Participants: C. A. Murray (Host), Doug Jenkins & Brandi Jenkins
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY015022A
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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 00:27 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 01:11 and allow me please to thank you once again 01:13 for sharing just a little of your day with us 01:15 and to thank you for your support of this ministry, 01:18 for assisting us in what we are called to do 01:20 and that is to lift up the mighty 01:22 and matchless name of Jesus. 01:23 And I am very, very excited today to introduce to you 01:27 on our today's show two very fine people. 01:30 Sometimes you meet people, you kind of like them right off 01:32 and good looking couple, 01:35 they've got three beautiful children 01:37 who are in our control room even as we speak. 01:39 But this is Doug and Brandi Jenkins. 01:41 Good to have you here. Yeah. 01:43 They are currently from Tennessee. 01:45 Yes. 01:46 Or Tennessee, feeling that for you want to pronounce it 01:49 but they are from Tennessee-- what-- what is the town? 01:51 Rogersville. Rogersville, which is where? 01:54 It's about an hour from Knoxville. 01:56 About an hour from Knoxville. 01:57 Okay, so they have come a little ways 01:59 to be with us today 02:00 and they really have a powerful testimony. 02:02 Personal story and certain aspects of it 02:05 seemed almost miraculous but it shows what God will do 02:10 and the lengths He will go to bring men and women 02:12 who are seeking truth to bring truth to them 02:15 and they got quite a journey 02:17 and we are very, very happy to bring it to you. 02:19 So we are gonna unpack 02:20 their story in just a little bit. 02:22 But before I go to my special music which is coming 02:25 from our buddy Wintley Phipps, I want to get a little history 02:28 from you guys because, Doug, 02:30 did you tell me you're from Virginia? 02:31 Yes I was born in and raised in Northern Virginia. 02:34 Christian home? No, not Christian home. 02:37 I was actually raised in a home where witchcraft was practiced 02:42 and the only light I had in my life was really, 02:46 my grandfather, he would come and take us 02:47 to the church and-- but when we left church 02:50 and when I went back home, the church stopped. 02:54 The only prayer I knew was "now let me down to sleep." 02:58 And nobody even really pushed to point to say 03:01 you've been you know, your bed time prayer 03:04 and basically, yeah, that was a dark, 03:09 dark situation but the light was still shining. 03:11 Oh, praise the Lord. 03:12 How old were you when you became aware Dough, 03:14 that witchcraft is being practiced? 03:16 Well, it was just-- they would call it mountain lord 03:20 or mountain way you know, you know, 03:22 we lived back in the mountains 03:23 but, you know, when I-- 03:25 it was obviously in my teenage years 03:27 when I really figured out what was going on. 03:29 What was going on. Yeah. Yeah. 03:31 Was this by one parent, both parents? 03:33 Well, actually we lived on big huge piece of property. 03:36 My grandfather owned the land and all his children, 03:39 my dad and then my uncle and my aunt that is, 03:43 all his children we all lived there on that 03:45 one big piece of property. 03:46 Yeah, I see. 03:47 So my grandmother, a lot people would come in 03:50 out of her house and she was reading cards 03:53 and things like that. 03:56 We found a Ouija board once and we thought it was a game. 03:58 We just gonna play it and they took it from us, 04:00 you know, so yeah, I mean, but they would come in 04:02 and they would have these little boxes 04:05 and they'll be all taped up and they'd say now, 04:08 they'd have us dig a hole first as playing 04:10 then they were gonna us take that box and bury it 04:12 and don't look in it, don't touch it, 04:13 no never dig it back up. 04:15 And we didn't know what he was doing, 04:17 we thought he was burying dead bird 'cause you know, 04:20 they had birds and we had animals and we thought 04:22 he was burying animals but come to find out 04:24 the truth of the deal, he was actually doing bad things 04:28 and when my grandfather found out he had a fear. 04:31 He throw it all this stuff out but it would seek back in. 04:35 And yeah, that's why when I go back to visit that land today 04:39 with my children, I tell them not to dig, 04:42 not to touch anything, you know, 04:44 show that's your Christ and be a light 04:47 and yeah, as it's-- they know. 04:50 So that is still the family property to this day? 04:52 Yes, and it's like-- well, I've had a lot of people 04:56 in our family, they've committed suicide 04:58 and I have lot is incarcerated, 05:02 just a lot of darkness, a lot of darkness. 05:04 Yeah, yeah. 05:05 I can see why you prohibit the children 05:06 from digging stuff up 'cause you know 05:08 what you're digging up. 05:09 That's right. Yes, so leave the dead alone. 05:10 That's right. Kind of thing. 05:12 But you grandfather, the owner of the land 05:14 was at least had some Christian leanings. 05:16 Yeah, he was Baptist. Okay, praise the Lord. 05:18 Praise the Lord. 05:19 Yes, he would come and knock on the door Sunday morning, 05:22 "Is everybody up, everybody wanting to go the church?" 05:24 And my mom would if-- you know, she would get us ready, 05:27 we'd go and we would come back and like I said, 05:30 when we come back home, it stopped. 05:31 It stopped. Yeah. 05:32 It stopped because my grandfather was busy. 05:34 I remembered once, I had a Bible verse to memorize 05:38 and I did not do it 05:39 and when we went to church we came back. 05:42 He said "Now Dougy" He said "The mind is a battle field." 05:47 He said it "And when the devil puts temptation in there" 05:50 he said, " If you don't have God's word to help-- 05:52 help you get through it," he said "you will fall " 05:54 he said "'cause the temptation will fall to the eyes, 05:57 it will start looking good to you" he said, 05:59 "then it's gonna fall down to your heart, 06:01 then your heart's gonna desire, 06:03 it's gonna fall down to your hands and feet 06:05 and then you're gonna put it in the action." 06:06 Well, said. He was a spiritual bright guy. 06:09 And I never had forgotten the verse you know, 06:13 that it took me a while to remember 06:17 that little card that we had. 06:18 They used to give little cards out in Sunday school. 