Background Check Podcast

Shorter versions of Background Check Podcast, in between the longer versions. 

In this episode, “I Got Your Back”, Reggie share his life story in a very unique way, from being called a “mistake” to being one of the most sought after school assembly speakers in the world.

Born to an unwed teenager, Reggie Dabbs considers himself fortunate to be alive. With no place to go, the pregnant teenager ended up living in a chicken coop in Tennessee. It was there she remembered a former school teacher, Mrs. Dabbs, who had said to her students, “If you ever need anything, call me,” and gave the students her home phone number. The...

Background Check-In

The Drop Off Line 

This is a replay for the men and women inside prisons all over the nation. 

Live concert in Plano, TX 

With permission to record and play on this platform.

Enjoy guys

Super Bowl Background Check In

With Jessa and Jay Dan, talking about various things from the Olympics, to volleyball, to a devotion about the Super Bowl teams. 

Jessa and Jay Dan do a quick Check In, highlighting two successful former inmates, talk about sports, fine arts, the sleet that's happening in the Dallas area, and we they pray over the inmates. 

We are bringing back the shorter episodes, Background Check In's, to hold us over til the next full episode is ready. 

Preparation. Prayer. 

Have a great day. 

We are bringing back the shorter episodes, Background Check In's, to hold us over til the next full episode is ready. 

Have a great day. 

This is our annual tour of lights for the men and women still incarcerated.

Before we start the tour, we do announcements, recap of events like Christmas party, talk sports, show video shout outs from residents and other organizations.

This episode plays on their tablets inside prisons and jails across the nation. They can call their loved ones on the tablets, and the whole family can look at lights together.

This year, we had technical trouble at Prairie Lights so we went to Dallas Zoo Lights.

We did salvage a couple...

This is our annual tour of lights for the men and women still incarcerated.

Before we start the tour, we do announcements, recap of events like Christmas party, talk sports, show video shout outs from residents and other organizations. This episode plays on their tablets inside prisons and jails across the nation. They can call their loved ones on the tablets, and the whole family can look at lights together.

This year, we had technical trouble at Prairie Lights so we went to Dallas Zoo Lights. We did salvage a couple of angles from Prairie...

This is our annual tour of lights for the men and women still incarcerated.

Before we start the tour, we do announcements, recap of events like Christmas party, talk sports, show video shout outs from residents and other organizations.

This episode plays on their tablets inside prisons and jails across the nation. They can call their loved ones on the tablets, and the whole family can look at lights together.

This year, we had technical trouble at Prairie Lights so we went to Dallas Zoo Lights. We did salvage a couple of angles...

John Montana performs "There For You"

Written by John Montana and Terry Solley

We air this here but it's for the men and women behind bars to enjoy too. If you have a loved one on the inside, across the nation, tell them to watch on the Edovo app, the Podcast App (Securus), the NCIC tablet (county jails). 

To partner with us please click here:
https://www.forgivenfelons.org/support

Other ways to support us:

Cash App: $ForgivenFelons

Mail Check to:

...

In this episode we sit down with John Montana. John is an author, speaker, father, husband, and prison minister.

He comes from a family of partiers but now, they’re all prison ministers and serving the Lord.

After having surgery at a young age, he became addicted to Vicodin and then eventually found Zannax. While giving his child a bath, an accident happened and his child was burned. He felt so guilty and ashamed, that he prayed and told God that if He gave him 30 years he would sign it.

He was offered 30 ye...

In this episode, we sit down with the CEO of I Scoop Poop, Steven Trevino.

We had fun recording this episode. We talked about everything from him getting hooked on hydrocodone at 15 after an injury, to how he started his poop scooping company while still on an ankle monitor.

We laughed hard when he tells the story of him waiting on the corner, in the middle of a neighborhood, with bags of poop, waiting on his dad to come get him.  We also laughed when he prayed and asked God, “Dear Lor...

In this episode, Jessa and Jay Dan recap the Forgiven Felons Thanksgiving Open House, Jay Dan’s trip to Chicago to see the Steelers and visit Stateville prison, tell thanksgiving jokes, and so much more.

We talk about the upcoming Building Blocks 4 Kids event we are having so please sign your kids up.

We share a devotion on remaining stable in this unstable world.

And we do Thanksgiving shout outs from loved ones.

Please subscribe to our channel and share it with someone you think might be encouraged by our show.

In this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa share big events coming soon, air some shout outs from men who just got out, tell jokes, talk about our fishing trip, and the golf outing.

We share our Thanksgiving gatherings coming up. First one is this Saturday and the second one is on Thanksgiving day. Details in the podcast.

We also share about a community event coming up that is for justice impacted kids. Whether the kids parents are still in prison or already out, we'd love for them to join us. Details in...

One of my favorite episodes.

I know I say this a lot, but Cassie has helped so many of our men coming to the transitional house. The Way Back has been a sponsor of the show for a while now, and even though we had the directors on the audio version a long time ago, we have been waiting to get them back on in studio.

