Andy Mason (00:00)
hey, welcome to the conversation. I'm Andy Mason. This is the Heaven and Business Podcast, where we help you navigate the messy intersection of faith, family, and business. And I've got with me Tony Katerina. Now, a couple of businesses, I mean, the numbers are crazy. Six million in revenue, nine million that they've given away, and that's not counting the food. And we say through 150 partner organizations, But
How does a guy that was addicted to gambling and alcohol end up now surrounded by money You're gonna hear all of that story. But the core of it is actually not just what they're they're doing now, but how did he get there and what did that look like? And just heads up, I'm gonna invite you in to hear more of this story because we're interviewing Tony at the upcoming Dallas conference, where we're gonna go behind the scenes even more and hear some of the systems and processes and how does this practically work. But right now.
You get to hear the story of a redeemed man now redeeming people all across his state, which is pretty profound. Tony, thank you so much for joining us.
Tony Caterina (01:04)
Thanks Andy for having me. This is this should be fun. Yeah.
Andy Mason (01:07)
dangerously fun. So let's just dive right in. Tell us
take us back to the beginning. who were you? Like where'd you grow up and what was you say addiction, what was that like?
Tony Caterina (01:19)
Yeah, so I was born in New York, Staten Island.
Typical middle class family. You know, my my parents, God bless them, they did the best they could. but, you know, when I think about it, you know, I learned a lot of lessons from friends. And when you're in high school and you're learning things from friends, the things that you should learn from adults, that's
Probably not the best way of learning, right? I mean,
Andy Mason (01:45)
Mm.
Tony Caterina (01:46)
let's just be serious. nobody talked to me about birds and the bees. I just had to learn that on my own. And you throw an addiction in or a few addictions into that, it gets messy in a hurry, right?
Andy Mason (01:59)
Yeah. Yeah.
Tony Caterina (02:00)
And and you know, I started drinking at thirteen and by high school, I was actually
bringing alcohol into the school, I'd have it in my locker. And I got into drugs and I went to a year in college and I was actually going to the University of Minnesota Duluth, I wasn't prepared for college because I was partying too much. That that was my identity.
Somehow I made it through my first year. In my second year, I rented a house and I had a boy. You know, I think it's one of these things where you get into this addiction and then Satan gets in there too, right? And I remember walking to school. So I'm a sophomore. Walk into school, walk over this bridge every day. One day I think about jumping.
And I can't get it out of my mind.
But this was it scared me so bad that I went I actually went into a hospital when I was in Duluth and
Andy Mason (03:04)
wow.
Tony Caterina (03:04)
I talked to some doctor there. And he said, you know, because of all the drugs you're doing, your your wires and your brain are disconnected. So I actually got on a bus and went home and I went into treatment but
My pride re-engaged and after three days in treatment, I didn't think I needed it. So I kind of fast forwarded a couple more months and things weren't going well. I was working, my dad had the side business. cleaning ceiling tiles. I was the main guy doing it. And my last night of
being a drunk was doing a restaurant, cleaning the ceiling tiles, and I don't know what happened. I went out one night, got home at four in the morning, tripped over the step, walking into my parents' house, and my dad looked at me and I just said, I had enough. And the next day, because he had worked for economics laboratories, they were a huge
donor for Hazleton. so I actually went to Hazleton, what I call the big house Hazleton, all the adults Yeah. Yeah.
Andy Mason (04:12)
Which is a re rehab, a a program. Okay.
Tony Caterina (04:16)
Yeah. Big, big well known one.
Andy Mason (04:19)
So how how old were you then?
Tony Caterina (04:21)
twenty one.
Andy Mason (04:22)
And where was Jesus in the picture? Okay. So you
Tony Caterina (04:24)
Nowhere. Okay.
Andy Mason (04:26)
You you realized this problem owns me and I need help.
Tony Caterina (04:32)
Well, I I probably wasn't smart enough to realize that. This was probably God
Andy Mason (04:36)
He's
Tony Caterina (04:38)
speaking through me and I didn't realize it at the time. I mean, I look back at a lot of things that happened in my life and because I I don't give my like I'm just not that smart to realize that I have a drug problem, right? because I have many of problems, but I go to treatment and something clicks there, right? I I don't know what clicked, but something clicked.
