Participants: C. A. Murray (Host), Rachel Williams Smith
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY014086A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:07 Hello and welcome to 3ABN today. 01:09 My name is C.A. Murray 01:10 and allow me once again to thank you 01:12 for sharing just a little of your day with us. 01:15 Thank you for your love, your prays, 01:16 you supported this ministry. 01:18 We realize that we couldn't do it, 01:20 we're called to do without your partnering with us 01:22 so we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. 01:24 I'm excited beyond belief dare I say this day 01:28 because of my guest because of the subject matter 01:32 and I want you really to draw close and give ear 01:34 because we've got a lot of stuff to talk about. 01:40 Rachel Williams-Smith is the chairman of the department 01:44 of communication at Andrews University, 01:46 and we will get to that. 01:48 But there is a whole lot of story 01:50 before we get to Andrews University 01:52 that we want to really to give ear to, 01:54 because you may know someone, you may be someone, 01:58 you may have a chance to minister to someone 02:00 who has had a background similar 02:02 and has gone through similar experiences. 02:04 I doubt that you have gone 02:06 through the exact same experiences, 02:08 but perhaps something similar 02:10 and today you're gonna learn a little bit about 02:13 how one overcomes a lot of adversity, 02:16 how one overcomes through the power of Christ, 02:19 a bunch of negativity that could shape 02:22 and mold and warp there I say someone's childhood 02:27 and move right into their adulthood. 02:28 But Rachel's overcome that, in a marvelous way 02:32 and we're gonna talk about her walk, 02:34 her journey and I think you're going to be inspired 02:36 and really impressed by this woman of God 02:39 who has done some great things and is doing some great things 02:42 and has managed to put all of this down in a book 02:46 that we're gonna talk about in just a little bit. 02:47 First of all good to have here. 02:49 Nice to be here. 02:51 So you told me that-- that her mom is fan of 3ABN, 02:55 and I said well, what about you? 02:56 See said, I will it watch it some. 02:58 We see her watch it more from now on. 03:00 I guarantee you. 03:01 I guarantee you, I will this show. 03:04 Praise the Lord. 03:06 She is an educator and spend sometime 03:08 on the faculty at Oakwood University 03:11 and now is chair of the department 03:12 at Andrew's University, 03:13 and we're gonna talk about all of that. 03:15 But at-- at before we go to much further, 03:17 I want us to stop in as you are from where? 03:20 Now? No, originally. 03:22 Well, I was born in Massachusetts, 03:24 and my parents left there when I was six months old. 03:26 So the first place I remember being is Spain 03:29 and then I kind of Alabama, and then I group in Tennessee. 03:33 My father was in military, did I mention that? 03:35 So, when people ask me where I'm from? 03:38 I say, I don't-- I don't know, 03:39 but I claim growing up in Tennessee. 03:41 In Tennessee, okay. 03:42 Because there-- having been down here 03:45 a while I know the Tennessee accent. 03:47 Yes. And you ain't got that. 03:50 Well, okay and if I need you, I can have it. 03:55 In deed you can. 03:57 But perhaps since having a military dad and going, 04:00 moving around so much, 04:03 your accent is pretty Mid Western, 04:05 pretty neutral, well, little New England in there. 04:07 I credit that to my mother. Yeah. 04:09 My mother was born in-- in Bridgeport, Connecticut 04:13 and so she had very proper diction. 04:16 And she modeled that for us 04:18 and she insisted that her three children, 04:21 my two older bothers and myself, 04:23 spoke properly, wrote properly and that's a gift 04:27 that she gave me that was a valuable. 04:29 Now I don't need to ask knowing a little bit of your story, 04:31 if you grow up in Adventist home, 04:33 because you grow up in really an ultra Adventist home. 04:39 Isn't there a book out called beyond, BO-- 04:41 I know Beyond Believes, 04:42 so I'm gonna say Beyond Adventist. 04:44 That we grew up Beyond Adventist. 04:46 Very, very, very Adventism home. 04:49 Brothers and sisters, siblings? 04:50 Two older brothers, 04:52 two and three years older than me, yeah. 04:54 So the only girl and a family of three children, 04:57 and a baby to boot. 04:59 Yeah. 05:01 Give us some sense before we go to music, 05:03 just of growing up as a child, 05:05 what was your childhood like the early childhood? 05:08 Very, very early childhood was fairly normal. 05:10 So when I'm speaking of that 05:12 I'm saying from birth to about five 05:17 just the normal things, play, fight whatever. 05:20 There were some elements that were already in my life, 05:24 for one, my father had issues with having a daughter, 05:27 didn't want to have a girl. 05:30 And I know that he loved me in his own way. 05:33 Yeah, I know that mentally, not emotionally 05:34 but I-- I know that factually, 05:37 but he did not know how to show that 05:39 and he had certain issues about having a daughter. 05:41 So he wouldn't play me like he would with his-- 05:44 he wouldn't play with me at all. 05:45 He wouldn't touch me, hold me, do things with me, 05:47 and-- and I knew there was a real divide 05:50 between male and female. 05:52 So I knew that at a little-- little girl 05:55 so I grew up with a great fear of my father. 05:58 But apart from that my life was-- was normal. 06:02 We lived off the base 06:04 because my father was in the Air Force 06:07 and they only have a army base in Huntsville, Alabama. 06:10 So after being-- been born in Massachusetts, 06:12 and then moving to Alabama, 06:14 and then moving to Spain for couple of years, 06:17 moving back to Huntsville, Alabama. 06:19 It was when we move back 06:20 I began to see changes in our lives. 06:22 First, with diet and then with dress. 06:26 And then my parents began home schooling us 06:28 so the time I was six, that's when my-- 06:31 our lives began to go to radically different direction. 06:33 Now were they Adventist previous of that? 06:35 Was that their entrance into Adventism? 06:37 No, they were Adventist. 06:38 My mother became an Adventist of 15 years old. 06:41 And she ended up coming down to Oakwood 06:43 and doing her pre-- pre-nurses training there. 06:46 And then she have got her registered, 06:48 became a registered nurse at Huntsville. 06:51 Okay. 06:52 So and my father who come to Oakwood, 06:54 he did his pre-nursing and then finished up with his-- 06:59 became a registered nurse as well. 07:01 I believe that New England sanatorium, 07:03 I can't remember, the details but anyway-- 07:07 so he-- they both were registered nurses, 07:10 but I lost my childhood thought, 07:12 there was a question, you asked me, 07:13 I was going in that direction. 07:15 We are just talking about your early childhood, 07:18 having said that though both of your parents 07:20 who had stable, good jobs, they were professional people. 07:24 And my father was in them-- 07:25 it was in the Air Force, so they was-- 07:27 yeah, everything was stable, 07:29 but my father big head while they were in Spain, 07:33 they couldn't understand the language 07:35 so they spend a lot of time reading 07:37 the Bible and other books, little red volumes of books, 07:41 and they began to read all kinds of-- 07:43 about all kinds of reforms 07:44 and they began to read other books 07:46 that were coming out of the times, 07:47 speaking out about the church 07:49 and how was becoming worldly and all of these concepts. 