Hello and welcome to GYC.
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We want to have you to join us
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in singing the
theme song with the stage.
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So if you would please stand.
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The stage has been
set, all creation looks on
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Two kingdoms are
warring between right and wrong
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The choices you make
have a very high cost
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Eternity's won,
or eternity's lost
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Before men and angels,
which side will you choose
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The Savior is waiting,
there's no time to lose
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Before men and
angels, each soul plays a part
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For you are the world
and the stage is your heart
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Invisible
forces are vying to win
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Is God in your heart,
or is darkness and sin
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For greater that
angels, above God's own voice
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The power that's
strongest of all is your choice
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Before men and angels,
which side will you choose
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The Savior is waiting,
there's no time to lose
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Before men and angels
each soul plays a part
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For you are the world
and the stage is your heart
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It's God's
reputation in question today
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It's His vindication
for which you should pray
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His glory is shown
through the universe wide
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When you let Him
into your heart to reside
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Before men and angels,
which side will you choose
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The Savior is waiting,
there's no time to lose
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Before men and
angels, each soul plays a part
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For you are the world
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And the stage is your heart
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Thank you, you may be seated.
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Hello GYC.
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Have you been
blessed so far? Yes.
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How you been blessed? Great.
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Amen. Amen.
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Our next speaker is
a good friend of mine,
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Lo-Ammi Richardson.
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Lo-Ammi is
passionate about his work.
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He is a Bible
worker, coordinator
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in the state of Tennessee,
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and he will be
sharing with us his testimony.
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And before he does
that, I want to invite you
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so we can pray for him.
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So let's bow here and pray.
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Eternal Father, we are
grateful to be in your presence.
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We thank you for the
gift of life this day.
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We ask that as our
brother Lo-Ammi speaks to us,
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You may give him
the clarity of thoughts
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and the ability
to speak your word.
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As he shares his testimony,
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may You anoint
him with your spirit,
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in Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen. Amen. Thank You.
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All to Jesus
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I surrender
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All to Him I freely give
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I will ever love
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And trust Him
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In His presence daily live
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I surrender all
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I surrender all
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All to Thee, my blessed Savior
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I surrender all
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All to Jesus I surrender
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Make me, Savior, wholly Thine
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Let me feel Thy Holy Spirit
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Truly know that Thou art mine
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I surrender all
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I surrender all
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All to Thee, my blessed Savior
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I surrender all
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I surrender all I surrender all
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All to Thee, my blessed Savior
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I surrender all
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All to Jesus I surrender
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Lord, I give myself to Thee
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Fill me with Thy love and power
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Let Thy blessing fall on me
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I surrender all
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I surrender all
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All to Thee, my blessed Savior
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I surrender all
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Jesus I can trust in you
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How I want to do your will
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Come and say complete the job
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Come and heal my wounded soul
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I surrender all
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I surrender all
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How many of us have been blessed
by the conference so far?
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Amen.
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It's a honor and
privilege for me to be here.
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Oh my goodness,
I did not realize
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how many people I was gonna see
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but it's a honor and
privilege for me to be here.
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My name is Lo-Ammi Richardson,
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I'm a Chaplain
and Bible coordinator
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at Heritage Academy
located at Monterey, Tennessee.
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I had the
privilege and the honor
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to share the
testimony with you this morning.
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How many of us have been
joined the seminar so far?
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The morning worships. Amen.
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I hope that every one
has been receiving a blessing
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and they were
starting the New Year
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with our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
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If we have our
Bibles which I know
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we do because we
believe that revival
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and reformation
comes from prayer
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and studying the scriptures.
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Amen. Amen.
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So, if you have your Bibles
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I like for you to
turn to 2 Corinthians 5:17.
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Second Corinthians 5:17.
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As that you may
keep me in prayer,
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I appreciate every one
who's been keeping me in prayer.
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I should be in cloud nine by now
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as much prayers
that I've been receiving.
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In Second
Corinthians 5:17, Paul says,
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"Therefore, if
any man be in Christ,
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He is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
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behold all
things are become new."
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I'll be honored and
privileged to share my testimony
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but before I get started,
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I like to bow our
heads for a word of prayer.
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Father in heaven, I
come to you dear Lord
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with thus in your sight.
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Father my only request
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is that Lo-Ammi Richardson
may not be heard or seen
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but that your son
Jesus Christ may be uplifted.
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That my testimony
maybe able to show
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dear Lord that you're still
in the business of saving souls.
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I thank you dear Lord
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for everything that
you have done for me
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and allowing me to
be at this very moment
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to your honor and glory
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and I pray this in the
name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Amen.
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It's good to be back
home with family and friends.
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Good to be back at home where
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you know, eat the good
food and have the festivities
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with the people
that are closest to you
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and going back
to the barber shop
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and getting your first hair cut,
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without asking
what you need, right.
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You know, your barber knows
exactly what, what to expect.
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But as-- many of you do not know
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I grew up as a
Seventh-day Adventist.
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I grew, I
literally went to church
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seven days of the week.
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Five days out of the school,
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out of the week I went to
the, my local home school,
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then Sabbath, if you
ever been to a black church,
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it's a all day event.
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8 'o clock in the morning
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and then you
have a Sabbath school
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then 11 'o clock
and then you have
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choir practice,
a wind and a social
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and then Sunday
we had path finder.
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So, I was somebody
who was in the church
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literally every
single day of the week.
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I grew up here
in the Orlando area.
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So, this is home for me,
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so I am excited to be
here to share my testimony.
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I went to the church
of Pine Hills Church.
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I attended Forest City
Spanish when I was younger
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and Altimas Springs
Church, if there's members here,
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I just want to
say thank you so much
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for praying for me
through out the years.
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Just a little
background on my behalf
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my mother was
somebody who is very spiritual.
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Somebody who is funny
and very committed to God,
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my father on the other
hand was somebody who was happy,
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he was always there
if he needed anything,
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he was there and--
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if he needed
anything he was there and he--
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you can always depend on him
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he was the first person
to open the church doors
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to welcome members in,
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he was the one to
lead out in song service.
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My mother was the
spiritual leader of the home,
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she always trained me
to be a God fearing man,
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to glorify God in
everything that I do.
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My upbringing was one
of a very innocent child,
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I was different because I
didn't know the dirty jokes,
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I was different because
I could not play outside.
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My memory of church
wasn't a negative one,
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so my testimony we're
coming and putting the church
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in a good light
and not a negative one.
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I had a lot of great memories
growing up into the church,
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I was never
considered a quarter quad,
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a rebel or a bad child, I
just was very disobedient.
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I always had to
have the last word,
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I was always someone
who had to push the limits.
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I was always in
trouble in school growing up
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and those who know me
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know that I love to
talk and love to debate
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and God said I want to
use that gift, of that talent,
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I'm gonna use it for my
glory and here I am today.
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Those who knows me,
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my situation growing
up wasn't always the best.
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When I was
younger at 12 years old,
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my mother moved to Puerto Rico
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to take care of
a home down there,
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because the situation in
our home wasn't the greatest.
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My father worked overnights
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and I spent a lot
of time, home alone.
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My relationship with my
parents wasn't always the best.
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You can imagine my mother had me
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at the age of 46
and my father is 62,
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so you can imagine
the age discrepancy
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between my parents and myself.
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My-- I guess I started
to turn away from the Lord
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when I started
to watch more music
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and listen to more
music and watch television
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and changes started
to happen in my life.
00:14:26.45\00:14:28.83
I wasn't malicious
but I was very rebellious.
00:14:28.86\00:14:31.89
At 13 years old, I
got into an altercation
00:14:31.92\00:14:34.02
that allowed me to end up
in juvenile detention center.
00:14:34.05\00:14:37.09
I was always in
trouble in class,
00:14:37.12\00:14:38.55
I was always in
trouble with the law
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but I could hide it pretty well,
I could always keep a good face
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because I was always the
one who had it up, be it spirit,
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I was always the one smiling,
00:14:45.70\00:14:46.92
I was always the
one who welcomed people,
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so nobody ever
saw this side of me.
00:14:48.27\00:14:50.55
At the age of 15, I experimented
with night clubs, partying,
00:14:50.58\00:14:54.65
Church didn't play an
active part in my life
00:14:54.68\00:14:56.75
as I was growing older
00:14:56.78\00:14:58.17
and this quarter quad
new found freedom was found
00:14:58.20\00:15:00.72
when I was able to
get my drivers license
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and able to drive
where ever I pleased,
00:15:02.69\00:15:04.78
and the only
time I went to church
00:15:04.81\00:15:06.12
was only to go visit friends
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and to you know,
socialize with them.
00:15:08.00\00:15:10.35
My situation had gotten worse
00:15:10.38\00:15:11.75
when I grew up, at
home and at school.
00:15:11.78\00:15:14.25
And every
school that I attended,
00:15:14.28\00:15:15.69
I was always in the
room, in the principal's office
00:15:15.72\00:15:18.22
being
threatened to be kicked out
00:15:18.25\00:15:20.02
and because of
my rebellious ways,
00:15:20.05\00:15:23.05
I was sent to Puerto Rico.
00:15:23.08\00:15:25.01
You can imagine
a little black boy
00:15:25.04\00:15:26.46
who doesn't know
too much Spanish,
00:15:26.49\00:15:27.93
the culture shock that I
had when I moved to Puerto Rico.
00:15:27.96\00:15:31.08
The only person that understood,
00:15:31.11\00:15:34.04
the only person
that I understood
00:15:34.07\00:15:35.42
speaking Spanish
to me was my mother.
00:15:35.45\00:15:37.53
I can honestly say I
hated living in Puerto Rico
00:15:37.56\00:15:40.28
but through it all,
my mother saw everything
00:15:40.31\00:15:42.71
she always did everything in her
power to make sure to bring me
00:15:42.74\00:15:47.17
and allow me to grow up
to be a God fearing man.
00:15:47.20\00:15:49.67
My heart was
naturally rebellious,
00:15:49.70\00:15:51.99
the Bible talks about our hearts
are basically wicked and evil.