And I remember getting out of Hazleton 28 day in treatment program, right? And and they want to put me in the halfway house for six six weeks or something. And I'm like, mm, no. And then they say, Well, you know, statistics show that if you don't da da da da da da. And I'm like, I'm not a statistic. Okay. I just don't I'm not I'm not a statistic. So I've been sober ever since. I mean, I I got sober and August sixteenth I went in in nineteen eighty three. I haven't drank since.
Andy Mason (05:32)
Congratulations.
Tony Caterina (05:33)
You know. But that's not the end of the story.
Andy Mason (05:35)
Yeah,
Tony Caterina (05:36)
so what happened was is I So I kind of flip addictions and I start to gamble. And now I'm not drinking, but I'm gambling.
And, now I'm slowly but surely like gambling heavily, right? So I'm betting on all football games and and like people ask.
Andy Mason (05:56)
So hang on,
hang on, Tony. You've gone away from a dependence on alcohol. You got free. Like that's that's staggering. You got free from that and it stuck. But it didn't because it just transformed forged into a different addiction.
Tony Caterina (06:14)
Yeah, well, here's the good news on the the first part. I actually get hooked up with a bunch of sober guys that I'm playing softball with, right? So I have some AA stuff going on where I'm, you know, I'm having this engagement with what they call a higher power. At the time, I'm not you know, I call my higher power God, but I have not been introduced.
To Jesus. Although, I got confirmed when I was 12 or 13 years old, I I didn't step into a church unless I was going to a wedding or funeral until I was 38 years old. So like I'm not going to church.
So y so I I get sober, I'm hooked up with these guys, I'm playing softball, but I'm starting to gamble. And you know the the the fun thing about gambling is the winning, right? I mean and and I like I there's plenty of times I won, but there's a lot more times that I lost. And I mean
Andy Mason (07:16)
Yeah.
Tony Caterina (07:17)
Heavily lost. That just progressed for a long period of time. And and I catch a break with a good job and I I start to work at a racetrack. which is yeah,
Andy Mason (07:30)
Hmm.
Tony Caterina (07:32)
I know it's it's funny because I start working at a racetrack, and of course, I'm gonna try to figure out how to win at horses because that's my thing,
Andy Mason (07:42)
Yeah, the
How can I get a win? How can I get a high? How can I get
Tony Caterina (07:44)
Yeah. Exactly.
Andy Mason (07:46)
a something?
Tony Caterina (07:48)
Exactly. And I'm now gambling pretty heavily, but well, yeah, I'm not controlling it. I'm just gambling heavily and
Andy Mason (07:58)
And do you know you've got a problem?
Tony Caterina (08:01)
well I'm not willing
Andy Mason (08:03)
Ha ha ha.
Tony Caterina (08:04)
to admit it. Okay. that that's that's the problem with any addict, right? They they're just not willing to admit. I'm not ready to admit, you know, I'm rationalizing all sorts of stuff. And I'm I'm just a jerk in just about every other area of my life, but I can't see any of that. Okay. That I'm just living an addiction.
The guy that's in charge of the racetrack they fire at the end of the year and they put me in charge. So
Andy Mason (08:35)
So you've
gone from managing the water to manage the entire enterprise? Trek.
Tony Caterina (08:39)
I am
in charge of everything outside the building. So so the racetracks, the trackside, the vehicle shop, and I'm like 32 years old. Right. And
Andy Mason (08:52)
So
so hang on. So there's two li like there's chaos and destruction, and you're getting promoted. I mean, that's just gonna reinforce the man, I'm actually doing quite well.
Tony Caterina (09:04)
yeah, but I'm I'm not doing well because everything's going to gambling. I will say this. The one thing my dad instilled in me was hard work. Like I'm a hard worker, right? So I'm working all the time at the racetrack. And then my getaway either I'm going to get away from my problems by gambling.
