Welcome to
Celebrating Life In Recovery,
00:00:11.02\00:00:12.80
I'm Cheri your host.
00:00:12.84\00:00:14.08
It matters what we decide,
either generational blessings
00:00:14.11\00:00:17.08
or generational cursing's
and we are going to look at
00:00:17.11\00:00:20.04
that today in this
one incredible family.
00:00:20.07\00:00:22.25
So join us in the
café and it will be fun.
00:00:22.29\00:00:24.43
Welcome back, so we are
talking about generational
00:00:52.84\00:00:56.42
curses or blessings and
it is really interesting,
00:00:56.46\00:01:00.01
I looked in
Deuteronomy and it talked about
00:01:00.04\00:01:02.82
the decisions of someone.
00:01:02.85\00:01:04.87
Whether it is an addict,
or someone who is out to lunch
00:01:04.91\00:01:08.08
as far as anger, or rage,
or addictions of any kind,
00:01:08.12\00:01:11.22
is that they literally can bring
this whole thing into their
00:01:11.25\00:01:14.43
life, into their families
life, and their children bring
00:01:14.46\00:01:17.54
it into their children's
life and it is just this curse
00:01:17.58\00:01:20.63
that happens, and sometimes
it happens for the Bible
00:01:20.66\00:01:23.67
sometimes talks about
two or three generations.
00:01:23.71\00:01:26.45
There are some places
where talks about 10 or 20
00:01:26.48\00:01:29.15
generations, but what you
do right now will lay out this
00:01:29.18\00:01:33.40
whole thing for your family.
00:01:33.43\00:01:34.87
So I'm going to introduce
you to a family, or a man that
00:01:34.90\00:01:38.07
decided to change all that.
00:01:38.11\00:01:40.22
I love that about you Reginald,
I want to say thank you
00:01:40.26\00:01:43.62
so much for
being on the program.
00:01:43.65\00:01:45.45
I loved when I was in
Arkansas doing some prison
00:01:45.48\00:01:48.69
ministries and I met you
and your family and worked with
00:01:48.72\00:01:52.07
some of the people that
you do prison ministries with.
00:01:52.10\00:01:55.33
So I want to say thanks for
coming on, thanks for sharing
00:01:55.36\00:01:58.74
your testimony, and I would
just say let's start and talk
00:01:58.78\00:02:02.13
about where you come
from and how you got to where
00:02:02.16\00:02:06.02
you're at right now.
00:02:06.06\00:02:07.45
Well Cheri I came
from a very broken home.
00:02:07.48\00:02:11.09
It was just my mom and
my dad, he was never there.
00:02:11.13\00:02:17.61
She did eventually marry,
but my stepdad he was a very
00:02:17.64\00:02:24.09
heavy drinker as well
and both of them drank.
00:02:24.13\00:02:26.82
So your
biological dad was just gone?
00:02:26.86\00:02:29.98
He was just gone.
- he never hung out?
00:02:30.01\00:02:33.06
No, if anything I always
longed for that relationship
00:02:33.09\00:02:36.50
with him but I never had it.
00:02:36.53\00:02:39.09
There were times where I
actually communicated with him,
00:02:39.13\00:02:43.20
but he didn't show
any interest in me, yeah!
00:02:43.24\00:02:48.85
You felt that really
young, you felt this guy really
00:02:48.88\00:02:51.53
doesn't care. - yes!
00:02:51.56\00:02:53.69
When I say that I think
that there is a part of me that
00:02:53.72\00:02:58.23
understands, a child works
really hard to get something,
00:02:58.27\00:03:01.90
give me something and when
you get nothing you know that.
00:03:01.93\00:03:05.53
- yes exactly!
00:03:05.56\00:03:07.55
So your step dad was a drinker?
00:03:07.58\00:03:09.15
Yes and heavy drinker,
and him and my mom were always
00:03:09.19\00:03:12.71
fussing and
fighting stuff like that.
00:03:12.75\00:03:15.24
So I found a big retreat
by going out in the backyard
00:03:15.28\00:03:18.76
and playing all by myself.
00:03:18.79\00:03:20.92
So that was your childhood?
- yes, that was my childhood.
00:03:20.95\00:03:25.92
Just coming up, one thing
about it there was a sweet old
00:03:25.96\00:03:30.90
Lady that my mom worked
for and she would always take
00:03:30.93\00:03:35.55
time out and carry us to church.
