>> Hello and welcome to 00:00:41.80\00:00:43.14 It Is Written Canada. 00:00:43.14\00:00:44.67 Today we're gonna be talking 00:00:44.67\00:00:46.01 to Lorna Spencer. 00:00:46.01\00:00:48.54 Lorna is a mother, 00:00:48.54\00:00:50.91 a homemaker, a woman of God, 00:00:50.91\00:00:54.65 a woman with many talents 00:00:54.65\00:00:56.65 including writing and she has 00:00:56.65\00:00:58.82 written a book called, 00:00:58.82\00:00:59.82 I'm Still Standing, she's 00:00:59.82\00:01:01.42 telling her personal story. 00:01:01.42\00:01:03.39 And Lorna's with us today and 00:01:03.39\00:01:05.96 I'm looking at your book here, 00:01:05.96\00:01:07.40 Lorna, and it's an amazing 00:01:07.40\00:01:10.07 title, we've heard those words 00:01:10.07\00:01:12.03 before, but what you're 00:01:12.03\00:01:13.64 standing on there is solid 00:01:13.64\00:01:15.77 rock and you're in the midst 00:01:15.77\00:01:17.21 of an ocean. 00:01:17.21\00:01:18.37 So thank you for joining us 00:01:18.37\00:01:19.54 and thank you for being 00:01:19.54\00:01:20.71 prepared to share your story 00:01:20.71\00:01:21.61 with us today. 00:01:21.61\00:01:22.64 >> Thank you for having me. 00:01:22.64\00:01:24.05 It's an honour to be here. 00:01:24.05\00:01:26.01 >> Well, Lorna, tell us about 00:01:26.01\00:01:27.68 yourself, so tell us who is 00:01:27.68\00:01:29.68 Lorna Spencer? 00:01:29.68\00:01:32.25 >> Lorna Spencer is a 00:01:32.25\00:01:34.06 Seventh-day Adventist 00:01:34.06\00:01:35.66 Christian, a woman who has 00:01:35.66\00:01:37.56 found her worth in Jesus 00:01:37.56\00:01:39.23 Christ and as you've said I am 00:01:39.23\00:01:41.40 a mother of two young-adult 00:01:41.40\00:01:43.16 daughters, I am an author of 00:01:43.16\00:01:45.67 the book, I'm Still Standing, 00:01:45.67\00:01:48.20 a mental health advocate, 00:01:48.20\00:01:50.07 and an early childhood 00:01:50.07\00:01:51.44 educator by profession. 00:01:51.44\00:01:53.91 >> That's multiple talents. 00:01:53.91\00:01:55.31 >> Yes, very talented. 00:01:55.31\00:01:56.38 >> And lots of 00:01:56.38\00:01:57.31 responsibilities. 00:01:57.31\00:01:58.28 [Lorna] Thank you. 00:01:58.28\00:01:59.65 >> So, Lorna, can you give us 00:01:59.65\00:02:02.02 a synopsis of your book 00:02:02.02\00:02:04.65 that you wrote? 00:02:04.65\00:02:06.49 >> After my pastor, 00:02:06.49\00:02:08.66 Dr. Maitland, and my best 00:02:08.66\00:02:10.66 friend, Tana, continued to 00:02:10.66\00:02:13.80 bother me about writing a book 00:02:13.80\00:02:16.23 and having a story. 00:02:16.23\00:02:18.30 Dr. Maitland gave the title, 00:02:18.30\00:02:20.84 "I Survived." 00:02:20.84\00:02:22.24 However, that title didn't 00:02:22.24\00:02:23.87 seem quite fitting. 00:02:23.87\00:02:26.01 And so I prayed about it and 00:02:26.01\00:02:29.11 came up with the title, 00:02:29.11\00:02:30.38 I'm Still Standing. 00:02:30.38\00:02:32.31 And I'm Still Standing is a 00:02:32.31\00:02:33.78 story of Lorne Gregory who was 00:02:33.78\00:02:37.29 a new bride and she was on the 00:02:37.29\00:02:40.92 top of the world after 00:02:40.92\00:02:42.49 getting married. 00:02:42.49\00:02:44.13 But just two weeks after 00:02:44.13\00:02:45.89 marriage, her world came 00:02:45.89\00:02:47.56 crashing down. 00:02:47.56\00:02:49.50 The man that she married 00:02:49.50\00:02:51.23 turned out not to be who he 00:02:51.23\00:02:52.83 claimed to be. 00:02:52.83\00:02:54.84 He was living a double life. 00:02:54.84\00:02:58.11 Very maladaptive kind of 00:02:58.11\00:03:01.98 lifestyle, very outlandish 00:03:01.98\00:03:04.11 kind of lifestyle. 00:03:04.11\00:03:05.81 He had multiple women, 00:03:05.81\00:03:08.32 including a child that I 00:03:08.32\00:03:10.25 didn't know about and after 00:03:10.25\00:03:14.42 finding out the details of his 00:03:14.42\00:03:16.99 sordid affairs-- 00:03:16.99\00:03:20.30 He didn't tell me, by the way. 00:03:20.30\00:03:22.06 I had to investigate him to 00:03:22.06\00:03:25.60 dig to the bottom of 00:03:25.60\00:03:26.43 the truth. 00:03:26.43\00:03:27.97 >> My sister and I are very 00:03:29.27\00:03:30.54 close, I feel like we do have 00:03:30.54\00:03:31.14 a very close relationship. 00:03:31.14\00:03:33.04 I feel like we do butt heads a 00:03:33.04\00:03:34.41 lot, of course, we're family, 00:03:34.41\00:03:36.01 families do that, but at the 00:03:36.01\00:03:38.28 end of the day we will always, 00:03:38.28\00:03:39.45 always love each other. 00:03:39.45\00:03:40.65 We always do have that 00:03:40.65\00:03:41.75 communication, we basically 00:03:41.75\00:03:42.68 feed off of each other. 