(soft 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
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about the path to wisdom.
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In Proverbs four, he wrote,
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"Let your eyes look
directly forward and your gaze
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be straight before you.
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Keep straight the path of
your feet and all your ways
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Will be sure."
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- Join us now
for, "Country Wisdom."
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(soft music)
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(gentle music)
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I wanted to read a
scripture to you this morning
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because I believe it
typifies a little bit
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of Tim Chaffey's experience
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that he's going to share
with us in just a moment.
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It's found in Isaiah chapter 43,
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"But now, thus says the Lord,
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who created you, O Jacob,
He who formed you O Israel.
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Fear not for I have redeemed
you, I have called you by name.
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You are mine.
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When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you,
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when you pass
through the rivers,
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they shall not overwhelm you.
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When you walk through the
fire, you shall not be burned
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and the flame
shall not consume you.
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For I am the Lord Your God."
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Tim, thanks for
coming with us here today
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and being with us
and at the Ark Encounter.
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And we'll probably have a
little noise in the background
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from the folks around,
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but I'd like to hear a little
about your personal testimony.
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You know, how God
has walked with you
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and been with you in life.
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- And how he led
you here. - Okay. Yeah.
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Well, it's not one of
the most exciting testimonies
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that you're ever
gonna hear, you know,
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you hear that from
people sometimes where God,
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as you were talking about,
brought them out of the pit.
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Well, I grew up
in a Christian home
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and I'm grateful for that.
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You know, I'm not
trying to say I wish I had
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that other testimony.
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I don't, I'm so thankful that
I was raised by godly parents.
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And from my earliest memories,
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I've always believed the gospel.
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So people say, "Hey,
when were you saved?"
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I don't know.
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- I know. - because
I don't know when...
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- I can't either. - Yeah.
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I know when I
professed my faith in church
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and when I went
for and was baptized,
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I know all of those things,
but I've always believed.
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And so I don't
know when that was,
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but I'm so grateful for that.
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And God has always
kind of kept me in check.
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You know, when my friends in
high school were doing things
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that were, you know,
they would do it 50 times.
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They'd do all these things that
they weren't supposed to do.
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I would do it once
and I'd get caught,
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(everyone laughing)
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I'm not gonna let
you do all those things
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because I'm
gonna keep you in line.
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And at the time it
could be frustrating,
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but I'm grateful for it because
he really protected me from
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doing a lot of stupid things
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and or protected me in
the midst of stupid things.
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And I'm grateful for that.
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But then I went off to
Bible college afterwards
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thinking that I was
gonna be doing youth ministry.
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Had no dream of
writing or anything like that.
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That was never on my radar.
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- You did youth
ministry for a while?
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- I did do some youth ministry.
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I was pastor
for a while as well.
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Taught at Christian
schools for about six years
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and loved doing that.
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I loved teaching, I
loved being in the classroom.
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I didn't care for all
the other stuff, you know,
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but I love the
teaching in the classroom.
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And, you know, God
has been so good to me
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and so faithful
throughout the years.
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And I won't have
it any other way.
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But you know what was
interesting is what I do,
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we've talked about
before, I'm the content manager.
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So I do the writing for
the signs that you read in the
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Creation Museum,
the Ark Encounter.
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So I gotta do a lot of writing,
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gotta write about
scientific topics.
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And my two least favorite
classes by far in high school,
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were English and science.
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- Are you
kidding? - I hated them
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I hated them.
(everyone laughing)
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And, but God had
a sense of humor.
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You know, I see it every
time I look in the mirror.
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But he has a sense of
humor where he's like, Yeah,
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I know what
you're gonna be doing.
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- Using English and science.
- Using English and science.
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And I never dreamed
I would be a writer.
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But God had other plans.
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And as I went out to Bible
college, started writing papers,
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and especially
when I went to seminary
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and started
doing a lot of papers,
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it just was kind of
natural for me to write.
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And actually it was, I don't
know if I've told him this yet,
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but Mark Loy, who was
one of the co-founders
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of this ministry,
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one time he was
introducing me, he said,
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Tim has this really
nice flowing writing style.
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And I, I do?
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You know, this is years
ago before I'd ever written
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any books or anything, I
had just been doing a website,
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you know, what would
kind of be called a blog today
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before blogs
were really a thing.
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And he had read some of the
articles and I thought, well,
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that was really nice to say.
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And that kind of was that little
nudge I needed to get going
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and do more writing.
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- Because I've read some of
your stuff and I agree with him.
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You do have a lovely style.
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And you put a
lot of research in,
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which is what I loved.
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Even reading your
fiction, your Noah trilogy,
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you weren't just, you
know, dreaming stuff up.
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I could tell. It's like, Oh
man, he's really researched,
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everything lines up.
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- Yeah, that was the goal
is to try to continually drive
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people to look back at what
scripture says with that series,
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while also, you
know, becoming a,
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like an unofficial backstory
for Noah and his family
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at the Ark Encounter.
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And we wanted to
have one consistent story
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through all of the exhibits.
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And the Bible doesn't give
us all the details we need about
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Noah's family in
order to portray them.
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You know and for a couple of
years we used to get complaints
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like, why are you
trying to add to the Bible
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by naming Noah's wife?
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And people would get really
upset because they love the Ark,
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but then they
would get mad about that.
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And I thought,
that's not the only place
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we use artistic license.
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The look of the Ark,
the look of the animals,
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the look of the people, the
clothes that they're wearing.
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All of those things
are artistic license.
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- Because we have no idea
what they really dress like.
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- Exactly, exactly. -
What they really wore.
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- Right, what they
really looked like or anything.
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And so we did do
research as best we could,
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we look at some of the
earliest relief that we find
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and what type of
clothing were they wearing.
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And so that's what
though, they're modeled after.
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- Assyrian, is that
about as far back as we can go?
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- Yeah, I believe so.
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And one of our designers
looked into all of that and,
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and figured out how
could you get this wrap
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to work around the body?
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He made them full
size and then practiced
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how do you get this
to work practically?
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And so a lot of research
went into all of those things.
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So now we've
introduced a series of signs
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at the very beginning,
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arktistic license where we
talk about those five things.