06:22 And when the verse as well as my children 06:25 we thought it to our children, I Thessalonians 5:22. 06:28 "Abstain from all appearance of evil." 06:30 Yes and I mean that has really stuck with me. 06:34 Praise God. 06:35 Yeah, so even in that darkness, 06:37 as you well said God did have that one little ray of light, 06:41 your grandfather tried to do what he could to keep Christ 06:45 at least present in the home and His name mentioned. 06:47 Yes. Yeah, praise God. 06:49 Brandi, from where? I'm also from Virginia. 06:54 I was born in Versailles, Tennessee but as-- 06:56 as a baby we moved to Southwest Virginia 06:59 and done all my schooling in Coeburn 07:03 and graduated from Coeburn, Virginia. 07:07 My mother always took us to church. 07:10 She's-- she's a preacher's kid. 07:12 So she's always had us in church 07:16 and she is a very hard working lady. 07:18 She worked a lot. 07:19 Sometimes two jobs, so was very busy 07:23 and so church was at church 07:26 and I knew it from a very young age 07:31 that I wanted to give Jesus my life 07:35 and at nine years old I was baptized 07:38 and I gave my life to Jesus and but as I got older 07:45 and in my teenage years, 07:46 I kind of wanted to do it my way. 07:50 Yeah, we call it wilderness years. 07:51 Yeah-- yeah, so I kind of went my own way. 07:55 I still loved Jesus though you know, 07:57 I was just doing what I wanted to do 08:00 and how I wanted to do it, when I wanted to do it. 08:03 And when Doug and I met... 08:11 we were just friends. I wasn't looking for marriage. 08:16 I wasn't looking for really-- I didn't feel the need 08:20 for a mate at that time in my life 08:23 but we became best of friends and-- 08:27 How did you meet? Where did you meet? 08:30 I worked at Pizza Hut and he would come in. 08:33 I guess he got a little hungry sometimes. 08:36 So the first time he seen me I was at the salad bar so-- 08:43 We actually met over salad so it's nice. 08:45 You look nice and healthy, yeah. 08:50 And we just enjoyed each other's company 08:54 and done a lot of things together, 08:58 a lot of outdoor things. 08:59 We like being outdoors and we just fell in love 09:04 and got married 09:06 and we were still 09:11 doing things our way, you know. 09:14 God was not the focus of our relationship. 09:16 So at that point, you are only children yet. 09:18 Are you going to church at all or you just kind of-- 09:21 No. No. Yeah, okay. 09:22 I mean, I still love Jesus, you know, but no, 09:25 I wasn't practicing I guess you would say. 09:30 But the moment for me-- we had been married, 09:37 I guess over a year, year and a half maybe. 09:41 Almost two years, not quite two years, 09:43 our son, our first son was born, William. 09:46 And the moment that I'd seen him 09:51 when he was born, something in me, 09:53 I didn't feel it when I was pregnant 09:55 or any thing like that but the moment I seen him 09:58 when he was born, 10:00 I knew I wanted him to know the name of Jesus. 10:05 I wanted him to hear the name of Jesus 10:08 every day of his life. 10:09 Yes-- yes. 10:10 And from that moment I think that's what 10:13 really helped, the turn around. 10:15 Yeah, that happens to a lot of parents. 10:16 They want you to have a child, you'll say, 10:18 "I don't want this child to grow up Godless, you know. 10:21 I don't want him to have that knocks that come with that. 10:23 So we got to be-- if he's gonna be changed, 10:25 we got to make some changes." 10:26 Absolutely. Yeah-- yeah. 10:28 So did Doug feel that or experienced that? 10:32 Did he resist that? 10:33 Because obviously you broke the subject with him. 10:36 How did he respond? Well, I tell you the truth. 10:40 We-- was doing things our own way 10:42 and I had been previously married 10:45 and when I was going with-- to the Baptist church 10:48 with my grandfather and but you know, 10:51 my wife did not go and we got divorced. 10:54 But when we got divorced, 10:55 some people looked at that as the ultimate sin. 10:58 And when we got divorced, I was devastated you know, 11:04 because someone from the church came to me 11:06 and they were tell me how wrong I was to let that happen. 11:09 It was my fault and I just got discouraged, 11:12 I didn't go to church. 11:13 But the main thing when I didn't go to church, 11:15 nobody came. 11:17 Our pastor didn't come to see where I was, 11:20 nobody called and I was like whoa, 11:23 "Is church like what my family is telling me?" 11:27 You know, "this is all they want is your tithe you know, 11:30 and that's it?" 11:31 That's it. 11:32 "Is it a money thing, what is it?" 11:33 And I got so discouraged, 11:35 I just I drew back to that darkness. 11:37 I did. 11:39 I went selfish ways before I met Brandi, I got tattoos, 11:44 I was doing drugs and alcohol, I had a tattoo 11:46 specially placed on my arm where if I did needle marks 11:49 you wouldn't see it and I mean, 11:52 but then when I met Brandi, 11:53 we had William, we realized that in Proverbs 22:6 11:59 "Train up a child in the way he should go 12:01 and when he is older, he will not depart from it." 12:04 Well, we got responsibility. 12:05 Yeah, God changes everything and it's not you anymore, 12:09 sun doesn't rise and set on you. 12:10 Brandi, were you aware of his history, 12:11 that you know his kind of background 12:13 before you got married? 12:14 Some. Yes. Yeah. 12:18 But you got married anyway 12:19 now you got this bouncing baby boy 12:21 and you got to make some changes. 12:22 Yes, sir. Amen. 12:23 I think I want to hold there. 12:24 We'll go to our music and come back 12:26 and we want to finish this story. 12:27 Our special music today is coming 12:29 from a great personal friend 12:30 and a friend of this ministry, one who was sang 12:33 for over the last three of four presidents 12:35 and sung all over the world and television. 12:40 His name is Wintley Phipps. 12:41 That is a very, very familiar name. 12:43 We went to college together, grad school together 12:45 and kept up all these years 12:47 but he's gonna be singing a beautiful song 12:49 "Tell Me the Story of Jesus." 