00:03:42.68\00:03:44.22 If one is down of course we'll 00:03:44.22\00:03:46.29 try and bring the other one up 00:03:46.29\00:03:48.52 and, yeah, just basically 00:03:48.52\00:03:50.26 again that communication, we 00:03:50.26\00:03:51.73 are able to talk things 00:03:51.73\00:03:53.33 through, we're able to really 00:03:53.33\00:03:54.96 get to the bottom of each 00:03:54.96\00:03:56.00 other and just 00:03:56.00\00:03:56.90 understand each other. 00:03:56.90\00:03:58.13 >> I feel my mother's 00:03:58.13\00:03:59.10 situation impacted my life in 00:03:59.10\00:04:00.90 a number of different ways. 00:04:00.90\00:04:02.84 I would say the biggest impact 00:04:02.84\00:04:05.61 that it did have on my life 00:04:05.61\00:04:06.74 is just being able to learn 00:04:06.74\00:04:07.91 from her experiences. 00:04:07.91\00:04:10.01 Just taking exactly what she 00:04:10.01\00:04:12.05 went through and just applying 00:04:12.05\00:04:13.78 it to my own relationships and 00:04:13.78\00:04:15.25 friendships. 00:04:15.25\00:04:17.19 People can be very deceitful 00:04:17.19\00:04:18.99 in your life. 00:04:18.99\00:04:20.39 Obviously my mother was 00:04:20.39\00:04:22.26 deceived, she wasn't able to 00:04:22.26\00:04:24.29 see Jones's true colours until 00:04:24.29\00:04:25.73 later on down the road which 00:04:25.73\00:04:28.76 is what I was able to take and 00:04:28.76\00:04:30.43 just apply because I was able 00:04:30.43\00:04:32.50 to just study people more in 00:04:32.50\00:04:35.44 my life, not let them in as 00:04:35.44\00:04:37.27 easily and really just get to 00:04:37.27\00:04:41.04 know their true intentions of 00:04:41.04\00:04:41.98 why they maybe want to be 00:04:41.98\00:04:43.48 around me or 00:04:43.48\00:04:45.41 just a part of my life. 00:04:45.41\00:04:47.75 And then also I would say 00:04:47.75\00:04:51.29 just the stability aspect of 00:04:51.29\00:04:52.99 it, seeing the commitment, 00:04:52.99\00:04:55.16 seeing my mother and Jones in 00:04:55.16\00:04:57.56 this commitment, but then not 00:04:57.56\00:04:58.79 seeing him around very often. 00:04:58.79\00:05:01.40 It was very misleading for me 00:05:01.40\00:05:02.76 as a young girl, just not 00:05:02.76\00:05:04.40 being able to see that 00:05:04.40\00:05:05.90 stability in their 00:05:05.90\00:05:07.20 relationship so it was really 00:05:07.20\00:05:09.14 just misleading and confusing 00:05:09.14\00:05:11.11 for me as-- watching it, 00:05:11.11\00:05:12.97 growing up. 00:05:12.97\00:05:14.34 >> What I've learned is that 00:05:14.34\00:05:16.31 it's never our fault. 00:05:16.31\00:05:18.25 You know, we think that it's 00:05:18.25\00:05:19.45 one thing and for whatever 00:05:19.45\00:05:22.72 reason, if we're forcing it 00:05:22.72\00:05:24.79 then it takes a different 00:05:24.79\00:05:25.92 direction. 00:05:25.92\00:05:27.22 You must always trust 00:05:27.22\00:05:28.36 your intuition. 00:05:28.36\00:05:30.09 I do not feel like there was a 00:05:30.09\00:05:31.73 balance in the relationship, 00:05:31.73\00:05:33.16 I do 100% feel like my mother 00:05:33.16\00:05:34.93 was the bread-winner, she had 00:05:34.93\00:05:38.60 the pants on, you know... 00:05:38.60\00:05:41.27 She was doing it all, 00:05:41.27\00:05:43.57 honestly, like a Superwoman 00:05:43.57\00:05:45.64 and Superman and effortlessly. 00:05:45.64\00:05:49.48 She would never question it, 00:05:49.48\00:05:51.21 that's the thing. 00:05:51.21\00:05:52.25 This was just my mother, 00:05:52.25\00:05:53.11 right? So... 00:05:53.11\00:05:54.58 Unfortunately, some people 00:05:54.58\00:05:55.98 prey on that, right? 00:05:55.98\00:05:57.65 They see the good in somebody 00:05:57.65\00:05:59.35 and they just keep taking, 00:05:59.35\00:06:01.19 right, and that's when we need 00:06:01.19\00:06:03.86 to take a step back to realize, 00:06:03.86\00:06:05.99 like, "Wait a second," like, 00:06:05.99\00:06:08.40 "I really respect myself," 00:06:08.40\00:06:09.93 "but this person doesn't" 00:06:09.93\00:06:10.83 "respect me as much so" 00:06:10.83\00:06:13.54 "something needs to change" 00:06:13.54\00:06:14.47 "here," right? 00:06:14.47\00:06:15.40 Of course some things get 00:06:15.40\00:06:16.50 too far gone and it's 00:06:16.50\00:06:17.91 easy to stay. 00:06:17.91\00:06:19.14 We get comfortable and 00:06:19.14\00:06:20.21 complacent, but we really need 00:06:20.21\00:06:22.01 to jump on those signs right 00:06:22.01\00:06:23.31 when we see them. 00:06:23.31\00:06:24.88 We can't keep lying to 00:06:24.88\00:06:26.48 ourselves, that's the number 00:06:26.48\00:06:27.98 one thing, just being honest 00:06:27.98\00:06:29.12 with yourself. 00:06:29.12\00:06:30.65 I find that sometimes when red 00:06:30.65\00:06:32.89 flags come up, we try to 00:06:32.89\00:06:34.52 change it to a green flag. 00:06:34.52\00:06:36.49 Right? Because that's just our 00:06:36.49\00:06:38.89 level of perception. 