004 Elevate Your Life - Pastor Nathaniel Cox
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Hey y'all. Hey, it's your girl, JE. Welcome back to the Elevate Your Life podcast. I want you to get ready for an inspiring conversation with my [00:01:00] friend and brother, pastor Nathaniel Cox. He is the passionate senior pastor of Grace and Zion Church in the beautiful city of Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a devoted husband, a proud girl, dad, author, and respected community leader.
Pastor Cox has traveled the globe being led by the Lord to boldly share the life-changing message of the gospel. His journey is marked by purpose, power, and an unwavering faith impacting lives both at home and around the world. Wow. Pastor Cox, my brother, my friend. My high school classmate. What's up?
Welcome to the Elevate Your Life podcast. How you doing today? I'm doing good. Doing good Running for Jesus. You ain't got Tja a long time. Amen. Now listen that that was my introduction of you and how I see Pastor Nathaniel Co. But for [00:02:00] people that are not familiar with you, how would you. Describe Pastor Nathaniel Cox.
Hmm. Passionate for Jesus. I love him. I love him. I love him. And I want people to know him. So I'm willing to do whatever's necessary, be transformed in whatever way I need to be transformed. Yeah. To get this message out. Absolutely. I love that about you. I was telling my producer that you and I of course went to high school together.
Mm-hmm. Scotland County, Scotland High School. That's right. Yes. But you know, I also have this running joke that your class graduated before mine, so that makes you a little older, but you don't see it. I teach. I teach as we would say. A little bit. Just a little bit. Just a little bit. No, that is hilarious.
But I wanted to talk a little bit today just about our journeys. Mm-hmm. I think as ministers of the gospel starting out. At a young age. Yes. And now you know the Bible [00:03:00] say I was younger, now I'm old, little older, you know? So, and to talk a little bit about our journey with that, so. I will start off with the initial question of what was that initial stirring or experience for you that helped you to understand that God was calling you to preach the gospel?
So my call into the ministry was like a multivitamin. Mm. It, it was a two in one kind of deal. Mm-hmm. So I received salvation. I told God yes. And I didn't realize what all was included in the yes. And it really kind of came at me kind of fast. Yeah. In the sense of, you know, I, I received salvation.
The Lord put an extreme hunger in me mm-hmm. When I first got saved. Mm-hmm. So I grabbed my Bible I went to a Bible chart. I started making my way from Genesis to Revelation. Wow. I'm age 18. I'm grabbing my Bible. I'm in it every day. Yeah. [00:04:00] I'm reading, I'm praying, and then I'm traveling with my pastor.
Shout out to the reverend, Dr. Otis t McMillan, wonderful preacher who was Oh, wonderful preacher Maggie, man of God. For sure. If you have not heard him, go to YouTube. Pull him up and let your life be changed. Yeah. So I was traveling with him. This is the days when we had five day revivals. Mm-hmm.
Afternoon service. Yeah. Evening service on Sunday. So we may be together, you know, five days during the week. All during the day I'm reading the Bible. And I started feeling the call mm-hmm. To ministry. But at that particular time, I had never really seen too many young preachers. And, you know mm-hmm.
That just wasn't a thing for us back then. Yeah. We didn't have a lot of examples. And of course, you even more than me as a, yeah. As a female preacher. Absolutely. Definitely no examples around like that. Yeah. So, I didn't really see that, and I, my first thought process was. God, I'm too young for that.
Mm-hmm. You, I can't, I [00:05:00] can't be hearing what you're saying to me correctly. Maybe, maybe I'm off. Yeah. Maybe you're saying I'm called, but I'll do it when I'm 35. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. Yeah. Right, because that's mostly, mostly what we saw, or maybe even a little bit later. People were retiring and, and just getting started, right?
Yeah. In the, in the ministry. So I really wrestled with that. And in my reading, going through the scripture, I. When it really got heavy on me mm-hmm. Because I would, I would literally. Wake up in the middle of the night with my soul preaching. Mm. Right. Yeah. You know, tears running down the side of my face.