13:29 Tell me the story of Jesus 13:36 Write on my heart every word 13:43 Tell me the story most precious 13:50 Sweetest that ever was heard 14:02 Tell how the angels in chorus 14:09 Sang as they welcomed His birth 14:16 Glory to God in the highest 14:23 Peace and good tidings to earth 14:32 Tell me the story of Jesus 14:39 Write on my heart every word 14:46 Tell me the story most precious 14:53 Sweetest that ever was heard 15:17 Tell of the cross where they nailed Him 15:25 Writhing in anguish and pain 15:32 Tell of the grave where they laid Him 15:40 Tell how He liveth again 15:48 Love in that story so tender 15:55 Clearer than ever I see 16:03 Stay, let me weep while you whisper 16:10 Love paid the ransom for me 16:23 Tell me the story of Jesus 16:30 Write on my heart every word 16:37 Tell me the story most precious 16:44 Sweetest that ever 16:50 Was heard 17:12 And well done, Wintley Phipps. 17:14 "Tell Me the Story of Jesus." 17:17 My guests are Brandi and Doug Jenkins, 17:19 they are of Rogersville, Tennessee. 17:23 When we left lord lady, you got married 17:25 and your first born was here 17:28 and his arrival really put in 17:31 both of your hearts and minds 17:32 that you had to make some changes in your life. 17:34 So now you are convicted that you want your son 17:38 to grow up with the name of Jesus 17:41 certainly in his head and in his heart 17:43 if all possible, 17:44 what did you do to make that happen? 17:48 Well, my wife, she-- she started out 17:50 by reading with him you know, the Word of God, 17:52 explaining children's stories to him, 17:55 praying with him at night and while she was doing that, 17:59 I was still kind of reluctant to do that. 18:02 I was kind of staying back from it 18:04 because I was all right going to church, 18:07 Christmas and Easter with my mother-in-law-- 18:09 Yeah, sort of holiday-- 18:10 That's what she was going, and mother's day 18:12 that was her gift but yeah, 18:15 as William got older and I mean, this took time, 18:20 he would come to my chair when I would be 18:21 watching television, "Daddy, will you take me to church? 18:24 Daddy, will you take me to church?" 18:26 Yeah, yeah, we'll do that one day. 18:28 We'll do that one day and finally 18:31 "Daddy, will take me to church?" 18:32 And I could see he really wanted to go to church. 18:34 Now I got to-- ask you Doug, had he been to church 18:38 and wanted to go back to church 18:39 or just he wanted the experience? 18:40 Well, we he had went with her mother 18:42 on special occasions. 18:43 I'll put it that way on holiday. Okay. 18:45 He would get so irritated because he knew 18:48 as mother's day would come around 18:50 he'd say, "I know what she's gonna want." 18:52 Got to go. Yeah. 18:53 Can't we just buy her something? 18:56 Let's just go buy her some flowers or get her a gift. 18:59 He'd said "the only thing she wants us is 19:01 to go to church with her." 19:02 Yeah, that's her mother's day gift. 19:04 Doug, was it resentment? It was resentment. 19:07 You know, from what you-- they kind of just 19:09 let you slide away and nobody ever came looking for you. 19:11 That's it. It was resentment. 19:13 I was having pity party 19:14 and I was living in it for years-- 19:16 for years. 19:17 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah and yet something has 19:19 was stirring in your son's heart early on. 19:22 You know, the spirit was to kind of push it 19:24 and go to church. 19:25 Brandi? 19:28 Every night, when we would read, 19:30 even though we weren't in church I would pray with him. 19:34 So as a young child, two, three, four years old, 19:41 he had a little prayer life and he would talk to Jesus 19:46 even if I wasn't always there with him by his bed. 19:51 So he developed a prayer life very early 19:54 and so I think that helped develop into him 20:01 asking Doug "let's go, daddy." 20:03 Yeah, yeah. 20:05 Now I'm not the prophet nor the son of them 20:06 but you may have a budding preacher on your hands. 20:09 Actually he preaches his first Sermon this Sabbath. 20:11 Is that so? Yes. 20:13 Praise God. Praise God. 20:15 That must be so exciting for you guys? 20:16 Yes. 20:18 So he's pushing and you're nurturing, 20:20 you're nurturing and obviously, you can see the resistance, 20:25 how did the walls begin to break down? 20:27 I was diagnosed with a brain disease 20:30 Chiari malformation. 20:32 That's where the brain is growing. 20:34 It won't quit growing. 20:35 It keeps growing little by little. 20:36 It's out of the skull now 20:38 and it's entered the spinal canal. 20:41 I've seen surgeons and a whole bunch of neurologists 20:45 and the surgeon I seen from Charlottesville, 20:49 he gave me a death date of 2005. 20:52 He said, if this don't stop growing he said 20:55 the brain will keep growing out and it will compress 20:57 against the brain stem and it'll be fatal. 21:00 It's out so far we cannot do brain surgery 21:02 knowing where brain swelling 21:04 from the surgery would be fatal, 21:06 it would compress against the brain stem. 21:09 Man, that was a eye opener and I started 21:13 listening to all these things the doctors were saying 21:15 and at this time I knew who I had to turn to. 21:20 I was working at the water treatment plant. 21:22 I said everybody needs water, I'll always have a job 21:26 you know, this-- I'm in control but when that happened 21:31 Doug wasn't in control. 21:33 I had to turn to Jesus. 21:35 I had to turn to Jesus and I knew it. 21:37 I was still resentful. 21:38 I didn't want to 'cause I was leaning on that cane 21:41 that the doctors had gave me 21:44 but when I made that decision 21:45 I started to leaning on the Word of God 21:48 and put that cane in the corner. 21:50 I mean, you can see on the MRI that it's a really small space 21:55 and I've learned this praying 21:57 thank God everyday for small spaces. 21:58 The small places. Yeah. 22:00 Yes, sir, yes, sir, and He-- it's just the long, 22:04 long time going now, 15 years and the Lord just continues 22:08 to add life to my days and to my years. 22:11 Praise God. 22:12 And it's just-- it's just amazing. 22:15 I mean, they told me in about 2005 22:18 I wouldn't have mobility in my arms 22:20 and my legs because of my spinal cord 22:22 and the disk I've got herniated and ruptured in my neck 22:26 but you know, it's by the grace of God 22:27 that I receive from Him every day. 22:29 Praise God. 22:30 And His healing touched, that He gives me the strength 22:32 and the ability to go and go and go 22:35 and that's my prayer now, 22:36 "Lord, take me, use me as Your servant. 