Hi, I'm Dr. Kim
Logan-Nowlin. I'm Arthur Nowlin.
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And welcome, to Making It Work.
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Once again,
Arthur and I are here
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and we're happy to be a part
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of the 3ABN Dare
to Dream network,
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bringing quality programs,
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helping you and your family
to continue to make it work.
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Well, today we
have a special guest,
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a dear friend, a
childhood friend.
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And he and I grew up
together in Detroit, Michigan.
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And he has a wonderful story.
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Elder Larry Keys.
Welcome to the program.
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It's good. I'm glad to be here.
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You know that's the first time,
I have said Elder Larry Key
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'cause I always say Larry.
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You know, but you are, Elder
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and you must give
honor where honor is due.
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Well, thank you.
And I'm so proud of you.
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I'm so glad you are saying that.
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You know, Arthur
just became Elder.
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Did you know
that? Yeah, I heard.
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Congratulations.
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Oh, that great
vine is something else.
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Didn't that? God is good.
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You know, what
you all should have,
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one those Elder--
Do they have that,
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Elder's circle,
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where you all come
together once a month?
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Yeah, they do. Oh, yes.
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We have the Motor
City Elders Council.
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Oh, really? Yeah.
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And matter of fact,
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I'm the chaplain
for that organization.
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Wow! Why am I not surprised?
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Well, Larry, you
know, this is your time
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to tell your
testimony, your story.
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And we want you
to tell our viewers
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about Elder Larry Keys.
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Tell us your story.
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Well, God has blessed me
tremendously over the years
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and I call myself
the Detroit miracle.
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And the reason why,
God had has his hands on me
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from the beginning.
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And my mother when
she was pregnant with me,
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she could not
afford to take care of me.
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And so she did the best
the she thought at the time
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and she put me up for adoption.
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My birth name is Larry
Coleman. That's my birth name.
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And my mom, she wanted to try
to give me to my grandmother.
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But at the time my grandmother
was raising my sister
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and she was a
single parent at the time
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and she was not married.
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So the courts would not
allow her to get me as well
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because they didn't
think that she could take care
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of both of us at a time.
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So I was put in the foster home
at the age of two months old.
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And I was raised by a beautiful,
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warm Christian
family, the Key family.
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And that's how I
became Larry Key.
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And I was raised
in a Christian home,
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raised in the
Baptist church as a child.
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All of my family was Baptists,
we went to church every Sunday
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and we stayed in church all day.
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All day.
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And but those
were my early years,
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like, exposed to
Christian beliefs
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in the Bible and everything.
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But my foster
father died when I was 13
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and it was very,
very traumatic for me.
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That was a time in my life
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where I really
needed a man the most.
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And I was angry and
I was angry with God
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when my father died at thirteen,
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when I was thirteen.
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And I began to rebel and
I began to get into things
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in school and gangs
and things like that.
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And so it was a
very difficult time
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between the ages of
thirteen and seventeen.
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And so God saw that the track
that I was going and I had--
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was going down the wrong streets
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and getting into some things
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that I shouldn't have
been getting in at that,
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those teenage ages.
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But I was just angry and I,
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you know, I really
enjoyed my father so much.
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My father used to take me to
baseball games, the state fair.
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We did things
together and I was just--
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I couldn't
understand at that time,
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"Why did the Lord allow my
father to die at that time?"
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And it was very
difficult for me.
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And so as I said, I
began to do poorly in school.
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Before that I mean,
in elementary school,
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I made all A's and B's.
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But during that time
period, I just rebelled
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and just was doing all kinds
of things, hanging with gangs.
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And I praise, I thank the Lord
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that I never got
caught doing the wrong things.
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I didn't get caught.
The Lord had mercy on me.
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There were times where
I was on a porch one time
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and they began to shoot.
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And the bullet
came right past my head
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and missed me
just by a few inches.
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And, you know, then something
went off in my head, you know,
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I said, "You
know, I don't know."
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And at that time I was working
at a fast food restaurant.
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I went to school in the
day and I worked at night
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at a Kentucky
Fried Chicken restaurant.
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And at that time I
met this young lady.
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And you know, this young lady
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began to talk about
the Bible all the time.
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And you know, I began to listen
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but the girl was
very, very attractive.
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I mean, you know, I was
trying to get next to her.
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But you know, I
could not get next to her
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because she kept talking
about God and her religion.
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And so I began to listen.
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And then she invited me over
to her home for Bible studies.
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And so I started
actually reading the Bible
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and listening to
what she was saying.
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And at that point,
she invited me to come
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to Burns Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Detroit.
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And prior to that I was
giving her all kind of excuses.
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I can't come, I don't
have any socks or I forgot.
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But I finally, and I was
still had the wrong motives.
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I'm just, the only way,
I'm gonna get to this girl is,
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I gotta go to her church.
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Well, I'll make
a long story short,
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I came to Burns
and I felt so welcomed.
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Everybody was greeting me.
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It was very--
everybody was sincere
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and I felt a warmth of welcome.
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And so I continued to
come. I came the next Sabbath.
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And the next Sabbath
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and then I started
taking Bible studies
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from the Bible
worker at the church.