Cassie is a case manager for The Way Back, and Drew, who has his own amazing story, is her husband, and he joins the conversation. He's a master plumber...

In this episode, we sit down with Stevin "Hedake" Smith, a former college and professional basketball player known for his promising career that was derailed by a point-shaving scandal.

He was a two-time All-Pac-10 selection at Arizona State, but in 1994, he was involved in a scandal where he bet on his own games, ultimately leading to a prison sentence and ending his NBA prospects. Today, Smith works to educate young athletes about the dangers of gambling by speaking in universities across the nation.

We talk about how his wife never left his side through the...

Short video of one of our former residents and his boss. 

Buddy is one of the reasons why we do this. 

To help us continue helping others like Buddy, please consider partnering with us. 

forgivenfelons.orghttps://www.forgivenfelons.org/

Due to technical difficulties on the tablets inside prison, we are replaying this special Christmas Lights episode for the men and women on the inside. 

EP 213 “Know Your Own Truth” Separated by Wrongful Conviction, Restored by Exoneration

In 1987, just a few months after they were married, shortly before they had their son, the Spencer family was devastated and separated by our broken legal system which led to a wrongful conviction, for 34 years.

We sit down with Ben and Deborah Spencer to hear their love story, and their wrongful conviction of Ben journey.

Throughout their journey, their faith was up and down, including a time where Ben was suicidal and Deborah denied the existence of God. They even got a di...

Jessa and Jay Dan discuss everything from sports, to the ranch, to comedian Michael Jr, and North Dakota.

Then we dive into a devotional about our vacuum cleaner. You gotta hear this.

Oh yeah, we finally respond to Real Vida's last video about the Corn Hole tournament.

Then we get to sit down with Shannon Marshall and Ashleen Gaddy, from HeartCheck Prison Strategies Group and Texas Prison Transparency Project.

We get to hear both Shannon's and Ashleen's story of addiction and what brought them together. We talk about drug addiction, overdoses...

OUR WHY   Please watch this short music video.   The lyrics to this song were written by a Sgt. at a correctional center. It's a song about reentry and they have a pretty good reentry program there.   I asked him if we could use the song to show what we do at Forgiven Felons.   So, whether it's inside, outside, t-shirts, podcasts, or Breakfast Bible Study, everything we do takes time, energy, money, and so much more.   Thank you for partnering with us. Some of you have been giving for over 15 years, thank you. Some of you have just started today, thank you...

EP 211 “Driven”

This episode is jammed packed with fun. We start off with announcements and we talk football and baseball. And yes, it’s fun because I’m a Steeler fan. I fixed some things Jessa messed up in the studio.

We show the recap video from the Arts of Oppression art show, put on by Miles of Freedom. Some great art.

Then show the shout out video zoom call. There’s some special guests on there too.

I share a quick devotional on staying clo...

SPECIAL EPISODE

We start with a long version of announcements and fun with Jay Dan and Jessa, including some questionable jokes from Jessa. We do some shout outs from men who have gotten out recently that watched the show from the inside.

We share about our back to school drive and shout out to a married couple. Then, we end the announcement segment with a devotional on Kleenex, Toilet Paper, and Paper Towels,

Now, to the good stuff. We traveled to North Dakota from August 18-22 and visited all the prisons in the...

In this episode, we respond, light-heartedly, to Real Vida’s corn hole challenge and subsequent no show. Jay Dan appears on a fake podcast called Tell the Truth Shame the Devil in episode one titled, “Cornhole Cut-n-run” talking with host Emcy from Hog Mob. We relive the call outs from Real Vida and share our response and call out of our own.

Then we share Forgiven Felons July 4th celebration as well as some of the fireworks from our own family celebration.

After that, we share some preaching clips, worship, and panel discussion from the Founta...

In this episode, Jessa and Jay Dan talk about the Guadalupe River crisis and pray for everyone involved. 

We shout out all the books that have been sent to us by inmates as well as books authored by our guests on the show. We talk about our upcoming trips to Florida and North Dakota. 

We air some shout outs from Breakfast Fellowship and share an important update on our current house in Dallas. 

We practice some no look corn hole shots in preparation for the tournament at the Real Vida Memorial event.

T...

PRODUCTION NOTE:

This is a re-airing of this episode, but with video this time. Jimmy and Beth have informed us that they are opening three more houses so they have more room. 

In this episode we do announcements with Jessa including talking about the weekend we had at Breakfast Bible Study and church. We had two ladies drive from a Weatherford transitional house to go to ‪@SocialDallas‬ with us. Two men from another transitional house in Dallas came.

David was celebrating his 44th birthday for the first time he could remember, that h...

In this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa take their time with announcements and have some fun. They do shout outs, show baptisms pictures, talk about breakfast Bible study, the ranch, the new truck, the new grill, and we show a video of Shannon Marshall, who was released in November of 2024, skydiving.

We address the recent “call out” from Real Vida podcast and their challenge in the corn hole tournament coming up.

Jessa tells some dad jokes and Jay Dan share a small devotion “The Screw in the Shoe”

Then we...

In this episode we sit down with the Erick Wilsons, One and Two.

