I'm glad you joined us again.
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I'm Kathy Matthews,
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and this is Thinking About Home.
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We've been talking about women
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in all aspects of life,
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women as
mothers, women as wives.
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And now we're gonna
talk about women in society
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and we're going to
discuss how we as women
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can be fulfilled after our
children have flown the nest.
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And how we can be fulfilled
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if we are childless or single.
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Our guest is with us
again today Arlita Winston,
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and we are so glad that she is.
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Thank you Arlita
for being with us again.
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Thank you for inviting me.
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You know you have many examples
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of how you did
things in your home
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and after your
children were gone.
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And I would like
find out what those are,
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what did you do?
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Well, I think
before I talk about myself,
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a wonderful example
to me was an older woman
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that I saw, that I knew
had, had a sever depression
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after her children
have flown the nest.
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She was the wife
of the physician.
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She had
everything that she needed.
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But those children had flown
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and she was grieving over that.
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And she took very seriously
that scripture in Titus 2:3,
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"Teach the older
women to be reverent
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in the way they
live... to teach what is good."
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And she became a
mother, a mother in Israel
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to the women
around her and her husband
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became a father to those around.
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And they got the
most ingenious idea.
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They decided to
open up their home
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every Sunday
night for popcorn night.
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They had big signed made
that said "Popcorn Tonight"
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and when that was
hanging outside the front door.
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All those students,
all those young people
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from the church, they all knew
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it was popcorn at
their friends home.
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There open that
home in over the years
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hundreds and
hundreds of young people
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came in there.
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Ate popcorn, sat on
the floor, drank sodas,
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learn to know one and another.
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Marriages were established
through that evening,
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engagements, deep friendships
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and Dorothy and
child Shellenberger.
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Our dear friends became
true mothers and fathers
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in Israel at a time when
their own children had grown,
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their
grandchildren were coming along,
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but they standup to
me as a wonderful example
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of what I have
wanted to do and be.
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Now as far as your
question what I've done.
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Yes. I drag my feet frankly.
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You didn't. I did.
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You are not a
feet dragger, are you?
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Well, I did because I felt
I had made so many mistakes.
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And one time my daughter
Sarah came home from college
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and she said mom would
you study a book in the Bible
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with me this summer and I
just nearly burn the toast.
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And I said sure Sarah,
I would love to do that.
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I would be thrilled if
my daughter said that to me.
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Well, I went to bed that night
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and the Lord convicted me.
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He reminded me of
several women who had asked me
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the same question
and I had rejected them
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and the Lord ask me that night,
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why haven't you been quick
to accept their invitation.
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And I said Lord, I
cannot teach other women.
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I have made far
too many mistakes,
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there is no way I can do that.
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And he said would
you, if I ask you to.
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I said oh Lord, yes.
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Next morning I went
down, I said to Sarah
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would you mind if I just
invite a couple of my friends
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who have asked to join
us around the kitchen table
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and she said no mom
and I thought oh no.
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You rather have her said no.
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That's right, and
I went to the phone
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and I called up
this friend of mine
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told her what we were doing.
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Oh, I would love to
join you when do we start.
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I said about this next Thursday.
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I'll be there.
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Did you do with fear internally?
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I did and so I prepared
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of course for the Bible study.
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And I also called the
second person who had asked me,
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so I told two people.
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Next Thursday morning I
go to the door and I open it
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and there are 12 women
standing on my doorstep.
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And you are, oh 12, just...
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Some of them I didn't even know.
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Like disciples.
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Those two friends
of mine had gone out
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on their own and brought others
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and we had a study
started that summer.
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Now that study I thought
would end in that summer,
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but somebody
announced oh no it goes on,
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and on where upon I
literally went upstairs
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to get a grip of
myself to make sure
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I wouldn't loose it
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While they were
there. That's right.
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You did that
while they were there.
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I just walked right
upstairs, I say excuse me
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a moment please and went
upstairs and I said now Lord,
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you and I need to have a talk.
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And the Lord said
will you do it for me.
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You just repeated it.
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And I said yes Lord, I walk
back down stairs and I said.
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Now the biggest
problem we're gonna have is
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this living room is too small,
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because we had grown already
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to more than
double what started.
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And so we were about
27 in that living room
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and somebody
immediately raised their hand
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and said well my
house will take us.
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Oh, wow! We outgrew that house
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and then we went to a church.
