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Mike Mazzei: Work as Worship | Praise

May 18, 2026 | 51:0

Matt and Laurie Crouch host Mike Mazzei

#Politics #Bible #Leadership #PersonalStory #Testimony #Endurance #Season #Trials-HardTimes #Praise #Healing #MattCrouch #LaurieCrouch

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Praise | Mike Mazzei: Work as Worship | Praise | May 18, 2026

Male announcer: coming up tonight on "praise."
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Mike mazzei built his life around faith, family, and
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Financial discipline.
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A tulsa businessman and longtime conservative leader, mazzei
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Earned a degree in government and politics from george mason
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University before completing graduate studies in personal
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Financial planning.
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He went on to found trinity strategic wealth, helping
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Oklahoma families prepare for their futures while building one
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Of the state's premier financial planning firms.
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In 2004, mazzei took that private sector experience to
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Public service, winning election to the oklahoma state senate.
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Over 12 years at the capitol, he became known for his focus on
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Lower taxes, fiscal responsibility, and government
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Accountability, eventually serving as chairman of the
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Senate finance committee, but in 2008 everything changed.
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[tire screech] crash!
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Announcer: a devastating car accident left mike with severe
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Spinal injuries and a long, uncertain recovery.
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Doctors warned the road ahead could take years.
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The crash forced him into one of the toughest battles of his
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Life, a ten year recovery season, testing his faith,
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Resilience, and determination.
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That experience reshaped not only the man, but the leader he
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Would become.
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Mike mazzei: i not only had to learn how to live from day to
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Day, i had to learn how to live from hour to hour because the
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Pain sequence would start, and then i'd have to, you know, do
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What was necessary to get out of pain or spasms.
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In these little periods of the day, matt, i was like, oh, i
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Just--oh, how do i not let my mind go into those bad, deep,
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Dark places, and then one day i found myself reading the first
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Couple chapters of joshua, and i learned, wow, joshua was
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Terrified taking over for moses, 'cause the lord had to tell him
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Three times, "be strong and courageous," "be strong and
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Courageous," and part of that was be strong and courageous and
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Meditate on the law, the word of god, day and night.
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I literally got from hour to hour, day to day, through the
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Discipline of ten scriptures that i would just roll over in
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My mind because there would be lots of times where, you know, i
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Was alone or waiting for the next meeting, and that was a
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Seminal experience for me that brought me closer to the lord
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Than i could ever have imagined.
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Male announcer: tonight on "praise," matt and laurie crouch
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Welcome oklahoma gubernatorial candidate mike mazzei to learn
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More about his extraordinary testimony of resilience, trust,
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And god's unwavering faithfulness.
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Matt crouch: galatians 6:9 is applicable for our
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Conversation, mike.
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We're gonna get into it.
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"let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we
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Shall reap if we do not lose heart."
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Okay, interesting that that kind of talks about
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A season of your life.
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It also is the theme of your gubernatorial kind of campaign
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For oklahoma that you're in right now.
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Welcome to dallas, texas, where we don't have some of the taxes
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You have in oklahoma.
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Mike: one of the reasons i'm running to be governor.
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Matt: okay, so galatians 6:9, i've been around a lot of
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Politicians, and i don't normally see that as kind of a
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Campaign, let's say slogan or theme.
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Jump in wherever you want to jump in, mike, because if you
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Think you're going to be watching a political story
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Today, think again.
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This is a story of endurance.
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Paul is telling people hang on in due season.
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Hang on in due season, and, man, if you're going through a tough
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Situation right now, this is the story for you.
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Mike, where do you wanna pick this up?
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Mike: well, matt, the lord had blessed me with a nice small
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Business and a pretty good political career, but in 2008
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There was a car crash that wrecked my life.
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I had a broken back, and the procedures to fix me left me
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With catastrophic nerve damage that nobody really knew what to
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Deal with.
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So i couldn't sit, stand, walk without excruciating pain, and
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So i did become a physical invalid for ten years.
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I had to learn how to live a life on a table laying
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Horizontal in my offices to get my work done.
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Now, god had an amazing provision for me, even though i
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Didn't understand why i wasn't getting better.
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I did learn that work is a form of worship and god's called all
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Of us to be productive, and i had five kids that needed a dad
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To provide for them.
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So somehow in his mercy and grace during that awful season
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Of my life, our business, trinity strategic wealth, kept
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Growing, and i had some pretty transformative accomplishments
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In the oklahoma state senate, but i had a long, long, hard,
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Difficult journey.
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Matt: you're running a business having to stay horizontal?
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Now, thank god you were in the financial
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World and that was mainly--
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Mike: i wouldn't have been a very good plumber.
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Matt: yeah, that's mainly a lot of brainpower, but literally you
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Were in such pain unless you were in that kind of horizontal
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Position, and you're talking getting to the office.
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Laurie crouch: taking meetings.
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Matt: taking meetings.
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You're doing that, and people just kept adapting to that.
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You kept adapting to that.
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Mike: i introduced everybody to "horizontal mike," and my
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Clients became comfortable with it.
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The colleagues and folks at the state capitol became accustomed
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To it because the doctors told me i had to stay out of pain or
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The nerves would never heal, which was really only one tenth
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Of the story.
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Yeah, i was horizontal and kept my spinal system properly
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Aligned, but getting from the car to my office was very
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Difficult, and so i had to immediately, you know, lay down
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To not let the pain or the aches just run away.
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Laurie: wow, wow.
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I can tell this is painful for you to even talk about.
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I kind of have a feeling you wish this wasn't part of
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Your story.
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Mike: well, i wouldn't want to do the ten years over again, and
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I certainly had lots of days where i didn't know why the lord
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Wasn't healing me, but we did eventually find some doctors who
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Were nerve regeneration specialists.
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That was its own journey.
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I went through 50 procedures over a 4 year period to enable 4
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Years of physical therapy to learn to walk and sit and stand
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Again without pain.
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Thank the lord, today i'm healthy and pretty normal, and i
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Don't like talking about parts of the story because obviously,
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There were some seasons of deep despair and depression, and i
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Wondered if i would ever get well, and frankly, i had sort of
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Become convinced i was never gonna get better, but my
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Relationship with the lord, my family, you know, my five kids,
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Without them i never would have made it.
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I would have given up after a few years, but god finds a way
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Of bringing you the right messages, the right people, the
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Right sermons on tbn, with, you know, faithful ministers like
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Joyce meyer and joel osteen and creflo dollar.
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I couldn't go to church, so sometimes that was church.
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Matt: it feels like--you know, my own father had a very, very
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Traumatic fall late in life, and the medication that sometimes he
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Was given were almost worse than the condition itself.
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Did you ever get trapped in that kind of medication drama?
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Mike: in the first couple of years i was working with some
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Pain management doctors who were trying their best to help me,
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But i just couldn't handle, you know, narcotics, and back then,
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Remember, it was the age of hydrocodone, and it made me
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Sick, and then they tried some other stuff, and it made me
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Worse, and eventually some of the "pain relief" drugs just
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Shut--started shutting down my central nervous system.
