Participants: Arthur Nowlin (Host), Dr Kim Logan-Nowlin (Host), Kip Fowlor
Series Code: MIW
Program Code: MIW000035
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00:01 Hi, I'm Dr. Kim Logan Nowlin. I'm Arthur Nowlin.
00:03 And welcome to "making it work." 00:37 Today on our program we're here to talk about taking charge. 00:40 We have Kip Fowlor with us, Kip Fowlor, 00:44 he is known to many people as Skip. 00:46 But we want to welcome him to making it work. 00:48 God bless you. God bless you. 00:50 Thank you for having me. 00:51 Well, listen we just gonna get right to it. 00:53 Tell us your testimony. 00:55 And, you know, we have some time to just talk about 00:59 all and who you are and how God has raised you. 01:02 Well, from the beginning I'm a person 01:06 that never had a childhood. 01:09 I was always put in charge to take care of my siblings, 01:14 my brothers and sisters. 01:15 How many siblings? 01:17 It's five all together including me. 01:19 All right, are you the eldest child? 01:20 I'm the oldest. Okay. 01:22 And so we were-- excuse me. 01:24 We were with my grandmother 01:29 and basically you know she raised us. 01:32 My mother was young when she had me and we just-- 01:37 I'd say I had a situation 01:39 where to live with my grandmother 01:42 and I took care of my brothers and sisters, 01:46 practically all their lives so I never had a childhood. 01:49 So you took charge even as a child. Yes. 01:52 Taking care of your younger siblings. Okay. 01:54 Right, from there basically, 01:56 you know, I was real attached to my grandmother. 02:00 I'm not saying, you know, 02:02 I was her favorite but I believe I was. 02:04 Okay. 02:06 And so when my grandmother passed, I start to fall off 02:11 and didn't care about myself, didn't care about anything. 02:16 I choose, you know, start selling drugs 02:19 and just doing things that I know 02:22 that wasn't of God or anything like. 02:26 My grandmother always raised us to be in church. 02:28 Okay. 02:29 And so I just thought like I needed 02:32 to get away have time for myself. 02:35 But even while I was doing those things I would, 02:39 you know, I don't how to say it 02:40 but I would pray to God to be with me 02:44 as I was going out to make drug sales. 02:48 How old were you then? I was 22 at a time. Okay. 02:53 And you know from there basically it's just-- 02:57 it's a long story I'll try to sum it up. 03:00 I end up getting caught and doing some jail time. 03:05 And that's when God got a hold of me 03:08 and say nothing Lord if you-- 03:11 if you just get me out the situation, 03:13 I promise I won't do this again. 03:16 So you were 22, you got arrested 03:18 and you were placed in jail? 03:20 Yes. And how long were you in jail? 03:23 I might be there for 2 years. 03:24 Okay, you know which is now real long time. 03:28 Well, basically I was supposed to get 20 years, 03:31 I knew God was in my life. 03:33 The judge-- there was a chief judge 03:36 at the time Judge Robinson, 03:39 bless his soul I don't know if he is still living or not. 03:42 But I guess it was a stipulation 03:45 where they tried to catch me 03:47 with a certain amount and it was done in properly. 03:51 And so they wanted to give me 20 years. 03:54 But because of the stipulation the things that happened 03:59 he didn't want them concurring. 04:01 So you know he-- I told him, you know, 04:03 I had a drug problem and you know I needed helping 04:08 and you know he believed in me 04:10 and statute of limitations came down only 2 years from 20. 04:16 Okay that was outstanding. 04:18 So God was really working in your favor right there. 04:21 Oh, yeah. Definitely. 04:24 So tell me about your siblings. 04:28 What, you know, after your grandmother died, you know, 04:32 I mean you were like the rock of the family. 04:35 What happened after that? 04:37 Well, basically it's something that-- 04:38 I'll try to sum it up for you. 04:41 Because I'm the rock of the family 04:43 and excuse me I'm getting over cold. 04:46 But because I'm the rock of the family, 04:48 I still to this day has looked 04:49 as my brothers and sisters' dad. 04:54 The things I've done I regret because my drug use 04:57 and my drug sales when I got lock, 04:59 when I got locked up passed on to my brothers. 