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And I really got
engrossed into the Bible
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and I started studying it.
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And my mother
was strictly Baptist.
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All of my family was Baptist.
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And she began to
give me a hard time.
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She says, "Why are you going
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to that
Seventh-day Adventist Church?
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You know, you can't do
anything in that church.
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You can't do this,
you can't do that."
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I said, "Mom, but
the Bible says and."
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So I began to give Bible studies
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to my family
members and then my religion
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became such a
conflict in the home
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that my mom asked
me to leave the home.
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What?
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And so T. Marshall
Kelly has baptized me.
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And I called up Pastor
Kelly and I said, "Pastor Kelly,
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my mom has told me, I
need to leave the house
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and I can't stay
here any longer."
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And so he says,
"Larry, don't worry about it."
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He says, we're gonna pray
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and God is going
to work this out."
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How old where you?
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I was around, I was 17.
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Well, 17 Around 17 at the time.
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And so Pastor Kelly
called one of the church members
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and he called me back.
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He says, "Look I'm
going to send my son over
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and one of his friends,
to help pick up your things.
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And we found a place
where you could stay."
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And one of the
church members took me in.
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And so they took me in
and they were real nice.
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They were Christian people.
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And they treated me
just like their son.
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Is that right?
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And so in the meantime
I was trying to get money
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to go down to Oakwood,
in Huntsville, Alabama.
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And some of the church members
were encouraging me to go.
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And so I began trying
to work and save my money
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to go to Oakwood.
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Now God had already
paved a way because my father
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that had died, my foster father,
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I was receiving Social
Security cheques from my father.
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And so they
said, once I turned 18,
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as long as I was in
college, I could continue
00:09:06.14\00:09:09.11
to get the
Social Security cheques.
00:09:09.14\00:09:12.81
And so that helped
me to get in the Oakwood
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along with Pell
Grants and I worked jobs.
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And then there were times
where I would have to come home
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because I didn't
have enough money.
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Back then Oakwood
had three quarters.
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They had the fall quarter.
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They had the winter
quarter and the spring quarter.
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And I would never make
it to the spring quarter
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because my money would run out.
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And so during those
times I would go home
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and I will go to Wayne
County Community College
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because I didn't want to get
too far behind in my studies.
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But you know what,
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I would want to
back up a little bit.
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In high school,
during those terrible times,
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my grades were terrible.
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I began to fall back
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and I did
terrible in high school.
00:09:57.36\00:10:01.16
And so I went to Pastor
Kelly and I said, "Pastor Kelly,
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my grades are terrible
00:10:04.17\00:10:05.63
and I really
want to go to college.
00:10:05.67\00:10:07.94
And my one of the high
school counselors told me
00:10:07.97\00:10:12.34
that my grades were so
bad that I just need to go
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and get a job in the
factory like most men,
00:10:15.91\00:10:18.88
young men did
back in the early 70s
00:10:18.91\00:10:21.55
living in Detroit.
00:10:21.58\00:10:23.22
You know, the Big Three
everybody worked in the factory
00:10:23.25\00:10:25.42
because it was good money
00:10:25.45\00:10:26.79
and you didn't have to
have a lot of education.
00:10:26.82\00:10:29.19
But I wanted, something
was in the back of my head,
00:10:29.22\00:10:31.53
was saying that you
need to go to college.
00:10:31.56\00:10:34.00
And my high
school counselor told me,
00:10:34.03\00:10:36.13
"Since well, you're
not college material,
00:10:36.16\00:10:38.23
you just need to go and
get a job in a factory."
00:10:38.27\00:10:40.67
So I started
talking to pastor Kelly
00:10:40.70\00:10:42.94
and pastor Kelly said, "Look,
Larry, if you read your Bible,
00:10:42.97\00:10:46.41
your grades will increase."
00:10:46.44\00:10:47.78
He said, "Trust me."
00:10:47.81\00:10:49.14
He said, "Every
subject is in the Bible
00:10:49.18\00:10:50.91
and all wisdom and
knowledge comes from God.
00:10:50.95\00:10:53.38
If you read your
Bible, your grades increase."
00:10:53.42\00:10:56.02
And so I began to read
my Bible more and more.
00:10:56.05\00:10:59.69
And low and
behold, my grades increase.
00:10:59.72\00:11:02.29
And so that first year,
before I could get in Oakwood,
00:11:02.32\00:11:06.56
I didn't have the
G.P.A. that I needed.
00:11:06.59\00:11:08.96
So I went to
Wayne Community College.
00:11:09.00\00:11:10.97
And I think that's
where we had spent some time
00:11:11.00\00:11:14.97
with the English
class with Mr. Boom.
00:11:15.00\00:11:18.11
Mr. Daniel Boom, we
had a class together.
00:11:18.14\00:11:20.21
And that was at Wayne
county community college.
00:11:20.24\00:11:22.14
So that first year in
my college experience,
00:11:22.18\00:11:26.61
the very first
time I made As and Bs
00:11:26.65\00:11:30.09
in all of my major subjects.
00:11:30.12\00:11:31.85
And that gave me some
strength and encouragement.
00:11:31.89\00:11:34.59
And so then I
applied for Oakwood.
