This is 3ABN Now with
John and Rosemary Malkiewycz.
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Hello, and
welcome to the program.
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We are really glad
you've joined us as usual
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and we're very
grateful for those people
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who contact us about
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how much they enjoy the programs
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and the different
people that we speak with.
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It's very encouraging. It is.
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It's extremely encouraging
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and we love to
get those messages.
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Thank you so much,
for what you say to us.
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And about the people
that we have on this program,
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we are really
grateful for your feedback.
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Today, we have
a couple of people
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who have been here before,
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Bruce and Maxine
Hill, from Crosslands
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Youth and
Convention Centre in Sydney.
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They're natives of
Invercargill in New Zealand
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and they are back today
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to continue to
tell us their story.
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In fact, we're going
to do a bit of recap,
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and then we're
going to talk about
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what you are
doing at Crosslands.
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Great. Yeah.
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It's a beautiful
place in that gully.
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You have to go down
that gap. Isn't it, the road?
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Yeah, the Berowra Valley.
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Yeah, it's very, very beautiful.
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And Berowra National Park.
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And so we're gonna talk
about that too but, John?
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Bruce has a
text that he's chosen
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and it's found in Isaiah
41:10 and it reads like this,
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"Fear thou not,
for I am with thee,
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be not dismayed,
for I am thy God.
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I will strengthen thee,
yea, I will help thee, yea,
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I will uphold thee
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with the right hand
of my righteousness."
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That's a really
encouraging text in the Bible
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and I know that's something
meaningful to you, Bruce.
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So just tells us a little
bit of how you hang on to that.
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Well, it's
pretty self-explanatory
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that text, doesn't it?
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It says it all, it
sums it up pretty well and,
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you know, what
we've been through
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and I guess, what
we're gonna go through
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as that text
gives you encouragement.
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Doesn't that? Yeah.
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That's right. "Fear not."
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There's a lot of people
in the world that are fearing
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what's happening all around them
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and sometimes when we
only think of the area
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that where we are working
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and the fears
associated with it,
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we really don't comprehend,
but one thing is certain.
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No matter whether
it's where you work
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or what's happening
around you in the world,
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we don't have to fear
because God is in control
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and that's a very
encouraging thought.
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"Fear thou not,
for I am with thee."
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Now Maxine has a verse.
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I said, what is the verse
you chose for the program?
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She said, Jeremiah
29:11, it's my verse.
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So I'm gonna
read Maxine's verse.
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Jeremiah 29:11 and it says
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and it's very well-known,
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"For I know the thoughts that
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I think toward
you, saith the Lord,
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thoughts of
peace, and not of evil,
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to give you an expected end."
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It's a beautiful
verse. Why is that your verse?
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That is my verse because
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there have been times
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where it's been
quite a struggle.
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I feel like it's
God's reminder to me
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that He has plans for my future.
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Whenever I have
doubt, I pull it out.
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When I first went to Crosslands,
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I had it in my back pocket.
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I don't know how it got there,
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but in my darkest moments,
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I would pull it
out and read it daily,
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and then it wore
out, and then in the mail,
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a young lady who
wrote for my husband,
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sent me the same text on a card
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and I put it back in my pocket
where it did its work again.
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And she didn't know that
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you had been using
that verse before, did she?
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No. She didn't know.
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And it was the third
time you got that verse?
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It was the third time I got it.
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A client that we were leaving
and she wanted to thank Bruce
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and I for making
these stays enjoyable
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and just for the work
that we did at Crosslands.
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They were a group that
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weren't a church
associated group.
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They bought me a
plaque and when I opened it,
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I was like just shocked
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and so I was able
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to tell her the story
and say that, you know,
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God has a sense of humor.
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So now that plaque is
above my door, in my office.
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So I look directly at it.
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It's a constant reminder that
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when I'm doubtful and wonder
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why I'm still
doing what I'm doing,
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that God has plans for me.
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Plans of good and not of evil.
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Exactly.
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I like the thought,
Maxine, of an expected end.
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Most people, some viewers,
may not really understand,
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but when we give
our lives to Jesus
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and we do all we can to fulfill
what He's called us to do,
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there's an expected end.
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And it's not here on this
earth per se as it is now.
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It's eternal life
to be forever with God.
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That's why I
believe, a lot of us do
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what we do
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because God has
revealed to us that
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this world is
not your final home,
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there's another one.
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That's the expected end,
if we are faithful to Jesus,
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fits in with
your text too, Bruce.
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Now I wanna go to you, Bruce,
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because you're gonna tell us,
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we're gonna do a bit of a recap
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on how you got here to
Australia from Invercargill
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and the very, for
those who don't know,
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the very south
of the South Island
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of New Zealand is...
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You can't go much further south
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without getting
to the Antarctica.
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That's right.
Well, you could slip off.
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There's a lot of ice
down there, isn't there?
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So start us off
why you were actually
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even wanting to
leave Invercargill
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where you'd always lived.
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Okay, I guess, that
the real recap the viewers
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will probably have to go back
and watch the other program.
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That's right.
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But lead up to that, we got,
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we're in business for
26 years and of course
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the global financial crisis hit.
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And made it very difficult
and at the very same time,
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there was some
changes in our local church
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which also made
life very difficult.
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And I just
wanted to change life,
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really, just take a
different step sideways,
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and so we tried
selling our house
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and business quite a
number of times, didn't work.
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In fact, we had a number
of buyers for our business,
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they would take
all the books away
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to the accountant and
they'd come back and say,
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"Well, it looks good," you know,
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but for the
most bizarre reasons,
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they would just walk away.
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We couldn't figure that out.
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Everything added up,
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but just for the
weirdest reasons,
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and in hindsight now,
we know that God's time
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wasn't then for us.
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That's
frustrating though, isn't it?
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Absolutely, at
the time, you just,
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you can't figure it out
'cause none of it makes sense.
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How did you feel, Maxine,
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that people would just
come and they'd just walk away?
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I thought we were
living in limbo for years,
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you know, it's like,
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it actually stops
you from moving forward
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even in your
current circumstances.
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And you can't step back,
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you can't stay where you
are, you can't go forward.
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You're sort of
just... Just waiting.
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It's like being in an airplane
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in a holding
pattern going around,
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around and around and
you're running out of fuel.
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Absolutely.
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Yeah. Yeah.
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There is a story,
part of that process,
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we signed our house up.
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Who was a...
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Mary Trust came to Invercargill
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and they bought
a few properties.
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They wanted some nice properties
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and ours was one of
those they signed up for.
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They were cash buyers,
signed all the documents,
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and the real
estate agent come to do
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the finalization of the process
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and the buyers,
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he couldn't contact
them, couldn't find them.
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So it was such a big
deal for him anyway that
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he actually flew
to Palmerston North
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where this trust was placed.
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And that's in the
North Island? Yes.
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So he flew there, but
he couldn't find them.
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They actually disappeared.
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Really? It was totally bizarre.
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And they'd bought up
other properties as well
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and they didn't go
through with anything?
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Nothing. Wow.
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It was weird, but anyway
that's just another situation
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that we had that it absolutely
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wasn't God's timing.
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So yeah, that was pretty weird,
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and we had that
time and time again.
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There was the time
when we wanted to sell,
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at least buy a building
and the same sort of thing
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happened with that,
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which I'll tell you a little bit
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more about as we get
into the story some more.
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Okay, so one day you
decided to pray and...
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Well, that's
what I was gonna say.
00:10:09.84\00:10:11.17
What do you do when you're
not, things are happening?
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Yeah, well, when
things weren't happening,
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I thought, "Well,
I'll put God to the test."
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Because, you know,
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there's this story
in the Bible where,
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you know, they
put the fleece out
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and it was dry in the morning
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and I thought I
would try that trick.
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Did you get a fleece?
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There's a lot of
sheep in New Zealand.
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Yeah. No, I didn't try a fleece.
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What I did was, as
I mentioned before,
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this was the time of,
you know, financial crisis.
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Normally, we would
have, in good times,
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sort of about 20 jobs a day.
00:10:53.18\00:10:55.72
So what I thought I would
do is I prayed in the morning
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as it was when I
normally have it.
00:11:00.49\00:11:03.43
I had a time set
up on my computer.
00:11:03.46\00:11:05.86
A reminder would pop up
9 o' clock every morning.
00:11:05.89\00:11:08.70
I would shut the
door to my office
00:11:08.73\00:11:10.20
and I would pray
specifically for my business.
00:11:10.23\00:11:14.90
This morning I
thought I would pray
00:11:14.94\00:11:17.41
and ask for a sign from
God and I said to God, I said,
00:11:17.44\00:11:21.98
"Today, give me 10 jobs, God,"
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and as I said,
this was at a time
00:11:25.41\00:11:29.48
when things were
tough and on a good day,
00:11:29.52\00:11:31.69
it might be three
jobs at that time.
00:11:31.72\00:11:33.86
So I thought,
00:11:33.89\00:11:35.22
"Nothing is
impossible for You, God.
00:11:35.26\00:11:36.89
Give me 10 jobs today
00:11:36.93\00:11:38.36
if You want us to
stay here in Invercargill,
00:11:38.39\00:11:41.60
but if You want us to
leave, give me no jobs, zero."
00:11:41.63\00:11:45.60
So that was my test.
00:11:45.63\00:11:47.67
I went and told my staff.
00:11:47.70\00:11:49.60
I told them what
I'd ask God that day
00:11:49.64\00:11:52.67
and they were all
pretty keen to find out
00:11:52.71\00:11:54.31
what happened at
the end of the day.
00:11:54.34\00:11:56.71
So come 5 o' clock, I
went and asked Brodie,
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the girl that was
looking after the shop.
00:12:01.08\00:12:04.92
I said, "How many jobs
did we get today, Brodie?"
00:12:04.95\00:12:07.39
And she said, "Seven."
00:12:07.42\00:12:09.79
I said, "Oh, well,
that's interesting."
00:12:09.82\00:12:11.43
So I rang the other
shop and asked Corey,
00:12:11.46\00:12:13.83
I said, "How many jobs
did you get today, Corey?"
00:12:13.86\00:12:16.70
"Three."
00:12:16.73\00:12:18.93
And so I thought,
"Well, that's pretty clear,
00:12:18.97\00:12:21.90
10 jobs."
