Teresa Blaes Shares a Story of Survival and Faith

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County Living presents, Conversations with Rich Bennett. 

Have you ever stopped and wondered if you're stored, 

every

Rich Bennett 0:31
struggle, every setback, every moment you'd rather forget might actually be the very thing someone else needs to hear? Today's guest is living proof that it is. Teresa Blase is an entrepreneur, 

a certified kingdom life coach, a broadcaster, and an author who has made it her mission to help people see God not just in the victories, but in the hardest parts of their story. 

And now with her autobiography coming out, particularly in the classic "COOLBOH" where she says, "I want to tell you that I love you, I love you so much." 

She shares her own story, the raw, real, and redeemed version of it. Because sometimes, the story you're afraid to tell is the one that can change someone else's life. Teresa, I am really looking forward to this conversation. 

Teresa Blaes 1:37
How are you doing? I'm doing good. God's good. He's still on the throne and everything else is negotiable. 

Rich Bennett 1:43
Hmm. I love that. Oh my God. Why do I have a funny feeling? You are just going to have a bunch of things to say that should be put on a shirt. 

Teresa Blaes 1:57
Probably. I've been through enough, I've seen enough, and yeah, that's kind of what I look at things. 

Rich Bennett 2:06
I want to start off with this right away. What made you decide that you needed to start sharing your story? 

Teresa Blaes 2:18
Okay. First of all, I didn't want to. 

This kind of goes back. After going through the things that I went through which we will cover, I had lost my mom and my site in the same week back in '09. 

Rich Bennett 2:40
"Why would you?" 

Teresa Blaes 2:42
I lost my site, what was left of my site, and my mom did it at the obiets in the same week. I'm lying on my surgical table. I'm wide awake because they needed to see if I could restore my vision. I feel the doctor manipulating my eye and he said, "There's too much scarring. I can't do anything." At that moment, I said, "God, I'm done with you. I'm walking away from the faith. I'm tired of the games. I walked away from him for five Five years of 

Rich Bennett 3:16
hell. 

Teresa Blaes 3:19
I, when I did finally return, he asked me to write the book. He said, "I want you to write about your childhood." I went, "Oh no, we are not touching those skeletons. That's not happening." 

Rich Bennett 3:32
Right. 

Teresa Blaes 3:34
And he said, "If you're not ready to write the book, would you at least start a podcast?" I said, "I can do that." And that's when my first real flagship podcast started, which I'm going to be releasing a new season very shortly. It's called The Under's Off Life Podcast, answering my most difficult questions. I tackle the subjects that make people uncomfortable. 

Rich Bennett 3:58
Oh, I like that. What year was that? Did that come out? 

Teresa Blaes 4:02
Oh, God. Oh, I think 2015 maybe. 

Rich Bennett 4:10
Okay. So a little over 10 years 

Teresa Blaes 4:14
ago. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 4:15
Wow. Okay. All right. With... And I had no idea about you losing your sight and your mom. And you said the same week. 

Teresa Blaes 4:28
Yes, sir. 

Rich Bennett 4:30
Oh, my God. All right. So... And you said you lost your sight due to opioids? 

Teresa Blaes 4:38
No. My mom died from opiate overdose or from suicide. 

Rich Bennett 4:42
it. 

Teresa Blaes 4:42
I don't know 

Rich Bennett 4:42
Oh. Oh, okay. 

Teresa Blaes 4:46
Okay. I 

Rich Bennett 4:46
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 4:46
lost the rest of my eyesight due to a retinal hemorrhage. 

Rich Bennett 4:53
All right. What exactly is that? 

Teresa Blaes 4:56
It's when your eye detaches from the retina and it starts bleeding and you lose the rest of your eyesight. 

Rich Bennett 5:03
Oh, how does something like that even happen? 

Teresa Blaes 5:07
I think it's because I accidentally hit my head on a doorframe. 

Rich Bennett 5:11
Oh, wow. Okay. When you were younger or 

Teresa Blaes 5:14
way. No. 

Rich Bennett 5:14
that 

Teresa Blaes 5:16
No, that week I was like in my 20s. No, 30s. 

Rich Bennett 5:24
What? You know what? I'm just... I'm going to sit back and just I could... Because I mean, you haven't even gotten into your story yet. And I'm just like. Shocked. To be honest with you, I had no idea for those, okay, for those of you listening to Risa and I connected through pod match I believe. And we've been playing Tag. 

What I knew about Teresa was that she is an entrepreneur and she is writing her book which is an obligatory which is your first book you've written correct. 

Teresa Blaes 6:13
Uh, no. 

Rich Bennett 6:15
oh, it's not okay. 

Teresa Blaes 6:16
I 

Rich Bennett 6:16
So 

Teresa Blaes 6:17
also, 

Rich Bennett 6:17
again, those of you listening. 

Teresa Blaes 6:18
I have a book out called God met me here. How God shows up in everyday life. I, um, you can, you can buy it on Amazon. And it actually tells the story of how God brought me back. Uh, more detailed story of what I just share. 

Rich Bennett 6:36
And what year did that come out? 

Teresa Blaes 6:39
God. That was about 2016,I  think. 

Rich Bennett 6:44
Okay. All right. You know what? Teresa, I'm just going to sit back and shut up. I'm going to turn the floor over to you so you can share your story because I have, I, I should have a box of tissues ready. Shouldn't 

Teresa Blaes 6:58
I? Maybe. Um, 

Rich Bennett 7:01
right. 

Teresa Blaes 7:01
all 

Rich Bennett 7:01
Luckily, I got them here on my side. 

Teresa Blaes 7:04
So I'm going to go back. I'm going to go back to when I was a baby because that's when it starts. I was born six weeks premature with a whole host of medical issues. I was John's, I was born six weeks premature. I had a bunch of medical problems. And they were saying that I would not live past, uh, a year. My mom, went to a chapel like a hospital chapel to pray. And she was not a believer, but it was, hey, uh, what do you do when you're faced with? My child's about to die. I don't know if my child's going to 

Rich Bennett 7:44
Right. 

Teresa Blaes 7:44
live. 

You pray. She started to pray. And there was a man that joined her prayer. He was wearing like a clerical collar. 

Rich Bennett 7:59
He 

Teresa Blaes 7:59
was an older gentleman and he joined her prayer. And she said she felt an almost indescribable piece. 

I meant to go find him at the nurse's station. When she described this man to the nurse, they said, no one imagining that description works at this hospital. 

Rich Bennett 8:23
Wow. 

Teresa Blaes 8:24
I believe that was an angel. 

