Welcome to Celebrating
Life In Recovery, today we are
00:00:11.43\00:00:13.74
actually walk somebody
through some of their stuff
00:00:13.77\00:00:16.01
through prayer and you're
not going to one to miss this
00:00:16.04\00:00:18.04
or you are not going to
want to miss the kids from
00:00:18.07\00:00:20.04
Miracle Meadows, they
are an incredible group.
00:00:20.07\00:00:22.00
So come join us in the café.
00:00:22.03\00:00:23.91
Welcome, you know what? It
is really amazing to me about
00:00:52.59\00:00:55.53
having this particular
group on, from Miracle Meadows
00:00:55.56\00:00:58.61
is that the first time I
went I knew they were going to
00:00:58.65\00:01:01.66
have some at risk kids.
00:01:01.70\00:01:03.54
I knew they dealt with
some pretty serious stuff.
00:01:03.57\00:01:06.18
It was the first time
that I had walked someplace and
00:01:06.22\00:01:08.79
felt like these kids
know exactly how I feel.
00:01:08.83\00:01:12.36
They know what it
feels like to be ashamed.
00:01:12.40\00:01:15.67
They know it feels
like to be full of anger.
00:01:15.70\00:01:18.90
They know what it feels
like to have somebody not take
00:01:18.94\00:01:21.50
care of them, in
this sense growing up.
00:01:21.53\00:01:23.84
They know what it feels like
to walk in and feel from the
00:01:23.87\00:01:26.92
very core of who you are
that I have to defend myself.
00:01:26.96\00:01:30.77
The more heard their stories,
the more heard different
00:01:30.80\00:01:33.76
parts of what happened in
their life, I just wanted to
00:01:33.79\00:01:36.74
hug them and say, you
can't hug them because right now
00:01:36.78\00:01:40.05
they are still angry,
what are you doing in my face?
00:01:40.08\00:01:42.95
So you can't do any of
that and I even know what that
00:01:42.98\00:01:46.53
feels like, so on this
particular program I am going to
00:01:46.57\00:01:50.08
introduce you to a
number of the residents from
00:01:50.12\00:01:52.93
Miracle Meadows and they
will share with you what their
00:01:52.97\00:01:56.06
life is like, what their
healing looks like, and what
00:01:56.10\00:01:59.16
they are working
on at Miracle Meadows.
00:01:59.20\00:02:01.17
If you see any stuff or
junk, I just want you to know it
00:02:01.21\00:02:06.71
is there and God is
not afraid of any of it.
00:02:06.75\00:02:08.95
I want to talk a little with
the group in the café before
00:02:08.98\00:02:11.92
I bring you up.
00:02:11.96\00:02:13.39
I want to talk about, there
are sins that God forgives.
00:02:13.42\00:02:19.81
We can come to Him with any
thing, forgive me for my anger.
00:02:19.84\00:02:26.19
Forgive me for the fact
that I just beat up someone.
00:02:26.23\00:02:31.52
Forgive me for the fact that
I'm acting out online stuff.
00:02:31.56\00:02:35.28
For the crazy thinking in
my head, forgive me for all
00:02:35.32\00:02:38.97
that, God is really amazing
about the forgiveness of sins.
00:02:39.01\00:02:43.56
There is
forgiveness of disease, right?
00:02:43.60\00:02:47.59
Our diseases, I just got
diagnosed, not too long ago,
00:02:47.62\00:02:51.06
with Cancer, and by the way I'm
doing amazing, so keep praying
00:02:51.10\00:02:55.05
for me, but I just got
diagnosed with cancer and
00:02:55.08\00:02:57.52
God heals those things.
00:02:57.55\00:02:59.93
So there sins that He
forgives, there's disease that
00:02:59.97\00:03:03.84
He heals, but there is another
thing called infirmities.
00:03:03.87\00:03:08.03
Infirmities, the only way
that has ever made sense to me
00:03:08.07\00:03:11.94
is a person I talked to
one time, is if you go out west
00:03:11.97\00:03:15.61
and you see the big Sequoia
trees, there are some big
00:03:15.64\00:03:19.24
trees in some of the
places out in California.
