I paroled. I didn't know that just because I knew the word of God, I wasn't walking out the word of God. I paroled from prison with all these degrees and all these certificates, and man, I thought, all right, I'm good. But I wasn't. I was just saved. Today I tell the I tell people all the time, there's two types of Christians in church. There's a saved Christian and a born-again Christian. You know, a saved Christian, he still drinks and goes to church. A saved Christian still fornicating and living with his girlfriend and having sex and, you know, and it's okay. You know what I mean? But a born-again Christian, the Bible says, Paul says that that when I became a man, I put away those childish ways. You know, I had to become a man. I had to learn, I had to learn that how to get married first. I had to learn that I couldn't be, I used to be a tweaking Christian. I'm still going to church, I'm still I'm saved. It's okay. I have a couple blasts, I'm alright, you know? I still go to church, I know how to lift up my hands. Oh man, that's grace. That's God's grace over your life. That's God's grace over your life, you know.

SPEAKER_00 28:03

I did that that tweaking Christian for a little bit too long.

SPEAKER_01 28:07

Yeah. And I think what's what helps.

SPEAKER_00 28:10

I used to use the excuse, God knows my heart.

SPEAKER_01 28:12

Oh, that oh, that was my best one. God knows my heart. Ray, that was my number one, man. Oh, you don't know. God knows my heart, man. I don't worry about all that. You know what I mean? And it wasn't God's heart. It wasn't God knowing my heart, it was God knowing my wife's heart. And she and you, man. Because they say the Bible says in Acts that you're sanctified because of your spouse. You know? And I was just being sanctified, covered because of my wife praying for me, my sister praying for me. Other people that I met loved me and said, man, one day God's gonna bring something good out of you, man. And I'm like, ah, whatever, bro. Whatever. You know? But uh sure enough, man, you know what? I had to get born again, Ray. I was playing the part as a as a as a uh as a saved Christian for, man, too many years, Ray. That that finally, finally five years ago, I was in church with my with my lady, still getting high, still committing a crime because I had an addiction. Faking the funk to everybody, but except to God, right? Fake the funk to everybody. Man, I would ray out, man. I was the best dress, I was still I was an usher at church, but tweaking. I was an usher at church tweaking. But I would fake, I would try to fool you like like you look handsome today, man, wearing a nice shirt. But I would wear a suit and tie to church, man. And I would wear the best Christian, loudest Christian church shirt on just so you were attracted to the suit and tie, so that you would take your focus on my face. You know, man, you look handsome. That's nice, man. Your shoes are nice. Cool. Shh, they don't know I'm high then. All right, I'm doing good then. You know? But you know what? I think that God, you take grace too far, and that's it. God can't tolerate no more, man. You're making God look, you're like, you're like, you're like making God look like a fool, man. You know? But the only one you're really fooling is yourself. And you know how many years I fooled myself, Ray? You know how many years I spent crying in the shower because I, but Ray, I wasn't just tweaking, Ray. I was slamming. I was slamming meth. The smoking dope and swallowing it wasn't doing any any any good anymore. Now I'm slamming meth. I'm doing uh a quarter ounce a day. Um, and then when that wasn't doing enough, man, I would just pour it in water and start drinking it just so I can get high faster. That wasn't working anymore either. I'd be in the shower and I would cry out to God, man, God, please, please help me, man. Please help me, Lord, please. I don't know how to stop. You know? And then I would try to go out of my house right now. You know how many times I would get dressed, trying to put the right shirt on, trying to find the right shoes, and I would stop. And I'd tell my lady, I'm not going. Why? They're gonna know I'm high. No, you look good. It's like she always say, it's like poking a needle in your arm. What you're poking, and then they're not gonna they're not gonna see you again. It's gonna be okay. And I'd be fighting with it, man. No. And then um I would I would leave my wife. But back then she wasn't my wife, she's you know, we're just you know, just my girl, you know. And um, I would move out, go let my own place, move out, and you know, try to do my own thing, and you know, try not to try not to try not to get her involved so much because I would be involved in some stuff, Ray, that that uh it would blow your mind. Really bad evil stuff, you know, doing evil things to people and robbing people and burglarizing and doing fraud and credit cards and then that one stupid thing. Now COVID happens, Ray, right? Yeah, and and now the next thing you know, the the government wants to give you a green card with FEDE on it. Oh man, I discovered I could make a lot of money on that. And here I am making a lot of money on it, man. So I get together with the crew guys and and some people, and we're breaking into mailboxes and doing all kinds of fraud. Um I'm sorry, everybody out there that's that's out gonna listen to this, I'm sorry because if you that happened to you, it's probably me. And I'm sorry. And I remember one time, man, I was I was I was doing this fraud. And I remember doing this credit on these people, and I heard the Holy Spirit say something to my ear, man. I was like, what was that? Did you say something to me? No, man. Right here getting high. Alright. And I heard it again, you're not gonna get away with that. Whoa. What is that? And I was tripping, man. Maybe I was too high. I don't know what I was hearing, man, but I could hear God whispering in my ear. You're not gonna get away with that.

