BBQ And A Prayer

09/11/2026

Feelings will tell you that you’ll never make it. Feelings will say nothing good is in your future, but God says your latter days will be better than your former days. Feelings will tell you that you’ll always struggle, but God says you will live an abundant, bountiful, prosperous life. Don’t let your feelings talk you out of your destiny. Talk back to your feelings. “Feelings, you’re not the boss of me. You’re not going to control my life. I may feel discouraged, but I’m not going to live discouraged.” Get your mind going in a new direction—faith, hope, expectancy—and some new feelings will come. You may feel sad, you’ve been through some difficult things, but at some point, you need to start smiling by faith.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/11/2026

🇺🇸 SEPTEMBER 11 — WE WILL NEVER FORGET 🇺🇸

Today, we remember.

We remember the 2,977 innocent lives taken on September 11, 2001.

We remember the firefighters who climbed those stairs while others were trying to escape. We remember the police officers, paramedics, first responders, military members, and ordinary Americans who ran toward danger to help complete strangers.

We remember the husbands and wives who never came home. The mothers and fathers. The sons and daughters. The brothers, sisters, friends, and coworkers whose families were forever changed that morning.

And we remember those who later lost their lives or suffered from illnesses connected to their service at Ground Zero.

Twenty-five years have passed, but September 11, 2001, must never become just another date in a history book.

For a moment after unimaginable evil, America remembered what it meant to stand together. We prayed together. We helped our neighbors. We flew our flag proudly. We didn't ask whether the person beside us was Republican or Democrat. We were Americans.

Today, may we remember not only how they died, but how we came together afterward.

May God comfort every family that still carries an empty place at their table.

May God bless our first responders and military.

May God bless the United States of America. 🇺🇸🙏

We remember. We honor. We pray.

9•11•2001 — NEVER FORGET.

09/10/2026

There’s a moment every caterer knows… 😂🔥...yu’ve cooked you’ve served, you’ve made sure everybody else has a plate.

And then FINALLY…YOU GET TO EAT. 🤣🙌 After feeding everybody else all day, that first bite just hits a little different. 🤤

Around here, we take care of our people first…and eventually somebody remembers to feed the pitmaster. 😂🔥

Just another little peek Behind the Smoke at BBQ & A Prayer. ❤️

Come hungry. Leave blessed. 🙏

09/10/2026

Stay in peace. Don’t fight the trouble. Don’t get discouraged in the dry seasons. God knows what He’s doing. When it’s your time, all the forces of darkness cannot stop what God has ordained for you: the promotion, the vindication, the honor, the breakthrough. You may be in a dry season, but that’s not where you’re staying. You may have trouble all around, but that’s not the end of the story. God is setting you up to do something that you’ve never seen. Instead of complaining about the rain, being discouraged over the dry season, try a different approach. “God, I trust You. I know this rain has a purpose. I know this dry season is leading me to a new season. Lord, I thank You that the best part of my life is still in front of me.”

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/09/2026

🚨 VAN ZANDT COUNTY — PAY ATTENTION TO THIS ONE.

Start watching at approximately 35:00 and continue through 1:20:36.

Last week, I told everyone there were discussions underway involving a position connected to the District Attorney’s Office and bringing it under Commissioners Court supervision.

Today, it was brought before Commissioners Court.

The matter was ultimately tabled, but the discussion itself is worth watching.

Richard Schmidt isn’t even officially in his position yet, and from what I’m seeing, he is already asking questions and working to understand what is happening within county government.

What really caught my attention was seeing people suddenly become very interested in this issue and willing to argue against it. Cliff Williams is on his way out, yet he showed up ready to challenge the proposal. Brandon Barton also had plenty to say.

I’m going to be careful here: I’m not going to accuse anyone of wrongdoing without evidence. But I absolutely believe the public should watch this discussion for themselves and start asking questions.

Why is there so much resistance to changing the supervision of this position?

What exactly are the concerns?

And most importantly: What information could greater oversight and accountability bring to light?

I told you last week something was moving behind the scenes. Today, part of that conversation happened in public.

Don’t take my word for it.

🎥 Watch from 35:00 through 1:20:36 and form your own opinion.

Transparency shouldn't scare anybody who has nothing to hide.

The public is watching. Accountability matters. And this story is far from over.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

09/09/2026

You are called to love people back into wholeness. You are never more like God than when you help people in need. The Scripture says the mercy you show others is the mercy you’re going to receive. Before you look down in judgement, thank the Lord for how He has blessed you and help the broken. Learn to live as a healer, there’s enough judgement in the world. Don’t throw stones of judgement, provide forgiveness and understanding that will help them get back on their feet.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/09/2026

🍿 GRAB YOUR POPCORN… THE SHOW IS JUST GETTING STARTED. 🍿

Some things have been quietly in the works behind the scenes, and now the first domino has fallen.

An arrest has been made.

I’m not releasing names or details until the information becomes public and can speak for itself. But when it does, I’ll be sharing it.

And understand this: this is only the beginning. There’s a much bigger picture here, and I believe a lot of things are about to start making sense.

No rumors. No guessing. When the records become public, we’ll deal in facts and receipts.

