I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people.
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Hello, and
welcome to 3ABN Today.
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Thank you for joining us
as you do each and every day.
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My co-host today
is Dr. Yvonne Lewis.
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Hello, Yvonne.
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Hello, Danny. How are you doing?
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You got a word of wisdom,
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something good
for the folk here.
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Just stay tuned
and see what God does.
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We're gonna do something
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that Yvonne and I are
old enough to remember.
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Some of you at home may
be old enough to remember.
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There was an old
program what's it's called?
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What's my life?
This Is Your Life.
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This Is Your Life and--
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Why always say I'm old?
Well, I say we're old enough.
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I didn't say how old
you were, I just said,
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we are old enough to remember
this particular program.
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Well, that's
what we've been doing
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with some of the co-workers
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here at 3ABN
administrative team.
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We are going to
different couples and saying,
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"Hey, folk, know
you're from television
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and they've seen you
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but there are things
that the folks at home
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probably would like to
know that you've never told them
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or maybe never
had the opportunity."
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Because if you get, I'm
gonna introduce right now
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of course, Brian
and Diane Hamilton.
00:02:04.45\00:02:06.39
But like Brian when
he is sitting out there
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with John Lomacang and CA Murray
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and my brother Kenny and
myself and Shelley and Mollie,
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you have a hard time
getting any words in.
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So maybe you just
haven't had a chance to tell us
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some things that you would have
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but today, you guys, we
won't call it the hot seat
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but you are on the seat
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that we're gonna
explore a little bit, go back.
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And I think,
folks, it's really good
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when they see people, they
like to get to know these folk,
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tell me little
of their background
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and that's why
we started years ago
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trying to go into people's
background and their lives.
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And so today it's
good to have you here.
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You are the CFO of
course here at 3ABN.
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And, Diane, you work
in the, what's your--
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In the plan giving department.
Plan giving department, okay.
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One of the
secretaries. All right.
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Of course Yvonne is
Dare to Dream manager.
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So, we're glad that
all of you are here today.
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Before we actually
get into the interview,
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we're gonna find out a
lot about the Hamilton's here
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in just a few moments
and it's gonna be good stuff.
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And our prayer is
that you will be blessed,
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you will be
drawn closer to Jesus
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because in every
life I found this out,
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the older I get when
you look at somebody's life,
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there's things you can
learn, there's things that ever
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and we all have
things in common.
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We look at
somebody, Yvonne some--
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well, you look at Yvonne.
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I always tell
people that she looks like
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she is successful, doesn't she?
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I mean, we're
somewhere around people.
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I'll say, she looks like
she's got money don't you
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and peoples'
like, "Yeah, she does."
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Now she tells us it's not true.
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And I'll take her the words
but there are certain things
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you look at somebody
like Yvonne and you say,
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"Boy, but she
never had a problem.
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She would not know
what it's like to be hungry.
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She wouldn't know what it's like
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to not know where the
next dollar is coming from.
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She wouldn't know
what it's like to be sick.
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She, I can just tell,
they can tell by looking at you
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everything has just been
easy, Yvonne, all your life.
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Well, we tend to do that
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if you watch
somebody on television,
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well, this is to
say, you know what,
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we all learn
from peoples' lives.
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I can tell you when you
are on a frontline for Jesus
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especially everything is
not gonna be a bed of roses
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and barrel of fun
as we say all the time.
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But what we find out
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when we submit and
commit our lives to Jesus Christ
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guess what, what happens?
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We find victory
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and God brings us
through trials and tribulations
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and we actually
can grow closer to Him
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through these things.
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So the idea is not just
to talk about their past
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but hopefully and prayerfully
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you will be drawn
closer to the Lord
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by their testimony today.
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We are gonna be talking,
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before we go into
that though we got a song.
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And this is some of
our young, young kids
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that we've invited to
come here some time ago.
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We put together little CD called
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"It's A Beautiful World."
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And so the song on
this particular one
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that they are
singing for us today
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is entitled, "Heaven."
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Heaven such a beautiful place
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We'll see Jesus face to face
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All sorrow and
pain He will erase
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Heaven such a beautiful place
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Have you ever wondered
what heaven would be like?
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The Bible says in
1 Corinthians 2:9,
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"But as it is written,
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eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
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neither have entered
into the heart of man,
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the things which God
hath prepared for them
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that love Him."
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Heaven such a beautiful place
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We'll see Jesus face to face
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All sorrow and
pain He will erase
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Heaven such a beautiful place
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We have so much
beauty here on earth
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that we can behold.
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All the
beautiful lakes and springs
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and oceans filled
with all of the colorful
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and wondrous
creatures from the sea world
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to the highest
snowcapped mountains
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pointing towards
God's created heavens.
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And yet it
suddenly occurred to me
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why heaven is so
much more beautiful
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than this whole earth of ours.
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It's not just
about what heaven have
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is that makes it so wonderful,
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it's also about what
heaven does not have.
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But do you know
what's missing in heaven?
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It's sin. And why is
there no sin in heaven?
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Because Jesus is there.
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Imagine a place
where there is no sickness,
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no pain or death.
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I can't wait for
heaven, how about you?
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Heaven such a beautiful place
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We'll see Jesus face to face
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All sorrow and
pain He will erase
00:06:53.07\00:06:57.65
Heaven such a beautiful place
00:06:57.68\00:07:01.98
Heaven such a beautiful place
00:07:02.02\00:07:06.22
We'll see Jesus face to face
00:07:06.25\00:07:09.92
All sorrow and
pain He will erase
00:07:09.96\00:07:14.43
Heaven such a beautiful place
00:07:14.46\00:07:18.80
Heaven such a beautiful place
00:07:18.83\00:07:20.94
Heaven such a beautiful place
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I love that song.
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It's so happy and upbeat
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and the children just seem
like they are really into it.
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All the songs on that CD
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really
conceptualize different things
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and "Heaven" and
"Seven's The Perfect Number"
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and all these
great songs though.
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If you don't have that
CD, you need to get it,
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share it with somebody.
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Well, the title of this
little project is called
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"It's A Beautiful World."
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And so today our
interview with Brian and Diane,
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we're gonna find out
it's a beautiful world
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when God's in it, when
He is in control, right?
00:08:02.44\00:08:04.55
That's true. That's true.
00:08:04.58\00:08:05.91
And, so, let's
start back a little bit
00:08:05.95\00:08:07.58
and I think we should
start with ladies first.
00:08:07.62\00:08:09.55
So, Yvonne, I'm gonna
let you go in and ask Diane
00:08:09.58\00:08:12.69
because she is the one
that wants to talk the least
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so we might as well get her
opinion to begin with, right?
00:08:14.92\00:08:19.96
So, Diane,
where did you grow up?
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I grew up in
Ohio, so I'm a Buckeye.
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Okay.
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And where are you in the
birth order in your family?
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I'm the third one and
there were four of us,
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two boys, two girls.
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And was it a
Christian household?
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Yes.
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We were blessed
tohave a Christian home
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and it was a...
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loving home and very
committed to the Lord
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and committed to
Christian education
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and my parents
really gave of themselves
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to provide for that and...
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Seventh-day Adventist?
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:09:01.44\00:09:03.61
Okay, now how did they
become Seventh-day Adventist?
00:09:03.64\00:09:06.81
Well, dad and his family,
00:09:06.84\00:09:09.81
he was raised in a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:09:09.84\00:09:12.85
and then my mother
she became an Adventist
00:09:12.88\00:09:16.75
when she was a teenager.
00:09:16.79\00:09:18.49
Okay.
00:09:18.52\00:09:19.85
Was it a colporteur
or someone that brought--
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Right, the colporteur
brought a book to their home
00:09:21.26\00:09:24.36
and her and her two sisters
and her mother became Adventist
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and they were the
only ones in the family
00:09:29.60\00:09:31.70
and the family
was like older kids
00:09:31.73\00:09:35.94
and then a second group
of kids came along later
00:09:35.97\00:09:38.97
and my mom was
in the second group.
00:09:39.01\00:09:42.28
So that put a bonding with them
00:09:42.31\00:09:45.45
because of their beliefs and so.
00:09:45.48\00:09:48.95
Diane's mom went to Oak...
00:09:48.98\00:09:52.55
Oak Park. Oak
Park Academy in Iowa.
00:09:52.59\00:09:55.72
And my mom and my dad
went to Oak Park Academy
00:09:55.76\00:09:59.19
at the same time.
00:09:59.23\00:10:00.56
Oh, really? Yeah.
00:10:00.60\00:10:01.96
And then your mom
and dad met at Andrews
00:10:02.00\00:10:07.47
and we met at Andrews.
00:10:07.50\00:10:11.41
So it's kind of
interesting how that worked.
00:10:11.44\00:10:13.91
Absolutely.
00:10:13.94\00:10:15.41
When you were growing up,
00:10:15.44\00:10:16.78
did you have
dreams and aspirations of,
00:10:16.81\00:10:19.71
you know, what you wanted
to be when you became an adult?
00:10:19.75\00:10:23.59
No, I just kind of went along.
Just took one day at a time.
00:10:23.62\00:10:27.19
One day at a time, yeah.
00:10:27.22\00:10:30.23
Sometimes when
you grow up Adventist,
00:10:30.26\00:10:33.13
you kind of take
things for granted
00:10:33.16\00:10:35.53
and you just kind of
settle into the routine
00:10:35.56\00:10:38.73
of Adventism versus, you
know, really being rooted.