unknown 32:53

I was like, what the heck?

SPEAKER_01 32:55

Right, whatever. I fall asleep, right? I fall asleep, man. I wake up, I'm knocking on my door, and um four people come into my house, man. The same people I was getting high with paid other people to come into my house to rob me, and uh I they do a home invasion on me. And they get me for all my money, all my jewelry. I had a lot of uh I had a lot of expensive clothes and and uh uh shoes. I used to be a shoe person, so I had a whole room, one bedroom, right, full of like 300 shoes in a room. Jordans. And back then, you know, people were into all these Jordans and all these nice shirts, and I used to have a lot of jewelry, and sure enough, man, uh the same people that uh I was getting high with turned around and and got me. You know, and uh they left me for dead in my house, man. They busted me up. I think I was giving them a pretty good fight, you know? You know, you have people knocking on your door and you open the door and wake you up from being tweaked out, and you hear someone tell you, we're here to kill you. Oh, we'll fight. Everybody's fighting. I have blood everywhere, man. You know, they couldn't take me to the ground, right? I was fighting for my life, man. Then finally they, for the last step, they finally got a machete and hit me in the leg with machete, man. Boom, right here. Bam! And that took me to the ground. And I just said, all right, man, stop. Just stop. I'll give you guys the, I'll tell you where the money's at, just stop. Say where the jewelry's at, just stopped. I I could have taken it in one, Ray. I had four people, four people putting hands on me, man. You know? And um, I did whatever I could, and they felt it. They could take me to the ground. But uh, when it's enough's enough, enough is enough. I'm just pouring with blood, Ray. They said that that room, my house looked like a mud massacre, a blood massacre. It was just so much blood on the walls. Because we were fighting everywhere. I wasn't going down, right. I was scared, man. And when you're scared, you're only gonna do what you're gonna do. Believe me, bro. You know, and um, sure enough, man, you know, uh, even the cops said, mad props to you, man. You're not dead. I said, I was fighting for my life, man. You know, I ain't a I ain't a bad dude, but you know, you tell someone they're gonna come kill you. Yeah, exactly. You know, you're gonna do what you're gonna do. And and um, you know what though, Ray? I couldn't stop myself. I couldn't stop my addiction, I couldn't stop putting a needle in my arm. I couldn't stop cheating, I couldn't stop, I couldn't stop robbing people. I I I just couldn't stop. So that incident didn't didn't stop you? It did stop me, Ray. That's what I was gonna lead up to right now, is to tell you that I couldn't stop it, but finally God did. And that's what he took. For some people it takes an accident, yeah. Right? For some people they get in a car accident, now they have stool. For some people they they lose a parent, they lose a spouse, they lose a kid, but for me, it was it had to be practically losing my life. And right there and then, in that hospital, going to Loma Linda, going to Loma Linda, I could hear the Holy Spirit speaking to me, right?

SPEAKER_00 36:09

And just to let the fans know or give them a picture of if you had to put a time on it, how how long do you think that home invasion lasted that night? From the door opening to the cops finally walking in. At least 15 minutes, right? And that's a long, if you guys been in a war, 15 minutes a long time, you know?