22:39 I just want to be a tool for you, 22:41 use me as a tool but how can I don't want to feel any gap, 22:44 Your kingdom that needs to be filled." 22:46 Yes. Yes. 22:48 Doug, there-- it occurs to me, there are two ways 22:50 you can take news like that when you're resentful. 22:52 One, Lord, what are You doing? 22:54 You know, or Lord, I gave up I have no place to go. 23:00 You can accept it and glorify His name 23:03 or you can get angry at Him. 23:04 Obviously you chose to accept it 23:07 and use what He has given it to glorify Him. 23:11 Brandi, did you see a change in him 23:13 and how did it occur to you 23:15 that something as going on his life after this diagnosis? 23:21 I think in the beginning, from my point of view 23:26 there was a bit of resentment there 23:28 because he kind of resisted. 23:31 He tried to self medicate for a while, 23:35 he didn't get the news and then immediately 23:37 give it to Jesus. 23:38 I understand. That didn't happen. 23:42 The way we lived it was of self medicate. 23:47 He can save it. He can save it. 23:49 Yeah, I got this, I can handle it. 23:50 Yeah, we will take care of ourselves, yeah. 23:52 Yeah, you kind of, you know, lean on what the doctors say 23:54 and do everything they say 23:57 and which I'm not against doctors 24:00 you know, I mean, they do wonderful work 24:02 but he was self medicating and it didn't work. 24:09 It just didn't work and after a while, 24:15 I guess it was couple of years, 24:18 he-- he resisted and then-- 24:22 It was actually tearing us apart. 24:24 Yeah. Self medication, pills. 24:27 It got really bad. It got bad. 24:29 You know, and we had a small, we had two small children 24:32 'cause we had our daughter. 24:33 You know, after that and I knew we can't live that way. 24:37 We couldn't continue that way as a family you know, 24:40 and function and you know, why is daddy doing this? 24:46 And then trying to show them the way Jesus wants them 24:50 to live you know, it's just two worlds 24:52 in the same household. 24:54 Now, let's fresh that out a little bit Doug and Brandi, 24:55 because, you-- were you home schooling then? 24:59 No, 'cause they were so small. 25:00 They were so small. All ready, all ready. 25:02 But now, we're talking about self medi-care. 25:05 Are we talking about drugs and illegal stuff 25:07 or just abusing-- 25:08 Just prescription drugs. Just prescription stuff. 25:10 Okay. Okay. 25:11 So you just doing it on your own, 25:13 just taking what you can? 25:14 Yeah. 25:15 Some of these doctors that-- if you go and tell them 25:18 more or less your symptoms for what you want, 25:20 and they'll give you what you want. 25:21 They'll give you what you want. 25:22 Yeah, yeah. 25:24 Yeah, so you are seeing him kind of medicating himself 25:26 or really destroying yourself. 25:27 Well, my opinion over medicating. 25:30 I believe in medicine, I do but sometimes I-- 25:34 I feel like some doctors enable an over medication 25:39 when it's not necessary. 25:40 I see. 25:42 Were you able to hold a job, 25:43 were you still working and functioning? 25:44 They put me off work. They did. 25:47 These doctors put me off work 25:48 because they told me I had five years to live. 25:50 Yeah. Yeah. 25:53 That was devastating and I did have that 25:55 like you said "what was happening to me?" 25:57 You know, but and it was-- it was resentment 26:01 for two or three years there and I was bitter. 26:05 I was bitter towards God, I started getting 26:06 bitter towards my family, 26:08 I would get bitter towards William when he would come 26:10 and wanted me to go to church and I was a mean man. 26:15 Yeah. Yeah. 26:16 So you got a lot of stuff built up. 26:17 I mean, you got a lot of nurture going here. 26:18 William's bugging you to go to church 26:20 and you kind of like I'm mad 26:22 and I'm stewing in this madness you know, 26:24 I'm here boiling in this thing. I got this "death sentence" 26:28 and he wants me to go to church? 26:30 I'm feeling that you know, right, yeah, yeah, yeah. 26:34 But the break through came how? 26:37 The break through came with William keep-- 26:39 he being persistent. 26:40 Just through laying on it. 26:41 He kept being persistent just like the blind man 26:43 when he was holding, you know, 26:45 "The son of David, have mercy on me." 26:47 And everybody's trying to hush him up. 26:48 William kept going and finally I said 26:51 "Okay, I'm taking you to church this Sunday." 26:54 And we went to a Sunday church with her mother 26:56 and the words started coming from the pulpit, 27:02 the word that I had heard before, 27:04 the Word of God and the promises 27:07 and I knew those-- 27:08 those were promises you can stand on. 27:10 Yeah. Yeah. 27:11 And it took not but just one time going to church 27:15 but several times going to church 27:17 and finally I felt myself in my living room floor 27:20 just-- just as a flight on my face 27:23 I mean just "Lord, take off this from me, 27:26 make me a better man, 27:27 make me what You want me to be. 27:29 Please restore my marriage, please restore my home 27:33 because I'm destroyed." 27:34 Yeah. Were you thinking about walking, Brandi? 27:36 Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. 27:38 So it was pretty bad? It was. 27:40 Yeah. Yeah. 27:41 Yeah. It was not a good situation. 27:44 When he went to church what was your response? 27:50 How did that affect you? 27:54 I was happy that he went but I think the moment 28:00 was at home when I'd seen it, I knew God had his heart. 28:05 He, I could see 28:09 and he actually I think he led him to a song 28:12 and when I came home 28:14 I had taken the children to school 28:15 and when I came home he was listening to that 28:17 and the realization like-- 28:23 It kind of hit you right away 28:25 that something had happened to him? 28:26 Was it kind of obvious? Yeah. 28:28 Yeah. Yeah. Praise God. Praise God. 28:31 I was very thankful. Very thankful. 28:34 Now you had the two at the one time 28:36 and Elijah was not-- was not here yet? 28:38 No. At that point. 28:40 Yeah, now I need to hear because you-- 28:42 the punch line is you've only been 28:43 Adventist for few years so there was a growth pattern 28:47 and we need to get to that 28:48 because that's a really cool story. 