Rich Bennett 8:29
I can't believe that. Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 8:31
Mm hmm. I don't know. Just because I had an angel, select encounter, or my mom did, does that mean that, uh, my life was great? Not even. 

Rich Bennett 8:42
Right. 

Teresa Blaes 8:42
Um, growing up, I had a whole host of medical issues. I have had over 200 eye operations alone. 

Uh, brain surgery, open heart surgery, colap palate surgery, knee surgeries, the works. Plus, every time I entered into a surgery, I would have sleep apnea under anesthesia, so I was taking my life at my hands every time I went under the knife. 

Rich Bennett 9:12
Who. 

Teresa Blaes 9:21
Wow. On top of this, my dad died when I was two years old on an motorcycle accident. So my mom ended up raising me as a single parent. 

My mom was a very broken woman. She had a propensity for finding very violent, abusive men. 

My first encounter with that was a gentleman by the name of Kenneth. 

I sat and watched as he beat her and broke every bone of her face. 

Rich Bennett 10:02
What? 

Teresa Blaes 10:04
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 10:06
Oh. 

Teresa Blaes 10:08
She found the courage to run, but he stalked us from state to state 

Rich Bennett 10:15
to state. Oh. 

Teresa Blaes 10:20
Um. 

She finally met him with a shotgun. I said, if you ever find us again, I'll kill 

you. You got to understand my mom was in the military. Or she was 

Rich Bennett 10:36
okay, 

Teresa Blaes 10:37
82nd airborne and an army nurse. 

So she wasn't playing. 

Rich Bennett 10:45
Now. Uh. 

Teresa Blaes 10:46
Um, he finally just figured out, you know what might be a good idea. I'll leave us alone. 

Rich Bennett 10:52
Good. 

Teresa Blaes 10:55
Uh. For a little bit, we did okay. I still had to be in and out of hospitals. Um. I dealt with a lot of issues at the age of six years old. I had my open heart surgery because my, my heart had an eight had a hole it, the 

Rich Bennett 11:16
in 

Teresa Blaes 11:16
size of a dime. And one of the veins had split into a while. I was growing back into itself. So they had to go in and repair all that. 

While I was recovering from open heart surgery, my mom met a man named Kevin 

and I had a sister 

Rich Bennett 11:43
from Kevin. 

Teresa Blaes 11:44
I believe so. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 11:46
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 11:47
Um. 

My mom one day had gone out to go get medicine or or groceries or something. I do not remember. 

Rich Bennett 11:58
Mm hmm. 

Teresa Blaes 11:59
My sister's name was Amanda. We, we called her Mandy. She was 10 months 

Rich Bennett 12:04
old. Hm. 

Teresa Blaes 12:06
While my mom was out, she was sick and crying in her crib. I was sitting and I was watching cartoons, Kevin got up, went over to her, pulled her out of the crib and threw her. 

Rich Bennett 12:18
H-what? 

Teresa Blaes 12:20
Mm hmm. And that was a witness. 

Rich Bennett 12:22
Oh God. 

Teresa Blaes 12:27
H-hm. Um... 

Rich Bennett 12:33
Hm. 

Teresa Blaes 12:33
She was life-lighted to Salt Lake City, Utah. And pronounced dead on October 29th, 1989. 

Rich Bennett 12:45
A 10 months old. 

Teresa Blaes 12:47
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 12:48
God. 

Teresa Blaes 12:50
I was removed from my mom's custody and gave it to a family friend. And that in itself was a blessing because I could have been placed anywhere. But I 

Rich Bennett 13:02
Right. 

Teresa Blaes 13:02
was... A place with a family friend who immediately called my mom and said, 'I've got Theresa'. 

And my mom had to fight to get me back. 

Rich Bennett 13:18
Was she still with Kevin at this time, too? 

Teresa Blaes 13:20
Oh no, no, no, no, no, Kevin 

Rich Bennett 13:22
Okay, 

Teresa Blaes 13:22
and-- 

Rich Bennett 13:23
good. 

Teresa Blaes 13:23
No, no. She separated from him. He ended up going to prison 

Rich Bennett 13:26
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 13:26
for men. Um, he, uh, ple-made a plea deal for, uh, receiving man slaughter charges and receive ten years in prison. 

Yeah. Um, 

I, we immediately, when I went, when we got, when I was given back to my mom, we left the state. Because the judge was like, 'I'll see you back in my courtroom.' And my mom was like, 'No, your owner. You won't'. 

Rich Bennett 14:05
Wow. 

God. 

Teresa Blaes 14:13
I, 

you know, and so, so now I've had multiple traumas from surgery. Because, 

you know, when, when you have that many surgeries and you, and you have so much pain that you've come out out of that, uh, I began to hate the anesthesia masks and I associated the 

Rich Bennett 14:36
um, 

Teresa Blaes 14:36
pain of the 

Rich Bennett 14:36
yeah, 

Teresa Blaes 14:36
surgery with the mask. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 14:40
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 14:40
Now, and then you've got the domestic violence and the murders that, that murder that I witnessed. 

I have had other, I've also had other accounts where I've been abused, such as being literally hit with a drumstick. Every time I would walk in a room by my Uncle Gary, I, I have had, uh, one babysitter who I, uh, was, I think was related. I can't remember who decided that it would be a good idea to feed me a half frozen pot pie. 

Rich Bennett 15:18
What? 

Yeah. I know, 

Teresa Blaes 15:25
I know. And again, these are all stories that actually happened. So I have, I developed a belief that people cannot be trusted. 

Rich Bennett 15:35
Yeah. I can understand why. 

Teresa Blaes 15:38
L, and I also put that belief out on God because I was like, you know what? Clearly, you don't give a crud about me and I don't care about you. So as long as we understand each other, we're 

Rich Bennett 15:49
fine. 

Teresa Blaes 15:52
Right. Uh, that said. God can't has been through my life protecting 

Rich Bennett 16:01
me. Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 16:02
One 

account that I can give that is, well, Kevin could have hurt me. And he didn't. 

Rich Bennett 16:09
You 

Teresa Blaes 16:11
know, the fact that I was pleased with the family, frankly, instead of some stranger. 

Again, I see that as an account of God's protection. 

Rich Bennett 16:21
Yes. Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 16:22
Okay. Uh, I have many, I have other stories. Um, one being when we lived in, um, red lawns, Montana, we lived in a kind of a pep, though, bismar ugly pink house. And I do mean ugly. 

Rich Bennett 16:40
I just, 

Teresa Blaes 16:42
I know 

Rich Bennett 16:42
But 

Teresa Blaes 16:43
serious. 

Rich Bennett 16:44
I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I can describe that with a pep of bismar pink. 