SPEAKER_01 36:33

Too long for your life, you know. Too long that they were with that we were taking breaks. Yeah. That's how much. They were tired, I was tired. They couldn't believe that I had so much fight in me that they were like, hey, all right, then tell me it's all right. You know what I mean? Just give us the fairy and because they thought for sure they were just gonna get the money that easy. And here, man, I practically put my life down to get all that money. I wasn't gonna give it up that easy, but it was the it was the addiction. It was the addiction, Rail. I was addicted to the money, I was addicted to the fast life, and it wasn't, I'm not saying I'm gonna give it up to you that easy.

SPEAKER_00 37:12

I mean, let's be honest, the Bible even says sin is fun fun for a season, you know. That's right. That's right. And even the unrighteous will prosper. That's right. But there's always a dead end to it. Amen. Yeah. Always a dead end to it.

SPEAKER_01 37:25

Yeah, my Nina, I used to say that fast money's like like like like like wings in your hand, man. Yeah. It's gonna fly away, you know, and and and um I didn't understand it then, you know, too young, too naive, but she was right. You know, fast, easy money, man, comes and goes. So what was your injuries, though? Uh injuries were uh chopped finger off. They had to put my finger back. Uh my hand, you can't see them because now they're healed already, because God healed my hands. But uh these these fingers were demolished, man. They look like I was from fighting when they had the Federals, right? Yeah. They they they had they look like hot dog links, you know, just everybody everybody, you know, and and and uh finally when when they tried to hit me with the machete here, they tried to hit me with the face first. So I pulled my hand up and I caught it, you know, and they were we're warring back and forth with that dang machete, and I probably grabbed it and went under, you know, and then that's when they started pounding me, you know what I mean? But I thought they were gonna cut my head, man. Yeah, my face, you know. And um, well, I wasn't gonna let them, man, you know. Um so you're in the hospital. I'm in the hospital, Ray, and they can't believe it. My hands, they're they're they're doing surgery on my hands right away. They wanna, they they're they're trying, my hands are broken, my knuckles are all broken, and and uh they're doing surgery on my on my on my jaw, my face, my knee. And um I'm in that room, Ray. I'm in that room, I'm laid out, my wife's in there, I can't move, Ray. And I hear the Holy Spirit, man, come over me. You know? He said, if you'll just repent, I'll give you your life back. Just like that, right? And I was sitting there going, What? If you'll just repent. Ray, right there in that bed, man. Right there on that bed, I repented, gave my life to the Lord. My wife is my witness, man. They told me I wasn't gonna be able to walk, I wasn't gonna be able to move. Right there, right there in that instance, Ray. God knew my heart and it converted me because I was scared. Everything out of me, man, it scared everything out of me, man. I thought for sure I was gonna die. I should have probably died. I probably deserved to die. You know, but God's grace, God's mercy on my life and my repented heart, Ray. I went from being saved and playing the part as a Christian, a fake Christian, a phony Christian, to born again right there and then. And from right there and then in that hospital, Ray, I got up and gave my life to the Lord, huh babe? I got up and gave my life to the Lord like this. My wife got pictures, man. And they're like, what are you doing, standing up? I said, I gave my life to the Lord, man. Ray, it felt like it felt like um like like Lazarus coming out of the tomb. I walked out of that hospital in three days. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I walked out of that hospital in three days, man. And never turned back. Three days from there until now, five years ago. Five years, it'll be five years in August this year. Five years, Ray. And in five years, I have not stopped being who I am. Man. With with with bandages sucked up. I didn't care, man, how I looked. I looked like I looked like a hot mess, Ray.

SPEAKER_00 40:40

But I was bringing people to Jesus, man. Did and I'm just being honest with you, did revenge come in your mind though?

SPEAKER_01 40:48

Well, I didn't have to do that because uh people took care of that for me. I didn't want to, I didn't ask for that. Yeah. And whatever other people did, Ray, that's their business. Yeah. Because even though I was a bad guy, I still have people on my favor. Yeah, yeah. I don't want to mention any names or any of that stuff, you know. And um, some people, you know. Took it upon themselves, yeah. Whatever, Ray. That's that's uh, you know. Um but how long were you in the hospital, huh? Three days. Three days, huh? Three out of everything the way I looked, Ray, you wouldn't believe it. You would think I'd be in the hospital for a month, you know? Three days, Ray. Five months after that, I become the owner of this barbershop now. Oh, okay. That's what you were saying when you were right here, your hands were still. Because I was going to uh I was going to therapy at Loma Linda. When we we came down here to eat. And I meet the old man. That was a god sent come over here, no. You don't even want to know, man. That was a got shot, man. It was one of them got shots, Ray. You know? That's right.