00:12:21.94\00:12:23.44
So be a minute later phone rung
00:12:23.47\00:12:27.64
and Corey was on
the phone and he said,
00:12:27.68\00:12:32.41
when I hung up he
said, "I found another job."
00:12:32.45\00:12:35.22
And he said, "I thought
about not telling you because,
00:12:35.25\00:12:39.45
you know, I knew
what was happening,"
00:12:39.49\00:12:41.39
but he said, "I
knew I was dealing
00:12:41.42\00:12:43.32
with someone way bigger than me.
00:12:43.36\00:12:45.86
So I thought I
better tell the truth."
00:12:45.89\00:12:48.46
So he said, "I
found one more job."
00:12:48.50\00:12:50.00
And he said...
00:12:50.03\00:12:51.53
So I said to God, I
said, "You've given me 11.
00:12:51.57\00:12:55.10
So what's that
about? I asked for 10."
00:12:55.14\00:12:57.37
And I was
speaking to someone later
00:12:57.41\00:12:59.04
and they said, "You clown!"
00:12:59.07\00:13:00.58
He said, "God gave
you one for tithe."
00:13:00.61\00:13:05.11
I was gonna say,
"You're complaining?"
00:13:05.15\00:13:07.72
Yeah, so and that
brings me to tithe now,
00:13:07.75\00:13:13.22
you know, if you read your Bible
00:13:13.25\00:13:15.16
and you read Malachi 3:8-18
00:13:15.19\00:13:19.49
it tells us about tithe...
00:13:19.53\00:13:23.10
That's returning to the Lord
00:13:23.13\00:13:24.50
what He has given to
you and you are giving back.
00:13:24.53\00:13:28.10
Absolutely.
00:13:28.14\00:13:29.54
Now I'm probably a
little blunt when I say this,
00:13:29.57\00:13:32.91
but if you don't pay
tithe, then and the Bible says,
00:13:32.94\00:13:36.41
you shouldn't
call people a fool,
00:13:36.44\00:13:37.91
but I think if you
don't pay for tithe,
00:13:37.95\00:13:40.45
you're a fool
'cause when tithe...
00:13:40.48\00:13:44.05
This is the only
place in the Bible
00:13:44.09\00:13:45.89
where God says, "Test Me."
00:13:45.92\00:13:49.09
And if you don't
test Him on this one
00:13:49.12\00:13:52.43
then it's just incredible
00:13:52.46\00:13:54.40
what God does
when you pay a tithe.
00:13:54.43\00:13:56.77
It's a step in faith.
00:13:56.80\00:13:58.63
It's a step in
trusting God, isn't it?
00:13:58.67\00:14:00.90
'Cause sometimes if
you don't have a lot,
00:14:00.94\00:14:03.71
paying tithe can just seem like,
00:14:03.74\00:14:06.54
"This is gonna
actually break me."
00:14:06.57\00:14:08.31
Yeah.
00:14:08.34\00:14:09.68
And yet when you
do it, you see that,
00:14:09.71\00:14:14.28
"Hey, hang on, I
can survive without it."
00:14:14.32\00:14:16.65
You know, history reveals that
00:14:16.69\00:14:18.02
Jewish people
where tithe paying people
00:14:18.05\00:14:20.82
and you go anywhere,
00:14:20.86\00:14:22.26
you always Jews always got money
00:14:22.29\00:14:24.16
and have everything,
have been blessed of God,
00:14:24.19\00:14:27.00
that's what
actually it says in Malachi.
00:14:27.03\00:14:30.87
"God will bless you."
00:14:30.90\00:14:32.33
So, you know, you are foolish
00:14:32.37\00:14:34.40
if you don't
realize that, you know,
00:14:34.44\00:14:37.61
God invests in you,
you return, what happens?
00:14:37.64\00:14:41.31
There's nothing more than
God wants to do, is bless you.
00:14:41.34\00:14:44.85
So give generously and
the Lord will bless you.
00:14:44.88\00:14:47.98
And the crazy
thing about that is,
00:14:48.02\00:14:50.09
it should be the first thing
you pay out of your pay packet.
00:14:50.12\00:14:55.19
It should be the
first thing comes out,
00:14:55.22\00:14:56.73
not the last and,
00:14:56.76\00:14:58.43
you know, the silly thing is,
00:14:58.46\00:15:00.16
if you wanted to
crunch the numbers,
00:15:00.20\00:15:03.23
sometimes they just don't work.
00:15:03.26\00:15:05.30
You would get to the
end of week and you think,
00:15:05.33\00:15:07.27
"How did I ever
afford to do that?"
00:15:07.30\00:15:10.14
And it just, they don't add up,
but God somehow makes it work.
00:15:10.17\00:15:15.24
It's just bizarre.
00:15:15.28\00:15:17.15
You know, one of the
most beautiful stories
00:15:17.18\00:15:18.88
I hear, quite often,
00:15:18.91\00:15:22.48
as those in
business who have paid tithe,
00:15:22.52\00:15:27.69
they've stepped
out and paid tithe
00:15:27.72\00:15:29.26
and saying God
blessed their businesses,
00:15:29.29\00:15:32.43
and then they have decided,
00:15:32.46\00:15:34.76
well, I'll pay a second tithe
00:15:34.80\00:15:38.77
and I'll put it
towards something,
00:15:38.80\00:15:40.54
some ministry or something
00:15:40.57\00:15:43.20
and God blesses them so much,
00:15:43.24\00:15:45.64
they pay a third
tithe and some of them
00:15:45.67\00:15:47.24
are paying 50 percent
of their income in tithe
00:15:47.28\00:15:49.98
because just God
has continued to bless
00:15:50.01\00:15:52.08
their
ministries, their businesses
00:15:52.11\00:15:54.22
as they've
continued to pay more tithe,
00:15:54.25\00:15:57.05
more, above 10
percent and God is giving them
00:15:57.09\00:16:01.29
even bigger blessings.
00:16:01.32\00:16:02.66
You can't out-give God.
00:16:02.69\00:16:04.39
That's right. You can't.
00:16:04.43\00:16:06.56
Yeah, those stories
to me are just amazing,
00:16:06.59\00:16:08.26
but I've heard many of them.
00:16:08.30\00:16:09.66
So what about
00:16:09.70\00:16:11.03
these
international students, Maxine?
00:16:11.07\00:16:13.54
You know, he's in business,
00:16:13.57\00:16:15.37
but you are doing
also something, aren't you?
00:16:15.40\00:16:17.17
You're taking in
international students?
00:16:17.21\00:16:20.08
Yeah, so I was...
00:16:20.11\00:16:23.21
They were just
part of our family,
00:16:23.24\00:16:25.98
so I was mum.
00:16:26.01\00:16:28.08
They came in their teen
ages, most of them for one year.
00:16:28.12\00:16:34.06
One of them for four years,
00:16:34.09\00:16:35.99
so she was just like a daughter.
00:16:36.02\00:16:40.06
They eventually go back
home and you say goodbye,
00:16:40.10\00:16:43.10
that's your
opportunity to be a witness.
00:16:43.13\00:16:45.40
It's really
difficult in some scenes
00:16:45.43\00:16:50.57
where, you know, their faith,
00:16:50.61\00:16:54.48
Buddhism, is inherent.
00:16:54.51\00:16:56.71
They don't know why they
do it, but they're very loyal
00:16:56.75\00:17:01.48
and faithful to
00:17:01.52\00:17:06.59
the symbolism of Buddhism,
00:17:06.62\00:17:09.06
but if you discuss it them,
00:17:09.09\00:17:11.89
they don't
necessarily understand
00:17:11.93\00:17:14.30
why they are doing things.
00:17:14.33\00:17:17.03
So we keep in contact
with some of the girls
00:17:17.07\00:17:21.47
that have lived with us
still, they come and visit.
00:17:21.50\00:17:25.81
So yeah, it was an opportunity.
00:17:25.84\00:17:31.05
We had one daughter at
home for the last few years,
00:17:31.08\00:17:35.02
so it was nice to have
other girls in the house,
00:17:35.05\00:17:38.19
just for company.
00:17:38.22\00:17:39.55
Poor Bruce.
00:17:39.59\00:17:42.16
We got a couple of
pictures here, have we?
00:17:42.19\00:17:44.39
Oh, we got to hear
about the bank building again.
00:17:44.43\00:17:46.76
Yeah. Yeah.
00:17:46.80\00:17:48.13
Well, that was part of the story
00:17:48.16\00:17:49.66
that I just shared
really was the bank building
00:17:49.70\00:17:53.70
was the part of
the whole process
00:17:53.74\00:17:56.37
we wanted to sell...
00:17:56.40\00:17:57.74
That's it here.
Is it, Bruce? Yeah.
00:17:57.77\00:17:59.44
So we wanted to buy the bank
00:17:59.47\00:18:02.31
because once I got
that answer from God,
00:18:02.34\00:18:04.68
that was pretty clear
00:18:04.71\00:18:06.05
that we would
stay in Invercargill,
00:18:06.08\00:18:07.52
we thought it made
sense to own that building
00:18:07.55\00:18:10.82
'cause that's where we
had one of our businesses.
00:18:10.85\00:18:14.09
And the upstairs, we
were going to turn it
00:18:14.12\00:18:16.66
into an apartment
because, again, it made sense
00:18:16.69\00:18:19.96
because we had these students
and they love to be in town so,
00:18:20.00\00:18:25.33
and our house was out of
town which was a bit of a pain
00:18:25.37\00:18:28.64
'cause we have to
drive them back and forwards
00:18:28.67\00:18:31.07
and I was often a
taxi driver for that.
00:18:31.11\00:18:34.88
So it made sense
to buy that building
00:18:34.91\00:18:36.88
so we made an offer for it
00:18:36.91\00:18:40.58
which was a fair offer,
00:18:40.62\00:18:43.32
it had been on the
market for about two years
00:18:43.35\00:18:46.12
and had gone to auction
00:18:46.15\00:18:48.12
and been for sale
with no real interest.
00:18:48.16\00:18:52.46
And so we, as I
said, made the offer on it
00:18:52.49\00:18:55.46
the owner came back immediately
with a straight-out no.
00:18:55.50\00:19:01.67
And that's it,
which was pretty blunt.