00:10:38.77\00:10:42.87
Which were you?
00:10:42.90\00:10:44.24
Where you into the routine
or were you really rooted?
00:10:44.27\00:10:49.31
I would say, you
know, into the routine
00:10:49.34\00:10:51.75
but then, but rooted too.
00:10:51.78\00:10:56.58
I didn't have any big
fluctuations in my life,
00:10:56.62\00:11:00.16
just very even.
00:11:00.19\00:11:01.52
You never went out and said,
00:11:01.56\00:11:02.89
"I don't think I
had it with church,
00:11:02.92\00:11:04.26
I had it with the Lord
and go out try something."
00:11:04.29\00:11:05.83
No. I loved the Lord all along.
00:11:05.86\00:11:07.73
You know, when I
was little I would,
00:11:07.76\00:11:10.73
I fought tears a lot
and being anything religious
00:11:10.77\00:11:16.94
and I'm
fighting tears, you know.
00:11:16.97\00:11:20.68
And I had to pray my
way through all of that and,
00:11:20.71\00:11:24.91
yeah, I was very
close to the Lord
00:11:24.95\00:11:27.38
throughout my life.
00:11:27.42\00:11:29.68
Yeah.
00:11:29.72\00:11:31.05
Her folks were always,
00:11:31.09\00:11:32.42
and family were
always active in the church.
00:11:32.45\00:11:34.62
Very active and
whatever the church,
00:11:34.66\00:11:37.03
local church was
doing, they were part of it.
00:11:37.06\00:11:39.66
There was an activity going
on, the whole family was there.
00:11:39.69\00:11:42.66
They were that kind of family.
00:11:42.70\00:11:45.17
That was back in the day
00:11:45.20\00:11:46.77
that when you
would go to vespers,
00:11:46.80\00:11:49.94
Friday night vespers.
00:11:49.97\00:11:52.71
You would have your hair
already done and curlers.
00:11:52.74\00:11:58.98
My sister and I would go
to vespers with our curlers
00:11:59.01\00:12:04.35
and a scarf over it.
00:12:04.39\00:12:06.29
Oh, yeah. Okay.
00:12:06.32\00:12:07.72
In preparation for the
next day for Sabbath, right?
00:12:07.76\00:12:10.49
For Sabbath, right. Yeah.
00:12:10.53\00:12:13.26
So anyway,
00:12:13.29\00:12:15.06
fortunately we don't
have to do that anymore.
00:12:15.10\00:12:18.13
When I met her
it was juice cans,
00:12:18.17\00:12:20.70
I mean big curlers. Oh, wow.
00:12:20.74\00:12:22.47
She had long
hair. Yeah, long hair.
00:12:22.50\00:12:23.84
She must've had long hair.
00:12:23.87\00:12:26.17
I'm thinking in little bit,
00:12:26.21\00:12:27.54
we're gonna get
some pictures of them
00:12:27.58\00:12:28.91
so whenever you want some up--
00:12:28.94\00:12:30.28
Well, maybe this be a good
time to show Diane's family
00:12:30.31\00:12:32.58
so people could see
what they look like.
00:12:32.61\00:12:35.38
And, Diane, which one are you?
00:12:35.42\00:12:37.25
I'm--
00:12:37.29\00:12:38.79
On the left, right?
Yeah, on the left and.
00:12:38.82\00:12:41.32
Some people might not know
00:12:41.36\00:12:42.69
but the little one on the right,
00:12:42.72\00:12:44.06
the little girl on the right
is our cook for camp meeting.
00:12:44.09\00:12:46.80
Oh, is that? Right.
Well, she good one too.
00:12:46.83\00:12:49.36
Yes, she is. Wow. Okay.
00:12:49.40\00:12:51.73
Two brothers, mom and dad.
00:12:51.77\00:12:53.87
We were a poor family
00:12:53.90\00:12:57.37
and my parents just
really sacrificed a lot
00:12:57.41\00:13:00.64
to wouldn't they--
00:13:00.68\00:13:04.31
they built their own home
00:13:04.35\00:13:05.98
and that we
were on the sub floor
00:13:06.01\00:13:08.58
and as kids, it
didn't matter to us.
00:13:08.62\00:13:11.12
And one time,
00:13:11.15\00:13:12.49
my mother reared back
in her chair at the table
00:13:12.52\00:13:16.66
because somebody had
not talked properly to her
00:13:16.69\00:13:20.96
and she was gonna discipline
00:13:21.00\00:13:24.40
and her chair leg went
down into the hole of a--
00:13:24.43\00:13:27.80
a knot hole of the floor,
00:13:27.84\00:13:29.44
you know, and so
that kind of ended
00:13:29.47\00:13:33.11
that little
discipline because...
00:13:33.14\00:13:34.74
Oh, somebody's
prayer was answered.
00:13:34.78\00:13:36.75
Yeah.
00:13:36.78\00:13:39.71
One of them did
say, "Thank you, Lord."
00:13:39.75\00:13:41.82
She lost her balance
00:13:41.85\00:13:43.22
and of course it
was a big laugh and--
00:13:43.25\00:13:45.79
Yeah.
00:13:45.82\00:13:47.16
Well, let's talk about
that for a minute discipline,
00:13:47.19\00:13:49.29
because apparently you
folks did something right
00:13:49.32\00:13:52.56
because very few
people would just say,
00:13:52.59\00:13:54.90
I always loved the
Lord. I hung in there.
00:13:54.93\00:13:57.07
I just never really
wanted to go out in the world.
00:13:57.10\00:13:59.43
So you saw parents living
00:13:59.47\00:14:03.37
what they were
teaching you obviously.
00:14:03.41\00:14:05.11
Right.
00:14:05.14\00:14:06.47
But what kind of
discipline was in your home?
00:14:06.51\00:14:09.34
Well, we were taught
to obey and we obeyed.
00:14:09.38\00:14:14.05
We knew that if they said,
00:14:14.08\00:14:15.82
"okay, it's time to go" we went.
00:14:15.85\00:14:18.79
Even your brothers? Yeah.
00:14:18.82\00:14:20.76
Even them, okay. They
didn't try it something.
00:14:20.79\00:14:23.06
I mean, you know,
00:14:23.09\00:14:24.66
and my personality
was just very easy going.
00:14:24.69\00:14:27.96
And so, you know, every
kid is different than...
00:14:28.00\00:14:31.63
And never used to
switch or rebel or anything?
00:14:31.67\00:14:33.74
Oh, yeah. Oh,
yeah. Oh, they did. Okay.
00:14:33.77\00:14:37.11
Oh, yeah. From time to time.
00:14:37.14\00:14:41.54
It didn't hurt us at
all. It was a God sent.
00:14:41.58\00:14:44.48
I appreciate my
parents were conservative
00:14:44.51\00:14:48.42
and they were careful
especially with their daughters
00:14:48.45\00:14:54.26
and I appreciate that because
they don't have any of the--
00:14:54.29\00:14:57.83
some of the issues
that other little girls had
00:14:57.86\00:15:01.56
because they
weren't carefully guarded.
00:15:01.60\00:15:06.50
So I was blessed.
Yeah. Yes, for sure.
00:15:06.53\00:15:10.24
So how did your
parents obviously
00:15:10.27\00:15:14.01
set a really
good example for you?
00:15:14.04\00:15:16.98
How did they, how did that
play out on a day to day basis?
00:15:17.01\00:15:21.08
Did you have
family worship? Yes.
00:15:21.12\00:15:23.22
But how did they
worked together as a team
00:15:23.25\00:15:26.55
to bring up their children?
00:15:26.59\00:15:28.49
Well, we knew
that if dad said, no,
00:15:28.52\00:15:31.73
we didn't go to mom
and ask her, we knew that.
00:15:31.76\00:15:36.50
So they were
united in their words
00:15:36.53\00:15:41.60
and there was no fighting
in the home between them,
00:15:41.64\00:15:46.24
fighting among the kids, yeah.
00:15:46.27\00:15:48.78
We were kind of
normal that way but it was,
00:15:48.81\00:15:54.45
I was just very
blessed, very, very blessed.
00:15:54.48\00:15:58.22
Well, apparently my folks
went to school with your folks
00:15:58.25\00:16:01.22
because that's the
way they dealt with it.
00:16:01.26\00:16:02.76
The discipline and they never
argued among each themselves.
00:16:02.79\00:16:07.10
I'm sure they must
have had disagreements
00:16:07.13\00:16:09.20
when we were around
but we knew as a kids
00:16:09.23\00:16:11.63
that you don't ask one parent
to do something they say no
00:16:11.67\00:16:14.70
and go to the another one
00:16:14.74\00:16:16.07
because that would
turn around and bite you
00:16:16.10\00:16:17.54
and so you knew
better than to do that.
00:16:17.57\00:16:21.88
So parental training
00:16:21.91\00:16:24.11
and the education
through worship and prayer
00:16:24.15\00:16:29.85
and then
consistently going to church.
00:16:29.88\00:16:31.99
Yeah. Yeah. Very
committed to the church.
00:16:32.02\00:16:34.82
Our church was amazing too.
00:16:34.86\00:16:37.99
It was a very
family oriented church
00:16:38.03\00:16:41.73
and it was not segregated well.
00:16:41.76\00:16:45.97
Well, the youth are
playing games tonight
00:16:46.00\00:16:48.54
and the teenagers this
and the little kids this,
00:16:48.57\00:16:52.34
it was family.
00:16:52.37\00:16:53.71
It was so awesome. Okay.