00:03:19.27\00:03:22.98
Redwood trees, and some
you can literally cut a hole in
00:03:23.01\00:03:26.08
the middle of the tree
and drive your car through it,
00:03:26.12\00:03:29.15
it is so huge.
00:03:29.18\00:03:30.48
If you take those trees
and cut them in half and get a
00:03:30.52\00:03:33.08
slice of them, there
are rings that you can see.
00:03:33.12\00:03:36.28
Those rings are places in
the life of the tree that have
00:03:36.32\00:03:41.94
been trashed, a drought, a
fire, a disease that almost
00:03:41.98\00:03:47.56
took the tree out.
00:03:47.60\00:03:48.70
A park ranger will say, this
year this tree almost totally
00:03:48.74\00:03:52.72
died, this year was a
fire, this year was two or three
00:03:52.76\00:03:56.26
years of heavy rains where
the tree almost died because
00:03:56.30\00:03:59.77
of that and you
can see it in the ring.
00:03:59.81\00:04:01.98
This year there was no water and
00:04:02.01\00:04:04.35
you can see that in the rings.
00:04:04.39\00:04:06.66
Like us, we have things in
are very heart, are very soul,
00:04:06.69\00:04:12.32
that are damaged like that.
00:04:12.35\00:04:13.97
There are years of fire,
there are years of drought,
00:04:14.01\00:04:17.68
there are years where I
was flooded with too much junk.
00:04:17.71\00:04:21.35
Those in the Bible
are called infirmities.
00:04:21.38\00:04:25.29
God has the ability
to heal our infirmities.
00:04:25.33\00:04:28.30
Like those Redwood
trees, they still look great.
00:04:28.33\00:04:31.23
They are standing there
all great looking, but when you
00:04:31.27\00:04:34.05
cut into them you
can see all that stuff.
00:04:34.08\00:04:36.24
For some of us all that stuff
is always there and plagues
00:04:36.27\00:04:39.62
us, someone gets in our face
and all of a sudden I'm back
00:04:39.65\00:04:42.96
to that year fire and I
don't want you to hurt that.
00:04:43.00\00:04:46.05
That is a wounded area
for me and I don't want
00:04:46.08\00:04:47.91
you to hurt that.
00:04:47.95\00:04:49.13
I haven't yet understood to
give that to God and let Him
00:04:49.16\00:04:51.93
heal me, I don't know that yet.
00:04:51.97\00:04:54.29
We are going to talk in
this program about how God heals
00:04:54.33\00:04:58.08
those things, because those
things constantly get in our
00:04:58.12\00:05:01.30
way, to do that I want to
introduce you to a number of
00:05:01.33\00:05:04.48
the folks that
work at Miracle Meadows.
00:05:04.52\00:05:07.51
Some of the folks that
are trying to get healing.
00:05:07.55\00:05:10.33
To do that I would like
to also do a prayer with one
00:05:10.36\00:05:13.11
of the residence
at Miracle Meadows.
00:05:13.14\00:05:15.92
We have already agreed to
this and we are going to work
00:05:15.95\00:05:18.53
through an issue, but
work through the issue as if it
00:05:18.56\00:05:21.44
was him and I at Miracle
Meadows and literally looking
00:05:21.48\00:05:24.33
at how God was
going to bring healing.
00:05:24.36\00:05:26.44
I want you to know that
when we do that I'm going to try
00:05:26.47\00:05:30.13
and forget that I am here.
00:05:30.16\00:05:31.38
I am hoping that Caleb
forgets that too and that we
00:05:31.41\00:05:33.89
literally get to work
through this and get to pray.
00:05:33.92\00:05:37.19
Somebody asked me one
time, how do you lead someone in
00:05:37.22\00:05:40.45
prayer with these heavy issues?
00:05:40.49\00:05:42.34
So we are going
to do that on air,
00:05:42.37\00:05:44.88
so pray for us
before we even start.
00:05:44.91\00:05:47.35
Right now I want to
introduce you to Jamie.
