EP09 | Living on Daring Mission with Chris Montalbano

God's got it. Like, he's—you know what I mean? He chose to include us. He doesn't need us. He chose to let us see the beauty and the transformation that only the gospel does. And so it’s just—I mean, I don't have to guess. I lived it. I'm living it. I've seen it. So it kinda makes it less intimidating, I guess. I don't have to finish. I don't have to make sure—thank God—I don't have to make sure I say the exact right thing, because that's almost for sure I won't. But somehow, you know, sooner or later… it works.

because if I am included in this—if we're included in this—the least that I could do is equip myself, is know the word of God so much so that it's so ingrained in me that when people come to me, even before I felt equipped, it makes me feel like it's the least that I could do. I'm included in this. I'm included in his plan, and I get to participate in this. The least I could do is—people are like, “Why the classes? Why the Bible studies?”—and I'm like, I didn't know Jesus when I was in my forties. I have a lot I wanna know. There are a lot of questions. It doesn't change what I already know to be true. It just gives me more resources for the next person God puts on my path.

I promise he'll be able to explain it better, but like, I will put everything on the line because I know this to be true. I watched it in my husband's life. I watched it in our lives. I've watched it in so many other people's lives. And if we're leaving it in my hands and it's still being the magical gospel that it is—that just transforms people—clearly, it's the gospel and not me, because I'm not a great deliverer.

he had—we all know as Christians—we're not supposed to live our life separate from God. That's not who we're designed. And he was, and we were. Living our life separate from him. We were believing in God, but we weren't living our life that way. And he went there, and everything changed. I mean, he was in a Christian facility, and he rebuilt a relationship that he thought he had.

I would have considered myself a happy person before that. I wasn't miserable. I was just living life, whatever. But now, it's like I got a—it’s like a brand new life. I have a chance. It's brand new. Which is why I think why I'm always so excited. I feel like I have so much time to make up for, you know? And I love that it is exciting. It is amazing. It’s never gonna get old, because that was my fear for a while—please don't let it get old. And it has yet to disappoint me, not even close.

I became a Christian, and every hat I wear to work—it’s gotta have something to do with Jesus. Because so many people over and over and over again are like, “What's your hat say? What's that mean?” Explain that. And then they tell me their story. I also only play Christian music at work. And remember—I’m on a construction site. I’m the only one playing Christian music. Luckily, I’m usually in charge, so I'm like, “Sorry, guys. That's what I'm playing.” And I’ve never had a bad experience where someone’s like, “Turn that down.” They’re always like, “What song is that? What are they talking about?” It’s a conversation starter.

she's over there—studying abroad—living the life she's dreamed about, yet she has these moments where she's like, “Mommy, I don't get it. I have money. I have experience. I have freedom, but I still feel sad sometimes, and lonely, and disappointed.” And I'm like, “Okay. This is it. I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're not meant to live your life separate from God.” Because what else do you need? You're literally in the place you've dreamed about, yet you still feel hollow and empty. And she's like, “Okay. That really makes sense. That's super annoying.” But when I selected “we are having God conversations,” we are.

I don't know how to say—like, it takes the pressure off. I go, it happened for me. I lived it. I am living it. How much more proof do I need that it's not up to me? You do what you know is right. You say what you know is true, and you listen to the Holy Spirit, and you do what you're intended to do for that person's life. Then if you find out how it turns out, great. But we believe so much in the gospel that whatever I was supposed to do or say—however I was supposed to guide or support—God's got it.

When someone comes—this is the place where if someone comes here and they're like, “Hey, listen, we think God's a cat,” we're not like, “Absolutely not.” We'll throw theology at you and tell you. Like, no. But this is not that place. This is the place where we believe in the gospel and we know it will transform; it will do its work. All we have to do is be loving and welcoming and inviting. And I've watched it week after week—people come through those doors and really believe that and feel it, and then come back the next week because they felt it so much. It's beautiful and amazing.

