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>> Welcome again to
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It Is Written Canada.
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Today we are on location in
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Lacombe, Alberta at Spyder
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Controls, the workplace of
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Amber Andrews who we
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introduced you to last week.
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>> Amber found herself broken
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and living on the cold city
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streets after facing one
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traumatic experience after
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another, yet she knew that God
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was always with her.
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Amber, thank you for joining
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us again this week on
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It Is Written Canada.
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>> It's my pleasure.
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>> Amber, last week you talked
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to us about how you ended up
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on the streets.
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What was it like?
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>> It was rough, there was a
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lot of bad times, there was a
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lot of scary times, but the
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most interesting part is that
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God walked with me.
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That day that I prayed for Him
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to get me out of there, He was
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able to help me get my dogs to
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a safe place and He put a lot
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of people in my path and
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helped me and I learned a lot
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about myself and I grew
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as a person.
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>> So tell us about some of
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the experiences that were
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positive for you.
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>> Well, I do remember we came
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across a lady and she was very
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intoxicated and she was
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missing one of her shoes and
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so we decided, me and my
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friend that I was with, that
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we would make her a shoe out
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of what we had.
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So I had some boots on so I
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took the inside insulation
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part out of my boot and he
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took the sole out of his shoe
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and we duct taped her a shoe
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together and she could barely
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stand and the guy looked at me
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and he said, "Do you know"
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"that this is what Jesus"
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"used to do?"
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And it just blew me away, you
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know, He just used to walk
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around helping people and
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sharing stories and sharing
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about God and it really
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moved me.
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It also made me think about my
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mother and just how hard she
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fought and prayed for me and,
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you know, this lady we had a
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meal that she could have at
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the shelter, there were shoes
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there and there was a warm bed
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and we could not convince her
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to come with us.
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>> And your mom was praying
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for you through the entire
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time that you went through
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your drug addictions, you were
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on the streets and then you
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came to a place where you just
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wanted to get rid of
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everything.
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>> I did.
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The house that I was living in
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that I wasn't allowed in, I
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was fighting very hard to get
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my stuff out of there.
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I wasn't legally allowed to go
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there, they had to correct the
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paperwork saying that I could
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go there if I had an officer
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and then we had tried many
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times when there was nobody
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home or nobody would answer
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and then finally one day I did
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get some stuff and I brought
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it over to my boss, Lily's,
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house and I had it in the
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driveway there and I was so
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relieved that I had finally
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gotten my stuff and her son
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came out of the house and
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he said, "Get this junk"
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"out of my driveway!"
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And I was very offended 'cause
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this was everything I owned,
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but it hit me right then, you
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know, I just started looking
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at everything and I had fought
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so hard for this stuff and I
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didn't have anywhere to keep
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it and I just wanted to be
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free of it and so I just
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started bringing everything
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out on the curb and then I
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thought, "Well, I don't wanna"
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"just give stuff away,"
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"I want it to go to the"
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"right place."
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And so I just knelt down and I
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prayed, "Where is this"
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"stuff supposed to go?"
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"Get it to the right person."
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My neighbour came across the
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street, asked if we were
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having a garage sale, I said,
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"Well, we are, but"
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"everything's free."
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I didn't want any money for
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it, it was not what that was
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about for me so he took a
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really beautiful table and the
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neighbours down the street
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took my leather furniture and
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he said that he had a friend
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that worked in the women's
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shelter and they were in need
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of furniture and I said,
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"Well, call her up!"
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And so he was able to take a
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bunch of stuff and get it to
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some ladies that were just
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starting out, so...
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>> So, Amber, you were getting
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rid of all your things then
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you found there was something
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you didn't want to get rid of.
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>> You're right, yeah.
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I had kept a couple special
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items, my photo albums and
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whatnot, so I was sitting in
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this garage that I was living
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in and was looking through my
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stuff that I had saved and I
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saved this one card from
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my mom.
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So my mom had sent me this
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card when I was on the street,
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I had opened it, shook it out
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for money, took the money out,
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never read it and so I
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thought, "Well, I'm"
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"gonna read this card."
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And it says, "I know you're"
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"dealing with a lot right now"
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"and I just want you to know"
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"that it's going to work out."
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"To Amber: Trust in the Lord"
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"with all your heart,"
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"I believe in you,"
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"I believe in miracles."
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"We are praying for you,"
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"wishing you God's love and"
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"blessings, love Jesus"
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"and Mom and Dad."
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And I just cried.
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>> That was pretty meaningful
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to you, God was speaking to
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you through that card that you
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had for a long time and you
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had never read it,
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you just wanted the money out
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of it, yeah.
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There were lots of things that
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happened that were kind of
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strange and you were phoning
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your mom and telling her about
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these things...
