#101 S4 EP 21: Rick's Journey to Enlightenment: Embracing Change and Purpose During Global Uncertainty

Y'all know it .

We pray in the name of Jesus that you will just have your way . We pray in the name of Jesus to counsel any assignment of the enemy that will be sent back into the pits of hell where it came from , for it has no power . But your word said we do so . We pray in the name of Jesus that you will just have your way .

Holy Spirit , just lead us and guide us in the way that you want to go . These things and all things we ask all in Jesus' mighty and master's name . We say thank you and we say amen .

The quick one line is I'm a best-selling author , ultimate success coach and the founder of iSpark Change , and I typically help and work with individuals and entrepreneurs , help them to gain clarity and guidance by eliminating the roadblocks preventing their personal and professional success , so they can elevate their social impact and spread positive change .

And I've been doing that for about eight years now . I just hit eight years last month and I'm , you know , my family is , you know , my faith is very important to me and my family .

I've been married for 27 and a half years and have three beautiful daughters who now are , have you know , starting families of their own and everything , and so I feel I am very blessed in doing what God wants me to do .

And so we have , uh , this spiritual awakening that you had . How did that um awaken what was asleep ?

And quarantine started and we all had to stay home and , and you know that that illusion of control that we have was taken away from all of us , and and I , I found myself getting very fearful and anxious about what the future held , because my business had slowed down .

Most of my clients had either stopped services or asked to be put on hold , and , and so I was . I was fearful about what the future held , and and I went in kind of a dark place for a few weeks .

Um , at the beginning of of the whole quarantine and everything , and , and then I , I , I started praying and thinking about it and realizing that I , I knew better that you know , here I coach people on , you know how not to become negative and and getting stuck in your head , and then here I was doing exactly that .

So I decided to write , and , and I wrote a blog article about using the quarantine as a , as an opportunity , using it to become , become better , using it to help others , using it to , um , you know , do things that you had never done before , and then I I put what I had written about , I put it into practice and I I started volunteering and I started

looking for ways to help others and and thinking about that , how I was far better off than than many other people because people were dying and people were sick , and you know here I was healthy and my family was healthy . And so , as I was , as I started to reflect on all that , I had been wanting to write this book .

That had been in my head for 20 years at that point , from a major car accident that I had been in earlier , 20 years earlier , and I always had the excuse that I didn't have time to write the book . But now God had given me and all of us , the gift of time . So I started writing and I went about it very methodically because I'd never written a book .

And I went about it very methodically because I'd never written a book . So I just started writing 500 to 750 words a day and committing to that and writing consistently every day .

And about a few weeks into that , maybe about a month , month and a half into that , I feel like God had other plans , because that's where I really got spiritually connected , had other plans , because that's where I I really got spiritually connected and I , as I would write , I felt as if , you know , I felt the presence of God , or Jesus , or the Holy spirit .

I mean , I felt God's presence here with me as I was writing and and I felt as if the story was just flowing , like I wasn't typing anymore . I mean , it was just the ?

Um , the story was just being given to me and my writing went from the you know that 500 to 750 words to over 2000 and you know , like , writing that whole chapter in in a in a couple hours , and um , and I ended up finishing my book , and under three months um cause that lasted , for you know about another , my book , in under three months , Um cause that

lasted , for you know about another , but another month , and I finished in in under three months and I got .

During that time , I just was was incredibly emotional and and it was something so personal and private I didn't share it with anyone , not even my wife or my family , but I would wake up in the middle of the night with dreams and visions and , just you know , started writing at early morning and different times that I had written before , and and it was just

this . Uh , it was just a very unique and special time for me that I've never experienced in my life and that's that's why you know I would term it as a spiritual awakening , because that really awakened me to do some things that I had never done before and to finish my book and create .

So I got to ask this question how did you almost kill your family ?

To a lot of individuals , I had drifted away from that faith in my teenage years and college and even into my early time of starting a family , because we started a family young and got married young , and faith wasn't in the place that it should have been in my life at that point , in the place that it should have been in my life at that point .

And I , at that point and this is going back to , uh , to 2000 , um , I had been married for a few years , um , we had two , two young daughters at the time and you know they were one and four , and I was at that point , I was very , I was still young . In many ways I was selfish .

I would , I didn't spend as much time with my family as I , as I should have .

I would , you know , go stay out for hours in the evenings playing basketball and working out and spending time with friends and and wasn't spending as much time with my , with my kids , and when we were living in Southern California at the time and we were driving back a couple hours from a , um , a birthday party that we had gone gone to , and so we're driving

back and it started to rain really hard and it was the first rain in a long time , so the roads were really slick and and it was raining really hard .

For , for Southern California , um , and there's lots of cars that had pulled over on the freeway and they were , they were just going to wait it out , and we contemplated doing that , um , but it was late on a Sunday and we needed to get the kids home and we had to work and they had school and everything , and so we were .

We didn't want to , um , we didn't want it to get dark . You know , my wife was worried about it getting dark .