Yeah. And my, I mean, my insides are preaching sermons that I wish I could hear today. I don't. Yeah. I, I remember waking up going, God, please gimme that one back. Yeah. Give it back to me Lord. I was good. Whatever it was. Jesus. I, it was good Lord. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So my insides were just preaching and it was like, God, I know you're talking to me.
I know you're calling me. I said, father, gimme a word. If, if this is it. Yeah. Speak to me. Well, I opened [00:06:00] my Bible. Now. I'm not doing the one where you just flip the pages. Mm-hmm. And, and put your finger down. Yeah. Oh, this must be my word. This must be my word. Not that I'm actually making my way through, through the scripture and I, that day was Jeremiah chapter one.
Wow. Wow. Now, I don't know Jeremiah chapter one. Yeah. What he's gonna say. Yeah. But I, but Jeremiah of course is the prophet that's having the discussion. Yeah. God, I hear you calling me. Mm-hmm. But I am young. Right. He says, he says, I'm a child. And then of course, the Lord says to him, do not say I'm a youth for you shall go to whom?
Yeah. I send you and whatever I command you, you shall speak. I close my Bible up. And that was it. That was it. I said, wait a minute, Lord. Yeah. Now I would love to say that was it, but you know how we do. I'm, I'm gonna do the Gideon now. Absolutely. Absolutely. Because I need a good fleece. Yeah. Come call. I need some signs.
Some, I'm gonna put some out. I need it to be wet. I'm thinking I need it to be, listen, I need some signs, Lord. Yeah. I'm gonna need a sign. No, that is, that is very true. Yeah. And I wanna [00:07:00] circle back to something that you said when you said, so you got saved at the age of 18? Mm-hmm. Okay. So of course our trajectories were a little different because I was gonna, for some reason I thought maybe you had accepted Christ while we were, you know, like high schools.
Sophomore, junior year, maybe. So I did. I did listen. Come on. Sometimes we have to go back to the office, say, I'll do it again. It didn't take, it didn't take. That is so real. Yeah. And I love it. Thank you for your honesty. Thank you for your honesty. Because like I got saved at 14. Mm-hmm. So literally going into my freshman year, I believe, or sophomore year of high school.
So, yeah, it was, it was different because you know, you have this mindset. People have come to know you in a certain way. Yes. Right. And then you're like, okay, all of these things that I was before, I don't do that no more. I don't do that no more. Mm-hmm. I'm saved now. Hope you holding this [00:08:00] filled with the Holy Ghost.
Huh? Walking with Jesus. Yes. So understanding though, I think sometimes as young people mm-hmm. When you give your life to Christ you have to understand that there is this maturation that still has to take place. Absolutely. Right. And understanding that just because you did get saved does not mean or does not negate you from having to go through just.
The maturation of life. Mm-hmm. And understanding that you are gonna make some mistakes, right? Yeah. You're gonna do some things that you're probably not that proud of. Mm-hmm. You're gonna have to go back to the altar and say, God, save me again one more time. Sanctify me again. You know, because I, I messed it up.
I messed it up, Lord. Because understanding that, and then you, you're right, there weren't many young preachers that we had the opportunity to see. Now I do think during that timeframe, there was what in our area? May What? Pastor Warren Jones. He's now a pastor, but I think he was already a minister.
Mm-hmm. At the timeframe we were in high school. [00:09:00] Yeah. One of my cousins Reverend Gregory Patterson, he was a preacher, a young preacher back then. I'm gonna throw him in in a second. Yeah. Okay. Alright. He was the sign. Okay. I got you. I got you. Yeah. One of my cousins love him. Yeah. Mighty man of God.
Absolutely. So we didn't get to see that many. And as far as women preachers, young preachers, yeah. I can't think of. Off the top of my head, but I will tell you two women that were very influential for me and my ministry. One of them I had the opportunity to experience personally and up close. And one of them, it was from, from a distance.