SPEAKER_00 41:45

And God brought me here and um God sent you on a drive-by over here.

SPEAKER_01 41:48

Man, one of the god movidas, you know what I mean? That's right. And uh I'm I'm grateful he did because you know what, Ray? Today, today, uh in this barbershop today, Ray, I got more cops that come into this barbershop than anything. You saw the wall. No, I got walls, yeah, wall full of patches from every law enforcement, you know? And and uh I want to I want to share this, Ray, because uh there's more to the story because I get out of the hospital, I get healed, and and uh and I was I was doing a lot of crime back then, okay? A lot of crime, Ray, okay? You're gonna trip out on that story, man. I'm doing a lot of crime. And and and last year, on Good Friday, right? I get pulled over. I get pulled over on good on Good Friday, I get pulled over, and highway patrol is pulling me over, and I call my wife, babe, I'm getting pulled over, man. And she goes, okay, start praying. So so I tell her where I'm getting pulled over at. So we hang up and she's on her way to come to come get me, you know? You know, you know how we do it, right? Yeah. Hey, babe, I'm right here, come come now, you know. So my wife, she's coming, and I call my sister. Hey, babe, what's up, you know? I'm getting pulled over. Okay, well, I'm gonna go in my room right now, I'm gonna start praying. So, so she goes into her war room praying. My wife's coming, she's praying. How a patrol's pulling me over, and and and uh um they're being jerks with me. I got a back, I got a pass, you know what I mean? I got a pass, I I have I have uh I have uh three CDC numbers, you know, and and um they're they're they're giving me a hard time, and and and um sure enough, here comes my wife, she's standing out there, and sure enough, and they come back and they say, they say, hey, uh you gotta step out of your car. Come on with the guns, and uh, I'm tripping. I said, why? I have a shirt on it says, it's just it says uh his barbershop. It says just pray in the front, but in the back it says, I work for Jesus, you know? Those are my shirts. That's what I wear them to work, you know, with a barber pole, you know. And um the guy said, What do you what do you do? I said, It's on my shirt. I'm a barber, I own a Christian barbershop. And uh, matter of fact, I know your boss, you know? And they're like, what? I said, I know your boss, man. You know what I mean? We won't mention his name, you know? Yeah, yeah. So sure enough, you know, they tell me I got a warrant for my arrest, Ray. Oh, wow. On Good Friday, that I have a five-year-old warrant, six-year-old warrant for a $750,000 bail. Oh. Ray. Yeah, you ain't going home today, oh. Ray, I'm not going home, Ray. But Ray. You're not going home today. But we serve a big God. That's right. I serve a God that's so big, Ray. That, mind you, mind you, they put me in the cop car mode. They give my car, I give my wife my money, they give my wife my car. Give her a kiss and whatever, man. You know, Ray, at this point in life, I'm used to it.

SPEAKER_00 44:43

Yeah, yeah. All right. You know, now as a Christian, you're probably like surprising. You know, it doesn't bother me. It don't bother me. It's like, oh, all right, whatever. Yeah. You know, I gotta go.

SPEAKER_01 44:54

Yeah. It's all right. You know, big no big deal, you know. But but you know, when you've done a lot of time and you don't you when you hear $750,000 warrant, that's some serious money, man.

SPEAKER_00 45:04

You're trying to multiply that into months or years. I'm convicted. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:09

All right. Probably, you know, like six years, four years. Probably about no, that was worse than that. Yeah. Because I'm a third striker.