07:53 So they became more, more concerned, 07:55 and so-- and then my mother 07:57 became very interested in health, 07:58 so that lead to our change 08:00 to what we would now call a vegan diet 08:02 which was actually a good change, 08:04 it just didn't taste good. 08:07 So as the you know, 08:08 small kid I was not appreciating it. 08:10 Right I'm not gonna fly with you. 08:11 No. No. 08:12 You know, but them the big change, 08:14 and then-- oh, the dresses, the long dresses, 08:16 I remember my mother told me that you know, 08:18 Jesus in Revelation is pictured 08:21 as wearing a garment down to the foot. 08:23 And that Ellen White says that we should wear our dresses 08:27 two to three inches from the floor, 08:28 and she want to know if I want to be like Jesus, 08:30 well, not too many six years old would say, 08:33 no, I don't want to be like Jesus. 08:35 You know, as far as if they grow up in a Christian home. 08:36 So I ended up adopting that. 08:38 Actually I have picture of myself, 08:40 in my first homemade long dress, 08:43 and holding my little kitten, 08:45 there outside our home in Huntsville, Alabama. 08:47 But what my parents decide to home school us, 08:49 it was illegal in the state of Alabama 08:51 and they wanted previsions that they are now. 08:54 So this was right about 1971 and 1971 or so 08:59 and they want previsions for home schooling 09:01 that they are now. 09:02 So the state threatened to take us away. 09:05 And my father said, not if I could help it. 09:08 Now let me ask you a question 09:09 because we talked them being ultra Adventist, 09:13 so you got this sort of jauntiest view 09:16 of the organized church. 09:18 Yes. You know, we are-- 09:19 they are not what are to be we need to pull back from that, 09:22 plus they reading all of this material 09:24 that is kind of swinging to the right. 09:26 Vegan vegetarianism, dresses down through flour, 09:28 or even though that material was 150 years old. 09:31 Right. 09:32 They are taking this and applying all of this stuff. 09:34 Absolutely. 09:35 So as the young people 09:37 where you kind of rolling with this 09:38 or this is kind of strange? 09:40 At the young age of five and six years old 09:43 when the train just began to come, 09:45 I mean the diet probably hit me more, 09:47 because I liked my corn curls 09:50 and my potato chips, and my ice cream. 09:52 Yeah, and that's out. 09:53 And that was out and my and we-- 09:56 my mom used to make this wonderful 09:57 Sunday morning breakfast with, 09:59 you know, fluffy white biscuit 10:01 and all the things that I loved and then she puts-- 10:05 you know, a hard whole wheat biscuit in my plate 10:08 and he trying to tell to me that's healthy. 10:10 And all I had to say is it must be healthy 10:12 because it sure didn't taste. 10:13 Don't taste like any thing. 10:16 You know, so you know, how young children-- 10:18 so that effected me more. 10:19 The dresses I don't really remember once you know, 10:21 once I learned not to triple and when I was fine 10:24 but then the home schooling that made a big difference 10:27 because I really, really, really had this 10:29 desire to learn. 10:31 Yeah. I wanted to go to school. 10:32 And I had a best friend name Lisa, 10:34 who was gonna-- we're gonna start first grade together, 10:37 and she got to start and I didn't 10:40 and I was so sad that first day in the fall 10:43 where I was sitting at little wooden desk, 10:45 my father had picked up three little wooden desk 10:47 and I'm sitting in the living room 10:49 with my brothers, in my own little desk 10:51 and I'm thinking about the kids that at-- 10:53 at the Anna Knight elementary school. 10:57 At Oakwood on the campus of Oakwood collage at the time 11:00 and how they are having this great time 11:02 and I'm confined in little, you know. 11:04 And memorizing quotes, I think the first quote 11:08 we ever had to memorize 11:09 was Steps to Christ page 10, "God is love" 11:11 is written upon every opening spire of springing grass. 11:14 You know, every opening bud, every spire of springing grass. 11:18 I had to memorize that whole paragraph 11:21 and I just knew that I was poor deprive child. 11:24 Yeah, I'm though because homing schooling now 11:27 as you have alluded to is illegal. 11:29 Yes. 11:30 So there is a lot of attended drama to this because, 11:34 it's-- your parents are involved in illegal activity. 11:37 And yet they are convicted enough to do this. 11:39 Yes. 11:40 And I want to talk about the ramifications 11:43 of that kind of lifestyle, 11:45 if you as kids were aware of that 11:47 and what they had to do to hold on to that. 11:49 But before we go there I want to our music 11:50 so we get this out the way and come back 11:52 as this story is standing get to me a little bit. 11:55 And this is really really interesting, 11:56 we got-- and we got to through this 11:58 and get you to Andrew's University. 11:59 Yes. You know, that-- 12:00 I mean we're still stuck in the six years old. 12:02 Yeah, but there is a lot here, and I don't want to-- 12:05 I don't want to gloss over too much of that, 12:07 thank goodness you have put this in a book. 12:09 So in a little bit we would be able to read this story 12:12 and grow from it. 12:13 But I want to kind a un-package this experience 12:16 because it is gone into making you 12:18 what you are more than that, 12:19 you have to overcome a lot of stuff 12:20 to get to where you are. 12:21 And that's what I want to sort of deal with. 12:22 So for now, our music is coming from the Madisonians 12:26 they gonna be singing "Amazing Grace." 12:46 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound 12:53 That saved a wretch like me 13:00 I once was lost, but now I'm found 13:08 Was blind, but now I see 13:12 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound 13:20 That saved a wretch like me 13:28 I once was lost 13:32 But now I'm found 13:37 Was blind, but now I see 13:45 The Lord has promised good to me 13:52 His word my hope secures 14:02 He will my shield and portion be 14:10 As long as life endures 14:17 Through many dangers, toils and snares 14:25 I have already come 14:36 'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far 14:41 And lead me home 14:43 Amazing grace 14:46 How sweet the sound 14:52 That saved a wretch like me 15:00 I once was lost 15:04 But now I'm found 15:08 Was blind, but now I see 15:14 Amazing grace 15:17 How sweet the sound 15:31 What a wonderful group of young people 15:33 the Madisonians, Amazing Grace. 15:34 Thank you so very, very much. 15:36 My good lady, when we left you were six years old, 15:41 but you are still six years old. 15:44 But I found innocent because your parents 15:46 are engaging in an illegal activity 15:48 because they are convicted that what they need to do, 15:50 they are home schooling you and your two brothers, 15:54 and is that causing any kind of friction, 15:56 any kind of problems? 15:58 Not-- not between them, but yes, with the state. 16:02 Yes. Or the city. 16:03 So the city of Huntsville 16:05 basically gave my parents an ultimatum. 16:07 Either enroll us in school or we're gonna be taken away. 16:10 And my father being the very strong, 16:13 Vietnam vet, military man that he has captain, 16:17 he was not gonna be told what to do. 16:20 So he just basically took us out in the middle of the night, 16:23 load us up in the van, whisked us off to Arkansas 16:26 and then from there we ended up in a bus 16:30 so you take a school bus 16:32 and he converted into a mobile home, 16:34 and we kind of camped out where we need to, 16:37 so we could avoid the authorities. 