(upbeat music)
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- Hello, and welcome
to Jesus for Asia Now.
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I'm Natalie Wood and I have
a special guest with me today
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that many of you
will probably recognize.
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He's been on 3ABN
several times already
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and is best known
for his prayer ministry,
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leading many prayer groups
at ASI and GYC conventions
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where sometimes as many
as 1,000 people have come
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to the 6:00 AM prayer sessions.
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He is currently serving
as the Prayer Coordinator
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for ASAP Ministries.
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If you haven't guessed by now,
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my guest today is Gem Castor.
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Hello Gem.
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- Hello, Natalie.
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- Welcome to the show.
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- I'm glad to be back here.
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- We're so glad to have you
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and we are excited
about our topic today.
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- I am too.
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- Because it's a topic that
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should be far
more dear to all of us,
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and it's been a neat
journey for all of us.
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I mean, it kind of
started out as almost a whim.
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John said, "Gem,
let's shoot a show."
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- I said, "Okay, let's do it."
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Not even thinking
what we were going into
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and I believe that the whim
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was dictated by the Holy Spirit.
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- So, what was the whim?
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What was the show about
that we're talking about?
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- It's about
focusing on the life of Jesus
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based on "The Desire of Ages"
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because most of the people
that I have met when I ask them,
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what's the most favorite
book that they have read
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and "The Desire of Ages" is
always on the top of the list.
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Is it a top five or top
one, top two, top three.
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And I have
experienced as well, Natalie,
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that I've read "The
Desire of Ages" number of times
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and it doesn't grow old.
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There's always a
beautiful jewel to discover,
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even in the most common stories.
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- Right, and it's not
always just a simple concept
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that you see there,
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it's major
concepts about who God is
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and about his character.
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And then you see concepts
about how we are, you know,
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things about ourselves
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that are brought
out in these stories.
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- And it's beautiful
as well when you said that
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because it's Jesus himself
introducing himself to us.
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Like going deeper,
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like here's another layer
that you need to see of me.
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And remember it's
inspired by the Holy Spirit,
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inspired by the
spirit of Jesus, so.
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- And we called the
show Glimpses of Jesus.
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So we built a
small set in our garage
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and the initial plan was that
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you would stand
there and you would share,
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and there would be six
people sitting and listening
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and then everyone else was
camera crew and production crew
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'cause we streamed it
live as we were shooting,
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and that's not exactly
what ended up happening.
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- And even before
going there, Natalie,
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even choosing for the title
because we have been praying
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and the staff here has
been pleading before God,
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what title to give,
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and those titles
were really beautiful.
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And then not until I believe
John was calling me and said,
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"Oh, those are
beautiful titles,"
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and I've been praying,
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I was back there in Michigan
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and then I just suggested,
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and I know for a fact that
was not me, that's another whim.
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- That came from God.
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- That came from God.
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That's another
dictate of the Holy Spirit.
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And of all those titles
that I've heard, I said,
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why not call it
"Glimpses of Jesus"
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and John just
like ding, that's it.
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- There it is.
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- So, what I have
experienced here in this show
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that we came in
with this project,
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not knowing how to do it,
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but there's just
this heavy burden
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that John has this dream
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of really producing
something about Jesus,
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about "The Desire of Ages",
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because it spoke
to his heart as well.
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And why not, we'll
make it come alive.
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And so when he was
driving, when he turned to me
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and we were doing a
week rare in church first
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and one of those
topics was desire of ages.
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And he said, "Why not
do something like that?"
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And I was still at the
height of divine inspiration,
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and I said, "Yes, let's do it."
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And I did not know
what I was going into.
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- What was coming
because there is an enemy
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that hates the name of Jesus,
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and that hates when anyone
sees any picture of Jesus.
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And he attacked you
during this time over and over.
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- And at first I was thinking,
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why is it so difficult?
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Because I read
"The Desire of Ages"
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and I could not
come up with a script.
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I could not come up
with what chapters to choose.
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And the Lord just convicted me,
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just dwell in my presence,
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just continually
dwell in my presence.
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And I didn't know
what the Lord was doing,
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but it was just, for
me, it made me so anxious,
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it made me so anxious,
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it made me shake my knees,
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my little Filipino
knees were shaking.
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And as I've been telling people,
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the moment your
knees begin to shake,
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it means to say
that you have to fold it.
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And that time, the Lord
just convicted me to spend
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as much time as
possible in his presence.
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And I see there, Natalie, that
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the script was not important
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as much as
basking in his presence.