So one was the great pastor Willie May Graham. Oh yes. Woo. Pastor Graham, lemme tell you something. Oh my gosh. I absolutely adored that woman of God. She mighty just poured into my life so much as a young person. And if you recall when you were talking about those, you know, five day revivals, I recall going throughout the city.[00:10:00]
Following her around mm-hmm. From place to place mm-hmm. When she was doing these revivals. Right. And I remember my parents sometimes would be like, now, ain't no way you going to church every day and you 14, 15 years old. Like, because my daddy was trying to figure out like, now what is she really doing?
Like, damn, I'm really going to church. I promise you, because that's not, that's not common. Yeah. Come on. You know, you don't, you don't see that. Yeah. But yeah, her, and of course from a distance, prophetess Juanita Bynum Yes. Was one I yes, definitely gleaned from her ministry from a distance. So, with that, talk a little bit about.
Specific events or sermons or personal experience for experiences for you that made a lasting impact on your ministry and on your decision to continue to go forward in Christ? Because a lot of people make that decision at a young age. Mm-hmm. And then when life starts lifeing, they're like I don't wanna do this no more.
Oh, [00:11:00] wow. Well, for the for the call it was your cousin because that same day. I went to a service. Yeah. And I said, God, if you are calling me to preach, and this is really you, I know I heard you, but mm-hmm. I, I just need something extra. You know, God, tell somebody else. And I went to service and evangelist Patterson was preaching how, and I walked through the door.
I didn't even, my behind didn't hit the seat. Good. Yeah. And he said, you right there. Wow. I'm at the back of the church. I turned around. Like, I, like somebody was behind me. Yeah. You talking to me? Me what? I know that's right. So I turned around like, who's behind me? Yeah. He calls me to the front and first thing out of his mouth is God's called you to preach.
So that was a significant moment for me. Of course, again, I go back to my pastor those times of running with him. Really showed me how to handle life. Because he, he didn't just open up the preaching side. He opened up also like just, [00:12:00] you know, regular, how do you do money? How do you handle your money, you know?
Mm-hmm. I literally watched him become a millionaire. Mm-hmm. So I was with him during that journey as God was blessing him financially. I saw him teach marriage, but then I saw him interact with his wife when, when it could have been moments where they could have had a blow up. I, I watched how they interacted with each other, how they, the conversation.
So, yeah. You know, so I saw, saw that you can really do this thing, and that was encouraging to me. Yeah. No, that's good. And I love how energetically you speak about him because I think it's extremely important that even as young people and even as we continue to grow in, in Christ mm-hmm. That you have those spiritual examples, those mothers.
And fathers in the faith, I have been blessed to have two, the late great apostle Larry Nathan Crosby Senior mm-hmm. Who I got saved under his ministry, filled with the Holy Ghost under his ministry, baptized under his ministry. [00:13:00] And much like the way you were with the Reverend Dr. Otis t McMillan, I was with him.
Yeah. I was traveling with him. I had the opportunity. To glean from him. Mm-hmm. When we would go to various services and watch him plant churches and watch him pour into other leaders. And so at that young age, sometimes you don't really understand how important those moments are. But as years have gone by, you understand?
Yeah. How much they were really pouring into you and showing you how to not only serve in ministry, but also how to preserve yourself. Mm. Because sometimes we can. Always give, give, give, give, give to our own detriment. Yes. And there has to be some wisdom that accompanies your assignment that says you have to know when to pull back.
You have to know when to let other leaders step up. Mm. And take the charge. Yeah. And so that was an wow, extremely pivotal point in my life and in my ministry. And then also. Pastor or [00:14:00] Bishop Sy Younger who has been monumental in my ministry as well. And so having the opportunity to be close to my pastors over the years mm-hmm.
And to see their ministries and to see how they move and to see how they pour into other people and the impact that they've made. Yeah. So talk a little bit about the importance of being spiritual sons and daughters. Because I think both of us now are at a place and at a point in our ministry where God is using us to pour into the next generation.