00:05:47.38\00:05:49.42
Jamie works at Miracle Meadows
so go ahead and come on up.
00:05:49.45\00:05:52.19
What cracks me up a lot
of times, when somebody is at
00:05:53.92\00:05:58.06
a ministry like this, is I
know these kids and they are
00:05:58.10\00:06:02.20
not every day saying,
I love Jamie, he so cool.
00:06:02.24\00:06:05.36
They really get on your,
they really test all their anger
00:06:05.40\00:06:09.77
on you, they look at
you sometimes as the enemy.
00:06:09.81\00:06:12.81
So what leads you to a
place like Miracle Meadows and
00:06:12.84\00:06:15.93
where are you from?
00:06:15.97\00:06:17.31
I was born in Jamaica, Miracle
Meadows was introduced to me
00:06:17.35\00:06:20.32
by my friend, and we
worked in Canada with kids that
00:06:20.36\00:06:23.45
were stuck in drugs
and stuff in the past,
00:06:23.48\00:06:25.15
while going to college.
00:06:25.18\00:06:26.58
He said to me come and try
it out in West Virginia for
00:06:26.62\00:06:29.02
a couple weeks before
graduation from college.
00:06:29.05\00:06:30.86
I said, you know what? I've
never heard of West Virginia.
00:06:30.90\00:06:33.58
That sounds like the boondocks,
I don't want to be there.
00:06:33.61\00:06:37.02
After I came, I went to
Miracle Meadows for about two
00:06:37.05\00:06:40.15
weeks before graduation
and I thought you know what?
00:06:40.18\00:06:42.82
These kids remind me so
much of myself when I growing up
00:06:42.86\00:06:45.50
as a kid, because I am from
a large family of 8 siblings,
00:06:45.54\00:06:48.15
so I was exposed to all
different personalities.
00:06:48.18\00:06:51.41
Right away I was able to
connect with some of these kids.
00:06:51.45\00:06:54.98
So I went home and
had gotten job offers as
00:06:55.01\00:06:57.04
I was a computer major.
00:06:57.08\00:06:59.02
A computer major? That's
not even close to working
00:06:59.06\00:07:02.88
behaviorally. - No way
close to a computer major.
00:07:02.91\00:07:06.46
I have a minor in
communication studies also there
00:07:06.49\00:07:09.97
so I had nothing in my back-
round that would attract you.
00:07:10.00\00:07:14.07
So while I was there he
said, the director at that time
00:07:14.10\00:07:18.13
say you should come back.
00:07:18.17\00:07:19.73
I went home after graduation
and thought should I go back.
00:07:19.76\00:07:23.17
My mother was like, you
would make more money in Jamaica
00:07:23.20\00:07:26.27
working in your field, but
if that is what God wants you
00:07:26.31\00:07:29.35
to do, you should
go ahead and do it.
00:07:29.38\00:07:30.83
I'm like, God doesn't want
me to, God wants me to start
00:07:30.86\00:07:32.89
a family and
move on and have fun.
00:07:32.92\00:07:34.81
Anyway wrestled with it,
I prayed about it and said,
00:07:34.84\00:07:37.69
God if you don't want these
things to work, don't let them
00:07:37.72\00:07:41.80
work out and I
had two interviews.
00:07:41.83\00:07:43.53
They were almost at the point
of working out and then they
00:07:43.56\00:07:46.66
didn't one of them ended
working out when I was back in
00:07:46.70\00:07:49.47
West Virginia, and I said
you know God this is the plan
00:07:49.50\00:07:52.24
for me and I came back.
00:07:52.27\00:07:53.65
So what, you said that
you had a large family so
00:07:53.69\00:07:58.38
you could relate to these kids.
00:07:58.41\00:08:00.34
But sometimes, in our
damage, we can be so cruel.
00:08:00.37\00:08:03.74
What keeps you there?
00:08:03.78\00:08:05.58
I think what keeps me there
is the vision of what they are
00:08:05.61\00:08:09.46
capable of becoming, because
sometimes we look at kids
00:08:09.49\00:08:13.30
and say okay... - I
want to kiss you on the face
00:08:13.33\00:08:15.30
when you said that,
because for a lot of us
00:08:15.34\00:08:17.08
we can't see that vision.