00:11:34.62\00:11:36.19
So I wanted to tell
you that background.
00:11:36.22\00:11:38.26
Then I applied and
I got in the Oakwood
00:11:38.29\00:11:40.33
because I was
considered an advance freshman
00:11:40.36\00:11:43.13
or an advance student.
00:11:43.16\00:11:44.50
So I didn't have
to take entrance exam.
00:11:44.53\00:11:47.64
I just came in like that.
00:11:47.67\00:11:49.30
And so from there,
I got down at Oakwood.
00:11:49.34\00:11:53.54
And you know, I still had some
00:11:53.58\00:11:54.91
academic struggles and problems.
00:11:54.94\00:11:56.98
And there was a professor
at Oakwood, told me that,
00:11:57.01\00:12:01.22
you know, that
first year he said,
00:12:01.25\00:12:03.18
"You know, Larry, you
just need to pack your old bags
00:12:03.22\00:12:05.85
and go back home to Detroit
00:12:05.89\00:12:07.22
because you're
not college material.
00:12:07.26\00:12:09.42
But something inside me kept
telling me, I could do this.
00:12:09.46\00:12:13.19
And one of my favorite Bible
text is, "I can do all things
00:12:13.23\00:12:17.27
through Christ
Jesus who strengthens me."
00:12:17.30\00:12:19.77
And Pastor Kelly used
to tell me all the time,
00:12:19.80\00:12:21.87
You can you can do anything
00:12:21.90\00:12:23.37
that if the Lord is on your side
00:12:23.41\00:12:25.71
who can be against you?
00:12:25.74\00:12:27.08
And so I kept pressing on.
00:12:27.11\00:12:29.14
I would work
and I started taking
00:12:29.18\00:12:32.81
remedial courses at Oakwood.
00:12:32.85\00:12:34.88
And just to make
a long story short,
00:12:34.92\00:12:36.99
God blessed me tremendously.
Today I have five degrees.
00:12:37.02\00:12:40.82
I've marched
three times at Oakwood.
00:12:40.86\00:12:42.86
I couldn't get
enough of Oakwood.
00:12:42.89\00:12:44.23
I loved it so much.
00:12:44.26\00:12:46.39
Now what are your degrees in it?
00:12:46.43\00:12:47.76
Well, I have a Social Science
Degree in Communications.
00:12:47.80\00:12:51.83
Then I went on, went
back and got a Bachelor's
00:12:51.87\00:12:54.34
in Communications and
Bachelor's in Religion.
00:12:54.37\00:12:57.24
And then I got
another Socialist Degree.
00:12:57.27\00:12:59.64
Because I took so many courses
00:12:59.67\00:13:01.04
at Wayne County
Community College,
00:13:01.08\00:13:02.54
I ended up getting
an associates of Science
00:13:02.58\00:13:04.45
and in Liberal Arts, a
Degree in Liberal Arts.
00:13:04.48\00:13:08.18
And then I went on
00:13:08.22\00:13:09.55
and I got the B.A in
Communications and Religion.
00:13:09.58\00:13:13.02
And then I was able to
go to Andrews University
00:13:13.05\00:13:17.59
and receive the
Masters in Teaching.
00:13:17.63\00:13:20.20
And also I was able
to go to Fisk University.
00:13:20.23\00:13:24.80
I did some graduate
work at Howard University
00:13:24.83\00:13:27.64
in the School of Divinity.
00:13:27.67\00:13:29.37
And now here is an experience
00:13:29.40\00:13:31.34
that really told
me that never give up.
00:13:31.37\00:13:34.34
While I was-- I lived
in Nashville, Tennessee.
00:13:34.38\00:13:37.45
I was teaching in one of
our Adventist schools there.
00:13:37.48\00:13:40.42
And I heard about a program
00:13:40.45\00:13:42.98
where they were
looking for African-Americans
00:13:43.02\00:13:45.95
to teach elementary
school and public schools.
00:13:45.99\00:13:48.92
And so all you had to have
is just a Bachelor's Degree.
00:13:48.96\00:13:52.63
But I had more at the
time, I had a Master's.
00:13:52.66\00:13:55.13
But I wasn't State
certified to teach elementary.
00:13:55.16\00:13:58.90
And this program was
with Fisk in Tennessee State.
00:13:58.93\00:14:02.17
And so they paid for everything.
00:14:02.20\00:14:04.67
They paid your
tuition, your books.
00:14:04.71\00:14:07.28
They paid everything
00:14:07.31\00:14:08.64
and it was an
accelerated program.
00:14:08.68\00:14:10.81
And in nine months, I
was able to get my teaching,
00:14:10.85\00:14:13.68
my state license to
teach in an elementary school.
00:14:13.72\00:14:18.25
And God blessed me so much.
00:14:18.29\00:14:21.16
Kim, I made a 4.0, a 4.0.
00:14:21.19\00:14:25.39
And I just thought
about the individuals
00:14:25.43\00:14:28.53
in the past who said I
was not college material.
00:14:28.56\00:14:31.70
And my testimony is that
00:14:31.73\00:14:34.34
no matter what anyone tells you,
00:14:34.37\00:14:36.84
you never know what God can do.
