I want to spend my life
00:00:01.36\00:00:07.30
Mending broken people
00:00:07.34\00:00:12.27
I want to spend my life
00:00:12.31\00:00:18.51
Removing pain
00:00:18.55\00:00:23.52
Lord, let my words
00:00:23.55\00:00:29.62
Heal a heart that hurts
00:00:29.66\00:00:34.30
I want to spend my life
00:00:34.33\00:00:40.14
Mending broken people
00:00:40.17\00:00:45.44
I want to spend my life
00:00:45.47\00:00:51.05
Mending broken people
00:00:51.08\00:00:55.32
Hello and welcome to
another 3ABN Today program.
00:01:07.96\00:01:10.70
Thank you for joining us
as you do each and everyday.
00:01:10.73\00:01:13.57
And thank you for
your love and your prayers
00:01:13.60\00:01:15.10
and financial support of
3ABN as we endeavor to take this
00:01:15.14\00:01:19.07
great gospel of the
kingdom into all the world.
00:01:19.11\00:01:22.18
One of the things
that I know that you like,
00:01:22.21\00:01:24.11
because you tell us, is
you like to hear testimonies
00:01:24.15\00:01:27.32
that God is still
alive, He's on the throne,
00:01:27.35\00:01:30.75
He's ever interceding at
the right hand of the Father.
00:01:30.79\00:01:33.56
And that He's coming
back very soon to claim
00:01:33.59\00:01:36.69
those who are
willing to accept His blood
00:01:36.73\00:01:39.13
and His righteousness,
as an atonement for our sins
00:01:39.16\00:01:42.00
that we can live
forever with Him in heaven.
00:01:42.03\00:01:44.63
And today, I have a friend.
00:01:44.67\00:01:46.97
I've starting to
say an old friend,
00:01:47.00\00:01:48.34
but I need to watch out
about that, a long time friend.
00:01:48.37\00:01:50.74
I think that
would be better to say.
00:01:50.77\00:01:53.38
Pastor, Pastor Rick Blythe.
00:01:53.41\00:01:54.88
Rick, it's good
to have you here.
00:01:54.91\00:01:56.48
It's good to be
here, Danny. All right.
00:01:56.51\00:01:58.18
And our folk need to
know and want to know
00:01:58.21\00:02:01.85
that God is still in control.
00:02:01.88\00:02:03.28
Amen.
00:02:03.32\00:02:04.65
And that He didn't somewhere
go to sleep. He never sleeps.
00:02:04.69\00:02:07.12
He never slumbers
00:02:07.16\00:02:08.49
and you are a
testament to that, aren't you?
00:02:08.52\00:02:10.23
I'll tell you what.
00:02:10.26\00:02:11.59
I'm evidence of that, I
can tell you. All right.
00:02:11.63\00:02:14.00
That no matter
where we come from,
00:02:14.03\00:02:15.56
God has a plan for
our lives, is that right?
00:02:15.60\00:02:17.53
Amen. And we're
gonna do a testimony.
00:02:17.57\00:02:20.34
We're gonna have a
little bit of music before that.
00:02:20.37\00:02:22.80
But just to give us
a little background,
00:02:22.84\00:02:24.31
where you are from right now?
00:02:24.34\00:02:25.67
Where do you live
and what do you do?
00:02:25.71\00:02:28.04
Well, I'm actually
from Piedmont, Alabama.
00:02:28.08\00:02:32.01
My desire was to have a,
a church there in that area.
00:02:32.05\00:02:36.48
There wasn't a
church, it was Dark County.
00:02:36.52\00:02:38.62
And by God's grace I was able
to raise up the church there.
00:02:38.65\00:02:42.12
Okay. So I'm back home.
00:02:42.16\00:02:45.09
Semi-retired, still leading
the Piedmont congregation.
00:02:45.13\00:02:48.73
All right. Good.
Well, what we're gonna do?
00:02:48.76\00:02:50.53
He's got a
tremendous background.
00:02:50.57\00:02:52.20
So call your friends,
your enemies, everybody,
00:02:52.23\00:02:54.10
tell them to tune in to 3ABN.
00:02:54.14\00:02:56.40
Now, Brother Rick,
I'm gonna Rick, okay?
00:02:56.44\00:02:59.07
It's Pastor Rick. Absolutely.
00:02:59.11\00:03:00.44
Brother Rick, we've
been known each other.
00:03:00.48\00:03:02.14
I don't know since late
'70s or early '80s or some...
00:03:02.18\00:03:04.85
Early '80s. Early '80s?
00:03:04.88\00:03:06.55
Actually before 3ABN
was on the air I think.
00:03:06.58\00:03:09.18
That's exactly right. And so...
00:03:09.22\00:03:10.89
You told your story...
00:03:10.92\00:03:12.59
One of the first churches
00:03:12.62\00:03:13.96
to tell the story was in
the Noblesville, Indiana.
00:03:13.99\00:03:15.72
That's right.
00:03:15.76\00:03:17.09
Which is about little
less than 100 miles from here.
00:03:17.13\00:03:19.26
And you all there
and your wife Ginger.
00:03:19.29\00:03:21.86
And of course, kids some of them
00:03:21.90\00:03:23.50
you may have not had then,
00:03:23.53\00:03:24.87
and some were
really young may be, so.
00:03:24.90\00:03:26.84
Three girls and they all married
00:03:26.87\00:03:28.47
Seventh-day Adventist pastors.
00:03:28.50\00:03:30.01
Oh, well that's
great. All right.
00:03:30.04\00:03:32.54
So, you also will talk
about chat radio station
00:03:32.57\00:03:35.64
over there or its
television station.
00:03:35.68\00:03:37.61
Television
station. Yeah, downlink...
00:03:37.65\00:03:38.98
500, 500 foot tower.
00:03:39.01\00:03:40.82
Yeah, that's amazing.
00:03:40.85\00:03:42.18
So we go back along way,
00:03:42.22\00:03:43.75
so if you'll forgive
us a little bit today.
00:03:43.79\00:03:45.79
But Rick and his family
been a great support of 3ABN.
00:03:45.82\00:03:50.69
And we want to support them
00:03:50.73\00:03:52.16
because a
testimony that they have.
00:03:52.19\00:03:54.90
Now I'll give you
a little bit of hint
00:03:54.93\00:03:56.30
and then you can
be thinking about it.
00:03:56.33\00:03:58.20
KKK, see what that stands for
00:03:58.23\00:04:00.40
to somebody listening right now.
00:04:00.44\00:04:02.04
That's probably
gonna peak your interest.
00:04:02.07\00:04:04.61
But I'm gonna leave you on hold.
00:04:04.64\00:04:06.64
Well, we have
Pastor John Lomacang.
00:04:06.68\00:04:08.81
And I appreciate and love
Pastor John and his wife Angie.
00:04:08.84\00:04:12.21
But today John
is gonna be singing
00:04:12.25\00:04:14.35
"Wonderful Merciful Savior."
00:04:14.38\00:04:17.35
Wonderful, merciful Savior
00:04:32.03\00:04:38.07
Precious Redeemer and Friend
00:04:38.11\00:04:44.68
Who would've
thought that a Lamb could
00:04:44.71\00:04:50.99
Rescue the souls of men
00:04:51.02\00:04:55.66
Oh, You rescue the souls of men
00:04:55.69\00:05:02.10
Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
00:05:06.63\00:05:12.94
Spirit we long to embrace
00:05:12.97\00:05:19.31
You offer hope
when our hearts have
00:05:19.35\00:05:25.52
Hopelessly lost the way
00:05:25.55\00:05:30.43
Oh, we've
hopelessly lost the way
00:05:30.46\00:05:36.33
You are the One that we praise
00:05:38.33\00:05:44.51
You are the One we adore
00:05:44.54\00:05:50.98
You give the healing and grace
00:05:51.01\00:05:55.92
Our hearts always hunger for
00:05:55.95\00:06:02.06
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
00:06:02.09\00:06:09.83
You are the One that we praise
00:06:09.86\00:06:16.34
You are the One we adore
00:06:16.37\00:06:22.51
You give the healing and grace
00:06:22.54\00:06:27.62
Our hearts always hunger for
00:06:27.65\00:06:33.62
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
00:06:33.66\00:06:39.26
Almighty, infinite Father
00:06:44.60\00:06:50.91
Faithfully loving Your own
00:06:50.94\00:06:57.35
Here in our weakness You find us
00:06:57.38\00:07:03.49
Falling before Your throne
00:07:03.52\00:07:08.36
Oh, we're falling
before Your throne
00:07:08.39\00:07:16.30
You are the One that we praise
00:07:16.33\00:07:22.57
You are the One we adore
00:07:22.60\00:07:28.91
You give the healing and grace
00:07:28.94\00:07:33.45
Our hearts always hunger for
00:07:33.48\00:07:40.06
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
00:07:40.09\00:07:47.80
You are the One that we praise
00:07:47.83\00:07:54.20
You are the One we adore
00:07:54.24\00:08:00.51
You give the healing and grace
00:08:00.54\00:08:05.41
Our hearts always hunger for
00:08:05.45\00:08:11.49
Oh, our hearts always hunger for
00:08:11.52\00:08:19.09
Amen. Thank you, Pastor John.
00:08:33.24\00:08:35.24
Well, aren't you glad
00:08:35.28\00:08:36.61
that God is
wonderful and merciful Savior?
00:08:36.64\00:08:39.35
I mean, without a
wonderful, merciful Savior,
00:08:39.38\00:08:42.18
none of us would be
here today, would we?
00:08:42.22\00:08:44.65
That's exactly right. I'm...
00:08:44.69\00:08:47.76
I'm just so overwhelmed by
the way God has led in my life
00:08:47.79\00:08:52.49
and the miracle after miracle.
00:08:52.53\00:08:55.56
Its...