16:40 we actually spent a year living up on Montesano 16:44 in a state park for an entire year, 16:46 you only supposed to rent it two weeks at a time, 16:48 but we are there for entire year living there, 16:51 and you know, we just move our bus 16:53 from one location to another. 16:55 We do that just once really 16:57 and that's where we were for an entire year 17:00 and then my parents brought 50 acres in Tennessee. 17:02 Now a couple of things 17:03 because you are throwing some what that be. 17:05 I'm trying, I'm trying to move forward to and-- 17:07 You throw some is gonna be two hour show, 17:10 as young people that can be an exciting adventure 17:12 or that be very traumatic. 17:14 How did you and your brothers take that? 17:17 I think everything for us was just day to day. 17:22 We didn't question it or at least I didn't really. 17:26 It was just the way life was, 17:28 I think children generally tend to be like that. 17:30 Yeah. 17:32 In my story I include episodes 17:35 with on going competitions with my brothers 17:38 about things of course, 17:39 I never won the competitions for the most part. 17:42 But try to compete with them and you know, 17:44 the day to day perspectives that a child might have on life 17:47 but I'm allowing that we'll just see 17:49 what's happening even though 17:50 it's coming through the eyes of a child. 17:52 Okay, your life as through as of a child. 17:53 Yeah. 17:54 So, you're busing it for a year and change 17:57 and now you are on 50 acres out in the middle of-- 18:00 Yeah, this was in Tennessee 18:03 and it was on a range of hills in Central Tennessee. 18:07 We-- it was a remote area 18:08 there was no electricity in this-- 18:11 available no telephones, 18:13 we didn't actually have a telephone 18:15 our neighbor Brother Morlin 18:17 had brought a piece of property mile up the road, 18:20 and he was the one that introduced us 18:21 to life on the hill as we came to call it. 18:24 And so he actually did have a phone 18:26 but we did not there was no electricity, 18:29 no running water, we used out houses, 18:30 we hope hold our water, we made our cloths, 18:34 we treated our own medical needs at home, 18:37 we tried to be a self sustaining as possible. 18:40 And once a month, my parents would go to the big city 18:43 of Huntsville, Alabama an hour away 18:46 and they would buy supplies like-- 18:48 You are in Southern Tennessee, 18:49 you are down close to Alabama border. 18:50 Southern Central Tennessee, yes. 18:52 Yeah, lot of hills, lot of wilderness out there. 18:54 Yes, it was in and we actually have a photo 18:57 of an aerial view of the property, 18:59 surrounded by woods. 19:00 Surrounded by wood. 19:02 Yes. Yeah. 19:03 You know, and my parents end up selling a piece, 19:06 so you can see where there is a little bit of clearing 19:08 to the left side of the picture. 19:09 Yes. 19:10 And that's were another family moved there was two brothers 19:12 who brought a piece of property from us, 19:14 eventually that's after been there for few years 19:17 and they end up moving a mobile home up there, 19:19 but they didn't-- they lived up there for little period of time 19:22 and then left you know, 19:23 because it's kind of hard living up there. 19:25 During these days, was your dad 19:26 still in the service or had he retired? 19:27 No, he just before we brought the property, 19:30 he was honorably discharged and he decided to take his-- 19:35 I don't know what you call it, 19:36 whatever you get when you discharge 19:37 from military you decide of taking in one big lump sum. 19:40 So he brought the-- 19:41 the property and we moved our bus up there 19:43 and kind of try to be self sustaining. 19:46 And that you know, you ask about the impact on me 19:49 as a child that was more of a impact 19:52 because we move out in the middle of nowhere 19:53 and with in two hours you realize, 19:55 hey, I got to the bathroom, where will I go? 19:58 Isn't there bathroom out here you know, 20:00 and you know, because we had lived in a bus, 20:03 but the bus was-- was-- 20:06 you know in state parks they have the facility 20:09 and all that kind of that thing. 20:10 So there is nothing to hook up to anymore. 20:13 So is like what do we now and its here is the shovel. 20:16 Wow, wow. 20:17 So after you know, 20:18 after by the time of few days go 20:20 and by a week or so my mother she had, 20:23 she remembered going to visit her uncle, 20:26 in Danbury, Connecticut. 20:27 So she would-- she began to help my father figure out, 20:31 she was the practical one. 20:32 My father had this ideal of how things should be 20:34 and my mother made it work. 20:35 So she talked to him about building an out house 20:39 and we ended taking the seat off of the bus to-- 20:45 toilet in the bus, take-- 20:47 took the seat and put it on the board, 20:49 they had a whole cut in the middle, 20:51 and then, oh, I feel like that was modern convenience. 20:53 That was nice. 20:56 You know, but some other things about the house 20:58 that it will get extremely hot in the summer, 21:01 I would like to put it like this. 21:02 It was well heated in the summer 21:03 and well air conditioned in the winter. 21:04 Air conditioned in the winter. 21:06 Yeah, so some people when they read my story 21:10 they considered abuse, 21:12 in a way to raise your children like that, 21:14 and I guess if I look at it 21:15 from a more objective stand point 21:17 of not having lived in it 21:19 I would be upset about some of the conditions too. 21:21 But you lived through it. 21:22 But I lived through it, and it was just, 21:25 it was normal life, but I didn't realize 21:28 there were other things too, I was very lonely. 21:31 But it was a condition of daily life, 21:33 so I didn't think of it like that. 21:36 When I go back and read my own book, 21:39 I see the profound loneliness sense. 21:42 And also sadness and other things, 21:44 but and I was experiencing then 21:46 but I think one of the things that happened 21:48 that became a challenge for later 21:49 was learning to so internalize everything, 21:52 that you don't feel what you feel. 21:54 Disconnected from the feeling. 21:56 Yes, I understand. 21:57 And that was-- that was an important aspect 21:59 of my growing up because that came in conjunction 22:02 with lots and lots of religion. 22:05 Now let me ask you this, because you admitted that 22:08 you weren't getting all of the information, 22:10 because of a sort of disconnect your dad. 22:13 Was the mindset to keep you kids 22:15 from being contaminated 22:16 or just to remove yourself from-- 22:20 my say yourself the family from the world 22:22 and all the world had or just we're gonna practice 22:25 this sort of special brand of Adventism up 22:27 here in the wilderness by ourselves. 22:29 As best you can relate, 22:31 what was the mindset of your parents? 22:34 So my parents as far as I need to make this clear. 22:39 They separated from the denominational charge. 22:41 Okay, yeah. 22:42 So as far as my parents were concerned 22:44 the church was apostate. 22:46 So they separated from the church 22:47 and their goal was to live out everything 22:49 that the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy had to say. 22:52 I think what they did not understand 22:54 is there's context to everything. 22:56 So they took 19th century context 22:59 and brought it into the 20th century into you know, 23:02 because we were-- we were raised-- 23:05 we were raised and they had a very rule, 23:08 law based mentality. 