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I don't ever get
those complaints anymore
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because they know going in,
okay, they've named the women,
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here's why, because we're
creating a themed attraction,
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we want you to think
of them as real people.
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They were real people.
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And people say, Well, why didn't
you just call her Mrs. Noah
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or Mrs. Ham, that
wasn't their name.
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They were real
people with real names.
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We don't know what they
were, but we gave 'em names.
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So anyway, got a
little away from my testimony.
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- No, no, no, no. I just, I
was thinking though, you know,
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there's what you said earlier,
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and maybe it
was even off camera,
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that I don't have
much of a testimony
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'cause I've always known God.
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There's a lot of
people that feel like that.
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But that's very special.
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Because you didn't need to
get pounded by all the garbage
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and have to live
through that and clean that up,
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for a lot of your life.
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- Yeah and I'm not
trying to say I was perfect
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and I never did. I'm as
simple as the next person.
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And I've done some things
that I would be ashamed of.
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And I've thought a lot of
things that I'm ashamed of.
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In fact, if you knew
all the things I thought
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you wouldn't
wanna talk to me today.
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(everyone laughing)
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- Same here. You wouldn't,
we wouldn't be interviewing you.
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And sitting in your presence
if you knew some of the things
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that go through our heads.
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- Right. We are all
sinful and we all have that,
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those tendencies
and those desires
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because we're descendants of
Adam and he wrecked this world,
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through his sin.
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But God is gracious
and he's loving and kind.
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And through Christ we
have forgiveness of sins.
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- So those people
shouldn't get discouraged
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if they don't
have a great testimony.
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- No. In fact,
be encouraged that,
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that you've been walking
with the Lord for so long
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and you should be able
to look back on your life
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and see how he's been protecting
you, guiding you, you know,
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each step of the way.
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- Putting the right
friend, the right teacher
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just where you needed it.
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- Yeah and for me, a lot
of times when it comes down
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to my testimony, one
of the things I talk about
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is what happened 15 years ago.
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I was diagnosed with
acute promyelocytic leukemia
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I had, I was a Christian
school teacher at the time.
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Summer had just started.
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And you know, I
like to go for walks,
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three or four miles a day.
00:07:54.47\00:07:55.54
And suddenly they
started getting harder
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and harder and harder.
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Well, they're
supposed to get easier
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as you're
getting in better shape.
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But I didn't know it but
I was suffocating inside my,
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my white blood cell
count was at 58,000.
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It was supposed
to be around 3000.
00:08:06.31\00:08:07.12
- That means nothing to me.
00:08:07.12\00:08:08.48
- So it's basically filling
up the entire blood system
00:08:08.48\00:08:10.42
so the red blood
cells can't carry the oxygen
00:08:10.42\00:08:12.35
to the rest of the body
and so I was suffocating
00:08:12.35\00:08:14.76
and my body was
trying to fight off something
00:08:14.76\00:08:18.13
that it couldn't and
ultimately what it was,
00:08:18.13\00:08:20.63
it was leukemia
where it was, it was these,
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the 15th and 17th chromosome,
00:08:24.77\00:08:26.23
the bottom half of
them for some reason flip.
00:08:26.23\00:08:28.60
And so you get all these
cells that are duplicating,
00:08:28.60\00:08:30.24
but they can't do anything.
00:08:30.24\00:08:31.34
And so they're just
filling up the system.
00:08:31.34\00:08:33.41
And I was dying.
00:08:33.41\00:08:34.94
- I was gonna say,
yeah, correct me if I'm wrong.
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That was a death
sentence. - Oh yeah.
00:08:36.31\00:08:37.75
- But you're
sitting here with us today.
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- Yeah. So if I
would've waited a few more days
00:08:39.45\00:08:42.12
to go into the hospital,
00:08:42.12\00:08:43.22
I probably would be
six feet under right now.
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I waited long enough
to where I could barely
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go up the stairs without
stopping and trying to breathe.
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- That's so typical of
a guy. (everyone laughing)
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A woman would've gone to
the doctor way before that.
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She would've
known something's wrong.
00:08:54.50\00:08:56.10
I can't get over this myself.
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- Somebody else
probably brow beat him already.
00:08:57.87\00:08:59.50
(everyone laughing)
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- Yeah. Well I thought that
maybe I was just dehydrated.
00:09:00.97\00:09:02.97
I didn't know what it was
and finally I called the nurse
00:09:02.97\00:09:04.87
and said,
here's what's going on.
00:09:04.87\00:09:06.21
And they said, well, come on in.
00:09:06.21\00:09:07.58
And they did some blood
work and right away, you know,
00:09:07.58\00:09:08.94
the doctor looked at me
and said, I'm very concerned,
00:09:08.94\00:09:10.91
here's your numbers, it's
either some viral infection
00:09:10.91\00:09:12.98
or a blood cancer.
00:09:12.98\00:09:14.42
And I thought,
I'm 32 at the time.
00:09:14.42\00:09:16.62
It's a viral infection,
it can't be in leukemia.
00:09:16.62\00:09:18.82
- Give me an
antibiotic, I'll be fine.
00:09:18.82\00:09:20.62
- Yeah, exactly.
Well, it was leukemia.
00:09:20.62\00:09:22.79
And I spent the next month
in the hospital going through
00:09:22.79\00:09:24.89
chemotherapy, ended up
going through four rounds.
00:09:24.89\00:09:27.30
I lost all of my hair.
00:09:27.30\00:09:28.66
I joke in my case
because I was already bald.
00:09:30.20\00:09:32.67
So, which, you know,
00:09:32.67\00:09:34.24
it's not always funny for
other people because sometimes
00:09:34.24\00:09:36.67
it's very scary for the kids.
00:09:36.67\00:09:38.01
They see mom or dad who
usually have a lot of hair.
00:09:38.01\00:09:40.41
Suddenly they don't.
00:09:40.41\00:09:41.48
Well, for me it
really wasn't a big deal.
00:09:41.48\00:09:44.58
So it didn't really
scare the kids that way.