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>> Yeah, my mom said I would
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call about every three weeks
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and I wasn't calling them
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miracles, but I knew some
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strange things were happening
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to me and they were wonderful
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things, things that were
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helping me grow and change
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and I was being shown Jesus
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on my walk.
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I do remember being very cold
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when I first hit the street,
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I didn't have my clothes or
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anything so I do remember
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needing a jacket and the
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shelter had some jackets that
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were available and I remember
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trying on this beautiful
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jacket, it looked like it was
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brand new, it was Calvin
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Klein, it was long, it was
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navy blue and I put it on and
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it fit me perfectly and I knew
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I was blessed.
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I also remember being hungry
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one day and I remember being
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invited over for dinner and--
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by Mary and Bill, and I really
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thought it was a pity invite
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and I thought,
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you know, I don't want to
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interfere with their time
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together and their friends
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and stuff and then I also had
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a young man and woman in front
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of me while I was walking and
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they turned around and out of
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the blue asked me if I wanted
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this bottle of water and this
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granola bar and, you know, it
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wasn't a dirty, opened bottle,
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and it was perfect condition
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and I said, "No,"
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"thank you," you know,
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"I don't take anything from"
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"strangers," and I laughed
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about it afterwards 'cause I'm
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like, "Here's God trying"
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"so hard to feed me and I'm"
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"so mad at Him cause I'm"
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"saying I'm hungry,"
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"I'm not asking for gold or"
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"diamonds or anything,"
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"I just want food." (laughs)
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So, so many times you're
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asking for things, you think
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it's gonna look a certain way
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and God's been trying to
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provide it to you all along,
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you just can't see it.
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>> So this perspective that
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you had on things started to
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change you, like, even when
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you went dumpster diving.
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It was, you know, you were
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looking at things differently
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than other people.
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>> I was, yeah.
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There were many nights you
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couldn't get into the shelter,
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the shelter filled up very
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quickly, the wet and the dry
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shelters and so we would spend
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our nights dumpster diving and
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I had this really neat group
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of people that I hung out with
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and I remember telling them
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when we first started dumpster
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diving together that,
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"I just want us to"
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"clean up afterwards 'cause,"
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I said, "that's why people"
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"get so upset is 'cause, you"
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"know, people leave a mess."
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So they were so gracious, they
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never argued with me or
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anything and they would put
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everything back and I was
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always on people about not
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smoking and try not to swear
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and... (laughs)
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It was very strange, but I had
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smoked for years and I had
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quit smoking and when I was on
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the streets, I said,
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"I don't wanna start again"
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"'cause don't wanna have to"
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"quit again and I already"
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"have one habit."
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>> So, Amber, how did you
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end up working here at
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Spyder Controls?
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>> So, as I had said last
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week, Bill was a family friend
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who had taken me in off the
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streets and graciously gave me
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a camper to stay in.
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He had encouraged me to start
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going back to church, we had
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went to the Ponoka church,
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which is a wonderful church,
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my first time walking in there
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I was very nervous and I
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remember walking through the
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doors and saying, "Wow,"
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"I'm so glad I didn't catch"
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"on fire or something."
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(laughs)
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And these two lovely ladies
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came and asked me, they said,
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"If you don't have someone"
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"to sit with, you can come"
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"sit with us," and I was very
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moved by that.
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And so I had started going to
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church again and I also
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started volunteering at the
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soup kitchen again which is
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something that I liked to do
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before I ended up on
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the streets.
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So I was at the soup kitchen
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in Red Deer and I was doing up
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some dishes and I was talking
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to a lady and I said, you
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know, that I had needed work,
00:10:16.48\00:10:18.18
that I was gettin' off the
00:10:18.18\00:10:19.48
streets and I needed a job and
00:10:19.48\00:10:20.58
she says, "Well, I"
00:10:20.58\00:10:21.75
"just happen to own an"
00:10:21.75\00:10:23.25
"auction and need somebody"
00:10:23.25\00:10:25.29
"that could help me out," so I
00:10:25.29\00:10:27.49
started working with her.
00:10:27.49\00:10:30.09
>> I met Amber probably five
00:10:31.13\00:10:33.06
or six years ago and it was at
00:10:33.06\00:10:36.23
church, I believe, that we
00:10:36.23\00:10:37.63
were having potluck and she
00:10:37.63\00:10:38.93
had mentioned that she was
00:10:38.93\00:10:40.34
looking for work and so I said
00:10:40.34\00:10:42.10
to her, "Well, as a"
00:10:42.10\00:10:43.64
"matter of fact we could use"
00:10:43.64\00:10:44.87
"somebody at the auction,"
00:10:44.87\00:10:46.07
"we need somebody in"
00:10:46.07\00:10:46.98
"the kitchen."