00:08:17.11\00:08:18.65
When I come in and work
with kids, especially from an
00:08:18.69\00:08:22.18
outreach place like Miracle
Meadows, I know that they are
00:08:22.22\00:08:25.68
incredible, and some of
these kids are so talented.
00:08:25.72\00:08:29.66
You can see that, there
is just that injury and edge
00:08:29.69\00:08:33.60
that interferes with them.
00:08:33.64\00:08:35.59
The thing is when you
meet a kid for example.
00:08:35.63\00:08:39.65
When Caleb was fresh, at Miracle
Meadows, you would battle
00:08:39.68\00:08:43.56
constantly, because he had a way
of life, and I had a different
00:08:43.59\00:08:47.95
idea as to where
he should be heading.
00:08:47.98\00:08:49.96
He would be like, why
are you so interested in me?
00:08:49.99\00:08:52.76
He would use the meanest
words, he would call me all the
00:08:52.80\00:08:55.69
words... - He'd try to
push you out of his life.
00:08:55.72\00:08:57.86
He would push me around
and sometimes get into my face.
00:08:57.89\00:08:59.37
We would have to do Pastor
exchange sometimes because,
00:08:59.41\00:09:01.63
but the thing is working
through the kid and watching
00:09:01.66\00:09:03.97
that kid after you have
finished saying okay you know
00:09:04.00\00:09:06.27
what Mr. Pottinger,
two or three weeks after
00:09:06.30\00:09:07.96
I understood
what you were saying.
00:09:08.00\00:09:10.31
Or I get the picture, watching
a kid marching at the end
00:09:10.34\00:09:13.29
of graduation, that kid
whose parents had no hope for
00:09:13.32\00:09:16.29
them, that kid that was hooked
on drugs, in an out of the
00:09:16.32\00:09:19.22
delinquent halls and stuff like
that finally making a decision
00:09:19.26\00:09:21.57
to move forward.
00:09:21.60\00:09:22.69
That in itself is a motivating
factor to be working with
00:09:22.73\00:09:26.28
kids like those.
00:09:26.31\00:09:27.53
That is huge, one time I
was there and it was before you
00:09:27.57\00:09:29.80
were there all but one
time I was there and some of the
00:09:29.83\00:09:32.49
kids said they wanted to
be baptized before I left.
00:09:32.52\00:09:36.15
We hunted for church that
could open their doors up to
00:09:36.18\00:09:39.78
let us be
baptized, we found a church.
00:09:39.81\00:09:42.21
Their families came in and
I watched as, I don't know how
00:09:42.25\00:09:45.59
many kids like 4
were being baptized.
00:09:45.62\00:09:47.24
I watched their parents just
in tears because that is the
00:09:47.27\00:09:50.39
goal of us to get someone
to a point where they can walk
00:09:50.42\00:09:53.68
away from all that hurt and
all that anger and just allow
00:09:53.71\00:09:56.94
them to live their life now.
00:09:56.97\00:09:59.46
Free of all that damage.
00:09:59.50\00:10:01.91
I think what happens most
kids we receive at Miracle
00:10:01.95\00:10:04.93
Meadows, they are
coming from a construct where
00:10:04.96\00:10:07.34
they are told that success
is nowhere in their frame for
00:10:07.37\00:10:13.23
life. - They can't
even dare to dream about it.
00:10:13.27\00:10:14.83
They can't even dare to
dream, they been kicked out of
00:10:14.86\00:10:16.80
church or school, they
been kicked out of the public
00:10:16.84\00:10:19.42
system and at Miracle Meadows
these kids are looking for
00:10:19.46\00:10:22.21
is love, not just the love
where I give you everything you
00:10:22.24\00:10:24.96
want, but love that
says, you know what?
00:10:25.00\00:10:27.15
I am willing to work through
with you, even if it takes
00:10:27.19\00:10:30.80
the tough approach and by
doing that they recognize that
00:10:30.84\00:10:34.22
not only do you care, but
you are willing to be hard when
00:10:34.26\00:10:37.61
it is needed for
you to be hard on them.
