LET'S DIG | Pierre & Danilee Aristil
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LET'S DIG | Pierre & Danilee Aristil
Embracing Faith and Purpose: Britney Laborde's Journey Through Sickness and Life Transitions
This episode delves deep into Britney Laborde's transformative journey through faith, healing, and the challenges of pursuing a career in the music industry. Britney shares her struggles, including a critical cancer scare, her evolution from a musician to an author, and the importance of staying grounded in faith while navigating life's complexities.
• Britney‘s early journey in pursuing her dreams in LA
• The personal challenges she faced in the music industry
• Her powerful experience of being diagnosed with potential lymphoma
• The transformation of declaring her healing and writing her book
• Navigating motherhood as a single mom while maintaining faith
• The significance of community and spiritual support in healing
Connect with Britney and grab her book, "I Am Healed." It’s a valuable read for anyone seeking to embrace their journey toward healing and purpose!
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What's up everybody. Welcome to let's Dig the Podcast. We are excited to be here today. I have a guest in the house. This is actually our second time having a guest. Everybody, real quick, say what's up to my childhood friend, brittany Laborde. Brittany, come on, say what's up sis.
Speaker 1:Hey guys, All right so she happened to be in town celebrating with some friends. Matter of fact, my older brother just got nominated for Grammy Shout out and so she's part of the family. We knew each other, I mean, since we were kids, 30 plus years so it's cool to have you here today and your story has been wild Just the last couple of hours. She's just been kind of catching us up on her story and her life. And you've written a book, you've battled sickness right, you've had publishing deals and you've been in rooms with people that you never thought you'd be in rooms with. And, yeah, and god has brought you through so many different things like you have a baby girl yeah right, so you're navigating singleness, right?
Speaker 1:you're like so all right, so you're focusing on that, but you're also practicing holiness, right? So we're gonna talk about living everything today I love it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, babe, like I.
Speaker 1:Babe, like I mean right?
Speaker 3:First of all, I just need to clarify. He said y'all known each other 30 plus years, but you said your age before we started. Do you know him since you were one?
Speaker 2:Before no, yeah, that's what I'm saying, my dad and her dad go way, way, way back.
Speaker 3:I just just wanted to make sure you didn't add like 30 plus onto my friend. Yeah, she thought I was evangelizing the numbers. Yeah, okay, so you go back before birth, that's before I was born yeah, that's what I'm saying we go way, way, way back.
Speaker 1:But the crazy thing is growing up. I was such an introvert that, like most people don't really remember me, or most most about my personality type. They may remember me but they don't know personality type. They may remember me but they don't know nothing about me. Because it's like, yeah, there was this other brother and it was like, but what did? I don't remember like what his voice sounded, like that's because I stuttered so bad I was actually about to ask you do you remember his stutter?
Speaker 3:it?
Speaker 1:no, I don't, because I just wouldn't talk.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's why?
Speaker 1:and so it's cool too, because, like you close with my brothers, yeah, like probably closer than you are with your own brothers, very close and so and I'm like I really don't even know you like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's crazy, yeah, it's true. And here you are sitting on our couch.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we about to dig, yeah we about to dig. So just kind of tell her like what.
Speaker 3:So we have a little statement and we say so if you're ready, let's dig. So today we are going to dig with our friend Brittany. We're really excited she's here. She's got a lot of goodness to tell about her story, and most of that is because God is good, and so she's going to share a little bit about her story.
Speaker 2:So, if you're ready let's dig I love it.
Speaker 3:All right. So tell us a little bit of just uh, you wrote a book. You tell us a little bit of like what started that? What's that book about? Give us a little bit about your book that you wrote.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so my book is entitled I'm Healed. Um, back in 2013, I moved to LA. I'm originally from West Palm beach, florida. Yeah and um, you know, I just feel like God called me to write the book. Um, I moved out to LA initially because of my publishing deal. I signed with the writing team slash production team, called Unscripted, and so I was fresh out of high school and Wow and moved to.
Speaker 3:LA, yeah, moved to LA, you moved to LA, yeah, yeah, the wild wild west, exactly the wild west. The wild wild west, yeah, and.
Speaker 2:I mean, it was just, I think, at an early age. I mean, I've always known who God was and I think that everything that I've gone through he had already set those things out for me. So, yeah, things happened surprisingly, but it was knowing that like I was already equipped for everything that was going to come. You know what I mean. So I didn't know I was going to be an author, I was writing music, but I didn't even know I could write music as well as I did when I signed, Like I just wanted. I grew up wanting to be like a singer or like sing in some fashion. You know, my dad is a singer. He says don't, I wasn't, I wasn't a singer, I am a singer.
Speaker 1:He'll make sure you know, yeah, yeah, yeah oh, he's checking you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's like no, it's not. Your dad was a singer. Dad is a singer okay, like yeah, and you know my dad was very well known in the Haitian community, um, and grew up again working with, you know, peter's dad and um, that's where my love for music came, my love for worship came, my love for like just God came in general. So you know, it just was a domino effect, just of obedience.