00:19:01.70\00:19:06.01
So I thought,
"Wow, that was bizarre."
00:19:06.04\00:19:09.04
But we found out, well,
it sold two weeks later.
00:19:09.08\00:19:15.02
Again, pretty strange
00:19:15.05\00:19:16.69
because it had no
interest all that time,
00:19:16.72\00:19:19.75
and then it sold,
and then I found out
00:19:19.79\00:19:22.16
from the agent that it sold
00:19:22.19\00:19:23.83
for more than
what we had offered.
00:19:23.86\00:19:26.39
Less than we offered.
00:19:26.43\00:19:27.76
So it didn't make sense.
00:19:27.80\00:19:31.33
Again, questioning
God, "What's up, God?"
00:19:31.37\00:19:35.10
But it's all about His timing.
00:19:35.14\00:19:36.94
It wasn't our time so...
00:19:36.97\00:19:40.64
Yeah, sometimes I
think that our problems come
00:19:40.68\00:19:44.45
because we are
out of time with God.
00:19:44.48\00:19:47.18
Usually, when
something like that happens,
00:19:47.22\00:19:49.25
what do you do?
00:19:49.28\00:19:50.62
You go about, "Why God?"
00:19:50.65\00:19:52.39
So what did you do, you know?
00:19:52.42\00:19:55.42
Yeah, that's it.
00:19:55.46\00:19:57.49
As I said, I just questioned God
00:19:57.53\00:19:59.79
'cause I couldn't figure it out,
00:19:59.83\00:20:01.16
but he had a
plan, but at that time
00:20:01.20\00:20:05.67
we don't know what that was.
00:20:05.70\00:20:09.70
So what did you do?
00:20:09.74\00:20:12.27
What did you two
do in that situation?
00:20:12.31\00:20:14.71
Well, the interesting thing was,
00:20:14.74\00:20:16.08
we had our
business on the bottom level
00:20:16.11\00:20:18.21
of that building so
everything made sense to us.
00:20:18.25\00:20:22.92
So it just put us back
into that place where...
00:20:22.95\00:20:25.89
where to now?
00:20:25.92\00:20:27.26
So it was just more waiting,
00:20:27.29\00:20:29.62
you know, we didn't
have any other plans.
00:20:29.66\00:20:33.03
And were you
allowed to stay there
00:20:33.06\00:20:34.86
when it changed hands?
00:20:34.90\00:20:36.23
Did they want
to use the building
00:20:36.26\00:20:37.60
for something else?
00:20:37.63\00:20:38.97
Yeah, we were
part of the package,
00:20:39.00\00:20:40.34
but of course that's
where we were confused.
00:20:40.37\00:20:42.94
You offer...
00:20:42.97\00:20:44.31
Or the people that bought it
00:20:44.34\00:20:45.87
paid less than what you offered,
00:20:45.91\00:20:47.44
it just didn't make sense.
00:20:47.48\00:20:49.44
So we saw it as,
you know, a closed door.
00:20:49.48\00:20:54.38
Yeah.
00:20:54.42\00:20:55.75
So he rejected your offer?
00:20:55.78\00:20:57.85
Yeah, for a lesser
offer. And accepted one less.
00:20:57.89\00:20:59.79
Yeah.
00:20:59.82\00:21:01.16
One for more money,
for less money, sorry, yes.
00:21:01.19\00:21:03.83
Yeah.
00:21:03.86\00:21:05.19
Ah, how bizarre.
00:21:05.23\00:21:06.56
Yeah.
00:21:06.59\00:21:07.93
So what did you do then, Bruce?
00:21:07.96\00:21:12.23
Look, I was in a situation
00:21:12.27\00:21:16.44
where I just
was totally confused
00:21:16.47\00:21:22.41
and so I just,
00:21:22.44\00:21:24.15
one morning I
prayed to God and I
00:21:24.18\00:21:26.92
just surrendered
everything to Him
00:21:26.95\00:21:29.08
because I said, "I give up.
00:21:29.12\00:21:32.15
I don't know what's going on."
00:21:32.19\00:21:33.52
So I just handed everything back
00:21:33.56\00:21:36.12
to God and I said,
00:21:36.16\00:21:37.59
"I surrender everything to You,"
00:21:37.63\00:21:39.59
you know, "Everything
that You have blessed us with,
00:21:39.63\00:21:42.36
take it all and I'll do
00:21:42.40\00:21:44.27
whatever You want me to do.
00:21:44.30\00:21:45.63
I will go wherever
You want me to go."
00:21:45.67\00:21:47.77
And it was at that
point life changed.
00:21:47.80\00:21:53.14
'Cause I think
up until that point,
00:21:53.17\00:21:54.78
my wife calls me
00:21:54.81\00:21:57.55
I'm a bit stubborn and arrogant.
00:21:57.58\00:22:00.12
And I think I have been...
00:22:00.15\00:22:06.32
I've been that way with God.
00:22:06.35\00:22:07.99
And I think it wasn't till
that I surrendered to Him that
00:22:08.02\00:22:11.99
He thought,
"Okay, let's move on now.
00:22:12.03\00:22:14.90
You might have
learned your lesson."
00:22:14.93\00:22:16.67
Yeah, He puts us
through lessons for our good.
00:22:16.70\00:22:19.07
Yeah.
00:22:19.10\00:22:20.44
To show us what we're like,
00:22:20.47\00:22:21.80
to reveal to us things
that we need to let go of
00:22:21.84\00:22:24.27
or things we need to do that
00:22:24.31\00:22:25.67
we haven't been doing.
00:22:25.71\00:22:27.34
So when you did that,
00:22:27.38\00:22:30.78
did you get involved in
church things and stuff?
00:22:30.81\00:22:34.55
Yeah, as I said earlier,
00:22:34.58\00:22:36.89
we had some problems at church
00:22:36.92\00:22:40.19
for probably six
months, I didn't go to church
00:22:40.22\00:22:43.46
and because I would
drive down the drive
00:22:43.49\00:22:47.43
and I got to
the end of our drive
00:22:47.46\00:22:50.93
and there was
like a T-intersection.
00:22:50.97\00:22:52.83
I could either go right,
00:22:52.87\00:22:54.90
which was into
town to go to church
00:22:54.94\00:22:56.77
or go left and
that was to the beach.
00:22:56.81\00:23:02.54
If I turned right,
00:23:02.58\00:23:03.98
I would get a
knot in my stomach.
00:23:04.01\00:23:06.18
I would just, it
was not a nice feeling.
00:23:06.21\00:23:09.68
It was an awful time in my life,
00:23:09.72\00:23:13.22
just so many bad things
were happening at church
00:23:13.25\00:23:15.96
and in life in general
and so for about six months,
00:23:15.99\00:23:21.06
I chose to go
and jump on the kayak
00:23:21.10\00:23:24.30
and I took my Bible with
me, just searching for answers.
00:23:24.33\00:23:28.30
And I would paddle up the river,
00:23:28.34\00:23:30.17
and just sit and read my Bible
00:23:30.21\00:23:33.41
and I would go to work
on Monday morning, you know.
00:23:33.44\00:23:36.11
It's generally what people do.
00:23:36.14\00:23:38.55
They say, "What did
you do on the weekend?"
00:23:38.58\00:23:40.82
And my answer was,
"I went to heaven."
00:23:40.85\00:23:44.02
And they go, "What?"
00:23:44.05\00:23:48.02
But no, it was like heaven.
00:23:48.06\00:23:49.39
You would sit there
00:23:49.42\00:23:50.76
and there was fish
jumping around you,
00:23:50.79\00:23:53.03
the river was a like a mirror
00:23:53.06\00:23:55.26
and it was just you and God and,
00:23:55.30\00:23:58.40
you know, you read His word
00:23:58.43\00:23:59.77
and He speaks to you through it.
00:23:59.80\00:24:03.94
And so yeah, that's, I
spent quite a bit of time
00:24:03.97\00:24:07.24
just searching
God's Word for answers
00:24:07.28\00:24:09.44
as to what He
wanted with me and my life.
00:24:09.48\00:24:14.98
So yeah, and then I
got the opportunity or God,
00:24:15.02\00:24:20.72
I guess, forced
an opportunity on me
00:24:20.76\00:24:23.93
to take some Bible study classes
00:24:23.96\00:24:27.06
or Bible-marking
classes at church.
00:24:27.10\00:24:29.83
It's well worth
exercise to mark your Bible.
00:24:29.86\00:24:32.47
Yeah, so that's something
that challenged me a lot
00:24:32.50\00:24:36.44
because the test
that you do to find out
00:24:36.47\00:24:41.14
what your spiritual gifts are,
00:24:41.18\00:24:43.61
the very last thing
on my spiritual gift list
00:24:43.65\00:24:47.25
is teaching and but
I felt impressed that
00:24:47.28\00:24:51.52
God wanted me to do
this so I'd forced myself to.
00:24:51.55\00:24:55.32
And so those
who don't understand
00:24:55.36\00:24:57.23
what Bible-marking is,
it's to mark the Bible,
00:24:57.26\00:25:01.60
doctrines in your Bible
so that you could go through
00:25:01.63\00:25:05.77
a whole doctrine with
all the key texts to do
00:25:05.80\00:25:09.54
with it so that you could
00:25:09.57\00:25:11.01
then even teach
it to someone else.
00:25:11.04\00:25:12.37
That's right.
00:25:12.41\00:25:13.74
And you've got all
those different doctrines
00:25:13.78\00:25:15.21
marked in your Bible,
00:25:15.24\00:25:16.58
you can turn from
one text to another.
00:25:16.61\00:25:17.95
Yeah.
00:25:17.98\00:25:19.31
And it'd just lead
you from one to another
00:25:19.35\00:25:20.68
so you'll have the
next text marked beside it.
00:25:20.72\00:25:22.35
You train it together. Yes.
00:25:22.38\00:25:24.52
So it makes it nice and simple
00:25:24.55\00:25:27.29
so I took other people
00:25:27.32\00:25:29.49
that wanted to do that at
church through that process
00:25:29.52\00:25:34.46
and it was a really
good time where, you know,
00:25:34.50\00:25:38.07
I had, obviously,
00:25:38.10\00:25:40.77
you don't have
all church members,
00:25:40.80\00:25:42.60
you can invite
other people to do it
00:25:42.64\00:25:44.31
and that way they learn about
00:25:44.34\00:25:45.67
what's the Bible is
trying to teach as well.
