Welcome to
"Thinking About Home."
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I'm Kathy Matthews.
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And I'm glad
you're back with us again.
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Today our guests are gonna
be Charles and Rita Martin.
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They are Bible
workers in Minnesota.
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And they have quite a
story on walking by faith
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and not by side and
it's about a son of theirs.
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And I'm going to let
them introduce that son.
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But first I want you to
meet them, Charles and Rita,
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thanks for being with
us. It's our pleasure.
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I'm glad you're here.
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You had a
little trip didn't you?
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Yes, It's not an easy thing
to get down from Minnesota.
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But I've done that kind of
trip in worse weather then,
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then we have at the moment
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and sometimes met
blizzards and so forth.
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But it's not that way right
now. I wanted to invite you here
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because you have a
really, really unique story on
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how the Lord has gotten
you through, right? Amen.
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A terrible thing
that's happened in your life,
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and I've thought the
viewers would really appreciate.
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Just the grace of
God working in your life
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and how that he
got you through this
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and we were
together in some classes.
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Tom was in class with
you wasn't he? Charles. Yes.
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And there was something
that happened at that time
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and I will just let
you takeover from there.
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What, what hit
your life at that time?
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We were attending
Mission College of Evangelism
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in the Black
Hills. And we, we came to
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what we're about two
weeks in at the program
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and got a call in the
night. Yes. They had said
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that our son had been in
a, in a very bad accident,
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extremely bad and asked us to,
to come to South Bend, Indiana
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immediately if
wanted to see him alive...
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Oh! Is that right. And
your, your son name is?
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His name is
Matthew, he was 24 years old.
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I remember, I remember
when you got that call,
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it was just all of a sudden
you were gone the next day.
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And everybody was
wondering where is Matthew,
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where is Rita and
Charles. And it was a sad thing.
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There's a lot of
prayers going on for you,
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what happened then?
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Well, we of course,
drove through the night,
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we tried to get
an airline ticket
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and couldn't get there
any sooner then driving.
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so we drove whole night long.
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And whenever we'd call the
hospital, they'd keep saying
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when are you going to be there.
Are you still on your way?
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Yes. And when we
arrived at the hospital we,
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we discovered that
Matthew had, had been in a very
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traumatic head injury besides
his legs broken a very badly
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and they couldn't
even operate on them.
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They were, they were so
bad, but this head injury
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had caused 17
bruises to the brain
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and that was a shear injury.
Not like you would just hit one
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on the front or something,
it was like hitting on the front
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and then maybe to the
back and over there side
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in fact the
other. Oh! I see, I see.
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He hit a van that was
parked in a turning lane and,
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It was parked,
it wasn't moving on?
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It was actually
turning in this turning line
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and he wandered over into
that lane and collided with it
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and then another car
hit him from the rear
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and spun him around. So
it's a two car accident.
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Oh I see, and what
were you feeling Rita,
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all at this time?
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Well, I was it
was one of those days
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when we got the news
were we had been out at 3:30
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that morning in prayer time.
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You know, we had joined
this school of evangelism
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and most of the students
were younger than us, Kathy.
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I know, they were.
And we felt the pressure
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of keeping up in those
days and we're unwilling to
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let go our morning
prayer time. And so to do that,
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we had gotten up
at 3:30 that morning.
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And found our refuge in
Him and we're so grateful
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that we had had that have that
walk especially that morning,
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an extra special time
with him. But as that news came
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that night we were just
falling into bed exhausted
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for the day. Yes.
And so when we left
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on the trip we
were sort of in a days.
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I'll let you tell
honey the experience
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with the prayer closets.
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When we arrived at Black Hills
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we, we saw that the
closets for married student
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housing were huge. And we said,
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this is the best opportunity
for prayer we've had.
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In a closet, is
that where you going?
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And yes and we're asking
the Lord every, every night
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before I went to bed.
Lord, wake us at the time
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that you would
have us to, to wake up.
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And you know, it was almost
invariably that was 3 or 3:30
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in the morning that we would
get up and we realized later
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that He was preparing us,
for what was to come ahead.
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And, and so it
seemed to the moment
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when we would
stumble out the closets,
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sometimes it
will be an hour later
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and we're having the most
dynamic prayer life of our lives
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Really.
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And so when this news came
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about the accident, I
can't describe the peace
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that washed over us. It
was, it was not ourselves,
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I've been a lot of
situations were a huge wave
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would roll over you and
you just about to crumble.
