Welcome back! 00:00:13.60\00:00:14.63 You know I'm hoping what this testimony does, 00:00:14.66\00:00:17.15 what this story does, what this journey does, 00:00:17.18\00:00:19.08 is help you to not ever look at the Pastor or 00:00:19.11\00:00:21.59 somebody in ministry. 00:00:21.62\00:00:22.71 Somebody that you put up on a pedestal and think 00:00:22.74\00:00:25.29 you know who they are. 00:00:25.32\00:00:26.35 Because God is helping everyone of us to stand, 00:00:26.38\00:00:29.11 to walk through this journey, to get over our junk, 00:00:29.14\00:00:31.80 to get out of, like Pastor Ken, his addiction. 00:00:31.83\00:00:35.55 It's amazing that we get to have these incredible men 00:00:35.58\00:00:39.78 and women of God sitting in front of us, 00:00:39.81\00:00:41.79 but sometimes I'm saying, if you can, pray for them. 00:00:41.82\00:00:45.32 I wanted to find out by Ken's wife did she know all this? 00:00:45.35\00:00:49.15 Did you know all this? 00:00:49.18\00:00:50.80 - no I didn't 00:00:50.83\00:00:51.86 - none 00:00:51.89\00:00:52.92 - no. 00:00:52.95\00:00:53.98 I knew that Ken had been in trouble before, but when we 00:00:54.01\00:00:57.64 got together he was 19 and I was 27 and had 4 children. 00:00:57.67\00:01:03.02 My oldest was 13, so there wasn't quite a bit of 00:01:03.05\00:01:07.85 difference between them, but there was between us. 00:01:07.88\00:01:10.46 I had not done the drug scene, I was too busy having 00:01:10.49\00:01:14.37 babies- right! 00:01:14.40\00:01:16.04 So you're busy telling him, you know what you have 00:01:16.07\00:01:18.41 to be done with this 00:01:18.44\00:01:19.60 - right, that's right. 00:01:19.63\00:01:20.70 - the story you told me on the break about his parents, 00:01:20.73\00:01:25.35 when his mom met you, I think that is hysterical 00:01:25.38\00:01:28.15 because you were not without your own issues, 00:01:28.18\00:01:31.44 you just hadn't done the Meth. 00:01:31.47\00:01:32.99 Yep, I smoked, I drank, I cussed and here was this 00:01:33.02\00:01:37.44 Christian lady that I volunteered her to stay at my 00:01:37.47\00:01:40.60 house and I must've terrified her at the time because 00:01:40.63\00:01:45.17 years later she told me that she had the whole Church 00:01:45.20\00:01:48.03 praying that we wouldn't make it. 00:01:48.06\00:01:49.79 - because now he's with this older woman who is not 00:01:49.82\00:01:53.47 a Christian, or were you a Christian? 00:01:53.50\00:01:56.47 No - oh man, and so your mom was hoping that you would 00:01:56.50\00:02:01.24 find your way back. 00:02:01.27\00:02:02.43 And it is funny because when you said Sherry, that you 00:02:02.46\00:02:05.03 come in with all this stuff I bet they were just dying. 00:02:05.06\00:02:08.07 You know I went to California to work for logger when 00:02:08.10\00:02:14.80 I met Sherry, and I brought her actually back to meet my 00:02:14.83\00:02:20.61 mother, but I was with Sherry's sister. 00:02:20.64\00:02:24.57 So there is a more confusing thing then that, when it 00:02:24.60\00:02:28.35 switched around and turned the other way, her sister 00:02:28.38\00:02:30.98 was younger than me and Sherry is older than me. 00:02:31.01\00:02:34.12 I think my mom thinks wow, which way is her son going? 00:02:34.15\00:02:38.45 She is wanting me to get back with God in my life and 00:02:38.48\00:02:41.20 she thought I was going way the wrong direction. 00:02:41.23\00:02:44.84 So you know to me how did you guys, and only because 00:02:44.87\00:02:51.71 of time, how did you guys get married? 00:02:51.74\00:02:53.94 Get into Ministry, how did God lead? 00:02:53.97\00:02:57.45 It just seems right now real crazy, real mixed up and 00:02:57.48\00:03:01.72 yet I know you stepped into Ministry because every 00:03:01.75\00:03:03.57 time I have met you that is where you have been. 00:03:03.60\00:03:05.86 - well you know the thing was every time I would 00:03:05.89\00:03:08.61 be around Ken's mother, she was an awesome lady and 00:03:08.64\00:03:11.55 still is an awesome lady, a Christian lady. 00:03:11.58\00:03:14.50 I would think wow, I would like to be like her. 00:03:14.53\00:03:17.25 Then that led us back to church and we would be in 00:03:17.28\00:03:22.15 and out of church constantly. 