00:25:45.71\00:25:48.04
And through that
process, you know,
00:25:48.08\00:25:50.51
we witnessed
some people baptized,
00:25:50.55\00:25:52.75
which was a wonderful thing.
00:25:52.78\00:25:55.18
Yeah, so it was
challenging times...
00:25:55.22\00:26:01.32
Challenging times, but fruitful.
00:26:01.36\00:26:03.12
Absolutely. For
you and for others.
00:26:03.16\00:26:04.53
Yes.
00:26:04.56\00:26:05.96
I like the way God, you know,
is taking you through life.
00:26:05.99\00:26:09.83
It's not a straight road, is it?
00:26:09.86\00:26:11.77
Not by any means. No.
00:26:11.80\00:26:13.37
And it's winding
and there are obstacles
00:26:13.40\00:26:16.00
along the way, but
you got back to the point
00:26:16.04\00:26:18.87
where you went back to God
00:26:18.91\00:26:21.91
and it was about
selling your house,
00:26:21.94\00:26:23.28
wanting for Him to
show you what to do.
00:26:23.31\00:26:26.18
So did you put your
house back on the market?
00:26:26.21\00:26:27.82
We did.
00:26:27.85\00:26:29.18
We felt impressed
because things changed so much.
00:26:29.22\00:26:32.62
We thought, "Okay, well,
let's give it another go."
00:26:32.65\00:26:36.02
So we put our
house on the market
00:26:36.06\00:26:38.49
and it sold in two weeks
twice, believe it or not.
00:26:38.53\00:26:43.67
How long had you had
it on the market before?
00:26:43.70\00:26:45.83
Oh, years, off and on.
00:26:45.87\00:26:48.20
And so that's
why Maxine's saying,
00:26:48.24\00:26:50.11
"Oh, I don't know
with you coming or going
00:26:50.14\00:26:53.07
because it's just on
the market for so long."
00:26:53.11\00:26:54.78
Yeah.
00:26:54.81\00:26:56.14
I think men are
more apt, Maxine,
00:26:56.18\00:26:58.01
to try things and
come back to them,
00:26:58.05\00:27:00.98
where a woman says,
"Wake up your mind."
00:27:01.02\00:27:03.22
Right? You want to
do is... Well, yeah.
00:27:03.25\00:27:04.59
That's part of it
and the other thing
00:27:04.62\00:27:06.32
is that you always have
to be prepared, you know,
00:27:06.35\00:27:09.12
I am a notably
obsessive-compulsive.
00:27:09.16\00:27:13.53
So, you know,
living on the fringe
00:27:13.56\00:27:16.33
of perfection all the
time is very stressful.
00:27:16.36\00:27:18.97
In case someone wants
to come. That's right.
00:27:19.00\00:27:20.74
And, you know, I
worked as well so,
00:27:20.77\00:27:23.57
you know, it was just not okay.
00:27:23.61\00:27:26.88
It's a challenge, isn't
it? So you sold it, Bruce.
00:27:26.91\00:27:32.28
Yeah. What did
that indicate to you?
00:27:32.31\00:27:34.15
What did that mean for you?
00:27:34.18\00:27:35.52
Well, the other
thing is at the same time
00:27:35.55\00:27:39.15
as we have discussed,
00:27:39.19\00:27:40.86
I had my business
up for sale as well
00:27:40.89\00:27:43.22
and that didn't go
through so many times,
00:27:43.26\00:27:47.50
for the most bizarre reasons,
and then all of a sudden
00:27:47.53\00:27:50.30
I get a phone call
out of the blue and said,
00:27:50.33\00:27:53.34
"Is your
business still for sale?"
00:27:53.37\00:27:55.10
And I said to them, "Yes."
00:27:55.14\00:27:58.91
And so that ended
up being a cash deal
00:27:58.94\00:28:02.21
for more than what I
was previously asking for.
00:28:02.24\00:28:06.28
So... Talk about being blessed.
00:28:06.31\00:28:08.08
So there's the house
and business all sold...
00:28:08.12\00:28:10.69
Was that clear to you
now what God wants you to do?
00:28:10.72\00:28:13.82
No, because you
don't know where to go.
00:28:13.86\00:28:15.29
No, it isn't.
00:28:15.32\00:28:17.56
So at that time, we were running
00:28:17.59\00:28:20.20
a mission program at the church
00:28:20.23\00:28:22.83
and part of the process,
00:28:22.86\00:28:24.93
the evangelists
wanted us to meet at church
00:28:24.97\00:28:27.64
on Sunday mornings
00:28:27.67\00:28:29.00
before the program
and pray for specifically
00:28:29.04\00:28:31.57
for the program
so we were going to
00:28:31.61\00:28:34.31
that on Sunday mornings.
00:28:34.34\00:28:35.68
And this
particular Sunday morning,
00:28:35.71\00:28:38.41
a gentleman by
the name of Gabriel,
00:28:38.45\00:28:41.42
which was pretty
weird, turned up.
00:28:41.45\00:28:45.35
He had never been there before
00:28:45.39\00:28:47.39
and I chose to pray with
him and after praying with him,
00:28:47.42\00:28:52.86
we went out
into the church foyer
00:28:52.89\00:28:56.06
and I was talking to
him and I said, asked him
00:28:56.10\00:28:59.80
where he was from and he
said, "Papua New Guinea."
00:28:59.83\00:29:03.17
And I said,
"That's interesting."
00:29:03.20\00:29:04.97
I just seen in, I
think it was on Facebook
00:29:05.01\00:29:07.81
or somewhere, I can't remember
00:29:07.84\00:29:09.18
where exactly, but we...
00:29:09.21\00:29:12.81
Pastor John Carter
had run a program there
00:29:12.85\00:29:15.08
and they'd
baptized 5,000 people.
00:29:15.12\00:29:17.59
And I said to him about that.
00:29:17.62\00:29:19.25
Then he said, "Oh, yeah.
00:29:19.29\00:29:20.62
It's in the church magazine,"
00:29:20.66\00:29:22.52
the record and it was
on the table in the foyer
00:29:22.56\00:29:25.23
and he picks it up and said,
00:29:25.26\00:29:26.59
"Yeah, it's in
here, the article."
00:29:26.63\00:29:28.70
And I thought that's interesting
00:29:28.73\00:29:30.77
so I had never
picked up a record
00:29:30.80\00:29:33.54
for like two years.
00:29:33.57\00:29:35.07
It just hadn't interested me.
00:29:35.10\00:29:37.21
And so I took the
magazine, took it home
00:29:37.24\00:29:40.88
and read the article,
00:29:40.91\00:29:42.24
I mean, as you do, you
flip through the rest of it
00:29:42.28\00:29:44.01
and in the back
there was a job advertise
00:29:44.05\00:29:46.28
for a couple
for Crosslands Youth
00:29:46.31\00:29:48.82
and Convention Centre in Sydney
00:29:48.85\00:29:51.19
and it had the job details there
00:29:51.22\00:29:54.39
and I thought, "Wow,
00:29:54.42\00:29:55.76
that sounds really interesting."
00:29:55.79\00:29:57.16
I said, "That sounds
like me, and Maxine."
00:29:57.19\00:30:01.53
I was gonna ask the question.
00:30:01.56\00:30:03.26
I was gonna ask the question.
00:30:03.30\00:30:07.24
What did you think, Maxine?
00:30:07.27\00:30:09.77
I am a small town girl.
00:30:09.80\00:30:11.24
I don't like change.
00:30:11.27\00:30:12.67
I thought, I would live
and die in Invercargill.
00:30:12.71\00:30:18.01
I had never imagined
myself anywhere else.
00:30:18.05\00:30:21.58
I had dreams, but
they are not something
00:30:21.62\00:30:23.69
that I was
really going to pursue.
00:30:23.72\00:30:27.06
They weren't on
your bucket list.
00:30:27.09\00:30:28.42
I know... They were
just sort of things.
00:30:28.46\00:30:30.73
Yeah, I like my comfort zone.
00:30:30.76\00:30:34.66
I like the way
you go back to God,
00:30:34.70\00:30:36.40
Bruce, and you said,
"We don't have a home now
00:30:36.43\00:30:39.47
and we don't have a business."
00:30:39.50\00:30:40.84
Well, whether or not
this job will come through.
00:30:40.87\00:30:42.94
Well, that's it.
00:30:42.97\00:30:44.31
We applied for
the job obviously,
00:30:44.34\00:30:47.14
but we still didn't have it.
00:30:47.18\00:30:49.01
And I said to God, I said,
00:30:49.04\00:30:51.78
"What happens if we
don't get this job now?
00:30:51.81\00:30:54.22
We don't have a
business, we don't have a house,
00:30:54.25\00:30:56.32
what are we gonna do?"
00:30:56.35\00:30:59.09
But long story short,
through some Skype interviews
00:30:59.12\00:31:03.32
and what have you,
they invited us to Sydney
00:31:03.36\00:31:06.83
for a face-to-face interview
00:31:06.86\00:31:09.73
and we had the option
of staying at Crosslands
00:31:09.76\00:31:13.44
or staying in a hotel.
00:31:13.47\00:31:15.57
I think possibly
that might have been
00:31:15.60\00:31:17.91
a test to find
out what we were like
00:31:17.94\00:31:21.84
so we chose to
stay at Crosslands.
00:31:21.88\00:31:23.91
And a part of the process
00:31:23.95\00:31:27.08
I was asked if I
could drive a Bobcat.
00:31:27.12\00:31:31.45
And I had never driven a
Bobcat before that point.
00:31:31.49\00:31:34.16
And so the manager at that time,
00:31:34.19\00:31:38.83
John, said, "Jump
in and give it a go."
00:31:38.86\00:31:41.63
So I got in.
00:31:41.66\00:31:43.00
And it's got a pin pad
to start it and I said,
00:31:43.03\00:31:47.20
"What's the code to start it?"
00:31:47.24\00:31:49.20
And he told me the numbers.
00:31:49.24\00:31:51.34
And I just, my jaw
probably dropped open.
