Yahweh’s Money®️: The Crossroads of Religion & Money

Holy Laughter & Hard Times: Finding God, Grace & Giggles with Larry Lancaster

• Crusaders for Change, LLC • Season 4 • Episode 81

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In this episode of Yahweh’s Money, we’re keeping it real, keeping it holy—and keeping it hilarious. I sit down with comedian and radio personality Larry Lancaster for a soul-nourishing conversation about the power of laughter, faith, and financial resilience.

This isn’t your average “let’s talk money” episode.

We dive deep into how humor becomes a spiritual tool in hard times, why many of our financial issues are rooted in ego—not lack—and how a cheerful heart truly is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22). Larry doesn’t hold back as he shares his journey from growing up in the roughest part of Baltimore to building a thriving comedy career grounded in purpose and faith.

We talk about the emotional weight of trying to make ends meet, the shame that often comes with financial struggle, and why God might be giggling right along with us—because sometimes, laughter is all we have left. And sometimes, that’s exactly what gets us through.

This episode is part testimony, part stand-up set, and all heart.

Here’s what you’ll walk away with:

  • A new appreciation for laughter as a holy act of survival.
  • Real talk on how ego often keeps us in debt, not a lack of money.
  • Stories from Larry’s upbringing that shaped his outlook on money, manhood, and mental health.
  • How growing up with a parent with mental illness taught him grace, grit, and gratitude.
  • Why financial literacy without spiritual alignment will leave you feeling empty.
  • The role of joy, jokes, and Jesus in managing economic pressure.
  • What Diddy, church, money, and designer jeans can teach us about humility.

And yes—there’s also a bit about a sleepy McDonald’s employee, $19 jeans, and a thousand bottles of baby oil that’ll have you laughing out loud and shaking your head.

Featured Scripture:

Proverbs 17:22 — “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Action Step:

Find one financial frustration this week and laugh about it. Whether it’s a ridiculous fee, a busted budget, or a week of creative cooking with what’s left in your pantry—laugh, reflect, and give it to God. Then ask Him to renew your joy in the middle of your financial journey.

Because while God gave us wisdom, budgeting tools, and community support—He also gave us laughter.

Let this episode remind you that even when the money’s funny, the joy is still real.

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Our podcast is proudly sponsored by Crusaders for Change, LLC (C4C) and hosted by our CEO and Founder, Mrs. Shay Cook. At C4C, we provide customized corporate financial wellness programs for businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Our services are tailored to create happier, healthier, and more productive work environments. We also empower individuals and couples to overcome debt, improve their credit, boost savings, and more. Ready to learn more about how C4C can impact your life? Contact us today at https://www.crusaders4change.org/!

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Music by: Lamonte Silver - Owner of essentialmusicclub.com | Previously by ROA - roa-music.com

Larry Lancaster:

Also used to tease me about my mom because she was known as the crazy lady in the neighborhood. So whenever she had an episode she would do something, and so then the whole neighborhood you know back. You know how people were nosy.

Larry Lancaster:

My grandma went ahead and called the police in the neighborhood and they knew my mother by name. So I grew up in that type of environment. So when the kids would say something about my mom, I had to get good at clapping back, and so that's how I developed my sense of humor and it developed into a skill and then later a profession.

Shay Cook:

Ever felt those awkward vibes when religion and money come up? You're not alone. Welcome to Yahweh's Money, the podcast where we tackle the crossroads of faith and finance. I'm Shay Cook, an Accredited Financial Counselor and the CEO and founder of Crusaders for Change LLC. Join us on our journey as we discuss topics like tithing, saving and conquering debt through religious perspectives. Let's get started. Hey everyone, welcome back to another episode of Yahweh's Money and we're in episode 81 and talking about holy laughter, how God giggles, and getting through tough times is what we need right now. So what if laughter is the one of God's most underrated survival tools during hard financial times? I mean, it really is. Sometimes people forget you just need to laugh. In today's episodes we're talking about how humor helps us push forward, or through paycheck to paycheck living, inflation, fatigue and just the emotional weight of trying to make ends meet. And yes, we're keeping it real, keeping it funny and keeping it holy. So our main scripture for today is Proverbs 17, 22, and it states A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. God created joy not just as a feeling, but as medicine. And financially tough seasons is not just budgets and spreadsheets. That gets us through. It's also the healing power of laughter and hope. So our main guest today is none other than Larry Lancaster. Hey, larry, how you doing today.

Larry Lancaster:

Hey Shay, how are you queen?

Shay Cook:

I'm good, I'm here, I'm living life. God is good. But let me introduce you. I mean because you got a hell of a bio.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, I hate that bio man when people read it.