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- Because you
became closer to him
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and you were
able to see him more
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and then he could bring to mind,
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and he could give ideas
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and he could guide your reading
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to the right places
and help you to prepare.
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- He took away all my confidence
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in a lot of weak
prayers that I have handled.
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And my comfortability to
speak in front of people,
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all those
things were taken away.
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I even lost weight,
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I even lost weight.
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And there I realized
that the Lord is calling me
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to this sacred task of
presenting him, of presenting
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him, just
talking about the weight.
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Like my jeans, my
jeans is not that loose,
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and during the shoot,
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I don't even have to take
out the bottom of the jeans,
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I could just
slip out of the jeans,
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that's how famish looking I was.
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- I remember when you came here,
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you looked so exhausted.
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Like not stressed, but stressed,
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like you had to fight
for this on your knees.
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- On my knees and
I remember one time
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when I saw the first
clip that John showed me
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and I looked at my
face and said, have mercy.
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And I was a photographer.
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So I'm very much
particular with color,
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with this, with that,
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but when I look at my face,
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you could not arrange that.
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I was just like, I
look like I'm depleted of--
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- Of everything.
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- Of everything.
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And the Lord
somehow convicted me
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in the times that
I was kneeling down.
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Is not about how good you
look in front of the camera,
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it's how you made me look good.
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And this is the
thing that I realized,
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the ministry is
about us, is about him.
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- He says that in the word,
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my glory will I not
give to another, he says,
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I'm not giving my
glory away, it's mine.
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- And then the thing is,
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we don't have to
make God look that good
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because this is
already beautiful.
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- We just have to find him more.
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- And one thing that I
realized too, Natalie, is that
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the more self is in it,
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the more Jesus
would not be beautiful,
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the more the savior will not
be beautiful in the eyes of men
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and the Lord just somehow,
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like do not be so
conscious about losing weight,
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about this, about that,
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just be conscious that
you are always in my presence.
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- Wow, and so you
continued to study and read
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and he started to guide
you on what you were to say.
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- And that's one interesting
thing as well, Natalie,
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because I was
feeling the pressure
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that I was putting on myself.
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And I know that you
have put in a lot of effort,
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like putting the set, it
costs a lot and this for those--
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- It cost a lot
and we handmade rocks.
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And we had several volunteers
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that are good at
decorating, come and help.
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And we had people
basically give us the rental
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of various things
that we used on the set.
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And so it was like a lot
of people put in quite a bit
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to help to make it look nice.
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- And I'm here coming to
Chattanooga not having one
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script. - I don't
have anything to share.
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- So, I just put this
burden on my heart, like,
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what have I
gotten my friends into?
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And I'm thinking, am I
the right man for this job?
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And those are the questions
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that really brought
me down to my knees.
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I did not even have
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the peace and confidence
seeing you right there.
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That's why I asked Gabe,
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pick me up in the airport.
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They didn't know, you
didn't know why that excuse,
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because I just
need to be somewhere
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that I could be praying
before I had to meet you.
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And what the Lord did to
me was just so beautiful.
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That took away
all the confidence,
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whatever confidence
that I have in myself
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just like
brought me to the dust.
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- To the end of yourself.
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- To the end of myself.
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And I remember
John was asking me,
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"So Gem, what are you
gonna talk about tomorrow?"
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I said, "I don't know, the
Lord has to reveal it to me."
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and those were the moments
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that were really
beautiful, Natalie.
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Waking up really early
in the morning like 2:00 AM,
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like speaking to God.
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Sometimes those
were the conversations
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that really
somehow crushed my heart
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because I'm thinking, Lord,
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what am I gonna share with them?
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It's today, today is the
shoot, I don't have anything.
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I don't have any
materials to share.
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And again, the Lord
will somehow convict me
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be still in my
presence and I will show you.
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And lo and behold,
after like few hours,
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sometimes the Lord will
reveal to me before breakfast,
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sometimes after breakfast,
00:10:50.41\00:10:51.61
but sometimes lunchtime.
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- In the afternoon, yeah.
00:10:52.98\00:10:55.38
- And our
shooting time is what time?
00:10:55.38\00:10:56.95
- It was six o'clock.
00:10:56.95\00:10:57.99
- Yeah, it was six o'clock.
00:10:57.99\00:10:59.49
And just imagine you don't
have anything until after lunch.
00:10:59.49\00:11:03.66
- Yeah, 3:00 or 4:00, 5:00.
00:11:03.66\00:11:07.50
I think one evening it was like,
00:11:07.50\00:11:08.70
you were getting it still.
00:11:08.70\00:11:10.20
God was telling you still
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as you were driving
over there, I think.