00:31:51.37\00:31:54.08
I went, "Wow, really?"
00:31:54.11\00:31:56.58
And I just said to God, I
said, "Is this a sign, God?"
00:31:56.61\00:32:01.82
Because the numbers
were the same numbers
00:32:01.85\00:32:04.29
as we had for our alarm
in Invercargill for our house
00:32:04.32\00:32:09.02
and the same numbers
00:32:09.06\00:32:10.39
for Maxine's credit card pass...
00:32:10.43\00:32:12.43
So you're not
gonna forget it, are you?
00:32:12.46\00:32:14.93
So I just thought,
"What are the chances of that
00:32:14.96\00:32:17.93
for a start off, you know?"
00:32:17.97\00:32:21.00
So I just, "Is
this a sign, God?"
00:32:21.04\00:32:23.41
Yeah. And we got the job.
00:32:23.44\00:32:27.08
But...
00:32:27.11\00:32:28.44
And we have got the
photo of the Bobcat.
00:32:28.48\00:32:30.55
Yeah, have you got?
Yeah, that's the Bobcat.
00:32:30.58\00:32:32.65
So how do you go
with operating it?
00:32:32.68\00:32:35.48
Yeah, I passed obviously.
00:32:35.52\00:32:38.62
It wasn't too difficult.
00:32:38.65\00:32:40.19
It's quite easy
to drive a Bobcat.
00:32:40.22\00:32:42.99
And I have done hundreds
of hours in it now though,
00:32:43.02\00:32:45.79
so pretty good on it now.
00:32:45.83\00:32:47.16
So now you're used to it.
00:32:47.20\00:32:48.53
That was amazing that
the number would be the same.
00:32:48.56\00:32:52.37
Yeah, what are
the chances of that?
00:32:52.40\00:32:54.77
It's...
00:32:54.80\00:32:56.14
With all the
combinations possible.
00:32:56.17\00:32:58.04
In your previous interview,
00:32:58.07\00:32:59.74
you talked and we saw pictures
00:32:59.77\00:33:01.11
of your home in New Zealand,
00:33:01.14\00:33:02.71
it was very nice so
the question you had was,
00:33:02.74\00:33:06.01
"Will we get something like that
00:33:06.05\00:33:07.38
here in Australia?"
00:33:07.42\00:33:08.75
So we got a picture of
Crosslands, is that right?
00:33:08.78\00:33:10.99
Yeah. Yes.
00:33:11.02\00:33:12.49
Is that your house over there?
00:33:12.52\00:33:13.86
That's our house looking
across the river, our house.
00:33:13.89\00:33:16.96
It's a big
river, the Hawkesbury.
00:33:16.99\00:33:18.79
It's the Hawkesbury, isn't it?
00:33:18.83\00:33:20.16
No, it's the Berowra
Creek. The Berowra Creek?
00:33:20.20\00:33:22.60
Yeah. That's not a creek.
00:33:22.63\00:33:24.17
That's, yeah,
that's not a creek.
00:33:24.20\00:33:26.33
That's a river.
00:33:26.37\00:33:27.70
So you wake up each morning,
Maxine, and you look out...
00:33:27.74\00:33:31.04
Across the
river. Across the river.
00:33:31.07\00:33:33.04
I wish I could say yes to that,
00:33:33.07\00:33:34.64
but I wake up, I
chuck my clothes on
00:33:34.68\00:33:37.11
and I get to work.
00:33:37.15\00:33:38.81
You don't get to see it.
00:33:38.85\00:33:40.18
Wow. You do...
00:33:40.22\00:33:41.55
We do. Yeah.
00:33:41.58\00:33:42.92
Bruce is outside more than I am.
00:33:42.95\00:33:44.62
I'm office, cleaning, whatever.
00:33:44.65\00:33:47.52
Although I have taken up
a little bit of gardening
00:33:47.56\00:33:49.46
through COVID so I do
get to see it occasionally.
00:33:49.49\00:33:53.16
It's good for the mind
00:33:53.19\00:33:54.53
and good for
the soul, gardening.
00:33:54.56\00:33:55.93
It was something that I hated,
00:33:55.96\00:33:58.13
but now I
actually appreciate it.
00:33:58.17\00:34:02.17
When I was a child,
00:34:02.20\00:34:03.67
Mum would have us
out doing the weeding
00:34:03.71\00:34:05.97
in a huge lawned
area, we had a double block.
00:34:06.01\00:34:09.74
And the house is down
one side of one block,
00:34:09.78\00:34:12.18
and the rest of it
was all like parkland,
00:34:12.21\00:34:15.42
clumps of trees with,
00:34:15.45\00:34:16.79
Mum had little grottoes
in between them and things.
00:34:16.82\00:34:19.29
And we'd have to be out
there, weeding the buffalo.
00:34:19.32\00:34:23.02
I hated weeding.
I love weeding now.
00:34:23.06\00:34:26.26
I love getting out there
and getting the weeds out,
00:34:26.29\00:34:28.23
it's very therapeutic.
00:34:28.26\00:34:29.66
Well, Bruce, you came out
here and we saw where you are.
00:34:29.70\00:34:32.13
It's very pretty in that.
00:34:32.17\00:34:34.77
Was it hard work? It was.
00:34:34.80\00:34:36.91
Look, for a whole
year, I questioned God
00:34:36.94\00:34:39.94
'cause I had no
doubt that he sent us here,
00:34:39.97\00:34:43.65
but for a whole
year I just said, "God,
00:34:43.68\00:34:45.51
why did you send us here?"
00:34:45.55\00:34:47.32
I said, "This is
just so hard work."
00:34:47.35\00:34:49.42
And I didn't feel
like we were doing
00:34:49.45\00:34:51.92
anything for God either
00:34:51.95\00:34:54.19
because back in our
church in Invercargill,
00:34:54.22\00:34:57.49
as I said, we were
doing Bible studies
00:34:57.53\00:34:59.39
and things like that,
you felt like you were doing
00:34:59.43\00:35:01.60
something for God,
but here basically,
00:35:01.63\00:35:05.47
you had a head down
your toilet and cleaning
00:35:05.50\00:35:08.80
and just felt like you
were doing nothing for God.
00:35:08.84\00:35:13.24
Yard work. It
was just hard work.
00:35:13.27\00:35:15.61
That's a New Zealand expression.
00:35:15.64\00:35:17.08
Usually, you say, you're
over the toilet cleaning.
00:35:17.11\00:35:20.02
Yeah.
00:35:20.05\00:35:21.98
So as I said,
00:35:22.02\00:35:23.49
I questioned
Him for a whole year
00:35:23.52\00:35:24.89
and it wasn't till summer camp.
00:35:24.92\00:35:26.96
And every year Crosslands
runs summer camp for kids,
00:35:26.99\00:35:30.89
for the whole of
pretty much, January.
00:35:30.93\00:35:34.83
I felt impressed to
go on the Saturday night
00:35:34.86\00:35:37.67
for the juniors,
00:35:37.70\00:35:39.03
just to see what
they had been doing
00:35:39.07\00:35:40.57
'cause they show a
video of the week's activity
00:35:40.60\00:35:43.04
and all the fun
stuff they've been doing.
00:35:43.07\00:35:44.67
So I went up and I was standing
00:35:44.71\00:35:46.71
in the back of the
hall and God spoke to me.
00:35:46.74\00:35:52.18
You know, not one of
those order of things,
00:35:52.21\00:35:55.08
but in your head.
00:35:55.12\00:35:57.79
And I watched the kids
pinning a thing on the wall
00:35:57.82\00:36:02.59
where they were
committing their life to Christ.
00:36:02.62\00:36:05.29
And God said to me, He said,
00:36:05.33\00:36:07.43
"Bruce, if you and Maxine
00:36:07.46\00:36:09.46
weren't here
facilitating this place,
00:36:09.50\00:36:11.87
that wouldn't happen."
00:36:11.90\00:36:13.97
And it was like
the penny dropped.
00:36:14.00\00:36:16.47
I said, "Yeah,
okay, I get it, God.
00:36:16.50\00:36:19.74
Yeah, I understand now."
00:36:19.77\00:36:22.54
So that year was
changed, life changing for us.
00:36:22.58\00:36:28.35
I then went back to my
office and I made something,
00:36:28.38\00:36:34.02
and if we can put
that on the screen.
00:36:34.06\00:36:36.52
I put, "Through a
series of undeniable miracles
00:36:36.56\00:36:41.96
God sent us here.
00:36:42.00\00:36:43.57
Thank you, God.
00:36:43.60\00:36:44.93
Use us and teach us
00:36:44.97\00:36:46.30
what we need to know
to be more like Jesus."
00:36:46.33\00:36:49.24
So I've put that on my wall
00:36:49.27\00:36:52.44
on the office as a reminder.
00:36:52.47\00:36:56.44
So that really inspired
you, that's what you're saying,
00:36:56.48\00:36:58.61
to see those kids
committing their lives.
00:36:58.65\00:37:00.42
Absolutely. And...
00:37:00.45\00:37:03.22
And I've seen it
time and time again now
00:37:03.25\00:37:06.59
just events like that
that's a reminder of actually
00:37:06.62\00:37:10.33
why we're there.
00:37:10.36\00:37:12.13
Up until that point,
you've seen Crosslands
00:37:12.16\00:37:14.23
as a place where people
come and have fun and just,
00:37:14.26\00:37:18.07
you know, playing
the kayaks and things.
00:37:18.10\00:37:19.93
And you're working. Yeah.
00:37:19.97\00:37:22.00
And we really
wanted to change that
00:37:22.04\00:37:25.94
and make it a
place where people come
00:37:25.97\00:37:28.74
not only just have
fun but to meet Jesus.
00:37:28.78\00:37:32.95
I remember when we were
living in Phuket in Thailand,
00:37:32.98\00:37:38.05
resort place, people go
there from all around the world,
00:37:38.09\00:37:41.72
for their holidays and things.
00:37:41.76\00:37:44.19
And we're living
there, working in the hospital
00:37:44.23\00:37:47.86
and a number of
foreigners, tourists,
00:37:47.90\00:37:50.43
and things would
come there as patients.
00:37:50.47\00:37:52.63
And when they found out that
00:37:52.67\00:37:54.00
you actually were working there
and you lived there, "Oh, wow!
