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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We believe that
we have a program
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ordained by God to
share with you today.
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We're going to
discuss "When Hardships
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are Blessings in Disguise."
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This is not an interview
but we'll be discussing
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this Bible topic
and we're so glad
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that you are joining us.
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And we also want to
thank you for your prayers
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and your
financial support of 3ABN.
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Let me introduce our
special guests today.
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They are sisters and it's
hard to say they are guests
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because they are
part of the 3ABN family.
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But they are my
precious sisters in the Lord
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and I love each
and every one of them.
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We have with us Jill
Morikone, who is assistant
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to the President of 3ABN.
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And then we
have Mollie Steenson,
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who is the vice-president
and general manager
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and then Dee Hilderbrand,
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who's looking
quite lovely today.
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And, Dee, you wear so many hats,
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I don't even know how to...
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What is your official title?
I'm production coordinator.
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I had to stop for a second,
because now that I'm part-time
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and have cutback a little bit.
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I do mostly the scheduling
and I just kind of help
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whatever needed here and there.
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Well, we're just
really excited that you're,
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each and everyone here to share.
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And I've to tell you a secret.
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And if anybody has
been around 3ABN very long,
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it's not much of a
secret around here.
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We often just say, "Oops,
okay, we're gonna do a program."
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And we don't plan it.
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We just pray and say,
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"Lord, whatever You want to say.
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So none of us have
an outline before us,
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none of us have discussed
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really what we're
going to talk about,
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we're just going to
allow the Lord to lead.
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And before we do that, we
want to say a short prayer.
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And then we're gonna have
some music to kick this off.
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Let's pray.
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Heavenly Father,
we come before You
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in the name of Jesus.
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And we thank You that we can
approach Your throne of grace
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as Your daughters, as
Your sons who are watching.
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And, Father, we
pray in Jesus name
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that You will lead
and guide this program.
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Help us to better
understand how You use hardships
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to shape us, Father,
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and they are often
blessings in disguise.
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But we know that there
are so many who are hearing
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my voice right now,
who are going through
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difficult times, Father,
and we pray that this program
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will bring
encouragement to them.
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Now, Lord, we ask
for Your anointing
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of Your Holy Spirit.
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Give us ears to
hear and the will
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to put into practice
what You teach us today.
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In Jesus name, amen.
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Well, we have a treat.
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We have another...
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We can say she's a
daughter of 3ABN, can't we?
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Valerie Walker is going
to be singing for us today
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and she will be
singing "Even In The Valley."
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High upon this mountain
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The sun is shinning bright
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My heart is filled with gladness
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Here above the cares of life
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But I've just
come through the valley
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Of trouble, fear, and pain
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It was there I
came to know my God
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Enough to stand and say
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Even in the valley
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God is good
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Even in the valley
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He is faithful and true
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He carries His children through
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Like He said He would
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Even in the valley
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God is good
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This road of life has led you
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To a valley of defeat
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You wonder if the Father
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Has heard your desperate plea
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There is hope in
that rugged place
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Where tears of sorrow dwell
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Can't you hear
Him gently whispering
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"I'm here and all is well"
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Even in the valley
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God is good
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Even in the valley
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He is faithful and true
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He carries His children through
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Like He said He would
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Even in the valley
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God is good
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God is good
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Let me tell you something,
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Valerie Shelton Walker
knows what she's talking about
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because she has been
through a valley of her own
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and just walks
through in it faith,
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holding onto God's hand.
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Oh, I should say maybe,
I think sometimes its God
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who is holding onto our hand.
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And she is the
niece of Danny Shelton.
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Her son happens to
be our director today.
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Tyler is the youngest
director we've ever had at 3ABN,
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but he's such a
talented young man.
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Well, if you are
joining us just a little late,
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today we're
going to be discussing
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when hardships are
blessings in disguise.
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So this is kind
of a Bible topic.
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And, ladies, I would like
to start off with a scripture
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that I'd like for you
to join me in reading.
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And I'm going to...
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Even though I've a New
King James Bible on my lap,
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I'd like to read
this to you from the NIV.
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And here's what Paul
wrote to the Corinthians.
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"We do not want you to
be uninformed, brethren,
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about the hardships we suffered.
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We were under great pressure,
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far beyond our
ability to endure."
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You know, sometimes
people will take that scripture
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that he wrote in
1st Corinthians 10:13,
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where it says,
"God will not tempt us
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beyond what we're able.
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He always
provides a way of escape."
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Sometimes people
say, "Well, God will never
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put on you more
than you can endure."
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That's not quite accurate.
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He is saying right here,
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"This was beyond
our ability to endure."
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And you're in
1st Corinthians now?
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I'm in 2nd Corinthians 1.
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2nd Corinthians,
Chapter 1:8. Yes.
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And I like at the end.
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I've New King James, it says,
"We despaired even of life."
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Yes, that's what and is so...
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It goes on to say that,
"We despaired even of life."
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So he's in a life
and death situation.
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It's a near death experience.
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And he says, "This is
beyond my ability to endure."
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I think in the New
King James, it says,
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"We were
burdened beyond measure."
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Yeah, burdened beyond.
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So it's far beyond
our ability to endure
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so that we
despaired even of life.
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And then he says in verse 9,
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"Indeed, in our hearts we
felt the sentence of death."
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How many of us have felt
the sentence of death before?
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It happens, doesn't it?
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But now look what He
says, "But this happened,
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that we might not
rely on ourselves."
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The New King James version
says, "Trust in ourselves."
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"So it happened that we
might not rely on ourselves
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but on God, Who raises the dead.
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He has delivered,"
This is past tense.
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"He has delivered us
from such a deadly peril.
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And He will
deliver," this is present us.
00:09:58.33\00:10:01.26
"He will deliver us.
00:10:01.30\00:10:02.63
On Him we have set our hope
00:10:02.66\00:10:04.97
that He will
continue to deliver us."
00:10:05.00\00:10:09.14
And this is in the future tense.
00:10:09.17\00:10:11.54
So basically what
Paul is saying is,
00:10:11.57\00:10:14.18
"God delivered us from death.
00:10:14.21\00:10:16.24
But our real hope is in
that permanent delivery,
00:10:16.28\00:10:20.78
the permanent remedy
when He resurrects us."
00:10:20.82\00:10:23.69
Then he goes on
and says in verse 11.
00:10:23.72\00:10:28.16
"As you help us...
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He will continue as you
help us by your prayers."
00:10:30.36\00:10:33.70
So the prayers of the saints
make a difference, don't they?
00:10:33.73\00:10:37.67
"Then many will
give thanks on our behalf
00:10:37.70\00:10:39.80
for the
gracious favor granted us
00:10:39.83\00:10:42.44
in answer to the
prayers of many."
00:10:42.47\00:10:47.24
What this says to me and
I'd like to get your input.
00:10:47.28\00:10:51.58
When everything is
going smoothly in our life,
00:10:51.61\00:10:54.18
it is easy to get to the
point where we rely on self.
00:10:54.22\00:10:58.52
Absolutely.
00:10:58.55\00:10:59.89
But when times get
tough and we are overwhelmed,
00:10:59.92\00:11:03.46
and we realize there's
nothing that we can do.
00:11:03.49\00:11:08.53
It sends us to
seek God for His help.
00:11:08.56\00:11:13.67
And sometimes I think
that the hardships God
00:11:13.70\00:11:19.11
allows in our life and I believe
00:11:19.14\00:11:22.68
this with all my heart,
is for our spiritual benefit.
00:11:22.71\00:11:25.38
Because we should be
living in a constant attitude
00:11:25.41\00:11:28.75
of dependence on
God, don't you agree?
00:11:28.78\00:11:31.45
And so this is
something that even in ministry
00:11:31.49\00:11:34.76
and there's so
many times here at 3ABN,
00:11:34.79\00:11:38.33
where we get down
to look at the budget,
00:11:38.36\00:11:41.76
you look at what's
going out and we say,
00:11:41.80\00:11:45.20
"It's' not
possible, hallelujah."
00:11:45.23\00:11:47.40
That's a two hander,
and we look to the Lord
00:11:47.44\00:11:49.94
and He delivers us, doesn't He?
00:11:49.97\00:11:51.57
Amen.
00:11:51.61\00:11:52.94
He hasn't failed us yet. Amen.
00:11:52.97\00:11:54.51
And that's speaking of 3ABN
and what we are about to be,
00:11:54.54\00:11:59.88
isn't it 33
years old in November,
00:11:59.91\00:12:02.25
is that what it is?
00:12:02.28\00:12:03.62
And He's been
faithful the whole 33 years.
00:12:03.65\00:12:06.55
So we, you know, what is it,
we have no fear of the future
00:12:06.59\00:12:10.99
when we look at how
God has delivered us
00:12:11.03\00:12:13.09
and taking care
of us in the past.
00:12:13.13\00:12:14.46
Amen.
00:12:14.50\00:12:15.83
And when I look at my
personal life, you know,
00:12:15.86\00:12:17.60
what I'm still
here, I'm still alive
00:12:17.63\00:12:19.37
and I'm still doing well.
00:12:19.40\00:12:21.00
And so I can say the same thing.
