(upbeat music)
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- Welcome everyone,
we're excited to share
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some country wisdom with you.
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- King Solomon had a thing
or two to say about the path
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to wisdom in
Proverbs 4, he wrote;
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"Let your eyes
look directly forward
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and your gaze be
straight, before you.
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Keep straight
the path of your feet
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and all your ways will be sure.
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- Join us now
for country wisdom.
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(upbeat music)
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(bright music) (ball dribbling)
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(ring clanging) (upbeat music)
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You know, in the
book of John chapter 1,
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it's speaking of Jesus,
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He was in the world, and
the world was made by him.
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The world knew him not.
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He came unto his own and
his own received him not.
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I think about you Phillip.
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God made you,
you had not a clue.
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You have a very
interesting life,
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please share with us
today's (indistinct).
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- Oh yeah, so, I grew up
in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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I'm the youngest
of eight children
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and I have six
brothers and one sister.
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And the only girl, is
right above me in age.
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So growing up, we were
very close and I grew up
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in a typical
inner city neighborhood,
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predominantly
black neighborhood.
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And we had good times
growing up, you know, we'd play,
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we invent things,
but on the other end,
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the neighborhood had it's
troubles; violence, crime,
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drugs, you name it.
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And so for me, a way
of escape was sports.
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And at a very young
age, I played basketball
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and fell in love with the game.
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I played since about
second grade up into college.
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- You were
obviously built for basketball
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because you're how tall?
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- Yeah, I'm six foot seven.
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- Yeah, there's a
basketball player.
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- Yeah, am glad he's
sitting down actually but,
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(Janice laughing)
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but that's why we're out
here at the park today, right?
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With the basketball court
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and the Reedy to go
into the background.
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- Yeah, unfortunately, but
yeah I was actually the smallest
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of the siblings then one summer,
I just shot up very tall.
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And so around high school,
when I was playing basketball,
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I began to see that although
I grew up in this big family,
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a lot of my brothers were
not present during my games.
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And that
affected me a great deal.
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The reason being is
many of them were in and out
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of the system,
the prison system,
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and unfortunately
could not be there.
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So I'm in this
big family and I felt
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kind of alone in a sense.
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And so as basketball
was my way of escape,
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it slowly was
escaping me and my heart
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because I began to
lose the love of basketball.
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And so I'm floating
through high school, I graduate.
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(upbeat music)
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I get recruited to go to
college and I played two years
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in college basketball.
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- So you're good
enough that you are recruited.
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- So I was good enough, but
I didn't have that confidence
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or that edge to
excel me further than that.
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And I think as a result
of it, was my depression,
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fell into a deep depression.
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And so two years into
playing basketball in college,
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I began to feel this
sense of need or longing
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for a relationship with my
brothers, us brothers, family.
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And at the same time,
my parents, financially,
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there was a burden that
I wanted them to prosper
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and be financially
stable and their relationship
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with my brothers.
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So after college,
I began to lose sight
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on what I wanted
and, and all I wanted was
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for my family to
be close and for them
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to have that
financial stability.
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Now that I'm a young
man, many of my brothers
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are out of prison, they're home.
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And so I go back home from
college and I start building
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that relationship that I wanted.
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And unfortunately, some
of the values that I had,
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I began to lose and
I began to associate
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with some of their ideas.
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And of course, well, my
brothers are criminal minded
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and as a result of wanting
money and this relationship,
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I began to drink heavily,
I began to smoke heavily.
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My health was deteriorating
at a young age, I'm about--
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- Drinking, drinking
does not help depression.
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- Of course,
yeah. - That would make
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that condition even worse.
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- Yeah, and it did.
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I fell in more depression,
my health was getting bad.
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I'm about 22 at the time
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and I'm not
playing basketball anymore.
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And my brothers, I began to
get involved more with them.
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And I got into the
street life, began to sell drugs
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and do drugs and at
this time, one of my brothers
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who I was with named Michael,
we were heading to a bar
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and typical night, we're
drinking and I'm drinking
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heavily. I don't even know all
I drunk, but I left this place
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in the worst shape in my life.
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And as we're
getting in the vehicle,
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there's a car next to
mine, as they were leaving
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they exchanged some words to me.
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- So, they're
looking for a fight?
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- I don't if
looking for a fight,
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I don't know if it was, I
don't know what their mind
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didn't know them,
didn't see them in the bar,
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but they said
something and it bothered me.
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And it was very harsh.
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(upbeat music)
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And so I was
like, what did you say?
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And they're
driving off, still talking
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as they're driving away.
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(upbeat music)
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So I go into my
vehicle in my drunken state,
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I'm looking for my
firearm, I grabbed my firearm
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and I walk around my vehicle.