23:10 So if it says it, you do it. Yeah. 23:13 You know, that says it, I believe it, 23:15 that settles it for me. 23:16 End of discussion. You know, so you just do it. 23:18 So that's very literal, black and white-- 23:24 and I could almost use the word, 23:25 non-intellectual approach, 23:27 to interpreting the Word of God. 23:29 You know, I don't mean that they were intellectual, 23:31 because they were very intelligent parents, 23:33 but they had a mentality that was-- 23:35 was very literal and black and white, 23:38 which becomes un-intellectual in reality 23:41 when it comes to dealing with a Word of God. 23:43 So that was what was going on with them, 23:47 and I look it as two mean streams. 23:51 Preparation for the coming of Christ, 23:53 separation from the world. 23:54 Everything we did was based on those two things. 23:56 Yeah, yeah. 23:57 Preparation, separation 23:58 so all of our religious training 24:00 was all about preparation and separation 24:03 from the world had to all about the context in which we lived. 24:06 So you can pretty much put everything 24:09 within those two themes. 24:10 Here then is the downside that I see. 24:14 If you are solely prepared to get of this world 24:17 you are not really preparing yourself 24:19 to meet any of the challenges in this world. 24:21 So that says to me that perhaps your education 24:24 wasn't a thorough education, nor was it an education 24:27 that ever prepared you to leave the nest, 24:30 because they are not thinking about leaving the nest 24:32 they thinking about leaving and going straight to heaven. 24:34 Was that the sort of context in which you were-- 24:36 you were being thought and trained going up? 24:38 Yes. Yeah. 24:39 Very much of because my parents 24:41 did not believe this world was gonna last. 24:44 And I know that one other things our church 24:46 is founded on is the nearness of Christ coming, 24:49 so it's important, 24:50 but when I look in the scripture 24:52 I see where the Bible stress the certainty of His return. 24:55 Yes. 24:56 Not so much the nearness of it 24:58 because He says beloved a thousand days as is-- 25:00 thousand years as one day, one day is thousand years, 25:03 time is not an issue to God, it's an issue to us. 25:07 But we got caught up in that issue 25:08 of how soon Christ was gonna return, 25:10 so therefore being to trained to live 25:12 in this world was not the focus. 25:14 The focus was being trained to ready for the-- 25:16 the focus was two things, 25:18 being trained to get through the time of trouble, 25:20 hence we lived as if were in the time of trouble now 25:24 and being ready for-- you know, 25:28 being ready to go to heaven and-- 25:31 you know, everyone knows how many times people say 25:34 you got to get ready Jesus is coming soon, 25:36 you got to get ready. 25:37 And then you ask them what is it mean to get ready? 25:39 And they often loop right back in to the you got to get ready, 25:42 without really explaining what that means 25:44 and I think for us getting ready 25:45 was really focused on getting to the time of trouble. 25:48 And knowing your Bible. Yeah. 25:50 So our curriculum could be divided into two things, 25:54 Bible and survival. 25:56 Now we did have academics to some degree, 25:58 but we were not being prepared to stay in this world. 26:01 Now my brothers were better prepared than me 26:03 because if for chance life went on. 26:06 Yeah. 26:08 Remember I told you this strong divide between male and female. 26:10 Oh, yes. 26:11 So my parents said if time should last, 26:15 these young men needed you know, 26:17 tray they need to able to have skills, 26:19 they need to be able to provide for their homes. 26:21 So they were definitely encouraged to learn 26:24 all kinds of things about science and trades 26:28 and they could do auto mechanics work, 26:30 they could brick masons, 26:33 carpentry work they could do 26:34 all kind of things with their heads. 26:36 They were being trained like that incase 26:37 they should be have a household. 26:39 I was trained to sew and to cook, 26:42 and of course clean the house 26:44 and haul the water, and be obedient. 26:48 Yeah, there is this sort of 19th century thinking, 26:53 that seems to dominating-- to dominate everything, 26:55 plus a super dependence on 26:57 or certainly reliance on the Christ is gonna come 27:00 before these kids even get old enough to get out of here. 27:03 So that-- that culture is everything. 27:04 What about relationships? 27:08 Because you're say quested from the world for years 27:12 what was the idea in their home about male, female, 27:15 boy, girl, that kind of thing? 27:17 Give me some flavor of that. 27:19 When it came to gender there was a strict division. 27:23 So my father became very concerned about the time 27:29 I was 10, that I was not getting the guidance 27:31 that I needed from my mother, 27:33 on how to grow up to be a proper and modest female. 27:35 So he decided to take over 27:37 my modesty training lessons himself. 27:39 And the way I referred to those as an adult 27:42 is they were humiliation training lessons. 27:44 Wow. 27:45 How to be ashamed of yourself? 27:47 That and the fact that if man 27:50 ever does anything relationship to you, 27:52 it's 'cause you invited it. 27:55 So if you can imagine from to 10 to 14 being growth 27:59 in all kinds of things, how to walk, 28:02 how to stand, how sit, the way to look at a man, 28:06 the way not to look at a man, 28:09 the way to hold your chest, every facet. 28:13 If you can imagine that, that's what I went through, 28:16 and my brothers weren't subjected 28:17 to anything like that. 28:19 My bro-- I would be punished if my brothers 28:21 were to put their hand like on my shoulder. 28:24 So there is no physical contact between you and your siblings. 28:26 No, and the thing is if they did, 28:28 playfully I'm telling if they just playfully putting hand-- 28:30 Yeah, it's on you. It's because I'm invited it. 28:32 My behavior invited undo intention from the young man. 28:37 That was something that was 28:39 as you can guess quite damaging. 28:43 Of course at 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 28:46 you know, calculated as being damaging 28:48 you don't know, you're just experiencing that, 28:50 but it was it had a major affect on my life. 28:54 Did he mean to scare me? 28:56 No, he didn't intend to, 28:57 he thought he was doing what was best. 28:59 But what I found is that religion, 29:03 extreme religion and abuse if I may use that word 29:09 definitely family dysfunction it often goes hand in hand, 29:12 and what that does is it makes it very hard 29:16 later in life to be able to get God right. 29:19 Yes, yes, yeah. 29:20 An anti-intellectual bowing at the ultra religion 29:25 can really skew you in a bad-- put you in a bad place. 29:28 You know, you don't question, 29:30 you just kind of do as it says and you don't look. 29:33 When you went to collage I'm moving around, 29:35 how you were relate, 29:36 how was your relationship with guys? 29:38 You just-- you just jump 29:40 from when I was about 9, 10 to-- 29:41 Yeah, do it. 29:43 I like that. 29:44 We might get through this. 29:45 Because I can see through out it in other words-- 29:46 Now we gonna from one hour to two hours 29:48 that is three hours, so this is good. 29:50 So when I finally did go to collage 29:52 that I'm sure viewers want to how in the world 29:54 that ever got of there and that's, 29:55 that's a whole-- I can say read my book. 29:58 But when I went to collage I was afraid to date. 30:04 I-- its like everything was-- 30:09 there is such a fear becoming morally impure 30:12 of doing anything wrong 30:13 because impurity could be in so many says-- 30:16 it's like is always jumping out to get you, you know. 30:19 And just by the fact that I was a female, 30:21 that by itself already made me bad, 30:24 from the way because the labeling actually started 30:26 when I was little being called Jezebel, 30:29 empire first wife and-- 30:30 Things like this and I talk about all of that 30:32 because like I say religion 30:34 and these kind of dysfunctional things 30:36 often come very closely together 30:38 and they have a major effect on young people. 