05:03 And my one brother is still fighting with that now, 05:08 and I feel like that personally my fault. 05:10 And sometimes we all believe my mom kind a blames me 05:14 a little bit for that but I had to sit-- 05:17 me and my mother are really close now. 05:19 I know my mother had situations where she is a single ma 05:24 and she didn't have the finances 05:26 or things to take care of us but I'm real close to her 05:29 and I was able to sit and tell her 05:31 that, you know, I have to be me now. 05:34 I can't take care of my grown-- my grown brothers and sisters 05:38 anymore, you know I'll take care of you. 05:41 So from there, you know, 05:44 it's just things got a little bit better for me 05:47 and I end up coming out of jail. 05:51 Excuse me. 05:53 And I said, well, I can't do this anymore. 05:55 I can't sell no drugs, 05:57 I promised God if you get me out of this 06:00 that I would take charge and make it better. 06:04 So actually when I got out, 06:07 my Aunt Carla had found some money, 06:12 it was about $ 5,000 that I had put up. 06:16 And it was hidden somewhere and I forgot where it was. 06:20 But when I got out, you know, 06:21 she told me she said I kept this for you. 06:26 And so that was a start. 06:27 So I said you know what do I do, 06:28 you know the devil is gonna mess with me. 06:30 Take this $5,000 and go back. 06:34 And then God was talking. 06:36 And I know we don't talk to God in audible voice 06:39 but I heard in plain words "you promised me, 06:44 you won't do that again. 06:46 Find something else to do with the money." 06:49 So I end up getting a place to start over, 06:52 but I haven't had anything. 06:55 But I promised God I wouldn't go back into that. 06:59 So I started at the bottom, I got on the phone 07:01 and I found a place that needed a telemarketer, and so I said, 07:07 wow, me making thousands and thousands of dollars. 07:11 And now I'm gonna sit on the phone 07:13 and make, you know, $5 an hour. 07:16 That was a major transition, you know, 07:18 because most of the guys 07:20 that I deal with they come out of the penitentiary. 07:23 One of the things that they really have difficulty 07:27 accepting it's the fact that they made so much money 07:30 in that short period of time 07:32 and now they don't have a lot of skills 07:35 that will award them the opportunity 07:38 to make the type of money that they were used to. 07:41 And you nailed it on the head. 07:43 And-- that's exactly how was I, 07:46 wow, how I'm gonna survive with a, you know, 07:49 $120 dollars a week versus you know 07:53 $10,000 dollars a week literally, 07:58 but I was able to sleep at night. 08:01 And I didn't have to have my gun with me 08:02 and I didn't have to ask every time 08:04 somebody knocking the door, who is this? 08:07 And so I was okay but God worked it out 08:10 because as I was telemarketing I was-- 08:15 the owners of the company 08:16 that I was working for was a heating and cooling company. 08:19 They would come back and tell me--excuse me. 08:22 They would come back and tell me, 08:24 say, you know, every person you talk to on their phone, 08:28 we made a sale to because they like you 08:32 and how you speak to them, how you treat them. 08:34 You know why don't we put you in a uniform 08:37 and give you a truck and put you out of here. 08:40 I said "I don't know nothing about heating and cooling, 08:44 I don't have any idea, 08:46 we have to go to school for many months. 08:48 And they said no we will teach you. 08:50 So you know I got-- I got a start that way, 08:54 and went from $120 a week to $500 a week. 08:59 And so I was okay with that. 09:02 It still wasn't enough to me. 09:05 Like I said I still take care of-- 09:07 I was still at that time taking care of my siblings. 09:10 But, and you also being trained in heating and cooling? 09:15 Yeah, didn't have any idea. 09:16 Didn't know what was to come of it. 09:19 All I knew was the drug life and the fast life 09:25 and I was at a smooth even pace and that wasn't me I'm-- 09:31 just I don't know how to get used to it. 09:33 But I said that still wasn't enough, 09:35 I'd say God I promised you, I wouldn't go back 09:37 but this is not the type of money I need. 09:41 You know I have goals, I have expectations. 