00:06:38.89\00:06:42.13 What-- The way that they're 00:06:42.13\00:06:43.06 treating us, we may never do 00:06:43.06\00:06:44.80 to them or to somebody else so 00:06:44.80\00:06:46.60 sometimes we just can't 00:06:46.60\00:06:47.77 comprehend that it's a red 00:06:47.77\00:06:48.70 flag or that it's even 00:06:48.70\00:06:50.44 happening the way that 00:06:50.44\00:06:51.34 it is, right? 00:06:51.34\00:06:52.37 So we just allow it to happen 00:06:52.37\00:06:55.11 because we think, "Maybe it" 00:06:55.11\00:06:57.21 "was just a mistake," 00:06:57.21\00:06:58.38 "they apologized," 00:06:58.38\00:06:59.41 "it was a mistake." 00:06:59.41\00:07:01.15 "It's OK moving forward," 00:07:01.15\00:07:02.72 right, but when it becomes 00:07:02.72\00:07:04.35 repetitive and it's consistent 00:07:04.35\00:07:06.69 then that's when we need to 00:07:06.69\00:07:08.02 realize that, I mean, this is 00:07:08.02\00:07:10.16 not just a red flag, like, 00:07:10.16\00:07:12.03 this is who they are as a 00:07:12.03\00:07:13.70 person, right? 00:07:13.70\00:07:15.36 And to fight and flight, 00:07:15.36\00:07:17.50 really, flight would be it. 00:07:17.50\00:07:20.17 >> Which is why it is so 00:07:20.17\00:07:21.54 important to really just 00:07:21.54\00:07:23.57 notice those patterns in 00:07:23.57\00:07:25.11 people and just when they say 00:07:25.11\00:07:27.44 that it's a mistake, when they 00:07:27.44\00:07:28.44 say that changes are gonna 00:07:28.44\00:07:29.28 happen and their actions 00:07:29.28\00:07:30.91 aren't matching their words 00:07:30.91\00:07:32.21 then it's really important to 00:07:32.21\00:07:33.42 just realize exactly what's 00:07:33.42\00:07:34.98 going on and notice those 00:07:34.98\00:07:37.22 exact patterns so that you can 00:07:37.22\00:07:39.05 strive away from them. 00:07:39.05\00:07:40.16 >> In the book, I am 00:07:42.29\00:07:43.96 Pastor Moore. 00:07:43.96\00:07:45.56 I am the one who did the 00:07:45.56\00:07:47.03 counselling, pre-marital 00:07:47.03\00:07:48.70 counselling, did the wedding, 00:07:48.70\00:07:50.13 did baptism, did follow-up 00:07:50.13\00:07:54.44 after the wedding and tried to 00:07:54.44\00:07:57.31 mend what was broken. 00:07:57.31\00:07:59.61 Part of Lorna's transparency 00:07:59.61\00:08:01.54 that strikes me was the 00:08:01.54\00:08:04.41 motivation that she received 00:08:04.41\00:08:07.28 from what was not happening. 00:08:07.28\00:08:09.48 She had married a man who was 00:08:09.48\00:08:11.42 anything but transparent and 00:08:11.42\00:08:13.89 he was hiding everything, 00:08:13.89\00:08:15.89 everything was undercover. 00:08:15.89\00:08:18.13 This man had a mistress who 00:08:18.13\00:08:20.26 had a child for him, 14 months 00:08:20.26\00:08:22.43 old that he was covering up so 00:08:22.43\00:08:25.87 I could see some of that come 00:08:25.87\00:08:27.57 out in Lorna saying, "Mm-mm," 00:08:27.57\00:08:29.70 "I cannot cover up the mess," 00:08:29.70\00:08:34.71 "but I'll be transparent," 00:08:34.71\00:08:36.28 "let the world know who I am" 00:08:36.28\00:08:37.75 "and what's happening to me" 00:08:37.75\00:08:39.61 "so that in order to receive" 00:08:39.61\00:08:41.98 "help, that help can only" 00:08:41.98\00:08:44.25 "come if God and the world" 00:08:44.25\00:08:46.35 "knows what I'm" 00:08:46.35\00:08:47.76 "going through." 00:08:47.76\00:08:49.22 >> In the book I'm "Tango," 00:08:49.22\00:08:54.50 I'm Lorna's best friend. 00:08:54.50\00:08:56.87 I chose that name because it 00:08:56.87\00:09:00.04 meant "Tana on the go" 00:09:00.04\00:09:03.14 and I'm always on the go. 00:09:03.14\00:09:06.01 Being transparent was so 00:09:06.01\00:09:09.51 important because it allowed 00:09:09.51\00:09:11.45 others to open their own self. 00:09:11.45\00:09:16.69 A lot of people are becoming 00:09:16.69\00:09:18.09 like prisoners within 00:09:18.09\00:09:20.46 themselves because they're in 00:09:20.46\00:09:21.69 so much pain. 00:09:21.69\00:09:24.09 They're walking around... 00:09:24.09\00:09:25.89 with a mask, hiding behind 00:09:28.56\00:09:32.83 their shame, their hurt, 00:09:32.83\00:09:35.47 their pain, their rejection. 00:09:35.47\00:09:38.97 Not until you remove the mask 00:09:51.32\00:09:57.19 will you be able to 00:09:57.19\00:09:59.69 be true to yourself 00:09:59.69\00:10:02.50 and to be true to God. 00:10:02.50\00:10:05.10 >> In the book, Lorna was 00:10:06.70\00:10:08.80 incredibly transparent and I 00:10:08.80\00:10:11.37 think that as she journeyed 00:10:11.37\00:10:13.44 with God through this 00:10:13.44\00:10:14.74 experience He encouraged her 00:10:14.74\00:10:18.28 to be transparent for 00:10:18.28\00:10:19.61 her healing. 