30:39 So I wrote my book to share my story with others 30:42 who might be struggling. 30:43 But I was afraid to date. 30:46 And when I finally did my first real boyfriend 30:48 ended up be coming my husband 30:51 and I married him one day to the day from my first date-- 30:54 our first date and one of the reasons why is-- 30:57 or the main reason why-- 30:58 One year to the day. 30:59 One year to the day, from our first date. 31:00 Okay. 31:01 I wanted to do things right. 31:03 I mean, originally I really just wanted a boyfriend, 31:05 but I was-- I didn't know how to handle certain things. 31:09 You know, I didn't know how to handle 31:11 male, female relations in a extended relationship 31:15 and while I was in school 31:17 I was finishing up my final year at Oakwood 31:19 and I was really with my mother so I felt safe in that context, 31:22 but I knew once I graduated at the time 31:24 they been offered to $20,000 scholarship 31:27 to Ohio State University, 31:29 and I felt like if I accepted it 31:31 moved away to go there, 31:33 then may be I couldn't keep it all together, 31:34 may be I couldn't handle it all right. 31:36 So I decided the best thing to do was to just-- 31:39 and my father basically told me that I needed to go ahead 31:43 and not keep him waiting to just go ahead move forward 31:48 with this thing and he told me 31:49 I could come either for your graduation or your wedding 31:52 unless you happen to combine them. 31:54 So it's like oh, okay, I guessed it, 31:56 that's what he suggesting, 31:57 I could do, I guess all combine it. 31:59 So that's what I did, 32:00 and I got married the day I graduated, 32:03 and-- so it's a day-- 32:06 guy I have been dating for one year. 32:07 And it was my first real dating experience. 32:10 I've got to ask you this 32:12 'cause I know that many people develop their idea 32:19 of who and what God is, 32:22 through their significant male adult 32:27 who would be a father, grandfather, 32:29 you know, the person that's in there kind of in their face. 32:32 What was your idea of who and what God was, 32:37 at this point in your life, 32:39 given the fact of the picture we're getting of your dad, 32:43 how did you work your way through to a relation with God? 32:48 Well-- And that's a lot I know. 32:49 That's multiple questions. 32:54 So I accepted Christ for myself. 32:59 I committed my life to Him. 33:01 At 14 I had felt the call of God, 33:04 from the time I was young, five and six years old 33:08 and I found it surrounded my life to His control, 33:12 but my default image of God was and still is-- 33:16 I have to continuously battle against it, 33:19 of one who is prone to condemn, 33:24 God is master, God is guard the authority not as a friend. 33:30 So Master, God, Lord those terms makes sense. 33:34 Companion, friend, you know, 33:38 someone who is cheering me on, 33:41 I have to remember even to this day and you know, 33:45 I'm glad to be able to say this because a lot of times 33:47 we hear testimonies from people 33:48 who have gone through things and they've overcome, 33:51 they painted a picture of everything being in the past, 33:54 and I want you know that this is an on going testimony, 33:57 this on going overcoming, 33:59 and it probably always will be, your past very often. 34:03 What find is that you've been raised 34:05 with a very strong dominant religion 34:08 that was unbalanced and skewed, 34:11 you may always struggle with that mentality, 34:14 you may always struggle with the challenges 34:16 that grow from that 'cause there something about it 34:20 that said to self is forever being right. 34:22 Yes. 34:23 And at times I could be locked back 34:25 in that old mentality just like that. 34:28 It's almost like a bonnet can come back on my head. 34:30 Yeah. 34:33 And I have to fight it off. Yeah. 34:35 Because when you're trained up in something 34:37 from a little child the Bible says, 34:40 train them up and basically they will stay that way, 34:42 and if that's good great but if it is-- 34:45 if it is extreme which is a interesting mix 34:49 because you can't call it all bad 34:51 but you can't call it good. 34:53 So I like to get-- I'm sorry, 34:54 I'm diverging ahead, but I like to give the analogy. 34:57 If somebody brought you a platter of food, 34:59 just gourmet, you know everything is vegetables, 35:02 the vegetarian meal, cooked to perfection, 35:04 garnished and so forth 35:05 but just before they handed it to you, 35:07 they sprinkled feces on it. 35:10 That's what extremism is like in religion. 35:12 Understood, I understand clearly. 35:14 I've got to ask you this 35:15 because you were raised with this-- 35:18 okay, negativity as far as your relationships 35:21 with God is a concerned, 35:22 a sort of negative mindset 35:24 as far as education is concerned. 35:27 Yes. 35:28 As you are moving through your bachelors, 35:31 masters, PhD did where you-- 35:34 where you fighting that negativity to try to do-- 35:36 I mean getting those degrees is tough enough, 35:39 but when you are fighting against a training mindset, 35:43 did it make it doubly tough to try to keep on going, 35:46 giving what you came from? 35:48 Yes, I mean the Lord had to do a lot 35:50 first of all to convince me to go. 35:52 Yes, yes. Because I believed-- 35:54 especially collage I have been thought 35:56 that higher education was-- 35:57 was wrong as perusing worldly degrees, 36:00 going against the will of God. 36:02 So I was amazed when I began to realize 36:05 God was leading me to go to Oakwood Collage, 36:09 and it took a lot convincing and I had-- 36:11 I mean, I had miraculous answers to prayer, 36:14 one after the other, 36:15 after the other till I finally came to prayer 36:17 where I was fully convinced that it would be sinful of me 36:20 to continue to believe the God wasn't leading me to go there. 36:22 All right, Amen, now I've got to ask you quickly. 36:24 Did you go with the encouragement 36:25 of your parents or against their wishes? 36:28 That was one of the things I prayed for. 36:30 I actually asked the Lord 36:31 that my parents would not be opposed, 36:33 and both of them were supportive surprisingly 36:38 even though they had taught me. 36:39 Yes. 36:41 And not just college you have to understand it. 36:43 Oakwood in my mentality growing up 36:45 was the-- the seed of evil. 36:48 It was the devils breeding ground. 36:50 So to go to Oakwood that was just amazing 36:53 that God would be leading me there, 36:55 and then for my parents, both to turn around and say, 36:58 you know what, I think this is what you should do. 37:01 That was unbelievable. Yeah. 37:03 But I knew-- then I knew 37:04 God was definitely guiding me there. 37:06 Yeah, you've overcome so much, 37:08 what led you to communication in particular? 37:12 Because I like to communicate, 37:13 especially says I couldn't growing up. 37:16 Really it was a love of riding. 37:18 What happened living out on the hill 37:20 much of the time alone, 37:22 I would express my thoughts in writing 37:24 so I started keeping a journal regularly 37:25 from the time I was 13. 