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But it wasn't so in this
case. The Lord had prepared
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us for this. And
said, I'm gonna be there
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and I'm gonna hold you
through the whole thing. Amen.
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And as we, as we receive
this news, we hung up the phone
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and we just had
this overwhelming urge
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that we would kneel down
and laid us before the Lord
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and as we did, we said
Lord we want to give you
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thanks for this. And
it seemed like a strange
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thing to be
saying. We wanna thank You,
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for whatever you
have in mind for this.
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And it felt so
right to be doing that.
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And though we had a
lot of anxiety and so forth
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wanting to see him
before anything happened.
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we, you know, through
the night it would even call
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people and ask
them to pray with us.
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Some spiritual
friends we had and so forth
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as we rolling along with our
cell phone going down the road.
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Yet that was this abiding peace
that was through the whole thing
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That started from
the very beginning?
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It was an undercurrent.
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The grief, the grief is there.
We had to feed the little girls.
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It came like
waves almost in the new
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the peace would
push it back down or...
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We had to
concentrate on our family.
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With us our little
eight-year-old and five-year-old
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we had to feed
them. We weren't hungry
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but we would stop at
grocery store and I remember
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separating a list,
you take a few things
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and I will and
we'll go get this done
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so we can get back on the road.
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And as we wandered
through the grocery store there,
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we found each other again
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both empty handed and
just stood in the middle
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of the grocery store and
held each other and cried
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because we couldn't concentrate.
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So there is an
undercurrent of deep grief
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and yet there is a
peace, I can't explain.
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Were there any
special scriptures
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that we're just really
ministering to you at that time?
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One especially
thinking of joseph's experience.
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Really. When in Genesis 50:20,
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where it talks about
Joseph being realizing
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that God meant it for
good, it doesn't seem good,
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it doesn't feel
good, it doesn't feel right
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but you have this
overriding abiding peace
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that the God means it for
good. And good can come out
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of anything that happens to us.
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Was there any other
scripture that were really
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special to you at the time?
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Yes, Isaiah 26:3 was
this very special one
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Thou wilt keep
him in perfect peace,
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whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusted in thee.
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You know, you haven't told
us much about Matthew himself.
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You wanna give us some
insight as to what kind
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of a young man he was?
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He was a
delightful, delightful boy
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He was very special to my heart.
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When he was little, he
had a passion for sharing
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his faith with
everybody and he had a tackle
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about that we
would hear in the house,
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we would know
that he was having fun
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at someone else's expense.
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Yes, he really had a heart
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for spiritual things
from a very young age,
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and a desire to share
his faith wherever he went.
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And I think that's
what ultimately let him
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to make the
decision to go to Black Hills
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and to become Bible
worker and later take
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the pastoral training.
And also what inspired us
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in many ways to do you know,
wanna make that same decision.
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So he was the inspiration
to you going there? Yes.
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Now I didn't learned that
right way I didn't realize
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that he had been
there. I didn't know that
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you had other
family members going there.
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When this all
happened of course you just
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you're learning some things
about the books relating to
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and you kind of got the
Bible work in your family
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it sounds like. In
your blood so to speak.
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Yes, very much so.
And those few others
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that you sponsored, didn't
you? To there I thought so,
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so it was. Well, you know, Rita,
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there was a heavy
two weeks afterwards
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or a heavy couple of
weeks afterwards, what happened
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when the accident was over
and, can you tell us about that?
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Well, we had heard about
the accident and had gone
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to be with
Matthew, we found our son
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in a very deep coma
and began to share hours.
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We have a blended
family, Matthew is my step son
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and so we began to share
hours with his birth mom,
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who is there also of
course. And I think they gave us
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about four hours a daily to
to share, and so we would go
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and pray with him
though he didn't appear
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to be conscious in
anyway. He wasn't conscious
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we prayed with him,
saying to him and shared
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some very beautiful
moments there with him.
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Who were you
then, who was this one?
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We were in South Bend, Indiana,
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where he had the
accident. I see, in the hospital
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it was just. Yes, he
was in ICU unit there.
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And, and his mother
was there to you. Yes.
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His birth mom had gotten
there just before we did.
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One of this special things
about this time was feeling lead
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to have an anointing
right away. And not necessarily
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an anointing that
he would be healed,
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but an anointing
to know Gods will.
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And one of our special
friends who had been a pastor
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when we lived in Newcastle,
Wyoming came down for that.
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I know who you're
talking about. I think.
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Well Pastor James Mitchell.