00:10:19.61\00:10:22.22 As Lorna was writing and was 00:10:22.22\00:10:26.45 being transparent she had to 00:10:26.45\00:10:29.76 face certain things 00:10:29.76\00:10:31.39 about herself. 00:10:31.39\00:10:34.23 And it's in facing those 00:10:34.23\00:10:35.56 things that I believe God 00:10:35.56\00:10:38.47 was bringing on the 00:10:38.47\00:10:41.07 transformation. 00:10:41.07\00:10:43.24 Transparency 00:10:43.24\00:10:45.51 is a part of healing. 00:10:45.51\00:10:47.28 >> Along the way there were, 00:10:49.88\00:10:52.78 you know, heartbreak, there 00:10:52.78\00:10:54.45 was a pregnancy that came 00:10:54.45\00:10:57.55 about because of a violation 00:10:57.55\00:11:02.42 from my husband and I was 00:11:02.42\00:11:04.66 pregnant with twins and I 00:11:04.66\00:11:07.13 wasn't excited about being 00:11:07.13\00:11:09.93 pregnant after all, you know, 00:11:09.93\00:11:13.40 how it happened and I didn't 00:11:13.40\00:11:17.31 know if I could love, 00:11:17.31\00:11:19.21 you know, the child, at that 00:11:19.21\00:11:20.71 time I didn't know 00:11:20.71\00:11:21.68 it was twins. 00:11:21.68\00:11:23.31 And so I had to pray to God, 00:11:23.31\00:11:26.68 you know, to ask Him to help 00:11:26.68\00:11:28.22 me to accept my situation and 00:11:28.22\00:11:31.69 the fact that I was going to 00:11:31.69\00:11:33.02 be a mother again. 00:11:33.02\00:11:34.96 And so I fell in love with 00:11:34.96\00:11:36.22 these babies, but three months 00:11:36.22\00:11:38.73 after that I had a miscarriage 00:11:38.73\00:11:41.86 and that sent me into the 00:11:41.86\00:11:44.50 abyss of darkness. 00:11:44.50\00:11:46.37 I had given up the will to 00:11:46.37\00:11:47.94 live, I felt as though all 00:11:47.94\00:11:51.41 hope was gone and prayer was 00:11:51.41\00:11:54.38 my weapon. 00:11:54.38\00:11:55.88 Prayer was the key to finding 00:11:55.88\00:11:58.51 my way back to reality. 00:11:58.51\00:12:00.95 And so that's the synopsis of 00:12:00.95\00:12:03.79 I'm Still Standing. 00:12:03.79\00:12:05.69 >> You went through quite a 00:12:05.69\00:12:07.06 lot, I mean this is very, very 00:12:07.06\00:12:10.19 devastating, everything you 00:12:10.19\00:12:11.69 went through. 00:12:11.69\00:12:13.53 The title, I'm Still Standing, 00:12:13.53\00:12:15.93 obviously saying this has not 00:12:15.93\00:12:18.13 destroyed you... 00:12:18.13\00:12:19.83 >> That's right. 00:12:19.83\00:12:21.04 >> At times did it feel 00:12:21.04\00:12:21.87 like that? 00:12:21.87\00:12:23.14 >> Oh, absolutely. 00:12:23.14\00:12:24.84 There were times when I felt 00:12:24.84\00:12:26.37 defeated, I was perplexed, 00:12:26.37\00:12:28.84 I felt as though I was 00:12:28.84\00:12:30.41 destroyed and-- 00:12:30.41\00:12:33.68 because my life was so wrapped 00:12:33.68\00:12:35.55 up and tied up in Jones, 00:12:35.55\00:12:38.62 you know, and wanting to be 00:12:38.62\00:12:40.46 loved and wanting to be happy. 00:12:40.46\00:12:43.86 I, you know, when my world 00:12:43.86\00:12:47.66 fell apart, it hit me hard. 00:12:47.66\00:12:50.53 But the good thing about it is 00:12:50.53\00:12:52.27 that I knew Christ. 00:12:52.27\00:12:54.77 I had a relationship with 00:12:54.77\00:12:56.17 Jesus Christ and although it 00:12:56.17\00:12:58.71 was difficult and challenging 00:12:58.71\00:13:00.94 and overwhelming, I still had 00:13:00.94\00:13:03.45 a glimpse of hope and I prayed 00:13:03.45\00:13:08.28 like Hannah and Rachel 00:13:08.28\00:13:10.59 and Naomi. 00:13:10.59\00:13:11.95 Prayer became my way of life. 00:13:11.95\00:13:15.59 And so although it was hard, 00:13:15.59\00:13:19.46 prayer helped me to live. 00:13:19.46\00:13:22.53 Prayer kept me standing. 00:13:22.53\00:13:25.57 >> You know, Lorna, I read 00:13:25.57\00:13:27.64 your book and there were many 00:13:27.64\00:13:29.90 times that I had to put the 00:13:29.90\00:13:31.97 book down and I'm like, 00:13:31.97\00:13:34.51 "I need to finish this book," 00:13:34.51\00:13:35.48 "but I just can't read" 00:13:35.48\00:13:36.95 "any more." 00:13:36.95\00:13:37.98 >> Oh dear! 00:13:37.98\00:13:39.28 [René] I had to put it down a 00:13:39.28\00:13:40.52 little bit, but the thing that 00:13:40.52\00:13:43.65 really stood out to me was the 00:13:43.65\00:13:46.82 way that you had just 00:13:46.82\00:13:49.12 mentioned now, that you just 00:13:49.12\00:13:51.26 hung onto Jesus right through 00:13:51.26\00:13:53.36 all of this. 00:13:53.36\00:13:54.50 I was like, "This is" 00:13:54.50\00:13:56.33 "incredible, it's such an" 00:13:56.33\00:13:58.33 "inspiration," because you 00:13:58.33\00:13:59.83 did, you prayed and you didn't 00:13:59.83\00:14:02.54 put God aside. 