We talk about fatherhood, sports, and so many other things.

Sponsors: Mention Forgiven Felons, Background Check, Jay Dan or Jessa when you contact them. They all donate to Forgiven Felons when you do.  

First Option Mortgage Jessamy Gumm
Loan Originator- NMLS #2252597
jgumm@myfirstoption.com
972-897-5476  

From On High Roofing and Construction
Reginald Reed
469-922-0047
info@fromonhighroofing.com
https://fromonhighllc.com

To partner with us please cli...

On this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa tell some jokes, do a small devotion, play a shout out from Angelo, talk about sports, and Forgiven Ranch. 

Ben's story intertwines with the previous week's guest, Kimberli Lemon. So many people's stories intersect in our broader Forgiven Felons family. 

We talk yoga pants, peanut butter, satanic tattoos, and Jesus. We laugh so much and we get serious too. Watch the whole episode to hear how we navigate all these topics.

Sponsors: Mention Forgiven Felons, Background Check, Jay Dan or Jessa when you contact them. They all...

In this episode, we air some Mother's Day shout outs from Alabama, we do a little devotional about having the keys, and we sit down with a mother. 

Kimberli Lemon, a sister of an incarcerated man in Texas, shares her story of incarceration from a family's perspective. She shares how things were done in her family growing up, how she studied Buddhism for a very long time, and how she could feel God working on her through the incarceration of her brother Patrick, and the death of her father. 

She shares her journey of motherhood, na...

We hung out at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, TX with Deanna Luprete and the crew from Epicenter Ministries, in support for House Bill 200, aka the Second Look Bill.

We interviewed a couple of second lookers and the father of a second looker.

Thank you to everyone at Epicenter Ministries for taking the time to speak about the bill.

Visit the website: https://secondlooktexas.org/

During announcements Jay Dan and Jessa talk about Easter, shout outs, sports, 2nd Chance Month, and upcoming prison trips. 

Round Two with Dr. Letitia Scott Jackson from Keeping Families Connected. 

Speaker, author, playwriter, and so much more, Dr Jackson sits down with Jay Dan again and talks about all she's been doing since the last interview. 

From toy drives, school backpack drives, to writing a movie, and of course writing more books, she's been busy. 

Visit her on the web at:Keepingfamilyconnected.org

Check her out on all s...

At 13 years of age, Fresh and his friend stole a pair of clippers from Minyards. The reason they stole them is because their families couldn’t afford a hair cut at the time.

Fresh and his friend cut each other’s hair, but then started cutting all the kids hair in the neighborhood.

Coming from a broken home, Fresh did his best along the way to avoid getting into gangs but couldn’t altogether avoid them. He ended up in juvenile detention for a few months and eventually ended up in prison, after being on the ru...

PRODUCTION NOTE: This podcast is friends with Background Check Podcast and we will air their episodes from time to time. While the mission and vision of both podcasts are the same, the methods and people may be different. As on our show, BCP, if you have any questions about the topics, please feel free to message Jay Dan at jaydangumm@forgivenfelons.org

We love SAR and think you will too. Tre9 and the team also serve at Eyes On Me and DTS, Disciple the Streets, and are impacting the Kingdom of God in a mighty way. Visit...

PRODUCTION NOTE: This podcast is friends with Background Check Podcast and we will air their episodes from time to time. While the mission and vision of both podcasts are the same, the methods and people may be different. As on our show, BCP, if you have any questions about the topics, please feel free to message Jay Dan at jaydangumm@forgivenfelons.org

We love SAR and think you will too. Tre9 and the team also serve at Eyes On Me and DTS, Disciple the Streets, and are impacting the Kingdom of God in a mighty way. Visit...

PRODUCTION NOTE: This podcast is friends with Background Check Podcast and we will air their episodes from time to time. While the mission and vision of both podcasts are the same, the methods and people may be different. As on our show, BCP, if you have any questions about the topics, please feel free to message Jay Dan at jaydangumm@forgivenfelons.org

We love SAR and think you will too. Tre9 and the team also serve at Eyes On Me and DTS, Disciple the Streets, and are impacting the Kingdom of God in a mighty way. Visit...

This is the second time we've had John on the show and there are some life updates. 

On December 31, 2024, John started having a heart attack while walking his dog in his neighborhood. He called his wife and his so came to get him. When he was on the operating table, it was found he had 100% blockage in his widowmaker. 

Life, family, prison ministry, diet, and exercise has all been different since that day. He's fully recovered and back in the prison dorms each month. 

We talk about sports, family, ministry, his church (Gateway), and...

EP 201 “Take Your Shots”

In this episode we do some shout outs and show art. We pray over some units that were hit by tornadoes, and we honor Eve from Real Vida.

Then we sit down with Damon West and share all that’s happened since his last time on the show, which was three years ago.

We talk about his new book “Six Dimes and a Nickel: Life Lessons to Empower Change” You can PRE-ORDER this book NOW on Amazon. It releases on July 29, 2025. https://a.co/d/aRCkk1L<...