00:09:44.58\00:09:46.35
- Getting a diagnosis like that,
00:09:46.35\00:09:48.62
did you have a moment
where you thought, why me, Lord?
00:09:48.62\00:09:51.52
- You know, I never
asked that question.
00:09:51.52\00:09:53.46
And I'm not trying to
pat myself on the shoulder
00:09:53.46\00:09:55.66
or anything.
00:09:55.66\00:09:57.06
And the reason I didn't is
because I knew what we teach
00:09:57.06\00:09:59.53
here at the Ark Encounter,
00:09:59.53\00:10:00.90
what we teach at the Creation
Museum and what the ministry
00:10:00.90\00:10:02.40
behind both these places,
00:10:02.40\00:10:03.53
Answers In
Genesis has always taught.
00:10:03.53\00:10:05.27
The reason bad things
happen, it's not God's fault.
00:10:06.53\00:10:10.47
You know, the reason
evil happens in this world,
00:10:10.47\00:10:12.27
or terrible things like cancer,
00:10:12.27\00:10:14.08
God created a perfect world,
no sin, no death, no suffering.
00:10:14.08\00:10:18.78
The reason those things happen
00:10:18.78\00:10:19.85
is because of what we have done.
00:10:19.85\00:10:21.88
You know, Adam wrecked
this world through his sin
00:10:21.88\00:10:23.85
and introduced death
and suffering, diseases,
00:10:23.85\00:10:26.12
all of those things.
00:10:26.12\00:10:27.29
It's because of what we've done.
00:10:27.29\00:10:29.06
And so I could still
trust that there is a God
00:10:29.06\00:10:31.23
who is loving and
just, and merciful,
00:10:31.23\00:10:33.96
even though I'm about to go
through something very tough.
00:10:33.96\00:10:35.76
And I don't know if
I'm gonna make it through.
00:10:35.76\00:10:38.27
If I don't make
it through, great.
00:10:38.27\00:10:40.37
I'm with him. Even better.
00:10:40.37\00:10:43.04
That was Paul's response.
00:10:43.04\00:10:44.41
If I do make it
through my prayer was,
00:10:44.41\00:10:46.07
Lord, let me use it for you.
00:10:46.07\00:10:48.24
And since that time,
I've got to come here
00:10:48.24\00:10:49.94
and do these things.
00:10:49.94\00:10:51.51
And I never would've dreamed
that I would be doing that.
00:10:51.51\00:10:53.82
- So many people,
when something bad happens,
00:10:53.82\00:10:57.02
they lose faith completely.
00:10:57.02\00:10:58.75
And if they've
never been a Christian,
00:10:59.95\00:11:01.76
it just confirms
that there's no God.
00:11:01.76\00:11:04.36
And you hear that so often,
if there really was a God,
00:11:04.36\00:11:07.36
why did my son die?
00:11:07.36\00:11:09.13
You know, if there really
was a God, why did I get cancer?
00:11:09.13\00:11:11.77
- Why death and suffering,
00:11:11.77\00:11:12.90
and that seems to be
a very strong objection
00:11:12.90\00:11:15.60
against Christianity.
00:11:15.60\00:11:16.40
Except we have the solution.
00:11:16.40\00:11:19.41
In fact, we're
the only ones who do.
00:11:19.41\00:11:21.44
I've written a book
called, "God and Cancer."
00:11:21.44\00:11:23.51
where I share my testimony.
00:11:23.51\00:11:24.78
But the last three
chapters are an unapologetic.
00:11:24.78\00:11:26.72
A Defense of God existence,
using death and suffering.
00:11:26.72\00:11:29.92
You know, if you think of the
other religions in the world,
00:11:29.92\00:11:32.75
why death and suffering?
00:11:32.75\00:11:34.09
Well, it's, if you
think about Buddhism.
00:11:34.09\00:11:35.99
- You're being
punished for something.
00:11:35.99\00:11:36.79
- Buddhism is all an illusion.
00:11:36.79\00:11:39.13
There is no suffering.
00:11:39.13\00:11:40.93
That's just an illusion.
00:11:40.93\00:11:41.86
Really? Tell that to the mom
00:11:41.86\00:11:43.13
who is watching
her kid die of cancer.
00:11:43.13\00:11:44.13
It's just an illusion.
00:11:44.13\00:11:45.43
Tell that to my
body that had these cells
00:11:45.43\00:11:47.14
that were destroying my
body without me even knowing
00:11:47.14\00:11:49.67
about it, it wasn't an illusion.
00:11:49.67\00:11:51.04
You could observe it.
00:11:51.04\00:11:52.34
And so that's a horrible answer.
00:11:52.34\00:11:54.98
But other ones, you know, Islam,
00:11:54.98\00:11:56.58
it's because that is Allah's
will, it's all deterministic.
00:11:56.58\00:11:59.41
- It is God's
fault. - Yeah, exactly.
00:11:59.41\00:12:02.25
And even from a
Christian point of view,
00:12:02.25\00:12:04.35
we were talking about in a
previous episode about people
00:12:04.35\00:12:06.45
who try to add the
millions of years to the Bible,
00:12:06.45\00:12:08.66
it's God's fault again.
00:12:08.66\00:12:10.19
Because then you
have all of this death,
00:12:10.19\00:12:12.19
suffering and
disease that's there,
00:12:12.19\00:12:13.16
and God calls it very good.
00:12:13.16\00:12:14.46
Really? That disease
that's killing me or has killed
00:12:14.46\00:12:17.30
thousands of
people, millions of people,
00:12:17.30\00:12:19.10
God likes it and
says it's very good.
00:12:19.10\00:12:21.70
That's not consistent
with what scripture teaches,
00:12:21.70\00:12:23.81
but what we teach here
and what scripture teaches
00:12:23.81\00:12:26.81
is perfectly consistent.
00:12:26.81\00:12:28.11
Not only do we know why
death and suffering are here,
00:12:28.11\00:12:30.65
we have the solution.
00:12:30.65\00:12:32.08
Someday God will
put an end to it.
00:12:32.08\00:12:33.75
Some people say,
Well, if he's all loving
00:12:33.75\00:12:35.48
and he's all powerful,
00:12:35.48\00:12:36.58
then he would want
to put an end to it.