Yeah, I know who that is.
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And he graciously agreed
to come down and be with us,
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had all the family
down on the chapel praying.
00:11:00.62\00:11:03.69
We really had beautiful
anointing service together
00:11:04.67\00:11:07.04
and laid ourselves
before the Lord and we,
00:11:07.05\00:11:11.10
as we were talking in
the chapel there I personally
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believe I had all the
faith necessary to believe
00:11:14.82\00:11:17.25
that if it was God's will
that he could may raise Matthew
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and send him to
the wedding on time,
00:11:20.59\00:11:22.49
if that's what was needed.
And, and also we had given up
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to the Lord where we
would be willing to lay him
00:11:27.91\00:11:29.86
in the grave. If
that's what he desired also,
00:11:29.87\00:11:32.62
that is not our
choice. You know Rita
00:11:32.63\00:11:35.78
and I were talking
about that on to way out,
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and I said I know that,
that it's not his will that
00:11:37.63\00:11:41.15
he would linger on and maybe
be in a semi comatose state
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or vegetative or anything
that could never be God's will.
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Sometimes we try to
box him in, don't we?
00:11:48.29\00:11:50.14
Yes, yes. in what His desire are
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and try to tell
him what they are.
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Right.
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One of the text that mean
lot to us is Ephesians 3:20
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Now unto him that is able
to do exceeding abundantly
00:12:01.74\00:12:05.10
above all that we ask or
think according to the power
00:12:05.11\00:12:07.76
that worketh in
us. And we really,
00:12:07.77\00:12:11.80
you know wanted to
avail ourselves of that power.
00:12:13.10\00:12:16.58
We know that there
is power in that name,
00:12:17.29\00:12:19.35
but the Lord didn't
chose to heal Matthew in that,
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in that service and nor
did He chose to wake him out
00:12:22.43\00:12:27.83
of his sleep or
lay him in the grave.
00:12:27.84\00:12:30.00
But... So you're having
to deal with many things
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that you were
discussing in the car?
00:12:33.40\00:12:35.53
Yeah, there was a calm
assurance that he had given us
00:12:35.54\00:12:38.25
that verses this morning
that day and that he indeed
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would do exceeding
abundantly above all
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that we asked or thought.
00:12:43.69\00:12:45.35
Didn't know exactly
who was gonna do it?
00:12:45.36\00:12:47.30
We didn't know who, when or why.
00:12:47.31\00:12:49.09
Yeah, right.
00:12:49.10\00:12:50.35
Another scripture that meant a
great deal to us was James 1:2.
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It says, My brethren,
count it all joy when ye fall
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into diverse temptations.
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How did you do that?
00:13:00.54\00:13:01.51
I mean, what did you pull
out of that scripture that
00:13:01.52\00:13:04.08
was the point for you?
What's neat about it is that's
00:13:04.09\00:13:07.04
not an emotion. If
we follow our emotions
00:13:07.05\00:13:09.49
we will get in trouble,
but it's a decision. Yes.
00:13:09.50\00:13:12.54
If you decide that
will be joy you then,
00:13:12.55\00:13:16.03
then you just make that decision
00:13:16.04\00:13:17.72
and lay it
before the Lord as such.
00:13:18.46\00:13:19.47
So you're really
using a principle
00:13:19.48\00:13:21.84
to decide, to choose.
Right, we really feel like the,
00:13:21.85\00:13:26.64
the will of the
Lord has been taught us
00:13:26.65\00:13:29.84
in a different way
through this experience,
00:13:29.85\00:13:31.68
because now it's
coming upon six months
00:13:31.69\00:13:35.18
since the accident
happened and we haven't had seen
00:13:35.19\00:13:40.89
the answers that we
wanted, you know that we would
00:13:40.90\00:13:43.48
prefer and yet everyday
there is grace for that day.
00:13:43.49\00:13:46.59
Amen. Amen. You know
Rita, you're the step mom.
00:13:46.60\00:13:50.63
What were you
feeling at all this?
00:13:50.64\00:13:53.99
well, I know I
didn't experience the pain
00:13:54.92\00:13:57.55
that his birth parents did.
Matthew and I were very close.
00:13:57.56\00:14:01.57
He was a delightful
child when I... when Charles
00:14:01.58\00:14:05.57
and I married and came
back for the honeymoon,
00:14:05.58\00:14:07.49
I found a houseful of
bachelors moved in, you know,
00:14:07.50\00:14:10.39
living alone and so the first
thing out of Matthew's mouth
00:14:10.40\00:14:14.19
when I walked in the
house was welcome home mom.