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And to me its
lovely story because
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it shows me how God takes us
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as frail as we are
and is broken as we are.
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And He is so true
and faithful to His word
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and when I
taught the word of God,
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it just brought
life to all of us.
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And it bring forth, so that
class is still continuing on,
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but not being taught by me.
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It's been taught by those
that I trained to take over.
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Then I started to another class,
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but it just goes
on and on and on.
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When somebody makes himself
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available to God
and says yes Lord.
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We can be prepared for all
kinds of joys of being able
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to teach younger
women, the experiences
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that God has taken us through
in order to give them hope.
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The whole idea is
to give women hope.
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Amen. Hope in who God is,
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and so when our
children have flown the nest.
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I believe it's
terribly important
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for the older women
to be there to encourage
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the younger women
who are discouraged.
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And that makes me
think of those scriptures
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in Titus 2.
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Yes verses 4 and 5,
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"Then they can
train the younger women
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to love their
husbands and children,
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to be self-controlled
and pure to be busy at home,
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to be kind, and to be
subject to their husbands,
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so that no one will
malign the word of God."
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That's an amazing
statement at the end,
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so that no one will
malign the word of God.
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But that's the impact we have.
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When we train these
young women to do this.
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We have a story that
I'd like to tell you.
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Good. Tom and I
have some good friends
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that are evangelists,
he is an evangelist.
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So we love revival of speaker
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and he and his wife were
in London and they flew back
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from London to the East Coast
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and this one of this
man's students met them
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and by this time
the student was married
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and they had
little one or two year old
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and must have been
around two years old.
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And Melissa and
Steve had gone to this home
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where the young couple
was and they spent the night
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and the couple was going
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to take to the
airport the next day.
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And during this day there,
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they had a little
child ruling the home.
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And Melissa and Steve
noticed it quite a bit
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and one of the things
that he had spoken on much
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was child training.
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And so as they were
going back to the airport,
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their prayer and
their thoughts was,
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how can we help this
young couple and so they did
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and it was kind of
little touching situation
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and they try to
help the young couple.
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But Melissa's heart cry was
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where are the mothers in Israel
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to do this kind of helping.
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And I was sitting
there when she was telling me
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the story in her home later.
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And I said Melissa, we don't
have the mother's in Israel.
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She said I think I realize that
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just soon as I
heard the cry in my mind.
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So those scriptures spoke to us
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and they are teaching us
that this is so necessary
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in our world today,
in our church today,
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we need to have
mothers of Israel.
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And I think if
it's not initiated
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by us as older women.
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The younger
women need to reach out
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and when they see
somebody that is modeling a God
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fearing women, somebody
who is ruling her home well.
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I think they need to go
ahead and go to that women
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because it maybe
that the older women
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hasn't even thought she
was capable of doing that,
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hadn't even thought that anybody
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wanted to hear her advice.
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After all most of us by now
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have learned to
keep our mouths shut.
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Because you are afraid
of what they might think
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or say if you were to interfere
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with the child training.
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Well, and you really
not wanting to interfere,
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you wanting to do more
interceding than interfering,
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aren't you? Well
that's the desire.
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But you know
the idea of a mentor
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is lost for the most part?
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That's right.
And we need mentors.
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And they are those that
would like to be mentors.
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I enjoy sharing what the Lord
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has shown me to younger people.
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We've taught growing
kids God's way classes
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and we have more friendship
out of that kind of class,
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we have more
satisfaction of heart
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out of that sort of thing
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than most anything we've done.
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Well, I'm
beginning to think though
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that some of the
initiative needs to be taken
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by the younger women
to go to the older women,
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because in our age right now
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age is not revered or honored.
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And I think there
are lot of women there
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who have gold
in them thar hills.
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Who feel that they
aren't wanting to be heard?
00:11:42.31\00:11:46.97
Right. And I
think our younger women
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probably are maybe
embarrassed to say anything
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or shy and I would
like to make an appeal.
00:11:52.76\00:11:56.17
Amen. To the
younger women to say
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I need to learn from you
and this will give courage
00:11:58.86\00:12:03.36
to the older women
who are maybe discouraged.
00:12:03.37\00:12:05.69
I would like to do that too.
00:12:05.70\00:12:07.08
We should directly
appeal that to our viewers.