00:11:11.33\00:11:13.23
- And while I was standing
up, I was still editing.
00:11:13.23\00:11:15.87
So God really
places us in a spot
00:11:17.31\00:11:20.08
that we could not rely
on anything else except him.
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- Which is what the point was
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to show us that he's reliable,
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he's faithful,
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he has all the answers
00:11:32.82\00:11:35.02
and he knows what's best.
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- And again, Natalie,
00:11:36.62\00:11:37.96
when you say that the Lord
desires for us to rely on him,
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because he doesn't want
this show to be glimpses of Gem
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or glimpses of John
or glimpses of Natalie.
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- No, none of us do.
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- Oh, it would be ruined,
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it's only glimpses of him.
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So by relying fully on him,
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it's him that
comes out, it's not us.
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- And it's so
beautiful because it's like,
00:12:00.12\00:12:01.82
we prayed through
all sorts of things.
00:12:01.82\00:12:03.75
We prayed through what
the set should look like,
00:12:03.75\00:12:05.72
we prayed through the audience
00:12:05.72\00:12:07.62
and how the cameras should be
00:12:07.62\00:12:09.22
and John prayed for more cameras
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'cause he always has
wanted lot of cameras.
00:12:11.16\00:12:13.40
And so he had 11,
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and then when they went to edit,
00:12:15.23\00:12:16.33
he went, ooh, that was
too many, but he has 11.
00:12:16.33\00:12:19.67
So, God gives us the
desires of our hearts
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and we learn from that.
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But everything,
God guided so much.
00:12:25.14\00:12:28.31
I mean, painting, the
painting was a challenge
00:12:28.31\00:12:32.11
because we had actually had
four different colors of paint
00:12:32.11\00:12:35.72
and we had to put them
all separately on the wall
00:12:35.72\00:12:38.02
and then make
that part of the wall
00:12:38.02\00:12:40.72
look exactly the same
as the rest of the wall
00:12:40.72\00:12:43.32
and we were doing
a section at a time,
00:12:43.32\00:12:45.09
so it wouldn't
dry before we were,
00:12:45.09\00:12:47.03
it was crazy.
00:12:47.03\00:12:48.66
And so much of it
looked like we had just done
00:12:48.66\00:12:51.17
the whole thing in
one like roller a brush,
00:12:51.17\00:12:53.90
but we couldn't roller it
00:12:53.90\00:12:55.17
because it was all
the separate colors
00:12:55.17\00:12:57.07
and then the
rocks for the archway,
00:12:57.07\00:13:00.44
it was like, it
was such a God thing
00:13:00.44\00:13:02.54
because all of
us were doing them.
00:13:02.54\00:13:04.81
We had four or
five different people
00:13:04.81\00:13:06.72
and we did the face
and we did the inside
00:13:06.72\00:13:11.05
completely
separately and yet God guided.
00:13:11.05\00:13:13.96
And so it's like,
it could look like
00:13:13.96\00:13:16.19
it was one piece
of rock the whole way
00:13:16.19\00:13:18.79
and then there was
a place on the archway
00:13:18.79\00:13:21.73
where it's like, there's a cut
00:13:21.73\00:13:23.50
and it like goes
straight down through, you know,
00:13:23.50\00:13:26.57
it goes straight down
through several blocks
00:13:26.57\00:13:28.94
on both sides
there's areas like that
00:13:28.94\00:13:31.14
and it's just
like, how did he do this?
00:13:31.14\00:13:33.84
He did this,
that's how he did it,
00:13:35.64\00:13:37.38
I mean, he did it.
00:13:37.38\00:13:38.45
- It's just a
beautiful sight to behold that
00:13:38.45\00:13:40.42
when we are submissive to him,
00:13:40.42\00:13:45.39
you'll see that
when we do our part,
00:13:45.39\00:13:47.89
when the Lord
puts it all together,
00:13:47.89\00:13:49.72
it comes out as
one beautiful piece.
00:13:49.72\00:13:52.73
And people do
not believe all the
00:13:52.73\00:13:55.13
and if they see the show,
00:13:55.13\00:13:57.00
if they have a glimpse
of the arch of the rocks,
00:13:57.00\00:13:59.90
people have to
remember that each rock
00:13:59.90\00:14:02.87
is a different artist.
00:14:02.87\00:14:05.01
- And it started
as foam with a flat,
00:14:06.11\00:14:09.18
you know, it was flat.
00:14:09.18\00:14:10.28
- And they had to
shape it their own.