00:03:35.58\00:03:37.35
My mom, she would drink
all night long and stuff like
00:03:37.38\00:03:41.88
that, so she wasn't
able to take us to church.
00:03:41.92\00:03:45.53
She would have a
hangover or something like that.
00:03:45.56\00:03:49.10
This is the old lady say
can I take the kids to church?
00:03:49.13\00:03:53.79
- so excuse me while I
just tell someone in the
00:03:53.82\00:03:56.21
audience, you know
what, did you hear that?
00:03:56.25\00:03:58.57
I love that because that
happen with my sisters too.
00:03:58.61\00:04:01.49
Somebody came and picked them
up, just said let me take the
00:04:01.53\00:04:06.58
kids, I'm not going to
hassle you, you don't have to
00:04:06.62\00:04:08.56
worry about it, I'll
take them and bring them back.
00:04:08.60\00:04:10.88
I will make sure they eat,
and you had someone do that
00:04:10.92\00:04:13.17
for you and so I
have to say God bless her.
00:04:13.20\00:04:16.28
It probably didn't make
a difference right away.
00:04:16.32\00:04:20.11
Well right away I felt, it
was a good experience going
00:04:20.15\00:04:24.61
to church, there were
some people there that cared,
00:04:24.64\00:04:30.40
but coming back to the
home and I didn't see this being
00:04:30.43\00:04:36.15
lived out in the home.
00:04:36.19\00:04:37.74
It was very hard for me, I
was getting a good feeling in
00:04:37.78\00:04:41.39
church and meeting great
people, but when I come home it
00:04:41.43\00:04:45.01
was the same fussing
and fighting and drinking.
00:04:45.04\00:04:48.55
- did you jump into
drinking, did you do all that?
00:04:50.84\00:04:53.40
Well one thing
about it, not off the bat.
00:04:53.44\00:04:57.36
There was a time when I
would bring things home from
00:04:57.40\00:05:01.46
school to present my
mom about her drinking, that
00:05:01.50\00:05:05.00
drinking was bad for your
health and stuff like that.
00:05:05.04\00:05:09.27
It was very convicting to
her and she would just say,
00:05:09.30\00:05:12.98
she would get sad and walk
off or something like that.
00:05:13.01\00:05:16.75
Not right off. - like
mom don't smoke don't drink,
00:05:16.78\00:05:20.49
don't do any of
that stuff. - exactly!
00:05:20.52\00:05:23.06
I would bring
literature from school to her.
00:05:23.09\00:05:26.48
Did you believe if she
stopped drinking you have a mom?
00:05:26.51\00:05:29.73
Deep down inside
that is what I believe.
00:05:29.77\00:05:32.91
Sometimes I think people
think that you did that to get
00:05:32.94\00:05:35.43
her health back, a lot of
times for kids from abuse,
00:05:35.46\00:05:37.91
because my parents were addicts
and I knew she could just
00:05:37.95\00:05:40.52
stop she could love me.
00:05:40.55\00:05:42.29
I don't think it was all
about health, it was just the
00:05:42.32\00:05:45.49
relationship
that I wanted, yeah.
00:05:45.52\00:05:48.56
To this day I still
want that, it stays with us,
00:05:48.60\00:05:53.16
it really stays with us.
00:05:53.20\00:05:55.26
So then what happened?
00:05:55.30\00:05:57.30
Like I said later in my life
I wasn't drinking right off,
00:05:57.33\00:06:02.92
I started a
roundabout high school.
00:06:02.96\00:06:05.81
I was against drinking and
all that, drugs all that but
00:06:05.85\00:06:10.16
in high school it seemed like
the very things I was against
00:06:10.19\00:06:14.46
I started to
become attracted to it.
00:06:14.50\00:06:17.92
I didn't understand it,
yeah I started drinking in high
00:06:17.95\00:06:22.36
school and I tried marijuana
and that's when things started
00:06:22.40\00:06:26.77
to spin out of control.
00:06:26.80\00:06:28.39
Right, because you
fit in with the group?
00:06:28.42\00:06:30.52
Well, I guess I
wanted to fit in.
00:06:30.55\00:06:34.85
- for a lot of people,
they do not understand the
00:06:34.88\00:06:37.34
draw of that, it is not
necessarily to draw on the
00:06:37.37\00:06:40.00
drugs, in fact you are
repulsed at the drugs at first,
00:06:40.04\00:06:42.64
but I want to fit in somewhere.