00:16:53.74\00:16:55.48
And every Saturday night
was get together and play games.
00:16:55.51\00:17:01.98
And they had ping-pong
table and I could remember,
00:17:02.02\00:17:05.52
I was on the team
with my dad or whoever.
00:17:05.55\00:17:09.02
And then other little
kids would be with their,
00:17:09.06\00:17:12.33
you know, so there
been adult and the kid
00:17:12.36\00:17:15.43
and we play teams and
it just was really amazing
00:17:15.46\00:17:19.73
how bonding it
was for the church.
00:17:19.77\00:17:23.67
And it was like
wow, this is so neat.
00:17:23.71\00:17:26.88
And I didn't realize
how neat it was until later
00:17:26.91\00:17:29.88
when we had our own kids
00:17:29.91\00:17:31.48
and no longer did
they do that as a family.
00:17:31.51\00:17:35.38
It was like, oh, it's
teenagers' night tonight
00:17:35.42\00:17:38.52
to play bowl and whatever.
00:17:38.55\00:17:40.82
But we had just a very awesome,
00:17:40.86\00:17:44.66
every Saturday night
it was something special.
00:17:44.69\00:17:47.50
Something to
look forward to. Yeah.
00:17:47.53\00:17:49.53
And so of course, we had
to go home and take a nap
00:17:49.56\00:17:53.07
so that we can, you
know, not be grumpy.
00:17:53.10\00:17:56.00
Yeah, absolutely.
00:17:56.04\00:17:57.51
See now it was
Worthington because--
00:17:57.54\00:17:59.17
No, it was
Columbus. Columbus, okay.
00:17:59.21\00:18:00.71
Columbus.
00:18:00.74\00:18:02.48
All right, well,
Brian, let's talk about you.
00:18:02.51\00:18:04.55
Now where were
you born and raised?
00:18:04.58\00:18:06.25
Okay, well, I was born
in Walla Walla, Washington.
00:18:06.28\00:18:09.25
They liked the name so
well, they named it twice.
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.62
You see, Walla Walla.
00:18:11.65\00:18:14.92
You lived there
till you were how old?
00:18:14.96\00:18:16.79
Well, my folks we
went to the mission field
00:18:16.83\00:18:19.59
when I was three.
00:18:19.63\00:18:20.96
Oh, wow.
00:18:21.00\00:18:22.33
And came back I
was just about 10.
00:18:22.36\00:18:25.33
We had a six and half
year term in mission field.
00:18:25.37\00:18:29.00
And so my father was a principal
00:18:29.04\00:18:32.21
and my mother was a
nurse and taught nursing
00:18:32.24\00:18:35.08
and I was a missionary kid.
00:18:35.11\00:18:37.65
What are the
languages do you speak?
00:18:37.68\00:18:39.41
Well, we spoke Urdu was
the language in Pakistan
00:18:39.45\00:18:44.35
and as kids learned it,
00:18:44.39\00:18:45.85
in fact we can speak
it better than our folks.
00:18:45.89\00:18:48.06
Our folks really never,
00:18:48.09\00:18:50.06
they learned a few
words here and there
00:18:50.09\00:18:51.59
but as kids we
were quite fluent.
00:18:51.63\00:18:54.50
And when we got,
came back to the States
00:18:54.53\00:18:58.93
then dad would take
us from church to church
00:18:58.97\00:19:01.94
doing mission stories, you know,
00:19:01.97\00:19:03.67
and we had to get up and sing,
00:19:03.71\00:19:05.67
Jesus Loves Me and
This Little Light Of Mine
00:19:05.71\00:19:07.41
and songs like that in Urdu.
00:19:07.44\00:19:09.41
I was so happy to
forget Urdu and I don't know,
00:19:09.44\00:19:13.28
I don't have a word of it today.
00:19:13.31\00:19:15.12
You know, it's God.
00:19:15.15\00:19:16.69
But, you know, we
just heard he sings.
00:19:16.72\00:19:19.62
We didn't know
that you were a singer.
00:19:19.65\00:19:20.99
The three of us here,
well, it's just a joyful noise
00:19:21.02\00:19:23.02
unto the Lord, okay.
00:19:23.06\00:19:24.43
You said as kids,
how many, how many?
00:19:24.46\00:19:26.16
Okay, I have an older
brother and a younger brother.
00:19:26.19\00:19:30.93
And I think I
have a couple pictures
00:19:30.97\00:19:33.44
one of my mom and my dad.
00:19:33.47\00:19:36.04
Mom was graduated
from nursing there
00:19:36.07\00:19:38.94
and then the next
one is of our family.
00:19:38.97\00:19:42.01
And that was taken just,
00:19:42.04\00:19:46.38
either just after we
got back to the States
00:19:46.41\00:19:48.52
or just before we got back.
00:19:48.55\00:19:49.98
I don't know which.
Now which one are you?
00:19:50.02\00:19:52.55
I'm the one in the
middle and little brother Doug
00:19:52.59\00:19:56.26
and my older brother
Robert and my mom and my dad.
00:19:56.29\00:20:00.00
All right.
Absolutely. That was our family.
00:20:00.03\00:20:03.47
So you came, they came back
00:20:03.50\00:20:04.87
and then what did
he once he came back?
00:20:04.90\00:20:06.87
Now he was principal at--
00:20:06.90\00:20:09.30
Well, he finished
the master's degree
00:20:09.34\00:20:11.01
and then in Portland, Oregon
00:20:11.04\00:20:12.87
he was a
principal of academy there
00:20:12.91\00:20:14.61
and he was in education,
00:20:14.64\00:20:16.04
public school education
most all the rest of his life.
00:20:16.08\00:20:18.81
He's passed away.
00:20:18.85\00:20:20.18
So you kind of grew
up on the west coast?
00:20:20.22\00:20:21.58
Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
00:20:21.62\00:20:22.95
Except for that six year
period in the mission field.
00:20:22.98\00:20:26.12
Yeah.
00:20:26.15\00:20:27.52
One of the
things that, you know,
00:20:27.56\00:20:29.22
as we are talking about
our life and our family,
00:20:29.26\00:20:33.03
one of the things
that I hope come through
00:20:33.06\00:20:35.60
is we both were modeled service.
00:20:35.63\00:20:40.70
A life of service for God. Okay.
00:20:40.74\00:20:42.94
You know, what
Diane and her folks,
00:20:42.97\00:20:45.51
they were active in
their local church in service.
00:20:45.54\00:20:48.28
And so, the whole
family was involved
00:20:48.31\00:20:50.35
in whatever the local
church was doing in service.
00:20:50.38\00:20:53.58
And then for me, I mean,
it was, I was excited as a kid
00:20:53.62\00:20:58.95
and proud to be
a part of a family
00:20:58.99\00:21:01.29
that was going
to a mission land.
00:21:01.32\00:21:03.66
You know, you would
sing in Sabbath school,
00:21:03.69\00:21:05.93
you know, about
being in mission,
00:21:05.96\00:21:07.30
you know, mission boat
or mission plane or whatever
00:21:07.33\00:21:10.73
and that's what we were about.
00:21:10.77\00:21:13.20
And so even though
they didn't have to teach us
00:21:13.23\00:21:17.11
about service,
their life was service.
00:21:17.14\00:21:21.84
And so then we
caught, at least I did,
00:21:21.88\00:21:24.48
I caught this idea of service,
00:21:24.51\00:21:26.98
you know, through
our mission experience.
00:21:27.02\00:21:30.32
And as a child too,
I'm much like Diane.
00:21:30.35\00:21:34.66
I love the Lord,
grew up on Bible stories
00:21:34.69\00:21:38.59
and Uncle
Arthur's Bedtime Stories
00:21:38.63\00:21:41.40
and Benny the
Beaver and Humpy the Moose
00:21:41.43\00:21:44.47
and, you know,
all those little books
00:21:44.50\00:21:46.33
that they had for kids that
are part of the reading plan,
00:21:46.37\00:21:49.54
you know, for youth.
00:21:49.57\00:21:52.14
And so it was neat.
00:21:52.17\00:21:54.81
You had a very
good loving family life.
00:21:54.84\00:21:58.28
Yes, we did.
00:21:58.31\00:21:59.91
Although, you know,
we also had tragedy.
00:21:59.95\00:22:04.05
My folks spilt up a few years
00:22:04.09\00:22:07.19
after coming to
the United States
00:22:07.22\00:22:09.72
and that was, that was
a very painful experience
00:22:09.76\00:22:14.83
to go through as a--
00:22:14.86\00:22:16.83
I was about nine or
ten about that time.
00:22:16.87\00:22:19.10
Ten, ten-years-old. Okay.
00:22:19.13\00:22:21.07
Ten or eleven.
00:22:21.10\00:22:22.44
And I learned from
that, that, you know,
00:22:22.47\00:22:27.54
even if you are
involved in the Lord's work,
00:22:27.58\00:22:31.58
it doesn't mean that you
aren't free from temptation
00:22:31.61\00:22:35.35
or free from tragic experiences,
00:22:35.38\00:22:38.45
you know, they come your way.
00:22:38.49\00:22:41.09
And for me as I
went through that
00:22:41.12\00:22:45.19
and experiences later on,
00:22:45.23\00:22:48.26
I began to see that
there is a bigger picture
00:22:48.30\00:22:51.30
that when you go
through a particular tragedy
00:22:51.33\00:22:53.94
in your life,
that's not the end of it.
00:22:53.97\00:22:56.81
I mean, there is
something more beyond.
