Queued4Christ
Queued4Christ
Success on Purpose: Javan Smith's Journey of Faith and the Barber’s Shears to Ministry
Our heartfelt conversation traverses the rocky roads of life's challenges and the toll they take on our journeys. Javan recounts the tale of a distressing incident in his dorm that shook his sense of security but ultimately fortified his faith. It's raw. It's real. It's a testament to how respect, safety, and divine guidance play pivotal roles in navigating the complex dynamics of shared spaces and life's unpredictable twists. And as we explore his profound personal growth, we uncover the strength and grace needed to face each day with determination and faith.
Wrapping up, we look toward the horizon—where faith meets grace—and discuss the delicate dance of balancing conviction with compassion as we grow in Christ. For those beginning their spiritual voyage or seeking a deeper connection, Javan and I share pearls of wisdom on the essence of progressive sanctification, the power of confession, and the joy of truly living "Queued4Christ." This is an episode imbued with inspiration, a beacon for anyone yearning to intertwine their professional life with a higher, more fulfilling purpose. Join us, and let the story of Javan’s dedication light your path.
www.Queued4Christ.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO2Vq5bN9L1IxHmN_9ZLSfw
🌟 **Exciting News! My Book is Now Available on Amazon 🌟Hey everyone! I’m thrilled to announce that my book, *Why Not Me: Blueprint From Brokenness to Breakthrough* is now available!!!
🎉In *Why Not Me*, you will embark on a journey through my full #successonpurpose story and how the framework Q.U.E.U.E.D came about. Whether you’re passionate about podcasting, eager to your own breakthrough or simply love a good read, this book has something for everyone.
💡 **What You’ll Discover:**
- Insightful Information about the acronym QUEUED
- Captivating stories about how I overcame obstacles!
- Practical advice on how to live a successful life on purpose
📚 **How to Order:**Simply click on the link below ⬇️ to secure your copy today: https://www.queued4christ.com/why-not-me
Thank you for your incredible support, and I can’t wait for you to read *Why Not Me: Blueprint From Brokenness to Breakthrough* #preordernow #newbook #1stbook #booklaunch #newauthor #successonpurpose #queued4christ #podcastlife #podcaster
Hey, hey, hey everyone, this is Kiana, your creator and your host of Q for Christ, and I want to say thank you, thank you to everyone that has liked, you shared, you commented, whatever you've done. I'm so excited and I'm so thankful. This is something that I don't take kindly. This is something that God has called me and I take it very serious. So I'm excited. I'm excited what you have done, okay. So anyways, as you know, I have been speaking with individuals that are successful on purpose, and we're not talking about success by money, cars and fame. We're talking about the success by the backing of God. They have taken Habakkuk 2 and 2, and they have wrote the vision, made it plain, and they are being consistent about their calling. So today, I'm so excited, I'm so excited to have on this on Q for Christ. Mr Javon Smith, how are you today?
Speaker 2:I'm good, I'm good.
Speaker 1:That is so exciting.
Speaker 2:I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 1:Look at that, look at that smile. Y'all I'm telling you his smile is infectious. Okay, I'm so excited that you are here and I want to tell people a little bit about how I encountered you. I was at our Change Youth Explosion and he was telling his story and God was just pricking me in my heart and I said and the thing about it, I didn't even know how to find you. I it, I wasn't, I was just gonna let it go. But when they put your your little clip up, said, oh my god, I gotta reach out to him because I had even forgotten your name. I ain't even gonna tell no story, I hadn't even forgotten your name, I just knew your story was so incredible, and so I just want to say thank you for being here, okay. So, anyways, I'm going to say a quick prayer and then we're going to go right into the interview. The message is going to be a message because it's going to touch somebody, okay. So, anyways, it's going to be a message because it's going to touch somebody.
Speaker 1:Okay, so anyways so, dear heavenly father, we come to you. First we want to say thank you. Thank you for this time that you have carved out for us to be able to speak tonight. God, we want to be able to impact someone, and so we thank you now for allowing us to be here.
Speaker 1:God, we thank you now because we know that you have set us together, and we want to say thank you. We know that the enemy comes to steal, kill or destroy, but you are the giver of life, and so we thank you now for life on today. We thank you now for just your strength and your peace and everything that you have given us, god, we do not take it for granted, god, and so we thank you now for even being able to say that you are God and you are Lord, and so we just want to give your name to praise God. Go with his house, god, go with his blessing. God, touch his hands that he will be able to be prospered in you, god, and so we thank you now. We love you, god. We ask you to hide us behind the cross. God, allow people to see you in our interview, and so we thank you. We love you, we honor you, we cherish you. It's in Jesus' name that I pray. Amen, amen, amen oh my goodness.
Speaker 1:I'm so excited to have you here. I would just want you to just kind of introduce yourself. Let everyone know who Javon Smith is who am I?
Speaker 2:I am a barber. I'm a barber. I've been a barber for eight years now. I went to ministry school to become a pastor. What else? I consider myself a fourth generation minister. You know, I might not operate in ministry as a vocation in this season of my life, but I know what I'm called to do, you know what I'm saying, and so that's who I am.