Teresa Blaes 16:47
It was ugly. I have no idea what someone thought that was a good idea. No idea. Um, but 

Rich Bennett 16:55
was 

Teresa Blaes 16:55
we 

Rich Bennett 16:55
a barbie house. 

Teresa Blaes 16:57
Yeah, 

that's a no. 

Rich Bennett 17:02
yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 17:02
Oh, That's just a no. I know. So we were coming home one night. 

And we were coming in. We were trying to get in the house and my dog, PJ, was acting really weird, spinning in circles, freaking out, peeing and pooping on himself. And we were going, what is wrong with you? You were acting weird. And we're trying to unlock the door. And we hear this scream from behind us. 

And we turned around. There is a mountain line full Crouched 

Rich Bennett 17:42
grown. 

Teresa Blaes 17:43
10 feet away from us ready to charge. 

Rich Bennett 17:47
Whoa. 

Teresa Blaes 17:49
My mom gets the door open, throw the dog inside, gets me inside. We get the door shut. It was a solid oak door. 

That cat hit the door and cracked it from top to bottom. 

Rich Bennett 18:04
Wow. 

Teresa Blaes 18:07
She would guess it was a full grown mountain lane. 

Rich Bennett 18:12
They get pretty big. 

Teresa Blaes 18:14
Yes, they do. 

Rich Bennett 18:15
Wow. 

Teresa Blaes 18:16
What we found out if she had cubs in our barn. 

Rich Bennett 18:21
Oh, God. 

Teresa Blaes 18:23
She had cubs. Uh-huh. Why she didn't kill our goats or attack my mother when she was milking said goat. I don't know. 

Rich Bennett 18:35
Wow. 

Teresa Blaes 18:37
But again, God's protection. 

Rich Bennett 18:41
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 18:42
You know, but at the time I didn't see that I did not understand 

Rich Bennett 18:50
that. No, I wouldn't either. I mean, well, tell me me what probably try to pit the thing. But yeah, you'd be scared out of your mind. 

Teresa Blaes 19:00
Yeah, yeah. You know, and there's other situations where I almost died on a roller coaster or almost got it almost had a deer have a to slam through the windshield in exactly where I was sitting. 

I mean, I believe. 

Rich Bennett 19:21
Wow. 

Teresa Blaes 19:23
Multiple multiple times. 

Rich Bennett 19:28
Uh-huh. 

Teresa Blaes 19:28
And. 

Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 19:33
I 

I'm speechless. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, there's God was definitely looking out for you. 

Teresa Blaes 19:45
Yeah. I mean, with the roller coaster thing, uh, we got onto the roller coaster and literally we were upside down trying to enjoy the ride and the bar that's supposed to keep you in literally falls off the ride. 

Rich Bennett 20:00
What? 

Teresa Blaes 20:01
Oh, yeah. Yeah, my so my mom slammed her elbow into my chest, hanging onto the bar on the side screaming. I've got you. And I'm pretty much freaks because I'm thinking, I'm going to die. I'm going to die. Oh crap. I am so going to die. 

Rich Bennett 20:17
Now, how were you, how are you for this? 

Teresa Blaes 20:20
God, I would say young. 

Rich Bennett 20:24
So so still a kid. 

Teresa Blaes 20:26
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 20:28
Oh, geez. 

Wow. You I mean, I've heard of people that have had traumatic childhood, but not everything you've been going through. 

Teresa Blaes 20:48
Yeah. No, my story is very, you know, there's a lot of things that happened in my story that you tell one of one event. And people go, that's a lot. And I'm going, yeah, that's only one event. 

Rich Bennett 21:01
Yeah. Your store for what I'm hearing already, your story is not a movie. Your story is a TV series 

because of everything. I'm serious. I mean, it's like, it, it's like chapter after chapter after chapter after chapter. And we, we haven't probably even gotten into the other, I know we haven't gotten into the other stuff yet. Oh god. 

Teresa Blaes 21:35
And this 

Rich Bennett 21:35
how 

Teresa Blaes 21:35
is 

Rich Bennett 21:36
in the world, did you hold it all together? Well, God. 

Teresa Blaes 21:42
Well, I mean, I didn't meet God until I was a teenager. 

Rich Bennett 21:46
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 21:47
And, and the thing was I literally had to encounter a demon before I would even give him a chance. 

Rich Bennett 21:59
How, how was your mother's faith through all of this? 

Teresa Blaes 22:03
She didn't have any. 

Rich Bennett 22:04
Especially since that time at the chapel. 

Teresa Blaes 22:07
So she believed in God, but she didn't take him seriously. 

Rich Bennett 22:13
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 22:15
Like, like, because that was a big contention when I became a Christian, that was a huge issue in my home. It was your pushing it quick, getting too religious. Did so and so teach you religion. And so I had to literally figure out, how do I live this faith thing? But, uh, and still. Yeah. No, that was a huge thing in my home. 

Rich Bennett 22:45
Wow. 

Teresa Blaes 22:47
My mom did not want me to get me a Christian. 

Rich Bennett 22:55
So why? 

Teresa Blaes 22:56
I, I believe she was angry at him. 

Rich Bennett 23:01
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 23:04
And see, like I said,so  what, because I want to go back, um, you know, you factor in all the stuff that I told you about. And there was other stuff. 

Rich Bennett 23:13
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 23:14
Um, 

I went to the school for the blanket, Arizona. And that school and I was about, well, when this happened, I was a teenager. It was about what? 14, 15, so we're around there. Maybe 16. 

And that school was built on an India burial ground. 

So you, 

Rich Bennett 23:37
oh, oh, 

Teresa Blaes 23:38
you always heard ghost stories. 

Rich Bennett 23:41
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 23:42
I didn't buy it. 

I was like, yeah, whatever. 

Rich Bennett 23:46
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 23:47
Okay. Okay. Whatever. 

One night, I was out with my friends 

and there was a dormitory because the way the school operated is you, if you, um, if you were long distance away from the school, you stayed at the dormitory during the week and you went home on the weekend. 

Rich Bennett 24:08
Mm hmm. 

Teresa Blaes 24:09
Okay. Well, I, we were out on the playground and we saw one of the dorms that was not being used that year had a light on. 

And we're going, okay, why is that on? That shouldn't be on that this time of night. Something's up. 

So we walk over and we're standing on the porch. Um, I'm looking in the four year. I don't see anything in there. 

The doors still locked. 

I'm standing on the porch. I'm talking to my friends. And I hear a female echoey ethereal voice. And it said, too. 

Rich Bennett 24:52
Oh, 

oh, I'm going. 