00:10:37.64\00:10:40.22
- Caring enough to
confront. - definitely.
00:10:40.25\00:10:42.75
On confronting them, what
happens is that you develop
00:10:42.79\00:10:45.21
a relationship and that
relationship allows them to
00:10:45.25\00:10:47.61
trust you, and by trusting you
in the long run it will build
00:10:47.64\00:10:51.31
a relationship
with their parents.
00:10:51.35\00:10:53.10
As a result of their delinquent
practices they found it
00:10:53.13\00:10:56.08
difficult to bond and
trust issues and everything.
00:10:56.11\00:10:58.87
So as a result of your willing
to confront, willing to love,
00:10:58.91\00:11:02.35
willing to scold, willing
to play around have fun and
00:11:02.39\00:11:05.29
goof off, they understand that
this person cares about me even
00:11:05.33\00:11:08.62
though I may not like them.
00:11:08.66\00:11:10.15
There is something about me
that I have to recognize that
00:11:10.19\00:11:12.57
somebody is seeing, and
that makes a big difference.
00:11:12.60\00:11:15.33
I love that, so how has
that changed your spiritually?
00:11:15.37\00:11:18.58
What it has allowed me
to do is to look at myself.
00:11:18.61\00:11:21.75
I understand that I'm nothing,
I'm nothing until I start
00:11:21.79\00:11:26.42
serving and giving to God.
00:11:26.46\00:11:28.81
Just by recognizing the
potential that is trapped in the
00:11:28.85\00:11:32.05
minds of our adverse youth
is just like I have been wasting
00:11:32.08\00:11:35.74
so many years just sitting
back as if life is all about me
00:11:35.77\00:11:39.39
when it is all about giving.
00:11:39.43\00:11:41.09
Giving time to adverse youth,
spending time with adverse
00:11:41.13\00:11:44.35
youth is creating a
better future for not only them,
00:11:44.39\00:11:47.58
but for their families.
00:11:47.62\00:11:48.87
And for the world at large.
- Amen! I love what you said
00:11:48.90\00:11:52.79
is that it really forces
you to get inside yourself and
00:11:52.82\00:11:56.67
look at all that stuff.
00:11:56.71\00:11:58.23
An adverse kid that is crashed
in any way, they do not let
00:11:58.26\00:12:03.05
you just play them,
you have to be real.
00:12:03.08\00:12:05.13
If you are not real
it's like step away from me.
00:12:05.17\00:12:07.95
So for a lot of us we
don't know how to be real.
00:12:07.98\00:12:11.23
We have never really
discovered who we actually are
00:12:11.26\00:12:14.47
spiritually or in
any of those ways.
00:12:14.51\00:12:17.50
Working or any kind of
Ministry, God is asking us,
00:12:17.53\00:12:21.02
Will you trust Me so I can
show you who you are, so that
00:12:21.06\00:12:24.50
you can bless the
person in front of you.
00:12:24.54\00:12:27.04
Jamie, God bless
you for doing this.
00:12:27.07\00:12:29.22
Go ahead what
were you going to say?
00:12:29.26\00:12:31.34
The other thing is, when
working with adverse what it
00:12:31.38\00:12:35.30
does is it takes you
away from your comforts zone.
00:12:35.34\00:12:39.23
I think most
times as Christians,
00:12:39.26\00:12:41.28
- I like him
nicely you say that!
00:12:41.32\00:12:43.27
You are out in the
stormy seas actually.
00:12:43.30\00:12:45.86
I can remember growing up in
the church, being a Christian
00:12:45.89\00:12:50.32
isn't about going to church
looking pious, dressing nice,
00:12:50.35\00:12:54.74
and speaking nicely
and saying kind things.
00:12:54.77\00:12:57.27
When you are taken away
from your comfort zone and it's
00:12:57.30\00:13:01.33
as if you are in Afghanistan,
around foreign kids who are
00:13:01.36\00:13:05.32
just at each other and you have
to find a place where you can
00:13:05.35\00:13:10.05
allow God to use you and
at that point you recognize
00:13:10.09\00:13:12.68
that you are nothing.