00:14:14.20\00:14:17.31
Oh! Really. And he
opened his heart to me,
00:14:17.32\00:14:20.27
you know, very
real way and we bonded,
00:14:20.28\00:14:22.29
we could talk for
hours on subjects.
00:14:22.30\00:14:24.54
How old was he? He was 12.
00:14:24.55\00:14:26.98
Really, and he said that.
Yeah, he was a special boy.
00:14:26.99\00:14:30.30
That's beautiful.
He had deep concern
00:14:30.31\00:14:32.26
for his nutrition, which is
unusual for a 12-year-old boy
00:14:32.27\00:14:35.99
and he would follow
me around the kitchen,
00:14:36.00\00:14:37.51
looking over my shoulder in
all the pots and all the bowls
00:14:37.52\00:14:40.68
and say now
what's in that? And so,
00:14:40.69\00:14:43.71
but we used to giggle over
that later when I would tell him
00:14:44.23\00:14:46.84
that I used to find
him things to do outside
00:14:46.85\00:14:49.17
of the house while I cooked.
My heart was very touched
00:14:49.18\00:14:53.27
and it was a very hard time.
00:14:53.28\00:14:54.71
Don't you write poems, Rita?
00:14:56.64\00:14:58.14
didn't you have several
poems written about Matthew?
00:14:58.15\00:15:01.75
or just a few, but
we'd like for you to share
00:15:01.76\00:15:04.87
some of that with us.
00:15:04.88\00:15:05.89
Yes, I'll share a
poem that I wrote.
00:15:05.95\00:15:07.72
God's Perfect Will.
00:15:08.55\00:15:09.85
Lord, you are my all,
my strength and my peace.
00:15:10.78\00:15:14.04
I call upon Your name
and doubting thoughts cease.
00:15:14.05\00:15:17.73
Your perfect will and
way is all that I desire.
00:15:17.74\00:15:21.33
I place my hand in Yours
while passing through this fire.
00:15:21.34\00:15:25.31
I ask you to create
a new heart within me,
00:15:26.05\00:15:28.92
Remove the filth and
dross until pure Gold you see,
00:15:29.45\00:15:33.49
Your promises I trust,
they now supply the key
00:15:33.50\00:15:36.78
to rising up above
and having victory!
00:15:37.48\00:15:40.66
By faith and not by
sight I watch your plan unfold,
00:15:40.67\00:15:45.14
enjoying comfort
sweet, safe within Your fold.
00:15:45.15\00:15:49.79
That's beautiful. Thank you.
00:15:49.80\00:15:52.07
Did you decide to
return to Black Hill after that
00:15:52.08\00:15:54.58
did you want to
say something? No.
00:15:54.59\00:15:56.50
Did you decide to return to
Black Hills then after that?
00:15:57.42\00:16:01.39
It was a hard decision to know,
00:16:01.40\00:16:02.97
we, we really agonized
over that, because each,
00:16:02.98\00:16:05.86
each day as we
go and say Matthew,
00:16:05.87\00:16:08.57
it seems is if with his
love of soul winning, he was,
00:16:08.58\00:16:12.14
was crying out to us
saying don't spend your time
00:16:12.15\00:16:15.50
waiting on me. That's
the way he felt inside.
00:16:15.51\00:16:18.04
Yes and, and so we kept
saying Lord, is this your,
00:16:18.05\00:16:23.28
really your will,
what is your will,
00:16:23.29\00:16:24.75
and it just kept coming
on stronger and stronger
00:16:25.59\00:16:28.45
that we were
being called to go ahead
00:16:28.46\00:16:31.21
and leave him
there in good care.
00:16:31.22\00:16:34.85
And what was his
condition then, he was in,
00:16:34.86\00:16:36.52
he was what? He was
still in a deep coma
00:16:36.53\00:16:38.81
at that time, Matthew
used to, when he had taken
00:16:38.82\00:16:42.43
the Bible college
himself, he would come home
00:16:42.44\00:16:45.04
and share with
us, you have to go
00:16:45.05\00:16:47.65
and share God's
word. And he would say,
00:16:47.66\00:16:49.48
you need to go out and I
would, I would say Matthew,
00:16:50.00\00:16:52.92
I have a missionary
field right here and I point
00:16:52.93\00:16:55.60
to my little girls
and he just look at me
00:16:55.61\00:16:57.47
and raise an eyebrow.