00:12:21.04\00:12:22.80
You know, people that say
they don't believe in healing,
00:12:22.84\00:12:25.21
well, you should,
you're still alive.
00:12:25.24\00:12:27.14
And I'm sure we've
all had every opportunity
00:12:27.18\00:12:30.91
for the enemy to
do us much damage.
00:12:30.95\00:12:33.25
And so, yeah, God
never fails. Amen.
00:12:33.28\00:12:35.55
I think hardships come in
00:12:35.58\00:12:36.92
many different shapes and sizes.
00:12:36.95\00:12:38.29
Absolutely.
00:12:38.32\00:12:39.65
You know, its many
different colors you could say.
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.02
And so as I think
through the ministry of 3ABN
00:12:41.06\00:12:43.26
and I'm sure you can
look in your own life
00:12:43.29\00:12:45.43
and see and think
about times where...
00:12:45.46\00:12:48.36
Times have been tough.
00:12:48.40\00:12:49.73
I mean
hardships come in the form
00:12:49.76\00:12:51.27
of financial hardships
00:12:51.30\00:12:52.73
or it could be
spiritual hardships
00:12:52.77\00:12:55.70
or emotional or
physical, or family.
00:12:55.74\00:13:00.51
I mean, there's
many relationships,
00:13:00.54\00:13:02.61
many different
types of hardships.
00:13:02.64\00:13:04.21
And in this
scripture, we're talking about
00:13:04.25\00:13:07.82
the scripture in
2nd Corinthians 1.
00:13:07.85\00:13:09.78
My favorite verse is verse 10.
00:13:09.82\00:13:12.35
The 2nd part it
says, "In whom we trust,
00:13:12.39\00:13:15.49
that He will still deliver us."
00:13:15.52\00:13:18.39
Amen.
00:13:18.43\00:13:19.76
And to me, that
means in the darkness,
00:13:19.79\00:13:21.13
in the night, when it
seems like all is lost,
00:13:21.16\00:13:24.50
I can still look
up to Jesus and say,
00:13:24.53\00:13:26.40
"I know, I can still trust You.
00:13:26.43\00:13:29.60
I know I can still
have faith in You."
00:13:29.64\00:13:31.81
A quick story.
00:13:31.84\00:13:33.17
Just yesterday I was talking
with a woman on the phone.
00:13:33.21\00:13:35.61
And she called in
and she said, "Jill..."
00:13:35.64\00:13:37.35
She said, "I know
we're supposed to have
00:13:37.38\00:13:39.15
a mustard seed of faith.
00:13:39.18\00:13:40.58
But I don't even have a
tenth of a mustard seed.
00:13:40.62\00:13:44.39
I'm just going through
this hard time in my life
00:13:44.42\00:13:47.06
and I don't even have...
00:13:47.09\00:13:48.86
I feel like I
hardly have any faith."
00:13:48.89\00:13:51.93
But God has given to
everyone a measure of faith.
00:13:51.96\00:13:55.46
Yes.
00:13:55.50\00:13:56.83
And whether we feel like
it's itty-bitty or it's large,
00:13:56.87\00:13:59.93
in the midst of that darkness,
we can reach out to Jesus,
00:13:59.97\00:14:04.11
and know that He
will hold us by a hand
00:14:04.14\00:14:07.71
that will never let go
and know that He can grow
00:14:07.74\00:14:10.88
and strengthen that faith
'cause faith comes by hearing
00:14:10.91\00:14:13.62
and hearing by the word of God.
00:14:13.65\00:14:14.98
Amen.
00:14:15.02\00:14:16.35
And if we look at
Him as our deliverer,
00:14:16.38\00:14:17.72
we can set our hope on Him.
00:14:17.75\00:14:19.59
Dee, you had a comment?
00:14:19.62\00:14:21.39
Also, I want to add
to that, that, you know,
00:14:21.42\00:14:24.59
sometimes our hardships, we
don't have that relationship
00:14:24.63\00:14:28.06
with the Lord yet.
00:14:28.10\00:14:29.43
As a child, I don't
know if I want to say
00:14:29.46\00:14:31.93
my life was difficult
but it was very painful.
00:14:31.97\00:14:34.80
And I was aware of the Lord
and I know that I reached out
00:14:34.84\00:14:38.27
to Him at one time but
I didn't hold on to Him
00:14:38.31\00:14:41.04
and I let Him go.
00:14:41.08\00:14:42.98
But He held on to
me through all of that.
00:14:43.01\00:14:47.28
So sometimes when we
feel very hurt and very...
00:14:47.32\00:14:52.65
and so much pain,
we can hardly breathe
00:14:52.69\00:14:54.76
or we don't want
to live any longer.
00:14:54.79\00:14:57.96
God is holding on to us
and we just don't know it.
00:14:57.99\00:15:02.66
So hardships, is
such a different facet
00:15:02.70\00:15:06.13
and I think He views
it differently than we do.
00:15:06.17\00:15:10.34
The other thing we
have to consider is,
00:15:10.37\00:15:11.87
sometimes when we
go through hardships,
00:15:11.91\00:15:15.34
everyone has freewill.
00:15:15.38\00:15:17.81
So, yes, God allows
certain things in our lives
00:15:17.85\00:15:21.68
but sometimes
some of our hardships,
00:15:21.72\00:15:25.25
we don't bring on ourselves.
00:15:25.29\00:15:27.79
And sometimes it's
other people's choices
00:15:27.82\00:15:30.89
that bring hardship on us
because each of us has freewill
00:15:30.93\00:15:35.70
and we want
freewill for ourselves.
00:15:35.73\00:15:38.50
But God gives
freewill to everyone.
00:15:38.53\00:15:41.64
So other people's freewill
sometimes brings great hardship
00:15:41.67\00:15:45.44
or pain into our lives.
00:15:45.47\00:15:46.91
Absolutely.
00:15:46.94\00:15:48.28
That's when God really
reaches out and carries us.
00:15:48.31\00:15:52.18
Why don't we just kick
this off by talking about...
00:15:52.21\00:15:55.95
Let's be specific and
give you some personal examples
00:15:55.98\00:15:59.65
of when we have...
00:15:59.69\00:16:01.69
Something has come into our life
00:16:01.72\00:16:03.53
that was a great
hardship but then at the end,
00:16:03.56\00:16:08.26
God turned it into...
00:16:08.30\00:16:10.43
It was always a
blessing in disguise.
00:16:10.47\00:16:12.97
Mollie, I know
you've got a good one.
00:16:13.00\00:16:15.04
Well, I'm going to
share a scripture with us.
00:16:15.07\00:16:19.44
And it's Proverbs
20:14 and it says,
00:16:19.47\00:16:23.98
"If thou faint in
the day of adversity."
00:16:24.01\00:16:27.48
Now that's what
we are talking about,
00:16:27.52\00:16:29.02
isn't it, days of adversity.
00:16:29.05\00:16:30.79
You ever been
through days of adversity?
00:16:30.82\00:16:34.19
But it says, "If you
faint in the day of adversity,
00:16:34.22\00:16:36.69
thy strength is small."
00:16:36.73\00:16:38.66
And in my amplified
Bible, written by that scripture
00:16:38.69\00:16:41.43
and I believe it was 1986
that I made my little notation
00:16:41.46\00:16:46.63
in my amplified Bible.
00:16:46.67\00:16:48.40
It says, "I will never
faint in the day of adversity
00:16:48.44\00:16:51.27
because I'm strong in the Lord
and in the power of His might."
00:16:51.31\00:16:54.34
It sounds good, doesn't it?
00:16:54.38\00:16:56.21
1986, nearly married,
00:16:56.24\00:16:59.48
well, had been
married but, many years.
00:16:59.51\00:17:02.92
Hal and I were in the
ministry we were doing well.
00:17:02.95\00:17:05.75
Two beautiful
children, life was good.
00:17:05.79\00:17:08.52
I had never been
through adversity.
00:17:08.56\00:17:11.43
On that side of adversity,
00:17:11.46\00:17:13.93
I was baton of faith
and that's a good thing.
00:17:13.96\00:17:16.36
Yes.
00:17:16.40\00:17:17.73
But, you know, when find
out what you're really made of,
00:17:17.77\00:17:20.20
is when walk
through that adversity.
00:17:20.24\00:17:21.77
Amen.
00:17:21.80\00:17:23.14
Let me share another
scripture, its Isaiah 48:10.
00:17:23.17\00:17:25.97
"Behold I have refined
thee, but not with silver.
00:17:26.01\00:17:30.98
I've chosen..."
00:17:31.01\00:17:32.35
this is God talking.
00:17:32.38\00:17:33.72
"I have chosen thee in
the furnace of affliction."
00:17:33.75\00:17:37.99
Now have you ever
heard this statement
00:17:38.02\00:17:40.32
that your character is forged
in the furnace of affliction?
00:17:40.36\00:17:44.43
There is truth to that.
00:17:44.46\00:17:46.19
Because on that
side of adversity,
00:17:46.23\00:17:48.80
when I was walking
in a pleasant meadow,
00:17:48.83\00:17:50.67
I call it "Ivory
tower we live in."
00:17:50.70\00:17:53.03
When you're in your ivory tower,
00:17:53.07\00:17:54.40
you can say...
00:17:54.44\00:17:56.00
you can say things like.
