Background Check Podcast

EP 106 ”Leave me alone with your Jesus!” with Richard Lisa and Sophia

Summary of Show: Today’s episode is the story of Richard Smith, who has lived almost three decades inside some of the worst prisons in the state of Texas. At age five, his family moved to the big city of Houston. There, his life spun completely out of control, resulting in drug abuse, violence, and multiple incarcerations as a juvenile. At sixteen, he was arrested for murder, merely fifteen hours after being released from a juvenile facility. After being tried as an adult, he entered prison at age seventeen with a ninety-nine-year sentence. After experiencing violence in some of Texas's worst prisons, he joined the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang. He worked his way up to the rank of captain and got lost in its world of violence and racism. He was placed in long-term solitary confinement in 1993 and spent the next thirteen years locked in a cage within the cage. He was moved around to some of Texas's most violent prisons until one day, he woke up to the insanity of his life and decided to change. In 2006, he was released from solitary confinement and began the long road of rehabilitation in a place not designed to rehabilitate. He achieved two associate's degrees, as well as completed vocational trades in diesel mechanics and welding. At thirty-nine years of age, he turned his life to God and began living as a godly man inside the ungodly walls of prison. The title of this book, God Don’t Lie, rests on a statement made by his grandmother during a frantic call from his mom when he was arrested for murder. His mom thought he would be given the death penalty. His grandmother assured her that he would not because God had great things planned for his life, and "God don't lie." We also talk with his wife Lisa and her granddaughter Sophia, who she is raising. Sophia’s mother is in prison and her grandmother, Lisa, is raising all five kids. Now she has help from her husband Richard. They met through facebook dating over a year ago and tied the knot on July 30, 2022. We’ve never interviewed a minor about their parent being incarcerated, but they all felt compelled to have Sophia share her per To buy Richard’s book, check out the link below. To see more pics of Richard and the family, check out the show page.  Resources Mentioned in the Show: Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary on Roku: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 Buy Richard’s Book: https://smile.amazon.com/God-Dont-Lie-All-Around-Miscreant-ebook/dp/B094YSVK4S/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 105 ”Laughter, Dog, Blessings, and Torque” with Jay Dan Gumm

Show Summary On today’s episode, I start out with laughter. Sometimes we just need a good laugh. I know the jokes I do today might only resonate with people who are or have been behind bars but if you haven’t, you can ask someone who has for some context. I talk about my dog Snowman and how sometimes he’ll learn a trick and perform it, even before I give the command, knowing that after he performs the trick, he’ll get the trick. How much more will God bless us when we do what He has already commanded us to do, without Him even asking us! Then we talk about torque. Physical and spiritual torque. I hope this episode encourages you today. If this show has impacted your life in some way, will you let us know? Send me a text, email or find us on social media. My information is on the contact page of this website. Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 104 ”First Things First” with Jay Dan Gumm

Show Summary   First Things First   Do you remember your first of anything? My girls first day of school was this week and they were super excited, and expectant.   It go me thinking of all my firsts in my life so I thought I’d talk about it. It also got me thinking of firsts that haven’t happened yet, and why they haven’t happened.   One of mine is my first book. I’m scared. That fear keeps me from my first book. Not anymore though. What is a first in your life that is being held up by something? Let me know. I pray this episode encourages you.   Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1   How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 103 ”Hope Lost, Hope Gained” with Paul and Hope Lin

Summary of Show: This is my second interview with Paul. As I sat down to edit the first interview last fall I noticed the audio was garbled in some areas and I didn’t know why. I was crushed to tell him I wouldn’t be able to use it but that we would record again at a later date. Well, it’s better this time because we had the honor of interviewing his wife as a part of his story. This episode was a lot of fun to do but I was also just in amazement most of the time because there’s so many miracles in it. Paul was defending his friend outside a club one night and what he thought would end up as a case of self defense or defense of a third party, ended up being turned into a murder charge. But God worked it all for His good and Paul’s story din’t end hopeless. In fact, married Hope. Literally. Check out the pics on the show page and the links below for the prison ministry and church they are involved in. Resources Mentioned in the Show: Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary on Roku: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 Joseph Company Prison Ministry: https://www.jcprisonministry.org/ Dwelling Place Church: https://www.dwellingplace.com/ How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 102 Its a Win-Nguyen Relationships Business and Life with Tuan Nguyen

