Hello my name is David
Asscherick, Welcome to the
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Engage program and today we are
going to be taking a look at a
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life changed by mission.
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To sort of set this program
up I thought it would be very
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appropriate for us to look
at the origin of all mission.
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At least Christian mission.
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And that is found of course
in the resurrection of Jesus
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Christ, I'm here in Mark 16.
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And there is an interesting
little turn that takes place
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here, something that is
going to tie in very nicely with
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our program and something I
want you our viewers, to pay
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careful attention to.
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I'm just going to read
right here in Mark 16:9, this is
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the resurrection story, it
says, "Now when He rose early
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"on the first day of the
week," He being Jesus of course.
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"He appeared first to Mary
Magdalene, out of who He had
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"cast seven demons. She
went and told those who had been
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"with Him, as they mourned
and wept. And when they heard
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"that He was alive and had
been seen by her," now listen
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to this, "they did not believe.
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" Okay, so they hear the
message, Mary Magdalene has come
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and said Jesus is alive,
Jesus is risen, and it says that
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they did not believe.
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Now notice the
narrative continues.
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"12. After that, He appeared in
another form to two of them as
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"they walked and went into
the country. And they went and
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"told it to the rest,
but they did not believe them
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either. " So Jesus here
appears to two additional people
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now, probably the two
disciples in Luke 24 that are on
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the road to Emmaus and
they go to tell others Jesus is
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alive, Jesus is risen
and what does the Bible say?
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And they did not believe.
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But it gets even more
interesting. Verse 14.
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"Later He appeared to the
eleven as they sat at the table;
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"and He rebuked their
unbelief and hardness of heart
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"because they did not
believe those who had seen Him
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"after He had risen. "
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You see four times here they
did not believe, they did not
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believe, they did not
believe, they did not believe.
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Now what Jesus does here is
a master stroke of psychology
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and insight into the
human psychic and will tie in
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brilliantly with
our program today.
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Verse 15. "And He said to
them," them being the disciples
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who didn't believe, didn't
believe, didn't believe, didn't
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believe, "Go into all the
world and preach the gospel to
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"every creature. "
Go on a mission trip.
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Go to the furtherest parts
of the globe, "Go into all the
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"world and preach the
gospel to every creature. He who
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"believes and is baptized
will be saved; but he who does
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"not believe will be
condemned. And these signs will
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"follow those who believe;"
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And then he goes on to
list some of the signs.
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Very interesting isn't it?
The disciples don't believe,
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they don't believe, they
don't believe, they don't
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believe and then Jesus
says to these very people
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who don't believe, go
and preach the gospel so that
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others will believe.
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Jesus here in a master
stroke of insight into the human
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psychic just as a master
psychologist He basically says,
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your own belief will be
strengthened as you go out to
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others and help them to believe.
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That is what we are
going to be talking about
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in our program today.
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Of course my co-host
Shandra Bain is with us and also
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Mindy Rahn, so Shandra
introduce us to our guest and we
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are going to be talking
about a life changed by mission.
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Thanks David, Mindy it is
so great to have you here.
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As David mentioned this is
Mindy Rahn, you are a professor
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at Southern Adventist University
in Collegedale Tennessee.
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So tell us a little about
yourself, who is Mindy Roan?
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Well the reason I am here
today is because Jesus Christ
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had mercy on me and He got
a hold of my life and put me
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out in the mission field
and turned my world view upside
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down for His glory.
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Amen, that is why I am here.
That is why we are all here.
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Just before we run off here,
which I want to run off, but
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you are a professor of
Political Science International
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Studies. - Political Science
International Studies. - Yes!
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Okay, great, well it is a
privilege to have you here Mindy
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and we are looking forward
to interacting with your story.
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I think that the introduction
here from Mark 16 is going
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to tie in very nicely with
you learning to believe, and
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you really grabbed your
belief in the mission field.
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Yes definitely, absolutely.
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So Mindy you are young
and I don't know how you can
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possibly be a professor
because you look like you are
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a kid, forgive
me for saying that.
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So here we are, you are
born, let's just start from the
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beginning. -
Okay, that sounds good.
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I was born into a wonderful
Seventh day Adventist Christian
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family. My parents are amazing,
they brought me up in the church
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and my older sister as well.
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But for some reason the rest
of my family were always hard
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working but for some
reason I was very lazy. I was!
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So lazy and as a child I
became addicted to television.
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Seriously, the rest of my
family would be in the mountains
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hiking and I would
stay home and watch TV.
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And this continued, -
presumably it was not 3ABN?
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Oh no! Not good TV. And so
this continued and basically
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my world view was about
myself. What was best for me.
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I went to a wonderful Christian
Academy and I attempted
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to have that relationship
with God, but it wasn't real.
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It was just
something I did everyday.
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- So Academy high school
years? - Yes high school years.
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You got it. Then I
ended up at Southern Adventist
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University for college
were I am actually working now.