SPEAKER_00 45:17

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 45:18

Now that's that helps the game a little bit. Yeah, big time. That's why the warrant, that's why the that's why the bail is so high. Because I'm a third striker, you know? Habitual criminals. That's it. That's what they want to get me for, you know. It's funny you say that. So, so here, it's Good Friday. The highway patrol's taking me. I go to CDC right here in San Bernardino. I go to CDC, and I mind you, I took, again, I'm cutting all these cops' hair. The owner next door, her son's a sheriff, and he works there. So I'm there and I have my head down. I'm going, man, I got a bit of went, so I'm embarrassed. Man, I'm like, man, I want to be here. I'm like, oh man. I wish to why couldn't you guys take me to West Valley? Yeah. You know what I mean? Easier at West Valley, man. Right here's my backyard, you know? And sure enough, man. Hey, Mark! Hey, hey, Barber Mark. Hey, Pastor Mark, is that you? I got my head down. I don't really want to answer. I just got my head down like this. Mark, it's me, Anthony. What's up, Anthony? You ain't got to be embarrassed, man. And the higher patrol goes, you know him? Yeah, he owns a barber shop next to my mom's restaurant. You know? So this guy's a barber. Really real. They did he owns a barber. Like, what am I making it up? You know what I mean? Yeah, he owns a barber. He's a barber, man. He's a Christian brother. He's a pastor, man. And the guy's looking at me like that. And he goes, Who else you know? I don't know. Hey, what's up, Mark? It's me, Andrew, man. There comes another Huda. Now, two Hudas are hitting me up. And they're like, you're gonna be alright. Hey, Mark, when you come in, we got you, man. On the trip. And now the higher patrols like, they don't like each other anyways. You know what I mean? They got their little stick. Yeah, they got their little thing, you know? So sure enough, we go in. The blood of Jesus, right? Blood of Jesus over me. God's favor's over me. No matter where I go today, I'm born again. I got the favor of the Lord with me, man. I get in there, and they have to do vitals on me. They do my vitals, Ray? And my and my blood pressure is at 212 over 93. And the lady's looking at me, and I'm looking at her, and she goes, and I'm like, whatever, you know? And she goes, sorry. She turns the machine around. Sorry, he can't come in here. And I went. She goes, Yep, his high blood pressure is too high. You're gonna have to take him to Arrowhead. Oh man, these two cops are mad, Ray. They're mad. What do you mean you got to get aroundhead? Now, so he gets on dispatch. Hey, um, we have a guy, uh da-da-da, uh uh uh uh third striker, and he's got uh 1% on a $5,000 warrant, and uh uh we're trying to omit him, but his blood pressure is too high. Dispatch. Sorry, man, you gotta take on the take on arrowhead. Oh man. They're mad, they're upset. Because because that means they're gonna have to stay there for a long time. So we get over there, right? When I walk in, right when I'm walking in, so they had a long sleeve on, so we I took it off because they had a blue blood pressure to take it off, so now I have the have the have the the shirt over my handcuffs. So we go into we go into Arrowhead. Well, it's funny, man. We go into Arrowhead and uh the security there, hey Barbara Mark, hey Brother Mark, and the cop's looking at me, going, you know here, you know, you know, you know him too? He goes, I go, yeah, he goes to my barbershop, man. Hey, Barbara, we we you're all right, hey, oh, you're you're in trouble? And I go, I go, I go, I guess, man. Oh man, you're gonna be all right, man. I'm gonna pray for you right now. You're walking by, I'm gonna start praying for you, Brother Mark, Barbara Mark. So I'm walking by, and sure enough, as soon as we get to the back at the ER, we get to the emergency room, and there's a lady there, her and her son and her husband come to my barbershop. And she looks to me, she looks at the highway patrol, and she goes, I'll take up from here. And she grabs my arm and she's going like this to me. Like, I got you. So sure enough, I'm like, all right, whatever. So we're going. She sits me down and she goes, What's going on? So the cops are over there talking, and I go, Well, they brought me over here to say, I said, Yeah, I want for my rest. I got you, Mark. She goes like that, I got you, Mark. Just like that. I said, Okay. So sure enough, man, so then you turn the machine on. She takes off, goes, calls the doctor, her and the doctor are talking on the side, right, Ray? Next thing the doctor comes and he says, Hey, I heard you have real bad high blood pressure. And she's talking to highway patrol guys, hey, we gotta go take this guy upstairs. We'll do um, we're gonna do a uh uh um, I forget they put all the little things on your chest, right? And uh we're gonna take him upstairs, and the doctor's getting like this. I'm going, eh, all right. So they take me upstairs, right? Mind you, Ray, good Friday. Don't forget that, Ray. It's good Friday. Take me upstairs, they sit me down, and the doctor's touching my toes, he's wiggling my toes like this. Yeah, man, oh man, he's pretty bad, huh? And they had any turn the machine on, Ray. But they're making all the noise for the Highway Patrol guys, right? And the Higher Patrol, the CUDA tells the doctor tells the Highway Patrol, so you ready? Ready for what? Oh, you're gonna have to be here about 12 hours at least. His high blood pressure is too high, we're gonna have to give him some medication, and we're gonna have to drop it, and then he goes like this. Or you can site release him. The doctor, the guy who highlight patrol is like, I'm not site releasing him. He's a third striker, he's a $750,000 warrant. Call dispatch, and his partner goes like this. Hey, hey, hey. What? I don't want to be here 12 hours, man. Just site release him. So sure enough, Ray, not even 45 minutes pass. I call my wife. Babe, I would have made my blood pressure go higher. Ray, sure enough, Ray. Sure enough, Ray. By the grace of God, I call my wife, man. And they say, you got 30 days to report back. Right now, there's no warrant. So, Ray, I swear to the Lord now. I I can't run no more. I'm too old to run, 59 years old. Usually I would have avoided a warrant. You got me, I got a