Speaker 1:How long were you in LA Like when you came out?
Speaker 2:For almost 10 years I spent all of my like I turned. I was turned 21. Here I turned. You know what I mean Early 20s, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was like 19,.
Speaker 1:I think, Wow, what was what was like one of the biggest challenges that you have faced being in LA in the middle of the music industry. Hollywood young, a girl black like all these things, the only girl in our team, so what do you feel like could have been like one of the biggest challenges that you faced?
Speaker 2:I think just in general, you know when you know you're in a playground that's not full of saints you know you're set apart, you know. I think the challenge is just, you know, navigating that, navigating those rooms.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of things around you it's weed, it's alcohol, it's like there's no session without people smoking weed in it like there's, you know what I mean, and these are all things that were like, not to say weed and alcohol, and those things were foreign to me, as if I I mean, I went to a Christian school, grew up in a Christian school, but like you know, you know, to me the worst you know what I mean.
Speaker 3:So it's, just it became so normalized for you.
Speaker 1:It was like oh, they just doing this.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, this is it. Like this is the lifestyle, like this is. I can't operate outside of this and that was dangerous you know to see everyone kind of operating in that space to where it's like. But who are you really? You know?
Speaker 1:Let's talk about that, like, did you, did you encounter people um, or some of the people that you were in this with, lose themselves?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Yeah, you know one of my team members did you know and you know I wouldn't even be able to pinpoint exactly what it was, because like I said you're in a, in a place full of, in everything's influential.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, you know, it's the music that you even have to create yeah you know, um, especially when you're signed as a songwriter and you have different artists and you know and are telling you, hey, this is what this artist needs and this is the type of record that they want, and like make it a little bit more raunchy, or make a little bit more this, or like, yeah, and it's like I'm not even living this right now, right something that wasn't true for yourself yeah, like, and that's part of why I felt like god had to remove me out of the situation.
Speaker 2:you can't speak to what you don't know. You know, so it's easy for you to be influenced by all the things that are going on around you, but for me, like, my identity is in Christ, so I don't know how to operate out of that.
Speaker 3:What would you say to a young girl, or even to yourself in that season, like, what would you say to a young girl who's maybe walking through something like that, where they're in an environment that is not like them? It's influencing them, whether they know it or not. It could be influencing them. But how would you encourage that young girl who is set apart but in the darkness and what? How would you encourage her to like, not let it affect her?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's just stay connected to your source. Yeah stay connected to god that's big because if you have him, you have everything that's right, like there is no, not to say that you won't fall right. I mean, you're human and god knows that about you too. He made you right. But at the same time I always say, like people who are and at the time wanting to to LA, like they just thought LA is just the place to be you got to live there, that's how and that's attached to your success and that is almost becomes your identity, like if you're not there you won't be anything.
Speaker 2:But that's not true. You know what I mean. This is just a place you know, um. So I would just say like stay connected to yeah. This is just a place you know. Stay connected. It's not um, it's not what you know, it's who you know. Yeah, and if you know god for real, then you will be your source.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's true, you'll have everything you need.
Speaker 1:That's big. So I'm looking at your book here on amazon yeah I'm gonna take a moment.
Speaker 1:Um, this is exciting to kind of see this. This is called I am healed, the tribute to finding the healing you need in pursuit of your purpose, which I want to talk about this a little bit because you, here, you are this younger out of high school who was writing songs. You went from writing songs songwriter to being an author. And also let me take a moment right now to just everybody that's joining us right now on YouTube. If you're, if you're enjoying this conversation already, don't forget, hit that like button, hit that heart button too. As well. We appreciate all the love. Everybody that's joining us on Spotify, on Apple Podcasts, all those platforms, don't be afraid to write us a review. This conversation. I know it's going to bless somebody right now because even as we talk about this, like finding yourself while finding healing and finding purpose, is really big for all of us.
Speaker 1:I think so many of us really struggle with trying to figure out why am I here, like why am I in this room? I've dealt with the thought of I've been in situations where I'm in a room with artists or in a room with producers or in a room with, like musicians, and I can see everybody around me. I'm like okay, this person got millions of followers, this person got thousands of followers. This person has all this kind of influence and there's times I'm asking myself like, but why am I even here? What's my purpose here? Because sometimes we try to attach our purpose to, let's say, just our gift. So my gift is music, so I think my purpose has to be just music here. But then I realized, like God has actually given us so many other gifts. There's natural gifts, there's even supernatural gifts, right Gifts of encouragement, right Gifts of prayer, gifts of healing, gifts of just faith.
Speaker 3:You know what I?
Speaker 1:mean Coming in agreement with somebody. I've been in rooms with people where someone shared with me their story and I'm like hey, bro, you believe in prayer? I was with this girl the other day. I wasn't with this girl. Let me say that.
Speaker 3:Let me clear that up. I was with this girl, the other day. Her name was Danny Lee.
