Ruslan Invited Me to Cali
I’m a few days away from flying to California to help Ruslan KD with his keynote speech.
When we first connected on the I Like Birds Podcast, we had a great conversation that led us to go grab some dinner after the show. It was a special time, he poured into my team and me.
He was intentional about asking us what we did outside of the podcast.
That’s when I shared with him, I spent years as a comedian, and the last 5 years writing and punching up speeches. His ears perked up when I said this, and he invited me out to his “talk” he was giving at a church about 45 minutes away from me. He asked if I could give notes and workshop jokes during his origin story section of the speech. I was geeked up and went there confident, especially considering I’ve been on over 1,000 stages and written over 1,500 speeches in the last five years.
I had the reps, and I knew this was a unique opportunity, so I sat in the crowd and took notes while paying attention to the audience. I wrote down ideas, added a few jokes to his premises, and jotted down tags to his already funny material.
After he signed over 50 people’s books and snapped photos, we headed out to the parking lot. He sat in the back of the Tesla and eagerly asked me to share the notes with him.
I delivered the feedback like I was delivering a speech, adding in the jokes, and weaving it all together in real time. He stopped me halfway through with his eyes wide to tell me, “Dude, you’re crushing this right now.” I smiled and humbly said, “This is what I do bro, like I really do this.”
Which was my way of saying God has called me to be a speaker and has gifted me to be a wordsmith. I’ve been serving people in this way for the last five years while patiently waiting for my podcast to blow up so I can just write my own speeches. (haha…still waiting)
I tied up the feedback with a pretty bow that challenged him to go deeper on certain topics. I think the honesty and my realness of not just blowing smoke of praise earned his respect. He asked me to send him those notes and then invited me to California to workshop the final version before he goes on his first-ever theatre tour to promote his new book Godly Ambition.
So here I am….
A few days away before the Lord sends me to California to work alongside a man I’ve been watching for years. I am believing God for an unlocking. A revelation that will elevate how we do everything as a ministry, podcast, speaker, and speechwriter going forward. I’m hopeful for some other things to happen, but for now, I’m moving in faith that God will do everything that needs to be done for my good.
I believe 2026 is gonna be the biggest year of my career. I believe we will step into a year of favor. I believe people will find our ministry, and it will multiply into other blessings that come with an increasing audience.
Your prayers are appreciated. 🙏
I will keep you all posted — I am so thankful for the doors God has opened in this last quarter of the year. Ever since I made that “How to walk in favor like Jesus did?” episode, we have experienced an unexplainable amount of growth both in character and in influence.
What are you believing God for in 2026?