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They had to put me in the hospital, take me off the drugs,
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I had to go through withdrawals, but i was at least monitored
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And, you know, under medical care, and then i just kind of
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Realized i can't take this stuff, and when i don't take
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This stuff my brain actually still works.
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I can solve this problem.
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I can deal with this.
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I can help my kids with their homework even though i have to
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Lay down, and, you know, one of the lessons for me along the way
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Was work is a form of worship and god calls us to be
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Productive, and so i could work, and i was grateful that i could
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Work and my mind stayed occupied.
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Matt: the book of job is kind of in my thought here.
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Was that a help, or?
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Mike: oh, i read job a lot.
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Matt: okay, so you realize that this period of time of not
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Sitting in a chair, you're having to be completely
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Horizontal, you're having to lay down, okay, and that lasted how
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Long, mike?
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Mike: ten years.
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Matt: ten years, and then you had to kind of wean yourself
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From any assistance for pain, so that--because that wasn't
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Working for you, and then you got to stay out of pain or
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You're not gonna heal.
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Okay, when did you start seeing the light at the end of the
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Darkness, 'cause you're sitting here today?
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I met you in a large hallway right over
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Here, and the first--
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Mike: i was so excited to be walking into tbn studio.
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I guess i had a little jump in my step.
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Matt: you were just booking it down the hallway, so i literally
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Didn't know this part of your story.
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I'm literally hearing it today for the first time, and when did
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You start seeing some progress like, okay, i'm in a chair now,
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Or was it a gradual--
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Mike: oh, it was so slow and so gradual.
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You know, the other questions were, lord,
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Why is this taking so long?
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The 50 procedures were 100 injections each time, but what i
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Had learned from these doctors is they had a way to calm nerves
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Down, and until you calm the nerves down you can't do the
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Stretching, the yoga, the strength training to rebuild
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Your body, and of course, after ten years i had
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Tremendous atrophy.
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So we were starting from the ground up all over again, but
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About 2016, 2017, even though at first it was baby steps, i could
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See, oh, this part of my body, i don't have this burning pain
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Anymore, and i can do this without pain.
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I--when things were at its worst, matt, i couldn't do this
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Without bolts going up my spine of burning, but now i can, you
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Know, i can move this and there's no pain.
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So i could start to see something was happening, and if
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I could just stick with it, maybe there was a light at the
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End of the tunnel, and that's when galatians 6:9 started
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Becoming really, really important to me because paul was
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Telling the galatians don't give up, and as you mentioned,
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Laurie, it's hard for me to talk about some of the memories
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Sometimes, but i do it to let others that are suffering know
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I've felt your pain.
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I have felt, you know, the deep despair, but don't give in.
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Don't give up.
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You never know what god has planned for you.
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Look at me.
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I'm running for governor of oklahoma, and that's why we've
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Made galatians 6:9 the foundation of our campaign.
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Laurie: i love this story.
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I love this story because i think so many people go through
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Things, and, you know, even when you do get some kind of a
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Sickness, just trying to figure out what it is, okay, what is
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Happening to my body right now?
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I've had a thing or two that i've had to take a minute and--
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That have lasted years, you know, and you, you know, try
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This and you try that and then, oh god, that just wrecked me,
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You know, and then you try this, and, you know, and all the
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Different things, and it makes me think about the little lady
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With the issue of blood.
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Mike: oh, 12 years.
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I felt her story when i would read that in the gospels.
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Laurie: right, and all the people that, you know, you might
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Be sitting at home right now going through something that you
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Don't know what's wrong right now or that maybe you're doing
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Things that--just trying to believe god.
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I mean, there have been times i have looked at a doctor and
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Said, "i will never do what you just told me that i needed to
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Do, 'cause i'm not gonna do that to my body," you know, be on
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Antibiotics for years, and said, "i'll never do that.
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I'll never--i'll just have to trust the lord," and i think a
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Lot of us just get to that point where we do all that we can, and
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Then you just say, "you know what?
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If i die i die, but i am going to die in faith believing god
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And keep going," and i love that you said my work was worship
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Because it says everything that you do, do unto the lord, and i
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Have sat in this chair many times
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Just suffering from something--
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Nobody knew it except him and my kids--and i think
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Just hanging in there.
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I mean, look at you.
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You know, when you think about just doing everything that god's
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Called you to do is unto the lord, i mean, you were taking
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Meetings, which that had to be maybe embarrass--
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Matt: humbling. laurie: humbling.
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Mike: oh, humbling to say the least.
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Laurie: you were doing all of it and you just kept--
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Mike: hi, i'm senator mike mazzei.
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Welcome to horizontal mike.
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Laurie: but now look what god has done, and so through the
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Testimony--i was telling him in the back, that testimony that if
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God can do it for me, he can do it for you, right, and that
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There's always hope.
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That's what we get when we are believers in god is there's
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Always hope because he will always give us the strength and
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He'll give us the grace to walk through every season that he's
00:17:21.029 --> 00:17:26.335
Told us to walk through because there's something on the end of
00:17:26.335 --> 00:17:29.538
This where you look back and you go, man, had it not been for
00:17:29.538 --> 00:17:33.709
That time,
00:17:33.709 --> 00:17:35.043
I would never choose to do it again, but had it not been for
00:17:35.043 --> 00:17:39.014
That, i would not be where i am today, and i think you have a
00:17:39.014 --> 00:17:42.885
Strength and i think you have a tenacity to do your job.
00:17:42.885 --> 00:17:47.156
That's some--that what you sowed into--
00:17:47.156 --> 00:17:49.458
Matt: you were in politician training because you're gonna
00:17:49.458 --> 00:17:52.427
Need that tenacity.
00:17:52.427 --> 00:17:53.762
Laurie: you sowed into that job.
00:17:53.762 --> 00:17:55.898
You sowed your life into what you were called to do, and
00:17:55.898 --> 00:18:00.035
You're gonna reap a harvest from it.
00:18:00.035 --> 00:18:02.137
Mike: i already am, thanks to the faithfulness of the lord.
00:18:02.137 --> 00:18:05.541
I went from--you mentioned job, and, you know, i--there were a
00:18:05.541 --> 00:18:11.847
Lot of nights, matt, where i said, "the lord giveth.
00:18:11.847 --> 00:18:14.750
The lord taketh away.
00:18:14.750 --> 00:18:16.151
Blessed be the name of the lord."
00:18:16.151 --> 00:18:17.753
That's about the only place i could end the day, and then i
00:18:17.753 --> 00:18:21.757
Eventually, you know, would meditate on, "the lord will do
00:18:21.757 --> 00:18:25.994
Exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think," and today
00:18:25.994 --> 00:18:29.865
That is still one of my, you know, go-to meditations during
00:18:29.865 --> 00:18:34.736
The day, and i've got five awesome kids, and they all
00:18:34.736 --> 00:18:39.074
Love jesus.
00:18:39.074 --> 00:18:40.509
Somehow i was able to still be their dad, and i didn't get to
00:18:40.509 --> 00:18:45.614
Go to their sports activities and be an active part of their
00:18:45.614 --> 00:18:50.852
Lives, but i was a relational part of their lives.