00:17:56.04\00:17:57.57
If my husband ever did
that, I would do this, honey,
00:17:57.61\00:18:00.48
you don't know,
until you walk through.
00:18:00.51\00:18:02.74
What you gonna do?
00:18:02.78\00:18:04.11
So you walk through
some furnaces of affliction.
00:18:04.15\00:18:07.75
You walk
through some hard times,
00:18:07.78\00:18:09.28
you're gonna find out the metal
you're really made out of and,
00:18:09.32\00:18:12.19
you know, that's vitally
important for you to do that.
00:18:12.22\00:18:15.46
I walked through a
very difficult time,
00:18:15.49\00:18:18.73
it's probably...
00:18:18.76\00:18:20.36
Oh, I don't know, I'm
gonna say 23 or 24 years ago
00:18:20.40\00:18:23.60
and I thank you,
Lord, long time ago.
00:18:23.63\00:18:27.50
And I won't go through all
of that I lost, I lost a lot.
00:18:27.54\00:18:33.01
You lost everything.
I lost everything, okay.
00:18:33.04\00:18:35.44
And it wasn't from my actions,
00:18:35.48\00:18:37.68
it was the
actions of somebody else.
00:18:37.71\00:18:40.12
And so during that time,
00:18:40.15\00:18:42.22
it would have
been so easy to say,
00:18:42.25\00:18:43.85
"I'm gonna quit,
I'm gonna give up."
00:18:43.89\00:18:45.25
And everybody
would have understood
00:18:45.29\00:18:46.72
because "Bless her heart,
00:18:46.76\00:18:48.09
look at what she's going through
00:18:48.12\00:18:49.46
and look what has happened."
00:18:49.49\00:18:51.16
And on top of all of that,
I was diagnosed with cancer,
00:18:51.19\00:18:55.36
bad stuff, you know.
00:18:55.40\00:18:56.93
And so then I found
out what I was made out of
00:18:56.97\00:19:00.47
and this, girls,
this is the truth.
00:19:00.50\00:19:02.60
There were times
when I would think
00:19:02.64\00:19:04.14
I just can't, I
can't go through this.
00:19:04.17\00:19:06.37
And so I would want to
lay down, just go to bed,
00:19:06.41\00:19:10.25
cover up my head
and just give up.
00:19:10.28\00:19:13.98
And...
00:19:14.02\00:19:15.35
But I had done
something through the years,
00:19:15.38\00:19:17.79
something that
all of you have done
00:19:17.82\00:19:19.29
and I hope you've done
and that is I had faith
00:19:19.32\00:19:21.76
on the word of God and I knew
00:19:21.79\00:19:24.39
I had too much
of God's word in me.
00:19:24.43\00:19:26.56
And about the time,
I would think I'm gonna
00:19:26.59\00:19:30.40
just fold it up and lay down.
00:19:30.43\00:19:33.30
There was something in
me and it was the power
00:19:33.34\00:19:35.84
of the Word of
God that was in me.
00:19:35.87\00:19:38.37
And it was like God would
just breathe His breath of life
00:19:38.41\00:19:41.24
upon that word and it
would flame up with in me.
00:19:41.28\00:19:44.01
Have you ever seen those
little toys when your children,
00:19:44.05\00:19:50.49
they were filled with
air, they were plastic
00:19:50.52\00:19:54.66
and the children
would punch them,
00:19:54.69\00:19:57.09
they were little punching bags..
00:19:57.13\00:19:58.69
And they would go...
00:19:58.73\00:20:00.83
But in a few
minutes, the air in them...
00:20:00.86\00:20:02.60
Not a few minutes
but a few seconds, plop,
00:20:02.63\00:20:04.67
they would pop back up.
00:20:04.70\00:20:06.23
Well, that's how I
felt, like the enemy would
00:20:06.27\00:20:08.00
knock me down but
there was so much of God's...
00:20:08.04\00:20:11.04
The power of God
had worked with in me.
00:20:11.07\00:20:12.74
Now remember how
did that word get there?
00:20:12.77\00:20:14.54
I had to put it
there. That's right.
00:20:14.58\00:20:16.24
It didn't just hop in there.
00:20:16.28\00:20:17.61
You have to study the
Word of God and allow.
00:20:17.65\00:20:20.62
So I was just gonna give a plop,
00:20:20.65\00:20:23.08
I would pop back up.
00:20:23.12\00:20:24.45
No, I'm not...
00:20:24.49\00:20:25.82
"I'm overcomer by
the blood of the lamb
00:20:25.85\00:20:27.19
and the word's my testimony.
00:20:27.22\00:20:28.56
No weapon formed
against me will prosper,
00:20:28.59\00:20:30.06
but what I lay my
hand to will prosper.
00:20:30.09\00:20:31.89
I'm like a tree."
00:20:31.93\00:20:33.26
Well, anyway I would
just... if the word of God would
00:20:33.29\00:20:35.73
just start rolling out of me.
00:20:35.76\00:20:37.77
But that is where
your character is forged.
00:20:37.80\00:20:41.37
Your character is
forged when you are
00:20:41.40\00:20:43.57
in that place of adversity.
00:20:43.61\00:20:45.17
Let me give you
one more scripture,
00:20:45.21\00:20:46.91
then I hush.
00:20:46.94\00:20:48.51
"The refining pot is for
silver and the furnace for gold,
00:20:48.54\00:20:52.58
but God tries your heart."
00:20:52.61\00:20:55.05
Where is that reference?
00:20:55.08\00:20:56.42
That is Proverb 17:3...
00:20:56.45\00:20:58.22
And now how did
He turn that into?
00:20:58.25\00:21:01.46
You went through,
you lost your home,
00:21:01.49\00:21:03.22
you lost so many
things, everything.
00:21:03.26\00:21:06.06
How did God turn that around?
00:21:06.09\00:21:08.00
Why was it a
blessing in disguise?
00:21:08.03\00:21:10.77
Because I came
out the other side.
00:21:10.80\00:21:13.67
See, it's not what you're saying
00:21:13.70\00:21:16.50
on this side of the adversity,
00:21:16.54\00:21:19.97
the affliction
that you're going into.
00:21:20.01\00:21:22.78
Like I said, in
1986, I was spouting.
00:21:22.81\00:21:27.38
It's what you do
here in the midst of it,
00:21:27.42\00:21:31.75
that forges your character
00:21:31.79\00:21:33.25
and shows you what
you're made out of.
00:21:33.29\00:21:35.62
And then as I came out the
other side, then, you know,
00:21:35.66\00:21:40.06
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
00:21:40.10\00:21:41.96
when they were in
that fiery furnace,
00:21:42.00\00:21:43.80
of course the same person
00:21:43.83\00:21:45.80
was with them in
their fiery furnace,
00:21:45.83\00:21:48.27
as was with me
in my fiery furnace.
00:21:48.30\00:21:50.47
Now that's just a fact.
00:21:50.51\00:21:51.91
A one look into the Son of God
00:21:51.94\00:21:53.88
walked me through
my difficult times.
00:21:53.91\00:21:56.34
But it says, they came out
00:21:56.38\00:21:57.71
and they didn't
even smell like smoke.
00:21:57.75\00:21:59.35
You know what that means?
00:21:59.38\00:22:00.72
They weren't
bitter, they weren't angry,
00:22:00.75\00:22:03.49
they didn't have...
00:22:03.52\00:22:05.42
they didn't have animosities,
they came out forgiving
00:22:05.45\00:22:10.23
with clean hands
and a pure heart.
00:22:10.26\00:22:12.23
And so what God did for
me in the midst of that,
00:22:12.26\00:22:14.60
there was somebody,
a friend that called me
00:22:14.63\00:22:17.60
and said, "Mollie,
the day is gonna come,
00:22:17.63\00:22:19.87
when you're not going to be
able to continue where you are.
00:22:19.90\00:22:23.47
And when you come to that place,
00:22:23.51\00:22:25.64
just give me a call,
I have a job for you."
00:22:25.67\00:22:28.64
And what happened then
was, my friend hired me
00:22:28.68\00:22:35.25
at Three Angels
Broadcasting Network.
00:22:35.28\00:22:37.19
Well, remember what the
name of this ministry is?
00:22:37.22\00:22:39.75
This is the Mending
Broken People Network.
00:22:39.79\00:22:43.59
Well, I want you to
know I was a broken person
00:22:43.63\00:22:47.03
when I came in
into this ministry
00:22:47.06\00:22:49.60
and through a
friend named Danny Shelton
00:22:49.63\00:22:53.94
and the others
here in this ministry,
00:22:53.97\00:22:56.30
they took me in
and they loved me.
00:22:56.34\00:22:59.07
And, you know, what they did?
00:22:59.11\00:23:00.71
They let me teach
Sabbath school, they did.
00:23:00.74\00:23:04.15
And I wasn't even an Adventist,
I don't think we're supposed
00:23:04.18\00:23:06.72
to tell that,
because I don't think
00:23:06.75\00:23:08.08
you're supposed to...
00:23:08.12\00:23:09.45
I don't think if
you're not an Adventist,
00:23:09.48\00:23:10.82
just don't think
you're supposed to...