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I was there and my main thing
I was focused on and making
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A's, I just had to get those
A's because it made me feel
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so good. - I can resonate
with that. - Yeah and shopping.
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What my friends and I were
going to do the next weekend.
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That's all I cared about.
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- Really, so pretty shallow,
forgive me for saying that but
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it was pretty shallow.
- Superficial, my life was
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bankrupt in my
opinion looking back from now.
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Now before we run off
further down, you used the word
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world view at least
twice now, just for some of our
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viewers that may not be
normal language that they are
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accustomed to, so what do
we mean when we say my world
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view was turned
upside-down? Just in a sentence.
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Basically how I
viewed the world and what
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I think is important, exactly.
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So now here we are at Southern
Adventist University and
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your worldview, what is
important to you academia,
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you wanted those A's, you
needed to look good, and social
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life. - it's true,
that is definitely true.
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My senior year of college and
was actually in a relationship,
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and it wasn't good.
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Nice guy, but his direction
was not with Christianity.
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That pulled me away from
our relationship with God.
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By the end of my senior year
I was at a crisis point in my
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life, I didn't even
know there was a God.
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I had so many questions,
I was in a deep pit my life.
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It was not a good time.
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So you wouldn't even self
identified as a Christian at
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that time? - well I would
call myself that in name, but in
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believe no, I was struggling
Yes but I always wanted to
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keep up that appearance,
to my family, to everyone.
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And you are at a Christian
university says that's important
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Absolutely, absolutely I
was on the student association.
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- the culture just
called for it. - exactly,
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but I had major questions
and I didn't want to talk
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to anybody about that.
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Just hearing you say that
makes me think of how may people
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in our churches, in our schools,
our having the same kinds
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of internal, so this is
great on this level and the main
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thing we were
going to be talking about
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but the reality is there
are people were going through
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the Christian motions and
where the Christian cloths and
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doing the Christian
lifestyle but who internally are
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filled with doubts and
skepticism and that was you.
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Yeah, absolutely and if
any of you guys out there have
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questions don't feel
bad, just talk to someone.
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Talk to them, delve
into these issues deeper.
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Because there is a very
good chance, at the school that
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I run and Shandra helps us
with, ARISE, you always have
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somebody who is nervous about
raising their hand and then
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they will come to me between
classes and say oh I have
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this question and the
question is thus and so.
00:08:02.89\00:08:05.04
I said is so interesting
that the student just before
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you had the same question.
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So the reality is that
many people are wrestling or
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questioning the very
same things but the nature
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of the human experience
is that we often feel like
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we are the only ones.
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Okay, so this is you. -
so there's more people out
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as there. - yes, yes definitely.
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As I talk to students
at Southern, so many people
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have questions definitely.
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So let's be honest, there's
nothing wrong with questions.
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It is very appropriate as
long as we are willing to hear
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the answers. - definitely,
definitely there are answers.
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I like to say it's not
the people that have questions
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that make me nervous, it's
the people that don't have any
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questions because this
grand and beautiful thing that
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we call the Christian
life, just life in general,
00:08:43.48\00:08:47.20
is a wonderful mysterious,
joyful, joy filled thing that
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there is an element of mystery,
there is an element of hey
00:08:50.92\00:08:54.52
I need your faith to
strengthen me and mine
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to strengthen
you and vice versa.
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So you are in a
situation and you are sort of
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internalizing or kind of
isolating and you feel alone
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almost maybe in
your questionings?
00:09:04.43\00:09:05.93
Where do we go from there?
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Exactly, well it is my
senior year and I am graduating,
00:09:07.21\00:09:09.99
my boyfriend breaks up
with me and I am heartbroken.
00:09:10.02\00:09:12.45
But that was the best
thing that ever happened to me
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in the entire world.
00:09:14.92\00:09:16.69
My parents were so happy I
broke up with this young man
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and they sent me out of the
country so that he would not
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come back, but I was
so excited I wanted to go.
00:09:23.11\00:09:26.32
I wanted to leave everything
thing I had ever known,
00:09:26.36\00:09:28.89
now I wanted something
different so I actually signed
00:09:28.93\00:09:31.39
up with a volunteer service
and went to Costa Rica for the
00:09:31.42\00:09:34.26
summer and taught English
00:09:34.30\00:09:35.54
but when I got to Costa
Rica there wasn't very much for
00:09:35.58\00:09:38.77
me to do, and
this was a blessing.
00:09:38.80\00:09:40.23
So I sat basically for hours
a day and I would get a box of
00:09:40.26\00:09:43.25
raisin bran and pick
the raisins out of the box.
00:09:43.28\00:09:45.52
- you are joking, that
is the funniest thing ever.
00:09:45.55\00:09:47.75
And I would read my
Bible for hours a day.
00:09:47.79\00:09:50.02
- why didn't you
just buy raisins?
00:09:50.06\00:09:51.32
- I know but this is more fun.
00:09:51.35\00:09:53.09
So for hours I would just
read the Bible and there was no
00:09:55.37\00:09:57.92
telephone, no Internet, no
distractions and God just spoke
00:09:57.95\00:10:00.47
to my heart and
totally turned my life.