00:12:36.58\00:12:37.39
And he would be powerful.
00:12:37.39\00:12:38.29
- He does. - He
does. And he will.
00:12:38.29\00:12:40.29
But why hasn't he
yet? Because he's patient.
00:12:40.29\00:12:43.79
Think about it, if he
would've sent his son to return
00:12:43.79\00:12:46.46
before 1973, before I was born,
00:12:46.46\00:12:49.90
I would never get to
spend eternity with him.
00:12:49.90\00:12:51.53
And all the people who
have been saved since that time
00:12:51.53\00:12:53.67
would never spend
eternity with him.
00:12:53.67\00:12:55.20
He's patient so that
more people will be with him.
00:12:55.20\00:12:57.37
- I have a little
pamphlet here called,
00:12:59.47\00:13:01.28
"Hope in Troubled Times."
00:13:01.28\00:13:04.01
I don't know about you,
but the times we're living in
00:13:04.01\00:13:06.68
seem pretty troubled to me.
00:13:06.68\00:13:09.15
If I didn't have
the hope Jesus gives me,
00:13:09.15\00:13:12.25
I couldn't get out
of bed some mornings.
00:13:12.25\00:13:15.42
"Hope in Troubled Times," is
meant for that kind of morning.
00:13:15.42\00:13:20.00
Inside its pages,
you'll find promises of hope
00:13:20.00\00:13:22.83
straight from the Bible.
00:13:22.83\00:13:24.97
Go to
TalkingDonkeyInternational.org
00:13:24.97\00:13:27.77
and request offer number
129, "Hope in Troubled Times."
00:13:27.77\00:13:32.84
- Hey Janice, how you doing?
00:13:39.45\00:13:41.28
- Hey, you wrote another book.
00:13:41.28\00:13:43.12
- I did, had a
burden on my heart
00:13:43.12\00:13:44.82
and God helped me get it done.
00:13:44.82\00:13:46.86
- So, "The Plan of
Love," what's it about?
00:13:46.86\00:13:50.73
- Well, it's really
about God and eternity
00:13:50.73\00:13:53.36
saw everything that
was going to happen here.
00:13:53.36\00:13:56.06
And his amazing love, He says,
00:13:56.06\00:13:58.67
I'm gonna take
care of the problems.
00:13:58.67\00:14:00.04
I'm gonna take care of the
situation by giving my own life.
00:14:00.04\00:14:03.71
He did all that.
00:14:03.71\00:14:05.27
But we've been lied to so much.
00:14:05.27\00:14:06.84
We don't see what
God has planned for us,
00:14:06.84\00:14:08.98
what God is doing for us.
00:14:08.98\00:14:11.18
Matter of fact, the angel
came down to Mary and said,
00:14:11.18\00:14:14.35
You shall call his name Jesus,
00:14:14.35\00:14:15.82
for he shall save his
people from their sins.
00:14:15.82\00:14:18.75
Notice it wasn't in, but from.
00:14:18.75\00:14:21.12
- Where can people get the book?
00:14:21.12\00:14:22.76
- Hey, I'm glad you asked.
00:14:22.76\00:14:24.33
Folks, if you'd like
your own personal copy,
00:14:24.33\00:14:26.26
log on to
TalkingDonkeyInternational.org
00:14:26.26\00:14:28.83
and please if you would
send us a donation of $12.
00:14:28.83\00:14:31.93
- Or more. - Or
more and we'll get you
00:14:31.93\00:14:34.57
the book and I'll be
happy to sign it for you too.
00:14:34.57\00:14:36.81
Thank you so much.
00:14:36.81\00:14:37.91
I know that you probably at
the bedside or wherever you were
00:14:40.51\00:14:43.75
sharing Christ
with certain people,
00:14:43.75\00:14:45.68
you're on the brink of death.
00:14:45.68\00:14:48.52
How did these people
respond to you saying,
00:14:48.52\00:14:51.35
what manner of
faith do you have?
00:14:51.35\00:14:53.22
- I remember being, when I
was being wheeled into the ICU,
00:14:53.22\00:14:56.02
my platelet count
was so low, it was at 12,
00:14:56.02\00:14:58.73
meaning I was risk
for internal bleeding,
00:14:58.73\00:15:00.30
just sitting there
00:15:00.30\00:15:01.33
and the type of leukemia I had,
00:15:01.33\00:15:03.73
the way that the
people who pass away from it,
00:15:03.73\00:15:05.90
it's usually from
brain hemorrhaging,
00:15:05.90\00:15:08.14
just not because their
platelet count is so low
00:15:08.14\00:15:09.80
and they just
start to bleed out.
00:15:09.80\00:15:11.34
And I was very close to that,
00:15:11.34\00:15:13.61
but I remember
being wheeled into the ICU
00:15:14.74\00:15:16.68
before I went under, went
my first round of chemotherapy,
00:15:16.68\00:15:18.95
and I was gonna spend
five days there thinking,
00:15:18.95\00:15:21.42
I have told my
students time and time again
00:15:21.42\00:15:23.32
that you praise God
when things are good
00:15:23.32\00:15:25.85
and you praise and
when things are rough.
00:15:25.85\00:15:27.82
It's my turn to walk the walk
because I've been talking it
00:15:27.82\00:15:30.83
and I thought,
Yeah, I'll do that.
00:15:30.83\00:15:33.33
Look at what Christ
went through for me.
00:15:33.33\00:15:35.10
Yeah, Lord, whatever
you got in store for me,
00:15:35.10\00:15:37.80
just let me use it for you.
00:15:37.80\00:15:39.47
And there was one
night, particularly,
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.10
where it didn't look
like I was gonna get through,
00:15:42.10\00:15:44.57
my numbers were so off and I
was sleep deprived, you know,
00:15:44.57\00:15:49.64
barely getting any
sleep, an hour or two a day
00:15:50.95\00:15:52.01
and already in
such horrible shape.
00:15:52.01\00:15:53.82
And I remember my wife and
my mom were there late at night
00:15:53.82\00:15:57.79
and I told 'em if I
fall asleep, this is it.
