Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY015096A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:06 Hello and welcome to another 3ABN today program. 01:09 Thank you for joining us. 01:10 It's always good to have Dr. Yvonne Lewis here. 01:13 That's always good to be here. 01:14 And we got a special program today, don't we? 01:16 We do. What we're going to be doing? 01:17 Tell our folks, what we're going to do. 01:19 We are going to be talking to Greg and Jill Morikone. 01:21 Okay. 01:23 We love them. 01:24 It's going to be fun Greg and Jill, 01:26 thank you for being here. 01:27 And of course you all have been with 3ABN. 01:29 You came when Greg? 01:31 I came in 1999. 01:32 1999, that's a long time ago now. 01:34 You know right. 01:36 And Jill came sometime later. 01:37 We've been married in 2002. 01:39 All right, so we're going to find out. 01:40 What we're going to do? 01:41 And we thought this will be a lot of fun. 01:43 We have done it, you probably may all ready seen one or two 01:45 along the way. 01:46 We're taking some of our workers 01:48 that you see in front of the cameras, 01:50 sitting down doing something entirely different. 01:53 And Yvonne's ideas was, 01:55 when I did an interview one day, 01:56 she said "Why don't you find out?" 01:58 I was interviewing somebody that was running for president. 02:00 She said, "Why don't you find out something about them, 02:03 that ask them to tell us something 02:05 we don't know about them." 02:07 So that's kind of what we're going to do 02:08 to Greg and Jill today. 02:09 Along the way we'll be interviewing you. 02:12 But along the way, we hope to find out some things 02:14 about we didn't already know. 02:16 I love that. 02:17 It's going to be fun. Yeah, for sure. 02:18 And it's also going to be a spiritual journey. 02:20 We are not up here just to talk about our lives 02:22 and all we do. 02:23 But we want you to know 02:25 that I can do all things through Christ 02:28 who strengthens me. 02:29 Amen. 02:30 And absolutely, 02:32 in your life whatever your problems are, 02:34 you may have, I say "Are" because there may be many, 02:36 not is like one, 02:37 but whatever they are, that God can solve those. 02:40 We have our young people today, 02:42 and we have a song, we've asked them to sing. 02:45 And it's off of a new CD, and just happen to say, 02:48 I can do all things through Christ... 02:49 I love it. So, I was trying to segue. 02:51 That's a great segue, 02:52 that was smooth, that was smooth. 02:54 So we do want our folks to know, 02:56 there's nothing too big that God can't solve it 02:59 and nothing too small that He won't listen 03:01 to all of our problems, 03:03 so we're going to the young people. 03:04 This is of the new project, called "Its Beautiful World, 03:07 I can do all things." 03:08 And then we'll come back and talk to Greg and Jill. 03:20 I'm one of a kind, 03:22 That's what God had in mind 03:25 When he created me 03:28 I'm part of his plan 03:30 So I know that I can 03:33 Be all he wants me to be 03:36 I can do all things through Christ 03:40 Nothing's too big or small 03:44 I know that I do so find my needs is there 03:49 Whenever I call 03:52 Let's read about it in Philippians 4:13, 03:55 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 03:59 And Philippians 4:19 says 04:01 "For my God shall supply all your need 04:04 according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus." 04:11 Much greater is he, 04:13 Who lives within me 04:15 And he that is in the world 04:19 We need not fear, 04:21 For God is here 04:23 To every boy and girl 04:27 I can do all things through Christ 04:30 Nothing's too big or small 04:34 I know that he'll supply my needs 04:38 He's there whenever I call 04:43 That's right, boys and girls, 04:44 We can do all things through Christ. 04:47 All we have to do is come in the name of the Lord. 04:50 That's exactly what David did 04:52 When he faced that great big giant Goliath. 04:55 little David says to Goliath, 05:00 "You come to me with a sword and with a spear 05:03 and with a javelin, 05:04 but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts." 05:08 And we all know what happened when David drew out the stone, 05:11 and slung it towards Goliath. 05:13 The Lord guided that stone 05:15 to take down the enemy of David and of the living God. 05:18 So remember there's nothing we can't do, 05:22 when we come in the name of the Lord. 05:25 I can do all things through Christ 05:29 Nothing's too big or small 05:32 I know that he'll supply my needs 05:36 He is there whenever I call 05:40 I can do all things through Christ 05:44 Nothing's too big or small 05:48 I know that he'll supply my needs 05:52 He is there whenever I call 05:55 He is there whenever I call 06:00 I can do all things through Christ. 06:09 That is such a happy song. 06:11 Oh, I can do all things through Christ. 06:13 Yes. 06:14 We need to be happy, when we think about that. 06:16 We do and the songs, 06:17 all the songs on the project teach lessons through music, 06:21 which is just I mean, 06:23 how can it be better, 06:25 if we have scripture and music together, 06:27 it binds in the mind. 06:29 It just stays in the mind. 06:30 And you got young people, who love Jesus 06:32 and they did this all in one day 06:33 as for as the DVD goes. 06:35 That's tremendous. Great job, absolutely. 06:37 Yes. That's tremendous. 06:38 Well, we're here again if you're just joining us, 06:40 we are here with Greg and Jill Morikone. 06:43 And, Greg, you started here, you came to 3ABN. 06:46 We want to find out little bit. 06:47 Let's go, we'll start out 06:49 where you began and where you are now 06:52 and where you're headed hopefully. 06:53 We'll find out for our viewers at home. 06:55 But how did you first hear about 3ABN? 06:59 You know, that's a great question. 07:00 Actually we heard about it... 07:01 Well, I'm from West Virginia is where I call myself from. 07:03 Grew up in West Virginia. 07:05 But 3ABN there is a family in our church, 07:08 I grew up in a small church about 20 members. 07:10 And there were family there 07:11 by Margie and Delanie Stalwarts. 07:13 Okay. 07:15 They owned a little business, 07:16 so they purchased one of those gigantic dishes. 07:18 Yeah, okay. 07:19 So this will be the late 80's early 90's. 07:20 Okay. 07:22 I don't know what size dish that was in, was it 10? 07:23 Probably 12 foot. 07:25 Okay. Wow. 07:26 Yes, so they were big dishes, and so Sabbath afternoon. 07:27 We lived about an hour away from church, 07:29 so we would go to the Stalwarts house 07:31 sometimes Sabbath afternoon. 07:33 Okay. 07:34 And where they would have 3ABN on. 07:35 Again, you were about 07:37 how old at that time when you get this? 07:38 Oh my, I was-- 07:39 First started to watch? Probably eight, nine. 07:41 Eight, nine years old, isn't that amazing? 07:42 And that's something. 07:44 Yeah, so we would go there and watch... 07:46 You must feel old right now. 07:47 You know what? I did want to say it. 07:49 I mean, in 1999, he was eight or nine 07:52 and I won't even think. 07:53 No, no, no, it wasn't in 1999, it was way before-- 07:55 Yeah, late '80s or '90s, I'm sorry. 07:57 But he was-- 07:59 So I would be about 12 years old actually. 08:00 About 12, that makes you feel little better? 08:02 Well... I still can come back. 08:05 You see how I diverted that to her is 3ABN, 08:08 and I have blamed her for being-- 08:10 Yeah, yeah. 08:12 And really it hit me. 08:13 I was in... 08:14 I forget, it was in Louisiana somewhere 08:16 and there was this guy come up, 08:17 he was about 6'6" big huge man. 08:21 And had a big deep voice, and he leaned down, he said, 08:25 "Mr. Shelton, I just want to thank you for 3ABN," 08:29 I mean big beautiful sound and voice, 08:32 6'6" man, not a kid. 08:34 Right. 