And that would be the end
00:16:57.48\00:16:59.77
of the conversation that
he, he... we knew his passion
00:16:59.78\00:17:03.23
was for saving souls,
was for bring the Gospel
00:17:03.24\00:17:06.54
of Jesus Christ to hearts
that hadn't heard the story.
00:17:06.55\00:17:10.29
So we knew that's
what he would want.
00:17:10.30\00:17:12.30
You know, don't you have
some pictures of Matthew?
00:17:13.75\00:17:18.03
Yes, they we can
share, Yes, there is a picture
00:17:18.04\00:17:21.24
that was given to us
several weeks after the accident
00:17:21.25\00:17:25.08
that we had not seen that
a friend of his had taken,
00:17:25.09\00:17:28.33
that really tells the
story of who Matthew is?
00:17:28.34\00:17:31.21
He had his Bible
opened and... then he is,
00:17:31.22\00:17:34.76
you like this one because
he is, it really shows Matthew.
00:17:34.77\00:17:37.83
It shows Matthew. He
loved the word of God
00:17:37.84\00:17:40.24
and he loved to
share it with people.
00:17:40.25\00:17:41.94
Well, you were
separated by so many miles
00:17:42.89\00:17:45.32
and you were
trying to merge yourself
00:17:45.33\00:17:46.88
in the Bible College.
00:17:46.89\00:17:48.55
How did you deal
with discouragement?
00:17:50.07\00:17:51.43
We... it seem to every time
that we needed an extra boost,
00:17:52.85\00:17:58.36
the Lord gave us
one in various ways.
00:17:58.37\00:18:00.88
And one of them
was the news letter
00:18:00.89\00:18:03.27
that he wrote for
his little congregation,
00:18:03.28\00:18:05.86
just before his accident
and it dealt with Romans 8:28.
00:18:05.87\00:18:10.73
Of course, it says that
"We know that all things
00:18:13.92\00:18:15.80
work together for
good to them that love God,
00:18:15.81\00:18:17.56
to them who are the
called according to his purpose.
00:18:17.57\00:18:20.82
We know that, that, it
doesn't always seem good,
00:18:20.83\00:18:23.04
but it always
works together for good.
00:18:23.05\00:18:24.86
And he wrote this little
article I'll just read you
00:18:24.87\00:18:27.10
a few sentences out of it. Okay.
00:18:27.11\00:18:28.70
But it says, I remember
that text in Romans 8:28,
00:18:28.71\00:18:32.57
he is talking about just
after he had a little accident
00:18:32.58\00:18:34.98
with the dear a few
weeks before this one.
00:18:34.99\00:18:37.66
And this is a little
articles that he had written.
00:18:37.67\00:18:40.32
Matthew had written.
Okay, this is his words.
00:18:40.33\00:18:42.72
It was a church
newsletters, what it is. He says
00:18:42.73\00:18:45.65
I remember that the
text, that text in Romans 8:28,
00:18:45.66\00:18:48.51
when I realized that all
things work together for good,
00:18:48.52\00:18:51.15
to those who love God,
and are called according
00:18:51.16\00:18:53.20
to his purpose and
I was able to focus on
00:18:53.21\00:18:55.31
the blessing and the
trials of the accident.
00:18:55.32\00:18:57.89
And in any circumstances
all things work for good.
00:18:57.90\00:19:01.36
And we knew that the
Lord had sent that message
00:19:01.37\00:19:03.88
not for them, but for us
knowing this was just penned
00:19:03.89\00:19:07.42
a few days before
that. And there was also
00:19:07.43\00:19:11.73
a letter that, that he
had written to a friend,
00:19:11.74\00:19:14.31
that didn't arrive
until after the accident.
00:19:14.32\00:19:16.35
And this friend went
ahead and forwarded the copy
00:19:17.28\00:19:21.04
of the letter back
to us, because it was
00:19:21.05\00:19:22.76
so spiritually rich and it
was a real comfort to our heart.
00:19:22.77\00:19:26.75
When our son
couldn't speak to us,
00:19:27.73\00:19:29.83
it was so
beautiful that we had words
00:19:29.84\00:19:31.93
he could penned himself
just prior, its so comforting
00:19:31.94\00:19:34.91
and I know the Lord had planned
that ahead of time, amen.
00:19:34.92\00:19:37.63
Yeah, it was a
beautiful thing, I remember
00:19:37.64\00:19:39.35
when this letter,
that when you got it
00:19:39.36\00:19:41.85
and it touched everybody's
heart when you read it.