37:27 So lot of what I'm sharing is not just memories 37:29 I have journals and things 37:32 I wrote extensively about my life at the time. 37:36 So the writing as a form of self expression, 37:40 and by the time I got to-- I went to Fountainview, 37:43 it was called Fountainview Farms back then. 37:45 Now it's Fountainview Academy. 37:47 And that's were a major change occurred in my thinking 37:50 which was important for me to move forward. 37:52 And I had a teacher there he taught me English 37:54 and would have me experiment with all kinds of writing. 37:58 And I began to realize that if there was the one thing 38:00 I want to be known in life as is a writer. 38:03 So ironically I'm this age 38:04 and I'm just finally writing my first book. 38:08 But that whole desire to write led me 38:12 to choose English in collage 38:14 and then for my masters program once again it was English, 38:17 but with a focus on professional writing 38:20 because I wanted to-- to live and work as a writer. 38:22 Yeah, yeah. 38:23 And then the Lord led me to the communication. 38:26 I got my degree, my PhD at Regent University 38:30 over in Virginia Beach in Virginia. 38:32 And I didn't really want to go off 38:35 into all the literature that comes with English, 38:37 I want to focus more on the communication. 38:39 Writing, speaking that was my focus, 38:41 that's how I ended up with communication. 38:43 Was it traumatic, dramatic going from the hills 38:46 and I do mean the hills of Tennessee to Fountainview, 38:49 you left the country, 38:50 year was it British Colombia there? 38:52 Yes. Where I went to academy. 38:54 Yeah, to Fountainview. Yeah, that's right. 38:56 That was when I was 16, going on 17, 38:58 I was still wearing a bonnet and long dress 39:00 when I ragged on the campus of Fountainview. 39:04 That's a major change. Yes. 39:06 How did you adjust up there? 39:08 So the Fountainview made a big difference for me. 39:10 The-- the principal at the school at the time, 39:13 she understood some of what I was going through, 39:16 and the mentality, 39:18 and so she ended up talking with me 39:21 and shared some of her own struggles with legalism and-- 39:24 and she one other thing she helped me 39:27 to understand was something 39:28 I've never heard of which of principles, 39:31 I knew about laws and rules 39:32 I didn't know anything about principles. 39:34 Yes, yes. 39:35 And she taught me that the Bible 39:36 was filled with principles, 39:37 and it takes disseverment to understand them. 39:39 Which was important and there was important 39:40 push against the anti-intellectualism. 39:43 You know, God wants us to serve Him 39:45 not only with our-- our heart, 39:47 He wants us to serve Him with our minds, 39:50 He want us to understand. Yes. 39:51 And we have requires disseverment 39:53 and so Holy Sprit lead you. 39:54 So she began to show me principles. 39:56 I like the principle of modesty. 39:58 I did-- she helped me to understand you know, 40:00 how to wear a bonnet and long dress 40:01 to be modest, that's the context. 40:03 In which modesty was expressed that one time. 40:05 We live in a different age, different time. 40:07 Was that? 40:08 We can change the context and yet still be modest. 40:10 Yeah. Amazing. 40:11 Yeah. 40:12 That gave me a platform 40:14 on which to be interchange conceptually. 40:17 And I began to understand something 40:19 I already sensed on the hill 40:21 while we still lived out there in the wilderness, 40:22 that not everything I been taught was right, 40:25 but that it gave me a platform 40:26 before distinguishing between things 40:28 that were extreme and not extreme. 40:30 Yes, yes. 40:32 And so that helped me. 40:33 Then when I went to Oakwood, was Oakwood University now, 40:37 I discovered an academic ability, 40:41 and that prepared me to move forward-- professional. 40:44 Yeah, yeah. 40:45 It occurs to me that you had no way to even use these terms 40:49 that can think of anything else to rate or rank yourself. 40:51 No. 40:52 To assist you an abilities 40:54 because there was no context for that. 40:55 This like they says do that do that, 40:57 don't think about it, don't question it just do it. 40:59 So and your-- you are so isolated. 41:02 When did it a God who says come let us reason together? 41:06 Yes. When did that occur to you? 41:08 Well, He was reasoning with me on the hill, 41:10 after I-- especially after I excepted Him 41:12 as my own personal Savior. 41:13 That's where I began to distinguish between 41:16 religion and God on some-- some levels. 41:18 I recognize that you know, what I sensed in there 41:22 when I would go on my early morning walks with God, 41:24 and He talk to me through nature. 41:26 And what I would read in the Bible 41:27 and something's in the Spirit of Prophecy 41:30 were different from what I was been taught. 41:32 I couldn't exactly understand but I felt different, 41:34 there was a different spirit to it. 41:36 And so that disseverment began there, 41:41 but over time I think one of the things 41:44 really with reasoning part 41:46 Regent began to really help me with that. 41:48 Because I had to go in almost-- 41:52 I had to began to study from a out side stand point, 41:55 Adventism and all of these kind of things 41:57 that I had to begin to see from another view point 42:00 the things that I had always taking for granted. 42:02 Yeah, you kind of step back and look into yourself 42:03 which is tough thing to do? 42:04 Yes, right, it was very tough. 42:06 I'm glad-- I appreciate you saying that. 42:07 Yeah. 42:08 It was a very tough because part of you, 42:12 there is always this training to stay away from world. 42:14 stay away from anything that will lead you from God, 42:17 and to deliberately open my mind to understand, 42:20 explore things that are contrary 42:22 to what I've been taught was the most difficult thing to do, 42:26 but what I found is that if you are willing to do that 42:29 and follow God, 42:30 He will strengthen the platform until there is truth. 42:32 Yes, yeah. 42:33 It's not gonna lead you away from Him. 42:36 It's going to lead you into closer relationship with Him. 42:39 Yeah, yeah. 42:40 A couple of things that we got to get to Andrew's. 42:42 One, let me say this to you, 42:43 without trying to sound like your father 42:46 or paternalistic or avuncular. 42:47 I'm so proud of you. You make such a nice father. 42:53 To overcome that and to be, 42:55 where you are-- now you're giving back to the community, 42:57 your training, your teaching. 42:58 Yes, yes. 42:59 You are an educator. Yes. 43:01 As supposed to one who hates or shrews education. 43:03 So I'm very proud of you that. 43:05 Two things, are your parents still alive? 43:07 So, my father died a year an half ago. 43:10 Let me excuse me two and half years ago. 43:12 My mother is still very much alive. 43:14 You relation towards your mom is? 43:15 It's good, she lives with us actually. 43:17 She moved in this past May. All right. 43:19 And she will be watching this show, 43:20 and so probably be wearing a blue bonnet 43:22 when she watches it. 43:23 Okay, so that you're not up on the mountain anymore. 43:26 No one is a part in a mountain anymore. 43:27 How is your relationship with your brothers? 43:29 I have a good relationship with both of my brothers, 43:31 one-- they both live in the Huston area. 43:34 And I learned so much from each of them. 43:36 So we are in contact-- regular communication, 43:39 I love my brothers. 43:40 Was your relationship with your dad in his later days 43:43 was it settled or was it-- 43:46 you know, I'm gonna use the term settled 43:47 because that compare us, cover us a lot of stuff. 