00:13:12.71\00:13:13.68
You totally have to
depend on Him and you also see
00:13:13.71\00:13:16.99
yourself in these kids.
00:13:17.02\00:13:18.57
By seeing yourself, you know
God I have to totally depend
00:13:18.61\00:13:21.48
on You, and I am not much
better off than the kids that
00:13:21.51\00:13:24.04
I'm working with so it
is time for me to get dirty.
00:13:24.08\00:13:26.57
Right, and I
need your Holy Spirit,
00:13:26.60\00:13:28.65
I need You to guide me.
00:13:28.69\00:13:30.40
Jamie thank you so much.
00:13:30.44\00:13:32.08
I am going to go
ahead and invite Jean.
00:13:32.11\00:13:35.82
I just have to say I heard
your testimony, but not as much
00:13:37.88\00:13:42.42
as what you
shared today with things.
00:13:42.45\00:13:45.11
You are surrounded by
people that obviously love you.
00:13:45.15\00:13:48.59
They saw you come in to
Miracle Meadows from the very
00:13:48.63\00:13:52.60
beginning, so tell us about
coming into Miracle Meadows
00:13:52.64\00:13:56.58
and what was
your life like then,
00:13:56.62\00:13:58.35
and what is your life like now?
00:13:58.39\00:14:00.06
Well I first came to Miracle
Meadows and my parents were
00:14:00.09\00:14:04.44
going through a divorce and
my mother was getting abused
00:14:04.48\00:14:08.79
by my father so
that was a rough patch.
00:14:08.83\00:14:11.09
- so you saw a lot of the abuse?
00:14:11.12\00:14:13.25
Yeah I saw a law of abuse
growing up and at that time
00:14:13.29\00:14:16.17
I was very heavy, so I
was like the age of 12,
00:14:16.21\00:14:20.05
weighing about 290.
00:14:20.09\00:14:22.30
So you are like a size 48?
- yeah I was wearing size 48.
00:14:22.33\00:14:27.51
I'm like 5'8 and he was
very hard for me being a little
00:14:27.54\00:14:32.47
kid, I was a funny kid, I
got made fun of a lot so it
00:14:32.50\00:14:36.69
was very hard for me and
I had low self-esteem at the
00:14:36.72\00:14:39.93
time, being around people
was very hard to talk out loud.
00:14:39.96\00:14:43.14
Everything was really hard.
00:14:43.17\00:14:45.00
- this may be a crazy thing
to ask, because you may not
00:14:45.03\00:14:47.02
even be there where you
are looking at this yet.
00:14:47.05\00:14:49.33
But do you think that
part of your eating and weight
00:14:49.36\00:14:51.96
gain it was because of
all the abuse you are hearing
00:14:52.00\00:14:54.56
and seeing at home?
00:14:54.60\00:14:56.07
Well even though I was
getting abused, my father was
00:14:56.10\00:14:59.70
abusing my mother, I was
thinking what was really going
00:14:59.73\00:15:03.31
on and I put myself through
tests, so I would move away
00:15:03.34\00:15:06.88
and go away to my
aunt's house and other places.
00:15:06.92\00:15:08.94
They would treat me as if I
was at home, but I saw that the
00:15:08.98\00:15:13.89
reason I was eating was because
I was usually bored or no one
00:15:13.92\00:15:18.95
was there with me emotionally,
so I would eat away.
00:15:18.98\00:15:21.85
- You were by yourself?
00:15:21.89\00:15:23.25
Yeah because my mother
worked from 11 in the morning to
00:15:23.28\00:15:26.89
2 and sometimes when I got
over there she would see I was
00:15:26.93\00:15:30.63
misbehaving and would work
2 to 11 and she was never home
00:15:30.67\00:15:34.34
when I was home so
was very hard for me.
00:15:34.37\00:15:36.43
I was always in the
apartment by myself.
00:15:36.46\00:15:38.45
My father had divorced my
mom so it was me by myself.
