SPEAKER_03 0:16

Welcome back to Testimony Tracks where we talk about faith, hip hop, and the testimonies behind the tracks. I'm Everett. This is my co-host Jason, and today we've got a very amazing guest. Ladies and gentlemen, keep it up for Lorelei.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Thank you, Everett.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Alright, well, for the audience, I guess we should start out saying how we know each other. So Lorelai has been an intern at our church this summer.

SPEAKER_03 0:41

Lorelai is the only internet bear more. For the first year, we've only had one intern. And this is it's been a very different experience than the other years, but I think it's been a great experience nonetheless.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Yeah. So Lorelai, when did you first become a Christian rapper?

SPEAKER_00 1:01

So I'm like starting off my journey. So like I still like haven't really gotten like, you know, I'm still getting into rap, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

Um, so honestly, like I'm very like amateur, like, you know, I'm really I'm really new at all this, but Everett, I thought we had pivoted to like professional musicians at this point. Are you vetting these guests before they get on the schedule?

SPEAKER_03 1:22

What sorry? Hold on, hold on. Um so Lorai asked us if she can be a guest on the podcast, and I was like, we sure if you just email us. We've we've waited a couple of weeks. It hasn't emailed us. Gin Z doesn't email. Yeah, Gin Z doesn't email. They don't believe an email.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

So alright, let's get serious here for a minute.

SPEAKER_03 1:49

The first question we'd like to ask you, nor I what was your experience of faith in church growing up? I know you were a preacher's kid, so what was that all about?

SPEAKER_00 1:59

Yes, so first I'll start off by saying, as you can tell, I'm a huge testimony tracks fan. I've been begging you on the show.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

Um so I'm wanted to save the best for last.

SPEAKER_00 2:09

Amazing. I'm so so glad to hear it. Um, but yeah, I'm so I'm really happy to be here today. Um, but yeah, I I'm a preacher's kid. Definitely, I think I had a different experience than most though, because I think my dad was really good about not like putting too much pressure on me. Uh, I never felt like I needed to be a certain way. He did a really, really good job of doing that. Also, all while while like setting a very good example for me to follow and very good example of faith. Um, I've always been very, you know, pushed and like reminded of how to follow Christ and like how to lead with wisdom because of his example. And my mom, you know, being a minister's wife, she's also not a typical minister's wife. She's I love how outspoken she is. She's taught me a lot about independence. So growing up in the church was wonderful. I absolutely love my church family. And you know, I am a preacher's kid, but I think I'm really thankful for my uniquer kind of experience with it. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

And you're off at college now, right?

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Yes, I am. I'm at ACU.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

So tell us a little bit about sort of your faith becoming your own as you've grown up and moved out. What has that been like?

SPEAKER_00 3:20

So I've I've always been very independent. So I was really excited to go off to college, but I also absolutely love my family and just getting to be with them and stuff. So it was, it was a it was a hard transition for sure. I think I didn't didn't even realize while I was going through it how hard it was. But I've always kind of wrestled with anxiety. So it's been really nice to get reassurance from my parents, like and then just be in like the next room so I can walk over and be like, hey guys, I'm stressed, and then they can just kind of help me through it. But I learned to really truly go to God first and for everything, which was a really good reminder, and just to kind of be put in like away from them in that way, which obviously they're a phone call away. But it was really awesome just to be there on my own and like really truly understand what it looks like to rely on God like first and foremost through everything. So that was a really cool thing I got to experience through freshman year.

SPEAKER_01 4:14

What has that looked like in terms of like your time with God or spiritual practices? I mean, have you found that a certain way of praying or a certain pattern in your life has been helpful to you?