00:12:07.09\00:12:12.35
If there is anyone out
there who is a mother in Israel
00:12:12.36\00:12:16.31
who has solid experience in God
00:12:16.32\00:12:19.25
that know some younger people,
00:12:19.26\00:12:21.24
get something started
with them or pray about it
00:12:21.25\00:12:24.32
like our leaders talking about
00:12:24.33\00:12:26.22
go to the Lord and ask Him,
what you would have me to do.
00:12:26.23\00:12:30.95
And like he told
you in the bedroom
00:12:30.96\00:12:32.62
that morning Arlita,
will you do this for me
00:12:32.63\00:12:36.14
don't be afraid, you can do it.
00:12:36.15\00:12:38.53
Well, and you
younger women need to realize
00:12:38.54\00:12:42.07
that those of us
who are just little bit
00:12:42.08\00:12:43.98
ahead of you have
made a lot of mistakes.
00:12:43.99\00:12:46.63
And so maybe we are not
too quick to just come out
00:12:46.64\00:12:50.52
and say we would
like to help you.
00:12:50.53\00:12:53.61
On the other hand
there maybe a lot of us
00:12:53.62\00:12:55.96
who are too quick to do that.
00:12:55.97\00:12:58.68
And so God needs to
put that wonderful humility
00:12:58.69\00:13:03.12
and mixed in with hope,
so that we can work together
00:13:03.13\00:13:08.80
as mothers and
daughters in the Lord
00:13:08.81\00:13:11.55
encouraging one and another
00:13:11.56\00:13:13.49
to fulfill God
purposes for our lives.
00:13:13.50\00:13:17.14
And the Lord is coming.
00:13:17.15\00:13:18.36
We need to be able to do this.
00:13:18.37\00:13:20.43
A work that needs to
be done in our hearts.
00:13:20.44\00:13:22.64
That's right. And to
bring the mothers and daughters
00:13:22.65\00:13:25.16
and the families
together, the fathers,
00:13:25.17\00:13:27.53
this is something
that we can't do without,
00:13:27.54\00:13:29.80
we need it, yeah.
00:13:29.81\00:13:31.12
That makes me
think of emptiness.
00:13:31.13\00:13:33.96
When I'm thinking of
some of the older women
00:13:33.97\00:13:37.43
in the sense of emptiness.
00:13:37.44\00:13:39.32
I think there is also
that sense of emptiness
00:13:39.33\00:13:41.76
with younger women,
of all women of all ages.
00:13:41.77\00:13:45.92
And emptiness and I
would like to talk about
00:13:45.93\00:13:49.89
this emptiness not
avoid without meaning
00:13:49.90\00:13:53.65
not that kind of emptiness.
00:13:53.66\00:13:56.70
I wanted to talk
about a form of emptiness
00:13:56.71\00:14:02.41
that has shape for a purpose.
00:14:02.42\00:14:05.77
And when I'm talking about that
00:14:05.78\00:14:07.55
I'm thinking of like reed pipe
00:14:07.56\00:14:10.56
that is totally empty,
but its there to receive
00:14:10.57\00:14:15.64
a piper's
breath to utter a song.
00:14:15.65\00:14:18.33
Oh beautiful.
00:14:18.34\00:14:19.31
Or the emptiness
of a chalice, a cup,
00:14:19.32\00:14:25.19
that's beautifully made,
00:14:25.20\00:14:27.59
but its empty ready to
hold something for purpose.
00:14:27.60\00:14:32.26
The Lord pouring
Himself out of you.
00:14:32.27\00:14:35.69
Or the emptiness of a birds nest
00:14:35.70\00:14:39.98
it's formed waiting
for the fledgling bird,
00:14:39.99\00:14:43.68
that kind of
emptiness that had shape
00:14:43.69\00:14:46.14
and form for a
purpose and we hear a lot
00:14:46.15\00:14:50.24
about emptiness these days.
00:14:50.25\00:14:52.62
And I think that we need
to get perspective on this.
00:14:52.63\00:15:00.03
Are we having
emptiness with purpose?
00:15:00.04\00:15:03.19
Are we reed pipes
just waiting to be sung,
00:15:03.20\00:15:06.69
right, through?
00:15:06.70\00:15:07.99
Are we chalices
waiting for God's love
00:15:08.00\00:15:12.45
to be poured out of us?
00:15:12.46\00:15:14.23
Are we nests waiting?