00:14:02.54\00:14:03.74 [Lorna] No. 00:14:03.74\00:14:04.81 >> You-- like, He was... 00:14:04.81\00:14:06.68 He was really your life line. 00:14:06.68\00:14:08.44 >> My anchor, yes. 00:14:08.44\00:14:09.68 >> And your anchor, as you 00:14:09.68\00:14:10.88 were going through all of 00:14:10.88\00:14:12.38 this, you know, and I think 00:14:12.38\00:14:13.68 for me, that was very 00:14:13.68\00:14:15.22 encouraging because I would 00:14:15.22\00:14:16.65 read and would like, "How is" 00:14:16.65\00:14:18.35 "she going through this?" 00:14:18.35\00:14:19.49 Like, you know, how can 00:14:19.49\00:14:21.16 someone live a double life and 00:14:21.16\00:14:23.86 be such a good con artist? 00:14:23.86\00:14:25.39 [Lorna] Mmhmm! 00:14:25.39\00:14:26.53 >> And you were just, 00:14:26.53\00:14:27.83 you know, and then I was like, 00:14:27.83\00:14:29.33 "OK, I need to finish it," 00:14:29.33\00:14:30.57 but I was so angry and so 00:14:30.57\00:14:33.10 upset, you know, but then I 00:14:33.10\00:14:35.34 need to finish it, but the 00:14:35.34\00:14:37.77 thing that was really 00:14:37.77\00:14:39.37 inspirational was that, like 00:14:39.37\00:14:40.98 you said, Jesus was your 00:14:40.98\00:14:42.91 anchor and He helped you to go 00:14:42.91\00:14:45.88 through this and because of 00:14:45.88\00:14:47.35 Him you're still standing. 00:14:47.35\00:14:48.75 >> I am, I am, yes. 00:14:48.75\00:14:50.92 And although it was difficult 00:14:50.92\00:14:53.62 for me to be transparent and 00:14:53.62\00:14:56.02 put myself out there, 00:14:56.02\00:14:57.79 you know, knowing that not 00:14:57.79\00:14:59.83 everyone will get it because 00:14:59.83\00:15:02.56 I have been scrutinized 00:15:02.56\00:15:03.87 and criticized 00:15:03.87\00:15:07.17 so I would be foolish to think 00:15:07.17\00:15:09.20 that everyone would be 00:15:09.20\00:15:10.44 receptive of my story. 00:15:10.44\00:15:12.97 However, my message is for 00:15:12.97\00:15:16.95 hope because I know what it's 00:15:16.95\00:15:19.45 like to feel hopeless, 00:15:19.45\00:15:21.48 I know what it's like to 00:15:21.48\00:15:22.78 suffer in silence and I want 00:15:22.78\00:15:25.32 people to know that with God 00:15:25.32\00:15:28.49 they can overcome their 00:15:28.49\00:15:30.53 circumstances, only with God. 00:15:30.53\00:15:33.86 And so it's important for them 00:15:33.86\00:15:35.76 to hold on to Christ. 00:15:35.76\00:15:38.10 >> So as I was reading the 00:15:39.87\00:15:41.27 book, I'm Still Standing, 00:15:41.27\00:15:44.21 there were some themes that 00:15:44.21\00:15:46.37 really resonated with me. 00:15:46.37\00:15:49.04 One of them was this stark 00:15:49.04\00:15:51.58 contrast between brokenness 00:15:51.58\00:15:53.82 and wholeness. 00:15:53.82\00:15:55.92 When I was reading about 00:15:55.92\00:15:58.42 Lorna's pain, her doubt, her 00:15:58.42\00:16:02.46 frustrations, her moments of 00:16:02.46\00:16:05.23 hopelessness, it reminded me 00:16:05.23\00:16:09.16 of brokenness, but it also 00:16:09.16\00:16:11.83 reminded me of how God 00:16:11.83\00:16:15.40 transforms and so I started to 00:16:15.40\00:16:19.54 see evidence of wholeness. 00:16:19.54\00:16:22.31 She goes through this 00:16:22.31\00:16:25.61 poetic expression: 00:16:25.61\00:16:28.58 "I was learning about" 00:16:28.58\00:16:29.98 "perseverance in the face of" 00:16:29.98\00:16:31.35 "tremendous difficulty." 00:16:31.35\00:16:33.42 "I was learning to love" 00:16:33.42\00:16:35.16 "myself and enjoy my own" 00:16:35.16\00:16:37.66 "company." 00:16:37.66\00:16:39.16 "I was learning to let go." 00:16:39.16\00:16:41.40 "I was learning to accept" 00:16:41.40\00:16:42.53 "my imperfections." 00:16:42.53\00:16:45.13 Only a whole person can state 00:16:45.13\00:16:47.77 that confidently. 00:16:47.77\00:16:50.24 And as she transitioned from 00:16:50.24\00:16:53.07 brokenness, it reminds me of 00:16:53.07\00:16:55.21 the song, "God Bless the" 00:16:55.21\00:16:57.25 "broken road that led me" 00:16:57.25\00:16:59.38 "straight to you." 00:16:59.38\00:17:01.38 And when I look at that song 00:17:01.38\00:17:03.15 and I read this book... 00:17:03.15\00:17:05.55 >> It's powerful 00:17:13.29\00:17:16.23 because we've all had our 00:17:16.23\00:17:17.40 moments of brokenness 00:17:17.40\00:17:21.74 and just as long as we journey 00:17:21.74\00:17:23.57 the path with God 00:17:23.57\00:17:26.74 and in her journey, she made 00:17:26.74\00:17:29.24 it more about God than her. 00:17:29.24\00:17:32.98 That's how she became whole. 00:17:32.98\00:17:36.28 So there was the brokenness to 00:17:36.28\00:17:39.75 wholeness and the only other 00:17:39.75\00:17:43.06 one that I would add that you 00:17:43.06\00:17:47.00 can draw from that is this 00:17:47.00\00:17:50.10 metamorphic experience she 00:17:50.10\00:17:52.27 went through. 