00:18:50.852 --> 00:18:55.090
Sometimes, laurie, i wonder if god shut me down so i was more
00:18:55.090 --> 00:18:59.328
Available for my kids, and then today i have a very active life
00:18:59.328 --> 00:19:07.903
With my kids, and.
00:19:07.903 --> 00:19:09.471
Laurie: and soon to be grandbabies in your future.
00:19:09.471 --> 00:19:12.608
Mike: yeah, that's what my wife wants.
00:19:12.608 --> 00:19:14.710
Laurie: come on, noel.
00:19:14.710 --> 00:19:16.044
I'm with you. i'm believing for you.
00:19:16.044 --> 00:19:17.446
Mike: she'll love that.
00:19:17.446 --> 00:19:18.780
Matt: we started with this idea of not, you know, growing weary
00:19:18.780 --> 00:19:24.753
In well doing, but i'm sitting here--in the same studio not
00:19:24.753 --> 00:19:28.991
Long ago, we had mark batterson sitting here, and the subject
00:19:28.991 --> 00:19:34.630
That we were interviewing him on was gradually and then suddenly,
00:19:34.630 --> 00:19:40.936
And there was this really unique thing, and i'm sitting here
00:19:40.936 --> 00:19:44.573
Thinking about ten years, you had to live your life
00:19:44.573 --> 00:19:49.711
Horizontally, kind of on this traction bed, and just to be
00:19:49.711 --> 00:19:54.916
Able to get off your feet and let your spine heal from that
00:19:54.916 --> 00:19:59.354
Car wreck, but there's also a moment that, you know, this
00:19:59.354 --> 00:20:03.425
Gradually in not being weary in well doing, but then there's a
00:20:03.425 --> 00:20:07.162
Suddenly that happens sometimes, and i'm sitting there thinking
00:20:07.162 --> 00:20:10.832
To some people that just need to have somebody agree with them
00:20:10.832 --> 00:20:14.703
For a suddenly moment, and this is christian television, we
00:20:14.703 --> 00:20:18.707
Believe in that, and we believe in instantaneous healing.
00:20:18.707 --> 00:20:22.744
We agree with you for your healing in jesus's name, and
00:20:22.744 --> 00:20:27.582
That's--that is just something that maybe you needed to hear
00:20:27.582 --> 00:20:32.688
Today, that there is these gradualies.
00:20:32.688 --> 00:20:35.924
Laurie experienced a gradually for seven years, you experienced
00:20:35.924 --> 00:20:39.194
This gradually for ten years, but then there can be a
00:20:39.194 --> 00:20:42.030
Suddenly, and healing in the name of jesus is yours,
00:20:42.030 --> 00:20:47.969
And we believe that.
00:20:47.969 --> 00:20:49.304
We believe that here at tbn, and we believe that paul told us to
00:20:49.304 --> 00:20:54.976
Go for the long game, but occasionally there's a moment
00:20:54.976 --> 00:20:59.414
When you touch the hem of a garment and you're healed,
00:20:59.414 --> 00:21:02.684
You're whole, you're, you know, and we believe that, and okay.
00:21:02.684 --> 00:21:09.891
We're giving a testimony here.
00:21:09.891 --> 00:21:12.661
We've been talking testimony, but we technically have
00:21:12.661 --> 00:21:17.532
A--you're a politician.
00:21:17.532 --> 00:21:20.302
You know that, right? okay, so you're--
00:21:20.302 --> 00:21:22.404
Mike: don't hold that against me, matt.
00:21:22.404 --> 00:21:24.673
I'm a small business owner, sometimes politician.
00:21:24.673 --> 00:21:28.443
Laurie: you're running for governor.
00:21:28.443 --> 00:21:29.778
Matt: you are running for governor in a state near
00:21:29.778 --> 00:21:33.448
Us here.
00:21:33.448 --> 00:21:34.816
By the way, laurie's a card carrying choctaw by the way.
00:21:34.816 --> 00:21:38.086
Mike: oh really, okay. matt: choctaw nation.
00:21:38.086 --> 00:21:40.389
Laurie: from the state of oklahoma, baby.
00:21:40.389 --> 00:21:42.657
Mike: we--in oklahoma we have the sparkling gem of 39 native
00:21:42.657 --> 00:21:49.664
American tribes.
00:21:49.664 --> 00:21:51.199
Makes us very unique and special.
00:21:51.199 --> 00:21:54.169
Matt: so you are taking your former positions, which were
00:21:54.169 --> 00:22:00.776
State positions.
00:22:00.776 --> 00:22:02.544
You were a state senator, but you had a finance specialty.
00:22:02.544 --> 00:22:06.515
You were the--what's the name of the job that you did?
00:22:06.515 --> 00:22:10.051
Mike: well, for ten years i was the chairman of the senate
00:22:10.051 --> 00:22:13.588
Finance committee, and then for two years i was the oklahoma
00:22:13.588 --> 00:22:18.393
Secretary of finance.
00:22:18.393 --> 00:22:19.895
Matt: got it.
00:22:19.895 --> 00:22:21.229
So basically your trinity strategic wealth, that is a
00:22:21.229 --> 00:22:27.002
Company that is all doing what--so you're a numbers guy,
00:22:27.002 --> 00:22:30.672
You're a financial planner, you're--you--that's what you do
00:22:30.672 --> 00:22:33.775
For a living.
00:22:33.775 --> 00:22:35.243
You're wanting to walk your way into the governor's office and
00:22:35.243 --> 00:22:43.185
Mansion there in oklahoma, and what do you want to accomplish
00:22:43.185 --> 00:22:48.056
There that isn't being accomplished in oklahoma?
00:22:48.056 --> 00:22:51.893
Mike: as you said, i'm a financial planner.
00:22:51.893 --> 00:22:54.629
For over 30 years i've built financial plans for others, and
00:22:54.629 --> 00:23:00.402
Now i have a financial plan to launch a new wave of growth and
00:23:00.402 --> 00:23:06.174
Prosperity and freedom for the people of oklahoma.
00:23:06.174 --> 00:23:10.645
We have significant republican control in the state of
00:23:10.645 --> 00:23:15.817
Oklahoma, but we haven't overhauled our tax code ever.
00:23:15.817 --> 00:23:22.824
We have to become a no income tax state, and i've got a plan
00:23:22.824 --> 00:23:27.662
To make that happen because we're losing headquarters of
00:23:27.662 --> 00:23:34.169
Fortune 1,000 companies from oklahoma to texas, the no income
00:23:34.169 --> 00:23:40.976
Tax state of texas.
00:23:40.976 --> 00:23:43.545
The state of tennessee has had 58% more economic growth than
00:23:43.545 --> 00:23:48.783
The state of oklahoma, and that's because it's a no income
00:23:48.783 --> 00:23:51.887
Tax state and we're not, so in addition to my plan for that, i
00:23:51.887 --> 00:23:58.026
Also have crunched the numbers to figure out how to abolish
00:23:58.026 --> 00:24:01.630
Property taxes for seniors 65 and older.