00:10:00.50\00:10:03.97
- was there anything in
particular that really captured
00:10:04.00\00:10:05.54
you, that just got you?
Or was it just the Bible?
00:10:05.58\00:10:07.59
I started reading the New
Testament and Paul's writings
00:10:07.63\00:10:10.50
and it just broke my
heart and the Bible wasn't this
00:10:10.54\00:10:13.38
boring book anymore.
00:10:13.41\00:10:14.75
It was alive, it was the
word of God speaking to me.
00:10:14.79\00:10:17.07
So it was amazing. -
so now you are on fire.
00:10:17.10\00:10:19.97
Where did you go from there?
00:10:20.00\00:10:21.43
Before I went I actually
did an interview with the United
00:10:21.46\00:10:25.88
Nations in New York
City and I felt like such a
00:10:25.91\00:10:29.19
horrible sinner, I didn't
feel like I was worthy to go
00:10:29.23\00:10:32.58
and represent the
church at the United Nations.
00:10:32.61\00:10:35.11
But God has such mercy, He
put me up there right after
00:10:35.14\00:10:38.65
Costa Rica and I went
from Collegedale Tennessee to
00:10:38.69\00:10:42.16
New York City, out
of my comfort zone.
00:10:42.20\00:10:44.32
In my world view. - quite
a transition. - yes a huge
00:10:44.35\00:10:47.64
transition and my worldview
was turned upside down.
00:10:47.68\00:10:50.90
It wasn't about me and what
I was going to that week end,
00:10:50.93\00:10:54.49
and clothes, and relationships.
- or a career now?
00:10:54.52\00:10:58.06
Or a career even, I was at
the United Nations and I went
00:10:58.09\00:11:01.31
to human rights meetings
and programs about how people
00:11:01.35\00:11:03.95
are going to have water,
people who don't have food,
00:11:03.99\00:11:06.71
how people don't have clothes,
how people can't practice
00:11:06.74\00:11:09.43
their religion,
wow, I am so blessed.
00:11:09.46\00:11:12.71
And we need to serve
this world for God's glory.
00:11:12.74\00:11:15.79
Yeah it's a huge perspective.
00:11:15.83\00:11:18.44
And we are great to have
you back on another program and
00:11:18.47\00:11:20.70
we are going to talk about
those very things, human right
00:11:20.73\00:11:22.92
issues because I know
that is a passion of yours,
00:11:22.96\00:11:24.58
and it is a passion of Jesus.
00:11:24.62\00:11:26.31
So we will get to that, but
for now you are at the United
00:11:26.35\00:11:30.57
Nations, I just want to
back up ever so slightly.
00:11:30.61\00:11:33.48
So you're eating the raisins
out of the raisin bran box, and
00:11:33.51\00:11:37.47
you are reading scriptures
and it is the Word of God to
00:11:37.50\00:11:41.13
you. I have had that experience
so many times where I'm
00:11:41.17\00:11:44.62
like whoa, I mean this is
God and He is speaking to me.
00:11:44.65\00:11:48.20
Some circumstance, some
providence, some serendipity,
00:11:48.23\00:11:51.75
how - how? Is that
what was happening?
00:11:51.78\00:11:55.29
Yeah, it was like Bible
was alive and active in cutting
00:11:55.33\00:11:59.74
into my heart
because of who He is.
00:11:59.78\00:12:02.21
Because we have so many
distractions and we are not
00:12:02.24\00:12:04.95
spending that time
with God in the word.
00:12:04.99\00:12:07.08
We could go on for hours like
this, I just have to say I'm
00:12:07.11\00:12:09.86
reading a book right now on
the spiritual disciplines and
00:12:09.89\00:12:13.96
the author Dallas Willard,
we have become less spiritual
00:12:13.99\00:12:17.99
people as individuals and in
many cases as a society because
00:12:18.02\00:12:21.48
we just don't practice
the discipline of silence.
00:12:21.51\00:12:25.30
And solitude, being alone
and being quiet and that's what
00:12:25.34\00:12:28.83
you had. - yeah, and also
it carried on to New York City
00:12:28.86\00:12:31.80
because for the first time
my life I was out of my comfort
00:12:31.83\00:12:35.21
zone, so I would spend
days, hours just walking through
00:12:35.24\00:12:38.48
Central Park reading my Bible,
reading C. S. Lewis books.
00:12:38.52\00:12:41.72
God was forming and He
was working inside my heart.
00:12:41.76\00:12:45.20
You did that
for summer you said?
00:12:45.23\00:12:47.21
New York, I was there for
10 months, Costa Rica for the
00:12:47.25\00:12:50.81
summer and after that
I went to New York City.
00:12:50.84\00:12:53.02
So you have to be early
20s. Yes I was 21 at the time.