So we continued on and I continued on slowly on the freeway and trying to drive as cautious as I could , um , but being um arrogant and and um , selfish , I probably wasn't driving as careful as I should , and we were driving in the uh , in the slow lane , in the first lane , and I hit a large puddle and I lost control of the vehicle and we started

hydroplaning and spinning out of control and the vehicle was just spinning and spinning and spinning , um , and we spun across four lanes to the left and we're about to hit the center divider and I'm screaming and my wife's screaming , my daughters were asleep in the back and you know I I don't know what's going on with them .

I'm just trying to , you know , steer or do something , and and miraculously , we did not hit the center divider . We came within probably , you know , an inch of hitting the center divider .

And then we start spinning back around the other direction , oh , my god , wow , and we spin across the the four lanes the other way and we don't hit any other cars or anything , but we spin across the freeway the other direction , we go off the shoulder up a dirt embankment and we hit a brick wall and we flip over completely and land back on the wheels .

And my kids are crying and um , and they seem okay and we're able to , you know , get them out of their seats , their car seats , and exit out of out of one door and we kind of crawl onto the side of the road there and it's still pouring rain and and this , uh , elderly couple pulls over .

They had witnessed the whole thing and the lady is kind enough to grab a blanket from the car and wrap it around .

My wife , who was just clutching my daughters and thanking God and crying , and I'm talking to the gentleman and he tells me that that was the most incredible thing that he had ever seen in his life and and he thought for sure that they thought for sure that we were , you know , killed or seriously injured and and the uh , the , the um , they had to tow the

vehicle away . And the police officer you know the report , the investigation they were very surprised that we weren't seriously harmed . And even when I went to get my things out of the vehicle at the tow yard where it was towed , to the manager there , he didn't believe that it was my vehicle because he it was . It was all totaled on a flat bed tow truck .

And when I walked in I said , hey , I'm here to pick up my things from that black Grand Prix . And he didn't believe that I was the owner because he said , no , whoever , whoever owned that car is , is dead or we're in the hospital .

And um , and I had to convince him otherwise , and and um , and that was , you know , know , that was a big , a big turning point for me , because I , I with , with all the signs and and everything that you know , everything everyone was saying , I , I realized that it was , um , you know something special that happened and that we were very fortunate to , uh , to

be alive that's a powerful story , oh my gosh , I would dare to say that when that hand , when that car was going to the left of that middle divider , I can , I can visualize God's hand pushing you back away from that wall , absolutely yeah me too , michael .

It you know , and , and just just hearing that , that testimony , it , it , it sends , it sends chills all down my body because you know , I was in a car accident um some years back and just had the motor in my lap . You know it . Yeah , I can relate to that , that that's definitely the hand of God protecting y'all .

Let's shift gears there , Tell us about this global movement .

As I said a few minutes ago , during that time of my spiritual winking and the time of writing my book in 2020 , I had a flood of ideas and things that came to my mind about the book and the future , and one of those times when I'd woken up in the middle of the night , it was about I Spark Change .

I felt that God wanted me to write the book to help individuals and provide some inspiration and motivation to those that it would touch , and also I felt that I was being called to do more than just write the book Right , and that's where I spark change was born , because I I had read in that time I had read a book by Matthew Kelly about that .

It really doesn't take as much as we think to change the world . That , if you know each person did their part and and you know , spread it specifically talks about christianity . But if each person did their part in um spreading christianity , that you know that could could literally change the world .

And and that's what I felt I was called to do is to to do my part to to change the world , and that's where I created I spark change just a community and a platform to to elevate social impact and spread positive change and and really , um , let people know that they have the ability to impact others and the world on a daily basis , that it doesn't take

these big grand acts . You know that people , people um see on you know online or in social media , that anyone , just by positively impacting another person , by smiling at a stranger on the street , anyone has the the ability to change the world .

And so we created the community , um , we started social media where we provide motivation and inspiration on a daily basis , and all of this is has been just a foundational efforts to our next phase , which will be the world's first social impact social media platform that is completely for social good and for positive change , so a place where people can support one

another and empower each other and and provide , you know , level of support . That is all positive , not not what you see out there on on social media and um , and so that's what I spark changes is all about .

And we have a podcast where we share stories of others that are positively impacting humanity and then , as I said , we share all that on social media as well .

Believe that I'm going to say that again Prosperity is not just about money , it has to do with it , but you know to understand your purpose , to move in your purpose , that is prosperity that nobody can take from you .

As I said , after I finished writing , I really felt the the need to get it out as soon as possible , to get it out in 2020 , when people were suffering and people needed some inspiration and hope , and and so I I got it out very quickly , um , and it's .

It's on amazon , there's a , there is a paperback and a kindle version , and then also on google play there's an audio book , and , um , and the book is book is . It's a fictional ?

Um story that was inspired by that accident that I shared because in my , in my time of reflection after that accident , I went through a period of a few months really reflecting on my life and and and deciding to make some changes . And and I wrote , um .