SPEAKER_00 4:25

Yeah, for like as long as I can remember, I always do like Bible time and like prayer journaling time before I go to bed because it's better than like, you know, scrolling or like watching TV or something. I think it's it calms me down, brings me a lot more peace, and then I wake up more peaceful. So I always really try to prioritize that. But something I love about being at college is that like while I'm walking to class, I can just pray to God like literally all day long. Uh, I really started having fun with that to the point where like I would talk out loud and be like, oh no, I look crazy. Um, so yeah, I think that's been a really fun thing is like getting to kind of grow and shape my relationship with God and obviously make it my own, but I don't know. I think I guess as I've grown older, I've kind of seen God as more of like a best friend and someone who's just truly always with me. And I've kind of started to understand the weight of that more. So it's been really cool.

SPEAKER_03 5:19

Has there been a specific moment in your life where your faith became more of your faith than just the faith that your parents have taught you?

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Yeah, for sure. I think when I was younger, obviously there's just the routine of it all, like, okay, go to church, like, oh my gosh, I know all the answers. Like, you know, it's like all these little things. Um, but definitely uh when I was younger and like at home, like especially specifically like sixth grade, middle school age, kind of, I think I had a lot more kind of struggles in my own life, and that kind of kind of came out in like behavioral things in school. So I was very known to just I was I was a big talker, and so I'd get in trouble for that a lot. But I think I had moments of like behavioral issues and stuff like that, and then I kind of started to think about things a little bit differently. It was more of like I kind of started to think about the relationship with God over than just like the practices, the oh, I know the answers, like all this stuff. And I kind of started to do my own studying and my own research because a lot of it used to be like, oh, like my dad said this, like, oh, I know this to be true. But it's like, do you actually know this to be true if you don't do your own studying? So I think eighth grades where I really was like, I'm gonna really choose to like dive in for myself and and see what happens. And it was so it was so awesome to get to do that because I think that's when I truly felt the Holy Spirit and I like saw it moving in my life in such cool ways. So I think I think middle school was just a very transformative time for my faith.

SPEAKER_01 7:01

Do you feel like there's anything you've had to unlearn?

SPEAKER_00 7:05

Ooh. I would think, yeah, I think when I was just learning how to have like a relationship with God, I remember thinking of it as like a checklist kind of. I'm like, okay, like my my daily prayer, like, oh, I didn't read my Bible today. Like, oh no, like this is bad, like all this stuff. And I've definitely had to unlearn that because I mean, I would never I don't want to think about my relationships in life as a checklist. I don't want to be like, oh, I hung out with this person, check, I'm done. Like, you know, that that's just such a terrible way to think about things. So I think I was un unlearning the to-do list of faith kind of and making it more of like a oh, like I want to spend time with God and like I need him, I can't do this alone. So I think that's something I definitely had to think about differently.

SPEAKER_03 7:51

So after your first year of college, did you reach out or not? Did Brandon reach out? How did you become an intern? And then after that, how was the experience of being the only intern?

SPEAKER_00 8:03

Hmm. So I became Bamel's intern because Trinity, last summer's intern, is my good friend from my home church. We grew up together in the youth group. And after her summer with y'all, she texted me and was like, Would you want me to put you down? She knows that I want to be in ministry, like, and she knows I've always wanted to be a youth intern. So I was like, Of course, of course, you can like this is a great thing, whatever. So I got my interview, and then it went really well. It was a very chill interview, you know, Brandon. Very chill. Wasn't too much pressure on anything. So that went super good. And then I basically got the job in September of like 20, yeah, 2025. Yeah. So he gave me the job, and I was like, yeah, this is great. And I like didn't know what to expect, but I was super excited. This time was very confusing, I think, because I was like, I just said yes, and I was like, okay, excited, whatever. But then, you know, as it got closer, I think there was a lot more like fear stricken. I was like, oh, like this is about to happen. Like, I am I old enough for this, like kind of those kind of questions. And then I got to BAML and I was just immediately filled with so much excitement and like expectance of the summer. And I was like, this is just, I just know that whatever happens, I'm gonna learn a lot. Like, I didn't even have any like, oh, like it'll be great, it'll be bad. Like, I was just like, I know I'm gonna learn a lot. And I can confidently say now that I've had the best summer of my life, like all honesty. It's been amazing. And obviously, there's challenges with being the only intern, but I've really loved it because it just it gives me an opportunity to be able to connect with everyone in such a unique way, and I think the pastoral side of ministry is where I thrive the most. So that's been really cool to have the the you know, the field and the openness of really getting to connect with everyone. Um, so I've absolutely loved it. Everett knows the students are chaotic, they're crazy, lots of fun.