00:08:55.60\00:08:58.43
It's so hard, I
hardly believe in myself.
00:08:58.47\00:09:01.77
What we're gonna do today,
00:09:01.80\00:09:03.14
Rick's gonna tell a story to us.
00:09:03.17\00:09:05.81
Go in his
background a little bit.
00:09:05.84\00:09:07.44
And I know you are really
gonna be interested about it.
00:09:07.48\00:09:09.58
But I'm
encouraging him to write a book
00:09:09.61\00:09:13.15
and I know you will too.
00:09:13.18\00:09:14.52
Because this is
something I think that really
00:09:14.55\00:09:16.25
should be out there
for the world to hear.
00:09:16.28\00:09:17.95
Let's take it back.
00:09:17.99\00:09:19.32
You are an Adventist pastor.
00:09:19.35\00:09:21.32
And as you mentioned
you have several daughters,
00:09:21.36\00:09:23.53
they are all married
to Adventist ministers.
00:09:23.56\00:09:26.36
And I'm sure you came from
00:09:26.39\00:09:27.73
a wonderful Seventh-day
Adventist Christian home.
00:09:27.76\00:09:30.10
You probably never had a
problem or care in your life.
00:09:30.13\00:09:32.73
You grew up with a
silver spoon in your mouth.
00:09:32.77\00:09:34.57
How am I doing so far
now? Not quite exactly.
00:09:34.60\00:09:37.57
Got it all backwards.
All right. Well, good.
00:09:37.61\00:09:40.28
We want you to tell
us. Tell us a little bit.
00:09:40.31\00:09:41.91
Man, you're about
almost exactly the same age.
00:09:41.94\00:09:44.05
That's right.
00:09:44.08\00:09:45.41
And so I think you're
two months older than me.
00:09:45.45\00:09:46.92
So I'll give you...
00:09:46.95\00:09:48.28
You know, I respect my elders.
00:09:48.32\00:09:49.65
I think you're born in
March and me in May. Right.
00:09:49.68\00:09:51.92
But I want you to take us back
00:09:51.95\00:09:54.32
and tell us where you came from.
00:09:54.36\00:09:56.42
A little bit, where
were you born and raised.
00:09:56.46\00:09:58.19
And tell us about your family.
00:09:58.23\00:09:59.56
Were you born
in a Christian home
00:09:59.59\00:10:00.93
and give us a background.
00:10:00.96\00:10:02.33
Just take your time
because it's an incredible story
00:10:02.36\00:10:05.73
of God's love and His mercy
that you are even here today.
00:10:05.77\00:10:10.97
Exactly right.
00:10:11.01\00:10:12.41
And I, you know, I
want to respond this,
00:10:12.44\00:10:14.44
something you said.
00:10:14.48\00:10:15.81
Yes, I wasn't raised in
the Seventh-day Adventist home.
00:10:15.84\00:10:19.78
The only time I ever heard
of an Adventist was in a joke.
00:10:19.81\00:10:22.98
I didn't even know
what an Adventist was.
00:10:23.02\00:10:24.89
Oh, okay.
00:10:24.92\00:10:26.25
And I grew up in a
very poverty conditions.
00:10:26.29\00:10:31.73
I was born in Piedmont, Alabama,
00:10:31.76\00:10:34.33
the very place that
I raised up a church
00:10:34.36\00:10:37.67
and so I can have a
church when I retire.
00:10:37.70\00:10:41.84
All right.
00:10:41.87\00:10:43.20
So, and actually I
have a little picture of me
00:10:43.24\00:10:47.11
when I was, when a lot of this
00:10:47.14\00:10:50.15
was happening that I remembered.
00:10:50.18\00:10:51.51
Okay. All right. There we go.
00:10:51.55\00:10:54.68
Little red
headed freckled fellow.
00:10:54.72\00:10:56.48
Okay.
00:10:56.52\00:10:57.85
And I was born in a small
town in Alabama called Piedmont.
00:10:57.89\00:11:03.79
And I was-- to
find out that very soon
00:11:03.83\00:11:07.43
that my father was deeply
involved in the Ku Klux Klan.
00:11:07.46\00:11:11.73
Okay. Wow.
00:11:11.77\00:11:13.37
At that time I had
no idea what it was.
00:11:13.40\00:11:16.67
But I just knew
that he was into it.
00:11:16.71\00:11:19.04
Okay.
00:11:19.07\00:11:21.84
My father was very
violent and a very abusive man.
00:11:21.88\00:11:27.28
But thank God I
had a Christian mother.
00:11:27.32\00:11:30.19
And you know, if they
gave medal of honor medals
00:11:30.22\00:11:34.66
to civilians, she
would be one that got it.
00:11:34.69\00:11:36.49
Okay. All right.
00:11:36.52\00:11:38.93
My mother raised,
there's four of us there,
00:11:38.96\00:11:41.86
but she actually ended
up raising six children,
00:11:41.90\00:11:45.27
almost on her own.
00:11:45.30\00:11:46.63
Wow.
00:11:46.67\00:11:48.07
I like to give you
a couple of stories
00:11:50.07\00:11:53.31
that happened
when I was growing up,
00:11:53.34\00:11:56.95
that kind of
illustrates my father.
00:11:56.98\00:12:00.85
One time I
remember we were in town
00:12:00.88\00:12:04.72
and I have become
thirsty, so I just bent down
00:12:04.75\00:12:08.82
to the water fountain,
started taking the drink.
00:12:08.86\00:12:11.76
And all of a sudden I felt
00:12:11.79\00:12:13.46
this slap up to
the side of my head.
00:12:13.50\00:12:16.60
My head went sideways
and my head was just ringing.
00:12:16.63\00:12:20.40
And I remember my father saying,
00:12:20.44\00:12:22.70
"Boy, don't you ever
drink from a colored fountain."
00:12:22.74\00:12:26.91
But he used the in word. Okay.
00:12:26.94\00:12:29.31
And he said,
"You're liable to get sick.
00:12:29.34\00:12:31.68
You don't know
what you're gonna get."
00:12:31.71\00:12:34.98
And this was...
00:12:35.02\00:12:36.35
I must been four,
five years old and I...
00:12:36.38\00:12:39.45
But this is my early memories.
00:12:39.49\00:12:41.92
And I remember my dad...
00:12:41.96\00:12:43.86
We learned
later that he actually
00:12:43.89\00:12:45.89
had another family in Birmingham
00:12:45.93\00:12:49.30
Oh, wow. Yes.
00:12:49.33\00:12:51.83
But he would, he
would live there in comfort
00:12:51.87\00:12:55.70
and we lived in
unpainted houses.
00:12:55.74\00:12:58.87
You know, the old,
houses that are upon the stilts
00:12:58.91\00:13:02.41
and the dogs live under
the boards, kit-- chickens.
00:13:02.44\00:13:05.75
Well, that was my life. Okay.
00:13:05.78\00:13:09.25
And he would come
home on the weekends.
00:13:09.28\00:13:12.82
And oh, my...
00:13:12.85\00:13:14.19
Sometimes we would pray
that he'd have to work over
00:13:14.22\00:13:17.06
or he have to work,
so he wouldn't come home.
00:13:17.09\00:13:20.93
But I remember one
night he came home.
00:13:20.96\00:13:23.57
My mother didn't know
actually when he would arrive.
00:13:23.60\00:13:27.70
So she kept heating the
supper, heating the supper.
00:13:27.74\00:13:31.31
He had stopped at a
bar and he came home drunk.
00:13:31.34\00:13:34.24
And by the time he got
there the supper was cold.
00:13:34.28\00:13:37.45
And he was so angry...
00:13:37.48\00:13:39.08
Well, she had
prepared something then,
00:13:39.11\00:13:41.82
it was called Chef Boyardee.
00:13:41.85\00:13:43.79
Yeah. Sure.
00:13:43.82\00:13:45.15
It's a pizza in
a box. Yeah. Okay.
00:13:45.19\00:13:47.82
And anyway he got so
angry, he hit my mother.
00:13:47.86\00:13:52.36
And till the day she died,
00:13:52.39\00:13:54.20
she had Bell's
palsy because of this.
00:13:54.23\00:13:55.96
Wow. Wow, that's terrible.
00:13:56.00\00:13:57.40
And he said, he said,
00:13:57.43\00:14:01.04
"I don't want any
more wop food in my home."
00:14:01.07\00:14:04.84
Oh, okay. That's how
Italian, or name for an Italian.
00:14:04.87\00:14:08.84
Yeah.
00:14:08.88\00:14:10.21
And, but during that
night, during that night
00:14:10.25\00:14:15.62
I remember hearing gunshots.
00:14:15.65\00:14:19.69
And us children, you
saw the picture of that.
00:14:19.72\00:14:22.56
We jump up and we'd run into see
00:14:22.59\00:14:25.36
if our mother was hurt.
00:14:25.39\00:14:28.16
Well, we'd be
screaming and crying
00:14:28.20\00:14:30.80
and mother would get
up and she would put us
00:14:30.83\00:14:33.17
back to bed and get us to sleep.
00:14:33.20\00:14:37.01
Finally, console us
and get us back to sleep.
00:14:37.04\00:14:39.44
And I'm sorry
this is a little...
00:14:39.47\00:14:42.14
Oh, sure, go ahead. It's
a little emotional. But...
00:14:42.18\00:14:46.68
We would finally
drift off to sleep
00:14:46.72\00:14:48.68
and get sleep
and all of a sudden
00:14:48.72\00:14:50.79
we'd hear bang, bang, bang.
00:14:50.82\00:14:54.52
And here we were up again.
00:14:54.56\00:14:56.76
And you can just imagine
the emotional turmoil that was.
00:14:56.79\00:15:00.50
And so this is kind of
some of the early years
00:15:00.53\00:15:04.17
that I remember
living with my father.