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As they're leaving out,
I get some to the grass.
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And I was
saying, what did you say?
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And at that time
I pointed the gun.
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And then my drunken
state, as I pointed the gun
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at the car,
something happened where my arm
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went up in the air and
when my arm went up in the air,
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I shot twice.
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(gunshots firing)
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- You are implying
that, you weren't planning
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on necessarily raising your arm?
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- I don't know what I
was planning on, I thought
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I was gonna scare them, or
I'm just in this drunk mess,
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I'm angry in my life.
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(upbeat music)
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And I guess I wanted to
take it out on something,
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but by God's grace, I
didn't, I'm glad I didn't.
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- You shot in the
air, instead of at them.
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- I shot in the
air, which is not good,
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thankfully, no one was hurt.
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And when I shot in the
air, I immediately regretted it.
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And then in my drunken state,
I'm going back to my vehicle.
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And I'm trying to
leave, I'm out of there.
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And a cop comes behind us
and pulls me over, I'm driving,
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and my brother's in the
passenger seat, passed out
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drunk. And here I am.
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- And there was the cops.
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- There was the cops.
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- Hey Janice, how are you doing?
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(upbeat music)
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- Hey, you wrote another book.
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- I did, had a burden on
my heart and God helped me
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get it done.
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(upbeat music)
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- So, The Plan of
Love, what's it about?
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- Well, it's really
about God in eternity,
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saw everything that
was going to happen here
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in his amazing love, he
says, " I'm gonna take care
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of the problems, I'm
gonna take care of the situation
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by giving my own life."
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(upbeat music)
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He did all that, but
we've been lied to so much,
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We don't see what
God has planned for us,
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what God is doing for us.
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Matter of fact, the angel
came down to Mary and said,
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" You shall call his
name Jesus, for he shall save
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his people from their sins."
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Notice it wasn't in, but from.
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- Where can people get the book?
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- Hey, I'm glad you asked.
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Folks if you'd like
your own personal copy,
00:08:43.08\00:08:45.02
Log on to
TalkingDonkeyInternational.org
00:08:45.02\00:08:47.69
and now please if you
would, send us a donation
00:08:47.69\00:08:49.69
of $12. - Or more.
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- Or more, and we'll get
you the book and I'll be happy
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to sign it for you
too, thank you so much.
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(gunshots firing) (upbeat music)
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Then Philip, after you ripped
off two shots, what happened?
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- What would happen
next is, I surrendered
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and the cops showed
up. - The cops showed up.
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- They got behind my
vehicle and I'm driving,
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my brother's in
the passenger seat.
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And I just had so
much regret immediately,
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like, what did I do?
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And I see the lights
behind me and they tell us
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to get out the vehicle.
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And my brother's
a drunk, I'm drunk.
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And I managed to get
out, we walked backwards.
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- What'd you do with the gun?
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- The gun was in, there
was a gun on the side of me.
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And then those other guns
were in the glove compartment.
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- Oh, you had multiple guns.
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- I had multiple guns.
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- And your brother, is he ever
had any scraps with the law?
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- Yeah, he has a
past history with the law
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and he's been
incarcerated before.
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- So he's got real
problems to just being with you.
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- Just being with me, yes.
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And so I was the
legit person, I was the one
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who did everything
right and was a law abiding,
00:10:00.66\00:10:04.47
so I'm driving, but
now he's in the situation
00:10:04.47\00:10:07.44
that I put him in.
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(upbeat music)
00:10:08.40\00:10:09.74
And so I had so much
regret and we just surrendered
00:10:09.74\00:10:12.27
and we walked backwards.
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They put our hands behind
our back and handcuffed us
00:10:14.94\00:10:19.31
and took us to jail.
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- They have guns
drawn and everything?
00:10:21.15\00:10:22.55
- They had guns
drawn, they made commands.
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And they were waiting
for other police to show up
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and other things they
were doing and they arrested us
00:10:30.66\00:10:34.73
and took us to jail.
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- Next step, now
your jail booking.
00:10:37.20\00:10:39.53
- Yeah, booking and so
in the process of booking
00:10:39.53\00:10:43.41
it's standard that
they take your vital signs
00:10:43.41\00:10:46.51
and everything and so
as the nurse was taking
00:10:46.51\00:10:50.11
my blood pressure,
I believe she told me
00:10:50.11\00:10:52.61
that my blood
pressure was like 200/160.
00:10:52.61\00:10:55.48
Like, it was
hypertension to the max.
00:10:55.48\00:10:58.32
- You were about
to have a stroke.
00:10:58.32\00:10:59.79
- I could have had a
stroke and the face she made
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when she saw the
readings, she was concerned,
00:11:01.92\00:11:04.63
and she went and
talked to her other nurses.