00:10:46.98\00:10:48.21
And so we hired her, we were
00:10:48.21\00:10:49.71
doing the-- we do meals at the
00:10:49.71\00:10:51.65
auction and yeah, she was
00:10:51.65\00:10:54.48
great, and she was such a
00:10:54.48\00:10:56.02
great help and such a happy
00:10:56.02\00:10:57.72
attitude and, yeah, we really
00:10:57.72\00:10:59.15
enjoyed her.
00:10:59.15\00:11:00.52
And you know what, she became
00:11:00.52\00:11:01.89
a part of our family.
00:11:01.89\00:11:03.29
So life is always a challenge
00:11:03.29\00:11:05.53
and-- but she was a blessing
00:11:05.53\00:11:07.76
to us the whole time she
00:11:07.76\00:11:09.33
helped us and worked for us
00:11:09.33\00:11:11.00
and I'm so happy that the Lord
00:11:11.00\00:11:13.00
restored her and He is
00:11:13.00\00:11:15.27
blessing her because then she
00:11:15.27\00:11:17.84
becomes a channel of blessing
00:11:17.84\00:11:19.47
to other people and, you know,
00:11:19.47\00:11:21.21
every time we walk through
00:11:21.21\00:11:22.81
life, there's never a time in
00:11:22.81\00:11:24.85
our life where the things that
00:11:24.85\00:11:26.78
the Lord has let us go through
00:11:26.78\00:11:29.42
can't always be a blessing to
00:11:29.42\00:11:31.25
someone else.
00:11:31.25\00:11:32.19
All of us have a story and
00:11:32.19\00:11:35.02
every story's different and
00:11:35.02\00:11:36.86
sometimes when we go into a
00:11:36.86\00:11:38.39
challenge and we go into
00:11:38.39\00:11:40.13
something that it seems like
00:11:40.13\00:11:41.63
it's so hard and, Lord, why
00:11:41.63\00:11:43.13
would you ever have me go
00:11:43.13\00:11:44.80
through this?
00:11:44.80\00:11:46.03
It's because down the road we
00:11:46.03\00:11:47.77
need to be a blessing to
00:11:47.77\00:11:49.14
someone else because we've
00:11:49.14\00:11:50.81
walked in their shoes.
00:11:50.81\00:11:52.51
>> So I had been working with
00:11:54.11\00:11:56.21
her for a little bit and she
00:11:56.21\00:11:57.75
just didn't quite have the
00:11:57.75\00:11:59.15
hours I needed for me to
00:11:59.15\00:12:01.15
really get on my feet and she
00:12:01.15\00:12:03.95
ended up introducing me to
00:12:03.95\00:12:05.65
Curtis and Curtis had actually
00:12:05.65\00:12:07.82
been out to my house that I
00:12:07.82\00:12:09.32
was staying in and he had
00:12:09.32\00:12:11.33
volunteered with a group of
00:12:11.33\00:12:13.13
people to do a little bit of
00:12:13.13\00:12:15.16
work on my house because it
00:12:15.16\00:12:16.83
wasn't quite winter-ready,
00:12:16.83\00:12:18.63
there was no furnace and the
00:12:18.63\00:12:20.10
windows were broken out and it
00:12:20.10\00:12:22.54
needed a lot of work so he
00:12:22.54\00:12:23.91
came out with his family and
00:12:23.91\00:12:25.47
volunteered and we had a
00:12:25.47\00:12:28.81
really good meeting and he
00:12:28.81\00:12:31.05
offered me a job and that was
00:12:31.05\00:12:32.75
four and a half years ago now.
00:12:32.75\00:12:34.98
>> So I remember the first
00:12:36.52\00:12:37.79
time that our family was able
00:12:37.79\00:12:39.45
to meet Amber, it was at a
00:12:39.45\00:12:40.82
church work-bee that was
00:12:40.82\00:12:42.26
called to help get Amber's
00:12:42.26\00:12:43.66
house ready for winter.
00:12:43.66\00:12:45.36
We'd been praying for Amber as
00:12:45.36\00:12:46.56
a church family for many
00:12:46.56\00:12:48.20
months, there was a friend of
00:12:48.20\00:12:49.73
ours, Darleen, and she had
00:12:49.73\00:12:51.30
lifted up Amber in prayer many
00:12:51.30\00:12:53.07
times and so we'd prayed for
00:12:53.07\00:12:54.47
her and finally we actually
00:12:54.47\00:12:55.74
got to meet Amber.
00:12:55.74\00:12:57.01
She was trying to make the
00:12:57.01\00:12:58.34
best of the situation and she
00:12:58.34\00:12:59.77
had, you know, really tidied
00:12:59.77\00:13:01.48
the place up as best she
00:13:01.48\00:13:02.81
could, but I mean there was
00:13:02.81\00:13:04.15
walls that weren't insulated,
00:13:04.15\00:13:05.21
there was, you know, a door
00:13:05.21\00:13:06.48
that was just basically
00:13:06.48\00:13:07.82
falling off and we're going
00:13:07.82\00:13:09.12
into winter.