00:22:56.84\00:22:59.41
You know, there is
life beyond that tragedy.
00:22:59.44\00:23:01.98
And so, you have the
choice of do you take it
00:23:02.01\00:23:05.18
and embrace it and hug
it the tragedy and fondle it
00:23:05.21\00:23:09.62
and continue bringing it back,
00:23:09.65\00:23:11.69
and if so, then you
are always bound by it.
00:23:11.72\00:23:14.82
Or do you say, okay, Lord,
you know, you cry, you weep,
00:23:14.86\00:23:19.49
you mourn and
then you go on and see
00:23:19.53\00:23:22.46
what does the
Lord have for me to do.
00:23:22.50\00:23:24.50
And so that was,
00:23:24.53\00:23:26.63
that was part of a
difficult time in our lives
00:23:26.67\00:23:30.94
to go through that experience.
00:23:30.97\00:23:32.31
So I ended up with
mom and my younger brother
00:23:32.34\00:23:35.21
and my older brother
ended up with my dad.
00:23:35.24\00:23:37.68
And then our family
spilt a little bit there
00:23:37.71\00:23:41.28
for many years.
00:23:41.32\00:23:42.85
So did you go to academy
then when you get little older?
00:23:42.88\00:23:45.39
Yeah. I went to Auburn Academy.
00:23:45.42\00:23:48.09
Okay. And was
there for three years.
00:23:48.12\00:23:52.73
Diane went to
Mount Vernon Academy
00:23:52.76\00:23:55.80
and one year or part of
one year to Indiana Academy.
00:23:55.83\00:24:00.27
Okay. Yeah.
00:24:00.30\00:24:03.30
My mom remarried
about five, six years later
00:24:03.34\00:24:08.28
and she married McNeilus.
00:24:08.31\00:24:11.11
Okay.
00:24:11.15\00:24:12.48
In fact, there is
00:24:12.51\00:24:13.85
that Garwin
McNeilus is my stepbrother.
00:24:13.88\00:24:18.89
Okay.
00:24:18.92\00:24:20.39
Here we have a picture of
my stepfather and my mother
00:24:20.42\00:24:23.36
just shortly
after they were married.
00:24:23.39\00:24:24.99
And this was
Garwin McNeilus' father.
00:24:25.03\00:24:28.86
So his name was Linden McNeilus.
00:24:28.90\00:24:31.40
And that marriage
drew me out to Minnesota.
00:24:31.43\00:24:36.57
Oh, wow. From
the west coast to--
00:24:36.60\00:24:38.37
To Minnesota.
00:24:38.41\00:24:39.74
Nice weather to going up
to cold in the winter time.
00:24:39.77\00:24:41.94
Oh, yes. That was dramatic.
That was cultural shock.
00:24:41.98\00:24:47.08
But I spent a fun
summer I have to say,
00:24:47.12\00:24:49.65
a fun summer
helping to build a house
00:24:49.68\00:24:52.05
that they lived in
for all their life.
00:24:52.09\00:24:55.19
And so that was
good experience for me.
00:24:55.22\00:24:59.66
I liked building and in fact
00:24:59.69\00:25:02.26
that's what I thought I
would become as a contractor,
00:25:02.30\00:25:05.20
you know, building or carpenter
or something like that.
00:25:05.23\00:25:08.10
And I went to
college to find a wife,
00:25:08.14\00:25:12.81
not to get an education.
00:25:12.84\00:25:14.84
And then I was
going to be a contractor.
00:25:14.88\00:25:17.55
Well, we used to
have fun about it.
00:25:17.58\00:25:18.91
You know, people
don't say what they go for.
00:25:18.95\00:25:20.28
There was a mission, you know.
00:25:20.32\00:25:24.12
And he had the Andrews
book that had all the pictures
00:25:24.15\00:25:28.86
and he had all the girls
he went to try out, circled.
00:25:28.89\00:25:32.69
Yeah. Yellow marker.
00:25:32.73\00:25:34.30
I went very
systematic about this thing.
00:25:34.33\00:25:36.50
Starting with A's
and work my way through.
00:25:36.53\00:25:37.87
Well, then can you
just might as well tell us
00:25:37.90\00:25:39.63
how did you get Diane
00:25:39.67\00:25:41.00
and then how did
she work into all this?
00:25:41.04\00:25:43.10
I was the last one.
Yeah, it took two tries.
00:25:43.14\00:25:45.47
I'll have to say that
one. Oh, it took two tries.
00:25:45.51\00:25:47.41
She was marked under.
00:25:47.44\00:25:48.78
Yeah, she was
marked under, absolutely.
00:25:48.81\00:25:51.85
Well, you got to
dare to dream, right?
00:25:51.88\00:25:53.21
That's right. Dare to dream.
00:25:53.25\00:25:56.28
And I made one
attempt to plan the date
00:25:56.32\00:26:00.99
and she was
already dating somebody.
00:26:01.02\00:26:03.53
And so it took me about
a year later to get around
00:26:03.56\00:26:06.46
and muster up a
second try at that.
00:26:06.49\00:26:10.23
And this time it
worked. This time she said, yes.
00:26:10.27\00:26:14.24
So what do you think about Brian
00:26:14.27\00:26:16.00
when you first saw him?
00:26:16.04\00:26:17.77
Oh, I thought he was cute.
00:26:17.81\00:26:22.14
Good answer. Did
he turn on the charm?
00:26:22.18\00:26:25.68
Well, you know,
he made some comment.
00:26:25.71\00:26:28.18
We had eaten lunch
together or something.
00:26:28.22\00:26:30.79
He walked me back to the
dorm and said something about,
00:26:30.82\00:26:35.49
"You know, I don't
mean to be in your face.
00:26:35.52\00:26:37.53
You know, if you are not
interested, that's fine."
00:26:37.56\00:26:39.76
I said, yeah,
I'm not interested.
00:26:39.79\00:26:42.23
And he didn't hear it.
He is selective hearing.
00:26:42.26\00:26:44.80
It went over, it went over,
thank goodness, it went over.
00:26:44.83\00:26:48.20
I would have been
devastated otherwise.
00:26:48.24\00:26:49.87
Yes. Yes. Yeah.
00:26:49.90\00:26:53.34
That was very deliberate.
So tell her that's the story.
00:26:53.38\00:26:55.61
Yeah, it was, was.
We got to hear the rest.
00:26:55.64\00:26:58.31
He asked, you know, so--
00:26:58.35\00:27:00.42
Well, she went back to
her dorm and told her sister
00:27:00.45\00:27:03.89
what she had said to me.
00:27:03.92\00:27:05.59
And the sister
got all over for it
00:27:05.62\00:27:07.92
or for that, you know.
00:27:07.96\00:27:09.42
Thank goodness, so Anita has
always been my ally, you know.
00:27:09.46\00:27:14.03
And so, because I
didn't hear it, I asked again.
00:27:14.06\00:27:18.40
I was thinking
anything was wrong, you know.
00:27:18.43\00:27:20.84
And so then she--
00:27:20.87\00:27:22.20
So why did you say,
yes, now, the next time?
00:27:22.24\00:27:24.54
Well, when I went
back into the dorm,
00:27:24.57\00:27:26.94
you know, I
said, "Oh, I don't know
00:27:26.98\00:27:28.48
if I really think that or not."
00:27:28.51\00:27:31.81
And so she was
willing to give another try.
00:27:31.85\00:27:34.55
Okay. What year was this?
00:27:34.58\00:27:37.32
In school, I mean,
freshman, sophomore?
00:27:37.35\00:27:39.12
Seventy three,
seventy four, seventy three.
00:27:39.15\00:27:41.72
We married in
'75, probably been '70.
00:27:41.76\00:27:45.53
We've dated for two years. Okay.
00:27:45.56\00:27:48.46
All right, so--
00:27:48.50\00:27:49.96
There is a picture coming
up I think of our wedding.
00:27:50.00\00:27:54.27
Wedding.
00:27:54.30\00:27:55.64
You can see Diane
with her long hair
00:27:55.67\00:27:57.24
and I actually had
hair. Yeah. Yes, I see there.
00:27:57.27\00:28:01.04
Sideburns. Sideburns.
00:28:01.08\00:28:02.71
Where was that? Was
that up in Andrews area or?
00:28:02.74\00:28:05.08
No, that was in
Ohio. Ohio, okay.
00:28:05.11\00:28:08.02
Lovely couple. Yeah, absolutely.
00:28:08.05\00:28:11.89
That was, that was for our life.
00:28:11.92\00:28:14.56
Were you out of college by then?
00:28:14.59\00:28:16.56
I had quit because
I had who I wanted.
00:28:16.59\00:28:19.76
I had quit--
00:28:19.79\00:28:21.13
He had accomplished his mission.
00:28:21.16\00:28:22.50
Yeah, three years
under my belt and I quit.
00:28:22.53\00:28:25.13
Everybody told me I was nuts
00:28:25.17\00:28:27.20
and I was
foolish for doing that,
00:28:27.24\00:28:29.30
but I had what I wanted
00:28:29.34\00:28:31.97
and I went and started my work.
00:28:32.01\00:28:35.71
I was installed
carpet in vinyl floors,
00:28:35.74\00:28:39.05
I learned that trade.
00:28:39.08\00:28:40.72
And that was and
Linden McNeilus helped me
00:28:40.75\00:28:44.75
buy my first pickup.
00:28:44.79\00:28:46.86
He made tools to get going
00:28:46.89\00:28:49.06
and I dropped out by January
and we got married in June.