00:15:52.02\00:15:56.20
And for the
most part growing up,
00:15:56.23\00:15:57.89
I struggled with my identity
00:15:57.92\00:15:59.78
and I believe that the struggles
that we have here at the church
00:15:59.81\00:16:02.15
with the young people is that
00:16:02.18\00:16:03.21
we struggle
with that same thing,
00:16:03.24\00:16:04.74
we struggle with our identity.
00:16:04.77\00:16:06.52
We don't know who we are,
00:16:06.55\00:16:07.68
we don't know
where we are going,
00:16:07.71\00:16:08.74
we don't know what
we're doing with our lives
00:16:08.77\00:16:10.65
and we allow things
and different influences
00:16:10.68\00:16:13.60
to kind of nurture us and kind
of mould us into who we become.
00:16:13.63\00:16:18.24
So for me, basket
ball was an outlet,
00:16:18.27\00:16:20.33
that's what I identified with.
00:16:20.36\00:16:22.21
I attended church
while I was in Puerto Rico.
00:16:22.24\00:16:24.47
There was a
great youth group there
00:16:24.50\00:16:26.28
and I was very happy to
see young people just like you
00:16:26.31\00:16:29.91
that was on fire for God
00:16:29.94\00:16:31.70
but it's sad to say
00:16:31.73\00:16:32.76
that most of them are
now no longer in the church.
00:16:32.79\00:16:35.62
My church family
was a second home to me,
00:16:35.65\00:16:37.86
I always had
respect for the church
00:16:37.89\00:16:40.13
and that's for me I
never outright rebelled
00:16:40.16\00:16:42.89
and left the church completely
00:16:42.92\00:16:44.19
but I always
visited from time to time
00:16:44.22\00:16:45.73
because I knew the
people that over there
00:16:45.76\00:16:47.60
was always there
for my well being.
00:16:47.63\00:16:49.43
My time in Puerto Rico spent was
00:16:49.46\00:16:51.71
majority of the time was
spending with drug dealers,
00:16:51.74\00:16:54.57
drinking at the age of 15.
00:16:54.60\00:16:56.26
This was the norm in
Puerto Rico when I was there.
00:16:56.29\00:16:59.24
I remember participating in
robbing cars and skipping school
00:16:59.27\00:17:02.39
but again nobody knew about this
00:17:02.42\00:17:03.79
because I could
keep a clean face.
00:17:03.82\00:17:06.94
I made things
rough for my mother,
00:17:06.97\00:17:08.68
I made things
rough for my family
00:17:08.71\00:17:10.03
for the decisions that I made,
00:17:10.06\00:17:11.67
I never made
things easier for her.
00:17:11.70\00:17:14.08
I love my mother
but I loved to do
00:17:14.11\00:17:16.03
want I wanted to do much more.
00:17:16.06\00:17:18.37
My grades
suffered because of that
00:17:18.40\00:17:20.16
but I maintained
a good enough GPA
00:17:20.19\00:17:21.92
in order for me
to play basket ball.
00:17:21.95\00:17:23.91
I didn't know, it got to a point
00:17:23.94\00:17:26.66
where I was continued to--
become get involved with things
00:17:26.69\00:17:31.14
that I didn't have no
business getting involved with
00:17:31.17\00:17:33.74
and there was a
discussion with my parents
00:17:33.77\00:17:36.33
to send me to boot camp.
00:17:36.36\00:17:37.65
So, you can imagine I am
not gonna go to no boot camp,
00:17:37.68\00:17:39.98
so I straightened
my act up real quick.
00:17:40.01\00:17:42.59
In the book of
James Chapter 3:8,
00:17:42.62\00:17:44.91
if you can turn there,
00:17:44.94\00:17:47.51
for the majority
people use different weapons.
00:17:47.54\00:17:49.54
People know how to fight with
their hands, with their feet,
00:17:49.57\00:17:51.71
people know how to shoot guns.
00:17:51.74\00:17:53.23
Well, for me,
James 3:8 describes,
00:17:53.26\00:17:55.69
"My weapon of
choice." And James 3:8.
00:17:55.72\00:17:59.06
James 3:8. Are we there?
00:18:02.71\00:18:07.69
James 3:8 says, " But
the tongue can no man tame;
00:18:07.72\00:18:13.07
it is an unruly evil,
full of deadly poison."
00:18:13.10\00:18:17.49
That was my weapon
of choice, my tongue,
00:18:17.52\00:18:20.40
my tongue was a
stock of weapon I had,
00:18:20.43\00:18:22.38
I was somebody who can
cut people with my words,
00:18:22.41\00:18:25.02
I was someone who made lives
00:18:25.05\00:18:26.44
miserable of the
people who I did not respect
00:18:26.47\00:18:28.74
and I would say
anything that I needed to say
00:18:28.77\00:18:30.74
in order for me to
get my point across.
00:18:30.77\00:18:32.86
But every time I got in trouble,
00:18:32.89\00:18:34.15
there was always
one consistent person
00:18:34.18\00:18:35.80
that was there,
that was my mother.
00:18:35.83\00:18:37.42
She always stood up for
me despite of what I did,
00:18:37.45\00:18:41.02
she always stood up for her boy,
00:18:41.05\00:18:43.20
she loved me
regardless of what I did.
00:18:43.23\00:18:45.37
My dream was to play
professionally for Puerto Rico.
00:18:45.40\00:18:48.96
My mother wasn't
somebody who shutdown my dreams
00:18:48.99\00:18:51.07
but she always reminded me,
Lo-Ammi always put God first
00:18:51.10\00:18:54.31
and bring Him honor and
glory in everything that you do.
00:18:54.34\00:18:57.35
After
graduating from Puerto Rico
00:18:57.38\00:18:58.97
in 9th grade I moved back home,
00:18:59.00\00:19:00.75
I wanted to attend
Forest Lake Academy
00:19:00.78\00:19:03.13
and my parents agreed
00:19:03.16\00:19:04.47
that they should send me
back home here to Florida,
00:19:04.50\00:19:06.93
so my sophomore year in 2001
00:19:06.96\00:19:09.41
I moved back
here to sunny Florida.
00:19:09.44\00:19:12.31
I was excited, I
knew a lot of my friends
00:19:12.34\00:19:14.54
that were going
to attend the school
00:19:14.57\00:19:16.31
but my time
there didn't last long.
00:19:16.34\00:19:19.09
I was dismissed after
a semester for fighting
00:19:19.12\00:19:22.07
and saying
somethings to the principal
00:19:22.10\00:19:23.75
that is not GYC approved.
00:19:23.78\00:19:25.82
Never did, I never
did well with authority,
00:19:25.85\00:19:28.91
after getting kicked
out of Forest Lake Academy,
00:19:28.94\00:19:30.83
I attended public
school, Heavens High School.
00:19:30.86\00:19:33.31
I was nervous, I was scared.
00:19:33.34\00:19:34.71
This is High
school that was known
00:19:34.74\00:19:36.89
for having 75% dropout rate,
00:19:36.92\00:19:40.16
60% of those
high school students
00:19:40.19\00:19:42.22
who studied there
from freshman year
00:19:42.25\00:19:43.61
to the senior
year did not graduate.
00:19:43.64\00:19:45.72
When I got kicked out
of Forest Lake Academy,
00:19:45.75\00:19:48.06
I cannot say this boldly
00:19:48.09\00:19:49.12
but I graduated with I got
kicked out with a 0.86 GPA.
00:19:49.15\00:19:53.42
My only A was in choir, so
I want to thank Mama Murphy
00:19:53.45\00:19:56.36
if you watching for that A.
00:19:56.39\00:19:58.11
My concern in life
GYC was popularity,
00:19:58.14\00:20:02.53
my concern in
life was basket ball.
00:20:02.56\00:20:05.12
And major adjustments
needed to be made in my life
00:20:05.15\00:20:07.89
as I attended public
school for the first time
00:20:07.92\00:20:10.18
and if anybody ever been
to-- lived in the rough area
00:20:10.21\00:20:13.46
know that you have
to grow tough skin,
00:20:13.49\00:20:16.21
you have to be
able to hold your own.
00:20:16.24\00:20:18.32
I no longer attended
church at this point in my life
00:20:18.35\00:20:20.84
but I was
attending school functions,
00:20:20.87\00:20:22.67
proms and home comings
00:20:22.70\00:20:24.33
and Friday night is about
games and basket ball games.
00:20:24.36\00:20:27.42
I drank
casually with my friends,
00:20:27.45\00:20:29.59
I smoked marijuana, I
partied from time to time
00:20:29.62\00:20:32.43
and this is the summary
of my high school experience.
00:20:32.46\00:20:36.08
I've lost many friends
since graduating high school.
00:20:36.11\00:20:40.01
A lot of friends who have
been shot, who has been killed,
00:20:40.04\00:20:42.03
who I'll never be
able to see again.
00:20:42.06\00:20:44.33
Young ladies who are have
three or multiple children
00:20:44.36\00:20:47.99
who don't know
who the father it is.
00:20:48.02\00:20:49.84
And I always imagined
00:20:49.87\00:20:50.90
the influence
that I could have had
00:20:50.93\00:20:52.66
if I just stood within my faith,
00:20:52.69\00:20:54.83
in the faith that
I grew up believing.
00:20:54.86\00:20:57.15
Friend shots,
killed, women who had no idea
00:20:57.18\00:20:59.99
who the father of the children,
00:21:00.02\00:21:01.29
entertainment for me
was to go out to drink,
00:21:01.32\00:21:03.38
to fight, to party.
00:21:03.41\00:21:04.54
This is the
mindset and the culture
00:21:04.57\00:21:06.11
that I was growing up in.
00:21:06.14\00:21:07.62
See GYC, I believed in
God, but I believed in money,
00:21:07.65\00:21:10.86
I believed in maintaining
success of this worlds,
00:21:10.89\00:21:13.65
of this world
regardless of the circumstances
00:21:13.68\00:21:15.47
that I put myself in.
00:21:15.50\00:21:17.02
For me, my mindset was to
have quick money, easy money
00:21:17.05\00:21:20.17
and by the time of my
senior year of high school,
00:21:20.20\00:21:22.05
I had so many trials and toils.