00:23:10.85\00:23:12.19
But they were just loving
me and then holding on to me
00:23:12.22\00:23:14.76
and pulling me in
and they healed me
00:23:14.79\00:23:17.53
and now I'm healed.
00:23:17.56\00:23:18.89
Amen.
00:23:18.93\00:23:20.26
At the time of your
lowest, could you have imagined
00:23:20.30\00:23:23.80
that God was going to
take that and turn it around
00:23:23.83\00:23:27.90
and look at the
life that He gave you,
00:23:27.94\00:23:30.57
that's so amazing.
00:23:30.61\00:23:32.07
See, when you're at
that low point, you...
00:23:32.11\00:23:36.88
you think nobody loves
me, everybody hates me...
00:23:36.91\00:23:40.22
Now I'm gonna go eat a
worm. I'm gonna go eat worms.
00:23:40.25\00:23:43.08
But the truth is
God never leaves you.
00:23:43.12\00:23:46.79
He never forsakes you.
00:23:46.82\00:23:48.82
And nobody is gonna
get out of this life
00:23:48.86\00:23:53.43
without going
through some adversities,
00:23:53.46\00:23:55.36
or else shall be of
all people most shallow
00:23:55.40\00:23:58.53
with no depth about you
00:23:58.57\00:24:00.04
and you won't know what
metal you are of either.
00:24:00.07\00:24:02.87
And what does that
scripture reference in Proverbs
00:24:02.90\00:24:05.11
that says, "If you
faint in the day of adversity,
00:24:05.14\00:24:07.48
your strength is small?"
00:24:07.51\00:24:08.84
Yeah, Proverbs 20:14.
00:24:08.88\00:24:10.68
I mean that one spoke
to me. That's powerful.
00:24:10.71\00:24:12.85
"If thou faint in
the day of adversity,
00:24:12.88\00:24:15.38
thy strength is small."
00:24:15.42\00:24:16.75
But, you know,
what I occurred to me
00:24:16.79\00:24:18.25
and this is true
in your case, is that,
00:24:18.29\00:24:21.22
because, you know, it's like...
00:24:21.26\00:24:23.36
"Well, Lord, how can I be strong
00:24:23.39\00:24:25.53
in the day of adversity?"
00:24:25.56\00:24:26.90
Nehemiah 8:10 says,
00:24:26.93\00:24:28.76
"The joy of the
Lord is your strength."
00:24:28.80\00:24:32.33
"And in the
presence of the Lord,
00:24:32.37\00:24:33.87
there is fullness of joy.
00:24:33.90\00:24:36.10
And the joy of the
Lord is your strength."
00:24:36.14\00:24:37.71
And how do you
come into His presence?
00:24:37.74\00:24:39.47
Absolutely. Worshipping.
00:24:39.51\00:24:41.44
God inhibits the
praises of Israel.
00:24:41.48\00:24:44.31
So you absolutely...
00:24:44.35\00:24:47.42
When you were
down and you felt like
00:24:47.45\00:24:49.32
your strength was small,
00:24:49.35\00:24:50.72
the joy of the
Lord from the word
00:24:50.75\00:24:52.45
kept coming up in you
and God raised you up,
00:24:52.49\00:24:55.02
to so much better purpose
00:24:55.06\00:24:56.69
than you could
have ever imagined.
00:24:56.73\00:24:58.73
Well, the Lord was...
00:24:58.76\00:25:00.10
It was true.
"Greater is he that's in you."
00:25:00.13\00:25:02.03
And He's in you
through the power of His word.
00:25:02.06\00:25:04.27
Amen. "Then He
descend the world."
00:25:04.30\00:25:05.90
That's a true statement.
00:25:05.93\00:25:07.30
But, Mollie, even when you
were going through all of that,
00:25:07.34\00:25:10.37
I know that you were a blessing
to me 'cause I came to 3ABN
00:25:10.41\00:25:16.38
while you were still in
the midst of all of that.
00:25:16.41\00:25:19.58
And yet, because
you hung on to the Lord
00:25:19.61\00:25:23.42
and you walked with Him, I
was unaware of a lot of that
00:25:23.45\00:25:26.69
but you were a blessing to me.
00:25:26.72\00:25:28.62
Even as you were
struggling to survive,
00:25:28.66\00:25:31.69
you reached out a hand
to me, to help me survive.
00:25:31.73\00:25:35.46
And so God takes
adversity and He uses it.
00:25:35.50\00:25:39.97
And after you came out
the other side of all of that,
00:25:40.00\00:25:43.81
I've seen time after
time where God has used
00:25:43.84\00:25:46.37
what you went
through to bless others,
00:25:46.41\00:25:48.78
to help others, to give
them a hand to get through
00:25:48.81\00:25:51.75
what they were walking through
00:25:51.78\00:25:53.11
because you now
have an understanding
00:25:53.15\00:25:55.12
that you would
have never had before.
00:25:55.15\00:25:57.35
Because it's
easy to say to people,
00:25:57.39\00:25:59.42
"Oh, the Lord will
see you through this."
00:25:59.45\00:26:01.99
But if you haven't
walked through something
00:26:02.02\00:26:04.79
with the Lord, you don't
know what it's really like
00:26:04.83\00:26:08.83
trying to walk
through that adversity.
00:26:08.86\00:26:10.87
So you give an added
strength and an added blessing
00:26:10.90\00:26:14.87
to everyone that
you reach out to now.
00:26:14.90\00:26:16.57
Amen. That's right.
00:26:16.60\00:26:17.94
What an incredible testimony.
00:26:17.97\00:26:19.31
You know, I mean, I just
think about how your life,
00:26:19.34\00:26:21.11
Mollie, has
blessed my life so much.
00:26:21.14\00:26:23.95
And I think
about 2nd Corinthians,
00:26:23.98\00:26:25.38
we started there, 8 and 9.
00:26:25.41\00:26:26.75
But 3 and 4 talks about,
"God is the God of all comfort
00:26:26.78\00:26:29.92
and He comforts us."
00:26:29.95\00:26:31.62
So we can extend that
comfort to someone else
00:26:31.65\00:26:34.92
and that's what God
has done in your life.
00:26:34.96\00:26:37.09
Not that God
wanted that to happen,
00:26:37.13\00:26:39.46
of course He didn't.
00:26:39.49\00:26:40.83
But at the same time, we
live in this world of sin,
00:26:40.86\00:26:43.87
other people's
choices, whatever.
00:26:43.90\00:26:45.93
I love what you said,
Dee, with that free choice
00:26:45.97\00:26:48.04
because many times the hardships
00:26:48.07\00:26:49.70
we experience are due to
maybe someone else's choice
00:26:49.74\00:26:53.54
in our life or just the
world of sin we live in.
00:26:53.58\00:26:56.01
But in the midst of
that, you turned to God
00:26:56.04\00:26:58.11
and His word was in your
heart and that testimony,
00:26:58.15\00:27:01.42
God bought you
through on the other side.
00:27:01.45\00:27:03.02
And you can minister to
people all over the world
00:27:03.05\00:27:06.62
as a result of the
comfort He's given you
00:27:06.65\00:27:08.36
and that's powerful.
00:27:08.39\00:27:09.72
You say, amen. Yeah.
00:27:09.76\00:27:11.09
I know that you
also have a story, Dee,
00:27:11.13\00:27:13.23
that's why we
chose you to come today.
00:27:13.26\00:27:16.26
It's kind of like
Mollie, it's hard to know
00:27:16.30\00:27:17.97
what story you
tell but I'm going to...
00:27:18.00\00:27:20.57
I'm gonna talk about the thing
that is difficult to understand
00:27:20.60\00:27:24.01
how it could ever be a blessing.
00:27:24.04\00:27:26.21
And probably the
hardest time of my life is
00:27:26.24\00:27:29.38
when I lost my husband.
00:27:29.41\00:27:31.31
It's very
difficult to understand.
00:27:31.35\00:27:34.52
My husband had
plans for the Lord.
00:27:34.55\00:27:37.49
He had...
00:27:37.52\00:27:38.85
We had turned our lives around,
we were living with the...
00:27:38.89\00:27:42.06
Going to
church, we had committed
00:27:42.09\00:27:43.56
and submitted our
lives to the Lord.
00:27:43.59\00:27:45.09
So we were now Christians
00:27:45.13\00:27:46.66
and we had been
for several years.
00:27:46.70\00:27:49.00
And David had plans
that he wanted to do
00:27:49.03\00:27:53.13
for the Lord.
00:27:53.17\00:27:54.64
So how could he be struck
down and taken from this life
00:27:54.67\00:27:58.74
in the middle of
that and not allow
00:27:58.77\00:28:00.38
to fulfill his
plans for the Lord?
00:28:00.41\00:28:02.91
So even though I
don't understand all of that
00:28:02.94\00:28:06.82
and why, I can look
back and see certain things.
00:28:06.85\00:28:11.65
I know that I was
very depended on David.
00:28:11.69\00:28:15.36
David was 6'8'' and weighed 210.
00:28:15.39\00:28:18.86
He was a big man and
he was very protective
00:28:18.89\00:28:21.66
and he took care of
me and I leaned on him.
00:28:21.70\00:28:25.03
So that is one
purpose I can see when I...