00:14:36.87\00:14:39.37
And that's why I say,
"You can do all things
00:14:39.41\00:14:41.81
through Christ Jesus
who strengthens you."
00:14:41.84\00:14:44.51
And since that time, I've been
an educator now for 22 years.
00:14:44.55\00:14:48.95
In the way, so you
ended up-- you are a teacher.
00:14:48.98\00:14:51.52
Yes, I teach.
00:14:51.55\00:14:52.89
And people told him that
he would never get his degree.
00:14:52.92\00:14:55.19
Other teachers. Other teachers.
00:14:55.22\00:14:56.86
And you are a teacher. Right.
00:14:56.89\00:14:58.23
And that college professor,
I would never say his name,
00:14:58.26\00:15:01.56
and I see him a lot on
my weekend and I just smile.
00:15:01.60\00:15:05.47
You know, I shook his hand
00:15:05.50\00:15:07.94
in three commencement
services at Oakwood.
00:15:07.97\00:15:11.37
But God has been so
good to me all of my life,
00:15:11.41\00:15:15.84
from the time I
was born to even today.
00:15:15.88\00:15:19.71
I'm very busy and
active in the Adventist Church.
00:15:19.75\00:15:22.88
I believe that has kept me
along with God and His Spirit.
00:15:22.92\00:15:26.96
I wear mini hats.
00:15:26.99\00:15:28.46
I'm the chaplain
00:15:28.49\00:15:30.99
for the Motor
City Youth Federation.
00:15:31.03\00:15:34.00
I'm also an ordained Elder.
00:15:34.03\00:15:36.06
I have been
ordained Elder in my church,
00:15:36.10\00:15:38.83
in Seventh-day Adventist
Church for 20 years now.
00:15:38.87\00:15:42.80
I'm the education
leader in my church.
00:15:42.84\00:15:46.41
I'm on the Peterson-Warren
Academy, School board.
00:15:46.44\00:15:51.11
Just I can't get enough.
00:15:51.15\00:15:53.42
Can't get enough. God bless.
00:15:53.45\00:15:54.78
So what happened to
the pretty lady you met
00:15:54.82\00:15:56.75
at Kentucky Fried Chicken?
00:15:56.79\00:15:58.15
Well unfortunately,
she left the church.
00:15:58.19\00:16:02.82
And that was very sad for me.
I began to send her literature.
00:16:02.86\00:16:07.96
I enrolled her into
the Message magazine.
00:16:08.00\00:16:10.87
I sent her tracks.
00:16:10.90\00:16:12.80
I would pray for her
00:16:12.83\00:16:14.64
and even today I
continue to pray for her
00:16:14.67\00:16:17.51
that one day she
would come back to--
00:16:17.54\00:16:19.67
She is in this area?
00:16:19.71\00:16:21.21
Yes, she lives
in the Detroit area.
00:16:21.24\00:16:24.11
And, you know, I just
continue to pray for her.
00:16:24.15\00:16:28.15
And you know, and the Lord
blessed you, however you know,
00:16:28.18\00:16:30.95
with a beautiful wife,
two beautiful children,
00:16:30.99\00:16:33.49
a son now at Oakwood.
00:16:33.52\00:16:34.99
Yes, my son is at
Oakwood University.
00:16:35.02\00:16:37.06
And is he enjoying
himself? He loves it.
00:16:37.09\00:16:39.09
He says, " Dad,"
he says, "I love it."
00:16:39.13\00:16:41.20
And he says,
"It's easy right now
00:16:41.23\00:16:42.83
but I know it's
going to get harder."
00:16:42.86\00:16:44.40
I say, " Yes son,
it's gonna get harder
00:16:44.43\00:16:46.10
but God will pull you through."
00:16:46.13\00:16:48.07
And I was so proud of my son
00:16:48.10\00:16:49.77
because he was able to
receive some scholarships
00:16:49.80\00:16:53.34
from the United
Negro College Fund.
00:16:53.38\00:16:55.34
I mean God blessed him so much.
00:16:55.38\00:16:58.25
In September he
received a scholarship
00:16:58.28\00:17:00.32
from UNCF for 6,000.
00:17:00.35\00:17:03.05
And then two weeks later
00:17:03.08\00:17:04.52
he received another
scholarship for 5000.
00:17:04.55\00:17:07.52
And then he
received a scholarship
00:17:07.56\00:17:09.69
from Oakwood
University for $25,000
00:17:09.72\00:17:14.20
to cover the four years.
00:17:14.23\00:17:15.70
And let me just go back.
00:17:15.73\00:17:17.07
UNCF is United
Negro College Fund
00:17:17.10\00:17:19.73
and that supports
our United Negro college,
00:17:19.77\00:17:23.07
black colleges.
00:17:23.10\00:17:24.54
And so that fund
is a instrumental
00:17:24.57\00:17:26.68
helping our young black
students get through school.
00:17:26.71\00:17:29.84
This is. This is
really amazing story.
00:17:29.88\00:17:32.95
I guess my story
is similar to yours,
00:17:32.98\00:17:35.42
you know, where we talk
about being in high school
00:17:35.45\00:17:38.92
and being told that you
never could be college material.