Speaker 1:No, no, um. So our offices at the church we're in this industrious space. It's, um, it's a very collaborative space where there's a lot of businesses and entrepreneurs and things like that that rent out suites. So our church, right now we're in a temporary space and we're renting out some suites and there's a lounge area where it's a collaborative space where everybody can come in and just eat or hang out or read or study or do like different things.
Speaker 1:So I was coming in there on a Saturday to grab some stuff and there's this young lady in there. She's in there, she's studying for her bar right, her bar. I'm like okay, wild. And so I walked by and said, hey, how's it going? I don't ever see people here on Saturday. What are you doing here? And she's like, hey, she's like I'm actually just studying. I'm like what are you studying for my bar? I was like wow, that's crazy, I'm sorry to 10 hours a day. Like yo, this is wild. She's like I, I'm just really hoping that I can pass this exam. She was like I was like okay, cool. And then she's like like, what do you do? Like, what are you doing here?
Speaker 1:I said I'm a pastor, you know. Like we have offices here. She's like, oh, okay. She's like okay, that's cool. I was like like cool. I was like, well, if you're ever looking for a church to just plug into. So I kind of just did that whole thing, right. But I didn't just want to force myself on her like, hey, come to our church, like if you ever need a church, right. But she was like, okay, cool. So when I left, she's like pray for me. I stopped. I was like what'd you just say? She was like pray for me. I was like, okay, I have a gift in praying and interceding. We're going to pray for you right now. Cause, again, I walked through this room. I just went to go grab something in my office, right. But the ultimate purpose that I have in this room with this person is to come in agreement with them with prayer and in faith and so, like kind of talk about this right now, and we're going to put the link here. This is the link right here, for I'm I'm healed.
Speaker 1:I'm going to show you guys this right now, if you guys can see it here on on on Amazon but we'll put the link for you guys to be able to follow Brittany and get the book links and all that stuff. But I want you to kind of talk about that Like a young, a young lady. You're talented, you're gifted, you know the things that you have inside of you. You walk into the room and there's people in the room that know, know what they know, they know the natural things, but you know spiritually the things that God has put in you. Like how do you navigate, like walking in purpose, when you're in a room with people that, let's say they don't know you and you're like man? I'm not just going to waste time in this um, I would.
Speaker 2:I would just say, like, when you're placed in those positions, like god, really, the holy spirit is just gonna do the work. You know what I mean?
Speaker 2:I'm just a vessel yeah it's really like britney is out of, like that's out of my mind. I'm really like, okay, god, whatever you want to do in this space, do it. You know, because if I say it was based off of my strength, my knowledge, my wisdom, I'd be lying to you Because, like I said, like we talked earlier, I was like sometimes I say things and it goes out of my head. I don't even remember what I said, but I only know that that happens because it's not me, it's only just the Holy Spirit just using me to speak in those in those rooms and just in those circumstances, in those rooms and just in those circumstances. So I think that you know making sure that, like I can't not talk about God.
Speaker 2:You want to know who I am. You're going to know who Jesus is. Okay, that's just the reality of it. You know what I mean. So I can't get away from that. You want to know who I am. You're going to know how God saved me. You want to know who I am. You're going to know who I am. You're going to know how he's redeemed me, how he's cared me, how he's protected me. So God's going to be in the room, god's going to be in the conversation, no matter what, and so I think that's the best way for me to navigate is letting God be God.
Speaker 1:So why I'm healed Like tell us the story behind that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'm healed was just an affirmation that I felt like I needed to speak into my own life, um, back in 2013. So the year that I moved out to LA, I was. So we signed to the publishing, um, the publishing label, in May of 2013. Um, I had graduated high school the year before and I was like we're moving to.
Speaker 1:LA Like this, is it, it's happening, you know.
Speaker 2:And July, I woke up one day and I had like a huge lump in my neck and it kind of like we didn't, I didn't really notice it at first. And then I'm like, okay, this is noticeable. Went to my mom about it. It was like, what do you think this is? And we went to the doctor and they checked it out and they're like, yeah, we're gonna do a biopsy. We went into surgery. I think it was like days later, if not like the following day, and so, um, you know, at first they had a idea that maybe it was lymphoma cancer. Um, they said that they felt like it was. You know, my cells were cancerous and so, um, they were already kind of like giving me pamphlets like this is how to treat it, this is all that yeah and I feel like, subconsciously, I was like I rebuke this in jesus name yeah, you know yeah but I do remember very clearly um being like you know what.
Speaker 2:God, if this is where we're going, whatever you're on, I'm on on.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:And when I look back at it, I was like I was 19. Wow, but to hear something like that a doctor tell your mother that your child has cancer or she could have cancer or whatever, and to be in a position where you can even say, oh okay, god, let's roll. Yeah, that's huge. So you know. And so you know. We did the biopsy operation and it came back negative.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:And the doctors are like no, we got to do this again. We got to do this again Cause, like we seen what we seen, it was very clear. Like I said, they had already given me the pamphlets.