00:15:04.20\00:15:08.80
When were you old
enough to understand about
00:15:08.84\00:15:11.94
the Ku Klux Klan and what
role your father played in it?
00:15:11.97\00:15:15.14
Well, I grew up in the
'60s and actually I grew up
00:15:15.18\00:15:21.45
when my school was integrated.
00:15:21.48\00:15:24.39
And I remember the first
time of the integration and,
00:15:24.42\00:15:31.16
but I had a secret.
00:15:31.19\00:15:32.53
You see my favorite
president was Abraham Lincoln
00:15:32.56\00:15:35.53
and my hero was
George Washington Carver,
00:15:35.56\00:15:40.34
but I couldn't
express that, you see.
00:15:40.37\00:15:42.34
Oh, I guess not. So I...
00:15:42.37\00:15:48.64
I forgot the question. Yeah.
00:15:48.68\00:15:50.35
Your father as
far as knowing that
00:15:50.38\00:15:52.31
what he actually
did with the Klan.
00:15:52.35\00:15:54.85
Well, he was such a violent man.
00:15:54.88\00:15:57.85
And I would remember hearing him
00:15:57.89\00:16:00.06
talk about the blacks and
the Jews and the Catholics
00:16:00.09\00:16:04.79
in a very derogatory way.
00:16:04.83\00:16:06.63
And then
eventually I would see a robe
00:16:06.66\00:16:10.17
or I would see a Klan sign out.
00:16:10.20\00:16:12.73
By the way which I
have today. Yeah, wow.
00:16:12.77\00:16:16.17
I have those. And...
00:16:16.20\00:16:19.27
So now what was his
position in the Klan?
00:16:19.31\00:16:22.38
Well, he started out as
a regular Klan's member,
00:16:22.41\00:16:25.61
but he eventually
rose in the ranks.
00:16:25.65\00:16:28.52
And he became, eventually became
00:16:28.55\00:16:31.15
the grand dragon
of the Ku Klux Clan
00:16:31.19\00:16:33.32
for the State of Alabama.
00:16:33.36\00:16:34.69
Oh, wow, that's
right to top position.
00:16:34.72\00:16:37.43
In the state, yes, in the state.
00:16:37.46\00:16:38.79
Yeah. Have mercy. Okay.
00:16:38.83\00:16:40.83
So his feelings though...
00:16:40.86\00:16:42.20
But here's the thing,
it's always interesting to me.
00:16:42.23\00:16:44.73
These guys, they hate everybody,
00:16:44.77\00:16:47.00
you know, other races other
nationalities, all of this.
00:16:47.04\00:16:50.21
But they don't even...
00:16:50.24\00:16:51.71
They didn't
really like he was white,
00:16:51.74\00:16:53.38
but he didn't
really love white people.
00:16:53.41\00:16:54.81
Didn't even really
seemed to love his own kids.
00:16:54.84\00:16:57.21
So it's the matter you
may want to have an excuse
00:16:57.25\00:17:00.82
to take it on everybody else.
00:17:00.85\00:17:03.02
But when it really comes
down to it, it wasn't like okay,
00:17:03.05\00:17:05.99
I just don't like
these other people,
00:17:06.02\00:17:07.36
but I love, you
know, my own race.
00:17:07.39\00:17:09.76
I love my own kids, own family.
00:17:09.79\00:17:11.26
So a person like that
really doesn't love anybody.
00:17:11.29\00:17:14.70
They just want to do
what they want to do.
00:17:14.73\00:17:16.26
I mean, I hate to say that,
00:17:16.30\00:17:17.93
but that's what
it sounds like to me
00:17:17.97\00:17:19.57
because you didn't see
much love in your home.
00:17:19.60\00:17:22.80
Well, that's true.
00:17:22.84\00:17:24.57
In fact, my father
was abusive to my sisters.
00:17:24.61\00:17:28.24
He was abusive generally.
00:17:28.28\00:17:31.65
And we didn't see a lot of love.
00:17:31.68\00:17:34.12
I do want to be honest,
you know, he was my father,
00:17:34.15\00:17:36.92
I did love him.
00:17:36.95\00:17:38.29
Sure. I wanted his love, but...
00:17:38.32\00:17:39.65
Yeah. Of course.
00:17:39.69\00:17:43.46
You are exactly right.
00:17:43.49\00:17:44.86
He was an angry man
and, and in pretending
00:17:44.89\00:17:51.60
to protect the
race and so forth,
00:17:51.63\00:17:54.24
he didn't care
for his own family.
00:17:54.27\00:17:57.04
And in fact, he
lived 100 miles away
00:17:57.07\00:18:00.18
and my mother basically
had to support six kids.
00:18:00.21\00:18:04.28
We lived in poverty.
00:18:04.31\00:18:06.15
And I actually
started to work at 12
00:18:06.18\00:18:09.38
and I have been
working ever since.
00:18:09.42\00:18:11.55
You know, God has blessed me.
00:18:11.59\00:18:12.92
One thing He did teach
me was work ethic. Okay.
00:18:12.95\00:18:15.69
I started working at
12 years old. All right.
00:18:15.72\00:18:17.96
And I have never
had applied for a job
00:18:17.99\00:18:20.70
and I have never
been out of work.
00:18:20.73\00:18:22.36
Okay.
00:18:22.40\00:18:23.73
So and another
thing He taught me was...
00:18:23.77\00:18:26.97
He taught me what not to do.
00:18:27.00\00:18:29.00
Yeah. Okay.
00:18:29.04\00:18:30.37
And, but we also
found that out later
00:18:30.41\00:18:33.84
that he actually had a
second family in Birmingham.
00:18:33.88\00:18:38.31
So he had two families.
00:18:38.35\00:18:39.68
He'd come home with you
on weekends and there's times
00:18:39.71\00:18:42.68
that you were praying that maybe
00:18:42.72\00:18:44.05
he wouldn't come
home, sounded like.
00:18:44.09\00:18:46.55
Now this happened
in your early years,
00:18:46.59\00:18:48.66
four, five, six, seven, eight.
00:18:48.69\00:18:50.59
What was going on when you were
12, 13, 14, 15, 16 years old
00:18:50.63\00:18:55.46
in your
relationship with your father?
00:18:55.50\00:18:58.10
Well, about 12 years
old, I began to work.
00:18:58.13\00:19:02.60
My aunt owned...
00:19:02.64\00:19:04.37
It was like a Dairy
Queen and she owned this.
00:19:04.41\00:19:07.84
And so my brother and I, 12
and 11 went to work for her.
00:19:07.88\00:19:12.41
And we worked all the
way through high school.
00:19:12.45\00:19:16.18
And in fact, I could
even tell a story about...
00:19:16.22\00:19:19.42
When I was working there
I remember a black fellow
00:19:19.45\00:19:23.89
came into the restaurant.
00:19:23.93\00:19:25.76
And I remember seeing
my uncle jumped the counter
00:19:25.79\00:19:28.33
with an axe handle
and ran him out of the...
00:19:28.36\00:19:33.20
And you know in my
heart, you see thank God
00:19:33.23\00:19:36.54
I had this
godly Christian mother
00:19:36.57\00:19:39.61
and my mother
never, never felt this way.
00:19:39.64\00:19:43.65
But she was afraid
to express it. Yeah.
00:19:43.68\00:19:47.15
In fact, I'll tell you this.
00:19:47.18\00:19:48.68
Most of the people
that I knew in the South
00:19:48.72\00:19:50.79
did not feel this way,
00:19:50.82\00:19:52.52
but they were
afraid to speak up.
00:19:52.55\00:19:55.52
So...
00:19:55.56\00:19:59.49
When my father would come home,
00:19:59.53\00:20:02.63
he was interested
that we were working
00:20:02.66\00:20:06.94
because we paid for the phone,
we paid for the television,
00:20:06.97\00:20:11.04
we even bought the car.
00:20:11.07\00:20:12.67
Okay.
00:20:12.71\00:20:15.01
He would come home and make sure
00:20:15.04\00:20:16.58
that we were working and
then he would leave again.
00:20:16.61\00:20:19.35
But during these
times, this racial unrest
00:20:19.38\00:20:24.19
was happening during the '60s.
00:20:24.22\00:20:26.62
And a lot of it was secretive,
but I could hear him talking
00:20:26.65\00:20:31.99
to other people about
his involvement in the Klan.
00:20:32.03\00:20:35.40
And I remember looking
in the automobile one day
00:20:35.43\00:20:39.60
and I opened up the dash
and there was actually a letter
00:20:39.63\00:20:43.24
to someone that was in
Chicago about the Klan.
00:20:43.27\00:20:47.98
And so I began to realize that
00:20:48.01\00:20:50.15
he was actually
involved, member of the Klan.
00:20:50.18\00:20:55.48
And so you saw--
00:20:55.52\00:20:56.95
Did he ever
tried to persuade you
00:20:56.99\00:21:00.02
or did he always just
try to keep it from you,
00:21:00.06\00:21:02.92
from the kids
that his involvement
00:21:02.96\00:21:05.66
there as a Klan member?
00:21:05.69\00:21:09.00
It's funny that
you would ask me that
00:21:09.03\00:21:10.63
because no, not as a child.
00:21:10.67\00:21:12.70
But I remember
after I became a minister,
00:21:12.73\00:21:15.97
I would go back to the
house, his house to visit him.
00:21:16.00\00:21:19.34
And I remember looking
through the bedroom door
00:21:19.37\00:21:21.88
and his robe was hanging up.
00:21:21.91\00:21:23.91
Have mercy.
00:21:23.95\00:21:25.28
Yeah. And he
noticed my eye catch it.
00:21:25.31\00:21:27.32
This would've been in the '70s?
00:21:27.35\00:21:30.19
'70s, '80s. Yeah.