00:17:38.95\00:17:42.86
And yet just keep
going and you keep going.
00:17:42.89\00:17:45.36
You're right, never give up.
00:17:45.39\00:17:46.73
Never give up. Never give up.
00:17:46.76\00:17:48.10
But what I also
want to ask you is,
00:17:48.13\00:17:50.07
tell us about the
time that you and Kim
00:17:50.10\00:17:52.37
went down to Down
South and she went to jail.
00:17:52.40\00:17:56.24
Who said I went to
jail. I never went to jail.
00:17:56.27\00:17:59.91
Could you tell the story?
Elder Larry, tell the story.
00:17:59.94\00:18:04.45
Well, we were traveling.
00:18:04.48\00:18:06.41
We were going back to Oakwood
00:18:06.45\00:18:09.12
and we stopped in
Nashville, Tennessee.
00:18:09.15\00:18:12.79
Now Kim and I of course,
00:18:12.82\00:18:14.29
we're from Detroit up
north we're northerners
00:18:14.32\00:18:16.62
and I guess Kim didn't
know her history too well.
00:18:16.66\00:18:19.69
We were in the
Deep South. Deep South.
00:18:19.73\00:18:21.46
And things are
different in the South.
00:18:21.50\00:18:22.86
In the 70s.
00:18:22.90\00:18:24.23
Yes, especially in the 70s.
00:18:24.27\00:18:25.60
I know, you know, the
voters' rights and things
00:18:25.63\00:18:28.07
that we're happening but still
in certain parts of the South
00:18:28.10\00:18:30.81
in the early 70s,
in the mid 70s as well.
00:18:30.84\00:18:34.18
There was still a lot
of racism and prejudice.
00:18:34.21\00:18:37.05
And so I knew
where I was at then.
00:18:37.08\00:18:39.68
Kim, I tell you we
were at the bus station.
00:18:39.71\00:18:44.29
I think, was it? Trailways.
00:18:44.32\00:18:46.89
Okay we were transferring to get
00:18:46.92\00:18:48.72
the bus in
Nashville to Huntsville.
00:18:48.76\00:18:51.96
And that's where the
police picked you up?
00:18:51.99\00:18:53.36
Well, no, they
didn't pick her up.
00:18:53.40\00:18:54.73
You know, what Kim...
00:18:54.76\00:18:56.10
There was no wound or
anything for my wrist.
00:18:56.13\00:18:58.13
Kim was saying
something to the police officers
00:18:58.17\00:19:01.10
and I was saying, "Kim,
please, you know, just be quite.
00:19:01.14\00:19:04.31
Don't say anything.
00:19:04.34\00:19:05.67
I said, we are in
a South you need to,"
00:19:05.71\00:19:07.44
and you know, and
she was, you know,
00:19:07.48\00:19:10.21
I think I told
the policeman there,
00:19:10.25\00:19:12.68
she was a little
touchy or something
00:19:12.71\00:19:14.12
and she hadn't
had her medication.
00:19:14.15\00:19:15.85
He did. I was praying.
00:19:15.88\00:19:17.55
Because I want
to get to Oakwood.
00:19:17.59\00:19:19.35
I didn't want to be
stuck in jail somewhere.
00:19:19.39\00:19:23.22
You know, we got to in.
00:19:23.26\00:19:24.59
I said, "Officer please,
00:19:24.63\00:19:25.96
you know, just
don't pay any attention.
00:19:25.99\00:19:28.20
She is a little touch, you know.
00:19:28.23\00:19:29.93
We're students going to
Oakwood in Huntsville, Alabama.
00:19:29.96\00:19:34.64
And we're just trying to
and please, and I said, "Kim,
00:19:34.67\00:19:37.44
please be quite."
00:19:37.47\00:19:38.81
And you know Kim.
She likes to talk...
00:19:38.84\00:19:40.41
How I do know
that. I said, Kim...
00:19:40.44\00:19:42.38
Hey, even you know,
I have a valid point.
00:19:42.41\00:19:44.75
And when that two
police officers came up to us
00:19:44.78\00:19:49.05
we're minding our own business.
00:19:49.08\00:19:50.69
Yes, we were. But
I told, "Man, listen.
00:19:50.72\00:19:52.05
I'm from Detroit.
00:19:52.09\00:19:53.42
We're not going
for that. All right."
00:19:53.46\00:19:55.22
But we were not in
Detroit at that time.
00:19:55.26\00:19:56.86
Lord, have mercy.
Things were different.
00:19:56.89\00:19:58.23
And so he said, he
was gonna lock me up.
00:19:58.26\00:20:00.56
He said, "I will take
you, right now, to jail."
00:20:00.60\00:20:02.36
I said, "You're
not taking me anywhere.
00:20:02.40\00:20:03.73
I got rights."
00:20:03.77\00:20:05.10
That's when Larry,
Larry, that Elder came out.
00:20:05.13\00:20:07.60
"Kim, you need to be quiet."
No, I don't have to be quite.
00:20:07.64\00:20:09.97
And I get all loud.
00:20:10.01\00:20:11.34
You know, how we
shake our heads and things.