00:03:22.18\00:03:24.94 Then the drug issue started again 00:03:24.97\00:03:30.59 - because he would relapse 00:03:30.62\00:03:31.78 - he would relapse and he would disappear sometimes, well a 00:03:31.81\00:03:36.18 couple times you were gone for 3 months at a time. 00:03:36.21\00:03:39.00 Our daughter got killed in a car wreck. 00:03:39.03\00:03:45.17 We was going back to church then. 00:03:45.20\00:03:46.93 Ken had left home, we were separated for 3 months 00:03:46.96\00:03:54.56 and he came home and she was killed in a matter of a 00:03:54.59\00:03:57.45 couple months after that. 00:03:57.48\00:03:59.20 I think God led him back home because He knew I couldn't 00:03:59.23\00:04:03.70 handle all that without Ken. 00:04:03.73\00:04:05.51 - I can't imagine having to go through that, even with 00:04:05.54\00:04:11.00 all the support, being right in the lap of God, but you 00:04:11.03\00:04:15.41 went through that in the middle of all this chaos. 00:04:15.44\00:04:17.30 - there was a lot of partying, and drinking 00:04:17.33\00:04:20.17 - and your daughter was using when she was killed. 00:04:20.20\00:04:23.07 Yeah, she was using too. 00:04:23.10\00:04:26.03 We moved from California to Arkansas because we thought 00:04:26.06\00:04:30.77 that would be Ken away from the drugs, well it is worse 00:04:30.80\00:04:33.92 in Arkansas, and then he disappeared again. 00:04:33.95\00:04:37.48 At that point I had had enough. 00:04:37.51\00:04:41.69 I was going back to California and 00:04:41.72\00:04:43.42 I didn't want anymore. 00:04:43.45\00:04:45.11 Ken called me from a motel in town and asked if 00:04:45.14\00:04:52.34 he could come home, and I said I really don't care. 00:04:52.37\00:04:55.16 - I'm done, I can't do this again. 00:04:55.19\00:04:57.45 He came home. 00:04:57.48\00:04:58.88 You know I came home and I remember when I called you 00:04:58.91\00:05:04.47 that night, how I knew my life is over. 00:05:04.50\00:05:08.76 This wasn't the first time that this it happened multiple times. 00:05:08.79\00:05:12.82 I hadn't been faithful to you on more than one occasion. 00:05:12.85\00:05:16.08 I thought well Lord, I've hit the bottom. 00:05:16.11\00:05:18.58 What am I going to do? 00:05:18.61\00:05:19.75 In a motel room I prayed and asked God to help me. 00:05:19.78\00:05:23.28 Of course I was coming down from being on Meth for 00:05:23.31\00:05:25.93 several days and I got home and said hello to you. 00:05:25.96\00:05:31.25 We had hardly said anything, she had nothing to say 00:05:31.28\00:05:34.37 to me, and I walked back into the bedroom and 00:05:34.40\00:05:36.59 I picked up this Bible and I opened it up. 00:05:36.62\00:05:38.90 It just opened up to right where I am right now. 00:05:38.93\00:05:41.53 I said God help me what do I need? 00:05:41.56\00:05:43.07 Then I went to of all places the Chronicles, 00:05:43.10\00:05:46.48 some people say, wow, what can you find there? 00:05:46.51\00:05:49.40 I found so much there, my Bible is just marked up there. 00:05:49.43\00:05:52.35 It is the place that my life changed. 00:05:52.38\00:05:54.98 When I really came to the conclusion of where 00:05:55.01\00:05:58.41 I needed to be with God. 00:05:58.44\00:05:59.59 That He was my friend and He would help me. 00:05:59.62\00:06:01.13 And I read this line in chapter 15, and it says, in 00:06:01.16\00:06:05.66 verse 2, and I'm not going to read the whole thing. 00:06:05.69\00:06:08.05 Is talking about King Asa, but it says, 00:06:08.08\00:06:10.57 "The Lord is with you, while would you be with him" and 00:06:10.60\00:06:14.16 it goes on to say, "if you seek him, he will be found 00:06:14.19\00:06:19.09 of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. " 00:06:19.12\00:06:22.06 You see I hadn't had God in my life, not in a serious 00:06:22.09\00:06:26.29 way - right! 