00:12:53.06\00:12:57.76
Okay so then what? -
so you were going to these
00:12:57.79\00:13:00.50
meetings, these meetings
are you are getting this is
00:13:00.54\00:13:04.58
happening to your worldview,
all my little world have a
00:13:04.62\00:13:08.60
new outfit there is not the most
important thing in the world
00:13:08.63\00:13:11.55
The A is maybe, now don't
get me wrong I want you students
00:13:11.58\00:13:14.47
to get A's on your tests
but you realize that is not the
00:13:14.51\00:13:17.37
beginning and the end of life.
00:13:17.40\00:13:18.71
My identity is
not rooted in that.
00:13:18.75\00:13:20.71
There we go, I
love that language.
00:13:20.75\00:13:23.00
Yeah so after the United
Nations I realized I have a
00:13:23.03\00:13:25.58
passion for this so I wanted
to get a graduate degree and
00:13:25.62\00:13:29.15
learn more about this and
serve people so I began grad
00:13:29.19\00:13:32.69
school. -
excellent, there in New York?
00:13:32.73\00:13:35.79
No it started Georgia Tech
in Atlanta and then I actually
00:13:35.83\00:13:40.27
transferred to Claremont
Graduate University near
00:13:40.31\00:13:42.26
Loma Linda. -
okay so in California.
00:13:42.29\00:13:45.16
Yeah, in California and
to be honest when I got to
00:13:45.20\00:13:47.83
Loma Linda I start falling
into a comfort zone again.
00:13:47.87\00:13:50.48
Like this wasn't as important
to me and I didn't need
00:13:50.52\00:13:53.09
God as much, you
know my friends were there
00:13:53.13\00:13:55.11
but God got my attention yet
again because second semester
00:13:55.15\00:14:00.87
to and from grad
school I would have to drive
00:14:00.90\00:14:03.86
at least 30 minutes every day.
00:14:03.89\00:14:05.08
One of my best friends,
Amber, gave me actually a CD set
00:14:05.11\00:14:10.63
of restoration, an
evangelistic and it was in 2005,
00:14:10.66\00:14:16.12
so it was a year later.
00:14:16.16\00:14:17.64
I would play that as I was
going to and from grad school.
00:14:17.67\00:14:20.92
So just a little clarification,
it was a set of prophecy
00:14:20.96\00:14:24.17
meetings that David had done.
00:14:24.21\00:14:25.52
It wasn't just prophecy it
was a lot of different things.
00:14:25.55\00:14:28.60
It was Christian apologetics
and I had never heard
00:14:28.64\00:14:31.40
anything like this,
Christianity can make sense.
00:14:31.43\00:14:34.16
And I'm like
Christianity does make sense.
00:14:34.20\00:14:36.93
So that really got me excited.
00:14:36.97\00:14:39.41
So you have this emotional
connection in Costa Rica
00:14:39.44\00:14:42.35
in the now you are like
whoa this isn't just the motive
00:14:42.38\00:14:45.25
thing, this is
awesome. - it's logical as well.
00:14:45.29\00:14:48.12
So you finished grad school?
- I did I wanted to go work
00:14:50.22\00:14:53.86
for ADRA, another organization
but God had a different
00:14:53.89\00:14:57.92
plan. - ADRA a good
question, ADRA is a development
00:14:57.96\00:15:01.92
organization that is run by the
the Seventh-day Adventist church
00:15:01.95\00:15:05.40
and basically they do things
to help people with sanitation,
00:15:05.43\00:15:08.84
they help people with
agriculture and things like that
00:15:08.88\00:15:11.14
So you wanted to go
work for them? - yeah, I did.
00:15:11.17\00:15:13.66
So you have a fire in your
belly and you are ready to go?
00:15:13.69\00:15:17.17
Exactly, but that wasn't
God's plan and that is okay.
00:15:17.20\00:15:20.62
Because His plan is best,
and I really prayed about this.
00:15:20.66\00:15:24.04
But He plopped me at
Atlantic Union College in
00:15:24.08\00:15:26.95
Massachusetts. -
you've been all over.
00:15:26.99\00:15:30.37
Now your word is peripatetic,
do you know that word means?
00:15:30.40\00:15:32.89
Yes it means you're walking.
00:15:32.93\00:15:34.81
- you're walking
everywhere, everywhere.
00:15:34.85\00:15:36.34
But the thing is before I
let God take control of my life
00:15:36.38\00:15:39.30
it was the
opposite and it was boring.
00:15:39.33\00:15:41.30
You know that because you
start by saying I was lazy,
00:15:41.33\00:15:44.02
you stay home and watch
television and now you're all
00:15:44.06\00:15:46.72
over. - yeah, yeah.
00:15:46.75\00:15:48.48
And you're traveling is
just beginning? Right, right!
00:15:48.51\00:15:52.66
So I ended up at AUC, at
Atlantic Union College and it
00:15:52.69\00:15:56.80
was a blessing, I
never wanted to be a teacher.