00:28:49.09\00:28:54.56
And I had enough business going.
00:28:54.60\00:28:55.93
And, Diane, what
was you thinking?
00:28:55.96\00:28:57.83
He quit college on
you and you went ahead,
00:28:57.87\00:28:59.83
you married him anyway, right?
00:28:59.87\00:29:01.20
Oh, yeah, yeah. But I finished.
00:29:01.24\00:29:03.44
I took two years to
finish my senior year,
00:29:03.47\00:29:07.81
so I could just
kind of take it easy
00:29:07.84\00:29:10.18
and not be fulltime
student and married too so.
00:29:10.21\00:29:15.85
Yeah.
00:29:15.88\00:29:17.22
And we walked home or drove home
00:29:17.25\00:29:19.35
from her graduation
ceremony service on Sunday
00:29:19.39\00:29:23.22
and I got a phone
call from a little mill,
00:29:23.26\00:29:27.66
Adelphian Mill that was
connected with our academy
00:29:27.70\00:29:30.97
in Flint area, Michigan.
00:29:31.00\00:29:33.84
They were needing an
accountant and they had somehow,
00:29:33.87\00:29:36.54
I think I left a
resume at the school
00:29:36.57\00:29:39.27
in one of the offices
there that they help kids,
00:29:39.31\00:29:44.75
students get there good
jobs and I had a resume there
00:29:44.78\00:29:47.98
and they got it.
00:29:48.02\00:29:49.68
I got this call out of the blue.
00:29:49.72\00:29:52.05
So that started us on a
whole different adventure.
00:29:52.09\00:29:55.46
I went from running a hammer
00:29:55.49\00:29:57.36
to try and to learn
to run a calculator.
00:29:57.39\00:30:00.16
And, boy, was
that ever embarrassing.
00:30:00.20\00:30:02.96
You go into an office
00:30:03.00\00:30:04.33
and these women
can type like storm,
00:30:04.37\00:30:06.37
you know, and run the calculator
00:30:06.40\00:30:07.84
and I'm sitting there
00:30:07.87\00:30:09.77
because, you know, I
just never learned it.
00:30:09.80\00:30:12.44
In school you
learn all the accounting
00:30:12.47\00:30:14.11
and you write it,
00:30:14.14\00:30:15.48
you just don't run
the machines, you know.
00:30:15.51\00:30:17.58
And anyway,
00:30:17.61\00:30:18.95
so that was our
first big adventure
00:30:18.98\00:30:21.08
in service together was
working at Adelphian Academy
00:30:21.12\00:30:26.42
at the little factory there
and I was their accountant.
00:30:26.45\00:30:29.92
How long after you were married
did you have to move into that?
00:30:29.96\00:30:33.09
Did you move? Did you relocate?
00:30:33.13\00:30:34.63
Yeah, that was two years in,
00:30:34.66\00:30:37.43
took Diane two
years to finish her school
00:30:37.47\00:30:40.84
and then we moved to Flint.
00:30:40.87\00:30:43.34
And we were there,
00:30:43.37\00:30:44.71
that's where our
children were born.
00:30:44.74\00:30:46.07
Yeah, both boys were born there.
00:30:46.11\00:30:48.74
Really, in Flint? Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:48.78\00:30:50.51
We have a picture
of your family too
00:30:50.55\00:30:51.88
with your boys.
00:30:51.91\00:30:53.25
Yeah, that was when Brian
decided to go back to seminary.
00:30:53.28\00:30:57.85
Well, yeah, and I
finished my business degree--
00:30:57.89\00:31:00.26
Oh, you did go back to school.
00:31:00.29\00:31:01.76
Yeah, after four
years went back to school.
00:31:01.79\00:31:04.43
That was much more expensive.
00:31:04.46\00:31:06.66
There wasn't parents helping me
00:31:06.70\00:31:08.26
because now we were on our own.
00:31:08.30\00:31:10.57
We had two kids.
00:31:10.60\00:31:11.93
We had two kids but
we did it and the Lord--
00:31:11.97\00:31:14.90
And why after doing
that why did you go back now
00:31:14.94\00:31:18.01
to go to the seminary?
00:31:18.04\00:31:21.48
Well, you know, when we were in,
00:31:21.51\00:31:24.41
we lived in Holly
which is right close to Flint
00:31:24.45\00:31:27.05
and we were active in the church
00:31:27.08\00:31:28.88
just like our folks
were active in the church.
00:31:28.92\00:31:31.45
We started being active
00:31:31.49\00:31:33.59
and I was Sabbath school teacher
00:31:33.62\00:31:35.82
for kids department
00:31:35.86\00:31:37.19
and then deacon
and then an elder
00:31:37.23\00:31:39.73
and then they asked me to
speak upfront for a Sabbath.
00:31:39.76\00:31:44.27
And that was scary
00:31:44.30\00:31:45.77
because I wasn't much
on outgoing side of things
00:31:45.80\00:31:50.91
and this put you up in
front of people and speaking,
00:31:50.94\00:31:53.48
you know, that was
scary, but I did it.
00:31:53.51\00:31:56.75
The Lord helped
me and I don't know
00:31:56.78\00:31:59.05
if I was good or not good
00:31:59.08\00:32:00.42
but at least I
crossed that threshold
00:32:00.45\00:32:03.92
and after doing that a
haunting whisper of the Lord
00:32:03.95\00:32:10.26
that maybe He had a role for me
00:32:10.29\00:32:12.89
either pastoral or
something in the church.
00:32:12.93\00:32:16.77
However you have
felt pastoral before.
00:32:16.80\00:32:19.80
Yeah.
00:32:19.83\00:32:21.17
But I was just too frightened
to be upfront of people.
00:32:21.20\00:32:24.07
That was just too intimidating
for me at that point.
00:32:24.11\00:32:27.74
In fact, going back that
summer I spent in Minnesota
00:32:27.78\00:32:31.51
with the
McNeilus and my mom there.
00:32:31.55\00:32:34.85
My stepfather since I was,
00:32:34.88\00:32:37.32
he thought I
would be a good pastor
00:32:37.35\00:32:39.55
and I should go and
do sales work for him.
00:32:39.59\00:32:41.89
Oh, okay.
00:32:41.92\00:32:43.26
And I was supposed to go
and do the sales for him.
00:32:43.29\00:32:46.23
I couldn't do it.
00:32:46.26\00:32:47.60
I spent one morning doing
it, came back and told him,
00:32:47.63\00:32:49.93
I'm sorry.
00:32:49.96\00:32:51.30
And he says, well, how
you're ever gonna be a pastor
00:32:51.33\00:32:53.64
if you can't meet people.
00:32:53.67\00:32:55.00
And I said, I guess,
I'm not gonna be a pastor.
00:32:55.04\00:32:58.74
So, I put that
under back burner.
00:32:58.77\00:33:01.51
In business, I took
accounting and business,
00:33:01.54\00:33:03.78
you know, I figured that
would help me as a contractor.
00:33:03.81\00:33:06.61
But then you went back?
00:33:06.65\00:33:07.98
Yeah, and so then
we went back to school
00:33:08.02\00:33:10.49
and so I finished
my business degree
00:33:10.52\00:33:14.29
and we put a
fleece out to the Lord.
00:33:14.32\00:33:16.42
If He wanted us
to go into pastoring,
00:33:16.46\00:33:19.89
then He needed to
give us a sponsorship.
00:33:19.93\00:33:23.06
And we got interviewed
by Michigan Conference
00:33:23.10\00:33:27.90
and hired, sponsored
and went to seminary.
00:33:27.94\00:33:31.54
And then the picture
that we have coming up
00:33:31.57\00:33:34.04
I think is the one
we're at the graduation.
00:33:34.08\00:33:37.55
There is our two
little boys and Diane and I
00:33:37.58\00:33:42.15
during our graduation.
00:33:42.18\00:33:44.55
I still have that
flat hat stuck away--
00:33:44.59\00:33:48.42
Okay.
00:33:48.46\00:33:49.79
Was the, and the
robes are disposable.
00:33:49.82\00:33:53.53
About what year was this now?
00:33:53.56\00:33:54.93
Now, that would have
been probably '82 or '83
00:33:54.96\00:33:59.30
somewhere in that.
00:33:59.33\00:34:00.67
Wow. Okay. Okay. Yeah.
00:34:00.70\00:34:03.91
It's interesting
how we financed that.
00:34:03.94\00:34:07.44
We had bought a little
house in the subdivision.
00:34:07.48\00:34:10.65
I mean, it was just a
little three bedroom house
00:34:10.68\00:34:13.42
with a little
garage off the back.
00:34:13.45\00:34:15.88
In a subdivision
00:34:15.92\00:34:17.25
that all the
houses looked the same,
00:34:17.29\00:34:19.05
exactly the same.
00:34:19.09\00:34:20.49
Nothing different about them,
00:34:20.52\00:34:22.22
probably built just
after the war or something.
00:34:22.26\00:34:25.39
And we got this
house and we got it
00:34:25.43\00:34:29.16
because we made so
little money at the mill.
00:34:29.20\00:34:32.73
Right.
00:34:32.77\00:34:34.10
Okay, we just
afforded to get a loan
00:34:34.14\00:34:36.71
that was a government loan
00:34:36.74\00:34:38.17
for people who made
small amounts of money.
00:34:38.21\00:34:41.94
Okay.