Right? [00:15:00] Absolutely. So talk about the importance of what it looks like to still be sons and daughters and to be able to sit at the feet of your spiritual mothers and fathers and continue to learn and grow. I think it validates it right there, there. Why should you listen to me if I don't listen to somebody else?
Mm-hmm. Right. Yeah. So having that sense of humility, being willing to serve when, when the spotlight is not on you. Mm-hmm. Right. Being willing to, you know, to, to give and to sow. And the scripture just flat out says that, you know, if you've not been faithful with another man's, you know, who's, who's gonna give you yours.
That's right. Right. So you've gotta be willing to be faithful and and to serve. And I think that's, that's, that's crucial. So that we're not passing down pride. Pass down pride, passing down pride. Some folks are catching an infection instead of discipleship, right? So they're walking with folks that are full of themselves and that's passing on.
And you know how it is with, with our natural kids, they're gonna be twice whatever you are. [00:16:00] Yeah. So if you passing that down. Uhhuh. Right. Uhhuh, yeah. Then we wonder what's wrong with the generation of preachers. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. So you and I both. Mm-hmm. I often tell people, 'cause you know, when people come in contact with me, especially people that have known me for years, for whatever reason, they think I was a pk.
And I tell them I am as probably about as far away from a PK as you can be. Same there. So, you know, I tell people like, listen, I'm not a pk. I just answered the call. Yeah. You know, I, I don't, I'm, I wasn't a pure. Pew baby. I, I don't have that experience. But I am constantly reminded of Joshua. Mm-hmm.
Being the son of none. Mm-hmm. And so understanding that just because you might not be a pk, that might not be your past, it does not mean that God might not use you in your family mm-hmm. As a first generational preacher. Yeah. Right. And so the weight. And the [00:17:00] responsibility that comes along with that, because when you are a young preacher mm-hmm.
You already have a spotlight on you whether you want it or not. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. But then when you are first generation, yeah. That comes with a different weight. Yeah. A different responsibility. Because you often find that your family kinda looks to you for direction. Of course, you are the person that they come to to pray for them, or this is what I feel like the Lord is saying, and I just be like.
Y'all don't have no pastor, we pastor, because y know. Listen me, I'm walking this thing out with God too. You know? And so talk a little bit about, about that and being able to shoulder that weight and that responsibility. Responsibly. Yeah. So it is heavy. That is heavy. Yeah. Right? Yeah. And and then there's a nuance to it, right?
So we want you to be the prophet, but you're still the child. Right. We want you to be the prophet, but you're still my son. Mm-hmm. You're still my brother. You're still my sister. Yeah. You're still [00:18:00] my cousin and them. Mm-hmm. And them, that part. Right? So, so we want you to, to be that. But then if you, if you dig too deep, we may cut it off and then slide back over.
Mm-hmm. And say, well, you ain't nobody. 'cause I remember when. Mm-hmm. Right. So I think there's one of the things that, that really hit me was a need for boundaries with it. Okay. Right. So I'm, I'll speak and I'll share and then, you know, I'll leave it right there, right? Yeah. So this, this is now your responsibility to do something with it.
I'm going to encourage you, if you're not gonna come under my ministry and receive me as that, I'm going to encourage you to go find a ministry where you can plant yourself and receive. That kind of instruction. But if you going to be here I'm gonna need you to, to see me as I am. Yeah. Right, right.
And receive me as, as, as that gift that God has made me. Because that's the only way that what I'm sharing with you can actually be beneficial. So there, yeah. And, and further, well I'll just dropped this in. I'll cut this portion off, but, but for [00:19:00] marriages and stuff like that, I've also learned to outsource that stuff so they know I do marital counseling.
Yeah. And early on I got bit with that. Okay. Okay. You taking so-and-so's side, right. So I was like, oh no, it's the voice impressions for me, pastor.
That's funny. it was something that I've heard apostle Brandon Clack recently say, and he said a preacher, whew, that that's a preacher. But he said that anointing does not always equal visibility. Yes. And of course in this timeframe that we're seeing, I think we are in a very unique place as it relates to ministry because we were able to see the mothers and the fathers and the ancient believers.