00:11:04.63\00:11:06.80
And for the my
time there in jail,
00:11:06.80\00:11:10.63
they were
monitoring me almost every day.
00:11:10.63\00:11:14.94
And so thankfully,
as I was in that process
00:11:14.94\00:11:18.44
and no longer drinking,
no longer smoking cigars,
00:11:18.44\00:11:22.21
no longer eating bad food,
my health began to increase.
00:11:22.21\00:11:26.68
- Just in that short time.
00:11:26.68\00:11:27.48
- Just in that short time.
00:11:27.48\00:11:29.38
- You mean that-- - So you got
00:11:29.38\00:11:30.22
healthier in jail.
00:11:30.22\00:11:31.02
- I got healthier in jail.
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(Janice chuckling)
00:11:32.32\00:11:33.46
- Amazing, how God
built a human body to repair.
00:11:33.46\00:11:35.16
- Exactly, exactly and
I thank God for his grace
00:11:35.16\00:11:38.09
and at that
time, I'm sobering up,
00:11:38.09\00:11:41.40
my mind is becoming
clearer, but then I began
00:11:41.40\00:11:45.13
to be the real, seeing
the reality that this is not a
00:11:45.13\00:11:50.11
dream. This is not something
that is when I was drunk,
00:11:52.01\00:11:54.61
this is real.
00:11:54.61\00:11:56.21
- And you've got a
bad road ahead of you.
00:11:56.21\00:11:57.65
- And I'm in this
situation and I don't know
00:11:57.65\00:11:59.78
what's gonna happen,
never been in this situation.
00:11:59.78\00:12:03.02
And I was just in a place
of, I was at the bottom and so.
00:12:03.02\00:12:08.09
- What happened to your brother?
00:12:08.89\00:12:09.69
Where's he through all this?
00:12:09.69\00:12:11.33
- Well, my brother, well,
later on like six months later,
00:12:11.33\00:12:16.36
we go to court, I go to
court first and then he went
00:12:17.70\00:12:20.04
after me, but I got
sentenced to prison.
00:12:20.04\00:12:24.87
And I don't really
know what happened to him,
00:12:24.87\00:12:27.11
but I think he did get a
few, a little bit of time,
00:12:27.11\00:12:31.65
but he was on house arrest.
00:12:31.65\00:12:33.42
But like I said, I told
the people that he had nothing
00:12:33.42\00:12:36.92
to do with it, and the guns
were mine and it was my doing.
00:12:36.92\00:12:41.22
And then I just wanted to
make sure that he was okay.
00:12:41.22\00:12:43.56
(upbeat music)
00:12:43.56\00:12:44.59
- Because, you've
mentioned to me, really,
00:12:44.59\00:12:45.59
you and I are
talking just briefly,
00:12:45.59\00:12:47.46
like he was already a what,
a two time felon or something,
00:12:47.46\00:12:49.30
he would have been
a three-time loser.
00:12:49.30\00:12:50.80
- Yeah, he would
have been a three time.
00:12:50.80\00:12:52.07
- Because of
you. - Because of me.
00:12:52.07\00:12:53.64
So I had all this guilt and
this weight on my shoulders,
00:12:53.64\00:12:56.71
on my heart and
last thing I wanted to do
00:12:56.71\00:12:59.94
is bring any of my family or
anybody in to something I did.
00:12:59.94\00:13:04.41
So I began to tell
the truth and tell them,
00:13:04.41\00:13:07.45
hey, this is
me, this is my fault
00:13:07.45\00:13:09.85
but unfortunately
they were still trying
00:13:09.85\00:13:12.32
to get him a third
strike or as a violent felon
00:13:12.32\00:13:17.39
or whatever the
term was and thankfully
00:13:18.49\00:13:21.70
he didn't get
sentenced for that,
00:13:21.70\00:13:23.06
but he did do some time
just being with me that night.
00:13:23.06\00:13:28.20
- Then what was that process
now, you finally get to court,
00:13:29.57\00:13:31.37
you're sentenced
what happened next?
00:13:31.37\00:13:33.31
- So I get
sentenced, and in this process
00:13:33.31\00:13:35.94
of being shipped from
jail, there's a process
00:13:35.94\00:13:39.55
where it's called RDC,
where you go to find out
00:13:39.55\00:13:43.35
where you're
gonna serve your time.
00:13:43.35\00:13:45.45
And so, I'm in this place
for about two and a half weeks.
00:13:45.45\00:13:49.29
And during this
two and a half weeks,
00:13:49.29\00:13:51.79
it's where something
interesting happened.