08:35 "I want to let you know, I watch 3ABN all my life." 08:38 And I'm like "Oh my." 08:41 We've been around that long. 08:43 I mean this is not a kid, this is a big man. 08:45 Yeah. 08:46 He said, I grew up with it 08:48 from time I was three years old. 08:49 I have watched you on 3ABN. 08:51 So Greg must be 10 or 12 or 13, you started watching 3ABN. 08:56 Now were you raised in Christian home obviously, 08:59 an Adventist. 09:00 That's right. 09:02 What about Greg himself when growing up 09:04 did you have brothers, sisters? 09:05 Yep, I have a younger sister, 09:07 and I want to just mention this because a lot of people. 09:09 There's a picture, now actually, 09:10 that's my younger sister Janelle and that's me, 09:13 I'm probably about four years old. 09:15 All right, look at that hair. He's very cute. 09:17 And my mom and dad, Daniel and Valerie Morikone, 09:20 and of course my sister Janelle and myself. 09:22 But yeah, just my younger sister and that's it. 09:24 Just the two of us, we're about two years ten months apart. 09:27 But a lot of people want to know, 09:28 so Morikone where does that name come from? 09:31 So quickly it comes from... 09:33 it's actually from Okinawa... 09:35 Okay. All right. 09:36 It's an Island's close to Japan. 09:38 Yes. 09:39 So my grandfather's 100 percent Okinawan. 09:41 He married a blonde hair, blue eyed Irish Welsh lady. 09:45 Okay. So my dad is half and half. 09:47 So my grandpa, he moved to Hawaii 09:49 that's where my dad was born, 09:51 then my dad of course moved to the States 09:53 and of course then married my mother 09:55 who is Caucasian and so I'm about a quarter, 09:57 so lot of people say, "So Morikone what is that?" 10:00 So I say, "Okinawa." That's where it came from. 10:03 I thought you were an Italian. 10:04 Oh, really. 10:05 Yeah. Like Morikone. 10:07 Morikone it sounded... 10:08 So my name is so hard to spell, 10:10 the last name that, when I was small, 10:11 I would always hear my parents on the phone, say, 10:13 "so my name is Daniel, my last name is Morikone." 10:18 So as a little kid, 10:19 I didn't quite understand all letters and stuff, 10:21 so one day I wrote down "M-O-R-I-K-O-N-E" 10:24 and I said, "Mom." I said, "What is that spell?" 10:27 She said, "Son, that's your last name." 10:30 So that was my first learning lesson 10:32 as my last name, but, 10:33 yeah, really my parents 10:35 are from the West Coast from California. 10:37 My dad is a registered nurse 10:38 and but I call myself from West Virginia. 10:41 So you say what took people from California 10:43 to West Virginia 10:44 You know Hillbillies, you know, great folk. 10:47 But my dad and mom had a great passion 10:49 for the people of Appalachia 10:51 and so, my dad had a great calling 10:52 for the medical field. 10:54 He believes that 10:55 God can use the medical field 10:56 as the right arm of the message, 10:58 you know, go and help people's needs. 10:59 So my parents went to West Virginia, Kentucky, 11:02 and that's where they still are. 11:03 My dad has since became a pastor, 11:05 he's an ordained pastor 11:07 in the West Virginia Conference. 11:08 Okay. Wow. 11:09 But I consider myself growing up in West Virginia, 11:11 we grew up in a holler. 11:12 What we call holler? Yeah. 11:13 There is, you know mountains, 11:15 and creeks and grew up way back in the hills 11:18 and a great people. 11:20 So, you grew up in a home that was focused on service... 11:23 Absolutely. 11:24 And look at how Greg is... 11:26 Yeah. 11:27 I mean you can see that whole value system 11:30 has been inculcated and incorporated... 11:32 They're very much, my parents are very spiritual, 11:34 I grew up with... 11:35 you know just raised by great parents. 11:36 Wow. 11:38 And the neat thing is, is that my dad, 11:39 because he was half and half. 11:41 I'm just saying in the late '70s early '80s 11:44 is very prejudice, 11:45 there in, you know, the hollers of West Virginia... 11:49 The Appalachia. 11:51 But, so my dad has some actually prejudice 11:53 against him coming in there, 11:54 but because he was in health field nurse, 11:57 way back in these hollers, 11:59 that there was the old party line, 12:00 dial a road re-phone. 12:02 Yes. 12:03 So any time our phone would ring, 12:05 everyone would pick up, because they wanted to know 12:06 who is having a medical emergency. 12:07 And so, they would call my dad and say, "Hey Doc" 12:10 even though he wasn't a doctor 12:12 and say, "Can you come out and help us." 12:13 So as a kid my sister and I had wonderful opportunities 12:16 of going out in a little Toyota jeep. 12:19 Back through... 12:20 I mean creeks, unbelievable, up mountains, 12:22 back in these way backwoods. 12:25 And my dad would minister to their physical need, 12:27 and then usually my sister and I 12:29 would stand around the person's bed, 12:30 and we would sing like "Jesus loves me" 12:32 things like that. 12:34 So, great memories of growing up 12:36 service like you say, 12:37 but being able to sing to the people in need, 12:40 just a wonderful experience there. 12:42 Now we're finding out Greg sing, 12:44 and as I carried over to it though. 12:46 No, he does sing, he sings, I've heard him, he sings well. 12:49 Really, Greg, you've been holding out on us. 12:51 Well, no, I just maybe sing in the shower. 12:54 No, no, no, he sings. 12:55 I have heard him sing with the group and quartet 12:56 and he can sing, he's got a nice voice. 12:58 Okay. 12:59 Not professional singer, but anyway 13:00 it's a way to praise the Lord. 13:02 So, you know, one thing you mentioned about, 13:04 maybe not knowing, I, as growing up, 13:06 there's not much opportunity to earn side income, 13:09 you know there back in the hills and hollers. 13:10 So I used to dig ginseng. 13:12 Have you heard about ginseng? 13:14 Yeah, sure. Oh, yeah. 13:15 So I would go back, you could have ginseng season, 13:16 I'd go back in the hills. 13:18 I like to go back in the hills and dig ginseng, 13:20 then I would sell it, that's how I earned my spare money. 13:24 But it was hard work, 13:25 because my dad would go out and do the nursing of course, 13:27 then I would at home my sister and I would raise the garden, 13:30 and weed the long rosy green beans, 13:33 and tomatoes and all of that. 13:35 So, he kept you busy working. Absolutely. 13:37 Oh, yeah, my dad believed in work, 13:39 you know, I appreciate my father a lot, 13:40 because he very much involved myself and my sister in work. 13:44 So he would work with us, 13:45 and so we built our own home there. 13:48 My dad and mom didn't want to go into debts, 13:50 so we built the home as they could. 13:52 And then we finished that so, he very much had me involved, 13:55 I remember hammering nails as a small kid, 13:58 and very much involved with my dad. 14:00 I was going to tell you, Greg's also a builder, 14:01 he's build his own place... 14:03 With help. Yeah. 14:05 Well so, that way we all do but, 14:07 he's helped me on mine, 14:08 when I was building 14:10 and he knows a lot about construction so, 14:13 very well rounded, knows a bit, 14:15 you know, gardening and what have you, 14:17 and so you-- 14:19 I want to ask you about spiritually, 14:22 you know, lost of us are raised in a Christian home, 14:25 but there comes a time you get 12, 13, 14, 15, 14:29 then sometimes you decide, you know what? 14:31 This is not for me. 14:32 And kids go off. 14:34 Did that ever happen to you? Did you go to church school? 14:36 Did your home school? 14:38 Tell me little bit about your education? 14:40 Education we were home schooled. 14:41 We live so far from church, 14:43 you know, West Virginia has a lot of corners like this, 14:45 and every Sabbath I would get car sick, 14:47 because it was so far to go, 14:48 it took about an hour and 15 minutes one way 14:50 on all these curvy back road, 14:52 so we couldn't go to the church school, 14:53 they had a little church school there. 14:54 Couldn't do that, so we were home schooled. 14:56 But we still got out, 14:57 you know, as we went to the church and stuff. 