Speaker 2:They might even still be at my mom's house and they were very clear about that. And so we, we went back into surgery. I mean, it was so long ago now, it feels like, but maybe like a month or so afterwards and it was the same report. Yeah. So I have like it was like here and like they, they pulled out another lymph node in the back and so I was like, well, you know, we could check that off. You know, but I was believing God already, yeah, in advance, like I'd already believed him for just the healing that's amazing In advance, you know. So I'm healed was just something that like from the beginning, you know, you stood on that from yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we've been there and we've been there before. Yeah, like we've had stories, like situations, especially like with Dan and Lee, stuff that we just and with the kids, that we just had to believe what God says and not what people say.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I always encourage women that I walk through things with. I'm like. Say yeah, and I always encourage women that I walk through things with. I'm like. You have to make what God's word says louder than what the enemy tries to tell you, because our minds and our brains will tell us something different. Yeah, our doctors will tell us something different, but we have the truth and the truth is, I am healed by his stripes.
Speaker 3:I am healed Absolutely, and so we have to, and I cause you, like as women, like our brains will just tell us something over and over and over again and we have to constantly combat that. So I have some friends right now walking through risky pregnancies or whatever that health scare is. I'm always telling them, like you have to make the word of God louder, and that only happens by us reading it and by us saying it more than the enemy is saying in our head.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I love that you said that too, because it even has to be louder than what you see, because the pain was there, the fatigue was there, the hair loss was there.
Speaker 3:These are.
Speaker 2:Then what you feel, what is like tangible, you know, and so that's a part of it too, like that's a different level of faith where it's like I know what it is that I feel.
Speaker 3:We walk by faith and not by sight.
Speaker 1:And that's. That's the faith walk there is. Literally the Bible says without faith is impossible to please God, and I think people want to get saved, People want to believe in God but not believe God. See what I mean People want to believe in God, but not believe him and like he's the truth, like Jesus is the way, and so the only way to walk out, what we walk out is by faith. If, without faith, there's nothing for us to do.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because it's only by what we believe, not by what we see. So you might see something, you might feel something, you might even know something. Right, because especially knowledge to man, right, there might be things that we know and understand naturally, but with God we live by faith, and so for people to walk this faith, walk out, it's literally just knowing like hey, I don't know what's ahead, but I know who's walking with me.
Speaker 2:That's it Right. Like you know what I mean, and it's just a straight fate, like faith.
Speaker 1:So it's cool to even hear you Like you hear. You heard what the doctor said. You see what's on your body, body you can feel what's happening in front of you, yeah, but you choose to walk by faith and believe god's words that we are healed yeah, yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:I didn't know that. He's bigger than it. You know he's bigger than all of this yeah, you know yeah if he said, if I, if he wanted to, he'd all this stuff would be over right now. Yeah, he'd end it right now, yeah he has the power to do that right so my faith is in him, yep um, but if he chooses not to, so we got to speak to the fact that, like sometimes you ask him but it may not be his timing you know um, and just trusting that you know his time and our time is yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:He's on a different time zone I say all the time he's like what is that he's on a different
Speaker 2:time zone. Yeah, he's like what's time I mean to be?
Speaker 3:real, he's not confined by time, right.
Speaker 2:Right, he's like what is that? What is this word?
Speaker 3:you're telling me child. But it's true, he's not confined, choosing to know that even when he doesn't answer how he wants to or how we want him to.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:That we choose to believe that he is still good. Yeah, yeah, that's good. And that, even though I have questions, and I have big questions, and I may have an attitude about it or I may have a feeling about it yeah, I may have anger about it, I may have, you know, a lot of hurt, but I have to choose to believe. No, I know God is good Even in this. God is good, even in this really terrible situation. It doesn't change who he is and he is good.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So so all right. So you told us you got a baby girl. Yes, how old is she? She's three. She's three.
Speaker 3:She's so beautiful, yeah, that's crazy, so three and you just turned 31.
Speaker 1:I just turned 31. So are you like you know. If you don't mind me getting too much in your business, no, let's do it. What's the story Like? So you're a single mom.
Speaker 2:Yes, I am yeah.
Speaker 1:So, like you know, tell us a story like three years ago, four years ago, what was that like?
Speaker 2:Like my father and I, we were best friends in high school, so we were really really good friends and so we were friends and then later on I think around like 2017, we started dating and I was living in LA since 2013. So he lived in back in Florida and then decided to move to LA, and so we're like you know what? Let's do this.
Speaker 2:I mean, you've been my best friend since I was you know um marriage, of course, was always at the forefront. You know what I mean, especially um Haitian household. Like you're going to live with who You're with what You're what?
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, so yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know what I mean. So that was always the goal, like, ultimately, like I thought that was going to be my husband and so we got pregnant with Braylon and it was in a. We were not in the best space, yeah, and it was a lot going on was the pandemic, like, and so even when, like things got really real in LA, he was actually out of the country at the time. He had just gone on a quick trip with his friends and I'm like trying to go through like 10 different routes and ride aids and stuff like that, trying to get water, and I'm like you don't really understand.