warrant? Ride it out until you get caught again, right? Yeah, you literally let me go. I'm gone, right? That's that's my that's my routine, right? But but but me and my wife, we pray, and I said, babe, I gotta walk up to this now. You know, I got my life in order now, Ray. I got my life in order. I've I I'm I I got this I own this barbershop now. I I I cater to a lot of law enforcement, lawyers, doctors, uh, police officers, captains, and and sure enough, man, I get a lawyer, Ray. I get a lawyer. I get a lawyer, and uh this lawyer represents all the brothers, you know? Yeah. One of those guys comes here and I call him up and I tell him, hey, you have a lawyer? Got the best lawyer in all San Bernardino. I said, Well, can I call him? And uh sure enough, man, they gave me a gave me a gave me a lawyer and I call him and I tell him I'm a friend of so-and-so. Oh, yeah, all right. I was wondering if you guys can help me. Sure. So um he says, hey, before we go to court, do me a favor. Yeah. Since you own that barber shop you said you have. No, no, no, no, please let me back up, Ray. Please let me back up. Don't edit this out, Ray. That guy gives me the number to the lawyer. I call the lawyer, Ray, and he goes, Is your name Barbara Mark? I go, Yeah. Yeah, why? What's how do you know that? Well, I went to your barber shop about a month ago, and your barber overcharged me. Oh, wow. And you sell me back my money, and I go, is this James? Yeah. Hey James, how's up? Mark, it's me. I know you're a lawyer, James. He never asked me. He just cut my hair. And he goes, but because you did me a favor, I want to do you a favor. I want to represent you, man. So yeah, Ray, that's a favor of God, man. Yeah, it is. So sure enough, man. But that favor started too when you zelled him back. Hey, come on, Ray. Amen. And not only that, Ray, he's telling me, you we got, I'm gonna, I'm gonna postpone it for you, so I'm gonna give you grace. So you're gonna have 45 days, and I need you to do me a favor in the 45 days before we go to court. I said, what is it? I want you to skip, I want you to get me letters, reference letters of your credibility of who you are, and and start doing it now. Well, who do I ask? Whoever you know. So I went to prayer, me and my wife started praying, right? First letter is from a Reverend Carl E. Hernandez, right? And and he's writing letters, and all these people are writing me letters, and I got another one here from uh uh a probation officer, right? I got another letter here from who's this, Ray? Bucca Jr., right? Huh? I get a letter from Joe Bucca Jr., right? He's our state, he's in the Senate. Senate San Bardino, right? Deputy Sheriff, sheriff, uh a retired deputy, right? Um a guy that owns a uh a company right here, Redditz, right? Another sheriff police officer right here? Oh no, he's a captain. This is a captain, fire captain right here. Look at Los Angeles fire captain, right? Arturo. Hart, right? Another retired deputy, uh, George, right? And the lawyer is going, what the heck? I go, Oh, this guy's a a doctor. Right? Doctor. And the list goes on and on. The list goes on and on. I get to court. I get to court my first my first time. I go to court, and the and the I go to I go to the and sit for see the judge for the first time, and he hands the lady. I have 32 letters like this. This is just a I had a glue, I had some just printed out. Give it to the the judge, the lawyer, the judge comes down and she wants to stand in front of me, and she says, Mr. Gonzales, you know you have a warrant for $750,000. Yes, ma'am. You know I can take you to custody right now, right? I say, Yes, ma'am. She says, but this letter intrigued me the most. What's that? Well, how do you know Joe Backer Jr.? I said, Oh, he comes to my barber shop and and uh um and I help him out with the community, we feed the homeless and do stuff for the kids, and and uh I support him, he supports me. Joe Backer Jr. Yes ma'am. He's my college uh colleague. And all these things that he's saying about you and your past, it doesn't make no sense. But if this man is writing you a letter, I'm gonna drop your warrant today. You're free to go. You just gotta fight this yourself. Come on, Ray. Ray, I serve a God that opens doors that no man can close and closes doors that no man can open. Ray, I was facing 16 years for this crime, right? 16 years, Ray. I met a guy here, I went to go share my testimony at a church called uh Sandals Church. I met a c I met a guy there that was retired deputy uh homicide detective. He was a homicide detective for 23 years. He just retired, liked my testimony, came to this barbershop, bald head, all he wants is his beard done, but we ain't gained a relationship, him and I. Okay? Chip on this, Ray. I'm driving with my wife, going through this, going through this issue. I'm driving with my wife, and he left and moved out of state. So I forgot about him. Okay? Me and my wife were coming out of Stater Brothers, and I pulled the car over, and she goes, What's wrong, babe? The Holy Spirit said, Call. Retired officer Eric. Are you sure? Yeah. I didn't call him. All right. Hey, what's going on? Hey, what's going on, Mark, man? How you been? I I know I haven't called you, I haven't been in town, but I'm still out of state and getting my house in order, man. Oh, okay. Wait a minute. What's wrong? I'm hearing your voice. Yeah, I got an issue, man. The Holy Spirit said for me to call you. Then hang on, let me let me go inside the house. So he goes in the house. What is it, Mark? I said, I got a warrant for my arrest. And um, it's like a $700,000 warrant trying to give me 16 years. Really? Oh man, that's easy. What do you mean? Just do me one favor and tell me that this court that you're going to is in Rancho Cucamonga. I said, It is. Well, my best friend just just left me as a partner. Well, he's the head supervisor at Rancho Cucamonga. What? Yeah, all I gotta do is make a phone call. I'm gonna ask him to give you a favor. Ray. That man made a phone call. I was supposed to do 16 years, Ray. The man made the phone call. The man made a phone call. I was supposed to do 16 years, Ray. End up getting probation, man. No. I serve a God, man, that will make things disappear. I serve a God that will that will dissolve and resolve your issues if you'll just give your life to Jesus, man.