00:06:26.32\00:06:27.35 Not in a serious way. 00:06:27.38\00:06:28.41 I thought back to when I was 18 and I wanted to be a 00:06:28.44\00:06:31.28 minister and here now my life I knew my marriage was finished. 00:06:31.31\00:06:35.20 I knew it was going to be over. 00:06:35.23\00:06:36.95 In the previous chapter it talks how it is nothing 00:06:36.98\00:06:41.33 for God to help those with no power. 00:06:41.36\00:06:43.31 I had no power over this drug, over this addiction, 00:06:43.34\00:06:46.33 over the alcohol, over all the different things. 00:06:46.36\00:06:48.78 I didn't have any power... 00:06:48.81\00:06:49.97 - in lie of your whole life was this drug it was going to give 00:06:50.00\00:06:53.47 you power, and you're at the place saying it was a lie 00:06:53.50\00:06:56.36 the whole time because I'm losing everything. 00:06:56.39\00:06:58.82 I've lost everything. 00:06:58.85\00:06:59.91 - well you know Ken came out of the bedroom and 00:06:59.94\00:07:03.07 he told me he had read that and said, will you stay 00:07:03.10\00:07:09.40 if I get counseling? 00:07:09.43\00:07:10.79 I said I don't know if I can. 00:07:10.82\00:07:13.22 I have been hurt too many times, and he asked me if 00:07:13.25\00:07:18.82 I would make the appointment. 00:07:18.85\00:07:20.39 I said no - you have got to do it, 00:07:20.42\00:07:22.99 I can't keep doing this for you. 00:07:23.02\00:07:24.42 I said if you want it, you do it yourself. 00:07:24.45\00:07:26.15 He did and we went to some counseling sessions a couple 00:07:26.18\00:07:31.06 times, but it's been an awesome ride ever since. 00:07:31.09\00:07:34.73 - because you know what he was serious then. 00:07:34.76\00:07:38.30 Yes, you know I look Cheri, and I know how much 00:07:38.33\00:07:44.01 I hurt my wife because of an addiction I had. 00:07:44.04\00:07:47.66 But when I really realized if I would take the time 00:07:47.69\00:07:51.09 to keep you know God, get to know Jesus. 00:07:51.12\00:07:54.41 It took me back to where I mention Morris Venden, 00:07:54.44\00:07:56.99 that was his message. 00:07:57.02\00:07:58.12 Jesus can be your best friend, but it is going to 00:07:58.15\00:08:00.54 take your time, it is going to take something of an 00:08:00.57\00:08:03.71 effort for that to happen. 00:08:03.74\00:08:05.92 I have found since then, there is no high like the 00:08:05.95\00:08:10.37 high that comes from knowing Jesus. 00:08:10.40\00:08:12.16 From spending time in the Bible. 00:08:12.19\00:08:14.68 He said, if you seek Me, you will find Me and I took 00:08:14.71\00:08:19.73 Him up on that and we started going back to church. 00:08:19.76\00:08:21.87 - in the high, even for people that don't know too. 00:08:21.90\00:08:26.13 The high in the restoration of your family, 00:08:26.16\00:08:29.05 the high in all the sudden really being there as a 00:08:29.08\00:08:32.13 parent to your children, all of a sudden life becomes, 00:08:32.16\00:08:35.10 instead of an illusion that I am happy and everything 00:08:35.13\00:08:38.07 is in control, I literally am given my life by Christ. 00:08:38.10\00:08:41.87 I get to see the love relationship of my spouse grow. 00:08:41.90\00:08:47.00 The trust in my children grow. 00:08:47.03\00:08:49.47 The trust and my parents again come back. 00:08:49.50\00:08:51.68 All that kind of stuff that God says let Me give you 00:08:51.71\00:08:53.94 something that is real to hold onto now. 00:08:53.97\00:08:56.13 - Will it takes a while for that trust to come back. 00:08:56.16\00:08:58.81 There is many times when he was a little bit late from 00:08:58.84\00:09:02.67 work I would get that sick feeling again. 00:09:02.70\00:09:05.88 Here we go again. 00:09:05.91\00:09:08.24 Even my kids, our kids would go how long is it 00:09:08.27\00:09:12.67 going to last this time mom? 00:09:12.70\00:09:14.40 Because they had no faith in Ken either, because 00:09:14.43\00:09:17.35 he had hurt them too so many times by falling. 