00:15:14.24\00:15:18.72
Does He desire a
warm sweet abiding in us.
00:15:18.73\00:15:23.48
I'm sure He does.
00:15:23.49\00:15:24.56
And if we think about
these three things, the reed,
00:15:24.57\00:15:28.64
and the chalice and the
nest and how they are made.
00:15:28.65\00:15:33.43
It will help you
identify more easily I think.
00:15:33.44\00:15:37.78
The reed is a very simple thing,
00:15:37.79\00:15:39.83
it just grows down by the river.
00:15:39.84\00:15:42.62
But in order for it to
be used, it has to be cut
00:15:42.63\00:15:46.78
with the sharp knife
and then pierced with holes
00:15:46.79\00:15:51.73
for that breath to come through
00:15:51.74\00:15:53.88
and give the different tones.
00:15:53.89\00:15:55.66
The cup made out
of gold or silver.
00:15:57.63\00:15:59.97
Gold is found in
the water or in the mud
00:15:59.98\00:16:02.30
and having to be dug out
00:16:02.31\00:16:04.94
of something out of
the sides of the mountain.
00:16:04.95\00:16:08.65
Sliver has to be dug out
and then put through fire,
00:16:08.66\00:16:12.49
to be purified, so
many times to be purified.
00:16:12.50\00:16:15.28
The nest is made up of
all different kinds of flouts
00:16:15.29\00:16:19.16
and get some thick bit,
that daring little mother
00:16:19.17\00:16:24.02
has flown who
knows how many miles
00:16:24.03\00:16:27.35
to bring back each
little piece to tuck in
00:16:27.36\00:16:30.39
and to form
that with her breast.
00:16:30.40\00:16:33.15
And so each one of these.
00:16:33.16\00:16:35.97
We're formed by a knife
00:16:37.14\00:16:39.00
we could be form by
knife and pared down.
00:16:39.01\00:16:42.27
We could have been hammered
with lots of little blows
00:16:42.28\00:16:46.33
like goldsmith or silversmith
would have to be done,
00:16:46.34\00:16:50.06
or we could be
shaped for our destiny
00:16:50.07\00:16:53.49
by the love and a tender home.
00:16:53.50\00:16:58.15
Any three of these
things, but we are shaped
00:16:58.16\00:17:02.14
according to a plan
that God has for us.
00:17:02.15\00:17:05.33
So that no matter
what to you are right now,
00:17:05.34\00:17:08.17
no matter what shape you are,
00:17:08.18\00:17:10.28
whether you are
beautiful or ugly,
00:17:10.29\00:17:14.13
whether you are
intelligent or not too smart,
00:17:14.14\00:17:19.27
whether you are
mild or passionate,
00:17:19.28\00:17:21.57
whether you are
clever, whether you are stupid,
00:17:24.05\00:17:27.07
it doesn't matter.
00:17:28.38\00:17:29.72
But it's all planned
to give shape and form
00:17:29.73\00:17:34.55
to a purpose
that God has for you.
00:17:34.56\00:17:37.79
I love this idea.
00:17:37.80\00:17:39.37
And so this
emptiness can have purpose,
00:17:39.38\00:17:42.92
yes maybe you were
beaten like that gold hammer.
00:17:42.93\00:17:47.47
Maybe you are pierced.
00:17:47.48\00:17:48.59
And maybe you are pierced.
00:17:48.60\00:17:51.25
Or maybe you grew up in
just a tender loving home
00:17:51.26\00:17:55.18
and haven't experience
that, but can understand.
00:17:55.19\00:17:59.10
Yet there is purpose
and God has that purpose
00:17:59.11\00:18:03.66
designed for you and
you need to find out,
00:18:03.67\00:18:06.81
I need to find out
what that purpose is?
00:18:06.82\00:18:09.51
It also reminds me
one of my most favorite,
00:18:09.52\00:18:13.42
favorite metaphors
that Jesus uses for us
00:18:13.43\00:18:18.24
in His relationship
with us which is found
00:18:18.25\00:18:20.99
in John 15 verse 16,
00:18:21.00\00:18:27.70
"You did not
choose me, but I chose you
00:18:27.71\00:18:33.20
and appointed you to go
00:18:33.21\00:18:34.83
and bear
fruit-fruit that will last."
00:18:34.84\00:18:38.28
And here He is
talking about a wine.