00:24:01.630 --> 00:24:05.000
This era of inflation and increase in property taxes has
00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:11.573
Our seniors, who are on fixed incomes, scared to death that
00:24:11.573 --> 00:24:15.744
They're going to lose their homes because their property
00:24:15.744 --> 00:24:18.313
Taxes have gone up 30, 40, 50% over the last decade, and we've
00:24:18.313 --> 00:24:26.054
Got to address that, 'cause you shouldn't pay rent to the
00:24:26.054 --> 00:24:28.757
Government for the rest of your lives after you've, you know,
00:24:28.757 --> 00:24:32.193
Raised your kids and put 'em through school.
00:24:32.193 --> 00:24:34.863
Second big priority is we have to have a statewide literacy
00:24:34.863 --> 00:24:41.169
Program where we get our kids, teaching them to
00:24:41.169 --> 00:24:45.307
Read at grade level.
00:24:45.307 --> 00:24:46.641
Unfortunately, in oklahoma we're 49th in reading outcomes, but
00:24:46.641 --> 00:24:50.812
Over in the state of mississippi they've gone from 50th to 1st
00:24:50.812 --> 00:24:56.618
With a very effective statewide literacy program.
00:24:56.618 --> 00:25:00.121
So we're gonna replicate that and get it done in oklahoma, and
00:25:00.121 --> 00:25:04.693
Then our third priority, matt, is in the middle of the bible
00:25:04.693 --> 00:25:09.097
Belt, red conservative state, oklahoma, we have this mess of
00:25:09.097 --> 00:25:14.970
Marijuana going on because of a failed medical marijuana
00:25:14.970 --> 00:25:19.374
Experiment, and the chinese communist party elements with
00:25:19.374 --> 00:25:24.879
The mexican drug cartels basically turned us into the
00:25:24.879 --> 00:25:31.186
Number one producing state of pot in the entire country, and i
00:25:31.186 --> 00:25:37.726
Have executive orders planned on day one to end that nonsense and
00:25:37.726 --> 00:25:43.765
Push all these nefarious folks out of the state of oklahoma
00:25:43.765 --> 00:25:48.536
Because we've got to secure the land of oklahoma for the people
00:25:48.536 --> 00:25:52.707
Of oklahoma, you know, the next generation.
00:25:52.707 --> 00:25:56.244
I believe when true christian conservatives, you know, unite
00:25:56.244 --> 00:26:00.915
In faith and freedom around a solid conservative plan, we can
00:26:00.915 --> 00:26:05.987
Usher in a golden age of growth and prosperity for our kids,
00:26:05.987 --> 00:26:11.326
Those grandkids that noel wants, and our kids and our grandkids.
00:26:11.326 --> 00:26:16.998
Matt: did i hear you correctly that you want to abolish
00:26:16.998 --> 00:26:21.302
Property taxes and state income taxes?
00:26:21.302 --> 00:26:26.041
Mike: state income taxes and property taxes in oklahoma are
00:26:26.041 --> 00:26:30.245
Separate, versus in texas they're kind of combined.
00:26:30.245 --> 00:26:36.885
State income taxes provide state funding, property taxes provide
00:26:36.885 --> 00:26:43.291
Local funding, and i've figured out a way for us to take our
00:26:43.291 --> 00:26:50.031
State income tax from four and a half percent to zero and be like
00:26:50.031 --> 00:26:55.170
Tennessee and texas.
00:26:55.170 --> 00:26:57.572
Separately, on the property tax side, i've crunched the numbers
00:26:57.572 --> 00:27:01.242
And figured out a way for us to abolish property taxes for
00:27:01.242 --> 00:27:06.715
Seniors 65 and older and career military veterans, so they have
00:27:06.715 --> 00:27:12.454
Much more affordability in their retirement years.
00:27:12.454 --> 00:27:17.325
Matt: so the oklahoma for 65 and older, that doesn't really apply
00:27:17.325 --> 00:27:22.163
To me.
00:27:22.163 --> 00:27:23.531
Laurie: you're getting so much mail right now.
00:27:23.531 --> 00:27:25.300
Did you--i have not told you.
00:27:25.300 --> 00:27:27.736
Mike: move to oklahoma.
00:27:27.736 --> 00:27:29.571
Matt: it doesn't really--
00:27:29.571 --> 00:27:30.905
Mike: laurie has some oklahoma city roots.
00:27:30.905 --> 00:27:32.841
Matt: being 65 is a really long ways away for
00:27:32.841 --> 00:27:36.111
Me, so, you know what i mean?
00:27:36.111 --> 00:27:37.445
Laurie: but i forgot to tell you how much mail we had the other
00:27:37.445 --> 00:27:39.647
Day for, like, medicare.
00:27:39.647 --> 00:27:43.752
Mike: medicare is coming around the corner, matt.
00:27:43.752 --> 00:27:46.554
Matt: oh god, that's funny.
00:27:46.554 --> 00:27:50.225
It's an interesting thing that i don't know whether to ask you a
00:27:50.225 --> 00:27:57.132
Follow-up question about your testimony or your policies in
00:27:57.132 --> 00:28:03.004
Regards, so i'm gonna bounce back.
00:28:03.004 --> 00:28:05.206
Tell me something when it came to that ten years,
00:28:05.206 --> 00:28:13.314
Many dark days, you know, but god tells us that he'll get us
00:28:13.314 --> 00:28:20.989
Just through that day, you know.
00:28:20.989 --> 00:28:24.192
There's just this process, you know, that god will give you
00:28:24.192 --> 00:28:29.297
Enough to just keep going, you know.
00:28:29.297 --> 00:28:32.634
I used to use this analogy that, you know, i--laurie and i had
00:28:32.634 --> 00:28:36.805
Our own business for 20 years in hollywood, california, and
00:28:36.805 --> 00:28:41.843
There's taxes in holly--in california.
00:28:41.843 --> 00:28:44.579
Mike: big taxes there.
00:28:44.579 --> 00:28:45.914
Matt: and i remember describing this kind of faith walk by
00:28:45.914 --> 00:28:52.253
Saying, you know, at some point i thought every friday was the
00:28:52.253 --> 00:28:57.292
Day when i would give up and not be in
00:28:57.292 --> 00:29:00.495
Business anymore, you know what i mean?
00:29:00.495 --> 00:29:01.830
It just felt like, you know--and every friday, just when i was
00:29:01.830 --> 00:29:06.801
Hurling towards friday thinking it'd be the last week we'd ever
00:29:06.801 --> 00:29:10.205
Be in business and think i'm gonna break my nose on a brick
00:29:10.205 --> 00:29:14.008
Wall, the wall would just move an inch so i didn't break my
00:29:14.008 --> 00:29:17.612
Nose on it, you know, and then the next week you're
00:29:17.612 --> 00:29:20.481
Energized again.
00:29:20.481 --> 00:29:21.850
You go to church on sunday, and monday comes,
00:29:21.850 --> 00:29:23.685
And you're, you know.