09:44 I don't want to be in a one bedroom apartment. 09:48 I know you made me to take charge 09:52 and to be in charge so that's what I want to do. 09:54 So I worked for, you know, 4 years with that company 09:58 and so I decided to step-on on my own. 10:01 Really? You started your own business. 10:03 Started my own business. My pa-- excuse me. 10:07 My pastor at the time said, ''You know, 10:10 you do your own thing and if you gonna do your own thing 10:14 then name it after something that you believe that you are. 10:18 So what are you? 10:19 I said, well, I'm good now and I like to help people. 10:24 So it says good helpers right, good helpers, so that works. 10:30 And that's how the name came and that was over 15 years ago. 10:35 Wow. You still have your company? 10:39 Not only do I have a company now, 10:40 we have excelled to a labor force of over a 160 guys. 10:47 They work for you? Yes, on the labor side. 10:50 And also on the heating and cooling side 10:52 we have 20 trucks on the road. 10:56 And I still say, Lord, keep me humble, 11:00 and it feels good to be in charge again 11:04 without worrying about your bagging, 11:06 worrying about who gonna kill you, 11:08 take you out of here because you are on their turf. 11:13 I took the things that I learned back 11:16 during those days 11:18 and try and make a positive change to now. 11:21 And that's why I am able to hopefully turn 11:25 someone's life around 11:27 who have a similar life like I had. 11:31 So when I see those trucks out there Good Helper, 11:33 that's you. 11:35 That's me. Nice. And it's now-- 11:38 I like that. I'm happy about it. 11:41 I know it was of God that it came to be. 11:46 Now what about, you know, your personal life, 11:49 you know, married-- 11:51 Have you ever been married? Children? 11:53 You know what about that? I may have one son. 11:57 I don't see him, I haven't seen him since he was two. 12:00 Mixed relationships she was-- 12:02 she's Caucasian her father was like, no, I'm not having that. 12:09 And back I was selling, you know, drugs at the time 12:11 so he hired some high price lawyer to dig in my background 12:16 and to keep me away from my son. 12:20 I'm quite sure I'll see him again. 12:23 As far as being married, I was married before. 12:27 It didn't work out, it was an arranged marriage. 12:30 I didn't know my wife. 12:32 I was told that that was my wife. 12:35 If God's not in it then it's not gonna prosper. 12:38 It will not prosper, it will not. 12:40 Right so that-- 12:42 that relationship lasted about 6 months 12:47 because I'd get a divorce, I was kicked out of the church. 12:52 Really? 12:53 Yes, so I have had a lot of church hurt, but-- 12:58 One second on that, you were kicked out of the church, 13:01 meaning that were you an officer in the church during-- 13:04 Or you just fellowship? 13:05 No, it basically in the apostolic faith 13:11 there is no divorce. 13:13 And so I went against the beliefs. 13:17 Your beliefs. I see. And so I was-- 13:22 I don't know if you call it kicked out or about-- 13:25 Disfellowshipped. Disfellowshipped. Yeah. 13:28 You know, now with owning your business, 13:30 but you returned to the church, you know, 13:33 since that time and you've been very busy in God's church. 13:36 Yeah, kind of-- after the divorce I was hurt, 13:39 I left the church again. 13:41 And you know I was still here, 13:44 I was still here and God said, you know just-- 13:48 you promised me that you wouldn't go back. 13:51 And I kind of disliked the things that happened to me. 13:59 That's how you know I bounced around a lot of places 14:01 and fortunately well, because I do heating and cooling, 14:06 I was always doing my work at churches. 14:09 So I was able to get in and see what you know, 14:13 I did like this church or I didn't. 14:18 but I found my way back. 14:19 So you again, was again taking charge 14:22 of your life spiritually. 