15:00 But, spiritually yeah, I grew up having, 15:02 you know, my own personal devotions, 15:04 you know, just because that's 15:06 kind of what you're supposed to do. 15:07 You know, mom and dad says, 15:08 you're supposed to have your worship. 15:10 So I would do that, of course we had family worship. 15:11 It wasn't until about probably 11 or 12, 15:15 that I decided to give my heart to God 15:17 and get baptized, 15:19 which was a good decision, I don't regret that at all. 15:21 But it wasn't actually until college, 15:23 that I really had that maybe experience 15:25 with God words becomes man. 15:27 I really... 15:28 God is who I need to hang on to. 15:30 Okay. 15:31 And not mom or dad or their religion, 15:33 but it's something that I need God for myself. 15:35 Okay. So it wasn't until college. 15:37 And where did you go to college? 15:39 I went to Hartland College 15:40 actually in Virginia is where I went. 15:42 And that's actually where I met my wonderful wife now. 15:45 Okay. 15:47 But that's where I went to college, so I went... 15:49 I actually did colporteuring or canvassing 15:51 or what we call LE work, 15:52 where you sell religious books during summer, 15:54 so just before I went to college, 15:57 I sold books door to door. Yeah. 15:59 And that was a... 16:00 yeah. 16:02 So you didn't? 16:03 I enjoyed the experience, 16:04 but boy that was something else, 16:06 because I don't really like going to somebody's door 16:07 and knocking on the door, trying to sell books. 16:10 But it was a great experience too, 16:11 and maybe that's what led into my experience 16:13 at college with God, 16:14 because when you do the selling, 16:16 you know, Great Controversy, 16:17 Steps to Christ to somebody's door, 16:19 you got to hang on to God for strength. 16:21 You know, okay, I don't want to do this, I'm scared. 16:23 So did something happen at college 16:26 that actually was pivotal for you? 16:29 That's a great question. 16:32 You know, lot of times in this adjusting life in general, 16:34 we tend to hold people up, 16:36 maybe on a pedestal, you look at people, 16:38 you put a lot of trust in them. 16:39 And at that time at school, I had some people around me, 16:43 I mean not school but elsewhere that had sort of failed me, 16:46 if you want to say that. 16:48 So you start to become discouraged. 16:49 And I called my dad one time 16:51 and that's what I was like, "You know what dad? 16:52 I'm discouraged." 16:53 These people who I thought 16:55 has such and such relationship with God, 16:56 when I see the other side they don't. 16:58 And I don't know that really, 17:00 I don't know what I think of this religious thing. 17:02 And my dad said, "Son" 17:03 he said, I want to tell you something, 17:05 "I have failed you, and I'm your dad. 17:07 Don't look to people, 17:09 don't look at the people at school, your friends, 17:11 he said look to Jesus Christ 17:12 because he will never fail you." 17:14 So he said, "Son, if you keep Jesus Christ 17:15 number one in your life." 17:17 He said, "Then you can rise above 17:19 issues and things that are going on around you, 17:21 and not become discouraged 17:23 and just want to throw religion out the window, 17:25 and go some other direction, he said look to Jesus." 17:27 So, yeah, that was the experience. 17:29 You start to become discouraged by looking at people, 17:31 so he was trying to point me from people to God. 17:34 Okay. 17:35 So you never went out to Doug Batchelor, 17:37 that's when he had hair, grew his hair long 17:39 and smoke and drink 17:40 and did all that, lived in a cave. 17:42 You don't have any story like that, 17:44 it wasn't like David Asscherick 17:47 where you had the punk rock hairstyles 17:50 and skateboarders like some of these other guys. 17:52 So you never really went out? 17:54 and did all those kind of things 17:56 I had issues, you know, obviously with my parents some, 17:58 you know, I'm thinking, well, I don't know about my parents, 17:59 they don't know anything, 18:01 you know, those are about teenagers. 18:02 By the time I got to college, 18:03 I was obviously calling my dad back, saying, 18:05 "Give me some health truth." 18:07 But yeah, really, no not going off 18:09 and drinking and doing punk rock stuff, no. 18:11 Okay. 18:13 Did you ever think that you wanted to be a preacher 18:14 or you went to college, what were you looking to do? 18:17 What did you want to do in life? 18:19 Yeah, you know, I always enjoyed being outside 18:21 but I felt that, 18:23 you know, God wanted me to do something else. 18:25 You know, I like gardening, I want to be a farmer. 18:28 But my grandpa had always told me was 18:30 "You can't really be a farmer, 18:32 you can do that maybe as a side thing, 18:33 you know, bringing your garden and stuff like that." 18:35 But when I went to college, 18:37 I took, what do you call then desktop publishing? 18:39 Okay, yeah. Wow. 18:41 So, back then it was a more page maker, 18:42 we do different programs now in design, 18:44 but it was designing stuff on the screen, 18:46 you know, like they do like now for world magazine stuff 18:48 that the world does. 18:49 Yeah, sure. Okay. 18:51 But I didn't really, I mean I liked it, 18:52 but I really was interested in media. 18:54 So there at school, they didn't have that as a degree, 18:56 but they had, 18:58 they would do their convocations or camp meetings. 19:00 And they had cameras and audio, 19:02 so I was always involved with that. 19:04 When my sister and I were young, 19:05 we had a little VHS camcorder, 19:07 you know, big thing you can hold on your shoulders. 19:08 Oh, yeah. 19:10 So my sister and I would actually play around 19:11 and do fake news broadcast. 19:14 We would edit with this one machine in a VCR, 19:16 so we would, you know, okay, stand over by this thing, 19:19 and then I was the weatherman and I was over here. 19:21 Okay. 19:22 Then we would be an interview and interviewee, 19:24 and that's how we played around with the media stuff back then, 19:27 but I never imagined or dreamed of coming to 3ABN. 19:29 Yeah. 19:31 It's interesting how God leads though. 19:32 Isn't it? It really is. 19:34 He put that interest in your heart years ago, 19:37 and you had no idea that you're coming here. 19:39 My mom and dad, actually when I was a teenager 19:42 before college took me here to 3ABN just on the tour. 19:45 And the person who gave the tour was Bobby Davis. 19:47 Okay, sure. 19:48 For I don't know, 20 some years. 19:50 Yeah. 19:51 And he gave us a tour of 3ABN. 19:52 I remember that made a big impact on my life 19:54 that this is a very powerful, it's a big ministry. 19:56 This building was new then, they were just been built. 19:59 It was in the mid '90s. Yeah, yes. 20:01 So, yeah, I was very impressed, 20:03 but again I never thought that God would bring me here 20:05 to 3ABN. 20:07 How did you get that call 20:08 or how did you make that call to come here? 20:11 So when I was in college, 20:12 if you do an accelerated a program at Harland College, 20:14 you could actually do three years, plus one. 20:17 With the plus one was internship 20:18 and so, I did the three years of academic 20:21 and the third, fourth year, 20:23 you have to send out to the different ministries, 20:26 3ABN being one of them, 20:27 I chose to contact 3ABN and say, 20:29 "Hey, will you accept me, on a internship," 20:32 and I didn't hear anything, didn't hear anything, 20:35 didn't hear anything. 20:37 Am I bad? 20:39 Sorry, no, it wasn't-- 20:40 Sorry, I'm bad. No, it wasn't you. 20:42 It was actually somebody else who contacted me. 20:44 But, I'm... anyway... 20:48 I was getting close to go into another ministry, 20:50 and it was... 20:51 I looked into my email 20:53 and I didn't see anything and I thought, okay. 20:54 I'm going to say yes to this other ministry, 20:56 let me check my email one more time and I did. 20:59 And 3ABN had replied 21:01 that you guys had said yes, come for an internship, 21:04 so I'm saying probably matter of ten minutes, 21:07 you know, I would have come to 3ABN 21:08 or gone to another ministry. 