Teresa Blaes 25:00
I eat looking at my friends. you guys do just hear that, right? They're like, oh yeah, we did, I'm like, I'm going, see you. I ... that ... I want you to think about this. It didn't just say whatever. It said something. This thing was, whatever this was, was intelligent. It knew we were out there. 

Rich Bennett 25:21
Wow. 

Teresa Blaes 25:24
I ... I am in firm belief that that was a demon. I do not believe in ghosts. The fact is that the Bible says that we that there that is appointed not to men once to die and after that the judgement. It doesn't say you go walking around the earth. 

Rich Bennett 25:41
Right. 

Teresa Blaes 25:42
Okay. So what do demons do? They're known as familiar spirits. They pose as ghosts in order to deceive you. 

Rich Bennett 25:52
Ah, okay. 

Teresa Blaes 25:55
Okay. So I ... but I didn't know what the heck this was at that time. I'm going ... 

Rich Bennett 26:00
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 26:00
what? Was that because that scared everyone with crap out of me? Uh 

Rich Bennett 26:05
... huh? 

Teresa Blaes 26:06
Now I'm on an investigation trying to figure out what was that. I believe that the god allowed me to encounter a demon to realize the supernatural is real. What are you 

Rich Bennett 26:18
do? 

Teresa Blaes 26:18
going to 

Rich Bennett 26:22
Oh ... 

okay. What did you do with it? 

Teresa Blaes 26:28
It took me about a year of searching and trying to figure out what I believed. 

Rich Bennett 26:34
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 26:35
Um, but I finally after that year and after a long set of events, um, I got on my business or I got on my knees and I did business with God. 

Rich Bennett 26:47
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 26:49
And I gave my life to him because I realized, you know what? If this story is true, if he's real, then I really ... I need me, I need him. 

Rich Bennett 27:00
You need him. 

Teresa Blaes 27:01
Yeah. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 27:04
Wow. 

I ... I think since ... since you were born, I think he's been testing you the way it sounds. 

Teresa Blaes 27:16
Uh ... I would say ... either ... I would say either testing or protecting because I really 

Rich Bennett 27:22
... 

Teresa Blaes 27:22
do 

Rich Bennett 27:22
Or 

Teresa Blaes 27:22
believe 

Rich Bennett 27:23
... or both? 

Teresa Blaes 27:24
Yeah. Yeah. Because I believe the enemy has had it out for me since I was born. 

Rich Bennett 27:28
Yeah. 

Wow. Yeah, but you had a good guardian there because God was not going to let anything happen. 

Teresa Blaes 27:40
I 

Rich Bennett 27:40
... 

Teresa Blaes 27:40
believe 

Rich Bennett 27:40
to 

Teresa Blaes 27:40
that 

Rich Bennett 27:40
you. 

Teresa Blaes 27:41
Yeah. No, I believe that. 

Rich Bennett 27:45
Hmm. Now ... do you ... do you all ... well, I'm sure you do. Do you also believe in guardian angels? 

Teresa Blaes 27:53
I do. 

Rich Bennett 27:55
Okay. All right. Good. 

Cause I believe we all have one. 

Teresa Blaes 28:02
I'm not sure if we have one specifically, I don't know how that works. I do believe in angels and 

Rich Bennett 28:07
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 28:07
demons. 

Rich Bennett 28:11
Yeah. Yeah. 

Wow. All right. So ... man, with ... with everything that you went through ... 

Teresa Blaes 28:23
Hmm. 

Rich Bennett 28:23
And I want to jump ahead a little bit here. And then you ... because you said ... no. When your mom passed and you lost your vision completely, you ... you said you gave up on God, right? 

Teresa Blaes 28:36
I did. 

Rich Bennett 28:37
Okay. 

And then how long before ... you started believing again? 

Teresa Blaes 28:45
Five years. 

Rich Bennett 28:47
Five years. What was the turning point that made you ... bring God back into your life? 

Teresa Blaes 28:57
During that five-year period, I got heavily addicted to text-based gaming. I 

Rich Bennett 29:02
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 29:02
... I ... I was married by then and so ... this ... addiction almost destroyed my marriage. I ended up going back. I ended up going to like a ... a ... conference ... a women's conference ... with my church. 

Rich Bennett 29:18
Mm-hmm. 

Teresa Blaes 29:21
And 

it started out where I hadn't been talking to God for over five years. 

And I was sitting at ... they were having a breakout session and I was sitting ... Um ... and ... they were just talking ... and God says, "You're still angry at me over your blindness, are you?" 

Rich Bennett 29:43
Hmm. 

Teresa Blaes 29:44
And I went, "Yeah, and 

..." he didn't say anything. He didn't come after me over the gaming. He didn't say anything. It took a little bit of a few more sessions and I was kind of in an after ... after glow-type service, like a worship service. Indie ... the event. 

And I was with a really good friend of mine someone who I'm still friends with to the state. 

And I opened up a little bit about my past and I shared the story on my sister's murder with her. 

Rich Bennett 30:24
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 30:24
And I realized 

I'm back. I can't ... I can't just run away from God, because I've gone through someone's hell. I'm ... I'm back. I don't know what this looks like. But then I began to go on a journey of ... I need answers, because I can't pretend that none of this crap happened. I need answers just to why. And that's why I started unresolved. And 

Rich Bennett 30:51
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 30:52
eventually, that's why I wrote, "Protect it." 

Rich Bennett 30:56
Wow. 

And when did you start writing, "Protect it?" 

Teresa Blaes 31:06
I'd say ... it took me about a year to get to where I was willing. 

Rich Bennett 31:10
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 31:13
Because I first thought kept telling God, "No, I am not writing that book." "No." 

Rich Bennett 31:19
Right. 

Teresa Blaes 31:21
Those skeletons are nice and locked away. They can stay there. Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 31:26
You're listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. We'll be right back. 

You know, one of the things I love most about what we do with the show and HarfordCandyLiving.com is helping people discover great businesses, not through flashy ads or gimmicks, but by building trust and creating real connections within the community. That's why we're always looking to partner with reputable businesses that went long-term visibility. As a sponsor, your business can be featured across Harford County Living, conversations with Rich Bennett, the author Pitch, and the Chesapeake podcast network through website exposure, social media promotion, podcast advertising, and more. Whether you're a local business or located anywhere, we have sponsorship opportunities designed to fit a variety of goals and budgets. In fact, some sponsorship levels started just over a dollar a day. We keep our sponsor spots limited because we believe in quality over quantity. And we only partner with businesses that share our commitment to serving their customers well. If you'd like to learn more, email me directly at richbentant@danban.com. That's rich Bennett, R-I-C-H-B-E-N-N-E-T-T at dianban.com, d-a-n-b-e-n.com. Now let's get back to the conversation. All right, so your compliment then you start writing. Now are you still working on the manuscript or is it about to be published or? 