00:21:22.08\00:21:24.01
At the age of 17, I was arrested
once again for resisting arrest
00:21:24.04\00:21:28.69
with violence
against the police officer
00:21:28.72\00:21:30.86
that led me to have a
year and half probation
00:21:30.89\00:21:33.95
and I remember for
the, when I was going
00:21:33.98\00:21:35.55
get sentenced by the judge,
00:21:35.58\00:21:37.16
my mother and my father,
00:21:37.19\00:21:38.22
they was going to
the courthouse with me
00:21:38.25\00:21:39.85
and my mother told me, Lo-Ammi,
I want you to plead guilty
00:21:39.88\00:21:42.73
and you can imagine the
look that I gave my mother
00:21:42.76\00:21:44.90
as I was going
to go face the judge
00:21:44.93\00:21:46.65
to plead guilty for something
00:21:46.68\00:21:47.89
that I felt that
"I was innocent" in.
00:21:47.92\00:21:50.51
But I remember
standing in the courthouse there
00:21:50.54\00:21:52.90
and as Judge
Rodriguez was standing there,
00:21:52.93\00:21:55.03
he was sentencing
every single person
00:21:55.06\00:21:57.61
to prison time or to jail time.
00:21:57.64\00:21:59.47
So you can imagine by
the time I'll come up,
00:21:59.50\00:22:01.09
I knew I was gone, right.
00:22:01.12\00:22:02.86
And as I was
standing before the judge,
00:22:02.89\00:22:04.52
the judge asked
me what do you plead.
00:22:04.55\00:22:06.01
And I said guilty.
00:22:06.04\00:22:07.46
And he was kind of taken aback,
00:22:07.49\00:22:08.52
he was surprised
and I pleaded guilty
00:22:08.55\00:22:10.70
and he said, why
do you plead guilty?
00:22:10.73\00:22:11.95
I said, well, sir, I
felt like the situation
00:22:11.98\00:22:14.11
I put myself in, I deserve,
I'm guilty of the reason why,
00:22:14.14\00:22:18.69
what I did was
validated in my opinion.
00:22:18.72\00:22:21.86
And I remember my
mother, little 4'11"
00:22:21.89\00:22:24.32
yellow and white Puerto
Rican woman looks at the judge
00:22:24.35\00:22:27.58
and she looks at the judge
and she says Judge Rodriguez,
00:22:27.61\00:22:30.21
I was Rodriguez before
I married to my husband
00:22:30.24\00:22:32.77
and I see above your
seat that, in God we trust
00:22:32.80\00:22:36.83
and she starts going in
about you know, God we trust in,
00:22:36.86\00:22:40.16
God puts up Kings
and He sets down judges
00:22:40.19\00:22:42.27
and I know that
God appointed you
00:22:42.30\00:22:43.55
and my son
deserves to go to jail.
00:22:43.58\00:22:45.41
I am sitting here wondering
00:22:45.44\00:22:46.47
you know, I am
scared to death right.
00:22:46.50\00:22:48.17
But after the whole
thing, the judge looks at me
00:22:48.20\00:22:51.21
and he says if it
wasn't for your mother
00:22:51.24\00:22:52.91
and your God fearing parents,
00:22:52.94\00:22:54.15
I would have sent
you to prison that day.
00:22:54.18\00:22:56.76
So, if there is an influence
that my mother had upon my life,
00:22:56.79\00:22:59.46
that always will
resonate with me.
00:22:59.49\00:23:02.57
Though I got kicked out
00:23:02.60\00:23:03.63
of Forest Lake
Academy with 0.86 GPA,
00:23:03.66\00:23:05.83
I was able to
graduate high school
00:23:05.86\00:23:07.64
with more than
credits than I needed.
00:23:07.67\00:23:09.07
Amen.
00:23:09.10\00:23:10.13
I attended college
00:23:10.16\00:23:11.60
but the lifestyle never
changed, it actually got worse.
00:23:11.63\00:23:14.94
Hip-hop became a
major influence in my life.
00:23:14.97\00:23:18.00
See, here I am growing up
a Seventh-day Adventist boy,
00:23:18.03\00:23:20.73
all of sudden
thinking he's a drug dealer,
00:23:20.76\00:23:22.64
a gang banger, a thug
00:23:22.67\00:23:23.93
because of the music and because
of the influence of hip-hop
00:23:23.96\00:23:26.88
and if anybody ever tells you
00:23:26.91\00:23:28.23
that music does not play
a major part in your life
00:23:28.26\00:23:30.56
that doesn't not change
your mindset, they are lying.
00:23:30.59\00:23:33.72
Because here I am, a
Seventh-day Adventist boy
00:23:33.75\00:23:35.74
lost in who he is because
of the influence of hip-hop.
00:23:35.77\00:23:39.29
I was raised in end
as Seventh-day Adventist
00:23:39.32\00:23:41.74
but now I am thinking
I'm a hardened criminal,
00:23:41.77\00:23:43.82
I am a thug and you could
tell the attitude that I had,
00:23:43.85\00:23:46.20
the changes that I
made because of the clothes
00:23:46.23\00:23:48.11
and the attitude
that I possessed.
00:23:48.14\00:23:49.74
My dream of pursuing basket
ball never ended and never died.
00:23:49.77\00:23:53.14
I went to
different community colleges
00:23:53.17\00:23:54.86
and nothing ever panned up
00:23:54.89\00:23:56.24
but I, so I played local leagues
here in the Central Florida area
00:23:56.27\00:24:00.13
until the opportunity
presented itself for me
00:24:00.16\00:24:02.32
to go to Puerto
Rico for open tryouts.
00:24:02.35\00:24:04.73
During this time, I was working
for a Fortune 200 company,
00:24:04.76\00:24:07.88
a pretty good job, paying job
00:24:07.91\00:24:09.79
and I remember going to
my boss and telling him,
00:24:09.82\00:24:11.75
I am going to quit my job
00:24:11.78\00:24:12.81
to pursue my
dream in basket ball
00:24:12.84\00:24:14.73
and I still
remember my boss telling me,
00:24:14.76\00:24:16.22
why are you quitting the
job Lo-Ammi, you have a 401k,
00:24:16.25\00:24:18.48
you are making X
amount of 1000$ a year,
00:24:18.51\00:24:20.78
you're young, you-- I
mean you can take this money
00:24:20.81\00:24:23.12
and save it and do great things
00:24:23.15\00:24:25.31
but you see, I had a
goal, I had a purpose
00:24:25.34\00:24:27.99
and I wasn't gonna
allow anything to cushion me
00:24:28.02\00:24:30.54
from bidding to
the goal that I may,
00:24:30.57\00:24:32.36
that I was going to obtain.
00:24:32.39\00:24:33.76
And the same
mindset we should have GYC
00:24:33.79\00:24:36.36
when God calls
you into the Ministry,
00:24:36.39\00:24:38.85
when God calls you to the work,
00:24:38.88\00:24:40.56
do not say well, I'm
gonna depend on my degree,
00:24:40.59\00:24:43.27
I am gonna depend on my job,
00:24:43.30\00:24:44.79
when God says go,
go, no strings attached.
00:24:44.82\00:24:50.09
So I've pursued my dreams.
00:24:50.12\00:24:52.21
Out of the 500 attendees
that showed up to this trial,
00:24:52.24\00:24:54.66
I was into the top 50.
00:24:54.69\00:24:56.22
After coming back from
Puerto Rico and playing there,
00:24:56.25\00:24:58.71
I had an
opportunity to move to Tampa
00:24:58.74\00:25:00.40
about hour and a half
away here from Central Florida.
00:25:00.43\00:25:04.05
Things got
progressively worse for me.
00:25:04.08\00:25:06.11
As I still attended
school, I was working two jobs,
00:25:06.14\00:25:09.21
I was partying at
every weekend, I was smoking,
00:25:09.24\00:25:11.95
but now-- a progress
now for me to sell drugs.
00:25:11.98\00:25:15.16
I lived in a
house, I owned two cars
00:25:15.19\00:25:17.82
and the perception
that I was given of,
00:25:17.85\00:25:19.97
that I had every thing
this world has the offer,
00:25:20.00\00:25:22.19
I had the cars, I had
the money, I had the success
00:25:22.22\00:25:25.28
but the reality was,
I was just a hard worker
00:25:25.31\00:25:27.16
just like everybody
else I just knew how,
00:25:27.19\00:25:29.02
I just knew my connections
00:25:29.05\00:25:31.03
and I remember growing up GYC
00:25:31.06\00:25:32.62
or doing this time
for I had no conscious.
00:25:32.65\00:25:34.96
I remember coming back to
Orlando and buying a vehicle
00:25:34.99\00:25:38.74
and I remember I
didn't want to go register it,
00:25:38.77\00:25:40.79
I was gonna do it back in Tampa,
00:25:40.82\00:25:42.32
so I took a non registered
car that had no insurance
00:25:42.35\00:25:45.92
and I drove it an hour
and a half on the highway
00:25:45.95\00:25:48.55
with three pounds of marijuana
and two ounces of cocaine
00:25:48.58\00:25:52.67
and I remember
driving up to the highway
00:25:52.70\00:25:54.62
and all I was
thinking if tire my popped
00:25:54.65\00:25:57.06
and sure enough, it popped,
00:25:57.09\00:25:58.17
and a police officer
rolling up behind me.
00:25:58.20\00:26:00.41
And if it wasn't the, all he
had to do was ask for my license
00:26:00.44\00:26:03.04
and registration
and I am pretty sure
00:26:03.07\00:26:04.51
I would not be
standing here before you.
00:26:04.54\00:26:06.67
But I can see God's providence
00:26:06.70\00:26:08.12
always working out
the situations for me
00:26:08.15\00:26:09.93
regardless of what
the dumb decisions I made,
00:26:09.96\00:26:11.98
God was always there.
00:26:12.01\00:26:14.61
My state's importer
in Tampa came to a close
00:26:14.64\00:26:17.48
as I got into a
altercation at one of the clubs
00:26:17.51\00:26:19.83
that I felt that it was
time for me to move back home.