Or it's gonna be a place where I'm gonna go celebrate whatever it is. But it is it is like this mistress that I have going on that people know about it. but most people don't know how severe it is.
anyway, super fast forward. I'm I meet Linda,
And we have our daughter Carly, And my life is now about to change. And it's it's gonna change for the good, but I don't know it yet. So God's working behind the scenes
by the way, she's the marketing manager at the racetrack.
And we're trying to figure this out. I always like kids, so she's my daughter. I want to help her, but when you're an addict trying to help somebody in the best way you know how, it's it's really not healthy.
Linda's got to this point where she's trying to build a healthy home for her two daughters, who, because of all the guilt and shame she's carrying out of you know two children out of wedlock, she's carrying her own baggage. I've got plenty of mine. And then my genius idea is she's trying to take this kid away from me, so I'm gonna get a lawyer and file for custody.
Andy Mason (10:51)
This is pure genius, Tony. Wake up like hello.
Tony Caterina (10:57)
There's there's no waking this up at this time, but here's the really cool part. we start this process. She doesn't talk I mean, we're working in the same building, she's not talking to me anymore.
I truly believe she's trying to take my daughter away from me. I can't understand why she's just trying to make a a normal home for this person, right? Addicts don't understand that when they're in the middle of addictions. this goes on about a year. this is where it really starts.
like God's grace is beyond and above anything you can possibly imagine. I had Carly in the morning. I drop her off
and as I'm backing out, I'm looking at this, I'm going, There's something wrong with this situation. So here the Lord's like Holy Spirit's just kind of clicking something. Right.
Andy Mason (11:42)
It's like hello. Hello. Yeah.
Tony Caterina (11:45)
Thinking the same thing, but both of us are so prideful, we're not willing to break the ice and talk.
Andy Mason (11:50)
wow.
Tony Caterina (11:51)
All right, so it takes us another month. She actually walks into my office at at the racetrack, and she comes over and she says, Hey, you want to come over tonight? And me being the pig I am, you know, I'm thinking, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna come over. So I come over,
I'm thinking something completely else. Okay. but here's what's really funny about all this.
I come over and she says, you know, I really would like us to be a family. And here's the like the Lord speaks through me. It's like, this isn't my wisdom. Like I say to her, yeah, I get that. I understand that, but we've tried this a couple of times and it doesn't work. So we need something else in the middle of this relationship.
Andy Mason (12:37)
We need something in the middle. That right there is
Tony Caterina (12:39)
Yeah. Yeah.
Andy Mason (12:40)
the if you listen to this, that is the key to everything. You and your business, you and your spouse, you and your kids, you and whatever it is, you cannot do this. You need something else in the middle of this.
Tony Caterina (12:54)
Correct.
Andy Mason (12:55)
What what would that be, Tony?
Tony Caterina (12:57)
So here's what's funny. So she goes, I've been going to this church. And do you want to go? And I'm like, why not? I'll I'll try. I go. And I'm like, okay. I'm
Andy Mason (13:06)
Meh meh I'll bet on anything. I I guess so.
Tony Caterina (13:12)
like, I'm kind of this rock and roll 70s guy who likes rock and roll music. So I'm not really thrilled about listening to worship music at this time, but I do like the message that the pastor spoke.
But it was so profound that we decided to buy something for each other for Christmas. And honest to God, we bought each other a Bible.
And we started to read it together.
I think we just laid in bed and started reading. Like, we just started reading. And the Holy Spirit started to convict us. So I would love to be on the phone when Linda made a phone call to the church and say, Hey, we've been living together, sleeping together, and we've been reading the Bible and we're being convicted and we don't know what to do.
Andy Mason (14:06)
Isn't that beautiful though? For for everybody
Tony Caterina (14:08)
Well it is.
Andy Mason (14:10)
with freaking out about discipleship programs, they're really important by the way. But the Holy Spirit is so much more powerful.
Tony Caterina (14:14)
Yeah. my
gosh. We go in and see this pastor.
She sits us down, we decide that we're just gonna get rid of our lawyers, because we still had our lawyers at the time. Her lawyer was like, This is the stupidest thing you could ever do. but we get
rid of them because our the pastor said, you could keep them, but then you're not fully committed. There's always a way out. So we just decided.
We were gonna try to be fully committed. So seven months later we got married.