00:06:42.67\00:06:44.43
I want to belong to
something. - that is right!
00:06:44.47\00:06:46.51
So you ended up fitting in?
00:06:46.54\00:06:49.32
Yes, I'm fitting in very
good, I was doing a whole
00:06:49.35\00:06:53.49
lot of things, actually I was
getting drunk and passing out.
00:06:53.52\00:06:58.43
Everybody would laugh
and I just felt accepted.
00:06:58.46\00:07:03.58
So how but any law stuff,
did you get in trouble with
00:07:05.38\00:07:08.80
the law or any of that?
Did you get to finish school?
00:07:08.84\00:07:11.86
Most the time drugs and
alcohol interfere with all that.
00:07:11.90\00:07:16.25
Well I actually dropped
out for while and then my mom
00:07:16.29\00:07:19.96
she gave me a little pep
talk and stuff like that.
00:07:20.00\00:07:23.60
She was like you should
finish school, stuff like that.
00:07:23.64\00:07:27.20
So I got back in and
finished for her sake, you know.
00:07:27.24\00:07:30.82
But getting in trouble
with the law and stuff like that
00:07:30.86\00:07:34.41
came later because when
I was introduced to drugs,
00:07:34.44\00:07:39.65
I was also longing
for that father figure.
00:07:39.68\00:07:44.44
I wanted to belong to
something, I wanted that father
00:07:44.47\00:07:47.68
figure and
later on in my life...
00:07:47.72\00:07:50.91
- there is an incredible
emptiness when you don't have
00:07:50.94\00:07:55.44
that, even as is interesting
to me is there is not enough
00:07:55.47\00:07:59.93
drugs to
cover-up for that stuff.
00:07:59.96\00:08:02.15
I think that is why God
counsels so much in the Bible
00:08:02.18\00:08:05.51
to take care of your kids,
love them and don't provoke
00:08:05.54\00:08:09.26
them, and I think He does
that because when we get empty,
00:08:09.29\00:08:12.98
in those places, we're empty.
00:08:13.01\00:08:15.05
- that is a right, exactly!
00:08:15.09\00:08:17.06
I was very empty and I didn't
know this was going to take
00:08:17.09\00:08:21.05
a toll on me, but I
really wanted that relationship,
00:08:21.08\00:08:24.76
is specially with
him, with my father.
00:08:24.79\00:08:28.04
My mom was there and she
did a whole lot of things for
00:08:28.08\00:08:31.67
me, but that relationship
with him, I wanted that.
00:08:31.70\00:08:35.46
You would see kids even at
school come up with both of
00:08:35.49\00:08:38.34
their parents and stuff
like that and I would sit there
00:08:38.38\00:08:41.40
and stare, I wanted that
relationship with my father.
00:08:41.44\00:08:45.98
- so did you ever find
with people that were using,
00:08:46.02\00:08:50.53
did you ever find
that father figure there?
00:08:50.57\00:08:53.26
Well, not with that, it was
a different group that I found
00:08:53.30\00:08:57.72
the father figure,
yeah and that was a gang.
00:08:57.75\00:09:01.79
You know I love when you
said that Reginald because a
00:09:01.83\00:09:05.62
lot people don't realize
that a gang becomes a family.
00:09:05.66\00:09:09.38
It is not that you are just
acting out, drinking, or using,
00:09:09.42\00:09:12.04
or selling our what
ever, this is my family.
00:09:12.08\00:09:14.18
This is where I fit and
then you start defending them
00:09:14.21\00:09:17.38
as much as you
would defend your family.
00:09:17.41\00:09:19.77
So talk about what
that was like for you?
00:09:19.80\00:09:22.08
Well when I got introduced
to this gang, this gang was
00:09:22.12\00:09:27.06
called The Crypt gang.
00:09:27.09\00:09:29.76
It was all having fun,
going out and committing crimes,
00:09:29.80\00:09:35.36
we started off bursting
windows out of cars just for the
00:09:35.39\00:09:39.98
fun of it, we will go down
to where there may be having
00:09:40.01\00:09:43.65
a show somewhere, or something
like that where there was
00:09:43.68\00:09:46.37
a lot of cars parked and
we would go out there and just
00:09:46.41\00:09:49.06
break windows
and stuff like that.
00:09:49.09\00:09:50.71
That was fun, we would run off.