Speaker 2:Like yeah, this is great. Something's happening out here. You know what I mean. So it was just a lot going on in um in general, like mentally, spiritually, definitely. You know, um, that was going on and and we just couldn't figure it out, you know, and um, in that season, god was doing a lot in and through me too. Um, I was actually caring for and this story is kind of um, I don't know if we want to kind of go into this story too, but, like, at the time, I was caring for a friend who was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. Wow, and she actually is the, so my ex. We dated like, I think like 2012 for a short period of time, but that's the mother of his child.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And we connected because I always ask God, like it wasn't that lymphoma, I ended up being diagnosed with lupus ultimately. But why the lymphoma? Like, why did we even have to go there? Why was that, even in conversation, if that wasn't what it was?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And literally so from 2013 to 2020, I was like, OK, I don't know what that is, but I knew that God was going to reveal it to me and it was in her.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And I was her caregiver, like she lived in um in Scottsdale Arizona. I would drive six hours from LA to go and like care for her up until the day she passed.
Speaker 1:Wow yeah.
Speaker 2:So, um, it was a lot. That was a very like sensitive time, but God was moving and I knew it was so purposeful because, like, yeah, you, my exes, like that's why yeah, you know what I mean. Or this is my, this is not even, yeah, like for her it was like this is the father of my child, like you dated him, yeah, and you are someone who was like significant to him, like I still like know who his mom is, who his family is, and stuff like that. Yeah, and it was. You can tell like there was a lot of like turmoil within their relationship too, but like he was not you know honest with me.
Speaker 2:Like you know, there was infidelity within our relationship and so I felt like there was a lot of things that God even did through that Like. And so I feel like there was a lot of things that God even did through that Like. It was so purposeful. He needed someone who went through what she went through was going to bring, like her closer to God and to be able to relate to her in a way that, like, as far as her relationships go um, as far as her you know diagnosis went um, going through those treatments together and, um, god was in the center of that relationship through and through and through, like. We even had an opportunity, thank god, to to document what was happening with us and what god was doing through us yeah and um.
Speaker 2:God used that's what I'm saying. God will use sickness sometimes.
Speaker 1:Like he'll use the most difficult situations to really like get his glory.
Speaker 2:And you know, even then we prayed and I prayed and I advocated for her and I was the person, like the doctor, would be like do you guys have any more questions?
Speaker 2:She looked to me like that was like my first experience, I mean, of just feeling like I was really on assignment, but like this was like my child, like I never knew a love like that, ever, never. That was the closest thing to me understanding like what that parenting love is and that unconditional love is. God will see you something so unconventional, so like left field, and make it so beautiful. Like people will be like why are y'all friends? Like? And in a short period of time, she got diagnosed in January of 2019. We remain like. She started her treatment immediately. She was diagnosed with stage four. I didn't know this then, but they had given her six months. But I was working at this company and I was like, god, get me out of here. I was literally about to be done with my book. Well, I had just completed my book and they were editing my book. The day that I got my edits for my book is the day that they let me go for my job.
Speaker 1:And I was like, well, I'm going to yeah, like, and this is what it is, and honestly, my heart's desire was always like entrepreneurship.
Speaker 2:It was always like this it was always just like speaking about just like entrepreneurship. It was always like this it was always just like speaking about, just like I can't not talk about what god's done for me, like you know, and so the fact that he gave me that space and that time- to be able to serve and I served her and she has um a.
Speaker 3:They had a baby boy together yeah and at the time he was like two yeah, yeah and you know navigating that so, yeah, it was just all purposeful.
Speaker 1:So how's it for you now, like you know, being a single mom, yeah navigating that and just like you know what's the support life for you, like what you know, and even that intertwining with you know um singleness, right, yeah, like what does that look like? Like the future for that, like you know yeah, another man into the picture and yeah raising up a baby girl Like you know. How have you been navigating all that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. I think like even when I got pregnant and we separated, I was like again I found myself and I kind of feel like I'm realizing this now. I was like, ok, god if it's, what are we doing?
Speaker 2:It's me and you. What are we doing? If it's what, what are we doing? Yeah, it's me and you. What are we doing? You know, um, and I didn't know to what capacity he was going to, um, I mean, he comes from a great family, but I didn't know what that would look like ultimately. You know, um, but all I know is like it's like me and you got what we doing, you know, and so I moved back to florida and it didn't make sense to be in LA. Anyways, la was shut down. I was working from home. I was initially working in an office, and then we went remote a hundred percent, um, you know, and it was just so much cheaper. I was like, let's move anywhere.