We saw how they served God with all their heart, all their mind, all their soul. But yet, you know, their congregations may only be [00:20:00] 20, 30 people they didn't have. Mm-hmm. You know, they didn't go viral on social media. The big thing then was what if you had a tape ministry at a local radio station? What you're doing something if you had a tape ministry?
The radio. Radio station. Okay. But now to see this day and age where. It's, you know, all of the demonstrations and I definitely think they have their place and the moments of needing to go viral and all of those things. Mm-hmm. How do you, how do we advise a generation that's coming up in ministry that may be looking at ministry as.
A point of building their influence mm-hmm. Globally versus really trying to serve God and serve his people and maybe feeling like they're not successful mm-hmm. Because they don't have a huge platform or large visibility. Yeah. I wrestled early on with marketing in general. Mm-hmm. Like, just, just point blank because it, that that was a [00:21:00] thought process.
Am I pushing me or am I pushing God? Yeah. And one of the things the Lord laid on my heart when I was praying about that early on in my ministry was he said, I, you know, he took me to Abraham. Mm-hmm. You know, I'm gonna bless you and make your name great. Great. Right? Yeah. So, so I don't think influence in and of itself is bad.
I think is, I think it's wonderful to have influence, but to seek after it in such a way can be detrimental. I think it's, it's, which comes first, the chicken or the egg. Mm-hmm. That, that the prioritizing is where the issue is. Right. So are you willing to put the message first, even with these, these different demonstrations as you, as you said, and displays that we're saying that are just seeing, that are just like crazy, like, why?
I'm not gonna call one out, but why, why would you do that? Right. So like, you know, we'll look at 'em and like, why would you do that? Yeah, yeah. But, but they're trying to, to put that, you know, to make a splash and it's like, put the message first, be authentic. Share Jesus Christ in a way that's tangible that'll get us, but, but [00:22:00] not for the cliques preach for transformation.
Yeah. Not for likes. Absolutely. Absolutely. That's good, pastor. Now you know, I've been privileged to know you for quite a few years now. Mm-hmm. And your beautiful wife, your beautiful daughters. Yeah. How have you been able to balance Ooh. Being a husband and being a girl dad, and traveling all over the world and preaching the gospel and the leadership roles that you have mm-hmm.
Within your organization, how have you been able to balance that? Wow. I don't know if I'm doing. I can, I'm perfecting that every day. Yeah. And we're actually in the marriage series right now. That's, that's just really ministering to me as this ministering to the people of God. But I, I, I think, you know, there was a wonderful speaking of illustrations illustration that I saw where every once in a while you're gonna drop [00:23:00] something.
Hmm. And giving yourself grace. Yeah. You know, giving your kids grace, giving your spouse. Grace. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Really helps as you navigate all those different hats because you're, you know, there's only one you Right. Absolutely. You know, God is infinite, but you're not. Yeah. So, so you have to, you have to do your best to move between those things in a way where everyone's getting what they need.
Yeah. And then also, you know, really, you know, discipleship. Is is still key even within the family because I've gotta make sure that they understand that God is God not your dad. Mm-hmm. That God is God, not, not the husband. Right. May know that, but but I need the kids to know that so that they understand that, listen, when I can't get it from him, I can get it from God.
Yeah. Yeah, that's really good. That's really good. So I have, you know, throughout the years I have dabbled in different things mm-hmm. As far as, you know, like conferences, events, things like [00:24:00] that. And I can say, honestly, when I was looking back over some things, I don't think there has been one conference, one event that I've had that I did not have.
Pastor Nathaniel Cox. I believe, and I know firsthand that you are a preacher part. Excellent. You are. And humbleness. I also coming from you, my goodness. Don't do that to me. Super humble. Don't do that to me. And I also, I am one of those people I love genuine. People, you know, because unfortunately, sometimes there are a lot of people, especially believers, they have one persona online, and then when you meet them in person, you're like, oh, okay.