00:14:10.28\00:14:12.08
- Yeah, we had to shape it
00:14:12.08\00:14:13.28
and then we had to paint it
00:14:13.28\00:14:15.52
so it actually looked like rock
00:14:15.52\00:14:16.85
and that was a total
God thing 'cause we're like,
00:14:16.85\00:14:18.72
this does not
look like rock at all.
00:14:18.72\00:14:21.19
And so then we'd like,
okay Lord, what do we do now?
00:14:21.19\00:14:23.83
And oh the little
of this color here,
00:14:23.83\00:14:25.69
little f that color,
00:14:25.69\00:14:26.80
and then we put it
up there and it's like,
00:14:26.80\00:14:28.83
wow, it really looks like rock,
00:14:28.83\00:14:30.97
only God could do that.
00:14:31.83\00:14:33.20
- Just imagine like the
moment we get out of room
00:14:33.20\00:14:36.30
or you were
here, I was not here.
00:14:36.30\00:14:38.21
The moment every time
you get out of the room
00:14:38.21\00:14:40.21
is the angels trying to--
00:14:40.21\00:14:41.81
- Yeah, to fix what we did.
00:14:41.81\00:14:43.65
- Because what you said like
four colors that would appear
00:14:45.78\00:14:49.08
like very at the
continuity of it all
00:14:49.08\00:14:52.25
is just beautiful to look at.
00:14:52.25\00:14:54.42
For sure, it was
all God, it was divine.
00:14:54.42\00:14:57.16
- Yeah, some of
it we had to redo
00:14:57.16\00:14:58.66
because we had to
learn how to do it right,
00:14:58.66\00:15:00.96
but it was like,
00:15:00.96\00:15:02.26
it was totally a God thing
where it actually looked nice,
00:15:02.26\00:15:04.97
it was definitely a God thing.
00:15:04.97\00:15:07.14
- It was all him.
00:15:07.14\00:15:09.47
- It was like, Lord,
how much to which paint
00:15:09.47\00:15:11.17
do I put up there,
00:15:11.17\00:15:12.27
so it's not too
dark or too light
00:15:12.27\00:15:13.38
or too red or too
yellow or whatever.
00:15:13.38\00:15:16.98
It was like, it was
crazy, it was really crazy.
00:15:16.98\00:15:21.18
- And talking about craziness,
00:15:21.18\00:15:22.55
remember when we started
the first day of shooting,
00:15:22.55\00:15:26.55
what was the first thing?
00:15:26.55\00:15:28.46
Internet.
00:15:28.46\00:15:29.72
- Right, it wasn't
working. - Internet failure.
00:15:29.72\00:15:32.03
You were having
a hard time there,
00:15:32.03\00:15:33.76
John and the team was
having a hard time figuring out
00:15:33.76\00:15:36.26
what was happening,
00:15:36.26\00:15:37.30
the next day
the bathroom leaked,
00:15:37.30\00:15:40.00
the next day the microwave quit.
00:15:41.64\00:15:45.14
It just like one after another.
00:15:47.28\00:15:49.61
- And then there were
the tornadoes and the storms.
00:15:49.61\00:15:52.25
- And I think the
tornado let's reserve that
00:15:52.25\00:15:53.92
as one of our highlights.
00:15:53.92\00:15:55.22
But here you will see
that as we work for the Lord,
00:15:56.58\00:16:00.29
as we desire to lift Jesus up,
00:16:00.29\00:16:02.09
the enemy will do
everything in his power
00:16:02.09\00:16:04.29
to really subdue it.
00:16:04.29\00:16:05.59
- Right, to bring up challenges
00:16:05.59\00:16:07.40
that he hopes will be
an obstacle to stop us,
00:16:07.40\00:16:11.13
but with God you can go through
00:16:11.13\00:16:13.27
any obstacle or any challenge.
00:16:13.27\00:16:15.17
- Yeah and the biggest
obstacle as our highlight,
00:16:15.17\00:16:19.61
as our
highlight, it was actually,
00:16:19.61\00:16:21.04
I believe the enemy's highlight,
00:16:21.04\00:16:23.04
he was thinking that he will
be able to stop the recording,
00:16:23.04\00:16:26.38
and it became a
highlight of our testimony.
00:16:26.38\00:16:28.58
- He tried to stop the recording
00:16:29.58\00:16:30.69
and the internet that night.
00:16:30.69\00:16:31.99
- Yes, and I remember
during the tornado warning,
00:16:31.99\00:16:36.66
when I got out and when
I looked at the heavens,
00:16:36.66\00:16:40.63
it was all gray from the
very beginning of the day,
00:16:40.63\00:16:44.40
sun did not come out.