00:17:52.27\00:17:54.34 I would even go so far as to 00:17:54.34\00:17:55.87 say Lorna became Lorne. 00:17:55.87\00:17:59.57 I would go so far as to say in 00:17:59.57\00:18:01.61 her book she speaks about the 00:18:01.61\00:18:04.81 fact that the struggle to 00:18:04.81\00:18:07.98 come out of the cocoon 00:18:07.98\00:18:10.12 empowers the butterfly to fly. 00:18:10.12\00:18:12.15 Oh my goodness! 00:18:12.15\00:18:15.66 How else could you not miss 00:18:15.66\00:18:19.76 that scripture of Romans 8:28, 00:18:19.76\00:18:22.33 And so that theme literally 00:18:28.04\00:18:31.94 screamed out to me. 00:18:31.94\00:18:35.28 Not just the brokenness to 00:18:35.28\00:18:36.68 wholeness, but that 00:18:36.68\00:18:38.55 metamorphic experience that 00:18:38.55\00:18:40.92 she went through. 00:18:40.92\00:18:42.55 The caterpillar 00:18:42.55\00:18:44.79 becoming the butterfly. 00:18:44.79\00:18:47.69 The chicken she refers to in 00:18:47.69\00:18:49.76 her book becoming the eagle. 00:18:49.76\00:18:53.53 And the Bible talks about 00:18:53.53\00:18:56.53 "one can mount up on wings" 00:18:56.53\00:18:58.67 "like eagle" and that's 00:18:58.67\00:19:01.84 exactly what Lorna had become. 00:19:01.84\00:19:06.04 >> So you are in a place where 00:19:08.44\00:19:12.45 it's just like 00:19:12.45\00:19:14.38 pretty much a nightmare. 00:19:14.38\00:19:15.38 [Lorna] Yes. 00:19:15.38\00:19:16.48 >> And you know that you can't 00:19:16.48\00:19:18.19 trust this man. 00:19:18.19\00:19:19.85 You called him "Jones," that's 00:19:19.85\00:19:21.12 not his real name. 00:19:21.12\00:19:22.02 [Lorna] That's right. 00:19:22.02\00:19:22.99 [Mike] It's a pseudonym to 00:19:22.99\00:19:23.93 protect him. 00:19:23.93\00:19:24.93 [Lorna] Yes. 00:19:24.93\00:19:26.19 [Mike] And so he's doing all 00:19:26.19\00:19:28.70 these things. 00:19:28.70\00:19:30.43 Did you get help from 00:19:30.43\00:19:31.57 someone else? 00:19:31.57\00:19:34.44 >> My pastor, Dr. Maitland was 00:19:34.44\00:19:38.81 very supportive. 00:19:38.81\00:19:40.34 He was the pastor that 00:19:40.34\00:19:43.18 officiated our marriage. 00:19:43.18\00:19:46.31 He counselled us for months. 00:19:46.31\00:19:50.22 But Pastor Maitland was there 00:19:50.22\00:19:52.32 to support me and guide me and 00:19:52.32\00:19:57.39 also my best friend who I 00:19:57.39\00:19:59.63 refer to as "Tango" in the 00:19:59.63\00:20:01.43 book, she was very supportive 00:20:01.43\00:20:03.26 as well. 00:20:03.26\00:20:04.77 She carried my pain, 00:20:04.77\00:20:07.57 she carried my burden. 00:20:07.57\00:20:10.41 God is such and awesome God 00:20:10.41\00:20:13.01 because He knew I couldn't 00:20:13.01\00:20:15.28 carry this burden and 00:20:15.28\00:20:17.08 this pain. 00:20:17.08\00:20:18.38 If I had to carry the full 00:20:18.38\00:20:21.08 effect of the pain that was 00:20:21.08\00:20:23.55 inflicted on me, I don't think 00:20:23.55\00:20:25.72 I would be here right now. 00:20:25.72\00:20:28.06 But my best friend carried my 00:20:28.06\00:20:30.89 pain, she felt my pain. 00:20:30.89\00:20:33.53 There were times when at the 00:20:33.53\00:20:35.60 beginning when my world came 00:20:35.60\00:20:39.03 crashing down, I didn't shed a 00:20:39.03\00:20:41.87 tear, I didn't cry. 00:20:41.87\00:20:44.71 But my best friend cried for 00:20:44.71\00:20:47.54 me and that just goes to show 00:20:47.54\00:20:52.01 how God knows best and that He 00:20:52.01\00:20:54.22 works in such awesome ways. 00:20:54.22\00:20:57.59 You know, so I had the support 00:20:57.59\00:20:59.42 of my best friend and 00:20:59.42\00:21:01.72 my pastor. 00:21:01.72\00:21:03.29 My daughters, of course, they 00:21:03.29\00:21:05.23 were supportive, you know, 00:21:05.23\00:21:07.50 as supportive as they could be. 00:21:07.50\00:21:10.40 My mom who was a praying woman 00:21:10.40\00:21:13.57 of God, I knew she was 00:21:13.57\00:21:14.90 praying for me. 00:21:14.90\00:21:16.44 My adopted mom who is my best 00:21:16.44\00:21:18.41 friend's mom is also a prayer 00:21:18.41\00:21:20.71 warrior and I knew that there 00:21:20.71\00:21:23.91 were people who loved me who 00:21:23.91\00:21:25.98 were praying for me, yes. 00:21:25.98\00:21:28.68 I'm Still Standing is an 00:21:31.72\00:21:33.32 incredibly powerful book and 00:21:33.32\00:21:36.99 there were some things that I 00:21:36.99\00:21:38.36 took away for my own personal 00:21:38.36\00:21:39.86 experience looking toward the 00:21:39.86\00:21:43.43 opportunity of continual 00:21:43.43\00:21:45.00 growth in the hand of God. 00:21:45.00\00:21:48.24 It says, "I can never sink so" 00:21:48.24\00:21:50.81 "low where God's hand" 00:21:50.81\00:21:52.67 "couldn't reach me," 00:21:52.67\00:21:54.54 Lorna says. 00:21:54.54\00:21:55.94 She also says, "Only God can" 00:21:57.51\00:21:59.58 "turn a mess into a message." 