00:13:09.12\00:13:09.95
There was a small wood-burning
00:13:09.95\00:13:11.05
stove in the house and that
00:13:11.05\00:13:12.12
was really all there was
00:13:12.12\00:13:13.22
for heat.
00:13:13.22\00:13:13.89
There was barely any plumbing
00:13:13.89\00:13:15.02
and the plumbing there was
00:13:15.02\00:13:16.02
would freeze in winter and so
00:13:16.02\00:13:17.79
just really seeing that Amber
00:13:17.79\00:13:19.66
was in a tough spot and I can
00:13:19.66\00:13:21.96
remember just something
00:13:21.96\00:13:23.40
standing out in my mind though
00:13:23.40\00:13:24.87
about how caring she was about
00:13:24.87\00:13:26.20
others, you could sense it
00:13:26.20\00:13:28.14
just in the way she interacted
00:13:28.14\00:13:29.27
with those of us that
00:13:29.27\00:13:30.31
were there.
00:13:30.31\00:13:31.34
I can remember then just her
00:13:31.34\00:13:33.07
giving my wife a big hug as we
00:13:33.07\00:13:34.64
left and just really having a
00:13:34.64\00:13:35.94
strong impression that Amber
00:13:35.94\00:13:37.21
was really trying to do
00:13:37.21\00:13:38.68
her best.
00:13:38.68\00:13:39.38
And it was a couple weeks
00:13:39.38\00:13:40.85
after I can remember Linda
00:13:40.85\00:13:42.82
Dunbrack, a friend of hers
00:13:42.82\00:13:44.75
had-- and a church member,
00:13:44.75\00:13:46.19
had been in touch with me and
00:13:46.19\00:13:47.79
just had-- we'd been talking
00:13:47.79\00:13:49.62
about the situation, that
00:13:49.62\00:13:51.09
Amber would be needing work.
00:13:51.09\00:13:52.59
She'd been working for Linda,
00:13:52.59\00:13:53.86
but that work was running out
00:13:53.86\00:13:55.43
and in our business we had an
00:13:55.43\00:13:57.53
opportunity for somebody that
00:13:57.53\00:14:00.17
could do assembly technician
00:14:00.17\00:14:02.24
type jobs and so Amber joined
00:14:02.24\00:14:04.11
our team and it was such a
00:14:04.11\00:14:05.51
blessing right from the start
00:14:05.51\00:14:06.91
when Amber joined.
00:14:06.91\00:14:08.21
She caught on quickly and just
00:14:08.21\00:14:09.74
brought a real fun element to
00:14:09.74\00:14:11.45
our group and really fit
00:14:11.45\00:14:13.28
right in.
00:14:13.28\00:14:14.62
It wasn't easy for Amber, I
00:14:14.62\00:14:16.18
can remember there were times
00:14:16.18\00:14:17.62
where her car would quit on
00:14:17.62\00:14:18.95
the way to work, it was winter
00:14:18.95\00:14:20.46
time, you know, things that
00:14:20.46\00:14:22.16
she had done, really, to turn
00:14:22.16\00:14:25.16
her life around, but yet there
00:14:25.16\00:14:26.83
were these things that were
00:14:26.83\00:14:27.83
going wrong in her life.
00:14:27.83\00:14:29.23
What was so amazing though was
00:14:29.23\00:14:31.10
that it wasn't that that was
00:14:31.10\00:14:33.30
Amber's focus, she was more
00:14:33.30\00:14:34.74
concerned about others.
00:14:34.74\00:14:36.07
There were other people she
00:14:36.07\00:14:37.34
knew of in the community that
00:14:37.34\00:14:38.57
needed, you know, something
00:14:38.57\00:14:39.94
and she would bring that up to
00:14:39.94\00:14:41.18
our staff as we'd have worship
00:14:41.18\00:14:42.48
or as we'd have our outreach
00:14:42.48\00:14:44.15
event and she would bring up
00:14:44.15\00:14:45.75
these needs for others and I
00:14:45.75\00:14:47.72
can remember just thinking--
00:14:47.72\00:14:49.35
it made such an impression on
00:14:49.35\00:14:51.05
me, thinking, "Here's somebody"
00:14:51.05\00:14:53.09
"who's in such a tough spot,"
00:14:53.09\00:14:54.92
"but she's thinking of"
00:14:54.92\00:14:56.49
"others more than she is of"
00:14:56.49\00:14:57.49
"her own needs."
00:14:57.49\00:14:58.53
And I could just see God
00:14:58.53\00:14:59.59
working, you know, just
00:14:59.59\00:15:00.93
different things out
00:15:00.93\00:15:01.90
in her life.