Speaker 1:So yeah, hey, I don't know, you had Look, that's why you almost had to crowd up honey. You was, you was, I'm telling you, you were on fire and I and I was like wow, like that was so amazing, man. Now it's crazy, it's done.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So for me, like if you don't know me, if you never met me, you would never know I struggled with being on a platform and it was something that I really had to give to God, and every time I do get on a platform, I make sure I pray and I say, god, let it not be me speaking, but you do me, because I want him to talk to the Lord.
Speaker 1:Right, and that's so important because you know with me, I struggle with it too. I mean with being in front of people. I can sing in front of people and not be as bad, but when I go to talk in front of people I'll be like, oh, but that's where God want us, because, yeah, you know, I think I remember um Pastor Sarah when she had got on there one day and she was talking about her nerves and she just want to feel gotten.
Speaker 1:She'd be ungotten and you know, we have to trust that the Holy Spirit is going to speak through us, because that's where he want us to be. And so, you know, I just I want to encourage you to walk in that Like seriously, because you were the Holy Spirit. I can tell the Holy Spirit was all over you. So, anyway, that's just my opinion all over you. So, anyway, that's just my opinion. So, um, anyways, I just want to, um, just ask, like in your barbering, um, what cued you? What quickened you to just say, um, I want to do barbering? I know I remember you were telling a story that you started in high school and I mean, wow, that's amazing. So what quicken you to say I just want to cut hair?
Speaker 2:So, honestly, this is crazy. So I feel like my friends would prophesy that over me, and what I meant by that is they would be like oh Devane, you know so much about hair, you know so much about this, that or whatever. You should consider being a barber. And I said, oh, there's no way. And so what ended up happening is a year later. I'm talking about me in that way Because I said me and my friends. We used said me and my friends, I used to give each other I will. I used to give them texturizers, because you know that was a thing back in the day.
Speaker 2:So and you ain't that old, hold up, you are not that old, my god that's so funny, um, but yeah, and so a year later I um went to the barber and he messed up my hair like horribly and I was like man. I was like this is pretty bad and I didn't want to go back to him. I was just like this is just I'm done you know what I mean, right and I remember me and my dad. We went to Sally's. You know Sally's Beauty Supply.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:And we went there and we went to go pick up something for my mom and I saw these clippers that were on sale. They're clippers that are usually like $150, but they were on sale for $30. And the only reason, the reason why they were on sale, was solely off this one reason they were leopard print and nobody would buy them, and so Childhood.
Speaker 1:I get some leopard skin for that price.
Speaker 2:Right. And so I told my dad, I said you should buy me these clippers. And he was like, why do you want these clippers? I said. I said I'm going to use them. And he was like for what? He was like you don't need, you don't need clippers, I said. I said trust me If you buy. How about this? I said if, said okay, he bought them, went home, put some clippers on my brother's head, messed them up, got them confiscated immediately, and so I had to talk him back into giving it to me how confiscated.
Speaker 1:He was like you was in jail.
Speaker 2:I'm in jail, I got to give it up.
Speaker 1:He was like you was in jail, I'm in jail, I got to give it up.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, god, he was mad because my brother had to go to church the next morning with a bald spot on his head. He said you got me looking crazy. I was like dude. And so I was like chill, it's okay, it was my first time. And so he gave them back to me and I tried like chill, it's okay, it was my first time. And so he gave them back to me and I tried to cut myself. It didn't work out and I said okay, how about this? I said maybe if I master someone else's hair, maybe I can cut myself better. And so I started. I let one of my friends know. I said, hey, you should let me start cutting your hair Next thing. You know I'm cutting the whole entire school because my hair gets high. Gotten that good. And so yeah, that you know.
Speaker 2:It fell into my lap. It was crazy.
Speaker 1:Right and see the thing about it. Sometimes we have to fail a few times in order to get it right. A few times in order to get it right Because you know some people don't realize that how else you going to learn if you don't feel you know and we don't? We don't fall backwards, we fall forward, meaning that that's how you were able to move forward and to learn more.
Speaker 1:You know, and I don't just sit here thinking about that, boss, but I probably would have been like you're dead, I would be like no, no, but I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm so glad that you were able to continue on doing that. Um, because now look at you, you know, and, and that's amazing right there and that's one of the examples that I'm saying is that when you stick to what God has called you, because not only is barbering is to help people, but it's also a ministry because it helps boost people's energy, but it's also a ministry because it helped boost people energy, I mean they ego and boost everything else, because I know when people get a fresh haircut, they just be. You can't tell them.
Speaker 2:They act different, they act different and act up.
Speaker 1:Right, and so that's amazing. So did you have to unite with someone that to help you show you the ropes, or was it just like you kind of had that inside gift that God had given you?
Speaker 2:You know, what's interesting is, I'm self-taught Barbara. I'm actually I'm self-taught Barbara, I'm actually I'm self-taught. But not just that, I still went to school for it. But this is how watch this, watch how that works. I was so good that my teacher, my Barbara instructor, had me teach the class, wow, and she would trust me to educate the students. And you know, it's crazy. Like I don't want to want, I don't know if I have time to get into it, but like I didn't even think I was gonna go that far into barbering, like like once that you know the whole story, you know, of my breakthrough, um, and then Morehouse and all these different things, um, there was a big shift that happened in my life. It was massive and I don't know if you want to get into it.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Go into it.