00:21:59.58\00:22:04.82 She says, "God fought for me" 00:22:04.82\00:22:07.16 "and rescued me." 00:22:07.16\00:22:10.39 And the last is, "God is" 00:22:10.39\00:22:13.36 "everything in every" 00:22:13.36\00:22:15.16 "situation." 00:22:15.16\00:22:17.43 And so as I read the book, for 00:22:17.43\00:22:19.47 me, these are principles that 00:22:19.47\00:22:24.17 I wanna infuse in my life so 00:22:24.17\00:22:26.64 that when I face the next 00:22:26.64\00:22:28.21 challenge, the next trial, the 00:22:28.21\00:22:29.71 next tribulation, not only do 00:22:29.71\00:22:32.68 I have scripture, but I have 00:22:32.68\00:22:35.22 these beautiful gems of truth 00:22:35.22\00:22:38.25 to help me which I believe is 00:22:38.25\00:22:40.42 a part of her mission in 00:22:40.42\00:22:44.23 sharing her mess for God's 00:22:44.23\00:22:47.83 powerful message. 00:22:47.83\00:22:49.90 >> A survivor is one who lives 00:22:51.83\00:22:55.10 after an ordeal. 00:22:55.10\00:22:58.64 We see Lorna as a survivor. 00:22:58.64\00:23:01.44 Lorna survived because 00:23:01.44\00:23:02.98 she was able to claim the 00:23:02.98\00:23:03.81 promises of God. 00:23:03.81\00:23:05.98 She latched into those 00:23:05.98\00:23:07.38 promises, the book is replete 00:23:07.38\00:23:09.45 with promises from God, 00:23:09.45\00:23:12.59 but one that stood out among 00:23:12.59\00:23:14.76 all the others is that 00:23:14.76\00:23:16.66 "No weapon formed against" 00:23:16.66\00:23:18.06 "Me will prosper," 00:23:18.06\00:23:19.49 in Isaiah 54. 00:23:19.49\00:23:21.53 And she saw all the weapons 00:23:21.53\00:23:22.50 that the Devil had forged, 00:23:22.50\00:23:24.80 all the weapons that were ever 00:23:24.80\00:23:26.77 formed and she said, "No," 00:23:26.77\00:23:30.21 "by the help of God they will" 00:23:30.21\00:23:31.37 "not prosper." 00:23:31.37\00:23:32.61 And here she is, still 00:23:32.61\00:23:33.74 standing because the weapons 00:23:33.74\00:23:35.11 have not prospered. 00:23:35.11\00:23:36.58 She is a survivor. 00:23:36.58\00:23:38.31 >> So, Lorna, you talked about 00:23:41.18\00:23:42.78 the word, "intimacy," and I 00:23:42.78\00:23:44.45 always think of the word, 00:23:44.45\00:23:45.39 "intimacy," as "into me see" 00:23:45.39\00:23:47.92 and the only one who can allow 00:23:47.92\00:23:49.12 anyone to see into me is me. 00:23:49.12\00:23:51.83 And so you're opening your 00:23:51.83\00:23:52.89 heart to God and you're 00:23:52.89\00:23:54.66 allowing Him to see into you 00:23:54.66\00:23:56.80 and He speaks to you through 00:23:56.80\00:23:57.87 His word and you get to know 00:23:57.87\00:23:59.27 Him through His word. 00:23:59.27\00:24:01.40 So is there a Bible text that 00:24:01.40\00:24:03.67 speaks to you? 00:24:03.67\00:24:05.31 I mean, there are many, 00:24:05.31\00:24:06.57 I'm sure. 00:24:06.57\00:24:08.14 Is there one specifically that 00:24:08.14\00:24:09.44 you can share with us? 00:24:09.44\00:24:11.45 >> Yes, there is. 00:24:11.45\00:24:13.52 Jeremiah 29, verse 11 is my 00:24:13.52\00:24:18.15 favourite Bible text and I've 00:24:18.15\00:24:20.76 quoted it several times 00:24:20.76\00:24:22.86 in the book... 00:24:22.86\00:24:24.19 I know that I can trust in 00:24:32.57\00:24:34.10 God's promises. 00:24:34.10\00:24:36.14 He's gifted me with two 00:24:36.14\00:24:37.84 priceless gifts. 00:24:37.84\00:24:39.97 You know, there are things 00:24:39.97\00:24:41.41 that money can buy, but it is 00:24:41.41\00:24:43.14 true that money cannot buy joy 00:24:43.14\00:24:46.05 and money cannot buy peace 00:24:46.05\00:24:48.42 and these are gifts that God 00:24:48.42\00:24:50.45 has gifted me and I would not 00:24:50.45\00:24:53.89 trade them for the world. 00:24:53.89\00:24:55.92 This is my encouragement to 00:24:55.92\00:24:57.73 you, just trust God, hold onto 00:24:57.73\00:24:59.03 Him, don't let go. 00:24:59.03\00:25:01.53 >> So you have gone from not 00:25:01.53\00:25:04.73 being able to talk about it to 00:25:04.73\00:25:06.94 writing it, now you're talking 00:25:06.94\00:25:08.84 about it and as you said, 00:25:08.84\00:25:09.97 you're inspiring others with 00:25:09.97\00:25:11.57 it and so as we close off our 00:25:11.57\00:25:14.41 program today, I wonder, 00:25:14.41\00:25:16.01 Lorna, if you could have a 00:25:16.01\00:25:17.25 word of prayer for us? 00:25:17.25\00:25:18.85 >> Absolutely, 00:25:18.85\00:25:20.28 I would love to. 00:25:20.28\00:25:23.08 Our Father Who art in heaven, 00:25:23.08\00:25:25.45 hallowed be Thy Holy and Thy 00:25:25.45\00:25:27.22 powerful name. 00:25:27.22\00:25:28.76 Lord, we are so grateful for 00:25:28.76\00:25:30.59 