00:26:19.86\00:26:22.59
I never dealt with my issues,
I always ran away from them.
00:26:22.62\00:26:26.33
I went from
church from time to time
00:26:26.36\00:26:27.86
you know to try to
be a good Christian
00:26:27.89\00:26:29.74
but I never faced my problems,
00:26:29.77\00:26:31.43
I never surrendered my
heart completely to Jesus.
00:26:31.46\00:26:34.69
I remember
moving back to Orlando
00:26:34.72\00:26:36.63
when I worked various
jobs, after school programs
00:26:36.66\00:26:38.88
and summer camps
and basket ball camps.
00:26:38.91\00:26:41.63
My dreams of playing
basket ball kind of faded
00:26:41.66\00:26:44.48
because I wanted to
pursue money and fame.
00:26:44.51\00:26:48.15
I had the opportunity
to be on a reality TV show
00:26:48.18\00:26:51.10
but I turned it
down for the fact
00:26:51.13\00:26:52.42
that I had a business proposal
00:26:52.45\00:26:53.70
but it didn't workout the way
00:26:53.73\00:26:55.09
that I thought it
would've been or would have.
00:26:55.12\00:26:57.95
Alcohol became
my drug of choice.
00:26:57.98\00:27:00.46
For me, I wouldn't consider
myself an alcoholic per say
00:27:00.49\00:27:03.28
but I was very
dependent on the drug.
00:27:03.31\00:27:06.23
Everything that I wanted to
do was gonna have a good time,
00:27:06.26\00:27:08.53
I was gonna party, I
was gonna make sure that,
00:27:08.56\00:27:10.45
I was gonna live
life to the fullest.
00:27:10.48\00:27:13.11
The clubs are in groove
00:27:13.14\00:27:14.69
and I had good times
while I was in the world.
00:27:14.72\00:27:17.10
And I remember
all of the memories
00:27:17.13\00:27:18.52
that I shared in, this
one particular incident
00:27:18.55\00:27:21.13
as we went out,
group of my friends,
00:27:21.16\00:27:22.86
my roommates we went
out to a club at night.
00:27:22.89\00:27:25.24
And the-- friend of mine
purchased a brand new car,
00:27:25.27\00:27:27.70
a bright Cadillac and
he had a pistol as well,
00:27:27.73\00:27:30.12
that we are shooting at outside
of the apartment complex.
00:27:30.15\00:27:32.83
And I remember
right before we left,
00:27:32.86\00:27:34.15
he was going to a
whole different scenario,
00:27:34.18\00:27:35.91
different scenery that
we're not accustomed to.
00:27:35.94\00:27:38.96
And I remember
him placing the pistol
00:27:38.99\00:27:40.99
in the back of the trunk.
00:27:41.02\00:27:42.67
And as we went to
the club that night,
00:27:42.70\00:27:44.92
we made sure to try
to keep our nose clean
00:27:44.95\00:27:47.30
but as you can, as you know,
00:27:47.33\00:27:48.79
there's always
situations that happen.
00:27:48.82\00:27:51.13
And before you know it,
00:27:51.16\00:27:52.60
altercation
happened between my friend
00:27:52.63\00:27:54.83
and another
gentleman there at the club.
00:27:54.86\00:27:56.67
And two people fighting end up
being 17 people against three.
00:27:56.70\00:28:00.83
17 escalated to 50
and before you know,
00:28:00.86\00:28:03.53
we're outside of the club,
00:28:03.56\00:28:05.15
and this five
escalated to a point where,
00:28:05.18\00:28:07.75
they were just
wailing at all of my friends
00:28:07.78\00:28:09.59
that we had, we was outnumbered.
00:28:09.62\00:28:11.28
And I remember my friend,
00:28:11.31\00:28:12.48
as he is laying down
on the curve bloody and,
00:28:12.51\00:28:14.80
and I was so upset GYC
00:28:14.83\00:28:16.41
because I'm
somebody who is loyal,
00:28:16.44\00:28:18.11
I love my friends to death.
00:28:18.14\00:28:19.50
And I will do anything
for them at any given time.
00:28:19.53\00:28:22.29
And I remember asking
him, where are your keys?
00:28:22.32\00:28:24.75
Because all my goal was to
go to the back of that car,
00:28:24.78\00:28:27.25
take the pistol and God knows
00:28:27.28\00:28:28.89
what was gonna
happen that night.
00:28:28.92\00:28:30.63
As I found the keys then I
went to the back of the trunk,
00:28:30.66\00:28:32.89
I realized that
the gun wasn't there.
00:28:32.92\00:28:35.64
And I know that it was God
who took it and removed it away
00:28:35.67\00:28:37.98
because I don't know
what would have happened
00:28:38.01\00:28:40.20
if I had my hand on that pistol.
00:28:40.23\00:28:43.42
I didn't work,
I had enough money
00:28:43.45\00:28:45.52
for me saved up
and to kill time,
00:28:45.55\00:28:47.93
I got my certification
as a personal trainer.
00:28:47.96\00:28:50.55
I remember
meeting this young lady,
00:28:50.58\00:28:51.93
there's always a story
over the young lady, right.
00:28:51.96\00:28:53.89
I remember
meeting this young lady
00:28:53.92\00:28:56.27
at the gym that
I was working at,
00:28:56.30\00:28:58.31
and I remember having a
liking to this young lady.
00:28:58.34\00:29:01.73
And my life seemed to fall apart
after I met this young girl,
00:29:01.76\00:29:05.88
everything that happened for me,
00:29:05.91\00:29:07.30
all of the money that I
had, the cars that I owned,
00:29:07.33\00:29:10.07
everything I put my
whole love and desire
00:29:10.10\00:29:12.16
into this young
lady, into this young girl
00:29:12.19\00:29:14.55
but nothing ever panned out.
00:29:14.58\00:29:16.65
The reason why I
moved in with my roommates
00:29:16.68\00:29:18.31
was planning to stay together
to kind of save up money
00:29:18.34\00:29:20.74
and they was gonna branch
off and do our old things.
00:29:20.77\00:29:22.97
And like the story
of the Prodigal Son,
00:29:23.00\00:29:24.48
the money that I had
became less and less.
00:29:24.51\00:29:26.92
And this young lady who
was my prized possession,
00:29:26.95\00:29:29.31
all of sudden she left.
00:29:29.34\00:29:31.59
And I remember if for
the first time in my life
00:29:31.62\00:29:33.85
she was asking,
what does my life entail,
00:29:33.88\00:29:38.10
why is my life important?
00:29:38.13\00:29:39.96
I remember
watching that the TV show
00:29:39.99\00:29:41.70
the office from
season one to seven
00:29:41.73\00:29:43.88
and watching every episode
00:29:43.91\00:29:45.07
and as soon as the episodes
are over, I felt depressed.
00:29:45.10\00:29:48.58
And for the first
time I, I can't say
00:29:48.61\00:29:50.09
I was contemplating suicide
00:29:50.12\00:29:51.28
but I'd rather die
than to continue living.
00:29:51.31\00:29:54.47
You try to read your Bible
00:29:54.50\00:29:55.56
but there was guilt
when you was reading it.
00:29:55.59\00:29:58.50
My car was always breaking down,
00:29:58.53\00:29:59.92
one month there was no cable,
00:29:59.95\00:30:01.17
the other month,
there was an eviction notice
00:30:01.20\00:30:02.58
and everything
that I had planned up
00:30:02.61\00:30:04.46
was just falling
apart in my life.
00:30:04.49\00:30:06.81
And I remembered my
mother and my sister
00:30:06.84\00:30:08.70
always prayed for me to
make my life as miserable
00:30:08.73\00:30:11.13
as possible until I
gave my heart to Jesus.
00:30:11.16\00:30:13.66
Everything that I
had was completely gone.
00:30:13.69\00:30:16.73
And I remember one evening
00:30:16.76\00:30:17.91
I did receive the
phone call from my sister
00:30:17.94\00:30:19.69
and she says, hey, would you
be interested in going to GYC.
00:30:19.72\00:30:23.35
She said, you've been sponsored.
00:30:23.38\00:30:25.41
Now, little bit I know
00:30:25.44\00:30:26.47
that my mother paid
for me to come to GYC
00:30:26.50\00:30:28.47
and my mother
knew, my sister knew
00:30:28.50\00:30:29.95
if I knew my
mother would've paid
00:30:29.98\00:30:31.28
I would have not
attended the conference.
00:30:31.31\00:30:33.69
So I figured I wanted to start
my life on a spiritual note,
00:30:33.72\00:30:36.84
you know start
off the New Year's
00:30:36.87\00:30:38.03
right with God and
not with a hangover.
00:30:38.06\00:30:40.46
So I decided I was
gonna go attend GYC.
00:30:40.49\00:30:43.43
And my mother GYC was
willing to go completely broke
00:30:43.46\00:30:47.51
for the salvation of her boy.
00:30:47.54\00:30:50.16
And I wonder how
many of a parents
00:30:50.19\00:30:51.87
here have the same mindset
00:30:51.90\00:30:53.83
that if you say how many,
00:30:53.86\00:30:55.30
how many parents here
are willing to give up
00:30:55.33\00:30:57.22
everything that they have
00:30:57.25\00:30:58.71
so that their son or daughter
00:30:58.74\00:31:00.35
can make into the
Kingdom Of Heaven.
00:31:00.38\00:31:02.30
And the reason
why I love my mother
00:31:02.33\00:31:03.76
and I respect her so much
00:31:03.79\00:31:04.88
is because she was
willing to go dead broke,
00:31:04.91\00:31:06.68
sell the house if she needed to,
00:31:06.71\00:31:08.29
just for the
betterment of my spiritual life.
00:31:08.32\00:31:11.30
But see, what I see,
00:31:11.33\00:31:12.69
when I mention
with young people,
00:31:12.72\00:31:15.28
the goals and the aspirations
00:31:15.31\00:31:16.57
of parents is to
have a successful career,
00:31:16.60\00:31:18.63
to find a right
mate, to go to Church
00:31:18.66\00:31:20.19
and be faithful type parents.