But whatever you said, it stuck with me because I'd see you and think, “I don't know anything about Christianity, but I know something about that guy is giving me the vibe of whatever that is.” For years in this town, I'd see you—just your face, not knowing your name—and you had an impact. And then years later, I see you here in this lobby. We're at the same church. And there's thousands of stories just like that in my life and in so many people's lives.

ate my words, because it was the best decision. We wouldn't have the life—honestly—the way that they were so adamant and so sure that this was the place, and that is fully the place that he needed to be in, our life was transformed after that. It seems like just tiny decisions, but God was in them.

I was like, I'm doing that. I feel like they're my one more life. So I had them come back—listen. They came, and I was like, that's why this is important, because you might just think you're just a friend of mine, but you're actually—you’re my one more life. Your life matters so much. It matters.

I was kind of right in the middle of that crisis that they were having. And I just kept praying, “Please give me the words to say.” Someone thinks I'm capable to help these people—and they're friends of mine—but what they're going through is intense. And this kid had so much confidence in me that she thought I was the one that could help her dad.

my husband had a mental health crisis. Like, it was fully a crisis. Our whole life was turned upside down. I had lost him—physically, emotionally—everything about him was basically gone. He was wasting away. His anxiety had gotten ahold of him so badly that it wasn't working. It was bad. So his family intervened and we ended up sending him to a clinic—like an inpatient—

And I was against it. I thought it was extreme. I thought it was over the top. I was like, “Can we just get him a therapist in town? Why are we sending him away?” And I have humbly eaten my words since, because that place saved his life—saved our life.

it just—the only way I can describe it is I was going through the motions. I was doing the things, all the things, and then they stopped being the things. They started just being everything inside me that felt completely true. The things I used to say because I thought I was supposed to say them—they became the truest part of my identity.

at the birth of my children—like, in the room—she was the person in the room with me. Best friends. And she's always loved Jesus. And she would say she was praying for me, planting seeds—and I was always like, “Okay. Enough.” Then when I became a Christian, I was like, “Oh my gosh. All these years.” All these situations—her advice was biblical. I just didn't realize it.

Wake up every morning, and I'm like, “Whatever it is I need to hear today, learn today—keep my eyes open. Keep me aware so that I can understand the next person.” And even at work—Jeff and I work together—he'll point people to me. “Hey, Chris, he had this question.” And I'm like, “You're pointing to me?” Okay. I got this. Holy Spirit, please make sure I tell them the right thing. And it's changed our marriage—he looks at me like, “Wow. This means so much to you.”

I used to see him around town—before I was a Christian—and I’d think, “I don't know anything about Jesus, but I just feel like this Christian vibe every time I see this guy.” Years later, I find out he’d tried to tell me about Jesus and I wasn’t receptive. And I’m like, “Oh my gosh.” Because something he said stuck, even when I acted like it didn’t.

So even yesterday when you were talking about the merch, I do—that’s a tool for me. A sweatshirt, a hat, a t shirt—it's a conversation starter. Someone will say, “Will you pray for me?” Someone has told me, “I'm not a believer, but I know you are, so can you pray for my grandson?” And we had a whole thread praying. And it blew his mind—“They’re praying for me?” He’s not a believer, but he’ll seek me out and ask for prayer again and again.

I was raised by my mom primarily. Before my stepdad came into my life, I used to say I was raised in an atheist household, but it wasn't that—we just never talked about God. It was nonexistent. It wasn't like, “We don't believe.” It was like God just didn't exist. So I literally knew nothing.

I literally knew nothing. Remember coming to church and it would start out with, “I know we're all familiar with this,” and I'm like, “I'm not familiar.” Sunday school me—I don't know any of these facts. Started literally from the beginning.

There have been moments where I was coming on too strong with my daughter—because she's my child—and I'm like, “You have to know this.” But my delivery wasn't helping her. I had to pray about it. And now—even if it’s not every conversation—we're having God conversations.