00:19:41.86\00:19:45.42
Share with us. I'll
just read a small portion
00:19:46.89\00:19:49.35
where he is
talking about working
00:19:49.36\00:19:50.38
in the garden at Black
Hills. And he says, one day
00:19:50.39\00:19:54.27
as I was pulling
weeds and potatoes,
00:19:54.28\00:19:55.96
I notice the leaves had
holes in them and they were
00:19:55.97\00:19:59.08
turning brown,
that's the potatoes.
00:19:59.09\00:20:01.19
I started to think that
we had done something wrong
00:20:01.62\00:20:03.75
in raising those plans,
because it appeared to be dying.
00:20:04.27\00:20:07.98
So I decided to the
dig under one of the plants
00:20:07.99\00:20:10.70
to see what the problem
was. I discovered six to eight
00:20:10.71\00:20:13.51
good size healthy potatoes
under the seemingly dead plant.
00:20:13.52\00:20:18.63
What do you think the
lesson was that I learned?
00:20:18.64\00:20:20.95
The plant had to die
and put all its energy
00:20:21.39\00:20:23.63
into bearing fruit.
00:20:23.64\00:20:24.61
What a comfort to know
00:20:28.48\00:20:29.80
that could this was, this
was the stage of Matthew heart,
00:20:29.81\00:20:33.18
just hours before this accident.
Right, this was written
00:20:33.19\00:20:36.17
to a friend he was
encouraging, wasn't he?
00:20:36.18\00:20:38.22
Right, and it did not
even arrived to her home
00:20:38.23\00:20:41.36
until after the
accident, so it was written
00:20:41.37\00:20:44.63
quite soon before.
How did the scripture
00:20:44.64\00:20:47.27
of Romans 8:28 help you
with discouragement, Rita?
00:20:47.28\00:20:50.30
Well, it was like,
Matthew was reminding us that
00:20:50.31\00:20:54.01
what we already knew,
that all things work together
00:20:54.02\00:20:56.32
for good that back to
back exceeding abundantly
00:20:56.33\00:20:58.86
above all that we ask
or think. God had a plan
00:20:58.87\00:21:02.08
and we knew it. Oh!
That's hard to grasp
00:21:02.09\00:21:03.14
though when you're in
middle of that, isn't it?
00:21:03.15\00:21:04.93
then you, did you feel
the difficulty of grasping
00:21:04.94\00:21:09.25
those promises? It
is that's, there again
00:21:09.26\00:21:12.25
it comes back to a
decision. Yes. And when you
00:21:12.26\00:21:14.33
make the decision,
then the Lord add the grace,
00:21:14.34\00:21:16.39
like Paul and Silas when
they are thrown in prison,
00:21:16.40\00:21:19.41
you know, they didn't
really grasp on to it until
00:21:19.42\00:21:23.41
they started to, you
know, sing in prison.
00:21:23.42\00:21:26.92
And when they started to sing,
00:21:26.93\00:21:28.62
then God moved in their behalf.
00:21:28.63\00:21:30.68
He was the one
telling me that decision.
00:21:30.69\00:21:32.66
You were kind of
at a camp meeting?
00:21:33.74\00:21:35.19
Weren't you together?
00:21:35.20\00:21:36.17
the last time you saw Matthew?
00:21:36.18\00:21:38.09
Yes and that was
a unique situation,
00:21:38.10\00:21:41.01
because we had
no plans to see him
00:21:41.02\00:21:43.08
and while we're at
a family camp meeting,
00:21:43.09\00:21:45.49
they asked us if
Matthew might be interested
00:21:46.44\00:21:48.49
in a job there. So we
called him and he said,
00:21:48.50\00:21:51.23
you know, I'll come
down and have an interview
00:21:51.24\00:21:53.84
with them, so he
drove 18 hours and got there
00:21:53.85\00:21:56.58
and the job closed
right before he even got there
00:21:56.59\00:21:59.64
and so we had a
blessed time anyway,
00:22:00.54\00:22:04.58
it was interesting,
because Matthews could have been
00:22:04.59\00:22:06.47
a little upset over
that, you know, disappointment
00:22:06.48\00:22:09.56
and his
countenance never changed.
00:22:09.57\00:22:11.72
He just knew the Lord
had a plan no matter what,
00:22:11.73\00:22:13.91
he claimed that verse, we
all did and we thought Lord,
00:22:13.92\00:22:16.42
this doesn't look like
it make sense right now,
00:22:16.43\00:22:18.48
but we, we know you had
a purpose and everything.