Speaker 1:Go into it Okay.
Speaker 2:Yes, so you want me to start? Do you want me to tell the story, or do you want me to meet you or do like a, almost like a? It's a long story, but I can quicken the story that you, that I shared and you heard, um, and give you the after, because the after I didn't share it, but because I needed them to see that pivotal moment in my life. But then after it just got even crazier, like it just got crazy. Hey, I'm here for it, trust me, it just got crazier.
Speaker 1:Hey, I'm here for it.
Speaker 2:Trust me. So so the story that she knows, I'll quicken it for you guys. I failed 10 classes and with me failing these 10 classes, I had gone to 11 different schools and I had got to my senior year and I wasn't going and I wasn't going to graduate. I was in a bad position and you know the things that you know the things that one insecurities caused me to get to that place.
Speaker 2:Because I had gone to 11 schools, I never was able to have friends, and so I allowed fellowship really to become an idol, and what ended up happening is I put fellowship before work, and because of that I put fellowship before work, I I failed.
Speaker 1:I failed, and that's what happened.
Speaker 2:And sometimes, and I think I think loving people is good and relationships are good, but I think sometimes I remember when God shared something to me, um, in our relationship, uh, he said he said don't let your love paralyze your purpose. And I think some, and I think sometimes we allow the love that we have for people to make us get paralyzed, that we don't move, we're so focused on that love that we just are stuck in this position, focused on the wrong thing. And so for me, that love of fellowship became my God and I got lost in it. And so I got to my senior year I was in a position where my classmates they're applying for different schools, et cetera.
Speaker 2:I want to get in on this fun. I'm like, hey, I'm like I'm going to fly at Morehouse, even though I failed 10 classes. So I know I'm crazy for doing it and you know it's crazy. I didn't. I don't think I shared this, um, but like when they sent me that letter saying that I did not get in, I cried like a baby, like I didn't know like I knew I wasn't getting in, but I sat there crying like I didn't.
Speaker 1:That is so. Look, that is so. People you know what I'm saying, because people, they know the consequences and that is like you. I can just say people speeding and they get pulled over and now you know you're doing 150 and you, now you want to sit up here and cry. Don't cry, you, you know what you were doing wrong.
Speaker 2:You knew what you did wow, and so you know the next day. Uh, they said, so, did you get in? Because I told people, because my parents shared with me that I had got that letter in the mail, and I said, oh, I got in. I told everybody I got in. I was lying. I was lying, but let me tell you something, even though I prophylied, you know, we'll put something on everything I prophylied.
Speaker 1:Did it? Yes, I did, but it came true, right, right.
Speaker 2:It came true, and so I ended up reaching out to Morehouse and I bargained with them because I said, hey, like y'all gotta let me and we gotta do something like help me out here. They said no, they said apply next year. And I'm just like, oh my god, I'm so embarrassed because everybody thinks I'm going to Morehouse. Wow they.
Speaker 1:And they're going to find out I'm not going.
Speaker 2:And so I told them. I said, hey, I understand, but I know that I have eight more classes remaining that I need already failed and the classes that I need to finish for the remainder of the year. Will you let me in? They said it wasn't. They said because of your track record it was unlikely. But good luck. And you know, I think a lot of times people don't realize that you can trap yourself in your own storm. But sometimes, even in the midst of that storm, you have to change the way you see it. And in the way I had to, what I had to do was I had to change the way I think and I had to change the way I thought about myself. You have to be transformed by the renewal of your mind. And if I'm going to put on that mind of Christ, what did that look like? That required for me to have faith. And so, in that same faith, I said, okay, I feel this pressure. What do I do? I lean on the word the Bible says.
Speaker 2:Though I'm pressed on every side, I will not be crushed my god and, and the thing is you have to understand, I'm gonna feel that pressure. It's uncomfortable, it does not feel good, but god, you're still with me. When the disciples were on that boat, they felt discomfort. Jesus said why are you scared? Why have little faith? And the thing is he didn't say it in a mean way, he just said it because he genuinely cared. Why are you scared? I'm here, I'm about to walk through this with you. You don't even understand. They about to obey me. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:He says I'm about to take over, because the Bible also says the Holy Spirit does the work in you as well. The thing is, god gives us support. And so the thing is guess what? I'm over here stressing out I'm having faith, but guess what God's doing for me? He's changing the way I think for me, he's helping me out. He's giving me that boost that I need. Amen, I passed all my classes and I sent my transcript to Morehouse and I got into Morehouse College you don't know how this is blessing me.
Speaker 1:This is blessing me so much. I'm sitting here like, and I heard it, but it's blessing me so much because know even where I am in life is like God is with you. So why are you stressing Like that, just right there, just blessed me. So, anyways, go on, go on with your story.
Speaker 2:So now we're in the season where I'm walking into my house and it's like all chaos breaks loose once I enter the space. And so what ended up happening was what they did was they said, hey, we're going to let you go to the school, but I didn't tell this part of the story. They said on one condition you have to get through the summer program with all the honors students and do an 18-week course, do four courses that are 18 weeks long, compressed into six weeks, and we're going to see if you can compete with them. If you can and you pass all these classes, then we'll let you win.