00:09:50.75\00:09:52.30
The guys that were in this
gang they would surround you,
00:09:52.34\00:09:56.90
they will put their arms
around me and welcome me in.
00:09:56.93\00:10:01.46
You had been looking
for that your whole life?
00:10:01.49\00:10:04.15
My whole life. - people do not
get a sense of that, do they?
00:10:04.18\00:10:07.71
My whole life I've
been looking for someone
00:10:07.74\00:10:09.75
to say I am glad you are here.
00:10:09.78\00:10:11.28
You don't have to play
in the backyard by yourself
00:10:11.32\00:10:13.36
anymore, you don't
have to be alone anymore,
00:10:13.39\00:10:15.80
we want you here. - exactly!
00:10:15.83\00:10:18.73
All my life that was what I
was looking for, and it seem
00:10:18.76\00:10:21.96
like I finally found
love, what I thought was love.
00:10:22.00\00:10:25.06
- isn't that crazy? And
the worst thing you can do,
00:10:25.09\00:10:28.12
it is better for them.
00:10:28.16\00:10:29.61
If I could bust out all
these windows, if I could do
00:10:29.64\00:10:32.29
whatever, everybody is laughing.
00:10:32.33\00:10:34.40
All that anger, all at
hurt and stuff, every time you
00:10:34.43\00:10:37.90
break a window and hear that
glass shatter it feels good.
00:10:37.94\00:10:41.38
Yes, it felt good,
and it didn't, like I say
00:10:41.41\00:10:45.58
it escalated, it went from
breaking windows to actually
00:10:45.61\00:10:49.33
starting fights and
fighting and stuff like that.
00:10:49.36\00:10:50.37
- a serious fighting? -
yeah we would pick fights,
00:10:50.41\00:10:54.16
we would go to the
movies just to pick fights.
00:10:54.19\00:10:57.88
We would see couples and
would pick fights with the guy.
00:10:57.91\00:11:03.69
Just for the fun of it, yeah.
00:11:03.73\00:11:08.95
That is where for you,
if you don't do that you are
00:11:08.98\00:11:12.93
not accepted, if you do,
you get almost addicted to the
00:11:12.96\00:11:16.87
adrenaline of it, so
you really are spinning
00:11:16.91\00:11:19.96
out of control. -
yes, and I didn't see it.
00:11:19.99\00:11:23.00
Did anybody at
that time try to help?
00:11:23.04\00:11:25.97
Well my mom, she would
actually warn me of the
00:11:26.00\00:11:31.20
group I was hanging around.
00:11:31.24\00:11:33.04
At this time she had
stopped drinking, yeah she had
00:11:33.07\00:11:36.65
stopped drinking, she had
an encounter where she said the
00:11:36.69\00:11:40.46
Lord was speaking to
her about the drinking.
00:11:40.49\00:11:43.37
She straightened up, she
didn't drink and I didn't see
00:11:43.40\00:11:46.79
her drinking anymore, but
she would tell me from time to
00:11:46.83\00:11:51.03
time, Reggie, you need to
choose, be very careful of the
00:11:51.07\00:11:55.24
friends that you
choose to hang around with.
00:11:55.27\00:11:58.56
By then you are like, don't
talk to me about any of that.
00:11:58.59\00:12:01.20
That is where it is really
tough, my whole life I have
00:12:01.23\00:12:03.81
been trying to
get you to see me and
00:12:03.84\00:12:05.25
now you're going to teach me?
00:12:05.29\00:12:06.90
It is really tough at that
point because the people that
00:12:06.93\00:12:10.50
could have spoken to your
life you don't give them any
00:12:10.54\00:12:14.07
chance to speak
anymore. - not any chance.
00:12:14.11\00:12:17.31
Everything she would
say, I would just ignore it.
00:12:17.35\00:12:19.64
If she'd say go left,
I will go right, yeah.
00:12:19.67\00:12:22.82
Just because, how dare
you. How dare you do it now.
00:12:22.86\00:12:26.55
- just exactly.
00:12:26.59\00:12:28.14
- so what happened because
you said at one point the law
00:12:28.18\00:12:31.68
did come into the picture
and you started getting in
00:12:31.71\00:12:35.18
trouble in that area.
00:12:35.21\00:12:36.67
Yes, yes there were times
where we were actually fighting
00:12:36.70\00:12:42.33
and the police were called
out and by that time they've
00:12:42.37\00:12:47.96
would come and take us to jail.