00:22:18.49\00:22:20.91
So we went on as a
family and had a wonderful rest
00:22:20.92\00:22:23.17
of the week together.
Later finding that was indeed
00:22:23.18\00:22:26.96
our last time with our son.
00:22:26.97\00:22:28.63
The condition
that Matthew is in now,
00:22:34.05\00:22:36.09
is it easy for
you look upon, is it?
00:22:38.60\00:22:41.74
And what's the
doctor's prognosis for him?
00:22:42.53\00:22:45.98
Matthew is in a
long term care facility.
00:22:46.88\00:22:50.36
We never dream that we
would ever see our son there
00:22:51.03\00:22:53.64
or allow our loved one to
be in a situation like that,
00:22:53.65\00:22:57.92
and yet it's been
something that's totally
00:22:57.93\00:22:59.34
out of our control.
Yeah. But Matthew right now
00:22:59.35\00:23:02.59
has very limited
brainstem activity really he,
00:23:02.60\00:23:07.17
you know, has sleep and
wake cycles and is able to
00:23:08.06\00:23:13.39
hear loud noises and
respond and so forth,
00:23:13.40\00:23:15.95
some of those basic things.
But very limited responses in,
00:23:15.96\00:23:20.53
in relation to
the people around him.
00:23:20.54\00:23:23.42
For instance, when we
pray with him, he doesn't
00:23:24.94\00:23:27.11
closes his eyes for
prayer, it's the one thing that
00:23:27.12\00:23:29.11
he could do, but
doesn't do. What about the car?
00:23:29.12\00:23:32.92
what did it look like?
What happen and all that?
00:23:32.93\00:23:34.92
Don't you have
picture that you can show us?
00:23:34.93\00:23:37.08
Yes, a friend
handed me a camera,
00:23:38.03\00:23:40.13
I didn't have my camera
with me at the time of all this.
00:23:40.14\00:23:42.04
So, is this when you were there?
00:23:42.05\00:23:43.63
Yes, yes this is
the picture of the car
00:23:43.64\00:23:46.43
that Matthew was in.
00:23:48.08\00:23:49.15
It was difficult, I'm sure.
00:23:50.09\00:23:51.48
Yeah, it was difficult
to see the car and be there.
00:23:53.34\00:23:55.94
Out little girls
were very moved by that.
00:23:55.95\00:23:58.36
What is he look like now?
00:23:58.37\00:23:59.86
Well, he has
trek in that helps him
00:23:59.87\00:24:02.84
on his breathing
as a feeding tube
00:24:02.85\00:24:04.98
basically there is not a lot
of other intervention, right.
00:24:04.99\00:24:07.95
We had desire that
Matthew maybe could come home
00:24:07.96\00:24:11.93
with us when he got to
this point and that hasn't
00:24:11.94\00:24:17.25
happened legally we
been that, that door's closed
00:24:17.26\00:24:21.91
to us now. Is that right?
00:24:21.92\00:24:23.31
But we felt that also
was the Lord's leading,
00:24:23.32\00:24:25.01
because of the same
time we had a call to come
00:24:25.02\00:24:28.53
to Park Rapids,
Minnesota and do Bible work.
00:24:28.54\00:24:30.66
Is that right?
Let's see the picture
00:24:30.67\00:24:32.71
of him in the hospital
there, I think that would be
00:24:32.72\00:24:35.72
something that would
help people to understand
00:24:35.73\00:24:38.36
of what we need to
pray for, for your sake
00:24:38.37\00:24:44.35
and your family
and for Matthew's sake.
00:24:44.36\00:24:46.09
It's a process, isn't it?
Yes. This picture of course
00:24:47.09\00:24:51.79
shows him on a
ventilator and all the apparatus
00:24:51.80\00:24:54.75
and head monitors and so forth,
monitoring his brain pressure
00:24:54.76\00:24:58.79
was a serious
situation. And now,
00:24:58.80\00:25:02.18
he's pretty well past
all that, but it was quite
00:25:02.19\00:25:05.42
a scary thing to
come in the hospital
00:25:05.43\00:25:07.30
and see your son
in that condition.
00:25:07.31\00:25:08.49
Oh! I guess! Is
1st Thessalonians 5:18
00:25:09.03\00:25:11.58
have any meaning to you
on this. Yes, definitely
00:25:11.59\00:25:15.17
"In everything give thanks:
for this is the will of God
00:25:15.18\00:25:17.83
and Christ
Jesus concerning you."