00:15:01.90\00:15:02.66
One of the opportunities that
00:15:02.66\00:15:04.27
I can remember Amber had was
00:15:04.27\00:15:05.80
to go on a mission trip to
00:15:05.80\00:15:06.94
the Philippines.
00:15:06.94\00:15:07.60
It was amazing to see the joy
00:15:07.60\00:15:09.64
that that brought her,
00:15:09.64\00:15:10.94
you could just see it in the
00:15:10.94\00:15:12.07
pictures and when she came
00:15:12.07\00:15:13.04
back she just told these
00:15:13.04\00:15:14.18
stories of working with
00:15:14.18\00:15:15.51
children and she would tell
00:15:15.51\00:15:17.38
others about the opportunities
00:15:17.38\00:15:19.48
to serve and to support the
00:15:19.48\00:15:21.05
needs that were in the
00:15:21.05\00:15:22.18
Philippines, again, just
00:15:22.18\00:15:23.05
thinking of others.
00:15:23.05\00:15:24.25
And then as she continued
00:15:24.25\00:15:26.15
working here, we actually
00:15:26.15\00:15:27.79
started to formalize, we have
00:15:27.79\00:15:29.62
kind of an outreach event
00:15:29.62\00:15:31.23
every month as a staff,
00:15:31.23\00:15:33.46
we choose an event and we
00:15:33.46\00:15:35.66
needed somebody that could
00:15:35.66\00:15:36.87
lead that and, of course,
00:15:36.87\00:15:38.03
Amber stepped in and every
00:15:38.03\00:15:39.33
month she would be just
00:15:39.33\00:15:40.77
bringing people from the
00:15:40.77\00:15:42.07
community in that had needs,
00:15:42.07\00:15:43.47
if it was family community
00:15:43.47\00:15:44.84
services or there was a need
00:15:44.84\00:15:46.24
at the nursing home or just
00:15:46.24\00:15:47.54
whatever it was, she would be
00:15:47.54\00:15:48.68
bringing all of these things
00:15:48.68\00:15:49.98
in and it's been a powerful
00:15:49.98\00:15:51.61
testimony to me, personally,
00:15:51.61\00:15:53.65
just seeing that really, as I
00:15:53.65\00:15:56.25
think about it, the life of
00:15:56.25\00:15:57.52
Christ coming out through
00:15:57.52\00:15:59.05
Amber, serving others and that
00:15:59.05\00:16:01.56
made such a powerful
00:16:01.56\00:16:02.99
impression on me.
00:16:02.99\00:16:04.46
[orchestral music]
00:16:04.46\00:16:10.13
¤¤
00:16:10.13\00:16:20.71
¤Amazing grace
00:16:20.71\00:16:25.98
¤How sweet the sound
00:16:25.98\00:16:30.85
¤That saved a wretch like me
00:16:30.85\00:16:40.20
¤I once was lost
00:16:40.20\00:16:44.90
¤but now am found
00:16:44.90\00:16:49.67
¤Was blind
00:16:49.67\00:16:52.21
¤but now I see
00:16:52.21\00:16:59.38
>> If God is almighty,
00:16:59.38\00:17:01.55
then why is there so much pain
00:17:01.55\00:17:03.18
and suffering?
00:17:03.18\00:17:04.52
¤¤
00:17:04.52\00:17:12.73
>> Is God responsible for the
00:17:12.73\00:17:14.30
pain in this world?
00:17:14.30\00:17:16.56
¤¤
00:17:16.56\00:17:29.08
>> Where can we find peace?
00:17:29.08\00:17:31.75
¤¤
00:17:31.75\00:17:44.69
¤'Twas grace that taught
00:17:44.69\00:17:49.63
¤my heart to fear
00:17:49.63\00:17:55.14
¤And grace my fears relieved
00:17:55.14\00:18:04.71
¤How precious did
00:18:04.71\00:18:09.78
¤that grace appear
00:18:09.78\00:18:15.19
¤The hour I first believed
00:18:15.19\00:18:27.24
¤¤
00:18:27.24\00:18:45.75
¤Through many dangers
00:18:45.75\00:18:51.46
¤toils and snares
00:18:51.46\00:18:55.80
¤I have already come
00:18:55.80\00:19:05.74
¤Tis grace hath brought me
00:19:05.74\00:19:11.55
¤safe thus far
00:19:11.55\00:19:16.05
¤And grace will lead me home
00:19:16.05\00:19:26.13
¤¤
00:19:26.13\00:19:44.75
¤When we've been there
00:19:44.75\00:19:49.88
¤ten thousand years
00:19:49.88\00:19:54.42
¤Bright shining as the sun
00:19:54.42\00:20:03.26
¤We've no less days
00:20:03.26\00:20:07.87
¤to sing God's praise
00:20:07.87\00:20:13.01
¤Than when we'd first begun
00:20:13.01\00:20:24.95
¤Than when we'd first begun
00:20:26.05\00:20:41.60
>> Friends, we've been
00:20:43.14\00:20:44.54
visiting with Amber Andrews
00:20:44.54\00:20:46.21
who certainly faced many
00:20:46.21\00:20:48.88
dangerous toils and snares and
00:20:48.88\00:20:51.58
yet through God's amazing
00:20:51.58\00:20:53.55
grace she is living a stable,
00:20:53.55\00:20:55.58
joyful, and daily growing
00:20:55.58\00:20:57.75
experience in her walk
00:20:57.75\00:20:59.49
with Jesus.