00:21:30.22\00:21:33.42
Still doing that in the '70s
or '80s or still supported it?
00:21:33.46\00:21:37.56
He was actually the
grand dragon in the '80s.
00:21:37.59\00:21:40.06
Oh, my, my... In the '80s.
00:21:40.10\00:21:42.20
And as I looked at that robe,
he said, well, son, he said,
00:21:42.23\00:21:46.70
why don't you join us?
00:21:46.74\00:21:48.77
I said, "Well, Dad," I said,
00:21:48.80\00:21:51.84
"You know, you
know I'm a minister."
00:21:51.87\00:21:54.28
He said, "Oh."
00:21:54.31\00:21:55.64
He said, "We've got ministers,
we got lawyers, we got judges."
00:21:55.68\00:21:58.55
Oh, my, my... And, so, so yes...
00:21:58.58\00:22:01.82
Is he telling the truth?
00:22:01.85\00:22:03.18
Do you think he
was telling the truth?
00:22:03.22\00:22:04.55
Oh, yes, he was
telling the truth.
00:22:04.59\00:22:05.92
There were ministers who
could justify be in the KKK.
00:22:05.95\00:22:08.99
There were... Unfortunately.
00:22:09.02\00:22:11.29
Unfortunately, yes. Have mercy.
00:22:11.33\00:22:14.10
So... But
something struck me because
00:22:14.13\00:22:20.17
I remember him saying,
you know, growing up early
00:22:20.20\00:22:22.74
one of the things
that he indicated.
00:22:22.77\00:22:24.24
He always said that
problems of the country
00:22:24.27\00:22:26.78
were because of the
blacks and the Jews.
00:22:26.81\00:22:29.41
Okay.
00:22:29.44\00:22:30.78
And he had
invited me to breakfast.
00:22:30.81\00:22:33.68
And so it was on
Sabbath and I said no.
00:22:33.72\00:22:37.09
I said I have to be...
I'm at church tomorrow.
00:22:37.12\00:22:40.79
And he said, "Oh, I forgot."
00:22:40.82\00:22:42.19
He said, "You
are just an old Jew."
00:22:42.22\00:22:44.43
Oh. Okay.
00:22:44.46\00:22:45.79
So then it clicked to me that...
00:22:45.83\00:22:49.56
Oh, the problem
of the country is
00:22:49.60\00:22:52.17
are Jews and
blacks and I'm an old Jew.
00:22:52.20\00:22:54.84
Okay. Okay.
00:22:54.87\00:22:56.71
So it became
very personal to him.
00:22:56.74\00:22:59.01
Oh, yeah.
00:22:59.04\00:23:01.08
What age were you
when you ended up?
00:23:01.11\00:23:03.35
I think there was a
shooting that went on.
00:23:03.38\00:23:06.08
And I want you to
tell us about that.
00:23:06.11\00:23:08.62
Yes.
00:23:08.65\00:23:10.09
Well, first of
all, I think I have some
00:23:10.12\00:23:12.45
pictures of my
dad in a roadblock.
00:23:12.49\00:23:17.13
This was a roadblock
where they actually will take up
00:23:17.16\00:23:21.26
donations for the Klan.
00:23:21.30\00:23:22.83
What?
00:23:22.86\00:23:24.63
Yeah. I've never
seen that before.
00:23:24.67\00:23:27.64
I've seen this. Like the
fire department dress here.
00:23:27.67\00:23:29.70
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
00:23:29.74\00:23:31.11
They did there and then
here's my dad in his robe.
00:23:31.14\00:23:36.38
I actually had
some of him handcuffed.
00:23:36.41\00:23:38.25
That was brazen.
00:23:38.28\00:23:39.71
I've cut some
where they handcuffed him
00:23:39.75\00:23:41.25
and arrested him many times.
00:23:41.28\00:23:42.95
Oh, really? Okay.
00:23:42.98\00:23:44.32
He's had many
encounters with Al Sharpton.
00:23:44.35\00:23:49.96
Oh, yeah. Yes.
00:23:49.99\00:23:52.29
By the way I
need to let you know
00:23:52.33\00:23:54.06
that my dad has since passed.
00:23:54.10\00:23:55.93
Yeah, okay.
00:23:55.96\00:23:57.30
And then I have a
picture of my sister
00:23:57.33\00:24:01.34
that I want to show you
because this is important
00:24:01.37\00:24:06.14
to what we're talking
about and the shooting.
00:24:06.17\00:24:07.68
Sure. Yeah.
00:24:07.71\00:24:09.04
Well, this is a very,
very difficult thing to tell.
00:24:09.08\00:24:12.88
But when I was
about 17 years old,
00:24:12.91\00:24:16.62
my dad's violence had
escalated and escalated.
00:24:16.65\00:24:19.65
And it came to a
point where he was drinking
00:24:19.69\00:24:25.29
and he was taking
pills and he was just,
00:24:25.33\00:24:29.86
almost like you
would see somebody on PCP.
00:24:29.90\00:24:32.63
You know, it just, he'd
come to just an outrage.
00:24:32.67\00:24:37.11
And he was unable to
drive and so he wanted my sister
00:24:37.14\00:24:41.68
who was like 15 years old.
00:24:41.71\00:24:43.98
He wanted her to drive
him to the Georgia line.
00:24:44.01\00:24:48.28
Alabama was dry.
00:24:48.32\00:24:49.85
So he wanted this unlicensed
daughter of his to drive him
00:24:49.88\00:24:55.09
to get more beer or booze.
00:24:55.12\00:24:58.09
And so there was
an objection to it.
00:24:58.13\00:25:02.90
And this domestic violence began
00:25:02.93\00:25:06.00
to escalate and the
house was full of guns.
00:25:06.03\00:25:10.07
I mean there were
billy clubs and guns
00:25:10.11\00:25:12.41
and knives all over the house.
00:25:12.44\00:25:14.81
And, anyway my mother refused.
00:25:14.84\00:25:20.75
So there began to be a fight.
00:25:20.78\00:25:22.48
And I remember my dad stomping
00:25:22.52\00:25:24.25
my sisters in the
belly and hitting them.
00:25:24.29\00:25:29.22
And he actually got a gun.
00:25:29.26\00:25:31.93
It's a 25 magnum
with dumdum bullets.
00:25:31.96\00:25:35.63
And he pointed
at my mother's head
00:25:35.66\00:25:39.37
and he was
holding my little sister
00:25:39.40\00:25:40.84
then who was two years old
and he pulled the hammer back.
00:25:40.87\00:25:44.77
Well, I had, I had told my
other sister to find me a gun.
00:25:44.81\00:25:52.45
And she got it to me and I
had put it upon the shift robe.
00:25:52.48\00:25:56.79
And when my dad put that
pistol to my mother's head
00:25:56.82\00:26:01.66
and pulled the hammer back.
00:26:01.69\00:26:06.19
Something snapped in me and
I, I ran and I got that pistol.
00:26:06.23\00:26:12.27
And... I was going to stop
him from shooting my mother.
00:26:12.30\00:26:17.97
Well, even in
that state my mother
00:26:18.01\00:26:21.58
instinct was to
protect my father.
00:26:21.61\00:26:24.38
So my mother jumped up
and went in-front of me.
00:26:24.41\00:26:29.48
And when she did, I went
around like this and I shot.
00:26:29.52\00:26:34.96
He fell and he fell in a
chair in the living room.
00:26:34.99\00:26:39.06
He fell there. And
he was unconscious.
00:26:39.09\00:26:44.73
And I thought I had killed him.
00:26:44.77\00:26:47.24
But at that time, this picture
that I showed you of my sister.
00:26:47.27\00:26:52.77
She came out of the bedroom
00:26:52.81\00:26:55.61
and she was coming
out of the bedroom...
00:26:55.64\00:26:59.18
Later on we found out
this, this young lady here...
00:26:59.21\00:27:02.38
As she was coming out of
the bedroom the bullet had...
00:27:02.42\00:27:06.42
What she said, she
paled out her hands like this
00:27:06.45\00:27:09.32
and she said,
mother, I've been shot.
00:27:09.36\00:27:11.33
She said no,
honey, it was your dad.
00:27:11.36\00:27:13.06
And she put her hands out there
00:27:13.09\00:27:15.43
and there were
blood all over her hands
00:27:15.46\00:27:16.90
and she was
bleeding from the abdomen.
00:27:16.93\00:27:19.37
And... One shot?
00:27:19.40\00:27:25.04
Or did you shoot several?
00:27:25.07\00:27:26.94
I only shot once, but it
went through him and hit her.
00:27:26.98\00:27:30.55
Oh, okay.
00:27:30.58\00:27:31.91
And even to this day a
fragment of that bullet
00:27:31.95\00:27:34.12
is lodged close to her spine
and she's been paralyzed once.
00:27:34.15\00:27:38.75
But she is living and
she's... We're very close today.
00:27:38.79\00:27:43.69
Okay.
00:27:43.73\00:27:45.06
But at that
moment, at that moment
00:27:45.09\00:27:50.33
something just
snapped again 'cause I...
00:27:50.37\00:27:52.77
So I ran out the door and
when I did my head hit the,
00:27:52.80\00:27:57.91
overhead on the
porch and I went back,
00:27:57.94\00:28:01.14
my head hit the
concrete and I went unconscious.
00:28:01.18\00:28:05.05
Wow.
00:28:05.08\00:28:06.58
When I woke up I was
in the back of the car.
00:28:06.61\00:28:10.89
My dad had
regained consciousness.
00:28:10.92\00:28:14.66
He was driving.
00:28:14.69\00:28:16.02
My short sister was
in the middle of the seat
00:28:16.06\00:28:18.73
and my mother was
on the passenger side
00:28:18.76\00:28:21.33
and I was somehow he
had dragged me to the car
00:28:21.36\00:28:26.27
and I was in the back seat.