21:10 Totally different direction. 21:12 Yeah, I know, when I look back it's just amazing, 21:14 you know, all of us can't... 21:15 I was telling Jill, last evening about, 21:18 you know, it's just amazing, 21:19 there're miraculous things in one's life. 21:20 I look back as a child several times where, 21:22 you know, I can see the Lord's hand 21:24 that you escaped death. 21:25 I mean it's just vivid. 21:26 There are many times, I know there are angels 21:28 protect us and we don't even know it. 21:29 Yes. 21:30 But I see this as God's hand leading me to 3ABN 21:33 so I came here on internship. 21:35 And thank you Mr. Danny, 21:36 you hired me on during my internship. 21:38 And I've been at 3ABN ever since, that was in '99. 21:42 Yeah, there you go. 21:43 Wow working 16, 17 years already. 21:46 I know. Yeah. 21:47 It's been a tremendous blessing here at 3ABN. 21:49 You guys have been just very grace... 21:51 gracious to me because, 21:53 a lot of is on the job training. 21:54 And so, it's just been fun, a fun-fun adventure. 21:58 I remember when coming into production, 21:59 because, you know, little camcorder 22:01 is a big differences to these. 22:02 Yeah. 22:04 So, I was trying to learn all of that, 22:06 and I started out at the Uplink. 22:08 And I had a lot to learn, 22:10 but a lot of great people around me 22:12 that taught me a lot of things. 22:14 When Greg came, he was like, Johnny Dinzey was years before. 22:18 We wanted to have an employee of the month, 22:20 but Johnny seemed to win it ever, 22:22 I don't know, now you have a better attitude 22:24 than Johnny Dinzey, I don't know. 22:25 When Greg came and still to this day 22:28 how do you have a better attitude than Greg. 22:31 And so we'll talk a little bit about some of your, 22:34 where you started at 3ABN and what you're doing now? 22:37 But now we're going to go back 22:38 and, Yvonne, I'm gonna turn this over you. 22:40 You go back and find out some things about Jill, 22:42 we didn't know, we didn't know, huh. 22:43 Yes, yes. 22:45 Tell us where you grew up Jill? 22:46 I grew up in a lot of different places. 22:48 My dad was a teacher for the denomination. 22:50 He taught math and science. 22:52 He was a...and Bible, he was the boy's dean. 22:55 So, I was born in Maryland, Hagerstown, Maryland, 22:57 the Hartland View Academy. 22:59 Okay, sure. 23:00 And then we moved to Michigan and Adelphian, 23:01 but they have since closed. 23:03 We were in Massachusetts, Illinois, different places. 23:08 But then from 1989 on, 23:10 my parents moved to Massachusetts 23:12 since stayed there. 23:13 So I would consider myself a New England girl, I guess. 23:15 Okay, all right. 23:17 Your dad worked for the denomination, 23:20 but did you personally have 23:22 your own relationship with Jesus Christ 23:23 or was it through your parents? 23:26 When I was a kid, it was definitely through my parents, 23:28 you know, I think I always had a sensitive heart toward God, 23:32 as I look back at it. 23:34 I remember at the age of eight, studying a Book of Romans. 23:37 Now you think, Romans? 23:39 At eight. 23:40 You know, why would I want to look at Romans, 23:42 maybe Matthew, Mark, Luke or John right? 23:44 Right. Right. 23:45 But I thought, all this is going to help me, 23:46 so I remember I had my NIV children's Bible, 23:49 you know, the one with all the pictures, 23:52 and I read it and I had my little china markers 23:54 and I would mark the promises in a certain color 23:57 and the other things in another color. 23:59 So looking back, 24:00 I think I was always sensitive toward God. 24:03 You know, I wanted to follow Him. 24:05 As a child though, I always, 24:09 I thought I could never measure up. 24:11 I was raised in a good home, 24:13 but my parents to be honest with you, 24:15 it was a legalistic home. 24:16 Okay. 24:17 And so, I always thought, 24:19 okay, you have to be perfect, you have to be good. 24:22 I'm supposed to reach the standard, 24:24 I see in the Bible, 24:25 but I can't do it. 24:27 You know, and I tried and I failed 24:29 and I tried and I failed. 24:32 And then about the time I was 13 and half, 24:35 I started looking around men, I thought, 24:38 I don't see other people really succeeding either. 24:41 Now that, they probably were succeeding, 24:43 I'm just saying, it's my own teenage, 24:45 my perspective of things. 24:48 And so I looked at it and I thought, 24:50 wow, Christianity doesn't work. 24:52 I've tried, I didn't know about grace, 24:55 I didn't know about Jesus, 24:57 I didn't know that He is the one who works in us. 25:00 You know both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 25:02 And I didn't know any of that and so, 25:05 when I was 13 and half, 25:06 I used to keep journals and I wrote in my journal, 25:09 God, you don't work. Wow. 25:11 Christianity is fake. 25:15 Everything I've seen in the Bible, 25:16 I haven't seen walked out, 25:19 so God I'm walking away, 25:22 so I made that choice 25:25 to leave God and leave religion. 25:28 I was... 25:29 How did that play out when you made that choice? 25:32 What did you do living in a legalistic home? 25:34 How did you express that? 25:39 I got mad at my mom a lot. 25:40 Okay. Yeah, little bit of rebellion. 25:42 Lot of rebellion. Lot of rebellion. 25:44 Lot of rebellion, lot of anger, 25:47 lot of acting out, not so much as in externally 25:52 but internally, if that makes sense. 25:55 But, yeah, there was a lot of rebellion. 25:57 And my poor parents, you know, I mean, and then, 26:02 this is, that was about six months, 26:04 and then about six months later, 26:06 two things happened that changed my perspective. 26:09 One was my mom began to change. 26:12 Now my mom's open about this, 26:14 it's not like I'm sharing something that's private, okay. 26:16 Yeah. 26:18 But my mom always struggled with anger 26:19 when I was little growing up, 26:21 and she began to change, 26:24 and the things that I did that used to bug her 26:27 or make her mad or she'd say, Jill stop that. 26:30 She quit and I think what happened, right. 26:34 She is different, what happened? 26:36 And so I began to push her buttons 26:38 because I thought is this for real. 26:40 So I knew everything that would make her irritated, 26:42 so I did that. 26:45 I was like okay, well, this makes her mad, 26:47 I'll do this. 26:49 This makes her upset, I'll do this over here. 26:52 But she didn't get mad. 26:53 And for two weeks this went on 26:55 and I remember laying awake at night and thinking, 26:56 what's different about my mom? 26:58 But I was like, I don't want to know, you know. 27:00 So after two weeks, I finally thought, 27:02 okay, I can't stand it anymore, I need to ask, 27:04 so she was in the kitchen 27:06 and I went down the stairs and I said mom, 27:09 "What's different? 27:10 What's different about you? 27:11 You're happy all the time. 27:13 You don't get mad anymore." 27:14 And she was like, "Jill, am I really that different." 27:17 And that's what God does. 27:18 You know, when He changes us inside, 27:20 we don't always know the difference 27:22 but other people always see, what took place. 27:25 And she said, "Am I really that different." 27:27 And I said, "You are." 27:28 And she said, "The difference is Jesus. 27:31 I met Jesus." 27:33 And she said, 27:34 "I can't tell you what a difference 27:36 He's made in my life." 27:37 And I thought, I've seen that difference, 27:39 you don't have to tell me. 27:41 I've seen it walked out. 27:42 And then right about that time, 27:44 I came across the Bible verse in Psalm 34 27:47 it says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." 