Summary of Show: On episode ten we interviewed Tuan Nguyen and heard him tell his story from three time inmate to sharing the stage at a John Maxwell IMC. Round TWO is all about the business he is growing with his friend Corey, the relationship his building with Olevia, and life in general. Tuan shares tips for all three areas and you will want to write them down, whether you’re starting a business, starting a relationship, or still in prison. Check out the links below to find out more about Tuan and Premier Excel and follow him social media. Resources Mentioned in the Show: Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary on Roku: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 Tuan’s facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/Kingdomcoach21 Tuan’s Instagram profile: hhttps://www.instagram.com/kingdom.impact21/ Million Dollar Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1902193643226660 Tuan’s Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kingdom_coach?fbclid=IwAR3r8Y0lwyS-2SBFrRDUDbi-A915hlmnAO2eApyYnw2RDpOXY5885hdkO-s How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 101 ”Marriage and Misfits Missions” with Tyler Bothne

Summary of Show: . On episode 11 we interviewed Tyler “Coleman” and we talked about her employment at Eyes On Me as a backyard missionary in an apartment complex. Tyler “Bothne” shares her whole testimony which you should listen to before listening to this episode. It will give you context. . Two of the things that Ty talked about as dreams was to be working Misfits as a full time ministry, and to have a husband. Both of those things have come true. . We talk about starting full time ministry and the challenges she’s faced through it all, but also about God’s favor along the way. She takes the fitness ministry into women’s rehab facilities and transitional houses also shares the story in how she met Leif, who’s incarcerated, and ending up marrying him. . To find out more about Tyler and Misfits Missions visit the links below. To see more pics visit the gallery below. . Resources Mentioned in the Show: . Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary on Roku: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 . Website for Misfits Missions: Misfits Missions . Tyler’s facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/tyler.coleman.7 . Tyler’s Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/inked_n_fit/ . How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: . Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 . Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans . Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support . Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 100 100th Episode Celebration and Challenge with Jay Dan Gumm

Show Summary . 100 is a special number. We celebrate anyone who has lived to be 100, hollywood celebrates the 100th episode of a show, it’s the number of completion by which we measure all percentages. 100%. Our girls schools celebrate the 100th day of school each year. . Today, this week, we celebrate our 100th episode of Background Check Podcast. . In this episode I talk about some fun facts surrounding the number 100. One of them is that there are 100 sweat glands for every square inch of our skin. There’s more and better ones. lol . We are giving away a $100 gift card to the winner of our drawing to celebrate you the listener for helping us reach this milestone. We couldn’t have done it without you. Believe me, I’ve wanted to give up so many times. But because of the letters, texts, emails, we keep going. . We celebrate the guests, they have been amazing. We sure couldn’t do it without their stories. . I also challenge you to give 100% in whatever you do. . How is the number 100 present in your life right now? 100 days from birth? 100 days before you close on a house, business deal? What are you not giving 100% to that you should? . Goal of the contest: . To bring more awareness to the show by having you share the show on your social media feeds. . Details of the contest: . From 7/16-7/21 midnight we need you to post about the show. . Go to wherever you listen to podcasts, click on your favorite episode, click the share button and copy the link for that episode. If you have never listened before, share this one or the very first episode. . Then go to Facebook, or LinkedIn and paste that link into a post. Share what that episode or the show has meant to you. Encourage your friends to listen to that episode and enter the contest as well. If posting on Instagram, just take a screen shot of the episode in your podcast platform and use that as your picture. If you want to put link in your bio for the week you can. . Most important part. Follow us, on all platforms and TAG Jay Dan Gumm on Facebook and LinkedIn. TAG Forgiven Felons on Instagram. You can also just repost or share our original promo post that has the details in it and post your link to your episode. . You can post on all three sites and get three entries, each day. On Thursday July 21 at midnight, the contest ends and the winner is announced on all three platforms Friday morning July 22. . If you have questions please message me on one of those platforms. you can follow us below. . Resources Mentioned in the Show: . Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 . How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: . Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 . Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans . Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support . Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 99 ”Thoughts On Roe vs Wade (Trigger Alert) with Jay Dan Gumm

Show Summary . I’ve not posted on social media my thoughts on the overturning of Roe vs Wade because I knew I wanted to do an episode on it. So these are my thoughts. . To summarize: . It's a huge victory for anyone who believes abortion is wrong.  . I’m not just the pro-life that’s focused on only unborn babies. I’m pro-life that’s also focused on the innocent people on death row. . I’m pro-life for the innocent people who lose their lives at the hands of drunk drivers. That’s murder too even though we call it manslaughter. . I’m pro-ETERNAL LIFE. I don’t want to just see laws changed, I want to see hearts changed. . Abortions will still happen illegally, laws won’t change that. Prayer that the hearts of these doctors and pregnant women will stop abortions. And we’ll see more people in heaven. . This isn't the end. Churches have done a lot, but we will need to do more now. We should have a budget for helping the women who want to keep their baby and a curriculum to show them how to become strong single or married mothers.  . Ok that’s all I’m saying. Listen to the episode for my full thoughts. . Jay Dan Gumm . Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 . How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: . Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 . Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans . Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support . Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 98 ”Murder, Cancer, CrossFit, Basketball, and Life Lessons” with Charles ”Chas ”Roberts