Shay Cook:

I'm just standing there like Okay well, tell me your background, your expertise and contributions. Outside of being open enough for major acts and so forth, how about you introduce yourself?

Larry Lancaster:

Well, my name is Larry Lancaster. I'm a professional comedian, radio show host, renaissance man. I enjoy fashion, long walks in the park, and I'm just a passionate and grateful person. And I'm just a passionate and grateful person and I'm just starting to intentionally take a walk with the Lord.

Shay Cook:

Amen, I love that. Yeah, god is good and I'm just thankful how he brought us together. And your intro and bio is amazing as well, but I love how you introduce yourself, so thank you and welcome.

Larry Lancaster:

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Shay Cook:

So how do we know each other? We just met this year, but we feel like we family.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, I know it's one of those connections where it was like man, I'm glad it happened. It was actually started professionally. I was booked to do your event, which was a wonderful event, by the way. The energy was great, the people were amazing and we just had a great time performing for you guys and it was a blessing.

Shay Cook:

It was a blessing and thank you. He's mentioning, speaking of our Tickle my Money Bone, our fifth annual one we just had on May 1st. It was pretty amazing. God again, I just can't say it enough. God was great, is great and always will be great. And, like you coming in there and doing the comedy, people are still talking about it, larry. Still people talking about it.

Shay Cook:

And we're putting together our reel now and I get to see the playback and all the videos and behind the scenes and man, it was just my daddy, who's very one of the most important men in my life my husband is the most important man in my life, but my dad was like you got to have him back. He's amazing. My brother was like, oh, he's cool. Like all the men just loved you. The women loved you, you know. So we just appreciate you coming out and supporting us and being part of a great event of just taking the taboo and the shame of talking about money, because we all got money issues.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we do. I've noticed that since I've been more intentional about being, you know, a Christian and also doing a lot of personal development, a lot of money problems are really rooted in ego and I don't think we necessarily look at them that way.

Shay Cook:

Yeah, I agree with you.

Larry Lancaster:

A lot of times we have exactly what we need, but our ego tells us we need something else. And that a lot of times is how we get in trouble with money.

Shay Cook:

That is so true. That's ultimately what it comes down to. Even being a trained, accredited, certified, licensed all these things and the money for over 25 years there's a consistent behavior. You're right that if you just look at what you got, I think probably about 99% of the time you got everything you need. Now there are some people that are struggling. But even those people that are struggling that are poor, that are homeless I work with them too At one point in their life they had it all, but they started going with their ego, like you said, and trying to chase that, and then they lose it.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, I heard a pastor say one time he said a lot of times. He said life is about relationships. He said when you see a homeless person, sometimes it relationships. He said when you see a homeless person, sometimes that's not necessarily about not having a home or not having money. He said how exhausted are your relationships with someone won't even let you sleep on the floor and so of course that's not everybody's situation, so I don't want to oversimplify that, but in many times that's what it is.

Shay Cook:

Yeah, exactly, I agree, I agree. But we got a lot more to talk about how laughter is spiritual. The struggle is real and relatable, and we're already kind of getting into that. But let's get into our quick fire questions let the wisdom inherit.

Shay Cook:

Let's hit the rapid fire questions. Uh, say what's on your spirit. Take your seat. Let the wisdom inherit. Hit the rapid fire questions. Say what's on your spirit. So it's five minutes. We just quickly throw at it Whatever comes to mind, don't overthink. Okay, I'm sure you've done this before, but all right, let's go. What's something that always makes you laugh, even on your worst day?

Larry Lancaster:

My wife.

Shay Cook:

Oh yeah.

Larry Lancaster:

She is hilarious, like even when I want to be mad with her. She has this humor and it's just so funny and only she can do it, like if anybody else tried to do and say the things that she say, it wouldn't even be funny. She has a unique sense of humor for her and it's very funny.

Shay Cook:

I love that. I love that about y'all's relationship. I would say my husband too. But I'll go one step further. God makes me laugh every day. What they say if you plan for something, god is going to. You know he's going to make God laugh even if you have the best laid plans, because I'll have something really planned out or want to do something God's like all right, and he'll do something in a day and a week and a month and a year and I'd be like man. I just have to laugh because God is like I'm in control here. You're just supposed to obey, all right. Next, have you ever had to laugh just to keep from crying over a money situation?

