Background Check Podcast

In this episode we sit down with John Montana. John is an author, speaker, father, husband, and prison minister.
He comes from a family of partiers but now, they’re all prison ministers and serving the Lord.
After having surgery at a young age, he became addicted to Vicodin and then eventually found Zannax. While giving his child a bath, an accident happened and his child was burned. He felt so guilty and ashamed, that he prayed and told God that if He gave him 30 years he would sign it.
He was offered 30 years so he took it. What seemed like the end, was only the beginning.
After a conversation with an atheist, and a visit with his grandma, He gave his heart to the Lord and began growing every day. While in prison, he got his B.S. in Biblical Studies from Southwestern Baptist Seminary.
He was also part of the Field Minister team and the worship team. When he entered prison he had a 3rd grade reading level. You will want to hear him tell his story, part of his dad’s and sister’s story and how they’ve all broken al the generational curses in their family.
He also sings a couple Christmas songs and original songs for the men and women behind bars.
To buy John’s book: https://a.co/d/ayQIv4L
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
Other ways to support us: Cash App: $ForgivenFelons
Mail Check to: Forgiven Felons PO Box 4283Cedar Hill, TX 75106  
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Would you like to be a sponsor on the show? Contact Jay Dan at jaydangumm@forgivenfelons.org
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home? Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.

In this episode, we sit down with the CEO of I Scoop Poop, Steven Trevino.
We had fun recording this episode. We talked about everything from him getting hooked on hydrocodone at 15 after an injury, to how he started his poop scooping company while still on an ankle monitor.
We laughed hard when he tells the story of him waiting on the corner, in the middle of a neighborhood, with bags of poop, waiting on his dad to come get him.  We also laughed when he prayed and asked God, “Dear Lord, help me whoop this fool”
I saw his Facebook post a few months ago and knew we had to get him on the show. This is the first time he has begun sharing his story publicly and he did a great job. He share’s some hard stories where he was forced to fight but those scenarios are what led him to a deeper relationship with God.
 
He started his poop scooping company on foot, in his neighborhood, on ankle monitor, with no drivers license.
 
He spent federal and state prison time but since then, he’s gotten married and had his first child on November 7th.
 
You will love Steven’s story and I promise there’s someone out there to share this story with someone.
 
Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel so you won’t miss an episode.
 
Please visit our sponsor’s website:
 
The Way Back
 
RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED?
 
THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL
REENTRY JOURNEY.
 
https://thewaybackhouse.org
 
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
 
Other ways to support us:
 
Cash App: $ForgivenFelons
 
Mail Check to:
Forgiven Felons
PO Box 4283Cedar Hill, TX 75106
 
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise
 
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
 
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home?
 
Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
 
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.

In this episode, Jessa and Jay Dan recap the Forgiven Felons Thanksgiving Open House, Jay Dan’s trip to Chicago to see the Steelers and visit Stateville prison, tell thanksgiving jokes, and so much more.
We talk about the upcoming Building Blocks 4 Kids event we are having so please sign your kids up.
We share a devotion on remaining stable in this unstable world.
And we do Thanksgiving shout outs from loved ones.
Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by our show.
 
Please visit our sponsor’s website:
The Way Back
RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED?
THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL
REENTRY JOURNEY.
https://thewaybackhouse.org
 
To Register for the Building Blocks 4 Kids event
 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-blocks-4-kids-forgiven-felons-tickets-1965218456305?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl
 
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
 
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise
 
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
 
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home?
Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
 
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.

In this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa share big events coming soon, air some shout outs from men who just got out, tell jokes, talk about our fishing trip, and the golf outing.
 
We share our Thanksgiving gatherings coming up. First one is this Saturday and the second one is on Thanksgiving day. Details in the podcast.
 
We also share about a community event coming up that is for justice impacted kids. Whether the kids parents are still in prison or already out, we'd love for them to join us. Details in the podcast.
 
Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by our show.  
 
Please visit our sponsor’s website: The Way Back
RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED? THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL REENTRY JOURNEY.
https://thewaybackhouse.org
To partner with us please click here:
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise:
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home? Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
 
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.

One of my favorite episodes.
I know I say this a lot, but Cassie has helped so many of our men coming to the transitional house. The Way Back has been a sponsor of the show for a while now, and even though we had the directors on the audio version a long time ago, we have been waiting to get them back on in studio.
Cassie is a case manager for The Way Back, and Drew, who has his own amazing story, is her husband, and he joins the conversation. He's a master plumber. Cassie is on her journey to be an LCDC.
They share everything in their addiction journey, including the way they met on Social Media (hint, POKE). They share parenting tips as well as talk about how they had to get rid of music that wasn't Christian music because it as pushing them further from God.
You will laugh, cry a little, and want to share this with someone you know. Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by their story.  
Please visit our sponsor’s website:
The Way Back! RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED? THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL REENTRY JOURNEY.
https://thewaybackhouse.org/  
 
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop  
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
 
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home? Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
 
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.