SPEAKER_03 10:01

We have no idea what we're doing most of the time.

SPEAKER_00 10:05

But it's so much fun, they're amazing. So it's been a great summer, and honestly, being if I could be a youth intern for the rest of my life, I would.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

What what are you studying at ACU?

SPEAKER_00 10:16

I am a Bible major. So I am a Bible major. Yes, I am at children and family ministries, and I'm kind of at the point right now where I'm a little split between going into children's ministry or youth ministry.

SPEAKER_03 10:29

You should do youth ministry.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

Thank you. I definitely am like split, but it does I don't need to know right now.

SPEAKER_03 10:37

So it's a it's a sign. If this summer is the best summer you've ever had in your life, then it's a sign that you should do youth ministry.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

This is true, but I haven't done a children's ministry internship yet, so I gotta compare.

SPEAKER_03 10:50

Okay. So there's this one week in the summer. It's my favorite week, but it was the week where none of us knew what we were doing, and all of us got sick somehow. So what's your favorite memory from Honduras?

SPEAKER_00 11:05

I think Everett, yeah, Everett, you said this last night. We had like a the going away party, and he gave a shout-out to the nine-step plan. So it long story short, Gavin, one of the students, would draw a plan for every day, and it would always include a drawing of Brandon. I won't talk too much about that drawing, but but it was great because it'd be like before lights out, sometimes a little bit past lights out, and we'd just be like sitting around laughing at these pictures, and it was so funny. And I think that was definitely like the funniest moment. I think overall, though, like the coolest moment was getting to like be with the boys all week. We were at Hovenous and Camino, and it was just a really great experience getting to build connections with them and like be filled with so much joy just being around them and like really seeing the Lord's love there. So lots of laughs, very chaotic week, um, lots of sicknesses, but service is obviously the main point of why we were there, and I think we gave a lot, but we got a lot more. So it was a really great week.

SPEAKER_01 12:46

But we were gonna ask you what what's the best thing about working with Brandon Trees.

SPEAKER_03 12:50

We have to keep him listening.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Yeah, we don't want Brandon to become a hater of the podcast.

SPEAKER_00 12:55

No, yes, stay tuned.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

You can't have him to be a critic.

SPEAKER_00 12:58

I do remember um David's answer to this question and laughing a lot when I heard it. I was like, that's intense.

SPEAKER_01 13:05

Brandon just appreciates the finer things, you know.

SPEAKER_00 13:08

He does, he really does. Um, I would think, yeah, the best thing definitely I mentioned this earlier. You know, he is a very chill boss. Like he doesn't put too much pressure on you. He's not, he doesn't have all these huge expectations, but obviously he pushes you and wants you to do the best. So he's been a great mentor and he has lots of wisdom, and he's he's been a great encourager too. I think I really do like words of affirmation. I don't even know if I told him that, but he's really great at like encouraging and kind of just pushing you to be the best version of yourself. But that all that is like really great. Probably the best part is that genuinely, like if I need a laugh, I can just talk to Brandon. Because I've said this before, I think I told Brandon this, but like I think I'll say something funny, and then like he'll come back and make it funnier, and I'm like, Okay, so like I'm done talking because like you just made it funnier, and nothing I said was funny because you just made it funnier. So yeah, always lots of joy in the office, and he is the best boss ever. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:08