I wrote what I called a to-do list for every day , which were 10 things that I wanted to live by after that accident , like being present , um , but treating others , all basic things , but treating others the way that that , um , they should be treated .

And and living like every day is the last , you know , my potentially my last day , and being grateful and humble . And I wanted to honor that and and I wrote that .

And as I was reflecting on that accident , just , I was sitting in my car one day and my , my mother had given me a little guardian angel pin , a little gold pin that she asked me to place in my car .

So I placed it on the visor because , you know , she , she was so convinced that my guardian angel had protected me that day , protected us , and so she asked me to put this little guardian angel pin in the car . So I put it in the car and one day I was staring up at that pin , reflecting and kind of daydreaming , as I often would after the accident .

I find myself , you know , sitting there and realizing , you know , sat there for 20 , 30 minutes and I'm staring up at that little guardian angel pin and then this idea for that would become my book hit me , like I had just watched it as a movie , like the story became very clear in my head and I thought it was really special .

And I I um said hey , I should write this because it's very special . So I wrote , I started writing about a page and and I , I went back to life and I never did anything with it . You know , use that excuse of time that I referenced earlier and that and then it wasn't until 2020 when I , when it all , came to life .

And , you know , I , I feel that , you know , christina Michael , I feel that that I wasn't ready to write the book . God wasn't , wasn't ready , didn't have me ready yet , you know , I wasn't ready on his time , and so I wrote it when everything was , you know , was the right timing , and so the book came out in 2020 . It was the inspiration .

It's a fictional tale . As I said , it's about an angel that is sent down from heaven that helps 10 individuals on earth , and they all find themselves trapped in an elevator for overnight , for a period of 12 hours , and that's where the name comes from .

And none of the strangers he meets knows that he's an angel and he helps them each with the biggest challenge they're facing during that time . And you know , that was the , that was the story that came to me after the accident and that was the inspiration for I Spark Change . And so it all began with the book .

That is one of my dreams and goals , michael , I , um , I , even even a couple of years ago , I , I , I was in talks with a producer and that all kind of you know fell , you know , fell apart , and and I , I still , you know , have that on my , my vision and I pray about that and and I feel that that will happen in God's time , because many , many people

have told me , many people have read the book and and they , they tell me that it's just , it would make a wonderful movie , and that's how I envisioned it . When I envisioned , when the story came to me , it was as if I had just watched it as a movie .

You know it was , it was so clear in my head , and so I , I would love for others to experience that in it , to to be a movie , and I just pray that , you know , I , you know the right connections happen and and that becomes a reality amen .

When we think about the negative part of it , we miss the blessing that God has for us .

It's up to you to listen to what God is saying to you , whatever that is , because you know what he's saying to you that one thing that you do , or you don't do , can be be pivotal In what's going to happen In regard to the rest of your life .

One decision can change your whole life and you know , I like how God is giving you this platform of spark Change . It's powerful to me because , um , all it takes is a spark to to start a full-blown fire , and what you're doing , it can change this world .

Um , I love how you describe it as a global movement , because that's absolutely what happens with a fire , one of those wildfires . All it takes is a spark of something , um , and heat , and you all of these components , and you got something that you know it can burn and burn , and burn , and burn , and burn , and burn , and burn and burn .

You know we can keep it burning and you don't even have to be necessarily saved to keep this spark of change going . You know what I mean . Necessarily God's timing with that , because that's , you know , it is what it is . Some people just they don't get it . You know what I mean . You would think that you know . You'd think that why wouldn't you get it ?

But ain't everybody that's about positivity connected to God ? They don't let me say it like this , they don't acknowledge it . It ain't necessarily that they're not connected to God . They don't acknowledge God , but their spirit is . They're led toward positivity . Does that make sense ?

And especially what you just said , christine that was me for a long time is that I wasn't really listening to what God wanted and it took a lot of reminders . You know , I always like to say that .

you know , if you don't listen , to god , he'll keep turning up the volume right or keep giving reminders , and so , so that you know that was me , so I would , I would um , echo what you're saying to let people know that you know , to just be listening , just just be listening , um , you know , and and go where the spirit is guiding you .

And and the other thing I would say is is our foundation of ice spark change is that everyone can impact humanity and impact others in a positive way , and it really doesn't take a lot , it just takes being aware of it . Number one , and then number two , just taking those , those tiny actions each day .

And and if you follow the the , you know the spirit , then I'm , I know you'll be guided in the right way . You know what those actions should be . So , um , so , hopefully , everyone takes that to heart . And and then , yes , to pray us out um , loving father , we thank you for this time together .

We thank you for the platform that Michael and Christine have , um , and the wonderful name of their podcast , and God's time and the rough given to us with others , in the hopes that it will help guide them in their journey and help inspire them to follow you more and to live and do your will .

And we , I just ask you , father , that you continue as we wrap up here , that you continue to bless all of us here and bless the audience , in that they will take what they've learned and they will use it to to do your will and to glorify you and to see Christ in everyone that they encounter .

And I thank you for this opportunity , father , and I praise you and glorify you in Jesus name .