00:20:59.49\00:21:01.16
>> Amber, please tell us how
00:21:01.16\00:21:02.96
God took all the broken pieces
00:21:02.96\00:21:05.03
in your life and glued them
00:21:05.03\00:21:06.96
together with His grace.
00:21:06.96\00:21:09.73
>> Well, He put many people in
00:21:09.73\00:21:11.37
my path that helped me and
00:21:11.37\00:21:13.87
work was one of the most
00:21:13.87\00:21:15.84
important things so I worked
00:21:15.84\00:21:17.97
roofing with Bill and then I
00:21:17.97\00:21:20.21
met Linda, the auctioneer, and
00:21:20.21\00:21:23.14
she gave me work and then
00:21:23.14\00:21:25.18
finally introduced me to
00:21:25.18\00:21:26.68
Curtis and he was able to give
00:21:26.68\00:21:28.38
me full time and I was also
00:21:28.38\00:21:30.32
able to return to my old job
00:21:30.32\00:21:32.25
which is working with the two
00:21:32.25\00:21:34.86
brothers that have autism
00:21:34.86\00:21:36.12
with Lily.
00:21:36.12\00:21:37.53
I wish I could remember all
00:21:37.53\00:21:38.83
the people that played their
00:21:38.83\00:21:40.63
part, it truly takes an entire
00:21:40.63\00:21:43.57
church to save an addict and
00:21:43.57\00:21:46.13
everybody played their role
00:21:46.13\00:21:47.57
and I am so blessed to have
00:21:47.57\00:21:49.57
these people in my life and
00:21:49.57\00:21:52.31
family, the family that I had
00:21:52.31\00:21:53.98
that never quit praying.
00:21:53.98\00:21:55.71
I had no idea that Darleen had
00:21:55.71\00:21:57.45
a whole church of people
00:21:57.45\00:21:59.08
praying for me.
00:21:59.08\00:22:00.68
The whole Ponoka church came
00:22:00.68\00:22:02.45
so when I walked through those
00:22:02.45\00:22:04.02
doors, everybody was like,
00:22:04.02\00:22:05.49
"That's the Amber"
00:22:05.49\00:22:06.62
"we've been praying for."
00:22:06.62\00:22:07.76
(laughs)
00:22:07.76\00:22:09.26
>> God is a God of restoration
00:22:10.39\00:22:12.69
so it was quite interesting to
00:22:12.69\00:22:15.36
see Amber go from being a
00:22:15.36\00:22:19.40
volunteer at soup kitchen to
00:22:19.40\00:22:22.44
be in need of the services at
00:22:22.44\00:22:24.94
soup kitchen and then the week
00:22:24.94\00:22:27.68
that she came and she'd been
00:22:27.68\00:22:29.41
off the streets for a while
00:22:29.41\00:22:30.98
and she wanted to volunteer
00:22:30.98\00:22:32.45
again at soup kitchen and she
00:22:32.45\00:22:35.45
said it was so good to hear us
00:22:35.45\00:22:38.19
pray and praise the Lord that
00:22:38.19\00:22:40.06
she was on the other side
00:22:40.06\00:22:41.82
of the counter.
00:22:41.82\00:22:43.36
She had made a full circle,
00:22:43.36\00:22:45.46
God had restored her
00:22:45.46\00:22:47.60
relationship, it was just a
00:22:47.60\00:22:49.30
beautiful thing.
00:22:49.30\00:22:50.87
>> God has been working in
00:22:52.03\00:22:53.70
your life.
00:22:53.70\00:22:55.04
There's always this difficulty
00:22:55.04\00:22:57.14
of regrets when it comes to
00:22:57.14\00:22:58.84
the healing process.
00:22:58.84\00:23:00.48
What were some of those that
00:23:00.48\00:23:01.48
you struggled with?
00:23:01.48\00:23:03.01
>> The two big ones is I
00:23:03.01\00:23:04.85
missed two of my brothers'
00:23:04.85\00:23:06.31
weddings and that's just not
00:23:06.31\00:23:07.68
something I'll ever get back
00:23:07.68\00:23:09.35
so that'll always break
00:23:09.35\00:23:11.05
my heart.