00:31:20.22\00:31:21.49
But GYC, there's so much more,
00:31:21.52\00:31:23.52
your parents--why
don't you see the investment
00:31:23.55\00:31:25.77
that you're willing to make
in order for them to be saved.
00:31:25.80\00:31:29.10
So I decided to go to
GYC, I was into traveling
00:31:29.13\00:31:31.81
during that time and
I was collecting hats
00:31:31.84\00:31:34.12
and loved to
travel to different cites.
00:31:34.15\00:31:36.98
I went to the bus at
this Church at Maranatha,
00:31:37.01\00:31:40.38
and I remember seeing a whole
lot of kids that wasn't my age.
00:31:40.41\00:31:43.71
That wasn't in my age group.
00:31:43.74\00:31:45.32
And I remember one of my
friends that was there told me,
00:31:45.35\00:31:47.60
he didn't know
anything about the conference
00:31:47.63\00:31:48.81
but he told me
it's a kid's conference.
00:31:48.84\00:31:51.94
So you can imagine
the mindset that I had
00:31:51.97\00:31:54.45
is getting on the bus, right.
00:31:54.48\00:31:56.70
And another
friend of mine Morris
00:31:56.73\00:31:58.20
who's here in attendance
was surprised to see me
00:31:58.23\00:32:01.51
and he asked the question,
00:32:01.54\00:32:02.57
do you know what
you're getting yourself into?
00:32:02.60\00:32:05.01
Morris, I don't
think you realized
00:32:05.04\00:32:06.34
the depth of
that question brother
00:32:06.37\00:32:08.17
because here I'm, a young guy
00:32:08.20\00:32:10.56
with this hat back,
with the big jacket,
00:32:10.59\00:32:12.44
with questions seeking answers.
00:32:12.47\00:32:14.84
And I remember
I pulled up to GYC
00:32:14.87\00:32:16.77
and as soon as
I got off the bus,
00:32:16.80\00:32:18.19
I knew I did not belong.
00:32:18.22\00:32:19.77
As I looked around,
I felt like everyone,
00:32:19.80\00:32:22.11
to me everyone was a outcast.
00:32:22.14\00:32:23.87
I was like, who are these young
ladies with the long dresses,
00:32:23.90\00:32:26.31
who are these people wearing--
00:32:26.34\00:32:27.42
you know quoting
Ellen G. White who--
00:32:27.45\00:32:29.29
why are they eating vegan food?
00:32:29.32\00:32:31.00
And praise God, I
love long dresses,
00:32:31.03\00:32:33.60
I'm striving to
become a vegan, pray for me,
00:32:33.63\00:32:36.17
I still struggle with
the cheese from time to time.
00:32:36.20\00:32:39.42
But I saw something
different in this conference
00:32:39.45\00:32:42.59
than I saw in any
other conference growing up.
00:32:42.62\00:32:45.08
I saw a group of young people
00:32:45.11\00:32:46.36
who had a purpose of
living and something,
00:32:46.39\00:32:48.93
and they was
living for something
00:32:48.96\00:32:50.10
so much greater than themselves.
00:32:50.13\00:32:51.93
They had a purpose, and
they had a purpose and a mission
00:32:51.96\00:32:55.04
and this is what drew me to GYC.
00:32:55.07\00:32:57.02
And I'm not going to lie,
00:32:57.05\00:32:58.08
I did not come to
necessarily here--
00:32:58.11\00:33:00.78
sermons or to come
bringing God into my life
00:33:00.81\00:33:03.53
but I wanted to
go get information,
00:33:03.56\00:33:04.94
you know, the seminars
that we've been going to
00:33:04.97\00:33:06.67
and kind of take notes
because my friends and I,
00:33:06.70\00:33:08.70
we used to debate
about religion, about sports
00:33:08.73\00:33:11.00
and I wanted to make
sure I got enough information
00:33:11.03\00:33:13.55
so I can go back and debate
the things that I learned.
00:33:13.58\00:33:16.33
We had good debates.
00:33:16.36\00:33:17.82
And I remember waking up
early, the morning devotions
00:33:17.85\00:33:20.99
and seeing this
Brother Sebastian Braxton
00:33:21.02\00:33:24.74
morning devotions is speaking
00:33:24.77\00:33:26.90
and I was drawn
to his Testimony,
00:33:26.93\00:33:29.04
to his sermonizing
because of the fact we had,
00:33:29.07\00:33:31.35
I felt like we had
a similar background.
00:33:31.38\00:33:33.47
I can honestly tell you
I do remember the seminars,
00:33:33.50\00:33:35.95
I was always in
attendance while I was at GYC
00:33:35.98\00:33:38.06
with my brother and my sister
00:33:38.09\00:33:39.70
and you know, the
loving sisters that I,
00:33:39.73\00:33:41.69
you know that sister that I have
00:33:41.72\00:33:42.89
is so loving and
caring suggested,
00:33:42.92\00:33:44.53
she suggested that I
go and meet new people.
00:33:44.56\00:33:47.85
So, anyway, I'm out by myself
00:33:47.88\00:33:49.88
and I remember Friday night
00:33:49.91\00:33:50.94
as I was getting my
turkey sandwich again,
00:33:50.97\00:33:52.97
this is before I met Jesus.
00:33:53.00\00:33:54.89
I was getting my
turkey sandwich Friday night
00:33:54.92\00:33:57.17
and I remember
meeting a young lady there,
00:33:57.20\00:33:58.85
of course, the story
always has to have a young lady
00:33:58.88\00:34:00.71
so I apologize for that.
00:34:00.74\00:34:02.46
But I remember her
talking and asking,
00:34:02.49\00:34:05.43
is this your first time
attending GYC and I said yes
00:34:05.46\00:34:08.15
and she was very surprised
00:34:08.18\00:34:10.68
the way that I
was talking to her,
00:34:10.71\00:34:12.00
that I was just
being myself, I was honest.
00:34:12.03\00:34:14.26
And I want to kind of
just suggest something to GYC,
00:34:14.29\00:34:17.79
to all those who are attendants.
00:34:17.82\00:34:19.74
I understand this is
a God fearing conference
00:34:19.77\00:34:23.15
but there's people
here who have never heard
00:34:23.18\00:34:25.08
the Seventh-day
Adventist message
00:34:25.11\00:34:26.43
that just want to see people
00:34:26.46\00:34:27.62
who are genuine
and true to themselves.
00:34:27.65\00:34:29.70
And the reason why this
young lady was surprised
00:34:29.73\00:34:31.66
is because she was, you know,
00:34:31.69\00:34:32.88
I wasn't saying God
bless for the happy Sabbath
00:34:32.91\00:34:34.85
you know, Maranatha,
00:34:34.88\00:34:35.99
all of the lingo that we
used as Adventist, I was myself.
00:34:36.02\00:34:40.56
So if you see
people who are here
00:34:40.59\00:34:41.96
who attended the
GYC, it's a time and place
00:34:41.99\00:34:44.64
for those
things but be yourself.
00:34:44.67\00:34:46.57
People are here
who had never attended,
00:34:46.60\00:34:48.38
who feel like an
outcast like I was.
00:34:48.41\00:34:50.52
So I appreciate
this young lady who,
00:34:50.55\00:34:52.13
who took time to talk to me.
00:34:52.16\00:34:54.84
I remember Sabbath morning;
00:34:54.87\00:34:56.71
because we used
to sit in the front,
00:34:56.74\00:34:57.83
I always wanted
to sit in the front
00:34:57.86\00:34:58.89
because I wanted
to get good seats.
00:34:58.92\00:35:00.72
And I remember
singing Sabbath morning,
00:35:00.75\00:35:02.28
I remember losing my
brother in law and my sister.
00:35:02.31\00:35:05.02
And I remember sitting--
00:35:05.05\00:35:07.67
oh, actually the young
lady that I saw Friday night,
00:35:07.70\00:35:10.04
I saw Sabbath morning,
00:35:10.07\00:35:11.46
so you know, you try
to play the cool guy,
00:35:11.49\00:35:13.25
so she is sitting
probably like a run over here
00:35:13.28\00:35:15.23
fifth, sixth row in the back.
00:35:15.26\00:35:16.72
So I'm walking down
the stage or down the aisle
00:35:16.75\00:35:19.07
and I'm making sure
that I was gonna sit
00:35:19.10\00:35:20.24
on the third row far right.
00:35:20.27\00:35:21.99
So that way you
know, I can turn around,
00:35:22.02\00:35:23.65
we make eye
contact, oh hey, hey,
00:35:23.68\00:35:25.42
you know, but
that didn't workout.
00:35:25.45\00:35:27.64
Hey, it didn't workout I'm
just being honest with you.
00:35:27.67\00:35:29.91
So, as I'm sitting up
front and I'm sitting there,
00:35:29.94\00:35:32.40
I turned around,
she's completely gone.
00:35:32.43\00:35:35.61
But I know that
God put me in that seat
00:35:35.64\00:35:37.24
for a specific
reason, I will tell you why.
00:35:37.27\00:35:39.76
I'll fast forward to
the GYC in Baltimore,
00:35:39.79\00:35:41.72
I went to the
seminar of Mike Finley
00:35:41.75\00:35:43.22
when he was preaching
and, and he was sharing
00:35:43.25\00:35:46.05
how he prepares for his sermon,
00:35:46.08\00:35:47.62
he says, right before he,
00:35:47.65\00:35:48.76
he speaks he
comes up to the pulpit
00:35:48.79\00:35:50.91
and he's praying to
God and God would tell him
00:35:50.94\00:35:52.64
there's a young lady over here,
there is a couple over here,
00:35:52.67\00:35:55.89
there is a young
gentleman over here.
00:35:55.92\00:35:57.44
And when you preach,
00:35:57.47\00:35:58.50
make sure to focus
in these specific areas.
00:35:58.53\00:36:02.45
Back tracking to my Testimony.
00:36:02.48\00:36:04.65
Sabbath morning, Mark
Finley speaks the sermon
00:36:04.68\00:36:08.68
and he remember, I
remember preaching the sermon,
00:36:08.71\00:36:10.54
God's passion
becomes our passion.