27:50 "Blessed is the man or woman who trust in him." 27:53 And so, I went to God and I said, 27:55 "I've seen now that Christianity works, 27:58 I've seen that you're real. 27:59 I've seen that, 28:01 the principles in the Bible can be walked out in real life, 28:05 so God I'll give you another chance." 28:08 Isn't that weird, I mean, me talking to God like that, 28:11 but His shoulders are big, 28:13 you know, He can take our stuff, 28:15 He can take it, if we are mad or for this or that, 28:17 and so I said God, 28:18 I'll give you two weeks to reveal yourself to me. 28:22 I want to taste and see and show me if you're real. 28:25 And so for those two weeks, 28:28 God revealed Himself to me in such an incredible way 28:32 that I thought, I never want to go back, 28:34 God's real. 28:35 You know, He is real and He can make a difference 28:38 and I want that transformation in my own heart and life. 28:43 That is so beautiful, that is simply because, 28:45 I think there is so many people dealing with legalism 28:49 and when you're dealing with legalism, 28:51 you don't know Jesus for yourself, 28:55 it's not about Jesus, it's about 28:57 I can't do this, I can't do that, 28:59 I have to do this, I have to do that. 29:01 Rules without relationship mean nothing. 29:04 And so you got to see 29:07 Christianity played out, lived 29:12 because Jesus changed your mom's heart. 29:14 Amen. 29:15 And look at how God works. 29:16 He changed your mom, 29:18 He does things so interestingly to make us, 29:21 He'll make one move 29:23 and it accomplishes multiple things, 29:26 so He moved on your mom's heart. 29:28 Got him closer, got her closer to Him 29:31 and that moved on your heart and got you closer to Him. 29:34 And my dad, you know and my sister, 29:36 I have an older sister, I'm the baby, 29:38 so, you know, my whole family, it impacted my whole family. 29:41 Amen. So praise the Lord. 29:43 Wonderful, okay, 29:45 so you get up into high school. 29:46 Did you home schooled? I did. 29:48 Okay, we were home school too. Yeah. 29:50 And you're looking for a college 29:52 and how did you come up with Hartland? 29:55 You know, I'm not even sure, thinking back on that. 29:58 I know, my older sister went, 29:59 so I think I just kind of went where she went. 30:01 Sure, sure. 30:02 But I'm trying to think back to why she decided, 30:04 I don't know, I think the mission focus 30:06 was what my parent like at that time, you know. 30:07 Okay. 30:09 We're not on his earth just to, 30:11 just to make money, 30:13 although I'm not saying that's a bad thing, 30:14 you know, we love the money, not the money itself, 30:16 but we're not on this earth 30:17 just to make a name or do this and that. 30:19 We're on this earth to serve other people, 30:22 so I think it was mission focus, yeah, 30:24 and then I met this man, summer before. 30:27 So what did you plan on taking in college, 30:30 what did you want to be? 30:32 I want to be a teacher, 30:33 so I double majored in English and History. 30:37 Okay. Minored in education. 30:38 That why she writes such beautiful letters for me. 30:41 That's what crossed my mind. 30:42 Those beautiful letters are really her. 30:44 When I write them, they don't look nearly as good. 30:47 There is a few little mistakes, 30:48 maybe a lot of mistakes but she corrects them all 30:51 and makes them good for me. 30:53 Thank you for that. 30:54 So, you met Greg before you went to Hartland 30:58 or did you meet him there? 30:59 I met him there, it was summer before our freshmen year, 31:01 but it was there. 31:02 Okay. 31:04 What do you think of him when you saw him? 31:07 It's a good question. 31:08 We met in the cafeteria at lunch 31:11 and I thought, oh, he is a nice guy, he is cute. 31:14 I'm great, I get to go to school with him, 31:15 so that was really fun, 31:17 but I think as I got to know who he was, 31:20 that's when I started to fall in love with him 31:23 initially he used to run camera, 31:24 you know, in the back of the class 31:25 and I would always forget my pencil. 31:28 I had to borrow from him. 31:30 So I always brought extra pencils. 31:33 How cute. All right smart, there you go. 31:36 So I would sit in front of him and say, 31:38 "Ah, I don't have my pencil today, 31:41 do you have a pencil?" 31:42 Of course, I had one ready, right. 31:44 Absolutely, absolutely, 31:46 see how important it is to carry your pencil wagon, 31:49 you may want to think about that 31:51 and students here for sure have an extra in there. 31:54 So you guys from the freshmen year on, 31:58 your relationship began to develop 32:00 and are you-- 32:02 and you both were freshmen, so you're same grade. 32:04 That's right. 32:05 And did you talk about, 32:06 when did the subject of marriage come up? 32:09 You know, that's a good question 32:10 because we have made the commitment, 32:11 you know, in Hartland College also, 32:13 you don't, you know date during school there. 32:15 You know, you want to focus on your academics 32:16 and what's your there to do, 32:18 so which I was fine with 32:19 because I really want to see Jill as who she was 32:22 in just regular environment, so we actually didn't say, 32:24 "Hey, I kind of like you, can we go out." 32:26 It's just I want to see her 32:27 and just kind of see how she interacts, 32:29 you know, of course, 32:30 you could tell I gave her my extra pencils and stuff. 32:31 Yeah, yeah. 32:33 But you know, still you like to better see someone 32:34 where they are, 32:36 so they do not pretend some type of false front 32:37 and, so you know, 32:39 was the years went by, several years, 32:41 I was always impressed with, well 32:43 she is more than just surface beauty, 32:45 she has got tremendous spiritual strength 32:49 and beauty inside, 32:50 and of course to me that means everything 32:52 in the world, 32:54 so it wasn't till actually we had graduated 32:56 and we weren't seeing each other 32:58 because we weren't in the class or anything, 32:59 we haven't seen it very often that when we begin to realize, 33:02 you know what, this is more than just friendship, 33:04 I think I like to pursuit it more, 33:06 so it was after school actually that we pursuit. 33:08 So you gave her a call? 33:10 I did, we did some letters, actually letters... 33:13 You went back, you went back to Massachusetts 33:16 so where did you... 33:18 No, I taught English in Bible, 33:19 at Country Haven Academy in Washington State. 33:21 Oh, Washington State. 33:22 So I was out there teaching, when I finished school, 33:24 I went out there and taught academy kids. 33:26 Okay. 33:28 And it was a great experience 33:29 and Greg and I corresponded by letter 33:30 so he was here at 3ABN and he'd write me saying, 33:34 we're doing a concoction, we are up in... 33:36 was that Chicago? 33:37 Yeah, we did one in Chicago. Yeah. 33:39 Okay and he'd say we're here or we're doing this 33:41 and this is what's going on and whatever, 33:43 so we would communicate by letter, 33:45 but at that point he hadn't approached me, 33:47 was more like a friendship thing. 33:49 And I remember thinking, he's got to get moving. 33:56 If he is not serious 33:58 then maybe I should be thinking about somebody else, you know. 34:01 So I did receive a phone call from my mother. 34:04 So she like Jill, thought she's a very nice young lady 34:07 and she said son, 34:08 if you don t get moving, you're going to lose her. 34:11 You're not gonna get her, 34:12 somebody else is going to get her. 34:14 Okay. So, you know. 34:16 So I decided, I better get moving. 34:19 Because I really did in my heart, 34:20 I knew that, you know, 34:21 that this is probably someone that God has for me, 34:23 so yeah, yeah. 34:25 You know, I think it's a beautiful thing to me 34:27 about Greg's character though 34:28 because he always praise about something 34:32 and who consider all aspects of the equation 34:35 before he makes a decision. 