Background Check Podcast

EP 56 ”Happy Birthday Background Check” Jay Dan Gumm

Show Summary: Happy Birthday. We are one year old!!! Background Check Podcast has been around for a year now and in this episode we celebrate some things.  We celebrate past guests, talk about future ones, celebrate milestones, and the fact that we are about to be in prisons and jails across America.  We have a very special Father's Day weekend episode coming up on the 18th and I talk about that a little bit. You don't want to miss that.  For all the show notes and pics visit our show's webpage: forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck  If you're in prison listening and this show has impacted you, even one episode in the least bit, write us and tell us about it: Forgiven Felon PO Box 4283 Cedar Hill, TX 75106 If you're out of prison and the show has impacted you, please share it with someone you know.  Thank you for listening. 

EP 55 ”Forever Faith: The Abe Cruz Story” Part Two- Abe Cruz, CEO and Founder- Forever Faith

Show Summary: This episode is part two of a two-part series. Please listen to part one before you listen to this episode.  Abe Cruz is a successful businessman, renowned athlete, and motivational speaker. He is the founder and president of Forever Faith, a company through which he carries his message of hope and inspiration through fitness products, clothing and events, reaching millions of people around the world. Like a scene from a movie, Abe Cruz was living a life of luxury, cars, clubs, and women one day and the next was busted, broken, and facing a 30 year prison sentence. Raised by a single mother in a drug-and-gang infested neighborhood of Los Angeles, Abe found his ticket out in competitive sports. All American by his teens he believed in his destiny to become a professional athlete. When an injury ended that dream, a downward spiral of events led to the worst decision of his life. But hitting rock-bottom on the hard concrete of a prison cell proved the ultimate blessing. Flat on his back, all Abe could see was up. There he discover the true mindset of champions – faith. Not just faith in your own strength, smarts, and talents, but faith that puts God first and self second. In these two episodes Abe shares his journey to zero and back to let listeners know there's a way through the tough times, tragedies, disasters, even their own mistakes and failures, to an incredible God blessed future. That's living the mindset of champions. That's forever faith! Memorable Quote: “You can’t develop the mindset of a champion until you put God first and yourself second.” - Abe Cruz RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW: Watch Forgiven Felons on Roku TV: Click here to watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary Watch the the Forever Faith Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/1cB3DWCGOw8 Forever Faith’s website: https://www.foreverfaith.com/ Abe Cruz’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abe.cruz.56 Abe Cruz’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealabecruz/ Forever Faith’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foreverfaiththebrand/ Forever Faith’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamForeverFaith Get Your Copy of the book Forever Faith: https://www.foreverfaith.com/shop/book 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 Shop our merchandise: https://forgivenfelons.org/shop Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 54 ”Forever Faith: The Abe Cruz Story” Part One- Abe Cruz, Founder and CEO- Forever Faith

Show Summary: This episode is part one of a two-part series. Abe Cruz is a successful businessman, renowned athlete, and motivational speaker. He is the founder and president of Forever Faith, a company through which he carries his message of hope and inspiration through fitness products, clothing and events, reaching millions of people around the world. Like a scene from a movie, Abe Cruz was living a life of luxury, cars, clubs, and women one day and the next was busted, broken, and facing a 30 year prison sentence. Raised by a single mother in a drug-and-gang infested neighborhood of Los Angeles, Abe found his ticket out in competitive sports. All American by his teens he believed in his destiny to become a professional athlete. When an injury ended that dream, a downward spiral of events led to the worst decision of his life. But hitting rock-bottom on the hard concrete of a prison cell proved the ultimate blessing. Flat on his back, all Abe could see was up. There he discover the true mindset of champions – faith. Not just faith in your own strength, smarts, and talents, but faith that puts God first and self second. In these two episodes Abe shares his journey to zero and back to let listeners know there's a way through the tough times, tragedies, disasters, even their own mistakes and failures, to an incredible God blessed future. That's living the mindset of champions. That's forever faith! Memorable Quote: “You can’t develop the mindset of a champion until you put God first and yourself second.” - Abe Cruz To get more information about Forgiven Felons please visit our show page at : forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW: Watch Forgiven Felons on Roku TV: Click here to watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary Watch the the Forever Faith Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/1cB3DWCGOw8 Forever Faith’s website: https://www.foreverfaith.com/ Abe Cruz’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abe.cruz.56 Abe Cruz’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealabecruz/ Forever Faith’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foreverfaiththebrand/ Forever Faith’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamForeverFaith Get Your Copy of the book Forever Faith: https://www.foreverfaith.com/shop/book 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 Shop our merchandise: https://forgivenfelons.org/shop Follow Forgiven Felons on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EP 53 ”From Cocaine to CATALYST” Charlie Leavitt-Metro Relief Catalyst