Your love. 00:25:30.59\00:25:32.36 In spite of the challenges 00:25:32.36\00:25:34.10 that we face, we know that we 00:25:34.10\00:25:35.76 can look to You for help, 00:25:35.76\00:25:37.63 we know that we can come to 00:25:37.63\00:25:38.67 You for help. 00:25:38.67\00:25:40.50 You not just care about the 00:25:40.50\00:25:44.24 big things, You care about the 00:25:44.24\00:25:46.04 small things as well. 00:25:46.04\00:25:48.11 You care about everything 00:25:48.11\00:25:50.75 that concerns us. 00:25:50.75\00:25:52.65 And, Lord, as I've shared my 00:25:52.65\00:25:55.68 story today, I pray, dear God, 00:25:55.68\00:25:58.69 that it will be a blessing to 00:25:58.69\00:26:00.66 others and that You will get 00:26:00.66\00:26:03.19 the glory, the honour, and the 00:26:03.19\00:26:05.13 praise, that lives will be 00:26:05.13\00:26:07.86 inspired and transformed, 00:26:07.86\00:26:10.70 that others will know of Your 00:26:10.70\00:26:12.87 faithfulness, to know that 00:26:12.87\00:26:14.47 they can trust You 00:26:14.47\00:26:16.14 implicitly. 00:26:16.14\00:26:17.91 And, Lord, we thank you for 00:26:17.91\00:26:19.41 the victories, we also thank 00:26:19.41\00:26:20.51 You for the tests, Lord, 00:26:20.51\00:26:22.94 because if there are no tests, 00:26:22.94\00:26:25.15 there will be no testimony. 00:26:25.15\00:26:27.85 So we just ask that You'd give 00:26:27.85\00:26:29.25 us the strength and the 00:26:29.25\00:26:30.92 courage to continue to press 00:26:30.92\00:26:33.96 forward knowing that You will 00:26:33.96\00:26:36.73 keep us standing. 00:26:36.73\00:26:38.26 In Jesus's name I pray, amen. 00:26:38.26\00:26:40.50 [Mike] Amen. 00:26:40.50\00:26:41.93 Lorna, thank you very much for 00:26:41.93\00:26:43.30 your wonderful prayer. 00:26:43.30\00:26:44.40 Thank you for being vulnerable 00:26:44.40\00:26:46.40 enough to share your story, 00:26:46.40\00:26:48.17 to write it so that others can 00:26:48.17\00:26:49.94 be blessed by it and by coming 00:26:49.94\00:26:52.14 in and sharing with us today 00:26:52.14\00:26:53.27 here on It Is Written Canada. 00:26:53.27\00:26:55.01 >> Thank you so much. 00:26:55.01\00:26:56.14 God bless you. 00:26:56.14\00:26:57.81 >> So Lorna's book, 00:26:59.91\00:27:01.52 I'm Still Standing, has many 00:27:01.52\00:27:04.12 more details as I'm sure 00:27:04.12\00:27:05.79 you're aware of her story and 00:27:05.79\00:27:08.76 she has made them available 00:27:08.76\00:27:10.49 for you, free of charge and 00:27:10.49\00:27:12.59 It Is Written Canada will also 00:27:12.59\00:27:13.73 purchase them and as stock 00:27:13.73\00:27:16.00 lasts, you can get them free 00:27:16.00\00:27:17.70 of charge. 00:27:17.70\00:27:19.37 >> And after they run out, 00:27:19.37\00:27:21.97 you're welcome to purchase 00:27:21.97\00:27:22.87 them on amazon.ca in 00:27:22.87\00:27:26.14 hardcover, paperback, 00:27:26.14\00:27:27.61 and on Kindle. 00:27:27.61\00:27:29.38 And, to get the details, make 00:27:29.38\00:27:31.35 sure you get out a pen, piece 00:27:31.35\00:27:33.08 of paper, or your phone, and 00:27:33.08\00:27:35.25 here's the information you 00:27:35.25\00:27:36.55 need to get your free offer. 00:27:36.55\00:27:38.25 >> To request today's offer, 00:27:39.09\00:27:40.59 just log onto 00:27:40.59\00:27:41.96 www.itiswrittencanada.ca 00:27:41.96\00:27:45.83 If you prefer, you may call 00:27:45.83\00:27:47.56 toll free at 1-888-CALL-IIW. 00:27:47.56\00:27:51.60 [Mike] You, too, can 00:27:52.80\00:27:54.04 experience the same kind of 00:27:54.04\00:27:55.47 strength that Lorna had by 00:27:55.47\00:27:57.51 putting your trust in Jesus 00:27:57.51\00:27:59.61 Who Himself remains standing 00:27:59.61\00:28:01.48 when He was tempted by 00:28:01.48\00:28:02.84 the Devil the wilderness 00:28:02.84\00:28:03.75 and said, 00:28:03.75\00:28:04.85 >> In building a relationship 00:28:15.96\00:28:18.33 with God, she has discovered 00:28:18.33\00:28:20.80 that God does not withhold 00:28:20.80\00:28:22.43 anything good from His 00:28:22.43\00:28:23.77 children that walk upright 00:28:23.77\00:28:25.13 with Him 00:28:25.13\00:28:27.24 and she is walking with Him. 00:28:27.24\00:28:29.97 She also discovered her 00:28:29.97\00:28:31.21 self-worth and to whom 00:28:31.21\00:28:33.81 she belongs. 00:28:33.81\00:28:35.48 And once you are able to 00:28:35.48\00:28:37.45 discover those things, 00:28:37.45\00:28:40.15 it is amazing. 00:28:40.15\00:28:41.95 So she's not walking alone 00:28:41.95\00:28:43.85 anymore, she's walking 00:28:43.85\00:28:45.29 with God. 00:28:45.29\00:28:46.59 Through earth's storms, 00:28:46.59\00:28:47.82 He's in there with her and 00:28:47.82\00:28:49.62 that is why she's now changed. 00:28:49.62\00:28:52.43