00:28:25.07\00:28:28.80
If I had lost David
before I was a Christian,
00:28:28.84\00:28:30.84
I'm not sure I
would have survived it.
00:28:30.87\00:28:32.91
Yeah.
00:28:32.94\00:28:34.28
And I couldn't
prepare to lose David.
00:28:34.31\00:28:36.24
You can't prepare
for the loss in your life
00:28:36.28\00:28:39.11
even if you know
it's coming at you.
00:28:39.15\00:28:40.62
Yeah.
00:28:40.65\00:28:42.15
But God steps in
somehow and He carries you.
00:28:42.18\00:28:46.35
When I lost David, I
was very much totally lost.
00:28:46.39\00:28:50.66
If you'd ask me at the time,
I would have said I'm fine.
00:28:50.69\00:28:53.90
But I look back on
that and I was not fine.
00:28:53.93\00:28:56.97
All I could do
was hide in the Lord
00:28:57.00\00:28:59.83
and that's what I did.
00:28:59.87\00:29:02.84
I literally said,
Lord, okay I'm Yours,
00:29:02.87\00:29:05.17
I'm completely and
totally submitted to You.
00:29:05.21\00:29:08.61
Because I didn't
know how I would go on
00:29:08.64\00:29:13.08
making a living, I didn't know
00:29:13.11\00:29:14.75
how I would ever
have a home or...
00:29:14.78\00:29:16.82
There was just so
many things, without David
00:29:16.85\00:29:19.29
it's like I lost everything,
even though I didn't.
00:29:19.32\00:29:22.46
I felt that way.
00:29:22.49\00:29:24.76
Because I didn't see
00:29:24.79\00:29:26.13
how I could do
anything without him.
00:29:26.16\00:29:30.10
So that is when
I had to completely
00:29:30.13\00:29:33.03
and totally lean upon the Lord.
00:29:33.07\00:29:35.97
Isaiah...
00:29:36.00\00:29:37.41
Someone before I
left and moved out here,
00:29:37.44\00:29:41.44
someone gave me on a
wall plank, Isaiah 41:10.
00:29:41.48\00:29:48.45
Which says, "Fear
not for I'm with you.
00:29:48.48\00:29:53.32
Be not dismayed
for I'm your God.
00:29:53.36\00:29:55.86
I will strengthen
you. Yes, I will help you.
00:29:55.89\00:29:58.59
I will uphold you with my
righteousness right hand."
00:29:58.63\00:30:03.26
Why would He give this to...
00:30:03.30\00:30:05.10
He knows where we're
gonna be when He gives us to us.
00:30:05.13\00:30:07.90
The reason that we have
to know this and read it is
00:30:07.94\00:30:10.84
because He knows
we're gonna be there
00:30:10.87\00:30:12.47
when we're gonna need it.
00:30:12.51\00:30:13.84
So I hung on to that
plank, I put it on my wall,
00:30:13.88\00:30:15.84
I looked at it, I read it.
00:30:15.88\00:30:18.71
When we're with little children,
00:30:18.75\00:30:21.05
what do we say to them?
00:30:21.08\00:30:22.42
We say, if we see danger
or something going to happen,
00:30:22.45\00:30:25.22
we say, "Hold my hand."
00:30:25.25\00:30:27.52
We don't
necessarily have the time
00:30:27.56\00:30:30.73
or explain to a child why
they need to hold our hand
00:30:30.76\00:30:33.96
and sometimes they are
too young to understand.
00:30:34.00\00:30:36.70
So we just tell them
what to do because we see
00:30:36.73\00:30:40.14
what's happening.
00:30:40.17\00:30:41.50
So this is God's instruction
to you because He knows
00:30:41.54\00:30:44.61
what's gonna happen.
00:30:44.64\00:30:45.97
He knows when you're
gonna be knocked down,
00:30:46.01\00:30:49.21
when you're
unable to understand why.
00:30:49.24\00:30:54.62
I never was angry at
God but I didn't understand
00:30:54.65\00:30:57.79
why He would take David
when we were walking together
00:30:57.82\00:31:00.99
as a couple and
becoming stronger
00:31:01.02\00:31:02.59
in the Lord and
had all these plans.
00:31:02.62\00:31:06.13
So I just hung
onto Him having no idea.
00:31:06.16\00:31:11.80
But because I did...
00:31:11.83\00:31:14.97
In Proverbs 3.
00:31:15.00\00:31:20.14
Proverbs 3 and 5.
00:31:20.18\00:31:23.95
It's sometimes
hard to find things
00:31:23.98\00:31:25.81
when you are in a hurry.
00:31:25.85\00:31:28.12
And you think you
know where they are at
00:31:28.15\00:31:30.72
and we are not finding it.
00:31:30.75\00:31:33.46
Proverbs here we are at 3 and 5.
00:31:33.49\00:31:38.09
Verse... Okay.
00:31:38.13\00:31:40.70
Starting with verse
5, "Trust in the Lord
00:31:40.73\00:31:43.30
with all your heart
00:31:43.33\00:31:44.67
and lean not onto
your own understanding."
00:31:44.70\00:31:47.27
Yes.
00:31:47.30\00:31:48.64
"In all your
ways acknowledge Him
00:31:48.67\00:31:50.34
and He shall direct your path."
00:31:50.37\00:31:53.27
I knew perfectly well that
when you had a loss like that,
00:31:53.31\00:31:56.04
losing your
spouse, you're not supposed
00:31:56.08\00:31:57.41
to be making major decisions
00:31:57.45\00:31:58.85
'cause you're not
thinking straight.
00:31:58.88\00:32:01.85
So there is no way I
was really thinking straight
00:32:01.88\00:32:04.05
and all of a sudden,
before a year was up,
00:32:04.09\00:32:08.82
God directed me
because I was leaning on Him,
00:32:08.86\00:32:12.06
trusting on Him 100%.
00:32:12.09\00:32:14.46
He brought me to 3ABN.
00:32:14.50\00:32:17.00
I left my home, I
left everything I knew,
00:32:17.03\00:32:20.30
I left my
family, I left the dog.
00:32:20.34\00:32:22.70
I couldn't bring
all that stuff with me,
00:32:22.74\00:32:24.21
I came to a
totally strange place
00:32:24.24\00:32:25.77
where I didn't know
anyone and to a brand new job,
00:32:25.81\00:32:29.64
a totally different career
that I didn't, at the time,
00:32:29.68\00:32:33.85
think I had any background in.
00:32:33.88\00:32:35.32
Because when I came to 3ABN,
00:32:35.35\00:32:38.55
I didn't even have an exact job.
00:32:38.59\00:32:40.76
It was like, "You
come, we'll figure out
00:32:40.79\00:32:42.79
what you are going to do."
00:32:42.82\00:32:45.16
I think that's
happened here before.
00:32:45.19\00:32:47.13
Yes, but it hadn't
happened to me before.
00:32:47.16\00:32:49.76
It's like I don't know
anything about television.
00:32:49.80\00:32:53.47
But when I got here...
00:32:53.50\00:32:54.84
And someone asked me,
"Well, what is your background
00:32:54.87\00:32:56.47
that you got hired in this job?"
00:32:56.50\00:32:57.84
And it's like, I don't know.
00:32:57.87\00:32:59.81
But I look back and I see
God had used David to teach
00:32:59.84\00:33:04.91
and guide me and
prepare me for the job
00:33:04.95\00:33:08.48
that I stepped into.
00:33:08.52\00:33:10.02
It was like
amazing as I look back
00:33:10.05\00:33:12.89
and see the history of it.
00:33:12.92\00:33:16.32
How could losing my
husband ever be a blessing?
00:33:16.36\00:33:19.39
Well, one, there
was no one to lean on
00:33:19.43\00:33:22.60
and trust or
anything, except the Lord.
00:33:22.63\00:33:25.17
I had nowhere
to go but the Lord.
00:33:25.20\00:33:27.44
And He took that
and He gave me a career
00:33:27.47\00:33:32.84
and put me some place
00:33:32.87\00:33:34.34
where I would
grow in amazing ways.
00:33:34.38\00:33:37.61
He put people in my life
that I would have never met
00:33:37.65\00:33:40.38
any other way.
00:33:40.42\00:33:42.68
Being here at 3ABN, I hope
people have watched me grow.
00:33:42.72\00:33:47.82
We have. Absolutely.
00:33:47.86\00:33:49.36
Very...
00:33:49.39\00:33:50.89
When I came
here, I was grieving.
00:33:50.93\00:33:53.76
And since people here
didn't know my husband,
00:33:53.80\00:33:56.67
they'd never met him.
00:33:56.70\00:33:58.13
And it had been eight months,
people think you're over it
00:33:58.17\00:34:02.04
and you're going on and they...
00:34:02.07\00:34:05.47
Mollie gave me comfort.
00:34:05.51\00:34:07.08
I think she
understood to some degree.
00:34:07.11\00:34:10.81
But here I was faced for so much
00:34:10.85\00:34:15.02
and I could only
lean on the Lord.
00:34:15.05\00:34:18.92
I have a little,
00:34:18.95\00:34:21.72
another little thing at my house
00:34:21.76\00:34:24.09
that has these proverbs in it.