Show Summary: Charlie Leavitt is a Catalyst for Metro Relief. Metro Relief provides much needed supplies and resources to the homeless in the DFW metroplex. Charlies story has many ups, downs, twists, and turns, but through it all, one thing wins, LOVE. We talk about addiction, recovery, 12 steps, and how his wife loved him through his relapses. We also talk about the time he was told to take his Bible back to his room before group therapy started. Charlie is a perfect example of not giving up on yourself or others who might be struggling with addiction. You can listen here or on any of your favorite platforms. Check out Metro Relief at the links below, follow Charlie on Facebook, and tell him you heard his story on Background Check Podcast. “I moved to Texas to get away from cocaine. I get to my apartment in Irving. I go out front to smoke a Marlboro. The guy in the apartment next to us comes out, AND HE SLINGS COCAINE. I got away from cocaine for three hours and fifteen minutes. ” — Charlie Leavitt RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW: Watch Forgiven Felons on Roku TV: Click here to watch the Forgiven Felons Documentary Metro Relief website: https://metrorelief.org/ Metro Relief’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroRelief Charlie’s Facebok: https://www.facebook.com/charlie.leavitt.5 For more pics and other information check out the show page: forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck

EP 52 ”A Chance for Change” Jay Dan Gumm and Karen Lee, CEO-Pioneer Human Services

Show Summary: As Chief Executive Officer of Pioneer Human Services, Karen Lee leads one of the nation’s largest nonprofit social enterprise organizations in the United States. Under Karen’s leadership, Pioneer successfully operates several revenuegenerating businesses that provide living wage jobs to mission-related employees and help fund its mission of empowering people who have been involved in the legal system to build healthy, productive lives. Headquartered in Seattle, Pioneer serves over 10,000 people a year through its diversion, treatment, housing and job training programs. Karen is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Jay Dan talks with Karen about how Pioneer Services was founded, what they do now, and where they are headed. They dive into what it will take to make some changes in our criminal justice system. We talk about mass incarceration and how it has caused more trouble than it’s actually helped us. They have a mass incarceration quiz you can take to test your knowledge about the subject. Think you know about mass incarceration? I thought I did too. I only got one answer right out of 5.  To take the quiz and learn more about Pioneer Human Services please visit our show page: forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck

EP 51 ”Happy Mothers Day” Jay Dan Gumm and Jane ”Mama” Davidson

Please visit the show page at  https://www.forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck

EP 50 ”What is Your Dream” Jay Dan Gumm

Show Summary: Do you have a dream? I did. I had one as a child and I have had some in prison and in my life since prison. In prison I began writing my dreams down and have seen more fulfillment of those dreams. Our family has a vision/dream board as well as Forgiven Felons. What is your dream? While in prison, the book The Dream Giver helped me out so much in my finding out what my dream was and how to pursue it. It also helped me understand that not everyone in my life wants me to pursue my dream. Some want me to stay in my comfort zone because if I leave mine, then their comfort zone is shook up a little. In this episode I talk about some things you can do to foster and facilitate an atmosphere in which dreams can be fulfilled better. For more information about Forgiven Felons, or to listen to from the show page, visit: forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck

EP 49 ”Anybody but Shelley” Shelley Goad LCDC

Show Summary: In this episode of Background Check, with talk with Shelley Goad, LCDC. Her story begins with her parents being divorced while she was still young and her mom working her butt off to make it.  Then she was introduced to Crown Royal in junior high and then later in life, meth. Her life began to spin out of control because of her addiction. When she drank, she drank to get drunk, and she wanted to be anywhere but where she was, and she wanted to be anybody but Shelley.  While going to see her dad who was dying of cancer, she was arrested in 2007. The car she drove was stolen. She says the best thing her family did was NOT bail her out of jail.  We talk about her going back to school and just doing anything that was put in front of her so that she could help as many people as possible. Now, she's an LCDC in Taos, NM.  For all Shelley's social links, pics, and suggested movies and books, visit the show page: forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck

EP 48 ”April 18th” Jay Dan Gumm

Show Summary: Dates are important.  April 18th is very important to me, Jay Dan. In 2006 that's the day I got out of prison. In 2008 that's the day I married the most awesome women in the world.  In this episode I talk a little about these dates and what they mean to me. I also encourage you to celebrate your dates. What dates are important to you? April 9, 2003 is my sobriety date. 18 years now.  For more info about Forgiven Felons, please visit our show page. And pics of our wedding.  forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck

EP 47 ”Family of Choice” with Kenneth Prewitt, Jessa, and Jemma Gumm

Show Summary: In this episode, Jay Dan sit downs with one of his best friends, Kenneth Prewitt. Kenneth went from being kicked out of his home because of drugs, to prison, to getting help from a couple in Texas, to the man that he is today. We start the podcast off with Jessa and Jemma, my daughters, telling some jokes and making Kenneth laugh.  He will be 13 years clean this September and we are so happy for him. As he states in the interview, he's never going back.  We call him our family of choice and Uncle Kenneth. Our girls love him and so do we. He's an avid Cowboys fan and I'm a die hard Steeler fan. So when he comes to town I make it uncomfortable for him. lol For Kenneth's social media links and more pics of me making him dress and be around Steeler stuff, visit our show page: forgivenfelons.org/backgroundcheck