00:18:39.30\00:18:41.77
Now what is a vine, a grapevine?
00:18:41.78\00:18:45.16
It's empty, its one sole
purpose is to take the sap
00:18:45.17\00:18:52.29
through to the
branches to give life
00:18:52.30\00:18:55.98
to that branch to bear fruit.
00:18:55.99\00:18:58.31
So here you have
this empty branch
00:18:58.32\00:19:00.78
coming out to receive the sap.
00:19:00.79\00:19:03.89
Well, it's not
really used for anything,
00:19:03.90\00:19:06.47
we don't use
grapevine for furniture,
00:19:06.48\00:19:08.95
or to built houses.
00:19:08.96\00:19:10.80
I think the only
thing we use grapevine for
00:19:10.81\00:19:12.90
are to make wreaths
00:19:12.91\00:19:14.93
that we hang artificial
fruits on, artificial flowers
00:19:14.94\00:19:20.05
and Jesus says wait a minute.
00:19:20.06\00:19:22.11
But it does such a work.
00:19:22.12\00:19:23.43
I want you to be alive.
00:19:23.44\00:19:26.67
I want you to be
connected into me.
00:19:26.68\00:19:30.71
And what's more
you didn't choose me,
00:19:30.72\00:19:33.90
but I choose you and I
want you to be empty branches,
00:19:33.91\00:19:39.77
so that I can pour my
life through you for what?
00:19:39.78\00:19:44.25
To bear fruit.
00:19:44.26\00:19:46.72
Now Joe and I where in France
00:19:46.73\00:19:48.85
visiting his brother.
00:19:48.86\00:19:50.12
He has two brothers
there who are missionaries,
00:19:50.13\00:19:52.75
one in France and one in Belgium
00:19:52.76\00:19:54.48
and we were visiting
there and we saw the grapevines
00:19:54.49\00:19:59.07
over the hill side.
00:19:59.08\00:20:00.24
Oh! They are beautiful
on hill sides, aren't they?
00:20:00.25\00:20:03.59
And I was struck by how
they were just stretched out
00:20:03.60\00:20:07.49
crosswise one after the
other mile after mile after mile
00:20:07.50\00:20:13.55
these white crosses
with the grape wines
00:20:13.56\00:20:17.20
and I thought, oh my Lord,
00:20:17.21\00:20:19.58
that's a picture of that
first vine that first hung
00:20:19.59\00:20:25.45
with his arms
stretched out crosswise.
00:20:25.46\00:20:28.46
I've never thought of that.
00:20:28.47\00:20:29.53
And many times I've seen those,
00:20:29.54\00:20:31.41
I was over there
too and I've seen
00:20:31.42\00:20:33.44
those stretched out like that.
00:20:33.45\00:20:35.26
Of course we live
in Washington State
00:20:35.27\00:20:36.53
and you see a
lot of up there too.
00:20:36.54\00:20:38.24
But I haven't thought about that
00:20:38.25\00:20:39.65
being stretched
out like the cross.
00:20:39.66\00:20:41.51
I thought of that
wine and I thought
00:20:41.52\00:20:45.04
how does the natural growing
of that wine represent us
00:20:46.16\00:20:50.28
and the more I thought of it,
00:20:50.29\00:20:52.55
I thought here is
first of all it's a wine,
00:20:52.56\00:20:54.67
usually a vine
trails everywhere.
00:20:54.68\00:20:57.48
But no, a grapevine dresser
00:20:57.49\00:21:00.76
doesn't let it just
trail on the ground.
00:21:00.77\00:21:03.08
The first thing he does
00:21:03.09\00:21:04.25
is lifts it up and
puts it on a stake.
00:21:04.26\00:21:08.04
What did Jesus say,
00:21:08.05\00:21:09.62
if you will follow
me, I'll lift you up, yes.
00:21:09.63\00:21:12.88
It says if you will
follow me pick up your cross,
00:21:12.89\00:21:16.14
follow me if you
want to be my disciple.
00:21:17.72\00:21:20.32
So he tenderly picks us
up binds us very tenderly,
00:21:20.33\00:21:26.10
so that those
shoots are not damage
00:21:26.11\00:21:28.59
until it grows out and you know
00:21:28.60\00:21:32.90
the grapevine
doesn't have any flower,
00:21:32.91\00:21:35.94
much of a flower.