00:09:17.38\00:09:20.19 But now, they are so proud of him. 00:09:20.22\00:09:24.67 So, so then, God is restoring your family, 00:09:24.70\00:09:29.98 restoring all that and then He is literally pushing 00:09:30.01\00:09:33.42 you out to step into Ministry. 00:09:33.45\00:09:35.36 What did that look like you guys? 00:09:35.39\00:09:37.10 You know the Pastor that was at the church, when I got 00:09:37.13\00:09:40.52 into Ministry, was a man named Jerry Mays. 00:09:40.55\00:09:42.75 He had a belief that God can use anybody. 00:09:42.78\00:09:46.39 God can use lay people and part of that I think he, 00:09:46.42\00:09:52.29 how do I say it, when I get into doing something 00:09:52.32\00:09:58.60 I want to do it. 00:09:58.63\00:09:59.74 He saw that drive and an opportunity came for me to 00:09:59.77\00:10:02.80 Pastor, actually Jim Gilley was the president of the conference. 00:10:02.83\00:10:06.36 When I say conference some people wouldn't know, 00:10:06.39\00:10:08.92 he was in charge of who would be Pastor, 00:10:08.95\00:10:11.69 and he gave me that opportunity to be a Pastor. 00:10:11.72\00:10:16.32 I was a Bible Vocational Pastor for almost 00:10:16.35\00:10:20.05 4 years in Arkansas. 00:10:20.08\00:10:21.61 It was a lot of challenges. 00:10:21.64\00:10:24.20 You give a 100% no matter what side you are on. 00:10:24.23\00:10:26.88 You know I lived here at my church was 50 miles this way 00:10:26.91\00:10:30.76 and the work I did was 50 miles the other way. 00:10:30.79\00:10:33.76 I got into it and wanted to work for the Lord. 00:10:33.79\00:10:37.82 I have to stress this one point, I began to have 00:10:37.85\00:10:42.94 relationship on a daily basis. 00:10:42.97\00:10:45.00 When I say relationship I mean I spent time 00:10:45.03\00:10:47.15 in the Bible. 00:10:47.18\00:10:48.23 I spent time by just reading it and saying, 00:10:48.26\00:10:50.48 God what are you trying to say to me? 00:10:50.51\00:10:52.94 Speak to me. 00:10:52.97\00:10:54.62 Open my eyes. 00:10:54.65\00:10:56.43 And prayer is part of that. 00:10:56.46\00:10:58.31 Letting Him speak to me, and you are in 00:10:58.34\00:11:01.99 prayer talking to Him. 00:11:02.02\00:11:03.05 He just changed my life. 00:11:03.08\00:11:04.61 The minute I stepped into the water and wanted to 00:11:04.64\00:11:07.87 follow Him, and was faithful to Him, just like He says, 00:11:07.90\00:11:11.51 here seek Him and I will find Him and if I forsake Him, 00:11:11.54\00:11:14.82 and I think that means if I don't seek Him. 00:11:14.85\00:11:16.93 If I don't make that decision that I want Him as a 00:11:16.96\00:11:19.37 friend, you see I knew I needed Him. 00:11:19.40\00:11:21.26 Morris Venden would say, one of the things you asked, 00:11:21.29\00:11:23.67 how do you get to know God, by spending time with Him. 00:11:23.70\00:11:30.05 Well what else, that's it. 00:11:30.08\00:11:33.04 By spending time with Him. 00:11:33.07\00:11:34.59 By getting to know Him just like anybody else. 00:11:34.62\00:11:37.15 You get to know your spouse by spending time with them. 00:11:37.18\00:11:39.92 Same thing with Christ, as a result of that 00:11:39.95\00:11:43.00 He can shine through you. 00:11:43.03\00:11:44.95 In my ministry, my desire is to reach out to people 00:11:44.98\00:11:48.68 with addictions, and people with problems. 00:11:48.71\00:11:50.62 In my church anybody is welcome. 00:11:50.65\00:11:53.07 Greatest words I heard, there is a girl who stood up 00:11:53.10\00:11:56.71 in church last week and she said, I'm in recovery from 00:11:56.74\00:12:00.07 crack cocaine and I haven't had it for year. 00:12:00.10\00:12:02.38 I haven't done it, Praise God! 00:12:02.41\00:12:04.41 - I met that girl - you met her. 00:12:04.44\00:12:07.90 I will tell you we had just met her and wrapped our 00:12:07.93\00:12:10.52 arms around her, because that is what Jesus does. 00:12:10.55\00:12:13.19 He says I can help you and He pulls you in and He wraps 00:12:13.22\00:12:16.17 His arms, I don't care if you're in the gutter. 