34:37 Sometimes I can be at fault too. 34:38 Then once he makes a decision though, 34:41 he doesn't change his mind, 34:42 he just go for it, he just goes. 34:44 And so I think in our relationship, 34:46 you know, he's analyzing all the different things, 34:48 were I'm like, "Okay, I'm ready." 34:50 You know, he's thinking everything 34:51 and then once he's committed, he is 100 percent committed. 34:54 And that's a blessing. Yeah. 34:55 That's great. 34:57 So how long after you the processes began? 34:59 Started moving. 35:01 Yes, started moving, yeah exactly. 35:02 How long after that did you guys get married? 35:06 Well, so we were married in 2002, 35:08 so probably about two years. 35:11 Think about two years when we started... 35:13 Year and half. 35:14 Yeah, maybe year and half. 35:15 Okay. 35:17 Then you brought her here. 35:19 Yeah. For a visit. 35:20 Sure did, yeah, because she wanted to see 3ABN. 35:23 My first recollection of seeing you 35:25 at the church Sabbath when we had the little church. 35:27 Yeah. 35:28 And, and he brought you at church 35:30 and that's first time I remember seeing Jill, 35:32 and I said, okay, that's Greg girlfriend 35:35 so from the beginning everybody around said, 35:37 those two just look like they are perfect match, 35:39 they're just, their personalities, 35:41 their temperament, 35:42 their looks everything about them, the mannerism, 35:44 they just seemed like a perfect match, 35:46 I mean that's just the way you guys 35:48 from the time we first saw you. 35:50 Yeah, we feel the Lord has brought us together. 35:52 You know this is an amazing thing too 35:53 because when we first meet in the cafeteria, 35:55 now this just an interesting side note 35:57 is that okay, so her parents 35:59 and my mom went to school together 36:02 and they hadn't seen each other in years and years. 36:05 So then we end up in school, I'm like oh, 36:08 we know from their academy days from years ago. 36:11 Pioneer Valley Academy in Massachusetts, 36:13 this is in the '60s. 36:15 For you and me that wouldn't be that long ago, 36:16 I know. 36:18 No, no, no, that's okay. 36:20 Just make us feel better. It's all right. 36:22 We know about school in the '60s. 36:25 We know about those long, long time 36:27 and it was a long time ago. 36:29 So that's been an interesting connection actually 36:31 because then when the families, when we get together is, 36:33 you know, they are reminiscing from, 36:34 yeah, it's just a need, how God does those things. 36:37 Comfortable all right, it's comfortable. 36:39 So, anyway, when we first met, 36:41 you know, you don't go off of all this first impressions 36:43 that you get but I had... 36:44 You know, looking back is interesting in my mind, 36:47 I believe it was God now, looking back. 36:49 It was like you gonna marry this lady someday. 36:51 You know I've had other 36:53 weird stuff come through my mind, 36:54 but looking back, I'm like, why, 36:55 those are all little things 36:57 that you can just grab and hold of and say wow, God, I can see, 36:58 even then like you're going to marry this lady someday. 37:00 And that was a very first time I met her. 37:03 But yeah once we start call that dating, courting, 37:07 yeah, it was about a year and half 37:09 till we got married. 37:10 It's just the blessing to know you're with 37:12 who God has handpicked for you. 37:13 Yeah. 37:15 I mean that gives you such assurance 37:17 and praise the Lord, you know, Greg is my best friend 37:19 and you know, I praise God for that. 37:21 You know, you pray together and share burdens and struggles 37:24 and praise God for that. 37:25 Amen. 37:27 Absolutely, we're learning things we didn't know. 37:29 I know, I'm loving this. This is so good. 37:32 And for the folks watching at home, 37:34 young folk, older folk what have you, 37:36 God has somebody special for you, 37:38 and so when you just literally 37:41 are willing to wait on the Lord, 37:44 you know, he's got your back as they say, 37:46 so you two, you waited, 37:48 you did everything the way you should do it 37:51 and you say finally, you popped her the question 37:54 and she says what took you so long. 37:57 Yeah, exactly. 37:59 It was a beautiful thing, 38:00 he flew out to Massachusetts 38:01 and he proposed to me at sundown Friday night. 38:04 Okay. 38:05 And took me out to the beach, 38:07 and we're right there on the water 38:08 and he wrote me a poem and he'll tell you, 38:11 he's not a writer but it was beautiful, just beautiful. 38:13 How romantic. 38:17 You know, you love somebody... 38:18 And you know she is a teacher too, 38:19 so that's pressure. 38:21 Exactly, English teacher... 38:23 The poem starts, 38:25 it says the little boy up on his knee, 38:26 head bowed, praying silently. 38:29 Father, if it be your will for my life, when I grow up, 38:32 I would like a wife. 38:33 And then it just goes through about how we met 38:36 and how we whatever and he even rhymed, 38:38 I mean that's a really good poem. 38:39 That's great. 38:41 Greg, I'm impressed, he's romantic. 38:43 Well, Lord helped me with that poem. 38:45 It worked. 38:47 Yeah, that's true. 38:48 It worked. 38:49 And maybe people calling you and saying or emailing, 38:51 Greg can I borrow that poem. 38:54 That seems to work so good I think, 38:55 I want to borrow that for me. 38:58 But I praise God 38:59 because you know, really, you know, 39:01 and I appreciate it as we were contemplating 39:02 whether we should get married, 39:04 you know because there is a lot we want to talk about. 39:06 You know there is always fun things, you know, 39:07 when you're courting and dating 39:08 but there's also the serious things, 39:10 you know, that you talk about life 39:11 and your life goes, what we want to do as a couple. 39:14 And I was always so impressed with Jill, 39:16 very much ministry minded, wanted to help others. 39:19 And of course like you said, you know, my father and mother, 39:22 very much raised my sister and myself to serve others, 39:24 you know, that was the whole thing, 39:25 so to find that common, you know that common ground 39:28 that we're going to be involved with ministry as 3ABN, 39:31 I mean it's just so very blessed. 39:34 What did you think when he said, 39:36 you know, we want to get married 39:37 but I want you to come to 3ABN. 39:39 Now you never lived in a little town 39:41 of probably 600 people. 39:43 I was a city girl you know, 39:45 I mean really I consider myself being city girl 39:47 and not inner city girl but suburban girl I guess. 39:51 And so when I came here yeah, 39:54 I loved him and I said wherever you are, 39:56 I want to be, you know, 39:57 so it didn't matter where we lived, 39:59 it just matter that we were together, 40:01 so when we got married, I moved here, 40:03 but I think the first six months, 40:04 you know, as the adjustment, I remember thinking, 40:07 where am I going to shop? 40:10 Where am I going to shop? 40:11 Yeah, I've heard that before, right here. 40:14 So then, I thought, 40:15 "Well, Jill, you don't have to shop as much." 40:17 And I think that helped our budget a little. 40:18 Okay, all right. 40:20 So then, yeah, it was a blessing, 40:22 we live on a little gravel road, 40:24 and in the beginning it's like you run to the window 40:27 to see who is driving by, 40:28 because the traffic is that scarce 40:31 Yeah, yeah, that's right. 40:32 I mean, it hardly happens and then I just grew to love it 40:35 and I thought, when we go say ASI, 40:37 GYC different places to the city, 40:39 I say thank you good, I live in a country. 40:41 Yeah, isn't that nice. 40:43 You know, it's so peaceful, be out in God's nature 40:45 and it's incredible. 40:46 Wonderful and you built a little house. 40:48 See I'm from big town of West Frankfort, 40:50 it's 80 some hundred people, 8,000 whatever. 40:53 They actually live out 40:54 and be a Thomasville address right, 600 people. 