00:12:48.00\00:12:50.76
I have went to jail
several times for just fighting,
00:12:50.80\00:12:54.06
out in the open,
just street fighting.
00:12:54.09\00:12:55.74
- do you know
what's funny about that?
00:12:55.77\00:12:57.35
This is normal people are not
going to understand this at all,
00:12:57.38\00:12:59.47
but going to jail in that
environment is actually a good
00:12:59.51\00:13:03.83
thing because
now you are the guy.
00:13:03.86\00:13:06.74
For a lot of people who do
not realize, that is part of
00:13:06.78\00:13:12.24
the whole picture, people
will laugh about that later.
00:13:12.28\00:13:17.71
It is no big deal,
you are out in no time.
00:13:17.74\00:13:19.68
All my life I wanted to be
somebody, all of a sudden now
00:13:19.72\00:13:23.92
I'm somebody, these guys I
was hanging around they was,
00:13:23.95\00:13:28.04
oh Man you went to jail,
oh man that officer you was
00:13:28.07\00:13:32.13
pushing and shoving on him.
00:13:32.16\00:13:34.01
We would just talk about
these things and how we were
00:13:34.05\00:13:37.04
committing crimes and stuff
like that and it felt good.
00:13:37.07\00:13:40.48
- because you were somebody!
- I was somebody, finally.
00:13:40.51\00:13:43.88
The reason I want you to
say that out loud is that
00:13:43.91\00:13:49.02
I think sometimes people
need to know that kind of pain,
00:13:49.06\00:13:54.09
where you come from, really
grows up into this horrible
00:13:54.12\00:13:58.34
acting out because I just have
to be seen, I just have to be
00:13:58.37\00:14:02.75
heard and it is really
even tough to jump out of that.
00:14:02.78\00:14:07.16
How do you get out of that
because now my only identity
00:14:07.19\00:14:12.05
is that I'm a criminal, a
gang member, I'm in your face,
00:14:12.08\00:14:16.39
I could care less about
anything, how does God reach
00:14:16.43\00:14:20.71
someone like that?
How did He reach you?
00:14:20.74\00:14:22.87
Well Cheri, my mom
she never gave up praying.
00:14:22.91\00:14:27.44
She was praying for me for
a long time and I believe she
00:14:27.47\00:14:30.76
knew that she was
the cause of some of it.
00:14:30.80\00:14:34.51
She would always pray for me.
00:14:34.55\00:14:36.40
So she had a lot of
guilt that she was trying
00:14:36.44\00:14:38.52
to deal with too. - Yes!
00:14:38.56\00:14:39.97
From time to time she would
talk to me and tell me that
00:14:40.01\00:14:44.39
she loved me and
that I needed to change.
00:14:44.43\00:14:46.59
She was hearing many bad things
about me and she was afraid
00:14:46.63\00:14:51.29
I was going to be killed.
00:14:51.32\00:14:52.91
So that actually
started sinking in a little bit,
00:14:52.95\00:14:57.18
I didn't want to die
or anything like that.
00:14:57.22\00:15:00.61
I started thinking
about some of the things
00:15:00.64\00:15:04.00
she was saying, yeah, yeah.
00:15:04.04\00:15:06.07
It just started to get to you?
00:15:06.11\00:15:08.07
- yeah, it was
getting to me heavy.
00:15:08.11\00:15:11.02
Then what happened?
00:15:11.05\00:15:12.49
After that I think one
night, I would always get in
00:15:12.52\00:15:17.81
trouble as I got older,
when I get in trouble or
00:15:17.85\00:15:21.57
something like that I
would lose everything,
00:15:21.61\00:15:25.30
my mom would always
welcome me back home to help me
00:15:25.33\00:15:29.44
out and start all over again.
00:15:29.47\00:15:31.25
She didn't say you're not
coming back to this house,
00:15:31.28\00:15:34.28
in fact she said the
opposite, please come back.
00:15:34.32\00:15:37.25
She said that and I came
back home, but I was so full
00:15:37.28\00:15:42.99
of rage, one night there
was a fight, I got into a fight
00:15:43.02\00:15:48.69
right in front of my
mom's yard with this guy.
00:15:48.73\00:15:52.50
She seen right then,
Reggie you need to change.
00:15:52.54\00:15:56.24
Me and this guy got into an
altercation in I was so in a
00:15:56.28\00:15:59.39
rage that she couldn't calm
me down and stuff like that.