Larry Lancaster:

You know what, when I saw this question, I thought about it and I still don't have an answer because it's happened so many times. I can't just pick one. Like I remember being a kid and growing up in the projects and like it's funny because people in low income housing are spending the most money on trying to look fresh. Like the people who have the least, this stuff means the most Because, you know, I grew up in an era where the designer stuff just started to happen, like Sergio Valente and Jordache jeans and all that stuff, and I wore Lees and Wranglers right, and now you'll pay $100 for a Wrangler shirt, but I remember back then it was the least you could buy and so the kids were joking and we're all paying $28 a month for rank but we're cracking on each other about each other's shoes. So that kind of stuff is kind of how I really started honing my skills as a comedian because, people used to crack.

Larry Lancaster:

I was always clean and neat, that's one thing I'll say. But I didn't have the flyest designer stuff. So I had to become very funny at my clapbacks because people would crack on my jeans or my shoe, you know that kind of stuff. So I guess I tried in that sense. And now what I do is I go back and buy all the things I couldn't afford when I was coming out, like if you came to my house you'd be like yo, you got a problem. Like my whole basement is clothing, shoes, suits, all this kind of stuff. And I think that's probably the little kid in me, trying to overcompensate.

Shay Cook:

That's exactly what it is. My husband suffers from the same situation, grew up poor in Baltimore. I'm not going to tell his story, that's his story to tell. But he also has all of the shoes and all that. Now he's into the whiskey and the bourbon, but he went through his Jordan stage. He got a thousand. My daughter's always saying Daddy got so many pairs of jeans. I'm like yeah, because I think I only had one or two growing up.

Larry Lancaster:

So you know, so Right.

Shay Cook:

Yeah, that's true.

Larry Lancaster:

Be specific, and this comes from a great friend of mine named Tyler Craig. He was one of my big brothers and this guy was amazingly funny and he used to tell these jokes, but they always had a story. So he said he was sitting in the barbershop one day and the barber was cutting somebody's hair and he had a dog beside and so the guy was like, does your dog bite? And the barber said no. So the guy was like does your dog bite? And the guy said the barber said no. So the guy pet the dog. He said the dog chewed the fur off of the guy like ate him up. So when the ambulance comes they're taking the guy out. The guy says to the barber man, I thought you said your dog didn't bite. He said I said my dog didn't bite, that ain't my dog. So then he said the moral of the story is be specific.

Larry Lancaster:

Being specific yes, even when you pray, you have to be specific.

Shay Cook:

Or like my dad say, be Pacific. I'd be like Dad, you mean, yeah, be.

Larry Lancaster:

Pacific. You don't know how hard it was for me to say. I know I was telling myself the whole time Don't say Pacific on this Zoom, it's okay, we family that's what we do.

Shay Cook:

I mean, my daddy's always and my dad is well-spoken, but there's no reason about that specific, specific whatever. But no, that makes sense. That makes sense, all right, cool. Well, thank you for that.

Larry Lancaster:

That was our quick, fiery question Shout out to my brother Tyler Craig yeah, shout out to Tyler that that's awesome.

Shay Cook:

Yeah, we all need to be a little more specific in our life period. All right, so you know, laughter is spiritual. I mean, god is the author of joy, so in Galatians, 5.22 calls it the fruit of the spirit. It's not just nice to have, it's essential. Laughter is one way we remind ourselves that tough times don't last forever. You know, and I wish for that Now that I think back to I'm 46. I'm just put it out there and I'm not ashamed of my age. Never been.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, most women who look great for their age are not ashamed. Y'all try to make up excuses to tell people how old you are, my son is 25. And you're like what?

Shay Cook:

You got a 25-year-old son. How many people say that?

Larry Lancaster:

I can't believe you got a 24-year-old, really I was six when I had man.

Shay Cook:

I just want to talk to the younger Shay and be like it's going to be all right. You hear that a lot from people because I cried a lot, I fret a lot, I worried a lot, I was anxious a lot, I have depression, I suffer from all of that and sometimes it's just that good laughter. You know, just getting through even growing up, traumas of childhood and wisdom, wasn't a lot. My parents did a great job with the best they could. But even going through early marriage, young and mother, all the things I went through in life money issues, not having I mean not having enough money to get through the month, really have more months and money it was very normal back in the day. I would really just be so stressed out and sometimes you just need to laugh because, like you said earlier, I had everything I need. I had food. Even though it might've just only been Eggo waffles and some ramen, I still had food Right. So you know, and I wasn't grateful. So it's that gratitude and just laughing through it. I mean it's hard, though sometimes.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, that's definitely a testimony and I had a very rough childhood but I don't look at it as a bad childhood, even though it was rough. Surprisingly, my mom had mental illness. She was a paranoid schizophrenic and as a result of her illness you know my childhood and of course, we were very poor. We grew up in the roughest part of Baltimore, in the Douglas Projects. A lot of crime, drugs, murder. But I still remember happy times in my childhood, as rough as it was. So we laughed a lot, we joked a lot is how I developed my sense of humor, because it started out as a defense mechanism, because the kids, like I said, used to tease me about not having the cool clothes. But they also used to tease me about my mom because she was known as the crazy lady in the neighborhood. So whenever she had an episode she would do something and so then the whole neighborhood. You know how people were nosy the police, my grandma went ahead and called the police in the neighborhood and they knew my mother by name.