Speaker 3:We want to move to. I was begging Jesus to move us in 2020.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was like rent is cheap out there. Like what do you want to do? California was great for 2020. Yeah, it was just a lot, so, you know, but I felt like God had told me it's time for you to go back. Yeah, and for so many reasons. Like I got to spend time with my grandmother, who ended up passing away shortly after that, my uncle, who shortly passed away, like right after that. Like living in LA too. I mean, when you move at such a young age and when you go to really pursue your dreams and your goals and things like that, like I don't think we talk about the separation from like your family enough, you know, and like the things that, like the traditions, like all those things kind of like go out the window because your friends become your family. That's very true, you know.
Speaker 2:So, honestly, I became closer to my siblings after I got pregnant with braylon yeah I didn't really even have much of a relationship with any of my siblings at the time. Yeah, I just lived in a. Yeah, I just lived in a whole new world. Um, and my friends became my family.
Speaker 1:We, we're all we had yeah, you know yeah and so that was just ultimately it, you're one of.
Speaker 2:You're one of five um, technically I'm one of four, but, um, I have a little sister who my mom adopted um, which is really her brother's daughter. So my cousin, um, but I'm one of five, pretty much, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, youngest. Yeah, I'm the youngest. Yeah, that's wild.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and, like you know, I'm literally the youngest, youngest cause. Ralph is in his forties. You know um John, and then my sister and I are six years apart or five years apart.
Speaker 1:Wow, yeah, I didn't realize, you guys that far apart.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm like. So when you were little, like I remember you Cause your sister's my age. Yeah, yeah. So I was like really the youngest. So even the fact that, like Sam and Timmy and I are as close as we are yeah, I don't even know how that that's so cool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's crazy. Yeah, wow, it's really cool Wow.
Speaker 1:Wow, it's a. It's cool to hear your story. It's cool hearing, like, how you've gotten to where you are now.
Speaker 1:And it's even interesting for you to mention. You know, being young, pursuing your goals, pursuing your dreams, pursuing your passion, and in hindsight you're looking back like man. What like? What are the priorities that really matter? Right, family, right, your environment? You know you're plugged in at a church too. Now, right, those are things that you know like when you're young you don't think much of. Until you start getting older, you start realizing, like man, community tribe, like all that plays a role in the person that you are right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, even when I came out to LA, I went to one church and I probably I think I moved in on like Monday or Tuesday. Yeah, I was at Bible study on Wednesday night. When it was Wednesday night, then we moved it to Thursday, but then Sunday I was at church and I stayed at church. Yeah, I stayed at church. I even served. I was part of the praise team at some point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's cool.
Speaker 2:God, let me know. Okay, this is your home right, like when you get off the airplane, like this is your home right when I went home and then like this is your other home, like this is where you need to remain, this is where I'm going to use you. I'm going to like you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:So so much purpose, and then I always tell people that too, oh, you want to move to LA, find a church, get plugged in, be around people who are going to keep you grounded, remember who you were like, remember what you're coming from and don't lose that. You have to.
Speaker 3:That's huge Cause it really can. This city, this environment really can swallow you up and it can actually make you question and forget everything that you are and who you were before you came here. And so, like, like I can't tell you how many times we tell people get grounded in a church yes, get people that will ask you where were you last week?
Speaker 3:Yeah, are you okay? What's going on? What's going on with you? Something's off, like you have to have those people that really, truly care about you and will get in the mess with you Absolutely.
Speaker 3:But if you do not open yourself up to those relationships and if you don't seek them out, you'll be alone by yourself, and the enemy's favorite place for you to be is by yourself, absolutely, like isolation is his best tool that he has. And so, especially in the world we live in, with how complicated relationships can be and how hard it feels to make connections, like sometimes it doesn't feel like they come natural. Especially out in California is different out here y'all. But like to just encourage everyone like open yourself up, do the hard work to find people that truly care about you and that will check on you, and we'll walk in a messy situation with you.
Speaker 1:That's big. I think so too, man Like um. I think people really need to really work hard at discovering their purpose.
Speaker 1:You know, really knowing why they exist, really understanding their assignment. You know, because I think I've seen people. Well, I'm gonna talk for like, just for myself. I've been in some relationships and not even not romantic relationship, but let's say they were work relationships or just, you know, seasonal like like relationships, like with friendships or mentors or people that are that was helping me out, that I knew there was a season where just the assignment was just complete and I think people stay in environments or people stay in relationships, or they stay at a job past the due date, knowing that it's served it, it's, it's served its purpose. Yeah, like the time is just up yeah and I think people really need to.
Speaker 1:I think we as people like and for me, I want to get better at it and I think I'm getting better at it at just knowing, like, why am I here, right? What am I doing here? And if, what I'm doing here, is it done? Yeah, because if it's just done, I can make peace with it. Because you start feeling tension, you start feeling, um, you know, friction, yeah, and sometimes it means because, like, you have to work through it. Yeah, other times it's because you're just done. Yeah, like you know. So I like, how you said, there was a certain time where you realized, like, hold up yeah doors are closing yeah, literally in a pandemic.