28:50 So you made this change, she sees the change, 28:52 is the marriage healing? 28:53 Are things getting better? It is. It is. 28:58 The period of time it took. 28:59 Yeah, and this is not like a light switch off and on. 29:02 Things got to kind of grow back because they-- 29:04 they fell apart slowly, they grow back together slowly. 29:06 Exactly. 29:07 Yeah, but he did make some changes. 29:09 Yes. 29:10 And you could see those changes. 29:11 Yes. So we praise God for that. 29:14 And when that happened we both dumped in 29:19 feet first whole-heartedly 29:21 and we prayed for about two weeks 29:27 for the Lord to send us to the church 29:29 that He wanted us to go to. 29:31 Not the church that our friends wanted us to go to 29:35 or family wanted us to go to. 29:37 We wanted to be where the Lord wanted us to be 29:40 and there is no doubt He planted us and it was-- 29:44 it was a Missionary Baptist Church. 29:47 It was about 20 miles from our house. 29:49 So we had quite a drive but it is where 29:54 He wanted us to be at that season. 29:56 Right. Yeah. Yeah. 29:57 Because we grew so much because we were so-- 30:02 we had no maturity spiritually and I feel we both grew. 30:08 And I think sometimes the Lord does that. 30:10 He doesn't send you right to the ultimate. 30:12 There are stages and at that point in your life 30:14 may be you weren't ready for this whole new thing 30:16 but He gives you what you're ready for. 30:18 You both got Baptist background 30:20 so that's where you-- that's where you land. 30:23 At that point you don't know that you're on a train 30:25 going some place you know, you'll figure you've arrived 30:28 but later on you'd find out, oh, no, this is not, 30:30 this is just a stop. 30:31 We're going someplace else. 30:32 So you were in that-- in that church for how long? 30:35 About three years. 30:37 But yeah, we were on the train and Satan starts 30:43 throwing things at the train, you know, so you know, 30:48 our marriage is building stronger 30:50 on the Word of God, you know. 30:54 God was the centre core, the bond 30:57 that held our marriage together and just out of the blue, 31:02 Satan starts throwing things and we're kind of taken back 31:07 like whoa, what just happened. 31:10 What's happening? 31:11 You said Satan's throwing things. 31:12 We had started a youth group there at the church 31:17 and there were some teenagers there 31:18 and they didn't have anything you know, 31:20 and so we felt that you know just moved 31:22 by the spirit that we should do something for these kids 31:25 so we started a youth group. 31:27 And when we started working with the kids you know, 31:29 at first we had one or two come 31:31 and then it grew to around eight 31:33 and then ten and then other people were in the church 31:37 wanted to be a part and I mean from-- 31:40 in the pew a lady starts working with us 31:44 and she-- she tried to become a wedge 31:48 between me and Brandi and I was, you know, 31:52 how can this happen in the church? 31:53 You know, here I go again, 31:55 there were stoning something at me to have resentment. 31:58 He knows those seeds of filth you know, 32:00 they are back at that you remember. 32:01 Yeah. So what did do? 32:02 I had a meeting with the pastor, 32:03 "We're leaving." 32:05 And he said "Why are you leaving?" 32:06 And I said "I don't want to get into that 32:08 but I'm talking me and my family and we're leaving." 32:10 Well, she thought that I was going back to darkness 32:14 you know, she thought I was done. 32:16 But what I did, I went home, we prayed again "Lord, 32:19 send us where You want us to go that need a place for us. 32:22 Lord, Satan is trying to get me back to where I came from, 32:26 you know, where I was at. 32:27 I don't want to go back there. Please continue to work." 32:30 We started praying for the truth. 32:32 Things stared happening. 32:33 He started working with her about home schooling. 32:37 Yeah, and then we stared home schooling. 32:40 And when she started-- 32:42 once we made a decision to home school, 32:44 then all of a sudden I had some blood work 32:47 come back really bad I mean, 32:49 that I needed to go on a diet as I was over 300 pounds. 32:51 Oh, my soul! 32:52 Yes sir, and blood work was just horrible so the meats 32:58 and the grains and I mean not the meat but in the grains, 33:01 just the meat, the sugar and things like that 33:04 they was out which I really didn't like. 33:07 Because vegetables, nuts and grains 33:09 and I'm like blow it away. 33:12 And it's like how can a man-- man can't survive on that. 33:14 So you had to do a radical diet change. 33:16 'Cause you're how tall? May be 5.5", I don't know. 33:20 Yeah, okay, at 300 pounds that's carrying 33:23 an awful lot of weight for that frame. 33:25 Yes. 33:26 Yeah, yeah, so the meat and the sugar got to go. 33:28 God started. 33:29 He started with the home school, 33:30 He started with our diet and then the home schooling 33:33 that she was doing, it has Bible course 33:36 and then in the Bible course 33:38 that's where we started getting hooked 33:40 on the Ten Commandments. 33:42 And it was so in depth, we have family worship 33:45 every night at seven you know, get around the coffee table 33:48 in the living room and we have Bible study more or less 33:51 and we were studying the Ten Commandments. 33:53 Now, were you leading all of this or was Brandi? 33:56 She was teaching the children. Okay. Okay. 34:00 Yeah and we started learning things about you know, 34:04 the Ten Commandments and then we had a field day you know, 34:09 she called it was gonna go out and to see 34:11 what God has stored for the kids in nature 34:14 and see how we can see God in nature and we-- 34:17 she planned us a big picnic and we went out 34:21 to around Smoky mountains, that the chimneys, 34:25 they called it the Chimneys picnic area. 34:27 We started having a picnic 34:29 and just having a wonderful day 34:31 it just made the comment, this can't get any better 34:34 or beautiful way than everything we was experiencing, 34:38 the kids having a ball and then when we came back 34:41 going home was going through Pigeon Forge 34:44 and she sees a used book store. 