00:13:51.79\00:13:55.10
So when I go
first into this cell
00:13:55.10\00:13:57.20
and the cell is only
like six by eight, I'm 6'7.
00:13:57.20\00:14:00.34
- I was gonna say
tiny cell for you.
00:14:00.34\00:14:02.07
- And then I'm there
alone, there's two bunks.
00:14:02.07\00:14:05.97
And when I heard
those bars close behind me,
00:14:05.97\00:14:10.05
this is real, this
is it, I'm about to go
00:14:11.28\00:14:14.25
through this process.
00:14:14.25\00:14:15.75
I don't know
what's about to happen,
00:14:15.75\00:14:17.62
but as I'm pretty
much crying at this point,
00:14:18.75\00:14:22.72
and I'm pretty much
just in a very deep despair,
00:14:22.72\00:14:26.29
something impressed
me to go to the bunk,
00:14:27.40\00:14:29.23
the top bunk of the cell,
and I lifted up the mattress.
00:14:29.23\00:14:34.30
- What were you looking for?
00:14:35.10\00:14:36.20
- I don't know, I just
felt impressed to do it.
00:14:36.20\00:14:38.74
And I'm looking up
underneath the mattress
00:14:39.77\00:14:43.11
and I see all of these
books underneath there to read,
00:14:43.11\00:14:47.35
what else are
you gonna do, right?
00:14:47.35\00:14:49.52
But one book that
stood out to me was a Bible.
00:14:49.52\00:14:53.09
- Oh, wow.
00:14:53.09\00:14:54.22
- And for the very
first time, I began to think,
00:14:54.22\00:14:56.93
wow, you know what,
I've never read the Bible.
00:14:56.93\00:15:00.10
- Even though you grew
up in a Christian home?
00:15:00.10\00:15:01.33
- Even though I grew
up in a Christian home,
00:15:01.33\00:15:02.86
I've never read
the Bible for myself.
00:15:02.86\00:15:05.30
And so I saw a new
King James Version Bible.
00:15:05.30\00:15:08.80
I began to pick it up
and read it and keep in mind
00:15:08.80\00:15:12.44
I'm in here for 23 hours
of the day, minus going out
00:15:12.44\00:15:16.44
to eat dinner and
shower and sleeping.
00:15:16.44\00:15:19.78
- You have
nothing to do, but read.
00:15:19.78\00:15:21.12
- Nothing to do but
read, and as I'm reading it,
00:15:21.12\00:15:23.45
something begins
to happen in my heart.
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.92
And when I thought that
this was the end of my life,
00:15:26.92\00:15:30.63
that there was no
hope for me, God is saying,
00:15:31.76\00:15:34.56
no, this is not the
end, but a new beginning.
00:15:34.56\00:15:37.60
And I began
studying it every single day.
00:15:38.73\00:15:42.47
And I started in
Genesis and I kept reading
00:15:42.47\00:15:44.21
all through the Bible and I
saw in this beautiful storyline
00:15:44.21\00:15:48.71
of God wanting the
best for his people.
00:15:48.71\00:15:52.48
And he's wanting to
bless them and he's wanting
00:15:52.48\00:15:55.02
to be in their life and
he's wanting to dwell with them.
00:15:55.02\00:15:58.12
And I said, wow,
what a great God.
00:15:58.12\00:16:00.86
But one thing I
noticed with the Israelites
00:16:00.86\00:16:02.92
in the Old Testament
where they kept disobeying God,
00:16:02.92\00:16:06.39
and I was thinking I said,
why are they so disobedient?
00:16:07.76\00:16:10.83
All God wants to do
is bless them and then.
00:16:10.83\00:16:14.44
- It hit you.
00:16:14.44\00:16:15.50
- It hit me,
well, what about me?
00:16:15.50\00:16:18.17
Look where I am and
so here at the bottom
00:16:19.27\00:16:22.54
in the pitting rock
bottom, only place I could do
00:16:23.85\00:16:27.18
was look up.
00:16:27.18\00:16:28.08
And I thank God, for his grace,
00:16:28.88\00:16:30.89
that he was not
gonna leave me alone,
00:16:30.89\00:16:33.76
but he will be with
me through this process.
00:16:33.76\00:16:36.73
And for these
two and a half weeks,
00:16:36.73\00:16:37.86
I had so much peace
and the guilt and the shame
00:16:37.86\00:16:41.13
that I brought on
my life and my family
00:16:41.13\00:16:44.47
and putting my brother
through that was all gone.
00:16:44.47\00:16:47.37
It was as if God is in control.
00:16:48.17\00:16:50.24
- Some people are
gonna really have a hard time
00:16:50.24\00:16:52.24
as a change of heart.