Teresa Blaes 33:13
We're going to go through one last final cleanup thing so if I need to 

Rich Bennett 33:20
add any--

What? 

Teresa Blaes 33:21
Okay. 

Yeah, and then we're going to publish. 

Rich Bennett 33:25
Okay. Okay, I've never asked an author this, but I want to-- and I can't wait to read your book. Which-- and we've already talked before the podcast because I definitely want to get you on my other podcast to read an excerpt from it. But with you being blind and I don't-- is it going to be self-published or are you going through publisher? 

Teresa Blaes 33:48
We're-- we're-- um-- I'm using our company Kudos Media to Publish. 

Rich Bennett 33:54
Smart. 

Okay, so I know you have audio books, but will it also be in Braille? 

Teresa Blaes 34:06
I don't know, I'm still--

Rich Bennett 34:08
It's too hard. 

Teresa Blaes 34:09
No, I'm still looking into that, actually. 

Rich Bennett 34:13
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 34:14
I'm looking into solutions on that front. I don't know how-- what I'm going to do on that front or what I should do because really with the way technology is working, we have Braille display so you don't necessarily need to put it out in hard cover-- hard copy. 

Rich Bennett 34:30
Okay, okay. Oh, that's right. Because you also have-- I forget the name of it. It got our lines cell, we used to do it all the time. The reading library. 

Teresa Blaes 34:42
Well, and we've got Audible. There's Kendall. 

Rich Bennett 34:45
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 34:46
So yeah. 

Rich Bennett 34:47
Yeah. 

Wow. All right, so-- all right, tell me about Kudos Media. What made you decide to start that? 

Teresa Blaes 34:59
Well, so back in 2019, my husband and I were praying because we were trying to figure out-- I mean, I had already done-- I was doing the podcast, and I was dabbling and doing some other shows and trying to figure out, okay, what are you going to do? God, what do you want? And God said, my people don't have a voice. I want you to give them a voice. This was before Ketzel culture started. 

Rich Bennett 35:28
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 35:30
And let me be clear. I am not a-- I am not vogue. I am not a proponent of Ketzel culture. I cannot stand that stuff. So when that started, I understood very clearly what our mandate was. 

Rich Bennett 35:43
To 

Teresa Blaes 35:44
give the remnant a voice. 

Rich Bennett 35:47
Right. 

Teresa Blaes 35:48
So we started doing podcast production for ministries and faith-based businesses. 

Rich Bennett 35:55
Nice. 

Teresa Blaes 35:56
And that's what Kudos Media Productions does today. 

Rich Bennett 36:00
All right, and explain everybody what Kudos means. 

Teresa Blaes 36:03
Okay, Kudos is a Hebrew word. It stands for holy, set apart, or other than. 

Rich Bennett 36:10
Okay. 

You're just keeping busy now. 

Teresa Blaes 36:19
I like you. Yeah, that's pretty much 

Rich Bennett 36:23
it. 

And how many podcasts do you do? Not guessed on that you actually host. 

Teresa Blaes 36:29
Right now, I do. Well, I'm going to re-restonting under the results of life because I took a break from it for a while. And I was doing an entrepreneurial podcast that's recently filled, but I've been ever rebranding that. And then I do one called the Equipped podcast, which is where we're equipping that people for the last days. 

Rich Bennett 36:52
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 36:54
And then during the NFL season, I do one with a really good friend of mine. It's just too late where we talk of the NFL. From a from a Christopher...

Rich Bennett 37:06
Really? 

Teresa Blaes 37:07
yep. 

Rich Bennett 37:09
Oh, well you gotta do hockey too because my daughter will be listening to that in the heart 

Teresa Blaes 37:14
beat. I I hockey's not my thing. Not senseless. It's left it was owner. 

Rich Bennett 37:19
Yeah. I can not I look I tried watching hockey with my daughter and I thought there was a flying on the screen. I was getting upset. Come to the final it was the hockey puck moving that 

Teresa Blaes 37:31
I cannot 

Rich Bennett 37:31
fit. 

Teresa Blaes 37:31
even see the puck. 

Rich Bennett 37:35
Yeah. I mean, it was it was hard. Now and baseball it's I I'm old school. I love baseball, but I like listening to it on the radio because 

Teresa Blaes 37:50
I actually 

Rich Bennett 37:51
being a 

Teresa Blaes 37:51
love 

Rich Bennett 37:51
kid. 

Teresa Blaes 37:54
yes. Love listening to sports on the radio. 

Rich Bennett 37:56
Yes, you yeah, I just it just it reminds me of being a kid now now I'm showing my age. 

Teresa Blaes 38:04
So, 

Rich Bennett 38:04
I okay. 

Teresa Blaes 38:04
here's the thing here's the thing I grew up my aunt March 'cause we lived in my aunt March for a time. She taught me the game of basketball and football. 

Rich Bennett 38:16
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 38:16
Okay, and I so I grew up watching the Phoenix sons. 

Rich Bennett 38:21
Oh, 

Teresa Blaes 38:22
a little annoyed with them right now because they got completely swept in the playoffs. 

You know, can we please just get a championship? Please can you get some decent anyway anyway. I haven't seen a. And then 1990s anyway. 

Rich Bennett 38:44
And 

Teresa Blaes 38:45
football I grew up a Denver Broncos fan and then I also became an Arizona Cardinals 

Rich Bennett 38:53
fan. 

So, the Broncos when who was quarterback 

Teresa Blaes 39:00
John 

Rich Bennett 39:01
L way. 

Teresa Blaes 39:02
L way. Oh, yeah. So, one story around that when I was a kid. The police chief for color of spring. T head across on my mom big time course my mom by this time is going I'm running min off I want nothing to do with you. And so his idea was I you know what we're doing a basketball charity. Event and here are two tickets. And oh, by the way, if you want to meet the different Broncos in person, they're eating at this pizza place, go there. 

So, I'm going to eat pizza John L way finds me 

sit down on my table and eat a pizza pizza with me. Take off his super ball ring and puts it on my hand. His ring was large enough. It was a bracelet on my hand. I was that little. 

Rich Bennett 40:06
Is that in your book or is that going to be in the second book? 

Teresa Blaes 40:10
No, that's in the book. 

Rich Bennett 40:13
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 40:17
have all 

Rich Bennett 40:17
I 

Teresa Blaes 40:17
kinds of stories like that. You know, it's just. 

You know. And so. 