00:15:56.84\00:15:59.15
It was so amazing because
now I got to study history and
00:15:59.19\00:16:03.52
compared prophecy and I
would teach my classes through
00:16:03.56\00:16:07.86
Daniel two. - so
you're teaching that?
00:16:07.89\00:16:09.73
Yeah I'm a teacher of
history at that point so that
00:16:09.76\00:16:13.71
further confirmed my belief
in the Bible and was a huge
00:16:13.75\00:16:17.24
blessing. - should he said
that wasn't really the plan.
00:16:17.27\00:16:20.73
You didn't they go I
want to be a professor,
00:16:20.76\00:16:22.63
but you ended up there?
00:16:22.67\00:16:24.44
Yes, God's ways are
best. - I love that, Amen!
00:16:24.47\00:16:27.38
He gives you the
desires of your heart for sure.
00:16:27.42\00:16:30.51
beautiful. - yes but
while I was there the only
00:16:30.54\00:16:33.56
television station that I
got. - here we go, here we go.
00:16:33.59\00:16:37.82
It was 3ABN, it really was,
I never watched 3ABN before.
00:16:37.86\00:16:41.45
But that was it, that was
all I was able to watch and
00:16:41.49\00:16:45.04
I loved it, it was
an amazing blessing.
00:16:45.08\00:16:46.86
So for one who was totally
fixated on TV it was alright.
00:16:46.89\00:16:51.37
Yeah, definitely. - so
literally you are there teaching
00:16:51.40\00:16:55.96
history at AUC a college,
you are a professor, in the
00:16:55.99\00:17:00.73
evenings and you're
going home and were you eating
00:17:00.77\00:17:05.48
the raisins? No okay.
00:17:05.51\00:17:07.58
So you're watching 3ABN?
- yeah. - so what do you see
00:17:07.61\00:17:11.60
now, what is
resonating with you?
00:17:11.63\00:17:12.99
I was seeing amazing things
about how I needed to be in
00:17:13.02\00:17:15.24
the Bible for myself.
00:17:15.28\00:17:16.81
How it should be having
worship every day, hours with
00:17:16.84\00:17:19.79
God and when you have these
worships with God He will put
00:17:19.83\00:17:22.75
you in ministry and is so true,
00:17:22.78\00:17:24.55
He was really
speaking to my heart.
00:17:24.59\00:17:26.67
To get involved
especially in ministry.
00:17:26.71\00:17:28.72
Okay so, a burden not just
for the message but to share
00:17:28.76\00:17:34.52
the message with
others. - exactly, exactly.
00:17:34.55\00:17:36.61
So every single year I
always pray God what do You want
00:17:36.65\00:17:39.60
me to do next? Do You
want me to stay at AUC or not?
00:17:39.64\00:17:42.56
Do You want me to stay
or do You want me to go?
00:17:42.59\00:17:46.23
I was really praying about
this a whole lot, for a long
00:17:46.26\00:17:50.04
time and my dad one
day mentioned about ARISE.
00:17:50.08\00:17:53.30
- okay, okay I heard of
them, I heard of that place.
00:17:53.34\00:17:56.43
Yeah it is an evangelistic
training school and I'm
00:17:56.47\00:17:59.44
thinking I don't want to
go to ARISE, I have a job.
00:17:59.48\00:18:02.42
You know I have
a job. I'm working.
00:18:02.45\00:18:04.90
I can't do that. - this
is your dad's suggestion?
00:18:04.93\00:18:08.20
It was my dad's suggestion,
yep! So I considered it.
00:18:08.24\00:18:11.53
I respect my dad and I
was really praying about this
00:18:11.57\00:18:14.82
and praying about
this and studying the word.
00:18:14.86\00:18:18.23
One day I was looking at
some class notes from the
00:18:18.26\00:18:21.16
semester before that had
three quotations that I had put
00:18:21.20\00:18:25.32
together, I read over them.
00:18:25.35\00:18:27.22
I thought okay You might
be saying something to me God.
00:18:27.26\00:18:30.17
The first one was this,
true higher education is gained
00:18:30.21\00:18:33.09
by studying the word of God.
00:18:33.13\00:18:35.40
So I thought that was
really cool. Then the next one.
00:18:35.43\00:18:37.92
Where there is no active
labor for others love wanes and
00:18:37.96\00:18:40.41
faith grows dim. In the
final one was, a rise and
00:18:40.44\00:18:43.61
shine the light has
come in the glory of
00:18:43.64\00:18:45.58
the word has been upon you.
00:18:45.62\00:18:47.48
I say God are you
saying something to me?
00:18:47.51\00:18:49.72
I don't just want to take a
sign so I kept praying about
00:18:49.75\00:18:52.49
it and praying about it.
00:18:52.52\00:18:53.71
This is some you had written
yourself and put together
00:18:53.74\00:18:56.59
yourself. - so
it spoke to later.
00:18:56.62\00:18:58.13
Yeah it was weird, and so
I kept praying about it and
00:18:58.17\00:19:01.77
praying about it in one
day I actually decided to fast
00:19:01.81\00:19:05.18
and pray if this was
something God wanted me to do.