00:34:24.13\00:34:26.59
And it is a little girl
where it's talking about
00:34:26.63\00:34:29.36
lean into me, trust me.
00:34:29.40\00:34:31.70
And it's a little
girl swinging on a swing
00:34:31.73\00:34:34.17
but it's only
held by God's hand.
00:34:34.20\00:34:37.21
Amen. Amen.
00:34:37.24\00:34:38.57
And I have that, where
I see it every morning.
00:34:38.61\00:34:41.51
So I remember that.
00:34:41.54\00:34:43.28
No matter how many
friends and family I have here,
00:34:43.31\00:34:46.05
no matter how safe
and secure I feel here
00:34:46.08\00:34:48.65
because of this
family, God is the one
00:34:48.68\00:34:52.35
that actually
holds me in His hand.
00:34:52.39\00:34:53.72
Absolutely. Amen.
00:34:53.76\00:34:55.09
But you can't see all of this,
00:34:55.12\00:34:56.89
you can't
understand all of this.
00:34:56.93\00:35:01.13
I think that when God puts
us in many different situations
00:35:01.16\00:35:06.10
and He allows different
things, it's because He needs
00:35:06.13\00:35:10.61
to let us prove to
ourselves that He will carry us.
00:35:10.64\00:35:15.44
Yes. Oh, absolutely.
00:35:15.48\00:35:16.95
There's so many disasters
00:35:16.98\00:35:18.55
and look at what's
going on right now.
00:35:18.58\00:35:20.48
People are hurting and
they have lost everything
00:35:20.52\00:35:23.52
in a different way,
maybe it's physical,
00:35:23.55\00:35:25.35
maybe it is a
loved one, we don't know
00:35:25.39\00:35:27.32
because of the
things that are happening
00:35:27.36\00:35:28.69
in this world right now.
00:35:28.72\00:35:31.26
There is so much
pain and so much challenge
00:35:31.29\00:35:34.93
and adversity and
leaning into the Lord,
00:35:34.96\00:35:40.14
trusting in Him
only, not on our spouse,
00:35:40.17\00:35:43.17
not on our
friends, not on anything
00:35:43.20\00:35:45.34
and anyone else,
we can really know
00:35:45.37\00:35:50.25
what that actually means
00:35:50.28\00:35:51.75
and forge our
character that we can stand.
00:35:51.78\00:35:55.15
Absolutely.
00:35:55.18\00:35:56.52
Thank you for sharing that, Dee.
00:35:56.55\00:35:57.89
And I know that
God has given you
00:35:57.92\00:36:00.29
a wonderful life as well
00:36:00.32\00:36:01.66
and you've been a
blessing to so many people.
00:36:01.69\00:36:03.19
Absolutely.
00:36:03.22\00:36:04.56
Jill, do you
have a little story?
00:36:04.59\00:36:05.93
Absolutely.
00:36:05.96\00:36:07.30
As you each were talking, to me,
00:36:07.33\00:36:09.73
we're talking
about when hardships
00:36:09.76\00:36:11.60
are blessings in disguise.
00:36:11.63\00:36:13.40
And to me,
three of the blessings
00:36:13.44\00:36:15.30
in my own life
that I've experienced
00:36:15.34\00:36:17.51
through hardship and
then I'll share a story.
00:36:17.54\00:36:20.04
Is number one, I've
experienced God in a deeper way.
00:36:20.08\00:36:24.05
I think hardship
either pushes you toward God
00:36:24.08\00:36:27.72
or it pushes you away.
00:36:27.75\00:36:29.08
And it's not to
do with the hardship,
00:36:29.12\00:36:31.22
it has to do with my
response to the hardship.
00:36:31.25\00:36:33.72
So I can either
allow the hardship
00:36:33.76\00:36:37.06
to help me experience
Jesus in a deeper way,
00:36:37.09\00:36:40.06
experience as Peter
talks about the fellowship
00:36:40.10\00:36:42.66
with his
sufferings and experience that
00:36:42.70\00:36:45.50
or I can allow
it to push me away.
00:36:45.53\00:36:47.50
The second thing
is, hardship enables me
00:36:47.54\00:36:49.84
to exercise
faith and trust in God
00:36:49.87\00:36:52.24
because when you're going
through something difficult
00:36:52.27\00:36:54.28
and painful, you
can't see the future,
00:36:54.31\00:36:57.11
you can't see the next
day or even the next moment.
00:36:57.15\00:37:00.32
And I know there's been times
I felt like I'm in a midst,
00:37:00.35\00:37:03.28
shrouded and I can't
even find the face of Jesus.
00:37:03.32\00:37:06.49
And I want to be close
to Him and want to know Him
00:37:06.52\00:37:09.42
but I can't feel that.
00:37:09.46\00:37:11.03
That's when we
exercise faith and trust in God.
00:37:11.06\00:37:14.63
And number
three, hardship helps me
00:37:14.66\00:37:18.33
to exhibit God's character.
00:37:18.37\00:37:20.24
One of my favorite
scriptures is Hebrews 12:11.
00:37:20.27\00:37:23.51
"Now no
chastening for the present,
00:37:23.54\00:37:26.01
seems to be joyous."
00:37:26.04\00:37:27.38
None of us want to
go through hardship.
00:37:27.41\00:37:28.74
I mean we wouldn't
signup for it, "Oh yeah,
00:37:28.78\00:37:31.88
here is the signup sheet.
00:37:31.91\00:37:33.25
Let me have some
hardship." We don't want that.
00:37:33.28\00:37:35.85
Now no chastening for
the present is joyous,
00:37:35.88\00:37:38.39
we don't want
it but it's grieves
00:37:38.42\00:37:40.09
or it's painful.
00:37:40.12\00:37:41.86
Never the less, afterward
it yields the peaceable fruit
00:37:41.89\00:37:46.66
of righteousness to
those who are exercised by it.
00:37:46.70\00:37:50.93
So what does the
author of Hebrews say there?
00:37:50.97\00:37:54.40
Just simply that trial produces
in us, the fruit of the spirit,
00:37:54.44\00:37:59.14
it produces in us the
fruit of righteousness,
00:37:59.17\00:38:01.71
produces in us
the fruit of Jesus.
00:38:01.74\00:38:03.61
So I'm trying
to think of a trial
00:38:03.65\00:38:07.78
that was a hardship that
God turned to a blessing,
00:38:07.82\00:38:10.22
something that comes to mind
00:38:10.25\00:38:11.59
and I've shared
this on 3ABN before.
00:38:11.62\00:38:13.22
Is Greg and my...
00:38:13.25\00:38:14.72
My husband Greg, our
journey of infertility.
00:38:14.76\00:38:17.53
And thinking that...
00:38:17.56\00:38:21.76
When you first get
married, now our journey,
00:38:21.80\00:38:23.50
Dee's journey occurred
before she came to 3ABN.
00:38:23.53\00:38:25.97
And, Mollie,
your journey occurred
00:38:26.00\00:38:27.70
just before you were
hired on here at 3ABN.
00:38:27.74\00:38:31.04
But this journey
occurred while we were at 3ABN
00:38:31.07\00:38:34.28
'cause I moved here
when we got married.
00:38:34.31\00:38:37.35
And I remember
just the pain of that,
00:38:37.38\00:38:41.05
you're thinking, your
hopes, your dreams growing up,
00:38:41.08\00:38:44.62
you know, I'm gonna get married
and then I'm gonna have kids
00:38:44.65\00:38:47.52
and that just seems like
the natural order of things.
00:38:47.56\00:38:50.33
And when we had been to
the doctor and they say,
00:38:50.36\00:38:52.86
"Wait a year."
00:38:52.89\00:38:54.23
And then we waited a
year and then we went up
00:38:54.26\00:38:56.00
to St. Louis 'cause
they have more specialists.
00:38:56.03\00:38:58.53
And then we
discovered, "Okay, it's rare.
00:38:58.57\00:39:01.47
We don't know what's
the matter with you guys,
00:39:01.50\00:39:03.41
but basically you're
not going to have kids."
00:39:03.44\00:39:06.88
And I remember the pain of
that and lying awake at night
00:39:06.91\00:39:10.88
and crying and talking
to Greg and feeling like
00:39:10.91\00:39:15.08
it was the devastation of hopes.
00:39:15.12\00:39:16.79
Now your's might
not be not having kids,
00:39:16.82\00:39:19.35
some people want to get married.
00:39:19.39\00:39:21.16
And they just cry and say,
00:39:21.19\00:39:22.52
"God, I wish I
could find a spouse.
00:39:22.56\00:39:24.13
I wish I could
have a godly spouse."
00:39:24.16\00:39:25.76
Or I'm in the midst of a divorce
00:39:25.79\00:39:27.63
and why is my
marriage falling apart?
00:39:27.66\00:39:29.53
We all have dreams
that are some how crumbled
00:39:29.56\00:39:34.70
to ashes at our feet
and there was a scripture
00:39:34.74\00:39:36.91
during that time.
00:39:36.94\00:39:38.27
I've actually never
shared this scripture
00:39:38.31\00:39:39.81
publicly on air before
00:39:39.84\00:39:41.18
but I think I'll share it today.
00:39:41.21\00:39:43.35
It's in Isaiah
Chapter 54. Isaiah Chapter 54.