Rich Bennett 40:24
And 

Teresa Blaes 40:27
so yeah, no, I grew up I really loved the game of football. My mom used to call it a bunch of men chasing a lopsided ball. 

Rich Bennett 40:37
Yeah. At least you have a bunch of them chasing the same ball. Whereas in golf, it's only one person just chasing a little ball that's sometimes you're not going to find the thing anyways. 

Teresa Blaes 40:51
Yeah, and golf is boring. 

It is. 

It's absolutely boring. I cannot stand it. It's too quiet. It's like. No. 

Rich Bennett 41:09
Golf. Golf is only good if happy Gilmore is playing right? 

Teresa Blaes 41:13
Wouldn't know. 

Rich Bennett 41:17
Oh, geez. 

I tell. 

But I love the fact that you're sharing your story and I know that you're helping a lot of people. But explain to everybody why it's important that people should share their story. 

Teresa Blaes 41:37
Start because if you don't share, you won't heal. 

Rich Bennett 41:41
Thank you. 

Thank you. 

Teresa Blaes 41:46
It starts because every single person, whether you're a believer or not, has baggage. You need to share that skeleton. You need to share it. I don't care. And the thing is, well, I know God. I know Jesus. Yeah. But every single person has a skeleton in the past that they haven't shared. 

Rich Bennett 42:03
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 42:03
Share your story. Whatever that is. And I know I have heard some horrific stories. My best friend has a really horrific story herself. I'll leave that to her to share. But. 

I'm so, I'm telling you that you will find healing when you begin to unpack it 

Rich Bennett 42:29
and share it. You'll heal others as well. 

Teresa Blaes 42:31
I believe. I believe so too. 

Rich Bennett 42:34
yeah, and that's one of the things that I found since I started doing this, especially the people that come on and share their story about addiction recovery or their mental illness. I mean, when you get, and you know this from being a podcaster, when you get listeners that contact you and thank you for a guess that you've had on and how it helped them, then know you're making a difference, and you know, you're letting that guess note that they're making a difference too.Uh , 

Teresa Blaes 43:08
Amen. 

Rich Bennett 43:08
it's amazing. 

Teresa Blaes 43:08
Let me let me share 

Rich Bennett 43:09
you. 

Teresa Blaes 43:09
something with 

Rich Bennett 43:10
I guess rewards you get. 

Teresa Blaes 43:11
Yeah, let me share something. So when I first started and resolved, I 

Rich Bennett 43:16
Uh-huh. 

Teresa Blaes 43:17
didn't know if this was something God wanted. But I thought it 

Rich Bennett 43:22
Right. 

Teresa Blaes 43:22
was, but I wasn't sure. And so I was like, I don't know. What am I doing? I don't know. And so we released this episode. It was the first episode with a guy who lost his mom to suicide. 

And so I put it out there and I'm like, I don't know what I'm doing. But I'm going to do it anyway. You know, and I was afraid. But I did it anyway. 

Rich Bennett 43:47
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 43:48
Okay. One of the first things I tell every single quiet, do it afraid. Okay. Do it afraid. And, and so it goes out about a week later, I get an email. 

She says, your podcast was shared with me by your friend, and she begins to share her story. And it was pretty horrific. And then she said something I will never forget. that? She said, 

Rich Bennett 44:18
What's 

Teresa Blaes 44:18
I have thought about killing myself every single day. And because of your podcast, I'm not going to. 

That hit me because I realized what I don't have to have all the big numbers. I just have to reach one. 

Rich Bennett 44:35
Now, exactly, exactly. Which is why it's also important to always smile with people and say, hi. 

Teresa Blaes 44:46
Yeah. No, this is, this is why I do what I do. This is why you and you talk about mental health, um, you know, just just to throw gas on the fire just a little bit. 

Rich Bennett 45:03
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 45:03
I'm in the middle of doing the book. And then God tells me at the beginning of the year, you're going to release an album to go along with the book. I'm going to what? Uh. Again, I'm checking the ID because I'm not sure. I heard you write, sir. 

Exactly how am I supposed to do that? I have no flipping clue. But the thing was back when I was in a high school, I was going to a youth Bible study, a women's Bible study for youth. 

Rich Bennett 45:37
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 45:38
And God told me at one point, you were going to have a place in music. Yeah. Okay. I don't see how that's happening. No. I am no clue how you're going to do that. 

Now do doors opening I've started a band and we're in the middle of recording our first 

Rich Bennett 46:02
album. Now are these songs that you're writing yourself or? 

Teresa Blaes 46:05
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 46:06
The whole band is. 

Teresa Blaes 46:08
Well, so we've got about 100 songs that we've written about three albums worth, I think. 

Rich Bennett 46:15
What? 

Teresa Blaes 46:17
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 46:18
And when did this band start? 

Teresa Blaes 46:21
Well, officially, this year, but I had a whole bunch of songs that I had written beforehand. 

Rich Bennett 46:26
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 46:27
Okay. And because I got into because I used writing poetry as kind of a way to bleed on the piece of deal with my painting. 

Rich Bennett 46:35
Yeah. 

Wow. All right. So what's the name of the band? 

Teresa Blaes 46:42
A ragged thread. 

Rich Bennett 46:45
A ragged thread. 

Teresa Blaes 46:48
Every single person, every single person is hanging on by a thread. It's just that for us, the thread is guiding. And if you look in the Bible, 

Rich Bennett 46:55
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 46:56
where does that come from? Do you remember the story of Rahab? 

Rich Bennett 47:02
No, not right off here. But I know you're going to share it with me. 

Teresa Blaes 47:05
When the two spies went into Jericho, because God was going to completely nuke it. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 47:11
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 47:12
They tell her, you know, because she saves the spies and turns her back on her people who are pagan and chooses to believe in this and this Jehovah God of the Israelites. Okay. As 

Rich Bennett 47:24
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 47:25
she said, will you say will you not destroy me? And they said, okay, in order for us to know it is you and not someone else. You need to get your people in your home. And you need to hang a crimson thread crimson cord out your window. If we see that, we will not destroy you. 

Rich Bennett 47:43
Oh, yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 47:45
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. That, I believe, is what God is offering us today. He says, hey, 

I'm throwing you a lifeline. The lifeline is my 

Rich Bennett 47:56
Hmm. 

Teresa Blaes 47:56
son. Every single person is is a center. Every single person is in in in in danger of judgment. Every single person. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, not even one. 

I can't be good enough to get into heaven. I can't. I can't do enough good, successful. Well, I gotta clean myself up to come to God. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. God's offering you a lifeline. It's in the cross. 

Rich Bennett 48:28
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 48:30
ok, the only way we get 

Rich Bennett 48:31
Hmm. 