00:21:35.95\00:21:36.97
In fact the
little tiny flower blooms
00:21:36.98\00:21:39.53
and is gone
before you've seen it
00:21:39.54\00:21:41.70
and its starts bearing food.
00:21:41.71\00:21:43.51
So it doesn't lift
up a beautiful flower
00:21:43.52\00:21:45.86
to be enjoyed its
first thing is to move in
00:21:45.87\00:21:49.67
after that tiny flower
to make the grape cluster.
00:21:49.68\00:21:55.32
Now after that
happens and we were there
00:21:55.33\00:21:59.64
at several
different time, so that we saw
00:21:59.65\00:22:02.16
the different
seasons of the grapevine.
00:22:02.17\00:22:05.68
And soon we saw these
tender shoots growing out,
00:22:05.69\00:22:08.55
you think, oh
surely that mother vine
00:22:08.56\00:22:12.65
because of course
that's what we are mother's
00:22:12.66\00:22:15.38
bearing fruit.
00:22:15.39\00:22:16.68
Surely that vine can
take glory in the shoots
00:22:16.69\00:22:20.44
that it's thrusting out
these beautiful tendrils
00:22:20.45\00:22:23.55
and those leaves
waving in the sky.
00:22:23.56\00:22:27.81
And surely the mother
can glory in that, but no.
00:22:27.82\00:22:33.08
There is somebody who has
vested interest in that vine
00:22:33.09\00:22:37.09
that's just been planted
00:22:37.10\00:22:38.88
and he has pruning
shears and his hands.
00:22:38.89\00:22:41.61
Oh, no. And he comes
and he takes a long look
00:22:41.62\00:22:46.47
and he says which ones
of these vines have branches
00:22:46.48\00:22:50.10
that are going to be
strong to give good fruit.
00:22:50.11\00:22:53.04
And he take shares and he cuts
00:22:53.05\00:22:54.98
the way the ones that aren't
needed, so that more fruit
00:22:54.99\00:23:00.43
can be produced
on fewer branches.
00:23:00.44\00:23:06.57
So then the fruit
begins to ripe in,
00:23:06.58\00:23:10.64
in that hot sun and
it gets bigger and bigger
00:23:10.65\00:23:13.45
and surely the
mother vine can glory
00:23:13.46\00:23:16.47
and that fruit its
coming and she is waving
00:23:16.48\00:23:19.81
her green beautiful
leaves now and those grapes
00:23:19.82\00:23:23.32
are just coming
just so beautifully.
00:23:23.33\00:23:26.74
But the fruit is getting heaver,
00:23:28.78\00:23:31.44
so what does the vinedresser do.
00:23:31.45\00:23:33.24
He just comes and
he ties that vine up
00:23:33.25\00:23:37.38
straighter and
straighter and harder and harder
00:23:37.39\00:23:41.17
in order to bear up
the weight of that fruit.
00:23:41.18\00:23:46.25
And so as hat vine feels
00:23:46.26\00:23:48.90
the strength of
those strings holding it,
00:23:48.91\00:23:54.71
it knows its holding it up
00:23:54.72\00:23:56.02
because its
bearing precious fruit.
00:23:56.03\00:23:58.80
Well, then what happens
00:23:58.81\00:24:00.72
the heat pours on
to that fruit it comes
00:24:01.79\00:24:05.45
to its glorious color,
00:24:05.46\00:24:07.73
but the leaves
begin to fade and droop.
00:24:07.74\00:24:10.61
But nevertheless
the vine is thrilled
00:24:10.62\00:24:14.02
because the fruits coming
and the mother is thrilled
00:24:14.03\00:24:17.74
because she is
beginning to droop,
00:24:17.75\00:24:20.83
but the fruits coming
and her fruit is growing
00:24:20.84\00:24:23.73
to maturity and
surely she can glory now.
00:24:23.74\00:24:28.11
Her fruit, her
children are coming to maturity.
00:24:28.12\00:24:31.83
Just as the time when
they are at their peak,
00:24:33.75\00:24:37.96
the husband then comes
and strips the vine there.
00:24:39.46\00:24:45.53
And now its drooping leaves
00:24:45.54\00:24:48.45
and its stripped of its fruit.
00:24:48.46\00:24:51.64
Then the fruit is taken
away and feet already to trod
00:24:51.65\00:24:59.06
and to press the
juice out of that fruit
00:24:59.07\00:25:02.58
in order to
give joy to the land,
00:25:02.59\00:25:05.62
to the rest of the
land and then the husband
00:25:05.63\00:25:08.92
when comes along
and it prunes again.