00:15:59.43\00:16:02.51
When people say,
in a rage or a fight,
00:16:02.54\00:16:06.28
those are almost
life and death fights.
00:16:06.31\00:16:09.98
When you are in a gang
situation, all the boundaries of
00:16:10.02\00:16:14.67
what you would have
normally done, are gone.
00:16:14.71\00:16:17.14
If I had to take you
out, I will take you out.
00:16:17.17\00:16:19.56
Yeah, that's
exactly... - what she saw.
00:16:19.60\00:16:21.89
What I was trying to
do that guy that night,
00:16:21.92\00:16:23.86
I was trying to take him
out right there in her yard.
00:16:23.89\00:16:26.56
If I had had some
weapon or something like that,
00:16:26.59\00:16:30.20
I very well would
have taken him out.
00:16:30.24\00:16:32.35
She actually came between
us and told me, look you're
00:16:32.38\00:16:36.54
going to have to change,
you're going to have change
00:16:36.58\00:16:40.70
your life and it
didn't stop right there.
00:16:40.73\00:16:43.89
I did not listen right
then, but that was another time
00:16:43.93\00:16:46.79
out there,
maybe two weeks later.
00:16:46.82\00:16:49.88
Where I was actually fussing
with a girlfriend of mine.
00:16:49.92\00:16:54.29
I was fussing and we
got to a point where it got
00:16:54.32\00:16:58.44
physical right in her house.
00:16:58.47\00:17:01.26
My mom said enough is
enough, so she called the
00:17:01.29\00:17:05.47
authorities, she called
the police. - on you? - yeah.
00:17:05.51\00:17:08.17
- She didn't
know what else to do?
00:17:08.20\00:17:10.60
Yeah, exactly. This actually
was leading to the turning
00:17:10.63\00:17:13.92
point, because when the police
were called I can remember
00:17:13.96\00:17:17.70
saying mom, how can you
call the police on your own son?
00:17:17.74\00:17:21.23
She looked at me and said,
you know Reggie, my son was
00:17:21.26\00:17:24.72
filled with love at
one time, at one time.
00:17:24.75\00:17:27.69
She said I don't know
what you have become, then she
00:17:27.73\00:17:32.61
uttered the words
Reggie love is the key.
00:17:32.64\00:17:35.90
Love, you know, so.
00:17:35.93\00:17:38.67
Did that get to you?
It's such a huge thing.
00:17:38.71\00:17:41.40
At one time my son
was filled with love.
00:17:41.44\00:17:44.10
Yes, yes and Cheri.
00:17:44.13\00:17:47.29
- That kid bringing home
his health talks to save his
00:17:47.32\00:17:51.28
mother, and she remembers
that boy, she's like what
00:17:51.31\00:17:54.51
happened to him. -
that is what she was saying.
00:17:54.54\00:17:57.67
So that time, I have been
to jail several times, but this
00:17:57.71\00:18:01.96
time was different, even
the officer that took me to jail
00:18:01.99\00:18:06.21
with actually
ministering to me in such a way.
00:18:06.24\00:18:09.03
So that was strange and odd
but that night all I can hear
00:18:09.07\00:18:14.60
is my mom's
words, love is the key.
00:18:14.64\00:18:17.30
So I wondered
how can I find love?
00:18:17.33\00:18:19.93
I remember back when I was
going to church, when I had
00:18:19.96\00:18:23.74
the Steps to
Christ at an early age.
00:18:23.78\00:18:25.99
- that old woman was taking you.
00:18:26.02\00:18:28.16
- yeah when that
little lady was taking me,
00:18:28.20\00:18:30.16
so I actually got down,
I have prayed a few times,
00:18:30.20\00:18:35.05
but this time I
wanted to change.
00:18:35.09\00:18:37.97
This time I knew that I
was the problem, all the other
00:18:38.01\00:18:42.12
times I would blame the
authorities, I would blame
00:18:42.16\00:18:46.24
everybody else except me.
00:18:46.28\00:18:48.43
- I'm innocent. - yeah
exactly, that's what I was
00:18:48.46\00:18:51.75
saying, I was innocent.
00:18:51.79\00:18:53.07
But this particular night,
when my mom called the police,
00:18:53.10\00:18:57.49
I knew I had a problem,
so I got down on my knees and
00:18:57.52\00:19:01.60
actually raised my hands
up just like I would when the
00:19:01.64\00:19:05.68
police would come
and I would surrender.