Larry Lancaster:

So I grew up in that type of environment. So when the kids would say something about my mom, I had to get good at clapping back, and so that's how I developed my sense of humor and it developed into a skill and then later a profession.

Shay Cook:

You know, and I hear that a lot about men, I feel like you guys, the males of it all, you guys were just brutal.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, because the other alternative is fighting. Then that's what's next. So you can use your sense of humor to diffuse a lot of things, but once people stop laughing, then it's, you know, okay, but I can fight though. You know you crack on a guy hard enough, he and his feelings, and I even experienced that at shows. People have tried to attack me, people ran up on the stage and all this kind of stuff. So I've had to learn how to even diffuse my way around that.

Shay Cook:

Yeah, and then I mean a lot of what you're talking about dealt with not only mental illness but the economics of it all, the money piece of it. Right, you didn't have the money to have all the clothes. I mean honestly, I think if you did have all the latest brands they still would have found something to make fun of.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, yeah, I mean, that's what we did and it actually made me appreciate money. Like, even though I have a house full of clothes, I'm very frugal, like I don't spend a lot of money on stuff I don't buy. Designer this and designer that I don't believe in, that I only believe in paying $200 for jeans. I go and get a pair of $19 jeans, $29 jeans, and because I didn't have, I learned how to hook things up without spending a lot of money. So it also informed my fashion sense.

Shay Cook:

Oh, okay.

Larry Lancaster:

Okay, people think money gives you style and it doesn't.

Shay Cook:

It really doesn't. It honestly starts with your whole energy and vibe. Right Because you could see somebody, like you said, with $10 jeans and $20 top and just I mean they looking fly.

Larry Lancaster:

And they hook it up Thrift store sheet, all of that. And then you see people spend all kinds of money and they look homeless sometimes. You see it right.

Shay Cook:

No, I don't know why I was thinking of certain people in the hip-hop industry.

Larry Lancaster:

Like Kanye, like some of the stuff he went Get out of my head, Larry.

Shay Cook:

I didn't want to say him, but Kanye his whole clothing line was just like what is going on here right now. But yeah, even I mean, and he's going through a lot of mental illness and I pray that he stays and gets the help he needs.

Larry Lancaster:

Right, but this is the stuff he picked out when he was okay.

Shay Cook:

Well, I don't think he was ever okay, that's another.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, that's relative to me speaking, of course, but yeah.

Shay Cook:

That man always has some mental health stuff going on. I mean, he just you know, and I believe he's a genius.

Larry Lancaster:

It's just not with fashion, not in my opinion.

Shay Cook:

I think you should stick with music, yeah yeah, exactly, we did love his music growing up as well, so at our show, let's go back to Tickle my Money Bone. You were talking about your bit with Popeyes and Chick-fil-A. It was hilarious.

Larry Lancaster:

I mean, tell us more about that, the Chick-fil-A bit. I think it was how nice they treat you.

Shay Cook:

Maybe, or just the food. No, I think it was about the guy that you was trying to help you there and was based on the prices and the wait times.

Larry Lancaster:

No, that was McDonald's.

Shay Cook:

Oh, that was McDonald's. Oh, okay.

Larry Lancaster:

And the guy was high as a mink coat. This is when I used to work as a corrections officer, so so I'm going to work. I had to be to work at like 5 o'clock in the morning and of course I'm late every day, right, but I'm showing up late with breakfast, so my supervisor was like oh you late, you can't make the work on time, but you had time to stop and get something to eat.

Larry Lancaster:

I'm like, well, it was too late not to be late, but I had enough time not to be hungry. So I go into the McDonald's, the guy's at the register and he hides them in coke. I'm like, should we even be in here? Like, none of the lights are on. I'm like did we break in and I'm including me in it, because now I'm in a car for this. So he couldn't even finish his greeting.