00:37:54.04\00:37:58.27
It must be
fantastic to live in Phuket."
00:37:58.31\00:38:01.24
And I said, "Well,
it's just like living
00:38:01.28\00:38:03.31
anywhere else that you work.
00:38:03.35\00:38:04.88
You don't get out to do
all those touristy things.
00:38:04.91\00:38:07.82
You're working.
You're just living.
00:38:07.85\00:38:10.19
You're getting on with life."
00:38:10.22\00:38:11.55
You must hear that all the time.
00:38:11.59\00:38:13.02
It's not like being a tourist
00:38:13.05\00:38:14.79
and so when you're working
somewhere, it's different than
00:38:14.82\00:38:19.09
when you're
going there on holiday
00:38:19.13\00:38:20.50
or going for a camp
or something, isn't it?
00:38:20.53\00:38:22.90
We'd love to live here.
This would be wonderful.
00:38:22.93\00:38:25.50
We got some pictures now
of Crosslands, haven't we?
00:38:25.53\00:38:27.34
Yeah.
00:38:27.37\00:38:28.70
Maybe we can
have a look at those.
00:38:28.74\00:38:30.07
So this is an aerial shot of...
00:38:30.11\00:38:33.21
Crosslands is
basically divided up
00:38:33.24\00:38:35.04
into two sections
00:38:35.08\00:38:36.51
so that's what we call site one,
00:38:36.54\00:38:38.65
so on that, there's...
00:38:38.68\00:38:40.08
It's hard to see,
but up in the trees,
00:38:40.12\00:38:42.08
there's Edilong
facility that sleeps around 104,
00:38:42.12\00:38:46.89
depending upon the
relationship 110 people.
00:38:46.92\00:38:51.06
And then there's a
couple of motel units
00:38:51.09\00:38:53.16
in there as well.
00:38:53.19\00:38:54.53
And Kent Lodge sleeps 40 people.
00:38:54.56\00:38:57.20
Swimming pool,
hard to see all that,
00:38:57.23\00:39:00.67
but lot of it is
hidden in trees here.
00:39:00.70\00:39:02.70
So that's site one
and then there's site two
00:39:02.74\00:39:04.81
which is predominantly
just a camping site,
00:39:04.84\00:39:08.44
where people pitch their tents.
00:39:08.48\00:39:11.08
And in the trees,
00:39:11.11\00:39:12.61
there's some
little cottages as well.
00:39:12.65\00:39:15.98
So that's,
Crosslands is 100 acres
00:39:16.02\00:39:19.72
in the middle of
the national park,
00:39:19.75\00:39:21.69
which is pretty unique.
00:39:21.72\00:39:23.69
And we're really blessed
and Greater Sydney Conference
00:39:23.73\00:39:27.06
to own a property like that.
00:39:27.10\00:39:28.83
Yeah.
00:39:28.86\00:39:30.20
Beside a river in the
middle of the national park.
00:39:30.23\00:39:33.27
So these are just
00:39:33.30\00:39:34.64
some of the shots
of around Crosslands.
00:39:34.67\00:39:37.47
The
accommodation looks very nice.
00:39:37.51\00:39:38.84
It is.
00:39:38.87\00:39:40.21
So what kind of
visits do you get
00:39:40.24\00:39:41.58
from what sort of
animals that frequent there?
00:39:41.61\00:39:44.31
Look, goannas, snakes, spiders.
00:39:44.35\00:39:48.52
Don't say snakes
if you... Kangaroos.
00:39:48.55\00:39:50.19
Scare people, right?
00:39:50.22\00:39:51.59
I really like the
look of the accommodation.
00:39:51.62\00:39:53.62
It's very nicely done.
00:39:53.66\00:39:55.32
Very warm, And the camping area,
00:39:55.36\00:39:58.29
it's good.
00:39:58.33\00:39:59.66
Looks very good.
00:39:59.69\00:40:01.03
We've got
accommodation that really caters
00:40:01.06\00:40:03.90
to a broad range of people,
00:40:03.93\00:40:05.47
large groups,
small groups, families.
00:40:05.50\00:40:06.84
Now that's the
place I've been to.
00:40:06.87\00:40:09.24
It was a baptism. Yeah.
00:40:09.27\00:40:12.24
This is where we sat before it.
00:40:12.27\00:40:13.81
Oh, now that's the fun part.
00:40:13.84\00:40:15.98
That's the fun part, yeah.
00:40:16.01\00:40:20.02
We have an inflatable.
00:40:20.05\00:40:21.45
It goes up on the swimming pool.
00:40:21.48\00:40:22.85
Kids really enjoy that.
00:40:22.88\00:40:24.29
It's heaps of fun.
00:40:24.32\00:40:26.05
Looks like it.
00:40:26.09\00:40:27.59
We also do part of,
00:40:27.62\00:40:30.46
what we do here
is river cruises,
00:40:30.49\00:40:32.73
so we've got that boat there
00:40:32.76\00:40:34.76
that we not only
ferry people across,
00:40:34.80\00:40:37.37
like school kids,
because of the road access,
00:40:37.40\00:40:40.40
road to
Crosslands is quite tight
00:40:40.44\00:40:42.14
and windy down the hill.
00:40:42.17\00:40:45.47
When we get larger groups
that wanna come on a course,
00:40:45.51\00:40:47.91
they are arrive on the
other side of the river
00:40:47.94\00:40:50.51
and we ferry them
across on that boat.
00:40:50.55\00:40:53.62
As we also do
cruises down the river,
00:40:53.65\00:40:57.89
show aboriginal
sites and some of,
00:40:57.92\00:41:02.02
and I'll say try
and bring into things
00:41:02.06\00:41:04.26
like the flood theory.
00:41:04.29\00:41:07.96
Well, it's not a theory, is it?
00:41:08.00\00:41:09.56
The fact of a flood
and stuff like that so.
00:41:09.60\00:41:14.04
That's very good. Yeah.
00:41:14.07\00:41:15.70
It just looks
like a very nice place.
00:41:15.74\00:41:18.11
Maxine, what
sort of accommodation
00:41:18.14\00:41:19.54
have you got available there?
00:41:19.57\00:41:20.91
Okay.
00:41:20.94\00:41:22.28
So it's mostly dorm
style accommodation.
00:41:22.31\00:41:25.45
Edilong
Facility like Bruce said,
00:41:25.48\00:41:28.38
it accommodates 104 to 110
00:41:28.42\00:41:32.15
depending on
relationship make up.
00:41:32.19\00:41:36.93
Then we have Kent Lodge,
00:41:36.96\00:41:38.29
which is a 40-bed facility
00:41:38.33\00:41:40.40
and a couple of
units for families
00:41:40.43\00:41:43.03
and then the
cottages out the back.
00:41:43.06\00:41:44.50
So the ones that
face the camping area,
00:41:44.53\00:41:49.27
predominantly sleeping only.
00:41:49.30\00:41:52.01
And then, there's a few
that facilitate families.
00:41:52.04\00:41:55.94
So there's a bit of a range.
00:41:55.98\00:41:57.98
So we primarily
geared out for bigger groups
00:41:58.01\00:42:02.38
but come weekends and...
00:42:02.42\00:42:03.75
School groups.
00:42:03.79\00:42:05.12
Yeah, school
groups, church groups
00:42:05.15\00:42:07.02
and then we fill in the gaps
00:42:07.06\00:42:08.39
with families and
that sort of things.
00:42:08.42\00:42:10.66
So Bruce has put in a few things
00:42:10.69\00:42:13.23
that are sort of complementary
00:42:13.26\00:42:14.76
that people can use, come away,
00:42:14.80\00:42:17.33
and have a bit of
fun with their families.
00:42:17.37\00:42:20.14
That's important, I believe.
00:42:20.17\00:42:21.50
Absolutely,
because you know like,
00:42:21.54\00:42:23.24
not everybody has
money to spend particularly
00:42:23.27\00:42:25.67
the smaller the
group the less the money.
00:42:25.71\00:42:28.58
So it's nice to
have just some fun things
00:42:28.61\00:42:31.75
for people to do together.
00:42:31.78\00:42:34.22
So have you built to
your maximum capacity?
00:42:34.25\00:42:36.45
Or are you making new
plans for buildings or?
00:42:36.48\00:42:40.59
We have had plans
00:42:40.62\00:42:42.59
that have been
way out of our budget.
00:42:42.62\00:42:44.99
It was approved to
make some additions,
00:42:45.03\00:42:49.00
but sadly COVID has
destroyed those things.
00:42:49.03\00:42:54.47
Like many other
people in business
00:42:54.50\00:42:57.17
will have experienced.
00:42:57.21\00:43:00.38
So yeah, we've had the handbrake
00:43:00.41\00:43:03.04
put on our spending,
COVID's created that.
00:43:03.08\00:43:06.18
So people who are, you know,
who have conscious of COVID,
00:43:06.21\00:43:10.52
there's a good place for
them to come with the family
00:43:10.55\00:43:12.42
if they are living
in the city, isn't it?
00:43:12.45\00:43:14.06
You don't have to
get out too far to be
00:43:14.09\00:43:16.52
out in the national
park, so we would encourage
00:43:16.56\00:43:20.40
those who you are watching
if you're in the Sydney region,
00:43:20.43\00:43:24.20
or even anywhere else in
fact, to think about this place
00:43:24.23\00:43:27.54
because I think
you'll enjoy it so.
00:43:27.57\00:43:29.50
I like the fact that
00:43:29.54\00:43:31.17
you said you have
place for families
00:43:31.21\00:43:34.61
to just come and hang
out together for a few days.
00:43:34.64\00:43:37.51
Yeah, absolutely.
00:43:37.55\00:43:39.55
Weekend or
through the week. Yeah.
00:43:39.58\00:43:41.88
We also do things in conjunction
00:43:41.92\00:43:44.19
with other departments
within the conference,
00:43:44.22\00:43:48.72
Hope Stayz for
example, we run that
00:43:48.76\00:43:50.83
with women's
ministries every year.
00:43:50.86\00:43:54.06
That reaches disadvantaged
women and their families.
00:43:54.10\00:43:57.70
So they pay nothing.
00:43:57.73\00:43:59.33
We put it all together
between the two entities.
