They Come With Instructions

Send us Fan Mail Some children lose pieces of childhood long before anyone realizes it. In this powerful episode of They Come With Instructions, I sit down with Jasmine Cox for one of the most remarkable interviews we’ve had to date. Jasmine shares her journey of growing up in the shadow of addiction, carrying responsibilities far beyond her years, protecting family secrets, and stepping into a ro...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt episode, René sits down with Ricky Brown — a young father navigating life, love, and loss while raising his daughter, Leilani. What began as a simple desire to share his voice unfolds into an honest and tender conversation about fatherhood, responsibility, and the deep love he carries for his little girl. Ricky opens up about what he wants most for Leilani — happ...

Send us Fan Mail Season 2 of They Come With Instructions kicks off with a lively and heartfelt conversation between René Anderson and her oldest son, Duke. Known for his energy, humor, and honesty, Duke joins the podcast for a conversation full of laughter, reflection, and meaningful dialogue about family relationships and personal growth. Together they explore sensitive but important topics—inclu...

Send us Fan Mail In this deeply moving episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and colleague Tonya Franklin—a woman whose strength has carried her through one of the most unexpected seasons of her life. When tragedy struck her family earlier this year, Tanya found herself navigating grief, new responsibility, and a role she never imagined stepping into. In this heartfelt conversation, Tanya sh...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and soul-stirring episode, I sit down with Carl Sims—a devoted family man, minister of the gospel, and living testimony of God’s relentless faithfulness. Carl was born into a Muslim family, placed into foster care at an early age, and later adopted into a Christian home. It was there that his understanding of God began… and his personal relationship with Jesus Chr...

Send us Fan Mail In this inspiring episode of They Come With Instructions, I had the delightful opportunity to sit down with the remarkable Mother Mabel Bryant, a woman whose life is a beautiful testament to faith, perseverance, and the unending journey of motherhood. Mo. Bryant shares how she once believed marriage and motherhood might never be part of her story — until, at age 40, God surprised...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of They Come With Instructions , René Anderson sits down with Jasmine Gates , who courageously shares her journey of faith, identity, and redemption. Raised in the church, Jasmine found herself struggling with same-sex attraction and later living a lesbian lifestyle—until God drew her heart back to Him. Through her transparent testimony, Jasmine opens up a...

Send us Fan Mail  In this episode of They Come With Instructions, I reconnect with Antoinette Bingham, who I first met years ago when she was my son’s school bus driver. What began as a protective mom moment turned into a lesson in truth and trust after I discovered my son hadn’t been fully honest about the situation that got him suspended. From those early memories, our conversation shifts to one...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of They Come With Instructions , I sit down with one of my dearest childhood friends and lifelong confidants, Schinaeh Turner. Together, we share laughter and memories, but the heart of our conversation is centered on one powerful word— Reflection . As a young mother, Schinaeh made decisions she firmly stood by at the time, only to later recognize the lasting impac...

Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of my conversation with Paula Adams, we go deeper into her story—sharing personal reflections on family, motherhood, and the powerful influence of her own mother. Paula opens up about the tension of feeling both grateful for and resentful of her mom’s role in helping raise her daughters, and how that shaped their family dynamic. Beyond family, Paula also shares professio...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt episode of They Come With Instructions , I sit down with one of my favorite people and longtime mentor, Paula Adams —a successful career woman who not only inspired me to pursue my professional goals, but actively helped me achieve them. Paula shares openly about her journey to becoming a single mother of two daughters, the courage it took to go against her paren...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt and honest episode of They Come With Instructions , we explore the sensitive topic of absent parents—and the many reasons why some parents are not present in a child’s life. Whether due to divorce, military deployment, incarceration, or even the difficult aftermath of sexual assault, the absence of a parent leaves deep questions that deserve compassionate and tru...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we make it clear: this is not about endorsing Planned Parenthood —it’s quite the opposite. We believe life begins with God, and every child is a gift, never a surprise to Him, even if unexpected by us. “Planning for Parenthood” challenges young adults to think beyond baby names and gender reveals and instead consider the deeper responsibility of raising a child. O...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of They Come With Instructions, we explore the powerful truth that children - starting as early as infancy - learn more from what they observe than what they're told. Our actions, attitudes, and habits become the blueprint our children follow. As the Bible reminds us, we are to teach by precept and example. This episode encourages parents to reflect the consis...

Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of my candid conversation with my eldest son, Duke, we go even deeper. His thoughtful pauses, raw honesty, and deep questions bring powerful insight to the realities of parenting—especially when things don’t go as planned. Duke courageously asks a question that many parents quietly wrestle with: What do you do when you raise your children according to God’s Word, but the...

Send us Fan Mail Conversations with the Poster Child – An Interview with My Son, Duke In this heartfelt and candid episode, I sit down with my oldest son, Duke—the one I proudly call the "poster child" for They Come with Instructions. Though his journey hasn’t been without challenges and mistakes, Duke’s story is a powerful testament to resilience, redemption, and the fruit of biblical p...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of They Come With Instructions , we dive into the timeless value of using the Bible as your parenting guide. As our Creator, God knows us—and our children—better than anyone. Parenting His way lifts the pressure of feeling like we must have all the answers. Instead, we’re invited to seek wisdom from the One who knows all. I share personal stories of how God's...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of They Come With Instructions , I open up and share my personal journey — the story behind the voice. I talk about the deep challenges I faced when life didn’t go as planned: the weight of single-handedly raising four sons, and the painful belief that my dreams and desires were lost along the way. But through it all, I discovered that when you put God firs...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt episode of They Come With Instructions , I share my personal journey as a single mother raising four sons after my divorce. With raw honesty, I discuss the emotional and practical challenges I faced, from navigating my own healing process to supporting my children through their own trauma. As a mother, I was determined not to become a bitter or angry woman, and i...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt episode of They Come with Instructions, I sit down with a very special guest - my mother, Ruby Robinson. As the second youngest of 18 children, she grew up in a small town in Virginia before making a bold move to the big city of Los Angeles, where she met the love of her life-my father-and built a family of her own. A devoted woman of faith, a dedicated Bible tea...