Speaker 1:So I got in unofficially.
Speaker 2:I have one more step, but let me tell you those were the hardest weeks of my life. But that's the thing about God. You know, I talked about James 1, consider it pure joy. My brothers and sisters, when you face trials of any kind, let perseverance do its work in you. That way you're complete, perfect, lacking nothing. The thing is, you have to let perseverance do its way in you. When I went through that season in high school where I had to persevere through the pressure, the thing about it is it's doing its work in me. That is making me perfect. Why? Because even though I'm in this discomfort, I'm comfortable. I'm comfortable with discomfort. And if I'm comfortable with discomfort, that means if I feel this discomfort again, I will be okay, because I understand on the other side of it, I'm going to be complete.
Speaker 2:You get what I'm saying and so because of that, I said okay, let's take this same faith into this season. And guess what happened? God brought me through the storm again.
Speaker 1:And I officially got into Morehouse College. That's what's bad. Look, that devil tried right and he thought that you would have gave up and man over here like rejoicing with you, like it just happened yesterday. I'm so excited, that's exciting for me.
Speaker 2:So do you want to keep going? Yes, honey, I've been enjoying this. I'm so excited.
Speaker 1:That's exciting for me. So do you want to keep going?
Speaker 2:Yes, honey, I've been enjoying this.
Speaker 1:I'm not worried.
Speaker 2:So this is where it took a big turn for me and this is when I felt like it was one storm after another. But God was really trying to perfect my faith and he was doing a massive shift in my life. He had to crush me, and so when I was at Morehouse my first week cutting hair, it was you know, I'm cutting in the school bathroom $7 a cut. I say, let me go up on my prices and I'm going to tell everyone on campus that I'm a barber. When I got an official that first week my first week at Morehouse I made $1,500 cut in here as a college student.
Speaker 1:My gosh when they do that. I'm sorry, wait a minute. I don't think people do that nowadays, not first week.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's amazing and I was like wow, and it won't start coming to me. But what ended up happening is I accumulated a group of people who, um, who were very interested in what I was doing, and they saw the traffic that was coming into the, so I would cut in the bathroom. So we had a what's the word? A community bathroom, and so that first week I'm not going to lie I can take complete ownership.
Speaker 2:I wasn't being as cleanly as I needed to be in the bathroom, because it's a shared space, and so it was a lot of commotion and people were upset because I mean, you could imagine, if I'm making fifteen hundred dollars, I'm made. I'm cutting lots of people right and so. And so I was like, okay, I said I don't know how I'm going to become clean, but I'll figure out how to create a system. And so they had a forum meeting. They said, hey, you guys need to talk to your brother and tell him he needs to get together or we're going to have problems. So everyone was mad at me, upset, and so I said, hey, I said I'm going to take ownership. This is my fault. I'm going to take ownership, this is my fault. I'm going to go get a broom, dustpan, lysol, everything I need so that way, every single day, after I'm done um cutting hair in the bathroom, that we have a clean shared space.
Speaker 1:That's what I did.
Speaker 2:So I wanted to honor them and I wanted to be respectful. It was a great moment. Everyone cheered me on because we did a forward, said thank you for doing that for us and being respectful because I could have, because some people aren't that. Uh, people are prideful people who, like I, do what I want you know, right, right.
Speaker 2:So, um, a weird thing happened. Um, a couple weird things happened, but I'll tell you the main weird thing that happened. I came back, um, I came back my. I went to go visit my family for the weekend and I came back to my room. This is like my. This is my third week, my third week at Morehouse, and my dustpan and my broom and my stuff is gone from my room. I have a roommate, so I asked him I said hey, where'd my stuff go?
Speaker 2:He says I don't know. Ask your brother. Across the hall I said did you give it to him? He says I don't know, ask him. And I said well, this is a weird interaction. Let me go ask him. I don't understand what's going on. Went to go ask him. I don't understand what's going on went to go ask the other guy.
Speaker 2:He says I don't know. And I said are y'all playing with me? And so I'm trying to figure out what's happening here. I said I need to clean the bathroom. I just got that cut of hair. They're not listening to me, they're. They're all playing this game. I said y'all do understand, if you don't give me the broom, I can't clean the bathroom right and so they're like I don't know where it is. I said okay, so I left the hair in the bathroom.
Speaker 1:I was like I mean, what else you guys do with your hair?
Speaker 2:right, and so I'm like, I'm like there's nothing for me to do and so thank God one of the cleaning specialists that came in.
Speaker 2:They cleaned the bathroom during that hour. So I was glad that that was cleaned up. But I was just like that's weird, I need a broom. I asked the next day. They didn't do it, so I ended up leaving a hair in the bathroom again. But I said you know what, Let me at least scoot it under the sink. So I scooted it under the sink with my feet because I wanted to respect other people who weren't acting funny.
Speaker 2:Now I forgot to mention over the course of these three weeks. There are a few individuals who consistently ask me how much money did you make this week? How many heads did you cut today?