Alright. All right. This question just popped into my mind. So it's about the nine-step plan. For three days, there's uh usually a main character with the first one. Uh was on my birthday, and I think the main character would would be Brandon because he was always nurking in the in the back of the pictures, and then the second one was Dave, was David becoming Dave, and the audience already knows what Dave is. The third one, uh I had the idea it was me stretching to my limits and basically becoming the tallest guy in the youth group. Now, wh which one of those was your favorite? And if you can describe your thoughts of all three share with the audience.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

Okay, I will share my thoughts and then pick my favorite. So for Brandon, his face just kept getting longer. And I was like, wow, how much more can we do with this? Like, I don't know what's next. That was very interesting. I always was like, I'm excited to see what Brandon's face is gonna look like whenever he walks in and sees this for the day. Always he wasn't very joyful and excited to see, you know, day David turning into Dave was cinematic. That's all I'm gonna say. Cinematic masterpiece. That was beautiful. Um, and then all I can think about for you, Everett, was the picture of you on your birthday, like sitting on the table.

SPEAKER_03 15:39

That's not the one I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_00 15:41

You're talking about the one where you were really tall. Yeah, yeah. Thoughts on that, you know. You you once again, same with Brandon. I was like, how much taller can we get? You know? But I the one that stuck with me the most was the birthday one. I thought that one was you know, Gavin had some interesting um thought processes, but yeah, then my favorite, I'm not gonna lie, probably Dave. It was just a beautiful story. I mean, come on.

SPEAKER_03 16:10

I had I had a lot of comments saying how step nine, uh, the one with me elongating, I looked like I came from the back rooms.

SPEAKER_00 16:21

I can see that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

Okay. I'm gonna reel in the inside jokes a little bit and try to get us back on track here. Uh so Lorelai, we talked about you wanting to go into ministry, being undecided between children's and youth ministry. I'm curious if there has been a time where you feel like your um like understanding of ministry or vision has shifted at all, the way you think about ministry. Like, have has there been kind of a change based on anything you've experienced so far?

SPEAKER_00 16:51

Yeah, I think before this summer, like and before like going, I just you know, being an internal summer, I kind of like led in the way I ministered others, like with like a lot of like comparison in mind. Like I would compare myself to a lot of like other, you know, ministers I I knew, and I kind of like got into this like battle with my head a little bit where I'm like, oh, like, you know, there's some things I can work on. Obviously, like I'm like, you know, I could be, there's ways I could be more responsible. There's ways like I can not laugh as much, like little things like that. But I think the beautiful thing about ministry is how unique it is to you and like to everyone, and that's like the purpose of it is like ever obviously every minister is meant to be different. And so, like, why would I compare when I have good skills? That that person I'm comparing myself to has great skills too, but we just are different ministers, you know? And we connect with others in different ways. So I think I really learned you know, the like the beauty behind how unique ministry is, and also like let's not compare, like it really does takes away from being a minister when we let ourself get into those thought cycles.

SPEAKER_03 18:00

So yeah. All right, so now Laura, I've got one question for you. Are you ready? Are you ready to hop into the studio, go in the booth, and give this audience an old taste of what we like to call it the track record?

SPEAKER_00 18:13

I'm so ready.

SPEAKER_03 18:14

All right, first question What is the best concert you have ever been to?

SPEAKER_00 18:19

Ooh, oh my gosh. Oh, okay. Not a lot of people know him, but Joshua Bassett, he was in high school musical, the musical, the series, the longest show.

SPEAKER_03 18:32

I think a lot of people know who that is.

SPEAKER_00 18:35

I think okay, I he's not as popular as Olivia Rodrigo, and people know them associated together. So I went to that concert going into senior year of high school. I went with like one of my best friends, and it was just such a fun night. We were in the pit, wasn't a lot of people there, so it wasn't like a really crazy experience. But I am about to go see Megan Moroni, who's my favorite singer of all time. She's a country singer. Um, about to see her on August 14th. So my answer may be changing because that's really exciting.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

All right. What's a surprising talent that you have?