00:15:57.79\00:16:00.32
I'm not gonna wake up.
00:16:00.32\00:16:01.69
I was wrong. I did fall
asleep and I woke up, you know,
00:16:03.49\00:16:06.09
first time for
everything. (everyone laughing)
00:16:06.09\00:16:09.00
I thought I was wrong
once but I was mistaken.
00:16:09.00\00:16:11.30
(everyone laughing)
00:16:11.30\00:16:14.00
What I didn't know at
the time is what I found out
00:16:14.00\00:16:16.60
one day and two
days later, we, I,
00:16:16.60\00:16:18.87
there were people
from Prayerless, you know,
00:16:18.87\00:16:20.98
and churches all over
the country praying for me.
00:16:20.98\00:16:23.18
We got a letter
from one woman in Texas,
00:16:23.18\00:16:25.11
one in California who both said,
00:16:25.11\00:16:27.75
I didn't know if there was
any urgent need or anything,
00:16:27.75\00:16:29.52
but at this time God woke me
up and all I could think about
00:16:29.52\00:16:32.19
doing was praying for Tim.
00:16:32.19\00:16:34.32
And they both named the time
that I told my wife and my mom,
00:16:34.32\00:16:36.89
I wasn't gonna
get through the night.
00:16:36.89\00:16:38.39
Now, God didn't miraculously
cure me of leukemia.
00:16:38.39\00:16:41.00
I still went through
the rounds of chemotherapy.
00:16:41.00\00:16:42.70
But it was at that moment
God was saying, Tim, we're good.
00:16:42.70\00:16:46.94
Okay, I got this, I'm
not done with you yet.
00:16:46.94\00:16:49.70
I look at it and
like he's saying,
00:16:49.70\00:16:52.11
I don't want you up
here yet. (everyone laughing)
00:16:52.11\00:16:56.04
So there's
still a lot more to go
00:16:56.91\00:16:58.48
before I'm letting you up here.
00:16:58.48\00:17:00.85
And maybe that's part of it.
00:17:00.85\00:17:02.22
But no, he knew that he
wanted me here doing this
00:17:02.22\00:17:04.39
and, you know,
raising my family, my kids,
00:17:04.39\00:17:06.92
my daughter was eight at
the time, my son was three.
00:17:06.92\00:17:08.79
Well now they're both adults.
00:17:08.79\00:17:10.79
- So you weren't
working here yet?
00:17:12.29\00:17:14.00
- No, I wasn't here yet.
00:17:14.00\00:17:15.26
I was teaching at a
Christian school and it happened
00:17:15.26\00:17:16.97
in the
summertime and it was about,
00:17:16.97\00:17:19.70
that would've been four
years before we moved over here.
00:17:19.70\00:17:22.57
- So what was this
part of the journey like?
00:17:23.64\00:17:25.34
How did you listen to
God's voice to know what to do?
00:17:25.34\00:17:29.34
- The part about the leukemia
or the part about moving here?
00:17:31.11\00:17:33.38
- All of the above.
00:17:33.38\00:17:34.68
- You know what's
interesting for me,
00:17:34.68\00:17:36.25
and I don't know that
this happens for everybody,
00:17:36.25\00:17:37.49
but for me, since I
graduated from Bible college,
00:17:37.49\00:17:41.82
I have never had
to apply for a job.
00:17:41.82\00:17:44.13
Like I have
applied at certain places,
00:17:44.13\00:17:46.13
but they never worked out.
00:17:46.13\00:17:47.20
It was always them
contacting me saying,
00:17:47.20\00:17:48.26
Hey, would you be
interested in this?
00:17:48.26\00:17:50.10
And sometimes that brought
me outta my comfort zone.
00:17:50.10\00:17:51.80
I thought I was
gonna be a youth pastor.
00:17:51.80\00:17:52.90
No, I ended up
being the senior pastor.
00:17:52.90\00:17:54.87
I thought I was gonna
be a youth pastor, again.
00:17:54.87\00:17:57.11
No, I ended up
being a science teacher,
00:17:57.11\00:17:59.01
but I'm not a scientist.
00:17:59.01\00:18:00.71
(everyone laughing)
00:18:00.71\00:18:03.14
- So I had to study these things
00:18:03.14\00:18:04.25
and just try to stay
ahead of the students.
00:18:04.25\00:18:06.41
And then the next year,
thankfully I was able to become
00:18:06.41\00:18:08.22
the Bible teacher at that
school for a couple of years
00:18:08.22\00:18:10.22
and do what I loved doing.
00:18:10.22\00:18:11.62
I liked science,
but I love the Bible.
00:18:11.62\00:18:14.02
And so then when, then
there was another church
00:18:14.02\00:18:18.33
that called me and said,
00:18:18.33\00:18:19.73
Hey, would you be interested
in doing our youth ministry?
00:18:19.73\00:18:21.46
And I did that
for a couple of years.
00:18:21.46\00:18:22.83
And then that's when,
you know, for the first time
00:18:22.83\00:18:25.30
in our married lives, we
were comfortable, you know,
00:18:25.30\00:18:27.94
financially we
weren't struggling to get by.
00:18:27.94\00:18:30.51
You know, if you know
Christian school teachers,
00:18:30.51\00:18:31.81
oftentimes they're not
making a whole lot of money
00:18:31.81\00:18:34.21
and sometimes small town
pastors, they're not either.
00:18:34.21\00:18:37.85
But for the first time
we were financially stable.
00:18:37.85\00:18:40.18
We were living
out in the country
00:18:40.18\00:18:40.98
where my wife wanted to be.
00:18:40.98\00:18:42.48
Down the street, we had
a neighbor who had horses,
00:18:43.85\00:18:46.12
they'd go horseback
riding and my wife loved it.
00:18:46.12\00:18:48.29
And we were finally,
everything was going great.
00:18:48.29\00:18:50.39
The church I was at
as an associate pastor,
00:18:50.39\00:18:52.13
the pastor and I had
complimentary gifting.
00:18:52.13\00:18:54.76
So the things he was
really good at, I wasn't,
00:18:54.76\00:18:56.90
and vice versa.