00:23:11.05\00:23:12.95
I can no longer give blood as
00:23:12.95\00:23:15.56
a donor so that saddens me
00:23:15.56\00:23:18.66
'cause that was one thing that
00:23:18.66\00:23:20.20
I did enjoy doing as well and
00:23:20.20\00:23:23.16
I broke people's hearts and I
00:23:23.16\00:23:24.80
stressed my parents out like
00:23:24.80\00:23:26.60
crazy and I really regret
00:23:26.60\00:23:29.74
putting them through that
00:23:29.74\00:23:31.21
when-- it's hard when you're
00:23:31.21\00:23:32.14
an addict, you can be so
00:23:32.14\00:23:33.68
selfish sometimes, you don't
00:23:33.68\00:23:35.31
even realize the people you're
00:23:35.31\00:23:36.41
hurting around you.
00:23:36.41\00:23:38.25
>> Do you have any advice for
00:23:38.25\00:23:39.88
someone who may be struggling
00:23:39.88\00:23:41.18
and going through some of the
00:23:41.18\00:23:42.62
stuff that you were going
00:23:42.62\00:23:43.75
through?
00:23:43.75\00:23:44.65
>> Absolutely, I always just
00:23:44.65\00:23:47.39
had a feeling in the back of
00:23:47.39\00:23:48.92
my mind that God wanted to
00:23:48.92\00:23:50.93
save me, you know, He
00:23:50.93\00:23:53.43
introduced my family to
00:23:53.43\00:23:56.43
Seventh-day Adventists and He
00:23:56.43\00:23:58.27
was there with me every day on
00:23:58.27\00:24:00.24
the streets, protecting me and
00:24:00.24\00:24:04.37
I never doubted that He wanted
00:24:04.37\00:24:06.04
me and He wanted,
00:24:06.04\00:24:09.08
you know, to save my soul.
00:24:09.08\00:24:11.55
And so now I, you know, can be
00:24:11.55\00:24:14.38
an example unto others that,
00:24:14.38\00:24:16.95
you're never too far gone,
00:24:16.95\00:24:18.95
you'll never be hidden
00:24:18.95\00:24:20.76
under some bridge so far away
00:24:20.76\00:24:22.46
that He can't see you, so...
00:24:22.46\00:24:24.69
>> God has taken you to so
00:24:24.69\00:24:27.23
many more places and I know
00:24:27.23\00:24:30.30
that you really have a heart
00:24:30.30\00:24:32.40
of service, can you tell us
00:24:32.40\00:24:34.04
about the different places
00:24:34.04\00:24:35.60
where God has led you?
00:24:35.60\00:24:37.27
>> Absolutely, yeah, I've
00:24:37.27\00:24:38.77
always wanted to help, even
00:24:38.77\00:24:40.91
when I was on the streets and
00:24:40.91\00:24:42.48
a lady would get her purse
00:24:42.48\00:24:43.95
stolen, you know, I remember
00:24:43.95\00:24:45.31
going back and putting
00:24:45.31\00:24:46.72
together a kit for her and
00:24:46.72\00:24:48.88
when I worked at the auction,
00:24:48.88\00:24:50.62
Linda would have things that
00:24:50.62\00:24:52.39
were not sellable so I would
00:24:52.39\00:24:53.99
take them home and sew them
00:24:53.99\00:24:55.46
and try and get them back out
00:24:55.46\00:24:56.83
on the streets and I think
00:24:56.83\00:24:58.53
that's-- you know, Curtis saw
00:24:58.53\00:25:00.46
that I enjoyed helping people
00:25:00.46\00:25:02.40
and that's one reason he
00:25:02.40\00:25:04.13
decided to support me as my
00:25:04.13\00:25:06.60
sponsor for me to go to the
00:25:06.60\00:25:08.27
Philippines so I've been there
00:25:08.27\00:25:09.94
twice now and yeah, it was
00:25:09.94\00:25:12.67
about a year after I'd gotten
00:25:12.67\00:25:14.41
off the streets and I was
00:25:14.41\00:25:15.98
hiking up a mountain in the
00:25:15.98\00:25:17.28
Philippines with medical
00:25:17.28\00:25:18.65
supplies and I just couldn't
00:25:18.65\00:25:19.91
believe that God could use a
00:25:19.91\00:25:22.38
wretch like me.
00:25:22.38\00:25:23.82
[RENÉ] That's beautiful.
00:25:24.62\00:25:25.92
[MIKE] And God has been
00:25:25.92\00:25:27.66
supporting you also to help
00:25:27.66\00:25:29.46
other people in the community
00:25:29.46\00:25:30.73
like Bags of Love.
00:25:30.73\00:25:31.99
>> Absolutely, yep.