40:57 Wow. 40:58 Maybe 602 since they moved here two years ago 41:01 but you're actually out there, 41:03 so you not only adjust but you put out a big garden, 41:06 you got the turners for your neighbors out there. 41:08 Yeah, he shares his corn and his tomatoes. 41:10 Yeah, I know, yeah but it's beautiful place. 41:14 You guys built out there and it's wonderful, 41:16 so when you came here, you didn't really have a job, 41:19 you didn't go look around for the public schools 41:21 whatever to teach, 41:23 so what did you start doing? 41:24 How did you get involved with 3ABN? 41:26 Yeah, we talked about that because when I was first came, 41:28 we didn't have a high school here right 41:29 and, so I was telling Greg, well, I'm a teacher, 41:32 you know, so what am I going to do? 41:34 You know, you got have, what am I going to do? 41:35 And he said, 41:36 "If God has brought us together, 41:38 then God's gonna open up the door. 41:40 God knows what you should do, 41:41 and where Greg had grown up with 3ABN, 41:44 we didn't, my family didn't have 3ABN, 41:46 so it was like all brand new. 41:48 I better talk to your parents. 41:49 They have it now, they have roku. 41:50 Okay, good, good, all right. 41:52 They have rokus so they get it now, 41:54 but when I was a kid, we didn't have it, 41:56 and so when I came here that's I think 41:58 when I fell in love with the ministry here. 42:00 I mean it wasn't something before 42:02 where in Greg it was kind of before, 42:04 but for me it's when I came here. 42:06 So I started just a few months after we got married, 42:09 teaching piano lessons. 42:10 Yes, I heard about the little trailer. 42:12 People started asking, will you teach piano 42:14 and I was like, "I don't know how to teach piano. 42:16 She is a very good pianist. 42:17 I don't have any degree in music you know, 42:19 I don't know what I am doing? 42:21 So Greg said, well, you should try Jill 42:23 and I said okay, I'll try 42:25 and so that's when I started doing. 42:27 I did music with the kids at our church school. 42:30 Worked there for ten years I guess, 42:33 before I came over and worked here for 3ABN. 42:35 Before she started out at the school here 42:38 our Christian school, 42:40 she thought I have a little trailer, 42:41 we rented the trailer from Gonzales Santos 42:43 when he was here. 42:44 Yeah. 42:45 And so the very first student I believe was Summer... 42:47 Oh, can Summer really play. 42:51 Good job. 42:52 Now she is working here at 3ABN but just a little thing 42:54 then so that was her first student 42:56 and that was the beginning. 42:57 Yeah. 42:59 So, I was at the school ten years, 43:00 and this was really incredible 43:01 how God brought me here to work here at 3ABN. 43:05 To me the ministry was in my heart, 43:07 and the last two years that I worked over the school, 43:11 we were praying, I felt in my heart 43:13 that God was calling me to work here at the ministry. 43:16 Not that I didn't love what I did there, 43:18 and I was supposed to do that for that season. 43:20 But God was like, "Jill, I want you to do more fulltime 43:22 in the fulltime ministry", 43:24 but Greg and I prayed about it, 43:25 and we said, "well, we don't want to run ahead of you God", 43:27 so maybe it's not Your will or what do you want? 43:30 And so we prayed, and we said, "God if it's your will, 43:33 then 3ABN will approach us, and ask you to do it." 43:37 And Greg said, "They're not going to ask Jilly, 43:39 I know they're not going to ask, 43:40 because Mollie had asked three times in the past, 43:43 Jill will you come work? 43:44 And every time I told her no, 43:45 I'm called to work with the kids, 43:47 I love the ministry at 3ABN, but I should be over here." 43:50 And so, we prayed about it for two years. 43:53 And then one day I was in Mollie's office, and she said, 43:57 "You know, my dream for this ministry 43:58 has always been that you come and work here. 44:01 But I know you're going to tell me, no." 44:03 And I said actually, 44:05 "I'm going to tell you, yes." 44:06 And she was like, 44:08 and I said, we've been praying about that, 44:10 and this is, you know, the hand of God 44:11 'cause we asked God to show us a sign, show us. 44:14 Yeah, absolutely beautiful. 44:16 So, Greg you came and you were doing camera 44:19 and working, but eventually, you ended up at call center. 44:22 That's right, yeah. 44:23 I worked at the Uplink, then we worked 44:25 on the truck crew for while traveling. 44:26 The truck was pretty new then, traveled with the truck crew. 44:29 Then we got together, and I didn't want to travel 44:32 because, you know, we're starting our marriage 44:34 and I didn't want to be traveling. 44:35 And so, an opportunity at the call center opened up, 44:38 and so, they needed some help in the print shop, 44:40 remember when we had the print shop with actual presses, 44:42 with real ink, you know, was spinning in these wheels 44:44 and all the stuff, 44:46 so I ran the print shop for a couple of years, 44:48 and then the opportunity opened up 44:49 to oversee the call center... 44:51 Yes. 44:52 With Christa Benz, and I worked there for a few years. 44:55 Yeah. 44:56 That great experience, that I enjoyed a lot 44:57 because the call centers were-- 44:59 to me is a very much interaction with the people 45:02 on the other side of the TV screen. 45:04 Sure, all the orders coming and going, 45:07 and of course the printing and everything going at you, 45:09 you really learn a lot about. 45:10 Plus it gave you some experience 45:13 and leadership and management, 45:15 and then after a period of time, 45:18 we called you over here. 45:19 Now, what we asked you to do over here? 45:21 Well, right now, I oversee production, 45:22 production manager is what my title is, 45:24 and I have a great crew. 45:25 I'm asking him what we, you know, ask him to do, 45:28 we would have him do whole lot more. 45:31 What did we promise you that you would do? 45:34 Well that's funny because, you know, 45:35 the call center thing kind of opened up quickly and, 45:37 you know, to be manager there. 45:38 And I was told well, this is just kind of temporary, 45:41 you know, just kind of filling for a little bit, 45:42 and that ended up being about ten years I think, 45:46 temporary ten years. 45:47 Yeah, temporary. 45:48 But it was fun, I appreciate-- 45:50 But you're a production manager-- 45:51 Here right now. Doing an incredible job. 45:52 It's fun. Absolutely. 45:54 Great crew to work with. 45:56 Both Greg and Jill have this, what you see, is what you get. 46:00 Honest. 46:01 I mean, they, you know, some people 46:02 put on a different personas. 46:04 I call it put on the dog. 46:06 Yeah. Yeah. 46:08 They don't do that. 46:09 They are real, they are so real 46:11 and they do an outstanding job. 46:13 You know, when there's an issue, 46:15 if we have a production issue, 46:17 I can talk to Greg, there's no... He's just so easy-- 46:20 I enjoyed working with both of you. 46:21 You know, it's a blessing. It is. 46:23 And I feel like, we're really a family here, 46:26 that this is not-- 46:28 That's right. 46:29 You know, this is about ministry and we are about 46:32 trying to just share the gospel and so, 46:35 there is as Mollie says, "There's a DNA at 3ABN. 46:40 3ABN has its own DNA, and I think everybody 46:42 that's here was handpicked to be here. 46:45 It really does, and of course, you're actually 46:48 executive secretary if you want to call that, 46:50 it may be more than that like to, 46:52 but she is all the letters and everything nice 46:55 and all the things that people get that really comes from her. 46:59 And she reminds me of things that I forget all the time. 47:02 You know, and everyday just about my phone or the text 47:05 we were going, she'll say, "Today you have such and such", 47:08 and I need that because, unlike a lot, 47:10 I'm not-- People try to figure that out after 31 years, 47:13 I'm not very organized. 47:14 When I come to work, I don't really have plans. 