14:24 Yes. 14:25 How important is God in your life 14:26 and Him taking charge of your life? 14:28 How important is that to you? 14:30 It's very important because God is a great guy. 14:36 Not good but great. 14:39 And the reason is because all that time 14:42 when I was out there in the streets and praying, 14:45 and all the people that I had met 14:48 through the years were just as you know rams in the bush. 14:52 They were already set for me 14:57 and I didn't have to sacrifice myself anymore, 15:00 and I was able to go in the resources-- 15:04 the resources is not money. 15:08 You can have thousands of dollars in your hand 15:11 and walk outside 15:13 and the windstorm can blow it away. 15:16 If you don't have the resources to make that back, 15:21 then what good is this money? 15:24 So I start thinking differently 15:27 and the more I put God first and kept-- 15:32 keep him first with tithes and offerings, 15:37 blessing came down. 15:39 Being good to my pastor and my family. 15:42 Taking care of my mom. 15:44 All those things that you hear is negative 15:46 and the devil master make you astray. 15:51 You know God is way more powerful. 15:54 Have you-- how long have you been clean of drugs? 15:57 And have you ever relapsed? 15:59 I have been clean of drugs for over 12 years. 16:04 And I have, I did relapsed about 9 years ago 16:11 for short period of time. 16:12 And actually a person that I was really good friends with 16:20 didn't know anything about me using drugs, 16:23 didn't have a clue. 16:25 I did it to where you won't even-- 16:28 you know I didn't lose weight, I didn't go around 16:31 and beg for money and but that person, 16:36 actually I was sitting down on my bed, 16:39 I was getting ready to do some cocaine. 16:42 And the person that didn't know anything about me doing it, 16:46 called me on the phone and said Kip, 16:50 I don't know how to tell you this 16:52 but whatever you're doing don't do it 16:55 because I see God just showed me your heart exploding. 17:01 And that was it. 17:05 She didn't know nothing about my drug use or anything. 17:09 Did she call you on the phone? 17:10 She called me on the phone and said 17:12 whatever you're doing don't do it. 17:16 God just showed me your heart exploding and to call you. 17:22 And I was just about to do some... 17:25 So you didn't go do it again? 17:27 No, I didn't do anything that was the end of it. 17:32 Let's talk about your goals you know, 17:34 what you've achieved so much, you're helping so many people. 17:39 You know you're serving God. 17:41 You're returning tithes and offerings 17:43 and again when God blesses you, 17:46 we are taught in the word of God 17:48 in the Malachi Chapter 3, 17:50 "Will a man rob God of tithes and offerings." 17:53 And we've to give 10% or what we know God says, 17:57 that's non-negotiable, that is just non-negotiable. 18:00 So we give that back to the church 18:03 and we support God's church 18:04 through our tithes and offerings. 18:06 That's correct. 18:07 So you believe in that principle 18:09 and so let's talk about the goals, you know, 18:11 and what do you do to enjoy you? 18:13 What do you do for fun? 18:15 Well, basically that's what I'm trying to learn. 18:18 I've been sacrificing to try to get to the next step 18:21 and God has blessed me with a major contract this year. 18:27 You know I do want to give honor 18:28 and thanks to my pastor Leander Croft. 18:31 He's a mentor in my life. He's a young preacher. 18:37 And he's been through what I have been through. 18:39 And he is a beautiful man and his wife 18:41 and his children and he-- 18:44 What's the name of your church? 18:46 It was United Faith of Family. 18:48 We now call City Praise Church. City Praise Church. 18:51 Where is it located? 18:53 Located on green-- I'm sorry. 18:54 Schoolcraft and 16101 Schoolcraft. 18:58 In Detroit, Michigan? Detroit, Michigan. 