Speaker 1:Okay, so I'm naive.
Speaker 2:I'm a very nice person. I'm like, oh, I did this. This is crazy. You know I'm blessed. I don't know how this happened. You know this is growing for my business.
Speaker 1:It's great, Mind you.
Speaker 2:I still don't want to be a barber, and so what ended up happening was I leave the hair in the bathroom and the janitor, um, he comes in. He was coming in. He said hey, don't worry about it. Um, this is our day. He cut it and he said I'll clean it up. I said I'm gonna go get another blue and dust pan. Um, uh, this friday when I go to walmart. And um, he was like, yeah, I got you, I hope you out. I said thank you so much. I appreciate, appreciate you.
Speaker 2:And so I'm having all this issue with my people on my floor and I'm just like this is just crazy. And so this is when everything made a weird turn.
Speaker 2:So, that Thursday no, that Wednesday I had went to go to Georgia state to go cut hair for some other students, cause I had got so big Wow, people at the other schools wanted me to cut their hair, and so I'm like this is crazy, and so what ended up happening? Um was I, uh, I was gone that night and they had a floor meeting without me, apparently, and there was some. There were the.
Speaker 2:RAs mentioned something that was a consequence for all the people on the floor, for me leaving hair in the bathroom that was not shared with me. Wow, so what ended up happening is that thursday I cut from 8 am to 12 am oh, wow because I was like one day I didn't have class isn't that crazy.
Speaker 2:So I had nowhere to put all this hair, so I just scooted it under the sink and I said I'm going to sleep because the next day, that Friday, I'm going to pick up my broom. True story. I'm asleep in my bed. It's 2 like 11 am. I'm in deep sleep. You can imagine, after a long day.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Start to feel like I'm being lifted off the ground, and so I'm like what the heck? I'm actually being lifted by six individuals. What they bring me into the hallway and I'm like being lifted by six individuals, what they bring me into the hallway and I'm like what? They lift me up in the air and they drop me on my head and I knock out on the ground. I'm knocked out on the ground and I'm not blacked out for probably a solid minute or two. And as I'm waking up, I see flashlights. They turn all the lights off in the hallway and what ended up happening was, when I started to wake up, they said take his shirt off, take his shirt off. And so they're taking my shirt off. I'm like stop, stop, please. What are you doing? And I'm like I'm stuck because I'm like I feel like I'm paralyzed because I got hit my head really hard right, and I'm like stop, please stop.
Speaker 2:And they're taking my shirt off. They said, flip them on and stuff. They took bottles of gorilla glue and squeezed it and poured it all down my back. Wow, they dumped out all the hair in the hallways and they dragged me across the halls picking, using me as a room to pick up the hair, attaching it to my back. That is so awful and they're hitting me and they're like, and then they just throw my body to the side and they just run and they're wearing masks and I'm like, and I'm like I'm stuck. I'm trying to get up. I go to the bathroom, I look in the mirror, I'm just looking at myself and I'm like there's just no way this is real. Wow, my head is pounding. I have a really. I have a really glow on my back, with everyone's hair that I cut for that day attached to me. Wow, and I was like, oh my God, this is crazy.
Speaker 1:And I'm livid. Then I find myself um at knocking on doors.
Speaker 2:I said who did it? Who did it? They're like I don on doors. I said who did it? Who did it? They're like I don't know, I don't know. I said don't play these games with me. I said who did this? And I remembered hearing the door shut when I ran down and it was six guys in a room and they said we don't know what you're talking about. And I approached them about it and I knew it was them. I said why did you do that? They said you're not going to do nothing. You think you're big shot. You think you're big shot. And I said bro, what are you talking about? Oh, you got money. Huh, you got money. I said, bro, what does this have to do with anything? I said why did you do that? You put Gorilla Glue on my back and attached everyone's hair to it and they said we don't care. They said they said. And I said I said, bro, you're not right.
Speaker 1:I said I don't know why y'all would do that to me.
Speaker 2:I said you dropped me on my head. You do this, this, this, they said. Well, they said that if the hair wasn't cleaned up in the bathroom we would all get fined $500 a piece. On the floor, I said but you did not lead with that, right, there's an issue here. He said so what you going to do? And they all got up and they cornered me in the hallway and said fight me, fight me. And I said I'm not going to fight you because the moment I said I worked too hard to get into this school.
Speaker 2:There's a violence policy, and the moment I lay hands on you will be the day I lose the opportunity that I've got. And they didn't fight me. They said okay, said things out of my name and, uh, walked off, got me out of my name in multiple ways, wow. And then next day they end up calling the ambulance because my head was pounding.
Speaker 2:Come to find out I had a concussion wow, wow it was severe and I find this so crazy because I'm like this is my third week. It was so severe that I couldn't even do my work online. Wow, I felt like I was delayed and.
Speaker 2:I'm like, oh, but it's. I said God, why are you doing this? And so I found myself in a place where I started to lack belief. I started to find myself hanging out with friends, I started smoking, I started turning up with them. All the time I'm like I'm outside of myself, right, because I'm coping, because I don't know what to do, and so what I did was bring it back to fellowship. And it became my God again.
Speaker 1:My goodness.