00:36:10.57\00:36:12.80
And I remember every
question that I had you I see,
00:36:12.83\00:36:15.20
it seemed like, you know
how Mark Finley preaches,
00:36:15.23\00:36:17.00
he does the whole
little roll about thing
00:36:17.03\00:36:18.29
and he points at you right.
00:36:18.32\00:36:19.96
And every question that
I had he seemed to be like,
00:36:19.99\00:36:22.89
out of the thousands
of millions of people
00:36:22.92\00:36:24.53
that he called,
he has chosen you.
00:36:24.56\00:36:26.74
There is no mistake that
you have been called to be
00:36:26.77\00:36:28.45
a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:36:28.48\00:36:29.62
And every question
I ever had you I see,
00:36:29.65\00:36:31.84
he seemed to be
answering at that very moment.
00:36:31.87\00:36:36.51
And that's the
first time in my life,
00:36:36.54\00:36:38.75
I felt The Great Controversy
being played out in my life.
00:36:38.78\00:36:42.18
Here I'm a Seventh-day
Adventist boy growing up,
00:36:42.21\00:36:45.06
not knowing why he's
the Seventh-day Adventist.
00:36:45.09\00:36:47.10
The only thing we knew that
we have a prophet in Ellen White
00:36:47.13\00:36:49.68
and we go to Church on Sabbath?
00:36:49.71\00:36:51.34
That's the only thing I knew.
00:36:51.37\00:36:52.99
But The Great Controversy
started happening in my life,
00:36:53.02\00:36:54.94
because here's the struggle,
God's love was appealing to me,
00:36:54.97\00:36:58.57
it says Lo-Ammi are you willing
to give your heart for me?
00:36:58.60\00:37:01.46
And here's the other struggle
00:37:01.49\00:37:02.52
and the other voice in my
head and the devil saying,
00:37:02.55\00:37:04.62
do not give up
everything that you have.
00:37:04.65\00:37:06.37
Look at everything
that you've accomplished.
00:37:06.40\00:37:07.74
Look what's going
to happen in your life.
00:37:07.77\00:37:09.40
And The Great
Controversy started to happen
00:37:09.43\00:37:11.80
in my life at that very moment.
00:37:11.83\00:37:13.97
And Mark Finley was
making an appeal and he,
00:37:14.00\00:37:15.90
he wanted
everyone to come up front
00:37:15.93\00:37:17.24
who was workers of the
conference and lay workers.
00:37:17.27\00:37:20.69
And I remembered looking
up with, with tears in my eyes
00:37:20.72\00:37:23.36
and the struggle and
this battle within my heart
00:37:23.39\00:37:25.49
and I saw my sister and
at that point GYC, I lost it.
00:37:25.52\00:37:29.06
I remembered every time
00:37:29.09\00:37:30.12
that my sister and
my mother prayed for me.
00:37:30.15\00:37:32.31
And I remembered I never cried,
00:37:32.34\00:37:34.81
if people know me, I don't cry,
00:37:34.84\00:37:36.39
I've lost friends in this life,
00:37:36.42\00:37:37.78
I've lost many friends
and many family relatives out
00:37:37.81\00:37:40.29
that I would never
be able to see again.
00:37:40.32\00:37:42.24
And I remember
crying like a baby
00:37:42.27\00:37:43.71
because I felt an
experience of God's love
00:37:43.74\00:37:46.48
that I'd never
had in my entire life.
00:37:46.51\00:37:49.01
And I remember for
the first time, GYC,
00:37:49.04\00:37:50.72
I wanted to make a change.
00:37:50.75\00:37:52.45
And I remember after
the seminar was over,
00:37:52.48\00:37:54.48
I came up to the
Brother Sebastian Braxton
00:37:54.51\00:37:57.01
and only thing I was
telling him, I was scared.
00:37:57.04\00:37:59.49
I didn't want to come back home,
00:37:59.52\00:38:00.81
I didn't want to
come back to Orlando
00:38:00.84\00:38:02.63
because I knew the experience
that I had at GYC was real
00:38:02.66\00:38:05.48
and it was gonna
be completely opposite
00:38:05.51\00:38:07.28
of what my lifestyle was here.
00:38:07.31\00:38:09.60
Things changed and I wish
00:38:09.63\00:38:10.69
I could say
everything was for the better.
00:38:10.72\00:38:12.27
I went back to the
club scene, I went drinking,
00:38:12.30\00:38:14.37
I went partying but
something was different,
00:38:14.40\00:38:17.39
something wasn't the same.
00:38:17.42\00:38:20.22
Why, because I
experienced something real.
00:38:20.25\00:38:22.73
I experienced a
genuine conversion here at GYC.
00:38:22.76\00:38:27.00
And I wanted that
to continue in my life.
00:38:27.03\00:38:29.34
I remember working
at the Nike factory
00:38:29.37\00:38:31.31
and I felt compelled to
go to an evangelistic school,
00:38:31.34\00:38:35.30
there at life, at Lady Lake.
00:38:35.33\00:38:37.16
And I remember
the first two weeks,
00:38:37.19\00:38:38.94
we drove up to
Bass Memorial Academy
00:38:38.97\00:38:40.94
to do our Bible Markings
00:38:40.97\00:38:42.77
and there I was able to meet
00:38:42.80\00:38:44.04
Jeff Marshal,
the VP of evangelism.
00:38:44.07\00:38:46.41
And out of the jokes
and the casual conversation
00:38:46.44\00:38:48.61
we had, I can only say
that we have a friendship
00:38:48.64\00:38:50.94
that we're bonded forever.
00:38:50.97\00:38:52.37
He has a kid and I'm happy
that John came into the world
00:38:52.40\00:38:55.08
and I'll be first person
to take him to his haircut.
00:38:55.11\00:38:57.28
So he can get a
fresh lineup like myself.
00:38:57.31\00:39:00.15
If he sees me, he is
gonna kill me, I know it.
00:39:00.18\00:39:02.69
But I remember going and
tending to that life and,
00:39:02.72\00:39:05.26
and my father passed away.
00:39:05.29\00:39:07.54
And it seemed that God was kind
of leading me to a direction
00:39:07.57\00:39:10.07
where I needed to be
more dependent on God.
00:39:10.10\00:39:13.07
And I know if my father
would've passed away outside
00:39:13.10\00:39:15.60
of me giving my heart to him,
00:39:15.63\00:39:17.25
GYC, I can be honest with you,
00:39:17.28\00:39:18.78
I don't know where my
life would've consisted of.
00:39:18.81\00:39:21.46
And from that time
from my father passed away
00:39:21.49\00:39:23.25
while I was attending life,
00:39:23.28\00:39:24.94
my mother, it took
a toll on my mother.
00:39:24.97\00:39:28.03
And I remember I was struggling
00:39:28.06\00:39:29.66
with my tuition and
I owed $2,000 dollars.
00:39:29.69\00:39:33.33
The day of
graduation I owed $2,000 dollars
00:39:33.36\00:39:35.58
to the
evangelists, who they are life.
00:39:35.61\00:39:37.63
And I remember,
the day of graduation,
00:39:37.66\00:39:39.12
my sister came and gave
me a $2,000 dollar check
00:39:39.15\00:39:41.48
from my mother that
she emptied up the savings
00:39:41.51\00:39:43.29
that she was saving
up throughout the years.
00:39:43.32\00:39:45.90
I lost a lot of
friends in this life.
00:39:45.93\00:39:50.61
And my mother was willing
to do anything to save her boy.
00:39:50.64\00:39:53.95
I remember I lost so
many friends in the world
00:39:53.98\00:39:56.70
but God replaced them
with the friends that I met
00:39:56.73\00:39:59.24
while I attended life
that are many are here
00:39:59.27\00:40:00.98
in attendance and I just
want to say I love you guys.
00:40:01.01\00:40:04.03
And I told God, Lord,
you need to send me away
00:40:04.06\00:40:06.13
from Orlando as far as possible,
00:40:06.16\00:40:07.32
so he answered my prayer
00:40:07.35\00:40:08.38
and He took me all
the way to California.
00:40:08.41\00:40:11.12
And I worked as a Bible
coordinator there for ASI.
00:40:11.15\00:40:14.47
And from there at time, I
got a call to be a Chaplin
00:40:14.50\00:40:16.72
and a Bible worker
coordinator at Heritage Academy.
00:40:16.75\00:40:19.42
And Lord knows where the
Lord would lead me after this.
00:40:19.45\00:40:21.97
But I'm always
open to His calling
00:40:22.00\00:40:23.52
because my life has been,
my life hasn't been as exciting
00:40:23.55\00:40:27.21
as it ever been since
giving my heart to Him.
00:40:27.24\00:40:29.55
I remember the first
time, when I was on stage
00:40:29.58\00:40:31.53
and we was
introducing a 3ABN in Seattle.
00:40:31.56\00:40:34.76
And everybody was texting me,
00:40:34.79\00:40:35.82
oh, Lo-Ammi, we saw you
on 3ABN, we are so excited.
00:40:35.85\00:40:38.12
And I asked my mother,
hey mom did you see me,
00:40:38.15\00:40:39.75
she says, yeah.
00:40:39.78\00:40:41.06
As she was not,
she was like you look,
00:40:41.09\00:40:42.68
you look very good
in your combination.
00:40:42.71\00:40:44.33
Who, who taught you
how to combine your tie
00:40:44.36\00:40:46.15
and your suits
and all of this stuff?
00:40:46.18\00:40:47.79
And I always wondered
why my mother like acted
00:40:47.82\00:40:50.16
that way, she wasn't excited
you know seeing me on stage.
00:40:50.19\00:40:53.64
And the reason why it's because
she believed in our heart
00:40:53.67\00:40:56.18
that I was gonna do
great things for God.
00:40:56.21\00:40:58.29
She had purpose in her
heart and she knew in her mind
00:40:58.32\00:41:00.25
that I was gonna be
the next Doug Batchelor,
00:41:00.28\00:41:01.68
the next Mark Finely,
00:41:01.71\00:41:02.81
all of these great
pioneers of the church.