00:19:05.71\00:19:07.94
That's what I did, I
threw my hands up and said,
00:19:07.97\00:19:10.64
Lord I surrender it to You.
00:19:10.67\00:19:12.70
- the surrendering was to God.
00:19:12.74\00:19:14.70
Yeah, yeah I was
surrendering to the Lord.
00:19:14.74\00:19:17.73
A lot of inmates that
were there, they were looking
00:19:17.76\00:19:20.89
like what's wrong with this guy?
00:19:20.93\00:19:22.84
You know I had hit rock
bottom I was in jail and my mom
00:19:22.88\00:19:26.75
was the one that
called so right then and there
00:19:26.79\00:19:30.30
I asked the Lord,
could you please change me
00:19:30.34\00:19:33.82
and come into my heart.
00:19:33.85\00:19:35.55
So for people, that place,
even in my own life that was
00:19:35.58\00:19:39.89
such a holy place to be
where you finally say to God,
00:19:39.93\00:19:43.88
what ever it takes I
can't do this a minute longer.
00:19:43.92\00:19:47.84
I don't want to breathe
a minute longer without You
00:19:47.87\00:19:51.13
taking control,
because I can't do it.
00:19:51.17\00:19:53.21
Look what I've
done with my life.
00:19:53.24\00:19:55.31
When you did that, did you
get a sense, not an audible
00:19:55.34\00:19:59.50
voice or whatever, but
did you get a sense that
00:19:59.53\00:20:01.76
God spoke into your life?
00:20:01.80\00:20:03.78
Yeah, He spoke, it is
hard to describe exactly the
00:20:03.81\00:20:07.49
speaking, but He
spoke to my heart.
00:20:07.52\00:20:10.00
It was like, I'm going to
save you, but the thing is
00:20:10.03\00:20:14.92
if you go back out
there it can be disastrous,
00:20:14.95\00:20:19.85
it can be death and that
was what God was speaking to me.
00:20:19.88\00:20:25.50
So He is sort of
telling you to stay in jail?
00:20:25.53\00:20:28.46
You know if you go back
into the world and doing the
00:20:28.50\00:20:33.17
things I was doing, yeah.
00:20:33.20\00:20:35.10
- I'm very concrete on
thinking He was telling you to
00:20:35.14\00:20:37.61
stay in jail but He's just
saying, don't, you're going to
00:20:37.65\00:20:40.09
have to change, major changes.
00:20:40.13\00:20:41.67
You're going to have to
make a major change, yeah.
00:20:41.70\00:20:46.17
So when I got out of jail,
I knew the Lord was serious
00:20:46.20\00:20:50.46
about what He had spoke to
me because that guy that I had
00:20:50.50\00:20:54.72
the altercation with, one
day I was out in the yard.
00:20:54.76\00:20:59.14
I had went back and gave
my life to Christ and went
00:20:59.18\00:21:03.02
to church and everything
and about a week later
00:21:03.06\00:21:06.84
I was struggling with
wanting to drink, wanting to go
00:21:06.87\00:21:11.31
and get me a drink.
00:21:11.35\00:21:12.43
I was out in the yard
debating on whether I should go
00:21:12.47\00:21:15.68
and get drink or not, Cheri
that guy I had an altercation
00:21:15.71\00:21:18.88
with he came up
and stopped the car and
00:21:18.92\00:21:21.70
jumped out of the car.
00:21:21.73\00:21:22.78
- ready to fight again?
00:21:22.82\00:21:23.80
Yes, but this
time he had a weapon.
00:21:23.84\00:21:26.44
Right then I felt
my heart just dropped.
00:21:26.47\00:21:31.02
He just ran up to me and
looked me in the eyes and I
00:21:31.06\00:21:35.26
couldn't think of nothing
at the time, but the words came
00:21:35.29\00:21:39.65
to me, I just said, look
could you just hold for second
00:21:39.68\00:21:44.00
before you do
what you came to do.
00:21:44.03\00:21:46.10
I just want to tell you
that I'm sorry for the things
00:21:46.13\00:21:49.60
I did, I'm very sorry.
00:21:49.63\00:21:51.70
I said I have accepted the
Lord in my life and I am very
00:21:51.74\00:21:55.78
sorry, and it shocked him.
00:21:55.81\00:21:59.79
I saw a tear started coming
out of his eyes and he took
00:21:59.83\00:22:03.78
off and ran and
jumped in the car.