00:43:59.37\00:44:03.97
So we run a
program that enables them
00:44:04.01\00:44:08.58
to come out of
their life for a weekend
00:44:08.61\00:44:13.15
or three days and
we just pamper them.
00:44:13.18\00:44:17.12
It's not filled with
religion or anything.
00:44:17.15\00:44:22.06
It's about being the
hands and feet of Jesus
00:44:22.09\00:44:25.46
and so that's what we do.
00:44:25.49\00:44:27.50
We have some women that come
00:44:27.53\00:44:29.46
that are very
resistant when they come.
00:44:29.50\00:44:32.30
Some even want to go home
00:44:32.33\00:44:34.54
and then by the
end of the three days,
00:44:34.57\00:44:37.77
they are different women.
00:44:37.81\00:44:39.47
They cannot understand
00:44:39.51\00:44:42.64
why other women
would give up their time
00:44:42.68\00:44:47.08
just to pamper
them for the weekend.
00:44:47.12\00:44:49.55
And we do have a
few spiritual things
00:44:49.58\00:44:52.95
that they can attend
00:44:52.99\00:44:54.59
and so some of their
children get connected
00:44:54.62\00:44:57.13
with their pathfinder groups.
00:44:57.16\00:44:58.76
So they bring their
children in this one?
00:44:58.79\00:45:00.13
They're able to
bring their children.
00:45:00.16\00:45:01.83
They're totally
catered for, for the weekend.
00:45:01.86\00:45:04.30
And they just
have a really nice time
00:45:04.33\00:45:07.87
to chill out for themselves,
00:45:07.90\00:45:09.60
some time to bond
with their children
00:45:09.64\00:45:11.67
without the pressures of home.
00:45:11.71\00:45:15.01
So that's been really,
really beneficial to us too.
00:45:15.04\00:45:20.42
You know, like, you bring them
00:45:20.45\00:45:22.28
thinking that you're
going to be a blessing,
00:45:22.32\00:45:24.69
but in actual
fact, you are blessed.
00:45:24.72\00:45:27.46
So just a little
bit more about that.
00:45:27.49\00:45:30.16
What do you call it, Hope Stayz?
00:45:30.19\00:45:31.76
Hope Stayz.
00:45:31.79\00:45:33.80
So you make the meals, you know,
00:45:33.83\00:45:36.43
you have someone
to cater them meals?
00:45:36.46\00:45:38.63
Yeah, we have caterers.
00:45:38.67\00:45:40.44
These are all voluntary people.
00:45:40.47\00:45:42.30
The last couple of years,
00:45:42.34\00:45:45.01
we have had chefs
volunteer their time.
00:45:45.04\00:45:47.84
So we have a big dinner.
00:45:47.88\00:45:50.11
There's a few programs
that are set up to help women.
00:45:50.15\00:45:54.75
They very much participate
in everything, you know,
00:45:54.78\00:45:58.92
they contribute their ideas,
00:45:58.95\00:46:03.26
they make friendships,
they carry on outside of,
00:46:03.29\00:46:07.26
you know, the
camp going forward.
00:46:07.30\00:46:09.33
It's just amazing
to watch some of them
00:46:09.36\00:46:11.73
have been
baptized in our churches
00:46:11.77\00:46:14.17
and some of them
just stay in touch,
00:46:14.20\00:46:16.24
some of them come
back as volunteers
00:46:16.27\00:46:20.14
so it's very
uplifting for everybody.
00:46:20.18\00:46:24.05
We have a big dinner
on the final evening.
00:46:24.08\00:46:29.28
We have a pop-up shop
where they can gather garments,
00:46:29.32\00:46:34.82
shoes, items.
00:46:34.86\00:46:36.19
Lot of them are brand new.
00:46:36.22\00:46:37.99
And so we have
this magical evening,
00:46:38.03\00:46:41.03
the tables are all
set, there's flowers,
00:46:41.06\00:46:43.93
their meals are
plated by the chefs.
00:46:43.97\00:46:46.60
It's pretty incredible.
00:46:46.63\00:46:48.10
They just leave in awe.
So they can really relax?
00:46:48.14\00:46:50.84
Absolutely.
00:46:50.87\00:46:52.21
They're not having to look,
like you said, they can get
00:46:52.24\00:46:53.71
away from the house
00:46:53.74\00:46:55.08
and not having to
look after a house,
00:46:55.11\00:46:56.44
prepare meals
and do all the things
00:46:56.48\00:46:58.88
for their children.
00:46:58.91\00:47:00.25
And their children are
there, enjoying themselves
00:47:00.28\00:47:02.02
but they can actually spend time
00:47:02.05\00:47:03.92
enjoying with their children.
00:47:03.95\00:47:05.29
Exactly.
00:47:05.32\00:47:06.65
And reacting with other
women who know where they are.
00:47:06.69\00:47:10.06
Likeminded.
00:47:10.09\00:47:11.43
They're at the same situation.
00:47:11.46\00:47:12.79
Absolutely. That's beautiful.
00:47:12.83\00:47:14.43
I just wanna ask,
how many times a year
00:47:14.46\00:47:15.83
do you do that?
00:47:15.86\00:47:17.20
We do that once a
year, every April.
00:47:17.23\00:47:19.00
And round about
how many people come?
00:47:19.03\00:47:21.37
We have 12 to 15 families.
00:47:21.40\00:47:26.57
So each family
has their own room
00:47:26.61\00:47:29.58
and we have a support
person for each family.
00:47:29.61\00:47:33.52
So that that
person is there for,
00:47:33.55\00:47:36.82
because sometimes you know,
00:47:36.85\00:47:38.29
during the
course of the few days,
00:47:38.32\00:47:41.79
things come up for people.
00:47:41.82\00:47:43.36
We have
generally, a counselor that
00:47:43.39\00:47:45.79
they can speak
to, if they need to.
00:47:45.83\00:47:48.06
There's a whole
lot of networking
00:47:48.10\00:47:50.23
going on for them.
00:47:50.27\00:47:51.73
So if people want to
find out more about it,
00:47:51.77\00:47:53.64
they can contact
you at Crosslands and...
00:47:53.67\00:47:55.00
Yeah.
00:47:55.04\00:47:56.37
Yeah, we'll have
those details soon
00:47:56.40\00:47:57.74
so have your pen and paper ready
00:47:57.77\00:47:59.31
because you can write it down.
00:47:59.34\00:48:00.68
Now you were gonna
say something to Bruce.
00:48:00.71\00:48:02.04
Yeah, I was
going to say, you know,
00:48:02.08\00:48:03.41
both of you are
on the frontlines
00:48:03.45\00:48:04.78
because you're
dealing with youth.
00:48:04.81\00:48:06.15
Youth now are very different.
00:48:06.18\00:48:08.42
Well, I think they
are, to my generation.
00:48:08.45\00:48:13.49
You know, how do you
deal with youth groups?
00:48:13.52\00:48:18.96
We are in a fortunate situation.
00:48:18.99\00:48:23.50
Mainly our programs
are all self-governed,
00:48:23.53\00:48:28.94
so we don't have to deal
00:48:28.97\00:48:31.54
with the
day-to-day activities as such.
00:48:31.57\00:48:35.84
But we're certainly there
and witness what's happening,
00:48:35.88\00:48:40.62
but as far as
dealing with the youth,
00:48:40.65\00:48:44.25
that's probably
not my forte actually.
00:48:44.29\00:48:47.02
So you meet youth
groups, don't you?
00:48:47.06\00:48:49.22
Oh, we do...
00:48:49.26\00:48:50.59
You must have some stories
to come out of youth groups.
00:48:50.63\00:48:53.46
Yeah, look, we haven't got
enough time to share them all,
00:48:53.50\00:48:57.23
but like one particular
one, it's very similar to
00:48:57.27\00:49:00.64
what I shared
with our summer camp.
00:49:00.67\00:49:04.67
I had one youth
group that wanted to use
00:49:04.71\00:49:07.48
the pool inflatable
after the program that night
00:49:07.51\00:49:10.88
and they were
running a little late.
00:49:10.91\00:49:12.25
So I just went,
00:49:12.28\00:49:13.62
they were sitting
around a campfire.
00:49:13.65\00:49:14.98
And I just sat
in the background,
00:49:15.02\00:49:16.99
waiting for the time
for them to be ready to go
00:49:17.02\00:49:20.02
and put the
inflatable work for them.
00:49:20.06\00:49:23.79
I just sat there and
I was just speechless.
00:49:23.83\00:49:27.26
Really just, again,
same thing happening.
00:49:27.30\00:49:29.76
I heard these young people
00:49:29.80\00:49:31.67
all giving
their hearts to Jesus.
00:49:31.70\00:49:35.34
It was just,
again, a reminder for me,
00:49:35.37\00:49:37.71
why I was there
00:49:37.74\00:49:39.17
and this is
happening all the time.
00:49:39.21\00:49:41.64
I don't witness it, but
there are so many groups
00:49:41.68\00:49:44.88
that go through the...
00:49:44.91\00:49:47.82
Church camps, we
own a lot of camps
00:49:47.85\00:49:51.49
through
Australia and New Zealand.
00:49:51.52\00:49:54.56
There's been some
statistics done about camps.
00:49:54.59\00:50:00.20
Believe it or not,
00:50:00.23\00:50:01.56
camps are the
third most important
00:50:01.60\00:50:04.93
means of bringing people
to Christ out of anything
00:50:04.97\00:50:07.67
that's over
above, church, schools,
00:50:07.70\00:50:10.44
home groups, anything that...
00:50:10.47\00:50:13.07
And that's what the
statistics tell us so.
00:50:13.11\00:50:15.78
Amazing.
00:50:15.81\00:50:17.25
So you have a
very important role,
00:50:17.28\00:50:18.75
that's what it boils down to.
00:50:18.78\00:50:20.12
Yes.
00:50:20.15\00:50:21.48
And yeah, God's
reminded us of that.
00:50:21.52\00:50:24.12
And, Maxine, just
tell us this story
00:50:24.15\00:50:28.32
about the demon possessed girl.
00:50:28.36\00:50:30.46
Okay, so in New Zealand,
00:50:30.49\00:50:32.83
I did a lot of
victim support work.
