Latest / Cyrus Webb's tracks / Author/Media Host/Speaker Christopher Thurman returns to Conversations LIVE

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Author/Media Host/Speaker Christopher Thurman returns to Conversations LIVE · Cyrus Webb's tracks

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Conversations Live. I'm your host,
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Cyrus Webb. Glad you all could join us once again.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: For a radio audience tuning in at WYED 94.1 FM
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  Speaker 1: and WYEDonline.com, we're glad that you all can be with us.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Also showing us online worldwide via our podcast at iHeartRadio
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: and Amazon Music, we're glad you all could be with
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: us as well. We're excited to welcome back Christopher Thurman
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  Speaker 1: to our broadcast today. You guys know him as the
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: Amazon bestselling author. a basement dream from sitting in the
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: basement to walking in God's purpose. He's also a speaker
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  Speaker 1: and a media personality. He's the co-host of the show
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Graceful Gatherings with the Thurman that he hosts with his wife, Kate.
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  Speaker 1: I want to talk to Chris what it's been like
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  Speaker 1: for him to be able to stand out in the
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  Speaker 1: spotlight on his own, to be able to share his story,
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  Speaker 1: but also to see how people are responding to it.
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  Speaker 1: He has some great things that are going on right now,
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  Speaker 1: so we definitely want to make sure you guys are
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: staying connected with him. But Chris, welcome back to the broadcast, man. Hey, Cyrus.
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  Speaker 2: Thanks for having me.
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  Speaker 1: Glad to do it. So, Chris, you're basically a pro now.
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: I mean, you've gone from co-hosting a show with your wife,
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  Speaker 1: Graceful Gathering with the Thurman, and now every time I
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: open up Facebook or YouTube, I see you being interviewed.
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  Speaker 1: So what has this experience been like for you to
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  Speaker 1: be out here, man, on your own, doing interviews, but
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  Speaker 1: also talking about your book, Basement Dreams?
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  Speaker 2: Well, I wouldn't say I'm a pro, but it's getting easier.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah. But, no, it feels great.
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  Speaker 2: Be in the spotlight like my wife is. And, you know,
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  Speaker 2: she showed me that she can do it. And if
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  Speaker 2: she can do it, I know I can do it.
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  Speaker 1: Right. Yeah. So this is an interesting thing, Chris. You know,
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  Speaker 1: of course, I've gotten to know you because of working
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  Speaker 1: with your wife, Kate Thurman, and, of course, seeing, you know,
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  Speaker 1: all the great things you all are doing. I just
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  Speaker 1: saw a video today. We'll talk about that, about your nonprofit,
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: Angelically Blessed. We'll get into that. I mean, what has
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: it been like for you to have a partner like
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  Speaker 1: Kate to be on this journey with, even though now
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  Speaker 1: this is your own book, Basement Dreams? She's someone who's
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  Speaker 1: written books. She knows what that's like. What has it
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  Speaker 1: been like for you to kind of share this experience
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  Speaker 1: with her?
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  Speaker 2: Oh, if it wasn't for her, I don't think I
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: would be here. Like, I wouldn't be writing and sharing,
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  Speaker 2: you know, my story and stuff like that. Without her,
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  Speaker 2: this wouldn't have happened. And we were just sitting here
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  Speaker 2: talking about that the other day, like, Do you think
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  Speaker 2: we would be where we're at if we weren't with
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: each other? I'm like, not at all.
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  Speaker 1: Wow. Yeah. That is amazing. That is amazing. And it's
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  Speaker 1: great watching you all, you know, I give you all
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  Speaker 1: a hard time, but it's great watching you all together because,
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  Speaker 1: you know, you all do, you know, feed off each other,
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  Speaker 1: but also you're a great support system for each other.
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  Speaker 1: I want to go back, though, to Basement Dreams because
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  Speaker 1: I had the privilege of working with you on this book.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, I know now you've had a chance to
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  Speaker 1: read the book yourself. What was it like for you, Chris,
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  Speaker 1: to kind of go back and to think about the
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  Speaker 1: different things in life that have made you who you
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  Speaker 1: are today?
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  Speaker 2: It was looking back how in that moment, those moments
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  Speaker 2: were hard.
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  Speaker 3: But after making through it and.
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  Speaker 2: Making out of it, it seemed easy. Now that I
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  Speaker 2: made it through, it was easy. It was needed to
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  Speaker 2: make me stronger. The next thing that happened seemed difficult,
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  Speaker 2: but I made it through because of what I went
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  Speaker 2: through before. It toughened me up more and more each time.