00:16:52.24\00:16:53.68
How could, what happened?
00:16:53.68\00:16:54.71
You know I mean
you're in a prison cell
00:16:54.71\00:16:56.64
and you're reading it, how
could that ever change anybody?
00:16:56.64\00:16:58.75
But you're a
living testimony to.
00:16:58.75\00:17:01.35
- Living testimony.
00:17:01.35\00:17:02.18
- Yes, they can.
00:17:02.18\00:17:03.25
- And, the Bible
says in Jeremiah 13:23,
00:17:03.25\00:17:07.49
"Can an
Ethiopian change his skin
00:17:07.49\00:17:10.19
or a leopard change his spots?
00:17:10.19\00:17:12.33
So how can you do good,
who are accustomed to do evil?"
00:17:12.33\00:17:17.37
And here I am, my life
is showing what changed me
00:17:18.73\00:17:21.67
from being that to where I am
now, only by the grace of God.
00:17:21.67\00:17:25.37
- But you've still got to
live it out, you're still going
00:17:25.37\00:17:26.88
through the process now.
00:17:26.88\00:17:28.18
- Exactly, I'm still
going through the process.
00:17:28.18\00:17:29.51
So, something began to happen
to my heart and naturally,
00:17:29.51\00:17:34.05
I wanted to study more
and I wanted to spend my life
00:17:35.45\00:17:38.72
doing what God wanted.
00:17:38.72\00:17:40.56
So when I got
shipped to the place
00:17:40.56\00:17:42.52
where I was
incarcerated finally,
00:17:42.52\00:17:45.03
again, I began to read the
Bible, learning how to pray
00:17:45.03\00:17:48.13
and trying to walk in the
truth that I've been reading.
00:17:48.13\00:17:51.43
And something interesting
happened during my process,
00:17:51.43\00:17:55.64
there was a person
next to me, a bunkie,
00:17:55.64\00:17:58.14
and he was an older
fellow, he was about 60.
00:17:58.14\00:18:00.81
And I think he only had
00:18:00.81\00:18:02.21
maybe like a middle
school education and he gives me
00:18:02.21\00:18:04.38
this book, he said,
"hey, this is a great book,
00:18:04.38\00:18:06.75
you have to read this book."
00:18:06.75\00:18:08.45
And I'm like, " What book?"
00:18:08.45\00:18:10.12
And he shows me
the book and it says,
00:18:10.12\00:18:12.62
What Your Fifth
Grader Should Know About.
00:18:12.62\00:18:14.86
(laughing)
00:18:14.86\00:18:15.69
And I'm like.
00:18:15.69\00:18:16.73
- A fifth grader? -
In my mind, I'm like,
00:18:16.73\00:18:17.53
I've been to college, you know?
00:18:17.53\00:18:19.29
And I put the book
on my bunk, I go down
00:18:20.36\00:18:22.20
and play pool and recreation.
00:18:22.20\00:18:24.10
Something is telling
me, hey, go read that book.
00:18:24.10\00:18:26.90
And I go up there and I read
the book because the one thing
00:18:26.90\00:18:29.97
I was asking God is what
happened the last 2000 years.
00:18:29.97\00:18:32.77
What, why so many denominations?
00:18:32.77\00:18:35.94
And I go up and read the
book and I get to the book
00:18:35.94\00:18:39.15
part about history.
00:18:39.15\00:18:40.88
And it starts talking a little
bit about The Reformation,
00:18:40.88\00:18:44.02
never heard of The
Reformation never heard
00:18:44.02\00:18:45.92
of Martin Luther and all these
Protestant leaders, founders.
00:18:45.92\00:18:50.99
And so that was a plan that
I believe God put in my heart
00:18:53.26\00:18:57.10
to go and search more.
00:18:57.10\00:18:59.07
So I began to search
more and more and more.
00:18:59.07\00:19:01.70
- So you spent about a year.
00:19:01.70\00:19:03.34
- About a year. -
Studying and praying.
00:19:03.34\00:19:04.87
- Yeah. - And growing,
00:19:04.87\00:19:06.81
you were growing?
00:19:06.81\00:19:07.71
- Yes, yes.
00:19:07.71\00:19:08.71
- What happened,
when you got out?
00:19:09.94\00:19:13.15
I mean, what did you do then?
00:19:13.15\00:19:15.58
- Yes, good
point, when I got out,
00:19:15.58\00:19:18.99
still I began to try
to honor God with my life.
00:19:18.99\00:19:22.92
And when I got out,
the lady who's now my wife,
00:19:22.92\00:19:27.96
she was with me through the
process of my incarceration.