Speaker 2:And I said God, what is going on? And I remember true story, this is amazing. So this is like on the tail end of the semester, I'm like God, I'm having a struggle in this school, I'm dealing with this. And I remember I was at this club with my friends and I was smoking in the club and, true story, we had just walked in, I felt like I had just smoked and in a moment I felt like I heard God audibly for the first time in my life. It was so loud. It was so loud. And he said why are you here? And I looked, I turned my head and I was like and nobody was there and I was like huh. And then I heard I don't believe in anything in this room, nor do you. Wow. And I was like wow. And I said, okay, I know this is God Right, because I came here to have fun.
Speaker 1:And it just disrupted my spirit immediately and that's how God do, Because I came there to have fun and it just disrupted my spirit immediately and that's how God do.
Speaker 2:And because I literally look around, I see drugs, I see people drunk out of their mind, I see all this crazy stuff. I'm like, why am I here? And I said, god and I'm on my kitchen, I'm in the club. And I said God and I'm on my kitchen, I'm in the club. And I said, god, take the veil off my eyes and just really show me who you are. I told my friends. I said hey guys. I said let's leave.
Speaker 1:They said we just got here bro.
Speaker 2:Let's go. I'm like guys, let's leave. Got food, I went back to campus, I put on my headphones and I walked around campus and I just prayed and I prayed every day to the last day of school and me, fasting and praying, god told me to leave more house. Wow, and I'm like, oh, my god, you're confusing me. I was like why?
Speaker 2:why, did you? Let me tell me if you want me to leave and this is a small little nugget just to show you like you got to be careful with certain things and I remember my father sent me a um message because he was like I don't know, maybe I don't. He was like I don't know if you're supposed to leave. I said why would you be, why would god? I'm like, I'm telling you, I feel like I don't want me here. He's like are you sure he sent me this message? He said this is would you be? Why would God? I'm like, I'm telling you, I feel like I don't want you here. He's like are you sure he sent me this message? He said this is for you. I think I watched the message. I cried about it. He was talking about you need to stay where you are, you need to stay in the famine, you need to stay where trouble has lurked and it has grabbed you. But this is not the end. True story. You're going to think this is crazy, I said. I cried my eyes out. So this message was for me. I got to stay at Morehouse, all that stuff.
Speaker 2:That night God gave me a dream. Wow, he gave me a dream and in my dream, my Morehouse brothers are waking me up out of my sleep and they said get up, get up, get up, get up. We're all running on this run, we're jogging. You hear these police sirens and they're like run. Everyone starts sprinting. I trip and I tumble down a hill. I was tumbling, I was tumbling, I was tumbling. I tumbled into a building and it was the church.
Speaker 1:Wow, wow.
Speaker 2:And I was like, and I was like okay, god wants me to leave and go to ministry school. Wow, I said I know that's what he was saying and and this is a small message that God gave me he told me not every message is for you.
Speaker 1:I think you need to say that one more time, because a lot of people will think that every message is for them. But you have to know, when you have the spirit, the holy spirit, and you have the spirit of discernment and god, you can hear god's voice. Because we, we all know that my sheep knows my voice and, and so when God told you in the beginning and said, hey, it's time for you to go and for him to man, I'm here for it. I'm here for it.
Speaker 2:And so he said not every message is for you. And I was like man, and in that moment I learned that it was a learning lesson, because even me now, in my own life, when I hear a sermon, I pray about it and I say God, is this for me?
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Because I don't need to. If God is planting me somewhere, I don't need to go out of somewhere Because I had a message of saying come out of a space and it wasn't for me. Right, you know what I mean. That's how you leave a space prematurely or at the wrong time.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And so I left and I went to ministry school.
Speaker 1:That is so, and I went to ministry school. That is so amazing. And you know what I'm more excited for you now, knowing that you are a young man that has experienced.
Speaker 1:I mean, not only you know, like you said you prophesied but you got to where you were, but you went through this whole transformation in just a short time to know that God wanted you into ministry. And that's amazing, because now you are still able to do ministry and cut hair. You are still able to do ministry and cut hair. And so you know, and the thing about it, we have to understand that God takes us through certain things.
Speaker 1:And even though you know you went through that jealousy period where they were basically jealous of you. That wasn't them, but the enemy right there that was trying to stop you from your purpose, but it also pushed you there, if that makes any sense. Because if you hadn't have gone through that, just think where you might be. You might still be at Morehouse and not in the ministry where God really wanted to get you to.
Speaker 1:And I'm so excited for you, like, seriously, I'm seeing, like, like, and I love how God just pivot things because, you know, even your whole story itself was just a successful on purpose story just in it, in itself. You know, like you, like I really feel like the Holy Spirit is telling me I don't need to do no more because of the simple fact that it was just it, you know, it showed how you were quick and it showed who you united with. It showed the education that you went through and it showed the understanding that you have have gotten from God. And you also show how excited you are by your smile and determined to be who you are, and so it's amazing how God do things, and so, but just tell us how determined you are now. I really want to know how determined you are to say you know what for God live and for God I die. How?
Speaker 2:determined.
Speaker 1:Explain to the young people how determination really looks.