SPEAKER_00 59:16

And that's what we'll come to a close with that. Tell the fans that that that person that's out there struggling with their walk, or or even somebody that doesn't even know the Lord, you know, send them a message, brother.

SPEAKER_01 59:30

I want to give a message out to someone out there that um might have been might be in a position that I used to be in, still getting high, still angry. Somebody, somebody did something to you, male or female, that may be out there, and uh you lost hope and you're still getting high because uh you're upset, you're broken, uh, you're lost. I want you to know that that um if you'll just trust the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understandings, and that you'll fully just surrender your life to Jesus Christ and stop being saved and get born again. And when I say get born again, I mean get sold out for Jesus. That everything has to be Jesus. You wake up thinking about Jesus, you go throughout your day praising Jesus, and you go to bed thanking Jesus. And I want you to know if he can do it for me. And I come from being broken, busted, disgusted, I come from being poor, I come from being homeless. Now, and today I come from being a business owner, a leader of my community, a leader of my church, and I can't tell you financially how blessed I am today, but it only came because of Jesus Christ. And I want you to know today that if you'll just stop, stop running, get away from the people that you're still getting, get you're still hanging out with, get away from that relationship, might even be a bad relationship. I want you to know that today there's hope. I want you to know that I'm standing here living proof, being here, interviewed by this amazing man of God, that there's hope. Because I don't be I don't deserve to be here today. I I deserve to still be in prison because of the monster I used to be. But because God changed my life, I'm no longer a monster. Today, God changed my life, man. I love on people, help people, bless people. I give everybody I can, whatever I got in my pocket, man. Yeah, just to see somebody happy, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:22