00:20:11.37\00:20:13.14
But the Lord intervened
00:20:13.17\00:20:14.58
and I was able
to get on that bus.
00:20:14.61\00:20:15.98
Praise the lord. Oh,
Larry, thank you very much.
00:20:16.01\00:20:17.81
I mean, this--
00:20:17.85\00:20:19.18
Well, she could
have a criminal record.
00:20:19.21\00:20:20.55
Yes, I know.
You know, she could.
00:20:20.58\00:20:22.32
You know, I want to clear it up,
00:20:22.35\00:20:23.69
I have no criminal records.
00:20:23.72\00:20:25.22
No warrants for my arrest.
00:20:25.25\00:20:26.59
I have a valid driver's license.
00:20:26.62\00:20:27.96
Thank the Lord. But
you almost went to jail.
00:20:27.99\00:20:29.49
That was how many years ago.
00:20:29.52\00:20:31.39
And we made it through
school. We made it through.
00:20:31.43\00:20:33.40
Working and being
diligent, you know.
00:20:33.43\00:20:36.06
Larry was like my protector.
00:20:36.10\00:20:37.43
He's my big
brother. He's my protector.
00:20:37.47\00:20:38.80
Because you had
criminal potential.
00:20:38.83\00:20:41.77
You know, in school
Oakwood university again,
00:20:41.80\00:20:43.64
is in Huntsville, Alabama
00:20:43.67\00:20:45.01
is one of our
Seventh-day Adventist schools,
00:20:45.04\00:20:47.51
our college of higher education.
00:20:47.54\00:20:49.61
And I think that
it was so important
00:20:49.64\00:20:53.31
because we have to stay together
00:20:53.35\00:20:54.68
because we were from Detroit.
00:20:54.72\00:20:56.85
And the school was in the south
00:20:56.89\00:20:58.22
and we had gone
to school in Detroit.
00:20:58.25\00:21:00.09
Yes. And things
were very different.
00:21:00.12\00:21:01.99
But yes, Larry helped
me to stay and to control.
00:21:02.02\00:21:03.93
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:21:03.96\00:21:05.99
And I was very, you know,
00:21:06.03\00:21:08.00
he'd say, now we
gotta things right.
00:21:08.03\00:21:09.46
We gotta make sure.
00:21:09.50\00:21:10.83
Decently in... Yes.
00:21:10.87\00:21:12.20
He said, now we're not
going to be lose the control.
00:21:12.23\00:21:14.40
And we have to
make it to Oakwood.
00:21:14.44\00:21:15.77
Oh, yes it is.
00:21:15.80\00:21:17.14
"We got to, Kim, we've,
come to far to turn around now."
00:21:17.17\00:21:19.44
That's right. I know.
00:21:19.47\00:21:20.81
That's my song too,
"we've come this far by faith."
00:21:20.84\00:21:22.91
Sing a little of that. Go ahead.
00:21:22.94\00:21:24.71
We've come this far by faith
00:21:24.75\00:21:30.02
Yes, Lord Leaning on the LORD
00:21:30.05\00:21:36.16
That's our
testimony. That's our testimony.
00:21:36.19\00:21:38.09
We can't look back now.
00:21:38.13\00:21:39.46
Praise the God.
We can't look back.
00:21:39.49\00:21:40.83
We have been
moving forward ever since.
00:21:40.86\00:21:42.40
That was about five
years. God has blessed us.
00:21:42.43\00:21:44.07
Yes, he has.
00:21:44.10\00:21:45.43
Wait, we're even
almost neighbors,
00:21:45.47\00:21:46.80
live in the same community.
00:21:46.84\00:21:48.17
That's true.
Isn't that beautiful?
00:21:48.20\00:21:49.70
We have the same
zip code. And then we...
00:21:49.74\00:21:53.81
You know, okay, I
want to know though
00:21:53.84\00:21:56.48
how did you meet your wife
Pam because her grandmother...
00:21:56.51\00:21:59.81
I met her at church. At Burns?
00:21:59.85\00:22:01.48
That's right. When
you visit other woman?
00:22:01.52\00:22:03.59
Pardon me.
00:22:03.62\00:22:04.95
Were you there
visiting with other woman?
00:22:04.99\00:22:06.32
No, no no no.
00:22:06.35\00:22:07.69
Oh, you were
single at that time?
00:22:07.72\00:22:09.06
I was single.
00:22:09.09\00:22:10.43
Because her grandmother,
00:22:10.46\00:22:11.79
my grandmother
were best friends.
00:22:11.83\00:22:13.16
Exactly, that's true. See
that's another connection.
00:22:13.19\00:22:14.53
That's right. See.
00:22:14.56\00:22:15.90
And I remember when you came
and you said on the back row,
00:22:15.93\00:22:17.27
I was like, "
What 're you doing?"
00:22:17.30\00:22:18.83
And you were
saying, "I'm dating Pam."
00:22:18.87\00:22:20.20
And I said, "Oh, really."
I said, " This is nice."
00:22:20.24\00:22:23.00
Yeah, I met my wife at church.
00:22:23.04\00:22:25.11
Excellent. At church.