Speaker 2:I think determination, for me determination. I think for me determination is seeking after God and it sounds simple. But I think a me determination is seeking after God and it sounds simple, but I think a lot of people don't realize. Seek the kingdom and all his righteousness and let everything else be added unto you. I always tell people. People are like oh, you have so much favor on your life, you have a connection with who. You did this, you did that. They're like oh, my God, this is crazy. You're in this. And I tell people you do realize the thing that you're desiring.
Speaker 2:God can't give that to you. You know why? Because he doesn't trust you with it. And it's not that he just doesn't trust you with it, it's actually because you want it so bad. That's actually your idol and he's not going to give it to you. He's not going to give it to you, but because God is the God that I worship and I love him, I pray to him, I talk to him, I create relationship with him. This is super practical for anybody who's young. I tell them like this and I was teaching the kids this the other day I said understand that.
Speaker 2:I said prayer is us talking to God, but us reading our word is him talking back to us, and so we get to have that experience with God, and that's why your devotion is important. And when I say I would seek the kingdom and find my contentment in Jesus, that Jesus came down and did exceed me, above For me, that's because I was actually seeking him and I was determined to one kill sin in my life to just love God. I always tell people where, when your posture is gratitude. Complacency can't live there, and so for me I have a posture of gratitude, always, always, and I thank God for everything that he's done for me, even the simple fact that people will be like. I thank god for getting me to do this.
Speaker 2:I said you just need to thank him for dying on the cross my name is but for you, yes, that you can have eternal life, you have a god who's an advocate for you, that even when you do fall, he becomes before the father and says I've been human, I understand.
Speaker 1:Remember what I did.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying? Right, you haven't. And even the simple fact that he does that for me because of his character and that he's a good God, that's enough. And because that's enough, god gives me more. And it's not because I want. I'm like I give me more and more. He just keeps doing it because he trusts me and he knows that I'm the one that truly loves him. So when you truly love God, forgive the worldly stuff. It's not bad stuff. But the thing is it'll just come if you just find contentment in him. Amen, just find contentment in him. Amen, just find contentment in him. That is enough, him dying on the ground for you so that way we can have a relationship. And that he says the wages of sin is that I don't have to die, I have eternal life, I am made new, I'm in the creation and I'm free.
Speaker 1:indeed, oh, my God, I'm telling you, just love you. I'm sorry because you know, like you say, if you seek first the kingdom, you I mean it's. It's no way that you can go wrong and I'm living proof of it. I tell people all the time that I go by the grace of God, because if it wasn't for his grace I don't know where I would be. And it's so, so funny how you were not funny, but how you were talking about being in the club and um, and I was just sharing a story with my daughter about when I had that epiphany and I was in the club and the club got shot up in the bottle.
Speaker 1:I mean I was like God, I knew I was not supposed to be there because, matter of fact, before we left we actually prayed. This is how I knew I really was supposed to. But my cousin was like I feel like we need to pray before y'all leave and we actually sat there and prayed. I'm talking about standing in a circle holding hands old school prayer I'm old now, but old school prayer and I went there and I really went there. God was speaking with me telling me what to do before they started shooting the club and it was. It was like I was telling my daughter this, like like literally a couple hours ago, how you know, the club was not when God called me from that and it's amazing how you went into that. That's why I say I know my God, don't lead me wrong.
Speaker 2:Can I share a funny small story? Yeah, can I share a funny small story, because you brought it up. I remember because the holy spirit, when I I promise I never, I said I'm never going again. My friend was like uh, hey, I had a long day, I didn't have a car at the time. He says, hey, bro, let's go to this club. They got really good food. I said, hey, bro, no I'm not doing that.
Speaker 2:No more, I'm not in that kind of space. That's not what I do. You know how I believe in my faith. I don't look at myself in that kind of space. That's not what I do. You know how I believe in my faith. I don't want to put myself in that kind of environment. That's just where I'm at. I said it's not shame, shame you or all that stuff. He was like come on, bro, the food is good. I feel the Holy Spirit telling me no. And I'm like bro. No. He said bro, come on, just try the food. I said okay. I said we can sit at the table, we eat the food and then we leave. I don't want nothing extra. I'm not doing nothing extra. True story, I feel the Holy Spirit telling me no.
Speaker 2:As we're walking in, about to walk in, it's probably maybe 15 feet away. That's the door. A group of people started to come out. True story. I don't know what the commotion was. Something was transpiring. I don't know if there was a fight. Someone said something to someone else. It was huge. A car drives by, puts a gun onto the window in the back seat and starts boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. I ran so fast you thought I was Usain Bolt. I was like I said the devil tried to kill me. I said, oh my god. And I was like I said the Holy Spirit, don't lie.
Speaker 1:I was like he don't lie.
Speaker 2:He don't, and I said never again. I said never again. I said I can't do it.
Speaker 1:I'm telling a lot of people he is there and protecting us. And to think about it, what if you had a God in there? You know what I'm saying. Like you have to be able to listen to him when he say no, I'm, you know, I'm just so I'm so thrilled.