00:29:23.685 --> 00:29:25.019
I understand how god just kind of gives you that grace, but
00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:29.991
There's got to undoubtedly be a few moments of hearing the voice
00:29:29.991 --> 00:29:36.197
Of the lord, a few whispers of this and that.
00:29:36.197 --> 00:29:39.868
There's gotta be some lessons from that horizontal mike, as
00:29:39.868 --> 00:29:44.639
You would describe yourself,
00:29:44.639 --> 00:29:47.242
There's gotta be some of that that i know would be interesting
00:29:47.242 --> 00:29:50.278
For our audience to hear.
00:29:50.278 --> 00:29:51.746
Mike: i not only had to learn how to live from day to day, i
00:29:51.746 --> 00:29:55.483
Had to learn how to live from hour to hour because the pain
00:29:55.483 --> 00:30:00.655
Sequence would start, and then i'd have to, you know, do what
00:30:00.655 --> 00:30:04.893
Was necessary to get out of pain or spasms in various parts of
00:30:04.893 --> 00:30:11.866
My body.
00:30:11.866 --> 00:30:13.234
So i ended up with this regimen of, well, i can do this, and
00:30:13.234 --> 00:30:17.538
Then i can get on some ice, and then i can do this, and then i
00:30:17.538 --> 00:30:20.975
Can make sure i'm horizontal, and in that hour to hour moment
00:30:20.975 --> 00:30:28.082
I learned, partly from watching tbn and joyce meyer and her
00:30:28.082 --> 00:30:35.924
Message of the battle of the mind and how you have to
00:30:35.924 --> 00:30:39.994
Meditate on scripture.
00:30:39.994 --> 00:30:42.430
In these little periods of the day, matt, i was like, oh, i
00:30:42.430 --> 00:30:46.267
Just--oh, how do i not let my mind go into those bad, deep,
00:30:46.267 --> 00:30:51.806
Dark places.
00:30:51.806 --> 00:30:53.341
I ended up with these scriptures that i would meditate on, and
00:30:53.341 --> 00:30:58.680
Then one day i found myself reading the first couple of
00:30:58.680 --> 00:31:02.317
Chapters of joshua, and i learned, wow, joshua was
00:31:02.317 --> 00:31:07.288
Terrified taking over for moses, 'cause the lord had to tell him
00:31:07.288 --> 00:31:11.993
Three times, "be strong and courageous," "be strong and
00:31:11.993 --> 00:31:17.031
Courageous," and part of that was be strong and courageous and
00:31:17.031 --> 00:31:21.135
Meditate on the law, the word of god, day and night.
00:31:21.135 --> 00:31:27.642
Like, okay.
00:31:27.642 --> 00:31:28.977
You know, i was this guy who thought, "eh, meditation,
00:31:28.977 --> 00:31:33.081
This is.
00:31:33.081 --> 00:31:34.415
You know, i'm too busy for meditation."
00:31:34.415 --> 00:31:37.085
I literally got from hour to hour, day to day, through the
00:31:37.085 --> 00:31:41.789
Discipline of ten scriptures that i would just roll over in
00:31:41.789 --> 00:31:47.128
My mind because there would be lots of times where, you know, i
00:31:47.128 --> 00:31:51.265
Was alone or waiting for the next meeting, and that was a
00:31:51.265 --> 00:31:58.606
Seminal experience for me that brought me closer to the lord
00:31:58.606 --> 00:32:06.214
Than i could ever have imagined because, you know, we have to
00:32:06.214 --> 00:32:12.253
Have the word of god that renews our minds, and i learned, oh,
00:32:12.253 --> 00:32:17.792
This is how my mind is renewing over and over again every day so
00:32:17.792 --> 00:32:22.730
I can get to the next hour, i can get to the next day.
00:32:22.730 --> 00:32:27.568
Laurie: you know, i've learned that if you can worry, you can
00:32:27.568 --> 00:32:30.605
Meditate, 'cause that's what--
00:32:30.605 --> 00:32:33.908
Matt: worry is.
00:32:33.908 --> 00:32:35.276
Laurie: worry is, is meditating on the bad news of something.
00:32:35.276 --> 00:32:38.079
Did you ever--did you have dreams of
00:32:38.079 --> 00:32:39.914
Being governor during that time?
00:32:39.914 --> 00:32:41.249
Was that the goal, or?
00:32:41.249 --> 00:32:42.917
Mike: i had to--i gave up my dreams of driving a car.
00:32:42.917 --> 00:32:47.455
I thought i was done with politics and, you know, i could
00:32:47.455 --> 00:32:51.726
Run my business and work with my clients and watch my kids
00:32:51.726 --> 00:32:54.762
Get--grow up, but heavens, no.
00:32:54.762 --> 00:32:57.899
Laurie: was there a day that you knew it was changing?
00:32:57.899 --> 00:33:02.370
Can you pinpoint the time--or maybe just the time where things
00:33:02.370 --> 00:33:07.308
Were changing and you knew, okay--
00:33:07.308 --> 00:33:11.279
Mike: something's happening? laurie: something's happening.
00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:13.247
Mike: so when i started working with a physical trainer,
00:33:13.247 --> 00:33:19.053
Therapist, and i'll send a shout out to my friend jeff
00:33:19.053 --> 00:33:23.124
Ravenscroft, who showed up one day and said, "i think i can
00:33:23.124 --> 00:33:28.930
Help you," and i literally told him, laurie, "i think i'm beyond
00:33:28.930 --> 00:33:33.801
Help, but if you wanna try, i'm game," and this is about when
00:33:33.801 --> 00:33:39.073
The nerve regeneration stuff was at least delivering me from some
00:33:39.073 --> 00:33:43.544
Of the nerve burning and pain, and he took me on, and, you
00:33:43.544 --> 00:33:50.985
Know, i had to learn to pick up a cup without stingers going up
00:33:50.985 --> 00:33:56.023
My back.
00:33:56.023 --> 00:33:57.391
Well, he finally got me to the point where we walked down my
00:33:57.391 --> 00:34:02.730
Driveway and up the first part of a small little hill in the
00:34:02.730 --> 00:34:09.637
Circular neighborhood that we have, and i thought i was gonna
00:34:09.637 --> 00:34:14.041
Die, 'cause it was maybe 50 yards, but i made it 50 yards,
00:34:14.041 --> 00:34:23.084
And then eventually i made it around the whole loop.
00:34:23.084 --> 00:34:29.991
That was one of those moments of, i did a whole loop and i
00:34:29.991 --> 00:34:34.195
Walked, and i think i'm gonna just fall in complete and total
00:34:34.195 --> 00:34:40.101
Exhaustion, but i made a whole loop.
00:34:40.101 --> 00:34:43.104
The second one was really the day i got to start driving a car
00:34:43.104 --> 00:34:48.109
Again without pain, and then your whole world opens up,
00:34:48.109 --> 00:34:52.947
Because for years i was hauled in the back of a car lying down,
00:34:52.947 --> 00:34:58.186
Just like i would in my office.
