This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. I'm Spencer and I work at United Healthcare.
So Spencer, why do you care? I care because my daughter, Adeline, has special needs. I am motivated by Adeline, who inspires me every day. I am driven to help families like mine navigate the healthcare system. I'm so blessed to lead an amazing team at United Healthcare focusing on the member experience and making that better.
I'm Spencer and I'm committed to care. Your first sip should do more than simply start the day. Choose Vital Proteins Marine Collagen Peptides, sourced from Wild Cock Cog. With collagen peptides to help support healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, and joints, it's a simple way to add daily support to what you're already enjoying.
So your upgraded routine supports you right back. Vital Proteins, stay vital. Visit vitalproteins.com to get started. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Do you want to find a stress-free way to buy your next car? Start at CarMax and shop your way. And if you want to browse with confidence, get pre-qualified online with no impact on your credit score and shop cars within your budget, from luxury cars to family rides. CarMax has options for almost every price range, including more than 25,000 cars priced under $25,000.
So hey, wanna get started? Just head to CarMax.com for details and get pre-qualified today. Wanna drive? CarMax. Indeed Sponsored Jobs gets you quality candidates when you need them most.
Spend less time searching and more time actually interviewing candidates who check all your boxes. Less stress, less time, more results. When you need the right person to cut through the chaos, this is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs. And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at indeed.com/slash podcast. Terms and conditions apply.
Need to hire? This is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs. Ah! Waldfreed. This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories.
Up next, the story of a governor and an ex-con turned music star. and their two resurrection stories. Mm. Oh. Bill Lee was raised on the thousand-acre cattle farm his grandparents started in Franklin, Tennessee.
He knew great success as the CEO of his family construction company. Growing it to 1,200 employees. Years later, he becomes CEO of his home state, becoming governor in 2019. But years before, a tragic event, the death of his wife Carol, would drive Lee to the edges of despair. Jason DeFord was born in Antioch, Tennessee.
Blue Colla suburb of Nashville. His father was a meat salesman, bookie. and Methodist believer. His mother struggled with mental health and addiction and gave her son the nickname the world would know him by. Jelly Rolls!
DeFord was never comfortable in his skin, taunted for his size, clothes, and background. By his teens, he was doing and selling drugs. For nearly a decade, he drifted in and out of prison. A tragic death didn't alter the course of DeFord's life. A birth kit.
While serving a stint in prison, he learned he was the father of a baby girl. news that propelled a radical change in his life. Along their very different spiritual journeys, these two Nashville men would cross paths. It would take Governor Lee's address at the National Prayer Breakfast for the world to know about it. The days of our lives, there are days in our lives that can be described by a simple sentence.
Then there's other days that. Chapters are written about. I had one of those days. You have two, probably. Mine was in late July years ago.
On that. July afternoon that I drove home from work, and I saw my son fishing, and my other son playing, and my daughter was on a mission trip, and my four-year-old. I was on a horse with my wife and I drove up the drive of my home and Thought about the fact that I must be the most blessed man ever. A few minutes later, I heard faraway cries of a four-year-old. And I knew that something was terribly wrong, and I jumped in my truck and I drove as fast as I could.
I found my wife lifeless. on the ground Next to a horse. And The that day in my life My life took a very dark turn. In the weeks to follow, Lee's life reached depths of despair he could never have imagined. his oldest daughter attempted suicide.
His business faltered. But months after his wife's death, Lee experienced an unexpected spiritual breakthrough at his family burial ground. I I knew that I would have a tombstone. Right there beside her. Might be 40 days, might be 40 years.
And as I stood there contemplating that I thought I I had this thought that went through my brain. I wonder what she would say to me standing right here. I wonder what she's doing. I know she's still alive, more alive than ever. And and when I The thought came to me what she would say is what God would say.
And is saying, There are Very few things in life. that matter. And we should be about them. Lee left the grave site knowing he could trust God to show him a way out of the abyss. Jesus did say that in this world you'll have many troubles, but he also said, I will overcome the world.
And in my life, that truth. Then became real. And he became real to me. like he had never been. Lee's family would go on mission trips, building houses and working in orphanages, doing what Lee described as getting out of ourselves.
He also worked in inner-city programs for at-risk kids and education reform, work that prompted him to run. for governor. As time passed, Lee's life was resurrected. He remarried. His family and business flourished.