00:28:26.30\00:28:28.74
And he was driving with
one hand and he had a rifle,
00:28:28.77\00:28:33.24
rifle at my throat
with the other hand.
00:28:33.27\00:28:36.44
Oh, wow.
00:28:36.48\00:28:38.01
And he says to me,
if this girl dies...
00:28:38.05\00:28:41.08
He says, he says I'm
gonna shoot, shoot all of you
00:28:41.12\00:28:44.65
and then shoot myself.
00:28:44.69\00:28:47.76
Well, my brother
just younger than I was.
00:28:47.79\00:28:50.96
He went for the police.
00:28:50.99\00:28:56.63
He went for the police
and so the police stopped us.
00:28:56.67\00:29:02.10
When they stopped us my dad
00:29:02.14\00:29:03.54
took the riffle
and pointed at them.
00:29:03.57\00:29:06.17
And they said,
Donald, what's going on here?
00:29:06.21\00:29:09.88
He said this is a
family matter. And if you...
00:29:09.91\00:29:13.35
If you... Interfere.
00:29:13.38\00:29:17.19
If you interfere, he says,...
00:29:17.22\00:29:20.86
He said you best not.
And so they left him alone.
00:29:20.89\00:29:24.86
Really? They left him alone.
00:29:24.89\00:29:27.06
They knew him They knew him.
00:29:27.10\00:29:29.56
And so went to the next
town where there was a hospital.
00:29:29.60\00:29:35.84
And so when we
got to the hospital,
00:29:35.87\00:29:38.14
apparently the police
there had been notified
00:29:38.17\00:29:40.54
and the lights were going
and the sirens were blowing
00:29:40.58\00:29:45.58
and I remember it was...
00:29:45.61\00:29:47.25
The police came over and
they took us out of the car
00:29:47.28\00:29:50.59
and they threw us up
against and put our hands
00:29:50.62\00:29:53.25
behind our back
and handcuffed us.
00:29:53.29\00:29:54.89
And they took us
both off to jail.
00:29:54.92\00:29:58.49
And I told them, I said, look,
00:29:58.53\00:30:01.43
I don't mind you put me in jail,
00:30:01.46\00:30:03.06
but please do not put me
in the cell with this man.
00:30:03.10\00:30:07.17
Well, unbeknownst to me
00:30:07.20\00:30:08.94
I found this out
for my sister later.
00:30:08.97\00:30:10.91
But, he had told the police
that I had just lost my mind
00:30:10.94\00:30:16.08
and I'd gone in there
andstarted shooting everybody.
00:30:16.11\00:30:18.68
Oh, wow.
00:30:18.71\00:30:20.05
So they let him out and
he was in the hospital room
00:30:20.08\00:30:22.62
with his daughter, my sister.
00:30:22.65\00:30:25.65
And, but she began to fidget.
00:30:25.69\00:30:31.03
She began to act
very uncomfortable.
00:30:31.06\00:30:33.23
And so they told him
that for medical reasons
00:30:33.26\00:30:36.77
he need to leave and
00:30:36.80\00:30:38.47
they asked her
what really happened.
00:30:38.50\00:30:41.74
And so they put
him back in jail and...
00:30:41.77\00:30:46.14
And where was his
wounds also? Apparently he...
00:30:46.17\00:30:48.01
Well, what happened is
this that it went through,
00:30:48.04\00:30:51.05
in his abdomen, but
it apparently didn't hit
00:30:51.08\00:30:55.08
anything that blocked it and
00:30:55.12\00:30:56.55
they went through him
and then it hit by sister
00:30:56.58\00:31:00.12
accidentally when
she was coming out.
00:31:00.16\00:31:04.63
And of course, for many
years I felt guilty about that.
00:31:04.66\00:31:08.56
But my sister, she said, no,
00:31:08.60\00:31:12.53
my mother would be dead
today if you hadn't done that.
00:31:12.57\00:31:16.27
So...
00:31:16.30\00:31:17.64
So they put him back in
jail and they let you out, then?
00:31:17.67\00:31:20.78
Well, they
eventually let me out.
00:31:20.81\00:31:23.08
And after that my
mother finally divorced him.
00:31:23.11\00:31:27.45
And he moved back to
Birmingham with his own family.
00:31:27.48\00:31:31.65
Did they go to court?
00:31:31.69\00:31:34.86
No, you know, things
were different back then.
00:31:34.89\00:31:36.83
Yeah. It was a
domestic situation.
00:31:36.86\00:31:39.86
Yeah. And...
00:31:39.89\00:31:41.30
Shoot each other
and they let you go.
00:31:41.33\00:31:43.67
Well, they put a
restraining order on him.
00:31:43.70\00:31:48.57
Yeah.
00:31:48.60\00:31:49.94
Well, that
restraining order didn't do much
00:31:49.97\00:31:53.58
because he used to
comeback and terrorize us
00:31:53.61\00:31:57.31
drive by the house
and shoot at the house.
00:31:57.35\00:32:00.32
And I remember... Really? Wow.
00:32:00.35\00:32:02.95
I remember
nights that we would go
00:32:02.98\00:32:05.12
and sleep in the barn
in the middle of January,
00:32:05.15\00:32:10.13
trying to divert
him from the house.
00:32:10.16\00:32:14.06
I even remember.
00:32:14.10\00:32:15.66
Even my wife after we were...
00:32:15.70\00:32:18.20
I was in the ministry.
00:32:18.23\00:32:19.57
After I left the navy, he
would call at 3 or 4 o'clock
00:32:19.60\00:32:24.67
in the morning and
threaten, talked to my wife
00:32:24.71\00:32:28.41
and threatened my grandchildren
00:32:28.44\00:32:30.65
Threaten his grandchildren?
00:32:30.68\00:32:33.98
I mean, his
grandchildren, I'm sorry.
00:32:34.02\00:32:35.35
Yeah. Have mercy.
I'm sorry this is...
00:32:35.38\00:32:37.22
Yeah. No, no, no, it's
okay. So tell me a little bit.
00:32:37.25\00:32:40.12
After this happened...
00:32:40.16\00:32:41.49
So you didn't end up
spending any other jail time?
00:32:41.52\00:32:44.93
So with family as you say
00:32:44.96\00:32:46.33
things were different back then.
00:32:46.36\00:32:48.10
Then you joined the navy.
00:32:48.13\00:32:52.47
I joined the navy
in... I'm just trying to...
00:32:52.50\00:32:56.04
Your thinking was
get away from everything?
00:32:56.07\00:32:59.44
Yeah, just get
away from everything.
00:32:59.47\00:33:01.34
See, my mother
had been involved with
00:33:01.38\00:33:03.85
"The Worldwide Church of God."
00:33:03.88\00:33:05.28
We had already
understood the Sabbath.
00:33:05.31\00:33:08.62
And I even planned to
be conscientious objector.
00:33:08.65\00:33:12.75
But that didn't
look... It didn't look good
00:33:12.79\00:33:14.56
being a conscientious objector
00:33:14.59\00:33:16.26
when you just shot your father.
00:33:16.29\00:33:17.83
Absolutely. Yeah.
00:33:17.86\00:33:19.19
So I thought, well, my life
well just turned upside down.
00:33:19.23\00:33:23.87
I didn't know what to do.
So I just joined the navy.
00:33:23.90\00:33:26.43
Okay.
00:33:26.47\00:33:27.80
To get away. I joined
up for six and half years.
00:33:27.84\00:33:31.24
And so I went...
I joined the navy.
00:33:31.27\00:33:34.84
One of the reasons was
to running from the Lord.
00:33:34.88\00:33:38.45
I just felt that
Lord had let me down.
00:33:38.48\00:33:41.25
And, but when I
got to my first...
00:33:41.28\00:33:47.62
After boot camp and so forth and
00:33:47.66\00:33:49.19
I went to Santiago, California.
00:33:49.22\00:33:52.39
One day I was working in this...
00:33:52.43\00:33:55.40
We're getting this
new boss coming in.
00:33:55.43\00:33:57.83
And they said, we
don't know about him,
00:33:57.87\00:33:59.80
but he's very
smart, hard worker,
00:33:59.83\00:34:02.90
but he won't work on Saturday,
he's an- he's a grass eater.
00:34:02.94\00:34:07.61
A grass eater. Right.
00:34:07.64\00:34:09.81
But it turns out that he
was a Seventh-day Adventist
00:34:09.84\00:34:12.25
and he invited me
to several meetings.
00:34:12.28\00:34:14.98
And after going
to these meetings,
00:34:15.02\00:34:17.35
my wife and I...
00:34:17.39\00:34:19.15
After two and a half series
00:34:19.19\00:34:21.22
we became
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:34:21.26\00:34:24.09
Wow. Now where
did you meet Ginger?
00:34:24.13\00:34:27.03
I met Ginger on a blind date.
00:34:27.06\00:34:29.63
Okay.
00:34:29.66\00:34:31.00
Well, one of the things
that I didn't tell you is that,
00:34:31.03\00:34:32.77
after I joined the navy
00:34:32.80\00:34:35.10
I was engaged to be
married to a young lady
00:34:35.14\00:34:39.77
who actually lived
across from the street
00:34:39.81\00:34:43.04
where we built the
church, really, Piedmont.
00:34:43.08\00:34:44.91
Oh, okay. All right.
00:34:44.95\00:34:46.45
And I used to sit
there on the couch,
00:34:46.48\00:34:49.38
holding her hands
00:34:49.42\00:34:50.75
and look at the
pasture where our church is.
00:34:50.79\00:34:53.42
So... Anyway so...
00:34:53.46\00:34:57.89
She had written me
a "Dear John, letter."
00:34:57.93\00:35:00.93
And so I ended up
three days in the mental ward
00:35:00.96\00:35:05.33
for acute anxiety and
I was in a straitjacket
00:35:05.37\00:35:10.61
for like two days.