43:50 Yeah, yeah. 43:51 My father-- he came to love the daughter 43:55 that he didn't want. 43:57 And I think there was always a lot of-- 43:59 for long time there was a guilt associated 44:01 with things related to me, 44:03 when I was young and some of the mistakes 44:05 he made in relationship to me. 44:06 I know there was a lot of guilt, 44:08 but I was able to forgive him 44:10 and one of the things that I was blessed to do 44:13 was be able to take care of my father 44:14 in the last two years of his life. 44:17 And-- and they came a point 44:20 where he one day confessed to me some-- 44:22 some of the demons that had troubled him 44:24 that affected my relation-- 44:26 his relationship with me when I was a-- 44:27 from the time I was a little girl, 44:29 and you know, he was crying 44:31 and he begged me to forgive him 44:32 and it wasn't hard to do. 44:35 Because I guess I have sought through his eyes 44:38 and I realize, he didn't mean to be wrong. 44:41 He just was troubled. Yeah. 44:44 And often that's where some of this unbalanced 44:47 just comes from this, 44:48 because we don't deal with the things in our lives. 44:51 We try to cover them up and-- 44:53 and supplant them with religion. 44:55 And God never intended for religion 44:56 or even for God to be a fix for things 44:59 that we don't to deal with. 45:01 Which is why I chose the word settled 45:02 because some of the stuff 45:03 will not be totally redressed until heaven. 45:06 But if he can get peace 45:08 and get understanding then your-- 45:09 you are on the way home. 45:10 I have peace, I-- there are things 45:12 that I never experienced with my father, 45:14 I wanted to one day know 45:16 what it feels likes to be a daughter and to have that-- 45:20 you know, that sense of my father loving me. 45:23 And I know he did love me, but to the day he died, 45:26 it did remain a fact. 45:29 So I mentally know he loves me. 45:32 I didn't get to feel it, but I did get to feel the love, 45:35 the emotional love toward him. 45:38 That happened after he felt sick. 45:39 Yeah. 45:40 And then I found the gates of my heart 45:42 opened to where I emotionally was loving my father, 45:45 and I asked Lord to spare his life 45:47 so I could show that I loved him. 45:49 And so I had two years to do that. 45:51 Praise God. I'm very thankful for that. 45:52 Praise God. 45:53 Praise God, now we got to jump 45:55 before our time gets out from us. 45:56 Andrew's University, 45:58 you're the chairman of the department 46:00 of communication at Andrew's University. 46:02 Talk to me just a little bit about the goals the-- 46:06 as chair of the department you are responsible 46:08 for setting the trajectory of the department. 46:12 What are you trying to accomplish? 46:13 What kinds of product, 46:15 student wise are you trying to produce? 46:17 Okay, I'm so glad you asked me the question. 46:19 I've been waiting to get to this part of the program. 46:22 So I'm so excited the irony of God. 46:26 You have got this lady whose raise in a bonnet 46:28 and long dress isolated from media and everything else, 46:31 and now I'm directing a communication department 46:34 that has a graduate program on top of it. 46:36 Praise God. 46:37 And what I know this is a quota 46:40 that I love it's in the Book of Education, 46:43 page 262 and 263, 46:45 where the-- Ellen White talks about 46:47 how the whole world is open to the gospel. 46:50 And how that millions up on millions 46:53 have never so much has heard of the love of God 46:56 that is in Christ Jesus. 46:57 And it is their right along with us 46:59 to receive this love to have this knowledge. 47:02 And what I realize is that media can accomplish things 47:05 in reaching people that no direct contact 47:07 between human beings can accomplish in certain context. 47:12 You can reach millions of people 47:14 at a time through media, 47:15 when you can't reach millions of people at a time 47:17 through physical contact. 47:18 Very true. 47:20 So I'm so, I feel the calling of God in my life 47:23 to take exactly what I was banned from 47:25 and to help to shape young people 47:29 who can go and shape the programming 47:32 that is coming out, 47:33 especially if I may say on our Adventist networks. 47:36 So that the programming can began to really 47:39 not that isn't already reaching, 47:41 but that it can target a segment 47:44 that I'm not sure is targeted yet, 47:47 and that is young people. 47:49 Because we've got young people-- 47:51 Adventist and non-Adventist young people 47:53 who need to be watching uplifting programming, 47:56 and I look forward to the opportunity 47:58 and were we already beginning to do something's 48:01 that will make it possible to train Adventist students, 48:06 especially our graduate students to develop-- 48:09 to change ultimately change the face 48:10 of Adventist media and programming 48:12 so that it will reach young viewers, 48:16 who are currently not watching. 48:17 Okay, I'm gonna walk you back 48:19 through the same answer you just gave me. 48:20 Okay. By asking you this way. 48:22 Was that too bold? No, no. 48:24 This was right on, 48:25 which is all we're going to do it again. 48:26 Okay. 48:27 Here is the mission of the church as I see it. 48:30 Here is what we are doing to address, redress, 48:33 help the mission of the church. 48:34 Yes. Oh, can you-- 48:36 Answer that. 48:37 Oh, say it again now. Okay. 48:38 Here is the mission of the church as I see it. 48:40 This is where the church needs to go, we are going. 48:42 Here is what we are doing to help fulfill 48:45 or meet the needs of that mission 48:46 because here how we serve the mission of the church. 48:49 At Andrew's University? Correct. 48:50 Okay. In my department. 48:51 So in my department, 48:54 one of the things you have to realize is that-- 48:57 at Andrew's we have the seminary, 48:59 and so you already have a seat of people 49:03 being trained to minister 49:05 and with the communication department 49:07 there in the same proximity with the seminary, 49:10 there this wonderful opportunity 49:12 for sharing and cross breeding 49:14 so that seminarians can become strong 49:17 in sharing the gospel through media 49:19 because that's the way churches are going. 49:21 If you look at churches that are growing now. 49:23 It's those that are strong in the media context. 49:25 And there are going beyond their walls. 49:28 They are reaching people all over the world. 49:30 That needs to happen at-- at a individual church level 49:32 and they need to be carrying the mission of this church, 49:36 which is the gospel of Jesus Christ, 49:38 and the special truce that He is given us, 49:40 which include the Sabbath, and health, 49:41 and so many wonderful things that make our lives 49:44 better on day to day basis. 49:45 So between that and then 49:47 we have our communication students 49:48 who are also very much spiritual 49:52 and drawn to share the message of Jesus Christ, 49:55 that relationship there is an awesome one. 49:57 So what we are doing-- and I-- I am not sure 50:00 if I'm answering your question, 50:01 so just re-ask it if I'm not, okay. 50:03 So you have a three time around. 50:06 But one of the things 50:08 we've done a revamp on our graduate program 50:11 just to strengthen it, streamline it. 50:13 Now a student could do it in about three semesters, 50:16 if they come in and know 50:17 what they want to do from start to finish. 