00:39:43.38\00:39:48.92
Now, Mollie, you
talked about the Word of God
00:39:48.95\00:39:50.72
being in your heart.
00:39:50.75\00:39:52.69
I think for me the two keys
that helped me was number one,
00:39:52.72\00:39:56.42
the Word of God, number two
00:39:56.46\00:39:58.53
was choosing to
accept it with joy.
00:39:58.56\00:40:03.13
The joy of the
Lord is your strength.
00:40:03.16\00:40:04.83
And every morning I would get up
00:40:04.87\00:40:06.23
and when those
feelings would come,
00:40:06.27\00:40:08.50
when that sadness
or that oppression
00:40:08.54\00:40:11.41
would come back, I would say,
00:40:11.44\00:40:12.77
God, I'm choosing your way.
00:40:12.81\00:40:15.34
God, if it's Your will
for us not to have kids,
00:40:15.38\00:40:19.55
I accept that.
00:40:19.58\00:40:20.98
I'm choosing Your way.
00:40:21.02\00:40:22.35
And the scriptures,
Isaiah 54:1, it says,
00:40:22.38\00:40:25.35
"Sing, O barren,
you who have not born.
00:40:25.39\00:40:29.86
Break forth into
singing and cry aloud,
00:40:29.89\00:40:32.23
you who have not
labored with a child."
00:40:32.26\00:40:34.76
And I thought,
God, this is me, right?
00:40:34.80\00:40:37.03
I haven't had any kids
and yet I'm supposed to sing.
00:40:37.07\00:40:40.97
And then it says, "More are
the children of the desolate
00:40:41.00\00:40:44.91
than the children
of the married women."
00:40:44.94\00:40:47.08
So what in the
world is God saying here?
00:40:47.11\00:40:49.58
"Enlarge the place of your tent,
00:40:49.61\00:40:50.98
let them stretch out the
curtains of your dwellings.
00:40:51.01\00:40:54.02
Do not spare,
lengthen your cords,
00:40:54.05\00:40:55.88
strengthen your stakes.
00:40:55.92\00:40:57.42
For you shall expand
to the right and the left,
00:40:57.45\00:40:59.65
your descendents
will inherit the nations."
00:40:59.69\00:41:03.99
What does that mean?
00:41:04.03\00:41:05.36
"And make the
desolate cities uninhabited."
00:41:05.39\00:41:07.60
Well, to me God
just spoke this promise
00:41:07.63\00:41:09.63
and put it in my heart,
00:41:09.66\00:41:11.13
that I could have
spiritual children.
00:41:11.17\00:41:13.57
God would not make
me for some reason,
00:41:13.60\00:41:17.87
not a physical mom
00:41:17.91\00:41:19.54
but He would give
me spiritual children,
00:41:19.57\00:41:22.18
descendents by
sharing the Word of God,
00:41:22.21\00:41:24.85
by sharing Jesus
with other people.
00:41:24.88\00:41:27.98
And to me this
journey, it began,
00:41:28.02\00:41:30.32
what, 12-15 years ago.
00:41:30.35\00:41:32.15
So now what God has done,
we're talking about hardships
00:41:32.19\00:41:34.92
being blessings in disguise.
00:41:34.96\00:41:36.69
What God has done in
my heart, the Psalms 37,
00:41:36.73\00:41:40.50
"Delight yourself in
the Lord and He gives you
00:41:40.53\00:41:42.63
the desire of your heart."
00:41:42.66\00:41:44.00
So as I surrendered,
00:41:44.03\00:41:45.37
as I chose to
accept it with joy,
00:41:45.40\00:41:46.94
what God did is
He actually removed
00:41:46.97\00:41:49.70
the desire for children.
00:41:49.74\00:41:51.57
And He replaced it
with a passion for ministry.
00:41:51.61\00:41:55.74
So to me, God said, "I said
no to what you thought was best
00:41:55.78\00:42:00.92
because I had a better plan."
00:42:00.95\00:42:02.52
And that better plan
is for you to serve Me,
00:42:02.55\00:42:06.42
for you to
minister, for you to share
00:42:06.45\00:42:08.86
the Word of God.
00:42:08.89\00:42:10.23
So praise the
Lord for what He does.
00:42:10.26\00:42:11.96
Now, you know, Jill,
I've really never spoken
00:42:11.99\00:42:13.93
publicly about JD and I
went through the same heartache
00:42:13.96\00:42:17.57
and I do know that it
was extremely difficult
00:42:17.60\00:42:21.27
and actually the Lord brought
this scripture to me as well.
00:42:21.30\00:42:24.91
And someone at church said,
00:42:24.94\00:42:27.28
"You already are
a mother of Israel."
00:42:27.31\00:42:29.61
You know, and I thought okay.
00:42:29.64\00:42:31.41
But it was very
difficult and painful thing.
00:42:31.45\00:42:33.75
Let me quickly share
where, our time is going...
00:42:33.78\00:42:37.22
Let me share the
story that comes to my mind.
00:42:37.25\00:42:41.66
It was, I'll say...
00:42:41.69\00:42:43.73
Even though I can think
of so many painful things
00:42:43.76\00:42:46.70
that I've been
through in the past,
00:42:46.73\00:42:48.93
the year that was the
worst year of my life,
00:42:48.96\00:42:52.53
God turned it around to
be the best year of my life
00:42:52.57\00:42:55.14
and that was the year
that I had vertigo 24/7.
00:42:55.17\00:42:58.67
I was spinning like a top,
00:42:58.71\00:43:00.28
it didn't matter
if I was sitting,
00:43:00.31\00:43:02.08
or lying, or what I was
doing, it was just a total spin.
00:43:02.11\00:43:06.65
I couldn't read the Bible.
00:43:06.68\00:43:08.95
I mean I got to
where I couldn't read,
00:43:08.98\00:43:10.39
my little pupils
were like pinpoints.
00:43:10.42\00:43:12.89
I couldn't watch television.
00:43:12.92\00:43:15.76
And in the midst of this,
being like a drunken sailor,
00:43:15.79\00:43:19.19
I ended up, we...
00:43:19.23\00:43:21.83
I had to move out
of our home on my own
00:43:21.86\00:43:24.63
because JD was out of town,
00:43:24.67\00:43:27.87
ended up at my
mother-in-law's farm,
00:43:27.90\00:43:31.74
their parent's farm.
00:43:31.77\00:43:33.11
She was diagnosed with cancer.
00:43:33.14\00:43:35.54
My father-in-law was
diagnosed with Alzheimer's
00:43:35.58\00:43:38.68
and I'm trying to care
for them when I'm so sick.
00:43:38.71\00:43:41.98
But it was...
00:43:42.02\00:43:43.42
I had lost my
church, I'd lost everybody
00:43:43.45\00:43:46.19
and I was just out
in the country sick
00:43:46.22\00:43:48.82
and trying to take
care of everyone else.
00:43:48.86\00:43:50.83
And the
interesting thing was that
00:43:50.86\00:43:53.33
I actually got
to the point of...
00:43:53.36\00:43:56.60
One night I was so
down, JD was traveling a lot
00:43:56.63\00:44:00.74
and I was so down that
when I got in bed, I thought,
00:44:00.77\00:44:05.77
"Now I know why
you tried it, Momma."
00:44:05.81\00:44:09.28
And what I was referring
to is my mother had attempted
00:44:09.31\00:44:12.08
suicide on several occasions.
00:44:12.11\00:44:14.88
At that moment,
I never understood
00:44:14.92\00:44:17.49
because my father was
killed in a plane crash
00:44:17.52\00:44:20.16
when I was six years old
and when my mother tried that,
00:44:20.19\00:44:23.36
I never understood
why a loving mother
00:44:23.39\00:44:26.80
would choose to end her
life and leave two little girls
00:44:26.83\00:44:32.30
on their own in the world.
00:44:32.33\00:44:34.47
And I wasn't suicidal.
Don't misunderstand me.
00:44:34.50\00:44:37.97
I hadn't gotten to the
point of considering suicide.
00:44:38.01\00:44:42.74
But I got to
that point where I had
00:44:42.78\00:44:44.28
an emotional identification
with the reason why.
00:44:44.31\00:44:47.95
And the reason why
people attempt suicide
00:44:47.98\00:44:50.79
is they have lost all
hope, they have lost all hope.
00:44:50.82\00:44:55.99
And one of my
favorite scriptures
00:44:56.02\00:44:58.23
is 1st
Corinthians 15:13 that says...
00:44:58.26\00:45:01.16
that says that,
00:45:01.20\00:45:03.40
"God pours His hope...
00:45:03.43\00:45:06.63
that God of all hope
pours His hope into our hearts
00:45:06.67\00:45:09.77
by the power of
the Holy Spirit."
00:45:09.80\00:45:11.27
He causes us to
bubble over with hope.
00:45:11.31\00:45:14.41
But what happened is the Lord,
00:45:14.44\00:45:17.08
the next day I
was just like help,
00:45:17.11\00:45:19.31
Lord, if I could get this
low, what if I could get lower.
00:45:19.35\00:45:22.32
And the next morning,
the Lord clearly spoke to me
00:45:22.35\00:45:26.62
and what He said...