Larry Lancaster:

So the guy falls asleep Like while he's talking to me. He's like welcome to McDonald's. And he always had his voice right. Welcome to McDonald's. May I take your order please? And then he nods off and then wakes back up. So I'm like, okay, I don't have nobody else to deal with. So I say give me an Ed McMuffin, a hash brown and an orange juice. So the guy gets on the intercom. He, the only one in the store, give me an Ed McMuffin, a hash brown and an orange juice. And then went in the back and started making a fool of himself. I was like yo, who was you talking to on the intercom? So that's just one experience about like going to like. I call it the black McDonald's. You know how sometimes when you go to a black establishment and I say you try to support black people but sometimes they make you racist. You be like, see, this is why I don't mess with Nick. This is exactly why.

Shay Cook:

It is not even a money issue. It's more of a cultural issue.

Larry Lancaster:

It's a cultural thing and I like to tell our Black business owners like yo, we go to places where we're not wanted or appreciated. Your place of business shouldn't be one of those places. I don't think you mean it that way, but when you don't give the best service possible, when you don't have good customer service, you're basically doing the same thing that the people who don't want us in their establishments do. Very true.

Shay Cook:

Very true, man, I know, and I don't even know what to say, because you're right. I mean there's no other way to look at it. I mean you could put, even though I do say I've been to some really nice black establishments and higher income areas, they seem to have a different vibe than low income. So I don't know if there's like a whole mindset shift.

Larry Lancaster:

But of course it's a mindset, because when you go in these places, the people they don't really try to elevate above where they are and so, like, what happens is you got to want more for yourself and to want more for yourself. You can't wait till you have it. Sometimes you have to act as if you already have.

Shay Cook:

Oh, you got to manifest that thing.

Larry Lancaster:

You have to manifest it and that goes into your behavior, the way you treat yourself, the way you speak about yourself, the way you speak to other people. You can't wait till you get rich and think it's going to be a switch. You're just going to be a rich, ignorant person. And we see that all the time with people who all of a sudden get money or all of a sudden get fame and because they haven't done any personal development. I always say money is like alcohol it's going to intensify who you really are. So if you're a nice, generous person, the money will intensify that. If you're an a-hole, the money's going to intensify that as well.

Shay Cook:

I love that You're right, because I've met a lot of people like that that intensified their a-holeness or their godliness, or they keep one on the down low and then in the front they got all this money and they're all godless, fearing. And then when you see them at the club or wherever you God this fearing. And then when you see them at the club or wherever, you're like, wait a minute, but this don't match up. Who is this? Who are these people like? Yeah, it's like that double standard, like what's going on here and you know. And then we add God and all of that. God wants us to be better, he wants us to be prosperous. Right, a lot of people, you know, as I remember through the years, people getting on different creflo and all these different pastors about you know Bishop, td, jakes and all that they should have all this money. Why not? They doing their thing? They should, you know, but they should also be, you know, given and they help people as they do. But you know God is here to support us.

Larry Lancaster:

Here's something to ponder, though, shay Like do you think that kind of money should come from the church? And that's the thing that I think a lot of people have issue with.

Shay Cook:

Yeah, and I don't because like TD James I mean I don't know his whole portfolio and stuff, but I know he had movies and books and all of that. So a lot of his money wasn't necessarily coming from the church. But yeah, it should be going back into the church. It shouldn't be going into one person's pocket which is the pastor, bishop or whoever I know. It should go back into the church.

Larry Lancaster:

Because, biblically speaking, it says the love. People think that it says money is the root to all evil.

Shay Cook:

And that's not true.

Larry Lancaster:

It's the love of money, and so what happens is, once you start adding this kind of money dynamic and I'm talking about insane amounts of money when does your message and your spiritual connection get corrupted? And I'm not saying that happens all the time.

Shay Cook:

It does happen though.

Larry Lancaster:

We know man is very foul. That's why we need God, that's why we need Jesus, because we can't, we're not going to do the right thing, just based on ourselves.

Shay Cook:

And it happens to people that only make six figures. It doesn't have to be a billionaire. So if it happens to somebody who's only making $60,000, $100,000. I've seen it at all those levels. I'm sure I know it happens at million and billionaire level.

Larry Lancaster:

And also money, gives you access to all your temptations Some people too broke to do certain things, but once they get money and some power and access, that's when you can like you know. Look at the Diddy situation, and I hate to use him as an example, but and I hate to use him as an example, but he's the most relevant one, because there's so many other ones more than him.

Shay Cook:

There's Whitney Houston. I remember when Whitney was going through her thing, I asked my dad about it and he's like that's why I never wanted that amount of money. I'm like why, dad? He was like because if I did, I would have did what she did. I would have been into the coke.