Mm-hmm. And so when I meet genuine people. I know that I have people in my life that are truly walking this thing out to the best of their ability. Not without fault, 'cause none of us are perfect try, but to the best of their ability. That is something that I truly admire and honor. [00:25:00] And so I wanted to know from you, 'cause I'm gonna sit over here and take some notes, how.
Give, give our listening audience or you know, this, this generation that they're trying to craft and hone their, their ability to preach and share the gospel in an impactful and memorable way. How do you go about studying and preparing yourself to preach and minister to the people of God? So for me at this point, one, it is a, it is an ongoing.
Thing. Right. So, my, my reading I heard one preacher say is ferocious. So, so I'm constantly taking in information, constantly reading. I try to, as a pastor chart out good portion of my year at one time. Okay. So that. It's kind of like a computer where you've got your different screens open and everything.
Once I do that, all those sermons are running. Okay. In my, in my [00:26:00] spirit, they're running. The Holy Spirit is speaking to me about it is running, it's running, it's building. By the time, it's time to really sit down and craft it actually may be already formed already. Alright? Just from the different information that I've taken I sit with a text and now I don't always do this now.
But early on I used to read whatever my paree was, the text that I was preaching from. Okay. I would read it 40 times. Okay. I was in a preaching class. In my undergrad with Dr. Russell Cherry Dr. Russell Cherry had gone blind at that particular time, but he would recall everything from memory.
It's an old Native American pastor, great homiletician, brilliant mind. With an expansive library, which I have probably a third of his library at my house. Yeah. 'Cause he saw my interest in the gospel and told his wife to pull the Lincoln up. He said, I can't read the books anymore. Give them to Nathaniel.
Wow. So we were sitting in class and he looks at me in the middle of, [00:27:00] now this is a, this is a class. There's other people in it. Mm-hmm. He, he looks over and I say blind, he was, he was close. He could still see shadows. Okay. But he looks over me. He says, Nathaniel you're gonna be a great preacher.
And I said. Okay, sir. He said, you're gonna be a great preacher. And he said, the, the greatest of preachers have read the text 40 times. He said, Jamison Faucet Brown all read the text 40 times. Spurgeon read the text 40 times. And I said, okay. And then he goes he says, Nathaniel how long were the children of Israel in the wilderness?
I said, 40 years, sir. He said Nathaniel, how long was Jesus in the wilderness? I said 40 days and 40 nights, sir. He said Nathaniel, how long did it rain while Noah was on the boat? I said, 40 days and 40 nights. He said, Nathaniel, how long did Goliath temp Israel? I said, 40 days and 40 nights, sir.
And he said, and you shall understand that 40 is the number of waiting and probation, and you are going to read the text 40 times and wait on God to [00:28:00] speak. Wow. I said, yes, sir. So, so I would, I would do that. I would sit with the text just reading through it, reading through it, reading through it. And then afterwards, then I would make my move to commentaries.
By the time I moved to the commentaries, I now know what God said to me. Yeah. So that the commentaries are not tainting. What God said to you, what God said to me. That's right. Right. And then I would do the digging, then do the digging there and then it becomes, alright, God, now I know what you're saying.
How do I say this to your people? I. Right. Especially if it's going to, you know, hit 'em in the throat. Mm-hmm. Right? Mm-hmm. Punch 'em in the stomach. That's right. You know, I, I need to really make this thing come alive so that it can capture them. So I'm working through what illustration I. Can I share what story, right?
Mm-hmm. Scripture says he didn't speak without a story. Yeah. Right. So what story can I tell? Because stories work. Inductively. Mm-hmm. Alright, so you've got your deductive, where you [00:29:00] say direct, but stories work inductively because you put yourself in the story. And once you're in the story, you now begin to walk this journey.
And when you stumble on the truth, you're now disarmed. Which is why they hated him. Right? Because they didn't want to, they did not want to receive what he was saying. Yeah. But he kept telling parables. Absolutely. Right? Absolutely. And then all of a sudden they would go, oh, that's me. Yeah. No, you ain't gonna talk about me like that.