00:25:31.99\00:25:33.66
We do have a potluck here once
00:25:33.66\00:25:35.63
a month and we share a meal
00:25:35.63\00:25:38.30
together, we celebrate
00:25:38.30\00:25:40.10
birthdays together and Curtis
00:25:40.10\00:25:42.37
always wants to know new ways
00:25:42.37\00:25:43.84
that we can help the community
00:25:43.84\00:25:45.44
for the month so I jumped
00:25:45.44\00:25:47.08
right on that and I come up
00:25:47.08\00:25:51.15
with ideas every month and
00:25:51.15\00:25:53.08
encourage other people at my
00:25:53.08\00:25:54.95
work and we always find
00:25:54.95\00:25:57.32
someone or some group to help.
00:25:57.32\00:26:00.16
[MIKE] So as we've come to the
00:26:01.69\00:26:02.92
end of our time, I wonder if
00:26:02.92\00:26:04.43
you could close with a word of
00:26:04.43\00:26:06.13
prayer for us again, Amber.
00:26:06.13\00:26:07.76
[AMBER] Absolutely.
00:26:07.76\00:26:08.96
Dear Lord, thank You so much
00:26:10.50\00:26:12.43
for this time together and may
00:26:12.43\00:26:15.04
my story be a light to
00:26:15.04\00:26:16.97
somebody out there.
00:26:16.97\00:26:19.14
Never give up, God never gives
00:26:19.14\00:26:21.41
up on us and God can turn it
00:26:21.41\00:26:24.68
around and He can use you and
00:26:24.68\00:26:27.55
the Bible is filled with
00:26:27.55\00:26:29.08
stories of Him using people
00:26:29.08\00:26:30.69
for the good.
00:26:30.69\00:26:32.19
So be one of those people,
00:26:32.19\00:26:34.96
start saying "yes" to God and
00:26:34.96\00:26:36.83
you'll be just amazed at what
00:26:36.83\00:26:38.53
He can do with you.
00:26:38.53\00:26:39.56
Amen.
00:26:39.56\00:26:40.46
>> Amen, amen.
00:26:40.46\00:26:41.80
Thank you so much, Amber,
00:26:41.80\00:26:43.37
for sharing your story
00:26:43.37\00:26:45.00
with us again.
00:26:45.00\00:26:45.90
>> Absolutely.
00:26:45.90\00:26:46.94
[RENÉ] Thank you.
00:26:46.94\00:26:47.87
That was beautiful.
00:26:47.87\00:26:48.74
Thank you, Amber.
00:26:48.74\00:26:49.54
>> Friends, today Amber
00:26:52.21\00:26:54.34
honestly opened her heart to
00:26:54.34\00:26:56.48
us and revealed how Jesus
00:26:56.48\00:26:58.55
transformed and is still
00:26:58.55\00:27:00.55
transforming her life.
00:27:00.55\00:27:02.65
Our free offer for you today
00:27:02.65\00:27:04.52
is Outrageous Grace.
00:27:04.52\00:27:06.72
>> Outrageous Grace reveals
00:27:06.72\00:27:08.46
how God is a parent, teacher,
00:27:08.46\00:27:10.93
leader, and a friend to each
00:27:10.93\00:27:12.79
and every one of us.
00:27:12.79\00:27:14.93
Most of all, He is a God of
00:27:14.93\00:27:16.73
outrageous grace,
00:27:16.73\00:27:18.63
a relentless pursuer and an
00:27:18.63\00:27:20.64
unconditional forgiver whose
00:27:20.64\00:27:22.60
loving goal is to take His
00:27:22.60\00:27:24.51
children home to heaven.
00:27:24.51\00:27:26.98
>> Before you go, we would
00:27:26.98\00:27:28.61
also like to invite you to
00:27:28.61\00:27:30.21
follow us on Instagram and
00:27:30.21\00:27:31.68
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00:27:31.68\00:27:33.28
YouTube channel and also
00:27:33.28\00:27:35.95
listen to our Podcasts and if
00:27:35.95\00:27:37.95
you go to our website, you can
00:27:37.95\00:27:39.95
see our latest programs,
00:27:39.95\00:27:41.62
including our cooking
00:27:41.62\00:27:43.22
demonstrations, our short
00:27:43.22\00:27:44.79
spiritual messages entitled
00:27:44.79\00:27:46.23
Daily Living and our
00:27:46.23\00:27:48.13
exercise workouts called
00:27:48.13\00:27:50.33
Experiencing Life.
00:27:50.33\00:27:51.93
>> Because we want you to
00:27:51.93\00:27:53.23
experience the truth found in
00:27:53.23\00:27:54.90
the words of Jesus when He
00:27:54.90\00:27:56.84
said, "It is written,"
00:27:56.84\00:27:58.77
"man shall not live by bread"
00:27:58.77\00:28:00.74
"alone, but by every word"
00:28:00.74\00:28:02.84
"that proceeds out of the"
00:28:02.84\00:28:04.25
"mouth of God."
00:28:04.25\00:28:06.41
¤¤
00:28:06.41\00:28:53.60