34:47 Used book store and I was in traffic 34:49 and I couldn't get over to pull in. 34:52 "I want to that used book store like that" 34:54 and I'm like well, I've got to turn around 34:57 and man don't want to do turn around. 34:59 No, sir. 35:00 No, we go forward, we never go back. 35:02 So I had to go down and turn around, go back up, 35:06 turn around again, come back to that store. 35:08 When we went in it was really nice, 35:11 all books in the shelves and they had DVDs 35:14 and all these things and then they had a big sign 35:17 with the arrow pointing down stairs 35:19 said bargain basement. 35:21 So here I am with the lodge in. 35:23 William and Hailey they are back in before we know they are 35:25 and I was like I do not want to be here 35:28 and but she was going to the Bargain basement 35:30 and we went down and there was boxes, 35:33 just boxes and boxes and boxes, 35:35 books just dumped in there. 35:37 And Brandi, she said 35:38 "Well, I can't look through that, 35:39 let's go, the kids are acting up and everything 35:42 and I turned around, I was going back up 35:44 and I was trying to straighten wheel 35:45 and Hailey out because I was hearing William, 35:47 "Hailey!" and Hailey "William!" 35:49 and come on you two, slow down. 35:52 He laughs squirming around I was talking to her 35:54 and I look back my wife was gone. 35:57 She was all with that digging through a box 36:00 and there she was digging through a box, 36:01 she found a very special book 36:04 and that book we brought it with us today 36:07 is this color blue actually caught her eyes 36:10 out of those books in that box and when she dug it out 36:13 it was "Bible Readings for the Home" 36:16 and we bought it and we was going home 36:18 and I was driving and she was going through it. 36:21 She said "This is what we we're having 36:22 our family worship with tonight." 36:24 So we go home and we had family worship 36:26 with section of the God's law. 36:28 So you just impressed just 36:29 let's get into this particular book? 36:30 Yeah. 36:32 I had an hour to look at it on the way home 36:34 and I was everything I was reading I was like 36:37 "This book is awesome" especially the formats. 36:41 The question answer formats were really easy to understand. 36:43 Yeah. 36:46 Yeah, it was meant to be sort of a reference book 36:48 but there are some people who read it 36:50 cover to cover almost like a story book. 36:52 It's meant to, you have a question 36:54 and you go and you find that issue 36:55 and then you just do the question 36:56 and answer kind of thing but there are those 36:58 who just read through and it is well written-- 37:00 well written book so kind of grabbed you right away. 37:02 Absolutely, but yeah, 37:03 we didn't start at the beginning. 37:05 We went directly to section 8. 37:08 It was part of 8, The Law. The Law, yeah. 37:12 And then when we went through, it brought us to the Sabbath. 37:16 Yes. 37:18 And then Williams, he comes up again, 37:20 "Dad, we are doing it wrong." 37:23 You got something in that kid. 37:26 Yeah, and you know we started praying about it. 37:28 We did and the Holy Spirit put us under heavy conviction 37:32 and I was a chaplain 37:34 at the hospital there in Rogersville 37:35 and I had a menu with all the churches 37:38 and pastors there and we found out 37:40 we had a Seventh-day Adventist Church 37:43 in our community. 37:44 So we started riding by. 37:46 We wouldn't go and pull in but we're just riding by. 37:48 We'd looked really suspicious, you know, 37:50 just wonder someone didn't call us off. 37:52 And they have a little community centre there 37:55 called The Lighthouse Community Center 37:56 where they help people out. 37:59 So I went into to see if I had any reading material 38:02 and little lady gave me a book that says 38:04 "We are the Adventist," Seventh-day Adventist. 38:06 Yes. 38:07 And I've thanked her and she told me the worship hour 38:10 you know, to come worship and I pulled out 38:13 and the cell phone rang 38:14 and I answered the phone and Brandi said, 38:16 "What did you found out?" 38:17 And I said "Well, I got another book." 38:18 So I take that book home and we studied that 38:21 and we really started praying. 38:22 Yeah. 38:23 "Lord, is this where you want us go? 38:25 Are you sure?" 38:26 I mean, is this, we've never been there before." 38:27 Now have you ever heard the name 38:29 Seventh-day Adventist before? 38:30 No, I mean, no. 38:32 So that name was not familiar to you at all. 38:33 No, we were not familiar with it at all. 38:36 I will tell you this. 38:38 Whenever he had this, when he was chaplain 38:40 and had the bonder from the hospital 38:43 with all the different denominations, 38:45 we would just read through, curious, 38:46 because you know, being Baptist 38:48 and I have some Pentecostal my side, 38:49 we knew what those were 38:51 but we didn't know other religions 38:53 and how they believed 38:54 and when he was reading through it 38:56 he laughed and he said 38:58 "you're Seventh-day Adventist, Brandi" 39:00 and I was like " What? 39:01 What's that?" 39:03 Because the vegetarian, you know, the healthy way. 39:06 Also had a little break down on what they believed. 39:08 Yeah, I see. Okay. Okay. 39:10 So we thought that you know, that could be a joke but-- 39:13 That was a prophesy. Yeah. 39:17 We was reading God's word and come across, 39:21 Psalms 18:30 "As for God, His way is perfect, 39:27 the word of the Lord is proven, 39:28 and He is a shield to those who trust in Him." 39:32 Yes Lord, we'll trust You, we'll go, we'll go. 39:35 We'll go this-- well, we call it Sabbath now, 39:38 we'll go this Saturday. 39:39 And as-- we was driving we was dressed up very nice 39:42 and going down through town and everybody morning, 39:45 you are having car washes, bike sales, yard sales, 39:47 so weird. 39:49 We pulled into the parking lot 39:52 and I was kind of rushing everybody along 39:55 'cause it was almost time for the church 39:57 to start and the door slings open 40:00 and there's this big German guy, 40:01 he's greater than he says "Happy Sabbath." 40:04 And I was like never heard that before you know, 40:07 what's Sabbath? 40:08 What's Sabbath? Brandi, what's Sabbath? 