00:22:25.14\00:22:26.47
And it's been a
blessing ever since.
00:22:26.51\00:22:28.41
You're still in church.
00:22:28.44\00:22:29.78
I have two beautiful
children Micah, Genai.
00:22:29.81\00:22:33.25
See and we have a Micah.
00:22:33.28\00:22:34.98
See that's how
I name my daughter
00:22:35.02\00:22:37.22
because Kim's
daughter was Micah.
00:22:37.25\00:22:39.35
And I said to the Lord,
"Lord if I have a daughter,
00:22:39.39\00:22:41.99
I want to name her Micah."
00:22:42.02\00:22:43.43
Because I like that name, I
just like the way it sounds.
00:22:43.46\00:22:45.79
And it's
Biblical. It's Biblical.
00:22:45.83\00:22:47.36
And it means like Yahweh.
00:22:47.40\00:22:48.96
Yes. Like Yahweh.
00:22:49.00\00:22:50.33
Yes. I named my son Immanuel.
00:22:50.37\00:22:52.43
I didn't wanna
put Larry Lee Key.
00:22:52.47\00:22:54.34
That little-- I
wanted something different.
00:22:54.37\00:22:57.27
So I named him
Immanuel, Immanuel Joseph.
00:22:57.31\00:23:00.98
We call him EJ for short. EJ.
00:23:01.01\00:23:03.18
But I wanted to
name him Immanuel
00:23:03.21\00:23:05.31
because Immanuel
means God with us.
00:23:05.35\00:23:07.48
And I wanted him--
every time I see my son
00:23:07.52\00:23:09.72
it reminds me
that God is with us.
00:23:09.75\00:23:11.32
Now, let me ask you a question.
00:23:11.35\00:23:12.69
Of all your friends, I
know, you have many friends.
00:23:12.72\00:23:14.06
And you know, we have many
associates but very few friends
00:23:14.09\00:23:17.16
and I can count
mine on one hand.
00:23:17.19\00:23:19.49
Arthur, you are
on the other hand.
00:23:19.53\00:23:20.86
That's all right. You
know what, I love you.
00:23:20.90\00:23:22.23
I love you baby.
00:23:22.26\00:23:23.60
That's a shame. Now
you're my best friend.
00:23:23.63\00:23:24.97
I know.
00:23:25.00\00:23:26.33
I had to get you
back for that beauty mark.
00:23:26.37\00:23:27.70
All right.
00:23:27.74\00:23:29.07
But listen, out
of all my friends
00:23:29.10\00:23:31.37
outside of my best friend,
00:23:31.41\00:23:33.17
you know, you and I have
so many links and connections.
00:23:33.21\00:23:38.18
And when I ran for Detroit City
Council, you were right there.
00:23:38.21\00:23:41.45
Oh, yeah.
00:23:41.48\00:23:42.82
You're not voting
for me, staying with me.
00:23:42.85\00:23:44.19
You're my sister.
00:23:44.22\00:23:45.55
Remember when
President Obama first ran,
00:23:45.59\00:23:47.19
we were in line
together singing,
00:23:47.22\00:23:48.72
"We Shall Overcome." You
know, Larry likes my voice.
00:23:48.76\00:23:52.39
He said Kim start the song.
00:23:52.43\00:23:53.76
Oh, I like your voice too.
00:23:53.80\00:23:55.30
Sang at Oakwood. It
was all over the place.
00:23:55.33\00:23:57.23
I just don't
like it when you sing.
00:23:57.27\00:23:59.57
Anyway, you know, I tell
you, that I just wanna say
00:23:59.60\00:24:03.20
that I truly have
appreciated your friendship,
00:24:03.24\00:24:06.71
your love and, you
know, it's just wonderful,
00:24:06.74\00:24:11.71
he just say, you are my
friend, true friend, you know.
00:24:11.75\00:24:15.68
Friendship is
special. It's very special.
00:24:15.72\00:24:17.92
And you know, since I've
been in a church, you know,
00:24:17.95\00:24:21.66
you've always been a
support to me as well.
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.13
Oh, thank you. You know.
00:24:24.16\00:24:25.49
I'm sorry to
interrupt you. Another link.
00:24:25.53\00:24:27.83
It was Larry's recommendation
that we were recommended
00:24:27.86\00:24:31.43
for Family Life Directors.
00:24:31.47\00:24:32.80
Oh, well, okay,
he recommended you
00:24:32.83\00:24:36.17
but that they wanted me too.
00:24:36.20\00:24:38.41
It was a couple, I mean, I was
on the lake region conference
00:24:38.44\00:24:43.45
executive committee at the time.
00:24:43.48\00:24:45.61
And we came to a point where
00:24:45.65\00:24:48.35
we had to vote
on some individuals
00:24:48.38\00:24:51.65
for Family Life
for the conference.
00:24:51.69\00:24:53.66
And you know, I
thought about you.
00:24:53.69\00:24:56.02
You were well qualified
00:24:56.06\00:24:58.46
and I know you had
done work with counseling.
00:24:58.49\00:25:01.70
And so it was just a given.