So grab your popcorn 🍿, sit back, and pay attention.

The curtain is just starting to rise. 👀

09/08/2026

David said, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” This isn’t a day to live defeated, offended, look what they did, look what happened. This is a day the Lord has made. You’re not here by accident. God chose you to be here. He woke you up this morning, gave you breath to breathe. He could have chosen anyone to be alive right now, but he handpicked you. Now don’t let this day go by without enjoying it. Sure, things are going to come against us, but you have to decide, “I will rejoice. I will be glad.” The right attitude is, “Things are difficult. But I know I can do all things through Christ. I’m not going to endure the day; I’m going to enjoy the day.”

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/07/2026

🚨 We'd like to apologize to everyone who opened Instagram hungry today.

Actually…no we wouldn't. 😂🔥

Brisket.
Ribs.
Sausage.
Banana pudding.
Charcuterie.

And if you've got a whole bunch of hungry people to feed…we do that too. 😉

Weddings. Corporate events. Tailgates. Parties. Festivals. Family gatherings—or whatever excuse you've come up with to get a bunch of people together and EAT. 😂

It's Labor Day.

You shouldn't be laboring over the food anyway. 🇺🇸🔥

Happy Labor Day from Big John & BBQ and A Prayer! ❤️

And Happy Mouthwatering Monday to everybody who made the mistake of watching this hungry. 👀🤣

🔥 BBQ & A Prayer
Come hungry. Leave blessed. 🙏

09/07/2026

If you have a disappointment at ten in the morning, something didn’t work out. It’s okay to take a couple of hours to process it, and grieve the loss. That’s normal. That bad moment may turn into a bad morning, but by noon, you need to make the decision, “This is over. I’m done dwelling on it. That’s in my past. I’m going to enjoy the rest of the day.” Don’t let it linger to where it ruins the day, and you go to bed upset. If someone offends you in the afternoon—a coworker says something harsh and hurts your feelings—that gloom will come. Thoughts of resentment and payback, bitterness. We’re human. Those are natural feelings. But you have to take charge and rule over your emotions. That was a bad moment. It’s supposed to be temporary. You can’t keep thinking about it, dwelling on it, reliving it. If you do, it’ll turn into a bad evening. You go to bed offended. Wake up discouraged. Now it’s another bad day. Before you know it, a bad week, a bad month. It’s changing who you are, taking your peace, your joy, your passion. Deal with the bad moments quickly. Don’t let them linger. Don’t go to bed thinking about it. It’s not taking your joy. It doesn’t have that power. You’re giving away your joy. You’re letting go of your peace. The good news is you can get it back. You determine your attitude, what you think about, your perspective.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/06/2026

People are quick to assume the worst, without knowing the facts. However, the Scripture says the mercy you show others is the mercy you are going to receive. You are called to lift the fallen and heal the hurting.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/06/2026

THANK YOU ROCK THE PINES!!!

We brought SO MUCH FOOD and YALL SHOWED UP!!!

We had such a good time and met amazing people. It was a great weekend and a blessing to be with everyone.

Seeing everyone praise Jesus all day long blessed our hearts. And we are so thankful!

Catch us again next year at ROCK the PINES!! 🔥🙏🏼♥️

- BBQ and A Prayer 🙏🏼♥️

09/05/2026

🎉❤️ HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE, VIRGINIA! ❤️🎉

Today I get to celebrate my best friend, my partner, the love of my life, and truly the heart and soul behind BBQ And A Prayer.

Virginia, so much of what people see in our business has your fingerprints all over it. The long days, the late nights, the preparation nobody sees, the sacrifices, the prayers, and the love you pour into everything we do—you are a huge part of what makes BBQ And A Prayer what it is.

But long before any business, any event, any food truck, or any plate of barbecue, you were my person.

You have stood beside me through the good days and the hard ones. You've loved me, prayed with me, encouraged me, and walked beside me through every season God has brought us through. There isn't anyone else I would rather do this crazy life with.

I don't tell you nearly enough how much I appreciate you or how thankful I am that God chose you to walk this life beside me.

You're not just my wife.

You're my best friend.
You're my partner.
You're my home.
And you're the love of my life. ❤️

Today, I hope everybody who knows Virginia will take a minute and help me wish her a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 🎂🎉

Virginia, I love you more than words could ever explain. I'm thankful for every memory we've made, every battle we've fought together, and every blessing still ahead of us.

Happy Birthday, baby. ❤️

May God continue to bless you, protect you, strengthen you, and give us many, many more birthdays together.