40:10 And I found out what Sabbath was. 40:12 And-- so she-- we go in and everybody showing us 40:16 where the Sabbath schools are you know, 40:17 we went Sabbath school classes 40:19 and afterwards we gather out in a little foyer 40:22 and she said, "How did you like it?" 40:23 And I said, "I liked it, I heard something 40:26 about the three angles message, I'm not really you know, 40:29 we have to go home and study that." 40:30 So that first Sabbath you're kind of wading 40:32 in the deep water. 40:34 Someone mentioned the "Great Controversy" 40:36 and I told our sis, 40:37 they mentioned the "Great Controversy." 40:38 I said-- she said, "What is it?" 40:40 I said, " Maybe be there are fighting over color carpet, 40:42 I don't know but I'm sure they'll work it out." 40:46 And then you know, as we-- we went home through church, 40:49 we heard about Ms. White and how great she-- 40:51 you know, what she was saying 40:53 and I kept looking around for Ms. White 40:54 and "Lord Jesus, whoever Ms. White is, you know, 40:58 she is not here today 'cause of sickness. 40:59 Please let her be here so I can meet her." 41:01 Oh, that is funny. 41:02 You know, I loved to meet this lady and talk to her and-- 41:05 I thought Ms. White was still around and you know, 41:08 we were just taken-- we just got flooded 41:10 with all of this that we never heard before. 41:12 Wow. 41:13 And we go home and-- 41:15 But the love at that church-- Oh, good the love-- 41:18 And the hospitality that they showed us, 41:21 the first day, nobody knew us, 41:23 we didn't know a soul there and they didn't know us 41:27 but they were there and they were willing 41:30 to extent their hand and say, 41:32 come join us for lunch after church. 41:34 Wow. We had I guess three invites. 41:37 Let me ask you this because is this is very important 41:39 and this is the lesson that the churches can learn. 41:42 Other things that impressed you that first Sabbath? 41:44 You talked about, 41:46 they are three and the deep end of that pulled you. 41:47 You heard about Sabbath, 41:48 you heard about three angels' message, 41:50 you heard about "Great Controversy" 41:52 which are in Adventist home 41:53 that we toss around kind of a lot 41:54 but outside world doesn't know what that stuff is. 41:57 The greeting at the door and the over all 41:59 love of the church, which impressed you the most? 42:02 They had fellowship meal and they'd let us go 42:04 first through line. 42:06 Well, praise the Lord. 42:09 It was the love, love of Jesus 42:11 and the in depth of the study of the Word of God. 42:16 That's what we've been doing. Yeah. 42:17 And I never heard the word so deeply 42:21 taught like in Sabbath school and which is-- 42:24 we went back the next Sabbath and then they asked Brandi, 42:27 you know, to make a dish or two for Sabbath meal and-- 42:31 Wow. 42:32 We're leaving out one Sabbath morning, 42:34 we're leaving out one Sabbath morning 42:35 and we're live out in the country, 42:37 everybody knows everybody 42:39 and I'm putting dishes in the van 42:41 and I'm dressed you know, 42:42 to go church and our neighbor across the yard-- 42:45 I mean across the road she's getting her 42:47 paper out of the paper box 42:48 and she looked over and she says, "Who died?" 42:51 I said, "Nobody died. We're going to church." 42:54 She said, "Going to church?" 42:55 She said "Where are you going to church at?" 42:57 I said, "Rogersville SDA Church" 42:59 and she stand out and she's like "Oh, oh, oh. 43:02 Okay, I said "See you later." 43:09 That is a good story. 43:10 Obviously, she knew a little bit about that-- 43:13 that yeah, that the last kind of going on for her. 43:16 So from those early days, 43:18 how did the kids respond to this-- 43:21 this new deal? 43:23 Well, Elijah, he's been raised, you know, 43:25 well, he remembers, you know, but Will and Hailey, 43:29 they had a little bit of a time, you know, 43:32 especially when they had learned this lesson about, 43:38 State of the Dead? State of the Dead, yeah. 43:40 They had a lot of questions. 43:42 But you know this great man and lady from our church 43:45 coming at this Bible studies at the house. 43:47 Great. 43:48 And they, they involved the kids 43:50 because they knew they had questions 43:51 and they answered all of our questions 43:54 and a great pastor, Pastor Sean Reed, 43:58 he came and he talked to us at home and lead-- 44:00 he has lead us all the way who we are now. 44:03 Our doors of opportunities have opened, 44:05 we have a-- we started a children's church there. 44:09 I've teach the junior Sabbaths class there. 44:12 Brandi helps out with cradle roll 44:16 and now it's my call into preach 44:17 and began preaching. 44:19 Wow. 44:20 Yeah, and then they asked me to be deacon, 44:23 I said, "sure" you know, and-- 44:25 Now we need to say Doug, 44:26 you guys we are not talking about 44:28 10, 20 years ago. 44:30 This is-- you're still fairly new as-- as Adventist. 44:32 Yes, sir. 44:33 Yeah, and we praise the Lord for that. 44:35 And the churches have been so good to us. 44:37 They brought us all these big sets of books by Ms. White. 44:41 And we can study those with the Word of God. 44:44 Oh, it's just-- it's just so in depth. 44:47 I mean, I led the study in the Bible studies 44:49 that we have. 44:50 Yeah. Praise the Lord. 44:52 And the-- I think the-- the children theme 44:55 working with kids, it's kind of just in your soul. 44:57 You can't-- can't keep from doing it. 44:58 Yeah, and praise the Lord for it. 45:00 And I think before this program is over 45:01 we're gonna bring your kids out 45:02 so we can meet them 'cause we heard them 45:03 William, Hailey and Elijah. 45:04 Elijah is my man. I like him. 45:07 But now you have a ministry 45:08 and "Amazing Bible Journeys" is it called? 45:12 What is that all about and what does that seek to do? 45:14 Well, we have a big room downstairs in our church 45:17 all from the fellowship hall 45:19 and it's-- it got two big columns 45:21 and my thing is 45:24 there are so many children out there hurting, 45:25 so many children out there in broken homes, 45:27 so many children out there. 45:29 This is one of the larger or small, you know, 45:31 and somebody told me about Jesus 45:34 when I was small and it stuck. 45:36 That's what I want to do to these-- for these kids. 45:38 I want to take them and show them Jesus. 45:41 I want them to experience Jesus. 