00:16:44.40\00:16:46.33
And I remember
friends were calling,
00:16:46.33\00:16:48.17
even the volunteer's
parents were calling,
00:16:48.17\00:16:49.80
oh, we are pulling out our kids,
00:16:49.80\00:16:52.11
they could not go
just because tornado
00:16:52.11\00:16:55.01
and that was a serious
tornado warning, Natalie.
00:16:55.01\00:16:58.08
- Yeah, it was supposed to
come straight through that area.
00:16:58.08\00:17:00.68
- And they said
that it was just like
00:17:00.68\00:17:02.48
the same intensity as it hit
Chattanooga like 11 years ago,
00:17:02.48\00:17:07.56
yeah, one of the strongest.
00:17:08.36\00:17:09.19
- Yeah, whenever it was.
00:17:09.19\00:17:10.96
- And I remember
us gathering together
00:17:10.96\00:17:13.83
because a lot of suggestions
from people who cares,
00:17:13.83\00:17:17.40
people who love Jesus for Asia,
00:17:17.40\00:17:19.80
who love the ministry are
telling us, you know what?
00:17:19.80\00:17:22.00
It is wise to just stop
the recording right now.
00:17:22.00\00:17:26.54
And we know for a fact
that stopping the recording
00:17:26.54\00:17:30.11
would somehow hinder
our very limited time,
00:17:30.11\00:17:34.55
and because I have to leave
right after the last shoot,
00:17:34.55\00:17:39.29
so we don't have
enough time to spare.
00:17:39.29\00:17:42.42
So, remember
what we did that day?
00:17:42.42\00:17:45.86
- We prayed.
00:17:45.86\00:17:47.00
- We prayed and
I love what we did,
00:17:47.00\00:17:50.37
it was very
spontaneous, Natalie.
00:17:50.37\00:17:52.73
We just started to recall
00:17:52.73\00:17:55.34
God's
faithfulness to us in the past,
00:17:55.34\00:17:57.51
how he was faithful
to us in faith camp,
00:17:57.51\00:17:59.74
how is faithful
to us personally,
00:17:59.74\00:18:02.01
the miracles that God
somehow has done to us,
00:18:02.01\00:18:05.38
those were the topic
before we went to our knees.
00:18:05.38\00:18:09.22
And I love that
quote that I always go to,
00:18:09.22\00:18:12.22
it says review what God has done
00:18:12.22\00:18:14.66
and then know that
it is only the beginning
00:18:14.66\00:18:16.49
of what he's willing to do.
00:18:16.49\00:18:17.89
That gave us confidence
00:18:18.96\00:18:20.43
and that's why all of
us were in one spirit,
00:18:20.43\00:18:23.93
like, so what is the decision?
00:18:23.93\00:18:25.83
We have to keep going.
00:18:25.83\00:18:27.17
And remember there's tornado--
00:18:28.27\00:18:29.64
- There no no tornado shelter
on this property either, so.
00:18:29.64\00:18:32.67
- And at the same time
it was raining really hard.
00:18:32.67\00:18:36.18
- It was a heavy storm.
00:18:36.18\00:18:38.08
- Yeah, some people might ask,
00:18:38.08\00:18:39.58
so, what does
it have to do with,
00:18:39.58\00:18:41.32
aside from the tornado,
00:18:41.32\00:18:42.82
we are on this garage
that the roof is directly,
00:18:42.82\00:18:47.26
like there's no buffer.
00:18:47.26\00:18:49.62
So whatever, even the birds,
00:18:49.62\00:18:51.63
if they will walk around
on the roof of the garage,
00:18:51.63\00:18:54.63
we will hear it.
00:18:54.63\00:18:56.20
So rain, it will destroy.
00:18:56.20\00:19:00.20
- The audio
would've been horrible.
00:19:00.20\00:19:02.04
- And what's interesting
with all these things
00:19:02.04\00:19:03.81
that are happening
with the tornado warning,
00:19:03.81\00:19:06.11
the topic that's gonna be
recorded during that night,
00:19:06.11\00:19:09.04
the episode is
peace in the storm.
00:19:09.04\00:19:11.45
Peace in the storm.
00:19:12.35\00:19:13.88
And God is so good
00:19:13.88\00:19:15.32
that even before we
got off from our knees,
00:19:15.32\00:19:18.72
he gave us peace.
00:19:18.72\00:19:20.32
Everyone was
just in one decision
00:19:20.32\00:19:23.36
and it was not our decision,
00:19:23.36\00:19:24.49
it was God's
decision for us to go forward.