00:25:17.84\00:25:19.45
That's... once again I
had to say when they say it.
00:25:20.32\00:25:23.21
It is, isn't it? In
everything give thanks.
00:25:23.22\00:25:26.47
But we know that God
still has a plan in all this
00:25:26.48\00:25:29.14
and we've to just
wait for it to unfold.
00:25:29.15\00:25:31.77
It's dangerous
to try to look ahead
00:25:31.78\00:25:34.04
and see what tomorrow
is, we have grace for today,
00:25:34.05\00:25:36.89
but that's all we're assured of.
Right, and that could be really
00:25:36.90\00:25:41.69
encouraging for those who
are going through something
00:25:41.70\00:25:43.74
anywhere near like
this, or lesser or more.
00:25:43.75\00:25:47.79
And 2nd Corinthians
has some meaning for you,
00:25:48.27\00:25:50.30
doesn't it? Yes, 2nd
Corinthians 5 verse 7,
00:25:50.31\00:25:54.47
beautiful verse,
00:25:54.48\00:25:55.45
"For we walk by
faith, and not by sight."
00:25:56.60\00:25:58.78
You know we're told that
00:26:00.57\00:26:02.03
if we could see the
end from the beginning
00:26:02.04\00:26:03.72
we wouldn't choose
it any other way. Amen.
00:26:03.73\00:26:06.28
And we haven't
seen the end yet and yet
00:26:06.29\00:26:09.29
the beauty of it is that
he has given us the grace
00:26:09.30\00:26:11.37
to say for today. We
see that it's going to be
00:26:11.38\00:26:16.22
all right and
that's for the best.
00:26:16.23\00:26:17.91
Oh! You know Charles and
Rita, I remember when this
00:26:17.92\00:26:21.87
all happened and I
asked how we could minister
00:26:21.88\00:26:23.85
to you and you felt
that you just had the peace
00:26:23.86\00:26:27.40
of the Lord, that you
didn't have to have everybody
00:26:27.41\00:26:30.60
ministering to you. But
it was a wonderful thing
00:26:30.61\00:26:32.71
that everybody cared
about you the way they did.
00:26:32.72\00:26:34.31
You know if this program
has been a blessing to you,
00:26:36.02\00:26:38.94
let 3ABN know,
write or call 3ABN.
00:26:38.95\00:26:41.80
Let them know how it
might be touching your heart
00:26:41.81\00:26:44.79
and pray for Charles and Rita.
00:26:44.80\00:26:46.46
Matthew is not
out of the woods yet,
00:26:46.47\00:26:48.88
so to speak and your
prayers certainly could be added
00:26:48.89\00:26:52.98
to theirs and ours to
bless him and their family.
00:26:52.99\00:26:55.75
And pray for them as they're
doing their Bible work too
00:26:55.76\00:26:58.82
and we're going to be praying
as we close out the program.
00:26:58.83\00:27:01.80
Please join us again on
on "Thinking about Home."
00:27:02.41\00:27:05.96
We're always
glad that you do that.
00:27:05.97\00:27:08.30
Charles, you wanna lead us
out or take us out with prayer?
00:27:08.31\00:27:11.84
I'd love to, Gracious
Lord, we want to thank you
00:27:11.85\00:27:15.67
especially for the
privilege it is to be partaker
00:27:15.68\00:27:19.03
in the
sufferings for Jesus Christ.
00:27:19.04\00:27:20.62
And though we don't see
the end from the beginning,
00:27:21.50\00:27:23.52
we know that you have a
plan and I know you're gonna
00:27:23.53\00:27:25.91
reveal that plan gloriously
far above but we could ask
00:27:25.92\00:27:29.90
or think and then by faith
we can grab hold of it today
00:27:29.91\00:27:33.56
even though we don't see that.
00:27:33.57\00:27:34.96
I thank you for your study,
ever loving, carefully handing
00:27:35.53\00:27:39.89
over us and the
love that you've shown us
00:27:39.90\00:27:43.21
in so many ways. I
thank you for being able
00:27:43.22\00:27:46.22
to share the story
and I pray that every one
00:27:46.23\00:27:49.38
who might also be
sharing the similar circumstance
00:27:49.39\00:27:52.87
or hurt in some way can use this
00:27:52.88\00:27:55.13
as a comfort in their souls.
00:27:55.14\00:27:56.99