Larry Lancaster:

I would have been all of that time. You don't know what you'll do when you have access to all your temptations, especially if you don't have an intentional walk with God at the moment. So you know, these people are young and you know 20s, 30s. You think about the decisions you make with no money. Add money to that and then you know, like I say, it intensifies an already messed up situation it does.

Shay Cook:

And going back to that Diddy thing, I have to mention man. That threw me because I knew it was leading up to it with all the scandals and stuff that's been happening the last year or two. But I looked up to that man Really I did, I did because it was his work ethic, right, my sister and I. So it was like man, we watched all the shows you know, making a band and watching all that, like I was. I'm a hip hop queen, I love hip hop, r&b. We dressed like we were in Germany. My dad was military and we were. I mean, we looked up to Diddy.

Larry Lancaster:

I was in Germany too, by the way.

Shay Cook:

Oh really, yeah, in the military. And so, man, we were in Augsburg at the time, early 90s. We looked up to Diddy, snoop, all of them, biggie, all of that. We were huge fans over there and you know. So Diddy was one of those that we looked up to, diddy I'm after Biggie when he rest in peace died when I was in high school.

Shay Cook:

I remember Diddy just becoming that guy. And then I'm going to college and like, loving his career, and I was like man. This man is doing his thing, he don't sleep. And then I find out he, like you said, he got all this money, his temptations and he just started going. But he probably was always doing that too as well. But I was just like dang, I was like man. I told him that Jay-Z if I find out Jay-Z was in on any of this, I'm going to be done with him Because fan too. So I'm just like man. It's just disappointing that these godly men that claim they're godly men and Diddy did and all of them did and then I mean but they're human first, right. I mean we all done crazy-ish. We really have.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, but when you start talking a thousand bottles of baby, old, crazy ish, that's a difference. I know they say a sin is the same, but that's one of the things that I like to disagree with. I'm like come on, you can't. It's not the same as stealing cable. Like you can't equate the same thing. You know that's true.

Shay Cook:

So this I equate to the Job moment. So I studied religion in college and we had for one semester we studied the whole book of Job and I mean Job had everything and everything was taken away from him and I feel like Diddy's having his Job moment. I don't know if he's going to get it back like Job did. He might sit in jail and die. Maybe in another lifetime he will.

Larry Lancaster:

And also the other thing was was Job instrumental in his own demise? That's the other thing or was it just a test from God? Sometimes you create your own demise.

Shay Cook:

I mean, it's all a perception. It's all a perception.

Larry Lancaster:

I was at a show one day and a brother came up to me. He was a comedian and he tried to start the race conversation. Like yo, they just trying to bring a black man down. And I said, brother, I'm not going to have that conversation with you because most of the people he victimized were black as well. And I think that was intentional, because what happened was, you know, a lot of those record companies, especially rap, they're run by other people, people who don't look like us, people who are familiar with the culture, the Clive Davises and all these people. And then what they'll do is they say, okay, I don't want to deal with this element. So what I'll do is I'll groom somebody, train them to deal with the element. And that's, I believe, where Diddy came in and people like it.

Shay Cook:

Yeah, I agree, I agree with that wholeheartedly.

Larry Lancaster:

It's just no different than when we had Slary and then they trained the taskmaster. You know someone who looked like us but had the same agenda as the slave master.

Shay Cook:

You could looked like us but had the same agenda as the slave master.

Larry Lancaster:

So you can say that about the NFL and many other things, right, right. I mean I'm just saying Exactly, exactly, exactly.

Shay Cook:

It's crazy, all right. Well, let's bring it back down to our normal, everyday boring lives. We ain't up there, right? I ain't trying to go do no ditty thing. Lord, I ain't got not a thousand bottles of baby oil in my life. I mean I might got that many in Lysol wipes you need a forklift at that point.

Larry Lancaster:

You need machinery just for the baby oil, Like you need a staff at that point.

Shay Cook:

Why he didn't just get the gallons made for him Like he could have afforded him. He had to have his own ddy baby oil. But anyways, enough of that crazy mess. So going back to God and laughter and money, I mean, you know, laughter is a gift, especially in these seasons when your bank account might not have much to offer.

Shay Cook:

A lot of people that come into Crusaders for Change, that are needing help getting out of debt and proving their credit, and say we're turning them to God in terms of we're not going to force God on you, right, but a lot of people come to us they already know God and if they don't, we're saying you know, sometimes you just need to turn to God because this situation right here, with the government, with all the crap the economy issues, the inflation issues, the list goes on who else can you rely on Because you can't rely on the government? I mean you might hopefully your family, but especially in our area of the DMV, a lot of people were affected by this government thing. But you know God cares about our joy, even through a storm, so he wants us to laugh through these times and just be grateful and love on him. What do you say to that?