45:42 I want them to experience the Bible 45:43 so we take those two columns and we work out of them 45:47 and we made a huge Noah's Ark and then we got-- 45:51 we had a children's church in the ark and-- 45:54 but the door was the main focus. 45:56 You know that door-- Jesus is the door, you know, 46:01 and we got to show them Jesus that way. 46:03 We've-- we have built Jonah and the Whale, 46:05 we had children search inside the whale, 46:07 things like that. 46:08 Yes, yes, praise the Lord. 46:10 Now does that happen on the Sabbath 46:12 or another day of the week or? 46:13 That happens once Sabbath a month. 46:16 Oh, okay, okay. Wow, that's fabulous. 46:18 And currently we are doing the sanctuary. 46:21 Excellent. 46:23 We have learned a lot in that stage. 46:25 And another thing the Lord has opened up was VBS last year. 46:29 They've asked us to do VBS and then there was a church, 46:32 contacted us and they wasn't gonna be able to have VBS 46:36 and we got to take our VBS program to their church. 46:39 Oh, nice. 46:40 And all these children we've got to meet 46:41 and tell Jesus to, you know, 46:43 tell them about Jesus and tell them 46:46 and show them the love of Christ, you know, 46:49 that's what we-- we don't want any one to see 46:50 Doug and Brandi, we want people to see Jesus. 46:53 We want all the glory, you know, 46:56 go to the Father in heaven. 46:57 To God be the glory. Praise God. Praise God. 47:02 Wonderful story. 47:03 Obviously you are hearing and experiencing, 47:05 I don't know do you if someone wanted you to come in 47:09 and tell your story at their church, 47:10 would you be open to doing that? 47:12 Yes, sir. 47:13 It will be blessing to a group or a youth group 47:15 or some of the things that you are experiencing 47:17 that you'd been open to do it-- to doing that. 47:19 Absolutely. 47:20 So, should you like to make contact 47:22 with these two lovely people, Doug and Brandi Jenkins, 47:25 here is a contact information that you will need. 47:29 If you'd like to invite Doug or Brandi 47:32 to speak at your church 47:33 you may write to them at Amazing Bible Journeys, 47:36 712 Caney Creek Road in Rogersville, TN 37857. 47:43 That's Amazing Bible Journeys, 47:45 712 Caney Creek Road in Rogersville, TN 37857. 47:52 You may also call them at area code 423-345-3170. 47:58 That's 423-345-3170. 48:03 Or visit their church online at reogersvillesda.com. 48:09 That's reogersvillesda.com. 48:15 All right, we got the gang with us 48:17 and Hailey and William 48:22 and this is my man Elijah, right? 48:25 Give me a shake. All right. 48:28 Brandi, you were saying, you-- 48:31 you were telling me during the address roll, 48:33 what your goal was with the children's church. 48:36 Walk me through that again please. 48:38 Yes. 48:41 Satan is the father of our lives. 48:46 And that is his goal 48:49 because his time is so short 48:54 because I believe that Jesus return is very same 48:57 and Satan tries so hard 49:01 especially with the younger generation 49:03 to tell them you're worthless, you can't do that, 49:09 you're not any good, you know, 49:12 and he tries to just keep them down. 49:18 But we want them to know that God is who God says He is. 49:25 He is our Creator, God is love 49:29 and we want the children to know 49:31 that they are who God says they are 49:34 and which we're all children of God 49:37 and God doesn't want us to live 49:40 under those lies and listen to those lies of Satan. 49:46 And that's just the burden we have that the children know 49:51 what and even the adults because some of our boards 49:54 that we make or things that we put up 49:58 speaks to the adults' heart as well because it does. 50:01 It applies to us all. Yeah. 50:04 Now how often do you have children's church? 50:07 We have it once, one Sabbath a month. 50:08 One Sabbath a month, in your home? 50:10 No, at church. At church, okay. 50:12 All right, very good. 50:13 Now, William, we will put you on the spot. 50:15 Hold that microphone up 50:17 because William did not expect to speak, 50:19 we kind of just threw this on him. 50:21 But your dad was saying that the first time 50:23 you began to study the law 50:25 and you found out about Sabbath, 50:27 that you realized that it was something that you guys 50:29 had to do, is that right? 50:31 Yes. Yeah. Yeah. 50:33 Well, first of all, all my life ever since 50:36 I went to church, I've always been confused 50:41 when I read the law about Sabbath 50:43 and I've heard Sunday is the Lord's day 50:47 and Sabbath is Saturday so I got confused about how, 50:51 how should we go on church on Saturday or Sunday. 50:55 As far as we going to church on Sunday or we was-- 50:59 Sunday and I was kind of confused 51:02 so I want for sure should I-- 51:06 should I tell them about it or should I just you know, 51:11 keep quiet. 51:12 So this was already going on in your heart 51:13 even before then? 51:15 Yeah. Oh, I see. Okay, okay. 51:17 So I kept quiet until they found-- 51:20 found, found the book that I talked about 51:26 and so when they started 51:29 getting interested I said, "Okay, 51:31 this is the good time to talk about it." 51:33 Okay, so you were actually waited on them? 51:35 Yeah. 51:39 That is something-- so on his own 51:40 he's studying his way into this stuff 51:42 and he was kind of just holding back 51:43 for you guys to get the hook 51:45 and now he can kind of spring it on you. 51:46 Yeah. 51:47 When you stared going on to church on Saturday 51:50 was it a big change for you, was it kind of scary? 51:53 I kind of felt nervous. 51:55 I kind of felt nervous at first 'cause I didn't know 51:59 if there was you know different-- 52:01 if there was changes 52:02 that I had to make suddenly or not, 52:06 so everybody was nice there. 52:09 Nobody judged me, everybody accepted who I was 52:14 and who I am and the classes I had 52:20 there was really interesting 'cause first thing 52:23 we've learned was about creation. 52:28 There can't be creation without a Creator. Yes. 52:31 So that was the first time I ever going there 52:34 so it's always been kept in my mind. 52:38 Okay. Thank you so very much. 52:40 I tell you, you got a budding preacher 52:41 there on you, on you hands there. 52:43 God bless you. 52:44 We got to go to our newsbreak and then we're gonna come back 52:47 with a closing thought 52:48 so to put a little bow around this 52:49 and we back in just two minutes. |
Revised 2015-07-19