19:00 Okay. All right. Dynamic past. 19:03 And I was able to finally find a home and be mentored 19:07 and 'cause somebody reckoned 19:09 this been which you've been through 19:11 and you see God then brought them. 19:14 You know this is just a support for me. 19:17 And this-- this must be something 19:19 that you have to latch on to 19:21 because going back in your past, 19:24 you didn't have that mentor, and now you got somebody 19:30 that you can relate to, I mean you had your grandmother 19:34 but when she left, you know, there was a void. 19:37 Yes, it was because basically, you know, me and my father 19:40 were best friends now but that's all we can be. 19:43 My father wasn't allowed to see me, 19:47 wasn't allowed to be a part of mine 19:48 because I was older, 19:51 I never had a mentor to teach me 19:55 right from wrong and I had to learn my own way. 19:58 But my positive goals would be, you know, 20:02 since that's for keeping God first, 20:06 being married, having a family 20:09 and just living, you know, a clean life. 20:13 That's really important to being married 20:15 and having a family. 20:16 Yeah, when you establish yourself, 20:19 it's not fun and not sharing. 20:22 Want to share the blessing. Yes. 20:25 You know, I've heard that you have so much 20:27 and you won't be able to share with someone that you love. 20:30 You said something interesting, 20:32 I'm learning now how to have fun to-- 20:36 you know, well, do you bowl, you roller skate, 20:38 play baseball, I mean what do you do? 20:40 I love fishing. But I haven't been in a while. 20:42 Okay. And I do like to bowl. 20:45 You put worm on the hook and everything. 20:46 Everything. I love it. Yes, that's really wonderful. 20:49 Yeah, but you know, I'm learning different things 20:53 and to have fun because now I put a lot of hard work in 20:58 and now I'm able to see my company successfully 21:01 why wouldn't be stepping back some. 21:03 Well, you know-- may I suggest that you at least 21:09 give some attention to this game called golf. 21:12 This is a new phenomena, right? I want to learn it so bad. 21:17 Why you? Okay, can I ask why? 21:19 Excuse me, I was talking. Oh, it's a man thing now. 21:22 I'm sorry. 21:23 So we have to get together at least go out 21:24 to the driver range, that's where-- 21:26 I would love you to teach me, that a lot of your best people 21:31 and your best deals is on that golf course. 21:33 We gonna work that out. Yes. 21:35 Are we taking charge here? Taking charge. 21:37 We have to take charge. 21:38 Okay, you know, you know what I've decided to do? 21:41 I'm taking up golf next year. Okay. 21:44 Yes, I can go out with him. What? 21:47 Are you doing that to learn golf 21:50 and be with your husband on the field 21:52 or just to see what people do on the golf course? 21:55 No, I really want to be able to be with him because I'm-- 21:57 We're always together, when he is on the golf course 22:00 I can't be with him, so I figure it why-- 22:02 Praise the Lord. It's a man by man rule. 22:06 No, woman play golf, where are you? No. 22:08 So I have decided to take lessons with our daughter. 22:11 Our daughter has been taking lessons for some time, 22:13 she is very good. 22:15 He's outstanding at a hole and won this year. 22:17 Oh, wow, that's great. 22:19 And so I'm going out, get my outfits all ready, 22:22 I'm getting ready to go. Okay. 22:24 I can see it, all right. Now big fellows-- 22:26 You know, the only problem with that is that-- 22:29 What is it? Our schedules won't allow it. 22:32 You know, she has to be where she has to be 22:34 and I need to be where I need to be. 22:36 I'm gonna switch my days so that I'm-- 22:38 His golf day is Wednesday, I'm gonna switch my days. 22:40 Oh, you already got a plan. Okay. 22:42 You know, and then I'm gonna start, 22:44 they go on these golf trips. 22:45 Some of the guys take their wives. 22:47 Oh, no. What? No, nothing. 22:49 I can't go to golf with you? 22:51 No, you can't even learn golf. 22:55 But I would love for you to teach me. 22:57 Yeah. But we don't make it happen. 22:58 I must take to skating and tennis. 23:00 And I also want to, you know, tell our viewers that I have-- 23:06 blessed to know both of you. 23:09 The things you have taught me change my view of thinking 23:15 specially I think about what I was thinking about women 23:19 that left me hurt, and you guys are incredible. 