00:41:02.84\00:41:04.46
She envisioned it, she
envisioned that in her boy.
00:41:04.49\00:41:08.53
And I remember as
time was drawing close
00:41:08.56\00:41:11.89
and my mother was
diagnosed with cancer.
00:41:11.92\00:41:14.91
And I ask that
you may pray for me
00:41:14.94\00:41:15.97
because I gonna share something
very personal with you guys
00:41:16.00\00:41:18.15
that I believe is
necessary to share.
00:41:18.18\00:41:21.07
And my mother who, if
anybody knows my mother,
00:41:21.10\00:41:23.03
was a God fearing woman.
00:41:23.06\00:41:24.77
Always active, she
was up at 3 in the morning
00:41:24.80\00:41:27.10
to do her devotions.
00:41:27.13\00:41:28.20
By the time I woke up at night,
00:41:28.23\00:41:29.26
she already have
half of her day done.
00:41:29.29\00:41:31.68
And I remember as cancer
was taking over her life for,
00:41:31.71\00:41:34.35
eating her very life away.
00:41:34.38\00:41:36.28
And she was bed stricken in bed.
00:41:36.31\00:41:38.68
I remember flying to
Puerto Rico and I'm here,
00:41:38.71\00:41:41.02
remember of every bad
feeling that I ever did GYC.
00:41:41.05\00:41:44.71
Every single time
that I saw my mother
00:41:44.74\00:41:47.43
appealing to me
and counseling me
00:41:47.46\00:41:50.02
and everything that I did,
I just rebelled against her,
00:41:50.05\00:41:53.09
and as I was standing
there, as she stayed on her bed,
00:41:53.12\00:41:56.33
she had this
glimpse of look like,
00:41:56.36\00:42:01.02
And for the first
time, GYC, I was able to see
00:42:01.05\00:42:03.22
the glimpse of how
God's love is for us
00:42:03.25\00:42:06.22
because regardless of my
past and regardless of my dirt
00:42:06.25\00:42:09.20
that I have done and all
of the falsity I may possess
00:42:09.23\00:42:11.72
and the actions that I have did,
God looks at me the same way
00:42:11.75\00:42:14.70
how my mother looked at me
when I walked into that room.
00:42:14.73\00:42:17.41
And I had questions
GYC because I had questions
00:42:17.44\00:42:19.69
whether or not
my mother loved me,
00:42:19.72\00:42:21.06
I had questions whether or
not my mother loved my father.
00:42:21.09\00:42:23.43
I had these
questions I'm human, you know.
00:42:23.46\00:42:26.28
And I remember
we had that moment
00:42:26.31\00:42:28.92
and I don't know if we don't
watch movies anymore, amen.
00:42:28.95\00:42:31.60
But you know there's
always a scene in the movie
00:42:31.63\00:42:34.13
where it's the intense
parts and everybody you know,
00:42:34.16\00:42:37.31
they kind of
share that final moment.
00:42:37.34\00:42:40.44
And as my mother
was there in pain.
00:42:40.47\00:42:44.44
For the 10-15
minutes, I had a conversation
00:42:44.47\00:42:46.76
that solidified everything.
00:42:46.79\00:42:48.86
And she says, Lo-Ammi,
I don't want you to cry
00:42:48.89\00:42:52.53
because I know that
I'm gonna finally see Jesus
00:42:52.56\00:42:55.13
by the tree of life.
00:42:55.16\00:42:56.71
I'm gonna see your
father, I want to see you,
00:42:56.74\00:43:00.00
I want to see your family.
00:43:00.03\00:43:01.91
And we'll forever be together,
00:43:01.94\00:43:03.24
we're gonna be a
perfect piece Lo-Ammi.
00:43:03.27\00:43:07.05
And Lo-Ammi regardless
and this is what she told me,
00:43:07.08\00:43:09.60
Lo-Ammi
regardless of the situation,
00:43:09.63\00:43:12.25
regardless of the
friends that we meet,
00:43:12.28\00:43:14.57
the friends that we
have lost and the memories
00:43:14.60\00:43:16.63
that we share,
Lo-Ammi, it's about faith.
00:43:16.66\00:43:19.54
Lo-Ammi, it's about faith.
00:43:19.57\00:43:22.38
And I made a
promise to my mother
00:43:22.41\00:43:25.05
and I said mom, it's
gonna be my sole purpose
00:43:25.08\00:43:27.80
to try to snatch as many
people out of the pits of hell
00:43:27.83\00:43:30.74
and to show them
the lovely Savior
00:43:30.77\00:43:32.54
that I met in Jesus Christ.
00:43:32.57\00:43:34.39
And my mother
looked at me, she said,
00:43:34.42\00:43:35.80
Lo-Ammi, I know you will.
00:43:35.83\00:43:38.38
And two days
later, she passed away.
00:43:38.41\00:43:41.62
I don't know what
my life would have been
00:43:41.65\00:43:44.13
if I never got on that
bus to come here to GYC.
00:43:44.16\00:43:48.10
And these words from
my good friend Fred who,
00:43:48.13\00:43:50.16
who asked me
Lo-Ammi, I know who you are.
00:43:50.19\00:43:53.14
Lo-Ammi, I know
where you came from,
00:43:53.17\00:43:54.63
we used to do dirt together.
00:43:54.66\00:43:56.20
What made you make a
radical commitment to God?
00:43:56.23\00:43:59.70
Because everybody has their
Jesus moments for a little time
00:43:59.73\00:44:02.20
and then we go right back
00:44:02.23\00:44:03.26
but you've been
consistent, what is it?
00:44:03.29\00:44:05.93
And to be honest with
you, I can't answer that GYC,
00:44:05.96\00:44:08.06
I just know that God
placed me on that bus
00:44:08.09\00:44:10.44
and he was gonna
lead me to a conference
00:44:10.47\00:44:12.23
where it was gonna
change my life forever.
00:44:12.26\00:44:14.72
And he told me these words
00:44:14.75\00:44:16.50
that are always gonna
resonate in my heart forever.
00:44:16.53\00:44:19.98
He says Lo-Ammi,
we're looking at you.
00:44:20.01\00:44:22.55
And if you ever
decide to come back to us
00:44:22.58\00:44:25.01
and do the things
that we used to do,
00:44:25.04\00:44:26.37
we'll open you with
open arms, but just know
00:44:26.40\00:44:29.40
you will kill your
witness about God to us.
00:44:29.43\00:44:33.08
So GYC, my walk isn't my walk.
00:44:33.11\00:44:35.53
Every morning, I wakeup,
00:44:35.56\00:44:36.82
I'm living my
life for my friends.
00:44:36.85\00:44:38.72
I'm living my life for
those who are around me,
00:44:38.75\00:44:41.18
so they can see that God is real
00:44:41.21\00:44:43.07
and he's still
active in saving souls.
00:44:43.10\00:44:45.27
Yes, even a
wretched soul like me.
00:44:45.30\00:44:48.44
And now, being
before the universe,
00:44:48.47\00:44:51.58
I can show and I can tell people
00:44:51.61\00:44:53.25
that this great
controversy is real
00:44:53.28\00:44:55.24
because it was
played out in my life.
00:44:55.27\00:44:57.81
See, I was a boy with no vision;
00:44:57.84\00:44:59.65
I was a boy
with no understanding
00:44:59.68\00:45:01.21
of why he was
calling to the faith.
00:45:01.24\00:45:03.15
But now I have a
mission and I have a drive
00:45:03.18\00:45:05.24
to see people give their
hearts to the only person
00:45:05.27\00:45:07.66
who ever loved
them and ever cared.
00:45:07.69\00:45:09.62
GYC, before I met an angels
00:45:13.74\00:45:15.95
isn't just a
conference, it's a life style.
00:45:15.98\00:45:19.54
For everything that we do,
we're standing before friends,
00:45:19.57\00:45:23.43
before men and before angels.
00:45:23.46\00:45:26.42
The things that I
say, the way that I dress,
00:45:26.45\00:45:28.41
the things that I
speak, the way that I think,
00:45:28.44\00:45:30.12
I'm now a spectacle
to the entire world.
00:45:30.15\00:45:33.78
I was a rebel without a cause
00:45:33.81\00:45:36.21
but now I have a cause to rebel.
00:45:36.24\00:45:38.48
To rebel against the
standards of the world,
00:45:38.51\00:45:40.89
to live before the
world as a spectacle,
00:45:40.92\00:45:43.90
a spectacle that God
is real and active today.
00:45:43.93\00:45:48.06
And my question
is, will you join me?
00:45:48.09\00:45:50.46
Will you join me in
entering this great controversy,
00:45:50.49\00:45:52.82
to live your life
as if you're standing
00:45:52.85\00:45:55.74
before the very presence of God
00:45:55.77\00:45:57.51
on a every day
moment and every day basis.
00:45:57.54\00:46:00.54
If you would have
told me three years ago,
00:46:00.57\00:46:02.30
that I'll be standing before
people in Orlando, Florida
00:46:02.33\00:46:05.33
at a GYC conference
sharing my Testimony,
00:46:05.36\00:46:07.81
I would've laughed in your face.
00:46:07.84\00:46:09.96
If you would have told
me, that I was gonna be
00:46:09.99\00:46:12.45
the coordinator for the
service projects in evangelism,
00:46:12.48\00:46:16.73
in the same city
that I partied in
00:46:16.76\00:46:18.52
and did my dirt in and
now that I'm going to go out
00:46:18.55\00:46:20.53
and evangelize Friday which
I expect everybody on a bus
00:46:20.56\00:46:23.25
come Friday morning,
I would have laughed.
00:46:23.28\00:46:26.52
But you see, God something,
saw something unique in me.
00:46:26.55\00:46:30.35
Something that I
cannot see in myself,
00:46:30.38\00:46:33.19
and now I'm standing before God
00:46:33.22\00:46:34.97
and I'm standing before you
and I'm standing before people
00:46:35.00\00:46:36.95
who are watching
online, I'm standing before them
00:46:36.98\00:46:39.42
and saying, my life is a
Testimony of what God can do
00:46:39.45\00:46:43.74
if you just give
your heart to him.