Teresa Blaes 48:31
to heaven if by the cross. That's why I say we're all hanging by a thread in life. Every single 

Rich Bennett 48:37
with it. Yeah? 

Teresa Blaes 48:38
But we have a chance. And for us that thread is god. 

Rich Bennett 48:44
Ooh, 

a ragged thread. Now, when you said guy told you you have to do a soundtrack for the book, our is the album, I don't even know what they call it now, is it called album, a mp3, whatever, is it going to be released the same time the book is? 

Teresa Blaes 49:08
I'm hoping so, but I don't know. I don't know the timeline yet. 

Rich Bennett 49:12
Okay. And I was going to say how are you going to do that like a QR code in the book that people can scan to 

Teresa Blaes 49:21
Probably. Yeah, probably, 

Rich Bennett 49:22
ways?

Teresa Blaes 49:22
because we're going to be the album, at least the first album on all other music platforms. 

Rich Bennett 49:30
Okay . Alright. Oh, smart, smart. Um, okay. So those of you listening, I did know a bad Theresa having a band when she mentioned that only because she told me before we started recording, and I was blown away because I heard her on another podcast singing, and it was Tania's, but you remember Tania, you were on her podcast, I believe. And I heard you saying it's like, oh my God. She's got the voice of an angel. So now, everybody listen, you know you got to get the album in the end of the book. And I have a funny feeling, you guys are probably going to be touring as well. You never know, but 

Teresa Blaes 50:11
I have no 

Rich Bennett 50:12
other surprises. Well, yeah. Yeah, you guys spread the word. You're going to be going everywhere. You're going to be touring with Mercy Me or something. Who knows, you never know 

Teresa Blaes 50:23
I 

Rich Bennett 50:23
any, 

Teresa Blaes 50:24
like mercy. 

Rich Bennett 50:25
you did that. 

Teresa Blaes 50:25
Um, I'm learning. 

Rich Bennett 50:27
Uh oh, good. 

Teresa Blaes 50:28
More aggressive vocals. 

So if you're familiar with, are you familiar with Christian rock? 

Rich Bennett 50:38
Yeah. Oh, yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 50:39
So like POD project 86, Demonner. 

Rich Bennett 50:42
Uh-huh. 

Teresa Blaes 50:43
I'm learning to do 

Rich Bennett 50:44
that. Oh, that kind of vocals. 

Teresa Blaes 50:46
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 50:48
Oh, 

Teresa Blaes 50:49
wow. 

Rich Bennett 50:50
Wow. 

Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. You, you guys got to tour. 

Teresa Blaes 50:58
Well, I think so here's my thing. I like praise and worship. I'm okay with praise and worship. But the songs that we want to write are very much, we want people to think we don't to do the bubble gum. Okay. Poppy and praise and worship stuff. I don't know. Just know. Um, and so we really want people to think, 

Rich Bennett 51:25
which is what you're at. What a song is supposed to do. 

Teresa Blaes 51:28
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 51:28
Supposing to make people think it's telling a story, which and when you tell a story, it's going to make people think. 

Teresa Blaes 51:35
Mm 

Rich Bennett 51:37
hmm. Yeah. Alright. So I have a question for you. And this is something I've been contemplating for a while. Been wanting to do a podcast episode about this, but I don't think I'm going to have to now. 

Teresa Blaes 51:50
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 51:51
Uh, I had a friend. I'm, I've had a friend of mine, a friend of a, a little rid of a rented lips here, a friend of mine on the show love who, um, God told her to write a book just like God told you to write a book. And she had no idea what she was doing. She just listened to God. And I think she's got like four, four or five books out now. 

Teresa Blaes 52:15
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 52:15
Something like that. But, and a lot of people may not know, well, I know a lot of people don't know how to do this. Explain to everybody. 

Teresa Blaes 52:27
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 52:28
How to listen to God, 

because I think I don't think a lot of people know how to listen to God. 

Teresa Blaes 52:37
It starts with getting to know his work. Do you remember? Do you know how a, um, a dollar bill is proven to be like how people have a banker will notice a, a counterfeit dollar bill? 

Rich Bennett 52:52
A counterfeit dollar bill? 

Teresa Blaes 52:54
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 52:55
No. 

Teresa Blaes 52:57
They get so familiar with the original. They can spot a counterfeit in an instant. 

Rich Bennett 53:03
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 53:04
The Bible says that, um, and Jesus says, my, um, my, my sheep know my voice. I know them and they follow me. The closer you get to God, the more you get in his word, the more you ask him to speak to you, the more he speaks to you, you will notice his voice, and you will not listen to the voice of another. 

Rich Bennett 53:26
Mm 

hmm. Do, do you think that more, uh, I believe this, I think of one of the reasons that a lot of people don't know how to listen to God. Do you feel that more people are talking to God and not listening? 

Teresa Blaes 53:47
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 53:49
Okay. 

Teresa Blaes 53:49
Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 53:52
Okay. Uh, yeah, I'm, I believe that too. Uh, and I, one of the things, in 

Teresa Blaes 53:57
fact, one of the books, um, one of the books that I'm gonna be coming up with, I don't know when is called wake up and listen. 

Rich Bennett 54:05
Mm hmm. Oh, I love that. I love that. Yeah, I think too many people, and this is something I've said a lot too. Um, because, you know, when people pray, they're always asking for something. 

Teresa Blaes 54:21
Always 

Rich Bennett 54:22
asking for something. It seems like one of the things that I think more people need to do is thank God when they pray just thanking or there's sometimes when I just have a short prayer 

Teresa Blaes 54:37
just 

Rich Bennett 54:38
and it's 

Teresa Blaes 54:38
thank 

Rich Bennett 54:39
God how much I love. 

Teresa Blaes 54:41
Yep, no, I 

Rich Bennett 54:42
because 

Teresa Blaes 54:42
believe in 

Rich Bennett 54:43
there is, yeah, there's no stronger love in the world than I mean that's just me. Yes, I love my wife but the strongest love I have is with God. 

Teresa Blaes 54:53
simple. Amen. 

Rich Bennett 54:54
Plain is

Teresa Blaes 54:55
I actually agree with you there. You know, the thing is 

one thing that God is making clear to me 

is that he is the lover of our soul. And like, he loves us with a love that we cannot comprehend. And I, through side of circumstances, am learning that. 

Rich Bennett 55:24
Yeah. 

Teresa Blaes 55:25
And if we could just get our minds around that, 

think it would change a lot 

Rich Bennett 55:34
I 

Teresa Blaes 55:34
of things for us. 

Rich Bennett 55:37
Oh yeah. Yeah. 

Now, tell me, well, you still don't know. You don't have a long state for the book yet. 