00:50:32.86\00:50:36.00
So when Bruce was
saying about questioning God
00:50:36.03\00:50:39.63
about my current existence,
why am I here cleaning toilets?
00:50:39.67\00:50:45.51
It wasn't very fulfilling.
00:50:45.54\00:50:49.54
We create an environment
for people to run camps
00:50:49.58\00:50:53.65
and so you are disconnected
from the group somewhat.
00:50:53.68\00:50:58.15
So you need to
find where you fit.
00:50:58.19\00:51:02.62
And so one time I was up,
00:51:02.66\00:51:07.46
cleaning in the top building,
00:51:07.50\00:51:09.66
the Edilong Facility
and I heard this noise,
00:51:09.70\00:51:13.64
somebody calling out.
00:51:13.67\00:51:15.10
It wasn't a evil
sound, it was just unusual
00:51:15.14\00:51:19.67
and I followed it
00:51:19.71\00:51:21.04
and I come
across a group of people
00:51:21.08\00:51:25.78
and there was a
young girl that had...
00:51:25.81\00:51:32.09
She appeared to
be demon possessed
00:51:32.12\00:51:35.79
and I stood there
00:51:35.82\00:51:38.09
because I'm a bit
of a doubting Thomas,
00:51:38.13\00:51:40.90
if you like.
00:51:40.93\00:51:42.26
I'm thinking, you
know, "Is this an act?"
00:51:42.30\00:51:47.40
And my husband
come along and he saw
00:51:47.44\00:51:50.44
what was going on
00:51:50.47\00:51:51.81
and he was out of
there really quickly.
00:51:51.84\00:51:54.88
Chicken.
00:51:54.91\00:51:56.24
And I'm thinking
is this something
00:51:56.28\00:51:57.81
that I should be
standing here for?
00:51:57.85\00:52:02.08
Or should I just move on?
00:52:02.12\00:52:05.52
But anyway, I decided no.
00:52:05.55\00:52:08.42
You know, this is sacred ground
00:52:08.46\00:52:11.06
but it doesn't mean
00:52:11.09\00:52:12.43
that the enemy
does not have access.
00:52:12.46\00:52:17.80
So I stood with
them and we prayed
00:52:17.83\00:52:19.87
and we sang
hymns and this girl...
00:52:19.90\00:52:24.37
she didn't know me.
00:52:28.61\00:52:30.68
And I'm thinking,
she was calling out
00:52:30.71\00:52:32.31
sins of people within the group
00:52:32.35\00:52:35.72
and I was
thinking, "She knows them.
00:52:35.75\00:52:38.69
She could easily
know all those things."
00:52:38.72\00:52:40.69
And then she meant, "Maxine,
00:52:40.72\00:52:44.79
you think you're
okay, don't you?"
00:52:44.83\00:52:49.10
And I just thought, "Yeah."
00:52:49.13\00:52:52.93
And then she said,
"Come, take my hand.
00:52:52.97\00:52:55.60
Come and talk with me."
00:52:55.64\00:52:58.04
And I thought, "Wow."
00:52:58.07\00:52:59.41
I think that was
my first, you know,
00:52:59.44\00:53:02.68
I've had
experiences with God before,
00:53:02.71\00:53:05.05
but this was pretty intense.
00:53:05.08\00:53:07.22
And I thought, "I
know what my role here is.
00:53:07.25\00:53:12.49
And you know,
00:53:12.52\00:53:15.49
there was a really
good outcome from that.
00:53:15.52\00:53:19.03
It's a long story
and it's hers to tell
00:53:19.06\00:53:24.67
but she is right with God
now and that's what matters.
00:53:24.70\00:53:29.70
But it was really interesting
watching her church family
00:53:29.74\00:53:33.64
come together
for her protection.
00:53:33.68\00:53:36.24
You know, since then,
00:53:36.28\00:53:37.61
Bruce has built
me a prayer closet.
00:53:37.65\00:53:39.88
I don't have a lot of room but,
you know, I put the things up
00:53:39.91\00:53:43.89
that are important to me.
00:53:43.92\00:53:45.39
And I think that that is
one of the crucial things
00:53:45.42\00:53:48.76
that we have to do at
Crosslands and it's to be,
00:53:48.79\00:53:51.23
I sometimes go and do
prayer walks for groups.
00:53:51.26\00:53:53.40
That's right. I agree.
00:53:53.43\00:53:55.40
It's very, very
important to pray
00:53:55.43\00:53:57.00
for each group that comes.
00:53:57.03\00:53:58.87
We're talking about Crosslands
Youth and Convention Centre,
00:53:58.90\00:54:02.37
with Bruce and Maxine
Hill and we're gonna put up
00:54:02.40\00:54:05.84
their contact details now
00:54:05.87\00:54:07.21
so that you can write them down
00:54:07.24\00:54:08.81
and contact them if
you are interested in going
00:54:08.84\00:54:11.41
and helping them in some way
00:54:11.45\00:54:14.32
or if you're
wanting to go and find out
00:54:14.35\00:54:16.62
about booking to stay there,
00:54:16.65\00:54:18.42
whether a family, a group,
00:54:18.45\00:54:20.62
find out about these
Hope Stayz women's weekend.
00:54:20.66\00:54:24.33
Any of those things,
here are their details.
00:54:24.36\00:54:26.03
If you like to
contact Crosslands
00:54:30.43\00:54:32.13
Youth and
Convention Centre, in Sydney,
00:54:32.17\00:54:34.37
to book a
church or family group,
00:54:34.40\00:54:36.71
you can contact them
in the following ways.
00:54:36.74\00:54:39.24
Call in Australia
on (02) 9653 1041.
00:54:39.27\00:54:45.18
That's (02) 9653 1041.
00:54:45.21\00:54:50.62
Send them an email to
office@crosslands.org.au.
00:54:50.65\00:54:55.66
That's office@crosslands.org.au.
00:54:55.69\00:55:00.86
Visit their website by
pointing your web browser
00:55:00.90\00:55:03.20
to www.crosslands.org.au.
00:55:03.23\00:55:08.27
Contact them today.
00:55:08.30\00:55:09.64
I hope you wrote
those details down
00:55:13.07\00:55:14.78
because I'm sure
that Bruce and Maxine
00:55:14.81\00:55:17.08
would love to hear
from you because Crosslands
00:55:17.11\00:55:19.48
really is a very
special place when you go there.
00:55:19.51\00:55:22.22
It's beautiful among the river.
00:55:22.25\00:55:23.75
Now, Bruce, I want to ask you,
00:55:23.79\00:55:26.25
what sort of
activities do you have
00:55:26.29\00:55:28.19
for the youth
groups that come there?
00:55:28.22\00:55:31.33
I will read them off my
list because there's numerous.
00:55:31.36\00:55:34.70
Okay.
00:55:34.73\00:55:36.06
So, look, we have camping,
00:55:36.10\00:55:37.93
obviously, you've
seen these in the pictures.
00:55:37.97\00:55:40.54
The Bush Chapel, canoes,
00:55:40.57\00:55:42.74
the pool inflatable
in the swimming pool
00:55:42.77\00:55:45.07
and we do river cruise
as I have already mentioned,
00:55:45.11\00:55:47.94
paddleboards, high ropes,
flying foxes, rock climbing,
00:55:47.98\00:55:53.35
abseiling, beach volleyball,
tennis, basketball, bush walks,
00:55:53.38\00:55:58.89
and we've also got
something that I put together
00:55:58.92\00:56:03.22
during COVID that's,
which is an ecology hunt so.
00:56:03.26\00:56:07.20
Oh, so what do you do with that?
00:56:07.23\00:56:09.06
It's basically
items that shouldn't
00:56:09.10\00:56:11.70
belong in the environment
00:56:11.73\00:56:13.13
and kids have to
find them and teaches them
00:56:13.17\00:56:16.00
to look after the environment
by recognizing things
00:56:16.04\00:56:19.14
that don't belong and
I've put a list together
00:56:19.17\00:56:22.84
of how many thousand years
00:56:22.88\00:56:24.31
or how many years
items take to decompose
00:56:24.35\00:56:27.65
and it teaches them that
00:56:27.68\00:56:30.05
they should look after
the environment basically.
00:56:30.09\00:56:32.79
Excellent.
00:56:32.82\00:56:34.16
Now you've got a
quote from Ellen White
00:56:34.19\00:56:35.62
that you would
like to say, to show us.
00:56:35.66\00:56:37.59
I do.
00:56:37.63\00:56:39.86
In fact, can we get
Maxine to read that?
00:56:39.89\00:56:42.60
She's a better
reader than me. We can.
00:56:42.63\00:56:43.97
Yeah. We can.
00:56:44.00\00:56:45.73
And the people at home
can see what you're reading.
00:56:45.77\00:56:49.90
"The trials of
life are God's workmen,
00:56:49.94\00:56:52.64
to remove the
impurities and roughness
00:56:52.67\00:56:55.14
from our characters.
00:56:55.18\00:56:56.98
Their hewing, squaring,
and chiseling, their burnishing
00:56:57.01\00:57:00.78
and polishing, is
a painful process.
00:57:00.82\00:57:04.79
It is hard to be pressed
down to the grinding wheel.
00:57:04.82\00:57:08.79
But the stone is brought
forth prepared to fill its place
00:57:08.82\00:57:11.93
in the heavenly temple.
00:57:11.96\00:57:14.10
Upon no useless material
00:57:14.13\00:57:16.00
does the Master bestow
such careful, thorough work.
00:57:16.03\00:57:20.00
Only His precious
stones are polished
00:57:20.04\00:57:23.57
after the
similitude of a palace."
00:57:23.61\00:57:27.31
Well, I think that
00:57:27.34\00:57:28.68
that is a
beautiful message for us
00:57:28.71\00:57:31.21
to finish on because
you've been through that.
00:57:31.25\00:57:33.98
God wants to put us through that
00:57:34.02\00:57:35.45
to get us ready for eternity
and you're working for Him
00:57:35.48\00:57:38.85
in helping other
people to do that.
00:57:38.89\00:57:41.62
And I'm sure that you've been
blessed by what they have said.
00:57:41.66\00:57:44.49
We'll see you next
time. Thanks for joining us.
00:57:44.53\00:57:46.73