And look, I can tell you this. I mean, just because we got married didn't really make anything much better. So it started this unbelievable journey. And look, we we had some really rough times.
But you know what? We said there was no plan B. When we got rid of those lawyers, We that has saved our marriage. I can't tell you how many times because we
Andy Mason (15:11)
Yes.
Tony Caterina (15:12)
committed to no plan B.
Andy Mason (15:14)
So number one, you need somebody external to you.
Tony Caterina (15:17)
Yeah. Yep.
Andy Mason (15:18)
You cannot do this by yourself. I mean, that's the old testament. You cannot do this by yourself. That's the new testament. You cannot do just look at the definition of love. You cannot do this by yourself.
Tony Caterina (15:30)
Yeah. Wow.
Andy Mason (15:32)
love your wife with agape love. You cannot do this of yourself. So that's step number one. I need help. And the only one that can help is Jesus.
Tony Caterina (15:39)
Right. Yeah.
Andy Mason (15:41)
And and then number two, no plan B. Burn the bridges, go all in, get rid of the lawyers. You're in and we're this is the covenant. This is
Tony Caterina (15:52)
Yeah.
Andy Mason (15:53)
this is forcing us to grow in this, which is what you needed. What about the addiction?
Tony Caterina (15:56)
Yep. Yeah.
So I stopped gambling when we got married or just before we got married.
Andy Mason (16:05)
Just stopped. This
Tony Caterina (16:08)
well, yeah, pretty much just stopped for a year. Okay. Now it gets really interesting. So a year goes by and I haven't gambled.
And and we're just kind of plodding along. Now, Linda's been going to church. I because I'm working at the racetrack and I'm like working crazy hours.
It was just a lot of chaos.
So she's going to church, So I'm trying to go to church, but I'm not, I haven't given my life over yet. You know, I'm just kind of going and hearing messages. And I decide that I'm gonna go up to my buddy's cabin to get away a weekend, and we go golfing
And we go to the casino and I haven't gambled in one year. And we go into this casino and it's like I've never stopped gambling. And I am taking hundred dollar bills and I am sliding them into a video poker machine. And I'm into the casino.
I think it was for like 2400 bucks. All right. And then, like, only God could do. I'm sitting in a chair, and the next thing I know, I'm up here, up in the air, looking at myself. Yeah, like God took me out of my body. I'm looking at myself.
all of a sudden, and I come to my right mind. It was like, wham. Like God showed me that was the last day. Immediately stopped gambling. It was my last day.
Andy Mason (17:47)
I mean what would you say now? Was someone praying? What did
Tony Caterina (17:50)
Well yeah, well here's what's interesting. I find out later, years later, that my sister prayed for me for ten years. She's been praying for me for ten years.
Andy Mason (18:02)
So, so pause. For those of you listening and watching, and you know somebody in a situation like this, don't stop praying. Here's a living testimony that your prayers are working. You just don't know when or how because you
Tony Caterina (18:14)
Yeah.
Andy Mason (18:16)
can't control that. Prayer is not a means to control something, but it's somehow it moves God to act in his way, in his timing. So keep
Tony Caterina (18:24)
Yeah. Yeah.
Andy Mason (18:26)
praying.
Tony Caterina (18:27)
Yeah. Yeah.
so started going to church, and then the Lord really started working on me because.
Now I'm starting to like, I don't want to work at the racetrack anymore, right?
Andy Mason (18:39)
Isn't
so this is fascinating because I know somebody else, it w for them their addiction was was sexuality. And God never confronted them on their sexuality. He confronted them on, do you love me more than that?
Tony Caterina (18:53)
Yeah.
Andy Mason (18:53)
And they as they fell more and more in love with Jesus, this just became, you know, I want I want you more than this. I want you more than I want, I just want you. Are you saying it
Tony Caterina (19:03)
Yeah. Yeah. No.
Andy Mason (19:05)
was something similar?
Tony Caterina (19:06)
Yeah, I mean I it it was it was this like I didn't I'm starting to understand this Jesus guy, but I'm not I haven't given my life fully, but he's
Andy Mason (19:17)
This is mind blowing. So you are
a walking testimony of the grace of God, the kindness of God, and
Tony Caterina (19:23)
Yeah.