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  Speaker 1: I'm so glad you said that because I thought about
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  Speaker 1: something when I was preparing for today, Chris, that I
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  Speaker 1: had not thought about. People who have read your wife's book,
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  Speaker 1: B2B on the Tears, So do you think now, now
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  Speaker 1: that we know what you all have been through together, right,
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  Speaker 1: and the loss you've gone through and the difficulties, you know,
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  Speaker 1: and all the challenges you all have faced, do you
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  Speaker 1: think what we're learning now in Basement Dreams can help
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  Speaker 1: us understand how you were able to get through it? Yes.
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  Speaker 2: Yes. Yes. Someone prepared me for, like, the things that
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  Speaker 2: happened when I got back with my wife.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, the losses. Right. That's amazing. So I'm curious,
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  Speaker 1: you know, I remember sitting with you and with Kate
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  Speaker 1: there in the Atlanta, Georgia area when we were talking
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  Speaker 1: about you having this book. You had your family there.
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  Speaker 1: They were excited. I mean, some of them even pre-ordered
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  Speaker 1: the book while we were at that event before the
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  Speaker 1: book was even out. What has the family response been
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  Speaker 1: like to the book, Chris? They love it.
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  Speaker 2: They love it. They look at me and see... The
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  Speaker 2: stuff that I made it through, and they're proud of me.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, look, I just remember, you know, like I said,
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  Speaker 1: sitting there with y'all and, you know, them, you know,
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  Speaker 1: being curious as to Chris. You know, Chris is right.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, did you have those moments, too, when you
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  Speaker 1: thought Chris Thurman is writing a book? Yes. Yes, I did.
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  Speaker 2: I did have those, like, hmm. But then after doing it,
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  Speaker 2: it's like, well, wait, I got a lot to say. Like, hmm.
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: Mm-hmm. Very true. Very true. Let's go back to something
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  Speaker 1: I hadn't planned on talking to you about, but your
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  Speaker 1: wife and you just dropped a video today, and I
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  Speaker 1: think it's exciting to talk about, because our audience may
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  Speaker 1: not know about this. So outside of hosting Graceful Gatherings
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  Speaker 1: with the Thermos together, you also started a nonprofit, Angelically Blessed.
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  Speaker 1: In fact, I've been a part of your galas you
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  Speaker 1: all have had there in the Atlanta area. But talk
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  Speaker 1: to us about that, because even that has grown from
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  Speaker 1: what you initially– Started it for Chris. What has it
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  Speaker 1: been like for you to see the growth you all
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  Speaker 1: have had with that nonprofit?
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  Speaker 2: It feels great that it's growing and people are seeing
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  Speaker 2: it and helping out because it's a nonprofit that we started,
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  Speaker 2: as me and my wife like to say, with $ 5
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  Speaker 2: a week set aside to help people in need of
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  Speaker 2: losing their homes and struggling with bills. And from time
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  Speaker 2: to time, we help out the homeless as well. But
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  Speaker 2: the goal was to try to stop people from becoming homeless. Like,
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  Speaker 2: you know, in their downslide, trying to catch them and
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  Speaker 2: stopping them from slipping all the way. And it started
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  Speaker 2: for five hours.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, why was that something, Chris, that was important for you?
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  Speaker 1: It wasn't so much important.
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  Speaker 2: It was just something that I liked doing and then
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  Speaker 2: my wife liked doing as well, like helping people. So
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  Speaker 2: it wasn't something... important. It was just something that we did.
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  Speaker 2: Our hearts were made for helping and loving other people.
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  Speaker 2: Partnering up with my wife, who is just like me,
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  Speaker 2: maybe even more kind and gentle. It seemed like the
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  Speaker 2: perfect thing to do.
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  Speaker 1: Well, I mentioned that you all have had these galas.
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  Speaker 1: I know I've been at two of them now. What
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  Speaker 1: has that been like for you to have these experiences
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  Speaker 1: where you're able to Not only to spotlight the nonprofit,
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  Speaker 1: but also to bring attention to individuals who are making
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  Speaker 1: a difference.
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  Speaker 2: That feels great. I'm getting more and more excited for
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  Speaker 2: the next one that's coming, like each next one. The
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  Speaker 2: process that goes behind it, picking out the spot.