50:20 We have-- I'm actually working on a proposal, 50:24 I guess its kind of daring of me to say, 50:27 so because I don't know if it will-- 50:29 it will go through or out, 50:30 but I'm working on a proposal 50:31 to lower the tuition for two years 50:33 so that we can really get more people in to our program 50:37 and to have a chance to see 50:38 what it's all about and then we can visit from there 50:40 what to do going forward. 50:41 So hopefully that works. 50:43 That's a prayer request right there. 50:44 Yes. 50:45 And we have also teamed up 50:47 with the seminary and we have our-- 50:49 is going through the approval process right now, 50:51 looks like it will be successful 50:52 to offered a dual degree, with an MA in communication, 50:58 Mdiv the Masters of Divinity. 51:01 It's a dual degree and they can actually do it, 51:04 if they are in the track one of the program, 51:06 one credit more, and they have a dual degree, 51:09 if they are in the track two 51:10 which means that they didn't start out 51:11 with a degree in theology. 51:14 At the undergraduate level that's track two 51:16 then they can do 10 extra credit-- 51:18 11 extra credits. 51:19 That's not a lot, it's not a ton of extra work. 51:21 No, it's not, a dual degree in communication 51:24 and Master of Divinity, 51:27 and with a focus on media ministry. 51:30 That's one of the concentrations. 51:32 Now did I answer your question? 51:33 Indeed you did. 51:34 Or did I shoot off, like an off shoot. 51:35 No, no you did. You did. 51:38 And I'm moving us along 51:39 because I don't want our time to get away. 51:41 The proximity to the seminary, I think is a God inspired one. 51:44 Yes. 51:46 And since media is so important to ministry now, 51:48 the two are married for better for worse. 51:51 Yes. 51:52 To give our seminarians, our teachers, our pastors, 51:54 our church leaders the tools is a good thing. 51:57 Sure you want to make contact with this department, 52:00 and we done a little more selling of the person 52:03 than we did the-- the teaching regime. 52:06 But I felt they are so interwoven, 52:08 I her story is so important 52:10 so when you go to sit under the true ledge of Rachel 52:14 and all the other professors in department 52:16 this is what you gonna get, 52:17 and I'm very proud to highlight that. 52:20 Should you want to make contact with Rachel personally 52:23 and get a copy of this book, really excited about it, 52:26 here is the lower thrust 52:28 you want to put that information contact 52:29 information of just now that's rachelwilliamssmith.com. 52:34 And that's for the book? Yes. 52:36 Now we've also talked about the communication department 52:39 at Andrew's University, 52:40 they are need of help too, they are growing, 52:42 they are making changes, 52:43 they want to be a value to our young people. 52:46 Should you want to make contact 52:47 with that department for information, 52:49 for donations, here is the information 52:52 that you're gonna need. 52:54 If you would to support Andrew's University, 52:56 department of communication 52:58 or if you would like see 52:59 what you can do their communication degree 53:01 then you can visit them online 53:03 at Andrews.edu/communication development@andrews.edu. 53:11 You can find testimonies, schedules and more. 53:14 Again the address is, 53:15 Andrews.edu/communication development@andrews.edu. 53:25 Now that's the information you need for the department, 53:27 the book of courses in entitled Born Yesterday. 53:31 And we spent a lot of time talking about that 53:32 because I thought that was-- was worth while, 53:35 but you got a video that you want us to see, 53:37 set that for us you will. 53:38 Well, I just wanted to-- 53:39 I actually came here talk about the media-- 53:41 the media program what we were doing at Andrew's University 53:44 and we have a whole media center. 53:46 The university has renovated in everything, 53:49 but it's up to us to equip it. 53:51 And so one of the things I'm trying to do is-- 53:53 is to help people be aware 53:55 that there is a ministry going on here 53:56 to share the gospel with the world, 53:58 especially young people and we need equipment. 54:00 And we actually have an address for that, 54:03 and the president of the university-- 54:05 of Andrew's University has given a message 54:08 supporting our department and saying 54:11 what we trying to do and the value of it. 54:13 All right, let's look at that just now. 54:21 I'm Niels-Erik Andreasen, 54:23 president of Andrew's University 54:25 and I'm here to speak with you 54:27 about information and communication. 54:31 It's been said that we live an information age, 54:34 and that is true isn't it? 54:36 People around the world in every country 54:40 are communicating with each other all the time, 54:43 and we watch it on the evening and morning news. 54:46 It's also true about our families 54:49 and it's very true about our church, 54:51 which is a world church where people communicate 54:55 across borders around the world on a daily basis. 54:59 Communication therefore is an important part 55:01 of the ministry and a message, 55:04 and the work of the church. 55:06 This information and communication, 55:08 technology and programs are being taught 55:12 in our department of communication. 55:15 For example here at Andrew's University, 55:17 students learn how to manage information 55:20 and how to communicate that by speaking, 55:24 writing and using various forms of technology. 55:28 Through this information, communication department 55:32 we are able to prepare people who are un-tune, 55:35 that what's happening in the world today 55:37 and a special message our church 55:40 wants to give people around a globe. 55:44 This is a very important endeavor 55:46 both in our worlds and especially for our church. 55:50 And so I invite you to support our programs 55:53 of education in communication at Andrew's 55:56 and other places as well with your prayers 56:00 and your financial support and your interest. 56:03 Give our young people a shot in the arm 56:06 to make them better communicators 56:08 of the gospel and of truth. 56:11 Thank you for your interest in communication, 56:14 information systems and preparation of workers 56:18 in that field of endeavor. 56:20 Thank you from Andrew's University. 56:29 And we thank Dr. Andreasen for his speech. 56:32 Rachel, if you look into the camera 56:33 and give us your best speech, 56:35 I know your department needs some help. 56:36 So you're looking straight ahead, 56:38 right there in front of you and give us your best speech. 56:41 Thank you so much for listening today. 56:43 I want to encourage you to pray about 56:45 our Andrew's University communication department. 56:48 There are so many things 56:49 that the Lord has laid on our hearts to do, 56:52 and we have a wonderful almost 1,000 foot-- 56:55 1,000 foot square space for a studio 56:58 but we need equipment, we need lighting, 57:00 we need computers, 57:02 we need things that will allow us 57:04 to train our students so that they can go forth 57:08 and develop programming that can engage young people 57:11 so that they can share the gospel of Jesus Christ 57:15 in a language that young people of this day understand, 57:19 so that they can make a difference 57:21 in the lives of people 57:22 who need to know Jesus Christ for themselves. 57:25 So thank you and I look forward to your support. 57:28 Well, our time is fast slipped in to eternity. 57:31 Allow me now in closing to wish you 57:32 both grace and peace 57:34 through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 57:35 We'll see you again soon. Bye-bye and God bless you. |
Revised 2015-02-12