Andy Mason (19:24)
but by the prayers of your sister.
Tony Caterina (19:26)
Yeah, yeah. And and that's the only thing I can figure it out.
you know, but somehow that bucket got full and then the Lord decided to move. I don't know, you know.
Andy Mason (19:37)
Yeah, yeah. And
I think I need to correct that because it is no different to Tony Katerina than it is to Andy Mason, Janine Mason, whoever you are, whatever your background is, none of us, all of us have fallen short of God's intended purpose. All of us deserve death. Period cut off. It's but by the grace. I'm like, Tony, you're a walking testimony of the grace of God, and so am I. And the moment that
Tony Caterina (20:02)
Yeah.
Andy Mason (20:03)
I think I'm not is a moment that I'm about to fall.
fall
over pretty bad. So yeah, I'm Grace here. What Grace right here too.
Tony Caterina (20:10)
Yeah.
Amen to that. should have been dead ten times over, right? so I start this journey. because I was an addict, you know, my language wasn't the cleanest. So
Every sentence I would say there would be an Effenheimer in it somewhere along It was just a bad habit. And I just prayed one day and I said, Lord, I I need to stop. And within a week it stopped. Like it just stopped.
Andy Mason (20:40)
So will you I mean, you just prayed. Help me, help me.
Tony Caterina (20:44)
Just I
just help me. Linda is all in at church. I'm trying to get there. She does the alpha course. I'm a little late to the game on the alpha course because of my work schedule, but then I do the alpha course. And I give my life to the Lord and
Andy Mason (21:04)
Hang on. So this this is hilarious. How long has this been since you had that
Tony Caterina (21:09)
Two years.
Andy Mason (21:10)
two years?
Tony Caterina (21:11)
It's a well, it's two years since we've gotten married, is when I finally give my life to the Lord. Okay.
Andy Mason (21:18)
Again, so this is remarkable. Again, for people that think you've got to have it all clean and worked out, just say yes and keep walking. And if you've got someone around you the same, just say yes and keep walking and don't give up.
Tony Caterina (21:32)
for sure. God can reach anyone. the it's just he can reach he can reach me, he can reach anyone. There's no doubt about it.
yeah. Yeah.
Andy Mason (21:44)
So pause. There's people listening right now and
it's addiction and they could be the cleanest looking Christian, but they got addicted that no one's about, no no one knows about. It could be alcohol, it could be sugar, it could be scrolling, it could be who knows what it is. Pause. Let's pause and just like the simplicity of help me God. How would you pray for someone listening right now into their situation?
Tony Caterina (22:10)
Father, I I I just pray for everyone that is listening right now. And Lord, I just ask them to humble themselves and ask you for help. It's really that simple. And then believe that you're here for here. Just believe that the Lord is going to do it and celebrate when He does, because that's what.
He'll do he'll show you signposts along the way, and he'll just do the miraculous. He does all the heavy lifting if you're willing. And sometimes, even if you're not willing, he'll do it anyway because he's gracious and loving. So just believe in that and not focus so much on what could go wrong. I mean,
Andy Mason (22:54)
Yeah. So help me Jesus.
Tony Caterina (22:56)
yeah, just help me, Jesus. And there's a lot of help me Jesus. but he taught me stuff.
And then he gave me a dream. You know, I wanted to get out of the racetrack. So I have a dream. And in the dream, this door's halfway open.
I'm sleeping. I have this door half open. There's a party going on on the other side of the door. I know the party's Canterbury, because I always thought that's where I worked, Canterbury Park looks
Andy Mason (23:24)
That's the race track, yep.
Tony Caterina (23:25)
racetrack and it's a it's a party atmosphere, right? And
it's like open the door and I'm like, Mm no and I closed it. And three days later later three days later they fired me.
Andy Mason (23:38)
wow.
Tony Caterina (23:39)
Yep, they just fired me and three days later. And here's what Yeah.
Andy Mason (23:42)
So it's almost like God help me. You're fired. There you go.
Tony Caterina (23:46)
I think he gave me the choice and I pulled the door shut.