Yeah. They, they would be ready to kill me Uhhuh. You know? So that's good. So, so what story can I tell? I've got the truth. I've got the ex of Jesus. What story can I tell to get this across? Mm-hmm. The longer I go, the less need I feel to expose my exegesis in breaching. 'cause ain't don't back here.
Yeah. It just don't. Yeah. That is funny. Yeah. One, one of my professors Dr. Andre Resner who's a tremendous tremendous [00:30:00] politician but Dr. Resner said he said, showing your ex Jesus is like showing your underwear. He said, some of y'all are gospel gangsters. He said, cover that up. He said, that is funny.
Wow. That is, those are great tips. Great tips. And it's, it's good to see. I really love the. The fact that you pointed out with the commentaries, because I feel like sometimes, especially some of the younger generation, it's almost like run first they take the commentaries as gospel truth. Like no, it's just the comments of someone else's perspective.
Yeah. That's not gospel truth. No. So you still have to dig out the scripture yourself and allow God to speak to you and to give you revelation before you, before you console a commentary. So thank you. And you're gonna need to do multiple, multiple, one. Multiple ones. Yeah. 'cause just listen to one person.
Absolutely. Yeah. Have you messed up? Absolutely. Well, pastor, listen, we are coming down to the end of our time together. So I like to do this segment that's called 60 Seconds to [00:31:00] Elevate. Why you sitting up like, I'm about to throw you under the bus? I don't know. I went, do you? I went. Do you like that pastor?
I wouldn't. Do you like that? So, no. It's called 60 Seconds to Elevate. Okay. So they are rapid fire questions. Mm-hmm. And you're just the give the. Answer that comes off the top of your mind. Okay. Ooh, you ready? Yeah. Alright. What's one habit that has changed your life reading regularly. Favorite scripture to stand on when things feel heavy.
Mm. Trusting the Lord. With all thine, thine heart. Lean not to thine own understanding. Most elevated decision you've made in your ministry. Marrying my wife. How do you stay spiritually grounded and professionally? Excellent. My wife. If you could send a 15 second voice memo to your younger self, what would you say?
What would I say? What would I [00:32:00] say? I. This supposed to be 60 seconds. No, this was just 15. This was just 15. 15. Second voice memo. Alright. Alright. 15. Okay, here we go. Younger self. Keep pressing, keep pressing. Don't don't get, don't get discouraged and, and back away. From vision. 'cause it didn't work the first time.
Right. Press in. That's good. Yeah. I love it. Well, pastor Nathaniel Cox, I am so honored that you have decided to be a part of this first season of the Elevate Your Life Podcast. Podcast. I'm honored. Thank you for having me. Thank you so much. I prayed about people to invite onto the podcast and when I was praying about it, you were one of the first names that dropped in my spirit, so I'm so grateful, so honored.
I know. Listen, you are traveling the length and the width of this great nation. Spreading the gospel. And so the fact that you would take time outta your busy schedule to come sit with your little sis from Laurinburg, North Carolina to be on her podcast, I'm honored, so thank you. I'm honored. You have me, sis.
Thank you. Yes sir. Now, pastor Cox, how [00:33:00] can people get in contact with you? How can they come and visit the church if they don't have a church home that the people know how to reach you? You can come to 1401 Boyer Street, Raleigh, North Carolina on Sundays at. 10 o'clock we'll be preaching the gospel. We're in a series now entitled Reach In dealing With Relationships, the Family Edition.
We're gonna be exploring that actually for the remainder of this year. So we're gonna go from everything to, from work to, to friends. What about your friends? Yeah, I'm ready. Right. So what about your friends? So we're, we're gonna do that, so you can come and join us there. You can go on Facebook and pull us up.
Grace a ME Zion Church. Grace is the place that you want to be. Awesome. Alright, well guys, until next time, continue to elevate. See y'all soon. Love you.
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