47:17 Okay, today, I got to do boom-boom-boom, 47:19 down the line, I'll just show up usually. 47:22 And say, okay, Lord, what are we doing today? 47:24 And so, I can jump from one thing to the other. 47:27 But in the meanwhile, I forget what I'm supposed 47:29 to done over here. 47:30 So, Jill's a great... 47:32 Thank you so much for what you're doing, organizing, 47:35 you know what I do. 47:36 Of course, I look forward to coming here and enjoy. 47:38 Oh, yeah. 47:39 And Pastor Gilley was here, I didn't come this, you know, 47:41 all the hours every day, and showed up 47:43 when they needed me to do things, 47:44 and programming here and there. 47:46 But, I've been back in the seat for number of months, 47:48 and couldn't do without either one of you. 47:50 Without all of you here, because Greg, 47:52 what a tremendous responsibility 47:55 you have overtaken, 47:56 and how smooth the transition 47:59 was to be over all the production teams, 48:01 and all the different people that you deal with, 48:03 all the scheduling issues, all the personals issues, 48:07 everything that goes wrong 48:08 and of course Jill was there too. 48:09 She helps with all the production. 48:11 She is your right hand person too. 48:13 Oh, yeah. I'm really blessed. 48:14 So, you guys are able to work together in the ministry, 48:17 and still speak to each other. 48:19 That's right, yeah. 48:20 That's true. 48:21 You know, that's a neat thing too, you know, 'cause, 48:23 you know, several years back, you know, 48:25 it's just again seeing how God's hands involved 48:27 in everything, and how God can take something, 48:29 that some people may say it's bad, 48:31 and turn into something good, you know, 48:33 'cause therefore while we were looking at having kids, 48:35 and doctors and things say you can't. 48:36 You know, God didn't open that door for us. 48:38 And that's okay, you know, and that's were, you know, 48:40 we feel God has called us into ministry, we fill 3ABN, 48:43 you know, and so we can work together closely, 48:46 involved together and so, we're just very happy, 48:49 God has just blessed us for just-- 48:51 I'm gonna say proud, can I say that 48:53 to be part of this ministry, 48:55 to be involved in God's work to be really on the frontlines. 48:58 We got a ministry that's on the go. 49:00 That's out there, it's just... 49:01 We talk about this often, we're so blessed 49:04 and so humbled to be here. 49:05 It's just incredible. 49:07 Well, I can tell you, I have been impressed for some time, 49:09 I really feel like you know, 49:12 as bad as we all hate to admit it, time is going on, 49:15 and we're not getting any younger and-- 49:17 Don't look at me. 49:19 No, I'm just talking to you. 49:21 Not thinking about you at all, over here but, 49:24 some of us aren't getting any younger. 49:26 But, we need leadership for tomorrow, 49:29 but you don't get leadership for tomorrow, 49:31 if they're not doing it today. 49:32 And so, what Greg and Jill have brought for so long, 49:36 in the spirituality, you guys and your literally 49:40 the abilities and gifts that God has given you to work 49:42 with people and to love people. 49:44 And the service, I've been impressed 49:46 for the last two or three years, 49:48 that you all, and as the Lord tells me 49:51 when or whatever happens, I would like... 49:52 for I'm saying publicly that for you all to be, 49:55 Greg you'll be president, vice president Jill, 49:57 because I believe God is leading that he set this up. 50:01 And that something, that I'm convinced, 50:03 I'm convinced there are lot of things in life, 50:06 and you know, I can't say everything that I'm impressed 50:08 about, it is of the Lord, nobody can do that, 50:11 but it surely has build a station to reach the world. 50:14 I believe that Greg and Jill are sent here 50:16 to take over this ministry because 50:18 they worked literally from the ground up. 50:20 There's nothing that they haven't done, 50:22 and they're here, they know this inside and out. 50:25 But they have this spiritual vision 50:27 to continue to make sure that... 50:31 I pass along the scene or whatever happens 50:34 that the undiluted Three Angels' Messages, 50:37 one would counteract to counterfeit 50:39 goes into all the world. 50:40 And so I'm convinced of your love for the message 50:43 that God has given us as a church 50:45 and a people and our mission here at 3ABN. 50:48 So, I'm so pleased to know that God has people, 50:53 you know, right where they need to be, 50:54 so this ministry is dependent on one person, 50:57 it never has been, 50:58 not dependent on two people or five people. 51:01 But It's dependent on all of us. 51:02 Those of us who work here, those of you at home, 51:05 because without you, we couldn't t do anything here, 51:07 I mean we could sit around and talk, 51:09 but to take the gospel to the world, 51:12 we thank you for your love and your prayers, 51:13 and financial support. 51:15 And we're asking that you pray and ask the Lord, 51:17 Lord what would you have me to do in support of 3ABN 51:21 financially, prayerfully, verbally by telling 51:24 your friends, becoming blessing on the go. 51:27 Evangelistic team members means you're monthly donors, 51:30 you get your certificate, then we send you a monthly tool, 51:33 whether it's preaching, teaching, music whatever, 51:36 so you can not only be nurtured yourself, 51:38 but then give it to your, friends, your neighbors. 51:41 And it's all about, to me, Yvonne, 51:43 it's preparation for Jesus to come back. 51:45 There has to be a latter rain experience 51:47 and why not start here? 51:49 Why not now? Why not where you are? 51:51 So, before that happens, we have to submit and commit 51:54 our lives to the Lord, 51:56 and we have to catch the vision 51:58 of take this gospel to the kingdom 51:59 into all the world, 52:01 before we can share with others. 52:02 Once we get it, once we accept it, 52:05 then when we speak, 52:07 you said, "Your mother changed," 52:09 Jesus says, "If I be lifted up will draw all men unto me." 52:12 You recognized Jesus coming out of your mother. 52:14 Didn't mean your mother was perfect from that day on, 52:17 but she caught it, 52:18 she caught that relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ 52:21 so, you know, 52:22 I thank you guys for what you do 52:24 and what we've seen in leadership 52:26 for so many years. 52:29 And I feel like 3ABN's is in good hands, 52:32 you know, even now because it's not like, I'm gonna do. 52:34 I love to have Greg and Jill in almost on any meetings 52:37 that we're having, business wise, 52:39 'cause I want you to see, 52:41 you know, what we do, and how we operate, 52:43 and how we deal with people, whether it's business, 52:46 whether it's on spiritual plain, 52:47 whatever and they come in, and he says, 52:50 "He likes to learn", but I can learn from him too. 52:52 And I learnt from both of them actually so. 52:54 Well, you know, the thought of is overwhelming 52:57 now to think about taking on, you know, more leadership, 52:58 but I know that God provides, you know, 53:01 whatever our needs are. 53:02 But I'm-- You know, I will pray though that 53:04 you live basically forever, you stay here forever 53:08 until the Lord Jesus Christ comes. 53:09 Yeah. 53:11 Well, even if the Lord tarries, 53:12 you know, at a certain age I feel like people 53:14 need to back away and let people live. 53:16 Because we don't always think straight, 53:18 and no one wants to tell us, you know, so we're already, 53:22 I'm telling you, I'm not gonna be one of those 53:23 who wants to hang on forever, 53:25 I'll be here as long as God gives me breath and health, 53:28 I'll be here to support you in every way I can, 53:30 and support the folk at home, 53:32 and not planning on going anywhere, 53:34 but hey it's not up to me. 53:35 We're going to go to newsbreak. 53:37 We'll be back in just a moment. |
Revised 2016-01-01