Andy Mason (23:50)
Okay.
Tony Caterina (23:51)
So instead of opening it, I pulled the door shut. Okay. And then they fired me. But what here's what they fired me. They brought me in the office and they said, We're not gonna fight unemployment. We're gonna pay you, and this was the end of September, we're gonna pay you to January first.
So I knew I didn't do anything really wrong, right? I it was just like, yeah, this is crazy, right?
Andy Mason (24:11)
You so this is grace. This is grace. You did not deserve this.
Tony Caterina (24:16)
Exactly. So that started me on this. Honestly, I look back at it now and it took me on this journey with the Lord because I I didn't have a job and and Linda now is like, what are we gonna do?
Right. And you now you're in this point of do you pay for insurance? Do you get Cobra? And we just made the insurance the the deal that for six months, God's just gonna have to take care of us, right? So that's what we did. Now I'm 40 years old, is what I am. And I get hooked up with this landscape company, And I'm like, my body just can't handle carrying rock and stuff like that. But Linda
Andy Mason (24:48)
Hehehehe
Tony Caterina (24:51)
tells me, embrace the wheelbarrow, right? Just embrace the wheelbarrow.
Andy Mason (24:53)
Embrace,
embrace the wheelbarrow. So number one, I I can't do this. I'm I need somebody. Number two, no option B. Just go all in. And even your best all in is still not all in. And
Tony Caterina (25:07)
Right. Yeah.
Andy Mason (25:09)
then three, embrace the embrace the suck. Embrace the wheelbarrow. Just love this.
Tony Caterina (25:15)
And here's the thing, you don't know it at the time, but it's this time of pruning, right? And God starts to prune, and
and I'm looking for these jobs, and it's funny because I live in the city called Lakeville, and there's a job that I'm
totally qualified for. I'm probably overqualified because of all the experience I had at the racetrack. They have this job posting. I apply, I never hear from them. They post it again. I apply and I never hear from them.
It's like I'm like, you gotta be kidding. And then this other city, which is about 15-minute drive from our house, has a posting. And this is just funny. my wife goes there, I'm embracing the wheelbarrow, she drops off my resume, and as she leaves, she goes, I know the Lord told me you got this job. I interview for the job.
I found out later that I'm their number two candidate. Their number one candidate is from Iowa and his pipes break the night before so he can't come for the interview.
Andy Mason (26:24)
it
it almost sounds like God has a plan for you. And he's
Tony Caterina (26:28)
Yes, yeah.
Andy Mason (26:29)
inviting you. You gotta choose. You gotta close some doors and keep walking.
Tony Caterina (26:31)
Right. Right.
Andy Mason (26:34)
But he's he knows there's plans for you that are good and not evil. And you are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that he's prepared in advance. you're doing everything you can not to walk in it, but you're stumbling your way into the way
Tony Caterina (26:48)
Right.
Andy Mason (26:49)
of God for you.
Tony Caterina (26:50)
Right. And now I am starting to go to church more often. I'm starting and and God takes me into the season because you have to understand when I worked at the racetrack, it was stressful. It's kind of like when you're a track superintendent, it's like being the coach of a baseball team or a football team. You know when the players do bad, everybody they they fire the coach, right? That's what they do. They don't get rid of the players. Everybody at the racetrack, every time a horse lost, it was my fault.
Andy Mason (27:17)
He
Tony Caterina (27:17)
It
wasn't the horse's fault, it wasn't the jockey's fault, it wasn't the trainer's fault, it was the guy that runs the track because it's always the track's fault. it was very stressful. So then God puts me into the city position where I go to work at seven. We have one car, so my wife has to drive me to work. Linda drives me to work. I I get there at seven and I'm off at three and I
I don't know what to do with myself because like I have half a day to do, like what's going on here? But
Andy Mason (27:48)
Yeah, yeah.
Tony Caterina (27:51)
I start enjoying just taking this in.