00:12:16.20\00:12:17.94 In fact one person in a church we Pastored says, 00:12:17.97\00:12:21.18 I want somebody to Pastor that's been in the gutter. 00:12:21.21\00:12:23.33 And Sherry says, well that's us because we have. 00:12:23.36\00:12:26.30 We know these problems. 00:12:26.33\00:12:28.06 She was talking to somebody else from off the street 00:12:28.09\00:12:31.36 there, when we was feeding the hungry, we met her. 00:12:31.39\00:12:33.85 Bad area of town, shootings and stuff all the time, and 00:12:33.88\00:12:37.16 she was telling another person I belong to this church. 00:12:37.19\00:12:41.77 Now she's not a member or anything, but her attitude 00:12:41.80\00:12:44.81 and feeling is, I am were I've belong. 00:12:44.84\00:12:47.06 You see that is what God has called me into Ministry, 00:12:47.09\00:12:50.54 because of my recovery, because of me knowing Christ, 00:12:50.57\00:12:54.49 because of the importance of the Bible and now my job. 00:12:54.52\00:12:58.45 Remember what I said about the trees, my job of an 00:12:58.48\00:13:00.72 apple tree is to reproduce apple trees so that I can 00:13:00.75\00:13:04.66 wrap my arms around other people like Jesus wrapped 00:13:04.69\00:13:07.25 His arms around me. 00:13:07.28\00:13:08.54 - and let somebody else wrap around. 00:13:08.57\00:13:10.60 Yeah, and take them and except them where they 00:13:10.63\00:13:13.68 are at and say hey we are going to help you even 00:13:13.71\00:13:15.55 if you fall down. 00:13:15.58\00:13:16.69 I have to say this, I don't know how to say this. 00:13:16.72\00:13:20.03 The same girl, in one of the church lesson studies 00:13:20.06\00:13:23.52 where it is interactive, here she is in a group like 00:13:23.55\00:13:26.21 this and she says, she talks about she's turning tricks. 00:13:26.24\00:13:30.79 - you know what I think it gets funny because somebody 00:13:30.82\00:13:34.92 that she was in that same study said to me, you know I 00:13:34.95\00:13:37.94 think she was saying that she still has Johns. 00:13:37.97\00:13:40.19 She still has clients. 00:13:40.22\00:13:42.25 They are trying to wrap their minds around that. 00:13:42.28\00:13:44.25 What is she doing in Sabbath school? 00:13:44.28\00:13:46.01 Yeah, but God forgave Mary Magdalene 7 times and 00:13:46.04\00:13:51.29 we told them, you have to forgive her too. 00:13:51.32\00:13:54.12 What is really interesting to me is because I think you 00:13:54.15\00:13:56.73 have been there, and know what it feels like to fall, 00:13:56.76\00:13:58.82 is that you are literally saying, fall this direction. 00:13:58.85\00:14:02.51 Because there is going to be a day you will walk away 00:14:02.54\00:14:05.81 from all this. 00:14:05.84\00:14:06.91 She is one of the greatest helps we have in 00:14:06.94\00:14:09.48 that church, she loves God. 00:14:09.51\00:14:11.34 - she's still not turning tricks today? 00:14:11.37\00:14:14.28 - well I threaten her, if you need money come see me. 00:14:14.31\00:14:19.43 I feel as a Pastor my job is to protect people. 00:14:19.46\00:14:23.82 The Bible talks about the wheat and the tares and 00:14:23.85\00:14:29.35 how they grow together in the church. 00:14:29.38\00:14:31.03 And the dragnet, it talks about bringing all the fish in, 00:14:31.06\00:14:34.41 my responsibility is to bring people in, let them see 00:14:34.44\00:14:39.87 the love of God, hopefully through me, hopefully through 00:14:39.90\00:14:42.06 my wife and our Ministry. 00:14:42.09\00:14:43.46 To nurture them, and to hold onto them, and to 00:14:43.49\00:14:48.16 pick them up, you see I can't change anybody. 