00:19:29.60\00:19:32.80
I didn't know her
when I committed the crime,
00:19:32.80\00:19:35.74
but I met her after
that and she stuck with me.
00:19:35.74\00:19:39.94
- I gotta stop you
just right, you met her
00:19:39.94\00:19:41.94
after you've been jailed?
00:19:41.94\00:19:43.81
- Yes, so I was in jail
and I bonded out 30 days later.
00:19:43.81\00:19:48.12
- Okay, bonded out as in
somebody paid or you got bail
00:19:48.12\00:19:50.59
or. - Yeah, I got
bail and I bonded out
00:19:50.59\00:19:52.79
and that's when I met her.
00:19:52.79\00:19:55.36
And though when
I went to the court
00:19:55.36\00:19:56.83
and was sentenced
she's stayed with me.
00:19:56.83\00:19:59.76
- And she was looking for a
fun-loving, gun-toting guy and--
00:19:59.76\00:20:02.46
- Yeah, that was me. - Okay.
00:20:02.46\00:20:04.50
- So, she found
what she was looking for,
00:20:04.50\00:20:07.14
but when I got out, she
found a different person.
00:20:07.14\00:20:09.17
- You were not the same guy.
00:20:09.17\00:20:10.61
- Not the guy that I was with.
00:20:10.61\00:20:11.44
- No, not at all.
00:20:11.44\00:20:12.81
And so, she was wrestling
with this new me and she thought
00:20:12.81\00:20:17.41
some of the things that I
was doing was a little weird,
00:20:17.41\00:20:19.98
she'd come home,
she'd find me reading
00:20:19.98\00:20:21.22
the Bible, find me praying.
00:20:21.22\00:20:23.95
- Honey, let's go
party, no, no, no.
00:20:23.95\00:20:25.85
- Yeah, let's go
drink and I'm like, no.
00:20:25.85\00:20:28.52
And so something began to
happen in her life as well.
00:20:28.52\00:20:32.19
But during this
process, I began to get evicted
00:20:32.19\00:20:35.66
on our lifestyle, I'm living
with her, she's now pregnant.
00:20:35.66\00:20:39.97
And I began saying,
hey, we're not living right,
00:20:39.97\00:20:42.64
I wanna honor God,
he blessed me so much
00:20:43.81\00:20:46.74
and if you go along with
this, you'll be blessed too.
00:20:46.74\00:20:50.61
And so we
decided to get married.
00:20:50.61\00:20:52.45
At the process of that, I
was looking for employment
00:20:54.18\00:20:57.42
and I wanna get on my feet.
00:20:57.42\00:20:58.92
- Having been in jail
that probably didn't help.
00:20:58.92\00:21:01.69
- No, it didn't help at all.
00:21:01.69\00:21:03.29
But I kept trusting in God.
00:21:03.29\00:21:04.66
- But you're just
getting all of this,
00:21:04.66\00:21:06.33
all this conviction and
direction out of the Bible,
00:21:06.33\00:21:09.06
- Out of the Bible.
00:21:09.06\00:21:10.57
And so, and at the
process that God is showing me
00:21:10.57\00:21:14.37
these things and my
life is being blessed by it.
00:21:14.37\00:21:18.17
I said, Lord,
where do I go from here?
00:21:19.27\00:21:22.88
Because I know I
need to fellowship,
00:21:22.88\00:21:25.11
but there's so many
churches, where do I go?
00:21:25.11\00:21:29.35
And he's began to direct me.
00:21:29.35\00:21:30.99
So I'm praying what
happened still last 2000 years,
00:21:30.99\00:21:34.52
why there's so
many denominations?
00:21:34.52\00:21:37.03
And then I, one day I was
leaving an interview for a job
00:21:37.03\00:21:42.06
and I'm catching the
bus, I wasn't too familiar
00:21:42.06\00:21:44.80
with the bus system.
00:21:44.80\00:21:46.23
- You're still in Indianapolis.
00:21:46.23\00:21:47.70
- Yes, still in Indianapolis
and I had to transfer
00:21:47.70\00:21:50.47
from one bus to another.
00:21:50.47\00:21:52.04
And when I got off the
bus, I saw across the street,
00:21:53.48\00:21:58.01
as the bus passed me, I
saw the church and it said,
00:21:59.45\00:22:02.75
Glendale
Seventh-Day Adventist church.
00:22:02.75\00:22:05.82
And so I go
home, I tell my wife,
00:22:05.82\00:22:07.89
"Hey, I believe
I found a church."
00:22:07.89\00:22:10.33
And we go to the church.
00:22:10.33\00:22:12.99
We go that following weekend.
00:22:12.99\00:22:15.80
There was a
gentleman who came to the door
00:22:15.80\00:22:18.40
and we introduced ourselves.