Speaker 1:I'm so, god, you know, and I don't want to be the same ones that say God got his hand on you, but I can say, say I can truly say this after meeting you, that God is really, really in your life and working through you, and I'm just so thrilled to have had you on here, you know. I just want to ask one more question because, like I say, you don't went through the whole Absolutely. I just want to ask one more question because, like I, said you don't went through the whole, absolutely everything.
Speaker 1:But what? What is one piece of advice that you will leave with someone that is really just trying to start their life with Christ? We're going to go with Christ because you know, I know the barbering is is is extra, but with Christ, what are some advice that you would leave with someone?
Speaker 2:So to make sure I heard you, what's some advice that I would leave someone who's starting their relationship with?
Speaker 1:Christ Just starting. Yes, yes. That's a really good question.
Speaker 2:Two things Give yourself grace. Give yourself grace. It's called progressive sanctification. You know, as we go, god will sanctify us and we have to trust that He'll do that in us. And one of the things for me I always had to realize that I have to really forgive myself. Give yourself grace through this walk, because God's gonna work. He's patient, he's kind, he's loving and I feel like as a believer. Give yourself grace and honestly walk. I feel like a lot of times. I think as believers, we get when we first start our relationship with Christ. What we do is we just run it and we go crazy and we almost become legalists we always we low-key become pharisees.
Speaker 2:All these things happen to us and it's crazy, like it's really crazy. Everybody does it and like when somebody starts talking, I'm like, oh, you're a new believer.
Speaker 2:That's why I'm like, I'm like you're a new believer yesterday, yesterday, I'm like, I'm like yesterday, and so what I would say is I feel like a lot of times we just service ourselves by being overzealous, and I think we have to realize that it was always, it's always been, a walk. But you just started out running and I think sometimes if you go at full pace and you walk with God, you're learning, have a know-nothing attitude, learn about God, understand his character and, I think, also sit in worship. Sit in worship and I think sometimes reflect, reflect your life, reflect on the goodness of God. Like I said before, I said we're gratitude when gratitude is your posture, complacency can't live there, right? And I think, when you even look at the small things, I remember sitting in in my house when I first got saved, and I remember looking at my bed and I said thank you God.
Speaker 2:I said you're giving me a bed to lay my head. Thank you for this arm warm. Thank you for this phone Wow. Thank you for my arms. Thank you for my legs, and I weep and I say God, thank you for just the small. You for my legs, and I weep and I say God, thank you for just the small things, because that is enough. And when that's enough, hallelujah, you'll be okay, because you you learn contentment and when you're content with Christ, that's enough Because he will sustain you, like Paul says. He says I'm content when I'm full and I'm content when I have an empty stomach, but I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. It's so good.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm so ready to hear you preach a sermon, dude, like I swear, I'm ready for you, I'm like my goodness, because that is so good, that is so good. Oh my gosh, I'm full, like, literally I am, and you have really, really blessed my soul. And so, last thing, just let everyone where, where they know where they can reach you at, and um, if you could pray us out, that will be absolutely so so you can find me at on instagram at javansmith underscore, um.
Speaker 2:j-a-v-A-N. Dot Smith underscore. And I have a new Instagram for my haircuts, so that way, if you want to see my work, you can. It's called Atlanta Master Barber. You can find me there, cool.
Speaker 1:So if you're ready, to pray.
Speaker 2:We can pray in the dark.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You're having a gracious father, god. We just thank you for today. God, we just thank you for your grace, your mercy, your kindness and your peace. God, we just thank you for walking with us. God, we just thank you for being a lamp upon our feet that guides every step. Thank you for leading us, god. Thank you for not leaving us alone. You are always with us, god, we just love you. We just thank you. We thank you for this call today. We thank you for this fellowship, god, we just thank you for just all that you do in our lives, god.
Speaker 2:God, we just pray that the testimony that you've given me, god, lands on good soil, that it blesses someone, that it changes their lives and empowers them to live a life worthy of living, a life that is, a life that worships you, god, worshiping you. God, a God who died on the cross for our sins that we may have eternal life. God, the cross for our sins, that we may have eternal life. God, a God who died not to just give us eternal life, but to set us free. To set us free, to release us from the bondage of sin, the bondage of the enemy. Hell lost another one, and we just love you and we appreciate you for all that you do. In Jesus mighty and holy name we pray Amen.
Speaker 1:Amen, amen, amen. Thank you. Thank you, javon. I am honored to meet such a young man that is on fire for Christ. You know, I know, you know my son is kind of like a youth minister but you know, I'm so excited because you're going to touch somebody and I'm just I'm your biggest fan. Now, like I'm your biggest fan.
Speaker 2:You got, you got you got me.
Speaker 1:So anyways anyways, anyways, thank you all for tuning in. I'm so excited for Javon. If you want to reach out to him, make sure you go to his page and look at his, his art. That's what is art, okay. And so we just want you, if you want to be, if you want to give your life to Christ, you can feel free to ask. You can acknowledge that Christ, that Jesus Christ will acknowledge that you're a sinner, confess with your mouth, believe in your heart, turn from your evil ways and seek after his face and seek out the Bible-based turtle. Okay. So, anyways, I thank you. Thank you again, javon, and just make sure that you are staying cute for Christ. All right, bye, y'all.