00:34:58.186 --> 00:34:59.587
I couldn't see anything anywhere, but when i could walk,
00:34:59.587 --> 00:35:04.792
And then eventually when i could drive a car and go somewhere for
00:35:04.792 --> 00:35:10.097
10 or 15 minutes and not be in pain, then i thought, "i'm on
00:35:10.097 --> 00:35:16.270
A comeback.
00:35:16.270 --> 00:35:17.605
Is my story gonna be a comeback story?"
00:35:17.605 --> 00:35:21.442
Laurie: i love it.
00:35:21.442 --> 00:35:22.777
Well, that's kind of happened in your career too, hasn't it?
00:35:22.777 --> 00:35:25.079
Mike: oh yeah.
00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:26.414
I thought i was done with politics and public service.
00:35:26.414 --> 00:35:30.017
Matt: okay, so i can't hardly imagine, you know--you know
00:35:30.017 --> 00:35:35.356
That--you know the story--mama osteen's in heaven now, but her
00:35:35.356 --> 00:35:40.494
Story of being diagnosed, you know, with cancer early, you
00:35:40.494 --> 00:35:47.168
Know, and when joel was just a student at oru.
00:35:47.168 --> 00:35:50.538
Joel went to oru for, like, five minutes, i think, and he--but he
00:35:50.538 --> 00:35:57.445
Had to come home, and his mama was diagnosed, was given, you
00:35:57.445 --> 00:36:01.215
Know, a very short period of time to live, and it was just
00:36:01.215 --> 00:36:05.186
Her putting up scripture and just renewing her mind in regard
00:36:05.186 --> 00:36:11.826
To that, and your story, mike, and having the ability to build
00:36:11.826 --> 00:36:18.966
A business, you know, where you're managing, you know,
00:36:18.966 --> 00:36:23.070
$1.6 billion for your clients, and your brain obviously never
00:36:23.070 --> 00:36:29.343
Stopped working.
00:36:29.343 --> 00:36:30.711
You were building a business of, you know, a financial business,
00:36:30.711 --> 00:36:36.284
And that was with raymond james?
00:36:36.284 --> 00:36:39.086
Mike: independent branch of raymond james.
00:36:39.086 --> 00:36:43.357
Matt: so you basically were doing your work well, your mind
00:36:43.357 --> 00:36:49.797
Was working, you were able to do that, but your physical body
00:36:49.797 --> 00:36:54.969
Was broke.
00:36:54.969 --> 00:36:56.304
It was broken, and to see you sitting here today and smiling
00:36:56.304 --> 00:37:01.575
And just, it's a miracle, and to come out of that, most people
00:37:01.575 --> 00:37:08.749
Would say, "well, i'm gonna challenge whether mike's brain's
00:37:08.749 --> 00:37:12.687
Working that good because he's going into politics after that."
00:37:12.687 --> 00:37:16.991
Maybe sitting on the beach--
00:37:16.991 --> 00:37:18.526
Mike: maybe something happened.
00:37:18.526 --> 00:37:19.894
Matt: yeah, maybe sitting on the beach would be a little better
00:37:19.894 --> 00:37:23.698
Of a--of an endgame here.
00:37:23.698 --> 00:37:26.967
Tell me what's driving this piece, because it wouldn't be
00:37:26.967 --> 00:37:33.441
Bad for you to say, "i've got this business, i've got a bunch
00:37:33.441 --> 00:37:38.779
Of kids, i've got a season coming of grandkids, and man, i
00:37:38.779 --> 00:37:44.418
Could just," and you're, you know, you're largely going to do
00:37:44.418 --> 00:37:49.090
Something that is going to take every lesson you learned of that
00:37:49.090 --> 00:37:54.195
Ten years of tenacity to make it happen.
00:37:54.195 --> 00:37:57.298
Why are you doing this?
00:37:57.298 --> 00:37:59.700
Mike: one of my political heroes is ronald reagan, and reagan got
00:37:59.700 --> 00:38:05.473
Into politics as governor and president because he wanted to
00:38:05.473 --> 00:38:09.643
Fix some problems that nobody seemed willing to fix or
00:38:09.643 --> 00:38:14.181
Challenge the status quo, and if you remember, early on in
00:38:14.181 --> 00:38:18.185
Reagan's presidency he was shot, and he really told the lord
00:38:18.185 --> 00:38:23.657
After that moment, "whatever time i have left is for you, and
00:38:23.657 --> 00:38:28.129
I'm gonna be about, you know, your work," and he felt
00:38:28.129 --> 00:38:31.499
Convicted that it was his job to help win the cold war and push
00:38:31.499 --> 00:38:39.073
Back this evil of communism.
00:38:39.073 --> 00:38:42.009
After i recovered, got my abilities back, my interest in
00:38:42.009 --> 00:38:48.516
Politics and, you know, public policy solutions never waned,
00:38:48.516 --> 00:38:54.155
And i had these ideas on how to address the tax code, fix the
00:38:54.155 --> 00:39:00.327
Schools so kids could read at grade level, and get rid of this
00:39:00.327 --> 00:39:03.931
Mess of chinese communists, but the season of renewing my mind
00:39:03.931 --> 00:39:08.502
And the lord, you know, eventually rescuing me and
00:39:08.502 --> 00:39:11.639
Protecting my family and business during that time put me
00:39:11.639 --> 00:39:17.077
And my wife in a place, we just wanna be testimonies for jesus
00:39:17.077 --> 00:39:22.983
For the rest of our lives, be unabashed about talking about
00:39:22.983 --> 00:39:27.721
What the lord can do for people, and i just want to be about the
00:39:27.721 --> 00:39:34.361
Work the lord is doing, you know.
00:39:34.361 --> 00:39:37.565
Lord, what is the work you're doing, and what part do you want
00:39:37.565 --> 00:39:41.235
Me to play?
00:39:41.235 --> 00:39:42.736
And it seemed like there was a need for someone to work hard to
00:39:42.736 --> 00:39:52.313
Be the next governor of oklahoma, and maybe the lord's
00:39:52.313 --> 00:39:58.185
Hand was saying, "i've got some work i want you to do."
00:39:58.185 --> 00:40:01.355
Now, the funny part, laurie, is when
00:40:01.355 --> 00:40:02.890
I first told my wife about this--
00:40:02.890 --> 00:40:04.225
Laurie: i was just getting ready to ask.
00:40:04.225 --> 00:40:06.393
Mike: and i said, "noel, i think this is stirring in
00:40:06.393 --> 00:40:09.663
Me, and you know our hearts.
00:40:09.663 --> 00:40:10.998
We want to be, you know, about the lord's work.
00:40:10.998 --> 00:40:13.634
I don't want this all to be about selfish ambition,
00:40:13.634 --> 00:40:16.971
You know.