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  Speaker 3: And the colors and the little things makes it exciting
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  Speaker 3: for me. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: Exactly. Well, I can definitely understand that. And outside of
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  Speaker 1: just having the nonprofit together, Angelically Blessed, you all, as
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  Speaker 1: I mentioned, also co-host your own podcast together, Graceful Gatherings,
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  Speaker 1: with the Thurmans. You've had new episodes this year. I mean,
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  Speaker 1: I know we laugh about how it all started, about
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  Speaker 1: how Kate wanted to be able to do this, and
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  Speaker 1: then she's saying, you all were going to do this together. So,
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  Speaker 1: I mean, what has it been like for you to
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  Speaker 1: see your own growth? Because I can definitely see it, Chris,
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  Speaker 1: your growth in when you all first started from where
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  Speaker 1: you are now, what has that been like for you
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  Speaker 1: to see your own growth and your own comfort level?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I see it a little bit. Like I see
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  Speaker 2: me breaking out just a little bit more and more,
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  Speaker 2: you know, getting more and more relaxed, but it feels great.
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  Speaker 1: It feels great.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah. And, you know, in this season we're talking about
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  Speaker 2: marriages and what it is like to, the struggle and
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  Speaker 2: the key things that couples use to stay together or,
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  Speaker 2: you know, stuff like that, and the marriages. So it's
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  Speaker 2: been a great season.
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  Speaker 1: Well, I think, again, that is what has made it
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  Speaker 1: something fun to watch because the two of you are
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  Speaker 1: so genuine in the way that you show up. I
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  Speaker 1: want to say for those who are just tuning in, welcome.
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  Speaker 1: You are listening to Conversations Live. We're excited to welcome
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: back Christopher Thurman to our broadcast today. He's the best-selling
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  Speaker 1: author of the book, Basement Dreams, from sitting in the
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  Speaker 1: basement to walking in God's purpose. He's the co-host of
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: Graceful Gatherings with the Thurmans with his wife, Kate, but
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  Speaker 1: also he is the co-founder of the nonprofit, as I
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  Speaker 1: mentioned earlier, Angelically Blessed as well. Now, you also, of course,
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  Speaker 1: are stepping into other parts of your, you know, of
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  Speaker 1: your talent as a speaker. I mean, Christopher Thurman, the speaker.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, Chris, you just really, I mean, you really
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  Speaker 1: have broken out of your shell. I mean, you know,
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  Speaker 1: you are someone who kind of, you know, Here in
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  Speaker 1: the South, we would say we're so used to seeing
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  Speaker 1: you in the cut. But now you're kind of stepping out.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, what do you think has given you the
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  Speaker 1: courage to do all that you're doing right now?
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  Speaker 2: I'd be my support system for my wife.
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  Speaker 1: Okay. Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: She's the one seeing her because she was just like me, quiet,
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  Speaker 2: not really talkative. And to see her now is like, oh, my.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: Well, Chris, you also, though, are showing other people by
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  Speaker 1: your example how they can do it, too. How does
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  Speaker 1: that feel to know that you're showing people that you
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  Speaker 1: can write that book, you can start that nonprofit, you
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  Speaker 1: can make a difference. How does that feel to know
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  Speaker 1: that people can look at you and say, well, if
• 10:04
  Speaker 1: Christopher Thurman can do it, I know that I can
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: do it. Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: It feels great to be an inspiration to help somebody
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  Speaker 2: write a book and tell their own story.
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  Speaker 1: Right.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: Because who knows, they can go much further than where
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  Speaker 2: they are at now. It can give them the courage
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  Speaker 2: to be better and do better.
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  Speaker 1: Exactly. Well, you kind of come by it earnest, though.
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  Speaker 1: We can't have this conversation. We've been talking about Kate,
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  Speaker 1: but we can't have this conversation without talking about another
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  Speaker 1: woman in your life that is definitely making waves, and
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: that is your own mother, Valerie Thurman. She released a
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  Speaker 1: book this year, too. She has another one that is
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: on the way. What has that been like for you
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  Speaker 1: to see how your parents have responded to the release
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: of Basement Dreams, but also seeing what she's been able
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  Speaker 1: to do as a songwriter and a poet?
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  Speaker 2: It's great to see my mom, you know, writing her
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: book of poems and being able to get them out there.
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  Speaker 2: And the way she looks at me is like, you know,
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  Speaker 2: she's so proud of me, you know. So, like, it's
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  Speaker 2: just a great, great thing, a great experience.
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  Speaker 3: Right. Yeah.
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: Well, I tell you, it has to be, it has
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: to feel great, right, to know that he is, you know,
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: excited about you and all the great things that you
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  Speaker 1: are doing. So, you know, part of the process of
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: Basement Dreams, from sitting in the basement to walking in
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  Speaker 1: God's Purpose, you know, was, of course, we had the
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  Speaker 1: Kindle edition that was available for pre-order. When you saw
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: that it was already an Amazon bestseller before it came out,
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: how did you feel?
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  Speaker 2: I felt great.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, I felt great.
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  Speaker 2: Like, uh, Like, it's the beginning of something new. Like, oh, okay.