00:25:01.73\00:25:03.40
I mean because of our
friendship, that was one thing
00:25:03.43\00:25:07.67
but I knew that you were
qualified and God had given you
00:25:07.70\00:25:10.51
and both of you the
gift of what you are doing.
00:25:10.54\00:25:13.68
You do a tremendous job doing
and traveling all over in that.
00:25:13.71\00:25:17.38
And I knew and I wanted a
family, I wanted a couple.
00:25:17.41\00:25:22.22
I just didn't
want one individual,
00:25:22.25\00:25:24.62
with that type of position
00:25:24.65\00:25:26.62
for the whole entire conference.
00:25:26.65\00:25:28.26
And so when I thought
about it and I prayed about it
00:25:28.29\00:25:30.96
and the executive committee
we voted, you are through.
00:25:30.99\00:25:34.36
I just want to say thank
you because I have truly enjoyed
00:25:34.40\00:25:37.80
these 7 years thus far.
00:25:37.83\00:25:39.60
Yes. And all the
people we have met.
00:25:39.63\00:25:43.44
That the most important thing.
00:25:43.47\00:25:44.81
Oh, my God and the ministry,
00:25:44.84\00:25:46.17
you know, we were
just in Minnesota,
00:25:46.21\00:25:48.38
Our New Year's
ministering for Family Life
00:25:48.41\00:25:51.45
there with Pastor Victor Wilson.
00:25:51.48\00:25:53.42
And the Sharon
Church and it was amazing.
00:25:53.45\00:25:56.05
It was cold up there.
00:25:56.08\00:25:57.92
And you know what pastor said.
00:25:57.95\00:25:59.85
He said, you know, "I
give kudos to the Nowlins
00:25:59.89\00:26:02.19
for being here in
this kind of weather."
00:26:02.22\00:26:04.16
When you love the Lord,
He says, "So send I you."
00:26:04.19\00:26:07.16
So, you know, Larry, I
mean, we could go down the list,
00:26:07.20\00:26:10.27
how we are connected.
We have a lot of history.
00:26:10.30\00:26:12.10
A lot of history.
00:26:12.13\00:26:13.60
Well, we get two minutes, Larry.
00:26:13.64\00:26:15.30
So what can you
offer... Our families?
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.31
Young people who are going
00:26:17.34\00:26:19.41
through trials and tribulations.
00:26:19.44\00:26:20.88
And may be experiencing
some of the difficulties
00:26:20.91\00:26:23.98
that you experienced
00:26:24.01\00:26:25.35
when they told you,
you could not make it?
00:26:25.38\00:26:28.18
My advice to the young people
is, never give up on yourself.
00:26:28.22\00:26:34.72
And never believe when
someone tells you, you can't.
00:26:34.76\00:26:38.99
You just trust in the
Lord. Ask God for His help.
00:26:39.03\00:26:43.40
And He will get you through
00:26:43.43\00:26:45.17
whatever that
your situation may be,
00:26:45.20\00:26:47.70
academically, spiritually,
financially and health.
00:26:47.74\00:26:51.74
Whatever you need, God is there.
00:26:51.77\00:26:53.11
Like I said, He's been with me
00:26:53.14\00:26:55.58
all my life since the beginning.
00:26:55.61\00:26:58.18
Way back when I
was just being born in
00:26:58.21\00:27:01.08
and God had, had His hands
00:27:01.12\00:27:02.88
and you never know
what a person can become.
00:27:02.92\00:27:06.65
Because God is the
beginning and the end.
00:27:06.69\00:27:11.23
And He knows everything.
00:27:11.26\00:27:13.03
And so my advice
is never let anyone
00:27:13.06\00:27:16.16
tell you what you can't do.
00:27:16.20\00:27:17.53
And "you can do all
things through Christ Jesus
00:27:17.57\00:27:19.43
who strengthens you."
00:27:19.47\00:27:20.80
Amen. Amen.
00:27:20.84\00:27:22.17
Well, listen, I want
to thank my dear friend,
00:27:22.20\00:27:23.67
Elder Larry Keys
for being with us today.
00:27:23.71\00:27:25.04
Absolutely. Thank you.
00:27:25.07\00:27:26.41
We love you.
00:27:26.44\00:27:27.78
We're so proud of you, you know.
00:27:27.81\00:27:29.14
I'm proud of you
too. Thank you so much.
00:27:29.18\00:27:31.01
And we're proud of you,
Arthur. Thank you very much Kim.
00:27:31.05\00:27:33.08
You're welcome.
00:27:33.11\00:27:34.45
I'm proud that you
didn't go to jail that day.
00:27:34.48\00:27:36.42
It... I didn't go jail.
00:27:36.45\00:27:40.49
And I thank God for Elder Keys.
00:27:40.52\00:27:42.69
So listen. May God bless you.
00:27:42.72\00:27:44.79
And may you
continue to make it work
00:27:44.83\00:27:46.29
and never give
up on your dreams.
00:27:46.33\00:27:48.86
Continue to go
for it in Jesus' name.
00:27:48.90\00:27:51.27
I'm Dr. Kim Logan Nowlin.
00:27:51.30\00:27:52.63
I'm Arthur Nowlin. God bless.
00:27:52.67\00:27:54.10