00:15:38.49\00:15:42.02
- So you have the abuse
background, you have the weight
00:15:42.05\00:15:45.28
stuff, getting teased,
and you used humor to get away
00:15:45.32\00:15:48.52
from all that, then you
come to Miracle Meadows.
00:15:48.55\00:15:51.24
Were you acting
out at that time too?
00:15:51.28\00:15:53.05
Yeah I was really
angry, I was really mad.
00:15:53.09\00:15:56.28
- Look how sweet
you look, really no way!
00:15:56.32\00:15:59.44
So coming there you have
all this stuff, how much, if you
00:15:59.47\00:16:03.15
were a tree and those rings,
where you had all kinds of
00:16:03.19\00:16:06.83
damage on every ring.
00:16:06.86\00:16:08.67
So you come in and
the staff did what?
00:16:08.71\00:16:12.61
I'm looking at you the
weights gone, you have a gentle
00:16:12.65\00:16:16.55
spirit about you and all
that stuff so what did the staff
00:16:16.58\00:16:20.45
and your friends
there do to bring you out?
00:16:20.48\00:16:23.43
I'd have to say a lot of things
because the staff spoke to
00:16:23.47\00:16:26.35
me, because I wasn't used
to having one-on-one basis with
00:16:26.38\00:16:29.23
anyone, the staff
talking to me personally.
00:16:29.27\00:16:32.66
- hanging out! - Yeah was
different to me having an adult
00:16:32.69\00:16:34.98
figure talk to me, so
was very uplifting to me.
00:16:35.02\00:16:38.68
I had a lot of exercises
there and healthy diet.
00:16:38.71\00:16:41.87
I heard Jamie, Jamie
said he was one of your staff
00:16:41.90\00:16:44.99
there, he would not let you
isolate, he would let you hide,
00:16:45.02\00:16:48.81
come on out I
want you to exercise.
00:16:48.84\00:16:51.78
If weight is your problem
let's get off, because you had
00:16:51.81\00:16:54.70
shared with him
that people teased you.
00:16:54.74\00:16:57.01
Let's get it off your going
to have to work and he never
00:16:57.04\00:16:59.87
let up. - never let up at all.
00:16:59.91\00:17:02.20
Did you hate him for
that or love him for that?
00:17:02.24\00:17:04.79
I actually hated
him for a long time.
00:17:04.82\00:17:06.75
- of course you did.
00:17:06.79\00:17:07.95
But could you look at him
and know that this guy is not
00:17:07.99\00:17:11.63
going to back off?
00:17:11.66\00:17:13.17
Yeah I found that out
after while that he was going to
00:17:13.21\00:17:15.60
back off. - so how
much weight did you lose?
00:17:15.63\00:17:17.32
Well I was 300 when I
first came to Miracle Meadows,
00:17:17.35\00:17:21.48
right now I'm at 215.
00:17:21.52\00:17:24.05
Wow, how fun is that?
00:17:24.08\00:17:26.54
does it feel-good, do you
have that sense, you know what?
00:17:26.57\00:17:30.23
Not only is my life coming
together and I'm learning to
00:17:30.27\00:17:34.21
connect with people, I'm
learning to let people minister
00:17:34.24\00:17:38.41
to me, communicate with
me, but I'm also dropping the
00:17:38.45\00:17:42.58
weight, are you doing
school at Miracle Meadows?
00:17:42.62\00:17:45.85
I'm doing school at Miracle
Meadows, I'm doing great.
00:17:45.88\00:17:50.16
I came there I
had a reading problem.
00:17:50.19\00:17:51.79
I was partly illiterate
from my house to mom's I would
00:17:51.83\00:17:55.32
never do my
homework or anything.
00:17:55.35\00:17:57.61
Then me come in to Miracle
Meadows I had a lot of people
00:17:57.65\00:17:59.73
help me with
that, to learn to read.
00:17:59.77\00:18:01.62
You know I was illiterate
at 23, and it is really
00:18:01.65\00:18:04.39
tough because we don't
want to admit that to anybody.
00:18:04.43\00:18:07.10
We don't want to be teased
so somebody obviously found out
00:18:07.13\00:18:12.03
and decided to help you
to get up to grade level.