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  Speaker 2: And a part of me was like, well, you know,
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  Speaker 2: you got to do another one.
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  Speaker 3: You can't just do one.
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  Speaker 2: So there was that thought.
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  Speaker 1: You know, you also were showing people, especially young people, Chris,
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: that people's interests can change. You say in the book
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: that you didn't even get into reading until you were
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: in your 30s. And now here you are. with the book,
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  Speaker 1: and inside the book, page 18, say, I understand the
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: importance of books and the power that comes from reading.
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  Speaker 1: It just wasn't something that was easy for me to
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: gravitate towards. What has that been like for you to
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: go from? Because I know you talk about, too, of course,
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: reading the Twilight book, which are not small books, right?
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  Speaker 1: But what was it like for you to see how
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: your own journey of going from not being someone who
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: enjoyed reading to now you have a book that people
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: can read?
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  Speaker 2: I don't know. It's it was a big change. So, uh,
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: but it was, it was great to, uh, to, to
• 12:50
  Speaker 2: start reading more and knowing that, uh, I can put
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: out a book that, um, people can know because it's not,
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: it's not that long of a book, but it's enough
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  Speaker 2: to where it'll get you through and it gives out
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  Speaker 2: stuff that, uh, that'll make you want to maybe read
• 13:08
  Speaker 2: more books.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah.
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  Speaker 2: You know, it gives you a taste of, uh, of struggle, pain,
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  Speaker 2: and how to overcome.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think, again, that is a big thing.
• 13:22
  Speaker 1: And I think, too, you bring up an interesting point
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: about it not being a big book, but sometimes those
• 13:28
  Speaker 1: are the best ones because people don't feel overwhelmed by them.
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: They feel like, oh, I can read this. Some larger
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: books can be intimidating for people, or they may think,
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: I don't have the time to read this. But something
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: like this is something that can definitely be able to,
• 13:45
  Speaker 1: you know, people can pick up and be able to read.
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: So with that being said, you have the book that's out.
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: You have the new season of Graceful Gatherings with Kate.
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: You have the work you're doing with the nonprofit with
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: Angelically Blessed. As we're kind of wrapping up this year, Chris,
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: what are you excited about as we come to the
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: end of 2026?
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  Speaker 2: Right now I'm excited for all the things that I've
• 14:06
  Speaker 2: done so far. And my wife has passed. some things
• 14:10
  Speaker 2: coming out as well. So I'm excited to see her
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: new project that's coming out.
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  Speaker 1: Right.
• 14:16
  Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly.
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: Yeah. That is exciting for sure. And, and as far as,
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: you know, being able to motivate others, Chris, uh, when
• 14:25
  Speaker 1: people pick up basement dreams, what do you hope it
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: does for them? What do you, what message do you
• 14:30
  Speaker 1: want them to take away from it?
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  Speaker 2: Uh, the message is that, um, to no matter where
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: you start from at the bottom or the middle, Just
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: know that God is always with you.
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  Speaker 1: Oh, wow. Yeah. That is it. That is it. And
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  Speaker 1: how has that helped you, especially through the dark times
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: that you've been through?
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  Speaker 3: It's helped me a whole lot.
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: Like, you know, him being there with me and.
• 14:57
  Speaker 3: It's just the little things that he does that lets
• 15:00
  Speaker 3: you know that he's there gets you through.
• 15:03
  Speaker 2: You just have to.
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: Just pay attention. Right. That's so true. I think that's
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: a great reminder for all of us. Again, everyone, Christopher
• 15:12
  Speaker 1: Thurman has been our guest. His book, His Basement Dreams,
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: From Sitting in the Basement to Walking in God's Purpose,
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: is available now on Amazon, both in print as well
• 15:21
  Speaker 1: as the Kindle edition. Also, as I mentioned, Graceful Gatherings
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: with the Thurmans. You all can be able to catch
• 15:26
  Speaker 1: the podcast as well. Chris, I really appreciate you stopping
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: by again. How can our audience stay connected with you, man?
• 15:32
  Speaker 2: On Linktree, it's Meet the Thurman. And on all platforms,
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: it's Christopher Thurman. Okay.
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: Well, Chris, congratulations. See you again. And definitely looking forward
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: to our next conversation together.
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  Speaker 3: Thanks for having me, Cyrus.
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: Always a pleasure.
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: Same here, man. And we thank your audience for tuning
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: in to another great segment of Conversations Live. Until next time,
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: I'm your host, Cyrus Webb, saying, as always, enjoy your day,
• 15:54
  Speaker 1: enjoy your life, enjoy your world. Thank you for being
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: with us here at Conversations Live. And it's going to
• 15:59
  Speaker 1: make today amazing. Take care.