00:45:26.65\00:45:28.52
And when I say
this, I don't mean
00:45:28.56\00:45:30.23
it was an audible voice
but the still-small voice
00:45:30.26\00:45:34.00
of the Lord spoke to my
mind, the Holy Spirit impressed
00:45:34.03\00:45:37.67
this thought
upon my mind saying,
00:45:37.70\00:45:39.67
"I said before your
life and death, chose life."
00:45:39.70\00:45:42.94
Well, I was...
00:45:42.97\00:45:45.47
God and I have always
had a very open relationship,
00:45:45.51\00:45:47.84
He knows what I'm thinking.
00:45:47.88\00:45:49.21
So I said it anyway and I
said, Lord, I've chosen life,
00:45:49.24\00:45:52.38
Jesus is my Savior.
00:45:52.41\00:45:53.75
If you mean
anything more than that,
00:45:53.78\00:45:55.12
You're gonna have to tell
me because I'm in no shape
00:45:55.15\00:45:58.25
to figure this out.
00:45:58.29\00:45:59.95
And at that point
the Lord instructed me
00:45:59.99\00:46:03.73
to get into His
word to pray His promises
00:46:03.76\00:46:08.36
over my life.
00:46:08.40\00:46:09.73
Well, here I was,
I could barely read,
00:46:09.76\00:46:11.83
so I'm trying to look
up some healing promises.
00:46:11.87\00:46:15.10
In the first two
weeks that I was speaking
00:46:15.14\00:46:17.24
the Word of God over my
life, there was no faith.
00:46:17.27\00:46:20.78
I mean, I would
do it and I thought,
00:46:20.81\00:46:22.34
Lord, did You
really tell me to do this?
00:46:22.38\00:46:25.51
But then, one day as
I prayed that and said,
00:46:25.55\00:46:28.32
Lord, where is my
faith, I don't understand.
00:46:28.35\00:46:30.82
He led me to three scriptures,
Isaiah 55:11 which says that,
00:46:30.85\00:46:35.12
"God's word does not return
to Him void but it accomplishes
00:46:35.16\00:46:39.96
every purpose for
which He sent it."
00:46:40.00\00:46:42.26
Jeremiah 1:13, it says,
"You have seen correctly,
00:46:42.30\00:46:45.77
for I am watching."
00:46:45.80\00:46:47.14
This is God speaking.
00:46:47.17\00:46:48.50
"I am watching over
My word to perform it."
00:46:48.54\00:46:50.81
And then Romans
4:17, where it says that
00:46:50.84\00:46:53.88
"God gives life to the
dead and He calls things
00:46:53.91\00:46:58.65
that are not as
though they already were."
00:46:58.68\00:47:02.25
So that's what I was doing.
00:47:02.28\00:47:04.22
I was claiming His
promises, calling on my healing
00:47:04.25\00:47:09.26
as it already existed.
00:47:09.29\00:47:11.16
I was returning the word to God,
00:47:11.19\00:47:13.36
He was watching
over it to perform it.
00:47:13.40\00:47:16.06
And He didn't
heal me right away.
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.13
Four months later...
00:47:19.17\00:47:20.50
I mean, I was in that
spin for a whole year.
00:47:20.54\00:47:22.84
But four months
later, He did heal me.
00:47:22.87\00:47:25.17
The thing that
happened in those four months
00:47:25.21\00:47:27.74
is that my
faith became so strong
00:47:27.78\00:47:31.15
and God completely...
00:47:31.18\00:47:33.01
I would be loathed to
go through that again.
00:47:33.05\00:47:38.25
But at the same time,
00:47:38.29\00:47:40.39
I'm so glad that
I went through that.
00:47:40.42\00:47:42.66
And it brings me to a scripture
I want to share with you.
00:47:42.69\00:47:46.83
Because what we need to do
00:47:46.86\00:47:49.53
is when we're in a
difficult situation,
00:47:49.56\00:47:52.53
look at it as an
opportunity for growth
00:47:52.57\00:47:56.07
because often our hardships
are blessings in disguise.
00:47:56.10\00:47:59.87
Let's look at
James Chapter 1:2-4.
00:47:59.91\00:48:04.71
And what this
scripture says is this.
00:48:04.75\00:48:09.22
"Consider it
pure joy my brothers,"
00:48:09.25\00:48:12.62
whenever you face
trails of many kinds...
00:48:12.65\00:48:15.39
"Because you
know that the testing
00:48:15.42\00:48:18.59
of your faith
develops perseverance.
00:48:18.63\00:48:22.86
And perseverance
must finish its work
00:48:22.90\00:48:26.60
so that you maybe
mature and complete,
00:48:26.63\00:48:30.97
not lacking anything."
00:48:31.01\00:48:33.94
Our faith, Mollie, you
said it so well earlier.
00:48:33.98\00:48:36.58
I mean I'm gonna
paraphrase but our faith
00:48:36.61\00:48:39.58
and the depth of our
character can be measured
00:48:39.61\00:48:41.75
in how we respond to adversity.
00:48:41.78\00:48:44.89
And sometimes
we're quite lacking
00:48:44.92\00:48:48.59
in all of that.
00:48:48.62\00:48:49.96
See, God's purpose in life
is not to keep us from pain.
00:48:49.99\00:48:54.03
God's purpose in
life is to create in us
00:48:54.06\00:48:57.90
the image of Jesus.
00:48:57.93\00:48:59.27
And Romans 8:28 says,
"That He will cause all things
00:48:59.30\00:49:02.87
to work together for good,
for those who love the Lord
00:49:02.90\00:49:05.34
and are called
according to His promise."
00:49:05.37\00:49:08.31
And it goes on in
verse 8:29 to explain that.
00:49:08.34\00:49:12.51
"For those He
foreknew, He predestined to be
00:49:12.55\00:49:16.12
confirmed to
the image of Jesus."
00:49:16.15\00:49:18.95
So the thing that you
think how can God work out this?
00:49:18.99\00:49:24.36
I've lost my child,
00:49:24.39\00:49:25.73
I've lost my
husband in an accident,
00:49:25.76\00:49:27.80
how can God work
this out for good?
00:49:27.83\00:49:30.40
He can because He can help you
00:49:30.43\00:49:33.67
to develop more into
the character of Jesus.
00:49:33.70\00:49:38.14
And to be a Christian
means to be Christ-like.
00:49:38.17\00:49:42.18
So the basis for joy,
00:49:42.21\00:49:44.11
when we look at a
difficult situation,
00:49:44.15\00:49:47.18
our basis for joy
is just simply to know
00:49:47.22\00:49:51.19
that the testing of our
faith produces perseverance
00:49:51.22\00:49:56.46
and perseverance
then is what helps us
00:49:56.49\00:50:00.46
to mature into
the image of Jesus.
00:50:00.50\00:50:02.90
We only have a
couple of minutes, closing,
00:50:02.93\00:50:04.93
quick closing
thought from everyone.
00:50:04.97\00:50:07.34
Scripture I like
Philippians 1:19.
00:50:07.37\00:50:09.27
Yes.
00:50:09.30\00:50:10.64
"I know that this will
turn out for my deliverance,"
00:50:10.67\00:50:13.11
Or King James
says, "For my salvation."
00:50:13.14\00:50:15.34
Through your prayer and
the supply of the supply
00:50:15.38\00:50:18.25
of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."
00:50:18.28\00:50:19.71
So you might say,
00:50:19.75\00:50:21.08
"No one's even
praying for me, we are."
00:50:21.12\00:50:23.59
Those of us here at 3ABN
are lifting you up in prayer
00:50:23.62\00:50:28.02
in your need, in
your time of hardship
00:50:28.06\00:50:30.86
and I know that God can turn
that situation around for good.
00:50:30.89\00:50:35.16
Thank you, Jill. Mollie?
00:50:35.20\00:50:36.73
I'm gonna give two
scriptures out of Deuteronomy.
00:50:36.77\00:50:38.97
Deuteronomy 1:30, "The
Lord your God goeth before you,
00:50:39.00\00:50:44.21
He shall fight your battles."
00:50:44.24\00:50:45.67
And then, Deuteronomy 3:16,
00:50:45.71\00:50:48.18
"Be strong and
of a good courage,
00:50:48.21\00:50:50.48
fear not, nor be afraid of them,
00:50:50.51\00:50:53.35
for the Lord, thy God,
00:50:53.38\00:50:54.85
He adheres that
death go with thee.
00:50:54.88\00:50:57.72
He will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee."
00:50:57.75\00:51:00.79
He will never leave
you nor forsake you.
00:51:00.82\00:51:02.42
Thank you, Mollie. Dee?
00:51:02.46\00:51:04.56
I want to end with just
the one part of Isaiah 41:10
00:51:04.59\00:51:08.80
where it says,
"Yes, I will help you."
00:51:08.83\00:51:11.17
If you can't do
anything else, just, yes,
00:51:11.20\00:51:14.70
remember God will help
you, He will be with you,
00:51:14.74\00:51:17.67
when you can't
breathe, you can't talk,
00:51:17.71\00:51:20.21
you can't even think.
00:51:20.24\00:51:21.71
"Yes, I will help you."
00:51:21.74\00:51:23.48
He's always there.
Well, the Lord is there.
00:51:23.51\00:51:25.31