00:19:05.22\00:19:08.12
I had actually put in my
application into ARISE and
00:19:08.15\00:19:11.02
I hadn't heard back
from you guys and so.
00:19:11.06\00:19:14.17
- that's not my
fault, I want to be clear.
00:19:14.21\00:19:17.25
I thought maybe this
wasn't supposed to work out so
00:19:17.29\00:19:20.19
I had a day of
fasting and prayer.
00:19:20.22\00:19:21.90
I had a good prayer session
and study the Bible session
00:19:21.94\00:19:25.61
and I started to turn on
3ABN and it was talking about
00:19:25.64\00:19:29.49
this guy who actually went
to ARISE and he was older and
00:19:29.53\00:19:32.88
left his job and it talked
about how God took care of him.
00:19:32.91\00:19:36.22
So I was like okay, great.
00:19:36.26\00:19:38.55
Then I checked my e-mail
right after that and ARISE had
00:19:38.58\00:19:41.19
written me back and so
I say God I'm going to go.
00:19:41.23\00:19:43.47
I'm going to go to ARISE.
00:19:43.50\00:19:45.25
- I'm sure we sensed it on
time, but the Lord calls it.
00:19:45.29\00:19:49.27
Okay so later on that summer
I actually was going to back
00:19:49.31\00:19:53.26
out. - I just want to
pause you for a second.
00:19:53.29\00:19:55.41
So here is something else
we need to highlight and that
00:19:55.44\00:19:58.15
is the story within
the story and that is God's
00:19:58.18\00:20:00.30
providence, we see this
all over your story here,
00:20:00.33\00:20:02.38
Providence, you read this
thing Providence God's speaking
00:20:02.42\00:20:06.41
to you through His word
in Coast Rica, Providence.
00:20:06.45\00:20:08.38
Your dad says hey maybe
this, so really you keep saying
00:20:08.42\00:20:11.72
God's plan is best in the
way that God is revealing His
00:20:11.75\00:20:15.07
plan to you is through these
providential openings in your
00:20:15.10\00:20:18.38
willingness to do
whatever God wants.
00:20:18.41\00:20:20.26
You are on God's
timetable. - right - praise God.
00:20:20.30\00:20:23.78
His timetable is different
than ours, it's better.
00:20:23.82\00:20:26.96
So you are going to
back out of coming to ARISE?
00:20:27.00\00:20:30.32
We'd love having you
there, I'm glad you came.
00:20:30.36\00:20:33.62
I think I was going to
totally back out and I actually
00:20:33.65\00:20:36.26
was at my parents house
visiting and we got together and
00:20:36.29\00:20:38.86
if you list and we
prayed and asked God.
00:20:38.90\00:20:41.49
Thank God for godly parents.
- yes, if I'm supposed to
00:20:41.52\00:20:44.73
go to ARISE did I really
need encouragement right now.
00:20:44.77\00:20:47.94
I really need encouragement.
00:20:47.98\00:20:49.63
It was late at night actually
in 15 minutes later I hadn't
00:20:49.67\00:20:53.91
heard from you guys again
all summer, several months.
00:20:53.94\00:20:56.94
Randy Ban, your husband
called me and prayed with me and
00:20:56.97\00:20:59.59
encouraged me about coming
right after we had prayed.
00:20:59.62\00:21:02.20
So I thought I'll go.
00:21:02.24\00:21:03.69
Another providential opening.
So then you come to ARISE.
00:21:03.72\00:21:07.63
It's a four-month program,
and for those of our viewers
00:21:07.67\00:21:10.94
who do not know exactly what
ARISE is, it is a school that
00:21:10.98\00:21:14.22
I happened to be the
director of, and Shandra Ban is,
00:21:14.25\00:21:16.73
how do we say really you
work for us but we just don't
00:21:16.77\00:21:19.21
pay her, she is a volunteer.
00:21:19.25\00:21:21.14
It is a resource Institute
for soul winning in evangelism
00:21:21.18\00:21:23.86
and we are in our tent here
of training and basically run
00:21:23.90\00:21:26.67
a four month program for
people like Mindy and others.
00:21:26.71\00:21:29.45
Maybe you, maybe the
Spirit of God is speaking to
00:21:29.48\00:21:32.06
you through this
program, but it is what we do.
00:21:32.09\00:21:34.60
We basically teach people
how to share their faith as
00:21:34.63\00:21:36.76
effectively in
person to person settings
00:21:36.79\00:21:39.13
and also in public context.
00:21:39.17\00:21:40.91
So you come is a professor
to ARISE and this is awesome.
00:21:40.95\00:21:46.86
Keep going! Okay so
ARISE is just amazing.
00:21:46.90\00:21:51.14
It was wonderful to get into
the word, to study with other
00:21:51.17\00:21:53.80
people and then to
go share your faith.
00:21:53.84\00:21:56.04
I remember knocking on
a door. I was so scared.