SPEAKER_00 19:08

I can lick my elbow.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

Oh. So too bad this is an audio only podcast.

SPEAKER_03 19:17

What do you ever become a Couchnet Kdish?

SPEAKER_00 19:21

Oh, as exciting as it sounds, I am gonna try to do all the internships at churches I can do. So probably won't be, sadly.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

Uh-oh. What's the worst advice you've ever received?

SPEAKER_00 19:34

Oh, that's a good question. I think I had a friend tell me, like, in like fourth grade, like I was really sad about something, and she was like, Oh, like if you just like don't cry, you won't want to cry anymore. And so she's basically was just telling me to suppress my emotions.

SPEAKER_03 19:52

Just shove it deep, deep down. Yes, the floor here is made out of floor.

SPEAKER_00 20:01

Yeah, not the best advice, but we live and let me learn.

SPEAKER_03 20:04

Okay. If you had a lock-up song, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 20:10

I wish I knew the answer to this. Oh, probably the bluey theme song. I absolutely love bluey.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

Nice. What what's your biggest pet peeve?

SPEAKER_00 20:22

I really don't like it when people are rude to waiters or waitresses. Like they just kind of act like they don't exist. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 20:33

Have you ever waited?

SPEAKER_00 20:34

No, I haven't.

SPEAKER_01 20:36

So this is not personal.

SPEAKER_00 20:38

No.

SPEAKER_03 20:40

What is a hobby of interest of yours that would surprise those listening to us?

SPEAKER_00 20:45

I don't think a lot of people know this, but I love to read poetry, but I also love to write poetry. Like I really like to write like kind of like psalms kind of poems, like you know, faith-based poems, but it's just fun for me. It's a good way to like release my thoughts. So fun fact.

SPEAKER_03 21:02

Can we also talk about uh the fact that you like ASMR mukbang too?

SPEAKER_00 21:07

Yes, this is true.

SPEAKER_01 21:10

Whenever it was little, when he would get like in a tantrum, it sounded like the book of lamentations. He could just speak in like lament psalm. Or yeah, I mean that's amazing. Vanity, vanity, all this vanity. Y'all should compare some personally written psalms sometime.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

What a gift.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

Oh my I would tell him, like, you know, you can't have another glass of milk, and he would be like, God curse the day of my birth.

SPEAKER_02 21:41

Oh my goodness, it's so deep. Everything.

SPEAKER_03 21:49

No wonder I related to Job a little bit. Any final words, yeah, for those listening.

SPEAKER_00 21:55

Hmm. I guess I would say if you are interested in ministry or if you're just like going through life, I would say just truly like if you have a you know, a call or a tug on your heart to do something, do it. You're not gonna always like conquer everything the first time you do it, but it's so good to get experience and like put yourself out there, and then like it can be just like the most wonderful thing ever. Like the summer, I the summer I just had, it was amazing. So, you know, put yourself out there, do the things, and don't let fear stop you from doing what you want to do.

SPEAKER_01 22:29

That's great advice. I'm glad we got to be a part of your summer.

SPEAKER_00 22:32

Yes, no, I'm glad I got to meet y'all. This is great. Gotta make my debut, you know.

SPEAKER_01 22:38

You're gonna be super famous after this. I mean, you could probably be the children's or youth minister at any church you want to now. They'll come knocking.

SPEAKER_03 22:47

Probably get more downloads than David has right now. You probably get like a hundred and nine thirty days.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

We're gonna have to see.

SPEAKER_00 22:55

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 22:55

I mean, I'm gonna I can't I can't I can't promise that, but yeah, we'll see. That might happen. Anyways, that's a that's a wrap on this episode of Testimony Tracks. So if today's conversation meant anything to you, part of the show will be you listen. You can find us on Instagram at RealTestimony Tracks or by email at show at testimony tracks.com. Show notes and more episodes at testimony tracks.com. Remember, it always gets heard after freshman year. On a month, telephone, and we'll catch you on the next one.