Show Summary (This episode took place behind the walls at the Kyle Unit, in Kyle, Texas) . I met Chas at the Hughes unit several years ago and if you had told me then that I’d be interviewing him on the Kyle unit for a podcast that is listened to all over the world, I would’ve laughed.  . I watched Chas play and he was pretty good. Then I watched the behavior of the players on the court, especially when a call didn’t go their way. It was remarkable. Then after the game I watched as the players went into a room to recover, got something to drink, and heard a devotional. Then I had heard that some of the spurs organization was involved.  . David Robinson sent these guys a video message about the tournament. That’s awesome. . I knew then that God had a huge call on Chas’s life.  . Then one day out here I ran into two guys at a conference and one of them was Chas’s father. Incredible. Chas was also instrumental in bringing a CrossFit competition to the Hughes unit. Tim Tebow also visited and was going to compete against Chas in a push up contest but Chas offered another guy in his place.  . Chas’s story is a tragic one, but as you’ll hear in the interview, God has and still is  turning it into something beautiful. His young life was torn apart by divorce, then he was driving home one day and hit someone. He lost his mother to cancer while in prison, BUT God. . When I heard Chas was part of a unique inmate counselor program and was placed a the Kyle unit and wanted some speakers, I jumped. Then I asked permission from Warden Luna if could interview Kyle for the podcast. He said yes.  . This interview takes place in the visitation room at the Kyle unit. There’s absolutely no sound absorbing areas in there so the audio is as good as we could get it. You’ll hear prison doors opening and closing in the background. And right after the interview I got to witness something amazing. I got to see Chas present a certificate to men who had completed the Pillars class and were about to be free men. Some of them may already be out but I wanted to shout out to some of the men who I had the honor of meeting that day.  . Big thanks to Warden Luna and his staff at the Kyle unit as well as MTC for making this happen.  . Chas, you impressed me when I first me you man and you’re still going strong. Prison isn’t breaking you like it does some, it is absolutely making you. Making you into the man of God you were always meant to be. It was an honor to interview you and hear your story. I know we didn’t get to talk about everything but we will do a round two. I love they way you honor God and all the people in your life like your mom, your kids, their mother, your dad, your aunt. I’m proud to know you and be your friend bro. It was fun breaking bread (cookies) with you guys and It was great getting stuck in count with y’all at the end. Stay strong my friend.  . And oh, you caught me off guard with your presentation to me. I wasn’t expecting that. Y’all, I’m a sports fan. I love my teams, but I’m a sports fan first. Chas was given three game nets from the Spurs playoffs. He gave one to his son, the other to his daughter, and then that day he gave the third one to me. It was on the east goal against the Grizzlies in 2016. Craziest best gift I’ve ever received. I’ll post of pic on the show page. Thank you Chas. It’ll be proudly displayed on my sports wall in my gym.  . Check out the videos below of Tim Tebow’s push up contest, the winning shot from the basketball tournament against some of the Spurs players, and the Brute Strength CrossFit competition. . Resources Mentioned in the Show: . Tim Tebow’s Push Up Contest at the Hughes Unit: https://people.com/sports/tim-tebow-push-up-contest-inmates-texas-prison/ . Brute Strength’s CrossFit at the Hughes Unit: https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&ei=UTF-8&p=brute+strength+prison+crossfit+games+youtube&type=E211US1079G91649#id=1&vid=69a7e5d305fb83fc872a2f4002b67542&action=click . The Winning Shot, Chariots of Fire Tournament: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=24692881595183 . Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary: https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 . How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: . Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 . Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans . Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support . Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 97 ”You Die Looking Like Your Decisions” with Craig Long

Show Summary . I met Craig Long on Instagram. I’ve followed him for a while now and enjoy his content. One day he posted something about young kids and not having a father figure in their life due to incarceration. . I made a comment on his post, he replied, and we became friends. . Craig went down a bad path when he was younger after experiencing divorce first hand. Eventually his wrong decisions landed him in prison with some of the worst of the worst people. . It was in prison where he decided to make a change and vowed to never go back to being that old person again. . Craig is an outspoken conservative on social media, loves our country, and is not ashamed to say who his favorite president is. . Follow Craig at the links below and subscribe to his youtube channel. If you would like to book Craig to speak at an event you can email him at realcraiglong45@gmail.com . Resources Mentioned in the Show: Craig’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialcraiglong45/ . Craig’s Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/CraigLong45Show . Craig’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craiglong45?lang=en . Watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary: . https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/7abf5e84134e54a394b5b42544c08caa/forgiven-felons/season-1 . How to get more involved with Forgiven Felons: . Leave a review and subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/background-check-podcast/id1515831127 . Learn about our Future Plans: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/future-plans . Give to our organization: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support . Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.