Speaker 1:I got this baby girl. This relationship just dissolved. Yeah, I'm working from home. Yeah, it sounds like a season is just done. Yeah, yeah, it literally is that versus trying to plow through it and trying to make it work. Yeah, and I think people just really need to really be able to read the room.
Speaker 3:Yeah, what would you say is because I can understand the difference in what you're saying of like there are times you actually it can feel like there's tension, but you have to push through it, like that's just you growing, that's you just learning how to deal with tough relationships or whatever. And then there's other times where it's like, no, actually I think this is over. How would you like encourage someone or what would you say to them if they don't know what season they're in, of whether they need to work through that adversity or it is actually a season that's over?
Speaker 1:I think we need to go into something with already an identified, measurable goal. People go into relationships or go into a situation or a project or a job or something like that, with just no idea of how they want the outcome to be. So when it gets tough, when we bump our heads, when there's friction, oh I'm uncomfortable. Surely I got gotta get out of this. Yeah, but it's like no, no no, no, no why'd you get into it and has that happened?
Speaker 1:yeah, like you know what I'm saying yeah I think so many you know we, we talked about that. Like even for you, like you know, in your career path of like, if you're gonna come go from a to b, what determines you're done with a? Yeah, like have you it's. It's like playing video games. Right, I remember like playing. You know mario world. You know what I mean.
Speaker 3:Like you don't talk about the a button and the b button no, I ain't talking, bro, I was like I know you are not gonna make no, I'm done. I ain't talking about that's what I was thinking of the controller.
Speaker 1:There's an a and b and I was like I know you're not about to make this thing right imagine when you're playing a video game and you need to go to level two, yeah, or you need to go to a whole nother world. There's certain things that you have to pass Right as an indicator, saying that you are done Right you hear that little song yeah Indicator. Yeah, time to pass. Yeah, you've graduated. Yeah that's true, or you're here and you died.
Speaker 2:Yeah you died.
Speaker 1:That's the sound that you're not done yet. Some people just skip, some people just pass, or some people try to find some hack to jump to the next level. Yeah, but then start having imposter syndrome because they're in a season where they feel like a fake or a phony, because Because you got some stuff you didn't pass in the last season and then you know you don't deserve to be here, right now yeah, that's good, you're trying to play us all that's really good, like what I'm saying, yeah, and so I think like we need to really go into something with already.
Speaker 1:Like you know, I'm a vision board guy. I love to journal, so I go into everything with already. What do I want the outcome to be? And I'm not coming out of this until I see the outcome of what I envisioned. Now, unless it was out of this world, unless it was me being pretentious or me fantasizing something like that. Most of the time it is practical and it is tangible, right. So that's what I would say for people that are going into situations that's trying to figure out is my time up, am I supposed to be coming out of this to figure out? Is my time up, am I supposed to be coming out of this right? Has the purpose, has it been fulfilled? Well, really determine, are you doing what you said you was going to do?
Speaker 3:right, yeah, you know the accountability, and, above that, I would even say that you have to pray about it yep and I love when actually I pray like god. Will you close the door so that I don't have to? Yeah, in the sense of make it so obvious I don't question it anymore, because when you're in that season of questioning it's really tough and you don't know which way to go.
Speaker 3:I made a recently made a decision to switch salons and it was really hard for me. I had a note in my phone since October so over three months of pros and cons because I just genuinely didn't know, like, what is this move? I wasn't expecting a move, I wasn't trying to move, I wasn't looking for a move, and now I have this opportunity in front of me that is so good I'd be dumb not to take it. And so I needed, like I needed clarity. I needed, and finally, when I came to that moment of clarity, of like, okay, I have to do this, this is what's going to get me to build what I want to build, I had such a relief. The like weight was off my shoulders. This weekend I finished at my last one and I love those girls. I had made great friendships, and so that was actually what was hard to leave, but once I felt that peace, like that peace will pass all understanding.
Speaker 3:So when you know, like you've made a decision and you have that peace run with it. Know that, that's that. And if you made a decision and you don't have peace, know that that's red alarms and you need to go back and fix them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely pressing back into and just asking God for that discernment Cause, even when I ended up getting let go from the previous job that I told you about around the time that my assignment was summer.
Speaker 3:Right yeah.
Speaker 2:And my book was literally completed that same day. I got my edits back Right. But, the thing is like being mindful to being faithful while you're waiting, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because, oh my God, this job, I'm over it. Okay, I was like I want to quit. If it was off of my strength I would have been gone already, right. But at the same time I know that sometimes people say, oh God told me to quit.
Speaker 2:No, babe God did not tell you to quit Right know, or even if he did, it wasn't today right and so I I remember just being in that season and just asking god, like if I make that, if I quit, that's my move. But if you have them, let me go, that's, that's your and I'm not gonna force them, I'm not gonna do anything. I'm gonna still be a top performer. I'm going to still do my thing Right, but like being faithful in the little things. However, when it's time for you to pull me out, it's different.
Speaker 2:I know that you're going to pull me out and when I tell you I remember how I felt when I drove home that day, giving God all the glory and all the honor and all the praise.