00:22:18.40\00:22:20.50
And it was her that he
said, "Hey, I detect an accent,
00:22:20.50\00:22:25.24
where are you from?"
00:22:25.24\00:22:26.04
"Oh, I'm from Costa Rica."
00:22:26.04\00:22:27.84
And he said," Oh really,
my wife's from Costa Rica."
00:22:27.84\00:22:29.91
And so that was
something that God used
00:22:29.91\00:22:31.95
to get her in the church.
00:22:31.95\00:22:33.75
And so when we was
introduced to this church,
00:22:33.75\00:22:35.15
we were just
loved by the people.
00:22:35.15\00:22:37.25
We saw it was so diverse.
00:22:37.25\00:22:39.42
We was hearing the word of God
00:22:39.42\00:22:40.52
and it was a
beautiful thing to experience.
00:22:40.52\00:22:43.46
- So God led you
through step by step by step.
00:22:44.56\00:22:46.70
- By step.
00:22:46.70\00:22:48.26
- You're with us here
today and I know there's a glow
00:22:48.26\00:22:50.20
in your heart and in your
life and we've been talking
00:22:50.20\00:22:52.73
with you and
your sweetheart wife.
00:22:52.73\00:22:55.17
Are you happier now than
you were in previous times?
00:22:55.17\00:22:58.94
- Oh, very much so.
00:22:58.94\00:22:59.94
- Would you change anything?
00:23:00.81\00:23:02.24
- You know when you
think about that experience,
00:23:03.58\00:23:04.68
you wish you
didn't do it, of course.
00:23:04.68\00:23:06.88
But what happened in the midst
of that and an outcome of it?
00:23:06.88\00:23:10.19
I would not change it.
00:23:10.19\00:23:11.52
- But the amazing thing is that
God, you can totally mess up
00:23:11.52\00:23:16.26
your life and God
doesn't say, well, you did it
00:23:16.26\00:23:20.53
to yourself and walk away.
00:23:20.53\00:23:22.73
- This is not the
felon that's standing here,
00:23:22.73\00:23:25.53
You know, this is a child of
God, different person, right?
00:23:25.53\00:23:28.87
- By God's grace.
00:23:28.87\00:23:29.97
- You know, what
is there in your life
00:23:29.97\00:23:34.24
that you'd like
to share with others?
00:23:34.24\00:23:36.31
Why should they
maybe take your journey?
00:23:37.51\00:23:39.38
Maybe there's
somebody even in jail,
00:23:39.38\00:23:40.62
who gets to watch this program.
00:23:40.62\00:23:42.32
What would you tell them?
00:23:42.32\00:23:44.39
- You know, being in
jail, there's many things
00:23:44.39\00:23:46.02
you can spend your time doing.
00:23:46.02\00:23:47.59
But the best thing that
you can do is study God's word,
00:23:48.99\00:23:52.53
get closer to him.
00:23:52.53\00:23:54.60
And not only will he
bless you in your time there,
00:23:54.60\00:23:57.60
but he'll work
things out in your life
00:23:57.60\00:23:59.57
that you would never imagine.
00:23:59.57\00:24:01.27
And I like that verse that says,
00:24:01.27\00:24:02.80
seek ye the Lord
while he's here call on him,
00:24:02.80\00:24:06.94
while he's near.
00:24:06.94\00:24:08.51
And so I would encourage that
person while you have the time
00:24:08.51\00:24:12.18
seek God's face, why wait?
00:24:12.98\00:24:15.52
He has so much in store for you.
00:24:15.52\00:24:17.99
- You two in your
marriage and before have gone
00:24:17.99\00:24:20.72
through some really
interesting times, I imagine.
00:24:20.72\00:24:23.93
- Yeah.
00:24:23.93\00:24:25.26
- For those couples out
there, what would you tell them?
00:24:25.26\00:24:26.63
How does God enter into what
he's done for the two of you?
00:24:26.63\00:24:29.66
- The way he
blessed us is beyond words.
00:24:30.80\00:24:34.60
And I think the best thing
that we can do is have Christ
00:24:34.60\00:24:37.67
in the center of our marriage.
00:24:37.67\00:24:39.87
And I wanna encourage
that couple to have Christ
00:24:39.87\00:24:41.84
in the center of
your relationship.
00:24:41.84\00:24:43.91
He knows things
that we don't know,
00:24:43.91\00:24:46.41
and he will give you desires
that you will never desire,
00:24:46.41\00:24:49.58
but it will bless
your life tremendously.
00:24:49.58\00:24:52.39
- This a little different,
but I'd like you to look
00:24:52.39\00:24:53.89
right into that camera and tell
people what God means to you
00:24:53.89\00:24:57.53
and how just from
the depth of your heart.