His belief in God's goodness forged not just in prosperity, but adversity. Ah. Lee then told the story of his pardon of DeFord, who'd become the Grammy Award-winning music superstar we all now know. It turns out Lee and DeFord met back in 2008. while sharing his testimony with inmates at a local prison.
though Lee didn't remember to ford. DeFord remembered Lee. You weren't the governor and I wasn't Jelly Roll, and here we are seventeen years later. he told Governor Lee in his office. Lee ended his speech talking about a very different kind of pardon power.
I have a Belief that Within every human being, there's this innate sense that. We all need a pardon. And there is only one. Who can grant that pardon? And he has to be asked.
And his name is Jesus. And I for one, I'm glad. that he summons me. And I asked him what and he pardoned me forever. DeFord would become Jellyroll, but his musical path forward wasn't an easy one.
His music was too country for rap, too rock for country, and too rap for rock. Record labels weren't sure he'd connect with mass audiences given his appearance and his personal biography. Jellyroll told a reporter once. I was told nobody's going to buy a 400-pound man singing sad songs. The turning point in his career came in 2020 with the release of Save Me, a cry for help.
with his addiction problems. YouTube views in the hundreds of millions piled up. as did record label offers. His 2023 album Whitset Chapel, named after the Tennessee church he'd attended as a boy, became number one on the rock and country charts. At the 2026 Grammys, Jellyroll took to the stage to accept the award for Best Contemporary Country Album.
He didn't hide the source of his success. I know they're going to try to kick me off here, so just let me try to get this out. First of all, Jesus, I hear you and I'm listening, Lord. I am listening, Lord. Second of all, I want to thank my beautiful wife.
I would have never changed my life without you. I'd have ended up dead or in jail. I'd have killed myself if it wasn't for you and Jesus. I thank you for that. I thank you for my label, Broken Bow, Country Radio, baby.
What's up, dog? There was a time in my life, y'all. That I was I was broken. That's why I wrote this album. I didn't think I had a chance, y'all.
There were days that I thought the darkest things. I was a horrible human. There was a moment in my life that all I had was a Bible this big and a radio the same size and a six by eight foot cell. And I believe that those two things could change my life. I believe that music had the power to change my life, and God had the power to change my life.
And I want to tell y'all right now: Jesus is for everybody. Jesus is not owned by one political party. Jesus is not owned by no music label. Jesus is Jesus, and anybody can have a relationship with Him. I love you, Lord.
These are remarkable faith stories, Leon DeFord's, and even better resurrection stories. Two men who grew up in different worlds, mere miles apart. forever bonded by an earthly pardon. and a spiritual pardon available. to all who seek it.
All freedom over me. And before I'd be a slave, I'd be buried in my grave and go home to my Lord and be free. This message is brought to you by Kohligard. If you recorded songs off the radio for a mixtape, it might be time to screen for colon cancer. The Koligard test is non-invasive, requires no special prep or time off, and you start screening right from your home.
It's just three simple steps, setup, sample, and ship. If you're 45 or older and at average risk, ask your doctor about the Kohligard test, available by prescription only. Learn more or request a prescription at Cologuard.com slash podcast. Happy Earth Month! Garnier is proudly partnering with the National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service.
Garnier's support of the National Park Foundation's Service Corps program is enabling young adults and veterans to help care for and enhance the national parks that we all love. Wanna lend a hand? Explore Garnier's partnership with the National Park Foundation and learn how you can help support our national parks at garnierusa.com/slash npf. Upgrade to Elite Checking from America's Christian Credit Union and earn up to 4% APY, plus everyday perks and access to your paycheck up to 2 days early with early pay. Don't settle.
Choose checking that rewards you and aligns with your values. Visit America's ChristianCU.com forward slash iHeart. Minimum balance of one cent required to earn advertised APY. Early pay not guaranteed. APY equals annual percentage yield.
Membership eligibility required. And CUA insured. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please for the love of everything good in this world, stop. With Mint you can get premium wireless for just $15 a month.
Of course if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments, but that's weird.
Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a try at midmobile.com slash switch. A print payment of $45 for three-month plan, equivalent to $15 per month, required. Intro rate first three months only. Then, full price plan options available.
Taxes and fees extra. See full terms at mintmobile.com.