00:18:56.90\00:18:58.13
And there was no
animosity, there was no envy.
00:18:58.13\00:19:00.84
Everything was perfect.
00:19:00.84\00:19:02.24
And then I get a call
from Answers in Genesis saying,
00:19:02.24\00:19:04.27
we think it's
time to come over here.
00:19:04.27\00:19:06.51
Something I had
wanted to do for 10 years
00:19:06.51\00:19:08.28
and they had never called
during all the difficult times.
00:19:08.28\00:19:11.75
- So was that kinda,
honey you pray about this,
00:19:11.75\00:19:13.31
I'll go pack?
(everyone laughing)
00:19:13.31\00:19:16.75
- No, I knew right away.
00:19:16.75\00:19:18.09
I mean, we did pray about
it, but I knew this is where,
00:19:18.09\00:19:20.72
where God had been leading
me and I don't regret it at all.
00:19:20.72\00:19:23.19
I've just, it's been
such a blessing to be part
00:19:23.19\00:19:25.13
of this ministry.
00:19:25.13\00:19:26.53
- So you were here at the
beginning of the planning.
00:19:26.53\00:19:28.10
- For the Ark Encounter, yes.
00:19:28.10\00:19:29.30
Not the Creation Museum.
00:19:29.30\00:19:30.63
I moved over here about
three years after we opened
00:19:30.63\00:19:32.33
the Creation Museum in July
of 2010, in December of 2010,
00:19:32.33\00:19:36.50
we announced the Ark Encounter.
00:19:36.50\00:19:38.61
And I remember a
couple of years later,
00:19:38.61\00:19:41.54
I think it was
in February of '13,
00:19:41.54\00:19:43.81
they announced that they
would need a content manager
00:19:43.81\00:19:45.41
for the Ark Encounter.
00:19:45.41\00:19:46.82
And my first thought was,
that would be really cool,
00:19:46.82\00:19:47.92
but there's no way
I'll ever get that.
00:19:47.92\00:19:49.72
Eight days later
it was offered to me.
00:19:49.72\00:19:51.25
(everyone laughing)
00:19:51.25\00:19:53.09
- Because they knew you
were a good writer already.
00:19:53.09\00:19:55.42
- And God had been
preparing me to do that.
00:19:55.42\00:19:57.59
Even though I
didn't know it. He did.
00:19:57.59\00:19:59.86
And it's just, it's
been an amazing ride.
00:19:59.86\00:20:02.46
I look back on
those year, you know,
00:20:02.46\00:20:03.77
that time in the
hospital and God was faithful
00:20:03.77\00:20:06.50
through all of that.
00:20:06.50\00:20:07.60
And yeah, I had the
opportunity to witness
00:20:07.60\00:20:08.97
to some of the
nurses and you know,
00:20:08.97\00:20:10.71
I'm not a great evangelist
who can turn any conversation
00:20:10.71\00:20:13.71
at any time into
the gospel presentation.
00:20:13.71\00:20:15.64
You put me up in
front of a crowd,
00:20:15.64\00:20:17.01
it doesn't matter who it
is and I'm willing to do it.
00:20:17.01\00:20:18.38
I mentioned to you when
we opened the Ark Encounter
00:20:18.38\00:20:20.75
and the opening day, we
had protestors at the Ark site
00:20:20.75\00:20:24.79
or right at the off ramp.
00:20:24.79\00:20:26.99
- I don't remember that.
00:20:26.99\00:20:28.32
- So there was a national
base, the Atheist of America,
00:20:28.32\00:20:32.43
or American atheist
or whichever group it is,
00:20:32.43\00:20:34.13
set their national
conference to be in Cincinnati
00:20:34.13\00:20:36.43
on the weekend that we
were gonna be opening the Ark
00:20:36.43\00:20:38.33
because they wanted
to come down and protest.
00:20:38.33\00:20:40.17
And so there were maybe, I
don't know the exact number,
00:20:40.17\00:20:42.24
80 to 90 of them who
were at the protest site,
00:20:42.24\00:20:45.11
right at the off ramp.
00:20:45.11\00:20:46.44
And I had a, a buddy
call me up and he said,
00:20:46.44\00:20:48.18
Hey Tim, I'm gonna have
a protest, the protester's
00:20:48.18\00:20:51.08
protest. I'm gonna buy them food
and drink and share the gospel
00:20:51.08\00:20:53.65
and you know, talk to
them and since you wrote
00:20:53.65\00:20:55.82
all the signs, would
you be willing to come down
00:20:55.82\00:20:57.82
and talk to 'em
for a little bit?
00:20:57.82\00:20:59.09
Oh, by the way, you
live by the restaurant
00:20:59.09\00:21:00.12
I'm buying the food from.
00:21:00.12\00:21:01.22
Can you pick that
up and bring it down?
00:21:01.22\00:21:02.62
And I thought, yeah,
it's my first day off
00:21:02.62\00:21:04.76
in like six months, that's a
little bit of an exaggeration,
00:21:04.76\00:21:08.63
but we were working
kind of around the clock
00:21:08.63\00:21:10.03
to get it ready.
00:21:10.03\00:21:11.33
And I thought, Yeah,
I'll do that for an hour.
00:21:11.33\00:21:13.20
Well, three hours later,
00:21:13.20\00:21:14.27
after a bunch of
really good conversations,
00:21:14.27\00:21:15.94
I was getting ready
to leave and he said,
00:21:15.94\00:21:18.31
No, you can't leave yet.
00:21:18.31\00:21:19.41
We're gonna take 20
of these guys on a tour
00:21:19.41\00:21:20.51
through the Ark and
we want you to lead it.
00:21:20.51\00:21:22.81
- I thought lead a tour
of 20 atheists and agnostics
00:21:22.81\00:21:25.51
through the
Ark, I would love to.
00:21:25.51\00:21:27.22
In fact, I've got a picture
that I took of that whole group,
00:21:27.22\00:21:29.88
there ended up
being 21 of 'em right here
00:21:29.88\00:21:31.52
on this deck looking at the Ark.
00:21:31.52\00:21:33.62
And then I got to go through
the Ark and lead them on tour.