00:18:12.06\00:18:15.09
How about
spiritually, where are you at?
00:18:15.12\00:18:22.52
I was really forced spiritually
because even though at home
00:18:22.55\00:18:25.92
I went to church and stuff
like that, I was just there
00:18:25.96\00:18:29.59
because I was forced to so
go to church and just sit down
00:18:29.63\00:18:33.23
and do nothing, or are
played with something or
00:18:33.27\00:18:35.80
talk on the phone or something.
00:18:35.84\00:18:37.60
But when I came to
Miracle Meadows they didn't
00:18:37.64\00:18:40.03
have those things
so I was stuck there.
00:18:40.07\00:18:42.07
A lot of people when
they started see me coming out
00:18:42.11\00:18:44.64
of my shell they saw I was
really outgoing so they put
00:18:44.67\00:18:46.95
me in a lot of opportunities
will like preaching and
00:18:46.98\00:18:49.22
things like that and
trying to do outreach.
00:18:49.25\00:18:52.59
So you presented as far
as the week of prayer or
00:18:52.62\00:18:55.93
any of that stuff?
00:18:55.96\00:18:57.04
No week of prayers were
like Sabbath I would present
00:18:57.08\00:18:59.48
something on a PowerPoint.
00:18:59.51\00:19:01.19
So now let's go back because
that is where somebody shows
00:19:01.23\00:19:03.93
you how to do that and you
get a good sense of doing that,
00:19:03.97\00:19:06.64
but how about you
personally with God?
00:19:06.68\00:19:09.57
Have you ever had God just
say to you, man I'm crazy about
00:19:09.61\00:19:15.14
you? I have a plan for you.
00:19:15.17\00:19:17.28
A lot of times because at
home I saw I was doing a lot of
00:19:17.31\00:19:21.25
bad things, I was part of
gangs and stuff like that.
00:19:21.29\00:19:24.32
There was a lot of times
that I did some stupid stuff
00:19:24.36\00:19:28.00
and I felt like I was comforted
some of the stuff I was
00:19:28.04\00:19:31.84
with the people I was
with I was supposed to be dead,
00:19:31.87\00:19:35.26
not dead but was supposed
to get hurt or caught but
00:19:35.29\00:19:38.64
I always had a
safe feeling around me.
00:19:38.68\00:19:41.39
I thought was just luck
but later on I found out it was
00:19:41.43\00:19:44.34
someone... -God is saying no,
no, no I have my hand on you.
00:19:44.38\00:19:47.30
That is incredible, thank
you for sharing with us and
00:19:47.34\00:19:50.23
I just want to say,
are you close to graduating
00:19:50.27\00:19:54.16
from Miracle Meadows?
00:19:54.20\00:19:55.59
Yeah I moved to another
school, Mountain State Academy,
00:19:55.62\00:19:58.27
a stepping school to
being out of Miracle Meadows.
00:19:58.30\00:20:01.64
Before going to the real world.
00:20:01.68\00:20:03.81
So what is really funny is
when people they talk about
00:20:03.84\00:20:07.56
you, I see your friends
talk about you now and they
00:20:07.60\00:20:11.29
really do enjoy your humor,
they like hanging out with
00:20:11.32\00:20:14.83
you, and it looks like
they are as excited about your
00:20:14.86\00:20:18.33
recovery as you are
excited about your recovery
00:20:18.37\00:20:21.46
and that is so cool.
00:20:21.50\00:20:23.69
I'm going to go ahead,
and even right now we're going
00:20:23.73\00:20:26.84
to break and when we come
back I want to introduce you
00:20:26.87\00:20:30.04
to Caleb and we are going
to have the prayer and at the
00:20:30.08\00:20:33.21
end, I would like to
bring up another staff,
00:20:33.25\00:20:36.20
Karina and talk about
her journey and why she is at
00:20:36.24\00:20:41.59
Miracle Meadows right now,
it's amazing you have to hang
00:20:41.63\00:20:44.10
out with us on this program.
00:20:44.13\00:20:45.90