00:22:03.82\00:22:06.34
Because he knew from the
Holy Spirit, he knew that you
00:22:06.38\00:22:09.13
were serious, I'm not playing
you, I'm not trying to get
00:22:09.16\00:22:11.88
out of anything, I'm
telling you that my life
00:22:11.91\00:22:13.76
is different right now.
00:22:13.79\00:22:15.13
- exactly. - if I
could take all this back,
00:22:15.17\00:22:17.40
I would take it
all back. - exactly.
00:22:17.44\00:22:19.71
Back to the words that
was spoken from the Lord to my
00:22:19.74\00:22:23.26
heart, that if you go
back out there, in the world,
00:22:23.29\00:22:26.78
you can die out there.
00:22:26.81\00:22:29.53
Cheri, if I had had a
drink or something like that it
00:22:29.56\00:22:33.37
would have been easy for
me just to call him any type
00:22:33.40\00:22:37.10
of names. - and he would
have pulled the gun and said,
00:22:37.13\00:22:40.79
you're done. - he
would just kills me, yeah.
00:22:40.83\00:22:43.11
Instead, instead which is
amazing, instead of that your
00:22:43.14\00:22:47.92
life began to really turn.
00:22:47.95\00:22:50.25
Tell us a little bit
about what, you ended up back in
00:22:50.28\00:22:53.11
church, you ended up getting
baptized, you ended up doing
00:22:53.14\00:22:55.93
all that stuff, what
did that look like for you?
00:22:55.97\00:22:59.14
Well actually when I got
back in church, like I said,
00:22:59.17\00:23:03.76
- because people knew you too.
00:23:03.80\00:23:06.18
They knew me yeah, there
was times when we were, I would
00:23:06.21\00:23:09.39
go out and shop and people
would just look and say is
00:23:09.42\00:23:12.78
this the same guy, when I
was in a suit, looking like
00:23:12.81\00:23:16.13
this can't be the same guy.
00:23:16.17\00:23:18.63
People would stop me and
stare and stuff like that.
00:23:18.66\00:23:20.98
But one thing I want to
tell you, that girlfriend that
00:23:21.01\00:23:23.29
I had a fight
with, that was my wife.
00:23:23.33\00:23:27.18
- no way! As I know her
then, so she hung in there
00:23:27.21\00:23:32.04
through your change?
00:23:32.07\00:23:33.31
- She hung in there,
yeah, she actually moved back to
00:23:33.35\00:23:35.85
Orlando and then she came back.
00:23:35.88\00:23:38.64
A phone call we had and I
was telling her that I had
00:23:38.68\00:23:42.28
given my life to
Christ and she came back.
00:23:42.31\00:23:45.13
So you guys ended
up getting married?
00:23:45.16\00:23:47.11
Yeah we ended
up getting married.
00:23:47.15\00:23:49.03
We talked about, when I
opened the show, we were talking
00:23:49.07\00:23:52.07
about generational
curses or blessings.
00:23:52.11\00:23:54.82
You had literally given God
permission to come into your
00:23:54.85\00:23:59.20
life, into your children's
life, you had how many
00:23:59.24\00:24:03.02
children with
her? - 6- 6 children.
00:24:03.06\00:24:06.32
I'm telling you they
are amazing, amazing.
00:24:06.36\00:24:10.38
I will go ahead and break,
when I come back I want to
00:24:10.42\00:24:15.56
introduce the audience in
the café to one of your sons.
00:24:15.59\00:24:19.85
Then at the end of the
program I'm going to bring the
00:24:19.89\00:24:23.14
whole family in because
I would really love to hear
00:24:23.18\00:24:26.40
from his wife, this change.
00:24:26.43\00:24:28.32
I want you to see what happens
when one person decides to
00:24:28.36\00:24:32.59
change, says I am not
going to go down that same path.
00:24:32.62\00:24:35.70
I'm not going to do that
same life, I'm going to trust
00:24:35.73\00:24:38.98
God that He has a plan
for me and Reginald did that.
00:24:39.01\00:24:43.31
It literally brought about
a change that is absolutely
00:24:43.35\00:24:47.16
amazing, so I want you to
meet his kids and you to see
00:24:47.19\00:24:50.97
the whole family and
we'll talk a little bit with
00:24:51.01\00:24:53.13
his wife at the end.
00:24:53.17\00:24:54.24
So stay with us,
we'll be right back!
00:24:54.27\00:24:55.95