00:21:33.62\00:21:36.22
- And did they give you a
bad time all the way through?
00:21:36.22\00:21:38.19
- You know, all but one
of 'em were very respectful.
00:21:38.19\00:21:41.73
They didn't want to, you
know, give, put themselves
00:21:41.73\00:21:45.17
in a negative light
while they were here.
00:21:45.17\00:21:46.57
So most of 'em
were very respectful.
00:21:46.57\00:21:48.24
Many of them were very impressed
by the structure itself.
00:21:48.24\00:21:51.47
You know, they don't
agree with the message,
00:21:51.47\00:21:53.68
but it was great because we
knew what they were gonna ask,
00:21:53.68\00:21:56.44
we had prepared for that.
00:21:56.44\00:21:57.35
So they would say,
00:21:57.35\00:21:58.65
Oh, how could freshwater
fish survive the flood?
00:21:58.65\00:21:59.61
You know, it's a great question.
00:21:59.61\00:22:00.78
Here's a sign right
here dealing with it.
00:22:00.78\00:22:01.58
And so I could always do that.
00:22:01.58\00:22:03.35
And then we got to
do a Q&A on the top deck
00:22:03.35\00:22:05.69
for a little while.
00:22:05.69\00:22:06.49
I got to share the gospel.
00:22:06.49\00:22:07.89
I loved opening Day of the Ark
and I would do that every day
00:22:07.89\00:22:10.89
of my life if I could.
00:22:10.89\00:22:12.29
It just was fantastic.
00:22:12.29\00:22:14.20
I'm not saying that
right then and there, you know,
00:22:14.20\00:22:16.16
they dropped to their knees
and, and believed in Christ,
00:22:16.16\00:22:18.10
but who knows how God
will use that down the road.
00:22:18.10\00:22:20.94
One thing that we saw
in the follow up reports,
00:22:20.94\00:22:23.64
because a lot of them
were bloggers or radio people,
00:22:23.64\00:22:25.81
personalities, you know,
00:22:25.81\00:22:27.34
they had their own
network of people they reach.
00:22:27.34\00:22:30.95
One thing that
came out of that is,
00:22:32.01\00:22:33.82
about me and about the other
people is that these people
00:22:33.82\00:22:36.18
really believe this.
00:22:36.18\00:22:37.65
And they were sincere
because a lot of times
00:22:37.65\00:22:39.19
they think that, Oh, you're
just in ministry for the money.
00:22:39.19\00:22:42.49
I don't know if they know
what most ministry is like,
00:22:42.49\00:22:44.16
you know, they see
like television preachers
00:22:44.16\00:22:46.86
or something like
that and they think,
00:22:46.86\00:22:48.16
oh, they, they're
all in it for the money.
00:22:48.16\00:22:49.63
Well, that's a very
small percentage of people
00:22:49.63\00:22:51.60
who I think are very
wrongly focused, oftentimes.
00:22:51.60\00:22:54.77
Most people in
ministry are not in it.
00:22:54.77\00:22:56.40
They're in the wrong business
if they're doing it for money.
00:22:56.40\00:22:59.01
- If money is the
most important to you,
00:22:59.01\00:23:00.21
most people would
not be doing this.
00:23:00.21\00:23:02.58
- If you look at a, I
mean, we always have enough.
00:23:02.58\00:23:07.32
You know, that's
how I've looked at it.
00:23:07.32\00:23:08.92
Wherever God moves
us, we always have enough
00:23:08.92\00:23:11.49
and he's faithful
to provide for that.
00:23:11.49\00:23:13.79
And you know, I hope my
focus will always be that,
00:23:13.79\00:23:17.33
that my reward is
an eternal reward.
00:23:17.33\00:23:19.53
What I
ultimately, what I wanna hear,
00:23:20.66\00:23:22.56
and this ever since I was a
kid and I still have this song
00:23:22.56\00:23:26.23
from eighties
Christian group in my head,
00:23:26.23\00:23:27.97
every time I think about
it, I want to hear Christ say,
00:23:27.97\00:23:30.51
well done, good
and faithful servant.
00:23:30.51\00:23:32.14
If I hear that
everything's been worthwhile,
00:23:32.14\00:23:35.28
that's what I want to hear.
00:23:35.28\00:23:36.58
- We've only got a
couple minutes or so left,
00:23:36.58\00:23:38.68
but there's, I'm
guessing many people out there
00:23:38.68\00:23:41.58
watching that may be
going through cancer,
00:23:41.58\00:23:43.75
some other major
struggle in their life.
00:23:43.75\00:23:46.05
What would you share with them?
00:23:46.05\00:23:47.76
- It's tough, you
know, when I was there,
00:23:47.76\00:23:50.46
I was looking at it as,
Lord thank you that it's me
00:23:50.46\00:23:53.83
and not my wife or my kids.
00:23:53.83\00:23:55.96
Because I don't know how I
would handle it if I walked in
00:23:55.96\00:23:57.67
and saw my three year old
son at the time hooked up to all
00:23:57.67\00:23:59.87
these tubes and everything else.
00:23:59.87\00:24:01.30
But I know God gives you
the grace to get through that
00:24:01.30\00:24:03.57
because he gave my wife
the grace to get through it.
00:24:03.57\00:24:05.81
He gave my children the
grace to get through it.
00:24:05.81\00:24:08.44
And he's given countless others
00:24:08.44\00:24:09.98
the grace to get through that.
00:24:09.98\00:24:11.11
So what I would do
is rather than blame God
00:24:11.11\00:24:13.88
or rather than
shake your fist at him,
00:24:13.88\00:24:16.08
he's not afraid
of tough questions.
00:24:16.08\00:24:18.25
He's not afraid of
people asking things
00:24:18.25\00:24:21.32
but cling to him
during that time.
00:24:22.42\00:24:24.79
You know what I found to be
true and it seems so cliche,
00:24:24.79\00:24:26.96
you know the footprints poem?
00:24:26.96\00:24:28.80
You know, you look back in
your life and you see two sets
00:24:28.80\00:24:31.47
of footprints in the sand.