00:34:41.98\00:34:43.35
Then when we decided
00:34:43.38\00:34:44.71
we're gonna do this
thing going back to school
00:34:44.75\00:34:47.38
and going into the ministry,
00:34:47.42\00:34:51.15
we, that was our asset
that if we can sell that
00:34:51.19\00:34:55.16
and I had figured out
how much money I needed
00:34:55.19\00:34:57.09
to finish my education,
00:34:57.13\00:34:59.89
I tacked that on to
what we owed on the house.
00:34:59.93\00:35:05.03
And it meant
that house had to sell
00:35:05.07\00:35:07.54
for at least $7,000 or
$8,000 more than any other house
00:35:07.57\00:35:13.78
that was listed for
sale in that subdivision.
00:35:13.81\00:35:16.85
Most of them were
listed for $36,000 at that time
00:35:16.88\00:35:21.95
and we had to list ours
and sell it for about $48,000.
00:35:21.98\00:35:25.49
Oh, wow.
00:35:25.52\00:35:26.86
So it was clear
out priced, you know.
00:35:26.89\00:35:30.13
We call the realtor in and said,
00:35:30.16\00:35:33.06
this is what we want
to list our house for
00:35:33.09\00:35:35.56
and we want to list it
for 90 days, three months.
00:35:35.60\00:35:40.37
And if the Lord sells His house
00:35:40.40\00:35:42.37
in the first
half of that 90 days,
00:35:42.40\00:35:44.54
we are going into pastoring.
00:35:44.57\00:35:46.41
If He sells it in the
last half of that 90 days,
00:35:46.44\00:35:48.88
we are going to go
in, in just business.
00:35:48.91\00:35:51.85
And if it doesn't
sell at all guess what,
00:35:51.88\00:35:53.42
we are gonna stay right here.
00:35:53.45\00:35:55.55
That's not the
call of Lord to us.
00:35:55.58\00:35:58.05
And we went right
up to the last week
00:35:58.09\00:36:00.16
of the first half
00:36:00.19\00:36:02.16
and it sold for what
we asked for every penny.
00:36:02.19\00:36:06.73
Amazing. Let's praise the Lord.
00:36:06.76\00:36:08.40
Yeah, that's what
financed us to go to seminary.
00:36:08.43\00:36:11.03
So now did you find
pastoring easier than selling?
00:36:11.07\00:36:15.80
No, it was
baptism of fire. Oh, dear.
00:36:15.84\00:36:21.58
I pastored to
two church district
00:36:21.61\00:36:25.21
right in the
subdivisions of Berrien Springs.
00:36:25.25\00:36:29.18
You know, so you have these
big mega Adventist churches
00:36:29.22\00:36:32.12
like Pioneer
Memorial, the Village Church
00:36:32.15\00:36:34.92
and I was head two
little ones Stevensville
00:36:34.96\00:36:37.79
and one called Chikaming.
00:36:37.83\00:36:39.49
Okay. We had
two church district.
00:36:39.53\00:36:41.56
And bless those folk as
Stevensville and Chikaming
00:36:41.60\00:36:46.43
for putting up with us
00:36:46.47\00:36:47.90
in our learning
experience to say.
00:36:47.94\00:36:51.84
Tell us about your children?
00:36:51.87\00:36:54.11
Okay, Diane.
00:36:54.14\00:36:55.88
Well, our first born
child was a challenge.
00:36:55.91\00:37:03.49
He cried a lot and
here we are new parents
00:37:03.52\00:37:07.12
and thought, man, what
do you do with this kid,
00:37:07.16\00:37:10.33
he just won't
quit crying, you know.
00:37:10.36\00:37:14.26
So it was hard, I was
always calling my mom.
00:37:14.30\00:37:16.90
Okay, he is doing this,
what's the matter, you know.
00:37:16.93\00:37:20.67
Well, how do we fix it?
00:37:20.70\00:37:23.30
Oh, dear, crying at
night and everything.
00:37:23.34\00:37:26.57
Then when the second one
came and he was 14 months later,
00:37:26.61\00:37:32.35
he never cried and it was like--
00:37:32.38\00:37:34.82
Call mom again, what's
wrong he is not crying.
00:37:34.85\00:37:37.95
And he was always
sleeping and he is like, wow.
00:37:37.99\00:37:41.89
Where as the first one is like
00:37:41.92\00:37:43.86
man, it was just a
battle to get him to sleep,
00:37:43.89\00:37:47.60
to get him to quit
crying and oh, yeah, yeah,
00:37:47.63\00:37:50.37
and I wasn't born a mother.
00:37:50.40\00:37:53.70
And anyway, so
it was challenging
00:37:53.74\00:37:57.14
but still enjoyed it and it
was a blessing having them and--
00:37:57.17\00:38:03.31
How many children do you have?
00:38:03.35\00:38:04.81
Just the two, two
boys. Okay, and their names.
00:38:04.85\00:38:06.98
Leith,
L-E-I-T-H and Trent. Okay.
00:38:07.02\00:38:12.15
When we were
dating she let me know,
00:38:12.19\00:38:16.06
she was not
really a motherly type
00:38:16.09\00:38:18.59
and so there are no kids.
00:38:18.63\00:38:20.36
Oh, okay. This is okay?
00:38:20.40\00:38:21.73
I got to know that.
00:38:21.76\00:38:24.17
She says, I'm not
gonna marry a pastor.
00:38:24.20\00:38:26.74
Okay.
00:38:26.77\00:38:28.10
I was business so
there was no problem.
00:38:28.14\00:38:29.50
She says, and I'm not
going over the mission field
00:38:29.54\00:38:31.87
where there is bugs
00:38:31.91\00:38:33.34
and all kinds
of snakes in there,
00:38:33.38\00:38:35.04
I'm not doing
any of those things.
00:38:35.08\00:38:36.51
I'm a trucker. I
wanted to marry a trucker.
00:38:36.54\00:38:38.48
That's there too.
00:38:38.51\00:38:39.85
Well, I wasn't
gonna be a trucker.
00:38:39.88\00:38:42.25
But I went out
on a couple of them.
00:38:42.28\00:38:43.69
Yeah. Absolutely.
00:38:43.72\00:38:46.72
And we had a picture little
ago may we put it back up.
00:38:46.76\00:38:49.19
There you go, the family.
00:38:49.22\00:38:50.56
Yeah. That's our family. Yeah.
00:38:50.59\00:38:52.86
All right. Good looking family.
00:38:52.89\00:38:55.56
Our two boys
and Leith and Trent.
00:38:55.60\00:38:59.67
Leith is in the blue,
Trent is standing next to him.
00:38:59.70\00:39:03.37
And Jill her daughter-in-law
00:39:03.41\00:39:05.24
and our two
grandkids James and Lexi.
00:39:05.27\00:39:09.24
So that's our family. Nice.
00:39:09.28\00:39:12.95
The grandkids
are pretty special.
00:39:12.98\00:39:15.02
Yeah.
00:39:15.05\00:39:16.38
They were much
easier than my own kids.
00:39:16.42\00:39:18.42
Yeah. That's
often the case. Yes.
00:39:18.45\00:39:20.82
Oh, this is so
sweet. Yeah, absolutely.
00:39:20.86\00:39:24.43
You had a very intense challenge
00:39:24.46\00:39:28.53
with one of your children.
00:39:28.56\00:39:29.90
Tell us about that?
00:39:29.93\00:39:32.63
Okay.
00:39:32.67\00:39:34.24
Our oldest son Leith
00:39:34.27\00:39:38.31
was involved in a
very tragic situation
00:39:38.34\00:39:41.38
that put him in, he
is incarcerated today.
00:39:41.41\00:39:46.51
That happened just shortly
after we came here to 3ABN
00:39:46.55\00:39:51.82
and it was, it
was very traumatic
00:39:51.85\00:39:56.62
to have a son charged
with a crime of murder
00:39:56.66\00:40:02.43
and guilty of it and go
through that experience.
00:40:02.46\00:40:09.10
It was not at all
characteristic of him,
00:40:09.14\00:40:12.91
it was very, anyway
it was very traumatic.
00:40:12.94\00:40:15.64
Traumatic for him
00:40:15.68\00:40:17.01
and the
experience he went through
00:40:17.05\00:40:18.71
and for of
course us as a family.
00:40:18.75\00:40:21.48
But here again when our
life is dedicated to God
00:40:21.52\00:40:27.66
and to His service, the promises
00:40:27.69\00:40:30.86
that He will take
anything that comes your way,
00:40:30.89\00:40:34.93
He will take it
and He will turn it.
00:40:34.96\00:40:37.40
If we give it over
to Him, He will take it
00:40:37.43\00:40:39.37
and He will turn it
in someway for the good.
00:40:39.40\00:40:41.50
That's right. Okay.
00:40:41.54\00:40:43.00
And so the picture we
saw of our family there
00:40:43.04\00:40:46.01
was taken in a visitor
center in a California prison.
00:40:46.04\00:40:50.01
Oh, wow.
00:40:50.05\00:40:51.38
That was where, that's a
setting for that picture.
00:40:51.41\00:40:54.18
And one of the neat
things about Photoshopping
00:40:54.22\00:40:58.99
I wasn't in that picture.
00:40:59.02\00:41:00.52
Oh, okay. Okay.
00:41:00.56\00:41:02.89
Every prison
has their own rules,
00:41:02.92\00:41:04.83
in this particular
prison the rules are
00:41:04.86\00:41:06.53
you can only have
five visitors at one time
00:41:06.56\00:41:10.33
and to visit and
there are six of us.