00:24:57.53\00:25:01.30
- What God means to me is that
00:25:02.40\00:25:05.83
no matter where you come from,
no matter what you've done,
00:25:05.83\00:25:09.67
God is a God of
mercy and of love.
00:25:10.77\00:25:14.01
And he will do
things in your life
00:25:15.28\00:25:16.78
that you will never imagine.
00:25:16.78\00:25:18.38
The best thing that you can
do is give your heart to him.
00:25:19.75\00:25:22.35
He created you and
he has redeemed you
00:25:22.35\00:25:25.35
by the blood of Jesus.
00:25:25.35\00:25:26.65
And so honor him with your
life and call on him right now,
00:25:27.96\00:25:32.69
in your time of need.
00:25:33.46\00:25:35.56
And he will bless
you in a tremendous way.
00:25:35.56\00:25:37.93
- Hey Janice, how are you doing?
00:25:42.20\00:25:44.07
- Hey, you wrote another book.
00:25:44.07\00:25:45.91
- I did had a burden on
my heart and God helped me
00:25:45.91\00:25:48.18
get it done.
00:25:48.18\00:25:49.21
(upbeat music)
00:25:49.21\00:25:50.28
- So, The Plan Of
Love, what's it about?
00:25:50.28\00:25:53.52
- Well, it's really
about God in eternity
00:25:53.52\00:25:56.15
saw everything that
was going to happen here,
00:25:56.15\00:25:58.19
in his amazing love he
says, I'm gonna take care
00:25:58.19\00:26:02.26
of the problems I'm gonna
take care of the situation
00:26:02.26\00:26:04.16
by giving my own life.
00:26:04.16\00:26:05.53
He did all that, but
we've been lied to so much.
00:26:06.86\00:26:09.60
We don't see what
God has planned for us,
00:26:09.60\00:26:11.77
what God is doing for us.
00:26:11.77\00:26:13.97
Matter of fact, the angel
came down to Mary and said,
00:26:13.97\00:26:17.07
"You shall call his
name, Jesus, for he shall save
00:26:17.07\00:26:19.51
his people from their sins.
00:26:19.51\00:26:21.51
Notice it wasn't in, but from.
00:26:21.51\00:26:23.91
- Where can people get the book?
00:26:23.91\00:26:25.55
- Hey, I'm glad you
asked, folks if you'd like
00:26:25.55\00:26:27.88
your own personal copy,
00:26:27.88\00:26:28.95
log on to
TalkingDonkeyInternational.org
00:26:28.95\00:26:31.72
And now please, if you
would, send us a donation of $12
00:26:31.72\00:26:34.72
- Or more. - Or more,
00:26:34.72\00:26:36.46
and we'll get you the book
and I'll be happy to sign it
00:26:36.46\00:26:38.73
for you too, thank you so much.
00:26:38.73\00:26:40.76
(bright upbeat music)
00:26:42.86\00:26:46.10
- [Voiceover] Introducing,
Talking Donkey International
00:26:54.24\00:26:56.78
God, once used a
donkey to spread his word,
00:26:56.78\00:26:59.81
but he'd rather use all of us.
00:26:59.81\00:27:02.15
Our experience
team has preached,
00:27:02.15\00:27:04.35
taught and filmed in
countries around the globe.
00:27:04.35\00:27:07.49
In partnership with
you, our mission is to share
00:27:07.49\00:27:09.79
the lifesaving love and
hope found only in Jesus Christ
00:27:09.79\00:27:13.53
with everyone in
this lost and dying world.
00:27:13.53\00:27:16.73
Your financial partnership
with Talking Donkey will enable
00:27:16.73\00:27:19.70
this exciting
ministry to proclaim
00:27:19.70\00:27:21.90
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:27:21.90\00:27:24.24
It's time to prepare quality
programming created to attract
00:27:24.24\00:27:27.88
and reach viewers of the world.
00:27:27.88\00:27:29.78
Together, we can carry
the final advent message
00:27:29.78\00:27:32.68
to the individuals of planet
earth and hasten the return
00:27:32.68\00:27:36.25
of our Lord.
00:27:36.25\00:27:37.55
Please pray for and
support the successful mission
00:27:37.55\00:27:40.42
of Talking Donkey International.
00:27:40.42\00:27:42.56
(upbeat music)
00:27:44.13\00:27:46.76
- Thank you for watching.
00:27:48.16\00:27:49.53
Join us again for
another exciting country wisdom.
00:27:49.53\00:27:51.50
- See you next time.
00:27:51.50\00:27:52.60
(upbeat music)
00:27:52.60\00:27:55.24