00:14:48.19\00:14:50.98 There were so many people the church that wanted to 00:14:51.01\00:14:53.86 change me, if we had the time I could talk of people 00:14:53.89\00:14:57.81 who were, Ron Halverson Sr, from Gangs to God, he came from 00:14:57.84\00:15:01.59 the gangs of Brooklyn he's my best friend, because he has 00:15:01.62\00:15:04.72 been there for me to help me. 00:15:04.75\00:15:06.12 You talk Pastors need prayer and stuff, oh yeah they do. 00:15:06.15\00:15:09.62 The struggles and stuff we go through, 00:15:09.65\00:15:11.33 we are constantly helping others in their addictions 00:15:11.36\00:15:15.72 and different things, but what about us? 00:15:15.75\00:15:17.43 I got people to pray for me - to mentor you - yes. 00:15:17.46\00:15:22.83 - That's incredible. 00:15:22.86\00:15:25.90 It has been an awesome ride. 00:15:25.93\00:15:27.66 - you know it's not over yet which is fun. 00:15:27.69\00:15:29.84 I'm going to open it up for questions. 00:15:29.87\00:15:31.79 Because I know that there are people that want 00:15:31.82\00:15:33.21 to ask you guys some questions. 00:15:33.24\00:15:35.17 I want to start right here with Carolina. 00:15:35.20\00:15:38.89 Yes I have a question. 00:15:38.92\00:15:41.68 When I was 15 years old I had a cousin and 00:15:41.71\00:15:46.04 he died of a drug addiction. 00:15:46.07\00:15:47.33 He died of an overdose and that really touched me 00:15:47.36\00:15:52.33 so I understand how painful it is for relatives 00:15:52.36\00:15:55.53 who have family who is going through an addiction. 00:15:55.56\00:16:00.92 So my question is, how can you support or help 00:16:00.95\00:16:04.64 someone that is struggling with a drug addiction? 00:16:04.67\00:16:07.35 What attitude should you present to the person? 00:16:07.38\00:16:10.95 You know in my addiction, I think my example 00:16:10.98\00:16:19.85 is probably one of the best things I could do 00:16:19.88\00:16:21.84 and hopefully they can see Jesus through me. 00:16:21.87\00:16:24.15 The young man that was going to one of our Christian 00:16:24.18\00:16:29.46 schools, and I didn't know he was really watching me. 00:16:29.49\00:16:32.79 He saw how I was before I found Jesus in my life. 00:16:32.82\00:16:38.22 Later on in talking with him, I heard him actually 00:16:38.25\00:16:43.90 giving, sharing his testimony how Christ had changed 00:16:43.93\00:16:49.02 him, and he had brought my name up. 00:16:49.05\00:16:50.84 And I thought wow, I had no idea that I had been 00:16:50.87\00:16:54.28 any kind of influence to him. 00:16:54.31\00:16:56.21 So even what Sherry was talking about when she met 00:16:56.24\00:17:00.65 your mom, I want to be like her. 00:17:00.68\00:17:02.17 The fact of just being who we are in 00:17:02.20\00:17:05.26 Christ around the addict. 00:17:05.29\00:17:06.72 It's tough you know when people are heavy into drugs, 00:17:06.75\00:17:10.32 sometimes it is not the time you can give them advice, 00:17:10.35\00:17:13.59 they are not looking for advice, 00:17:13.62\00:17:14.79 they want to see something real. 00:17:14.82\00:17:16.54 They want to see if you are saying you are something, 00:17:16.57\00:17:20.10 they want to see that in you. 00:17:20.13\00:17:21.52 They want to see Jesus with the skin on, 00:17:21.55\00:17:23.62 not just a story. 00:17:23.65\00:17:25.53 I think of another one, there was a young man and 00:17:25.56\00:17:29.27 I was talking to someone else about this earlier. 00:17:29.30\00:17:32.19 How he looked up to me, when I was younger, when I was 00:17:32.22\00:17:36.63 really getting out on the wrong path. 00:17:36.66\00:17:39.28 As he grew up, he started going on that same path. 00:17:39.31\00:17:45.49 The same thing happened to him, what you said, 00:17:45.52\00:17:48.24 I saw him at a wedding and he wanted me to come drink 00:17:48.27\00:17:51.96 beer with him, now I had never done anything with him. 00:17:51.99\00:17:56.54 Drugs or anything like that, but he knew that was stuff 00:17:56.57\00:18:00.16 I had did from my example. 00:18:00.19\00:18:02.56 I said no, no way because I knew his parents. 