Larry Lancaster:

Oh, of course, Most definitely. This is definitely a time where you're going to need your spirituality and if you study, you will see. These things are really in the prophecy. I listened to this brother. His name is Stephen Darby. I listened to a lot of his sermons. He's passed away. I think they might have killed him to be honest with you, because he was saying things in 07, 09, 010 that are happening today.

Larry Lancaster:

So look up Stephen Darby it's spelled with a PH and a lot of his sermons I mean they are very timely and so what I like about it he was talking about, he brought up some of the prosperity preachers and he said you're not just supposed to preach about prosperity, that's not the only thing in the Bible. You're supposed to prepare people for it. You're supposed to read the book of Revelations. And he said these are hard things to preach. So a lot of preachers don't preach them because their churches wouldn't be packed, they wouldn't be full, and when your church is not full or you give people a hard message, they're less likely to give. So that's also the disadvantage of relying on so much money. Is it even impacts the way you preach, because you're basically just going to preach according to what people want to hear.

Larry Lancaster:

If people gave more this Sunday because you preach a nice, everything's going to be all right message, then you're more likely to do that. But if you preach that, hey, this stuff is coming and you better get yourself right, you know Amen, amen and then people didn't give that Sunday, then a lot of pastors will shy away from that it's time that we educate ourselves and it's a point where we're all going to really need each other. It might come a point where we might have to share a home, where we're going to have to share resources, where we're going to have to share food, because if you look at a lot of things that are going on, how many of us grow our own food, how many of us manufacture our own stuff, how many of us could defend our home when the supplies are short? So we have to think about these things.

Shay Cook:

We really do that. Preparedness is important. I worked for the Department of Human Services for seven years through Coast Guard, and we used to talk about preparedness, emergency preparedness, and I was getting my kit ready the other day because making sure I got enough water and stuff for everything for my family, because I'm not going to go overboard with the whole shelter and all that which we need to. But you're right, we probably my family might have to come here. I might go there.

Shay Cook:

Wherever we're going to have to support each other and I believe, especially in the black community, we're going to have to support each other and I believe, especially in the Black community, we're going to have to band together like never before because they're coming after us. I mean, you see what they're doing, that's another episode. But what they're doing with the immigrants and stuff and I was reading that yesterday when Honduras and Venezuela sending all these people away doing self-deportations, my husband's like what is that? I'm like man, it's crazy. This is my country, I'm not going anywhere. So I will defend me and my family as best as I can.

Shay Cook:

Unless there's apocalypse, my husband and I talked about who's going to die first If there's some zombies and mess going on. Even though I'm like I'm going to be like Michonne from Walking Dead, I'm going to try to survive this, but my husband's like no, you can take me out.

Larry Lancaster:

But anyways, we're going off topic. We gotta be prepared. It's all kind of interconnected, even though it seems like we're getting off topic. But getting back to the Bible, my wife, she reads the Bible and she reads it to me. Sometimes I'll be sitting on the sofa and she'll just start pick the Bible and start reading it and she said listen, the Bible is better than any reality show you could ever watch. She was like people a lot Listen, the Bible is better than any reality show you could ever watch Any reality show.

Shay Cook:

Any reality show.

Larry Lancaster:

She was like people a lot had sex with his daughters and you know you can just go like one guy had to. I think it was Saul, because I'm not a theologian, I get the names mixed up. He had the. His wife was so beautiful. He had the lion say it was his sister, sister, yeah, I mean, there's so many different things in the Bible that really can connect to today's purpose and if you live, it's all a repeat, right, right, and if you live by it, it could definitely prepare you for today.

Shay Cook:

Exactly From Genesis to Revelations and in between. Everything you need to know is in there.

Shay Cook:

I really believe that and I believe there are some missing books and stuff, but whatever we have right now, definitely take advantage of that. And then also, I think the word is super important. The Bible is number one, but above that is God. As long as you're connected, your spirit gives you access through Jesus to God. That's it. He's going to download, he or she, however you want to look at your God, that's it he's going to download, or he or she, however you want to look at your God.

Shay Cook:

I believe that is that connection, that direct line to God, for what Jesus did for us. It's just amazing. And that comes going back to money. If you ever have an issue with money, you just need to turn to God and your spirit, your Holy Spirit, through Jesus to God. I have a direct line. Like I told my brother the other day, he just bought a house and he was just like you know, I just wanted to tell everybody so they could pray for me. And I was like but the thing you need to learn, and what I've learned, brother, is that I don't need nobody to pray for me. I appreciate it, but I have a direct line to God. I learned that the hard way. I learned it through church and everything else, but I believe it because my spirit speaks to me daily, and so I don't need nobody Again. I appreciate all the prayers Please pray for me and my family but I know all I need is God. I don't need none of y'all, but I appreciate y'all, but God is what is here for me.