In this episode, we sit down with Stevin "Hedake" Smith, a former college and professional basketball player known for his promising career that was derailed by a point-shaving scandal.
He was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection at Arizona State, but in 1994, he was involved in a scandal where he bet on his own games, ultimately leading to a prison sentence and ending his NBA prospects. Today, Smith works to educate young athletes about the dangers of gambling by speaking in universities across the nation.
We talk about how his wife never left his side through the whole ordeal and was also his source of strength, as well as his accountability partner. Stevin has been featured in "Bad Sport", a Netflix documentary series, and on "Here and Now" with Shaun Rabb's Fox 4 News.
You can follow Stevin on Social Media
IG: @therealhedake Facebook: Hedake Smith LinkedIn: Stevin "Hedake" Smith
You can buy Stevin's book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/6nyKj9F
Jessa tells a great joke and we talk about her very first homecoming parade, hers and Jemma's mums, her birthday party, sports, Christmas lights, and shout outs.
Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by his story.  
Please visit our sponsor’s website:
The Way Back RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED? THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL REENTRY JOURNEY. https://thewaybackhouse.org/  
To partner with us please click here: https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support   Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise  https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home? Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
 
Your background shouldn’t HOLD you back, it should PAY you back.

Short video of one of our former residents and his boss. 
 
Buddy is one of the reasons why we do this. 
 
To help us continue helping others like Buddy, please consider partnering with us. 
forgivenfelons.orghttps://www.forgivenfelons.org/

Due to technical difficulties on the tablets inside prison, we are replaying this special Christmas Lights episode for the men and women on the inside. 

EP 213 “Know Your Own Truth” Separated by Wrongful Conviction, Restored by ExonerationIn 1987, just a few months after they were married, shortly before they had their son, the Spencer family was devastated and separated by our broken legal system which led to a wrongful conviction, for 34 years.We sit down with Ben and Deborah Spencer to hear their love story, and their wrongful conviction of Ben journey.Throughout their journey, their faith was up and down, including a time where Ben was suicidal and Deborah denied the existence of God. They even got a divorce at Ben’s request, but they never were apart and loved each other the whole time.They both survived Ben being in prison for 34 years and their story will inspire you.There’s some twist and turns to every part of their story and you will be amazed. You will laugh, so hard, and want to scream and cry on some parts.Our system gets it wrong, more than you know, and they got it wrong with Ben, twice. 
Bringing Ben Home Book:
https://a.co/d/gQoMiqI
When the Truth is All You Have:
https://a.co/d/4jjU0fr
Atlantic News Article:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/01/no-way-out/546575/
 
Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by their story.
Please visit our sponsor’s website:
The Way Back
RETURNING TO THE DALLAS AREA WHEN RELEASED?
THE WAY BACK IS HERE WITH THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES YOU NEED FOR A SUCCESSFUL
REENTRY JOURNEY.
https://thewaybackhouse.org/
 
To partner with us please click here:https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support
 
Forgiven Felons and Background Check Merchandise
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/shop
 
Are you in the market, or are wondering if you’re in a good position to buy a home, first time buyer, or refinance your current home?
Jessamy Gumm, with Cross Country Mortgage can help. 972-897-5476 to get your journey started. Or email her at Jessamy.gumm@ccm.com
 
Your background shouldn't HOLD you back, it should PAY you back. 

OUR WHY
 
Please watch this short music video.
 
The lyrics to this song were written by a Sgt. at a correctional center. It's a song about reentry and they have a pretty good reentry program there.
 
I asked him if we could use the song to show what we do at Forgiven Felons.
 
So, whether it's inside, outside, t-shirts, podcasts, or Breakfast Bible Study, everything we do takes time, energy, money, and so much more.
 
Thank you for partnering with us. Some of you have been giving for over 15 years, thank you. Some of you have just started today, thank you. Some of you have given large amounts, thank you. Some of you have given small amounts, thank you. Some have donated items, thank you. Some have bought off our wish list, thank you. Some have gone into prison with us, thank you.
 
Some have come our podcast, come to breakfast, gave our guys rides, clothes, shoes, thank you.
Some of you have prayed for us and the people we serve, thank you.
Some of you will help with the ranch, thank you.
 
Because of all of you, we can do what we do. Thank you.
Will you help us continue to do all of this, and more with the ranch?
North Texas Giving Day is open. Your gift goes further. Will you help?
_______________________________________________________________________________
Urgent needs for North Texas Giving Day. Tomorrow September 18
Zero turn lawn mower to mow about 6 1/2 acres. $8-10k (pending)
$10k to run electricity to our ranch property.
$14k monthly budget for our whole ministry.
Ways to give:
Check in person or by mail
Forgiven Felons
PO Box 4283
Cedar Hill, Tx 75106
Cash App: $ForgivenFelons
Our website:
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/
Or the North Texas Giving Day site:
https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organi.../ForgivenFelons
Jessamy and I, as well as all the people you help us help, thank you in advance for your generosity, no matter how big or small.
Jay Dan and Jessamy