00:41:10.37\00:41:14.20
And so I had a picture taken
separately at a different visit
00:41:14.24\00:41:20.01
and Diane and the kids
they were on that visit
00:41:20.04\00:41:24.01
but thankfully our Photoshop
could put in the picture.
00:41:24.05\00:41:27.32
There you go.
00:41:27.35\00:41:28.68
That put us all
together in that visiting.
00:41:28.72\00:41:31.39
Okay.
00:41:31.42\00:41:32.75
How is this, how is this
dramatically changed your life?
00:41:32.79\00:41:35.62
Oh, yeah.
00:41:35.66\00:41:36.99
And tell us a little
bit what this has done?
00:41:37.03\00:41:39.29
You can either, when
Satan throws something at you,
00:41:39.33\00:41:42.26
you can let it
defeat you or you can say,
00:41:42.30\00:41:44.47
you know what,
God is the creator,
00:41:44.50\00:41:46.74
Satan is an imitator.
00:41:46.77\00:41:48.10
God creates beautiful things
00:41:48.14\00:41:49.47
around ugly circumstances
of sin, death, diseases,
00:41:49.50\00:41:52.41
sickness, all of those things.
00:41:52.44\00:41:54.38
Tell us what has
done for you and Diane
00:41:54.41\00:41:57.58
because it's been a tremendous,
00:41:57.61\00:41:59.65
putting you in a
direction you never,
00:41:59.68\00:42:01.18
probably never
dreamed you would be.
00:42:01.22\00:42:02.55
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
00:42:02.58\00:42:04.65
Well, you know, as we got
involved in visiting our son
00:42:04.69\00:42:10.53
during this process
of trial and all that,
00:42:10.56\00:42:13.36
we began to see
other hurting people
00:42:13.40\00:42:18.33
who are in the very
same circumstances we were in
00:42:18.37\00:42:22.47
going to visit
00:42:22.50\00:42:23.84
and all the security situations
you have to go through.
00:42:23.87\00:42:26.91
And as we began to see that,
the Lord just opened our eyes
00:42:26.94\00:42:30.95
to a need in the
area of prison ministry
00:42:30.98\00:42:34.48
that we never had seen before.
00:42:34.52\00:42:35.98
Never ever thought
of, never considered,
00:42:36.02\00:42:39.12
never it had entered
in our mind, you know.
00:42:39.15\00:42:41.52
And so one of the
visits that we made early on
00:42:41.56\00:42:47.40
to see our son, we saw a
couple little bit older than us
00:42:47.43\00:42:52.37
who were also,
00:42:52.40\00:42:53.74
we could see grief on
their face like on ours
00:42:53.77\00:42:56.77
and they were there
for their first visit
00:42:56.81\00:42:59.57
as we had been just a few
days before our first visit
00:42:59.61\00:43:04.78
and we could see
how lost they were
00:43:04.81\00:43:06.82
about how to do it and
now we had gone through it.
00:43:06.85\00:43:10.72
And so we had this
chance to take them
00:43:10.75\00:43:14.19
and walk them
through their first journey
00:43:14.22\00:43:16.66
and it just happened to be
the very same visitors' spot
00:43:16.69\00:43:20.50
that our son was in.
00:43:20.53\00:43:22.10
So we also knew that
they were visiting their son
00:43:22.13\00:43:25.83
who had must have been involved
in something very serious
00:43:25.87\00:43:29.27
because he wouldn't have
been in that same visiting area.
00:43:29.30\00:43:34.11
And so that was our first launch
00:43:34.14\00:43:37.08
into what we call
prison ministry was in that.
00:43:37.11\00:43:41.45
Came back here to 3ABN
00:43:41.48\00:43:43.28
and of course shared
with our family here,
00:43:43.32\00:43:46.55
what had happened
and we had decided
00:43:46.59\00:43:50.49
to be open about
it not closed, not,
00:43:50.53\00:43:53.50
you know, not pretend like
it didn't happen or whatever.
00:43:53.53\00:43:56.90
And I think by us
doing that being open,
00:43:56.93\00:44:01.50
you know, about our tragedy,
00:44:01.54\00:44:04.21
it allowed
people to minister to us
00:44:04.24\00:44:07.44
and know how to
because we are open,
00:44:07.48\00:44:09.28
we weren't closed about,
we weren't secretive about it.
00:44:09.31\00:44:12.18
And so people ministered to us.
00:44:12.21\00:44:14.22
Here at 3ABN people
we knew and other places
00:44:14.25\00:44:17.52
where he worked
email, call, write
00:44:17.55\00:44:20.52
and we were ministered
to as a result of that.
00:44:20.56\00:44:25.69
Also had a chance
then to be invited
00:44:25.73\00:44:28.36
to help our in one of
our local prisons here
00:44:28.40\00:44:31.83
and be involved in going
in and doing services there.
00:44:31.87\00:44:36.44
And then Diane joined me
00:44:36.47\00:44:37.87
and then we
ended up taking over it
00:44:37.91\00:44:40.34
and then we added another prison
00:44:40.38\00:44:41.94
and another prison.
00:44:41.98\00:44:43.65
And then we started organizing
concerts for the prisons
00:44:43.68\00:44:47.68
and gift bags for the prisons
00:44:47.72\00:44:49.32
and, and so it's really,
it's been a neat journey.
00:44:49.35\00:44:52.65
Look at God and how He takes
00:44:52.69\00:44:55.69
one of the most
tragic situations
00:44:55.72\00:44:57.79
that you ever encountered
and turns it into something
00:44:57.83\00:45:03.23
that can help others and
help you at the same time.
00:45:03.26\00:45:06.74
I've had the privilege of
going with Brian and Diane
00:45:06.77\00:45:10.21
to different
facilities and their passion
00:45:10.24\00:45:13.91
and their enthusiasm and zeal
00:45:13.94\00:45:16.71
for what they are doing
for service to these inmates
00:45:16.75\00:45:20.55
and ultimately service to God,
00:45:20.58\00:45:22.15
it's just so inspiring
though it's a blessing.
00:45:22.18\00:45:24.72
We've been trying to
twist Danny's arm into coming
00:45:24.75\00:45:27.06
but he's had
conflicts a couple times.
00:45:27.09\00:45:29.62
Yeah, we will get there.
00:45:29.66\00:45:31.93
I have done it
before in a couple occasions
00:45:31.96\00:45:34.00
and it was interesting
to see some of these folks
00:45:34.03\00:45:37.87
and I actually one man
I'll never forget said to me,
00:45:37.90\00:45:41.20
"you know, I praise
the Lord that I'm in here
00:45:41.24\00:45:43.64
because I would be lost today
00:45:43.67\00:45:46.54
but I found it was
through Richard Bland's ministry
00:45:46.57\00:45:50.61
I found the Lord.
00:45:50.65\00:45:52.11
So he says, "I can sing.
I was blind but now I see."
00:45:52.15\00:45:55.52
And he says, "Now I feel badly
for the folks on the outside.
00:45:55.55\00:45:59.25
They think they are
free but I'm on the inside
00:45:59.29\00:46:02.42
and I'm free in Jesus
00:46:02.46\00:46:04.16
and lot of the folks outside
are the ones really in prison."
00:46:04.19\00:46:07.70
I mean, that's amazing
testimony to hear that.
00:46:07.73\00:46:10.87
And you guys, you get
to hear that all the time,
00:46:10.90\00:46:12.87
but this prison
ministry is blossoming
00:46:12.90\00:46:14.90
and now it's
3ABN Prison Ministry.
00:46:14.94\00:46:17.41
Of course you guys
are the head of it.
00:46:17.44\00:46:19.51
And, Yvonne, had you been
to prison ministry before?
00:46:19.54\00:46:23.01
I had.
00:46:23.04\00:46:24.38
I had in New York I
had done a few things
00:46:24.41\00:46:26.98
but I really enjoy
going with Brian and Diane.
00:46:27.02\00:46:30.82
It's so, for me it
is just so touching.
00:46:30.85\00:46:34.46
And I wanted to ask
you, Diane, as a mother
00:46:34.49\00:46:37.69
if you would speak
to a mother right now
00:46:37.73\00:46:41.30
just like give like a quick word
00:46:41.33\00:46:43.40
to a mother who is hurting,
00:46:43.43\00:46:45.23
whose son or daughter
has just gotten in trouble,
00:46:45.27\00:46:48.00
what would you
say to that mother?
00:46:48.04\00:46:51.01
Well, I would say, you
know, it's in God's hands.
00:46:51.04\00:46:57.25
I trusted my son into
God's hands because, you know,
00:46:57.28\00:47:02.28
you worry about
their safety in the prison
00:47:02.32\00:47:05.49
and I just claim those
texts where God goes before
00:47:05.52\00:47:11.63
and He covers your back end too.
00:47:11.66\00:47:14.66
And I just claim
those promises for our son
00:47:14.70\00:47:19.20
and then that,
that gave me peace
00:47:19.23\00:47:24.44
and so that I
could carry the load,
00:47:24.47\00:47:27.31
you know, and let God carry it.
00:47:27.34\00:47:30.08
And it's constant
putting it back on Him,
00:47:30.11\00:47:35.08
you know, this is
Your child, this is,
00:47:35.12\00:47:39.25
you know, You got to
take care of him, I can't.
00:47:39.29\00:47:42.36
It's kind of like
we laid our Isaac down.
00:47:42.39\00:47:45.16
You know, and get
into Lord's hands.