00:18:02.59\00:18:06.09 I wouldn't do that even when he was growing up. 00:18:06.12\00:18:11.32 What happened, the next thing I heard about him 00:18:11.35\00:18:14.34 is that he had OD'd at a hotel in town. 00:18:14.37\00:18:18.60 He had done a speedball with heroin and 00:18:18.63\00:18:20.97 cocaine and he died. 00:18:21.00\00:18:22.45 I think the greatest influence we can be on people 00:18:22.48\00:18:25.47 is that they can see Jesus in us. 00:18:25.50\00:18:27.42 Not just what we say, who we are. 00:18:27.45\00:18:30.71 - Besides I believe that I am standing here today 00:18:30.74\00:18:35.10 because I had an aunt, I was 10 years old and got sent 00:18:35.13\00:18:38.11 to Canada to live with a Christian aunt. 00:18:38.14\00:18:39.69 From 10 I was homeless, a heroine addict and all that 00:18:39.72\00:18:43.40 stuff, but she prayed for me every day of her life. 00:18:43.43\00:18:46.40 I came to Christ before she died and went back and thank 00:18:46.43\00:18:50.63 her for that, but I think that we sometimes are helpless 00:18:50.66\00:18:54.17 and the addict is going to make choices that they are 00:18:54.20\00:18:56.08 going to make and we are going to feel helpless 00:18:56.11\00:18:57.92 as family members. 00:18:57.95\00:18:59.03 Sometimes we are going to feel like, is there anything 00:18:59.06\00:19:01.50 I can do, I just want to beg people not to forget 00:19:01.53\00:19:04.84 about prayer, don't forget that we literally can cover them. 00:19:04.87\00:19:08.61 God forgive them for their rebellion, forgive them for 00:19:08.64\00:19:11.03 their acting out, I love him and I'm asking you to not 00:19:11.06\00:19:14.38 let anything work for them. 00:19:14.41\00:19:16.26 I'm asking you to not even let them get high anymore. 00:19:16.29\00:19:18.62 When they take the drug let it not even be non-effective in 00:19:18.65\00:19:21.79 their body, let them go to jail. 00:19:21.82\00:19:23.47 Get them busted, I want them safe. 00:19:23.50\00:19:25.85 And as somebody that loves them, cover them every 00:19:25.88\00:19:30.28 time you think about it in prayer. 00:19:30.31\00:19:31.73 I believe we get to heaven God is going to open the 00:19:31.76\00:19:35.40 books and let us see how powerful that was. 00:19:35.43\00:19:38.26 In a time we feel powerless, you are watching somebody 00:19:38.29\00:19:41.44 make choices that are horrible. 00:19:41.47\00:19:43.01 Your mom watched you over the years, I am sure that not 00:19:43.04\00:19:45.97 a day went by that she didn't say, God do not forget my 00:19:46.00\00:19:49.25 baby, because I love him. 00:19:49.28\00:19:51.44 So there are times we can't make them make sense, 00:19:51.47\00:19:55.30 it's like talking to schizophrenic sometimes. 00:19:55.33\00:19:57.66 Talking to an addict, but God says don't forget to pray. 00:19:57.69\00:20:01.00 I really believe that when my aunt was dying and I said, 00:20:01.03\00:20:04.29 man whose going to pray for me now? 00:20:04.32\00:20:07.73 Who is to pray for our family now? 00:20:07.76\00:20:09.28 She looked at me, standing as a Christian in front of 00:20:09.31\00:20:11.91 her, she says it looks like you're going to pray 00:20:11.94\00:20:13.68 for our family now. 00:20:13.71\00:20:14.74 And just handed the baton to me. 00:20:14.77\00:20:16.13 You are going to cover them and if there is anybody 00:20:16.16\00:20:18.80 that is watching, anybody here that has family members 00:20:18.83\00:20:21.22 that you know it is hard when you see somebody die 00:20:21.25\00:20:23.99 in their addiction, but I know it is harder on God 00:20:24.02\00:20:27.55 then it is on us. 00:20:27.58\00:20:28.84 The grief that we feel, and I think it's billions fold 00:20:28.87\00:20:33.02 to God that says, I tried every single thing I could. 00:20:33.05\00:20:36.73 Every single thing I could, but right now as 00:20:36.76\00:20:39.73 we need to remember them in prayer. 00:20:39.76\00:20:44.74 And on top of the example, the example is incredible. 00:20:44.77\00:20:49.85 But sometimes they are too crazy in their addiction. 00:20:49.88\00:20:52.95 Ken in his diction, he was crazy and I'm sure, sometimes 00:20:52.98\00:20:58.03 the only thing you could do for him was pray. 00:20:58.06\00:21:00.07 God protect us and protect him. 00:21:00.10\00:21:03.08 - everybody I knew I called, his family they were all 00:21:03.11\00:21:07.18 praying for him when he would disappear. 