00:46:43.77\00:46:46.49
Listen, my life
was full of excitement
00:46:46.52\00:46:48.23
but there is
nothing more exciting
00:46:48.26\00:46:49.57
then being here
with God's people,
00:46:49.60\00:46:51.75
talking about God
and living for God
00:46:51.78\00:46:55.06
and doing
everything you can for God.
00:46:55.09\00:46:59.17
I'm gonna make an
appeal, specific appeal.
00:46:59.20\00:47:04.14
And this is for
those who attended GYC
00:47:04.17\00:47:05.99
for the very first time.
00:47:06.02\00:47:08.41
Who's come to this conference
not knowing who they are,
00:47:08.44\00:47:11.91
not knowing what to expect.
00:47:11.94\00:47:14.36
But they've seen
something that is real,
00:47:14.39\00:47:16.73
they felt the prick of God
talking to their very hearts
00:47:16.76\00:47:20.42
and they want something genuine.
00:47:20.45\00:47:22.78
Listen, if you--
I can't tell you,
00:47:22.81\00:47:25.14
I can't exaggerate
how much I'm in awe
00:47:25.17\00:47:28.13
of how God has directed my life
that I'm standing before you
00:47:28.16\00:47:30.99
at the very
conference that changed my life.
00:47:31.02\00:47:32.71
It could be you if you have
never given your heart to Jesus.
00:47:32.74\00:47:37.91
I'm talking about,
not just I go to Church
00:47:37.94\00:47:40.29
from time to time, I
may have my devotions,
00:47:40.32\00:47:42.06
I acknowledge that God is good.
00:47:42.09\00:47:43.55
But I'm talking about never
fully giving your heart to God
00:47:43.58\00:47:47.02
and completely surrender
your life to him and say,
00:47:47.05\00:47:49.61
Lord use me for your service.
00:47:49.64\00:47:52.99
If that is you at this moment,
00:47:53.02\00:47:54.81
I ask that you
may come up front.
00:47:54.84\00:47:56.47
Those who had attended
GYC for the very first time,
00:47:56.50\00:47:59.32
who have never had an
experience with Jesus Christ
00:47:59.35\00:48:02.30
and you say that you know what,
00:48:02.33\00:48:03.49
I saw something
in this conference
00:48:03.52\00:48:05.06
that I want to be a part of,
00:48:05.09\00:48:06.49
I want to be a
part of this movement,
00:48:06.52\00:48:07.85
I want to be do-- I want
to do great things for God.
00:48:07.88\00:48:10.14
And Lord, I don't
know what you have for me,
00:48:10.17\00:48:12.34
but I'm willing
to give it to, now.
00:48:12.37\00:48:13.63
If that is you I ask,
that you may come up front.
00:48:13.66\00:48:16.30
Praise God.
00:48:16.33\00:48:18.10
I know I was that
boy in the fifth row,
00:48:18.13\00:48:20.85
I was the one who was listening
00:48:20.88\00:48:22.40
to the voice of
God who talked to me.
00:48:22.43\00:48:23.78
I was the one who was
struggling with the idea,
00:48:23.81\00:48:26.28
should I give my heart
to God and I can tell you,
00:48:26.31\00:48:28.48
it's been the best
decision I have ever made.
00:48:28.51\00:48:32.19
And those who
are coming up front,
00:48:32.22\00:48:33.70
never forget this moment.
00:48:33.73\00:48:35.74
Those who are coming up front,
00:48:35.77\00:48:36.86
always go back to this
point in your life and say,
00:48:36.89\00:48:39.31
Lord this is
tough, I'm going against,
00:48:39.34\00:48:41.36
I'm kicking against the grain,
00:48:41.39\00:48:42.74
friends are mocking me,
friends are really killing me
00:48:42.77\00:48:44.85
and go back to this
very moment and say,
00:48:44.88\00:48:47.30
God, I have my life, my
life is so surrendered to you
00:48:47.33\00:48:50.78
and God would do great
amount of things for you.
00:48:50.81\00:48:53.74
Second appeal, I know
GYC has a negative reputation
00:48:53.77\00:49:00.23
with many people who have
never attended this conference.
00:49:00.26\00:49:05.16
But if there's elders, workers
in the Florida conference
00:49:05.19\00:49:08.95
of Southeastern conference
who's attended this conference
00:49:08.98\00:49:11.65
or if you're Pastor or elder
00:49:11.68\00:49:13.05
that you was kind
of skeptical about GYC
00:49:13.08\00:49:15.04
but you'll see an
army of young people
00:49:15.07\00:49:18.15
who is radically wanting
to give their lives to God
00:49:18.18\00:49:20.87
and do great things for them.
00:49:20.90\00:49:23.02
My biggest struggle
when I came back into--
00:49:23.05\00:49:26.22
when I gave my
heart back to God,
00:49:26.25\00:49:27.71
my biggest struggle
that there was nothing
00:49:27.74\00:49:29.33
for young
adults here in Orlando.
00:49:29.36\00:49:31.90
And I praise God for SALT
00:49:31.93\00:49:33.26
and you guys will
know more about SALT,
00:49:33.29\00:49:35.06
check out their booth
but this is a ministry
00:49:35.09\00:49:37.15
that they saw
group of young people
00:49:37.18\00:49:38.68
who wants to do something
for this city of Orlando
00:49:38.71\00:49:41.30
and if you are a lay worker
or if you are a elder, a pastor,
00:49:41.33\00:49:43.81
a conference
president whoever, whatever
00:49:43.84\00:49:45.66
and you saw GYC
and you saw a glimpse
00:49:45.69\00:49:47.99
of what Orlando can
be on a consistent basis
00:49:48.02\00:49:50.93
and you want to do
something like this
00:49:50.96\00:49:52.70
in your local churches to
invite young people to pray,
00:49:52.73\00:49:56.32
to study the words
of-- hear good sermons
00:49:56.35\00:49:58.98
that comes from
the Bible and not--
00:49:59.01\00:50:02.25
do you
understand what I'm saying,
00:50:02.28\00:50:03.70
if that's you, come up front.
00:50:03.73\00:50:05.14
For those who came up front,
00:50:15.36\00:50:18.23
I'm talking to you directly.
00:50:18.26\00:50:20.64
God is going to do
great things for you.
00:50:20.67\00:50:24.62
Every morning, when you wakeup,
00:50:24.65\00:50:26.90
we commit the heart to You.
00:50:26.93\00:50:29.36
Come back and say,
Lord, I don't know what to do,
00:50:29.39\00:50:32.60
but you took the first step.
00:50:32.63\00:50:35.44
Ask the desires
of your heart to God,
00:50:35.47\00:50:37.35
he will answer
you, then I can imagine,
00:50:37.38\00:50:40.77
I'm looking at your faces,
00:50:40.80\00:50:41.98
I'm hoping to see
you up here one day.
00:50:42.01\00:50:44.53
And I know you will, I know
you'll do great things for God.
00:50:44.56\00:50:48.62
For my family and my friends,
00:50:48.65\00:50:50.91
I'm just a middle man
trying to do God's work
00:50:50.94\00:50:53.49
and I want to personally thank
everyone who has prayed for me,
00:50:53.52\00:50:57.01
who has labored for me,
who looked at me as an outcast
00:50:57.04\00:51:00.65
and said there
is no hope in him.
00:51:00.68\00:51:02.80
But you see, your
perception of reality
00:51:02.83\00:51:04.88
is so different from God.
00:51:04.91\00:51:07.74
I just want to close
out with the word of prayer.
00:51:07.77\00:51:09.90
You can bow with me.
00:51:09.93\00:51:11.16
Father in heaven,
00:51:15.51\00:51:18.44
we are truly
before men and angels.
00:51:18.47\00:51:21.74
And father we know that
the Gospel is still real
00:51:21.77\00:51:24.03
and active even in 2014,
00:51:24.06\00:51:28.08
that the worlds
maybe seemed to go crazy
00:51:28.11\00:51:30.70
and offering their
lowest of the things
00:51:30.73\00:51:33.06
that we desire
but father you've seen
00:51:33.09\00:51:36.49
the hearts of these young people
00:51:36.52\00:51:37.81
and you see so
much potential in them.
00:51:37.84\00:51:40.37
And you want to do
great things for them.
00:51:40.40\00:51:43.26
Now father, I'm
just so appreciative
00:51:43.29\00:51:45.48
for using a broken
empty sinner like myself.
00:51:45.51\00:51:49.88
Father these are
yours, I thank you so much
00:51:49.91\00:51:54.15
for being patient
with me and loving me.
00:51:54.18\00:51:56.96
I thank you for my
family and for my mother
00:51:56.99\00:51:58.75
who dedicated
her life to save me.
00:51:58.78\00:52:03.75
Lord, I pray that my
Testimony-- my Testimony
00:52:03.78\00:52:06.14
doesn't end today,
it's a continual Testimony.
00:52:06.17\00:52:09.80
But father, we stand
before you, before the universe.
00:52:09.83\00:52:13.40
I would have entered
into this Great Controversy
00:52:13.43\00:52:16.26
on the side of yours.
00:52:16.29\00:52:18.47
And we want to do
everything in our power
00:52:18.50\00:52:20.05
to represent you
the best where we can.
00:52:20.08\00:52:23.07
We ask for your grace, we
ask for your mercy Father.
00:52:23.10\00:52:26.46
We thank you so much
for sending your Spirit
00:52:26.49\00:52:29.23
in to touch our very hearts.
00:52:29.26\00:52:31.18
Be with every individual
00:52:31.21\00:52:33.27
who has given their
hearts to you dear Lord.
00:52:33.30\00:52:35.73
Be with them,
don't ever forsake them.
00:52:35.76\00:52:38.44
I thank you so much for
everything you have done.
00:52:38.47\00:52:41.56
We pray this in the name
of your son Jesus Christ.
00:52:41.59\00:52:44.58
Amen.
00:52:44.61\00:52:45.71