00:24:31.47\00:24:32.77
And yet during the
most difficult times,
00:24:32.77\00:24:34.30
there's one set and the guy
said, God, why'd you leave me?
00:24:34.30\00:24:36.34
No, no, no. That's
when I carried you.
00:24:36.34\00:24:38.31
That's been true in my life.
00:24:38.31\00:24:39.57
And it's been true in countless
other believers' lives.
00:24:39.57\00:24:42.74
And so I would say cling to him,
00:24:42.74\00:24:44.41
just like Job did.
00:24:44.41\00:24:46.28
Cling to him like you see so
many other people in scripture,
00:24:46.28\00:24:48.85
when times get tough, it
doesn't mean you're gonna
00:24:48.85\00:24:51.99
get the answer you
want, but he is trustworthy
00:24:51.99\00:24:55.52
and we can count
on him at all times.
00:24:55.52\00:24:58.13
- Amen. You know, folks,
00:24:58.13\00:25:00.20
God is real and
God loves you so much.
00:25:01.50\00:25:04.73
He loves each one of us.
00:25:04.73\00:25:06.63
Various times,
you've heard our testimonies
00:25:06.63\00:25:09.30
and God watches
over us, He reaches down,
00:25:09.30\00:25:12.81
He grabs a hold of us and
He wants to pull us tightly
00:25:12.81\00:25:16.04
to himself.
00:25:16.04\00:25:17.08
I mean, he stood
over Jerusalem, said,
00:25:17.08\00:25:19.01
Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
how I would've gathered you,
00:25:19.01\00:25:21.98
a mother hen gathers her chicks.
00:25:21.98\00:25:25.15
That's, you know, El Shaddai,
the mighty breasted one.
00:25:25.15\00:25:27.56
You know, he
wants to gather us in,
00:25:27.56\00:25:28.79
he wants to gather you in.
00:25:28.79\00:25:30.59
Maybe you're going through
problems like Tim right now.
00:25:30.59\00:25:33.23
God wants to come close to
you, call upon him and he will.
00:25:33.23\00:25:36.80
Get near to him, if you need
to shout at him, shout at him.
00:25:36.80\00:25:40.20
It's okay with God.
00:25:40.20\00:25:41.77
He'll do whatever it
takes to come close to you.
00:25:41.77\00:25:44.94
If you don't know God, give
him an opportunity right now.
00:25:44.94\00:25:48.14
Want to know
what he sounds like?
00:25:48.14\00:25:49.94
Read here, he'll talk
with you in this Bible.
00:25:49.94\00:25:53.15
Incredible God, we got
an incredible story today,
00:25:53.15\00:25:56.35
Tim, thank you for
sharing and, and you know,
00:25:56.35\00:25:59.29
I know somebody out
there is going to be touched
00:25:59.29\00:26:01.06
by your story.
00:26:01.06\00:26:02.19
- Thank you.
Thank you for having me.
00:26:02.19\00:26:03.26
- I appreciate it.
- I appreciate it too.
00:26:03.26\00:26:04.69
Thank you.
00:26:04.69\00:26:05.59
- Hey Janice, how are you doing?
00:26:06.86\00:26:08.73
- Hey, you wrote another book.
00:26:08.73\00:26:10.57
- I did, had a
burden on my heart
00:26:10.57\00:26:12.23
and God helped me get it done.
00:26:12.23\00:26:14.30
- So, "The Plan of
Love," what's it about?
00:26:14.30\00:26:18.17
- Well, it's really
about God and eternity
00:26:18.17\00:26:20.81
saw everything that
was going to happen here
00:26:20.81\00:26:23.41
and his amazing love.
00:26:23.41\00:26:25.21
He says, I'm going to
take care of the problem.
00:26:25.21\00:26:27.48
I'm gonna take care of the
situation by giving my own life.
00:26:27.48\00:26:31.12
He did all that.
00:26:31.12\00:26:32.72
But we've been lied
to so much, we don't see
00:26:32.72\00:26:35.02
what God has planned for
us, what God is doing for us.
00:26:35.02\00:26:38.63
Matter of fact, the angel
came down to Mary and said,
00:26:38.63\00:26:41.80
You shall call his name Jesus
for he shall save his people
00:26:41.80\00:26:44.87
from their sins.
00:26:44.87\00:26:46.17
Notice it wasn't in, but from.
00:26:46.17\00:26:48.54
- Where can people get the book?
00:26:48.54\00:26:50.21
- Hey, I'm glad you asked.
00:26:50.21\00:26:51.74
Folks, if you'd like
your own personal copy,
00:26:51.74\00:26:53.68
log on to
TalkingDonkeyInternational.org.
00:26:53.68\00:26:55.81
You know, please, if you
would send us a donation of $12
00:26:55.81\00:26:59.41
or more and
we'll get you the book
00:26:59.41\00:27:02.35
and I'll be happy
to sign it for you too.
00:27:02.35\00:27:04.25
Thank you so much.
00:27:04.25\00:27:05.39
- I have a little
pamphlet here called,
00:27:08.29\00:27:10.19
"Hope in Troubled Times."
00:27:10.19\00:27:12.89
I don't know about you,
but the times we're living in
00:27:12.89\00:27:15.53
seem pretty troubled to me.
00:27:15.53\00:27:18.00
If I didn't have
the hope Jesus gives me,
00:27:18.00\00:27:21.17
I couldn't get out
of bed some mornings.
00:27:21.17\00:27:24.31
"Hope in Troubled Times," is
meant for that kind of morning.
00:27:24.31\00:27:28.81
Inside its pages,
you'll find promises of hope
00:27:28.81\00:27:31.71
straight from the Bible.
00:27:31.71\00:27:33.85
Go to
TalkingDonkeyInternational.org
00:27:33.85\00:27:36.65
and request offer number
129, "Hope in Troubled Times."
00:27:36.65\00:27:41.72
- Thank you for watching,
00:27:48.76\00:27:50.17
join us again for another
exciting, Country Wisdom.
00:27:50.17\00:27:52.10
- See you next time.
00:27:52.10\00:27:53.47
(gentle music)
00:27:53.47\00:27:56.10