Well, it's I still work hard, but it's like just working eight hours and coming home.
so anyway, puts me in this job and it's it's great. And it's just this time of
Me learning more about him so I can spend a lot more time at church. I'm going to church. I've met some people. God placed unbelievable mentors around me. Like he surrounded me with guys that could take me to the next level. So I would tell
anyone out there surround yourself with people that can take you to the next level
Andy Mason (28:28)
How did
Tony Caterina (28:28)
so
Andy Mason (28:28)
you recognize the ones that God's placed around you and actually start to receive of them?
Tony Caterina (28:33)
Well, because for me, I wasn't afraid to like there's a lot of people that are afraid to ask. I wasn't. I I'm just like,
Andy Mason (28:40)
Yeah. Okay, just ask.
Tony Caterina (28:41)
hey, I need help, Or hey, you just did a testimony that I can comp I need to meet you because I know there's something there that totally rates relates to my spirit. And there's a couple of people in my life that did a talk that I'm like, dang, this guy's like me, right?
so I hook kind of hook my wagon to this guy and he was a pastor at the church. And the next thing I know, like I think there are people that carry stuff that if you're around them long enough, it'll leak all over you. Right.
Andy Mason (29:16)
Yeah, that's right.
Tony Caterina (29:17)
And and then all of a sudden you're starting to get what they had, right? And and you're starting to walk that out. And you know.
So I'm getting on fire for the Lord I'm reading my Bible constantly. I'm
Andy Mason (29:30)
Mm.
Tony Caterina (29:30)
getting revelation.
So when I started to read the Bible, I actually believed everything in it. It made sense to me. I I actually started reading from Genesis on through, and I'm like, well, that's why I did this, is because the sin in my life, right?
I get to the New Testament and I'm reading about Jesus and I'm like, huh, we're supposed to do those things. So I had no blocks.
I actually believe that I'm supposed to lay hands on people and they're gonna get.
Well that's the point.
Andy Mason (30:03)
'Cause that's the Bible. And no one
taught you different.
Tony Caterina (30:08)
I have seen not only have I God done it in my life, but I've been allowed to partner with the Lord and pray with people that had.
Stage three, non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Kid, they gave him 30% chance to live, two ports in his head. Pray for him. He burns up as we pray for him. He has he spends 80 days in the hospital on the chemo. The day after we pray for him is the last day he ever was in the hospital. Never did they find cancer again. I don't know what happened, but I know he got healed. Okay. And I've had people.
You prayed for my back. I was supposed to have surgery. Went to the doctor, was gone. Like all that kind of stuff. And and it's like, yeah, it's because that's what we're supposed to do, right? We're just
Andy Mason (30:56)
Yeah, yeah. So believe
what you want. But here's if you don't believe me, believe the testimony. Someone else said that.
So Tony,
Tony Caterina (31:03)
Yeah.
Andy Mason (31:05)
conference is coming. You're gonna be there. We're gonna go deeper into the business side
Andy Mason (31:09)
How did how did you go from this crazy journey to then starting this multi million dollar business This is remarkable. And the message to you, if you're watching this, don't you dare say that you can't. Because if God leads
Tony Caterina (31:22)
Yeah.
Andy Mason (31:23)
you, it's Him, it's His work.
Surrender, let go control, and he'd do things with you that you never thought. God's taking Tony from addiction. He should be dead. And he's getting this multi-million dollar business and the amount that they've given away is remarkable. If God can do that with Tony, he can do it with Andy, he can do it with you.
And join us in Dallas. If if check out online, you'll
Tony Caterina (31:47)
Yeah, appreciate it.
Andy Mason (31:48)
find out more about that. Tony, give us the snapshot. How did God lead you into the business?
Tony Caterina (31:55)
So I'm I'm leading our first disaster trip. So we started as a natural disaster team. I didn't actually start the ministry, another guy did, but it was completely different than what what it is today. and there was a prophetic word given to me. And the word
was Matthew 7 verse 21 through 23.
He's just quoting it. And he says this, and this is Matthew 7, 21 through
Andy Mason (32:20)
Twenty one.
Tony Caterina (32:21)
23.
what no one in the world knew, is I prayed that scripture before I went on this trip and I said, Lord, don't let me be one of those people. And the next words out of Frank's mouth was, The Lord has heard
Andy Mason (32:31)
I just would.