00:19:24.49\00:19:27.76
And I remember that I was
talking and I was preaching
00:19:27.76\00:19:31.50
and I was just like
led by the Holy Spirit
00:19:31.50\00:19:34.80
to say what I need to say
00:19:34.80\00:19:35.94
and I did not
notice something abnormal,
00:19:35.94\00:19:39.44
it did not rain, no rain.
00:19:40.51\00:19:43.28
And the interesting
thing is I went to that studio
00:19:43.28\00:19:45.95
with my flip flops
because the place was muddy
00:19:45.95\00:19:49.72
because of the rain all day.
00:19:49.72\00:19:52.15
So, we were
expecting rain all night.
00:19:52.15\00:19:54.92
And then when we
finished, when we finished,
00:19:54.92\00:19:58.16
and one of our staff came,
00:19:58.16\00:20:01.23
she showed a picture
00:20:01.23\00:20:02.70
like the moment
we started saying,
00:20:02.70\00:20:06.77
good evening, everyone,
00:20:06.77\00:20:08.04
oh, hello
everyone, the rain stopped,
00:20:08.04\00:20:11.67
the rain stopped
00:20:11.67\00:20:12.81
and not just
that the rain stopped,
00:20:12.81\00:20:15.01
at the last few
hours of the day,
00:20:15.01\00:20:18.98
when the sun was about to set
00:20:18.98\00:20:20.52
the sky opened and the
rays of the sun came through
00:20:21.85\00:20:25.09
for the first
time during that day.
00:20:25.09\00:20:26.92
- Right and they heard
the birds start singing.
00:20:26.92\00:20:29.36
- The birds was just announcing
00:20:30.16\00:20:31.89
we're about to
begin. - It's day time,
00:20:32.93\00:20:34.30
it's sunshine, God is good.
00:20:34.30\00:20:35.63
- And that was
one powerful thing.
00:20:35.63\00:20:37.63
And the next thing as
well, Natalie, because I said,
00:20:37.63\00:20:41.04
see you again, see
you again, next time,
00:20:41.04\00:20:44.07
the moment we
ended the streaming, boo.
00:20:44.07\00:20:46.94
- Crack of thunder, rain
started, the whole thing, yep.
00:20:48.34\00:20:52.81
- So there we
see the hand of God,
00:20:52.81\00:20:54.95
he's in charge of this project,
00:20:54.95\00:20:57.42
he's in charge of that show.
00:20:57.42\00:20:58.72
- He's in charge of the weather,
00:20:58.72\00:21:00.32
he's in charge of everything.
00:21:00.32\00:21:01.96
- The God who said peace be
still spoke during that day.
00:21:01.96\00:21:05.53
- Yes he did.
00:21:05.53\00:21:06.36
- And no tornado came
00:21:06.36\00:21:07.66
and it's a
beautiful picture as well,
00:21:08.73\00:21:10.87
that satellite footage.
00:21:10.87\00:21:12.50
- Right, the radar.
00:21:12.50\00:21:14.40
- Yeah, the radar,
the place where we're at,
00:21:14.40\00:21:16.74
where we're at is here
and the storm just like,
00:21:16.74\00:21:19.91
kinda went to the side
00:21:20.91\00:21:22.28
because we serve a God
whom the storm respect.
00:21:23.65\00:21:27.48
- Yep, he can do anything.
00:21:27.48\00:21:29.82
- Yeah and it was such a
blessed, blessed time for me
00:21:29.82\00:21:34.16
seeing the reaction of people
00:21:34.16\00:21:35.89
especially one person
after another telling me, Gem,
00:21:37.49\00:21:42.53
I really needed this.
00:21:43.30\00:21:44.43
He's really spoke to my heart
00:21:44.43\00:21:46.13
and I could see from
the audience later on
00:21:46.13\00:21:49.27
how our young videographers
caught the perfect time
00:21:49.27\00:21:54.24
when one tear began to
fall one after another,
00:21:55.44\00:21:58.18
it was just a
very moving experience.
00:21:58.18\00:22:01.52
I could really sense
the Holy Spirit's presence
00:22:01.52\00:22:03.99
in that very place.
00:22:03.99\00:22:05.19
And one of my
favorite times is when
00:22:06.32\00:22:11.39
one of the moms
came to me and she said,
00:22:12.53\00:22:15.43
"Gem, you just don't know
00:22:15.43\00:22:17.13
how this episode
really meant to me."
00:22:17.13\00:22:19.50
I said, "Tell me"
00:22:19.50\00:22:20.60
and she was in tears
saying, you know what?
00:22:20.60\00:22:23.67
There was one point in my life
00:22:23.67\00:22:25.67
that I really was
not happy about God.