I love you always. ❤️🙏

— John

09/05/2026

If we let the circumstances determine whether we have a good day or a bad day, the enemy will make sure there’s always some reason to sour your day: a coworker, a friend saying things about you that are not true. Bad moments have the potential to ruin your day. If you let them linger, dwell on them, you’ll get upset and frustrated, but you have the potential to just let it be a moment. Let it go and move on. It's no big deal. “The offense came, but I didn’t take the bait. I’m going to stay in peace. I got delayed, my plans didn’t work out, but I’m not frustrated. I know God is ordering my steps. I didn’t get the promotion, the scholarship didn’t go through. Yes, I’m disappointed. It’s a bad moment, but I know God has something better. I know that door wouldn’t have closed if He didn’t have greater things in my future.” Life happens to us all. Bad moments are inevitable, but bad days are optional. You get to choose what it’s going to be.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/04/2026

Every day is a gift from God. Once you live this day, you can’t get it back. When you lay your head on the pillow each night, you need to be able to say, “This was a good day.” Even if you had bad things happen, even if it didn’t work out the way you had planned, there were unexpected challenges. You have to turn the hurts over to God. He wouldn’t have allowed it if it wasn’t going to work to your advantage. You need to remember the good things in your life. “Lord, I’ve had some setbacks, but I want to thank You that I’m alive. That I have breath to breathe, a place to live, family to love, dreams to pursue. Yes, I had some trouble, but all is well.”

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/03/2026

Y'all only see the part where we show up. 😂🔥

What you DON'T see is Big John cooking for TWO DAYS before the event… then getting up way too early, loading everything, hooking up the trailer and hitting the road.

Most people after two days of cooking at this hour: ☕😵‍💫

Big John apparently: 🕺😂

We have questions. Mainly… WHERE IS THIS ENERGY COMING FROM?! 🤣

But this is the part of BBQ & A Prayer you don't always get to see.

Long before your guests grab a plate, Big John has already been putting in the hours to make sure there's something worth putting ON that plate. 🔥

And apparently there's a little dancing somewhere in the process. 😂

Behind the Smoke Thursday 🔥
BBQ & A Prayer

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

Sometimes we get frustrated because we can’t see the whole script. We don’t know what God is up to. We go through disappointments, loss, bad breaks. It doesn’t make sense to us. It’s a setback. But nothing is random; it’s all working according to His plan and what He decided long ago. You have to trust Him when you don’t understand. You have to believe that He’s Sovereign, that it’s all serving a purpose. One day, you’ll see what He was up to.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/02/2026

Part #1

09/02/2026

God doesn’t always do things on a normal timeline. He knows how to speed things up in your life with one good break. You didn’t see it coming, you can’t explain it, it’s God accelerating things and propelling you forward. God knows how to accelerate your dreams, healing and what you’re believing for. Get in agreement with God and thank Him for the acceleration moments coming into your life.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

09/01/2026

Sometimes people come to the window hungry for BBQ....and sometimes… they need something else. ❤️

This customer was struggling with anxiety and asked Big John if he would pray with her. So he stopped. Right there at the window, in the middle of the day, he prayed with her. 🙏

No stage. No microphone. No perfect setting.

Just one person saying, “I need prayer,” and another person willing to stop what he was doing and pray. Because the “& A Prayer” has never just been part of the name. It's part of the reason we're here.

We may not know what someone is carrying when they walk up to our window. We may not be able to fix it. But we can listen. We can care. And when someone asks us to pray…we can pray. ❤️🙏

This is Big John...and this is the heart behind BBQ & A Prayer. 🔥🙏

Come hungry. Leave blessed.

09/01/2026

TRANSPARENCY MATTERS — AND THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW.

The documentation speaks for itself.

These are Public Information Act requests submitted to the Van Zandt County Attorney on August 10 and August 12, 2026, along with the correspondence concerning those requests.

After the County Attorney returned from vacation, I spoke with him yesterday regarding the outstanding information. During that conversation, I was advised that he was having difficulty getting timely responses from the commissioners concerning the records being requested.

At this point, all of this documentation is being forwarded to the Texas Attorney General's Office for review.

I'm not asking anyone to simply take my word for it. Look at the emails. Look at the dates. Look at the documentation and make your own determination.

I will let the Attorney General determine whether the requirements of the Texas Public Information Act have been properly followed.

Public information belongs to the public. Transparency and accountability should never depend on who is asking the questions.

I will continue doing this respectfully, lawfully, and with documentation to back up what I say.

When the Attorney General responds, I will make that information available to the public as well.

Accountability requires transparency.

Thank you to

09/01/2026

If you let people get you upset and offended—where you’re focused on paying them back—you can miss your destiny. Maybe God sent me to remind you to not let difficult people bait you into conflict, steal your joy, cause you to live frustrated, spending energy on things that don’t matter. You have to make up your mind that difficult people are not going to control you. You’re not going to let them offend you, upset you, push your buttons. Turn those buttons off. Stay in peace.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

08/31/2026

God will light a fire in your spirit, when the time is right. You have to take steps of faith to challenge yourself. You’re going to have to take some risks to achieve awe inspiring deeds. Know you are a glorious, mighty warrior of the Most High God.

www.bbqandaprayer.com

08/30/2026

Start receiving the approval, receive the honor, receive the blessing. You can’t love others the way you should without loving yourself. You’re supposed to feel good about who you are. You compliment others. Why don’t you receive the compliments, why don’t you receive the love? It’s not honoring God to go around down on yourself, feeling unworthy, like you don’t measure up. The Scripture says, “God has crowned you with His favor.” You want to honor God? Put your crown on. Put your shoulders back, hold your head up high, and receive the honor.

www.bbqandaprayer.com