Gave me his time today. With that said, Mark, I always ask my interviewers if you if you had to sit down for a meal today, what would be your favorite meal to sit down with? I like enchiladas, rice and beans, man. So you're just stone make on all the. Yeah, that's it, man. Enchiladas, rice and beans, and uh the green enchiladas, man. And how about sports? What kind of sports you watch? I'm a Raider fan, so I like the Raiders. So we obviously see he's not perfect. Okay, hey man, you know, we're I'm a Rams fan, but alright, Raiders, you know, that's good. I'll pray for you, Holmes. I'll pray for you. How about uh, so do you have a best friend? I have a best friend, man. Who's your best friend, brother?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:04

My best friend is Rider Die, man, and uh her name is Veronica. It's my wife. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:09

She's my best friend. That's right, Holmes. That's right. You have a good woman next to you, bro. Gotta just, I mean, it just makes your walk that much easier when uh, you know, you're blessed, Holmes. Oh, I want to tell you something, Ray.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:23

Uh um has that always been? She's always been my best friend. Like, like I like she's been like she's never left me. I always left her, Ray. I always let go of her hand. She never let go of my hand. She never forced me away. Never, Ray. And I would get mad and I would run from her, I would run back to the streets, but she would go back there looking for me, Ray. You know what I mean? Right or she would ride or die, Ray. Ride or die. That girl would go looking for me, Ray. You know what I mean? And today, now today I don't let go of her hand. You know, now today I hang on, man, with my dear life. You know, and I'm very thankful for her. You know, I grew up because of her. I mature today because of her. You know, I am the man who I am today because of her love. Man for her love. Her correction. Good wife, yeah. Finds a good thing, right? You know, and I'm grateful that uh now today people, you know, they say your woman's your rib. That's my prime rib right there. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:18

That's right. Prime rib. I like that one. I have to tell the wife I made that up, fam. My prime rib. I like that. My prime rib, man. You know what I mean? So hey, hey, Mark, tell you a Bible study here on Thursday.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:30

Every Thursday morning. Every Thursday morning at 7 a.m. We have an amazing, amazing Bible study right here. And um I call different pastors from different churches from around the city. They come out, I I'll I'll call someone up, or, you know, and and uh I've been able to rub a lot of albums with a lot of pastors throughout the cities, and uh um I'll get different pastors that come out here every Thursday uh to share the word. I've had my pastor, Pastor Marco Garcia. He came here, packed out the house. There's over 200 people here, you know, and uh uh but there's other pastors from different churches. Uh and I still got pastors that come here right now. I got like five pastors, ride or die with me. You know, they're here, you know, and they don't want to share the word, they just want to hear the word. That's right. They want to be in fellowship.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:12

Come here to get fed as well.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:13

Well, they come here and get fed, they get fritomalis, too. There you go. You know what I mean? So on Thursday mornings, 7 a.m., address again? 601 West Day Street, Reddit's California, 92373. Come by, guys, check out. And uh and is that just male, female? Male, female, everybody, all family members. I got people that bring their kids. Yeah, I got people family members that bring their kids here, especially right now that they're they're home for summer, so they're they're packing out the house here with kids. And then after get a get a haircut, guys. You know, the haircut, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:44

We got $25 Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There you go. There you go. So with that said, Mark, I just want to thank you for coming on, bro. I appreciate it. You know what? Let's do this in another year. Please, right? See where our see where our walk is at. Yes, sir. See how things are going in the barber shop. You know, in a year, many things can happen, you know? Yes. Amen. Amen. With that said, I want to thank you for coming on, Mark. Hey guys, share this, subscribe to Third Man in the Ring or Ref Popy Ray on YouTube. God bless, guys.