Tony Caterina (32:31)
your prayer. You will not be one of those people. I see you with money and material, and you're dispersing it all over the place. This is January of 2013. Our church has not even bought the building that we are now in, that we're giving away all this stuff in. So a prophetic word.
launches this ministry that I end up taking over which we had nothing. We had zero, nothing. We didn't know what we were doing. and we started getting donations. it worked out really well because we were doing disaster work. So we're taking the donations with us into disasters where we just send them in there.
You know, sometimes the Lord just shows off, right? I mean, he does crazy things like I get a guy who runs logistics for me for three years and picks up all my stores and never charges me a penny. He just does it. And he tells me how many stores you got. I three. He goes, Why you go get 30? I mean, you want to talk about somebody that
Andy Mason (33:30)
So you were just literally
holding on. You are the donkey. Jesus
is the rider and and you're going where he wants you to go because you just say yes.
Tony Caterina (33:42)
Exactly. And all you you have to understand my business sense is this much. Like
Andy Mason (33:48)
So
those listening, just to remind people, we're talking six million revenue and they've given away nine million last year, and there's minimum a hundred and fifty partners, a bunch of staff and it's growing and expanding, and they're having to turn away stuff. So business sense maybe, but look what God can do with someone that just says, I don't know the answer,
Tony Caterina (34:10)
Yes. Yeah.
Andy Mason (34:13)
and I'm willing to depend on you.
Hey, join
us in Dallas. We're gonna unpack this some more. This is just brilliant. Slight segue. Tony, you're a part of the Heaven and Business Growth Path. Tell us something that we've done new and launched, because we recognize we want to help people grow. Those that are ready that are serious that want to grow beyond an event. What is this to you and how's it helping you?
Tony Caterina (34:42)
Yeah, so
for me, I mean, it is so great to have people come alongside me that I I don't have like a lot of kingdom-minded people. I have believers, but I don't have there's another level to this where we can dream bigger. I don't have that. And and really that's one of the key things for me is what you what that's what I get out of it is like I have other people that I can throw ideas off of that.
understand how kingdom works in a bigger picture. And then the other thing is actually the teachings, like how we've gone through the first three months, like those things, the reminders just solidifying the the base, right? For me, it's just solidifying that foundation, and allowing and and getting honestly getting convicted sometimes with things it's
Trust me, it's not the easiest thing in the world either. I mean, there's some things that like the Lord's gonna go, hey, you really wanna walk this out. You know, you can make a lot of money this way, but is that really the way I taught you, right? I mean, so there's it's, you know, it's not for the weak at heart. Let's just leave it that. But I I will say for me, it's a a huge breath of fresh air.
Andy Mason (36:04)
So
how would you then describe it to someone that that doesn't know about this? what would you say it is?
Tony Caterina (36:11)
for me it's a transformation piece and it's a renewing, a renewing of the mind, thinking bigger than you could possibly imagine. And you have people coming alongside you to do that.
And I needed it. And it's funny because when I first signed up, you know, I'm I was kind of hesitating, and my wife looked at me and she said, do it. Like you
Andy Mason (36:29)
Yeah.
Tony Caterina (36:30)
need to do this, you don't have this.
This is going to be really good for you. And it's been great for me. if you want to go to a new level and you need people to help get you there, because I need people to help get you there, I I think that's how you get there. I don't think you're gonna get there by yourself. You might get there with the Lord, but the Lord loot uses people to sign up.
Andy Mason (36:53)
That's cool. Thank you, Tony. This has been really valuable. you're listening to this, you want to find out more, jump on to heavenandbusiness.com. You'll find links to the conference, links to find out about the growth path. Reach out to us if you've got any questions. Hey, and heads up. If if you're listening to this and you want to go deeper and you've heard Tony's story, check out what they're doing. It is Heartland Outlet Store.
We'll post these links below and heart response ministries. Go visit it and check it out. If God can do that with them, what can he do with you? and secondly, find out more heavenandbusiness.com. You'll see that all there. And if you've got any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Support at heavenandbusiness.com. We will see you soon. Thanks, Tony.
Tony Caterina (37:43)
You got it, Andy.