00:22:25.67\00:22:30.55
I said, "What do you mean?"
00:22:30.55\00:22:31.65
She said because I
felt like God abandoned me
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.35
in the times that
I really needed him.
00:22:34.35\00:22:36.99
And during that episode,
00:22:36.99\00:22:38.45
we were shooting
about God's intentionality,
00:22:38.45\00:22:42.36
because sometimes we're
thinking that God is far away
00:22:42.36\00:22:44.86
and this beautiful episode
00:22:44.86\00:22:46.70
of Jesus walking
beside the widow of Nain
00:22:46.70\00:22:51.73
and Jesus was
standing beside her.
00:22:52.87\00:22:54.10
And it says in
"The Desire of Ages"
00:22:54.10\00:22:55.57
that she did not even realize
00:22:55.57\00:22:57.71
that the savior was beside her
00:22:57.71\00:22:59.94
because she was so
overwhelmed by sorrow.
00:22:59.94\00:23:03.58
And then she told me,
00:23:04.45\00:23:05.58
"Gem, I felt that
God abandoned me."
00:23:05.58\00:23:09.95
When I was pleading
for the life of my husband
00:23:09.95\00:23:13.32
and the Lord did
not answer my prayer.
00:23:13.32\00:23:15.49
The Lord took
him away when, well,
00:23:15.49\00:23:17.26
I still have this two young
boys to raise up on my own.
00:23:17.26\00:23:21.70
And she was telling me
00:23:21.70\00:23:23.87
how the Lord gave her peace,
00:23:23.87\00:23:26.50
gave her comfort that
he will take care of me.
00:23:26.50\00:23:29.34
So it means that he will
save my husband in the end.
00:23:29.34\00:23:33.24
He took away my
husband and she said,
00:23:33.24\00:23:36.08
Gem, the biggest
heartbreak for me was
00:23:36.08\00:23:39.51
when I was there
in the funeral parlor,
00:23:39.51\00:23:42.88
seeing my husband being embalmed
00:23:42.88\00:23:45.09
and I was just like,
heartbroken asking God,
00:23:46.15\00:23:49.59
why did you abandon me?
00:23:49.59\00:23:50.86
Why did you not
fulfill your promise?
00:23:50.86\00:23:53.56
That was the time of my life
00:23:56.53\00:23:57.80
that affected me
and affected my sons.
00:23:57.80\00:23:59.87
And she told me, but
while you were speaking tonight,
00:24:01.34\00:24:05.37
while you were sharing that,
00:24:05.37\00:24:07.11
the Lord brought
me back to that place,
00:24:07.11\00:24:10.91
the Lord gave me a
vision again, of that place,
00:24:10.91\00:24:14.28
where I was standing
there in the funeral parlor
00:24:14.28\00:24:17.29
but this time it's different.
00:24:17.29\00:24:19.15
She said, I saw Jesus,
00:24:19.15\00:24:21.69
I saw Jesus
standing beside me all along,
00:24:21.69\00:24:25.29
and that changed everything,
that changed everything
00:24:26.63\00:24:30.47
although I
thought that I was alone
00:24:30.47\00:24:32.93
but that changed everything.
00:24:32.93\00:24:34.57
- Wow, that's so beautiful.
00:24:34.57\00:24:37.27
That is so good -
That was beautiful.
00:24:37.27\00:24:38.41
And I said to the
Lord, Lord, if all this pain,
00:24:38.41\00:24:42.81
if all this like struggles
that I have gone through
00:24:42.81\00:24:45.08
to prepare for a show like this,
00:24:45.08\00:24:48.15
even for that
one testimony alone,
00:24:48.15\00:24:51.35
I am happy, I am happy.
00:24:51.35\00:24:54.36
But I believe Natalie,
it's not just for one person.
00:24:54.36\00:24:56.73
- No and that's why we
have a sense of urgency
00:24:56.73\00:25:01.76
with trying to
get the show finished
00:25:02.90\00:25:03.97
because unfortunately
we didn't have an editor
00:25:05.37\00:25:07.27
for a long time and
that's a different story,
00:25:07.27\00:25:10.37
but now we have an editor
00:25:10.37\00:25:12.34
and we're working to
get the show finished
00:25:12.34\00:25:14.14
so we can put it out there,
00:25:14.14\00:25:15.44
so more people can be blessed.
00:25:15.44\00:25:17.31
- And that show
really changed my life.