00:25:08.93\00:25:12.51
He prunes very, very sharply.
00:25:12.52\00:25:14.91
The fruit in the
harvest has come.
00:25:16.36\00:25:18.21
Now comes the really dark days
00:25:20.72\00:25:23.69
where the vine stands all alone,
00:25:23.70\00:25:26.02
all through the
winter and the harvest,
00:25:26.03\00:25:28.92
it's not bitter for the torment,
00:25:28.93\00:25:31.54
it's not barren,
because of the fruit it gave up,
00:25:32.84\00:25:35.81
but it's
fulfilled and next spring.
00:25:35.82\00:25:39.14
That's ready to bear again.
00:25:39.15\00:25:40.12
It blooms again. Yes.
00:25:40.13\00:25:42.48
And so we'll go
00:25:42.49\00:25:43.76
Bassi back in
1800s said in a sermon.
00:25:43.77\00:25:47.18
The vine from every
living limb bleeds wine.
00:25:48.38\00:25:51.94
Is it poor for that spirit shed?
00:25:51.95\00:25:55.92
Measure thy life by
loss instead of gain,
00:25:55.93\00:26:00.82
not by the wine drunk,
but the wine poured forth;
00:26:00.83\00:26:05.05
for life's strength
standeth in love's sacrifice,
00:26:05.06\00:26:08.88
and whoso suffers
most hath most to give
00:26:08.89\00:26:13.25
and this is a
picture of a mother.
00:26:13.26\00:26:14.69
And of Christ.
00:26:14.70\00:26:15.77
And of Christ and he living
in us pouring His life out
00:26:15.78\00:26:20.58
through us and Jim Elliot
00:26:20.59\00:26:24.99
and Martyred
Missionary went to Ecuador said,
00:26:25.00\00:26:29.09
"He is no fool who
gives what he cannot keep
00:26:29.10\00:26:33.10
to gain that
which he cannot lose."
00:26:33.11\00:26:36.78
Amen, that's beautiful.
00:26:36.79\00:26:39.40
I know going through all of that
00:26:39.41\00:26:42.18
you can see how mothers in
society can be very useful.
00:26:42.19\00:26:48.51
They can bear fruit
again in God's work.
00:26:48.52\00:26:52.05
That's right.
00:26:52.06\00:26:53.09
And the grapevine
lives a very long time.
00:26:53.10\00:26:57.06
Yes. And the lovely thing is
00:26:57.07\00:26:59.35
in John 15 it says,
00:26:59.36\00:27:02.24
your fruit will remain
I've chosen you to bear fruit,
00:27:02.25\00:27:06.03
fruit that will
remain, that's for eternity.
00:27:06.04\00:27:09.16
Amen, and that's what we
want, that's what I want,
00:27:09.17\00:27:12.14
I know that's what you want.
00:27:12.15\00:27:13.12
I want nothing more than to do
00:27:13.13\00:27:15.41
what I was
created to be and to do.
00:27:15.42\00:27:18.55
Arlita I want to pray
again for our viewers.
00:27:18.56\00:27:21.72
All right. And I
want to tell them good bye
00:27:21.73\00:27:23.66
before we start praying
and you are going to be back
00:27:23.67\00:27:26.16
for another session on
women in society, is that right.
00:27:26.17\00:27:28.91
That's right. Good and I
want you to be with us as well.
00:27:28.92\00:27:32.79
Don't forget to join us
we will be praying for you,
00:27:32.80\00:27:34.91
we're gonna pray now.
00:27:34.92\00:27:36.71
Would you our prayer.
00:27:36.72\00:27:38.37
Father I thank you
that you have chosen us
00:27:38.38\00:27:41.15
that it's not even a
question of whether or not
00:27:41.16\00:27:44.52
you love us but you just do.
00:27:44.53\00:27:46.91
We have to understand
that you really do love us
00:27:46.92\00:27:49.49
and you've chosen
us and you want us
00:27:49.50\00:27:52.43
to bear fruit and
that it will be inevitable
00:27:52.44\00:27:55.81
if we abide in you.
00:27:55.82\00:27:57.72
If we let you come
and make your home.
00:27:57.73\00:28:00.45