Larry Lancaster:

That's great advice. And the other thing is the more spiritually in tune you become, you see and hear things different.

Shay Cook:

Oh my God, Do you, larry, you do.

Larry Lancaster:

And you really can hear him a lot of times. But if you're busy doing a whole bunch of stuff, you create a lot of noise in your life. That is to say, you still can't hear him through the noise, but it gets more difficult. Got to be still and know I'm God.

Shay Cook:

It's very clear in the word you got to be still. I take moments throughout the day to be still, whether it's out in the garden I don't have no garden without the flowers or out walking, or even on the treadmill. Whatever I'm doing, I'm trying to just connect with God, and definitely in meditation is where I find the best time with God.

Larry Lancaster:

Yeah, One day my wife and I were in this house. We have a beautiful house. At least it's beautiful to me.

Shay Cook:

It's our mini mansion in the hood because we live right in the heart of the city.

Larry Lancaster:

We were like feeling ourselves, you know, and I just stopped and I said we talking too much about ourselves and I made this. I said we talking too much about ourselves and I made this I don't know if you can see it, because I'm an artist.

Shay Cook:

Can you see that? Oh yeah, what does that say? God is God first. It says God first.

Larry Lancaster:

And it made me stop what I was doing. And the next day I painted this and I put it right here where we can see it every day. I love that. And so it's like, yeah, we're talented, yeah, we're good looking, yeah, people are drawn to us, yeah, we can walk in the room and people are like, oh, who are they? You know all of that stuff, but none of this would be possible without him, and a lot of times we forget that, and so I would just challenge anybody that, if you're going through something and I know this is difficult to do when you're going through something but think about what you do have. Think about what's going great for you, and I think, if you took the time to do that, sometimes what you're going through may not be that bad, and the more you do it and intentional about being grateful, the more he'll bless you, trust me.

Shay Cook:

Amen, that gratitude is super important.

Larry Lancaster:

Wow, this is very underrated.

Shay Cook:

It's very underrated. Yeah, we need to be grateful and thankful and just because we bless, we all bless in some way, shape or form. We bless. So any final thoughts?

Larry Lancaster:

I hope I wasn't too preachy, I know.

Shay Cook:

That's what this is for. Y'all waste money.

Larry Lancaster:

God's money. This is the thing when people have me on podcasts and I think they be expecting me to just clown it out and have them laugh, and I'm not saying you did that, but a lot of times people do that and comments really do that. But I also feel that, aside from being funny, sometimes if you have something important to say, that shouldn't be your only contribution, and because I'm not just a funny person, it's just one facet of who I am. I can add other things to the conversation and so sometimes I do that, but I still try to be funny when I can. But that's just one aspect of who I am.

Shay Cook:

And I'm not a comic and I try to still add humor in wherever I can.

Larry Lancaster:

No, I can tell you're funny, I can tell you're funny.

Shay Cook:

My family told me all my life I wasn't funny. So I kind of strive to just and honestly I'm more shady than anything.

Larry Lancaster:

But to me, shady people are hilarious. To me that's one of my guilty pledges, because I'm really a shady person as much as I try to be so positive and I got a little shadiness. I'm getting better with it. But shady, but like the person you can look at and y'all need to say nothing, y'all bust out laughing because y'all both saw the same thing. I love those type of people. Yeah, that's exactly who.

Shay Cook:

I am. I'm full shade queen over here, but I'm proud of who I am. I try to be better, you know. But definitely the gratitude. But I, you know I'll give everybody an action step. Find one financial frustration this week and laugh about it, whether it's ridiculous fee of something, a budgeting fail or a meal you threw together with just $6 or $60. Laugh, reflect and give it to God. Ask him to renew your joy in the middle of your financial journey. Thank you for joining us again today. Thanks, larry, you're amazing.

Larry Lancaster:

Thank you, quayna, I appreciate you.

Shay Cook:

Yes, all righty. Have a great day everyone. A big thank you for listening to this episode. We hope you found today's chat about the intersection of religion and money insightful. We would love to hear your feedback. Hit that subscribe button or follow the podcast and please feel free to leave us a review. For the latest Yahweh's Money content, visit us at crusaders4changeorg or find us anywhere you listen to podcasts. Until next time, stay financially fit and spiritually inspired and remember it's always better Yahweh's way.

People on this episode

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Shay Cook

Host
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Larry Lancaster

Guest