Speaker 3:And just like, literally, just feeling like thank you, jesus, like yeah, now I can do what you really want me to do.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying like here's your book in your hands. Now go and go here it is. Yeah.
Speaker 1:And here's that with the assignment too right assignment, yeah yeah, and that that's an indicator, too, that god is in it, because, even though you lost this job, you have peace, you have joy and you got a praise on your lips and you have purpose.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because you got purpose in your box.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because if he was like pissed mad, cussing, fussing, pouting. I'm like I don't know if god's in that you just quit. No, for real, you made that decision yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I'm telling you not quitting also gives you provision too.
Speaker 3:That's when you can fall in employment. That's true. He listened to me for another.
Speaker 2:True, he took care of me for another six weeks. He took care of me for like literally through and through. I never lacked, even through that season. I went like six months really, yeah. And honestly, when Summer passed, ultimately that was her name Summer. I don't know if I told you guys that, but when Summer passed I went back to Florida. I mean, I went back to LA the following day after a funeral. I had a job interview and actually this happened to be a job that I had applied for an interview for previously. They didn't give me the job and then they reached out to me and they had me come into interview the next day. That next day I went to go. I think I had to valet my car. That was the first time ever that a car declined wow, I got hired on the spot.
Speaker 2:Wow, a six-figure salary wow and I had not lacked and when I even went through the interview like the CEO was like you interviewed with us before what are you like what?
Speaker 2:yeah, you know, and they're like you know, I know I'm having an interview with you, but like there was a guy that I spoke to that already told me to not let you leave up out of here without you being a part of this company, so like he was already speaking my name in rooms that I had no idea about and literally making way. But that's the thing about letting go and letting God for real and just trusting. It's not just about, like I mean, he's really a provider, like he really cares about you you know what I mean and he cares about like just the things concerning you. And when you do get removed out of situations that you know no longer serves you, but you start to handle God's, business.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so true.
Speaker 2:And through.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's so true. Yeah, man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, god's been moving in your life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's like undeniable and I'm like one thing about it is like you know, you might hear what I like, my thoughts, my faith and in in all of these things, but like one thing you can't deny is like literally God's hand in my life. I can't make it up. Yeah, I'm here, like you know what I'm saying, and so I think that just speaks for itself.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's big, he's amazing so what is next for you? You wrote a book. Book, yeah, raising a baby girl. Like what do you? What are you shooting for next?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm just in a season Like I said, I just turned 31 in November but I feel like that birthday God was very clear about. Like it's time, yeah, like it's time for you to really speak now. It's time for you to really talk about the things you know. Um, and I remember even like for my birthday post, um the, the church, like I sing at the church, I'm part of the praise team and um, they're always getting great photos of us, like whether that's, and I'm always like saying y'all catch me when I'm crying boogers and everything. Ugly face crying.
Speaker 3:Ugly face crying yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2:But there's a photo that was taken of me and I just remember even where I was when the photo was taken and I was just like God, like I surrender all to you, like I don't want to live a life apart from you.
Speaker 2:I really want you to like use me you know, and like I remember and the the photo was me is with me, uh, with a mic in my hand, and like I mean I was up there serving, but like I was just you could tell it was like God, like speak through me, use me less of me more of you like that's where I'm at, like, and you're coming soon, so we don't have time to play around like, if we're gonna do this, do, let's do it. You know what I mean. And so I think, like I know that that's for certain.
Speaker 1:Um, everything else is like may as well be done you know, I know what I want.
Speaker 2:I mean, I want marriage, of course, like singleness has not been. You know the easing, because god knows the desires of my heart. But yeah, um, being obedient is just that's big. It's tough, but big. Well, you know what's on the other side?
Speaker 1:everything, yeah, yeah so thank you so much for being here with us. Thank you for rocking with us. We're going to post Brittany's contact or her IG stuff. The book links guys to this YouTube channel Also in all the descriptions too, as well.
Speaker 1:Show her, show her some love, get that book, connect with her. She's good people. You guys already know what it's like. We're here to help everybody grow deeper relationships with God, others and themselves. And that's the biggest thing Life gets better when relationships do, and so when we learn to have better relationships with our peers, with our families, with our siblings, with our coworkers, with our bosses, with ourselves and, more importantly, with Jesus, that's the one that matters more than anything else. You get your life right.
Speaker 1:With Christ, everything comes in order. You guys can already hear right now, even from our tone man, that we are grateful because of God's grace. We're grateful for his mercy, that he has set us free and, in spite all situations, doesn't matter what you're going through, it doesn't matter if it's mental health, doesn't matter if it's financial, whatever is happening, there is no mountain that's bigger than our God, and so we love you guys. Thank you for rock with us. Brittany Laborde, thank you for rocking with us today. Thank you for having me Jumping on the channel. Um, that's it, man. We love you guys and what we'll see them next time.
Speaker 3:We'll see y'all next time. We love y'all, peace.