00:25:17.31\00:25:19.65
It even changed the way I
speak right now when I'm asked,
00:25:20.95\00:25:24.62
and that's one
beautiful thought,
00:25:24.62\00:25:27.22
because one
person somehow noticed
00:25:27.22\00:25:30.23
I was preaching
in the same church
00:25:30.23\00:25:32.36
that I preached
like a year before.
00:25:32.36\00:25:35.16
And one person
came to me and said,
00:25:35.16\00:25:37.77
Gem, something changed in you.
00:25:37.77\00:25:39.47
There's something in
your message right now
00:25:40.90\00:25:43.14
that really changed.
00:25:44.21\00:25:45.41
I said, what do you mean?
00:25:45.41\00:25:46.88
It changed like
I'm getting worse?
00:25:46.88\00:25:50.08
He said, no, I
could sense more Jesus
00:25:51.15\00:25:53.25
in the way that you
bring up the message.
00:25:54.58\00:25:57.02
- And one of
the important things
00:25:57.02\00:25:58.69
coming out of that whole
lifting up Jesus concept,
00:25:58.69\00:26:02.12
idea, plan,
whatever his plan is,
00:26:02.12\00:26:05.26
is that we can
translate it other languages
00:26:05.26\00:26:08.33
and that was one of
the urges that John had
00:26:08.33\00:26:11.70
was to get word
about Jesus to get--
00:26:11.70\00:26:15.14
- Jesus out there.
00:26:15.14\00:26:16.17
- Yeah, to get Jesus out there
00:26:16.17\00:26:17.87
and to make it available
in any language possible.
00:26:17.87\00:26:21.68
- So, this is
one thing, Natalie,
00:26:21.68\00:26:23.38
that I'd like to ask the
audience to join us in prayer,
00:26:23.38\00:26:26.72
because we know for a fact
that from the very beginning,
00:26:26.72\00:26:29.52
you have heard a testimony
00:26:29.52\00:26:30.85
how the Lord just like
brought it all together
00:26:30.85\00:26:34.56
from the painting to the stones
00:26:36.06\00:26:40.36
and even to the materials,
00:26:40.36\00:26:42.20
Jesus desires to be lifted up.
00:26:42.20\00:26:44.37
And we would like you to join us
00:26:44.37\00:26:46.80
in interceding for this project.
00:26:46.80\00:26:48.77
And friends just
imagine how many people
00:26:48.77\00:26:50.61
are going to the
grave without knowing Jesus,
00:26:50.61\00:26:52.51
without hearing the name Jesus.
00:26:52.51\00:26:55.21
So this is why we're asking you,
00:26:56.01\00:26:58.05
please join us in praying,
00:26:58.05\00:27:00.52
join us in trying
to lift of Jesus up
00:27:00.52\00:27:03.15
that people will see
that we serve a living God,
00:27:03.15\00:27:06.22
that they serve a powerful God,
00:27:06.22\00:27:07.72
that they serve a God who cares,
00:27:07.72\00:27:10.29
so we need your prayers,
00:27:10.29\00:27:11.89
pray and we will
see what Jesus will do
00:27:11.89\00:27:15.53
in this show
"Glimpses of Jesus".
00:27:15.53\00:27:18.13
- Thank you so much,
Gem, for being with us today
00:27:18.13\00:27:20.50
and for sharing how
you had to fight through
00:27:20.50\00:27:24.17
all sorts of
things on your knees
00:27:24.17\00:27:26.44
in order for this
show to go forward.
00:27:26.44\00:27:28.14
We just are so
amazed and humbled
00:27:28.14\00:27:31.05
to see what God
has done already,
00:27:31.05\00:27:33.31
and what he's going
to do with this show,
00:27:33.31\00:27:35.05
it's all glory to him.
00:27:35.05\00:27:36.35
- All glory to him. -
Absolutely, absolutely.
00:27:36.35\00:27:39.02
If you would like
to learn more about
00:27:39.02\00:27:40.62
"Glimpses of
Jesus" or "Mission Trek",
00:27:40.62\00:27:42.96
or "I Want This City"
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.09
or any of our other
special productions,
00:27:44.09\00:27:45.99
you can contact
us at Jesus for Asia
00:27:45.99\00:27:49.06
PO Box 1221,
00:27:49.06\00:27:51.17
Collegedale, Tennessee, 37315.
00:27:51.17\00:27:54.84
Call us at (423) 413-7321
00:27:54.84\00:27:59.31
or visit our
website at jesus4rasia.org.
00:27:59.31\00:28:02.94
May God richly bless you
00:28:02.94\00:28:04.28
until we see you next
time on Jesus for Asia Now.
00:28:04.28\00:28:08.22
(upbeat music)
00:28:08.22\00:28:10.89