A conversation between Manuel Chireno Jr., guest; and Devaughn Williamson, host.

Man, Manny’s story is wild—but so real. Back in 2021, he was juggling two full-time gigs: being a basketball instructor and working as a butcher at Sam’s Club. People would ask, “When do you sleep?”—and honestly, he barely did. But the deeper truth? He was holding onto Sam’s as a safety net. His mentor eventually showed him that this “crutch” was keeping him from fully stepping into what God had called him to do.

Then came the moment that changed everything. Manny called his manager to go part-time—and instead, got fired. But instead of panicking, the first thing out of his mouth was “Praise God.” Like, that’s how deep his trust in God ran. He knew—God was about to show out.

From there, it was a journey. He leaned fully into his business, Flight Time Training, which he had started during the pandemic (talk about faith in uncertain times). But it wasn’t smooth. There were moments when he got distracted, started chasing dreams of playing basketball again, thinking it would “fix everything”—money, family, success. But that dream became a fantasy, even a kind of idol, and it nearly took him out. He lost his car, fell behind on his gym rent, and was at rock bottom. It was a wake-up call.

God used that moment to expose what was really in Manny’s heart. He realized he was chasing results—not God. But instead of staying down, he repented.

He realigned with God’s plan—to coach, not play—and from there, things turned around. He called a few parents, locked in summer training, paid off his debt, and Flight Time was reborn—with God at the center.

Manny says now, coaching brings him real joy and purpose—seeing kids break through limits they didn’t think possible. And it all started when he let go of his own plan and trusted God’s. His mentor once told him, “Are you committed to God or just the results?” That hit him deep. Manny chose God.

Manny's story is such a beautiful example of what happens when you say “yes” to God—even when it doesn’t make sense. At first, basketball was Manny’s identity. It was all about the game. But God flipped that—He showed Manny that basketball wasn’t who he was, it was just a tool. A platform. Once Manny surrendered, Flight Time turned into a ministry, not just a training program. He’s literally seen healings and salvations happen in the gym. Like, real spiritual breakthrough while dribbling and shooting hoops.

What’s crazy is Manny doesn’t even follow the normal business route—no marketing, no ads, no flashy promos. Instead, he leans on relationships and faith. He prays, listens to the Holy Spirit, and trusts that God will bring the right people. And guess what? Clients come. Not just for basketball—but because they feel seen, loved, and poured into. He holds his players to a higher standard—not just as athletes, but as people. He corrects them with love, mentors them spiritually, and leads by example. Like, he even changed the way he dresses and carries himself—coaching in a suit—because he wants to model excellence and show these kids there’s more to life than just the game.

Then came a defining moment: he thought he seriously injured his knee. Every symptom screamed “torn ligament.” But instead of panicking (well, after panicking a little), the Holy Spirit reminded him of a word spoken over his life—that he had a covenant of no injury. He stood on that word, built his faith by hearing messages on healing, and walked it out—literally. Within hours, he was pain-free. No surgery. No swelling. Just faith in action.

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