00:35:10.64\00:35:13.07
And I met Moses and
Jesus in this place.
00:35:13.11\00:35:17.68
Well, and so in
my mind, you know,
00:35:17.71\00:35:22.15
I was just hearing all this.
00:35:22.18\00:35:24.32
I was just messed up and
here I was away from my family.
00:35:24.35\00:35:28.12
So a good friend of mine
called me up and he said,
00:35:28.16\00:35:32.06
"What you need is a date."
00:35:32.09\00:35:34.66
And so it happened to be Ginger.
00:35:34.70\00:35:36.63
So I met my
wife on a blind date.
00:35:36.67\00:35:38.07
Ginger had no idea what
she was jumping into, did she?
00:35:38.10\00:35:40.60
She had no
clue. She had no clue.
00:35:40.64\00:35:43.51
And, anyway I met
my wife on a blind date
00:35:43.54\00:35:47.98
on rebound from a
"Dear John, letter."
00:35:48.01\00:35:50.45
Yeah. Have mercy. Have mercy.
00:35:50.48\00:35:53.05
So you guys ended
up getting married
00:35:53.08\00:35:54.45
and then she's in
San Diego with you?
00:35:54.48\00:35:57.49
In San Diego we
were, exactly. Okay.
00:35:57.52\00:36:00.12
And we were baptized
together on February the 2nd,
00:36:00.16\00:36:04.33
Groundhog's Day, 1974.
00:36:04.36\00:36:07.13
1974, all right.
00:36:07.16\00:36:08.70
Yeah, that's my
rebirth day. Yeah.
00:36:08.73\00:36:11.63
So tell me then how becoming
00:36:11.67\00:36:14.14
a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian,
00:36:14.17\00:36:16.20
you still have those scars,
but how did you deal with it?
00:36:16.24\00:36:18.64
Because you're saying, you know,
00:36:18.67\00:36:20.01
had mental, put
me in straitjacket.
00:36:20.04\00:36:23.01
You know I've
snapped with my dad.
00:36:23.04\00:36:26.18
I mean, how does becoming a
Christian, does that really...
00:36:26.21\00:36:30.45
Is that all gone from your life?
00:36:30.49\00:36:32.35
I mean, there's
people watching here today
00:36:32.39\00:36:33.82
that's right exactly
where you were, Rick.
00:36:33.86\00:36:36.22
They are sitting
here and saying, you know,
00:36:36.26\00:36:38.03
I've just done some
terrible things or I just,
00:36:38.06\00:36:40.43
you know, my life's a wreck.
00:36:40.46\00:36:42.70
I mean, this has been
a long time ago, 1974.
00:36:42.73\00:36:45.67
So we're looking
over 40 years. Yes. Yes.
00:36:45.70\00:36:48.00
And yet I've
known you for 30 some
00:36:48.04\00:36:49.64
and you have been
straight up Christian,
00:36:49.67\00:36:52.74
loving the Lord and
doing the best you know how
00:36:52.77\00:36:56.64
and raising a family
and having a good life.
00:36:56.68\00:37:00.82
Just accepting Jesus,
can that do that for you?
00:37:00.85\00:37:04.95
Absolutely.
00:37:04.99\00:37:06.32
And you know,
from our early years
00:37:06.35\00:37:07.89
I knew God was calling me.
00:37:07.92\00:37:09.46
You know, Jeremiah 1, "Before
you were born I knew you."
00:37:09.49\00:37:14.36
My great grandmother
first time she saw me,
00:37:14.40\00:37:16.87
she looked at me and
she looked at my mother
00:37:16.90\00:37:18.73
and she said, one day
this man will be a preacher.
00:37:18.77\00:37:20.97
Wow. And I live with that.
00:37:21.00\00:37:24.54
And, but I was like
Jonah running from God and--
00:37:24.57\00:37:30.11
but you see, I was
running from the Sabbath
00:37:30.15\00:37:32.71
and I went and
joined the navy to get away
00:37:32.75\00:37:34.78
from all that and I ran
into a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:37:34.82\00:37:38.49
So you don't tell me
that, that's not providence.
00:37:38.52\00:37:42.62
And so this
happened, but yes, I ...
00:37:42.66\00:37:47.36
You know, before when I was...
00:37:47.40\00:37:49.10
as a Baptist I learned
about the great grace of God.
00:37:49.13\00:37:52.57
And when I was in the
Worldwide Church of God
00:37:52.60\00:37:54.44
I learned about the great...
00:37:54.47\00:37:59.07
You know, the law
of God and His justice.
00:37:59.11\00:38:02.24
And when I became
the Seventh-day Adventist
00:38:02.28\00:38:04.31
I married the grace
and the justice together,
00:38:04.35\00:38:06.72
the law together.
00:38:06.75\00:38:08.08
Okay.
00:38:08.12\00:38:09.45
And it just
changed my whole life.
00:38:09.48\00:38:10.82
It was a, it was a
faith of power that I could,
00:38:10.85\00:38:13.56
I didn't have to.
00:38:13.59\00:38:14.92
And I made this pledge.
00:38:14.96\00:38:16.29
I said, by God's grace I
will not live and I will not--
00:38:16.32\00:38:20.80
my mother will not live...
00:38:20.83\00:38:22.90
My wife will not live in
the hell that my mother did.
00:38:22.93\00:38:26.60
And my children will never live
in the fear that I lived here.
00:38:26.63\00:38:30.37
Oh, praise the Lord.
00:38:30.41\00:38:31.74
And yes, it just turned my
life around and I said, Lord,
00:38:31.77\00:38:38.31
you have called me
and I will serve you.
00:38:38.35\00:38:41.28
And I never
planned to be a minister.
00:38:41.32\00:38:45.55
Me and my wife...
How did that happen?
00:38:45.59\00:38:47.82
Well, we were just so...
We were shy. We were shy.
00:38:47.86\00:38:50.96
We couldn't speak
before a group of people.
00:38:50.99\00:38:54.23
And I went to the
Island of Guam in the navy.
00:38:54.26\00:38:59.07
And I would say
there I became a missionary
00:38:59.10\00:39:01.70
at Uncle Sam's expense.
00:39:01.74\00:39:03.07
Oh, okay.
00:39:03.10\00:39:04.44
Because it was there
that Dr. Robert Stalnaker
00:39:04.47\00:39:10.08
he was our pastor then.
00:39:10.11\00:39:12.15
And he told me he
was going on vacation
00:39:12.18\00:39:14.28
and would I preach for him?
00:39:14.32\00:39:16.62
And so I did.
00:39:16.65\00:39:18.12
And afterwards he
said, "I have sent a telegram
00:39:18.15\00:39:24.73
to Southern Missionary College,
00:39:24.76\00:39:26.53
recommended you
for the ministry."
00:39:26.56\00:39:28.93
And I'm like...
00:39:28.96\00:39:31.70
And so we sent our
third tier 10,000 miles away
00:39:31.73\00:39:36.27
to Chattanooga,
Tennessee and set in storage.
00:39:36.30\00:39:39.51
I have never
seen Southern College.
00:39:39.54\00:39:41.91
I never heard of it.
00:39:41.94\00:39:43.28
Didn't know where it
was, didn't have a job,
00:39:43.31\00:39:45.05
had been accepted, but
I sent it to Chattanooga.
00:39:45.08\00:39:47.45
Have mercy.
00:39:47.48\00:39:48.82
The day that I found an
apartment and got a job,
00:39:48.85\00:39:53.72
was the day that my
furniture lease ran out
00:39:53.76\00:39:57.43
and so we started Southern
00:39:57.46\00:40:00.23
and it was just
like God led me there.
00:40:00.26\00:40:03.16
you knew, you knew at that point
00:40:03.20\00:40:04.97
you were gonna
go into the ministry
00:40:05.00\00:40:07.27
and not just be that shy person.
00:40:07.30\00:40:09.37
So you've had to say, "Okay,
00:40:09.40\00:40:12.01
Lord, this is not my first deal.
00:40:12.04\00:40:13.94
I'm not anxious to
get upfront and speak.
00:40:13.98\00:40:16.88
But if this is what You
want me to do, I'm willing."
00:40:16.91\00:40:19.78
Well, yes.
00:40:19.81\00:40:21.52
You have to remember that I
still had this, this calling.
00:40:21.55\00:40:25.15
I believed God
called me. Yes, absolutely.
00:40:25.19\00:40:28.09
Before I was born. Absolutely.
00:40:28.12\00:40:30.13
And it was running from that.
00:40:30.16\00:40:33.16
And so it's just seem like,
00:40:33.19\00:40:35.23
it's like when you're
putting your hand and mine,
00:40:35.26\00:40:37.67
I'll lead you and
you can have the victory.
00:40:37.70\00:40:41.54
And I have just
seen miracle after
00:40:41.57\00:40:44.64
miracle and
victory after victory.
00:40:44.67\00:40:47.04
It's just... It's so important.
00:40:47.08\00:40:50.08
I mean, it's so exciting,
00:40:50.11\00:40:51.45
it just makes
chills go up my spine.
00:40:51.48\00:40:54.85
When I think about
it, recount these things.
00:40:54.88\00:40:56.22
Absolutely.
00:40:56.25\00:40:57.59
We've kind of seen
each other over the years
00:40:57.62\00:40:59.82
and what has happened
and this was way back 30,
00:40:59.85\00:41:02.49
you know, years ago.
00:41:02.52\00:41:03.86
And before that
actually when we met
00:41:03.89\00:41:05.89
and then seen you
as you transitioned
00:41:05.93\00:41:07.70
and then was down at
your church at Piedmont,
00:41:07.73\00:41:10.13
was happy to be there
and you had a tornado.