00:21:56.08\00:21:59.53
I never wanted to knock on
a door before and my out reach
00:21:59.57\00:22:03.06
partner Ricky and I the
first door it was a slam in our
00:22:03.09\00:22:06.55
face and I felt okay
take it worse than that.
00:22:06.59\00:22:09.02
It can only get
better, and it did, it did.
00:22:09.05\00:22:11.41
One day we ended up at
this street called Buttercup.
00:22:11.45\00:22:15.71
We talked this guy named
Charvah and he was like I prayed
00:22:15.74\00:22:19.45
yesterday that you would
come because I wanted someone to
00:22:19.49\00:22:23.16
talk my girlfriend about God.
00:22:23.20\00:22:25.21
Whoa, that is really neat and
we actually ended up studying
00:22:25.25\00:22:29.77
with his girlfriend and
her name Sandra and we studied
00:22:29.80\00:22:33.64
with her and she ended up
coming to a sermon series that
00:22:33.68\00:22:37.49
you guys are preaching.
00:22:37.52\00:22:38.91
She end up giving her life
to God, she ended up getting
00:22:38.94\00:22:42.78
baptized and coming to
ARISE herself and then now
00:22:42.81\00:22:46.59
she is at a
university in Andrews.
00:22:46.63\00:22:49.53
So you never know
what one little knock when
00:22:49.56\00:22:52.81
going out there can do.
00:22:52.85\00:22:55.25
And she is a saint
and we just love her.
00:22:55.29\00:22:57.45
She was changed by your
mission. - Yeah, it's amazing.
00:22:57.48\00:23:03.34
So you leave ARISE, what
class was that 2007 so what
00:23:03.37\00:23:09.19
is going on now?
00:23:09.22\00:23:10.94
I went to Africa
for about five months.
00:23:10.98\00:23:15.51
- Now we are in Africa.
- well you know how that
00:23:15.54\00:23:18.56
happens when you are really,
really prayed about it and
00:23:18.60\00:23:21.27
God again opens the door
and plops me in Africa and that
00:23:21.31\00:23:23.95
was another
life-changing experience.
00:23:23.98\00:23:25.78
When Africa gets in your
heart, it gets in your heart.
00:23:25.81\00:23:28.27
You said that just
this morning before we can,
00:23:28.30\00:23:30.40
when Africa gets under
your skin there is something
00:23:30.43\00:23:33.69
wild and wonderful about
it, the good and the bad.
00:23:33.72\00:23:37.53
I mean for me there is
something that is almost
00:23:37.57\00:23:41.31
incommunicable about Africa,
it just gets inside of you.
00:23:41.34\00:23:44.17
It does and the people are
real, you need to go sometime.
00:23:44.21\00:23:47.00
So you were on
vacation there right?
00:23:47.04\00:23:49.52
Know I was actually at a
Seventh-day Adventist Hospital
00:23:49.55\00:23:52.99
volunteering, doing
some grant writing but also
00:23:53.03\00:23:56.02
praying with the patients.
00:23:56.06\00:23:58.17
I've got some stories about
that but maybe we can share
00:23:58.20\00:24:00.42
it on another program.
00:24:00.46\00:24:02.06
But pray with patients
and they were the biggest
00:24:02.09\00:24:04.48
blessing in the world.
00:24:04.51\00:24:05.83
Now Africa is a continent
where are you? - Malawi.
00:24:05.87\00:24:08.16
Malawi which is
in southern Africa.
00:24:08.19\00:24:10.70
In your heart is? Now
you are just in mission?
00:24:10.74\00:24:14.19
This is who Mindy
Rahn is. - really, yep.
00:24:14.22\00:24:17.12
Where id God
take you from there?
00:24:17.16\00:24:19.15
I actually ended up
spending a little bit of time in
00:24:19.19\00:24:22.14
Australia working with
the ministry there which was a
00:24:22.18\00:24:25.27
blessing, and an afterword
I went through a very humbling
00:24:25.30\00:24:28.36
period, I couldn't find a job.
00:24:28.39\00:24:30.64
So I came back to the US
and I didn't know what to do
00:24:30.67\00:24:34.62
again, it was one
of those crossroads.
00:24:34.65\00:24:36.70
It was very humbling, and
very good because I definitely
00:24:36.74\00:24:39.97
have some pride issues going
on at that time and God was
00:24:40.01\00:24:43.21
working in my heart.
00:24:43.25\00:24:44.73
It was really weird, six years
ago I wrote an article when
00:24:44.76\00:24:50.30
I was working at the
UN and I gave it to the
00:24:50.34\00:24:54.19
Adventist Review,
which is a magazine.
00:24:54.23\00:24:55.92
They accepted it, and my
boss actually gave it to them
00:24:55.96\00:24:59.06
and they had accepted it,
and six years later all of
00:24:59.10\00:25:02.17
a sudden they just
published this article.
00:25:02.21\00:25:04.16
- 6 years later? - when
I'm looking for a job 6 years
00:25:04.20\00:25:07.43
later weird, I was at my
parents house at the time.