00:40:16.971 --> 00:40:18.305
I'm finally, you know, doing well," and i said, "i think
00:40:18.305 --> 00:40:22.142
Maybe i need to run for governor, or at least the holy
00:40:22.142 --> 00:40:27.181
Spirit's doing something in me," and she said, "that's a terrible
00:40:27.181 --> 00:40:30.150
Idea," and, "the lord's gonna have to talk to me directly if,
00:40:30.150 --> 00:40:35.890
You know, we're gonna do that," and we prayed and fasted and
00:40:35.890 --> 00:40:41.028
Talked and talked, and she's a teacher by training, and
00:40:41.028 --> 00:40:47.001
Particularly when we started diving into the issues of how
00:40:47.001 --> 00:40:51.038
Bad things have gotten for the schools, 20% of oklahoma kids
00:40:51.038 --> 00:40:57.511
Can read proficiently, which means we have 500,000 in the
00:40:57.511 --> 00:41:03.350
System that aren't reading at grade level, and that breaks her
00:41:03.350 --> 00:41:08.222
Heart, and when we started talking about the solutions that
00:41:08.222 --> 00:41:12.960
Were out there in other states like mississippi and how to
00:41:12.960 --> 00:41:16.263
Replicate it, i think the lord and the holy spirit's kind of
00:41:16.263 --> 00:41:20.801
Started working in her, and she said, "you're right.
00:41:20.801 --> 00:41:23.070
We gotta do this."
00:41:23.070 --> 00:41:24.438
That's beautiful.
00:41:24.438 --> 00:41:25.773
Matt: your friend, your common friend that is also a friend of
00:41:25.773 --> 00:41:29.143
Mine, tom newman, an oklahoma oru grad, i think had the
00:41:29.143 --> 00:41:33.914
Same reaction--
00:41:33.914 --> 00:41:35.282
Mike: "what are you thinking?"
00:41:35.282 --> 00:41:36.617
Matt: when you said, "i think i'm gonna run for governor," he
00:41:36.617 --> 00:41:39.720
Goes, "that's a terrible idea," you know, because there's
00:41:39.720 --> 00:41:44.425
Basically--there's this thing called name recognition that
00:41:44.425 --> 00:41:50.297
Apparently is a big deal when it comes to politicians.
00:41:50.297 --> 00:41:55.269
That's why you see all these things get put in people's front
00:41:55.269 --> 00:41:58.405
Yards, you know, and the name.
00:41:58.405 --> 00:42:00.841
I never understood why there's a name for a politician and it
00:42:00.841 --> 00:42:07.281
Doesn't have the party affiliation on it.
00:42:07.281 --> 00:42:09.984
You know, at some point isn't most people a republican, a
00:42:09.984 --> 00:42:13.721
Democrat, or independent, and these--all these name
00:42:13.721 --> 00:42:17.024
Recognition things is, and apparently tom told you that
00:42:17.024 --> 00:42:23.464
Your name recognition thing isn't in the right percentage or
00:42:23.464 --> 00:42:27.568
Whatever, and so at some point this broadcast is running not
00:42:27.568 --> 00:42:35.042
Only on tbn nationally, but it's gonna run locally in tulsa and
00:42:35.042 --> 00:42:43.017
In oklahoma, and somebody that has been through the fire like
00:42:43.017 --> 00:42:50.057
You have, you know, it says that when you've been tested you'll
00:42:50.057 --> 00:42:54.595
Come out as pure gold, and if you want to take this season of
00:42:54.595 --> 00:42:59.333
Your life and go in and fix some problems in a state that needs
00:42:59.333 --> 00:43:04.605
Fixing, i'm all for you, but at some point what do you want our
00:43:04.605 --> 00:43:11.779
Audience--i mean, look, duh, you want their vote, but at some
00:43:11.779 --> 00:43:16.083
Point is there something a tbn audience that is watching this
00:43:16.083 --> 00:43:23.957
Broadcast can do that you think is more important than, you
00:43:23.957 --> 00:43:29.697
Know, the obvious later this year in '26 when the election is
00:43:29.697 --> 00:43:34.535
Actually happening, but is there something that they could be
00:43:34.535 --> 00:43:38.505
Doing now?
00:43:38.505 --> 00:43:40.441
Mike: the great lesson about the history of the united states and
00:43:40.441 --> 00:43:46.313
Texas and oklahoma is when a few christians get together and
00:43:46.313 --> 00:43:54.321
Pray, noble movements take off, the american revolution, the
00:43:54.321 --> 00:44:01.962
Abolition of slavery.
00:44:01.962 --> 00:44:04.565
So the power of prayer for the state of oklahoma from today's
00:44:04.565 --> 00:44:12.973
Listeners is the power that can change everything.
00:44:12.973 --> 00:44:19.413
Now, when you're running a campaign, you need people to do
00:44:19.413 --> 00:44:24.451
Yard signs and make phone calls and knock doors and send
00:44:24.451 --> 00:44:30.224
Financial contributions.
00:44:30.224 --> 00:44:33.026
The campaigns are expensive.
00:44:33.026 --> 00:44:35.162
The signs cost a lot of money.
00:44:35.162 --> 00:44:37.064
The tv ads cost a lot of money.
00:44:37.064 --> 00:44:41.001
Matt: we're not charging you very much for this interview
00:44:41.001 --> 00:44:43.670
Now, so don't worry about that.
00:44:43.670 --> 00:44:46.106
Yeah, it's not a lot, so.
00:44:46.106 --> 00:44:48.308
Mike: and, all of that is important, and, you know, the
00:44:48.308 --> 00:44:53.580
Great thing about america, the great thing about politics, even
00:44:53.580 --> 00:44:57.151
Though it's kind of a rough and tumble sport, is everybody can
00:44:57.151 --> 00:45:01.321
Make a difference.
00:45:01.321 --> 00:45:02.656
Some vote.
00:45:02.656 --> 00:45:04.024
Some put up a yard sign.
00:45:04.024 --> 00:45:05.425
Some invite their neighbors, "hey, come check out
00:45:05.425 --> 00:45:08.095
Mike mazzei."
00:45:08.095 --> 00:45:09.463
I was at a house last night in a wonderful place with my friend,
00:45:09.463 --> 00:45:13.400
Representative clay staires.
00:45:13.400 --> 00:45:16.103
He and his wife hosted us at their house for their
00:45:16.103 --> 00:45:18.872
Neighborhood friends in skiatook, oklahoma, and some
00:45:18.872 --> 00:45:22.676
Give financial, you know, contributions, and some great
00:45:22.676 --> 00:45:27.080
Friends like tom newman help you come meet matt and laurie crouch
00:45:27.080 --> 00:45:33.253
And have a wonderful experience like this.
00:45:33.253 --> 00:45:35.989
Laurie: let me tell you a quick story about tulsa, oklahoma.
00:45:35.989 --> 00:45:39.526
I remember one day 25, 6 years ago, we got on the air and matt
00:45:39.526 --> 00:45:46.533
Said, "i need you people in tulsa to listen up."
00:45:46.533 --> 00:45:50.404
Matt: oh boy.
00:45:50.404 --> 00:45:51.772
Laurie: and he said, "i need you to go down to your theater," the
00:45:51.772 --> 00:45:55.475
Amc or wherever it was.
00:45:55.475 --> 00:45:57.211
Matt: it was crossroads 20.
00:45:57.211 --> 00:45:58.545
Laurie: crossroads 20.
00:45:58.545 --> 00:45:59.913
Matt: in tulsa, oklahoma.