00:41:10.17\00:41:12.23
And I think we had a
program on once here,
00:41:12.27\00:41:14.70
where you
re-built your church and...
00:41:14.74\00:41:17.51
Absolutely.
00:41:17.54\00:41:18.87
And when I was in the
Evansvillemy electronics...
00:41:18.91\00:41:22.34
I was a electronic
technician in the navy.
00:41:22.38\00:41:25.11
And so that electronics ability
00:41:25.15\00:41:26.82
helped to raise up a 500 foot,
00:41:26.85\00:41:30.55
rebroadcast that tower,
00:41:30.59\00:41:32.32
re-broadcasting
station for 3ABN.
00:41:32.35\00:41:35.06
One of our first
downlink stations.
00:41:35.09\00:41:36.73
That's right. That's right.
00:41:36.76\00:41:38.09
We broadcasting in that area...
00:41:38.13\00:41:39.46
And that in
itself was a miracle.
00:41:39.49\00:41:40.83
And I believed
that... I'll tell you.
00:41:40.86\00:41:45.87
When I was on Island of Guam,
00:41:45.90\00:41:47.24
there was a
Seventh-day Adventist there.
00:41:47.27\00:41:49.30
His name was Mel Hemp
and he owned alarm system.
00:41:49.34\00:41:54.34
And he tried to get
me to go work for him,
00:41:54.38\00:41:57.65
when I was trying to decide
to go to Southern Missionary.
00:41:57.68\00:42:01.55
I didn't.
00:42:01.58\00:42:03.05
Well, few years--
00:42:03.08\00:42:05.09
four, five years ago he invited.
00:42:05.12\00:42:07.56
He had moved, retired,
00:42:07.59\00:42:09.02
sold his business
and moved to California.
00:42:09.06\00:42:14.40
And I remember he had this
yacht, this big, big yacht.
00:42:14.43\00:42:20.77
And we were
floating down the river
00:42:20.80\00:42:23.24
and we went
until San Francisco Bay
00:42:23.27\00:42:25.37
and we spent a night
at San Francisco Bay.
00:42:25.41\00:42:28.64
When we were on
our way back, he said,
00:42:28.68\00:42:30.55
"Rick, if you had
come to me," he said,
00:42:30.58\00:42:32.68
"you-- look what
you could have had."
00:42:32.71\00:42:34.85
And I said, "You
know, Mel," I said,
00:42:34.88\00:42:37.65
"You maybe
right, but guess what."
00:42:37.69\00:42:39.49
I said, "I'm on this boat,
00:42:39.52\00:42:42.99
I had this great excursion
and I had this great joy.
00:42:43.02\00:42:46.59
And I don't have
the mortgage payments
00:42:46.63\00:42:48.46
and still God
allowed me to do it.
00:42:48.50\00:42:52.03
So this is...
That's the way to do it.
00:42:52.07\00:42:53.87
This is the
miracles that God can give.
00:42:53.90\00:42:57.51
And can I tell one story?
00:42:57.54\00:42:58.94
Oh, absolutely. You can.
00:42:58.97\00:43:00.61
When I was growing up,
I remember reading these
00:43:00.64\00:43:04.18
Readers Digest
condensed stories.
00:43:04.21\00:43:07.48
And I was reading this
00:43:07.52\00:43:08.95
and I just had this
attraction for the islands.
00:43:08.98\00:43:13.32
You know, the palm trees,
little lagoons and all this.
00:43:13.36\00:43:16.99
And I remember of this,
the story of a young man.
00:43:17.03\00:43:20.50
He said that he was in a lagoon
00:43:20.53\00:43:23.03
and he saw the moon up
there and he saw the moon
00:43:23.06\00:43:28.07
right in the cross
of these two palm trees,
00:43:28.10\00:43:31.47
reflection in this blue lagoon.
00:43:31.51\00:43:35.61
And I remember when
I become a missionary
00:43:35.64\00:43:38.71
to the Marshall
Islands and I was sitting there
00:43:38.75\00:43:43.45
on a coconut with my
pastor, with my local pastor.
00:43:43.49\00:43:47.02
Well, I was
actually his supervisor,
00:43:47.06\00:43:49.79
but we were - which
means telling stories.
00:43:49.82\00:43:54.30
Okay.
00:43:54.33\00:43:55.66
And, and as we
were sitting there
00:43:55.70\00:43:58.47
the sun went
down, the moon came up.
00:43:58.50\00:44:01.90
Oh, wow. And I saw the moon.
00:44:01.94\00:44:04.97
Okay.
00:44:05.01\00:44:06.74
I saw that the moon go right
00:44:06.78\00:44:09.08
in the cross of those palm trees
00:44:09.11\00:44:11.78
and I saw the
reflection in the lagoon.
00:44:11.81\00:44:14.52
And tears came to my
eyes, so I looked up and I said,
00:44:14.55\00:44:17.79
this old country boy
that used to pick cotton,
00:44:17.82\00:44:21.62
had no hopes of going
to some exotic islands.
00:44:21.66\00:44:27.10
But I said, You, You've
given me a miracle today.
00:44:27.13\00:44:32.07
Yeah, it's all right.
00:44:32.10\00:44:33.44
It was just like
a light turned on.
00:44:33.47\00:44:34.80
Yeah, absolutely.
00:44:34.84\00:44:36.17
I'm sorry I can't--
I got a little bit...
00:44:36.20\00:44:37.54
No, no, no, no, we love it.
00:44:37.57\00:44:38.91
We love it. It's great.
00:44:38.94\00:44:40.94
Those are tears of
joy, we liked those kind of,
00:44:40.98\00:44:43.24
those tears of joy, knowing
that God has a plan for you.
00:44:43.28\00:44:46.48
You asked me one time
about how I managed this.
00:44:46.51\00:44:50.05
Well, of course my great faith
00:44:50.09\00:44:51.45
in God knowing
He's there for me,
00:44:51.49\00:44:53.62
not forgetting the miracles that
00:44:53.66\00:44:55.12
He's given me in the
past, but also humor.
00:44:55.16\00:44:59.36
Sometimes you know,
00:44:59.39\00:45:00.73
people might think
that, make light of it.
00:45:00.76\00:45:03.06
But you know, I
tell people that,
00:45:03.10\00:45:05.63
some people think
that my wife married me
00:45:05.67\00:45:08.20
because of my good
looks and some people think
00:45:08.24\00:45:10.84
she married me for my money,
but it wasn't any of those.
00:45:10.87\00:45:13.44
What, neither one?
00:45:13.48\00:45:14.81
It was because I was funny.
00:45:14.84\00:45:16.18
There you go. All right.
00:45:16.21\00:45:17.55
And humor helps also. Yeah.
00:45:17.58\00:45:21.08
A merry heart, it does helps
you cope with these things.
00:45:21.12\00:45:25.19
Do as good like a medicine.
00:45:25.22\00:45:26.55
Amen. I want to go back.
00:45:26.59\00:45:28.06
We have a few more
minutes, but I want to talk.
00:45:28.09\00:45:29.86
You mentioned about visiting
your dad later on in life.
00:45:29.89\00:45:34.56
You said I used to...
00:45:34.60\00:45:35.93
I love my dad. Of
course, he's my dad.
00:45:35.96\00:45:38.43
How did your relationship...
00:45:38.47\00:45:40.64
the last we heard we
was peppering the house
00:45:40.67\00:45:43.54
with gunshots and all that.
00:45:43.57\00:45:46.27
That may have been in the '70s,
I don't know what happened.
00:45:46.31\00:45:48.71
'80s, '90s, I don't
know how long he lived.
00:45:48.74\00:45:51.28
How did your relationship,
00:45:51.31\00:45:52.81
did you ever form
any kind of a bond
00:45:52.85\00:45:55.92
with him before
he, before he died?
00:45:55.95\00:45:58.05
Well, you know, I'm glad
you asked this question because
00:45:58.09\00:46:00.89
this is an
important part of the story.
00:46:00.92\00:46:03.12
When I was...
00:46:03.16\00:46:04.53
When I had come back my dad
had moved back to my hometown.
00:46:04.56\00:46:08.46
And he had kind
of melted somewhat...
00:46:08.50\00:46:11.30
This is what years, some where?
00:46:11.33\00:46:13.07
We were in the '80s. Okay.
00:46:13.10\00:46:14.44
He had melted-- well,
actually it's late '70s.
00:46:14.47\00:46:18.01
And he had
melted some and there,
00:46:18.04\00:46:20.28
there was kind of
tension off, tension in,
00:46:20.31\00:46:22.88
you know this kind of thing.
00:46:22.91\00:46:25.28
But when I joined
the navy I went to...
00:46:25.31\00:46:28.95
After leaving the
navy and going to Southern,
00:46:28.98\00:46:32.12
it was about two and half
hours from where I grew up.
00:46:32.15\00:46:34.56
So I had
interaction with my home.
00:46:34.59\00:46:37.79
And I knew that I was gonna
00:46:37.83\00:46:39.16
have to encounter my dad again.
00:46:39.19\00:46:41.20
So I prayed about
this and prayed about,
00:46:41.23\00:46:44.30
because you know I'd shot him.
00:46:44.33\00:46:45.77
Yeah, absolutely.
00:46:45.80\00:46:47.14
So I actually
grouped the courage
00:46:47.17\00:46:50.77
and said, Lord, help me.
00:46:50.81\00:46:52.57
So I went to him
and I set up a meeting
00:46:52.61\00:46:56.34
and I sat right
across like this.
00:46:56.38\00:46:58.31
And I said, "Look, Dad," I said
00:46:58.35\00:47:00.35
"I know what has happened with
us in the past," and I said,
00:47:00.38\00:47:04.95
"but I want you to know
that I've given my heart,
00:47:04.99\00:47:07.92
my life completely to God.
00:47:07.96\00:47:09.59
So I'm God's man now."