00:25:07.47\00:25:10.48
My mom was like Mindy I
wonder if someone will see this
00:25:10.52\00:25:13.50
and give you a good job?
00:25:13.53\00:25:15.16
I was like no,
that won't happen.
00:25:15.19\00:25:18.16
Well a few weeks later I
get a phone call from someone
00:25:18.19\00:25:20.77
at Southern saying I
saw this magazine and would
00:25:20.80\00:25:23.80
you come work here? Yeah,
so I'm still at Southern now.
00:25:23.84\00:25:27.84
- it gives you Goosebumps.
00:25:27.88\00:25:29.25
It's amazing
blessing. - that's how I feel.
00:25:29.28\00:25:30.86
That's how God works, like
we see Him doing miracles in
00:25:30.89\00:25:33.24
the Bible, He is
the same God today.
00:25:33.27\00:25:35.41
- Amen, hallelujah! So
whether it's Costa Rica or
00:25:35.45\00:25:39.24
whether it's Malawi or whether
it's Australia or whether
00:25:39.27\00:25:41.68
it is there in urban
Michigan on Buttercup Drive,
00:25:41.72\00:25:45.36
your life is a life
that changed my mission.
00:25:45.40\00:25:49.03
How many of us are, or yeah
I believe the Bible and that
00:25:49.06\00:25:53.26
is it? No this is the
message we are to hear.
00:25:53.30\00:25:57.69
He has risen and He is alive
and to take that message to
00:25:57.72\00:26:01.08
others and then our own
belief is strengthen in helping
00:26:01.12\00:26:03.99
others. - sure, it goes
back to that quote where no
00:26:04.03\00:26:06.83
active labor for others,
love wanes and faith grows dim.
00:26:06.87\00:26:11.20
No active labor for others,
love wanes and faith grows
00:26:11.23\00:26:15.53
dim. And it is true.
00:26:15.56\00:26:17.24
So Mindy what would you say
to our viewers, some of whom
00:26:17.28\00:26:21.13
may be sitting there
saying you know this has really
00:26:21.16\00:26:24.97
spoken to me in a profound way.
00:26:25.01\00:26:26.51
I feel like I have been keeping
my risen Christ to myself.
00:26:26.55\00:26:30.35
In a few seconds what
would you say to them?
00:26:30.39\00:26:32.83
All I have to say is there
is no greater joy than having
00:26:32.87\00:26:38.58
a relationship with
Jesus and serving Him.
00:26:38.62\00:26:40.98
Like I said, my life
was bankrupt and now I have
00:26:41.02\00:26:43.97
a purpose, and I have joy.
00:26:44.00\00:26:45.52
It is not something we
need to be embarrassed about.
00:26:45.55\00:26:48.36
Jesus is the most wonderful
thing in the entire world,
00:26:48.39\00:26:52.86
so my advice would be to
just get into the word and pray.
00:26:52.90\00:26:57.32
Spend that time Jesus Christ
and then ask Him to reveal
00:26:57.36\00:27:01.75
His love to you and then go.
00:27:01.78\00:27:03.92
The Bible says in Matthew
28 go ye therefore and that He
00:27:03.95\00:27:07.89
will be with us always, so
just go, share, love others,
00:27:07.93\00:27:11.83
serve others in your
life will turn upside down.
00:27:11.87\00:27:14.64
It will be so
much more exciting.
00:27:14.68\00:27:16.25
- Beautiful. - Amen, Amen.
00:27:16.28\00:27:18.28
I can see you lead a very
exciting life and thank you
00:27:18.31\00:27:19.57
so much Mindy
for joining us today.
00:27:19.61\00:27:20.78
If any of you have questions
or comments on this episode
00:27:20.81\00:27:24.13
we would love
for you to e-mail us.
00:27:24.17\00:27:25.81
The e-mail address is:
Engage, the title of the program
00:27:25.84\00:27:29.46
engage@3ABN.org and we would
just love to hear from you.
00:27:29.50\00:27:33.08
If there's any questions
or comments you would like
00:27:33.11\00:27:35.43
for us or for Mindy.
00:27:35.46\00:27:36.84
Thank you so much Mindy
for coming and it has been an
00:27:36.88\00:27:39.63
inspiration to me and it
has been an inspiration to our
00:27:39.67\00:27:42.39
guests and we know that
God has, this is just the
00:27:42.43\00:27:44.70
beginning of your journey,
it is the beginning of all
00:27:44.73\00:27:46.97
our journeys and God is
taking us into eternity.
00:27:47.00\00:27:49.54
- definitely. - thanks
for coming and it's been
00:27:49.57\00:27:52.07
a privilege to have
you here. - thank you.
00:27:52.11\00:27:53.56
Thank you so much for
joining us here at Engage
00:27:53.59\00:27:56.17
we are connecting with people
who are connected to Christ
00:27:56.20\00:27:58.55
who are then
connecting with their world.
00:27:58.59\00:28:00.61