00:45:59.913 --> 00:46:01.248
Mike: and he said, "i need you to go down there and talk to mr.
00:46:01.248 --> 00:46:04.051
Sonny, who runs the place and say, 'is 'the omega code'
00:46:04.051 --> 00:46:09.823
Running in this theater because we wanna see it?'"
00:46:09.823 --> 00:46:13.527
Matt: "we can't get any distribution, no hollywood
00:46:13.527 --> 00:46:16.096
Studios will get us into the theaters, and
00:46:16.096 --> 00:46:18.932
I need you--i need your help.
00:46:18.932 --> 00:46:20.267
Tulsa, i need your help."
00:46:20.267 --> 00:46:22.002
I said that.
00:46:22.002 --> 00:46:23.337
Laurie: "go down tonight if you can, or just get on the phone.
00:46:23.337 --> 00:46:26.940
Here's the number. call mr. sonny."
00:46:26.940 --> 00:46:29.142
The next morning mr. sonny called him, goes, "what in the
00:46:29.142 --> 00:46:32.379
World are you doing," he said.
00:46:32.379 --> 00:46:34.481
He said, "how many--"
00:46:34.481 --> 00:46:35.849
Matt: five hundred people came down to the theater.
00:46:35.849 --> 00:46:37.184
Laurie: "how many theaters do you need," and that's what
00:46:37.184 --> 00:46:39.853
They did, that's what the tbn partners
00:46:39.853 --> 00:46:41.588
Did down in oklahoma.
00:46:41.588 --> 00:46:42.923
So i love--all my family is in moore, so
00:46:42.923 --> 00:46:45.926
Shout out to all my moore family.
00:46:45.926 --> 00:46:47.261
They're all policemen.
00:46:47.261 --> 00:46:48.595
They run the city of moore, i think.
00:46:48.595 --> 00:46:52.699
Matt: they police the city of moore.
00:46:52.699 --> 00:46:55.002
Mike: one of the huge transformational projects i did
00:46:55.002 --> 00:46:58.205
Get done, and the biggest moment of accomplishment was actually
00:46:58.205 --> 00:47:02.542
2008 when i was at my worst of the worst, was i rescued the
00:47:02.542 --> 00:47:07.915
Pension systems of oklahoma for teachers, firefighters, and
00:47:07.915 --> 00:47:13.687
Police officers.
00:47:13.687 --> 00:47:15.555
So today--we were 49th in the country and the systems were
00:47:15.555 --> 00:47:20.260
Almost bankrupt.
00:47:20.260 --> 00:47:21.595
Today we're top 15, and the police system is fully funded.
00:47:21.595 --> 00:47:26.099
Laurie: wow, that's--thank you.
00:47:26.099 --> 00:47:28.502
Matt: my goodness.
00:47:28.502 --> 00:47:29.836
Mike: go police officers in moore, and back the blue.
00:47:29.836 --> 00:47:33.573
Laurie: that's right.
00:47:33.573 --> 00:47:34.908
Matt: so this is an interesting discussion today.
00:47:34.908 --> 00:47:38.312
We've talked about perseverance, healing, you know, destiny.
00:47:38.312 --> 00:47:45.519
We've talked about a lot of different things, and what i'm
00:47:45.519 --> 00:47:49.056
Grateful for is this kind of discussion really wasn't had
00:47:49.056 --> 00:47:56.129
Years ago, you know.
00:47:56.129 --> 00:47:57.931
There was a big, you know, kind of--my dad and hal lindsay were
00:47:57.931 --> 00:48:03.136
Best friends, and "the late, great planet earth" was out, and
00:48:03.136 --> 00:48:05.839
The lord's coming back tomorrow afternoon, and there's no reason
00:48:05.839 --> 00:48:09.376
To be a politician and fix things and all that because, you
00:48:09.376 --> 00:48:12.913
Know, the lord's just imminent return is coming, and to think
00:48:12.913 --> 00:48:19.419
That we are talking about things that you might think would take
00:48:19.419 --> 00:48:24.891
A couple of terms to do and to fix for the next generation is
00:48:24.891 --> 00:48:30.464
Inspiring to me, and so, mike, you were not weary in
00:48:30.464 --> 00:48:35.202
Well doing.
00:48:35.202 --> 00:48:36.703
You persevered, the lord's raised you up, and it feels like
00:48:36.703 --> 00:48:42.542
I'm grateful for that.
00:48:42.542 --> 00:48:44.011
Just i'm encouraged by that, and i'll give you the final word.
00:48:44.011 --> 00:48:49.016
That's all politicians ever want is the final word, and final
00:48:49.016 --> 00:48:54.154
Word in regard to what you'd like to say in conclusion to
00:48:54.154 --> 00:48:58.692
This broadcast today.
00:48:58.692 --> 00:49:01.395
Mike: well, thanks so much for letting me share my story.
00:49:01.395 --> 00:49:06.266
I believe, like you do, that every person watching today,
00:49:06.266 --> 00:49:14.574
Everyone out there, has a unique and special purpose from god,
00:49:14.574 --> 00:49:21.081
And i believe texas has a unique purpose in the lord's kingdom,
00:49:21.081 --> 00:49:27.020
And i believe oklahoma, the kids of oklahoma, the grandkids of
00:49:27.020 --> 00:49:32.259
Oklahoma, have a unique purpose, and, you know, we would like to
00:49:32.259 --> 00:49:37.964
Make life and the future better for that next generation.
00:49:37.964 --> 00:49:44.337
If some of the listeners would like to know more, they can
00:49:44.337 --> 00:49:48.075
Check out mikeforok.com, pretty simple website, and we actually
00:49:48.075 --> 00:49:56.483
List some details, matt, of the plan for the schools and the
00:49:56.483 --> 00:50:00.187
Plan for taxes and the plan for keeping oklahoma land safe for
00:50:00.187 --> 00:50:05.192
The people of oklahoma, and again, my message to anyone
00:50:05.192 --> 00:50:10.730
Always suffering through some difficult times is please don't
00:50:10.730 --> 00:50:14.534
Give in, please don't give up.
00:50:14.534 --> 00:50:18.538
Matt: "in the future oklahoma will be ok."
00:50:18.538 --> 00:50:22.909
Isn't that your logo?
00:50:22.909 --> 00:50:24.277
Isn't that oklahoma, ok?
00:50:24.277 --> 00:50:25.612
Mike: yeah, we sort of put that one--
00:50:25.612 --> 00:50:27.581
Matt: you let that one go?
00:50:27.581 --> 00:50:28.915
Mike: yeah, that's not top tier excellence like--
00:50:28.915 --> 00:50:30.917
Matt: well, i married a choctaw indian, so, you know.
00:50:30.917 --> 00:50:34.221
Mike: freedom, growth, and prosperity in oklahoma.
00:50:34.221 --> 00:50:37.424
Matt: we'll see you next time. bye bye.
00:50:37.424 --> 00:50:39.526
♪♪♪
00:50:39.526 --> 00:50:39.526

Mike Mazzei: Work as Worship | Praise

May 18, 2026 | 51:0

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