00:47:09.62\00:47:11.53
And I said, "I
want you to know,"
00:47:11.56\00:47:13.29
and I used something to my
advantage because he always
00:47:13.33\00:47:17.60
considered himself a hell
bound backsliding Baptist.
00:47:17.63\00:47:22.57
And so I pointed
at him and I said,
00:47:22.60\00:47:24.47
"Look, I don't
live that way anymore,"
00:47:24.51\00:47:28.24
and I said "if you
harm me or my children,"
00:47:28.28\00:47:32.21
I said "you will
answer personally to God."
00:47:32.25\00:47:35.35
And I'll tell you...
00:47:35.38\00:47:37.65
One time my other brother
who was in navy came home
00:47:37.69\00:47:41.76
and he and my
dad had gotten drunk
00:47:41.79\00:47:43.99
and they got in altercation.
00:47:44.03\00:47:46.09
And my dad was a disable man,
00:47:46.13\00:47:48.16
but he took up his cane and
he hit my brother on the jaw,
00:47:48.20\00:47:52.03
broke his jaw,
pushed him out into the road
00:47:52.07\00:47:54.67
and then ran over him.
00:47:54.70\00:47:56.20
Oh, my, my.
00:47:56.24\00:47:57.57
Broke his leg and hence,
00:47:57.61\00:48:02.98
he was in the
hospital there at Piedmont.
00:48:03.01\00:48:05.01
He was able to do
all that? Have mercy.
00:48:05.05\00:48:08.55
They put him...
00:48:08.58\00:48:09.92
They put him in the
hospital at Fort McClellan.
00:48:09.95\00:48:12.89
And my mother
called me and during all
00:48:12.92\00:48:16.22
this I went down
and got my brother
00:48:16.26\00:48:18.39
and brought him back
and interacted with my dad.
00:48:18.43\00:48:21.30
And you know,
till the day he died,
00:48:21.33\00:48:24.33
he never, never
gave me anymore trouble.
00:48:24.37\00:48:28.94
Wow. Okay.
00:48:28.97\00:48:30.97
And in the end I don't know.
People asked me if he changed.
00:48:31.01\00:48:36.81
But he allowed us to take
down the cross out of his house,
00:48:36.85\00:48:42.18
all the Klan paraphernalia.
00:48:42.22\00:48:44.89
And my hope is
that he did change
00:48:44.92\00:48:50.96
but you know, I
don't know his heart.
00:48:50.99\00:48:52.73
No. And it's
not for us to judge.
00:48:52.76\00:48:55.46
But you know, as
people get older,
00:48:55.50\00:48:57.23
we realized that you are
only here for a little bit.
00:48:57.27\00:48:59.53
I'm sure he began to think about
00:48:59.57\00:49:01.60
what he had done in the past.
00:49:01.64\00:49:02.97
So that's between he and
God, but I wondered how your
00:49:03.00\00:49:05.61
relationship
because I can imagine.
00:49:05.64\00:49:07.91
I love my grandparents,
my grandkids more than life.
00:49:07.94\00:49:11.28
I can't imagine threatening
my daughters or my grandkids
00:49:11.31\00:49:15.35
or any of that, just it's not,
you know, that's totally out.
00:49:15.38\00:49:19.85
You can't even picture.
00:49:19.89\00:49:21.22
Well, it eased up some,
but one thing my dad told me.
00:49:21.26\00:49:24.53
But by the way
my dad got cancer.
00:49:24.56\00:49:27.70
It went through his brain.
00:49:27.73\00:49:29.06
He had grand mal
seizures and we have a saying
00:49:29.10\00:49:32.80
Down South
"live hard, die hard."
00:49:32.83\00:49:34.64
Yeah, yeah.
00:49:34.67\00:49:36.00
And he died one of
the most violent deaths
00:49:36.04\00:49:37.71
of any man I've ever seen.
00:49:37.74\00:49:39.47
And one of the
things he told me.
00:49:39.51\00:49:41.18
Two things he
told me before he died.
00:49:41.21\00:49:43.51
I said, "Dad," I asked him.
00:49:43.55\00:49:46.18
I said, "if you could change
00:49:46.21\00:49:47.85
anything in your
life, what would it be?"
00:49:47.88\00:49:50.69
He said, "I would
have never taken,"
00:49:50.72\00:49:52.55
and he used ex parte.
00:49:52.59\00:49:53.92
So I won't use
those, but, he said
00:49:53.96\00:49:56.16
"I would have never
taken the first blank drink,
00:49:56.19\00:49:58.89
because it stole my family.
00:49:58.93\00:50:00.90
And I would have never,
00:50:00.93\00:50:02.53
never taken the first cigarette
00:50:02.56\00:50:04.23
because it stole my life."
00:50:04.27\00:50:06.07
Wow. Wow.
00:50:06.10\00:50:07.94
So I thought that
was quite an admission.
00:50:07.97\00:50:09.64
Absolutely yes.
00:50:09.67\00:50:11.01
We got just a
couple of minutes left here
00:50:11.04\00:50:12.71
before we go to our news break.
00:50:12.74\00:50:14.68
But, Rick, there's
people watching there.
00:50:14.71\00:50:16.31
I want you to look into
the camera in just a moment.
00:50:16.34\00:50:18.08
There's people that,
that are watching today
00:50:18.11\00:50:20.82
and there's
still in that turmoil,
00:50:20.85\00:50:22.62
there's still in
a mess right now.
00:50:22.65\00:50:24.42
We've had people...
Well, how do we know?
00:50:24.45\00:50:26.15
People have said I
was watching your program,
00:50:26.19\00:50:27.96
getting ready to, to
kill myself and someone spoke.
00:50:27.99\00:50:31.93
You know the Lord
spoke through someone.
00:50:31.96\00:50:33.90
There's someone I will
almost assure you today,
00:50:33.93\00:50:37.07
their life is a
mess, they see no hope
00:50:37.10\00:50:39.83
and yet for the
last 40 some odd years,
00:50:39.87\00:50:42.44
God has given you a peace
in the midst of the storm.
00:50:42.47\00:50:45.14
He had given you a
great family and daughters
00:50:45.17\00:50:47.28
and
grandchildren and son-in-laws
00:50:47.31\00:50:49.51
that are pastors and Christians
00:50:49.54\00:50:51.31
and their lives is so
different than your life.
00:50:51.35\00:50:54.15
What do they do right now?
00:50:54.18\00:50:55.52
There's somebody that
doesn't know what to do.
00:50:55.55\00:50:57.39
They feel like
there's no hope for them.
00:50:57.42\00:50:58.92
What would you say?
00:50:58.95\00:51:00.46
Well, first of
all I want you to know
00:51:00.49\00:51:01.99
that there is hope
00:51:02.02\00:51:03.83
There is hope.
00:51:03.86\00:51:05.83
You know, I
believe that it's not
00:51:05.86\00:51:09.70
how man lives in good times,
00:51:09.73\00:51:12.77
that is a
measure of his character,
00:51:12.80\00:51:15.30
but it's how he
lives in the bad times.
00:51:15.34\00:51:18.27
And if you really believe
and if you just hold on, God...
00:51:18.31\00:51:23.21
And I've told people
this. I don't know...
00:51:23.24\00:51:27.32
It may not just be
how it happened with me,
00:51:27.35\00:51:30.12
but God worked
miracles in my life
00:51:30.15\00:51:32.42
and He will make a
miracle in your life.
00:51:32.45\00:51:35.69
Oh, I like it.
00:51:35.72\00:51:37.06
I don't know how He will,
but just trust that He will.
00:51:37.09\00:51:40.93
He cared for you.
00:51:40.96\00:51:42.30
He cares for the
person watching, right?
00:51:42.33\00:51:43.67
Absolutely.
00:51:43.70\00:51:45.03
I have reason to
believe in miracles
00:51:45.07\00:51:46.40
like the dawn expects the
sun and I will not accept defeat
00:51:46.43\00:51:49.07
for my trust in Him is complete,
00:51:49.10\00:51:50.91
my victory is already been won.
00:51:50.94\00:51:53.11
And not only that...
00:51:53.14\00:51:56.81
I am evidence that
God can work in your life.
00:51:56.85\00:52:01.42
Just a poor
common cotton picker,
00:52:01.45\00:52:04.82
God raised me up to,
00:52:04.85\00:52:07.06
to be a missionary to do
wonderful things for Him.
00:52:07.09\00:52:10.46
And there are
people that start out with
00:52:10.49\00:52:14.00
a lot more advantage than I do.
00:52:14.03\00:52:15.90
And I know if He
can do it for me,
00:52:15.93\00:52:18.03
I know He can do it for you.
00:52:18.07\00:52:19.47
Amen. All right.
Thank you so much.
00:52:19.50\00:52:21.80
What we'd like to do, if you'd
like to contact Pastor Rick,
00:52:21.84\00:52:24.97
we're gonna put up an address
00:52:25.01\00:52:26.74
and then we're
gonna go to news break
00:52:26.78\00:52:28.38
and comeback for
a closing thought.
00:52:28.41\00:52:30.05
If you like to contact Rick,
you can do so by writing to,
00:52:32.61\00:52:35.88
Peidmont
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:52:35.92\00:52:38.39
Post Office Box 519,
Peidmont, Alabama 36272.
00:52:38.42\00:52:43.76
That's Peidmont
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:52:43.79\00:52:46.53
Post Office Box 519,
Peidmont, Alabama 36272.
00:52:46.56\00:52:52.63
You can call 256-452-5846.
00:52:52.67\00:52:57.11
That's 256-452-5846.
00:52:57.14\00:53:01.81
Or you can email him
at rickblythe@mac.com.
00:53:01.84\00:53:07.12
That's rickblythe@mac.com.
00:53:07.15\00:53:13.15