00:21:07.21\00:21:09.08 Exactly and I know Joanie that you had a question too. 00:21:09.11\00:21:14.32 Yes, I was raised in a home where I had parents that 00:21:14.35\00:21:19.25 stayed together and my mother was a stay-at-home mom. 00:21:19.28\00:21:22.59 Which I know even today I have the sense of security 00:21:22.62\00:21:26.40 that my mom was home and I knew always where she was. 00:21:26.43\00:21:29.35 So when I got married I had two sons and I wanted to 00:21:29.38\00:21:33.93 be a stay-at-home mom too. 00:21:33.96\00:21:35.42 That was the plan, although when my sons were 2 and 4, 00:21:35.45\00:21:38.57 I became a single parent and had to go to work. 00:21:38.60\00:21:41.07 I don't how to be a single parent and didn't then, 00:21:41.10\00:21:44.34 I still don't now. 00:21:44.38\00:21:45.49 My sons don't follow the Lord now, but it did raise 00:21:45.77\00:21:50.10 them in the church, but they had 2 households, 00:21:50.13\00:21:51.66 a household at their father's, and one with me. 00:21:51.69\00:21:54.90 When you said the Scripture to raise your child 00:21:54.93\00:21:57.15 in the way they will go, they won't depart from it. 00:21:57.18\00:22:00.65 Well they don't follow God and the subject of prayer, 00:22:00.68\00:22:04.23 I have never stopped praying for them and have been 00:22:04.26\00:22:09.32 very persistent and it maybe think of your mom. 00:22:09.35\00:22:11.45 Did you ever tell her that you realize it was probably 00:22:11.48\00:22:16.02 her prayers that brought you back around to the Lord? 00:22:16.05\00:22:20.25 Then if you told her, and thanked her, how did she react? 00:22:20.28\00:22:25.98 Well my mom is the happiest person that can possibly be, 00:22:26.01\00:22:30.26 because she watches, by the way, way 3ABN all the time. 00:22:30.29\00:22:35.54 Yes I have told her, but my wife along with her at this 00:22:35.57\00:22:43.21 time in the prayers that I would get my life together. 00:22:43.24\00:22:46.72 I could remember my little brother told me one day, 00:22:46.75\00:22:51.32 when are you going to grow up? 00:22:51.35\00:22:53.57 Really people that are messed up on drugs, 00:22:53.60\00:22:57.21 they just haven't grown-up really. 00:22:57.24\00:22:59.80 God wants us to grow up close to Him. 00:22:59.83\00:23:02.64 That prayer thing, I mean it's the main thing. 00:23:02.67\00:23:07.89 - it's the main thing you know what Pastor Ken, 00:23:07.92\00:23:10.62 I just wanted to say, I wish I could say thank you 00:23:10.65\00:23:14.70 to your mom right here, but I'm going to say to you. 00:23:14.73\00:23:16.37 Thank you for coming and I would just for you and your 00:23:16.40\00:23:19.74 family, I just want to say thanks. 00:23:19.77\00:23:21.04 For sharing your testimony and all that stuff. 00:23:21.07\00:23:24.09 Well thank you for having me and my wife here, 00:23:24.12\00:23:26.51 it's a blessing. 00:23:26.54\00:23:28.80 I have made a commitment with a loud voice tell 00:23:28.83\00:23:34.10 people about Jesus. 00:23:34.13\00:23:35.18 You know as you are out there the only time we can make 00:23:35.21\00:23:39.39 that commitment is to leaning fully on God. 00:23:39.42\00:23:42.09 I can't even lean on my own understanding, and I can't lean 00:23:42.12\00:23:45.33 on my own stuff, I had to so trust the fact that God 00:23:45.36\00:23:48.10 is going to lead me to the next step, to the next step, 00:23:48.13\00:23:50.49 to the next, but as, we have been real clear about it. 00:23:50.52\00:23:54.27 If you have family members that are addicts pray for them. 00:23:54.30\00:23:57.06 But you know what more than family members, the 00:23:57.09\00:24:00.57 body of Christ, when you step into a church 00:24:00.60\00:24:02.60 pray for each other. 00:24:02.63\00:24:03.70 We are going to be right back, please stay with us. 00:24:03.73\00:24:05.70