Teresa Blaes 55:47
No, but I do have a website. Yep. 

Rich Bennett 55:51
Well, I was going to ask you how do people find you your web websites? Because you have more than one, right? 

Teresa Blaes 55:58
I have a few. Yep. 

Rich Bennett 56:03
And how can people follow you? 

Teresa Blaes 56:05
Well, you can find me on x @terisaplays1, um, I am on Facebook, uh, just look for Teresa Blaze. If you want to actually check out the book site, uh, go to protectedbook.com. And I have a little uh, squeeze page and and you can put your name and email in. And I will be sending updates, um, you know, newsletters. What's going on with me? What's going on? With a few other things related, that kind of thing. And, and then, uh, if you want learn more about kadosh, uh, you can check out kadoshmedia.com. 

Rich Bennett 56:44
And I'll make sure I have all the links in there and those of you listening Blaze is B-L-A-E-S 

Teresa Blaes 56:52
B-L-A-Z-E. 

Rich Bennett 56:52
not 

So, but I'll make it easy for everybody and have have the links in there. And where can people find your podcast? 

Teresa Blaes 57:02
Oh, if you want to check out 

Rich Bennett 57:03
podcast. 

Teresa Blaes 57:04
podcast, yeah, If you want to check out my, uh, uh, uh, uh, the podcast for entrepreneurial stuff, uh, go to Teresa Blaze.com, um, that again, I'm going to be rebranding that one. Uh, you can check out past episodes of Under Resolve Life at unresolved. life. And you can go to blazing guns.com for the NFL show. 

Rich Bennett 57:27
I got a lot of links to put it into shared notes too. 

Teresa Blaes 57:30
And I, yes, you do. 

Rich Bennett 57:34
I love it. Teresa, is there anything you would like to add before I get to my last question? 

Teresa Blaes 57:40
Um, um, just remember this guys, it doesn't matter. Cory tidping has a quote that I love. 

Rich Bennett 57:49
It 

Teresa Blaes 57:49
Love. doesn't matter how, how deep the pit God is not deeper still. 

Rich Bennett 57:57
Oh, um, I got to get you on. Well, you definitely coming on my, the other podcast, but I got to get you on here again, because I know there's a lot we could talk about. And one of the things I do want to do is around table. And like I mentioned, have to listen to God, but also another one on how to talk to God. 

Teresa Blaes 58:18
Because I was on time. 

Rich Bennett 58:19
He said, I don't, yeah, I don't think enough people know how. All right. So Teresa, you're going to pick the last question. Are you ready for this? 

Teresa Blaes 58:27
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 58:28
Pick a number and five, 

four, four. Okay. Let me get to the fourth batch here. Now pick a number between 61 and 80, 

70, 

70. That's a good question. If you could design your ideal day with no limitations, what would it look 

Teresa Blaes 59:00
like? Hmm. 

I would wake up. I would, um, you know, have my time with God, and let him speak into me and let him do his thing. Um, I'd sit down, I'd write some more music. 

And then I'd go to a Cardinals game or a sends game. 

And, 

Rich Bennett 59:32
well, just remember, if the Cardinals are playing the Ravens, don't get upset if the Cardinals lose it. 

Teresa Blaes 59:38
saying, 

Rich Bennett 59:38
I'm 

Teresa Blaes 59:38
um, 

Rich Bennett 59:38
just 

Teresa Blaes 59:39
I'm afraid the Ravens will have to, I'm afraid. 

Rich Bennett 59:44
I'm sorry. Go ahead, Teresa. 

Teresa Blaes 59:46
The Ravens will have to be de-feathered. There would be bits 

Rich Bennett 59:49
feather. 

Teresa Blaes 59:49
of Be old 

Rich Bennett 59:52
one. 

Teresa Blaes 59:57
Well, you know, 

Rich Bennett 59:58
Hey, 

there's to throw off the Cardinals. 

Teresa Blaes 1:00:03
No, but then I think, you know, 

Rich Bennett 1:00:05
it happens. 

Teresa Blaes 1:00:05
I'd go out to dinner with my best friend. You know, and that's kind of how I 

Rich Bennett 1:00:09
know. 

Teresa Blaes 1:00:09
didn't 

Rich Bennett 1:00:09
Oh, I love that. 

Teresa Blaes 1:00:10
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:11
I love that. I love that. Well, Teresa, I want to thank you so much. Those of you listening, when the book comes out and tell everybody to tell you about the book again, 

Teresa Blaes 1:00:22
protected a story of survival, faith and redemption. 

Rich Bennett 1:00:27
So when it comes out and you purchase it, make sure you leave a full review everywhere where you can leave a review. Take a picture of yourself with the book and tag Teresa on Facebook, X, wherever. So other people know that you enjoy the book and then purchase copies for other people as well. Because we just want this book to keep going and going and going and more people enjoying it. And then you're ready for the second one when that comes out and then the third and the fourth and the soundtracks and whatever else Teresa decides to surprise us with. she's going to 

Teresa Blaes 1:01:10
Uh, 

Rich Bennett 1:01:11
end up being the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. You just watch. 

Teresa Blaes 1:01:15
Uh, no. Uh, there are other minds that are better at football mine. I'm just glad they get rid of color Murray about 

Rich Bennett 1:01:25
time. 

God. Teresa, I want to thank you so much. It has been a blast. And the doors open anytime you want to come back on. God bless you. Thank you so much. 

Teresa Blaes 1:01:38
My pleasure. Thank you for letting me come on. 

Rich Bennett 1:01:41
Teresa has lived through more challenges than most people could imagine. Losing her father at a young age, enduring countless surgeries, witnessing unimaginable tragedy, losing her eyesight, walking away from faith, and ultimately finding her way back through grace, healing and purpose. Yet through it all, one message continues to shine through. Your story matters. One thing that really stood out to me was Teresa's reminder that healing often begins when we're willing to share the parts of our story we've tried to keep hidden. Whether you're a person of faith or not, there's something powerful about finding the courage to speak your truth and allowing others to learn from it. If today's conversation resonated with you, I'd encourage you to connect with Teresa. Follow her work and keep an eye for her upcoming autobiography, "Protect It," a story of survival, faith, and redemption. I have a feeling it's going to impact a lot of life. And here's something I'd love for you to think about this week. What part of your story have you been afraid to share? And who might need to hear it? As always, thank you for listening. Thank you for supporting our guests and sponsors. Thank you for being part of this amazing community. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend. Leave a review and join the conversation. Until next time, take care of yourself. Take care of each other and remember sometimes the very thing you've survived, becomes the hoop someone else has been searching for.