23:23 Oh, Praise God. Thank you. 23:25 Appreciate that. I want to let you know that. 23:26 Mr. Fowlor, I appreciate that. Okay. 23:29 I take-- Did he pay you to say that? No. 23:31 No. 23:32 I think where it really boils down to is a lot of times like, 23:36 let's go back to the mentoring thing. 23:38 A lot of times we may have people in our lives 23:43 that know how to share information with you, 23:47 to encourage you, to motivate you, 23:49 and to point out things. 23:50 Yes. 23:51 Sometimes we can't hear it from somebody 23:54 that's right around us. 23:55 Sometimes we need to hear it from a different source. 23:58 Right. 24:00 And what I think Kim 24:02 and I have been doing in being in your presence 24:06 and you sharing information with us 24:09 and we sharing information with you is to allow you 24:13 opportunity to thrive and make good decisions. 24:18 Even though you make good business decisions, 24:22 sometimes when it comes to our personal life, we get clouded. 24:26 Yes. You know, and so-- 24:28 And one of the reasons is that we allow our emotions 24:32 to take over and prevent us from making good decision. 24:36 That's true. 24:37 You know, so we just want to be a vessel 24:43 and I think that's what the Lord has allowed us to do 24:47 with you is to be a vessel. 24:49 And he has and I appreciate it. 24:50 You attended our Family Life Retreat. 24:52 Excuse me. 24:54 In the Wilderness in Cassopolis, Michigan. 24:57 Yeah, no TV, no-- 24:59 No TV, no WiFi and you enjoyed the vegetarian meals. 25:04 I enjoyed everything. You enjoyed everything. 25:06 The best sleep I had in the while. 25:08 The best sleep you had in the while. 25:10 So you know-- let me ask you this. 25:14 Why are you in a situation where you say yourself, 25:21 all right, I made some decisions about certain women. 25:25 How are you able to remain celibate in this day and time 25:32 'cause it's just so many temptations. 25:34 What's keeping you focused on God? 25:38 Well, basically for one I'm too busy, 25:43 I'm not saying I don't think you know about things 25:47 but I know that the best thing to do right now 25:49 is a man who find a wife find good things. 25:52 So-- Can you say that again? 25:53 A man who find a wife finds the good things. 25:56 I'm blessed. You are blessed. 25:59 You got a good lady. So about practice celibacy... 26:04 I'm going to go golfing with you. 26:06 I'm trying to-- I want to say that it's hard 26:11 but it's the right thing, it's what I have to do 26:14 if I want to attract the right woman. 26:18 Everybody who-- it's easy to mess up, 26:22 it's easy to go out and-- that's what the world is, 26:27 I mean it's all about sex, money, drugs 26:30 but people who don't know 26:31 that there's a great big guy out here 26:34 that is more powerful than that. 26:36 And if you can show him, 26:38 and put him first there, celibacy is easy. 26:41 Celibacy is easy. Okay. 26:43 But if you don't put God first, then it's so easy to mess up. 26:49 That's excellent. 26:50 You know and I believe now that you know because in us 26:56 meeting and sharing information over a period of time, 27:01 I can feel your faith has gotten even stronger. Yes. 27:06 And I know that you appear and you are more sincere 27:12 about your relationships with the Lord than before. 27:15 Definitely, and like I said again 27:18 meeting both of you, 27:20 I must say where I was, slipping back on course again. 27:24 Well, that's great you know. 27:26 Well, what can you say in closing? 27:28 Well, the only thing I can really say is 27:30 basically if you're living a lifestyle that I've lived, 27:35 God can bring you out of that situation. 27:38 Even set of people, I don't know if this 27:40 is viewed in prisons or not but if it is or if not, 27:45 if you just get out start small 27:48 and don't let the temptations take you away from that 27:52 'cause God will be-- and the patience of God, 27:56 you know, we can't question. 27:59 We always want things fast and in a hurry 28:02 but I tell you the slow pace and then at the end of the road 28:07 is more greater than what happen to you. 28:09 Amen. Well, I thank God for that. 28:12 Well again, we want to thank Mr. Fowlor for being with us. 28:15 I'm Dr. Kim Logan Nowlin. I'm Arthur Nowlin. 28:18 Take charge. God bless. |
Revised 2015-05-14