00:47:45.19\00:47:47.33
And just the
neat part of the story
00:47:47.36\00:47:49.73
is our son's life
has turned around.
00:47:49.76\00:47:52.53
Yeah. Praise the Lord.
00:47:52.57\00:47:53.90
You know for and
he's very consistent,
00:47:53.94\00:47:55.60
the last six years he
has dedicated to the Lord.
00:47:55.64\00:47:58.37
He witnesses for the Lord.
00:47:58.41\00:48:00.28
He is living his
life for the Lord
00:48:00.31\00:48:02.11
in that dark place as a light.
00:48:02.14\00:48:05.61
And so God's blessing
his life too, you know.
00:48:05.65\00:48:10.09
But it tells you,
what does it tell us
00:48:10.12\00:48:11.85
is that we are all vulnerable
and it can happen to anybody.
00:48:11.89\00:48:15.62
Look at any family,
anywhere you want to be
00:48:15.66\00:48:18.06
as we've seen
early in the program
00:48:18.09\00:48:19.59
while they've never had
a problem but like for you,
00:48:19.63\00:48:22.56
it's not like you had a son
who grew up in a life of crime
00:48:22.60\00:48:25.83
and was doing bad things at all.
00:48:25.87\00:48:28.04
This was a shock,
right, to you guys.
00:48:28.07\00:48:30.34
I mean, it had to be a
nightmare experience for you.
00:48:30.37\00:48:33.68
I'm sure you would wake up
thinking that was a nightmare,
00:48:33.71\00:48:36.44
hoping it was a nightmare.
00:48:36.48\00:48:37.81
We like to wake up from this
00:48:37.85\00:48:39.18
and find out it
was just a dream,
00:48:39.21\00:48:40.55
a bad dream, you know,
but you didn't wake up from it
00:48:40.58\00:48:43.32
and it wasn't but yeah,
and the Lord gives us comfort
00:48:43.35\00:48:49.92
and He comforted
us, people comforted us
00:48:49.96\00:48:53.83
and reached out to us.
00:48:53.86\00:48:56.67
And of course, we
were ministering to our son
00:48:56.70\00:49:01.50
and the Lord worked
and blessed that, you know.
00:49:01.54\00:49:05.94
I remember the first visit,
first time phone, heavy glass.
00:49:05.97\00:49:11.81
He is on the other
side we are in between.
00:49:11.85\00:49:14.75
At the end of
that visit he said,
00:49:14.78\00:49:16.12
"Dad, Mom, I'm
sorry for what's happened.
00:49:16.15\00:49:19.99
I want you to know
I'm turning my life around
00:49:20.02\00:49:22.92
and live it differently."
00:49:22.96\00:49:24.96
And he has kept
that promise, you know.
00:49:24.99\00:49:26.83
Amen. Yes.
00:49:26.86\00:49:28.53
The Lord didn't do
that for any of us.
00:49:28.56\00:49:30.60
And it gives us this experience,
00:49:30.63\00:49:32.97
we pass through--
00:49:33.00\00:49:35.07
now when we go into prison
and we look in those faces
00:49:35.10\00:49:38.01
and those eyes we see
something totally different
00:49:38.04\00:49:41.08
than other people see.
00:49:41.11\00:49:42.44
Other people see
00:49:42.48\00:49:43.81
somebody that's
done some horrible crime.
00:49:43.85\00:49:46.51
We see someone that's
vulnerable for Christ.
00:49:46.55\00:49:49.32
See a son, a daughter, you know.
00:49:49.35\00:49:51.69
And as we've worked
in with the prisoners,
00:49:51.72\00:49:54.89
you know, they are
just as human and caring.
00:49:54.92\00:50:02.26
When we go visit
our son they say,
00:50:02.30\00:50:04.37
"Oh, we will be
praying for you."
00:50:04.40\00:50:06.87
You know, just
because they did a crime,
00:50:06.90\00:50:09.77
doesn't mean
they are "people" too
00:50:09.80\00:50:15.31
and they love the Lord
and making a difference
00:50:15.34\00:50:20.58
now where they are at
00:50:20.62\00:50:21.98
and it's just
really awesome to see them.
00:50:22.02\00:50:25.25
And I think it makes
a difference with them
00:50:25.29\00:50:28.06
knowing that
you've had the experience
00:50:28.09\00:50:30.53
of being a parent of
someone who is incarcerated.
00:50:30.56\00:50:33.70
It gives you a point
of reference with them,
00:50:33.73\00:50:35.66
a point of
identification with them
00:50:35.70\00:50:37.80
so that they can relate to you.
00:50:37.83\00:50:39.77
You are not just somebody,
some kind of missionary
00:50:39.80\00:50:42.87
coming in with no idea as
to what the experience is.
00:50:42.90\00:50:47.01
You lived it.
00:50:47.04\00:50:48.38
Because they say that, you know,
00:50:48.41\00:50:49.74
the family does the
bid with the inmate.
00:50:49.78\00:50:52.88
You know, you do the
time just like they do so...
00:50:52.91\00:50:55.72
But, you know,
those that come in with us
00:50:55.75\00:50:58.15
that help us in
our prison ministry
00:50:58.19\00:51:00.59
that don't have
children or whatever
00:51:00.62\00:51:04.76
other loved ones in prison.
00:51:04.79\00:51:07.43
I admire them for
their dedication too
00:51:07.46\00:51:10.67
because they don't have
that driving factor like we do
00:51:10.70\00:51:14.70
and yet they are
just as committed.
00:51:14.74\00:51:17.37
And the guys they see that too.
00:51:17.41\00:51:20.88
They see love and
that's what counts
00:51:20.91\00:51:24.51
and they know
it's not artificial,
00:51:24.55\00:51:27.52
they are not, you
know, it's, it's--
00:51:27.55\00:51:29.78
For real. It's for real.
00:51:29.82\00:51:31.15
So in the physical,
00:51:31.19\00:51:33.29
you know, it may be
difficult to explain all this.
00:51:33.32\00:51:36.32
In the
spiritual when Jesus comes
00:51:36.36\00:51:41.20
and your son is
there with you in heaven
00:51:41.23\00:51:43.87
that price that he
has paid and what happened
00:51:43.90\00:51:46.37
of course God forgives all that.
00:51:46.40\00:51:48.17
That is like a
fleeting moment, it's gone.
00:51:48.20\00:51:50.94
Well, before I don't
know his spiritual life
00:51:50.97\00:51:53.48
or if he was
dedicated to the Lord or not,
00:51:53.51\00:51:56.34
but the point is
00:51:56.38\00:51:57.71
now that he has totally
given his life to the Lord
00:51:57.75\00:52:02.38
and now that he
can be like the other.
00:52:02.42\00:52:04.49
He's maybe freer in
prison than he was outside
00:52:04.52\00:52:08.56
and so the end
result is enternal life.
00:52:08.59\00:52:11.79
And so, you know, the
song Lanny Wolfe wrote,
00:52:11.83\00:52:15.16
"Whatever it takes
for my will to break,
00:52:15.20\00:52:17.70
that's what I'll
be willing to do.
00:52:17.73\00:52:19.50
I'll trade sunshine
for rain, comfort for pain,
00:52:19.53\00:52:22.64
that's what I'd
be willing to do.
00:52:22.67\00:52:24.57
Whatever it takes
for my will to break."
00:52:24.61\00:52:27.31
And so sometimes
that's hard for us,
00:52:27.34\00:52:29.14
all of us, it is,
00:52:29.18\00:52:30.65
but if we're
really praying that.
00:52:30.68\00:52:32.51
So I think we are
learning here today
00:52:32.55\00:52:34.38
no matter what it looks
like, no matter how bad it is,
00:52:34.42\00:52:37.42
God's the Creator, He can
create something beautiful
00:52:37.45\00:52:40.79
around these
terrible circumstances
00:52:40.82\00:52:42.92
of sin, death,
disease and sickness
00:52:42.96\00:52:45.03
that we are all a part of.
00:52:45.06\00:52:46.83
But this really been
good, Brian and Diane.
00:52:46.86\00:52:49.00
Thank you so much for sharing.
00:52:49.03\00:52:50.70
We learned a
lot about the folks.
00:52:50.73\00:52:52.80
And we've learned
that you love the Lord
00:52:52.83\00:52:54.77
and we are so thankful
00:52:54.80\00:52:56.14
that Brian and Diane have
chosen to be here at 3ABN.
00:52:56.17\00:52:59.67
What a blessing to have you
00:52:59.71\00:53:01.24
and to have you in the position
both of you that you are doing.
00:53:01.28\00:53:04.05
You are great with people,
00:53:04.08\00:53:05.41
you are great with the
finances and with people
00:53:05.45\00:53:07.65
and I appreciate
have an attitude.
00:53:07.68\00:53:09.35
It's tough to get, I
always say CFOs who smile a lot
00:53:09.38\00:53:13.25
because they're
always dealing with finances.
00:53:13.29\00:53:15.76
You know, so, it's
tough, Brian always amazes me
00:53:15.79\00:53:18.33
because he seems
happy like the rest of us
00:53:18.36\00:53:20.50
even though he is
having to struggle with
00:53:20.53\00:53:22.30
to get everything
paid and all of that.
00:53:22.33\00:53:24.23
But thank you so
much for what you do.
00:53:24.27\00:53:26.10
We are gonna take
just a short break,
00:53:26.13\00:53:28.20
our news break
00:53:28.24\00:53:29.57
and then we're gonna
be back in just a moment.
00:53:29.60\00:53:31.44